Spirit of Thanksgiving

I hope everyones Thanksgiving went well and that your heart was filled with thanksgiving to our Lord!
Below is one of the recent daily emails I receive from Ravi Zacharias Ministries over my email. I thought it was good regarding our thanks and gratitude and thought you might like to read...


11/27/08 The Indignity of Giving Thanks by John Njoroge
The spirit of thanksgiving runs against the temptation we face as human beings to assert our self-sufficiency. Few of us enjoy the feeling of indebtedness; a fact easily demonstrated by our oft-unsolicited readiness to return a favor once someone has expressed kindness to us. I owe you one, I will return the favor, and I am in your debt are some of the ways in which we express this attitude. Such responses, together with the more modest one, please let me know what I can do for you, allow us to express gratitude without acknowledging the chronic shadow of dependence that so rudely dogs our entire threescore and ten.
Not only does this inability to express gratitude without our own autonomy stealing the show sometimes rob of us of the joy of affirming the contribution of others to our wellbeing, it also shrivels up our desire to worship God. An unexamined sense of self-sufficiency instills in us a subtle but false attitude of entitlement, thus making it difficult for us to accept the sense of vulnerability that is part of true gratitude. Ever since the tempter said to Adam and Eve in the Garden, “You will be like God,” human beings have never given up the temptation to either elevate ourselves to the level of God or pull God down to our level, so we can deal with Him as equals. We are always looking for a chance to say to God, “I can take it from here.”
Such an attitude of entitlement, I believe, occupies a central role in the story of the ten lepers in Luke 17. While all ten are healed by Jesus, only one of them returns to express gratitude. In his editorial comment, Luke informs us that the one who returned to give thanks was a Samaritan, and Jesus refers to him as a foreigner. Undoubtedly, this implies that the other nine were Jews. Could it be that the Jewish lepers felt entitled to the services of this Jewish prophet and their God? If God were to begin to right wrongs in the world, wouldn’t the most logical place to begin be among his own chosen people? Judging by Jesus’s expression of surprise in the passage, it seems the only words one would have expected from the mouths of the nine lepers would have been, “It’s about time!” Without a clear sense of how little we are entitled to, we cannot really come to terms with the need for gratitude; for an attitude of entitlement is an effective impediment to gratitude.
But everything we know about ourselves and our world speaks loudly against this tendency to self-sufficiency. As human babies, we all begin our lives at the highest level of dependence, and none of us really outgrows all degrees of dependence. We depend on parents, teachers, peers, coaches, and others to open doors for us in life. Even in places where commitment to personal autonomy is likely to produce more martyrs than religious conviction, dependence on others is still a living reality whose attempted concealment is gradually unveiled by the onset of old age. From the inventions that give us comfort in this world to the young soldiers who give their lives in the battlefields to protect our livelihoods, an unobstructed view of our lives reveals the fact that we all owe debts that we can never repay. We will never begin to worship God until we recognize that we are bankrupt debtors, for an attitude of gratitude is an indispensable impetus to worship.
Like skilled gourmet chefs spicing up their delicacies, Scripture writers sprinkle their words with admonitions and exaltations regarding gratitude, frequently tying it together with worship. For example, in the midst of a dark catalogue of humanity’s journey away from God, the apostle Paul lays the blame on our unwillingness to glorify God or give thanks to Him (Romans 1:21). Similarly, the author of Hebrews grounds our worship of God in gratitude. He writes, “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe” (Hebrews 12:28). It is impossible to worship God without gratitude, and it is impossible to be grateful while clinging to self-sufficiency and entitlement at the same time. Yes, there is some vulnerability in gratitude sincerely expressed, but that is because we are relational beings whose deepest needs can only be met in partnership with others and ultimately with God. While an attitude of entitlement is an impediment to gratitude, an attitude of gratitude is an indispensable impetus to worship. Show me a person whose life is characterized by gratitude, and I will show you a person whose soul is poised to worship God.
J.M. Njoroge is a member of the speaking team at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.

Anither one...

Saw this over at Vikki's blog, kind of neat....

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8.. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea (from the beach)
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19.Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Been to Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

The list of 8's

So here it is, Vikki tagged me over at http://blessedfamily.blogspot.com/.


8 TV shows I watch: O dear, I don't know if there is eight...
1. Jon and Kate Plus 8
2. Heroes (only sometimes, but Shad likes to watch so if I want to hang with him on that night, we watch it together)
3. Hallmark channel movies sometimes
4. Survivor sometimes
5.Everyday Italian sometimes
6.Any
7.Good
8.Movie that might be on IF there is time to actually look for one and watch it. :)

8 of My Favorite Restaurants:
1. P.F. Chang's 2. Super Salsa 3. 9/10 Cafe 4. The Cottage 5. BBQ Pit 6. Flemmings 7. The Fish Market 8. Rapungi


8 Things that happened Yesterday:
1. Lots of laundry 2. stayed in my pj's all day (which received a rather interesting facial expression from my husband upon coming home once in the middle of the day and then again in the evening, finding me in the same pj's) 3. Ate oatmeal for breakfast 4. Gave time outs to my children 5. Served homemade Chicken Noodle Soup for lunch 6. Received a gift of about 45 minutes to my-self when my husband arrived home in the evening 7. Researched some books on-line 8. Gave my children bath's before bed

8 Things I am looking forward to: 1. not hearing " I WANT IT" from one or both of my children in one day 2. No zits 3.Thanksgiving 4.HEAVEN!!!! 5. When the remaining "house" projects will be done (just maybe by the time I'm 50) 6. Not giving instructions every two seconds 7. Not have to correct behaviors every two seconds 8. Starting something that I can finish without interruption :)

8 Things on my wishlist: 1. Cement in my side yard 2. Fence and gates 3. Clothes Line 4. A second car 5. Enough money to afford a second car :) 6. Closet Doors 7. To be perfect - ha ha ha 8. Evil would disintegrate

8 Things I love: 1. My God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit! 2. Awesome weather 3. Beautiful sunsets 4. Yummy Food 5. My husband 6. My kids 7 . My family 8. Friends

8 Things I can't stand: 1. My sin nature
2. Filth
3. Inconsiderate people
4. Selfishness
5. Confrontation
6. When I don't "let it go"
7. When truth is not desired
8. Abuse - of any form on human beings

Three Years and Counting

Our little Judah turned three last week and has scraps to show for his week of celebration...He tried to jump on his sisters swing and missed! He hit his chin and head on the concrete.

Here he is during the party...

Getting ready to blow out his candle...

The other night Lilly and Shad had a special outting and went minature golfing...

She was afraid to stand near the Big Bad Wolf's house...

She is showing the prizes that she won....

Stand in Awe

Can you stand in awe of God even when you are at your wits end with your kids? I am seeking to live in awe of Him in all things, the big that leave us no other choice but to stand in awe and the little things that seem to shout for our flesh rather than our awe of Him.

"I want Daddy too......."

So we are getting back to whatever our normal is. I seemed to hear the above phrase several times throughout the day from the kids. THEY WANT DADDY! Completely natural and cute if you ask me. Lilly said, "Daddy come dance with me and then we will go play in my room." So funny.

We are certainly functioning with a healthy sense of perspective after Shad's stories and all the happenings of the last week. It puts everything in life in a different light when you realize what the essentials really are, how much you really do have and changes what you thought you needed or wanted. I know that to try and put into words what is in my mind would be redundant and possibly comes across as "Christianise". But that does not diminish the truth of what we read and know in God's Word! Can you, can I truly say that He is all we need, want, and long for? Can you, can I be satisfied in our hunger with HIM and only Him? Is the gospel and the spread of it truly our life's goal and passion? What are we doing with our moments, our choices, our finances to reflect that? Take a deep breath, dive in and LIVE!

New smells....

My house smells like Africa! Every time he comes back from a trip, there is a distinct smell. I may not have been there but I will always know how it smells. :) We are so glad to have him home. His "clock" is all messed up. He just went to bed and it was 7pm! That never happens in his normal life.

Final numbers come out to be around 1,700 people who heard the gospel message, and over 800 new believers! Praise the Lord!

So here are some pictures from Shad's trip in no particular order. Excuse any nudity, but that is who they are and their culture. I will post some pictures of some of the artifacts that he brought back and gifts for the kids in the next few days..

This is a picture of a Taposa Village from the air. The circles are the live stock corrals or their crops and the other brush looking areas are their toucals (houses)....


Here is a picture of a Taposa family...

These are the Toucals and the ones high off the ground are for storing food and valuables so that the animals don't get it. Each village has an entrance that is closed with a large branch of a thorn bush to keep out the wild animals. The thorn bushes are also the surrounding "fence" for the parameter of the village...

This is a Bore Hole, or as we would call it a well. Most have to walk 2 miles to get water everyday. Shad said they related to the Samaritan Woman's story, regarding the times of day that you would go collect your water...

This is the flooding rain that caused them to delay their first attempts at traveling to the villages....

This is the airstrip that they landed on in Kapoeta. Their pilot was with Missionary Aviation Fellowship and prayed before they took off....

Here is a Taposa woman carrying her baby on her back. The gourd is the baby's shad and someone is holding up. Normally the gourd would rest on the baby while the mommy walks or works in the sun. Shad said that most woman had a baby on their back, a baby in their tummy and another on the hip!

This is James Lacoota. He is the man I mentioned in one of the first posts who is the pastor of the church in Kapoeta. He is a few year older than Shad. Shad said he was the coolest guy and a very charismatic personality...

Can you find Shad? Just kidding. :) Shad sat down and within a few minutes all the kids had surrounded him....

This is the Bograt. The transportation to and from the villages, about 2 hours one way...

This is Jeremiah and Shad. Really made a connection with him. A little of his story.....War broke out right near his village when he was 13 and he joined the army and fought on the front lines from the time he was 15, 17 years! It is amazing that he survived on the front lines, because no one usually makes it through that long....Shad was overwhelmed with his story. He now works with an Awana type program for kids. They want the children to know Christ so that they can grow up knowing Christ. He is of the Dinca tribe....

Remember the post I made regarding the men who said they had been worshiping this God that Shad was speaking about, but they did not know He had a son who came to save them, and give them eternal life? Well, this is the group of men. Every single one of them prayed to receive Christ!....

Here is a closer look at a Toucal. That is a big one, would sleep an entire family of about 12-15...

And this is the American Toucal where Shad stayed. The land was owned by an American driller, who drills the wells and he lets the groups come and stay there...

A typical Taposa woman and her baby girl....

Pray for the Taposa and the people of Sudan. The government is trying to buy off the Taposa, 5,000 strong, by giving them money and guns to kill the Dinca. The Dinca were the main group of people who were attacked in the war. Most of the lost boys were Dinca. Obviously this is wrong, and one would assume that eventually they will also eliminate the Taposa. There is no respect for persons. So the work that the missionary's and groups with e3 is critical. Helping people see the light of the Lord and not to be manipulated by the Islamic government. The peace treaty is up in 2011, so there is only a short time left to reap the harvest before war starts again, which I believe it will since there will be nothing to stop it. Even though the war is only partly over since there is still genocide going on in the Darfur and the immediate surrounding areas (the area that was not included in the cease fire. They also continue to raid and kill in the refugee camps across borders into Chad). Pray for the new believers and future believers to have a hunger for the ways of God and to know the peace that passes understanding.

We are moments away from seeing Shad and Daddy! I got to chat with him a few minutes while he was at the Detroit airport this morning. He is well, anxious to get home but so much to tell. We will be leaving an hour from now to pick him up, so excited! Happily I found that The Wizard of Oz is on T.V. tonight, so this is helping to pass the time for the kids, especially since they have not seen it before. Lilly has stated several times today, "O.K. I'm ready to go get Daddy now". Inside I was saying the same thing. :) Well, who knows what the next few days will hold. For those of you who have been following the trip and checkin in with us, there could be several days of post-lessness just trying to get back to our routine and catching up with Daddy and Hubby time. I know there will be more stories to share and amazing God things to be stunned by...

The Long Road Home

Well, the team is traveling back and I am anxious to hear about the final news and details of the week. I haven't heard from him since I last posted so it will be awesome to be reunited and hear all the happenings. It has been a teary week not because of sadness but because of the awesome power of our Lord and that we can even be a part of it!

Thank you for your prayers! I received a call from him last evening and they were looking forward to the next day when they would get to baptise in the river! So exciting. I didn't get to get many details, but he sounded good and said that everything continues to go well in spite of the physical exhaustion.
I asked him what language that the Taposa speak and he said Arabic. But because of war for the last 20 years only about 10% of the adult males can read. So the next thing they asked for after they found out they would have a church was "can we have a school too?" Wow! Here are people who live out in the bush, but they know how important education and schooling is. Amazing! From what the team email said today, they are over joyed with the results from the team that Shad was with. Especially since other Taposa they have tried to reach have not been receptive to hearing the gospel. But this group could not get enough! They said the ground had been turned up and the soil was ready through the prayers of the missionaries who would do prayer walks in the area often. It is 5:30pm here and it is 4:30am tomorrow there. They will be getting up in a few hours to start the travel back home, which will take three days. Nairobi, Amsterdam, Detroit and San Diego.
It is time to praise the Lord for what He has done and pray for the teams travels back home.

Well, I got to talk to Shad again today, but only for a few seconds! The reception kept cutting out and finally he was gone. But I did get enough time on the line to hear him say, he is exhausted, physically spent, and has no energy left and to please pray for him. He needs prayer, because they have one more day of ministry like the last few days but he feels like he has nothing left! If you are reading this please pray for the Shad and the team as I am sure he is not the only one who is exhausted and in need of super strength. They need His supernatural power through them and amazing restorative sleep! Right now it is 2:45 pm our time and it is 1:45 am their time tomorrow morning, so they are sleeping as I type. Pray for them all as they sleep and pray for their last day tomorrow, that their physical condition will not hinder the work that the Holy Spirit wants to do through them. Leaning on His everlasting arms, and The One who is the lifter of our head....

I talked to Shad!!....

I received a call from Shad today. The team leader has an international cell phone and Shad was able to call me on it. Because of heavy rain, the Internet has been down the last few days and they also have not been able to go far because of the rain. Everything just floods. But today they went out and they reaped a harvest. Shad spoke to all the men in a village while another lady spoke to all the women and another lady shared with the kids. All the men accepted Christ! They said that they have been going out into the trees to pray and worship the God who created everything, saying that they knew the God that Shad was speaking of, but they never knew He had a son named Jesus who wanted to save them and give them eternal life! Are you crying? I was when he told me. And now they can have a church where they can go and be all together to pray when it rains (their comment when they were told they would have a church). Most of the women received Christ and all the children. AMAZING! These are people who have never seen a white person before either, so Shad said they were making fun of his pointy nose! :) And they thought his hair was funny to.
Because of the war, every man he has met has a story. Either running from or fighting in the war. He said he has never experienced friendship and fellowship like this with men in the Lord! So exciting!!!!

Received a team email this morning. Things are going well. Everyone is healthy and well. They have had a lot of rain so they have been challenged getting out to the villages. But today they were able to get out to several places and speak to packed crowds, one of which were all Taposa. Most of them are very receptive to hearing the Bible stories and others want to follow Jesus! They said the children are really soaking it all in and love the stories and songs. Here is quote from the email from the team leader Mike Congrove.....
"Today, the team working with our two missionaries went out to their place. They rode in a huge lorry so they could drive through the thick mud that is just now drying out. (Thank you for praying for that.) When they arrived, Alfred was introducing the team to the people in the area. A woman approached him who he knew. She said the previous night she'd had a dream. In the dream Alfred was coming with visitors who had a message for her.Well, her dream came true. God still sends dreams and visions, calling people to Himself. I'm so encouraged about Alfred and Joseph (our missionaries). Their spirits are high, God is blessing and Alfred is now making plans to move his wife here by March."
So exciting! Can't wait to hear more! "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples." John 15:8 "I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you." John 15:16

No new news....

Haven't received any emails the last two days about the team. Continuing to pray for the heart of the Taposa to be open to the Lord. According to the schedule, today they had their first day of sharing the gospel. As our day ends right now, their day is just beginning, so Monday has already started.
On another note, I just thought I would post Judah's recent quotable....Upon attending a wedding this weekend, he was being praised by his Auntie Corrie at how well behaved he could be during the ceremony. Judah's response, "Yes, I am a little angel." My Mom admitted that she does call him that. He is leaning to apply it way to appropriately. :)

Gmail Chat

So I had a treat this morning! I got to chat with Shad on the gmail chat. The place where they are staying has Internet! So special. That is one thing you never know until they arrive whether they will have access or not.
They flew in on a little plane, landing on a dirt strip, welcomed by 100's of people, bright and smiley faces. He said the kids are so cute. He got to walk with a man his age who walked across Sudan to Kenya during the war, a lost boy, and now he is the pastor of the church in Kapoeta! How special, for Shad to have met a man his age, growing up at the same time, in such different world, one fighting to survive, the other having fun in the concrete jungles. Shad said the people he has met so far are amazing and tomorrow they go into "the bush".
So excited to be able to share this experience, I will try and post whenever I get word or updates! Keep praying for the souls of the resistant Taposa people. God knows their heart and we trust in His plan and will, with hope that does not disappoint, excited and overwhelmed with the awesomeness of our amazing God. Did any of the sentence make sense? I did in my head and heart...:)

Kapoeta...

Received word that the entire team is in Kapoeta, final destination. They are 11 hours ahead so they are spending their first night where they will be for the next 7 days. Tomorrow they will start the training and Sunday the discipleship, evangelism, church plant will begin. They will be driving out to the villages of the surrounding Taposa tribe. They just had a big rain, so the roads will be nice and muddy. :)

He's in Kenya! 27 hours of traveling and two hours of sleep!

"Close your eyes, close your eyes!"

This morning as I was working on the computer, all of a sudden Lilly keeps shouting to close our eyes. Finally I said no I can't I'm busy working, why do we need to close our eyes? Her answer, "because I need to pray for Daddy!" So I ran over to the table and we prayed for Daddy and the people to hear about Jesus.
Mind you, this is the same child who said that she missed Daddy when he was only gone for a weekend. And they both kept referring to Daddy like he was going to come back yesterday, or would comment, "when Daddy gets home later", or "Daddy's truck is here, Daddy's home". So sweet and sad all at the same time. Today I let them watch some e3 YouTube video's and they were so excited. Another cute thing is that Lilly calls the Africans brown, not black. I love hearing their perspective and their heart.

Visit this link...

Visit e3 Sudan to see the work that e3 Partners is doing in Sudan. These are some of the people that Shad will be ministering with and it will show you how e3 got connected to do the work in Sudan.

Sudan Bound....

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. " Phil. 4:6-7

Well, Shad is off to Sudan. The adventure begins. Please pray for the Taposa people and the team. I will be excited to hear any news of the trip if that does occur. Until then, I pray for safety, peace, and God's plan to be fullfilled and His will to be done.

No Pictures....Bad Mommy

Although on my last post I stated my true feelings regarding Halloween, I still would have liked to post pictures of my kids dressed up in their "garbs". They had a fantastic time at our Harvest Festival and all in all the evening was a hit. Way to much candy to go around and then on Sunday we were at a birthday party where they got even more!!! AGH!!!! I weed out some everyday. Back to the "garbs", I guess I could tell you what they dressed up as....Lilly was an 80's roller skater and Judah was a construction worker. They looked really cute. Hope your Monday is going well. I am the laundry lady today and enjoying the big white fluffy clouds...