Matthews Family Herald

"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" from Joshua 24:15

Well, our family van being in the shop didn't hold us back. As a family yesterday, we headed into town by way of the German train system and caught up on lots of shopping. It was a productive day in that among other things, we made it home with a Christmas tree. Here the whole family is working hard and having fun.

The photos uploaded a little out of sequence. Here I am topping the tree with the amazing star (looks so much like a cross) that Hannah picked out.
Here's the kids putting on their ornaments.













And the end of a long workday.





Wow, it's great to hear when something great happens for truth and rightness. This article is a great case in point.










This type of event is occuring all over the place, all of the time, believe it or not. What's unique is this outcome. Praying this sort of outcome becomes the standard and that God will keep raising up more and more men and saturate the field with heros like this.






James 4:7 "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."






Here's a great breakdown of what fuels the FDA "crackdown" against organic farmers; raw dairy, meat, vegatable or otherwise.

Our family, as Christmas time approaches, we are making some of our own ornaments for the tree. This has been great fun and a good bonding experience to share. Here's the fruit of some of our labors. This was Heather's idea and initiative, but I can remember doing this growing up as well. We're also stringing our own popcorn to put on the tree which I've yet to acquire. The van is in the shop but once it's repaired, we'll be moving forward with that.





Jacob came up with the idea of using the camera to make it look like the kids were flying. The first photo is someone else capturing him in motion, but the rest are what he came up with. Looks pretty realistic, huh? Lots of fun! It's a kids dream especially to fly!
















Taking a break from flying momentarily here. Isn't Mary heavenly?! Absolutely beautiful picture here!







Nathan uses the force here to float over the mattress.










Not only are the flying photos interesting, they just make me laugh. They are fun. Don't you think?







Nathan came up the stairs dressed this way, as a pirate. If you look close, you can see he has a hook for his right hand. You can see his cape and his eye patch too. Does't he look a lot like Chief Sittin' Bull?




Nathan helped his Mom cook and here he is after a long day of cooking and working. Whew.




Hannah here having great fun making grill cheese "samiches" as I like to say.







Our home fellowship also has a Co-Op which I mentioned in an earlier post. Well, this Co-Op had an "end of year" Early Christians of Rome theme gathering where the kids showed off their work, competed in games, gave presentations, and everyone made food to bring representative of that time in Rome. The best part was we began with a Catacomb Communion. The hosting family has a cellar in their home, the entrance of which has an old wooden door and inside looks like a stone build dungeon. There were candles lit and we all arrived wearing Togas. It really helped us connect with our history imagining those first Christians, when it was illegal to be a Christian in Rome, having to live in the Catacombs because God was most important and this was what was required. But yes, below is (far left photo) some of the food Heather and the kids made. Wasn't it wonderful? Yes. Someone else brought fresh figs. Something I'd never had. Not dehydrated or preserved, they were extremely juicy and delicious.









Here's the latest sewing creation that Hannah has come up with. She made all of it herself. She can make just about anything with sewing, etc. Purses, dresses. She even makes doll clothes out of wet wipes!



These are the most recent spray-paint creations that Micah has made. They are his most awesome works yet! Aren't they cool! It's amazing what he can do with spray paint. He has a website up where he displays his work now and I'd encourage you to visit it and become a follower. www.spacepainters.blogspot.com

These are recent crafts that Heather and the kids have made at the Co-Op part of our homeschool project.







Micah and I eat at certain diner many mornings. While there, I saw this poster and had Micah take a picture of it. Now THAT is an America, or a part of an America, that we could be proud to be a part of...





I love catching Heather and the kids reading together. Isn't it awesome.








Here's a project that Nathan made. Cool stuff.












Mary here looks so cute. These shoes were given to us by our landlords and aren't they so cozy and warm!










Here's Micah in his nerd costume. He wore this on the train and bus system that he and I travel on. We had a real hoot with this. People just stared and gawked. They'd burst into laughter once out of eye and ear shot of him. But I would be a few paces away trying to take video of it. We had some good times!







Well, it's just a few hours until our home fellowship/home school several family wide gathering takes place. Down in the kitchen, as I entered and began to get things ready to brew some coffee, I discovered some of the great things my wife and children have already prepared. (The boys and I peeled potatoes for Mama last night with our new pocket knives. We pretended we were captives on a ship, peeling potatoes down in the brig kitchen. The mashed potatoes aren't ready, so no picture yet of that for you.)


The cherry pie here was made mostly by Hannah, with a little help from Eden. Mama provided some guidance but Hannah did all of it as a part of her Keepers at Home pie award. Mama was particularly impressed by the way Hannah "fluted" the edges of the pie there. Mama said she's never been able to do that part so well.

Next is the photo of Mama's famous hot rolls. When I say "Mama" I'm talking, of course, about several generations all at once now. Heather's Mama made these all the time. Heather makes them each year, and I'm sure sweet Rachel makes them now too. The recipe has been in use for I don't know how long prior to Heather's Mama using it, so it's quite a tradition. I do know that Heather's Mama got the recipe from Heather's Father's Mother.

Now, you'll see there are two rolls missing. That's what we call "Chef's pay" around here. It's customary that any food prepared is sampled by the preparer. I find it very endearing when that customary bite appears on a sandwich that my wife has packed in my lunch for me, for example. It's very special and we'll always do it.

Finally, a Thanksgiving themed project the kids did with Heather. I got to print out the pages to color and they did the rest of it (the top photograph of the place mats). Pretty neat, huh?

UPDATE from after the fact:

Also, here is a poem that Hannah wrote for the children's poetry contest which was held at the fellowship Thanksgiving meal. Here's what she wrote, with a little help from Mother:

T is for tiny baby sister this year
H is for happy home in Germany here
A is for Abigale and Alaina, my friends
N is for never wanting Thanksgiving to end
K is for kitchen that smells of spice
S is Squanto to the pilgrims was nice

Jacob wrote one too and here it is:

It's Thanksgiving now, and that's a living
We run downstairs to eat a feast
And I scarf it down like a beast.
My Mother says "Eat with a fork."
I say "okay" and I grab the pork.
There's so many desserts of every kind.
and sugar, it will blow my mind.
I get in bed and say a prayer,
and I remember how the Indians shared.
My Mom turns out the light
And says good night.

And so, ending here with this prayer. Thank God, thank you God, for calling us to leave our life, our family, our Country, our People, and to be transformed into the image of you Son, to be a part of your People and Your Nation. Those Pilgrims were willing to lose and leave all to follow You, may we always do the same.





Wow, powerful and informative 40 minute video about parental rights in the US and worldwide and from parentalrights.org

http://overruledmovie.com/

It's war and we need to be in the fight, I suggest, by continuing in prayer, by signing this petition and supporting this legislation, by speaking, by acting, and by saying No and not backing down. By doing whatever it takes to raise our kids as God leads us, no matter what.


*Update. I tell you what. If you don't think Parental Rights are being usurped, etc., or even if you are just wanted to stay informed, I am thinking about posting a link to each and every online news event depicts parent rights infringement for you here, for us, here.






I'll keep 'em coming as I see them. Send me a link if you come across one and I'll plan to post it here.
















What these photos specifically depict is a topic for another discussion, but it could at least be proof that work unites. But on to the topic at hand:


I once went to a meeting of 12 house church leaders here in Germany. It was the second attempt they had all made at getting together in the Lord and forming an alliance of sorts. The first one had ended in complete disaster - lots of conflict and anger and walking out, etc.

This second one went much better because everyone stayed through the whole time. There was some conflict though and some unpleasant moments too. Not everyone was willing to be together yet even though there was so much in common.

Regardless of the issues at hand (they all spoke in German but someone translated a bit for me) it brought the disunity and the memory of some of the previous conflicts I've had with various pastors and leaders, etc. It brought all of that to the surface for me, and I was troubled that night wrestling over all the bad feelings that all this "infighting" gives me.

The next day after the meeting, I was waiting for my train to come and take me to work. I kept watching these workers fixing the train tracks. I just cried out to God asking "why! Why do THEY get to get along but WE can't?"

One was supervising and two other ones were on either side, drilling away with sledge hammers. None of the three even spoke a word but seemed to move in unison. They were a well oiled team. I was jealous in some sense. But as I watched, I felt like God might be saying "it's the work that keeps them in unity." Troops near the front lines don't have time to debate which rifle would be best here, whether the bullet twirls three times or four per millisecond. The rifle is there. Shoot! The enemy. Let's go. You know? Garrison troops squabble over differences and pick apart each other's uniform, eating and living habits, haircuts, way of speaking, etc. But in the fight, there's no time for that.

That up there is personally how I'm able to work with people who are convinced on a major point "of the law" so to speak, that I'm convinced differently about but I'm still able to work with them.

However, sometimes you are supposed to stand up and not allow something to continue. Big stuff like "There is no hell, all the world is already saved regardless, the Holy Bible isn't God's word, all religions point to the same God, you can commit sodomy and God is fine with that, Jesus' brother is Satan, you can be the Saviour of your own planet some day, you have to aknowledge 'insert whatever cult leader name here you want' in order to really be saved in Jesus" and on and on. That stuff has to be corrected when asserted before your Body or your family as the truth, and cannot be linked up, arm in arm, with.

There's a fine line between squabbling over things that are important but not core doctrine, and then defending core doctrine. God knows the difference, I just want to be in agreement with Him about when it's worth the argument, and when it's just time to "get back to work together."

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