Fishing!

Note: the kids are wearing life jackets and roped to a tree!  It's serious fishing.

Beautiful

Beautiful!

Awe-inspiring.  Breath-taking.  Worship-evoking.  That's where we were.  Nestled in a wooded bay, off a turquoise green lake, surrounded by snow-speckled peaks.  A quiet place (except for the frequent whirring sound of small-plane engines) where your spirit could pause and reflect and enjoy God and His creation.  We hiked.  We boated.  We fished (catch and release).  What a joy!  What a blessing!  It was beautiful.

Jason and I volunteered through Samaritan's Purse as doctors on-call at a Bible camp last week, a wilderness location only accessible by plane.  We enjoyed some wonderful time as a family (including some time that Grandpa and Grandma and Uncle Bob joined us for) as well as tending a few minor injuries and praying for many campers.

 

 

Yet amidst the natural beauty, there was something beautiful that surpassed even the mighty roaring waterfall and delicate dogwood blossoms.  A family.  A family both white and black, double- or triple-bunked in every room, two by birth and six by adoption.  A family that knows who they are in Chrirst - adopted by His grace - and has chosen to model that in their own home.  Not just one family, an entire extended family, each home marked by adoption - 15 in all.  They have brought the mission field into their own home.  They shine for Christ.  It is beautiful.

Soccer Goals

6 for Nathan, 2 for Noelle... but there's more to the story.

Nathan is the kind of kid that loves to "get it".  He asks lots of questions trying to understand exactly what has happened, or what is happening, or what is going to happen, or how something happened.  It's great to see his little mind at work.  And that's how he approaches soccer.  What am I supposed to do?  How am I supposed to do it?  Get the ball, get it in the other team's goal.  Score!  Again and again and again...

Noelle is the kind of kid that "loves it".  She loves to be on the field, loves to have her soccer uniform on, loves to watch the other kids running around on the field, and loves the snack at the end of the game.  It's great to see her enjoy life.  And that's how she approaches soccer.  Oh, wow, look at that airplane flying overhead!  Oh, hey, there goes the ball out of bounds... I'd love to get a goal...I pick it up... take off running... to the other team's goal... and throw it in.  Get a yellow card.  Oops!

And it's good for the parents of Nathan and Noelle to have the opportunity to love each one for who they are, each precious.