A Joyful Mystery: Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth

A Late Night Joyful Mystery

Last night Kent and I had a night out to see Cirque du Soleil, Kent's birthday present this year. Afterwards (and it was amazing btw) I asked if he would be up for late night adoration. So much stress from getting the house to the market and the anxiety of watching and waiting for the showings app to beep that someone wants to see our house- I had been working hard all week hoping to have the time to rest in His presence on Saturday. I prayed a Joyful rosary for our home, our family, our ever expanding to-do list, and for more mission partners.

Despite Kent and I supporting missionaries in the last year, it is very hard to wrap our heads around now asking others to support us. In a few weeks our paying jobs will end and life is about to change drastically.

I admit I currently have a bad Starbucks habit of a minimum of twice per week, go overboard on Amazon Prime occasionally, and pretty much do/buy what I want anytime. Same for Kent. We have been given so much. And we give back to others, but it's no comparison to the call we've accepted to sell our lives and live as and with the poor. All of the above is not to say that we are not up to the challenge. We are. We signed on knowingly and joyfully to what God is asking of us. It's simply a recognition of how hard this will be. To live in community eating most meals together based on their menu, to have limited free time and definitely no Netflix bingeing, to limit personal internet to 2 hrs per week on Sunday, to not talk to my mom everyday, to not have a glass of wine at the end of the day, to live on a much smaller fixed income than I ever have in my life, and the list goes on... This list isn't all that different than one you could make before having your firstborn... or your seventh. Things change. Life is not stagnant.

So what does this have to do with the Joyful Mystery of the Visitation?

In all that we are going to give up, there are some things we hope to gain more of- support of family and friends being a big one. We don't want to do this alone. Where's the fun in that? We come from great, loving communities of family and friends and we want to take that out into the world with us.

Mary went to Elizabeth on a mission (#firstfamilymission) to help her in her last months of pregnancy, but Mary wanted something too- partnership- to know that she was not alone and had family and friends ready to join her.

How awesome that Elizabeth confirmed this the second Mary walked in the room!

Thank God He gave Mary Joseph and thank God He gave me Kent. But we need you too, just like Mary needed Elizabeth. Will you prayerfully consider joining our mission?