House

Did I mention that I have bought a house?  I can't really call it a new home since it was built in 1902.  I can't call it my dream home either, but with some renovations it is getting better.  And I can't call it a second home since it is the one I will move to when all the construction jobs are done.  Then I will have the delightful fun of trying to sell my present home.  But this will be my home when I am able to move, hopefully before the summer.

My grandson, Cole, has been complaining for years about me living 7 hours away (not remembering, of course, that is was he that moved.)  After his Grandad died he was asking me almost daily when was I going to move close to him.  So, I thought that when I actually picked a house 3 minutes away from his that he would be thrilled.

Not so!  When I told him which house I was buying suddenly he was mad.  He quickly informed me that I was not moving close enough!  He had decided that I needed to live in the same house as him, or at least on the same street.  So for the month I was waiting to close all I got was black scowls and frowns every time my new house was mentioned.

Then after the closing we drove over to take a look at what I had bought . . . with Cole grumbling the whole way.  But that's when we discovered that the sellers had left the swing set and play fort in the back yard, and there were lego pieces littering the front walk.

Suddenly, Cole LOVED my new house!

Don't you just love it when kids prefer the simple things?  Give them an empty cardboard box . . .

. . . or a tree to climb . . .

and you would think you had bought them an expensive gift.

Positive Things

I started this blog almost 5 years ago in 2008, but Jimmie and I had been writing newsletters long before that.  When we went to Ghana on our first foreign campaign together in 1983  Jimmie reported to the congregation that sent us.  When Jimmie went back alone in 1985, he reported again.  But after our move to American Samoa in early 1987 we began a monthly newsletter together.  Those newsletters started again when Jimmie and I  joined Truth for the World.  When I became office manager there I also wrote the monthly news blurb on the donation receipts plus started a quarterly newsletter from the TFTW secretaries to our supporters.  Now I provide a portion of the monthly IBTM newsletter, The Seeker.  So in the last 26 years I estimate that I have written more than 500 articles.

And with every one of them there was a constant  rule from Jimmie to always keep it positive.

Positive.  Jimmie always believed that newsletters and blogs were no place to complain.  Therefore, we didn't write about the really hard times unless we could do it with a smile, like when the hurricane in Samoa left us without power for a month and we had to take showers in the rain.  We didn't mention the super scary times - such as when a man stuck a shotgun in Jimmie's face demanding he stop teaching the Gospel - until long after when we could do so calmly.  We didn't talk about the heartache of seeing good works destroyed, or the frustration of dealing with deceitful people.  And we didn't mention the personal attacks that seem to come just because you are trying hard to stay firm on God's Word or the nasty emails even as Jimmie was dying.

Perhaps that is why writing on this blog has been so difficult lately.  Especially today.  Today it has been 6 months since Jimmie died.

But even as hard as these last 6 months have been, there have still been bright spots, things I can be positive about.  I have been able to continue the Internet portion of the mission work with IBTM that Jimmie did not want to die with him, and it continues to grow at an amazing rate.  In the days since his death almost 40,000 visits have been made to the websites for folks to read the materials there.  Approximately 2,500 new students have enrolled in the Bible correspondence courses to study God's Word.  And at least 5 of our students became New Testament Christians.  Per Jimmie's wishes, I am working on relocating closer to my 2 adorable grandsons, and their parents, of course.  And those grandsons continue to be a delight.  Cole is climbing trees and making new friends, while Jasper is crawling and laughing and trying to talk.

I wish Jimmie could enjoy these things with me, but I will have to be content in the knowledge that he is an important reason why they are happening.

Quick Hello!

I can't believe it has been more than a month since I chatted on this blog.  I guess time flies whether you are having fun or not.  Life has been busy, and just getting busier, so I don't have time to stay long today.  The past two weeks I have been enjoying watching my two grandsons get into mischief (Cole) and discovering new things (Jasper) and that is always a joy.  Not so much fun is working on plans to relocate closer to them - the woes of house renovations!

I just posted the latest IBTM newsletter on here, so take a look.

Linda

Happy 2013!

Is it really another year already?  2012 ended with a whirlwind tour of the South since I traveled from Georgia all the way to Texas and back.  I got to spend time with some very special people and learned to appreciate the free Wi-Fi at McDonald's, even if I did get tired of the menu.  I would tell you about it, but I think I need a few pictures.

Of course, there were lots of presents.  Jasper quickly mastered the art of
ripping the gift wrap.

Bronson and Cole practiced their Grinch look before passing out more.

The first few days in Texas was gorgeous so the "kids" enjoyed the playground.

Then on Christmas Day the snow started.

It was Jasper's first.

The playground soon looked quite different.

But the play continued.

And so did the snow.  We soon had 6 inches.

 Naturally, the best part of any holiday is being with family.  It's also nice to have the memories captured for later.  Here are a few of my favorites.

6,000 Students

I mentioned in the December issue of The Seeker (posted under the Newsletter tab) that we now have more than 6,000 students who have enrolled in our online course.  What I did not mention is that more than 4,000 of them have enrolled this year.  That number still just amazes me because we never had that many new students in any year that we were with our previous mission work.  In fact, nowhere even close.  I really don't know what has made the difference, but I'm happy that so many folks are seeking to learn more of God's Word, and that we can help.

Especially since I'm told that the world is due to end today. Why didn't I get that memo?  I asked what time, but apparently the Mayans forgot to include that in their note.

Christmas is already here for many of us (I opened gifts with my grandsons Wednesday night, and get to do it again next week.)  I hope you have a very Happy Holiday wherever you are!

Why?

Do you ever have one of those days where you ask "Why?" a lot?  Mine was yesterday.  Oh, not any deep philosophical meanderings on the meaning of life or anything.  Just those small ponderings when life plagues you.  Questions like -

• Why do I always pick the wrong check-out line?  You know, the one that takes 3 times as long as all the other ones.
• Why am I even out in this mall nightmare when all of my Christmas shopping is done?
• Why did I forget that Julie's birthday comes hot on Santa's heels?  Oh, well, that answers why #2.
• Why is eating alone in a restaurant so depressing?

And then my sister called to tell me that there is now actual medical proof that dark chocolate makes a great cough suppressant.  Suddenly, I felt better . . . but I do feel a cough coming on.