A girl named Ava August 2, 2009

Well it is no secret that this has been a hard summer.  If you are just now tuning in you can read the recap here.  But this post is even more important than the recap, because it will tell you how I survived the last month and a half without going crazy.  It’s all about a girl named Ava.

When Ava first started coming to our youth group in Norman, Robert remembers her coming up to him and saying “Hi” after every program.  Then she would stand there and grin, not knowing what else to say. Which seems a little odd looking back because she is not one with a lack of things to say.  She was very active in our youth group and had a personal encounter with Jesus Christ and gave her life to him.  It has been a wild ride ever since.  She is fun and funny, thoughful and introspective, kind and loving, a lover of Jesus and a learner in life.  She volunteered to babysit our kids not too long after we met her, and she has been one of Austin and Tyler’s favorite people ever since.  She babysat for us in the summers and has shown so much love to the boys.

When Ava first started talking to us about coming to Albania I had a lot of reservations.  I wasn’t sure how it would be to have another person here in our “space.”  I was not sure how that would effect our routines, our family time, our couple time, my personal space.  But we prayed a lot about it and talked about all the possibilities and decided she would be a blessing to us and our kids for the month of July. She has been in love with Jadyn and was anxious to get to spend the same time with her that she did with the boys when they were that age.  We made the decision to have her come this summer in March or April.

I can not overstate how I have seen God’s amazing providence in this one decision.  When we knew that Robert would need to leave for surgery, one of the things that helped me know it was the rgiht decision to stay here with our kids was knowing that Ava would be coming to help lighten the load.  But she did SO MUCH MORE…..

She helped with the housework.

She wiped noses, and bottoms, and boo boos.

She tickled and laughed and loved.

She prayed.

She relieved my loneliness.

She talked with me about all kinds of things.

She helped me get out of the house and do things I might have avoided by myself.

She (unknowingly) helped me keep to a routine for me and the kids.

She helped with meals. Teaching her to cook made me think of more creative things to eat for dinner.

She played games and read books and watched movies.

And she never complained… NOT ONCE!  Not when we got a flat tire on the way home from the pool, not when it flooded in the front yard and we ran through the hail, not when she was bitten so many times by mosquitos I know she was miserable, not when she was tired or had a headache or was sweating just by standing there in the living room.  Not when she walked home in the 100 degree heat with three grumpy kids.  Not even about her lumpy hideaway bed.

Ava,

There are not enough words to tell you what a difference you have made for our family. I won’t even try.  You are an amazing woman of God!

You are loved by the Wheelis family!

Remembering April 19, 2009

April 19, 1995

Perhaps you have days in your life when time seemed to stand still.  This was one for me.  I was a senior in college, majoring in music education.  And on this very ordinary sunshiny day, I left my apartment early for my student teaching assignment at Fisher Elementary school in Moore, Oklahoma.   Classes started around 8:30 and my supervising teacher, Marilyn Copeland, left me to teach classes on my own.  I was nearing the end of my 8 weeks of elementary teaching and the students no longer scared me. 

The morning passed quickly and nothing out of the ordinary happening until a few minutes after 10 am when Marilyn’s husband came in looking for her.  This seemed a little out of place.  He worked downtown, what was he doing here?  I did not know where she was, I told him, and went on with the lessons.  It was not until lunch time that I learned about the bombing in Oklahoma City that day.  I was riveted to the TV during my short 30 minute break trying to wrap my mind around what had happened.

We can never believe it when tragedy strikes.  We could never have imagined what would happen that day or the pain that it brought on so many people.  But in the midst of tragedies, we find our greatest strength.  Strength that God put deep within us so that we could bear the sufferings we will find in this world.

Today, I am remembering the people who showed amazing courage and strength in the face of suffering, loss and pain.  I am remembering the lives that were lost at 9:02 am on April 19, 1995. And I am remembering that God still redeems the worst of tragedies and brings goodness and hope with each new day.

¹⁹ I remember my affliction and my wandering,
the bitterness and the gall.

²⁰ I well remember them,
and my soul is downcast within me.

²¹ Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:

²² Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.

²³ They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

~Lamentations 3:19-23

Gezuar Pashken! (Happy Easter) April 12, 2009

Today was a special day…. not only was there an amazing celebration of Easter here in Tirana, but today was the day my sweet friend Linda gave her life to Christ.

There was a concert and Eater Celebration for all Christian churches in Tirana this morning at Mother Teresa Square.  We gathered in the center of town and walked to the square for worship.  It was amazing to see thousands of Christians from around our city unified under Christ.  Linda joined our family and went with us to the service.  I could see that God was stirring her heart as she was singing songs and celebrating with us.

After the service our church had a picnic in the park.  After lunch, Linda and I were sitting together and I asked her if she knew the whole story of Jesus.   She asked my if it was a true story.  I told her YES!  She has heard the story but not remembered details.  In my very basic Albanian, I told Linda the story of God’s love for us, how we have been separated from Him by our sin, how He sent His Son to take our place by dying on the cross, and the hope we have in Him because HE IS RISEN.

I used simple words and short sentences and I stumbled a lot,  but she was patient and thirsty to know more.  As I was nearing a place that caused me to struggle even more, Sonja walked up and sat down.  She told me later she could see we were in a serious conversation and she almost walked on but as soon as she sat down, I asked her if she could translate a little for me.  I told Linda, that it seemed to be that God had been drawing her to himself for a long time.  Sonja helped me make my sentences and ideas more clear, and after talking for some time, I asked Linda if she wanted to ask Jesus to come in live in her heart.  She said yes, she really wanted to pray but she didn’t know how.  Do you remember feeling that way? I do!  I encouraged her that God hears our words and our thoughts, but that I would help her by saying the words that she could say after me.

Today, my sister, Linda, became a believer in Jesus.

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.  John 1:12

When I was a little girl… April 9, 2009

Today I had coffee with a young woman I met a few months ago at the Worship Conference.  She was wanting to know if I could give her voice lessons (I am getting more and more requests).  As we were talking and getting to know one another, I asked her how she came to know Jesus.

“When I was a little girl,” she said, “I recevied a box from Samaritan’s Purse.  Inside was the story of Jesus.  I told my mom, look!  There is a God and he died for us and three days later he rose up from the dead!”

She began to pray the prayer of salvation that was written at the end of the pamphlet.

Everyday.

Her story doesn’t end there.  She struggled to find God in the Orthodox Church, which was the heritage of her family.  She went through rituals and said prayers and even asked to be baptized by the priest.  She made the request many times.   Her parents were opposed to her attending a protestant church in her town.  Her father had a government job during communist times and burned down many churches during the years that Albania declared “There is no God.”  After moving away from her home town, she found a church and began growing in her relationship with Christ.  Today, she is the worship leader at her church here in Tirana and her husband works with the youth.

Friends, never underestimate what a difference

your gift makes for the Kingdom of God.

Someone on the other side of the planet packed a shoebox full of goodies for children.  They sent the box to Samaritan’s Purse where a booklet about Jesus was added.  It was lovingly wrapped and shipped across the world and made its way into the hands of a little girl who had never heard the name of Jesus becuase, at the time she was born in this country, claiming faith of any kind was prohibited by law.

I packed one of these shoe boxes once.  Our church collected boxes for Operation Christmas Child.  I went to the store and bought toothpaste, socks, soap, crayons, coloring books, and little toys.  I filled it up and dropped it off.  I have not thought about it since.  NOT ONCE.

Until today.

So is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.     ~Issiah 55:11

God is still busy doing His thing.

Changing lives.

75 Valentine’s Days February 16, 2009

These are my grandparents. They have spent 75 Valentine’s Days together.  That is because they have been married for 75 years.  Can you even imagine?  Read this great article about them that was in their paper this weekend. Aren’t they cute?

You don’t have to be a politician to put forth a stimulus package February 13, 2009

This might be the best quote in recent months in relationship to the economic crisis our country is facing.  Read this GREAT story about a State representative’s wife who is allowing a mother and her son live in her house, rent free, until they get back on their feet.

Random acts of kindness, people.  It is God at work among us.

Gotcha! February 6, 2009

Yesterday was Gotcha Day! 2 years ago we were in China having Jadyn placed in our arms for the first time.  The scene is still vivid in my mind.  Screaming babies everywhere… and there was our quiet but curious daughter.

Is is possible that two years have really passed?  It seems to have gone in the blink of an eye. What a precious gem we have.  We celebrated with food and friends and by of course watching video.  What a great day!

Snuggle, Snuggle, Toot, Toot! September 23, 2008

Never a dull moment around here.  Yesterday was a day of catch up.  After all that yucky sickness over the weekend, most of it spent in bed, I could not sleep through the night Sunday night.  I woke up a little after 4am Monday morning, not exactly bright and shiny but certainly with the fog lifted and not a yawn in sight.  So, rise and shine!  I had dishes to catch up on, laundry to fold, lunches to make, etc…. By 11:30 I was beat and so was Jadyn.  We ate a little lunch and took ourselves upstairs for a nap.

Phone rings… her nap continues but mine was interrupted by the things of life….

I finally was able to make it up to my bed and wouldn’t ya know that Jadyn woke up just 5 minutes after I laid my head down on the pillow.  Sigh. I went to get her and she laid in bed with me in that post nap, sleepy phase.  She closed her eyes, teasing me with the notion that she might fall back asleep.  I couldn’t even close my eyes.  She was a vision!  Have you ever had those moments when you are so tired but then sleep doesn’t come?  As Jadyn was snuggled in my arms, I just looked at her sweet face and counted her little eyelashes.  She would occasionally open her eyes and look at me.   She smelled like baby lotion and I just breathed the scent of her and finally close my eyes.  The sound of her breathing and her finger scratching on her little security blanket, lulled me to sleep.

And then, “toot, toot!”  She gasped and sat straight up, surprised at her own body sounds!  I smiled. She giggled and said, “Yuck, mommy!”

Indeed.  We disolved into a sea of giggles and tickles.

Painting pictures of Egypt June 28, 2008

You all must get tired of me quoting songs….. but God speaks to my heart so much through the music of His faithful! So… in the midst of this journey of committing myself to this process God is doing in me I discovered this song.

What is my Egypt? I think for me it is America, home. Or at least the memory of what used to be home. I find myself thinking about “home” a lot. Where is my home? Now that I am “home” here is the US I feel more homeless! And I miss the familiarity and simplicity of life in that place I now call home: Albania. My friend Bex, serving in North Africa says it well:

I spend everyday – even in the US – torn between loving where I am and missing what I have left. I am reassured to remember that there is One who holds every day of my life in His hands – whether that be here or there I can always rest in His faithfulness and love.

And it is true that you can never go back to the place you were. And when I paint pictures of those places I leave out all the things that were a struggle for me there. And the places that used to fit me can not hold the things I’ve learned. I have to find new places. For now that is the place where I am.

Lord, let me release the past and the future to YOU and be present in the place you have me now.

What is your Egypt?

Cinderella May 25, 2008

This was posted on my friend Cindy’s blog today.  Have you danced with Cinderella today?  I danced with my Cinderella and both my Prince Charmings tonight (The king was away from the castle so when he comes back on his white steed I will snag him then).  Don’t waste a moment… dance!