03/06/11
Dear Christy and Connie,
Good evening to you. And good morning too. Hope you will have a great day in the house of the Lord with His people.
What a busy day it has been! But a good day. Here is today’s journal entry:
March 6. We had a good time with Randy, Scott, and Yogi yesterday evening. Scott fixed a supper of rice with stir fry beef and veggies on top. Then there was bread and butter, and sliced pineapple. But I got filled up on just the rice and stir fry. Besides I wanted to save room for dessert. The dessert actually turned out quite tasty. And Scott loved it. It wasn’t too rich either since I didn’t use milk in the pudding. I used the natural juice from the can of apricots, added water to make four cups, and added some coconut cream powder, plus the custard powder, corn starch, and a little bit of sugar. The only dairy was the whipped cream on top. It had a crumb crust made from old cookies and some graham crackers to make it enough, mixed with butter, and patted into a 9 x 13 casserole dish, and baked. Then I layered the apricots on top of the crumb crust, and the pudding on top of that. When it cooled, I whipped the cream and spread that on top.
We enjoyed getting to know Randy a bit. He and his wife Elena have five children. They work in Kiari, which is several hours drive from Nomane, where they fly in and out of. They are presently working on their own airstrip in Kiari. Scott spent a month with them and was helping them to make what they are calling “ditch supports” for the ditches across the airstrip. Somebody told them that the wood they are using is mahogany. That’s an expensive wood in the states, used for fancy furniture.
Got to know Yogi a bit more too. We had met him before when we met Scott. He is a believer from the Fore language group. Lives in a village near Okapa. Can’t remember the name of it. He was raised several years by a missionary couple and is well educated and knows English quite well.
It was a bit after 9:00 when we left their place. Came back to our flat, read the Bible and prayed. Then I took my shower and went to bed.
Today has been a good day. I am thankful for a good night’s rest again last night. The Lord gave us beautiful weather today — sunny, not too hot, nice breeze.
We started the day with prayer, pancake breakfast, quiet time. Then I cleaned up around the flat so it would look presentable when our guests came. Internet was not working this morning so couldn’t get e-mails in. Since nobody was staying next door, I walked back and forth on the front veranda for a while and prayed. Then it was time to talk to Chrsity and Connie. Just wish we could sit down and talk face to face. Wouldn’t that be nice?
After that, I got the income report up to date. Then the men came around 10:00 for fellowship time. It was great. We enjoyed about 1 1/2 hours of fellowship. Each of us chose a hymn that we sang. Scott led the singing. Then each of the men shared something from the Word. Daddy shared first, some thoughts from verses in Isaiah chapters 43 — 46, which brought out that there is no other God, no other Saviour, but God only.
Then Randy shared about Asaph in Psalm 73, how there was a time that he went through a trial where he was envious at the prosperity of the wicked. However the Lord encouraged him, and he realized that he was foolish and ignorant, and that the wicked would be destroyed, but that God was his portion forever. Then Randy made somewhat of a cross reference to Christ in the garden of Gethsemane. Even Christ, in a time of great trial and sorrow, confided in three of His disciples that His soul was sorrowful and He needed them to watch and pray with Him. He said that sometimes it is hard for men to share their innermost thoughts with other men and ask them to pray. They like to work out their problems by themselves. But in Matthew 26, Christ gave us this example of confiding in those who are close to us and asking them to watch and pray with us.
Then Yogi shared some thoughts on 1 Corinthians 1:18,19 and Psalm 119:114, and 118:17. Scott was last and mainly reiterated the things that had already been said. He brought out thoughts about how we often feel we are alone in our trials. Nevertheless we are always with God, and He is always with us. And “The goodness of God endureth continually.” Psalm 52:1
Afterward we sang “The Lord is good, tell it wherever you go…,” and another hymn, I forget which one (presbyophrenia, you know). Randy closed in prayer.
Then we took pictures, some inside and some outside. Talked for quite a while longer with Scott outside. He seems like a fine young man with a love for the Word and for serving the Lord.
By the time we got done talking, it was a little after 12:00. There was leftover spaghetti for dinner, but not quite enough leftover broccoli. So I cooked up a zucchini with some onions, and let Daddy have the leftover broccoli. We had another little piece of the leftover apricot pie for dessert. Then we had our nap. I slept over an hour and a half.
After we lay down for nap, we heard someone downstairs so figured they must be fixing the internet. Seems like it often goes out on weekends when we are here. After nap, I worked some more on e-mails. Got the pictures we took today put into the picture file.
The Crowe family arrived shortly before 5:00 and are staying in house 2, next door to us.
Around 5:00, I fixed up some tuna for sandwiches for supper. Daddy worked on the internet for a while after supper, and I started a letter to Dennis & Jeanne Best.
While his girls were fixing supper, Dave Crowe came over to talk.
Well, it certainly has been a busy day, but a good day. The Lord has given us much encouragement. He is good beyond measure. It will soon be bedtime.
“3He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:3-6 Thank you so much, dear Father.
Guess I’ll call it a day, and go get my evening snack. Then we’ll have our prayer time, and get ready for beddy-by.
03/07/11
Another day has come and gone.
March 7. It has been a relatively quiet day spent in the flat. The only “out” I went was on the veranda to hang clothes, and later to get them down. We got up early to do laundry, as we knew Chris would be coming with the work girls to do the guest laundry from the other flats. Had breakfast before hanging up the clothes. After quiet time, I started on e-mails. George came by with something for us to take back to Owena so Daddy asked him to help him do the bulk buying and carrying of boxes and things over to the hangar. After that, Daddy did some other shopping by himself.
Later in the morning, I cooked the chicken so it would be ready to make into a gravy for supper. 12:00 came, and Daddy wasn’t home yet, so I cut the last bit of apricot pie in half. Put Daddy’s half in the fridge and ate my half. He still wasn’t here so I started fixing myself a sandwich.
This afternoon after nap, Daddy went out a couple more places. I got in the clothes and folded them and put them away. Then I read Linda’s Caring Bridge updates and sent out a couple more e-mails before fixing rice and carrots for supper and making the chicken gravy. I forgot I had used up the corn starch in the apricot pie the other day, but found some arrowroot in the cupboard to use to thicken the chicken gravy.
“No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.” Isaiah 54:17
03/08/11
Here it is after 9:00. A short journal entry again tonight, as it was a pretty quiet day again.
March 8, 2011. This morning after breakfast and quiet time, I got busy at the computer writing e-mails. Later in the morning, I went out shopping with Daddy. We tried to do most of the rest of our shopping, except for veggies and bread which we’ll get the last day. Also got a few things for supper tomorrow night, as we have invited the Turtles over. (Turtles will be going finish in May. There will be a big party for them next time we come out. We’ll be in town April 14-21 next time.) It was about 12:30 when we got back to the house.
For dinner, we warmed up leftover rice and chicken and veggies in the microwave. Then we had a nap. After nap, I worked on more e-mails and also on the income report. Boiled some eggs for egg salad sandwiches for supper.
This evening, I relaxed a bit, did dishes, had snack, and worked on the children’s tract* that I had started last time we were in town. Had almost forgotten about it. Wish I had had it done to use this time in town. We bought some candy today to put in the tracts. Forgot to bring the Image Revolution so will have to wait ‘til we get back to Owena so I can put pictures in it.
*Sometimes children follow Dad and Mom around while they are shopping. Many times they are trying to steal something. But Dad and Mom don’t want to just send them away. These children need the gospel. Please pray that these children’s tracts will bear fruit.
“1Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. 3Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.” Isaiah 55:1-3
Daddy wrote an e-mail to John Gray and received an e-mail back. John was at the hospital with Mary when he wrote. He said she is about the same, “weak at times, but strong in spirit.” He didn’t say what they were doing at the hospital. John said that he hasn’t heard back on Connie’s visa but will try to check on it again soon. It would certainly be great if you could come this year.