Third Day concert last night!!

Last night was incredible!! Thanks John and Diane for inviting us to go with you! We love you guys and you are a ton of fun to hang with! John we will work on getting your star back for your trailer! LOL (long story) John is the drummer for our Praise Band at church and that boy can play!!!

We saw three bands.

Revive. I didn't know this but they are from Australia. They were really good.


I stole these from their blog! We were in section 101 Row E. We were SOOOOO Close!!!!


The 2nd band that we saw was called Need to breathe. I didn't realize that they had a song in the movie Ps. I love you called More time.

The song that they are well know for is called Signature of Divine.


They were soooooooooo good!!!


Third day rocked again as usual!!! They played quite a few songs from their new album revelation.

As always they ended the show with Agnus Dei!!!!! It never fails to bring me to my knees!!!

I will leave you today with this song!

Enjoy!
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Third Day

Nathan got me tickets (for our anniversary) to see Third Day tonight with some friends from Church. I am so excited. This our third time seeing them and they always put on a great show!!!!!!!!

Comments

I have changed my blog so that comments are no longer embedded in the posts. So if you tried to comment in the last day or two I apologize as their appears to be issues with doing comments that way. If any of you are confused.... well.... I am too! :)

Update on friend with cancer

Hi Everyone!

This is the first email I have attempted to write. I left the hospital this past Friday, October 31. The news was / is good. The cancer was contained!!!! I have a Heimlich tube inserted in my right lung and it drains into a tube. A few things went a little array after surgery but we will get it all corrected - even if it means another surgery. I think I'm in severe pain? I say that because it's what all the doctors are telling me but I'm on strong narcotics so I can't gauge it very well. I will get some more xrays this weeks. If my lung is healed, the tube comes out. If not, it stays in and we'll check it twice a week. It's a very small inconvenience considering the doctors originally told me my future was very bleak and NOW IT'S WIDE OPEN! I'm too tired to express correctly how humbled I am by this journey. I am at God's feet with my life and the lives of my family members. Forgive me if I'm not expressing my victory with enough enthusiasm. I am barely able to put words together for an email. I will keep you all posted. I pray I will have a better handle on reality here shortly!!

Thank You so much for your prayers! Your prayers are the tools necessary for God's handiwork. God Bless You All.

Election

I usually would not say much here on my blog about the election. We do not know what the outcome will be but what we do know is that our Lord is seated on the throne! God's will WILL be done.

This is my favorite song done at the Third day concerts.





I just felt a nudging to share it with you all to tell you that God is ON the throne and He already knows the outcome of this election. No matter which way it will go it will be because God needs it to happen that way to further His kingdom. Not the earthly kingdom but God's kingdom. This world will be destroyed but forever we will be with the Lord!! Now that is what I cling too. Not what happens tomorrow or the next day but when we are with the Lord!!

Downhere - Here I am

I first heard this song around the time we were putting on the Isaiah project!! I just love it!!!

Sometimes Your calling, comes in dream
Sometimes in comes in the Spirit's breeze
You reach for the deepest hope in me
And call out for the things of eternity

But I'm a man, of dust and stains,
You move in me, so I can say

Chorus
Here I am, Lord send me
All of my life, I make an offering,
Here I am, Lord send me
Somehow my story is a part of Your plan,
Here I am

When setbacks and failures, and upset plans
Test my faith and leave me with empty hands
Find More lyrics at www.sweetslyrics.com
Are You not the closest when it's hardest to stand
I know that You will finish what You began

And these broken parts You will redeem
Become the song that I can sing

Chorus

Overwhelmed by the thought of my weakness
And the fear that I'll fail You in the end
In this mess, I'm just one of the pieces,
I can't put this together but You can

Chorus

Here I Am, all my life an offering to You, to You
Somehow my story is a part of Your plan
Here I am

Happy 6h Gotcha day - oops! I said 5 before!!!

Hard to believe that 6 (this was supposed to say 6 not 5!! Oops!!) years ago on October 24Th we went before a tough judge in Irkutsk, Russia and she told us that she was not sure if she would let us adopt Katie because we already had 3 children at home and she could not begin to know why we would want another child.

How thrilled we are that she did grant the adoption of Ekaterina. She is a big tease with a big heart and just a joy to have around and so much fun!! It seems like she has been with us forever and its hard to believe its only been 5 years!! Katie we love you so much and are thrilled with the person you are turning into!!! You sure keep us on our toes and keep life interesting!!

18th Wedding anniversary!

Sunday October 26Th will mark our 18Th wedding anniversary!! Hard to believe how young I was back then (19) I will forever be grateful for God putting Nate and I together. It has not always been easy but God has really had a plan for the two of us!! Thank you, sweetie. I will tell all the world that I love you more and more each year and cannot imagine not having you in my life. His anniversary gift to me was 2 tickets to see Third day on November 6Th with two friends!! I cannot wait!!!

Where I blog!

Mari asked us to post the spot where we blog from!!! What a fun
idea!! Here is my spot. Its not usually this clean!! :) Yes that is my webkinz dog! :)

Ugh!!

This picture is actually for Troy and Tara livesay buy I had others that wanted me to post this on my blog. These shirts have stories behind them.

If you go back and read the Livesay blog you will see posts about Troy's ugly yellow fishing shirt that he loves to torment Tara with.
On our last trip to Haiti, Nate happened to bring HIS ugly yellow fishing shirt a long and There were some really ugly pictures taken. Nate and Troy like to call each other Dork (why I do not know) so my friend Diane bought Troy and Nate each a dork shirt.

Nate thought he would be funny at our last homegroup and he wore them both. So Troy and Tara, this is for you!!

Praying you had save travels to MN and that everything goes great!!

Apple orchard

Last Saturday we went to a really cool orchard with my parents!! We picked apples, we went on a hay ride, we had apple cider and donuts and they had lots of things for the kids to do.

Heather coming off the slide

My dad went down the slide!!

Here is Nate coming off the slide

They had kittens everywhere and the kids loved playing with them.

Apple picking page 2

Goats

Heather and Hannah

Nik and Katie

Katie going down the slide

Avon Goal made!!!!

Hope you are all having a good day!!

Leaves are starting to fall, weather is turning colder and I heard that we may see our first snowfall this coming weekend. I don't know about you but I am not ready for this!!

Christmas is coming up fast and I know the economy has hit people hard. I want to thank you for your continued orders and for each and everyone of you!!

1 year ago I set a goal for myself that I would become an Advance Unit Leader. This past Campaign I made that goal!!! That means that I will have bigger bonus checks which will help our family so much.

To celebrate this goal I am for C23 (includes books 22 and 21) going to give you 30% off your entire order. That is a huge savings even above what is already on sale!!

If you would please send this email to your friends and families as well they will also get this 30% off. I am really looking at expanding and I know word of mouth is the best way to do it.

They can also order at my website. www.youravon.com/byonker If they want the 30% off they will need to chose Rep delivery. If they want it shipped then they can get free shipping using this code: REPFS If you want the 30% and live out of the area then let me know and I will split the shipping with you.

Here are the avon book links for online viewing:

C23
http://youravon.com/static/catalog/2008/23/en/index.html

C22
http://youravon.com/static/catalog/2008/22/en/index.html

C21
http://youravon.com/static/catalog/2008/21/en/index.html

Update on friend with cancer

I just got this email. She is already in surgery so please pray for her and her family.


Please forgive me for not contacting each of you sooner. The hours are speeding by, and, like Martha, I have been busy. Maybe a bit too busy. I truly ask for your forgiveness. My surgery is tomorrow morning, October 22 @ 8 a.m.

On a very positive note...

I can't begin to tell you how peaceful I feel. I FEEL your prayers. I FEEL the Holy Spirit working within me to accomplish that which your prayers have set it out to do. I SEE my body healing quickly. I KNOW I will be a survivor!

Thank You for your continued prayers

Adoptive family needs help!

Some of you know that at one time we were trying to help families adopt from Irkutsk, Russia (where two of my children were born). in 2005, due to a family killing their little girl that they had adopted from this region, the judge there decided American families would no longer be able to adopt through her court. Since this is illegal for her to do and say this there are families that have been waiting for over 4 years to bring their children home. These families are incredible and are putting all their faith in God.

There is an American family there right now going through the court process. Please read this blog post below and if anyone can help please email my friend Kathy at: kathy@mmprod.com

Kathy has also been waiting a long, long time to bring their daughter home. Prayers are welcome!!


Hello friends,

I have a plea. As many of you know, we’ve been on a fight (with several other families) to bring our DD home from Irkutsk for over 4 years. One of the other families who is fighting with us has been able to get a court date in Russia…this is HUGE because the Judge in that region has not granted an American a court date since 2005.

This family went to court a few weeks ago, and after 8hours, they were told the hearing was postponed. They went back to court this week, and after many more hours and many not-so-common in-court occurances – the case was again postponed. I don’t want to go into great detail here, but know the reason the case was postponed is crazy! And has nothing to do with the child, or this family.

So, this family will need to go back to court for a 3rd time. Of course they have incurred incredible expense in this process…and more than anyone ever anticipated on this trip. They had to change return flights home – to the tune of over $2,000!

The stress this family is under is enormous. The outcome of their case will pave the way for so many other American families who are waiting to bring children home from this region.

The husband will return home to work, but will be required to go back for the 3rd court hearing (that will happen in 4-6 weeks). The wife is staying in the region (too expensive to fly home, and then back again).

We are confident that this family will be successful, and they will be able to bring their DS home…but not until they have suffered and endured more than any of us could imagine.

I want to help them, and this is why I am posting this note.

I am begging any of you who have frequent flyer miles or AmEx (or other) points to spare – please help this family. The thousands and thousands of dollars they have spent – and are going to spend – on airline tickets is overwhelming. If we can help them ease this burden in the slightest – I know it will mean EVERYTHING to this family.

Please email me if you are able to help…

Thank you in advance for your big hearts

I have been tagged

My friend Anita has tagged me.

Now here's where the real crazy fun begins....I have to share 7 random/weird facts about myself.

1. I have been to Russia (3 times), China, Switzerland, Canada, Japan, Haiti (will be going on my 4th trip in January)

2. The two that I really, really want to visit again are Russia and Haiti.

3. Nathan and I will be having our 18th anniversary on October 26th. We met when I was a sophmore and He was graduating high school. He was dating one of my best friends at the time! :) Nobody thought we would last!!!

4. I wanted maybe one child when we got married. God had the last laugh!!

5. I used to have friends with Mohawks and at one time I had blue hair. :)

6. I wanted to be an archeologist when I was growing up.

7. Some people think that I am very sarcastic. I have no idea why they would ever think that.

I am supposed to tag 7 people so 7 of you please do this! :)

update from my friend that has cancer

I received an update last night from my friend that has cancer. It is easier to add it here rather than email everyone:

Thank you for thinking about me today . Your positive prayers are soooooo important! I see God working because of it. Please don't stop!

Praise report - Two different oncologists agree that we're at the beginning of this "annoyance". Both doctors agree that I have a great chance of survival! YAY! PRAISE GOD!

Okay - PLEASE continue to pray for my strong body and immune system. Despite this "annoyance", I am very strong.

Please, Please pray for an a VERY positive result of an upcoming surgery. 1/4 of my lung will be removed on Dec 22. It is a serious surgery. I would like a fast, and excellent result from this surgery. I would like you to pray for the doctors doing this surgery. I will be in the hospital for 5 days.

Please pray that my husband will have enormous patience and feel very comforted by the Holy Spirit. My mother in law will be coming in to help around the house (thank God!). I don't want people to forget that my husband is going through this almost as much as I am.

Please pray for a speedy recovery.
Again - thank you for your prayers and positive thoughts! Please Don't Stop!

After pictures of girls bedroom! (before Painting)

We have a little bit to do yet but this is what we have bee working on all week. Here is their closet. We got rid of the mirror and put their big dresser in their closet. This has worked out so well.

This is Katie and Hannah's beds. We got rid f the toddler bed. We just need to get a new mattress for her big bed.
This is Hannah's dresser.
This is Heather's bed. This is where the big dresser used to be. There is so much more room now for all the beds to fit. I love having the bunk beds apart.
This is where that huge mess used to be! :) Ah no more!! Feels so good to have it organized!! Now just cannot wait to paint!!

Before pictures of the girls bedroom

Here are the before pictures of my girls bedroom. Ugh how awful can you get. Very embarrassing. This bedroom was the former master bedroom and the 3 girls share it.
I will work on taking a picture of the cleaned up version today. We think we have the colors for their room narrowed down just not sure yet when it will be done. Those pictures will have to wait for awhile.

Quote!

How can we preach the Gospel to a man with an empty stomach?

A man’s stomach has nothing to do with his heart’s condition of being a rebel against the holy God. A rich American on Fifth Avenue in New York City or a poor beggar on the streets of Bombay are both rebels against God Almighty, according to the Bible. The result of this lie is the fact that, during the past 100 years, the majority of mission money has been invested in social work. I am not saying we should not care for the poor and needy. The issue I am taking to task is losing our primary focus of preaching the Gospel.

- K.P. Yohannan