Merry CHRISTmas!

2021

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,”
Ephesians 1:3

Praying for you to grasp the richness and fullness we have now in and through Jesus Christ,

Ricky, Aidan, Aolani (almost 12), Micaiah (10), Raphael (4), & Morgan (18 mo.)

Tossing Acorns

We celebrated Thanksgiving with my side of the family. For the big meal, I put an acorn at everyone’s place. Here’s what I wrote about it:

There’s an acorn at everyone’s placemat. The acorn is supposed to represent a bad thought, whether it’s come from you or Satan dropped it into your mind. I heard recently how the easiest time to resist the devil and take the thought captive is when it first falls or pops up. You can just go pick the acorn up and toss it out. But if you leave it for even a little while and there affore, shoots will pop out and try to root down. And the longer you leave it, the deeper the roots go and the bigger the tree. Making it harder it harder to uproot and tear down. So, we can give thanks that God gives us the wisdom and ability and strength to pick up these acorns and throw them away! 

If you want, you can share an acorn (negative thought or fear) that you want to identify and resist, in addition to something from this past year that you are thankful for and why.

Current update

We had a miscarriage about two weeks ago with #5. I had just entered the second trimester.

    • Although this was our second miscarriage, it was a different experience (and seemingly a bit more traumatic). 

 • The body was intact, and Ricky thinks he saw the male organ forming. So we named him Hezekiah Luther. Hezekiah means “Yahweh strengthens me” or “Yahweh is my strength.” Luther is from Aidan’s grandpa who passed away earlier this year.

• We buried him at Aidan’s parents' farm.  

 • We are well, even though we had our share of grief and tears. Thankful to be comforted by the God of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). 

 • God is good. He is light and in him there is no darkness, not even a little bit (1 John 1:5). Satan is the one who comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). 

• We will see little Hezekiah again, along with his sibling who we miscarried eight years ago.

 • God is the master of redemption, turning bad into good and that which was meant for evil into great blessing. 

 • Our resolve to advance the kingdom of God has only gotten stronger. 

[And I have not yet given up on our family mosaic posts! I’m just really behind! ;]

Watching Words

We all know that words have powerful: to create, to craft, to exorcise, to devour, to build…

Anyway, so I have been learning that I don’t want to speak what I see or feel (what carnal people call reality). But I want to speak the Word of God (or at least what I want to see happen since I don’t want to give consent or permission to my flesh to continue it’s way) since I know that is reality. 

While I have changed the way I say many things (knowing that will eventually change my way of thinking), I still act dumbfounded and grapple for words when I’m asked the most simple and basic questions: How are you? How are you doing? How are you feeling?

So, here are some of my premeditated and constructed answers: 

I am blessed. 

I am grateful. 

By His stripes, I’m healed. 

I am pressing in. 

I am full of praise. 

My body is a work in progress.

Amen for TRUTH! 

His Body Given for Our Bodies

I’ve never fully understood communion, but I thought I did. There are several things I want to point out. Here’s one. 

The wine represents the blood of Jesus, which was shed for the remission of our sins on the cross. This is what purifies us in God’s sight, so we can now have eternal life. 

The bread represents the physical body of Jesus, which was wounded and beaten (the stripes) at the whipping post on His way to the cross for our physical healing. This is never taught or explained, so I figured the bread/His body was just an extension of what He did and symbolic of all He gave. But it’s right there in the Bible!

For the one who eats and drinks is eating and drinking so as to bring judgment upon himself if he does not properly evaluate the body. Because of this, among you are many who have infirmities and are in continued ill health, and a considerable number are sleeping [dead]. ~ 1 Corinthians 11:29-30

Taking the Word just as it’s written and not filtered by the interpretations of others, it sure sounds like believers are sick and in ill health (and even dying from it) because they are not discerning the body. 

I know this post only leads to more questions and down rabbit trails!

May 2021

• Activities, besides the normal, during the month of May: We had our Mexican friends and their families over for dinner; completed our science project growing corn and beans (Aolani especially loved it); Aolani has her first local friend spend the night; my friend Teresa comes up from Florida to visit for several days; Ricky takes the older kids to a JAARS Day and on a small plane ride; my parents come visit for a few days and celebrate Morgan’s birthday party; we go get to go to a Mexican birthday party (with four piñatas!); neighbors come over for dinner twice; and, we get to go to a park in Charlotte to pray for people. 
• We meet and become friends with a neighbor family (the parents are a decade younger but with four little kids already!) The mom said that God has opened her ears to understand me when I talk… what an answer to prayer! Praise God for the A family!

• School verses: Aolani and Micaiah — I let the kids take a break from memorization for May and June (after memorizing Paul Revere’s Ride ;)
• Verses I memorized: Ephesians 1:11-14

God’s Will is Known

I am memorizing the first chapter of Ephesians right now. For the past year, I have been reading (and memorizing) out of the Wuest New Testament, a translation based on the Greek language. 

In the NIV, Ephesians 1:9-10 reads,

making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

According to the Wuest translation, Ephesians 1:9-10 reads,

having made known to us the mystery of His will according to that which seemed good to Him, which good thing He purposed in himself, with respect to an administration of the completion of the epochs of time to bring back again to their original state all things in the Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth, in Him,

While there are so many things to point out, I only wanted to address one (or two).

The NIV makes it sound like God’s will is still a mystery to us, but more and more of it is revealed to us as we approach the end of time and that’s part of His plan. It seems so passive!

BUT... that’s not what Paul wrote or meant! 

The Wuest verifies that God’s will has been made known to us and is no longer a mystery to us (other Scriptures buttress this truth). He made it known to us because He is considering that the end of time is approaching (when people are revealed to be found in Christ or not). Since He wants for none to perish, He has revealed His will, so that we can actively evangelize and make disciples. 

I have no idea if I clarified that well. Basically, it’s about enlarging the Kingdom, which Satan hates. And God has empowered and equipped us to do it, now. We have the Spirit and fullness NOW. Pentecost has already happened! There is no more waiting!

April 2021

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• Activities, besides the normal, during the month of April: The kids started doing yard work; Marshallese friends from Morganton come visit one evening; my mom visits for a few days to switch out kids’ clothes for warm weather; the big kids start a science project growing corn and beans; celebrated Ricky’s birthday at Dayspring; and, the kids participated in their first Field Day, put on by the local, homeschool PE group, and brought home a few ribbons ;)

• School verses: Aolani and Micaiah — The kids finished memorizing the poem Paul Revere’s Ride by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. (Watch them in the post below.)
• Verses I memorized: Ephesians 1:7-10

Paul Revere's Ride {video}

March 2021

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• Activities, besides the normal, during the month of March: We had a family over for dinner and games; finished a science experiment growing radishes (Aolani especially loves growing experiments!); a friend took Ricky for a short helicopter ride using a JAARS helicopter to see our neighborhood from above (the kids enjoyed seeing him); we hosted a small dinner party introducing our Cameroonian friends and family friends leaving to serve with Wycliffe in Cameroon; my mom visits for a few days; head to Kentucky to attend the wedding of a friend we originally met on a mission trip to Hungary almost 15 years ago when she was a tween; got to spend extra time there to visit with treasured friends and partners in our Wycliffe ministry (so wonderful!)
• Kentucky trip quote log —

“Look, kids, mountain!“ Raphael, talking to the big kids 

“Look, kids, turkey.” Raphael 

“Morgan said, ‘Yahhh!’ Put that in the quote book.” Raphael 

“It’s amazing how easy it is to make forts in the car.” Micaiah 

“Get up, kids, infractions!” Raphael  

“Move, man.” Raphael 

“Shhh! Go quiet. Bed!” Aolani 

“What’s your name?” Stranger to Raphael 

“Micaiah.” Raphael  

“We don’t have nothing, Dada. Our shirts!” Raphael, thinking we left without our luggage 

“Daddy, let me give you some tips on dad jokes. Number one, don’t use the same joke over and over.” Aolani 

“Too yong, dada. Too yong.” Raphael 

“Too yiddle, dada. I too yiddle.” Raphael  

“Cool. Another dinosaur geek like me.” Friend Abby about Raphael 

“It ‘mells in here.” Raphael 

“Turkeys are yummy.” Raphael 

“More, kids. More infractions.” Raphael  

• School verses: Aolani and Micaiah — The kids began memorizing the poem Paul Revere’s Ride by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. 
• Verses I memorized: Ephesians 1:3-6

Healed by His stripes

I just wanted to testify to my full healing, not spiritual only. It’s already done. Jesus already paid for it at the whipping post. By His stripe(s), [Aidan] was healed (1 Peter 2:24). And because I was, I am. 

I believe that I have received that (Mark 11:24). Although I may not see it or feel it yet, I know that I will soon. Because I believe it, I will see it. 

I stand on the truth of the Word and know that what it says is more trustworthy and real than I am and anything I see or experience. 

I’m banking on it. Keep you posted. 

February 2021

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• Activities, besides the normal, during the month of February: We went to a coworker’s house for worship one night; the kids celebrated at two birthday parties for their friends; friends came for dinner; a neighbor and his friend came over and taught us a new board game; the kids grew radishes for a science project (Aolani especially loved this); Aolani had three birthday parties (one with grandparents and neighbors, one with friends in Morganton, one with friends here); made a weekend trip to Morganton — shared at two churches, visited partners, birthday party at gym, haircut for me (12th hair donation!); shared at a JAARS spiritual vitality event (video is in another post below); a new lady friend (“Grandma Susan”) began coming over to help every week or so; Ricky begins going out on the weekend with a friend to pray for people; and, have dinner with friends at their house. 

• School verses: Aolani and Micaiah — Proverbs 27:17, James 4:17
• Verses I memorized: Ephesians 1:1-2

Walking in God’s strength {video}

Last month, I was asked to share about walking in God’s strength for one of JAARS’s spiritual vitality events. Here’s my part (with Ricky interpreting)!

Lent 2021

For Lent this year, I am going to take Communion every night we’re home. Just to meditate upon what Jesus accomplished when He gave His body (for physical healing at the whipping post) and His blood (for the remission of sins at the cross). [1 Corinthians 11:23-31]

January 2021

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• Activities, besides the normal, during the month of January: Ricky’s mom leaves at the beginning of the month after  visiting for a week, in which we watched the LOTR and Hobbit trilogies; our friend R visits for four days (games!); my mom visits for several days; I acknowledged that my spiritual life with Jesus began 22 years ago (1/22); the H family of 10 from Israel (a Candle in the Window hospitality network family) visit overnight (and the kids LOVED it!); and, our Filipino neighbor had his 50th birthday party :)
• Our usual activities: We go to a small house church fellowship every weekend; we try to make homemade pizza and play board games together on the weekend; our housecleaner comes every other week; the kids go to a homeschool PE group every week; Ricky’s mom’s family has a short weekly Zoom session; a neighbor picks up our recycling each week; I usually have a friend come over to help every other week; the kids do Taekwondo taught by a neighbor every week; and, we do a Bible study with our neighbors every other week.
• Raphael talking to his legos in his room, "Good guy. Good guy. Good guy. Bad guy. Me good guy.” Also, he calls Micaiah, O-kay-ah and Aolani is Au-yani ;)

• School verses: Aolani and Micaiah — John 1:1-3
• Verses I memorized: John 1:31-34

December 2020

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• Activities during the month of December: (I’m not going to be really thorough since I already listed our activities in our Advent post.) We join a small house church (LifeTeam) that meets or does local outreach every week; Aolani visits my parents for five days; O family join us for dinner one night; go to Morganton to throw a farewell party for good friends, family B, and Ricky preached at a Hmong church and we went to the Marshallese Gospel Day celebration (and we got to enjoy the new hotel downtown one night!); we go to Dayspring for a Christmas gathering weekend with my parents and brother’s family; have neighbors over for games; neighbor family D comes for dinner; our Filipino neighbors were our Christmas Day guests this year; Ricky’s mom flies in for eight days; we go next door for a New Year Eve party; and, our LOTR marathon begins!

• School verses: Aolani and Micaiah — break
• Verses I memorized: John 1:27-30

November 2020

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• Activities during the month of November: We went to church and lunch with O family friends; took our Filipino neighbors to vote for their first time; B family friends came for an overnight visit from Morganton (3 additional boys); Aolani goes away for five days to visit "adopted” grandparents (and misses her loud and busy family!); began to attend a house church that meets Saturday afternoons (love the time!); attend a Filipino Thanksgiving at our neighbors the Sunday before and then took them with us to Dayspring (my parents’ farm) to experience their first American Thanksgiving; hang our beautiful bright blue shutters; and, attend two family Zoom meetings for the holiday.
• Raphael’s yes sounds like “yis” ;)
• Micaiah has been saying words that sound similar to the word he means (so cute). I.e. “That is so confusing" but meaning That is so complicated ;)

• School verses: Aolani and Micaiah -- Romans 8:28, Philippians 4:6-7
• Verses I memorized: John 1:23-26