Modesty

So this blog has been floating around in my head for quite some time now. It is really 2-fold...modesty for my kids and modesty for me.

So I am going to start with modesty for my kids. I don't know about you, but it seems like fashion for my kiddos is beginning to look more like fashion for teenagers. Low scoop necks, short hem lines, skinny tops, skinny jeans, bottoms showing, bellies showing... what's next. And it doesn't stop there. Hope came and asked me when she could wear makeup to church and when could she wear high-heels! Really??? She is just 6.... in my book, 6 is still a little girl. And I want to keep her that way as long as possible. It is quite a challenge to find things age appropriate and style appropriate! Ah!! May I be wise in my choices for her and may I be wise in what I model for her.....

Now on to modesty for me..... I have always considered myself a fairly modest person... and not into the latest fashions... afterall I do like to be comfortable. But now that I am a stay at home mom, and a mom of 3 little girls, I am feeling the "burden" of being a good example for my girls in dress.... God has blessed me with a huge responsibility in raising these girls and showing them beauty. And I think it starts with modesty. So is anyone else out there frustrated by the fashion for women? It is the same as girls, low neck lines, low waists, show off skin etc.... You see, I spend the majority of my day either sitting on the floor or holding a wiggling child. I can't have a low neck line, or the next thing you know is, I am showing my top off.... I need clothes that move and groove with me, can handle a wallowing child, crawling on the floor, bending over, picking up etc.... I do not have the privilege of sitting in a desk all day, or standing up in an office, and getting to look professional and put together in the latest beautiful fashion. But that doesn't mean I don't deserve some good Mommy fashion. I also don't think I should be relegated to only wearing athletic or yoga clothes, afterall I am not "working out" all day. I am "working" as a mom.

So I am challenging any one who is reading this that might be interested in design... to help me design a fashion line for mommies who bend, groove, walk, crawl, be out amongst the kids all of the time, to come up with clothes that can handle it!

Nicaragua Success!

What a great time we had! And oh how God worked in a mighty way in our lives and in the lives of the Nicaraguans.



the view from our beachhouse(not too shabby)


a very familiar scene


Children at the Fiesta lined up to hear about Jesus



Worshipping together

Out among the volcanoes!

We had 934 confirmed decisions for Jesus Christ for the week! Amen! This does not count all of the seeds that were planted and hopefully will be harvested soon.

Our week consisted of worshipping in 4 churches Sunday morning and 4 different churches Sunday night.

Then it was off and running Monday morning with 2 groups doing 2 fiestas for the children. We did these fiestas 4 a day through Thursday. These fiestas involved a local pastor who would lead the children in some silly games for prizes and candy. Then our group would step in and perform a skit (Sin Box Sally) to present the gospel. After the skit we would divide the group into girls, boys and women. And once again the gospel would be shared and we would ask for decisions at that time. And of course at the end, they got lots of candy.

Then each evening we would head out to a large 4 acre plot of land for our crusade. Our job for the crusade was to work the fringes. You see they set up chairs for 1000 people, but we had close to 3000 there. So lots of people hanging around the back, on top of their buses (12 bus loads of people were brought in) or on their bicycles. So we would walk around with one of our 7 incredible interpreters and find a group to present the gospel to. Lots of decisions were made during this time. I have to say I felt totally unprepared for this so called street evangelism. And the only way I could find myself doing it was through the power of the Holy Spirit. You see one night (Wednesday night), I had caught the eyes of 2 kids (cousins), so I began to talk to them, and so did Rebecca. As she talked a larger group gathered around as was typical. One of those that gathered around was a girl of about 18 (Erika). She was also a cousin of the first two kids. As Rebecca shared we were able to lead the 2 kids to Christ (you could see the transformation in their faces--amazing). As we went around the group to ask each one if they wanted to accept Christ's free gift, we came to Erika---and this is what she said.... "why is she (Rebecca) the only one talking now? I want to hear the other's stories. " So Tracie shared and as she did Erika began to cry, and then she wanted to hear my story... and as Rebecca said... the Holy Spirit took over and I just shared with her from my heart how only Christ is the way, the truth and the life....Erika shared that she thought Christ could not forgive her for things she had done, and she was having a hard time forgiving a boyfriend that had hurt her. We shared our Christ has already forgiven us, if we will just accept. That night however, Erika was not ready to accept Christ, but she wanted to see us tomorrow. So we promised her we would be there and we would be ready to talk again.

As we arrived at the field on Thursday (our last night there), Erika and her cousin approached us. This time Erika had a big smile on her face and we shared some more with her. Her little cousin the one that had accepted Christ the night before, pointed to me and asked to hear my story again. After I shared, I asked Erika if she was ready yet.....her little cousin, hanging on Erika's arm, leaned over and said to Erika..."I did it last night, tonight it is your turn!" What a witness. However, Erika was still not ready. So we asked her to watch our drama that night, and listen to our pastor preach and find us before it was over. And even if she still was not ready to accept Christ we would love her and be praying for her. Well unfortunately, I cannot tell you if Erika has accepted Christ, for we did not see her at the end of the evening. We had to get on our buses and leave before we found Erika again. Only God knows what is in Erika's heart, and we will have to wait till heaven I suppose to see if we see Erika again. So please pray for this sweet 18 year old. Pray that her 2 young cousins will be a witness to her, pray that her heart will reach out and grasp Jesus.

That Nicaragua May Know

So I leave on Saturday to head to Nicaragua for a week long evangelistic mission trip. Leave my girls behind in the capable hands of my in-laws and husband. I'm excited to get to step out of my roll of mommy for a week and yet be able to share how Jesus helps me in that very roll.

As a friend of mine said (thanks Christy)... each of has a story and we should share it. It is either universal enough that someone can relate, or different that it touches someone's life.

So no better way to prepare myself for sharing the testimony laid upon my heart, than to blog about it for all of you to see. So some version of this will be shared, I don't know what day, or how many will be there, but I do know I will get to share. And I pray lives will be touched and changed.

I want to share with you from my life experiences. When I was a little girl, I realized that I did some thigs I shouldn't do, and I realized that it notonly displeased my parents, but it displeased Jesus. And the only way to fix it was to ask Jesus to come make my heart clea and to forgive me. With Jesus help I can now work on living a life pleasing to God.

And now as a mom of 3 girls, I find myself relying on Jesus for strength to make it through each day. You see, one of my daughters, who is 3 years old, has had seizures since she was an infant, and because of that she is not able to sit up on her own, walk, talk or see very well.

And we do not know why she is this way.

But inspite of this tragic disease, I have joy. I have hope. I have peace.

How do I have these things? Because I have Jesus in my life.

Because I believe the Bible is true, I believe that God has made my little girl in a wonderful way. I also believe that He is good and He gives us good and perfect gifts, for it says so in the Bible. And I believe that my child is a gift from God.

I also believe that He loves me and He loves my daughter and He will take care of us, maybe not with money or things, but with spiritual things...love, peace, joy and hope.

You see, I have peace that God is in control and He knows my situation, He knows how my daughter is today and how she will be tomorrow.

I have hope for a better future for her someday because God promises us a future and a hope in Him.

And I have joy because I have a Savior in my heart who answers prayer. Who provides me daily with strength physically to make it through and emotionally to care for my family.

And because without Jesus, I do not think I could find joy or peace or hope in this situation. I hope you ill come to Jesus to find those things too. For He is waiting for you to come to Him.

I hope you will be praying for the 22 of us going. For boldness to share, for rest to carry on through the long days and the lots of walking. For our families we are leaving behind. For the families we will meet over there.
I can't wait to share with you when we return.

Christmas Memories at Home

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas......

So this month we have had round 2 of gingerbread houses...with Grandmommy's help.

Choir programs at church.

And tonight...our special family Christmas time....

Of course I have to include pictures of the girls in their pretty Christmas dresses!

Pretty in Christmas red!

All dolled up!

Jesus Birthday Party

So tonight we celebrated Jesus birthday at our house, just the 5 of us. And we had a great time. As you can see, Hope helped read the Christmas story from the Bible (and she did a great job!). We followed the story with a few of our favorite Christmas carols, led by Hope singing "Away in a Manger". Then we had Jesus birthday cake. Had to try out a new recipe this year since Icouldn't find any baby food plums to make our traditional cake. So maybe we are starting a new tradition this year. What a sweet time it was to have our little family gathered around to remember the real reason we celebrate.

But of course the night was not complete without opening some presents (it helps to keep our car from being loaded down as we head out of town.)

The girls really loved their new stuff, and so did Russell Ha!

So we wish all of you a very Merry Christmas!

"Blessed by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope though the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." 1 Peter 1:3

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Joyeux Noel

Christmas---what a wonderful time. Time to be filled with joy for the gifts we have been given, both from Christ and from friends and family. Time of rememberance of those who have gone before and are no longer with us to celebrate this blessed time. Time of wonder for the kids as the tree is decorated, the house is lit up, presents are stacked around the tree.

I have always loved Christmas time. I have loved decorating for Christmas, baking Jesus' birthday cake each year (lovely red baby food plum cake--yum!), having our family devotional time on Christmas eve. Watching in wide-eyed wonder as my family opens presents.

Now that I have kids of my own, this time is even more special in so many ways. To see their joy, their wonder, their excitement. To get to share why we do the many traditions we have, to make new ones for our family, to share about the indescribable gift given to us in a manger so long ago.

What joy it is to watch Hope each morning run in and turn on the tree and then go find the new ornament to help us countdown to Christmas. To help the girls go "shopping" for presents for Daddy. To making our yearly gingerbread house (although this year it was more of a disaster for us to eat). To looking at Christmas light displays at the park and have Claire be able to see them! To Molly meeting Santa!

So enjoy some pics of our holiday season so far.

Happy Happenings in the Fall

Lots of happy things have been happening here at our house. And as is typical of my personality, I would rather focus on those than on some of the stinky things (like Claire having a few more seizures than I would like to see)

So here goes with happy happenings:

Upwards cheerleading...Yell it louder now, Let's go Upwards!



Visits from the Tooth Fairy

Costume Time! The girls got to dress up 2x---for homeschool coop and for trick or treating!Fun at the pumpkin patch----lovely orange things!

Claire is pushing up on her arms! And of course still Miss Rolly Pol-lee.

And maybe most important and special of all.... Hope's baptism Sunday night.

The Lord is with us and is blessing us in many special ways. May we continue to have our eyes open and turned towards him as he pours out his blessings on us in sometimes the most unusual and unique ways!