Team at Blarney

In early January we drove 2 hours away to visit the Blarney Castle.  It was fascinating!  The famous stone to kiss is at the very top (left side)- above Anna's head.  We didn't kiss it, by the way.  I was surprised to learn it has its roots in witchcr*ft

This man sits at the top of the castle and helps people to bend backwards, so they can kiss the stone (he's now pointing at).  If you notice, there are bars there, but it's a direct drop to the ground otherwise.

The stone is where those 5 horizontal openings are, but on the other side of the castle.  You can see straight down, if you dare.

The grounds were beautiful (especially considering it was winter- January).

Comeragh Mountains

Here's the team again, with the Comeragh Mountains behind them!

The Team

Here's the latest photo of my children.  Left to right:  Beth, Sebi, Anna, Ezra, Hadassah, Nehemiah, and Maggie.

They just got these sweaters for Christmas!

My friend and I

The other day I was reading my children's blogs and thinking how nice they were, with all the photos they have on them.   So.....I've been trying to figure out how to do more on mine, and in the process came across this ridiculous picture.

Every time I see it it makes me laugh!!

The story behind it:

The weeks before we left for Ireland, I had to make a vet trip with this lad.  Anyway, it wanted to sit up next to me in the car, so it did.  Meanwhile, Anna was taking pictures of me, from the passenger seat, with her ipod.  I thought she was just getting a picture of this silly cat, until I saw the final result.

Cute Comments

A few cute comments my children made since arriving in Ireland.....

When we were getting off the plane in Dublin, Ireland:

Maggie:  "Mama, I'll know who the Irish are because they all have red hair and blue eyes." 
She was as serious as can be when she said that.  As we walked down the airport corridor, I was thinking how cute that statement was when I saw poster after poster of people with those very characteristics.  It made me wonder.  Then, the first person (immigration officer) we saw actually had red hair....but brown eyes. ;).  Since then, she's learned it's not true, though.

Then, as we are looking for the customs area, we were confronted with a very gentle looking man who was just casually walking around.  I asked him where customs was, as Wolf had to go retrieve a lost luggage elsewhere, and I was alone with the children at that time.  He said this was it.  It was just a big open area with a friendly guy smiling at us.  I asked him if we had to do anything special to get through.   He said, "No, as long as you don't have any meat or dairy products with you."  I assured him we didn't and sailed on through the "gate."  Later, Sebi makes us all laugh when he comments on the customs officer: "His job was to see if we were ruthless milk bringer-inners with a mischievous glint in our eyes.  He probably saw we were harmless and let us through."

Beth, commenting on the very narrow paved roads in Ireland, that were used for 2 lane traffic:
"These are just like dirt roads, but they're paved."

Beth (age 15), questioning me, while doing schoolwork:
"Mama, when did rascism officially end?" ...... so sweet! 

Somehow we got talking with the children about skin color.  Ezra was/is from Ethiopia and has darker skin (so does Beth and Nehemiah).  Anyway, I think children in church would stare at him, or 'something' happened that made me ask them if it's hard to have dark skin when everyone around them seems to have lighter skin.  Ezra says, "It doesn't bother me at all, they're the ones that have to look at me."  We all laughed!

Happy Days!

OK, it's time to write a 'happy' post.

God has allowed the Comeragh Boys Camp to open!  Doors were open in a wide, miraculous way and we are all rejoicing!  This camp is really all about serving God and serving others, particulary troubled boys in Ireland.  It hasn't been an easy journey...far from it.  But, God's Will will prevail.  Our mission here now feels complete.  However, we'll be staying in Ireland a while more to complete "loose ends."  Awesome job Wolf, Wes, Nat, Wendall, and so many more!  It hasn't been easy, but they are a persevering group....a good example for the boys.

Since I'm on the topic of happy things, I thought I'd mention something noteworthy.

Rainbows.

It rains a lot in Ireland, and it's easy to focus on this fact;  however, I am noticing that there are rainbows all over the place as a result!  Out our back window, one cheerfully greeted us.  Driving to camp one day, one gracefully glided over the mountains.  Getting lost on the way home last week, a brightly colored one confidently gave us hope.  God puts these signs of love all over....  No need to focus on the rain, because there might be a rainbow peeking at you around the corner....if you look. :)

Dungarvan, County Waterford.  Can you see the double rainbow?

Newtown, County Waterford.  This was a full rainbow- the first Anna, Ezra, and Beth ever saw.

Contentment and Joy in Him

My latest struggle:  contentment


Why is it so hard to be content?  Just this morning I heard myself say, "If only I would get over this cough!" (had it 1 1/2 months)  I mean, after all, we came to Ireland with the grand hope of helping people, but how can I when I often feel sick?  Or, "Is it raining again?!."  Or, "I can't homeschool with so many distractions."

As I reread what I just wrote, I notice a lot of "I's".   I want this, I want that.  Maybe that's the real underlying issue here.

 I've said before, "I felt the Lord lead us here," and I still do, but maybe that's where I parted with following the Lord.  Once I got here, it became, "all about me."  My comforts.  My desires.  I know that is true because so many times I've reminded myself (or was it the Lord?)  that "Lori, it's not about YOU" whenever something doesn't 'feel' right.  And to be honest, there's a lot that doesn't feel right in a new culture...even in a country like Ireland.

How do I keep the mindset, "It's all about God, and His will?"  I'm really working on this one and don't have it all figured out.

One thing I'm trying to do is simply accept life as it is.  I try to remember this world is not our home.  At all.  If God allows me to be sick, He has allowed it for a reason.  If God allowed my precious son, Seth, to go to Heaven, it was for a reason.  If God wants it to rain everyday in Ireland, it's for a reason.  It's not about me.  It's ALL about Him.  He's not trying to be mean- he's trying to draw me closer to Him. 

So what am I going to do about this reality?  Grumble.  That's the easy, natural thing to do.  But, besides the fact that God tells us not to, people tend to 'tune' us out when we focus on our hardships.  It might make us feel better for a few seconds, but it doesn't accomplish anything anyway. 

This is what I think will help me:

Being thankful.  Purpose in my heart to give the grumble disease an antidote of thankfullness.  "A cheerful heart is good medicine," I believe it says in Proverbs. 

And if you 'really' think about each thing you have to grumble about, is it really worth your grumbling energy? 

My sickness- others have it worse, usually.  At least I have a breathing treatment/respirator machine.  Wolf said many people need their machine up to 6 times a day!!  I need it only once- at most.

Losing Seth- it could be worse, as hard as it is to write that!  But, if Seth wasn't a christian and died, it would be worse!  At least I have great hope of seeing him again!!

Rain- coming from Kansas, I would be a fool to complain about plenty of rain.

So, God forgive me and help me to stop thinking of me, but to see you and the brightness of your Glory so vividly that wordly cares cannot even be imagined.