Fireproof!

I'm a little behind the 8 ball on pop culture in the US, so forgive me if this is old news for you! I've just heard about the new movie, in select theaters now, called Fireproof. It deals with the realities of a troubled marriage...Marriages are in trouble. This is a huge burden on my heart. The divorce rate is staggering, and no matter how you look at it, divorce takes its toll on those who struggle through it. This movie sounds like something not only inspiriting, but useful. I can't wait to see it! I hope many of you will commit to putting the time and effort necessary into making your marriage strong and secure. I pray everyday for friends and family, that God will strengthen their marriages. I pray that they will find love and commitment and the energy necessary to make a marriage work. Hey...maybe I'm praying for you! ;)

Oh, yeah...and promise that at least some of you will enjoy the movie in my place! Looks like I'll have to wait for the dvd! :)

10....9....8....7.....6....5.....4......3.....2... ...1..... SS Blog Challenge #32

This blog challenge is brought to us by Joanie!

Countdown List

10 Things I Want to Do Before I Die::
Get all my pictures scrapbooked
Visit Italy
Travel Europe
Swim in the Pacific Ocean
Visit all 50 states
Read all the books I've had on my list to read
Live to meet and love my grandchildren
Speak Arabic fluenty
Read and write Classical Arabic fluently
Make a difference in this world for Jesus

9 Places I Last Spent Money:
Supermarket Jafar
Jungle Pet Shop
Office Depot
Aroma Cafe
Wacom.com
Magazines.com
Life Pharmacy
Continental Airlines
A Chinese restaurant. I don't know the name because it's written in Hebrew.

8 Sounds I Routinely Hear Around My House:
Kids laughing
Kids crying
Kids whining
Kids fighting
Cats whining
Cats scratching
the TV blasting
The neighbors' music blasting from their homes and cars.

7 Real Restaurants Where I Last Ate Out:
Aforementioned Chinese restaurant
Pizza Hut
McDonalds
I can't think of anywhere else right now...
Wait a second...what does "real" mean? Fancy? Then the answer is NONE!

6 Things I've Recently Scratched Off My To-Do List:
Not too much...I can't think of 6 things. I can, however, think of more than 6 things still on my To-Do List!

5 People I Don't Know by would Like to Hang Out With:
Just 5? Well, I wouldn't say I don't know some of these folks at all, but I haven't met them in RL yet!
Sherry
Joanie
Stacy
Tracy
Oi...a huge, big list of SS folks! :)

4 Songs That Make Me Happy:
O Boundless Salvation
Daydream Believer
It's My Life
Only the Good Die Young

3 Things I Hate To Do:
Fold and put away laundry
Meal plan
give the kids a bath

2 Things I'm Really Good At:
Making people feel comfortable with me
Talking

1 Bad Habit:
Nail biting. Nasty habit. Blech.

Selfishness

I'm selfish sometimes. Not something I'm proud of. While I wouldn't use selfish as a major descriptor for me, occasionally it rears it's ugly head. Interestingly, in Arabic the word for selfish is ana-neya. Ana is the world for me/I. So, you are literally saying, "It's all about me."

We have a new car. She's beautiful. She is a blessing. She was purchased with generous donations from the people who love and care for us back home. She was purchased for ministry. And she isn't ours...not really. This is most definitely God's car. Coworkers asked to borrow the car before we even had her in our hands. Saturday they will take Blessie and drive her to the south for the day, leaving us with a car too small for our family. I tried to tell myself the reason I was upset was because we have work to do that day, and church to attend and we can't do that in the car that is left for us so we'll have to find alternative transportation. But that isn't why I was upset.

I was upset because this is a new car. She's perfect and beautiful. I've never owned a new car and honestly never expected to own one. Ana-neya. This is our new car. Brand new. We've only had her for a week. Why should someone else expect to use her? That was the real problem.

So, I vented to Scot. I complained to an online community of very patient friends. And in the back of my mind was a song that I kept ignoring. But, there it was, everytime I let myself think about it. I couldn't ignore it anymore, so I started to sing it. It's a song from the Seeds of Purpose CD. It's Matthew 6:20-21 verbatim. God was talking to me again.

19"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

I have dwelled on this passage. I have sung the song over and over in my head and out loud at least 50 times in the last few days. Finally, I'm ready to surrender my car. Finally. The knot of selfishness is gone from the pit of my stomach. Our coworkers are kind, generous people. They will use the car for the day, enjoying all the amazing things Blessie has to offer, and they will return her. And maybe they'll return her with a bump or a scratch. But does it really matter? She's a gift from God. And I need to be about storing up for myself treasures in heaven. Blessie will one day be an old car. She will stop working and will need to be replaced. But it doesn't really matter.

I thank God that when I am being a snotty little brat, he gently prompts me (or something hits me over the head with a mallet) to see things from his perspective. I imagine I would exacerbate myself if I was in God's position. I'm thankful his patience is boundless. This time, I needed to be smacked upside the head. It hurt, but I'm feeling better now! :)

For today...

For Today...

Outside my Window... It's dark. I see festive Ramadan lights flashing in the neighbor's windows. The Muslims have just broken their daily fast, so the streets are nearly empty, which is odd at this time of night. It's peaceful.

I am thinking...I'm tired and yet I have a meeting tonight after the kids are in bed and some Arabic homework to do. I would like nothing more than to finish a scrapbooking layout I've been working on and then head to bed for some Gilmore Girls Season 3. I don't want to think.

From the learning rooms...Arabic, Arabic, and more Arabic.

I am thankful for...my new car. It's beautiful. And a blessing. I think I love her. :)

From the kitchen... Cereal for supper tonight. I cooked Hashweh for lunch, which is a delicious rice and beef dish. That was the first time we've had beef in months. It was yummy!

I am wearing...yellow capri pants and a salmon colored waffle cut short sleeve shirt and my Nile Crocs. That's all the detail you want, right? heehee!

I am reading...The Bethlehem Murders, a fictional novel incorporating real happenings from in and around Bethlehem in modern times. Very interesting.

I am hoping...That I can find rest for my mind. I'm not prone to worry. But I find I keep thinking about the kids and wondering if we are making wise choices for their futures.

I am creating... A 2 page layout using Stampin' Up paper, which is gorgeous! I haven't really used their decorative stuff before, and I'm excited to be putting a scrapbooking kit to good use.

I am hearing...A song sung by a college friend. I found it on iTunes! And it's a beautiful song. It's called Better Days by Jeff Dueck. And the laughter of my 3 older kids playing Gamecube and Georgia's endless chatter as she colors, sitting on the office floor.

Around the house...chaos, as always!

One of my favorite things...Vegging out to favorite TV shows in the evenings without having to think about anything for that brief period of time. I also love driving alone in the car with the windows down and my music blasting, singing at the top of my lungs!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...prepare for English lessons, study Arabic, prepare a Sunday school lesson on the book of Psalms, help my kids study, and get started back on a good English teaching schedule with Thomas and Maggie. I've been lazy...

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Are you a contest junkie????

This could all be yours!














Here's a little contest just for you!

Now, I don't want to encourage you too much to enter, because it means that I have less of a chance to win, but I thought I'd advertise it here for you anyway! :) If you're interested in winning this lot of stuff, check out this blog!

And don't miss Stacy's sketches! Of course, I'm an admitted sketch addict who definitely needs a 12 step sketch program. :)

A thing of beauty...

Meet Blessie. Her full name is Blessing Dressler, but she's Blessie for short. When we first all climbed inside before taking her for our first family ride, I said, "She's so pretty! She needs a name!" Maggie shouted from her new spot in the back seat, "We should call her Blessing because God answered our prayers and she's a blessing!" I said, "Yeah, like Bessie...only it's Blessie for short!" And we all agreed: she certainly is a blessing. We have taken to referring to her as a she, since cars are feminine in Arabic and it gives her more character. :)

This morning, during our first Arabic lesson of the new school year Scot got a call on his cell phone. He returned and said, "We've got a new car!" He had the chance to pick her up and bring her home after school today. Scot was grinning from ear to ear as he drove up. Not only does this car not make any of the awful sounds our old car was making, but the engine is quiet, the AC works in all 3 rows, and he drove away from the lot with just 15 kilometers on her! And a nice stereo with rear speakers to boot!

Why is this car such a blessing? For oh, so many reasons! First of all, because she is reliable. We can safely do our work. We can travel into the West Bank knowing she isn't going to break down. She is a blessing because she was purchased through the kindness and generosity of our supporters back home. She is a blessing because we have now been without a car for over a month and walking and taking the public bus gets old fast with 4 little kids. We knew the very first day we got this car we would all be thankful. The kids expressed such genuine joy and appreciation that is warmed my heart. And made me think about how much walking we've been making them do!

Blessie. I'm so very thankful to God for this car. She is beautiful, isn't she? Even more so because she is a reminder to us of God's faithfulness in our lives and the love and support we have from people back home. Blessie.

SS Blog Challenge #29: Wordless Post

Brought to us by Joanie.

So this will be a wordless challenge this week. Find a picture that speaks for you. Use google image or one of your own images.

Joan of Arc
Jules Bastien-Lepage

Back to school; a Mother's reflection

Today was the first day back to school for my oldest 2 and Georgia Kate's first day of preschool. Scoty went back last week for 2 days of orienatation. That means today was the first day they all went to school. I thought I'd shout Hallelujah! Maybe I did, just a quiet one. :) But mostly I felt nostalgic and maybe just a tad melancholy.

They are growing up. They have changed so much since we left the US 4 years ago. Well, Georgia has really changed considering she didn't even exist! HA! Time keeps moving on and once it passes, you don't get it back.

I am the first to admit I enjoy time spent away from my kids. I look forward to the return back to school just because I crave schedule and I don't do it so well on my own. I like that we know what we have to do and where we have to be at certain times. I like that the house gets quiet. At least I enjoy it for a few moments. Then suddenly it sounds too quiet.

And for some reason, Scoty entering kindergarten has hit me hard. I think because he is the most baby like of all 4 of the kids. I see him as this little boy who needs me. I watched him walk into his classroom today, the last day I could walk him all the way to his class, and I thought, "My, how big he's gotten!" He waved and took his seat and glanced back just one more time to see if I was still there. I was. I felt a tear fall. Time passes.

The new school year seems to emphasize that passage of time. A new year. A fresh start. Excitement mixed with slight apprehension in the eyes of all the children entering the school yard. There is no stopping time, no matter how much we'd like to. And for all the wishing for tomorrow, I sometimes find myself just wishing for time to stop...or at least slow down just a little bit. One more day with my kids at home.

At least until that first cry of "He's teasing me!" At those moments I'm happy to see the school hour come once again!

Scot's Thoughts

Well, my dear blog readers, you are in for a treat! Today I am bringing to you the first edition of Scot's Thoughts. Not only is my dear husband extremely handsome , but he is also hysterically funny and witty and an exceptional writer. He did a blog entry on another blog we keep, and I thought, "Hey...I should share this one with the readers of my blog!" He is writing about the challenges we've faced in living without a car for a month while the car that we have purchased is caught up in the customs office paperwork. Enjoy. He's much more articulate then me. :) If you all enjoy this, we can make it a semi-regular happening. And check back soon to find my ponderings upon taking my youngest son to kindergarten for the first time.

Without further ado, Scot's Thoughts:
********
We are still playing the waiting game, no word back from the car dealer as to whether any progress was made in the customs office. We are actually not expecting to hear anything until Sunday (which is a working day in Israel) or Monday at the earliest. Apparently there is a van out there with my name on it. I got a call a few days ago from the satellite tracking service that is part of the cars anti-theft system (car theft is a big problem in Israel) asking if everything was all right with my KIA. I assume that somewhere in the country the alarm was going off. I responded that I have never even seen my new KIA and that they should call someone from the company. I hope that turned out well for them.

We’ve been on foot a lot lately. Yesterday we dropped Scoty off for his first day of school. He nearly expired on the way from the weight of his new Superman backpack fully loaded with books, but he insisted on carrying it himself most of the way because, after all, “new Superman backpack”. He went off to school without a hitch (we thank God for that) and we continued on with the rest of the family to the Beit Hanina post office, about two miles from home, to mail a belated birthday present and some other items. To our chagrin we arrived to find that the post office had been closed! We asked some passers by on the street and found that it closed about a month earlier. So we returned home with nothing to show for our trek except a little exercise. Carrie seemed a little perturbed by this since she had risen at five to get her elliptical trainer workout in and didn’t really want any unsolicited exercise.

Thankfully we live within about ¾ of a mile from the bus stop, so it’s not too hard to get around. We’ve been able to catch rides with friends to church and most of our meetings lately. We are always reluctant to do this with the kids since there are never enough seats and seatbelts for all of us. But we don’t really have many options. Thankfully many of my regular meetings as well as the markets and the kids school are all within a mile or so from home. We are praying that the car will come before Georgia begins school because the Sunshine School is quite a hoof from home. The kids are feeling a little trapped, and a little tired of walking everywhere, but I think, all things considered, we are taking this setback in stride.

Probably the most difficult part for me is just the mystery involved, no one being able to tell exactly how long the process will take. This is one of those areas where you just have to shake off your American frame of reference and say, as our new coworker Marshall is already fond of saying, “Hey, this is Israel.” Many of my scripture readings lately have been taking me to passages that speak in different was about the culmination of human history, passages from Isaiah, Ezekiel, and various places in the New Testament. In light of what I’ve been reading I think I can plant my tongue firmly in my cheek and make a comparison between the parousia or second coming of our Lord and the arrival of this new van. For both the following can be said: “(w)hen everything is ready, I will come (to)… you” (Joh 14:3), “(h)owever, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven”(Mat 24:36).

Scot

SS Blog Challenge #27 What do I like about ME?

SS Blog Challenge #27, brought to us by Tracilouhoo.

I've come to realize that I spend too much time being my own critic. I can easily pick out my own flaws. I don't think I'm alone in this habit, I believe that we all have this same tendency.

My challenge to you is this: Tell me what your own favorite character trait/ability is. Tell me all about it and how you affect others through it. If you honestly can't pick out your own strengths then I'll give you an easy way out. Just ask the 3 people closest to you to pick one for you. Then blog about those. I'll even give you permission to quote them. I'm sure that you'll find out that you can love what they love about you...

Why is this so hard? It shouldn't be. I suppose we have always been taught not to be vain or self-centered. But often we turn that into, "Don't like anything about yourself." And that is wrong. The Bible tells us that we are God's workmanship, created for good works in Christ. He formed us. He loves us. That alone gives us value. It's okay to celebrate the good things that make me me.

What is may favorite character trait or ability? I am comfortable with people. I love people. I am energized by time spent with people. I enjoy making others feel comfortable and can ease tense situations without much effort. I am extremely sensitive to how others are feeling. If someone is nervous or uncomfortable, I can often perceive why and help make them feel better. And I am able to feel the depth of someone's emotions. I cry when they cry and can carry someone else's heartache with compassion. While I consider this a good trait, empathy isn't an easy trait to have either.

I enjoy laughing and making others laugh. I can tell a good story and take something that, on it's own, wasn't funny and make it laughable. Some may consider my story-telling obnoxious at times, but I know that it's helped to liven up meetings and parties and helped put people at ease.

So, that's it. I love that I am a people person. Scot is not, and I love and appreciate that about him too. I think if we were both extreme extroverts, we'd never survive! He is kind and sensitive, but does not always enjoy social functions and hates small talk. He has told me on more than one occasion that he is always happy to go to a party or other function when I am with him because I ease the tensions and get to know people. I give him the chance to sit back and observe, which is something he enjoys. And while he is hysterically funny and can tell a good story with the best of them, I'm happy to do 90% of the talking when we are out and about. It works for both of us.