It felt so good to “all be together again” when I came home for Christmas!
Spending Christmas Eve with my mom’s brother and his family
Volunteering at the Answers in Genesis Museum
The reason I haven’t updated this blog in a while is because I’ve been away this December volunteering at the Answers in Genesis Creation Museum. It felt like I was living in a different world but I loved it. Some of the highlights were getting to know many of the staff who work there (they were very warm, friendly, fun, and enthusiastic about the ministry), visiting with guests, and learning more about how the museum operates. I was so excited about this oportunity. It’s awesome how the Lord gives us surprises and variety along our path as we serve Him.
Here I am feeding the Chameleon. Can you see him?
Lots of Ice
About a half hour ago, Stephen and I were working on our computers when we heard a loud crack and discovered this broken branch…just one of the many fallen branches in our yard this morning. We had a pretty severe ice storm last night!
Ice covering every twig like this gets pretty heavy!
Bright Lights Caroling
Last night at Bright Lights we went Christmas Caroling around the neighborhood. The girls in my small group did such a good job. In fact, they wanted to run so we could reach more houses. 🙂
After caroling and then warming up with hot chocolate, Sarah taught on submission. The point that stood out to me the most was this: Often we as young ladies have a wrong perception of submission. We may think of it as a stuggle and burden, but really submission is the very thing that gives us beauty. We should delight in it!
“For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands” 1 Peter 3:5
Announcing a Prayer Caucus
Typical Iowa Landscapes…
Our family lives in Iowa. Ever heard of that state before? 🙂
Below is an e-mail our family sent out yesterday. If you live nearby, I hope you can make it! If you don’t, let me suggest setting up something similar in your community.
Dear Friends,
As you know, Iowa is a pretty exciting place to live these days with the 2008 caucus right around the corner. I’m sure many of you have the same questions our family has had. What should our involvement be? As Christians, what is the best way to influence this nation? What is the most effective way we can use our time? The whole country is looking at Iowa right now. How does God want us to use this opportunity that we have?
Well, we’re not sure we have the answers to all those questions. But we do know that the most powerful way we can be involved is by prayer. I assume that all of us have been in prayer individually for our country and for the upcoming elections, but we would like to schedule a collective time of prayer for this nation and the upcoming caucus and election.
We’d like to invite all of you to join us for a special prayer meeting on Tuesday, December 18th.
Time: 7:00
Place: Cedar Rapids Bible Chapel
Plan for the Evening: This is not a political event or a church service for preaching or worship. Due to the time of year, however, we will plan to enjoy singing some Christmas carols together. Feel free to bring some Christmas cookies to share if you would like. We will supply punch, coffee, and tea.
It would be wonderful to have as many fathers present as possible and at least a couple representatives from as many churches as possible. We would especially ask for many of the shepherds of the Body of Christ in our area to be present also. No one will be asked to pray aloud but there will be that opportunity for those who want to.
Our Prayer Focus:
Thanksgiving for God’s blessing to our land and our families
Confession to the Lord of the sins of our land
Petition for His protection, provision, direction, and blessing
Day of Fasting: Our family would also like to suggest Thursday, December 20th as a day of prayer and fasting for this country.
“For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.” (Psalm 75:6-7)
Feel free to forward this e-mail to others or to invite friends to join us for this special meeting for prayer.
I’ve also include an attachment entitled “a different kind of caucus” explaining some of the thoughts behind our prayer meeting.
May God bless each of your families this Christmas season!
For His Glory,
The Mally Family
A Thought-Provoking Artical from My Dad:
As Christians we have been wondering for many years how to best keep America strong for the Lord. Without question God DID bless America in the past but is He blessing America now and will He in the future. Is “In God We Trust” a true statement? Certainly we as Christians do not put our trust in politics but in the gospel. Though America is not the equivalent of the Kingdom of God, nevertheless God wants every nation to glorify Him. It is good when we can live in peace and not have our land plagued with evil things. Of course there will always be enemies but when any people humble themselves before the Lord He is able to heal their land. And He must do it because man cannot do it on human effort or human wisdom or all the dollars in the world.
Therefore, as Christians living in Iowa, knowing that Iowa plays an interesting and unique role in American presidential politics, and knowing that Linn County is a major and influential population center of this state, we encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ to petition the Lord, at what may be an unusual point and pivotal point in U.S. history. It is possible that what happens in the next month in Iowa will have a dramatic effect on the future of this nation. It is possible that what happens in Linn County alone could affect the state, the country and the world. But it will not be due to politics. It will be due to the hand of God alone responding to the humility of His people.
We invite you to come and pray. Perhaps it could be called a “prayer caucus”. It will not be to choose a candidate but to pray for God’s blessing on this land as the selection process of candidates begins. We desire for God to bring into leadership men who are faithful to him. Men who lead by conviction rather than follow by polls. Men who know the truth rather than who are victims of deception and misconception. Men who decide issues by foundational beliefs rather than by majority opinion. Men who know that America will be healthy not because of fiscal strategy, party cooperation, foreign policy, oil, or education but only by God’s blessing.
How will we regain God’s blessing? Not by political victory but by the humility, confession, repentance, and petition of God’s people. Therefore a collective “prayer caucus” ought to precede the political process. Let us come together to collectively humble ourselves together before the Lord. Then we will wait and watch the hand of the Lord.
Our Special Tree
Shopping in the snow…
Today my mom and I went out shopping in rainy, snowy, windy weather. It was cold! It was kind of fun because the stores were so empty. Employees were just standing around with nothing to do. I’ll admit, we were wondering why we hadn’t stayed home along with everyone else (so was my dad), but we had a fun time despite the weather…
When I got home I noticed that we have this thin layer of ice completely surrounding our bushes and evergreen trees producing tiny icicles at the end of each twig. I had to stop and admire it for a while. Beautiful things happen when the rain suddenly freezes!
“God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend. For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength.” -Job 37:5-6
Stephen Attends Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar
Stephen departing Thursday morning from the Eastern Iowa Airport.
Yesterday Stephen flew to Atlanta for the annual Photojournalism Seminar. I just got off the phone with him and he told me about some of the speakers he heard today. Today he learned about sports, lighting, and documentary. The man who spoke on documentary was the White House photographer for 6 years under President Reagan.
It sounds like Stephen has been learning a lot. He has enjoyed meeting lots of photographers and spending time with the other Cedar Rapids Gazette photographers who are also attending the seminar.
Christmas Fishing!
Christmas parties can often be difficult to plan!
A few years ago a friend and I were planning a Christmas party for friends from our church and we were trying to decide what activities to do. We were struggling because we didn’t want to just play games and eat. We wanted to plan something worthwhile. After thought, struggle, and prayer, this is what materialized:
CHRISTMAS FISHING
We divided into two even teams and gave each team a video camera, a vehicle to drive, a list of instructions, and Christmas tracts. The goal was to finish everything on the list and be the first ones back. I’ll give you some examples of what was on our list, but I’d also recommend coming up with your own ideas to add.
-Christmas carol at 2 houses with lighted Christmas trees in their front yard. Compliment their tree, and leave them with a tract and plate of cookies.
-Take a Christmas Survey* to someone wearing a Santa hat.
-Take a Christmas survey to someone wearing green.
-Pass out 50 Christmas Tracts
-Sing “Joy to the World” in front of a Nativity scene (everyone in the group must sing).
-Go through a fast food drive-through, buy something, and leave them with a Christmas tract.
-Buy a Christmas dessert to bring back and share with the rest of us.
We all came back excited, laughing, and full of funny stories and good reports. Next we filled our plates with Christmas munchies and watched the documentary videos we had just taken. Talk about hilarious…. we laughed so much that night.
The best part was the satisfactory feeling that we had brightened the lives of others that evening and passed out tracts with a thought-provoking message. When the party had ended, we knew that there was fruit that was going to last. It’s always more blessed to give than to receive. The houses where we caroled were so tickled and excited. In fact, a few days later we received a very enthusiastic thank you note from one of the houses we had caroled at. The mother wrote how her daughter had never heard Christmas carolers before and it was such a highlight for their family.
Just a warning– if you do the “Christmas Fishing” activity, be aware that you may not be able to take video cameras into stores.
If any of you have other ideas for “profitable Christmas parties” or of ways to be a bright light for the Lord this Christmas, please post a comment and share your ideas with the rest of us! And, if any of you try this and it goes well, please come back and post a comment telling us about it!
*Below is a Christmas survey my dad wrote the year I was born. Thanks, dad! 🙂
Feel free to add or subtract questions. Taking a survey is a wonderful springboard for a great conversation. Christmas is an outstanding time to witness! Make sure you don’t let yourself get sucked into the shopping rush and forget to be talking to people about the Lord! During the Christmas season, people are happy, feeling social, and generally they are excited to talk with someone. (Just don’t pick people who are in a hurry! 🙂 ) Also remember: never give up witnessing after a conversation that you feel didn’t go well.
I guarantee you will enjoy your shopping more if you also talk with people about the Lord. “It is more blessed to give than to receive” Acts 20:35
Family Meeting for 2008 Planning
My dad beginning our planning meeting for our 2008 schedule.