Peace Out!! :) December 31, 2010

OK, well I am so excited about so many things!

So excited about a New Year!  New Year’s Day is my favorite day of the year!!!!

So excited about our new assignment in southern Mexico!!!!

So excited about Elijah and Hope’s birthdays coming up (both of their first birthdays celebrated on US soil)!!!

So excited about our new website that is officially up and running, thanks to my wonderful husband, John!! )

So, peace out for here and please come check out our new website:  www.mclambfamily.net

I hope you’re just going to love it! It will have a link to our “old” blogs (this one and John’s wordpress blog), a link to our Dropshots account with tons of pictures and video that we will be regularly updating.  And, the coolest part to me is John and I will share a blog now! ) You’ll see the tab “Blog” on our home page and there you will find our new blog and you will just look to see at the bottom of each post who wrote it! Also, you can still subscribe through Google Reader if you’re into that!

Well, thanks for reading!

Happy New Year!!

Baubles! September 10, 2010

WOW!

Listen to this conversation between George Müller (famous for fully relying on God’s daily provision for the thousands of orphans he would care for in his orphanages) and his new wife, Mary.  They had been married for one week and she had happily finished unpacking in his house, getting it all set up when he came home from traveling that day, sharing the gospel.  She was excited to show her new husband the fruit of her labor.  Here is what happened next:

As George looked around the room, his heart sank.  His house was beginning to look like so many other houses he had visited- cluttered with things: things that would stop him from answering God’s call on his life, things that would have to be packed up and transported from one place to another, things that would mock his attempt to live only for God.

He sank wearily into his chair.  “They have to go,” he said in a low voice.

“What has to go?” frowned Mary.

“Everything,” replied George, waving his hand vaguely around the room, “The silver, the china, the tapestries.  Everything that’s not necessary has to go.”

“But why?” stammered Mary, turning pale and sinking into a chair.

“Because,” said George, “I travel from one end of Devon to the other preaching that the Bible is to be taken literally, and I come home at night to a home filled with baubles.  After all, Jesus said, ‘Sell all you have and give to the poor,’ didn’t He?” (1)

*            *              *

Here’s the amazing part,

The next evening when George came home, the silverware, china, and tapestries were all gone.  Sitting on the china cabinet in their place was a stack of pound notes.  Mary pointed to them. “Do what you think best with it, George, and may God help us both,” she said. (2)

*         *            *

It is painful even to copy these words here on my blog, as we are packing up our things to be “transported from one place to another”- God is doing a work on our hearts about things and I am just becoming more and more aware of all the baubles I currently have.  And just to clarify-  Mary Müller’s things were family treasures- the family silver, her mother’s china, and the tapestries had been in her family for generations.  Yet she gave it all to be obedient to Christ! By the way, what a beautiful picture of a wife submitting to her husband, too! Wow!

I am writing tonight with a heavy heart as I am becoming aware of some sinful attitudes I have toward things, and ultimately putting my comfort and convenience ahead of God’s glory.  I would just ask you to pray for us as we are at the beginning of some steps here that are difficult to make.  I would ask you to pray for wisdom as we make decisions, for eyes to see what is need and what is luxury and for willing hearts to obey what we hear.  Especially, please pray as we will be in the United States for 4 months, surrounded by easily affordable and easily attainable things.  May we be strong and true to our convictions! Only by God’s grace and with His strength! Grant it, Lord!

(1) George Müller:  The Guardian of Bristol’s Orphans, Janet and Geoff Benge (Christian Heroes: Then & Now), p.77

(2) George Müller:  The Guardian of Bristol’s Orphans, Janet and Geoff Benge (Christian Heroes: Then & Now), p.78

WOW, GOD!! September 6, 2010

Yesterday we went out to Pamplona Alta for our last Bible study with them.  Another missionary family, the Austins, went, too, and they are going to help keep the study going after we go and in-between Union Grove visits- praise God for the Austins.  Santiago, our translator friend, also went as he knows all the people in this group from having translated for Union Grove. He has such a sweet heart for the people in these areas!

The Bible study was Acts 26 where Paul tells King Agrippa of his conversion.  Santiago read the scripture, then John told his personal story of his conversion and I shared my story of becoming a Christian.  Then, John simply asked if any one of them would like to have a story like ours.  He explained what that meant a bit, then Elijah had to go to the bathroom- yikes! (not always an easy task out there), so poor John left to tend to Elijah.  Santiago simply repeated what John had asked and one lady, Leo, raised her little hand and with a big grin said, “Yo quiero!” (I want to!)  Oh wow, I was so excited and so pleased to have gotten to be there to see this glimpse of fruit in this area! John came back pretty quickly and celebrated!!  God was so gracious to let us witness this exciting day! We hugged her neck and told her how the angels were having a party, celebrating her name being written in the Book of Life in heaven!! How exciting- her eternity is forever changed now by God’s grace!!

John, Leo and her daughter and me and Hope- yes, I am freakishly tall!!

It was a sad time, saying good-bye to our friends out there- Leo’s daughter and Caleb are goofy friends and always call each other Mami and Papi!

Here's Mami y Papi!!

We have some sweet memories out there! Praising God for allowing us to get to know these sweet people!

*         *          *

We are still working away here- I really can’t believe how fast the time is flying by! Lukey had his MMR vaccine today and I realized it would be my last time (Lord willing) to see Dra. Zuñiga- I just hugged her neck and told her what a blessing she had been to our family- Lukey gave her a Gospel of John in Spanish!  And I can’t believe now we can say we are going to NC “next week.” Sometimes when I picture seeing all of our family and hugging my nieces and nephews I haven’t seen for 3 years, it just makes my head spin! I can’t wait!

Here’s Hopey lending a hand as we pack:

And catching up on some reading:

Ok, and here’s a picture of all 6 McLambs- thanks Austins for taking this one for us yesterday! I love it!!

Love you all and see you NC peeps NEXT WEEK!!! Lord willing!

Kindness –> Repentance September 3, 2010

Sweet!

This morning, Elijah had ended up in our bed and was still snoozing while I nursed Hopey. (I whispered to John, “Now THIS I will miss one day.” What sweet memories of my two littlest spending the first gray-dark moments of the day with me in a bed warmed by their sweet sleepy bodies.) Well, Elijah began to stir a bit and scooted closer to me and Hope (He is our BEST cuddler!).  He said so softly with eyes still closed, “I love you, Mama.” I said, “I love you, too, sweet Elijah.” Moments later, his little voice broke the silence again, “I love you so much, Mama.” I said, “Well, I love you so much, too, Elijah.”  I sat for a moment, counting my blessings.  Then Elijah looked up at me and said, “I’m sorry for screaming my head off!” (We had Pastor Salvador and his family (with 3 boys) over last night and Elijah had acted pretty wild and out of control!)

WOW! I immediately thought of this verse:

Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?  (Romans 2:4)

As a parent, I often err by being too strict with my kids, wanting to correct them, but often  failing and correcting too strongly.  Last night, I told Luke and Elijah that we would talk about their disobedience in the morning (I almost never do this- I don’t like for stuff to hang over them, but as our guests were still here as I laid them down, I didn’t feel like I had another option.) So, I was real calm telling them we would talk later and I assured them that they were forgiven, told them I loved them and put them to bed.

Then, this morning, as Elijah cuddled up and we said “I love you,” his heart prompted him to be sorry for his sin- I was so overwhelmed.  And I know it would have gone differently had I fussed and carried on last night and not received his loving this morning.

I am so thankful when, through the power of the Holy Spirit and by God’s grace, I am able to parent correctly- it almost always opens my eyes to another attribute of our precious Holy Father. Please, God, make me more and more like You!!

Finishing up! September 1, 2010

We are in the “short rows” as they say!

I turned our calendar last night for September and then realized the next time I turn a month in the calendar, we will no longer be in our home here! Weird! We’ll be in the United States of America , Virginia actually, for our Stateside debrief.

It’s so strange to be at this point which, for so long, was just a line of dates written on a piece of paper as we sketched out our first term:  “2 months at ILC, 3 weeks at my sister’s house, 13 months in Costa Rica, . . . “  And here we are, having almost completed our first term as international missionaries with the IMB.

In so many ways, I feel like we are just starting.

Just starting to fully grasp what God is calling us to do.

Just starting to glimpse how different our life should be.

Just starting to realize how little we have given up for God.

Just starting to realize what a privilege our call is.

Just starting to pray about how we can more radically obey HIM.

We treasure your prayers for us right now- we are working hard in the house packing and giving away, having good-byes with our precious friends here, having our last team meeting this past Monday, preparing to say good-bye to our missionary family here, and trying to prepare our hearts to be steadfast to our call to obey God as we go back to a different way of life.  We are praying that God will continue to show us more and more each day ways that we can obey Him, more radically! We are praying about changes we need to make in our lives!

Well, just a lot is going on, right?

Please keep praying!

Thank you so much!

Hopey's enjoying her final days in her birthplace!

Prayer Update August 30, 2010

Thanks so much for praying for us and our ministry here in Lima.  Here are a few things already posted over at our website: www.mclambfamily.net.  Thanks!!

Please join us in praying for Mountainview Baptist Church in Utah.  I met with some of their leadership last night (via Skype) about the possibility of their coming and partnering with REAPSouth here in Lima.  Also, join us in celebrating new REAPSouth partners, Eastland Baptist Church (Eastland, TX).  They are working in Santa Rosa- a rapidly growing, impoverished community in the Northern Cone of Lima.  You may remember the video of their pastor performing a baptism in the Pacific Ocean from a couple of months ago.  You can view the baptism video by clicking the photos and videos page.

8.24.10 update

We are beginning to finish up our work here in Lima and beginning the process of getting ready for Stateside assignment as well as our transfer to the next place where we will serve (this is still not completely determined) though we are in the matching process for a job among the Zapotec of Southern Mexico.  We are eager and excited but continue to look for God’s final confirmation that will come from IMB leaders (and medical personnel).  Here are a few things you can pray for us this week:

• Pray for Hope’s continued good health and development.  She has not had a seizure since June 20 (when she began medication).  We have an appointment with a pediatric neurologist in Cary, NC the week after we get to the States.
• Pray for the Bible study at Flor’s house.  We have been teaching with them for a couple of months and their background knowledge is now to the point where they can see some of the distinctives between biblical Christianity and their current belief system (a very mixed set of beliefs).  Pray for the final weeks of our study with them and the continued work that Union Grove (the REAP partner area in their community) will do with them.  It is our hope that each person studying with us will confess Christ as Lord and Savior… and that they will be properly discipled and a church will begin!
• Pray for our packing, selling, and crating.  There is MUCH to do to get ready.
• Pray for the transition our family will experience over the next few months.  Our children will leave Lima, live the whirlwind of 4 months in the States (including LOTS of fun with G-parents, visiting lots of churches, traveling), and then to a new country (IF it is Mexico, we have been told we cannot move into our new community until we have gotten permission to live with them from community leaders- a distinctive of some indigenous communities).  All this means, lots of transition.  Pray that the kids, as well as Mama and Daddy, will be led by God through the transition.

Pray that Stateside will be a great time of ministry amongst churches and LOTS of wonderful memories are made with family and friends!

Lots of Milestones! August 26, 2010

Well, we are just celebrating a lot of life over here at the McLambs!!

Caleb learned how to ride his bike with no training wheels!!! Yeah! We are so proud of him! Please go to John’s blog to see a sweet video of his new skill!!

Proud Daddy with a proud Caleb!!

And Luke, our freshly-turned-five-year-old, has officially stopped sucking his thumb!! In our house, at 4, you can only have your thumb in your bed and at 5, you have to give it up! (We always reassure them that we will never take away their “lovies” and laugh about our kids going to college with Chop Chop, Ray, and Monty!!) So, it was hard for Lukey, but he was highly motivated because you get a prize when you have successfully quit! So, his prize was a Boba Fett action figure- he LOVES Jango Fett from Star Wars and well, there was only Boba Fett (who is Jango’s son, anyway- sorry, TMI for you non-Star Wars fans!!)

Lukey showing off his forsaken thumb and prize!

Elijah . . . hmmm . . .  he can catch a ball pretty good for a 3 year old!

This pic was taken during their P.E. time with Daddy!

And Hopey, well, she just discovered her feet- I mean, that’s an accomplishment in Babyworld!

We are so proud of all 4 of our blessings from God!

We are making some progress with packing- God has provided several people to buy some of our stuff and this has been a huge blessing.  I had a pang when they came and got our table last night and then felt this great peace all over from God reminding me, “Jenny, they’re just things- no big deal! Be thankful that you had them!” WOW! Ok! I can’t believe how often I struggle with my flesh over things- it is such a fight to want to satisfy this hungry flesh- with things and food and conveniences and stock piles! But, it just does NOT satisfy!

Listen to this truth from God’s Word:

Your unfailing love is better to me than life itself; how I praise You! You satisfy me more than the richest of foods.  I will praise You with songs of joy! Psalm 63:3-5

WOW! God is so satisfying! I pray I can stop looking beyond Him for satisfaction!

Happy Birthday Lukey! August 21, 2010

Our sweet Lukey turned 5 this past Saturday, August 14! We are so proud of him! We had a fun day with a small family party and an animal lady who brought all kinds of critters to entertain us!  I really can’t believe Luke is 5!! Wow!! 5 sounds so big to me! Also, weird to me to think that this will be our last birthday in sweet Perú! We are praising God and thanking Him for the wonderful gift of Luke Elliot McLamb!

with his birthday hat- a crab!

With LEGOS from Granddaddy Clark!!!

With his souvenir hat and real live stick bug from Ms. Patricia!

His cake- my artistic interpretation of a zebra!

A Day in the Life July 23, 2010

So, here’s our schedule, more or less, now that school’s back in session.  Of course, it doesn’t always run exactly like this, but it’s the idea!

7:00 AM- John gives Hope her medicine and changes her diaper

I nurse Hope and she falls back asleep for a huge morning nap.

* The boys have been sleeping in this week until 7:00 or 7:30- nice!! Elijah slept in until 9:00 this morning- wow! He has been waking up more in the night, so I think he then makes up for it in the morning!

8:00- We all have some breakfast and we have family worship!

Brush teeth, clean up table.

8:30- I do Caleb’s Science and Social Studies with all 3 boys- the books are so interesting that they really hold everyone’s attention!

9:10- John, Luke and Elijah run errands, pay bills, grocery store runs, etc.

Caleb and I do Language Arts, Handwriting, Math and Bible.

10:30- Caleb does any independent work from the day.

Luke and Elijah hang out

I get Hopey, play with her, change her clothes, check on laundry.

11:00- Nurse Hopey while boys play- sometimes they watch some tv.

11:30- Lukey and I do his pre-school:  practice his Bible verses and do his Science, Social Studies, Handwriting, Language Arts, Math (it sounds like way more, but it’s pre-school so it’s nice and relaxed- his Science, for example, is reading a few pages from this fun Berenstein Bears Almanac book.)

I was trying to do a Circle Time/ Read Aloud right here, but it got swallowed up by Hope needing to eat her cereal, hmm, I need to work on that!

12:00- Feed Hopey her cereal, try to keep her in her high chair for as long as she will with various toys, her sippy cup (she’s still learning this one), a plastic bag tied in a knot .

I prepare lunch while boys play outside.

12:45- Eat lunch

1:00- I lay Hopey down for her nap.

1:15- Done with lunch, Elijah to nap and Caleb and Luke to Quiet Time with books on separate couches.

Check on laundry, wipe off table.

1:30- Caleb and Luke play with Lego’s at table while I do our Read Alouds (right now we’re in Charlotte’s Web- sweet )

A couple days this week, I have just stayed there and built Lego’s- seriously Lego’s is something I’ve been excited about since finding out Caleb was going to be a boy! I LOVE Lego’s!

Mondays/ Wednesdays- John takes Caleb to soccer from 3:40- 5:20.

Tuesdays/ Thursday- I carry Luke and Elijah to karate from 4:10- 5:30.

Hopey wakes up around 3:30 and I nurse her.

Free time in here with whoever’s at home, playing with Hopey, laundry, picking up, etc.

5:30- I should start preparing dinner (I was a little late a couple times this week).

6:30- Dinner, sometimes some tv

6:45- Hopey gets her second Tegretol and pajamas

7:00- 7:15- I nurse Hopey and lay her down for the night (Seriously, isn’t she AMAZING??)

John tells the boys a Fantastic 4 story (tonight they all went on vacation based on their real-life answers of a place they would like to visit- Caleb said “Disney World for 30 days”, Luke said “the forest” so we sent him to the Redwood Forest of California and Elijah said he wanted to go “IN the Lion King” so John sent him to Hollywood to the Lion King set to meet all the characters- John is really so amazing at this- I love it!)

7:30- boys to bath and bed by 8:00-ish

John and I hang out, talk, watch a movie, journal, read, pick up, laundry.

It’s a pretty great life, I’d say!

I still don’t have the schedule all worked out- I need to see if I can squeeze scrapbooking in some where and get a consistent quiet time with God, but at least it has the kids taken care of!

What does a typical day look like for you?

Hope you have a great Saturday tomorrow- Union Grove will be here- yeah!

Night, Night

Caleb writing his spelling words in shaving cream!

Happy Anniversary!! July 20, 2010

THREE YEARS AGO TODAY . . . . we left the US to begin living out our call to missions! WOW! What a ride it has been so far! I am so thankful and humbled to have been called by God to serve Him overseas! What a privilege!

3 years ago right now, we were sleeping in our little temporary house in Costa Rica with Caleb (3 1/2) and Luke (almost 2) in bunk beds and baby Elijah (6 months old) sleeping in only his diaper in a crib! Wow- things have changed! I praise God for every moment of these past 3 years! He has shown me so much about Him and about myself- I have had plenty to confess and repent of! Praise God for His patience and continued mercy and grace towards me!

I pray that God will grace us with many more years to serve Him!!