Winter In the City

Are you willing to forget what you have done for other people,
and to remember what other people have done for you...
to remember the weakness and loneliness of people who are growing old...
Are you willing to believe that love is the strongest thing in the world...
stronger then hate, stronger than evil, stronger then death...
THAN YOU CAN KEEP CHRISTMAS !!
But you can never keep it alone.
            Henry van Dyke

Winter is on the way.....
The trees that where so beautiful with colored leaves are bare...and the beautiful flowers are fading....
Reminds me of seasons of life that we go through...Like the tree that is bare we can see no fruit ..so we go through "winter" seasons in our life. The exciting thing that we can not see is the root and the life inside of the "tree". The root is deep and ever growing deeper and the sap that runs through the tree to give it life!!! So our life is. Times we wonder what is going on ...maybe we feel and "cold". We need to keep "hang on". Drink from the well of life....God is getting us ready for the next season!!!

....and so is Christmas....

I enjoy getting out of the "house" and walking ....especially at the malls right now...where you can't help but feel "happy" when you see all the lights etc.!!!!
I enjoy this time of year :)...only one thing wrong with it....the season is not "long" enough....
However the exciting news is...I can have Christmas all year!!! Christ has done so much for me there are a "million" things I can do for Him through out the whole year... here are a few..

• A smile you can give in any language...
• A hand to hold the door open for someone...and in so many other things you can do that does we can do so "quickly" and not to go to college for...
• A word of encouragement ....we all like that :)
• Hugs to the kids...
• Share the "good news"....

..and SOOO many more things.....

Am excited to spend a week up state over Thanksgiving..and 2 weeks at home over Christmas..God has "supplied" me with very cheap bus tickets for both times :)  .and then it is time to "settle in" here :) Am ready to do that. God has given me a heart for the City and I am in the process of committing to a 2 year term. Am excited to see what all God has for me during that time...And the kids are excited too that I have gotten to know here on the "block". And there are a LOT more I want to "get to know" and invest in there life :)

Fall LTO is history. It was a "big" adjustment to have them leave ...after they where here for 6 weeks..did not take long for them to fell like family. Had an amazing group.

The last Friday night we had a special meal ...they got their diplomas...and they did "skids"

Had grilled chicken breast, potatoes, green beans, salad, dinner rolls, and the dessert was the best :) CHEESE CAKES :)

Cookies with the girls..they made for themselves any size and shape they wanted :)

Day care center one day for a couple hrs.

Kids Ministry we visited.....

Went to "retreat"for a couple days...was great to enjoy God's GREAT outdoors:)

We burned a lot of wood :)

Singing....

Games...

Bursting the ballons....and 

counting to see who had the most on them 

Food and a birthday party.....




............now you got a little glimpse of what has been happening on my side of the world!!!! Am in the process of making a 2 year commitment. Am excited to see what all God has for those 2 years !!!!

Glimpses of Summer

From Jesus Calling:
Open your mind and heart--your entire being--to receive My love in full measure. So many of My children limp through their lives starved for love, because they haven't learned the art of receiving. This is essentially an act of faith: believing that I love you with boundless, everlasting Love. The art of receiving is also a discipline: training your  mind to trust Me, coming close to Me with confidence.

 I fall to my knees and pray to the Father,[e] 15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.[f]16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 21 Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

Eph.3:14-21

Well since God gave me a new lap top I can post a blog again :) My old computer would not let me do it :(
Here are a few highlights of summer....

Lyndon, Sharon and the 3 youngest came up for a day in July. It was a very warm day...a short day...however a very good day!!!!

The children had a little time to play with some of the kids on the street.

Icing on the "cake" was going to 16 handles for frozen yogurt. This young man thought it was so good he went back for seconds :)

Our family enjoyed getting together at Jake's for a nice long weekend "camping" :)

My baby brother with his 2 "babies"

The weekend consisted of playing crochet...playing in sand box....sitting around....and of course a LOT of food..

Mom had a "teaching" moment with her girls of how to make moonpies :)

My older nephews and niece tried to sing us a song :) It is so great to have "older" nieces and nephews who you have debates and discussions with..Love them all :)

Friday eve. the campfire was great...and looking up into the sky and seeing ALL the stars .....watching the space satellites  fly across the sky....so thankful God gave me one evening that I could enjoy the outside cause it rained the rest of the weekend.....

SUNSETS that I miss.....

...and then there was the goodbyes:(

After I came back we had the "last" youth group come through for the summer of 2013.

Each morning started with worship......

Always amazed how many people are drawn to the kitchen to "visit" :)

Outreach times......

After they left had about a week to get ready for the teachers that came to help us with VBS. The week was an amazing week !!!!!!

Register each night.....

Started with the group singing together and ended the evening by singing....This was my favorite !!!!!!

Playing games.....

Craft......

A bible story each night.....

Teaching a bible verse ......

 Had one week to clean the basement and 3rd floor before the Trainee's would come for LTO.
Have a small group this Fall.....however I love it!!!!!
Every Thursday night we have an Ethnic meal.We picked out a country someone is going to.....

The "amazing" ladies I am blessed with to help me :)

Mexican Chicken soup.....

Bengali night :)

No chairs to sit on...no silverware....

Guatemala supper....Rice and beans....

Fried Plantains.....also had "homemade" corn tortillas ....chicken with red sauce.....

A few of my FAVORITE "solo" places......

Great times with friends..........

ONLY IN NYC !!!!!!!!!

Well there you got a glimpse of the last few months!!!!
Only 2 more weeks of LTO !!!!! Then I will see what will show up next !!!!!
Blessings to all of you my dear friends!!!!