Amazing.

I am just so amazed at how incredibly interesting my daily reading is right now! Genesis 4-8 was today's chapters. Please read it for yourself today or soon. 

Eve bares a son, Abel.  Then she bares his brother Cain. Eve's first pregnancy was twins!  Ever asked someone the question, do twins run in your family?! ;-)

Then, Cain kills his only brother... the only other son to the first people of the world... just an amazing thought... and I know we use the term "amazing" very flipantly these days but I mean it when I say I am amazed at this... Adam and Eve have 2 sons and one of them kills the other.  What was going on in these parents minds?  These days we say, "I can't believe what this world is coming to..." When in reality, terrible things happened from the very beginning! 

Then Adam, the first man lives to be oh... 930 years old!  Do you think he was tired at all??  Bored??  Just enjoying life... arthritis?  Just some thoughts...

The there is Noah.  God says, "Build an ark Noah.  Go and get a lot of animals, male and female and load them up with your family.  I'm going to flood the whole earth.".  Noah says "Ok".
Just can't imagine how smart he must have been to be able to go out and build an ark.  I can't imagine how skilled he must have been to be able to go out, find those animals, make sure they were the right animals and bring them on board...  I really can't imagine his faith!! Can you?!

Then, can you invision, being on a boat with YOUR whole family while the WHOLE rest of the living creatures and man flooded on earth?  He must have been so humbled and thankful.  Scared and amazed!  I have no idea how he really felt but I've tried putting myself on that ark with my family and it brings butterflies to my stomach.  It warms my heart and makes me cringe all at the same time.  It makes me want to live in a way that pleases the Lord, that's for sure! ;-)

Cute picture!  Not to say that I am oppose to the cartoon look of Bible stories but it does make me think...  Does this picture give any justice to the serious, amazing and REAL event that took place?  I want to share these events with Analiese in a way that she understands that God's Word is incredible AND it's true.


What an amazing God we serve... literally amazing.

Friends...

Kevin has gone to Kitwe to help Damon and Lisa Matacchiera move their family to CHIPATA!  Praise the Lord, they will be here July 29th. They have two daughters, Felecia 5 and Natalie 2 and one baby boy, Joey 4 months.  It's going to be great having them here!

A couple of gals from Lusaka, Amy and Katie were teaching children in a nearby town this weekend.  They had already asked if they could stay with us Sunday night after the seminar.  I asked if they would mind staying Monday night as well to keep Analiese and I company... they agreed!  It was wonderful having people in the house last night... I am not afraid of being here by myself, it's just a weird feeling to be all alone in a big house for the first time.  Well, tonight is going to be interesting though!  We will be here by ourself tonight.  However, I have invited a friend, Marion and her daughter Sarah (9 yrs old) over for supper. Marion is from Zimbabwe but married a man from South Africa.  They live, work and own a nearby guesthouse.  Analiese and Sarah just adore each other.  It will be a lot of fun to have them over for a girl's night!

I think the main reason for my writing this post was to say that the Lord has blessed us abundantly with new friends here in Zambia.  He does hear and answer our prayers of "loneliness".  Although we say we are homesick from time to time, that doesn't mean we have been forsaken or forgotten by the Lord.
If you will notice I have mentioned 3 different people/friendships in this one post!  And it's just a thought for this week alone.

We miss you all back "home" and look forward to the day that we can spend time with you.  No one can replace our family and friends in the States.  However, we really can't complain!  God is good!

Zooming in!

Some say I should journal...
Some ask for prayer requests...
Sometimes Analiese does something cute..
Sometimes my husband does something wonderful! 
Some people really make a difference in our lives...
Sometimes I want to share what I've learned in my daily Bible reading...
Some times we get homesick...

I'm often asked, what do you do when you get home sick?  Lately, I've said facebook, email, skype or talk on the phone.  Kevin and I always talk about things when one of us is homesick.  It really helps to have a caring husband but we agree that some time with other family and friends back home would be nice from time to time.

I think this blog would be a good medicine!  I'm hoping I can chat and you can chat back with me... just as if we were out to lunch or I was in your livingroom.

When you live around your family and friends you're able to discuss these things weekly if not daily.  If you know me, you know that I am a bit social. :)  I would like to use this blog to help you Zoom in on our life in Zambia!  Kevin has a blog of course, but it's primary focus is our ministry.  Analiese has a blog but it's primary focus is her. I'd like to blog with the focus of our life in Zambia and yours in America!

Let's chat! ;-)