A Mom Has Braggin' Rights!

Do you see this handsome chap below? (The one without the hairy face.) He is my son David. And, today, my heart is overflowing with mom-pride.

When friends from Australia encouraged us to come out for a trip last year, we were thrilled. While our hearts screamed, "YES!", our bank accounts screamed, "NO!".

"Dad, would you and Mom let me go if I raise enough money for myself?" David asked.

Seeing a great hard-working lesson in the making, Paul took full advantage of it. "Son, the trip is going to cost more than you think. The passport will be over $100.00 and your round trip ticket will be close to $1000.00... and David, we aren't going to give you any money. If the Lord has opened up this door for you, you will have to figure this out together."

That's all it took. At fourteen years old last summer, David was too young to officially get a job, so he worked as a referee for soccer games and babysat every child within a five mile radius of our home. With those earnings he purchased his passport and later bought a pig through his high school F.F.A. to sell at fair this summer.

Rightly naming his pig, "Australia", thirteen of our friends and family crowded the bleachers and cheered our son onto victory as he placed third overall at the fair, ranking above one hundred other pig entries. Earning enough money to pay for his whole Australian experience plus another $40.00. (God always gives us more, doesn't He?)

Three days later David was on a plane headed for the land down under.

At fifteen years old, just shy of sixteen, David stayed with our friends in the outback on their 3,000 acre sheep ranch. Our son was in time to take part in their sheep-shearing week, thus the picture above with his hairy friend.

After three weeks, David arrived home on his international flight. Joy doesn't even describe the feeling of having him home again and in our arms. Our son learned quite a few lessons this year. He learned that when the Lord opens a door, our part is to work alongside Him to make it happen. He learned to say "How can I do this?" instead of "I can't do this." He learned he belongs to a God who does exceedingly abundantly more than we can ask or think.

And, he learned why Vegemite will NEVER be a hit in America.

We are so very proud the Lord gave us this young man to raise.


Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
Ephesians 3:20 NLT






Online Users

A Divine Appointment from Down-Under

In my personal opinion, there's no such thing as luck. And coincidences are for those who refuse to give God the credit. There is a verse in the book of Jeremiah that says, "..And you will find me when you seek me with all your heart." (Jer.29:13)


When we seek Him with all our hearts we will find Him. And when we find Him, we are blessed with a life that is peppered with divine appointments.

Meeting my Australian friend Penny was a divine appointment.

We met at Mount Hermon. It was the first time there for both of us. We were excited and nervous, overwhelmed and often overjoyed. As she sat beside me at breakfast I just knew we would be friends. Corny, I know, but the truth.

When I found out that she was traveling with her family, before I could stop myself, I blurted, "You just have to come and stay with us." Never before had I invited anyone to stay in our home that I barely knew. She was the first. I hadn't even met her husband or children yet. The Lord had whispered to my heart. I am so grateful I listened.

When you meet a brother and sister in the Lord, there is a love that is immediate and runs deep. It was clear that we shared the same Father.

Two weeks after we said our goodbyes in Santa Cruz my phone rang. It was Penny. She wanted to know if my offer was still open. "OF COURSE!" I yelled into the phone. They were over in less than forty-eight hours.

In only three days and two nights - we swam together, watched movies together, had a bbq, had a picnic by the American River, enjoyed Starbucks together...TWICE, went out for an Italian lunch, enjoyed our morning devotions together and laughed more times than I can count.

Jesus is a HUGE thing to have in common.



This sweet little Koala bear snuck into Grace's room early in the morning. I could hear them giggling from our bedroom. Grace's new best friend. These two were adorable together.



Their first French Toast.



They LOVED it.



When we went sightseeing the kids got to watch a movie. So we could have adult conversation!


The Christian bookstore was one of our stops. Paul took a picture of Pen and I in front of where our future fiction and non-fiction books will be.




Charlie, Pen's greatest encourager, tried to adjust things a bit.



When it was time to say our goodbyes Andy tried to stuff Samuel in their RV cargo bin. Or as Pen would say, their campuh van.


Watching them go was so difficult. I'm praying we see them again soon. If you read this on Monday, please pray for this precious family. They will be flying for thirteen hours, and then driving another eight hours, beginning at 12 noon pacific time.


And don't think we haven't already been pricing tickets to Australia!

Aussie to American Translations

Some very precious friends have been staying with us. They are born and bred Aussies. What a joy it has been to love on our brothers and sisters from down-under. We all loved to tease one another about our accents. Each of us demanding the other sounded the silliest.

For those of you out there even remotely curious about the Australian dialect. I've included a few word translations below.

Dunny – Bathroom

Bubbler – Water Fountain

Mate – Friend/Dude

Rubbish – Trash

Slippery-Dip – Slide

Swimmer – Swimsuit

Muzzy – Mosquito

Jackaroo – Hired - Help

Capsicum – Pepper (Red, Green)

Bloke - Man/Cowboy