Spreading Hope

Hope House is a refuge for young women who are escaping exploitation and poverty. It provides them with a safe environment where they can be loved and receive the education and life skills necessary to pursue a promising future. 

This summer, a construction team from our church will head out on an eight-day trip to work on the expansion of the Hope House facility in Sucua, Equador. Scott will be gong with them to assist in building the second phase of Hope House in Sucua, Ecuador. He will be working under the leadership of missionaries Joil and Leah Marbutt. 

We are grateful to be a part of this amazing project which will help bring hope and a fresh start to young girls in Ecuador. This is the kind of work that Jesus would want us to do. 

Any time I am fearful or reluctant to "let" him go, I can't help but think about my own daughter, nieces and friends children. Sexploitation of young girls is a global epidemic (just watch "Taken" or "Slumdog Millionaire") and for many, there is no escape. I am so proud that my husband is not only able to help these girls in Equador, but he is determined to go and do what he can. 

Those who are going on the missions trip are scheduling time off from work and placing down payments for their travel, meals and lodging. For us, it is a step of faith, as Scott will go without a paycheck during the trip, as well as being responsible for the cost of the trip. 

That is why I am writing this post. Would you please consider being a part of this meaningful endeavor by generously giving a donation and joining us in financial partnership to help send Scott on this missions trip? 

Although the church has attempted to keep costs at a minimum, approximately $1,500 will still be required per individual. We are setting aside funds whenever possible, but it's far from clear where all the funds will come from. 

If you would like to help Scott, and the women of Hope House, please email me at ehmnews@gmail.com for details by June 30. 

Thank you for your prayerful consideration. 

With love, 

Debra and Scott

Crazy day

I had another "bad mom" moment today.

We started out with a meeting at church (for me), while the kids
joined the pre-school class for an hour.

Since its a pre-school class, and all the kids are potty trained, they
weren't thinking about Toby's diaper. And I, "bad mom" wasn't either -
despite just giving him a drink.

So, at some point he'd peed through his diaper and had wet his pants!

Unfortunately we had only just enough time to get to the dentist for
our appointment. So, he went pant-less!

Yes, I should have had spare pants for him, especially as this is not
rare, but I didn't.

I tried to make light of it with the receptionist, since this was a
new dentist and our first impression! They didn't respond.

On a more positive front, both kids have healthy teeth, no cavities!
One to me!!

We changed dentists to this one because he is the same one she sees at
the hospital. He is even a speaker at the Moebius Conference!

I finally got to ask some questions about Emma's dental future and he
seemed positive. Nothing that doesn't look like braces will help.

Here's something interesting - Emma has 3 frenulums, the piece of skin
attaching your lower gums to your lip. (pull down your lower lip in
front of a mirror. It's the stringy bit in the middle.)

Anyway, he has never seen someone with 3! It looks like a good
reason why she has so much lower lip control and strength. Pretty
cool!

You should know I did get Toby some pants before we took Emma to
school! Can't have the other moms there judging me!! ;)

Our twinkling star

Here are the images from Emma's [first] day in the spotlight...

Backstage:

The Performance:

Here it is, the video from the recital (I apologize for the poor quality - the bright lights were too much for my "good" camera!):




Just so you can get a clearer picture, here's the video from dress rehearsal:



The After Party:

Dance diva

Yesterday may have been our 6th wedding anniversary, but the day totally belonged to Emma, who had her first dance recital.  I have not had chance to download the video yet, but here you can see our star watching the other girls dance. 

I may be biased, but I think the six tiny girls in red sequins totally stole the show - and Emma, as always, was hamming it up for the audience!!

Scared of Dying

Going into today (Friday) I had some fears - I can admit that.  But I realized something this morning.  My fear of dying is not related to where I am going - I am confident that my faith in Jesus has given me place in Heaven.  No, my fear of dying is a control issue!

I sometimes worry (more than I should) about how Scott and the kids would cope without me.  Who would keep them organized, help them get everything done and make their lives easier wherever I can. 

I'm not sure if that my service is all I see as my value to my family.  I'd like to believe that my love and personality are something they consider more valuable than that, but I'm not sure I do.  Maybe that is why I feel so uncomfortable when the house is a mess or the budget doesn't balance.

In contrast, I am growing in loving others regardless of what they do for me, but just for who they are.  That might sound odd, but how often is it "what have you done for me lately?"   Hopefully my love for others will be my legacy and not how clean my house is!

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Scared of Dying

by Rick Warren

"Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying."

(Hebrews 2:15 NLT)

We all know that confidence is one of the most important attributes we can display. Employers look for it. Romantic partners look for it. Co-workers look for it.

If confidence is so important for our success in life, why do we do often not have it? In the last few devotionals, I've shared with you some of the roadblocks to confidence that were evident in the lives of the disciples right after the Crucifixion. They were a mess. The first two roadblocks to confidence we can see in their lives were fatigue and failure. The third roadblock — and the most critical — is fear.

The Bible says in John 20:19, "The disciples met together locked behind closed doors in fear of the Jewish leaders" (TLB). The first disciples had seen what happened to Jesus, and they were afraid they were next.

They were playing the "what-if"game. Do you ever do that? "What if I fail? What if I never get married? What if I get cancer?" 

What do we worry about the most? Death! People don't want to talk about death.  It's the last taboo. Invite some people home after church, and then, over coffee, say, "Let's talk about death." Watch what happens. 

When some children were asked to write sentences about what they believed about death, here's what they said: 

·         Gilda, age 8: "When you die, they put you in a box and bury you in the ground because you don't look too good." 

·         Stephanie, age 9: "Doctors help you so you won't die until you pay their bill."

·         Marsha, age 9: "When you die, you don't have to do homework in Heaven unless your teacher is there also."

·         Raymond, age 10: "A good doctor can help you so you won't die. A bad doctor sends you to Heaven."

But the most important message of the Bible is that death isn't the end of you. You don't have to fear it, because Jesus conquered it. Because Jesus died on the cross for you and was raised from the dead to conquer death, you can know for sure that you'll spend eternity in Heaven. Hebrews 2:15 tells us, "Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying" (NLT).

I'm not afraid of dying, because I know where I'm going.

Talk About It

·         Are you afraid of death? If so, what is that fear based on?

·         How would your life be different if you embraced death as a homecoming and celebration instead of a dark and uncertain unknown?

All Better!

What do you do after you get surgery?

Chick-Fil-a of course!!

As you can see, Emma is doing great and aside from being a bit floppy and loopy, she shows no signs of her early start!

We left her being wheeled in to surgery singing Wheels on the Bus around 8am.  By 8.45 I was holding her on my lap as she slept off the anesthesia.

We have since been to Target to get her ear drops (where she yelled "I'm ready for action!" over and over from the stroller!  She was playing with her new fairies.) and now we're getting "breakfast"!

Thanks for all your prayers and support.

Getting Back Up After Failure

We've all made mistakes right?  I think we can all agree on that one.  As I've expressed before, I have a tendency to focus on mine - especially when I'm tired.  When I do [or say, as it more frequently is] something wrong and mess-up, it can be hard to bounce back.

There are times when it's tough to remember the wins, or see how truly small of a failure it is.  At those times, I am tempted to look at others, not in judgement, but envy - they are not struggling with the sense of failure I am at that moment, their life is SO much easier!

I'm great at throwing pity parties for myself.  One failure suddenly hosts an event where all past failures come out of the woodwork to join the fun.  I'm even great at predicting future failures!

And then it's over.  Sometimes by time healing, but more often by choice.  The wind blows the clouds away and I can see the sun again - or should I say Son!

When I read the devotional below I felt vindicated.  If even the disciples, the very BFF's of Jesus had times of fear, when they fled from the call to be Followers.  Maybe they blamed themselves for his death - they did nothing to save him!  

But when they opened their eyes to see him, still with them, not only resurrected, but not mad or angry with them, I'm sure they were able to stand up straight again, confident that they were still important to God.  Because it's not about us, this relationship with God.  No, it's about Him and when we focus on who He is, then our failures are diminished by His glory.

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Getting Back Up After Failure

by Rick Warren

"Even if good people fall seven times, they will get back up. But when trouble strikes the wicked, that's the end of them." 

(Proverbs 24:16 CEV)

Failure isn't fatal — it's normal! Just look around. All of us mess up from time to time. Somebody recently gave me a book, "The (Incomplete) Book of Failures: The Official Handbook of the Not-Terribly-Good Club of Great Britain." When they printed the book, they forgot to print the first two pages and had to add it later. Even the book was a failure! 

Unfortunately, we tend to hyper-focus on our own shortcomings, and that robs us of our confidence. That's part of what happened to the first disciples. Yesterday, I told you how amazed I was that the first disciples went from defeated to dynamic so quickly after the Resurrection. I shared with you the first of three roadblocks to confidence that the disciples illustrated: fatigue.

The second of these roadblocks is failure. Matthew 26:56 says, "All the disciples deserted him and fled" (NIV). One of the main reasons the confidence of the disciples was so shaken was their sense of failure for having deserted Jesus. Plus, the thriving movement they were a part of — the ministry of Jesus — was seemingly dead. They were having a pity party. They were second-guessing themselves and wondering what went wrong. Jesus was supposed to be the Messiah, but then he died. I'm sure they were asking, "Why me? Who cares? What now?"

What's the antidote to failure? It's perseverance. You overcome failure when you admit it to God and keep doing what God has called you to do regardless of setbacks. The Bible reminds us that God specializes in using failures. The fact is, just three days after Jesus was crucified and the disciples thought their lives were in the tank, Jesus rose from the dead. God specializes in lost causes.

The Bible says in Proverbs 24:16, "Even if good people fall seven times, they will get back up. But when trouble strikes the wicked, that's the end of them" (CEV).

Are you ready to get back up?

Talk About It

·         What is your usual reaction to failure?

·         How have you let your failures keep you from doing what God has called you to do?

Perfect patient

Emma is an old pro at waiting for doctors, I can't imagine a more patient patient!  The iPhone is a great help though, for waiting in a boring little room!

Big Day

Tomorrow is the big day when Emma gets her ear tubes.  These little tubes (or grommets) will be placed in a slit in her ear drums.  The tubes allow air to circulate, reducing fluid forming, but also providing an outlet for an collected fluid.

Her ear drum will still work, and will be able to relay sounds better to her inner ear - without the constant fluid pillow in the way.

Please pray for Emma during the next 24 hours.  She will not be allowed to eat breakfast (Uh-oh) and we are praying against any complications with her breathing during anesthesia, or recovery after.

I am already prepared with the set of all 6 fairies from Tinkerbell that she has been coveting for many months.  If that doesn't all make it worth while, I don't know what will!

I will post as soon as I can and let you know how it all went.  I hope she doesn't keep saying "Mommy, why are you talking so loud?!!"

God's Remedy for the Exhausted

I'm so tired.  I had thought that when your babies grew up into children, they would sleep through the night.  Not last night.  Like so many nights before both kids needed a mommy-fix in the middle of the night - twice!  Each!

Emma first, back into her bed.  Then Toby, who was appeased with a cup of water.  Sometime later Emma was back in our room, again.  I caved - too little sleep and alram call looming.  I told her to get in to bed with us - on Daddy's side.  (I don't think having Emma climb directly over his head even disturbed Scott!)

Then came Toby's cries again (not crying, just yelling "Mommy").  I made a rookie mistake in yelling back "go to sleep".  I heard him immediately get out of bed and leave his room.  I was ready to cave again, but could see the full diaper and did not want it overflowing into our bed, so I got up to change it.

Toby refused to cooperate and (thankfully we have a detached home!) I could be heard arguing with a stubborn 2 year old at the top of my lungs.  After wrestling a new diaper on to him I decided I could not have both kids in the bed and find any comfort.

I picked Emma up and carried her to her bed, where she awoke and said "Why am I in this bed?"  "Because this is YOUR bed!!!"  

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I am not a happy tired person!

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God's Remedy for the Exhausted 

by Rick Warren

"God wants His loved ones to get their proper rest."
(Psalm 127:2 TLB)

I've always been fascinated with the sudden change in the disciples before and after the Resurrection. One minute they're defeated, and the next minute they're dynamic. One minute they're crushed, and the next minute they're confident. One minute they're having a pity party, and the next minute they're taking on the world.

What made the difference?

When you personally meet a resurrected Jesus Christ, you become a more confident person. You can see this in the disciples in John 20.

John 20:19 says, "That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! 'Peace be with you,' he said. As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord!" (NLT)

Over the next few days, we'll look at three things that robbed the first disciples (and that also rob us) of confidence and what the Bible says about how to overcome those obstacles.

First, you can tell the disciples were tired. It was late that Sunday. It had been a rough week. They had Palm Sunday. They had the cleansing of the temple. They had the Lord's Supper. They had Gethsemane. They had the six trials. They had the Crucifixion. They were worn out!

The most common cause of discouragement is physical and emotional exhaustion. Things look worse when you're tired. Vince Lombardi said, "Fatigue makes cowards of all of us." 

When you're tired, you lose your confidence. It's that simple. What's the remedy? It doesn't take rocket science to figure this out. The remedy for physical and emotional exhaustion — and the confidence drain it can be — is rest!

Psalm 127:2 says, "God wants His loved ones to get their proper rest" (TLB). Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is go to sleep. It's amazing how much better things look after you've had a good night's sleep.

You'll never be at your best if you're not getting rest.

Talk About It

·         What is keeping you from not getting enough rest?

·         How might your physical and emotional exhaustion keep you from doing the things God has planned for you?

Good mom, bad mom

I've yet to meet a Mom who [admits to] thinks she is a "great" mom.  Most of the time I feel like the world's worst mother!  I don't like to play dolls, I don't have a repertoire of healthy, kid-loved foods (or even kid-hated!!), I don't wash their hands before meals or after playing outside.  I'm assuming this is not an un-common feeling, based on my talks with other moms!

The thoughts Emma shared in the car, out of the blue, Friday morning gave me a sense of hope that we are doing something right - though I've since found out it's a song she's learning at school!  (We chose the school, so one for us!)

On Thursday she came home from school with a questionnaire she had answered about me!  You're gonna love this (my comments in ( ))!!
What is your mother's name?

  Debra (Good start!)

How old is she?

10 (That is old to her - she thinks she can have a baby when she is 10!)

How tall is she?

Taller than Daddy! (??)

What color is her hair?

Brown (Not gray - woo hoo!!)

What is her favorite color?

Orange

What does she do around the house?

Cleans and washes dishes (So, I know I do too much of this when I'm with the kids, but this is preferable to "Yells and watches TV" which could have been an option!)

What is her favorite thing to eat?

A lot of food! (Can't fault her there!)

What is her favorite TV show?

Baseball (Interesting.)

What does she cook?

Everything!  She puts everything in the microwave (Wrong on both counts!  Scott does a lot of the cooking and we only microwave everything we can - somethings just have to be done on the grill!)

Where does she like to go?

Shopping (too true.)

What is her favorite hobby?

She paints pictures (I was intrigued by this because I do love to paint (but I'm no good at it!), but I only do it on the rare occasion I let her paint!)

My mother is special to me and I love her so much because...

she loves me!  (She pegged me there!)


The kids did great on Mother's Day, letting me sleep in and joining me for my special breakfast...

 

Toby was banging his tray (see the glee!) and Emma was trying to get him to stop. Fun times!

Toby even sat with me all through church, cuddled up on my lap.  Of course I only realized later that the poor boy was sick - probably another ear infection!  I felt terrible, but in my ignorance enjoyed the time with him.  I realized that the days of my baby sitting on my lap are numbered, not least because he continues to grow heavier!!

Anyway, I'm resolving to stop focusing on what I may have done wrong as a mom, and focus on what I do right, and do it well!  I love my kids and do what I can to provide the most loving and nurturing family for them (allowing for my personal flaws and circumstances outside of my control.)  I can not be a perfect mom (jury's still out on what that is anyway), but I will always point them to the perfect One.

No matter how we struggle as parents, if we lead our children to Jesus, by living a life of repentance, honesty, hope and faith, we can not fail them.

“I showed what you are like to those you gave me from the world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me.” (John 17:6a NCV)

 Video games improve fine motor skills!!

 TV watching and core strength training!!

Words of wisdom

Emma shared some thoughts in the car this morning...

"You don't understand. This world is not the same as God's world. If
you look at the sky he will guide you.

If you walk through the valley, there will be shadows all around. Do
not fear he will guide you. "

New ride

So check out my new set of wheels...the Ford Fusion!

Not really - this is the rental I've had for the past two weeks while the front fender on my van is replaced.

There are definite benefits to the car over the van.  It does make turns at high speed much better!  Oh, it has flex-fuel so mileage is slightly better.

On the down side (actually many more of these) are:
Less space for kids and difficulty getting them in their seats
No real cargo space for transporting large items (like construction materials!)
It's blue, so you know I would be spotted easier for speeding (if I were to ever do such a thing ;)
Less space for my purse and belongings = I didn't realize how convenient the space between the front seats on the van is
It does not accelerate any better than the van, from the stop position

So, it's been nice to have a season in the car, but I am so ready to get my van back!

The first couple of days we had the car, each morning when we left the house, Emma would walk out the door and say "Oh no, the blue car is still here."  I think they've gotten used to it now since they stopped asking why we had it and when "our car" would be back.

I'm hoping to get the van back before the weekend, making Mother's Day ever so slightly easier with the kids!

Building blocks

I read this devotional today:

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I have laid the foundation . . . . But let each one take heed how he builds on it. —1 Corinthians 3:10

My grandkids love to play with Legos. These small colorful building blocks capture their imagination for building forts, planes, houses, or whatever the instructions may call for.

Emptying the contents of the box onto the floor, my grandchildren begin to put the pieces together. But soon they think they don’t need to consult the directions. This eventually leads to a point when they realize that building according to their own instincts has resulted in a bad outcome. So, they break it apart and start over again—but this time they have a keen sense of how important the directions are.

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I loved playing with lego when I was a kid.  I loved all the different buildings that you could get (life-like ones, not weird space or pirate themes!).  My imagination was able to roam freely.  Storylines grew and whole towns were created, then demolished and rebuilt differently.  It was probably one of the few things my sister and I occasionally worked together on!  Happy times!!

But that's not what resonated with me in this devotional.  Some 9 years ago I realized I'd been building my life like I'd done with the Legos... I wasn't happy with the design Legos often came with so I would modify them here and there until it was what I wanted it to be.  After a little while I got bored with layout of the town and I'd start again.

In terms of my own life, I'd been following all the "normal" plans: finish school, get a job, get married, get a house, have kids, "do well".  I skipped college because I could not see how I fit into that world (and I don't regret it!).  I got a house by myself (thanks to the incredible fiscal wisdom passed down to me by my parents.) 

But despite all my best intentions to follow the "normal" path, I never met "the one" and despite having many blessings I was lonely and empty.  Odd or God, I found myself in the US and was introduced to "the One" who promises to heal all wounds, carry all burdens and stay by your side.

I didn't understand this at the time, but a seed was planted and over time it grew and through personal relationships and starting a new path that I could not plan, I was ready to give God a home in my heart.

I knew that my own plans for personal fulfilment and happiness had not worked.  I was ready to try the instruction manual, that I had never really understood was available.  I've heard the Bible referred to as Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth, and that's exactly what it is!  

God did not intend for us to wander around, fumblng in the dark about who we are and why we are here.  He does not wish for us to struggle with rejection and inadequacies that come from other people because of their own struggles.

God offers a straight forward plan of starting over, doing it His way.  It starts out with acknowledging that you have limitations - no matter how "good" your life is or you are, there is something missing and you are seperated from God.

Next comes asking God to lead your life, to take the reigns and correct your course.  Hint: for God to do that you must first ask Jesus to extend his forgiveness to you, for the sins (big and small) that separated you from God.  Jesus becomes your advocate with God and you can start your relationship with him in the driver seat.

For God to take the reigns in your life, you must let them go!  Sounds obvious right?  Maybe, but it is not easy.  Daily decisions to do things your way or God's way show who has the reigns.  Do you gossip about the woman at work who gets on your nerves?  Do you give your spouse the silent treatment because they failed to meet your expectations?  Do you continue to get wasted because you want to forget the things that make you sad?

It's never too late to start over, to rebuild your life the way God intended for it to be.  I was 24, and there are many things in my life I would have been afraid of going through if I'd known about them before.  But I wouldn't change a thing and I now believe that my life matters.

Drinking Problem

It's amusing (vaguely) how different Emma and Toby can be.  Not only do they look very different (blonde/brunette, short/tall, boy/girl) but they act so differently too.  One example of this is in their drinking.

Toby will happily slug back drink after drink.  So much so that we are constantly changing pants due to soaked diapers!  We are now trying to limit his drinks (which are really only milk, water and the odd juice box), so we can determine if there is actually something to be concerned about. 

He's happy to pee on the toilet, and doing so before bed has all but eliminated the need for a diaper change at night (he's not dry, but it does not soak through!).  I'm sure that he is ready for potty training, but the task seems no more appealing than it did with Emma - who was potty trained by Daddy, because I was fine using diapers!!

On the other hand is Emma.  Sure, it's understandable why she is not a habitual drinker.  She also only drinks water, and who really craves water all the time.  (She will drink a diet coke without fuss, but even I know that is not healthy and agree to it only occasionally.)

While the doctors have said to let her body decide when to drink, we've had a couple scares of UTI's and constipation, so I feel that there needs to be a minimum amount consumed.  But doesn't she fight us tooth and nail!!  That said, she pretty much only drinks through a straw now, which is one thing I never thought possible, so there's something to celebrate!

Anyway, here's a couple highlights from the past few days...

On Friday Emma got all dressed up in her recital costume for a photo shoot! 

I let her wear some blusher and pink lip gloss.  She was obsessed with making sure she still had it on when we got to the shoot!

 After, we headed to Nanna's for dinner and Emma simply had to hold Sophia (not sure Sophia was happy about it!!)

Last night, the kids had an iPhone each and were playing games.  Emma traded hers for a waffle and went to watch Toby...

Then it got funny...