Calm the Storm...

It's Sunday night and I'm watching the Bronco game on T.V. all is calm here in Colorado, but half of the country is preparing for the storm to beat all storms that is about to hit the east coast tomorrow. It's been named by some meteorologists as Frankenstorm.

I think of my missionary kids. In their part of the world, hurricanes are called typhoons and they have faced several during their years in Vanuatu. Those storms can be so destructive for the village and their gardens and homes. 

Our lives can be like the weather. I love the clear sunny days, but I dread the storms even though I know that it is in the storms that God always teaches me the most. 

I remember the story of the apostles and the storm on the lake. Jesus was asleep in the boat.Just when they really panicked Jesus woke and saved them by telling the storm to stop.
There is a storm brewing in my life. I know that  
now is the time to take my eyes off the storm and remember that I have a true anchor in Jesus. 

Sometimes I just need to be reminded. 

Praying God will have mercy on those most affected by the upcoming storms. 

Picture of the last typhoon to hit Vanuatu. Thankfully it did not land full force on the island of Tanna. 

I have eight grand children. 

And a precious eight month old great grand daughter. 

Meet Chloe Marie....

Over the years I have acquired quite a collection of grand parenting books. 

Some give ideas on how to make connections with long distance grand children.  

One suggestion was to order two subscriptions to a magazine. One for grandma and one for the child. Read them and then discuss the stories. 

FOCUS ON THE FAMILY 

puts out several children's magazines. Two of these are   Clubhouse Junior for 4-8 years, 

Clubhouse for 9-12 year olds. 

www.family.org

These magazines would be perfect for reading together. 

DRUM ROLL PLEASE!!! 

In August,  John Mark had a story published in Clubhouse Magazine. 

One we can read together:) 

for anyone who has written a story and sent it to a magazine for consideration you know that this is no small feat. 

WAHOO!!! 

Well done young man. We are mighty proud of you!!!! 

We Have A Treasure...

It's been a busy couple of months for me. I have been out of town with my niece and her family for a month, babysitting for my gr. grand daughter Chloe, and traveling with my other niece and her girls, consequently, I haven't had a lot of time to post on this blog. 

What time I have had  has been used setting up the blog for Parents of Missionaries @pomnet.org. If you are a missionary parent check it out. A place for us to support one another. 

My kids have been going on with their translation. 
They are working hard to get the New Testament done in the Nafe language. See 
John 1:1-5....

Over the years one of my prayers has been that God would use His Word to change the hearts of the NiVanuatu that as they read scripture in their own language they would see truth.

Last month Erik told me about a conversation he had with some people in the village. He said I could share it with you. 

"I was doing a village check on the book of Hebrews the other day. I read the whole of Chapter 10-11 to a man and his wife. The man laughed afterwards delighted. 

'Oh Erik,' he said. If there were a person sitting in a church, a man who was like a wild donkey in the bush. He would hear this talk and it would tame him.'

The next day I read it to a pastor and he said, ' This talk will take the custom person who is like a coconut crab hidden in the whole of a rock and bring him out in the light.' "

I love it....

Our cultures are different, but God's Word can bring the truth of the gospel and the sin in ones life into the light. 

The Bible is a treasure....

I Get It....

Don't you love it when you meet a complete stranger, who is a believer, and because you both love the same Lord and Savior you immediately have a bond between you. 

 It's Him! 

 I have found the same is true when I meet other POMs (parents of missionaries). 
Right away we usually have two things in common. The same Lord and the same feelings of having our children away from home serving that Lord and often a people we don't know.
That bond unites our hearts and our emotions. 
What a blessing it is to have a connection with someone who understands your pain and joy at having a child serving God in a cross cultural setting.

This morning I met with a POM who has her third child leaving for the mission field in Africa. Three of her grand children are going also. 
Her tears brought me to tears. 

"Does it ever get easier?" she asked. 
"I'm not sure it does," I said. 
"I think what has gotten easier for me is that I give the grief to God quicker and trust Him to carry it faster, because I know now He is so faithful." 

I share this to say that one of the ways God helps us is to provide others that understand. 
Only another Parent of a Missionary knows how hard it is to let them go.  
Only another Parent of a Missionary can understand the pain and the joy in having a child serving cross culturally. 

The National Network of Parents of Missionaries is an organization started to support parents and their families. For more information go to pomnet.org 
A great way for us parents to support each other.