This morning I was telling Elani that for the first time that I can remember, I don’t know what to write about! She said that all I really needed was another visa run, and I would find plenty of inspiration. But, since I have a number a weeks left before that evil event, I was thinking that you were all just out of luck this time.

Then, we went out to the well to do laundry. Elani told me the pineapple story, which I had never heard before. It sounds like just the kind of story that I needed to hear. If I had enough money, you know what I would do? I would buy ALL of the neighbors hangers for Christmas. Then, maybe I could keep mine. But, alas, it is not to be this year. Then we discussed all the blessings that we have enjoyed this year. Once I got on the subject, I was amazed at how many things that I could think of. I thought that maybe I should share some of them with you.

For one thing, we came over here with no income whatsoever. Have we ever been in need? Skipped a meal? Not had money to buy gas for the motor bike? Turned down a student because of a lack of funds? No, in fact a resounding NO! God has generously provided for our every need. Now, isn’t that something to write home about?

Then, there is the fact that we have been given just what we need to perfect our own characters. I was ready to complain about my little girls when I got to thinking that God would not have given them to me if He did not think that I could handle them. What a comfort that is! The fact is, the only way I can handle them is through the grace of God alone. Yep, Meme stole from us and then lied about it again. Hannah learned to scream a nice piercing scream, and so I am also having to work through that one with her. There is nothing calculated to annoy more than a piercing scream! The other thing that is teaching me patience is potti training Hannah. I asked the girls since they looked so bewildered when I mentioned that I was going to potti train her, and they informed me that the Karen teach the children to go potti in the toilet around 8 or 9 years of age. Before that, any place will do….bedroom, living room, anyplace you happen to be…..I can’t say that I am always successful at being patient, but God is certainly giving me the opportunity to learn!

I am also blessed to have such amazing supporters in the States. When Roy was home, he met some people that wanted to donate a felt set, but we never got it. I thought that maybe they just changed their minds. But, a few weeks ago, our dear friends that pick up the mail for us, emailed and asked how to send a box to us. It appears that the felt set did get sent, we just didn’t get it before Roy had to leave. So, these friends mailed it to us, (a very expensive thing to do) and we got it. Not only did it contain a nice felt set, but it also had cards, and bookmarks, and all kinds of neat things in there! My kids were so taken with the cards. They spent hours looking at all the pictures and picking out their favorites. While I was really happy for the felt set, I felt a bit selfish for having such a nice set while our church has nothing for their little ones. The very next day, I got word from another friend that the Orofino Idaho church bought a nice felt set with backgrounds and sent them over with friends of ours! Amazing! Isn’t God incredible?

So, while Elani and I were discussing all this at the well, God decided to give us one more thing to be thankful for. A medium sized red centipede came racing out and began terrorizing us! I have been told that those things are really poisonous, and that they could kill small children, so I am very cautious around them, to say the least….more like on the war path against them! So, with Elani’s help, we got Hannah out of the danger zone and then she pinned the awful critter with a lid, while I smashed the life out of it with a laundry brush. (Hey, you use what you have available!) The neat thing about centipedes is that you have to kill the entire thing or it will still wiggle around and live. Even the legs of the crazy thing keep moving after being separated from the body. (just a little tidbit that I thought you might enjoy pondering over your Christmas dinner) This is the second time a centipede has disturbed our peace at the well, and both times God has spared us from being bitten or stung or whatever it is that they do. Not only that, but God has also spared me from even seeing a big snake since I came over here…I have been near them, since everyone else saw them, but I have never personally seen one. I guess God knows me pretty well.

So, today I don’t have anything earth shattering to tell you about, but I can testify that God is faithful and good all the time, and we can trust him entirely.