Saturday, November 30, 2013

Happy Thanksgiving

There were 17 of us gathered for Thanksgiving Dinner this year, 10 Youngs and our guests the Apps.  Pippa Apps, the mom, had been asking questions about how we celebrate, so I suggested she just join us and see us in action. 

We cooked up a storm including the necessities of Thanksgiving, the turkey, pumpkin pies, and pecan pies, but somehow I forgot one of the basics, plain ol' mashed potatoes.  Truly it was a "duh" moment.  That made me wonder if I had forgotten anything else in all the hubbub, but it was not until my niece Ariel sent me this picture that I realized what else we forgot. 

 
We didn't do an afternoon nap!  My parents reminded me of that essential. 
 
I LOVE, Love, LOVE! this picture.  It just looks so homey to me, so relaxed, so trusting, and so peaceful. 
 
"Great peace have they that love thy law..."
Ps. 119:165
 
 

Friday, November 15, 2013

Three Nights in a Zoo

Dear Daniel,
We are still on this trip, and for the last two nights, plus tonight, we get to sleep in a zoo!  They have this little house you can rent. It is special because we can hear the peacocks all the time, and see the animals in the evenings and early in the morning when no one else is here. 
 The house has peacocks all over the place.  They are so beautiful, but they act like dogs and beg for food.  I gave them scraps of scrambled eggs, and they bit my fingers.  It doesn't really hurt.  Their beaks feel like plastic.
 These white ants are not official animals in the zoo, but it was neat to see them build their house.  Their house might grow to be as tall as Uncle Paul, and will be all closed up, but this one is still small and open. 
 Uncle Paul growled at the Cheetah, and the Cheetah growled back. 
 Evangel made friends with a pygmy hippo.  She says it has really bad breath. 
 This deer was right outside our window!
 The water buffalo are serious looking guys.  We couldn't touch them, they are kept in a pen. 
 This wild dog looked a lot like Berwick!  Maybe she is related to him. 
 The zebra was racing away from us.  He's not afraid if people are driving, but if they're walking, he runs! 
 The black rhino is the scariest.  He charged the fence when we were looking at him.  They have chopped off his horn so no one kills him for it. 
 I made special friends with this donkey.  I gave her my sandwich, and she followed me around for the rest of the day. 
Uncle Paul has to preach at least three more times, and we need to drive about 23 hours, and sleep four more times, and then we should be home.  We're excited to see you again!  Please say hi to Connie and give Nathanael a kiss for us!







Monday, November 11, 2013

 We have come to a time in our lives that will stand apart from the rest of it because we are staying with the McIntyres.  Nothing makes you appreciate hospitality like a good stretch of no place to stay.  We did find places to stay, of course, but they were pricey and pricey times 30 was not looking good.  So we did something we rarely do and called the McIntyres to see if we could stay with them again. 
 Ben welcomed us, though not without a little reproach that we have not learned much Afrikaans since we were here before. 
 Marietjie celebrated a birthday while we were here, bringing her up to my ripe ol' age.  That cake was memorably delicious.
Little cuddlers
 We were so privileged to be here right when they got two new puppies.  They are Boerbulls, or, I think, Mastiffs in English. 
 How fun to get in on their roly-poly puppy days. 
 Abundance in a basket she'll soon be able to chew to shreds...

How much is that puppy in the window? 

 
and Obedience making like a cat.  
 Uncle Ben planned something way special for the boys, and then invited the rest of to come along too.  They went fishing on the Vaal River. 
 Have you ever seen so many varieties of bait?  Uncle Ben knows his stuff!  The guys caught about 5 catfish, and 1 big carp using 11 rods!
 On Friday night, Paul was pleased to be able to dedicate Ben and Marietjie's grandchildren, little Paul Benjamin, (now that's a small Paul!)
 and big Johanathan...
 and sweet little Tineka.  These three are dedicated to the Lord.  May they always choose His ways and receive the great blessings promised to those who follow Him. 
The family business, GT Tamping, is a rare business, I think.  They make explosive equipment for the mines.  Ben invented some new equipment that works better and it sells. 
We so, so appreciate their having us in their home for about 16 days!  That's a long time to have a family of 5 staying with you, but they have been so kind, for the sake of the Kingdom of God. 
 
Seems like the least we can do is to give them some free advertising, so if you need explosive equipment for your  mine, go to GT Tamping.