A Tripod and Some 'Cheese'

I finally got some updated family pictures taken. Brian did it for me for Mother's Day, and considering we did it with a tripod and a camera remote, I think they turned out pretty good.  

Thomas's face.... That child...

Technical difficulties.

That man! He makes me swoon!

Crazy fun!

Love these three so much! Brian always spoils me good on Mother's Day.  The kids got me flowers for my window boxes on the terrace.  My balcony is now full of a rainbow of colorful flowers from all of my babies. Brian even bought me flowers from the one that waits for us in heaven, the one we never got to hold. But even as we long for him, we are not without hope....

LOVE these people!!!! 

The "Great" Day

In Macedonian, Easter is literally translated, "The Great Day." I love that. What I hate is that only a handful of people really understand, have really tasted, why it is so great.  The weekend of Easter is always a good one--full of opportunities to point to the crucified and risen Lord. Because we live among an Orthodox people, they take this holiday very seriously.  It is one of the biggest weekends of the year, and every day is full of traditions that have been past down for centuries.  They start on Thursday morning. Before the sun rises, they get up and dye eggs red to symbolize the blood of Jesus. There are some people who do green eggs, blue eggs, purple eggs, etc, but those people are often regarded as less spiritual than those of their devout counterparts who only do red eggs. They do not hide the eggs around the yard for the children to run around and find for a prize. No, this is serious.  No games allowed. Friday is normally very quiet. Some people go to the church to light candles.  Many people take their dyed eggs to the church to be blessed by the priest.  One lady told me she takes her eggs and socks to be blessed for good health.  Mothers and grandmothers wipe the dyed egg on the faces of the children so that they will have good health. Brian went to the church building on Friday with a friend. There was a table full of eggs and people crawling under it three times. He asked his friend why they were doing that, and he said, "For good health." He wasn't sure but he said that the table, which is put out only out on Friday, represented Jesus's grave and that is why they passed under it.

Here is the table that gets set out on Friday

Easter Saturday is also a relatively quiet day around town. Some people are out buying new clothes (another "healthy" tradition). Others are buying their meat for Sunday lunch. I, too, ran to the butcher shop Saturday to grab something yummy for our Easter dinner and there was a line out the door.  Everyone was waiting to buy their lambs.  There were whole, skinned lambs hanging from the ceiling. Lambs were being chopped into pieces and hauled out the door to meet their destiny on a platter.  You think that is gross, you should've tried smelling it.  It was almost enough to make me forego meat altogether for the rest of my life. I stuck it out, and thought how very appropriate it all was.  I asked one lady why everyone eats lamb on Easter. I was testing, just to see what her answer would be. Maybe she would get it.  Her answer wasn't surprising. "Tradition. For good health." 

It was cold and rainy, so we stayed inside the rest of the day.  It was a great time as a family. On Friday we read the story of the crucifixion and tried to read at the time increments that were given in the Bible.  Kate kept a watch on the clock for us so we wouldn't miss reading about every event on the cross.  We all stopped what we were doing at noon and 3 P.M. to read about what happened at that time on that dark and glorious day almost 2,000 years ago. We, even the four and six year old, were able to stay focused on the price that Jesus paid for us that dark Friday.  We listened  to "Jesus in My Place" by Matt Papa several times all throughout the day, and we talked about the giver of life, laying down his life so that we can have life abundantly.  That's what it is about.  Sure, we want good health. We sometimes even pray for it. But Jesus came that in our fleshly sufferings, there is hope. The question I am compelled to ask everyone here is what if Jesus died so that we could have more than good health? I'm talking holiness, righteousness, LIFE!  Maybe we get do sick with a cold or the flu or something way worse. It doesn't change the fact that Jesus died to give us abundant life so that in life or in death we KNOW we are His. This light momentary affliction is creating for us an eternal weight of glory. Why? How? Because of the cross of Christ through the resurrection! 

A neighbor gave me these eggs Sunday morning (per tradition). 

Исус Воскресна. Вистина Воскресна. 

"Jesus is Risen. Truly He has risen." 

This is what you say when you greet someone the three days after Easter. I love it, but again, most do not know why it matters.  Praise the Lord this is an open door to tell them of the power of the cross and resurrection of Jesus and how it can change their life forever.

Leading believers in worship of our risen Lord.

Sunday we spent the day with believers in our city and in the city nearby.  It was a fantastic time of worship and fellowship. I basically felt like dancing all day.  Y'all, Jesus is alive!!!  Let's get excited! The next few days, we were in homes of close friends making the most of this opportunity of 'The Great Day' to talk about why it is so great--why every day is so great because Jesus paid the price for our sins. He did it all. He finished the work. He satisfied the wrath of God. He died a criminal's death. He died the death that I deserved. He covered my sins. He was buried. But, then, He arose. He's alive!!!  And he has made me alive together with him!!! Good health or not, my Jesus, my Savior, my Lord, he did it all and then he called me His own to the glory of God the Father! We're pretty excited about it! It really does make every day great! 

"This is life. This is grace. Jesus in my place."

Happy 1st Isaiah

It is ridiculously unbelievable that the littlest Davis is already a year old.  How did that happen?! Where did the time go?  These are the questions I have been asking since Kate turned one, and I suppose I will be asking them for the rest of my life. We are so blessed to have this handsome happy little dude in our lives.  He is such a joy, a precious treasure, a gift we don't deserve.  He makes us laugh every day.  Makes us stop and enjoy some sweet cuddle time several times a day and makes us further understand the deep love that our Heavenly Father has for us.  

We decided to have a small version of the Macedonian style first birthday party (not as much like a wedding reception and more like a party for a child) with some of our closest friends here.  We had the party at a little play-place for kids.  So good for everyone.  I didn't have to have a clean house and had nothing to clean up after the party. Kate and Thomas along with the other kids at the party had slides and trampolines and other sweat-inducing play things to enjoy during the party.  The girls who worked at the play-place served everything so I could just visit with the guests and best yet, there was a start and a finish.  This introverted momma loves when there is an "end time" to a party.  Thank you, Lord, for that!!! I think Isaiah was grateful for that, too.

These were Isaiah's little cupcake toppers.  We just took some of our favorite pictures of him and printed them off, wallet size, on some card stock paper, cut out his head, glued a party hat (a paper triangle) to the top, and taped it to a skewer. So easy and so cute.  (Thank you pinterest for the idea.) The guests loved them. Several women went around trying to collect all the different Isaiah heads for their party souvenir. 

Hee. Hee. I love it.

Look at that handsome boy and his handsome daddy.

Little man. 

So big and so handsome in his little button down-collared shirt and slacks. 

Greeting his guests who were still arriving an hour after the party started. :) He was such a good little host.

Kate and Thomas enjoyed the play area at the party.

Isaiah and all his big friends.

The candle was a little scary. That's how they like it here in Macedonia. It's not a birthday until some child has almost singed his eyebrows off.

Our little family with a big 6 year old, 4 year old and ONE year old!

Isaiah and his birthday pancake. 

Whoo! I'm one!!!

 

His very first cupcake.  It took him forever to finally dig into it.

Once he figured out how yummy it was, he tried to stuff the whole thing in his mouth.

Yum! Sugar!

From his grand entry into this crazy Davis world last year, he has captured my heart completely.  He is a cuddly 23 lb. load of sugary sweetness. A thousand of his snuggles and cuddles and I would still want more.  His giggles and excitement every time we play peek-a-boo make it my favorite game, too. He loves music, bath time, and skyping with grandparents. He adores his big brother and sister and wants to be just like them.  His 8 teeth and constant drool make for one amazing smile. He loves to wave bye-bye accompanied by the most beautiful "Buh-Buh" you've ever heard.  He can walk like a chubby little champ if you just hold his hands. He is one loved little baby who is becoming less and less like a baby every day.

Isaiah Hunter, you are loved and honored in the eyes of your creator God. You are precious in his eyes. He sustains you and provides for you every day. He loves you with an everlasting love. He sings over you. You were created for Him, to love Him, to know Him, to worship Him with your whole life. I pray every day that you will know the one who died so that you won't have to fear death, so that you can live a full and abundant life. I pray that you will be found in Him and that you will live your life to know Him more and to make Him known among the nations.  I love you, my sweet sweet Isaiah Bug. You are my precious boy and I am so incredibly beyond grateful that I get to be your mommy.  Happy First Birthday!

The Littlest

A Little Ancient R and R

Friday we got back from a great trip down south to Greece.  It was time again for our annual meeting with some friends and colleagues. We were all meeting on a little island close to Athens. So Brian and I decided to head down to Athens a few days before the meeting to check out some "really old stuff" (according to Kate) in Athens and Ancient Corinth.

Thomas hanging out by the old Roman Odeum at Ancient Corinth.  He really couldn't have cared less. The poor child just wanted to go back to the modern day playground we passed on the way to the ruins.   

Greece is gorgeous in the spring. There were snow-capped mountains hovering on top of fields of yellow wild-flowers. So pretty.

Apollo's Temple--one of the only temples still semi-standing. I think this is a gorgeous picture--one I might even would have framed and hung on my wall--until I really thought about it. It was a place of worship to another god. A god that was made up by men. A god that cannot hear the cries of its worshippers. A god that cannot save.  Perhaps I should frame it as a reminder that I am no better than those wretched Corinthians.  I, too, put things before the One True God. BUT GOD!  He came to the Corinthians in their idolatry just as He came to me in mine.  While we were still in our sin, Christ died for us.  Whew!!!! Best news ever!

I was blown away by the amount of placards that we walked by that said "'Somebody's' Temple."  One such temple was a place that housed 26 prostitutes at all times.  When the apostle Paul moved in there, he was surrounded by immense paganism. Darkness. He did not waver in his faithfulness to the Lord. He made his tents. He boldly preached the word.  

Here is a picture from where it is believed to be the seat of the proconsul where Paul was brought and tried before Gallio.  Paul did not waver but remained faithful to the truth and power of the gospel.  

And just as God promised, many believed and were baptized and the church at Corinth was started.  

Our family standing on a "really old sidewalk" in Corinth. Seriously, the kids just wanted to play on the playground.... 

The next day we headed into downtown Athens to see the Acropolis. This is our family on top of the Areopagus or "Mar's Hill" (Acts 17).   Again, so many thoughts on all that Paul did to advance the gospel of our Lord. So humbling!!!

This is how Isaiah and I enjoyed the Acropolis--in the grass, under a tree, shoes and socks off (yes, it was that warm and SO wonderful). If you look really close, you can see the Parthenon over his head.

Rockin' Athens from the stroller.

Brian took the two oldest up to see the Parthenon and all that "old stuff." They don't appreciate it now, but one day...

So pretty (Kate took this picture)

Just keeping it real, y'all. 

And we found Starbucks! Holla! I spent a painful amount of euros on two cups of creamy, caramelly coffee and I don't regret it one bit. Magically Delicious!!! This is evidently my name in Greek!

The next day we headed to the island where we met up with our friends and colleagues and had a tremendous time!!!

Like in years past, a stellar team of child care workers came over from the states to take care of our babies.  They did a great VBS with them and at the end of the week, they kids got to do a little show. They had so much fun and are still singing all of their songs and saying their verses.  

I love it!!!  These annual meetings are always such a blessing for our family as we can worship and be taught in English, be trained in new ways of attacking the darkness and just fill-up.  SO. VERY. GOOD. My heart is full.  

Seed Project

Almost every single person we know still plants a garden full of a variety of different veggies.  It is pretty much a necessity here. A colleague had the great idea to use the spring sowing season to plant the seeds of the gospel.  Through the coordination of our teammates in Prilep and Baptist Global Response, along with the church in the capital city, Skopje, our group in Ohrid has over 300 packets with seeds and literature (tracts, New Testaments and a book) that we will be distributing to the villages surrounding our town.

Putting the 300 packets together was a family affair.  The kids had a good time helping us stuff bags full of seeds, Bibles and tracts.

Kate went with Brian to seven different villages yesterday to give out these packets.

             They had a blast meeting new people and showing love to every one they met. 

There are 52 villages in the Ohrid region.  We probably will not be able to reach all of them through this project, but we will be able to make a dent.  Please be praying for us in the next few days as we work to cast these seeds.