a different sort of thanksgiving prayer...

"O God, when I have food, 

help me to remember the hungry;

 

When I have work, 

help me to remember the jobless;

When I have a home, 

help me to remember those who have no home at all;

When I am without pain, 

help me to remember those who suffer,

And remembering, help me to destroy my complacency; 

 bestir my compassion, and be concerned enough to help, 

 by word and deed, 

those who cry out for what we take for granted. 

Amen."

A Thanksgiving Prayer by Samuel F. Pugh

holy week

Here in the Philippines, the week before Easter is referred to as Holy Week,

and special church events and worship times are often scheduled 

in Protestant churches.

 We had the joy of spending part of last week at our church Holy Week Retreat.

Can you pick us5 out of the group photo above?

 Meals for the whole group were prepared in the little church kitchen.

 Kuya Ojie and Harold (above) are preparing camote, a popular Filipino vegetable, for dinner.

 Inday helps with dinner prep too.

What a great time to fellowship together, and to bless the people of God!

Michael, Amy and Elise join with a group of other youth in prayer

It was special time to focus on the Word,

to pray and worship together,

and to prepare our hearts for the celebration of Easter,

the resurrection of our Lord!

"If Jesus rose from the dead, then you have to accept all that he said; 

if he didn't rise from the dead, then why worry about any of what he said? 

The issue on which everything hangs is not whether or not you like his teaching 

but whether or not he rose from the dead."

-Tim Keller

my presence will go with you

A few weeks ago we asked you to pray for Mark as he began a new project. The time has finally drawn to a close, and the project has wrapped up for the time being. Thank you to all who prayed.

During these 3 1/2 weeks, Mark has been serving at a workshop in another S.E. Asian country, and as you read this, he'll be on his way home, back to Davao, back to us. It was a productive and exciting time of sharing new skills that will promote the Word of God in this region of the world.  

Though we've missed Mark very much,
and are delighted that we'll soon be all back under one roof again,

it is also truly a privilege to know that in a small way we've been able, by "letting him go," 

to contribute just a little in the good things that God has done as a result of this workshop.

Mark and fellow staff-members tumble out of the closely packed van for work

I've tasted a bit of the bitterness of stress and worry during Mark's absence, 

as I allowed fears about the future to seep in at the corners of my heart.

 I share that not to make you worry,

but to accent the goodness of God in using His Word,

(written and preached - how thankful I am for access to sermons on the internet!)

the prayers of God's people,

and time in His presence 

to calm my anxiety and cause me to once again put my hope in HIM.

For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; 

it is I who say to you,

 “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”

Isaiah 41:13

Mark took the above photo on one of his many early morning runs during his time away.

I love the composition.

It gives me pause in my concerns about the uncertainties 

that lie ahead for our family in the coming year.

The mysterious morning fog completely hides the horizon;

there's no glimpse of what lies beyond the haze.

But there's serenity and placid stillness right here, 

in this spot.

Despite what lies beyond our line of vision for the upcoming year,

right here, in the presence of God,

there is peace.

 So this is where I choose to stay through the coming changes;

in His presence.

And He said, 

“My presence will go with you, 

and I will give you rest.” 

Exodus 33:14

the support of praying people

 

I can't share here in any detail, but Mark is beginning an important 3 1/2 week project, and we would deeply appreciate your prayers for all of us during this time. 

Thank you...to each one of you who prays for our family. Mark and I were talking Monday evening about God's great faithfulness toward us over the course of the past 5 years.  Mark commented that he's convinced it's a result of the faithful, prayerful support of so many. Thank you.

Our job is to support the work that God is doing in this part of the world, but you provide the prayer support without which we could not carry on.

"...God heard them, for their prayer reached heaven, His holy dwelling place.”  

2 Chronicles 30:27 

a sad void in the New Year

The call comes at an unusual time of day,

and we know something is not right.

Nothing ever prepares you for the unexpected shock;

'Roger didn't make it.'

A trip to the hospital, a collapsed lung, cardiac arrest.

Words we hope never ever to hear.

“No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear.”
  - C.S. Lewis

As I write, Mark is traveling to be with his mother

in the loss of Roger, her beloved husband, 

the gentle, cheerful grandfather of our children,

Fort Pulaski, 2008

and Mark's kind stepfather of almost 20 years.

Celebrating last New Year - January 1st, 2013

Just last New Year we were all together;

Mark's family joined around the table,

laughing, sharing,

celebrating the turn of another year.

This New Year there is such a sad void,

and something very much amiss
without him.
We love you, Roger, and our hearts miss you already.

“Give sorrow words; 

the grief that does not speak 

knits up the o-er wrought heart and bids it break.”
  -William Shakespeare

So we give words to our sorrow, and invite you to please pray:

* for Mark's mother in her grief 

* for the rest of the family

* For Mark as he travels (giving thanks that his passport, visa and tickets came together so smoothly)

* for the rest of us in Mark's absence.

thank you, dear friends...

 

 

grateful

You'll remember that we asked you to join us in praying for Mark 

as he took on a job requiring lots of time, energy and grace.

Thank you so very much for your prayers!  Mark is done with the assignment,

and we are delighted to have him back home again safely 

after his time in a remote village in another SE Asian country for the past 3 weeks!

Thank you for your prayers for the rest of us here at home, too.

God has faithfully answered your prayers, and we are grateful.

 I can't tell you much about Mark's work,

but during those three weeks, he ate rice and fish

for pretty much every single meal,

he took lots of cold bucket showers and 

hand-washed his clothes in a tub,

yes, this is the sort of bathroom Mark used for 3 weeks...

 he had lots of time to practice a little of the local language,

 and time to work and fellowship together with fellow-believers, 
all laboring together for the glory of God!

 We give thanks for the opportunity he had to go,

and we give thanks to be all together again!

Where thou art,

 that is Home.  

~Emily Dickinson

interceding

I pray because I can’t help myself. I pray because I’m helpless. 

I pray because the need flows out of me all the time- waking and sleeping. 

It doesn’t change God- it changes me.

- C.S. Lewis

For the next few weeks, Mark is taking on a job 
that will require lots of time, lots of energy, lots of grace.

As you think of him, please join us in praying for Mark.

We also appreciate your prayers for the rest of us, 

as I'm pretty sure we'll need extra grace, too!

Thank you so very much for praying.

We are convinced that God hears,

and that God answers.

O You who hear prayer, 

To You all men come.

Psalm 65:2

morning song

Rich tenor notes filled the otherwise silent morning darkness with a haunting lilt, the voice of a neighbor singing his pre-dawn M-prayer.  As I unlocked our gate to see Mark off on a trip out of town, I paused to listen.  The tune was beautiful yet desolate, a cadence chanted to God without any hope in His great salvation...

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness 

and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,

in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 1:13-14

Then suddenly, out of the darkness rose another song, loud and strong and sweet, and in surprising contrast, full of merriment.  It was the jubilant song of a small bird, perched on a power line high above the street, singing praise to his Creator.

For by Him all things were created,
in heaven and on earth...
Colossians 1:16a

a different bird I caught praising his Creator in Kirkland, WA

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! 

Praise the LORD!

Psalm 150:6