Friends

This morning I was reading John 15:15.
"I have called you friends."
Isn't it remarkable? Amazing!

I have just joined Facebook. I don't really get it. One thing I have noticed is the phrase, so and so "wants to be your friend". Christ wants us to be His! It is so precious to think of it.

It used to be that in Japan, when someone asked you "Can I be your friend", it was quite an honor and responsibility. One you don't take lightly. (Many things have changed in Japan since I lived there, and maybe this has too.) On Facebook, asking someone to be your friend isn't that way. People I don't even know pop up somehow in the internet space and ask to be your friend.

I had to think of Michael Gungor's song, Friend of God. I've been singing it in my head this morning.

I am a friend of God
I am a friend of God
I am a friend of God
He calls me friend.

Who am I that You are mindful of me
That You hear me
When I call
Is it true that You are thinking of me
How You love me
It's amazing

God Almighty
Lord of glory
You have called me friend.


I'll have to figure out Facebook I guess. It seems a little silly. But I know many of you love it and perhaps I'll get hooked. I probably will. But I do love blogging! Infact, I was just thinking how it is really an extension of my ministry as a Nursery Director.

On Sunday morning, when the kids arrive, sometimes they might be fussy, crying. They don't want mommy and daddy to leave them. But to be able to say,

"Taylor, I heard you went to the zoo! You saw those elephants! They are BIG!"
or
"Oliver, you are such a big boy now! Wearing big boy undies!"
or
"Eli, did you go fishing with your Daddy?"

I know these things because of the blog. And I am able to distract the kids and help them to shift their thoughts and forget that mommy and daddy are leaving them in the nursery. They always end up having so much fun! Well, except for Luke last week! Hoping his teeth are better and he'll be full of smiles again tomorrow!

Arkansas

On Sunday, right after church, Jill, Hannah, Sophia and myself made a trip to Northwest Arkansas to see my son, Josh and his family.

It was a long trip.

Sophie slept a little of the way.

Unfortunately she cried for about 45 minutes.
Those DVD machines are great to keep a kid entertained!

I remember when I was a kid we didn't have seat belts.

We would lay down in the back of the station wagon.

Cut out paper dolls, play travel bingo....

Lots of fun times and good memories!

Kissin' cousins!

Emeri and Sophia

Josh grilled for us! Yum!

Since getting pregnant, Staci has a hard time cooking.
She is quite nauseous.
We had a gift for the new baby!
Can you tell what it will be??


Staci found a great boy name starting with an E and it goes great

with emeri and emeri LOVES it...Elmo! Isn't it perfect?!?!?!?
Staci tells us that Emeri's name was going to be Cole if she came out a boy. Josh still likes that one but Staci doesn't as much. She likes Eli but he doesn't as much, so the arguing has begun :)Staci's mother knew their delimna and said they should just name him Ecoli. get it?


On Monday, we went to this awesome place!
It is a safari park located outside of Gentry, Ark.
(north of Siloam Springs)
It was sooooo fun!
We thought the warnings were a little scary.

Not responsible for Accidents.
So much so it is written twice.
Luckily, none of us were injured.

First off you can walk around looking at animals.
Petting them.
Feeding some.




There are all kinds of exotic animals here
including 12 tigers.
But the kids found the bunnies their favorite!

See the joey in the pouch?

Then there is this drive through safari.

It is really quite amazing how many emus and other

animals there are here.

Other things we did -

Here is a picture of Sophia.

She is just a little shy of Josh's dog, Molly.

So she stayed close by mommy while Hannah gave Molly a bath.

Hannah loves Molly!

She took her for a walk.

She wants a dog.

Jill tells her when she grows up she can get one.

The girls colored....

Sophia ate some crayons....

and the girls did playdough (Sophia ate that too).

A playdough necklace.
It even matches the dress.

The girls went swimming.

We had a fun time!

Wish we all lived a little closer.

As a missionary kid, I saw my cousins every 5 years when we'd come "home" on furlough.

("Home" was not really home for us kids. Japan was home.)

So at least Emeri, Sophia, and Hannah and soon to be Elmo or Ecoli or whatever great E name they come up (if they end up with an E name), get to see eachother more often than that.

If you have any great E name that would go great with Emeri, can you share it?

Memorial Day

Today is a day we remember -

the men who died so we could have freedoms.

Thank you!

There was One who also died -

that we might have freedom.



************

Foreigners who are in our country have to carry green cards with them. I made my own "green card". I wrote the following words on it to remind myself that although I love my country, my real citizenship is not here - "I'm just a passin' through."

"I am but a foreigner here on earth." Ps. 119:19

"If you call God your Father, live your time as temporary residents on earth." 1 Peter 1:17

"Life is a temporary assignment. Your identity is in eternity, and your homeland is heaven."


*************

We got out the pool.

It has begun to get hot.

Turned on the air conditioner.

The girls helped Papa wash the pick-up.

Rain is in the forecast.