Answer

God made Himself real to our family today.  We have really been going through a lot lately-we had a piece fall off the car, we have a load of things to be done on the van, our washer stopped working again, we had a really low month of support, there is a boat load of stuff going on regarding my Uncle that is in jail, and then we found out that we need to move Garth’s mom into a nursing home as soon as possible. 

Load upon load…like a kid walking around with a backpack full of bricks.  Garth and I try hard to show the kids that we need to take that load and put it at the feet of the Cross.  We can’t change these things by worrying, but we can give them to the One that has all the answers.

So, we have been praying for each of these things daily, hourly, and sometimes with each breath.

One of the other requests has been about what to do during the kids spring break.  We really wanted to go to Virginia and visit Garth’s sister, but when we looked into the cost, we decided we couldn’t do it.

Today, God chose to bless us with an answer.  We received a check to help cover the cost of our trip to Virginia.  The first thing we did is thank the Lord for providing.  We have seen so many clear evidences that God cares about this little family, whether we are in Indonesia, or Wisconsin.  It is so amazing to  know that we are never forgotten!

From Wyatt-“The Lord is full of miracles, even something small like a check to help us get 1500 miles to Virginia. Yeah so …--Indonesia Raya!!!  (If you want to know what that means ask Wyatt)

Love you

Rachel

To be rich?

I killed a mosquito today.  It is funny the vengeance I attack them with.  Four  years around mosquito-borne diseases and you forget that some mosquitoes are just mosquitoes.  Haha.

What a beautiful day!  We sure have been missing the warmth.  Cale has had a few crying spells lately where he has truly been missing Indonesia and his friends, to the point where you couldn’t console him.  When I asked him why he was feeling so sad, he replied that it was because it is starting to be summer and that reminds him of his friends.

Our hostel in Sentani is again looking for dorm parents for the fall, and has asked us if we would consider going back.  It would be SO wonderful to go back, but the Lord would have to be in charge of working that out if it ever were to happen.

Today I was at the kids’ school helping out the Kindergarteners when I heard a group talking about finding the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  A few said, “I just really want to be rich.”  Cale looked at them, and said, “I just want to be godly.”  That from the mouth of a 6 year old.  Whoah!

I wonder, what would we pick given the options to be rich or be godly?

Love ya

Rachel

White as Snow

My day?  Well, it was good.  Garth and I enjoyed the warmer weather by taking a nice walk together this morning before we got the day started.  And we washed our vehicles, got called early by the school to pick up Sophie (she had an injury during recess and they thought she may have broke her toe), roller skating with Cale and the Kindergarteners (Garth did that!), dentist appts. for all four kids (no cavities!!), and church.  Oh, I forgot to mention, we also took care of a stray cat that wandered into our yard.

That was really cool.  We miss having pets.  In Indo we had so many cats.  Today this beautiful cat came into our yard, with no collar.  I fed it and it came closer and closer, until he came in the house.  Right now he is walking around exploring the house.

While I was washing the van, I thought about how it goes from looking old, and gross to looking new, and shiny just by removing the layer of winter salt and grime.  It reminded me of salvation.  When we give our life to Christ, He washes us “as white as snow.”  "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. “  Isaiah 1:18 “Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.”  Psalm 51:7 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!  2 Corinthians 5:17 Now, I did not vacuum the inside, or scrub the underside of the van-but when you looked at it you could tell that there was something different.  Every one of the kids mentioned that it looked so clean.  It is the same with us.  God doesn’t say, “You need to get yourself all perfect, and then come to me.”  No way!  He takes our willing heart, and tells us how much He loves us.  He tells us that He will be there to help clean up the rest.  His love is not dependent on how “perfect” we are.  And for that I am forever thankful! Love you Rachel

Silence

Today I asked Wyatt what cool things God has been teaching him lately.  He showed me a quote from a book he is reading called Enjoy the Silence.  “Silence is God’s first language; everything else is a poor translation.  In order to hear the language, we must learn to be still and to rest in God.”  -Thomas Keating (1923)

I asked him what that meant to him and he replied:  ”God doesn’t work through the busyness of everyday life, but he works through the silence of focusing on him.”

I love it when my kids teach me things!

Love you

Rachel