Thankful

It's still Thanksgiving Day where most of my readers live but for me, it's already the day after and I am feeling that I would be remiss if I didn't mention some of the things I'm thankful for. To list the things in order of thankfulness might not work out too well but at the least the top 4 things are in this order and the rest are all on the same level...my heavenly Father who has seen me through so many highs and lows of life and without whom, I don't know how I would have coped. He is my rock and a refuge in times of trouble and and my joy and salvation always! I'm so thankful that I don't have to go it alone on this journey. My husband Darrell who has stuck by my side through thick and thin through more than 30 years of marriage and we have grown in so many ways together. I'm also thankful that I get to share this journey with him! We make an awesome team, if I say so myself:) My 3 children and son-in-law who have become wonderful young adults. I love them all so much and missed not having them during this holiday but will have them all around the Christmas table and I can't wait!! I'm also thankful for my wonderful parents and siblings who encourage me and cheer me on, lend a listening ear and offer advice when needed. I love them all so much! Then there are the incredible ministry partners that we have; those of you who have spent many hours in intercession for us and have given generously out of your limited resources so that our projects could prosper in the Middle East, those who have come to physically lend a hand on a short-term team and those who write encouraging notes at just the right time. You know who you are and we will never be able to adequately thank you for your partnership with us but we want you to know how thankful we are for you. I am very thankful that our present "project", which is the biggest thing we've ever taken on in our lives, is almost completed and ready for operation the first of January. There were times when we wondered if we had gone wrong by renting this huge OLD building that needed so much repair. Lately we've been putting in 12-14 hour days at the Family Place in order to get done once and for all. But we know that God led us to this building for some reason and we are thankful that he has helped us to this point and we're almost finished. Now to see what great things he will do through the relationships that will be formed there! We are truly grateful for good health and the ability to be able to work this hard at our age. Ok, we're not THAT old but getting up there and not as flexible and limber as we once were:) I'm thankful for an amazing house to live in that's warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Thankful for the opportunity and ability to get my master's in International Education Administration. The Admin. part of this will help tremendously in running the Family Place and the Education part will help in directing the preschool. Thus far I have managed to keep up with all my online courses in the midst of a very busy schedule! I thank God for helping this far and know I will be so happy when I have the diploma in my hand at the end of summer 2012. I guess I could go on and on about all the other things I'm thankful for but I won't take your time right now. Thank you for letting me share. I really should do this more than once a year! Someone told me today that he has a journal of thanks and every night before he sleeps, he writes down three things he's thankful for. He said his dreams often evolve around those things! I think I might try it. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

furniture

Here are some pictures with some of the furniture that's arrived this week. Starting to feel like a cozy place that people will want to hang out in. I'm sure I'll re-arrange this a dozen times before it stays put:) We still have a lot more coming but I wanted you to see the progression. I need Bruce to help me put it all together!!!!!

video of sheep

I tried to post this yesterday but looks like it didn't save. We'll try again!

sheep everywhere!!

Sunday Nov 6th is the biggest feast in the Islamic year and that is when they sacrifice a sheep and give some to the neighbors and the poor who can't afford a sheep. Most have no idea what the meaning is behind the feast; they just can't wait to eat the lamb. I just heard a lot of racket out in front of the Family Place so I went out and found the kids playing with the sheep and having a ball. Schools all closed today and will be closed until next Wednesday. Yesterday Darrell went into the little shop right next door and found the sheep INside the shop and creating quite a lot of noise and a not-so-good smell:) Today they have moved him outside onto our sidewalk. (smile again)

first meal

I must say it was pretty exciting this noon for Darrell & I to have lunch in our Family Place cafe. Our furniture arrived yesterday and I've been having fun arranging and re-arranging it. We leave the house every day at 8AM and usually go home around 5 or 6PM. We always eat lunch at TFP and often invite whoever is around working. It's exciting and scary to see it all coming together. When they called and said the furniture was on the way, I had a semi panic attack thinking "wow, this is really going to happen!" The woman who did all the leg work to register our business came by to see our place for the first time today and was very encouraging. She said she never imagined anything so wonderful. This is a picture of her with us on the front steps. She's the wild motor cross lady that I wrote about once.

new addition

We had two beautiful mosaics made for our building to cover over the Islamic verses that were there. They are a wonderful addition to our cafe and so much nicer than seeing the other when you first walk in.

stench everywhere

The garbage continues to pile up everywhere in our city! The smell at times is nauseating. Yesterday I was at the grocery store and saw this pile of nasty garbage right outside the door. The smell of fresh bread, roasted chicken and garbage is just not a good one. The crazy thing is that the store workers were all taking their break right beside this pile of garbage and acting like everything was normal. I about gagged as I walked by it to get to my car. I could make a good spiritual analogy here but I leave that to you:) For the past three days we've had non-stop pouring rain and guess what happens to the garbage then? You guessed it: it starts washing down the streets and then begins to clog up all the sewers and causes water to back up and rivers literally flow everywhere. The water rushing in front of our front door is black, smelly sewer water and it seeps under our door and all the way to our front porch! The stench is something else. Ok, enough complaining. I know some of you are without power in the US from the freak Halloween snow storm. We all have our crosses to bear.