My Powerful God

Grasping the steering wheel of a big yellow truck, (I gotta get me a pink one of these) feeling the power behind it as I drove home from an exhilerating canoe practice, I got to thinking about a conversation I had with my husband. Two very dear people in my life (at one time being very good friends with each other) have gone their seperate ways after having a rift or two between them. My husband remarked that so much hurt was involved that it was probably best/ easier to let "sleeping dogs lie" (my paraphrase).

I began to talk to God out loud in the truck while listening to some good country music. With my voice getting rather loud (to make sure He could hear me over the tunes) I began to challenge the thinking that this relationship would/could not be healed.

From deep within me I prayed for these two, with conviction that it was His will they resolve their differences/hurt. i asked, no actually kind of demanded that healing would be given...after all, I reminded God, either you have the power to change or you really are not God at all.....In faith I believe/KNOW He is able to do more than we could ever imagine. As much sin/hurt that we humans can dish out, God will change us and truly make us like new..nothing is beyond His repair!

I have taken this mind set within my own life/marriage. When people, circumstances, life have become to difficult for me, I go to God and tell Him that I know He can and will work it all out. I am continually amazed to see the ways in which he intervenes. I am still pinching myself when I look around to find that i have had 10 children, been married to the same man for 25 years, have wonderful, colorful friends and family, traveled a bit, and love the life I have been given. So many details that have meaning to me, (not necessarily to anyone else) God has seen to provide in my life to let me know that I am special to him. With all this said......He will heal these two and bring them back into relationship with each other, because THAT IS THE GOD I KNOW!!!
As I cruised to a stop and began praying for someone else special to me, the intensity of the former prayer subsided and it was just your regular, average kind, I wondered where the deep soul felt feeling had gone...was that God's holy spirit rising up in me because "now was the time"?
We will see......
Now if I only had this same conviction of God's power in the area of my weight....bring on the chocolate..jk:)

Gatherings

Today I recieved a phone call from our paddling coach informing us of an activity going on for the kids (we missed the anouncement yesterday at practice since we never showed up due to the roads being blocked because of a brush fire).

This afternoon, we, along with all the twelve and under group, painted black tee-shirts with our team colors. This coming saturday our entire club is supposed to show up dressed in yellow, red, and green. It was a great opportunity to do something productive and fun and gave us the chance to chat.

The wind was blowing quite a bit which made for some interesting designs as the wet painted shirts started flopping over on themselves...Just by chance, I had grabbed a box of paints, brushes and such before leaving home and it had a roll of masking tape in it. I was glad to be able to share it with everyone so we could tape our shirts to the picnic tables and paint a little more free from hazard. One kid asked to borrow it from me, calling me Auntie...I love it!! Makes me feel like one of the family:)

While chatting with coach Sharon, I learned that upon her parent's return from Europe yesterday, they found one of their cars gone. (they filed a police report) I was greatful that it wasn't the one I had borrowed from them as I had left the keys in it when I returned it a few days ago. EEEEK, they might have thought I had crashed it or something. I am still amazed that I was able to use it while they were on vacation as they have never met me. (Yes, I did return it clean and with a full tank of gas)
God has provided for us through the generosity of many others..We are (actually I am..the kids are too young to drive) now driving a friend's truck until my car arrives from the mainland on friday. I will be picking up the old car I bought for Eden on the island this sunday...just in time for her arrival on monday.....I am soooo excited that she will be with us for 11 days. I plan to take her paddling and hope she will get hooked and want to stay.

I am resisting the strong urge to do the dishes I see still piled up at the sink...Levi was supposed to do them before retiring to bed. I was tired and went to bed earlier than some of the kids and left him to do them. He is asleep on the couch...I will have to give him some more practice at being obedient....hmmmm...dishes for the week?



Looking forward to Robert coming home in a few days...I don't get this hassle when he is around...Why is that? I do think that God knew that kids need both a mom and a dad.......I am sorry for the families that are missing that. I hope to be an encouragement to couples that are struggling in their marriage...Robert and I have had our share of challenges and i am happy to report that God has been sooooo good to us and has matured us (and will keep doing so) and we will keep growing deeper in love as time progresses. (being in Maui dosen't hurt..beautiful sunsets, warm breezes, sparkling oceans)......We will be celebrating 25 years of this in August on the 3rd. Newport Dunes will be our place of gathering (Aug. 8) with friends and family to commemorate our anniversary.....Save the date!!

Dreaming Away

"On the summer solstice.....whatever is dreamed on this night will come to pass."- William Shakespeare - A Midsummer Night's Dream.

I will be dreaming away....... the property I would like to aquire in Maui...113 acres ...cane fields now...tomorrow - a white chapel in memory of Caleb and beautiful gardens where anyone can come pray 24/7 and seek God's truth............Large house for us (to be able to accomodate future grandkids) , one home for each of our children, horses, a cow, sheep, goats, chickens, organic garden with lots of fruit trees, palm trees, traditional hawaiian thatched roof open dwellings.

Scripture inscribed on large stones everywhere.(done by me, of course) A huge sand box for building sand castles with a sign saying "A foolish man builds his house upon the sand" Then right next to it a HUGE rock structure for climbing on with a sign posted " The wise man builds his house upon the rock" Think the kids will get the picture??

Foe now I will dream....Good Night

And There Off.....

Yesterday we went to a regatta. We have to leave the house early in order to get a good parking spot. Once there we set up our chairs as this is an all day affair.
The different divisions in our club take turns bringing breakfast and lunch for everyone within our group. I always bring our own food to ensure that the kids have something healthy to eat.

The races open with an official starting the day with prayer. The first time I heard this I was so excited. To acknowledge God is so rare these days that it took me by surprise. I expect it when we are at church functions but not in a public venue.
The maninis (kids 10 and under) begin the races paddling, but their race doesn't get timed or really count for anything. Next, the 12 year old groups do a quarter mile race. Many families stay all day since the kids race early and then later on the moms and dads participate in the adult divisions.

It really is family friendly with much fellowship - kids swimming in the water as the races are underway, building sandcastles, raiding the food tables (sneaking way to many cookies), parents catching up on whats going on in each others lives and of course lots of cheering on our teams.

The hosting club sells home cooked food, and has a silent auction and raffle to raise money to support itself. Last regatta I won a brunch for two at a nice hotel....Looking forward to Robert coming back so we can use it.

I haven't learned how to place pictures and such, so this will have to do for now until I can read up on how to do the technical stuff. Tessa and Kiera are in the boat in the big pic, and our awesome coach is in the other. She always is dressed in some kind of Hawaiian garb. She really is the spirit of Aloha. Love it!

Pressing On

I am pressing on in faith. On the outside things don't look so good. Supporting two households is not cheap. Moneys running dry with no funding as of yet to be able to stay where we are, but I truly believe God wants us here in Maui.

I keep making decisions as if we are going to remain here, waiting on the Lord to provide for our needs. I was getting anxious as Robert was describing what the near future looks like. After getting off the phone with him, it took me a few minutes to realize I had nothing to fear as I know that God is directing all of our steps and He will guide us as to where He wants us to be. I am able to rest in peace (no, not the six feet under kind) believing He will take care of me.

Went to hang a board on the wall in the kitchen, but found out the wall is concrete and I couldn't get any screws in. Even though I really wanted it there, I put it on the adjoining wall which was just drywall. Just did not look right, so I did not give up and went to the hardware store and got a masonry drill bit which did the trick. The right tools make all the difference (well the bit was a bit too big but I fixed the too large holes with a little calking I found laying around.)

Now I have what I want - love the organized feeling of being able to see the white board...took some persistence but the reward was worth it.

Moving forward..anticipating great things tomorrow. (Saturday)

The picture is Makena Beach, one of our frequent places to snorkel.

Blessings from Craig's List

Sometimes it can be quite fun to be poor. Decisions are made for you as there are less options. Creativity kicks in and it is so much easier to deny the kids things they really should not have (ie. treats and stuff that they will lose interest in or break)

Having to start from scratch in setting up our household has been an adventure. Arriving in Maui with just one carry-on piece of luggage for me and five of the kids (Robert had a little more as he had to work at the top of the mountain) thinking that we would only be here for six weeks, we were not prepared to camp out for as long as we now have.

When we lost the small place that Robert had secured for five weeks, we literally drove off not knowing where we were going to stay. We managed to find a room at a lodge for a night then some friends from church let me and the kids stay with them for a night. Then I recieved a call from a response I gave to an add I saw on Craig's List. The place turned out to be more than I had hoped for with a pool on the premises, all for less than an average hotel stay.

The gal that managed the place and shares a wall of the home we are at, has turned out to be one of the biggest blessings since we arrived. Anat is single mom of a 3yr old boy, Oliver, who has become fast friends with Anthony (4). The house was completely unfurnished but within an hour of moving in, Anat had found a mattress for sale on Craig's List and asked me if I would be interested in getting it. She jumped in the car with me and off we went...the first in a long line of things bought on Craig's List.

I have learned more about navigating around the island than I would have if I could have ordered everything from a store. I have met a variety of people selling household goods. Standing in line in Wal-mart one day, I heard a male voice from behind me asking how I was liking my mattress...but they way he phrased it sounded a little like I could have been a hooker..(I had bought one from him a week before) We both laughed. I ran into him again later at the docks, when I realised why he had looked so familiar when i had first bought that mattress...He was the captain of the boat we had gone whale watching on....Learned that Maui really is a small island.....My paddling buddy, Michelle (28) said this can be a blessing and a curse...everyone knows what you have been up to unless you travel to the complete other side of the island...(turns out she works on the same boat as the mattress guy)

I have had plenty of experiences with mattress buying this way, as we now have obtained 9 of them (plus one sleeper couch). One time Tessa and I went to go look at one way out in the middle of no where....long dirt roads, big trees, houses tucked away here and there, in the dark........our destination - a place not lit except one light in a far back window. The older looking suffer dude met us with a flashlight since he said there was no light in the large garage where the mattress was stored. I was apprehensive to go to far in to take a good look....thoughts of horror film images passed through my mind and I don't even watch them ever! I quickly told him I would take it even though I couldn't really see its condition all that well. Got it loaded, and tried to get out of there fast, car slipping a bit on the steep road I had parked on, hoping it wouldn't roll down the embankment. Thankful that Tessa had come with me, less chance that i could have been that guys dinner. (he was hurting for money and was going to use my cash to get some food).

Got lost trying to get out of there, no street signs, just red dirt roads and jungle terrain. Tried to retrace my steps but every tree/vine looked the same....finally met up with one lone car coming in the other direction and was directed to the main highway. As we were headed home, I saw a white van just like the one at the creepy house we had left and imagined that it was this guy trying to catch up with us... Tessa and I had a good laugh once we found that it was somebody else..... Of course, I wasn't really scared, it was fun to pretend though....I really do believe that God has me in the palm of his hands and even if no one else knows my name or where I am, He DOES!!

Most all my other encounters have been very positive...conversations that i know have blessed those I have talked with...being an encouragement and the kids have been a part of becoming friends with the people we have met. On the anniversary of my sons death I got a call from my mom just as I was picking up another mattress. The seller overheard some of my conversation which then lead into her telling me about her life and all the deaths that have been close to her. God inspired timing and talk.

My most recent mattress pick up was really when I was looking for a sewing machine and the family gave me two beds for free. Every thing I got from them they gave me for cheap...They could hardly afford anything, yet they seemed so happy. She was a young hawaiian mom (I am old enough to be her mother) of four small children (oldest is 5)....running around barefoot in the yard, rather dirty making fishing poles out of sticks. (Anthony had fun playing with them) The dad was a mainlander from Utah, tatooed, with beautiful eyes. He took several of the kids with him on a quick trip to the store while I was there. They said that they have never left their kids with anyone but with themselves. Never a date alone, but that is the way they like it. When they found out how many kids we have, that led into all sorts of conversation from homeschooling to raising kids, staying faithful in marriage, to having chickens to morals and values...They are leaving the island to care for his mom in Utah.. Refreshing to see a family that isn't dazzled with trinkets, but has love for each other and spends lots of time being together........I am going to be buying their old doggy smelling, beat up car to toodle around in....I think it's fun to run around in a jaloppy. I am fortunate, though, as this really is a temporary lifestyle for me...... I hope to be as Paul says...able to abound in much or little, being content with what i have.......

Now I am going to get away from this computer and drink in the beautiful Hawaiian sunset, pink clouds, soft breeze...Very much missing Robert to be able to share it with..can't wait until he returns from CA in two weeks.

Broadening my horizons

I am doing something I never thought I would, in fact I said that I would never Blog. But, life (God directing) has a way of taking you to places you never e-magined (imagined) you would go.

I have enjoyed my journey thus far with all its mountain top and valley experiences and am pleased to say that I don't regret much of what I have chosen to do, and can honestly say that I have never wanted to be anyone other than myself...even through the hard times.

God has always been the love of my life and can not fathom a life devoid of a relationship with Him. With all that said, I will attempt to share my thoughts and persective of what I experience. I am a beginner at blogging so the technical side of things may be a bit embryonic for now...but as with all things this too will mature.