A new month's reflections....

So maybe I'll just blog on the first of every month;).  We've had a busy month with all 5 playing basketball.  Temesgen is learning the game quickly- he's realized those long arms come in very handy in basketball- much more so than in soccer.  He's so athletic- he picks up on things quickly.  Kalid is playing a version of basketball~ the kindergarten games are pretty funny to watch!  I've been working a ton~ could've worked more this week, but got a horrendous cold that has kept me drained of all energy so I had to stay home a couple of days. 

Some other highlights- Jonah got baptized last weekend!  We've left it up to the boys when they feel ready.  We want it to be their decision and Jonah was definitely ready.  Grandma and some great friends were there on his special night.

Shane will turn 40 on Sunday- as we watch the Superbowl with friends.

We are still wrestling with what 2013 will bring for our family.  We want to be fully open to God's leading.  Praying each day that He will give us wisdom and reveal to us what He wants for us for that day.  One awesome thing that we did this month was host a Sole Hope shoe cutting party!!  This is an organization that I came across on FB and I got excited about it immediately!  Sole Hope puts shoes on the feet of children in Uganda, while giving widows a way to earn a living and providing education on keeping feet healthy.  Uganda has an issue with jiggers- a sand flea that will burrow into feet and lay eggs.  As they fester, the child's feet will become difficult to walk on and they may eventually not really be able to walk at all.  You can get them out with something sharp, but without much clean water, it's difficult to keep feet clean enough to stop the jiggers- especially without shoes.  That's where Sole Hope comes in.  People in the US host shoe cutting parties and there, we cut out the 'uppers' for the shoes (made of denim and cotton).  We ship them off to North Carolina (where its based out of ) and then they'll ship them on to Uganda.  There, a Ugandan widow will use recycled tires for the sole of the shoe and sew it all together.  These closed toed shoes will make it onto the feet of kids who desperately need protection for their feet.  It's a great organization!!!  Anyway- I hosted my first party just last weekend and we made 28 pairs of shoes and raised $450!  Great day!  So happy to be involved with this organization!  You can check them out at www.solehope.org.

Other than that, we're praying- we don't want to miss an opportunity to serve God by serving the people around us!  Found this quote out of the book Forgotten God by Francis Chan and loved it! 
"I see a lot of people who have added Jesus to their lives.  People who have, in a sense, asked Him to join them on their life journey, to follow them wherever they feel they should go, rather than following Him as we are commanded.  The God of the universe is not something we can just add to our lives and keep on as we did before.  The Spirit who raised Christ from the dead is not someone we can just call on when we want a little extra power in our lives.  Jesus Christ did not die in order to follow us. He died and rose again so that we could forget everything else and follow Him to the cross, to true Life."
And some scripture that has been speaking to me.....

Matthew 4:20 "At once, they left their nets and followed Him."
Matthew 4:22 "Jesus called them and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him."
Matthew 5:16- "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven."
Matthew 6:19-21 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Matthew 10:39 "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."
Romans 10:14-15  "How, then, can they call on the One they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring Good news.'"

Pictures some time after I get them off my phone:).