Reading with Daniel

While in Lima in November, Daniel began reading a book that Alison had and liked it so much that he bought it for me for Christmas. You may laugh but he knows me so well that he knew I would also enjoy it. He then went to the table of contents and put dates beside each chapter and approached me about talking about each chapter on Sundays of each week. First, of all, I do love a man that realizes that his woman loves to learn about new things in the Bible and puts it in action by scheduling with her!! Boy, was God good when He brought Daniel to me for a life partner!! Now, it looked different when the girls were being raised. I would bring a book to Daniel and book mark a chapter and ask that we read and discuss later -- sometime. Now we are empty nesters so -go easy on your husband in those early years. Little by little you can develop into reading books together - it takes time.

The book is entitled Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus. Has it occurred to you that we are walking by a Jewish document? How much do you know about the Jewish culture before, during, and after the time Jesus lived? If you would like to know more, this is the book for you. Those of you in College Station, Lanette Schulte told me she has taught this book to several classes of home schoolers. She is a wonderful resource!!

Daniel and I have realized we had some thoughts that were underdeveloped about Rabbis in general. That there were many Rabbi and that when Jesus came along he could have been thought of as "just another Rabbi".

Quotes:
"The Jews of Jesus' day greatly prized the study of the Scriptures... These teachers (rabbis) would travel, were never paid, and would take students to study under them for years.... Raising up disciples who would carry on his teaching was one of the greatest goals of rabbis.... These disciples would then hold their own classes in homes and synagogues.... The mission of a rabbi was to become a living example of what it means to apply God's Word to one's life.... The disciples would not only study the Scripture but they would study the rabbis life in order to learn how to live out the Torah... People were expected to open their homes, provide food and shelter to these wandering teachers and their disciples... Rabbis would sit on low pillows and their disciples would sit on mats around them. When Mary was described as "sitting at Jesus' feet" that meant she was a disciple."

I love the idea that this is my heritage. The co-authors, Spangler and Tverberg, ask what type of disciple are you - a funnel, a sponge, a strainer or a sieve? I will leave you with that -- you will have to read the book to know the definitions of those!! Peace to you as we walk as disciples on earth now!

Washing Dishes

Recently our church had an event and some serving dishes were needed. I reached into my china closet (passed on to me from my mom and dad) and packed up what I had. There were several pieces. I remember feeling excited to have some serving dishes to share. That night as we returned home I stacked the dishes up and planned to wash them the next day.

I mentioned to Daniel as I was washing the dishes the next day that I didn't really remember mom using these dishes that had been passed down to me. He reminded me that at holidays he remembered some of them being taken out of the boxes and used. I told him that was true. My mom had a very hospitable personality and welcoming spirit but there were limited friends and relatives who came to visit at our house so I do not have memories of watching or experiencing hosting people in our home in the same way that Daniel and I have experienced since our marriage. Although, I learned in other ways how to be hospitable. Mom was a gift giver and so much of the time her gifts were gifts of food! She was a great cook!! Ahhhh, so many memories of wonderful meals. It seemed to be like magic the way she cooked. Putting ingredients together and it always turned out yummy!! I would watch and participate as we took cookies and cakes to express our love, appreciation, sympathy to friends. It makes sense that she would have dishes to put food on for her loved ones as we celebrated each holiday.

All of my memories of how kind my mom was to others, and what a loyal friend she was came out loud and clear in her life as I watched and experienced my life with her. So now as I wash the dishes the memories come back and I am so grateful for the experiences that come in odd ways.

Intercessory Prayer

I feel called to prayer -- the point in my life that I think the calling came was the summer of 1989. We had a unique opportunity for Daniel to work on a recruiting project for the CIA. There was much stateside traveling with the opportunity so we packed up the girls and hit the road. We rented our house out to a young couple for the summer; closing off one bedroom for our belongings. We traveled by car and put nearly 8,000 miles on the car. In each city we visited we would stay at least a week or more. I decided that I would find a new book on prayer in each town. We were staying in a hotel at each location, so when the girls would go down for naps or for the evening I would read. The books I read are old books now and there has been much published since then, but it was the catalyst that spurred me to pray very specifically. God knew I would need this experience the rest of my life.

Well that is the back drop of what I am getting to enjoy now. It brings tears to my eyes as I read the Lima Team newsletter this morning and watched their Christmas gift give away. I love having the specific Peruvian names that the Lima team have met so in prayer the ministry feels real to me. What JOY it is when we hear about the ones who walk into the Light! We can make a difference by asking God on behalf of others. Don't give up on that!!
This is my list of Peruvians I am praying for - looks like I may need a bigger piece of paper!! JOY!



Last night we hosted a "Sweet Hour of Prayer." We had a great group who God called to join us and we plan on doing it again. We took our Hope church directory and cut it up in sections. Each of us took a section and prayed for each member specifically. It was sweet!!
Joining us were Amy and Kyle Passmore, Chelsa Istre, and Robert Butts


I will leave you with a quote from Richard Foster, in Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home. "The truth of the matter is, we all come to prayer with a tangled mass of motives - altruistic and selfish, merciful and hateful, loving and bitter. Frankly, this side of eternity we will never unravel the good from the bad, the pure from the impure. But what I have come to see is that God is big enough to receive us with all our mixture. We do not have to be bright, or pure, or filled with faith, or anything. That is what grace means, and not only are we saved by grace, we live by it as well. And we pray by it."

Ann Voskamp at Holy Experience wrote about prayer in the home recently. Her writings never disappoint.

Bear up under the NAME

The name of God, Elohim, Mighty Creator - the one who was there before the beginning. God's creation is a gift to us, a way to show Himself to us, to appeal to us and teach us about HIM!! There is power in creating all that we see. We each are created and are sacred. I want to renew my sense of wonder and gratitude for the things He made.

Thoughts of people being created incapable of loving is hard to imagine. I love the thought that we come into the world made in the image of God and part of that is the capability to love. Good question to ponder - Why do we love?

I want to grasp the beauty of today and not be focused on its' flaws. As I walked this morning I prayed for several people in my life and one of them was my mother in law, Alice Orozco. I want for her to be able to see what God still has for her in life. Her life has changed with her husband now living in a nursing home in Austin, 25 minutes from her home. Please join me in prayer. I know there are more experiences God has for her. I get into this spiral so easy myself. It has to be very intentional that I choose to look at the beauty and not the flaws. God is sustaining us each day with His creative power. How do you think God wants to bless you today as He is Elohim?

Merry Christmas

Yes, that is an armadillo from Texas at Perini Ranch!



We were so blessed in November and December of 2011 to have such wonderful time with both of the girls and their husbands and grandchildren. Our hearts are over flowing with gratefulness to God!!

I like to list all of the things I would like to experience with the family during a visit. Our time has a beginning and end and I know myself too well to not list what I would like to see happen. Of course not all of the experiences I list happen, but we did get to almost all of it.

My list: play games, have conversation about God and His Word and read some in the Bible, a visit to Monks (a favorite place of Hannah and Jason in Abilene), out to eat to celebrate the completion of all classes for Jason's Masters degree in International Affairs at GWU, cook together, take pictures, of course - exchange gifts, a little shopping (I'm still learning what Jason's style is), have a time at Hope worshiping God together in song (I love to sit next to Alison and Hannah and hear them sing).

A really fun night at the Massingill home was one of the unplanned events that was a favorite. We gathered around and sang while many played their favorite instrument!!




We also were able to visit with some of Hannah and Jason's friends who have married and stayed in Abilene!!
Abby and Evan Young, Hannah and Jason, Justina and Marshall Thompson


Playing Phase 10 at Monks!


Treat from Hannah - We got our nails done together!


Our crew we had for Christmas Lunch - complete with a surprise entertainment from Robert Butts!




We have a tradition of putting books under the tree each year. We have packed up the books and all is back in the attic. Jason is back at work and the rest of us will return tomorrow. Good bye to our Christmas of 2011!!

I Love to Cook

A phone call came yesterday asking me to make communion bread for our church, Hope church of Christ. It is quite a treat that we have homemade communion bread each week. I would like to share the recipe and encourage you to make it sometime. It is nice to have communion with the family while they are in town for Christmas! It is a great recipe that even young bakers can make.

Communion Bread
2 cups of wheat flour
1/3 cup of brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Mix and then add the liquid
1/3 cup oil
2/3 cup water

Roll out and cook for 20 minutes on 350. Serve when you are ready. I cut mine in quarters because we use four trays!

Thanksgiving ~Christmas

The celebrating time came and the details had come together. I want to give a shout out to Alison and Justin-- Alison is the planner of all planners. She loves to have people in their home, and to prepare for all of the children. There were a total of 24 adults and 18 children!! Everyone had a chair and LOTS of choices of food. Justin cleaned windows, set up tables, prepared the yard and helped in EVERY way Alison asked!! Notice the children's table!! The table had brown paper on it and there were crayons for the children to draw, there was popcorn, candy and marshmallows, and fruit on skewers on each of the tables. We all took leftovers home!!

We got to help Alison create these little "Mayflower" boats for each child with their name on the sail!


Chelsey and Lindsey from TAMU (interns) and Kami

One of the families made a trophy and organized a washers tournament complete with a tournament seeding, with a poster. The washers tournament brought lots of cheers! John Mark is trying his best!

Wes and Stacey Yoakum won!! Notice the trophy - it may have to be passed on year after year!!


There was a salad bar put together by the four interns with everything you can imagine.

The children had a trampoline in the front and a joy jump castle in the back yard and at some point in the evening there was the showing of the Polar Express. Corban, Kellen, and Kase - the Joy Jump Castle was enjoyed by all!!

Tara and Kase, Sarah, and Stephanie - even with all of the people we had plenty of room!


START THE CHRISTMAS MUSIC!

We decided we would not wrap presents but we would have door 1 and door 2 - we put sheets over 4 chairs. Daniel and I would put a gift behind the sheet and call someone to lift up the sheet and get their gift. It was a fun time! "Christmas Morning" - really the day after Thanksgiving began with donuts!!


Excuse the bulk of pictures of Corban -- but if I only had a video! Before opening presents we talked about our anticipation of the gifts and how that was the excitement we wanted to grow when we thought about Jesus coming. We decided to get into the excitement about Jesus with a song. "Give me a J - J, Give me an E- E, Give me an U-U......what does that spell?? Jesus!! Well, Corban became the most animated ever, moving to the tune! Great laughter came from all of us and as you can see Cailyn stood waiting for the part where she would say JESUS!! (that was her part, not the dancing as Corban proceeded to do) There was definitely JOY by ALL!! Do you see Door 1 and Door 2 in the background??



Down on the floor - lifting his leg!! So funny!! Can he express himself any louder!!


Peaking under the door to grab a present!! We may have to make this a tradition!