Happy Birthday Becky!

My dear friend Becky is celebrating her birthday today in Nairobi, Kenya, East Africa. Becky and her hubby Don retired to become missionaries last year. When Monday's Big Idea Festival word was revealed, I started thinking about Don & Becky. The word is SHARE, and that's what they are doing in Africa - sharing the gospel message. I also thought about the friendship that Becky and I share.

Last year, before Don & Becky left for a trip to Kenya, a group of friends got together and celebrated Becky's birthday at the Cheesecake Factory in Dallas. I still had those photos in my storage binders, and decided to celebrate Becky's birthday by creating a layout with them. I was absolutely thrilled to find Becky's thank you note in with my photos - with the phrase "sharing my birthday" written inside! (I used a Sketch Support sketch for inspiration & included one of the patterned papers & a journal spot from the Big Idea Festival kit.)

I also created a layout about Don & Becky and was able to include a challenge. This time it was a challenge from my sister Brenda. A couple of months ago, she gave me a strip of patterned paper with elephants on it and challenged me to use it on a layout. I laughed when I saw it because I already had the same strip - we had both trimmed it off the bottom of a piece of gray marbled patterned paper so we could use the paper on a layout. I had saved my strip knowing it might be good for a layout about Don & Becky, so I added Brenda's strip to it and was able to use them as a top & bottom border on this layout.

Journaling Reads: When I met Don & Becky in 2001, I never would have guessed that ten years later they would be full-time missionaries to East Africa. They were both strong Christians, however it has been amazing to watch God move Don from being a full-time pharmacist who was also heavily involved in the Boy Scouts of America to hours spent studying and teaching the Bible with amazing insight and Becky from being a Bible Study attendee to a small group leader to a strong encourager of women studying the Bible for themselves. I miss them, but I have no doubt that they are right where God wants them right now – sharing the gospel in Kenya.

You can read about Don & Becky's adventures in Africa on their blog - Camerons in Kenya.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BECKY!