Reflections of 2010

Here are some Photos with hilights from year 2010 in the life of Bill and Carolyn, not in any particular order!

My sister from Mexico came home for a visit with two of her three children, of which her youngest Aiden shares the same birthday as Bill! That was a fun celebration with family!



Here we see how Bill is trying to trade presents with Aiden!             
I don't think he wants Uncle Bill's new shirt!

Is this not the BEST nose ring you have EVER seen in your whole life!!!! Yum...Pretzle! Hungry???

Another nice surprise, my brother who lives in California came into town with his daughter at the same time as our sis! Good times!

Bill turned 40!!!! I tried to surprise him....&.... He wasnt' surpriesd...  but we had fun at Texas Road House!

We finally made it over to sister Jami's house to see the new Murphy home and had a super fun time playing with the nephews!

We have enjoyed some overdue quality time with the Johnston Parents!

Oh my goodness! Bill has discovered a hidden love for the birds this year and his absolute favorite is the Oreal!

AND.... his disgust for the DANG evil Squrel!!! The varments have destroyed most of his bird feeders....oh but Bill has outsmarted the lillte bugers.... just wait till spring you littl nut crakcers!!!!

Good time spent with great friends doing free stuff around town in the great out doors!

As you may be able to tell... we are a little worried that crazy Buffallo is going to break throught the fence!

Yummy Cake!!!!!!!!!!! Sooooo delicious!

 Jerin~n~Val celebrate their first home! Too Cute!

Old Friendships made new again, Praise to God!

A good time was had by all!

~PRECIOUS MOMENTS~

PAID OFF THE VAN!!!!!! PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!! Isn't she a BEAUT?!

Spent some summer days enjoying our sweet fishing spot  in Liberty!

Had some hail damage on the house and the van. Not such good times... but this is life!

Made wonderful new friends!

                             Ashley                                                 Chase & Katie
 

Fred & Stacey                                                                Mary & Chris

Tiffany

Fun times with the College and Career Ministry

We are pretty sure the ice cream inside does not match the size on the outside! I think we could sue for false advertising... We have a good case!

                                                                               Michelle shares her testimony with us, Awesome!

Lake Jacomo

And some bowling

And the Zoo

Bill hosted HBF's first Annual Concert

Carolyn went to Peru again! God moved in mighty ways... you will have to read the next blog post for those details...here are some pics.

To find true value we must look beyond the surface of things...and people

God keeps a promise! (above) Nerida, lower left- I promised her I would see her in 12 months last year and I had no idea what villiage she lived in. My prayer was to find her so she would know I did not break my promise! On our first day of VBS in Popa Leon as we were wrapping things up here came little Nerida! She came to VBS again the next day and never left my side. What a kiss from Heaven! Thank you Lord, I know it's ALL because of YOU!

This was Nerida in 2010 - She has really grown in 12 months!

This made my heart leap in a way that hasn't happened in  a LONG LONG time! God is up to something...

Precious moments...

Parachute game... the Peruvian way! We must take time for fun too!

Plumbing! God continues to lead me to look beyond the surface of what I see...

My Peru Roomies ~ who I decided to name the Ya-Ya's!

Christina - Translator and FRIEND from 2010, Awesome surprise to see her and spend our last day in Peru with her!

Friends celebrated birthdays! Sometimes I might have been awnery.... : )

 Surprise for John's 40th turned into a Hail Storm surprise for us while we stood in the hail holding his Birthday sign...as he drove by and siad..."Oh, that so nice" Not realizing it was for him!!! Ha ha ha!

Amber surprised hubby Matt!

Charlie Turned 4!

Celebrated three family Christmases

Martin/Byrd Family

  Love the hat Granny!

My Best Present!

 Gonzales/Carpenter

The best time playing Twister... this is now a MUST for every family gathering!

Johnston/Murphy

Elanor, the newest girl addition to the Murphy clan!

Addorable

                             











Newest addition to the Johnston clan... first great Nephew
                                            Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
                                                                             JAXiN

                                             Bill n Carolyn had some of their own Holiday fun
 

                                        Santa knows we can't leave Jesus out of CHRISTmas, It is after all...    the day we celebrate His birth!














BABY....iT wAs CoLd oUtSiDe!!!!!!! Oh But we had the bEsT fUn!

 

The Blues Brothers! Good times at the Christmas Party!

Bill.... He's famous!

First time being teachers at youth camp!!! LOVED IT!

Bill had a fun time building his boat from popcicle sticks, he says he was the winner...

Just one of several young lives changed that week!

The whole gang! Grade 7-12

Fourth of July... Bhutan in America... the Pierces house! Harrisonvile Mo

Soccer!!! I was SO nervous about coaching these little people but I really LOVED it, and God totally grew me in amazing ways! Aren't they SOOOO cute!

 Completed the  2year journey of Discipleship with the Awesome David and Lee Pierce!

 

 

Raked leaves, leaves and......... MORE leaves!

Hosted Thanksgiving for the 10th year! Had a fire in the fireplace first fire we have made in YEARS!

Set out on the newest adventure of our lives! Through some major events we have been placed on the path of Adoption! More details to come...!

 



To Do Or Not To Do?

This subject has been haunting me for some time. I think maybe I might not be alone in this quest... My thoughts,

Over the last few years God has revealed to me a variety of different areas He has gifted and equipped me in.
Recently I have found my world packed full of DOING… doing good things.
I now realize there will always be NEEDS that await a servant to tend to, BUT…which of these things do I DO?
I can and have the ability to do many of them…BUT… there are only so many hours in a day and God created this flesh to require a healthy amount of rest in order to function efficiently at its fullest capacity.

SO…

WHAT DO I DO?
Over the last 18 years I have regularly ran back to some Bible verses in

Proverbs Chapter 3:5-6
~5~ Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
~6~ In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

I think I forgot to use these in what I have viewed as the small things of life and really why would I consider needing to question IF I should do something when I know it’s a good thing? Right???

I know myself and like many others find ourselves having a difficult time saying NO when approached or opportunities to serve arise in areas we are gifted or experienced in. ‘YES’ just automatically comes out of our mouth before we can stop it. We get this adrenalin rush and excitement at the chance to do something or be validated in an area we are good at or gifted in. This produces that cycle of “business.” Before we know it… we are out of fuel and running on empty! John 10:10 sates that “Jesus came that we might have life, and have it more abundantly.” abundance does not mean busy… does it?

As reality has struck my family this past year and we strive to reclaim a balanced life in preparation to become parents we must ask ourselves… “WHAT DO WE DO?”

The facts:
We have been blessed with a variety of gifts, talents and abilities and experiences over years.
The need is great, the fields are white unto harvest but the laborers are few.


The enemy of our souls will attempt to destroy us by leading us to indulge in a sin filled sin full life and if that doesn’t work, he will change his tactic and get us so involved DOING good things that we forget as the Children of God our service and life is to be one of WORSHIP to the Lord. This must be why the Word states that “A false balance is abomination to the LORD.” It is a warning to the Christian!

Through my most recent decision making endeavor my eyes have been opened to some new verses and this has brought me much help in making decisions and now I can have peace in saying NO to some things in order to maintain balance!

~Proverbs chapter16:9~
A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps."


~Psalm 119:133~
Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.

My take away from all of this is that I have desires of my heart, things I just enjoy doing or things that bring me happiness and joy. It is up to me to apply the word of God to my live and allow Him to direct my steps to the path He has for me! It is when I have done this that I KNOW that the path I am on is right and whatever comes to me along that path IS what I and supposed to DO!



The things that are in my heart are most likely what I will find myself using along my path! We are each uniquely, fearfully and wonderfully made by God for a specific purpose...

Even Mordecai said to Esther these words: "and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for
such a time as this?"



One last thing.... We have been given many different gifts; each for our different seasons and roles of life... which ones God uses in each season is a new journey and new adventure to be enjoyed!