A Family Tradition and a Blessing

Since 2006 we have made cookies to take to a local women's shelter on Christmas Eve. Although we do not celebrate Christmas ourselves per se, we know that people tend to be more sensitive about things of the Lord during this time of year.  In the past we have enjoyed showing this small gesture of love toward these hurting and precious women. The chance to bless them, pray for them and share things of the Lord with them is always such a highlight of the season for us. It most likely blesses us much more than it blessed them! This year our family had the flu the whole week before Christmas. SO, we were very behind on baking by the time we all recovered! On Christmas Eve day we were so busy finishing up the cookies! Sometime around mid afternoon, our very sweet neighbor whom we have known for many years now, came over and blessed us with a huge dinner! A pot roast, carrots, twice baked potatoes and fruit. What a perfect day for this. I mean, the kitchen was trashed with nothing planned for dinner! Thank you so much K for blessing us like that. It enabled us to go deliver the cookies, take some time at the shelter and come home to a beautiful dinner. It makes me think of the verse in Luke:

³⁸ Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”  Luke 6:38 NKJV

 

Amanda's crinkle cookies (you can see the pot roast cooking too!)

"Were you helping or sampling, Laura?"

 

 

Wonderful job girls!

 

The women's shelter

 

A view of the kitchen and all the cookie mess!

What a blessing to come home to this wonderful meal! Thank you dear neighbors!

 

 

Amanda's Visit to Halsey

Amanda had such a blessed week with our special friends the Pages. They made her feel so special and welcome.. even caring for her when she came down with the flu at their home. They pampered her and helped her through her illness with such kindness and gentleness

 Savannah, Amanda and Meadow

 

Willow (the special young lady who came to visit us in Belize last year)

 

Amanda thoroughly enjoyed praying, singing and reading scripture with the girls and Mrs. Page. She was so encouraged by the visit and time they spent with one another. The time spent in the morning with Mr. Page reading from the Word was a blessing.

 

Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing

and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Ephesians 5:19

 Amanda and Meadow write a quote by Thomas Kempis on the board

 

 

 

The girls also had a lot of fun! During Mandy's visit their family acquired 2 kittens, made playdoh with Prairie, made cookies and other treats and in general just had a great time enjoying each other's company. Their family made Mandy feel *right* at home! :)

 

play doh puppies

Making play doh pie

eggless chocolate chip cookies

 

Gluten free crackers

 

When I walked in to the Page's house to pick Mandy up, I instantly felt at home.. everywhere was scripture verses and lovely touches of love.. photos of the girls, handmade treasures and decorations. But what was the most beautiful thing about their house was the love for one another and for the Lord that is so very apparent. As the days get darker in this world, we just thank the Lord for the light that shines from this family. And we thank Him for our friendship with them..

 

 

 

 

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God;

 and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

 

 

A Year-End Greeting From the McDonalds!

Ok like I said, I lost my address book-again. Thanks to those who sent us cards and emails. It has helped me rebuild our contact list. :)

So for those of y'all who did not receive an actual card, we send you our warmest love and greetings to you, our special friends and family.. I hope to write up a year-in-review post soon but for now, we love you, we pray for you and appreciate all of your prayers and the kindness you extended toward us this past year.. especially during Amanda's illness early this year. Blessed be the name of the LORD!

Countryside Park Spanish Lookout, Belize 

  April 2012

Visiting our Friends in Halsey, OR

Back in late 2009 our small fellowship came across an Anabaptist organization back in Pennsylvania that had a listing of Annabaptist churches throughout the county. That is where we first heard of Valley Christian Fellowship in Halsey, OR. Our first trip down there was to attend their yearly campout in July 2010 when Laura was just a few weeks old. Since then we have managed to travel down there every few months (it is 3 hrs away!) While in Belize, the Halsey church was such a blessing to our family. One of the things they did was write a sending letter in order to help out with a missionary permit (which did not come through) They also generously helped support us financially which is no small feat since it is not a very large church! When Willow and the Kings came to Belize for a visit, their church gathered all sorts of household items, fabric, clothing and more to send down for us. They had asked for a list of things that we needed and PROVIDED EVERYTHING on my list. It was so encouraging to have their support and prayers.

This past weekend we were able to travel down to Halsey for another visit. Amanda had made plans with Willow's family to stay for a week's visit. Driving her down and attending church with them and then leaving Mandy there was one reason to plan a trip. In addition, our friends the Kings had also planned on heading down there. Spending some time with them was another great reason to make the trip! :)  After the church meeting and shared meal at the building, we headed over to the Hertler's home.. Brother Roger's ministry http://www.watchmangospelsigns.com/ Watchman Gospel Signs provides gospel signs; bumper stickers, street witnessing signs and yard signs. Both Jeremy and Grady wanted a few signs and bumper stickers made so that is what the guys spent their evening doing. It was such a wonderful time to spend with Roger and Phebe who both have such a burden for the lost and perishing.

 

 

 

The Hertzlers are also very involved with Christian Aid Ministries who has recently expanded their ministry to the west coast. http://www.christianaidministries.org/ CAM is a wonderful ministry who distributes approximately 15 million pounds of food, clothing, medicines, seeds, Bibles, Bible story books, and other Christian literature. Much of the aid goes to needy children, orphans, and Christian families. CAM also helps families provide for themselves through the Family-Self-Support and SALT Microfinance programs. Currently, Valley Christian Fellowship is making warm blankets to send to North Korea to suffering tuberculosis patients.Once CAM has enough, they will load a shipping container full of blankets to ship out. I believe Phebe said that the Valley Christian Fellowship ladies have already made over 20 blankets!  While at the Hertzlers, Stephanie and I were able to help Phebe on one of these blankets. It was such a nice time of visiting.

 

 

While the parents were busy with sign and quilt making, the children had a fun time playing in the Hertzler's fun living room. Our girls were enchanted with all of the baby dolls and 'little people'

 

 

After a quick dinner, we and the Kings headed home. It was nasty weather and a three hour drive ahead of us! So although we would have loved to stay much longer and visit more with our sweet friends.. it was time to hit the road!

 

 

Here are one of the two bumperstickers that the guys made for us.

The other one says "Seek the Lord While He May be Found"