Too Funny

Sometimes there are pictures that are just too good not to share! These are a couple of my favorites from our 2008 holidays. The top picture is one Bee snapped at the Dai Loc orphanage party. Tony is with one of the staff there--you can guess, Bee is not accustomed to tall people being in a picture! The bottom picture is Jillian with "Santa Bee." White beard down the front, long black hair down the back, sun glasses and high heeled shoes--I love it!

Happy New Year to all! Praise God for every new day to know, love, and serve Him!

Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

Celebrating the Uniqueness of One

(From Dai Loc) Top, down: Decorating the tree; a new sweater; feasting; cheers!

Hello, all--

Before we are totally out of the "holiday season" I wanted to at least begin a report of some of our Christmas activities. In the midst of all the Brewer birthdays, we were able to directly participate in three celebrations here in Vietnam (our helpers in other countries took care of Christmas celebrations in their locations). We hosted two parties in Tien Phuoc (pronounced "tin fook"), a rural region about 3 hours from Danang where jobs are scarce and poverty is rampant. The "human services" director for that area invited 200 children and their families for two parties on the morning of Dec. 21. Since Christmas celebrations are new to this area, it was requested that only Vietnamese attend, so our family helped with the shopping, preparing gift baskets, and loading the van. Then we sent Duc, Linh and Bee to deliver the message and host the parties. Our neighbor, Mrs. Bo, also went to take it all in.

For most of two days, our kitchen looked like a warehouse. We prepared "baskets" in kitchen collanders with some items that these families rarely see: soy sauce, fish sauce, a good quality food seasoning, candy, a small cake, and a toy. We wrapped each basket in plastic for delivery. What a production line we had going! All the girls helped, with Jillian staying with it from start to finish. I couldn't help but smile to hear Elizabeth call out from her work station, "Soy! I need some soy here!" Linh and I handled the plastic wrapping. With more than 200 baskets prepared, we boxed and bagged them in groups of five to keep an easy count for delivery.

Thankfully, Tony found a van driver who agreed to come Saturday night and load the gifts. Because of the distance to Tien Phuoc, the group had to leave our house at 6 am Sunday morning! So we gathered at about 5:30 am in our living room for joyous sharing. The Vietnamese like the Santa suit, although most do not know the stories of St. Nicholas. Duc had purchased a suit last year and brought it along--so, Bee played the role. I told Duc about the man Nicholas, who was known for his love and care for poor children and those who earned their living on the sea--which people here can definitely relate to. Duc shared this information with the children, pointing out that Nicholas realized that each person is created with special gifts and abilities that they can use to be a blessing to this world. Small beginnings...but a beginning, nonetheless!

After the two morning parties at Tien Phuoc, the van returned to our house and we left again at 1pm for a party at the Dai Loc orphanage. In addition to the Vietnamese team and our family, a family from New Zealand (Jillian's friend) came with a teacher-friend, plus four new friends from our bank here (all Vietnamese). Yen opened our bank accounts and has shown much interest in doing something to help children. So, we were a group of 19 with about 60 gifts, travelling by 16-passenger van and two motorbikes. Thankfully, the Lord gave us a beautiful day (incidentally, the last sunny day we have seen).Our friends from New Zealand, Kerri and Russell, provided a small Christmas tree, and prepared craft materials for the children to make ornaments. What a joyous celebration! The meeting room at the orphanage stayed abuzz with chatter, laughter, squeals, and playful activity. The kids used every scrap of material--filling the tree, and decorating the walls and windows. Then we played games. Musical chairs was a big hit! What a noisy, happy time as the children scrambled for a chair. They loved it. Then the younger children (age 8 and under) played "Duck, Duck, Goose" while the older kids played another "rowdy" game. After the games, we gathered back in the meeting room, and I had the opportunity to talk about the Christmas tree and the ornaments on it--we had angels, stars, balls, snowflakes, and bells. These provided a way to talk about our Christmas celebration. Next, it was time for gifts. Two of the orphanage staff had come to Danang several days earlier to accompany Linh and me to the market to purchase warm jackets, sweaters, and a toy for the kids. So, each child had items "hand-picked" for them. You could tell by their excitement how much joy they received along with their present. We also presented the eleven staff members with a gift of warm houseshoes.

We ended our time with a feast. Bee had planned the menu. We had shopped together for the food, which Bee and our girls had delivered the day before by taxi (Dai Loc is only about 45 minutes from Danang). During the party, Bee and the staff were busy slicing, dicing and cooking. What a great meal: soup, pork, beef, shrimp, fish, sticky rice, soda...the kids ate and ate! Throughout the meal, each table would spontaneously count "Mot! Hai! Ba!" ("moat, high, baa"--"One! Two! Three!") and raise their glasses in a toast, followed by peals of deep, unhibited laughter.The spirit of the day was present in love, joy, and hope.

We returned home about 7:30 that night. What a glorious day!

Grace and peace!

Birthdays

Hello, all--

I wanted to share a little about the birthday celebrations at our house. Jilllian turned 10 on Dec. 9; Faith and Joy were 6 on the 16th; and Elizabeth was 7 on the 18th. This is the first year that Elizabeth has had a party all to herself. She thoroughly enjoyed it. But more about that later.

Jillian had two friends over for her party. They are sisters. Olivia is 11 and Lucia is 9. They are from New Zealand. Their dad works for a bank here and their mother homeschools them. Jillian wanted a "cooking party", so we selected foods to represent each continent of the world. Our menu: Pasta habanero-Europe; Chips and Salsa-South America; candy bar cake-North America; spring rolls-Asia; fruit salad-Africa; banana rolls-Australia; ice cream-Antarctica. The girls washed, sliced, diced and cooked everything. We gave each cook a bib apron and wisk. The food they prepared was our supper, and we invited a few extra adults--the Bos, Duc and Linh, and Dawn, a gal who is here teaching English and who leads the children's class at our church. Jillian said it was her best birthday party ever--the girls enjoyed every minute of cooking. The gift Jillian really wanted was a guitar, so now we have lots of strumming in the house.

For the twins, we invited some children to the house for cake and ice cream, and then took the group to the Big C center to watch the movie "Madagascar 2." Our girls had seen it, but they enjoyed it just as much as the first time, maybe more, since they were looking forward to their favorite parts. We gave Faith and Joy small scooters that they sit on to ride. They love them! They have played and played with them, offering their sisters "taxi rides" on the back. Their cake was decorated with their favorite candy: M&Ms.

Elizabeth chose a puppy theme for her party. We played "Put the Puppy in the Doghouse" (like "Pin the Tail on the Donkey") and had a "Puppy Chow" eating contest. They ate cereal from their dish without the use of their hands. Elizabeth won, with Faith a close second. The kids made puppy ear headbands and dog collars. The cake was...what else? Cut to the shape of a dog bone. We had a lot of fun. Elizabeth had been praying for a guitar, so how could we do anything else. Like I said, lots of strumming going on around here.

Birthday parties were easier this year. People are not so busy during Christmas-time here as in the US. Also, we could have the parties right after school during the week, so we didn't have to try 3 different weekends. I am becoming well-acquainted with the toaster oven, having baked four cakes over the last 10 days--the twins got 2 cakes--one for the party on Saturday, and one with the family on Tuesday (their "official" birthday).I can hardly believe how everyone is growing up. Jillian is 10! And our "babies" are 6! It hardly seems possible.

One of the sweetest moments was after the last party. Joy came to me with a very serious face: "What about Anna Mei, Mommy? When do we sing "Happy Birthday" to Anna Mei?" I assured her that Anna Mei is not forgotten.

I pray that my heart will remain tender and caring like that--to take notice if someone is left out, to want celebration shared, to be aware of others even in the midst of my own happiness.

Grace and peace!

Ask (or not) and you shall receive

Top: Joy (left) and Faith (right)

Bottom: Me in the jacket from Bee.

Hello, all--

I hope you are having a blessed holiday season. Four of our daughters have December birthdays within a span of 9 days, so it has been a busy time. I will share about their celebrations after the final party, which is Thursday afternoon. I am so thankful for our toaster oven--after baking four cakes, I am getting quite comfortable with it.

I am not making light of the Biblical directive to "ask and you shall receive." But today I was reminded again of God's goodness to surprise us with expressions of kindness when we do not expect it.

I think I mentioned that after my first trip to the tailor I was thinking about having a jacket made. Because of the mixed results with Vietnam tailoring, I hesitated to spend the money for fabric and labor to have it done. So, as the weather has cooled considerably, I have turned to the only "warm" clothes I brought--three long-sleeved tops. Jillian bought me a large woven scarf that I wear as a shawl, but I had still been wishing I had taken a chance on the tailor.

This morning, Bee arrived for work as usual. Grinning from ear to ear, she gave me her Christmas present--a silky, tan colored jacket. It is just right! I was amazed. What a precious reminder that the Lord sees everything, and knows the thoughts of our hearts.

Later, as we started school, it was Faith's turn to be the "Prayer Leader." Her job was to ask for prayer requests and then lead us in lifting the prayers to the throne. Faith loves to pray. She is always one who reminds everyone at meals that it is time to give thanks. Often, she has asked her dad if she can say the prayer. Still, I was quite surprised today. Joy was the last person she called on for a request. Joy was more quiet than usual. Faith said, "Are you sick, Joy?" Then, without any hesitation, she walked over to Joy, put her hands on Joy's head and prayed, asking God to make Joy feel better. After she finished, she walked around the room, putting her hands on each of her sisters as she prayed for their requests. I was amazed, touched, and inspired, all at the same time. It made today all the more special...it is Faith and Joy's 6th birthday.

Charles Dickens wrote, "It is no small thing when those who are so fresh from God love us." The prophet Isaiah wrote, "...a little child shall lead them." Today, I feel that I understand a little better the depth and truth of these messages.

Grace and peace!

Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room

Joy prepares her first Christmas cookie of the season!

Hello, all--

As you may recall, about three weeks ago I was invited to preach at the international church here. With the Advent season starting the next week, the phrase kept repeating in my mind "Let every heart prepare Him room...." Here is an abridge version of the message. If you choose to read it, I hope the Holy Spirit uses it in some way in your life.

When I was very young, our church did not celebrate Advent. Our Christmas preparations and celebrations all focused upon the manger. As an adult, I have felt drawn to a time of preparation in my own heart. Calendars are useful for marking time and for relating the events of the past with the present and future. So, each year, with the coming of the Advent season, I am drawn again into God's story and I find myself on the road to Bethlehem.

You see, before a young Jewish couple could search for a place with room for the infant Son of God to be born, God Himself had to search for a heart with room to bear this most precious and awesome gift. He did not choose a woman wise from experience or revered by the community. Instead, He looked to a young girl, engaged to be married, a lowly bondservant, by her own estimation. Human nature being what it is, we are often people of extremes. Some venerate and hold Mary up to the point of making her God. Others shy away from her. Yet there she is…popping up throughout the pages of the New Testament.

From the angelic announcement of her destiny, to the visit with Elizabeth, to the birth of Jesus, his childhood trip to the temple, his life, ministry, death and resurrection—Mary is there. She is involved in Jesus’ first public miracle: turning the water to wine at wedding in Cana. And we find her at Pentecost in the Upper Room, receiving the promise of the Holy Spirit. I like to think of her as the 13th disciple.

So, what can we learn from this young woman-girl, chosen to be called “Mother” by Jesus? God found room in her heart to play a pivotal role in history.
One passage that tells us so much about Mary’s heart is her song of praise when she went to visit her cousin, Elizabeth. Mary had recently been visited by the angel Gabriel who told her of God’s plan that she would bear His Son. Elizabeth herself was miraculously expecting a child—John the Baptist. You know the story—Elizabeth’s child leaps in her womb at the sound of Mary’s voice and Elizabeth recognizes the work of God in Mary’s life. Mary responds with what has become known as “The Magnificat”—a hymn of exaltation and rejoicing at the works of God.
The passage is found in Luke 1:46-55, a remarkable song. Let's look at the passage in three main parts: Praise, Purpose and Perspective.

First, Praise. Mary’s first words are full of adoration. “My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.” At the first opportunity this young girl has to share the wondrous miracle that is taking place in her life, words of praise tumble from her mouth like water released from an open dam. You almost get a sense of gushing here, like she has just been waiting to express the joy of her heart with someone who can receive it and share it. I can relate to that feeling. At the time Tony and I were dating, my mother was very dependent upon me. We actually became engaged on the phone. Hmmm...when was it? Tuesday, July 15, 1986, 9:20 am. Now it’s a story for another time, but I might say that Tony and I had met 7 years earlier. And we had lost contact for 3 years. And then God brought him to teach at a school operated by the church where I was on staff. And almost 2 years after that, we began to date. So I was a little….well, okay, deliriously happy about our engagement. However, I knew that my mother could not share my joy. For her, it meant the loss of income and companionship. So she was not the first person I told about the engagement. Instead, I waited until I could visit a motherly-type woman in our church. When I got to her house, I spilled the news in a flood of excitement. I wanted the first person I told to be someone who would be happy with me.

“My soul exalts the Lord and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.” In these two words, “soul” and “spirit”, this verse captures the full meanings of the Greek and Hebrew words that encompass the whole of the mind, will, emotions, disposition and personality. A phrase that most closely expresses their meaning is “heart-life.” It also gives us the key to the Scripture’s admonition to “rejoice in the Lord always” (Phil. 4:4). A heart that exalts the Lord, that focuses on praise, that has eyes turned off of self and on to the worthiness of our great God…that heart will find reason to rejoice. I would say it is impossible to truly lose oneself in adoring the all-loving, all-merciful, all-powerful Savior and not be moved toward rejoicing.

Mary continues…”For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; for behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed. For the Mighty One has done great things for me; and holy is His name.” Did you know that God has regard for you? That he looks upon you with favor and with partiality? Do you know deep in your heart that he has compassion for your situation and circumstances? The word for “humble” here means “cast down in circumstances or in disposition.” No one else may be aware of what the struggles of your heart are, but He is aware. He has regard for you: he sees, he knows, and he is partial to you.

“For behold, from this time on all generations will call me blessed.” I find this to be one of the most interesting statements in this passage. It is most certainly a statement of faith. Think about it. Mary--a young woman, engaged to be married--suddenly turns up pregnant. The Bible tells us that kind-hearted Joseph intended to “put her away quietly.” Saying “yes” to God’s assignment cost Mary dearly in the way people viewed her—people that she loved, trusted, admired. The people in her community probably had several words to describe her, but I doubt that “blessed” was one of them. It’s kind of like being informed that the grand prize you have just won is a free root canal. You may need it. It may benefit you. But there is some pain involved. Yet Mary had spiritual insight. The word blessed means “indwelt by God and thus fully satisfied.” I love that. Listen to it again. To be “blessed” means “to be indwelt by God and thus fully satisfied.” The approval of others pales in comparison. Praise is the backbone of confident hope.

The second section of Mary’s song centers on Purpose. She boldly proclaims the Word of God, quoting directly two verses from the Psalms, and giving a prophetic glimpse of the work of the coming Messiah. There is a feeling here that Mary knows that this monumental event, the coming of the Son of God as a baby, is not about her. It is the fulfillment, the culmination of God’s promises of help, victory and salvation.

“His mercy is upon generation after generation toward those who fear Him,” she begins, quoting Psalm 103:17. “He has done mighty deeds with His arm.” In Hebrew, the arm is a symbol of strength, power, ability, and glory. What imagery for us who know “the rest of the story”—that the Sovereign Lord, full of strength, power, ability and glory-- would willingly stretch His arms the length of a cross to accomplish redemption.

“He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. He has brought down rulers from their thrones, and has exalted those who were humble. He has filled the hungry with good things; and sent away the rich empty-handed.” These prophetic words speak of a Savior who will turn things right—bringing down the proud, all those who trust in themselves as “self-sufficient.” The words here, too, bring to mind Jesus’ statement in the Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

The final section of this passage shows Perspective. Mary perceives a “grand scheme of things.” The Holy Spirit has revealed to her heart that what is occurring is a fulfillment of the ages. What was promised centuries earlier is now coming to pass. Verses 54 and 55 say, “He has given help to Israel His servant, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.” Mary has not lost sight of the fact that He remembers His people. They are a fixture in His mind. All His activities throughout history have a backdrop of His lovingkindness. He has promised, and He will not forget. When you are discouraged, or weary, or disappointed, remember: there is One who is remembering you. He bears you in mind. Always.

So then, even if the framework of Praise, Prophecy and Perspective is helpful for understanding these verses, we are still left with the question: What kind of heart prepares room large enough to embrace a destiny of God’s design? I would suggest five qualities from this passage, that might help us prepare Him room in our hearts this Advent season.

First, Mary had a heart that refused offense, even if offense was understandable and well-grounded. Can’t you imagine the snide remarks, the condemning and knowing looks, the cold shoulder treatment that she must have endured? I have lived a few years now. I am old enough to know that life will offer plenty of opportunities to take offense. I can receive the offense, and let it grow into festering anger, bitterness, disillusionment, self-pity, and envy. Or, I can refuse it. I can give my hurts to my Savior, who understands them so well. When I do, my heart grows a little larger. I have given Him room.

Second, Mary’s heart showed that she had a God-given wisdom to recognize real, lasting, eternal treasures. More than once we read of her in the Scriptures, “Mary treasured these things in her heart.” She refused to be caught up in herself, or her circumstances. Her focus is always outward and upward. When we embrace the call of God with total surrender, we are free to see and experience so many treasures that we would otherwise miss. We “prepare him room” by giving Him full control and by treasuring the fact that He would choose us as His vessels. Our hearts are enlarged by the size of the treasure that we hold.

Third, Mary’s heart was focused on the purposes of God. She was fulfilling her role, but the design was His. Our hearts are large enough to receive Him, and to share Him, when we live with the realization that in ourselves, we are like the grass that is here today and gone tomorrow. But in saying “yes” to every leading of the Holy Spirit, we take our place in history. We become “indwelt by God, and thus fully satisfied.”

Finally, God chose a heart in Mary that could bear the cost. Love costs something. It is willing to extend itself, to bear the hurt, to persevere in the face of sorrow and personal loss. The joy of tenderly cradling a newborn Son would turn to anguish as He was bruised, crushed and despised. There is a price to be paid in following Jesus with a whole heart. Many of you know it well. A financial price in leaving careers, real estate, or lucrative jobs to come to Vietnam. A relational price in leaving family, friends, vibrant church communities. A personal cost in the separation from tradition and culture or in relinquishing our own plans. But in bearing the cost, we prepare Him room, for we must open our hearts to His comfort.

Like Mary, a heart with room for Jesus does not depend on social standing, age, education, or ability. It is realized through joyful surrender and trust. God delights in using for His glory those who are small, insignificant and ill-prepared for ministry according to the measures of the world. Gladys Aylward was born in England around the turn of the 20th Century. Her family was poor, and she had to discontinue her schooling as a girl in order to work as a maid. As a young woman, she received salvation through Jesus, and shortly after learned of the ministry of China Inland Mission. She felt the call of God to go to China. She eventually made it there, only to be rejected by her superiors and sent home to England. Still, her call persisted, and though it took her 10 years of working and saving, she made it back to China. Miraculously, the Lord opened one door after another for her to share the Gospel. From merchants, to villagers, to prisoners to orphans—Gladys rose to every challenge, empowered by the Holy Spirit. For about the next 40 years, Gladys ministered the love of God to people of every age and walk of life. Once called a “foreign devil” by the Chinese, her name became “Ai-wei-deh”, which means “Virtuous One.” At the end of her life, Gladys Aylward wrote these words. They show a voluminous heart.

“My heart is full of praise that one so insignificant, uneducated, and ordinary in every way could be used to His glory for the blessing of His people in poor persecuted China.”

You and I can be like that. We can fulfill our role in God’s plan and design. We can say “yes” to all that God has for us, and trust Him in all that we face. This Advent season, we are all on the way to Bethlehem. It is a time when we can ask the Lord to once again to work in our hearts anew that we might “prepare Him room” in our lives.

Grace and peace!

The Lock

Hello, all--

One of our routines at night or whenever we all leave the house is to lock the gates. Like most Vietnamese families, we use two padlocks, one for the inside of the gate, the other for the outside. the handles of the gate have a half-circle opening so you can put your hand through to unlock the opposite side.

The locks are heavy-duty. I don't know what they weigh, but it is easy to imagine one breaking a toe if it fell from the lock. They are meant to last. Yet I discovered last week that they need periodic attention, or they will not work at all. A few days ago, I was outside (in the rain) trying to unlock the gate for Bee, who was due to arrive any minute. Usually, this takes only a few seconds. But on this day, the key would not turn and release the lock. I jiggled. I wiggled. I pushed, pulled, turned softly, used force, took a deep breath, counted to 10...then 20, walked back inside, came back outside and repeated the whole process. No success. What would I do if the house was on fire, I mused. It was only about 7:20 am, and the man who repairs motorbikes at a store next door was just opening up for business. I used my new Vietnamese phrase, "Can you help me?" It took him about a minute, but he opened the lock.

Later, when Duc was at the house, I showed him the lock and explained the problem. "It needs oil," he said simply. He too the lock next door and came back in only a moment with the lock in hand, dripping with oil. It works fine again.I got to thinking...the lock needs attention to work. I couldn't help but think of situations in my life where I (or others) have locked up long-standing anger, bitterness or resentment. Sometimes we defend it...I can't help it. It's there and I can't do anything about it. When a wound is fresh, that may be true. But I have a fair amount of experience with offenses. In almost 50 years of life, 22 years of marriage, 33 years of ministry, and hundreds of family and friend relationships, offenses have been given and received. I know what it's like to lock them away, and I know the freedom and joy of letting them go and receiving healing.

Here is what I felt the Lord put in my mind about that lock: If you (or I) want to keep anger or resentment locked away, we will have to work at it. Why? Because the Holy Spirit will occasionally pour His oil on the lock to make it open. We will have to remove the lock from His presence and refuse His help to stop His oil from loosening the lock. Periodically, He will come afresh and offer more oil to release those old hurts, and the wrongs we have been unjustly given. Whether or not to receive His help is up to us.While we say we want emotional healing and restoration, often we do not. When you have carried a very heavy bag on your arm for a long time, there is some pain when you first release it. Still, the pain subsides and your journey is much more enjoyable, the possibilities for activity much more inviting--with the baggage gone.

Today, I am asking the Holy Spirit to pour a gallon of oil on any lock that I have in my heart, to insert the key, and open wide the gates that are keeping in things that should have been out long ago.

If you have refused His oil before, do not fret. His love will not let you go. He will return with a new flask. Surrender the lock to Him with complete trust. Freedom awaits!

Grace and peace!

Decking the Halls

Thanksgiving leftovers in our new oven! Yum!

Elizabeth lit the first candle on the Advent wreath. Anna Mei is wearing the extra purple tinsle. :)

Tree assembly. It was night--you can see Tony's motorbike parked behind him in our living room!

The train. Faith's "Little Guy" is in the brown car.

Anna Mei works with the ornaments.

Just finished!

Hello, all--

Hollywood, move over. Danang has a definite shot at becoming a Christmas-time tinsel town! They love the stuff here. Traditional gold and silver tinsel garlands, but many other colors, too--red, green, blue, purple, even pink! All of it thick and shiny with little silver stars and package shapes throughout.We were able to get a tree--artificial, of course. I haven't seen a live evergreen tree here. But every store sells artificial trees of various sizes. One about 5 1/2 feet tall is around $20, but the big ones can go up to $100. Many ornaments look like those you would find packaged at WalMart--shiny, covered with glitter, etc. Thankfully, they are plastic--it would be disaster on all these tile floors.

Jillian and Tony worked together to assemble the tree. Elizabeth jumped in occasionally. Anna Mei was working on ornaments. They do not use hooks here. Each package of ornaments comes with gold or silver thread to tie on each ball. It is very time consuming. I let Anna Mei experience it for a few minutes before I brought out a package of paper clips--much easier to make our own hooks. There are many kinds of tree lights, but all white strands are not very popular. Multi-colored strands are plentiful. The are made to blink, so our tree pulsates with color from top to bottom! We will have to make an angel for the top. Star tree-toppers are common, but there was not an angel to be found anywhere (neither was there anything that directly portrayed the nativity).

Tony surprised us with a battery operated train set. It was a special joy to me. I have always wanted a train to encircle the tree--even when I was little, but we've never had one. Until now. The engine even puts out little puffs of smoke. I never tire of watching it round the track. The girls love it. A variety of tiny bears and other toys have even taken a ride.

While we were decorating, Tony had another surprise. Somewhere in Danang he had found a DVD of the Cedarmont Kids singing Christmas songs. (For those of you who don't know, Cedarmont is a church in Tennessee that has a children's choir that presents professionally done DVD's of songs with costumes, filmed in different locations.) After decorating, we watched a DVD that I ordered long ago and then hid away. It was a presentation by Ballet Magnificat entitled "A Christmas Dream." The ballet used the music from the Nutcracker, but had a story line directly related to salvation in Jesus. It is beautiful. We had hot tea and sweet crackers. It was a nice family evening.

I made an Advent Wreath, using some green and purple tinsle. The girls have enjoyed learning about the prophet's candle this week.

A funny thing today--we have been learning a couple verses of "Silent Night" in school. I have a song visual with the words printed with large pictures. Today Elizabeth was actually reading the words off the page, instead of just singing from memory. I heard her sing, "Round yon Virginian...mother and child...." So sweet and sincere. Too cute.

Jillian and Anna Mei can hardly stay away from the new oven. Yesterday, they mixed up a concoction of eggs, milk, flour and sugar and made their own version of cookies. Today, Tony and I had to go to the bank together and the girls were here with Bee. Their creation today focused on baked mayonnaise. We have had to make a "no cooking" rule when I am not home. Between the oven and the gas stove, too many mishaps can occur. I told them not to fret, though. As soon as I can purchase more flour, butter and sugar, we will make some Christmas cookies. We can't wait.

Speaking of our trip to the bank, a couple interesting things happened (at least to me, they were interesting). First, Tony signed his whole name on one document, instead of first, middle initial and last. The poor teller almost went into a panic. He had to sign with the middle initial 4 times to get our business done. Secondly, most banks here have high stools at the counters for customers to sit in while making transactions with the teller. Tony and I were standing, but I had my hand on the back of the stool. The woman behind us in line was curiously staring at us and she moved in and actually held my hand. I could tell she meant no harm, so I just let her hold it. Still, I chuckled inside myself thinking how uncomfortable this familiarity would seem in an American bank. Service at the bank is rendered according to number. You take a ticket when you enter. There are more than a dozen windows, so numbers being served are above each window, plus a lady announces over a PA system the number being called up. I was pleasantly surprised--I recognized her Vietnamese message with each announcement and knew when our number was called, even before it was posted on the sign. I think Tony was impressed. Ha!

I have the opportunity to lead worship singing at our church for the month of December. Our regular worship leader is going to her home in Australia for several weeks. I am blessed to take part in this avenue of ministry.

Just as I was finishing this message, I received word that the youngest son of my first college roommate was killed in a car accident over the weekend. He was 19. Please pray for this family. It is a terrible tragedy.

May we invest every day in God's kingdom, walking the path He lays before us, that we may have confidence of His presence, care and love in every circumstance.

Grace and peace.

One to Remember

Top: Our Thanksgiving group, minus 2 (Joy is hiding, Duc is the photographer!).

Middle: Our round buffet table. Serving dishes were everywhere!

Bottom: Cakes here are very ornate. The leaves on the flowers are silk, but everything else is edible.

Hello, all--

Thanksgiving 2008 is coming to a close for us. In the US, yours is just beginning. I hope it is as memorable and evident of the Lord's goodness as our celebration here in Vietnam.When I awoke, I could tell the dark shadows of the room were not a product of the early hour. It would be another blustery, wet day. We were planning a traditional Thanksgiving lunch for 16 at 1:00 pm, so I was eager to get started. I had cooked two turkey breasts yesterday in the oven at our pastor's house. When I returned home, Tony surprised me with the purchase of a large toaster oven. So this morning, I was eager to get started. This new addition to the kitchen meant that I would not have to take the pan of stuffing and the broccoli casserole (plus the sliced turkey to warm) back to the pastor's house--a ten minute taxi ride away. Jillian and I were already planning all the things were going to bake now.

So, I hurried out to the kitchen--only to discover that the electricity was off. Ha! Believe it or not, I really did find it humorous. I also found it interesting to think that not so long ago, such a development would have ruined my day. Now, it amused me. I thought of an old song by Bill Gaither, "The World Didn't Give It To Me (And The World Can't Take It Away)".Bee arrived a little after 7. She was bemused by the oven--I don't think she had ever seen one up close. When she looked at the picture on the box with a chicken baking, she was a little more interested. Since there are no windows in the kitchen, we started to work with light from a chargeable electric light that we keep for power outages. I had prepared the broccoli casserole last night, but had to finish the dressing. Bee and Jillian peeled a gazillion potatoes and put them in cold water. Although we kept hoping the power would come on so we could break in the new oven, at 10:20 I was in a taxi with Elizabeth and Anna Mei, two large baking dishes, and a sack full of turkey.

I had a remarkable encounter at Pastor Bob's house. I'll try to be brief, but give enough explanation. The pastor and his wife rent an apartment in their home. Right now, their tenant is Erin, a gal here to teach English. The ministry she works with has teachers all over Asia, and they gather at Thanksgiving for a meal and then have a retreat. So, while I was at the pastor's house cooking, two of the English teachers came in with Erin. While I was finishing up, one of the girls, Ashley, was also in the kitchen preparing a dish for the meal all the teachers would share. We got to talking. Turns out she is from...Kentucky...Bath County...Salt Lick...about 15 minutes from our house in Mt. Sterling. And that's not all. One of her best friends is the daughter of a good friend of Tony's in Flemingsburg. We knew several of the same people. I felt the Holy Spirit nudge me, and I said, "Ashley, you may have woken up this morning wondering what in the world you were doing in Vietnam on Thanksgiving, half a world away from your family. I think God wants you to know that just because you are not in Kentucky, He has brought a piece of Kentucky here to you." I am continually amazed at the goodness and kindness of the Lord...had our power been on, I would have been happily cooking in my own kitchen and missed that conversation. And, mercy upon mercy, the pastor's house is at the end of a narrow alley and most of the time, you have to walk out to the street to catch a taxi. With two hot pans and a sack full of steaming turkey, I was concerned about the walk. Today, for some unknown reason to me (other than God's goodness), the taxi came right to the gate. There was not a drop falling from the sky, although within minutes of our arrival home, I heard a downpour. Anna Mei and I just grinned at each other.

The final preparations went smoothly, which is a bit surprising since Bee and I were both cooking with only the two stove top burners available. Somehow, she finished some Vietnamese dishes, and I fixed gravy, corn and mashed potatos without stepping on each other, or getting frustrated. With all the electrical hullaballou, the only item I did not prepare was dessert. Tony decided to pick up something at a local bakery. However, our guests also brought two beautiful cakes, so we had plenty of choices! Just as we sat down to eat, the power came back on! Ha!

It was a great time of fellowship. Later this afternoon, we took the girls to the movie at Big C for "High School Musical 3." Tonight, we initiated the oven on leftovers. It works great.

This year, I am thankful for life in Vietnam. Every day here is an adventure. There is no such thing as a ho-hum day. Every outing brings something to ponder, a new observation, a challenging experience, a humorous realization. Though most of my time is spent here at home, there is something new every day. I am thankful for God's grace, that sustains and keeps us. I am thankful for His forgivenness when I do not "rise to the challenge" I face. I am thankful for the love of family and friends.

Bless you and those you love on this Thanksgiving!

Rats

We encountered this group of "rain warriors" on their way to school yesterday in Tien Phuc.

Hello, all--

Just when I think I am accustomed to days of rain without a break, we spring a new leak. Quite literally. I awoke this morning to find that the slow, intermittant dripping on the 2nd/3rd floor landing has now developed into a steady drizzle of its own. So much so, that the little puddle gathering on one of the steps spilled over, ran down the underside of the stairs and proceeded to drip, drip, drip on the stairs at the first floor level. Water and floors are not a good mix in any setting. Because everything is marble tile and concrete, there has not been damage, but it is a treacherous walk between floors. In addition, I have discovered a couple other places that are penetrated when we have the combination driven by a typhoon to our south--wind and rain. The rain falls in crescendos, quieter, then louder; quieter, then louder with every gust.

In my American mindset, I asked Duc if Mr. Bo could do something about the leaks. He shrugged a little. "Perhaps," he said. But I could tell that the answer is that in Vietnam, the tenant is pretty much on his own for repairs. A lady in our church shared recently that there is a leak over the bed in her house. She and her husband have hired workers to repair it five times. It is still leaking. They plan to find a new place to rent. They have lived in Danang for about 10 years. So, I guess it is nothing unusual.

This is the kind of day that makes me happy to stay home. But today, we actually ventured out. It takes a lot to get me to brave the inevitable shower. But, tomorrow is Bee's birthday and I cannot let it pass without some fanfare. Bee does so much for us. Her family struggles and we help them out with extra money occasionally. They are trying to build a home that will be water-tight themselves, but it takes time. Any way, Linh took Jillian, Anna Mei, Elizabeth and me to buy a gift, then to Big C to purchase a cake. After much discussion, we decided to buy Bee some nice fabric that she can take to her seamstress (everyone here seems to have one) and have a traditional Vietnamese aoi-ai (pronounced "ow-ee-i") made. Many women wear them to church, and Linh said that at Christmas they are very popular. Some time ago, Bee told Linh that she had one, but it is very old. So this year, she will have a new one.

Fabric stores with resident tailors/seamstresses are everywhere here. Linh takes us to the Han Market. I love it there. It is an authentic Vietnamese market, with row after row of cubicle upon cubicle selling everything from food to housewears to towels, shoes, clothes, and most everything else. The smell is pungent and overwhelming. I have learned that it is the smell of a popular fruit here that has this distinct odor. The aisles at the market are very narrow. In a couple of places the people who work there have put wood sheets on blocks and made a low table. They gather around it on small plastic stools and eat fish, rice, and vegetables that I do not recognize.

My first shopping trip for the house in Danang was at the Han Market. It was where I first encountered the large spiders that are common here, and rats that scurry in the daylight. I saw only one or two rats on that first trip, and I have been to the Han Market several times and not seen any. Not today. You may wonder why we would continue to shop there. It is simple economics. Things are significantly less expensive. For example, the bedspread/sheet/pillow/dust ruffle set I would buy at Big C would be about one million dong. The same set at the Han Market is half as much. Linh has a friend who has a fabric booth; she offers us an even greater discount. So, while looking at fabric for Bee, I didn't think much about it when a rat scurried across the aisle and disappeared under the table of a tailoring business. But soon, I saw another, then another, then another. I told the girls later that I am not sure if I saw 12-15 rats or if I saw one rat 12-15 times. It was interesting to me that all those ladies sitting up there sewing didn't even give the rats a second glance. There they sit with their feet under a table all day, and seem completely unconcerned that a rat may run across their toes at any moment. I couldn't help but curl my toes under my feet in my sandals.

Rain and rats; rats and rain; it's raining rats and rats. Hmmm, I think the day has gotten to me. :)

Yesterday, one of the fellows from CBN asked me about the differences between living here and in the US. Most of the things that popped into my mind to say were negative: the rain, the heat, no hot water in the kitchen, no dryer, no shower separated from the entire bathroom..... In my own mind, the obvious next question arose. Then, don't you want to leave? The answer, surprising more to me than anyone else, is no. While the list of negatives has many more items on it, there is one positive on the other side that overcomes them all: I am experiencing a walk with the Lord here that is more precious than I have known in many years. My heart is full of joy and thankfulness. I am at peace, settled, content. I would not trade this place for anywhere.

May you live in the joy of the Lord today, knowing His Spirit leads you, confident in His love, blessed because you are His child.

Grace and peace!

Extremes

Top: This young man is the uncle of the two children. Their mother is dead and their father has left. Their grandparents care for them, but are struggling to provide food. Middle: This grandmother is caring for two granddaughters. She fell and broke her arm and will be unable to work for the next 6 weeks. Bottom: Nine people live in this grandmother's household. The mother of the two girls killed herself, overcome with grief when her husband died.

Hello, all--

What a day! Tony and I visited the Dai Loc orphanage today, plus four families in Tien Phuc--an area about 3 hours from Danang. We were hosting a group from CBN, here to gather information about orphans and talk with us about possibilites of sharing our work with their audience and contacts. We had to be ready to leave the house at 6:30 this morning, and returned home about 7:30 tonight. (Duc's wife, Linh, and Bee were here at home with the girls.) On the way home, I couldn't help but think of the day in terms of extremes.

First, it was extremely wet. Central Vietnam put on one of its best "rainy season" demonstrations with rain all day, mostly heavy, non-stop. Tony provided some heavy-duty rain ponchos, since the van could take us only a portion of the way to the houses we visited and we had to walk a good distance, probably as much as 3/4 mile at one location.

Which brings me to the second extreme: adventure! The walking was not your average stroll on a rainy day. We sogged and slopped up and down steep muddy inclines, waded through ankle-deep water that rushed over a small bridges and covered walkways. Tony and one other team member had to remove leeches that tried to hitch a ride to their feet and ankles. For one portion of the trip, we took motorbike taxis--too far to walk, but inaccessible by van. I felt like the ride was a cross between dirt-biking and demolition derby. We slid in the mud more than once and the drivers had some difficulty making the steep inclines while maintaining a safe speed. I might have been alarmed, except I really couldn't see much because the rain was hitting my face.

We visited families that have known extreme sadness, hardship and tragedy. Missing parents and spouses who have died or abandoned their families, survivors left struggling to feed too many mouths with too little food. Hunger. Houses with plastic walls, or open wooden slats covered with newspaper. One room for a family of nine that serves as living room, bedroom and dining room. Families torn apart by suicide, fatal accidents, or poverty that forces a young mother to seek work in Saigon, about 500 miles from her rural home.I would say we had an extreme sense of fellowship among the team. Different members of the Body, with specific callings and gifts, united in focus and purpose on this day. There was laughter and compassion and sharing and learning and caring together. We soaked and shivered together. All for one and one for all.

Moments were extremely touching. The smile of a child who sees their picture on a digital camera for the first time. The serious stare of a three-your-old, clinging to a small bowl of rice with one hand, and to grandmother's leg with the other. The universal pride of young parents in showing off their 5-month-old baby. The sigh of relief and gratitude as each family received a bag of rice, two large loaves of bread and some candy for the children--food for a few days. (Duc told us that some of these children have never had bread, so that in itself was a special treat for them.)

And now tonight, extreme thankfulness. Thankful for dry clothes and a hot cup of tea. Thankful for the little ones here to hold close and shower with kisses and words of love. Thankful for opportunities to see some of the needs around me and have a part in bringing help. Perhaps I can write more about the day some other time. Right now, I am...extremely tired.

May our Father of abundant, extravagant, lavish and inexhaustible grace show Himself to you in an extremely personal way.

Freedom and Fisticuffs

One of the ministry team members from Brazil, ready for a performance!

Hello, all--

It is Monday. We just finished lunch and I have a few minutes free before we start our afternoon class work. I wanted to write about yesterday.At church, we had special guests. A group with YWAM (Youth With A Mission) are travelling throughout Asia from their home country of Brazil. They began at the Summer Olympics in Beijing, then toured throughout China, now in Vietnam, then on to Cambodia, and Thailand before returning to South America. They presented pantomimed skits with a Gospel theme, danced to worship songs (In Portugese), and had an impressive exhibition of juggling. As you might imagine, it was quitely lively. The worship was...free...there was plenty of dancing, clapping, shouting, etc. Our pastor said it was the first time he could remembering worshiping God with "the juggle." :) After their presentation, the message was brought by a woman from Australia. She is a pastor there and was the first woman ordained in the Assemblies of God in Australia. She has been pastoring for 30 years. Her message was very encouraging as she exhorted us to hold on to our confidence in the Lord--despite circumstances, or other voices of discouragement. After church, we headed to Big C for lunch.

On the 2nd floor of the Big C center there is an enclosed play area. There is a ball pit, several colorful tunnels, slides and climbing areas. The girls had been playing for awhile, when a noticed a scuffle in the ball pit and I could see that Jillian and Anna Mei had someone cornered. At first, I thought they were just playing with someone until I saw Anna Mei point very emphatically and say, "You leave my sister alone!" I moved in quickly, calling their names, to divert their attention from their intended victim. It was a boy of 9 or 10 years old. Across the ball pit, I saw Faith, wiping away tears and watching wide-eyed. Apparently, the boy had either intentionally or unknowingly played "too rough" with Faith. Jillian said he pulled her backwards by the shirt, causing her to fall down a cushioned incline into the ball pit. Whatever happened, the boy was shocked that most of the other children in the play area were not just random kids, they were all part of the same clan--and the two oldest were ready to exact vengeance on behalf of their smallest member. Of course, the boy spoke no English, so I don't think he got the word "sister." But he clearly understood that the other little girls in the play area were off limits. After Jillian and Anna Mei sat out some penalty time when I gave them a lecture...I mean, instruction...I noticed the boy steered clear of all of them.

Just before we left Big C, Faith, Joy and Anna Mei announced they needed to visit the ladies' room before the ride home. Big C has four levels, but only two bathrooms. Neither the stores, nor the fastfood restaurant, or even the movie theater has its own bathroom. There are bathrooms on the first and fourth floors only. Since the firstfloor bathrooms are being rennovated right now (which they sorely need), the only usable bathrooms are on the fourth floor. Since a friend from church was with me (Tony had left to bring the motorbike home), she stayed with Elizabeth and Jillian at the play area while I took the other three girls upstairs. Each stall has walls from floor to ceiling and a full-length door with a knob. This little detail is important to the story, because no sooner had Faith entered her stall and shut the door than the outside doorknob fell off. Although she was doing her best, the inside knob would not catch the latch, so Faith was stuck.Usually, there is at least one attendant in the bathroom. Not yesterday. So, as Vietnamese ladies discovered our dilemma, the crowd in the ladies' room was growing with interested onlookers. Thankfully, Faith was not scared. She talked to me the whole time. Every time she would try the knob and fail, I would hear her sigh, "Oh dear!" Joy was getting a little anxious about it. She said, "Mommy, get my Faith out!" After several minutes, three attendants came, none with keys, and they looked as perplexed as anyone about what to do. I was ready to call Duc or Tony, when Faith jiggled the knob again and it released the latch. There was a collective gasp. The door opened slowly. Faith must have heard the crowd, because she stayed behind the door as it opened. I almost laughed out loud because I could see this multitude of Asian women peering curiously to see what size munchkin would emerge. A great sigh and giggle filled the room when Faith, stepped out...to an immediate embrace from Joy.

With Faith's release, we were able to make our way back to the 2nd floor, pick up the other girls, and then go down to hail a taxi. Even Faith and Joy tell the taxi drivers our address now: "Tran Hung Dao, va Kruc Hau" (loosely, "the corner of Tran Hung Dao and Kruc Hau"). The taxi drivers all get a big smile when the twins tell them the address.

So, now back to school. May you experience freedom in worship, and from every form of entrapment, in the name of Son who sets us free indeed!

Grace and peace!

Dance Class

Hello, all--

I just returned with Anna Mei from her dance class. The day is gray and drizzly--the relentless overnight pounding of rain has left everything drooping, drenched and tired-looking. I may have told you this--forgive repetitions. Anna Mei's dance class meets on Saturday and Sunday mornings from 7:30-9:00 am. There are about 16 girls in the class, ranging in age from about 4 to 10. It is a precious sight to see them gather--dark-headed, almond-eyed beauties with round faces and pudgy little hands.

Anna Mei is a celebrity--the only westerner in the class. The first day after class, Anna Mei proudly announced, "I have 15 new friends!" None speak English, other than one or two who can say "Hello. What is your name? How old are you?" By the fourth week, those questions weren't interesting to them any moreThe classroom is a large rectangular room with a wood floor and windows on three sides. One wall is mirrored, with a barre mounted low enough for the young students to use it. The windows are vertical rectangles that will spin all the way around, hung in the middle on some kind of dowel. When they are open, there is enough space on each side of the window to use as a door--which the students frequently do at their break time. Outside is a large tiled courtyard, under a roof. The wood floor is old--there is so much "give" to it that I think a class of adult students might crash through if they jumped on it. Near the mirrored wall there is one section, about 7 or 8 inches, where the wood is missing altogether. The girls are aware of it and I have yet to see anyone put their foot in it, although they dance all around it.

The teacher is a young woman who clearly loves the children, and who is obviously a very talented dancer. Her movements are fluid and so graceful--it appears that her arms are suspended on some wire or string with someone above manipulating the controls. In effortless motion, she looks almost fluid. Beautiful to watch.While our Vietnamese helpers call it "ballet", there are many elements that are traditional Vietnamese folk dance. I wish you could see it. They use their hands in the most graceful movements. The fingers curl down, one at a time, then the wrist bends under and turns outward, and the fingers uncurl in the reverse order. It looks like a flower closing in one direction, then opening up to the other side. I never tire of watching it. I can't help but think of these young flowers, faced one way, then closing to their old direction and opening up to a new one. I pray for these girls, that they will see a new life waiting for them.

In addition to being the only westerner, Anna Mei's God-given talent for dance has made her one of the star students. She is often called upon to demonstrate the steps and movements. The other girls seem to like her a lot, and a group of 5 or 6 is usually with her every minute of the break time. Of course, my little glow-worm enjoys every minute of it!

There are some other very talented young dancers in the class. One is a girl of about 10, who looks to me like she will be able to dance like the teacher one day. Another is a girl of about 4 years. She usually has her hair in two little buns on each side of her head. She is precious and looks to be very serious about dance. I just want to squeeze her. When a new session of classes begins, I think Joy wants to join. Faith might join in, mostly to be with Joy, since karate would suit her interests better.

Grace and beauty can be found all over the world-even in my world, which may seem drooping, heavy, and uninviting at times.

May His goodness be evident to you today!

(Note: In the top picture above, the 4-year-old dancer is in the center. What a cutie!)

Out of the mouths of babes

Hello, all--

Faith lost her first tooth today. She was so excited. She must have carried it around with her for three hours, grinning from ear to ear to show the full effect of the little gap on the bottom row of teeth.

Jillian and Anna Mei have both had me laughing out loud as well.Yesterday after school we walked next door to a little street cafe next to our house. An elderly Vietnamese woman runs it. Like most private businesses here, it is a little tin shack, open on one side. There are small plastic tables and chairs. She sells sodas, peanuts, snacks, etc. We have exchanged smiles and a few greetings as I have learned some Vietnamese. Jillian, Elizabeth and I went there after school to celebrate Jillian's completion of her first researched report (on George Washington Carver). Any way, I decided to try out some of my language skills on Doe, the proprietor. I asked her "Ban co khoe khong?" which means, "How are you." She smiled and disappeared behind her counter and came back out with a cigarette lighter. She must have thought I wanted to smoke. I thought Jillian would roll on the sidewalk. I was going to try again, but Jillian stopped me. "Mom," she said emphatically. "Don't say anything else. She might come out and give you a tattoo!"

Today, the girls had a science test. We are studying flying creatures, and this unit was on the migration of birds. One of the questions was, "What are some of the dangers that face migrating birds?" Anna Mei must have taken the plight of the poor little birds to heart, because her answer read, "Hunters! Airplanes! Storms!" (It made me want to add, "Lions and tigers and bears! Oh my!")

It has been a good day, even though the rain returned with a vengeance. Through some friends at church we have met a family from New Zealand who have two daughters, ages 11 and 9. Jillian and Lucia (the 9-year-old) have hit it off nicely. Olivia is the older daughter and Joy has taken a particular liking to her, probably because Olivia will carry her. Tonight the girls and I had dinner with Carrie (Lucia and Olivia's mother) and another couple at Carrie's house. Carrie's husband Russell had to work. Tony had to be with a group who was doing a program for the children at the Dai Loc orphanage. It was very pleasant. Jillian and Lucia went swimming out in the rain (no lightening, just rain)--Lucia's house has a pool. They loved it. Carrie is homeschooling, so we talked a lot about curriculum, classes and other mom stuff. Russell is in banking. They have been here a couple of years--long enough to accumulate an oven, microwave, coffee maker and clothes dryer. (sigh). She had actually baked brownies. The girls ate and ate (we had western food--ribs, potato salad, grilled vegetables, garlic bread). By the time we got home, they were so tired. As soon as Tony got home (shortly after we did) he and I carried Faith and Joy upstairs to bed. They were asleep in a couple of minutes.

God is good. These days of homeschooling, with the girls so young, are flying by so quickly. I don't want to take this time for granted, for I know it will pass all too quickly. Jillian got to talking about perfume today, and Elizabeth told me that when I was away for a few days ( before we came to Danang), when she missed me she would go into my room and smell my pillow. How sweet is that? When I think about the blessings in my life, the oven, microwave, coffee maker and clothes dryer don't seem nearly so important any more.May the events of this day remind you of the Lord's goodness in your life.

Grace and peace!

Worth a Thousand Words

Here are a few pictures from our daily life here. At the top, Faith and I are at the freezer. With meat cleaver in hand, I am preparing to chip away some ice cubes from the mass inside. In the middle--Bee uses two rolls of toilet paper in the kitchen on our paper towel holder. It makes me laugh every time I see it. Bottom: Anna Mei and Joy pose with yesterday's lunch--some kind of fish in a tomato sauce. Surprisingly, everyone but Elizabeth liked it!

The Long Arm of the Law

All the girls love to ride the motobike with their Daddy. Here are Faith and Joy leaving the house with him for a ride.

Tony had an encounter with the local police yesterday. He was driving to a town about 3 hours away. Well, actually, he had ventured out to see if he could find it unassisted. Armed with his map, he set out. Since most of the roads here are not marked outside the cities, it is no easy task to find some little hamlets. Even in cities, many private residences are built down alley-ways, some too narrow for a small car. So, it is not surprising when Tony found himself in an unfamilar town without a clue of which way to go. After stopping ot consult the map (again), he set off. In many places, there are "service roads" running beside the main street. It is very common for people to drive the wrong way down a service road in order to access a street entrance. That is the situation Tony was in. The road he thought he needed to take was on the far side of one of these small streets, so off he went, driving the wrong way for a short distance. He had no sooner turned on the one-way road (going the wrong way) when he saw two policemen a couple blocks away. Quickly, he turned in a parking area, turned around and went out the right way on the street. But it was too late. They came after him.

At this point of his story, my eyes were wide and just thinking about being in that situation made my heart-rate increase. Not Tony. He is one cool dude. He stopped and the officers came up beside him. They were young--in their 20s, and spoke not a word of English. Tony pulled out the map and showed them where he was trying to go. They seemingly forgot about him for a minute and started discussing amongst themselves the best way to get there!They motioned for him to follow them. They led him to the road that would take him to his destination! Then they waved him on his way with a friendly smile. So, our first real interaction with law enforcement here was not the stuff of drama, intrigue or bravery for the cause. Thank You, Lord!

May your travels this day be smooth and joyous!

Grace and peace!

Observations

Typical lunch (l to r) bread, fruit, vegetables, pork and popcorn!

Hello, all--

Today is the kind of day in Vietnam that I would never thought I would see last June when sweat was dripping everywhere. It is pleasant. No, wait. That word is not adequate. Gorgeous. Spectacular. Exquisite. It is sunny, breezy, and cool. God has wrung every drop of humidity out of the air. It is dry and beautiful. Yes, Virginia, it can happen...I have turned off the air conditioner in our schoolroom and opened the large window. I have thoroughly enjoyed this day, but my mood is changing. The sun is disappearing into dusk and I feel certain that this kind of day is a special, and all too rare occurence.

I am coming along with language study. Our friend Duc really put me through my paces in our study time yesterday, firing off one question after another in Vietnamese. What time do you eat breakfast?When does school begin?What will you do this evening?Do you like to take walks on the beach?Who will go with Jillian?I think he was getting some personal satisfaction in my struggles--it is just exactly what he has gone through learning English. Ha!With a good bit of delay between the question and response, I could usually put together an answer in (mostly) Vietnamese. Or at least Venglish (part Vietnamese and part English).

I have noticed that I enjoy speaking Vietnamese and being understood. So I can understand why so many Vietnamese people approach us when we are out and try out their English. On Sunday, we went to Big C after church. A man in a suit came up to me as we were leaving to catch a taxi. "Are those your daughters?" he asked tentatively (I think it was a test for him to see if I would understand his English). He beamed when I answered him. "You are American?" I said yes. "Exactly where in America you from?" It took him a moment to place Kentucky. Then his face radiated a huge smile. "Today I get married!" I congratulated him. He showed me the ring for his intended, snugly pushed on his pinky finger. Then he said, "In America, you elect a president. He is Obama?" I could tell how please he was to be aware of all this information, and to be able to communicate it clearly to a foreigner. I can identify with that feeling. Funny how universal is the desire to be understood.

With the change in weather, most of our family is battling sniffles and coughs right now (I, thankfully, am not). One interesting thing here is that the department and grocery stores do not carry over the counter medicines (or thermometers, alchohol, etc.). You have to go to a pharmacy--usually a storefront business. No prescription needed for anything--you just tell them what you want (I don't know if they carry narcotic pain killers or not). They do carry all kinds of cough medicines for children and adults. You do not have to purchase a whole package. We bought doses for one day, to see if we found them effective. The upside is no waste. The downside is you have to go back and get more if you like the results. They put the pills in tiny baggies and rubberband them. I have found the cough suppressants to be quite good.

Having been here a few months, we are finding a new "normal" with so many things. I hardly notice when I use chopsticks to stir the tea (all the long-handled spoons are too wide for the narrow pitchers), or open a liter-box of milk or juice, or use a meat cleaver to chip ice cubes away from the frozen mass in the freezer. It's just daily life in Danang. I am getting used to being stared at, and even nonchalant about seeing the man at the bridge who sells dead fowl from his motorbike everyday for people to take home to cook. I am almost used to Bee putting two rolls of toilet paper on our paper towel holder in the kitchen. Some restaurants even use kleenex or toilet tissue for napkins.

A friend in Virginia used to say, "Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not break." Today, I pray for grace in all our lives to keep the main things the main things, and give some room to others who do things differently, see things from another perspective, or want a goal other than our own.

His peace to you today!

Filled to Flow

Faith and Joy are definitely vessels of encouragement to one another!

Hello, all--

Well, here's another one for the "Language Study" file, under the heading of "Knowing Enough to be Dangerous": Yesterday in my Vietnamese study, Linh had me practicing by formulating different sentences. Eager to employ my new vocabulary, I was spouting out all manner of communiques from telling Bee to buy bread and eggs, to telling Linh I would visit her house tomorrow afternoon. As you know, many words in Vietnamese (and English) sound similar, but have very different meanings. At one point, I was using the words ban and ban (each "ban" has different dots and accent marks that make its pronunciation varied--slightly). One "ban" means "your", another means "sell." Then there is "ba", which means "grandmother." You might guess, in the end, I think I told Linh that I was coming to her house to sell her grandmother! Hmmm....could this be why my social calendar remains empty? :)

On another note, I have been preparing to lead the worship singing at our church tomorrow. One of the songs has a verse that has really taken root and is producing a garden in my thoughts. It says...

This is my prayer in the harvest when favor and providence flow

I know I'm filled to be emptied again, the seed I've received I will sow

I am reminded that God plants a seed, waters it with His grace and produces a harvest so that we will sow the seed again. Too often, I am happy to enjoy the fruit, savor the moment, soak up the love-- with little thought to "the rest of the story." This morning, I was reading Ephesians. Here is Eph. 3:14-19. I have bolded the portion that "grabbed my brain by the shoulders and gave a good shake.

"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power, through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith--that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."

I'm not sure that I have ever really noticed Paul's prayer that believers would have "strength" to comprehend the love, power, goodness, holiness, righteousness, etc., of God. Isn't "comprehension" a mental exercise? Isn't understanding for the "spiritual brainiac" who contemplates, meditates, cogitates, and then regurgitates for the rest of us?

I think what the Lord is showing me (again) is that His goodness is a river that flows through. My relationship with him is not a stagnant receptacle. As much as I relish the in-filling--"I know I'm filled to be emptied again." My Father's mercies are new every morning not only because I need them so much. They are new every morning because I am to be His vessel of distributing them to others. So today, I am praying indeed that God will fill me with Himself. But I pray with more understanding and humility and dependance upon Him. In my own strength, it is exhausting to be a vessel that pours and pours and pours. In His hands, it is rest--for He continually replenishes with great refreshment of His own being.

A tree is rooted and grounded so that it is even more productive, visible, and beautiful to the world above the roots. I think, if its possible, it makes the tree happy, too. Today, may you be that beautiful, strong, majestic tree planted by streams of Living Water!

Grace to you and through you!