Isaiah 43:1-3, 7, 10-13

But now, this is what the LORD says— he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior... Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth—everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.... “You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “that I am God. Yes, and from ancient days I am he. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?”
Isaiah 43:1-3, 7, 10-13

Sunday, December 01, 2013

Happy Holidays

Photo Card
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Thanksgiving Psalms

A tradition in Josh's family is for everyone to write a Thanksgiving Psalm - even being far away from each other, we send them back and forth by email.  This is the first year that I had the girls participate too, and was blessed to see and hear their thankful hearts - spelling mistakes and all :)  Happy Thanksgiving. "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18
 

Julie's Psalm:
Tis the season of lights...
Father of heavenly lights -
You do not change like shifting shadows
When everything around me changes
You gave me birth through your word of truth
Making me a kind of first fruits of all your creation.
O happy day!
Every good and perfect gift comes from You.
Grace upon grace,
One blessing after another,
One million gifts,
Starting with the life of your Son -
Grace and truth -
Who made You known.
Father of heavenly lights - Light of the world -
Illuminate us.

Micheala's Psalm:
Thank you God my Savior every day of my life.
You are so porerful you can do anything.  Thank you
God for my brother and sisters.  Thank you for my
friends and my teachers.  My family and cousins.  
I love them all because they mean so much to me.
I love my grandparents and my pets.  My warm
cosy bed and my mom and dad.  I'm glad we have
a garden and my own room!  I snugle up in my blankets
and my PJs.  I'm thankful for my school suppplies.  I am 
thankful for everything in my life. Love, Michaela

Eliana's Psalm:
Thank you God for my famly.
Thank you for my cousins and my frends.
I love my school.  My brother to.
He is so funy he makes me laugh.
Thank you for Jesus.  I love you!

Jana's Psalm:
God, thank you for my brother
and thank you for my sisters
and thank you for my dogs
and thank you for my mom
and thank you for my dad.
I love you, God.



Friday, November 08, 2013

In February, Josh and I had an experience of a lifetime.  We were able to organize and accompany a group of some of the medical mission personnel on a trip to the Galapagos, accompanied by John and Cynthia Clayton.  It was an amazing trip!  5 days touring one of the most unique biological environments on earth and seeing some of God's amazing creation - kid free!  From the fascinating marine iguanas, to Galapagos turtle research facilities, nights spent aboard a yacht, hikes through the interesting Galapagos terrain, bird watching from skiffs, and the best snorkeling I have ever done in my life (swimming with sea lions and sharks and sting rays!).  We had devotionals every night on the deck under the stars with discussions about the sights of the day and the incredible ways that God displays himself through His creation - and only someone who has lived in Africa will understand this when I say the stars were as bright as the stars over the African plains.  
















February

 In February, we had some more fun family activities.  The girls got to go to the Middle of the World with one of the short term mission groups.  This time, they went to the interactive museum and were able to do some Equator experiments like standing an egg on it's end, and watching the water go down the drain opposite ways.




 Michaela finished her first season of t-ball and got her first trophy!





And we celebrated Jana's 5th birthday with a Hello Kitty party.  The kids got to decorate their own cupcakes; we had a piƱata and played some fun games with her cousins and friends from school.



And finally, we celebrated Carnaval with a cousin water and foam fight.




Monday, June 24, 2013

January's Fun Family Pics


In January, we welcomed Jenny and Erik and their family from Bolivia.  They helped out with the medial campaign in February and the cousins spent lots of time playing at Nana and Papa's house.  We even got a couple good family pictures!











Christmas 2012 - Top 20 Pictures

December was a month filled with wonderful family time.  We celebrated an early Christmas with Josh's family, who had to leave for the US for the funeral of a dear friend.  Then, we were blessed by a visit from my parents.  We spent a lovely Christmas day together with my sister and her family (even though I was SICK with a stomach bug) and then took several days of family vacation and a trip up river to Kumanii.  Here are my Top 20 pictures from December.
The whole family at Kumanii
Decorating the Christmas tree

4 wheeling with Daddy
A game of Life with Nyanya
Crossing the extension bridge to our hotel
My dad and my husband preaching together
Babu and Enoch reading a book
Exploring an old train tunnel
2 peas in a pod
Cousins
Nyanya and the grandkids with her homemade quilts
Making a gingerbread house with Nyanya
Singing Christmas carols around the piano with Nyanya
My 3 sweet girls in their Christmas shirts
Giving Nana her Christmas gift
Nyanya ziplining!
Mommy and Enoch after a swim
Bird watching with Nyanya
Getting ready to zipline with Dad
On the canoe to Kumanii