The Ramblings of A Missionary Wife

I have sat down to try and write this several times, but just couldn't. It has just been too fresh & overwhelming. 2006 For those of you who don't know me personally, I am from a big family. I have 15 brothers & sisters. I am the oldest & have one biological brother. When I was 9 years old, my parents began to adopt other children. Lots of people have asked me what I thought about it, has it been hard, would I go back and change anything, etc. And I will answer that later. Growing up in a family that big was definitely an experience with many fun times and many hard ones. As each child became part of our family, whether a baby or a teenager, boy or girl, my heart stretched a little bigger as love grew and I accepted each of them as a real brother or sister. There were many children that my parents were asked to take in that they had to say "No" to and yet others that the Lord led them to say "Yes" to. And I believe with all my heart that

July 2009 So today, July 8th, marks our 5 year anniversary of living in the Philippines. I think "half a decade" sounds better. Makes us sound more mature and wiser or something...(ha!) When we said our goodbyes & tearfully walked away from our family, friends, & everything familiar, we boarded the airplane with high expectations & excitement as we moved halfway across the globe to a new world of jungles, islands, & oceans. Our babies were 4 and 2 years old. We experienced culture shock, a new language, and city life for the first year while we lived in the capital city of Manila to learn Tagalog. The view from our window changed from the rolling hills of a Texas ranch to the 9th floor of an apartment building in the one of the most crowded, smoggiest cities on earth. Instead of being in the majority, we suddenly stuck out like a sore thumb in a sea of beautiful, dark-skinned, dark eyed people. July 2010 But slowly & surely, with the Lord who

Last Saturday, the kids had their first piano & voice recital. They did really well for only having 2 months of lessons! I think I was more nervous than they were! It was held at the little Baptist church in town that we have been attending. It was a great experience for the kids (complete with a power outage & all!) & music lessons has been a good opportunity to get them out and socializing with other kids. Since Josh & I both play the piano & love music, we are excited to see our kids love for music developing as well! Here is a video of their performance. 

For the first 6 months of living in the Philippines, we did not have our own car to get us used to using public transportation. Living in Manila, anytime you are on the road, in a vehicle or walking is an adventure to say the least! I had no idea that traffic, people, and vehicles could function in the way they do in Manila!!! Everytime we are in a vehicle, I audibly scream at least twice, usually many more times at our near chances with death! But I am proud to say,  I am one of the few missionary ladies who drives in Manila! (bragging I know) We must have talked quite a bit how dangerous it was, because I overheard our 2 year old (at the time) telling our 4 year old- "Bubba, you must hold onto Daddy & Mommy's hands tight when we are walking on the street or you will be squished by a jeepney and you will DIE!" There have been many videos taken & documentaries done on Manila driving, but here are a few of my favorites! This is a friend of ours dr

"Live every moment like it was your last." You see the quote everywhere. To be honest, it makes me exhausted just reading it.  There are days I feel like I am fighting just to be able to get through the day and do the basic things...Is it even possible? I have been reminded several times in the last few days of the brevity, the complete and total shortness & quickness of this life. "How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog--it's here a little while, then it's gone." -James 4:14 A lady with 5 other children went into labor yesterday morning- no complications, just like every other pregnancy. By the afternoon, she had a new baby boy, but was suffering from severe hemorrhaging. When we got the call to bring the plane in to fly her out, Josh & I scrambled to get the little bit of medical gear together that we had, oxygen, bandages, & meds. As we were getting him out to the car, we received anot

Sometimes it is really hard to put into words the thoughts and feelings that build up inside. I have been struggling with so many things lately that seem so big and important. Never-ending. I am so focused on them that it seems that is all I see. Drowning...burdened...in silence...alone. I want to know for sure that He hears. That He sees. I'm waiting for a booming voice, a shaking, fiery revelation. And then HE comes. “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the  Lord  told him. And as Elijah stood there, the  Lord  passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the  Lord  was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the  Lord  was not in the earthquake.   And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the  Lord  was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.   When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the

You know on the superhero-spy movies, when someone goes "radio silent?" Radios are regular part of my life & so I feel kind of connected to them. They speak my language. Radio silent- off the grid- going dark. That's how I would describe my life lately. Radio silent. I've gone dark. I've retreated into my "safe house."  Many of you have probably noticed less Facebook posts, short-replies to texts, unreturned emails. To be perfectly honest, I'm having trouble dealing with life which equals social radio silence. A big reason is sometimes it seems like God has "gone dark." It feels like I'm screaming into the wind & He doesn't hear. I read His Word and it doesn't jump off the page like I long for it to. I desire more than anything else to glorify God with my life & earnestly seek Him with all that I am. To revel in His love. But it's hard when you just don't feel it...the world can be so overwhelming at

I have been seeing all these blogs of women sharing the "word" God gave them for this year. Abandon. Hope. Simple. Good words. Well, I wanted a God word. So I started praying for one. Didn't quite get what I expected. I go through phases or seasons in my life when I start to question things. I start asking "why" questions. I start doubting. "Am I missing something? Is this really what God called me to?" When nothing that I do seems to matter & I get sucked up in what seems like a never ending race. A race to get ahead. Ahead of what's coming next. I want to be prepared. I want to know what's coming. I don't like surprises. I want to be on top of things. No laundry backed up, no school projects left undone. I strive & strive, but at the end of the day, as I climb into bed, I wonder what in the world I did that day. I am exhausted by the thoughts of being & doing all I think I am "called" to. Being the attractive

We were so blessed to be a part of the relief efforts during Typhoon Haiyan. We are so thankful to all of you who made it possible for these people to receive food, shelter, & the love of Christ!

Please visit our ministry website to read about all the ways God has provided to enable us & others to help in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan! Five Loaves & Two Fish

And the answers to last week's food pictures are- Dinuguan Dinuguan is a Filipino savory stew of meat and/or offal simmered in a rich, spicy dark gravy of pig blood, garlic, chili, and vinegar. The term dinuguan comes from the Filipino word dugo meaning "blood". Not one of my favorites...I've only got up the nerve to eat it once. Rambutan A tropical fruit native to Southeast Asia. The name  rambutan  is derived from the Malay/Indonesian  word  rambutan , meaning "hairy."  The fruit flesh is translucent, whitish or very pale pink, with a sweet, mildly acidic flavor very reminiscent of grapes. My kids especially love this fruit & will eat as much as I let them. We quickly learned within the first few days of moving to the Philippines that the main staple is rice. Rice for breakfast, lunch, & dinner. Like many countries in Asia, the livelihood of the Philippines is on growing & eating rice. There are actually several words f