Posted in Family on 05. Aug, 2010
Two days ago right around lunch time we heard a knock on the door. One of the kids ran to open the door knowing that I was just a few steps behind them. A FedEx delivery man was standing there holding a large box that looked really heavy. The kids started saying, “It’s Meme’s box!” My mother told us last week that she mailed a care package to us and had put some surprises in it. Everyone was standing around the box waiting for me to tear it open.
I want to interject something here that I have learned over the last year and a half of living overseas as a missionary. Do not underestimate the power of sending care packages to missionaries. Most missionaries live on a very limited budget and don’t splurge on unnecessary items very often. Comforts from home mean more than you can imagine. We have to limit our Mexican food meals because the ingredients here are so expensive. One single can of black beans, IF you can find them, is 5 Euros ($6.50 USD). Corn tortillas only come in packages of eight and cost 3 Euros ($4 USD). And forget about Pace picante sauce. You can’t find that anywhere. We have been making our own salsa, even though you have to search really hard in the grocery store to find a few pre-packaged jalapenos. Care packages mean more than just what’s inside. A lot of time, energy, and money is spent in sending one. That is what brings tears to my eyes when I see everyone enjoying the contents of a newly-arrived box. It’s the thought and love behind it. Ok…now back to my story….
I peeled back the flaps of the box and immediately heard squeals of delight. At the top of the box were Hostess Twinkies and cupcakes, taco shells, corn tortillas, Twizzlers, several boxes of fruit snacks, and a baggie full of flavored lipsticks for the girls.
It would take too long to list everything in the box, but everyone in the family benefited….even the new Vandy baby who is still in mommy’s tummy. As I watched the kids laughing and jumping up and down while going through the items in the box, my eyes brimmed with tears of gratefulness. They are missing their homes, their friends, their church, and also their favorite restaurants. The small familiar items in this box made them smile and feel more at home. This was fun!
Coloring books and sticker books that have kept them busy for hours! (Notice the HUGE container of Pace salsa)
Even fun stuff for the grown-ups!
The little boys loved their trucks and coloring books!
This box truly blessed us, and I want to thank my mom (their Meme) for sending it. She just had a birthday yesterday, so I want to tell her happy birthday! We love her! (more…)
Living with six of my seven grandchildren is a joy. Poppy and I get to spoil them and love on them continually. We try not to spoil too much, but we just can’t help it. Like last night. The parental units went to an Explosion youth leadership dinner and meeting, and we kept all the kids. At dinner time we lined up six plates, filled them one by one, and passed them around the table to each one. When the plates were passed out, we started on the drinks. One of the older ones said they wanted Pepsi Max. Pepsi Max is a beloved drink by some around here. It has 30% more caffeine than regular diet Pepsi, and the kids are not allowed to drink it. The next thing I know, Poppy is handing the two oldest girls their own glasses of Pepsi Max. Poppy said Ash and Maddy needed it, because they had had such a busy afternoon. They had gone with him to run an errand. They ended up walking in the forest and got lost. (That story will have to wait for another blog post…) You should have seen their faces when Poppy told them they could have Pepsi Max. You would have thought we gave them a $100 bill! All this to say, we usually give them what they want…especially when mom and dad aren’t around.
I don’t know why I went off on that story, because the real reason I’m writing this post is to talk about how the kids are learning to play instruments during our watches in the BHOP (Brussels House of Prayer). Ashlyn is very interested in the harmonica, and it sounds so great. It’s not your typical “hoe-down” harmonica sound. She has learned how to make it sound good even in slower worship songs. Madysen is loving the piano. She practices all the time. She has learned two chord progressions and we have been singing several songs to those progressions. It’s very beautiful, actually. Kadyn is a natural on the drums. She is learning to keep a steady beat and is very good at it. (She has her dad’s drumming genes.) Lyric loves to play the guitar she got for Christmas last year. She does a great job, and she sings at the same time. The boys are just 2 1/2 and 18 months, so all they do is dance. It’s so cute to watch.
Ashlyn on the harmonica
Maddy on the piano
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Posted in Family on 19. Jun, 2010
I have a special privilege that many grandparents in the world do not have. I live with six of my seven beautiful grandchildren. Every day is so much fun. Seriously, it is. After being without them in Israel for a whole year, I am enjoying every single second. They are so funny and sincere, and, I must say, very obedient. That makes living with them that much better. Of course each one has moments where he is testing his boundaries, but those are few and far between. We are all working on establishing a house of prayer here in Brussels, and it’s so much fun to see the kids participate. Ashlyn loves to bring her Bible in almost every morning and take part in the worship and prayer. The younger ones take part, too, and it’s always in the form of dancing and singing. We try to have special times when they can have their own watch. That way they can be as loud as they want! You’ve never seen a group a kids love to sing more than my group! It is amazing.
Ashlyn (7) in her dancing dress
Lyric (3) and Madysen (6) with their strollers and dress-up clothes
Kadyn (4) in dress-up clothes
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This morning in the BHOP (Brussels House of Prayer) was one of those times when it seemed easier to hear God and vision just seemed to be so clear. We came away from that watch with a definite set of objectives that we know He has given us to get accomplished. And we all heard Him. The worship was sweet. The devotional time was full of revelation. We started a 4-part series by Billy Humphrey from IHOP-Atlanta entitled “Zeal for the House of Prayer”, which is amazing. The discussion time afterward was great. Today was a good day in the prayer room.
I wish I could say the same about every watch in the prayer room. That would be heavenly. The days where His tangible presence is felt are glorious. But, in all reality, those days are not the norm. Many days in the prayer room are raw and seemingly un-anointed. I worship and pray, because I know that is what God has called me to do. I say, “Soul, worship the Lord whether you feel like it or not.” I pray out of principle not feeling. Sometimes it feels like routine and rut, but you know what? I think that when you get an eternal perspective of the prayer room, you realize that the mundane days bring as much glory to the Father as the precious, anointed days. Abba loves it when we press through to hear what’s on His heart so we know what He wants us to speak forth that day. He is glorified and satisfied when we worship Him from voluntary love, not because we are made to, but because we choose to. He is worthy to be glorified no matter how we feel.
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When we moved to Belgium two months ago, it was full-fledged winter here. Below freezing temperatures, snow, sleet, wind, rain, cloudy ALL the time. Now two months later I feel like it is a different world. It’s still very cool in the early mornings, but the beauty of springtime in Belgium has totally surprised me. There are flowers everywhere. Even in our backyard where we’ve done absolutely no planting or yard work (other than mowing once), we have signs of spring everywhere.
I love all the flowers in our yard, but I want to show you my pleasant surprise for the day. (more…)
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