Month: March 2008

  • LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOR CHRIST '08

     

    We had a long weekend at LTC but it was a wonderful time of fellowship ... and reunion. We got to see Sheri, Butch/Suzanne, Stephanie and the Bank's girls ... all but Kaci (sad face). We enjoyed catching up over coffee and visiting while bopping back and forth between events that our kiddos were involved in. It's always wonderful to get together with the Bank's ... but it's always hard to say good-bye, as well.

    Our congregation brought home lots of wonderful awards in various areas. They were amazing! Our Estonian congregation also had entries again this year. Always amazing is their beautiful scrapbook with handmade cover and loads of photos of people we love and miss. Of course, I cried when I saw all the photos and special pages ... still, just touching it made me feel closer to all of them. As always, they did a beautiful job. I didn't get to judge their work but they get a 'gold' in my book. =0)

    Kayli's hard work paid off with several gold medals. Here are the results of her entries / events:

    Bible Reading ~ Silver / Children's Book ~ Gold / Large Chorus ~ Silver / Photography ~ Gold / Puppets ~ Gold / Signing for the Deaf ~ Gold / Service Challenge ~ Gold / Teaching Challenge ~ Gold

    She was a little disappointed in the Bible Reading results ... turns out that things are done differently here than we did them in Estonia. There we had all the kids wear their LTC tshirts for all events ... here they are required to dress-up for some. She wasn't prepared to do that, so she lost her gold medal in Bible Reading because she wasn't dressed for the occasion. No big deal ... she will know for next year.

    She got lots of nice compliments though on her other judging sheets. One judge told her she should consider being a deaf interpreter (it helps to have an interpreter brother for her teacher ~ smile) and another told her they could picture her photograph for sale in a Christian bookstore. Needless to say, she's a bit pumped. We're awfully proud as well.

    Here is her winning photograph -- I think she's turning into a pretty good little photographer, if I might say so myself.

    Kayli_LTC'08-18_EBse

     

  • OFF TO LTC ...

     

    Off to LTC (Leadership Training for Christ) Convention ... wish us safe travel and pray that our kids will be able to share their amazing talent and hard work. Our congregation is participating in Chorus, Drama, Puppets, Sign Language Interpretation, Bible Reading, Speech, Art (Photography, Drawing, Painting), Service and Teaching Challenges, etc.

    We're also rooting for our Estonian church who has sent some beautiful work to be judged as well. They've already had their Estonian convention ... see the Tartu church site for pictures and details.

    We'll let you know how things go.

     

  • SLOW DANCE ...

     

    My life on a normal day, is a little crazy ... it seems I'm always on the run. I've always got a list of things to do that need completing. Always trying to take care of people ... always trying to meet my responsibilities. I find myself, at the end of the day, wondering if any memories were made for the most important people in my life ... and so often knowing that none were.

    Today my oldest daughter shared this with me. It's written by a teenager with terminal cancer. Once again, I'm reminded how important it is to grasp each moment and treasure it in my heart for always.

    SLOW DANCE

    Have you ever watched kids
    On a merry-go-round?
    Or listened to the rain
    Slapping on the ground?
    Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?
    Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?
    You better slow down.
    Don't dance so fast.
    Time is short.
    The music won't last.
    Do you run through each day
    On the fly?
    When you ask, "How are you"?
    Do you hear the reply?
    When the day is done
    Do you lie in your bed
    With the next hundred chores
    Running through your head?
    You'd better slow down
    Don't dance so fast.
    Time is short.
    The music won't last.
    Ever told your child,
    We'll do it tomorrow?
    And in your haste,
    Not see his sorrow?
    Ever lost touch,
    Let a good friendship die
    Cause you never had time
    To call and say,"Hi"
    You'd better slow down.
    Don't dance so fast.
    Time is short.
    The music won't last.
    When you run so fast to get somewhere
    You miss half the fun of getting there.
    When you worry and hurry through your day,
    It is like an unopened gift....Thrown away.
    Life is not a race.
    Do take it slower
    Hear the music
    Before the song is over.
     
     

  • SHARING A LOSS ...

     

    I'm back in South Carolina. Have been attending a photographer's business conference. Will get a day with grandbabies tomorrow and then back home on Friday.

    I did want to share an important prayer request with you all. Our neighbors, the Dix family, suffered a great loss three days ago. On their way to church on Sunday night, their three teenage girls were involved in a tragic automobile accident. Two of their daughters were injured and airflighted to Ft. Worth for emergency care .. and their 16 year-old daughter, Alyssa, lost her life. As you can imagine, their family is deeply grieved.

    Please keep the Dix family in your prayers ... and ask our Father to bestow extra measures of grace on us, so that we may offer some comfort in the midst of their pain.