*** CURRENT - 2020 - If your interested we're making some REALLY TERRIBLE videos based around food and family over at tyronebcookin.com . Our plan is to get better as we do more. LOL!***
[JULY 2019] THANK YOU for following our journey these last two years as our family served with Mercy Ships! We appreciate your prayers, encouragment, financial support...We are so grateful for you partnering with us! -- We are now back in Alabama trying to transition back into our community. ~ The Barton Family

Saturday, October 7, 2017

Just Pack Lunches - Mom's Point of View #2

My how things can change in a few weeks! The boys have settled into a routine at school and in ship life in general. They are learning to navigate friendships on board like little pros. It is very different on board than at home. Almost every day they are asked to play at someone else's cabin. Often they get more than one offer. They are cool kids!!

The boys have a couple of options of where to play on board. They like to play outside on deck 7 on the swings. Deck 8 has a larger open area they can ride bikes in circles and a small climbing structure. And up one more flight of stairs is a pool. We usually take them up to get their energy out after dinner and there is usually a bunch of kids up there.


It has been awesome to see our prayers answered in a couple of areas. The boys are so healthy and are off all their allergy medicine they were on in Huntsville!! Woohoo!! I have been working in D ward Monday thru Friday 8-12 and it brings LIFE to my soul! Each morning I am a second set of hands for the nurses. I help with complicated maxillofacial dressing changes, draw labs and start IVs, or help in the ICU. This is a great fit for me. I get to know many patients and I get to be available for the nurses.

I have been able to be a part of some sacred moments on the ward and feel so privileged because my job is made up! What I mean by that is this position has not existed before and it is unfolding as we go.

Before we left Alabama I was reminded of a sermon I heard 5 years before at a youth leaders conference. Perry Noble spoke about the story of Jesus feeding the multitudes from a boys lunch. Perry's focus was not on the boy, the crowd, or even Jesus. He asked the question "Who packed the lunch?" That has stuck with me. The lunch packer has an important part to the story. Thru their faithfulness a miracle was performed. I clearly heard the Lord tell me "Just pack lunches." For me, that looks like being present for my kids. It means supporting and loving the nurses well. It's taking time to "see" our patients on the ward. It's paying attention to the unnoticed, just like the lunch packer. So for me, I will keep packing lunches that feed the souls around me. ~ Stephanie

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2020 UPDATE: We are back at tyronebcookin.com doing cooking posts on our blog and our Youtube channel Youtube.com/tyronebcookin.