The many faces of the Henry kids

We slipped away last month to a quiet little island to the south of us.  As you can see, the kids had a blast.

picture dump of some sights and special times in the past two months.

I am going to unload a bunch of pictures on here today. I hope you all will enjoy the sights!  Please keep us in prayer!!!

 The first couple weeks here we did some exploring of different areas.  Pictured above is one particular small road we traveled down with rubber trees lining mile after mile that we drove.  It seems that anywhere there's land, there are rubber trees!

 Pictured above is Calvin with a Thai man sliding down a rock in the waterfall. This particular family really enjoyed chatting with us and encouraging the kids to enjoy the full benefits of the waterfalls!

 PJ crossing a bridge.

 Every Wednesday afternoon we travel about an hour to study the Bible and then share a meal together afterwards with a sweet family that we met through the church here.  They have two small children, pictured below collecting shells near their home.  Every week it is so encouraging to see their eagerness to grow in grace and to know Christ more.  We are thankful and amazed by how the Lord has opened this door for us to encourage believers in this province.  

 Adele enjoying fresh coconut milk at their house.

 This is a small fishing pier for the ChaawLei (fishermen) people in the area.

 A beach near their home where the kids enjoyed collecting seashells.

On January 31st, we celebrated Calvin's 9th birthday!

Adele at the beach at Haad Yaaw

 PJ crossing another footbridge (actually motorcycles use it too!) near another waterfall we visited.

 Our little friends, Hero and Minnie, collecting shells.

 Last week Paul and the boys went out fishing with the guy below.  They caught two really nice King Mackerel, which we have enjoyed!

The happy crew!

We are finding the southern Thai people to be just as hospitable and kind as the central Thai people.  We have been welcomed and we are so very thankful for how the Lord is leading and guiding us.  We, of course, still need loads of wisdom and understanding, so please continue to pray for us as we pray and learn.

Three weeks

*I wrote this last week.  This week has gone much better with the exception of yesterday when I burnt an entire pot of spaghetti sauce on the stove.  =(  But, I am thankful that even in that, God showed up.
Checking into the blog after a whirlwind of a couple months.  Friends visiting from the States on a vision trip, Thanksgiving, major exam for Paul, Christmas, New Years, packing, cleaning, culling and moving and then unpacking, cleaning, trying to meet new people and learn our new city and province is mostly what we've been doing. We've been in our new home for three weeks now.  It seems like it's been so much longer as we have been busy getting to know our area as well as people in our area.  We are thankful for the many, many answers to prayer, very tangible answers to prayer, and all of that has confirmed our move and encouraged our hearts so much.  I started the kids back to "school" on Monday.  So, as all things with school go, it has been a rough week.  I don't always enjoy home schooling.  There, I said it.  But, at the same time the thought of sending them off somewhere just gives me the heebie-jeebies and we don't really have an option anyway.  So, we started our 2015 school year.  I knew I had to kind of take it slow this week and so we have but my temper has flared, I've questioned my ability (again and again) if I can really do this, all of this.  And, I'll admit, I've worried about it all.  Sometimes it's easy to think that all of this would be so much easier Stateside.  There's the public library, oodles of resources available at my fingertips, less stress in figuring things out, but if I am really honest, the grass wasn't any greener there.  I struggled just the same.  I don't think that really encourages me because then I have to face the fact, that it's me. I'm the problem, and so are my sinful children.  All of us, really.  We all contribute to the lack of harmony because we are broken and needy people in need of Christ's grace.  With all the flurry of activity and moving (and we all know the stresses that come with that) I have forgotten the gospel.  I have forgotten that I am forgiven. So, in an effort to remember we are trying to be more diligent.  We are working at daily memorizing the book of Philippians (a task we started on two years ago but it got left behind until now).  We are praying in the mornings over breakfast.   I saw something a few months back on Pinterest or FaceBook that I tucked away in some corner of my mind for after our move.  What I saw was an idea to write down names of people to pray for on popsicle sticks, put those sticks in a jar and each person pulls one stick out each morning at breakfast and we pray for those we love, near and far.  We've done it for three days now and I think everyone loves it!  It gives us a chance to talk about our loved ones, those in the US, Canada, Kenya, Thailand and even unmentionable countries and we get to pray.  We get to pray together for the precious people in our lives.  Some of them the kids have only met once and only have a vague recollection (or none at all!) and some are family and friends that we know really, really well.  We also broke out the guitar and started some singing.
Why is it so hard to remember the gospel?  Why is it so hard to remember that I am messed up, horribly beyond what God intended, and I need HIM, every hour! Every moment!  My prayer this week is that I would hunger and thirst for His righteousness and for the ability to die to myself.
I am so thankful for friends who point me to Him. I am thankful that though I feel alone here in our new city that I am truly not alone.  Christ is with me, with us, and He is faithful.  I can rest in His promises and I am praying for the Lord to help me rest, to truly rest, in Him.  Because most days I'm running around like a chicken with her head cut off, barking orders and snapping responses and ordering children around with very little that resembles Christ's gentleness and love.  And then, I get frustrated that I have misbehaved so horribly and so the horrible guilt and despair set in all over again.  So many people have said how they admire us and they couldn't do what we're doing and things like that but honestly, we are just weak vessels trying to be obedient to Christ to share the hope we have in Him.  We're not superstars. I am NOT a supermom, I am not a super home school mom, I am not a super missionary mom.  I'm just a mom, like some of you, trying to live humbly and obediently before my Savior, He has just asked me to do it in another continent.  I know that certainly there are unique challenges to that, but like I said earlier, I am just as needy and weak in the States.  I am glad we were home for 4 and a half years because the Lord showed me my need of Him all the more. So, the few of you who read this little blog and love me, please pray for me to rest in our Savior.  Pray that I would remember the gospel in my everyday moments.  Pray for the Spirit to have the freedom to move among us and that I wouldn't hinder His work by my stubborn and rebellious heart. And, perhaps mostly, pray that when I am stubborn and rebellious that He would melt my heart, show me my sin and bring me to repentance.  I am thankful and hopeful for all He has done and is doing and will do.  May Christ's name be praised!

boasting in weakness and consciously embracing suffering

This week I didn't want to be thankful.  I struggled to get outside of myself and serve and love others like Jesus.  By Wednesday, however, I was determined, by God's grace and help from my husband, to get out of the house and be concerned about others.  So, I loaded up our children and I drove to our friends' house.  The friends who are all crammed into a 5 room apartment and their total number is equal to 28 living there.  Our friends are seeking asylum from persecution and have no rights whatsoever here and are in the worst kind of limbo.  Our friends whose needs are so many and overwhelming that at times we are at a loss as to how to help, other than to go and talk and play and pray and be present.  I have to admit that sometimes I don't want to go. Sometimes it's just all a little too uncomfortable...not having any answers and not having a magic wand to whisk them off to a better land where there is freedom and ability to work and make money, legally.  But, I know...I know in the deepest depths of my soul that we are connected because of the blood that dripped down from the body of Christ on the cross and we alike, confess our need for Him and our utter dependence on Him and the words, "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers," (Gal. 6:10) bounce around in my head...and also Proverbs 3:27-28, "Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.  Do not say to your neighbor, "Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow"- when you now have it with you."  I know these truths...and these are my brothers and sisters and we try to live in light of these verses.  We show up there and we are given hugs and smiles a mile wide because it's been a few weeks since we've been over to visit and we're seated and given tea and even given a meal from these precious ones, who themselves, do not withhold anything from us!  I asked how they were doing and asking if their needs are being met...they share that they were given a water purifying system...a huge blessing as even getting clean water here is not free...and when you have 28 people drinking water, that adds up....quickly.  We rejoice at God's provision.  I marvel at how they keep going...keep trusting, keep persevering...because of Jesus.  One sister comes to see me, she's in a lot of pain.  She needs medical care.  She's been to a clinic but they only gave her pain killers.  And, I'm wondering, "what is wrong with her?" and "is she going to be okay?"  And, kicking myself for the umpteenth time that I didn't go to nursing school!!!  We pray...we cry together and we call out to our Jesus...the One who saves, the One who is faithful, the One who can bring healing, the One who can give wisdom...and then we rest in Him.
We are moving in a little over a month.  We are moving 12 hours away (by car).  We worry about our friends.  Who will help them?  Our Thai church is doing what they can, but there is only so much...they are not even fully supporting themselves yet.  We would greatly appreciate your prayers for this family.  I have contacted an organization who work with those in this kind of situation but have yet to hear back from them.  Please pray that someone will be able to provide physical answers to their needs.  We are trusting our Lord to provide for them, He has kept them thus far and we know His love for them is far greater than our love for them but we do ask for you to pray.
So, we left there, feeling burdened but thankful that we went. We are family now...their needs are no longer out there on a computer screen or in a flyer somewhere, they're very near to our hearts.  Sometimes all is needed is someone to listen and hold your hand and say, "we're here."  Pray that we can be faithful friends in the face of uncertainty and hardship.  

The posts I've never published

I realize that I've only published a few posts for the 2014 year.  I have many more written but I never hit the publish button. Why? Because they were hard posts.  They are humbling posts, they are self-serving and self-centered and self-pitying posts.  So, I never hit the publish button.  When writing a blog there is a very fine line between sharing real life and yet not sharing in such a way that makes others feel guilty or feel pity for the one writing.  I find this line hard to navigate sometimes and so that is the reason I often go a while before publishing a post.  I don't mind sharing about my kids, but again, they're growing and I am realizing that my writing about them (positive or negative) is something they are going to read/see one day.  So, it makes me wary to just write away and post away about things concerning our little family and our little world.  I just wanted to share this, for those of you (and there are very few!) who check here faithfully.  I am struggling to know the best way to share our life but not invade the privacy of my kids and not pity myself. Sometimes life here in hard.  I don't say that to get your pity, I say it because it's true.  And, I want to protect you (usually my family) from that reality.  Can I just briefly share that when you don't hear from me or other missionaries or people in your life...it's probably because they are in one of those hard times, one of those difficult times and in the silence is probably when they need your prayers the most.  At least, that is the way it is for me.  Thank you for your prayers, thank you for listening, thank you for loving us enough to care.  There is no way we could be here without the Lord's saints praying. =)

Butterfly Season

I really try not to be the mom who gushes about her kids all the time, BUT I just really have to share PJ's recent observation. The kid amazes me with his quick eyes and how he quickly pieces things together (he gets that from his Daddy).  He came running into the house a few days ago really excited because there were a plethora of butterflies flying around in the garden near our home.  He said to me, "Mommy, I think it's butterfly hatching time because I haven't seen any butterflies and now they're everywhere!"
Any nets that we had were left or discarded (because they were no longer of any benefit!) in the garbage bins before we left America (almost a year ago!).  So, my resourceful boy got a stick, and tied a plastic grocery bag to it to serve as his net (again a trait he gets from Daddy).  And there he has been...all week long going out in the mornings, afternoons and evenings chasing butterflies.  And I admit, they are beauties!  We are lacking a few resources such as a guide book for Butterflies of Thailand but of course, Christmas is coming and what a nice gift that would make for him!  But, all in all, we are glad we did pack the butterfly "house" that his Nanny and Pappy gave him a couple years ago for his birthday.  He is actively using it to house his butterflies.  He is faithfully feeding them and his ultimate goal is to display them in shadow boxes with labels once they've ceased living. He has bemoaned one small but important fact...and that is that his best friend, Joseph, isn't here to catch butterflies with him.  We're thankful for technology though and that we can send pictures and even Skype and show live creatures to friends and family on the other side of the planet!  So, just wanted to thank God for my boy...he's growing up so quickly but he still marvels at the beauty of God's creation...I hope he never loses that wonder and awe at the work of our Creator God.

"God created...every winged bird according to its kind." (Gen.1:21)

Calvin, Adele and I have been studying the Apologia Winged Creatures of the Fifth Day book this year for Science. We are really enjoying this opportunity to learn more about the birds of Thailand...and there are many and they are varied and beautiful!  Years ago Grampy Henry bought us a beautiful field guide for the birds of Thailand and so we've been putting it to good use here.  It is quite a challenge for me to be a bird watcher in this nation.  Thais don't have bird feeders (that I've noticed) and so it's been challenging to know how to go about attracting birds to our yard (especially when we don't have one!!!).    PJ is studying plant life right now as well.  So, I decided we would make an effort to go to the beautiful King's Park (สวนหลวงร.๙) which is very near to where we live.  This park is huge with loads of green space, a great place to go looking for birds. So, last Friday morning we got up early, loaded the car, got "fast food" from the fried chicken and sticky rice lady at the end of the soi for breakfast and headed over to the park.  We were there by 8 a.m.  And, we immediately spotted some birds.  

 The keenest eyes, so far, in our family aside from Daddy, is PJ.  He immediately spotted this bird on the rock.

 We watched the bird from this bridge.  They're just so cute, I had to share!

 I took way too many pictures of this lovely.  Part of the fun in bird watching is looking up the bird in the field guide and correctly identifying it.  This, too, becomes difficult when living in another country!  But, PJ persevered and found this bird, a Juvenile White Stork, in our bird book.  Success!  

 We also spotted this egret (of some sort) and unbeknownst to me I also caught the Monitor Lizard swimming by in the shot!  PJ loves watching Monitors...and this was one of two or three that we saw that morning!

 I would not be a very good teacher without this kid...love his mind and ability to remember little details!  Here he is explaining to me why the stork is a juvenile.

 Above,we saw this beautiful flower (Juanulla mexicana) on our way into the botanical house. And below, this hybrid (Vriesea)...I told the kids it looks like something Adele would draw with the pink and purple on the leaves! It is so very beautiful! Many of the plants in this house were familiar to us as Florida has many of the same or similar type plants growing.  We are continually amazed at the beauty of the Lord's creation.  We are looking forward to our move further south as we get to explore even more of the diversity of birds and wildlife the Lord has created.

Thanks for visiting and check back in soon, I am hoping to be a better blogger!!!