Update on the Weekend so far.......

JC had an RA campout that turned out to be a "campout/camp-in". The boys played football, roasted marshmallows and had Bible Study. They decided to spend the night in the multi-purpose room at church because of the heat and the humidity. (I don't blame them a bit.)

JC told me he finally went to sleep at around 2 am and woke up at 6:40 am.....poor RA leaders! I pray they all got a good nap in today! So, JC collapsed in the recliner right after dinner, and Micah fell around 7:30 p.m. I pray they sleep most of the night! However, this quiet time is welcome for sure.

I do love my boys, but they sure can make some noise!

I also have finished some lesson plans for Micah. I have to finish JC's first few weeks of lessons. We start back homeschool full force Monday!

I also have been preparing for the middle school Bible fellowship class. We are studying about the fact that we have a choice to serve God. Our God loved us so much that He gave us the choice........He sacrificed His only Son.....and then left it up to us to decide if we would follow. What kind of father is that? A loving one who wants us to choose Him.....just like He chose us!

Praying for all the worship that will be going on tomorrow. The church, Every Nation, in Singapore should be gathering the worshipers right about now.....................   :)

First Day of School for so many.....

Many kids around here had their first day back to school. Since we homeschool, we had another eventful, yet laid back day. Micah had speech, and we had to get a thicker sleeping bag for JC to take to a church camping trip tomorrow night.

We decided just about 2 years ago that we would homeschool. It was something we discussed and prayed about at length.

See, I taught high school for six years and GED classes for a local community college for three years. My heart was in the classroom. However, I have seen over the years how education has turned towards "teaching the tests" and getting high test scores. Kids don't get to do the extra "fun" stuff we were able to do.

Also, my kids will get one on one attention. I don't think that could be achieved in the regular classroom. I also know that Micah will need some extra help. We will start a little bit of "preschool" with him this year.

Please pray that I will be able to keep JC up to where he needs to be, even with our move to Asia. That is another blessing of homeschooling.....we don't have to worry about moving during the middle of a semester and what to do about school. :)

Kicking and Screaming!

Micah had so much fun at church tonight that I had to drag him out kicking and screaming. I think everyone in the church knew we were leaving. haha!

What if we never wanted to leave the foot of Jesus? What if we were like Micah and didn't want to leave worship? What if we were dragged out kicking and screaming?

I know, though, that even though worship is awesome, God calls us to step outside the doors so that we can be His Hands and Feet.

Be His hands and feet!

Stepping out on the Water and Climbing new Heights

My children are daredevils in different ways. JC jumps in the pool with no worries.....and Micah climbs everything! Micah has not gotten the courage to jump too much in the pool or slide down the slide into the water.

See, I think my oldest, JC is a lot like Peter. He has no fear, most of the time. (He truly lives out his name....Joshua...not afraid when he went to "check out" the promised land.)

But he is also like Peter......he jumps before he thinks. Maybe that is why he had to wear a boot most of the summer?

See, I kind of like Peter, even though he gets a bad rap most of the time. I mean, that whole denying Jesus really put a damper on his reputation. But Jesus knew he had what it would take to begin the Church!

He saw it in Peter when He was walking on the water. Peter did not sit and make a list of pros and cons before walking out on the water to Jesus. He just walked out. Yes, he took his eyes off of Jesus. However, no one ever talks about the other disciples sitting in the boat thinking this was an impossible feat.

I want to walk out on the water, even if I sink a few seconds later. Can't you just hear Peter later on? "Well, I'm the only one who has walked on water!".

So, step out on the water......do not fear. He is with you!

I'm not sure who Micah, my youngest, reminds me of yet. He is sort of like Moses.....climbs..(remember, he climbed a mountain to hear from God).....and he is taking speech therapy. (Remember Moses' best excuse? "I don't talk right"....my southern translation.)

See what I mean about climbing?!

But we named him Micah. Our pastor used scripture from Micah just a few weeks after we decided what to name him. He still refers to Micah as his "minor prophet".

Here is the scripture most of us recognize from the book of Micah:
He has shown you, O man, what is good;
      And what does the LORD require of you
      But to do justly,
      To love mercy,
      And to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8

Micah is one that just gets to the point. He climbs cabinets at our house to get what he wants. He goes in the fridge to get me the milk he likes best. He pulls my arm and leads my to the bed when he is sleepy.

And he is very gentle, loving and sweet.....even at the "terrible two's" stage.

He walks (and often climbs) humbly with God. :)

So, who do you want to be like today? I think I want to be like the best example we have in the Word of God....and that is Jesus!

Let him use the good and the bad of your personality for His Glory!
                                                          

Not a good day for teeth?

The boys had their regular checkups with the pediatric dentist. Seems Micah has a cavity already! grrrr! Darn sippy cups! We will have to go and have him put to sleep to cap the teeth. (Some look like the enamel is weak...so he's being cautious, especially when I told him we would be in South Korea in a few months.)

However, we had a wonderful report from his speech therapist Monday. She had a really good session with him. He is attempting to talk more and more everyday. We have another session Thursday.

We have not been able to talk much with Mike since last week. We had a very busy weekend with the church swimming party, and my home church had its anniversary celebration Sunday. We miss him so much and cannot wait until we get to be with him everyday!

My goals for the rest of the week are:
- to get a schedule for going through everything the next few weeks
- get a homeschool schedule
- "new night night" schedule for the boys

The new school year brings new beginnings.....may all of us begin anew our commitment to studying God's Word more, also.

I found this picture online......I am praying our Bibles do not look like this one.

Heaven Rejoicing While We are Crying

I cried yesterday. I found out a beautiful women in my life had gone on to be with our Heavenly Father. We met when I first came to Columbia as youth director. She made me feel as if I was one of her own children.

When Michael and I started dating, she made him feel the same way. Michael always called her his prayer warrior. She always had to have her "Michael hugs". :)

I bet the first thing she did was go and sing her praises to God. If time allows, she'll take her list of questions to Jesus. In a few years, she might get around to finding Adrian Rogers. She listened to him a lot! :) She also listened to the teachings of David Jeremiah. I bet when the Reverend Jeremiah gets to heaven, she'll be on the welcoming committee. :)

We have another lady very precious to us who will soon be going on to heaven....JC's first Sunday School teacher at our present church. She has lost her battle with cancer.....but will be gaining her heavenly reward soon.

Ladies, we will meet you again some day. I am now homesick for heaven again because you are there!

Mike - Finding Church

Finding Church

Finding a church to attend has not been easy.

My first Sunday here, I was running back and forth with still trying to get situated in my new position.  The second Sunday, I had just finished getting dressed and was about to head out the door, when one of the rigs called – they had a man who needed to go to the hospital – could I help?

But yesterday, I was finally successful

I found a church that meets at the mall and to be honest, I was more than impressed.  The chairs can recline, each one has its own armrest, with a little slot for your drink… wait…oh, that’s because it meets in one of the movie theatre.

Now, one thing I have already observed is how reserved the majority of the people here are.  When I have the weekly safety meeting, the Americans lounge back, sometimes have the bored look and share what they are thinking, whereas the nationals sit straight up, are very intense in their focus, but don’t speak out much. 

That wasn’t the case with church service.

There was clapping… there was shouting in joy… there were hands held up in praise.

And the thing I have to remember, is less than 18% of the country is Christian.  Outnumbered by the Buddhist 2 to 1, and the remaining are either Muslim, Hindu, or atheist.  But each person at service, I could tell – they were there because this was where they wanted to be… not where they thought they should be on a Sunday morning.

In fact, the roads are still relatively empty this early in the morning.  But  by the time service started, the ushers were busy finding that one or two seats still left open for those still walking in.   Each row in the theatre has 35 seats, and there are 25 rows.  I know the picture above from their web site doesn’t show a packed service – that’s not what I was seeing – better than 80% of the seats were taken up.

The preacher – Pastor Nelly – he is Asian, and he has a hint of New Zealand accent.  Maybe he is Somoan?  And he wears ear rings!

The sermon was about the Good Samaritan … and it was convicting!  Near the end, he reminded everyone, this is the Every Nation Church.  “Most of us come from other countries – well Foreigner – you are not here just to make your fortune, or advance your career – God has brought you here because Singapore is your mission field!”

Convicting!

But even before the sermon really started, I knew I had found the church I want to be a part of while I live in Singapore.  It wasn’t the music… it wasn’t the seats (ok…those did help)… it was the update he gave about the new church they planted – EN Central.

It meets in a Bar on Sunday morning… and as the pastor says, “we chose that location because literally right outside our door, is the street plaza that has the most notorious reputation for being internationally known for the prostitution that takes place”.

He says they are going to where the hurt is great, to share the love of Jesus.  Not picking a “safe and easy” location, but like the Good Samaritan parable, because we the Church, are the inn for the wounded, waiting for the Samaritan to return.

Wow!