Sunday Scriptures

Hanging by a Thread

The phrase “hanging by a thread” is used to describe many different things – a loose tooth, a spider web, and at times even one’s sanity.  It is not a good thing when the only bridge in and out of your neighborhood is “hanging by a thread.” 

When the bridge was built, it was not built with the thought that big, heavy trucks would be coming in and out on a daily basis.  Over time, the bridge has become more and more unstable.  Last year during rainy season, the bridge shook when anything drove across it.  People were saying then that the bridge would not last much longer.  Instead of doing something about it then, the daily traffic continued – cars, taxis, tro-tros (public transport vans), buses, dump trucks, and other large trucks carrying heavy loads. 

We had a heavy rain this week.  That along with the heavy traffic caused a small hole in the middle of the bridge.  The hole was big enough to put one’s arm through the hole.  Instead of trying to patch the hole, the village people decided that if they made the hole bigger, the bridge would have to be replaced. (There is a Chinese factory out past our house; they bring a lot of big trucks in.  The village people are saying that the Chinese should build a new bridge, although there are many others who pass through with much heavier loads.) Meanwhile, they were not allowing any traffic to cross the bridge.  This creates a problem when that is the only way to get to your house.  They got busy with their hammers and made the hole bigger.  If anyone tried to cross the bridge, they were rewarded with a shovel full of water in the face. 

My husband was allowed to cross the bridge in the morning when he took the kids to school, but they were not allowing anyone to cross when he returned from the trip to the school.  He spent the day in town so that he would be able to get the kids from school.  They still were not allowing any traffic to cross after school.  So, they parked at a friend’s house a couple miles away and made the two-mile walk home from school.  We had received a package at the post office that day.  So, Danny, our six-year-old, was carrying the package.  He lost his footing on the trail and fell, spilling the package contents on the hillside.  They retrieved the items and continued on their way home. 

This was no ordinary two-mile walk down a nicely paved road.  It was a two-mile walk on little foot trails through the jungle.  It involved going up and down two rather large hills on slick clay.  More falling was involved than actual walking.  Everyone was a little tuckered out by the time they reached the top of our hill.

As soon as they got home, my husband had to make the two-mile walk back to the car to go out to a village.  When he returned from the village and had left our vehicle with another missionary for the night, he discovered that they were allowing cars to cross the bridge.  So, he went back to get our vehicle and finally made it home.

At this point, we do not know how long the bridge will be passable.  The hole is only going to get bigger. The bigger problem is that the main support beam underneath the bridge is cracked and shifts each time the bridge is crossed.  We tried to find an alternate route to the house.  There are a few little roads and foot trails.  Any road that might have made it back to our house has been blocked by debris in the road.  So, for now, we will just praise the Lord that they are still allowing vehicles to cross the bridge.  When the bridge is no longer passable, we will definitely be getting our exercise.

In times like these, it easy to let frustration and discouragement move in.  But, it is in such times that we must bring Scripture passages to mind and go on.  Psalm 118:24 “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”  We can always find something to be glad about if we just look for it.  Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say, Rejoice.”

If you have a story that you would like to share with us, please e-mail it to me at lo@consfords.com.  Until next week, keep your sunny side up!

So Now What?

Graduation... It should be an exciting thing, right?

 

But when I have asked the girls at the Bible college if they are excited that they will be graduating soon, their reaction is hesitant. I got the same response when I asked last year's graduates, too.

"I feel afraid." In my mind, I am thinking maybe they are afraid of the speech they have to give or afraid of being in front of people; but as they explain, I find it is something much more serious.

Taste of Fall: Chicken Pumpkin Stew + Bonus Links!

For the next few weeks I'm going to be bringing you lots of Fall flavors!  Some will be savory and some will be sweet. Some will be pumpkin, some will be apple, some will be maple, hopefully all will be good! After the tried and true recipe of the week,  I'll also be including some links of recipes I've found, but haven't had the chance to try. With a brand-new little punkin' in the house, I've not got much extra cooking time, but maybe some of you ladies would try them out and let us know what you think!

First up is a savory chicken pumpkin stew. Don't let the ingredients throw you off ~ this stew is a family favorite from the biggest down to the littlest! Plus, it pulls together really quickly. A big plus for any busy cook!

 Chicken Pumpkin Stew

1 Tbsp. oil {your choice}
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken {raw or cooked}
1 med. onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 red or green pepper, chopped
14 oz. diced tomatoes
28 oz. chicken broth or water
2 tsp. paprika {or cayenne, chipotle,etc. if you prefer more spice}
salt, to taste
2 c. raw cooking pumpkin or butternut squash, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 c. fresh green beans, snapped in half
1/3 c. creamy peanut butter {any kind including all-natural and homemade, sugar-free will work}

If using raw chicken, heat oil in a sauce pan over medium-high heat.
Add chicken; saute 4 minutes or until browned.
Remove to plate.
Reduce heat to medium and saute onion, garlic, and pepper until softened.
Add broth/water, tomatoes, paprika, and salt and bring to a boil.
Add chicken, green beans and pumpkin.
Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for approximately 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and pumpkin is soft.
Add peanut butter to pot and stir until mixed well.
If you prefer the pumpkin smooth instead of chunky, simply give the soup a whirl with an immersion blender OR give everybody at the table a fork to mash it with {I've done both!}
Add more paprika and salt if necessary.

Enjoy! 


Bonus Links!!!
Soft Pumpkin Granola Bars via My Name is Yeh
Brown Sugar Maple Cookies via Averie Cooks

John 3:16

A Blessing or a Purse?

We recently had guests from the States.  Our pastor and my husband’s uncle came to Ghana for their first time; my father-in-law came too for his second time.  We had a great time with them.  Nine days goes by too fast when company is around!

We have a guest room, but it is in a different building separated from the house.  So, we decided to put everyone inside the house.  Our pastor ended up in Bonnie’s room; Bonnie is our five-year-old daughter.  As soon as Bonnie could get in a room with just her and our pastor, she told him that if he messed up anything in her room, he would be “sacked” and that Papa would get her room instead.  (The word “sacked” here is used instead of fired.)  We were a little shocked that she told him that.  He took it in stride and kept having her inspect the room on a daily basis.  When he left, he put one of her dolls on the floor standing on its head.

Our pastor got to preach in several different churches while he was here.  One night, he was preaching about things that belong to God.  He mentioned the tithe.  In talking about tithing, he asked people to raise their hand if they wanted a blessing.  Then, he told them to raise their hand if they wanted a curse.  Bonnie held her hand up both times.  Danny, our six-year-old, leaned over and said to me, “Mom, Bonnie thought he said ‘purse’ instead of ‘curse.’”  What girl would not want a new purse???

If you have a story that you would like to share with us, please e-mail it to me at lo@consfords.com. Please include the name of each family member, your field of service, and a picture of your family if possible.

Until next week, keep your sunny side up!

The Every Day's Work

When I think of the "every day's work," I think of the boring, the mundane, the repetitious things that plague my life. Like laundry. I wash and wash and wash... and just when I get the last load in the machine, somebody takes a shower. Then there is a new pile of clothes waiting. It seems so endless... so pointless!

Monthly Menu Planning Details

Last week in this post I gave an overview of how I do my monthly menu planning.  In this post I’m going to explain what I do so that it is easy and not at all overwhelming to plan a whole month of meals.
Here is a close up of my calendar for this month (please excuse the lack of neatness… when I wrote it up I didn't intend for other people to see it!)  It's not the prettiest thing around, but it is easy to get started and is something I can keep up with.

To start with, decide what type of meals you want every week.  Here is what I have for this month:  Sundays- crock pot meal, Monday- beef, Tuesday- beef, Wednesday- any type, Thursday- beef, Friday- chicken, Saturday- pork or fish.  I use to do a non-meat day to save some $$, but hubby likes his meat.  I generally try to write side dishes as well to go with the meals that don’t already have vegetables in them. I’m still working on this one. Hubby is not a big fan of vegetables and I’m not the best at pairing sides and meals, but it’s coming!

To go about selecting recipes for the month, I start working from last month’s meals that I didn't make or that I want to repeat.  That usually takes care of half the menu!  If you are starting from scratch, that won’t help you, but it will the next month!  Then, I look for one type of meal and fill in all of those, before moving to the next type of meal.  So, all of my crock pot meals are filled in and then all the beef and so on.  The nice thing about carrying meals over to the next month that didn’t get made is that I’ve already shopped for those ingredients (minus perishables, of course) so, that is less that I need to buy this month!

For breakfast I try to do the same thing each week.  For example, every Sunday we have eggs, every Monday is oatmeal or baked oatmeal, every Tuesday is some kind of breakfast bread (banana, butternut squash, zucchini, carrot…and I try to make that Monday night), Wednesday is pancakes, Thursday is a rotation of homemade granola cereal or pinto (a Costa Rican dish), Friday is some form of eggs (crust-less quiche, baked ham and egg cups, omelets, scrambled eggs with a variety of add ins) and Saturday is Oatmeal.

For us, dinner is really light.  We do leftovers some of the time, but I have a list of different ideas, like fast soups,  tuna cakes, tuna sandwiches, quesadillas, tortilla pizzas, grilled cheese, grilled pizza sandwich (my personal favorite!)  and such like that.  Those usually don’t make it onto the menu, but I’m trying to work my way into doing that as well.

I often ask friends on Facebook for new recipe ideas and I’m always searching Pinterest.
Here are some links to some of my favorite recipes I've found on Pinterest:
(I do have to make some adjustments for what we like and what we can get here, but they are minor.)
Dark Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
Banana Bread  (So easy and so good! Substitue butter for oil)
Skinny Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Scones
Smothered Chicken (Substitute wine for chicken broth)
Crock Pot Chicken Tacos 
Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes
Mongolian Beef
Spaghetti Pie
Easy Alfredo Sauce

Hope this can be a help to some of you!

Pumpkin Puree {Just in case you can't buy it in a can!}

As we all know, Fall has arrived {if not physically where you live, then probably mentally!}. And what better screams Fall than pumpkin? If you are on the ol' Web at all, you can't miss it. The pumpkin obsession in the Fall is pretty amazing, but it really is such a tasty fruit! But what are you supposed to do if you can't buy a can of Libby's and there aren't any more hidden away in your cupboards? Why make your own, of course!

My husband's absolute favorite dessert in the whole world in pumpkin pie, and I knew I needed something to make Thanksgiving the real deal our second year on the field. {Don't ask about the first year, it's a really sad story.} With no cans of anything resembling pumpkin to be found and no time to beg my Mom to send some, I went to work. I headed to the market and started asking for pumpkin. They weren't familiar with the word, but after trying to describe what I wanted, they did show me several different gourd looking things. I grabbed the one that looked familiar ~ quite like a butternut squash ~ and headed home to figure out what to do next. To make a long story short, that squash was orange inside with seeds similar to a pumpkin, and after a bit of trial and error we had ourselves some pumpkin-looking puree. I whipped it into a pie, crossed my fingers, and prayed. Guess what!?! It was even tastier than any pumpkin pie I remembered from the States! Score!!!

Since then, we've only used our squash here to make our pumpkin stuff in the Fall {even when sweet people have sent us the canned stuff!}; it is that good!

So wherever you are in the world, before panicking, start asking around. Ask national friends, ask the market sellers, look around and describe what you want......I bet you might find something that tastes similar to a pumpkin!

Pumpkin Puree

pumpkin/squash/gourd weighing 5-6 lbs.

Split the pumpkin into quarters with a cleaver or heavy knife.
Cut out the stem, scrape out the stringy pulp and seeds, and hack into 4-inch pieces.
{If in a hurry, you can leave in quarters, it may just take longer to roast.}
Place the pumpkin, rind side down, in an oiled roasting pan, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake at 325 degreese until very soft, 1-1 1/2 hours.
Scrape the flesh free of the rind and puree in a food processor, grind in a food mill, or smash with a potato masher and remove any stringy bits that cling to the masher.
If the puree seems loose and wet {depends on the variety you are using}, pour into a colander lined with cheesecloth or muslin, bring ends of cloth up over it, and cover with a plate and a heavy weight.
Place all of this over a bowl and let the pumpkin drain until it reaches the same consistency as the canned kind.
{I usually just leave mine in the fridge over night. Works perfectly with the kind we have here!}
When puree is ready, measure into 1 cups lumps and freeze or store in fridge for up to three days.
A pumpkin this size should yield about 4 cups puree, enough to make two normal pumpkin pies.
Use as you would canned pumpkin.

Enjoy!

Matthew 4:19 - Sunday Scriptures

Fast Friends

Have you ever met someone that you just really hit it off with from the start?  My husband has never met a stranger.  He makes friends everywhere he goes.  The other day, he met his match.

Last week, he had to have a root canal.  After he finished at the dentist, he had to go to the pharmacy to get some things that the dentist had prescribed.  While waiting in line at the pharmacy, a little girl with Down’s Syndrome came up to Joe.  (Only a small percentage of black children have Down’s Syndrome.  They are such sweet, loving people.) Joe greeted her in Fante, the tribal language in our area of Ghana.  She was so surprised to hear a white man speaking Fante.  After she got over her shock, she gave Joe a big hug.  Then, she took Joe’s hand and held on tightly.  It came time for Joe to pay for the medicines.  She had his hand in a vice grip and would not let go.  He needed to get his money out of his left pocket; so, he had to reach around with his right hand to get his money out. 

Joe was ready to leave the pharmacy.  His little friend was still holding his hand.  The girl’s mother tried to pull her away, but she would have none of it.  Joe decided to walk out toward the car. He thought that if he just got in quickly and shut the door, she would have to let go.  Instead, as soon as the doors unlocked, she jumped into the back seat.  She was intent on going somewhere with her new friend.  After about thirty minutes, Joe and the girl’s mother finally got her to get out of the vehicle.

What a lesson in friendship!  We can learn a lot from other people.

Proverbs 18:24 

A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly;

and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

If you have a story that you would like to share with us, please e-mail it to me at lo@consfords.com. Please include the name of each family member, your field of service, and a picture of your family if possible.

Until next week, keep your sunny side up!

When Daddy Played with Fire

He left.  He gave us plenty of notice. We knew it was coming. But there we stood, facing the reality that Daddy had to go on another trip. This one wouldn't be as long as the last one when he went to the village, but we miss him no matter how long it is he is away. It would only be for two nights this time, but our youngest child, Gabriel, was convinced Daddy would get lonely. Then Gabriel handed Daddy Fire. Fire is one of Gabriel's most treasured stuffed animals. Fire went on the trip with Daddy. Not only did Daddy not get lonely, Daddy came up with an idea that is sure to make his future trips an exciting adventure for those he leaves behind.

Fire sleeping in his bed at the hotel

Monthly Menu Planning Overview

Almost two years ago, we moved to Costa Rica; and six months later, I was getting ready to have a baby. I decided I needed to do something a bit different than my normal menu planning, which really wasn't much planning at all.  I would figure out what I wanted to make the night before or even that morning from my list of meals and what was in the pantry.  With Language school, and then having a baby, I knew that wouldn't work for me much longer!  So, I started planning weekly menus. Walking to the grocery stores makes you a little more conscious of making sure you get everything you need for the week (and only buying what you need!) So, I had a weekly menu to go off of that I wrote down in a notebook.  And that worked well for a while.  And then I saw this on Pinterest!  What an AMAZING idea!!!  But oh my, the work involved was a little much for me at that time.  Slowly I came to the idea in the picture below and I love it.  It is very simple and doesn't take a whole lot of time!  Where we live now, this has become a necessity for me.  We have to go to the capital to buy butter, cheese, paper goods, most of our meat, and a number of things that we just can’t get up here in the mountains.  We try to limit our shopping trips to once every month or two.  Really, it saves us a lot of money in the long run because it is inevitable that when we go to the store, I will find some American thing that they haven’t had before and want to buy it, because you just never know if they will have it again. (And most of the time, they don’t!)  Well, too, you know how sometimes things just “jump” in your cart!  The food comes alive! Seriously!  So, anyway, here’s what I do…

The last week of the month I plan for the following month; usually it just takes an afternoon if I can stay focused on it (and don’t get too distracted on Pinterest, when I’m looking for new recipes!)  But I do give myself a week to get it done.  Our big meal of the day is lunch, so I keep that in mind when planning.  First, I print out a Word document calendar to use.  Then, above each day of the week I write the basic type of meal (beef, fish, chicken...etc.) we will have on those days.  And then I get to work.  The very first month would be the hardest since you are starting from scratch.  I plan a meal for every day of the week, knowing there will be days we will have leftovers.  The meals I don’t make in this month will go onto the calendar for next month.  Most of the time when it comes time for next month I have almost half the calendar filled out from the meals I didn't make.  I really LOVE trying new recipes so, I generally don’t repeat the same recipe within the month, and only a few will we have 2 months in a row.  But if you repeat meals, then you have less planning to do!  While I write the recipes names on the calendar, I make up my monthly grocery shopping list too.  I never make meals or special treats that have things I don’t normally buy in the recipe; so it’s a matter of calculating the quantity for my normal monthly grocery list.  After it is all written out, I put it in my 8x10 picture frame.

The cards hanging on the bottom are the recipes for the week. (My husband screwed in some little hook thingies in the bottom of the frame to hold the recipe cards.) I do my weekly grocery shopping on Monday and do try to get as much as I can up here instead of the capital.  So, on Saturday or Sunday, I will pull out my recipe cards for the next week. (I’m still working on getting them all printed out… haven’t gotten there yet!)   The first group is breakfast recipes, the second is lunch, and the third has my dinner list and also all the things I want to make that week.  I make my own bread, buns, and granola; so those stay there every week.  (Making those every week you would think I would have the recipes memorized by now, but I don’t!  Maybe it will stick one of these days!)  I make my grocery list from those recipe cards. 

Doing the calendar has helped me so much with getting things together the night before that need to be prepped, like getting meat out of the freezer or putting everything in the crock pot to be put on first thing in the morning.  It also helps with planning my day the night before with knowing right away in the morning what I’m making for breakfast and what time I need to start preparing lunch.  And yes, there are times where I just don’t have the time to make what was on the calendar or it really doesn't sound good; so I do a bit of switching.  I allow it to be flexible, but I really enjoy having the structure.
  
So, there you have the overview!!  Next week I will get more into detail about how to go about planning out a month’s worth of meals and not be overwhelmed by the idea!    

Favorite Fall Recipes

It's September and Fall has arrived {if not physically where you live, then maybe mentally?}.
And so, I first must offer you some links to recipes already posted.
Maybe you missed some of these yummy Fall treats?
Look through them ~ some are apple, some are cinnamon, some are pumpkin ~ all are delicious!
Hopefully you'll find a new favorite!

Looking for the taste of Fall first thing in the morning? Try a family favorite ~ Baked Maple Oatmeal.
Are you a coffee drinker who loves flavored holiday creamers? Try this link with lots of yummy options, including Pumpkin Spice!
If coffee isn't your thing, maybe cocoa is? Mix up a batch of hot chocolate mix, that way you'll have it on hand when a craving hits!
Try some Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies compliments of Heather over at Missionary Mama in the Making!
Or maybe all you can think about is pumpkin? Make a classic pumpkin pie {if you do those more than at Thanksgiving!} or try another family favorite ~ Pumpkin Spice Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting and Caramel Drizzle!

Hopefully those are enough Fall recipes to get you started.
If not, I'll be back with plenty more to satisfy your Fall cravings!

Enjoy!

Missionary Monday ~ Deputation with Kids

Keeping Deputation Fun

Let me begin by letting you know that I am not an expert deputation-er!  Most of the things I wanted to share have come from the advice of the many wise missionaries that I have come to know.  I have read many missionary books, but nothing compares to actually having the opportunity to sit with a missionary that has already been serving for many years.  I love to hear their experiences and pick their brain with the millions of questions I have.

This is going to be a brief list of the tips that have been shared with me that have really made a difference and helped our family along on this deputation journey.

1.  Decide to have an Adventure!
   
ad·ven·ture 

            /adˈvenCHər/

Noun An unusual and exciting, typically hazardous, experience or activity.

Verb Engage in hazardous and exciting activity, esp. the exploration of unknown territory: "they had adventured into the forest".     Deputation is an exciting journey.  You're embarking into the unknown.  You have no idea what lies ahead - but that's what makes it so exciting! Attitude is everything - and we determined early on that we DID NOT want to be miserable for two years!!  We got our children (and ourselves) excited about traveling America and told them of all the adventures we were going to have.  Deputation has really been the most exciting thing that has ever happened to us! 2.  Stay close in your walk with the Lord. This is the most important of all.  You have to stay on top of your devotions!  This is the only way to keep your attitude right.  Keep your eyes on the Lord and keep trusting Him. 3.  Have fun whenever you can - especially if you have older children. Deputation can become very stressful, very dull, and routine if you don't find things to break up the monotony. Don't drive past the Grand Canyon and Mt. Rushmore and not take an hour to look at it!!!  That's crazy.  And it will be embarrassing for your children when people ask them what they saw when they visited Arizona and all they can say is "The Church Parking lot!"  America is beautiful; take time when you can to see some it.  If you have a day, take a day.  Mostly, we stop for an hour and then have to keep driving!  But that is plenty for our kids and for our sanity! 4.  Don't compare churches/conferences or yourself to other missionaries. (2 Cor. 10:12) The fastest way to lose your joy is to start comparing yourself to other missionaries and start questioning "Why isn't God blessing us as much as them?"....oh, you don't want to start down that road and give Satan a stronghold in your heart.  It WILL ruin your deputation experience and can make you very bitter. You also don't want to compare churches.  All churches are different!  Enjoy each one; there is something to learn and something to enjoy at each one.  We don't allow our children to compare churches/ conferences either. If you allow them too, they will develop a critical spirit and not appreciate what they have.  Make every church an exciting experience! 5. Find opportunities to serve. This can be really hard sometimes.  Some churches want to serve us and be a blessing.  If you come from a church where you were always busy serving others, it can be very awkward and humbling to be served.  Use your gifts and talents freely at the churches you visit.  Whatever it is that you are good at - do it.  Singing, playing an instrument, cooking, cleaning, photography, graphic design, etc. It will be a blessing to others and it will encourage you to be serving others. Let your children serve.  Find opportunities for them to serve.  It will help them stay balanced and not think that they are Kings to be served. 6.  We are not Home-Schooling at HOME! I learned this one the hard way.  I wanted to keep the same routine and rhythm or life as we did when we lived in a house.  HAHA   So I was waking my kids up at 7:30am having them go out for their morning walks and starting school at 8:30....as you can imagine I was a VERY frustrated mama, and my poor kids were VERY stressed out... Our first school-year on deputation was horrible.  This school-year has been wonderful, and we are on pace to be done in April!  What did we do differently?  We started the second week of August, and we have been  flexible with school start times.  We begin when we begin.  If we take a day off, we make it up on Saturday.  WE NEVER DO SCHOOL ON SUNDAY!  Sundays are so long already; the kids need a "day of rest" as much as we do.  If I see we are falling behind, we add an extra lesson or two every day until we are caught up.  We take field trips anytime available.  We have reasonable expectations of the kids and ourselves.  Even with a much more relaxed and flexible approach, we will still get done early this year! 7. If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all This is can be hard when you want to rant or complain to your husband, children or others around you.  This is very destructive.  Not only will it discourage your children and husband, but it will begin a root of bitterness in you.  Not all of deputation is glorious, but we will have a much harder time keeping deputation fun for our family after we've just let all these negative feelings out.  You might feel better, but your family won't... Complaining is also discouraging to other missionaries wives and pastor's wives.  Complaining just doesn't accomplish anything good - so when the feelings are bubbling inside, let's take them to the Lord.  (Phil.4:8) 8.  LAUGH! You are going to have some crazy experiences - and you just have to laugh at them.  Don't take anything too seriously.  (If you'd like to hear some of my crazy stories visit  http://papes2dr.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-exodus-singing-or-sighing.html ) 9. Work and Play Hard.  When it's time to work, we work hard!  But our kids know when it's time to play that they have our undivided attention and we're going to have fun.  Whether it's playing Clue in the dark or skiing - we are going to have all the fun we can and enjoy our family. 10. Meet up with other missionaries when you can. This helps keep me to stay encouraged (as long as we're following tip #7).  It's such a blessing to be around others who understand us!  We love sharing our funny stories and encouraging each other in the Lord.   11. Don't go to pieces over your weight. Walk, run, watch your carbs...do what you can; but at the end of the day, don't let that be what Satan uses to make you hate deputation. 12. Keep a journal. I love looking back in my journal and reading the funny stories and also how God delivered us out of different trials! 13.  Collect ideas  - you will be running a church one day. 14.  Listen to veteran missionaries. I love talking to missionaries who have already done what I'm praying the Lord will do through us.  They have sooo much wisdom and advice.  I have befriended several of these ladies and email them.  I think it encourages them as much as it blesses me. 15. Give yourself to others. Love the church you're in, and give your heart to the people.  Don't be afraid to make friends.  My children and I cry many times when we leave churches, but we've made real friends along the way. 16.  Do anything you can to stay out of a rut! Get creative and try to stay out of a rut.  We try to "Taste" all the States and places we visit.  We try to visit something interesting where we are, we hike, collect rocks, takes pictures.  We buy new board games...   Constantly be looking for something fun, interesting, and new to do. 17.  Have something you're learning. Have something you're working on to keep your mind from getting bored.  I'm working at piano, graphics design, and baking/cooking from scratch.  Becca is learning the accordion, how to cook, how to sew.  Brian is learning the guitar and how to work on cars.  Jonathan is learning the ukulele, mandolin, and mechanical skills.  Steven is learning how to read, put Legos together, and clean.  My husband is studying the history of the DR and learning Spanish. 18.  Catalog your journey in pictures. On New Years' Eve last year, I made a slide show movie of our entire year!  It was 45 min. long and had comments and music in it.  What  a great way to kick of the New Year counting our blessings and getting excited about the new adventures that lie ahead! We were amazed at the incredible journey we made and all the people we met!  We plan on doing this every year. 19.  Read good books, listen to sermons, and collect good music. Deputation gives ample opportunity for these, and they will be an encouragement to us. 20. Be sensitive to your kids' needs. Keep close to your children; sense what their needs are and adjust accordingly.  Maybe the kids are too tired to go out to eat after having been in church for 21 days straight!   We watch our kids and take cues from them.  Sometimes Chad will leave us home (RV) while he goes out to eat  if the kids are needing a break from people.  Happy children make deputation a whole lot more fun!     These are just some things that have been a help to our family.  I hope that you will add some ideas too!  I would love to hear what you're doing to keep deputation fun and exciting! Guest post written by Cynthia Pape, missionary to the Dominican Republic.  You can read about their adventures here.

Psalm 127:1

All About Perspective

Have you ever revisited a place as an adult that you visited as a child?  Things are not quite the same as you remembered them.  As a child, everything seemed so big; but as an adult, everything is not quite as big as you remembered it to be.  It was all about your perspective! 

Recently, I turned thirty-eight.  I was not thinking of myself as being old.  My five-year-old daughter came to me and said, “Mom, you must be getting close to 101!”  To a five-year-old, thirty-eight seems light years away!  As a child, I remember thinking that forty was old.  Now that I am almost upon it, it does not seem old at all.

My daughter has been asking what certain words mean.  They have been very random words – compassion, concerned, survive, obstinate, servant, etc.  One day, she asked what “confused” meant.  I told her that it meant to be mixed up or to not understand something.  She said, “Oh, so it is not understanding technology!” I am not sure where that came from; she definitely had a different perspective!

Our children went back to school this week.  While they were on summer break, the children played outside a lot.  The other day, the boys were gathering sticks to make a fire.  I am not sure what it is about boys and fire. (I was scared to death of matches as a child.  Lighting a gas stove took some getting used to!  I actually had to practice lighting a match. It is still not my favorite thing to do; I love Aim-a-Flames!)  The boys are not allowed to light matches on their own, but they look for any reason they can find to be able to light a match.  Anyway, they came in the other day after they had been gathering sticks.  Gilbert told us, “That is hard work!”  Danny told us of his method for chopping sticks.  He said, “You chop on it for a little while; then, you sit on it to break it the rest of the way!”  I guess there is more than one way to break a stick!

At times, I find myself frowning upon another person’s perspective.  But, just as we are entitled to our own opinions, we all have our own perspective.  Looking at things through a child’s eyes will definitely change one’s perspective!

If you have a story that you would like to share with us, please e-mail it to me at lo@consfords.com. Please include the name of each family member, your field of service, and a picture of your family if possible.

Until next week, keep your sunny side up!

Burn Out

Whether you are a missionary on deputation, on furlough, or on the field, your life is busy. (Maybe that is an understatement.)

I remember one furlough. The children were both school age, and we had scheduled five missions conferences, one after the other, in several different states. The only “free time” was the necessary time on the road. By the fifth conference, I was very sick. We had been trying to keep up with homeschooling. (Maybe we should call it “van-schooling.” I was trying to teach backwards while rolling down the highway. My husband joked that he understood sixth grade math very well!) We arrived at the final conference after two full days of travel, on time and ready for anything—or so I thought.

I had no voice. We enjoyed a beautiful kick-off banquet in the gym and went into the church for the evening service. The pastor asked from the pulpit, “Sister Keiser, do you sing?” (They tell you a missionary is supposed to be able to “preach, pray, or die” at any time, but I think they should add “sing, teach, play the piano, and homeschool.”) I’m no soloist, so I replied, “I sing with the family.” Within minutes, our family quartet was on stage and belting out a missions song in both English and Spanish—well, most of us, since I couldn't sing any better than I could talk. Our daughter sang lead; so all was semi-okay. Near the end of that service, the pastor announced, “Tomorrow night, Sister Keiser will be teaching our ladies.”

When the ladies gathered in the appointed space, I realized for the first time that the “ladies” were from age three to ninety-three! Okay, be flexible. Think on your feet. How can you include the little ones? Plus, I still had no voice. I prayed one of my really profound prayers,

                                                                                                             “Lord, HELP!!!!”

He did, and I was blessed, even if no one else was. Even the little kids listened well, and we got through it. “Thank you, Lord!”

At our next destination, I crashed—emotionally, physically, you name it—crashed! I was not worth anything for about 24 hours. I felt as though I had been run over by a truck—an eighteen-wheeler—several times.

I have always questioned some of the missions songs we sing. For example, “Let me burn out for Thee, dear Lord,
Burn and wear out for Thee.
Don’t let me rust . . .
Until I burn out for Thee.”*

Does God really want us to wear out, burn out, and ultimately completely crash out? Are we supposed to serve and serve and serve and not have time to think, pray, meditate, and get close to the Lord? Are we really meant to hit our mission field running and keep running until we cannot run? What about our husband, children, family times?

Tough, isn’t it?

We have the biblical answer in one of my favorite passages, Luke 10:38-40. It is the well-known story of Jesus in the home of Mary and Martha. Martha cooked and complained, and Mary sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word (verse 39b). Jesus called Mary’s choice that good part, which shall not be taken away from her (verse 42b).

Jesus also said, one thing is needful (verse 42a).

Think of it: both Mary and Martha had the opportunity to hear the Word of God, in person, from the mouth of their Messiah! Mary took that opportunity while Martha banged around in the kitchen, huffing and puffing about how Mary was not helping.

Jesus said one thing was needful. He did not say that it wasn't important to have dinner. He did not criticize Martha’s making a good meal. He said that His Word was most needful.

You have the demands of husband, children, homeschooling, Sunday school class, young people’s activities, and women’s meetings. You clean the church, pass out tracts, and try to keep your house in a semblance of order. You entertain guests and cook “from scratch.” You feed groups of hungry young people, organize, and plan. You do laundry for your large family and any guests you may have. You might be your husband’s secretary and write prayer letters . . . . Are we tired yet?

We have the Word of God at our fingertips. It isn't exactly the same as having Jesus in your living room, but it is still His Word, Person to person, just as it was with Mary and Martha. It is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). The Bible is a living book. It ministers to your soul. God actually speaks in Person to you.

Are you taking the time to sit at Jesus’ feet? Are you listening to Him? Are you worshiping Him? Are you pouring your heart out in prayer?

“Oh, Sister,” you might say, “I am a missionary. Why are you writing this to me?”

I am a missionary, too. I understand the effort it takes to have a daily time with the Lord, especially when the kids are small and you are homeschooling. You have to “make” time to get to know God. Then, you really enjoy sitting at His feet. You become like Mary.

Wherewithal shall a young man (or missionary woman of any age) cleanse his (her) way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes. With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word (Psalm 119:9-16).

May we all choose that good part. It will not be taken away from us.

____________________________

*I realize that this song also holds lots of good doctrine and true missionary zeal. I only have problems with the idea of burning out. You never see that in the Bible.

Prayer Request - Please Read & Pray

Have you ever been persecuted for your faith?  Do you know anyone who has faced persecution?  I have heard many people talk about having a "door slammed in their face," while on visitation, and being sworn at or having someone take a tract and throw it on the ground, and these instances being given as examples of persecution.  I don't consider any of these scenarios persecution.  These are examples of unsaved people being antagonistic toward the Gospel. 

persecute:  to harass or punish in a manner designed to injure, grieve, or afflict; specifically: to cause to suffer because of belief

There is a believer in India who is heavy on our hearts right now.  Because of the situation, I am not giving many specifics or details.  We are just asking our friends and supporters to pray.

 There is a person who has been attending one of our churches for a while.  This person is the only Christian in their strong Hindu family.  The family is violently opposed to Christianity.  Recently, this person decided, after much prayer and counsel, that they were ready to take a public stand for Christ.  This person had told us that when they returned to their home, they wanted to share the Gospel with their family, fully knowing that there would be consequences.  We learned today that there have been consequences.  The family confiscated the Bible and phone of this believer.  They won't allow this believer to contact any of their Christian friends, and are trying to force this person to marry a high caste Hindu.  Brian was able to talk to this person briefly on the phone.  This believer told him that they are living in a nightmare, with no escape in sight.  They are a prisoner in their own home, because they took a stand for Christ. 

 Please pray for this believer in Christ, who is suffering real persecution at the hands of their family members.  Our hearts are heavy as we are not able to contact or correspond with this person at this time. Please pray with us that God would send strength and deliverance.

From fellow missionary wife Angela Pratt, you can follow her blog here.  http://angelaindia.blogspot.com.au/

Not What I Expected

We researched. We sought counsel. We read books, watched documentaries, and took a survey trip. We had ideas, pictures, and plans. We thought we had an idea of what to expect. Boy were we way off on some things!

Breakfast Time: Egg Cups with Your Choice of Additions

Well, September 1st hit, and my internal click switched to Fall!
With Fall comes back-to-school time....
And with back-to-school time comes the need for quick, tasty, filling breakfasts.
I have a growing family, and making sure they aren't begging for snacks at 10 o'clock every morning is important!
I have about 6 or 7 different recipes I use regularly, but I've just found a new one that we all love: egg cups!
I first saw variations of this recipe on Pinterest ~ which can sometimes be helpful in the recipe department and sometimes not so much ~ but I ignored it because I didn't think I could make it work for us here.
We've just recently found a good source of bacon, but it is super-thick cut and takes a long time to cook. A few weeks ago, though, my hubby had to go to the capital to do paperwork and he brought back a treat ~ very thinly-sliced Serrano ham!
That made me start thinking about the recipe again, and I decided to give it a go.
So glad I did ~ we all loved these!

The recipe is fairly loose and can be done lots of different ways....that's the beauty of it!

Egg Cups

raw eggs
fat for greasing  muffin tin

add-ins:
one piece of thinly-sliced meat for each cup you plan to do
cheese, your choice
black pepper
fresh herbs, diced
any topping you think would taste nice with what you've put together!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Grease muffin tin with fat of choice.
If using meat, line cups with meat, trying to cover as much of cup as possible.
Cook for 5 minutes.
Remove from oven, sprinkle in cheese (if using), and crack one egg into each cup.
Add pepper or herbs of choice and bake for 10-15 minutes depending on desired doneness.
Garnish with any fresh toppings you wish, such as salsa or sour cream.

Enjoy!

* One caveat ~ these taste best hot and fresh so you wouldn't want to make a lot extra, but.......
we had one left over the other day and I ate it this morning. It was still quite tasty!

Image source

Isaiah 26:3