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! :)

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.

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

 

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

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.

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. 

Weekly Menu PDF

PDF includes my "filled in" copy and a blank copy

 

Weekly Menu Publisher File

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!!!
 

 

Road of Life

Briana saying good-bye to Dad

 

Recently, I took a trip to the states to take my daughter to college.  It was a very emotional trip for me. A mix of excitement and anticipation with the thoughts of seeing family I haven't seen in over a year.  Sadness and fear knowing I would be leaving my daughter in the hands of complete strangers.  This was the first time in our life's that we have been apart more than a couple of weeks. 

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. 

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Culture Shock Part 3

Culture shock....I thought that after a year I would be more adapted to this culture.  God gives me grace everyday, but it is still hard to fit in.  I was talking with my daughter and asked her why I still stand out.  She said its the way I dress.  This is my style, but my style is American style not Euro style.  Where does American end and Ukrainian begin?  Am I supposed to be meshing more, standing out less, looking less like a foreigner and more like a Ukrainian.  My mindset and my own deep rooted American culture clashes with that of those that I am around everyday.  And it does make it difficult to functions sometimes.

Apartment Building not to far from our house.

This culture is against everything that I am, as a saved person, as an American person, as a moral person, and as my individual personality would allow.  Here, it is normal when people are late, no matter what the profession or position.  Everyone bribes everyone, from the top to the bottom.  I have seen more than my fair share of that.  NO ONE, absolutely NO ONE wants to follow traffic laws.  They go where they want to go when they want to go.  A red light means absolutely nothing.  And grown men going to the bathroom where ever they please....

My first wreck in Ukraine.  The tram run a red light and hit the light green car, then that car hit me.

But, in our little church, their are the most precious people.  Despite our cultural differences, they love my Saviour.  We share the same desires and have the same Holy Spirit living within.  Yes, they maybe late for church.  But they don't have the nice air conditioned/heated vehicle to take them where they need to go.  They have to walk, ride public transportation, and sometimes many different forms of transportation to get to church. There are seats on the buses, trams, and metros, but seats are not guaranteed.   Some of them are from the village, and takes them at least an hour and a half to get to church.  So it is love, a desire to fellowship with those (as the Apostle Peter put it) of like precious faith, and a longing to hear God's Word that brings them.  After such a long trip in the unbearably hot or cold weather, would you come to church with a huge smile on your face?  They do :)  They encourage me like not other could. 

So, though I still struggle, God is so good.  He encourages me through the people of God, and through my personal Bible study.  Though I really miss my family and church family, what grace God has given; for homesickness is not something I struggle with as much as I used to. 

This now means I have finally made it to the Adjustment phase: Again, after some time, (usually around 6-12 months) one becomes more familiar and comfortable with the culture, people, food, and language of the new country. One will likely feel less homesick and will have a better handle on the situations that they previously found frustrating. The culture begins to make sense, and negative reactions and responses to the culture are reduced.

Ukraine feels more and more like home.  I'm still learning the language, and can not communicate as much as I would like.  But how do you describe the grace of God in a situation like this.  It is so true what people say, that sometimes you have to experience something's in order to receive the most from that situation.  Sometimes, something's are just indescribable!

Unspotted by the World

My husband preaching "Pure Religion or Purely Religious"

 

I am in complete wonder and awe at how my God loves me.  How He steers me when I start to vear to the right or to the left.  Have you ever found yourself veering and not even know that you were doing it?  Or maybe you did but you did not think that it was enough to move you completely into another lane? 

This make's me think of a road, and your moving along this road which has ferocious curves and roller coaster hills and sometimes steep mountains.  It may be smooth, straight, and long like the roads in New Mexico.  It may be dirt, gravel, or paved (or completely covered in potholes like here in Ukraine), but you still manage to stay on this road no matter how bad it gets.  Sometimes you were speeding through and sometimes slowly cruising.  But the danger comes when you start veering.  You may only veer alittle, but depending on the road, alittle veer can send you over a steep cliff, or you can just catch the curb and it send you tumbling off the road.  I've always been very nervous about riding too close to the edge of a road. I'm always worried that I'll run off of the road and end up wreaking.  That's a constant fear when I'm driving, especially on  our Ashe County NC mountain roads. 

Not until recently, though, did it even cross my mind that I had not been doing that spiritually. I had not been aware of my position on this road of life.  I'm still on the road, I haven't wrecked, but I have not been as conscience and aware of where I was or how close I may be to the curb....that was an eye opener for me!!!

All this came about from a message my husband had preached out of James 1:21-27.  He was preaching on Pure Religion or Purely Religious.  The thing that got me was vs. 27 at the end where it says...to keep himself unspotted from the world.  That hit me like a ton of bricks.  It stirred in my heart like a tornado.  You would think, since I am an KJB only independent Baptist that that would be a no brainer.  But is it really.  Do we sometimes let ourselves see things we shouldn't be seeing or do we hear things we shouldn't be hearing.  Or do we put ourselves in a place where the world is much closer than it should be.  And I am not taking about blatant sin.  But, watching a movie with one bad word, or when they mention something that makes you uncomfortable.  Do you keep watching, or do you let that part of the "world" rub off on you, or spot you? So many times, here in Ukraine, morality is not in their vocabulary, so you see a lot of things you don't want to see.  But it's the attitude of heart and mind that helps you not to be spotted....to think on these things (Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Phil. 4:8)

Sometimes I find it absolutely amazing at how God can just open your eyes so wide open about certain things at certain times.  Why now?  Why not earlier?  Not that I didn't understand that verse of scripture before, but that it spoke volumes to me on that Sunday.  It was like when I got saved. It was how the way I thought and saw things was so different.  How my thoughts processed differently.  This is what I like to call the Great White Way :)  How God gives light in certain areas, and if our reaction is one of repentance and submission, it purifies us, it cleanses us. 

But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.   Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.   Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.   Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.   Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.  James 4:6-10

I see that sometimes I get so caught up in life I forget to "walk circumspectly". I forget to stay conscientious about those things which I often take for granted. Sometimes I forget about all those potholes in the road dug out by those who would like to see the end of me.  Hitting enough of those potholes without the proper daily maintenance in all probability can also cause a wreak.  I don't want to become shipwrecked....  Daily maintenance of Bible reading and prayer is the way to keep everything tight and running.  Not forgetting the occasional part replacement that will need to take place (biblically called pruning)....

My Friend Update

This is an update on my friend June....



L to R:  Me, June (back), Amanda (front), Tammy

She has, as of today, Lord willing, finished with her chemo treatments.  There are several tests she needs to take to make sure all the cancer is gone.  Please continue to pray for her.  She needs strength and grace in every way possible.  She is going through this trial, and also raising her 4 grandchildren. Thank you!!

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March - April 2015 Prayer Letter

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My Precious Friend

 

This is a dear friend of mine, June (the one in the middle).  She was the only one that befriended me after I got saved.  She took me up under her wing and helped me to grow.  She is the one who noticed the talent God give me to sing, and encouraged me to use this talent for the Lord.  We've had a lot of up's and down's, but I will always see her as one of the most precious people I know.  She has been through so much in her life, but there are not many times that you did't see her with a smile on her face, and praising God for His goodness.  Her faith has given me strength.

 

We recently found out she has Hodgkin's Lymphoma, a type of cancer.  My heart hurts for her, and I wish I could be there with her, but I know God knows why He is allowing this in her life.  I told her it remind me of Shadrack, Meshach and Abednego in the book of Daniel.  They had to go in the fire so that other's could see Jesus!!  I know God can trust her with this trial. 

 

I am asking you to pray for her.  She will be starting chemo tomorrow and needs your prayers!!! Thanks every so much!!!

November/December 2014 Prayer Letter

Prayer Letter

 

 

С Новым годом и Рождеством Христовым

 



Happy New Year and Merry Christmas!!!

Why, you ask, is Merry Christmas not first?  Because here in Ukraine, New Years comes first, then Christmas is on Jan. 7.  So according to this fact we have found that Corey is now a Christmas baby, because his birthday is on Jan. 7 :)  Corey really likes that!!!

For New Years our church here had a New Years service, or what you would call in the states a watch night service.  These services are always really hard for me because I am not a night owl.  Staying up to 11 pm is hard for me, but staying up later I am really going to need the Lord and a lot of coffee :)

We didn't have many come out, but I really enjoyed them.  My husband was the first one to preach for the night.  Then Bro. Sergi preached on the fruits of the Spirit being a part of the Christian like ornaments adorn a beautiful Christmas Tree (here called the New Years Tree).  Then Bro. Sasha (deaf) that was saved back in July, gave is first devotional in front of the church.  You could see Olya (his wife), she was so proud of him.  He poured his heart out and what a blessing it was :)

 

Between preaching, we went to the basement and ate and the guys played ping pong. 

 

 

Some even played games....

 

 

Towards mid-night we had a candle light service. Everyone that was saved gave their testimony of salvation.  The lights to help us remember who we are, lights in this dark world.  Starting the New Year right, with thoughts of those in darkness who need to be taught the truth of the scripture, so they can be set free.

 

 

 

 Right at mid-night the kids all shot confetti cannons...this year...because of what's happening in Ukraine...the government said no fireworks.  So they go the confetti cannons instead.  I know my kids had so much fun with that.... and so did many of the adults too :)

Happy New Year!!!!