England, Fasting and Websites

Strange title I know but these are the things I've been doing these last few weeks - visiting Alans family in England, starting an alternate day fasting plan with Alans sisters and brother-in-law and building our team website. 

First - England. 

Since everything in this area seemingly shuts down during the month of August, we grabbed a quick and cheap RyanAir flight and went to spend time with Alans parents for his dads 81st birthday.  His dad continues to struggle with his health finding an aneurysm in his stomach while we were there.  Right now he has cancer in the bone of his nose and in his prostate, angina, diabetes, he's missing half a lung from TB when he was younger and so many other problems we call him the walking medical miracle.  In reality though Jesus has been very good to him and we give Christ all the glory for keeping him alive to see us marry and have Chloe.  He tells us regularly that he only wants Chloe to come and visit - not us! :) Both he and Margaret adore Chloe and she adores them.

While in England I heard from Alans sisters that they were doing a two day a week fast to try to lose weight.  Willing to do nearly anything to lose weight I decided to join them and so today makes day 5 of fasting for me.  Let me tell you... I haven't lost any weight and I'm STARVING! :)  I told Alan if he doesn't start doing it with me today is my last day lol.  He says he'll fast and only eat when I'm not with him.  Some fast! lol  Basically you eat breakfast - up to approximately 500 calories and then fast the remainder of the day and you do this in alternating days.  I'm still tracking calories like a crazy person, exercising to death and the scale just stays the same.  D I S C O U R A G I N G!  Oh well, in the end it's a lesson in discipline I guess.

Now for the website...
I finished the first draft while we were in England and if you'd like to visit it and send your feedback I'd love to hear it.  Here is the link:
www.maryrathbone.wix.com/pioneersgermany

A couple of notes - this will not be the final web address.  I'm using the free service offered on Wix which includes ads and slow loading images until we're ready to buy our own domain and switch the website over to it.  Secondly, we want to have the website in both German and English and will be working on that translation in the next few months.  Lastly, we will add videos, podcasts, more links to the CVJM, the Birke and other locations where we serve in the next few months but this is a good starting point for us I think.  I really want to get a ton of folks coming over to work with us here and Alan and I are also planning on sending Germans out on teams starting next year.  We're investigating Eastern Europe for possibilities now and would covet your prayers for guidance as we move forward. 

This week we're focusing on getting back to work at the CVJM and we're also investigating some other opportunities to volunteer nearby with refugees.  Chloe had her one year old check-up (ok three months late is better than never! :)) and she did great.  The doctor said she was in perfect health... yah!  Alan is plastering this week trying to finish the rooms he started and I'm trying to get caught up on paperwork, receipts, emails and conference plans for InTent in October and March and the European conference that I'm helping out with at the end of April.  Sarah Lee is still here and will start back to school next week.  She'll help Alan at the CVJM this week and then join me after school next week at the Birke or University. 

Life continues to be good.  God continues to bless our marriage and our ministry here.  It's not always easy but life rolls on.  Here's praying we make the most of every moment...