We realize we are much overdo for a blog post, and hope you'll take this time to read a brief (hopefully) and quick update of life over the past couple months for us.

April...

•  We joyfully celebrated Easter with Tyler's parents, uncle and aunt, and grandma, who all came to Spokane to celebrate.  What a blessing to have family within driving distance!
• At the end of the month Renae and Aaron flew to ND, where her dad underwent quadruple bypass heart surgery.  He is still regaining strength but is recovering well.  She was so thankful to be there with her family during such a major surgery.  

May...

•  Renae, Caleb, Aaron and I, along with my aunt and uncle, walked the annual Bloomsday race in Spokane.  What an experience with over 50,000 participants!  We were proud to have walked the 7.5 miles in 2 hr and 7 min, while pushing the double stroller with the kids!

• Moody flight students work hard to finish up flights and prepare for graduation.  It's a joy every year to see these faithful men and women training to serve the Lord through mission aviation.

 

• We were able to visit my parents near MAF headquarters in Nampa, ID over Memorial day weekend.  They just closed on a new house and we were thrilled to be the first family to see it and also help a little in the beginning stages of cleaning, etc.  

June...

•  Our hearts are broken over the loss of a mission aviation couple who were killed in a plane crash in Zambia, Africa.  Jay & Katrina graduated one year after Tyler, so we knew them through Moody and Renae through Bible study with Katrina.  They left their two daughters, 3 and 1 and 1/2, behind.  Pray for them and all the family and friends grieving.  It is a big loss to the aviation community.
• I take off on the 16th to CA for a week at a flight camp, where I will be flying the "campers" every day and giving introductory flight lessons.  Pray for safety as a friend and I fly there in a Cessna 172, and throughout the week with the campers.  Also pray for endurance for Renae during the 9 days I will be gone and she will be alone with the kids.

You're doing what?!?

What do you make when you mix woods, people, airsoft, and a spoonful of fun?

 Can you spot the guy hiding?

Missionary work

Missionary work?!?

Well actually yes, missionary work.  I don't have to travel to a different continent to find someone that is in need of Jesus, just across town.

"Then saith He unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;"    Matthew 9:37 King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)  (Thought I would go with a different version you're not used to reading! :o)

 MAF aircraft in Ecuador

Over the past couple of years I have been actively training to become a missionary in the technical aspect of flying.  However my training should not be limited to just planes, the whole reason I wanted to become a pilot (other than flying really cool aircraft) is for the PEOPLE that I will be SERVING while I am there.  

 Spokane Sunrise

Who am I serving now while I am here in Spokane, WA?  I have been thinking and struggling with this thought about being a witness while I am here state side.  It is hard to reach out to non-believers when my work, school and home life all consist of Christians.  Now, through the wisdom and humorous way that God works, He has shown me that even through airsoft I can reach out to others and share Christ with them.  Crazy huh?
 

Robby in his airsoft gear

Robby is a friend that I have been reaching out to and trying to show what the love of Jesus looks like.  We met last October with our common airsoft interest and have struck up a friendship in the meantime.  He is an ex-marine with a very colorful history, and has a hunger to have some stability in his life.  Over the past eight months I have helped him and his family move two times.  Although helping them only took my time and gas, to them I was the only one that actually cared more for them when their friends didn't.  Through these times of interacting with Robby I asked if he wanted to go to church with me.  He and his girlfriend have now been coming to church consistently for the past four months and hear the gospel preached weekly from the pulpit.  He is hungry to hear truth.  While we know that Jesus is Truth, Robby is still looking elsewhere for truth and finding only emptiness.  Many times he has told me "you have restored my faith in humanity" and I just want to scream that humanity is lost and only Jesus is the One you should put your faith in.  Although I don't scream I do try and redirect that I am a Christian and only am following the example that Jesus has given me.  Jesus is the only answer that will change our lives for good, not me, not more money, not a new house to live in.     

I have shared many times with them about their need for Jesus but they have not responded yet. Please pray with me for their salvation and that the Lord will grant them mercy and soften their hearts towards Him.  I want to see Robby turn away from the destructive path he is going down so that he will honor and glorify the Lord with his life.

Robby and I at an airsoft game

It is amazing how God can use a hobby that I LOVE to do and change it into an opportunity for me to share my faith with someone else.  I am excited and humbled by this chance to share with Robby.


Being a missionary now,

Tyler

Ever gotten a 147 ticket?

Well Moody Has!

 Part of the STC hangar floor used for the A&P school

Finally Moody Aviation in Spokane has their 147 "ticket" to now officially start airframe and power-plant maintenance classes.  This has been a long process and we are praising the Lord right now that this part of the process is complete.

 In lough of Moody getting their certificate I have been heavily involved with this "project" for the past three weeks and this last week I got to spend it in the blackest of caves....the parts room :)

Doesn't look like much but we organized and labeled everything

Another Tyler and I were tasked with trying to organize all the tools, parts, and consumables in this room.  Then put labels on the tools themselves and shelves and then create a tracking system for it on Microsoft Excel.  Needless to say it was a long process but so much fun to look back and see the progress we had made with all these new shiny yellow stickers everywhere.  Nothing makes a A.D.D person like me more happy than seeing shiny things everywhere. I think we went through 80 feet of labeling tape in this project.

Many happy hours spent at the desk printing labels and cataloging

A top view of a Cessna 150 being used as a project for the A&P students

Well I think I am going to get outside now and get some fresh air for a change.

Tyler

"Caveat Hostis"

141st Emblem. Caveat Hostis

This is the 141st Washington National Guard emblem atop their hangar located in Spokane WA.  Their motto in Latin was Caveat Hostis which means "let the enemy beware."  This statement was the dedication ceremony theme for the new Moody Bible Institute A&P (airframe and power plant) aircraft maintenance school.  The history of this Latin saying came from the Washington air national guard, who build the hangar in the 1930's for the purpose of preparing for war.  World War Two was just around the corner and many men who served and trained in this facility went to distant lands to protect their country.  Now the purpose has changed but we are still preparing for war, but this war is not against nations but against Satan for the eternal souls of man.

Moody is preparing men and women to go into inhospitable areas of the world with an expertise to repair and maintain aircraft so that missionaries can spread the gospel of Jesus to the dark places.  Most times the only missionary that the people will see will be the pilot who flies in and helps bring medical supplies to a village suffering from small pox or taking a loved one to hospital to save their life.  Without the proper training the effort to reach these people with the tool of aviation would be dramatically slowed and could take countless more years.

 

The old Air National Guard Hangar Moody is in

 

I am very excited to see the changes that are happening at the hangar from an old dusty storage area to a bright and vibrant training facility.  This is such a blessing to have this available for the students to come and learn from instructors that have been overseas and know what it is like to not only work on airplanes but minister to people as well.

Here are some of the before and after pictures.

Before

Before

After

After

Answered Prayers

“Our God is so BIG, so STRONG and so MIGHTY there’s NOTHING my  God cannot do”  The words of this children’s song come back to us as we see God working in our lives, on our journey, and even in the lives of those around us. 

 Recently we have seen God do a MIGHTY work in our lives.  We have been keeping you updated on our progression towards the mission field and we have also let you know what some of our obstacles are.  One of those obstacles is our student debt.  Last month we were challenged to put together a small prayer group that would join us in praying specifically for our debt reduction as well as increasing our ministry partnership team.    A week later we received a phone call telling us that a church would like to gift us money specifically for our loan repayment.  WOW!   Even though Renae and I were feeling like this task is monumental, God decided to show us that He is the one in charge and that He can handle what feels monumental to us.  We were so encouraged to have that confirmation from the Lord that He is the one leading us on this journey and we can trust Him on our journey, for now and for what He is doing in the future.   Also, the very day after that phone call we were told that another church wanted to support us as missionaries.  REALLY?!  And why do we doubt our God?  “Oh ye of little faith…”  We realize this is only the beginning of our missionary journey.  There will be peaks and there will be valleys.  Our faith is strengthened now so that when we feel tested by the pressure of the world around us and the one who seeks to destroy us, we can stand strong because we have seen God’s mighty hand and loving care for us.  THANK YOU for praying for us.   

We are still learning the awesome power of PRAYER.  He is amazing.  Please keep praying for us and we would love to pray for you too if you would like to share about your own journey with us.

 

I love these words from a song by Big Daddy Weave:  “He made the lame walk and the tongue talk and He opened blinded eyes to see that the sun rises on His time and He knows our deepest desperate need…”  Just read the book of John to see the many miracles Jesus has done, the biggest one being His death on the cross to save us from our sin.  We are excited about Easter coming up as we remember all He did for us and still does, all for the GLORY OF GOD.

Humbled by His grace,
                                    The Schmidt’s

While the Cat's away, the Mice will play!

Last weekend Tyler went to a FIRC conference (Flight Instructor Renewal Course) in order to keep his Certified Flight Instructor rating current.  Because this meant 3 full days by myself (the weekend-2 nights),  I'd been preparing for this weekend alone for quite awhile, finding friends that can keep me company while I'm with the kids.  However, it had been a horrible week: first Aaron got sick, then Caleb, and most nights we got very little sleep, and none of us had any energy.  I thought, "Of course this has to be the weekend Tyler is gone, when I am already sleep-deprived and not feeling great myself!".  (recognize a little self-pity?)  But, lately, the Lord has been showing me just how powerful He is and the power of prayer.  I am so blessed to have several strong spiritual prayer warriors on my side, as well as supportive and encouraging friends.  There was not even one moment last weekend where I felt like I couldn't handle things any more, or felt discouraged, or even like crying (for those Mom's out there, you know how hard that is when you're sleep deprived!).  I know that it was God's power working through the prayers of my family and friends, and, of course, the friends that spent some time helping me!

Now, I feel slightly self-conscious typing this.  I realize one weekend home alone with the kids is nothing in the long run.  There are many people parenting on their own all the time, or for a year while the husband serves overseas with the military.  But for me, this long weekend alone was a challenge.   I am so thankful the Lord could use even this little time to show me that He will always sustain me, that His power alone can wipe away discouragement, strengthen us emotionally and physically, and He always provides what we need when we need it.

Caleb, Aaron and I attempted to do a few fun things this weekend, though we couldn't go out much due to their colds and the snow/ice we just got.  Here's a little snapshot of our time while "the Cat" (Tyler) was away!

 

 Trying our hand at a new granola bar recipe...yummy!

 I'm just too cute for my britches...

 Playing in the new play tent/tunnel

 We used crushed fruit loops to make a colorful picture on construction paper with glue

Until later!

Renae

So...what is a piston engine?

For the past three weeks (excluding Christmas) I have been working at Moody Aviation in Spokane WA, changing out two Cessna 206's engines.  This is not regular maintenance that usually happens everyday so this was special for me to get in on the experience and get my hands greasy.  After being at Spokane Turbine Center for the last two years and not touching a piston engine in that time, being involved in this project is great. 

Since this is the next step in the process to going overseas we are excited about how God is leading us to Moody to get some more experience before heading to M.A.F for a technical evaluation this October.

 This is what a Cessna 206 looks like without an engine, all bare and ugly.

IO-520 engine just "hanging" around