Song Ideas...

Ok, I'm gonna follow suit and ask you guys to let us know of any fast, crazy, fun songs for camp this summer. (If you read Amberly's xanga, you've already seen this request) Some done in the past have been "Pharaoh, Pharaoh" "Romans 16:19" and "Jesus Loves Me."  Let me know if you have any ideas so I can pass them on to Amberly and Sergey!  Thanks!

Lessons about love...

My Grandpa taught me a lot of things.  Probably the biggest thing he taught me is what love should look like.  I'm not saying he got it right all the time.  He's human and I know he did stupid, selfish human things.  But, he sure loved his girls.  Mom and Aunt Debbie, and me and Julie and Calyn.  But, most of all he loved Grandma.  I will never forget spending the night with them and eating Honey Nut Cheerios and watching the birds out the back window...it was always the little things that told me he loved her--and she loved him.  They would talk without talking and just sit and be content...I want to love like that someday...

  PERFECT LOVE

Sunday mornin' when the paper comes
Let's read it front to back and see what's going on
Drink our coffee by the flower bed and talk about the stuff
That's running through our heads
When you look at me the way you do, I can't help but look right back at you.

Yeah, this is a perfect love. We're doing nothing but what a perfect love does.                          
We're not trying to make history, it's just you and me in a perfect love

Hey let's drive to the edge of town
See what there is to see and then turn back around
Stop by and see your mom and dad
And hear 'em talk about the busy week they had
Then let's take a walk beside the lake, See what kind'a fun we can make
 
(Oh) ain't it a perfect love
I know you love me just because  
Oh ain't it a perfect love   

 

Yesterday was a good day :o)

English Club went really well last night!  I don't know why.  But, Amberly did a great job and the kids were talking more than they usually do--and we didn't even have a craft this week.  It was great.  Ira showed the Radooga camp promo video during break...and once again, I became excited about camp :o) 

Katya came over and we got to hang out last night which was really cool.  She is leaving for America next week and I will miss her a lot.  So, I was glad spend some time with her and celebrate the fact that SCHOOL IS OVER!  :o)  yea!  Way to go, Katya!  You're amazing!

Tonight we have Family Night with Radooga staff.  We are going to watch a Russian movie.  Dennis says he will interpret for me.  I asked him if he could do different voices for the different characters :o)  hehehe. 

ok, well, I'm going to finish reading Harry Potter now.  So, peace out.  :o)

 

Dennis is translating this song for camp, so it's been playing in the office for a while now and it's stuck in my head.  But, it's a good song, so I thought I'd share. 

 Your love is deep
  Your love is high
  Your love is long
  Your love is wide 

  Your love is deeper than my view of grace
  Higher than this worldly place
  Longer than this road I've traveled
  Wider than the gap you fill

  Deeper than my view of grace
  Higher than this worldly place
  Longer than this road I've traveled
  Wider than the gap you fill

  Who shall separate us
  Who shall separate us from your love
  Nothing can separate us
  Nothing can separate us from your love

 

Camp is coming!

So, Valera had a meeting today to come up with ideas for the camp program and Amberly and Serozha met to talk about songs for camp and tomorrow we're meeting to talk about American Orientation and stuff and Dennis has an interview with some interpreters...camp is coming...I can feel it...and I am beginning to get excited about it. 

Please pray that God would be preparing the campers who will come, the all summer American staff, the two week Americans and the Radooga full time and summer staff for what He is going to do this summer.  And pray that we will be seeking Him as we are making decisions and planning for the summer. 

 

So, I've been thinking a lot about grace.  About how everything in life is grace.  Today being Good Friday, I have been thinking about saving grace and how amazing it is to think that God loves us so much that He would die for our sin so that we can be with Him forever.  But, it's even deeper than that.  I mean, the moment I sinned for the first time, I deserved death.  Not only death, but Hell.  Yet, God graciously offered me life and every time I sin, God again offers me life.  He never, even for a moment, stops bestowing grace upon my life.  What an awesome God we serve. 

FIFTY YEARS AGO TODAY
SHE GAVE HER ONLY CHILD AWAY
TO LIVE A LIFE EASY TO REGRET
YEARS WENT BY HOW TIME HAS FLOWN
HER DAYS ARE MOSTLY SPENT ALONE
DARING TO REMEMBER HOPING TO FORGET

THIS IS MY BODY
BROKEN FOR YOU
FOR ALL YOU’VE BEEN
AND ALL YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH
THIS IS MY BLOOD
AND WHEN YOU'VE REACHED THE END
I OFFER YOU AGAIN
THE BODY AND BLOOD

HE FOUGHT A WAR AGAINST HIS WILL
TRUTH BE KNOWN HE'S FIGHTING STILL
HE LOOKS FOR HOPE
THROUGH NARROW BLOODSHOT EYES
HE SLIPS INTO A POLISHED PEW
LINGERS FOR AN HOUR OR TWO
SOMETIMES IT FEELS BETTER
TO SIT AND CRY A WHILE

THIS IS MY BODY
BROKEN JUST FOR YOU
FOR ALL YOU’VE BEEN
AND ALL YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH
THIS IS MY BLOOD
AND WHEN YOU'VE REACHED THE END
I OFFER YOU AGAIN
THE BODY AND BLOOD

ONE BY ONE WE TAKE THE COMMON CUP
WE REMEMBER AND WE LIFT IT UP

THIS IS MY BODY
BROKEN JUST FOR YOU
FOR ALL YOU’VE BEEN
AND ALL YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH
THIS IS MY BLOOD
AND WHEN YOU'VE REACHED THE END
I OFFER YOU AGAIN
THE BODY AND BLOOD

THIS IS MY BLOOD
AND WHEN YOU'VE REACHED THE END
I OFFER YOU AGAIN
THE BODY AND BLOOD

 

So it snowed today. Not sure what that was all about...

I had seen the snow on the ground out my window.  So, when Dennis came I said "Dennis, there is SNOW on the ground."  Dennis said "on the ground!?!" and as we walked out the door I realized that it was still snowing...and pretty hard, too.  It is a crazy world I live in. 

 

Below I have posted some more pics from my mom's visit to Ukraine. I hope that you enjoy them :o)

Peace Out.

Baby Pasha all bundled up and ready to go. 

The night before mom left the Radooga staff came over for dinner. 

Mom and Tanya and Zhenya 

Mom and I visited this coffee house during one of our trips around the city. 

"Ya ts loobloo" 

"I'm lovin' it"  

After English Club on Wednesday night Mom, Amberly and I went to the recording studio at the Mission and sang with Serozha. It was so much fun! 

I took mom to see our new office. It is on the 24th floor of this building.  

We went over to Sergey and Marina's house for dinner one night while mom was here. I was so glad that she got to do that while she was here. Dinner at Sergey and Marina's is our favorite! 

Wow. What an amazing family. 

Baby Pasha 

Mom and Marina looking at pictures 

Mom and Tyoma 

Me and Mom--it was a little windy... 

St. Andrew's 

St. Sophia's 

Happy Birthday, Vin!

just think, next year you will be 22.  22 is a very symmetrical number.  :o)  I freaking love you!

 

Happy Birthday To Us!!!

I think God smiles when He thinks about how perfect He made us for each other; and today is just a reminder of that for me. 

Northwoods Youth ROC!

Tonight I got to talk to a whole bunch of my youth from America and it was amazing!  I love you guys SO much!  And cannot tell you how awesome it was to hear your voices.  Really.  It made my whole week!  Thanks guys!