Kids say the darnest things...

over this weekend we watch Elf. to me Christmas isnt Christmas without watching Elf. i know a little weird... It is a hilarious movie (at least I think so, Kevin on the other hand well lets just say no so much...)

anyways... all weekend long the kids and i were saying lines and singing songs off Elf. (especially Logan) any one that knows logan knows that he loves a good time and getting him hooked on something is easy to do. His favorite song on Elf is when Elf meets his dad for the first time and sings him a song. - the song is hilarious -

Sunday night we were saying our prayers and Logan was praying and at the end he sings to Jesus ... I love you I love you I love you Elf style.

I dont know - i got to believe that Jesus got a kick out of that - i am still laughing about it - Kevin on the other hand... you that know kevin-his reaction made the whole thing even funnier. Life is funny isnt it... i got to learn not to take it or myself to seriously... enjoy the laughter a little more...

Jesus... he loves to celebrate - he's getting ready for a celebration of all celebrations... this Christmas season lets let all the life struggles and problems go - lay them down - and lets celebrate the King of Kings, Emmanual, God is with us -lets do a little dancing, a little laughing, a little singing (elf style?! maybe not)

Remembering....

Yesterday we had "simple church" just the six of us as a family. it was a time of testifing to God's greatnss in each of our lives over the past year.

We have a jar that we put stones in to remind us of God's faithfulness.

It was a sweet time and a time of renewing my own faith. Looking back just over this last year and hearing each one of the kids give testimony of Jesus Christ in their own lives and Kevin and I sharing was a time of renewing our hope. I want to give testimony of just a few things our family is so very thankful for, prayers that have been answered and evidence of God's finger on our lives.

Ally -
thankful for making new friends in school,
thankful for her teachers,
thankful that she seen God in real ways is Africa - experiencing that you don't need things to find true joy and that Jesus is more than enough - she learned this through Portia(Zimbabwean)
so thankful for chelsea, michelle, cheraya and missy for loving her and showing her what is means to live whole heartily for Jesus) (you four girls have no idea what you did for ally this summer - thank you from the bottom of my heart - i love you all too)

Brayden -
thankful for improving in writing and reading
thankful for being in south africa - learned so much about Jesus - learned alot from Tim and sbu - both lived in masi - live a life of sacrifice for jesus and are both full of joy and love. also learned a lot from beckie - a little boy in masi (10 yrs old) that always had a smile on his face and was out going even though he didnt have much.
thankful for danmike, brad and jeremiah - thanks guys

Logan -
thankful that grandpa van is cancer free
thankful for being in mrs fergusons classroom
thankful that he is getting better at reading
thankful that God keeps him safe when we walk in his ways

sawyer -
thankful for the time in south africa -
thankful for simeon (white southafrican) and tim. learned a lot from both about being a believer of Jesus. thankful for the time each one gave him.
thankful for danmike, brad and jeermiah - thankful for the time and love they give him - and also for being example to him about what it looks like to live your life total committed to God's way and the joy and peace you have living that way.
thankful for healing his broken foot - God did a miracle on sawyers foot this past month - sawyer broke it playing basketball and was told that he would be out 4 - probably 6 weeks - but God thought 1 1/2 weeks would do. and so sawyer not thinking that he would play any b-ball this season only sat out 3 games. pretty unbelievable.

kevin-
God has provided work for him - even after the company that gave him 90% of the work over the last 5 years went bankrupt. God has brought along other great contractors to work for and we are not only grateful but humbled by the provision and heart of God.

Thankful for the opportunity to go to South Africa - there were many miracles that happen just to get us there

thankful for nelis,cedric and elias - mighty men that have been a picture of what Kevin wants his life to look like. men in love with their saviour and committed their lives and families to the work of the Kingdom - a life of total trust and surrender - despite circumstances - they proclaim with their lives God is good and worthy.
thankful that God is changing him - his heart - teaching him more about his ways

thankful for having peace in a very chaotic world - despite what things appear to be knowing that God always has our best.

thankful that he is seeing our kids growing in the ways of the LORD.

thankful for friends here - that continue to encourage and challenge him to live his life full of faith.

marcy (me)

thankful that God doesnt give up on me
thankful that God has shown more of his heart to me
thankful for the cross (the sacrifice of Christ and the love displayed there...there are no words...i want all the days of my life to grasp how deep,long,wide his love is for me..
thankful for the opportunity to spend time in SA - found home there -
thankful for inesa and christina, vovo and sylvia - women that i want to be like - women who love Jesus and his ways and love their families. living a full life and a life of faith
thankful for my family - kevin, sawyer, ally, brayden,logan - love my man more and more each year, and i feel so blessed that i am these fab four's mom - life is so full of love and laughter with each of you. i learn so much from you.

my parents - who have from day one been my example of God's love and grace - seeing them grow more in love with Jesus and with each other every year is footsteps that i want to follow in. my sisters kristi,kim,libby and brothers,curt,rod,john, nieces and nephews. so proud of each one of you.. we are all uniquely made and have all been called to different things pertaining to the Kingdom of God - but we are always there to encourage and cheer each other on. i love you all so much

my friends new and old - ive learned so much from each of you, so thankful to journey together with you. God uses you continually to show himself to me.

This list is just a few things that were highlighted yesterday. It is so good to look back, give thanks and it gives me - encouragement to walk forward knowing and believing whatever is ahead in this next year that God is faithful -

He has his eye roaming throughout the earth looking for those fully devoted to him and his ways

I dont know what God has planned for me, my family in this next year - but we want to be where He is at. over the last two years kevin and i have been feeling frustrated/discontent and we are praying into this " is this holy discontent or holy frustration? or just plain discontentment - and if it is that then forgive us Jesus but if this is from you then show us.

Our family, we are praying for specific direction - that God would be clear in his calling over us. please join us in that prayer.

As we celebrate the birth of our saviour JESUS CHRIST this season and really every day - we bless God, and say as David said

Who am i , O Sovereign LORD and what is my family, that you have brought me this far...

REAL HOPE

I did it again today - i confess that more than not lately - i can get caught into the cynical and the depressing talk which is going all over the place these days. the gloom and doom or the economy, the getting caught up in watching the stock market crash and then rebound. the words of debt, bailout, bankruptcy, no work, foreclosure, rates, governement, and on and on.

i dont mean to be insensitive, because this is real life for many, many people, it is real life to us, but... i so badly want to be like david - when he came back from battle - and all of his possesions, even his wives and children were taken and all the other warriors turned against David " but David found his strength in the LORD his God" 1sam30:6b

this is the time the church - Christ bride must arise and be a shining light. it is a ripe time. God's Word - the more I read it the more amazed I am - it is "alive and active" God does speak through these very pages. sometimes the message is convicting to a point where I need to search my heart and sometime it is encouraging but throughout the pages there is a consisent message - the message of Love and Redemption.

this picture is of a man who is near and dear to our hearts. his name is elais - kevin met him in south africa in the mall - him and logan drove me to mall to do some emailing and they bought a corndog from the stand that elias worked at. we know that it was a God ordained meeting - conversation began - and this man - represented Jesus to kevin and me in the purest way. kevin spent a lot of time with elias and the more he got to know him the more he loved him, and the more he learned about the purest part of the kingdom of God. - you see Elias is a modern day David.

His circumstances through our earthly view is horrible. he lives in a foreign land (his land Zimbabwea is war torn) he lives in a shack not even fit for animals, he was at this time - seperated from his wife and little boy (for 1 1/2 years) and he works harder than anyone and hardly makes enough to buy food and rent for himself.

And yet....Elias finds strength in the LORD his God. I remember kevin coming home from meeting with elias... so humbled to have spent time with this amazing man and learning sooo much from him about Jesus.

Elias - yes if anyone could get down and angry and full of panick he could and no one would blame him - but through the faithfulness of God to his promises:

"the LORD is near to all who call on him...in truth He fulfills the desires of those that fear him, he hears there cry and saves them." ps 145:18

you see - elias is part of the kingdom of God - the kingdom has broken in his life and now it is breaking forth. God has put elias in a very dark place to be a light - and boy does he shine so very bright.


ps. to this story - God did reunited elias with his wife and son after 1 1/2 year of crying out to God. they arrived in masi last week. To God be the Glory. and thank you elias, your life has challenged us, touched us and changed us and we are so thankful for you and your beautiful family.

now the question is do i looking different to the world - am i speaking love and truth - and i bringing peace to a very chaotic place - am i - when it comes right down to it - living for my LORD - do i really trust my Fathers heart - am i finding my strength in the LORD my God - and am i offering His hope - the Hope that I have to the world around me.

despite circumstances, despite the thinking of the world. God's kingdom is really right side up in this upside down world.

i want to be a place of joy, peace, love, gentleness, kindness,goodness and self control. i want to represent jesus in the purest form. the only way is less of me jesus and more of you.

so tommorrow is a new day again - i think i just posted that last time - but it is truth that i need to cling to everyday - God's mercies are new every day - now that is the example of all examples of a Father's Heart. - thank you Father, for calling me child, and for lavishing me with your love and grace, thank you for running toward me everytime i wander wayward and you bring me back to you with your arms open wide, thank you for loving me enough to speak truth into me and wanting to shape me more into your image - help me be moldable and teachable.

thank you for our south african family, everyone one of them, elias and his family, nelis and inesa, cedric, and sylvia, vovo, christina, godknows and tim we continue to learn so much from them - bless them and keep them and make your face shine upon them and give them peace - in jesus most powerful and loving name - AMEN

i want to do this well - i want God to be gloirified in my life - i know that without him - i am no different than the world - BUT with him - He is our only HOPE and He is our Rock and our Salvation there is nothing to fear. God grant me Kingdom eyes and not earthly eyes.