What's New...

Well, I have fallen down on the job... Sorry about not posting lately. But there are lots of new things going on in my life.

First of all, I have successfully finished a month of highschool. (Enjoying Literature and Foreign Language.)
Angelcake Creations has been busier than ever! (15+ cakes in one week...)
Homeschool Co-Op has started, and we are preparing for the first show the Drama Class will be preforming to raise money for supplies. I'll be singing and playing guitar.
My Birthday was three days ago!! But I'll be celebrating next weekend...
Got my hair cut.
The weather has grown quite chilly over here, and I am enjoying it, immensely!

AND..................................

My family and I are moving to Kenya, Africa!!!
We will be moving within two years from now, (but we think we will be gone by this time next year.)
We are all quite excited!!

Our vision is to begin a boarding-house-like place, for missionaries that need a clean, safe spot to stay.
It will be like a cluster of little houses, where each traveling group can stay.

God has called our family to go there, and we are being obedient.
No, we aren't crazy.
No, we aren't weird.
And no, it isn't stupid.

We are being obedient followers of Christ. And that might look strange and "radical" to some Christians, but it shouldn't... This should look as normal as the rising of the sun.
I'm not saying all Christians should move to Africa; I am saying all Christians need to be so fully obedient to God that any act of obedience would look "normal," not only to us, but to the world. The people of the earth would see an act of obedience and say,
"Oh, that must be a Follower of Christ."

Pray, and ask God to lead you where He will...




P.S.- By the way, the Foreign Language I am learning is Swahili... lol!

Sister in Christ,

Hannah

  

Long time, no blog.

Hello, everyone!!
Yes, I know, very long time, and absolutely no blog...
I'm sorry. :(
But everything has been going great!! My Dad is finally home, we started a Bible-study called "Crazy Love," I joined choir, and I've started my annual Facebook-break. It's my last week of "freedom" before school starts... lol! I started reading the books to my all-time favorite movies, The Lord of the Rings, got stung by a yellow-jacket for the first time, and officially fallen in love Biscoff Spead!! (Quite a list, huh?)
I am getting super excited about the school year ahead. Driver's ED and Drama are just two of the many fun subjects I'll be taking.
Eeee!! So excited!! :)
Just a quick, random update... Thanks for reading!

P.S.- If you have never tried Biscoff Spread, you are missing out on a world of deliciousness... Just saying. Lol! :)

                                                           Hannah

Home again, home again...

My Papa is back!!! :)
We picked him up yesterday at the DFW airport, along with the families of the other men.
Waiting on them to come was so hard. Me and my friend, A, couldn't sit still; we were constantly tapping our feet, staring at the door, and/or pacing the floors...
I was the first to see them coming out, and I must have acted very silly. I started jumping up and down, squealing,
"I see him! I see him! He's at the door! Look, look, look!!"
My Mom looked at me like I was a nut, but after she looked in the direction I was pointing, she understood.
Many hugs and kisses were passed around.
We went out to eat, and many stories were told at the table.
Back at home Dad gave us gifts he brought back with him. He gave me a Kenyan beaded necklace, (which I wore to church this morning.) He showed us pictures of the different people they met, and places they saw.

So, I made it through the two weeks alive! And I think I have grown a little more...
I want to go to Africa sometime soon, now that my Dad has come back, telling us all about it.

"Bless the Lord, oh my soul! Oooh, my soul! I'll worship Your Holy Name... I'll sing like never before! Oooh, my soul! I'll worship Your Holy Name..."

Thanks for reading!

Blessings,

Hannah

Changes...

Yes, I know, it's been awhile... But nothing much has happened since my last update. We have found a few things to keep us busy.
I went to a birthday party on Sunday afternoon. We went to the "Splash-Pad" on Monday, and little brother, C, got sick that evening. Today we went to the toystore. And tomorrow I get my braces fixed. (I broke them already!! )
Finding little things like these help to take our minds off missing Dad. But our anticipation grows every day, because he comes home on Saturday!!
Super excited!!!
I can already tell he has changed. And I know I have learned that there is much room for change for me, as well...

I take so much for granted, without even realizing it.
My Dad not being here for two weeks has taught me how much he does, with so little recognition... The same goes for my Mom. I have learned that they do so much "behind-the-scene" work to make our ship run smoothly and never get thanked. Seeing how much my parents miss one another has shown me even more about godly marriage.
I have seen that I have a horrible attitude when things don't go "just right" for me. I know I am never fully content. I have it so much better than all the people in Kenya put together, and I can never be "happy."

But I want to live the life God has planned for me. I want His plan to be my plan. And that's what I plan to do.

                                                            Hannah
  

Power-Outage and Prayer:

So, last night around 9:00, during a storm, the power went out... No air conditioner, no internet, and no phone battery. Everything was dead. (Exception being an hour of computer battery, which we used up to watch a movie.)
Yeah, I was not the happiest person in the world. In fact, I had a terrible attitude. Grumbling and snapping at my siblings, tossing stuff around, thinking very ungrateful thoughts, and pretty much throwing an inward, (and somewhat outward) tantrum... You get the picture.
We sat in the dark until about 10:30, then Mom told us to go to bed.
I woke up at 1:00 to the sound of my Mom telling me to get up and go to the car. The power had still not come on, and everyone was pouring sweat.
Very long story short: we sat for two hours, went to the store to get something cold to drink, came back and passed the power-guy, hoping that he was going to come by our house... Still nothing.
Finally, at almost 3:00, we stopped and prayed together.
After we prayed, the power-guy passed by the house.
Mom turned the radio back on, and I heard the last part of the chorus to a song I knew well.
"Bless the Lord, oh, my soul! Ooooh, my soul! I worship Your Holy Name... I'll sing like never before. Ooooh, my soul! I worship Your Holy Name..."
The significance of that moment may not make sense to some, but it did to me. To truly understand that moment, you must read my Dad's Blog post.

(Read it here: daddyofeight.blogspot.com/2012/08/day-2-meeting-elizabeth.html)

After the last words of that chorus died out, I knew that this was only an attack from the enemy. The enemy was trying to steal our joy, while my Dad was away.
I got out the car and went up to the house.
I prayed that God would help me to stand in the authority He has given me as His child, over the enemy, and that the enemy would leave because he has no place in our home, to steal our joy from us.

Getting back in the car, a wave of understanding rushed over me.
Everything happens for a reason. God's reasoning.
Dad had been praying for weeks that I would become a prayer warrior while he was gone; that I would  stand in the authority God has given me as His child.
God uses even the unpleasant things to mold us into what He has designed for our life.
I got a small taste of what people in Kenya live in, still had much more, and had a horrid attitude about it! Yes, we had no cold air, but we had a house. We still had running water. We had food to eat.

God gave me these things. But who said I deserved them? I am alive, but I never deserved to live.

I have been singing the song ever since last night. It will be special to me forever.

"Bless the Lord, oh, my soul! Ooooh, my soul! I worship Your Holy Name... I'll sing like never before. Ooooh, my soul! I worship Your Holy Name..."

Hannah  

Day #4.

Unbelievably tired, and missing my Papa... But I always get a burst of joy and energy when we hear the SKYPE account ringing, and his picture pops up!

We got a huge surprise today: a phone-call from little Elizabeth!! :)
I could not help but tear up, just to hear Mom talk to her. Only listening to Mom's half of the conversation told me lots about how sweet and unselfish our Elizabeth is...

Dad said he folded more than 200 balloons for the kids at the orphanage. He told us about his sermon in the tent-church. He said that stoplights are "optional," as are parking spaces... lol! And he also told us about the gigantic avocado trees. (He saw some that were around 150 feet tall! And the avocados themselves around the size of a soft-ball!)
He has many stories, so feel free to read his blog! (daddyofeight.blogspot.com/)

I miss Dad bunches, but I know he is blessing others...

Trying to find things to keep my mind busy; this blog being one of them.
Thank you to those who have been faithful in reading! :)

Blessings as always,

Hannah

A beautiful song and story:

Watch "Let the Lower Lights Be Burning" on YouTube
Please listen to this song, it will bless you!

Day #1.

Took Papa to the airport today...
Us and a few of the other families went to Whataburger to eat lunch; and afterwards, went to drop the guys off.
Not a lot of time for goodbyes... :( But we all know how much we love each other. (And sometimes short goodbyes are easier.)
As of now, they are on their way to the Netherlands.
I miss my Dad already, but I know God is going to use him for something great, and I can't be selfish.

Dad, if you are reading this, I want you to know I love you and miss you! But don't worry about us; keep your mind on God's Plan... :)

I am beginning to comprehend the true meaning of being a Prayer Warrior...
Pray with us for the team, and the people over there.

                                                            Hannah

YouTube Channel:

http://youtu.be/C5kTmc57DGY

I started a YouTube Channel!! Check it out... :)

Braces, Birthday, and Bravery:

And they fail to tell you that when you walk past the fridge, you'll stick to it like a magnet... I looked like an idiot! ...
Lol! Just kidding!
Yes, I got my braces yesterday. (Light blue and purple bands.) And yes, they do hurt a little, but not bad. Still trying to get used to the feel of them.
My two-year-old sister, L, saw me when I came home and said, "What's that on your teeth?!" Lol! (Poor kid...) And after awhile she wanted to touch them, (which I allowed.) Now all she wants to do is touch the "things" in my mouth... Lol! :)

What else has been going on?
Well, My littlest brother's Birthday is coming up on Saturday. (He's going to be FOUR YEARS OLD! I can't believe it!) And he has informed everyone that he wants a dump-truck for his birthday.
I asked him what kind of a cake he wanted, and he told me he wanted a "gingerbread-man cake." (Which, by the way, I made for him last year...) Eventually, I talked him into a dump-truck cake to go with his present. (Shhhh! Don't tell him. It's a surprise.)
So, today I am baking a chocolate cake for him. Tomorrow I will decorate it. (With dump-trucks, of course!)

The only other thing going on right now is my Dad leaving on a mission-trip on Sunday.
He is going to Kitale, in Kenya, Africa. There, he will meet the young orphan-girl we support. He, and the other five men, will be hiking up the side of Mt. Elgon, (an old volcano, which hasn't erupted for a years.) And as they do this, they will visit 21 different churches, (many of whom, have never seen a white man.)
This will be an experience for everyone involved.
Little Elizabeth, our orphan, will get to meet "Dad" for the first time. Those 21 churches will meet the some of the first white Christians in their area.
Dad will finally meet the child he has supported for a year. A few of the men will be going to Africa for the first time in their life.
And back here at home, the families will patiently wait and pray for the men to come home in safety.
This will be the longest Dad has been away from us, but I know he will be fine, because God called him to Africa, and He will bring Dad home.
I am praying for strength while Dad is gone. I pray that God would put His full armor around me, so I can be a warrior for Him. I am determined to remain strong, to be unselfish, to fully rely on God, and most of all to fight for Christ through prayer.
Please pray for the next two weeks, for the men's safety, that many would be reached for Christ through them, and for bravery on everyone's part.

Blessings Always,

Hannah         

Baby shower cake, (and a sleepover at church!!)

This was the Baby shower cake from Saturday... A butter-pecan cake with butter cream icing and flowers. I put edible pearls in between each space on the borders, and in the center of each flower.
The mommy enjoyed it very much! (She said she was "hooked." lol!) And the guests enjoyed, as well...


But I was very tired on Saturday morning because I stayed up 'til 4:00 in the morning!
A good friend of mine had her 17th birthday slumber-party at church. We all stir-fried our own Chinese food, (YUMMY!!) We also played "Hide-and-seek" in the dark, played "dress-up," and watched The Princess Diaries 2.
We had a great time scaring one another in the dark, (I got a few people really good! lol!) And getting to know one another even better than before.

Well, had a pretty good weekend! Hope you did too! :)

Wisdom and Discernment: (Devo. #1)

Wisdom: noun-The quality or state of being wise; knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action;sagacity, discernment, or insight. Scholarly knowledge or learning.


Discernment: noun-The faculty of discerning; discrimination; acuteness of judgment and understanding.




There are pages and pages of the Bible dedicated to these two ideas. But probably the most well-known is the book of Proverbs. (Which was written by the wisest man in the world, king Solomon.) And if you think about it, a little of the wisdom from the wisest man who ever lived, is a lot of wisdom to use! 
As you read through this book, Solomon tells us over and over again, to strive for wisdom and hold to discernment. 
Prov. 3:21- My son, do not lose sight of these— keep sound wisdom and discretion, and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck.
²² 
Prov. 8:12- “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion..."

As Christians, we should strive for godly wisdom and discernment. This comes through prayer and study. But it also comes from our authorities. (Solomon also repeatedly tells us to hear what our mothers and fathers have to say.)
Prov. 5:1-2 My son, be attentive to my wisdom; incline your ear to my understanding,
² that you may keep discretion, and your lips may guard knowledge.


Prov. 6:1-2 My son, keep your father's commandment, and forsake not your mother's teaching. Bind them on your heart always; tie them around your neck. 


This is some of what God has shown me of late. (At youth camp, this stuff hit me like a ton of bricks! That's when I got really stuck on these two ideas.)


Wisdom and discernment are two things we should not be without. But it is two of the things that have been somewhat lacking in this generation. 
I am praying for wisdom and discernment on my part, so I can be an example to others. I hope you pray the same.  

Your sister in Christ,

Hannah.

     

  

Bored to death!!

Day two of my siblings week at camp... Can you say, "Bored?!" Yeah, brothers and sister can be a pain at times, but you always get over it later.
I can't think of much to say, because not much has happened. (And I am NOT about to write about the weather! I did not start this blog for weather-reporting.)
The only thing that I can look forward to this week, is a baby shower cake for a good friend. She is having a little girl at the end of August, and I wanted to make her cake.
It's going to be a butter-pecan cake with vanilla butter-cream. I have a neat design, but not going to give it away yet. (Maybe I'll put up pictures, later...?)
Wednesday night, church is having choir try-outs. I'm planning on trying out, but don't know how it's going to go. (Hopefully well?)

Well, nothing more to report.

I'll update, soon.

From,

Hannah.    

Hi, everyone! :)

Well, the summer is almost over, and school is near to beginning. And this year will be sort of special for me... My first year of High School!
This year I will be taking Drivers Ed, (super excited about that!) As well as Algebra, (not so excited about that...)
Even though I am a home-schooled student, I participate in outside activities. We attend By His Blessings Home-school Co-op, at our church. I also help to teach Pre-K children on Wednesday nights at church.
Other things that keep me busy: I run a small, at-home business baking and decorating cakes. ("Angelcake Creations," find my page on Facebook!) I have been making a photo-journal of my newest little sister, of her first year. I have been attempting to write a book, but it is yet to be finished. Other than that, I enjoy reading and playing my guitar.

There. I think that was a good introduction... My blog will be just random things that are going on in my everyday life. (Like the fact I am getting braces next week... Eeeek! lol!)
I hope to eventually do a few devotionals, too.


Thank you for taking the time to read my silly stories...

Your sister in Christ,

Hannah.