Poured Out

Well, we discovered our camera was on the wrong setting to be able to print Kaylah’s 3 month photo (see last post).  So we had another go today and got this one.  I think it’s maybe even more adorable than the first one!!  She was such a sweetheart today in church . . . looking adoringly up at Peter who was sitting next to me, and cooing at him.  What a blessing she is!

It’s been a strange April day – sun mixed with rain and even a hail shower.  The kids are out riding their bikes now but, looking out the window I can see it’s starting to rain again!  I guess it’s true that April is often a showery month, especially in England, but hopefully we’ll get some May flowers as a result.

I’ve been busy today catching up on administrative things – emails, things I’ve needed to read and print, documents to review.  Administrative work is just one of the aspects of my “job” as wife and mom.  My aunt sent me an email recently and ended it with these words that made me smile . . . “Enjoy your day being wife, mother, teacher, listener, cook, washer lady, guide, nurse, etc. No wonder you are tired at the end of the day!”

Every day in our house there is something humorous said to keep me smiling.  Joel wins the prize for yesterday.  We watched a couple videos yesterday as several of the kids are battling a virus.  While we were watching a video about wildlife in Britain, Joel said,  “I wish humans had beaks.  Then we could dive down in the water and catch fish, like salmon.”  Later on, after we watched part of a video on “Incredible Creatures that Defy Evolution,” he said, “Mom, you know one fact from that movie:  If I was a chicken, I would hatch out of an egg.  If I wasn’t a chicken, I wouldn’t hatch out of an egg.”  Well-spoken, son.   And one more . . . Peter has been going through the book of Jude with the children.  While Joel and Hannah were playfully wrestling, Joel suddenly grabbed Hannah’s ankle, sat up and said, “May the Lord rebuke you!”  At least he’s been taking in the message of the book of Jude!

Here are some photos from the past few weeks.  Peter had a two week break from Cor Deo so it was nice to be able to spend a little more time with him.  We took a partial break from school studies to coincide with the Easter break the children in schools had.  Now we have just 6 more weeks left til we are done for the summer!  We’ll be done just in time to prepare to leave for our USA trip on June 25th. Please pray that we’ll find good accommodation for while we are in Oregon.

OK, here are the photos . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We could not do what we do without prayer support from so many people.  We sense our weakness and need of protection in the spiritual battle we are in.  Peter has 2 more weeks of preaching morning and evening at Ladyfield (on Acts) and has a Cor Deo conference in London next Saturday.  Thank you for standing behind us in the battle.

 

 

 

I just finished a fantastic book!  I got to read it mostly in smallish snatches while feeding Kaylah. But God has used it to nourish my soul.  Last year, A Praying Life, was probably the most transformational book of the year for me.  I think Grace For the Good Girl might just get the prize for 2012.  Where do I start sharing about this book?  It’s so full of truth and wisdom from God’s Word.  In fact, I am just about to print out some of the verses and put them up around the house so the Holy Spirit can remind me of God’s amazing grace towards me.

I think I’ve been a “good girl” most of my life – trying hard to maintain a good reputation, perform well and practice the spiritual disciplines, while making sure not to fail and being strong and responsible. The first half of the book identifies these typical behaviours of “good girls” as masks that we hide behind to convince others around us that we are “good.”  These masks keep us living a lie and living lives characterized by fear and shame.  As I was reading about these masks, I couldn’t believe how accurately the author was writing about the exact things I do (although often subconsciously) to try to be acceptable to God and others.  We trust Christ for salvation by faith, but then we try to live the Christian life by works, by our own fleshly efforts.  The author quotes a ton from the book of Galatians and other parts of the Bible to make the case that we are free in Christ, not under the law.  We are not just saved from sin, but we are new creatures, filled with the Spirit and we are free to let go of the “try-hard” life and embrace the amazing grace that He offers us.  I am fully accepted by Jesus and I can admit my failures and weaknesses and let His life fill me.

I would recommend that every woman read this book! I think in some way, we are all “good girls,” trying hard to maintain an image or filled with guilt over real or perceived failures.  This book is a breath of fresh air, filled with God’s truth to combat the lies we often believe.  It would be an excellent book for a ladies’ group as it has a wonderful study guide at the back.

So much more I could write . . . as a good girl, I am never satisfied with how well I have reviewed a book! But I hope this whets your appetite and you spend some time reading and savouring this book this year.

This morning we had an 8:15am appointment to renew three children’s US passports and register Kaylah’s birth.  8:15am in central London.  Mmm.  We decided to drive in and park within walking distance.  It worked a charm.  Left home at 5:15am, arrived at 7am and had an hour to spare (but if we’d left later, I guarantee we’d still be stuck in traffic!)

So we got to the embassy just at the right time for me (Peter) to receive a deposit that made everyone else laugh a lot.  Melanie says Pigeon, I say Condor.  Ah well, a funny memory I suppose!

We were done by 11am, so we enjoyed the sights for a couple of hours (Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey) then back to Oxford Street for a dash through the rain back to the car.  Home by 4:30pm.  Now everyone is fast asleep, and this showered Dad is about to join the sleeping family!

Wow, how did we get to the end of March so quickly?!  Life continues to be full and busy for us both with our family and outside ministry.  As I type this, I am waiting for Peter to get home from speaking at Bath CU.  He loves teaching at CUs . . . so many hungry and open hearts among the students.  Cor Deo has been going strong with many encouragements.  I am sure Peter will write an update soon with more details.  They are just now starting a two week break for Easter.  The children and I are looking forward to having Peter around a little more and hopefully we’ll get to do some fun things as a family.  Peter is finishing off a series in Galatians at church on Sunday and then he starts a 4 week series in Acts the following week.  Please keep praying for him as he prepares these messages and for open and hungry-for-the-Word hearts.

At home, I’m still adjusting to having 5 children, instead of four!  Most days are going well, but I’ll admit to having my overwhelmed moments.  Kaylah is continuing to sleep longer and longer at night but is still not sleeping through, so I’m looking forward to when that happens.  She is such a sweet and contented baby though and she has captured all of our hearts.  The kids still are constantly asking to hold her and they love to make her smile.  Please keep praying for physical strength for me and for wisdom as we teach and train and care for these 5 precious lives that God has loaned us for awhile.  We often feel our weakness and inadequacies – we so need God’s help.  On a lighter note, we had a hilarious event happen at home today . . . even though it was a funeral.   The Meadlings and two friends had a funeral today for a bee called Nigel.   He has a tombstone and everything at the side of our house.  Never a dull moment!

I will try to post a few photos here before I need to go and give Kaylah her bedtime feed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today was the day to go into London for the schools version of the Classical Spectacular.  Melanie wisely decided to stay home and have a quiet day with Kaylah, so I took the other four, plus Ron and off we went.  The Royal Albert Hall is quite the venue, and the energy was insane in there today.  5000 children oo-ing, ah-ing and especially screaming makes for quite the atmosphere.  We had great seats in the upper circle, front row (high ratio of adults to children means home educators actually get the best seats!)

So with lasers and dancers and Welsh Guards Band and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and a tenor with the coolest name (Jesus Lion, but Spanish) and muskets and cannons…it was rocking.  Joel held his hands over his ears for most of the concert as the screaming children were almost too much for him, but despite his fears of the cannons in the 1812, he has talked about that bit all day.  ”Dad, who was the other country in that war again?”

Ron enjoyed the Stars and Stripes Forever, I was a bit partial to Land of Hope and Glory and the 1812, so both sides of the special transatlantic connection were honoured (honored).  We got home in time for a special meal Melanie had prepared and now I’m waiting for Kaylah to finish her final meal before we can all be collapsed into bed.

It’s a busy weekend though and I’d really value your prayer.  I am preaching from Galatians 5:1-15 on Sunday morning and have been very much enjoying that text these last days.  Then on Monday I am off with the UCCF SouthEast staff team for a day.