At Last!

So after trying NUMEROUS times to post pictures, today, it just decided to work. So here's a few I've been wanting to post for awhile now. This first one is of TCX - the conference we have every Dec. 28-Jan. 1 with students from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and North and South Dakota. We had over 1200 students there. It's one of my favorite things of the year.

Here's a picture of the Chicago skyline from our day in Chicago over Christmas.

Here's a picture of what my dad called "mecca" - Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears :). And as every football fan says... Maybe next year.
And here we are on Michigan Avenue. And yes, I have a huge down coat that has been GREAT with how cold it's been lately.

Busy Bees

It has been a full week, but we're getting into more of a routine as the semester goes on. On Wenesday night we took an extra trip with our 3 AIA (Athletes in Action) student leaders to La Crosse to visit the AIA group at their campus. They consistently have 50+ students attending. It was good to meet their student leaders and hear what they've done the past few years and hear some words of wisdom from them. It was also fun to dream about what God could do with our AIA group in a few years. We were also able to take some of the students we lead with us to meet new students in the dorms. Aaron was able to have a great conversation with a guy and see him make a significant decision to make God a part of his life.
On Tuesday it was 4 months since Payton died. In some ways it feels like it's been that long and in other ways it doesn't. We still miss her a lot which I expect will last the rest of our lives.
On a happier note, 1 month from today I'll be flying to Toulouse, France with my mom, dear friend Sara, and 8 other women from our region. We're going on a vision trip to encourage the staff women there as well as participate in the campus ministry they have going there. I'm really looking forward to it - a missions trip with some of my most favorite people in France... I've never been to France and haven't traveled internationally since we came home from our internship during the 01-02 school year. Anyone will tell you that once you have traveled internationally, it puts the bug in you and want to keep going places. :)

So Sad

Aaron and I had our own little super bowl party. First I took a super nap, and then I got up in time for the game. We made wings and guacamole with chips. We may wash it down with ice cream shortly :). I'm frustrated the Bears lost not necessarily because they lost, but because they made stupid plays (really bad passes instead of running the ball more). I do, however, like Tony Dungee and Peyton Manning - so it's fun that even though the Bears lost, I can still be happy the Colts won. So that's our exciting super bowl night. There's a great website that AIA set up for the super bowl about the coaches: www.beyondtheultimate.org . Hope you had a fun game day. Many of you may have been like us and just not wanted to get out in the extreme cold! It's been so nice to be home a lot the last 2 days. It's been a busy start to the year, and we're trying to catch up with life stuff and getting things done around the house. We'll keep you posted on life and ministry. Much love, the Joneses

Week 2

Sorry to be so long in posting again. It's been a full week! And thanks for asking - AIA went great. We had 17 students, which I think is a new high. We'll see what happens tomorrow night. Aaron and I were gone all weekend. Our region has a conference for wives/moms every January, and I always love going to that. Aaron went with a few staff husbands to have a guys weekend. They had a great time. I was able to connect with some dear friends and absorb wisdom from the other women there which I really enjoyed. So now we're in week 2. We had our student leaders meeting tonight. They've done such a good job - we're so proud of them. We hope you all are doing well and keeping warm! It's SO cold! The high this weekend is supposed to be single digits. So any of you in the South feel sorry for us, and we'll feel sorry for you in August when it's 100 and humid :).

Day 1

We survived the first day on campus :). Our staff team was able to talk to some new students, and we passed out around 350 gift bags and took as many surveys in the dining hall. So overall, it a was a good day. I know there were a few of you praying for me, because I'm usually nervous to start the semester and I felt incredible peace. So much so, that I knew people were praying for me because such a strong peace only comes from God. So thank you, I was so grateful for the Lord's tangible presence today. It's exciting to start the semester, because I really like what I get to do in the ministry this year. But it's really hard to go back to full time because that was never supposed to be the case. It's just another reminder that Payton is gone. Tomorrow night we have our first AIA meeting of the semster (Athletes in Action). I'm curious to see how many athletes come. From talking to the student leaders, it seems like there's some excitement for it to start back up again.
And so now, I think I'll put on my pajamas and look at the pile of dirty dishes and wait for Aaron to get home from Bible study on campus.

Bear Down, Chicago Bears!!!

That's how the Bear's fight song starts, and those are the only words to it I know :). But I sing it everytime they win. So even though I did NOT get to watch the game today (meeting with student leaders all afternoon...who I love), I am SO EXCITED that the Bears are in the Superbowl!!! Super excited. Currently routing for Indianapolis...close game. Anywho, on a sad note, it is the beginning of the end for our little 1988 Isuzu pickup truck. It was at the mechanic and has a bad head gasket. We've opted not to fix it and drive it until it goes no more. How long that will be, we don't know. We knew we'd drive our '98 Jetta and the truck until they died...but we just didn't think one would die so soon :). So we'll see what happens. Pray for us tomorrow if you think of it. The semester begins...

Starting up

I've tried a few times to post pictures from Christmas and the conference and have not had any luck. So sorry that there's no new pictures to view. There hasn't been a lot to report on. We've been working the last few weeks gearing up for the semester which starts on Monday whether we're ready or not :). We've been meeting with our student leaders for Athlete's in Action on campus, and I'm really excited to see what God does with that. In talking with the students, it seems like there's a lot of interest among the athletes they know. We'll keep you posted. We'll also meet with the student leaders for the main movement this weekend. It'll be good to see them after a long break.
We're still very much in the midst of the grieving process and continuing to realize it's not necesarily a "quick" thing. I've been thinking a lot in the last few weeks about the impact Payton had in her short life, and it continues to amaze me. She was a remarkable little thing :).
As campus starts up again, we'll probably have more to update you on, but for the past few weeks, life has been relatively mellow which I've appreciated. We hope you're doing well as the 2007 is in full swing. We'll let you know how the new semester starts out. much love, Aaron and Heather

I Tried

So I tried to post pictures from Christmas and could not get them to come up. So, no pictures for now. I'll keep working on it...

Home Again

It feels so good to be home after a long time gone. There's still some mail to sort and clutter to put away, but we've got groceries and are working and reorganizing and getting ready for the semester ahead. We had a great conference with the students. In some ways, I think it's the best one we've had yet. On the last night, the speaker gave a challenge to the students to fully surrender to the Lord and follow His leading for their lives. It was amazing to see 1100 students consider and pray about this. And as I've said before, I have dear friends on staff at other campuses, and it's a joy to see them...and their kids :). We're in that phase of life where everybody is having babies; so there were many little ones to meet as well. I was so tired by New Year's Eve that I sat in the back of the room with some other friends and watched the students excitedly ring in the New Year. I did however, manage to stay up until 2 or so, so that's pretty respectable I guess :)... I won't say how alert I was, but I was awake :). Hope you all had a safe and fun New Year. Much love, the Joneses

Traveling...

We've been on the road for the last week and a half...hence the long time of not posting anything. We had our end of the semester time with our staff team a few hours North of Eau Claire, then we were home for a day and a half before we went to spend Christmas with our families. Now we're at our Christmas conference with roughly 30 students from UWEC and 1100 students from our region. It's one of my favorite things that we do, and it caps off with a rousing New Year's Eve celebration. So we'll get home eventually :). We hope you all had a great Christmas and have a fun New Year. Much Love, the Joneses

Planning and Eval

We're wrapping up the semester and spent a good portion of the week thinking through this past semester and preparing for the next (I love the irony of calling it "spring" semester when it starts in January and there is NOTHING "springy" about it). I'm excited for it. We work with such great students, and we, as staff, really enjoy working together...have I mentioned lately that I just really love my job :). Aaron is currently participating in a men's event which he, of course, enjoys. Tomorrow we need to get some things done before Christmas, like most people I'm sure...primarily, the Christmas cards :). Hopefully many of you will receive yours before it actually is Christmas...

Christmas time

We're finishing up the semester on campus, and it has been busy! I did some Christmas outreaches on campus last week, and Aaron was meeting with numerous students wrapping things up with them. Then we went to Rochester this weekend to visit some friends. It was great seeing them, and we were also able to stop up to the ICU to see some of our favorite doctors and nurses (Hi to the Mayo staff!). Everything there was so familiar, and it was a little wierd to be there without Payton there. That's where she spent most of her life. But I'm still glad we stopped and were able to visit for a little bit. I so miss my Sweet Pea, and it's hard to come up onto these "firsts" (like Christmas) without her here.
We hope you are all doing well. Christmas is always a busy time of year, but this year I feel a renewed appreciation for why we celebrate Christmas..."for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior"... We pray that the truth of this Savior (and what He came to save us for) is real to each one of you...And not just knowing it, but making Christ - His life, death, and resurrection - a part of your life. much love, the Joneses :)

Ponderings...

It's been a busy past few weeks - as I'm sure everyone is with Christmas drawing nearer. We're doing Christmas outreaches on the women's side of the ministry, and I've been running with those.
There are two things I'd like to share with you. The first is a poem I got in a booklet someone sent to us. I just really liked it.

There is a new lamb cradled on Thy breast tonight,
A sweet small lamb, so lately mine
I scarce can keep my arms from reaching out
As though to snatch her back from Thine.

These arms of mine are wonted so to her, dear Lord,
They curved about her little form
So sweetly, and from dawn of time my breast want meant
To be her pillow, soft and warm.

What does one do with aching arms and empty hours,
With silent rooms, and dragging days?
The things I knew before will not avail me now-
Teach me new lessons and new ways.

Take Thou, I pray, these idle folded hands of mine
Which can no longer busied be
With dear, familiar tasks for her ...In mercy, Lord,
Fill hands and heart with tasks for Thee!

by Martha Snell Nicholson

The second thing I'd like to share is something I read last week. I did a training time with our interns, and we read an article by A.W. Tozer (EXCELLENT Christian author - I highly recommend him). The article was from the book, The Knowledge Of The Holy. Anyway, we read an excerpt from that book, and I've been thinking about it all week...what do I really believe? So I thought I'd share a few quotes for you to ponder as well :).
The following are direct quotes:

What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.
Were we able to extract from any man a complete answer to the question, "What comes into your mind when you think about God?" we might predict with certainty the spiritual future of that man. Were we able to know exactly what our most influential religious leaders think of God today, we might be able with some precision to foretell where the Church will stand tomorrow.
That our idea of God correspond as nearly as possible to the true being of God is of immense importance to us. Compared with our actual thoughts about Him, our creedal statements are of little consequence. Our real idea of God may lie buried under the rubbish of conventional religious notions and may require an intelligent and vigorous search before it is finally unearthed and exposed for what it is. Only after an ordeal of painful self-probing are we likely to discover what we actually believe about God.
Low views of God destroy the gospel for all who hold them.
Let us beware lest we in our pride accept the erroneous notion that idolatry consists only in kneeling before visible objects of adoration, and that civilized peoples are therefore free from it. The essence of idolatry is the entertainment of thoughts about God that are unworthy of Him.

Tozer always makes me think! Hope I didn't bore you :).

The Club

One thing that has been interesting through all this is you find out how big this exclusive "club" for bereaved parents really is. We received numerous cards from people we didn't know who had also lost children. It's this desire to reach out to others when you know the hurt they're going through to try to help and alleviate it in any way possible. I know I'll probably do the same from now on whenever I encounter another parent who has lost a child - and also any parents with a heart baby. There's something to be said for having someone there that knows what you're going through. Right after Payton's first surgery we called friends who also had a heart baby. They were probably the biggest encouragement and really helped calm us that first night after her first surgery. I remember hugging her when they came to visit, and it was almost a tangible feeling of sharing the load, someone else knowing what you were now carrying. It's been so encouraging to see the heart of people to just be there. We have such a great community around us that we're so grateful for.

Thanksgiving

I know you're waiting on the edge of your seat to hear about Aaron's hunting expeditions... no luck :(. I felt so bad - he really wanted to get a deer. But he did have a great time. He said on the way back to Portage last weekend he saw more deer on the drive than he had in the woods that day. I wish I had a picture to post of him in all his gear...actually, I wish I had a picture just so I could see him in all his gear :).
I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. We bounced back and forth between our parents homes, but it was fun to see the fam. During the week we had an opportunity to see, yet again, how the Lord has taken care of us through all of this. He has met our needs and taken care of us and provided for us in so many ways. So though this is a little late to post, that was one of the main things I was thankful for this Thanksgiving - the goodness of the Lord as our Provider. Feel free to post if there's something you're especially thankful for. I'd love to hear it :). Much love, Aaron and Heather