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Friday, July 26, 2013

Enter Adulthood

For the last couple months, I have felt a burden to write the following posts, and though I don't see myself as an accomplished writer, I pray that God will use them to encourage you in your life, in some small way.
So, I'm 20 = not yet the "BIG 21", but no longer a "teenager". My friends and I used to joke that it was the "nothing year", though in grave reality, it is far, far from that!  I never really identified with the modern "teenager" idea (you know, the "Junior" Section in most clothing stores, that makes one look like an immature, self-obsessed rockstar-wanna-be, which follows along with (or maybe pre-dates?) their wearers). That might not be what your idea of what a"teenager" is like, but I guess that is the picture stuck in my mind.

If we are honest though, I think we would all agree that the majority of America's teenagers--both young men and women--are unconsciously (or consciously) trained by their superiors, media, schooling, and peers, that the teenage years are to be spent frivolously and freely, giving their sacred God-given gifts to those of the opposite sex, before the responsibility of adulthood ties them down for the rest of their life. Of course, without Biblical values to stand on, this only complicates the matters, because, what are 'morals' then? Who sets them? If there is no God, and we are just on this earth to enjoy it and "live life to the fullest", in a fleshly, lustful, self-centered way, why should we not create our own destiny and morality as well?
For those of us who were raised on a Biblical foundation (especially if you were raised in an incredible, God-centered home like mine), you should agree that we have each been blessed, and so much so, that often we don't grasp it and simply take it for granted. Even for us though, I think you would each have to agree that the teenage years aren't usually all ice cream and strawberries. There comes a point, where we each come to a set of crossroads.
We have to make a decision:
Will we fully embrace what we have been taught by our parents and choose to make our foundation firmly set on our Saviour's  Precepts and Principles? Or, will we wash away with the world, maybe even slowly, by embracing the 'not-so-bad' things?

 Will we stand on the shoulders of those who raised us, and carry on the Banner of Love and Truth that they so earnestly fought to keep, so that we should have it too? Will we shine the Light inside of us (trusting that you have asked for and accepted the Light of Salvation, by trusting in Jesus Christ, and repenting and turning from your sins)? Will we set that Light on a hill, and not let it be hid? Will we walk the Light, and not just talk It?

All these are questions that may seem easy to answer, but there are times that Satan's temptations are deceitfully covered in mint chocolate and dripping in vanilla: they look and smell delightfully sweet to our senses, but the end thereof is the ruin of us!

Will our foundation stand firm? Or will it cave when the storms of life come?
My early-mid teens years were the hardest. Though my struggles didn't show as much externally, there was a full-time war going on internally, and Satan battled hard. It was during that time that I desperately sought for what my true identity in Christ really was. I gave my life to Christ at an early age, and then re-dedicated it to God at age 13, a year after God impassioned my heart to serve Him on the Mission field. However, just like everyone else, I had to choose what I was going to embrace for my own.

God is so faithful! Not only did He send special people along the way to encourage and pray for me, but He gave me incredibly wise parents who were able to even 'tough love' me (during my independent streak) when I needed it. Though my cross might look small compared to others, it was hard all the same, and though I regret that I didn't come to the end of myself sooner (something I found truly can only be done by Jesus), I know that it was worth it in the end, because it gave me a 'relatibility-factor' with others that I would never have had otherwise.
So many of us try to use our parents as an excuse for our actions, saying "Well, they hurt me..." or "Well, Dad was emotionally or sexually abusive..." or "Mom and I could never agree..." or whatever else it may be. True, maybe they did do those things, however, we each have a choice to make on how we process those situations. We can either see it as a refining fire that God can use, or we can harbor bitterness and anger towards them, which ultimately hurts us more than anyone else.

Did you know that all parents have never parented a child before they have their own? Sure, they might have had lots of younger siblings, or done tons of babysitting, but there are differences. Each set of parents have to figure out parenting for themselves. Praise God, not only has He put others there who have wisdom from raising their own children, but He HAS also given us an instruction manual on how to raise our children!! The Bible, AND the Holy Spirit. However, unlike we would like to think, what we would like our parents to do or say is NOT written on our foreheads. ;) *sigh* (Just wait, it'll be our turn, soon enough!!) We need to give them more grace, and have more thankful spirits than we have. We need to help them out by communicating, and striving to show proper respect and honour due them. Let's say "Thank you!" for a change, instead of expecting them to be perfect.

Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
~ Deuteronomy 5:16 ~

At 17, I had most of my core values firmly established, however the last 3 years have been a refining fire for me, and though I know God broke me completely at 15, He gently has kept keeping the fire hot over the last few years, and I am so grateful for it!! In the Philippines, He especially did so, and not only were my eyes opened to how blessed I truly am, but I was also given the opportunity to test who I really am in Christ, and to live out my core values, in the face of diversity, and though I regret some choices I made, I learned so much through them!

Looking back, I see how hardened I was in my mid-teens, feeling the need to 'protect myself', and it has only been recently that God has truly been breaking down that wall.

This completes the introduction for what I really sat down to write about,..to be continued in my next post. ;)  about....FEMINITY and WOMANHOOD.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Summer Fun

We have had a crazy, fun summer thus far... With new company weekly (mostly family, and also some of my friends from Chicago!), including overlaps, since the time we got back from Mexico, there has been a lot of visiting and wonderful fellowship, and we actually got quite a bit of work done too!!
This is a random quote, but it struck me, and is so true....
how often we don't understand this!!
One of my cousins got engaged, and we hosted their engagement party, which was a blast!! I guess it's that time of life! So many of my friends (including those younger than me), are now either getting married, or are already married with children... I'm so happy for them!
Just love this... :) (what is it about girls and romantical ideas?)
The McNeil family, who runs the Mercy Maternity Clinic in Davao, Philippines spent the some time with us during their furlough in the US, which not only was very uplifting, but brought the Philippines new and fresh to mind... How I miss that land!! All in God's good time..
Also, a chiropractor friend from Mexico spent some time here training us how to do chiropractic adjustments and test each other on supplements. Besides all the work that was accomplished, we had a LOT of fun, including all the ideas my brothers got for creating things!!

We slaughtered our steer -- "Sammy" last week, and the boys are planning on brain-tanning his hide. SO looking forward to eating fresh Hamburger again!!! Amazing how fast we go through that stuff...

We also had the Bible Bee get-together BBQ last weekend, following a full day at the local Maxwell Conference -- SO good!! I am so thankful my brothers and sisters and I are truly best friends!!

Tomorrow, we have our Client Appreciation Banquet for my dad's Financial Planning company-Pinkerton Retirement Specialists, for which I am supposed to play about 2 hours of piano...that should be interesting!! =)
And, in 2 weeks, we have 2 weddings (back-to-back, but NOT ours ;p) at our house, which we are busy preparing for--mostly yard work...so looking forward to them!!

Anyway, that is our summer, and that isn't including our blooming, gorgeous garden; swimming in the lake often; and rafting down the Spokane River. =) And, of course sewing... :) I am loving getting back into it!! And, it is now cria season!!! We've had 4 born so far, and another 10+ due in the next few months...
My little guy-Independence was born on July 4th...he sure is a bugger!!
Recently, I have been participating in a local college-age Bible Study hosted by a friend of mine, and we are currently going through Jill Briscoe's book '8 Choices That Will Change a Woman's Life'. I am really enjoying it, and God has specifically given me a young women to encourage in her search for the Truth regarding Lies and Fears she has been believing. Praise God, He is giving her victory!!! I am so blessed to be able to serve God here in the US, and not just in other countries...hard as it can sometimes be to not want to be out 'there' serving, instead of in my home State.
I would love to share these principles with anyone...they are life changing!! Please feel free to contact me!!

God is so good, and He has been teaching me SO much. He has given me much to think about this summer, and a furthered vision for the future (more on that later).

The Scripture passage I am trying to apply this month is Psalms 15...
LORD, who shall abide in Thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in Thy holy hill?
He that:
- walketh uprightly
- worketh righteousness
- speaketh the truth in his heart
- backbiteth not with his tongue
- doeth no evil to his neighbour
- taketh not up a reproach against his neighbour
- a vile person is contemned {despised} in his eyes
- honoureth them that fear the LORD
- sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not
- putteth not out his money to usury
- taketh not reward against the innocent

 He that doeth these things shall never be moved.

Very thought-provoking.... How often do we look inwards--at our heart--and do some 'heart-circumcision'?? Something I am doing again... I pray this is an encouragement for you as well.

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Birthday Blessings

Yesterday was my birthday...and most of my birthdays, comparatively, seem to be pretty unique... They are usually filled with a combobulation of joy, fun, and...well, some big "whack!" God is or wants to teach me...
I thought this year would be different...and in a way, it was.

My siblings always spoil me...in fact, sometimes, I feel sorry for some of my other siblings at their birthdays, seeing how much I am lavished on mine...though, I am quickly told that it must have something to do with their just trying to reciprocate....whatever.

Anyway, this year, being my 20th, I was especially spoiled and blessed, above my imagination. My parents decided to get me my own sewing machine! I grew up mainly using my mom's Bernina 1090 S (which was a fantastic machine), and after many hours of careful research, I decided on the Bernina 750 Quilter's Edition....talk about a gem!!!
With this user-friendly machine, the sky is truly the limit. Not only does it have almost 900 stitches/patterns on it, including the regular sewing stitches,  decorative stitches/patterns, but also has the quilting stitches and some embroidery patterns! It also has a 9mm stitch width capability, and an incredible 10" throat space (to the right of the needle)! The free arm is extended, and it has a USB port for importing/exporting your own patterns. That is only the tip of the iceberg, talking nothing about the BSR (Stitch Regulator), dual feed, color touch screen, memory, automatic buttonhole, etc. etc. =)

I really excited to get back into sewing after a nearly 2 year siesta from almost all creative work (because of my medical/mission work and intense work/study schedule), and I count this machine as a very special part of my trousseau, which will last me a life time. Look for my future projects!!
Rachel gave me a Gerber F.A.S.T Draw Knife (which I love!), and an adorable baby outfit (for my hope chest) that I was drooling over at Walmart last month...Just love that girl!!
Samuel gave me a beautiful necklace--a "faceless" angel, as he calls it, with a heart for the body! Isn't that precious?! I just love it, because it brings the gold into it, which is supposedly my best metal color...
David and Samuel, the wonderful brothers they are, decided to make me little Firework Spinners and "Bangs", which they lit off last night...those were pretty fun!!
And, a bunch of my other siblings gave me funds for Belize..(a post coming later).

My parents and I also purchased me another doppler, to replace the one that I left in the Pilipina Bukid (and gifted to my friend and aspiring midwife-Jemil) when I came home early. This one is the one I fell in love with at the Mercy Clinic, and so I am quite excited to have it for future use.
Our cousins are here, and so we had a lot of fun swimming in the lake--even with the 100F weather, it was a little cooler than we expected, but we soon adjusted.. ;-)

I am really excited to see what God has for this next year, and can rest in the following verses:
The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.
~ Job 1:21 ~

For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
~ Proverbs 2:6 ~

We can trust Him through all times life, even during the storms. Praise You Yahweh!!

Life Update

5 months have passed since my last major update, and lots has happened. Namely, we welcomed baby #2 and #3 into our lives shortly after Chri...