Pictures from Israel

Qumran: Where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found...


Lindsay riding a camel...

Tiberias in the morning...

Thursday morning and I'm just getting up to prepare for returning home. I wanted to post these pictures for you. I love the picture of Tiberias on the water. It's so beautiful.

I'm ready to return to my home and community. I've had a wonderful time here with Mom and Dad. Mom and I really got to know each other all over again, and this time, we had the time to just relax and enjoy each other's company without feeling rushed. It was great. I think I will look back on this time for many years to come and be thankful for the time we had to spend together. It was nice for Eli to get to know Mom and Dad. (and Heidi, the dog, whom he loves! She'd never seen a baby before so she didn't know what to do with him. I think she thought he was a toy, but then he moved a lot on his own, so she was confused.) We'll be back in two weeks for Thanksgiving so hopefully he will remember them and the house and feel more at ease from the start. It seems like he's grown so much these 11 days. He's really gotten big and is moving about with so much more ease than before. He's been letting go of surfaces and standing for a few seconds before lowering himself to the floor or falling on his rear end. He has five teeth now with one just below the surface, and his hair is getting shaggy. I can't wait for Dan to see him.

I will be driving to Newark with some others from the church to pick up the team tomorrow. I'm so excited to see Dan. I'm planning to leave Eli behind: still working out the details.

Now I need to go get ready for the day. Eli's been laying in his room squealing and making noises for about an hour now. It's only 6:45! I can't wait till he gets back into his routine. At least, he's content to stay in his crib for a little while longer.

More pictures

The Market in Tel Aviv...

The Mediterranean Sea...

The Worship Team on the streets of Tel Aviv...

Pictures

Here is a group picture of everyone sitting on outdoor "toilets." The ancient public sewage system.

Here is a group picture. Dan is on the far right.

The Chronicles of the Separation of Dan and Gen: Day 7

I realized that my title "The Chronicles of the Separation of..." sounds like Dan and I are separated due to an argument or something horrible like that. I can't have people thinking we are separated!! But I don't know what else to call it. We are, indeed, separated for a time and it kills me. I am experiencing the withdrawal of half of me being gone. I was praying last night as I was falling asleep and telling God that I now really understand the meaning of "becoming as one." When we got married, God began a work of uniting us as one flesh: body, soul and spirit. He will continue to meld us together as time grows on, but even now, after seven days, I feel lost and sad without my husband. I guess I didn't realize the impact he has on my happiness and joy. It's just as it should be. While my true ultimate joy comes from Jesus Christ, He has given Dan to me to be a symbol of His love for the Church. And I hold to Dan as my better half, my guide in this life, my love for eternity.

I was finally able to get ahold of an itinerary for the Israel team. Today is going to be awesome for them. Today they are going to visit the Mount of Olives. Then they are going to see the Palm Sunday Road. I hope one day to be there and see it with my own eyes; to reflect on what it must have been like to be there laying the palm leaves on the ground before my Lord rode by on a humble young donkey, only a few days later to die hanging on a tree for me, for my sins, for the sins of the world, just so that we wouldn't have to pay the penalty when we die. Because he conquered death and rose to life three days later, those who accept His free gift of salvation can live eternally with Him in heaven. I know that's where I'll be when I die. And I look forward to it with full anticipation of being in His very presence with no effect of sin on my soul.

While they haven't run into violence (that I know of), they have seen the effects of it and have heard stories of God's goodness to the people in the land. It's easier to see God's grace and goodness in a land where there is so much danger because it stands out more than if everything were just fine and running smoothly. There is a story of how a missile went off right in front of an apartment building and there was not one injury. Every window in the building was blown to pieces and no one was hurt. There was even a woman was standing directly in front of her window doing the dishes and she didn't have one cut on her.

They visited and ministered to Lebanese Christian refugees. These refugees fought for Israel against Hizbollah during a war some years ago. Lebanon obviously didn't want them back and Israel didn't want them because they were Lebanese. Israel eventually allowed them through the border, but finding jobs is difficult, to say the least, and they have very little. They were very glad to have received our team and were blessed by their time.

The internet hasn't been very accessible to them since they left Tel Aviv, so that's why the updates haven't been as regular on the church website. Dan told me that they have some good pictures but uploading hasn't been easy. I hope they get them uploaded soon so that you can all see what they have been doing and the beautiful sights they have seen.

They were able to update the journal telling about the ministry they have done the past few days. Click on the link to the right and you will go straight to it.

Continue praying for their safety and that God would work through them. Pray for unity in the team as they finish up the rest of the week.

It's Football Season

Since we found out that Elias was going to be a boy, Dad has been excited about sitting and watching football together. He and Tim used to always get into it together, and now that Tim's gone, Dad has no one to watch it with. (Tiff keeps up with it, but she's usually at college.) So today, Dad sat down with Eli and pointed out how the game works. Amazingly enough, Eli was fascinated and listened to every word as his eyes were glued to the television.

Rocking Horse

Floyd and Marilyn Lepper, a couple that goes to my parent's church, brought by a wooden rocking horse today. It's solid oak and very sturdy. Not only is it a great toy for kids to play with, but it looks great too. It will stay at Mom and Dad's house for all the grandkids to play with.

Clock is Current Time in Israel

The clock to the right tells the current time in Israel. They are seven hours ahead of us.

High Speed Internet Up and Running!!

THANK YOU, GOD!!! Aaron Rulison: what a blessing. He came to fix Mom and Dad's computer yesterday while Mom and I were out. We returned to smoothly running internet connection and computers. It's so great that I don't have to go to Panera Bread to update the blog or have to sit and wait on dial-up to check my email (only in html format, too).

Dan is still doing well. He called the other night which was such a surprise to me. I wasn't expecting that he would call. I was floating the rest of the night.

Eli's cold turned into teeth! He has a shiny new tooth next to his upper front teeth. The one on the other side is about to peak through. It explains so much. Last week, he had diarhea like crazy, but no symptoms of feeling bad or dehydration. Then this week, he's been slightly off with his sleeping patterns and his gums seemed to be pretty sensitive. He's been drooling like a leaking faucet and has pretty serious congestion. This morning, someone at church said that her kids had diarhea before cutting teeth. I had no idea that was a symptom, but now it makes so much sense. Hopefully, this last tooth will cut today and he'll be back to his normal schedule with less drool.

Here's a picture of Eli and me and Panera Bread the other day. We were there using the free wireless internet.

Aunt Biff and Eli Reunite

When Eli saw Tiffany walk in the door yesterday, a big smile spread across his face. I don't know if he remembered her from when she lived with us this summer or if there' s just something about her that draws him to her. But, I tell you what, that boy just loves his Aunt Biff. And she loves him too. They played "catch" together. It went something like this: Aunt Biff would throw the soft nerf ball at Eli thumping him on the chest and bouncing off. He would just laugh and giggle. They're so cute together.



Everybody loves Tiffany...

Nana's Little Helper

Fun Times with Papa and Nana

The Chronicles of the Separation of Dan and Gen: Day 3

My internet connection is very limited where I am. Extremely frustrating to say the least. Esp since Mom and Dad finally broke down and got DSL, high speed internet. But now it's not working and we have no idea why. Someone came last night to look at it, but ended up leaving before he made any progress. We don't know what to do.

So here we sit at Panera Bread using their free wireless internet access. Eli is being good but his schedule is off. He's aware of Dan's absence and the unsettledness of our visit. Nonetheless, he's being quite well-behaved.

It snowed last night and this morning. Crazy, isn't it?


Dan is adjusting to the jetlag and being in a foreign land. Yesterday was difficult, but he ended up being encouraged. They spent the day in the soup kitchen and handing out blankets and clothes. After dinner, they did some street witnessing to homosexuals across from a strip club. He had the opportunity to talk with an Italian man. He took four years of Italian in school, but this was his first time he'd had the opportunity to communicate with an Italian by using his knowledge of the language. He was quite excited by it.

Today they were going to go to Cesarea to do some touristry stuff.

When we leave here, Mom and I (and Eli, of course) are going to pick up Tiffany from college. It'll be nice to see her. We haven't seen her since August when we were together in the Outer Banks.

I miss Dan. I pray for him all the time. It helps to know what's going on over there and to think what time it is where he is. I'm certain the time will fly by, but sometimes it feels like it will creep by.

Added Links

For the holiday season, I decided to post our Amazon Wish List. There are people out there that want to get their shopping done early and this is an easy way for family to find our wish list. I'm not doing this to get presents! I certainly do not expect anything, but since we have scattered family members, I decided to post a link that would direct them easily and quickly to the list we have prepared. See the right colomn for the Amazon Wish List.

For those interested in following Dan and the team while they are in Israel, simply click on the link "Calvary Chapel Central Bucks." That is our church website and will direct you to the journal and photo section. The Israel Missons Team 2006 is on the front page. You can't miss it. Just click on it and it will take you directly to it.

The Chronicles of Dan and Geniene's Separation: Day 1

I saw Dan off this morning. We met the group at the church, gathered their things together, prayed and they were off. I wish I had gotten a picture of the group before they left so that I could post it. I was in the midst of getting Eli's lunch ready so that I could feed him and hit the road, so I couldn't very well go rumaging through the car looking for the camera while the group waited for me. So, I had to forego the group photo. They looked great though. You can actually go the church website (see link below) and see the departure pictures.

I guess they're still flying. I haven't the slightest clue where they would be right now. But if I've got my facts straight, they left Newark at 4:30 and they were flying straight to Tel Aviv - about a ten or eleven hour flight, from what I understand. They should probably be getting in pretty soon.

Eli and I drove to NY to spend some time with Nana and Papa while Daddy is away. It's a perfect opportunity for that and I'm so glad that we could come. I miss Dan, but at least I'm not at home. There were plenty of people offering to get together while he's gone, so I know I would have been kept pretty busy, but honestly, a change of scenery with family is the best way I can keep from thinking of Dan's absence too much. Of course, I'll always be thinking of him. But I can do so without focusing on his absence.

I'm excited for Dan's opportunity to go to Israel. He'll have such a great time. I can't wait for the pictures and the stories. Dan is responsible for the photography and video as well as posting "journal entries" on the church's website daily. So we can see what they are doing and keep us informed on what God is doing over there! I also have a selfish reason why I'm so glad: Dan can check his email daily with his computer access.

Eli has a cold. I hope it doesn't get worse. He senses the disruption of Dan's being away and our change of scenery. The car ride up here didn't go as smoothly as I'd hoped. He fell asleep about 10 minutes into the trip and awoke about a half hour later. Then he fussed and cried causing me to stop three times to get him out, change his diaper even when it wasn't that bad, feed him and walk around. Then he fussed and cried some more until the last half hour upon which he finally drifted off to sleep. He was a little stunned to find himself in such a strange land (such is upstate New York to people who are more accustomed to suburban life). He had fun exploring Nana and Papa's house, the dog and cats were of particular interest to him and he finally warmed up to the change. He is currently sleeping soundly and will continue doing so, I hope and pray, until at least 7:00 tomorrow morning. I also hope that this cold of his would go away.

To see pictures of Dan's group and read about their experiences, click here.

And...We're Off...

My, how time flies! We have scarcely caught our breath after a week (or more) of constant going. Dan has been so busy with work that we barely had time to talk about anything else. With Tuesday coming before we knew it, and with it our departure as Dan flies to Israel for 11 days, I was beginning to think that we weren't going to have any down time together before he leaves. God, once again, proved Himself faithful to the small, but important things to us, and granted at the last minute, Monday off (as per the president of his organization, thank you, Kim!). We all but cleared our weekend schedule and instead spent our time together getting the things he will need on his trip and running some errands - like getting our will completed.

So here we are, packed and just about ready to go. Of course, I wanted to go to bed early but like that was going to happen. Tomorrow morning, we meet the group at the church at 10:30. They will leave about 11 to drive to Newark to fly to Tel Aviv. I will drive straight to Amsterdam, New York to spend an enjoyable week plus with my wonderful parents. I'm very excited to have the extended time with them as they are very excited to spend the time with their grandson.

Pray for safety and wisdom. Pray for the Spirit to lead Dan and the others as they reach out to the people there.

Shalom!

Dinner at Maremy's

On Monday, we went over to Maremy's for dinner. We had a good time. And of course, Eli loved the attention from Aunt Mary and Uncle Jeremy. You can definitely tell Mary is pregnant now. No doubt about it. Very exciting.

Say 'Cheese'!

Taking pictures of Eli, lately, has been so funny cuz he makes this face - see pictures. It's something like a smile, but he scrinches up his nose and bares his teeth. It's so funny. It's like he knows what the camera is for and poses for it. Then he wants to see the pictures on the LED display! Craziness. I've created a monster....


The picture above may look like he's fussy or discontented. But I assure you, he's not. He's posing for the camera. When I had the camera aimed at him, he stopped what he was doing, posed for it, then immediately climbed up on my lap to watch the pictures display. When he saw himself, he giggled.

The Wegman's Experience

Dan, Eli, and I went with Steve and Christie Bowles to Wegman's Grand Opening yesterday. It was the experience of a lifetime. The prices really are quite comparable. (Beech Nut baby food is cheaper than Target and Giant! Unfortunately, they didn't have Del Monte which is cheaper yet.) And now with such a grandiose superstore, the other nearby markets are improving their stores to remain in equal competition, not to be outdone by the bigger and greater things that Wegman's has to offer. But I must say, Wegman's has everything and with the costomer card (FREE), the prices are very good. It was like a mall, complete with a bakery, cafe, smorgasbord, and aisles and aisles of food, processed and organic. Whatever you need: Wegman's has it. I'm considering going again this week just for the fun of it. It's quite the atmosphere, too. They had white twinkling lights along the ceiling and in one section, they had a toy train rolling along its tracks.

Dan brought the camera. It wasn't until we were in the checkout line that someone came up to us and told us we weren't allow to take pictures inside. We wished we had gotten that on film. When we got home, Dan and Steve made dinner (pork loin with baked apples and onions and fried asparagas with mushrooms) while Christie and I took care of feeing Elias and putting him to bed. While we cleaned up, Dan and Steve put this movie together.

Climbing Apple Trees

A lot of the lower apples had been picked by other apple-lovers, so Dan had to climb a few trees to get the ones at the top. Partly, I think, he just enjoyed the boyish experience of climbing the trees. It was fun to take some pictures of him doing it too. In a way, climbing the trees made the day complete.

A Day in the Orchard

Today was a gorgeous day, so we took advantage of the free afternoon and went to a nearby apple orchard. Everything was so beautiful. The sun was shining brightly through the branches and everyone around us was having a great time. Eli seemed to enjoy himself and the apples. We let him chew on an apple that Dan started for him. I would occasionally rub it against his teeth so some of the apple would peel off in his mouth and he could chew on it for a little bit. Once we put him down on the ground, though, he seemed to be more fascinated by the grass than the apples.

Bath Time

Doylestown Fall Festival

A few weekends ago, we went to the Doylestown Fall Festival. The weather was so great and we just love Doylestown. We ended up going both Saturday and Sunday. Eli really enjoyed it too. Especially the animals he got to meet while we were out.

Good Times with Nonie and Pop Pop

Nonie and Pop Pop Simrak came over the other day and Pop Pop took some of his finest pictures of Eli. Though it was past his bedtime, Eli was in excellent spirits. He giggled and laughed and had a great time with Nonie.

New Things

"Good things come to those who wait." Well, we've been blessed after waiting for many long months for many things (like our sofabed that we just got 10 days ago), but I must say that although we gave our PC laptop a good run for its money, we ended up getting a new computer last night. It got to the point where we could barely do anything on the Dell, as you read in my last post which took me FOREVER to post. So until we get all our pictures transferred to this computer, I don't have any exciting pictures. But hopefully we will do that soon.

If I did have a picture to post, it would be a close-up of Elias' shiny new upper-front tooth coming in. I noticed several days ago that he was making a weird noise with his teeth. Upon closer examination, I realized that he was grinding his bottom teeth against his upper tooth (maybe teeth?). I tell you what, if you've never heard someone grind their teeth before, it's quite possibly worse than fingernails on a blackboard, or teeth against a fork (one of Dan's personal pet pieves, next to someone chewing loudly). I really hope this teeth grinding doesn't last long. It's grinding on my last nerve!

Another new "trick" that Eli has learned is to pull himself up to a standing position. If I haven't announced his crawling yet, sorry. He's been crawling for about 4-5 weeks now. He is now finding EVERYTHING that he shouldn't and putting everything in his mouth. I like to keep a box of Cheerios on hand because we can all enjoy them. (Cheerios is one brand name that you can't go cheap on. Cereal isn't cheap. But most kinds, you can find an off-brand and it will taste pretty close to the big expensive name-brands. But not Cheerios. I haven't found any other off-brand that tastes as good as Cheerios.) Eli is pulling himself up on everything and everybody that he can get his little hands on. He's doing quite well. I'm really impressed. I'm a little concerned that he might start walking much earlier than I would like. We'll have to change our tiny little condo around to make it more toddler-friendly.

TIME FOR A NEW COMPUTER

If you've wondered why I haven't been posting as often, it's because our computer won't allow me. I've tried many many times to post pictures and even non-picture posts (like this one - I've tried many times already today hoping against all odds that it will succeed in posting), but many of them, I just have to let go. The pictures that I have posted, did so after many tries and much waiting. We've had various other fallouts with our computer and it's driven us to the unpleasant task of looking for a new one. Of course, to do so, we will need to find the money, and with Dan going to Israel - a $2200 trip, granted, part of that has been paid for by close friends and family, THANK YOU! - we are really up a creek. BUT we will pray and ask that the Lord will provide us with what we think we need: a computer. In this day and age, I don't see how we can live without one. Of course, our lives are not dependant on it, just our lifestyles. But if we don't have a computer, how will we keep in touch with all of you fine folk and show you all the pictures of little Eli and tell you what's going on in our lives? Dan does a lot of graphics and wedding photography/slideshows for his dad's business, the church, his job, etc so we will need a computer that can handle that sort of thing. We need a working computer!! I'm bound and determined to pray that the Lord will provide for our needs in a way that will surprise us once again. He has done so often before. I have no reason to believe that He wouldn't do it now. Jehovah Jirah is His name: The LOrd provides!

It's been far too long since I've posted anything about what's going on in the "life of dan and gen." Eli is growing everyday. He's crawling on all fours now. Eating puffed cereal - that means he's picking it up with his little grubby fingers and sometimes making it into his mouth. Those that do make it often end up falling out, or at least part of it. It's a mess, but eating a learning experience just like anything else. The poor dear has a perpetual runny nose due to teething/allergies/cold/take your pick, which he prefers to keep that way, thankyouverymuch. He silently fights the tissue and any hand connected to it by grabbing it and ripping it to shreds while moving his head back and forth making it impossible to truly clean his face. Instead, his nose-goods just get wiped all over his face only to crust and crack on his cute little cheeks. I love to watch him play. Of course, it's loads of fun to play with him, Mommy often has things to do around the house. And while I'm doing these things, I look over at my cute dear son and watch him as he discovers the world. He crawls right over to his toy basket and pulls the ones he wants out. Sometimes, he just dumps the whole basket over onto its side so he has easy pickins of all the contents. One of his favorite toys, oddly enough, is an empty DeerPark water bottle. There's a cheap toy for ya!

This weekend, Dan is going on the Men's Retreat with our church. I decided to take the opportunity to visit my grandparents in Virginia. My sister, Angela, is going with me and Elias. It'll be a quick visit but a much needed one. We were there in August, which was nice, but before that, it had been way too long. They had never met Eli. With Eli growing so fast, he's already changed a lot just since our family vacation.

Recognizing Christ In Others

It has been very interesting to read what others are saying in response to my seemingly harmless post. But I suppose it's time I respond.

Our society has affected the way we think about things and the way we talk. One has to be very careful of the words they use to get across their meaning. If we are so cautious as to not offend anyone with everything we say, we will, no doubt, say nothing at all. However, I know for a fact that there are several non-believers that check my blog regularly. So it is my responsibility that I choose my words carefully to say what I would like to say and that it be pleasing to my God. That said, I will continue.

Any true follower of Jesus would agree with me on the point that there is an unmistakeable bond between fellow Believers. It's the Holy Spirit alive and working in us that opens our eyes to recognize the mark of our Creator God. Example, my husband used to work in a huge financial institution where few were Believers. Wendi also worked there. Although they didn't know each other, they had seen each other once or twice and had been apart of a short group conversation at one time. Wendi went home to her husband and told him that she thinks this guy at work is a Christian. Dan told me the same. About two years after both had left the institution, we saw them at church. We spoke with them and have been friends ever since.

That is one example of many that shows that Christians recognize one another. It's Jesus in us that connects us - not we as humans, in and of ourselves.

It is the unseen bond of Christ that I speak of. Yet, the Bible speaks of tangible things that can identify a Christian. Jesus says in John 14.15, "If you love Me, keep My commandments." In verse 21, He goes on to say, "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him." Galatians 5.22 tells us what the fruit of the Spirit are: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, faith. These are the marks of the Believer. 1 Corinthians 13 is an entire chapter set aside for describing LOVE. "The indispensable mark of Christian life is Christian love." (New Geneva Study Bible, Theological Note on Love, pg 1818) True love is recognizable and there is a connection between two people that are indwelled with this Love.

Certainly, one can talk the talk and walk the walk without truly loving Christ or allowing the Spirit to sanctify him. But that person has not Love. That person cannot truly love the way Christ loves unless Christ is in him. That is a scriptural fundamental. But if one doesn't believe scripture to be the inspired Word of God, then we have another issue on our hands.

In my original post, I wasn't speaking of judgment. There was no judgment made on my friends or anyone else because I can connect on a certain level with some and not others. I can most certainly befriend non-believers and love them the way Christ loves. I can only pray that the Holy Spirit will reach their souls through my love of them. But it is not I who judge. I have Scripture as my authority. That is my instruction manual. Whether or not another is truly walking with God is between them and God. It is He that they must reckon with. And whether you believe me or not, they will reckon with Him. We all will.

But I must emphasize again that I so enjoy true fellowship with fellow Believers if simply because I enjoy true fellowship with my Messiah. They encourage me and uplift me. They point me to Christ. Or rather, I suppose, it is the Holy Spirit that does all that through His followers. Either way, I am blessed.

The Trees of the Fields Clap Their Hands

Eli, getting into the magazine rack. It's beginning...

With the temperatures dropping to the low 50's and the overcast skies bringing the rains from Hurricane Ernesto, it feels like Fall is here to stay. My mind tells me different as I've become accustomed to Mid-Atlantic weather this time of year. Although I haven't read the Farmer's Almanac nor had I so much as turned on the television to watch the weather until this morning which got me no closer to information about the weather than looking out the window, I expect that we'll probably end up with an Indian summer, only being teased with a spell of cooler weather and a un-elaborate color scheme compared to "finer" parts of the country. This time of year, I reminisce of years spent in New England and the trees in all their colorful glory singing praises to their Maker.

"For you shall go out in joy and be led forth with peace. The mountains and the hills before you will break forth into singing, and all the trees of the hills will clap their hands."

Last evening, we got together with some friends of ours. It had been quite awhile, but the time spent talking, laughing and discussing marrital matters as well as child-rearing matters was both thought-provoking and enjoyable. I must say that good times spent with fellow believers is beyond anything one can explain to a non-believer. There's a bond that automatically connects us, if, and this is rather a key factor, the other person is truly walking with Christ. I've met stagnant Christians who act as though they've got everything together, but when you sit down to talk with them, they are evasive and unpersonal. Perhaps it's in part due to personality, but I know that it has to do with whether or not the Holy Spirit is truly present and working. Naturally, there are people that are hard to love whether Christian or not. Some of us are still set in our ways, but there is so much grace in Christ that it flows out of His followers. I know extremely personable non-Christians that on a human level I connect with very well. But there's still something lacking in those relationships that is the greatest bond: the bond we have in Christ. If you, reader, don't have Christ, then you haven't the slightest idea what I'm talking about. And you probably don't realize the missing bond. But once your eyes have been opened, and I guarantee you, they will be opened at one point or another (hopefully sooner rather than later, for your sake), you will see that all this while, you have been missing a common bond in your relationships that will make friends all the more dear. Dear friends help us get out of our selfish ways and cause us to do things that have no ulterior motive. We are suddenly released from the bond of thinking only of ourselves and finding an end to making ourselves happy and content, never to find it. The only way to true satisfaction and contentment in life is to know your Maker as all of nature does. Jesus said, if these men don't praise their Father in heaven, the rocks will! You will see that life is so much more enjoyable and there is an assurance that the family of God will be together in heaven after death. Death is only the beginning.

Called To Missions

Some of you know that Dan and I have been led to pursue missions. We each have our individual stories of when we were younger and felt the Lord's call on our lives to go into missions. For me, it was a very clear calling:

I was about twelve years old and I was playing in my room while I was supposed to have been dusting (as was often the case), when suddenly, out of seemingly nowhere, I heard a voice in my head as clear as if someone were talking to me in the room. "You will be a missionary for My sake." I stopped playing immediately and fell to the floor crying. I told God that I would do it. I didn't know what the stakes would be or where I'd go or how it would all come about, but I said I'd do it.

I was always interested in missions. The idea of going to some far off land to help people and be relational appealed to me. But as I got older and perils of ministry overtook our family, I tried to rationalize it away. The more I thought about it, the more I feared it. For many years, I ran from it. I'd seen ministry first-hand as a pastor's daughter and there was nothing glamorous about being in ministry. In fact, it was one of the most unglamorous professions I'd seen. That was all it was to me at that time: a profession. It would be years later when "profession" would turn into "lifestyle."

Christianity confused me. I thought I was a Christian from the time I said the "Jesus prayer" when I was four. I did it on my own and without any urging from my folks. I asked the questions on my own and I said the prayer on my own, by myself, at the bottom of the "tired stairs" in our little house in Harrisonburg, VA. Then when I was thirteen, I joined the church after sitting through the classes. At that time, I believed whatever my parents believed. Their faith was my faith. I wanted their approval, so I did what I needed to get it. But I still didn't understand grace in my heart. I would later find out that I was nothing but legalistic; an un-believer trying to believe, but not grasping it. My attempts left me exhausted, confused and depressed. So I ran. I wanted happiness and I was not finding it in Christianity. I believed in God, but I repressed it and I didn't want anything to do with Him. He was making me miserable, so I tried to find freedom elsewhere. My legalism bound me and my illusions of others left me crippled and hurt.

My "rebellious" road (I use quotations b/c in essence I simply lived a non-Christian life) was relatively short but extremely intense. The more intense the rebellion, the more intense the breaking. The bigger the pride, the bigger the fall. My road to recovery was nothing short of a miracle. Once again, the memory of my call to missions hung before me. Although I was free in Christ at last, fear of certain types of ministry gripped me. I knew I would eventually end up there, but I was still afraid. Slowly, God chipped away one fear after another.

When I met Dan, I liked him right away. After getting to know him, I could see that God was working on his heart and would use him in a big way. We encouraged each other in our walks. Dan was working in finance, and that was a lot better than ministry. Dan's response to my joy was simple. "You never know..." was all he said. After we got married, I found out that Dan had been given the desire for missions at a young age, too. That somewhat surprised me as I hadn't known it before, but apparently, until we met, he had forgotten about it. Then his desire returned full force. I knew before we got married that we would more than likely end up in ministry of some sort. What form, I didn't know. But I knew that though we were both in need of maturing in faith and still had a lot to learn, we were ministry material. Dan's passion for Christ was growing fast and furiously. My fears were subsiding. Dan brought up the subject a few times during our first year of marriage. "Not now," was always my response. Our prayer was that we would know the time by our unity. If the Lord didn't want us to do something, he would give one of us reservation. We continue to pray that He would lead us through our unity.

Earlier this year, Dan brought it up again. This time, I agreed with him. In fact, the more we talked and prayed about it, the more excited we got. We feel very much at home here in Central Bucks County. We established our identity as a married couple at our church, Calvary Chapel. We made some of the closest friends here and have grown spiritually. This is our community and our home. Yet, we feel called to go. This is not where our road ends. We spoke to our pastor and others from the church about it; we have their support and excitement. After conversations and prayers on where to go, we have determined that Israel is the road to pursue. At this time, Dan will join a team from our church to do a missions trip in Israel on Oct 31 - Nov 10. Crazy, you say? Isn't the gospel for the sick and broken-hearted? It would be more culturally acceptable for us to do inner-city missions, but we would be in more danger there than we would be in Israel. If you are concerned about safety, read Ps 91.

We covet your prayers during this time as Dan prepares to go. Pray that God would prepare the hearts of those that are going and those with whom they will be sharing the gospel. Pray also for safety. Pray that God would give Dan discernment as he determines whether or not to bring me back with him to further pursue Israel as our location. Pray for clear leading of the Spirit.

Reflection

The other day, Eli pulled himself into the kitchen where I was working. He found his reflection in the trash can and had a hayday with it. It looked somewhat like a circus mirror, but he didn't really know any different. I'm sure there's a lesson in the fact that one can see their reflection in a trash can and get so excited over it, but I choose to let that one slide. I knew this guy once that would find a spiritual lesson in absolutely everything. It was quite remarkable, actually. We'd be talking about nothing, and he would somehow find a great spiritual lesson out of it. It was a gift really.

A Walk in the Park

Monday was a gorgeous day in Bucks County. When Dan got home from work, we jumped in the car and headed for Peace Valley Park for a walk before dinner. The sky was beautiful. The clouds were all kinds of shapes. Some of the clouds were long and swirly (1st picture above). There was one (above) that looked like a vertebrae with the hip bones at one end. The picture doesn't really capture it as it was a very long vertebrae, but with a little imagination, you can see anything you want out of the weirdest things. We love walking along the edge of the lake. As per its name, it really is very peaceful there. However, it is a very popular place to picnic, walk, ride bikes, jog, row your boat, canoe, sail, etc. So it can often get crowded. But since it's such a huge park, people can spread out. Dan and I like to push Eli in the stroller and catch up about things as we walk and soak in the sun when we get a chance. It's invigorating while relaxing. Just another reason why we love living in Bucks County.

Down For the Count

Last night, about three hours after putting Eli to bed, he woke up crying. Noting that this was unusual behavior, Dan and I went to check on him. It turned out that he had come down with a terrible cold without any warning signs (or at least that I noticed). I had noticed that he had been pulling on his ear the past few days, but that was it and it could mean anything. So after suctioning his nose and soothing his tears, we put him back to bed. The poor baby couldn't even suck on his binki because of the conjestion. He woke up a few more times during the night, and when I got him up this morning, it seemed to have only gotten worse. His spirits weren't too down, but he couldn't breath a stitch out of his nose. He's so cute and precious when he's not feeling well. He's usually really good about it and doesn't let it stop his playtime if he can help it. But this morning after his nap, he just cried out of pity and misery. I held him and tried to feed him, but he couldn't breath, so it didn't work so well. He just lied in my arms without moving much. All he wanted was to be held and comforted. Later, I tried to feed him some real food, but he just sat there with his eyes half closed and didn't move. I wanted to cry! I gave him some tylonol which worked quickly to break the fever and I was able to give him some food and apple juice. He was then able to play a little before naptime. As soon as I put him down in his crib, he was ready and just fell right to sleep. Later, I went in to check on him and found that he was in the same position I had layed him down in, but he had moved a little to grab his bear and pull it in close to hug. I couldn't resist taking this picture. It was so cute!

Answered Prayer

Well, God certainly has a way of answering prayers quickly! We have a crib for Eli now. Our friends Josh and Becky are moving next Thursday. Quite a surprise as we've been out of town for a week and a half. Apparently, it happened very quickly and unexpectedly. They will be moving Daniel into the bunk bed when they get to the other house, so Becky offered me the crib. How awesome is that?! Thank you, Lord!

Eli will have a steady and secure crib to sleep in next week.

Getting Settled...?

No man needs a vacation so much as the man who has just had one.

~Elbert Hubbard (1856-1915)

Getting back in the routine of things is rather difficult after such a great vacation. I think we need another vacation! Since Tiffany is no longer living with us, we can move Eli back into his bedroom. As he's been getting older (he is, in fact, 6 months old today), he's become far more conscious of our presence in the room. It's worked out quite well, I must say. He hasn't been too difficult to share a room with. The hardest times were when he was going through a growth spurt and would wake up real early in the morning. And instead of letting him fuss himself back to sleep, I would have to do whatever I could do get him to sleep so that he wouldn't wake up the others in the house.

So yesterday, we moved his furniture back into his room. After setting up the crib, Dan looked at it, and determined that it was just entirely unsafe for him to sleep in anymore. The crib was given to us by someone who had used it for her children. The crib converts into a toddler bed, so I was quite excited by the prospect of getting a crib and a toddler bed for free. Unfortunately, it's not going to work out. The wood is very soft and had begun to split in a few places. The rail on one side was not stable. Considering how much Eli moves around now in his sleep (and when he's lying awake) the thing would fall apart on him. So we tossed it. Eli is now sleeping in his pack and play until we can get him something better. I must say, that pack 'n play has come in handy so many times. I don't know what I'd do without it.

My other sister, Angela, is moving to Glenside today. She's found three girls who attend Westminster Seminary to live with and a great job at an animal hospital (which happens to be her speciality). Tiffany went back to NY to get ready for school which starts very soon. We miss her already. I keep expecting her to come home in the late afternoons after work.



This picture was taken at the end of the week at the beach. It symbolizes so much: the close of a great vacation with family, the close of a great summer, and the beginning of a new season. Autumn is on its way. I can feel it. I love the look of the late summer sun. It just gives me a comfortable feeling, like we can start to relax a little because the busyness of the summer is past. Fall brings with it a wonderful feeling - my brother calls it "phase." It's the Phase Time of the year. Time to bring out the Fall movies. (In my family, there are certain movies that you watch only at certain times of the year. Rather insane, really.) Time to make the apple pies, apple dumplings, apple crisp. Time to bring out the deep oranges and browns. Time to enjoy sitting out on the deck without being too hot or worry about getting bitten. I love this time of year.