Reflecting

I have spent the last few days ( and will probably continue for the next few as well ) thinking about how quickly time flies by.

Tomorrow is Emma's 2nd birthday, and I know I have said it before, but I am still having a hard time getting my brain around the fact that it is August, I have a 2 year old and I am not pregnant, nor do I have a new born.

I have no regrets about the decision to be "finished" having children, in all honesty, the thought of having more is quite overwhelming. (kudos to all those who are in the 5+ range!) Yet there is something strange about everything you have known for the past 9 years changing.

We a moving from:

- grunts and points to words and conversations

- diapers to panties (slowly)

- baby toys to big girl thing

- "months" to "T's"

- Play time is more interactive.

There are probably sooooo many other things that will be different, and I don't even realize it yet. Enjoy my walk down memory lane with these pictures from now and then.

Maternity pictures

In the Hospital.... days old

Two year old Sarah & Baby Emma

(I think Sarah had more hair than Emma does now)

Their first Group shot!

Emma Naomi Forester

My blue eyed baby today.

Recent Pictures

I took some pictures of a friend and while I had my "stuff" out I took these shots of the girls. I Have to say, Emma has become quite a camera hog, I couldn't get her to take many pictures with her sisters.

Makin' History

Yesterday I think we made history in the Forester household!!

Kent has been wanting to go see a baseball game down in Roundrock for a while, and yesterday he and his buddy realized that Tuesday night was the last home game, so if they were going to go they had to go THAT night. Normally a spur of the moment outing is fine with me (especially if I don't have to go). I smile and say "Have fun!".

What makes last night so special is that Tuesday nights are my ladies night with some friends from life group, and Kent remembered. He just decided that if he wanted to go he would have to take all of the girls. He didn't even ask if Emma could stay behind, even after his friend tried to find a baby sitter for her.

We are crossing into new territory where Kent is willing and all the girls are able to go with Daddy for long periods of time. I don't think there has ever been a time where Kent has taken all the children and I wasn't pregnant.

When they left at 5:00pm I didn't know what to do with myself. The house was empty, I was alone and I didn't have to be anywhere until 7:30. I went to Sam's, wonderful, no crying, no I want's..... I couldn't believe it! When I went to Walmart after my ladies night, the experience was the same. I may even start doing ALL my grocery shopping on Tuesday nights it was so wonderful, not to mention WAAAAAY cooler.

Lord Jesus, thank you for growing children! Even though I am sad to see this season end, I am eagerly looking forward to what you have in store for us in the next stage of life!! Help me to focus on what you have before me, today. I don't want to waste today by missing the past or fearing the future.

It's the little things....

Have you ever had something that you really wanted but just couldn't (or wouldn't) spend money to get it? I have had countless little things that I really wanted, but for what ever reason I couldn't get them, and yet they still ended up in my possession. You know the type of "things" I mean, the small, petty ones that you really don't even pray about cause they are too small or you think that it is selfish.

It's those type of "things" that mean the most when you receive them and help you remember that our God, who created the Universe, cares about you and the things you want. For example:

When I was pregnant with Mekala, I was craving lasagna, but we were so "poor" that I couldn't buy any. However I received a phone call from a friend and he began to tell me how he and his wife had hosted a meeting and how there was all this food left over and how they were going out of town....... (can you guess where this is going?) and he asked if we would be interested in taking his left over lasagna. Yes lasagna.

That was the first time I remember being blessed with some of the little things in life.

The most recent blessing came in a different form (sorta).

I have memories of movie night and air popped popcorn. I have no idea how often we popped popcorn, but I remember being fascinated by the process. Now a days by popping in the microwave you loose the "magic" of popcorn. So guess what I have always wanted:

A popcorn maker. Guess what I just got.

A popcorn maker. A way cool, watch it pop, eat it hot and crispy, choose your own flavors popcorn maker. This cool "thing" was given to me (us) by another family in our life group. It has been well used and much loved, and I think it will find it's new home very enjoyable.

God is awesome!!!! I have so many more faith building "things" that God has given me over the years, but I won't bore you with all of them. Just remember:

"Search me, O God, and know my heart." Ps 139:23

"How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!!" Ps 139:17

"If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" Matt 7:11

I'm not a bible scholar, but in my humble opinion, I think that God searches our heart in more ways than one, thinks about us a million times and "plots" the best way to bless us and then he gives us the little "things" that he finds us wanting. Because he IS our Father and he loves us and wants to give us good gifts. And just like any parent, it is fun to give your kids surprises and gifts that you know they want, but they haven't asked you for.

Jesus, thank you for being a generous, giving Father. Thank you for seeing the little "things" and choosing to bless us with them. For spoiling us and helping us find joy in the simple. You are wonderful and I am proud to call you Daddy.

A New Family Tradition

We love ice cream! Our favorite "treat" is to go out and get ice cream cones from places. Every trip, every family night, usually has ice cream involved some where. Some times we make a Walmart run and bring home the good stuff.

This weekend we made a fun discovery. When you buy a half gallon of Braums it is sooooo much cheaper than buying every one their own. An in all honesty it is way more fun, and I think that every family should try it at least once.

Lord thank you for "Family Fun Nights", ice cream, and six spoons. I love that we have so much fun!! Thank you for cheep, creative ways to have fun! May we always be able to find fun ways to have family nights no matter where your plans take us.

The Lake

We were blessed with a wonderful relaxing weekend at the lake. This was our first "trip" in several years as a family, that was just for fun and didn't involve seeing grandparents.

The Girls rode a giant Shamu, went tubing, cliff jumping, rode see-doos and when on a boat for the first time ever! We had a blast!!

Treasue Hunt

To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by the same Spirit. I Corinthians 12:8 Cathedral in Plaza de Armas

After staying in Lamay for a week, we traveled back to Cusco for the remaining week. Due to a lack of permits, we weren't able to perform our drama, so we had to take a different approach.

One morning we started what we call a "treasure hunt". With the idea that God treasures people, we would pray and wait for the Lord to give us a name, picture, place (aka hints) to find God's treasures. These are basically words of knowledge, specific things about people. After we had our "clues" we would hit the street an start meeting people. It is amazing how much more receptive people are when you tell them that God gave you their name that morning. (Maybe He give you their name because they are ripe for the harvest.... who knows.)

Festival of Cusco in the Plaza
(Look at all those people!!)

So on this morning we had waited on the Lord, and had started making a list. After a while Mekala says that she felt like God had given her two names, Patty and Alexander. She is only eight, so I wasn't sure if it was authentic, or if she just wanted to be a part of what we were doing. But we added them to the list along with Dora, Maria, Maybel and some one had a picture of a little boy who couldn't walk, some one else had a picture of a woman in a white jacket who had a heart problem...... there were several clues on the list.

We spent a lot of our hunting time at the Plaza de Armas there in Cusco. And as the next few day progressed we began to hear testimonies of people finding some of the clues on our list. One of them was PATTY, she was the daughter of the hotel owner, MARIA. Maria was new believer, had just gotten a bible the week before we arrived at her hotel. Maria's daughter Patty lived in another city and was going through a hard time. Some of out team was able to pray with Maria, and this was a huge encouragement to her.

The woman in the white jacket worked part-time in Maria's hotel we only saw her once or twice the week we were there. We prayed with her as well. Later we asked Maria how she was doing, her response..... "She is fine, you prayed for both of us, my daughter is much better, so I know that she is fine too." (or something like that, it was in Spanish, and it was a long time ago... but that was the general idea.)

Bembos, the local McDonald's

Remember Alexander, Mekala's other name..... well someone found him too. He worked for the orphanage and was in the Plaza trying to collect money. Our team talked to him and asked him if he knew Jesus. He said that he had, but he had done so many bad things since, that he didn't think that he could know him again. (This is why the Treasure hunt is so cool) They told him how we had prayed and how God had given us his name and he broke down weeping. They told him about God's love and forgiveness and I believe that his life was changed.

If we hadn't waited on the Lord to find out who His "treasures" were, all these people would have been missed. We might have asked how they were doing, and made small talk, but nothing life changing would have come from the conversation. However, when you have a name(s) that you are looking for conversations are different, they are more purposeful. When you meet someone on your "list", you get excited because you know that God has something special He wants to do for them. You don't beat around the bush, you jump right to the point and awesome things happen!

Thank you Lord that you know everyone, down to the number of hairs on their head. And that you Love each on so much that you would send people out looking for them, like the Shepard and his one lost sheep. Thank you for letting us be a part of restoring your flock!

Share the Warmth

More Peru updates.....

While staying in Lamay, one of the ways we shared the Love of Jesus was by giving away blankets. We had budgeted $ for Machu Picchu but decided that it was too expensive, so we used the money to purchase 200 blankets. We went to two different villages. While we were there we played games with the children, preformed our drama, shared the Gospel, prayed for the sick AND give blankets to the children.

Right now in Peru, it is winter, and these villages are so high up (13,000 ft-14,000 ft) that at night children who don't have blankets can freeze to death. Most of the children we saw had redish/purple cheeks from the cold and wind.

Pastor Willy, the pastor we were working with said that it was a very good possibility that in some of those villages, it was the first time that the Gospel has ever been preached!!

Acts 13:7 For this is what the Lord has commanded us: "I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth."

Jesus, Thank you for sending us to the "end of the earth"! What an opportunity to share the Gospel with people who have never heard before!! I am humbled by this calling.

The Flowers

The other day my sweet husband brought me flowers. After he had been home for a while, Sarah asked : "Why do you always bring Momma flowers?"

His response to her was, "Cause I love her very much!" Then turning to me he said, "Did you hear that, she wanted to know why I ALWAYS bring Momma flowers."

To which I responded, "No, she wants to know why you always bring MOMMA flowers."

We may never the true motive behind the question, but it does open my eyes to the needs of my precious girls. A need to feel, and know that they are loved and accepted.

Lord, Help us to know exactly how to show love to our girls. To do our best to be a reflection of you and your love for them. May they never feel empty and search for love and acceptance in others. Protect their hearts.

Back in the Saddle Again!

Well after two weeks in Peru, a week traveling to see all our family and a week at home recovering from "vacation" I finally feel like I have the energy and creative capacity to blog again.

Most likely the next several entries will be stories from our Peru trip. Maybe I will have a few funny stories mixed in, you never know. Emma starts potty training next week.......

I guess I will start at the beginning of the trip and go from there.

We spent the first week in a little town called Lamay working with a pastor from Cusco. There were maybe 3000 people that lived there. Every town, large or small, has at least one Plaza where every one hangs out after dinner, so that is where we preformed our drama and did our first outreach.

The turn out wasn't huge, but the results were big. Despite the language barrier, were were able to pray for several people for healing. After most prayers trying to ask if they still felt pain was hard (especially if all the medical Spanish you know is, "abre la boca" open your mouth.) but there were a few times when the answer was obvious.

A few of my team members prayed with a man who suffered from chronic headaches and back pain. I was standing to the side watching them pray, and when they asked him if he still had pain he shook his head. Not to answer "yes" or "no", but to check for pain. There was none. He started thanking them and hugging them, and all the while they were telling him how much Jesus loved him. When they were finished talking, and he was walking away, he was still shaking his head in amazement.

The pain wasn't there and he was dumbfounded by that. There were several people who were saved that night as well. It was a great way to kick off our outreach.

Luke 10:9 "HEAL the sick who are there and tell them, "The kingdom of God is near you"."

Lord, thank you for pouring out your spirit on the town of Lamay. Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to serve and pray for the city. May you continue to draw the people unto you and into the church.