Monday, March 28, 2011

TINA

i have been introduced to TINA.
actually we met as soon as we landed here in south africa.
she is the kind of gal that is always involved when trouble arises.
the one your momma warned you to steer clear of
because trouble follows her.

TINA,you see, is actually not a real gal
just someone who gets the blame for inconviences, problems, issues, disturbances, "bad"...
you get my drift.

TINA just stands for
This
Is
Not
America.

If you have ever traveled outside the US,
then TINA has graced you with her
presense at one time or another
and you know exactly what i mean.
whether at the airport,
dealing with overseas banking,
international calls and phones,
service industry differences,
TINA works at them all.

living overseas it feels nice to
name your issue.
and so, when we have an issue
TINA is the scapegoat.
living overseas means things function
differently than you experienced
back home on American soil.
some of this nice and others not so pretty.

i must say that honestly,
TINA is not always "bad".
there are many differences
that are actually
much better than the American way.
but those are happy
and we all smile and carry on our merry way.

it is the so called "bad" different that slow us down and wears on us.
making us want to say...
please, there is a better and easier way.
and therefore,
roll our eyes at TINA.

i share all this to say,
TINA is working with me now on
internet issues.
our once awesome internet is not so cool now.
cutting out and acting up.
and TINA is definitely involved.
she is involved in the issue and also the fixing of the prob.
with that said,
i am not sure how many posts i can keep posting.
i am holding out but...

the other well known acronym answers...
TIA.

joe knows...


joe knows

tunnels
gardening
watering pools
drip systems
plant feeding
harvesting

CUCUMBERS!



didn't want to steal joe's thunder...

so i only posted a glimpse of the harvest,
the first harvest!

check his blog in the next day or so for the
grand update.

Friday, March 25, 2011

pick and bake

joe has been amazing
with the bakery
and tunnel work.

God has truly blessed these projects. 
brax catching a break on the bakery flour

bri and the cucumber plants that stand as high as she does
the tomato tunnel
joe and "the first fruit"
check out that english cucumber
(for those back in the states...these babies are quite a bit longer than the ones we are used to...as the pic shows)



look on here and on his blog for some cool upcoming posts... regarding picking, baking, selling, tending, feeding, growing, teaching, learning, developing....

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

i pledge allligence

i pledge alliengence to the flag of the united states of america...

never truer,
than when you are living away from this great country,
do you feel a more stronger bond with her.



we can spot her flag miles away...
and pride swells in our hearts.

it's easy to pick her accents out of a crowd, too.
crazy how drawn you are to someone who "talks like you".

(from ethiopia to the states to south africa in her first year of life...this girl needs lots of flags)

Sunday, March 20, 2011

views

a few of my favorite views from the past week or so...
from a hike near our home. love the light house.
light house again. this time at sunset.

sun has set. what color.

clouds and a ship passing thru the sunset.
going down.
a new found fave of mine. watching a moon set.
experienced first one soon after we settled here.
this was from this morning when i woke up.



 moonsets, sunsets, ocean views...God truly replenshes my soul with these gifts.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

stop


Stop judging according to outward appearances; 
rather judge according to righteous judgment. 
John 7:24



can you honestly say that you 
go through an entire day without
judging someone?
it is a tough question.
at first you want to shout out an immediate yes
but really...

do you not judge someone 
by their 
clothes, hair, car, finances/wealth, 
home, color, job, belongings, ego,
thoughts, words, actions, driving,
spending habits, cooking skills, attitude,
gifts, talents, church attendance, accomplishments,
titheing, style, decorating skills, 
cleanliness, smell, lawn...
and the list goes on.

convicting, huh?!

judge not, lest you be judged.

i am learning each day 
that there are so many amazing people 
throughout the world who are not like me,
not like what i am used to.
who have so much to offer.
who are teaching me so much.

Lord...
give me your eyes, your ears, your heart
for others
and teach me to leave the judgement to you.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

watching bikes


the roads were shut down 
and we were shut in.

shut in our place 
with some living hope vols
who managed to check in 
at our place at 6:40am
before the roads around here were closed.

we made breakfast
watched movies
walked the boardwalk
sat inside
sat outside
went to watch the race
WHAT A COOL RACE!



briley with natasha and amy
(amy happens to be from our church back home
 but we didn't meet her until here)

boys in "the boot" riding down the road a bit to see the race


we had a braai
we played games
we hiked the mountain by our house
we 
had
blast...



what a way to end a week of weeks here for us.
momma was sick this week and well...
when momma ain't well
things just ain't right.
thanks to those whose raised up some prayers
in my behalf.
i have been sick 
something like 3 times in briley's life
and this was one of them. yuck!


looking forward to the week ahead.

and have a few more fun pics to share...soon...

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

ask for a fish

one of the joys of serving near the ocean...



we are all excited when joe goes fishing.

the kids can't wait for the boat to return so they can run up to the neighbors and  help unload, wash, fillet, and whatever else you do when a fishing boat returns...

as our lives unfold here, we are required to seek God more than ever before. 
so much is different...
we are away from family and close friends, 
finances require prayer and juggling, 
daily activites just flow differently than they did in the US,
(especially speaking in the business world) 
and many of those around us are searching to fill basic needs 
like food, shelter, clothing.
the sites the eyes see every time you drive down the road
give no glimpse of our life before
where there was so much of the material property.

and in this life,
we are being taught to go straight to the Father
and ask Him.
ask Him for what we need
and He has given us
exactly what we needed, when we needed it.
Our loving Heavenly Father has provided.
and looking back over the past few months
we stand amazed...
not knowing how it all worked out perfectly
except for the fact
we asked
and the Lord provided.


Matthew 7:9-11 

 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 
Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 
If you, then, though you are evil, 
know how to give good gifts to your children, 
how much more will your Father in heaven 
give good gifts to those who ask him!"






sidebar...
nope Joey did not grow out his hair in africa 
(though he thought about doing dreads)
in the above pic with bear...
that is our friend and fisherman neighbor who
has been such a blessing>