Here's a link to the MN's DNR website. They have a live cam on a big eagle nest right now. It's so interesting to watch!
http://www.webcams.dnr.state.mn.us/eagle/
Monday, 24 February 2014
Thursday, 20 February 2014
A Weekly update: Feb. 20th (edited)
Update February 20th, 2014:
Joshua has glasses! No longer rubbing his eyes, or excessive blinking, and probably no more headaches; we are all relieved for Joshua! He likes them and he looks really good in them. Just see the picture after this post!
This week Joel helped out with a Kids Against Hunger packing event on Wednesday just south of here at an elementary school. Over $5,000 worth of food was packed for kids in Haiti.
Our Tuesday local outreach to the kids club of an asian minority group is going well. Joel taught one boy how to make a parachute cord bracelet. Joel also brought pictures of Emily our daughter to show to the group of boys. It really impacted them, at how special it was to see pictures of our deceased daughter. Keep praying for these kids!
Joel is still plugging away at his "Punch list" (the master list of things to be fixed or improved around the base).
I (Renee) enjoy helping Kristy out in the Accounting Office once a week. It's a nice change from being at home doing school with the kids. I enjoy organizing and filing and getting bills ready to be paid.
Last weekend, Joel spoke at Lincoln Community Church in Duluth. I was supposed to take a picture of him preaching, but I was so caught up in his sermon/teaching that I completely forgot! So you just have to imagine him up on stage holding a microphone. His encouragement to us all to be missionaries wherever we are and whatever we are doing was a blessing to hear.
We also had a great time with the people there. A few homeschool moms even gave me a couple suggestions in curriculum choices which has been most helpful. And last but not least: great shout out to our host R___ for being such a great hostess. Your hospitality was superb!
Joshua has glasses! No longer rubbing his eyes, or excessive blinking, and probably no more headaches; we are all relieved for Joshua! He likes them and he looks really good in them. Just see the picture after this post!
This week Joel helped out with a Kids Against Hunger packing event on Wednesday just south of here at an elementary school. Over $5,000 worth of food was packed for kids in Haiti.
Our Tuesday local outreach to the kids club of an asian minority group is going well. Joel taught one boy how to make a parachute cord bracelet. Joel also brought pictures of Emily our daughter to show to the group of boys. It really impacted them, at how special it was to see pictures of our deceased daughter. Keep praying for these kids!
Joel is still plugging away at his "Punch list" (the master list of things to be fixed or improved around the base).
I (Renee) enjoy helping Kristy out in the Accounting Office once a week. It's a nice change from being at home doing school with the kids. I enjoy organizing and filing and getting bills ready to be paid.
Last weekend, Joel spoke at Lincoln Community Church in Duluth. I was supposed to take a picture of him preaching, but I was so caught up in his sermon/teaching that I completely forgot! So you just have to imagine him up on stage holding a microphone. His encouragement to us all to be missionaries wherever we are and whatever we are doing was a blessing to hear.
We also had a great time with the people there. A few homeschool moms even gave me a couple suggestions in curriculum choices which has been most helpful. And last but not least: great shout out to our host R___ for being such a great hostess. Your hospitality was superb!
Thursday, 6 February 2014
February Update! (iow: our internet works now!!)
So... We're Here!
In the midst of the missionary community that is YWAM Minneapolis we've been quietly setting up our home, re-figuring homeschool, hunting for doctors and grocery stores, doing our usual number on the local library, and spending ridiculous amounts of time trying to set up a new computer, internet and cell phone (Give me (Joel) firewood and a splitting maul and I'm much happier.)
We've been welcomed warmly into the family of staff here. The kids have yet to make friends their own age, but they've already endeared themselves to many of the staff, as well as the students from Latin America. While our duties around base won't actually begin until Monday (the 3rd), we've jumped into worship and prayer gatherings, staff meetings, fellowship gatherings and a little broomball. Slowly we've been getting to know some of the 50-odd staff members and the 20 or so ECCO (English Cross-Cultural Orientation) students. Just today (Sat. the 1st) two outreach teams returned from South Africa and Mexico, so we have more people to meet! I've been invited to help lead worship. We'll be joining a local outreach to Tibetan kids, as well as helping out with the next Kids Against Hunger food packing event. Maybe we'll even check out a local church tomorrow!
We are encouraged to see the godly maturity of many of the staff here who've served in missionary training for decades. At the same time there are many young couples with children younger than ours who we hope to be an encouragement to. In many ways, as we become acquainted with the people and the vision that drives them, we find God confirming in our hearts that we belong here at this time. There is still the uncertainty about how God will use this season in the story of our lives, but He's got dibs on Foreknowledge while calling us to Faith.
We want to say THANK-YOU:
To those who've given and prayed to get us here to YWAM Minneapolis
Those who made meals,
helped clean our house and pack up,
picked up the Uhaul,
packed the U Haul (expertly),
watched our kids so we could pack the UHaul...
Those who laid hands on and sent us out in prayer and in song.
Who sewed us a beautiful farewell quilt,
Who stopped by for one more visit...
Those who drove to Rockford with us and stayed two days to unpack,
those others who cared for our kids for those two days...
all the those who came out to unload the U Haul,
Who brought pizza and welcomed us into the YWAM family.
We are deeply grateful to the Lord for you!
Joel and Renee, Joshua, Rachel, Madelynn and Hudson.
P.S. "Second opinion" appointments at Mayo Clinic this week resulted in my NOT needing surgery on a herniated disc, just needing to be smarter!
"I have been young, and now am old,
yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
or his children begging for bread.
He is ever lending generously,
and his children become a blessing." Psalm 37:25,26
(This Psalm is a family favorite. We are enjoying seeing the Lord fulfill his word in our lives.)
In the midst of the missionary community that is YWAM Minneapolis we've been quietly setting up our home, re-figuring homeschool, hunting for doctors and grocery stores, doing our usual number on the local library, and spending ridiculous amounts of time trying to set up a new computer, internet and cell phone (Give me (Joel) firewood and a splitting maul and I'm much happier.)
We've been welcomed warmly into the family of staff here. The kids have yet to make friends their own age, but they've already endeared themselves to many of the staff, as well as the students from Latin America. While our duties around base won't actually begin until Monday (the 3rd), we've jumped into worship and prayer gatherings, staff meetings, fellowship gatherings and a little broomball. Slowly we've been getting to know some of the 50-odd staff members and the 20 or so ECCO (English Cross-Cultural Orientation) students. Just today (Sat. the 1st) two outreach teams returned from South Africa and Mexico, so we have more people to meet! I've been invited to help lead worship. We'll be joining a local outreach to Tibetan kids, as well as helping out with the next Kids Against Hunger food packing event. Maybe we'll even check out a local church tomorrow!
We are encouraged to see the godly maturity of many of the staff here who've served in missionary training for decades. At the same time there are many young couples with children younger than ours who we hope to be an encouragement to. In many ways, as we become acquainted with the people and the vision that drives them, we find God confirming in our hearts that we belong here at this time. There is still the uncertainty about how God will use this season in the story of our lives, but He's got dibs on Foreknowledge while calling us to Faith.
We want to say THANK-YOU:
To those who've given and prayed to get us here to YWAM Minneapolis
Those who made meals,
helped clean our house and pack up,
picked up the Uhaul,
packed the U Haul (expertly),
watched our kids so we could pack the UHaul...
Those who laid hands on and sent us out in prayer and in song.
Who sewed us a beautiful farewell quilt,
Who stopped by for one more visit...
Those who drove to Rockford with us and stayed two days to unpack,
those others who cared for our kids for those two days...
all the those who came out to unload the U Haul,
Who brought pizza and welcomed us into the YWAM family.
We are deeply grateful to the Lord for you!
Joel and Renee, Joshua, Rachel, Madelynn and Hudson.
P.S. "Second opinion" appointments at Mayo Clinic this week resulted in my NOT needing surgery on a herniated disc, just needing to be smarter!
"I have been young, and now am old,
yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
or his children begging for bread.
He is ever lending generously,
and his children become a blessing." Psalm 37:25,26
(This Psalm is a family favorite. We are enjoying seeing the Lord fulfill his word in our lives.)
Below are pictures of our apartment and then some of the YWAM base itself...
 |
| Living Area with a small "nook" off to the right |
 |
| Dining area/classroom and hurrah for the homeschool wall! |
 |
| You can see the kitchen here |
 |
| Our Quadplex apartment building |
 |
| One of the classrooms |
 |
| Lounge area |
 |
| Dining area (the other half behind the camera can be divided off into another classroom) |
 |
| A pretty evening picture behind the campus. The building on the far left is the dining hall. |
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