31December2019 New Years Flight

What do you do when you find $11 airplane tickets to a Mediterranean island?  You fly to Malta on New Years Eve of course. 

26December2019 Quickshot: BIG/HUGE

Smuggled thick-cut bacon and Carolina country ham (thanks G mama) were the stars of our traditional Christmas BIG breakfast.  Sometimes it's the little things but this was not a little thing.  This was HUGE.

25December2019 Quickthought: Merry Greek Lesson

One of my favorite parts of the Christmas story actually occurs after His birth.  Luke 2:21-40 shares the story of Jesus' presentation.  His parents, in compliance with the Mosaic law, brought their eight-day-old to the temple to be circumcised and to offer a sacrifice.
In this account,  we're introduced to two characters, Simeon and Anna, both aged, faithful, and devout.  Please do read this account but allow me to briefly draw your attention to two verses:

• vs 25 "Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him."
• vs 38 "And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem."

That word consolation in the Greek is παράκλησις (paraklēsis) means to call someone to your side. For example, if you were going through a tough time and needed assistance, you would call (kaleo) someone to come support you or come to your side (para).  Don't get bogged down in the phonetics or my poor attempt at explanation here.  Look at the beautiful thought being purveyed.  Jesus, your Messiah, the Savior of the world, left Heaven and came to your aid, to your exhortation, to your comfort.  Hallelujah!
The other bolded word redemption in the Greek is λύτρωσις (lytrōsis) and it means to release someone upon release of a paid ransom.  Get that?  Jesus came and brought comfort and peace but He didn't stop there.  He also redeemed us, He paid the ultimate price to secure our freedom, liberating each of us from enslavement to sin.  Wow!
And that's why we celebrate today.  Merry Christmas to the consoled.  Merry Christmas to the redeemed!

19December2019 Back

6 months was too long but thankfully it wasn't 7 months.  We're so grateful to have J back for Christmas break!  Thanks to everyone for praying for his safe travel.

4December2019 Family Advent resource recommendation.

Let's blame the craziness of the holiday season, December 1 and the start of Advent 2019  has already flown by.  Dont let that bother  you.  It's not too late to start a family sharing, study, devotion whatever you want to call it time.  Here's a great free resource that we're using.  You can print it out, read from you PC, or even share it 6500 miles across the globe from your smartphone. 

1December2019 Quickshot: Hills

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.

Psalm 121 

28November2019 Tarheel Bird

When we first moved overseas finding a turkey for Thanksgiving was like locating a needle in a field full of Middle Eastern haystacks.  We had friends that would put a frozen bird in their checked bag and hope their suitcase didnt get lost.  Others actually hatched turkeys from eggs and raised them in their garden until it was time for the{gulp}hatchet.  We opted to just eat chicken or beef instead.  Oh how things have changed.  

This year turkeys are much more abundant.  Although must more costly than in the States, think $50 for a 10-12 pound bird, they can be found.  #P hunted ours down last week, a thirteen and a half pounder for about $21, and it just happened to come all the way from North Carolina, Robeson county to be exact.  

Early this morning, as the oven door was opened to take the pic above, our kitchen was filled instantly with the smell of amazing roasting goodness and our minds were filled with memories of holidays of the past.  What a gift!  We have so much to be grateful for not the least of which is our Tarheel bird.  

Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Hm; bless His name! For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations. 

Psalm 100:4-5 

2Nov2019 Request Answered

#J was able to walk onto his school's soccer team.  Unfortunately he was injured in his first match and has been healing up and rehabbing for the last month or so.  Last night #J was able to boot up and played in the university's regional tournament and actually scored his first collegiate goal.  Oh how we wished we could have been there but what a great memory and amazing accomplishment. #proudfromafar 

27October2019 Quickshot: Souvenir

A little taste of America.  #P and #Z brought back these Krispy Kreme lovelies from their boys' trip this weekend.  

24October2019 from Insta

When school is canceled and you and your homies go play in the desert.  #Z #middleeastlife #wadirum

20October2019 Back-to-back Birthdays

These two beauties had birthdays this week and we all survived the celebrations.  #M jumped into her teens and #L turned eight.  We're so grateful for who He made them, who they are becoming and that they have and love each other so much.  Happy Birthday to our girls!

15October 2019 Quickshot: Home Sweet? Home

We recently helped with a project at a camp right on the border.  You'd think the inhabitants, all forcibly displaced from their home country several years ago, would be bitter, angry or broken.  I challenge you to find a more hospitable, kind or warm group of folks anywhere in your neighborhood. We are so grateful to walk among these people.

God bless refugees!

4September2019 Quickthought: Cost Counting

We seem to see this a lot here. From apartments to villas, even skyscrapers, construction crews get started on a project, work on it a while and the next thing you know, a partially done structure is sitting there, gathering dust...sometimes for years.
In our neighborhood recently, for example, there was a storefront being remodeled into a cafe with "Starbucks Coming Soon" signs affixed to the walls.  After months of anticipating being able to walk down the street for an iced latte, the work crews disappeared, the signs came down and the cafe now sits vacant and latte-less. 
Every time I witness this phenomenon, the verse below, about discipleship comes to mind.  It's a sobering reminder to count the cost before committing to follow Him.

“For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.'”

 Luke 14:28-29

24August2019 Different

It’s just different.  We’re discovering there are good things and bad about this new stage of life.  One of #10littlefeet has flown the coop as it were.  Today D and Z helped move J into his dorm room, hugged him goodbye and boarded a plane back overseas.  What do you get when you cross excitement and dread, being proud and being overwhelming sad simultaneously?  One positive from all of this is the revelation that may seem silly but that we’re exceedingly grateful for.  Our family loves one another.  What a gift from God that each member cares deeply for the other.  Of course, that also means pain in separation but what a tragedy it would be if we felt nothing!  So, we praise Him for that AND we’ll trust Him with J from 6,300 miles away and with his siblings  6 feet away…at least we are trying to.

How are we doing with the new normal?  It’s good.  It’s bad.  It’s just different.  

13August2019 6,205 Days

Quiet, unassuming, big-hearted, deep thinking, contagious wit, devoted, loyal, faithful, cool…So much to say about the sheer amazingness that is #Z.  Happy Birthday to this guy right here. 

7August2019 Quickshots: $50 Used GoPro

Dont suspect the underwater housing will get used very much in the desert but it's hard to turn down a $50 GoPro.  Hope to post more pics and maybe some videos as we learn to use it. 

7August2019 Travel Buddies

Some of P’s coolest childhood memories involve going on business trips with his daddy.  We love passing along these types of experiences to #10littlefeet.  It helps that they are most excellent travel buddies.  

 

6August2019 Separated

This is our current reality.  1/2 of us, well 3/7 to be more precise, are in the States preparing to take J to university in a couple weeks. Being separated is no bueno but while some are eating Chickfila and hugging family & friends, the four of us left behind are headed to the coast the enjoy some sunshine and drown our miseries in salt water.  Pictures tomorrow.

31July2019 Quickshot: Sunflowers and minerats.

The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.

Isaiah 40:8

22July2019 Eleven

This young man turned today.  G-mama send these words and we couldn't agree more.  "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding in all your ways submit to him, and He will make your paths straight."  May God bless sweet #A as He seeks to trust our God for the rest of his life.  #HappyBirthday

15July2019 Back

Picked these two up at the airport last night.  We're so grateful to have everyone under the same roof even if it's just for ten days or so.  Thank you for supporting and loving and praying for #J and #Z as they spent time helping with a refugee project in one country and then a week at a TCK (third-culture-kid) camp in another.  The photos, stories and memories are pretty remarkable.  Praise Him!

29June2019 Quickshot: Bringing in the Sheaves

With enough sunny, hot weather, the hay fields are dry enough for harvesting.  It's amazing to witness the labor that goes into agricultural life surrounding our city.  Although this field was cut by hand, the wheat is being bundled by a baler probably older than the men using it. 

26June2019 She puts the "snicker" in snickerdoodle.

L was the star pupil in her cooking class this week.  We're trying to figure out the Arabic word for snickerdoodle. 

13June2019 Quickthought: Fast

It started as a Valentines card, or maybe it was Mother’s Day but the hand scribbled index card made it to the family wall of fame, aka the refrigerator door, where’s it’s been nearly two years.

You ar FASt with LOVE! 

What a simple, yet profound compliment.  Think about the mind of an 8 year-old boy.  Fast is everything.  Run fast or at least fast enough to beat your sisters, finish that stinking homework fast, eat supper fast and go play, fast cars are cool cars, fast is the best.  To say that someone is fast with love, now that’s something. 

Now, I’ve never been fast and but I’m even slower, like 16-minute mile slower, with age and a surgically repaired knee.    But there are some things I’m faster at than 8 year-old me.  I’m faster at recognizing problems and coming up with solutions, I’m faster at evaluating people, I’m faster in the decision-making process.  When pressure hits or my devotion life is weak, I’m faster at losing my patience, saying something rude, thinking poorly of folks.  And the distance between thinking mean and speaking mean is much, more shorter.  #A’s note above, is a great reminder of a better way to be fast.  Fast with Love.  Here’s what it looks like:

Love is patient and kind;

love does not envy or boast;

it is not arrogant or rude.

It does not insist on its own way;

it is not irritable or resentful;

it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never ends…

Lord God please make us fast with love!

4June2019 Quickshot:

Is there anything more satisfying that a field full of camels eating breakfast?

2June2019 Turned Tassel

David's words to his son, Solomon, as he hands over the throne of Israel and the task of building the temple in Jerusalem are so appropriate for J as his high school career comes to a close and his next steps loom before him.  These words, instructions really, are perfect for each of us as well:

1. Know the God of your father.  All of life hangs from this most important step.
2. Serve Him with a whole heart and with a willing mind.  Keep in mind He searches all hearts and understand every plan and thought.
3. Seek Him - If you seek him, He will be found.  If you forsake Him, He will cast you off.
4. Be careful now, whatever He has given you to do, be strong and do it,
5. Don't be discouraged.  He, the LORD your God, is with you.

-1Chronicles 28 paraphrased

12May2019 Twenty-Five

For our anniversary we were able to escape to green landscapes, cooler weather and the land of the other white meat.  It's a bit strange to walk through airport security without five kids or enter a restaurant without being given crayons and a menue to color on.  How incredible that we still love being together, seeing beautiful places and walking this life hand-in-hand.
Twenty-five!  Goodness gracious that sounds like a lot of years.  Remember when you thought twenty-five years old was....old?  Yet, a quarter of a century has literally FLOWN by.  We know it is only by God's reach and abundant grace that our marriage has survived all these years and we give Him all the praise.  Happy anniversary and here's the another 25!

06May2019 Ramadan Prayers

Today marks the beginning of Ramadan.  Most of our neighbors will be fasting from sunrise to sunset for the next 30 days as they commemorate the revelation of the holy Quran to their prophet Mohammed.   Please join us in praying for millions around the globe over the coming days.  

If you'd like to receive a prayer guide please drop us an email.  

26April2019 Quickshot: Picnicking

This lovely weather has us outdoors as much as possible.  Today we headed outside the city for a picnic and Easter egg hunt (Easter is Sunday, April 28th here).   

19April2019 Quickthought: Beauty Under Wraps

We recently visited Mar Elias, the mountain historically known as the prophet Elijah's birthplace.  It's a rarely visited, underwhelming really, spot up in the mountains.  For the most part the location,  marked by the ruins of an ancient Church, is left out in the open, completely unsheltered from the elements.
As I was walking around the grounds, my foot got caught on something, causing me to trip and nearly sending me to ground.  Further inspection revealed it was a piece of ragged plastic covering the pebbled patchwork of a Byzantine era mosaic (see above).  Talk about surprised! 
I've been thinking about that mosaic, covered by years of negligence, dirt and soil but under that tattered piece of plastic sits a beautiful, painstakingly created work of art.  Isn't that just like us?  Our bodies are wasting away, blemished, scarred and often broken yet within us we have something of value, something eternal.  We contain a treasure, no matter what the outside looks like! 

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us." 2 Corinthians 4:7

15April2019 50K'er

We're so impressed by our our kids.  This guy hiked 50k, that's over 30 miles for our non-metric-using friends, this weekend with some of his buddies.  His feet are tired and his clothes smell like a gym locker, but he refused to either ride a donkey (most of the other boys rode some) or to change his socks.  Look at that proud smile!