Five on Friday

Because I so greatly admire my friend Susan a.k.a Carpool Queen,  I thought I would copy her "Five on Friday" post.  Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right?  (By the way, when I saw Susan last month at the homecoming of our alma mater, I introduced my older sons to her and when I told them she was Carpool Queen they knew exactly who I was talking about. She's famous in our home!)

So here goes:

1. I can't post pictures on here at the moment since our computer is still in the shop.  I don't like to upload my photos to Charlie's work computer so this will, once again, be a picture-less post.  Our computer is seriously ill and needs a transplant of sorts to the tune of ......well hundreds and hundreds of dollars. So we are thinking of paying less than it would cost to fix it and just buy a new computer. *sigh*

2. I can't stop talking about how much I am loving FALL!  The drive to Luke and Abby's school is out in the country and it is just beautiful.  Yesterday the temperature dropped about 10 degrees and the clouds rolled in and this morning it is cloudy and cold.  I have dreamed of experiencing fall for so long and it's just so fun to be here.

3. The McRib is back at McDonalds for a limited time.   I realize that I have friends that won't even step foot into a McDonalds.  And there many people, even McDonalds fans, who hate the McRib.  (For all two of my non-American readers, the McRib is a faux-pork rib sandwich that is dripping in Bar-b-que sauce and is served at McDonalds restaurants for a few weeks each year.  You can google a recent Time magazine article about how horribly unhealthy it is for you.)  So, it is with great trepidation that I confess that Charlie and I each ate one yesterday.  And we thoroughly enjoyed it.  You can make donations at our funerals to the American Heart Association. (P.S. We had not had one in 14 years.)

4. I realized something last night.  I think one of the reasons I dislike housework is that I am by myself when I do it and that makes me sad.  I am a people-person.  I truly believe that if I had someone (preferably a friend) come over and hang out and talk to me while I did housework I would be more productive and happy.  And maybe they could dust and sweep with me and we'd get the job done in half the time!

5. I've been praying for many of my missionary friends back in Africa, and you can too! Katie has had an especially challenging week dealing with the heat and unpredictable electricity among other challenges while she maintains a busy ministry to the women in her neighborhood and is the mother of two beautiful, active little girls.  Michelle and her family have been struggling with a fuel shortage for a long time as well as unpredictable electricity.  When the electricity goes off they need to use a generator to keep their appliances running (fridge and freezer!) but you have to have fuel to do that.  She home schools her kids and lives far away from support.  Pam and her husband are currently living in a tent while they are building a house so they can be closer to the people they feel called to minister to.  Camping for a weekend in a tent is OK (even enjoyable to those who like camping) but living in one?  One of her recent Facebook statuses was "Missionaries - 4, Snakes- 0."  They had killed 4 snakes in just the last several days, one just 10 feet away from their tent.  I can think of SO many things to pray about for Pam.  And then Becky is a colleague of ours who, like us, is in the U.S. right now on stateside assignment.  She just found out yesterday that one of her best friends in Mozambique - her ministry partner, translator and the first person she led to the Lord when they moved to their area - died this week - a young woman named Fatima.  Becky's heart is broken but also comforted in knowing that Fatima is with Jesus and she will see her again!  Won't you join me in praying for my sweet friends?