daybook 6/20/2011

 

FOR TODAY  

Monday, June 20, 2011

    

 

Outside my window...

the Cowgirl has Valerie (the calf) out of the pasture for some halter training and grazing (and fun)

the garden is growing nicely  (and yes, so are the weeds)

 

I am thinking…

about picking strawberries tomorrow and hoping the weather will cooperate nicely.  Actually I’m thinking about the FUN it will be to go with a couple friends and all our available kids!  :-)  …and hoping we bring some berries home too.

 

I am thankful to God …

that His grace is sufficient.

for my wonderful husband who was willing to grill for us yesterday ~ It was a delicious and relaxing meal with some of my family.

for a quick phone call from Miss Artist this morning  :-)  Chatty as ever about the sweet Brazilians she’s met ~ not a word about tarantulas or snakes!

 

I am praying for...

... the Rettigs and the church in Prague ~ currently on furlough for this summer ~ I’m hoping we can see them! :-)

… the sale of my mother-in-law’s home

… Amber’s dad

… Grant S.

… people who live and work in Japan

… Cinnamon ~ her Army hubby is in Afghanistan, her Marine son is home from Japan!

… Amy W., a young wife/mom with cancer

… Sarita & Jeff need visas for their return to Israel

… our group in Brazil – in spite of delayed luggage and native creepy critters, they have had a great English Retreat the past weekend – more ministry and touring to come this week before they travel home again

… my cousin’s little guy, 9mo Callan ~ He had surgery to begin correcting his health issues; they are also preparing to move across the country in a few months

… Michelle B., recovering still from her gall bladder surgery  :-\  

… folks in Joplin, MO, and along the Missouri River ~ so hard hit with tornadoes and flooding this year

… the A Family, on furlough from their field of ministry ~ such a blessing to see them again!

… the H Family and the home-going of a dear saint, Letha

… Gina’s family ~ in their loss of Jason as he rescued his own children from drowning

… Lea’s dad ~ in the midst of a serious health crisis

… Kari’s dad ~ having by-pass surgery on Wednesday

… Amy ~ serving as the Head Cook at RRBC for a few weeks and wearing a boot after cracking her foot!

… Laura

 

… and especially marriages ~ meant to last a lifetime

 

From the learning rooms...

Brazil… Brazil… Brazil…

I need to return dvds we are finished with … and make next year’s enrollments with A Beka

  

From the kitchen... 

leftovers from yesterday:  hamburgers, hot dogs, marinated turkey tenderloins, potato salad, flaxseed corn chips, hummus, pineapple salsa (my sister likes to shop Trader Joe’s), Symphony Tier Bars (yum!)

ripe bananas are calling… “Smoothie!”

 

I am creating...

a strong desire to join my hubby on his trip to Missouri next month  (I saw pics of the hotel)

 

I am going...

to take my young girls to help me clean the farm office … this afternoon  (an hour ago?)

 

I am reading...

for a summer Sunday school class ~ Choosing Forgiveness by Nancy Leigh DeMoss

                                         

 

 

I am hoping...

multitudes of lovely strawberries find their way to my kitchen tomorrow, or at least sometime this week  :-)

 

I am hearing...

the Cattleman humming and singing as he plays with Matchbox cars in the basement…

For all the saints, who from their labors rest, 
who thee by faith before the world confessed, 
thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest. 
Alleluia, Alleluia! 

We’ve been listening to Hale & Wilder   :-)

Around the house...

I for one am impressed  :-)  We removed a lot of the clutter on Saturday as we prepared for Sunday ~ at least shifted it to the basement… ahem.  And did some dusting.  We are amazing!  ha ha

 

One of my favorite things...

feeding a hungry crowd good food

 

  Someday maybe we’ll open a stand at the State Fair?

 

Pondering these words...

from yesterday’s Father’s Day message, directed to us as children of our heavenly Father.  Good job, Lance!

 

My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:   For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.  Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:  So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 

Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.  It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.  Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:  For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

Proverbs 3:1-12

 

A few plans for the rest of the week:

Early to bed, early to rise…  Trying to establish a new habit before my oldest teens come home!

 

Here is a picture for thought... 

the Popper and her good friend at VBS ~ Crazy Hat Day with a NASCAR theme

(photo by Sarah)

FYI for Felicity:  the straw hat came from my niece who studied in SA!

One of these days I’ll get the pics off of my own camera…

   

 

  ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord,

that thou fulfil it.

Colossians 4:17

  ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

 

~ Find more Daybooks at Peggy's ~

 

PS… Here’s the link to pictures of the Coelhos camp

update from Brasil June 19

And tonight's e-mail...

English Weekend Retreat is over, our Sunday night church service is over, and we are all looking forward to a relative day of peace and quiet tomorrow!  We will take a trip or two to the grocery store to buy food for the rest of the trip, however.  Some of the girls are interested in seeing a typical grocery store.

 

Our church service went great with three teens giving their testimony, everyone singing several songs in English and one in English and Portuguese (they did great!), and Pastor Saylor preaching with Pastor Valdez translating (he did great, too!).  We were served a beef broth soup--very delicious, and everyone stayed afterwards for over an hour trying to talk to each other in broken English, words in Portuguese, sign language, and lots of translation!  Even Johanna (8) was talking about how she had to go from group to group helping people talk to each other!  But it was a great night and the young people of both countries enjoyed themselves!

 Again, here's the link to some pics of the camp ~ Click here!

update from Brasil June 18

Here's what we received from Mrs. Coelho tonight  :-)

Hello, families of really brave teens!

 

Snakes, tarantulas, frogs, and bugs--these are just some of the wild things your teens encountered just today!!  The frog snake was found on the sink in the girls' bathroom--Mrs, Saylor tried valiantly to kill the thing with a broom or something (never was quite sure what it was)--but finally decided to get some help!!  :>)   Tarantulas were found this morning in the girls' dorm and in the boys' dorm on some other days!  It's been exciting--and, to be honest, we're soooo glad they are experiencing some of the things we experience on a day-to-day basis as missionaries here in Brazil!!

 

On to ministry experiences,  this has been an excellent day!  Your teens did a fine job in their English teaching classes--as each one had an opportunity to teach and present a part of the lesson.  I'm seeing them interacting so well with the Brazilian campers.  It takes a fair amount of patience and ingenuity to talk to strangers in your language in a way that they can understand!  I've been so proud of them. 

 

Tomorrow is our last camp day--we will have Sunday School and church service in our chapel in the morning with a bit of free time before lunch, and then free time until 2:00 pm when everyone goes home.  Then, a quick "rehearsal" for church Sunday night and most likely a fast nap!!!!!  Church starts at 7:00 pm our time.  I know our church people are quite anxious to have the American team with them tomorrow night.

 Chapel at the camp

answered prayer!

Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.

 I've received "official" word confirming that the missing luggage was picked up TODAY from the airport ~ I'm thinking I have some very happy girls in Brazil!  :D

woohoo, now on with the mission!

update from Brasil

All persons have safely arrived where they belong with the Coelhos.  Their luggage is another story. 

Group B's luggage is in Miami possibly?  Including my girls' "carry-ons" ~ which must have been too big for TAM's liking, so they had to check them instead.  They will MAKE DO and GROW ~ hopefully with a positive attitude... and much gratitude if/when their luggage does arrive. 

And learn a lesson about not trying to put every stitch of clothing for two weeks in a carry-on.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.  Romans 8:28

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.  I Corinthians 10:13

daybook 6/13/2011

 

FOR TODAY  

Monday, June 13, 2011

 

Happy Golden 13th Birthday, Cowgirl!

  

  

with the Cattleman 3/27/2000

 

                                                  with the Popper summer 2006

 

                       (before the haircut!)  May 2011   

 

 

Outside my window...

it is turning to dusk finally, now that I’ve hung a sheet to block the sunshine that probably wouldn’t have kept me awake.  This computer on the other hand…

Cattle are grazing.  The Cattleman or Tim has removed the broken slide from the garden (where it apparently landed during today’s windy storms)  Yikes!   

 

  [edit: 9:30pm – it is quite dark outside!  and the wise cattle have probably gone to bed!]

 

I am thinking…

I should be sleeping, so this will have to be quick!  I wanted to give you a run-down of last week before I posted a daybook, but… that sounds like too much work tonight.

 

I am thankful to God …

for safety today with wacky weather and VBS activities and travel.

our three oldest have made it safely to Miami so far, ready to board for the loooong flight when they called 30 minutes ago.

that His grace is sufficient.

 

I am praying for...

... the Rettigs and the church in Prague ~ currently on furlough for this summer ~ I’m hoping we can see them! :-)

… the sale of my mother-in-law’s home

… Amber’s dad

… Grant S.

… people who live and work in Japan

… Cinnamon ~ her Army hubby is in Afghanistan, her Marine son is home from Japan!

… Amy W., a young wife/mom with cancer

… Sarita & Jeff need visas for their return to Israel

… our group going to Brazil – they are enroute!  (to northern Brasil via Rio de Jeneiro) – ESL Retreat this weekend, visiting a school next week ~ praying for safety (I am a mom!) and a great time of ministry and growth

… my cousin’s little guy, 9mo Callan ~ He had surgery to begin correcting his health issues; they are also preparing to move across the country in a few months

… Michelle B., recovering still from her gall bladder surgery  :-\   Her mom Wanda has cataract surgery Tuesday!  (in Paris)

… folks in Joplin, MO, and along the Missouri River ~ so hard hit with tornadoes and flooding this year

… the A Family, on furlough from their field of ministry ~ such a blessing to see them again!

…Vacation Bible School ~ this week.  Day One was good.  :-)

 

… and especially marriages ~ meant to last a lifetime

 

From the learning rooms...

Brazil… Brazil… Brazil… VBS… VBS… VBS.

  

From the kitchen... 

Ritz NASCAR crackers and co-jack cheese.  Tomorrow will be chips (leftover from a church skeet shoot) and Mr. Freeze (that’s what I call them… Icy Pops?  frozen colored flavored corn syrup in a plastic tube – What do you call them?)

Oh, you mean THIS kitchen at home?  Hmm, leftover graduation fruit cups, birthday pizza and cake.  Who knows about tomorrow?  The grocery store was closed when we got there today due to lack of electricity.  (I was able to shop in several other stores in the same town… Go figure.)

 

I am creating...

VBS Crafts, yah? 

(Sorry, you’ll have to wait for pictures… Look at the time!)

 

I am going...

to a graduation party tomorrow evening

to pick strawberries at The Berry Patch …one of these nice, cool, dry days I hope…

to VBS to serve up snacks and crafts!  :-)

 

I am reading...

Bible, the VBS daily schedule, craft instructions, your blogs, facebook…

                                         

I am hoping...

the kids (and adults) arrive in Fortaleza with every bit of their extensive luggage!  (too many stories of otherwise)  -- Luggage includes a nice big surprise for the Coelhos!

 

I am hearing...

silence other than electronic hums… I sent my three kids to bed an hour ago!  Yay!

 

Around the house...

I am happy to say that the kids mopped floors last Friday while Tim and I were out for the day ~ Aren’t they just awesome!  Even the dreaded, neglected basement.  Wow.

 

One of my favorite things...

A day out with my husband … in the midst of the chaos of life.  {contented sigh}

 

Pondering these words...

 

May the mind of Christ, my Savior,
Live in me from day to day,
By His love and power controlling
All I do and say.

May the Word of God dwell richly
In my heart from hour to hour,
So that all may see I triumph
Only through His power.

 

There’s more to this, but what a good reminder every day ~ and especially for such a time as this.

 

A few plans for the rest of the week:

See above.  :p

 

Here is a picture for thought... 

   

Tim and crew installing the real front door on a Sunday evening June 2010 :-)

   

 

  ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord,

that thou fulfil it.

Colossians 4:17

  ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

 

~ Find more Daybooks at Peggy's ~

 

PS… Just got an email with a link to the Coelhos camp ~ Wanna see pictures??

fyi

We ARE alive here... 

I. just. cannot. post. more. now.