A NEW DAY DAWNING!

🎶 "The sun comes up it's a new day dawning; 

It's time to sing your song again.

Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me,

Let me be singing when the evening comes."🎶

 

In other words, Keep my focus on you Lord so that I may worship your holy Name....as I did the first time I heard this song, "10,000 Reasons"... in 2012 in Ukraine!

CHOOSE DANCING

Choosing dancing can be an easy choice when life is going well. 

It can also be an easy choice when one is at the Apple store getting help on a disabled computer while using their wifi. Apple Store wifi dances and does not drop----hooray for "dancing" wifi!"

But....do we sometimes get complacent and forget to choose dancing. Forget to celebrate. Forget to be thankful.

Dancing can be an expression of gratitude.

Gift from Ashley Bryan---Used with the Artist's Permission

A video with "my" Ukraine ladies dancing with the Lord with their ladies from India warmed my heart. They chose to take my D.A.N.C.E. dance to India. We often think we, the United States, are the only ones who send missionaries. At the missions conference this week the number of missionaries going out from South Korea was unbelievable.
Some are sent to the US. Just last year, I met, in Turkey, a lady from South Korea who, with her husband, had been a missionary in New York City.
Such news pleased me as NY is home to three of my most precious loved ones.
That kind of news makes is easy to "choose dancing!"

Humili-TEA: a cuppa worth pursuing

7/2/12 Being a tea gal in a coffee world has its moments---many of which are disappointing. However, one of my most affirming moments in my last-minute decision to go to Ukraine was the revelation that tea, the hot variety, would be available 24-7. I’m sure that revelation seems pretty insignificant to most folks, but to me it shows just how personal God can be in his care for us.

Today's morning cuppa  jogged that memory for me and I spent time praying for my “new-found” Ukrainian friends. I thanked God for the privilege of being found faithful and put into ministry at Kompas Park  by Him.  In Ukraine, which I first considered uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8) because it was so far from my Memphis address, I felt at home---a home full of good neighbors---always reaching out and caring for you.  Neighbors of joy, unselfishness and love, united in Spirit and bound together by a single purpose: to know God better.

I was humbled by God’s goodness for me during those 12 days abroad. I was humbled by the acceptance of “hard places” by many of the women at the Mom and Me Camp. I was humbled by the generosity of time and energy that the Ukrainian leadership "babies team" used to benefit me. I was amazed at their “humility” reservoir.

HumiliTEA, needs more than just a sip or two. HumiliTEA is the cuppa all should drink deeply from because our Savior was humility personified.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: (Philippians 2:3-5)

I mulled over this scriptural definition of humility with my  cuppa at my fingertips. I encourage you to do the same!

As Isaiah 57:15 reminds us: God dwells with those who have a humble and contrite spirit and revives both the repentant heart and the spirit of the humble. Glory to God.

Слава Богу!   (For Ukrainian sisters) When I hear you praying this, it sounds like Slava bohja----but regardless of the language, may we all choose to glorify the Lord.

Glory to God who showed me more of Himself, through the humility in your lives, which I saw so clearly last week.

Humili-TEA---a great cuppa for us all!

Sabbath snapshots: Kompas Park

I’m back. I’m blessed. I’m “bushed”--- Bed Beckons. 

Will post Sabbath Snapshots: July 1 2012 soon. SORRY IT'S TAKEN SO LONG!
7/4***No Matter how hard I tried to put these PIX in order, the computer would not let me reposition. I numbered them for anyone who cares that there is an order.
So many pix that I am dividing entries. Today's are a partial overview of a camp day---Days always began with my "Dance" devotionals, exercise and breakfast and campers' room checks. Kids crafts and classes began while mom's had a spiritual message from Shirley followed by their craft times and master classes of cooking or massage lessons. Lunch and quiet time then small groups for the ladies while children were tended. 4:00 snacks of fresh fruit. YUM! More master classes on some days, supper and then "fun time" of skits and songs for moms and kids. 9:00 snacks of the BEST yogurt!
Not sure when "lights out" actually occurred because I was always in bed after our 9 pm "recap the day" leadership mtgs. while others continued on.

#9 Dima practicing sneezing a block off of his head after I had just sneezed it off of mine. Sneezing and laughter---universal in language

#4 Morning exercise at 8:30am. Participants from 14 mos. to 70+ enjoyed this "kick-start" to our day.

#5 Morning groups sectioned by age. Guess who was "blessed" with the babies (0-2)? Matthew was our youngest camper.

#6 Room ck for the campers----Oskar (age 18 mos.) and mom, Stacy, shared the bottom bunk.

#7 Neatness is essential when 4 families share the same room---with 4 bunk beds.

Dima learns the joy of the "sneeze" game.

#3 Back to the house with the day's pickings.

#2 View from my room--early morning gathering of the day's sustenance.

First rule I learned in Ukraine---Always remove shoes at the entryway of a home.

Ukraine sunset at Kompas Park. Nothing quite like it! Note scarecrow on right still keeping watch on the "necessary" garden.

Shirley's lecture on living under God's umbrella and organizing life's priorities accordingly.

Mom's small groups--- recapping truths and sharing insights from morning message.

Leaving our worries at the foot of the cross and praying for each other. Thanks to Pam Seymour for the button and a great "pre-camp" haircut.

SIDEWALK CHALK SAYS IT ALL!

Next Sabbath snapshots (7/8, if I have wifi in mtns.) will be of Ukraine Beauties. I met so many beautiful ladies. I can only share their faces but their hearts are beautiful as well.

Sabbath Snapshots: A World Away

Pix to follow on Mom's return
6/24/12 Pix of first 3 days in Cherkasy, Ukraine to offer a glimpse of the city in which Katya and David Bute minister. Ministry projects organized by Kreativitiy include English and Russian youth groups, Translator Club, Teddy Bear Club for young mums, and mission impossible – a project to motivate young people to get excited about missions.
David and Katya also run a camp for Ukrainian youth every summer called ‘Mission Impossible’!

My first "view" of Ukraine.

Serious about their "football" (soccer) as they hosted, with Poland, the EURO 2012 championship. BTW, Spain won 4-0 over Italy. 

View from my window at the Bute home---where son Tim gave up his room on my behalf.

Produce and brooms from a vendor who wanted me to take her picture.

Shopper purchased his needed bread and pasta for the day.

Hay wagon on the road to the campgrounds.....one of the better roads. Lots of cows, goats and chickens shared the road with us.

Watching the world go buy---though not much traffic goes by on this dirt road near camp entry.

Ukrainian women in traditional babushka. Note well behind them---all water outside city limits comes from wells so you see them in every front yard.

Ukrainian team extend warm welcome.

 

Psalm 133:1

6/23/12 So much to say----so little time----we're headed out the door to drive 1 1/2 hours to the camp at, Kompas Park where we will assist the Ukrainian women in hosting a Mom and Me camp for children 2-8 years of age. Shirley, our team leader, will provide a Woman and Her World "talks" from God's word. Small group follow-ups based on the morning lecture will be headed by Shirley & me & 2 other women on our team---April and Graziella. I will provide (8) daily devotionals for the leadership teams' morning meeting and prayer time. "All Aboard" and here we go......loaded with every imaginable supply we could think of and armed with the prayers of the saints from 4 continents.

How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! (Psalm 133:1) 

....only part of 2 bus loads---more for our stuff, than the number of people. It's why each member on our team brought a large suitcase filled with 50 pounds of camp supplies.

There is a fellowship among believers---a unity, a love connection shared among followers of Christ. Praises for that fellowship.