Thursday, December 24, 2009

In 3 Vibes from our Home to Yours -- Merry Christmas!!

(The first bit of scenery on this video is nice and then around minute 4 of this video is a pictorial view of Ethiopian children and art telling the Christmas Story...)



Its a festival of nations every day here at the Tucker's!! Merry Christmas everyone! We are sharing a flavor of how we will be celebrating our savior, Jesus' birth this Christmas--how incredible He has completely included each one of us in His gift of salvation! Blessed Christmas to you all.

Ava and Bruik's gift to you from their ancient Ethiopian culture--who have known God's presence and message for thousands of years--such a rich Christian heritage...




This song reminds Richard and I of our families and growing up in the Washington D.C. area with all of its fabulous musical experiences...




And a vibe we have always loved that now beats stronger in our home :)...sweet Nicole C. Mullens met our new children the other day and blessed them with a dose of affection and love...We love you, Nicole!...



And...shhhh don't tell our Papa Daddy Griffith but here's a song the kids are going to perform--with Ashley doing the solo :) this afternoon after we do our annual Christmas dress-ups play and Tucker talent night--hopefully I can share that with you all later--its sure to be cute ;)--very "Cosby-eske"

Blessed Christmas, everyone--a saviour has come--CELEBRATION TIME !! :)

Love to you!
Love, Gillian

Sunday, December 20, 2009

A Precious Christmas Gift

Just on Friday we experienced Christmas. One of our children sinned in a "big" and "obvious" way--one of those doosiers that is such an obvious oppurtunity for God's grace and forgiveness. As we talked, confession and Godly sorrow quickly fell on this child. As I hugged this child and we prayed for forgiveness God prompted my heart to remind that forgiveness is like pressing "delete" on the computer. God wipes away our sin so completely away in the moment of our confession. This resonated really well with this repentant heart. Later in the day we realised just how much. A couple of us were sitting in the car waiting for a while to meet up with someone and we were looking through a newspaper from this week to fill up a little time. We had already exhaused the name game and "I Spy with my little eye"...you know...the things we moms do to keep the ball rolling...;) Flipping through the newspaper, we came to the sports section and of course Tiger Woods story was front and center. When I shared a boiled -down and generic version of the tale of the past weeks my repentant one from earlier in the day said with MUCH emphasis. "WELL! SOMEBODY should tell him!" Tell him WHAT, hon? "YOU KNOW! About the delete button! He has to know about God's forgiveness so He can be forgiven and have a fresh start." And then...this child...looks me straight in the eye and asks, "Mom, who's going to TELL him?" Uhhhh...I gave a rather weak answer--pretty lame actually about how Tiger Woods was pretty hard to access and some other stuff...this was not good enough for my one who had been forgiven much. "NO, Mom! SOMEBODY has to tell him or he's going to be stuck in sin!! Who's going to tell him?" If you know Tiger--we have someone here who needs to TELL him something. Until then we will most likely be figuring out how to get an email to him and most importantly praying for this child of God who can access God's love and delete button forgiveness like any other man on the Earth. "Peace on Earth...Good Will to you..For unto YOU a Savior has come", little child,Tiger Woods, Mommy, Daddy, Friend, any man, any woman...

Friend, for this Jesus came to Earth--Our forgiveness. He gave up so much. the Bible says he HUMBLED Himself to pour all His deity into the form of a little baby. Access to instant foregiveness--freedom to turn from our sin --and its power broken off of us--forever. Get back sin. ANY sin. In the name of Jesus. Go away shame. ANY shame. In the name of Jesus.

Oh, Blessed Christmas. He has come to bring peace to our hearts. To make us white as snow before a Holy God. Really. Even that sin that you keep hidden away from sight--oh, what if they knew about THAT one? Yes, that one as well--washed away with the blood of the baby from Bethlehem. The one who loved you so much that He could not stand to be separated from you. The one that suffered to live a perfect life for you to then die and was raised to life in your place--this is the miracle and the wonder of Christmas...

I speak of forgiveness for this is the gift that we each and ALL received at Christmas. No one of us has out-sinned another--we EACH need the gift of Christ's cleansing.




There is something that is pressing on my heart with greater and greater measure this Christmas season.

It is related to the part of the Christmas narrative where Herod kills all the little boy babies age 2 and under. This part of the Christmas story has always horrified my children--it is not even included in all Bible Story books--yet it should be for this is what our enemy
--the ancient enemy of human kind,
--is ever on the move to do
--to wipe out
--to destroy and kill the image of God.
And to do this perhaps at the hand of a parent --is even more powerful. Oh!! That's horrifying! Stop the Christmas story!!
--but wait
--in each generation,
there has been a Spirit of the Age that says 'sacrefice your children and you will be free'
--a lie straight from Hell
--that has risen in every generation.
Just flip the pages of every era of history and you will see Roman babies dying on rocks--left to die. Babies sacreficed in pagan fires. Babies killed at the hand of the sword of war...And today...Rwandan babies found in garbage bags--left struggling on the steps of orphanages, Chinese baby girls in danger, millions of children enslaved in human trafficing, pawns of the lusts of man...The horror.

And yet...looking off these shores...drawing our map closer in...zooming into our country, our city, our street, maybe our home...did you know...that in our country... In America today... That 4,000 babies will die...
Not of the swine flu--if this was the case it would be on CNN.
Not in car accidents--oh the outcry and the ammendments in traffic legislation if this was the case.
Not by accident in hospitals--the lawsuits and the outrage if even 4 or 40 babies would die this way --EVERY DAY.

NO.

Every Day

4,000 children will die in abortion clinics and hospitals.-- 4,000 will die today.

4,000 will die tomorrow and on Wednesday and on Thursday and 4,000 more on Friday.

4,000 you all.

Every day. Every day. Every day. Every day. Every day. Every day. Every day. of the week.

Let this sink in.

And find something to do about this--for LIFE is reflected/ given from the Christ child.

Life is required for our babies.

Ask God what your part is in this genocide.

Be blessed with a gentle glance into a miracle...




Perhaps abortion has touched your life in a very personal way. Perhaps there is a glory baby in heaven who has eyes like you and laughs like your husband. Remember the delete button. There is nothing that God cannot forgive you for. NOTHING. He forgave His beloved King David, the man after God's own heart who murdered one of his dearest officers. He is able to create in you a clean heart and to purify you from ALL unrighteousness. Sin confessed is sin forgiven and forgotten by God. If we confess our sin He forgives us our sin and cleanses us from ALL unrightesousness. And those who are forgiven MUCH have the precious oppurtunity of loving God MUCh--of really "getting" Him and how He loves us. It is an oppurtunity to let go of shame and reach out your clean hands toward the heart of God and what it beats for. One of His greatest attributes is that of the rescuer. He would allow and invite you to rescue other babies from our own Spirit of the Age that has deceived one in six women in our country at some point.





There are SO many wonderful ministries that are laboring to love and save the babies of our land. Here's a link to one I have recently heard of that's vision is to save one million babies and instead get them adopted into loving Christian families. It is called the Zoe Foundation. http://thezoefoundation.com/



Love and Life in the One who has Forgiven us and "Pressed the Delete Button!!"
Love,
Gillian

Spirit of the Age
by Michael Card

I thought that I heard crying coming through my door.
Was it Rachel weeping for her sons who were no more?
Could it have been the babies crying for themselves,
Never understanding why they died for someone else?

The voices head of weeping and of wailing,
History speaks of it on every page.
Of innocent and helpless little babies,
Offerings to the spirit of the age.

No way of understanding this sad and painful sign.
Whenever Satan rears his head there comes a tragic time.
If he could crush the cradle, then that would stop the cross.
He knew that once the Light was born his every hope was lost!

Now every age had heard it, the voice that speaks from hell.
"Sacrifice your children and for you it will be well."
The subtle serpent's lying, his dark and ruthless rage.
Behold it is revealed to be the spirit of the age!

Soon all the ones who seemed to die for nothing
Will stand beside the Ancient of Days,
With joy we'll see that Infant from a manger
Come and crush the spirit of the age

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Join Us on a Christmas Errand Adventure!

This season we have not been of the "ready for Christmas really early" ranks!! Today was our first trip out to do any Christmas errands--and we are thrilled that most everything on our simple but made- with -love list was found and accomplished on our first stop--Yee Haw!! THAT is a REAL Praise!! As you'll see below, I had some cheery elves, Ava, Bruik, and Jack to "help" me along the way today and to provide alot of music in our sleigh and to anyone near us in the 2 stores we visited :)! And my Giant Elven husband was home a little today too to assist in the erranding. A real gift to share the season with my Santa hubby!! Please join us on our adventure today...

Click to play this Smilebox slideshow: Tucker Elves
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Love and Joy to You!
Love, Gillian

Friday, December 11, 2009

Crazy? Who? US??

Singing Away :)

(Please scroll down to end of my longish blog posting to hear our favorite Christmas song of the season) :)



Just a little crazy to brighten up your potentially busy day or night :).

...A song we are hearing from 3 year old Ava these days...Sing along if you'd like to the tune of We Wish You a Merry Christmas!

"I miss you MR. Chrismiss
I Miss you Mr. Chrismiss.
I Miss you Mr. Chrismiss
An ah Habby Newb year!!"

...and now 6 year old Jack's version...




"I wish you a Merry Christmas
(repeat 2 X)
And a Happy New Year

Glad TITANS We Bring to you and your King!
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy Near Year!"

You too can route for your favorite team while belting out carols!!--And do this EVERY time you get in the car with Mommy and you'll be having fun just like we do! :)

Yes, life rolls at the holidays with 8 children's activities:) Just last night we had...

24 cups of dirt cake created for a 3rd grade project...cookie "dirt and dust" covering the counters and many mouths :)

1 Graham whipping up rice Crispy Treats for an 8th grade party

8 portions of Homework, Homework, Homework...

1 Mommy overseeing of the other 3rd grader's Landform Project--yes, its the desert and sand is all over our dining room--as well as a coyote, a catus, and a body of water :)

7th grade Wrestling practice

2 playdate friends over

2 tent forts made

FIVE golden rings!! (Just Kidding)

We DID have 8 ladies and lords a-leaping on the trampoline and having a dance-off in the living room, though :)

And a real live 10 grade Florence Nightengale in full costume, just come in from a high school presentation...

And an Oeidipus (spelling) queen costume to create and another Theater presentation

21 Plans for a Kindergarten Polar Express Party for Jack's 6th Birthday Party...

3 basketballs bouncing as the boys practiced basketball for Graham and Richard's team

10 mouths for dinner

4 advent candles at worship time

3 children to be bathed

2 boys who "wrecked" the bonus room and are sent to clean it

1 pretty normal evening around here...


And 1 new discovery in the midst...If you need an inside activity that is REALLY fun?...Open up a bag of large marshmellows and have a snowball fight...we laughed and chased until our sides ached...and until Annie dog started getting to the marshmellows...just wouldn't change all this for the world...its "too much"...but then "crazy" is SO much fun...

NOW, For our FAVORITE Christmas song this season. Toby Mac's, THIS CHRISTMAS...
We know an orphan who Jesus visited as he waited for his family...this is a precious, true song...I can't wait to experience a "first family Christmas" with our two new older children in our home this year...pure joy!!

Please click the play button on the bar at the base of the box--not on the picture to play without errors...




Have a Fun and Blessed Friday!!
Love, Gillian

Woman: Joy to the world
Let heaven and nature sing
Let heaven and nature sing

Toby Mac:Now Johny never got his wish on December 25
That's what he said when he left the orphanage
9 years old, but Johny was an old soul
Gonna spend his first Christmas in a real home
Showed me a picture that he drew the night before
Was a picture of a man standin' outside a door
I asked him who it was and he said someone I only
see in dreams
Comforts me when I cry myself to sleep

Woman:Father of the fatherless
Be with your sons and daughters this Christmas
This Christmas

Toby Mac:Believe in angels?
Johny asked me starin' at the sky
I said I do and saw a sparkle in his eye
Big brother for the weekend respondin' to the season
Took the chance that givin's better than recievin'
Two nights, a new family, some holiday cheer
We laughed and sang
Came on a midnight clear
We gave, recieved, and as we headed to close
We looked to the heavens and it started to snow
Down blessings

Woman: Father of the fatherless
Be with your sons and daughters this Christmas
(Toby Mac:You ain't livin' til you choose to give love and joy and
peace to one of His)
Father let us not forget
The children who are all alone this Christmas
(Toby Mac:You ain't livin' til you choose to give, you ain't livin' til
You choose to give)

(James 1:27)
Little Boy: Religion that God our Father
Accepts as pure and faultless is this
To look after orphans and widows in their distress
Merry Christmas everyone

Woman:Joy to the world
The Lord is come
Let heaven and nature sing
Let heaven and nature sing
Let heaven and nature sing
Let heaven and nature sing

Toby Mac:Believe in angels Jonnie asked me starin' at the sky
I said I do and saw a sparkle in his eye
9 years old, but Jonnie was an old soul
Gonna spend is next Christmas in a real home

Woman: Father of the fatherless
Be with your sons and daughters this Christmas
(Toby Mac:You ain't livin' til you choose to give love and joy and
peace to one of His)
Father let us not forget
The children who are all alone this Christmas
(Toby Mac:You ain't livin' til you choose to give, you ain't livin' til
You choose to give)
Father of the fatherless
Be with your sons and daughters this Christmas
Let Heaven and nature sing
Let Heaven and nature sing
Father let us not forget
The children who are all alone this Christmas
(Toby Mac:You ain't livin' til you choose to give, you ain't livin' til
You choose to give)

Toby Mac: You ain't livin'
You ain't livin'
You ain't livin'

Woman: Let Heaven and Nature sing
Let Heaven and nature sing
(Toby Mac:You ain't livin' til you choose to give, you ain't livin' til
You choose to give)
Don't leave me all alone
This Christmas

Little Boy: Merry Christmas Everyone

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

All We Want for Christmas

All we want for Christmas...is to encounter Jesus.



Lately we have been well-fed by the Ministry of The International House of Prayer in Kansas City, MO. and wanted to share this resource with you. They have an incredible vision for raising up a passion for Christ in this generation--here in our nation and in the world. Their love for Christ is also poured out in movements for justice in arenas such as the human trafficking epidemic and a vision to have one million babies adopted into Christian families instead of aborted. Ten years ago they were called to raise up 24/7 prayer,worship, and intercession on thier campus and it has continued daily from that point! To add power and confirmation to their search after God's heart, God brought revival to their bible University campus on Nov. 11th and has continued a special outpouring ever since that is spreading to other university campuses. Historically in America and England many of the great awakenings in our nations have been sparked on college campuses. We have been blessed by God's work at the International House of Prayer via the web stream--it has been a vital,real touch of His Spirit that has been splashing on us "older folk" as well. :) We will be bringing our kiddos to the One Thing Conference in Kansas City, MO --we invite you to join us via web cast for a time to soak up God's Word, live worship of our Saviour and inspired, biblical teaching--the registration is free!


Now that's a present we ALL can afford!!


Love, Gillian

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Tucker Turkeys

Some Thankgiving Love.

You go, Ashley!!



Graham, the oldest boy of our "Tribe"

Anderson waiting for his turn.


We were glad when the Hot Cocoa was brought out!!




Jack and Bruik's baby warriors!! :)







Thanksgiving "Eve" the kids being silly making up "pirate eyes" and "hats"
Glad we captured this cause someone is up to something like this all day at our house!!

You are sure to find silly puppets at Grandmommy Griffith's house. The kids like to make up plays with them.

Richard Reading to Ava Thanksgiving Morning


Hey! As promised here are a couple photos from our Thanksgiving day. A Family Tradition on my side of the family is to have a "Turkey Shoot" the day of Thanksgiving. My parents set up an array of targets and we test our skill with bow and arrow and a BB gun--the targets are creative and fun and SOMETIMES there are bits of prize or even money inside (not this year but one can always hope!) I love this game because everyone gets a chance to shine and to be cheered over. And you never know who's skills might really rise to the top in a given year--one year my 75 year old grandmother won the whole thing!!...This year it was Ashley who amazed us with her "markwomanship". In the olden days Ashley would have been a great asset to our "tribe/people group" either the Colonists or the Indians--her skill with the bow would have brought in the game!:) Excuse us if we look fierce--I promise we are a tender family who also spent the day giving MUCH thanks to our Father God for the glory of His presence and for the song that He sings over us. At our table, we were reminded by our friend, Ron, that God has a destiny in His Kingdom for each of the children at the table--our newest daughter brought out and read Psalm 100 to us, and Dad blessed us by speaking a blessing over us and then by leading us to Zephaniah where he spoke of God's loving heart over us:
"The LORD your God is with you. He is a hero who saves you. He happily rejoices over you, renews you with his love, and celebrates over you with shouts of joy."
Zephaniah 3:17 --This Word was not only an encouragement to our family but was prophetic--the next day our newest daughter gave her life to Christ, her hero!!

Mom had to cook TWO turkeys to feed us all and to send us home with wonderful leftovers. Graham had spent all of Wednesday baking pies--he made apple crumble, 2 pumpkin,and a pecan--on his own!!--am I a blessed mother or what!! We definately had stuffed tummies--I think many people went back for THIRDS!! What a feast day it was!!

And then the kids played games and did Turkey shooting for the afternoon (NO electronics except for some football on T.V.--Yeay!!)--silly,creative, and fun fellowship!--the headbands are via my mom who has a gift for teaching children and for making life joyful --she has such a nack for keeping things on the silly side ;).

Blessings to you in the love of the Savior who is our Life, our Bread, our daily Hero :).

Love, Gillian

P.S. We have specific children not photographed here due to State requirements--but I so wish you could see thier beautiful faces and the joy on them these days!!