Baptism Photos July 09

 

 

 

 

Baptism Photos July 09

 

 

 

 

Antioch Baptism July 09

We praise the Lord for the 16 people who were baptized in the river on a rainy day in July. We had been praying for one of the couples for almost 2 years with the believing parents. They have two sweet little girls, who will now be raised in a loving Christian home, instead of drinking, partying and fighting. Two of the older ladies are also coming to the small group in GRES, that we have been praying to become a new church. One of their sons repented a few weeks ago. They are already seeing themselves as a church, starting to take up offering, had a "church" picnic, doing evangelism in their area, and now wanting to go to a village 3 hours away to share Christ there. One of the men in the picgtures is a policeman in town. Several of the men were saved in the small rehabilitation center for alcohol and drug addicts. One of the men worked all month out at the camps for children and youth, serving Jesus with a smile every day. When you meet Jesus, your life will never be the same. He loves us and takes us where we are, but He never lets us stay there.

First Day of School

 

First Day of school, tiring but great !!!

Grace has always loved school: Sunday School, Homeschool, International School, Russian School. She has always greeted every day of her life as far as I can remember with joy and excitement and finding ways to serve others. She gives it all she's got at whatever she does, and wherever she is, she is all there.

I snuck a picture of her dozing off after class today. She even asked tonight if she could get up earlier tomorrow, so she could get more done, to which the Lord gave me the wisdom to answer "No, you need more rest!"

Lord, thank you for the example of joy, service and giving it all that you show me through my sweet girl. Help me to live my life, with the same enthusiasm, for You and for Your glory. Thank you, Lord that you know what we need when we need it, and that sometimes when we ask permission to do something that seems like a great idea, Your answer sometimes is "No,you need more rest!" Help me to truly learn day by day to rest in You, Lord.

Do Not Fear; Every day of the Year

I had an afternoon with Caleb recently and it was really fun. We played "Sorry" and I won, and WII bowling and he won. He made me take the WII fitness test and I am officially 37. 5 years younger, whoo hooo. Then i started asking him his "favorites".

favorite color: blue ; favorite book: rifles for waite ; favorite candy bar: kit kat ; favorite restaurant food: Chinese ; favorite fast food: Sonic ; favorite book of the Bible: 2 Samuel , why? because David is in it. So then I asked his favorite character in the Bible: David

This shouldnt surprise me, since he was little he has loved soldiers/army men, war games, History (especially wars/battles) and always said he wanted to be a soldier for Christ. I then asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up: Missionary, what will you major in college then: History Since he was very little, his daddy has read Bible story books to him almost every night of his life, cant tell you how many Bible story books they have gone through. The past 2 years, switched to the Bible. His favorites have always been the Old Testament (Kings, Samuel etc...)

I pray, "Oh that You would say that Caleb has a heart like David's/ YOURS, Lord" Then I got all afraid and thought about David's life, and at times what a mess it was, and how I dont want any of our children taking that path, and actually contemplated if I should pray that. (My grandmother/mother always said be careful what you pray for :) hmmm

So I been thinking and praying about that since our little "favorites" time.

I heard in a movie last night "Do not Fear" is in the Bible 365 times, I don't know if it is true or not, but Caleb quickly said, that is one "Do Not Fear" for every day of the year.

So now, I am reminded to not be afraid to pray that for Caleb, but will add, that he learn from reading David's mistakes/example and have a heart after God's heart (but without all the bad choices)

Reagan is a Senior

Reagan is now a senior in college, how can that be?? It seems like yesterday we moved him into his dorm. Well, what am I saying? Wasn't it just yesterday that we left him at kindergarten? Reagan wanted to know when we were going to leave, and when we started to leave, he asked if Bryan could stay and color too, then Bryan cried to stay with Reagan, and honestly, so did I :( Poor Michael, again, if I remember, "it was the way it should be"

When we took Reagan's training wheels off, Bryan cried for us to take his off. The only problem is that he had a tricycle. We never could get him to understand that it wouldn't work without the back two wheels. Reagan actually wanted to put his back on to keep Bryan happy, putting Bryan first, the way it should be.

As most missionaries with children answer God's call to move their families over seas, we had questions: How will they learn the language, the culture? How will we educate them? How will they do without grandparents? How will they cope with goodbyes: family/friends? Will they be ok giving up team sports? Will they ever resent being taken away from everything they know as normal? Will they like the food? How will they meet their future spouses? Will they be ok?

The day we sold and began moving out of our dream house to leave for the mission field (I remember well, June 8 1999, because in the middle of it all, we looked at each other and realized it was our 14th anniversary), I found something in a file cabinet. A second grade journal of Reagan's (written 5 years earlier)in it was a paper he wrote titled something like what I want to be when I grow up. He said that he wanted to be a missionary to guess where?? Russia. When I found it I could not believe my eyes, as it was written 4 years before the Lord even called us to full time ministry, much less foreign missions. The Lord used that to give grandparents peace about our leaving.

Later that day, we told Reagan (12) Bryan (10) that we were giving them one footlocker besides clothes or books to pack with whatever they chose. They could choose toys, memory stuff, sports stuff, pictures, whatever they wanted, even if it was rocks out of the back yard. After a couple hours I went to look in their footlockers, as they were already back outside playing with friends. Reagan had a basketball trophy and Awana Clubber of the year plaque in his, and Bryan had a baseball mitt in his. That brought me to tears.

It was as if the Lord was saying, "They are Mine, and I will take care of them. See, I have already given them My call and they are more content with leaving it all to follow me than you are. I love them more than you do, and I will provide." and He did, He does. His promises are true and precious.

Throughout the 10 years of living overseas, we have prayed for our children in every way every parent does. We have had rough spots, hard times, and hurts and scrapes, personality clashes, butted heads at times, always praying for wisdom, forgiveness, grace and mercy, and so much more...

and His Answer: "It will be the way it should be". He wants us to obey and trust Him, with our lives and if we have children, with our childrens' lives, whether it takes us around the world, or next door, from public school to homeschool (or the other way around) We must listen to His voice, obey, and then allow Him to do what He deems best, not always pleasant, or maybe not even what we think is "safe", and certainly not always comfortable, but always BEST, His Best.

Bryan is Married

 

What Joy !! June 6, 2009 Bryan and Hannah were married, what a blessing to be able to travel to Ms, then Georgia to witness, as Russians, and now we would say, "A new family created by God". Why is it that we Americans don't really say that we are a family until our first child is born? How wrong is that?

As Michael reminds me over and over again, this is how it is should be: we give them life, pray over them, guard, provide for and protect them and then let them go out on their own. (all of this knowing only God allows it all, and is giving us everything it takes to do this and His mercy is sufficient when we don't always do it right) But even knowing... knowing Bryan loves God and seeks to serve Him and others, knowing that he prayed and sought the Lord in choosing the perfect mate for him, knowing that he is ok, and that his church family is there, knowing that he is now an adult and independent in every way of us...doesn't in anyway take away the fact that this mama misses her little boy, and though it is "how it should be", and I love my life now and the lives stages/ages of our children now; I still have such mixed emotions, strange emotions, pride and joy, along with missing "the boys" (Reagan and Bryan), and missing the way it "used" to be when all our children were under our roof. And I am really getting tired of counting out 6 of everything...

Even still, I know, though I don't always feel it, that He is faithful, and He will give me just enough light for the step I am on, including seeing me through this night of missing my boys !!!