A Mom's Toolbox

It's doubtful that man could make a toolbox large enough to house all the tools a mom uses on a day to day basis. And if they could find a large enough vessel some things would be impossible to house there. How would one box up those kisses that heal all number of boo-boos. What about the listening ear? Or the shoulder to cry on? Definitely not the multitude of prayers that go up to the throne of grace! And certainly it would be hard to find a place for patience. Organization might actually be the easiest thing to find a place for.

Though I haven't found a toolbox to help me out as a mom, I have found some tools that are essential to being a good mom. The Bible needs to be at the top of my list. For in the Bible I have my instruction manual, I find encouragement and I find strength, among many other things. Another essential, at least to me, is being organized. I love being organized. I really enjoy having everything run smoothly, and when it doesn't having the plan B or Z to fall back on is great.

Living here in Uruguay, being the mom of 8 children, ministry and life in general has put the need to organize into a higher priority. I have found recently that I need a tool to help me organize. A few months back I put my daily schedule onto my Outlook. Only problem, I can't carry my computer around with me all day. Scott has been looking for a hand-held for me and let's just say the cost has been prohibitive. Most electronic devices here are double what you could find them for in the States.

Sunday was Father's Day here in Uruguay and we heard about a promotion with the cell phone carrier we use. So yesterday we headed over to Movistar to check out the phones hoping we could find one with some sort of organizer. I was so excited to have a couple different choices. Though Blackberry, Palm or iPhone are not here, at least in Colonia, I was able to get a Sony Ericsson phone that functions like a basic organizer at half the normal price. The bells and whistles - camera, video, mp3, and more - are definitely an added blessing.

Once my phone is finished doing it's 24 hour charge I'm hoping to link it up with my outlook calendar. After that I'll have little alarms to remind me to go to the next task. Then, hopefully, I won't be forgetting important things anymore.

Embracing God's Gift of Children

Have you ever wondered why Scott and I have decided to have so many children? Simply put, it is because God showed us from His Word that children were a gift to us, from Him. Not a burden. Not a problem. They are a blessing.

One of the most honest and humble explanations of how God worked in one woman's heart can be heard in this two part series - Full Quiver and God's Provision for Children. I completely relate to Holly Eliff's testimony of just how God showed her His will regarding their family, and the reasons they chose to embrace God's gift of children.

Rather Rosie

At the completion of the ladies study last night, one of our ladies asked if she could say something. One of the things I greatly appreciate is the input of our ladies. It helps me to know their struggles and their victories. Sometimes I even get a glimpse into their hearts and lives and realize that my life is really rather rosie. Often I end up with a much different perspective in life. I also realize how much I still have to learn.

Back to the subject at hand...this lady after sharing her testimony of salvation and resting in the Lord, revealed some difficulties within her marriage. I wish I could elaborate here, what I will say is that it is vitally important that we be in prayer for Olga. Pray for God to work on her behalf, for God to protect her and for her husband, Hugo, to understand God is real and desires to save him. Before we left we organized a prayer chain for Olga. Each lady agreeing to pray daily for Olga at a specified time. Please leave a note in the comment section if you are able and willng to pray for Olga.

Lies We Believe About Sin

Another installment of Mentiras que las Mujeres Creen will happen here at the house tonight. We decided to change the meeting night because we've had a few ladies missing because they have to work on Thursday's. I don't know that we'll keep the study on Friday nights but I'm interested to see if we will have more ladies.

The chapter we will be discussing deals with the lies we believe about sin.

• "I can sin and get away with it."
• "My sin isn't really that bad."
• "God can't forgive what I have done."
• "I am not fully responsible for my actions and reactions."
• "I cannot walk in consistent victory over sin."

As I read down this list I can see how I personally have believed these lies. When God desired to save me from my sin, his enemy, Satan, had me believing that the first three lies were true. First I believed that I was not accountable to anyone, let alone a Holy God. I also was confident that my sin wasn't really that bad. But then when I saw that Christ died for me, the pain and suffereing that He willingly endured for me, I became convinced that there was no way God could forgive the sins of my past. When I realized the truth, that there is no sin too great for God to forgive, that the blood of Jesus Christ is sufficient to cover all sin and that God's grace is greater than any sin, I willingly repented of my many sins and trusted in Christ to save me.

As far as I know, all of the ladies that come to our study are saved. And so, tonight I plan to focus mainly on the last two lies. Of vital importance is bringing to remembrance that God dwells in those whom He has saved. It often times, is the presence of a specific person that will cause us to think twice about commiting sin. For instance, how many times have I been short and harsh with my kids yet when the phone rings I answer with a sweet voice? If we would not commit a sin before a friend why would we do the same thing before a Holy God? Because we dismiss His presence. We choose to do what we want even though the Holy Spirit is whispering for us to stop. We excuse our sin as not being sin. Or we yield to the desires of our flesh.

As you can see, I'll be hitting on some tough things tonight. Please be in prayer for our ladies, that their hearts would be tender and submissive to the leading of God. I would greatly appreciate your prayers for clarity in thought and speech. I have taught the last couple studies in Spanish, and I find it very mentally taxing to get such deep thoughts across in a language still foreign to me.

Head...Check

You will recall from the Head to Toe post that our children have several specialist appointments to try and narrow down some specific problems. Our focus yesterday was on the head. Bethany does need glasses for reading. Scott was told it is common for kids her age to need glasses because they are reading more and doing more school work. I personally wouldn't be surprised if it has something to do with the computer since lately she has spent a lot more time writing emails and playing games.

Brandon definitely does have a fractured nose! Right now there is nothing they will do about it. He has a recheck appointment for the end of this month and then if the regrowth of the bone is affecting his breathing, or causing any obstruction in his nasal passageway they will elect to correct the break through surgery. So now his nose has character. :-)

Turning Eight Together.

July 6th was a fun day for Adeline as she got to celebrate her 8th birthday with her baby brother celebrating his 8 month birthday. We had a great day with her! I still marvel at all the times God has protected her in keeping her safe during anaphylactic reactions to food. And in helping her through mulitple cases of pneumonia.

Kaitlin baked her specialty, Wacky cake. And I made pink, blue and yellow colored popcorn. She got all kinds of goodies. And several cards from the USA. She had her first birthday sleep over with her Peruvian friend, Debora. And she's looking forward to doing some shopping with her birthday money from Grandma Jay and Grandma and Grandpa B.

We're in the process of recovering my Trojan horse attacked computer. Once that is done I'll be able to upload some photos of her birthday.

Head to Toe

I was responding to an email of a friend yesterday in which I told her we were having head to toe physical problems. I'll start with the head and work my way down:

HEAD:
Bethany - will be seeing the eye specialist on the 10th.
Brandon - broke his nose at camp. Scott took him in today to see the Ear Nose and Throat specialist only to find out that he needs to see the plastic surgeon...on the 10th.

CHEST:
Adeline - has been up and down with her asthma ever since April. Her pediatrician changed her meds a bit to reflect her growth. I sure would like to see her peak flow stay in the green zone.

LEGS:
Kaitlin has been having a problem, for about 2 years now, with her lower left leg. The pain is always in the same place, not in any of her other bones/joints. It is not typical of growing pains, which tend to be in the joints, not in one place only. She'll be seeing the Orthopedic specialist on the 25th.

TOES:
Silas' pediatrician discovered something with his right foot that concerns him. So he too will be seeing the Orthopedic specialist on the 25th.

Typically, every person has an appointment for the same time. Then the patients are each given a number for the order in which they see the doctor. Brandon, for example, has an appointment at 1 pm but his is #18 in line. Sometimes the doctors are on time and so you can judge when to actually show up. Much of the time, especially with certain specialities, there is no good way to guage the progress. So Scott and Brandon could show up at 3pm and still wait for a cople hours. With the way that the office visit system works here we will be spending a lot of time in the hospital waiting to see doctors. And learning a lot more medical terms in Spanish.

Saved, by His power Divine..

"For God so love the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent
not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him
might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that
believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of
the only begotten Son of God." John 3:16-18

God is doing a great work here in Colonia. Praise God for the salvation of Leo, the grandson of one of our church members! He recently began attending church and decided to go to camp. Federico, the young mormon we asked you to pray for was saved to a new life in Christ on the 4th of July! It is difficult to put into words how heartwarming it was to hear Federico's testimony this morning in Sunday school. Federico told Scott tonight that our son Brandon had a part in leading him to the Lord because Brandon was willing to speak to him of his need to be saved.

Please pray for the salvation of , Santiago, Melissa and Federico's older brother, who is preparing to leave on his 2 year mission with the Mormons. Pray also for Elder and Mrs. Tilton who are completing their 2 year term here. Melissa and her brothers attended their meetings.

Thank you for praying! The seeds we plant, water, cultivate and/or harvest are seeds that you have helped us to sow.

Oh! thus be it ever...

Oh! thus be it ever when freemen shall stand

Between their loved home and the war's desolation,

Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the Heav'n-rescued land

Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserved us a nation.

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,

And this be our motto, "In God is our trust."

And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Standing in front of a table decorated with Red, White and Blue, and looking into the faces of our Uruguayan campers, our family along with the Perez children had the great honor to sing the first verse of the Star Spangled banner at camp yesterday. Of all the Indepence day celebrations this certainly ranks high. There was a certain specialness (if that's a word) in being able to sing our countries national anthem in the country which we have adopted as a home. God has called us to Uruguay and it is here that we live and serve with joy and a deep satisfaction. Yet we are, and will always be, Americans! Oh! thus be it ever....

You and Your Heart

Winter camp was kicked off last night in prayer meeting. The guest preacher, Pastor Cristian, a Peruvian church planting missionary serving the Lord in Montevideo, challenged us with having the right attitude during trials. Pointing out that we need to have confidence in God in the midst of our trials instead of fretting or questioning.

We expect at least 45 campers. Please pray for all to surrender the will of their hearts to the will of God. Pray they will see clearly any areas they need to change in their lives. These are the ones that we ask that you pray for specifically:

Federico- Is Melissa's brother, he is still going to the Mormon services, and needs to be saved.
Sabina, Eva, Yeni (pronounced Sheni) and Caren - they seem to have little desire or thirst for the things of God.
Dario - has recently returned to church after 3 years of not attending.
Jimena has not been in church for a few months.

I will be staying at home with the younger kids, but plan to go to camp tomorrow for the day. Pray for safety as I drive there and back.