Along For the Ride

By Bethany

It's been a little quiet around here lately, hasn't it?

If you've missed us, here's a kitten to make you feel better.

Her eyes match my jeans!

I've been off being a rural home missionary nanny,
(that's a very official title, ;))
and it's high time I give you all an update on life.

This is Pearl. She is possibly the most adorable 16 month old ever.

She doesn't always like to smile though.

Earlier this summer during a FaceTime conversation with Mom and Becca

Still 100% darling. :)

However, it could be debated that her little sister Sicily is cuter, or at least a close contender. I'll let you decide for yourself.

Since late May, I've been helping Pearl and Sicily's family. Their dad directs the camp Becca and I worked at last summer, and where I helped out again this summer.  Sicily was due this August, right when camp season would be wrapping up.

She didn't want to wait that long.

She came May 5th- three months early, and less then two pounds.

The first time we got to see her. I think she was about a week old.

Even though it was scary for her to come so early, it was God's way of protecting Sicily. Her umbilical cord was flat, instead of coiled, which was a rare condition that heightened the chance of complications with further development in the womb.
After a long stay in the NICU at the hospital, she was able to go home- on oxygen and a monitor.
God really provided through this whole situation. I had planned on helping a few weeks of camp, but after Sicily was born, her mom asked if I would be willing to take care of Pearl while they were staying near the hospital.

My first time holding Sicily. You can see her weight on the white board in the background.

So I spent my summer back and forth between Pearl, and helping at camp.

One of the guys* on staff called me a traitor for leaving them for Pearl, but all in fun.
He also played a role in this conversation:

J: "Sicily is over 5 pounds now, right?"
Me: "Yep, she's 5 pounds 8 ounces."
J: "Almost to 6!"
G*:"It's rude to talk about a lady's weight."
J:"But its a good thing!"
G:"She's a lady!"

The weeks of kids coming to camp are over for the year, but the camp still has ministry things I've been able to help with as an intern of sorts.

Sicily has been doing great- God has really protected her from a lot of things preemies usually struggle with. Her lungs are still susceptible, so we have to avoid cows- I mean, crowds.
(One of the doctor's had a thick Jordanian accent, and when he said Sicily should stay away from crowds, it sounded like cows, so that's been a running joke. )

She's over eleven pounds now, and off her oxygen!

They have an apartment at camp where we're staying for now- I sleep below in the staff quarters, kind of like having my own apartment.

So most days I'm just available to do what needs to be done- washing dishes, changing a diaper, taking Pearl out for some fresh air, helping with meals, you name it. Then every other week, there's a bible club for kids here, and Saturday nights camp has a coffee house where people from the community can come and fellowship.

The first weekend of October, Becca came out to visit me, and she and I played music at the coffee house. We didn't have time to record anything then, plus Mic was forgotten at home. But this week I've been home for a bit, and we recorded a couple of our favorites.

The first was "Fix My Eyes" by For King and Country, one of our favorite contemporary Christian groups.

The second was an original song we debuted at the coffee house.

After this summer of working at camp, and nannying, and looking back over what God had taught me, the words to this song came about. Some of it is from Psalms, 19, 37, and 119. 

Becca helped with the melody, for which I am very thankful, otherwise the tune might have been kind of boring. :)

Along For the Ride

Life's path can seem hard, I can't see the way

The choices to make, the rights words to say

If I do my best, I'm destined to fail

How can I keep going when worries prevail?

There's no way to look around the next bend

Still Christ bids me go, follow where He has led

He tells me to wait, to find my delight

In what He desires, His word is my light

Chorus:

Along for the ride, I'm bound for heaven

God will provide, He's awesome like that

I have a Guide who holds the future

I'm not flying blind, I'm along for the ride

This life holds adventure, struggles, and pain

And the reward is of no earthly gain

Joy comes from knowing my hope cannot fail

My refuge is Jesus, no matter the gale

Chorus:

Along for the ride, I'm bound for heaven

God will provide, He's awesome like that

I have a Guide who holds the future

I'm not flying blind, I'm along for the ride

Bridge:

The lamp that shines the way is bright

The precepts of the Lord are right

I know I stumble, but the hand that holds me will not let me fall.

Chorus:

Along for the ride, I'm bound for heaven

God will provide, He's awesome like that

I have a Guide who holds the future

I'm not flying blind, I'm along for the ride

~

Enough about me. Let me know what ride God's been taking you on lately! Even in the midst of storms, we can depend on Him to take us through.

To end with another Psalm:

"One thing God has spoken, two things I have heard: that You,  O God, are strong, and that You, O Lord, are loving."

Psalm 62:11-12a