Pit: A Tabletop Tales Review

On June 28, 2024 By MitchenersIn Angela, Board GamesLeave a comment

I’ve been called an old soul on occasion, and I’m not even mad about it. From books to music to movies, I will pick “classic” over “modern” 9 times out of 10. Apparently, enjoying really old games is wrapped up in my old soul vibe. Today’s featured game is Pit, and it’s probably the “oldest” game we own. It was first published 120 years ago!

I remember playing Pit often as a kid. I’ll always have a soft spot for the 1973 edition my family owned, complete with its mustard-colored artwork and bright orange bell. I imagine I drove my parents batty dinging that bell every chance I’d get.

Scott and I have tried to be intentional this year about making Thursday game nights a priority for the fam. While I wouldn’t characterize my children as old souls, they do enjoy a good game of Pit. To up the ante last Thursday, I offered them an added incentive: whipped cream! Whoever won each round got a shot of whipped cream straight from the can. Yes, I bribe my children with sweets and junk food.

Back to the game. Pit is a set-collection game that relies heavily on your ability to negotiate in a chaotic, real-time environment. Think Wall Street. In my opinion, the more people that play, the better the game. Generally, I enjoy peace and quiet, but tranquility is not the name of this game. If you’ve got young kids you put to bed early, I’d advise choosing something else to play, because this.gets.loud.

You can check out some more Pit details below. Prepare to embrace the chaos, and enjoy some time with your friends and family!

Number of Players: 3-8

Age: 7+

Playing Time: 30-60 minutes

Object: Be the first person to “corner the market”: collect all 9 cards of the commodity of your choosing.

Rules Rundown: Here’s a link to a digital copy of the rules.

Deal out the deck to the players. Use only the number of commodities as there are players. (If 4 people play, choose 4 commodities. If 7 people play, use all 7 commodities.) Players’ hands will not be even if you choose to play with the “Bull” card and the “Bear” card. After organizing your cards, decide which commodity you will attempt to collect. (You can change your mind at any point during play and choose to go for a different commodity.)

Since I already have 3 wheat (plus the bull), I’ll probably start by going for wheat. I only need 5 more!

When the dealer strikes the bell, the exchange is open. Players can simultaneously begin trading anywhere between 1 and 4 commodities – just make sure that all cards in that trade are of the same commodity. Once you have all 9 cards, you ring the bell, and you’ve won! Easy peasy!

Count up your points. If you collected all 9 oats cards, for example, you’ve gained 60 points; if you win with wheat, you’ve gained 100 points. The first player to 500 wins the game.

The Bull and Bear are special cards that add a bit of extra fun to the madness. The Bull acts as a Wild of sorts. If you have 8 cards of one commodity plus the Bull, you can still corner the market (i.e., a “Bull corner”). If you have all 9 cards of a commodity plus the Bull, you can call a “Double Bull corner” and double the score of the commodity collected.

The Bear is never helpful. Get rid of that thing as quickly as possible! However, if you have the Bear OR the Bull in hand when someone else calls “Corner,” you must subtract 20 points from your score.

Ratings:
Ang – 7/10
Noah – 7/10
Leyton – 8/10
Caleigh – 10/10

Buy Pit on Amazon!

Saying #goodbye to Mery

On June 17, 2024June 19, 2024 By MitchenersIn Angela, Dominican RepublicLeave a comment

The goodbyes continue as we prepare for our return to the States. Just a few hot weeks of summer stand between us and a new chapter, but I knew I couldn’t leave without sharing about our amazing and fantastic Mery!

If you haven’t met Mery, you’ve missed out. Mery is the first Dominican teacher to ever be employed by Freedom, and she’s still a part of our team! That is just an incredible testament to her heart, and I am so thankful to know her.

Back in 2013, Mery and I had the privilege of co-teaching together in Lima. We shared a classroom of sorts – a small, open-air room up in the top of Lima’s Catholic church. (Lima is an anomaly because it has 3 different church buildings. Most other bateys have 1 church – or none.) Mery and I learned a lot about working together in those days. At times, there were language and cultural barriers, but I couldn’t have picked a better person to spend my days with. She taught me a lot!

2013 – Katie and Mery leading “This Little Light of Mine” during song time

Mery has quite literally been with us through it all – from not having space of our own to rejoicing at where we are today! This wonderful gal has done much to help this ministry become what it is. She has been so flexible, so willing to do whatever is needed. She’s taught first grade, helped with camp programming, and worked as the technology teacher. In recent years, she’s moved out of the classroom and is handling our front office as the school secretary. Her decorating and organizational skills are often put to good use when we have events at school or in the villages. She really takes her job seriously, and we’re blessed to have such a hard worker on staff.

Showing teachers how to check out library books in the new system

I love that Mery taught both of my boys in first grade. She did her best to make their class time fun and exciting. I often remember walking by their classroom to see her leading everyone in a song or other fun, dynamic activity.

On top of all she’s done to make Freedom a better place, I just love who Mery is as a person. Her happy personality is contagious! She is fantastic at getting people to rally behind a cause. One memory of her that I’ll always treasure is watching her beat on a drum on the back of our safari truck – the kids were riding home on Independence Day, laughing and singing along with her. It was a “small” moment, but it communicated her love for our students. She is such a fun-loving young lady, and she always has a smile on her face!

I haven’t been able to spend as much time with Mery in recent years, but I still feel connected to her. We share a common goal: wanting to see students grow in their knowledge of and love for Jesus. Lots of seeds have been planted and watered because of her efforts. God has done some pretty neat things through Mery because of her willingness to be used by Him.

I must say goodbye for now, sweet Mery! So thankful to know you!

Spy Alley: A Tabletop Tales Review

On June 14, 2024June 14, 2024 By MitchenersIn Angela, Board GamesLeave a comment

In recent years, I’ve had this low-key desire to someday become a spy. (Hah! I think I’ve read too many WWII novels or something.) When I stop to think about it, I suppose the spy life isn’t truly for me. But taking on another identity sounds so adventurous and exciting, doesn’t it?

Today’s review is all about Spy Alley! This simple deduction game gives me the opportunity to try out my bluffing skills on my kids at a low-stakes level; no government agencies are counting on me to deliver an important package to a dead drop under the cover of darkness.

My mother-in-law bought us this game for Christmas years ago. I had never heard of it and was a little skeptical that we would get much play time out of it, but it has truly been a light, fun addition to our game collection! These last two weeks, the boys have brought it out multiple times, and they’ve even taught some friends how to play.

Spy Alley definitely has Monopoly vibes. Thankfully, it is MUCH shorter than a typical Monopoly game, and you get the added fun of bluffing/trying to deduce the identities of the other players. This doesn’t have super high ratings on BGG (5.7 avg), but it has most certainly become a Mitchener family fave.

For me, there is one “con” in this game. It’s entirely possible to get eliminated fairly early if someone makes a lucky guess about your identity. If the rest of the game goes long, any eliminated players must obviously wait to start another round. My kids have generally found that it’s worth the wait!

Number of Players: 2-6

Age: 8+

Playing Time: 30ish minutes

Object: Take on a secret identity, collect the necessary items for your country, and make it to your embassy before you are discovered by the other players.

Rules Rundown: Here’s a link to a digital copy of the official rules.

Deal a secret identity card out to each player. Pass out scorecards and $10 times the number of players. Simply roll the die and move your character the correct number of spaces. You can buy any item you land on (or win a free gift) in order to collect the password, disguise, code book, and key for your country. Each time you pass go, you collect $15.

The point of the game is to buy “extra” items to throw opponents off your scent. For example, if you are Russian, you may want to buy German and American items as well, placing them on your scorecard in order to keep your identity hidden.

At any point, instead of taking your turn, you can try to guess an opponent’s identity. If you guess correctly, your opponent is out of the game, and you collect all of his or her money, cards, and scorecard items. In addition, you have an important decision to make: will you take on your opponent’s identity to try to throw everyone off, or will you stick with your original identity?

If you try to guess an opponent’s identity and you guess incorrectly, unfortunately you are out of the game. There is one exception to this immediate elimination. If you land on the Spy Eliminator Space, you receive a “free guess” on any player who is also in Spy Alley. If you guess wrong, there is no penalty!

Ratings:
Scott – 8/10
Ang – 8/10
Noah – 10/10
Leyton – 8/10

Buy Spy Alley

Saying #goodbye to rainbows and blue skies

On June 10, 2024June 7, 2024 By MitchenersIn Angela, Dominican Republic1 Comment

If heaven and earth meet anywhere, it just might be right here where I’ve lived for the last decade. I am convinced that Dominican skies are the most beautiful to exist. Maybe it’s because we’re away from the smoggy city. Or perhaps it’s because it rains so often. It could be due to the fact that there aren’t buildings to block my view. Whatever the reason, I’m all about the beautiful blue ocean I see when I look up.

The sheer quantity of rainbows we experience is incredible. The colors are so pronounced that people can’t help but pause to appreciate them. God has certainly used nature to show me how much He cares for me.

I don’t care how good of an iPhone you own, there’s no way to perfectly capture the majesty of these seas of blue and pink.

And don’t get me started on the sunrises and sunsets. I know those yellows and oranges aren’t created simply for my benefit, but sometimes I pretend that they’re secret messages just for me.

There are so many beautiful things in my home country, and I am excited to marvel again at the mountains and the forests and the rolling plains. But for now, I’m reveling in the beauty of these stunning Dominican skies.

No, I’m not saying goodbye to a person today. But God has very clearly shown me his handiwork – and his love – through the paintings he creates on the fresh canvas of each day. And for that I am forever grateful.

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
Psalm 19:1-3

The Crew – The Quest for Planet Nine: A Tabletop Tales Review

On June 7, 2024June 9, 2024 By MitchenersIn Angela, Board GamesLeave a comment

Do you refuse to play board games in your house because they tear your family apart instead of bring everyone closer together? I’ve certainly experienced some tense moments when playing with particular friends or family members whose competitive genes run strong. (Yes, I’ve even endured the dreaded Monopoly board being turned over. Cue the PTSD for this conflict-averse lady right here.) I’m all about having a good time – it ain’t gotta be that way! Hah!

Drumroll please… enter The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine. This trick-taking game takes euchre-lovers to outer space – as a team! Instead of trying to beat each other, you work together to complete missions of varying difficulty. If you understand the concepts of following suit and trump, this game should be easy to pick up. Yet, it’s challenging and addictive. In our house, we have a hard time finding a good stopping point because we’ve got to complete “just one more mission”!

Number of Players: 2-5

Age: 10+

Playing Time: 5-10 minutes per round

Object: Complete 50 missions together as a team.

Rules Rundown: To start, here is the online version of the rulebook. Below, I’ll run through one particular mission scenario so that you can get a general idea of how to play.

First, evenly deal out the entire deck. (The deck contains 4 suits: pink, yellow, green, and blue numbers from 1-9. There are 4 black trump cards that override any of these colored suits.)

Identify who the Captain is for the round and set the Astronaut marker in front of that person. (In this example below, I am the Captain because I have the black 4 – the highest card in the game.)

Mission #10 in the Logbook asks the astronauts to flip over 4 random task cards (the smaller cards in the center of the table above). Starting with the Captain, each player must decide which of the task cards he or she could win.

I decided to take the green 8 as my task card, and I placed it in my area to remind everyone that I must win the green 8. (I chose that task card because I have the green 9 in my hand, which is the highest green card. Since I will begin the game as Captain, I can easily play the green 9 first. Everyone must follow suit, and my fellow astronaut with the green 8 should have zero obstacles to laying the 8 down for me to take.)

In the picture below, you can see two things happened. First, players 2-4 chose their task cards. Secondly, I decided to communicate something before we begin play.

Player 2 needs to win the pink 4, Player 3 needs to win the yellow 7 (currently in my hand), and Player 4 needs to win the green 5.

In The Crew, each astronaut has a green communication token. Once per mission, each player is allowed to give one “clue” to the others regarding a card that is in his hand. Simply place that card on the table face up. By placing the green token on a particular part of the card, you tell the others that the displayed card is your highest card of that color, your only card of that color, or your lowest card of that color. (Above, I communicated that the green 9 was my only green card – a move that was honestly unnecessary since I have the lead.)

Here, I communicated that the 8 is my **highest** blue card

Getting back to Mission #10. I led my green 9, and the other astronauts all laid a green card because they had to follow suit. And look! Player 4 played the green 8; I completed my task on this mission. Now I’ve got to help the other astronauts complete their tasks.

Oops! I should’ve flipped over my green communication token to the red side – I already used up my “clue” for this hand.

For time’s sake, I won’t play out the rest of the round in pictures, but the next move would be for me to lead again since I won the last trick with my green 9. (I could wait to see if any other astronauts communicate anything about a card in their hands to help me know what to lead. If no one chooses to communicate, I might assume that Player 3 has the yellow 8 or 9.) One option would be for me to lead with my yellow 7, hoping that Player 3 can take it. Of course, I am taking a risk, but that’s the name of the game!

Ratings:
Scott – 9/10
Ang – 9/10

Buy The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine

I think you’ll have fun with this one! (Until you try the sequel, that is. The Mitchener fam likes The Crew: Mission Deep Sea even better!)

Saying #goodbye to a billion babies

On June 3, 2024June 3, 2024 By MitchenersIn Angela, Dominican RepublicLeave a comment

This #goodbye series was started so that I could reminisce about the people and places and things that have made the last 12 years so very special. It’s hard for me to process the fact that we’re moving back across the ocean after so much life has been lived here. But taking little moments to count my blessings has done my heart good as we look forward to this next chapter.

Packing has certainly been exhausting. What do I take? What do I sell? What do I throw away? Everything holds a memory. Thankfully, I’ve been able to work through rooms and closets in tiny spurts.

Well, someone in our lives has recognized that this process needs a little comic relief. Recently, we’ve received some decorative additions in our home: a ton of colorful babies have been lovingly placed all over our apartment!

Each day, we find a few more of these miniature, plastic babes – in a drawer, under a recipe card, inside a candle, on top of a shelf. It’s become quite the game. Our kids ask how many new babies we uncover each day. Sadly, we won’t get a final count because Scott was throwing them away at the beginning.

Perhaps you’ve guessed that the point of this post isn’t really to say goodbye to a billion babies. (To be honest, they look a little creepy. 😉 ) Instead, it’s about saying goodbye to sweet friends who do an amazing job of bringing unexpected smiles to our faces when life is hard.

Yes, leaving the DR is definitely hard, but these last 3 years in our new roles were painful at times, too. Yet with each difficulty came another opportunity to trust Jesus. And on the hard days – whenever we’d take the time to look closely – there were myriads of ways that our team members encouraged us. They invited us to dinner, prayed with us, organized game nights, joined us on walks around campus, and left little surprises and sweet notes on our desks. And now, they’ve given us the gift of a billion babies.

So, today, I’m saying goodbye to the supportive people who make up the Freedom team. The Mitchener family loves you all so very much!

Saying #goodbye to Marcia

On May 27, 2024May 27, 2024 By MitchenersIn Angela, Dominican Republic4 Comments

When we moved to the DR 12 years ago, one of my first roles was teaching kindergarten to our oldest group of students. At that point, we didn’t have a school building of our own; we were borrowing churches in village Lima in order to teach our little band of 90ish students.

Those days seem so far away now. Life was awfully full back then. I had 2 little guys of my own at home. I was learning Spanish, writing lesson plans, welcoming a teenager into our family, and attempting to control an unruly group of 6-year-olds each weekday. While I was definitely pushed to my limits, I loved what I was doing. Looking back, I wouldn’t change the fact that our team was gifted the opportunity to love on those precious little souls.

One of our precious little souls was Marcia.

As a 6-year-old, Marcia was so very spirited. She often found herself in the “time-out” corner in my makeshift classroom for some defiant act or another. I remember once it got so bad that I went to her mom to ask for her help. She shook her head and said, “Marcia won’t listen to me either. Go find her dad. He can help. He lives on the other side of the village.”

I went to visit Dad to explain how Marcia had been behaving. He told me he’d be in my classroom first thing after the weekend to observe her.

When Monday arrived, I wasn’t sure if Marcia’s dad would actually show up. We went through a good portion of the morning without seeing him. But right as we started our Bible time, he walked in. When Marcia saw her dad, she sat up ruler-straight, hands clasped, barely moving a muscle. The kids were reviewing the verse of the week. I looked for volunteers, and several students raised their hands to recite it in front of the class. As we closed out our time, I asked if anyone else would like to try. Marcia’s dad piped up from the back: “Marcia, get up there and say your verse.”

Marcia solemnly and reluctantly headed to the front of the room. She repeated the verse perfectly, then slowly returned to her spot on the mat. I congratulated her but didn’t want to draw too much attention. She was embarrassed that she had a visitor.

The ironic thing was that Marcia’s dad was the witch doctor’s assistant in Lima. He was always very nice to us, but he was involved in a lucrative business. Lima’s witch doctor was well known for miles around, and he had many clients. And there, sitting in my classroom, was the brujo’s “right-hand man”, supporting us in the teaching of God’s Word to his daughter.

Like most kids, Marcia has had her ups and downs over the years. As we built our own school building and hired more teachers, Marcia had varied experiences with each of the people who were put in authority over her. She has obviously connected with some more than others, but hopefully she has felt loved and safe as she has grown up with us. Incredibly, she’s just finished up her 10th grade year! What a beautiful young lady she is.

In 2022, I had the privilege of working one-on-one with Marcia in our high school mentorship program. We had the space to talk about life: church, boys, school, emotions, family, and faith. It was so refreshing to “reconnect” with her after having been involved in other facets of the ministry.

Staying after school one day to take some birthday pictures

In 2026, Marcia will walk across a graduation stage to receive her diploma. She has learned a lot of truth over the last 12 years. She has been armed with much knowledge of her Creator, of her world, and of who she is in Christ. But her beautiful story is unfinished. While I’m so sad that I’ll only watch it unfold from a distance, I am forever grateful to have been a part of these few “chapters” of her life.

Since it’s oh-so-hard for me to truly say goodbye, for now, Marcia, I’ll just end with “See you later.”

Dutch Blitz: A Tabletop Tales Review

On May 24, 2024June 8, 2024 By MitchenersIn Angela, Board Games2 Comments

It would make sense that the first installment of “Tabletop Tales with the Mitcheners” would be a review of Dutch Blitz. This classic, fast-paced card game holds so many fond memories for me. My Grandma Vi introduced it to me when I was younger, and my brother and I quickly became obsessed. When we moved overseas, I was so happy to find that several of my fellow co-workers here in the DR also enjoyed it!

October 2015 – You know it’s a heated game when you have to stand instead of sit

While it’s not a hard game to pick up, Dutch Blitz is definitely one where speed, dexterity, and careful attention to what’s coming next are necessary. If you’re a beginner, you may want to start by playing with a partner: one person watches the “Post” and “Blitz” pile while the other person flips the cards 3 at a time that are in hand.

I like Dutch Blitz because it’s easy to play across language barriers. There’s not a lot of talking required (other than the competitive banter that WILL ensue if someone steals your play). Dutch Blitz simply requires a basic understanding of the rules. We got Yuleisy hooked on it and have had many a loud evening laughing together.

Number of Players: 2-4 (Buy the “Expansion Pack” to up the maximum number of players to 8)

Age: 8+

Playing Time: 5ish minutes per round / Usually people want to move on after 30-45 minutes of play, but I’ve spent hours at a time playing tournaments

Object: Be the first to empty your personal pile of 10 “Dutch” cards by playing on ascending number piles in the middle of the table. Oh, and score the most points.

Rules Rundown: Whenever possible, I’ll link the rules to the original game. But I also understand that learning new games can be overwhelming. I’ll do my best to explain the gist of each game as simply as possible.

The yellow 2, blue 5, and yellow 7 make up my “Post”. My “Dutch” pile sits to the right of my “Post,” and the goal is to get rid of those 10 “Dutch” cards. The cards in the foreground are the first 3 cards in my hand. I continue to flip cards over 3 at a time, looking for anything I can play into the center “Blitz” piles to accumulate more points.

Each player has 2 main “piles”: 3 cards in the “Post” and a 10-card “Dutch” pile. The middle of the table will hold multiple “Blitz” piles that are shared by the entire group. When play starts, anyone can begin or play on an existing “Blitz” pile using the top card in his hand, the cards in his “Dutch” pile, or the cards in his “Post” pile. Simply play the next number in the sequence that matches that “Blitz” pile’s color! The round ends when someone exhausts his “Dutch” pile. Each player then counts the number of cards in his or her “Dutch” pile and subtracts 2 from the score for each remaining card; however, each card played into the “Blitz” piles in the middle counts as 1 point. First player to 75 points wins!

Ratings:
Perhaps it’s simply for nostalgia’s sake, but I give this a solid 8/10. I really could play this any time – except when super tired. Heh. I’ll be honest – Scott and the kiddos are not huge fans of it. I don’t think they love the fast-paced chaos. To each his own, I guess.

Buy Dutch Blitz

Buy the Expansion

The only remaining question: which deck of cards will you choose? Team “Red Wagons” forever!

The #goodbye series

On May 21, 2024May 21, 2024 By MitchenersIn Angela, Dominican Republic10 Comments

When I left Queen’s my future seemed to stretch out before me like a straight road. I thought I could see along it for many a milestone. Now there is a bend in it. I don’t know what lies around the bend, but I’m going to believe the best does. It has a fascination of its own, that bend, Marilla. I wonder how the road beyond it goes–what there is of green glory and soft, checkered light and shadows–what new landscapes–what new beauties–what curves and hills and valleys further on.

We’re leaving. Leaving the place we’ve called home for the past 12 years. It feels as if a “super stuck” band-aid is painfully being ripped off, taking with it a layer of skin that wasn’t quite ready to be removed.

Hmm. That started off as a good analogy, but now I’m not sure that curvy paths and band-aids really have all that much in common.

Back to the fact that we’re leaving the Dominican Republic. It was 12 years ago today that we boarded a plane with a 22-month old, a 4-month old, and way more suitcases than we could physically carry. A whole lot of life has been lived since that bittersweet day. But if there’s something I’ve learned, stepping out in faith is always worth it – as long as God is leading the way.

Here we are again–at another crossroads. This time, too, the path ahead is uncertain. But as Anne says, this new road “has a fascination of its own” as well. I’m nervously excited to see what the future holds in store!

We all process a little differently. It’s going to take me a long time (or maybe forever) to get accustomed to life back in the good ol’ US of A. And that’s OK. But saying words to my journal has always helped me make sense of my little corner of the world. So, here I am, starting this #goodbye series on the blog.

There is sadness that things are changing, but there’s thankfulness wrapped up in this move too. How grateful I am that I was given the opportunity to love this country, this ministry, and the precious people that were placed in my path.

Follow along as I walk down memory lane in the coming weeks and recognize many of the wonderful ways that God blessed me in this season.

“Take Heart…”

On October 26, 2023May 19, 2024 By MitchenersIn Angela, Family6 Comments

Three weeks ago today, our family boarded a plane to head back to the States unexpectedly. My life had just changed in a way that I never imagined possible.

The night before, Wednesday, October 4th, my amazing father-in-law went to be with Jesus after suffering a heart attack. He was only 58.

It’s tempting to ask God questions, many of which I won’t get answers to this side of heaven. Why, Lord? Why did You allow this to happen? Did it have to be right now? Couldn’t we have had a little more time? How does this make sense? What are you trying to do in our lives?

It’s hard to explain how “final” this feels. Ted was just here, and now he’s not.

It’s as if time has frozen.

And yet… time marches on.

We’ve already experienced a few of those dreaded “firsts”: the first Sunday Ted didn’t walk up on stage to play bass at church. The first airport drop-off without him in the driver’s seat. The first time that someone else mowed his lawn. The first pumpkin patch adventure as a family of 10 instead of a family of 11.

Sadly, there will be more “firsts” without him. The first Christmas. All of those first birthday celebrations. The first family reunion. Celebrating the first grandchild graduating from high school.

There’s that temptation again – to face heaven and ask, “Why, God?”

This grief process hasn’t been very linear. I’ve had tough mornings. Mornings where I’m floating in between sleep and consciousness, and my chest just feels so tight. Yet on other days, I look back on precious memories with smiles and fondness. I suppose that’s how it works, though. Beauty and pain, love and loss, joy and sorrow, all intertwined together.

When things like this happen, I assume it’s natural to think about last interactions. And I’m unbelievably thankful! Not only do I vividly remember Ted’s last words to me, but I can also say that they were the perfect bit of encouragement for me right when I needed it.

In September, we were back in the States for a board meeting. I had been worrying a bit that trip – experiencing some anxiety thinking about the future. Ted knew it. When that short time in Indiana ended, Ted and Val dropped us off at the airport where we said our goodbyes. Ted gave me a hug, and he whispered in my ear, “Ang, we’re so proud of you guys. I know there’s uncertainty at times, but God’s got Freedom in His hands.”

At the funeral service on October 10th, Ted’s pastor referenced a verse that is so dear to my heart. It has become “mine” – a tangible piece of hope that I’ve come to hold on to these last 11 years we’ve spent in the DR. Hearing those words again, in this new and painful context, brought some fresh confidence to my weak heart.

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
John 16:33

Jesus doesn’t beat around the bush. He calls things the way they are. He states the obvious. Yes, there is trouble in the world. Yes, life is hard. So unbelievably hard.

But – praise the Lord – that’s not all.

“Take heart…”

The night is dark, yet there’s a light that shines bright. Christ has overcome, and death will not have the ultimate victory.

No, I don’t have to gloss over the sadness and the suffering. But I don’t have to camp there either. Both pain and peace can coexist – with my Savior prevailing in the end.

Certainly, if I were the author of this story, I would’ve written this chapter a bit differently from where I sit. But I’ve not been handed the pen. Moreover, I wholly trust the One who’s writing the book. Yes, these pages are peppered with pain – but they’re being perfectly crafted nonetheless.

So while losing Ted may feel final in the moment, how thankful I am that it’s not really “The end.”

The encore is coming. And it’s going to be glorious.

Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.
Psalm 126:5

The Mitcheners

Category: Angela