Frantic and Fun-Filled February!

I hope that you get the chance to jump over to the ZOE blog and read the latest post called, "Met.a.morph.os.is". It's all about just how amazing the transformation of a life can be.  
What a privilege it is to see this right before my very eyes.
It has been a stretch for me to learn and practice teaching in such a different style to how I have taught in the past.

I am having to learn to slow down {more}, tread carefully, evaluate continually and be sensitive to the very tender and raw emotions that are brought in to the classroom; unsure as to what each new day will bring.

It certainly has pushed my faith to rely on God more and not on my own {limited} abilities.  
Please join me in praying for these newly rescued children who are on the most incredible journey of discovering God's plan for their lives and how wonderful He created them to be. 

As the title to this post suggests, February has (so far) been a frantic and fun-filled few weeks.
It's amazing how, just by adding in a couple of extra curricula activities for our children, it has morphed me from a some-what calm, 'in-control' mother to... well, whatever the opposite of that is!  
I'll let you use your imagination! Haha!

As I had mentioned in a previous post, Tobi had been doing soccer and Eli, dance.  This week they both have extra practices on top of their usual ones due to an upcoming game/concert as well as a new commitment too- an after school Thai homework club.

 

Pictured above, Eli practising the splits!  She's nearly there!

Dave was honored to be asked to give the sermon at ZOE church this past Sunday.  It was so great to be able to fellowship with the ZOE family.  But the most heart-warming part, was the overwhelming response to Dave's message from the children and teens.  
We were able to pray for so many of them who are facing some challenges in their lives right now.

Dave and I have had the pleasure of photographing two ZOE (staff) weddings this month too.  It was fun being a "wedding-photographer-for-a-day" however after each wedding was over, I was completely exhausted hahaha.  
The best bit, for me, was both the editing and preparation of the photos to be printed. Photographing the weddings was such a wonderful experience and both weddings were just beautiful!  LOVE was definitely in the air.  I will write more about them soon over at the ZOE blog.
Below are a few photos from the two days. 

Spencer has been a bit unwell the past few days (and he desperately needs a haircut too).  Poor kid!  
I think he has some kind of stomach upset.  He hardly complains about it but has definitely lost his spark.  He spent the day with me today running errands and pottering about.  It was nice to have his company despite him not feeling 100%.  Plus, he still manages to warm my heart with that cheeky smile, sick or not.

Well, I truly hope that your February is more fun-filled than frantic.  
We really value your friendships and commitment to follow our family's journey and the lives of the precious ZOE children.

Please know that you are loved, missed and appreciated, SO MUCH!
Many blessings,
Andie.

YOU!

Well, firstly a belated Happy Australia Day to our friends and family down under.  We had a great day celebrating in our local park with lots of Aussies this year which was fun.  We all pooled our "Australian food stock" and managed quite a nice spread including Tim Tams (and Tim Tam ice-cream), Vegemite sandwiches, lamingtons, Milo bars, Barbecue Shapes as well as some delicious local Thai food too.

It's been so wonderful having Tammy staying with us.  She even minded our children overnight so that we could get away for a night and celebrate an early wedding anniversary.

This week she will finish her intensive Thai language course and work with Dave and I on some ZOE Foundation Australia planning projects.

Recently, ZOE hosted a team from Rockford First Church in America.  These guys were so energetic and fun.  It was a pleasure to have them here.  Their warmth, generosity and sense of humor will be surely be remembered.

I hit a bit of a low yesterday after teaching my ten o'clock English class.  Bogged down by the enormity of just what some of my students have been through coupled with a deep yearning to connect with them and show them God's amazing love through my life and actions.

This song "YOU" by Hillsong really spoke to me today:

Invading all my weakness 

You wrapped me up in grace 

The worst of me succeeded by the best of You 

My heart is overtaken

My soul is overwhelmed 

The worst of me succeeded by the best of You 

My dreams have found their purpose 

My future in Your hands 

This life would have no meaning if it weren't for You 

Lord make my life transparent 

Your life in mine displayed 

And let every earthly glory 

Go back to You

And so I pick myself up and I remember that it's all about Him and not about me.  Any little thing I can do is only through His power.

As His servant, my job is to continually and diligently be in prayer and obedience, remembering, that it is God who breaks the chains.  

Please join me in praying this week.  Sometimes all we can do is to fall down on our knees with overwhelming conviction that we have no where else to go.  That our efforts, whilst important, feel so inadequate in comparison to the problem.

When we feel overwhelmed and we just don’t know what else to do, we can join in prayer on behalf of those who suffer. 

Together, we will make a difference.

Three Years On...

I can't say my children were too thrilled when I suggested recreating this photo taken just after we moved to Thailand, three years ago.
I convinced them it would be "fun" and to their surprise it actually was.  There certainly was a lot of laughter that took place!  They were all trying to make the same face they'd pulled three years ago. Spencer's attempts especially made me giggle.  And I have to include a collage I made of some of the antics that took place before, during and after I'd got "the pic".  I just love hanging out with my little guys and girl!

Well our year got off to a roaring start. How about yours?

It was so wonderful to have both Dave's sisters here at the one time, along with our brother-in-law Colin and nephew Sam.

They were all a part of the Thailand Mission Awareness Team run by Graeme Smith (Maranatha Christian School).  The team arrived on Boxing Day and left January 12th.  It was so great to not only be able to hang out with the Australian team when we could, but to also be able to have our family over at our home to chill out when they had some free moments.

We even managed to fit in a mini post-Christmas celebration, lots of muu ping, an Indian dinner and oh-so-many-long-overdue conversations.  I feel so blessed.  It was such a treat to have them here.

Just when I thought 2013 couldn't get off to a better start, and Dave's sister Tammy announces that she's going to be staying on a little longer than expected to begin a Thai language course here at one of the universities.  It will be extremely helpful for her as she continues her role on the ZOE Foundation Australia board and in future when helping with teams and guests.

Due to her extended stay, Tammy needed to do a border crossing to Burma yesterday.  I volunteered to go with her and we made the most of the eight-or-so hours in the car without a moment's silence.  It was wonderful to have this precious (uninterrupted) time together.

Here's a couple of shots from the market area at the check point.

Well so much has been happening.  Dave is currently away with an American team in a village (with no electricity!).  This is a village where some of their children have been victims of human trafficking so we have been praying for an effective time of both ministry as well as an openness to become more aware and educated on this issue.

With many new children at ZOE since the end of last year, I have 6 new students in my English classes. I am so thrilled to be able to get to know these precious children more as well as share in some of their laughs and tears as they begin the rebuilding and healing process.

A quick visit from Narara Valley Baptist Church enabled us to share more about what ZOE is doing to combat and fight child trafficking as well as the opportunity to thank them personally for their amazing effort of raising $11, 575 to assist the work at ZOE.

   

On the home front, our children are enjoying being back at school for semester 2.  Eli recently began dance classes after school with many of her friends, which she loves.  She is constantly practicing to be able to do the splits and gets very excited the closer she gets to reaching her goal.  

Tobi just began a short season of soccer at his school.  He has only had one training so far but he really enjoyed it which came as no surprise.

The winter weather here continues to be delightful each day, but the mornings and nights have been the coldest we've experienced in the past three years (or have we finally acclimatized?)

With the cooler weather, we've all had the coughs and sniffles but it seems that most people here do have at the moment.

Well, with some preparation for my classes tomorrow calling me, I must head off.

I will leave you with some of my favourite photographs from the time spent with Graeme's team.

The fence building team.

New Years Eve, Kantoke dinner

Final team lunch

Sam, Graeme and Tobi

Aaron and Spencer

Go Tammy! (pictured, both Dave's sisters)

Cheeky boy!

Can I play next year Dad?

Eli warming up with the girls.

Chillin'

Don't forget, greater things are yet to come...  Andie.

Greater Things Are Yet to Come

Are you getting excited about the fast approaching New Year?
Well I am.  {And Dave certainly looks like he is from this picture haha}
2012 has been so great but I am looking forward to seeing God do even bigger and better things both in our family and at ZOE in 2013.
With the New Year getting closer minute by minute, I thought it'd be nice to reflect back on the year just past, and so, that's exactly what we did as a family at dinner tonight.
We brainstormed all of the highlights from 2012 and then (through a very lengthy and complicated voting process) we narrowed it down to our Top 12.
There was such a lot of good stuff that didn't make it to the final 12 too, but ... here it is... our Top 12 of 2012!!

For the older generation, who might find that text a bit on the small side, the list says:
 1. Having overseas visitors.
 2. Our family holiday to Koh Chang 
 3. Going to Sticky Falls (lime stone waterfalls)
 4. Moving house.
 5. Playing soccer in the street.
 6. Tobi winning the 200m at school.
 7. Going to ZOE.
 8. Christmas time.
 9. Reading chapter books as a family.
10. Eliana's pony party.
11. Going back to Australia.
12. Friday's chapel at school.

There has truly been so much to be thankful for this year (more than I could mention here in one post).
From financial donations (at crucial times when they were needed) to seeing God's protection over our family as well as all the amazing things that have occurred at ZOE where children have been rescued and their lives transformed.
I get goosebumps thinking about how in 2013, there are greater things still to come.
I am excited that we are positioned in the city in a Thai community where we are building relationships with our neighbours.  
I love it that there is a growing interest in ZOE's work within Victoria and Australia and an awareness about child trafficking that is prompting people to rise up and take action.  
I get teary when I see my children settled in their schools, growing and learning and keen to make a difference in the world despite their ages.  
And I feel such a deep sense of gratitude when I look around and realize that now, after 3 years of being here, I actually have some really good friends.  Not just acquaintances, not just other school mums, but lovely, genuine, friends.  I really do feel so blessed.

I love that song, God of this City.  
It's going to be my anthem for 2013. 

"For greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this city
For greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done here"

For those of you who may not know the story behind the song
“God Of This City”; it was written by a band called Bluetree during a missions trip to Thailand.  While the band was on stage performing worship songs in the Climax Bar, a club which doubles as a brothel in the Red Light district of Pattaya, God put these powerful lyrics on their lips in that moment…"greater things have yet to come and greater things are still to be done in this city."  Right in the middle of their set of songs, this song was spontaneously birthed. The song then became a message of hope for the people of Pattaya and is now being sung in churches across the world.  

In all honesty, there were several of my 2012 goals that weren't completely finished.  Actually, some I didn't even get close to achieving.  But with only a day and a few hours left to go, I'm putting those things behind me and choosing to look forward.  

There is still so much to be done that I am heading into the New Year full of anticipation and expectation that greater things are ahead.

How are you feeling about 2013?  Setting any NY resolutions this year?  Expecting greater things in your family/ community/ work place/ business/ life? 

Ho... Ho... Ho... Hoping You Had a Great Christmas!

It's been a great few days.  

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Here's some photos showing what we've been up to over Christmas.

Friday December 21st~ 

(am) The ZOE kid's Christmas Concert. Very cute!

(pm) The Christmas Party of the century.  This was absolutely one of the nicest and funniest nights ever.  We love our ZOE family.

Saturday December 22nd (more here)~

(am) Everyone at ZOE was placed into three different work-project groups.  We wanted to go out and bless various organizations in our local area.  Our group met at a school to clean mat-flooring with bleach and detergent.  

By the end, our clothes were totally stained and our knees were red raw, but we finished the job in under three hours and we had a LOT of fun!

(pm) After showering off the bleachy smell, we headed out in to our street to deliver the goodie bags we'd prepared.  We had the opportunity to speak with several of our neighbours and strengthen our relationships with them.  
The 20 or so monks, gathered at the end of our short street staring at us going door-to-door, made us feel a little overwhelmed, but we completed our task and even wished the monks a merry Christmas! 

Sunday December 23rd~
(am) We headed to a local shopping centre and participated in a Christmas Carol Flashmob!!  So cool.  I had goosebumps.  Four levels of people all singing carols made it sound almost angelic.  This was an amazing experience.

(pm) We had some of the Thai children in our street over for a Christmas movie and little Christmas party complete with yummy chocolate home-made goodies and hot chocolate with marshmallows.  The children really enjoyed this special time with their friends.

Monday December 24th~
(am) We celebrated Christmas a day early this year.  We had a lovely time reading the Christmas story together and opening presents (most of which had been sent from our family in Australia).  
Feeling very blessed! 

(pm) At lunch time we headed off to stay at a hotel near ZOE for the night.  Squeezing in a quick swim and rest first, we then headed in for a big potluck dinner and super-fun evening hanging out with our huge ZOE family.  It was SO nice to see some of the newest ZOE children enjoying their first ever Christmas!

Tuesday December 25th~
We planned to go to church at ZOE on Christmas morning (hence the reason we stayed overnight so close) but as Eliana got dressed that morning she pulled a muscle in her neck and was in an enormous amount of pain.
With no immediate improvement, we changed our plans and "had" Christmas church sitting on the beds in our hotel room.
After a slower start to the day than anticipated, we packed up and headed back home.
The rest of the day was spent gathered around Eliana on the couch, eating yummy food and having a Christmas movie-marathon.  It ended up being the most relaxing day ever!  
Loved it.  We may've even started a new tradition for Christmas Day afternoon!

And that brings me to today... we were so excited to welcome another Missions Awareness Trip team run by Graeme Smith at the airport this morning.  This team has lots of familiar faces as well as several of our family members on it.  
Hoping they're not too busy doing ministry in and around Chiangmai to hang out with us- just a little bit!!! Hint, hint!

So from our home to yours, we hope you had an amazing Christmas Day too.  Thanks for all the Christmas messages.  
We loved hearing from each and every one of you.
Love to you all, the Crossies :)