'tis thursday

• "keep calm and carry on"
• crew mail came!!
• everyday that goes by gets us one day closer to when the container will arrive
• scalloped potatoes (the galley did those up right!!!)
• "...i concentrate on doing exactly what You say."  Psalm 119:112 (ish)(the message)
• nick's white Mercy Ships shirt...i think he looks particularly smashing in it
• the mouse i keep seeing on the wall out of the corner of my eye is a magnet...very thankful that there are no mice on the ship (at least not that i know of)(if anyone knows differently, i'd rather not know)
• dara brought (and shared!) chocolate chip cookies to Treat Tuesday
• the ability to get clean (i'll never stop being thankful!)
• THE CONTAINER ARRIVED
• Dr. Trapnell's help carrying boxes down from Deck 8
• "i'm home! i'm home! i'm home with my legos!"  - eli
• unpacking boxes and finding fun magnets that i forgot about!
• really good trail mix
• emma's peacefulness about going into her class
• the girls' quilts!! 
• "waiting before working - demonstration of trust that weakens principalities & powers of darkness."  - jesus calling.
• "steep yourself in God-reality, God-initiative, God provisions." Luke 12:31 (ish)(the message)
• our very own carpet sweeper (i think it gets the "best purchase before we came to guinea" award)
• the moment when i saw this:

one of the pallets with some of our stuff on it.  i didn't realize how excited i would be to see eli's legos.  God answered our little boy's prayers!!!!

Recommended Reading - Discipleship in the Home

I love it when God gives us unexpected gifts - and He does it so often! 

In thinking and praying about our trip to Ghana, I never once considered that I would have time to read a book...but I did have time to read a book.  But since I didn't consider having time to read a book, I didn't bring a book to read (but wouldn't the wise person never leave home without a good book?).  HOWEVER, Nick brought quite the collection of books (he's wise, that's for sure!) - we had to bring all of his textbooks for this semester of seminary  in our luggage (we weren't confident that the shipping container would make it to Guinea before his classes started)(good thing...his classes start tomorrow and we've not seen the shipping container!)

Among his textbooks was one called "Discipleship in the Home" by a guy named Matt Friedeman (I think it's pretty incredible that one of his TEXTBOOKS has that title!).  It sounded good so I picked it up and read it (mainly during Emma's naps)(when I wasn't napping with her).

 You can get the book on amazon if you're so inclined.  Apparently there's a dvd, too. You're welcome, Matt, for the free advertising. 

I really enjoyed reading the book and the Cash family has been applying some of the suggestions/ideas in it -- we've been memorizing Psalm 24 and John Wesley's Covenant Prayer together during "Cash Family Church."  (I think Philippians 2:5-11 and the St. Francis Prayer will be the next ones we tackle). 

Nick and I have also started helping our children learn a catechism called "Hidden in the Heart" (it's 126 questions and answers about the Bible and Biblical Truths).  God is using this book to help provide a significant part of our foundation as a family.  I like it! (and, therefore, I highly recommend the book!)

Thought I'd share some of my favorite quotes from the book (all are from Friedeman except the first one): 

“Darling, you are not here in this world for yourself.  You have been sent for others.  The world is waiting for you.” – Catharine Booth

 

Discipleship at its core is whispering into our children’s lives for the glory of God and the salvation of the nations.  The Great Commission starts in our families.

The commitments of our children at any point of their lives in Christ should exceed all other commitments (e.g. tv, sports, grades, internet, friends…)

Carve or cut into your children’s minds the oneness of, the love of and the law of God.

It is nice to have a community of people you know, love and trust that are investing in your children with generous helpings of affection and a sense of holy responsibility.

What we do in the discipleship of our children will impact loved ones we will never see in this life (he was talking about the importance of praying for the generations that will come after us)

If you want an apple orchard, the best time to have planted was 20 years ago.  The next best time is now.

 

Do the best you can by the grace of God and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit and rest in God knowing that you have done what you could.

It is our primary task – not the church’s- to ensure that our family life contains the crucial elements of spiritual and liturgical understanding.

Our children need encouragement and a vision of excellence, but they also need to be reminded to “deny themselves, take up their cross and follow Jesus.”

A love of God makes you love your family optimally; a love of His kingdom means that your spouse and children get much more in a mother & wife, for instance, than they ever would if you love them first and best. 

 

While you're thinking about discipleship, there's this really incredible guy I know who has started a  really fabulous blog on discipleship.  Check it out...jump in the conversation.  He's my favorite. 

Naming them one by one

• blowpops for a penny!
• popsicle party in caroline's honor
• smooth sailing
• skirt with leggings (i can wear my skirts AND stay warm!)
• playing cheetah tag on deck 7
• coffee from the dining hall
• gummi banana things (that taste nothing like bananas)
• whole bucket of previously mentioned gummi banana things for 1.75
• the way caroline was celebrated on (and around!) her birthday
• hospital secretary job
• sooooo many books in the library that i want to read
• being on the bow
• coffee & cheerios with emma
• treat tuesday!
• emma's after nap hair (sorry, i should've provided a picture)
• safe sail all the way to guinea
• no more rocking for a while
• office supplies
• organizing said office  supplies
• 130 steps to the ice machine
• MWF 6:15 exercise class
• new header for the cash crew blog.  it's finally centered!  (thanks, nick!)
• God's sweet reminders of how to be who He's made me to be
• picture of the rain from molly's sunroom
• eli scratching my back while i scratched his
• peaceful bedtime routine (i'm reminded of just how thankful i am for peaceful ones when the bedtime routine isn't so peaceful)
• caroline sitting at the table in the dining room reading
• our phone rings properly for outside calls
• my daddy (today's his birthday!)

Count Your Blessings

I was singing this hymn to Caroline the other night (it's become one of her favorites to request)...it reminds me of Thankful Thursday lists...but, as we've been singing it, I've not been able to remember all the words/verses....so I used one of my lifelines to phone a friend (aka Google). 

I'm Thankful that God gave these words to Johnson Oatman Jr. in 1897:


When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Refrain

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.

Refrain

When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings. Wealth can never buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

Refrain

So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be disheartened, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

Refrain

giving thanks.

• 3 kids playing happily at the beach!

• got to go to IKEA!
• Ariel's letter to Caroline
• Miss Carol's kindness - stickers for kids, drove us to IKEA, bought icecream for us!
• mini date with Nick at El Campo
• ocean view
• watching nick & caroline dance
• not having to use capital letters
• 10 kids peacefully & quietly watching a movie in our cabin (during emma's nap!)
• little oranges (that are green on the outside...but quite tasty...especially with a little salt)
• box of little pet shop stuff that anna brought over
• baskets from melissa
• green mentos (and only .38 euro each!  i should've gotten more....)

• peaceful place...peaceful moment.  practicing psalm 46:10
• 1st lunch in our cabin
• eli and caroline were/are so excited about school
• watching the office with nick.  laughing.
• resizing pictures.  wow, that makes things faster and life better.
• tums refill (for emma)
• emma's window cleaning abilities (even though they are dirtier when she's done than when she started)
• being helpful.
• 2nd lunch in our cabin.  i like this plan (to go get food from the dining room and bring it up for lunch - kids come home from school, nick from work.  it's a lovely way to spend an hour!)
• tori's i-n-c-r-e-d-i-b-l-e french toast casserole (and nick's thoughtfulness to bring me some!)
• the window above our kitchen sink (and the friend who sent it) (and the alarm clock and kitchen timer that now have magnets glued on their backs!)

keep your seat...this is a long one.

it's very nearly thursday here...still very much wednesday where most of you are.  i'm thinking that since last week's post was late, this one can be a bit early.

i'm still backtracking a bit -- this is kind of 2 weeks worth in one (i didn't quite catch it all in last week's post).  our God is a great gift giver!!!!

• case of cookies from Kayleigh (yummy sugar wafer cookies that were oh so good in pai katanga!)(only one package from the case actually made it out of Ghana...the rest were eaten before we left)
• african dancing (the kids were amazing at the school's farewell celebration for us)
• feeling the wind come through the bus as we left the village
• the glory of God on disply in nature (and the Jesus Calling devotion to go along with it  - July 30)
• colored pencils
• pizza at the mall in Accra
• a bathroom that smelled like chocolate chip cookies
• emma took her nap at the mall (we were walking and i told her i would give her $1 if she fell asleep.  she did.  i owe her.
• trashcans & plastic bags at just the right times for caroline to be sick in at the accra airport....poor girl.
• time with God in the middle of the night (reading isaiah 50:5 ish to go along with it)
• a whole roll of only pink mentos!!!
• one less carry-on this round of flights - much more manageable!
• eli's face when he got his field service completion certificate
• new normal and routines are coming
• watching nick and caroline look at pictures on the ipod. 
• got the coffee/cream/sugar ratio just right on the flight from Accra to Madrid
• fruit cup (and the cute little fork!) in the airport from penelope

• michelle deneen's attitude.  incredibly positive, encouraging, helpful and wonderful.
• emma riding around on the airport cart
• playing on the moving sidewalk
• mcdonald's!! (never thought that would make the thankful thursday list) and the fact that you can get grapes in the happy meals!

• little bag of mentos from nick
• seeing the Africa Mercy for the first time from the Fred Olsen Ferry (thankful josh captured it with his handy dandy camera!)

• we are HOME.
• kids happily playing, swinging, riding around on deck 7!!
• lovely run smelling ocean air
• strawberries & cream
• emily trappnell's kindness to caroline
• lucky charms.  they ARE magically delicious.
• mary lou & roses' kindness
• our cabin's close proximity to....well, everything.  especially the laundry room, 2 ice machines & play area.
• time with nick.  real conversation & connecting.
• strawberry blow-pops (they are only a penny!!!)
• cinnamon toast panini (new favorite creation)
• cash family church
• package from molly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (so amazed by her forethought)
• dryer sheets (they smell so good!)
• new commission chart for the kids
• i like it here.
• running with nick - showing him the special view
• calling card -- $10 = 1000 minutes (or something like that)
• lemonade from the dining room
• i survived an entire day without coke (there will me lots more of those to come)(i'm not "off" of them.  just greatly limiting them.  it's about time.)
• God's creativity in the creation of animals (on display at Loro Parque)
• the box of hot tamales fit perfectly - i mean perfectly! - in the jar
• tuesday morning's view from our window.  there aren't many things i'd rather wake up to than watching the sun rise over the ocean.
• sitting in bed, laughing and making tents out of the sheets with eli, caroline & emma
• the ghana blog post is done
• the sweet responses and encouragement from the blog post
• that amy was in columbus for nick's grandpa's visitation.  what a wonderful sister!
• romans 5:1-11
• emma's birthday message/video for molly (i only wish we were able to load it....)
• celebrating God's creation of my friend Molly.  what a gift she is!
• having things laminated
• easiest, most peaceful kids-going-to-bed-time yet
• singing hymns to the girls
• attaching magnets to all sorts of things (little stuff animals...clothespins...bottlecaps...pens.  i really like having magnetic walls and ceilings and doors  - even the undersides of the beds are magnetic!)
• God sent a taxi to bring me back to the ship after my excursion to the "spanish wal-mart"
• got most of the stuff on our list (finally!!  a successful shopping trip! between me and nick we were about to strike out)
• eli's early birthday presents for caroline
• eli and  caroline got to talk to yaya and grandaddy today!
• the cuteness of emma this morning during our fire drill - lifejacket hugs are quite fun (pictures will be on the family blog sometime soon...i hope!).
• eli's prayer that mr. dave and mr. nick would know that he still has time for them
• found a cherry coke for nick!
• knowing we are right smack dab where we are supposed to be.
• the fact that a plate of reese's cups were the dessert someone brought to the "new crew member welcome party."  way to go somebody.
• resizing the pictures really does make loading them so much easier & faster!!!!
• how clean deck 7 smells.  it really is the best smelling deck on the whole ship

thankful...friday!!

i was trying to decide whether to post a "day late thankful thursday list" or just wait until next thursday...a day late sounds good to me!

I am SO thankful that thankful Thursday lists are a part of my life…thankful that long before I arrived in Ghana, our Faithful God had been training me to look for the gifts that He is putting along the path…thankful that He has helped me establish the habit of looking for things to be thankful for – I really believe having that little exercise to do during these past 2 weeks has made a tremendous difference…(though I haven’t been as thankful as I would have liked to have been, it’s nice to be able to look at a physical list and be reminded that God has been giving me wonderful gifts every step of the way…))

Drumroll please...thankful thursday list from July 15 through approximately July 31 (or whenever our last night in the village was!)

• Early boarding for our family for our flight to London
• The pace, schedule, flow of our day (leaving the IOC) – made it through check in and security rather calmly
• Cool “kid packs” for the flights – way to go British Airways
• Blueberry scones before we left the IOC (surprise from Shirley)(little redemption)
• Accidentally calling the flight attendant so many times (that button isn’t clear! And it’s close to my elbow!)(just amused me that i did it numerous times!)
• So many good movies to choose from on the flight! (I could fly for a week and still not get to watch all of them that I think I want to watch)
• Ben Tucker’s kindness to Eli
• So many of our teammates who are so willing to help us and invest in our children and carry luggage
• Emma fell asleep before take off (flight from London to Accra)
• There’s a bathroom on board (we’d be in bad shape if there wasn’t!)
• the play area at the Heathrow Airport in London
•  Taking a quick nap while nick watched the kids at the play area
• Growing friendships
• First African sunset (from the airplane)
• the airport lady who let our family through to the head of the line in Accra
• the familiar smell of pizza
• Clean body, clothes, sheets (again and again)(well, at least the body and clothes parts again and again)
• EXCELLENT sleep (especially for the kids)
• Emma likes pineapple juice
• Clean water in a bag
• Emma’s ability to nap.  Have pillow, will sleep.
• Peaceful, comfortable bus ride
• Joy comes in the morning!
• 3 lovely children sleeping
• Eli’s immediate reaction was to give to the children that we met.
• Ceiling fan. YES!!! Thank you, God, for this ceiling fan!!!
• long nap(s) for me and emma
• Coke in a bottle (cold coke in a bottle)(x’s 15 or so)
• Making lemonade (and even having some ice in a few of our lemonades!)
• "Can I be on Emma duty?” –stephanie duncan (and anyone else who says that or something similar)
• Bug spray
• Team meetings, devotions, worship.  I like it when we’re all together!
• Listening to & napping through the rain
• Fun & crazy uno rules
• Caroline’s hair in a bun
• Headlamps.  Handless flashlights – brilliant!
• Big pink & white striped circus tents (where did those come from?!)(and how did they fit so perfectly?!)
• The covering (shade & shelter from the rain) that the circus tents provide
• Excellent team meeting Monday morning (beautiful way of sharing struggles)
• Fried plantains!
• Baby goats
• Things are looking up (under a week!  We’re going to make it!)
• French fries for lunch! And ketchup!!
• It (i) really will be clean again…someday
• We’re leaving on Monday! ( a day early!)
• Eli ate a banana (he likes african bananas)
• Band-aids
• Caroline’s take on interacting with the Ghanaians:  “little kids….ok.  bigger kids…not so much.  Adults…no.”  (I’m not necessarily thankful that’s it’s challenging for my children to interact with the Ghanaians…but I appreciate how Caroline put it into words!!)
• The view from the top of the hill
• Caroline’s help washing clothes
• Watching the little rascals (and when the kids quote from it)
• Hearing caroline quote from “the princess bride”
• Writing real letters (not knowing when they’ll be sent...but writing anyway!)
• Salt.  It’s just the right spice sometimes.
• It is finished.  Our time in Pai Katanga is done!!!  Thanks, God.