Hong Kong October 2015.

*****WARNING LOTS OF PHOTOS*****

                                                          Vacation to Hong Kong.

                       This past month we took and amazing and much needed Vacation...... to Hong Kong.
 It was nothing short of something that only God can work out! Every single detail had Gods hand working in it.
Back in June we were given a sum of money to use for the children, previously when we have been given a gift like that we use it for living expenses.  John and I talked about it and decide to pray for direction on how to use the money for something extra special for both children. About a month later after praying about it, a friend told us about some very cheap flights to Hong Kong. We both felt immediately that God could bless this as a good way to use the money. So we purchased the tickets and started to look for a reasonable priced motel to stay at. And we started to feel very discouraged with what we were finding. And again we prayed for Gods direction on what to do. We contacted an place that seems very reasonable and started to pursue booking the place to stay, in the mean while our "Canadian" friends whom we were going to see in Hong Kong told us that their organization had just rented another apartment right next door to their home, and we could stay there for a small fee.   See I told you that Gods hand was in this from the very beginning.  First of all for a gift of money we were given was and amazing act of God.  Also while we were in Hong Kong our friends had a contact of someone who worked at Disneyland and we were given free passes to spend the day at Disneyland. Definitely a huge highlight for the children.

Hiking in the hills.

Enjoying the free range to RUN! 

The Beautiful city of Hong Kong.

We LOVED all the clean,
green parks to walk through.

Another photo of HK.

Me with my 2 babies! I thank God for Blessing us
with such Awesome Children!

Wearing Mom and Dads sunglasses. 

My little Princess.

My sweet little boy, all hot and sweaty.

                           

Beautiful garden in the park. 

We enjoyed every moment of our time here.

We visited a bird conservatory that has some unique birds. 

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                               Eating at McDonald's  and Subway was a huge highlight as well.
                             

Subway was this little guys most favorite place
 to eat before we moved to Cambodia.

Over 16 months of not eating McDonalds, (I still didn't miss it.)
 But the kids sure enjoyed it.

                             

Riding the subway train. 

                 Now  Some pictures from our time at Disneyland. 

   

All ready to spend  nearly 12 hours at Disneyland. 

My little fairy with Tinkerbell. 

Elsa and Anna. From Frozen. 

Mr. B and Woody the Sheriff from Toy story. 

We rode the Cinderella Carousel  many, many times!!

The end of Disneyland. 

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A highlight for me was seeing these

   3 beautiful Canadian faces for an hour. 

          It was another amazing work of God on our Vacation.

(For those that don't know we come from the same church in Canada.)

The Children LOVE camping.
so having a fire pit to roast hot dogs by
 was another highlight for all of us.

This amazing Family knows how to treat their guests.
We had a splendid time with them and  meeting their sweet
little girl for the first time.

Looking back over this month, I have seen God working in many different ways.  He is faithful In providing just what we need at the right time. And our Vacation time was perfect timing.  The last few months have not been easy for us, But we do know God is in control and he will never leave us of forsake us. 

                             I will leave you with, Something that has encouraged me.

  God never sends you into a situation alone.

God goes before you. 

He stands beside you.

He walks behind you.

What ever situation you have right now,

Be confident! 

God is with you!

New School Year 15/16. Part #3 August 2015

                          We started the school year 2015-2016 on August 17 2015.
 The Children were very excited to start, and have been loving school everyday since they began. Their Teacher Rachel has made it fun and exciting for them to learn.  JC is in First grade and BMW is in Kindergarten.

Our Princess all excited to begin the new school year!

My sweet Baby boy all ready to learn.

Playing a matching the big letter with the small letter memory game.

Cardboard box fun houses.


Our  Life has been changing a lot the last while.  But then change is good, change keeps us out of ruts. God has not allowed us to sit back and get comfy. And I want to embrace life as God allows the changes.  And not use every excuse I can find to "not do it".  Please pray for us as we allow God to guide and direct us. And as we balance life, ministry, family, and relationships.
I know God will be faithful, I just need to continue trusting in Him.

    “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways,”

 declares the Lord.

“As the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55:8,9

House Move ... August 2015 Part #2

                                          We've moved...
 1 year ago I said I would be happy to NEVER move again. After all the packing and moving and traveling we did before arriving in Cambodia was enough for a life time for me!
But... God had other plans.  Back in June we felt that we should start looking for a house and just see where God leads.  Our contract for the house we lived in was up in July. So we looked at a few houses and never felt that any of them were something that God was leading us to. We did feel a pull to a certain area of the city. But we never felt  peace about any house. After a month of off and on searching. We thought that possibly God wanted us to stay put. Even though our little house was getting a bit cramped, There is always ways to make things work. May not always be ideal, but it was working. The Middle of August we read a advertisement for a house for rent. It was in the area we felt pulled to. But I had felt that moving was just not something God had for the time and I was happy with that.  Well we went to look at this house, Praying again that God will give clear direction if this was his will.  Well we had not even finished looking at this house and we both felt good about it. Good as in a peaceful feeling of following Gods direction.  We took the next day to pray and talk  about it and we felt that this was God's will.
So with in 2 weeks we have moved from a small apartment/ flat 2 bedroom home,  to a 3 story P'reah la'veang. 4 bedroom 5 bathroom home.  It's taking some time to get use to living in such a huge house. We've lived her for just over 1 week now and we have not even sat in the living room yet.  Getting settled in and still trying to do our language studies, and making new friends in our neighbor hood. Has us falling into bed exhausted at night. But happy and excited to see how God will use us in this neighborhood. The kids are in abundance here on our street. Yesterday I was making dinner and a sweet little girl, was standing beside me talking as fast as her little mouth would go, All I  had to do was reply a time or 2 and she was happy. I could not understand all the stuff she was talking about, But asking questions back is my go-to line when I can't understand everything. ;)  So pray for us as we interact with these precious little ones. And that God will continue to direct us.
           

                   

KItchen 

     

Another angle of the kitchen

         

Livingroom
p.s. sheets do work very well for curtains.
Until we will need to use them, ;) 

Another angle of the living room

This space is by far the most favorite space in the whole house.
 The kids have room to play! 

School room space, We are hoping to get a shelf for the school supplies.
for now they are just on the floor.

The office,

August update part #3 to come.....

 
“Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.”– Carl Bard

August. 2015 post ** part#1

 August 2015 is  History already. What changes have you seen in your life? I like to look back on a month and see what has changed in my life?!  Am I making the best out of EVERY situation?

 

 The beginning of the month we took a trip to Siem Reap by bus. There we spent a week with another missionary group that has started a number of years ago.  And also we visited Angkor Wat one day and the kids were able to ride Elephants, A dream come true for my little girl.

I will leave you with  a bunch of random pictures of Our trip. 

To be continued...........

                                             


“The great thing in this world is not so much where you stand, as in what direction you are moving.”– Oliver Wendell Holmes

Life moves on.......rapidly

This past month has gone by so fast. But it has brought a lot of change to our home.
We've switched up our language studies again, since our nanny has arrived. John and I now have class together, Yes he is way more advanced in Khmer then I am. But I'm trying to catch up! Now that we  have someone care for the children and We have a house helper that comes every morning for a few hours and cleans and makes us lunch! I feel way less "busy". It is such a huge blessing to have both of these ladies in our home.
Next month Rachel will start teaching kindergarten and first grade with the children.  And I will continue studying language. I have mixed feelings about not teaching the children this year. I really enjoyed teaching them this past year. But I have full confidence that they have and amazing teacher.

Soknah (our househelper) and her daughter SM with JC.

Our wonderful Nanny with the kids,
she loves to bake and the kids love to help her.

Our beautiful daughter with one
of many packages we have been blessed with!
Thank you for everyone who has Blessed us in this way!

This boy LOVES hamburgers.
 this was a special afternoon snack.


 Reflecting back over the last few months, I am excited at how God is working and changing me.
Some months I see, how God has worked in big ways, and other months smaller ways.
When we look back and don't see growth in our lives, We need to be alarmed! We need to allow God to change us daily. We need to be growing in him daily. I love seeing how God has and will continue to change me and others in life. It saddens me when I see Christians that don't have productive fruit. That life is all about me, and what I am doing, or can do in life. Please join me in praying for each other, I challenge each one of you  reading this. Choose a friend or 2  whom you see struggling and commit to praying for them daily. Pray that God will be very real in their life.  And watch how God can and will work.

Psalms 37:4 

Delight thyself in the Lord, 

and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

1 year..

                                             One year in Cambodia.
It is quite hard to believe we have been in Cambodia for one year. It has been a hard year, But a good  year of growth in Christ. I would not have guessed we would experience the things we did over the last year. We were told it would not be easy, But knowing that does not make it easier.   God has been faithful through it all. And we have been learning to lean on the comforts of God. Knowing hard times mean growth in Him.

Life has changed a lot for us over the past year since arriving to Cambodia.

We knew NO Khmer, and try getting around a city was difficult and expensive when all the locals think your wealthy and can pay outrageous prices for anything. Needless to say I know we paid extra many times. Now that we know a bit more of the language, I sit back and listen to what the locals price is before making my purchase. With that being said, foreigners  always pay a bit more then the locals. 

Learning the Language has been very hard, But I feel it is starting to pay off.  Our Tutor is a experienced teacher of 11 years and he has tutored for the past 20 years, currently he is a full time translator at a Bible college.

Colossians 1:10
“That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.”

Growing.....

   

A picture to show how the kids have grown in the last 5 months. The right picture was taken last December. And the left picture was taken in May. 

(It's time for Olaf to leave the house, see how his large buttons are kinda drooping?And his hair is getting kinda curly, Along with his sad little fingers getting strangely, odd looking?

The Children will be sad to see him go, But it's time for us to reorganize the school room and get things cleaned up so we know what all we will be needing for the next school year.)

It is hard to believe how fast time is going. 

We have been here in Cambodia for 11 months already. 

It has been a hard 11 months, but I can say it's been good too. God has used hard times to change me for his Glory and Honor.  And it's my hearts desire to continue to grow in him. And in order to be growing in him. I need to be open and allow him to stretch me in areas,

I am not comfortable in being stretched. A challenge to each of you reading this.

 Do you see growth in your life?

 Are you allowing God to use you? 

Or are you stuck?

 Stuck on the hard things? 

Stuck in your comfortable life? 

My Prayer for you is that you see growth in your life, mature growth in Christ!

So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:17-19