Hello from Northeast Arkansas!

Vickie is on the road this morning and has had a busy time getting out of town, so she asked me to write a blog entry for this week.

First of all, let me assure you that Hershey Marie Stotts has been officially enrolled in Obedience Class to begin at the first of January. We all had a major laugh over Vickie chasing her around our neighborhood!

The "church tour" was great and God was in every part of it from the beginning. We'll be planning another one in Central Arkansas in January, so if you are in that area and would like for us to visit with your Missions Pastor, please let us know. Also, a new brochure is available and I would love to send you one or a few for you to share. Email me at wendy@purejoyinternational.org.

James 1:2 encourages us "Whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy."

I was raised with one "cup half full" parent and one "cup half empty" parent. Or I guess I should say one optimist and one pessimist. My dad was always upbeat, smiling and anticipating what was coming next. My mom was a major worrier and was always waiting "for the other shoe to drop". So, my flesh nature can swing either way. As I've grown and experienced life, God has shown me that my cup is always "full" if I choose for it to be. Jeff and I are trying to teach our kids to "choose joy". We try to tell them in the midst of life challenges, big and small, that the enemy can take over and make everything bad if we allow it.

This morning our second son Will, who is 13, was doing some last minute studying for a Science test. Our oldest son Wade, who is 16 and licensed, but can't drive until March because of some new law about waiting six months blah blah blah something or other, was already at school for Bible Study. Melody, who is 8 only in years, and I were in the van waiting for Jeff to finish quizzing Will on Science. And yes, it was past time to be gone. Will runs out of the door holding his 50 pound backpack in front of him and trying to get between my van and Jeff's jeep in the garage, hits the jeep hard with the van door and steps in a Hershey pile (I'm hoping obedience training will help some of that too), puts his backpack in the van runs out to the grass to wipe off the Hershey pile, runs back in the garage and gets in the van and shuts the door. I start to back up and Hershey is behind the van so Jeff runs out in his bare feet (it's cold in NE Arkansas today) and picks up Hershey so we can back out -- and we're on our way - late! As we catch our breath on the fast ride to school, Will looks at me and says, "Mom, isn't that the way it goes?" and begins to list the things that had just happened. And, always the Mom that I am, I said, "and what does the devil want us to do, but get mad and be mad all day" and Will was smiling and nodding his head and we all laughed together. Thank you God for another "opportunity for joy"!

I pray you "Choose Joy" today, especially during this blessed season that reminds us when "Joy" came to the world!

Wendy Stotts