The Wissmann Family Journal

Rachel

2012-01-31T09:49:00.003-06:00

Happy 30th Birthday Rachel!

Personal highlights from the past year:

Meeting and falling deeply in love with the most incredible, handsome, and kind-hearted man in the world. (Easily top of my list in 2011!)
Having aforementioned incredible man propose to me amidst the romantic glow of Christmas lights. And sharing the wonder of God's hand in bringing us together.
Looking back and seeing the many new and fresh ways the Lord continues to teach me to fully rely on Him.
Writing and preparing for NCHEA's Great Adventure and being able to share the program in both Nebraska & Iowa -- and as a theme for the Lake Itasca's Storybook hour.
Spending a week of adventures with Alaythia as we traveled to spend time in Virginia with Dan and Bethany.
Treasuring each opportunity to minister and sing with my family. And now, looking forward to a new season in life!

You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11

Prison Re-cap

2012-01-28T12:07:00.004-06:00

We walked though security once again, the foreboding metal doors slamming behind us. Suddenly, it seemed we were in another world. A world built of grey walls, razor wire, and white uniforms. Many faces turn to watch us as we walk down the long hallways carrying our instruments.

But although we may seem to be in another world, we realize that much remains the same. People with deep hurts, scars, heartbreaks. A hunger for love, joy, and meaningful relationships. And most of all, the indescribable power of the Gospel to completely transform lives.

It was a great privilege to spend the past five evenings going into various Alabama prisons with the We Care prison ministry. Once again this year we came into the week preparing to give of ourselves, but we walked away knowing that we were the ones receiving the greater blessing. Since we don’t have pictures from our evenings behind bars, here are a few ‘snapshots’ in time:

We received news that our evangelist for the evening was transferred to a different prison and ministry team. Dad prepared and gave the message instead and the Lord moved mightily as eight ladies came forward to commit their lives to Christ. We later discovered that an inmate in the other prison service had been specifically praying for the ‘transferred evangelist’ after hearing him speak 3 years ago. The Lord used the transfer to enable the evangelist and inmate to once again meet and share how the Lord had specifically answered the inmate’s prayers! HE orchestrates all things!

We sat perched our sound equipment carts during an evening service. In a facility housing over 1,000, the chapel would only hold around 150 chairs. Each available seat was filled with eager inmates. An open seat meant one less person they had to turn away. We prayed for those who were unable to come.

We grieved with the inmates through their tears and sobbing as we sang about the treasure of parent/child relationships. Dad paused in our program to pray specifically for the inmates and their children -- and he encouraged them to pray daily and invest in their lives.

For more testimonies of the 2012 crusade, visit here.

And those are just a few of the special moments from the past week as we saw the Lord answer prayers; going before us by preparing hearts and directing our steps. May HE be glorified!

Continue to pray for these, our brothers and sisters behind bars. And for the ongoing ministry of the We Care Program as they work in the Alabama prison system year-round. Truly, we serve a life-changing God!

For pictures of our 2009 prison ministry visit here.

"...that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;
that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
may be able to comprehend with all the saints
what is the width and length and depth and height—
to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge;
that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."
Eph. 3:17-19

Preparing for Wedding Bells

2012-01-27T14:23:00.002-06:00

Alan and I want to just take a moment and share our gratitude to each of you for sweet congratulations -- and for your prayers towards our wedding day and married life. We are blessed to have so many of you dear family, friends, and blog readers in our lives!

Although the miles separate us right now due to our family's tour, wedding plans are making gradual progress and we look forward to posting more pictures and specifics as June 30th draws closer. We're excited to be getting married in Whitewater, Kansas -- and its been awesome to watch the Lord bring so many details together already! [Yes, I have my dress!!!]

We're also looking forward to sharing our love story in more detail here on the blog. Due to the warm weather, Alan is currently putting in long days on the farm -- while I'm working hard on the 2012 NCHEA Kid's Conference materials. However, once those deadlines are past, we'll be making time to type out the testimony of the Lord's work in bringing us together. I can't wait to share it with you!

Again, thank you for your prayers and love! Truly, the Lord has done great things for us!

"Only fear the LORD,
and serve Him in truth with all your heart;
for consider what great things He has done for you."
1 Samuel 12:24

We Care Prison Crusade

2012-01-23T07:38:00.003-06:00

We pulled into Montgomery, Alabama this weekend full of anticipation. Each year the prison ministry is such a highlight for our family. Its almost as if the Lord gives us this week set aside each year to refocus on what is truly important in life. Behind those prison bars, in the eyes of the believers, we see the contrast of joy found in the most depressing situations. Hope shining in the midst of despondency.

And many people still searching for Peace in the midst of turmoil.

We again realize that when we strip away the many peripheral, busy, material aspects of our lives, it is only the cross and resurrection power of Jesus Christ that brings true meaning to life. Living daily in His power and love. And letting Him live through us.

And so we look forward to a good week! The theme for this year's crusade is 'Revival'. They asked each of us to ponder:

What does it mean to humble ourselves?
...to pray
...to seek God's face
...and to turn from our wicked ways? [2 Chron 7:14]

Its sobering to realize that our prayers for revival must start with the personal prayer, 'Create in ME a clean heart'. [Ps 51]

We covet your prayers as we go into 5 different prisons this week. In ourselves, we can do nothing, but we go in the knowledge that the Lord has already prepared these good works that we should walk in them!

"For we are His workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus for good works,
which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."
Eph 2:10

Photos by Matthias
Taken at the We Care orientation training

On the road again...

2012-01-21T13:38:00.002-06:00

The bus has been packed: our of food, clothing, CDs, school, and instruments have been loaded, and we're officially headed south! We're looking forward to two months of ministry together as we tour the southeastern states. Matthias has undertaken to be our photographer, so we look forward to keeping you posted with our happenings as we make this trip together!

We covet your prayers as we look forward to each opportunity before us. May the Lord go before us and with us as we seek to honor Him!

"Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day."
Psalm 25:5

Gingerbread Houses

2012-01-10T10:05:00.006-06:00

I know this is a little late but, it's probably better to be late than never!
One of the ways we celebrated Christmas this year was to make good ol' gingerbread houses! After heading to the library to find a really good recipe, we started the fun process.

First mix up the ginger bread dough:

Then roll out the pure yummy-ness.

It's always good to snitch a bite or two just to make sure it is good dough!

Cut out the sides and roof of the house --or in our case -- multiple houses.

Then bake and cool. After that, it's time to whip up some frosting!

Assemble the houses.

Oh, of course you can't forget all the yummy toppings!

Invite some friends over to help, and start creating your own masterpiece.

Alaythia and Nathanael's finished artwork.

Anna and Charissa's sugarcoated house and yard.

The finished product!

"Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!"
Psalms 34:8

- Post by Hannah

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T15:56:00.001-06:00

Wishing you all a wonderful New Year, rejoicing in the hope and love found in Jesus Christ!

Our hearts are overwhelmed with gratitude at the Lord's working in the past year and we eagerly anticipate His continued leading, guidance, and faithfulness in 2012!

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering,
for He who promised is faithful."
Heb 10:23

Engaged!

2011-12-21T11:06:00.011-06:00

Its with great rejoicing that we announce my [Rachel] engagement to Alan Busenitz! I am overwhelmed with the Lord's goodness and faithfulness throughout this journey. We both look forward to the coming days and covet your prayers during this special season of life as we plan a June 30, 2012 wedding!

"Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works

which You have done!"

Psalm 40:5

Postscript:
Alan and I are looking forward to writing out the Lord's specific working
in our lives over the past few months.
We hope to share the details with you soon!

Dan & Bethany

2011-12-19T17:38:00.004-06:00

Happy 2nd Anniversary Dan & Bethany!

And have you heard the news?! Click over to Bethany's Blog!

Branson DVD

2011-12-15T14:08:00.000-06:00

Its here! And many of you already have your copy of our Branson Christmas DVD. But if you haven't ordered yet, jump over to our online store to get your copy today!

Feeling Festive

2011-12-08T10:26:00.000-06:00

As the calender pages turned to December, our family took a day to prepare for the joyous Christmas season. What a beautiful season this is to celebrate! The wonder of a King born in a manger. A Savior. Love personified. Forgiveness possible. Fellowship restored. We have reason to celebrate!

Since we're home this December, we've enjoyed the opportunity to make our home festive for the season. This included the adventure of looking for just the right tree to decorate our home!

On the quest for the perfect tree.

Mission accomplished!

Tying it down

Our strong men carrying it to the house.
[With a few exaggerated dramatics!]

The decorating begins!

Each ornament in place.

Bringing out our manger scenes.

The finished product!

"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son,
and they shall call His name Immanuel,"
which is translated, "God with us."
Matt 1:23

Enjoying Asher

2011-12-06T10:03:00.002-06:00

Babies are such a joy! And we've been treasuring each moment we have with little Asher David. What a treat it is to watch him grow and change -- almost daily! I'm always in awe of how perfectly and wonderfully the Lord has knit each newborn. And I may be biased, but the babies in our family are just the cutest ever! *smile*

Susanna

Alaythia

Stephen

Elizabeth

"I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well."
Ps 139:14

Welcome Asher David!

2011-11-30T19:24:00.003-06:00

It's with great joy and thankfulness that we announce the arrival of our new little nephew --

Asher David Wissmann
Born to: Josiah & Abi
November 30 at 10:35am
7lbs

Asher had a restful day today with his daddy and mommy while Joanna has enjoyed the attentions of her aunts and uncles!

More pictures to come!

Branson DVD

2011-11-28T16:55:00.005-06:00

With our family in a bit of a different season this winter, we will not be sharing our annual Christmas production in Branson this year. However, we're extremely excited to announce that we have completed the DVD project of our 2010 show!!

Complete with the 90 minute production of all the music, lights, costumes, and message of our Branson show, this DVD also includes our 11 minute pre-show video and a collection of humorous 'blooper-outakes'.

We hope this DVD will have your family laughing, singing, and enjoying the Branson-style production together. But even more than that, may the message and reality of Christ's birth be born afresh in your hearts as you rejoice with us in this wondrous gift!

The DVDs will be ready to ship on December 14th, so order your copy soon to ensure delivery before Christmas!

"For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
Isaiah 9:6

Kori

2011-11-18T07:10:00.004-06:00

Happy Birthday Kori!

Orderliness:
"Preparing myself and my surrounding so I will achieve the greatest efficiency."

Let all things be done decently and in order.
1 Cor 14:40

Nashville, TN

2011-11-17T10:08:00.003-06:00

Greetings from Nashville, Tennessee! This week our family is excited to share in part with the National Bible Bee Convention here in the downtown area. We covet your prayers during our times of sharing in the next few days and look forward to giving a report of the Lord's work through the Convention.

Until then, we'd encourage you to check out the Bible Bee website! We're personally looking forward to getting involved with their Bible memory program as we seek to hide more of God's Word in our hearts.

"This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." Joshua 1:8

A Darling Equation

2011-11-15T15:00:00.003-06:00

1 + 1 = 3

I will praise You,
for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well."
Ps 139:14

...Stay tuned for a birth announcement in April/May!

Reunion Concert

2011-11-07T11:21:00.005-06:00

Thanksgiving is coming -- and with it, the joy of spending time together as a family. With this theme, we're very excited to announce a 'family reunion' concert over Thanksgiving weekend! If you're in the northeastern Iowa area, we'd love to have you join us on Friday, November 25th for an evening of music and fellowship.

Although Josiah and Abi will be unable to travel with us [because of lil' junior's due date], we're looking forward to having Dan & Bethany, Andrew & Kori, and Alan along for the concert. We'd love to see you there, too! Here's the info:

United Methodist Church
301 Hansen Blvd.
West Union, IA
Friday, Nov. 25 - 6:30 PM

As the Thanksgiving festivities draw closer, we're realizing once again how very much we have to be grateful for! What are you thankful for today?!

"Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name."
Psalm 100:4

Day of Chickens

2011-11-04T16:13:00.005-05:00

What happens when I forget to bring our camera during our latest family adventure? I'm stuck with only a few phone pictures to tell the story! But maybe its just as well because there's something unpleasant about high resolution pictures of chicken butchering.

Yes, that is correct. Chicken butchering. Yesterday we spent the afternoon with friends who so kindly raise broilers for our family every year. Thus, the annual event has become a fun tradition for our family. I'm so thankful for all the practical skills we're able to learn as we work on food preservation together!

The cutting table

Smiles!

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might."
Ecc 9:10

She Can't Stop Smiling!

2011-11-01T08:19:00.001-05:00

...and can you guess why?

I'm rejoicing and in awe of the marvelous working of the Lord in my life recently -- especially regarding a dynamic, wonderful man named Alan Busenitz. Alan lives in central Kansas as he farms and is involved in various local ministries. We are overjoyed with how the Lord has been clearly directing and drawing our hearts to each other and will look forward to sharing more details in the months to come!!

"Many, O LORD my God,
are Your wonderful works which You have done!"
Ps 40:5

Of Prayers and Apples

2011-10-28T12:54:00.000-05:00

Growing up, I always knew my Mom was a woman of prayer. Even little things in our lives she would bring to the Lord and then rejoice to share with us His direct answers to her specific requests. As a child, her persistence in prayer strengthened my faith.

And as an adult, I continue to learn from her. This summer, Mom has been praying for apples. Our whole family simply loves applesauce, but our canning jars were sitting empty, silently pleading to be filled with yummy-ness. However, our search for apples in our local area turned up unsuccessful. The official season was past, but Mom kept praying.

We left on our fall tour, but answers to prayer are never late. Just before our final concert in Ohio, we discovered an orchard that was selling apples for a quarter the amount we'd previously priced. And, although we weren't planning to buy this amount, they loaded us up with 16 bushels of apples. Yes, over 700 lbs of apples! Applesauce, anyone?!

Bushels of summer goodness

Cutting apples for sauce

Tart sweetness!

Taking out the seeds

Straining out the sauce

Capping all the jars

Slicing the apple pie filling

Smiles!

Pie filling

And the final product -- 200 quarts of fresh applesauce and pie filling. Not bad for a days work?! We're so thankful for this specific answer to prayer! Have you been prompted to pray for a specific need lately?!

"Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
1 Thess 5:16-18

Nathanael

2011-10-28T11:46:00.001-05:00

Happy 10th Birthday Nathanael

Resourcefulness:
Wise use of that which others would normally overlook or discard.

"He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much;
and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much."
Luke 16:10

Fall Activities

2011-10-26T10:26:00.002-05:00

Part-way through our recent ministry tour, we had a short 'lay-over' at our home. Just enough time to harvest like crazy as we discovered oodles of treasures in our garden! Isn't harvest a most wonderful time of the year?!

Morning smiles!

It was super wet and muddy, but that didn't dampen our spirits as we discovered the many treasures from our fall garden. Such fun!

Our quest to grow watermelons has never been successful. But somehow, this year was different -- we found over 50 large watermelon in our patch! Yummy!

Tomatoes were in plentiful supply, too, so canning took on a new urgency. There's nothing quite like seeing a whole shelf full of homegrown veggies, just waiting to be enjoyed during those cold winter months!

Pickles, anyone?!

Our canning crew

We have so much to be thankful for!

"While the earth remains,
Seedtime and harvest,
Cold and heat, Winter and summer,
And day and night Shall not cease."
Gen 8:22

Alaythia

2011-10-22T13:21:00.002-05:00

Happy 12th Birthday Alaythia!

Creativity:
Approaching a need, a task, an idea from a new perspective.

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."
Romans 12:2

Fieldtrip Day

2011-10-04T15:18:00.004-05:00

We were recently able to spend a few days at Dan and Bethany's house. Which we really enjoyed! One of the highlights as spending a day touring an airplane museum in the DC area.

Getting ready for the tour!

Our family pilots (Dad and soon to be Stephen) and the pilot wanna-be (Nathanael) would name all the airplanes for us and patiently explain when we girls did not quite understand all the gizmos and gadgets that make up the airplane frame.

In the museum you could see the plane that droped the atomic bomb, the plane that was peddled across the English Channel, and the test space shuttle -- and believe me when I say, and MANY MORE!!! It was a great family experience!

"Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy,
That we may rejoice and be glad all our days!"
Psalm 90:14

--Posted by Hannah

Charissa

2011-09-25T12:49:00.004-05:00

Happy 5th Birthday Charissa!

Enthusiasm:
Expressing with my soul the joy of my spirit.

"Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing.
In everything give thanks for this is the will of God concerning you."
1 Thes 5:16-18

Elizabeth

2011-09-21T12:40:00.003-05:00

Happy 22nd Birthday Elizabeth!

Gentleness:
Showing personal care and concern in meeting the needs of others.

Do not let your adornment be merely outward...
but rather let it be the hidden person of the heart,
with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit,
which is very precious in the sight of God.
1 Peter 3:3-4

Family Camp

2011-09-21T10:38:00.000-05:00

It's been another great year at our 5th Annual Family Camp. With 26 families joining us for five days in the beautiful bluffs of Iowa, the time was filled with fellowship, laughter, late night talks [and volleyball], and lots of spiritual teaching and encouragement! What a blessing it was to uplift one another as we 'see the day approaching'!

Our theme for this week was "Stand for Truth" and we memorized Ephesians 6:10-18 together. Here are a few picture highlights from the week:

Special bouquets for our ladies luncheon.

Enjoying time with friends!

Archery

Games with the younger guys

Skits for the ladies

Volleyball -- always a favorite!

And the ever-favorite game:

Mighty, Mighty, Scoop Noodle Challenge!

We're grateful for another year of ministry together and look forward to 2012!

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord,
and in the power of his might.

Put on the whole armour of God,
that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood,
but against principalities, against powers,
against the rulers of the darkness of this world,
against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God,
that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day,
and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth,
and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
And your feet shod
with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Above all, taking the shield of faith,
wherewith ye shall be able to quench
all the fiery darts of the wicked.
And take the helmet of salvation,
and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit,
and watching thereunto with all perseverance
and supplication for all saints;

Eph. 6:10-18

Josiah & Abi

2011-09-20T12:16:00.000-05:00

Happy 3rd Anniversary, Josiah and Abi!

"The LORD your God in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing."
Zeph 3:17

Sing to the Lord!

2011-09-17T06:01:00.000-05:00

Sing to the LORD, all the earth;
Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.

Declare His glory among the nations,

His wonders among all peoples.

For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised;
He is also to be feared above all gods.

Honor and majesty are before Him;
Strength and gladness are in His place.

Give to the LORD, O families of the peoples,
Give to the LORD glory and strength.

Give to the LORD the glory due His name;
Bring an offering, and come before Him.
Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness!

Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;
And let them say among the nations,
"The LORD reigns."

Then the trees of the woods shall rejoice before the LORD,

For He is coming to judge the earth.

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.

Blessed be the LORD God of Israel
From everlasting to everlasting!

Seek the LORD and His strength;
Seek His face evermore!

Glory in His holy name;
Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD!

And all the people said, "Amen!" and praised the LORD.

verses from 1 Chron. 16
pictures from the Old Thresher's Reunion

Old Threshers

2011-09-12T11:14:00.000-05:00

Labor Day weekend again found us in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa for a weekend filled with music, family, and lots of fun times. Here's a quick picture update:

Practicing a new song in our camp area.

The annual horse pull.

Its really incredible to see the many parallels from horse training/pulling to our Christian walk. Listening and obeying our Master. Walking in unity with our partner. We were amazed by the contrast of many of the trainers and their teams. Although some teams seemed much larger and stronger, it was ultimately those who pulled together in unity that won the day!

Andrew and Kori joined us for the weekend!

Old fashioned corn-shelling.

Horse training expo.

Ice cream!

Riding the old steam engine trains.

Squeezing in for a caboose ride.

All aboard!

Smiles!

The LORD reigns; Let the earth rejoice; Let the multitude of isles be glad!
Psalm 97:1

Lake Itasca Family Music Fest

2011-08-29T15:18:00.002-05:00

Although its been almost a month since the Lake Itasca Family Music Festival, I would be remiss if I failed to post any pictures from our fantastic weekend! With many thanks to Kori, we actually have some pictures to share. (She's become our 'event-photographer' -- thanks, Kori!!)

The first weekend of August found us near the Lake Itasca State Park for the annual family music festival, hosted by our good friends, the Berge family. If you live within traveling distance and enjoy family music, we highly recommend attending festival in 2012...and 2013...and 2014...and, well, you get the idea!

The days were filled with fellowship, music, great food, gorgeous weather, and lots of spurring one another on to love and good works. We're so grateful for the body of Christ!

It was a fantastic treat to have Andrew and Kori join us for the weekend! Its such a wonderful treat whenever they travel with us!

Anna and her sister, Esther, stopped by after visiting their MN grandparents for the week. So wonderful to have them help with our various responsibilities at the festival!

With so much extra company, our first order of business was to set up a tent in our little 'campsite' area.

How many girls does it take to set up a tent?! *smile*

Between the music sets by this year's featured bands, our guys provided a little entertainment and comic relief. Yes, its true....with these guys around, there's rarely a dull moment around our place!

Helping in the Snack Shack

Another highlight was leading the "Children's Storybook Theater" for two hours on Saturday. Such a delight to watch these eager faces and hearts during our times together! A fantastic crew!

Our drama this year detailed the life of Mary Slessor. Here the ship captain warns her of the dangers she will face ahead.

Ruth and Stephen taught the memory verses.

Why do we always make the craziest faces on stage?!
(smile)

Stephen helping with the mandolin workshop

Matthias taught dobro.

And lots of great late-night jamming!

A smiling face at our CD table.

And finally, it was a blessing to be able to share the closing concert this year. It was incredible to look out over the crowds of families, enjoying the last of the festival before tearing down camp and heading for home. Dad challenged them (and us) to ask the Lord to prepare and place each of them (us) where we can be the most fruitful for His kingdom. This time of fellowship is important. But the Light of Christ isn't meant to be hidden under a basket! We all have a part in that opportunity to share the love of Christ in our home areas. What a joyful challenge!

"Let your light so shine before men,
that they may see your good works and
glorify your Father in heaven."
Matt 5:16

In NYC

2011-08-17T09:21:00.007-05:00

This past Monday we had the opportunity to travel to Brooklyn, New York City. The main focus of our visit was to sing at a Turkish restaurant, and before we sang they fed us a most delicious meal of authentic Turkish food.

But while we were waiting for the meal, we captured a few random smiles --

They brought us a large, piping hot bread, along with 5 different dipping sauces and veggie trays. The main dish was 3 meats with rice and wonderful spices. We've all decided that we really like Turkish food! (Which is fun, because we've actually been learning to make allot of different ethnic foods at home. We'll have to practice Turkish next!)

And finally, the opportunity to share to the restaurant customers.

Many thanks for your prayers over this past week. We've really seen the Lord working in amazing ways on this tour. Divine appointments, timely conversations, safe travels, and increased opportunities to share the good news of Jesus Christ. Praise His name!

"I will praise You, O LORD, among the peoples,
And I will sing praises to You among the nations."
Ps 108:3

Ruth

2011-08-16T09:13:00.005-05:00

Happy 28th Birthday Ruth!

Loyalty:
"Using difficult times to demonstrate my commitment to God and to those whom He has called me to serve."

"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends."
John 15:13

Dad & Mom

2011-08-16T09:05:00.002-05:00

Happy 31st Anniversary Dad & Mom!

"I am the vine, you are the branches.
He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit;
for without Me you can do nothing."
John 15:5

A Photoshoot

2011-08-12T17:10:00.002-05:00

It happened again. A couple weekends ago, Dad and Mom took their every-once-in-awhile romantic getaway. And if you're a regular blog reader, you know what that means. Yep! Another surprise was in order. But more about that later...

In the meantime (while I'm still trying to gather pictures from our decorating re-make), part of our surprise was taking all-new individual pictures for Dad and Mom. With a heat index of well over 100 degrees, I was secretly wondering how we'd be able to pull off pictures that weren't filled with sweat and red faces. But, since the guys were putting in long hours of work, I only had one opportunity to snap the needed pictures.

So, armed with a camera and earnest prayers, we set off in search of a location. Thankfully, everyone cooperated beautifully and within 30 minutes our mission was accomplished!

Stay tuned for more of the surprise in a later post...

Rachel

Ruth

Josiah, Abi, and Joanna
[Taken at a different time/location. But too cute not to post!]

Dan and Bethany
[Taken at a different time/location. But again -- too cute not to post!]

Andrew and Kori

Elizabeth

Matthias

Stephen

Hannah

Susanna

Alaythia

Nathanael

Charissa

"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
for brethren to dwell together in unity."
Ps 133:1

A Complicated Smile

2011-08-12T16:59:00.005-05:00

As I mentioned in the above post, we recently took 'school' pictures. With 11 individual pictures to take, you'd think the photo-shoot might have been a boring, routine hassle.

But not with Matthias around! Since he is always coming up unique ways of turning the ordinary into exciting, we had quite a time trying to get a 'typical' picture of him! Within a span of 60 seconds, we captured over 30 pictures of unique expressions as he had us in giggles during the photo session. Here's a quick sample:

"But he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast."
Prov 15:15

On the Road Again

2011-08-11T08:59:00.003-05:00

As I'm writing this, we're parked in a random Walmart parking lot somewhere in southern Wisconsin. Today we make the trek through Chicago for a service in Shipshewana, Indiana. [Any blog readers from that area?! We'd love to meet you tonight!]

This is a full week for our family -- in a span of 9 days we'll be sharing 12 services in 8 different states and covering 2,600 miles. And spun into the lively rhythm of each day is the opportunity to fellowship, share the gospel, and hear testimonies of what the Lord is doing in each area across the country.

And so often we see the Lord working mightily through a few faithful warriors. A single family who selflessly serves in their community year after year. A small church who trusts God against all odds. A dear couple with a vision to encourage families.

These seemingly small, individual seeds. But the Lord sees their faithfulness. And rewards it beyond any expectations as lives are touched and He is glorified. And somehow we're able to catch a glimpse of how God works through the simple faithfulness and service of His children.

And so we continue on our tour with encouragement and joy, knowing that the Lord is going before, preparing good works for us!

We appreciate your prayers as we travel the many miles ahead!

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."
Eph 2:10

Random Summerness

2011-08-04T09:42:00.003-05:00

Bless the LORD, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
Ps 103:1

Bright Lights

2011-07-27T09:27:00.004-05:00

Last month we had the joy of helping with a Bright Light's Conference in Omaha, Nebraska. Filled with Biblical encouragement and fellowship, the days flew all-too quickly as we shared in music and leading teams of girls in small group times. We really saw the Lord work through the entire conference. [In fact, you can read of the many answers to prayer here.]

A specific area the Lord really refreshed on my heart that week is the daily privilege and importance of cultivating our relationship with the Lord through His Word and prayer. I was again challenged to realize that within myself dwells no good thing. It's only through the Lord's work in and through my life that produces anything of value. What JOY to know He desires to do that work in me!

For all you blog readers in PA, OH, or MN -- the Bright Light Conferences are coming to your area this August/October! Please check out the schedule here to learn the dates/location in your area. You'll be blessed!

"Let all those who seek You
rejoice and be glad in You;
Let such as love Your salvation say continually,
"The LORD be magnified!"
Ps 40:16

It's Corn Season

2011-07-22T14:24:00.008-05:00

Note: This week Rachel and Alaythia are in Virginia visiting Dan and Bethany...and having loads of fun! Which leaves me to tell you what has been keeping those at home busy! So this is Hannah blogging from the home front:

Our wonderful friend Arnie, grows some sweet corn for our family every year to work up, which has been a huge blessing. We've been excitedly waiting for the fresh garden produce to ripen and he called saying that Thursday was the chosen day! Since Rachel, and Alaythia were in Virginia and Dad, Matthias, and Stephen were all working out of town that day, our work crew was smaller than usual. But we decided to see how much we could get done without them!

Thursday morning we woke up to a very wet rainy day. Not ideal for working with corn but we decided to head out to the corn field anyways and pray it would stop!

And once we got out there it stoped raining and just drizzled. Which was a lot better to work in, but since it had been raining the fields were extreamly muddy. So Ruth, Elizabeth, Susanna and I all took off our socks and shoes and got ready for a fun morning sloshing through the fields.

After two hours of picking corn we had all but three rows done and the back of the truck loaded full. So we rinsed all the mud off and hopped in the truck to head home and as soon as we started the engine, the 'light drizzle' turned back into a 'heavy pouring rain'.

Then came the fun part! Husking! We got home, ate lunch and by the time we went out to husk the clouds had lifted and the sun was shining and there was a nice breeze. It was amazing!

Our husking reinforcements!

As we husked we would play games to help us go faster. One was to see how many corncobs we could husk in 10 minutes. Our record was 145!

We husked for 4 1/2 hours and did approximately 3,000 cobs of corn.

By the end of the 4 hours we were all sun burnt and sticky but still not done!

The next step of the process was blanching. We would put them in a pot of boiling water for 2-3 minutes then cool them off in tubs of cold water.

About this time Abi and Joanna, Kori, Arnie, and his brother Matt came over to help!

{Thank you everyone!}

Joanna was so much fun to watch as she played in the water and chewed on her own cob

Then cutting the corn off the cob and putting it in bags. And yes, we decided it was time to move into the shade! Ah, so much nicer!

Abi is a pro at this!

This was Kori's first time and she did such a great job!

Josiah and Andrew came and we took shifts eating supper. Then they went home and we still weren't done cutting. As it got dark the mosquitoes were biting dreadfully, so we moved into the garage, put the younger ones to bed and the five of us (Mom, Ruth, Elizabeth, Susanna and I) cut, cut, cut.

A.M.

Yes, this is what time it was when we finished cutting, and bagging. Then we cleaned up and went to bed! Whew! Big -- but good -- day.

All together we froze 168 1/2 quarts of sweet corn!

"Then the earth shall yield her increase; God, our own God, shall bless us."
Ps 67:6

Blast of Summer

2011-07-19T19:02:00.008-05:00

What happens when a friend brings over his multi-year stash of firework/tanks?! That's right -- an all-out battle of sparks! After the July 4th festivities were concluded, we had one final evening of lighting fireworks:

Setting up the battle array.

The first sparks start to fly!

Ever boys at heart!

The smoke thickens.

In the thick of the fray.

The many lively participants cheering from behind the lines.

A few final blasts battling it out...

And the grand firecracker show is over!

July 4th

2011-07-16T08:43:00.001-05:00

Here are some much-belated pictures of our July 4th celebration here in Seward. What a special day! Please pardon the excess of random pictures, but we are posting many of them especially at a few family members' requests! [We love you Dan & Bethany -- and Grandpa and Grandma!]

Gotta love the variety of family fun in Seward!

Smiles!

Stephen competed in the 3-on-3 basketball and we all had a wonderful time cheering for him!

Happy smiles cheering for our team!

Andrew had the biggest day as he competed in the strongman competition. Here he's lifting 75 lbs as many times as possible in 60 seconds. He lifted it 39 times.

Round 2 was carrying these railroad ties.

And finally, he dead-lifted this car 22 times to take first place in his division.

His favorite and best encourager!

And a highlight for our family is sharing a concert at the local auditorium. It was here where we first shared in the Seward community over 11 years ago. What a joy to share with the hometown folks who have encouraged us over the past years!

Another little look-alike?! *smile*

"Sing to the LORD, bless His name;
Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day."
Psalm 96:2

Stephen

2011-07-15T18:07:00.002-05:00

Happy 18th Birthday Stephen!

Faith:
"Visualizing what God intends to do in a given situation and acting in harmony with it."

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1

Bethany

2011-07-10T16:50:00.004-05:00

Happy Birthday Bethany!

Virtue:
The moral excellence and purity of spirit that radiate from my life
as I obey God's Word.

"As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue," 2 Peter 1:3

Rejoice!

2011-07-08T20:12:00.006-05:00

Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous:
for praise is comely for the upright.

Praise the LORD with harp:

sing unto Him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.

Sing unto Him a new song;
play skilfully with a loud noise.

For the word of the LORD is right;

and all His works are done in truth.

He loveth righteousness and judgment:
the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.

By the word of the LORD were the heavens made;

and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.

He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap:
He layeth up the depth in storehouses.

Let all the earth fear the LORD:
let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.

For He spake, and it was done;
He commanded, and it stood fast.

The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever,
the thoughts of His heart to all generations.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD;
and the people whom He hath chosen for his own inheritance.

The LORD looketh from heaven;
He beholdeth all the sons of men.

From the place of his habitation He looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.

He fashioneth their hearts alike;
He considereth all their works.

Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear Him,
upon them that hope in His mercy;

Our soul waiteth for the LORD:
He is our help and our shield.

For our heart shall rejoice in Him,
because we have trusted in His holy name.

Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in Thee.

Psalm 33

Pictures from our July 3rd Concert in Seward.
Compliments of Kori!

They Say We Look Alike...

2011-07-06T09:09:00.004-05:00

...wouldn't you agree?!

"Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart."
1 Peter 1:22

More pictures of our July 4th celebration coming soon!

A Darling Equation

2011-07-01T14:04:00.003-05:00

1 + 1 = 4

I will praise You,
for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well."
Ps 139:14

...Stay tuned for a birth announcement in December!

Field Work

2011-06-30T10:18:00.015-05:00

As you've probably noticed by our schedule, our family has taken a few months off the road for a 'sabbatical' of sorts. We were earnestly praying for future direction this spring and the Lord was so good to confirm a season of 'home-time' for our family -- a rare occurrence during these past eight years. He also provided an amazing way to make provision for this season: field work!

The past two months have found us spending long, hot hours in the Nebraska sunshine as we've installed in-ground irrigation systems for farmers. There's just something about good, honest, hard work that is refreshing, rewarding, -- and yes, exhausting! And that has been the story of our spring.

A few weeks ago, Kori joined us in the fields to work -- and to capture much of the installation work with her camera. [Thanks, Kori!]

So here's just a glimpse of a typical day in the fields:

First, Josiah digs through the field with a massive trencher, creating a 4ft deep trench just about as far as the eye can see. I wish I had a picture of him with that massive machine. Totally impressive!

Then, we glue miles of water-supply pipe together and lay it in the trenches, ready to attach to the irrigation tapes already run through the field via another big machine.

We lay out the 'goose-necks' which will attach to the pipe and flow the water directly to the irrigation tape.

Ruth drills a hole in the pipe at every irrigation tape...

...and installs the small, rubber grommet.

Elizabeth installs the goose-necks into the pipe.

Stephen hacks away at the trench wall to uncover the irrigation tape.

Yeah, so thankful for such strong, amazing brothers!

I use a handy cutting tool to measure the correct distance, trim if needed, and slide the tape over the goose-neck.

Behind me, Kori or Matthias will attach a metal wire around the splice and tighten it down -- and the trench work is complete!

At various intervals in the field, there are zone spits, drains, and various, intricate pipe-work projects that need assembled. Usually Dad works on these while we're in the trench.

And finally, Matthias is typically the project manager and oversees all the 'zones', 'splits' and supplies. He keeps us motivated and somehow still manages to work faster and harder than the rest of us!

Have you ever noticed that many hands make light work?! Or maybe its just the fact that working with great friends is always fun! *smile*

A few more random pictures:

Andrew drives the mini-excavator across the field.

Yeah, he runs a cool machine, too.

The newlyweds

Nothin' like working together, right?!

Oh yeah!

Sisters!

The best time of the day -- LUNCH!

And this was a unique job. The trench was filled with 2 - 3 feet of water. And mud. And slime. And yes -- we waded through that guck to hook up the pipes. We were a mess and made enough memories to last a long time! [Sadly, it was the day after these pictures were taken, so I don't have pictures of the process. But believe me -- we were MUDDY!]

Trying to measure the mud depth.

Messy!

Getting ready to head back in the trenches.

Trying on the guys' boots.

Re-filling Ruth's supply apron.

More digging

Smiles

We so enjoy every opportunity to work together!

And that's a summery of our Spring. Yep, lots of new experiences, but its been good! Installation season is over due to the growing crops, so for the month of July the guys will be working painting jobs as we all practice and prepare to head out on tour again in August. Check out our updated schedule and be watching for updates as we book the remainder of 2011!

"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity."
Psalm 133:1

Daniel

2011-06-27T22:24:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Dan!

Diligence:
"Visualizing each task as a special assignment from the Lord and using all my energies to accomplish it."

"And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,"
Col 3:23

Hannah

2011-06-23T12:51:00.002-05:00

Happy 16th Birthday Hannah!

Sincerity:
Eagerness to do what is right with transparent motives.

"Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart."
1 Peter 1:22

Matthias

2011-06-18T14:04:00.003-05:00

Happy 20th Birthday Matthias!

Determination:
Purposing to accomplish God's goals in God's time
-- regardless of the opposition. "

"Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." 2 Tim 4:7

Slideshow

2011-06-16T13:53:00.003-05:00

A theme for our ministry team in preparation for the Iowa Conference was "Faith and Dependency". This was the first time we'd stepped into another state and worked with another homeschool conference and there were many unknowns. Many details to watch out for. And yet, time and time again the Lord was so faithful as we saw Him answer so many prayers! Praise His Name!

"Only fear the LORD,
and serve Him in truth with all your heart;
for consider what great things He has done for you."
1 Samuel 12:24

NICHE Conference

2011-06-12T22:21:00.007-05:00

"Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD?
Who can declare all His praise?"
Ps 106:2

It's been a full weekend in DesMoines, Iowa. But the above verse sums up the activity-packed days perfectly well. We were able to bring our Kids Conference [The Great Adventure] to the Iowa Homeschool Conference during this past Friday and Saturday.

Over the past year, the Lord has really laid a vision of discipleship on our team's heart -- praying for young people to catch a vision for serving and ministering in their own home areas. The young people of Iowa were such a blessing as they partnered with us to make this program possible. And we saw so many answered prayers!

I'm currently working to put together a full slideshow from the weekend [since I have hundreds of great photos to share], but for now, here's a little glimpse from the Conference:

I love watching the children learn the new songs and grasp the message of the words they sing. Certainly a personal highlight!

And Stephen was my side-kick for this conference. The children loved him!

Charissa was thrilled to be on a team for this Conference. She especially loved the songs and would put her whole heart into the singing.

Ruth's team -- Chili

Elizabeth's team -- Egypt

Hannah played the part of Alice Hadley in the drama.

And Matthias had the most 'eventful' weekend of all. He sprained his ankle the night before the Conference began, causing the drama team to improvise for his part. So, wielding a crutch in disguise, he valiantly took the stage for all his parts! We thank the Lord his ankle seems to be healing well.

We've had lots of requests for an update on the newlyweds. Hopefully we'll get more posted soon, but here's a quick picture from the weekend. They came and joined us for the Conference. In fact, Kori was the official photographer and captured most of the pictures on this post. [Thank you, Kori!]

Kori also helped lead the preschool time.

"Praise Him for His mighty acts;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!"
Psalm 150:2

Basket Weaving

2011-06-07T20:47:00.002-05:00

This is Hannah again, giving another report from our adventures at Grandpa and Grandma's house:

Last week Grandma planned a special treat -- she brought us to a friend's house to learn basket weaving.

The first step is to let the 'reeds' soak in water. Then, after a few more steps you just start the weaving process.

Even Charissa got to make one, with Grandma's help!

Once you have the shape down it gets a bit easier.

Adding color is so much fun! Our teacher had so many different ones to choose from!

It was fun to see everyone's style come out in the colors.

Nathanael had a lot of fun color woven into his basket!

Alaythia's is more purple and navy.

Charissa's is pink, red, purple, and blue.

Susanna had very bright colors -- orange and Blue!

I had red, white, and blue.

Once you are done weaving, you have to finish the handle and wrap the top. That part was a little harder but still a lot of fun!

Here are just a few of the hundreds of baskets that Grandma's friend, Jean, has made.

She is so good at making baskets! It was so much fun to learn from her!

Thank you Jean!

Mommy

2011-06-06T10:17:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Mommy!

Gratefulness:
"Making known to God and others in what ways thay have benefited my life."

"Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name."
Psalm 100:4

Making Memories

2011-06-03T13:52:00.001-05:00

As Rachel mentioned in the last post, some of us are spending a whole 10 days at Grandpa and Grandma's house. It has been so much fun thus far and we are looking forward to the rest of our time here!

Our Grandparents are some of the most amazing people! I am so grateful for their wonderful example to me.

Grandma, I think one of my favorite things about you is your amazing cooking, of course, but also getting your wonderful hugs, listening to you read bedtime stories, watching you play the organ, letting us eat cookie dough, and so much more!

Grandpa, I love your teasing! Your jokes and funny stories, watching you work in the shed, eating cookies and ice cream with you, going on bike rides, answering your math quizzes. Its a blast!

And in addition to spending time just talking, laughing, story-telling, and enjoying the company of our grandparents, we've been having loads of fun adventuring together. Here are a few pictures:

Biking is always a favorite pass time!

Playing with the wagons.

Making cookies

Mmmmmmmmm!

Swinging

Another tradition at Grandpa and Grandma's house -- BALL TAG!

RUN!!!

You're it!

Climbing the tree

Another favorite thing to do is play in their windbreak.

We make forts and play all sorts of games!

It's watermelon season!

Juicy smiles

Mmmmmmmmm!

Love you BIGGER Grandma & Grandpa!!!

--Hannah

"For His merciful kindness is great toward us,
And the truth of the LORD endures forever.
Praise the LORD!"
Ps 177:2

Strawberries!

2011-06-01T08:46:00.003-05:00

We're home again after a wonderful weekend in Iowa. Well, some of us are home. Hannah, Susanna, Alaythia, Nathanael and Charissa are greatly enjoying the opportunity to spend 10 days in Iowa with Grandpa and Grandma. We hear that their days have been filled with all sorts of amazing adventures and fun happenings that always accompany that special 'grandparent time'! Hannah has promised to give you all a glimpse of their week as she'll be taking pictures and blogging from Iowa. [Thanks, Hannah! Can't wait to see your post!]

And meanwhile, our house is very [VERY] quiet without the lively activity of the younger ones. While the guys are putting in huge days in the fields again, we girls spent yesterday butchering chickens with friends. However, our hands were full and busy the whole time, so the camera was neglected. Thus, we'll spare you pictures of the sometimes-not-so-pleasant-process! *smile*

For now, here's a few pictures a recent project -- processing 121 lbs of strawberries! Spring is one of my favorite seasons: especially when it comes to canning/freezing food for the winter months! We now have dozens of pints of fresh jam sitting on our pantry shelves, thanks to this recipe.

[Side note: Does anyone know of good jam/jelly recipes that contain little to no sugar?! I'm on the search for alternatives!]

Can anyone say "Mmmmmmmm!!?!"

"Oh come, let us sing to the LORD!
Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms."
PS 95:1-2

Memorial Day

2011-05-30T10:50:00.016-05:00

"O beautiful for spacious skies...for amber waves of grain..."

Spending Memorial Day in Mom's tiny hometown is such a treasured event. In addition to simply spending time with our wonderful grandparents, we're able to carry on a yearly tradition which began as a dream of our great-grandmother's -- hoisting dozens of beautiful American flags around the Castalia cemeteries.

The weather has been beautiful this weekend as we've spent time raising the flags at the crack of dawn and taking them down again at sunset. In between times we've heard many stories from our family heritage. The colorful tapestry of our family story has been woven through the generations. Reminding us of the importance of teaching "these diligently to your children." [Deut 6:9]
What a treasure we have in our grandparents!! [We love you bigger!]

As we celebrate Memorial Day and the heroes who have sacrificed for our freedom, we once again thank the Lord for the godly heritage we've been given here in America. For the many men and women through the generations who have sacrificed greatly to keep her free. We pray for a returning to the truth of God's Word -- on which this nation was founded.

"It cannot be emphasized too often or too strongly that this great nation was founded not by religionists but by Christians. Not upon religion but upon the Gospel of Jesus Christ."
-- Patrick Henry

And finally, here are a few pictures of our weekend:

My country, 'tis of Thee,
Sweet Land of Liberty

Of thee I sing;

Land where my fathers died,
Land of the pilgrims' pride,

From every mountain side
Let Freedom ring.

My native country, thee,
Land of the noble free,
Thy name I love;

I love thy rocks and rills,
Thy woods and templed hills,

My heart with rapture thrills
Like that above.

Let music swell the breeze,
And ring from all the trees
Sweet Freedom's song;

Let mortal tongues awake;
Let all that breathe partake;

Let rocks their silence break,
The sound prolong.

Our fathers' God to Thee,
Author of Liberty,
To Thee we sing,

Long may our land be bright
With Freedom's holy light,

Protect us by thy might
Great God, our King.

Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light

What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?

Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?

And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.

Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand

Between their loved home and the war's desolation!

Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land

Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,

And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."

And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Our grandpa served during the Korean War.
One of our heroes -- Grandpa, thank you!

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.
Ps 33:12

Randomness

2011-05-23T16:36:00.000-05:00

Home has been filled with excited activity these past few weeks. In fact, we're all enjoying a season of being home. So much, in fact, that the camera is too often forgotten when it comes to capturing ordinary days. But here's a quick look at a smattering of photos we've captured lately:

Joanna is completely enthralled with our baby chicks.

Spring bouquets

Spending lots of time in our garden.
And we've even been able to plant a whole tree orchard this spring!

With Joanna living only a mile from us, we are always eager for babysitting opportunities.

Lots of homemade baking has been happening, too. Mmmmmmm!

During our season at home, the guys have been working long, long hours installing irrigation systems for area farmers. We girls have been going to work with them on occasion, too! It's physically demanding and quite exhausting, but somehow everything is more fun when its a teamwork project!

Did I mention it was quite exhausting?! Yep...these guys have huge days!

We've begun piano lessons in earnest with each of the younger children. So wonderful to hear those little fingers play!

And that, my friends, is a short update from our camera lens! We're looking forward to a trip to northeastern Iowa to visit our grandparents this weekend. If you're in that area, we'd love to have you join us for our concerts there. Check our schedule page for details!

You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."
Ps 16:11

Daddy

2011-05-15T18:05:00.002-05:00

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Wisdom:
Seeing and responding to life's situations from God's fram of reference.

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."
Prov 9:10

Catching Up

2011-04-25T08:01:00.000-05:00

The pictures on my computer now seem such a random assortment from the past month. With a significant part of the month including time at home, we've been enjoying a bit more consistency in our schedule. This has also given us time to dig into projects that have been waiting to be completed -- and some fun family moments, too. Such as:

Helping Daddy finish up the cleaning of the shop.

Celebrating Andrew & Kori's wedding with a local reception.

Hours and hours of painting for the NCHEA [and NICHE] Kid's Conferences.

An outdoor scene

Making lots of bean-bags for our preschool time.

And hours and hours of sewing!

Painting tropical palm leaves in the bitter cold...quite the contrast!

Warm enough weather for the first water fun of the season!

And attending the Nebraska Husker Spring Game -- the first time many of us have been in the stadium! Dad's extended family have been long-time Husker fans, so it was a treat to be able to experience this together.

Smiles!

The sweet newlyweds

Let them praise the name of the LORD, For His name alone is exalted;
His glory is above the earth and heaven.
Psalm 148:13

Waiting for Spring

2011-04-19T12:17:00.006-05:00

[Confession: These pictures were taken 5 weeks ago. Yes, its been that long since I've downloaded pictures from my camera. Expect more posts forthcoming! *smile*]
_________________________________________

During our previous visit to Florida last month, I walked out of our friend's home to discover a crowd of children in the tree! Dual purpose: school and spring air!

Time to work on school...

...And enjoy the sunshine.
Ah! Spring is a beautiful thing!

Happy tree-climbers.

Out for adventure!

"For His merciful kindness is great toward us,
And the truth of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD!"
Ps 117:2

2011 NCHEA Kid's Conference

2011-04-04T20:18:00.003-05:00

It's been a very full and exciting week, climaxing with the opportunity to again share during the Nebraska Homeschool Kid's Conference. This year, the theme was "The Great ADVENTURE! -- A mission to pursue. A message to share."

It was an amazing few days with 345 youth [ages 5-14] and 80 staff. I'd love to share more, but for now, here's a picture re-cap of the weekend. Thank you all for your prayers!

This was the LORD's doing; It is marvelous in our eyes.

Psalm 118:23

Preview

2011-04-01T20:52:00.002-05:00

Its been a full day. And we're grateful for the Lord's faithfulness. Please continue to pray as the Conference continues tomorrow!

"My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
2 Corinthians 12:9

Hello!?

2011-03-29T18:48:00.002-05:00

With my apologies to you, our blog friends, I recognize that our corner on the web has been very quiet lately. Very quiet!

And believe me, the silence is certainly not for lack of blogging material. Rather, life has been so full lately, that I haven't made the time to upload our pictures. But hopefully that will happen soon!

Preparations for our state homeschool conference are in full swing. The past couple days have included:

Our guys putting in big days either working for Andrew or Dad.
A 19-hour-straight sewing marathon to finish a pile of costumes for NCHEA.
Susanna making 40 bean-bags for the preschool time.
Dad and Mom both preparing several sessions that they will be sharing at this year's adult portion of the conference.
Painting the huge backdrops for this years' drama and building frames.
Making a large fabric banner for the Conference foyer.
Scouring thrift stores for needed items.
Making 10 large palm trees, yards and yards of tropical 'vines' and dozens of paper flowers.
Rehearsing the drama (for Matthias, Stephen & Hannah)
Writing and preparing the music for the Conference.
Making large posters for teaching aids.
Preparing lesson plans for the small group sessions.

And by tomorrow afternoon all of the above projects need to be wrapped up as we head into Lincoln to set up for the Conference!

But as we've been keeping our hands very busy, I've been pondering the lyrics of our theme song this year:

To love the Lord our God is the heartbeat of the mission
The strength from which our service overflows.
Across the street, or around the world,
The mission's still the same:
Proclaim and live the truth in Jesus' name.

What a timely reminder. The heartbeat of our mission is to love the Lord. All the extra details of this conference fade into the background when it really boils down to it. While we endeavor to do everything with excellence -- from the costumes to the decor, music and curriculum, -- these details must always take the backseat. Because our mission is to love the Lord. Sit at His feet. And share His love with each of the children who attend the conference.

We covet your prayers for the coming days. Tomorrow we head into Lincoln to get set up -- and the staff arrives early Thursday morning for a day of training. We're so blessed by the many faithful young people who pour their hearts into serving. May the Lord be glorified!

Stay tuned...

"Let Your work appear to Your servants, And Your glory to their children. And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us, And establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands." Psalm 90:16-17

Abi

2011-03-27T16:36:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday Abi!

Sensitivity:
Exercising my senses so I can perceive the true spirit and emotions of those around me.

Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Heb 12:15

Citrus Days

2011-03-16T11:46:00.004-05:00

During our 'reunion' weekend following the wedding, we had the opportunity to spend an afternoon picking fresh oranges. Amidst the dancing rays of sunshine and fragrant orange blossoms, we enjoyed several hours together in the grove.

The happy winners of an impromptu 'orange picking' race.

We were SO thrilled to have our grandparents join us! Everything is always more fun when they are around. "Love you BIGGER!"

There's nothing like breaking open a fresh orange to enjoy.

Our littlest 'picker'

Nathanael enjoyed his long-time tradition of getting to drive the lawn mower.

Mmmmmmmmm!

Wishing we could share with y'all!

Bagging enough to last us awhile.

And mostly, just enjoying the time together!

THANK YOU, KNUTH FAMILY!

"The LORD is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation;
He is my God, and I will praise Him;
My father's God, and I will exalt Him."
Ex 15:2

Visiting the Beach

2011-03-10T07:35:00.001-06:00

Last night we were able to visit the beach while visiting some friends near Tampa Bay. The air was warm and perfectly calm as we walked the sandy beaches and searched for shells. From the uniqueness of each shell to the colorful palm trees and foliage, every detail of this earth proclaims the creative, detailed God that we serve. Whenever we spend time in nature, I never cease to be in awe.

It was especially fitting as just hours earlier I had read the following verses:

"When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
What is man that You are mindful of him?"
Psalm 8:4-5

How great is our God!

Alaythia found this unique sea creature.

Smiles in the sunshine:

[Jesus is the ANSWER!]

"O Lord GOD, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your mighty hand, for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do anything like Your works and Your mighty deeds?"
Deut 3:24

Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Wissmann

2011-03-08T09:02:00.000-06:00

Tender moments. Priceless smiles.
Union. Commitment. Love.

It's been a memorable weekend and we rejoice in Andrew and Kori's marriage. More pictures to come as we wait for the official photographs!

"This was the LORD's doing; It is marvelous in our eyes."
Psalm 118:23

Susanna

2011-03-07T10:14:00.000-06:00

Happy 14th Birthday Susanna!

Loyalty:

Using difficult times to demonstrate my commitment to God and to those whom He has called me to serve.

"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends."
John 15:13

Preparations

2011-03-04T07:18:00.001-06:00

We're here in beautiful Orlando, Florida in the midst of a myriad of last minute wedding preparations. Its been such a special week thus far as we've enjoyed time with Kori, family, and friends. But while there's been plenty of visiting, laughing, and storytelling, our hands have also been quite busy. Here's just a preview of some of the projects we've been working on:

Cutting ribbon

Assembling programs

Making a white satin vest for the ring bearer.

Shopping at Sams for lots of cream cheese...

...and gathering spring-form pans.

For the rehearsal dinner, we're serving 7 different kinds of cheesecake.

Can anyone say, "Mmmmmm"!!?!

We're thrilled to have our friend, Anna, here helping with the preparations.

And as the preparations continue, the anticipation is building: Grandpa and Grandma Hager are here. Last night Andrew arrived. We leave to pick up Dan and Bethany from the airport soon and Josiah, Abi, and Joanna are enroute.

We're looking forward to a very special weekend ahead! Thank you all for your prayers. We look forward to sharing pictures and reports soon.

May the Lord be glorified!

Lifting Praise

2011-03-03T15:54:00.005-06:00

PRAISE the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God;

For it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful.

He counts the number of the stars;
He calls them all by name.

Great is our Lord, and mighty in power;
His understanding is infinite.

Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving;

Sing praises on the harp to our God,

The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him,
In those who hope in His mercy.

PRAISE the LORD!
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
Praise Him in the heights!

Let them praise the name of the LORD,
For He commanded and they were created.

Let them praise the name of the LORD,
For His name alone is exalted;

His glory is above the earth and heaven.

And He has exalted the horn of His people,
The praise of all His saints—
Of the children of Israel,
A people near to Him. Praise the LORD!

Selections from Psalm 147 &148

Andrew

2011-02-28T11:23:00.005-06:00

Happy 23rd Birthday Andrew!

Determination:
Purposing to accomplish God's goals in God's time -- regardless of the opposition.

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing."
2 Tim 4:7-8

Science Center

2011-02-26T10:57:00.003-06:00

With free day presenting itself this week, we enjoyed an afternoon exploring a nearby science center. After recently re-vamping some of our school goals, everyone has been doubling their efforts to study diligently on this trip. Thus, most of our travel time has been filled with stacks of books and projects. The timing was perfect to take a few hours off for some hands-on learning and fun!

Working on math puzzles...

Examining the intricacies of a peacock feather.

And more brain-work puzzles.

Examining the 'surface' of Mars.

And clocking the speed of passing cars.

Fun with animal puppets.

And learning about various roof structures and wind effects.

"And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding,
in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,” Ex 31:3

Calling all Iowans!

2011-02-25T11:16:00.012-06:00

Plans are underway, prayers are focused, and preparations have begun! We're looking forward to another exciting year of children's ministry during our Nebraska state homeschool convention. We're elated with the theme and focus the Lord has laid on our hearts for this year and covet your prayers as we look ahead to April 1-2!

But we're also elated to share with you a new opportunity the Lord has opened this year! Due to an invitation by the NICHE board, we will also be bringing our annual Kid's Conference to Iowa as part of the NICHE [homeschool] conference, June 9-11.

Our theme this year is "The Great Adventure" --

Youth ages 5-12 are invited to enroll in this two-day program as we engage in captivating drama, songs, Scripture memory, object lessons, hands-on projects and games. Students attending the Kid’s Conference will travel back in time to 1856 and follow the adventures of a British family as they embark on an amazing, unexpected journey -- missionaries to a foreign field. They’ll experience the trials, struggles, joys, and victories that accompany a life devoted to Christ -- living out His Great Adventure!

This program should not be viewed as merely child-care. It is intended to deliver a Bible-based character message in a memorable and fun way.

We'll be posting more information as the dates get closer. But right now have a specific need: youth volunteers! [ages 14+] If you have a passion for the Lord and for children ministry, would you consider serving with us during the NICHE Conference?! We will be providing two days of training to equip you for this opportunity.

If you're interested in getting involved, please request an application form by emailing the Children's Conference Committee at: niche4kids@gmail.com

Contact our family if you have questions!

Thanks for helping us spread the word to the homeschoolers in Iowa. We look forward to what the Lord will do through both the NCHEA and NICHE Conferences and covet your prayers as we prepare for "The Great Adventure!"

"My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth."
1 John 3:18

Joanna

2011-02-24T10:21:00.003-06:00

Happy 1st Birthday Joanna!

Contentment
"Realizing that God has provided everything I need for my present happiness."

"And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content."

1 Tim 6:8

Reaching Out

2011-02-23T23:04:00.000-06:00

"...for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."
Luke 19:10

To seek the lost. This is personally challenging to me. How often do I go out of my way to seek those who are hungry for Christ? To show initiative in sharing the love of Christ!?

We're currently on tour in the beautiful state of South Carolina. I have so many updates I'd love to post this week. Hopefully my internet connection will cooperate! *smile*

But here's a tidbit that encouraged our hearts this past weekend: We shared at a small, sweet church in Iowa on Sunday morning. It was our first visit to Fort Madison. And the pastor exemplified the above verse to our family. Showing initiative. The day before our service, he went door to door in the community, inviting people to our service.

One lady came. And she met with the pastor afterward to share that she'd surrendered her life to Christ during the service. The angels in heaven rejoice!

"So then neither he who plants is anything,
nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase."
1 Cor 3:7

Aren't you thankful that God desires to be actively involved in our daily lives?!

Josiah

2011-02-23T09:58:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday Josiah!

Discernment:
"The God-given ability to understand why things happen."

"But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7

A Visit to the Park

2011-02-17T16:04:00.002-06:00

There's nothing that cures a bit of cabin fever...

...than a day of sunshine and unseasonable warm weather.

Time for a bit of exercise and fun!

Making memories together...

...and feeling the warm sunshine on our faces.

Thankful for each other -- and the joys we share as brothers and sisters.

Thankful for strong and healthy bodies.

And for our darling, precious niece who is getting big enough to play with us!

Indeed, we have so much for which to be thankful!

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts,
to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful." Col 3:15

Valentine Baking

2011-02-12T10:41:00.001-06:00

With the luxury of enjoying our full kitchen, our home was recently a whirlwind of delightful activity! A good friend initiated spending some time making Valentines Day goodies to share with local friends and neighbors in our community. She came armed with 8 new recipes to try and a basketful of ingredients. And thus began our very *SWEET* afternoon!

Alaythia rolls out the sugar cookies.

Mixing up the chocolate/caramel brownies.
[Can't you just smell that delicious chocolate?!]

And Abi joined us for the afternoon! She opted for the job of unwrapping caramels. Many thanks for your prayers on her behalf. She's feeling much better after her surgery and her tests resulted in a clean bill of health! We're thanking the Lord!

"Grandma" takes time out to play with Joanna and Charissa.

Toffee-crunch bars

And Charissa is ready to start arranging the plates!

Mmmmmmmm!

The finished product!

How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Psalm 119:103

Andrew & Kori

2011-02-10T09:40:00.003-06:00

We're excited to share with you the beautiful story of how the Lord brought Andrew and Kori together. We rejoice with them as they plan a March 5th wedding! And here's how the Lord orchestrated the events...

Kori: Many of you are probably wondering how Andrew and I met! I was born and raised in Orlando, Florida and Andrew was born in Nebraska. So what’s the connection?! Well, my dad’s side of the family is from Nebraska. My grandparents live there half of the year, and my family had been taking trips there once or twice a year since I was 4. However, we did not meet the Wissmann family in Nebraska, but in the sunny state of Florida! My grandparents heard them sing at the Seward County fair [NE] and were so impressed they invited them to Florida to stay with our family and sing.

So in February of 2002, the Wissmanns came to Florida for the first time… I remember the night so vividly. I didn’t know anything about this family except that they were from Seward and had 12 children. We met them at our friends -- the Johnston’s -- home, had a pizza party and hung out for the evening. I remember the first time I saw Andrew. Some of the girls and I were sitting at the kitchen table and he, Bethany, and my cousin were sitting at a little table outside near the window. The first thing I thought when I saw him was, “Wow, he’s CUTE!” …and at that point, I didn’t even know his name. (I did learn his name shortly after that.) And that’s when it all started.

At the time I was only 14, and truthfully, I found it kind of weird that I was so incredibly attracted to this boy that I hardly knew anything about! But little did I know that it was all part of God’s plan and he was preparing my heart, and guarding it for the future.

Andrew:
I’ll never forget our first night in Orlando, 2002. Being in Florida for the first time was exciting and some friends that we had met in Nebraska earlier that summer invited us over for pizza. Before Kori’s family had arrived, some of us were in a bedroom playing a game. Towards the end of the game, Kori and her cousin stepped in to say hello.

Now, some people say there is no such thing as love at first sight. But I definitely liked her at first sight! We had a wonderful evening playing games and I was completely taken by Kori and her gorgeous smile! That evening was when it all started for me. I began praying that if it was God’s plan, He would direct our lives together. And since her grandparents had farms in Nebraska, I was glad to hear that she would be visiting them over the summer.

Kori: We only saw each other twice a year, once in July, when I would visit my grandparents and once in February, when his family would come to Florida. I got to know Andrew through the years, watching him from a distance and getting to know him by hanging out with his family. I quickly noticed more than just how good-looking Andrew was. My heart was drawn to him in a different way. I noticed that he had a genuine love for the Lord and was very hard working, determined, funny and was a lot of fun to be around. And I loved watching him with his younger siblings! It melted my heart!

But at the same time, I was extra careful and prayed for strength to not to show even the slightest bit of favoritism towards Andrew because I didn’t want to take away from getting to know him as a friend. I wanted to seek God's will in this situation and not anything out of selfish desire.

Andrew:
As our families became friends, I began to see that Kori had a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ and my respect for her grew as I saw the choices she made through the years. My affection for her changed from thinking she was a really nice girl to praying regularly that she would some day be my wife. Looking back I’m grateful for the way God chose to prepare my heart for what He had in store.

Andrew:
In the summer of 2008 I was blessed with the opportunity to take a mission trip to Ukraine. I was 20 at the time and had been praying a lot about my future, specifically Kori. I knew that I wanted to be able to get to know her better and thought it would be good to talk to my parents about it, but I figured it would have to wait until after the summer.

The week before I left for Ukraine Mom, Dad and I went out for breakfast, and, amongst other things, they asked if I had been praying about the person that I would marry someday. I told them what I thought about Kori. They responded that they had been praying also and that she was whom they had been praying about. It was a confirmation for me that they were already praying for me in this and that she was on their heart.

During the time I would be in Ukraine, Kori was going with my sisters to China for summer missions. It was fun being able to experience being on oversea missions at the same time. I was also curious as to what my sisters would think of Kori after living with her for the summer! When they came back and said that I'd better marry her -- I heartily agreed.

Kori: My time in China with Rachel and Bethany was very special; We had so much fun that summer, and I loved getting to know them during our time there. And even though he was not there with us, Andrew was part of the majority of the conversations we had. The other member of our team, Noah, was constantly asking questions about him about everything, from his personality to what kind of food he liked and disliked to what kind of girl his sisters thought he should marry. I took in everything his sisters said about him, and loved getting to know him more from their perspective. During the week, Andrew would wake up really early and skype with all 4 of us. This was my favorite part of the week and I always looked forward to it! There were many prayers that summer asking for strength to keep my feelings all inside!

After an amazing summer, I flew home with Rachel and Bethany to and spent a couple days in Nebraska. We flew into Kansas City and the Wissmanns brought their bus down with my grandparents to pick us up. The very first thing I saw when I walked off the plane was a tan, handsome, brown-eyed boy -- he almost took my breath away. During the few days I had in Nebraska, I found myself praying constantly that God would still be guarding my heart, but would open the possibility of Andrew and I to be together someday.

My desire to get to know Andrew intensified. I wanted to know the real Andrew Wissmann, his hopes and dreams, his views on life and spiritual matters, things he liked and didn't like--I wanted to know everything. I wanted to be able to talk to him, more than just light-hearted conversations. I wanted to spend time with him I knew he was the one that I wanted to cherish, love, honor, respect and serve God with for the rest of my life! The only question now, was when?

Andrew:
The next February, we were once again heading to Florida. And this time I was nervous. After talking with Kori’s parents, I officially asked her out on our first date. We went to Olive Garden and stayed until they closed. We ended up getting in a habit of staying till closing time on our first couple dates! We had a lot to talk about. It was so fun to hear each others stories and see how God seemed to prepare us for each other.

We ended up being in Orlando for 2 weeks because of our bus breaking down. And I didn’t really mind not being able to leave! After 2 weeks, saying goodbye was hard and so began our relationship of lots of phone calls skyping and texting!

Kori: February 24, 2009 was the happiest day of my life, up to that point. Andrew took me on a walk, and asked to take me to dinner that night. I’d been praying for this for years and could not believe it was actually happening! All I thought about the whole day was my date with Andrew. I couldn’t wait! He took me to Olive Garden and we spent hours talking, getting to know each other, and comparing stories. I honestly don’t remember much of the details of what we talked about that night, but one thing I will never forget is when Andrew said “for me, it was kind of love at first sight.” Hearing him say that was amazing! To think, all those years I spent praying about him, he was praying about me, too! And how cool, that God had drawn both of our hearts to each other at such a young age! I still to this day believe that that was His was of preparing my heart for what was to come. So thus began what has been the most incredible year and a half of my life filled with lots of phone calls and text messages, special time together, and getting to know the man that I had always dreamed of marrying!

Andrew:
The next year and a half was a wonderful journey of getting to know the girl I had prayed and thought so much about. So many of the things that I had hoped for in a girl is exactly what Kori is and more. It was fun to share our dreams and hopes with each other, compare our growing up years, and seek God together for what he would have in our future. I already knew that I wanted to put a ring on her finger and ask her to marry me.

After talking to her father this past June, I began ring shopping for the perfect ring and planning how I would ask her to marry me. A special times for us both growing up was spending the 4th of July in Seward NE. The city puts on a wonderful celebration for Independence Day. Kori’s family would come in Seward to celebrate the 4th every year. This was always the highlight of my summer. Especially because I knew I would be seeing Kori! So I thought it would be a great day to ask her to be my wife.

We had a great day together enjoying the events of the day. To finish the day our family along with our home church did the musical ‘Let Freedom Sing’. After the musical I took Kori out to her Grandparents farm to “shoot some fireworks” and I asked her to marry me. She said yes! And I couldn’t be happier than to be marrying the girl of my dreams!

We’re so excited for what God has for us in the future. Thank you to everyone for praying for us as we enter this phase of life together. We are so thankful for all the wonderful people around us that God has placed in our lives!

This was the LORD's doing; It is marvelous in our eyes.
Psalm 118:23