God's Still in This Business

My beautiful friend, Anna, has been waiting 29 years for this day.  I am humbled and encouraged by her faith and courage to wait on God.  

He has brought her a wonderful man and they will continue to serve God together in China.

Why.

Ok.

It's been an ungodly long time since I've posted anything of value... well ok, anything for that matter!

  

I could say I've been busy with our church's Live Animal Christmas Play, but that's been over for almost a week.

I could say I've been busy training to be a bus driver, but that's only for a couple hours in the morning this past week.  

I could also say that all the preparation for my DOT CDL test has been preoccupying my mind every minute of my night and day, but it's not true since I've done other thinking and talking in that time.  

I could say Christmas shopping has been a nightmare, but that's not really true.  I only started a couple days ago and it's 98% done as we speak.

I could mention the fact that I returned that dumb Sprint wireless card cuz it could hardly be classified as high speed in our house.  But that doesn't really count since I've been at some wireless internet spot somewhere almost everyday day in that past several weeks.

You probably would definitely believe me if I said Bring Me Hope work has been insanely cram-packing my afternoons, but once again, it's not true.

So why haven't I been around?!?

I guess I won't make any excuses.  I just haven't.

So lest you think I care none at all for you faithful readers... I will say that I've had a number of extra babysitting jobs lately - spent some time at my old nanny family's this week, I have been eating, drinking and sleeping all the parts to a school bus in preparation for my test tomorrow morning - seriously, do I really care where the slack adjusters, U-Bolts, steering linkage, or volt meter is?!?  

Just wanted to bring you up to speed on my life right now.  Do pray for me early tomorrow morning when I attempt the pass this goofy CDL test.  I'll be out in the sub-zero temperatures, freezing my little rear off while I explain how that 'ole yellow monster is put together!  

Then it will be off for Clinton where I'll watch my dear friend from China kiss her new husband at the altar!

 

Random Cuteness

Another Perspective.

Tiff has started her own blog... and you need to check it out.

www.misstiffjoy.blogspot.com

*and yes, she'll kill me for posting this picture, but I couldn't help myself.  I had worse. :P

My Brudders...

I have been thinking a lot lately of how thankful I am for my brothers...  they are so amazing.

So tho this probably doesn't mean anything to you, I just want to take a minute and publicly recognize them for how loving they are.  I very rarely ever ask Timothy or Christopher to do anything that they say they won't do.  

The other day I needed to take a box of pineapples out to the car.  It was cold and snowy.. so I asked Timothy if he would carry them out and start my car.  Without even a complaint, he said yes, stopped what he was doing and did it.  

Both him and Christopher always treat us with respect - well, most of the time :P - and I appreciate that.  Most of our girlfriends' brothers brush them aside in public and don't give them the time of day.  Our brothers walk the high road in that respect.

And I just wanted to say I'm thankful for that.  

:: Here they are in their typical guy moments ::

* Ok, so maybe that's not so guy...

I am excessively happy

Winter has finally come.

3 Camels, 2 Soldiers, 1 Leopard

Our church has a Live Animal Christmas Play every year.  They always have a big cow, horse, donkey, chickens, sheep, and all other furry four legged creatures inside the church!  This year, God lined up all the pieces for us to get three camels, a leopard cub and Dexter - the monkey in 'Night at the Museum' to be in our play.  

Yes, the monkey from that movie!  This animal trainer dude's furry friends are famous!  They've been in all kinds of movies, documentaries, etc.  

Friday night, Washington held their annual lighted, Christmas parade.  We all dressed up in our costumes and walked in the frigid night air.  My little toes in the sandals where half gone from frostbite by the time we made it back to the church.  

It was a good parade.  It will be an rockin' good play.

Seeing my brother dressed in a skirt... priceless.

An Infamous Trick

** UPDATE:  Ok, I need your help... David has posted this link over on his blog also.  He thinks he will get more comments on it than I will here... can you help me?!  He can't get two over on me! *smile*  THANK YOU!

(PS.  David is my most-of-the-time-very-nice-and-only-sometimes-conniving-BOSS!)

Ok.  I just want to preface the viewing of this video by saying one thing.  I am posting this at the risk of looking like a fool, but if it gives people a good laugh, I am willing to take that risk.

So please laugh...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FA3z_ztiyhQ
(copy and paste this web address to go to the page)

For You

Who wanted to hear our family sing.

My Fav Fotografer...

You NEED to go over the the fam's blog and check out Grace's latest pics... she is AMAZING! 

On Miracles...

If the miracle is the end, how frustrating would life be...

The end is Christ.

That is accomplished through brokenness.

Through suffering.

Through the miracle.

Through the amazement.

Either one is just a pipeline to get us to Him.

Tiffany

VOTE

Today is the day you are privileged to make your voice as an American heard!

DO IT!

Do You Know???

Approximately 143,000,000 

                         children in the developing world are 

Orphans.

That's 1 out of every 13 

                            children.

What are you doing to make a difference?

Pray

         Give

                   Volunteer

                                    Adopt

November is National Adoption Awareness month.

Basketball Education

The boys are playing basketball this year for our church team... when they learned a new offensive play in practice last week, they had to show us...

And our salad was close at to use for people, basketball and hoop.  (And no, we didn't reuse it for the meal!)

Trying to understand...

The set-up

The SCORE!!

One Of My Favorite Songs Right Now...

Everyone needs compassion, 
A Love that's never failing
Let mercy fall on me
Everyone needs forgiveness,
A Kindness of a savior 
The Hope of nations

(Chorus:)
Saviour, 
He can move the mountains,
My God is mighty to save,
He is mighty to save
Forever, 
Author of salvation,
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave
So take me as you find me
All my fears and failures
Fill my life again
I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in
Now I surrender

(Chorus:)
Saviour, 
He can move the mountains,
My God is mighty to save,
He is mighty to save
Forever, 
Author of salvation,
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave

(Bridge:)
Shine your light and let the whole world see
We're singing, for the glory of the risen king,
Jesus Shine your light and let the whole world see
We're singing for the glory of the risen king

Random Chinese Moments.

The last-last assembly was quite the dive... Sam (our guitarist) was finishing the last camp recap video and wasn't there to lead.  Somehow, someway I was recruited for leading the singing.  

Hmmmmm.....

I'll just say it was the most unique and scary assembly of all.  

Here's David's reaction...

Here is our leader with a most manly swim cap...

Jason 

A fellow Iowan, James

Not sure what to say about this... except that if you've not seen the week recap from week 4 with this little production in it, you are missing out!!

If you like this... I'll post more random moments in the near future.

Can you tell I've been thinking of a far off land a lot lately?!?!

"I want to go back..."

This is one of my most vivid memories from China this summer....

It was late Friday morning.  The last-last day of the summer.  I rode back with the kids to their orphanage in the little van.  On my lap was little Peter John.  At three years old, with one of the cutest faces a child ever had, he didn't deserve to be at the cold, stiff government run place.  None of them did for that matter.

After the hour ride, they had all piled out of the vans and went directly to the cafeteria for their lunch.  I walked with Icy, the translator, and a little girl, Emma to where they were.  All the kids were gulping down their meager bowl of thin soup.  I was taking it all in.  Holding in my tears over my pain for their hurt.  One of the boys who had been at camp that week came over to me.  Grabbing my hand, he dragged me over to his little foursome table.  I knelt down beside him as he ate his lunch.  

He began asking me something over and over.  I couldn't understand so I asked Icy, "What is he saying?"

What I heard broke my heart... it still does...

He was saying, "Can I go back with you?"

- - - - 

That's why I'm going back.

At the Neighbors....

This morning I spent some time up at the neighbors watching their kids while Veronica ran some errands... Here's the little cuties!

I see a future for Elliot in spaghetti-eating-contests!

Lanora

The Bib-Kids

Emma 

Elliot and Russell

-- It's the good life --