Monday, February 25, 2008

a sure way to stand out in a crowd...

A few weeks ago we travelled about 2 hours out for church service then went on to the closest mall for a little grocery shopping at the Super Market there as well as some meandering through the mall a little. Malls here are no different when it comes to playing on a child's need for game-age to get into the parent's back pocket. Games and rides are everywhere...if we said, "not now" once, we said it about 100xs over. When we finally made our way to the Super Market, low and behold, there was a giant ferris wheel just outside the front door...thanks SM malls for placing your biggest attraction there of all places! We promised the kids that the wait would be over once we completed our shopping...they were so excited...not so much patient, but who could be really.

As Paul paid for our grocery, the 5 of us headed out the front door for the long awaited thrill. Got the tickets, waited our turn in line, and then the kids hopped aboard. They all fit in one bucket together...I'm not sure Jared was thrilled with that arrangement, but he did good either way. He's kinda teetering between whether he's too old for that kind of stuff still...where do the years go?

I stood amongst the other parents watching the children circle...round and round...round and round...good grief, how long is this ride? I promise, they must have been on that ride for over 15 mins before the operator decided it was time to start unloading the buckets. He had already let 2 sets free when something distracted him, letting his hand lift from the controls. He attempted to re-start the ride to no avail...over and over...nothing...well, a really weird loud buzzing sound, but that was all the ride was going to offer to the poor man. Meanwhile, our kids are in their bucket, perched at the top of the ride!

This is when Paul finally met back up with us. I was already laughing so hard at how it had all gone down...joking with the kids that we were going to go shopping & we'd be back later to get them...all the while, collecting a good amount to passer-beys checking out the situation. {I think it was the incessant buzzing that caught their attention at first, then the laughing American probably kept them for the duration} Since daddy was there to keep watch now, I took a greatly needed potty break...after waiting in line after about 10 other women I returned to find them only 2 places lower, but still stuck! By this time they were the only kids on the ride at all...oh, we were a sight; at least that's what all the people crowded around us thought.

After trying to re-set the ride the operator called in the manager, he then tried to re-set the ride, then he had to call in the "tech" guy...when he couldn't get it running, they called the janitor! Yes, because they decided they would be needing a ladder! Oh the laughter...my side hurts just thinking about it. Not 2 minutes later it miraculously worked...out of the blue. We safely retrieved our children and grabbed a light snack and headed up the escalators where we pass the ladder on it's way down for it's valiant rescue....yes, more laughter! Just atop the escalators is the food court, so we claimed a table to feast on our snack and about 5 minutes later here comes the ladder back up...oh gosh, more laughter...even now. What attention we didn't miss at the ride, we received enough while walking through the mall to make up for it as people are remembering the incident and telling others and pointing!

It was a nice day...a good day for hard and continuous laughter...I just hate that it was at the kids' expense. I am so glad the kids were laughing and not screaming...so relieved that God turned my potential for panic into light-hearted laughter...and sooooo thankful that we do not live in that town!!!

Monday, February 18, 2008

girlie smiles...

When we were making plans to live in the Philippines, the kids were most excited about settling into a school and church again for the mere benefits of making and having friends around them. We agreed that putting them in a school would expose them to the culture and by making friends they would be able to make this their home.

Things flowed well for Jared and Rachel, yet, from the beginning of school, Sarah has not fit in as well. All the newness and all the akwardness and all the laughing just cuts into her heart. It has been a struggle without saying. When she would have a good day, it's like 2 more bad days were just waiting to jump on her and pull her back again. We have prayed over her, prayed with her and I have cried a few tears of my own while wiping hers. Then we question: Was this the best choice of schooling for her? Is this going to make her stronger or will this break her? Will the girls ever accept her? Will this experience cause her to despise her life here? So many questions, many prayers for clarity....then, in the last month of school, I pull in to pick them up and this is what I see:

This picture does absolutely NO justice to expressing the joy of my sweet princess. My heart sings to see this picture...why? Because God is so good! Always and forever, He hears our heart's cry and shows up for us because He loves us. You should just hear her now making plans "Can she come to our house?"..."after this one comes, could this one come?"! And the best part is that they are asking her if they can come! She is making it...God is helping her to make it. I am confident that she is going to be just fine. She may have bad days, but she is getting a good amount of better days under her belt, so the bad days don't hurt as much. She is seeing God move in her behalf and that is priceless! It also does my heart good to know that through her smiles, God is answering our prayers and the questions of my heart. This is right...she is learning and growing stronger! Praise the Lord! Oh, He is so kind and gracious and loving!

Our cherished verses to remind her that she is precious to our Father:

"How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in mnumber than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee." Psalm 139:17-19

He is worthy of our praise!

Friday, February 15, 2008

why did the chicken cross the road?

Search no more...

This question has been around for ages now, but given time and observation, we think we may have finally found the answer!

  • The chicken could have crossed the road to eat the rice that was left behind:

  • She could have been going on a date with her favorite rooster man:

  • She could have crossed the road because it was time to play basketball:

  • Or maybe she was getting ready for Sunday School:

  • It may have been that she was going to a neighbor's house for some friendly conversation:

Whether the chicken is visiting friends, learning about God is Sunday school, watching after her children play, or just nibbling on an afternoon snack, she wanted us to all know that the only reason to ever cross the street is still.....

..... to get to the other side! {wa, wa, waaaaa}

Monday, February 4, 2008

"Change my {cat} oh Lord...um, I mean, heart"

Sunday morning we drove about 1.5 hours to a little church in Florida Blanca. The church is about 2 years old now and we had not yet had the chance to visit with them until this weekend and we were very excited to see the work there. When we arrived, the pastor's wife met us at the gate and gathered up Jonah and Rachel for their kids class out in the backyard while the rest of us filed into the "house" for morning worship.

The song service was sweet...we sang old hymns to the accompaniment of a single guitar and the crowing of a neighboring rooster! There is something just awesome about that to me. Shortly after, Pastor Efren began his message. He would use the scripture from Ezekial 36:26 "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh." and would proceed to teach to us how we can have a change of heart through God.

I would say that about 90% of the service was spoken in Tagalog, so I was getting bits and pieces here and there...there were even a few times I was a little impressed with my self over what I as actually understanding. Except at this moment: at the beginning of the message, Ptr. Efren repeated the word "heart" many times for emphasis and each time the word "Puso" was used. As I was listening to that word being spoken over and over, I became a little confused {pride always comes before a fall!}...I turned to Paul and asked him, "I thought that puso was the word for cat...isn't it?" To which Paul looked at me, holding back his laughter and explained to me that "cat is pusA...pusO is the word for heart"!

Service went well and we drove another 45 mins to San Fernando where we could get some lunch and groceries, etc and let me tell you, Paul did not stop talking about God changing my "cat" all day! While laughing quite frequently, he reminded me that he had the obligation to share that story the next time he preaches! I am so glad to offer up myself as message illustrations for my husband...as long as God gets the glory, right!?!

So in the humor of it all, I would like to share a few thoughts that have been lost in this most recent translation:

"Honey, I love you with all my cat"

"Deep in the cat of Texas"

"I will hide God's word in my cat..."

"Search me O God, and know my cat"

"Love the Lord your God with all your cat"

"Let thine cat keep thy commandments"

And my favorite of the day: Taken from Proverbs 20:9

"Who can say, I have made my cat clean...?"

I am happy to laugh...in the midst of confusion I have found clarity! That is one word I will remember forever and so the first time I ask someone if they are saved in Tagalog, I can be confident that I will not ask them if they have Jesus in their cat...and that is a good thing!