Tonight I witnessed a man - a Chinese man - get baptized.
He has been coming to our Sunday school class for a few months now...studying the bible quietly with one of our teachers/friends at nights...and changing.
He gave his testimony tonight before he was baptized and in it he mentioned that over the last few years he has been through some very stressful situations in life and he often responded to his wife and son with anger. He told how he was searching one night when he wound up at our church and meeting his new friend in the hallway. He opened the conversation with, "What's this all about?" (pointing to the bible)
We soon all discovered that his wife was divorcing him and because of this he would have to return to China. He had been taking care of their son while she worked. Back in China he was a judge but could not practice law here in America. So he could not find work.
Despite the fact that his wife was leaving him, which would force him to return to China and leave his son he didn't respond with hatred. He was a changed man.
He came to accept Christ as his personal savior and learned to love his wife through this pain.
After he was baptized tonight he was driving with his son to the new city his wife was relocating to and helping her move/unpack. Then in a few weeks he will leave for China without a fight. His plan is to go for one year and try to master the English language so he can return and take a special proficiency test so he can work here - hopefully as a lawyer - and win back the affection of his wife or at least be with his son once again.
I am awed at the power of Christ when working in some one's life. It is such a wonderful experience to watch Him transform someone completely. I will be praying for our new friend and brother in the faith as he says, "I have peace with what is happening in my life and know that God is with me and has a plan for me."
Jul 24, 2011
Jul 17, 2011
My hormone crazy, emotional drama Queen
Sister Girl is a character in herself.
The past two years of her life I have shared colorful stories of her adventures and bumps and bruises and crazy moments in our family. Recently I looked at Nate as we were walking through a parking lot - not clutching sister girl in a body lock to keep from escape - and said, "Wow! We've almost reached that point in our family again where things are calm." We then laughed at how long it had been since we could all walk through a parking lot or skip a nap to play longer somewhere or all somewhat enjoy a movie together. (Not that we are completely there mind you but we can see the light)
Not 48 hours after we said that something happened...I don't quite know what has happened but I have a slight feeling that aliens have abducted our daughter and replaced her with a hormone crazy, emotional drama Queen! I do remember the boys going through some phase (it seems so foggy now) where there were fits and lots of tears - for no reason- but this pales in comparison to ANYTHING I have ever witnessed!
The pictures can shed more light on what I'm talking about (although they were taken awhile back and there was hair pulling involved by a younger cousin).
Do you see the facial expressions? And these photos were taken within 5 seconds of each other!! From sweet angelic (I love you so much) to evil, conspiring (I am up to much mischief and by the way I don't think I like you anymore) to crazy, lunatic, mad woman who is ready to bite your head off (I hate you I hate you I hate you).
Yes, my little sister girl can now go from "I love you so much...and those are beautiful earrings you have on mom...and thanks for buying me sponge-bob bubble bath" to an instant later "RAHHHHHH....I don't like her....She's not my friend....RAHHHHHH...." pull hair...slam feet on floor...bottom lip dragging on the floor...crocodile tears streaming down Snuffalufagus eyelashes.
And I guess that is how it happens. Your once sweet - although a little wild- two year old daughter becomes a 16 year old drama queen who is already keeping a little black notebook of who has wronged her by taking a cracker from her plate at Sunday School.
Let the adventures of female toddler hood begin.
The past two years of her life I have shared colorful stories of her adventures and bumps and bruises and crazy moments in our family. Recently I looked at Nate as we were walking through a parking lot - not clutching sister girl in a body lock to keep from escape - and said, "Wow! We've almost reached that point in our family again where things are calm." We then laughed at how long it had been since we could all walk through a parking lot or skip a nap to play longer somewhere or all somewhat enjoy a movie together. (Not that we are completely there mind you but we can see the light)
Not 48 hours after we said that something happened...I don't quite know what has happened but I have a slight feeling that aliens have abducted our daughter and replaced her with a hormone crazy, emotional drama Queen! I do remember the boys going through some phase (it seems so foggy now) where there were fits and lots of tears - for no reason- but this pales in comparison to ANYTHING I have ever witnessed!
The pictures can shed more light on what I'm talking about (although they were taken awhile back and there was hair pulling involved by a younger cousin).
Do you see the facial expressions? And these photos were taken within 5 seconds of each other!! From sweet angelic (I love you so much) to evil, conspiring (I am up to much mischief and by the way I don't think I like you anymore) to crazy, lunatic, mad woman who is ready to bite your head off (I hate you I hate you I hate you).
Yes, my little sister girl can now go from "I love you so much...and those are beautiful earrings you have on mom...and thanks for buying me sponge-bob bubble bath" to an instant later "RAHHHHHH....I don't like her....She's not my friend....RAHHHHHH...." pull hair...slam feet on floor...bottom lip dragging on the floor...crocodile tears streaming down Snuffalufagus eyelashes.
And I guess that is how it happens. Your once sweet - although a little wild- two year old daughter becomes a 16 year old drama queen who is already keeping a little black notebook of who has wronged her by taking a cracker from her plate at Sunday School.
Let the adventures of female toddler hood begin.
Jul 16, 2011
Only 21 days left...
As I approach most summer breaks with the kids a little of excitement mixed with some anxiety overcomes me. Nine weeks of being together at home all day...what will we do? I have my usual camps that I line up in the Spring - cub scout day camp, vbs, a discovery center science camp. Then of course there is swim team which is every day for the month of June. Throw in a planned vacation for a week...a couple of spontaneous trips to my parents house in West Tn. for a week at a time and then we have only a few weeks to fill with impromptu fun.
Only three weeks left of 2011's summer break and I can safely say it has been fun. We've been to lakes, hidden rivers with waterfalls, rock pits, Great-grandmother's barber shop, had tea parties with cousins, got $10 of fun out of a cheap slip and slide for a couple of days, won some ribbons in swim meets, learned to run 2 miles, visited old friends from our past, and even picked blueberries!
My mind is already swirling over what to do the next twenty-one days of our break together before alarm clocks have to be set, lunch boxes have to be packed and homework has to be finished. Enjoy the photos down memory lane - I tried to pick ones that caught the kids enjoying a little of their summer fun together.
Only three weeks left of 2011's summer break and I can safely say it has been fun. We've been to lakes, hidden rivers with waterfalls, rock pits, Great-grandmother's barber shop, had tea parties with cousins, got $10 of fun out of a cheap slip and slide for a couple of days, won some ribbons in swim meets, learned to run 2 miles, visited old friends from our past, and even picked blueberries!
My mind is already swirling over what to do the next twenty-one days of our break together before alarm clocks have to be set, lunch boxes have to be packed and homework has to be finished. Enjoy the photos down memory lane - I tried to pick ones that caught the kids enjoying a little of their summer fun together.
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