We're On a Mission...from God!

No, seriously...we are!  We're heading out to Mississippi, tomorrow afternoon, as part of our church's Youth Summer Mission Trip.  Going down to Bay St. Louis to help out with the work of Lakeshore Baptist.  After Hurricane Katrina blew her furious self through that part of the world, the church members decided to rebuild the community before rebuilding the church campus.  So instead of a family vacation of leisure and relaxation, we're going to work...and sweat...and get blisters...and skeeter bites...and sore muscles...and sunburned....AND I CAN'T WAIT!  Y1 isn't exactly thrilled about this being a family trip for the Snark household.  He'll get over it and if he doesn't, he can add it to my list of infractions and talk to the therapist about it...among other things. 

There are moments in life that you have to GRAB and this is one of them.  The chance to physically jump in and work side by side, as a family...with our church family...with our extended faith family...doing things that matter...that will impact a community and stand as a witness of God's love...these opportunities aren't every day events.  And if you let them slip by, it's more than just a moment that's gone...there are blessings missed; blessings irreplaceable.  Not just the blessings that flow through us...but the ones that come back to you because you were obedient and answered the call.  That is THE single most amazing thing about mission work.  You set out with the idea that what you're doing will be a blessing and it will.  What never enters into the equation is the blessing received by the ones doing the work.  It's the best feeling in the world!!!  Even better than chocolate! (And there isn't a whole lot that goes on my list as being better than chocolate.) 

We'll be gone until next Saturday...don't have a lap top and even if I did...it wouldn't be coming on the trip.  One more thing to keep track of and be a possible source of distraction.  Possible, my Aunt Fanny (I don't have an Aunt Fanny...Mr. Snark does, though)!  I am a self admitted Facebook addict, so it's just well and good that I don't have a lap top.  I'd wind up getting lost in some backwoods bayou looking for wireless signal....and then onto an episode of "Swamp People."  I promise I'll write everything down and share it with you when I get back.

Well...you know...minus the cigarettes and the fact that we're going to Mississippi and not Chicago!