the gift of lessons learned and party invites...

We are still trying to get into a rhythm here...being away for a month and then hitting the ground running with Tom teaching out at YWAM last week was a bit overwhelming.  This week the load will be much lighter and we have some spaces in our schedule to breathe.  Breathing is a good thing!    I have no complaints about our first week back...only gratitude.

901.  listening to Spencer's devotional and taking notes.
902.  watching as he had each person look into a mirror and repeat these words...

903.  Meesha's teaching on coming to Him like little children:

904.  Leroy's creativity:

905.  worshiping together...

906.  Tom's faithfulness throughout the week of teaching...

907.   the response to Tom's teaching on Forgiveness...nailing it all to the cross...

908.   Tom began the teaching on Grace by 'kissing' everyone!

909.  serving together...

910.  seeing a party hat in an unexpected place...

911.  attending a party to celebrate a birthday, an anniversary and a baby shower!

912.  baby shower games are not much different no matter where you are in the world...

pin the pacifier on the baby

guess how big the mom to be is!

will it be a boy or a girl?

914.  watching her open her gifts...

915.  and listening to the advice people wrote out for her...

920.  the home the party was held in is humble but the family is rich in love and unity.
921.  knowing that love and unity in a family is truly a huge blessing.
922.  getting to use the gift certificate from Happy Maids that Tom won for me for Mother's Day.
923.  having our home deep cleaned and the anticipation of three more weeks to come.
924.  quiet times with a book and tall glass of ice water...a priceless gift indeed.
925.  realizing how rich our life is...and learning to appreciate it daily.

 joining in with the gratitude community:

Summer Reading

Here are a few of the things I picked up while we were in the states.  I guess I should have looked around for some 'just for fun' reading too...but I didn't.  Since the space in our suitcases was at a premium I had to be selective. 

Counseling Through Your Bible Handbook

Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God

Change Your Brain Change Your Body

So what are you reading this summer?!

Tom's teaching this week...

Tom has been teaching at YWAM Banana Bank for their Discipleship Training School.  The topic that he is lecturing on is The Nature and Character of God. Four of the students, Dylan, Leroy, Kyle, and Hugo, put this skit together as part of their homework that Tom assigned to them.  They amazed me with their creativity!

thought for today...Give it to God

Spencer in a prayer circle with the DTS students interceding for Russia.

This week we heard about the flooding in the region of Krasnodar where we used to live.  Thousands of people were affected by the wall of water that came through late in the night.  Over 3000 homes had to be pumped out by rescue workers.  That number represents 2/3 of the affected homes in the area.  Various news reports that I have read place the death toll anywhere between 162-171.  We are greatly saddened by the news and have been praying for those affected since we first heard this tragic event.  

Whether your concerns are about a family member, a friend, a city, or a country give them over to God in prayer.  While there is still speculation regarding the cause of the flood, whether it was rainfall, water released from a nearby reservoir, or a combination of both...we know that God is in control.  And only He can bring restoration, healing, and hope to those who have suffered losses because of this tragic event.  

Please join with us in prayer for the people of Krymsk, Gelenzhik, and Novorossiysk, Russia.

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Crock Pot Cheesecake

Another Pinterest find.  I think that if I replace the pulverized graham crackers with almond flour then I will have gluten free dessert that everyone can enjoy along with me. This is going on my list of things to try!  Click here for the recipe.

the gift of time off and travel memories...

We spent a month in the USA.  It was an incredible time of reconnecting with family and friends, meeting new people, and speaking about our work with the Child Development Foundation.  I really didn't anticipate just how busy we would be in the States.  It was so overwhelming that I had to let something go because I just could not juggle all of the balls I had going.  I had to let go of updating this blog.  That was a first for me.  I cannot even think of another time in my seven years of blogging when I have been gone that long.  I missed being here!

It will take more than one post to update everything that happened over the past few weeks so I will start by adding a few things to my gratitude list...

872.  time with family
873.  meeting new people
874.  reconnecting with childhood friends, Leisa and Stephne.
875.  Pastor Early anointing us and praying over us at Pawnee Avenue Church of God...the church that we were married in and attended in the early years.

876.  new shoes for both of us

877.  checking off items on our supply lists.

878.  Sharing in churches in Andover, Wichita, and Topeka

879.   speaking at a kids' camp in Scott City

880.  meeting up with Vicki and Alyson at the camp

881.  the kids did a service project and donated 74 gift bags to kids in Belize

882.  teaching the kids a song a Kriol.

883.  hearing them sing!

884.  being in the USA for the 4th of July!!

885.  speaking at a few women's Bible study groups about our work in Belize
886.  speaking to several small groups
887.  sharing the pulpit with Tom in three of the churches we visited.
888.  feeling the love and support of our family and friends
889.  enjoying time with Steve and Sharon from Hope
890.  time with Marilyn's small group laughing about gophers
891.  dinner and ice cream with the Gale family.
892.  time with Shirl and Jerry in Topeka
893.  seeing one of my stories published in a church newsletter.
894.  coming back to Belize and feeling at home.
895.  a friend finding out that all of the lymph nodes they tested were cancer free.
896.  worshiping on Sunday in our home church here in Belize.
897.  hugs from members of our church family
898.  a little girl who latched onto me and sat with her head on my chest until children's church began.
899.  Dan's message being exactly what we needed to hear.
900.  Time with Spencer and Meesha...truly priceless.


I know that I will be adding to this list...there were so many priceless moments and treasures to store up in our hearts and ponder.  Our time in the US was truly a priceless gift.

 joining in with the gratitude community:

driving through the heartland...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

thought for today...OVERSIZE LOAD

Have you ever experienced a time when your burdens loomed larger than life over you?

I know that I have...days or weeks can go by and it feels like the load never eases up.  I am grateful that we have Someone who can take our burdens.  I know it is Him who holds me up when I think I can no longer stand. 

When I saw this truck and the sign OVERSIZE LOAD I immediately thought of  Matthew 11:28-30.  What a blessing that we who are weary can come to Him, give our burdens to Him, and He will give us rest.  

May you find relief from your burdens, no matter what size, in Him!

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Scott City here we come!

I am speaking to a group of 2nd through 4th graders at a kid's camp out in Scott City, Kansas this evening.  As part of my talk on being a missionary I am going to teach them a song in Kriol.  I can teach it to you too if you like!

Do you know the song This Is The Day That The Lord Has Made?  My friend Shelly wrote out the words for me...here you go!  (Just a note on pronunciation...di sounds like dee.)

Dis da di day, dis da di day

Dat di Lord has made, dat di Lord has made.

We wah rejoice, we wah rejoice,

And be glad ina it. And be glad ina it.

Dis da di day dat di Lord has made,

We wah rejoice and be glad ina it.

Dis da di day, dis da di day, dat di Lord has made!

the gift of travel...

There is a blessing in traveling that I had forgotten.

Traveling can take you to exotic places.  But, it can also take you home.  We traveled from New Mexico to Kansas this past week...going through Texas and Oklahoma along the way.  The closer we got to Kansas the more things started to look and feel familiar.  We have not lived in Kansas since 1988.  And it feels like 'old home week' each time we come back for a visit.

We are seeing old friends and meeting new.

We have had time with family...including my 93 year old grandmother and my cousin's 2 and 1/2 year old son.

The same highway that took us out of Kansas 24 years ago brought us back again.  And for that I am indeed grateful.

And the gifts of this trip just keep unfolding...

849.  my 93 year old grandmother is still mentally sharp and full of life.
850.  hugs and kisses from Auntie Martha.
851.  hugs and kisses from Aunt Lisa.
852.  my mother's face all lit up with excitement.
853.  seeing real life answers to prayer at Mike and Kristy's church.
854.  spending time at Hope Community church.
855.  the generosity of fellow believers.
856.  a young girl who gave us all she had to give because she wanted to support our work.
857.  dinner with Sister Ralston and her family.
858.  Paul and Cathy's friendship and hospitality.
859.  safety as we traveled.
860.  watching a little one eat ice cream with such pure joy.
861.  seeing Sister Ralston's secret garden.
862.  five new families who made pledges to support us.

863.  Greensburg, Kansas and all that they have rebuilt since the tornado five years ago

864.  interruptions that cross our path in the parking lot. 

865.  simple reminders of God's loving care everywhere we go.

gifts found in the Word:

866.  He does not show favoritism  Galatians 2:6

867.  He will rebuild us  Jeremiah 31:4

868.  His gifts and call are irrevocable  Romans 11:29

869.  He is not ashamed to call us brothers and sisters Hebrews 2:11

870.  He knows our needs  Matthew 6:32

 joining in with the gratitude community:

on the road again

Yesterday we left Albuquerque, New Mexico and drove to Guymon, Oklahoma. We spent last night watching the basketball game and waiting out the severe storm that came through Oklahoma.  We saw hail for the first time in years.  The winds were high and the rain was coming down hard.  Thankfully, we were safe, warm, and dry in our hotel room and not trying to drive in that storm.

Today our destination is Andover, Kansas.  Pray that all goes well on the drive for us... we are excited to see family and friends in Kansas!

business cards...

Tom has these made at Kinkos...just so we have something to give out to any new people we meet in Kansas until our prayer cards arrive.  He wanted something that looked jungle-y.  I think he did ok!

thought for today...mouths of laughter and tongues of joy

 

So much of being joyful is about perspective.  

A while back the guys went for a walk, locked all the doors, and didn't take a house key.  They tried to call me using the neighbor's phone, but, I was at lunch with a friend and ignored the call because it was from a number I didn't recognise.  When I got home, also without a house key, the three of us started laughing.  We laughed as we worked on ways to get into the house.  We laughed when Tom went out to buy a new lock.  We laughed as we retold the story to others.

It would be easy to get angry about cancelled flights, power outages, getting locked out of the house, or finding a gecko in your bed...but anger has no power to change a situation. Somehow, at least for us, laughter does have power.  It changes our attitudes.  It changes our outlook. And it changes how we speak about the events of our daily lives.

May we all learn to laugh and rejoice and allow God to change us through the power of joy!

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Tasty Tuesday...Crunchy Primal Crackers

I saw these on Pinterest and will give them a try when we get back to Belize...I love crackers and these sound like they will be pretty tasty and very easy to make!!

Crunchy Primal Crackers

Ingredients:
2 cups raw blanched almond slivers
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp dried dill
1 egg whisked
2 tbsp olive oil


Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a food processor mix nuts, salt and dried dill until nuts reach desired consistency. For textured crackers, leave nuts in tiny pieces. For smooth crackers, blend until nuts reach a flour-like consistency.
Add egg and oil and pulse just until incorporated.
From here, you can shape the crackers in one of two ways:
For a thin, crunchy cracker flatten the dough between two sheets of parchment paper (sold in the same aisle as plastic wrap and aluminum foil) then use a rolling pin to get the dough as thin as possible. Remove the top sheet of parchment paper and set the other (with the dough on top) on a cookie sheet. Use a knife or pizza wheel to cut cracker shapes.
Or, for a thicker cracker with a rounded shape, wrap the dough in a large piece of parchment paper and shape it into a log about 9 inches long and 1-2 inches tall. Use a knife to slice thin pieces of dough into crackers. If the dough is too soft, put it in the freezer for 10 minutes, then cut.
Bake crackers for 10-12 minutes. Let cool completely before eating.