Chrysalis House: June 2010

Wow, what a roller coaster ride these past couple of weeks have been. I started out the month with a wonderful trip to San Diego to visit my son and daughter-in-law who I hadn't seen in a year and 6 months since he returned home from Iraq with the Marine Corp. Upon my returning home, I had my last class in Austin for Non-Profit Leadership and Management, I got home from Austin on Saturday evening with the mission group from Little City Baptist Church in Madill, Oklahoma coming the next day on Sunday. I met them at the Cross Country Cowboy Church in Sulphur Springs where they would stay while they worked on Chrysalis House the whole week. This fabulous group from Madill rose bright and early every morning ready to work hard and give 110%. They broke up into 3 groups splitting up the work, while the women were working hard inside, the men and half of the youth worked on the outside. Through the week, Little City Baptist Church having only 10 men and 5 youth to work on the roof replaced close to 50 sheets of decking, 22,824 shingles and 72,000 nails. They finished 2 wings of the building with 2 wings left remaining and did all of that in a week. We didn't get the help we had hoped for with the roofing, but what this little group did was AMAZING. God used them to teach all of us a valuable lesson....it doesn't matter who He calls or the number of people He calls to do His work, He WILL accomplish His perfect will, inspite of how big or little the person or number of people is.

The whole week reminded me of the story of David and Goliath....David being a small and unknown boy, yet God called him to do great and mighty things inspite of himself. God used this small boy to kill the giant of a man, Goliath. I love that God loves doing extraordinary things through ordinary people and using small people (in our case, a small group) to do big and mighty things. We should never question what God is doing or how He chooses to do it. He gets all the Glory that way, I Praise His Name for doing it exactly the way He did it...using a small church like Little City Baptist (a place my GPS couldn't even find) to do something so big and blessing us in the way they did.

I didn't mention that in the middle of the work week, I finally graduated from my Non-Profit Leadership and Management classes and went back to Austin for my graduation and had to say goodbye to so many close friends that I had grown to love and respect throughout the last year. It was a very sweet and touching ceremony. I grew so much as an individual and learned so much about myself, not to mention all of the knowledge that I gained managing a non-profit organization.

I wish that I could post every single picture of almost 400 that we took throughout the week, but unfortunately I can't...but I hope you enjoy looking at what I have posted. One of the neatest things about this group coming was that we all felt as though we had known each other all our lives, it was a sweet kindred spirit. They blessed all of us who got to know them.

There are so many people to thank for helping with this group that came. The Cross Country Cowboy Church for hosting them; Greg and Debbie Price's Sunday School Class along with Bobby Daniels class for providing food Sunday evening; Brashear Baptist Church for feeding them Monday evening; Ron and Pam Bowden (my board treasurer) for buying dinner at Jaun Pablos Thursday evening; Center Grove Church of Mt. Vernon feeding them Wednesday evening; Lake Country Neighbors who provided lunch on Friday; Bruce and Sherri Burks Women on Mission group feeding them on Friday evening; Sulphur Springs Athletic Club for allowing them to use their facilities throughout the week; Nazarene Church for providing ice throughout the week; and many individuals, Tommy Glenn and John Powell for closing their business down and working on the roof, Paul Clement for working on the roof, Trey Norris for allowing us to use his trailer for hauling shingles, Jimmy Bailey and Don Sapaugh for allowing us to use their tractors, Shane McCormick for allowing us to use his nail guns and decking nail gun, and those who provided food, water, ice Scott and Shirlee State, Robert and Aldona Pazin, Al and Susan Bettis, Jim Barnes Sunday School Class of FBC Mt. Vernon, Wendy Bridges and I know there were others, but my memory is fading...I am sorry if I forgot who you were, but we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for making this wonderful group feel welcomed and well fed while they were here. We love you all!!!

My precious British daughter in law Claire...we toured the Carrier Ship Midway

My awesome son, Aaron and wife Claire...they took me to a British Pub where I ate British Fish and Chips...he is always happy and laughing like this

The ship my son works on...I couldn't tour it

My wonderful Non-Profit leadership class receiving our certificates

We are all crying, happy day, happy day!!!

Me walking, receiving mine!!!

My wonderful friend, Candyss Bryant responsible for helping me being accepted into the program addressing our graduating class

The awesome and talented Barry Silverberg, President of Texas Association of Non-Profit Organizations...loved using his cane on us

My wondeful cohort group, Christine Torres, JoAnn Swahn, Jane Murray, me, Heather Eilers and Daniel Guerrero...missing our conference calls already

Taking a quick break

Pastor of Little City Baptist, Kenny Stacy and Tommy Glenn

Look at the sweat, this was the hottest job in town that week

Cooling off

Hi there

All of that old wood is now brand new

I think they are having a Bible Study...naw, just talking strategy

Wow, Praise the Lord, no one was injured

Working on the room

These kids were so awesome this week

Corner work

Half way down the roof

Further view from the end, but not all the way...I got really scared on the roof top...but had a great perspective and made me appreciate all they did