tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36100754030544624392024-03-13T16:27:47.980-07:00The Adamus FamilyRachel Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14673622113693268553noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3610075403054462439.post-39589247516732768352023-12-20T11:42:00.000-08:002023-12-25T18:11:46.178-08:00It's Only Been Two Years?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_JmeNP3_CrML_CNZNgkX9brig21-atKXfUqrfkvmT5hfwmEru1HriFBnpWtVUYsNorvBetsCWmTzZtqXNifF60RUGIyQxt8mynN2Aq9A5pEbyUKtFl-2Faypv8GCAtVIGor9UyHlbC60Ukm1C0hFESp3Nv9b9BQT2gXQkiyEB5VLoViCf_rldSnUg5Eg/s4000/Christmas2023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_JmeNP3_CrML_CNZNgkX9brig21-atKXfUqrfkvmT5hfwmEru1HriFBnpWtVUYsNorvBetsCWmTzZtqXNifF60RUGIyQxt8mynN2Aq9A5pEbyUKtFl-2Faypv8GCAtVIGor9UyHlbC60Ukm1C0hFESp3Nv9b9BQT2gXQkiyEB5VLoViCf_rldSnUg5Eg/s320/Christmas2023.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>Merry Christmas!</p><p>It feels like a lot longer than two years since my last update. While I had intentions to keep this updated annually, I think my (Rachel's) devotional blog "<a href="https://adamusra.wixsite.com/lamb-meets-lion" target="_blank">Lamb Meets Lion</a>" would be the best way to express these years for me. 2022 was the hardest year of my life spiritually, as I was suddenly confronted with a "Mt. Sinai" God that sees every corner of my heart and motives, leading to fear of my true position in Christ that I have never before had to wrestle with to the same degree. The latter part of 2022 and all of 2023 has been a reintroduction and reinforcement for me in the Scriptures on how to apply gospel grace while examining the evidence of salvation.</p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">"<span style="background-color: white; color: #001320; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">For you have not come to </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #001320; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">a mountain</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #001320; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"> that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, </span><span class="reftext" style="background-color: white; color: #b34700; font-size: 11px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 15px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="https://biblehub.com/hebrews/12-19.htm" style="color: #008ae6; text-decoration-line: none;">19</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #001320; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #001320; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">was such that</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #001320; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"> those who heard begged that no further word be spoken to them. </span><span class="reftext" style="background-color: white; color: #b34700; font-size: 11px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 15px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="https://biblehub.com/hebrews/12-20.htm" style="color: #008ae6; text-decoration-line: none;">20</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #001320; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">For they could not bear what was being commanded, “IF EVEN A BEAST TOUCHES THE MOUNTAIN, IT WILL BE STONED.” </span><span class="reftext" style="background-color: white; color: #b34700; font-size: 11px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 15px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="https://biblehub.com/hebrews/12-21.htm" style="color: #008ae6; text-decoration-line: none;">21</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #001320; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">And so terrible was what appeared, </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #001320; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">that</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #001320; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"> Moses said, “I AM FULL OF FEAR and trembling.” </span><span class="reftext" style="background-color: white; color: #b34700; font-size: 11px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 15px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="https://biblehub.com/hebrews/12-22.htm" style="color: #008ae6; text-decoration-line: none;">22</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #001320; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #001320; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">angels, </span><span class="reftext" style="background-color: white; color: #b34700; font-size: 11px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 15px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="https://biblehub.com/hebrews/12-23.htm" style="color: #008ae6; text-decoration-line: none;">23</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #001320; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">to the festal gathering and assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #001320; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">the</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #001320; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"> righteous made perfect, </span><span class="reftext" style="background-color: white; color: #b34700; font-size: 11px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 15px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="https://biblehub.com/hebrews/12-24.htm" style="color: #008ae6; text-decoration-line: none;">24</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #001320; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #001320; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">the blood</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #001320; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"> of Abel" (Heb 12:18-24, LSB).</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hebrews 12:18-24 summarizes what I have come to grips with in a fresh way these past two years, though I am still wrestling with fear and lack of assurance of my salvation in waves. However, fear is conquered by faith in the promises of Jesus Christ, and the evidences of the Holy Spirit's grace in my desires for holiness and fruit of the Spirit, and thus, I continue to preach the Word to myself. I think a lot of the reason God has taken me through this grueling journey is to freshen the glories of the gospel promises on a regular basis in my heart and to glorify Himself as He gives me faith to overcome fear. This has inspired greater zeal and vigilance in preaching the Word also to my children in practical, day-to-day life. Life circumstances are studios of learning to discover who we are and what God wants us to know about Him, and wow have those really come to life from a 2-D to 3-D way for me the last two years.</span></p><p>But this update is far from all about me. While God created a powerful storm in my own life, it greatly affected my family interactions. I began realizing much more acutely the powerful purpose of God in the marital covenant to be a reflection of the union of Christ and the church (how coincidental that this is the very entity under such heavy bombardment by the powers of darkness in this day). Because of the significant way a holy marriage glorifies God, Michael and I have been making unresolved conflicts a priority. God has forced hidden heart thoughts into the light, which has deepened our marriage and created more unity in our day-to-day decisions as well as our spiritual priorities. Of course, this is still a work in progress, and we covet your prayers for God's victory for complete unity, not just for our marriage, but for the whole church of Christ!</p><p>Lightening up to the more day-to-day news, we joined Heritage Reformed Congregation in Kinnelon this year after attending as non-members for a year prior. God made it clear to us that it was time to move on from a church we had been part of for 11 years since our marriage. This was painful because of the circumstances that forced it, but we are very thankful and built up in our new church, which is also looking for a pastor. In spite of this, an intern pastor and visiting preachers have continued to bless us with rich exposition of the Word every week, and we all sense the blessing of the Holy Spirit of this ministry to our hearts. I have been involved in a ladies' Bible study there, as well as teaching in the ESL ministry of the church. This is reaching dozens of nationalities, and with a Bible devotional inserted into every two-hour-long Thursday evening, every one of them is hearing the truth of sin and the gospel. We pray for fruit! Michael is growing and excited by the Men's Bible study and prayer breakfast on Saturdays, and he is a leader in a weekly prayer meeting. He has joined a rotation to play the piano for Sunday worship services and other meetings as needed and loves it.</p><p>Michael still works for Picatinny Arsenal, though he only has to commute two days per week, which is a blessing. I was recruited to join the substitute teachers at my children's Christian school and continue to be part of the Mom's in Touch prayer group Wednesday mornings. With increased homework and new parenting challenges that come with maturing children, I haven't had as much time to write but hope that will change with some improved health by God's grace.</p><p>Timothy is now in third grade and Hannah Joy in first. They are loving school and doing well, though not without bumps. However, God is faithful and shows Himself strong in our weakness!</p><p>I am looking forward to a trip out West in January for the eagerly anticipated arrival of my sister Mary's first child--God's miracle after a long 12-year wait. I am also excited to finally meet my nephew Conagher, my brother Jonathan's son, so I will be taking a two-legged trip between southern CA and AZ.</p><p>So there you have it--two years of updates in hopefully not too long a summary. I hope that if you're reading this, you'll also update us of your life. May we continue to uphold one another in prayer, with hope, during a time of great darkness in the world, for the One who called us is faithful!</p><p>Now for a picture tour of the year!</p><p>Late winter...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidAD1d2oUEFZkue-dORH5HEBNYMy2XlBK6htQUVDoAmEkFjiJjroydg53BPjZRBamgYzGiVQtEz9piU2KHifa6_9P2w5pyzhyphenhyphenb9wz73La-bA5ttvcjda3Xp2enk2hhIWvUgR7hyAz6RSVLlrpGOaAeA3UXGr8X1dSuaP1SEwoK_o3YBB-Zio4DyX7EyF8/s4032/01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidAD1d2oUEFZkue-dORH5HEBNYMy2XlBK6htQUVDoAmEkFjiJjroydg53BPjZRBamgYzGiVQtEz9piU2KHifa6_9P2w5pyzhyphenhyphenb9wz73La-bA5ttvcjda3Xp2enk2hhIWvUgR7hyAz6RSVLlrpGOaAeA3UXGr8X1dSuaP1SEwoK_o3YBB-Zio4DyX7EyF8/s320/01.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl57hVZrFJnKc3Hb4RM0-ZxAgCPyNESphTbbSkTguaCIT4Mcy9s-nQiHc9yCsiHGEpngQIhPjqaqb-lC-2CXizXTCDiLxE89WE38ikvPvCk7p4Ui64xlmDQUklRNRDuNEygDARjI6nGbsmXL2zVFh2q_oM5FUQKdhAvkBszkxuDzK-HzMg9FiUvDQ1iiI/s3666/IMG_8586.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3666" data-original-width="2750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl57hVZrFJnKc3Hb4RM0-ZxAgCPyNESphTbbSkTguaCIT4Mcy9s-nQiHc9yCsiHGEpngQIhPjqaqb-lC-2CXizXTCDiLxE89WE38ikvPvCk7p4Ui64xlmDQUklRNRDuNEygDARjI6nGbsmXL2zVFh2q_oM5FUQKdhAvkBszkxuDzK-HzMg9FiUvDQ1iiI/s320/IMG_8586.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">A volcano in the house!?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiyFjohzYO3yZsJaQX-ezrKbEK5TRPKdK-9IOJevh0nXbQpPl7ALm6AmMPhR1sfxrekQlJSEyFqsRbTAlclKNt00l0LDQX3xf31rL4-MgZGKZEJ-9LvhkYGYlNPF2wv_TNTpg9h4H1n65cNsX2aMgnHmUZF3Z2crZKL3WvxrUQ1GZACsjCToNgOt1SENw/s4032/20230108_152315.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiyFjohzYO3yZsJaQX-ezrKbEK5TRPKdK-9IOJevh0nXbQpPl7ALm6AmMPhR1sfxrekQlJSEyFqsRbTAlclKNt00l0LDQX3xf31rL4-MgZGKZEJ-9LvhkYGYlNPF2wv_TNTpg9h4H1n65cNsX2aMgnHmUZF3Z2crZKL3WvxrUQ1GZACsjCToNgOt1SENw/s320/20230108_152315.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Holding up that bolder was daunting...LOL. Just kidding.<br /><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMgR5plTlQXY_b75t5x-BhWnViM4NmwhZFF2TlEYQwpLCWSg8aG2Sq1SHX0k-mx8xYne7XbQcAmyAB2jPW_qt4qLqi48z3Pnptl7v968qLf85NVSqNc3cWeq4pGY7JmTiuNE6gY7vqWTr1TbGEldryR_Nu0YD6u-wwzGjMLnFujIfP0u_GeMTUXyCsp_4/s4032/20230220_145231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMgR5plTlQXY_b75t5x-BhWnViM4NmwhZFF2TlEYQwpLCWSg8aG2Sq1SHX0k-mx8xYne7XbQcAmyAB2jPW_qt4qLqi48z3Pnptl7v968qLf85NVSqNc3cWeq4pGY7JmTiuNE6gY7vqWTr1TbGEldryR_Nu0YD6u-wwzGjMLnFujIfP0u_GeMTUXyCsp_4/s320/20230220_145231.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></blockquote><div><br /></div>The kids had their share of school-inspired dress-ups!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6NaV1BwuYNYa1kymG565vWY138fmYV3Or-SaG7dUyANZCurbyREbpm6aSYW4zMZPBW7sgvK1zCU3oWBBVO851FKZa6DlR0CeC1bRKLgiSRRqHr039XuWHwUPdwhoZ7ajfNkxTiiScQWBPt6WBQFOLzbRs1WJ_xKqjeh4xSR1D42hKta9-CKUkQdUyXMA/s4000/20230324_075257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6NaV1BwuYNYa1kymG565vWY138fmYV3Or-SaG7dUyANZCurbyREbpm6aSYW4zMZPBW7sgvK1zCU3oWBBVO851FKZa6DlR0CeC1bRKLgiSRRqHr039XuWHwUPdwhoZ7ajfNkxTiiScQWBPt6WBQFOLzbRs1WJ_xKqjeh4xSR1D42hKta9-CKUkQdUyXMA/s320/20230324_075257.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4rRijp9HuEhm-g9edTukK0m6R21UxoSVYLrWPGSFpinz08vYuEKTsaRqojchFbWrSq33T2RNXrqO5GZ4kKXOwSXwY_RkRG9SVz44w402nV5NXOWhV7PIokfPGW_ZQml3i48JDIPWZe8dFYgHFrzvqDCJ3xQI4kJm-5_BdXGqit8STnFe6S-XxK67Yhf4/s4000/20230330_183920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4rRijp9HuEhm-g9edTukK0m6R21UxoSVYLrWPGSFpinz08vYuEKTsaRqojchFbWrSq33T2RNXrqO5GZ4kKXOwSXwY_RkRG9SVz44w402nV5NXOWhV7PIokfPGW_ZQml3i48JDIPWZe8dFYgHFrzvqDCJ3xQI4kJm-5_BdXGqit8STnFe6S-XxK67Yhf4/s320/20230330_183920.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRBsCFp0TuvBbPSEYlNrhJmnqfwynnwQVrQEPg1YgfODzfOnc3BzTCoXy7IDz1DE_1NAjZLlWb_cFjxpIeyYkvvd3q4_hveIfDC5xco5qrt1XUws8Rfhr-31A0Ve5w4Jrtb6zJSbIemrGwryhtQ3Xdu2zdh0h-mwo-I43aJqBj4TTZGAlaatpCMduQY4U/s4032/IMG_1364.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRBsCFp0TuvBbPSEYlNrhJmnqfwynnwQVrQEPg1YgfODzfOnc3BzTCoXy7IDz1DE_1NAjZLlWb_cFjxpIeyYkvvd3q4_hveIfDC5xco5qrt1XUws8Rfhr-31A0Ve5w4Jrtb6zJSbIemrGwryhtQ3Xdu2zdh0h-mwo-I43aJqBj4TTZGAlaatpCMduQY4U/s320/IMG_1364.HEIC" width="320" /></a><div><br /></div><div>Outdoor fun...<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_X5_8s7BxUKuS0Y9E43yPsHVndL4DeORcDeIae09sapm6EYgS274mJcXxtN8vg14lTkRnIlSR3FMRWCfx-AKAXmZYjXasH5LR8vKDigVVEUZiyexcnuBDbuaYMyK6NZTZOayTqE3LrqYHkmF_o4wYgJbE6zSM-mIVtT78zdBgzYaAopW-tW3vKGKJXOY/s4032/IMG_1089.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_X5_8s7BxUKuS0Y9E43yPsHVndL4DeORcDeIae09sapm6EYgS274mJcXxtN8vg14lTkRnIlSR3FMRWCfx-AKAXmZYjXasH5LR8vKDigVVEUZiyexcnuBDbuaYMyK6NZTZOayTqE3LrqYHkmF_o4wYgJbE6zSM-mIVtT78zdBgzYaAopW-tW3vKGKJXOY/s320/IMG_1089.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_4qoUHba18a_E4Ka8u227bSJwvlINKt2sT8h3rSKmuoA4gcYKJu5_kg5kAvEoJxebNco__NRA-ydblWxQr3WOga5EbDt0jsEEv91u6KyqnnGzkqu-1vn0IsMuT6IC8l5qBKuwZoQ0K8z9mnnlLJ5r-DtLvkad72KU-JabevkcD5TSovmnmnJTOrwZkVc/s4032/IMG_0016.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_4qoUHba18a_E4Ka8u227bSJwvlINKt2sT8h3rSKmuoA4gcYKJu5_kg5kAvEoJxebNco__NRA-ydblWxQr3WOga5EbDt0jsEEv91u6KyqnnGzkqu-1vn0IsMuT6IC8l5qBKuwZoQ0K8z9mnnlLJ5r-DtLvkad72KU-JabevkcD5TSovmnmnJTOrwZkVc/s320/IMG_0016.HEIC" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2-nkVgbi1K_OxKqiXsi1Niyq-NZgUDhucJEyoSoQsFiN1DYWrAg8xrez3JObtcRssXEzZC_8yeMC5q-Wol5FfK4q0MyuLCDq1teIxxigkZaco2NvGjSdSlvVLLXWY5csH-oZxNSYszKZKDBPMv1BGRa9LJTLFP7-s2q1lhUYfwwTrIrYuLgpy9b6MNz0/s4032/IMG_1097.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2-nkVgbi1K_OxKqiXsi1Niyq-NZgUDhucJEyoSoQsFiN1DYWrAg8xrez3JObtcRssXEzZC_8yeMC5q-Wol5FfK4q0MyuLCDq1teIxxigkZaco2NvGjSdSlvVLLXWY5csH-oZxNSYszKZKDBPMv1BGRa9LJTLFP7-s2q1lhUYfwwTrIrYuLgpy9b6MNz0/s320/IMG_1097.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwsJF0_gVgMZHMURF_DMMGgQcf_FaaMfcAUouIPcqwFssHvQIhytZ4PoAhLWznsuTzs2ifv_cfII6sVTk2n7saXlO5RbXAAnp5mM2XMOrYj4pv95YQw8NaXjZbfSk39Sd2Q7scosaOI2QpFy4VUDUKaqmKI3ae2bd2eBVztec8Qz_7uPT9HIEfNEsZFaw/s3088/IMG_1189.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwsJF0_gVgMZHMURF_DMMGgQcf_FaaMfcAUouIPcqwFssHvQIhytZ4PoAhLWznsuTzs2ifv_cfII6sVTk2n7saXlO5RbXAAnp5mM2XMOrYj4pv95YQw8NaXjZbfSk39Sd2Q7scosaOI2QpFy4VUDUKaqmKI3ae2bd2eBVztec8Qz_7uPT9HIEfNEsZFaw/s320/IMG_1189.HEIC" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqRb_6pjoyCIeljA8MZd4_wx7pYJn-AksRx_zGez8zwAWurv_oxP6ayicgKQFgUHCtHkburj5zPtZcwj7_lYxb5HVmxUVu3sfNNGDVzCp6Bxbjitf9gad4rkp0C-b1tYioy8am_MiISZ69ROHb1iVivoJs1j24XeQbKf7UfChMrdivu_boqtV-C74ItWc/s3088/IMG_1159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqRb_6pjoyCIeljA8MZd4_wx7pYJn-AksRx_zGez8zwAWurv_oxP6ayicgKQFgUHCtHkburj5zPtZcwj7_lYxb5HVmxUVu3sfNNGDVzCp6Bxbjitf9gad4rkp0C-b1tYioy8am_MiISZ69ROHb1iVivoJs1j24XeQbKf7UfChMrdivu_boqtV-C74ItWc/s320/IMG_1159.JPG" width="240" /></a></div></div><br /><br /></div><div>A new hobby: butter making from the raw milk we're getting from NY state...<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3kcczM6C3sfSzo4qnCl6qY7XfSs0fULszaiPAT6jePeRA2Sv6ZoqGg7uEcUydzJk3frPYiYVDxd5j8TB6uNQd_hitHOse0RB7KVWoNIP348VtqTw-aafaqiJva9zqYst3mQnqeowRAT6J-RET-NjBteNRuX1ouypd6VHYFs3r3NFTlVTVlBV3AwXd1hY/s4032/IMG_1211.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3kcczM6C3sfSzo4qnCl6qY7XfSs0fULszaiPAT6jePeRA2Sv6ZoqGg7uEcUydzJk3frPYiYVDxd5j8TB6uNQd_hitHOse0RB7KVWoNIP348VtqTw-aafaqiJva9zqYst3mQnqeowRAT6J-RET-NjBteNRuX1ouypd6VHYFs3r3NFTlVTVlBV3AwXd1hY/s320/IMG_1211.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Thanksgiving with parents!</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqreN2NlEZExi0Xq13TPmWXfp7zly2zfMdP0tDTw_ElOEv_X5PgjNbnFW7CxzVzC_bduy4YC0n7O-XUfgRZI-kKquAbC2lQnYMuT1yKFMww0Yzfsb4Z_9-vXNkMvxTx7NQtMwKu_zNjZ87m8qKVjVSlU9THjRNQi4r4oPv4IElxJX0ghGTUj_Vb1pGgNk/s3088/IMG_1347.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqreN2NlEZExi0Xq13TPmWXfp7zly2zfMdP0tDTw_ElOEv_X5PgjNbnFW7CxzVzC_bduy4YC0n7O-XUfgRZI-kKquAbC2lQnYMuT1yKFMww0Yzfsb4Z_9-vXNkMvxTx7NQtMwKu_zNjZ87m8qKVjVSlU9THjRNQi4r4oPv4IElxJX0ghGTUj_Vb1pGgNk/s320/IMG_1347.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl8lsINuvKzQe9x7679aGd9N5eYoZ__-xlRzn354Ce3270blA9RUih4zhuOdollzM5H1YI1CC74EGO2s6gaNQN796BohfHA-exdIhh4D5yD1bxnXb8McxXSjAW2hX_UPCkzbKHe1diQDU3N47E4PIznnmQ3KM978bNolOZKfuSCD0YuKpRTWz42pAjoIw/s4032/IMG_1231.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl8lsINuvKzQe9x7679aGd9N5eYoZ__-xlRzn354Ce3270blA9RUih4zhuOdollzM5H1YI1CC74EGO2s6gaNQN796BohfHA-exdIhh4D5yD1bxnXb8McxXSjAW2hX_UPCkzbKHe1diQDU3N47E4PIznnmQ3KM978bNolOZKfuSCD0YuKpRTWz42pAjoIw/w441-h331/IMG_1231.HEIC" width="441" /></a></div></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mother, daughter time at birthday parties!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzRgCME2lFsbWzF3aUV6hubHBly4h3y70_aIgFEA9GnXTUzj01CuE9q83umcNY5jyJKyvAPGn7UPVOGdWCrqlT6KeEi9uhyphenhyphenL-3BpBtUGhJ5OuUJW3Hi3toWhg2KBYkoQSTSpyx_iSPUWIUEV17xc6Ya-8gSRHMFGebYQkVsKxWCYNLuX5anJbF3dI4_kk/s4032/IMG_1490.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzRgCME2lFsbWzF3aUV6hubHBly4h3y70_aIgFEA9GnXTUzj01CuE9q83umcNY5jyJKyvAPGn7UPVOGdWCrqlT6KeEi9uhyphenhyphenL-3BpBtUGhJ5OuUJW3Hi3toWhg2KBYkoQSTSpyx_iSPUWIUEV17xc6Ya-8gSRHMFGebYQkVsKxWCYNLuX5anJbF3dI4_kk/s320/IMG_1490.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiujsIEqjY_3XAp_8JAAUb5sEWC_rSiiqtW2S8sxqJ5zWOIMSd7jIEs0q5gXDKu1n_uZYyTPENMhuSlU11DkvGlTT0MDRtkwx6fKcUHosM9lCsD85mXaLdfAatxDWf6zq5hxcPZBxrsIoJ5bHY-RepWX4rMmFil-1koYncZv_NNnTFs_EcU2XMopDybyms/s3666/IMG_8358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3666" data-original-width="2750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiujsIEqjY_3XAp_8JAAUb5sEWC_rSiiqtW2S8sxqJ5zWOIMSd7jIEs0q5gXDKu1n_uZYyTPENMhuSlU11DkvGlTT0MDRtkwx6fKcUHosM9lCsD85mXaLdfAatxDWf6zq5hxcPZBxrsIoJ5bHY-RepWX4rMmFil-1koYncZv_NNnTFs_EcU2XMopDybyms/s320/IMG_8358.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Visiting Plimoth Plantation in MA...and an unexpected snake encounter!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjENSYN2oeXDfV3dV4FgLX5cKANbNfauRs5raN0vpm9S8VHP5vcLlEAdIws3Wdt93fFK-8QJ9FAYwnYBzjfJDtQZkiC4IPuv9cZhA30cnkzqxtMNFoWYTFEToV6dexdul1bFg3Si5z7UmviODBUZMO3K6ohDhyphenhyphenqkes70DgC6_xbvds-ilnHJNI7p15fN4U/s4032/IMG_8976.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjENSYN2oeXDfV3dV4FgLX5cKANbNfauRs5raN0vpm9S8VHP5vcLlEAdIws3Wdt93fFK-8QJ9FAYwnYBzjfJDtQZkiC4IPuv9cZhA30cnkzqxtMNFoWYTFEToV6dexdul1bFg3Si5z7UmviODBUZMO3K6ohDhyphenhyphenqkes70DgC6_xbvds-ilnHJNI7p15fN4U/s320/IMG_8976.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnBoWB0e1E-11UR1QLzHQeWG7Cxvvpm0HWx7HQ1025keKW1W-1x4ms71s9SA8dMnIgwq9mY4-IWoMH_AOVJqKjZm97oHYfIekF4IgmcE2PiLxbhg1szMoqoTcNLpv-G7aLHSLjWi3lmXXox1tuIWHgWrb70fn9qF9GJXGxCxt7uDLfhENIPYqAiX_8iks/s3666/IMG_8998.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3666" data-original-width="2750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnBoWB0e1E-11UR1QLzHQeWG7Cxvvpm0HWx7HQ1025keKW1W-1x4ms71s9SA8dMnIgwq9mY4-IWoMH_AOVJqKjZm97oHYfIekF4IgmcE2PiLxbhg1szMoqoTcNLpv-G7aLHSLjWi3lmXXox1tuIWHgWrb70fn9qF9GJXGxCxt7uDLfhENIPYqAiX_8iks/s320/IMG_8998.JPG" width="240" /></a></div></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAed5PEFDLwbO7k1y1GCIAVp8eDi3gezloCBZCl8uYzSJMYXhwCic9LiAXT3Yfd6UrxtBgtqZox4CBA-im1h8-_EWVZR26qVqSbgN-kQb9uMZEw6MTIZ3OLx6jYJMg2Iqka1hUcid2WjCNk_9HTnvFb-RU34uoX8eZA_ejCA1ZwmsDzFalSJK7dC0maeQ/s3666/IMG_8999.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3666" data-original-width="2750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAed5PEFDLwbO7k1y1GCIAVp8eDi3gezloCBZCl8uYzSJMYXhwCic9LiAXT3Yfd6UrxtBgtqZox4CBA-im1h8-_EWVZR26qVqSbgN-kQb9uMZEw6MTIZ3OLx6jYJMg2Iqka1hUcid2WjCNk_9HTnvFb-RU34uoX8eZA_ejCA1ZwmsDzFalSJK7dC0maeQ/s320/IMG_8999.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Farm land in Lancaster, PA!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifefyPFPv3LfZi5SMjPDYhLYw7cJnZrkAuQlatrD-m0XV5kpWFcsq52FxywpbmkVjkUzLQ4OIDHU-U5O7_tg0Sg-j8Oa5QjrR8qiiroq7_YqFjKcKJ-roXVenwUV9BB70mnZWV7EmpQ_2Rge4tfYyGhRmha0kvkBJyXe9bEcRvZZxNeTfBkU22O_Fwms4/s4032/IMG_9192.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifefyPFPv3LfZi5SMjPDYhLYw7cJnZrkAuQlatrD-m0XV5kpWFcsq52FxywpbmkVjkUzLQ4OIDHU-U5O7_tg0Sg-j8Oa5QjrR8qiiroq7_YqFjKcKJ-roXVenwUV9BB70mnZWV7EmpQ_2Rge4tfYyGhRmha0kvkBJyXe9bEcRvZZxNeTfBkU22O_Fwms4/w347-h462/IMG_9192.jpg" width="347" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Parks, family, recreation!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCLUbVTsSuc9kGJet8ck-hUkORTIgAx1d3z30vw3ZoYhG1OPhkyb6iK5M5m1j0kdwz-PqaJNTM-gBup-iyD5KkPdM_DZ-NpNFt4WuqH93h0c5G7tDy7g-hJ5Ky1TJrukRttpw0-f2cXdI41A8WzHKIMg7amXDzvRJnbN4r1diJI7_ggWe7Ov18nItefqs/s4032/IMG_9692.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCLUbVTsSuc9kGJet8ck-hUkORTIgAx1d3z30vw3ZoYhG1OPhkyb6iK5M5m1j0kdwz-PqaJNTM-gBup-iyD5KkPdM_DZ-NpNFt4WuqH93h0c5G7tDy7g-hJ5Ky1TJrukRttpw0-f2cXdI41A8WzHKIMg7amXDzvRJnbN4r1diJI7_ggWe7Ov18nItefqs/s320/IMG_9692.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTS2he7Ppw_cjqnAFjVhY6BOxgutCzlbTa7iszO8nw_DdDxC_m18EIWi_wUv-TGeMz197iVgHfrNkzeTJdGXfDqdE5jtwlqtv6D1y4_apQ8fzhLaCLo1STqWMP81Z0_ZNZW8jCr1lixQ1CmcACQ_oVGrtMMRtQb4XBE0OKRY_QrlNmLRHTUPrNrkOgKmU/s3666/IMG_9396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3666" data-original-width="2750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTS2he7Ppw_cjqnAFjVhY6BOxgutCzlbTa7iszO8nw_DdDxC_m18EIWi_wUv-TGeMz197iVgHfrNkzeTJdGXfDqdE5jtwlqtv6D1y4_apQ8fzhLaCLo1STqWMP81Z0_ZNZW8jCr1lixQ1CmcACQ_oVGrtMMRtQb4XBE0OKRY_QrlNmLRHTUPrNrkOgKmU/s320/IMG_9396.JPG" width="240" /></a></div></div></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHyT953ox0tsxk4bXgaw3TzK_3Z1Pv203IS8MOL9cqj83nPK9vqB8wR_hSL27EyepNS92UovpsFRAAj_fopWATypeglLdW5gC_sH7g2Pl_RsFdBhIsk3B5hrGewOxN0qZLWYkYfW-sk5gIannVvTbDqAp7EseO2GvPKSeqoikNnyHiCaVyscHkmxulWwo/s4032/IMG_9829.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHyT953ox0tsxk4bXgaw3TzK_3Z1Pv203IS8MOL9cqj83nPK9vqB8wR_hSL27EyepNS92UovpsFRAAj_fopWATypeglLdW5gC_sH7g2Pl_RsFdBhIsk3B5hrGewOxN0qZLWYkYfW-sk5gIannVvTbDqAp7EseO2GvPKSeqoikNnyHiCaVyscHkmxulWwo/s320/IMG_9829.HEIC" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEBVuwmGqFkD21c6wWmZuqF3GnT1k7PDbj3cJ_3MLO-OoX_xJmG37n2m_92OzFakfyG-z-gJ7YU3Ff337n6MwuGCl4PtWX6mM_lTANMmmsNQclulqUPHE9OkgNC1R0thrLDQpSr2mbhSNDqXDkEKFDR8wNz66Xdc67Wj64xYJSua37_qVOZIvb7zjZ2CE/s4032/IMG_9846.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEBVuwmGqFkD21c6wWmZuqF3GnT1k7PDbj3cJ_3MLO-OoX_xJmG37n2m_92OzFakfyG-z-gJ7YU3Ff337n6MwuGCl4PtWX6mM_lTANMmmsNQclulqUPHE9OkgNC1R0thrLDQpSr2mbhSNDqXDkEKFDR8wNz66Xdc67Wj64xYJSua37_qVOZIvb7zjZ2CE/s320/IMG_9846.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWKIcGEJAMu6ZFyQiGx3HpAFx5R8-kurvwdtzzwIsqUSizmN9FVdfXXKQbSLD0Es2gRDuHqk2s8JnyyzPLzc2IeLIefSUIev0tLeSPgobrQ4Kqz77UQDE0LRtQPrew1X_M72diOXsSitqpQ-mT3YAlBvyJcVLsyfLdnhfRT7LdA9-E5YfSrz6Zu1_Sw1M/s4032/IMG_9891.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWKIcGEJAMu6ZFyQiGx3HpAFx5R8-kurvwdtzzwIsqUSizmN9FVdfXXKQbSLD0Es2gRDuHqk2s8JnyyzPLzc2IeLIefSUIev0tLeSPgobrQ4Kqz77UQDE0LRtQPrew1X_M72diOXsSitqpQ-mT3YAlBvyJcVLsyfLdnhfRT7LdA9-E5YfSrz6Zu1_Sw1M/w360-h480/IMG_9891.HEIC" width="360" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP2sdQp70NGCuPTF1ZPjXlNf4hOsMUvh5Pfa5t1TAbBRh2Oq3rb6XE2zoZP4-h6XyKmqQo1a5OedOEGg8d8Gq32VhHNeAQgMJ68wmp59p0X6eCPWGBbGx2a6eockm07i-nQddxBCjBTyfXhSDAC1sN3oltbCn0oSr9LFtpxD7hn1cXh_wq1vcRnq8trGs/s4032/IMG_9905.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP2sdQp70NGCuPTF1ZPjXlNf4hOsMUvh5Pfa5t1TAbBRh2Oq3rb6XE2zoZP4-h6XyKmqQo1a5OedOEGg8d8Gq32VhHNeAQgMJ68wmp59p0X6eCPWGBbGx2a6eockm07i-nQddxBCjBTyfXhSDAC1sN3oltbCn0oSr9LFtpxD7hn1cXh_wq1vcRnq8trGs/w330-h440/IMG_9905.HEIC" width="330" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0fzZ00Y1kniiSfTDxFvKmXulZB4-zUsiHZKT8X6TZDCW11zoQ4KUTnLhktHreyRNKHCNVMVfvo4n3b_3HiDfvztBnaHlxzn3dg5gdy4s1NdNyDuR5Bf4KnXTR62_BtdzNLlzU6F8GfkC0w9A8D9ToSGKlVntwk_XYjE9s5jdYGFZfvDSPjzeUqpje9Pw/s4032/IMG_9909.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0fzZ00Y1kniiSfTDxFvKmXulZB4-zUsiHZKT8X6TZDCW11zoQ4KUTnLhktHreyRNKHCNVMVfvo4n3b_3HiDfvztBnaHlxzn3dg5gdy4s1NdNyDuR5Bf4KnXTR62_BtdzNLlzU6F8GfkC0w9A8D9ToSGKlVntwk_XYjE9s5jdYGFZfvDSPjzeUqpje9Pw/w381-h508/IMG_9909.HEIC" width="381" /></a></div><br /><p>We're SO blessed with earthly gifts, but if they were all taken away, would we still find our joy in the King of the gifts? May Jesus help to keep our hearts ever centered on Him.</p><p style="text-align: center;">God bless you, and Merry Christmas!</p><p style="text-align: center;">Michael, Rachel, Timothy & Hannah Joy</p></div>Rachel Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14673622113693268553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3610075403054462439.post-89768537440437856542021-02-10T10:57:00.000-08:002021-02-10T10:57:34.857-08:00The Three-Year Whirlwind!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Well, it's been a long time!! I can't believe I haven't updated this blog in three years! A great deal has happened since then, and I think the whirlwind left this blog behind. Now, I am making an effort to give a brief survey of the years past, all of which have been greatly blessed of the Lord as we have sought to follow His leading through Jesus Christ in our family.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">2018 was a year of planning. We decided to put our house on the market at the end of January 2019, in order to move closer to the school we had selected for our children: Trinity Christian School (TCS). Timothy was to be entering pre-school that coming fall at Jacksonville Chapel, which was still a drive that seemed too difficult for Rachel to make regularly with her health challenges.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">We sold the house and moved out by May, 2019! While waiting to move into the home the Lord provided us, only 5 minutes from TCS and 15 minutes from Jacksonville Chapel, we lived with Michael's parents for three months in Cedar Grove.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Bye Bye Cedar Grove House</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: right;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6IjO8_rnXa9K6p5IQJkaa0AhOOJza38dxbqDpY92ycQLyFqLRWYtcMvS1LG5wSBheBt1JFn3BpMNKrami0gzI4RIxPrh-b1VtNsJkJJO655OuZRB2OM0UhzXyOHKLYevwvL9K67r7Y1E/s2048/IMG_20190509_101558.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6IjO8_rnXa9K6p5IQJkaa0AhOOJza38dxbqDpY92ycQLyFqLRWYtcMvS1LG5wSBheBt1JFn3BpMNKrami0gzI4RIxPrh-b1VtNsJkJJO655OuZRB2OM0UhzXyOHKLYevwvL9K67r7Y1E/w236-h177/IMG_20190509_101558.jpg" width="236" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh87aq7sL049CoCuK30RdHDuS7qewprCGQtkdgfGjNOi2KgLasacJT1x4AKA8Qr-L6JcYhDBd6zzpol2uuFAMAZGbUL7Jr-bPqhLwqfgmgk9SWH9Z4SZV14IZm9quf1dcRDCwC5xuPr-jU/s2048/IMG_20190509_092022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh87aq7sL049CoCuK30RdHDuS7qewprCGQtkdgfGjNOi2KgLasacJT1x4AKA8Qr-L6JcYhDBd6zzpol2uuFAMAZGbUL7Jr-bPqhLwqfgmgk9SWH9Z4SZV14IZm9quf1dcRDCwC5xuPr-jU/w312-h234/IMG_20190509_092022.jpg" width="312" /></a></div></div></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPg9fs40D8If_dVauxWZpJpskyfQ8dYhgy8wsmeJYdIyTgIooLjC6IYVh9EfNEcPWcZQNy46qCd5ZboIhl8dNToj92qWNzwPdGeQh-qoBb7JT3PYFbLTlcu4XeMFoBx8SIdS5M0T8-Wk0/s2048/IMG_20190511_121156.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPg9fs40D8If_dVauxWZpJpskyfQ8dYhgy8wsmeJYdIyTgIooLjC6IYVh9EfNEcPWcZQNy46qCd5ZboIhl8dNToj92qWNzwPdGeQh-qoBb7JT3PYFbLTlcu4XeMFoBx8SIdS5M0T8-Wk0/w233-h175/IMG_20190511_121156.jpg" width="233" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ-1idtElOvTO20fl0ZywGv2X4h9kFHH6BjywJqMZywi90oHbh7bFmu2oM9zxBkUclbaVTeSNCaoS3ElhUNCVXVfcv4pRaZbQk4dnU-PYPiFk3F260YJMljfpZndaGVNDYMyUdKqwMhJA/s2048/IMG_20190511_121505.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ-1idtElOvTO20fl0ZywGv2X4h9kFHH6BjywJqMZywi90oHbh7bFmu2oM9zxBkUclbaVTeSNCaoS3ElhUNCVXVfcv4pRaZbQk4dnU-PYPiFk3F260YJMljfpZndaGVNDYMyUdKqwMhJA/w230-h173/IMG_20190511_121505.jpg" width="230" /></a></div></div><br /><br /><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Welcome to Our New Home</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinZJjGxIVdu2fZlV19LVFFU_nhsJzJGCLPhw_GiXlSMF56jbgAVHhpPbZbW5d1_zyIJUXinhpnkHolDUfliZsgaN9ZXLA9qSdxa-zWmy4JpKU8gl2y60qOw9JQSMnWne_r-IRN7VCXBLM/s2048/IMG_20190522_142905584.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinZJjGxIVdu2fZlV19LVFFU_nhsJzJGCLPhw_GiXlSMF56jbgAVHhpPbZbW5d1_zyIJUXinhpnkHolDUfliZsgaN9ZXLA9qSdxa-zWmy4JpKU8gl2y60qOw9JQSMnWne_r-IRN7VCXBLM/w502-h376/IMG_20190522_142905584.jpg" width="502" /></a></div><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Timothy Starts Pre-School, Fall 2019</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS-FpyD7zRPQBUUtERPIPbDrW0_k2BxB0i3P5TelSk-xft1t_kQQM_WsqXOoZ865KPd8-feZsnbfmEG7lQec7i2gWOrIX6BBAjZZ2oMfYtGI8ELgPhZL5acG-tuVHQ0vNZ3HDi-OjNn8Q/s4160/IMG_20190906_101514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS-FpyD7zRPQBUUtERPIPbDrW0_k2BxB0i3P5TelSk-xft1t_kQQM_WsqXOoZ865KPd8-feZsnbfmEG7lQec7i2gWOrIX6BBAjZZ2oMfYtGI8ELgPhZL5acG-tuVHQ0vNZ3HDi-OjNn8Q/s320/IMG_20190906_101514.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYSbHxI8RytfBYQ6XWtQDLUV03dWCxcQeEXp7TFGskEggy5-pO3YmYKU5Kp0ILVDZ-mLaMC34uR46dJi7mWtCcWGCd2LEmShUc1JlVj_OoB0BT6bv1HORE3BBXP3UdKf0wgRMdaPV72Kc/s2439/IMG_20190906_100211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2439" data-original-width="2164" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYSbHxI8RytfBYQ6XWtQDLUV03dWCxcQeEXp7TFGskEggy5-pO3YmYKU5Kp0ILVDZ-mLaMC34uR46dJi7mWtCcWGCd2LEmShUc1JlVj_OoB0BT6bv1HORE3BBXP3UdKf0wgRMdaPV72Kc/s320/IMG_20190906_100211.jpg" /></a></div><br /></div>From fall 2019 to spring 2020, Rachel was full-speed engaged in Jacksonville Chapel programs: Mothers of Preschoolers and a morning women's Bible study, seeking to get rooted in the community. Well, we all know what 2020 was after March; everything came to a screeching halt. We learned a new way of life the rest of the year, hardly engaged in anything outside the home that wasn't bare necessity, and drew closer to God. Timothy's preschool year was cut short. His last day was sudden and unplanned in April. But it was planned by God, and in that, we rest. We are exceedingly grateful that Timothy was able to begin school at TCS in fall 2020 as a Kindergartner! He wears a mask all day but has not complained and loves learning!<div><br /></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Timothy in Kindergarten 2020</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRxllh5mTVfIsjmMFrNO6pO0ApVgg4nO7IXooVByZlPzZHxTlZCON2r5vm16N7Yua6mo86rwizxTBTCv65R2yhBWr8_6DDuGWSAhlltYZvePF5CCYNhZYaKv9MPM5EG7FY1JIkMMu1B2w/s2048/2020TimothyPhoto-TrinityChristianSchool.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1638" height="461" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRxllh5mTVfIsjmMFrNO6pO0ApVgg4nO7IXooVByZlPzZHxTlZCON2r5vm16N7Yua6mo86rwizxTBTCv65R2yhBWr8_6DDuGWSAhlltYZvePF5CCYNhZYaKv9MPM5EG7FY1JIkMMu1B2w/w369-h461/2020TimothyPhoto-TrinityChristianSchool.JPG" width="369" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Hannah Joy (now 4), has enjoyed special Mommy time (and Grandma--YiaYia time when she visited) while Timothy is off at school four days per week.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2fPZvq5G6diFTJHG_564uEx-XojpEkSK5cRsNo_gp1Od7kBZRPDnVOzucmm8Cdyik_EiZwTlAIb6cztVbvIOpozxXtS5Qu4mIjfN-ikr0Nh6AqPLyegQKgQeRQ3yp_o7ZgIkyatROsWY/s4160/IMG_20201209_104508310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2fPZvq5G6diFTJHG_564uEx-XojpEkSK5cRsNo_gp1Od7kBZRPDnVOzucmm8Cdyik_EiZwTlAIb6cztVbvIOpozxXtS5Qu4mIjfN-ikr0Nh6AqPLyegQKgQeRQ3yp_o7ZgIkyatROsWY/w486-h365/IMG_20201209_104508310.jpg" width="486" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOaH2qY-KO_rE-hdIyFqJy1jMFQDPtWQHzwQRmP1uQlDN2ii-lstH3xLJycUUZvKZw_AL26SzRQaTNA6Dh0TsaFo5gjRMKNOS-8q6yNcRConXmjLkmZrGJmU4nvpT5H-DafLXj9ckMMHQ/s4160/IMG_20201020_153748498_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOaH2qY-KO_rE-hdIyFqJy1jMFQDPtWQHzwQRmP1uQlDN2ii-lstH3xLJycUUZvKZw_AL26SzRQaTNA6Dh0TsaFo5gjRMKNOS-8q6yNcRConXmjLkmZrGJmU4nvpT5H-DafLXj9ckMMHQ/s320/IMG_20201020_153748498_HDR.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjicAgHo80RekhRidM-JJq97iaff4eypEUrqScQjMohbDczaHDudxfslL6JYq4jzyJuE0cNVxcUBEyQCjVwhQtBGlqZa92UGWR5ZCJfGCo7Gv41BR_aOnx0o4qAOlEejGv__ko6Lb8tsQE/s3264/IMG_20201021_134702720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjicAgHo80RekhRidM-JJq97iaff4eypEUrqScQjMohbDczaHDudxfslL6JYq4jzyJuE0cNVxcUBEyQCjVwhQtBGlqZa92UGWR5ZCJfGCo7Gv41BR_aOnx0o4qAOlEejGv__ko6Lb8tsQE/w338-h254/IMG_20201021_134702720.jpg" width="338" /></a></div></div><br /><br /><div>And Michael is still busy, thankful to continue working for Picatinny Arsenal and managing his home and spending time with his family, while serving as a deacon at church. He now works from home remotely, since April 2020.</div><div><br /></div><div>This past year, we've enjoyed one another and the many precious gifts of God in many ways:</div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">2019: Enjoying the deck at our new house!</h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxBparvGly75DBy6GgCq27jKPWPf8YZFmXn6NPCmcHgQLRCPRxZG3-dojHaosBIL56OS31XFryYgzjIToFwv0-ep4eRMUHobxnrYUEThJyK0NqvnWgzm7FTGB-a2YD_c7CJY-HwJ1l-y8/s4160/IMG_20190904_112507.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxBparvGly75DBy6GgCq27jKPWPf8YZFmXn6NPCmcHgQLRCPRxZG3-dojHaosBIL56OS31XFryYgzjIToFwv0-ep4eRMUHobxnrYUEThJyK0NqvnWgzm7FTGB-a2YD_c7CJY-HwJ1l-y8/s320/IMG_20190904_112507.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">2020: Outdoor Excursions</h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidflP_ulUB9auDhAMFn8PCmTV4_ZsoCaSsKbX3VvvHj79ANLJm6jUO3NrtrxHT3Ysn3Bnr_pswHd_Kc_6kiUVczx7de2D9uIyIb2yLHtMuDDUZkpuBffrOAwptrVBYA8v971x2CojHFwQ/s4160/IMG_20200930_163546639.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidflP_ulUB9auDhAMFn8PCmTV4_ZsoCaSsKbX3VvvHj79ANLJm6jUO3NrtrxHT3Ysn3Bnr_pswHd_Kc_6kiUVczx7de2D9uIyIb2yLHtMuDDUZkpuBffrOAwptrVBYA8v971x2CojHFwQ/s320/IMG_20200930_163546639.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv_VA2vG1skUAJyHIDSAwD8FFZocvurIEvWsXE7iJ3EjHLoc39L7KBMdlYm934-edMB7PdNMuxAcQSyGnyClEgeEdzDe0yTkyGknlIC-8bibhAw3PIv_ld546RV8o-F5U9W63vJuodCPE/s4160/IMG_20200930_170057388.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2340" data-original-width="4160" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv_VA2vG1skUAJyHIDSAwD8FFZocvurIEvWsXE7iJ3EjHLoc39L7KBMdlYm934-edMB7PdNMuxAcQSyGnyClEgeEdzDe0yTkyGknlIC-8bibhAw3PIv_ld546RV8o-F5U9W63vJuodCPE/w419-h236/IMG_20200930_170057388.jpg" width="419" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi14lQXVZJBOgFGL3E5a5QKNvbxjl4p9SpQnY_whoApLv3MJ5rwKxIY0p-pM8gSHFMcz4S17iMcaj-YD0UUGBwxoRcA9SySVORnE7bxh8HculmF8yLtAUzGyz3WgyaPXPxRWaRGeFHuqac/s3264/IMG_20201001_165107458.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi14lQXVZJBOgFGL3E5a5QKNvbxjl4p9SpQnY_whoApLv3MJ5rwKxIY0p-pM8gSHFMcz4S17iMcaj-YD0UUGBwxoRcA9SySVORnE7bxh8HculmF8yLtAUzGyz3WgyaPXPxRWaRGeFHuqac/w462-h347/IMG_20201001_165107458.jpg" width="462" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVs6mfSFnKn5qyQBdfqBHEWSFODFamQdqjlK_97QL6EkagI9lExvNY3GN6U1rniSbJXFnIpxJPoBtN79vJi2YdU_cId5eEtwa_-NeZw3rq9oPTCdhssPvkZCES6Etejl82G9Vtfuitq8E/s4160/IMG_20201003_104740082.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVs6mfSFnKn5qyQBdfqBHEWSFODFamQdqjlK_97QL6EkagI9lExvNY3GN6U1rniSbJXFnIpxJPoBtN79vJi2YdU_cId5eEtwa_-NeZw3rq9oPTCdhssPvkZCES6Etejl82G9Vtfuitq8E/w466-h350/IMG_20201003_104740082.jpg" width="466" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh45F3MEotu-OdvvxQtRRtWN2jldHrEIzmGUMj6HwhvskoQ2YkwQwKlsUKcMCKz_vaYEzhMxTacCWEL8SivFEv4pxEd7oAEK3V61nO4OPyMMwYMjQGgK81fQtbEkn73DguqVbM1sbsBc9Q/s4160/IMG_20201003_104954941.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh45F3MEotu-OdvvxQtRRtWN2jldHrEIzmGUMj6HwhvskoQ2YkwQwKlsUKcMCKz_vaYEzhMxTacCWEL8SivFEv4pxEd7oAEK3V61nO4OPyMMwYMjQGgK81fQtbEkn73DguqVbM1sbsBc9Q/w366-h488/IMG_20201003_104954941.jpg" width="366" /></a></div><br /><h4 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Camping in the backyard before it got cold (almost), and dinner in the tent!</h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFTGxyIEKMhGuTq1IHLE6TXAxX5lEhAm4EN43QrUO9yw9Fx2pTp8VcORlkw0igosIvtcZ6TyrUatifq2nuYDB7PQyHp9fLcs7JEkviq2TF9DquwX64L8VjETfpNmyVbzYp5DazcSB7Vqg/s4160/IMG_20201009_180100225_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFTGxyIEKMhGuTq1IHLE6TXAxX5lEhAm4EN43QrUO9yw9Fx2pTp8VcORlkw0igosIvtcZ6TyrUatifq2nuYDB7PQyHp9fLcs7JEkviq2TF9DquwX64L8VjETfpNmyVbzYp5DazcSB7Vqg/s320/IMG_20201009_180100225_HDR.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: center;">Farm trip!</h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDTj_6KhbDspA_qZZXkvh91wFY9vMySDy4lvdv5lxkU3p7ahb_qMZN9ChLmMRv5gepOTucw9DAkauISOn_Zuu6uE_TzZZBYoVY48cZ0BnphvC933Q3gynA777_nG5dGIFaqdSYnoTU6TI/s4160/IMG_20201017_153936691.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2340" data-original-width="4160" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDTj_6KhbDspA_qZZXkvh91wFY9vMySDy4lvdv5lxkU3p7ahb_qMZN9ChLmMRv5gepOTucw9DAkauISOn_Zuu6uE_TzZZBYoVY48cZ0BnphvC933Q3gynA777_nG5dGIFaqdSYnoTU6TI/w473-h266/IMG_20201017_153936691.jpg" width="473" /></a></div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">Bike rides!</h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrFAqonbyQBIdjgtRkXQMljfrLFiUYE87wxsmThyeXKLMv8yVejfDhPMU-dvNQriXCqbMHoeDRmOjdBrVt1qd7XphFlsMRZaWEfpyo7OZw0ES8qIlH7mmCKHcl4aFtdeabq9uotCi5z7M/s3264/IMG_20201109_162008980.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrFAqonbyQBIdjgtRkXQMljfrLFiUYE87wxsmThyeXKLMv8yVejfDhPMU-dvNQriXCqbMHoeDRmOjdBrVt1qd7XphFlsMRZaWEfpyo7OZw0ES8qIlH7mmCKHcl4aFtdeabq9uotCi5z7M/s320/IMG_20201109_162008980.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Dates!</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht52MNBdRXWdSqNyCt3t_96Ylb6m12yv3F63BJdgtj33eQayQLaJMWH_qnciO1tnAD-uAVanzGf0dLq0zI_tIxGhxlGvRD-nLAs5b2zYPcAlgx2kUBjOWgWLCX-WXruN1Oo6q4bA7yqks/s4160/IMG_20201114_125439667_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht52MNBdRXWdSqNyCt3t_96Ylb6m12yv3F63BJdgtj33eQayQLaJMWH_qnciO1tnAD-uAVanzGf0dLq0zI_tIxGhxlGvRD-nLAs5b2zYPcAlgx2kUBjOWgWLCX-WXruN1Oo6q4bA7yqks/s320/IMG_20201114_125439667_HDR.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXOWs1wSMopabjrJYh7kQfZ7RfoIdF4oWlCobkwvbUJqD9vWU9O-NgvIGCazPJluovReryz02L_clq9JuB1IarpuezUxYepnybJ5Bc6U2cPJcg2_9ylZbGSMKsxFVvVfWi-dDeMSh-2io/s3088/IMG_0652.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXOWs1wSMopabjrJYh7kQfZ7RfoIdF4oWlCobkwvbUJqD9vWU9O-NgvIGCazPJluovReryz02L_clq9JuB1IarpuezUxYepnybJ5Bc6U2cPJcg2_9ylZbGSMKsxFVvVfWi-dDeMSh-2io/s320/IMG_0652.HEIC" /></a></div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: center;">Fun with the kids!</h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwX2gfngoGI8gqYGuc8lEMgsTTkRbLIr-Bsu9voUYsVe5h4_TQUqeVL9x0shQbuCGNblVtzTzc_h8YnrfAwSpLUxDJA28A0BsHHIi_ezGL-AyIrhKT2DGjZVzcD_F-gTCV6zw0NL4g2NE/s4160/IMG_20201201_183818812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwX2gfngoGI8gqYGuc8lEMgsTTkRbLIr-Bsu9voUYsVe5h4_TQUqeVL9x0shQbuCGNblVtzTzc_h8YnrfAwSpLUxDJA28A0BsHHIi_ezGL-AyIrhKT2DGjZVzcD_F-gTCV6zw0NL4g2NE/w469-h352/IMG_20201201_183818812.jpg" width="469" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhco4L2UflJcgh9OwVPUsIW8RBNvEXE-sikxVPJyxuPU-hsMs7Xf1Pksfj08DhrXlGfLsfAMdzve7mlD5FkBv43eDTXulzISdoX32K4Zcyz7G5kq6nT4RZo4OyyR9RJMzaDkTv_NVcM5Fo/s4160/IMG_20201203_153807530.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhco4L2UflJcgh9OwVPUsIW8RBNvEXE-sikxVPJyxuPU-hsMs7Xf1Pksfj08DhrXlGfLsfAMdzve7mlD5FkBv43eDTXulzISdoX32K4Zcyz7G5kq6nT4RZo4OyyR9RJMzaDkTv_NVcM5Fo/w434-h326/IMG_20201203_153807530.jpg" width="434" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGJrx5uPYAYwBZ35L0o3lYpdHbepQN5vKNBOEBiv7KNmcZp9vZJhiFHVPQP-BJ8dGGg25iZSe91Xiqqy6KZUu_ZmGW-6XfqH296A11mo1N-LeMb8BvXpWBkQs06NX_YIPKP-SM7noMapg/s4032/IMG_0063.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><br /></div><h4 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Christmas memories!</h4><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGi2shbvhuo0WfgMnUXUVokSSVQVBl8Uzzes7ul3iYHsMf6tfYOz4VAuVUPL6lKf9pFfPhc4LgENiyDVjXMlNsoDFX0TR3Ufe0_zxO33KI_jziv_Cc_Otf3mOuSk7wr4B4SIdxZGZqFVs/s4032/IMG_0126.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGi2shbvhuo0WfgMnUXUVokSSVQVBl8Uzzes7ul3iYHsMf6tfYOz4VAuVUPL6lKf9pFfPhc4LgENiyDVjXMlNsoDFX0TR3Ufe0_zxO33KI_jziv_Cc_Otf3mOuSk7wr4B4SIdxZGZqFVs/s320/IMG_0126.HEIC" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipHrqMvkOb4LXtAA4rpuiP2SvRw0ITvmUBBRlJxMoR-7WBQBt4JYxKhIQN91lfXeYj4CydMq7huI2xg7eqBDeZN5XIxT-dY7_VohcD0jYJ5xoq0DctE3RcUcQB_L60NFvjNdXpOpUf-t8/s4032/IMG_0032.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipHrqMvkOb4LXtAA4rpuiP2SvRw0ITvmUBBRlJxMoR-7WBQBt4JYxKhIQN91lfXeYj4CydMq7huI2xg7eqBDeZN5XIxT-dY7_VohcD0jYJ5xoq0DctE3RcUcQB_L60NFvjNdXpOpUf-t8/s320/IMG_0032.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-qT7b0GurfjnG3gQMshzo4PEHgV9r1uVaOT0yNLsb-WRdXD9QljILRmFaIGVGf0G5TJHyqAoHEHzLjMfoZdr-SzH_MeZFl206meBJev3q5FWDTCpQQ9N3PuNgsFhl0s5loX_rGNhxUMM/s4032/IMG_0409.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-qT7b0GurfjnG3gQMshzo4PEHgV9r1uVaOT0yNLsb-WRdXD9QljILRmFaIGVGf0G5TJHyqAoHEHzLjMfoZdr-SzH_MeZFl206meBJev3q5FWDTCpQQ9N3PuNgsFhl0s5loX_rGNhxUMM/s320/IMG_0409.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: center;">Cousin time!</h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs0G45eWGC5Lw0VGaLXd2MhT3s-txPWWOarKE43mpRO_HAtbhYczrySs7Y0HmGLOujFoBBNF6P417V6nahDsplTyaEICSyxYzoSvpFmxjeU0hJaEZU2KBx8QqNAlZ9NF0L8-bmBG9i4b8/s3666/IMG_0365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2750" data-original-width="3666" height="349" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs0G45eWGC5Lw0VGaLXd2MhT3s-txPWWOarKE43mpRO_HAtbhYczrySs7Y0HmGLOujFoBBNF6P417V6nahDsplTyaEICSyxYzoSvpFmxjeU0hJaEZU2KBx8QqNAlZ9NF0L8-bmBG9i4b8/w465-h349/IMG_0365.JPG" width="465" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeOboXX5QFmVCwlHfY2DIL96Eg6b6nY7bUzN9l7_mh7VT7Qhcn0C7S-XXX_BMSphuZIIUWXwXOKWvkduGs4XTu6MlO0VSwi4wOsYixNSEzHnDMGVmoh5MW4-2ktCrEHsmnWCdTgFP3eRY/s3666/IMG_0373.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2750" data-original-width="3666" height="369" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeOboXX5QFmVCwlHfY2DIL96Eg6b6nY7bUzN9l7_mh7VT7Qhcn0C7S-XXX_BMSphuZIIUWXwXOKWvkduGs4XTu6MlO0VSwi4wOsYixNSEzHnDMGVmoh5MW4-2ktCrEHsmnWCdTgFP3eRY/w492-h369/IMG_0373.JPG" width="492" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><h4 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Birthdays!</h4><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhieTk2AtA0EKeD0oqcXbMYcJ4ih8O67kWO62IsCkD8pozsBK1AvGiAjmQ6npahHLHk2I2vLfJNtxxKXuW8FGsSWjgLTLgFhHi4zzBARMFBGzpoclq2ksMraeimtNd5KzdZkGJnXyiX0vo/s4032/IMG_0589.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhieTk2AtA0EKeD0oqcXbMYcJ4ih8O67kWO62IsCkD8pozsBK1AvGiAjmQ6npahHLHk2I2vLfJNtxxKXuW8FGsSWjgLTLgFhHi4zzBARMFBGzpoclq2ksMraeimtNd5KzdZkGJnXyiX0vo/w532-h399/IMG_0589.HEIC" width="532" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h4 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And the record-breaking 113-year snow storm, February, 2021!</h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy1AbhrGcYtTyKFMrjPAfRnRM3AeoBZa1cvaXhyphenhyphenrRVOQqVu67HTQtqPxqSH_stX0fm2ugSfY2KzI974-7NZewg91VbeOxVZMr5Dn9kPmBj8-f2NQyLnKKahgH6YmL4Hyujjbb6TroAsPY/s4032/IMG_0926.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="387" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy1AbhrGcYtTyKFMrjPAfRnRM3AeoBZa1cvaXhyphenhyphenrRVOQqVu67HTQtqPxqSH_stX0fm2ugSfY2KzI974-7NZewg91VbeOxVZMr5Dn9kPmBj8-f2NQyLnKKahgH6YmL4Hyujjbb6TroAsPY/w516-h387/IMG_0926.HEIC" width="516" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_fiZyQjHWqpP-e_m08AKBeAE1Dd2OaWnpzT8tMiIiMBuNgWVyDjyDD6PQyTUTtxxhiCMo8q-gjvrPdLUPBPOvOvmI__btp1EK5wjsI-CQZEzxGP28JCqFMwG9EYagQ7EoDY55_ZVG6p4/s1600/2017-11-23+356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_fiZyQjHWqpP-e_m08AKBeAE1Dd2OaWnpzT8tMiIiMBuNgWVyDjyDD6PQyTUTtxxhiCMo8q-gjvrPdLUPBPOvOvmI__btp1EK5wjsI-CQZEzxGP28JCqFMwG9EYagQ7EoDY55_ZVG6p4/s320/2017-11-23+356.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Dear friends and family,</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Most Christmas letters deal with the surface overview of our
year’s life, and that is needful, if we are to stay informed on the what and
where of our friends’ history; however, I don’t ever remember reading a
Christmas letter that revealed the inward struggles of our souls or words like
David wrote, <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">“Your waves and breakers have swept over me” (Ps
42:7).</span> Sometimes, however, I think a letter like
that is necessary too so that we can profit from one another in the comfort of
God and the eternal lessons that mean so much more than surface news. We are creatures of soul and spirit. So much of our time and meditations are spent
plunging into the depths of spiritual thoughts, wrestling with lies, trying to
heal heart wounds and overcome bitterness, sorting through the “stuff” of life
to find God and walk with Him—or, as I just read somewhere, turning up the
volume so as to drown out all the voices that we can’t escape. That, of course, doesn’t heal the wounds or
reconcile the problems; it delays the reckoning. I say all that by way of introduction to the
kind of year we’ve had. It has probably
been the hardest year my sister Mary and brother-in-law Caleb--along with
myself and the whole family--have had to endure, firstly due to one particularly
very severe trial that was foremost directed at Mary and Caleb, and secondly
due to many other secondary trials that have added salt to the wound. My goal in this discussion is to draw
attention to the grace of refinement that God has worked in the furnace,
without going into the nitty-gritty of the events.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">I cannot go into the exact matter of the primary trial (and
I will not take the time to discuss the secondary ones, related and unrelated),
but we were essentially thrust into the furnace that had been heated “seven
times hotter” (Dan 3:19). Yet, looking
back over the year, many—if not all in my family—who have been walking in that
furnace would have to testify that the LORD has been there with us, keeping us
from being consumed, yea, even refining us through it. That is not to say that there are deep wounds
that may never heal and floods of tears that may never dry up until the Day of
Jesus’ return, though we pray for healing before then. In the midst of that mid-furnace walk, there
has been an opening of the well of our soul.
Some if not all of us in our family have testified to finding the most
rooted truths of God’s Word called into question in our minds, the most
“unshakeable” confidences in our salvation being shaken, and the most “sure”
principles of our daily living being challenged.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">The stroke of injustice had hit us where it mattered. It was as though the sword had pierced our
own home. I had always asked myself how
Christians in lands of severe physical persecution face and even forgive their
persecutors who had maimed them or kidnapped their children or murdered loved
ones in their family, including children.
Well, it’s not in the human <st1:stockticker w:st="on">DNA</st1:stockticker>
to forgive such injustice. It’s in the
divine <st1:stockticker w:st="on">DNA</st1:stockticker>. And the truth is, if we can’t forgive, then
we suddenly come to grips with the reality that we are not plugged into the
divine <st1:stockticker w:st="on">DNA</st1:stockticker>. This conjures up in my mind a testimony given
by Corrie TenBoom when she was on tour to share her and her family’s story of
rescuing Jews during World War II, getting caught, being severely persecuted in
the concentration camps, and losing her family to cruelty. She tells of seeing a guard that she
recognized, who had humiliated her in the concentration camp, coming up to her
with a huge smile and extended hand to tell her how her story had impacted him
and how Jesus had saved him. Her
humanness was utterly repulsed, but her faith in God forced her to forgive and
shake that man’s hand in spite of all the agony of her emotions. God in His power honored her obedience and
gave her true forgiveness immediately after she acted with forgiveness. “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must
remain in the vine. Neither can you bear
fruit unless you remain in me” (John 15:4).
I have realized through this year that such a depth of forgiveness
cannot be forced. The best human therapy
cannot bring about a true releasing and cleansing of bitterness that we harbor
against our enemies. Only God’s power
can do that, and only the absorption—the “chewing of the cud”—of the truth of
God’s Word regarding God’s perfect sovereignty, His bringing about perfect
justice, our own eternal debt for His forgiveness of our black hearts, and His
perfect love for us in the midst of unthinkable pain, can bring about the mind
and heart transformation that allows our emotions to follow.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">An experience like this humbles to the core. We as a family have come to realize that
apart from the power and grace of Jesus Christ, we are incapable of any good,
of thinking anything good, of loving as God would have us to love, of forgiving
our enemies (everyone can forgive their friends), of not forsaking the faith of
Jesus Christ, of not returning to our enemies the same sins that were given to
us (even if they be in the form of inward hatred and mental murder), and of
walking the path of obedience in opposition to the demonic shrieks of all our
raw feelings.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">One good friend said to me in the midst of this trial, “Why
would God allow such a thing to happen to such a wonderful family?” I’ve been chewing on that. That was a lie of Satan dipped in sugar. First, we are not a wonderful family, but by
the grace of God. Second, the more
righteous we are, the more Christ would glorify himself through us by exposing
to ourselves and everyone else that our worth is in unshakeable faith and utter
dependence on Him. That heart exposure
must come through affliction. Third, the
more righteous we <i>look</i>, the more
Christ would strip us of our self-made “rags” (Is 64:6) of outward glory and
cause us to realize that we are actually “blind and naked” (Rev 3:17) needing
the “salve” (Rev 3:18) of His righteousness upon our self-righteous
hearts. Fourth, the more our Lord would
seek to woo us to Himself as a bride to her husband, the more He would need to
make our lives on this earth all the more loathsome so that we do not find any
desire in them but only in the light of how they shine on the glory and beauty
of our Beloved. Thus, if we are
chastened, we are eternally blessed! If
we are left to enjoy the morsels of earth, to feel the comforts and stability
of earthly pursuits, and to sense that we “do not need a thing,” the more
utterly miserable we are! Oh that we
would be given by our Husband and King an experience of the great earthquake
that is to come upon this earth, <i>before </i>it
comes: to feel the shaking of all our sensibilities, all our comforts, all our
idols, all our hopes and earthly desires—all those things that in a moment are
utterly destroyed at the word of His mouth!
Surely in that Day, will not all things that seem wonderful on this
earth suddenly become worthless? Will
not bank accounts seem as nothing? Will
not health seem as nothing? Will not
fame and fortune seem as nothing? Will
not being known, being loved, being remembered, being saved and being upheld by
the King of Kings be EVERYTHING?
Finally, we are <i>called</i> to
suffering, that all our hopes and purpose on earth might be cast at the feet of
our Heavenly Father, that all we do on this earth might be for His glory and
will, not our own. Jesus said that no
one is greater than his master. Jesus,
our master, leads the way in a life of suffering unto the redemption of
mankind. God has chosen the “weak and
foolish” means of this world (1 Cor 1:26-31) to bring about a great harvest of
souls, and we must trust the Father, who orchestrates the big picture and our
purpose and role in the midst of suffering to that end.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Lord is so full of grace and healing. Even in the midst of such a tumultuous year,
He was so gracious to sprinkle our wounds with the oil of joy. He has given us daily mercies, never-failing
abundance of food and clothing and shelter, help and comfort in times of great
need, and the miracle of new life! On
January 3<sup>rd</sup> of this year (2017), our daughter Hannah Joy was born to
us, and I might add, with much less difficulty than the birth of our son. This was a special mercy to me, as I was
going into that labor very tired and ragged and asking God for just that kind
of birth. He was most gracious to answer
that prayer! This year, probably due to
its intensity, has just flown by, and now, our daughter is nearly 1 year old,
crawling, chewing, and growing! <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span> Our son,
also, has made significant advancements in his maturity, having turned 2 in
July. He runs all over the place, trying
to push every button he can and reach every light he can turn on! He loves lights, pouring water (or pennies or
various materials) from one vessel to another, and playing with every sort of
gadget. He also enjoys cars and balls,
and when he releases a car from the top of his roller coaster toy, he does
something of a dance! Michael has also
been greatly blessed in his work at Picatinny Arsenal and has received raving
reviews. He was enriched by two training
trips this year, one in MD and one in GA.
The Lord has also been so gracious to provide enough financially through
Michael’s job that Rachel has completely laid off the editing work to focus on
home management and raising the children.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If our Lord tarries, may He bless every one of you this
coming year with the kind of joy that He has given to us this year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Much love in our Savior Jesus,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Michael, Rachel, Timothy & Hannah Joy</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-natN-0AKe-1BzoOchPCsPj4YiDRHPyfLaixL12-xS1qcdKlJDeP59B4nmzs1FbUJkWZUmxXS0EK2qgBh_bNrLZOWJFb5CLCtKUFG-icChrBdpKqrxHAcRfGYxRrzp79LebmberL_Fw/s1600/DSCN0241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-natN-0AKe-1BzoOchPCsPj4YiDRHPyfLaixL12-xS1qcdKlJDeP59B4nmzs1FbUJkWZUmxXS0EK2qgBh_bNrLZOWJFb5CLCtKUFG-icChrBdpKqrxHAcRfGYxRrzp79LebmberL_Fw/s320/DSCN0241.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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Rachel Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14673622113693268553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3610075403054462439.post-55724929688868950332016-12-26T14:49:00.001-08:002016-12-27T07:22:51.900-08:00Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UqzFqmdCdxg/WGGYGzJLytI/AAAAAAAArss/CmeogvcJQzQFPJez5EtWlw_8gvBTHvt6gCPcB/s1600/IMG_0115%2B%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="627" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UqzFqmdCdxg/WGGYGzJLytI/AAAAAAAArss/CmeogvcJQzQFPJez5EtWlw_8gvBTHvt6gCPcB/s640/IMG_0115%2B%25281%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Dear family and friends,</div>
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Merry Christmas and Happy New
Year! This has been a really emotional
roller-coaster year for us, and yet even in the downs, we have had much cause
to give thanks to God for His grace and love and for teaching us greater dependence
on Him. I will try to recap the
highlights of this year:</div>
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The spring brought us the very
exciting news that a second child was on the way! Having had difficulty conceiving our first
child, Timothy, we were particularly surprised and grateful to God for this
fast second conception, and we learned it is to be a girl! Rachel is due in just two weeks: January 10<sup>th</sup>!</div>
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As we have been seeking to weigh
the financial needs of raising two children, coupled with our desire to give
them a Christian education, we spent a good half of the year seeking out a
place to live with a lower cost of living and suitable to our
Christian-education goals. In the summer,
Michael was offered a job in northern MD.
The location seemed to fit what we were seeking and we started making
preparations for a move. This was very
emotional because of the realities of leaving family and all our roots here
while Rachel was pregnant. We also
learned very quickly that preparing a house to sell is no walk in the park, and
it was going to take much longer than the new job could wait for us. Hence, we ended up having to decline the MD
job. The entire experience was very
overwhelming and humbling but educational.
We learned a lot about how we needed to prioritize our plans, and some
important factors we needed to put into the equation as we planned for and
prayed toward our future. The
psychological upheaval has also elevated our priority of prayer and has been a
work toward patience as we wait on the Lord, His timing, and His direction.</div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iFPQR04smzI/WGGZio1heMI/AAAAAAAArtE/GHzFTWUxfUMTLnyO-VkOklBMrdmCDKSTQCPcB/s1600/IMG_20161021_202811.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iFPQR04smzI/WGGZio1heMI/AAAAAAAArtE/GHzFTWUxfUMTLnyO-VkOklBMrdmCDKSTQCPcB/s320/IMG_20161021_202811.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gi7EVkSJyn0/WGGZpyPo3RI/AAAAAAAArtE/MorXpZq_2WUh8AmGZ3uNzR-sU7_z5PdOACPcB/s1600/IMG_20161020_081809.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gi7EVkSJyn0/WGGZpyPo3RI/AAAAAAAArtE/MorXpZq_2WUh8AmGZ3uNzR-sU7_z5PdOACPcB/s320/IMG_20161020_081809.jpg" width="320" /></a>In October, Timothy, being 15
months at the time, was severely burned from a pot of scalding coffee spilling
on him. He received multiple
second-degree burns on the right side of his body starting on his face and
running down his arm, chest, back, and side.
We are thankful that the deeper burns did not reach third-degree, as
some were close to third-degree. This
would have required surgery. In the midst
of this extremely traumatic trial, God was so gracious to give us much-needed
physical and emotional strength, many friends who prayed for us, cards to cheer
us, some special friends to bring us meals and other helpful gifts, and a very
supportive family (particularly Mom and Dad Adamus)—all of which really got us through nearly a week of hospital time. Timothy was remarkably brave and patient
through the whole ordeal and through the trial of rooming with another burn patient
(another little child), making it difficult for him to sleep well. God’s grace was evident to the hospital
staff, and there were opportunities for us to witness to our heavenly Father’s
faithfulness. The experience of rooming
with another family also gave me a perspective of another world of trials that
I had never really entered into before. I
now have a very new sympathy for those who are hospitalized, especially
children. We were very blessed by God to
have a minimal stay in the hospital compared to others. Even the child with whom we roomed had more
severe burns that required surgery and a much longer hospital term. Once we were home, much time and energy went
into caring for the burns, helping Timothy recover his rest, and healing from
the emotional scars (both Mom and Timothy).
We were very thankful for the support of Rachel’s Mom at that time, who
traveled from Indiana to help with the home transition. God is faithful, and time does heal! We are very grateful for a highly successful
recovery and for Timothy’s continued development in many other ways such as
many more teeth, the ability to walk, and now his newest favorite pastimes—reading
books, pushing buttons on electronics, and climbing couches!</div>
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In spite of the many events of this
year that required great time commitments, we still found time for a great deal
of travel! Rachel’s youngest brother
Jonathan was married to Cristilynn in May, and we traveled to California for
that wedding while using the opportunity on the West coast to stop in Denver,
CO to visit Michael’s sister Betsy and family.
Rachel and Timothy took a flight to Indiana in early August to surprise
her mom for her birthday, and in October, we all traveled to Indiana for early holiday
festivities and for Rachel’s cousin Jeanette’s wedding. In late August, we traveled to MA to visit
friends.</div>
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hdgg_v-FHsY/WGGYwpKPV-I/AAAAAAAArs8/q4_kLbRGby4pEKFHe5BqkouYlJNj7DTYACPcB/s1600/DSCN9094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hdgg_v-FHsY/WGGYwpKPV-I/AAAAAAAArs8/q4_kLbRGby4pEKFHe5BqkouYlJNj7DTYACPcB/s200/DSCN9094.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
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Needless to say, we were relieved to
get a traveling reprieve in not having to go far from home for the holidays,
especially as we busily prepare for the birth of our daughter any time now! Rachel is in nesting mode and seeking to
organize baby girl’s room, which is being helped along by the generous gifts of
friends and family who have donated furniture and clothes.</div>
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As we have remembered in this
season the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, preparing for our own
baby has brought the reality close to home that God Himself took on the form of
a helpless baby and needy man just so that He could die as the one perfect
human substitute to be found for the helplessly sinful human race. Praise God for His gift to bring us back to
Himself, to show us the present and eternal joy of knowing God and living for
and with Him! Praise Him also for the
seal of promise He has given us to break the power of death, showing us His
final plan of resurrection through Jesus when God raised Him from the dead 2000
years ago, and this same Jesus will return to raise up all people to Himself,
some to eternal condemnation and some to eternal life! We pray that in this season, God will show
you the true miracle of Christmas: knowing God through Jesus Christ in whom
your sins can be covered and you can be assured of eternal life!</div>
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Much love,</div>
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</div>
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The Adamus Family: Michael, Rachel, Timothy, and baby girl</div>
Rachel Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14673622113693268553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3610075403054462439.post-61717034219441687202015-10-06T09:56:00.000-07:002015-10-06T10:10:00.945-07:00God's Awesome Handiwork and Faithfulness<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Psalm 139:13-16</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">"For you created my inmost being;<a data-resourcename="niv2011" href="http://biblia.com/bible/niv2011/Ps139.13-16#footnote1" rel="popup"><span style="font-size: 66%; line-height: 0; vertical-align: super;"></span></a></span> <br />
<div class="lang-en" style="font-size: 1em; margin: 0 0 0 72pt; text-indent: -36pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">you knit me together<a data-resourcename="niv2011" href="http://biblia.com/bible/niv2011/Ps139.13-16#footnote2" rel="popup"><span style="font-size: 66%; line-height: 0; vertical-align: super;"></span></a> in my mother’s womb.<a data-resourcename="niv2011" href="http://biblia.com/bible/niv2011/Ps139.13-16#footnote3" rel="popup"><span style="font-size: 66%; line-height: 0; vertical-align: super;"></span></a></span> </div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="lang-en" style="font-size: 1em; margin: 0 0 0 54pt; text-indent: -36pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: 66%; line-height: 0; vertical-align: super;">14 </span>I praise you<a data-resourcename="niv2011" href="http://biblia.com/bible/niv2011/Ps139.13-16#footnote4" rel="popup"><span style="font-size: 66%; line-height: 0; vertical-align: super;"></span></a> because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="lang-en" style="font-size: 1em; margin: 0 0 0 72pt; text-indent: -36pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">your works are wonderful,<a data-resourcename="niv2011" href="http://biblia.com/bible/niv2011/Ps139.13-16#footnote5" rel="popup"><span style="font-size: 66%; line-height: 0; vertical-align: super;"></span></a></span> </div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="lang-en" style="font-size: 1em; margin: 0 0 0 72pt; text-indent: -36pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I know that full well. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="lang-en" style="font-size: 1em; margin: 0 0 0 54pt; text-indent: -36pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: 66%; line-height: 0; vertical-align: super;">15 </span>My frame was not hidden from you </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="lang-en" style="font-size: 1em; margin: 0 0 0 72pt; text-indent: -36pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">when I was made<a data-resourcename="niv2011" href="http://biblia.com/bible/niv2011/Ps139.13-16#footnote6" rel="popup"><span style="font-size: 66%; line-height: 0; vertical-align: super;"></span></a> in the secret place, </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="lang-en" style="font-size: 1em; margin: 0 0 0 72pt; text-indent: -36pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.</span> </div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="lang-en" style="font-size: 1em; margin: 0 0 0 54pt; text-indent: -36pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: 66%; line-height: 0; vertical-align: super;">16 </span>Your eyes saw my unformed body; </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="lang-en" style="font-size: 1em; margin: 0 0 0 72pt; text-indent: -36pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">all the days ordained for me were written in your book </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="lang-en" style="font-size: 1em; margin: 0 0 0 72pt; text-indent: -36pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">before one of them came to be."</span></div>
<div class="lang-en" style="font-size: 1em; margin: 0 0 0 72pt; text-indent: -36pt;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span></span></h4>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">I haven't made record of the faithfulness of God the past three months, and it would be wrong for me not to do that, because God has done so much more than I could ask or imagine in the birth of our firstborn son, Timothy Louis.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
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It was a long and hard delivery. Contractions lasted on and off for a week prior to his birth, and then on Saturday morning around 8:00 a.m., July 18th, I started having regular contractions. They were about five to ten minutes apart all day. We finally went to the hospital about 2:00 in the morning on the 19th. After the midwife broke my water, the contractions were unbearably painful until Timothy was born at 6:14 a.m. and after pushing for an hour. I was exhausted from all the prior labor before we even went to the hospital, yet God gave me a strength I did not fathom possible. And when I thought I could not handle one more contraction, God continued to give me strength to go through yet one more, and one more, and one more for several hours. And when I thought I could not push one more time, God gave me strength to push again and again, and even increase my strength. After Timothy was born, one would expect me to have some kind of shut down or breakdown. But once again, God gave me supernatural power to deal with all the newness and demand of having a newborn, for the two days we were in the hospital, in spite of sleeplessness and trouble with breastfeeding.</div>
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After we got home from the hospital, God used my mom to take over to provide for our needs. Her nursing care gave me the rest and meals I needed to recover--and it took all three weeks that she was here! And after she left, God used the church to continue providing us with supplemental meals for nearly two months! This was a huge blessing to us, as cooking has been a great effort in all the adjustment of parenting and exhausting nights.</div>
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Timothy is two and a half months old, and God is providing in many ways--every single hour and day--and enabling me to mother this little boy in spite of my physical limitations. When I have felt at the end of my rope in exhaustion, God has always providentially worked so that Timothy would have a restful day so that I could sleep and recover. God has also given Michael much grace in the adjustment of fatherhood and the extra house chores he has taken on since Timothy's birth. And God has given Timothy a contented disposition most of the time so that it does not require as much energy to care for him.</div>
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There is so much more I could say, such as how God has materially provided for us and our son through the generous, ongoing gifts people have given us and the many hours of time people have spent helping us prepare for Timothy's birth and then helping us care for him afterward.</div>
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I just praise my Father in heaven for doing the impossible and giving us a child that we thought we could not have or would not have the strength to care for. And as the temptations of worry and doubt buffet me regarding how I will have the energy needed to educate and discipline him, I daily preach to myself God's commands and His promises ("Cast your cares on the Lord..."; "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding..."; "Do not worry about tomorrow, for today has enough worries of its own..."; "Consider the birds of the field: They do not sow or reap or store away in barns yet your heavenly father feeds them..."; "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well"; etc.). And then I recount all the ways God has provided for us in His gracious faithfulness. Will He let us down just because it seems to get harder and more demanding? Is His provision limited? Is the power He provides impotent? "Oh you of little faith, why do you doubt?"</div>
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Finally, I want to praise God for the unspeakable blessing of making us part of His covenant family and for blessing our son by placing him in a family and church in which he will be raised under the Word of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ. In acknowledgment of Timothy's discipleship in Jesus, we are having him baptized on Sunday, October 25th at 9:30 a.m. Everyone is welcome to witness this covenant before God and man that Timothy will be held accountable before God of the gift of light he receives and that if one day, he repents of his sin and looks to Jesus Christ for his cleansing, the symbol of the cleansing water of baptism will become for him a reality. And if he does not embrace this grace of which he is taught, the water will be to him a symbol of God's wrath, even as the water was to those outside the Ark of Noah (1 Peter 3:18-22). To this end, we pray that God gives him a tender heart toward the Word and redeems him for the Kingdom of Heaven at a young age. Please pray with us! There is no greater hope or desire that we have as Timothy's parents!</div>
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If you are not in the area and would like to witness this special service, you may see it on Ustream live with no commercials via Roku (type in keyword "Preakness" in a search) or go to:</div>
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http://preaknessvalleyurc.org/live-stream/</div>
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Rachel Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14673622113693268553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3610075403054462439.post-32873834294401155402014-12-24T09:55:00.000-08:002014-12-24T09:55:07.500-08:00Merry Christmas!<!--[if !mso]>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; font-weight: bold; line-height: 125%;">We are praising God for another year of blessings and mercies far above what we deserve, except in Jesus Christ, our Savior, of whose birth we celebrate.<span> </span>This is a year of babies, as Michael’s sister Betsy and husband Bryon had their second child, Abigail, on December 29, 2013!<span> </span>Rachel’s brother Daniel and wife Katherine had their firstborn son, Landon, in February.<span> </span>Michael’s brother Dave and wife Rachel are expecting their second child, and we are expecting our first child in July!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; font-weight: bold; line-height: 125%;">Michael has transitioned into two different jobs this year, first a contract that lasted about nine months and then a full-time position at Picatinny Arsenal as of November.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; font-weight: bold; line-height: 125%;"><span> </span>Rachel continues editing from home and just finished up a semester of weekly tutoring for the home-school group Classical Conversations.<span> </span>She is now focusing on prepping for an addition to the family!<span> </span>Please rejoice with us as we celebrate the goodness of our God this season.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Here are some great spring memories!</b></span></h4>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIMFp5ODavfFGJx0GXtshJDTkKOs2SjiQ4Gx6HHWg4MEsjilKcBbHEEebKr8_vEx_MyDlOXL3KRo589AETsK_E6MNQsPl6Msxq3fZkaU8QUCpG8Cr4hMhw-sIBe2VLJ22TDOT6g8aQkx8/s1600/DSCN5722.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIMFp5ODavfFGJx0GXtshJDTkKOs2SjiQ4Gx6HHWg4MEsjilKcBbHEEebKr8_vEx_MyDlOXL3KRo589AETsK_E6MNQsPl6Msxq3fZkaU8QUCpG8Cr4hMhw-sIBe2VLJ22TDOT6g8aQkx8/s1600/DSCN5722.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Paul is now 2 years old!</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ4LCzxgJXrTzUHtv5ALFMFuTYia27zrcLBkr53aIz69FH6i62BCl2An7RtvIvDX8Rl5P9eB9PsX7cOcVheJ8dfv7kvoe4hnNHFE_ZDjxStP56wZCkEZE0mVv_-MnDXt4UV0Uhk9QL8ec/s1600/DSCN7572.MOV" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnxvGqiOE20jlbrap_uNwiN-3o_rouN2I9o3_nGXWY87XIx2j4Omt9a3ynZODInnPPaNe7ijA04LVAHMjvcdYeYyDQqTT2pMgOfWmOfXF1rTFxjK6SMqAHzoQAzNcDB9dEtrS6iflaX8Q/s1600/DSCN5754.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnxvGqiOE20jlbrap_uNwiN-3o_rouN2I9o3_nGXWY87XIx2j4Omt9a3ynZODInnPPaNe7ijA04LVAHMjvcdYeYyDQqTT2pMgOfWmOfXF1rTFxjK6SMqAHzoQAzNcDB9dEtrS6iflaX8Q/s1600/DSCN5754.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">We got to meet Daniel's new son Landon!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">We enjoyed Easter with Mom Adamus' family...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxvqCn4CEhQainRdp65NTHXKJ2V2RzNgWh2hxAinWZItHWEELSxHSjDxFaScMxNqt0cPaVPHXF8YBborwKCmAbkGvMQoJXVJ9ISs9RBUqsfiyaLRMEyV-J03g7puhyphenhyphennFUvpjbcP7hXYoU/s1600/DSCN5861.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxvqCn4CEhQainRdp65NTHXKJ2V2RzNgWh2hxAinWZItHWEELSxHSjDxFaScMxNqt0cPaVPHXF8YBborwKCmAbkGvMQoJXVJ9ISs9RBUqsfiyaLRMEyV-J03g7puhyphenhyphennFUvpjbcP7hXYoU/s1600/DSCN5861.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">...and met baby Abigail!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">And of course we enjoyed her brother Ricky :)</span></td></tr>
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<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Here are some great fall memories!</b></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUNB8w5ya7-wxEB5Kwr_HyrmqbRso8IIdUMmomXxzbhLN1zjNTD9j4Zg29olXpFFhnIhChYPbRLyGuWE5WOXPINAYJwv8AZ38Y19mqW18_EEnuvvo5gPuJDufZUUngC_17UNzM_itJ82s/s1600/DSCN6951.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUNB8w5ya7-wxEB5Kwr_HyrmqbRso8IIdUMmomXxzbhLN1zjNTD9j4Zg29olXpFFhnIhChYPbRLyGuWE5WOXPINAYJwv8AZ38Y19mqW18_EEnuvvo5gPuJDufZUUngC_17UNzM_itJ82s/s1600/DSCN6951.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></h4>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The first time Michael and I went camping...Thanks to Mary & Caleb who brought the tent! :)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A week later, Mom & Dad came to visit, and we visited the Ringwood State Park botanical gardens.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv73zJAHOEg445tuuH2tEsXuWClnyxCw90Ab-7mYL2jYlagtRobxikU63GVQoOnkp098OSIBa-SRAHbmlMY99Y_JJcDzsx8OU4H34GoOrPzVxU-T4WVpN2uVgjQ0FNFsppwxzMUA4q_yY/s1600/DSCN6926.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv73zJAHOEg445tuuH2tEsXuWClnyxCw90Ab-7mYL2jYlagtRobxikU63GVQoOnkp098OSIBa-SRAHbmlMY99Y_JJcDzsx8OU4H34GoOrPzVxU-T4WVpN2uVgjQ0FNFsppwxzMUA4q_yY/s1600/DSCN6926.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">...and picnicked at the Ringwood Lake.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Michael and I got to visit a historic site in Morristown, NJ, where General George Washington camped his army one winter of the Revolutionary War.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">We had a blast at Angie's bouncy birthday party!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ4LCzxgJXrTzUHtv5ALFMFuTYia27zrcLBkr53aIz69FH6i62BCl2An7RtvIvDX8Rl5P9eB9PsX7cOcVheJ8dfv7kvoe4hnNHFE_ZDjxStP56wZCkEZE0mVv_-MnDXt4UV0Uhk9QL8ec/s1600/DSCN7572.MOV" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ4LCzxgJXrTzUHtv5ALFMFuTYia27zrcLBkr53aIz69FH6i62BCl2An7RtvIvDX8Rl5P9eB9PsX7cOcVheJ8dfv7kvoe4hnNHFE_ZDjxStP56wZCkEZE0mVv_-MnDXt4UV0Uhk9QL8ec/s1600/DSCN7572.MOV" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">We loved the Thanksgiving reunion with the Wesner family!!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Thank you, Lord, for another special year of love.</span></div>
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Rachel Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14673622113693268553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3610075403054462439.post-72733616372642897522014-05-11T17:11:00.001-07:002014-05-11T17:11:39.334-07:00Joy Through Tears?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was looking at the Facebook feed tonight, and since it is Mother’s
Day, it was inevitably full of related comments. Two comments, one right after the other, were
polar opposites. One was by a grieving
mother who had had a second miscarriage after a recent previous one. One was a rejoicing woman who had been barren
and just brought home this week two siblings for adoption. My first thought was, “Why does God give to
some and take away from others?” Both
serve Him, both love Him, both wait on Him.
The two had a Mother’s Day like the contrasts of night and day. And there are those like me caught in the
middle, not exactly bereaved but having no one in her nest and telling herself
that she is a mother to the world—though any barren woman knows that is a weak
consolation.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">So
what do we say to all these different women today? I did a word search in the Bible on
rejoicing, joy, and delight and found that people found joy in the Lord in a
great variety of circumstances—some found joy in people and some in God’s
material blessings, including children, but these were least the focus of
Scripture, and the material blessings were not separated from God Himself, such
that joy in the blessings carried over into joy in God who gave them. But beyond the material blessings, the
unchanging, steady joy frequently described in Scripture was found in God
Himself, in God’s unchanging law, in God’s love, in God’s attributes, in God’s
justice, in God’s deliverance, etc. This joy was not only associated with
prosperity, as we see in Job, for he said, “Then I would still have this
consolation— my joy in
unrelenting pain— that I had not denied the words of the Holy One” (Job
6:10). Whether in weeping or feasting,
may our joy always be found in the unshakeable desire to honor our all-wise and
good God. Who can know the mind of the
LORD in individual circumstances? But whatever
else His purpose, I do know that God uses the joy of the new mother to praise
His goodness, the longing of the barren woman to praise His sufficiency, and
the grief of the bereaved mother to praise His comfort. For when we don’t deny Him in pain, He proves
to be our all in all, and when we don’t forget Him in prosperity, He proves
Himself more glorious than the earthly blessings. Happy-in-God Mother’s Day.</span></span></span>Rachel Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14673622113693268553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3610075403054462439.post-44770244972144282852013-12-23T14:48:00.000-08:002013-12-23T14:48:41.148-08:00Merry Christmas 2013!<!--[if !mso]>
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<span class="textps-46-1"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">“</span></span><span class="text">Rejoice greatly, Daughter
Zion!</span><br />
<span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text">Shout,
Daughter Jerusalem!</span><br />
<span class="text">See, your king comes to you,</span><br />
<span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text">righteous
and victorious,</span><br />
<span class="text">lowly and riding on a donkey,</span><br />
<span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text">on
a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zech 9:9).</span><span class="textps-46-3"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"></span></span></div>
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<span class="textps-46-3"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Those who love God’s laws and justice continue to
be dismayed at the ever-increasing injustice that reigns in our land.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But instead of growing fearful and anxious,
we have been called to look to Christ the solid rock on which we stand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is our King who reigns over all, He who is
God and took on flesh to live the just and righteous life we could not and die
the death we deserve, in order to set up a Kingdom that has no end, a perfect
Kingdom for which He will return to bring consummation!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is our hope, and in this hope we live
every day and every year, looking to our Lord to guide our steps in the way He
would have us proclaim that Kingdom as we make it our aim to please Him.</span></span></div>
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<span class="textps-46-3"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Though in many ways, we have continued in this
year without much change—living in the same house, attending the same church,
working in many of the same ministries—we have also seen many blessings that
are different from last year. To best narrate these blessings, I will use
pictures.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6Oc8aUy0Fko/Uri6xVNrgyI/AAAAAAAABkY/kOr4Hjqcwh8/s1600/DSCN5388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6Oc8aUy0Fko/Uri6xVNrgyI/AAAAAAAABkY/kOr4Hjqcwh8/s320/DSCN5388.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">In October,
we celebrated our nephew Paul’s first birthday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We have greatly enjoyed watching him develop from a helpless infant to a
high-energy toddler who can practically run from place to place.</span></div>
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<span class="textps-46-3"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">In early fall, Michael and I got to take a
trip—just the two of us—for the first time since our honeymoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a fairly local trip, and just a few
days, but we loved every minute of it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We went to see the Hershey Factory, bought too much chocolate, and then
headed to Lancaster, PA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There, we enjoyed
an excellent production of “Noah” at the Sight and Sound Theater.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also visited a replica of the Old </span></span></div>
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Tabernacle, did some window shopping of quilts and other Amish market items,
and ate some delicious Amish cooking!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Moving back in time, we received a visit from Rachel’s
parents the week of her dad’s birthday, so we relished celebrating with him and
enjoyed a couple days of nature outings in the surrounding countryside.</span></div>
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following a visit from Rachel’s siblings in early July, we found out that her
brother Daniel’s wife was expecting her first child!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So Rachel celebrated by trying her hand at
quilting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">In the spring, we had to give our dog Hezzy to another
owner in PA, because he was too big and energetic for our house, but our dog is
much happier now in an environment much more suitable to him (wide-open land,
and, as you can see, a pond—and Hezzy loves swimming!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We sure miss him, though!</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jK-s4z09zEI/Uri63SDmETI/AAAAAAAABlQ/aHJmUwYQl1c/s1600/DSCN4540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jK-s4z09zEI/Uri63SDmETI/AAAAAAAABlQ/aHJmUwYQl1c/s320/DSCN4540.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">In late spring, we visited Mike’s sister and family,
including our nephew Ricky, just before they moved from Ithaca, NY (the land of
gorges and waterfalls—gorgeous!) to Denver, CO for a permanent job.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Also in the
spring, we celebrated the wedding of my cousin Heather and her husband Robert in
Indianapolis, IN.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">As you can
tell, it’s been a very busy year!</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As always, God
has been faithful and good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I trust He
will continue to take care of us, even in the present unknown circumstances of
job loss and needing much wisdom in the give and take of job searches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We covet your prayers for God’s sustaining
grace of patience and hope and peace and joy and trust and wisdom, as no job or
a new job can put quite a different spin (for more or less stress) on life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">God is
still our guide in the minutest details of life’s twists and turns, even as He
was in the details of Christ’s birth, life, death, and resurrection and all the
prophecies He fulfilled perfectly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
take comfort to rest in the arms of our all-sovereign God.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Merry
Christmas in the peace our Savior brought through the joy of living for Him,
knowing Him, and rejoicing in eternal hope!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">With love,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Michael & Rachel</span></div>
Rachel Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14673622113693268553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3610075403054462439.post-21833350681602326322012-12-25T14:24:00.000-08:002012-12-25T14:24:29.875-08:00The True Joy of Christmas<br />
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Merry Christmas! Besides
Easter, this is my favorite time of year—colorful lights, beautiful choral
music, good food, and warm family memories.
But if this is all there is to Christmas, it’s robbed of its glory. </div>
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The lights of Christmas wrapped around trees and hanging on
houses, the star and angel toppers on Christmas trees, and the candles that
carolers hold all remind me of the glorious day when the radiant angels met a
group of forgotten, stunned shepherds in Bethlehem, telling them of the birth
of the one and only who would save His people from their sins. These lights also remind us of the star that
appeared for the Magi to guide them to the manger. But our lights are but shadows of the
glorious flood of brightness that filled the sky on that awesome Christmas
night, and even that sky pales in comparison to the Light that the shining
angels proclaimed—the Light of salvation that had been born into the world.</div>
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After Christmas Day, most people feel relieved. The mad rush of shopping and feasting is
over. Normal life can begin again. This truly is the irony of all in the
Christmas season. Though gift giving is
supposed to be a picture of the ultimate gift God gave to mankind in Jesus
Christ, His Son, it has been turned into a commercialized frenzy of materialism. The ultimate Gift frees us from greed and
gives us life unto eternal purposes. The
ultimate Gift enables us to know God Himself, giving us peace that passes all
understanding. As Mike and I drove home
from church on Sunday morning where we had sung Christmas carols and heard
afresh the story of the Savior’s birth, we passed a line of traffic jamming
itself into the mall. I had to
marvel. On the Lord’s Day, people were
so wrapped up in shadows and types of Christmas gifts that they had no time to
stop and ponder the Lord of Christmas on the day He has gifted for us to rest.</div>
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I pray that all of you have found the true joy of Christmas—the
joy of knowing Christ Jesus who was born in order to die for the sins of His
people and to rise again unto eternal life for all who believe in Him.</div>
Rachel Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14673622113693268553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3610075403054462439.post-48425320323481041262012-12-03T11:40:00.001-08:002012-12-03T11:40:40.938-08:00Help Me Oppose the Abortion Pill Mandate<a href="http://aclj.us/umk5" target="_blank">Sign This Petition to Stop Obama Care's Abortion Pill Mandate</a><br />
<br />
Our religious freedoms are being stripped from us at an alarming rate. It's time for Christians to stop putting our heads in the sand and DO SOMETHING. God help us!Rachel Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14673622113693268553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3610075403054462439.post-55131251113297241242012-11-29T14:31:00.001-08:002012-11-29T14:31:52.454-08:0030th Birthday<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Today is my 30</span><sup style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">th</sup><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> birthday, and being such
a monumental milestone, has had me thinking a lot about my life.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Last night was sleepless for some reason;
part of that time was spent wrestling the devil’s lies.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">He always likes to point out everything that
I don’t have.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Satan: “You’ve
made it to 30 and what do you have to show for it? You don’t have the body you always dreamed
of; you didn’t go to graduate school like you imagined; you had to drop out of
your low-paying teaching career; you still don’t have children; you’re not
famous and influential…”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Me: “You’re
right…I’m a complete loser; I’m always sick; I basically can’t do anything I
set my mind to…WAIT A MINUTE! I’ve heard
those lines before! You used that ploy
with Eve in the Garden of Eden. The one
tree she couldn’t have—that’s what you capitalized on. But what <i>do</i>
I have? I wasn’t born and raised in a dilapidated
hut half starving like so many children in the world. I wasn’t raised in a ghetto and given to
street gangs. I’ve never known fear for
my life, fear for basic needs, not even fear for love. My family was always there for me when I
wanted to go home. So <i>what if</i> I had become everything you said…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Suppose I had had the culturally modeled body, never
got scoliosis, and had much more self-confidence? I probably would have been liked by my peers,
would have developed social ease and confidence, would have gone much further
in my youth toward worldly progress. I
probably would have gained an interest in fashion. I would have been engrossed in speaking the
language of the world and would have been at ease among those my age. Maybe I would have pursued a career on
stage. I always admired my voice as a
girl to a vice. Maybe I would have gone
to graduate school. I would have been
rich and famous. But where would I have found
the husband I have now? How would I have
known the deep, abiding love of God shown me through the church on account of
my trials? I would have been empty,
void. Maybe I would have ended up one of
those stories on a news headline: “Famous singer has everything going for her,
tragically ends her life” or “Famously wealthy singer poor for love, gets
another divorce.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Paul, the great, ambitious, energetic, zealous,
famous Pharisee of Pharisees said it all in Philippians 3:4-11: “<span class="text">If anyone else thinks he has reasons to
put confidence in the flesh, I have more:</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span id="en-NIV1984-29411"><span class="text">circumcised</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="text">on the eighth day, of the people of Israel,</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="text">of the tribe of Benjamin,</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="text">a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law,
a Pharisee;</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="text"><span id="en-NIV1984-29412">as for zeal,</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="text">persecuting the church;</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="text">as for legalistic righteousness,</span><span class="text"> faultless.</span></span><span class="text"> But whatever was
to my profit I now consider loss</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="text">for the sake of Christ.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span id="en-NIV1984-29414"><span class="text">What is more, I
consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="text">Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I
have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="text"><span id="en-NIV1984-29415">and be found in
him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law,</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="text">but that which is through faith in
Christ—the righteousness</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="text">that comes from God and is by faith.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="text"><span id="en-NIV1984-29416">I want to know</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="text">Christ and the power of his resurrection
and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings,</span><span class="text"> becoming like him in his death,</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="text"><span id="en-NIV1984-29417">and so, somehow,
to attain to the resurrection</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="text">from the dead.</span></span><span class="text">”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span><span class="text"><span class="text"><span class="text"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text">When I was
eight years old, God put that seed of desire in my heart to know Christ. Throughout my youth, I prayed that very
verse; I prayed for the power of his resurrection, for the fellowship of
sharing in his sufferings, and to become like him in his death. I prayed that I would be a window through
which people would see Christ’s glory.
As a girl unaware of trial, I didn’t really know what I was praying from
a physical perspective. Now at 30, I
look back and realize that those prayers meant that the Rachel of the world,
that could have been, had to be demolished.
That meant that the culturally idolized body figure had to go (i.e., scoliosis). It meant that the desire for fame and self-confidence
had to go with it, with all that that implies.
It meant that my life had to be modeled after Christ—a path of
suffering. “</span><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He was despised<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span>and rejected by men,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>a<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>man<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>sorrows,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>and familiar with
suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>and we esteemed him
not” (Isaiah 53:3). But it also meant
that in place of fame, I would be given Christ’s glorious righteousness; in place
of self-confidence, I would be given His power; in place of earthly loves that
end in death, I would be given agape love that ends in eternal life. Oh what a blessing that I did not choose my
own path! I would have chosen
death. God chose life for me. Blessed be His holy name!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The
trouble with giving me His righteousness, though, is that God had to strip away
my self-righteousness and expose what I really looked like in His sight—“All of
us have become like one who is unclean, and all our</span> righteous<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>acts<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>are<span class="apple-converted-space"> like<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span>filthy<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>rags; we all shrivel up
like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away” (Isaiah 64:6). That has destroyed my self-esteem; it has
exalted Christ. It has made me weak and
stripped me of all self-confidence—hence my many sickly years—but it has shown
me the faithful power and love of my God to physically, emotionally, and
spiritually care for me. It has guaranteed
the death of my earthly dreams for self-exaltation, but these have been
replaced with greater gifts of deep and abiding love shown to me through a Christian
family, church family, and my own dear and faithful husband.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Are not
the gifts so much greater than what was removed? The gifts are of eternal value! That which was destroyed in my life is
passing away! Praise God from whom all
blessings flow! I praise Him for
answering those youthful prayers—for indeed making me a window through which
people can see <i>His</i> power and glory at
work. I pray He gives me grace to stand
firm in that realization, un-swayed by the devil’s taunting. May a life of dark providence serve as the
backdrop to the glorious strands of golden tapestry that God is writing by His
own hand on my life for the praise and honor of Jesus Christ!</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Rachel Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14673622113693268553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3610075403054462439.post-59713014007002928072012-08-12T20:02:00.000-07:002012-08-12T20:02:40.219-07:00For Me to Live is Christ...<br />
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Lord,
why is this simple lesson so hard?
Everything in my being screams that for my life to have meaning, I have
to <i>do </i>something meaningful—like saving
hundreds of orphans or donating millions of dollars to charity or adopting
children or even—be it so simple—keeping my house in order. But you have thwarted <i>every </i>design. As the poet exclaims,
“Lord why is this…wilt thou pursue thy worm to death?” But I think back to the heavy contemplation
that entered my mind when I walked off the airplane and entered the wealth of
middle class America after having been in the poverty of third-world
civilization. “It’s too easy…too easy to
be lazy, to be disciplined to walk with God, to forget God because everything
is so comfortable. It’s harder to live
the Christian life here than in the DR!”
The thought was prophetic. I shudder
at how far I have slipped. The daily
fervent prayers that seemed to be an essential on that island seem to be few
and far between. Now, when I do pray, it’s
cursory or forced, and I find that passion only comes when I am pushed into a
situation where I really feel my need for God.
But I should feel my need for Him every moment. Even the will to live or to initiate any life
endeavor is from Him, but I don’t ask Him for it. I don’t feel my need for Him <i>enough.
</i>Oh this idolatrous heart! I
have used my own schemes to try to replace the emptiness I feel. If only I could get my house in order…if only
I could have a child…if only I had more money to give to good causes…if only I
felt well enough to go on weekend excursions, have parties, or just plain <i>enjoy </i>life…if only… But God’s hand has been getting heavier and
heavier. Alas! Has the light finally dawned on this sleeping
soul? How is it that I have known the
truth so well in the past but have forgotten it so well in the present? How can I have experienced God so deeply not
that long ago and yet have taken so long to wake up to God’s pursuits? Oh wretched soul that I am! How glorious my redeeming God! Oh the blessing of His unrelenting
discipline! Katie of Uganda writes in
one brief paragraph what I have been trying to figure out for a year—really, for
my lifetime; just because my life has so vastly changed through marriage doesn’t
mean this truth has changed one bit: “A life is not made by lives saved or
bellies fed or words written. To adore the one who created the Heavens and the
Earth, to give thanks for who He is and all He has given, to worship and
commune with [the] Holy God, whispering in the quiet, clinging in the noise,
believing in all circumstances – this is what makes a life large” (<a href="http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/">http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/</a>).</div>
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I
have been looking for meaning to life in all the wrong places--yea, under the
guise of serving God--when all God wanted was <i>me</i>. When I would scan
through all the events of my life in my mind’s eye and find so many that have
seemed utterly wasteful, I would grow so very depressed. I would ask myself and God why those things
happened. I would search desperately for
some redeeming quality that would make those events worthy of my life. I would tell myself the promises (e.g., “All
things work together for good to them that love God”) or that God is sovereign,
but I was still earthly-minded in my search for peace. Why can’t I seem to think beyond the five
senses? I should know better!! I was still missing the foundation that ties
it all together. God wants <i>me</i>!
Not what I can do for Him, not what I can accomplish, not even what I
can do to love others (although that should flow from love for God). No, God just wants me to find my fullness in
Him—to be enraptured by Him and to see all life’s circumstances in the great
vortex of His awesome power and greatness.
The details of how everything fits together, He’ll work out; I don’t
have to grapple with it. All He wants me
to do is find <i>Him</i> in it. On my honeymoon, I had no problem enjoying
myself, even though a spectator would have thought it was a less-than-desirable
experience (frequent power outages, marooned on a beach without a soul in
sight, caught in undertows, sunburned, head sore from a crash into a tree
branch in a mad dash home in a thunderstorm, etc.). But what made all these events seem
unimportant? We had each other. We were in love. That’s all that mattered.</div>
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Can
I start again? Oh Lord, may you be ever
before me. May I never again lose sight
of you in the details of life—indeed, may they reveal you in depths I have never
had eyes to see.</div>
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Rachel Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14673622113693268553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3610075403054462439.post-61763196792048783742012-06-07T10:07:00.000-07:002012-06-07T10:07:17.394-07:00Ronald Reagan TributeI never knew that Ronald Reagan was a Christian. I was a newborn when Reagan was president, and I marvel how far our nation has fallen in less than 30 years. I wonder if Reagan was God's "voice in the wilderness" before He gave up this nation to its own evil devices.<br />
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http://youtu.be/OvN1jTkzXbYRachel Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14673622113693268553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3610075403054462439.post-41114014718548071722012-06-04T13:00:00.000-07:002012-06-04T10:00:09.456-07:00One-Year Update<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yT6GzCCrtQs/T7qwT5jmkRI/AAAAAAAAAzg/1xuNtJBDbq8/s1600/DSCN1693.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yT6GzCCrtQs/T7qwT5jmkRI/AAAAAAAAAzg/1xuNtJBDbq8/s320/DSCN1693.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">One week from now, Michael and I will be celebrating our
one-year wedding anniversary! Time has flown! And for me, life has
changed so much! June 11, 2011, Michael and I were married after being
engaged the previous December. We had dated until that time from June 26,
2010 when we met at a wedding. I had moved in October 2010 to New Jersey
from Massachusetts so I could get to know Michael better. I had
transitioned from Christian school teaching to online editing and began
learning how to live in a vastly different culture of suburban New
Jersey compared to the quiet pace of Northern Indiana and South Coast
Massachusetts. Over the year, I began to establish loving roots with my
new family, getting to know my new aunts and uncles, cousins, and brothers and
sisters-in-law. God was guiding me through the emotional process of
coping at a distance with the massive changes occurring in what I had
always known as my "secure" home in Indiana. Mom and Dad moved
away from the house of my last single years, my sister married and then
recently moved with her husband to Michigan, my brother married and established
his own home with his new bride, my last remaining grandparent died, and I
realized that going home would never be the same. Nevertheless, God was
giving me a new family that I was learning to cherish, and He replaced my
grandma with another who is close by. I have
been learning to make New Jersey my home, but more than that, I have been
learning not to set my hope too strongly on anything in this world. God has
been teaching me more about heavenly citizenship.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kdYe_hV3orw/T7qxCWwKRFI/AAAAAAAAAzw/kPiGcm-GFqI/s1600/DSCN1309.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kdYe_hV3orw/T7qxCWwKRFI/AAAAAAAAAzw/kPiGcm-GFqI/s320/DSCN1309.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Tytb1SLWCJY/T7qxajtYvfI/AAAAAAAAA0A/Wr6yXO7QRpM/s1600/DSCN1699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Tytb1SLWCJY/T7qxajtYvfI/AAAAAAAAA0A/Wr6yXO7QRpM/s320/DSCN1699.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Since being a
wife, the transitions have multiplied. Now a homemaker, I have my own
Cape Cod-style home to manage while muddling through the complications of
Chronic Fatigue. Feeling rooted in a quiet neighborhood with a man who
loves you so much is a tremendous blessing.
God has been good, but He does use pain and trials to keep us on our
knees and make sure we hold these earthly gifts loosely and relinquish our
pride. Despite these physical setbacks,
He has enabled Michael and me to transform the house into a comfortable home
that has our own personal touches. The living room has gone from off
white to warm green with white trim; the ragged brown carpets have been removed
to reveal beautiful hardwood flooring, accented with a beautiful, rusty brown, Hungarian
carpet given to us by friends; the living room windows have been adorned with lacy
white valances; and the spare rooms have been cleaned and organized, and have
even received guests! Outdoors, the gardens have been tamed and dabs of
color added to clay pots and hanging porch baskets. The trees have
flooded with multi-colored birds for their daily suet feeding. The skunks
have tried to take advantage of our hospitality but failed. The groundhogs
and deer have learned that the Adamus home is a habitat for birds and small
rodents only. And there's more...Michael's sister Betsy and her husband
have loaned us their dog for a year upon moving across country from New Mexico
to New York for additional schooling. Hezzy (Hezekiah)--the new member of
the family--has been a source of companionship, laughter and good exercise.
God is faithful in everything, and He is good, even when the body seems
to restrain all advancement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Since returning
from teaching in the Dominican Republic, I have been so blessed to have for the
first time a regular medical doctor to care for me that specializes in Chronic
Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia. We are praising God for Michael's
medical package through work that has enabled me to get regular treatments and
gain better answers into my health difficulties. I have begun to explore
more seriously and regularly the world of healthy food, fruits, vegetables and
gluten-free baking and set up foundations for healthy lifestyles for years to
come, by God's grace.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Preakness Valley URC during the youth group's Mother's Day Flower Sale </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Over the past
year, we have been established as a married couple in the church of our
membership (Preakness Valley United Reformed Church) where I lead ladies' Bible
studies and prayer groups, seek to help out in outreaches such as evangelistic
events and Vacation Bible School, and join the Preakness Chorale. Michael
has continued to deepen his ministry as an adult Sunday School teacher, youth
leader, musician, and choir director, among other things.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Ministering to the
neighbors has lain heavily upon our hearts as we pray for their salvation and
God's grace to enable us to be His witnesses. Our relationships with
various neighbors have grown in the past year, and as we clean up our yard and
patio, we hope for opportunities for cookouts this summer!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Above all, we have
seen God growing us toward Him together, which has drawn us closer and deepened
our love and appreciation for each other. Marriage has a way of exposing
sins and selfishness. It is humbling. It makes me realize how much
we need God's grace and Spirit to love each other for better or for worse.
But God is so good and so gracious. He has shown me His tender,
unconditional love through my husband. Now into Year 2: I pray God
enables me to learn how to be the wife of noble character while being content
with my physical limitations in a Christ-centered way. We are eager to see what our Lord has in
store for us this year, praying for new lessons, new mercies, and deeper love toward Him and each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>Rachel Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14673622113693268553noreply@blogger.com1Cedar Grove, NJ, USA40.8517876 -74.229031940.8277661 -74.2685139 40.875809100000005 -74.189549899999989tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3610075403054462439.post-79336027359069291912012-06-04T12:07:00.003-07:002012-06-04T12:07:34.226-07:00God's Will, Not MineWhy won't I get it through my head? I learn, and then it's like I never learned it before, and God patiently re-teaches me the same simple lesson: not my will but Thine be done. Yesterday, God opened my eyes anew to this simple but foundational concept of the Christian faith. In the weeks previous, I had been in spiritual and emotional agony over my ongoing physical weakness and my inability to carry out my "dreams for God" (which were really my dreams wrapped up in fancy language), such as starting a Christian school or even having my own children. I felt like I had some wisdom or talents to bring to the table. That's where I went completely wrong. God started showing me just how much I had to bring to the table by removing just a little of that restraining grace against sin and lengthening just a little the leash that holds Satan back from carrying out his efforts to deceive and temp and discourage. By yesterday, I was utterly worthless in my own eyes and realized I had absolutely nothing to offer of my own. God had brought me low, destroyed my wretched pride, and made me feel my own evils and Satan's lies and accusations, which I had been prone to believe (i.e., the godless neighbors have it better), for which I hated myself all the more, knowing that wasn't really true but seeming helpless to not embrace the idea of it. God's hand was heavy upon me. I begged Him to deliver me, while wondering if He even heard my prayers anymore--the thought of which gave even further cause for grief and despair over my state, for I knew in my mind that God <i>did</i> hear me and loved me through Christ. However, in my experience, it seemed the contrary. So I waited. With heavy, broken heart I waited, sighing for heaven.<br />
<br />
Then last night, God sent me on a mission to do what I didn't think I had talents to do, where I had no personal knowledge or wisdom, where I knew I needed to act but where I was helpless. And God acted. In the middle of the moment, when I needed it, He gave His wisdom. He showed me worldly wisdom is futile. He showed me self-confidence is futile. He showed me personal talents mean nothing if <i>He</i> has not called me and sent me. And if <i>He</i> has called me and commissioned me, <i>He</i> will do it, and glory to His redeeming grace, He often does use the pieces of our broken human experiences and talents to do it! Why did it seem before that God did not hear my prayers? Because I was praying for <i>my </i>will, not His, and I was thinking <i>I </i>could do it; He could just help. Oh devilish mutiny!<br />
<br />
Oh gracious Father--that He did not leave me in my wretched, selfish state but disciplined me and still used me--this chief of sinners! Oh how magnificent is His love and grace! How patient and faithful a Father! How marvelous the power of Christ's redemption!Rachel Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14673622113693268553noreply@blogger.com0