The Paine Family

Can you say “BUSY?” That is the answer to why we have not posted in so long. =)

God has been so good to us all. It seems that the summer is speeding up on us and that our list of things to do and places to go is increasing. =) Such is life! Currently, the family is all over the place. Thomas went out to California to help direct book sales at a conference, Nate is working at home in Chicago, Chad is serving up in the Northwoods, and the rest of the family is in Indianapolis serving at the downtown Training Center. It has been neat to see how God is using each one in particular facet of the ministry, but it is also a blessing to be together and serve as well. Times apart makes us all the more appreciative of times together.

We are looking forward to the coming Summer days, and we anticipate what God is going to do in and through us as we remain surrendered wholly to His perfect will. May the Lord richly bless you all!

This is a day when America sets aside time to remember the sacrifice of those who have and are giving there lives for the freedom of our nation! It is ONLY by the grace and mercy of God that our nation still stands and that we have the awesome freedom of being able to say " one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all"! I believe the following passage in scripture is suitable for this important day and demonstrates the most important quality that any soldier can possess, "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. John 15:12-14

Our family decided to make it a special day where we would spend it  together doing different activities. First and foremost though, we had to have our annual and faithful Memorial Day thunderstorm which took up most of the day; but that didn’t stop us! With the weather being the way it was, we headed off to one of our families favorite shopping centers… BASS PRO!!! After we enjoyed experiencing the world of "outdoors in doors", we headed to go practice volleyball; serves, bumps, sets and all!

After working up an appetite, we headed home to not only enjoy REALLY good food, but something even more special…our mother’s birthday party! This was the day we decided to celebrate it on and it worked out perfect. Our family is so blessed with the privilege of having a godly mother in our home who sacrifices her time and energy to invest in the lives of her children for eternity! Praise the Lord!!! After finishing up an amazing meal we did fire works. As I think on the many blessings God has blessed me with, I stand awed and humbled at the sacrifice that Christ made for me… the ultimate price of love which was His life. May we always be ever grateful for those that have sacrificed there families, fortunes and lives so that we could enjoy those very things.

This past weekend was a whirlwind of activity! Mom and the three girls went to Louisville Kentucky for Hannah’s harp testing while Thomas headed off to Nashville for the conference. That left Dad, the three little boys and I to cover the fort! While Mom and the others where gone, the little guys and I tried our best to make it memorable…and it was a success! We enjoyed biking around Hinsdale, wading in a river that was near to us and getting a refreshment to top it off.

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While we had fun, Mom and the girls were in close “competition”! Hannah’s harp testing went well and the guys and I are SURE glad to have them all back home now!!!!!! If you could be praying for Thomas as he prepares with the staff for the Nashville Regional Conference it would be sure appreciated. Pray that God would touch many lives and that He would be glorified through it all!                                  

During my time at NorthWoods, I was able to practice some shooting with a couple other people. I had the opportunity to take this picture which reminds me of the need to keep my focus on the Lord and His plans for my life!

“ Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. “ Phil. 3:13-14