Birthday weekend in July

This was a three part celebration....1st Desiree came to Tulsa yesterday to celebrate her 24th birthday with Alicia who will turn 22 on Tuesday. Funny, when they were little they hated having one celebration and having to share their day with the other, but now that they each have their own families, getting together has become more rare, they treasure their time together. I'm sure glad they do! (Makes me smile) They ended their celebration in the emergency room with Hannah. She was jumping on the bed, fell off and bumped her head, "momma called the Dr. and the Dr. said, no more babies jumping on the bed!" Sounds like a theme song here.... True...She had to get her head stitched, just one, Praise the Lord. Alicia said she never whimpered or even cried, and that was "The Grace of God"! Hannah freaks out for just an office visit...so I think she is right!

Today, we celebrated Joseph's 1st birthday!! Elmo was the theme, and it went very well! His birthday is the 16th of July. He's walking all over the place. There were 7 little one's 2yrs old and under! It was a very active party!! Joseph was pretty non-chalant about the whole thing, and I must say, all the practice we have had in the last few years singing happy birthday....we actually sounded very good today! Hannah decided she had had enough partying, and locked herself in the bedroom...After trying several times to get her to open the door, and trying the key, which kept bending...and our thoughts going to "what if she fell off the bed and knocked herself out", Martin busted in the door, only to find her sleeping in the chair....Praise the Lord!! A little scare for us all, but ended very well! I can't believe she didn't wake up with all the pounding!

This weekend was a blessing... a 3 part blessing! Thank you Jesus for this beautiful family!

India 6/16-6/26/08

On June 16th, Alex and I set out to be a blessing to those we met in Muklingia, Orissa India. However, God had a different plan in store for us. Our mission (so we thought) had to be put on hold due to a death in Pastor Brown Naik's family, his sister-in-law Lalamani. She died from complications of malaria. One full week of weeping, wailing and grieving. People came daily to help them cry. The tradition is no one in the house hold is to eat meat, or leave the house except to attend Church, until after the final memorial service. The memorial service concluded with over 2000 people having come by on that final Monday June 23, 2008 to pay their respects. It was like no other memorial service I had ever seen.

Sunday June 22, we attended church services in the village. This small building, a little bigger than our garage, held approximately 70-80 people. No pews, only a mat on the floor to sit on. There was a table at the front, with a podium. The pastor welcomed everyone, and then without a worship leader, began the most beautiful, wonderful worship service my heart had ever beheld. One bongo drum, one tamborine, and a multitude of voices as one, lifting up Praise to Jesus, their savior! Though they worshiped in their native tongue, and we had not a clue to what they were singing, Our spirits knew, and my heart was at home in their worship! In a culture that offers little hope, their worship begat HOPE! A breathe of New life filled the air! The Holy Spirit had come! To be there at that moment, worshipping with them, feeling the presence of Our Lord in that place, it was absolutely Incredible! Home with the Lord!! Worshipping in Spirit and in truth. We were the ones who were blessed! It became a giddy joy! To witness true worship, in the midst of persecution and poverty, sung from the center of their beings....with all that they were....they worshipped!

Amidst the mass amount of visual stimulae, beyond all the incredible differences between our culture and the India culture, through massive mental sifting, that went on for days after returning home, the One thing that stood out profoundly, that I always want to remember, was their INCREDIBLE worship!

W - Wonderful, worthy, wholeheartedly

O - One offering, ordained, overflowing

R - Resurrecting reverance, a refuge

S - Spirit filled, santified

H - Holy hope, honor, hearts desire

I - Imperishable in this

P - Place...Precious, Praise & Power

The last two days in India, we did get to spend time at Moorshead Memorial Christian Hospital which is springing back to life by the grace of God, after sitting dormant for almost 30yrs. We celebrated the 1st graduation of Nurses since it reopened in 2003. We visited the Dugudi Orphanage and stayed with the orphans at Nanda Orphanage. They too, worshipped every morning, and evening. Those little ones sang at the top of their voices. God blessed Alex and I by allowing us to see and be a part of His plan for true worship.

We were blessed to watch God at work, against all odds, in a tiny, unheard of village, half way around the world. God Lives and has not ceased his work. The seed is planted and a mighty plant grows as written in Matt 13:31.

He Reigns!