Every trip we go on is colored or flavored by our family read-alouds. This trip we loaded up on cassette tapes (one of the perks of having a 2004 car--it still has a cassette player!) a CD, and books to enrich the trip. There are big ol' books written, plus scads of little articles, on why it is good for a family to read together, and we agree! It gives us harmony, and lots of similar little jokes. That first book, Family Sabbatical, was a fun fiction by Carol Ryrie Brink, the same lady who wrote Caddie Woodlawn. Now this book is not so good that someone could get saved reading it, or dedicate themselves to the mission field or anything. This is just good in the sense of warm fuzzies, lots of laughs, and a close family who reminded us of ourselves. The Dad gets a year sabbatical leave from his teaching job, so the whole family goes to France where he can do research, the mom can write a novel, and the 3 kids try having a French governess for awhile. From now on, if anyone calls, "My child!" we'll all instantly remember a French castle and a doll down a hole, for example, and Abyssinia has become a family joke word for "I'll be seeing you" thanks to George (Shorges) in the book. Beyond Survival, the middle book, was not a family read aloud, and should not technically be on here at all, but it's in the picture and is worth explaining. That book gets my creative juices flowing in all things homeschooling. It is inspiring, while also being a fun read. I haven't read it to the family, but they have heard me tell a few stories from there at the dinner table. The third book is the best in the eternal sense of being a GOOD book, helpful not just to amuse us, but also edifying and inspiring and challenging to a sacrificial life of leading others to the Lord. It is Peace Child. We have seen the video of it, and want to see it again, but the kids and I had never read the book. It does have some EXTREMELY gross little parts as we have to learn about this degraded culture in New Guinea, but to see the Lord touch the hearts of these impossible looking people, is a wonderful story. Don Richardson tells the story in such a way that we care and are glad when the headhunters turn to the Lord and away from cannibalism. Our car was not functioning for most of the 2 weeks we were away. We got it back on Friday, and then headed for home, and our choice to listen to was Lords of the Earth, also by Don Richardson. We have this on cassette, and it's a little bit too beloved. It's worn out, but we could hear enough between squeaks to remind us of how good that story is. For people to die for Christ, and then have their killers surrender to Jesus because of an "accident" is such a good story. (Ariel, if you're reading this, Peace Child is part of the guinea pig thing!) If anyone wants a copy of Peace Child or Beyond Survival www.christianbook.com would have it. Family Sabbatical is probably way out of print, but http://www.abebooks.com/ is my usual place to look for out of print books. We just found it at the CAFDA book shop in Tokai, and for locals, your best bet is just to borrow our copy. :-) While we're enjoying books from New Guinea, I'll mention Otto Koning's ''sermon'' CD's again, The Pineapple Series for sale at iblp.org That is our family FAVORITE SERIES OF SERMONS IN THE WORLD. On this past trip, a lady was asking me to recommend good videos, and I love having good videos recommended to me, so I'm going to make an effort to recommend and blog about our family favorites.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Trip Flavors
Every trip we go on is colored or flavored by our family read-alouds. This trip we loaded up on cassette tapes (one of the perks of having a 2004 car--it still has a cassette player!) a CD, and books to enrich the trip. There are big ol' books written, plus scads of little articles, on why it is good for a family to read together, and we agree! It gives us harmony, and lots of similar little jokes. That first book, Family Sabbatical, was a fun fiction by Carol Ryrie Brink, the same lady who wrote Caddie Woodlawn. Now this book is not so good that someone could get saved reading it, or dedicate themselves to the mission field or anything. This is just good in the sense of warm fuzzies, lots of laughs, and a close family who reminded us of ourselves. The Dad gets a year sabbatical leave from his teaching job, so the whole family goes to France where he can do research, the mom can write a novel, and the 3 kids try having a French governess for awhile. From now on, if anyone calls, "My child!" we'll all instantly remember a French castle and a doll down a hole, for example, and Abyssinia has become a family joke word for "I'll be seeing you" thanks to George (Shorges) in the book. Beyond Survival, the middle book, was not a family read aloud, and should not technically be on here at all, but it's in the picture and is worth explaining. That book gets my creative juices flowing in all things homeschooling. It is inspiring, while also being a fun read. I haven't read it to the family, but they have heard me tell a few stories from there at the dinner table. The third book is the best in the eternal sense of being a GOOD book, helpful not just to amuse us, but also edifying and inspiring and challenging to a sacrificial life of leading others to the Lord. It is Peace Child. We have seen the video of it, and want to see it again, but the kids and I had never read the book. It does have some EXTREMELY gross little parts as we have to learn about this degraded culture in New Guinea, but to see the Lord touch the hearts of these impossible looking people, is a wonderful story. Don Richardson tells the story in such a way that we care and are glad when the headhunters turn to the Lord and away from cannibalism. Our car was not functioning for most of the 2 weeks we were away. We got it back on Friday, and then headed for home, and our choice to listen to was Lords of the Earth, also by Don Richardson. We have this on cassette, and it's a little bit too beloved. It's worn out, but we could hear enough between squeaks to remind us of how good that story is. For people to die for Christ, and then have their killers surrender to Jesus because of an "accident" is such a good story. (Ariel, if you're reading this, Peace Child is part of the guinea pig thing!) If anyone wants a copy of Peace Child or Beyond Survival www.christianbook.com would have it. Family Sabbatical is probably way out of print, but http://www.abebooks.com/ is my usual place to look for out of print books. We just found it at the CAFDA book shop in Tokai, and for locals, your best bet is just to borrow our copy. :-) While we're enjoying books from New Guinea, I'll mention Otto Koning's ''sermon'' CD's again, The Pineapple Series for sale at iblp.org That is our family FAVORITE SERIES OF SERMONS IN THE WORLD. On this past trip, a lady was asking me to recommend good videos, and I love having good videos recommended to me, so I'm going to make an effort to recommend and blog about our family favorites.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Only in the Karoo...
This perfectly symmetrical picture of Timothy (even the Taco Bell Chihuahua's ears are symmetrical!) is such a stunning example of symmetry. It kind of reminds me of my "Saint Vicki" picture, my first FB profile picture.
For real! This donkey cart pulled right up to the pumps. I didn't see anyone raise an eyebrow, until I started taking pictures then the eyebrows raised at me! These guys were putting air in a spare tire, just so no city slicker is deceived into thinking they drink petrol (gasoline).The Beaufort West Trap
Bonny is a 6 week old puppy we're hanging around with in Bloemfontein.
We had some interesting moments on the way to Bloemfontein. Did I say moments? I should have said days! 
Paul had to go ahead on Greyhound and leave us in Beaufort West. Never fear, we did not starve! We found bananas to eat.
We found a sushi place we could have eaten at too, and since it's in the Karoo, the sushi place is called Karushi. Get it? Karoo shushi. Cute, but the kids were of the opinion we didn't want sushi, even if it came in a restaurant with a cute name. I was of the opinion it would be cheaper to buy food in the grocery store, and it's best to be frugal, particularly in the middle of a breakdown.
We explored the whole length and width of Beaufort West. We went through the museum in a church in the middle. Josh was impressed with this machine gun.
The house where Christiaan Barnhard grew up is part of the museum tour. His dad used to be the pastor of the church, so it is next to the church that is now a museum. Chris Barnhard did the first heart transplant in the world, and we in South Africa are thrilled that he was a South African. So Paul made it to Bloemfontein to preach by Monday morning by taking the bus. The kids and I hung around for the car, but they were not able to fix it since Kia's are not too common in the Karoo. Finally we gave up and took the bus too, arriving in Bloem. at 1 o'clock in the morning on Wednesday. The car came on Saturday on the back of a truck from some dear people who saved us over R9000. (about $1500 !!) for towing. We don't know them at all, but they are friends of Marie, our beloved Bloem. hostess.
Now we just hope and pray it will be fixed in time for us to drive home at the end of the week.
Meetings here have been exciting. Paul preached to over 5000 in schools during the week. Church Sunday was at a very friendly, welcoming church, with lots of familiar faces and even a few good friends.
While we were here, our hearts were also turned toward home, praying for my Dad in America as he was admitted with an enflamed pancreas which sounds scary. He's 85, and rather frail, so we are pleased that he is home again, doing better.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Off to the mosque
This morning Paul went, as usual, to preach in a school. He's been doing lots and lots of new ones --new to him, that is--for the whole 5 months we've been in Cape Town. This was another new one.
He found the intersections easily and early as traffic was good. But there was no sign of a regular school, just a mosque. He asked a guy on the corner, who confidently told him that the school he wanted was right there, at the back of the mosque. Hmmm. This was an unusual situation.
First he called the school to confirm his appointment, and the lady agreed he was in the right place, and someone would open up for him soon. He told them he had a Christian message that would help the kids' behavior [if they repented], and they said they were not strictly a Muslim school; they had a few non-Muslims and it was all right for him to come.
Next, he called home to ask for prayer. I was in the shower and didn't hear the call, but got pretty fervant when I heard the news.
He went ahead and preached Two Ways which has a picture of Heaven on the right, with a cross and a narrow road leading to it, and Hell on the left with the broad way leading to it. He also gave out books and DVD's as he usually does. He noticed the teachers especially wanting Kent Hovind DVD's with his c reation vs. evolution message.
I get goosebumps thinking of all those books going out! It is good. God bless them! We don't know when another opportunity like this will come up, but this once was more then we thought would happen, so it can happen again!
Get this: they applauded for him THREE times when he was done!
Pause here and sing, "I stand amazed..."
A month ago he got to preach in a school of about 1200 kids where 60-70% were Muslim. "Thy will be done."
He found the intersections easily and early as traffic was good. But there was no sign of a regular school, just a mosque. He asked a guy on the corner, who confidently told him that the school he wanted was right there, at the back of the mosque. Hmmm. This was an unusual situation.
First he called the school to confirm his appointment, and the lady agreed he was in the right place, and someone would open up for him soon. He told them he had a Christian message that would help the kids' behavior [if they repented], and they said they were not strictly a Muslim school; they had a few non-Muslims and it was all right for him to come.
Next, he called home to ask for prayer. I was in the shower and didn't hear the call, but got pretty fervant when I heard the news.
He went ahead and preached Two Ways which has a picture of Heaven on the right, with a cross and a narrow road leading to it, and Hell on the left with the broad way leading to it. He also gave out books and DVD's as he usually does. He noticed the teachers especially wanting Kent Hovind DVD's with his c reation vs. evolution message.
I get goosebumps thinking of all those books going out! It is good. God bless them! We don't know when another opportunity like this will come up, but this once was more then we thought would happen, so it can happen again!
Get this: they applauded for him THREE times when he was done!
Pause here and sing, "I stand amazed..."
A month ago he got to preach in a school of about 1200 kids where 60-70% were Muslim. "Thy will be done."
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Connie from the Cabbage Patch
"What in the world is this green stuff?" wonders Connie.
"Ewww! It's cold!" I don't know how Anne Geddes does it, but the more I try to imitate her, the more I admire her photos.
Up close and personal, wearing a hand me down that my big cousin Evangel wore 15 years ago!
Joe is the number one ball handler in the WORLD! He can dribble 6 balls at once, and has the world record for dribbling the longest. He can spin them all over the place, but what to do with a newborn?!?!?
Baby Connie in all her glory! I wish I could control the order of these photos getting on here. I just think I've got it figured out, and here's Connie in the middle of 2 Joe's. 
Joe gave us a demonstration right in our driveway! We're privileged folks. It was way cool.Connie Continues
Is Timothy trying to make a football enthusiast out of his new cousin?
The happy moment when Daniel meets baby sister with Gloria being greatly relieved that it was happy. 
Babies have such special moments!
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