The Miller Saga

Jason is on his way back from Rwanda on his way to London.  We have been staying in touch via text messages, instant messaging and e-mail.  I cannot wait to hear his voice again!  He is well.  The trip has been much of what they had hoped.  They made new connections and had many conversations along with other unexpected (or expected, depending on how you look at it) adventures.

I have been in Milwaukee since last Thursday when Brennen got the “all clear” from his doctor (he had a nasty virus).  It has been wonderful to be with my family.  Brennen and Kate are having a blast!  I have learned much about my other family, the family of Christ through Brennen’s sickness.  I was blessed and completely cared for during the days of his sickness when I couldn’t get to Milwaukee.  Thank you and bless you all!

Prayer has been our connection in all of this.  It has been the only constant and reliable connection between Jason and myself.  It is the connection each of you have with Jason and the rest of the team, the connection you have with me and Brennen and Kate.  I am so grateful for this connection that has nothing to do with internet or phone connections (be they fast or slow!). I am so grateful for Christ who intercedes for us, for the Holy Spirit who speaks for us when we have not the words.

Thank you to all of you who work at staying connected through prayer and through e-mail or phone.  Jason and I are so very grateful.  We want to know what is happening in each of your lives so we can stay connected for you as well.

Tags: Brennen, church, Jason, Kate, Prayer

When Kate goes to sleep Brennen is fond of saying, “Baby Kate sleeping”. He emphasizes the SLEEPing part of the phrase quite appropriately. I just want to announce that Kate slept through the night last night! She has only done this a handful of times in the past six months, and the hope that she might sleep more regularly in the future is almost too good to imagine. But I am hopeful!

These days all of our schedules are so challenging to manage that we thought it was possible no one would be available for Alpha this Spring, but thankfully that’s not the case. We do have friends interested in joining us for Alpha, and we’re really excited about it!

I think this will be a great excuse to get to know each other better, while also exploring the basics of Christianity together. We do so appreciate everyone’s encouragement and prayers that our Sunday afternoons together would be delightful for all, and also that Brennen and Kate would take their afternoon naps on those days without much of a battle. :)

Just this morning I was having a conversation with a friend about how distant we tend to remain from one another relationally, and I’m hopeful that these afternoon meals and discussion will begin to counter that tendancy in our lives.

Tags: Alpha

This Sunday we begin the Alpha course, 10 weeks (including an extended weekend) of a study on the basics of Christianity.  At this point we have yet to discover if any of the friends we invited will be joining us!  There is much preparation involved in having people in for a meal and I would LOVE to know ahead of time who is coming.  All this to say that God has been making me aware of the fact that this is a spiritual work that we are doing.  The battle is being fought on a spiritual plain… I cannot see it, but it is happening none the less.  I am excited for the growth that will happen in our lives as we find ourselves in this place of need.  God is the only one who can provide the people for this course.  I am also excited about going through the basics again myself.  Somehow I had forgotten that it helps to always be reviewing the basics. This is true in every area of life, certainly true in regards to our faith.  So… if you aren’t busy Sunday afternoon, join us.  Or better yet, pray!

Tags: Alpha

Some days you can’t wait to crawl in bed and know you get to start over in the morning.  This was one of those kind of days… Actually it has been one of those kind of months.  Both Jason and my computers died (RIP) and the cars have been taking turns as well.  I realized last week how unimportant all of that is when Brennen came down with a fever and went into a febrile seizure.  He is fine now except for a cough but I look at him in a new way.  Life is so very precious.  I guess that’s why we get up in the morning and try again.  This world is not my home but I am glad for the time we have.  Glad for the grace God gives us.

Christmas Snuggles

Tags: home

I am off to Dallas for the weekend for a Distance Education Roundtable sponsored by the Institute of Theological Studies. I will miss Danielle, Brennen and Kate in a serious way, but I plan to take some time off the following week to recover. Here’s a photo I took tonight of Brennen asleep among his stuffed animals. When we put him to bed, he only had one… before he fell asleep he surrounded himself with his furry friends.

Brennen sleeping among his friends

Tags: Brennen, TEDS, Travel

Kate has been growing and filling out nicely.  The day before Thanksgiving she started smiling in response to our smiles, a beautiful sight that never ceases to delight me.  Yesterday I heard her laugh for the first time. She really is a happy baby although she is crying now as if to discount what I am saying.  :)

This past weekend we went to see “It’s a Wonderful Life” at Acacia Theatre in Milwaukee.  Kate sat on my lap and watched the show instead of falling asleep as expected.  She is a little night owl.

Yesterday morning Brennen awoke and began to sing from his crib. Gratefully, he does this many mornings. I could hear him as I was getting ready for work as quietly as I could. The thought occurred to me that ideally every morning ought to begin in song. Brennen has it right, and I have much to learn.

Tonight we went Christmas tree hunting as a family in the midst of a significant snowstorm. It was fun and we bought a tree from Charles, who stakes out a corner of the local Menard’s parking lot. We bought our tree from him last year as well. Brennen helped me pick out the tree, which is a fine little tree for our cottage. After getting Brennen to bed, eating a late dinner and having a review of the budget, we were too tired to deal with getting the tree in a stand. Since I had some work to finish, Danielle and Kate went to bed and while they were sleeping I cut the tree, brought it in the house and set it up in the dark. (No telling how crooked it is until morning!) Well, friends, if you’re reading this before everyone here awakens, it will be our little secret. :)

Tags: Brennen, Christmas, Song

Although we are sad about not being with our extended families this Thanksgiving, I am glad that we’ll be able to attend our church’s Thanksgiving Service on Thursday morning. I am very thankful to God for this particular community of believers, and for the many years of faithful witness to the transforming power of the Gospel and the truth of the Bible as God’s Word. The church began as a small group church plant in a living room and has expanded to over 200 people who actively identify themselves with the church community. This is an exciting time as we step toward 2009. It’s a joy to be part of what God is doing here.

Yet, I still long to be more actively a part of what God is doing globally. I am learning that we must take one day at a time. God is with us and our role is to abide. Let us give thanks to God for his love and for the love present among us for one another. Let us abide in his love.

Tags: John 15, Thanksgiving

Kate is one month old as of Saturday.  We celebrated with the ladies of our church (Church of the Redeemer in Highland Park).  The church had a gathering called A Celebration of Life in honor of three of us and our new babies.  It was a special time with prayer for each of the babies and food and fellowship.   Our thanks to all who planned the gathering!  (It might be my imagination, but in this picture I see a hint of red in Kate’s hair :)

mamas and babies