Pastor Dave's Iraq Trip

Words cannot describe how humbled I am at this moment. I choked up several times watching this slide show. Here I am a Christian in America, in a particularly funky mood today, worried, and anxious. Worried about how we are going to make ends meet, about what I'm going to do when Richard is gone for 7 months and where the kids and I are going to live. Feeling anxious that we will never get out of this 900 sq. ft two bedroom apartment, where 4 kids occupy the two bedrooms, and Richard and I sleep on the living room floor, either on a blow up mattress, or a 6" piece of foam, neither of which are comfortable in the least!

Then I watched this video slide show of my Pastor's recent mission trip to Iraq, Iran, and Egypt, where every day people are giving their lives to Jesus Christ, and becoming my brother's and sister's in Christ. Where people are hurting, and struggling, beyond anything I am capable of imagining, and whereby their circumstance I lead a life of comfort and luxury! People who are risking their lives EVERY DAY just because they turned from their former oppressive religion, to embrace the Living, and ONE TRUE GOD!! People who have lived their whole lives in war-torn, oppressed, countries ruled by evil, who now, at this very moment are at peace, and able to experience true joy, and true salvation! People who are so oppressed even in their own churches, that are unable to express, and share their joy or risk losing their lives, can now dance, jump, shout, and sing unto their God like little children! Theirs is a faith, a movement, I've never experienced... I sing, dance, jump, and at times have even cried and shouted unto the Lord, but I've never done so while risking my life, knowing that at any moment myself or my family my die, because I love Jesus Christ!! I've had many trials, but nothing compares to theirs!

Watch this video, thanks to Neal and Mercedez, of my Pastor's trip, and see for yourself what I'm talking about! (He's the "big, fat, Mexican" one.... LOL a quote from my Pastor this very day while talking about the trip before church....) He's awesome!




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKMW4CNFp6E

I'm honored to be a part of this historical movement going on in Iraq today! A war torn country, oppressed by evil, where people are coming to Jesus Christ, many who are and will losing there lives for that choice, paying the ultimate price!

The Contest

Anyone that has children, or anyone that is a sibling themselves, knows all about sibling rivalry. There is no denying its existence. I for one, was exceptionally competitive, and it seems that both Cassidy and Corinne are steadfast in walking in my footprints. They are nineteen months apart to the day, and their sibling rivalry is very real. I don't remember when it started between them. However, I'm starting to notice a trend with the boys. I wouldn't call it rivalry, rather more of an unspoken contest between the two. Who initiated it? My assumption would be Kai. What might the contest be you ask? Mainly, diaper counts. If one has several wet diapers on any given day the other ends it with more. The more [stinky] trend Richard and I have noticed is the dirty diapers! It would seem that through out the day Kai and Kaleb are continuously trying to one up the other in the poopy diaper department! One day each boy ended with FOUR in less than a 12 hour period! No sooner would I change one, than the other would need changed. Ay yi yi!! With Richard still recovering from his surgery, he is very limited in what and how much he can do around the house, and with the kids. ANY lifting has been strictly forbidden, and I think he's enjoying every minute of it! Well, at least the diaper contest parts!! My goodness! My hope is that the boys won't try to outdo the other in the dirty diaper "painting" contest! Kai is up to two "masterpieces" now. I pray there is no more....