Christmas Surprises! by M. Huster

We hope you all had a great Christmas! As many of you know, I have been very sick for about 6 weeks and to tell you the truth, this is getting really old. However, God continues to be faithful in loving me at my worst times. I haven't been able to do hardly anything, including Christmas cards but I finally got them all done last night. I was feeling especially rotten when I cried out to the Lord, "Help me! Is this going to last forever?"(my sickness) I even confessed my sins before Him and continued to pray. The Holy Spirit came soon with an answer, " Just keep writing." I thought that was a strange answer knowing I had over 100 cards to do. But after a few cards, something wonderful happened. This year we didn't put in pictures with our names typed at the bottom. I never got around to that. So I hand wrote a note in each card. All the sudden emotion came over me as I sat and looked at the stacks of cards I had completed. All those cards represented people in my life that are so special. Wow! I am truly blessed by others love, encouragement, and hope! Even in my worst times, God reminds me of the blessing of knowing Him and how He provides for all my needs. I thought those cards would be a burden, but they were the greatest gift!

Another great surprise our family got this Christmas was our dear friends Kahli and Katrina Hubbard showing up and surprising us on Christmas night!!! The kids went wild and they have been such a blessing this week! Faith and Isaac had been asking Santa to bring Kahli and Katrina here for Christmas. We encouraged them rather to pray and ask God for a miracle. Boy, were they surprised when they went into the garage Christmas evening to find one more or may I say two more presents! I really didn't know how Christmas was going to turn out but it has been such a joy being with friends near and far. My precious husband arranged their visit and it was actually my gift this year. He knew I needed my dear friend to help me. I am truly blessed.

I also want to praise the Lord for my new medication, Adult Growth Hormone. I have started replacing it but can't tell a lot of difference just yet. It will take a few weeks. It is very expensive but the Lilly drug company has paid for all my meds! What a blessing!

Our dear friend Benjamin from Rwanda arrives in San Diego January 5th. Please pray for safe travel and for everything to go smoothly in Washington DC.

Today is Richard and Penny Huster's Anniversary! (Jim's dad and step-mom) Happy Anniversary!

Thank you sweet friends for all your love and prayers this year. May 2008 be the year where God uses us all to bring others to Him!

Happy Anniversary

Today is our 14th Anniversary! We can't believe it has been that long. We are so thankful that the Lord Jesus put us together and we made our covenant before Him and witnesses on December 18,1993 in Hickory, NC.

This is a photo of our first "formal" date back in college at Lenoir Rhyne (Christmas Social). Oh how we have changed!!!

Count "MY" Blessings Part 2 M. Huster

Well yesterday I wrote about my blessings and struggles. Tonight I have an update about my struggles turned to blessings.

1. I got a call today that my Growth Hormone prescription HAS BEEN APPROVED!!!!!
2. GH usually costs $1000 a month and mine is free with no copay!
3. God controls everything...even HMO's.
4. There are 30+ people in my house and they ate all my food. (I mean they enjoyed my cooking.)
5. I am snuggling with Isaac...he goes to the doctor tomorrow.
6. Even though I felt so bad, I was able to cook and decorate for our party tonight.
7. I am thankful for my nice big bed that I am getting ready to crash into in after this blog!

GO GOD

Count "My" Blessings. M Huster

Do you remember the song, "Count Your Blessings"....name them one by one.... I suppose I should start with my blessings but this week has had its challenges. Let me list a few.

1. I was denied by my health provider Growth Hormone that I desperately need.

2. My double ear infection returned with an upper respiratory infection, so back to the doc and more antibiotics and rest, rest, rest.

3. Isaac came down with a fever and now is complaining of an ear ache.

4. My dishwasher is broken with it full of dirty dishes and I can't get my landlord on the phone. We are having our Monday Night Bible study over for a party tomorrow night. (without a dishwasher) 30+ folks

5. Our babysitter went home on Christmas break.

Now for the blessings

1. My Father is the Creator of the world.
2. I have the most wonderful husband.
3. Isaac and I have been bed buddies and snuggled the past 2 days.
4. Faith has read books to me and we have worked on homework in my bed with all the fluffy pillows around us.
5. My cleaning lady is coming tomorrow.
6. Jim did six loads of laundry and I folded.
7. I have a great "sister" in Katrina (Nana) and a precious "daughter" in Kahli.
8. My neighbors don't think I am strange sitting outside in my pj's soaking up my vitamin D.
9. I am blessed with a wonderful dad (Allen), step mom (Shirley), Mother in law (Nancy), Father in law (Richard) Mother in law (Pen) and all my brother and sisters in laws and step brothers and sisters, my brother Phillip and all my nieces and nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents.
10. Faith never ceases to amaze me with her love and creativity.
11. Harbor Church has much grace for me and I think they don't regret hiring us with all my issues.
12. The Harbor wives are my sisters and I can share my trials and triumphs with them.
13. Lois Swagerty is as twisted as I am, and you too Liz.
14. I live in the most beautiful place in the world.
15. My sweet Caroline is waiting to come home and working hard on her English.
16. Benjamin is safe and healthy and will be visiting in January.
17. God knows me and loves me anyway.
18. My extended family of the Connor's make me laugh so hard and have passed down a legacy of family and Christ.
19. My Grandfather Connor planted over 40 churches in his lifetime.
20. My mother was the most Godly woman I ever knew. She taught me so much.
She has a homecoming birthday on December 22.
21. My mother's family the Mills are so precious to me. Her sisters take good care of "little Michelle."
22. My cousin David lives 2 miles away!
23. I live in an age of medical technology that has allowed me to live.
24. My house is decorated for Christmas!
25. Our home church Covenant has been so good to us.
26. I got up this morning and got dressed.
27. Jim preached in an inner city section of San Diego today.
28. I am a part of an incredible family of God.
29. My kids think I can fix anything.
30. Our partners in ministry. We could not be here without you!
31. For our friends and family.
32. Uncle Greg lives only 15 minutes away!
33. Both of our cars are paid for.
34. I can't make God love me anymore or any less than He already does.
35. I don't control anything. Thank goodness!
36. I did all my Christmas shopping online.
37. Half of my Christmas cards are addressed.

I think you get the message....I could go on and on.

God is good all the time!

From the wise words of King Solomon, "The End is better than the Beginning."

December Already? by M. Huster

Wow! I can't believe it is already December. We have been here for almost 6 months and up until now it has felt like summer. The temperature is dropping and we have actually had rain! We have no heat, don't feel sorry for us, nobody on the coast does. But we have been using our fireplace and it has been so cozy. The kids are really excited about Christmas. They have seen parades and the lights around the city are incredible. You can go skating downtown, or sledding at Petco park where the Padres play. Everyone is out shopping and going to parties, concerts, special services, etc...

As for me, I have been watching my family come and go as I have been at home a lot! I had the flu before Thanksgiving then after flying home, I go a double ear infection, a sinus infection, and bronchitis. Wow! I am on the mend now but with low energy levels. Going to church tonight was so good. Even though I was tired and weary, my heart was filled with joy worshiping the Lord with my fellow believers. The time I have spent lying in bed has not been in vain. I pray for many of you and the Lord brings folks to my mind to intercede on their behalf. I don't know why my health continues to be a struggle but I know I could not make it without my Heavenly Father and a wonderful husband.

I want to share a huge note of praise. Many of you know that I have a rare pituitary disease which has changed my life completely for the past 6 years. Karen Kline is the wife of Bob Kline and they are church planters with Harbor. Karen is a pediatric endocrinologist. She called me about a month ago in tears knowing about all my struggles. She asked is she could come over and go through my medical records. She had been talking with her colleagues about my condition and they all felt that another function of the pituitary was in decline or full failure. She just wanted to see if my records proved their hypothesis. So, she came over and Karen, myself, and Jim sat in the living room discussing my struggles since 1999. Karen picked up quickly that my Growth Hormone was low and had been declining every time they had taken blood work. She asked if she could call my new doctor and have the test done again. If it showed a rapid decline again, then she said she felt that was the missing piece of my pituitary problems.

The test was done and sure enough the numbers had dropped dramatically!! I am now waiting for my insurance to approve getting GH injections which cost around $1000 a month. I was just blown away that Karen cared enough about me, a person she really didn't know, and took the time to help me. She has such a huge heart and has become a great friend.

I will keep you posted on how things turn out. But in the meantime, I am so thankful that I am a part of the family of God. My sweet sisters here and back east continue to lift me up and the Lord Jesus uses you all in so many ways. I give thanks and praise to the Lord for He is good no matter what my circumstances may be. I serve a great and glorious God! Thank you Jesus for sending your Son to us to give us new life!!

Merry Christmas Friends!
Michelle

Big Wednesday

Today, the largest the swell of the year started filling in. It was a solid 10' to 15', which translates in some huge bombs. I did not venture out this time. Too much water moving around and I am not in the swimming/paddle shape that I need to be with a family depending on me. Tomorrow will be a few feet smaller so I plan to be charging. Enjoy a few photos:

Has it Been A Year?

One year ago, Michelle and I traveled out to San Diego to spend a few days with the folks at Harbor Presbyterian Church. We knew the amazing vision and impact Harbor was having in San Diego, but came seeking God's clarification of his call. It was at there bi-annual staff retreat at Polamar Mountain that we became convinced of our call to church planting with these men in San Diego. These men are a band of brothers, who in messy ways have lives marked by grace.

This week marks our anniversary of sorts. I just got back today from Polamar Mt. It is pretty crazy to think about all of the things that have happened to get to this point. Being a part of the Harbor staff for the past six months has been one of the greatest blessing of my life. Stepping out in this new faith journey has had some tough moments for sure but it has been so good. I am most thankful to the people who have sacrificially partnered with us to enable us to fulfill our calling. The OB Wave should be hitting the net by the end of the week.

Tim Tebow for Heisman!

Happy Thanksgiving

Well it's Thanksgiving evening and I am stuffed. I had to unbutton my jeans because they were too tight around my waist. Always a good sign of a nice Thanksgiving. We have all been visiting back east for the past eight days. We were able to visit with lots of family and friends in North and South Carolina. A highlight was surprising Michelle's Aunt Suzy at the school where she teaches. We arrived about thirty minutes before school dismissed and checked in at the office. The office secretary wanted to lead us herself to Suzy's class to see her reaction. She knocked on the door and peaked her head in and said, "Suzanne, you have a visitor." With that, Isaac impatiently busted in and we heard Suzy shriek, "Isaac!". We quickly followed witnessing Aunt Suzy's priceless reaction. She ran to the door and we were able to hold her as she melted and cried in our arms.

You see Aunt Suzy was the only family we had close to us while we lived in Easley, South Carolina. She walked with us through many ups (birthdays, Thanksgivings, Christmases) and lots of downs (Michelle's health problems). So to say it was painful to leave Aunt Suzy to move to San Diego would be an understatement. And because of scheduling we had not be able to visit with her for the three days we were in Easley. She thought we had left town without seeing her. It was so much fun to surprise her! WE LOVE YOU AUNT SUZY!!!!

Abba, "Daddy"

Right now I am up at 1am with my heart rate going 130bpm and I just can't sleep. Maybe because I get to go home to NC in the morning. Whatever the reason, I wanted to share a special moment I had with Caroline on the phone the other day.

As many of you know, Caroline is from Rwanda and Benjamin's sister. They are both survivors of the 1994 Rwanda Genocide. Anyway, we have been trying to get Caroline here to us for almost a year and a half. She suffered a horrible fate in June of 2006 that I could never begin to explain in a blog.

So I finally got word of how I could contact her personally by phone and check on her. We have been writing letters and missionaries have tried to make contact but communication has been very difficult. It was such a joy to hear her sweet voice on the other end of the line. I was so excited and had so much to say but controlled myself. The horrible event that took place last June has left physical, spiritual, and psychological scars. When I would speak with Ben, he said she had no joy in her life anymore. What a blessing it was to hear "joy" in her voice as we connected over a telephone wire!!

She asked how I was doing and all about San Diego. I told her we lived near the ocean and about how big and beautiful it is. She was so excited and told me she was taking tests to see how she would place in our system. She just started learning English a year ago but you would never know it. She spoke so clearly. She asked how Faith and Isaac were doing and to tell them how much she loved and missed them. Then the most incredible thing happened. Something we or Ben could have never imagined. She didn't ask how Jim was doing but instead she said, "How is Daddy?" You see this is quite a miracle from God because it was men who did such horrible things to her and we never knew if she would ever trust a man again. For her to call Jim "Daddy" made my heart leap and tears flowed. Nothing has been more difficult for Jim and me than to know how she is in so much pain and we just can't get to her and make it better. She is like our daughter and we love her so much.

For a brief moment, God let me feel what it must be like when we come to Him and say "Abba" Father, or "Daddy" for He is our Daddy who loves us so much. My prayer for Caroline is that she will allow herself to crawl upon her Heavenly Daddy's lap and let Him hold her, love her, and heal her wounds.

5 Days til Take Off! M. Huster

In five days our family will board a plane and fly across this beautiful country to NC. I must admit that I am so thankful we are not in my minivan following a huge Penske truck! We have been marking off the days on our calendar. This has been Faith's #1 priority. We will go and stay with my folks in Hickory and then spend the weekend in Easley/Anderson. Jim is going to preach at Covenant and it will be so good to see all of our friends and family. We will return to Hickory to celebrate Thanksgiving.

However, one problem exists right now. Faith has an ear infection and then had an allergic reaction to the medication. Isaac started running a fever last night and Jim just left to take them back to the doctor. I have been feeling pretty well but today I began to feel achy and cold. For those of you who know me well, I am never COLD! I took my temp and it was 101.

So this morning I bought travelers insurance just in case we are all too sick to travel. This would be devastating to us but one thing we've learned is that things can change at any moment. We ask for your prayers for healing and safe travel. We have some friends coming in on Monday who are Church Planters in Las Vegas. I hope we don't pass on the crud.

October Birthdays

How do you get all six of your grown children together?

Well for Richard Huster (Jim's Dad) it was turning 70 on October 29. Last weekend everyone flew or drove in to surprise their dad and to celebrate his life. Penny (Jim's step mom) did an absolute great job pulling all of this together.

From left to right; Ken (Charlotte, NC),
Tasha (Nashville, TN), Richard (Deland, FL), Jim (San Diego, CA), Sandra (Jacksonville, FL), Katherine (Cary, NC), in front Cameron (New York City, NY) *Penny is in the center of the lower picture behind Grandmother Heinig.****

Richard was very surprised and they had a great time catching up and also sharing old stories and pictures.

Richard and Pen did a great job helping their children bond and experience many adventures growing up. They went on family vacations every year, not usually using airlines for transportation but piling everyone in a large van and hitting the road! They also gave their kids the opportunities of great education and supported others in whatever career avenues they chose. Richard has been a generous father and he and Pen never miss a birthday, anniversary, or significant events in their children's and grand children's lives.

The Husters are known for throwing great parties, weddings, family gatherings but this one was very special because just the kids and Richard and Penny were together. Also attending were Ken's children Kyle and Ada and Grandmother Heinig.

So how do you get all of your grown children together at one time who are spread out all over the country? Have a birthday party for their dad who they love so much!

Isaac is 4!!!!!!

Our little man turned 4 on October 30th He wants everyone to know that it is one day after his Grandpa Huster's birthday.

We had a great time. Thomas again was the theme but he enjoyed the decorations and most of all the party guests. Katrina Hubbard and her daughter Kahli couldn't miss his birthday. They stayed from Thursday until Wed. the 31st. Uncle Greg was also here and played for hours with all the new toys, books, etc... Faith did a great job organizing all the presents and making sure everything was done properly.

We had a great time! Isaac continues to brighten our lives. We are so thankful for both of our children.

Happy Birthday
Grandpa and Isaac!

Fire Update

Things have continued to get even worse for the San Diego community. This is becoming a Katrina type of disaster in scope and magnitude. As of 4:00 pm Tuesday, over 550,000 thousand people have been displaced. My step father's family all live in the San Diego area. Their story is typical of many of our residents. First, Great Grandma Lees got a call to evacuate her home in Rancho Bernardo on Sunday evening. She fled to my uncle's house who live in Poway. Early Monday morning they had to evacuate Poway. Now two families where on the move to a second uncle's home in Encinitas. Then yesterday afternoon they had to evacuate Encinitas. Thankfully, the Santa Ana winds that have fueled these fires are forecast to die down tomorrow afternoon.

The San Diego community has rallied around the needs of so many displaced people. Almost everyone who has not been evacuated has someone displaced staying with them. Most churches have organized the home placements because the shelters are full and there are no hotels for hundreds of miles. A group of folks from my Monday night Bible study went down to the local Red Cross this morning and went through the volunteer training. They were each deployed to these maxed out shelters. All of the National News broadcasts were here this morning and evening. The constant smoke in air reminds you of how heavy the situation is.

San Diego Fires

We are asking for your prayers for our city and county. Yesterday fires began to burn when the Santa Anna winds blew in from the desert and the humidity levels dropped into the single digits. As of now, over 300,000 San Diegans have been evacuated and many have lost their homes. Fortunately, we are safe because we live at the beach and the winds from the ocean protect us. Many friends have been evacuated. Our Mayor claims this is the worst fire by far that has ever hit San Diego. Please join us in prayer for those around us who have lost everything. Also, pray as we minister to the thousands who are in need who have sought refuge at the Quail Com Stadium and other shelters.

Drew's Word

"I've only known Jim for about two months but it feels much longer. He is one of those people you meet, hang out with a few times and feel like you've known all along. He's the good neighbor everyone wishes they had. The type of person you want your other friends to meet. Certainly the type of guy that people feel comfortable around and aren't afraid to be themselves with.

God put Jim in my life one day while surfing in Ocean Beach. I had
just moved to San Diego a week before and was already feeling pretty
isolated. With a limited network of friends in the San Diego area, I
knew I would have to trust in God to find a new church. Community is
really important to me, and I knew being disconnected from the support
that comes through fellowship with other believers would be dangerous
in a place like Ocean Beach.

After bumping into Jim out in the water and having a brief friendly conversation in between waves,
he invited me to church. Since then, I have not only found a wonderful body of believers to worship
with, I have also found purpose for being here. I know in my heart that God has big plans for Harbor.
Even in the short time since Jim has arrived, I can so tangibly see how God using him, not only in
my life, but in the lives of those in and outside our church. He's a pastor's pastor, one whose presence
is felt far beyond the pulpit."

Thanks Drew for encouraging words.  The Gospel is changing lives in San Diego!

Cool Injuries by Michelle Huster

Every Monday night Jim and I lead a Bible study in Mission Hills with some really cool singles. We are the only married couple and these guys and gals lead some really interesting lives. They have such a heart for Jesus and it inspires me in my walk with Him.

Jim has an "ice breaker" every week to get to know everyone's name. He goes around the room and has them introduce themselves and state their favorite food, sport, etc... This past week the item was your worst injury.

Now on a side note, many of you may be thinking that is a little sick but let me give you some background about Jim's family. I love to get together will all the Husters (His dad Richard and step-mom Pen and all six siblings). They tell stories about the past which are quite hilarious about trips taken etc... One thing I found out early on when I married into the Huster family is that they have high pain thresholds and really don't think your that "bad off" unless there are bones protruding and gushing blood. The Huster motto is, "Just rub some dirt on it." One time Tasha dove into the pool and hit a float and hurt her neck. She complained for a few days and finally her dad took her to have an x-ray. (He's an orthopaedic surgeon) It was broken!

Not only does the current generation of Husters exhibit this amazing tolerance for pain, this kind of toughness goes back a generation as Grandmother Huster had a pretty bad injury with her hip and didn't care to ride in an ambulance but preferred to ride in a car and just be seen in Richard's office. She went home that day and did great! At least Richard and Pen saved on doctor fees because Richard was able to treat most injuries and Pen is also an RN.

Don't get me wrong, they took wonderful care of their children and parents! The stories are so funny to hear about and each sibling and even the parents have their full share of injuries to tell from skiing accidents, skateboarding, bee stings on the lips and hornets from the garage, getting hit with a golf club by grandchildren, broken arms, broken legs while having to raft down the Colorado River, fingers, toes, ankles, hips, necks, road rash, etc... Really the family is quite athletic and so the more you play, the more chances of accidents can occur. Ken is known in the family as the most daring! I was the safe and cautious one so these tales really intrigue me. Faith has inherited my cautiousness while Isaac has no fear and had staples in his scalp by age1.

So this leads me back to Bible study. As we went around the room people told of skateboard injuries, shark attacks, broken backs, cracked skulls, you name it, and someone had experienced it. Then it was my turn to share. I knew just the injury that had been the worst for me. As everyone got quiet and listened to my injury, I said proudly, "A broken tail bone during child birth." The group went wild!!! None of them had ever experienced child birth but knew it was painful and many had shared breaking a tail bone and how horrible it was. All the tough guys soon claimed me as the "Champion!" I felt quite good about my accomplishment. It is hard to impress surfers, rock climbers, sky divers, etc... I know the Huster family would be proud that one of their own won out on the worst injury and became the coolest of the group if only for a moment!

Who does your hair? M- Huster

Wow! I just had my first multicultural experience. I don't know if it was because it involved a sweet Chinese gal or maybe it was just a California thing. Anyway, I went to get my hair cut yesterday because it had gotten so long and hot. I didn't have time to go closer to downtown because I had to pick up the kids from school in less than an hour. I drove by our local supermarket and in the complex there was a salon. Only one other person besides the stylist was there so I thought she could probably work me in pretty quick. Boy was it quick!

As I go up to the counter she asked, "What can do for you?" I no speak much English, shampoo? cut? style?" I said yes and we headed back for the sinks. The no speak English part should have clued me in but I decided to take the plunge. And plunge I went...she washed and conditioned my hair in less than 2 minutes. She flipped up my chair and whirled me around into the styling chair. She then asked, " Ever had razor cut?" I replied, "Yes, especially in the shower when I shave my legs." The next thing I know she whips out this handy dandy razor and begins to slash away at my hair. She kept saying, "Your hair too thick, it need be shorter and thinner, only take a minute." She was right! Hair was flying. I felt like Edward Scissor Hands was at work! Surprisingly when the "hair" settled, it looked really cute but way too short! As I took a deep breath and went to pay, she startled me by saying, "Come with me!" She led me to the back room and told me to lay down on the table. Then she started putting hot wax on my eyebrows! She said, "Eyebrows need waxing, to bushy, I make them sleek and clean." I never noticed that my eyebrows were bushy and now with that hot wax in her hand, I wasn't going to argue. She ripped off the tape which made me jump. She laughed, "Oh, that hurt?" I didn't have time to reply because her phone rang. Now all I could think about was that she was going to have to do the other side! She came back and did it again plus she broke out the tweezers and plucked a few strays that escaped the first attack. Finally she sat me up and gave me a mirror. She asked, "Do you like? All better now, makes eyes look brighter." Yeah brighter, my eyebrows were lit up like a firecracker with red marks.

At last it was all over and she said, "That be $20." I thought, Wow! I got all that and drama too for 20 bucks! I paid a lot more in SC for just a shampoo and cut. In all honesty, I do like my hair and eyebrows. The moral to this story is...when your in Southern California, ask your neighbor "Who does your hair?" and make sure you speak their language.

I never did get the gal's name but by the time she was finished with me, the salon was full of eager customers. I plan on going back, at this rate I will really save some cash because she cuts my hair so short I won't need to go nearly as much as in the past!

The Truth

It is so easy to to get caught up in performance mode. Last Friday, I posted a blog as a proud father about Faith being "Student of The Week" at OB Elementary. That evening I laid in bed and became extremely convicted about the values I was teaching Faith. See, after I posted Friday's blog, I made sure that Faith saw it. I made a big deal about her award, no harm done? This was one of the first true achievements Faith had been awarded and I made a huge deal (positive reinforcement, right)? Any other parent would do the same? Problem though:What happens when she is not first or the best, how will she react? Reality is I want her self worth to be built on the unconditional love of her heavenly father not on performance. See Faith needs the Gospel in her achievement as much as anyone. Here is a stark truth about Faith - Last week my mother was visiting from Florida and Michelle caught Faith telling grandma Lees to "Get out of my room!" This was followed by a poster she made for her door proclaiming "NO Grandmas!"(you can imagine her tone of voice). That is my "student of the week" pretty stinking and selfish.

When I got home, I took Faith to her bedroom and sat on her bed and had a "talk". I talked with Faith on a heart level and wanted her to know that I was very disappointed and was going to take privileges. I finished our time together by telling her how much I loved her. I told her that my love is not based on whether she was first or last but on the fact that she was my little girl. Nothing could ever change the fact that she was my little girl and I would always love her.

When you are loved unconditionally, it frees you up not to be driven to be first but let others shine. Hopefully, this was a teachable moment for Faith, I know it was for me. Next, time I will make a big deal and blog about a character issue, like serving a classmate if it happens (I hope so).

P.S. Faith loves her Grandma Lees so much and felt very badly for what she had done. Thankfully, Grandma Lees loves her unconditionally too!

Student of The Week

Just wanted to share a wonderful honor Faith received today at Ocean Beach Elementary - Student of the Week! Of course, we are very proud parents. Faith told me last week passionately, she loved school and wished she could go everyday.

Michelle has had a much better week and was downtown today with all the other harbor wives. My mother has been in town this past week helping hold down the fort. She picked up a bad sinus infection and has felt pretty bad for the past two days. Please pray for her as she flies home tomorrow.

I was able to surf a few times this week. Tuesday, I paddled out at break called The Cliffs, it was magical. The beauty of San Diego is such a gift!

We are now blowing up balloons and making posters to welcome Greg Langley who flies in tonight. Please be praying for Greg during this transition. He has two days to catch his breath then begins his new job. I think he works five out of the first seven days.

Earthquake...by M Huster

Something we all know about California is that they have earthquakes. Ever since we moved here, I knew that this experience would take place. My first earthquake was not without a little drama.

September 10th was my best friend's birthday (Katrina) and she came out for a long weekend from South Carolina. Unfortunately, my health was not good at all and she had to help me just like old times. I was having really high blood pressure and a sustained high heart rate. This made me a little edgy and very uncomfortable. About 6am I woke up on Sunday and remembered that the planes were going to be taking off at 6:30 am; we live near the airport. I went into Katrina's room to close the window so the planes would not wake her. I was about to go into Faith's room to do the same when I got this really strange feeling. Things were just a little "too" quiet and the air seemed really thick. I then got nauseated and felt like something bad was getting ready to happen. Jim startled me and told me to get back in bed. About 30 seconds later, our bed began to shake! I sat up and said, "Did you feel it? Was that really an earthquake?" Jim agreed and the next morning we found out it was a 3.4. After the earthquake, I slept like a baby. Later that day, our friend Lois came over and I told her about my experience. She said I was better than a dog at predicting earthquakes!! Kinda spooky but if I could make some money predicting...well that would be cool. I don't think they are going to sign me on just yet at USCSD. Katrina slept through it and was really bummed that she missed out. She asked me what it was like. I told her, "Do you remember how it felt when your water broke before you went into labor?" That was what it was like. You know it is going to happen, it just takes you by surprise when it does!

PS: Thank you for all the prayers. My health is improving!

OB Prayer Walk

“If you are generous with the hungry and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out,
your lives will begin to glow in the darkness, your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight. I will always show you where to go. I'll give you a full life in the emptiest of places— firm muscles, strong bones. You'll be like a well-watered garden, a gurgling spring that never runs dry.” Isaiah 58:9-11

On Thursday evening, a group of Ocean Beach and Point Loma locals who are actively involved in other Harbor congregations, met for a prayer walk down Newport Ave (OB’s main drag). It was so much fun to begin to a pray for our community. We prayed through the verse above from the prophet Isaiah. There are some great promises to hold on to.

As most of you know, Michelle’s health has been sketchy for a few weeks now. Her heart rate and blood pressure have been super high. Her doctor has her on some medication to lower her BP and heart rate and that has helped. She is a little frustrated that they are only treating the symptoms and not really getting to the root of the problem. However, her doctor does communicate well and is easy to get in touch when needed. It is hard to transition to a new Endocrinologist when they really don’t know your history. She is very grateful for all the support she has received from the other Harbor wives. They have given their time, support, and prayers. Her spirit remains strong and she just “rolls” with whatever comes. God has truly sustained her.

School Daze...by Michelle Huster

It's that time of year again! School has begun and so life starts a more structured routine for school age children and their parents. I just love the rows and rows of crayons, paper, notebooks, glue, and every other school supply you can think of at your local Target or Office supply store.

Last week, Faith and I had a "girls day out" of back to school shopping. Our main goal was a new backpack and a few pencils and paper. We went to three different stores and found everything we needed. Something else I found that afternoon was not school supplies but a hard look at myself and my heart. As we went to a new store, I could not help but notice all the street people hanging out in front begging for money or food. Some would be standing but mostly sitting with all their worldly possessions in a small grocery bag. By the time we had reached our third store, it seemed as if they were EVERYWHERE!!! I began to hold Faith's hand a little tighter and walk a little faster. Then fear set in and I became angry that these people were interrupting my day with my daughter. The Holy Spirit quickly convicted me of my arrogant, superior attitude and I became ashamed of my fear and the truth He had revealed about myself. I asked the Lord right there and then to forgive my attitude and to give me courage. Just then, a long bearded man approached us wanting "spare change." I told him no. When Faith and I entered the store, I pulled her aside and we talked about what had just happened. I shared with her that there are people in this world and right here in our neighborhood that don't have a place to call home. Most of the time it is not their fault and even if it is, God commands us to love all of our neighbors and our enemies, those with homes or not. I told her that I didn't give him money because that is not always the right answer. We talked about what we could do and decided to buy a bottle of water and Snickers bar. As we left the store, he had already moved on to another store front. We looked up and down the sidewalks hoping to find him. We promised to give the water and candy to anyone else that day who looked like they needed it.
Some of you may be thinking, what a great teaching moment but the truth is I was the one learning a new lesson. I have been praying for God to open my eyes to the down and out of our community. On that day He showed me!!! I had not noticed them before. It was no coincidence that the previous night I had been at a Bible Study entitled, "Sharing God's Heart for the Poor." This past week, I have started to discover God's heart for the poor through His Word. In Psalm 68:5, God is described as "A Father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His Holy dwelling." It is only by His mercy that I am not standing out in front of a store holding a grocery bag of all my worldly possessions. As God's daughter, He has clearly laid out His desire and will for me to care for the poor. Not just by writing a check but really getting to know who they are and loving them! My prayer now is that He will show me specific ways to reach out to those in need without fear and with compassion that only Christ could give.

He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker but whoever is kind to the needy honors God. --- PROVERBS 14:31

I Leak the Gospel

This morning, I was eating breakfast and was amazed watching Faith and Isaac. The way their little hands move (well, they aren’t so little anymore) and they slurp up cereal is pretty incredible. I still love watching them sleep.

After breakfast we headed to the couch for devotion time. Their sweet little spirits encouraged me. They have heart felt simple prayers. I have been so blessed to spend lots of time with my children this summer. I am extremely bias, but my kids are absolutely amazing.

Last week Michelle’s adrenal glands went into what doctors call “fatigue”. This basically meant that she was unable to get out of bed for four days in a row. Day one (last Thursday) was OK, I had to re-arrange a few things to stay home with the kidos but hey, I have great kids, no big deal. Then Friday came and Michelle was out of commission and Saturday too. By Saturday night I was just plain frustrated. Not that Michelle could do anything about being sick but just the situation. You would think after six years of practice with a sick wife, my attitude would be better, especially after such a long run of good health. Sunday morning worship was great and was refreshing to weary bones, but by Sunday afternoon my frustration began to play out as anger toward my children and Michelle. I finally caught myself and tried to figure out where all this anger was coming from? As I prayed, the Lord slowly began to show my idol. See Jesus was not enough in my life, I needed Jesus plus health (healthy family). I had not planned on going to church Sunday evening but I decided I need to hear the Gospel again. I went to Harbor Uptown and the Gospel was so sweetly proclaimed. When I came home I had to ask forgiveness to Michelle, Faith and Isaac. Man, the whole climate in our home changed. Grace and repentance are great medicine of idol makers. GLORY!

Faith starts first grade at Ocean Beach Elementary on Tuesday. Yesterday, we all went down and walked the halls and met two of the three first grade teachers. They were both great. Faith is excited and ready to get back to school OB Elementary is a beautiful 90 year old school. I have been doing prayer walks around OB and keep being drawn back to OB Elementary. It is in the center of town, on the corner of where the two main roads in OB cross. I would love to have Harbor Ocean Beach Church meet there. I have no idea if that is even an option. Please pray that the Lord would open that door for us.

The little things aren't so little

Michelle and I began leading a small group of young singles this week. This is a group that has been meeting for years in various locations with several different leaders. Stephen Phalen who is now planting a new Harbor congregation in the City Heights community had been the most recent leader. He called me back in June and asked me if I would be willing to take over teaching this group. Most of the folks in this group live in Ocean Beach or Pacific Beach (just north of OB). Needless to say, I jumped all over this opportunity to connect with so many folks who live in this community.

So, Monday evening we had around twenty singles for our first time together. It was so amazing on many levels. First, this group has so many sharp young professionals that have a clear passion for Christ. They come from different theological backgrounds but their diversity makes for great exploration. Second, and what may seem little was huge for us, was the opportunity for Michelle and I to lead the group together. It has been over six years since my life and ministry partner and I have been able to minister officially side by side. Half way through our lesson while Michelle was sharing I became overwhelmed and quite emotional. I was flooded with all the memories of all the sick days Michelle suffered. It was so good to have her there sharing. In many ways she is more gifted than me and is a great ministry partner. Most of the singles did not give it a second thought about having this couple teaching their lesson on Monday night, but I am was so thankful for God’s graciousness and mercy to allow us this privilege of teaching together. It was a huge deal for us. Finally, it was so fun to see these singles wrestle with God’s word. We are beginning a series on Sonship for Singles. One young man named Andrew called me this morning to tell me that he has not been impacted by a bible study like this in a long time.

Final thought: Michelle’s health is great. I have not seen her this strong since she first got sick. She was a wild woman yesterday painting our dinning and living room. I thought for sure she would pay for it today, but as I type she is out grocery shopping. We live day by day but this is a very good trend. (Photo is the a typical scene of the surf line up from the OB pier).

Prayer and Fasting

When should we pray and fast? Scripture tells us that these two spiritual disciplines should be practiced when seeking divine guidance, intervention, protection, and to break through spiritual strong holds. I am looking for prayer partners who will begin praying and fasting for the spiritual strong holds here in Ocean Beach. I found a great verse from Isaiah yesterday that has helped rekindled a passion for prayer and fasting, "Is it not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?" Isaiah 58:6

Our goal is not to manipulate God (See Acts 23:12,14) or to impress people but to be drawn deeper into the presence of our Abba Father. Fasting reveals the things that control us and actively demonstrates repentance, grief, humility, and wholeheartedness. These attributes are rare attributes for me. Please join me in the season of seeing God's kingdom advancing and captives being set free.

Update
First, Greg Langley also known to my kids as Uncle Greg, arrived on Saturday. Greg is selling his partnership in his pediatric practice and is moving out in six weeks to join our church planting team. He has been out getting all the details nailed down with his new position with San Diego's Children's Hospital . We are so excited to have Greg out here with us. Also, last week I was able to spend some time with a neighbor (Denesh), and discovered that he and his wife have been praying for our neighborhood. Denesh has been such an encouragement since our initial conversation. He invited me to a Bible study that meets on Thursday mornings. What an amazing group of men. What is so cool now is I see most of these men through out the week out surfing. I have been getting up around 5:30 and surfing for and hour or so. When I paddle out now, all these men greet me, I feel like Norm from Cheers.

Finally, Michelle still is plugging along, pushing herself. She has not felt very well for the past few days and needs to slow down.

Prayer Wall:
* Pray for Dustin, young single guy who is originally form Atlanta I've met surfing. He is a believer but has gone through a tough season recently. He quit smoking two weeks ago. Partner with me in prayer for strong holds to be broken and FREEDOM!
*For grace awaking for my neighbors Steve, Kelly, and Mugs

Small Town Feel

Ocean Beach sits just minutes from downtown San Diego but has a small town feel. OB is a community of mom and pop businesses and unique locals. The bohemian locals have intentionally kept national chains from moving in. Businesses like Starbucks have tried for years but unfortunately they have set up shop. Protests continue. Michelle declared today, "I love OB." She spent forever in the local hardware store just looking around and admiring the old building that has been there for years. Also in OB, you can go by a business and they may have a sign on the door that says, "Open at 10am but might not be in until 12pm. If the surf is good, see ya tomorrow." It is the laid back feeling from everyone at the local auto shop to the post office.

Couple cool things to share. First, Faith was "Choiced into" Ocean Beach Elementary last week. The school she was zoned for was one that none of our neighbor's children attend. San Diego School District allows families to choose any school, as long as they can provide transportation and there is room. Faith was able to get one of four spots, so she is in. We were so excited. Next, we have the opportunity to have some folks over this week for dinner. Please pray for our time with this young couple.

Finally, we have a new babysitter. She is an RA @ Point Loma Nazarene University. I spelled out in the job description that she would be "adopted" into the Huster family. Faith and Isaac are excited and I have been very impressed with her maturity.

I passed my driver's license test!!! Now I have to go through all the hoops of getting my truck registered. If you have ever lived in CA, you know all the red tape this beautiful state requires! Michelle is next to go through the hurdles.

Lunch with Dick Kaufmann

On Monday, I got a call around 10 am from Dick Kaufmann asking if I had lunch open. There where a few things going on but nothing I could not rearrange. We met at 12:30 at Dakota's. There was the brief normal pleasantries and within a few minutes "it" started again. I say again, because back in March, I had my first lunch with Dick. "It" being deep, spirit filled conversations that can impact a persons direction in life. It is not forces on contrived, "It" just flowed out of him so naturally. I love the way Dick looks at life.

The conversation began with where to begin my ministry. He shared stories of hospitality toward neighbors. Not hospitality to manipulate neighbors into Christian fellowship, but hospitality for ends in itself. He unpacked the idea of "open houses" he and his wife Liz have practiced for years. Interesting side note is how his children, who are now grown and have children, are missionaries in their neighborhoods. It was something they caught early on in life. There was so much more, I wish I recorded our lunch.

This is just one of the many reasons why I am so thankful and blessed to be on staff at Harbor. The men and women I work with just ooze the gospel in all that they do.

Finally Online

It only took 12 days but we are now connected and wacky, world, web surfers! Man so much has been going on, where to start. First off, everyone is healthy. Katrina left a week ago and still is coughing, so we are almost all recovered from what we call the Texas crud. Shamrock TX was where we all woke up with runny noses and sore throats.

This week between unpacking boxes, assembling stuff and wrestling with Cox cable (internet provider), we played the role of tourist. Tuesday the family and the grandparents went to the San Diego Zoo. The San Diego Zoo is hard to describe. Think of a huge Disney World without rides but animials. We were told that you cannot do the entire zoo in one day and they were right. All told, we saw about 1/3 of the zoo. On Friday, Michelle's folks, the kids, and I went just three miles south to Point Loma National Park. It was a beautiful day to visit the point (well everyday is beautiful). Point Loma is basically a mountian ridge that goes out into the Pacific Ocean and creates a peninsual. San Diego has so much to do and the weather is sooo nice. We are in somewhat of of a heat wave, it was 77 today (normal is 74).

While we were at the Point, Michelle was downtown having lunch with all the Harbor Pastor's wives. She was so encouraged and really felt connected. Because Nanny got so sick, Michelle's folks had to cancel their plans for more travel and stayed an extra week. They flew out Saturday morning to spend a few days in Colorado. It was a hard, tearful goodbye, they were such a blessing to us.

Faith and Isaac have made so many friends here in the community. The pool has turned out to be a great place to get to know people and our kids are getting so tan and blonde! The kids play in the streets ( we live in an a private neighborhood), the adults join in and it seems to be such a great place for families. God put us right where we need to be.

Today, I preached at Xcross Roads Church in National City, it was so cool. The Lord helped me. There is nothing better that sharing God's Word and you sense He is using you in a special way. I'll be keeping my blog more current now that we have the internet.

We Are Slowly Getting Settled

After a week of living in Ocean Beach, things are starting to feel like home. We can now pull Michelle's van into the garage, so the boxes are slowly disappearing. Michelle and my mother discovered a second hand furniture store, which has saved us hundreds of dollars. So, we have a dinning room table and furniture to sit on in our living room. Mix in a few pictures and Michelle has turned our new home into a nice warm place.

We we very sad to see my mother, and Katrina and Kahli leave on Saturday. Thankfully, Michelle's folks are going to spend this week with us before heading back to North Carolina. They had planned to travel north and do some sight seeing, but because of Shirley's health they decided to stay and rest. Shirley is doing better, just weak.

I am officially making my new office Point Loma Nazarene College Library (where I am typing this blog). It is only two miles from our home. It sits right on the the cliffs of Point Loma and overlooks the Pacific Ocean. I'll post a few pictures once we get out home Internet service set up. Hopefully, it will be Tuesday or Wednesday?

Michelle and I are slowly getting over our colds. We try to ouy cough each other at night, but the battles are slowly subsiding. And I have had two quick chances to surf. They were SWEET!

Our newest newsletter will be out in a day, so be on the lookout.

The Promise Land

We made to Ocean Beach on Saturday around 1:00pm. Six or seven folks from Harbor welcomed us and had our truck unloaded in less than two hours. We were able to get the beds up and had a great night sleep, kind of. We are less than two miles from San Diego International Airport and in the direct path for takeoffs. Sunday morning we were awaken at 6:30 as five planes in a row took off. What a great alarm clock. Even though is was past midnight when we all made it to bed, Isaac and Faith were up with the first airplanes of the day.

Michelle is still snotty and coughing, but hanging in there. I have to keep telling her to "back away from the boxes". Shirley still is feeling bad, another trip to the doctor may be coming soon. I still have the crud in full force. Haven't even felt like going surfing, so you know I feel bad. May get my first surf tomorrow evening.

San Diego is beautiful. We have great neighbors with lots of children Faith and Isaac age. The community pool has been a great place to meet folks. Most of the people who live in our neighborhood are home owners and everyone knows everyone. So, we have been the newest attraction in town. I'll have more details and pictures on Friday when we get our Internet service at home. Right now I'm at a local library.

175 Miles To Go

Today was our desert day. I am amazed how many people live in Phoenix and Yuma Arizona. They have to be some of the hottest places in the world to live. You drive for hundreds of miles in the barren wasteland, then you come to a Wal-mart, Lowe's, with homes all over the place. Can you imagine the conversation a few developers had a few years back. Probably went something like: I think I can get a ton of land of almost nothing. I think we can develop it and promote the hound out of it and it will sell. But it is in the desert, do you think people will really move into the desert?

Well, 50 % of the people who live in Phoenix today did not live there five years ago. They were geniuses! If you want to know what the desert feels like, turn your oven on three fifty and stick your head in.

Tomorrow we should roll into Ocean Beach around noon. Most likely we will not have access to the internet until Monday or Tuesday. So, if there is no blog tomorrow you will know why.

Michelle's health was OK today, still coughing. Shirley turned the corner on her cold and I still feel like crud. Everyone else is doing great. Faith, Isaac, Kahli, and Katrina swam outside for over an hour this evening. No need for a towel, you can be dry in just a few minutes.

Interesting Fact: Katrina went to clean off the windshields of the van today while stopping for gas. The water evaporated before she could squeagy it off.

Also, i will continue to blog our comings and goings as we enter the new world of Church Planting. Thanks for your prayers.

Bonus Blog - The Jorney

As we have travel across America we have run into several of the same families. It has been fun to hear their stories.


Couple things that give cross country travelers away:
First: When they stop, everyone in the vehicle makes a B-line to the nearest bathroom.
Second: Every time a car door is opened, a Happy Meal toy falls out.
Thirdly: By the third day everyone is wearing ratty old shorts, T-shirts, and flip flops (comfort over fashion).


As our trip comes to and end, we would like to get an idea of who has been reading our daily blog. Please post a quick comment and let us know who is out there.


Off to Yuma Arizona tomorrow. High 117 Low 93

The Grand Canyon

Can your guess where we were today by our picture? Today was funny. We left at 9:00 from Williams on the Grand Canyon Railroad. The whole way we pumped up how big the Grand Canyon was going to be to Faith and Isaac. Once we walked up to the edge, they both were like, "What else do we do? "

The weather was perfect. A cold front came through the day before and cleared out all the haze. Cold front sounds more dramatic than reality. Instead of 100 + it was 90. In the shade it was not bad at all.

Michelle did not go with us today. She stayed back to rest. Her sinus infection is a little better. Mine is now in full blown mode. I feel like Charlie Brown head and have started coughing fits. Haven't had a cold like this one in a few years. I felt crummy but still enjoyed the day with the family. Shirley and Allen moved slow today walking around at 8,000 feet but could not find enough adjectives to describe what they saw. Katrina found a man today. Not sure if it will last since his occupation is a train robber (I'll post that photo in a bonus blog). Kahli is well and does a great job entertaining Faith and Isaac with her Ipod.

We travel to Yuma AZ in the morning. Pray for good health and safety.

I Need the Gospel

Today was a hard but good day. I woke up this morning with my nose stopped up and my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth. I'll blame it on the cold but i was grumpy this morning. Told Michelle that I needed to ride alone to start off this morning. I listened to a sermon on a MP3 player and soaked up the Gospel from 2 Cor. Today was our most diverse. We had rugged canyons, high plains, and mountains. Katrina ran over a retread tire and it wrapped around the bottom of our van. At one point the tire stretched out to about eight feet. Looked like a long tail. Allen called me on my cell to tell me that Katrina and Michelle (Thelma and Louise) were dragging a dead animal.

Shirley completely lost her voice and had a sore throat all day. Once we got into Williams she went to an urgent care center. Katrina is now driving back to Flagstaff to get medicine at Walgreens. Michelle sounds pretty froggy too. That makes 5 out of 8 healthy people in our crew.

Good news, tomorrow is our day off at the Grand Canyon. We are taking the Grand Canyon Railroad which leaves just a few hundred yards from our hotel. Isaac is so excited, he may not sleep tonight. Faith is afraid that she may fall in!

Kahli is two for two: Cracker Barrel for lunch and Mexican for Dinner:)

The picture is of Allen, Michelle, and Shirley in the high plains of New Mexico.

New Mexico

Day 4 (Shamrock TX to Albuquerque NM)

The day began with a bike ride on the wide open plains heading down Route 66. I was into my third mile when the sun finally broke through, amazing! I dreamed about riding in the wide open in my mind for weeks. It exceeded any expectation. Felt like I was Forest Gump. Great way to start the day before 350 miles in a bumpy truck ride.

Isaac was my side kick this afternoon. He got in the truck talking and he did not come up for air for two hours. We made up silly stories and laughed a lot.

Isaac came down with a runny nose on Sunday, me on Monday, Michelle and Shirley today. Michelle and Shirley were feeling bad and both stayed in while we ate some Mexican food. It was much spicier than anything back in the south. Kahli was thrilled to finally have "real" food!

Interesting to ride in a thunderstorm with pouring rain and the road staying mostly dry. The rain evaporated as soon as it landed. Also saw the temperature go from the upper 90's to the upper 60's in just a few minutes. Michelle and Katrina took endless photos. Papa Allen said, "The mountains looked green from far away but when you got to them they were just rocks with stumble." Nanny (Shirley) although congested still had enough spunk and energy for us all. Faith was all smiles and so thankful that the pool at this hotel was working!

Off to Williams Arizona

Things are BIGGER and Hotter in Texas

First off, I want to apologize for not blogging yesterday. We did not run off the road, all is well. We traveled almost 500 miles yesterday and were worn out when we got to Fort Smith Ark. After a quick dinner and dip in the pool we all turned into pumpkins.

Today we traveled 379 miles mostly in Oklahoma and are spending the night in Shamrock TX. Oklahoma is not a flat state. I was surprised to see how many rolling hills there were. They were beautiful and I got to see a lot of them as I crawled up them at 45 miles an hour.

Just got back from DQ for dinner and it is 96 degrees at 8:15pm. Michelle stayed back at the room to rest. She had a good day but was worn out and needed some down time. Isaac had tummy problems yesterday and is back to his spunky self today. He road shotgun for a good part of the day. He loves trying to get other truckers to honk their horns. Allen and Shirley (Michelle's Folks) are like children at Disney World. They are enjoying the diverse scenery we get to see each day. Katrina and Kahli are doing well too. Kahli has some difficulty with food issues (she has diabetes and Celiac disease), the restaurants we have chosen have been out of things that she could eat. Cracker Barrel is her favorite and everyone else too! She has kept a great spirit through it all. Katrina has been the main driver of the family mobile and Michelle her co-captain. Kahli is a great "flight" attendant. Papa Allen has enjoyed the great view from the moving truck and Nannie has been jammin' in the F150 to America's greatest country music!

Tomorrow we will travel about 130 miles in Texas then into New Mexico totaling 372 miles for the day.

Picture is of Oklohoma:

Nashville

We made it to Nashville around 5:00 pm yesterday. There were no no major issues, just tired from being up into the early hours the night before. We stayed at my sister Tasha's home. She has two small children that has great toys. Isaac and Faith have been loving life. Most of their toys have been packed up for the past month and half. Today (Sunday) is going to be our longest day of travel. After today we will be 1/3 of the way there!

Michelle's health is a 5.5 (1-10 scale) this morning. This is promising because mornings are by far her most difficult time. She started some new medicine yesterday and it is already making a difference. Thanks for your prayers!

A Good Life Live

I got a message from my father early this morning that his mother, my grandmother passed away. Vita Huster died at the age of 99. I am not sure when the funeral will be, but most likely it will be sometime during our move to San Diego. This blog is in some way a part of my healing as a walk in the pain of losing someone so special.

My grandfather and grandmother Huster played a significant roll in my life. They only lived two miles from where I grew up. Living with my single mother and two sisters, I spent many days after school and summer days with them. The memory I will hang on most to is my grandmother reading her Bible and "Daily Bread" to me and my grandfather at breakfast. She modeled the great habit any person anyone could ever develop. I love you grandmother, give granddad a big hug for me!

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Packing Day - Michelle's health is 4.5 on a 10 point scale. Up a notch today.

We Will Not Be Homeless

This blog will be updated daily while we are on our trip across America. The trip officially begins Saturday morning around 8:30 am.

Here is a picture of our town home we will be leasing in Ocean Beach. It is a 3 bedroom 2. bath. Michelle and Katrina did a great job. It is in the heart of OB, just a mile from the beach. There are around 200 units in this self contained neighborhood, most of young families.

Today has been an unusually hard day so far. I awoke to the news that the 15 year old boy Austin, from Lexington SC, body was found yesterday. Austin drowned Sunday while on a mission trip with his youth group in Mexico. I found myself significantly affected my the news. This was one of my nightmares I had as a youth pastor. My heart grieves for the family and their church.

"Blessed are those who morn for they will be comforted"

Enjoy your family today and of course - FIREWORKS!