25December2013 Quickshot: Another Tradtion

Another family tradition is a HUGE country breakfast on Christmas morning.  Here's the before.  Everyone was too miserable to take an after.  Merry Christmas everyone!

24December2013 O' Christmas Tree

It's easy to come across as a know-it-all.  I mean we blog for heaven's sake so clearly we must know something!  Right?  Of course, nothing could be further from the truth.  Rather this site is more about relating our learning along the way, and usually poking fun at ourselves, than expressing we've got anything down pat.  

Take the Christmas tree pictured above for example.  Recently some refugee friends visited and after sufficient oo'ing and ah'ing over our decorations, we were feeling very Martha Stewart-ish,  Then came the question, "Why do Christians put up this tree?"  It was an innocent inquiry, unlike the ones we ask about their customs or traditions, but it caught me flat footed.  I looked at D, she looked at me.  There was hemming and hawing, ehs and uhs, and finally I rested on "zay hek," which roughly translates, "That's just how it is." or even rougher, "It is what it is."  Basically I told them it was just a tradition which they accepted and we moved on.  

Since then I've done some research on why we do in fact deck the halls with boughs of holly.  Apparently a lot of people want to know why because there's tons of information on the webosphere about it.  Most of the Christiany-type site point to the tree of life from the garden of Eden to Jesus being the tree of life to green being the color of life.  Maybe these things are true, I don't know, but I do know it would be nearly impossible for me to explain this in English, much less Arabic.  So, I'm sticking with my answer.  "It is what it is."  An old tradition.  They get that.

23December2013 Quickshot: Love on a Plate

If you look up the word "love" in a dictionary, this is the photo you should see.  :)  D has been baking Christmas goodies today and OH MY the house smells so good! 

21December2013 Quickshot: Mommy Date

For a mommy-date, D took the 2 eldest to see the Hobbit:  Desolation of Smaug.  They give it 2, actually 6, thumbs ups. 

13December2013 Quickshot: Daddy "Date"

P has been very busy taking all the kids hunting the last couple weeks.  Well, not all of them.  L is still a little small yet.  So far so good.  2 out of the 4 have brought home meat for the freezer. 

2December2013 Gifting

Here's a great example of God-given talents in action.  Here's D. demonstrating an experiment for her science clas. 

29November2013 Quickshot: Black

Only in America!  We turn a day for giving thanks into a commercial, materialistic mess.  How heartbreaking to witness what we've become.  God forgive us!

27November2013 Quickshot: Gift!

God gave us a sweet surprise this afternoon.  Snow!  Big, white, fluffy snow!  In November!  Of course it didn't stick but what a beautiful blessing nonetheless!  Only our Creator could do this.

24November2013 Quickshot: Surprise Visit

We had surprise visit from our sweet Kentucky family.  As you can see the kids were ecstatic!

16November2013 Operation Christmas Child

This weekend we put together our OCC boxes, filled them full of toys and goodies and prayed over them.  Looking forward to tracking them online this year.  Will keep you updated.

10November2013 Quickshot: Feast

Some new friends invited us over to visit this weekend.  We tried to connect during Ramadan but it just didn't work out.  No big deal!  Tonight we feasted like we'd been fasting all day. 

6November2013 Quickshot: Thanksgiving Precursor

The kitchen smelled just like thanksgiving this evening.  Mama G whipped together a super meal featuring the beauty of a bird above.  Yum!

6November2013 Quickshot: Leaves

How could you not love this?  Fall is definitely one of our favorite times of the year.  What a Creator!

24October2013 Family Date

Last week we went on a family date.  Somehow we ended up at a "mongolian stir fry" restaurant.  One, while the food was pretty good, it was about as Mongolian as Taco Bell is Mexican food.  Two, any place that requires you to cook or prepare you on food in any way should be way cheaper.  Three, who cares where we were, nothing beats hanging with our family!

20October2013 Back-to-Back Birthdays

Our girls celebrated their birthdays this week.  M turned 7 and L turned 2.  Very grateful for these two precious young ladies!  We pray they walk with the Father all the days of their lives, impacting the world for His kingdom and boldly proclaiming the Truth in both word and deed.  And we pray they always keep these smiles! 

17October2013 Quickshot: Pumpkins

Ah pumpkins.  It seems they're everywhere this time of year and it's difficult for us to not buy one every time we see them for sale.  Overseas pumpkins were scarce.  Occasionally we would find one, but the price or it's grim condition normally kept us from buying it.  Here it seems you can throw a rock without hitting.  We're spoiled!

15October2013 Citizen

"I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God."

Last week I had the privilege of witnessing nearly 90 people from over 40 countries, including a very dear friend from Iraq, take this oath to become naturalized citizens of the United States of America.  It was amazing.  America truly is a melting pot.

Z and I were talking on the way home.  This process of a citizen relinquishing his/her allegiance to one country in order "support and defend" another is such a rich example of our life in Christ.  As citizens of heaven we are no longer bound or subject to the world. This place is not our home. How liberating! 

"For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ."

Philippians 3:20

4October2013 Quickshot: Wooly

An old wives tale says that the woolier and blacker these worms are the harsher the winter's going to be.  If the saying is true, this little fella is telling us to get ready for some severe weather.  

1October2013 Persimmony

We enjoyed persimmons while in the Middle East but they were much larger and not quite as sweet. P stumbled upon this tree the other day and luckily the critters hadn't eaten all the fruit.

28September2013 Quickshot: Aw Shucks

We are loving the cooler temperatures, smells and colors of fall.  What an awesome Creator we serve!

7September2013 Apples, Fish and Love

This week, Mr. Larry invited us over to fish in his pond and pick some of his apples.  Since we love both, we were more than willing to oblige.  All the kids caught fish and we filled a couple boxes FULL of fruit but that wasn't the best part of our visit.  Mr. Larry and Mrs Joyce were so kind to our kids.  They patiently instructed angling techniques and apple harvesting, encouraging and showering each of us with love all afternoon.  What a blessing!  We're grateful God placed such wonderful people in our lives.

26August2013 Where Moth & Rust Corrupts

Last night, while we were sleeping, someone broke into our cars.  As you can see from the photos above they made quite a mess.  Fortunately nothing of consequence or value was taken.  A small flashlight and some pocket change are the only things missing.  After the initial anger we sort of felt sorry for the dude (Yes, it was a man.  We have the whole thing on video).  He went to a lot of trouble to break into our vehicles only to find out that we really don't own anything.  Rather than a cool GPS, expensive stereo or maybe a handgun, he found an extensive collection of napkins and straws from various fast food establishments, a bunch of kids' DVDs and a 50 pound bag of shelled corn (don't ask).  So grateful our treasure...and our hearts...are stored where thieves can't break in and steal!  See Matthew 6:19.

Check out this note M. wrote to the police that came to investigate.  So cute!

22August2013 Universal Language

What's the universal language?  Math?  I hope not.  English?  Billions across the globe may beg the differ.  Poetry?  Music?  Love?  It's hard to argue with that one.  However, last night we were reminded of an unequivocal truth.  As we sat around a dining room table with new Iraqi friends, communicating over cups of tea, the sound of our children, laughing, screeching in joy echoed across the back yard, further evidence that play is a universal language.  Kids don't care about grammar, vocabulary or syntax.  They just have fun.  That needs to be replicated!  Get past the fear, ignore the stereotypes and enjoy the people God has placed in your path.  That's a language we want to be fluent it! 

15August2013 Back to School

4 of our 7 started back to school today. 

J started 7th Grade

Z started 6th Grade

M started 1st Grade

D returned to the classroom and is teaching 6th Grade Math, Science and Literature.

31July2013 Canning Continues

As you can see, D has been at it again.  Fresh tomatoes from the garden are going to make some of the best chili, soup and spaghetti sauce this winter! 

28July2013 Before & After II

As you can see D has been busy in the kitchen.  The peach preserves and canned peaches above are some of the best you'll ever taste.  We call them "love in a jar." 

22July2013 High FIVE!

Someone has a birthday today.  A is 5! We praise God for this precious gift and pray His rich and abundant blessings on his life!

22July2013 To Market, To Market

Yesterday we visited a local farmer's market.  We love seeing all the fresh fruits and vegetables....and the free samples!

21July2013 Iftar Meal

Last night we were invited by a dear family to break fast with them and enjoy an Iftar meal.  Please continue to pray for our friends as they observe Ramadan. 

17July2013 Before & After

Before

After

16July2013 A New Gig

Some photos from a recent Frog Gigging Adventure...

Z working on his marksmanship.

J's aim is true.

Mighty hunters.

Beautiful gigger!

Frogs everywhere are shaking in their boots.

Looking for kermit.

Success!

Cleaning 'em up.

Long legs.

A little olive oil....

Taste like chicken.

12July2013 Promise Reminders

We've been blessed to witness several rainbows over the last few weeks.  These are awesome reminders of our Promise-Keeping God! 

5July2013 Live from the Garden

We can't remember seeing this much rain in June or July....ever!  All this moisture is translating into bumper crops and we're grateful.  The only negative is it's nearly impossible to walk the rows without sinking up to your calves.  So we just take off our shoes and let the mud squeeze through our toes.  It's sort of therapeutic. 

26June2013 Quickshot: Today's Haul

Great haul from this afternoon's trip to the garden.  Zucchini, Yellow Squash, Banana Peppers, Cherry Tomatoes and Cucumbers.  We should have some Roma tomatoes soon.