Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer

Dear friends,

there are many different ailments that are plaguing our family and friends at the moment. In addition to my ever more difficult bed rest (sounds like a contradiction in terms:), now my Jakov has chicken pox, accompanied with high fever. Poor guy, he even has little dots on the soles of his feet. Last night he spent in tears and utter frustration because of the stcratching of his back and the fact that he is not allowed to scratch, even if he could reach his back. Miro slept in the room with him, just so he could be there for him when he wakes up (which was often), or even just to raise his voice, trying to make him snap out of uncontrolablle crying while sleeping.

Since chicken pox is highly contagious, we expect Josip to get it next. Both Miro and I had it before, so that we (and the baby) are ok.

My dad, who is 63, is scheduled to have surgery tomorrow - he has some water cysts on his kidneys that the doctors want to take out, since they are bigger than 9cm (3,5 inches). My dad is not a believer, so please pray with us that he will spend this time in the hospital seeking God.

Also, our dear friend and team mate, Garret, recently found out that his mom has something on her liver. The doctors are not sure if it's a liver tumor or a liver disease, and cannot do biopsy because of her other medical issues, so that the poor woman needs to decide whether she will go straight to chemo (believing it's a tumor) or start taking antibiotics (for liver disease). I can't imagine how difficult all that is for her and for her family. But we can pray, and pray eagerly. Our God is the Lord of all creation and has plans for all of us. Oh, I pray she seeks Him and finds in Him all her comfort and cast all her worries on Him. He atoned for our sins and there is now no condemnation for those who are in Him. And that is all we REALLY need.

Please join me in prayer for these things. Let us carry each other's burdens. May the Lord bless you huundredfold for every prayer for your fellow believers.

A glorious, sunny day in my little town! Although I only get to see it from the inside, I still feel its enthusiasm and positiveness:) Also, I am 32 weeks pregnant and that also sounds very hope inspiring. Waiting for the miracle to come...:)

Lately I've been thinking about the layout for my Christmas cards, and lacking the option of sitting for long, have decided for this (the one with the photo) - I really like Kristina Werner's creations and this seems like a perfect fuss-free gift for me. I will change the colours, though, for I think my family of men would look better in a blue-brown combination and on a colour photo. A dear friend of mine will soon send me some winter maternity clothes and I will have something (other thatn this pink sweater that I now have on:) to wear on that Christmas photo. Although I was pregnant twice already, I don't have my own winter mater. clothes mainly because I gave birth to Jakov in the middle of the Summer and although Josip was born in November, that Autumn was so warm that I came to the hospital on November 6th wearing a T-shirt! That is why I do have maternity pants, but no shirts or sweaters...

(Miro just came in playing the mouth harmonica he bought at a local store - it sounds great:)))). He is very musical and I do have some hopes of our children playing instruments some time in the future.)

Kudos to my friend Wendy who gave birth to her son, Jonah Mark, on Monday! You go, girl:)) I am so happy that it didn't last too long for you and that you are finally done with contractions and worrying!

Have a wonderful day, dear friends!

We had a wonderful time!

Really! The children were well enough behaved, there weren't too many tears and Miro was the perfect host! Our teammate Betsy was here with her adorable 3-year-old Teyla; my brother, his wife and their little son Ante came as well - what a wonderful evening. I think Josip had a blast, especially when my brother presented him with a remote control car track! There were many phonecalls and singing and fb greetings:))) Josip enjoyed it all!

I haven't seen my brother and his family for 4 months or so, and it was really good to catch up. Their little boy is just a bundle of joy - like a little sponge that remembers and imitates everything he hears or sees. My sister in law is a beautiful woman and I sometimes enjoy just looking at her:) I realized tonight that I really miss them, although our relationship was never that great. They said they will come visit when the baby is born. I am looking forward to it.

The grown-ups helped with the cleaning in the end. So good toward me, everyone. And now the boys are in bed and Miro is loading the dishwasher. My poor, tired, wonderful man... He is preaching tomorrow both in Slavonski Brod and here in Gradiška, and will probably be finishing up his sermon until late tonight. I am so thankful that God gave him, exactly him, to me. I better go pray for him:). Before I go, here are some birthday highlights:

Miro coming in with the cake!!

Lighting the No 5 candle!

The joy of a successfully blown out candle:)

Ante scaring me in his "ghost" costume:)

My birthday boy being all strong and scary:)

Well, I hope you have a good night/day:)!

1 Timothy 1,17

Today has turned out to be a long day. I haven't been feeling too perky, and the kids were especially sensitive. So, we're already calling it a night. Anyway, tomorrow is a big day, full of excitement - Josip's birthday!! We are going to have a little celebration and it seems that my brother with his family will be here with us, at least for a little while. What a wonderful treat!

J, J&I made some little bookmarky things to put into kids' little treasure hunt bags, along with other yummy goodies. I am really doing my best to channel their energy and teach them something about God in the process, but today I've been feeling like such a failure. A mom that is always in bed isn't a great source of direction for her ever needy children. And I don't mean needy just in the emotional sense, but in a "real" sense: in the sense of giving them a glass of water, making pancakes, showing them some new game that includes moving, making sure they brushed their teeth properly and not just ate the toothpaste...

One thing that really made my evening was reading Dr MacArthur on wisdom of God. Just reading some verses about His magnificence, the depth and the width of His wisdom, being reminded AGAIN that true wisdom is to fear God and keep His commandments... was really uplifting for my soul. And it helps me to keep on moving, however immobile:).

Thank you so much for your prayers, dear friends...

Hanging by a thread

Ok, here's my pregnancy update: I saw my Dr on Monday and he was very grieved to tell me that all those stitches and my resting didn't amount to much - there is only one stitch that is holding the cervix together. And I'm sure it is one tired, stretched stitch! So, goodbye blue skies, hello STRICT bedrest. Well, the skies aren't that blue any more, and my determination to make it through is getting stronger - therefore, I will not complain.The only thing that is really sad is that my hubby needs to carry his own AND my whole load now - cleaning, cooking, children, and all that children entail, which is a LOT. Anyway, enough to make you cranky in a long term way. I just pray that won't happen to him.

I'm planning Josip's birthday party on Saturday, and that also seems to be impossible with me in bed. I don't want a big thing, just a little celebration with a few kids. For a few months now, Josip has been spending his mornings playing alone: me in bed, his brother in the kindergarten and daddy working, and I think he deserves a bit of birthday fun. Unfortunately, it seems that Gradiska has no organized B-day parties, so that we'll have to come up with something on our own.

In other news, Autumn has really kicked in - there are almost no leaves on the trees anymore. Only a week ago the walnuts in our yard were covered in a gorgeous yellow colour, but it's all on the ground now - a deep yellow carpet.

Here are some nice pics of the kids taken the other day.