Dead cries in a Big City.

What in the World?

It is so exciting to be in a small town.  I love the fact that every time I enter a store I will see someone I know.  It means that everyone is important.  We just got back from the grocery store and ran into Joe.  I love it.

I read a disturbing fact of a murder that happened in a big city and even though 30 people heard her cries for help the victim was murdered slowly over a 30 minute ordeal.  The problem was that too many people heard.  The problem of someone else is going to respond, "I don't have too."

I personally have witnessed this. (No not a crazy murder). But, while I was in a big apple, I was enjoying the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  I sat down for a few minutes while James was grabbing our jackets and this lady sat next to me and just started bawling.  She had a hood on and tears were screaming down her face. 500 people in the room, and no one noticed or even comforted her.  I saw it again on the subway.  A person in her right mine, just sobbing.  Not a single person tried to console.

How often do we not say something to point someone to Christ because maybe others will do it.  STOP IT!  Speak up.  Share what the Lord wants you to share today and not wait for the other guy.  You will be my witnesses, Jesus declared.

We have the cure for the pain of the world.  To reconcile people to a holy God.  To provide freedom and an end to loneliness.  God with us!

I am also so encouraged to hear other followers of Christ speaking truth to strangers.  And the cool thing is that everyone is made in the image of God and God cares about that person.  Keep sharing your faith.

Be Mine

http://jesscase.blogspot.com/2012/02/love-day-2012.html

Jess had a great write up about our activities.  So, I don't need to repeat it.  However, I do want to express my love.

I am thankful that on this Love Day.  I was able to spend time in the beautiful place God has called us to serve.

I am thankful for my friend for almost one year Kim who checks up on me and is truly a good friend.

I am thankful that God allowed Jess to come and be apart of my life for a month, but the time spent listening and encouraging another will be remember way pass her visit.

I am thankful for James and the steadfast, loyal, kind, gently, caring, handy love he shows me in countless ways.  (He got me these gorgeous tulips)

I am thankful for the three children God has entrusted to my care to raise, train, love, and send out to be His witnesses of Gods grace.  Again, I pray often that they will do whatever the Lord wants them to do and go to the ends of the earth to share God's love with others.

I am thankful for God's Word.  Everyday (and I mean) EVERYDAY.  He speaks to me.  In His Word, I can see: Just this week
1) His Character:  strength, joy, forever father, holy, ownership (he owns everything) Psalms 24:1, Almighty, Strong, King of Glory, great mercy, Love Ps 25:6, Good, Son of God, Sovereign Lord (Ex 34:23)
2) Guiding Me:   Just today
He has all Authority and has given me a task to do.  Disciple others.  Matthew 28
I will sing and make music to the Lord even after a day of trouble even with enemies surrounding from Ps 27:6.
You equipped the saints to do the work, and they did it.  Help me Lord to use the skills you have given me to do YOUR work.  Exodus 37-38.

I am thankful for the Church.  The Big Church, and our local Body of believers.  James did an excellent job preaching the passion of our church: To Know Christ and to Make Him Known.  If you missed it you can click it!

I am so thankful for our Life Group.  We share a meal together, we study God's truth together, we laugh together, we pray together, and I usually laugh so hard I cry.  Sophia made this cake and it also symbolizes the love we have for one another.  Even though we host it in our home every week, it is a joy and NEVER a burden. It is a great way to unwind after the business of life. Thank you Lord. We even broke bread together.

I am also so thankful for the Monday "Having a Mary's heart in a Martha's world" Bible study.  I love the way we can share with one another are really encourage each other.  We have seen so many answered prayers.  It fuels my prayer life!  Thank you women.

 Oh, yah! Our love day gift this year was WILLOW.  She is learning that our home is full of people and is a fast learner. Love her already.

Weekend Fun: Skate Skiing & A Concert for HIM & 50's Diner

As you know, James and I have joined the winter sport of Skate Skiing.  We love it.  It has been hard to learn, and a few weeks of bitter cold.  However, on Saturday, we ventured out and took Willow and the kids to a close park nearby.

The trail was a bit hard and SOOOO FAST.  I haven't had those conditions.  It was just a breeze to skate ski around the park.  Willow did great greeting the other skiers and dogs (lots of them).  She stayed right by me with no leash.  Yeah.

On Sunday, Hannah, Max, and Bronwyn had their Love Day Concert.  They did a great job.  I love the confidence and using their gifts to honor God.  Bronwyn sang Great is the Lord, and Hannah sang Beautiful One.  Max tickled the keys.  Paula Monroe does such a good job emphasizing the Lord and giving Him the praise!

We also ended the night with a fun play called "Uncle Phil's Diner".  It is a dinner/theatre with a 50's theme that our wonderful Butch Wetherington puts on.  My own Donna Embree was a waitress in training.  Hannah borrowed an outfit from our Anita. (Thanks friend). Our waitress/actress was so sad because she was stood up from her date for Prom.  Hannah told her, "If you have Jesus in your heart, you don't need any Hank," to try to cheer her up.  Bronwyn was thrilled to win BINGO (but we all won on the same number).  And I came home with an Apple Pie from the drawing!

More Fun with JESS

We also have had a BLAST with Jess. Jess is not family, but she is probably the closest thing I have ever had to a sister.

She loves to worship and had brought music back into our home.  Our Ipod is missing, so we are enjoying hers.  She has finished the science week on Octopus and other cephalopods.

Please pray with us as she is wanting to do what the Lord has for her.  She has not had a permanent job for over a year.  She is interested in caregiving of the elderly or nanny.  But, her heart is to disciple women.

We love having her here!

We even had a fun night at BUNCO and won two of the top 4 prizes.

Learning Lessons from a dog?

 

I don't know where to begin.  Yes, I have been totally exhausted.  I figured out why.  I was NOT relaxing.  I would be so "nervous" to make certain there is no puppy accidents that I was in a whirlwind.  Willow (great dane puppy) has been doing good.  Most of the reflections today is around the puppy.  She is sleeping with NO FUSS last night when it was time to go to bed.

1) nervous.
Since Willow has joined a family with LOTS of activity and guest, I really want a relaxed dog.  So, as all the books say: we have gone out to stores, parking lots, parks etc to get her "socialized".  She is often nervous and shaking.  But, after a bit, she warms up and loves to get all the attention. Yeah.

loves to walk with me

*However, I was thinking is that the way I am with sin in my life?  Do I keep it around long enough to feel comfortable with it? To a point where it becomes so part of my life that I never even want to change?

2) longs to be with me-Adoration
Willow "imprinted/bonded" to me the first day.  She hears me going downstairs, and clomp, clomp, clomp. Her she comes.  She will do her "business" outside but, eagerly comes to me.  She heels, and does recall with little effort.  She whines if I leave the house.  And is the first to greet me at the door.  She LOVES going with me anywhere; walking in the rain, or a hike in the cold wintery forest.

This week we are looking into Mary's extravagant heart when she used her entire bottle of expensive perfume on Jesus' feet.  Loved that true story of worship.  I am not saying that Willow is worshiping me, but she longs to be in my presence.  Do I long to be with Jesus by sitting and reading His Word?

3) Eye Test

The dogs (yes Willow has a brother that my friend from high school bought) and we got them together this last week.  They love each other even though it has been 3 months since they saw each other.  They love to run and jump in the snow together.  On Friday, as they were playing, a piece of ice/snow flung up and hit my eye.  It really hurt.  After when it was time to leave, I could see. So, I continued to drive to the library.  Then I did the dumbest thing ever.  I held up two fingers in front of my eye to check if my hurt eye could see it.  WHAT??!  Of course, I knew how many fingers I was holding up.  Soooooo Silly!.

I guess the lesson is that we sometimes need people outside of ourselves to administer tests.  That is why it is so important to be in a body of followers of Christ that can encourage and keep you accountable for things that are hard to "see" for yourself.

Exhausted. Dog Tired

It is only 9 pm and it seems like it could be midnight.  We are so thankful for the little girl, but it is work.  She has been good via the potty training and yet to have any accidents.

However, she does have some lungs.  She doesn't like her crate.  So, she tried to whine her way out.  It didn't work.  (okay once I yielded and felt awful for not following my husbands advice).  We are not giving up with the crate.  The breeder has giving us some good advice.

She is sweet and cute, but she loves me.  She follows me up and down the stairs. We have been on three walks plus she has been groomed three times.  I hope it will be a easier night tonight. 

Jess is tired too.  YEAH I HAVE JESS WITH ME! I love seeing her and eating her good cookies, and caribou sloppy joes. We have played canasta and already watched Dolphin Tale.  We have seen a moose, eagle, and an Alaskan squirrel. 

I am still plowing through the book "So long, insecurity" by Beth Moore.  I enjoyed the picture of "how lovely is the dwelling place, O Lord Almighty".  I am the dwelling of the Holy Spirit no lies for me, just the simple truth, lovely.  Not a boastful statement, just truth.  Simple truth. Love it.

Getting Ready for the big girl

The sign is made, the kennel created.  A few dog treats found. She had a bed upstairs, and her crate downstairs.  Dog food.  Many, many books checked out about how to train your dragon... I mean dog. She is 52 lbs of love.

In the video she is called Monroe or RoeRoe, but we are going to name her Willow.

Ready for Willow to come tomorrow!

A little EXCITEMENT: Three Volunteers!

All three of my children had an amazing Saturday.

Bronwyn finished up her training at the Mat-Su Animal shelter.  She spent 6 hours learning how to care for animals and do her job as a volunteer. Did you know that you can get high school credits for doing volunteering?  (she is only 7 but still, neat)

the first one where they tried to scare her away listing all the dangers.

Then Max got to go to Lego Club with his friends the Bacons!  

When I asked Max what service is he going to do in the community, he said, "I am going to help Nonna.  I like helping her and washing her windows."  I just love it!

Hannah got to spend the entire day with a last minute sleep over to her friend Shelby.

Hannah is volunteering at the local public library.  She loves it and always comes out with more new finds!!

Beauty and the Beast: The Puppy (the long story)

As you might know, we love Great Danes.  We had them in the past, and now that we are established in our home, it is time for the dog.

Well, it was a journey. I soon realized being in Alaska, makes shopping for a dog a bit of a challenge.  I would respond to Craigslist advertisements with no response. When someone did call me, I heard the "breeder" say, "Well, the puppy is $1000 and is a purebreed dog, but I don't have the papers yet. They will come in once the stud shows me his papers.Or, I could charge you $3000."  What!!!! You mean you didn't get the papers prior to breeding the dog.

Then, when I would call a real breeder, the problem was timing.  Dogs go into heat twice a year and usually they will only have one litter a year. So, the few (maybe three) breeders are not having any puppies.

So, we began to look at rescue dogs.  However, because of our very sad story with Kenai. We didn't want to bring an animal into our home that we didn't know the entire story. Kenai, when we first met him and even up to the first 6 months, was incredible. However, he was too protective and was abused.  Ugh.

I called a breeder in Fairbanks, and she didn't have any puppies, but had a 9 month show dog Pandora.  This dane would be co-owned.  We would need to bring Pandora to the local dog shows.  However, her children were too attached and cried all night.  So then she offered a puppy to bring into our home as a co-owned dog in June.  Ugh.  We looked at that.  But, we thought how often do we (the Embrees) just sit around with nothing to do.  The thought of adding a two hour drive on Friday and Sunday to transport a dog to Anchorage for the Dog Shows made us uneasy.  We don't have that extra discretionary time.

Then there was a 10 month old male great dane rescue in North Pole, Alaska.  However, he required surgery for his eye that was estimated at $600 + his rescue fee. ugh.

We also had an opportunity to get a Great Dane that someone returned to the breeder.  However, the "breeder" from a different state didn't know common knowledge things about Rabies shots. So, we didn't get that one.

About this time, I had taken up MANY MANY HOURS of looking online.  Calling breeders.  Talking to God.  Getting my hopes up and down.  Then I read about glancing at things and gazing on the Lord.
I was in my "hunt" mode.  Trying to make this happen.

I love the way facebook brings people together.  An old classmate from highschool had posted her many photos of her Great Dane Leo.  I found out the information about where she found him.  She had went to the breeder and brought him back to Alaska. She had raved about the breeder and the amazing home that the puppies were raised into.  I called the breeder near Chicago, and found out that Leo's sister had not been adopted.  She was a mantle.  She was crate trained and potty trained.  They had a waiting list for the harlequins but not for the mantles.

Now, here is where the disappointment comes. The dog is in Chicago not Alaska.  Not close at all.  So, I suggested to James to fly down and pick up the dog.  However, it would take another few days away from the children and a "waste" of a ticket.  I was not happy.  But, I told James I submit to your authority even if I don't like it.  I will.

Later that night, I suggested that maybe Jess could come and bring the dog with her.  She would get to see us (she has been dying to visit us in Alaska) and we could get the dog as well. James asked if she was available.  So, I called her. I told her to pray about it, and get back to me on Sunday. I told her if she didn't come, it would be fine.  There would be other dogs, but if she did want to come, we would love her to visit.

The entire weekend, I was filled with PEACE.  I had no idea if she would say yes or no. It really didn't matter.  God gave me peace and joy.  And I was no longer angry. I often felt so silly being caught up with finding a dog.  I have friends who are going through tough marriages, cancer, etc.  I took my prayers to a God that can handle it all.

As you know, she said YES! You can read her side of the story here.   We get to invite the beast on Tuesday.  So, I get my best friend Jess (who is beautiful) and a dog.  Beauty and the Beast.

Yes, I am terribly spoiled and loved by my heavenly Father.  Jess is even able to bring our last few remaining items from Africa that has been stored in Chicago.

Introducing:  Willow

Mexico (last time for awhile)

This shows the border of California and Mexico. 

Max and I went for a hike on the USA side of the border.  Monitoring the border, we spotted a person hiding near the rocks.  We went to tell the parked car (border car), and he was busy watching the Matrix.  Funny.   

Enjoying a California stroll up around the hills

We worked up a big appetite and enjoyed the Baked goods!

free coffee with every donut purchase

The Dentist (maybe if we didn't have such a sweet tooth, we wouldn't need to see the DR.)

Great glasses to protect my eyes.  I also got to listen to Les Mis and enjoyed the distraction.

Around Tecta, we enjoyed the city.  I never knew sin was so cheap. 

I think they look a bit shocked. 

Just a park bench (where we enjoyed the donuts)

Since our normal lunch place was closed, we went to a new one.  Ugh, cold beans/rice and a rancid smell to the meat/cheese.  I couldn't swallow one bite. (But I ate the rice/beans)

 There were a few homes that had Roosters in cages.  I was told later they were used for Cock fighting.

Hey, ADT is even active in Mexico.  We had this armed response company in South Africa.

Thankfully, I found an amazing lunch quesadilla like (yummers)

Loved the spanish signs

My last dentist room for now.  Three crowns later.