Packing

Posted on August 17, 2009 by David
Proper packing of a suitcase according to Good Housekeeping

Proper packing of a suitcase according to Good Housekeeping

The time has come to start packing up the suitcases since we are down to 9 days before the plane takes off for France (8 days if you don’t count today and the day we leave). We’ve cut down drastically the amount of stuff that we hauled from Missouri to Pennsylvania with a drop off of a sea shipment to Africa in North Carolina. Today we get to go through the new piles of stuff we have accumulated in six weeks in Pennsylvania. The journals and documents have been scanned which cuts out another 2 boxes of stuff. I’ll start taking pictures of the suitcases so you can see what we are taking to France. The cats will not be coming; even though Jonah was trying to prepare Snuggles for the field by baptizing him in the toilet (He was not flushed just submerged).

We continue to be encouraged as we share with others the call that God has placed on our life and God continues to encourage us with others as they share their stories with us about their adventures and blessings in France and around the world. It has also been a blessing to just spend time with friends and family that we normally only get to see a few days a year.

I need to make an appointment with my stylist today, hopefully she will be able to squeeze me in and I won’t hear any oops or sorry as she cuts my hair.

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Car Sale

Posted on August 11, 2009 by David

The silver bullet is now serving with the US Postal Service, so much for taking all the gas guzzling used cars off the road. Sunday night the car went on craigslist around 5pm and was sold a little after 9pm. There were several inquiries but only one person was able to come up with the cash to pay for it on a Sunday night, he must have a big car envelope (for my Dave Ramsey fans.)

This van was a big part of the reason that we were able to get out of debt, buying an older vehicle and driving it for 3 years without having a payment. I’ll admit it broke down a few times, and the AC air compressor was a little loud, but we also had newer cars that broke down. We are now down to our 6 suitcases and a few boxes of kids’ clothes that will be shipped to Africa. God has been very good to us and I’m thankful that we were able to submit our final paperwork to our personnel advisor today, that we have completed all the stateside requirements and that we are at 100% of our monthly support.

I re-read some of my posts that included the silver bullet, that poor turkey will never be the same. Check it out if you missed it the first time.

Silver Bullet is now working for the US Postal Service

Silver Bullet is now working for the US Postal Service

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Giving

Posted on August 8, 2009 by David

yankee-cinnamon-candleSix years ago when my mother went home to be with Jesus I was given her car and it has been a blessing to be able to drive it for the last six years. I never took down the air freshener that she had hanging from the rear view mirror because it was a constant reminder of the Yankee candle that she always had in the kitchen, since the air freshener was in the shape of a Yankee candle.

It was an enormous blessing today to see the excitement in an eight year olds eyes as had watched me take off the license plates and he asked why? I shared with him that this was now their car and he didn’t really believe me that I was going to leave it for them. How often have I had the same state of awe when my Heavenly Father does the exact same for me? Every month faithful financial partners support us with the gifts that our Heavenly Father has given them. God is so good!

If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! Luke 1:13 (NIV)

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Going up River

Posted on August 6, 2009 by David

Today I wanted to share Faith Comes by Hearing’s Stories from the Field. I pray that you will be encouraged as I was, as I listened to the account of going up the river.

Some areas in South America are extremely dangerous; there are a lot of leftist gorillas and drug controlled areas that make it extremely dangerous for the Faith Comes by Hearing workers that are distributing audio Bibles for Wycliffe. Most of the times, these workers are putting their lives on the line to distribute God’s Word in audio form.

listening-to-proclaimerOne of these workers had a boat, and was going up the river handing out audio bibles and he was right on the edge of the gorilla controlled areas and he had one audio Bible left. The Lord said to him to continue to go up the river. He was really afraid but he was more afraid to disobey God, so he started up the river. The Lord said go a little further and a little further and he kept getting more and more afraid and then he arrived at the village. He got off the boat and a lady came and greeted him and asked him “What do you want?” He told her that, “I’ve come to bring you the Spanish Bible in audio.” She began screaming and ran off; he wasn’t really sure what to do because at this point a crowd had started to form. About 5 minutes later the woman came back dragging a blind man behind her. When the blind man got there he introduced himself as the pastor of the community and begins to share that a few months ago he and the church began to pray that, “Lord you know that I’m blind and most of my people can’t read. We’ve heard that there is such a thing as an audio Bible; would you please send one to us.”

The woman then shared with the worker from Faith Comes by Hearing that when they prayed that prayer, that it seemed so impossible that there was no way that could happen to us. So when you came and told me that you came to give me the audio Bible in Spanish I was just in shock. They now have the greatest gift they could possibly have; God’s Word in their language.

God will make a way when there seems like there is no way possible. I rejoice with this village as they now have God’s Word available to them. Do we limit our prayers to what we think is possible? I’ll admit sometimes I do, but many times when I see God do the impossible in my life I’m reminded of prayers from villagers that ask God to do the impossible which challenge me to also pray for “seemingly” impossible; “For nothing is impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37 NIV)

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Row Your Boat

Posted on August 4, 2009 by David

Many years ago before we were married we were leading a junior high youth group and it was time to take the group on an overnight canoe trip. So after an uncomfortable night’s “sleep” in two tents we were able to spend the following day attempting to paddle our canoe down the river. After the tenth time we flipped the canoe we agreed that spending time rowing a boat was not something that we should do together if we want to stay together. We have managed to keep away from rowing boats now for over 10 years, until yesterday.

We spent the day at Little Buffalo State Park and a visit to the park would not be complete without renting a boat and going around the lake. We were originally planning on getting a pedal boat, but only 3 of us would be allowed to ride in the pedal boat. So we decided we would have our lunch out on the lake in one of their row boats. After assuring that the boys’ life vests were securely fastened we headed out for our tour around the lake. I am pleased to report that we remained upright the entire time and we were able to enjoy our lunch with a flock of ducks that was swimming around the lake with us, although for some reason the ducks didn’t want to share any of our peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with us even though both boys insisted on throwing their food towards them. I still don’t think it’s time to try a canoe yet, but Joshua now knows the correct way to row a boat.

getting ready to go out on the lake

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Fun under the sand

Posted on July 31, 2009 by David

Sand boysThe last few days were a great time to relax and spend some time in the sun. The boys had a blast playing in the sand and even being buried up to their neck by their daddy. Even though I buried them several times; any effort that they made to bury me started by covering my head with sand. Since I was unwilling to be covered from the head down we stuck to building and knocking down sand castles. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get any pictures of the castles since none of them made it to completion before being knocked down by two little sand castle slayers. Now for those of you wondering I did not use being buried alive in the sand as punishment, they thought it was fun!

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Sharks Teeth

Posted on July 29, 2009 by David

sharkstoothTwice a day the low tide washes up hidden treasures onto the shore and if you look really close at all the broken shells you might be able to find a fossilized sharks tooth or two; or so the article in the tourist magazine stated.  So when the low tide washed these fossilized treasures onto Paradise Island, also known as Carolina Beach NC, we set out on our quest to find these teeth. Our first time out we were a little late for the hunt, since there were already people walking up and down the beach with handfuls of fossilized gold. So we went out earlier next time and we weren’t having a successful hunt until a young girl decided to give all of the teeth that she had found to DeAnna since she wasn’t really looking for them but she had found them anyway.

I was very thankful to be given a free treasure. It was just as enjoyable to find one of the hidden treasures even though I didn’t even lose it in the first place – the shark lost it many years ago but I was able to experience the joy of finding something that I was looking for. Walking back to the room I thought about two parables about lost items, first the lost sheep and also the lost coin both in Luke 15. Today I spent several hours combing the sand in search of something. But it wasn’t through my own effort that I was able to find them but through the gift of a stranger. How much more thankful for the gift of eternal life; although I once was lost I now am found through the sacrificial gift who was willing to give His all to me.

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Haircut

Posted on July 26, 2009 by David

My wife has been cutting our boys hair for several years since neither one of our children are able to have their hair cut in a public location, for some reason they have a fear that the hairdresser is going to cut something besides their hair. So, my wife being the resourceful mother that she is, learned how to cut their hair and has done a terrific job, I’m not sure if her first set of clippers came with a video or if she just checked online on Wikipedia-how-to-cut-hair website. With all her years of experience she has offered several hundred times to cut my hair and I have politely tried to change the subject. Today I have allowed her to cut my hair. I have complete trust and faith that my wife would do a good job; after all she has to be seen with me in public.

Now I was a little scared when she started with the clippers in the center of my head and the first thing she said was, “oops”. Followed by an “I’m sorry” and then an “I won’t cut it again.” Sorry I didn’t record this on video but I have a picture at the end.

I was a little scared to walk in and check it out in the mirror but she did a good job and is officially my new stylist. She is a very respecting and loving wife and I would have to add “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!” (Proverbs 31:29 NLT)

Haircut

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Sound of Music Fans

Posted on July 22, 2009 by David

For all those who like the sound of music you will love this clip from you tube! I just had to share this – I watched this movie every year growing up and made fun of it the entire time but this clip is great.

This video was made in the Antwerp, Belgium Central Train Station on March 23, 2009, with no warning to the passengers passing through the station.  At 8:00 AM a RECORDING of Julie Andrews singing ‘Do, Re, Mi’ begins to play on the public address system.

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Chocolate Covered Fun

Posted on July 21, 2009 by David

Every time we stay in Harrisburg we have to go to Chocolate World, the kids are no longer scarred when we get cooked in the oven or when the cows begin to sing on the ride. My favorite part of the ride is the free candy you get at the end, but they were giving out the regular Hershey bar and mine turned to chocolate milk because I put it in my pocket instead of eating it right away; my advice is to eat it right away before you make it down the ramp to the store. Like any good tourist attraction you are forced through the gift store before leaving and we let the kids pick some candy because I wanted some fresh Twizzlers. I don’t know if this is really the WORLD’s largest Hershey Bar but the boys had fun holding it, I think I saw more people pose with it for pictures for their blogs then I saw anyone actually buying them.

100_1046

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