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Wednesday, October 29, 2008

WOW! Thanks again Casey!



New Creation from Pace Hartfield on Vimeo.



Thanks for posting this KATE and Casey!!

Monday, October 27, 2008

Rice farm/Buffalo Training Camp Fun!


A few weeks ago a lady at the Co-op scheduled a field trip to visit a rice farm (Buffalo Training Camp). It was to have hands on experience on how to plow, plant and harvest rice and to learn about Thai culture. To say the least it was a blast...Here's the guy showing off his buffalo mounting skillz...


They are now doing a demonstration on how they grind sugar cane to get it's juices. As the buffalo goes round and round it grinds and presses the sugar cane.



After the rice is harvested it is then pound to remove the kernal.


Here is my Josiah. I can't tell you how shocked and proud I was of him. This is my boy that runs screaming from the table when his hands get dirty to hurry and wash them. I was prepared to coax and trick him into it but while I was away...changing my clothes to get in myself that boy jumped in! I didn't even get to see him do it! He was getting out when I walked up!!! I'm so thankful that one of the other mothers caught a few pics for me.


I love this and call me crazy but here is my little man learning to "put his hands to the plow".


This buffalo looked disgusting when we were done with it...ugk...

While we were there Josiah was hardly ever with the group. He was always off chasing the animals...wanting to pet them. Or checking something else out. Making his own way. Right before we left he said with great conviction "Momma...I've GOT to come back here." When asked why he responded: "Because I have to be here to help them when it's time to get the rice because I can help them do it faster! I'm good on a farm and the animals like me."

Yes I got in and let me tell you...it was suprisingly hard to smile. It felt DISGUSTING! Undescribably disgusting...Every step was what I imagine it would feel like to go wadding in a pond of poo...but who could pass up the opportunity to plow a rice field? Not me!?


They gave everyone an opportunity to get up on the buffalo. The kids loved it! It was an awesome experience for them...now for me...it was just embarrassing. Would I do it again if I had the chance...probably...but it was still embarrassing. All of my horse riding experience (which isn't much...and was a long time ago) went out the window when I attempted to mount that thing! I was laughing so hard I thought I was not going to be able to get up on that buffalo but despite the roaring laughter of everyone around me I persisted and up I went.
It wouldn't have been so hard if I had thought it through before attempting it but I just kind of layed over it for the longest time laughing. Or it felt like a long time. A handful of the other moms made a running jump from the back of the bull and jumped right on...I am NOT THAT kind of woman...I'd love to say I could jump up on the back of the horse or buffalo but uh...my present state of body is not capable of such a feat. I passed.
It was such a blast and an experience that neither Josiah nor I will forget. FYI - they no longer use buffalos to plow the rice fields - it is a forgotten pasttime that many Thai's are sad to see go. Almost all of the current generation of Thai's have never seen or plowed a rice field using a buffalo. They have machines for that now. List #208 of things to accomplish in life: Get knee deep in muck and God knows what else and plow a rice field....CHECK!

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Warfare....Heart mover...

I everyone! Ok...sooo...whew. It's been a rough 2 days! But it's better. I have spent most of the last 48 hours sleeping. Yeah...I said "sleeping". It was so rough I just felt like sleeping to escape thinking about anything. Is that the right way to handle things my friends? NO! (I am shocked that I was able to do so...in reality...it is not possible but my husband, sensing my mood seemed to move mountains to allow me to sleep) I would love to report to you that at the first onset of feelings of despair I hit my knees straight away and told that devil where he could go with his ugly thoughts...but...uhh...I didn't...


I thought it was just hormones trying to balance themselves out since I've cut WAY back on breast feeding. And then I thought it was just because it seemed extra hot that day and THEN it was because my boys were fighting more than usual that day...THEN it was because I just missed my friends in America...and then and then and then!


BAH! So this evening...way too late in the game if you ask me...I realized what was happening. I was standing there doing dishes...oh how I had to make myself do every single dish! I kept thinking about how nice it would be to wash dishes with hot water and how dare that shop stop selling the good dish soap...that actually cleans the dishes...instead of having to scrub each dish a gratillion times to get the grime off...uh...where was I? Oh yeah, there I was washing the dishes...HAPPILY! LOL...ok...that would be a lie...I was TOTALLY grumbling and complaining.



While all of these "pleasant" thoughts are rumbling through my head I just all the sudden thought of one of my favorite books of all time. "This Present Darkness" by Frank Perretti. I thought of the images that I had created in my head while reading that book...one in particular of this humble pastor fighting for his congregation...for his city...down on his knees, alone in his this small town sanctuary. Frank Peretti brings you into that small town sanctuary as if you were one of it's members and you can feel the heart of this pastor seeking heaven for his sheep.





The thing that really got me was the extreme warfare going on over someone praying. I won't give you any more than that...it's too awesome of a story but as I sat there...my dishes and I...and as I grumbled and shifted fighting my flesh...I realized - yet again I had let my eyes be turned to the side. For had I not, I would have seen everything as clearly as the sun on a cloudless day. I would have recognized the enemies first dart and stood firm against the coming onslaught. I thought about the yesterday evening and how I just laid in the boys bed until I made myself go to sleep...in the middle of the day. I was just desperate not to think about anything anymore.


Things have not been that BAD people! I just felt hopeless and just the day before I was talking to John about what a relief I had felt in the spirit and how I knew people have been praying...like a night and day difference...and then this. Now...I know it sounds like hormones and yeah, I'll give you 5% on that. But the other 95% was an attack. I won't go into detail about what all was causing all of this turmoil only to say that it is all lies. You can choose to look at your circumstances through the eyes of the world or through the eyes of our Father...one leads to hopelessness and the other to clarity, trust, happiness and joy.


I stood there at my little sink and started praying in my head until it flowed out of my lips with passion and fire as it should have when this began. I told the enemy I would not hear another word and I reminded him that we are the victorious ones and those who trust in the Lord will NOT BE MOVED! Commanded him and all of his to leave me and my family alone. He might have dominion over the neighbors but as long as we dwell in this house it is God's property and I nor any member of my family will be toyed with any longer.





I felt instantaneous relief. I finished the dishes and put the boys to bed then prayed over them. I know if I feel the effects of everything then they must feel it too - especially Josiah. Josiah has really been testing me lately...more than normal. They have been pushing limits of brotherhood and I just don't know what to think about it sometimes. I have a half brother but we're 10 years apart and I don't ever remember fighting except for one time when he hurt my feelings over something silly and I put a sign up that said "No brothers allowed" (remember that Bubba?). That was the extent of it.


John describes how him and his sisters used to fight all the time and sometimes he tells me that it's normal and I just take a breath and say...ok...and I remind myself that they are not perfect and I don't expect them to be and I can't expect them to act like adults...they are going to be selfish and self serving at times. If it's not Josiah it's Jude and vice versa. For the first time I am seeing them purposefully trying to get on each others nerves and doing spiteful things to each other and honestly it just eats away at me.


During these past few months I have realized more than ever that parenting is something that you have to approach with fear and trembling...knowing that you have to have God's help...you have to have wise council and you have to love beyond yourself. But what it comes down to is that it's our job as their parents to teach them what is right and wrong and to teach them the Word of God and allow God to do the real work/change on their hearts.




I've never been good at that. It seems like my whole life I've been trying to do God's job at changing hearts. I felt for sooo long that if I could just say the right words...give them the right tape...be there at the right moment THEN they would wake up and come back to Him...but it's never been about what I could do. It's been about what God can do and what that person wants to allow God to do. Yes you can be instruments used by God but He is the heart mover. Now with my little guys hearts...I know they are good...they are GOOD sweet boys...just not to each other recently. It's been really hard staying patient, kind and gentle...let me TELL YOU! But if at anytime I should be those things to my children...it should be now.


John returned home shortly afterward and I was so glad to see his face. He is my most cherished gift from the Lord...my children are so incredible but my John...I find comfort in His eyes and the creases on his face when he smiles. His laughter is contagious and in his arms I find rest. I find my ultimate comfort and rest in my Savior and I see the love of my Savior mirrored in my husband through security and all encompassing, unwavering love.


OK...too gooshy for ya? Sorry...So anyway, soon after all that I was able to speak to my good friend Shawna back in the states for a very short bit and it's always good to hear her voice and what God is doing in her life. She encouraged me even more just letting me know that people are praying and reading. When I started blogging I never thought it would be what it is today...


I would have never dreamed that it would be something so important to me. I THOUGHT it was just for family and friends back home to keep up with us but now I find it a tool to share my heart and to hopefully get into your mind and heart so that you would pray for us too! So thank you my blogging friends...all of you who read and comment and pray...it means the world to me. Thank you...


Come back soon to see me on a BUFFALO...! ha! Yeah, I said BUFFALO! AND please continue to keep Renee in your prayers (or Carrie as some of you know her). While she is not having fever like she was having she is now having some issues with her abdomin...I'll keep you updated.


With love,
Steph

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Thai food!!

A few days ago my teacher...Khruu Ruchada got the great idea to make some food for the Pruetts so I invited over to my house to make the food as to not make the Pruetts house busy with people and all that goes on with the amount of food we would be making. I had been wanting to have a Thai food cooking class with her anyway so off we went to the market after class.

That was sooo much fun...I wish I had had my camera. Next time I'll be prapared...we had so many vegetables and things that I thought that there was NO WAY we could carry it on our bikes but the Thai people can carry ANYTHING on their bikes. Khruu Ruchada spent about 5 minutes and had it all packed on to her bike just right! It was amazing...so she met me at my house...another teacher...Khruu Bhen came too to be the "luuk muu" which means or is the equivalent to the "helping hands"...the one who chops everything up and prepares everything...basically a prep cook. hehehe...

So...I took tons of pictures and learned how to make a few of my absolute FAVORITE Thai dishes. Are any of you interested in knowing the recipes? I can post them with the pictures of each of the vegetables that you have to have to make it...? Ok...so here we go:

Khruu Ruchada chopping up the veggies...

Khruu Bhen washing some veggies...
My first Khaow Phat ever! It was delicious...I know it looks like fried rice but it's not the same. Lots of yummy Thai tastes in there...and if I look hot...it's because I AM!!!

Our kitchen table was literally full of vegetables and stuff...


The extremely yummy fruit of our labor!!! The dish on the Left is called Penang Moo, Middle: Laap Moo and on the right is Grapow Moo. Moo is pork. The top dish is Khaow Phat Gai (chicken). It was all terribly delicious!

A few days ago we had the pleasure of having the Garsee boys over. These kids are soo cute...they are the adoptive kids of The Garsees that we used to work with in HatYai. The Garsees are in America on furlough and were unable to secure visas for their adoptive children to go also...so they have been staying with the Pruetts. This is Jude and Joseph.

Josiah and Bang...

The boys being silly...ha!

Aren't they all so handsome?

Josiah painting yesterday...

Renee...

Renee is doing much better. She is recovering from Typhoid Fever. She still has fever but not nearly as high as it was before. Thank you for praying for her and check back here for a new post very soon!

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Urgent Prayer Request...

Renee...the wife of the other man that John works with (Todd) has Typhoid Fever. She has been to the hospital and has medicine and is resting now. This is a hard time for them right now as you can imagine...they are also taking care of 3 extra children on top of their 4 to help some dear friends while they are away in America on furlough. If you have been keeping up with my blog you have seen them already...Judah, Joseph and Bang.

Please keep the Pruetts in your prayers and us as well as we will be attempting to lighten their load and help as much as possible. Thank you!

First Green? Smoothie! October in Thailand...

**********New Video*************

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I woke up and decided today would be the day to do it..make my first green smoothie... I've been feeling some anxiety about making my first green smoothie simply because if it really tastes bad I know that I won't make another one. ha! I'm just being honest....

So yesterday I stopped by the market to pick up some fresh greens just in case the ones I had bought had gone bad because I waited so long to tackle this endever. And I was right - I pulled out the greens I had bought and they were all turning yellow and limp...NO GOOD!

You wanna know something funny? I didn't know what kind of greens I had so I had to go online and find out what spinach and kale look like. I'm telling you guys I am not a health freak...I don't know about this stuff! But yeah...all of these greens were wasted, good thing all of those veggies cost only a $1:



I also bought some bananas at the market yesterday and after I got them home I noticed that the bananas were covered in ants so I sat them outside over night...and when I got it this morning...it had this huge chunk taken out of it. Kinda scary...wonder what made that hole?


So I got everything together and this is what went into my green smoothie...minus a little bit of the "kale". That's blueberries, raspberries and two chunks of fresh pineapple...three little bananas and about a cup of kale. I also put about 1/2 a cup of water to help it blend.

I started with all the fruit first...and I have to admit...I was liking what I was seeing:

And then........it turned out BROWN! AHHH! My green smoothie turned out to be a brown smoothie! Uh...so, after staring it down a while...I pushed all thoughts out of my mind and took a sip. I opened my eyes and said out loud "OK! I can do this!". Did I jump up and down and rejoice in the deliciousness of my creation? NO! But I believe it's only because I don't like lukewarm thick stuff. I don't eat ice cream if it's melted AT ALL...and this to me was thick, not cold enough and well, delicious! Didn't taste like green stuff at all!

I thought it was kind of funny that the only glass cup I had was a cocacola cup and it looks like a cocacola smoothie...anyway...so, it was good! I'm going to add ice next time to help it be more paletable...but yeah, WE CAN DO THIS! WAHOO! So, I drank lots of water and that's all I've had so far today and it's 10:33am and I'm not hungry.

If I do get seriously hungry I'm gonna eat an apple or an orange. I found this neat thing online and for health reasons I want to do this...don't think I'm going to do the whole colon cleansing thing...don't even know where to start with that...but as far as the exercising, eating and drinking...THAT I can do.

So pray for me...it won't be easy but I have to do this for my own health and for the future health of my family.

On another note - thank you soo much for those who are praying for us...today we can really feel the effects of your prayers...SERIOUSLY! John and I both woke up this morning feeling renewed and refreshed...trusting our God in everything. Thank you...thank you...thank you for praying.

This is also the most wicked month of all here in Thailand. Read what was going on last October here. There are so many things that go on during October...one of which is the vegetarian festival...which begins by signaling their 9 gods to come down to earth...you can read about it here.

You can also read about the parades that take place all over the country here: Parades This is a quote from the guy wrote the article that that link goes to:

"What did I see?
~ I saw guys cutting their tongues with straight edge razors.
~ I saw guys cutting their stomachs with hatches, razors, and swords
~ i saw guys running a sword up and down on their tongues
~ I saw a guy with a deer skull with antlers… an antler was through his cheeck.
~ I saw a guy with a modified bicycle frame with part of it going through his cheek.
~ I saw a few girls with metal rods through their cheeks.
~ I saw a guy with two hatchets (small axes) that was hammering the blade into his forehead
with the back of the other hatchet.
~ I saw a guy that was pierced with about 6 metal rods that went through his lips, neck and skin
near the shoulders.
~ I saw guys with spears piercing through both cheeks.
~ I saw groups of guys sit on the street in a circle and have a tongue cutting ceremony.
~ I saw grown men and women act like monkeys (they were supposedly possessed).
~ I saw girls act like infants.
~ I saw guys swinging swords, spears, Molly Hatchet blades, and everything else - wildly in the
air as if they were fighting off demons.
~ I saw approximately 500 people that were truly out of their minds.
~ I saw little kids of 2 and 3 yrs old watching the men cut themselves from as close as 2 meters
away.
~ I saw a little boy of about 4 years old run after his mother crying and trying to offer her some
water to cool her down as she walked in a trance like a Buddha - and then she pushed him
away from her when he got close.
~ I saw men and women dancing beneath thousands of falling firecrackers that were going off
over their heads, and under their feet, all around them.
~ I saw guys grunting, squealing, and making wretched sounds that I’d call animal-like or
demon-like."

What does that sound like to you? And this is what is going on all over Thailand this month. Please be praying. Thank you and I'll leave you with some funny pics and videos...






While the other pictures speak for themselves...I have to explain this one...ha! Uhh...this is what happens when I blow dry my hair...uh huh...crazy huh? I did NOT puff this out at all...and no I did not blow dry my hair with my head upside down. This is me attempting to straighten my hair by blow drying...every time I sit in a hair stylists chair they are amazed at how much hair I have...God gave me enough hair to spare for some reason. ha! So yeah, I put it up in a pony tail after this...and it looked like I had a lions mane stuck on the back of my head.

Jude...you have to see the video of this...he asked the funniest question...




Saturday, October 18, 2008

God of this City - Pattaya

I recently found out about a Thai Christian living in America. She, Sukalaya, wrote me through email and showed me her blog. Let me just tell you that it is such a blessing to see what God is doing in her life...I want you all that are reading to realized what happens when Thai people get truly saved...

Some of the most loyal, true followers I have ever met in my life. They know what it means to have a King...they know what it means to respect...and every true Thai believer that I've ever met lives for him passionately and with no compromise.

While I was reading her blog. I came across a post about a Christian band called Bluetree that was invited to Pattaya to sing in a club. Pattaya is much like HatYai in that it is filled with prostitutes and is run over by drugs, alcohol, western ways and sex. From what I read the band had no idea what they were heading into...and while they were there...amongst it all....in the middle of this club they began to sing this song: God of this City...declaring the truth over these people and this city.

This video really moved me...check it out and check out Bluetree. PLEASE BE WARNED THAT THIS VIDEO IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR KIDS...AND SHOWS THE EPITOME OF A CITY DRENCHED IN SIN...


Please keep us in your prayers during this time....

Friday, October 17, 2008

Short Border Run video

Stuck between two countries and how to sneak through borders undetected...ha!

Yes...we were officially not in ANY country for about 2 hours yesterday! But before I explain here's a definition of what a border run is for those of you who don't know:

Border Run: the process of going out of Thailand and into another surrounding country and then turning around to go back out of that country and back into Thailand in order to get a stamp in your passport to validate and follow your visa and it's rules.

Our visa requires that we leave the country every 3 months and get a stamp in our passport to kind of keep tabs on us...I guess. The last day we were allowed in this country before having to do a "border run" was October 15th!

So on Oct. 15th as I was leaving for Thai class I saw that I had a txt message. I check it and it was Renee asking if I had to do a border run soon. My heart leaped out of my chest. I hadn't been using the calendar that I made the note in to remind myself. I ran in and check our passports and sure enough Oct. 15th was the day we were supposed to go to the border.

There was no possible way to find a ride and get to the border before it closed that day so we had to plan for the next day. This was our first border run to Myanmar...down south we go to Malaysia for our border run. If there had been any possible way for us to go that day..we would have because we had to pay a late fee. The fee is 500 baht a day per adult. So we had to pay 1,000 baht ($30) fee.

Us taking a break after 2 hours in the car...no I'm not annoyed...I just look that way...

I started really looking around and trying to find a van that does the run everyday like in HatYai (where we used to live) but I couldn't find one! The only way we were able to go was by paying a taxi friend of ours to take us (3,000 baht = $90). We had 1,000 in the bank and that was it! No more! So we had 3,000 for the taxi and 1,000 for the fee and 1,000 in the bank.

After 3 1/2 non eventful, song filled, and car sick (for me..first time in my life) hours...going over mountains...we were there. We got out...took a potty break that went something like this:


and on we went. We went through the Thai border very easily...but we noticed a sign that said that there was a 500 baht fee at the Burmese border so John went to an ATM before we were done at the window and got our last 1,000 baht to pay at the Burmese border.

I assumed (to my detriment) that that was only for adults. Seeing as the Thai side only charges fees for adults. So...John and I came into the office after following the "foreigner signs" and the guy took our passports and I gave him the 1,000 baht and he said that he needed 1,500 more. My mouth just dropped open. I explained to him that we didn't know and didn't think they charged for children and he just looked at me and said...go to the ATM.

I looked at John...and was just like a deer in the head lights. I went on to explain to them that we are not tourists and that we did not have the money in the bank. They just looked at me right back and said go get the money from the bank. I told them we did not have it...and he said..."Then you can't come into Mayanmar(Burma)"

In a moment of shear stupidity I went onto say "We are not toursists...we're missionaries...we don't have lots of money...there is no money in the bank..." Why is that so stupid??? Because Myanmar is a closed country and they could have decided not to allow us to enter period because I said that or they could have thought up some crazy reason to arrest us on the spot because they want to...All 4 sitting at that table looked like the epitome of crooked police if I had ever seen them.

The main police guy had been chewing this root that turns your teeth redish color...it was really gross...anyway, we walked out of the office...trying to figure out what to do. We walked back over to the Thai said and asked them if we could come in...because we had already received our departing stamp but they guy said no - he said that you had to have a stamp from another country to enter.

I asked them if there was someone that could help us in this situation and they said no. I was just flabbergasted. My children are all over the place...Joss was getting heavy...Thai people are jopping (pinching their cheeks or arms) my children left and right and Jude is getting sick of it. So we realized that if we could get a hold of our taxi driver we could ask for the money that we gave him back. So I picked up the phone and called him and guess what happened?

My phone died. So...now John had to get through the border to find our taxi guy and get the money from him then slip back through the border and go with us to the Myanmar border!!! God must have seriously had his hand on John because regardless of the fact that there were tons of guards everywhere - John walked right through the border un noticed.

I waited there for a good 30 minutes for John to return. During that 30 minutes our friend the taxi driver had seen me through the border and called me and the kids over to the border line to give me the money. He hadn't seen John. My heart fluttered a bit...could he have gotten arrested because of no passport?...was he way away from the border still looking for our friend...but about 35 minutes later John came across the border yet again!

So we made our way to the Myanmar office again and paid them the money and they gave us our beloved stamp. Then we were off to the Thailand border again. We were through pretty easy although we made some tourists pretty frustrated while they waited behind us in line for the Thai officials to process all 5 of our passports ha!

Our trip back home was rough...but we made it. When we got back home Renee and Todd let us borrow the money to pay the taxi driver. I'll leave it at that and tell you about something that broke my heart while we were stuck between countries.

A 4 year old girl came up to me with a 2 week old baby strapped to her begging for money. There were many children begging for money and their faces were pittiful. I wish I had had my camera to show you. I tried to speak with one of the boys but he only spoke Burmese. They were so dirty and so disconnected.

It hurt so badly not being able to give them any money...we literally had nothing to give them. Josiah was so moved by it he wanted to go back to the taxi...go back through the border to give them his empty wallet because "they would really like a superman wallet". What an awesome ministry it would be to live on the border and just reach out to these children daily.

Love on them and speak into their lives...give them food so they don't have to go hungry. No telling where their parents were. I watched as some of them hid from the guards as they passed. I can not get that little 4 year old girl out of my mind. I can not fathom my little Josiah having to go and beg for money and OH were they good at it. Even the boy who couldn't speak Thai had learned how to begg for money in Thai.

My heart physically hurts to think about it. Please pray for these children. Even here in the city where we live on the busy highways...at the stop lights there are children that walk out to the cars during red lights to begg for money and to try to sell little flower decorations for your rearview mirror. Some of them Josiah's age and younger.

While I was filling out our paper work a tourist couple came by and was talking about the children and she said something that really hit home...because it's so easy to judge the parents for making their children go out and beg for money...soooooo easy. But to be completely honest with you...what this woman said is so true. When you can't feed your family - you use every resource available to you to get food...and no one wants to give to adults but they will to children.

When we were walking back from the Myanmar border after being told we could not get our stamp...I SERIOUSLY thought about setting out a burp rag on the ground and have Josiah and Jude sing and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that within an hour or less we would have had the money we needed to get through the border. The Thai people love our children and can't resist them. It's just fact.

I know that might sound insane for some but what that tourist said is true. Imagine sitting at home with no way to get any food..the government won't help...and your children are willing...I was willing to allow my children to entertain for money or even take pictures with the Thai people for money...if it would get us through the border and back into thailand...SURE! Little would they have known that we let Thai people take pictures of our kids all the time...no big deal...for free.

So...keep these children in mind and take my advice...don't go on a border run without back up money...not that it could be helped in this instance. But God provided and we're home...no border runs for another 3 months.


When John asked Jude what he was doing he said: "Waitin for the ice cream man..."

Josiah and his invention of the day...

Cutie pie Joss...

Thursday, October 16, 2008

HA! My oven mitt...

It's like they're trying to tell me something...I know it...

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Thai today...baby food...pics and videos...

Thai was so awesome today. I felt like I was in a bible study rather than Thai. We read, in Thai, the account of when Peter denied Christ 3 times. Peter was present when Jesus was transfigured! He saw Moses and Elijah and heard the voice of God!!! He was the one who declared his love for Jesus at every opportunity and lopped off a guards ear...ready to defend Jesus.

It seems as though Peter was so sure of his love for Jesus and he had yet to receive the revelation that Jesus was the son of God...maybe he knew it in mind but not in spirit. If he had, would he have lopped off that guys ear? Would he have denied Christ had he listened to the many times that Jesus told them that he would die?

On the mountain when Jesus was transfigured...Peter was like...I can build us tents and we can stay here forever! (not thinking about Jesus would be neglecting everyone else if he had stayed upon the mountain...not to mention his mission) Also when they were leaving the mountain Jesus told them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the son of man had risen from the dead!

He just seemed to be missing the point. I don't know if I would have been the same way or not...but we can learn from Peters early mistakes as well as his life after Jesus died...we can learn so much! He didn't seem to take Jesus for his word though he loved him dearly. Now...Peter was an incredible disciple and after he denied Jesus 3 times he repented severely and became the epitomy of what Jesus spoke over him...You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church.

But I feel like we can gleen so much from what we saw of Peter's life before that time. Do you love Jesus dearly...enough to bare his name...and fight for him but not enough to take him at his word...listen to what he teaches and take it in...mind, heart and soul. Because without the word of God hidden in your heart when times get rough...it will be as if a mountain has sat on your shoulders forbidding you to do anything other than deny Christ in different ways.

I want to encourage you to get into God's word...make the time...have the relationship...receive all he has for you and live life fully through Him.

On another note...I've been making baby food! 2 years ago when Jude was beginning to eat food I felt like there was no way I could make my own baby food. It just seemed too hard. So...now, money is tight and as long as a baby food jar costs over a dollar a piece...I will be making my own baby food. On top of the fact that they have a total of 3 flavors. Banana custard, Blueberry Muselini Dessert and Banana Pear.

I can't imagine eating Banana custard and Banana Pear over and over again...with dessert on occasion...can you? So...I went online...watched a few instructional videos and did some research borrowed a blender and I gave it a shot and it's EASY! Ahh...I could have saved us a lot of money back then. I spent about an hour in the kitchen and a total of about $1.24 to feed Jossalyn for almost 2 weeks!

2 ice trays of applesauce, carrots and pumpkin...
There would have been more pumpkin but...uhhh...John and I were
talking in the other room when we smelt this...
Finished applesauce, carrot and pumpkin servings...


A pic of our refrigerator...WHY am I showing you a picture of my refrigerator??? Because I am proud to show the world that I have more vegetables and fruits in my refrigerator RIGHT NOW than I have in the past 2 months! hehehe...change is a comin...



When I put Jude to sleep, I swear he was a completely normal 2 year old and
John found him as goggle man!


A new pic of little Jossie...


A very hot Josiah at the market with Daddy...

I love the way her eyes squint up when she smiles...


These are for you grandmaws and great grandmaws out there:
Jossalyn being totally cute:



Smiley Jossalyn and Jude:

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Posts...Raw food...Pics...

I hope you don't mind but I'm going to change the way I blog a bit for a bit. I want to get on here and just talk about whatever I've been thinking about...what God has been showing me and especially the little things...mostly around our home. There are times when I feel like I can't "bore" you with this stuff and then there are other times when I feel like people would stop reading because it's not all about Thailand and ministry.

But at this point in our life...until we moved down south at the end of November...thai class and our home is our life. We are learning how to be a family of 5 and how to be better parents...while Josiah and Jude learn how to love each other as brothers even though it is apparently extremely hard for 6 year olds and 2 year olds to play together...much less coexist in a house 24 hours a day with no ability to go anywhere as a family and get out of the house.

Don't get me wrong...I speak to Thai people everyday and when an opportunity arrises to tell about our God...I do. I have literallly stopped myself from posting about simple stuff...but I'm going to stop holding back and just post. :) Today I put my tennis shoes on because my feet have really been aching because of the lack of support offered by the sandles and pair of flip flops that I wear everyday. In Thailand it is custom to take your shoes off before entering any home...so we don't wear shoes in our house.

But I have been breaking the rules simply because my feet hurt so badly! So anyway, I was putting on my shoes and Jude automatically was like "Where we goin mom?" and I told him that we weren't going anywhere and he was like "Ohhh MAN!" with his cute pouty face.
We haven't been using the air conditioners during the day to save money and let me just say...it is hot! Especially today! So all three of my children are running around in underwear and diapers as usual...it's so normal(not wearing clothes ) that I laughed so hard when this happened this afternoon:

I decided to put some clothes on the boys and when I gave Josiah his clothes Jude got really excited and said "Where we goin? Where we goin mom?" I said "We're not going anywhere...we're just putting clothes on." He continued on..."(mumble...mumble...)and the clothes...(mumble...mumble...)and we go. Where we goin mom? and the clothes and we go..."
hahaha...my son has officially attached clothes to going somewhere...of course they can't just wear clothes in the house! hehehe...

So I've been thinking about a lot of things...one of which is wanting to prepare better meals for my family. I've been reading and hearing a lot about "going raw" for many years and I've always wanted to attempt to make our diet at least 50% raw...but I've never taken any steps because it seems so hard.

But...just recently I decided that I'm going to do a 10 or 30 day raw diet. Not for dieting purposes (although I'm sure to loose some weight) but for health purposes and it will force me to find foods and experiement. With that little bit of experience under my belt I will be able to think about creative ideas to start changing our eating habits.


Here are some of the things I'm working towards:

1. All raw food breakfast. There are sooo many choices for raw food
breakfast...apples, bananas, watermelon, pineapple, mangos, pomelo, oranges and
for the kids some real yogurt too...not the sugar packed kind.

2. Preparing a green smoothie every morning for my whole family. I can't really do this one until I can afford to buy a blender but you guys have got to look into this. Wouldn't it be great if you could make sure your family is getting 15 servings of fruits and vegetables a day? Not just the 5-10 the FDA recommends? Well, you can with this smoothie! (Sounding like an infomerial now)

This would be so easy for you guys to do...(people in America) because you have easy access to frozen fruits and veggies...and I don't think spinach costs too much? Anyway...check out this video and see how simple it really is: http://happyfoody.com/2008/03/15/how-to-make-a-green-smoothie/


3. Cut back on things like potatos, rice (ha! I live in Thailand - the country known for the worlds best tasting rice and every Thai dish is served with it!) and bread. Or at least switch to real whole wheat bread.

4. Use seasalt instead of regular salt. Ordinary table salt has been stripped of it's companion elements and contains additive. In studies table salts have been link to hypertension and other heart or blood illness. Table salt also gives many people the feeling of being bloating.

Natural sea salt is a healthy replacement for ordinary table salt on the market; it contains about 80 mineral elements that the body needs. Sea salt has nutrients and minerals that help your body preserve the blood cells. Overall, sea salts are better for you. If you haven't tried it, switch salts for a week and you will see a difference.

5. Exercise 3 times a week. Whether it be walking or popping in my beloved Kathy Smith Fat Burner DVD.

Are there any of you out there that would be interested in going raw with me for 10 or 30 days (haven't decided which)? Leave a comment and let me know...it'll be tough...especially for us Texan girls...but if you'd like to join me I'd love it!

Here are some awesome pictures from the last 3 days....

Ok...I LOVE this picture of my baby girl! AHH! Shiloh Pruett took this picture. Joss was strapped to my back and they were just laughing about something...so they asked for the camera and this is what they were laughing about...ha!


My handsome boys!

Jossie...oh how I love her...


Josiah had a death grip on my leg when it was time for me to head out to Thai class...I leaned down and snapped a shot...


This is Judah...he is staying with the Pruetts while his adoptive parents (the Garsees) are on furlough. He's such a ham! And soo cute!


This is little Joseph...the picture says it all...he's sooo cute! He is also staying with the Pruetts while the Garsees are in America for furlough.


Jude...looking a bit unsure about this ride...

LOOK! They're not FIGHTING!! WAHOO!!

Daddy and Jude being silly with our neck pillows...


Use #103 for using Bobby Pillows.
I love this picture of Jude...he thought this was sooo funny! hehehe...