Arms

There was a song we kept singing last weekend at our MK retreat called Forever Reign.  Here are some of the words that I really love:

Oh, I'm running to your arms

I'm running to your arms

The riches of your love will always be enough

Nothing compares to your embrace

Light of the world forever reign!  ( the link is below)

It made me think of when we came home after being gone all weekend.  Cale was so excited to see me, that he ran into my arms.  Now, he didn’t run to me hoping that I would scold him, or smack him.  He ran there looking for comfort, and a great, big hug.  He knew it was a safe, familiar, wonderful place to be.

When was the last time we ran to God’s arms?  Why don’t we run there more often?  It is a comforting, amazing place to rest.  He is waiting to embrace us and hold us close.  Just like I was bursting because I couldn’t wait to hug my kids.  He feels like that with us.  Why?  Because we are special to Him.

Isaiah 40:11
He tends His flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart…

Rachel

A link to watch the video of this song is below.  Copy and paste:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m84URv4Sgxc&feature=related

MK Retreat

On Friday, we loaded up the van with stuff and one of the MK kids in our area and headed out to Camp Forest Springs for a weekend of fun and worship.  There were about 40 other MK's that came and we had a fantastic time tubing, skiing, snowboarding, singing and hanging out together.  We all met as strangers on Friday and left as friends on Sunday.  To be around people that have gone through what you went through, who love and accept you just as you are, and who want to hear your stories was truly refreshing for all of us.  The kids said the weekend went way too fast, but that it was well worth the drive.  This is an annual event.  If you feel God tugging on your heart to be a part of events like this, don't ignore it.  We need people to donate or bake snacks, or to help sponsor a kid that might not be able to afford the cost.  Jot me a note, call or catch me when you see me.  We have a place for you if you are willing.

Love

Rachel

Mu Kappa Meetings

We had a great week of meetings at our house. It was good for Garth and me to meet with the other Mu Kappa representatives and hear about how God is using them in the lives of the MK's (missionary or multi-cultural kids ) across the United States. Our role has been more defined for us through these meetings. We have a list of colleges and kids that we will be able to visit and establish relationships with throughout this next year.

The need for this ministry is huge! There is an amazing number of kids that need guidance and direction as they find their way in this new culture. It is much like a Shepherd with his sheep. We are excited to be a part of these kids lives.

Many of you have been with us this whole journey. We are forever thankful for you! There is also a group of supporters that we lost when we switched over to Barnabas. If any of you have questions regarding our ministry, or how you can help us out, please let us know. We would love to have you over, meet for coffee, or even take you with on a campus visit. We want you to catch our vision. People like you are a valuable part of our ministry. Don't give up on us. This is a direct part of God's great plan for our lives!

Love you

Rachel

It finally came!

Oh, the winter wonderland outside is so beautiful!!!  We are enjoying the snow but not at all used to this cold.  When the kids go out and then come in it takes them so very long to warm up.  It was fun this morning to see all the deer tracks in the snow, and go sledding.  Emma even made a snowman.

I can stand in my kitchen and see the kids sledding down the little hill in our neighbor’s yard.  Today I was straining to hear if one of the kids was crying or screaming with laughter.  I closed my eyes to help me hear the sound better.  Do you ever do that?  Interesting, isn’t it?  We do hear better with our eyes closed because it helps to block out everything else around us.  I am sure that is why we are encouraged to pray with our eyes closed.  It takes away all of the other distractions - closes off the rest of the world so that all we hear is the sweet conversation we are having with our Father.  Prayer is not just us talking to God.  It is also those moments of silence where we sit and listen for His voice.  Ahh, the still, quietness of the soft, falling snow.  And the sweet whispers of my loving Heavenly Father.  What a great way to start the day!

A Little Comedy for You

Okay.  So sometimes my judgment is a little off.  Case in point:  We decided that today was the day we would take down our Christmas tree.  It was dropping quite a bit of its needles and wasn’t soaking up water anymore.  In our home, we need to take down the tree while the kids are gone otherwise there is much pleading to “Please leave it up a little bit longer…Like till Easter.”  Even when we lived in Indo and all we had was a small plastic tree that stunk of moth balls and had to be held together with duct tape.  Even then they were sad to see it come down. 

Well, I babysat all morning, so we started the task of the tree after lunch.  However, not even half-way through Garth was called away to help a friend.  The lights were partly on the tree, and partly all over the floor, along with piles of ornaments on the couches.  So I had two options:  wait until Garth came back home and the kids were home, or finish it myself.  I knew that I could do all of the decoration part, but I wasn’t too sure if I could pull it out of the stand and carry it outside.  To give you a visual, our tree stood about 7 or 8 feet tall.  I didn’t think it would be that hard, because I was misjudging how heavy the tree was until I was underneath of it trying to unscrew the screws that were holding it in place.  That was when I realized that this wasn’t a good idea.  I thought about calling my Mom to come over, but I couldn’t let go of the tree or it would fall over and all the sappy water would spill all over the floor. 

After much finagling, and strange body contortions, I got that tree out of the stand.  Then came the task of getting it outside.  I completely misjudged its girth, and height on my way through the living room to the outside door.  I had needles and broken branches everywhere, I knocked over a lamp and a chair, got two splinters in my fingers, had sap all over the top of my barefoot which attracted and attached needles to my foot, had a gazillion needles and sap in my hair along with a piece of bark stuck under my ring.  I thought about taking a picture to show you because the house looked like those pictures on the news after a hurricane went through a city, but then there would be evidence to use toward my insanity. 

Good news though, I got that thing out, got the house put back in order and had three minutes to spare before the kids came home!!!!  Yahoo!!

Is there a moral to this story:  Ummmmm, don’t take the T out of team…we all need each other…many hands make light the work…think before you act…any more?

And another thing I learned-shampoo doesn’t get sap out of hair the first time.  Wash and wash again.

Love you

Rachel

Heartbeat

Garth and Wyatt are back from a weekend Youth conference in Green Bay.  There were almost 4,000 kids gathered together to praise God, listen to speakers, sing and hang out with other kids their age.  It sounds like it was a great time for most.  Some got struck with the stomach flu so for them it may not have been quite as fun!

The theme was “Can you hear His heartbeat?”  That goes along with what Pastor Chuck talked about on Sunday.  If we are walking around loaded up and consumed with all of our “stuff” then we have no room for God.  If our hands are full of “things” then we can’t take His hand when He is reaching out to us.  When we are busy all the time, we can’t hear His voice.

I have been watching a little two month old the last few weeks.  When I first started she didn’t know me at all.  But now, she has started to recognize my voice.  When she is crying, there are times I can talk to her and she will be calmed down by my voice.  But there are other times when she is crying so hard that she can’t hear my voice.  It is that way with God.  He is always talking to us.  But there are many, many days that we don’t stop to listen.  Especially when we are having a rough day and things aren’t going right.  But that is when we need to listen harder.  A heartbeat is what keeps us alive.  His heartbeat inside of us affects our whole being, what our hands do, what our head thinks, where our legs go…Do you feel it?  Someone told me once, “You should be so close to God that you can feel His breath on your cheek and hear His whisper in your ear.”

Pastor Chuck said that we should make the most of 2012.  I think the first step of that is getting closer to God.  Getting rid of the things that are holding us back, putting down the things that are capturing our attention away from Him, making moments of quiet stillness, and feeling the pulse of His heart.

Love you

Rachel

The Quiet Voice

I learned a valuable lesson the other day.  We were at church for a service and Cale won a lollipop.  He happily showed it to me, opened it and went to eat it.  I told him that he had to wait and have it after dinner.  He did not like hearing that and proceeded to throw a fit.  I took him aside and told him that if he choose to keep throwing that fit, I would take the lollipop away but if he stopped he could have it after dinner.  He choose to keep throwing the fit.  So I took away the lollipop, and put it in my purse.  That made him act even worse.

I calmly took him home and talked to him about how his behavior was wrong and how when he is upset, he should ask Jesus to help him calm down instead of letting his anger get him into trouble.  Well, there was a lot more that I wanted to say.  He had said some hurtful things and I wanted to make him apologize.  I knew that if I told him to say he was sorry he would.  But instead I decided to pray that God would talk to his heart.

About 2 hours later while we were watching a Christmas movie, he came over and laid by me.  He said he was so sorry for how he was acting and for what he said.  Then he asked me if he could take the lollipop and throw it away.  I was so moved by how God answered my prayer.  It is easy for me to “play” the Holy Spirit in situations like these-where I think it is my “job” to convict their young hearts.  But because I kept my mouth shut, God spoke to his heart in a way I never could. It was a fantastic lesson on how to listen to that quiet voice inside of you.

Rachel

Selamat Tahun Baru

Do you remember back in September when I told you about a pilot friend of ours, Paul, back in Papua that was in a plane crash and died?  Well, last night there was a memorial service for him in Illinois.  We went and were able to see some of our friends from Papua.  That part was wonderful!

But grieving with the family over the death of one of the world’s most selfless, and joyful people was very difficult.  Paul’s daughter, Joy, gave a tribute along with his wife LaVonne.  But the most heart wrenching was when his 17 year old son, Mark got up and spoke.  He is an amazing kid who is really hurting at the loss of his best friend, his Dad.  We were all crying with him.  Later we were able to hang out together at a pizza joint.  Cale went up to Mark and put his arm around him, and said, “Hey, when you were crying, I was crying.  I am sorry about your Dad.”  It was a beautiful moment.

We brought one of the MK kids back to our house for the night.  It was so fun to have him here and hang out with him for that time.  It was really good for the kids to see that Missionary Kids here need us, and that we can help them out.  Yesterday when we were leaving the service one of the girls said, “Just seeing you guys was so refreshing to my soul.  Thanks so much for coming.”  We felt the same way.  It is a tight community, like a family and you miss that when it is gone.  So being a part of it again, even for a short time, is good for the soul.

Love you all-

Happy New Year!  Selamat Tahun Baru!

Rachel

Our Holiday

Christmas in America.  Our first as a family since 2006.  We have been finding many ways to enjoy the Holidays.  Wyatt was in a Christmas concert for school playing the bass clarinet.  Cale was in the program in church playing bells and speaking.  Emma was one of the dancing angels.  The girls had a bunch of girlfriends over to make pizzas and cookies.  That was really fun watching their creativity.  We went to the mall, drove through the largest Christmas display in Pewaukee, studied the nativity story, made lots of yummies together, and played numerous games. 

Many of you have blessed us as well.  We had a wonderful family from church buy the kids warm clothes, and sweatshirts.  Another family gave us some money to do something fun as a family.  Many of you sent us encouraging cards and pictures.  Thank you for thinking of us this season.

We had a great time looking for ways as a family to serve.  I wanted to make sure that our focus wasn’t on ourselves.  The kids each had a chance to give of their money to someone less fortunate as well as their time, from ringing the Salvation Army bell to donating to homeless shelters.

Reflecting back on this Holiday, I asked the kids what they thought of an American Christmas.

This was some of their answers:

“The lights were so pretty.”

“Too much presents.”

“It was too different.  I wanted more focus on family.”

“People didn’t even care it was Jesus’ birthday.”

“It was fun.”

“I can’t believe there was no snow.”

Hope you are enjoying your holiday.

Love

Rachel