Spring!

SPRING!

I found this little

Flower

on the edges of a Missouri Soccer field...

And a soccer star was also shining in the grassy fields...holding his favorite

Treasure

of this season...

Time for

Freedom

...and fresh winds on our faces...

and time for

Rompin’

and leaping about...

 

Ah, SPRING!

Love, GG

A Priestly Project !

But you are a chosen race who serve as Priests for The Kingdom, a holy people, a redeemed assembly; you should proclaim the praises of him who called you from darkness into his excellent light. (IPeter 2:9)

We made "priestly breastplates" for our time in prayer for others this week. We listened today to a pastor speak of Aaron's breastplate and how it was a reminder of how each of the tribes of Israel, symbolized by 12 gem stones set into the breastplate and laid over the pure white linen priestly garments, were carried into the tabernacle as the priest would intercede for them...In this way, the priest was truly carrying EACH person of Israel in before God's Presence...Later Christ would carry 12 disciples and then after dying for us and raising in resurrection, He would LIVE in intercession for us...

We suddenly got what we call around here, "a suddenly".
Since Jesus as our high priest has knighted us priests and kings of His Kingdom, why not make a breastplate to use in our times of intercession!! We too could "carry" 12 people before God every day.
The photo above shows the simplicity of our idea--12 circles on paper.

3 for family members--

We chose this time those family members who need salvation or healing. The kids loved choosing various people in our family. A couple even chose siblings but the prayer request had to be for something specific like a spirit of love/unity for that brother--something along gifted and kind lines!! We wrote the names in the circles and for the non-readers drew a little picture -- something that would remind them of that person, for example perhaps a cookie for a Grandma.

3 for friends--

I was amazed at how the children carefully thought through these choices. We had some choices for friends who need prayer for salvation, some who are sad, some who have special needs, some who need healing

3 for neighbors--

This was fun!! We now live on a busy street and have not gotten to know all of our neighbors--I think this prayer project will prompt this! Ava is praying for the family in the yellow house, the elderly lady in the blue house, and the couple in the brick house across the street--she can see every one of these houses from our living room window. Can't you picture her cute little face peeking out that window every day to check on her "gems"? I bet she will both fall in love with these precious people, thus we will have reason to meet them, and I know God will listen to a little girl's earnest prayers.

3 for strangers--

This was a harder concept for my littles. One wrote down policeman,fireman, cashier. Jack wrote, "lost people". Won't we have to make some friends now?!! The suggestions for the next children were to hold on this category until we could see some strangers and write them down this week as we go about our week OR think of some strangers we see every day and write them down. We asked God to bring some to mind...
And He did! Bruik, suddenly animated shouted out that he was praying for Africans. Ava is now praying for the mailwoman, and for two friendly muslim women who visited our lemonade stand this summer...she has now talked of them all night...they are already on the heart...
I love this category for faces become so much more precious ~YES, GEMSTONES ~ to our hearts as we pray for them. Who knows what God will do with this?!!

We lightly colored in over the names--they were already so excited!!
You could go so much more fancy with this with different foils and materials...perhaps faux gemstones...I could see the breastplate being made out of a paper plate (although they were rectangular) or hanging from a chain or yarn around the neck...I think the idea is WELL suited for adults too--Can't we all think immediately of people in each of these categories we could pray for every day?

Then we prayed over the names.
Sacred Beauty...from something SO simple..
But doesn't most beauty in this life come to us in containers such as this?

This is my happy "pray-er, Bruik.
He wanted to fold up the Breastplate, stick it in his pocket, and use it everywhere we go today--he told me!

Praying in a harvest...


We then hung the "breastplates" up in our stairwell on a clothesline of sorts..

The children have stopped by them to touch the circles and pray for people already as they pass them today--we will take them down for corporate prayer as a family. My teens and Richard and I will make some too and join in!!

This project was very dear to my heart for I am the product of a "harvest" more than 3 decades ago...In 1975 a sweet young woman, wife and mom of 2 looked out her window and saw my family playing outside...sweet Linda Wade, then in her twenties, I believe, committed to pray daily for our family's salvation. Within a year, my Dad became a Christian at a Bill Gotherd seminar, My mom got to know Linda and came to know Christ in a bible study Linda arranged to have at OUR house with other neighbor ladies...months later, after seeing sweet transformation and the joy of the Lord fill my parents, little 5 year old Gillian would place her trust and faith in Jesus...Boom!! All from one faithful woman's prayers. What if Linda had been too distracted or busy to pray, and then, what if she had been too shy to befriend and invite herself into my family's life? After all, there were many jokes about "those Jesus People" out there... Oh, I'm EVER thankful for one woman's obedience and discipline to bring me before Father God every day...Think of all the people who will NOT spend eternity in Hell and will spend it before the riches of Christ all because of simple actions and prayers and neighborly friendships...by the homemaker, the mom, the Grandma, the working man, the child peering out our living room window and across the street...

Peek out YOUR windows,your car windshield, your vantage from the checkout line, your view from the dropping kids off place, your place on the sports field,your work area room tonight...tomorrow...this week... and fill up the breastplate of prayer. Then PRAY!! Heaven will celebrate. Your Neighbors will thank you with eternal thank yous!!

Love, Gillian

Getting Ready to Hear :) ~ so cute!!

I am having so much fun sharing this fun resource with you today!!

This little video is made by The Daniel Academy, our school here in Kansas City Missouri. We love how our children are being trained up in adoration for Jesus and in the knowledge and wisdom of the Lord here.

In this video, Ava's Kindergarten teacher, our dear friend, Lelonnie Hibberd,who has a heart for children to know God's heart ( she's just the bestest Kindergarten teacher EVER!!), is showing what it means to get your heart ready to hear from God as you study scripture. This is how our kids study the Bible every day in addition to Bible teaching and worship. There are jewels on this little video here for each of us!

The super-cute family highlighted, is the Mike and Stephanie Gerard family--such an amazing family, full of life and God's joy and love. Each one of us in the Tucker family claims a buddy in the Gerard family and you will easily be able to see why!! :) ~ Make sure you watch long enough to hear little Shekinah sing--it is WELL worth bringing joy to the heart and a smile to today!!

Maybe show this to your family and try the "dare" at the end. :) You may be wowed at what God wants to say through your children. We did the "dare" last night and it was incredibly special to later gather round on the living room floor as the children shared what God had revealed to them as they meditated on Psalm 23:1~each one was so different and so special. We grew.

Blessings as we all grow in waiting on God and knowing His voice more every day...

"My sheep will know my voice" (John 10)

(Ashley will be on the next "Daniel Dare" video we will post and then Jack and Anderson too! ~ stay tuned! )

Love Letters to Mimi

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.

Just about a week ago, on August 23, 2011, my precious Mother ~ in law,  Laurie B. Tucker,  passed away into the arms of Jesus.  She was 68 years old.


Mom Tucker "ran the race of her life" WELL. ~ with so much Grace and Faith and Beauty. 

  She was a superb mother and raised three Godly children.   Her husband, Richard was her best friend  and they enjoyed 46  rich, joyful years of  marriage. I loved all the visiting times I have had over tea with her for it was then that I got glimpses of her heart for those who did not know Jesus, or her love for God's word, or her tenderness for her family.  She loved to be around her family and her laughter was a gentle breeze around the family table.  Her voice was musical.  She had enjoyed years of professional opera singing and solo singing for many large churches.  One of Richard's special memories of his mom growing up was hearing her singing and piano playing in his home.  He also remembers rocking in her lap and resting his head on his mama as she sung his favorite song, "Jesus Loves Me."  Mom Tucker was a WONDERFUL teacher.  She enjoyed many years of teaching and some of her favorites were with underprivileged girls in Atlanta. 
 I lOVED hearing her stories!   Having grown up in Atlanta,she was a southern girl at heart and could tell a colorful,tender, or funny story in a way that slipped quickly into your heart.I loved seeing all my children grouped around her as she would tell them and teach the littles....And even more, to see our children each have their turn with Mimi to sing praise songs at the piano--well it just doesn't get better than this in a family!! 
She was diligent and hard working ~ quite a role model for self discipline and self denial for others. As well as a wonderful model for me when I was a young homemaker!  For years, through the course of  many different visits, we would hear her get up very early in the morning to get an early swim in at the Rockville, MD pool.
  She also did retreat leading and was absolutely gifted at encouraging large groups of women.
She loved to be amidst her twelve grandchildren.  I loved talking to her about her "tribe".  I loved walking into a room and finding her with her bible or a devotional...I loved hearing the story of how when she was five she walked down to the front of the Billy Graham Crusade...and began a walk of love that day...I love that she loved people and was such a dear friend to so many women.  


There is much more to be shared about Laurie Tucker.  
She was a truly remarkable woman.

She ran her "race" so well.

And finished it in grace and triumph...

For the last two and a half years she had wrestled with ALS (otherwise known as Lou Gerick's disease).  This is the terrible disease that paralyzes a person's body progressively.  While her body gradually shut down, her spirit remained joyful.   I am told she never complained, so great was her dependence on God for her strength of heart, soul, and body.

On August 23, 2011, Our mom/Mimi went to be in the literal presence of Jesus.  Her passing was like her illness, a drawn out endurance of pain and struggle but threaded through with such grace.  She was surrounded by her beloved Richard (senior) and two of her children and their spouses as they prayed and sung hymns over her.  The entire family ~ ours especially included in this~ keep the fires of prayer and watch burning continually during this week and still now.  It was very difficult to be eleven hundred miles away from our family as they suffered a travail we wanted to shoulder with them. We are immensely grateful that in another week's time we will get to journey to Maryland (Washington D.C. area) to join our family and celebrate Mimi's life.  We will be joining Richard's father,brother,sister, six young cousins, and a very close extended family including Laurie's Mother, Rachel and her brother and sister and their families.  Please pray for the Tucker/Bunte/Wormald families next week.  Laurie was greatly beloved and will be acutely missed.  Please pray for travel mercies for so many traveling from long distances.  And that Jesus will be greatly glorified at her celebration/funeral service next Saturday ~ she would greatly have desired this!


And please, keep Mr. Tucker in your prayers over the next season.  his love for his precious wife was an epic one and deserves much honor and thanks to God who is the only one who can pour that kind of "BRAVEHEART" love into a heart.  He never left his wife's side and tended to all her needs day and night week after week until it became year after year of loving care.  How we admire his endurance as well as Mrs. Tucker's.  The loved well to the end... may we all.


Richard Jr., my husband, is grieving but so thankful also for this relief for his mother.  I am blessed to have days to tend to him as he grieves and processes his love for his mother...and so another Tucker generation walks in the good footsteps of  forever marriage vows...Thank you for lighting the way, Mom and Dad...of the walk of love.


We are having a sad and sweet time with the children.  They adored their Mimi.  They will each need the closure of next week and also to represent and honor their unique love for her as they stand with the other precious grandchildren of Mimi.  Mom Tucker  told me several times, that she loved the way her Mother~in law passed away...to the touch and the sounds of her grandchildren surrounding her bed and singing hymns all around her.  She would then ask, "Don't you think that's so beautiful?"  We will be gathering her grandbabies next week to honor her good and precious name...more precious than silver...more costly than gold is a good name Proverbs says. 


We each in our family look forward to next week to:


 Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gates.  Proverbs 31:31




My children came up with these descriptions of their grandmother this week (I loved being their scribe) :)...





Mimi Tucker was a

Kind

Generous

Nice

Loving

Funny

Full of Life

Caring

Lover of God

Lover of the Bible

Servant


These are some of the words that my children have shared with me this week as they have considered love for their precious Mimi. And I would say, praise such as this from the "mouths of babes" is most precious indeed!!


Please feel free to click on the "smilebox"  below to listen to the love letters they have spoken over their precious Mimi.  Please allow a little moment for all of Ashley's video's to load--go back to them--they are precious ;)--if you click on a video and want to see another---just click on it again to return it to its place.

This free scrapbook personalized with Smilebox We love you, Mimi!! We love you, Grandpa!!  We love you Family!! We love you dear friends of the family! May blessings ring like bells.  You are loved,   You are loved,  You are loved. Love, Gillian

Child of Wonder....Child of God....Oh, my Boys...

Cute Little Boys!!


Three of the Tucker brothers share a room.

10,7,and 6 year olds

And last night they made me laugh!!

We were going through the evening routine when the subject of marriage came up.  :)


Jack, all business announces, "Marriage, yeah..."He saunters over to his lower bunk and swings himself in... "I've got that ALL figured out."

 "Oh, really?"  I laugh :)

"YEAH!" Bruik peeks out of his covers, Big almond eyes shining with excitement,

"ME TOO!"...He exhales....I'm going to be

RICH.

(oh,NO, I'm thinking....we've got alot of training to do here!!)

But he stands up on his covers and declares,

"Yeah, I'm gonna be RICH cause I'm going to marry my wife and we are going to take care of hundreds of babies"

"Yep,...me too"  Jack still so matter of fact..."gonna adopt alot of kids and take care of them."

Bigger bother chimes in from the top bunk...

"Well, I'm making a list...I may not know her YET...but maybe I MIGHT..."  He stuffs his head into his pillow while his brothers explode with OHHHHHhhhhhh noises and reved up laughter

...bigger brother turns a shade of light red....

He stuffs his head in the pillow to not reveal any more sound of heartstrings playing...and we hear "Well, I am making a list."

They all calm for a second in the midst of some hyper giggles to each give sweet lists of who they pray God will pick for them in their future wife...

And I am thankful, honored to be sitting a bottom bunk in the midst of lego creations,army men, books, and paper airplanes...suddenly not so rushed to keep to the schedule...we dream of courting and dates, and beautiful ladies who are kind and generous, who love Jesus with all their hearts, and who love my boys...

 And I am thankful I get to be their girl first...

They listen to sappy stories...about how Daddy and I first met ....and how we "knew"

They grin ...my junior knights...

How blessed three fair maidens will be one day...

The moment is mist  --in just a moment laughing returns

and body noises replace deep heart sharing...:)

Yep, time to get these guys tucked in...

But to go off to pray and wonder over precious destinies of the boys I get to steward...

The weight of the day has all fallen off in the past minutes...what glory can surprise us in our every day moments!!

Blessings to the boys in your camp!!

Treasure Em :)

Take it from a mama who now buys shaving cream for her oldest son

It "all" is over...in just

Moments...

Treasure them

Love, Gillian




Remember me
In a Bible cracked and faded by the years
Remember me
In a santuary filled with silent prayers

CHORUS:
And age to age
And heart to heart
Bound by grace and peace
Child of wonder, Child of God
I'll remember you
Remember Me

Remember me
When the color of the sunset fills the sky
Remember me
When you pray and the tears of joy
fall from your eyes

CHORUS

Remember me
When the children leave
their Sunday school with smiles
Remember me
When they're old enough to teach
Old enough to preach
Old enough to leave

CHORUS

Age to age and heart to heart
Child of wonder child of God

Remember me

Age to age and heart to heart
Child of wonder child of God

Summery Times

Some shots of summer moments today!
Not even in order because I am such summery mode! :)
Hope you are having a wonderful summer!!

A quiet moment with Ashley..






Apples make great friends!!


All lined up and ready to ride. These horses were at a ranch just 40 minutes away from us--My mom treated us to an amazing adventure day to celebrate the beginning of summer.


Graham, Ashley, Anderson went on a one hour trail ride and then got to tend to the horses--such fun! Mom and I stayed back at the ranch and were given a horse to take the littles on rides--it was so great to have room to roam and to tend to these beautiful creatures for an afternoon.


Cutie Pa-tu-tie!



I love that there are still wide open spaces like this to enjoy.

O.k. That's nough--we are gettin pretty hot, Mom!!



Graham at Middle school Graduation with a fav. teacher. Come on High School!!

We all came out to cheer for # 38's 1st football scrimage--exciting as the Super Bowl!!





Blessings!
Love,
Gillian

Birthday Weekend

Happy Birthday to Graham!! Graham celebrates a b.day this weekend--having friends over today for a bar-be-que and sports time. I loved seeing this bunch "hacky sacking" in my backyard--full heart today!! They all are so BIG now--it is SO much fun to enjoy these teen years--whoever said these were supposed to be terrible teen years? I love them!!

We declare a "hope and a future" in Jesus for our merciful son, with a heart that beats after God.
Graham has enjoyed so many things this year--basketball, cross-country, track, clarinet in the GMS band--He has a gift for keeping us laughing. He is a great friend and can relate to kids as well as adults. He cooks for all ten of us here (LOVE this kid!!) and has a mean eye for design in creative projects. He's my bargain hunting buddy too. Graham has turned out to have a real mind for business--he has started a bustling lawn-care business endevor that shows organization, responsibility, a willingness to work hard, and integrity.
He's also a hero around here to all his little siblings! The night of the floods and for days afterward he just said, lets get going, and waded among the waters with his Dad to help people and save their poccessions--he's just a wonderful kid. He serves his mama too. Without asking, he senses when people need to talk. Or rest--he shepherds little ones often. He'll also organize the garage or spend an evening with me cooking up new dishes for the family in the kitchen--he has a GIFT for keeping his room organized--AND his brothers!--gotta love this!!what would we do without you, Graham?!!

We are SO proud of you, son!

New High School Freshman--Graduated from Middle School Yesterday



Kind Brother



A Young Man and His "Annie"-Dog



13 years ago God miraculously healed Graham from an invasive bone cancer tumor. We had been told that no one could survive this diagnosis (that only looks one certain way under a microscope)--Three days after preparing our hearts for heaven for our son yet crying out for healing, God stepped in. He completely took away all illness and evidence of this disease away from our baby. Graham is now written up in Medical journals and our unbelieving doctor said, "You must have been talking to the 'Big Guy' upstairs--this is unexplainable and is making me believe that He might actually exist!!"
We are MORE than thankful for EVERY DAY we have been given with this precious son.

You're a blessing, Graham---we ALL love you very much!!

Love, Mom

Dirty Feet Got a Washin'

The beautiful day--the sunshine, the warmth, the gentle breeze--yesterday--it was as if God was creating a literal picture of the grace He purchased with Himself 2010 years ago on the cross...the gift of Himself...that He would so desire us...what he humbled Himself to live out for us--to die for us--to take on for us--the ultimate rescue--"How can it be? That YOU, oh,LORD would die for me?"...I am... head-over- heals in love with Jesus... Continually awestruck ...by new wonders of Him...So lovesick for the Bridegroom...Come Quickly, Lord, Jesus!... This is coloring everything I am about--driving my heart--energizing/ structuring my days...

We spent our morning--as many other families in our area did--at a Ressurection walk. As there have been many firsts in our foster kids lives this year, this was another--to hear so much of the story of God's rescue of us for the first time--to see it through their eyes too...
The "walk" was at the back of a large church in a great field meandering along the border of a gently flowing river. Stations were set up under white tenting with church members acting out the Easter story.
One favorie moment was when M. refused to have his feet washed. He was SO Peter-like! Stubbornly he looked with distain at the water in buckets next to the haybale "seats" and then back at his cool sports shoes which are a part of his identiy. "NO WAY. NO one is washin' my feet."

'Oh yes they are, M.!' I side-hugged him, 'and its going to be me!'

...There's such a sweet dimension to my relationship with M., one of mutual honor and love--he never refuses "Mom GG". I love this boy-man child!!

He plopped down on one of the haybales--trying to find a dry spot to settle in, trying to maintain alot of Jr. High dignity as well.

First foot was a bit of struggle but by the time we got to shoeless feet and he was assured that the shoes were going to be safe--he was much more keyed -in to whatever this was about.

He smiled that golden, heart-melting smile as I picked up the first strong foot.

We talked about his salvation and how beautiful and strong the Bible calls these feet that are going to carry him down the road of his destiny in God and on the way to tell many more about Jesus.

By the time we dried it off we were laughing over the story of Peter who I informed M. was so similar to him in gifting and personality.

--so superly used by Jesus.

--so loved by Him.

--How Peter had refused to be served by Jesus.

-- How Peter had been embarrassed to humble Himself, to reveal the dirty, more homely, more simply human parts of himself to receive this gift of cleansing from his Master and Lord--

'Why... I should be serving YOU, Lord!'

BUT when he 'got' how incredible it was to be washed/cleansed/loved by Jesus he said,

"Don't just wash my feet God!--you can wash ALL of me!!"

(Just LOVE This guy's raw enthusiasm!!)

--Ah, no thanks Peter...Just this much is enough for this object lesson...thanks though!! :)...

We got M.'s shoes on and one by one, with MUCH delight, each of my little children discovered and announced that M. had gotten his feet washed by MOM-- somehow it brought out adoration and star status from them--he was glowing :)

...Then came my turn to be "Peter".

'Mom, I'll wash YOUR feet' from M.'s sweet sister.





And I revealed feet that really show how busy a mom I actually am these days--with red marks from my sandals and dust from the days' walk all in places that I would have personally have liked to wipe away rather than someone else. It became a precious love moment.

This child already is washing people's feet and hearts each day--especially since she recently accepted Jesus as her savior...sweet encourager, generous giver--she reminds me of John, who Jesus leaned on...Beautiful, precious child of my heart...How our Father must adore us as we lean down to serve Him--as we wash HIS feet by serving others...

We dried off and I squeaked off in wet sandals now (kinda trying hard NOT to think about all the stuff floating in that wash water...AH! my human heart--gets in my way too often!!)
We sheperded the kiddos to the next stations the trial and stripes--the cross...
This time as I heard the snap of the whip, as I held a nail steady for my children's weak hands to pound--careful not to get in the way of the hammer for even their blows could cause injury--as I heard the words "why have you forsaken me?"--TEARS--choking love--blinded eyes beneath my sunglasses as the pretty day became blurry under a veil of love and tears and worship for MY Jesus. My Bridegroom. My strength, MY life, MY bread, MY wisdom, MY fountain of cleansing, MY confidant, MY hope, MY total forgiveness and covering from ALL my sin, MY sanity, MY confidence,MY love, My anything good that ever comes from this girl, MINE...HIS...SO... in LOVE...
Blessings as you consider HIM today.
"I am the Way the Truth and the Life--no man comes to the Father except through me."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And here's a gift of a story, given to me from my Father- in -law, Dad T.

I love you, Dad T.!

This story tells who we are because of what Jesus did through us on the cross. Because of God's love for us--He would not be apart from us--He provided a way to be close to us again...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

An eye witness account from New York City , on a cold day in
December,
some years ago:
A little boy, about 10-years-old, was standing before a shoe store on the roadway,
barefooted, peering through the window, and shivering with cold.

A lady approached the young boy and said,

'My, but you're in such
deep thought staring in that window!'

'I was asking God to give me a pair of shoes,'was the boy's reply.

The lady took him by the hand,
went into the store,
and asked the clerk to get half a dozen pairs of socks for the boy. She then asked

if he could give her a basin of water and a towel.

He quickly brought them to her.

She took the little fellow to the back
part of the store and,

removing her gloves,

knelt down,

washed his little feet,

and dried them with the towel.

By this time, the clerk had returned with the socks...

Placing a pair upon the boy's feet, she purchased him a pair of shoes..
She tied up the remaining pairs of socks and gave them to him.. She patted him on the head and said,

'No doubt, you will be more comfortable now.'

As she turned to go,
the astonished kid caught her by the hand, and

looking up into her face,

with tears in his eyes, asked her.

'Are you God's wife?'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Love to God's beloved today...
Love, Gillian

Little Trips...

Jack--first on left with some friends.

It was an "Ah HA!" moment.

Truly the type that makes you stand a bit taller, listen more attentively, lean in a little closer,and review the message--rewinding to hear it again--for confirmation of a message that so matches what God has been speaking to Mommy and Daddy..."Yes, Lord? We're all ears!"...

This time it was little Jack (our Kindergartener) who took our breath away.

Cute little Jack,
With that swingy hair and the wide open eyes...
Little puppy one moment--little preacher the next!!

A group of the children had just exited our kitchen to play Stratego in the Family Room. Only Jack and I remained,--a rare moment-- sitting on the floor, leaning up against the dishwasher. The dishwasher--still working the grime off the night's dishes for 10--busily worked behind our backs as we took a moment to rest against its humming door. (oh, how thankful I am for my electronic helpers!!--I really should name them!!) :)

Jack snuggled in and then looked up with such an earnest expression--you know the one--the type that both breaks your heart and makes you willing to say yes to any reasonable request!--

"Mommy, I HAVE to ask you a question."
Yes, Jack? (sweet heart thump)
"Mommy, I need to know something.
Yes?
"I want to know if there REALLY is a Hell.
I can take it, Mommy. REALLY."

And looking into those eyes--seeing how the Truth would register--knowing the Truth--slayed MY heart too--tears rose and I glupped out,

Yes.
Jack.
There really is a Hell.

"OH, NO!!!
" Mommy,
" Mommmmy!
" You HAVE to TELL me...

"... What happens to people in Hell?"

My stomach sank--like I was hearing it for the first time...
Like I was realizing the finality for one of my friends or dear family member...
A face came to mind...Then another dear face...Then another!
Truth struck in the gut.

Well, Jack,

Big blue eyes fixed on mine...

Honey...They burn up.
It never ends.

"OOOOHHhhh, noooo! NOOOOOO!"
It wasn't that this information was unbelievable--his spirit was grieving. To hear pure grief for the lost crying out was Love's raw sound.

"But you have to help me TELL them."

Tell what?
To who?

"YOU HAVE to tell them everything!! So they won't burn up"
Who, Jack?
He names friends from his school.
"MOMMY, I KNOW--they DON'T know Jesus!--we have to TELL them!"

We pray for his friends, we go over the simple message of Jesus's love and good news for his friends. We agree to speak ALOT of how to tell his friends about the love and salvation of Jesus.

Then he sits up and gets out of my lap and leans forward on the floor and reaches over and puts my face in his chubby hands.

"Mommy, YOU don't know anyone who is going to Hell, do you?"

The room feels heavier...

Yes, honey I...

"NOOOOOOO!

"WHHHyyyyy? WHY hasn't anyone TOLD them???"

He just settled back on my lap and we rocked there together, aching for the lost--in tears over the lost that we know...that we live with and among...every day...

Praying, crying , rocking there...

--just burdened.

In a moment, Jack sat up straight--full of something to say.

"I got it! I know what to do!!"
And a gift of evangelism/missionary call was imparted...listen to this...

"I KNOW what to do. What we need to do is to get ALL the Bibles in the house and go to school and TELL everyone about Jesus... AND we need to make sure they have a Bible so that they can grow... THEN we need to go tell everyone in our City about Jesus and...(he stands up, really excited)...then we need to go on LITTLE TRIPS ALL around America and tell people about Jesus...

And Mommy, (he pauses) I really don't think SCHOOL is as important as telling people about Jesus SO I think i need to stop school for a while and just go on little trips to tell people about Jesus. ACTUALLLY...the WHOLE WORLD needs to hear about Jesus so we are going to need LOTS of bibles and are going to need to go on LOTS of trips all around the world to tell people.

(he earnestly thinks of another layer)

...And oh, oh,oh! SOME people in the world are HUNGRY and they need FOOD. And if you don't have FOOD you can't LISTEN very well. SO we are going to have to bring a WHOLE BUNCH of food and bibles on our little trips."

"Can we do it, Mom?"

"Can we go on little trips?"

And in that moment--especially after recently asking God in my own prayers for more of Himself for more of a burden for the lost--it was as if my prayer was answered with a new question put in its place--from the Master Himself--'what IS your answer? WILL you go...on these 'little trips'?'

' Well?'

I hugged Jack tight with the energy and Joy that only the Spirit of Jesus pours on and prayed an answer into his ear.

Mostly, was just knocked over that the Lord was suddenly birthing and displaying in my kitchen, after dinner, in one of my littlest sons--what Richard and I had been experiencing and asking for/waiting on in this past season of our walk...What we have been practicing walking out in our daily lives...while knowing...hearing...God is bringing more fullness to this...

Confirmation, awe, wonder, worship...

So, Jack goes to school the next day with Joy about telling his friends about the love of Jesus. The next day, he is down with an illness, and the next...and the next..He continues to talk of "little trips" filling out his vision...

A corner of my kitchen fills up with bags of bibles ...
and books--"cause the children that we are going to see need things to read"
FAVORITE toys and treasures
and boxes and cans of food too.

I do not forget, but there is a lull in time and life is full of many things to wonder over here in the midst of other ministry here at the Tucker camp...
I sign an illness note 3 days and a weekend after our first conversation and drive Jack up to the Elementary School after watching to see if he was well enough to head into the classroom that morning.

We enter the classroom to much attention.

"LOOK!! IT's JACK T. (there are 2 Jack's in the class and this is the way to keep them straight...)
"Jack T's back!!"

Our most wonderful, Ms. Fitch (we just LOVE her!) stops what she is doing to ask how Jack's trip around the world has been.

(I am not the quickest to think on my feet--just horrible at small talk or thinking quickly--just think she is making a reference to a fiction story or is playing pretend and I play to it with a feeble joke)

"No, Really, (Ms. Fitch is absolutely serious) "Jack TOLD all the boys and girls about his LITTLE TRIPS."

Ohhhhhh,my.

I'm hit with a wave of Wow and just am unable to speak.

...the boldness of my little boy--so clearly making Jesus known and believing what the Spirit has called him to...Just telling it like it is.

This time I answer more fully to his teacher...and store up wonder in my heart...
I hear the question again,

'WELL? What's your answer?'

...to be continued as God reveals more...

Love and Grace and "little trips",

Gillian

To Market, To Market

Definitely one of the highlights of our week!!
Just love getting out and about with little Bruik and Ava.
Bruik still remembers eating Ethiopian food and so this Market is a neat connection to Ethiopia. We see Ethiopian nationals each time we are in the store and they visit with us and hug and kiss our children like we are back in Addis--very sweet.

Ava and Bruik with a cartful of goodies at the International Market on Thompson Lane.

The eggs in the cart are from a local Mennonite Farmer--Farm Fresh--Yum!
See the Injera Bread in our cart as well? We know the lady who makes it. Abay Injera is tender and delicious.



And who can resist chocolate covered wafer candy? The kind shop owner GAVE these to the children.



O.K. Mom, that's enough, let's head on home now...
We'll be back soon!!



Have a great weekend!
Love, Gillian

"It's Just Painful"--by Jack T. :)

Praise # 3--Number Three-- Just a little "HEE"!! I had planned on "reporting" something else in our "praise countdown" today--but like alot of life here at the Tucker house...we were interrupted! :)



Someone told me when I was a young(er) ;) mom to view these little happenings as little opportunities from God.

--Not a sidetrack to the plans of the day(frustration) but a redirect.

--some of my biggest "interruptions" have brought the biggest rewards/lessons/fruit in the kids or me...

So, in the busyness, I'm ever asking for God to keep me alert to what He's up to in our midst.

After all, its those conversations between loads of laundry when one of my 13 year old sons will spill a secret from his heart,

the willingness to be pulled away from my weeding project in the front yard that leads us to discover God's fingerprints on the wings of a butterfly my little daughter has found.

--or to be invited to a bird funeral by the 3rd graders--how hilarious that one was--The bird was only stunned by a neighbor cat and ended up shaking off that dirt and flying away!!

--Often the joy that buoys my days comes in these little moments of shared life--they are gifts!

This morning we were in full swing --3 already breakfasted and out the door--some more at the elementary bus stop--my Kindergartner, Jack was ALMOST late and my preschoolers were rolling into their before school schedule thing--

When Jack laid his hand on my arm.

(This is our "interruption rule" gesture--a hand on mom's arm to let her know you need her attention---otherwise we would ALL be talking over each other)

" MOMMMMMMMY, listen".

"MOMMMMMY!" I almost hurried him out the door before I understood he was concerned about his teacher's doctor appointment.

You've GOT to listen to this gem--this is Jack in his cute glory,
Oh, my he brings me joy!!
He thinks in the video that his teacher is 100 years old!

--did you TELL him that, Ms. Fitch?

You are the BEST!!

And he's really concerned about her.

He says next that I shouldn't have laughed cause Ms. Fitch would RATHER be at her desk ANY day than be "poked and pressured" at the doctor's office.

We love you, Ms. Fitch and truly think you are the most wonderful Kindergarten Teacher in the World!! We hope it wasn't too painful for you! :)

Check out the bedhead in the video too--the little bird's nest that we tried to wet down and comb through (didn't really help!) after our little talk "interruption" and before jumping on the bus.

Enjoy your interruption opportunities today!

Happy Friday!

Love and Joy to you,
Gillian

" It's Just Painful", by Jack T.

Injera -- Our new Comfort Food--Go and Get you Some!--Or Let us Bring it to You :)

Oh, YUMMMY!! This is our new comfort food. We have learned to make Ethiopian food since coming back home with Ava and Bruik--but it is only completed eaten with savory/tart/pancake-like injera bread. Injera is made of Teff flour and water and has an incredible amount of nutrition in it. This may be why my children arrived so healthy from Ethiopia--this was such a staple in thier lives in Ethiopia--almost 3 years later they have the strongest immune systems in the house...
We have found an authentic source for Injera right here in the Nashville area.
It is call the International Food Mart. This is an international grocery store that sells items from all over the world. The two men who work there, Hamid and Zabih, are friendly and kind and very helpful in answering any question. You can find many things for cooking Amharic food there. We like going often for they have freshly made bread on racks up in the front. Injera is about 4 dollars for about 8 large pancakes--we never make it home without diving into the bag to tear off a strip. They also have split yellow dried peas, dried red lentil (YUM!!) --our fav!!--and the ever needed Amharic staple--Berberie spice. Their spice combo is just right and when you put about 2 Tablespoons (add up to a 1/4 of a cup to taste--be careful though it is very spicy and you can always add more later but will not be able to bring the spice level back down if it gets too hot) in a saute of about a cup or two (yes, lots) of olive oil, with about 4-6 sliced onions, then let the onions turn clear and saute for about ten minutes, then add chicken drumsticks and about 2 teaspoons of salt and let it simmer covered for about an hour or until it falls off the bone(hours longer)--you are WELL on your way to enjoying Dora Wat (a favorite chicken dish).

There are other spices that can make this even more authentic that we add but this is for another post. :) You can also add more berberie for those with palates that can take more hot spice--especially those coming in country from Ethiopia--this would be comfort food for them. We kept a shaker of Berberie on the counter --in a metal spice shaker/salt shaker thing --and the children felt comfortable knowing they could ask for this at any time to make their food feel more familiar.

Serve all of this food over a "plate" of Injera (on top of your regular plate)--tear off pieces of Injera to scoop/pinch up the food to eat it-kids love it--no forks!!Lots of napkins!!--BUT in country the people so neatly and graciously eat this--no napkins are even needed!--

We like to serve all the mentioned foods together--placed in a colorful array--like a clock--around the plate--it is so beautiful--especially when you place a hard-boiled peeled egg in the center of each plate and drizzle sauce from the meal over it.



Thanks to Tracy for the photo from their first trip to Ethiopia to bring home Levi!!


We serve this meal with Canned (yes, we cheat) collard greens cooked in a savory sauce. and a fresh green salad with the closest dressing we can come up with--a mix of lime juice and olive oil, black pepper and salt-- with goat cheese crumbles or feta cheese crumbles on the side --yummy fresh with this meal.

To make yellow split peas saute 1 onion, 1/4 olive oil, and about 1-2 teaspoons to taste of turmeric, a shake of garlic powder and salt to tast and lots of water (saute those onions first in the oil in the bottom of a Soup-sized pot with and spice -- then add about a pound of the split peas --then fill up the pot--half up with water bring to a boil then reduce to a medium heat --close to a simmer until the peas absorb the water and turn very soft--they take about 2 hours to get just right--try not to burn on the bottom--you may need to keep adding water by the 1/2 cup full--they absorb alot of water as they cook.
To suite our American tastes I added dried basil to our pot last week and it made it very savory.

The red lentils are delicious when you first saute about 2-3 onions in lots of olive oil--1/2 cup-to a whole with about 2 Teaspoons of Berberie (or less to taste) the sauteing really infuses the spice into your oil. Then add about 2 teaspoons of salt and add water so that your lentils are covered by about 3 inches of water--this cook to a boil and then turn down to a simmer and simmer until the lentils are mushy--Keep adding water by the 1/2 cup to full cup if your lentils look too dry or are not getting mushy--this will take about an hour--until they would be easily mashed. We take them at this point and put them through the blender or a food processor--this dish is SO savory and ends up being our favorite with injera bread.

Sorry that these are not in receipe form but I am repeating how I learned to cook Amharic by "word of mouth" just like I learned it from a lovely young Ethiopian Mother, a wife of an Ethiopian Market Owner, who owns the A&H Merkato Ethiopian grocery store on Murfreesboro Pike in Nashville, who was in the international market one day and poured out her kind advice for cooking to a very clueless me. She also told me that the "secret" to these dishes is cooking the spices in the oil in the beginning for an infusion of taste. She said that to be absolutely authentic, she would add to each of these dishes about a Tablespoon or two of Ethiopian butter --it has special spices infused in it(sometimes found at the International Market--always found at the market in Nashville, near the airport called , The Merkato, that carries ONLY Ethiopian food.-- And at the very end she would sprinkle something called 7(sorry detail people out there--the number could have been 5) spice --its a tan/green color just a pinch and a sprinkle at the end of a dish deepens the flavor noticeably and brings it to Amharic levels :). The Merkato is further out for me to travel to but only ten minutes more than the International Market and also carries injera bread.

This friend of mine also shared that it is very hard to make injera here in our area due to the humidity--so congratulations for those of you amazing folk who have downloaded recipes to try it out!!
The Injera that we have found most tasty at both these places is the Injera made by the sweet wife of the owner of Abay restaurant--she makes a ton of it each day and sells it--so you are receiving something very fresh. Look for her label--ABAY Injera when you buy it.

Addresses and Info. for the adventurous, foodies, and families with Ethiopian children out there

International Food Mart
206 Thompson Lane
Nashville, Tn 37211
(615)333-9651
Halal Meat and Global Grocery
Hamid Toloo
Zabih Shah

They also carry DELICIOUS homemade meat pastry pockets and their homemade pita is made simply with whole wheat flour and water only and is large, puffy and so yummy.

Bererie is 11.99 a pound--I bought about .36 lb for 4.32 and it lasted a long time.

They also carry farmer free range eggs--fresh from a local Mennonite Farm in the area.


A&H Merkato is at
2131 Murfreesboro Pike #107
Nashville, TN 37217
(615) 366-9377

The Shop owner is so kind to children and to other people. He spent a LONG time introducing me to Ethiopian cooking and showing me where all the spices were. He even told me to put some things back from my internet generated list... He is originally from ET. but raised his babies in California and now is here due to the family friendly nature of our area...

Thier butter is 7.99 a pound--it lasted us about 5 meals of cooking for ten And hosting a missions meal for about 20 here...

They also carry the powder needed for Shiro paste--another side dish that is very yum and very Amharic--all you do with this is to gradually add water to it--kinda like cream of wheat and it makes a quick taste of home to be scooped up by my honeys.
Shiro was 5.99 for a pound--it lasted as long as the butter did...

the 7 spice can be found here too--it is wonderful.

The Merkato's Berberie is 12.99 a pound I bought .40 lb months back for $
5.20 and am still using it.

They also sell Injera.

Go get you some!!

OR if you do not have time on your hands due to nesting and live in the Nashville area or South Nashville suburbs--Brentwood, Franklin, Spring Hill -- I would be glad to gather together these items for families for a delivery fee based on gas and time spent to pick them up.--Contact me at livingwater4u@hotmail.com

I also am available for those of you in the African fellowship group and/or prospective Ethiopian parents for a modest fee to come to your home and teach you how to make Amarhic food--It would be my pleasure to share what we have learned!

For those of you who catch this blog out of town. I would be glad to gather these items together for you and ship them to you (can't ship the butter) for a gathering/delivery fee plus shipping. Contact me at livingwater4u@hotmail.com

We will also be putting together a video tutorial the next Amarhic meal we make--let us know if you would be interested in something like this.

Any funds will be used toward educational costs for several of our children next year and our family's adoption/fostering ministry.

We are putting together today a brand new website related to these ideas it is called, Bruiky Bruik. Please visit us at www.bruikybringsdinner.webs.com/
For all our ideas formated in a more organized way than this posting

Happy Friday!!
Love,
Gillian

Check out Mark's Beautiful Photography Work

A Photo today of our sweet,sweet Ashley. This was taken by Mark Short. Please give him business for photography if you live in our area--he and his wife, April and their adorable two sons are expecting a new sibling from Ethiopia -- any day now!!!!! Mark has a photography business called, seven lights photography. He and April provided a wonderful photo shoot day for our family--must have been a challenge with our bunch!!--and we received SO many wonderful shots. I have addresses to their blog and business below--check it out and provide them support --you'll love his work!!

http://shortstoriestn.blogspot.com

http://sevenlightsphotography.com

Blessings today!

Mark captured our littles personalities for sure!!

Princess Ava with an Attitude and Silly Bruiky





Whatcha thinkin' about, Anderson? and a photo of his tender side that melts our hearts...





Naughty? ....Nice?...When you are 6....you could get either at ANY time!!!
We adore our Jackie-- Jack!!!






He cracked a smile out of our 13 year old Graham ;)



And some of his best work included images that we are not able to show of our newest family members--but know he takes a wonderful family photo!!

Thank you for your GREAT work, Mark!









Gillian

Scrub-a -Dub, Dub, Our 6 Kids in a Tub

Anderson's prayer (our 2nd grader) at the breckfast table this morning with the littles (our 3,4,and 5 year olds):

"O.K.QUIET!!(He hollors)" "Let's pray...(everybody, CLOSE YOUR EYES!!), Dear God, really you are Mighty!! We thank you this morning that we are alive and that you brought Daddy, Mommy, and Graham safely home to us. Thank you for not letting the Bridgestone building fall down when Daddy was in it and the tornado got so close to it. You only let the sign blow down--and some bricks--on some cars. You made RUSHING winds last night,RAINS, and STORMS and TORNADOS! You are SO powerful, God. And you gave us T.V. warnings to keep us safe. And we were hiding,in our safe place, but you were strong and you knew where we were. You even kept us from getting slashed with glass (the biggest fear of Anderson's day yesterday). Thank you also for the Cheerios we got to eat in the bathtub and that Annie (our dog) was safe. But most of all, God, thank you because I really like the bathtub so I can snuggle up with my family in it."

In the midst of a scary storm, so many things to smile about--one announcement said that most injuries from tornados are caused by head injury--so someone suggested we all wear our bike helmets :)--this was AFTER the storm warning was over--ever try slurpping up spagetti through the straps of a bike helmet? HEE! They were so funny with their big ole heads all around the table last night. And aren't they silly in the tub photo above--snuggled in the nest in the midst of a terrible storm... I love being God's child.

Love,Gillian