Looking across the street, I am oft times jealous of the vibrant colored maple(?) in the neighbor's yard and the glorious leaves that fall from it's branches. I know what you are thinking... probably because I don't have to rake them, right?!
But actually, I'd love to rake them to the side, and watch our street vacuum mulch them up...
Our white barked tree on the other hand doesn't put out the greatest fall foliage, and I've usually a very small pathetic pile when I feel like doing my outdoor fall duties.
But I've learned the secret.
You see, this crazy Michigan weather, combined with my husband's out-of-town excursions means he hasn't been around to mow, err, I mean mulch the grass and leaves. And because today was cheerfully sunny, compared to yesterday's overcast skies... well, I introduced my children into the art of leaf piles.
Without having to lead by example, of course.
Because it looks like fun... if you're a child. To me, it looked kind of damp and pokey. And when Liam dumped leaves on Aiden, I think he agreed.
Especially, when he didn't notice the broken piece that was stuck to his pacifier, before putting it in his mouth... :)
We just returned last weekend from a nice trip to Phoenix. It started with my husband getting a free all inclusive vacation conference to Phoenix for a couple of days. Having his airfare paid for, we decided we could fork out the extra few hundred dollars and truly make it a vacation for the whole family. Not to mention getting to have a little getaway (Aiden was included) at the Camelback Inn for the first couple of days!
So we enjoyed yummy breakfasts, fun at the pool, 80-90 degree days, family and friends time galore and of course... Cowboy Jake. :)
And of course I had amazing food again... Chick-fil-A, Butterfield's, all-you-can-eat buffets at Camelback Inn, Carolina's, Gelato Spot, perfectly grilled salmon at Natalie's... and... In-n-Out.
Nothing beats a cheeseburger, animal-style, with both whole grilled and chopped grilled onions!!
Thank you to all who prayerfully supported their trip. Two people cancelled due to family health problems, and the rest of the team raised the money they needed to answer God's calling... in less then 2 weeks! Isn't God amazing?! They are now on their way to Africa-- please pray that God moves mightily both in their lives, and in the lives of those they meet.
Flashback:
When I was a freshman in high school, I went on a mission trip with a group from my school to Thailand. We first went to LA for a week of training, before flying over to Bangkok and then Chiang Mai for a couple weeks of outreach and English teaching. A week of that was spent up in mountain villages in the jungles of northern Thailand. God revealed Himself so much to me on that trip, from my morning devotions alone in the jungle, to the careening rides along the edge of the mountain, where there would be 10-12 of us sitting in a small pickup bed, to getting lost in the evening on a road, after praying at the doors of a Buddhist temple. He opened my eyes to the suffering of the world around, to the simplicity of life (which made even nonflushable toilets in Mexico look like luxury) to the joys and happiness of the children. I wish I could post pictures (I took 12 rolls in that pre-digital age), but alas they are at home and are not scanned. Maybe someday...
During that trip, I became good friends with one of the Thai translators. Her name is Uab. We continued to keep in touch over the years and saw each other get married and have children. She's been to the US a couple of times for disciple training and advanced Biblical studies. Now her and her husband head a ministry in Chiang Rai, where they reach out to college students through a coffee/smoothie cafe and Bible studies.
Which leads me to the purpose of this post...
A group of them have been feeling the Lord's calling for the past few months to go on a mission trip to Thailand. In her words,
We felt God was calling us to go to Africa this October to share His love and truth.Some of students got picture and images that directly spoke of Africa, while others heard clear words that led us to doing more research. The more information we found, and the more we prayed, the more certain we became that we are supposed to go to Ethiopia and Tanzania this October. We will be doing ministries with street kids and young people with YWAM in Ethiopia and Tanzania.
We also feel it is time for Thai Christians to know that they too
can be missionaries and bring the Gospel to the nations. Thai people
like to say that Christian is a Farang (white people)'s religion but it
is not true. Jesus is for Thais, for Africans and for all nations.
"Whenever the cloud lifted from above the Tent, the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped.At the Lord’s command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped. (Number 9:17-18)
When the cloud moved, the Israelites moved and
when the cloud stopped they too stopped. They didn't necessarily know
where the could was going to lead them but they knew God was leading
them to the promised land. This following God requires faith, obedience and commitment, the Israelites had to go whenever and wherever the cloud went.
I feel like we are following the cloud to Africa (Ethiopia and
Tanzania). We don't know how we can get to Africa but we need to be
obedient to God's call and guidance for us and for our young Thai
Christians. Many of us have to go through some really hard time and
persecution from their Buddhist families but they counted the cost and
still chose to follow God's call to go share Jesus in Africa. We as a
team continue to pray and ask God to lead us step by step, to show us
what to do and where to go. The Israelites was traveling to the
Promised land, they didn't know the way to get there but they had God
leading them by the cloud during the day and by the fire at night.Faith
and Obedience are important. According to human wisdom, it is way
easier for us to not go to Africa but some time the path that God calls
us to go on is harder. So, we
will go, step by step following God's call and His words to us, for we
want to walk by faith, not by sight. Honestly, I can't always walk by
faith and not by sight. I at times feel worried if we all heard God
wrong or some of us won't have enough money to go. But I have to keep
reminding myself to trust God because He can be trusted.
...
I have felt the past few days the burden to share Uab's calling on my blog. I struggled with it some, as I doubt most all of my readers know them, and many have their usual places that they designate their tithing money towards. But I've continued to feel the Spirit, and I know I will only have peace after I post. Another reason I've been burdened is because I heard a few statistics recently.
86% of homes in the US have 1-4 Bibles in them
of this 86% of US homes, only 69% of them believe that the Bible contains Truth.
... and only 12% of people in these homes actively engage in the Bible in their daily lives.
Are you engaged in your daily walk??
It was humbling for me to think about Christian missions being a white person's job. If you look at the statistics, a vast amount of missionaries comes from the US, but Korea is also not far behind. So why are most missionaries caucasian? Thinking about it, I came up with the fact that we have money and resources (do you have any other thoughts?!) Granted, we don't all have a lot of wealth, and it's easy for us to say, "well, he/she has more"... but in an age where our country is being divided for political purposes into the have's and have nots, and the 99% vs the 1%...
... well folks, I hate to break it to you, but if you have the ability to be reading this, then by the world's standards, you are all in the 1%.
...
But back to Uab. Her team of 16 is planning on going to Africa on October 17th. Yes, in 12 days. Combined, they need $26,000 to go. They do not have this money, but continue to strongly feel God's calling that they need to follow him, trusting in Him to provide. They are engaging in the Word, binding to Him and knowing that where He leads, they must follow.
So I ask you...
if you feel called after reading this post and praying, to support them as they try to share their faith with other's... well, I'd be ecstatic.
But even if you don't, could you engage in prayer, that they continue to follow God's calling, and that if this is His will, that others whom He has called to provide will step up to the plate?
And finally... will you pray that there would be a revival amongst the believers, that we could further engage ourselves in God's Truth and walk in the light, bearing fruit along the way??
Here in information how to give, or you can email/comment me for more help:
In the US
To send financial support:
Please make out your check to YWAM and please do not put
our name on the check, but include a separate note stating
that the gift is for Jesse & Uab Ford
Mail your check to :
YWAM Strategic Frontiers,
Attn: Donor Services,
P.O.Box 60579, Colorado Springs,
CO. 80960-0579
USA
... going through my pictures, I did have a picture from my Mom's visit. Kohl's. They were having their weekly sale and this time I had a 30%off coupon. Which meant I went to buy the boys winter pajamas.
Highlights:
- Labor Day festivities and a Lake outing with Daddy and the Hitz family
- a visit from my Mom (in which no picture was taken... is that possible?)
- Sunday School picnic
This last picture of Aiden... he climbed (again) on the kitchen table where I had left the cooling racks from baking pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip cookies the night before. Seeing no food on the table, he went to the front door, found the tupperware container, opened it up and I come downstairs after getting dressed to find Liam telling him he had to wait til church for those, and he had one in each hand, as well as 3 around him. He must have my love for pumpkin! :)
