Tomorrow is November

How quickly October has gone!  We've been in our rental home for 1 1/2 months.  What a dream place, right here on the lake.  I've always wanted to live where I could see water-I find it brings me into a state of stillness where time holds still.  It helps me poinder things of the heart.  Right in front of me every day is a reminder of God's creative power, and I realize that all I can see is the overview--I can't see all the minute details of each animal, the water ecosystem, the tiny creatures in the water that are out of view.  My God--a God of massive creative power and yet brilliantly plotting out each balancing speck of nature so that it fits together and works perfectly!  Right now the ducks are swimming by in the dozens.  The geese?  Well, they aren't welcome on the lawn as they would eat it to nubbins!  So, we chase them off from time to time and get the "goo poo" off the deck.  

Life is wonderful.  Life is hard.  God is a present help in time of trouble (& in times of joy!)

WANNA HEAR MY EXCUSES...AGAIN??

Okay, I can't keep having the same title for each post as I go longer and longer between them. '

Here's my list of excuses this time:

~We were trying to find a job and visiting/interviewing in lots of places

~We had family visit

~We took mom and dad out to the coast a couple of times

~We were traveling

~We were preparing to move (See, I have proof!!)

  

~We were moving

~We were unpacking from moving

~We've been busy making new connections in a new town and writing info newsletters

(I'm sure there are more, but I've forgotten them now, and for those of you who know me...that's not a real shocker)!

So, here we are living in a rental overlooking the lake in Central Washington. Lots better than living "in a van, down by the riverrrrr"! We feel spoiled and wish that you could come visit, because we have lots of extra bedrooms in the rental home.

So, quite update. Angie and Jeremy are doing well. Jeremy's in school and Angie's working in lots of realms. Insurance, teaching voice lessons and a little Mary Kay as well. Jeremy's glad that Kansas FINALLY considered him/them residents and let him into Kansus University in the ROTC program.

Chad and Charissa are on the doorstep of having their little boy--due October 21. She's amazed that anyone's skin could stretch that far without, well, bursting! (if you want to know more, visit http://www.chadandcharissa.com/) They are SO ready for their little guy. He's gonna have a dinosaur-themed room. Can't wait to see him (oh, yeah, and everyone else too) in November when we'll all fly back to N.C.

Okay, enough for now!

Judy (& Ed)

Spraying the lake "buggies" & doing their part to keep West Nile at bay!!

Why so long no post, eh?

Well, I guess the best answer to that is...because we have no answers yet! That is, in regards to what Ed's new job will be. So, if for some reason you visit this very slow blogsite...this might be God's call for you to pray for us. Don't you feel privileged?

Chad and Charissa and doing good in "growing a baby" land. Just your basic "ick" days, but some good days mixed in as well. Lots of kicking and moving going on across the landscape of Charissa's belly. They have a couple of cute sonograms at chadandcharissa.com in case you want to snoop for yourself.

Angie and Jeremy are doing pretty good in Kansas, also. He's working and getting ready for getting into Kansas University. She's working and also teaching some voice lessons, along with a little Mary Kay business when she has a chance.

We're hanging tight in the Log Home basement and grateful that we don't have a mortgage at this time. I guess if you have to be jobless, there are worse times in life. Shoot, let's be honest. It's never great to be jobless unless you're independently wealthy! Just checked the bank account--that's not us!

In the midst of all this, we know what we know that we know...that God is faithful and He's already stirring the right mixture into our tomorrows that we need and that will honor Him. So, saddle up. It's adventure time!

Someone's Pregnant...

...and it's NOT me-Judy (did I just hear a HUGE sigh of relief?)

Chad and Charissa are expecting a baby October 21. Only problem is, it/they will be FAR away from Oregon. They are very excited, and even though this blessed event was not planned, their anticipation is building bigtime now that they've passed the first precarious time period that leans towards them having a healthy pregnancy. Exciting, huh?

I had my 50th Birthday on April 8. Somebody somewhere has some pictures, but I'm afraid to show you...these girls I'm hanging with are a little bit wild! :)

Ed's doing well, working hard, planning workdays at the church, getting blisters on his softened "office hands," and trying to keep his projects lined up and moving along.

Angie and Jeremy are doing pretty well. Angie had a little bit of a health scare (pituitary & thyroid gland), but it appears that things are in check and a medicine or two should be able to treat the worst of it. Jeremy's planning on going to school in the fall, so they'll be back on track with the college plan. They have the craziest weather there. 70 degrees one day and 30 degrees the next day. You have to keep your winter and summer clothes all hung up!!

Okay, that's the update. Mostly the baby news was begging to be shared. Keep on praying!

Kansas and Texas Travels

NEWBERG, KANSAS, TEXAS....where HAVEN'T we been?

So...........a lot can happen in a couple of months! Besides getting Chad and Charissa's Newberg house kitchen remodeled and then SOLD (finally...thank you, God!), we headed off to the midwest.

We had duel purposes. First, we continued our BREAKTHROUGH experience (http://www.heartconnexion.org/). Wow, this has been one of the most meaningful rides we've ever gone on! Talk about impacting! Between the final 2 sessions of Breakthrough, we drove down to TX to see Ed's sister with the "twang" in her voice AND connect with the whole Burns gang as we gathered them from the Houston airport to head to Port Neches, TX near the gulf. (In picture-LtoR Dixie, Nancy, Ed, Patty).

Fun listening to all those siblings talk and laughter. Crazy how you can be raised in the same home and experience your childhood so differently. Nancy felt a little rotten from her Chemo the first couple of days, but perked up as the week went on. She's had cancer that started as stage 4 for a couple of years now, so we are lifting her up in prayer all the time.

Man, those southern ladies DO know how to cook. Ed and I gained about 5 lbs. each! (okay, some of that in the picture is just wind puffing my windbreaker....be nice, now!). Oh well, time to get walkin' again!

We are still enjoying our basement apartment here at my brother's home. He and his wife just headed back to Alaska after about 3 months here in Newberg, so we have the home to ourself for a couple of days. On April 11, our niece and 2 boys will take over the main level as her husband starts getting treatment for a growth on his spine--a lot for a young family to handle! Keep Kim and Jody in your prayers, would 'ya?

There is more to come, but can't tell you yet (no, that's NOT an April fool's joke & NO, I'm not pregnant :)

Love,

Judy (& Edster)

Wha??? Is it 2008 already!!??

Okay, so I guess blogs are supposed to be more daily/weekly than monthly. So, it's time for an update. Guess I was waiting for that "here's where we WILL be living in 2008" announcement, but it's not time for that yet. Waiting can be miserable. Waiting can also be character building. So, we're waiting and listening.

And WHILE we wait and listen we working our tails off at Chad and Charissa's house trying to get it ready for the pending sale. We've totally gutted the kitchen and it's coming along. Today or tomorrow the flooring goes in and then all the finishing details. Judy is the official painting and "getter of things" (isn't the term "go-for" a little too degrading?). She has to remember that life is more than just getting tasks done, so for the next 3 nights, we are part of people gatherings--that ought to remind us!

Kid updates: Angie and Jeremy (& doggy Toby) are still in Kansas working and waiting for Kansas residency to be considered official so Jer can go to KU. He just got his tonsils out (after many years of throat issues) and evidentally it is incredibly painful and takes lots of time to heal. He's a hurting unit! Angie's still plugging away at her job, doing some voice lessons through a local organization, involved musically in her church from time to time and keeping up with her Mary Kay stuff. She's also the one who encouraged us to go to Breakthrough (heartconnexion.org). Wow! Judy says "this is impacting stuff!" The timing is perfect to invest in ourselves and help give direction to the portion of our lives.

Chad and Charissa (& doggy Morgan) are still near Charlotte, NC with Charissa's parents as they wait for their Newberg home to sell. Charissa got her real estate license and has been getting leads as she puts in time at the Mall kiosk. She's still working at Emporos in reception part time where Chad also works full time as a....uh....can't remember the job title. He works on the flat screen registers. He still likes his job, so that's a plus :)

Ed's been doing the Executive Pastor stuff at Newberg since September, and still enjoying loving on people and making a difference here and working with Pastor Shaun who he constantly says is a "great guy." We are to make a decision about "Newberg" or "elsewhere" by the end of March at the latest and know that God will keep/take us JUST where He wants us.

K, that's the update. The picture is from Thanksgiving 2007, the last time we were ALL together (since we're spread across the whole stinkin' country!)

Judy (& Ed...by proxy)

Getting "re-Oregon-ized"

Well, here we are in Oregon.....again! 30+ years ago, as a young, glowing, cherubic, chubby-cheeked young couple we were living in Dundee, Oregon in the basement of some generous relatives. Alongside us, to keep Judy company as Ed was out many a late night with kids from the youth group, we had our friendly hairy companion, “Moses the Moose.”

So, here we are, older and wiser (we hope!) back in Oregon….living in the basement of some generous relatives (different ones) in Dundee, Oregon. Is there an echo in here, God? Did you accidentally push the restart button? Also, accompanying Judy on those long nights that Ed is in meetings are new critter friends, “WelcomeHomeDeer” and “BlackBeary.”

So, what does God have us here for on this go-a-round? Reconnection with some special family and friends, for sure. We are being reminded that all we have is the Lords, and that even when we don't have our own home, God can be our home, safe haven, and comforting presence. He lights a warm, crackling fire and says "sit with me for a while....tell me what your heart is saying today."

We hope that you take the time to hear his wooing call, today. He made you. He knows you inside and out. Hear his loving, abba-daddy voice speak Jeremiah 29:11 to you. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Blessings, Da Burns ;)

EdAsAYoung'N

Who would've thought that this energetic ball of fire would some day be "pastor man?" God loves to surprise us! Here's a quick journey through his boyhood

JudeAsALil'Gal

Many moons ago, God made preparations for a little, shy girl who loved to hide behind the skirt of her mother to become Sidekick Chick. Enjoy the quick trip through the years.

Idaho 03-07

We have some wonderful friendships from the Deer Flat Free Methodist Church. God taught us a lot during our short season of ministry there. Gotta love them Idahoans. They got a flavor all their own!

Quincy 89-03

These were key years in our lives. Our kids had the blessing of doing most of their growing up in one town, with ongoing friendships. We have many wonderful memories of love and life change from this little town called Quincy. Them's good folks!

Newberg 78-89

Here's a snapshot slideshow of some of those first Newberg moments. Good times! (Well, mostly!)

The Beginning-1977

Thought it would be fun to take a step back in time, and view some pics from yesteryear. (Judy inserts, "Why didn't I appreciate that body while I had it?")