Diaspora Harvest!

Our friends the Bellas just got back from Israel! (Here they are with jetlag!) They have been in our life group from the start the last year and a half and also in my homeschooling bunch. (Steve has been calling us the "Bomb Moms" as we meet to teach our kids and pray once a week and do warfare against the enemy.) Una is Israeli and her husband Leonardo is a NY messianic jew and they have lived in the US for the past 16 years. They and their six children have become dear to us as we have gotten in to eachother's lives. They have amazing conversions to Yeshua-Una's was nothing short of supernatural-seeing visions of Jesus, etc. God miraculously provided from them to take a long-awaited trip home to Israel back on Yom Kippur. They arrived stateside this week and came to Life Group Saturday night to tell us they were moving back to Jerusalem! We feel so sad that we will have to say goodbye to them so soon, and yet it is exciting to see God's beautiful plan carried out in them-sending them out from the land, bringing them to saving faith in Yeshua, and then calling them back again. It has been such a privilege to get to know messianic jews that love Jesus so much, love their people and remain very jewish. We know that God will use them in amazing ways in Israel to share Yeshua's love with their friends and families. And we're glad we'll have friends to stay with when the time draws near to Yeshua's return!

Prophetic Art

I had to share a cool Jez story, which is also a cool art story. Recently, I have been asking the Lord again for a fresh word for Jez. I know He has said that she will speak, but I had begun to doubt her cognitive abilities, wondering if I needed to prepare for a life-long disability that will always need our care. If we were just dealing with the apraxia, it would be one thing, but we are dealing with major cognitive delays, so homeschooling her, teaching her to speak, etc is often a very frustrating experience. through our years with Jez, I am CONSTANTLY asking Him for a word about her, as we know so little, and she can say so little to help us understand! I can count the clear words from Him on my right hand, but a few weeks ago, there was a very clear one. He spoke from the Song of Songs 2:14, "My dove is hiding behind the rocks, behind an outcrop on the cliff. Let me see your face; let me hear your voice. For your voice is pleasant, and your face is lovely."
I felt so encouraged, and confirmed that what I had been feeling was true-that Jez was still not free in a lot of areas and that we still hadn't seen a lot of the real Jez. So we have pursued some more ministry prayer and that has been great. When my friend Geri called to ask me about the prayer time, I shared the verse with her. She said God had also showed her a picture of a bird in a cage with the door open. The bird was finally beginning to near the door, even though it had been left open. Then she saw the bird soaring. She knew Jez was that bird, and that our family had opened the door to her cage when we took her in, and that she was getting ready to come out! And what was so cool was that she said she had actually painted the verse about the dove! (She is an artist.) And that maybe she was supposed to give it to us.
Well, she did. And even cooler, Steve had actually encouraged her to paint it last year, encouraging her to paint with the Spirit. She even asked Steve to photograph the dove for her! Isn't God sneaky! So here's the picture, now in my bedroom, encouraging me every day. Never again will I say art is just pictures.....

Birth Defects in China

It has been coming out in the news a lot lately all the horrible effects that coal/ash waste has on the environment, and consequently those living near dump sites. When we went to China to pick up Jezreel in Taiyuan, the capitol of Shanxi Province, we went to a coal museum. We were looking for something fun to do with our new friends and our new daughter and we wanted to get some flavor of the local commerce. The bragged on being the largest coal-poducing province in China, so I purchased a piece of coal to bring back as a souvenir and bought some other things back that were made from the compressed ash. As time has gone on and I have heard more and more stories of other babies with major heart defects from her province being adopted, I have begun to wonder about the environmental hazards. Last year I just happenned to be in a hotel the night they did a major story on the spill right here in our state in Kingston, so I watched all the horror(we don't have TV) and thought a lot about Jez. A few weeks ago China had to finally admit to the horrors in Shaanxi province-the one next to Jez'- as villagers finally stormed the coal plant demanding its closure as they sufferred miscarriages, birthdefects and illness from the plant. I just read a study saying that birth defects have increased 40% in Jezreel's province since 2001-the year she was born, and they are blaming it on the coal industry. Understanding all the why's of why Jez has had to suffer with all the challenges she has had don't make them much easier, and yet we want to be part of the solution.When we don't know what else to do and we feel helpless in the face of huge obstacles, the first thing to do is always pray, I'm convinced. On this side of the world, I don't know what we could do to stop this injustice. But God does. So we're going to start praying. I hope you have kept up with the 40 Days for Life results. There you will find out about babies' lives that have been saved, abortion clinics actually shut down and a woman named Abby who was converted and blew the whistle on Planned Parenthood's money-making tactics. She is scheduled to be on the O'Riley Factor on Fox News this Wednesday, November 11th. We MUST pray, above all else, in these times.

God's speaking YELLOW this week

YELLOW!

This is the creek that runs through our front yard. We've had so much rain, so it is especially bubbly and beautiful right
now.


Here is Isaiah-

Death by leaves!

Here is our house-it's hard to see behind the row of trees-we have a lone maple in front that is gorgeously yellow right now!

The Gift that Keeps On Giving

Steve's mom gave us some new flannel sheets this past summer and we put them on for the first time a few nights ago on a very cold October evening. OOOOOhhhhh...if you need an extra smile in these dark days-run out and get you some! The kind they are making now are AMAZING. Every time you slip in to bed at night you will praise the Lord -guaranteed. You just might not want to get back out of them in the morning!
Thanks Mom-you're the best!

40 Days for Life

I don't know if any of you have been able to keep up with the 40 days of fasting and prayer for the unborn in our nation, but it has been amazing. the kids and my mom and I went yesterday and we prayed in front of the abortion clinic here in Nashville. It is only 3 doors down from the Pregnancy Help Center! The place was deserted, thankfully. As we began praying life over that place of death, a butterfly came up from behind us and flew up and over the center as if to symbolize our prayers going up there and bringing new life. We had to keep pulling Jez and Tirza off the median where we could get arrested for standing. Evidently some sweet old nuns went right in and prayed a few days ago and the police had to come and get them for praying in the halls at the clinic! We prayed with an amazing gal that had come up from West Virginia just because she felt like God wanted her to come to Nashville. They are doing it in cities all over the nation and if you go to the website, you can see how many lives have already been saved just be the prayer. Last time I checked it was over 250! When we drove up yesterday, a woman was walking back and forth , up and down the street in front of the clinic, talking on her phone, and we prayed for her and after a while, it appeared she left as we didn't see her again. It was just awesome to actually be a part of christians uniting to really make a difference and not just put a bumper sticker on their car! They are in the home stretch of the 40 days-I think it ends November 2nd. Please pray and look up the 40 days for Life in your city.

Surgery Cancelled!

Well, it looks like Jez's doctors have agreed that her surgery on her eardrum needs to be when her heart situation is stronger. We are actually relieved! The ear is doing well and not causing her pain that we know of; it is just her hearing that is affected. She hears well in her left ear, so even though it will benefit her to have that hole repaired, it was not worth the surgery risk right now. We went for a second opinion this afternoon and heard the same thing, so we feel great about it! thanks everyone that was praying.

Jezzie's turning eight!

1. 

Well, I am still trying to figure out

how to label my pictures! Michael had his fall choir concert last night and he looked so handsome in his tux I had to include his pic! He is in chamber choir this year and they did an excellent job. I had to take a picture of the special gal in the freshman choir-she was the one doing what everyone else wanted to do-expressing herself as she sang, sheilding her eyes when the lights were too bright, pointing to her friends in the audience, waving and smiling...Does God put such childlike minds in big bodies to remind us to not get too big? That the Kingdom belongs to little children and that we must become like them? While a lot of my friends are done with diapers and moving on, I have to say I am thankful for the daily reminders I live with that keep me from getting too grown up.
I had to include a picture of our first potato crop. They started from a sprouted spud in my pantry, so I figure we saved about .03 as we did eat them roasted with a little rosemary and olive oil.
And Jezzie had her eight birthday party yesterday! She had so much fun. She was surrounded by people that loved her and showered her with affection. We had a panda party with chinese noodles for lunch. They symbolize long life and are a traditional birthday choice. We decided to have her birthday a little early as next week she is scheduled for an ear surgery called a tympanoplasty to repair the hole in her eardrum. Everyone prayed for her yesterday and we are still hoping God heals it before Wednesday! Please pray for her this week. The surgery is set for Wednesday the 21st. Having a weak heart and other lung issues, etc, make this surgery so undesirable, but they feel like it will improve her hearing which can in turn improve her speech. We feel like this is a special birthday for Jez. She left China on her fourth birthday and it feels like the past four years have been replacing what the devourer had stolen from her. In the Bible, eight symbolizes new beginnings. We are continuing to press through for breakthrough for Jez's cognition, nervous symstem, and speech.

Finally a Cheerleader

I've been thinking this past week, (before the wreck and just being thankful our family is alive and well), about cheerleading. I went to my first Franklin High School football game this past Friday night for their homecoming and as I watched the cheerleaders, it brought back some memories of trying out for cheerleading in the 7th grade and not making the squad. It was very painful at the time:-). But I've been thinking more about cheerleading my little girl with special needs. I've been thinking about what an honor it is to champion her and cheer her on and help her be all that she can be. The feelings when she can finally spit out a new word, or button her button, or ride that horse at a trot. What a privilege to clap for her and hear her hoot and holler when she's so proud of herself! I cheer my other kids on too, but it's different with her. When you've walked through the angst and the frustrations and the tears and then you get to watch them take flight, it's a heavenly feeling and your heart just about bursts.
I've also been thinking, as usual, a lot about adoption. I have a lot of friends that say that just don't have that calling or the heart. I understand that to a certain extent. But what about God's heart? Aren't we supposed to have His heart? His heart is obviously so FOR the orphans. If we are pursuing His heart, won't we naturally grow in to a heart for adoption? Especially all of us Gentiles that have been so mercifully adopted in to God's family. It seems that if we all just grabbed the hand of one orphan in tow with our own children, the orphanages of the world would empty, and our children would learn how to really love, and we would model the love of Christ to the world. And we would ALL get to be cheerleaders:-)

Premise for Drawing in the Presence

I must start off by saying that almost everyone can learn to draw, as long as if you can sign your name, and everyone can benefit in a global way. In her book ‘Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain”, Betty Edwards says: “It’s helpful to remember that we don’t teach reading and writing to produce only poets and writers, but rather to improve thinking.” In time, the skills we employ to draw will become automatic, just like reading, driving or knitting. She also goes on to say, “Arts are essential for training specific, visual, perceptual ways of thinking, just as the ‘3 R’s’ are essential for training specific verbal, numerical, and analytical ways of thinking. I believe that both thinking modes- one to comprehend the details and the other to see “the whole picture”- are vital for critical thinking skills, extrapolation of meaning, and problem solving.” I believe learning to draw is a pathway to creativity and heavenly problem solving.
Learning to draw is actually learning to see. We will learn to process visual information differently than we have before. Our culture, and those also in the Body of Christ, learns predominantly toward the analytical left-brain predominance of perceiving and so we miss out. As the master Creator and Designer, God sees things more holistically. I believe as we begin to see thing differently, new creative solutions to personal, professional, or even global problems will open up.
Too long has God been removed from the artists’ perspective. So many artists today wander aimlessly as they are not plugged in to the source of seeing and creativity. Yet they get revelation that believers have often politely rejected or neglected. Let’s be disciples that embrace God’s ways, in all their mystery and fulness and we will experience abundant fullness like never before. Learning how to draw is a vehicle that can take us straight in to the heart of God, learning how to see the way he does. It has potential to unlock more creativity for all of His Church, as it should be. There is a Renaissance of the Visual Arts coming, and it longs to come to God’s people to bless them, and through that they will be able to be a greater blessing in these times.
I have chosen for us to learn to draw in my home in an environment of peace, Presence, power, and love. It is a place of holiness where the righteous live and the Holy Spirit is always our welcome and honored guest. Angels will look on with joy and anticipation, holding up our hands and lifting up our eyes! Come and join us!

What wreck...

The story according to Michael:
These are pictures of a car wreck our family was involved in this past Wednesday night. I was driving my Dad and younger siblings to go to Church that evening, and as we were going through an intersection (that we had a green light on) at around 55 mph- which was the speed limit- a big black pick-up truck suddenly just pulled out in front of us, and though I tried braking, we hit the broad-side of the car at around 45 mph. Though our car was completely totaled, God was protecting us, I know He had angels posted all around the wreck, and none of my family was hurt aside from some whiplash for my dad and a sore neck for me. The lady driving the other car was fine, though her son suffered from some a concussion and a skull fracture and had to be taken away in an ambulance. Though he is still in the hospital, the doctors say that he conscious, knows who he is, where he is, etc., and will be alright. Please continue to be praying for him and his family though, and for a speedy recovery for him. I am so thankful that no one else was hurt badly, or even worse, killed, as at the speed we were going, and the size of the car that we ran into, it should have been a lot worse. Thank you God so much for your love and protection and your abundant grace over us.

Tirza's bringing in Fall in her lovely orange sweatsuit

Pheobe Countryman and Jez in St. Paul

Drawing in the Presence

Hey those of you in or near Franklin...
I am beginning a drawing class at the end of this month. I'm hoping for ten students, age 10 or older. I will be teaching the fundamentals of drawing for a nine-week course. We will meet at my house for a two-hour class time from 2-4 each Tuesday afternoon. I will be using "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" quite a bit, but also combining different texts, that get us in our right brain and help us to see and therefore draw what we see. We will seek the presence of God as we explore this as a form of worship. I plan to draw students in to seeing God through the drawing experience and sharing God with their drawings. I'll be posting some more details soon.

Mayo Clinic trip

Well, it was a quick trip. We packed several appointments all in to 2 days. They were so helpful and I feel we got some expert instruction on therapy and also help with things like teaching Jez to eat properly, write her letters, zip zippers, etc. The time with Tina and her family was such a gift. (Tina and Steve Countryman were our teammates in Thailand for 5 years.) It was so good to reconnect. I've included a picture of their adopted daughter from China, Pheobe and Jez-they had a great time together, although it was brief.

Jezreel Update

Many of you enjoy keeping up with Jez and I have been so terrible about e-mailing that I am creating this blog in an effort to do a better job. She is doing quite well our second year here in Franklin. I am homeschooling her this year and, although it's quite challenging for all of us, we feel that we're already starting to see the blessing. It seems like the focus on learning to read, which she really likes, is helping her accss her speech more. She has started horseback riding therapy also and really seems to be enjoying it now.
A couple months ago, she was finally able to somplete a full hearing test for the first time and we found out that she is significantly hearing impaired in her right ear due to a hole cause by all her ear infections. They want to operate to close the hole and maybe do another procedure, so that is scheduled for next month. We are praying for healing until then.
She had a bad fall down the stairs a few weeks ago and smashed in her front teeth. (One is already missing from a fall in Thailand!) The dentist took pictures of her messed up mouth and said we needed to remove two teeth-which meant more sedation. The cardiologist vetoed that (we were so glad ), due to her heart condition and the risks involved with sedation. So we prayed and went back a couple weeks later. The dentist took another picture and showed me the two side by side on his computer and he said her teeth actually moved back in to place!
She's had some bad asthma this allergy season, so we've let her skip on the morning jogs, and she's not too disappointed about that!
All in all, she's doing great. Even though the speech is very slow, we are understanding apraxia more and learning how to push through. She's a bubbly, outgoing little girl with a lot to say and a lot going on inside. Keep praying for her. I will post again when we get back from the Mayo Clinic and we'll write about our summer happennings and also, I hope to get some of my artwork posted on here as well.

On Our Way

Tomorrow Jez and I are on our way to Rochester, MN to go to the Mayo Clinic there. They have a specialist in CAS(Childhood Apraxia of Speech) that we will see in hope of getting some more accurate information and a treatment plan for Jez's speech. We are going to stay with our old teammates from Thailand, the Countrymans and can't wait for that! They have adopted a little girl from China also, so we are looking forward to all the introductions and spending some time together.