A month ago, my husband took a trip to the states for a respite. He stayed with our Pastor and his family for his 3 weeks stay. A week before he was scheduled to come back to Ukraine, he informed me that the Lord wanted us to move back to the states. I knew for a little while God was dealing with him about something, but I did not know what.
So here we are. Back in the states. It's hard to believe we are now back in the good US of A. It is very different, even though we were only in Ukraine for two and a half years. It is weird not hearing Russian everywhere we go, and even weirder for other's to hear us jabber in Russian. We do get many strange looks :) I am very much enjoying seeing all the new things in Wal-mart that they didn't have when we left. All the new kinds of food products, and the ones that we missed so much....such as good old BBQ sauce!!!
But, within myself there is a struggle. I miss the people that we saw come to the Lord, and those who were already saved and serving their in Kharkov. I miss the fellow Americans that we served with. It was a great learning experience for us. I still ponder why God would bring us back so soon. Was the Lord done with us there? Was it because of the growing war there in eastern Ukraine? Was it just a training period for us to prepare us for something else? So many of these things weigh down my brain.
It was very hard to leave. Some of the members were so confused and didn't know why we were leaving. My husband explained to the church that this was God's will for us to go back. Everyone was crying on our last Sunday there. I know some in the church had contradicting feeling about our leaving and did not feel it was the will of God. That made things so much harder. I still struggle with it a lot. But something my Pastor mentioned in a recent message helped me... Bloom where your planted. No matter where we end up in life, we need to continue to work and be content with where we are. It's easy to say, but not so easy to live.
Friday, September 23, 2016
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Prayer for Missionary Wife's
Missionary wife's, much like Pastor's wife's face situations and challenges that can test and shake their faith. It can make their world seem like it's spinning so fast that they can not stay standing long with their own strength. But pastor's wife's have the comfort of being in their own homeland, with their people, in their comfort zone. Missionary wife's deal with much more. When you pray for them, here are something's to think of and to pray in their stead. Because sometimes, they may not even have the strength to pray for themselves....
Pray for Her
Pray for her spiritually. Her spiritual strength comes from God alone. In her weekness God is her strength. The descions she makes are based on scripture. That the Lord would remind her of His Word and that alone would drive her in all she does. Pray that her love for the Lord would grow everyday, and a love for His Word.
Pray for her mentally. Pray that the Lord would help her to continually remember who she is. That it would be easy for her to cast down any imagination that would exalt itself above Christ. To help her keep a right frame of mind, and that her mind would be consumed with scripture. To help her keep a right spirit, a right attitude. That she would think on these thinks.... To remember not all her thoughts are her own, some of them maybe planted their by satan.
Pray for her emotionally. The hardest thing sometimes is to keep our spirits in check. Prov. 25:28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls. Pray that the Lord would help her not make any decisions based on her emotions, that it will be easy for her to have control over them. If our emotions are out of control, we have no protection, like a broken down city.
Pray for her physically. Eating different kinds of food, especially in a 2nd or 3rd world country can be dangerous because of the lack of sanitation. Pray the Lord would protect their food supplies. Keep them from food poison and sickness that can derive from improper food preparation and food growth. Also, for general over good health and safety from accidents. Some countries have very poor health care, and somethings may not be able to be treated, or taken care of.
Pray for her financially. Of course, please pray God would provide their every need and they finances to see His work advanced for the cause of Christ. Pray locals with not take advantage and all the money's the missionaries get will all be used to further the Kingdom of God. Even in taking care of the missionary family themselves.
Pray for Her
Pray for her spiritually. Her spiritual strength comes from God alone. In her weekness God is her strength. The descions she makes are based on scripture. That the Lord would remind her of His Word and that alone would drive her in all she does. Pray that her love for the Lord would grow everyday, and a love for His Word.
Pray for her mentally. Pray that the Lord would help her to continually remember who she is. That it would be easy for her to cast down any imagination that would exalt itself above Christ. To help her keep a right frame of mind, and that her mind would be consumed with scripture. To help her keep a right spirit, a right attitude. That she would think on these thinks.... To remember not all her thoughts are her own, some of them maybe planted their by satan.
Pray for her emotionally. The hardest thing sometimes is to keep our spirits in check. Prov. 25:28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls. Pray that the Lord would help her not make any decisions based on her emotions, that it will be easy for her to have control over them. If our emotions are out of control, we have no protection, like a broken down city.
Pray for her physically. Eating different kinds of food, especially in a 2nd or 3rd world country can be dangerous because of the lack of sanitation. Pray the Lord would protect their food supplies. Keep them from food poison and sickness that can derive from improper food preparation and food growth. Also, for general over good health and safety from accidents. Some countries have very poor health care, and somethings may not be able to be treated, or taken care of.
Pray for her financially. Of course, please pray God would provide their every need and they finances to see His work advanced for the cause of Christ. Pray locals with not take advantage and all the money's the missionaries get will all be used to further the Kingdom of God. Even in taking care of the missionary family themselves.
Friday, December 18, 2015
The week before Christmas
Only one more week till Christmas. Our kids are excited!!! But not about getting presents, but about a day in which we celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. We spend this day, reading the scripture about how God sent His Son, to be born of a virgin, born to die, and born to bring salvation to all. A day we spend with family (over Skype) and friends. We literally do not gift gifts on Christmas. We want our kids to know and understand the truth of why we celebrate Christmas, what the root meaning behind it is. We separate gift giving and Christmas. So when you say Christmas, they think of the birth of Christ, not getting everything they wanted. Christmas is a day to think about selflessness, not selfishness. Even if we did gifts on Christmas, their focus is on the presents, on what they wanted that they didn't get. This eliminates that completely.
Not that we forgo gifting all together. On New Years Day, the start of a new year, we celebrate I <3 U Day. A day in which we give gifts because we love each other. Jesus said, "it is more blessed to give than to receive". And we want to instill that in our kids!
Here in Ukraine, New Year's Day is the biggest holiday of the year. They gift presents on this day. The kids all dress up, and all the men and women dress their best. Instead of Christmas music in the store's, it's новый год (New Year) songs. Everyone, literally, is up all night celebrating. Even the kids. Then they celebrate their Orthodox Christmas on Jan. 7th.
I am not a perfect mom. Not by far. But we, to the best of our ability, want to teach our kids the value of the scriptures. The importance of Christ in our life's. Teaching them to love each other. To be angry and sin not. All the different aspects of Charity: thinkth no evil, is kind, vaunth not itself, is not puffed up.
It's not easy being a mom to 3 teenage boys (one almost a teen). My husband is in language school half the day. So it's my job to keep the order, and keep the peace in a house full of raging hormones. Sometimes I get so overwhelmed. Boys, if you did not know, are a completely different species of people. Briana was so easy to raise. Only a couple of years were a little troublesome. But the boys, and their bathroom talk at the kitchen table, their overbearing personalities, their goofiness in front of ladies and girls, and their pride can bring a mom to her knees faster than Orion eating a chocolate cake. If there is one thing I pray for is wisdom. Wisdom to know what to do and how to do it. I also pray for discernment. Cause sometimes, I understand Moses' wrath towards Israel when they would not follow God instructions but wanted to go their own way. God has helped me so much. This past year, God has given me many visual aid's in helping the boys to see better, then just my words....
The boys, sometimes, do their chores. But when they do it, they do a half way job. I've been trying to teach them to do every heartily as unto the Lord. And what so ever thy hand findth to do, do it with thy might. It amazing how they expect me to fulfill all my obligations to them to the best of my ability. So..... one morning I fixed their favorite for breakfast. Pancakes. They each loaded up their plates, and when the cut into them, they were only half cooked. I watch the disappointment consume their faces. Then each one slowly looked at me with confused looks. I told them that I thought I would take their approach to fulfilling responsibility. If I finished cooking them all the way, I wouldn't have time to look at Facebook before starting my day. So to make sure I could do that, I took a little less time cooking. But I hoped that they were ok with that. One by one, each one of their head's dropped in shame. It clicked, they understood the point I was trying to make.
One of my favorite verses to quote is Romans 14:7.
I want them to understand, and know deep within their hearts, that EVERYTHING they do effects someone else. That even as teenage boys, or as a college student, even as young children, their actions effect others.
I read somewhere that it is a bad thing for your children to feel shame. That is not so. The definition of shame is....to excite a consciousness of guilt.... In other words, it's one conscience telling them what they did was wrong. Romans 1 speaks of the conscience that God put in every man. Shame help's a person to know that they did wrong, it's a revealing of the wrong done.
Paul was telling the Corinthians he was not sorry that his letter brought them shame and sorrow for their actions. But that godly sorrow would lead to repentance. Repentance is when we turn from sin to God. We put the sin behind us and walk in the the direct of God. We direct our heart to His. That's what I want for my kids. To have a heart after God.
And this Christmas may our hearts, our minds, and our very being be consumed by the Love of God in Him sending his Son, born of a virgin, born to die so that we might have life, and have it more abundantly and teach our children the same! :)
Not that we forgo gifting all together. On New Years Day, the start of a new year, we celebrate I <3 U Day. A day in which we give gifts because we love each other. Jesus said, "it is more blessed to give than to receive". And we want to instill that in our kids!
Here in Ukraine, New Year's Day is the biggest holiday of the year. They gift presents on this day. The kids all dress up, and all the men and women dress their best. Instead of Christmas music in the store's, it's новый год (New Year) songs. Everyone, literally, is up all night celebrating. Even the kids. Then they celebrate their Orthodox Christmas on Jan. 7th.
I am not a perfect mom. Not by far. But we, to the best of our ability, want to teach our kids the value of the scriptures. The importance of Christ in our life's. Teaching them to love each other. To be angry and sin not. All the different aspects of Charity: thinkth no evil, is kind, vaunth not itself, is not puffed up.
It's not easy being a mom to 3 teenage boys (one almost a teen). My husband is in language school half the day. So it's my job to keep the order, and keep the peace in a house full of raging hormones. Sometimes I get so overwhelmed. Boys, if you did not know, are a completely different species of people. Briana was so easy to raise. Only a couple of years were a little troublesome. But the boys, and their bathroom talk at the kitchen table, their overbearing personalities, their goofiness in front of ladies and girls, and their pride can bring a mom to her knees faster than Orion eating a chocolate cake. If there is one thing I pray for is wisdom. Wisdom to know what to do and how to do it. I also pray for discernment. Cause sometimes, I understand Moses' wrath towards Israel when they would not follow God instructions but wanted to go their own way. God has helped me so much. This past year, God has given me many visual aid's in helping the boys to see better, then just my words....
The boys, sometimes, do their chores. But when they do it, they do a half way job. I've been trying to teach them to do every heartily as unto the Lord. And what so ever thy hand findth to do, do it with thy might. It amazing how they expect me to fulfill all my obligations to them to the best of my ability. So..... one morning I fixed their favorite for breakfast. Pancakes. They each loaded up their plates, and when the cut into them, they were only half cooked. I watch the disappointment consume their faces. Then each one slowly looked at me with confused looks. I told them that I thought I would take their approach to fulfilling responsibility. If I finished cooking them all the way, I wouldn't have time to look at Facebook before starting my day. So to make sure I could do that, I took a little less time cooking. But I hoped that they were ok with that. One by one, each one of their head's dropped in shame. It clicked, they understood the point I was trying to make.
One of my favorite verses to quote is Romans 14:7.
I want them to understand, and know deep within their hearts, that EVERYTHING they do effects someone else. That even as teenage boys, or as a college student, even as young children, their actions effect others.
I read somewhere that it is a bad thing for your children to feel shame. That is not so. The definition of shame is....to excite a consciousness of guilt.... In other words, it's one conscience telling them what they did was wrong. Romans 1 speaks of the conscience that God put in every man. Shame help's a person to know that they did wrong, it's a revealing of the wrong done.
Paul was telling the Corinthians he was not sorry that his letter brought them shame and sorrow for their actions. But that godly sorrow would lead to repentance. Repentance is when we turn from sin to God. We put the sin behind us and walk in the the direct of God. We direct our heart to His. That's what I want for my kids. To have a heart after God.
And this Christmas may our hearts, our minds, and our very being be consumed by the Love of God in Him sending his Son, born of a virgin, born to die so that we might have life, and have it more abundantly and teach our children the same! :)
Saturday, November 14, 2015
Blindly Following
The other day I was going to the store. I really don't like to drive here (they don't know how to drive lawfully). So I took public transportation. I forgot I needed to exchange some money (dollars for Ukrainian currency). In order to do that, I needed to cross the street, because the one closest to me did not have anymore greven (Ukrainian currency). At this point, I was little frustrated. I went to the cross walk waiting on the light to turn green. Good, it was time to go because the whole group of people started to move across the road to the median. But, it wasn't until then that I realized the light was still red. But because I was not focused, I went with the flow, and followed the crowd. Boy did the Lord show me something's through this. And yes, I did wait till the light turned green to finish crossing the road.
I started to think about how people, follow the crowd. Because it is the easiest thing to do. You won't stand out, you don't have to do a lot of thinking, you just do what everyone else does. It makes things less complicated. But just because someone else does wrong, it doesn't make it right for you. I was thinking about my boys, and how there at that age they'll do about anything to fit in a certain group or crowd. They may not intend on doing something they know is not right, but they don't realize it till it is to late, like me crossing with everyone else on a red light. That could have been very dangerous for me. What if all those people didn't see the drunk driver coming, the one that didn't care if there are people in the road, he would still knock them down like bowling pins.
It also made me think about saved people. How they also tend to follow the crowd. To blindly follow their Pastor and other's in the church because that's how it's always been done. Reminds me of the Pharesses during Jesus' day. During all those years under the law, they started to transition to traditions. Now some of these traditions got their start from those who were trying to keep people from breaking the law.
Like if you tell your child, don't go out in the road. That was your commandment to your child. But then grandma comes and tells your child, "I know your mom said to stay out of the road, I think it would be best for you not to go past the sidewalk." Then later the Aunt comes along and says, "I know what your mom and grandma said, but I think it would be best if you don't leave the grassy part of the yard". Do you see? It was through the care and concern of the family that caused them to add extra conditions that the mother did not give. They wanted to keep this child safe and to keep him/her from going out in the road.
All the traditions for the Jews where the same way. They were "adding" to the law, as Jesus put it, For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. Matt. 23:4 It's the same way in church. Not only do they live by the Word of God, but they add traditions and personal opinions to it. For example, (and I have heard this with my own ears), pastors wife's or preacher wife's should not wear open toe shoes and they should always wear panty hose....?!?!?! O....K..... or a Preacher can not preach if they wear colored dress shirts or have facial hair (other than eye brows, I'm pretty sure they allow eye brows). Do you see where I am going with this?
Paul, in Acts, spoke of this.... Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? Acts 15:10.
They were arguging about weither they should be circumcised or not. I know sometimes it's done with good motives, but to begin with, the Pharisees started with good motives behind what they did....but Jesus spoke against it!!!
Paul also said in Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
These people, the "more noble" ones, they received the word with an open heart, BUT also searched the scriptures to make sure that what was being taught was truth. God's Truth. They were more noble, they were ABOVE the BEST because they double checked God's Word to make sure what they were hearing was true. It's not wrong to study behind your preachers or teachers. And any preacher or teacher worth their salt would not object. They want you to know the absolute truth about the Bible. The only one's that do not want you to study the Bible for yourself is the one's who do not want you to know the truth. The Amish, the Catholics, nor the Orthodox, want their people to learn the Bible, because if they did, they would find something that contradicted what they were teaching.
So don't blindly walk across the street just because everyone is. Seek God and His Word for yourself. Ask God to Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. Ps. 119:18 Don't just take people's word for it, ask them, "Show me in the Bible". Not just one verse. God told us to compare scripture with scripture. If it is something that has a Biblical basis, they will have more than one verse to back up what they are teaching! Keep an open heart, but don't blindly follow.
I started to think about how people, follow the crowd. Because it is the easiest thing to do. You won't stand out, you don't have to do a lot of thinking, you just do what everyone else does. It makes things less complicated. But just because someone else does wrong, it doesn't make it right for you. I was thinking about my boys, and how there at that age they'll do about anything to fit in a certain group or crowd. They may not intend on doing something they know is not right, but they don't realize it till it is to late, like me crossing with everyone else on a red light. That could have been very dangerous for me. What if all those people didn't see the drunk driver coming, the one that didn't care if there are people in the road, he would still knock them down like bowling pins.
It also made me think about saved people. How they also tend to follow the crowd. To blindly follow their Pastor and other's in the church because that's how it's always been done. Reminds me of the Pharesses during Jesus' day. During all those years under the law, they started to transition to traditions. Now some of these traditions got their start from those who were trying to keep people from breaking the law.
Like if you tell your child, don't go out in the road. That was your commandment to your child. But then grandma comes and tells your child, "I know your mom said to stay out of the road, I think it would be best for you not to go past the sidewalk." Then later the Aunt comes along and says, "I know what your mom and grandma said, but I think it would be best if you don't leave the grassy part of the yard". Do you see? It was through the care and concern of the family that caused them to add extra conditions that the mother did not give. They wanted to keep this child safe and to keep him/her from going out in the road.
All the traditions for the Jews where the same way. They were "adding" to the law, as Jesus put it, For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. Matt. 23:4 It's the same way in church. Not only do they live by the Word of God, but they add traditions and personal opinions to it. For example, (and I have heard this with my own ears), pastors wife's or preacher wife's should not wear open toe shoes and they should always wear panty hose....?!?!?! O....K..... or a Preacher can not preach if they wear colored dress shirts or have facial hair (other than eye brows, I'm pretty sure they allow eye brows). Do you see where I am going with this?
Paul, in Acts, spoke of this.... Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? Acts 15:10.
They were arguging about weither they should be circumcised or not. I know sometimes it's done with good motives, but to begin with, the Pharisees started with good motives behind what they did....but Jesus spoke against it!!!
These people, the "more noble" ones, they received the word with an open heart, BUT also searched the scriptures to make sure that what was being taught was truth. God's Truth. They were more noble, they were ABOVE the BEST because they double checked God's Word to make sure what they were hearing was true. It's not wrong to study behind your preachers or teachers. And any preacher or teacher worth their salt would not object. They want you to know the absolute truth about the Bible. The only one's that do not want you to study the Bible for yourself is the one's who do not want you to know the truth. The Amish, the Catholics, nor the Orthodox, want their people to learn the Bible, because if they did, they would find something that contradicted what they were teaching.
So don't blindly walk across the street just because everyone is. Seek God and His Word for yourself. Ask God to Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. Ps. 119:18 Don't just take people's word for it, ask them, "Show me in the Bible". Not just one verse. God told us to compare scripture with scripture. If it is something that has a Biblical basis, they will have more than one verse to back up what they are teaching! Keep an open heart, but don't blindly follow.
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 1 John 4:1
Saturday, October 31, 2015
What's the big deal about "Halloween"?
Every year I find that I am confronted with the question, "What's the big deal about Halloween?". It was never a subject I wanted to write about because it brought back parts of my past I that I would love to keep buried. And though God in His mercy saved me and forgave me my past, it still brings chills every time I think about it.
I used to play around with the "spirit" world, a lot. I know most people have participated in a séances or something like it. But, sometimes it would consume me. I would spend my days in school hiding my homemade weegie board on my lap as I would communicate with whatever was out there. (Now that I'm saved I understand that they are not souls of the dead roaming the earth, but satans devils [demons]. For when a person dies, they either go to heaven or hell, there is no in-between or purgatory. For a saved person ....to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 2 Cor. 5:8. For a lost person....the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments. Luke 16:22b-23a).
I used to love Halloween. I used to get involved in every part that I could. A friend of mine knew some satanist, and knew that they would be out and about praying evil and hurt over every house that had a carved pumpkin outside their homes. I remember asking my mom not to put pumpkins out to keep them from praying over our home.
It's not my past personal attachment to the celebration, but the truth of what Halloween stands for. Every part of Halloween, from trick or treating to carving pumpkins, to dressing up all have there start from Celtic pagan practices to ward off "bad spirits". Even Catholicism took part by children dressing up as a saint or spirit and go house to house asking for "soul cakes"
Our "American" version of Halloween originated the Celtics in Northwestern Europe and was adapted by Catholic traditions and immigrants' customs. On Oct 31 to Nov. 1 there was a harvest celebration called Samhain in which the Gaels celebrated the end of harvest and all the animals were brought in and slaughtered to provide food for the winter months. During this time, they believed that the walls between our world and the afterlife was made thin and penetrable. Therefore allowing "spirits" to more easily travel back and forth. So they would also dress up in all white and blacken their faces to "trick" the evil spirits. And bon fires were lit to provide protection and cleansing against those spirits. They also would carve turnips to do the same thing. The turnips were also supposed to keep the fairies from settling in their homes. When this tradition came to American in 1840's, they couldn't find many turnips so they started to carve pumpkins instead.
Combine that with the Catholic holidays of "All Souls' Day", "All Hallows Eve", and "All Saints Day". Some other "protestant" religions also practice this tradition, but may very some and on other days. These "holidays" revolved around the belief in purgatory, where ones soul is basically on hold so that they can become holy enough to finally go into heaven. Also on these holidays, bells would ring for those in purgatory to bring them comfort during their cleaning process. The children and the poor would go from house to house singing and collecting soul cakes and in return promise to pray for the souls of the family and friends who gave the cakes. This was called "souling". They would also do this dressed as angels, demons, or saints. Sounds a little bit like "trick or treating" to me.
As a born again Christian, the celebrating of Halloween in anyway contradicts what the Bible says. In my life, the Bible is a Holy book written by God. He inspired (moved) men to write it. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. 2 Peter 1:21
This information is given to explain to all those who question why we don't involve ourselves in anyway with traditions that's celebrate darkness and evil. Below I have listed some of the verses of scripture that support why we do not celebrate Halloween.
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. Eph. 5:11
Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils. 1 Cor. 10:21
Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils. 1 Cor. 10:21
Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Isa. 5:20
Below is a couple of verses showing God disdain for the things that are celebrated during Halloween.
When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. Deut. 18:9-12
A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood [shall be] upon them. Lev. 20:27
Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. Ex. 22:18
So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, [even] against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking [counsel] of [one that had] a familiar spirit, to enquire [of it]; 1 Cor. 10:13
Neither give place to the devil. Eph. 4:27
God, according to scripture, does not want us to celebrate or even partake in the abominable traditions other cultures and nations. Not to give place to the devil, but to live according to His Word. To walk in the light as He is in he light. That is why we do not celebrate Halloween.
Monday, October 5, 2015
Weekly Menu Planning
Finally, after 1 year and 5 months, I have actually been able to spend some time on organizing our home and our life here in Ukraine. We have been so busy with ministry, language study, sign language classes, homeschool, home management, and just life I haven't been able to just sit down and get everything working in a structured and organized fashion. I know I have said it before, but I thrive on structure. And I know God has a sense of humor to put me in the most disorganized and non-structural culture there is.
When we first moved to Ukraine I needed structure so bad, the culture shock and homesickness was killing me. So I didn't even think about it till back in the spring. We moved in February to a home near the church. We did live in a duplex with very thin walls, and my children where hearing things they didn't need to hear. But God answered our prayers and helped us find a single family home in a neighborhood near the church and hospital. (God knew I had 3 boys and would need to be close to a hospital...lol). Maybe soon I will post some pictures of the new house!! But after I get all the curtain sewn and put up....lol....
The first thing I did was to get back in the routine of making a monthly menu. I am learning how to cook and shop using what we have here in Ukraine and what the precious people of God have sent us from the states. And normally I would just used a normal 1 month calendar and write in all the meals. But with the boys growing and consuming much more food, I found it nessacary to make more filling lunches. We've always fixed a big breakfast and supper, but kinda did sandwiches or something like that for lunch. So, I desided it was time to make a weekly calendar for each meal.
This has been great. I can plan for the whole month and go to the store once to get everything we can. I do have a Grocery List on the calendar to cover those items I need to buy every week like bread, cheese, meat, and milk. Bread only last a couple of days here, so we need to get that several times a week. But it's not too bad with a small store within walking distance.
When we first moved to Ukraine I needed structure so bad, the culture shock and homesickness was killing me. So I didn't even think about it till back in the spring. We moved in February to a home near the church. We did live in a duplex with very thin walls, and my children where hearing things they didn't need to hear. But God answered our prayers and helped us find a single family home in a neighborhood near the church and hospital. (God knew I had 3 boys and would need to be close to a hospital...lol). Maybe soon I will post some pictures of the new house!! But after I get all the curtain sewn and put up....lol....
The first thing I did was to get back in the routine of making a monthly menu. I am learning how to cook and shop using what we have here in Ukraine and what the precious people of God have sent us from the states. And normally I would just used a normal 1 month calendar and write in all the meals. But with the boys growing and consuming much more food, I found it nessacary to make more filling lunches. We've always fixed a big breakfast and supper, but kinda did sandwiches or something like that for lunch. So, I desided it was time to make a weekly calendar for each meal.
This has been great. I can plan for the whole month and go to the store once to get everything we can. I do have a Grocery List on the calendar to cover those items I need to buy every week like bread, cheese, meat, and milk. Bread only last a couple of days here, so we need to get that several times a week. But it's not too bad with a small store within walking distance.
PDF includes my "filled in" copy and a blank copy
This is a "MS Publisher file" for you to change to your liking.
ENJOY!! Hope this helps to keep your kitchen running smooth and organized!!!
Monday, September 7, 2015
Road of Life
 |
| Briana saying good-bye to Dad |
 |
| Briana and I flying to the states |
God was so merciful to both Briana and I. God gave us both so much peace. On that last day, when I held my baby girl in my arms and said good-bye, God reminded me of Proverbs 21:31 The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD. I wasn't leaving her with strangers, I was leaving her the hands of God. The same God....who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span... Is. 40:12a Now, when I start to worry, I remember God's word and know that He is in control of her life. My husband and I gave her to God many years ago. It was time for me to let go and let God.
 |
| Briana and my mom |
One thing I find so amazing is how God can use whatever He wants to get our attention. On our way back to NC from OK, we had to drive through Memphis, TN. They were doing some construction on I-40 so they reduced the speed limit to 40mph. So I did what any Christian SHOULD do and followed the speed limit. But there was no one but me driving the speed limit. No one was following the law. It's like I tell my kids. Rules and bounders are in place for a reason, it's not just for the fun of it. And, out of all these people, no one chose to obey the law. How many of those that passed me said they were saved. How many claim Jesus as their Savior, but could not, would not obey the speed limit because of their own personal agenda? What about their testimony? They abide by the law when it is convenient? So it's ok to break the speed limit, but don't steal from the stores, or commit adultery.... And this doesn't just apply to the laws of the land, but living for God in our everyday life's. Do we choose our own needs over what God would have us to do. Too busy to read our Bible every day, or even to pray. Too busy to stop, and take time out of our day to be a blessing to someone else. To write someone a note through a text or email. What God showed me was that we are so self consumed. It's always about what we need to do and get accomplished, NOT what God wants to accomplish through us that day! I thought about that the whole 650 miles back to NC. Everyday, make it a priority to be a blessing to others and to seek to accomplish God's plans, not just our own.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)