Teaching your kids to GIVE at Christmas

(I have taken 2 weeks off from my regularly scheduled posts due to holidays)

We have so much.  Even before Christmas... we have so much.  I kept wondering what we could do this Christmas to TEACH the girls experientially how to GIVE and not just GET at Christmas.

So one night the week before Christmas I started talking to them about kids in other countries that don't have a lot of food, and some of them can't even attend school b/c their family is so poor.  We watched some of the videos at World Vision to see how the gift of chickens, ducks, and other farm animals can actually become a huge year long blessing to that family.  They provide eggs that give the family immediate food, and then the extras can be sold to provide money for the family.

Now, instead of just deciding what we were going to do, getting out my debit card, and getting it "done"... I decided to get them INVOLVED.  I asked them what they wanted to do (they decided chickens or ducks)... and I told them to go gather THEIR money from their banks and that me and daddy would give some money too.  (Even though I knew we would be making the purchase with our debit card - this became a tangible lesson for them.)  We then counted our pooled money and decided what to do.  I was so proud of Macy.  She had $10 in her bank - and she said she had been saving it to help us go to Spain (sniff....), but that she wanted to give it ALL to help kids that didn't have anything.

We then put all of our pooled "cash" into an envelope to "deposit" at the bank and then used our debit card to complete the transaction.  Macy and Mia were so EXCITED that they were going to be helping making a difference in the life of a family this Christmas.
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Maybe you would like to encourage your kids to do the same on this week after Christmas....with blessings abounding all around your home in the post-Christmas haze...

I have an idea for you!!!!  One of our good friends we made in China (they adopted a little girl from Mia's orphanage at the same time we were there) - are taking a HUGE step and adopting a 13 year old girl from an orphanage in China.

If Piper is not adopted before she turns 14 she loses the chance to ever be adopted.  Our friends Josh and Teri have fallen in love with their new daughter and have completed all of the paperwork to bring her home.  However, they are still lacking the funds they need to get her here.

 If you would like get your kids involved in GIVING...  and help bring an orphaned teenager into a family - here's how!

Go to:  Teri's Blog.   Then click on the "chip in" button.  We were recently blessed by God and made a donation here.  I just set up a paypal account (it was really easy), and had made a donation in less than 10 minutes.  It automatically drafted like any other purchase on my debit card.

I for one know the JOY of bringing home a child that God has placed in your heart.  Will you help them bring Piper home?  If you have any other questions about this - please let me know!  I will do whatever I can to help!

Photo Books

Tuesdays Technology Tip

Have you ever wanted to have a book of just your favorite photos?  Or maybe photos from a special event?

One really quick and easy way to make a photo book is at Walmart.com.  Just log on to their website, click on "Photo" Department, then click on "Photo Books".  Select the type of book you want to make and then get started!  When it asks you to upload pictures for your book you can just select them from the location you have them stored on your computer.

If you are picky like me - it will still take you a couple of hours to get the photos laid out on the pages just like you want them.  I usually choose the "magic layout" instead of the preset layouts...that way I can add as many pictures as I want on each page without having to come up with a text for each picture.

When you are done you can just pay for it and have it sent to your local Wal-Mart or your home.  In about a week you can have your very own professional book of your favorite photos!  Awesome!

Wrestling

Mondays with Macy and Mia

You would think we had a couple of boys if you could have heard all of the scuffling at our house this week.  Every time I turned around the girls were in the floor wrestling, pushing, rolling, and thankfully giggling.  Even though there was pulled hair and almost carpet burns - they just kept huffing, puffing, and laughing.  I was afraid it would get too rough and there would be an eruption of tears.  However, they seemed to just enjoy it!

I captured a "sweet" boxing match in front of the tree.  One of the most beautiful sounds in the world is that of my children's belly laugh.  It's like music.

Ignite a Fire

Wednesdays in the Word

I love how The Message puts this verse in Matthew 3:

[Jesus] will ignite the kingdom life within you, a fire within you, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out.

That's what I want.   He lit a fire within me when He radically touched my life 20 years ago.  But I want that fire to stay fresh...and I want to be continually changed from the inside out.

Lord, please ignite a fresh fire within all of us.  Holy Spirit, fill us anew.  And please, change us from the inside out, that we may be more like You.  Less of ME, more of YOU.

Edit those Pictures!

Technology Tip Tuesdays

For those of you that have iPhones...

My favorite app is "Adobe Photoshop Express".

You can quickly edit any picture you have taken with your iPhone.

Steps after downloading the app: (it's FREE!)

Open the Photo Shop App.  Select a picture from your library that you want to edit.  I usually crop it, then adjust the exposure to be a little bit brighter, and then adjust the saturation to make the colors a little brighter.  Then I add a frame.  The torn paper one is my favorite.  Then I save it to my phone.

If I want to post my new snazzy picture on Facebook - I then open Facebook, click on the "camera" icon in the status update, and select the picture from my library.

Just something simple today for those of you who don't know about this!  I LOVE it!

Gum that Melts

Mondays with Macy & Mia

Yesterday during our usual Sunday afternoon trip between churches, Mia went to sleep in the back seat with gum in her mouth.  I took it out of her mouth and threw it away so that it wouldn't mysteriously end up in her hair... again...

When she woke up - with a voice of TOTAL amazement, she proclaimed, "My gum MELTED!"  :)

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Reading has come alive for Macy this year since she discovered Junie B. Jones.  She devoured a book yesterday while we were driving, and then finished it at the restaurant while we were eating with the pastors last night!  I am so THRILLED to see her finally finding the joy in reading!  Yay!!!

Your Source

Wednesday in the Word...

Do we look to others to meet our needs?  Do we look to our job?  Or do we look to God?

Phillipians 4:19 says, "But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

What is our source?  Sometimes I have been guilty of thinking if I can just think hard enough to come up with the best financial plan that everything will work.  I am learning to trust God with every day.  It's not up to me to figure it out.  It's up to me to be faithful...and to trust Him.

Finding News

Tuesday Technology Tip:

Do you sometimes want to find out about a news story?  Then when you "google" it you find loads of links that do not even apply?  It drives me CRAZY!

Next time go to Google Fast Flip to "browse" the newspapers online.  Just the newspapers.  Yay.  Find quick, credible news links about the news you are looking for.

Sweetness

Mondays with Macy and Mia

The other night Mia just melted my heart...

We were having prayer time before going to bed, and I asked the girls what they were thankful for.
Mia said in her sweet little voice, "...you....my sister....and my daddy!"  And then she wrinkled up her nose and snuggled up in her blanket.

Those words shook me for a moment.  This little girl that was halfway around the world and alone at one time -is now placed in our family.  We love her, we adore her, and can not imagine life without her.  Her thankfulness tonight seems so simple to her.  Yet I know how profound it really is.

We have been blessed beyond measure by adoption.
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Later that night, Macy came into the living room to give me her book and flashlight she had been using to read.  She then asked if  I could move Mia.  She said Mia had gotten up into the top bunk with her!  Macy had been reading to her for the past 20 minutes!  Macy said, "Mia is now fast asleep!"  I love it when there is sweetness between my girls...because we have our moments!

Something NEW I'm thankful for this year

Usually I am giving thanks for the typical things on Thanksgiving.  Our family, our home, our provision, our health...  But this year I have something new to be thankful for...

I am thankful for the call.  The call to missions.  Nothing has required more sacrifice, and nothing has brought more honor and humility to my heart.  My heart now beats to a new rhythm.  It beats with greater intensity when I think of the millions of people living in our world that have no knowledge of who Jesus is and what he came to this earth for.  I long for them to know the same hope and love that I do.  Knowing God has changed my life.  I have never been the same.  I was so empty before I came into a real relationship with God.

My heart beats strongly for those living in darkness to have their emptiness filled with God's all encompassing LOVE.
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I am thankful this year for those that have partnered with us.  It is humbling.  It is an honor.  63 families and 34 churches have joined our monthly support team so far.  They are going to get us to Spain to do this work.  They are going to keep us there to complete it.  I am exceedingly thankful for their faith in us.
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My prayers today:
1.  Mia's surgery on her eyes is scheduled for January 10th.  I am praying for the doctor to have divine wisdom and to be able to perfectly correct her eye alignment with this one surgery.
2.  My friend Heather is in an adoption battle for her little girl that she has had since birth through DHS.  The birth father showed up right before the adoption was finalized to say he wanted her.  In recent days he has been wavering in that decision and has stated that he doesn't even know if she is really his.  I am praying for God to complete the work of putting Layna with the family he has chosen for her.  They do not have any other children.
3.  I am praying that God will get us to our field.  We must be 100% funded through monthly financial supporters before they will send us.  I feel the stirring that we need to be there NOW.  The window is open to reach people through media NOW.  Please pray with us that God will stir hearts and that more churches and families will become monthly partners.  We still need about 75 more people/churches to join us.  McMath Family Support Page 
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There is one more thing that I am thankful for in a new way this year.  I am always thankful for this - but this year it is stronger than ever before.  I am thankful for God's gift to me of my husband.  He is perfect for me in every way.  I love him now more than ever.  I will follow him anywhere God leads Him.  I believe in Him.  I am thankful for the 2 little girls in my life. They become more wonderful every day.  It is a gift that God chose me to be their Mom.

Is there anything new that you are thankful for this year?

Wednesdays in the Word

We must learn to be REALISTIC, not IDEALISTIC.  Idealism says, "I can do it all!"
Realism says, "I can do everything God asks me do do."
-Joyce Meyer 

"...I can do everything God asks me to do with the help of Christ who give me the strength and power." - Phillipians 4:13 TLB

I will be honest.  I tend to be idealistic.  I ALWAYS have more on my daily to do list than I can possibly humanly do.  Then I am bummed at the end of the day that I didn't accomplish more.  I have to CHOOSE to celebrate  the 2 or 3 projects that I did complete or I will just feel defeated.

How about you... Are you idealistic in the pressures that you put on yourself?  Or are you realistic?

How to Keep up with Blogs

Technology Tip Tuesday

I used to make bookmarks of all of my friends blogs that I wanted to keep up with.  That meant I had to manually go to each link every so often to see if there was anything new.

Now I use Google Reader.  You just add all of your favorite blogs as subscriptions... then you can just go to "reader" every other day and see if anyone has posted anything new.  Awesome.  I even have the google app downloaded to my iPhone.  That way when I am stuck somewhere and have a few minutes, I can just go to my Google App, click on reader, and it automatically brings up all of my friends blogs that I subscribe to.  I love getting caught up over a cup of coffee in the mornings!

Watch this video for a "how to" on getting started with Google Reader:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSPZ2Uu_X3Y

In addition, go to www.google.com/reader and scroll down to the THIRD post that says "A quick video tutorial" and watch the video.  Very helpful!

Enjoy keeping up with your favorite blogs the easier way!  (You can also click on the posts in reader if you want to actually visit the blog)

Let me know if you have any questions - or if you know of another great way to keep up with blogs!

Macy finds Spain in Chicago Airport

We flew to DC this past month for a service... and Macy was walking along - and then pointed UP!  She knows our Spain Flag!  I'm so proud.... sniff.....

Mommy is a teenager?

I was telling Macy that we were going to the Arkansas District Youth Convention this weekend...and that there would be a ton of teenagers there.  She said, "A bunch of teenagers like you, Mom?"

Cute.  Guess I look really young!

Blog has found it's Home

HEADLINE:  Blog has found a Forever Home...

After much transition over the past 2 years... 4 moves... developing a ministry website (mcmathfamily.com)... seasons of no blog updates...
Glenda's blog has found a Forever Home.

You can now keep up with the McMath Family's Life at:

www.sharingoursteps.com

There will be:
Mondays with Macy and Mia
Tuesdays Technology Tip
Wednesdays in the Word
and other little snippets along the way!

Under Construction

Be prepared for lots of changes this week... re-designing the blog... :)

Today is my 20th Gotcha Day!

Define Gotcha Day:  The day that adoptive families celebrate the exact day they received their child into their family....the day they were "born" into their family...

I had been staying with different families that lived on my block.  Here a few nights, there a few nights... because I didn't want to go "home" to the house where I was living.  I didn't want to go back to that life. (You need to read the post right before this one to see what just happened in my life!)  I had just spent the last year of my life (14 years old) consuming more alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs than any 14 year old should ever even see.

That's when I did something VERY brave.  (It had only been about a week since God RADICALLY touched my life...see the previous post for those details!)  I asked the pastors if I could stay the night with them.  I didn't want to go home that night.

Then I stayed another night....and another night...and another night...  Then 2 weeks later they sat me down and said, "Glenda, we love you.  We want you to be our daughter.  We want to adopt you.  We have never been able to have children and we believe God has brought you into our lives."

I should have been shouting from the rooftops.  But instead I was sad.  "Yeah, you think you want me, but you'll get tired of me soon just like everyone else has" was my response.  I really did not believe I was lovable.

Yet through their LOVE for me, and God's WORK in me, I was changed.  I eventually was won over by their love and God wove us together like an incredible tapestry...you can't really distinguish where one thread ends and another begins.  We became one.  We became a family.

And today, 20 years later, I SAVOR the memories.  I celebrate my adoption.

My mom and dad, Rusty and Dorinda Blann, are THE most incredible people I have ever known.  They were able to conceive after they had me - and I now have a 17 year old brother, a 14 year old sister, and another 11 year old sister.

So 3 siblings, one husband, 2 of my own kids  - and 20 years later - we still CELEBRATE TODAY!  Happy Gotcha Day  Me!  And thanks again God!

Spiritual Birthday!

I recently celebrated my 20th spiritual birthday.  It has been 20 YEARS ago that God truly revolutionized my life!

Twenty years ago... I was 15.  In some ways I was still so young, immature, silly, obnoxious, giddy, and childlike.  In other ways - I had lived a life with experiences that no 15 year old should know about.

At this point in my life - I was so EMPTY.  I had never lived in a "normal" family...being raised by my grandmother...who when I fell into trouble as a pre-teen...turned against me like a mean, hateful, bitter serpant would.  I had begun living with different relatives, but no one really felt like they could "handle" me.  I was troubled and looking for trouble.

I remember the night ( I think it was August 31st, 1990 - but I am still verifying this date) - when the captain of our cheer squad invited us to a sleepover at her house after the first home football game.

What she DIDN'T tell us... was that we had to go to her church for a "5th Quarter" after the game.  I was declaring that the roof of the church would cave in if I went in.

That night the speaker wore a football helmet as he shared from the Scriptures about how much God loved us.  I didn't really believe it.  HOW could God love ME?  I had done too many bad things.  I had not lived for Him.  Yet... I was DRAWN.

I went forward to the altars to pray afterwards...praying, crying, weeping, begging God to forgive me and to accept me.  I was so EMPTY.  But I left full of something.  A spark.  A spark that ignited over the coming days and weeks into a flame...and then a fire... and then an all consuming blaze...that consumed my soul and CHANGED me into a completely, radically different person.  "...behold all things HAD become NEW."

School Calendar

This map shows which part of Arkansas we now live in.  From the Mississippi River on the far right, to the far left hand corner - we have migrated once again this August!

Macy is attending a "non-traditional calendar" elementary in Bentonville this year.  They started August 2 and go through mid- June, but they get more breaks throughout the year.  Which is great for us since we travel so much while we are itinerating!

We are looking forward to the October intermission b/c we are scheduled to do a service back in DC!  Can't wait to see our friends there again!

Packing up... again

There must be something about August that makes us want to move????  For the 3rd August in a row - we are packing our house up and moving!  The first move was to Washington DC, ( then there was a second move that year out to the suburb of Northern Virginia), the 2nd August move was a year ago to West Memphis, and this week we are moving to the other Northern corner of Arkansas.  Bentonville.  We plan to be there until we leave for overseas.  Brad's parents live in Bentonville.  We are "from" NW Arkansas.  So in a way it feels like we are going "home"... if only for a few months!

The things we will miss about West Memphis are my (Glenda's) family and the church: West Memphis First Assembly.  It was wonderful to spend the last year seeing little blips of my family here and there.  And absolutely awesome to become part of the church family at West Memphis First Assembly.  They have become our church FAMILY!    We will greatly miss them!  They have been soooo good to us.  They have prayed for us, supported us, blessed us, loved us, and seen us through 2+ years of missionary transition.  Words can't describe our love for them.  Sniff.....

Anonymous

One of our speakers at Missions School was author Alicia Britt Chole.  It was one of the most powerful and thought provoking sessions we had.  She spoke about anonymous seasons in our lives, when it seems no one is interested in our capabilities or dreams.  Alicia compares these seasons in our lives with the "hidden years" in Jesus' life.  30 years of being relatively uncelebrated and unnoticed.

One of most powerful quotes I have pondered from this session is "Anonymous seasons are sacred spaces to be rested in, not rushed through-and most definitely never to be regretted."  Mmmm....

The entire session was based upon Alicia's book called, "Anonymous...Jesus' hidden years and yours".  I got a signed copy that I am using for a devotional.  I highly recommend it!



Do you need to recognize this anonymous season in your life as a sacred space?

Pebbles

Pebbles.  That is what I feel like in light of some of these GIANTS of missions work.  One speaker this week shared about their life in the Middle East.  After sharing just a smidgen about faith with someone involved with a terro*ist cell - he was told that they would kill him if he tried to change them.  Not long after that - they received a call to not go home b/c the terro*ist group was there.  They had to leave everything and start over. They have children.  I can NOT even imagine.  However, they fell CALLED to be there.

And we have worried about the "huge leap of faith" to move to Spain...  Even though learning a new language, adapting to a new culture, working to create and develop a media witness in the world, and leaving what we know and love seems so HUGE at times.... it is nothing compared to those willing to give their lives in sensitive countries to reach the lost. I'm not even a pebble.  I'm just the dirt under the pebble.

Missions School

It has been so hard for me to get back into a habit of blogging.  Transition.  It seems that our lives are in a constant state of transition...ongoing...for the last 2 years....and for the year to come!

We have been at Missionary Training (traditionally called School of Missions) here in Springfield, MO, for the past 2.5 weeks.  Some of it has been challenging.  Some....not so much.  (mostly the classes on paperwork and how to do paperwork)  :)

The MK (missionary kids) program that the AG has is phenomenal.  Our girls have been in classes every time we are in class - and they have LOVED it.  They are learning about being an 'MK'.  Surviving chaos (games and discussion), eating ministry (eating whatever you are given and saying thank you), and songs/chants that just touch your heart.  The girls were chanting from the back seat last night as we went to dinner....

"We're rough, we're tough, we got the stuff, we're young, we're bold, we're completely sold, I am telling the story that must be told, the task is great, the workers are few, I'M GOING OVER, HOW ABOUT YOU?!!"

GOODNESS.  LUMP IN YOUR THROAT!

Sisters and BFF

I am working really hard to CULTIVATE friendship among these siblings.  Of course they have their MOMENTS... but I really want to see them grow in kindness and love towards one another!  Two sweetest girls EVER!

Legacy

One of the neatest things about itinerating has been the opportunity to speak in churches where my parents and grandparents have a history.  I took this picture of the girls laying under the front pew at Union Grove Assembly in Hampton.  My dad used to lay under this very pew (well... back then there were no cushions...) when he was a little guy...and sleep while Papaw Blann would be leading the church.  So very cool to be here.

iPhone and Apps

Brad and I both have discovered apps on our iPhones that we love. I took this picture of Macy on her 7th birthday. Love it!