Learning New Tricks?

Well....after seeing the following video clip....Stacia (6) ran upstairs, grabbed her dog and told me she wanted to teach me to "balance your wrist." Evidently, I'm to practice speaking with the dog balanced on my wrist...keeping him from falling.....Guess SHE noticed the stray fingers flying into the screen shot? 

I'm not sure this old dog can learn the trick of speaking without flailing my arms

This week's attempt at a video clip for PWOC Asia Regions TnT....getting better....but gotta figure out how to EDIT music and video CLEANER....still....it's an improvement over last week. Volume is so high it will blast your ears if your computer volume is up. ::snort:: 

TnT: Watch Your Heart

I'm believing God to bring a lady with tech savvy on to the regional team. I need her...but I'm not letting a little thing like "know how" stop the vision. ::snort:: 


Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

I AM

"Do not be afraid of them; YHWH your God himself will fight for you."
Deuteronomy 3:22, NIV


The above is a verse someone sent me "out of nowhere".....really straight from Abba's heart to mine.  I got the message and it was good.  I had just been thinking "I AM" is I AM over every situation when I checked email! 


I was up at 01:30 and worked until I felt sleeping at 06:30.  I got a lot done...then I crawled back into bed and woke up about 08:30.  I don't think this is a good plan for most days...but it worked today. 


When I got up I had some local and regional PWOC stuff to "tend to."  We got school done. I'm working on an outfit for Saturday's Spouses Dining In. 


Due to miscommunication Jared had no ride to work....but he's resourceful! 

Mike dropped by and we took the van to Big D's for some work. He took the older kids and a neighbor girl to youth group and I enjoyed watching Rio with the younger set....and blogging. LOL

I also packed up for our "base day" tomorrow. I need to go to bed now that I hear everyone coming home....sort of tired and tomorrow will be early too.  OH more candy - more bags to work on - then bed. LOL


Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Dogie Curtain

We discovered last week that Yuuki takes an active interest in the soundtrack from Lady and the Tramp. She chases around and looks for Tramp in the song "He's a Tramp." 


Sunday was one of those busy Sundays. We made it to two services, the kids went to Sunday school and we attempted a hospital visit, then Michael took the kids to lunch and bowling while I attended a baby shower....and we decided not to go to the 3rd service....we came home and played Ratuki and entertained ourselves watching Yuuki react to cats on you tube. LOL 

Yes, I need to buy curtains for the patio door. I'm cheap and didn't want to spend the $ when they can't be used in other homes - unless we never leave Japan.  I like the sun...but I really do like a bit of privacy - I guess. We've lived without curtains at all for 2 years. When Jim and Twyla moved they gave us their curtains...so we put some up......now that we are extending I really do think I'll drive to the town south of here and find some to fit the door and maybe a matching set for the window above the table....I may get carried away and buy black out curtains for our rooms too. ::snort::  BUT Yuuki really seems to like having the window clear. It's a dogie (spell check insists this is correct) curtain. LOL 

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Snowy Prayer Walks et al

Jared needed to be at work early today. 

Michael wanted to attend PMOC today. The men were having breakfast and watching Courageous.

I wanted to meet die hard PWOC sisters for a prayer walk....and spent the early hours playing with movie maker (see post below).

At 0900 I headed over to the track....and wow....4 - 6 inches of powdery snow on top of iced over ruts....ugh. We decided to walk on the sidewalks instead....

I was a bit unsure of this idea - but WOW - what a great way to spend a morning. This week Ruth, our prayer coordinator and a dear friend, had asked women at all PWOC studies to write prayer requests on index cards. We planned to grab a card and pray a lap for the request...which we did.  It may have been a bit out of my comfort zone...but it turned out to be a BLESSING. Moving, praying, together, in the snow, a memory I will treasure! Blessed all around. (P.S. Ruth is the friend that began MOCA  - Moms of College Aged - with me - where we pray for our "kids" back in the states).

For some reason coming home from my last trip has been hard. I love being home...but I've had a hard time getting back into the routine of local ministry and home life. I seem to remember meetings AFTER they happen, dates changed and I'm playing catch up....just more befuddled than I usually am after a trip....Today was precious. I felt connected again after walking with Ruth and praying for our ladies and the needs on their hearts.

Now it's time to play Ratuki.

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

New Project

One of my new ministry projects has been to try to form an online reading group using PWOC Asia Region's FB pages. We call it TnT - Truth N Treasures.  The thought is for everyone to  read a chapter a day...and we'll go through the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs by the end of the year.  The hope was everyone would post a daily thought on FB....that hasn't caught on yet....but I can tell folks are checking in to follow...I pray they're reading along with us too. 


 I wanted to post a QUICK weekly video fleshing out one verse from our weekly reading. Lauren helped me make an announcment slide for local groups - because mine was truly terrible. I asked for help to fix it and she just redid it. ::snort::  I needed to figure out how to make a video - and this was the week I was determined to make it work. I found the webcam (in Movie Maker LOL), I learned to change colors, add some words and music.....still rough. Next week I'll figure out how to edit, and to turn the sound up, find a less distracting setting and keep it to 60 seconds....but here's what I've been trying to teach myself. LOL 

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Zander is 10

Tomorrow is really Zander's 10th birthday...but he has asked if we can celebrate today. Since all are going to be home at a fairly decent time tonight, and three of us have to leave very early tomorrow....it seems like a good idea. He's asked for chicken legs for dinner. We've made an ice cream cake, the presents are wrapped......and FINALLY....Jared and Michael are home!!!! 


Zander has made such great strides. Many of you know his story. I can hardly recognize in him the little boy who refused to interact with the world, spent his days flapping and rocking, chewing and hitting his head on walls.... He's come so far. We've taught each other much. 


He was SO EXCITED to open his presents....a couple of science kits, some 3 D coloring things, a K-nex roller coaster thingy, a star wars model.....

Loves science and has two kits to play with 

Stacia was very happy to give this to Zander

Yes, at the APPOINTED time he got a nerf gun to match Nolan's

And the cake of his choice!

We spent the rest of the evening chatting and watching a movie. 


Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Missionaries, Projects and Skype

Friday, several of us loaded our cars with supplies and went to meet a missionary family in a town south of us.  It was a joy to be a blessing and it was a joy to see the blessing of God on their ministry. They've recently finished building a BEAUTIFUL church  and mission house.  They had *70*  people attend their Christmas service. Amazing.  I enjoyed seeing the new area, meeting a new family and visiting with Tara along the way. ::grin:: 

Little bldg in our rice paddies....in winter

I've hit on a new project. PCS season on a military base is amazing. Massive groups of people are moving. They cannot take many food and cleaning items with them. As we have a large family, we often are blessed with the bits and pieces...and it IS fun to try new things etc. As I visited with our new friends I asked if they would be o.k. accepting things that are still good but have been opened and can't be packed. They would love it.....and so an idea is born. I'm going to see if there are other missionary families "near by" - have a lead or two...and during PCS season I will let folks know they can drop their leftovers with me and I'll be sure they get to a missionary family. This will provide the family a touch of home as well as help to stretch dollars in the midst of the yen/dollar dive.  It will also provide those leaving the excuse NOT to eat up or use up every bit in their pantry or incur guilt. LOL  I'm excited to see where this idea goes. 

I rounded out the day Skyping with Lauren..... This had become a normal part of life when we were both serving on Asia Region's board - 2009-2011. Lauren is an admin extraordinaire and a techie pro. I learned a lot from watching her projects for a couple of years. She amazes me. It was fun to spend time catching up this afternoon. 

Tonight - a party for Zander!

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...