Fall 2012
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| us at the pumpkin patch in Grand Forks |
Crawford Christmas 2012
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| just us for Christmas this year... part-a |
~Crazy Crawfords~ Having faith often means doing what others see as crazy. Embracing Crazy...
Friday, February 08, 2013
Happy Birthdays!
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| Hannah turned 12 in October (she and Ruth are on the right) |
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| Isaiah is One year old!! |
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| Superman is 8! |
How long an MK?
It's been two years since we've lived overseas as Missionary Associates in Armenia. After having lived in a foreign country for two years, our kids have now been back in the states two years. We are settled in pretty good. They are in their second year of school. All four of them have great grades and have made friends. We're involved in church. Sometimes we are just Americans. Nice. But other times they are still MKs. For better or for worse.
Our kids have had experiences that other kids here just are not exposed to. They spent time each week at a special needs orphanage. They put on a puppet show there in the Armenian language. They did ministry with balloon animals, play doh, face painting, etc. They went to dance and basketball in a different culture, with teachers who spoke only Armenian. (Besides the word "stOp" in dance class!!) Our neighborhood was comfortable and we knew others who spoke English but at any given time we could have someone come up and not understand what they were saying. All of the kids spent time in Turkey, growing with other MKs. Doing new things. Seeing new things. Understanding in ways that kids in the states just don't get the opportunity to do. I'm so proud of them and glad that God had that as part of His plan for us and for them. Who knows how He will continue to use that in the future!?
But one of the downsides of our years away was that we also missed stuff here. Our girls missed out on awards at dance this year that were given to the kids who had spent 5 years in dance. Well, they have danced for five years, just some of that time was not in this country... Hannah also missed out on being an Honor Star at church. I didn't realize it as the year went on but when two of her friends were crowned, she shared her disappointment with me. You need to spend 3 years in the Stars program and we were only states side for one and a half of those years. Missed it. There I sat with my arm around her thinking that I wasn't expecting to have MK issues still. Now her little sister is working toward her Honor Star goal and we are remembering again how she just missed it.
Benjamin played baseball last summer, too, after not even having a bat to swing those two years. He almost just said forget it, even though he loved baseball. He felt way behind. But in the end he decided to try and did well. He'll be playing again this summer, I'm sure. Elijah might give it a go this year, too. He didn't get to do t-ball or anything so he hasn't been sad about what he missed out on... he doesn't know! Heh.
We get settled back into life here but our kids will kind of be MKs forever, I guess. Good or bad. God has a plan for them and their tender hearts. They missed stuff here that they just can't go back to redo but they also did tons of stuff overseas that I wouldn't want them to miss out on either. All their experiences will be worked out for good. And Armenia will forever be engrained in our hearts. I like that part... :)
Our kids have had experiences that other kids here just are not exposed to. They spent time each week at a special needs orphanage. They put on a puppet show there in the Armenian language. They did ministry with balloon animals, play doh, face painting, etc. They went to dance and basketball in a different culture, with teachers who spoke only Armenian. (Besides the word "stOp" in dance class!!) Our neighborhood was comfortable and we knew others who spoke English but at any given time we could have someone come up and not understand what they were saying. All of the kids spent time in Turkey, growing with other MKs. Doing new things. Seeing new things. Understanding in ways that kids in the states just don't get the opportunity to do. I'm so proud of them and glad that God had that as part of His plan for us and for them. Who knows how He will continue to use that in the future!?
But one of the downsides of our years away was that we also missed stuff here. Our girls missed out on awards at dance this year that were given to the kids who had spent 5 years in dance. Well, they have danced for five years, just some of that time was not in this country... Hannah also missed out on being an Honor Star at church. I didn't realize it as the year went on but when two of her friends were crowned, she shared her disappointment with me. You need to spend 3 years in the Stars program and we were only states side for one and a half of those years. Missed it. There I sat with my arm around her thinking that I wasn't expecting to have MK issues still. Now her little sister is working toward her Honor Star goal and we are remembering again how she just missed it. Benjamin played baseball last summer, too, after not even having a bat to swing those two years. He almost just said forget it, even though he loved baseball. He felt way behind. But in the end he decided to try and did well. He'll be playing again this summer, I'm sure. Elijah might give it a go this year, too. He didn't get to do t-ball or anything so he hasn't been sad about what he missed out on... he doesn't know! Heh.
Immediately...
This verse was saved as a draft a while back and I remember thinking it was important. I will read it again and share with you how it speaks to me now, several months after the last impression.
Matthew 14
Check out the three "immediatelies" in Matthew 14 and the story of Jesus walking on the water. The first one comes right after Jesus feeds the 5,000 with five loaves of bread and two fish. (v. 22) "Immediately" he makes the disciples get in the boat and go to the other side of the lake while he dismisses the crowd. I wonder if they wanted to stick around. Maybe to help clean up? Or to protect Jesus? Or to see how he'd send the people away after such a great miracle? Would the people go? Did he need help? (yeah... um... 5 loaves and 2 fish...) If I was at a conference as a leader, I know I'd be hesitent to leave immediately after supper... There's still stuff to do, right? But it appears that they obey and get in the boat and go.
The second "immediately" happens a little bit later. (v. 27) Jesus has dismissed everyone and has had some good alone time that evening praying on the mountain when there's a storm, or at least a great wind, and the disciples out on the lake are being tossed around. Now it's the fourth watch of the night. That means it's the last "watch" in the night which falls around 3-6AM. I don't know about you but after spending many nights up with our babies, I can tell you that those hours are the longest, most exhausting hours to be up! The disciples look out across the lake are "terrified" because they think they see a ghost. It's Jesus. And guess what he does? "Immediately" he says to them, as they are crying out in fear, "Take courage. It is I. Don't be afraid." He comforts them.
Alright. This is the one that kinda got me to think. Immediately. They are out on the boat. Jesus sent them out alone. He's not there. The waves come. They are afraid. Terrified. Where on earth is JESUS? He should be here now. When, immediately, there he is. But they wanted him there just a few minutes earlier, right? Like, before the waves got huge. Before they were tossed around. Before they were terrified. That's when they wanted to have Jesus with them. But when was he there? Immediately. Right when they needed him. There he was. He knew when the time was right to be there. And when he shows up, what do they do? Cry out in FEAR! Heh. So like us. They doubt if it's him. "Is it you?" He already said it was. So of course Peter asks to come walk out on the water with him. (Love his courage.) Yup, there he goes... walking on water, too. What does he do half way out? Looks around and starts to sink. Peter. He's afraid again and cries out, "Lord, save me!"
Here's our third "immediately"... (v. 31) "Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him." The he says to Peter, "You of little faith... Why did you doubt?" Hold up. The guy just walked out on the WATER. To Jesus. Give him a little credit, right? Heh. But he did look around and sink, too. Big faith. Big doubt. Isn't that just like us, too... Uff.
I can be all 100% full of faith. Ready to do anything for the Lord. "Use me!" "I'm ready!" "Yes, Lord!" For me, "Send the orphans to us!" And then I have to wait. And I don't see Jesus working out the big stuff I thought we were going to do together. Where is he? Or I start going and then things come into the picture that weren't part of the plan. They seem too big to overcome and I wonder if this will really work? Has he still got me? Is this still the thing? But just then (and not before) he shows up. Immediately. If he had shown up earlier, I would have just thought, "oh good... clear sailing!" instead of "Wow... only God could do that!"
As soon as Peter and Jesus get in the boat the wind dies down and the other disciples worship Jesus and say, "Truly you are the Son of God!"
Sometimes what we go through, or the times we just wait and stay faithful to Jesus, are all part of the set up for us and others to observe. Then when he comes, in his own "immediately" timing, we see and worship and know that He is God. I'm looking forward to seeing him show up in the middle of our faith. 'Cause when he does, it's gonna be big. And we are going to worship. Immediately.
Matthew 14
Check out the three "immediatelies" in Matthew 14 and the story of Jesus walking on the water. The first one comes right after Jesus feeds the 5,000 with five loaves of bread and two fish. (v. 22) "Immediately" he makes the disciples get in the boat and go to the other side of the lake while he dismisses the crowd. I wonder if they wanted to stick around. Maybe to help clean up? Or to protect Jesus? Or to see how he'd send the people away after such a great miracle? Would the people go? Did he need help? (yeah... um... 5 loaves and 2 fish...) If I was at a conference as a leader, I know I'd be hesitent to leave immediately after supper... There's still stuff to do, right? But it appears that they obey and get in the boat and go.
The second "immediately" happens a little bit later. (v. 27) Jesus has dismissed everyone and has had some good alone time that evening praying on the mountain when there's a storm, or at least a great wind, and the disciples out on the lake are being tossed around. Now it's the fourth watch of the night. That means it's the last "watch" in the night which falls around 3-6AM. I don't know about you but after spending many nights up with our babies, I can tell you that those hours are the longest, most exhausting hours to be up! The disciples look out across the lake are "terrified" because they think they see a ghost. It's Jesus. And guess what he does? "Immediately" he says to them, as they are crying out in fear, "Take courage. It is I. Don't be afraid." He comforts them.
Alright. This is the one that kinda got me to think. Immediately. They are out on the boat. Jesus sent them out alone. He's not there. The waves come. They are afraid. Terrified. Where on earth is JESUS? He should be here now. When, immediately, there he is. But they wanted him there just a few minutes earlier, right? Like, before the waves got huge. Before they were tossed around. Before they were terrified. That's when they wanted to have Jesus with them. But when was he there? Immediately. Right when they needed him. There he was. He knew when the time was right to be there. And when he shows up, what do they do? Cry out in FEAR! Heh. So like us. They doubt if it's him. "Is it you?" He already said it was. So of course Peter asks to come walk out on the water with him. (Love his courage.) Yup, there he goes... walking on water, too. What does he do half way out? Looks around and starts to sink. Peter. He's afraid again and cries out, "Lord, save me!"
Here's our third "immediately"... (v. 31) "Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him." The he says to Peter, "You of little faith... Why did you doubt?" Hold up. The guy just walked out on the WATER. To Jesus. Give him a little credit, right? Heh. But he did look around and sink, too. Big faith. Big doubt. Isn't that just like us, too... Uff.
I can be all 100% full of faith. Ready to do anything for the Lord. "Use me!" "I'm ready!" "Yes, Lord!" For me, "Send the orphans to us!" And then I have to wait. And I don't see Jesus working out the big stuff I thought we were going to do together. Where is he? Or I start going and then things come into the picture that weren't part of the plan. They seem too big to overcome and I wonder if this will really work? Has he still got me? Is this still the thing? But just then (and not before) he shows up. Immediately. If he had shown up earlier, I would have just thought, "oh good... clear sailing!" instead of "Wow... only God could do that!"
As soon as Peter and Jesus get in the boat the wind dies down and the other disciples worship Jesus and say, "Truly you are the Son of God!"
Sometimes what we go through, or the times we just wait and stay faithful to Jesus, are all part of the set up for us and others to observe. Then when he comes, in his own "immediately" timing, we see and worship and know that He is God. I'm looking forward to seeing him show up in the middle of our faith. 'Cause when he does, it's gonna be big. And we are going to worship. Immediately.
too busy with life
Okay! I haven't written on here for. ever. I guess I've been too busy with life! Ha. I have, instead, written a few blogs in my head, mostly while showering because that is my quiet place! :) When we were overseas there was a lot that was new and I knew there were several of you here in the states wondering what life was like over there! Now we're back and stateside and our lives are pretty similar to most of yours again! School, work, baby, church... So maybe I'm not pushing myself to keep up with this thing here! However, I will try to post a time or two each month instead of every 6 months! :) If you happen to be one who is still reading this... Nice to see you again! And thanks for caring about what's new in the land of the Crawfords!!
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