Something to chew on... (an update on our Visas)

*photo via Jordan Kiley @ flickr.com

Many people see us in town & look a little surprised that we're still here. I'd say we get asked some variation of the question "Any word on your Visa's yet?" at least 5 times a day.

We're thankful that so many people are excited about what we're doing and are praying for us. Here's the latest update:

There's basically no news to report. 

Sorry for the letdown. We did get a call from the Embassy last week saying we needed to order an FBI background check, which we've done. Other than that, we've just got to wait patiently for the sponsorship through the Australian Immigration Authority, and the Workers Visa through the Embassy.

We had originally anticipated moving to Melbourne sometime in January, we're now 11 weeks past that, and it could be another 8-12 weeks before we have permission to move there.

We were just reading a familiar verse that we wanted to share with you:

"For it is God
who works in you,
both to will
and to work for
His
good
pleasure...

Do all things
without grumbling or complaining."
-Phillipians 2:13-14

Doing all things without grumbling includes waiting. We have got to be able to wait patiently... without grumbling, whining, complaining, questioning, doubting, pouting, or trying to force things to happen on our own.

As we talked about this today, we really believed that this is something we can actually praise God for.  We can take heart and be encouraged, because we know that it is God who is doing a work in us according to His plan and pleasure, and we're pretty sure it's going to be awesome. And we'll be sure to let you know when He completes this work.

By the way, just because we don't live in Australia yet, doesn't mean we can't eat like it! We scored these cookies the other day at a grocery store in Canada. We're keeping the dream alive, one cookie at a time!

Project Life Tuesday // March 8-14

It's time for another round of Project Life Tuesday!

March 8: It has been so much fun to watch Isaiah enjoying Taekwondo. He is really putting in a good effort & we're proud of his hard work.

March 9: Enjoying the first sights of spring. Spring in Washington should be cold & dreary, instead we've had plenty of warm weather & sunny days. We'll take it!

March 10: I love it when Isaiah makes this face. He does it whenever he is concentrating. We see it when he's playing lego's, doing Taekwondo and even making cookies! =)

March 11: I finally broke down & ate my very first  Girl Scout Cookie!  And they were as good as everyone said they would be. =)

March 12: Elijah woke up at 7:00am & by 8:45am he was sound asleep in Daddy's arms. Apparently 12 hours of sleep wasn't enough!

March 13: Ross makes the very best egg scramble. Most Saturday mornings we have a little tradition of pancakes & Ross' Saturday Morning Scramble. Here's the recipe:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan on Medium-High
• Add 2 cups of frozen hash-brown potatoes & cover for 6-8 minutes
• Dice 1/8 cup Red Onion, 1/8 cup Green Pepper, & 1/4 cup Ham
• Flip hash-browns & cook 3-4 minutes longer, then add above ingredients & let 'em sizzle for a few minutes
• Add 6-8 eggs & scramble the whole mixture together (remove from heat frequently so the eggs don't burn)
• Add salt & pepper to taste, then sprinkle with Cheddar cheese & put the lid back on the pan so it all melts together. Serve & enjoy!

March 14: We were invited to share about life as a missionary with the kids at Grace Baptist. Each week the kids are learning about different countries & about the missionaries from Grace who are serving in them. It was our joy to share about the work we hope to do in Australia, & we loved the wonder & enthusiasm of the kids.



That concludes another week of Project Life... I'm really loving this project! You can view recent editions of our "Project Life Tuesday" by clicking here, or click on the "Project Life Tuesday" button to see Project Life examples from Jessica Turner & other people all around the world!

Will you worship?

We're taking some time today for fix our eyes on God & be revived by Him. This video seemed to perfectly match our prayer...



Open our eyes God. Teach us to worship, Lord. Teach us worship. Let our hearts and lives burn for you.

Project Life Tuesday // March 1-7

March 1: Wake up sleepy head! ...from the day he was born this kid has had crazy hair.

March 2: Elijah is like a little monkey, he climbs onto anything & everything he can. He keeps us on our toes!

March 3: Ross recently started doing P90x (a series of tough workout DVD's). Not only does he need to keep up with the trainer on the DVD, but he's added a variety of toy obstacles & a toddler just to make things interesting. =) It is so cute to watch Elijah working out just like Daddy.

March 4: Today was Grandma-Great-Likkel's birthday, so we decided to bring a surprise birthday party to her house. We're so thankful that we were given this time to celebrate with her this year.

March 5: In honor of Dr. Seuss' birthday this week, our local library celebrated by reading Dr. Seuss books & even had the Cat in the Hat as a special guest. "He's real!" was the first thing Isaiah said when he saw the Cat in the Hat, & he couldn't stop staring at him throughout story time. I love that I didn't even have to ask him to smile for this picture.

March 6: We wanted to take advantage of the beautiful spring weather, so we hopped in the van with Ross' parents & went to Birch Bay to catch an incredible sunset.

March 7: We had such a nice time at the ocean yesterday that we just had to go again! This time we went for a walk along Boulevard Park in Bellingham. The kids got to play in a fun park, we enjoyed burgers, fries, & milkshakes at Win's Drive-In, & once again we had front-row seats for an amazing sunset.

Lessons from a special Coke Machine...

You may be like me as you walk towards a Coke machine.

My heart starts to pump a little faster.
Do I have the right change?
Have I got a crisp dollar bill?
Do I have a backup crisp dollar bill in case the first one doesn't work?
Will the machine be out of order? 
Will the drink I want actually be available?
Will I get my change back?
Will my drink explode when I open it?
Will it be all sticky because another drink spilled on it somewhere inside the machine?

If you're like me, you don't always approach a vending machine with joy & excitement. You approach it with fear & pessimism.

Now, to be fair, Coke machines may have some complaints of their own... They have to sit outside in the cold. They are given canadian quarters & taped up dollar bills, they're covered with graffiti, they get kicked, they get yelled at, they get pounded on.

It has all the makings of a lose/lose situation.

I think it's a lot like many marriages or parent/child relationships. Both people approach each other with expecting the worst.

That's why when I saw this video clip about a special kind of Coke machine I couldn't help but think of how we could turn things around in our relationships. 

*if the clip doesn't load, click here to view it

Notice throughout the video, when people have been given something more than they expected, what is their reaction?

Happiness, Joy, Excitement, Sharing, Laughter...  

Are these things you've been experiencing in your relationships lately?

Would you like to see more Happiness, Joy, Excitement, Sharing, & Laughter in your relationships?

I love the way the Message Bible quotes 1 Peter 3:8-12:

"Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless—that's your job, to bless. You'll be a blessing and also get a blessing.

Whoever wants to embrace life and see the day fill up with good, Here's what you do:
Say nothing evil or hurtful;
Snub evil and cultivate good;
run after peace for all you're worth.
God looks on all this with approval,
listening and responding well to what he's asked;
But he turns his back
on those who do evil things"

Today, regardless of how much graffitti you've been covered with, or how much you feel you've been ripped off, would you consider a different reaction than the typical vending-machine/insult-for-insult response?

Would you consider being a "special kind of vending machine" that snubs evil & cultivates good, runs after peace, responds with sympathy & love, knowing that God will hear your prayer & strengthen you?

I recently saw a list of those famous old Coca-Cola slogans. Here are a few that stood out to me:

1887 - Delicious! Refreshing! Invigorating! Exhilarating!
1948 - Where there's Coke there's hospitality.
1905 - Coca-Cola revives and sustains.
1956 - Coca-Cola ... makes good things taste better.
1959 - Be really refreshed.

& finally, my favorite:

1979 - Have a Coke and a smile.

What would happen if you went home and offered the same to your family?

Project Life Tuesday // February 22-28

I can't believe it's been 9 weeks since I started Becky Higgins "Project Life," and it's so fun that there are people all around the world who are doing the project too! Be sure to check out Jessica Turner's blog for more Project Life Tuesday examples... and you can always click here to see our past Project Life/Week-in-photos posts.

February 22: It was almost nap time when the next-door neighbors started bringing in tree-removal equipment. What excitement! So instead of sleeping, Isaiah spent his time watching the loggers fall a few of the tall trees & remove them.

February 23:  Oooops... somehow in the chaos of moving we lost the keys to our own storage unit! In the years that we owned the mini-storage, Ross had to help many embarrassed customers with missing keys, but this episode had Ross blushing for days.

February 24: Isaiah started his first sport this week... Tae Kwon Do! We thought it would be a good activity for him because he'll learn to follow instruction, improve his balance & flexibility, & help him get a little extra energy out!!! =) 

February 25:  Ross has been meeting a few times a week with a couple of guys who are interested in finding out more about the Christian faith. They have gone through a 3-session study called LifeReady/Explore & they've been discussing questions like "Who is God?" "Is He trustworthy?" & "If Jesus is who He says He is, what does it mean to me?" We're praying that these guys will trust God for their salvation & that someday they would share their faith with others. 

February 26:  I love the special bond these two share. From the day Elijah was born Ross has been calling him "the little buddy" & they really are best-buddies.

February 27:  Isaiah & Grandpa enjoying something they both love: WaFfLeS!

February 28: The week started with a big excavator working next door & it ended with Isaiah having the opportunity to play right in the middle of a real job-site! Our friends are building a house out in the country & they invited our family out for a groundbreaking party. We had a fun hot-dog roast & Isaiah loved playing with the dirt & lumber.

February 2010 Prayer Letter

*In an attempt to "adapt-in-advance" to life overseas, the newest edition of our prayer letter is hitting the internet & e-mail before arriving in physical mailboxes.

**We also have some exciting news to report: near the end of this letter we mentioned that we still had a financial support need of $175 per month... well, about 3 minutes after getting the letters printed, we received a phone call from friends who said they would be taking care of that need!
Ross and Taya Prayer Letter // 2.24.2010

Harmony at Home Poster

Where is God?

Maybe instead of "Where is God?" the correct question is "Where are you?"

"God is in the slums, in the cardboard boxes where the poor play house. God is in the silence of a mother who has infected her child with a virus that will end both their lives. God is in the cries heard under the rubble of war. God is in the debris of wasted opportunity and lives, and God is with us if we are with them." ~Bono

Project Life Tuesday // February 15-21

February 15: Tonight we celebrated our first ever "Black-Likkel-Bowling-Bonanza -Five-Pin-Frenzy-Alley-Awesomeness" which is a long way of saying we took the kids 5-pin bowling in Canada. This was Isaiah's first time bowling and it was Ryan, Traci & the boys first time 5-pin bowling so we put the bumpers up & had lots of laughs to soften our looooooooow scores.

 February 16: Today we finally signed papers on the sale of our house. We've been praying that God would allow us to serve in Australia completely unhindered by anything that would hold us back here and this seems like a huge answer to that prayer.

February 17: The leaders of the AWANA program at Grace Baptist Fellowship in Lynden asked Ross if he would do an outreach event for parents in the community. He called the event Harmony@Home, which seems like something that millions of families are longing for. It ended up being a small group, but it was a great opportunity for Ross to challenge them to combat conflict & arguments at home by setting a tone of forgiveness & offering a blessing instead of an insult.

 February 18: Since we had been speaking at a church on Sunday and we had several other ministry opportunities throughout the week, we decided to celebrate Valentine's Day after most of our big events were behind us. We were given a free hotel room on Whidbey Island & our family took care of the boys so we were able to get away for 24 hours together. We walked on the beach, ate excellent clam chowder, slept in, & just enjoyed walking hand-in-hand. A perfect Valentine's Day.

February 19: "He's so tall!" That's the first thing people say when they see Isaiah. And it's true. Compared to other kids his age, he's in the 98th percentile for height! It's no wonder his pants are continually too short. =)

February 20: Tonight we got to watch a performance of "Aida" at Lynden Christian High School. It was so much fun to see my sister, Taryn, singing & dancing & loving her moment in the spotlight. She did a such a great job. We're really impressed by her dedication throughout the months of practicing & performing.

February 21: These little boys... are they not the cutest? We think so! They melt our hearts daily.

Thanks for visiting! Click here to view earlier Project Life posts, and be sure to come back each Tuesday for a weekly recap of our Project Life! Also, if you are doing Project Life (or something similar) be sure to let us know in the comments so we can follow along with you.

Hold on tight...

"sometimes just holding hands is holding everything..." -author unknown