Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Family Time

We had a wonderful Christmas yesterday. This week we are just enjoying time as a family and at home. It is a nice time. As I look out our village, the trees are covered in hoarfrost and the thick fog covers all the houses. But it is beautiful to be inside and relaxing.

Please pray this week for my family. My dad will be moved to a Alzheimer's care unit on the 2nd of January. This is a hard for the whole family but especially my mom. So please be in prayer all of the family. My dad has been told, but he really doesn't remember or understand at this point.

Thanks for your prayers.

Sunday, December 16, 2007

My Day

In Romanian a birthday is referred to as "Your Day". Today is My Day.

Someone asked if the girls were excited for Christmas. Not until tomorrow. They have to get past my birthday on the 16th each year and then they can be excited for Christmas.

With a December birthday people always wonder if the celebration gets lost in the Christmas celebration. Never. Not with Elissa, Natalie and Lauren. The youngest two woke me up bounding on my bed, sang "Happy Birthday" and snuggled nicely. Elissa presented me with a card first thing when she got up.

We had a nice day and their dad helped buy the nice gifts that they presented me this evening. It was a lot of un. So tomorrow, since it won't be my day any longer, we'll try to get Christmas shaping up around here.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

New Beds

A week ago the container was released. I have been busy unpacking for the last week, putting things in place. The first night we had our bed set up and Elissa just slept on her bed on the floor. Natalie and Lauren got theirs the next day. We have been sleeping wonderfully ever since.

I could do a commercial for Simmons Beauty Rest. I haven't slept well for years and had constant sore backs, but no more. Before the new mattresses Andy said, "we never need to set an alarm any longer". True. We'd wake at 5 and get up at 6 with ease. Today we definitely know we have to start setting an alarm because we overslept again. Oops.

Thanks Frank and Robin for the blessing of the discount to make these affordable for us!

Our Christmas tree was also in the container so now that is up and we'll finish decorating it in the next few days.

So these little joys in life are wonderful. But please continue to keep our family in prayer. There are still many roadblocks ahead in our life here. We know we are called here and that God will make the way.

Besides the container and permits there are many other little things and the girls are happy to be back, but they also miss life and church in America in a way they have not before. So they are still working to adjust.

The other day a friend from Finland wrote these words, "It is a new day - though here in the north so dark with rarely any ray of light on the horizon for weeks now - and truly comforting to know that His grace is sufficient."

I feel like these words are true to our lives, although we do not have the physical darkness of December in the far north, we have had a darkness in the battles of the spirit. But it is comforting to know, as Marja wrote, that His grace is sufficient for each new day. There is a beauty and peace in knowing we serve the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords who watches out for us and cares for all our needs.

Be blessed today.