Going Back

I was going through some old pictures the other day on the computer and found some, pretty  awesome ones. I picked out a few of the keepers and put them on here. 

It is so much fun going through pictures and wondering why I was frowning in that picture, or why did I eat poppy seeds right before that picture?;-)...just kidding, I don't think that has actually happened. 

 I love the pictures of Taylor and I with all the Kenyan kids...those are my favorite.:-)

By - Ashlyn Elaine

Mom made us all a pilgrim outfit and we dressed up for Thanksgiving.
Taylor was a disgruntled pilgrim, it seems.;-)

Love the sand, mud, water, and snow cap combination!

Boy, I looked pleased that the mama let me hold her baby

My absolute favorite!

None of us look to pleased about the prospect of eating pineapples 

Aww, Suzy was so cute!

Almost a perfect picture, but I think Zach  must of had an itch or something.;-)

My, two cute brothers.
 No their hair is not that blonde anymore...they are still cute,
 but I think they'd prefer I say handsome, now.

Zach was caught in the action of going to pick a flower,
 which he was not supposed to be doing.

Pretty cute

Making Pretzels

In Kenya it is sometimes hard or impossible to find some things. For instance Pretzels. I LOVE pretzels but in Kenya you can't get any. It's so sad. Lately I have really been wanting some so I decided to make some. Here are some pictures of my experience.

First I made the dough and let it rise for an hour, then I divided the dough into eight parts.

Next I rolled one part of the dough 30 inches long.

Then I made it into the pretzel shape.

Then I put it on wax paper and let it rise for 30 minutes.

I then boiled it in water and baking powder for 30 seconds on each side.

They said this part was very important because it turns your pretzel from being good bread to being a good pretzel. 

I didn't get a picture of it but I baked it in a grill (that is similar to a waffle grill).

They were sooooo yummy and soooo hard to leave alone. I am already planning when next I can make them.

By Emily Swain

TB Thursday

Don't you just LOVE Throwback Thursday? Is that what it is called, anyway? Well here is a picture of the three of us together, a long time ago.

It was Ashlyn's Birthday and we were playing restaurant...with REAL food!

Look at us now...

By Emily Swain

Funny picture...

 

 

 

This seems like it happens every time Emily and I are left alone at home. We hear a knock at the gate and "splat" both of us are flat on the floor. We start using our small unit tactics skills to maneuver into a position of surveillance and reconnaissance to determine whether the knocker is friend or foe. If friend we stand up, wipe off the camouflage greasepaint, and open the gate. If foe...

-Sara Anne

 



Easter

Easter is here, and with it a reminder of Christ's death and resurrection. One very important reason to make it a- Happy- Easter for us as Christians. 

Below is an article by Max Lucado (which I altered only slightly) about Christ's patience and forgiveness, during His crucifixion. How He never once retaliated, even when treated so cruelly, yet He is God and could do anything! He didn't even stop there but He forgave them as He hung on the cross. All this He did by choice...for ME!
Christ gives us such an awesome example of forgiveness, that we as Christians should show, and because of Christ's resurrection we too can have such forgiveness!

Happy Easter!...It is really exciting when you think of all Christ went through for you and that he lives today still watching over us! He is a risen Savior! 

1 Peter 2: 24 - "Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness.."
By - Ashlyn Elaine

"Father, Forgive Them," - by Max Lucado

The dialogue that Friday morning was bitter.

From the onlookers, “Come down from the cross if you are the Son of God!”

From the religious leaders, “He saved others but he can’t save himself.”

From the soldiers, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”

Bitter words. Acidic with sarcasm. Hateful. Irreverent. Wasn’t it enough that he was being crucified? Wasn’t it enough that he was being shamed as a criminal? Were the nails insufficient? Was the crown of thorns too soft? Had the flogging been too short?

For some, apparently so...

Of all the scenes around the cross, this one angers me the most. What kind of people, I ask myself, would mock a dying man? Who would be so base as to pour the salt of scorn upon open wounds? How low and perverted to sneer at one who is laced with pain…

The words thrown that day were meant to wound. And there is nothing more painful than words meant to hurt…

If you have suffered or are suffering because of someone else’s words, you’ll be glad to know that there is a balm for this laceration. Meditate on these words from 1 Peter 2:23.

“Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously”

Did you see what Jesus did not do? He did not retaliate. He did not bite back. He did not say, “I’ll get you!” “Come on up here and say that to my face!” “Just wait until after the resurrection, buddy!” No, these statements were not found on Christ’s lips.


Did you see what Jesus did do? He “entrusted himself to him who judges justly.” Or said more simply, he left the judging to God. He did not take on the task of seeking revenge. He demanded no apology. He hired no bounty hunters and sent out no posse. He, to the astounding contrary, spoke on their defense.  "...Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do..." - Luke 23: 34

And when you think about it, they didn’t. They hadn’t the faintest idea what they were doing. They were a stir-crazy mob, mad at something they couldn’t see so they took it out on, of all people, God. But they didn’t know what they were doing.

Yes, the dialogue that Friday morning was bitter. The verbal stones were meant to sting. How Jesus, with a body wracked with pain, eyes blinded by his own blood, and lungs yearning for air, could speak on behalf of some heartless thugs is beyond my comprehension. Never, never have I seen such love. If ever a person deserved a shot at revenge, Jesus did. But he didn’t take it. Instead he died for them. How could he do it? I don’t know. But I do know that all of a sudden my wounds seem very painless. My grudges and hard feelings are suddenly childish.

Sometimes I wonder if we don’t see Christ’s love as much in the people he tolerated as in the pain he endured.

Amazing Grace.