Projects, Family Pictures, and Reworded Songs

I guess in order to get you caught up, I'll start at the latest and go back from there!  I just finished this afghan yesterday!  It is the first time I have ever crocheted a round afghan, but it was so much fun, and it went quickly!  Way back on Christmas Day 2012, I started the
following afghan.  It took me until July 2013 to get it finished, but finish it I did!  I worked on it during spare moments, and actually got a lot done when we took our trip to Ecuador!  What else are you going to do on a bus for 48 hours?!
Here is the young lady who was the recipient of the afghan.  Olga LOVES green, as we found out
when she stayed with us this past Summer!  It was so much fun to surprise her for her birthday!  She remembered me starting to work on it, but I had refused to tell her what it would be and who it was for!
There is nothing like working on three or four projects all at once!  I made scarves for Martha and Ian on our trips back and forth to Callao!  I had seen women on the trains and combis crocheting or knitting, and finally I thought - I might as well put my travel time to good use!  It's easier to crochet something without a pattern while riding on public transportation!  I did however, have another project to work on once we got to Callao.
Martha was so excited with this dolly backpack!  She loves it, because it is just right for whichever dolly or stuffed doggie she chooses!  It really is designed to be worn on the back, but it works just as well turned around to the front.  Now I'm working on a wardrobe for Dolly!  I'm not sure which dolly will end up with the wardrobe, probably they will all share!
We recently had some new family pictures done! Enjoy!
Between all the silliness, we actually ended up with some really great family pictures!
One final bit of humor for you today....my children have reworded some classic songs, and I thought you would appreciate their versions...
"Yankee Doodle" has now become "Yankee Noodle" according to Ian, and Martha likes to sing "...stuck a feather in his head...!"  This morning Ian was in the bathroom, changing clothes, and singing the "Wiggle Worm Song" from Patch the Pirate.  His version was, "Never wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, never giggle, giggle, giggle, need to 'quash the wiggle worm, when you feel the squirms!"  Oh, if he would only practice what he sings!  I can't complain, however....after all he was just following the Bible commandment to "Make a joyful noise..."  Thankfully, God never told us we had to get the words right, too!

In The Way

How many times do we think of being "in the way" as a bad thing?  We feel insulted when people are "in the way" at the store.  We feel frustrated when people are "in the way" while driving down the road.  We feel annoyed when we find our children's toys "in the way" because we just tripped over them for the umpteenth time.  I know.  I've had those feelings many times!  And on the mission field, sometimes those feelings are magnified.  The Lord has been showing me something the last few days, however.  I have so much I want to share with you this morning, and I struggled to know what I should say.  So, I'll just share my heart with you this morning and let you in on what God has been teaching me this week.....I've been learning that when you serve the Lord, being "in the way" is a good thing - a very good thing!  Do you remember the story of how Rebekah came to be the bride of Isaac?  The servant declares in Genesis 24:27b, "I being in the way, the LORD led me..."

 The lady in this picture is Mistrely.  Raul (standing next to her) invited her to come to church one Sunday.  She had been a member of Efata many, many years ago.  At some point she became involved with the Seventh Day Adventists.  After she came that first time with Raul, she would come every once in a while.  Recently, she has been coming every Sunday.  When we would ask her about her salvation, her testimony was never very clear.  We couldn't tell if she was just doubting or wasn't saved at all.  About two Sundays ago, I asked the Lord for an opportunity to witness to Mistrely.  It didn't happen and I was disappointed.  In my own reasoning, I couldn't think when I would get another opportunity - Anniversary Sunday was coming up, and I was sure I would have no time to witness to her.  I was sad.

Anniversary Sunday came (more about that later).  It was a busy and blessed day - we had 70 Deaf come!  I asked another lady to witness to Mistrely.  When it came time for the invitation, I saw the other lady leading someone else out to witness too.  More disappointment.  Then the Lord opened the door of opportunity so wide that I couldn't miss it!  I began to talk to Mistrely - just talk.  I watched as she expressed her doubts and obstacles to me.  I then had the glorious opportunity to offer her the only solution I know - Jesus.  You see that space over there under the stairs in this picture?  There was not a bicycle there this past Sunday, but a bench.  I don't think I've ever before witnessed to someone amidst so much distraction!  But with the Lord's help, I did it - "I being in the way, the LORD led me..."  In spite of all the distractions and interruptions, Mistrely sweetly and humbly prayed asking God to save her!

This is a picture of the original members of my ladies class!  My, how the LORD has grown my class!  I am so thankful for each of the ladies God has placed in my life!  I watched them this past Sunday - each one as different from the others as can be - but together they were serving others, witnessing to others, and just serving the Lord however they could!  I thought about how blessed I am - the privilege that is mine to be their Pastor's Wife (It scares me to death, really!!!)  How precious it is to see them growing in the Lord!  I thought of when I first visited Peru.  I wasn't really sure I wanted to be here - even though I knew God was already leading my Dear Husband here.....how grateful I am that I chose to be "in the way" of God!  Are you "in God's way" today?
"I being in the way, the LORD led me..."  Genesis 24:27b