Heartaches

Please pray for two dear young ladies who are friends of ours. One is facing a very sudden and serious cancer in her mother, one is dealing with a second miscarriage and she and her husband are wondering whether to continue to remain overseas as missionaries. My heart aches with both of these young ladies not only because they are sweet ladies but also because the Lord has seen fit to have me deal with both of these issues in my own life and I feel that I should be better at comforting them than I do. It was especially hard to lose my Mom so suddenly since (foolishly) I had always thought of her being around to see her grandchildren grow up. Both miscarriages I had were much harder physically and emotionally than I ever imagined. You see why both of these young ladies hold a special place in my heart these days. My prayers are continually with them, I wish I was along side them to hug and hold, and my heart aches with theirs. Please join me in praying for their strength, wisdom, and that they will hold onto THE Comforter who can give them what they need each hour of each day. Thanks for your prayers.

Christmas Wrap-Up

What fun we have had this year! The joys of watching our children not only get gifts but give them to each other and other family members and friends. We did our annual Baking last Friday, visited with relatives on Saturday at a "half-way point", had a relaxing day Sunday, had Derwin's Dad's family's get together Christmas Eve, and on Christmas Day stayed at home except for a fantastic brunch at my SIL's across the road for a couple of hours. All five children were here, my nieces, SIL and BIL, Grandma, Katy and even a brief visit from neighbors. We (yes, we, not just them!!) had fun with their tinkertoys, having radio control races (my 5yo got 4 RC vehicles and is ecstatic!! I am thrilled that I stocked up on batteries ahead of time!), playing Othello,

having "sword fights" with this ,


launching rockets with this
making pot holders with Emma with this kit


and eating and eating and enjoying each other immensely. My oldest son gave my hubby this DVD (they both enjoy that stuff - personally my daughters and I prefer something like Pride and Prejudice !). The greatest gift of course was time. Yesterday we had lunch with Shelley and Jimmy and we were talking about just that. Time. Time spent with each other. Time spent laughing and sharing and even a few tears over those who are no longer here to share our time. I wish somehow we could bottle up a few hours or days or weeks and wrap it and give it to each other. So today and for 2008 my wish for you is the gift of time. With those you love. Doing what is important. Sharing your heart and dreams and love and laughter and tears. Sharing why you have hope. Sharing why life is so precious and "stuff" like toys and clothes and movies are good only when they are shared with those we love. May we each cherish the gift of time and give it away to those we love each and every day. Remind me when I get too busy. Remind me when I get too caught up in the "stuff".

Christmas Ponderings

We finished reading "Jotham's Journey" today (yeah, two days early but we just couldn't wait!) and every time I finish it I am in deep thought about why the King of Kings would stoop to being born in a dirty, smelly stable, live a very rough and poor life, be beaten and scorned and nailed to a cross - for who? For me - who goes about every day as if life is all about me. It's beyond understanding with my head or my heart. Yet somehow something in all of us knows it rings true. This weekend we visit those who have nothing to offer us - just like we have nothing to offer our Savior. Like the neighbor who just had her husband leave suddenly wiping out her bank account and taking everything of value, including her heart and self-esteem. Pray with us that each person we visit will understand that the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus is a gift we can never buy or work for but is free and ready to be given.
And it's for people like me who go about as if life is about me.
He loves us anyway. He proved it on the cross. He offers a new life to us and the empty tomb showed His Power to make that offer.
Amazing.
Messiah. Immanuel. Redeemer.
Hope for the Hopeless.
Healer of Broken Hearts.
Savior.
LORD.
JESUS CHRIST.

A Trip Down Christmas Lane....

I don't know exactly why, maybe it's all the ornaments the children made over the years, but the Christmas season always makes me nostalgic. You too? Memories of digging up our tree (yes, we dug it up and replanted it long before the word "environmentalist" had been conceived - it was called being cheap smart with your money), shopping for my Dad's present to Mom at roughly 4:50pm on Christmas Eve (the stores closed at 5pm), and sleeping on the floor all night so I would wake as early as possible on Christmas morning (I think our earliest was 2am, our latest about 5am? Isn't that right Joye??!). It's a wonder my parents didn't cancel Christmas!! One of the clearest memories of Christmas is when I was 12 and we had just moved into a new house with new appliances. I woke my Mom at exactly 2:48 A.M. in a panic because the oven power was ON!! No, I didn't check to see if the oven was hot. No, I had never heard of this thing called delayed cooking. No, I didn't want to be tanned and would lie back down (beside the tree of course!!).

Did your Santa come wrapped? Ours did. It wasn't until after I was a parent and my dear hubby asked what planet was I from that I actually realized there might be a easier better way. My favorite present? A chemistry set. Yep. I think I was probably the first female to earn the title of geek. But it really was my childhood favorite. Because it was what I wanted and didn't think I would get. Because no one else thought I'd get it (in a "you'll put your eye out, Ralphie" sort of way.) Because it affirmed to me that I had parents who actually loved me for who I was and not what everyone told me I should be/not be.

My favorite Christmas? This one, of course. Memory lane is beautiful but today I can give hugs and love and laughter that will make beautiful memories for tomorrow. Presents will come and go, memories will last for a while but love will never end. Enjoy, savor, laugh and cry with those you love today. And as Lea says so beautifully, "Have a fine day, all day long."

Missionary Monday

Want a blessing and a challenge to be persistent in your witness to others? Watch this ! (Thanks Brian!)

Want to know about how to help orphans in Ethiopia? Watch my friend Eileen's slide show HERE and if you want to contribute to this orphanage, do so through Gladney and earmark the funds "Kolfe Orphanage".

RAIN!!!

Temperatures here have been ridiculously high for the past week - there is something totally wrong with wearing shorts and having your windows open while you sing Christmas carols and decorate the tree! Even in the South! But in the past 24-hours, the temps have taken a nose-dive, brought in clouds and blessing of all blessings - RAIN - to this drought-stricken land. My 5yo did not want to believe me this morning when I told him to change out of his shorts - until he stepped outside and with a yelp exclaimed "MOM - IT'S SNOWING!!!" "No," his Dad quickly but calmly explained, "that is just rain, son - it's just been so long since you saw it you forgot what it was!" I think we had all forgotten both what rain looked like and what December temps were supposed to feel like. Tonight we cut off all the lights and sounds and sat for a few minutes and just quietly listened to the wonderful sound of rain flowing in the gutters, splattering the windows, and refreshing the whole earth around us, while we sipped some hot cocoa and snuggled under soft blankets. Now that is the perfect evening to me! Thank you , Lord, for rain and seasons.

Christmas "readings"

Every year during early December we began to drag out the decorations - in our case most are not store-bought and most "normal" people would classify them as "tacky" with a capital "T" but they are special to us because they bring back wonderful memories. Ornaments made from jar lids and felt, sandpaper and yarn, even one made from a (new)ash tray (no kidding, from a school project no less!). Each has its own story of which child made it, which house we were living in (we have moved 10 times in 28 years, although really only 6 different communities), and something funny or special or interesting about the Christmas when that ornament was made. Needless to say, it takes us a L -- O -- N -- G --- G ---- G time to decorate the tree! Then there are the homemade Nativity scenes, a "wreath" hanging made from my second son's handprints when he was 5, two angel paintings made by both the 19 year-old and the 5-year old at age 3 each, etc. These are the reasons I decorate. To reinforce those wonderful memories in my mind and to establish them in the childrens'.

We have other traditions, too. Like baking goodies and delivering them to the neighbors the week before Christmas. Now these may not make the cover of Martha Stewart magazine but they are made with love by us and as we pack them in containers we pray for the recipients, many of whom do not yet understand the true Hope of CHRISTmas.

Then there are (of course!!) Christmas books. Each day we (try to) read at least one story about giving, gifts, selflessness, hope. Some of our favorites are "The Giving Tree", "The Legend of the Christmas Tree", "The First Christmas", "The Legend of the Candy Cane", "The Three Trees", and several Jan Brett and Max Lucado books. We have some wonderful short stories that are about Christmas or giving and the youngest ones ask for "How Grandma Came for Christmas", "The Red-haired Doll", "Unlucky Jim", "Debbie's Jewels" and several others to be read and re-read. These are in some great books that I picked up years ago at a used book store for almost nothing. One set is called "Uncle Arthur's Storytime" and one book was published by Focus on the Family called "Great Stories Remembered". Tuesday we began reading "Jotham's Journey" by Arnold Ytreeide which can be used as an Advent reading (although we started it a little late this year). What do you read during Christmas?

Happy Birthday Dear Daughter!!

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Craft Fair

Last Friday we had a blast at our annual Christmas Craft Fair with our homeschool group. The children made snowmen candy cane holders,

photo frames from CD cases,


Felt Poinsettia napkin rings,




Snowman rulers,



Marshmallow Nativity Scenes,




Snowflake Headbands,


and several other crafts. It took about 2 hours of our time and by going straight from one craft to another they got almost all of their presents made for the family, with each craft costing between 50 cents and $2.00.

An 11-year-old was selling beautiful Poinsettias to raise money to buy a water buffalo! No, not for him but he asked his parents to take his Christmas money and help him buy one for a needy family in Asia through Gospel for Asia. What a sweet thing! So we got two beautiful red ones for us and Gran and one gorgeous yellow one for my SIL (whose kitchen/dining area is yellow and red). Overall a great day and lots of fun!

Through the week

Tuesday afternoon we dashed about getting passport photos made (I'll explain later!), dragging out Christmas garland, picking up coffee urns and taking them to get set up for our annual Mom's Christmas Tea that our homeschool group holds. Dashed back to get 8yo ready for acro class, bake brownies and change clothes, drive back up to our meeting location and gladly sat down to a wonderfully relaxing time of fellowship and food with other Moms. We were treated to visions of beautifully decorated tables, filled our tummies with scrumptious goodies of all sorts (I especially enjoyed Beth's tea sandwiches and the pumpkin cheesecake), listened to wonderful music by some children and joined in for some carols as a group, and then were treated to a dramatic presentation of Mary by Dianne Hart which touched everyone in the room. A great evening! After taking some info for the next field trip I'm planning, collecting some items to mail to soldiers and helping clean up, I talked a few minutes in the parking lot with friends, made a late evening run to Target to pick up toys and games that were on sale and came home to re-tuck the little ones into bed.

Yesterday we went to the public library for "Story Time" where we were treated to several good books, including one by Jan Brett (one of our favorite authors) called "The Gingerbread Baby". The children then made gingerbread men (girls) as fridge magnets. Later after some school was done we stood in line at the Post Office to finish off the passport applications (OK, now I'll tell you - D and I are going to MEXICO in January!! All expenses paid for both of us by one of his company's suppliers - what fun!!).

Last night was the semi-annual "Awanas Store" at church so I had to arrive a little early and help with that and it was lots of fun to see the bright faces chose "gifts" that they had earned by attending and learning verses since September. My 8yo is going to participate in the T&T Bible Quiz in January so she has been working especially hard to learn and relearn her verses. Today we are doing school, cleaning house, hanging out clothes and hoping to get outside to pick up more rocks and roots before the day is over. Tomorrow we have a Craft Fair in the afternoon for the children to make crafts for friends and relatives for Christmas - I'll try to post some pics of it after it's over if I get a chance to take any in between helping made pot holders. Have a great week (what's left of it!) -

Missionary Monday

What an unbelievable Creator we have! Sunday we got into a discussion from Genesis and our Ss teacher made a small comment about being made in God's image. How in context it is clear that our desire, no, our driving passion to create comes from the fact that we are made in God's image. THE Creator's image. So I've been thinking on that, how many people want to create a "perfect environment", some want to create a beautiful home, some want to create the biggest, best business or the most unique something. We all crave it. Creation of our own minds, our own hands. Yep, it made so much sense. Then the next step is to think about what will I spend my time and energy creating? And there are only two things that any human can create that will live into eternity. One, conceive and give birth to a child who has an eternal soul - what a wonderful, indescribable way to create, and then to nurture that creation to the best of your ability. Two, be used by the Lord to bring someone into the knowledge of Christ so that they will spend eternity with their Savior. That's it. Now, there's lots of good, even great, things you and I can or might create. But those are the only two things that will stand the test of eternity. Kinda puts it all into perspective for me.
And here's some great eternal creation going on - Audrey in Japan shares her praises of how new believers are being born in a country that some people said is "hopeless". Eileen and Jerry are holding and touching and loving the children God has seen fit to place in their family. Brian and Mandy are trying to help two believers who were literally "kicked out of the house" for reading their Bibles. All for eternity. No worry seems very big now. Tomorrow I will begin to ask as I go about each chore "What am I creating?"