"If God answered all your prayers of the last 7 days, would anything in the WORLD change, or just your world?" MP

Tonight we started a new tradition - P67 night (Psalm 67). We want to impart God's love for the nations to our children. Tonight we ditched the table, took off our shoes, covered our heads, put on our kaft*ans and jela*bas and ate on the floor by lantern - with no plates or utensils. We prayed for the people of Mor*cco.

Unfortunately, American Christianity is largely viewed as only a personal relationship with Christ and Christians read the Bible to see "what it says to ME". Yes, that is good and true, but that view is greatly lacking. The Bible is a story of God loving, forgiving, redeeming and saving His people. People from every tongue, tribe and nation.

Think of heaven and the people worshipping him, truthfully what image do you see? People like yourself? Mostly English speaking, middle class, singing a nice tune, not too loud, clapping hands to the beat? . . . . .At one time I did - but that is not a biblical image. God is so greatly to be praised that he will have a beautiful variety of every language, every large and small tribe and ethnic group - worshiping him. Every skin color, size, tradition, dialect, dancing, chanting, singing, clapping on and off beat, stomping - not just conservative-stand in a row, clap in unison, English speaking believers :).

There are still many, many unreached people groups. People who have NEVER heard the gospel and who have none of God's word in their own language -we need to pray fervently for them. There are hurting and poor people, orphans and widows in many nations - we need to pray for them. There are Christians still being martyred in many nations - we need to pray for them.

Are you imparting a Biblical world view to your children? Are you installing a passion in your children to see ALL people groups blessed by the gospel?

*Next week - Ethiopia* - (What a great way to make social studies and worship/prayer relevant - have your kids find a few traditions and recipes about a people group and go for it) Anyone want to join us and make this a tradition in your home?

Busy August - picture update

Although we have so many great cleaners in our family . . . Sometimes we need some extra help. Thank goodness for our friend Socorro from Hermosillo!

Our refugee friends from Burundi came over this weekend. We have known them for 10 years. If you have never seen Hotel Rwanda - you should rent it. It gives you a taste of what they lived through except they hid in the "bush" (jungle) for months and in the movie the people hid in a hotel. Augustin also lost 2 children in the midst of it, yet they are so thankful to the Lord and such faithful and joyous people!

Agustin (above) and Audace, Jessica, Penina and Sarange (below). Penina and Audace had their wedding reception in the backyard of our last house - it was my favorite wedding party I have ever experienced. Now they have 3 little ones! Oh how I would love to have another wedding at our house!

Christina (below) she was just a baby when we met them, now she is a beautiful young lady. There were many more kids, but they were off playing.

Also this last weekend, Javier's 1/2 uncles came over. Javier found out about them and met them about 7-8 years ago and they now live about 2 hours from our house. Uncle Juan is actually younger than Javier. His dad is Javier's paternal grandpa. He also originally came to the states to play baseball. It's in the blood. The kids LOVE it when Uncle Juan comes to play.

Josiah was so comfortable with Uncle Juan. Uncle Freddy is below.

Like father, like son - Jeremiah is learning early.

See mom what I got?! Both of our dogs are so good with letting the kids do anything to them.

I finally got a 3rd highchair at a garage sale. Jameson just doesn't like baby food. He has gone straight from breastfeeding and formula for 6 months to table food (of course he still loves his milk too). I have never had a child do this - he doesn't throw a fit or anything, he just will not open his mouth for even applesauce. He is crawling fast and just starting to pull up on things and stand. He has fallen flat backwards a few times this week, because he has no concept of what happens when he lets go. He is almost 7 months - we call him chub-a-lub. He is still the happiest and most mellow little thing - Julia was just like him.

Need I explain this next picture - let's just say this was a great homeschool science project of identifying organs and he made a great dinner, but a little chewy :). We got 7 eggs yesterday from our wonderful hens! (all we get from the roosters is a lot of noise!) Before we have only gotten 2-3 eggs a day- so hopefully this means all 7 hens are laying now. It takes about a dozen and a half to feed us one breakfast (assuming we add toast and other food too) - so bring on the eggs!

I just love that we are starting to get back to having a real life and having people over again after 8-9 months of the boys adjusting and getting well and us figuring out how to go from 5 kids to 8 all of a sudden. Life will never be "normal" here, but it sure is fun, or more accurate - blessed!

Need a deep cleaning and live in the east valley?

This is the easiest way to get the word out (sorry this post doesn't apply to people in other states :)) I know some of you mentioned being interested in having my friend Socorro come to clean, well she is in town. She is available to work Saturday or any day next week (she might stay for 2 weeks - I'm not sure yet). She usually spends the whole day at 1 house cleaning it from top to bottom. Depending on what you want, she does blinds, plant shelves, light fixtures, insides of cabinets, cleaning out refrigerators or anything she has time for (in addition to regular cleaning) - it just depends on how big and how dirty your house is and what you want :). She even likes to refold linens and wipe out shelves etc. You can pay her what you can, but most people pay her $100 for about 7-8 hours of work. Some pay her a little more or a little less and some people use her for 2 or 3 days. We love this because we can not afford a regular house cleaner, but we can afford deep clean a couple of times a year that helps out another believer. She is honest and a fast/hard worker. I can translate everything and deliver her/pick her up most days and places in the east valley. You can email or if you have my # call me. Also, pass this on to anyone else that might be interested. There is also another lady available from our Spanish church to clean, cook, iron or babysit etc that is here for 2 months in the Queen Creek area who also has similar rates and is looking to make some extra $ while she is here. Just let me know.

1 more thing . . .

This was supposed to be in my last post - sorry. We got our first egg yesterday! I know it is tiny, but it is a start - the kids were so excited. Jordan does most of the care for the chickens - he is a hard worker around here. It turns out our dog caught one chicken and it died, then 3 died in a storm and now we are left with 7 hens and 6 roosters I think - oh well. I think we will be having some rooster soup pretty soon :). We are officially farmers!

The little things in life

This was Josiah the first day home in these 6-9 month pjs - notice they are even a little baggy on him - 8 months ago - he was 20 months old

Here is Jeremiah a few weeks later - same pjs - he could wear them for quite a while

Now here is Jameson at 6 months in the same pjs - it is crazy to think Josiah was this size when we brought him home - possibly a smidge taller, but much thinner. Now Jeremiah is a tiny bit taller than Jameson and he has a bigger head, but Jameson is chubbier.

This is where we found Jameson after the birthday cake at Jackie's party. He is no dummy! If mom won't give him cake, he will get it himself under Jeremiah's highchair. Yes- Jameson crawls and sits up now.

This is what happens when you have so many big sisters - They called him "Man Bug" instead of ladybug

And Jeremiah heard that pink is the "new blue"He loves the potty seat - just for fun

My handsome boy at Jackie's party

Jackie really wanted a brown girl baby alive for a long time - we found her on clearance for her birthday- she's perfect and she named her Janissa after Mona's baby girl that she just brought home from Ethiopia.

Memorial Box Monday - A break from the heat

What do you do the first day you fill up the pool??? You make a boat out of a baby pool and play pirates with your cousins of course.

Jeremiah loves to swim Josiah does tooOh and this is the greatest blessing of all - the kids take great naps after swimming (look at that beautiful skin and the rolls of pudge on his thighs!! He has come a long way)

We are thankful to the Lord for providing so much more than our needs. The swimming pool has been a great blessing to us and we have not only enjoyed swimming in it at least twice a day, but also having several families over to swim the last week and a half. It is a great motivation to get school work done and it is so nice in this 114 degree heat! It is virtually impossible for me to take all the kids to the public pools by myself since we have 4 non-swimmers, but this way we can swim during the boys' naps or they can play on our baja or we can all swim when Daddy gets home. We purposely built a huge baja step that is about 2 ft deep with a shooting fountain and a drink/jumping rock so it works for the whole family. So for this Memorial Box Monday we are putting in a pool tile to remind us that God blessed our socks off and provided this pool.