weekend projects and fun

I finally gained some motivation and most importantly...decided on a paint color...to add some pizzazz and warmth to a couple of walls in our house. The color is called "chestnuts roasting." I got nervous that it was a little too orange at first but we loved the color once it dried! What do you think?


Tim spread some pine straw and bark and made a little rock wall to get a start on our landscaping. It looks beautiful!


We took the "little dude" out for it's first 2007 expedition! Of course, Lake Mac was a windy and choppy and we got a little wet but we had a good time!


Tim reliving his boyhood. He enjoyed taking out one of his favorite "toys" - a homemade go-kart that I bought him for his birthday last year. :) He usually takes it down to a church parking lot down the road and likes to whip around. I have to admit, it is fun to ride although someone (namely, his wife) keeps reminding him that he needs to get a helmet. :)

the plunge

Yesterday I (Tim spent all day working) had the privilege of joining 1,800 other Hollanders in serving our community through an outreach initiative called "The Plunge." Central Wesleyan takes lead in organzing the event and multiple churches in the area particpate. Although we all strongly believe in making serving others a part of our every day lifestyle, it was neat to know that so many other people chose to make serving a priority yesterday and spend most of their day being a blessing to others in the community.

My CABLE group (small group) through Engedi went to a local trailer park and assisted a man named Eddie in weeding and planting flowers around his home. It was a beautiful day and we were blessed to serve next to Eddie and hear his own heart for the Lord and for serving others. Our CABLE group is planning on making this trailer park our focus in serving through helping out with the Gleaners food distribution every other month and Eddie wants to help us with this! He was also interested in coming to Engedi and being a part of a church community. It's so awesome to see and join God where He is already working!

Grandpa Dock

We learned this past Sunday that Tim's step grandfather, "Grandpa Dock," passed away in his sleep after a long battle with various health complications. Grandpa and Grandma Dock have lived in South Carolina for many years and unfortunately we have not been able to visit them since then. We wanted to post something in honor of him and the memories that Tim has from their times together:

* learning how to water ski on Crooked Lake (where Grandpa and Grandma Dock used to live)...the first time forgetting to let go and being dragged underwater. :)

* riding the 3 wheeler and having it flip backwards on us (Tim, Matt and Sean) at Grandpa Dock's house.

* Grandpa Dock huffing and puffing and doing funny things with his mouth/tongue when he was angry.

* Matt catching the muskrat under his armpit at Crooked Lake.

* Playing video games and drinking Pepsi while at Grandpa Dock's house.

* Grandpa Dock's tough but caring personality.

Please pray for Ron, Grandma Dock and the rest of the Dock family as they continue on this journey without Grandpa.

every 14 seconds...

another child is orphaned because of HIV/AIDS.

This statistic is so sad to me yet I'm not sure if my mind...or heart...truly grasps what this means and what this looks like.

Some friends from my church recently returned from a mission trip to Zambia. Engedi has been partnering with World Hope in supporting a Community Orphan Trust within a small village in Zambia. I was able to attend an open house last night which highlighted their trip and was able to catch a glimpse into the faces of forgotten people whom God's heart breaks for. It brought back memories of international trips that I have served on in the past and how I was so determined not to forget what I had seen and felt in my heart...and now realize how quickly I had. Hearing the team's stories, watching video footage and looking at pictures...and yes, watching American Idol's "Idol Gives Back" tonight...re-opened my heart to an issue that has become the crisis of our lifetime.

I feel it's good to struggle with what things like poverty, healthcare,racism and injustice mean to you personally. I think it's good to doubt if the way you live is truly the way you should live. And I think it's good to be uncomfortable and to be changed...and make a change...because of it.

On a personal note, I'm not sure how these thoughts and knowing these statistics will truly activate me. I do know I will search this out and that it can't be ignored. I also know that Tim and I will keep praying for Chipo and Boyd...two orphans in Zambia whose beautiful pictures are displayed on our fridge...as reminders not to forget this reality.

Check out these other sites to see how you can help:

www.handsinmission.org
www.cwomissions.org
www.one.org
www.bethany.org (we're in the process of opening an adoption program in Zambia!)

Ouch

Okay, this really is more amazing than it is funny. Thank goodness the lil' tike is okay but one question still remains...what in the world was he doing just standing next to the sideline? It's like he appears out of nowhere! :)

Boy survives blitz by college football player - College football - MSNBC.com

swim for shenica

As some of you might know, my sister, Jess, is using her gifts to invest a lot of time and energy into improving the lives of children who reside in a deaf center in Jamaica. She recently got back from a week long trip to this center and felt compelled to send out this letter to friends and family and clients in hopes that they would assist her in supporting one girl in particular, Shenica.

I've personally witnessed her working hard and exuding energy in the pool...all for one reason...Shenica. Please read the letter and consider how you can support this awesome endeavor!



Hey Everyone! 07 April 2007

Just a quick note to say thank you for your interest and enthusiasm as I went to Montego Bay, Jamaica to work with the Caribbean Christian Center for the Deaf (CCCD) a few weeks ago. As I may have told you before, Jamaica has one of the highest populations of deaf people per capita, and this school exists to provide deaf children with an education and opportunities they otherwise would never have. It is a difficult economy to find a job on the island, even for those who are able-hearing. To have a hearing disability makes it next to impossible for the deaf to be treated with dignity and have any positive outlook for the future. The Montego Bay campus of CCCD was founded in 1994 and exists largely in part due to donations and work teams who come down to volunteer at the school, both through their financial support and physical service work on the 7½ acre campus.

My first trip to CCCD was in 2001 and, returning over the years, especially this time, blew my mind with how much the campus has evolved. It was so exciting to see the building changes, improvements and functioning classrooms – not to mention the precious faces of children I first met six years ago. Two of the children that especially left impressions were a 10-yr old boy named Clifton and an 11-yr old girl named Shenicia - I’ve attached some pictures to give you a glimpse of my week there.

CCCD currently has about 52 students and is a residential school, as many of the children come from areas all around the island. As wonderful as it is that they have this place to go to, it is also disheartening to know that many of them do not see their parents on a regular basis and don’t have the adult interactions and mere attention all children crave and need. Having teams like ours come down and work on-site allows them to have these role models to give them attention and play and love on them, even if it is for just a week at a time. They are crazy and fun and rambunctious like any other kids, and have a sweet love in their eyes that can’t help but catch your attention. Their smiles alone will melt you! When asked what their goals are for the future, many say they want to simply speak and hear. When I think about how the opportunities available to them in a lifetime are nothing compared to what I experience in one day, it breaks my heart. This is why it is so vital for them to receive love and support from outside sources, so they can learn to communicate through sign language and even through some verbal speaking, have clothes, food, books, up-to-date education, hobbies that can lead to careers, and medical care to supply items like hearing aids.

A Sponsorship Program is in place that allows a simple donation of $25/month to go towards providing a child with the tools they need - to receive these things (which are really very basic to us) can literally be life-changing for them.

I’ve committed to sponsoring at least 1 child personally (Clifton) and would love to have 1 other child (Shenicia – see next page) sponsored through the efforts of my friends and the Valeo Personal Training gang…aka you guys. What I am envisioning is deeming the month of April be a Swim for Shenicia kind of month. What I’m looking for is a handful of people to challenge me, keep me accountable and prod me on (for some of you, this is what you’ve always dreamed of – getting to tell ME what to do!!)  and who are willing to donate 5 cents per lap (down/back = 1) swam in the month of April. For those of you who know me, you know my heart is more tuned to short sprint distances, so you don’t need to worry about any kind of mega Ironman mileage or anything!  I’d love to receive your response (please don’t feel obligated, as this is just an opportunity I want to share with you…) by the end of the week so I can start tallying laps and funds. My goal is to raise enough money to sponsor Shenicia at CCCD for at least one year.

Anybody in?....

Jess
PS – If anyone is interested in sponsoring a child on their own ($25/month), please let me know; this is an awesome chance to directly change the route of a child’s future.

our vacation!

Tim and I just returned from a fabulous one week vacation to Daytona Beach, Florida! We had so much fun together and enjoyed a time of relaxation and rejuventation! Everything, from the 20 hour road trip to the beautiful 75-85 degree weather (we came back home to snow! Yuck!) to watching dolphins swim during our morning beach runs to washing dishes in our bathroom sink to laughing more than we have in a long time created memories that we will always cherish! We are so blessed! Here are some pics that we took!




our motel


pathway to the beach (across from our motel)


where we spent the majority of each day...rough, eh?




daytona beach is unique in that you can pay to drive and park your car (or four-wheeler, motor home, golf cart...) on the beach! if we ever got bored just laying there, we always found entertainment watching the vast array of "cool" high schoolers "cruisin' the strip." :)


visiting daytona international speedway




tim and the amazing chip that found a place just about everywhere on his face.


love birds