Everyday A Holiday

Easter Lapbook

2011-10-18T04:48:00.000+02:00

Josh made his first lapbook the week before Easter. What is a "lapbook"? you might ask. It can be considered a fancy poster made out of file folders. But, it is more than just a poster with pictures. It definitely has pictures, but can include games, puzzles, reading, writing and math skills. Many times they are made up of mini-books and folded shapes.
In the picture below, the bottom left corner is a folded cross. It looks like a house, but opens into a cross. Josh wrote 4 words that reminded him of Easter. Also on the front right are two puzzles. One is a maze, the other is the first crossword puzzle Josh has ever done.
On the inside, Josh traced over a Bible verse and we talked about Easter using "Resurrection Eggs." The back (not shown) was a came on long "e" and short "e" words.
We are now working on a Science lapbook about the Seasons.
Grace & Peace,

Time in Texas

2011-10-18T04:47:00.002+02:00

While here in the States, I've taken some pictures of some of my favorite Texas sights and just some really interesting ones.
I'm sure I will add more as the year goes by!
So enjoy!
JK

Minute Maid Park and Downtown Houston

Baylor Seal - founded while Texas was a country!

Beautiful sky

Smoke from the fire in Bastrop. Seen from the farm about 35 miles away!

Highways!

Texas Football

Blessed by Sushi

2011-07-29T06:21:00.000+02:00

Today, Josh and I had a lunch date at a nearby Sushi restaurant. We usually go eat sushi together when Kurt is away (since he is not a fan of seafood). Today was the day. I wasn't sure what restaurant to go to since we've only been in Houston for 2 months. I knew there was one down the road from our apartment complex, but after looking it up on my iPhone, it looked closed. Another one came up on the map just as close, so we headed to that one.

Ok, when I first saw this place about a month ago, it looked closed down because the sign on the store front looked old and faded. But it was not! In fact, it is a very upscale sushi restaurant...they had valet parking!!

I told Josh that he must be very good at the restaurant because there were a lot of business people eating lunch there. He was very good!
When we sat down, there was a lady sitting alone at the table next to us. She got her sushi right before we placed our order. As she was leaving after her meal, she spoke to us, "Have a nice day." I replied, "Thank you. You, too."

We enjoyed miso soup as a starter. I ate the mushrooms, but Josh enjoyed the rest...even the tofu! After that, we had 12 maki rolls of yellowtail and salmon and 4 nigiri with salmon and tuna. Josh tried to use chopsticks, but it just wasn't working. Our waitress brought him the neatest little contraption. It was a plastic piece that each chopstick pops into causing them to act as tongs! Josh was so excited that he could now use chopsticks. Josh used tongs and the sushi was delicious! But that it not the best part...

When we were finished, our waitress came and told us that the lady who was sitting next to us had paid for our meal! She has been trying to get her daughter to eat sushi with her and her daughter always refuses. She thought it was so nice that you and your son were enjoying sushi together.

Wow! What a wonderful gesture and we didn't even get to say "Thank you." But I am saying it now...if you ever read this..."Thank you!"
I pray that God will make me more conscious of how I can bless others...especially for His glory!
JK

Catching Up...In the USA!

2011-07-20T23:08:00.000+02:00

It's been a while since I've posted. We spent the middle of May packing away a huge part of the house and packing our suitcases. We arrived in the US on the 14th!
It is good to be home.
Ruth Anne graduated high school on May 20. Josh had a birthday party at the Houston Aquarium. Kurt could be there because he flew to Florida! Then, 10 days later, Ruth Anne packed for summer school at Baylor.
We've spent time with Kurt's parents at the Lake. We also had our first speaking opportunity at an RA Camp about 3 hours northeast of the Lake! It was great fun. Josh got to join in all the activities like fishing, swimming, cooking, crafts, and BMX bike riding!
Kurt and Ruth Anne are now in South Africa. Kurt is working with a missions team and Ruth Anne is visiting with her friends. I hope they have a wonderful time. But I have to add that I am glad I'm not there...it's winter! 'Nough said!
Josh and I are still plugging away at school. His reading is really improving! Math is moving slower, but I really want to make sure he is memorizing each set of facts before going on.
Here are some pictures so far! Enjoy!
JK

Josh knows he is having his birthday twice while we are in the US. A few weeks after his party, he asked me, "Mom, is it almost my birthday again?"

Children's Museum

We love us some baseball! Go Astros!

Seasons Lapbook

2011-05-10T22:23:00.000+02:00

Well, Josh finished his second lapbook this past week. The theme was seasons. I decided that since we are going to the USA that it was a good time to study the seasons and learn why the northern and southern hemispheres have opposite seasons.
I got many ideas and worksheets from Enchanted Learning. I'm glad I joined that site. They have great lessons and craft ideas. So here are some pictures of his 2nd lapbook.

Josh got to play the sun with a flashlight (torch), while I tilted the earth and rotated around him. We saw how the light hit the southern hemisphere and northern hemisphere differently as the earth rotates. We put a wheel in the center with the US on top and South Africa at the bottom. As he rotates the wheel he can tell that each country experiences the opposite season.

Josh also did a craft for each season. He also cut out pictures of different types of clothing worn for each season. He did a great job and was very proud of his book.
Now...we are on holiday so that we can get packed for our trip to the USA. We are all very excited about seeing Ruth Anne and the rest of the family.
Ruth Anne graduates May 20! I am so proud of her. She made a big decision to finish high school in the States. She made the honor roll and is graduating with a wonderful GPA.
Blessings!
JK

Easter Lapbook

2011-05-01T14:20:00.000+02:00

Josh on the Drums!

2011-04-10T14:57:00.002+02:00

Last week, the first Two Oceans Cluster met together. A team from Orlando, Florida came to lead us in worship and take care of our children while we were in meetings. They were such a blessing to all of us!

One night, we had a talent show...more of a comedy talent contest...Anyway, Joshuwa joined part of the worship team for a song. Josh had a blast playing the drums to the song, "Wipe Out." Unfortunately, in my video, you can't hear the music, but you should be able to see just how much fun Josh had!

Enjoy!

Salt

2011-03-08T17:44:00.002+02:00

Yesterday, I made some Pico de Gallo for our Mexican food dinner with our journeymen. Tonight, I pulled it out of the fridge and tasted it. Something was just not right. So I decided to add some salt, since I hadn't salted it the night before. OH MY! What a difference the salt made. It brought out the flavors and made them blend so nicely together. So, it made me think...

Matthew 5:13 says, "You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything..." Salt is a preservative, but it also adds lots of flavor. It brings out the natural flavors!

As a Christ-follower, am I bringing out the "flavor" of the gospel? Do I make Jesus appealing to others? Does Jesus "taste" good to the culture I am trying to reach for Him? Do others know how much I love Him? Is it evident?

Wow! I am salt...and I sure don't want to lose my flavor and be good for nothing.
My church is salt...

Just my thoughts while cooking!
JK

An Exciting Month

2011-03-05T13:22:00.006+02:00

February has been an exciting month. For my birthday, Kurt booked a sushi class for me andhim. We had a great time learning to make sushi. Kurt is not a fan of fish or any kind of seafood. But I am so glad he went to the class with me. I love being in the kitchen with him!

We also went to the U2 concert at FNB Stadium (Soccer City). Josh went with us and loved it. We still listen to his U2 CD every time we are in the car! I did not go to a soccer match during the World Cup at Soccer City. It was my first time to be in the stadium. It was beautiful. However, although it was beautiful and modern, we did experience "Africa" while there. We waited 1 1/2 hours in line for a hamburger! And, of course, many of the small kiosks selling drinks were out of stock before any concerts began! Life in Joburg...don't let the modern, western feel fool you! Love it!

Gold Mine Hike

2011-01-19T22:28:00.006+02:00

Last week, Josh & I joined several homeschooling families for a hike and picnic at a nearby nature reserve. The children went on a guided hike and learned how gold was found and mined many years ago. While the kids hiked, the moms got to know each other and ask many questions about homeschooling. I enjoyed connecting with other homeschooling moms. We all shared our views, ideas, and tips on homeschooling.

The kids hiked for about 3 hours! When they returned we had a picnic lunch. Josh had a ball. On the way home, I asked him what he had learned. I was amazed at all the things he remembered! His favorite thing was panning for gold. He said he found some...but I never saw it!

First Day of Homeschool

2011-01-05T22:50:00.003+02:00

Today was Joshuwa's first day of homeschool. We took it quite easy. He did some Math with a curriculum called "Math-U-See." I think it will be a very good curriculum for him. It is hands-on and visual.

Our Reading & Phonics curriculum has not arrived. So, I began searching the internet and found a free online curriculum called "Progressive Phonics." It looks really good. I gave Josh a list of words to read so that I would know where we need to start in that curriculum. Tomorrow, we will dive right in. I am hoping that by May, he will be on a Grade 2 level.

I will also be incorporating Language Arts, Science and History through a website called "Lesson Pathways."

Our gardner's daughter, Violet, and her cousin, Beauty, joined us for school today. They will

also come the next two days before they leave for the village, where they stay with extended family and attend school. Josh loved having friends join him at school.

For PE, we played with a huge frisbee! I tried to hula hoop, but Josh was the best of all 4 of us!

27 on the 27th

2010-12-27T16:40:00.008+02:00

I went to a friend's blog today and it seems that on the 10th of each month she and other friends make a list of 10 things they've done recently.

Well...it has been 6 months since I've written on my blog...so I figured I had enough to do 27 things on the 27th! Hopefully, this will catch everyone

up on what has been happening in our family and on our side of the world.

1. Went to World Cup Soccer matches!

2. Participated in ministry during the World Cup.

3. Made proper rusks for the first time. Rusks are like biscotti but bigger...hard biscuits that you dip in tea or coffee.

4. Decided to homeschool Joshuwa.

5. Rode Ivy in a Quadrille with Ruth Anne and two other young ladies.

6. Made a beautiful cake for Ruth Anne's "Going Away" party.

7. Celebrated Kurt's return from Japan.

8. Forgot to celebrate our 21st anniversary on 19 August...

9. Put Ruth Anne on a plane for the USA on 20 August!

10. Helped Bellevue Baptist start a tutoring program at their church

11. Ran a 4K race with King's School.

12. Went to Cape Town for Spiritual Retreat.

13. Found a lump...but had it drained. All is well. God is so good.

14. Celebrated Kurt's parents' 50th wedding anniversary in the USA.

15. Saw my parents. Saw Ruth Anne!

16. Found a wonderful hair product! Now my curly hair is my friend. It's the little things in life!

17. Watched Josh play the drums at a school assembly! Now he practices almost every day!

18. Rode Ivy in a Pas-de-Deux.

19. Won the Quadrille with 3 other wonderful young ladies (and our horses)!

20. Got a new freezer!

21. Got my oven fixed after 6 weeks (learned to cook many meals on the stove and in crock pot)!

22. Decorated for Christmas. We have nativity scenes from all over Africa and from the US.

23. Hosted 5 people in our home for a week. Baseball players that came to teach baseball and share the gospel. About 50 people accepted the Lord that week!

24. Took Josh ice skating with Joburg kids that are also being home schooled.

25. Sang Christmas carols all through December (because I led worship)!

26. Celebrated Christmas eve with friends and Mexican food!

27. Enjoyed a lovely Christmas day. Went to church, opened presents, spent time with friends and talked with family.

That brings us up-to-date. I will be doing a much better job at writing on my blog. I'm sure a lot of entries will deal with Josh and home schooling! Should be fun!

I hope you all have a happy New Year!

Winter's Top Ten

2010-06-15T12:00:00.003+02:00

Well, it is obviously the first day of winter here in Joburg. The low this morning, with wind chill, felt like 26F!! The wind is gusting fiercely outside and the temperature inside the coldest house in Joburg (our house) is 45F at 12 noon! Ouch!

So, I've decided to compose a list of the top 10 in expensive ways to keep warm this winter, since it's only the beginning. If your house spends the day at less than 50F (10C), try some of these ideas!

10. Drive your car to a really sunny place and park there for awhile. Bring a good book, even your computer...but keep an eye out for carjackers!

9. Go to the shopping centre (mall). It's always warmer there. The shops might even have heating! At least they don't have windows. And, the cappuccinos there are wonderful!

8. Layer, layer, layer! Wear 3 pair of socks, thermal underwear, at least 3 long sleeve shirts, a sweater (jersey), gloves and a hat!

7. Wear your pajamas all day (with a robe) or wear your clothes to bed that night. That way you only have to change clothes once a day!

6. Take a hot shower for an hour! But, expect your family to be upset that you've used up all the hot water! And, get ready for a blast of cold when you get out.

5. Wrap up in blankets. Don't forget your hot water bottle. When it cools, you can recycle the water; heat it up again!

4. Go to the gym. Work hard, get hot, sweat. At least you'll be warm for 30 min to an hour!

3. Drink hot tea all day long. Eat soup for lunch and dinner. You may want to keep a small heater going in the bathroom (loo) because you will spend a lot of time in there!

2. Snuggies are in style in Joburg! They are no laughing matter. Use it!

1. Go visit a friend. Their house will be warmer than yours! And, it's always fun to drink tea with a friend.

In case it seems like I'm bellyaching too much, here are 3 things I love about winter in Joburg.

3. You don't sweat! So you can take less showers and you can wear clothes more than one day before washing!

2. Hot tea and soup. I love them. I love normal black tea, rooibos tea, flavored tea. My favorite is (ok, it sounds weird, but it's delicious) grapefruit and lavender!

1. The clear, cloudless blue sky. The bright sunshine! Winter in Joburg is beautiful!

Whatever the season where you are, enjoy it! God created the seasons and they are to be enjoyed!

Ice Skating Party

2010-06-13T21:14:00.005+02:00

Joshuwa is 8!

Wow! I can't believe it. Time is really flying!

He wanted to have his birthday party at the ice ska

ting rink. He loves skating.

We had it on a Monday right after school. It was the perfect time, because the rink was practically empty.

The kids skated for nearly 3 hours! Two fell pretty hard at the beginning, but got back out there and did great.

My indoor pictures didn't turn out very well...but I've put them in anyway.

Culture

2010-05-13T21:03:00.002+02:00

The other day at the mall, I went to draw money from the ATM. As I approached, a black woman came up to me and asked me to help her draw money. This was the first time she had a ever used the ATM. When she was finished, she looked at me and said, "Thank you." Then she added that she had been waiting for a white person to help her. She said that she didn't trust black people; that they would cheat her.

This made me very sad. A person can't trust someone from their own culture. It is a stereotype, because I know many people from several cultures in South Africa that are wonderful and honest. But, crime is very bad here and that makes it hard to trust anyone. Shame.

South Africa is a beautiful country with lovely people.

New Baby

2010-03-20T20:40:00.005+02:00

Friday morning, Josh wakes up and comes into the kitchen all "worked up." He's talking about seeing something white running in his room. "Hurry, come see it," he says. And then he adds, "It's freaking me out!"

I thought it was some kind of bug (he absolutely hates them)...like a big lizzard or grasshopper. Kurt goes into his room to see what is going on. Josh finally calms down. He returns to the kitchen to tell me that our guinea pig had a baby. I rushed into his room and sure enough, there it was! A little white piggie!

If you've read my blogs at the beginning of the year, you'll

remember that while we were in the United States, our "piggie sit

ter" told us that one of the piggies had a baby. Unfortunately, it was deformed and had died. She said that happened about a week before we returned from the States. It took us another week or so to find a cage (at a decent price) so we could separate our piggies. Well...I guess that was a little too long!

Also, when it comes to determining the gender...don't ask me! All along I thought Spikey was a boy and Popcorn was a girl. I even looked at the pictures on the internet that shows you how to check and what it should look like. I got it all wrong. Spikey is the Mama!

We are hoping that the baby is a girl so we can keep them together. Oh...if it is a girl, Lacey will be her name.

Making Sushi

2010-03-07T23:15:00.003+02:00

For my birthday, in January, I got a sushi "kit." I got 4 plates & bowls, a bamboo mat, rice spoon, chop sticks, and 2 cook books. I do have a tendancy to put things off, especially if I've never done it before.

So, Friday, I went out and bought smoked salmon and seaweed. We finally pulled out all the ingredients for sushi tonight (Sunday). I decided to start with veggie sushi that way if it didn't go right, I didn't waste a lot of money. I didn't get it rolled quite right, but there was promise.

I made a few adjustments when rolling and the next ones came out well!!

Josh, Ruth Anne & her friend, Chene, enjoyed it. So did I!

The only thing I wish is that I let Josh help. He really wanted to do some of it, but I was caught up in getting it right.

So tomorrow, I'm going to let him make some for his lunch!

Sundays?

2010-02-08T22:14:00.004+02:00

Did I say my Sunday evenings were lazy? Where did this one go? And the last Sunday evening?

Oh yeah...2 Sundays ago I was cleaning the guinea pig cages...yes...cageS!!

We got back from spending a month in the States over Christmas and the young lady who took care of our guinea pigs told me that one of them had a baby! Yikes!

So, I checked into getting one "fixed." The cost R900 (that's about $120)! It only cost R50 ($6) to buy one!

So, we bought another cage and separated them. Now, I have 2 cages to clean each week! Fun!

But, Josh often says to me, "Thank you for buying me guinea pigs." Awwww....who can resist that!! :)

Resolutions

2010-01-17T18:50:00.003+02:00

Well, it's a new year and time to make resolutions. A resolution is a "firm decision to do or not to do something." It seems that everyone makes them in January, hoping they will see them through in the new year. "Hoping" doesn't sound very firm. But that is exactly what I'm doing. My friends are so good at keeping up with theirs. Many movies depict people blogging and doing a great job keeping it up. That is what I am resolving to do. So, I am planning on using my lazy Sunday evenings to update my blog.

There...my 2010 New Year's resolution! (At least one of them!)

Blessings,

Christmas 2009

2010-01-17T18:19:00.006+02:00

Our family spent Christmas 2009 with family. We had a wonderful time. Our holiday lasted a month. We spent most of the month with my family, going between Houston and the Rustic Star (near Schulenburg, TX). Of course, shopping was done in Houston, but Christmas day was spent at the farm. We also made an overnight visit to Baylor. Kurt's parents met us there and we all went to a basketball game. The next day, Ruth Anne went on a tour of Baylor. She had a great time and loved the campus. It was wonderful being with my family and, of course, I loved every minute at the farm! I really enjoyed going to Mom's and Dad's new church in Schulenburg.

We left the day after Christmas for Susan's house (Kurt's sister). We spent a week with all of Kurt's family there and at his parent's lake house. When we got to Susan's house, there was some leftover snow in the backyard. Josh was able to make a snowman with the help of Uncle Kent (Kurt's brother). Ruth Anne went to an all-day concert with her cousin, Kaitlyn. Everyone took turns playing the Wii. We also played 'Apples To Apples' until midnight one night! Grandpa took Josh duck hunting one morning for about 45 minutes. Josh told Nanna that he and Grandpa waited for 10 hours to shoot a duck !!

Josh got plenty of opportunity to ride his quad-bike and Ruth Anne drove Papa's truck every chance she got. We all took turns riding with her.

Enjoy the pictures!

Blessings for the New Year!

Latest Events

2009-10-29T07:11:00.007+02:00

Joshuwa had a school concert this past month. With Ruth Anne's "big date," I forgot to post pictures of the concert.

The theme of the concert was Music Through The Ages. Each class had several dances to perform. And a few individual students were chosen to portray a famous singer. Josh was chosen to be Michael Jackson! He moved and twirled on stage and even tried to "moon walk"!!

Last weekend was the annual "Fancy Dress Musical Kur" at our stables, Riverleigh. Ruth Anne's theme was "The Kur That Will Put You To Sleep." My theme was "Pinkalicious." Both of us got 2nd place and received nice gifts. Over R19 000 was raised for a home for orphans. Check out our beautiful horses!

Ruth Anne Dances & Josh Drums

2009-10-18T15:24:00.005+02:00

Last Thursday our kids had a big day.

Ruth Anne was invited to the Matric Farewell (same as prom). It was her first big date. Here are some pictures before the dinner and dance.

Josh had his first drum exam Thursday

afternoon. We are not sure how he did. His results will be ready sometime in November...so I'll keep you posted!

New Pets!

2009-08-28T17:57:00.005+02:00

We just got two new additions to our family! Meet Spikey and Popcorn!

Now we have 2 dogs, 2 horses and 2 guinea pigs!

Oh...when Kurt took Josh to buy them, he forgot to check on the gender! Yikes!

Spa Day

2009-07-17T19:54:00.002+02:00

Feeling like home...

Last Thursday, 8 women from our church went to an African spa. Ok...it was "buy one get one free" day...so we couldn't pass that up!

It started out with a light breakfast and coffee. They we enjoyed 3 "treatments." We had a facial, body scrub and jacuzzi. After lunch, we received a hand treatment, full-body massage, foot treatment and head/neck massage. It was an amazing day.

But, as amazing as all 7 treatments were, the best was spending time with friends. We chatted and laughed the whole day. On the way home, I made the comment that, except for Texas, I've lived in Joburg the longest. One of my friends then asked me, "What place feels like home?" I answered that in the last two years, Joburg really felt like home. Being a part of a wonderful church family, having great neighbors, and getting to really know people you see regularly (like those at the stables) is what makes this country feel like home.

I do miss family. I do miss friends in NC. But I am so grateful that God has blessed me with friends here and a family of co-workers!

BTW - no pictures were taken at the spa (for obvious reasons)!!

Josh's Party

2009-06-08T22:26:00.003+02:00

May 30, we celebrated Joshuwa's birthday with his friends. He turned 7 on the 21 May, but his favorite restaurant was booked for parties that weekend. I say that it is his favorite restaurant, but not because of the food. He rates it #1 because of the video games! In fact, he calls it "The Games" instead of its real name, "Spur."

Josh had a great time with his friends. It was a great day, so I don't think he minded waiting a week for the party.

Second Saturday in Soweto

2009-06-02T21:34:00.003+02:00

The second Saturday of each month our team and members from 3 other Baptist churches make a trip into the township, Soweto, to share the gospel, hand out tracts and pray with people. This month (May), Ruth Anne and her friends, Chene and Tammy, went with us. This was Chene's and Tammy's first time into Soweto! They were a little nervous at first, but ended up having a wonderful and eye-opening experience!

It is my prayer that many more suburban South Africans will desire to reach their neighbors in Soweto and other townships/settlements throughout South Africa!

New Job, Old Home

2009-04-26T19:17:00.005+02:00

The week after Easter, we had our Annual Missionary Training Meeting. Missionaries from all over Southern Africa, Angola to Zambia, met together in Johannesburg for some training and to talk about the new, huge changes that are happening in our organization. It was a wonderful time of worship and it was great seeing friends we don't get to see often.

On Friday night, Kurt was asked to be the Urban Associate Cluster Strategy Leader. Big title which means he is overseeing missionary teams in urban centers around Southern Africa. God has gifted Kurt with the ability to administrate. He has a vision to reach the cities we love!

But the best news...we don't have to move! We can stay on the West Rand! Kurt will have to travel, but there is a small airport he can fly out of easily.

God is so good. His plans and His ways are perfect, if we just have the patience to wait on Him!

4 His Glory,

2009-04-09T14:52:00.002+02:00

School holidays started on March 20th. We started full-on! Kurt's parents came to visit us. They arrived on Friday the 20th and we headed out Sunday for Cape Town. We stayed 4 nights and the weather was perfect (which makes you want to live there...until you remember it rains 200 days a year and most of that in the winter! Yuck!). Our family had been there before, with my parents. But we did a few different things this time.

We went to The Castle of Good Hope. They have an art studio there and we met an artist that wanted to paint a picture of Joshuwa! They shot a cannon off...it was really tiny...but made a HUGE noise (sounds like me)!!

We went by ferry to Robben Island. Our tour guide through the prison was an ex-inmate. We saw where he stayed and where Nelson Mandela stayed. Long before apartheid, the island was home to many lepers.

We also went to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. We had a picnic and enjoyed walking and looking at many different plants. My favorite was the medicinal plants. There was enough of a variety to cure almost anything you have!

As with my parents, we made it down to Cape Point, to see the penguins in Simonstown (the Boulders) and to the V&A Waterfront. The kids visited the aquarium.

We didn't get up Table Mountain this time, but we got some great pictures of the "Table Cloth." It was my first time to see the clouds just covering the top.

After our trip, Kurt's parents were able to see Ruth Anne ride in a dressage show and his dad saw one of Joshuwa's gymnastics lessons.

We thoroughly enjoyed our time together and so glad they were able to visit us!

Update

2009-03-07T19:36:00.004+02:00

Well, the first term of school is coming quickly to a close as well as summer. So I thought a quick update would be in order.

Ruth Anne competed in the 800m race for a chance to go to the district level competition. She came in 2nd place. Two weeks later, she ran in the district competition and came 3rd! This did not qualify her for provincial level competition but we are very proud of her effort. She ran against girls that were a year older than her! As far as horse riding goes, she will be moving up to novice level dressage with her horse Roxy. She is very excited about that. School is going fairly well. She has several new teachers and is getting used to how they teach and give exams. She is also loves her youth group. We are so thrilled she has found a group of friends who love the Lord and have fun together.

Josh is doing great in school. We kept him in grade R (kindergarten) and the report from his teacher says that he is right on track. He loves gymnastics...of course...he gets to do lots of flips! Today, he played in the sprinkler and even turned the hose on his slide! He had a blast. As summer fades, so will the times of playing outside in the water!

We are all looking forward to Kurt's parents coming for a visit over the school holidays. We will be going to Cape Town with them. I know they will love it!

Until next time...

Trust in the Lord

2009-02-19T22:52:00.006+02:00

Within the last two weeks, four very close neighbors were robbed. Two weeks ago tonight, the two houses directly across the street from us were robbed. Three nights ago, the neighbor two houses down from us was robbed, then the next night, the house next door was robbed! All were robbed in the middle of the night while the families were at home sleeping!

Needless to say, I was very nervous about going to sleep last night after our next door neighbor's house was broken into. I wrote about it on Facebook. I had several people pray for our safety. I do appreciate it so much.

But this morning, I read Psalm 33 for my quiet time. This is what I read when I got to verses 16 & 17, "The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue."

Wow! I began to think, "What am I putting my trust and hope in?" I put up a picture of our house so you can see how I changed the words of this psalm to fit what I was thinking.

This is what I wrote. "This wife is not saved by my strong husband next to me; this mom is not delivered by the strong bars on the windows. The palisade fence is false hope for this family's salvation, and the guns of the security company cannot rescue." Verse 18 concludes, "Behold the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine."

We did find someone who is going to put brighter lights around our house and add security bars to windows that don't have them. I called the security company to learn how to leave one motion detector on in the house at night. Yes, I was putting my trust in people, iron and technology. But ultimately, if robbers want in, they can get in. I need to trust in the LORD my God, who is my refuge and shield and strength...and get a good night sleep!

May His name be glorified!

Horse of the Year

2009-02-14T22:12:00.004+02:00

This week my daughter, Ruth Anne, took her horse, Roxy, to a "beauty" competition called "Horse of the Year." She showed off her horse in four competitions. Roxy did very well and Ruth Anne enjoyed the shows. She didn't let her nerves get the best of her!

She finished 2nd in Show Riding and 8th (out of 16) in Potential Dressage. She also got some very good comments about Roxy's potential as a dressage horse.

On Friday, Ruth Anne showed her horse at 12:20pm then travelled and hour to run the 800m race in an athletics competition. She came in 3rd!

Oh...I got to drive her everywhere! Taxi Mom! But what a privilege watching her compete!

Blessings,

Obama!?

2009-01-27T11:34:00.002+02:00

If you are wondering, like me, how can I be excited about our first black president when he is soooo liberal, whose values seem to be nothing like mine (as I've seen already)...

then John Piper's article on his website is a MUST read.

I can be proud of our country for electing Obama as our President. I can also be excited for Americans of African origin. And, I can always remember that God is ultimately in control!

http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/TasteAndSee/ByDate/2009/3520_The_President_the_Passengers_and_the_Patience_of_God/

Enjoy the read!

For His glory,

POLICE!!

2009-01-20T12:19:00.002+02:00

A traffic stop...this is where the police set up road blocks, sometimes using cameras, to check your drivers license, the roadworthiness of your vehicle and to see if you have any outstanding traffic fines.

Here in South Africa, we try to avoid police traffic stops...at all costs! Mainly due to the fact that no all police officers can be trusted. Many want a bribe and will threaten jail time if not paid. I don't really need that kind of stress on my heart...so I pray often that my car would become invisible if there is no way around the road block. I must say, God has blessed me richly. I haven't been stopped in over a year!

However...I'm sure you can guess where this story is going!

Last week, Friday, I took the kids to school. The police were setting up a road block on the other side of the main street we were traveling on. I thought to myself, "Good. I won't be coming back on this road."

I dropped the kids off at school, then spent some time running at the gym; never giving the road block and the police another thought. On the way back home from the gym, I turned the corner and got on the road running next to the main road...and there...were the police!! They were stopping "cheaters" trying to avoid the road block.

Yes, my heart was beating fast and my mind was praying..."be invisible, be invisible!" But our big, bright red Toyota Condor stood out. A woman police office pointed at me and waved me over!

She came over as I rolled down the window. I gave her my best "try-not-to-act-nervous" smile. We exchanged greetings, then she said, "I don't want anything from you. I just want to know if you are selling." "Selling???" I said. "Yes," she answered. "Are you selling your car? I want one of these but can't find one. Are you selling it?"

A huge stone was lifted off my chest and I breathed out, "No. I can't. It's my company's car." Then, with nerves semi-under control, I added, "I don't think they make these anymore. But if my company ever sells one...and I see you again, I'll let you know!"

Then, she let me go.

I drove away, laughing and barely able to push in the clutch!

God is so awesome! He turned a scary, worrisome moment into delight!

Wow! I love Him!

Blessings,

Musical Kur 2008

2008-11-17T20:51:00.007+02:00

The last weekend in October, Ruth Anne and I entered Riverleigh's Fancy Dress Musical Kur. What's that??

Well...Riverleigh is the name of the stables where we ride. A musical kur is a dressage test done with a theme and to music. And fancy dress means you ride in costume!

Each year, Riverleigh holds this event to raise money for a special charity. This year the money went to a local children's home. We all had a great time! And lots of money was raised.

My theme was disco.

Ruth Anne's theme on Blue (the white/gray horse) was "Blue's Time" (Blues music).

And, her theme on Roxy (the brown/bay horse) was "My Little Pony."

Josh even got to dress up as an alien and run into the arena after one young lady rode to the theme "Men in Black." He was so excited about being an alien...like in "Ben 10."

OK...I hear you laughing at my picture! :)

Blessings!

Zambia

2008-10-16T16:39:00.004+02:00

Hello All!

It's been a while..ok...a long while since I've written. My parents and my brother came for a two week visit while the kids were on holiday, so I've just gotten back in the swing of things.

While my parents were here, we took a trip to Victoria Falls. Victoria Falls can be seen from Zambia or Zimbabwe. We stayed in Zambia at a beautiful hotel right on the Falls. On arrival at the hotel, we were greeted by tribal warrior dancers. Josh made friends right away (big shocker). By the end of our stay they had made Josh their "chief." The hotel had a gigantic swimming pool. I was so excited about swimming since it was extremely hot in Zambia. Plus, we were no longer in Joburg where the pool water never gets warm! I was in for a huge surprise when I put my foot in the water...it was freezing! I guess I'll have to visit the Congo...or some place like it to finally find nice, comfortable swimming water.

Anyway...we all enjoyed several different activities while at Vic Falls. The whole family went on a safari drive at one of the local game reserves. We saw about 22 elephant enjoying a mud bath. We saw hippo swimming in the Zambezi River and lots of buck. We also went on a Zambezi river cruise and watched the sun set on the river.

My dad, Ruth Anne, Josh and I went on a horseback ride through another park. My brother, Jason, Josh, Kurt and I took a helicopter ride over Victoria Falls. It was amazing! Jason, my mom and Kurt went on an elephant ride. They had a wonderful time.

Each time my parents visit we get to see more and more of the beautiful continent of Africa. God is an amazing Creator!

Subject Choice??

2008-08-28T20:52:00.002+02:00

Tonight was a parents' meeting at Ruth Anne's school. It is time for the grade 9 students to make their subject choices for the rest of their high school career. Choose subjects? Is that like art, drama, typing, home ec, band, etc. Uh...not exactly. It is not choosing electives (like in the U.S.) The students must choose three additional subjects to Maths, Afrikaans, English and Life Orientation. And, these subjects are not easy! They can choose from Accounting, Art, Geography (not maps), Business Ed, Biology, Physical Science and History. When they make their choices, they will have these classes from grade 10 to grade 12.

Ruth Anne will add Geography, Biology and Physical Science to her schedule. She is excited about those choices, but other students are really struggling to decide. In many cases, for students continuing there education at a university in South Africa, these choices will determine what you can and cannot study at university. It can be a huge decision for many students.

Overall, I like the way school is done in South Africa. But it has been a big mental adjustment for me, coming from U.S. schooling.

Ok...I said above that Geography was not maps. Well, it's not all maps. They do some, but more like topographical maps. It also involves studying atmospheric maps and phenomenas and the weather! Students study earth's formations, like geology. And they will study human resources. It is one class I would definitely choose! I love rocks and weather!

What classes would you choose??

Blessings,

Spring is Springing!

2008-08-28T17:21:00.002+02:00

Ok, Spring hasn't completely sprung yet, but...I'm in a short sleeve shirt! And, I'm wearing sandals! I've even begun doing some spring cleaning. Rebecca, my ex-house worker, came and cleaned the windows. I washed the bathroom curtains and several blankets before putting them away. I'm lovin' it! I haven't completely resigned the cold weather. It is the beginning of spring and we could get a cold front. But I'm going to enjoy the weather we are having now to the fullest!

Blessings,

Top 10 "Tag"

2008-08-13T22:21:00.005+02:00

I was reading the blogs of two of my friends, recently. Both of them said they would love to live somewhere else, but are sure that God has called them to the place they are in at this time. Funny enough, one would love to be in the U.S. but is in Africa, the other would love to be overseas but is in the U.S.!!

Anyway...I got to thinking that I haven't seen a "tag" in awhile. So I thought it is about time that I initiated one! So here it is...

Name 10 things you love about the place where God has you right now.

I'm in Joburg, South Africa. Here is my Top 10.

1. The weather! Joburg has sunny winters and almost no humidity all year round. Temperatures average about 24 degrees C/80 degrees F.

2. The landscape. Our side of Joburg is full of mountains and hills. They can make driving hard, but they make for some beautiful scenery.

3. The people. I have friends from many cultures...white, black, mixed race, Indian (from India), Japanese, Portuguese, Afrikaans speaking, English speaking, tribal language speaking, middle-class and poor.

4. In 10 minutes, I can be at a really nice mall.

5. In 20 minutes, I can be in the country.

6. In 30 minutes, I can be at a game reserve and pet lions!

7. I get to ride a horse whenever I have time.

8. My kids go to a really good school.

9. A petrol/gas station attendant fills my car with petrol, washes the windows, and checks the oil, water and tire pressure.

10. There is a wonderful choice of fresh fruit, vegetables and fruit juices. And they are cheap, also!

I know I can think of more things...but I said 10...so...

Angie and Bonnie, it is your turn. I'm tagging you both! So, what do love about the places God has called you to?

Hey Grant...you and Liesel can be "tagged" as well, since you are now enjoying life in the States. But, if you say you love having snow 7+ months out of the year, everyone will know you are still new to living in the North!

And to others, thank the Lord for where He has you.

Jeremiah 29:11

Blessings,

Little Drummer Boy

2008-08-11T19:51:00.002+02:00

Josh and Kurt began drum lessons at the end of May. Both are doing well and loving it! Josh has incredible rhythm, if we can just get his coordination going. He keeps telling me that he wants to play the drums in church for Christmas. Hmmmm....we'll have to think about that one!

Back to School

2008-07-22T20:44:00.002+02:00

Today the kids went back to school. They've had a four week winter break! This was Josh's first day at The King's School West Rand. Ruth Anne has been at King's since grade 2 (now she's in grade 9). We were going to put Josh in King's next year for grade 1, but his class is completely full and there are 40 kids on the waiting list for grade 1. So, when a space opened for the year (grade 0 or kindergarten), we moved him from Little Discoverer's.

Josh was very excited about going to "big" school with his sister. At 6:30 this morning, while he was sitting at the table eating breakfast, he looked out the kitchen window and asked, "Why is it dark outside? When is it morning time?" We got to school, he met his teacher, then he headed to the playground. Surprise!

He seemed to have a good day. He saw his friend, Keon, that he knew from Little Discoverer's. He learned the letter "A." And his class is making sock puppets tomorrow.

Ruth Anne got her exams scores from last term and did well. I don't really need to say it, but...she was not as excited to be at school as Josh was!

Josh's New Do!

2008-07-19T17:11:00.004+02:00

Josh has been dying to get his hair braided (plaited). He's been asking and asking. So finally I organized with a lady in my Bible study, Tryphina, to plait his hair.

Friday morning, I took him up to the stables to meet Tryphina. After several minutes of discussion between her and some of the other groom's wives, and in a language I didn't understand, it was decided that she would sew his hair instead of plait it. I think, since I didn't understand what they were talking about, that his hair was just not long enough.

Well, Tryphina started on Josh's hair at about 10:45 am. I went off to ride Ivy quickly while Ruth Anne watched. When I was done riding, I joined the group...the groom's wives plus their children stayed around watching, as well. His hair was about half way finished. It was definitely a painful process...as you can see by the grimace on his face!

Just before noon, his hair was done! He loved it. Ruth Anne told him that he was "looking so good, man." But Josh said, "No. That's not what you're supposed to say. You're supposed to say, 'OH Yeah!"

Winter Feet

2008-07-07T11:07:00.003+02:00

June, July and August...the 3 coldest months of the year in Joburg, South Africa. And, we are now in the middle of them!
One young lady who rides at the same stables my daughter and I do, said, "I now have my winter feet." I knew exactly what she was talking about. Starting in June (or when the first cold front hits), I get my "winter feet." That is, my feet get cold and stay cold all winter long! Sometimes they are colder than other times...but they don't really warm up until September! I don't go without socks (awake or asleep) until late October or November. Ok...I don't shower with my socks on.
Just so you are not confused...houses in South Africa have no central air conditioning or heating. So, the temperature outside can get warmer than the temperature inside the house!
My two best winter friends are my tea/coffee cup, which warms my insides as well as my hands, and my hot water bottle. As I type, my hot water bottle is sitting on my lap. I usually keep it filled with hot water all day long. My kids put their hot water bottles in the bed to keep their feet warm when they go to sleep!
All this to say...I do actually love winter in Joburg. The skies are a clear blue with no clouds. The sun warms you up and there is no rain! I can live with a cold house when the weather outside is so gorgeous!
Blessings,
JK

Life Boring??

2008-05-28T12:14:00.006+02:00

I know I haven't written anything for a while. I don't know...I guess I feel like nothing exciting has gone on...just the same old routine. Maybe life is just a little "boring."

And yet, when I got to thinking about it this morning, my days are quite different. On Facebook, I get a question of the week to answer. This week's question was, "What do you spend most of your day doing?" As I thought on the question, I realized that there is not one thing I spend most of my days doing.

I don't spend most of my days working on the computer. I don't spend most of my days in the car. I don't spend most of my days grocery shopping. I don't spend most of my days cleaning or washing or cooking. I have a really flexible schedule. Each week has its routine. And, each week has things on the schedule that can't be changed. For example, every Monday morning our team gets together and prays about the week ahead. Every Wednesday afternoon I lead a Bible study. Every Monday afternoon, I take Josh to speech therapy. But, other things in my schedule change. I don't always grocery shop on the same day. Some days, Kurt and I go out to lunch. Some days I have to stay home and get a Bible study prepared. Some mornings I get to go with Kurt to a Bible study in Soweto. I guess that is the beauty of being a missionary and a mom!

So...I may not have much to write about on my blog that seems really exciting. But...my life is definitely not boring!!

See you soon!

The Heart of a Child

2008-04-18T20:36:00.004+02:00

When Ruth Anne was very young and said really "cute" things, I always said, "I should write that down." But, I never did! Now that Joshuwa is saying "cute" things, I'm still forgetting to write it down...except this time!

Every night, I read Joshuwa a Bible story, sing a short song, and then he says a prayer. This one particular night, after our routine, we began talking about something as I was walking out the door...I don't remember exactly what how the conversation started.

But, Josh said to me, "Everybody loves Jesus." I had to reply, "No. There are some people who don't love Jesus." To that he said, "Oh! How sad! I must pray for them."

So, if you are one that doesn't love Jesus, please know that my son prayed that you would come to love Jesus just like he does!

Blessings,

Term One - Athletics

2008-03-10T19:35:00.004+02:00

Hello Everyone!

Wow! We have been so busy lately! School has been hectic, especially this term for my daughter, Ruth Anne.

Before I begin, I must tell a story. The first time my husband, Kurt, and I came to South Africa, we came for the "All Africa Games" in 1999. Basically, the "All Africa Games" is pre-Olympics for the continent of Africa. We stayed with a family whose son was in the Olympics in Atlanta and was competing in the "All Africa Games." The first night with the family, I asked them what their son did in the Olympics. The mom replied, "He's an athlete."
"Ok." I thought. "Should I ask, 'In what sport?'" But, as I contemplated asking, she continued, "He runs the 4oo." "Oh!" Light dawned...an athlete runs...that must mean he is in Track & Field!

Well...I learned that lesson well. When we moved to South Africa, Ruth Anne entered grade 2 (same as in the States). The first term...school is divided into 4 terms with 2-4 weeks break in between...the children were taken to the "athletics" stadium for a fun day. Parents were invited to attend. So, Kurt and I went. Ruth Anne ran the 60m sprint and came in 2nd place. We were excited for her. The next week, we received a notice that she had made the athletics team! And, she has been on the team ever since.
She's spent her years running the short-distance sprints and added long jump a few years ago. But, this year, she found out that she could run longer distances and loved it! They had an in-school competition and she won the 800m race by a good margin. So, she began running 800m along with 100m and long jump.
So, this term has been full of athletics practice everyday until 3, netball practice one day a week and horseback riding! Ruth Anne's last competition against several high schools, she won the 800m (pictured).

Josh also had "Sports Day" at his school. He ran several fun races. It was a joy to watch all the kids have fun running and cheering. The parents even got to run. Kurt's race and my race are NOT pictured on this blog - for obvious reasons!

Now, this first term is coming to an end. Our kids will get a three week break. I'm sure we will continue to be busy...but maybe we can sleep in a little bit later for the next three weeks! Yea!!

Blessings,
JK

Necessity or Luxury?

2008-02-16T21:35:00.004+02:00

A computer...many would consider it a luxury...especially here in South Africa. Many only have a computer through work. Some have one at home, but don't have internet access; and if they do, it's usually dial-up (which is charged per minute). There are few with ADSL like we have. Schools don't require children to use a computer for school work.
Each Monday, our team meets for prayer. The other missionary family on our team was having problems with a computer, laptop, they just bought. Out of the two weeks they've had the computer, it's spent a week in the shop. And it still wasn't right. So I prayed for them as they faced the frustration of a broken computer...new computer...and their meeting with the technicians. I even thought then, it may be a "luxury" but as a missionary, it really has become a necessity.
We use it to communicate with family and friends in the States. We send out prayer updates so our prayer partners know how to pray for us. We communicate with other missionaries and our bosses! We have many forms for our organization to fill out on the computer and send in using the internet.
I think if you ask anyone in the States, computers are a necessity...but could we get along without it? Yes, we used to...a long, long, time ago. I taught computers for a couple of years while living in Virginia. I saw a student of mine about 10 years after she had been in my class. She told me she remembered me talking about the internet and how we would use it to send messages and letters to people by computers. She said she thought that was the dumbest thing she had ever heard! Now look where we are today. We hardly send letters by mail anymore. We use the mail to get packages of things we bought over the internet!
So...has the computer become a necessity? Or is it a luxury? A need? Or a want?
Well...Monday, after our prayer meeting, I came home, went over to my computer to check email. When I touched it...the screen turned blue with a large error message in white. It said to restart the computer. When I did, it wouldn't restart. A file was missing! Oh, no! I take it to the shop. The diagnosis...my new hard drive (6 months old) has crashed! And only some of my information could be retrieved. Now I'm using my daughter's computer until I can get a new one!
My answer? A computer is definitely a necessity...otherwise...how could I post this message on my blog!
Janna Kay

My Friend

2008-02-07T20:12:00.000+02:00

My Friend, Blandinah and her son, Emmanuel

This is my friend, Blandinah. We met at her wedding! We were invited to the wedding by her husband, Pastor Aaron. They were married in a village about 4 hours from Joburg. The wedding lasted 2 days! Sunday night, after the last celebration, we gave them a lift back to Joburg. Blandinah had never been to Joburg! About an hour outside their village, she fell asleep and only woke up at her house in Joburg.

Imagine...being in a small town then waking up to a city of 9 million people! What a shock, I'm sure!

Over the first year of their marriage, Blandinah and I became good friends. She fell pregnant and our family was so excited about the baby.

But...she left Joburg to go back to the village before Emmanuel was born. In their culture, the wife returns to the village to stay with the mother-in-law in order to learn how to care for the baby! Ok...think about it...going to live with your mother-in-law...for months...to learn about caring for babies! For some people, that is quite scary! For some, it may be more scary to go to your own mother!

Anyway...Blandinah returned to Joburg. Emmanuel was precious and we enjoyed spoiling him!

After a few months, Blandinah returned to the village. She returned to take care of her mother-in-law. Wow! I still have a hard time with that part of their culture. Didn't she need to be with her husband? Didn't he need to spend time with his son?

However, I recently found out that she was not only caring for Aaron's mother, but she was finishing high school. I am very excited for her.

She came back to Joburg during the Christmas/Summer holiday. It was good to visit and see her again.

She is leaving tomorrow to go back to the village. This is her last year of high school. After this year, if she passes all her exams, she will have her degree and will return to Joburg to stay! I am so glad she is determined to finish. I know it must be difficult having a husband and baby and needing to study. I am sure she will do well.

But I will miss my friend.

Blessings, Blandinah. I pray that the Lord will help you understand and remember the information you study and help you recall that information when you take exams.

Janna Kay

Stress Free

2008-02-06T07:39:00.000+02:00

I don't normally read "Fwd:Fwd" emails, but a friend sent one about reducing stress...I don't have much stress...but I thought I would read the advice it gave. I was surprised by the number of suggestions listed that have worked for me...and there were a few I need to try. I've compacted the list...thought I'd share it with you all! Blessings!
1. Pray without ceasing. Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until bedtime to try and pray.
2. Go to bed on time...get enough rest! Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.
3. Say "no" to projects that won't fit into your time schedule. And, delegate tasks to capable others.
4. Allow extra time to do things and get to places. (My husband is great at this!)
5. Simplify and unclutter your life. Remember less can be more!
6. Live within your budget and don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.
7. Eat right.
8. Carry a Bible or good book to read while waiting in line. (My husband and I hardly go anywhere without a book.)
9. Get organized so everything has its place. (I even organized a cooking calendar...so when someone asks "What's for dinner?" I can tell them! It has helped me tremendously!)
10. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all. (Ok...this I could definitely improve on.)
11. Everyday, find time to be alone.
12. Write down thoughts and inspirations. (Blogger is a great place to share those!)
13. Keep a folder of favorites Scriptures on hand.
14. Do something everyday for the "kid" in you.
15. Laugh. Then, laugh some more!
16. Make friends with godly people.
17. Talk less and listen more.
18. Be kind to unkind people. They probably need it the most.
19. Develop a forgiving attitude. Most people are doing the best they can.
20. Every night before you go to bed, think of one thing you are grateful for that you've never been grateful for before and share that with God. (This I must start doing!)

Hope this encourages you. Maybe you know of some other ways to reduce stress or simply make each day easier & better! Love to hear from you!
JK

Oops! I Did the Wrong "Meme!"

2008-02-03T19:52:00.000+02:00

My mom with Joshuwa.

Well, Angie...I thought when you tagged me that it was for the same one you were tagged for! Sorry!
Now, I have to think of 20 things my mom taught me. (The other took a lot less thought!)
So...here it is: My list of 20 things my mother taught me!
1. To smile and share that smile with others.
2. To enjoy having people in my home.
3. To be involved in church wherever Jesus leads.
4. To drink coffee black!
5. When it comes to cooking, to clean up as you go!
6. To read my Bible through (although I didn't do it in a year; it took 3!)
7. To enjoy being short.
8. To LOVE shopping!
9. To love working with youth.
10. To appreciate and learn sign language.
11. To be a Baylor Bear!
12. To find joy in life.
13. To treasure my family.
14. To enjoy crafting.
15. To love reading.
16. To love "murder mysteries."
17. To be dependable.
18. To praise my kids.
19. To support my husband.
20. To love the Lord, Jesus!
Thanks, Mom! I love you!

Ouch! I've Been Tagged

2008-02-01T11:24:00.001+02:00

Ok...it doesn't hurt at all to be tagged! Who wants to be next?

Four jobs I've had:
1. Working in the payroll dept. for American General Insurance Corp. (now AIG)
2. Teaching Math in Texas (grades 8 & 9)
3. Teaching Math & Computers in VA & NC (grades 6, 7, & 8)
4. Missionary in South Africa
Four places I've lived:
1. Houston, TX
2. Ft. Worth, TX
3. Durham, NC
4. Joburg, South Africa
Four movies I've watched over and over:
1. You've Got Mail
2. Ever After
3. Pride & Prejudice
4. Flicka
Four Shows I watch:
1. 24
2. Animal Cops Houston
3. How Do I Look?
4. Clean House
(Except for 24, these shows are on South African satellite TV)
Four Places I've been:
1. NYC
2. Mexico
3. Zimbabwe
4. Cape Town, SA
Four people who email me regularly:
1. Barbara Myers (our cluster prayer advocate & I'm team prayer advocate)
2. Mom
3. Angie Lechner
4. Wanda Andrews
(I do IM regularly with others like my dad, my brother, Bronnie, friends from NC, and Kurt...yes...that way I don't have to go all the way outside to his office!)
Four favorite things to eat:
1. Mexican food
2. Chocolate chip cookies
3. Popcorn
4. Pineapple (You can get it with chili powder at the market!)
Four things I look forward to this year:
1. Riding Ivy (my pony)
2. Family coming to visit us in SA
3. Holiday at Moolmanshoek (& horse riding every day!)
4. Losing 4 more kgs (8.8 lbs) - I had gained way too much weight in America last year!

Pictures

2008-01-29T13:00:00.000+02:00

Ok...here a few pictures of Joburg this summer. For those of you used to green, it may not seem all that lush...but we've had an exceptional amount of rain so compared to normal summers here...it is very green. The winter is especially brown in Joburg, so it's nice to see the green grass and the beautiful flowers.

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

2008-01-23T21:59:00.000+02:00

And please don't come back for at least a month!!
Ok...I know rain is important and it is a wonderful blessing from the Lord.
But...I haven't seen the sun since Friday and it's been seen sporadically before that! I feel like it's been raining solid since November! Yes, we've had some sunny days, but not like we are used to during Joburg summers.
On the upside...it is so green here! For those of you that have visited during the winter months when we get absolutely no rain, I know green is hard to imagine!
As soon as the sun comes out, I will go outside and take pictures. The grass is lush, the bushes are full, and the trees are a deep green! It really is beautiful!
And...come winter, we will all be wishing for a little rain and a little more green.
So, although I would like to see the sun and feel it's warmth on my face, I am enjoying seeing the the beautiful hills of Joburg filled with green.

Time Flies!

2008-01-22T21:14:00.000+02:00

Wow! I can't believe it's been a year since the last time I wrote! The year simply got away from me. And so much has happened. I'll catch you up...quick!

Our family went back to the States for 4 months. It was our "Stateside Assignment" with our mission organization. It was a time to visit Baptist churches and share with them about our ministry in South Africa. It was a time to gather more prayer support. It was also a time to visit with our families.

We took 2 trips during out time in the States. We went to NYC with my parents and my brother. We saw "The Phantom of the Opera" and "The Lion King." We also did some sight seeing. We went on a cruise with Kurt's (my husband) and his family...sister, niece, brother & sister-in-law and other niece. Ruth Anne and I went horseback riding in Cozumel and then the whole family (Kurt, Ruth Anne, Joshuwa & I), along with Kurt's mom went on a dune buggy ride off the coast of Mexico. We really enjoyed our time with family.

The kids went back to school as soon as we arrived back in South Africa. Kurt even started school...as the teacher! He began teaching at the local Theological College. We were able to get Joshuwa into speech & physio therapy. He is talking so much clearer now! Ruth Anne took over training her young horse, Roxy.

Christmas arrived. We stayed around Joburg most of December. We got away for 3 days, staying at a place called Moolmanshoek. Kurt rode a horse one day, but Josh, Ruth Anne, her friend, and I rode 3 days in a row! It was great!

Ruth Anne passed grade 8 and began grade 9 on January 9th. She seems to like her classes. Joshuwa is in grade 0 (Kindergarten) at the same school as last year. He loves school!

Enjoy the pictures. And, I promise to keep writing...all year long!

Blessings!

Janna Kay

Silence is Golden !!

2007-01-15T16:20:00.000+02:00

Last week, I went on a silent retreat for 3 days. I thought to myself, "Three days! How am I going to make it?! I need to use my 25,000 daily words (my husband read that men use 2,000 words daily and women 25,000). If I don't use my words, my head will be so full it will explode!!" I knew that would be a mess no one would want to clean up!
Well, I decided when we arrived at St. Benedict's that I would do my best to make the most of the experience. We met with a pastor who was our leader. He showed us ways to focus on the Lord and enjoy the solitude. He guided us in ways to pray and how to listen for God's spoken word to us. He even allowed us to rest! He encouraged us to take naps!
I have to say that it was a great experience and something I wish I could do every year! It was wonderful spending time with the Lord and not feeling rushed. One of the most freeing things I learned is that if my time with Him is not as productive as I think it should be is ok. God is honored by my faithfulness to meet with Him consistently each day. He is pleased that I desire to be with Him. Yes, my mind will wander or I may doze off in the early morning hours, but I show Him love by setting aside time with Him.
And no, my head did not explode...it is still attached to my body! The strangest part was not being able to talk while eating meals. Otherwise, silence was not hard...it was definitely golden!

Walter E. Sloan

2006-12-14T21:18:00.000+02:00

Walter E. Sloan was my grandfather.
He was a wonderful man.
He loved his family like no other.
And was a dedicated Astros fan.

His children were important to him.
He was proud of all they did.
He gave needed support to them.
At 96 bowled better than a kid!

A world class traveler he became.
And saw many different places.
No two countries were the same.
Neither were the faces.

He took special care of his wife.
He became her eyes and ears.
When she got confused with life,
he would calm all her fears.

My granddad experienced so much,
in a century of changes galore.
He only changed, as such;
He loved his wife and family more!

Ok, as you can tell, I'm not much of a poet. I just wanted a way to remember my granddad who just passed away at 99 years old! I am thankful that he lived a full, healthy life and that I got to be a part of it for almost 42 years!

A "White" South African Wedding

2006-10-15T14:21:00.000+02:00

You may be asking why I put the word "White" in the title of the post. Well, here in South Africa, there are 11 different official languages with 11 different cultures. Now, the white population, English and Afrikaans speaking people, have similar cultures. The wedding we attended this Saturday involved Afrikaans families, but English was the spoken language. And even though, white South Africans have a westernized world view, it is not United States view. There are differences...Thus, my post for today!
We were invited to the wedding of a fellow pastor's daughter. The first thing I noticed is that you are not escorted into the church (or chapel). The groom and several groomsmen were standing in the foyer, putting on their ties and jackets, and talking with the arriving guests. Also, it didn't matter on which side of their church you sat; their was no groom's side or bride's side. I asked a recently married friend if this was the norm. She told me that in some weddings of the wealthier people, they will escort women guests to their seats.
The parents and grandparents did come in right before the wedding started but were not seated as part of the ceremony. Although I do not know if this was normal, the church was not decorated with an abundance of flowers. There was one large floral arrangement at the front of the church. That's it!
The wedding ceremony began with the entrance of the Flower Girls. The Page Boy walked in along side the girls, but not holding the rings. He was the Page Boy, not the Ring Bearer. Much of the rest of the ceremony was like weddings in the States. The only other real difference was the signing of the "register." This ceremony took place at the end of the wedding, however, I was told by my friend that many do this in the middle. The bride and groom sat down at a table in front of the congregation and signed the register. The "register" is like the marriage certificate in the States. However, in South Africa, it must be signed by the bride and groom on the day of the wedding in front of the presiding minister.
At the end of the wedding ceremony, the bride and groom left the church as we threw rose petals at them. But, the reception was still to come!
The reception was run by a Master of Ceremonies...my husband, Kurt! This, to me, was a great idea. He announced the arrival of the bride and groom to the reception. He directed everyone to begin eating their starter (appetizer). Then, he introduced the Best Man, father of the bride, and groom before they gave their speech and toast. He gave directions on how dinner was being served and when everyone had eaten, he introduced the cutting of the cake, throwing of the garter and bouquet and first dance by the bride and groom. Of course, my husband told a couple of funny stories along the way! Besides having a Master of Ceremonies, the reception held a few other differences from US weddings that I have attended. The cake was not tiered. There were layers, but they were arranged separately and on pedestals of different heights. And, there was no groom's cake. The cake was not served to the guests. Other desserts had been provided during the meal.
But...even though there were differences and this wedding was not as formal as weddings in the States...it was beautiful! The bride was gorgeous, the ceremony perfect, the reception a delight!
May Megyn and Raymond enjoy their life together, centered in the love of Christ our Lord!! Blessings to you both!
(By the way...I did attend the wedding of one of our black pastors. Maybe, I'll enlighten you on that ceremony...one day soon!)

Teachable Moments

2006-10-02T21:17:00.000+02:00

Yesterday, I was reading my Bible in Mark, chapter 4. I got to the part where Jesus is inside a home and some said to him that his mother and brothers were outside wanting to see him. Jesus' reply was to ask, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" His reply to this rhetorical question was, "Whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother."
I always thought this was a rude way to reply to his mother and brothers until I got to thinking about what was not recorded in the Bible and the situation Jesus was in. He was surrounded by people and busy teaching them. He did not get up and go outside and ask that rhetorical question. His mother and brothers could not have heard him. He used this moment, the statement about his family to teach those around him something new. He saw this instant as a "teachable moment" and he couldn't pass it up! (I always like to believe that afterwards, Jesus goes out to see his family or he invites them in with him.)
How many "teachable moments" have I passed up? How many have I taken? A friend of mine took an opportunity to share God's fatherly love with her grandson as they were talking about finding Nemo. Her grandson made the observation that Nemo's dad went to great lengths to find Nemo. My friend replied that God goes to great lengths to bring us to him, because of His great love for us! Wow! Would I have thought of that?
Tonight, I had my opportunity. Ruth Anne received one of those chain emails...you know the ones...they start out with "Fw:Fw:Fw:" in the subject line and end with "send this to ten of your best friends." Well, this one told of people who died because they didn't forward it on and ended with "if you don't send it to ten people in 3 hours after reading this, you will die." What is a 13 year old to think? In Ruth Anne's words it "freaked" her out! She didn't want to send the rubbish to her friends, yet it put the fear of dying in her. She said to me, "I want to trust God. But it's so hard. I don't want to die." I took that opportunity to share with her about Abraham. I told her it took many years for him to develop trust that even though God asked him to sacrifice his only son (from Sarah), Isaac, God had a plan! And God did! He stopped Abraham before killing Isaac and provided a ram for him to sacrifice instead! Abraham had faith! But, that faith was developed over time. Abraham made mistakes along the way. His faith gave out on several occasions. Ours will, as well. I told Ruth Anne that this was just one step in her walk of faith with God. She found a verse 8 in Psalm 4 that says, "In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." I encouraged her to take a step of faith. Trust God in this verse. Lie down and sleep, trusting Him to keep you safe...and alive!
It was a great moment with my precious daughter. How I look forward to more teachable moments like this, with both my daughter and my son! I pray that I would not miss others that God gives me!
Blessings!

For the Love of Riding

2006-09-10T13:40:00.000+02:00

Horses! I just love them! My parents bought a ranch when I was 13 and my dad and I would ride for pleasure. I really didn't know what I was doing, but loved being outdoors on a beautiful animal!

When we moved to South Africa, Ruth Anne made friends with a girl that rode horses. Ruth Anne was 8 at the time and fell in love with horses and riding...I think she comes by that naturally! Three years later, my dad bought her a pony, named Ivy. She rides beautifully and competes in dressage.

Now, I've started riding Ivy. Yes...I am very short and fit nicely on Ivy! But, really, Ruth Anne has been gracious enough to share her pony with me! I am having the best time. Ivy is a great pony and I am learning so much from our instructor, Sheba. I actually competed in my first "Fun Day" dressage competition...and came in 1st place!!

This picture shows me getting ready to enter the dressage arena and getting final instructions from my daughter, Ruth Anne.

Visitors from Home

2006-08-16T08:56:00.000+02:00

I love South Africa. I love where I live, Joburg. But, I am still a foreigner. We have made some really good friends here, but I still miss church family! Church people have always formed my closest family since I can remember. Here in Joburg, that is not the case. Even among missionaries, something is different (maybe it's us!). I think it is because, in the States, you see people at church more often than once a week. You develop close friendships when you see each other and work together often. Missionaries don't have the luxury of seeing each other very often. Although, some are able to form close relationships despite the distance.
All that to say, I absolutely love it when teams from the States come to visit and help us with our ministry! In fact, I'm sitting here eating a bowl of "grits" right now! It is instant grits...But it still tastes like home! We had two teams with us in July and August. One was from our home church, The Summit, in North Carolina. The other was a team from Mississippi.
One of the most wonderful things about teams is that you not only see old friends again, but those on the team you didn't know before become new friends. Family has come to see us in South Africa!
I just want to take this chance to say "thank you" to the Summit Church and Church of the Highlands for making these past two months exciting, fun and memorable. And, I want you all to know that your ministry with us in invaluable. You are able to do things that Kurt and I can't do alone! You all have touched many lives, children and adults, while you were here working with us. I don't have the words to say "thank you" adequately. But, know this, you are so appreciated and loved! God has used you here in a mighty way! Thank you, also, for blessing us personally with a part of "home."

Just a note...Thinking about close friendships...How do you develop a close relationship with God? It is the same principle. Spend time with God. The more time, the closer the relationship with Him will be! He love us! He wants us to spend time with Him. He wants to be close to us!
Blessings!

Skating!

2006-06-26T22:35:00.000+02:00

I hate to brag...ok...don't hate it so much, especially when it is necessary! Last week, we took some youth from our organization ice skating. Josh, our 4 year old, and Ruth Anne, our 13 year old, went along. This was Josh's first time ever to skate. The first lap around the rink, Ruth Anne and I each held one of Josh's hands. Then, the next 3 or 4 laps, I held one hand and he held the side with the other. Then, he didn't want my help..."I do it myself," I was told. He kept trying to let go of the side and by the end of the 7th lap he was skating on his own! He skated by himself for the next hour! The rink was fairly empty, so he had plenty of space to practice.
Well, the youth wanted to go back skating one more time. So off we went this week. Josh was very excited. Friday, was the last day of school for the local children, so the mall and the rink were crowded. But, that didn't bother Josh. He held on to the sides for one lap, then off he went on his own! By the end of the two hours, he was making it around 3 or more times without falling! Other kids there were really amazed at him. They would give him the "thumbs up" every time they went by!
I am so amazed at Josh's gross motor skills. He learned to ride a bike all by himself, he hits a pitched tennis ball with a bat (when his short attention span is still looking at the ball), he kicks a soccer ball harder than any 3-4 year old that I've noticed, and he can ice skate. Oh, he also does front flips on our trampoline (since he was 2)! I don't know what God's plan is for him, but He has really gifted him!

Little Blessings...Big Blessings

2006-06-13T21:48:00.001+02:00

When we arrived on the western side of Joburg, South Africa, we added 3 to a group of about 13 missionaries. For the next four years, our numbers changed some but stayed close to 10. But, things change drastically at the end of 2005! We added Josh to our family, but all the missionaries working with us left! We were down to just our family of 4!
Our wonderful sending agency provides us with a house and one car. But, as the only mission family left, we were going to need an extra car in case of emergencies (work/school conflict, car problems, accidents...). So we decided to purchase another car. One of our short-term missionaries who finished with our organization and stayed in South Africa to work, was leaving to return to the States. We bought her car before she left.
The car needed some minor work done. That was fine. However, petrol (gas) prices were rising and I was feeling that the car was beginning to require more money per month than we had budgeted for. Then, about a month ago, the car started making a really weird sound by the driver's side front wheel (for those of you in the States, the driver's side is on the right). Well, the strange sound came and went, so in my "how cars work" ignorance, I ignored the sound. But, things got worse. It became almost impossible to put the car in reverse without grinding the gears something horrible. Then, it did become impossible...to put the car in reverse! I had to turn off the engine to do it. And, on top of that, it was starting to grind when putting it into 1st and 2nd gear. Oh! I knew my car was in big trouble! I just knew our bank balance was in bigger trouble! Transmission - I did know that word and the sound of it rang BIG BUCKS!
But, it was so terrible to drive and I knew the longer I waited the worse it would get. So, I took it to the garage.
Now, the previous owner had used this garage and I had used it for the minor repairs when I bought the car. So they knew the car fairly well. I left the car on Monday morning. All day dollars signs kept flashing through my mind. I prayed many times that God would help provide and would help us stand by our "no drive" policy when we used up our budgeted money for the month. I just knew that would mean going a month without driving.
By 1 pm, I got the call. The car was ready and the mechanic wanted to talk to me. I was nervous. Did we make the right decision in buying a car? Did we really know God was leading us to buy it or did we jump in without His ok? Would this repair take all our savings?
My husband and I arrived at the garage and the mechanic came out to talk with us. He said he couldn't find the water leak I've been having problems with, but would do a thorough check next week. He also said that I may need to have the breaks checked soon. Then, he stopped talking! What about the gears? What was the problem? I thought. Thankfully, my husband voiced my questions. Oh...he said...they just needed some adjustments. NO Charge!
Really? No charge? Adjustments? What does that mean? WOW!!! Isn't God good? He sends us people who know a lot more than me to help us. Good people that we can trust and that will treat us right. God knew we didn't have the money. He provided a mechanic that would make adjustments and not even charge us for his time! Thank you! Thank You, God. Thank you, WP Motors!
My car is working wonderfully. I'm still monitoring the water leak...but it is not a bad leak and I do know how to fill it with water when it gets low.
To some, this may seem like a little blessing, but for me (know-nothing about cars), it is a huge blessing!

"I Do Myself"

2006-06-03T21:01:00.000+02:00

"I do myself." I hear that quite a lot from my 4 year old, Joshuwa. He is in the stage where he wants to try everything himself, from getting dressed to putting on his seatbelt to working the DVD player (help!). About the only thing he doesn't want to "do myself" is clean up his toys! He also gets quite frustrated when we forget to let him or he just can't quite do himself.
Yesterday, two friends from across the street came over to play. One is 5 and the other is 3. Josh has a battery-powered car, another riding toy you work by pushing with your feet, and a bicycle that we took the training wheels off because they were always coming loose.
When I looked out the window, the 5 year old was on Josh's bike, Josh was on the riding toy, and the 3 year old on the car. They were having a great time! When they tired of that, they came in to play until the 2 boys' grandfather came to fetch them.
That evening, Josh tells me, "My friend rode my bicycle by himself. I ride myself, too." Well, I thought, "Ok...sure, Josh tried to ride. I'm sure he fell and then let his friend ride again."
Today, my husband, Kurt, came inside with Josh saying, "Let's show Mom what you can do." I was a little nervous because Josh can already do flips on the trampoline and jumped off the monkey bars of our swingset. But, being the good Mom that I am (?), I went outside, praying Josh would not break a leg while I was watching.
What did he do? He got on his little bicycle, pushed off with both feet, then put them on the peddles and rode that bicycle around the yard! I was amazed! By watching his friend yesterday, he taught himself how to ride his bicycle!!
I am still amazed!

Fire!

2006-05-30T16:03:00.000+02:00

I finally got my towels washed this week! Actually, I washed them yesterday! After they finished washing, I decided (as I normally do) to hang them up on the line outside to dry. Joburg has perfect weather for hanging clothes out to dry: sunny and low humidity. But, when I went outside to hang the towels, my lungs filled with smoke! The smell was aweful! Josh, my 4 year old, was holding his nose, asking, "What is that smell, Mommy. It stinks!"
What was that smell? A "veld fire." What is a "veld fire?" Well, it is a field on fire! During May and June, veld fires are an all too common experience around Joburg and other areas of South Africa. Because the weather is so dry during the winter, many grassy areas are set on fire to prevent "accidental" burns that could get out of control. Also, burnings help replenish the ground and kill insects , so the grass usually grows back greener when the rains come in late September or October.
Needless to say, the towels didn't get hung up that day! In fact, I forgot all about them in the wash and had to rewash them and hang them today!
Ruth Anne, my daughter in grade 7, came home with a graded exam from her Natural Science class. She had missed the question, "South Africa has four distinct seasons" by answering "false." So, that means the teacher thought it was true...South Africa has four distinct seasons! Well, I love South Africa, but I had to break it to them. They do NOT have four "distinct" seasons. Maybe two...warm and cold. However, I will give them credit; they do have some trees whose leaves change color and fall when the weather becomes cold. And, I might give them credit for another season..."veld fire" season!

2006-05-24T13:22:00.000+02:00

Today, I'm sitting at my computer, wrapped up in a blanket and drinking hot tea! Why? You might be asking. Because it is FREEZING in my house. Ok, Ok...reality. I know it is not 0 degrees C (32 F), but it is really cold! It did get down to freezing last night, actually below freezing. Yes, Africa (at least this part) is cold! But it is now quite nice outside. So, why am I wrapped up and drinking a hot beverage? The houses in South Africa don't have central heating (or central air, for that matter). Most houses are built of brick and cement so there is no place to hide pipes and vents. In fact, plumbing pipes are put on the outside of the houses. And, our house, being older, has these special bricks with small holes they put in over doors and windows! Being the good Americans that we are, we've covered these "special" bricks with contact paper! We use gas heaters for big rooms and electric heaters for smaller rooms (like the bathrooms). But, gas can get expensive! Since the winter of 2001, the price of gas has doubled! So we try to conserve and only use heaters at night.
What are some ways to get warm? Well, do what I'm doing...wrap up and drink hot tea or coffee all day (some people even drink hot water!). Or, you can go outside and stand in the sun! Yep, in Joburg, winter is the dry season and there are many day where there is not a cloud in the sky! The temperature goes up 10 degrees from the shade to the sun! My face can get quite a tan in the winter!
So, today, enjoy your central air conditioning or heating. And, if you visit South Africa in the winter (May-Sept), bring warm clothes...especially warm pajamas!

The Move to South Africa

2006-05-19T12:17:00.000+02:00

Well, here is my second post...catching up to where we (my family and I) are today.
My husband had always wanted to teach baseball and share the gospel (sports evangelism) in Russia. In 1998, while we were living in North Carolina, he got an opportunity to go to Zimbabwe, Africa to teach baseball and lead Bible studies at a local school. When he returned from that trip, I knew something was different. During his time in Zimbabwe, he and the missionary there discussed possibilities for coming to Africa long-term.
Right then, I knew...or had a pretty good feeling...that God was leading us to Africa. I was anxious, but excited about it. We prayed and prayed and listen to God through His Word. Through it all, it became clear that God wanted us to go to Africa. We thought that he would take us to Zimbabwe. But He had other plans. There was no job for a sports evangelist in Zimbabwe, but there was one in South Africa. That is the one we answered!
We came to Joburg in October 2000 and have been here ever since. Our job has changed quite a bit. We started out teaching baseball at schools in areas where there was no church work. It helped us get into the community. We also taught life skills with other team members (missionaries working with us) at the local schools.
Now, we do mostly Bible studies and leadership training that will help start new churches. We are currently doing most of our work in Soweto and informal settlements (squatter camps). But, we have helped our Baptist partners in Joburg start a church in a nearby middle class neighborhood. It is an area that is growing rapidly!
When we came to Joburg, we brought one child with us, our daughter, Ruth Anne. In 2003, we adopted a boy, our son, Joshuwa. The children are very happy at their schools in Joburg. Josh is 4 now and VERY active. Ruth Anne is 13, loves riding horses and competes in dressage.

My Story

2006-05-18T07:15:00.000+02:00

I thought that for my first post I must catch you up on who I am by telling you my story. So here it is!
I was born in Houston, Texas to wonderful parents. I grew up in church. Actually, I went to church before I was born! I knew so much about the Bible. I knew most Bible stories. I knew who Jesus was and why he came to earth. By the time I was 7 years old, I knew Jesus had come to earth, was God's son, lived a perfect life, died in place of me for the forgiveness of my sins, and rose from the dead then ascended to heaven. I knew all this! But for some reason, I was a fearful child. I was fearful of many things...dog bites, breaking arms or legs, etc and especially dying and going to hell.
I knew many people at my church were being baptised. So I thought that if I got baptised I wouldn't go to hell. So sometime before my 8th birthday, I went to speak to my pastor. I remember telling him that I knew all about Jesus. So I was baptised.
But, that was where the problems began. I knew about Jesus in my head. But, I didn't really believe in my heart. When I became a teenager, fears began to take over me, especially the old fear of going to hell. I used to wake up in the middle of the night calling out to my parents just to make sure they hadn't been "raptured" and left me alone. I just knew I wasn't going with Jesus. I would also sit in the bathtub and make myself sick thinking about "forever." I would pray constantly that Jesus would let me into heaven.
Finally, one Sunday night at church when I was 18, a lady (and I will add that I had never seen her before or after that Sunday night) gave her testimony. Even though she was sharing her story...she was really sharing my story. All her thoughts and fears were mine! I knew things were not right.
By that Wednesday, I had gotten up the courage to call my youth pastor and told him all I had been going through. He told me that I hadn't taken what I knew in my head to my heart. I didn't really believe. That night, I realized, I did believe. I knew without a relationship with Jesus Christ, without truly trusting in his death on the cross and resurrection, without faith...I would die and be in hell. Romans 10:9 says, "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and BELIEVE in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you WILL be saved." So over the phone with my youth pastor, I confessed to God that I did truly believe in Jesus, His Son, and all he did for me!
Wow! What a burden of fear was lifted from me! I was certain that heaven would be my home! It was very freeing!
Now, to this day, I know where I will be when I die. But, not only that, I know who is with me everyday. No matter what happens, good or bad, or what I do, good or bad, I know God loves me, forgives me and is right beside me! What an wonderful feeling!
You can also be sure of heaven. It is faith. It is not based on anything you have done or will do. It is based on what Jesus Christ did for you because of God's great love for you!
Next post, I will share how we got to South Africa!
Blessings!