2008 has been a good year overall, not problem free but I think progress has been made inside our personal bubble. Caleb is doing good, we at least know what is wrong with Hannah and she now has more good days than bad. I love continues to grow for my husband, I have watched my children grow in their faith (even the big ones). The church here is stronger than it was a year ago. We are more firmly knit together, something I know that must happen for a congregation to be fruitful. But when I look outside our bubble I see so much work that needs done.. the country I live in needs truth preached to all the districts, people here want to hear, the brthren in Zimbabwe are hungry and now are threatened with Colera, they need money, food encouragement. Isreal is now at war who knows where that will lead. So much work to do. I pray that I will never become complacent and content inside my bubble, that I will never quit looking outside and trying to do what I can to be a good sister in Chirst, "weeping with those who weep, rejoicing with those who rejoice" How can I weep with you if I do not even know you? No, we can't reach out to everyone but we can at least do better with the circle of people around us. The harvest is plentiful and indeed the workers are few. My new years resolution is to do better to not be complacent. God spit the luke warm out of his mouth. true?
Complacency is indeed a death knell. And oh how we love our comfort zones -- especially as we grow older...*** stole his candybar! Amazing. Amazing Caleb!
Caleb went to his first brithday party today, (that he can remember) All the children were invited. They were having a full meal of barbecue chicken, baked beans and coleslaw and cake and a candy pinata and soda. (none of which Caleb can eat with his Celiac disease) But Caleb was on cloud nine, excited to go. He loves picnics so to make things more fun on such occasions I make his food and put it in a special picnic bag. I made him his own chicken nuggets, white rice, applesauce, unleavened bread, peanut butter, chips and bought him a dark chocolate bar on the way. Hannah caught the flu so ended up not being able to go so Dana suggested to Caleb that he could give any candy he received to Hannah. Well, that gave Caleb purpose and he had a great time breaking the pinata and gathering candy for his sick sister. He came home with a whole ba full and even wanted to give her the chips inside that he could of ate. He had a great time, even in spite of the fact that someone stole his candy bar. It is more blessed to give than to receive.
All is well here, we are in between school years (our school schedule is off a little!) so we have been doing our traditional get the house in order. It is amazing how those stash piles just sneek in throughout the school year. So I try to start the year out with everything in order, it stays that way for a little while.
We have lived in Belize for 10 years now and it amazes me how long it takes before I don't feel like an outsider looking in. I can really say I no longer feel that way. When you move to a different country it takes so long to learn their in and outs of daily life. As a homeschooling mom I have always sought out the opportunity for my children to learn music. I myself know nothing about music so I must rely on others. So far I had found no opportunities here but about a month ago my son Luke told me that our neighbor is a musician. So right now all the kids are involved in lessons. Luke is learning the guitar and Hannah and caleb the keyboard. They are all really excited.
Our health is good. Next week LUke must get a mole removed that has grown over the past 2 years and the edges has become irregular. Before I got pregnant with Luke I had something rare called a Molar pregnancy. (there is not a relationship in Molar and moles) It is a pregnancy that can turn into a malignant blob (there is no baby there) anyways I had that removed and wasnt suppose to get pregnant again for a year as they have to test you a a year to be sure you don't get brain or lung cancer. Well dispite our efforts of trying not to get pregnant six weeks after they removed the molar I got pregnant with Luke. They suggested I abort due to the chances of this this molar pregancy affecting him but that certainly wasn't an option for me. All that to say it has put Luke at risk and I have carefully watched these strange moles that he has. So I appreciate the prayers that everything will come out normal. Not having to Dr much Luke is not looking forward to the proceedure.
Today at the lunch table the children began discussing if I had three wishes;
Hannahs-
"My first wish would be that Shanda would come live with us in the same house as us, my second wish would be for a pinto horse, and my third for a cat"
Caleb;
"for our whole family to live with us forever, my second would be that all of those same people go to church with us and praise God, and my third for the whole world to be christians."
(of course the older two quickly told him he could not wish for that because God gave man choice)
then Luke;
"for a zoo with all the animals in the world, and then all of our family to come live with us so they can take care of those animals and I will not have to, and the third wish he will have to think about.
Seths: To live with Grandma, GrandDad, Luke, Hannah, & Caleb, 2) Caleb and I to be able to eat wheat, 3) A miniature horse Josiah: 1) Caleb would share all of his tools 2) Caleb would never go back to Belize 3) to have gum
That sounds like a very sweet discussion! I would love when my children were small and we had discussions like this. They are more tuned i nto life around them than we think! A Childlike faith! Lets not crush their wishes desires for the good, lets encourage them to keep on trying to save people, one at a time, maybe it is choice, but we can help people with their choice, right? Best of God's blessing to you and yours!
Time goes by so fast here, it is hard to believe a month has past since I last posted. Things are good here. Busy in the Lord. We recently have had two new baptisms. Both men. A few months ago Dana's translator fell away from the Lord. We have been praying for a new translator, it really limits the work not having one. We have been trying to do the best we can. Luke goes on studies with Dana but I know this is not a permanent solution as Luke is going to need to dedicate more time to school in November and Luke can not translate but Dana and I have always had a strict rule in our marriage that he is not alone with other women (including on studies) and I am not alone with other men, we just don't trust satan. Whether either of these men will be able to be used as a translater will be seen. We swon't hurry into anything. We actually had seven men at church last week. Before we had been a mostly woman congregation. We have been trying to spend alot of time with the new Christians to encourage them. Like a new born baby they are so vulnerable in those early months. The other week we had one of the older sisters over for lunch and to spend the day. We spent the afternoon making flowers out of toilet paper and napkins ect. Later that day Hannah said, "you know Mom even though sister Ido is really old she is alot of fun"! (Sister Ido is only 10 years older than me!) I am gLad Hannah finds such activities so much fun.
I'll never forget when I was about 40 a 10 year old "young" man saying to me: "Mrs. Legg, for an old woman, I mean a REALLY old woman, you look really good!" My reply, "_____, I don't know if that was a complement or not." :-)
she was teaching us, as she was doing it I remembered once making them. Amazing as we get older how we can forget what we once knew. so much information, life has been rich and full.
