Now how do I begin to share all that God has done?

Dear family and friends,

Well I suppose I should tell you about the first bump in the trip.

The night before we left, after dinner was all cleaned up Ed took me aside and told me that everything was going to be fine and that he had no doubt that God was sovereign. I braced myself to a start like that. He said that something had come up and he was most likely going to have to leave the island. God was so good as I did not panic, but immediately started praying for wisdom. Within 10 minutes we'd made a game plan and a phone call to our dear friend Nikki Routman. So I began the trip with resting in God's bigger plan as this uncertainty was not what I would have chosen.

It was possibly only going to be for one day, but could have been for four.

So off we went, trusting God with the children, which was my biggest struggle about leaving in the first place.

We left on Friday and I wasn't able to check email until Tuesday morning. On Friday after we left Ed found out that he was slated to leave on the next Tuesday which meant there would be a whole week that the children needed care. When I read the email on Tuesday Grammy had already flown in. I just sat at the computer and cried. So grateful for the provision that God had provided. A grandmother to love and care for our children no matter whether Ed left or not.

Our team was so precious to pray for us as we walked through this uncertainty. Of course God was never uncertain, for which I was grateful! I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate our friends and families prayers during these past few weeks. Please know they have been heard and honored!!! Thank you from the depths of my heart...

Now how do I begin to share all that God has done? A little at a time is the only way I know how. We've been home less than two days and I already have Thomas blog material. There is a strange dog sleeping downstairs tonight, I could start with that...

We are so blessed...

Love in Christ,
Dinah for The Troops

P.S.-We see Caroline slowly improving. Grammy flies out tomorrow morning and my man flies out for a week tomorrow night. He never left, but had a wonderful time with his mother. We're half way unpacked, things are crazy, my refrigerator is full, and our children have all been loved. God is good...

Will you please pray?

Dear family and friends,

We are so grateful to be home! We are even more grateful that God allowed us to go...

I have no idea where to start in order to share what we've just experienced. The most pressing issue is our precious daughter. Caroline has been so sick! She started feeling bad on Thursday but just thought it was exhaustion. Friday we sang together and then the great throw up fest began.

She's keeping liquids down now and has limited amounts of food. No appetite to speak of but will eat small amounts when I ask her to. It was a serious decision when we had to decide whether she could travel or not.

We're hopeful a full nights sleep will do wonders. Please pray she will recover quickly!

Much more to come, thank you for praying, God has been faithful as always...

Love in Christ,
Dinah for the Troops

How many two year olds are you going to have?

Mrs. Thomas with Anna, Sarah, and Charity...

The girls taught me the sleeping bears game...best toddler game EVER!!!

Dear family and friends,

HOWDY all the way from Thailand! I still can't believe that we are here, but we are. We had a great trip that went smoothly. We did sit on the runway for an hour and we didn't know if that was going to cause problems with meeting up with our group. They also had delays and we didn't leave the airport until 2:30 in the morning. It was such a fantastic moment to see our team rolling their carts out. Many familiar faces and putting names that I've seen for weeks to new faces. It was a sweet moment of joining people that I love. We were asleep by 4:00 and got up by 7:00.

The first day we spent some time with a missionary that lives in Bangkok and then travelled on to Chiang Mai.

The second days was spent shopping, enjoying the view, and having wonderful Thai food. More importantly all the while, getting used to our new time zone.

Today we did have some children to take care of for a preconference while we continued to prepare for the three day conference that starts tomorrow. This morning after discussing Moses and Aaron and how Moses held his hands up so the battle could continue to succeed, Jeff Gilbert had the young men and young ladies put their hands up high. He left them like this for quite some time, I wish I had timed it. I have no doubt there are going to be some sore arms tomorrow. It was a great opportunity to discuss obedience and resolve. We are definitely going to have to hold up our hands the next three days- Pushing when it's hard, accepting the support God gives us, and choosing to not stop. Obedience brings blessing...

We were also given job assignments. I am the team leader for 15 two year olds. Our rooms are not bad, but not optimal either. Ashley Rose and Amy are my helpers and they are already blessing me. It's really neat, I admit I had a moment this morning when we were pulling out some old toys in a darker room than I'm used to that I was overwhelmed for a moment. Thank Jesus for helping me quickly turning my eyes to you, how much more effective life is when I do.

The girls and I had a meeting this afternoon where we were able to make a game plan and pray together. I am pumped and looking very forward to wearing these little guys out. Our goals are to love them to pieces and keep them busy. I feel so blessed to be serving these sweet mama's so they can be refreshed, encouraged, and enjoy adult fellowship.

I need to go change for the evening. I hope to post again tomorrow. After Friday you most likely won't hear from me until I get home.

Please continue to pray and know that God the Father is listening intently. I feel His presence vividly and am so privileged to be serving His faith workers.

Love in Christ,
Dinah for The Troops

P.S.-Our bump continued, my sweet husband has been on a roller coaster. It's now resolved and I'll tell you about it once I can. Thank you so much for praying specifically!!!

What will God do?

Dear family and friends,

We have three minutes until Ed shows up to get our bags, run to the commisary, and head to the airport. I can hardly believe it.

Thank you to all who have/are/will pray. This week I've seen the collective body of Christ do it's thing, and it's amazing. We are so loved, and so blessed.

Please don't stop, one last bump last night that I'll share when I get back...I can't post it, but God knows so please pray for this anyway.

Love to all...I can't wait to see what God is going to do!

In Him,
Dinah for The Troops

Now why would you ask a 14 year old that?

Dear family and friends,

Today I was working on organizing and finishing my packing. I could leave in 20 minutes flat if I had to. Tomorrow I'm working on finshing all that I want to do for the home team.

Over Christmas we introduced our children to Star Trek. We are not big television fans although we LOVE movies. One of the few shows that we have watched and enjoyed over the years is Star Trek: The Next Generation. I hated Star Trek as a little girl, my brother made me watch it. Well, he didn't tie me down or anything, but if I wanted to watch tv it was that or nothing. Most of the time I choose nothing, but every once in while I was desperate.

The first year we married we met Susan and Jeff Dunn. They lived around the corner, went to our church, were in the Air Force, and loved Jesus. We had no idea how much they would bless us. They had no idea there would never be a chance to get rid of us. One of the things we loved to do was go over to their house on Saturday nights, eat hot dogs, and watch Star Trek. We also ate a lot of fudge pie that fall as I remember it. How they ever talked me into it, I don't know (Star Trek, not the fudge pie). It must have been Susan. I quickly discovered I loved it!

All of that to say...we now have the home team and the "away team".

So later in the afternoon I was finishing up and trying to make sure I had my traveling clothes all together. Normally this wouldn't be a big deal but it has been for several reasons.

First I only have one pair of pants that reach the floor. We've lived in Hawaii since March and all my fall/winter clothings are in a storage unit in the luggage (how Jefferson refers to the rest of our household goods). I have one pair of Levi's and this is not how I want to travel. Jeans are comfortable standing in the kitchen, but not sitting on a plane. So I had to go to Ross and buy a pair of pants.

Secondly I've been wearing flipflops and sandals for the last nine months plus. Several weeks ago I wore one of the few closed toe/heel shoes that I have here for the very first time since we've been on the island. They were miserable and had to be thrown away. They were SOAKED in the snow and rain on our trip to NYC last February and apparently after sitting for nine months they are shot. So I also had to go out and find a pair of shoes.

The last complication is that Caroline and I are going to have to suffer and spend a day in Tokyo on the way home, anything for Jesus. They have winter and therefore you need winter clothes. The other reason why I needed long pants. This meant that my close toed/heel shoes also have to be comfortable as I'm going to be walking in a big city for hours.

God has been good and provided all. Several weeks ago I found a pair of pants that I love that look like something a dear friend of mine would wear. Last weekend I found a pair of shoes that I think are going to be GREAT. Cute and comfortable can sometimes be hard to find. I even bought a new coat, we borrowed a very hip one for Caroline.

So I'm trying all of this on and when I asked my precious daughter, "So how does this look?" I got a stare that I knew all to well. I remember clearly one particular time my own dear mother asked me this question. I knew she was having a moment of what do I say? How do I say this? I can't lie to my mother, but she does not look like the hip chick she must have once been.

So I called my mother this afternoon, of course I got distracted and couldn't remember what I called her for...I guess I am getting older. I finally remebered towards the end of the conversation. You know you are growing up when comfort and practicality come before your appearance. Don't get me wrong, I still care what I look like. I certainly want to represent my Lord well and I'm the only girl my Edward gets and I feel I have some sort of responsibility to him also. Although today when we ran out to split a $5 sub, I looked in the mirror on the way home to discover I didn't have a stitch of make up on, the second thing I forgot today. Ed didn't notice.

So here I am come evening thinking I'll just ask my man...Now why would ask a grown man that?

There are those moments in life you just have to be grateful for what you have, no matter what you look like.

Love in Christ,
Dinah for The Troops

Just for one day?

Dear family and friends,

I had the privilege of marrying Ed Thomas on January 5th, 1991. I know and love this date well. Some of you were there, others have heard about it. If you know me at all, you know I am wildly in love with my amazing husband. So why do I have the hardest time remembering how many years we've been married?

February of 1992 we'd just celebrated our 1st anniversary the month before. Someone, somewhere, asked my Ed how long we'd been married. He confidently answered, "Almost two years!" It left me quickly calculating as Ed just doesn't get things like that wrong. I waited for a moment to whisper, "Darlin', it's only been a little over one year." In which he replied so tenderly, "Ahh, but it already feels like almost two." I just thought this was the sweetest thing, my husband loved me so much and loved being married to me that it already felt like more.

So for many years as soon as February came, it was almost the next year. Well, years went by and "almost" crept into January, he wouldn't even wait. For the past several years he's waited for a week or so. Today Ed asked, "Can you believe that tomorrow we'll be married almost 19 years?" From now on, I get to be married for that number for just one day then we are off to almost the next number...I think it's a great plan don't you? My smart husband came up with it all by himself.

The bummer is that when some stranger asks how long I've been married it takes me a minute. I can't remember because I'm quickly calculating and trying to remember "Is this how long we've actually been married or how long we've almost been married?" They think I'm one of those people who just doesn't care to remember, but that's okay we'll just let them think what they want.

Tonight we went with our four children to see Tops in Blues (http://www.topsinblue.com/). They are "an all-active duty US Air Force special unit made up of talented amateur performers selected for their entertainment abilities." That's the official line, and boy howdy can they sing and dance. The first time we saw them perform was in Italy. Caroline was four. They are a great Air Force tradition that we love. You should check out their website and find a show near you in 2009...it's free and they sing literally all over the world! By the way, this is not a free Public Affairs (where Ed serves in our Air Force) announcement as they do not belong to Public Affairs, but Services.





Anyway, there we were...at one point they were singing a love song and I just shut my eyes for a minute. Finally Ed squeezed my hand and questioned whether I was thinking of him. I giggled and told him sorry, but I was talking to Jesus.

This is the best part, because as wonderful as our marriage is, and it is wonderful...it doesn't begin to touch my relationship with Jesus! No one in the world can have my man, but anyone can have my Saviour...

Love in Christ,
Dinah for The Troops

Have I made a New Years resolution?

Dear family and friends,

Happy New Year to all...I so wonder what this new year will bring! I'm grateful my Jesus already knows and has it all under control.

A dear friend from Montana sent this to me today and it was so worth my time to read. It was one of those moments that resonated in my soul as there are times that God prompts me to do things that I don't understand. I'd not made any resolutions so far this year. As a young adult I thought New Years resolutions were silly as so often they are broken so quickly. Over the years I've changed my mind as I've seen that it is a great time to reflect, to pray, to think, and to be intentional. Goals are a good thing, even if we don't always reach them.

After you read this, you will understand...my New Years resolution is that I don't want to miss the opportunities that Jesus brings this year.

This story happened to and was written by Beth Moore. If you don't know her, just put on the thickest Texas accent you can muster up and read on....



April 20, 2005, at the Airport in Knoxville, waiting to board the plane, I had the Bible on my lap and was very intent upon what I was doing. I'd had a marvelous morning with the Lord. I say this because I want to tell you it is a scary thing to have the Spirit of God really working in you.
You could end up doing some things you never would have done otherwise. Life in the Spirit can be dangerous for a thousand reasons, not the least of which is your ego.

I tried to keep from staring, but he was such a strange sight. Humped over in a wheelchair, he was skin and bones, dressed in clothes that obviously fit when he was at least twenty pounds heavier. His knees protruded from his trousers, and his shoulders looked like the coat hanger was still in his shirt. His hands looked like tangled masses of veins and bones.

The strangest part of him was his hair and nails. Stringy, gray hair hung well over his shoulders and down part of his back. His fingernails were long, clean but strangely out of place on an old man.

I looked down at my Bible as fast as I could, discomfort burning my face. As I tried to imagine what his story might have been, I found myself wondering if I'd just had a Howard Hughes sighting. Then, I remembered that he was dead. So this man in the airport... an impersonator maybe? Was a camera on us somewhere? There I sat; trying to concentrate on the Word to keep from being concerned about a thin slice of humanity served up on a wheelchair only a few seats from me. All the while, my heart was growing more and more overwhelmed with a feeling for him.

Let's admit it. Curiosity is a heap more comfortable than true concern, and suddenly I was awash with aching emotion for this bizarre-looking old man.

I had walked with God long enough to see the handwriting on the wall. I've learned that when I begin to feel what God feels, something so contrary to my natural feelings, something dramatic is bound to happen. And it may be embarrassing.

I immediately began to resist because I could feel God working on my spirit and I started arguing with God in my mind. 'Oh, no, God, please, no.' I looked up at the ceiling as if I could stare straight through it into heaven and said, 'Don't make me witness to this man. Not right here and now. Please. I'll do anything. Put me on the same plane, but don't make me get up here and witness to this man in front of this gawking audience. Please, Lord!'

There I sat in the blue vinyl chair begging His Highness, 'Please don't make me witness to this man. Not now. I'll do it on the plane.' Then I heard it....'I don't want you to witness to him. I want you to brush his hair.'

The words were so clear, my heart leapt into my throat, and my thoughts spun like a top. Do I witness to the man or brush his hair? No-brainier. I looked straight back up at the ceiling and said, 'God, as I live and breathe, I want you to know I am ready to witness to this man. I'm on this Lord. I'm your girl! You've never seen a woman witness to a man faster in your life. What difference does it make if his hair is a mess if he is not redeemed? I am going to witness to this man.'

Again, as clearly as I've ever heard an audible word, God seemed to write this statement across the wall of my mind. 'That is not what I said, Beth. I don't want you to witness to him. I want you to go brush his hair.'

I looked up at God and quipped, 'I don't have a hairbrush. It's in my suitcase on the plane. How am I supposed to brush his hair without a hairbrush?'

God was so insistent that I almost involuntarily began to walk toward him as these thoughts came to me from God's word: 'I will thoroughly furnish you unto all good works.' (2 Timothy 3:17)

I stumbled over to the wheelchair thinking I could use one myself. Even as I retell this story, my pulse quickens and I feel those same butterflies. I knelt down in front of the man and asked as demurely as possible, 'Sir, may I have the pleasure of brushing your hair?'

He looked back at me and said, 'What did you say?'

'May I have the pleasure of brushing your hair?'

To which he responded in volume ten, 'Little lady, if you expect me to hear you, you're going to have to talk louder than that.'

At this point, I took a deep breath and blurted out, 'SIR, MAY I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF BRUSHING YOUR HAIR?' At which point every eye in the place darted right at me. I was the only thing in the room looking more peculiar than old Mr. Long Locks. Face crimson and forehead breaking out in a sweat, I watched him look up at me with absolute shock on his face, and say, 'If you really want to.'

Are you kidding? Of course I didn't want to. But God didn't seem interested in my personal preference right about then. He pressed on my heart until I could utter the words, 'Yes, sir, I would be pleased. But I have one little problem. I don't have a hairbrush.'

'I have one in my bag,' he responded.

I went around to the back of that wheelchair, and I got on my hands and knees and unzipped the stranger's old carry-on, hardly believing what I was doing. I stood up and started brushing the old man's hair. It was perfectly clean, but it was tangled and matted. I don't do many things well, but must admit I've had notable experience untangling knotted hair mothering two little girls. Like I'd done with either Amanda or Melissa in such a condition, I began brushing at the very bottom of the strands, remembering to take my time not to pull. A miraculous thing happened to me as I started brushing that old man's hair. Everybody else in the room disappeared. There was no one alive for those moments except that old man and me. I brushed and I brushed and I brushed until every tangle was out of that hair. I know this sounds so strange, but I've never felt that kind of love for another soul in my entire life. I believe with all my heart, I - for that few minutes - felt a portion of the very love of God. That He had overtaken my heart for a little while like someone renting a room and making Himself at home for a short while.

The emotions were so strong and so pure that I knew they had to be God's. His hair was finally as soft and smooth as an infant's.

I slipped the brush back in the bag and went around the chair to face him. I got back down on my knees, put my hands on his knee and said, 'Sir, do you know my Jesus?'

He said, 'Yes, I do'

Well, that figures, I thought.

He explained, 'I've known Him since I married my bride. She wouldn't marry me until I got to know the Savior.' He said, 'You see, the problem is, I haven't seen my bride in months. I've had open-heart surgery, and she's been too ill to come see me. I was sitting here thinking to myself, what a mess I must be for my bride.'

Only God knows how often He allows us to be part of a divine moment when we're completely unaware of the significance. This, on the other hand, was one of those rare encounters when I knew God had intervened in details only He could have known. It was a God moment, and I'll never forget it.

Our time came to board, and we were not on the same plane. I was deeply ashamed of how I'd acted earlier and would have been so proud to have accompanied him on that aircraft.

I still had a few minutes, and as I gathered my things to board, the airline hostess returned from the corridor, tears streaming down her cheeks. She said, 'That old man's sitting on the plane, sobbing. Why did you do that? What made you do that?'

I said, 'Do you know Jesus? He can be the bossiest thing!'

And we got to share.

I learned something about God that day. He knows if you're exhausted, you're hungry, you're serving in the wrong place or it is time to move on but you feel too responsible to budge. He knows if you're hurting or feeling rejected. He knows if you're sick or drowning under a wave of temptation. Or He knows if you just need your hair brushed. He sees you as an individual. Tell Him your need!

I got on my own flight, sobs choking my throat, wondering how many opportunities just like that one had I missed along the way .. all because I didn't want people to think I was strange. God didn't send me to that old man. He sent that old man to me.

'Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!'




Oh Lord, I look so forward to the honor of whatever opportunities you have for me this year...

Love in Christ,
Dinah for The Troops