Family Visits

We were so blessed to have both sets of parents visit us after Maya was born. This also meant, because of the timing, that we had family here for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Ellie's birthday! It was really special for us to celebrate all of these holidays with family, because these can often be the most difficult times to live overseas, when we have to be alone for a holiday. It was also neat to show our parents our new neighborhood and what our life is like, now that we have relocated outside of the city. They have a better sense of our everyday life and ministry now.

Here are some photo highlights from Nate's parents' visit ("Oma & Opa"):

Playdoh with Oma!

Visiting the Christmas markets, sometimes one need a break from all the walking

Baby snuggles

Oma and her girls

Baking Christmas Cookies

Raclette dinner with the Kosse family, here on a Vision Trip and now joining our team

Thanksgiving Dinner

Nate, Oma & Ellie hiking through vineyards

Here are some pictures from our time with Bethany's parents ("Grammy & Grampy"):

Grampy sitting by the presents and our "fireplace"

Playing Candyland

Walking to Schönbrunn Palace, with Ellie's doll in her baby carrier

At the mall

Our day trip to Bratislava

At a Slovakian restaurant

The view from the Bratislava Castle

At the playground

Maya's baby dedication at church

Dedicating Maya

Ellie's third birthday

Photo Blog: Our 2011 Holidays

Every year, the holiday season seems to fly by so quickly! It is amazing to me to think that it is already 2012. We've been raising support for Austria for almost 1 year already, I quit my full-time job nearly 1 year ago, and THIS YEAR will likely be the year we depart for the mission field. Wow! 2012 will be an important and special year.

But before I completely leave 2011 behind, here are some photos highlights from our 2011 Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Thanksgiving in Connecticut

The kids work on making a turkey...made out of fruit and vegetables! So cute.

Kylie and Meg

Posing in front of the Statue of Liberty during our trip downtown.

"Big Nate" and "Little Nate" riding the ferry

Getting ready to ride the train.

Aunt Bethany, hanging out with the girls on the train

Our gift to Erik & Amy this year was a family photo shoot. Here is one of the best shots!

Christmas in Minnesota

Nate went ice climbing with his two brothers one day.

A group photo of us, visiting "A Day in the Life of an Elf" at the downtown Macy's.

Playing games at Aunt Diane's house.

Dad and Neil are excited about the ornaments they received in the ornament exchange!

Grandma, with all of her grandkids and great-grandkids.

A Post-Thanksgiving Meditation

Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,for his steadfast love endures forever!

Psalm 107:1

Last weekend was Thanksgiving, which in some ways feels like a 2nd class holiday in American culture.  All over twitter, I have seen people refer to it as “Black Friday Eve.” And usually we are all to quick to move beyond thankfulness and into consumption, shifting the focus back to us.

This year I wanted my thanksgiving to be a bit different. I intentionally meditated on Psalm 107, especially the first phrase: “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is Good, His steadfast love endures forever.”  We know that we need to be thankful.  Objectively, even non-Christians would say that thankfulness is important.  So it isn't just that we should be thankful, or even that we should be thankful to God just because He is God.  The psalmist gives a clear call to worship not just to be thankful, but why we should be thankful.

We should be thankful for God’s goodness.  This is His moral excellence.  Every choice He makes, every gift He gives, everything He does is completely correct and is set up for our good and His glory.  This is a hard thought in today's world. There are so many things that aren't good. Yet in a world of "not goodness", God is the only one that is truly good. We can trust His leading and His word. Furthermore, his “steadfast love” endures forever.  There will never be a time in which God’s steadfast love runs dry.  This is His covenant-keeping love. His love is unshakable.

So this Thanksgiving I sought to give thanks to God. Not just because He is worthy, but because He is good and His love endures forever.

What part of God's character are you most thankful for?

A Special Thanksgiving

We have something very special to be thankful for this year... 

Just yesterday, we reached the halfway mark in our monthly support! 

We are now at 51% of our monthly financial support!

We have so much to be thankful for, even beyond this special milestone. We're thankful for our wonderful family whom we get to celebrate with, the generosity and support of friends and family as we journey to Austria, and above all else, a God who has graciously saved us and given us an eternal hope.

"Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD;
   let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving
   and extol him with music and song.

 For the LORD is the great God,
   the great King above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth,
   and the mountain peaks belong to him.
The sea is his, for he made it,
   and his hands formed the dry land.
 Come, let us bow down in worship,
   let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;
for he is our God
   and we are the people of his pasture,
   the flock under his care."

Psalm 95:1 - 7

Thankfulness and Other Things

Today is Thanksgiving and we had the traditional meal with the family.  We ate turkey (and my fav stuffing), we watched football, we looked at Black Friday specials in the paper, and we watched grand kids dance or walk around in the center of the circle - all the important thing.  It was a special time! (I have included some pictures after the jump)


One thing I heard, that is something you really only hear around this time of year - Happy Thanksgiving!  It is a great encouragement to enjoy being thankful!  


I don't think I spend enough time being thankful, so with that in mind here are 5 things I am thankful for based on today's adventures...