tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20206159717936145682024-03-19T04:44:42.417-04:00Happily Ever After....Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17853367862636550602noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020615971793614568.post-89195347530026958422013-09-13T11:05:00.000-04:002013-09-13T11:14:23.592-04:00THE Seat...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Getting me to this spot, on these keys, has been a week long event. I knew at the start of the week that I wanted to write something (a lot from the encouragement of my honey to write with intention), but I just didn't have anything making my heart beat enough to spill out of my fingers~until now. I like to write about a lot of things and hopefully those 'other things' will be blog worthy at some point, but currently it really has to be about my kids...HIS kids. If you read my last entry you got a little introduction to my Hallie-girl...oh man she lights me up and makes me melt almost simultaneously! Soon I will introduce you to my Parker-man too, he is literally (it's sappy and corny) my heart walking around outside my body! Today...it's just them...together....making me a mom....giving me an opportunity......and me taking it.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have said all week that my 'mama-heart' was super tender for no reason that I could pin down. It occurred to me that all those non-pinable moments are for that very purpose in and of themselves~to be experienced, not to be explained. I am not sure if you have heard of Ann Voskamp, but she is my new best friend (she just may or may not actually know that) she lives in Canada, with her Farmer husband and 6 children and she writes.....amazing spirit inspired words that speak always to the precise non-pinable moments of my own heart. I recently finished her book "One Thousand Gifts, A dare to life fully right where you are" and it redirected me in a AH-HA moment way! It's a must if you love words, want to learn how to live <a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Eucharistically" target="_blank">Echaristically</a>, or just need a jolt. She also has a blog called <a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/" target="_blank">aholyexperience</a> that I would recommend in a knock-down-your-door-tie-you-to-your-computer sort of way! This week she is writing about her oldest leaving for college and the process of holding tight, letting go, and being brave all at once. It is so worth your life to read her <a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/2013/09/why-you-never-stop-being-needed" target="_blank">September 6th</a>, and <a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/2013/09/for-all-the-worlds-children-why-we-need-first-responders-the-purple-hearted-and-the-brave" target="_blank">11th </a>entries (although all of them are good,these are the ones that ripped me open this week).</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It could be that I am for the first time in my mommy-hood, alone at home during school hours that my heart is extra tender in reflection these days. With my Hallie-girl starting Kindergarten this year it is the first time in 8 years that I get to walk back in the door alone. I walk into silence, poor a cup of coffee, sit down either in my so comfy chaise or on my patio equipped with a crisp breeze and enjoy uninterrupted completely glorious time alone with my Bible and my Creator (that was the longest run-on sentence of my life, but just go with it). Can you tell I didn't have a clue what to do with myself??!!! Oh whoa is me, I know. Whatever it is, I have sat with my own tenderness this week. I have soaked up every word read from Ann's blog, or my Bible, and heard words that pierced me from one of my Pastors just yesterday and asked, 'What is it, God, that you want me to experience in this?" </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It's a seat. THE seat. God has pulled up a chair that fits no one else but me in the lives of my littles. I have spent 8 years 'making' things good for them, protecting them, sheltering them from harm or 'bad people' and molding them into tiny little versions of crazy adults. BUT, have I ever sat in the THE seat? The seat that says, "I love you deep...even when you mess up" OR "I will cheer you on when you do something that is different than how I would do it" OR "You are worth every bit of fight I have in me to always point you to the Cross" I think there are LOTS of times that I bumped into the seat and made a valiant effort of trying to sit down, but I am not sure I have owned it for it's purpose. Mama's we have a front row seat of INFLUENCE with our kids. As my Pastor said yesterday, </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i>"the hardest part of parenting is the part when taking away the TV (behavior modification) is replaced with bruises on your knees (spiritual modification) because of how much you get to beg Jesus to do only what he can do in the lives of your children." ~Pastor Helen Musik</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">She was referring to parenting 'Adult Children', but I was hit square in the nose with what she said. Boy I can behavior modify until I turn purple, but why aren't I bruising my knees?? My littles are 8 and 5; even though I panicked this week about having ONLY 10 more years with my Parker-man (Lord willing), I can start bruising my knees NOW. Hard work creates callouses, Girls!! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One of my Hot-Mama friends who is the Queen of her castle of 4 men-in-the-making, said it so sweetly this morning. I was telling her how I couldn't believe how everything that my heart had been hearing through my Ann-friend and my Pastor Helen-friend this week were so connected and spot on. She said this (well she posted it in response to my facebook post because cool moms talk to each other through postings~ha!) </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i>"</i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-style: italic; line-height: 14px;"><span data-reactid=".r[2pdc1].[1][4][1]{comment10151639735478613_27294285}.[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][2].[0].[0]">It is Grace </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 14px;"><span data-reactid=".r[2pdc1].[1][4][1]{comment10151639735478613_27294285}.[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][2].[0].[2]"><i>that our hearts are so in tune with this while there is still time." </i></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 14px;"><span data-reactid=".r[2pdc1].[1][4][1]{comment10151639735478613_27294285}.[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][2].[0].[2]">Wow! That's it. We don't have to wait until they are packing for college or even until they start to face 'real </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 14px;">world issues' before we sit in the seat! If we do, it could be full of regret and we will beat ourselves up with worry about did we do enough? are they prepared? please just let them be 8 and 5 again!! WE HAVE NOW!!!! </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>'So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.' Colossians 1:9-10</b></i></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 14px;">The seat is being saved for you, Mamas! Own it! Occupy it! Sit that pretty little behind in it and REFUSE to give it up! Be present in letting your eyes soak up what needs to be stored in your heart! We have to stop being consumed with the unimportant tasks and start being intentional with the purpose of a lifetime. We haven't missed our chance to come alongside God in his will for their lives. Something I pray all the time is <i>"Lord, don't let me get in the way of what YOU want to do in Parker/Hallie's lives".</i> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 14px;">I am so so thankful that my tender, non-pinable heart has direction today with a new eye-opening, seat-owning, opportunity with my littles. Here is ONE of my favorite lines from Ann's Sept 6th entry:</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><i><span style="font: 16.0px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">'<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Be brave. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">In all your crazy,</span><span style="font: 16.0px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> be brave, boys(<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">or girls~added by me</span>)</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">. And I’ll be there, in heart or in body, to witness the first dates and the failed dreams and it’s okay to cry, boys, your tears are safe with me.</span></span></i></span></span></div>
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Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17853367862636550602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020615971793614568.post-52668631845425682702013-09-05T09:35:00.004-04:002013-09-05T09:35:39.963-04:00He gave me a GIRL<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"What in the world just happened?" Is the question I have been asking myself lately. You see, it's like this; God in his infinite wisdom chose to make me the MOM of two perfectly beautiful children~yay!! I love being a mom, pj days, popcorn for breakfast days, no rules days, breakfast for dinner days, and my favorite~snuggle in bed days.....and then there are <i>other</i> days. Like today for example (or any day this week to be honest). Those days when after you have, only by the grace and protection of God, dropped them off at school dressed, with clean teeth, and at the very least hair that is a step down from the witch hazel look they got up with, that you ask the question, 'WHAT in the WORLD just happened?!" </span><div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Back to the infinite wisdom of God. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">He gave me a girl.</span> I am not sure why HE thought I could handle this, or how He thinks I will emerge after 18 years with all of my sanity (and maybe that's not His plan at all). Nonetheless, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">He gave me a girl. </span>Not just any girl! Nope because He has unexplained, never to be understood reasoning and knowledge about my level of tolerance that I am not privy to. This girl is gorgeous with huge brown eyes that daddy shared with her, long eyelashes (also thanks to daddy), a creative imagination that blows me off my feet, and a red-button connection with her CREATOR that this mom stands in awe of...AND <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">EMOTIONS </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(which are 150% derived from the genetic swimming pool of her </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">mother</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">. </span>This being said, I have no idea why He picked me to steward His girl. Her daddy has a way with her that is like a warm knife cutting through butter. She ADORES him and the feelings are mutual. I can watch him talk her into wearing tennis shoes for gym day before she even knows what has happened; while green envious smoke starts shooting from my ears. Just moments before there was a five star fit with me about combing her hair (I'm not talking about 'let mommy make it adorably cute with curls, and braids, and a big giant bow on top' combing), literally just combing the hair no accessories involved...nope, just a combing. This five star fit is complete with shaking, screaming, flinging the head back and forth in an effort to give me "hair-combing" target practice; and I still have to tell her she has to brush her teeth....CALGON take me AWAY. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Somewhere during the combing fit, teeth brushing, and the tennis shoe bliss we are 4 minutes late. <b> FOUR! </b>So don't get all, "seriously, Summer it's four minutes" on me. You know what happens when you are <b>FOUR</b> minutes behind schedule at the exit ramp to school...instead of being number 2 to turn left across two lanes of traffic you are automatically number 4,325! That's right and then there's the line to wait for the nice police officer who risks his life every morning in crazy school traffic to tell me I can turn into the school. Said line is now stretching back over the over pass when <b>FOUR</b> minutes earlier I could have been the next in line. AND don't even get me started on the line that actually leads to the drop off doors of the school....seriously!! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>FOUR</b> minutes earlier she would have already been walking in the doors on her way to her class where she would be putting away her Hello Kitty backpack, sitting nicely at her desk with a coloring page ready to start her day...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>FOUR</b> minutes later, she is walking in the doors on her way to her class where she will be putting away her Hello Kitty book bag and sitting nicely at her desk with a coloring page ready to start her day.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Well, okay so <b>FOUR</b> minutes doesn't make a hill of beans difference, but the point is to a mom who has had an EMOTIONALLY charged morning..you better believe that it does! I am sitting in that car in that line wondering how many times I could actually bang my head against a wall before I was out cold, and begging Jesus to teach me how to be her mom because I am clueless. I can feel tears stinging my eyes (you remember the percentage of emotions my girl got from me don't you) the grip on the steering wheel is getting tighter as I replay all the events of the morning~every last star in the five star fit....and I have labeled yet another morning with this girl as a Mommy-Fail. She sees my ugly face more than she see my loving one, and she sees selfishness more than she see Jesus shining through her mama sometimes.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And then as we are in the line waiting to approach the doors to her school, you know that one where <b>FOUR</b> minutes didn't really matter. This gorgeous girl, unfastens her seat belt, leans forward from the back seat with elbows on the armrest, looking at me with those daddy-inspired brown eyes and says "Mommy, I can't wait for tomorrow, it's P.J. day in my class". </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">REALLY</span>? </i>Just like that, when I took the 10+ minutes of driving time from home to school to let my emotions infuriate me more (and just when I was about to give the MOMMY is in charge speech) this girl, the one <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">HE GAVE ME</span> is over it and not only over it, but over it with a heart exploding with the excitement of wearing pj's to school tomorrow! </span></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Immediately, I have peace. Peace that Jesus gave her to speak to me. A permission to "just get over it". She gave me grace in the way she called me "Mommy" with a sweetness in her voice and the way she wanted to share with me the most exciting thing in her little 5 year old life~It's p.j. day at school tomorrow....</span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I won't admit that my mind is already orchestrating tomorrow mornings combing event as I try to convince her that wearing PJ's to school doesn't really mean you can also sport the bed-head hair do. I will admit that asking the question, 'What in the world just happened?' was one of the best ones I could have asked myself. I still don't know what HE was thinking when <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">He gave me a girl, </span>but he surely knew <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>I needed her.</i></span></span></div>
Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17853367862636550602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020615971793614568.post-82261669203204210632013-08-27T11:29:00.000-04:002013-08-27T11:29:40.127-04:00It's a Gift....and it can be yours.<div>
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am leaving you with a gift--peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid. John 14:27 NIV</span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">'There are times when our peace is based upon ignorance, but when we awaken to the facts of life, inner peace is impossible unless it is received from Jesus. When Our Lord speaks peace, He makes peace; His words are ever "spirit and life." Have I ever received what Jesus speaks? <i>"My peace I give to you" </i>it is a peace which comes from looking into His face and realizing His undisturbedness.' <i>Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, Classic Edition</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It was no coincidence that this was today's reading in 'ole Oswald. Actually, every time I engage with Oswald, it is far from coincidental...sometimes it just plain freaks me out. There hasn't been a time when I sat to open the pages of his book that it isn't spot-on, punch-me-in-the-face purposeful! Did you catch the question he asked of us? "Have I ever received what Jesus speaks?" I caught it. I stayed on it long. Swelling in my heart was the answer to the question; burning its way to my lips as if I couldn't get it out fast enough. "YES!" My answer is "YES!" I have received what Jesus speaks...and that is why after 1 year and 7 months almost to the day of my last entry, I am writing this. I needed to tell you the story, my story; the one that Jesus has written about me. This blog has several past entries, written by me, from a heart that wasn't quite whole. They are all true stories about my life experiences, ones full of tears and laughter and God encounters...and they all matter in His pursuit of me and I would choose to live them again. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Ozzie", as he is affectionately called around our house, goes on to say: 'Reflected peace is the proof that you are right with God because you are at liberty to turn your mind to Him. If you are not right with God, you can never turn your mind anywhere but on yourself. If you allow anything to hide the face of Jesus Christ from you, you are either disturbed or you have a false security.' OUCH! See what I mean...that was a straight up punch in the face!!! This was me not so long ago: self focused and falsely secure. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My life has been marked by the "Look Good, Do Good, Be Good" mentality. I was really good at being good and really exhausted. I grew up in church, went twice a week on Wednesdays and Sundays. I had amazing grandparents who made a real effort to get me there when my parents couldn't and I rarely missed as a child. I talked to Jesus and learned how to tell him I loved him because of a song I memorized from Psalty the Singing Songbook (come on, don't pretend you didn't jam it out to Psalty back in the day). The problem was that nobody really told me (or if they did, it didn't sink in) that Jesus didn't just belong at church and that I could have a real relationship with Him. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Then I became a teenager (do I really need to elaborate on this...really?) Pretty much did my thing, attitude and all. There were lots of times when the 'being good' part of my plan kind of fell to the wayside, but by God's grace I made it to young adulthood without any major derailments. College was more of the same, but by this time my exhaustive efforts of "Good" were resulting in insecurity, anxiety, and fear. I would bounce in and out of church whenever it was convenient, or if I am being transparent here and I am, if I felt like getting out of bed to get there on time.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And then enters my knight in shining armor! Okay, so it wasn't like that at all, but stay with me. Through a series of events (a terribly unhealthy relationship, parting ways with my roommate of 4 years, and overwhelming anxiety and insecurity) I found myself applying for a job at a local restaurant. It was a last ditch effort to make new friends and get out of my funk. Long story short (because this is a whole other story that is my second favorite to tell next to this one of my redemption) I met my future husband. He told me how important Jesus was in his life and I thought, "Hey I believe in Jesus, so this is going to work out just fine." </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We had begun attending a new church and in August of 2000 I took a step of courage toward the cross. I left my seat during an alter call. This was such a big deal because it meant being known and exposed and wrestling with the thoughts in my head about what everyone must think about me! Afterall, I was back on track of Look Good, Do Good, Be Good. I knelt down front and got to dump off a lot of things that day. When I went back to my seat I had a new fire. I was hungry to know all about Jesus! And off I went...to bible studies, book stores, conferences, serving roles, journaling, and anything else I could get my hands on in the name of Jesus! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I strived to learn all I could about Him and I fell in love with Him. He showed up big time in more than one area in my life. I tried to do all the things I knew Jesus would want me to do but I was most often frustrated and rarely had joy. You see, what happened that day 13 years ago was me doing what would make me feel better about myself and getting up from that alter "knowing" exactly what I "should" do for Jesus. There was a big huge part of that encounter that was missing~an exchange. It would take years for me to realize it~and in His greatness, Jesus never stopped pursuing me.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I kept filling my head with knowledge and doing good for Jesus. I went on a mission trip to Malawi, Africa (that you can read about in this blog) that forever changed my heart, and stirred a love in me that I didn't know I could have. I was even baptized because I understood the act of obedience that it was and I wanted to be good for Jesus and the people in my life. We were attending a church near Columbus, Ohio at the time of the baptism and mission trip. That church was led well, and week after week I soaked up some AMAZING teaching...but all the while I was soaking, spiritual pride was manifesting. Nothing that was filling my head was getting to my heart! And everyone assumed I was "good" in my walk with Jesus. I didn't know any different and neither did they.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">While I was still getting comfortable with our move from Indiana to Ohio, God was already planning a major right hand turn in our lives. Another move....to Kentucky (of all places, the home of horses and college basketball neither of which spark any form of excitement in me). The weeks before our move a sweet girl by the name of Angie told us about a church in Lexington that she thought we would LOVE!! We thanked her for her help and set out to 'find our own way'...needless to say we spent weeks church shopping and every week we left empty and frustrated that it wasn't the right fit. After one more completely brutal Sunday dragging our kids to yet another set of strange faces and leaving defeated, I said to my honey, "Next week, we are going to Quest."</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">We had been attending Quest Community Church for over a year and I had jumped in right away with a serving role, a women's lifegroup, a couple's lifegroup, even acceptance into Accelerate (our churches leadership development program). I was doing it completely under my own control. I had no idea that I had never surrendered my whole heart to Jesus and <i>received</i> His Grace and the Gift he was offering me in exchange for my junk. What He wanted to do in my heart was not convenient for me and I fought it, hard. I was clinging to that moment 13 years ago as MY moment of accepting Jesus and forging ahead with all "his" good! And I was completely exhausted...if you are on the never ending merry-go-round of the Do Gooders...you know what I am talking about.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">It was after hearing a message about Mary and Martha (it has always been one of my favorites by the way) when I realized my life was all about "doing things for Jesus, and rarely about being with Jesus," and that was because I had never given Him access to my whole heart. It was at baptism three days after that message this past April, that he wrecked me. Those being baptized shared their stories of redemption from stage. It was Sondra Stakelin's, a sweet little grandma who had lived 60 plus years doing good for Jesus, that spoke to the condition of my heart...it was a foreshadowing of where I was heading in my feat to be GOOD! It was as if Jesus was saying to me, <i>"You can keep going in the direction that you are going, but I can never give you rest in it".</i> For the first time ever I was forced to realize that I was drowning in Spiritual Pride. I was a good girl, I loved people, there was no way I could be prideful (typical of a prideful person). It was so hard to humble myself because I didn't want all that had happened over the past 13 yrs not to count. My husband of 12 years, had no idea. As a matter of fact, he had just asked me two weeks earlier, "So do I really know your whole Jesus story?" I wanted to punch him square in the nose!! We had been married for 12 years...how could he not know me? My family had only seen Jesus through my own pride and all I "knew" about Him. I cheered on friends in my lifegroup who accepted Christ in my living room and I just missed it. Everyone around me had an impression of me that wasn't the real me~it was good, but it wasn't the me He created me to be. I was embarrassed and ashamed. Now I understand that all of those years did matter in His pursuit of me; even down to the one where Jesus gave me Isaiah 41:10 as a scared 19 year old on her first airplane flight who packed her dusty bible "just in case". He NEVER let me go.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">I kept seeing a wall, very clearly that night at the service, that I couldn't get over without laying down the control and the pride. On April 17th 2013 two amazing women in my life encouraged me and loved me as I "climbed" over that wall as they led me to Jesus and I made the exchange of my "good" for His best. The peace in my heart was unexplainable and I could finally just sit at His feet. I didn't care what anyone thought, my embarrassment went away, I didn't feel like I needed to perform, or even be good!! I just felt at rest. Since then there have been several times when my old "good" self wants to lead out, but I can bring everything under Jesus’ authority and believe who He says I am. </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Click the link to see a so sweet capture of this moment:</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://photos.questcommunity.com/2013Events/The-Uprising/The-Uprising-2013-Baptism/i-b5dkbwb/0/M/130417%20THE%20UPRISING%20BAPTISM%205005-M.jpg" target="_blank">http://photos.questcommunity.com/2013Events/The-Uprising/The-Uprising-2013-Baptism/i-b5dkbwb/0/M/130417%20THE%20UPRISING%20BAPTISM%205005-M.jpg</a></span></span>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">So on June 2nd, I made the choice to be baptized having received a new heart in Christ. I got to stand on the stage and share my story to hundreds of people in church and online...you won't believe what Jesus did! My husband was in the back of the church praying for me as I spoke because He wanted Jesus to show me that it mattered that I didn't keep quiet. You see, I didn't feel my story was very significant...I wasn't rescued from the pit of despair due to addiction or abuse or abandonment....HE rescued me from myself and answered the prayer of my honey. While I was still dripping wet from the dunking, Jesus gave me the sweetest gift. There was a girl sitting in the crowd, the sister of my dearest friend, who heard my story and said, "that's me". She responded to hearing the Gospel from our Pastor and gave her life to Christ right then AND had the courage to be baptized on the spot completely unprepared. Only Jesus can do a work like that and use a once completely prideful good girls story to make a ripple for His Kingdom! Feeling like an "Amen" is in order in the house ;)!! Here's my favorite pic from baptism:</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">So here I am with John 14:27...."</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give." </i>Friends, this is my story. Jesus' story that is being lived out right here in this passionate-about-a-lot-of-things-not-great-at-any-of-them-girl. I wrote this because Jesus prompted me to...and I believe that it will matter in one way or another. In ways that I may never know until I get to Heaven, but I couldn't keep quiet. I needed to re-introduce myself to you and tell you that you want this kind of eternal peace. Things are no where near Rainbows and Unicorns (as my little firecracker says) for me, but it's okay. Even today I peeled that firecracker off my hips and handed her to her teacher screaming, because in her world a five year old needs a pair of shoes to match every outfit and she couldn't see past it...but thankfully (after a long walk, a sweet word from my honey, and a cup of coffee) I can. I know without a doubt where I will go if these words are the last you ever read from me and getting to rest in that peace is like nothing I have ever known before and it has nothing to do with any "good" things I said or my performance. Thank goodness I don't have to be in control of my eternity, doing God's "job" is exhausting. So I will borrow from Ozzie and ask you "Have <i>you </i>ever received what Jesus speaks?" I love you! Thanks so much for being in this moment with me. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>A note to sweet Angie: thanks for your obedience to Jesus in mentioning the church He wanted us to attend. It has made all the difference. BTW, the Hamilton's are amazing!</i></span></div>
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Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17853367862636550602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020615971793614568.post-3407012790733261912012-01-26T10:30:00.000-05:002012-01-26T10:30:54.540-05:00This is my story...This is my song....<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Yesterday I stood among a sanctuary full of women who were praising and worshiping God together before being ushered off to the small group session of BSF. BSF stands for Bible Study Fellowship and is an international bible study that meets weekly. A very sweet friend from Ohio has encouraged me for a few years to join. I tried in Ohio, but there wasn't a spot available for my Hallie in the children's class (which also has a curriculum based on the same lesson the grown-ups are doing) so I moved. Upon, our move to Kentucky, that same friend reminded me of BSF and after finding a local chapter I was pleased to discover they had spots for both myself and my Hallie girl! It has been amazing. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Part of the structure of BSF is to sing hymns (you know the ones from actual song books in church~not normally what you hear on K-Love). At first I didn't think I would really enjoy that part, as I really prefer the Contemporary Christian music that really makes me what to burst open in praise. I grew up with the 'old hymns' and honestly never really connected with them. Until yesterday.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">As I stood the song Blessed Assurance was being played on the piano and I closed my eyes. My Grandmother Holt used to play that song. She primarily played the organ at church and I could just hear the notes as her fingers struck those black and whites. At that moment, I was overcome with emotion. I missed her ( I was only 7 when she passed away) terribly. I began to remember as I sang 'This is my story, This is my song..." all the memories I had of her. She reminded me of June Cleaver, always wearing her pearls and whipping up yumminess for her boys (my dad was the youngest). As I think back, she was the essence of Grace and Beauty. Then I thought how sweet it was that even for a short time, she was a part of my story. The thing that warms my heart is that I have hope that I may see her when I get to heaven. I wonder if she might be playing "Blessed Assurance" up there. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">When I opened my eyes, these words from the song were on the screen 'Heir of Salvation, Purchase of God. Born of His Spirit, Washed in His Blood.' Friends, do you even know how awesome that is??? </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We are Heirs to the King of Kings of the Eternal Kingdom that NEVER ENDS!!!! We were purchased as treasures by God through the dying of His ONLY SON! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It is not just by chance that I am sitting at this desk, breathing. God chose me. And because He chose me I have a responsibility to respond (another profound thought from BSF). Do you want to spend Eternity in a place of perfection? Do you desire that Blessed Assurance? You know what loves, you can have it. Just speak His name, asking for forgiveness from your sins (we are all born sinners. I was no different, until I chose to be different), and choose to believe in the One who died so you can live. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">How cool that all those years of listen to 'old hymns' was not just designed to be music to my ears, but to be assurance for my heart. And what a sweet bonus that HE attached my memories of those songs <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXh-loC8Ans">Blessed Assurance</a> to a beautiful, graceful, child of His. Thank you Grandmother for being a part of my story, save me a seat on that piano bench!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">'This is my story....This is my song....Praising my Savior all the day long.'</span>Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17853367862636550602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020615971793614568.post-73677139283712913492011-11-17T10:20:00.002-05:002011-11-17T10:28:52.361-05:00Happily Ever After in.....KENTUCKY??!!??<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Well this has been a week, folks!!! I was getting super excited to begin teaching pilates and kickboxing again at the local YMCA! I was supposed to start today~except I'm not. My hubby had submitted to be willing to God's offer of going to Africa in February on a mission with our church~except the door was shut. Hallie was twirling and tapping her way to her very first dance recital in May~except she won't be going. Parker was counting the days until he could play soccer again in the Spring~except the Strikers will be striking without him. I realize this all sounds very over dramatic and it is intended to! What you were just privilegded to read was the small temper tantrum of an almost 34-year old mature woman! And now I'm done and I feel better.....</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">So a week ago today my darling husband called to tell me that he believed very much that we would be moving......to KENTUCKY.......the first week of.........JANUARY. If you know our family or have read any of my blogs you know that we moved to Ohio from Indiana nearly 3 years ago for an 18 month "temporary" venture. Well after 2 yrs we had just thrown up our hands, moved out of our apartment and into a rental home just this past May in order to "live where we live". We were settling in~for the long haul. Clearly, our timing and God's timing are not exactly the same. I say 'long haul' (meaning a couple of years), HE hears 'long haul' (meaning 6 months). So in the last week, I have played over the several moving opportunities we have heard about in the almost 3 years of being in Ohio, that didn't play out. Let's see, there was Lincoln, Nebraska, Fresno, California, Boston, Massachusetts, Witchita, Kansas, and Highland, Illinois. Each time I of course, like any supportive wife would, went straight to Google to research schools, homes, churches, climate, and of course driving distance from our extended families. Each of those 'opportunites' were removed leaving us even more determined to just bloom where we had been planted. But this time was different. </i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">I saw a certainty in my lovie that told me, "this is for real~get to Goggling". Once we were face to face to talk about this we both had the most amazing peace~you know the kind~it's as if your entire being sighs and you just know it's supposed to happen exactly as it unfolds. So instead of resistance and dread of moving our kids in the middle of the school year, or the always pleasant church shopping, or having your house be full of strange men touching EVERYTHING (i'm kind of a germ-a-phobe) we are willing to accept WHATEVER, WHENEVER, WHEREVER! </i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"> Two years ago, we would not have been ready for this. God allowed the opportunities, and shut the doors in order to better mold us and shape us both into who HE wanted us to be before leaving Ohio. I'm convinced he brought us to Ohio for that purpose alone. Now, let me just say that we are no where near our full potential in God's eyes, but we are so much more willing to be molded than if He has left us to ourselves in Indiana. I know it doesn't have to be that way for everyone, some people can live in the same place forever and still be willing to be molded~but not the SISNEY'S! He needed to isolate us and remove our comfort zone in order for us to become completely dependent on HIM.</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">And, I wouldn't change one part of the process even if I could. Ohio has been the most amazing journey for our family! We met some amazing people, learned so much about ourselves, and grew spiritually in ways I never thought possible. So the temper tantrum you experienced is just my fleshy human response to the obvious~things change. It's normally not pleasant, or anticipated, or desired, but it happens. I am overwhelmed when I think about how much more God has to teach and show our family. I expect Him to blow us away and it is already so obvious that HE is driving this ship~now if I can just remember to keep my hands off the wheel~we should all be just fine!</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">When I graduated from high school and RAN out of Kentucky, I never thought my Happily Ever After would bring me back there. Thankfully though, we get to experience a city that neither of us ever would on our own accord. Lexington, KY here come the Sisney's! </i></span><br />
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</i></span>Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17853367862636550602noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020615971793614568.post-53106124439259239742011-11-04T09:20:00.000-04:002011-11-04T09:20:05.077-04:00Stirrin' the Pot and Pushin' the PlowToday I am breathing. I am breathing because God allows it. Have you ever just sat and listened to yourself breath.......in........out.......in.......out? It can be quite intimate when you put it into perspective with: <div><br />
</div><div><i>Acts 17:28~For in Him we live and move and exist. </i></div><div><i><br />
</i></div><div>We live because He created us, We move because he deems it so, We exist because he continues to sustain us~by design. Not because we deserve it, not because we have earned it, and most certainly not because He has to. HE desires to. HE desires us.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Today I sit and I am breathing with a desire to be full of HIM, to not stand up unless He purposes me to do so. For me this is how I lay myself at HIS feet. Less of me, More of you, Lord. Breath in YOU, Breath out ME. Sometimes I have to come to these moments of simplicity to submit to God's stirring of the pot and to surrender my pushing of the plow. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Let me just define these phrases according to the highly esteemed Sisney Family Reference.</div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">"Stirrin' the Pot"~ a phrase used when the Spirit within is churning and bringing to realization the unavoidable purposes and plans the Lord God has predestined in our lives.</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">"Pushin' the Plow" ~ a phrase intended to express our fleshly abilities to "handle it" or "make it happen" because if it's something we desire, it MUST also be what God desires for us (or so we mistakenly believe at times).</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And I am there at the corner of "Pushin' the Plow" and "Stirrin' the Pot". I pause. I breath. I am reminded:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Proverbs 19:21 ~ You can make many plans, but the Lord's purpose will prevail.</i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I think I'll save myself the sprained ankles, broken spirit, and calloused heart that "Pushin' the Plow" can bring. Instead, I will submit to the stirring and stand in awe of what my God will bring to the surface.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And I will continue breathing......because He is my air.</span></div><div><br />
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</div>Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17853367862636550602noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020615971793614568.post-59605458870647147142011-09-21T19:21:00.000-04:002011-09-21T19:21:37.225-04:00Peace and PassionI wanted to badly to get these journal entries blogged immediately after returning from Africa, but guess what?? Life moved back in and robbed my time. I am bitter about that because I have allowed it. I am frustrated by that because it makes me want to retreat from all things, but how can God use me if I'm a home-bound hermit?? It is what it is and here is the <i>"rest of the story" </i><br />
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<i>Day 12~It's starting to wind down.</i><br />
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<i>Today was so peaceful. This morning I was able to just stand out back of our cabin and look over the city of Zomba down below. What a breath taking view and that's what I did~ I just breathed. I prayed that god would not allow me to return home unchanged and for the amazing opportunities to see his hand. I was invited to attend a teen girls seminar this morning about Etiquette at the Ku Chawe Hotel (Sunbird). The hotel was beautiful, it's just a little farther up the mountain than our cabins. I would definitely stay there for vacation, the food smelled delicious, the rooms seems so nice, and the views were unbelievable. </i><br />
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<i>Omega and Misse (from the Passion Center staff) gave a talk to the girls about Etiquette, not just how we outwardly present and handle ourselves, but also about how we inwardly reveal our beauty. The one thing that just sizzled on my heart was when Omega told the girls they were "expensive" and not to cheapen themselves for anything or anyone. After all, they are daughters of THE KING. I can't wait to start teaching that to Hallie! </i><i>In the afternoon I went down to the Passion Center hoping to play with Kalipo and Phalles, but they weren't around. However, God never disappoints because as soon as we showed up other children quickly joined us in playing with the Parachute...it was such fun! </i><br />
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<i>Team Time was amazing tonight. First of all it was Joni's birthday (Chris' was the day before and since they are THE LOVIES we celebrated together!) so we got to have brownies...HOORAY!! But we also sang Sweetly Broken one last time and it was such a precious moment for me. "For on it my Savior, both bruised and crushed showed that God is love and God is just" This is my favorite line because no matter what I have seen or experienced here in Malawi or what I want to change about the trials in the lives of the people here, I can have faith that God is LOVE and God is JUST even here in Zomba, Malawi.</i><br />
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<i>Day 13~THE GOODBYES</i><br />
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<i>It's bittersweet and I can honestly say THE most amazing experience of my life. This morning I went down to the Passion Center in the earliest leaving Pajero I could squeeze into. When we arrived we took our last walk down to the Multipurpose Room and I silently prayed that God would allow me to love on Phalles and Kalipo one last time. Oh boy did He provide! As my head popped over the hedges I heard, "SUMMA, SUMMA!" and there stood my Phalles arms open wide ready to run toward me for her hug! Remember this is the same child who would barely make eye contact with me on Day 1. What a precious child. We played most of the morning and then I wanted to take her aside to explain that I had to go back to America tomorrow. I couldn't even get a word out before she became so excited talking to me in Chechewan, pointing to herself and to the villages in the distance. I, of course, couldn't understand her, so thankfully Fatsani, one of the interns from the Passion Center was close by and was able to translate for me. Here's what she said, "I am so happy that you are here and I want you to come to my house." I was thrilled and overwhelmed. Fatsani walked with us (as navigation/direction is not my strong suit). I held Phalles' hand as she practically pulled me through the village paths to her village. I was able to meet her mother, who is so beautiful, and as soon as I arrived they hurried to get me a mat to sit on so I wouldn't get dirty by sitting on the ground. Fatsani translated and this American mother, who loves her own children deperately, talked to this Malawian mother who is desperately trying to provide for her own child. It was AWESOME! I was so humbled to be accepted so willingly. I mean a stranger shows up unexpected and instead of thinking 'oh my hair is a mess, or I haven't cleaned the house' Elina rushes to bring me a mat to sit on! I could learn so much for this gorgeous lady. Through Fatsani, I was able to ask Elina about specific prayer request, her health, Phalles, and her salvation. I promised her that I would pray for her as requested and I learned that she had been saved in Dec. 2008~what a Blessing! We took some pictures, we prayed and I encouraged her Mom 2 Mom. I can't tell you how sweet this was, I am still so overwhelmed.</i><br />
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<i>On our walk back, Fatsani also pointed out that Kalipo lived in the same village and we called his name to see if he was home. After calling a few times, Fatsani asked if I would recognize him and I said on yes~I can't forget that smile! Before long here comes my Kalipo beaming from ear to ear down his village road. The funny thing was that after chatting both Phalles and Kalipo wanted to clean up before coming to play with me. Fatsani and I headed back to the Passion soccer field and before long my sweets joined me. Kalipo, his friends, and I played a little extreme Frisbee and Phalles had fun taking pictures. After a bit I took Kalipo aside because I wanted to share a few things with him. I told him I was leaving and I encouraged him to choose good friends and to live for God. He said he understood but he never spoke English to me during my visit, so I trust that he heard me. I told him that he would always be a piece of my heart and that I would pray daily for him. I also let him know I would write and send pictures. It was tough leaving them but I didn't want to cry in front of them. I wanted them to remember smiles! </i><br />
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<i>Later on we gathered at The Rock for a group picture and before we parted for good I hugged them and blew them a kiss (which was precious~all Kalipos friends erupted in adolescent laughter punching him on the arm) I redeemed him and went back for a much cooler love filled knuckle bump :~). Phalles was just adorable and hugged and blew kisses over and over. </i><br />
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<i>I've said it before but a portion of my heart is shaped a little like Malawi now. As we walked down the hill I kept looking back to that rock where the kids remained and I couldn't believe God chose me to be on this trip. And to experience his Love and his Glory through a place called the Passion Center in Zomba, Malawi.</i><br />
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<i>Tionana Zomba!! (see you later, Zomba)</i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One Last Squeeze!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LOVE</td></tr>
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</i>Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17853367862636550602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020615971793614568.post-83329288681435988572011-09-04T15:42:00.000-04:002011-09-04T15:42:04.741-04:00Safari Day~Jeremiah 1:5-7Day 11~Safari Day<br />
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Today was Safari Day! We loaded on a huge bus with 28 of our team and Passion Center Staff, drove 3 hours to the National Park of Muvuu. The first part of the land safari was uneventful except for a small herd of elephant crossing the road in front of us. We had to stop our bus momentarily to allow the very small group of very large animals as much space as they needed. The water safari was much more adventurous. When we arrived and I saw the boats, which looked like they were straight out of the movie African Queen, I began to panic and actually considered backing out. Remembering my promise to not let fear control me I figured I could not come all the way to Africa and not go on a real safari! So on the boat I went! It was beautiful. I couldn't believe all the hippos and crocodiles lining the shore and how eerily they slipped into the water precisely as our boats approached. We even had an up close and personal view of an elephant! So glad I didn't allow fear to join me on that boat, I would have missed out on so much.<br />
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On the way back to Zomba, we came upon a village protest of the government concerning the fuel shortages. It was a very tense moment, but God was all over it from the beginning. Ahead of us we saw what appeared to be a fire in the road, after a few minutes we realized the fire was moving. We found out later that it was moving because it was a large group of citizens holding torches. Our driver stopped the bus and was approached by a few locals who told him what was going on and apparently that he should hide the bus for our safety. While he was talking I noticed a little white Corolla with two military men inside and a little dirt path that presumably led to a village. Our bus backed up and preceded to drive down this little dirt path into the village. We went pretty far back into the brush and parked our very large 28 passenger bus in the front dirt patch (otherwise known as a yard here in the States) of some very unassuming although welcoming villagers. The military men in the Corolla had led us back and we all sat very still and very quiet, praying....praying....praying. We could smell the smoke from the torches and hear the yelling from the crowd. I was sad for the people, I was scared of the circumstance, and I thought a lot about my lovies. I saw God's hand, in the 2 military men that just "happened" to be available to escort us, on the village path that just "happened" to be right where we stopped offering a hiding place, and on our bus full of people who were standing in the gap, praying for God's will. Just that morning I had spent time reading and praying on Jeremiah 1:5-7:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"> "Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations. Don't say I'm too young; for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you and <b>don't be afraid of the people for I will be with you and protect you.</b><br />
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</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">My strong suit is not scripture memorization, but I am never short of amazed when God chooses to remind me of something I never thought I would remember. I spent so much time reading that verse and hoping I could pull from it in the right situation~the problem was all the "I's" God doesn't NEED me to make sure HIS will prevails~He will provide in ALL circumstances. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">We weren't in hiding more than a half hour before our bus was met at the main road by a truck full of fully armored military police ready to escort us all the way up the plateau. Our bus erupted in cheers and the officers were so kind approaching our driver saying in broken English "No worries, you are safe, no worries." Even in the most sour situations God will provide moments of sweetness. It's up to us on which ones we choose to focus. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the most perfect African Safari Photo!</td></tr>
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</div>Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17853367862636550602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020615971793614568.post-77848989783660775532011-08-22T09:55:00.000-04:002011-08-22T09:55:37.999-04:00Mulungu Ndi Wabwino Nathawi Zonse<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">My last blog marked the end of the first week, but by no means the end of this adventure~this week's entries are sure to make me smile and cry as I relive the memories of Malawi! Enjoy!</span></i><br />
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<i>Day 9~Vacation Bible School & Youth Rally</i><br />
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<i>Vacation Bible School was this morning and I was asked to teach the craft to the younger aged kids and it was great! There were 3 different classes, each progressing in age a year or so. So there were five of us selected to explain the craft, Brenda, Ashley, Kris, Kim, and myself. Praise the Lord for our awesome translator, Carol as we would not have survived without her! So we walk into the first class room where all the little tinies were seated on the floor. I look in the front row and there was my sweet Phalles smiling from ear to ear, I haven't seen her light up like that all week! We taught them Genesis 1:1 and helped them make a spinning wheel describing the days of creation. They caught on very quickly and overall all three classes went well. I was sad when it was over. There was something so powerful about two different cultures (ours and theirs) coming together on the very first verse of the bible to remind us that we ALL have the SAME Creator! </i><br />
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<i>After lunch I was looking around in the Passion Center Office and saw "God is Good All the Time" written in Chichewa on a dry erase board. I wrote it down in this journal in hopes of writing it on my heart: Mulungu ndi wabwino nathawi zonse</i><br />
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<i>In the afternoon I was able to go to the Youth Rally at the Botanical Gardens where Abusa Mark gave the message. He rocked it! I wrote down everything he said so that I could send it to Kalipo in a letter, it was that important! He spoke on Purity and Choosing the Right Friends. After his talk we broke up into small groups with the girls and boys separately. Our charge was to encourage them to open up about what they had heard Pastor Mark speak on. It was like pulling teeth to get those girls to talk! Janessa and Missy were fantastic at getting on their level and were able to establish a safe place for the girls to share anything they'd like. It was a special moment to encourage the girls to stand firm on the truth!</i><br />
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<i>Day 10~ More VBS and Vision Clinic</i><br />
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<i>Another round of VBS this morning. The first session was crazy!! There were 150 tinies trying to string tiny beads on a tiny string~it quickly became chaotic but we did the best we could. The next two classes were much better, Ashley took the lead this time and explained it much better than I had in the first class, Praise the Lord! The little ones just wanted to eat the beads and store them in their pockets for later. Again, I was able to see Phalles and Kalipo in the classes! At the end we handed out little goodie bags and their faces lit up~so excited to get their sweeties! After it was over all the kids gathered in the school yard to receive juice and a snack, but it was very chaotic with all the kids! For a moment I just stood on top of an old tree stump and just scanned the crowd thinking how awesome God was to allow me on the trip. I had given Phalles a hug and said, "Tionana", see you later as I always do, but I couldn't find Kalipo. We had gotten separated in the confusion of the crowd and I was bummed to leave without saying goodbye. I waited for a bit but decided to head back down the hill on my own. I had gotten to the bottom of the hill and was about to cross the bridge, and I felt the Holy Spirit saying, "Turn Around". So I did. As I came to the top of the hill, there was my Kalipo standing on the same tree stump I had been on earlier and he was waiting for me. I joked with him about not saying goodbye and we both left smiling. Mulugu Ndi Wabwino Nathawi Zonse</i><br />
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<i>The day ended with the Vision Clinic and it was awesome (i really do say this all the time, don't i?) I got to help and it was such a blessing to see the excitement when these people could see for the first time in who knows how long. God gave Brenda this "vision" and it was wonderful to see it come to life. There were two "examining rooms" that were made up of three chairs and 1 table on the concrete slab that would eventually be a carport. Two "eye charts" that were actually two of our team members (the patients were asked could they see our faces for distance screening or could they read a card for reading glass screening). At the very back of the "office" were three suitcases loaded with glasses and three team members fitting the patients. It was the most beautiful optometrist office in the world at that moment! </i><br />
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<i>There was one sweet lady who was the sole guardian to 6 children and while she was waiting for her turn she said, "I love you so much for being here." She was absolutely precious! After she had been examined and walked out wearing her new glasses she said, "I still love you." The Malawian people are beautiful and their joy is so raw, so simplistic, and so pure. O how I long for just that. And to that sweet little lady, "I love you too for just being here...."</i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7i_gppUnhzkCu6VBZX-RP5yVhoFWkRau4NNEGw3r0TOni0W1fTBytAkqlzZqNAz62EX64eflgksnWHMYpgkiP19pH32MUuaTOewVZ7Zhj5kqBfKRKiA8gKxdBKVoGTwHA0O7yL2xeLgY/s1600/IMG_5644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7i_gppUnhzkCu6VBZX-RP5yVhoFWkRau4NNEGw3r0TOni0W1fTBytAkqlzZqNAz62EX64eflgksnWHMYpgkiP19pH32MUuaTOewVZ7Zhj5kqBfKRKiA8gKxdBKVoGTwHA0O7yL2xeLgY/s320/IMG_5644.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Relaxing with the girls at the botanical gardens</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZLH1sH0F0UFOLQSbI0k20iyxKcU7SUOGqLcQlly4sncV14-BZ38kZf1rrkEUNXEDkuZqcUXINGbN4yT5iwiI68spw2meG-sYwG7jOgfxrASSGcOwW-KbzPd2z0L9g5wODua498dUgbpA/s1600/IMG_5631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZLH1sH0F0UFOLQSbI0k20iyxKcU7SUOGqLcQlly4sncV14-BZ38kZf1rrkEUNXEDkuZqcUXINGbN4yT5iwiI68spw2meG-sYwG7jOgfxrASSGcOwW-KbzPd2z0L9g5wODua498dUgbpA/s320/IMG_5631.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kalipo and friends at VBS</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC3UC4fkUKT_Qxi7a1-vnhWnRYqF6kT0wCuj-s8nKqEuoZyd6o5ubcjIeuc48ahXh2zRD2t0uc2Xhyuzk40Vwhyphenhyphen873z3cV0MxxRXKuILC4ByaDOWd5zwJhN0FpdNi_PrG1rhDN2mTAO9M/s1600/IMG_5632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC3UC4fkUKT_Qxi7a1-vnhWnRYqF6kT0wCuj-s8nKqEuoZyd6o5ubcjIeuc48ahXh2zRD2t0uc2Xhyuzk40Vwhyphenhyphen873z3cV0MxxRXKuILC4ByaDOWd5zwJhN0FpdNi_PrG1rhDN2mTAO9M/s320/IMG_5632.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Phalles with her VBS craft<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9AU0mjYDCQBI5pRk9lHkJkrceGBAICgucDXNDbibgiS2qXGpUMcJBIedoskGmsftOTuLxUFdkwDd9vxnIS3MT6MEL2Pcb9LTRfe4MtYktNbFBfcqczfsdmC0RSjQAWNFcYcfkSCYCZqo/s1600/IMG_5672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9AU0mjYDCQBI5pRk9lHkJkrceGBAICgucDXNDbibgiS2qXGpUMcJBIedoskGmsftOTuLxUFdkwDd9vxnIS3MT6MEL2Pcb9LTRfe4MtYktNbFBfcqczfsdmC0RSjQAWNFcYcfkSCYCZqo/s320/IMG_5672.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Optometry Office #1~Kara/Fatsani</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAZgQARO6V_K-OuS6vRb14z13c8rL4zA27vV8uwktzd1-U-cOs_20Ccn5A33FfNel5L2g2TgpcxLcVdf5HTLyLPAYvEfxnKKxoXMJ2kavk_HeRamGyGSJe8XFIDBgGUr9Smwu5cE5wicA/s1600/IMG_5673.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAZgQARO6V_K-OuS6vRb14z13c8rL4zA27vV8uwktzd1-U-cOs_20Ccn5A33FfNel5L2g2TgpcxLcVdf5HTLyLPAYvEfxnKKxoXMJ2kavk_HeRamGyGSJe8XFIDBgGUr9Smwu5cE5wicA/s320/IMG_5673.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Optometry Office #2 Brenda/Joseph<br />
Eye charts Jessica/Kris<br />
Fitting Lab in the distance<br />
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Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17853367862636550602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020615971793614568.post-73605969858692570642011-08-09T22:31:00.001-04:002011-08-09T22:36:29.484-04:00Week 1~ Comes to a Close<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">It continues to be a blessing to relive these days through the rewriting of them! Below are exact entries from my journal for Days 5-8</span><br />
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<i>Days 5-7</i><br />
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<i>So I have fallen a bit behind in my journals~I'll try to catch up! Friday and Saturday were the Sports Bonanza. The Passion Center has a team in the Futbol (Soccer) Division for boys and the Netball (Basketball) Division for girls. The soccer boys didn't fair too well, but gave a great effort two days in a row. It was so fun to watch. They kick the ball so high and don't play with the ball on the ground as we do in the States. I was amazed that several of them played with one or no shoes. The Passion Netball team won the Championship!! It was pretty cool. I watched a little bit of it and realized I had no idea what they were doing and moved back over to the soccer field. It held more of my interest for two reasons. 1) My sweet Parker enjoys playing soccer at home so much and it made me feel a bit more connected with him despite the distance. 2) My sweet Kalipo enjoys playing soccer in Malawi so much and it made me feel a bit more connected with him despite the distance. I am telling you being with Kalipo was like being with Parker + 6 years! God is incredible!</i><br />
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<i>Kalipo and Phalles show up everywhere I am and I love it! Kalipo is so well mannered and has immediately taken on the role of my protector. If any other kids begin to overtake me he is quick to have them move back. While sitting at the soccer game he would clear out anyone who sat in my line of sight. He really enjoys playing Frisbee and is already trying to make it arch way out and come directly to me. He can sing and loves to dance. I truly believe My Parker and My Kalipo are different flowers from the same garden. </i><br />
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<i>Phalles was so quiet and shy when I met her. She wouldn't reciprocate any emotions to me (not at all surprising or even expected) and now she is a big ball of excitement when she sees me. Holding my hands and wanting to wear my sunglasses all the time. I had a rip in my skirt and in her resourcefulness she noticed it and tied it together to "repair" the tear and it was really quite cute! Her smile is so welcoming and her eyes tell such a story. What a precious child.</i><br />
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<i>The sun was hot these two days, the days were long, and the kids were many. Last night my body shut down and I felt drained of life~like never before. I've been worn out and even exhausted, but not like this. This was complete fatigue. Sweet Nurse Brenda made me go to bed @7 p.m. and I rested very well. So thankful for the prayers from my team and family back home. I woke up on Sunday feeling 90% better! </i><br />
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<i>Day 8~</i><br />
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<i>Wow one week today! Pastor Eric put it this way: We have packed 25lbs into a 5lb bag so far on this trip. It's been an amazing first week. I am excited for the second, but also bummed that it will be over at the end of it. </i><br />
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<i>Today we split into groups and went to several of the village churches. I attended Pastor Lawrence Mandwalla's Church and Chris Weaver gave the message. Chris was fantastic We all got to share our testimonies along with members of the congregations and a youth group came a long way to sing! I was amazed, they were wonderful. One moment that was so sweet for me was seeing the Pastors 3 year old daughter approach him at the pulpit with her little hand extended wanting daddy to give her money to put in the offering plate. It just reminded me of my children of course, but it was another board in the bridge from Ohio to Malawi. Little girls need their daddy's and that outstretched hand starts early and continues late, doesn't it? Praise the Lord that our Heavenly Father can give beyond what we can even imagine. There was nothing but praise and celebration for our Savior in that one room church.</i><br />
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<i>Two other things happened today. A girl from the Passion Center was buried today. We had heard that she may have had Malaria, but someone else said she may have had a brain tumor. Either way it's a harsh reminder of how much death is a part of this culture. There's a purpose in the way God's plan is orchestrated here in Malawi, but it seems so hard to understand.</i><br />
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<i>Also, precious Linda, a little 4 year old girl who lives at the Passion Center was taken to Blantyre Hospital for another operation to regain use of two more fingers on one of her hands. A little background: Linda had taken a radish when she lived with her grandmother a year or so ago because she was hungry. Her grandmother practiced witchcraft and punished Linda by holding her little hands over an open fire. When she was brought to the Passion Center (as you could imagine) she was broken and bruised, very distrusting, and filled with sadness. Through the love of the staff at the Passion Center, serious prayers from those in Malawi and America, and doctors in Blantyre she is smiling, loving Jesus and regaining use of her hands. We lifted her up at team time tonight for peace, and comfort and quick healing.</i><br />
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<i>Well, that's catches us up to tonight (Sunday evening). Tomorrow is Vacation Bible School. There should be between 150-700 kids. The real number is a surprise! I also have a chance to attend a Youth Rally where Pastor Mark will be giving a message on Purity. I pray that God gives me boldness and confidence in the Word. I was so glad to talk to my sweets tonight! I miss those sweet voices~And I so miss my Lovie....I can't wait to tell you guys everything!</i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicGO7mZRCM0Uo5oiuElM2ZqS6835DC9x7QLZ-_ZFTNyvVecLI6gg31n5lXP40UiLx6-KWHktw6JURYIEWm5zeHl3DAzlYTJCppGyefm27Pqx21s7bZKPPbYcr-ybKWWEoleWLzoZ3auEQ/s1600/IMG_5557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicGO7mZRCM0Uo5oiuElM2ZqS6835DC9x7QLZ-_ZFTNyvVecLI6gg31n5lXP40UiLx6-KWHktw6JURYIEWm5zeHl3DAzlYTJCppGyefm27Pqx21s7bZKPPbYcr-ybKWWEoleWLzoZ3auEQ/s320/IMG_5557.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Phalles in my glasses</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt1WSIOFN1RPsvVI7qsdHyZ071qtKnmiIFIAf8LSkb1-WmmkOBgV7CcQpCCXxT6xQ_dRC2T6HhVb49Wj_jjVZgqNcGz86eIYNNMkYejv2DXL7NoNyIeM-4EOjZk1hA6wDRhgp-0aq5eRE/s1600/IMG_5620.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt1WSIOFN1RPsvVI7qsdHyZ071qtKnmiIFIAf8LSkb1-WmmkOBgV7CcQpCCXxT6xQ_dRC2T6HhVb49Wj_jjVZgqNcGz86eIYNNMkYejv2DXL7NoNyIeM-4EOjZk1hA6wDRhgp-0aq5eRE/s320/IMG_5620.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Church on Sunday</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhn8h75LZAcdBGM9WAp4i3QKCFBZlS_Me6VWM3dKSsZBYtZeaK4GroARvlzj0t7akcNMNsqUDi6S6kmqePFpgC4FAJUks-AQj8MOslT9Xjmg3-WCgKICl4ru3Zer80hJx4R4B0hHoKlf4/s1600/IMG_5621.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhn8h75LZAcdBGM9WAp4i3QKCFBZlS_Me6VWM3dKSsZBYtZeaK4GroARvlzj0t7akcNMNsqUDi6S6kmqePFpgC4FAJUks-AQj8MOslT9Xjmg3-WCgKICl4ru3Zer80hJx4R4B0hHoKlf4/s320/IMG_5621.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside of Church</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCs27pTdOyrK71DgFPIFpygM9tEkuOUrTaVPZY88FFKZ4lUlUX9WuKNwc-YLtigxqUUb2SY1ngxyam0pT1T73JxWXGdUGUUf38vB5b-XK77djzzpwx0XxsLCY6i03VpfE0UFOEyE0Opp4/s1600/IMG_5622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCs27pTdOyrK71DgFPIFpygM9tEkuOUrTaVPZY88FFKZ4lUlUX9WuKNwc-YLtigxqUUb2SY1ngxyam0pT1T73JxWXGdUGUUf38vB5b-XK77djzzpwx0XxsLCY6i03VpfE0UFOEyE0Opp4/s320/IMG_5622.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Abusa Lawrence Mandwalla and our Team (that's his sweet little girl)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxEoBbWm8ohvegT7H3GPc3RA9gb4ZmQD45MLgN6BRbZRVDmBVCujysUPRitHiwIC5MHZgKMgFjVEViJUnOYGQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is a video of Kalipo dancing with his friends at the Sports Bonanza, he's in the khaki shorts and t shirt. I think this is so fun~I wish I could share it with him he would think it was so cool to see himself!</div>Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17853367862636550602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020615971793614568.post-76234812654631033312011-08-03T13:10:00.000-04:002011-08-03T13:10:26.716-04:00Raw Emotions<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Tough to rewrite this one today...i knew it was coming so I have procrastinated a bit. Anyway, here's the next page of the story!</span><br />
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<i>Day 4~Widow and Hospital Visit</i><br />
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</i></div><div><i>My goodness we have been here only two days and have absorbed so much. The electricity has gone off twice already and I don't really mind. The simplicity is so refreshing. Especially when it goes out at dinner/team time in the evenings. There is something so intimate about 30 people sitting around tiny candles and holding flashlights to see what they are eating. It's a fun part I will always remember. </i></div><div><i><br />
</i></div><div><i>So this morning were the Widow visits in the villages. I wasn't actually supposed to go on the widow visit because it was my duty to go to the market with Jon to buy supplies for the bags that would go to the hospital visit in the afternoon. As we were loading up the Pajeros, Jamie (an advanced team member) offered to take my place with Jon at the market so that I could experience the widow visit as it was her favorite part in years past. I was so appreciative. This group really knows what it means to work as a team. </i></div><div><i><br />
</i></div><div><i>We loaded up the Pajeros and were off to the village where several widows would be waiting for us. There were actually two villages to visit so our team split up to meet with them both at the same time. When we arrived Pastor Eric asked me and two others to speak to the widows. First there was a short panic and then immediately I knew what to share. My "heart" verse Isaiah 41:10. The Lord had given me that verse at a time in my life when I wasn't walking the path HE had laid out for me. But in my own circumstance of loneliness and desperation I cried out to him and this verse was how he answered me. Being with the widows was such a sweet moment. Their bodies were plagued with pain after years of hard labor and to see them sitting there so welcoming of us was such a blessing to me. After our talks we all handed out care bags with flour, sugar, oil, and rice to each widow and then prayed for their needs individually. Thank you God for using Jamie to make sure I was in the place you wanted me at the time I needed to be there. Those sweet people blessed me more than I could have imagined.</i></div><div><i><br />
</i></div><div><i>We had a quick second to recover before heading out to the Passion Center so we could regroup for the hospital visit that afternoon (uggh). Jon and Jamie had returned with the supplies we needed to fill 150 care bags for the guardians of the children at the hospital. We had to stuff all the bags in a hot second and the team did not disappoint. We formed an assembly line in the Passion Center lunch room and before you knew it we were loaded up and heading to the hospital. Several Passion kids were chosen to go along on the visit to pray and translate prayers for the sick children. When we arrived we had to wait because the parents were feeding their little ones. You see in Zomba the children are primarily cared for in the hospitals by their guardians (mom, grandmother, aunt, cousin) and sometimes wait weeks just to see a doctor. While we were waiting we noticed a woman walking around the courtyard, where several were having lunch from the hospital, preaching the Word of God to any who would listen! It was so cool! </i></div><div><i><br />
</i></div><div><i>Then it was time....I didn't want to go in. I wanted to turn and run, but I couldn't. Once inside the ward I saw caregivers at the bedsides of their children just loving on them and doing anything they could to keep them comfortable. And the reality of it all was more than I could have imagined. I looked across the room and saw a team member sinking into himself to hide his sobs. I know him and I knew he was seeing his own wife and prematurely born son on those beds, knowing that if God hadn't chosen them to be U.S. citizens that one or both of those sweet family members would not have made it. A member of the Passion staff, Fatsani, shared the gospel inside the terminally ill ward and at the end he asked who would like to know Christ as their savior and over 1/2 of the guardians raised their hands. Fatsani was on fire! Can you imagine someone just walking up and down the halls of our own U.S. hospitals telling patients about the eternal healing our savior can provide? I mean really, we could learn so much!</i></div><div><i><br />
</i></div><div><i>The "ward" was one big room lined with twin sized beds. There were sometimes two or three patients sharing one bed, some on the floor all just waiting to be healed. There just wasn't enough room for all the sick. I just sobbed seeing children with 2nd & 3rd degree burns laying helplessly, and those with heads so full of fluid they couldn't sit up. It was more than I could handle and I had to leave the room for a moment to get my emotions in check. The last thing I wanted those sweet things to see was more sadness. After Fatsani's message we took bags of supplies to the bedsides of patients and prayed with them. I didn't have a translator with me, but the word "prayer" was universal, they knew what I was doing and to whom I was praying. I chose to go to beds that held children close to the same age as my own Parker and Hallie. It was heartbreaking because I could see my children there and I knew that if these children were in the U.S. they could be healed. But that's not what God wanted me to do there, he wanted me to stand in the gap for these children. The last bed I went to was a toddler whose pregnant mother grabbed her hands when I began to pray as if to say, "be still child, we are approaching the throne of grace." And that's all I could do was to pray for God's mercy and grace for the children he created and strength for their families. Death is such a normal part of life there, and it is here too, but the rawness of it in Zomba was so real and so painful. </i></div><div><i><br />
</i></div><div><i>Team time tonight was a mesh of sobs and brokenness. It was a sweet time for our team. Doing the widow visit and hospital visit in one day was emotionally draining. One was a group of people I hadn't planned on seeing and one was a group of people I didn't really want to see. In the end God allowed me to be blessed by both opportunities as I saw their faces as He sees them~with love.</i><br />
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<i>*Note these pictures are from others on our team.</i></div><div><i><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF0h-Xo0TjUaVkPxR6GYuN7fKcXMSCdZ2dV6dFQyHkS1DwP27V0mzds1W6ZuFyc2wLbWnYtIwb4FezXMitv1rIDxg_ugNvLlyyEFq6eR4Ypk50luLb8apLmQTcGQF6bFIRkf2evsB5EFY/s1600/Malawi11-KendallOrians-People_0109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF0h-Xo0TjUaVkPxR6GYuN7fKcXMSCdZ2dV6dFQyHkS1DwP27V0mzds1W6ZuFyc2wLbWnYtIwb4FezXMitv1rIDxg_ugNvLlyyEFq6eR4Ypk50luLb8apLmQTcGQF6bFIRkf2evsB5EFY/s320/Malawi11-KendallOrians-People_0109.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greeting the Widows</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJQa7ghQYaU4FIJjbvs8UxidZo1C492RwNLxrK_JO69ExoveJixyF_EGeUeUyvsTEByLq4MA_RhgdA7g0Jd8ghumg16c7uf6ruv2uKprlQp2L60E4vZjqjPNXDSfTWF2F60dO_MA5Les/s1600/Malawi11-KendallOrians-People_0130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJQa7ghQYaU4FIJjbvs8UxidZo1C492RwNLxrK_JO69ExoveJixyF_EGeUeUyvsTEByLq4MA_RhgdA7g0Jd8ghumg16c7uf6ruv2uKprlQp2L60E4vZjqjPNXDSfTWF2F60dO_MA5Les/s320/Malawi11-KendallOrians-People_0130.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sharing my heart verse</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjACfiutDQComJ9fDK-N2icT5p-vl0G5zT3YuQfim5qoN7CQAqDDtaX3BG8QVMdbGuj_Mjo8rnw7dInPrKjOjPzzhdOSSC0sYk3OGJ6v-VSIXObsl9kprOrcxdjIH0Bg40ClSgToC-3qx8/s1600/Malawi11-KendallOrians-People_0145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjACfiutDQComJ9fDK-N2icT5p-vl0G5zT3YuQfim5qoN7CQAqDDtaX3BG8QVMdbGuj_Mjo8rnw7dInPrKjOjPzzhdOSSC0sYk3OGJ6v-VSIXObsl9kprOrcxdjIH0Bg40ClSgToC-3qx8/s320/Malawi11-KendallOrians-People_0145.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the widowed men bowed in prayer</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXZg6fIoaxqgg6SIyoXUh7RpAEE8a367Tp-gCr9zlmFCeqpbj-j8Qp0fNJR6GTL83C_jnoKEBzmIKohL5UsZF8979R8qwL_PcjJoTy5I2iv9nZ98s70jzvS66DBBDqegmcLkLamhxOZKk/s1600/Malawi11-btiffan_0055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXZg6fIoaxqgg6SIyoXUh7RpAEE8a367Tp-gCr9zlmFCeqpbj-j8Qp0fNJR6GTL83C_jnoKEBzmIKohL5UsZF8979R8qwL_PcjJoTy5I2iv9nZ98s70jzvS66DBBDqegmcLkLamhxOZKk/s320/Malawi11-btiffan_0055.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The supply bags to hand out to the widows</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiKWs4dYe-CMpy193fki40Q9O1Dzz_IQJHjSr_NBYnhLuXvQksIY7bdtjX69i9VohwrLhtvSguxeEHCxUGc3ppK5ofzJUelUYgdoLUpJGbxuFl6Cz0jRjGMGXGt59GmVhlMAOWffJd3tQ/s1600/Malawi11-btiffan_0070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiKWs4dYe-CMpy193fki40Q9O1Dzz_IQJHjSr_NBYnhLuXvQksIY7bdtjX69i9VohwrLhtvSguxeEHCxUGc3ppK5ofzJUelUYgdoLUpJGbxuFl6Cz0jRjGMGXGt59GmVhlMAOWffJd3tQ/s320/Malawi11-btiffan_0070.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hospital Courtyard (where the woman was preaching)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1iJ4FfW-YNXftJw_lqVORsbwsjjn01khCxntr8jLoUbrRkxmjert6IXFg4KVNQ4I4YwS2JvIKCh0EHP8MQCiaMM3o6P7XpDWtH9oYzQvyRUkZm9j7iA6xB_RSReq_nrUpS-BbsT4bWg/s1600/Malawi11-btiffan_0078.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1iJ4FfW-YNXftJw_lqVORsbwsjjn01khCxntr8jLoUbrRkxmjert6IXFg4KVNQ4I4YwS2JvIKCh0EHP8MQCiaMM3o6P7XpDWtH9oYzQvyRUkZm9j7iA6xB_RSReq_nrUpS-BbsT4bWg/s320/Malawi11-btiffan_0078.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A glimpse at the hospital</td></tr>
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</i></div><div><i><span id="goog_1957175733"></span><span id="goog_1957175734"></span></i></div>Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17853367862636550602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020615971793614568.post-8902275317845215242011-07-28T08:16:00.000-04:002011-07-28T08:16:49.787-04:00A Day of Blessing ~Zomba, Malawi<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><br />
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Day 3 ~ July 12th, 2011<br />
Written at 10:08 p.m. Local Time/4:08 p.m. EST<br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Praise the Lord, He is so good to bless us when we ask outside of ourselves!! I just can't even write fast enough to keep up with the joy in my heart right now. Today was a huge day! We were heading out to the Passion Center today to take a tour and meet the staff.</span></i><br />
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</i></span></div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When we arrived we were welcomed by the staff~ so many women and men living their life for Christ and pouring it into the children. Such gracious, friendly souls it was such a blessing to be welcomed with hugs as if we had been there for years! This morning I had prayed that God would allow me to meet Kalipo and Phalles on my first day at the center. I knew this was a little over zealous as our sponsor kids live in the village not at the center, and since school was out they may not be around very much. I had written both children a letter a few months ago letting them know I was coming to visit and I included a picture of our family.</span></i><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We toured the residence and offices, the kitchen and new office building. The dorms were so neat. Chris Prater and her daughter had done a fantastic job the year before painting murals and decorating the bunks for the children. Too my surprise the boys dorm was clean as a whistle! After our tour was complete we headed down to the multipurpose center where the children gather from the residence and the villages to have breakfast and lunch and to play. We were also able to tour the soccer fields. Some of the men from our team played soccer with the older boys and the rest of us took pictures of the kids which was so fun for them. They would just giggle when they got to see themselves and then there would be a multitude of little voices in broken english saying "Picture Me". </span></i><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It was time for us to head back up to the residence to have lunch ourselves. I was bummed because I knew that Kalipo and Phalles would probably be heading to the multipurpose center soon to have lunch and I was going to miss a chance to meet them. I enjoyed the walk back, just taking in the scenery and chatting with another team member. </span></i><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">At the top of the hill I turned the corner to walk into the security wall of the Passion Center and there before me was a picture of my sweet family in Ohio. And the hands that held it were Kalipo's!! He recognized me immediately and my heart skipped a beat. He had just received his letter and was waiting at the gate for me. He was so handsome with a bright joyful smile ~a smile you never forget~his whole face lights up just like my Parker's when he smiles! He was so neat and clean and healthy! I can't tell you how beautiful he was. We didn't chat much because I was too busy hugging him and staring at his beautiful face. Some of those around me realized I had just met one of my sponsor children and before I knew it, Joni was walking up behind me and said, "Ms. Summer we have someone else for you." It was my Phalles (pronounced F-ALICE)</span></i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">!! She was just a beautiful but a bit more shy. She's only five and who knows what she thought of this crazy Azungu (white person) who was gushing over her. Oh her eyes, they led right to her soul. She was also holding the picture of our family. After several more hugs for each of them we took some pictures and I said the only thing I knew in Chichewa at the time, "Jesus Amawa Conedo~ Jesus Loves You." And children so do I.</span></i><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am quite sure I could have ran to the top of the highest plateau at that moment. God had whipsered in my ear, "Nothing is impossible with me". It was such an awesome blessing to have met my kids on the first day, within 12 hours of being in Zomba!! I am still so excited!</span></i><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After lunch we visited Mercy who belongs to a Child Headed Household. Actually she is the child who heads the household. Children in this role have been orphaned by their parents, grandparents and any other guardian that could care for them so the oldest child must step into the role of caregiver for the rest of the family. When the Passion Center found Mercy she was 17 and now she is 20 caring for 7 others in her home. Our team and the Passion Center Staff were able to give them mattresses, pans, plates, cups, bowls and buckets to help make daily living a little easier. However, at that age with that many depending on her I can't imagine anything being easy. She was all smiles from the moment we arrived! Some of us were able to do a mini bible school for the village children while the Pastors shared the Word with Mercy. The children loved being able to make necklaces and bracelets and despite the language barrier it went very well. It was my first experience being surrounded by children that I really couldn't relate to. It was no accident that the greatest commandment is LOVE~it's universal! I wasn't sure how I would react, but God allowed me to simply be his hands...wow!</span></i><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am just in awe that the first day of this mission could be filled with so many blessings. If God said, "Okay, Summer this is enough for you time to go home." I could leave being completely changed and content! However, I am excited for what tomorrow holds! Now to calm myself down enough to sleep! </span></i><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">It was so fun to rewrite this today~I still can't believe God chose me to go on this trip.....11 1/2 months is a long time to wait for the next one ;~) Enjoy the pictures below!</span></span></span></i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0OKSBnNtT3KiV8-97CN8vo2QwJwnwaq_cGTEHqMYaAfxNe-VjzW61gQeag1AFTsNgCZtNxA0OTMdw4bvGxAwhTBWuKvK8wR_gPZYT_a3pKaNO_V0az4DZlABPsfZj6_ODFt4ZPIDWrnw/s1600/IMG_5390.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0OKSBnNtT3KiV8-97CN8vo2QwJwnwaq_cGTEHqMYaAfxNe-VjzW61gQeag1AFTsNgCZtNxA0OTMdw4bvGxAwhTBWuKvK8wR_gPZYT_a3pKaNO_V0az4DZlABPsfZj6_ODFt4ZPIDWrnw/s320/IMG_5390.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meeting Kalipo</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNZAZzKgErH-rHr8PbS9EqWqyIw4SbxYuDHxO-QabPBRjT9snZbl5IV1gxn6qGRvRVmxKwP8BtbC8mIbij48Ho5WdtNoDkh2B8hA7lpBC0TFhLy9PoXQZx0ZY1VqscDcSX0Zz8YvM_plE/s1600/IMG_5395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNZAZzKgErH-rHr8PbS9EqWqyIw4SbxYuDHxO-QabPBRjT9snZbl5IV1gxn6qGRvRVmxKwP8BtbC8mIbij48Ho5WdtNoDkh2B8hA7lpBC0TFhLy9PoXQZx0ZY1VqscDcSX0Zz8YvM_plE/s320/IMG_5395.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meeting Phalles</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHKURZ8y8BjYYgjmPYPT1BH1wlWSq8aYQfUVyQFw8OYYwhF9fApe_4RZEcUWM8fBe137AQU3fTZMN2zZ2lyzVt0kVYVEc8iOIl_99_3KVzB3ij84NcBPnv0v_jLDd2AhLGDXzF-IHWXJM/s1600/IMG_5396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHKURZ8y8BjYYgjmPYPT1BH1wlWSq8aYQfUVyQFw8OYYwhF9fApe_4RZEcUWM8fBe137AQU3fTZMN2zZ2lyzVt0kVYVEc8iOIl_99_3KVzB3ij84NcBPnv0v_jLDd2AhLGDXzF-IHWXJM/s320/IMG_5396.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First "Family" Photo</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha3-pCaarvM6Gd1aYUYE9tQ7pAuEDNLLCMKJ1kWvy9BKWlVhq0ETOtSjeymXpaJUbOnv6kE0ZDXca7RphWhcoL_2ilIZ7rY5xtgHtBbVFaTzrnPx0WqKkrJKAbv4TLTbSnvraXd6xKenE/s1600/IMG_5410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha3-pCaarvM6Gd1aYUYE9tQ7pAuEDNLLCMKJ1kWvy9BKWlVhq0ETOtSjeymXpaJUbOnv6kE0ZDXca7RphWhcoL_2ilIZ7rY5xtgHtBbVFaTzrnPx0WqKkrJKAbv4TLTbSnvraXd6xKenE/s320/IMG_5410.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Child Headed Households & Team</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOSHrmh6SFCswETJ-XUW2Iw0j80q12NTVPC9GqL_OOq8ardscoUX0BDoT3c3KL0EDA2M8PXbAVPOk71ajK5cueOVefkSfSG4i6tr-303NCLZM_mDRm3JZIwwmnGGcV-3D7vj2XCBSZaCk/s1600/IMG_5416.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOSHrmh6SFCswETJ-XUW2Iw0j80q12NTVPC9GqL_OOq8ardscoUX0BDoT3c3KL0EDA2M8PXbAVPOk71ajK5cueOVefkSfSG4i6tr-303NCLZM_mDRm3JZIwwmnGGcV-3D7vj2XCBSZaCk/s320/IMG_5416.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful Mercy!<br />
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</span></i>Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17853367862636550602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020615971793614568.post-49387175239113881852011-07-26T17:45:00.000-04:002011-07-26T17:45:04.281-04:00The first days~Zomba, Malawi<div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">This is the first of several entries documenting my recent Mission Trip to Zomba, Malawi, Africa. I will try to be as detailed as possible for I know that family and friends want to know what it was like. These will be lengthy entries, so I apologize. I am still so humbled that God chose ME to experience this. This entry covers just the travel days and the emotions of just leaving my comfort. I hope you will stay tuned for more of what GOD revealed on this amazing trip. I am feeling more foreign here in America than I did in Malawi. It's quite the adjustment and I've only been back two days.</span></i></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Day 1~ July 10th, 2011</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Drive from Ohio to Washington, D.C.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The goodbyes were so hard. I don’t know how to be without my 3 lovies. No baths to give, meals to fix, arguments to dissolve. No holding hands, no unexpected hugs or “I loves you’s”. Wow, can I really do this?? </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">About an hour after we left church in our 2 van caravan I began to feel better. The images of Hallie, Parker, and my sweet husband are still very fresh in my mind and boy how I’ll miss them. And then somewhere between the West Virginia/Pennsylvania border God answered my previous question with “Yes, Summer you can do this~I am with you!” The most amazing peace has since come over me. I’m sure that is from all those who are praying for me and our entire team back home. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> I am so excited about what’s ahead in the next 14 days. Some of the veterans on my van are sharing stories from years past. Thus far I know to expect Gecko-type lizards in our cabin, angry attacking ants, aggressive hippos and crocs on the safari and the most yummy bananas in the world! All that to say and all I can think of is, </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">ARE WE THERE YET?!!</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">DAY 2~ July 11th, 2011 </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">In flight!! On take off everyone put their hands in the air like they were riding a roller coaster...those in my row decided maybe they were worshiping God. There are several group mission teams on this flight and it’s so awesome! </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Oh I need to tell you about a little girl and her dad who we met at the airport. Her name is Hannah and she is such a beautiful little girl~well I say little, she’s 13! Her dad noticed our butterfly shirts and stated a conversation about his own Christianity and began telling us his story. Hannah had collected 400,000 pencils in her home country of Toronto, Canada to hand deliver to children living in Ethiopia~so she and her dad were traveling back to their native country to walk through the villages hand delivering those pencils. Can you believe it?? That was a child with a heart to love on God’s children and a dad who will escort her to the ends of the earth to share in HIS mission. Wow, that’s just two brothers/sisters in Christ. Imagine was all 23 of us could do if we are willing to be used!</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Let’s talk about how awesome God is....</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Since January and the opportunity came about for me to be a part of this team I have been waiting for Fear. Isn’t that awful~who waits for Fear??? Well, I have spent far too many hours of my life living in fear and I’m pretty sure God was fed up!. Guess who hasn’t shown up on this trip~Yep, FEAR!! </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I trust in God so why should I be afraid? Psalm 56:4</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I’m sitting on a flight that if Fear were present would not be taking place. God has graciously given me peace, courage, and excitement for something I never believed I could endure.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Still Day 2...I think...</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As I look at my watch and realize at home my sweet ones are probably having dinner; the display in front of me says that somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean is it 12:37 a.m~crazy. The flight attendants are trying to get us on their clock and so our “lunch” was actually dinner (@ 2:37 p.m. EST) and in 3 hrs (approx 4 a.m. local time) we will be having breakfast! Boy am I confused. So right now I am having trail mix and a Diet Coke to celebrate my American heritage and the Easter Standard Time Zone!</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;">I never knew a dreaded 12 + hour plane ride could be so full of treasures! We were able to watch the sun peak over the horizon as we approached the northeast coast of Africa. If began as a slight orange hue peaking over the edge of the horizon an then the most vibrant shade of magenta burst onto the scene. It was amazing. What's not so amazing is how confused my body is right now. As the bright rising sun shone through my window my body just wants to tuck into a deep sleep. My row of seats has just completed a very well choreographed sequence of plane-seat exercises. It really was refreshing and actually helped my numb bumb and aching back.</div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;">Day 3~July 12th, 2011 3:04 a.m EST, 10:04 a.m. Local Time</div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;">Whew~landed in Addis Ababa the very back of a very long line at our gate. We didn't pass any vending machines, bathrooms or anything else I was looking forward to. The airport was like a warehouse, a group of internationals were smoking in the corner, several groups of fully dressed Muslims were scattered about, and beautiful Ethiopian women wearing VERY strong perfume were passing in all directions. So far my first impression of the continent of Africa was very fragrant and eye-opening! Time to load back up for our second, yet much shorter flight to Lilongwe, Malawi! </div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;">4:45 pm EST 10:45 pm Local Time</div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;">Time to play catch up! </div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;">We landed at the airport in Lilongwe, Malawi with no problems and were anxious to rush to the luggage terminal. Very quickly our bags began shooting off the belt line one after another. The men of our team were tossing them off as fast as they could and then all of a sudden the bags just stopped coming. Not because we had them all, but because we only had 23 of our 47 bags that made it onto our plane! EEK!!! I had gotten my personal bag but not my team bag of supplies for various activities while in country. My packing partner, Amy had not received her bag, but she did have some items in my luggage so she would be fine for a few days. So Chris and Pilira stayed behind for the night in Lilongwe to hopefully intercept the remaining bags tomorrow. Despite the temporary detour from our plan we were not dampened in spirit too much.</div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;">As we were leaving the airport we saw Joseph, Pilira, and Pastor Erik waiting with full smiles and it was such a relief! We had made it to Malawi!! The men began pushing our luggage through the window of a very long, very tall bus. Most everyone fit on that bus but a few of us rode with Erik in a Pajero (Mitsubishi made SUV). It was nearly a 6 hour drive to Zomba and I could never have been prepared for what I was about to see on the way! Besides just taking in the scenery of beautiful mountains and plateaus, I was overwhelmed with the number of people all around! One woman sticks in my mind, she was walking down the street on both her feet and her hands. Her body was permanently stuck in an upside down "V" position. She was wearing her shoes on her hands and seemed not bothered at all by the challenge of just getting from point A to point B. Wow. A little further down the road a teenage boy with a baby strapped securely to his back approached the bus in front of us with his hands cupped open begging for anything. Pretty soon, we see 3 Twizzlers lower down from on our team members on the bus. He accepted them, turned and as he walked away he passed one back to the baby he was carrying. Again, wow. </div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;">The drive continued on village after village. Women with baskets on their heads and babies on their backs were everywhere I looked. The people were seriously everywhere! The main roads were paved (to my surprise), but according to my Western view, they were driving on the wrong side of the road! This illicited more than one panicked breath from me as I kept thinking we were going to be driving head on into the on coming traffic. The people walked in the road, on the sides of the road, and many took daring darts across the road more than once. People, People, People! I noticed one common thread: for the most part everyone seemed happy and peaceful. We saw huts that had colorful flags flying and Pastor Eric told us they were witch doctors. How sad (I didn't realize how much this would hit me until later in my trip). </div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;">Every 5 Km there were Muslim Mosque. Pastor Eric informed us that the Muslim philosophy/strategy was to give handouts enticing people in need and once they showed up at the Mosque they would begin building their following. People would return time after time in order to get the things they needed and would just become part of the fellowship. There were some Mosque that didn't even have a following yet~they are just waiting for the next weary person in need. It was really sad.</div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;">After a very winding ride straight up the Plateau we made it to our cabins. It wasn't until we walked in the door of the common house that it showed up: FEAR in the form of FLIGHT!! I wasn't afraid, but in one split second I was overcome with defensive emotions. The realities hit me like a brick. I am very far from home, I miss my husband desperately, I want to love on my kids, and I want to go HOME! A couple of deep breaths and a few tears later I remembered that I was ALL IN, no turning back only trusting and stepping out on faith. </div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;">We ate dinner prepared by Dyson (our cook). Then we were escorted through the foggy woods to our cabin. Seriously it was like a scene from Harry Potter~such dense fog it was hard to see one foot in front of the other. Being led only by flashlight we had made it. I chuckled as I wished Ryan could see me in the forest of Africa trusting each step only because I was all in, I think he would be proud. Time for a good nights sleep hopefully waking up ready to DO THIS!</div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">I will stop here for the first entry! The upcoming entries will be packed full of emotion and blessings. As I relive this it makes my heart long to be there tonight, only this time with my hubby and my loves by my side!</span></i></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD162V8z4aFZGFQCcRgQtvlPAQs36axqs1l9NNF8-f1B6vKQbv5tEUPPP8D0hPjr23k1w0g3kFxgPsaVnZBVVaqPKzvIvittpauaec5d9VP-PKv0dUn7b7zoW3leDhhdw28abpPrt1aPA/s1600/IMG_5302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD162V8z4aFZGFQCcRgQtvlPAQs36axqs1l9NNF8-f1B6vKQbv5tEUPPP8D0hPjr23k1w0g3kFxgPsaVnZBVVaqPKzvIvittpauaec5d9VP-PKv0dUn7b7zoW3leDhhdw28abpPrt1aPA/s320/IMG_5302.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Part of our bags waiting to be checked at Dulles for the flight to Ethiopia</span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwZ51gZjUEPscl9IXuEN8zVzetI2Wd1olerVAxTGphQ024-DCsYAZKCeQs6qns7pGvjtPD5u0Tr23smWVuxWvdTxVb5tcpIIEBlo11AjDAr7AEFuDsM1wb6Vtj13fWdfLbIKOr-5UZkzw/s1600/IMG_5304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwZ51gZjUEPscl9IXuEN8zVzetI2Wd1olerVAxTGphQ024-DCsYAZKCeQs6qns7pGvjtPD5u0Tr23smWVuxWvdTxVb5tcpIIEBlo11AjDAr7AEFuDsM1wb6Vtj13fWdfLbIKOr-5UZkzw/s320/IMG_5304.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">My quarters for the 12+ hour flight!</span></i></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCe6qjnWCMIr1yHxUrMh3OeTrXL8CCD3Gzt4PRmTvG51VjtFe2dflmjYQS6ZQcjZARmoplz8GCN95ratEOO21SUkypZvywLyqUvS3jwz6UUcN5lC6O2aNNx9bCC49giCgp7LVwChUbr4o/s1600/IMG_5319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCe6qjnWCMIr1yHxUrMh3OeTrXL8CCD3Gzt4PRmTvG51VjtFe2dflmjYQS6ZQcjZARmoplz8GCN95ratEOO21SUkypZvywLyqUvS3jwz6UUcN5lC6O2aNNx9bCC49giCgp7LVwChUbr4o/s320/IMG_5319.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>My bed is on the right, it was pretty comfy!</i></span></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinKYI9P5WoM1izW1dkufHx9NPC6AkDwqMtNxVe31gem-g02zdL0qbJjuAR9nlc_XriFL-LLYYyQm15Me4GKBhqGd3Pd8WER_SiI_4U6ewyYl4LwoAMYSBUHo6S2boQoWRzGRFVDFVdAl4/s1600/IMG_5325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinKYI9P5WoM1izW1dkufHx9NPC6AkDwqMtNxVe31gem-g02zdL0qbJjuAR9nlc_XriFL-LLYYyQm15Me4GKBhqGd3Pd8WER_SiI_4U6ewyYl4LwoAMYSBUHo6S2boQoWRzGRFVDFVdAl4/s320/IMG_5325.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i>Peter's Cabin (where we stayed)</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJNykSqScl-vxIV9KmFgtDeDGJBjwkSwgOhTQwpksCrgcTWD-0qs_maQBaGjrpOuBs6kV59nSklLdDXI-vdKDpkTvL6oHl89agVr6kPZlEZdSZwYg_tTfnmKlH55PZ1G_nCgwitC5SVdg/s1600/IMG_5328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJNykSqScl-vxIV9KmFgtDeDGJBjwkSwgOhTQwpksCrgcTWD-0qs_maQBaGjrpOuBs6kV59nSklLdDXI-vdKDpkTvL6oHl89agVr6kPZlEZdSZwYg_tTfnmKlH55PZ1G_nCgwitC5SVdg/s320/IMG_5328.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i>The walk up to our cabin</i></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;"><br />
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</div>Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17853367862636550602noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020615971793614568.post-16152116949774219822011-06-30T09:02:00.001-04:002011-06-30T09:15:30.900-04:00Countdown to Africa~10 DAYS!Hi friends! Well, since we have moved into our house I have been so busy playing outside, watering flowers, and enjoying our new found freedom with space I haven't taken time to write! And now look where we are.....10 days 'til departure for Malawi! <br />
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Well all of my vaccinations are complete, I have a prescription for anti-malaria meds to be filled, and a first-aid kit with everything known to man ready to go. Now, if I could only find my bottle of "don't cry your eyes out when you say goodbye to your husband and kids" pills. It's going to be the hardest most rewarding thing I could ever do! However, just last night I was telling my lovie that I felt completely inadequate to go on this trip. He said, "Well, then it seems like you are just where you need to be to go on this trip." He is so right, what better place can we be for God to have complete control over our lives than complete inadequacy? Thank you God, for a husband who supports his wife in ALL things. <br />
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Can we talk about that for a moment? My lovie is jumping in feet first to the life of a stay at home mom while I'm gone. The only difference is that he also has to work on and off and make sure his employees don't feel abandoned. Thanks to a couple of very awesome (maybe crazy after this is over) friends who will be loving on our kids for a few days a week he might be able to make it through without turning completely gray! Would you please pray for my lovie and for our friends who will hug my kids when I can't in the coming weeks? Thank you God for sweet willing friends!<br />
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I have been praying for the Lord to build a wall around my emotions and to keep me focused on Him and his plans. He has heard my prayer, I do have times that tears fill my eyes when I just look at those sweet faces that I will miss so much for two weeks, but otherwise I am OK. I don't think He wants me to be without emotion, but I don't want to be controlled by them either. He will provide on this one!<br />
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One super awesome praise is that I was Baptised this past Sunday! I had been convicted about this for years (having never actually been baptised by submersion) since rededicating my life to Christ. Finally, I received confirmation enough to desire that portion of obedience to the God who saved me. It was an awesome moment in my walk with the Lord! Thank you God for the Pastors who feed me Spiritually.<br />
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And so here we are, 10 days 'til departure and I don't want to say goodbye to my family, I certainly do not want to fly 18 hours to get there, and I don't want to face my fears. But guess what? All of that is so easy to overcome when I think of being on African soil having the opportunity to share the Gospel with the children at the Passion Center. To hopefully have the chance to meet the children we sponsor, Kalipe and Phalles, and hug them if they allow me that joy. What sweet moments are to come! <br />
Thank you God for calling and equipping the inadequate to be the vessels that share your love to the world! I can't believe this is happening......<br />
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I hope you enjoy this song by Caedmon's Call, "Two weeks in Africa". It really sums up going on this trip for me! And below that are a few pictures from my Baptism. *<i>Note: this is just a video I found on YouTube because I love this song and not from Northwest Bible's trips to Africa but I hope to be able to share one from our trip when we return!</i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsbPo_1l6Qix0qvnbmPdSt23gPI3Jtkq9BwSQ7Awo7b5LEAevNuQQQfl-FfwqmPjSNlnCYlujmyao5weyh9HxxfAfWLmZUCO9fi-FHfYy00xjPxLPi4HNRSn0YfRO7yA6ZQDUlwhzZ0Hw/s1600/2011-06-26_Baptisms_0086.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsbPo_1l6Qix0qvnbmPdSt23gPI3Jtkq9BwSQ7Awo7b5LEAevNuQQQfl-FfwqmPjSNlnCYlujmyao5weyh9HxxfAfWLmZUCO9fi-FHfYy00xjPxLPi4HNRSn0YfRO7yA6ZQDUlwhzZ0Hw/s320/2011-06-26_Baptisms_0086.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ZfmUCVKd-dqp5bnmywWUah2BAmi8b78O7DydGnSvWPOvw01woX7sHyFzrpnjImR7Xr_bCxgiGfyvTkmuUOQeVa_QZJloYKrZF3xZ6jZfVB0wOr0w3bQrxBaHUwlf2EKSWc8nNW-Zw4k/s1600/2011-06-26_Baptisms_0087.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ZfmUCVKd-dqp5bnmywWUah2BAmi8b78O7DydGnSvWPOvw01woX7sHyFzrpnjImR7Xr_bCxgiGfyvTkmuUOQeVa_QZJloYKrZF3xZ6jZfVB0wOr0w3bQrxBaHUwlf2EKSWc8nNW-Zw4k/s320/2011-06-26_Baptisms_0087.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17853367862636550602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020615971793614568.post-17789481359771281572011-06-01T20:29:00.000-04:002011-06-01T20:29:25.263-04:00Perfect TimingFirst, apology due for the long blogging lapse. Excuse~life. Sorry.<br />
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It's been almost two months since I last wrote and oh my has it been a whirlwind! I believe I had mentioned in my last blog about moving into a rental home in Delaware, Oh on May 1st, right? Well, let's make this long story short and tie it up with a bow because I am ready to move on! <br />
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So two weeks before we were to move into the home in Delaware, my lovie received a call letting him know about a position in Witchita, Kansas (of all places, right?). My words, when he told me where, "I think I'm going to throw up." I was serious. The apartment was a gigantic mess, the kids were sleeping on an inflatable mattress in the living room, and the weather outside was beyond crappy (leaving us no where to escape the madness). Hubby and I agreed he should at least see what the story was in Kansas and proceeded to fly to Iowa for an interview. Meanwhile, we had enlisted our prayer warrior family to join us in praying for a CLEAR open or shut door nothing more, nothing less. A week passed after the Iowa interview and we were still just on pause with our May 1st move just a few days away. At the suggestion of my lovie the kids and I packed up the car and escaped to Indiana for the week for some rest and relaxation with the grandparents! It was such a great time~all the while I was still praying for clarity and I had gained a huge peace about whatever the answer was to be. On Wednesday, Ryan called and said we were moving to...........Delaware, Ohio! Friday brought two packed cars, one set of very helpful grandparents and a U-Haul being towed behind! <i>Perfect Timing!</i><br />
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So here I am feeling like I should be in a Kool-Aid commercial sitting outside on the deck, with the sun kissing my hands as I type, two very happy children playing in the sprinkler, and Popsicle time quickly approaching! What a blessing this house is to us. I have certainly been reminded that I took the home and the yard we had back in Indiana very much for granted 3 years ago! Being able to set on this deck and soak in the sweet laughter of my children on a perfectly perfect almost summer day is nothing more than <i>Perfect Timing!</i><br />
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And should I mention that our team leaves for Malawi in 39 days! EEEK!!! I can feel the reality of emotions I'll have about leaving my kids and my husband welling up inside. I am trying desperately to suppress them, but I know that God will have to bring me to my breaking point in order to have my full attention. How can I be used there, if I can never face leaving here? I have been praying specifically this week for God to help me build a wall around the emotions that are surfacing out of fear. And then there's the daily dying to self that I am trying to make a priority in order to be filled with the Spirit. Wow, did I never know I was this selfish and needy??!! I'm sure I sound no different to God than my own children sound to me with their constant, "Mommy, I need this. Mommy, I'm having trouble here. Mommy, help me. Mommy, Mommy, Mommy...." Of course I will actually miss hearing all those Mommy requests some day, but I am becoming aware of how much my parent child relationship with my children is just like my FATHER child relationship with God. <br />
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Well, as the days pass and take off approaches I will trust that God will send me off very prepared, emotions in check, and eyes on HIM. So when my feet touch that African soil (do they actually have soil in Africa??) I will have complete faith in HIS <i>Perfect Timing. </i><br />
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And so the page turns....<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhpttoGj9P7Q657L63pm_RGVDshBz-vBuLVzDNBxexHvK57aWBDGgV9gVlXeYkkUW4J65kIHZf2Ba6hfTUSPQunXDGv-X4h-G0kiRqmtGrHXNqH9vI-yPSvByRzrmjbg2TLq63s-Q_e8/s1600/DSC04297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhpttoGj9P7Q657L63pm_RGVDshBz-vBuLVzDNBxexHvK57aWBDGgV9gVlXeYkkUW4J65kIHZf2Ba6hfTUSPQunXDGv-X4h-G0kiRqmtGrHXNqH9vI-yPSvByRzrmjbg2TLq63s-Q_e8/s320/DSC04297.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">I had to include this picture, the very first flower Hallie chose for our yard is a Shasta Daisy.</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">I love that these sweet little bursts of happiness are ALWAYS looking straight UP!</span></i></div>Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17853367862636550602noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020615971793614568.post-8807328565037781312011-04-18T08:27:00.000-04:002011-04-18T08:27:07.493-04:00And the story continues<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Wow, this month is flying by and there have been many weeks when I needed a "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">foresday</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">". My son, Parker, when learning the days of the week, added an extra day after Friday called "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">foresday</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">". We often joke around here that we need a "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">foresday</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">" when the weeks pass us by to quickly. So how can I quickly bring everyone up to speed:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">God found house for </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Sisney</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> family to rent (Momma </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Sisney</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> knows it was God who found the house, because she purposely pushed same house to back burner because of location and it always kept moving to the front). Said house is 30 minutes north of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Sisney's</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> current location. Momma </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Sisney</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> was a bit concerned for Papa </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Sisney's</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> drive to and from work nearing one hour each way. God gave Momma </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Sisney</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> a peace about house location and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Sisney</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> Family's rental application was accepted within 3 hours. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Sisney</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> family began packing and organizing current apartment for upcoming departure. Having been denied moving container (PODS) by apartment management, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Sisney</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> family became creative and disassembled children's bedroom changing it into storage room for packed boxes and new furniture. Before mentioned children now sleeping with Momma and Papa </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Sisney</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">, which is not working out so perfectly! Momma </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Sisney</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> foresees purchase of inflatable mattress for wee little </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Sisney's</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> upcoming CARPET SLUMBER PARTY! Storage room is working out wonderfully, Papa </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Sisney</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> is so very wise! In one day less than two weeks, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Sisney</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> family will be moving 30 minutes north to house that God found and enjoy very much transforming house into home! Hopefully to continue living "Happily Ever After..."</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">WHEW!! So that is that! Turning the page...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">The latest Malawi meeting was just as awesome as the first! I continue to be amazed at how much excitement God is allowing me with this upcoming trip. Of course there was another video, of course there were more tears, but I am noticing my tears turning to smiles thinking of being on the same soil as the children. Pastor Mark was very clear that our objective is not to only clothe, feed, and provide for the immediate and obvious needs, but to share the Gospel because that is the one thing that cannot be taken away! A travel itinerary has also been completed. Remember, that I asked you to pray about the 6-hour bus ride from Lilongwe to Malawi? Well, thank you for your prayers, but apparently this is God's will because the bus ride is still part of our trip. Prayers, however, are always welcomed!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">I sent out support letters last week and am so thankful for those who have already returned their support cards to me! I am humbled by the sweet notes and in awe of God's provisions! Thank you so much to those of you who have already committed to being part of my support team, it's awesome to know God has planted this in your heart and you have responded! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Well, I have so many more thoughts to share, but I will stop here. I appreciate those of you who follow this blog and take the time to read. I never feel as though I share anything profound, but just being able to share is a joy for me. </span><br />
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</span>Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17853367862636550602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020615971793614568.post-92096830311795168312011-04-06T13:26:00.000-04:002011-04-06T13:26:55.668-04:00Parker Man!<span style="color: #38761d;">Wow! Six years ago God made me a mommy and he did it through the most amazing little boy named, Parker. I have such a hard time believing how quickly 6 years has passed. Wasn't it just last week that I was holding my sweet little cone head boy and soaking up every little newborn sound he made? I immediately had a special connection with this little man. Daddy joked from the beginning that he would be a momma's boy because he had inherited my "big o's" (big ole eyes) and I would never be able to tell him no! Well, daddy was 100% right. Although, telling him no has gotten easier over the years!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;">Parker is so awesome! He is everything I prayed my unborn child would be when I first saw the two pink lines on a simple white stick! I prayed he would be healthy and that God would give him a compassionate heart. Thus far, God has proved faithful~and has sprinkled in so much more! Parker has had a strong will since day one! I'm thankful for that quality (he gets it from his daddy), it has been a challenge (especially during the 2s and 3s) but I also see it shaping him into a young man of strong convictions. He has a passion for the things he likes in his life and he will fight to the death for what he believes in. Sometimes that fight is about not wearing stripes or buttons, sometimes it's about eating the same thing for breakfast and lunch for over a year. He has a 3-year hobby of 5 double-sided hotwheel car cases and not one of them is like the other! He knows them all individually and will correct you in a hot second if you offer him one he already has. I love his 6-year old way of being himself!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;">Did I mention he is a bit quirky? He has a thing for touching tissues, needing two forks at dinner to keep his food separate, and not being able to walk away from things until they are complete. He sees no need for change if the way things are currently happening are working out for him. I love that too... He gets some of that quirkiness from my dad, his Papa Bruce, i.e. daily using the same blue shark-fin hair comb he used in college (had to get it in there, dad). These boys have passions, I'm telling you! I can totally see Parker backing up Papa Bruce if anyone tried to replace before mentioned hair comb...just sayin' Parker definitely has that "if it's not broken, don't fix it" mentality. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;">His little sweet heart overflows with compassion. He is greatly affected if he senses our disappointment in his choices. When he pairs his strong will with this compassion~this child does amazing things! Just last week out of raw emotion he took a punishment that his sister deserved~just because he loves her! I was frozen in my tracks and wanted to cry on the spot, but I let him do his thing. Then I told him how much of a big guy thing that was~reminding him that Jesus did just that for all of us, out of nothing more than love. Parker teaches me daily~I am so grateful.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;">And that laugh....Oh that laugh. It brings a smile to my face and a tear to my eyes! It's the same laugh he's had since he <em>could</em> laugh. That sweet sound is seared on my heart. It immediately fills the room with joy~and you can't help but join him! My prayers for him now are that he accepts Jesus into his heart very early, that he never compromises himself, that he will remain healthy, and that his laugh will never fade. </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">I love you so much, my sweet Parker Wade (Parker Man) Sisney. Thank you for teaching me to be a mom!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;">Enjoy these pictures from Parker's life~</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmW0bAxJO1WglYhzYRfVnrsaGkzn2EHcJBkvV1QUQxeEsPRWRfKZHWIrq8tAFZQY1Gk8zEQxRjWg4or4RjHbhjtI9-U1myZSSgRHG73Als-23MtmTUKCdKDAHhEPBZuk5WuD_becQAnNA/s1600/Mommy+loves+You%2521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmW0bAxJO1WglYhzYRfVnrsaGkzn2EHcJBkvV1QUQxeEsPRWRfKZHWIrq8tAFZQY1Gk8zEQxRjWg4or4RjHbhjtI9-U1myZSSgRHG73Als-23MtmTUKCdKDAHhEPBZuk5WuD_becQAnNA/s320/Mommy+loves+You%2521.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;">April 5, 2005 Parker Wade Sisney 7 lbs 9 oz</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXJn01rB34aiBk-9KY6AxZI1JTTVhFJFU7wByzEP_MWMFAtNqsggLkw2qLG7aepFWHtVTJrvV08yjgpceECn_GIUTpLfbqcRA0JIVx2fNQnw_E5t1oxjVzlU4FYv3KQhgxciTOrARKYv8/s1600/Welcome+Aboard.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXJn01rB34aiBk-9KY6AxZI1JTTVhFJFU7wByzEP_MWMFAtNqsggLkw2qLG7aepFWHtVTJrvV08yjgpceECn_GIUTpLfbqcRA0JIVx2fNQnw_E5t1oxjVzlU4FYv3KQhgxciTOrARKYv8/s320/Welcome+Aboard.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"> Age 1</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR7Gk2dpIAfb3LxRqJYjO26_CUdAICHQu8hl0ecSb0jpVTZsDby1R_ZRok_xVYiL1hPIxXZ4q0SiDi892b-wKPudKVeOFrmQ8G7XuiPt1KjnJhckVjevXXD5C3kKavf33Oy3D2KJ5bq3w/s1600/2006_0408April070002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR7Gk2dpIAfb3LxRqJYjO26_CUdAICHQu8hl0ecSb0jpVTZsDby1R_ZRok_xVYiL1hPIxXZ4q0SiDi892b-wKPudKVeOFrmQ8G7XuiPt1KjnJhckVjevXXD5C3kKavf33Oy3D2KJ5bq3w/s320/2006_0408April070002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">Age 2</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWilaj8AjlqPxzJwXJJKDpv3f4dQ62PyUce_6xqNBmuL6lzMrStfaZib_GYEwIaEJ2kMs_oTpKTQQFEVx-bk8OObIF4VFkVCZVInN1zUpHZQhpJYg4FZ1b7D0M1PUIl8zxv904EQZBVyU/s1600/DSCF1646.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWilaj8AjlqPxzJwXJJKDpv3f4dQ62PyUce_6xqNBmuL6lzMrStfaZib_GYEwIaEJ2kMs_oTpKTQQFEVx-bk8OObIF4VFkVCZVInN1zUpHZQhpJYg4FZ1b7D0M1PUIl8zxv904EQZBVyU/s320/DSCF1646.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">Age 3</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiy0mrcsznkM8KIIudxE_Vfi8z0GOXXakbmBuI6wCedKb5craDZ4Yus6TWDUDO3rTWoiJXyZld4IrD-bRy6B09K3UadDAIxvLCpql7SkmD_RcK2mVm3BWe6wRaqPkXWtgF-Og8SCRf_Lw/s1600/DSC00496.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiy0mrcsznkM8KIIudxE_Vfi8z0GOXXakbmBuI6wCedKb5craDZ4Yus6TWDUDO3rTWoiJXyZld4IrD-bRy6B09K3UadDAIxvLCpql7SkmD_RcK2mVm3BWe6wRaqPkXWtgF-Og8SCRf_Lw/s320/DSC00496.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Age 4</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiknyRjRfsEkgOlBiFVQyi6vzknsNo0kc4ybkkwEXNJDQW_ihvVdcy6aR2Eqj-NFBymp0AMa1zVAi2ugzjdcPVV8ntMKZWLW-iRrKb4uIhHn8TU5MgKlPVjzWuaBuzDtzHG3n7FtHv2Ha8/s1600/DSC02218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiknyRjRfsEkgOlBiFVQyi6vzknsNo0kc4ybkkwEXNJDQW_ihvVdcy6aR2Eqj-NFBymp0AMa1zVAi2ugzjdcPVV8ntMKZWLW-iRrKb4uIhHn8TU5MgKlPVjzWuaBuzDtzHG3n7FtHv2Ha8/s320/DSC02218.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">Age 5</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Age 6</span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17853367862636550602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020615971793614568.post-52599304191486328562011-04-01T14:12:00.000-04:002011-04-01T14:12:41.103-04:00100 Days and Counting!!<span style="color: blue;">Well, I have wanted to sit down to type this for nearly a week! I have decided that as a Stay At Home Mom I really do need office hours! Anyway, on to the countdown...</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;">Not counting today there are exactly 100 days until our team departs for Malawi, Africa and the Passion Center for Children. Things have been realtively calm lately. Aside from the massive hunt for my immunization records, the overwhelming list of side effects for the Malaiw meds we have to take as a precaution, and the beginning of Dr. appointments to get my self "shot-up" with anything that might protect against everything! </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;">We began our pre-trip meetings this past Saturday. Pastor Mark shared an amazing devotion about having an inner metamorphasis before we even get on the plane. He has given our trip a code name: MISSION METAMORPHASIS. I am so excited to birth my inner butterfly! If I could have at that moment I would have boarded a plane immediately! We talked about the two current flight schedule possibilities. One of which involves a SIX HOUR bus ride in Africa (we need to pray about that). We were also asked to be bold and sign up to be team leaders for at least one area of service during our trip. I signed up to lead the team for the Hospital Visit (making sure the care packages are assembled and accounted for correctly), and the Playtime with the children (having a more organized play time than times past). The latter I am completely comfortable with~that's what I do~organized play with my kiddos! The previous, however, is completely out of my comfort zone. Not the care package part, but the hospital visiting part! If you count the 13 gift bags I just stuffed for Parker's upcoming birthday celebration my total must be around 456,275(approximately). The extent of my hospital visits, however, have been to see glowing mommas and there perfectly precious newborn babies! I am in for a big dip in the emotional rollercoaster on this one, I am certain! However, I felt led to sign up despite my insecurities and I have faith that God will provide the courage. Our next meeting is a week from tomorrow~I can't wait!</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;">WAHOO! I just needed to get that out~I really wish I could explain the completely unexplainable excitement that I have for this trip. At times I seriously feel like I might implode if I don't get there soon! What does that mean?? It's an excitement different from realizing you've met your true love, different from finding out you are expecting your first child, and different from getting the most special gift in the whole world. It's a burning, a desire, a passion that I cannot escape. And it's not always a happy excitement, but rather a surreal excitement. Oh I wish I could share it.....</span>Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17853367862636550602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020615971793614568.post-35944928708337824472011-03-15T13:20:00.000-04:002011-03-15T13:20:17.118-04:00The Space I Fill<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I am posing a big question to myself this week. WHO AM I? I think, at times, others could answer this question about me much more accurately than I. I am certain that God holds the answer so safe in his grasp that the only way I can know it is to seek after him. Even knowing that truth keeps me in wonder. I strive so hard to make up a me that exist only in fairy tales (in which my hubby would testify I hold a permanent address). I want to be everyone to everybody, doesn't that make sense? To me, it's the only way to please the masses. But, wait a minute. Why have I decided it is my job to please the masses? If I remember correctly, we are supposed to REACH the masses with God's truth~there's nothing written that says we should PLEASE the masses. I know that if I stick to this thought I will never truly discover who I am in CHRIST! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I am the same as a lot of you! I am the resident maid, chef (although not a very good one), chauffeur, doctor, storyteller, launderer, grocery shopper, playmate, and the list goes on and on, doesn't it? I enjoy all the spaces I fill in a typical day, but at times would trade off a few to break up the cycle, just like any of you. Sadly, these spaces I fill begin to define me. Because, seriously if I didn't do them then who would, right?? Newsflash, fellow SAHM's (Stay At Home Moms) we were not simply created for cleaning dirty toilets and folding underwear! We have people to impact!! Now, yes I do think it's impactful to clean dirty toilets and it would impact my little family if they didn't have any clean underwear, but being defined by these love chores isn't all there is! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">If I'm being honest I would say that my daily duties have been defining me as of late. And in turn those very spaces I "must" fill in a day are blinding me from who I really am in Christ! The "things" and the "tasks" become so important that they begin to crowd out the "truths" and the "teachings". So while I haven't discovered the answer to my question, WHO AM I? I have discovered that the spaces I fill are the very spaces that leave me feeling empty and prevent me from understanding all that God desires me to be. So I will seek the one who can pour out more wisdom, knowledge, and blessings than my cup can hold! And perhaps the spaces that I fill will be filled with more than just dirty toilets and underwear!</span><br />
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<em><span style="color: purple;">The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. Psalm 138:8</span></em>Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17853367862636550602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020615971793614568.post-42011882372313277022011-03-03T14:51:00.000-05:002011-03-03T14:51:27.827-05:00Paul, Barnabas, and Billy Blanks<span style="color: #274e13;">So from the title of this post you might be thinking I have lost my mind! Well, you would be about 75% right on that one! I'm a stay at home mom of an almost 6 and 3 year old, anything is possible!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13;">I am currently enjoying a Beth Moore bible study on the life of Paul, <em>To Live is Christ. </em>It is so awesome. I knew the basics of Paul's story, a dedicated Jewish scholar whose mission in life, as Saul, was persecuting Christians. And then that walk (to arrest more followers of the WAY), on that road (to Damascus), and that light (Jesus) changed a man ON a mission to a servant of THE mission. (Acts 9~read it if you haven't). It's quite remarkable, really. Anyway, God arranged it so that Paul would rarely travel alone as the first recorded missionary of The Word and very soon crossed his path with a man named Barnabas. The name Barnabas meant, <em>son of encouragement. </em>And don't you think Paul of all people would need some encouragement considering the task ahead? Acts 11 introduces Barnabas to Paul's ministry...again read it if you haven't! The bible says that Barnabas "encouraged believers to stay true to the Lord. Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith." Acts 11:23-24. He was a man that stood beside another brother when no one else would. That takes courage, doesn't it? To put your neck on the line so someone else doesn't have to stand alone.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13;">That brings us to Billy Blanks, don't give up just hang with me here. I have been spending a lot of time doing an awesome cardio kickboxing routine with Mr. Blanks recently. I am so inspired by his way of motivating and encouraging me to keep moving and not to quit when my mind says I'm done. He is always embedding things into his instruction like, "everyone has joy within, and it's by finding that joy that you will also find the strength to persevere." My favorite thing Billy Blanks says is, "You can choose to smile even when you're walking through the fire" And let me tell you on more than one occasion I feel like my thighs are in that fire! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13;">So, while doing my round-house kicks and speed bag arms I began to think of Barnabas as Paul's personal Billy Blanks! Seriously, Paul was imprisoned, beaten within an inch of his life, and abused more than a few times. Yet, he persevered. Barnabas encouraged him to press on with the Lord's work and encouraged those who heard the Gospels to remain true to the Lord. Paul walked through his share of fires, and found joy in his suffering for the Lord! And as Beth Moore writes, Paul made plans to share the Word with the nations, but didn't hold on too tightly to them in case God wanted to redirect his paths. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13;">That was a light bulb to me! An Ah-ha moment if you will. How often do I hold so tightly to the plans I have made that I squeeze out any possibility of God directing my path according to His will? And when was the last time I found joy in suffering or smiled while walking through the fire?? A challenge to pursue, sweet friends! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13;">One final thought: I can't help but wonder how awesome it would have been for Paul, Barnabas AND Billy Blanks to "fire-up" those God-less cities!! Can't you just picture it? Paul sharing the Gospel, Barnabas cheering Paul on and loving on the new believers and in comes Billy Blanks saying, "SHOW ME THE JOY PEOPLE!"....makes me giggle! </span>Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17853367862636550602noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020615971793614568.post-40209251756620217582011-02-23T15:36:00.000-05:002011-02-23T21:42:58.702-05:00Countdown to Africa...<span style="color: black;">This entry is the most important entry I have composed thus far, and I couldn't wait to share it! Yet, at the same time I had no idea how I could share my excitement and the importance of this news on a blog~it seemed so disconnected. However, I started this blog to share chapters from our life story and this is going to be the biggest most life changing chapter for me to date. So, here I am literally trembling with excitement at the keyboard. I am struggling to keep my fingers in check so that they do not just take off with the thoughts that are flying through my head and the feelings that are flooding my heart right now.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">Two weeks ago I found out that I have been selected to go on a mission trip to Malawi, Africa. I know! Crazy, right??!!! I desperately want you to understand and be a part of all that has led up to this news. It's quite a story and one that I want to cherish forever. Looking back it is so amazing to see how God has orchestrated this entire event in the heart of His completely resistant child. Whew~here we go! This is going to be a long one, so I hope you can spare the time to see it through! And I hope I can keep my eyes clear enough to continue to type. Ahhhhhh...</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">About a year and a half ago (2009) we started attending Northwest Bible Church in Hilliard, Ohio. We had been "church shopping" for about six months since moving to the Columbus area and we just weren't "feeling it" at any place we visited. One Friday afternoon I had decided to "Google" more churches in the area, which I had already done several times before. I put in the exact same information I had in my previous searches and this time "Northwest Bible Church" was the first listing on the results page (I absolutely believe that God was on Google that day). I clicked. I read. I looked at pictures. I scoped out the children's program. I informed my hubby. On Sunday morning I was determined that we were going to try <em>another</em> new church. Everyone was a bit tired of this routine. But I was certain we needed to go to Northwest Bible. The message was given by the Teaching Pastor as the Senior Pastor was on a mission trip in Malawi, Africa with a team of others from the church. We loved Pastor Mark's message, although after his delivery we were completely worn out, I've never seen such passion and such energy go into sharing God's word. This man is amazing. Shortening the story....the kids enjoyed the children's church and we agreed to go back the following week. </span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">The following week was the Sunday after the Senior Pastor and the team had returned from Malawi, Africa. They showed a video of a place called </span><a href="http://www.passioncentermalawi.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Passion Center for Children</span></a><span style="color: black;">. My emotions consumed me, in a way I had never experienced before. At that moment I had a desire to "love on" these kids. I began to pray what I could do from here to help them, because of course I would NEVER go to Africa. As a matter of fact, Ryan and I have said out loud before that we would go anywhere the Lord led us~EXCEPT AFRICA. Funny how things happen, huh? So another year goes by.....</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">Let's move forward assuming I maintained my casual prayer of wanting to "love on" the kids at the <a href="http://www.passioncentermalawi.com/">Passion Center for Children</a> from the comfort of my humble abode in Central Ohio (which I did). That brings us to July 2010 and the second team from our church returns from Malawi~another video is shared. This time I am overwhelmed to the point of not being able to breath. I'm sitting in the middle of church feeling mascara and snot run down my face trying not to sob audibly. We get in the car heading home from church and I say to Ryan, <em>"God wants me to go to Malawi."</em> Ryan says, <em>"I know. I don't want to talk about it right now."</em> I of course did want to talk about it and keep nagging until I got this response from my hubby,<em> "I know God wants you to go because he has told me to support you in this."</em> I was silenced. Okay. So God wanted me to go to Malawi. And then my mind was racing: "WHAT COULD I POSSIBLY HAVE TO OFFER THOSE CHILDREN?" and "HOW CAN I LEAVE MY CHILDREN FOR TWO WEEKS?" and "SERIOUSLY, YOU WANT ME TO GO TO AFRICA???" However, it was all very clear and very absolute.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">The seed that was planted a year earlier to "love on" these children had grown into a deep desire to "hug everyone of" these children. It was such a raw realization that of all people, I needed to go to Africa. I began to share this story with the rest of my family and each time I could hardly hold back the tears. We went through the summer and into the fall with lots of prayer about this new desire. I let the pastors know that God wanted me to go to Malawi, filled out my very overwhelming packet of information and turned in my deposit, but even that was no guarantee that I would be on the team. There were only 30 spots available for the 2011 summer trip and several who had gone before would be taking up most of the spots. Ryan was so great to remind me that even if I didn't get a spot on the team, sometimes God just needs to know we are "willing". So with that I settled in and although I hoped for a spot, I prayed for God's will and made sure he knew I was willing. </span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">Fall had come and with it came two very special visitors to our church. Joseph and Palira, who are the primary caretakers/pastors (along with their wives) of the children at the Passion Center. They shared so many things with our church during their visit and the reality that they live is just unfathomable. Something else exciting happened~Joseph was going to join our small group on Sunday evening! Out of all the different small groups that meet, he was coming to ours! We were instructed to have some questions ready to ask Joseph about the center, Malawi, his daily routine, etc... My question was, "What (besides prayer) is the most important thing we can do to help?" Guess what he said???!!!! In his broken English (this was his first visit to the U.S.) he says "Well, you can come over there yourself and hug everyone of them." CONFIRMATION CONFIRMATION!!! Folks, I nearly fell out of my chair! My heart is beating so fast right now just reliving all of these moments. </span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">In December, I attended the Women's Christmas Tea and the speaker for the evening also happened to be my table leader at weekly women's bible study. She is so awesome and had gone on the trip to Malawi for the first time with the 2010 team (I believe). During her message she made the comment that she wished she had gone on mission trips many years before she had (she's in her 50s but you wouldn't know it). Her responsibility as a mother to young children and her resistance to leave them held her back. She encouraged us "young mothers" to have faith and step out on it if God was calling us go! CONFIRMATION, CONFIRMATION!!! Now I was ecstatic!!! </span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">All of January went by with no word on who was on the team. In the mean time our church body was given the awesome responsibility to get our "fingerprints" in Africa if we couldn't get our "footprints" there by filling a Semi-truck trailer with supplies and clothes that would be shipped to arrive this summer. It's been amazing how the church body and others in the community have embraced this and the mock (life size) container in our church is starting to be filled! I checked my email daily hoping for some word and then the trip organizer told me at church that he was planning to send out an email that week! I lived on my hotmail account. And then on Friday afternoon (in perfect timing), February 11th I got the email that said, "Welcome to the Summer 2011 Malawi Team"....I almost threw up! If I could squeal through this monitor right now I would!</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">So friends, July 11-24th 2011 I will be traveling to the <a href="http://www.passioncentermalawi.com/">Passion Center for Children</a> in Malawi, Africa to love on, hug on, whatever else God has planned for me with those precious children. I have been told this will "rock my world". To that I say, "I'm in for a good world rockin'". There will be so many entries about this trip (can you believe I have left out several things) and all the preparations leading up to it. Please pray for the Passion Center and the children who benefit from the center. And stay tuned for so much more as this COUNTDOWN TO AFRICA begins!</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">Click on the link below to watch the 2010 Malawi Photo Montage from Northwest Bible:</span><br />
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<u><span style="color: #810081;"><a href="http://vimeo.com/14549678">http://vimeo.com/14549678</a></span></u><a href="http://vimeo.com14549678/"><span style="color: blue;"></span></a>Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17853367862636550602noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020615971793614568.post-74854433827218477172011-02-18T16:30:00.000-05:002011-02-18T16:30:12.626-05:00Happy Pinkalicious Hallie Ryan!<span style="color: magenta;">Well folks, we have made it! Today my sweet Hallie Ryan turned 3 years old! I was beginning to wonder if we would survive the twos and by the grace of God, we did! Yesterday I had a thought. God blessed me with a little girl that is full of personailty so that I would never have the opportunity at the end of the day to say, "Well, this was a boring uneventful day." Hallie brings so much joy, so much excitement, and so much princess to our lives that I can't imagine it another way! </span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta;">I remember finding out we were having a little girl and I was so paniked. I really wanted Parker to have a little brother because I knew about all the drama that came with little girls. Plus, the Sisney household already had a Princess~ ME! How in the world would this turn out? But the bigger my belly got, the more I started to bond with that little girl in there. And when she came out so absolutely perfect and pink~I was in love! </span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta;">Hallie loves anything pink and everything sweet! She's always much to full for real meals, but she always has room for a "treat". She adores her daddy more than anything in the world. She has his big brown eyes, you know. I fall in love all over again when I watch her love on him and see him melt a little each time. On the weekends I no longer exist~it's all about daddy. I think that is the cutest thing ever. She is so proud of her big brudder and thinks everything he does is magical. More than once she has offered Parker and Daddy a necklace or braclett saying, "Will you be my wife?" We'll have to iron this one out during our year as a three year old! </span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta;">Just today we were strolling around Target picking up some last minute items for her Pinkalicious birthday party and she burst into song! "Blessed Be the Name of the Lord, Blessed Be the Name-ame of the Lord" She was screaming it at the top of her lungs and drawing some attention and so I just said, "Sing it Sister!" It was so adorable. I am so thankful that she chose that song and not "Bust the Windows Out ya Car" that she heard on Glee! She heard it one time and of course stored it in her memory banks. That's just what kind of girl she is~she always needs to have options! Another example of keeping her options open is by having three on-going toothbruses. One pink, one purple, and one red. I mean a girl just has to go with her gut sometimes, ya know?</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta;">I still say there will be a time later in her life when she and I will not be friends, but isn't that when the best relationships between mothers and daughters bloom? When they can lay down their crowns and sceptors, meet in the middle of the castle, and just be girls. Besides, I will always have first dibs on the Prince (daddy)!</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta;">Here's a little bit of Hallie then and now! It just makes me smile all over to look at these and remember when! Hope you enjoy! Happy 3rd Birthday Sweet Hallie Ryan Sisney!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVx379Yv0_tFuCZX_HWsBwOKg3WYmREkQ74llqT7T1imkTWIAvJw_pps1FoMpYsYZMsYuw53KZDG0WwGLrlFGGaBtAPXaIb0r6hK5KSIdoGQk4G-yH3t3ZA54hY08OA4Sz12LNYMIlkRU/s1600/DSC03636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVx379Yv0_tFuCZX_HWsBwOKg3WYmREkQ74llqT7T1imkTWIAvJw_pps1FoMpYsYZMsYuw53KZDG0WwGLrlFGGaBtAPXaIb0r6hK5KSIdoGQk4G-yH3t3ZA54hY08OA4Sz12LNYMIlkRU/s320/DSC03636.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17853367862636550602noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020615971793614568.post-49690495277842832802011-02-14T09:04:00.000-05:002011-02-14T09:04:42.182-05:00Everyday is Valentines Day!<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong> </strong>My hubby and I were talking about the silliness of Valentines Day, and how for some it is a day they are forced to be together, to be thoughtful, to be lovey. Only to go back to "coexisting" the following day. And then he says something so sweet (a bit cheesy, but the sweet part overrules) "When you're us, everyday is Valentines Day". I know I can hear the "awes" coming from all of you out there! He is right. We so enjoy being together, holding hands, sitting close when we're in public, looking at each other with those looks that transport us back to where our love began. It's very hard to find something "special" to do on a day that is labeled as "Love Day" when we often do special things for each other daily, anyway. However, to keep with the tradition of the day, I did find the most amazingly adorable yet secretly suggestive card that brought an unforgettable smile this morning. Now I am just anxiously awaiting the return of my Valentine, as I do everyday, so that he can hug me with that embrace that warms me from the inside out. To hear our children squeal and watch them run into his arms as if they hadn't seen him in a month. To sit down at a meal that isn't at a fancy restaurant where we can laugh as much as we want and be ourselves without the appearance of being perfect. We'll share a simple dessert of heart shaped cookies and end the day with a snuggle on the sofa, and a head rub before falling asleep absolutely more in love than the night before. I love that Everyday is Valentines Day! And I love you, my sweet hubby!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia;">In honor of this "special" day, enjoy one of my favorites!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div>Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17853367862636550602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020615971793614568.post-79685748711953955922011-02-05T09:23:00.000-05:002011-02-05T09:23:28.712-05:00Sisney House RulesWell, I am just terrible at blogging consistently~sorry about that!<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So over the past month God has offered several hints to me regarding the "rules" we live by here in the Sisney house. I realized that although we teach bible stories and verses and try to surround our kiddos with God's truth we really hadn't taken a stand as a family to be accountable to each other on these things. So, I sat down with the kids and we first talked about the most important "rules" we should follow as God's children. Parker was awesome in offering his opinion and Hallie was very quick to repeat the one rule that Mommy is always saying, "Listen and Obey". I seriously think she may believe that her name is " Hallie Ryan Listen and Obey Sisney"! Poor thing has great intentions, but her follow through needs a bit of work ;~) So here are the rules that the kids and I came up with:</div><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><em>1. Love God</em></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><em>2. Listen and Obey</em></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><em>3. Nice Talk</em></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><em>4. Show Respect</em></span><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">These are the rules that are most important in this chapter of our Life Story, and since creating this list I have thought of a few more (5+) that we could certainly adopt. However, keeping in mind that two of us are 5 and under I thought we should just keep it simple to start!</div><br />
So after creating our list I went to the Word. My desire is not for Parker and Hallie to memorize these words on a list, but I want them to store God's Word in their heart as they grow and learn. To have a stored up strength that no one can take from them as they leave the safety of our home. For each rule there is a scripture that coinsides. This has not only been helpful at keeping us accountable (trust me Mommy has been called out a few times) to God's truths, but it has also helped me in the heat of a Mommy Moment. When the kids are in an all out battle for something completely and utterly meaningless all I have to say is, "Parker and Hallie to the refrigerator". They stop yelling and we all gather at the fridge to see what rule we need to remember. It has been such a great way for me to store God's word in my heart as well. So here is the complete list of Sisney House Rules:<br />
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<em><span style="color: blue;">1. Love God ~ You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. Deuteronomy 6:5</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: blue;">2. Listen and Obey ~ Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. Ephesians 6:1</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: blue;">3. Nice Talk ~ Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. Ephesians 4:29</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: blue;">4. Show respect to each other ~ Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32</span></em><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And my favorite part is that at the bottom of this very ordinary piece of paper that hangs purposefully on our fridge are four very sweet signatures: Mommy, Daddy, Parker, & Hallie. It's our commitment to God and each other to do life together according to God's Word. And I envision this same sweet list years from now, tattered from its life journey from refrigerator to refrigerator, still being the foundation that keeps this family centered. </div><br />
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</div>Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17853367862636550602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020615971793614568.post-43279400724784593102011-01-24T15:20:00.000-05:002011-01-24T15:25:38.469-05:005-year old WisdomOver the past week, I have been enlightened, encouraged, and in awe of my 5-year old son, Parker Wade. First, let me share a little bit of Parker with you. He is the most amazing little person! From birth he proved his strong will by deciding to be born 3 weeks early to a very emotionally unprepared Mommy and Daddy! He continued through his infant/toddler years to be in charge of life (his and everyone elses)! That will happen when you are the first child and first grandchild on both sides of the family. And all along the way he has reminded all of us just how special and remarkable he is. When I found out I was pregnant I prayed within seconds of reading that stick that the child inside me would have a tender heart and desire to love God. God answered my prayer because this sweet little boy has the most tender precious heart and recently is showing his understanding of loving God. <br />
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Now, I know I have made him out to seem absolutely perfect, but there are times! Times of (please read quickly, writing this is dampening my mood) selfishness, pride, arrogance, anger, deliberate disobedience, and down right brattiness have certainly shown their ugly heads in his past 5 1/2 years. However, as a mother times like I am about to share have far outnumbered the previous!<br />
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Last week I overheard him sharing God's truth with his little almost 3 yr old sister, Hallie. The conversation went something like this:<br />
Parker: "Hallie, you know if you aren't a good girl and love Jesus in your heart, listen and obey then you will go down to hell."<br />
Hallie: "Really, Parker?"<br />
Parker: "That's right, but if you are a good girl and you do love Jesus in your heart than you can go to heaven with me. And you know what else, Hallie? There aren't any doctors in heaven and when you cry tears it's not because you are sad."<br />
Hallie: "Okay, Parker."<br />
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Now, when I heard him tell his sweet adorable sister that she could go to hell, I almost jumped right into the conversation, but then I stopped. He wasn't telling her anything but the truth. In his innocent 5-year old way he was expressing the importance of loving Jesus and he didn't want his little baby sister to miss out on that. And he translated Ryan and I telling him how in Heaven no one gets sick into there not being doctors in Heaven. I have corrected that one in order to avoid him informing our doctors that they will not being going to Heaven ;~) If only I had a drop of the boldness and passion that he showed in that conversation. Granted, it was his sister, but I have hope that he would be just as passionate to a stranger or a good friend if the opportunity arises. <br />
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Different Day~Same precious 5 year old.<br />
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As a mom, it seems the words "hurry up", "come on", "let's go", and "move it" come out of mouth more often than necessary, I'm sure some of you can relate. Just last week we were doing our biweekly grocery shopping (with a 5 and 2 yr old it can get a bit lengthy) when, yet again, the 5-year old wisdom put everything into perspective. We had finished unloading our full-to-the-rim shopping cart and I had managed to keep everyone from playing with EVERYTHING fun, dangerous, and expensive in the check out aisle; a feat in an of itself! The bags were packed and reloaded, the money had been given, and I was on a high-speed one-track mind mission out of that store! From the check out to the front doors I must have said, "Parker, hurry up, please" 10 times. This child, who does tend to wander, comes to a dead stop and says, "Mom, maybe you should slow down sometimes." OUCH! He nailed me. He was absolutely 100% right. Maybe I should just slow down sometimes. I am so thankful that God uses even my sweet 5 year old son to get his desires through to me. I took Parker's advice and I have slowed down over the past few days. I have surrendered my agenda (again) and yes it takes longer to get the laundry finished, things are bit messier, and my checklist continues to grow. BUT. My kids are at peace, I am soaking up every second of them, and God and I are able to stay in touch with each other a little more naturally.<br />
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So here I sit, encouraged, enlightened, and in awe of my sweet 5-year old, Parker Wade Sisney. I love you my prince.<br />
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