Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Back from vacation...

I have lots of pictures to post of our trip to Granada and Christmas. Now that we are back from vacation, it's amazing how quickly things get busy! We are thankful for the great time we had with our good friends the Starks. We really missed our family this year, but we still enjoyed a wonderful Christmas and are thankful for all the Lord has blessed us with! Here is a picture from our trip to the Alhambra. There are many more to come!!

Monday, December 15, 2008

In the Nick of Time...

We finally had some time to take some family pictures for our Christmas cards. Nothing like leaving it to the last possible moment, I know! But the cards are being sent, and now I can breath a sigh of relief!

So here they are, along with our official Merry Christmas wishes to each one of you!

We thank the Lord for His many blessings this year and for our salvation that was made possible by a Saviour who came to earth as a baby so long ago. He is the real reason for our hope, joy and peace this season and all year long!




Happiness is...


...a box full of Christmas candy that just arrived from home....along with a bundle of wrapped presents that are now under the tree. Thanks Mom!!

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Christmas Program

These last two nights, our church had it's anual Christmas program. They had such a packed house last year, that this year they had decided to have the program on two separate nights and have different people come on each night in order to make sure there was enough room for everyone that came.

This year the Lord blessed with 78 people the first night and 77 tonight. Many of those people were first time visitors and lost. Last night we had a total of 18 first time visitors, with 16 of those having never put their faith in Christ as their Savior. They heard a very clear plan of salvation and we are praying that the Holy Spirit would continue to do a work in their hearts. I don't have tonight's final count of first timers, but it was equally high.

It was such a blessing to be a part of this year's program and to see the Lord at work each night. Aaron sang in the children's choir, I played the piano and Jeff worked on all the technical end of things and sang in the choir. He even sang a duet with another guy in the choir! Can you believe it, Mom? jeje We had a blast! Here are some pictures from the last two nights.


Miriam , on the far right, brought three of her friends from school with her.


This lady and her son (pictured below) came for the first time, along with her husband and daughter. The four of them are deaf and almost didn't come, but they were very moved by everything and impressed by how many people in church were able to communicate with them through sign language. We had 6 deaf people that came on the first night and they all are lost. Please pray for their salvation!




This man has been coming for years, but only for special occasions, and his son is a faithful member of the church. Please pray that his hard heart will be broken!


This lady was invited by a family in the church who lives in her same apartment complex.


Hna. Maria is in her 80's and is a wonderful testimony of faithfulness to the Lord.


The kids did such a great job with their parts. I think they stole the show! The little girl next to Aaron, Vera, has a daddy who is a drunk and on drugs. He needs the Lord and has been fighting salvation for some time now. He was there tonight!


Here are some scenes from the play ...






Our very talented cast... = )


Happiness after a great two nights!

What a blessing it is to be in the service of the King!

Friday, December 12, 2008

Our Thanksgiving!

I know I am kind of late in getting these pictures up, but I just recently had these sent to me, so...better late than never, I say!!

We did not have any family to spend Thanksgiving with this year, but the Lord allowed us to spend the day with some very dear missionary friends here in Madrid. I have known these families since I was a little girl and it is so neat that they are once again a part of my life, as well as Jeff and Aaron's. They are all such a blessing and encouragement to us. We truly have much to be thankful for!


Our table setting with not all the food on the table... There was sooo much food!!


Mommy, is it time to eat yet?!


Waters, Williams, Andrews, Lovedays


Us!


Very yummy pie!


This couple is very special to us. She was my piano teacher years ago! We are now helping out in their church for a little while and learning so much.

Judd Family Update

Here is a letter from Mrs. Judd to all those who have been praying for Dana and her family...

First let me just say thank you all so much for all your prayers, thoughts and calls over the last few days. God is good ALL the time. I am so thankful that God answers prayers and it amazes me that the WHOLE world was praying for Dana and our family. We would not have made it through this without you all. Dana is home, broken and shaken, but home and safe. Please continue to pray for our family as we take time to heal. There are many hard days to come.

Please forward this to all those who you have asked to pray so they can praise the Lord for answered prayer.

I would secondly ask that you take no offence if we do not personally thank each one of you - there are just too many to respond to and I would be taking days to do it. Know that I love and appreciate you all and are so thankful to have such an awesome support group. Love, Dawn

2 Corinthians 9:8 "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:"
Psalms 34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. As a dear friend pointed out - we have tasted and how deliciously divine HE is!!!

Here is a note from Mrs. Baughman who works at BIMI and has been sending updates on the Judds...

HEADS UP – Thank you so much to everyone for praying for Dana’s safe return. That prayer was answered very quickly because thousands around the world were praying. Police have those involved in custody and Dana is home safely. We know that people mean well, but those are ALL the details anyone needs to know … nothing more. Thank you for understanding that. Prayer for healing and for Dana, Dustin, Jerry and Dawn in the aftermath of this all is so much appreciated.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Answered Prayer!

I wanted to let everyone know that Dana Judd has been found! I don't know all the details of how and when and when and will post more when I know. But for now, please keep the Judd family in your prayers as they go through this difficult, but thankfully joyful moment. We serve a great God! Thanks for praying!

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Urgent Prayer Request!

I just received an e-mail from a friend of ours that works at BIMI about a missionary family that we met while on deputation. Here is the message I received. Please, please pray. They have two children and are a very sweet couple that have been missionaries in New Zealand for a few years now.

Here is the message:

Jerry’s mom and dad phoned at 11:45 p.m. last night and said that Jerry and Dawn's daughter, Dana, has been kidnapped! It happened yesterday. Police and family are searching for her. They had just moved to the north island from the south island to work with another missionary. Dana went to the store to purchase a Christmas present. When she didn’t return, they went to the store and the owner said she never showed up. They texted her cell phone and a message came back that said “If you want to see your daughter again, you can pick her up at Christ Church on the 14th.” Other text messages came following that were very nasty. Please pray for Dana at this time … for her safety … for her safe return … for Jerry, Dawn and Justin. Dana is a scrapper and strong, even though she is only 13 years old. Please pray! It is 12 hours later in New Zealand.

Friday, December 5, 2008

Have You Ever?

Ok, so I just saw this on a friend's blog and thought it was neat. So here goes...(The words in bold are the things I have done!)

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Had all 4 wisdom teeth pulled out with only some local anesthesia
7. Been to Disneyland/world – many times!
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang/played a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty - only got halfway there!
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train – I’ve slept, overnight on a train! = )
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Bathed in a river
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise – 6 times (This is our favorite family vacation!)
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied – I am truly satisfied and it has nothing to do with money!
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David in person
41. Sung karaoke – I won’t reveal my singing partner, but we had a blast!
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie – Does our missionary presentation count? = )
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Made a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Lived through an earthquake

How About You?

Thursday, December 4, 2008

My Baby is 6?!!!

Today is Aaron's Birthday and his excitement for turning 6 is well, exciting and all, but how in the world is my baby 6?! I can't believe how quickly each year seems to fly by.
It's like you blink and you go from this....

To this...
Maybe I should just stop blinking all together....

Early Christmas gifts!


We received a box in the mail yesterday from my Mom, filled with all sorts of goodies for Aaron's B-day and some things we had ordered. It was like an early mini Christmas! My Mom even included some extras we hadn't asked for like...canned pumpkin for making a pumkin pie at Christmas, brownie mix, and all sorts of chocolate, some nerds...can you feel the sugar rush? What I am most excited about is The Love Dare book that she sent as well. I can't wait to dig in and read it. I will let you know what I think when I'm done! Thanks, Mom...I love you!!!