Wednesday, August 31, 2011

House #3!

Last night we moved to house #4, another superb basement apartment!  We will be staying with the Matthews, another Moody family, for this week.  Check out the new pad!
Sam and I sleep on this side

Elaina's favorite accessory: the nest chair :)

The kids sleep on this side

Upstairs, there is a GREAT sitting room with hot tub.  Yeah, that's right, I said hot tub.    It's pretty rough :)

House complete with two Saint Bernards.  Meet Sarah Molly.



Sawyer is usually nervous about dogs.  Unless they are as big as a dinosaur.  Less intimidating for some reason (?).  Meet Fred.  
Lovely back patio

Next week we will move back to our original basement apartment until the end of September.  At that time our "real house" on the other side of town will open up.  It may seem like a lot of bouncing around, but it has actually been a blessing and provision from God because we are getting to know Sam's co-workers really well and are having good fellowship as we stay with them.


Friday, August 26, 2011

Nyo tumte mongkum yi ye le. God heaps blessings on our skin.


Pastor Kinyang

In 1972, a Noni man, Pastor Kinyang, wrote to S.I.L. (affiliated with Wycliffe Bible Translators) asking them to send a missionary to translate the Bible into the Nooni language.  17 years later, my parents packed us up and we headed to Cameroon to translate the Bible, assignment unknown.  My parents made trips to several villages and we ended up settling in one of the Nooni speaking villages called Lassin.  Pastor Kinyang was our landlord :)  In the last two decades, Nooni has gone from being a strictly oral language to now having an alphabet, primers, dictionaries and books of the New Testament.  It is now taught as a subject in Noni schools and the community has pulled together to offer adult reading and writing classes.  THIS IS BEYOND EXCITING!!!  The first copies of the Nooni New Testament are on a ship RIGHT NOW headed to Cameroon and are scheduled to arrive September 2nd.  Sometime in December or January there will be a huge celebration to celebrate the culmination of the development of the Nooni language into a written language and to formally dedicate the Nooni New Testament.  All of the Nooni speaking villages, dignitaries from the country, fellow missionaries, and some friends in America who have been supporting the work, will be coming.  This is called a New Testament Dedication.  I am hoping to go and celebrate with the Noni people on this day.  It was my whole reason for having grown up in Cameroon and it is Sam and my whole passion for going back.  A JAARS aviation mechanic recently told us that in 35 years of serving Bible translation through aviation, he has had the privilege to attend one New Testament dedication in Indonesia.  Seeing people receive the Word of God in their own language for the first time on that day put flesh and blood to the reason behind his work.  I am excited to be with my Noni friends on that day.  I know that it will not only be special on that day, but will be a marker in my walk with God to help stay the course on tough days in the future.  Sam would like to join me on that day, but to be frank, we can't afford to send two.  If you would like to see him join me, ASK HOW YOU CAN HELP!  If you are interested in coming experience this incredible day, ASK HOW YOU CAN COME!

One of the first pictures I saw of a Noni village before moving there.
Teaching Tic-Tac-Toe was a great ice-breaker those first few days in Lassin :)
Instant buddies
Making bread with Glory (by the way EVERYTHING is made from scratch!)
Several times a week was "Kitchen Night" where us siblings would hang out and eat with neighbors.
Banla, one of our close Noni buddies
Sam came to visit Lassin multiple times  while we dated and we even had our traditional Cameroonian wedding here.

Although Pastor Kinyang joined Christ in heaven too early to see the entire Nooni New Testament, he did get to see and read from the Nooni book of Luke.

Fun Fact:  Nooni is the language.  Noni are the people.


Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Work lately...


One of these stinkers gave Sam a new job at the hangar last week.  A plane was struck by a crow in the air.  Too bad for the plane's wing, but an awesome opprotunity for Sam to try out some new skills patched it up :)  Last week he cut a section of the wing out and patching it up.  This week he is sanding and painting it.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

BEWARE!!!

Beware of living with 5 year old boys.  Inventions turn up in unexpected places.   Latest invention: the Rhinocerous Faucet.


Monday, August 15, 2011

Life in Christ.

I received news yesterday that my dad's little brother, Uncle Scott, went home to be with the Lord yesterday morning through an unexpected heart attack.  I grieve for the loss of my "twinkle in his eye" uncle today.  It is difficult to lose someone who is so genuinely fascinated with life itself.   However, with mixed emotions,  I celebrate knowing that he has heard the words "Well done, my good and faithful servant" from God who he claimed as his ultimate treasure.  I stand amazed by the obstacles he overcame in life by God's grace because they are a testimony of God's true and living work in his life.  May he shudder with joy and fascination as he sees the fullness of the glory of God these first 24 hours in heaven.
Uncle Scott embodying "If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.  To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever.  Amen." 1 Peter 4:11






Wednesday, August 10, 2011

"Sawyer, what did you learn at Discovery (Vacation Bible School) tonight?"

"I learned that Jesus is like a shepherd, a good one, and that we are like sheep that he takes care of.  And that sin is like a bear that Jesus fights off and would even die fighting off the bear to save his sheep.  And that he is like a door that if you open it, you have abundant life.  Abundant means tons and tons, like a google.  And if you believe that Jesus is a good shepherd for you, you can go through that door and go to heaven."

Well put, buddy!

John 10:11 "I am the good shepherd.  The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."



Monday, August 8, 2011

See, this friend has this excavating business...

... and we were not about to pass up the opportunity to visit him at work over the weekend!

Liberty Excavation

Our tour took place from the comforts of the "Pit Mobile".
Our new friends, John Tom, Trudy and Amanda all work together to run the place.

It was magnificent to watch John Tom at work on these machines!
A real man's toy :)
After the tour, we headed to the man made pond for some fun and met...
the zip line, a.k.a. "Death's Hook".
No turning back now...
Sam's plunge
Crash landing!
Anna's plunge
And she keeps her dignity!!!
At the bottom of the zip line we found some little friends.
"Mommy, can we keep one?"  Yes, let's just make it 10 while we're at it.    Most of our new little pets didn't even last long enough to be named, so we let the rest go at the river.   

It was TOO cool to visit the Konzal's at work and we hope you enjoyed it too!






Thursday, August 4, 2011

Fuel for the body...

Some of my facebook "friends" :) have been dissing my all-time favorite breakfast.  You can't knock it till you try it, so here are the directions for the best fuel your body is craving!  1 cup of milk, a handful of fresh spinach, 1 cup of frozen blueberries.  Blend together and VOILA, your body will thank you.  Scroll down to see a more kid friendly version.

1 cup skim milk

A handful of fresh spinach
                                                                              

About a cup of frozen blueberries
Blend
Be amazed that the green color disappears and makes a lovely smoothie color

Pour

Add a straw and treat your body like it deserves!
                                                                              YUMMY!

Kid Friendly Smoothie
I cup 100% Orange Juice with pulp
1 cup frozen blueberries
If you're clumsy, do feel free to share with the counter.  I do.
Mama and Baby Fuel full of antioxidants and vitamins
These faces don't lie about yumminess