Nancy’s Kitchen

Check out this link…  We have been blessed with so much family time here!

In these photos, you’ll see us on the playground at our hotel in Vladivostok.  Enjoy!!

Today I’m excited and having a litte apprehension- anticipation as I go to my first American Sign Language class at the local community college!!  I can’t wait to be able to sign with my deaf granddaughters!!

Addy uses assistive listening devices, so she is hearing and speaking but without them she is totally deaf! She is bi-lingual. Anna is still in Russia waiting for paperwork to be completed and for Steve & Jodi (our “kids”) to go find her and get God’s confirmation if she is to be their daughter, too.  She is also deaf.

I’ll blog more when I get the chance, but right now I’m on my way out the door to the bus to go to the Kazanluk Gypsies (Roma) where we will host a feast for 5,000 Gypsies!

Yesterday, we had three outreaches, beginning with a government orphanage, a small Gypsy community with a new church beginning, and ending with a huge party in Kazanluk. We found compassion and the soothing power of the Holy Spirit in the orphanage and healings galore in the little Gypsy community!  Deaf ears are hearing, dim eyes are seeing, painful legs and ankles are painfree, fist-sized abdominal lumps are gone, breast lumps are gone, and many many more wonderful illustrations of Jesus’ mercy and love.  People are finding Jesus’ love and forgiveness with tears and joy, many responded to invitations to train for pastors, apostles, teachers, missionaries… 

Much more to tell, but that’s all for now.  I must run!!

Love to you all.

Sean is out of town, so I watched the kids today while Amy worked.  After most of the day at their house, we went to our house so I could begin supper.  After watching a video and getting a snack, the kids wanted to play outdoors.  We have a nice area in transition for new landscaping and it has lots of nice, dry dirt! You guessed it!  The children had a wonderful time!  Here’s the “before cleaning up” photo!

I am noticing that taking offense from what others do is counter-productive to my peace.  This is not a new concept to me, as I recall a past mentor talking about this.  He said that we have time, even if only a split second, to choose how we will respond to people and situations.  He emphasized how important it is that we not lose or yield our peace when people and events don’t go our way.  I discovered that he was right!  However, as time goes by, I seem to forget what I’ve learned.

A few weeks ago, some friends commented that they had committed to not take on offenses.  They have many opportunities to take offense, but instead of picking them up, they turn the opportunities with prayer over to God.  This is very hard at times, easy at other times.  People have sensitive hearts that are easily wounded.  But picking up the Shield of Faith protects us from firey shrapnel spewed in our direction.  As we watch the offenses fall to the ground and fizzle out we can rejoice in God our Savior who is always with us.

Some offenses are much harder to get deal with than others.  Wounds from our childhood, wounds from last year, wounds from yesterday… these all hurt!!  But we still have the choice of whether or not we will take offense and harbor the wounds in our hearts.

I appreciate this wise advice:  “Let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” Also this:  “Be angry, yet do not sin.”

Anger today only reveals the wounds and offenses of the past.
May you choose wisely how you will respond.

Listen in as we chat in the car after our day at Busch Gardens.

Julia is telling about a picture she did in school. Andrew asks some good questions. Julia is 6, Andrew is 4.

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A few weeks ago, we took our grandson to visit friends in the country. Andrew is 4. He had such a good time seeing the animals and getting the ride the pony! Here’s his beaming face to prove it!!

Facing My Fears

I am having to face my fears.  Oh, you know me as Nancy, the Adventurer?  You didn’t know I had fears?  Well, let me tell you, I have fears!  “What are your fears?” you ask.  My current lesson on fears is focusing on preparing lesson plans and executing them.  Ahhh, “executing” my lesson plans!  Now that is what I would really like to do!  We do have a very nice fireplace here.

But alas!  That would not be achieving the goals of this lesson on fear.  I am learning not to avoid my fears, but to face them and to overcome them by trusting in the only One who can really get me through this successfully.  My Teacher is using my studies and real life experiences to teach me to lay my fears in His hands and to trust that He will not fail.

Interesting.  I have no fear that He will provide for my financial needs.  So why do I fear that He might not provide for my teaching needs?  Could it be that my sense of inadequacy, my past experiences is plaguing me?  Yes, of course.  I am to trust Him for every need, knowing that He is faithful and will not go against His character.  He will not hesitate to send me on another “trip around Mt. Sinai” to teach me His ways.  For this, too, I am thankful.

The Turkey Leg

We met the man at the gas station somewhere in Louisiana.  While I was in the shop for a few minutes, Richard struck up a conversation with him.  He was on a ministry trip, pulling a smoker, smoking, full of turkey legs.  Richard told him I was also on a ministry trip and what it was all about.  He finished and pulled out of the gas station.  He turned and drove back onto the property.  He stopped, addressed me (Richard was just coming out of the shop) and asked if he might bless us with a turkey leg.  Well, it would not be polite or good to refuse a blessing, so to not steal his blessing, I most gratefully received the turkey leg.  It was hot and ready to eat, and I was hungry!

Richard and I feasted on the turkey leg for lunch that day – mmmmm. ☺
God definitely received the Glory, as He once again reminded us that He is our Provider!

The Christmas Season brings all the old arguments as to whether there really was a Jesus. U.S. World and News Report this season has a cover story saying Jesus was a good teacher but not a savior. Each Christmas we face these affronts. SO WHAT! Why get excited or angry. It doesn’t change the truth or diminish what God has done. Smile…say Merry Christmas…you’re right!

I am saying these things to help me to remember; it is not what people say but what we know is truth. “I am the way, the TRUTH and the life.” We know the TRUTH. His name is Jesus.

As a Christmas letter from Nancy and me, I felt it necessary to get my own thinking straight first. Approaching 60 in January, things look different than they did at 40 or 50. In the last two years Nancy has traveled 10’s of thousands of miles to tell others of what she knows…the TRUTH.
In May, Nancy left for two weeks of ministry to the Gypsies again. Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey were the countries she visited. She was back to see friends she had made the year before. But this year’s trip was different. She went to pray for and touch the people this year. The excitement of a mission trip was replaced with the heart of Jesus for the Gypsies.

September found us in the air for 18 hours as we flew to Johannesburg, South Africa. For two weeks we worked with a mission that served the poor of the poor. Nancy served AIDS patients as they died. We worked with children who were orphaned by AIDS. I installed water pipe, a kitchen sink and cabinets. We collected and distributed food, preached, sang, set up chess tournaments, served food, washed dishes and were happy to sit at night with a cappuccino, visiting with our hosts.

The Ivy boys are still being boys. Steve got a new job with GoDaddy.com in Scottsdale Arizona. Jodi went back to work part-time with ISEC, a high-end construction materials supplier. It is a great situation, she leaves after Adelina leaves for school and gets home before the bus arrives in the afternoon.

NOW… a good story. I got to play with Adelina twice this year! As you may know she is deaf. Last January she received a cochlear implant. Now she is speaking!!! We had a ball. Steve told her to stop speaking with her mouth full while we were there. She was obedient but immediately continued in sign language…very smart girl!

My other love is Julia, is Sean’s oldest. This jewel has stolen my heart. We have had a few dates, McDonalds and Chucky Cheese. We talk on the phone and sit close during Veggie Tale movies. The only difficulty with this relationship is Andrew and Jesse. Like good little brothers they watch over their sister to be sure Grandpa doesn’t overdo his time with her. These boys are BOYS! Growling noises, guns, Spiderman, the works. They are GREAT! (No prejudice here!)

Oh…Sean and Amy live with my grandchildren and they are doing fine. ☺ Amy is Educational Director at the Sylvan Learning Center, and Sean is assistant-assistant manager at a Games store in addition to his normal fare of 3-D animation, creation, and architectural rendering free-lance projects! They’re doing a great job of juggling schedules so the kids can stay home and not go to day care!

Bob and Suzy are in Fairfax, Virginia. They were in Zambia this summer preparing a video CD for a ministry there. Bob had the good fortune to fly in an ultra-light over Victoria Falls. Bob celebrated his 30th birthday this summer and invited me to the party…at 13,000 feet! He led a contingent of three on a tandem parachute jump. I WANT TO DO IT AGAIN!!! It was great…thanks Bob. (Oh…Nancy was in Romania so she couldn’t say no.)

These few things let you know we are alive but the events that took place this year cannot be covered in this short letter. Our lives have been full with family, missions, church, work, and volunteer activities. Nancy made dresses for the orphans we visited, has been involved in the church worship team and trying to keep Richard out of trouble. Richard has been writing for a small newspaper in Massachusetts called “The Parents Pages”.

In summary we have tried to live closer to what is in our hearts, walk out what we profess to believe, fight the daily problems, grow closer together and seek God to understand what we cannot on our own know. This year we are going to Bob and Suzy’s for Christmas. We have no tree and no window decorations or lights. Nancy did put out the Crèche, the one we have had for 35 years thanks to my mom, the “Reason for the Season”. May you be blessed this Christmas, may you enjoy your families and may you clearly understand the Truth of Christmas.

The pdf version with photos is here:  The Ivy’s Christmas Letter 2007.