Saturday, August 28, 2010

ampersand pillow

Well...for quite some time now I have been intrigued by these cute pillows...and since I did have one ugly old pillow in my house and Grenada does have fabric, I decided to give it a try...

BEFORE:


AFTER:







just a couple simple steps and viola!!!!!! Easy Peasy! I am not by any means and advanced seamstress but I had alot of fun putting it together...although if you look too close I am sure you could find alot wrong with it...I am a happy girl right now. And although my hubby thinks I might be going off the deep end..I think deep down inside he really likes it too :)

Friday, August 27, 2010

...a new day


thanking God today for a lovely new day....with a clean slate.....and a fresh outlook. Well, I think I can safely say that things are beginning to feel like they are falling into a bit of a routine. We are beginning to understand what our responsibilities are & I am afraid I might regret complaining about being bored as our "to do" list is really starting to grow....but it is a good feeling. Keith & Kathy are back from holiday and he has a nice long list of things for Ben to work at (which makes Ben very happy). He can only stand so much studying time per day & even though that is a large part of his ministry..preaching, teaching...etc. It feels good for him to be able to get out and work with his hands, which is a gift that he enjoys.  I am really being inspired with ways to add a personal touch to our home & make it me....but there really are not resources around here so I am trying to learn how to make something beautiful out of nothing....i will let you know how that goes :) Other than that there are the typical day to day things that need done cooking, baking, cleaning, sewing. yeah you heard me right... I sewed my first complete solo dress this past week & I actually enjoyed it. :) Plus we are often having children stop by through out the day asking for water and just wanting some time and attention. We have taken over Bible Clubs in Peterfield (otherwise known as "The Hole") that were started by Erlis' and we had our first solo attempt at that this past monday also. I won't even tell you how that went...just say I came home ready to pack my bags. :) It will just be a journey to know how to handle BAD attitudes, disrespect and all that good stuff. But it my desire to find JOY in the journey!  My joy cannot be based on how things go but rather in knowing that I have received the beautiful gift of salvation & have a Heavenly Father who loves me and is walking beside me every step of the way! He never promised that this journey would be easy, but he DID promise that he is in control and will guide us as we seek His face.

Monday, August 23, 2010

oil down...beach....Quarantine Point

Well...we had our first encounter with oil down on Thursday night. Can't say for sure how I felt about it...I think it must be one of those things that kinda grows on you...I hope :) It really wasn't bad...it just had alot of new foods in it that I never ate before. But I was brave and ate everything that landed on my plate...and if you know me...that is a stretch as I am rather picky about what foods I allow entrance into my mouth. Thaddeus was our cook. He wanted to have make a pot of oil down for Erlis & Dorothy before they left & we had the privilege to be there as well...here are the stages of oil down....
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what your seein' there is some chicken...salt fish...pig tails.... :)
...with some seasonings...

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...add some figs....breadfruit (similar to potatoe)...and callaloo root


That is our cook Thaddeus.....fanning the flames to get a good fire going

cute kiddos that we are going to miss



Oh...the lovely Carribean beach... a place to rewind...relax....rejuvinate....and SNORKEL!!!!!!!! I wish I would have an underwater camera to show you all the awesome fish we see. There is another world underneath that water...it is just incredibley beautiful





The other night we went to Quarantine Point for the evening with Erlis and Dorothy & this rainbow greeted us when we got there. God's Promise to Us!!!!!!!!




After we bribed the kids with chewing gum they were willing to smile for the picture....
We are getting settled in here...after two weeks it is starting to feel more and more like home. We look forward to the time when we can kinda figure out a schedule that works for us, but God has been good & we are excited for the work here in Laborie. It feels like such a huge responsibility to show the love of Jesus to all these people and to be an encouragement & example to the new believers here. A friend sent me an email with this quote and I though I would share it here

The Lord doesn't ask about your ability, only your availability, and, if you prove your dependability,the Lord will increase your capability
for some dumb reason it wants to put this picture last and I am tired of arguing, but this is the finished product...okra....callaloo...field corn...and it is all cooked in coconut water...anyone say YUM??

Friday, August 13, 2010

Life as I now know it

well....i have been thinking of doing this for a long time...not that my life is so interesting or that I really enjoy writing, but I thought it would be a good avenue for those friends and family of mine who do not have facebook to get a peek at what is going on in our lives since we have moved across the sea. This my dear friends is where God has taken us. The cute,little pink condo I always dreamed of, well maybe not...but I do think it is cute and hopefully with a little creativity and some time it will feel like home. :)
We are slowly but surely getting adjusted to the culture and all that comes with it. I will be glad when I can look back in a couple of months and see some progress, but for now we are trusting in an Almighty God to see us through, one day at a time.  We have made a few contacts with some of the children in the area & Rahim & Damion like to stop by from time to time to perfect the art of bop it & challenge Ben at basketball..
trying to show Ben the right way to pose for a picture ( I don't think he quite got it)


These two guys both recently became Christians and it is our prayer that they would continue to allow God to work in their lives & that we would have wisdom to know how to encourage & challenge them in their Christian walk. Well, that is all that I can muster for today....I've got dishes to wash & a shower to take and tonight is youth night.  Latuh!!!