MERRY CHRISTMAS!

One of The Many Reasons We Do What We Do::

This footage was captured at the His Voice/ EPC Orphanage in Lura, Sudan by a member of The Village Church's team, Jesse McKee. :: I love these kids :: Videos like these remind me that all the administration and networking done everyday on our side is worth every bit of our effort. Sometimes, since my heart is often in Sudan, being on this side seems like unnecessary busy work. But the Lord uses videos like these to open my eyes to the Truth. He has called us to serve and sometimes "service" doesn't mean going (although sometimes it does). Sometimes it means staying here and being voice for these kids. Sometimes it means staying up late or getting up early to return emails, calls or send mailouts. Sometimes it means printing and mailing and setting up booths. Sometimes it means brainstorming, creating videos and posting photos. Sometimes it means having less and giving more. Sometimes it means being home and raising boys who love the nations so the next generation will carry the Gospel to many.

I hope you enjoy their joy::

Sudan Orphanage from Jesse McKee on Vimeo.

BUY A SONG :: BUILD AN ORPHANAGE

TODAY IS THE RELEASE OF
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ALL PROCEEDS GO TO BUILD THE FOURTH ORPHANAGE

Forced Media Fast

Last week Vernon had the privilege of preaching a revival at a church in the middle of the beautiful country in southwest Missouri. It was a fantastic week. The boys and I were able to go and we all stayed in the Church (it has a room for families to stay in). We knew going into the trip that there would be no cell service and very limited Internet (it is actually easier to get a hold of us in Sudan than in this rural area of MO). We had been wanting to do a "media fast" for a while now so we thought this would be a perfect time.

Those of you who know me know that I am notorious for being bad at returning calls and have been labeled "hard to get a hold of." I was the last person I knew that was my age to get a cell phone (and only did because long distance was getting expensive talking to Vern). I hated the idea of always being available to all at all times. I go through this same aversion with each new "social media" as they comes out, blogging, facebook, twitter, etc. So the thought of not "being able to be gotten a hold of" was refreshing. A media fast? YES PLEASE!!

Really the honest depths of it is that I dont want the responsibility of responding to such a wide variety of needs/wants. I want control. I want to be in charge of who can and cannot get a hold of me so that I can have control of what comes my way. Now granted, part of this is a good thing. I DO think there is wisdom in protecting your self and not spreading your self thin and baring so many other needs/burdens that you cant care for your own. (or those of your close friends and family) I DO think there is wisdom in setting boundaries and not feeling an excessive amount of responsibility to respond each time you are beckoned. So dont hear me say that everyone should be openly available at all times. Be available :: just keep it balanced!

Since we don't have TV and rarely watch movies, our "media" is the Internet and our iPhones. (and most certainly books but we didn't count those :) On any given month I send/receive approx 1500 text, easy. Each day I check facebook and/or twitter continually through the day as if I really need to know what everyone is doing. I am subscribed to 50+ blogs, send/receive 20+ emails a day and feel compelled to posts random thoughts throughout the day for all to read. None of these things are BAD in and of themselves. They can be used for Godly purposes, "spurring one another on in Love and good deeds" but they MUST remain in check.

Putting them in check is exactly what we did this week and I am so thankful. It was beautiful week. No where to go, no texts, voicemails or emails to respond to, just our family and a fun church family to get to know. It was beautiful and refreshing.

A lot went on in my heart this week regarding media and its role in our life and I highly recommend a small "fast" to all of you. You dont have to be in rural SWMO to turn off your phone and shut your computer. Let the Lord show you where media has led you in to sin, or rather, revealed the sin in your heart. Also, let the Lord show you how you do and can use it for His Glory.

Here are some photos of what we did all day. We did ride four wheelers but I didnt get any pics of it::

A Family Miracle

We have been out of town so I have been able to post that my sister had her sweet baby girl two weeks ago. She was not due until mid December. It was a scary few days but Timber Lynn Gail McCallon was born just shy of 34 weeks. Thank you to all our friends and family who prayed for little Timber and my sister. She is strong, healthy and at home! In fact my sister just told us Timber weighed 4lbs 6oz at her 2 week appointment! I haven't had a chance to meet little Timber yet but I love her SO much! I got some pictures from my sister's fb until I have a chance to take some of my own :)

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THIS IS AMAZING:: SPREAD THE WORD!

A Little Late

I usually go all out for Reformation Day and make fun costumes for all (see here, here and here)...not this year. We've been traveling so much that I havent had a chance....sooo we pulled into town late on the 30th and ran to target...needless to say they didnt have much to choose from but the boys were thrilled to be super heros! (even if the costumes dont quite fit! J's was WAY too small and T's was too big) IT is funny that neither of them have ever seen Iron Man or Spider Man except in books at Barnes and Noble but they loved them all the same!

We went to an neighborhood outreach party with some friends in North County on the 31st and had a great time!! We got to hang out with the Kuntz's and the Reardon's! I got pics of everyone except Uriah...he was Woody and as cute as could be ;) Here are some photos::

Pumpkin Patch 2010

or rather

Pumpkin Patch 2010 Camera Fail

We got up early this morning to have our fun family Friday (its Vernon's day off) and had decided to go to the pumpkin patch. It was a lovely, brisk 48 degrees and we would be able to wear our sweaters and drink our coffee and have a magical time (see THIS post for background info). An added bonus to going early is that you pretty much have the place to yourselves and the sun is just at the right angle to get beautiful morning lit photos.

We got there just as it opened and we were sharing the place with just a few other people, who happened to have the same idea as us...GREAT morning lit photos. They had hired professional photographers to follow them around and capture their beautiful kiddos on film. I however was ready to follow my own kids around, decked out with my camera w/50mm on and a spare lense in case it didnt work out like I had hoped. I was so excited. They had on their cute sweaters and the pumkins were perfectly placed for great photos. They began to climb on them and I snapped two pics, trying out the lighting. AND THEN, my camera died...battery...DEAD. I usually have a spare battery for things like this, but not today. I was bummed....but very thankful for my iPhone.

So here are the two lone pics from my DSLR::

and a few that my iPhone captured::

oh well. We had a wonderful time and that is what matters folks :)

He's Got Moves



Titus loves dancing. Most of the time he does it with out any music. He just makes the music up as he goes. Today I caught his dancing on video. Later today I put it to Lecrae's "God Is Enough" and couldn't help but post it. If you didnt know you would think he was actually dancing to the song. It must have been the song that was in his head. :)

I Really Wanted To Say Something...but I'll Let the Pictures Talk.




These photos show a little into our lives the last few weeks but also say so much more. I had little "devo" type thoughts for each one but am afraid that time will pass and I'll never post them if I wait until I have enough mental energy to write about what they do in my heart...so I'll just share them and let you be ministered to by "Life:: the way I see it." I learn alot from these little boys of ours everything from perseverance to dependence. I hope you have a tremendous weekend and enjoy what is going on around you and those you are blessed to love.

My New Nephew :: Baby James

My Brother and His wife, Diana, welcomed Baby James Neal Gaddis II (named after my dad) into the world September 29. He and mama are doing great and boy, my brother is going to be a good dad! The boys and I got word that she was in the hospital and we packed up and headed North. It is crazy awesome that we live close enough now that we got to see him THE DAY he was born...how awesome is that?!!!

Anyway, I had high hopes of getting some super great newborn shots, but the room was SO cold I was not about to take him out of his nice and cozy swaddle...and not to mention, Justus was not so sure about the hospital room so taking pictures was not on his agenda! ha!

Here are a few I snagged::





Love Love Love this little man!

"Isn't That Just Like God"

Every time I think of all the details of life that God ordains to fall into place at just the right time, (never to early never to late) I hear my sweet friend/mentor, Mrs. Thomas, saying, "Now, Isn't that just like God!" That phrase keeps ringing in my head this week as I look back on all that has taken place.

Saturday we got a phone call from Sudan asking Vernon if he could be in country by the following Saturday. All for AMAZING, EXCITING reasons, which will be for another post. (or just check our His Voice Blog in the next couple days). We knew we would have a team from our partnering church, The Village Church, in Sudan at the that time and had already decided our Fall schedule was too packed for Vernon to join this team. Little did we know that he would end up being there to minister with them!!

All that said, Vernon is in Sudan. He will fly in on Friday to Minneapolis, where I will have already dropped the boys off with my Mom and driven to this beautiful northern city. I will pick him up, we will attend the Desiring God National Conference (we do this each year as a gift to each other instead of getting other stuff). We will drive to pick up the boys on Sunday following the conference, sleep at my moms, get up early and drive Vernon to the Ozarks for Staff Retreat. The boys and I will go home for the week, drive back and pick up Vernon from the Ozarks and head to Bolivar to do some ministry there. We will head back to STL, Vernon will be home for a day and then fly to Midland for some His Voice meetings. That said, the boys and I will be home 7 days between now and Oct 15 of which Vernon will be home 1.

Crazy.

But here is the cool part. As you may or may not know, we decided to homeschool Titus this year. It has been the biggest blessing EVER. Taking that step of obedience (for us, not that homeschooling is obeying in general,it just was for us in this time) has been SOO freeing to us! At the time of deciding this, I was a bit panicked. I also work for His Voice Global from home and I had no idea how I would be able to accomplish getting Titus schooled while being an effective staff member of HVG, not to mention a decent mom and keeping up with Bible study, prayer, outside reading, house work, cooking and ministering outside the home!
What I have found is that I am ALOT more disciplined with my time because I HAVE TO BE. I have found that not being strung out going here and there with school pick ups and events, we have so much more family time and time to get things done! So here is my, "Isnt that just like God" moment this week:: We are finished with 1st quarter in all Titus' subjects! History, Math, Geography, Science, Reading/Language Arts. (we even started a unit on Sign Language) Isn't that just like God to give us some time to pace our selves in the middle of our crazy season! This means, I can school Titus the days we are home and not have worry about getting behind while we are out ministering together as a family. How cool is that!

So that's my little, "Isn't that just like God" moment this week...Do you have one?!

Just Take It (pt2)

So...as I mentioned in my last post, I was challenged to start bringing my camera along instead of always wishing I had it. Here are pics from Day 2 of taking my camera...just in case you needed a little extra encouragement to lug yours around. We went to the park to play and decided to explore. We found a great trail around a pond and lots of rocks to play on. Titus, just this week, learned to ride his bike with no training wheels...so the trail was a perfect spot for him to showcase his new talent!

Titus on the trail::



and take 2 of Justus fitting as we leave, poor little buddy loves outside::

Just Take It

So yesterday I was reading the girltalk blog and was encouraged by one of my fav photographers/moms. She wrote about how much it helps just to ALWAYS have your camera. She talked about how instead of always saying "I wish I had my camera" actually HAVE IT.

As I have said in other recent posts, since I got my iphone, I pretty much STINK at taking my camera anywhere. The last 8 months are the least photographed months of my families life!

So I decided today would be a good day to start and I am so encouraged! As we played outside I got some quick fun shots, not even forcing them, just honest shots! So hopefully this will give me the encouragement I need to remember! I just love photography that is honest, real to life and unedited. So this time I packed my 50mm and let it do its magic. I had little to no editing to do!

Here are some I got at one of the parks we went to today::

The boys are at a fun age. Both are old enough to play alone but are finally able to play together!



Here are some of Titus (6) loving being outside in the fall!




Here is Justus (2) he is mr. crazy.

Titus is sooo into camping/hiking/survival gear. Today he got a monocular and he was trying it out at the park.

It was a fun evening that ended like most all fun evenings these days:: Justus saw that we were leaving and tried to let me know it was not time to leave yet.

I won. We left.

So dont be shy, pack your camera tomorrow and see what you get!! You will not regret it!