Please make yourself comfortable

The Valet very Pretty and a Lady, Opened the door and ushered the unassuming couple in. Then It all began with the friendly greeting,"Welcome to _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Bistro! The wait is going to be just a little while, Please make yourself comfortable, have a seat and enjoy a short film for your entertainment." The ambiance of the atmosphere absolutely soothing and breath taking, they smiled, wondered and gentle sat down.

Their seating very calming and comfortable beyond compare. The Christmas decor, gentle to the eyes and the music soft, a "KENNY G. - White Christmas, in the background" sang out to them while the twinkle in his eyes as they gazed at one another spoke "surprise" because neither of them knew exactly "who" was surprising who. (sigh) Both of them taken off guard, but drifted into a dream.

The aroma's tantalizing and teasing them of what lay ahead. The Christmas lights on the tree glimmered, sparkled and almost whispered - began singing. The viewing entertainment a Christmas classic, from their past.

The Hostess Very striking to the eye, very pleasant and warm to the couple. Very professional yet welcoming. Her voice soft. The second, a beautiful server, asked if the couple would like anything while they waited. The film drew them away. They held hands gently, their eyes caught one another, and they smiled. The savory seasons wafted about the Bistro. The comfy seating relaxed their tense muscles and the staff eased their minds. The Hostess took them back to their elegant fine table laced in Red and Cream and an appeasing candle flame drew them in to a subdued warmth. As they were seated off to the tranquilized romantic corner, they both melted in one an others gaze. The couples smiles teased one another as they both grinned and locked their eyes on one another passing through the years of time spent together. As they both gazed through the menu a gentle tear escaped her eye, then every so slowly rolled trying to hide quickly from the staff.

His eyes gave her chills of joy knowing they were together as he walked her to her seat and gently guided her to the table. His saunter still taking her breath away as he took his chair. The moment to dulcify the evening and their souls reached a moment of speechless wonder - joined through True Love, they know commitment to one another is real. So real they almost forgot those about them. The first waitresses came, took the drink orders and floated away with a very inviting grin. The curly amber haired server smiled as the soft banged brunette server worked as one with her almost as if they were one. Quickly they brought the chilled Caesar dinner salad and steamy cheesy garlic bread.

They couple of twenty four years union in marriage became one mind, one heart, one Love. The entire staff at "The _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Bistro" mitigated the worries of the world. Much like one slipping into a Calgon Bath. He looked up, caught her gaze and they both cried. The Steamy Homemade House Lasagna served with care; Complements to the Chef, as his appearance to offer his Finest Red and White "Wine" (Sparkling ;-) Grape style). Permissimo!!! Their mouths watered with every bite as they reminisced every memory past and now the one lived as a wonderful "Present"!

The last lovely server brought A Vanilla dessert speckled with Chocolate treats and the Chef put a finalizing touch with a "Chocolate Ritz" covered treat! Perfect! The evening absolutely PERFECT.

Then it happened. The cutest wee little server presented him with a grin, walked over to her and gave her a gift. "Fank You for coming! This is for YOU!" . .. "CAN I HEP YOU?!!" We all smiled and then we opened the gifts after our dessert.

Happy Twenty fourth Anniversary!!!

Love,

Valet/Dessert Server ~Mya

Hostess/ ~Tia

Server/order ~ Emily

Server/ ~ Hot meal Faith

Chef/ ~ Jordan (Son -In - Love)

Server/ Gift bearer ~ Hadassah

"Wine" ~ Sparkling Grape Juice ;-)

The Finest Bistro In History!

A Peek - a - Boo Into Our Memory of a Lifetime:

Sneaky, Sneaky - Shopping groceries, gifts, "fake shopping" to detour, doc appointments to delay, friends in Mall delay unexpected but warmly accepted!

Here is a peak! Here are the pics

Merry Christmas

I just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!

Okay so there is so much to share and so much to be excited about. The wild thing is that we didn't get Christmas cards out this year. So be looking for them to come after this week since we have a moment to be thankful and celebrate with our entire family here very soon.

The girls picture will be uploaded soon. ;0)

Love always, our family!

The shepherd

There is a shepherd who means the world to me.

He anoints my head with oil when necessary

His staff comforts me

His hand guides me

His voice soothes me

His love fulfills me

His patience astounds me

His discipline completes me

His eyes melt me

His feet are quick to defend me

His staff keeps me from harm

There is a shepherd that loves me

His words go noticed

His arms surround me

His leading stretches me

He is the only voice I know I can ALWAYS trust

He carries me when I hurt

He holds me when I am afriad

He shields me from evil

He looks out for my well being

He is worth dying for

for he risks it all on my behalf

His love is unending

His ways are becoming my ways

I love this shepherd with all that I am

He fills me with joy

He holds me together

I call him - Jehovah Jirah -

The LORD, Jesus Christ, The Holy Spirit your are my great shepherd, I shall not or need not want!

UNIMAGINABLE upon the TWELFTH DAYs BEFORE CHRISTMAS

The soil to those who are Khmer is called home. For those who step into their shoes . . . life usually is NEVER the same. From expecting up to the "potential" of 150 children, receiving a phone call at the FREEDOM SALON that we needed to come soon because the children were waiting. We stepped into about 350 possibly 400 children who filled the alley leading to the RAPHA HOUSE KIDS CLUB location. WOW!!! Amazing. We now sponsor _._. in Brown top.

As it was time to get the day started, David one of the Social Workers, and "T", gave the word and IMMEDIATELY all - YES ALL THE CHILDREN - listened and got into lines. I was so amazed at their attention and Obedience that I tried to get a picture off as they were forming their lines. However, by the time I did they were already beginning their day in full order!
When we were all dismissed I was humbled to get to talk with one of many but a very SPECIAL woman named "_". This is their home property where her husband, she and her children make a significant difference in their Islamic saturated area to share the LOVE of Jesus Christ! I was imploring and inquiring her to find out of the precious girl on my right side's name. She melted my heart. From the moment she came over to me when we first arrived until we left late that night. I knew that the Lord, through the Holy Spirit was prompting to take a huge step of faith to sponsor and older child.
Not until later and having someone (the girl in the white) go and find her and bring her back so that we could take pictures together. I found out that she was NOT sponsored. She Was the First one I knew and I prayed for the Lord to lead to just one more to sponsor and it was the girl from with in my random pictures that is pictured in first photo. This sponsor ship means, meals, a uniform to go to school, and the ability to come to Kids Club and not be at a very huge risk to be trafficked and exploited! The smile of the girl when she realized the reason for "finding" her was to let her know that she was now a sponsored child. Her literal sister happened to be the one who went to find her and bring her back. They both hung around calling me "Mum" and telling me I LOVE YOU - repeatedly holding my arms, hands, and hugging me until we literally left that night!

Now here is my Challenge to YOU . . .

TODAY

There are TWELVE Days Left BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

On the left side of the Picture, which Randy Wheeler took the week before we arrived, are

the children who are NOT SPONSORED. They received something to show that they to

are valued, while the ones with the back packs are the ones who are already sponsored.

Amazingly since our return in Late October they went from having around 140 sponsorships to have right now today 297 sponsored children.

So they are thrilled to say the desire is to "find" just three more to have 300 BEFORE Christmas.

IN THE TWELVE DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS

Can we together sponsor 53 children and exceed 300?

Can we think "OUT OF THE BOX" and

IMAGINE the UNIMAGINABLE?!!!

Ephesians 3:20 - Well What do WE THINK?

Are WE up to the CHALLENGE?

Here is the quote from the Wheelers - the RAPHA HOUSE KIDS CLUB

Wall Photos

The haves - and the have nots. The kids on the right are a small portion of the "sponsored" kids with their nice backpacks filled with school supplies and uniforms. The kids on the left are the kids not yet sponsored and their bags with a few pencils and comic books. My heart breaks for them. They were happy to get their goodies but I could see some of them looking longingly at the other kids and wishing they could go to school as well. In a little over a year we've managed to find sponsors for 148 children. There were twice that many today who are waiting. Please pray that they'll all be sponsored soon.

By: Rapha House Kids Club

Birthday wishes

"But the LORD said to Samuel, 'Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things human beings look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the HEART!" I Samuel 16:7

The amazing walk of one of our Princesses is so precious! I look at her and her smile warms a room. She has always had a knack for memorization and a love for puzzles. But her heart is huge. Every day not matter what she always gives warm fuzzies by earnestly seeking a genuine love to hear about the families day. Every meal we sit together, and after we serve out and after our prayer time, she smiles and ALWAYS asks, "So, how was your day _____?" while she sits and LISTENS intently. If by chance we let down our proverbial "hair" she tries to move on and make a smooth and positive transition.

She has beautiful curly hair that everyone always asks, "Is that naturally curly?" And not until last year did she begin to appreciate it. I believe when the commercials came out with Troy Polamalu and individuals shared their like of her brown curly locks which to them they admired, we enjoyed the moment since we hadn't seen them yet, then we all had our laughs when we did.

Her laugh . . . is contagious! Her joy is fun! Her heart is amazing! I always try to make each Princess know that they are my LOVE! MY FAVORITE DAUGHTER (and we put in our special family insert phrase that we ALL HEAR and LOVE to KNOW in our HOME) and it makes them realize that They are LOVED DEARLY because they are UNIQUE and they ARE A MASTERPIECE!

So Here is to sweet Sweet PRINCESS - Happy HAPPY BIRTHDAY to YOU!!! YOU WERE RIGHT ON TIME! On your first Christmas Day, when you were only days old; Nana & Papa LOVED ON YOU with such tender grandmotherly and grandpa Love and Care! Your Sisters and Brazilian Sister were overjoyed at the gift of your life as well! Daddy and I couldn't have been more excited for you. For when we found out you were a part of our LIFE, I SCREAMED with such excitement that the nurse and doctor inquired, "Oh . . . Is this your first child?" To which I replied, "No, this baby is our third!" and they smiled then both said, "We don't think we have ever seen some one THAT EXCITED for their third baby! CONGRATULATIONS!!!" To which I sang and cried all the way home, so excited to share the News with your daddy (we didn't have a cell phone back then) ;0) since I was going in for another "possibility" only to discover the reason it was taking place was because we were going to be seeing your wonderful face due on our TENTH YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!!

Here you are ~ Wonderful and so caring. Never change Princess -NEVER, and keep remembering to "SHINE FOR JESUS!!"

Christmas broken aching heart

Hi Sister 1,2,&3,

I received this message about your sponsored girls:

_ _ _, _ _ _, and _ _ _ are sisters. This family very poor, these kids are help family to do some work to make money. They don’t have house they live at hospital the place that they can live for free. However this family parent don’t have work. They can do what people asking them to do, by laundry, take care baby for other family, this work not make much money. And at night time or day time without school all this kid do recycle stuff not good for them to walk around and do that but this time we was talking with family asking them we may can help more rice and food but we don’t want all these 3 girls do recycle because not safe. However this good: study hard, been good at school. Come to kid’s club every time and she learn how to dance at Christmas time too.

Blessings,

C

This (above) was the letter response i recently received about the girl I just recently sponsored and her sisters (literally). Thank You Abba, Father-God for bringing this to my attention. I Love You "C" for sharing with me and the recently sponsored sisters care providers, Sincerely - from the bottom of my aching heart.

Wow - Do You Hear the what of I am hearing?

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more that all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, " -NIV or "God can do anything, you know - far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your WILDEST DREAMS! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us." The Message : Ephesians 3:20

NWMO FCA "information without inspiration provides direction without motivation, inspiration without information provides motivation without direction" - Unknown

I do not know what your ear is telling you, or even your heart for that matter. I have so much on my mind it just blows me away. Like a child who earnestly and incessantly says, "why?" "But WHY?" How about the moments that the silence is so very quiet that it SCREAMS OUT TO your soul? Yes and what about the moments of the earth's creation unable to cease from what the bowls desire to exclaim?

Do You and Can you hear it? Oh listen to that. It is AWEmazing. The child (NOT FETUS) in the womb who is so eager to share the wonders of the creator from the

moment of conception. Or the parents so thrilled to finally get to see what HE, the I AM already knows from before time. Or the cries of a baby to convey the vocabulary of the heart. The wonder of the ear to hear as He created us to hear.

Are we, are YOU, am I really lending a very attentive ear to give way to the voice of the whisper? Can you clearly hear? Are we LISTENING?! Really listening?

When I was in preschool, I remember going to my first Christmas Musical put on by the Senior High School just on the next block and the song, "Do You hear what I

Hear?" was sung with an amazing vocals! It still gives me goosebumps. I was in AWE, for it allowed me to revisit that wonder and smile. I was in utter amazement of the thought of listening? Then recently one of my favorite films: August Rush and the amazing dipictions through sound barriers and of being allowed to hear. To have ears that could and can still distinguish the thoughts that are going on while listening to the stupendous thrills surrounding us.

I began to listen. Sounds such as the giggle from a baby, the gurgle of mouth wash, the sound of a tear falling from one needing tender care, or the voice from a bubbling Brook flowing down a stream in the Rockies, the song sung from one with all their enriched being, the voice of a preacher, the buzz of the bee, the conversation of the insects with the season of Spring. How about the birds chirping their own melodious tunes, the rapid speed of the wings of the humming bird, the bark of a loyal dog, the meow of a cat. the song of a girl across the world asking you if she can call you "MUM" and consider you to be one who will advocate for her as a

mother soothing her child, the laughter of a daddy while giving advise.

Do You hear with the wonder of "what" I am hearing?

I am so thankful for the ability to still hear, even though it is rapidly diminishing - I sing praise and Glorify the Lord for the ability to still listen and hear.

Ahhhhh December

Sweet, Sweet December here we are again. You never cease to Amaze me. The Joy you provide. The sorrow held at bay. There are five wonderful women; Amy S. (locally),Kelsey I. (out of town) and Stephanie (out of town), Julia G. (out of state) and two new mommies announced from our body of Christ Lyndsey and Sierra, I know right now who carry a child with in their womb. It so reminds me that just a few years ago we awaited with excitement that which was born to us around Christ's Celebrated birth ~ the last child that last joined our family. My life and first breath out of my mothers' womb came to be - all in December. Many Christmases, New Years Eve's and many many births in my family - Ahhh December, the exquisite Joy, like a snow flake Big and uniquely all it's own. That is like the adventures I have had all in December.

Ahhh December I love the time of the year. Why, because LOVE

PREVAILS in so many ways. The quote I heard in the past is so true, "I just wanna be LOVED, is that so wrong?" - unknown (really I forgot who said it, however it is only right to properly give credit where credit is due). No it is not wrong to want to be LOVED. Quite Frankly, December brings that out in MOST individuals for they begin to think of Others and not themselves. The joy of giving, the joy of forgiving, the joy of just LOVING come through the month of December!

Ahhh December. On my birthday you, oh Abba, allowed a day that SNOWED in my native growing up soil. The laughter of my brother and the voice of my dad gave me joy. A sweet text from on of my Sister in Loves brought the joy through a soft tear all in December. My Daughters (all of them!!!) have giving me many years of JOY through the month of December and now my new Son in Love shares in the wonder of December.

Ahhh December, I enjoy that I am married to the LOVE OF MY LIFE ~ to the only man I have EVER dated, and carried all of my "firsts" with and there will never be another. And this year the Lord of All is allowing us another anniversary all in DECEMBER.

Ahhh December. Thirty one glorious days to just say THANK YOU for the evidence of LOVE! To grow up in a mountainous area and call it home, and to experience the grandeur of Purple Mountains Majesty. To discover the Christ as my Personal Savior and to call upon him from Christmas Caroling - all in December.

I LOVE DECEMBER. The Laughter, the CHRISTmas Joy, the Magnificent Proclamation, the Wonder of the Birth of the Christ Child - all remembered through DECEMBER! From my first Breath, to a nuptial Kiss, a commitment of LOVE - during a BLIZZARD, vows declared, births granted, children carried, songs sung, hot chocolate, Christmas Carols and many traditions - all in December.

Ahhh December. Family - the importance of FAMILY - and now I get to experience my first Christmas with our Son-in-Love to be. Ahhh December.

I will rejoice and Thank You dear Lord for what I do NOT deserved - all in DECEMBER a time to LOVE!

Philippians 4:19