Psalm 51:10

Scripture Sunday

Rest

 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.

Mark 6:31 

Reading this verse this morning I felt as if Jesus was speaking directly to me.  The disciples were coming to Jesus and telling Him what they were doing (in His name) and teaching.  They were constantly surrounded by people coming and going, and they couldn't even sit down to have a meal in peace!  Some days it seems as if the kids are up before me, they are tired and cranky during meal times...oh!  To find a desert place!

So many times I have felt guilty over this overwhelming desire to have some quiet time.  Some time to come away.  I felt as if it was some faulty character.  But Jesus Himself understood the frailty of man, being a man Himself.  And He too, separated Himself to pray and rest.

May I follow His example and withdraw myself from the noise and cares of this life, even if it requires me to get up earlier in the morning, that I may not get too tired to do what He has called me to do...which is, first, to be a wife and mother; second, a missionary to Ukraine.  I cannot do it of my own strength.  I NEED His guidance in every aspect of my life.

Ladies' Meeting

This is from the recent ladies' meeting I taught at our church.  We have such an amazing group of ladies' and I already miss them. 

The theme was Proverbs 14:1.  I printed and framed this picture for prizes.

The decorations weren't much, but something to add to the monthly ladies' meeting.

We started by building homes...but they didn't stay together too well.  These were the winners.

The bottom one started to collapse as I snapped the picture.

Can you guess what this game represented?

Well, they did too and NO ONE wanted to be the foolish woman who destroyed her home so by the end quite a few of the ladies' were playing like this... (forgot to mention the rules ahead of time)

 

Candy, the sweet lady in the background, was the winner.  She was the last one to pull a block without the structure falling.

Decorating Fever

The way my husband put it is, "I can tell your homesick because you just have to decorate."  I LOVE decorating and I love to leave a place prettier than I got it in.  I don't always get a chance to do that, but since we are staying for 2 weeks, except for Sundays, at our home church, the decorating bug that has been "itching" me has bit pretty hard.  I have been able to decorate some rooms for my pastor's wife, I'm working on the prophet's chamber and Pastor said I could decorate the nursery.  I am super excited to help with that.  He likes the idea of using scripture prints so I have been working on ideas for pictures.  This is one of them...

Fitting verse for the nursery, don't you think? ;)

I also took this picture for my pastor's wife.  She loves her horse and I knew she wanted to have a horse room, but didn't have enough decorations for it.

Only 2 more weeks until we travel to GA to see my family!!!  Can't wait, but not too excited about the drive.

I have also had a few opportunities to speak to the ladies at our churches and will be teaching a ladies' Sunday school class on Sunday and a ladies' meeting on next Thursday.  I think I have everything prepared for Sunday, but I still have a few more things I'd like to get together for Thursday.  I will also be decorating for that and planning some games.  If I feel up to it (still waking up every 2 hrs with a baby), I might even make a few Ukrainian recipes.

There are SO many pictures on my camera waiting to be shared.  The kids are growing way to fast!  But that will have to wait until I have more time.  The Lord has recently blessed me with a NEW camera and the pictures from the last two posts and this one were taken with it!  I am SUPER excited...though, my little Kodak easy share has been pretty good to me these past 5 years.  He won't be far - in my purse for "special" times.

 Just wanted to let you all know that we are still here.  Looking forward to seeing many of you soon!

Want to know where we'll be?
June ~ GA
July  ~  MD
August - October ~ ME
End of October ~ VA
November ~  HOME!!!

Daniel's Birth

Sitting on the recliner, my little boy in arms, I stared out the frost, lined window panes at the fresh snow glistening off of the bare trees.  I was imagining a perfect photo shoot with my new little guy huddled on the windowsill.  My mind started to wander (as seems to be quite common these days) to the events surrounding Daniel's birth.  I cannot think about that night without Psalm 100:1 coming to mind - Praise ye the Lord.  O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.  Looking back I realize even more just how good He was. 

Things didn't go according to my plans (when will I learn not to plan??).  To start with, of course you know, he didn't come on his due date and I had LOTS of hard prelabor.  Even though I know it wasn't realistic, because of all of the prelabor, my little dreamy mind kept picturing the baby just coming...no pain, just whoop, there's the baby.  (Hey, I've heard it happening before.)  It ended up being a very long, painful labor.  The midwife came that morning and decided to visit friends nearby until that evening...unless we called her sooner.  I had been having contractions since the day before, and even though they were still irregular, they were gradually increasing in length and strength.  I was frustrated and felt like we were getting nowhere.  Later that evening as she was on her way back over, my water broke.  About 5 minutes after she arrived, Daniel was born.  I remember feeling guilty that I was too exhausted to hold my baby.  Meanwhile, the midwife had noticed that Daniel's umbilical cord was already broken.  She, Eric and her daughter quickly worked to clamp his cord and also the one hanging from the placenta.  Her daughter put something awful tasting in my mouth while her mom worked to get Daniel, who was turning whiter by the minute, warm and breathing regularly.  Afterwards, while examining the placenta, they said that they were surprised by how short the cord was and that the placenta had torn just a little.  We are guessing that the cord broke during delivery.  We are praising the Lord that the midwife was there and that even amidst all of the "complications", God allowed everything to go so smoothly.  It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. (Psalm 118:8)

 It is taking me a little longer than usual to get back to normal, but both Daniel and I are doing well.  The Lord is good and His timing truly is perfect!

Winter Wonderland

We went to bed last night with no snow on the ground and awoke to a winter wonderland.  It was absolutely beautiful and I could not resist trudging through the snow for a few pictures.

 

 The first, good snow fall always makes me think of this verse.  The snow is able to make even piles of trash beautiful.

 Inside my girlies were playing so sweetly that I couldn't help but bring out the camera again.

Then Papa taught them a new game.  Can you guess what it is?

Anna got quite into it.

Then there are always "workouts" with Grampy when he gets home from work...

It has been such a blessing to be able to spend time with our family for Christmas.  This is the first Christmas we've had with them in 5 years and our children's first time every spending it with family.  They are getting a little spoiled.

Whether you are home in the states or on the mission field somewhere, have a very 

A Light in Darkness

Stumbling home after Wednesday night services, flashlights in hand, it was almost pitch black and my heart immediately turned to complaining - no vehicle, it gets dark WAY too early now...quickly my mind was brought to 1 Thessalonians 5:18 "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."  With Anna clinging tightly to my hand, I made a choice to stop the complaining.  As we continued to walk, darkness was all around us, dogs were barking (we hoped that they were behind gates) and our two little flashlights brightly beamed a little path in front of us.  A light in darkness.  I began to talk to Anna about that light and the LIGHT that we have.  A village full of darkness...darkness of religion, darkness of alcohol...A village sitting in death, yet we have THE LIGHT.  Our LIGHT helps keep us on the path, keeps us from falling in the 'mud puddles', and leads us Home.  God has put us here in this village "to give light to them that sit in darkness". May we be faithful to this calling.  May we shine this Light in the darkness and in the shadows of death surrounding us.

Lydia

Wings like a Dove!

"My heart is sore pained within me...

And I said, 

Oh that I had wings like a dove!

for then would I wander far off,

and remain in the wilderness. Selah.

I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest."

Psalm 55:4-8

For days now I have thought about writing and tried to write an update, but words seemed to fail me.  Instead of resting in the Lord, I have often been physically and mentally at a place of not being able to go on any further.  Tonight during our family devotions we were reading Psalm 55.  As soon as Eric started reading "Oh that I had wings like a dove!", we both looked at each other and started laughing.  He knows that sometimes that's how I feel...I just want to escape.  Escape from all of the scary coughing that grips my babies and makes them cry "I don't want this!  I don't want this!".  Escape from the whining "my nose!" or "Lyda's touching me!".  Escape from the restless nights and nap times due to the coughing fits.  And if that was not enough, in between all of this they have a bountiful supply of energy while I am barely able to move from lack of sleep!  Yes.  I have definitely wanted to wander off to the wilderness and remain there.

Often the Lord has brought to my mind that sweet song "It is Well With My Soul".  Specifically - "Whatever my lot Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul!".  Oh!  How I long to be able to say those words!  I have been counseling others about the peace you can have when following God -no matter what your circumstances - but I myself had not peace or rest when my circumstances changed.

Even though David wanted to escape, this is his conclusion later in the chapter:

"As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me.

Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.

He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me.

Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee; he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." 

Psalm 55:16-18;22

The Lord will save me, hear me, deliver my soul in peace, and sustain me as long as I call upon Him.  So the times when I cannot say that my soul is at peace are the times when I am trying to do it on my on.  Nothing new, but Oh! sometimes so hard to practice!

What Has God Been Teaching You?

Brother Winstead never ends a conversation without asking you that question (or telling you that he's praying for you to have twins, hehe).  Well, this week I'd definitely have to say that God is teaching me the following...



Though that one wasn't my fault, I've had my share of accidents this week as well.  So much has broken this week that when I was cleaning the mirror today Anna said, 'Don't broke the mirror, Mama.'  And when I accidentally dropped the glass pepper grinder she came running out and asked, 'It break, Mama?'  And no, neither of those broke...in fact, I don't think I've broken anything today yet!  Better get to bed quick! 

Pulling Weeds and Drinking Tea

If you were to ask what kind of week it has been, that would probably be my response.  It has held a lot of bad, ugly, sad things but it has also had many good, sweet blessings.  There have also been a few times it has felt like our time here is just a waste and we really aren't doing any good...then I just turn back to God and say, "Lord, no matter what happens or if it seems like absolutely nothing is happening, I will still serve you."  So, where do I start?  I guess at the beginning.

We had planned a Family Day on Saturday for people in our church and for their friends and families who are not saved, but Eric was called over to Yuri and Christina's on Friday morning.  Christina, under the influence of her neighbor and probably her sister, was drinking by the river on Thursday night.  After which, she got in a fight and punched her sister, Ina.  We love this couple dearly and just ask that you pray for them.  We also ask your prayers for Ina and Valodia, as we have no way of contacting them now that they are no longer living at Yuri's (they have no phone).  They seemed very interested in the Bible lessons...though some are saying that they, and Yuri and Christina, were just trying to use us.  To us, we are willing to be used a little in order that they hear the Gospel.  This has been the biggest thing on our hearts and minds this week.  Any time we have problems like this in the church, God always uses it to strengthen the group of believers which stays.  And Sunday some might leave, as Eric has a strong message addressing the hypocrisy in our church.  Some of our "older" christians have allowed things in their lives that are casting stumbling blocks for the baby Christians and may be even hindering the salvation of others.  We are praying that God's will be done and if we stand alone...
  "...as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15

The church isn't the only place that needed some weed pulling.  The whole yard was covered in weeds/grass taller than me!  This particular one (ambrosia, I think) was quite a bit taller than Eric and thicker than my wrist!  Not only does the yard look better, but, with a little siding, the house is looking GREAT!  (Soon a new room for the kids...which means I might actually get a "dining" room table!)

The new addition!

I invited the neighbor, Sveta, and her daughters over for tea on Thursday.  She and the youngest were not able to make it because the baby didn't sleep well that night and had just fallen a sleep about the time of the tea party, but her daughter Nastia came.  I was a little disappointed at first, but I'll try again later.  I don't know if it will be a weekly thing or not, but I'm planning on having "tea parties", inviting different neighbors at different times.  This last time, Valentina had just gotten back from 1 week to the sea and 4 weeks to Russia (BOY were we glad to see her!), and I had her here too.

Nastia and Anna...and NO it was not cold. 
Nastia wanted to go back inside and
said that it was too cold outside. 

For the past few months, I've been going around taking pictures of EVERYTHING and working on the computer to put verses on some of the pictures.  Eric and I have really wanted to have scripture around the house, but we also wanted it in Russian.  Just yesterday we got back the first of the prints and I'm pretty excited at how they turned out.  (The verse is John 15:5)

And this is what I did with my copy...

(The wall is actually green...that is how
bad of a photo this is.)

Ladies at church will be able to win copies by memorizing and saying the verse on each picture.

Lasty, a picture of our "Sammy Boy".  He is growing so fast and is becoming more handsome each day.