What a wonderful day! From even before I became a Christian I saw that "Family" with God was something special. How else could people who were so diverse be so close and really love each other? That is what continues to thrill me about this life that God has given us!
This Christmas day we had Willemien over to celebrate with us. It was great to spend that time together, share the smiles and laughter of our giving moments, and just know that we were family. God is so good!
(Click on the photo to see some more of what we did at home on Christmas.)
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
December dones
Here are a few of the things we done done in December.
Thanksgiving
Since most of us cannot get together on a Thursday, we usually plan Thanksgiving some time later - this time at the beginning of December. We of course have to get it in before Sinter Klaas (Dec. 6).
This year we got together with about 50 other people in Eindhoven to enjoy the food and good company. The guys got to wash up afterwards, the ladies played dominoes and the kids lost themselves in with the fussbal table.
We were especially glad that Li Jia could come with us. We also brought Khrystyna, who is a Ukrainian au pair living in the next village. She heard of us from a friend of hers in Eindhoven and has made a point of getting to services every Sunday, even thought that is quite difficult.
(To see some more Thanksgiving photo's, just click on the photo above.)
Hootenanny
Every once in a while (hopefully at least six times a year) we try to get together for a 'hootenanny' in Antwerp. Since Paul and Carol Brazle have been gone (they are the missionaries in residence at Oklahoma Christian), it has been a little harder. They put these evenings together. A hootenanny is a time to eat hotdogs (chilidogs), have some good conversations, meet new people and play or listen to guitar songs.
Most of the time a few young people get out their guitars to learn a bit from those who already know how to play a little. This time it was fun to have Stephan there with his guitar, as well as Roxanne. We play some John Denver, Beatles or such - or if we are really ambitious, Plain White T's (Stephan had "Delilah" on his computer and it wasn't that hard).
(For some more pics on the hootenanny, click on the photo above.)
Shepherds Walk
Listen Up! had only one concert this end-of-year, but it was a doozy. We had been asked to take part in the "Shepherd's Walk" which is a three hour long walk along woods and farms stopping at certain places where a part of a play is presented. The purpose of the play is to tell the visitors the whole story of who Jesus is and why he came to earth.
The day was beautiful - nice and dry, sun shining during the day. Of course the play started in the evening and clear weather means cold weather. We dressed warm, knowing that we would be singing for at least nine different groups of walkers making their way past our section of the play. To be honest - we had it easy compared to the young actors (check out the pictures by clicking on the picture above). We only sang two songs each time, but it was nice being able to take part.
In between all of this we also celebrated Sinter Klaas, Shirley's birthday and have been trying to get our shopping done for Christmas. December can be pretty busy - but we are also getting plenty of time together. The boys have their exams, but that means they are home after lunch, studying (or complaining that they have to study). We are so thankful that we can enjoy the time we have together!
ThanksgivingSince most of us cannot get together on a Thursday, we usually plan Thanksgiving some time later - this time at the beginning of December. We of course have to get it in before Sinter Klaas (Dec. 6).
This year we got together with about 50 other people in Eindhoven to enjoy the food and good company. The guys got to wash up afterwards, the ladies played dominoes and the kids lost themselves in with the fussbal table.
We were especially glad that Li Jia could come with us. We also brought Khrystyna, who is a Ukrainian au pair living in the next village. She heard of us from a friend of hers in Eindhoven and has made a point of getting to services every Sunday, even thought that is quite difficult.
(To see some more Thanksgiving photo's, just click on the photo above.)
HootenannyEvery once in a while (hopefully at least six times a year) we try to get together for a 'hootenanny' in Antwerp. Since Paul and Carol Brazle have been gone (they are the missionaries in residence at Oklahoma Christian), it has been a little harder. They put these evenings together. A hootenanny is a time to eat hotdogs (chilidogs), have some good conversations, meet new people and play or listen to guitar songs.
Most of the time a few young people get out their guitars to learn a bit from those who already know how to play a little. This time it was fun to have Stephan there with his guitar, as well as Roxanne. We play some John Denver, Beatles or such - or if we are really ambitious, Plain White T's (Stephan had "Delilah" on his computer and it wasn't that hard).
(For some more pics on the hootenanny, click on the photo above.)
Shepherds WalkListen Up! had only one concert this end-of-year, but it was a doozy. We had been asked to take part in the "Shepherd's Walk" which is a three hour long walk along woods and farms stopping at certain places where a part of a play is presented. The purpose of the play is to tell the visitors the whole story of who Jesus is and why he came to earth.
The day was beautiful - nice and dry, sun shining during the day. Of course the play started in the evening and clear weather means cold weather. We dressed warm, knowing that we would be singing for at least nine different groups of walkers making their way past our section of the play. To be honest - we had it easy compared to the young actors (check out the pictures by clicking on the picture above). We only sang two songs each time, but it was nice being able to take part.
In between all of this we also celebrated Sinter Klaas, Shirley's birthday and have been trying to get our shopping done for Christmas. December can be pretty busy - but we are also getting plenty of time together. The boys have their exams, but that means they are home after lunch, studying (or complaining that they have to study). We are so thankful that we can enjoy the time we have together!
Monday, December 10, 2007
November Newsletter
LIGHT in the Lowlands
Reaching out to the people of Belgium and the Netherlands
November 2007
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. James 1:2
Dear brothers and sisters, family and friends,
It is so good to know that God is always present, always a strength, always working - whether it is how we expect or not.
Up and downs
Some months bring exciting changes, while others are simply everyday or even disappointing. But we want to simply remain faithful in living for God and letting people know how good it is to live with Him. Although we were a bit disappointed with some things this month, there were other areas that were encouraging.
Many of you have been praying for our WoW course. It was so good to be able to explain the course while we were in the States this past summer as well. This month we offered the course, but for various reasons had little interest. We were offering it still to our own members (especially our new members), but cut this short as well (see church news further on).
Even LJ commented on this in surprise - she doesn’t understand how people could not be interested in the Bible. Continue to keep her in your prayers as she wants to know more and more. She was finally able to attend services and wants to come more often.
We will offer the WoW course again in the Spring and hope to have better results then. Mr. W. continues to ask challenging questions, for us and for himself. He recently commented on his frustration that he had to learn about the Bible from us - although he was very thankful to God for having brought us into his life. We pray that Mr. W. will continue allowing space for his questions, willing to listen to answers.
Another exciting moment in the month was the youth weekend in Eindhoven. The weekend was focused on giving, sharing and serving.
As with this same weekend last year, we had the young people put together boxes to send to kids who have never before received a present. Some of you may be familiar with Operation Christmas Child.
The exciting thing to me this year was how we challenged the kids to use their own money and creativity in finlling the shoebox. They brought their own allowance money and we headed off into the city to make some purchases. Sinter Klaas was arriving in Eindhoven that very day. He is the big gift giver in the Netherlands (his birthday is December 5 and is when most kids get presents - not Christmas, although Santa Claus is based on this idea, which is based on Saint Nicolas). Our young people took the time to find things that would show how much they cared about the kid they were sending their box to.
Church News
For the last several months we have been blessed by the addition in our church family of Leon and Mariette. They are a couple we know through their daughter, who came through our youth weekends and camps in the past. Their daughter is now married and moved away and Leon and Mariette have become an encouraging force in the church here.
Mariette is chronically ill and cannot take much medicine - even though she needs it. Leon is a truck driver, leaving home at 4 a.m. and getting back around 2 p.m. if everything went well on his route. When he gets home he cares for his wife, gets the cleaning and shopping done and gets things ready for the next day. They are both an example to us of faith at work. Mariette tries to be positive in her situation and is always vocal about how God blesses her that day. Leon loves being with us whenever he can be.
And that was a bit of the problem. How long can you keep going when you are tired? So Leon came, torn apart by the decision he thought he had to make. He had the keys to the building in his hands, which he felt he needed to return to us. He had decided that they could not come any more since they could not come to everything! Thankfully, we were able to talk and explain how wonderful their presence is for those in the family. And that finding a balance is very important. So they will be taking a rest and looking for that balance. Please keep them in your prayers.
We also had some good visits with new visitors this month. LJ was able to come to worship with us twice! She has wanted to come in the past but works on Sunday mornings. Now she is looking for some solution to this problem. We also welcomed an au pair from the Ukraine who is working for a family in our town! She found us in Maastricht and goes to considerable trouble to be present. God continues to amaze us with his grace.
PRAYER WARRIORS
Please keep the following in your prayers.
- Pray especially for Mr. W. He is seriously considering what God means in his life. Our study each week always brings us to very challenging questions, which he is willing to consider.
- Pray also for LJ who knows how challenging the life of a Christian is and is considering whether that is something she is interested in.
- Pray for Leon and Mariette, our new brother and sister who are struggling with how to fit everything into their lives. Mariette is chronically ill and Leon cares for her as well as working full-time.
- Thank God that the weakness of the dollar has not yet influenced us terribly because there are so many who care about us and the work here. Praise God!
- Continue to pray for our young people, including V. who continues to visit and worship with us every Sunday morning.
DID YOU KNOW?
Tidbits of information about Belgium and the Netherlands
Dutch football is soccer
The Dutch love soccer. While there are several international players playing now for big-name teams, there are also several Dutch coaches making names all over the globe:
Poland, South Korea, Trinidad and Tobago, Australia and Russia have recently had or currently have Dutch coaches for the national teams.
At one point recently FC Barcelona (a Spanish team) was coached by a Dutchman and had six Dutch players in the first team (out of 11).
Have you come across something typically Dutch or Belgian? What did you think of it? Let us know.
THANKS!
- For your emails and comments on the blog - good to know you are following what is happening
- For letting us know what’s happening in your lives
- Your prayers for all that is happening here and in Europe
WHAT'S COMING UP?
DECEMBER
Hootenanny/Youth evening
Listen Up! singing in Utrecht
Bible study in Lanaken
JANUARY 2008
Youth weekend
Camp meeting
ON THE FAMILY SIDE . . .
This month started out with Stephan - mostly because last month ended with him. On his birthday we had the church over for a nice evening - but that was not a party for an 18 year-old. So Stephan planned a party with his friends. It is neat to see the friendships that he has built up through the years - even though these guys are pretty far away.
Everyone came over for an evening and day of Wii! If you have not yet seen this games console, then you need to. Instead of sitting down staring at the television, the players stand and swing their arms. You can golf, play tennis, or hit a baseball. Since we could hook up the projector, the guys decided to play baseball in the living room. It was great to see the fun they could have together.
Stephan is moving closer and closer to what will be a big change for him in his life. If all goes well, he will be studying in the States next year. Of course he first has to pass this year. That’s quite a task when you are fed up with school and just want to be done (which most of us have experienced). Exams in December after having to study for the ACT in October - November was just a month crammed in between studying.
Thankfully Stephan still has his basketball each week. And this month he had his first score - a three-pointer! He acts like it wasn’t much, but we were pretty proud. We don’t get to see him play very often (his games are often away and we have a Bible study with LJ on his game days), but we sure are glad he enjoys it.
Sean is also continuing to have fun with his soccer. His team is struggling, and that means that playing is not always “fun”, but that is something Sean is also learning, and learning well. Sometimes you just keep working - even when it is not fun. It has been great to see his determination.
Sean is also enjoying his new school. This school year he switched over to a school where more of his friends are. It also has fewer students, which makes the teacher-student ratio good. He has said himself that some things are more difficult, but he seems to be doing quite well.
The rest of us have simply been enjoying each day as it comes. Some weeks are just pain old weeks. Both Scott and Shirley have paid a visit to the dentist and dealt with those minor problems. November also brought winter rains, which means wet-dog walks and lots of extra wash! But this has also meant together time. Walking the dog is a time for Shirley and Stephan or Scott and Shirley to be together. We have had a few family evenings together (Cars or the new Pride and Prejudice or the board game Masterpiece).
Every day brings different challenges and joys. Sometimes the two are the same - a challenge becomes something to enjoy. We have really enjoyed the time we have as a family and that we can be there for each other. Take the time to notice each other and encourage one another. Have a great day today!
Reaching out to the people of Belgium and the Netherlands
November 2007
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. James 1:2
Dear brothers and sisters, family and friends,
It is so good to know that God is always present, always a strength, always working - whether it is how we expect or not.
Up and downs
Some months bring exciting changes, while others are simply everyday or even disappointing. But we want to simply remain faithful in living for God and letting people know how good it is to live with Him. Although we were a bit disappointed with some things this month, there were other areas that were encouraging.
Many of you have been praying for our WoW course. It was so good to be able to explain the course while we were in the States this past summer as well. This month we offered the course, but for various reasons had little interest. We were offering it still to our own members (especially our new members), but cut this short as well (see church news further on).Even LJ commented on this in surprise - she doesn’t understand how people could not be interested in the Bible. Continue to keep her in your prayers as she wants to know more and more. She was finally able to attend services and wants to come more often.
We will offer the WoW course again in the Spring and hope to have better results then. Mr. W. continues to ask challenging questions, for us and for himself. He recently commented on his frustration that he had to learn about the Bible from us - although he was very thankful to God for having brought us into his life. We pray that Mr. W. will continue allowing space for his questions, willing to listen to answers.
Another exciting moment in the month was the youth weekend in Eindhoven. The weekend was focused on giving, sharing and serving.
As with this same weekend last year, we had the young people put together boxes to send to kids who have never before received a present. Some of you may be familiar with Operation Christmas Child.The exciting thing to me this year was how we challenged the kids to use their own money and creativity in finlling the shoebox. They brought their own allowance money and we headed off into the city to make some purchases. Sinter Klaas was arriving in Eindhoven that very day. He is the big gift giver in the Netherlands (his birthday is December 5 and is when most kids get presents - not Christmas, although Santa Claus is based on this idea, which is based on Saint Nicolas). Our young people took the time to find things that would show how much they cared about the kid they were sending their box to.
Church News
For the last several months we have been blessed by the addition in our church family of Leon and Mariette. They are a couple we know through their daughter, who came through our youth weekends and camps in the past. Their daughter is now married and moved away and Leon and Mariette have become an encouraging force in the church here.
Mariette is chronically ill and cannot take much medicine - even though she needs it. Leon is a truck driver, leaving home at 4 a.m. and getting back around 2 p.m. if everything went well on his route. When he gets home he cares for his wife, gets the cleaning and shopping done and gets things ready for the next day. They are both an example to us of faith at work. Mariette tries to be positive in her situation and is always vocal about how God blesses her that day. Leon loves being with us whenever he can be.
And that was a bit of the problem. How long can you keep going when you are tired? So Leon came, torn apart by the decision he thought he had to make. He had the keys to the building in his hands, which he felt he needed to return to us. He had decided that they could not come any more since they could not come to everything! Thankfully, we were able to talk and explain how wonderful their presence is for those in the family. And that finding a balance is very important. So they will be taking a rest and looking for that balance. Please keep them in your prayers.
We also had some good visits with new visitors this month. LJ was able to come to worship with us twice! She has wanted to come in the past but works on Sunday mornings. Now she is looking for some solution to this problem. We also welcomed an au pair from the Ukraine who is working for a family in our town! She found us in Maastricht and goes to considerable trouble to be present. God continues to amaze us with his grace.
PRAYER WARRIORS
Please keep the following in your prayers.
- Pray especially for Mr. W. He is seriously considering what God means in his life. Our study each week always brings us to very challenging questions, which he is willing to consider.
- Pray also for LJ who knows how challenging the life of a Christian is and is considering whether that is something she is interested in.
- Pray for Leon and Mariette, our new brother and sister who are struggling with how to fit everything into their lives. Mariette is chronically ill and Leon cares for her as well as working full-time.
- Thank God that the weakness of the dollar has not yet influenced us terribly because there are so many who care about us and the work here. Praise God!
- Continue to pray for our young people, including V. who continues to visit and worship with us every Sunday morning.
DID YOU KNOW?
Tidbits of information about Belgium and the Netherlands
Dutch football is soccer
The Dutch love soccer. While there are several international players playing now for big-name teams, there are also several Dutch coaches making names all over the globe:
Poland, South Korea, Trinidad and Tobago, Australia and Russia have recently had or currently have Dutch coaches for the national teams.
At one point recently FC Barcelona (a Spanish team) was coached by a Dutchman and had six Dutch players in the first team (out of 11).
Have you come across something typically Dutch or Belgian? What did you think of it? Let us know.
THANKS!
- For your emails and comments on the blog - good to know you are following what is happening
- For letting us know what’s happening in your lives
- Your prayers for all that is happening here and in Europe
WHAT'S COMING UP?
DECEMBER
Hootenanny/Youth evening
Listen Up! singing in Utrecht
Bible study in Lanaken
JANUARY 2008
Youth weekend
Camp meeting
ON THE FAMILY SIDE . . .
This month started out with Stephan - mostly because last month ended with him. On his birthday we had the church over for a nice evening - but that was not a party for an 18 year-old. So Stephan planned a party with his friends. It is neat to see the friendships that he has built up through the years - even though these guys are pretty far away.
Everyone came over for an evening and day of Wii! If you have not yet seen this games console, then you need to. Instead of sitting down staring at the television, the players stand and swing their arms. You can golf, play tennis, or hit a baseball. Since we could hook up the projector, the guys decided to play baseball in the living room. It was great to see the fun they could have together.
Stephan is moving closer and closer to what will be a big change for him in his life. If all goes well, he will be studying in the States next year. Of course he first has to pass this year. That’s quite a task when you are fed up with school and just want to be done (which most of us have experienced). Exams in December after having to study for the ACT in October - November was just a month crammed in between studying.
Thankfully Stephan still has his basketball each week. And this month he had his first score - a three-pointer! He acts like it wasn’t much, but we were pretty proud. We don’t get to see him play very often (his games are often away and we have a Bible study with LJ on his game days), but we sure are glad he enjoys it.
Sean is also continuing to have fun with his soccer. His team is struggling, and that means that playing is not always “fun”, but that is something Sean is also learning, and learning well. Sometimes you just keep working - even when it is not fun. It has been great to see his determination.
Sean is also enjoying his new school. This school year he switched over to a school where more of his friends are. It also has fewer students, which makes the teacher-student ratio good. He has said himself that some things are more difficult, but he seems to be doing quite well.
The rest of us have simply been enjoying each day as it comes. Some weeks are just pain old weeks. Both Scott and Shirley have paid a visit to the dentist and dealt with those minor problems. November also brought winter rains, which means wet-dog walks and lots of extra wash! But this has also meant together time. Walking the dog is a time for Shirley and Stephan or Scott and Shirley to be together. We have had a few family evenings together (Cars or the new Pride and Prejudice or the board game Masterpiece).
Every day brings different challenges and joys. Sometimes the two are the same - a challenge becomes something to enjoy. We have really enjoyed the time we have as a family and that we can be there for each other. Take the time to notice each other and encourage one another. Have a great day today!
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