Just a fun 17 seconds... ^-~

There is only a slight bit of competitive spirit in our children.



You can barely hear me saying over the gorgeous Gulf Coast breezes...
"To think they are racing to sit in the car for 21 hours straight... it's a shock to me!"
btw for the record- Si won :)

Is Radiator Fluid Really Necessary?

** Note: to skip all the Blah Blah, scroll down for pictures :) **

Just a random question really, but as we found out - not once but three times over the course of this weekend -it really IS kind of necessary... especially if one plans to get back home!

Christmas Day we headed to Wiggins, MS, for the wedding of the year! Well, maybe just the last wedding this year, but never the less it was fabulous! KP is now K&SP! It was a beautiful ceremony and a gorgeous 70 degree Winter Day! I love the south!

We had an uneventful trip down... which for a 1300+ mile trip one way is a good thing!

Our white Chevy Conversion van is now affectionately dubbed "The Electric Cloud". It was tricked out with 4 cell phones, 5 IPods, 1 DVD player and a 13" TV, 1 game cube, two 2-plug power inverters, 1 laptop, 1 PSP, and 1 leapster! I may actually be missing something, but needless to say the Jalowiec Clan was Plugged In!!!!! It was fun to watch as the hours clicked away they settled in and one by one detached from their respective techy gadget, and had some serious knock down drag out fights real fun and conversation with their siblings. After a few hours of that, they each made their "nest" and went to sleep. There were pillows and blankets covering every square inch of the interior of the van! Dan and I are So Thankful for technology. What difference driving is with your favorite preachers along! Hours of David Gibbs, Dan Proctor, Ravi Zacharias, Alistair Begg, and of coarse our own Pastor Grace. The time clicked away and we enjoyed the trip. Our brains were engaged and it made the 43 hours on the road beneficial in more ways than just getting from point A to point B and back again!

After we got to Gulf Port and had a few hour rest, the slight smell of radiator fluid didn't send any red flags up until we started to drive the 40 minute trip to the wedding rehearsal. The "Check Gauges" light shone like a beacon of doom, and the engine temp was nearing the danger zone... QUICKLY! We stopped at a little gas station and were pleasantly introduced to good 'ol southern hospitality. After a few gallons of water, we decided to continue the trip and limped it along for the next day... only Sunday morning to discover the small leak in a coolant line had become a bit of a rushing stream. Limp again the few miles to Red Creek Baptist Church for service, and pray for a mechanic in the congregation! This vehicle was going no where in this state- especially 1300+ miles back home! Praise God for Brother Greg! He pulled our van over a gully, expertly removed the broken part, and repaired it with a modified piece! We had a relaxing afternoon in the sanctuary while the repair was being completed, and were on our way! The engine had no water at least three separate times- and who knows how many of the miles getting there we were precariously close to blowing the engine! God is so GOOD and the repair was a success. We were able to drive home safely and without event.

This was a very good "pre deputation" trial run with the kids, the van, and M.A.N.Y. hours on the road... and I am still looking forward to our future "happy trails" and "on the road again" days ahead of us!

We decided to lollygag out of MS, and took a drive along the Gulf Coast. After Katrina, the landscape has still yet to recover. The children loved getting their feet wet in the Gulf, and looking for shells. What a great time! The weather was gorgeous, the sun was bright, and water was cool. Enjoy the pictures!

I am beginning to like feet pictures!

Little Savannah in her Wedding Finery :)

On the coast, a local artist carved many of the devastated Oak Trees
into gorgeous works of art along the highway.

These dolphins were stunning. Almost like they were swimming in the sky :)

Karate Kids!

We acquired two new family members.
We shall see how long they last. Poor babies :(

How about this for the prayer card pic?!
I love camera timers... and even more, older children that know how to use them!

They loved it! Warm and Sunny. Quite a contrast from NY at this time of year.
Definitely a nice break!

"EE TAOW"

It is good to be reminded of things.

It was over 17 years ago when as teen counselors at FBBC that my husband and I sat in a Sunday morning service and first saw this video. (It is 20 minutes... PLEASE take the time to view it! It will be more than worth your time!)

This past Sunday, our present teen pastor showed the same video to another generation of students. I can only pray it had the same impact on some of them as it once again had on us.

When we first saw this, we were in the first year of our marriage. It promted us to be fully on board of prayerfully and financially supporting missionaries . It was one of the most impactful and beneficial things that happened to us a newly married couple. It was a catalyst to engage our hearts about missions. We both saw the world as a big place that is desperate for the truth of the Gospel. We both felt compelled to obey God by getting involved in the Great Commission. Little did we realize what those first steps of obedience was preparing us for!

Dan is in his F.I.N.A.L. semester at NSBI. WOW!! It really has been an exciting time. Preparation is service, and we understand that so much now. There has been growth in our marriage, in our lives individually, as well as in our walk with the Lord. We are learning more and more what it means to trust God in all things... well most things! (To say all is presumptuous... as I am sure they would be words to be eaten at a future date!) We are still in awe at the desire of God to use us - we feel so inadequate! Nothing compares to the thrill of seeing God work in our lives.

While there will not be an official roll out date, :) our prayer card is almost ready to be printed! We received the initial project via email yesterday, and our hearts were pounding as we waited for the file to load! When we clicked it to open... we held our breath! I told Dan it was like he was asking me to marry him all over again! We hope to have the final changes done soon, and have them printed by the hundreds! So Exciting!!! Until then, I am going to share with you a few of the pictures that were taken to finally get "The One" to be used. By the way, we aren't using any of them! Not one if the 157 pictures. So sad!

More of a police line up than a prayer card pic!

My Gangsta Family- oh my!

This one was a contender- but we all look a little pale against the orange...
sorry Orange Girl!

Si playing Peek-a-boo... They never really grow to old for that game! :)

A Picture for our Christmas cards

Love the Socks!
So Precious!

"Oh this is such hard work!"

"I am Done!"

Hello? Is anyone out there still?

I have been very up to date on everyone's blog... except my own! I love google reader, but now that I don't have to go to my blog to reach all of the other one's, I feel less compelled to add to it...!

Well, there are some updates on the Jalowiec front here! We are meeting with a graphic design friend who is going to help us get our prayer cards and our letter ready to start out deputation plans. We have three different lists of churches that have been given to us. We are not excited about the leg work involved with regard to cold calling and trying to speak to a pastor. I pray we don't often have a name wrong on our lists! Having worked for a major retail chain for many years that has involved "cold calling" patients to let them know their order is ready will hopefully help! At least I know how to accurately dial a phone. I will definitely be glad for that skill that I learned in the secular world! Ha! Getting a calendar to put meeting dates onto seems a bit presumptuous, but little happens without belief! I think a nice appointment book is a great gift idea for a certain man in my life!

Speaking of... I am so thankful for my husband.

Many men have no clue nor desire to be handy in the least. It may stem from inability or a lack of motivation, I have no idea. What I do know is, Dan is professionally trained as an optician. Not a mechanic or an electrician, not a plumber or a small appliance repair man. BUT... he attempts and succeeds time and time again in these areas! I cannot add up the THOUSANDS of dollars he has saved us in repairs on the vehicles and in the home. And not because he had all of this macho-man gusto and confidence going into it. But because he figured he would "take a look and see". Yesterday, he repaired a gas leak on our van. It turned out to be something straight forward, but I would have driven it to the first repair shop I could find! He has repaired struts, shocks, brakes, clutch parts, windows, wiper motors... the list is endless! Another bonus, he often has one or two of our boys out there with him- training them to be men that will wow their wives one day! Just the other day my bread machine stopped working. I was thinking to toss it out and get another one somehow. No need! Josiah asked if he could "take a look and see"... (I have heard that phrase before!) and with in 20 minutes he returned it working like new. Bagels anyone?! :)

What is in a name?

So I ran across this blog from a friend of a friends... Who knows what my grandchildren's names might be if this idea catches on!

America, America, God Shed His Grace on Thee...

In browsing the cover page on iGoogle this article caught my eye. The title "Be good not godly" certainly is catchy. But I might ask, why are they even saying "Be good"? Why not say what they really think and just write "Go ahead and do whatever you want to do. Who cares what another thinks." We would not want them to stifle their proclivities now, would we?

This comes on the heels of a conversation I had with a co worker the other day. Her statement was along the lines of what is the big deal if the gays and lesbians want to get married? Who cares? What is it going to hurt if they have the right to get married? All I can say is, God Help Us!

The generally polled statistic is 92% of Americans believe in God. I might amend that to say they believe in a god. But lets give the benefit of the doubt, and if the do believe in God, what good is it if they do not fear him? And what good is it if they don't know him? And what good is it if, after all is said and done, he does not know them?

James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

Matthew 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.


I struggle with being "in [their] face" at these times and coming across less than gracious, but with mamby pamby being the order of the day, people are lulled to sleep and don't even know it. They are like the man I saw on my way into work the other day. He was nearly laying down on a bench outside of the mall precariously close to falling off of it, with a lit cigarette barely in his hands, and falling asleep. I made my way passed him just as sleep overtook him. The cigarette finally dropped out of his hands, his head hit the hard metal bench, and he was jolted awake. He looked up at me like I had pushed him!

People everywhere are falling asleep. We need to be a hard surface for them to wake up on! And we need to extinguish the ember from their verbal cancer before it hits the ground and ignites the unsuspecting and unguarded minds of those around them. OK- weird analogy, but it was so visual to me! What if that man was in a home and that happened? Certainly the bench would have been a very unjolting cushy couch, and the concrete ground would have been a nice soft petroleum-based synthetic carpet ready to ignite from the fallen cigarette! Many have died in real house fires from this exact scenario. How many are dying and we don't see it. Fires of destruction in their minds. Plumes of smoke that choke out the truth of the Word of God.

Isaiah 9:18 For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke.

There is another smoke that needs to billow. It is from incense that comes with our prayers.

Revelation 8:4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.

This is powerful stuff. This gets mixed with Fire from the throne of God, and is thrown down to Earth to overcome all kinds of wickedness. I know this is in Revelation, but if God wants to throw down Holy Fire that is mixed with prayers of the saints in this day to combat the evil of this world, I want mine to be included! This is not a battle to be fought on Main Street or Wall Street. This is a battle to be fought in the closets of our heart communing with God pleading for the life of this nation. The colors of our flag may not fade or run, but they do bleed. And we are bleeding. Badly. Only god can staunch the flow, and heal our land. But it starts with "If my people...".

Why did the Chicken?

Everyone has heard the timeless joke... why did the chicken cross the road? These answers are new to most though! Enjoy a good laugh, and thanks to Joni for the heads up!

WHY DID THE CHICKEN CROSS THE ROAD??

SARAH PALIN: Before it got to the other side, I shot the chicken, cleaned and dressed it, and had chicken burgers for lunch.

BARACK OBAMA: The chicken crossed the road because it was time for a change! The chicken wanted change!

JOHN MC CAIN: My friends, that chicken crossed the road because he recognized the need to engage in cooperation and dialogue with all the chickens on the other side of the road.

HILLARY CLINTON: When I was First Lady, I personally helped that little chicken to cross the road. This experience makes me uniquely qualified to ensure right from Day One! that every chicken in this country gets the chance it deserves to cross the road. But then, this really isn't about
me.

GEORGE W. BUSH: We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road, or not. The chicken is either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground here.

DICK CHENEY: Where's my gun?

COLIN POWELL: Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the
satellite image of the chicken crossing the road.

BILL CLINTON: I did not cross the road with that chicken. What is your definition of chicken?

AL GORE: I invented the chicken.
JOHN KERRY: Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am now against it! It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled about the chicken's intentions. I am not for it now, and will remain against it.

AL SHARPTON: Why are all the chickens white? We need some black
chickens.

DR. PHIL: The problem we have here is that this chicken won't realize that he must first deal with the problem on this side of the road before it goes after the problem on the other side of the road. What we need to do is help him realize how stupid he's acting by not taking on his current problems before adding new problems.

OPRAH: Well, I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is why he wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I'm going to give this chicken a car so that he can just drive across the road and not
live his life like the rest of the chickens.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN: We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed to have access to the other side of the road.

NANCY GRACE: That chicken crossed the road because he's guilty! You can see it in his eyes and the way he walks.
PAT BUCHANAN: To steal the job of a decent, hardworking American.

MARTHA STEWART: No one called me to warn me which way that chicken was going. I had a standing order at the Farmer's Market to sell my eggs when the price dropped to a certain level. No little bird gave me any insider information.

DR SEUSS: Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed I've not been told.

ERNEST HEMINGWAY: To die in the rain, alone.

GRANDPA: In my day we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.

BARBARA WALTERS: Isn't that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the chicken tell, for the first time, the heart warming story of how it experienced a serious case of molting, and went on to accomplish its lifelong dream of crossing the road.

ARISTOTLE: It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.

JOHN LENNON: Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together, in peace.

BILL GATES: I have just released eChicken 2008, which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your checkbook. Internet Explorer is an integral part of eChicken 2008. This new platform is much more stable and will never crash or need to be rebooted.

ALBERT EINSTEIN: Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?

COLONEL SANDERS: Did I miss one?

We shall see...

As of right now, this is the best guess all of the analyzers and political polls can make. For up to the minute, look here.

As a Bible believer, regardless of todays results, God is still on His throne. His word is still my authority. In the end, Satan loses and God wins. Very good news to me!

It is just all of this in between stuff that is a bit of a distraction!

Unfortunately as you can see by this little map, I live in #31 state which is solidly blue. Not what my one vote represents. My kids are figuring out what year their 18th birthday will be in so they know when their vote can be made. I remember doing that to see how old I would be when the millennium changed. Wow, was I going to be old by then...! Great, and 8+ years have passed since then.

But whether you are 18 yet or not, and whether your state reflects your vote or not, if you are a Christian, one of God's people called by His name, there is something to be done today that will matter.

2Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

I want to hear from heaven, have my sins forgiven as a nation and as an individual, and have my land healed. But have I humbled myself? Have I prayed? Have I sought God's face? Have I turned from my wicked ways?

Surely God's way is a good way.

The electoral vote will for sure decide the out come regardless of the actual popular vote, and I completely believe our founding founders of this country were far more wise and God-lead than men of today, as they saw a need for this system in the beginning. In only four elections has the popular vote not agreed with the electoral vote. After today, it may be five. We shall see.

Forgiveness

Each time through the Scriptures I am amazed at how the Holy spirit is at work to make the passages that have been read before, become alive and fresh again. Sometimes I am tempted to think, "I have read that so many times, I should just skip those few verses/chapters and just get to something I don't know!" How proud and haughty my spirit is! God is SO faithful, and truly the Word of God is "Quick and powerful" !

This time in Matthew, I have had so many "light bulbs" in passages that before I have read through and not thought twice about!

Like in Matthew 3:12, where it talks about the wheat and the chaff, and how He will fan the threshing floor, and the chaff will blow off and be burned with an unquenchable fire. Compare that with the verses on the whole armour of God, and how if we have it all on, we will be able to "STAND", and not be blown about- applicable today too! The wheat and the tares are sown together, but only the wheat- the fruit that remains- will be able to stay on the threshing floor to be gathered into the harvest. Very cool!

And in Matthew 5:2 "And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, " why does the Spirit direct Matthew to pen "opened his mouth"? Why not "And Jesus said", or "He spake unto them"? It just struck me as different. Like just by Jesus just opening his mouth the knowledge poured out of him- almost like it was water flowing from a vessel that was so full it was only contained because previously his mouth was closed.

And then in Matthew 6:22-23 "The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! "

Compare that with a companion passage in Luke 11:34-35 "The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. "

From these passages, I think "light" is good or bad. "Single eye = full of light= good" but "Evil eye = Darkness=bad", but the "light" can be darkness if my eye is evil. SO ... is light just that which shines from me, good or bad? Good question. It is not that which goes into a man that defiles, but what comes out... right?


And then in Matthew 8:13, I love when Jesus says "as thou hast believed". What restrictions do I place on God's power in my life because I have not believed as BIG as he is?! I don't even really comprehend all of what that could mean in my life!!

One of the biggest "Oh My's" was from the story of the man being forgiven the huge debt equal to millions of today's dollars but would not forgive the few bucks owed to him. It concludes in Matthew 18:34. "And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. "

Wow, what unforgiveness reaps! How many people are delivered to the tormentors of bitterness, shame, hatred, self loathing, anger, regret... because they refuse to forgive. Whether the person needing forgiveness is a parent, an estranged friend, a person who has harmed you in word or deed, or... as is very likely... yourself, YOU MUST LEARN HOW TO FORGIVE!!! Victorious, spirit filled Christian living is impossible while chained up in the bonds of unforgiveness, never loosening the chains of the tormentors. And might I add, by our own choice.

Suffice it to say, all of these questions are good. They challenge my mind and notions that may or may not be right. They remind me that God is very VeRy BiG, and I am not. They also tell me that I need to read every little thing in the Bible as I get to it, because it is alive, and good for food, and water to wash my dirty and corrupt flesh.

Onward Ho! The Scriptures await!

Fall Candy Apples!

I love making candy apples, and my children love eating them! I sometimes double dip them and then use the candy string to decorate them- so pretty! They are shiny and look like glass with bubbles in it! The crackle and crunch of the sugary coating mixed with the cinnamon-y flavor only to be out done by the tart crispy juiciness of a fresh, newly harvested upstate NY apple... DELICIOUS!

And just perfect for assisting in the removal of a child's first loose tooth!
At least her first experience was a "sweet" one!

ps. forgive the terrible picture quality! While I love cell phones with cameras- they really are not great shots! Where is Jen when I need her!

The past weeks in a nutshell!

I have not posted in a while as there have been so many thoughts swirling that no one ever seemed to stand out more than another... they all just keep piling up til I feel a little over whelmed to post one just one.

When my hubby first started having to preach, and prepare messages, he often felt the same way. He would have a great topic some where in I Corinthians, and start out by asking everyone to turn to Genesis... I guess a "brief" Old Testament survey never hurts, but it is hard to catch the "Main points" of a message like that. Such has been my life the past few weeks!

(And please know my hubby is a great preacher! He has since... and very effectively... learned less is really more in the aspect of a single sermon!)

So in the interest of brevity, I want to just hit a few hi lights.

Dan and I celebrated our 19 wedding anniversary. It was during the week Encounter Revival Ministries was here, and while we celebrated, it was far from in the traditional way. We took our kids and our hosted girls out to dinner- at Wendy's- and had only 20 minutes to chow it all down and get everyone to their respective obligatory locations... in separate cars. It was memorable if not romantic!

Olivia ended her soccer career as a high school student on an amazing high note. They were at the championship game in Cohocton on a lighted field at 8:30 pm one VERY.BRISK. October evening. The fans all wore snow suits and winter gloves and hats! Well, the rival team had an undefeated season, and only one of their wins was not a shut out. One goal had been scored on them the ENTIRE SEASON! Needless to say they were arrogantly overconfident and full of themselves very good competition!

Well after half time, no score. Zip-Zip.

After entire game, no score. Nada-Nada.

After not one but two 5 minute sudden death OT, no score. Fans were screaming and teeth were chattering. The waves of excitement could be felt **hundreds of miles** away!

The entire seasons Championship Title now rested on one goal keeper, and 5 kickers from each team.

Shoot Out.

First up for Rochester Rapids... my daughter, Olivia. No little pressure rested on her shoulders at that moment!

The ENTIRE crowd of fans became eerily quiet... it was 11:oo pm... and 31 degrees. She took two steps back... surely not enough to get the power behind it to break the keepers hand as it whizzed by clear the upper 90! Whoosh! The keeper barely feels it skim her fingertips and it is SCORE!!!!!! The crowd erupts and the Rapids are up 1-0!!!

They shoot- miss!

We shoot- Katie makes it!!! Rapids are up 2-0!

They shoot- score... their fans give a brief cry of victory, but we are still up 2-1.

We shoot- miss. We are getting nervous.

They shoot - miss! We are getting hopeful!

We shoot- miss. They still could pull this off. They have two more tries.

They shoot- miss. Our side shouts in excitement of possible victory!

Our final kicker is our keeper still in the opponents net. She ran across the field to be our final kicker.

The crowd became silent so that even breathing stopped. The chattering of teeth was all that broke the deafening silence. Liz's cleats could be heard by all as they crunched onto the newly frosted grass... she took her few steps and belted it into the net! SCORE! RaPiDs WoN 3-1!!!!!!

I know all of this not because I was there... sad for me!!! Dan gave me a play be play on my cell phone! I was so bummed to have missed it as I was **hundreds of miles** away in Old Forge, NY.

"Why?" You might ask.

Well, a great friend from church has asked if she could head up the Ladies Prayer group for our family. Wow! That makes things seem so very real and close! Well she and her hubby have built an amazing Log Cabin in the Woods of Old Forge. (All caps because it truly deserves accolades!) It is a gorgeous setting and even more a stunning home. She whisked me away for a the weekend to really get to know each other, and to get a good direction for our prayer group! What a great time! I still missed "The Game"... but as you can see it was for a good cause! To top it all off, they are generously and without compensation offering this home to our pastoral and missionary families to use for a mini retreat if they should choose! WELL... if that is not a great offer!

It is a blessing that our church has such amazing support for our missionaries. Having been part of the "sending teams" for so long, I know what a blessing it is for those I have supported prayerfully and financially. I have heard them tell over and again how they would not be nearly as "successful" without it. Now as a family that is "going to the other side" and actually preparing to be one of the sent, I am even more aware of the power of prayer and the importance of consistency in my support- both financially as well as prayerfully!

My time spent up in the mountains really caused me to think again of all that our family has experienced these past few years. Dan and I have time after time felt the Lord confirming and encouraging us to continue on in this path. His word has been our source of strength when we feel discouraged or like we are treading water. He has sent people in our path that are veteran missionaries as well as people who are only a few steps ahead of us. We are so thankful to God that we have all of these people to learn from, to be encouraged by, as well as to be co laborers in the Great Commission!

Zambia in Picture

Here a few pictures from Dan and Levi's trip in September. It was a great time for them!

Win one for yourself!

So I love purses and never quite have the free few bucks to just buy one, but I found this bloggy give away at Handbag Planet and can win one of 24 purses! And I pick the purse! ... see my selection right there!! You can too!! Check it out! Go ahead! And if you win, please tell me... and let me borrow it! Especially if you chose hour #13!

Fall is in the air

This is my favorite season of the year.

For whatever the reason I love the cool mornings and the glow in the sunshine. There is a crispness to each day that is reminiscent of days gone by and a fore shadow of colder days to come. We have been in school full swing for weeks now, and there is a comfortable pace to each day.

Now for a reality check!

Somewhere in the walls of our school room a hive of bees has been nested and the newest of their offspring greet us eagerly in the mornings. It is a full fledged bee killing fest every morning!

We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the team from Encounter Revival Ministries. Our family loves being host to a few members each year, and we pick up our two new temporary family members on Saturday which begins a flurry filled week of chapels in the morning, Bible studies at night, and too much hilarity and insanity in between to adequately tell of! There is also a new Summit Teens commercial that will debut on Sunday, which I will post next week for all to endure enjoy!

They guys have been bitten with salmon spawning fever, and the river calls to them like some long lost memory they simply cannot ignore! They eagerly face the bracing morning chill like a friend and head down to High Falls any chance they get! 4 large Salmon to date... I am praying for some deer in my freezer this year!

To get the scope of this picture, remember Levi is now 13, 5'7" tall, and that fish is huge!

The craziest thing about this trip is, Dan managed to get the fishing in before work...but not the "finishing" in. He dropped off boys and salmon, changed and left! The filleting, cleaning and bagging have been left to the boys. And Savannah! She is the cheerleader!

**************Caution! Graphic Images !! *******************

I warned you!

Notice I am not out there... I have no tolerance for anything from the water. Not fish, shrimp, lobster, or crocodile! (Which I have tasted, by the way! ) But... I will be right there when they are all done with the hose and pine sol to wash off the patio!

Two in one day!

I know this is the second post for today, but you must go to this super fun google game called Where in the World!

I am absolutely terrible at Geography, but this is a fun way to teach observation with analysis as well as geography all in one! Go ahead! Try it!

Is yours a Do or a Done?

I'm reading just a little book called "done", and it really brought some things to a clear focus.

I have long held the teasing joke that there are as many religions as there are breathing people on this planet. Over 6 billion ways to be good, love God, get to heaven. If it were left to us humans, we would all concoct a slightly different way to achieve a glorious place we would call Heaven. Some might agree a little more in some areas than others, and those we would refer to as fundamentalists. Or cults!

But in this little 100 page book, the author makes a statement that really there are only two types of religion in this world. The DO category contains all but the one classified in the DONE category.

Summing it up, in all other religions their mantra is, "what more do I have to do?" In their belief system there is always has a list of do this and do that. In the end followers are left asking the question..."Have I done enough?!"

In the one standing alone, the one true God has said, "What is required I have DONE." Out of love and a desire to know and please Him, I am left asking... "Lord what more can I do?!"

So the question stands. At the end of the day are you wondering have you done enough? Or are you resting in the finished work of the cross, and praising God-the Author and Finisher of your faith- for yet another day to do his glorious work?

Oh the Age in which we live!

As a child of the 70's and 80's, it may surprise none of you that growing up I had only the game "breakout" on my one game nintendo system. And I was cool with that. And I was good at it too, if I dont say so myself. Now mind you my family did NOT acquire this game until I was in 8th grade.

Also, our family got our first VCR-and it was HUGE!- the next year when I was in 9th. But we had no movies to play in it- only the home made tapes that were so skillfully and very NON-DIGITALLY recorded on the massive home video recorder. But watch them we did, and with such "we have arrived" attitudes in our hearts!

So pardon me if some things of today still amaze me. And crack me up.

My children- the very next generation- think all of this technology has always been there, and simply refuse to believe the statements made above, as well as others!

They forget that our family just entered the cell phone arena just over two years ago! They also forget that the computer on which I type is considered archaic in the realm of cutting edge technology! I only have 40g hard drive for crying out loud! (PLENTY for me!! )

But some of the funniest things are the things said and done by our Savannah. She is 5 going on 21, and I am not kidding! I have never claimed to have genius in my blood, so where her whit and intelligence come from is a mystery. But she has come up with some winners and I will share a few with you today. I know you are thrilled!

Last spring during our stay with the P's Dan was doing some NSBI home work on his computer. Savannah says, " Dad, are you laptopping?" Loved it, and it stuck! He now does laptopping all the time.

Recently, she found me on my cell phone, and she asks, "Mom, are you texting or saving a number into your contacts?" What?! How does she pick up on these things? The texting I will allow, but "saving into contacts"? She is truly on a higher intellect!

The topper was last night when we went to bed... VERY LATE I might add! She has yet to break the habit from Dan's long absence, and likes to snuggle on "his side" until he kicks her out a few minutes later. Last night as she jumped into bed, she grabbed her little "laptop-like" Barbie game. As she does, she says, "Mom, I need to check if Little Livvie left me an e-mail before I go to bed"!! OH MY! I dont even have a lap top, and Dan never does laptopping in bed... where do they come up with these things! I called for Olivia to take a pic on her cell phone so the quality is not great- but here she is!
You may notice her recent hair cut. Another of her higher thinking moments prompted the shearing. Her hair- while thick and beautiful, is NEVER up for long, and her feeble attempts to keep it out of her face-food-school- you name it!- only leave us both frustrated at the spaghetti, syrup, and blue marker that always end up in it! So she says, "Mom if you cut it, I can only get a little in my hair, because there wont be so much of it!" C.H.O.P.!! Works for me!

And not that you can see it very well in the picture, but she has a HUGE gap in the front of her teeth. Genetic. This one is my my gift to her. And was my Grandmothers gift to me! (I actually gave it to both my girls... how nice of me!) Anyhow, this gap is the result of a very thick "frenum" and will not close with the falling out of the baby and growing in of her adult teeth. I went back and forth with the decision to do anything about it. My mom chose to have an oral surgeon perform a "frenectomy" when I was 5, and I now have no gap. I also had no need of braces at all.

Olivia had the gap and at the advice of out orthodontist (read into that "job security") opted to try a retainer to close the gap. Needless to say- poor Liv has been in some sort of oral appliance since she was 8. Yeah, she is 17 now!! AND to make matters even better, she still had to have a frenectomy... LAST MONTH!!

So... I say all of that to say this. Savannah is having oral surgery tomorrow. Olivia has a great deal of sympathy for his little sis, as her memory of the whole ordeal is so very vivid and fresh! My memory of it, on the other hand, not so good! I only know I got a doll as a consolation prize. Which, by the way, I still have. Somewhere! So my plan is to down play the whole Novocaine-scalpel-stitches part and focus on a really fun present. Like an i-pod or something. Well, a toy one!

If you happen to think of her on Friday, please pray for her. I know this will not be pleasant no matter how you cut it. Pun not intended!

Just another Look into A Day in My Life...

I warned Dan I was doing this, cut and paste yet another excerpt from a letter I wrote to him last night to tell of my day. It is so much easier than typing it all twice, and I am sure you would like to know how my day went while my man is many thousands of miles away. I am so glad he will be returning on Friday. If for no other reason than to try and secure the safety of his children!

and I quote...

"Hey! I dont think I am supposed to drive without you! After the soccer game tonight driving home through the city on 490w it looked like the hood of the car to the lane on my left FLEW OFF! It was a miracle it didn't fly into our our windshield! I am not sure what it actually was- just big and metal- but I did hit it with the left tires and prayed and prayed they would stay inflated! They did Thank You Jesus! And all of this was on the way home.

On the way there...

Some history first... to get to Jolie's it took 1/2 tank of gas... very impressive if you ask me. (well half tank on our gas gauge- not that it is ever accurate below half a tank... could have been nearly empty for all I really knew! But it said 16.4 gallons used in the digital gauge :) On the way home with a 140 mile detour because of my tom tom faux pas - and yes he is all better now that I charged him well! - we used the entire tank of gas... on the digital gauge 22.7 gallons. Yikes! But because the door was a mess I parked it in the garage since then, and figured since it is a 25 gallon tank I would have enough gas to get me to Henrietta to get the cheaper price at Sam's.

W.R.O.N.G.!!!!

We ran out of gas... empty... sputter... coast as far as we possibly can... and made it partially on the Hylan drive exit ramp. Look immediately to the right, and there is Sams and those beautiful gas pumps right over one small gully-swamp, and one fairly high and very rusty fence. No fear. I have strong young soccer players ready to run to Sams for a gas can... none there so off they go to Pep boys. I 411'd information and pre empted their visit to them with a phone call so the guy saw them coming and had The Can ready. Very cute- holds 1.5 gallons and cost $10.00. ( !!! ) Then they RAN to the gas pumps - whom I called as well to tell of their arrival - 4 kids - Olivia, Katie from soccer team, Micah, Savannah (Dont ask! I put her over the fence thinking I would be going over next and then when I realized there was NO WAY I was going to make it over the fence- she took off with the ones who did...!) running to the Sams gas pumps through all the cars. In record time Micah ran it back to the fence, heaved it over the fence, and then was over in a split second. The rest ran back to the pump and waited for me to get there. WoW! It was great too because there were two abandoned construction cones that I could put behind my vehicle so the traffic would give me space while I put the gas in the tank. See, it isn't so bad living in construction zone heaven!!! We even made it to the game 20 minutes before it started!

Now that I have fairly secured the fact that you will never again leave me alone for any length of time- let me just say we are all doing really well. Really!!! "

I don't really know if it is wise to tell him all of the details of my days home while he is gone. I am fairly sure he will laugh about it ... a little while after he reads it. Probably. I hope.

Suffice it to say that if you choose to continue to read this little 'ol blog while we are on deputation, there is no limit to the things you may read here. "Abundantly above all we ask or think"... I wonder, what exactly does all that verse pertain to?!

God is Good to ME!

There has been so much happening around here, I doubt I will be able to document it all! We have gone to MD and stayed with my girlfriend whose husband travels a great deal, so he was gone- just the mommas and their chicks! What a blast! She is my Proverbs 27:17 friend for sure! We had some very good conversation, thought provoking and very edifying. I love her dearly and though life and God's plans have taken us apart in the miles, we will forever enjoy the bonds that are stronger because of God- bonds that tie and keep us together! (The hair is due to a long drive ahead and 90+ temps... and very humid with no A/C...)

speaking of which... the following is an excerpt from a letter I sent to Dan in Zambia...

"a LOT of white knuckle driving in the rain-dark-fog-no a/c -85 degrees and fogged up windows.


By the way... are you able to pull out a dent, or is that something I should talk to Bob Kaiser about tonight?! Lets just say I HATE PENNSYLVANIA AND THEIR DRIVERS!!!!!!!!!! (note- I did not get a look at the license plate of the car so this is just a statement against the road... not the driver really. HA!)


We are all fine, and the car is too... well mostly. There is a nice long dent on the passenger front corner panel that prevents the doorfrom opening more than 10 inches. We are now driving the green car to prevent more damage! On the way home from Jolie's we were driving
at 9:00 pm and the traffic was all on one side with the cement barrier between north and south traffic, and on the "on ramps" for the merging traffic there was a stop sign for the merging traffic... NOTE :Not for the MAIN HIGHWAY!!! There was some psychotic moron in front of me - still the a fore mentioned driving conditions - who mistook the stop sign for THE 65 MPH DRIVING LANE!!!!!!! HE STOPPED IN FRONT OF ME!!! It was ALL I could do not to plow right into him, and in turn the car behind me was almost as desperate not to hit me- we were barricaded on the left with the cement and the right by a 6" + drop off in the pavement from the unfinished part, with the little white posts all along the side as well... I swerved to the right and BARELY missed him... but they do have a few less white posts now. I really thought we were going to have a major accident. And then, I saw the sign that said "75 miles to Binghampton" ... I about cried. I knew we had at least three 1/2 more hours of this!

Dan did not have the benefit of a picture to make it better or worse... I hope to have Josiah try to pop it out a little today. We shall see!

But all in all we had a very nice time there. It was so beautiful to see DC. It happened to be September 11 the day we went- not planned that way by us! All flags were half mast, and the sights were very beautiful. We walked great distances that day! From 9:00 am to 10:00 pm we were out! Even Savannah did exceptionally well! We went to the Lincoln Memorial at night, walking the whole way passed the Washington Monument and the WWII memorial, down along side the Reflecting Pool. The weather was beautiful, and thankfully cooler than the drive home! But we did enter several swarms of unidentified insects and step on immeasurable quantities of duck doo-doo. It was worth it though, and despite the batteries on my camera dying, we got some pretty pictures.


The picture of the flag against the Washington Monument was so beautiful in person. It was a breathtaking scene with all of the flags circling the grounds, and knowing it was the 7th anniversary of the largest single attack on our own soil only added to the impact of the day. It was our first trip into our nations Capitol, and we were glad to have such a great time.



We also went to Baltimore and toured three ships that are docked in the Inner Harbor there. The USS Constellation, USS Torsk, The Chesapeake Lightship, and USCGC Taney. I learned one major thing- I would not make it on a submarine! It was a walk through, and I really felt for the first time in my life what a panic attack must be. It was really an amazing thought knowing men, and many many of them- lived on that ship for months at a time. I would not have done well!

The coolest thing was in the Museum of Natural History, there was the section on animals and regions in Africa. This banner was on one of the walls, and I was so inspired! We are always in thought and prayer about what we will use for our ministry "look" and this phrase was branded on my mind and all I could think about.

"Imagine a Different Africa"

I know they were not thinking in light of evangelism and spreading the good news of the Gospel if Jesus Christ, but I was!! We have a vision to at first start one Bible Institute in the Eastern Province of Zambia where we will teach Zambians the Bible in an institute setting. A two or three or four year course. They will be trained, discipled, loved, encouraged, and Lord willing Called to start churches and works of their own. As the Muslim religion spreads its infectious message down from the north and up from the south, the central region of Africa must be strengthened to HOLD THE LINE! We desire get there and help others with the same vision and passion - compelled to march to the beating of God's heart- and spread the Good News of the Light of the Gospel. Imagine... the illumination of the Dark Continent.


"Imagine a Different Africa"

Good Bye's and Hello's!

I am always a big fan of getting "the picture" right before we are separated for a while. This is the LONGEST while to date, and while I am not loving it- we are doing OK. Time flies so quickly, and Savannah feels it is her duty to take over for Dad in the snuggling department and she does it quite well!

Aren't we adorable!! :) 19 years very soon!!!

Yeah, I know. The three oldest are taller than me.
I am not sure how I feel about that!

Dan and Levi have safely landed in Zambia and are off to some great reunions with friends that have been made over the years.

One story Dan told me was of a man names Anderson who was his interpreter from his first trip in early '05.

Anderson did not know Dan and Levi were coming, and he saw Levi first and thought how he reminded him of Dan- not knowing he was his son. Dan came up behind him and gave him quite the surprise!

Another reunion was with Kapolo, a young man in the Bible Institute. We met him in '06 and he made us a picture comprised of seeds all smaller than mustard seeds. He cooks them for different times- the longer they cook the darker they get. He then draws a picture on a piece of wood and after many hours of painstakingly gluing them on one at a time, this is what they look like.

Double click the picture for a close up. The detail is incredible!

It has a prominent place in our living room... right next to the animal carvings, and the rebar-wood-and- fur spear. (Another story for another post!) It is beautiful and a great reminder of those we have met and fallen in love with. It is incredible how the bonds of Christ knit people together.

I am always so thrilled at the provision and blessings of God on our family. I am sure everyone has testimony of the goodness of God, but sometimes it is so overwhelming one can scarcely take it all in. And all because HE LOVES US!!!! Great is the Lord and Greatly to be PRAISED! This verse in Matthew has been one that I have loved, and though what we have "forsaken" seems small in comparison to many, God IS FAITHFUL and has blessed us abundantly!

Matthew 19:29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

ps I am glad there will be 5 people to recount to me all the events of this trip- seeing I am NOT ON IT!!! (do you sense some repressed emotion there?!) Maybe it will feel like I almost went after they all tell me their stories.

:)

Lessons in review...

As we buckle down for another year of home schooling, I am always at my best in the first few weeks. I commit to myself I WILL review with the kids three times a week. Kind of like a whole class room instruction time.

I know some of you families with two or maybe even three children think..."what is so unusual about that?", but our one room school house is comprised of a senior, sophomore, 7th and 5th grader, and a k/1st grader. Usually when I do group instruction it is a rant on how to best clean the toilet or put away the recyclables or something. Definitely things all need to know right now or dire consequences are sure to follow!

But I think to myself they will ALL benefit from reviewing the multiplication tables weekly, and all the noun and verb rules will one day make sense to a kid that doesn't yet even know how to spell much of anything. Even in reading the Bible, I notice how God is a very big believer in review, as well as using adjectives etc. to better help us understand the exact point being made. I was in Jeremiah the day and it was very obvious the use of adjectives when He was talking about Israel and Judah.

Backsliding Israel and Treacherous Judah.**OUCH!**

Then I thought of the other people that I recall an adjective being associated with the name.

Just Lot. Harlot Rahab. Servant David. Faithful Moses. Friend Abraham.

What adjective would God attach to my name?

The thought makes me just stop and really meditate for a while. I know none of these people listed were perfect, and I also know none were all terrible. Mostly when I think of Lot, I don't think just, and Rahab did some pretty amazing, death defying things to be always known as an harlot. So while I can think of some good things that might describe me, there are alot of not so good. But what would God - seer of the inner part of me and knower of all things - say?

Alas, week three of school and we haven't even gotten one review moment under our belt. I am not surrendering to defeat yet... one day we will do one. Maybe I should start with a review lesson on adjectives, and perhaps let them decide on a good one they might like attached to their name - and set our course on ways to make it a reality.

Temperate O. Faithful J. Trustworthy L. Gentle M. Encouraging S. I think this will be a good start!

Would it be Meece if there are two?

Like one goose but two geese?

Or Mooses? Either way this is adorable, and I could not imagine seeing it out my backyard! I wonder if it is a regular occurrence?

So were they thirsty or in need of a shower?!


---------------**************---------------------

Might he be the one?

I use the term "he" in the generic way knowing it could be he or she... but the question is still...

Might the next person you lead to Christ be THE ONE the Father is waiting for to accept Jesus Christ before we are called out?

"In Jesus' name I pray..." ***TRUMPET BLAST*** "COME UP HITHER!!" WHOOOOSH!

Are you looking for the day you will be taken home to Glory land? If you are... are you doing all you can to help it come as soon as possible?! I know God knows when, and I know we all have free will, and I know we cannot know the time nor the day, BUT...

There will be a LAST person saved in this age. After that last person is saved we will be caught up into the clouds to meet Lord in the air and that will usher in the last seven years of history on this Earth as we know it. We will be on our Honeymoon with Jesus Christ and this world will be in utter chaos.

God tells us in His word that a person from every tribe and tongue will be represented in Heaven to sing His praises. I am unsure if Ebonics or other new languages are what was being referred to, but I do know there are people in this world who have never heard the name of Jesus, and do not know "thing" they seek is the truth of the Gospel. Go Ye in to All the World!

Just a very compelling thought for the day.

Romans 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.


1 Thessalonian 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.


Rev 11:12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.


Revelation 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

So What's in Your Wallet Car?

I recently marveled at the contents of my vehicle. It is ROUTINELY cleaned out, so the following is not a life long collection of things long forgotten. They are all recent imports from various children. Some of them are so very practical that in their usefulness they become funny. Others are quite expected in a car, while still others are simple idiosyncrasies unique to my family. Gotta Love Them!

Listed in no specific order mind you...

I-Pod Chargers- both cigarette style as well as AC
Hot Hands-yes, it is August, I know!
Lip Gloss and Bronzer Powder. Yes, mine.
Peanuts. Honey Roasted, single serve pack.
6... yes S.I.X. pairs of glasses. All prescription.
36 pens, markers and pencils. No Paper, mind you.
a 1 month over due Library book. (I owed $7.00- tsk on me!)
Tweezers.
Hair Clips.
Earrings.
3 Baseballs.
Plastic frogs.
5 umbrellas.
2 foam plates.
1 unopened ring pop. .. not mine!
Wrapping paper- no tape!
Scissors.
1 Write on wipe off Princess activity book. No marker for it, not even in the 36 above.
head bands.
5 bagged chairs.
About 6 pounds of sand from Fair Haven Beach.
17 fairly large, very cool rocks from previously stated lake.
One garbage pail. Empty.

Just made me think I might actually miss this one day. Hardly seems possible, I know!

In looking for the cute pictures, I found this post from a fun blogger that I like... who knew this subject was a meme!

And one woman actually entered her car into a "Messiest car" contest and WON.A.NEW.ONE for being such a messy car owner! That seems crazy! I would have at least made her keep the old one clean for a week or two first!

My final suggestion... if you need help go here. A whole place dedicated to helping you keep the Auto Clean!