Crystal's Corner

Our 2nd Anniversary

2011-06-19T21:08:00.000-07:00

2011-06-11T23:50:00.002-07:00

Crystal's Health Corner

Topics range from healthy eating to healthy birth to

answering questions you ask.

2nd & 3rd month

2011-06-11T23:49:00.003-07:00

Graduation

2011-05-20T16:16:00.000-07:00

Melissa, my sister, graduated missions training today!!!

So we Skyped her.
Her niece had something to say:

Melissa took the above through Skype
but we wanted a clearer pic for her...so I took this
Congrats Melissa!! We love you!!!

Rabes Visit

2011-05-19T20:15:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day

2011-05-08T21:06:00.004-07:00

5th week

2011-05-08T21:01:00.000-07:00

These socks have rattles at the end. =)

I thought this cloth diaper company's name was so funny I had to share -QT Bunns

(not sure why its' sidways never had blogger do that before)

Gramps & Grams come to visit!

4th week

2011-04-03T23:12:00.001-07:00

auntie Carrie visits

HALO sleep sack Thank you auntie Carrie!

Daddy's sleeping cutie

3rd week & Baby shower

2011-04-03T23:02:00.001-07:00

Day 16 8#4oz

here she is in the scale

Like father like daughter

What a special blessing Melissa & Elijah flew in for the shower!! Elijah really enjoyed spending time with her. He was so gentle & had a long attention span for holding her.

On our way to the baby shower he melted Andrew & my heart when he sweetly asked "Can I hold her hand?" Needless to say they held hands most of the way there.

Baby Prayer Shower

Sue Owens made the cute, delicious cupcakes

3 generations

4 generations and Aunt Melissa

Beautiful Aunt Melissa with her neice

Aunt Melissa & Sherri's masterpiece. An adorable diaper cake that was too cute to undo! I still use it for decoration. I couldn't stand the thought of taking apart something they spent hours working on!

Thank you all so much for such a shower of blessings, for your prayers & words of encouragement. I couldn't begin to name everyone involved because it was such a team effort. We felt so spoiled, so loved! I'm so thankful for brothers & sisters in the Lord to share life with. We look forward to spending eternity together!

2nd week

2011-04-03T23:01:00.003-07:00

Birth weight was 7# 5oz Usually it takes around 2 weeks for babies to regain their birth weight. At a week she was already 7#8oz! Here Andrew is using the scale I use for homebirths.

I call this her bear bottom

My two loves

1st week

2011-04-03T23:01:00.001-07:00

We had the birth at my parent's home.

Grandpa holding her for the 1st time!

Grandma holding her one last time before we leave.

Welcome Home Baby T! Her responce: ahhh this is where I belong...snuggling with the teddy bears!

Pals

On their way to their 1st Daddy Daughter date

First bath

365 Project

2011-04-03T23:00:00.001-07:00

365 project means we are making sure we take at least 1 picture of our dear daughter a day. This is her birthday till Day 112.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Birth Story

2011-04-03T22:35:00.001-07:00

Our Birth Story Part 1

Our Birth Story Part 2 & 3

Pregnancy, birth to 2 days old

2011-01-14T11:06:00.001-08:00

My sister, Melissa offered to give us a maternity photo shoot!! The opportunity came when we visited them for an early Christmas in '10. Baby T, short for Baby Topel, was 27 wks. My sister is a
natural with a camera.

Thank you Melissa! We really appreciate it! It was fun!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

“A new baby is like the beginning of all things—
wonder, hope, a dream of possibilities.”
Edna L. Le Shan

Wedding slide show

2011-01-14T10:59:00.000-08:00

If you are like me & want to see things in chronological order you can start by reading our story -weblinks are to the right hand side under 'How God wrote our love story'

Here is a slide show I made of the wedding.

The 2nd song to play during the slide show is the talent of my brother-in-law, Joey. He has several CDs out. He was the DJ for our wedding. He made this song as a wedding gift for us! Thanks again Joey!

Now I'm working on a maternity shoot slide show...

Crystal Swift's surprise Bridal shower

2010-11-20T08:17:00.001-08:00

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Crystal & Adam are having their wedding celebration today! To celebrate I put together some pictures from the surprise bridal shower.

Congratulations! We are excited for you! We praise the Lord with you during this time! Love in Christ, Topel's

Prayer Letter/Ministry update

2010-10-01T03:08:00.000-07:00

God has closed the door to Africa at this time. Andrew & I may re-apply in a couple years, Lord willing. Andrew & I feel it is time to pursue ministry opportunities in a more focused way, so I no longer work as a midwife. We desire to serve the Lord side by side. For now, we plan to continue our involvement with local churches and outreach. We've been able to serve the Lord Mondays & Fridays by joining Team Hope to glorify God through spreading the gospel in downtown areas. We are excited to share baby Topel is due in March 2011! I'm about 16 weeks. What a miracle! We are praising the Lord for how well it's been going! What a difference it makes if you start out healthy! Occasional I had an unsettled stomach, as if i ate too much but no morning sickness =) It's good to hear encouraging testimony regarding pregnancy & birth, so I welcome your input. Please only share your opinions & comments if it follows Philippians 4:8 guidelines :-) “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” This should be a guideline that is followed by experienced mothers when they talk with all pregnant woman, especially 1st time mothers. My prayer journal entry for the day we found out about Baby Topel: We are forever grateful, Lord, whatever the outcome; if we have the little one for only a short while [due to miscarriage] or for life because of a special need. We will know by your hand we were given this precious life to be her/his parents. An eternal soul is now in our care. That is a heavy responsibility yet your grace, mercy & love are sufficient, Abba. How can we be praying for you? When you message us your prayer requests let us know if you want them to remain private or if we can post them on the ministry wall so others can pray too. Please pray for us that we will became less, die to our selfish desires and glorify the Lord!

One Year Anniversary!

2010-06-06T14:51:00.001-07:00

Courting

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Engagement 1/1/09 through 12/09

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

AMEN!

2010-04-30T00:11:00.001-07:00

Songwriter & vocalist Laura Story

2010-03-21T17:10:00.000-07:00

"When I first wrote “Indescribable,” it never occurred to me that this song could be used in a corporate worship setting. Let’s face it, there aren’t a whole lot of praise choruses that use a string of five-syllable words. I was driving through the mountains of North Carolina, admiring the blue haze of each mountain and the unique form of each tree and leaf. Psalm 19 tells us that the heavens declare the glory of God, and on that day, God was truly nourishing my soul with the beauty of His creation. My first inclination was to sing, but initially, no words came to mind. And that’s when I started to consider how indescribable God is. What words could mere humans give to express His grandeur? Any praises we lift to Him are our feeble attempts at capturing a small glimpse of the magnitude of who God is. Even now, five years later, I never tire of singing that song at all my concerts. I am always reminded of how small I am in comparison to His greatness and how fortunate I am that a God who holds all of time in His hands still seeks to know me intimately. And that is a truth worth singing about!"
Laura Story’s song “Indescribable” was originally recorded by Chris Tomlin.

"Though we have done nothing to merit His favor, God, full of mercy and grace, sent His only son, Jesus, to pay the debt we could never pay. He is truly mighty to save. "

— Laura Story

'Love & Respect' by Emerson Eggerichs

2010-03-17T23:27:00.000-07:00

Sarah and Emerson Eggerichs are convinced that a truth hidden in plain sight for 2000 years can make a difference in every marriage. This truth is found in Ephesians 5:33 . Husbands must love their wives, and wives must respect their husbands.

Emerson writes, "You may remember how the Beatles sang, 'All you need is love.' I absolutely disagree with that conclusion. Five out of ten marriages today are ending in divorce because love alone is not enough. Yes, love is vital, especially for the wife, but what we have missed is the husband's need for respect. This Love and Respect message is about how the wife can fulfill her need to be loved by giving her husband what he needs—respect. And the husband can fulfill his need to be respected by giving his wife what she needs—love. Does this always work? No. But if one is married to a person of good will, I would bet the farm that it would work!"

Based on a true story

2009-12-07T20:13:00.001-08:00

2009-11-20T21:51:00.000-08:00

REACH into the Darkness from New Tribes Mission on Vimeo.

2009-11-02T13:39:00.000-08:00

Brooke Donnelly, From Punk Lesbian to Child of God, from Pure Passion on Vimeo.

Dying to self

2009-09-08T00:41:00.000-07:00

“ ‘I never hear from God,’ you say. “He never speaks to me.” Here’s the question: Where do you stand in relation to the Cross? Are you dying to self, or are you living for self? The one who dies to self is going to hear the heart and voice of the Father…”
Jon Courson’s Application Commentary

friends, can you give me some verses that can be used as examples of dying to self? Thank you

Important message for all to hear!

2009-08-24T13:26:00.001-07:00

Bridal Shower Slideshow

2009-06-17T18:01:00.001-07:00

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Andrew's thoughts

2009-03-29T16:38:00.001-07:00

One of my earliest memories of Crystal was while we were all visiting down in Texas and were shopping in a Bed, Bath & Beyond. Chris & Michelle had checked out and we were ready to leave, but we didn’t have Crystal with us. I found her sharing the Good News with a lady in the store. I thought, who is this faithful servant of the Lord? It was not that Crystal was a strong woman of the Lord, but that she was, as am I, weak, pitiful, sinful, transformed by the strength of God, changed forever by His grace, mercy and tender love, now letting her life be used for God’s glory!

From the beginning, my prayer was that I may be the best friend possible to Crystal, encouraging her to keep her eyes on the Lord & letting her light shine so that others may see it and praise God. I prayed that God would take away any other feelings unless it was His time and His will.

The second summer we all got together, I got to see Crystal’s tremendous, tender heart for babies, when we met Jacob, Chris and Michelle’s first son. This made me think that Crystal would be an incredible mother; I love children and would love a family one day, but my prayer remained the same.

That prayer was given a new answer the third summer we all got together in Florida. God’s Spirit laid it on my heart to ask Crystal and her parents for their thoughts about pursuing a deeper relationship. From there, God shared that I could lower the guard from my heart and let Crystal & her powerful love in! He has been writing a passionate, exciting, adventurous love story, and I am thrilled that I get to go on this journey with Crystal.

Once Upon A Time...

2009-03-27T18:20:00.001-07:00

That may be how many love stories start, but those are fairy tales. I want to share with you a love story that far surpasses any fairy tale!! This particular story is about True Love!!
My dear friend, Michelle, would sometimes tell me about her husband’s friend, Andy. She said we both had things in common, were active in evangelism, etc. And hoped that someday we could meet. I thought if she tried any matchmaking, like asking if she could give him my phone # or email, I would just say no. At the time Andy lived in Colorado; and I in Florida. Michelle and her husband, Chris, lived in Texas.

Chris & Michelle helped fly me out to visit with the Delta credit they had. Chris wanted Andy to visit during that time so he could have a friend there too. That was August '06 when we first met. Andy & Chris kept us ladies laughing the whole week! Fun and funny memories!! But because I was so opposed to any matchmaking attempts, I didn’t go out of my way to get to know him. We started to get to know each other better through email a few months later. In August '07 we met again in Texas after which we began a Bible study over the phone. We know the Lord had His hand in orchestrating the timing in all this because it was the only week that was the best for us both - two years in a row! In August '08 the Wrights & Andrew visited my family & me in Florida.

At this point we discussed pursuing a deeper relationship. After he talked to my parents we began courting! Needless to say, cupids Michelle & Chris, were thrilled.

I thank the Lord for using them in our lives
THANK YOU WRIGHT FAMILY!!!!!

Thanks to a generous gift by the Wrights, Andy was able to visit again in October and meet the rest of my family: Gills and my brother, Andrew.

this was taken after my friend, Jamie's wedding.

Andy currently lives in

where he is an art teacher at a Christian school. We are continuing a weekly Bible study over the phone. He is a strong man of God. He has a heart for youth, is great with kids, believes in active evangelism and is a blessing in my life in so many ways!!!

He proposed on New Years Day!! What a way to start the New Year ♥More to come about that…

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Time to celebrate

2009-03-09T20:16:00.000-07:00

HAPPY
BIRTHDAY
MOM!!!!!

I thank God for you! I am richly blessed that you are our mom. I am grateful for how you lovingly labored through the years to train us up in the Lord! Giving! Serving!! Equipping!!!
Praise the Lord for His blessings!

Melissa has pictures on her blog Elijah's Adventures of how we celebrated on March 8th

Paul Washer - Shocking Message (full length)

2009-03-03T16:47:00.001-08:00

Come What May

2009-02-22T19:23:00.000-08:00

TO WATCH TRAILER
or
http://www.comewhatmaythemovie.com/videos.php

2009-02-14T23:24:00.000-08:00

TO MY KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!!!

My Sister, My Friend

2009-02-14T22:45:00.000-08:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MELISSA!!!!

Dear Lord, I thank you for Melissa. For her care & concern for children and animals. For her heart for the spiritually lost. She has such a merciful heart. I am grateful for the memories we've made... sharing a lot of laughter. I'm grateful we have a strong bond. That she is my sister. That she is my friend. What a blessing she is in my life! Thank you for allowing us to be more than biological sister! We are sister in you, Lord, which means we will spend eternity together! I praise you for this fact!! Because it makes me joyful and blesses my heart more than I can say!!

Melissa, I like how we laugh so much when we are together. How we say things at the same time How we are telepathic =) I will miss you a great deal Will continue to pray as the Lord leads you and your family.

Grammy, I Celebrate You!

2009-02-13T15:21:00.001-08:00

I gave Grammy a book with poems & sayings; in between you add personal touches. I wrote it out but also wanted to share it here. It's called

'I Celebrate You, Grandmother!'

My sweet memories of special times with you:

watching you stand on your head

reading to us

tucking us into bed

telling us true stories

traveling with you

going out to eat

reunion in Canada

summer spent with you in FL

watching that comedy movie (forget name?)

This is how you've strengthened my faith:

Seeing how you handle life & all you've been through...with praise & giving God the glory is so encouraging to me! I've told so many people about the qualities I admire in you & realize: have I ever told you? Even if I have, I haven't said it enough!!!

I celebrate you kindness:

the generous gifts you give

you give of your time

you go above & beyond, never thinking of yourself. Other are your priority

Sharing Christ with words and actions

Being heavenly minded = conscious of eternity

I celebrate your goodness

the fruits of the spirit evident in your life

your prayer & praise life

your servant heart

you minister tirelessly day in & day out, giving 110%

This is my prayer for you Grandmother:

I pray for continued strength & health. That you will know that Christ is truly the sum of all spiritual things. In other words we don't need to ask for goodness or power or anything since through the Holy Spirit Christ IS everything for us. I have & will continue to pray for you & Grandpa.

I love you very much!

Happy Birthday Elijah!

2009-02-13T10:16:00.001-08:00

For Believers

2009-01-09T10:40:00.000-08:00

Missions Quotes

2008-12-27T18:20:00.000-08:00

We Christians too often substitute prayer for playing the game. Prayer is good; but when used as a substitute for obedience, it is nothing but a blatant hypocrisy, a despicable Pharisaism... To your knees, man! and to your Bible! Decide at once! Don't hedge! Time flies! Cease your insults to God, quit consulting flesh and blood. Stop your lame, lying, and cowardly excuses. Enlist! -C.T. Studd

Some wish to live within the sound of a chapel bell, I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of Hell. - C.T. Studd

God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supplies. - J. Hudson Taylor

Had I cared for the comments of people, I should never have been a missionary. - C.T. Studd

"Not called!" did you say? "Not heard the call," I think you should say. Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin. Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help. Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their father's house and bid their brothers and sisters, and servants and masters not to come there. And then look Christ in the face, whose mercy you have professed to obey, and tell him whether you will join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish his mercy to the world.

William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army

And people who do not know the Lord ask why in the world we waste our lives as missionaries. They forget that they too are expending their lives…and when the bubble has burst they will have nothing of eternal significance to show for the years they have wasted. - Nate Saint

Quotes

2008-12-27T18:12:00.000-08:00

May our lives be

impassioned

only by faith...

be influenced only by God...

be taught only by Christ..
~ Max Lucado~

About humility

Come, oh come! Let us away! Lower, lower every day! Oh, what joy it is to race Down to find the lowest place. That is the dearest law we know - "It is so happy to go low." Sweetest urge and sweetest will - "Let us go down lower still." Hear the summons night and day Calling us to come away! From the heights we leap and flow To the valleys down below. Always answering to the call To the lowest place of all Sweetest urge and sweetest pain - To go low and rise again.

Hinds' Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard

Period drama favorites

2008-10-18T17:52:00.000-07:00

Aborted and lived to tell about it

2008-10-05T17:50:00.000-07:00

FIND MORE INFO AT ELIJAH'S ADVENTURES - GIANNA JESSEN

THANK YOU MELISSA FOR THIS INFORMATIVE POST!!

i want to take this opportunity to feature these very important websites:

GIANNA JESSEN

Abort73.com
After Abortion Survey
Black Genocide
Born Alive Truth
ProLife or ProChoice?

Devotional Books I Recommend

2008-10-05T16:42:00.000-07:00

Jon Courson:

A Days Journey

Emilie Barnes:

Fill My Cup, Lord

Oswald Chambers:

My Utmost for His Highest

An Interesting Quiz

2008-07-11T20:52:00.000-07:00

How would you respond in these situations?

1. A preacher and his wife are very, very poor. They already have 14 kids. Now she finds out she’s pregnant with the 15th. They’re living in tremendous poverty. Considering their poverty and the excessive world population, would you consider recommending she get an abortion?

2. The father is sick with sniffles, the mother has TB. Of their four children, the first is blind, the second has died, the third is deaf, the fourth has TB. She finds she’s pregnant again. Given this extreme situation, would you consider recommending abortion?

3. A white man raped a 13-year-old black girl and she’s now pregnant. If you were her parents, would you consider recommending abortion?

4. A teenage girl is pregnant. She’s not married. Her fiancé is not the father of the baby, and he’s upset. Would you recommend abortion?

In the first case, you would have killed John Wesley, one of the great evangelists in the 19th century. In the second case, you would have killed Beethoven. In the third case, you would have killed Ethel Waters, the great black gospel singer. If you said yes to the fourth case, you would have declared the murder of Jesus Christ!

God is the author of life, and He has given every single individual supreme value. Each life—whether inside or outside the womb—should therefore be valued by us. God knows the plans He has for each individual and has written in His book all the days ordained for us before one of them came to be. When we presume to know better than God who should be given life, we are putting ourselves in the place of God and are guilty of idolatry.

http://www.livingwaters.com/witnessingtool/aninterestingquiz.shtml

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts

2008-07-03T22:37:00.000-07:00

If a person gets a retirement party, why can’t we throw a “retirement” a.k.a. empty nest party? So we did!! In honor of all the hard work our parents choice to do for us kids throughout the years we gave them a special dinner & a gift.

Thank you dear Mom & Dad!!!

Why should you give out tracts?

2008-07-03T17:19:00.000-07:00

Here are 10 reasons:
1. They are a very economical form of evangelism
2. They work while we sleep
3. They have the ability to get into a house and stay there
4. They are never afraid or show cowardice
5. They are never tempted to compromise their message
6. They never get tired, discouraged or give up
7. They stick to what they have to say and never argue
8. They can present the message when don't have time
9. They can go to places where we cannot
10. They get people in the mood – they only speak when they are read

"When preaching and private tale are not available, you need to have a tract ready...get good striking tracts, or none at all...therefore, do not go out without your tracts."
– Charles Spurgeon

"Nothing surpasses a tract for sowing the seed of the Good News."
– Billy Graham

A student at Jacksonville University in Florida was given a tract. The student crumpled the pamphlet up and tossed it into a trash bin in his dorm. Later, his dorm mate picked it out of the trash, read it, and was soundly saved. He is now a pastor of a church in Florida.

Many people have been saved through tracts, including the great missionary Hudson Taylor. Make tracts a habit for life!
From http://www.transfired.org/tracts.html

Places to Evangelize

We must practice sharing our faith in order to become good at it. So we must look for people to share with. Anywhere people congregate is a great place to reach the lost. The following are examples of places where you can talk with others and hand out tracts:

Shopping malls
Tailgating at football games
Your high school or college campus
The bar section of any town
Concerts
Any public sidewalk or public park
State or county fairs
Any type of art or music festival
Professional sporting events

http://www.chick.com

http://www.transfired.org

http://www.customtractsource.com

http://www.livingwaters.com

http://www.christiananswers.net/evangelism
http://www.thegreatnews.com

From
http://www.markcahill.org/goandtell.html

Elisabeth Elliot

2008-06-26T21:32:00.000-07:00

Welcome to 'Elisabeth Elliot's home on the Internet'!

Elisabeth Elliot is one of the most influential Christian women of our time. For a half century, her best selling books, timeless teachings and courageous faith have influenced believers and seekers of Jesus Christ throughout the world. She uses her experiences as a daughter, wife, mother, widow, and missionary to bring the message of Christ to countless women and men around the world.

About Elisabeth

My parents were missionaries in Belgium where I was born. When I was a few months old, we came to the U.S. and lived in Germantown, not far from Philadelphia, where my father became an editor of the Sunday School Times. Some of my contemporaries may remember the publication which was used by hundreds of churches for their weekly unified Sunday School teaching materials.

Our family continued to live in Philadelphia and then in New Jersey until I left home to attend Wheaton College. By that time, the family had increased to four brothers and one sister. My studies in classical Greek would one day enable me to work in the area of unwritten languages to develop a form of writing.

A year after I went to Ecuador, Jim Elliot, whom I had met at Wheaton, also entered tribal areas with the Quichua Indians. In nineteen fifty three we were married in the city of Quito and continued our work together. Jim had always hoped to have the opportunity to enter the territory of an unreached tribe. The Aucas were in that category -- a fierce group whom no one had succeeded in meeting without being killed. After the discovery of their whereabouts, Jim and four other missionaries entered Auca territory. After a friendly contact with three of the tribe, they were speared to death.

Our daughter Valerie was 10 months old when Jim was killed. I continued working with the Quichua Indians when, through a remarkable providence, I met two Auca women who lived with me for one year. They were the key to my going in to live with the tribe that had killed the five missionaries. I remained there for two years.

After having worked for two years with the Aucas, I returned to the Quichua work and remained there until 1963 when Valerie and I returned to the U.S.

Since then, my life has been one of writing and speaking. It also included, in 1969, a marriage to Addison Leitch, professor of theology at Gordon Conwell Seminary in Massachusetts. He died in 1973. After his death I had two lodgers in my home. One of them married my daughter, the other one, Lars Gren, married me. Since then we have worked together. Excerpts from http://www.elisabethelliot.org

Growing up, I heard of Jim & Elisabeth Elliot. I was familiar with how Jim & four fellow missionary friends were killed while bringing the hope of the gospel to the Auca tribe. (Their story is told in Beyond The Gates of Splendor & End of the Spear, featured in previous post.)
Then as a teenager I learned a lot from Elisabeth’s book such as Passion & Purity. As a graduate Taking Flight: Wisdom for Your Journey was encouraging. I hope to read more of her books in the future. I know my brother highly recommends The Journals of Jim Elliot. Readers: Would you suggest a particular one? Which ones have been encouraging to you?

Books I Recommend

2008-06-23T23:57:00.000-07:00

SIT, WALK, STAND by Watchmen Nee

Keywords in Ephesians
1 Our position in Christ -- "Sit" (2:6)
2 Our life in the world -- "Walk" (4:1)
3 Our attitude to the enemy -- "Stand" (6:11)

"Most Christians make the mistake of trying to walk in order to be able to sit, but that is a reversal of the true order. Our natural reason says, If we do not walk, how can we ever reach the goal?...For Christianity begins not with a big Do, but with a big DONE."

"We must not ask the Lord to enable us to overcome the enemy, nor even look to him to overcome, but praise him because he has already done so; he is victor."

CHRIST The Sum of All Spiritual Things by Watchmen Nee

“A colossal problem exists among God’s children today. The Christianity which they know is quite fragmentary. You obtain a little grace, I receive a little gift…This man experiences some change in his conduct, that man posses some measure of love; this one has patience…But is this Christianity? It is not, for Christianity is Christ. Christianity is not reward, neither is it what Christ gives to me. Christianity is none other that Christ himself.”

“Lord, we confess that our eyes are so blind that we cannot see clearly. Lord, we truly ask You to cause us to see. May Christ become real to us. There is need for much crushing. Crush us, Lord. Do not allow us to deceive ourselves: considering ourselves as having seen though we see nothing, as having touched the way when we are far from it, as being dull of life whereas we are full of things. Lord, touch us. May this be the day of exposure to many people, that we may see ourselves as You see us. May a ray of light strike us which will uncover all falsehood and distinguish Yourself from all substitutes. Bless your own word & glorify Your name. In the name of the Lord Jesus. Amen.”

Quilts for Christ

2008-06-23T22:14:00.000-07:00

As I faced my Maker at the last judgment, I knelt before the Lord along with all the other souls.

Before each of us laid our lives like the squares of a quilt in many piles. An Angel sat before each of us sewing our quilt squares together into a tapestry that is our life.

But as my angel took each piece of cloth off the pile, I noticed how ragged and empty each of my squares was. They were filled with giant holes. Each square was labeled with a part of my life that had been difficult, the challenges and temptations I was faced with in everyday life. I saw hardships that I endured, which were the largest holes of all.

I glanced around me. Nobody else had such squares. Other than a tiny hole here and there, the other tapestries were filled with rich color and the bright hues of worldly fortune. I gazed upon my own life and was disheartened.

My angel was sewing the ragged pieces of cloth together, threadbare and empty, like binding air.

Finally the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to the light, the scrutiny of truth. The others rose, each in turn, holding up their tapestries. So filled their lives had been. My angel looked upon me, and nodded for me to rise.

My gaze dropped to the ground in shame. I hadn't had all the earthly fortunes. I had love in my life, and laughter. But there had also been trials of illness, and death, and false accusations that took from me my world, as I knew it. I had to start over many times. I often struggled with the temptation to quit, only to somehow muster the strength to pick up and begin again. I spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking for help and guidance in my life. I had often been held up to ridicule, which I endured painfully, each time offering it up to the Father in hopes that I would not melt within my skin beneath the judgmental gaze of those who unfairly judged me.

And now, I had to face the truth. My life was what it was, and I had to accept it for what it was.

I rose and slowly lifted the combined squares of my life to the light. An awe-filled gasp filled the air. I gazed around at the others who stared at me with wide eyes.

Then, I looked upon the tapestry before me. Light flooded the many holes, creating an image, the face of Christ. Then our Lord stood before me, with warmth and love in His eyes. He said, "… Each point of light in your life is when you stepped aside and let Me shine through, until there was more of Me than there was of you."

May all our quilts be threadbare and worn, allowing Christ to shine through.

get the tissue box....

2008-06-22T07:52:00.000-07:00

Visit blueletterbible.org

2008-06-21T11:37:00.000-07:00

“It is always wrong to think of Satan as opposite of God, not even close. You can make no comparison between Satan and God as far as opposites or even alikes. For God, again, is infinite, eternal, omnipotent and Satan is a created being. And so, if you want to look for an opposite of Satan, you should look at Michael or at Gabriel, those angels which remain true to God who have a high ranking or the highest ranking among angels. But never think of Satan as an opposite of God, because you're accrediting him with far more power than he actually has, far more authority than he actually has. He moves within restricted boundaries. God sets the limits of his work. So, all of the principalities and powers are under the authority of Jesus Christ. He is the head or the authority over all principality and power.” Chuck Smith From http://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/chuck_smith_c2000/Col/Col002.html

Spiritual food for thought

2008-06-21T11:23:00.000-07:00

Col. 2:4.5 And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the steadfastness of you faith in Christ.
The story is told that in the days of the Roman Empire, a certain wealthy senator become estranged from his son. When he died unexpectedly, his will was opened, “because my son does not appreciate what I’ve done I leave all of my worldly possessions to my loyal slave, Marcellus,” the will read “However, because I am a man of grace, I bequeath to my son one of my possessions of his choosing. “Sorry,” said the testator to the son. “You can only take one of your dad’s possessions. Which will it be?” “I take Marcellus,” said the son. Brilliant! That’s the idea. When you take Jesus Christ, you get all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. When you open your heart to Him, you find everything you need. It’s all in Him. Why is this understanding so important? Because it is the only way to keep from being sucked into “enticing words”, cults & other dead end pursuits of pseudo-spirituality. That’s what was happening in Colosse. People were coming on the scene, saying, “What Paul is preaching is fine, but there’s much more.” “No,” Paul says. “Be steadfast in your faith in Christ. All of the treasure of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Him.” Jon Courson’s application commentary

Jon Courson is also the author of

A Future and a Hope, A Day's Journey, and A Place For You and A Pillar By Day. www.joncourson.com

WooHoo!! Yippee! Yabadabadooo!!!

2008-06-14T12:34:00.000-07:00

and

From Elijah's Adventure

Saturday, June 14, 2008
Our Family is Growing!
I just can't hold it back any longer! I've got to tell you!Elijah is a big brother. =) We're expecting a baby in January! We found out on Mother's Day and Geoff had the most beautiful smile on his face.We're both very excited.Thank you Lord for this new blessing in our lives.

Congratulations Gills! Love to all four of you!!

My prayer

2008-06-13T23:45:00.000-07:00

Here is a song that I often use as a prayer:

Nothing Back
Performed by According To John

Chorus:
All I’ve got
All I am
All my dreams and
All my plans
I’m holding back
I’m holding nothing back from you

I surrender it all
I lay it before you
For all of my days
I’ll give You the glory

You caused me to see
My heart is divided
Lord, take all of me
‘Cause I have decided, yeah

Chorus

Whatever it takes
I trust You completely
I’m here in Your hands
If You need to break me

Chorus

…nothing back
Nothing back from You

Voddie Baucham

2008-06-13T23:21:00.001-07:00

BEAUTIFUL CHRISTIAN SISTER

2008-06-13T23:01:00.000-07:00

by Maya Angelou

'A woman's heart should be so hidden in Christ
that a man should have to seek Him first to find her.'

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not shouting 'I'm clean livin'
I'm whispering 'I was lost, Now I'm found and forgiven.'

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on.

When I say.. 'I am a Christian' I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible but, God believes I am worth it.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner who received God's good grace, somehow!

Movies I Recommend

2008-05-27T20:10:00.000-07:00

Bella

The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe

Prince Caspian

http://www.fireproofthemovie.com

Taylor

2008-05-13T18:30:00.000-07:00

glitter-graphics.com

Taylor & I met at church. Over a year ago I asked if she wanted to be email pen pals and we have been ever since :-) I helped her start her blog but she’s so computer savvy that now she’s been helping me with my blog!! She is so quick on the computer that if you blink while watching her work you’ll be lost & have to ask her what she just did. Here is a family picture of her at the beach with her mom & dad:

Taylor you are doing a great job on your website! You are creative & funny. Here is your 1st official Blog Award:

glitter-graphics.com

Just wanted to let you know that your little Chester wanted me to tell you:

glitter-graphics.com

Dessert Test

2008-04-18T09:10:00.000-07:00

Here is an email I received.

“No cheating. If all of the desserts listed below were sitting in front of you, which would you choose? Pick your dessert, and then look to see what psychiatrists think about you! After taking this dessert personality test, send this e-mail on to others, but when you do, be sure to put YOUR choice of dessert in the subject line above. Also send it to the person who sent it to you Sorry you can only pick one.

>Angel Food Cake

> Brownies

> Lemon Meringue Pie

> Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Icing

> Strawberry Short Cake

> Chocolate Icing on Chocolate Cake

> Ice Cream

> Carrot Cake

NO. You can't change your mind once you scroll down, so think carefully what your choice will be!

Angel Food Cake... Sweet, loving, cuddly. You love all warm and fuzzy items. A little nutty at times. Sometimes you need an ice cream cone at the end of the day.. Others perceive you as being childlike and immature at times.

BROWNIES... You are adventurous, love new ideas, and are a champion of underdogs and a slayer of dragons. When tempers flare up, you whip out your saber. You are always the oddball with a unique sense of humor and direction. You tend to be very loyal.

LEMON MERINGUE... Smooth, and articulate with your hands, you are an excellent after-dinner speaker and a good teacher. But don't try to walk and chew gum at the same time. A bit of a diva at times, but you have many good friends.

VANILLA CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE ICING... Fun loving, sassy, humorous. Not very grounded in life; very indecisive and lack motivation. Everyone enjoys being around you. You are a practical joker. Others should be cautious in making you mad. However, you are a friend for life.

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE… Romantic, warm, loving. You care about other people and can be counted on in a pinch! You have many friends who love to be around you. You also tend to melt. You can be overly emotional at times. Your sense of loyalty and devotion are paramount.

CHOCOLATE ON CHOCOLATE... Always ready to give and receive. Very adventurous, ambitious, and passionate. You can appear to have a cold exterior but are warm on the inside. Not afraid to take chances. Will not settle for anything average in life. Love to laugh.

ICE CREAM... You like sports, whether it is baseball, football, basketball, or soccer. If you could, you would like to participate, but you enjoy watching sports. You don't like to give up the remote control. You tend to be self-centered and high maintenance.

CARROT CAKE... You are a very fun loving person, who likes to laugh. You are fun to be with. People like to hang out with you. You are a very warm hearted person and a little quirky at times. You have many loyal friends. "

So far everyone I've talked to said it was accurate of their personality. Then I realized I’ve only talked about this with ladies. Maybe this is only accurate for females. After I read the different personalities I tried to guess friends & family members then send it to them to see how well I knew them. Try it You’ll have fun!

What did you choose? let me know! I picked Brownies.

P.S. I know only one choice, but Brownies “love new ideas” so the new rule is you get an other choice. My 2nd would have been chocolate on chocolate.

I've been tagged...

2008-04-17T21:17:00.000-07:00

...by Melissa from Elijah’s Adventures to share some random facts about myself.

The Rules:
1. Link your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names, as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Hello, my name is Crystal & I'm a chocoholic

I like to go barefoot whenever possible

and see precious feet

Was raised in Senegal, West Africa

Have washed my hair

in the rain

I've held a live Tarantula spider

and lived to tell about it

I've eaten an African 'treat'...

The grub I ate thankfully was not wiggling

It was 'a sun dried delicacy' (tasted like dirt)

I tag:

Taylor's Terrific Life

2008-04-17T20:23:00.000-07:00

Inspirational Poems

BOBB

2008-04-02T17:51:00.000-07:00

2008-03-27T18:39:00.000-07:00

"Silencing the Christians - Series Premiere Renowned author and commentator Janet Parshall takes you on a journey across the country to meet citizens who have been arrested for speaking out at a public rally, students who are being forced to attend classes that require them to recite verses from the Koran and to stage their own jihad and activists pushing social tolerance to such an extreme that the Bible itself is being labeled “hate speech.” "

Click image below:

to watch the series SPEECHLESS

Invite a friend

Lessons from the Lord

2008-03-11T21:43:00.000-07:00

Years ago I tried to explain a concept, the Holy Spirit allowed me to understand, to a Sunday School teacher who laughed stating something about not believing in “out of body experiences”. So that I am not misunderstood again, I just want to clarify this has NOTHING to do with out of body experiences.

First, think with me, of a present situation you are in… work trouble, family problems, hard classes and teachers. Picture the circumstance has passed. You made it through! God is outside of time. Look at it from His point of view. This has been such an encouragement to me through the years. I hope it can be for you as well. I attempted to explain it to my mom. She understood and since ‘there is nothing new under the sun’ she’s heard a variation of this, explained this way:

“Picture yourself in a canoe on the Colorado River that runs through the Grand Canyon. You cannot see what is ahead around the twists and turns of the river. That is like us bound by time. But God is outside of time. Like being in a helicopter above the Grand Canyon seeing what is ahead. The pilot can see everything at the same time like God can see the past, present and future at the same time.” – Mrs. Day a.k.a Mom

During my visit last week Mom & I discussed our position in Christ, the victory we already have in Him and much more. Since being back I’ve been reading Sit, Walk, Stand by Watchman Nee, which perfectly ties into what Mom & I were talking about. I highly recommend this book. It’s a quick read - only 78 pgs. I plan to write more about the book in later entries.

Beach

2008-03-08T12:24:00.000-08:00

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

God's Littlest Angels

2008-02-03T21:07:00.000-08:00

Though many miles apart, Michelle, a very special friend, and I still keep in touch; spending numerous hours over the phone. A conversation rarely goes by that we don’t talk about adoption. Often exchanging the latest adoption story we’ve heard, the newest website we’ve found. She’s the one who told me about God's Littlest Angels.

Visit God's Littlest Angels

James 1:27 – Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Psalm 127:3,5 – Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them,

Psalm 68:5,6b – A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families.

Psalm 82:3 – Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.

Matt. 25:40 – The King will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” from Kingdom Kids Adoption Ministries

see "favorite links" to the left for more websites on this subject

Praise report...

2008-01-21T13:07:00.000-08:00

Many of you know my old car FROG (Fully Rely On God) was as my aunt says, a spiritual experience every time you drive it! LOL =) It was funny when she said it but I am grateful the Lord aloud it to draw me closer to Him…2 blown tires going 60+mph was just the beginning of my adventures!! I praise God it lasted 7 years

I now have a Honda Civic with only 27 th miles that is approx. 100,000 miles less then FROG. Praise God!!! I thank you Lord!

JuicePlus seminar

2008-01-20T18:41:00.000-08:00

Dr Carol Watson, RN, ND

We were honored to have Dr Carol Watson, RN, ND, a noted speaker on nutrition and JP+ come for several seminars that I hosted at Labor of Love.

She spoke about the importance of reading labels. For example, some yogurts have more sugar than a candy bar. Sometimes “juice” has more sugar than pop/soda. Notice the above photo and see the packs of sugar in each bottle…the bottle on the right side is marketed as “juice”; yet, if you look at the ingredients no fruit or fruit juice can be found on the label!! I challenge you to start reading labels; it’s quite an education!! Better yet, train your kids to read labels too. Imagine - a few minutes of your time may save them from a future of disease.

Dr Watson showed us a fast food hamburger & fries… YEARS old yet they had not decomposed!!! In other words if bacteria won’t eat them, why should we??????

For more information and if you desire a healthier future visit my JP+ website

Tampa’s Lowery Park Zoo

2008-01-11T22:14:00.000-08:00

Elijah's 1st zoo trip

Rewind to this month last year… and you’d find Elijah entertained with the sites & sounds of Tampa’s Lowery Park Zoo. Melissa and I enjoyed watching Elijah have so much fun =) Gills next time you plan a family vacation… consider the gulf coast! Come visit soon!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-12-26T18:07:00.000-08:00

WE ARE THE REASON

As little children
We would dream of Christmas morn
Of all the gifts and toys
We knew we'd find
But we never realized
A baby born one blessed night
Gave us the greatest gift of our lives

We were the reason
That He gave His life
We were the reason
That He suffered and died
To a world that was lost
He gave all He could give
To show us the reason to live

As the years went by
We learned more about gifts
The giving of ourselves
And what that means
On a dark and cloudy day
A man hung crying in the rain
All because of love, all because of love

I've finally found the reason for living
It's in giving every part of my heart to Him
In all that I do every word that I say
I'll be giving my all just for Him, for Him

He is my reason to live

Written by David Meece
(c) 1980 Word Music / ASCAP
David Meece Homepage: http://www.david-meece.com/

the internet wasn't working Christmas night so I had to wait till today to share my favorite Christmas song with you & say MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Tiny Tim said 'God bless us every one'
I says God has blessed us, every one!

What the Lord has been teaching me…

2007-11-11T20:20:00.000-08:00

I’ve been reading 'The Love Languages of God'

Ever wonder how some people spend hours a day reading Scripture and you struggle to sit still for 5 minutes? Some cry during worship service, others seem unmoved? …She gives her time; he gives money to the church… Out of all these examples who do you think is the most “spiritual” or most mature Christian? All of them are =) The book is about the different ways we show our love for God and how He speaks individually to each & every one of us in our own love language. The author says you can tell what your love language is by when you feel closest to God. Dear readers I highly recommend this book!!! Dear family, you know me... you may be getting this book for Christmas &/or birthdays ;)

It Didn’t End In Rome. Christians Still Die

2007-11-11T19:51:00.000-08:00

International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church
November 11, 2007

Please Pray
*Christians will be empowered to fulfill the Great Commission
*Families of martyrs will receive help & comfort
*Many persecutors will come to know Christ
*Believers will remain steadfast despite persecution

The Voice of the Martyrs invites you to stand with our persecuted brothers and sisters on November 11, 2007, The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP). Your prayers of encouragement make a difference and are a blessing in the lives of our brothers and sisters around the world. Click [here] to watch a video clip of Sarah’s story from China…" source www.persecution.com

Congratulations Sean and Jessica!!!!!!!

2007-10-04T19:07:00.000-07:00

Chaella (pronounced Kay-ella)

was born today at 2:50pm. Her name is Chaella Anastasia which means "Life Resurrected."

7lbs 15oz

big brother Josiah

Elijah dancing

2007-09-28T16:22:00.000-07:00

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Remembering Emile

2007-09-22T17:16:00.000-07:00

Today would have been Emile's 39th birthday…

Emile V. Sept. 22, 1968-Nov.17,2006

Emile V. was killed in a car accident November 17, 2006 while on business in Trinidad. Renatta writes “In 2006 our family experienced the birth of our son Joshua (July 14th) and the death of his dad (Nov 17th) [Emile V.] excelled in whatever he did but it is perhaps his ability to love effortlessly and his energy for life that we will miss.”

What a privilege it was to get to know the V family. A very memorable birth… as the midwife I was honored to assist Renatta & her family with Josh’s birth. I remember Emile’s smile. The picture below is a good example of his exuberance.

Joshua is under the blanket, minutes old, being admired by family at home.

Renatta, Zan and Joshua you all are in my thoughts & prayers!!

God is Sufficient

2007-09-20T16:20:00.000-07:00

Philippians 4:4,6 & 7
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Sunsets

2007-08-25T18:31:00.000-07:00

Last night I saw a full rainbow with bright colors stretching across the sky then turned around for a walk only to be rewarded with a gorgeous fire orange sunset. As I walked tonight there was a lighting storm to the east & soft pastel hues as the sunset set on the west coast. Both nights I didn’t have my camera but here are pictures I took spring of this year:

Next time a sunrise steals your breath or a meadow of flowers leaves you speechless, remain that way. say nothing and listen as heaven whispers,

"Do you like it? I did it just for you."

Max Lucado

Night Commuters

2007-08-25T16:35:00.000-07:00

Invisible Children a.k.a. Night Commuters

~*~*~*~*~

You all have heard me talk about this so much and yet I realized I’ve never put anything on here about it! This entry is long overdue!

Uganda Rising trailer

Far Reaching Ministries

Invisible Children on FOX 26

More websites

2007-08-25T14:15:00.000-07:00

Music

Leeland
Joshua Bell
Josh Garrels
Todd Agnew
Josh Groban
Word Records
Shane & Shane
Robbie Seay Band
Steven Curtis Chapman
Plugged In (Music Reviews)

Outreach

2007-08-17T20:40:00.000-07:00

Monday nights working with the troubled youth was an opportunity to see lives change. Several were saved!! 1st hour we'd offer sports outside, games & crafts inside. 2nd 1/2 was worship, then Bible study & prayer.

Mama Eloise & Hema One night Maggie & Hema’s friends,

an improv comedy group, joined us…

Daniel, on the left, was the volunteer from the audience
all four improve comedy guys up front performing for the kids

Jan. '07 Birthday

2007-08-17T20:05:00.000-07:00

We love you Dad!!

It’s tradition that Dad gets cheese curls

from the Soyars for his Birthday

Torch cake!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Christmas Dinner

2007-08-17T15:06:00.000-07:00

now these pictures are from when we visited Uncle Kent & Aunt Deedee...

opening gifts

the pups check out the new addition to the family

that Aunt Deedee is holding...

They all jumped up to welcome the new arrival.

It's not real, but they sure thought it was!

Preparing dinner

Aunt Deedee did a beautiful job setting up the dinner table

Time to eat!!

Christmas Day 2006

2007-08-03T19:13:00.000-07:00

It's not about what... It's about WHO

"While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger,

because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Luke 2:6-12

"...found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told."

Luke 2: 16-20

Jesus is the reason for the season!

EJ Christmas morning

Elijahs 1st stocking (handmade by Grandma Day)

Dad & Mom opening gifts

After spending a special morning at my place we headed to the Watts family home.

Somebody smells the food! those eyes are hard to resist...

"Pretty please!"

Holiday season ' 06

2007-07-31T21:17:00.000-07:00

Look at that face!!

fascinated with
candycane lane at Sherri’s

Mom the cookies look ready

Elijah in his suit

Smiling elf

Getting packages in the mail

Christmas party at Mama Eloise's

2007-07-18T20:08:00.000-07:00

Eloise holding Josiah

Maggie, Maggie's sister, Jackie, Hema, Christina

Hema, Josiah & I

Hughes family - Jessica, Josiah, Sean.

Thanksgiving '06

2007-07-18T17:24:00.000-07:00

Thanksgiving Day at my place

(L to R) me- Crystal, Mom, Beth & Ron Robertson. In front Andrew, Dad.

My brother, Andrew, liked to say this was my hobbit hole since he always had to bend down to get through the front door.

(Andrew would be looking towards the table, the front door is at his back.) Here he's giving one of his speeches... "Men of Athens...I beseech thee..."

We missed the Gill family who spent Thanksgiving week in MO.

So I asked Melissa to send some pictures...

Melissa with Elijah

Helping his mom and dad make Thanksgiving dinner.

Geoff holding Elijah at the end of the day. It's hard work "helping" in the kitchen.

Nicole's baptism

2007-07-12T14:56:00.000-07:00

November '06

Atlantic Ocean Matthew 28:19b "...baptizing them in the name of the Father,

and of the Son,

and of the Holy Ghost"

Aunt Sharon wrote

"We had a very meaningful time yesterday morning at Nicole’s baptism."

Praise the Lord!

Andrew

2007-07-12T14:31:00.000-07:00

Andrew witnessing at a paintball event with GNN Orlando & Christ Krew.

Yuck!

2006-09-23T15:43:00.000-07:00

Elijah's reaction to his 1st taste of baby food

“I always wondered why babies spent so much time sucking their thumbs. Then I tasted baby food.” Robert Orben

9/11

2006-09-11T18:23:00.000-07:00

A Tribute to the Victims of September 11, 2001
Can’t Cry Hard Enough

A Tribute to to those that helped during and in the aftermath of this tragedy!

Thank you Uncle Kent
and all the other Firefighters…
Police Officers, other Rescue workers from DC, NYC and PA!!!!!!

Congratulations Andrew!!!!!!!!!

2006-09-01T17:46:00.000-07:00

As of Tues. August 22nd Andrew has his private pilot license!!!!!!!!!!!
He can fly VFR. Instrument rating -IFR is his next goal
Currently he is working on his cross country hrs
He's an excellent pilot :-) I was privileged to be his 1st passenger!!!! He's a good teacher too... I can now say I've flown a Cessna 152!!!

God's handiwork

2006-09-01T15:28:00.000-07:00

Julia & I
She was the 1st baby I saw being born!!!!!!

Then a couple years later I also had the privilege of being there
for her sister Laura's birth!!!!

“...what was God’s noblest work. Anna said men, but I said babies...”

Louisa May Alcott

Watts Family

2006-09-01T14:02:00.000-07:00

(left to right) Peaches, Travis(front), Kelly (back), Pepper

Aunt Deedee greeting Uncle Kent at the airport

He was returning from one of his overseas missions with VA-TF1

At the Great Wall of China

Uncle Kent & Aunt Deedee have alot to be proud of!

Just Think

2006-08-31T20:30:00.000-07:00

Just think,
You’re here not by chance,
But by God’s choosing.
His hand
Formed you
And made you the person you are.
He compares you to no one else-
You are
One of a kind.
You lack nothing
That His grace in Christ Jesus cannot give you.
He has allowed you to be here
At this time in history
To fulfill
His special purpose
For this generation.

By Roy Lessin