7 Months, Snow and Sugar

Today, my precious little girl is 7 months old. How fast the time has gone. She decided to give us a little scare by dropping 11 ounces in very little time, but with solid food she is gaining it back nicely. God has been so good to us. It has snowed some the last 2 days. So we have enjoyed watching it fall and got a couple pictures of Lillian in her first snow. Needless to say she was unimpressed. Not at all thrilled with frozen water falling on her. She is so cold natured. I just don't know what to do with her. She is quite the opposite of the rest of the family and it is so difficult keeping her bundled enough. Hopefully with the solid food she will get some meet on her bones to help her stay warm. Today she ate a whole banana in one sitting! I was amazed.

Another fun thing today, for me at least, was my friend Ann calling to borrow some sugar. I know it seems so silly, but it reminds me of stories from "the good ol' days" and it makes me smile. I am so thankful to have people in my life that can ask me for things and I can ask them. That is part of Gospel living. We must be able to help each other and not be afraid to ask for help. We have created such an independent society that people are afraid to ask for help or people become overly dependent. We cannot live in extremes. We need each other and we need to do our part. That is how we were created and I am thankful to be learning more about that first hand.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I need to pay better attention to when I write on here. It has been far too long and far too much has happened so I will do the best I can but probably do several entries over the next few days, at least that is my hope.

I have so much to be thankful for this year. God has truly blessed our family in so many ways. The move when smoothly and we have been given friends as well as a church family in Louisville. He has provided for us and gotten us through the transition. God is good!

Thanksgiving was wonderful as we included our neighbors in our meal. This is their first Thanksgiving and we taught them about a truly American holiday. They also learned a little about American Football. We had a good time.

Yesterday we had a Thanksgiving meal for the complex. That was neat too!

My family came up for a few days before Thanksgiving. It was nice hanging out with them.

The kids are growing up so fast. Jamey's vocabulary has exploded and he comes up to me just talking about who knows what, but he expects a response. It is so cute. Lillian lost a little weight so we have had to start solid foods. That girl loves bananas. Not a fan of much else, but over a day or two she will eat a whole banana.

I am blessed and so thankful that I serve a mighty God.

It's been 4 months, 1 week and 4 days since we moved. Where has the time gone?

Loving the Fall

The weather is so beautiful right now. I'm loving the balanced temperature though it does make dressing the kids a bit difficult. The kids and I had a great evening. We went on a nice walk around the complex with the Powells and then went with the Al-wahibs to Target. I love knowing and spending time with my neighbors. It was like that when I was a kid, but as an adult we knew who our neighbors were but did not spend time together. I am really enjoying helping the Al-wahibs learn English. I have never wanted to be a teacher and I'm starting to realize that the reason for this is I do not like the structured environment of a classroom. I enjoy situations that teach and using the things around us to help people learn. For example, Nada rode with me to Target and I taught her the different names for vehicles. As we walked around Target I taught her different words and how to ask for things. It's wonderful! And it is nice when people ask you to correct them when they say something wrong. This is a completely new concept for me. It seems as if people want to be right even when they are trying to learn. But I have been asked to correct them when they use incorrect words or grammar. They really want to learn. It is humbling because I know I am one of those people who wants to be right even when I'm not. And I know there are many times when I am not. So I challenge you, me, all of us to be willing to graciously take correction. Do you avoid trying to learn because you are afraid to mess up? Do you make excuses when you do something incorrectly? This is pride and pride is sin. I need help with my pride and every day I realize it more.

On another note I spent all of this wonderful time with people (which I do believe is more important) instead of working on my SWI homework. To be perfectly honest I am really struggling with it. I am suppose to write a paragraph about a positive feminine trait that is a strength and a paragraph about a negative feminine trait that I pray to change by God's grace. Both of these lists are extensive and I cannot figure out one that I believe is really a strength. That's why I signed up for this class. And the negative I could probably write a whole book. Again why I signed up for this class. Maybe I'm too hard on myself, but I really do feel lost in this area. By God's grace I will become a Godly woman and be what He wants me to be.

Balance

This is the word God has been continuously teaching me since moving to Louisville. We have to balance everything in life and it is much more complicated sometimes that we think it should be. Balance family and church and ministry and friends. Balancing school and work along with everything else for Jim. But I am so thankful that I serve a God who can teach me this balance and guides me in the balance and corrects me when I tip the scale too far in a particular direction.

My biggest struggle right now is learning balance within the home. Should be easy, right? No. As I really evaluate what all needs to be done to run a home efficiently, I realize how inadequate I really am as a human to do this. Only by God's grace can I run a home. Only by God's grace can a be the helper my husband needs. Only by God's grace can I raise my children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. Only by God's grace can I do anything. And I thank God that He has saved me through the blood of Jesus so that I can do these things to bring Him glory and honor.

I love my Embracing Femininity class. It has reiterated this concept to me. As I look at scripture I see how God wants me to be. I see that I need to make the appropriate choices to be the woman He intends for me to be. I know that only by His grace can I do these things. And I pray that by living in His guidance that others will see that there is something difference in me.

I am also truly learning the truth that there are enough hours in the day to do what God wants you to do (paraphrase from Nancy Leigh DeMoss). This too is part of the balance. Some days some things get done. Some days some other things get done. I know that God and my family have to take priority and that after I take care of those things everything else seem to fall in to place. Not always perfectly as this world is still fallen, but I have gotten some things accomplished the last couple of days that I have been wanting to do. The Lord is gracious and is directing my path. I am still having difficulties in prioritizing some of the other things that need to be done, but God is teaching me and it is coming along.

I can't believe it's been a quarter of a year since we moved here. 3 months plus! Crazy!

Wonderful Weekend

This Sunday was parent-child dedication Sunday and we dedicated Lillian to the Lord. It was a wonderful time. My family came up and our friends Ali and Asma came to the service. It was such a blessing to have friends and family there.

Monday evenings twice a month we have conversation English classes at the meeting room in our complex. It is so much fun as we get to learn about people and cultures while teaching them to speak, read and write English. This week we talked about marriage and family and the lady I was working with was married at 12 years old! Her mother was married at 7! It is amazing to hear this. We all know that it happened in times past but to hear of people married that young in the last 50 years is so interesting and to meet someone who it happened to is incredible.

After class the kids and I spent some time with the Al-wahibs doing English conversation as they were unable to make the class. They are so loving and welcoming. I seriously need to learn better hospitality.

My SWI class will start tomorrow and it is Embracing Femininity. Hopefully this will touch on hospitality as that certainly is part of learning to be female but there is another class on it i hope to take in the future.

I have so much to learn to become the woman God wants and has designed me to be. It has been quite a struggle recently as many times I just feel inadequate and helpless. But that isn't right. That minimizes the Gospel because I am in Christ and in Christ I have been made adequate as He gives me help. I am looking forward to a day when this will all be natural and make since, but I am in no hurry.

I am enjoying raising my kids and loving on them. Jamey is starting to really eat more finally, though he still has his days. Lillian and I exercise to help her learn to sit up. She is trying. These kids grow so fast and I am really beginning to realize how little time we really have with them.

We had a nice morning with our friends Ann and Ian. We tried to go to the pool but it was closed so we walked around the seminary and neighborhoods around it. Great exercise but I was exhausted afterward.

This is the first full week with Jim being on his "normal" schedule and school so we will see how it goes. Thankfully with his schedule he does still have time at home during the day and 3 evenings off a week, however half that time is spent on school. I just have to remind myself God has put us here and now for His purposes and I just have to look to Him.

Fall

So somehow it got to be October without another post. I suppose as life becomes more routine it seems a bit "mundane" to put the everyday life into an online posting.

In Louisville October and fall actually are simultaneous! I can't believe it. It turned October and cool almost at the same time. It is amazing actually enjoying Autumn weather more than just once in a while. Love it! Though as quickly as it has gotten cool I do wonder how cold the winter will actually be. The only real downside is I cannot seem to keep Lillian warm. She is wearing full sleepers all the time and her hands are still icicles! Poor girl. Hopefully that will stop.

We've had a fun month still meeting people and getting to know friends better. Jim is getting settled in his job and praise the Lord, has Tuesdays off so we can continue in our community group! God is so good and provides in the best ways.

The third week in September my family cam for a visit. We mostly hung out and just enjoyed time together. They will be up again this weekend for Lillian's dedication. I'm excited to see exactly how Sojourn does it as it is a group of people all dedicating their children to the Lord.

God is still working on me and it is taking lots of time. But I guess that too is part of the journey that we are on. I love to learn and I am thankful for the opportunities I have hear to learn. Meeting new people is always educational and exciting.

I finished my first SWI class last week. It was a great class and so excited to be a part of this program. Next week will begin class 2. This is another great educational opportunity. I will say though, I do not think there will be another class like Cross Cultural Ministries. I learned so much about people and cultures and ministry. Things like that are invaluable.

2 and a half months. Where is the time going?

Eye Opening

I love seeing different cultures and ways of life. I see so many things that there is no right or wrong way of doing, just different. Last weekend was the World Fest here in Louisville and it was neat to see all of the diversity here. But as I look at all of this God is beginning to show me how He sees the world. With love and the desire for everyone to be saved. This is a lost world and it is breaking my heart in a good way. He continues to grow and challenge me in my faith and each day I feel myself dying a little bit more and the Holy Spirit truly taking up residence in my soul. Though I must admit recently it has felt like one step forward, two steps back. But I suppose that is the way it will be until we reach our final destination. Those who are in Christ are not of this world but of the eternal home of Heaven with God and Christ our Savior. One day we will be perfect in unity with Him. Oh, what a blessed day that will be. I also continue to meet people to whom I can minister and am learning how to do that. Everyone is different no matter where they are from, and everyone's needs are different. I praise God that He knows all of us and can prepare us to help those we encounter the way they need to be helped and shown God's grace and love. God has brought us here for such a time as this.