Crisis Averted

It was so hot the other night and Steve realized that our air conditioner was not cooling down the house.  After some research, he figured out that it needed a new capacitor.

Yesterday, he fixed it. Yay!  We have a working air conditioner now and it was fixed for only $13.  Steve is amazing. Woo hoo.

New Hope Presbyterian Church, SC Trip

Steve had a great trip down to South Carolina this past weekend.  I was not able to go with him because of my work schedule.  He flew out of Chicago to Atlanta on Friday morning.  Our great friend, Damian, drove him to the airport and got him safely on the plane.  His mom picked him up from the airport in Atlanta.

 

His final stop was Abbeville, South Carolina.  He was traveling down there to speak on Sunday morning at New Hope Presbyterian Church.  I wasn't with him, but he tells me that he had a great time meeting new people and telling the stories of our ministry.  He spoke at the fellowship meal after the service about how Bible translation can really have an impact on people's lives because they can understand God's word in a way they didn't before.  

He got to see some family that he hadn't seen in awhile that live down there too.  Overall, he said it was a great trip.

I wish I could have been there with him, but I was stuck at home to work.  I did have some fun outside of work, like shopping with my sister and some gardening (light work, of course).

Steve flew home on Monday and we relaxed for the evening with dinner and a rented movie at home.  I was glad he was back home.

Cameroon Language Groups

Please pray with us for each of these language groups in Cameroon.

Celebrating Mother's Day

All day I was celebrating the beautiful life inside me. The last almost 18 weeks have been filled with anxiety, fear, and joy.  Steve has been walking this adventure with me one day at a time.  We could not be more excited about welcoming this baby into our family in October.  Yesterday was a celebration of ALL mothers, whether you hold your children in your arms, you hold your children in your hearts because God holds them in Heaven, or you hold them inside expecting them this year.

Happy Mother's Day!

Source: social.kidspot.com.au via Bridget on Pinterest

I got the only thing I needed for Mother's Day this year.  We listened to the heartbeat first thing in the morning.  It was nice and strong.

Celebrating Our Anniversary

This weekend, Steve and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary.  It was an absolutely beautiful weekend in South Bend.  On Saturday, Steve and I celebrated by going to out to dinner to Salsas Mexican Restaurant.  I love Mexican food but I forgot that our anniversary is a "holiday" until we got there and it was packed.  We got a sit pretty quickly out on the patio outside and there was a live band playing.  The food was really good, as usual.

Sunday was our actual anniversary and I had the whole day off work.  It was marvelous.  Steve had to work though. {Sad face}  Sunday, after church and lunch, Steve had to go to Sears and I had a great day of relaxing ahead of me.  Actually, I was quite busy but nothing on the schedule.  I went shopping, visited some some friends, did some things to get ready for our garage sale, and then visited Steve at Sears for Friends and Family night.

Oh and Steve wanted to celebrate our anniversary by posting this announcement on Facebook Sunday morning before church.  He had some fun creating it.  My sister took some great pictures of us and so I posted some of them too.

We ended the day by listening to our baby's heart beat on the Doppler and Steve recorded it.  That sound never gets old.

Passing a Candle for Liam

 

Please pray for a special member of my online community.  My heart just breaks for her and her family.  They discovered a few weeks ago that their sweet baby, that should have been their rainbow, had Trisomy 13 and was incompatible with life.  Their precious baby went to heaven this Saturday at 17 weeks, 1 day.  His name is Liam and he is loved by more people than he will ever meet.

I saw the most beautiful outpouring of love this weekend.  For 24 hours, from Saturday night until Sunday night, nothing was posted on the board except for candles and messages of love for sweet baby Liam and his amazing mother.

Please keep this family in your prayers.

I Will Carry You (Audrey's Song)

There were photographs I wanted to take
Things I wanted to show you
Sing sweet lullabies wipe your teary eyes
Who could love you like this
People say that I am brave but I`m not
Truth is I`m barely hanging on
But there`s a greater story
Written long before me
Because he loves you like this

So I will carry you
While your heart beats here
Long beyond the empty cradle
Through the coming years
I will carry you
All my life
And I will praise the one who`s chosen me
To carry you

Such a short time
Such a long road
All this madness
But I know
That the silence
Has brought me to his voice
And he says

I`ve shown her photographs of time beginning
Walked her through the parted seas
Angel lullabies no more teary eyes
Who could love her like this?

I will carry you
While your heart beats here
Long beyond the empty cradle
Through the coming years
I will carry you
All your life
And I will praise the one who`s chosen me
To carry you

Visit to Columbus, OH

Steve and I took a trip this weekend to Columbus, OH for his brother Kenny's graduation from the Ohio Police Academy.  Now Steve has two brothers that are cops.  We left Thursday in the early evening and drove the 5 hours to Columbus.  We are actually staying in a hotel in Dublin, which is a suburb of Columbus.

Steve, of course, loves being back in Ohio.  After the graduation, we walked around The Ohio State University campus.  I had never seen it, so it was cool to be there.  I bet it's crazy there on game days. I, unfortunately, did not wear very good walking shoes so we didn't walk for very long.  We even went to Walmart to get me some new shoes, since the dressy shoes were the only ones I brought.

 I love the stained glass "O" behind us.  It's really pretty.  The most fun thing about these pictures on campus is that complete strangers took the pictures for us.  We walked up and they were talking pictures of people that we though was their family, but I guess they didn't know them either.  People in Ohio are so friendly.

This morning, we met with one of Steve's friends for breakfast and later this afternoon we are going to be meeting with Steve's old youth pastor. Weather here is really beautiful.

Easter Missions Breakfast

 

Steve and I, as part of the Missions Committee at Gospel Center, served an Easter Breakfast before church on Sunday.  I would call it a success.  We estimated about 150-180 pancake eaters that attended.  I wish I would have taken some pictures.  I was running around making sure that the servers had pancake mix, cleaning up spills, etc.  Steve was a pancake maker and server.  We also had sausage, bacon, fruit, and juice for people to eat and drink.  It looked like everybody got enough to eat.  We even had some food leftover.

Stan and Anna did a great job organizing the event and creating table decorations with information about all the missionaries that Gospel Center supports.

All the money raised went to the Missions Committee for outreaches and future mission adventures.  I really enjoyed it.  We actually missed church because we were washing dishes and cleaning up after the breakfast.  It was a good time though.

525, 600 Minutes - How do you measure a year?

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One year ago, we said "see you later."  I'm looking forward to 2013 being a brighter year.

Spring in Michiana

It's finally Spring in Michiana. I miss when Spring meant warm with pretty flowers.  The last few years, we have gone straight from a long winter to Summer.

30°

HIGH

We Made our 20% Goal

Tonight, Steve and I are sitting in the Indulgence Cafe working on our next Wycliffe newsletter and some other Wycliffe stuff.  We are trying to pick the best story to put in it.  We think we found one that you will really enjoy.  I love hearing about all the people around the world receiving God's word and I hope you do too.  If you are not receiving our newsletter already and want to please let us know.

We got some really exciting news tonight. We got a call from a pastor that has agreed to partner with us, along with his congregation.  His commitment brings our total pledged monthly amount to over 20%.  How exciting is that?  I love watching God provide for us.  So many new adventures will be coming our way this year and I love that our friends and family are going to be a part of it. 

I can't wait to meet out next goal, so we can start to application process for GIAL in Dallas.

Wycliffe - Vision 2025

My Valentine's Day

Welcome ICLW bloggers!

On Valentine's Day, Steve and I went to Bethel College for their "Couples Dinner."  It was a great evening.  It was a room full of couples that got married after meeting at Bethel College.  Dinner was very tasty.  After dinner, we went to see Bethel's performance of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream coat.  The dinner and play were both included in the cost of the event.  The actors did such a great job.  I have seen the play once before, but Steve hadn't.  We had such a great time.  Then after dinner some friends from Michigan came down to see us and they met us at the theater.  Steve and I don't get to get out of the house and just spend fun times together very much anymore with us being so busy.  It was nice to get out and have a fun evening together.

The second part of our Valentine's Day celebration was on Saturday.  Steve got us tickets to see Comedian John Branyan at the Blue Gate Theater in Shipshewana.  I had never been there before.  That place is beautiful.  The tickets included dinner too and, Oh my gosh, was the food good.  I have to admit that service was less than stellar. We barely saw our server until we was bringing us dessert.  I think she filled out drinks once.  I guess that's what you get when you tip is included in the ticket price. It was so worth it though.
John Branyan was hilarious.  I laughed so hard.

Dinner was Cornish game hen, red potatoes, salad, and bread.  The salad dressing I got was their homemade French and it was so yummy.  The fresh bread they brought to the table was really good and they gave us Amish Peanut Butter and homemade Apple Butter to put on it.

For dessert...I think the picture tells you all you need to know.  I still have some left that I have to finish at home.  The piece was huge.

Inside a Snowglobe

The snow is so pretty outside. I'm not sure if you can see if the picture, but it's coming light and steady.  Looking out of big windows at work, it looks like we are living in a snow globe.

The World of Wycliffe - Information Technology

Today's missionaries enter a world that is very different from the one that most missionaries knew even 30 years ago. The world now runs on information maintained by digital systems.

Electronic communications, travel, media and the role of software in virtually everything you touch, from cars to watches to music to money, make IT the base for the global infrastructure.

This is certainly true in the "developed" world, and is fast becoming the case in the developing world as well. Everything seems to depend on IT to one degree or another. Missionaries cannot function effectively without dependence on IT any more than those who send them.

http://www.itwow.org/cms/scripts/page.php?site_id=itwow&cat_id=ITServesLinguistics

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IT professionals are among the most in-demand jobs in Bible Translation. Computers have given translators the ability the do their work faster and more efficiently. My desire is to use my skills and experience with pc repair, server backups, network and email support and so much more that computers and technology can help with.

~Bridget

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How to help us get to Cameroon:
It's really very simple. We are so close to reaching our goal of being to 20% by the end of January. Please help us reach us our next goal of 30% by the end of February.  Every financial gift, no matter how big or small, is appreciated and important to the work.  We are excited to see how God is going to provide.

Ways to Join Our Team

View our Electronic Invitation to Partnership here

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Online: http://www.wycliffe.org/Partnership.aspx?mid=AF45B1

By Phone: Call Wycliffe’s Online Giving Services toll free @ 1-866-736-4387
between 8am and 5pm (EST).

Partner by EFT: You can download an EFT form here.
Print and fill it out, scan it and email it to EFT_Orlando@wycliffe.org.

Partner by Check: If you would like to give a tax-deductible gift,
checks can be written to Wycliffe and sent with a separate note saying,
“For the ministry of Bridget and Steve Pitney.”

Send to:
Wycliffe Bible Translators
P.O. Box 628200
Orlando, FL 32862-8200

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Join Our Prayer Team
Email: steve_pitney@wycliffe.org

Healthy Recipes: Cream Corn and Fruit Salad

The second part of Monday's dinner with the in-laws was some homemade Cream Corn and a Strawberry and Blueberry Salad. Here is the first part.

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Homemade Cream Corn and a Strawberry and Blueberry Salad.

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I made the corn from some corn that we had frozen over the summer.  The first step is to cook the corn with butter in a skillet over medium heat.

When the corn is done cooking, you take corn out of the pan and put it into a serving dish.Then heat some milk and Parmesan cheese until it starts to thicken.  Once it starts to thicken up, pour the cream mixture over the corn and mix together. 

For dessert, I made a Strawberry and Blueberry Salad.  I mixed fresh blueberries and fresh strawberries with sugar and vanilla.  Yum!

Healthy Recipes: Chicken with Red Potatoes

This Sunday, I was so proud of myself because I went to Martins and bought all fresh fruits and veggies - nothing frozen or processed.  The best part is that I was within budget.  I made this meal on Monday night when Steve's mom, step-dad and little sister were in town.  They enjoyed it too.

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Chicken with Red Potatoes

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In our roasting pan, I put red potatoes that I had cut in half or quarters with some vegetable oil and rosemary.  I baked them at 350 degrees for 20 minutes with the lid on.

Don't they look good already?  Then I added the fresh, not frozen, chicken thighs on top of the red potatoes.

Next, I added some spices, diced tomatoes, and onions

Then I baked everything together for 30 minutes with the lid on.  Finally, I took the lid off, flipped the chicken, stirred the potatoes and baked for another 20 with the lid off.  It turned out great.

My Leibster Nominations

This is part two of the Leibster Award.  Part one can be found here.  Now for the hard part.  I have to nominate some of my favorite blogs that have less than 200 followers and ask them eleven questions.  It's going to be hard to choose blogs that have not already been nominated before, that I know of.  Others can also answer one or more of the questions in the comment section if you want to.

Faith, Hope, and Love

Jen is my first nominee.  She is an amazing lady that I have never met in person.  When a normal person would fall apart, she never let life break her faith.  She was so welcoming to me when I joined to board and very inspirational to me when I felt my faith being stretched to the breaking point.

Learning to Love this Life

Kristen is another wonderful lady that met online.  I did get to meet her in person over Christmas and I am go glad that I did.  She just started blogging, but I have no doubt that it will great.

Things Hold Together

Sharon is a great friend that I have also never met in person.  She has been so supportive of me this last year.  She joined our Wycliffe prayer team and I know that her prayers are working.  She also sent me the sweetest card back in November as we passed our second milestone.  That meant more to me that she will probably ever know.  I am so excited that she is just months away from meeting her rainbow.

MomKup2

The author of this blog is my spectacular cousin, Gina.  She married my cousin, Pete, many many years ago.  Her and my cousin have two kids and she is a great mom.

Now for my questions:

1) What is your favorite color?

2) If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

3) What is your favorite part of your job?

4) Who in your life do you find inspirational?

5) Where were you born?

6) What is your favorite song?

7) What was your favorite class in school?

8) If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do with it?

9) What is your favorite animal? Why?

10) If you had the power to rid to world of one thing, what would it be?

11) Why do you blog? (I borrowed this from Stasy because I like the question)

Welcome ICLWers/Leibster Award

Welcome to the ICLWwers. I hope you can enjoy our website.

A few weeks ago, a wonderful online friend that I have never actually met, nominated my for the Leibster Award.  I definitely recommend that you visit her blog.  She is such a strong individual and I feel so special that she nominated me.  The Leibster Award is a blog to blog award that goes to up and coming bloggers with less than 200 readers.  Thank you, Stasy, for the kind words you said.  It is really is humbling to know that someone is watching your life and likes what they see, especially when your world feels like it's falling apart.

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Here are the rules:

1. Display the award image on your blog.
2. Link back to the person who nominated you.
3. State 7 things about yourself.
4. Nominate other bloggers, link to their sites, and ask them eleven questions.
5. Notify the bloggers that they have been nominated and link to the post.

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Seven Things About Me

1. I love musical theater.  Phantom of the Opera is my all time favorite.  I am listening to the music right now.
   
2. Steve and I own three vehicles and they are all completely paid for.  Except for Steve's student loans and our mortgage, we are debt free and plan to stay that way. 
   
3. I have a twin sister.  Her name is Erin and she is awesome.
   
4. I lived in four different states all before I turned 10: Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio, and now Indiana.
   
5. My parents have been married for 32 years.  They are such an excellent role model of what a strong Christ-centered marriage looks like.
   
6. Steve and I have been married for 5 1/2 years.  I love him more everyday.  It's been a rocky year, but I think we are stronger for it.
   
7. If I could eat lasagna at every meal and not gain weight, I would be a happy girl.
   

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Stasy asked eleven questions that I need to answer and then nominate those I feel deserve the honor, asking them eleven questions in return.  The first part will not be too difficult.  The second part could be a little harder, because I have to find blogs that I love that haven't been nominated before.  Many of great blogs that I read and love, she nominated.

Stasy's Questions for me

1) If you had to stay one age for the rest of your life, how old would you be and why?Probably 25.  It's the year that I got married. 

2) Favorite color?Blue

3) If you were a police officer for twenty-four hours, how would you use your authority?I would arrest people that walk slowly in the grocery store and block the aisles.  Don't you hate when you are walking down an aisle and you can't get through because someone is blocking the aisle.

4) Do you make resolutions every year? Why/why not? If you do, what was your resolution this year?Resolutions are so easily broken.  I try to make written goals.

5) If you could have any talent in the world, what would it be?I would love to be able to sing, but if that wasn't possible I would love to be able to write.  I have so many good thoughts in my head, but when it's time to put them on paper, the words never come out right.

6) If a movie were made about your life, who would play you? Why?
I would probably play a lonely girl trying to figure out what her purpose in life is.

7) Favorite sport to watch? To participate in?I'm not a huge sports fan.  I have started to like watching college football since getting married.  Mostly OSU games. 

8) What part of pop culture do you wish would just disappear?I would love for the current mindset that pop culture is creating that if you not are sleeping around or doing drugs you not "cool."  I have seen so many wonderful former students of mine fall for the lies and are hurting because of it.

9) What makes you laugh?Watching escaping baby pandas - If you haven't seen this video, then you must.

10) What single piece of technology makes your life easier? More difficult? 
Easier: The computer - without it I wouldn't be able to do my job.
Difficult: None that I can think of right now, but I'm sure I will later when I go to use it.

11) Why do you blog? 

My blog started many years in college as part of my college Bible Study.  It then evolved into just a blog about married life, my faith, my ministry, and my life in general.  This last year, it has become a blog about loss, faith, and a place to air my thoughts about living life after loss.  Since Steve and I have joined Wycliffe Bible Translators, it is also our main website for our ministry.

Road to Transformation

The Road to Transformation from Wycliffe USA on Vimeo.

The Bible translation process can be loosely compared to a roadmap of checkpoints. While each language project is unique, this map helps to simplify an otherwise complex process for the purpose of illustration.

"In 1999, we (SIL and Wycliffe) adopted Vision 2025—a Bible translation in progress in every language community needing it by 2025. That was a bold step, and we all knew it came with a commitment to change the way we worked.

Since then we have been pleased to watch this commitment translated into action through cluster projects, computer adaptation, and other innovations that have delivered the Scriptures to more people faster than ever. Along with you, we¹ve watched new translation programs started and the number of needed translation programs drop.

In October, for the first time ever, that number dropped below 2,000! The official translation need is now 1,967. For the first time there are more translation programs in progress than there are translation needs. More people have more access to Scripture than in any previous generation.
While reflecting on the number of starts is exciting, it is also sobering because it means we have more to finish!

Wycliffe and SIL exist to eradicate Bible poverty so that all language communities will have the opportunity to be transformed by God¹s Word and ultimately reflect God¹s glory. Vision 2025 was a commitment to change, not just for the sake of change, but to change so that this life-changing Word reaches people sooner rather than later.

What we do matters; God has chosen us to contribute to the greatest acceleration of the pace of Bible translation ever witnessed by the Church! Be encouraged."

~Bob Creson
President/CEO
Wycliffe Bible Translators USA