Silent Retreat

http://www.markcentre.org/

This is where Cecil and I will be for the next day and 1/2.  In silence.  Listening.  We're anticipating to hear. 

~Tracy

Long awaited Update

Hi folks,
Our computer has been down a little. 
But we HAVE TO WRITE NOW because so much is happening and we need your intercession.

• We continue to juggle reading assignments/papers due with taking care of the kids.
• The Lord needs to continue to give us grace as we interact with new people and situations here.
• We and the lead team at mbmission have some important decisions to make pertaining to our internship (Jan-July) coming up really soon.  Please pray that we all can clearly hear the Lord's plan for where and when and with whom we'll minister.
• For Tracy, please pray that she'd be able to give God the time and energy due his name.  And that she'd be able to be quiet enough to hear him and make the time a priority.
• Please pray for our future ministry with abused children and women in human trafficing.
• For Cecil, please pray he'd be able to be productive with his studies. 
• That Cecil would be able to encourage the men he meets with.

Praise!!!!

• Cecil and Tracy get ample time to invest in the family and to share household responsibilities.
• Praise the Lord for this slower pace of life.
• Praise Him for money and food.... enough to share.
• Praise God that Cecil has been able to have quality time w/ the boys that he hadn't previously been able to have in the months before our move.
• Praise God for the friendships we've been able to make here.  And for people we can trust and be honest with.

Thanks for your prayers!!!

highlighter lips

I was in the room doing my bible study, Cecil was working out... next thing Cec knows, Solas comes around the corner w/ the highlighter in his hand.  I asked Solas what happened later.. and what was on his face.... and if he painted his face and he said, "bluh bluh" (blue blue).  At that point... I was just SOOOOO THANKFUL...... it wasn't on the walls.  I would've even been okay if Brother was painted bluh bluh too.  Just as long as the white banister or leather couches were fine.  hahaa

~Trace

Small Group

Tonight is our first small group.  All us missionary trainees.  :)  And the kids.  Please pray it'll be an authentic time of sharing and building eachother up.
And pray for the babysitter situation.
:)
~Tracy

Psalm 139

I never knew how CLOSE the LORD is.  To me.  To Cec.  To ALL OF US.  He has been SOOO close.
 
David knew it. 
"You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely.
⁵ You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain."

I was praying for the Holy Spirit to talk to me.  And its so hard as a mom to quiet my mind and be still.  I heard this song in my mind, "O Senhor é a minha forca. Ele faz os meus pés como os da corsa. O Senhor, o soberano. Me faz andar em lugares altos."
And I was like, "come ON Trace... focus.... stop thinking of your brasilian songs".
THEN I was quiet.
Next day, I was in class and the teacher told me she thought of this verse for me during her quiet time with the Lord: Psalm 18:33
He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he causes me to stand on the heights.

Thats the  Portuguese song that came to mind during my silent moments the day before.  "The Lord, is my strenth.  He makes my feed like a deer's.  The Lord, most sovereign, makes me walk on high places."

Can I get an AMEN!!??!!
~Tracy

Hang'n out...

Hey guys... Solas and I have been hanging out watching sesame street tonight.  Cec is out hanging out with a friend form missionary training... at the coffee shop.. no doubtedly talking about Rob Bell or Escatology.  We have a  lot of reading assignments due soon.... but its hard to read when the kids are awake....  seems like my day is filled w/ cooking......  class.... more cooking.... and dishes.  I spend most of my day in the kitchen.  I can honestly say I haven't cooked so much in my entire married life.  Basically every meal.... for 9 days.  And snacks... lots and lots of packed snacks and lunches.  hahahaaa  It sure is a  different chapter in my mom life.  Thank the LORD for frozen chicken strips!!! 
~Tracy

Well... tomorrow is Friday!!!  The last day of the first week of missionary training!!!  This week was great.  I DO have to admit... we've been pretty tired.  I got a 1 1/2hr nap today... and woke up.... tired... 
Cec tried to sleep too but solas woke up.  We saw Ricky and Karen Sanchez tonight for a few minutes.  It was a great visit!!!!  They are long-term missionaries in Thailand and hopefully will be our future teammates. 
Right now, Cecil is doing the dishes and I'm packing lunches for tomorrow.  We'll be in class until 4:30pm tomorrow.....  sharing testimonies w/ our classmates and praying for eachother.  Then on Saturday, Solas and Judah will stay w/ the other preschoolers at the church playing for a few hrs, and all of us missionary trainees are going to the mountains for a 5 hr hike.  It'll be like a teambuilding experience.....
ok..... going to write out my testimony now. 
love!

~Tracy

2nd day of class.  Going GREAT so far. :)  Pray for Solas and Judah.  These transitions are going to take a while...

Mak'n cupcakes and muffins for morning snack break this week at MTE!!! YEY SWEETS!!!

Today at the Grocery store.  The boys LOVED sitting together!

I spoke too soon about naptime.  Solas is up now. :) 

well....  Today is our 3rd day in Abbotsford, BC.  We've been to walmart, the sunday service at church, to friends' for dinner, to a "Trader Joe's" type grocery store (where I have to admit, most everything cost $.50-2.00 Canadian dollars MORE  than in Bako).  A gallon of milk is nearly $6CD.  wow.  We've been to a gas station, and almost got a redbox movie.  hahahaa
Its naptime now.  Just relaxing a little more before tomorrow morning.  TOMORROW is the GRIND. We will get to NorthView Community Church at 8:30am and be there until after 2:30pm.  But that is unusual.  We normally get out of class at noonish. 
Lets see...  Solas got his first bloody nose today.  It was his first "rite of passage" of sorts.  We've discovered the hard way that Judah has a sensitivity to plums.  And... what else.......   Abbotsford is hilly... (its so different and fun to drive here). 
Looks like we're going to be spending much more on groceries than anticipated, and have heard that its easy to cross into Washington to get cheap dairy... but because it was not easy to get INTO canada the first time (w/customs stamps and officers and waiting and fussy kids), we're not looking forward to leaving right away. 
We still havnt got Canadian cell service, but our landline is AMAZING!!! We can call anyone here and in the US for free!  You can call us 1 (604) 852-1033, and we will call you right back for free.  We found out that included in our rent is PG&E, cable tv, free internation calls, about $50 worth of groceries in our fridge when we arrived, and more I can't think of.
We feel really BLESSED by our accomodations here.  Cecil and I agreed its probably the nicest home we have, or ever will live in.  Central Heights church was sooo amazing to let us stay here!!!  And theres plenty of room for you to stay when you visit us too!!! :)
Ok... well... Judah is crying. Better go.  Both kids seemed a little out of sorts today.  I'm hoping its just the tranition, and perhaps the plums, and not something more.
hugs to you all,
Tracy

Hey guys.... we're having dinner w/ John and Isabelle I. Balzer tonight....... We're EXCITED!!!!! Went to Central Heights church this morning.... met us some good MBs. :) Cecil Ramos and I are TIRED......... hoping the boys sleep early so we can RELAX!!!! I got out last night and went to walmart. I was able to use my visa check card and it wasn't an issue. Thank YOU Lord!!! Today I went to an ATM and got gas. $1.19CD/liter of gas. Yes.... I DID spend $52CD for gas. wow. Ok...... getting ready to hang out w/ the Balzers yey! Boys playing in the tent...

http://www.mbmission.org/donate/information/new-missionaries

ps.... the last post was me, TRACY. :)

Been concerned with:
 being "on time" tomorrow
getting our money converted
driving into BC
crossing the border w/ our documents
meeting up w/ the appropriate people on time
getting our cells transfered

And then I remembered that God:
got Judah's passport to us quickly
provided money for our roadtrip and September costs
let us stay w/ friends and family and they fed/blessed us
provided housing for us in BC
let us all be relatively healthy so far
helped me and cec and the boys SLEEP everynight and naps
helped us have down time
let us have nice heart to hearts w/ our friends and families
provided a strong/serving husband
provided coffee shops
provided food
provided clean clothes
let us have late night fun
keeps the car from having problems
provided friends to get our home clean before we left
provided $ for carpet shampooing and to bless friends
provided a nice hotel for us in Grants Pass (nice continental bfast too)
provided dvds for solas to watch in the car
provided snacks
provided good kid-time/interaction for our boys
provided great weather

Psalms 78:22- I want to remember the wonders God has already done for us!
Matt 9:28-29- I want to have faith that God will take care of us just like he has already!
John 3:12-I want to trust him NOW w/ my earthly concerns.

Last full day in America, eh?

So.....  its 1:23pm, Cec is trying to put the boys down for a little nap.... and I'm sitting down for a sec to do my final blogging/facebooking in America.  Wow.... that was weird.  Tomorrow we'll be in a different country.  Only 5 1/2 hrs to Abbotsford, Bc. We'll take about 7hrs.  We stop and eat a lot. :)  Theres so many unknowns that fight to steal my joy.  I feel unsure about what to expect north of portland (we've never driven so north).  Don't know what the I-5 will be like... traffic.... straight... winding?  Where will we convert our USD?  Will we be able to successfully get money from the ATM?  (We've had some frustrating experiences w/ this in the past).   
Seems like....  I need to really combat the fear of all these ambigiuities.  I want to be joyful and peaceful.  I want to have FUN not fear.  You know? 

 

These are some pictures that our good friend Terry Tripp did, he has his own photography business...my man has skills...wife and the boys came out great!!!

On our way to Canada!!!

Hey guys!!!
We're laying on our stomachs on our hotel bed in Grants Pass, Or.!!!!!!!!  Judah is standing in his pack n' play talking to us.  Solas is making snakes in the bathroom.  Cec is flipping through the cable channels (something we don't ever do-its a treat).  And I'm creating this blog!!! YEY!!!!
I'll upload photos ASAP. 
love and miss you all!!!!!

~Tracy