seven years

Last month Nate and I celebrated seven years of marriage. They have been seven wonderful years. As I write this my four year old just looked over my shoulder and said "Look! That's you marrying Daddy! You found a husband who loves Jesus!" Amen little daughter. Having a marriage centered on Christ has made this the best seven years of my life.

Each year Nate and I sum up our latest year of marriage with one word. Over the years we have decided on revealing, adventure, abundant, growth, baby steps and steady. This year, separately, we both came up with the word "settling". These years have been filled with transition, travel and change. It seems like we have been preparing for seven years to arrive and work in the place we are now living. 

But now here we are. We have unpacked and planted trees that we, Lord willing, will see grow and bear fruit for many years. We are so very thankful for a place that we can call home and settle. However, wherever we are or wherever we go, we know that our true home is in heaven, and that those who delight in the law of the LORD and meditate on it day and night are those who are like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season.

May the Lord bless the next seven years of our marriage, bearing fruit for His glory.

Jack

Nate likes to joke that he is the jack of all trades, the master of none. If something is broken, he likes to try and fix it. If there is a job to do that he's never done before, he'll give it a go. He loves to experiment. He's had heaps of opportunities to expand his 'Jack' repertoire since arriving in Mapudje. 

So far since being here Nate has:

• learned about solar power
• taught himself how to weld frames for our solar panels
• put in dead bolts on our doors
• helped me paint the kitchen, lounge room and dining room
• made our bed frame
• built an outdoor table from bamboo
• started making the girls a playground, including a swing set
• planted about fifty trees
• chopped down, with an axe, many trees
• put a barbed wire fence around the boundary of our property
• fixed the piping and wiring of our water pump and tubes that rats gnawed through
• fixed our toilets from leaking
• planted and harvested beans and vegetables
• planted me flowers and fruit
• put in grated doors to secure our outside storage
• built me some shelves, stands and book boxes
• built and maintained a compost area
• dealt with immigration paper work
• worked on and maintained a generator and land cruiser
• and 1000 other little jobs that he crosses off the "love lists" I make him

This is all while living in a foreign land, dealing with people in portuguese, being the boss of three guards, teaching the Word multiple times each week, studying a third language, and putting his family first. As you might be able to tell, Nate may call himself the jack of all trades, but I would certainly rate him as the master of many. But to our true Master, we must give all the glory. Nate would be the first to credit any ability he has to the grace of God, being made new in Christ.

All glory to our Master, through whom we live and breathe and have our being. All our strength comes from the Lord. 

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace… in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:10-11

Army Ants

I consider our new home to be a dream home. There are so many blessings in living where we live and doing what we do. It's peaceful. My husband is home for most of our meals. We have a mountain view, verandah's, well water and solar power. My husband can watch the kids while I go out to minister. Just to name a few things. There are certainly some things that aren't part of the plusses though…

This week, our guard killed a two meter long Black Mamba in our yard. Last month, my one year old baby walked into a swarm of army ants. I was watching Ambrose from a fair distance away, walking happily along when he suddenly fell to the ground wailing. By the time I got to him he had these beauties all over his bottom half. These ants HURT! Once I'd brushed the ants off, stripped Ambrose down and assessed the situation, I saw he had about 20 bites. 

Thankfully, I had recently learned from Nate that a water and bi-carb soda paste takes away much of the sting. Once I'd made the paste Ambrose was already settling down, watching me work from the safety of my hip. By the time I started painting Ambrose with the paste, he seemed to be having the time of his life. Either it's a miracle paste or the distraction and fun of being pasted all over just worked wonders.

Good on you, my little son. You survived your first army ant encounter like a champion :)

Baby shower in the Bush

I got a huge surprise yesterday when eight ladies turned up at my house. They came bearing gifts, food and drink to throw me a surprise baby shower. They covered me and my family with prayers. I hardly know these ladies, yet they drove an hour out of town to our house to bless me in this way. Even in the bush of Africa, God sees and knows. How beautiful is the family of God all over the world!

Twenty six weeks

I guess it has become a tradition to do one of these photos. Now it's our littlest one's turn to make an appearance…

Thankful. How very thankful I am for my family.