Bless

The word bless means to bestow favor or give honor unto another. When God "blesses" people or countries, He's imparting His divine favor upon them. This means that He, as our Heavenly Father, gives praise and acceptance of us as His children.

When we do this to another person, we are mimicking a God-type quality and, therefore, acting like Christ. This is a good practice! However, it's not blessing someone when we pay them for a service or respond after they've held the door open for us. That is proper courtesy. Blessing should be unsolicited. It should come out of a generous and grateful heart. It doesn't mean we simply bless others who like us or who are our friends. The Bible states the opposite, "Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse." (Romans 12:14)

Today is Lindy Rollins Thompson's birthday. I came down here early this morning to write a sweet post to bless and honor her. But as I concluded my quiet time, another thought came to mind. "What if I ask you to bless someone else in her honor?" She has been such a blessing to so many others, why not do something, though she's miles away, to others as a gift to her? Would you be willing to try this today?

Here's what I'd like to ask of you:

Today (or tomorrow when you read this), make it your goal to get Lindy a birthday present. The present she would love above all else is you blessing someone who may have a need, be your neighbor with a flat tire, be standing in line to pay for groceries ahead of you, be someone who is sick and needs a visitor, be a single mom who'd love a break to go get coffee, be your family member who could use a kind conversation from you, or anyone else who would have no clue of your intentions.

Then write Lindy on Facebook™, email, or here on the comment section, and tell her of your gift to her and how it blessed someone else. Cool?

I do hope you'll do this! This would bring such a smile to her face. I know my wife; having her friends do something for others in the same way she has done things for them, would be a powerful testimony to her life.

Is there a better way to honor someone special on their birthday?

Happy Birthday Mrs. Thompson. You are loved deeply by so many!

Fair thee Well...

A couple days ago we said our goodbyes to the team from Sneads Ferry. I must admit- this team was extra special. They gave so much of themselves and it was such a blessing to serve along side them.

They jumped in and helped us during our "flood" even though they were exhausted from getting up early.

They stayed up late to prepare for CPR/First Aid training

...They helped deliver food to slum schools

...and taught VBS to several schools.
They loved on...

the unloveable.

Even made missionary kids feel right at home- (like their actual Grandpa had come to see them.)

:) And countless times- they held my Ezra so I could eat/cook/get ready.

They walked among the filth and garbage...

...and made EVERYONE feel special.

They ate unfamiliar foods...with their fingers.

They sang, danced, and acted silly...

...and it was so worth it for this:

They poured out day in and day out...

...all for the sake of the call.

P.S.

(Isn't my Father-in-law the CUTEST thing?)

:) i can't help it... i just had to say that

Sneads Sneak Peek

This is a sneak peek of what the Sneads Ferry team has been up to this past week. They received a very warm welcome from their friends at Jamoca...

...and this doesn't have anything to do with anything. I just like this cute pic :)

cheeeeeeeese!

The Happiest...

This may just be the happiest Birthday my Chris has ever had. For the first time in his life- he got a card from his son... with a sweet little foot print on it. Boy, you should have seen the look on his face.

This year, he's doing EVERYTHING he loves. He's busy ministering to the needy (at this very moment actually!)

He's being a spectacular Daddy to little Ezra who can't help but laugh and smile at him every time he merely looks at him. (He is pretty funny.)

And he's being an amazing husband.

Can I just tell you how spoiled I am? Chris cooks me breakfast every morning (it's cheaper than cereal these days), he goes off to work and pours out to others. Then he comes home and he cooks dinner! And he does ALL of this with a smile on his face. Yes... I know... I AM SO BLESSED!

And he's so easy to please! Found a Dr. Pepper, of all things, over here and HAD to get it for his birthday. :)

Ezra, myself, and so many others love you CT- thank you for all your HARD HARD work and the selfless way you give yourself to others. May you be blessed with the happiest Birthday yet!

In the Know...

What's going on??

Here is a random list of what's been happening lately with Team Thompson and OSM:

1. Today, some of our best friends moved back to South Africa. We are sad for ourselves (and Ezra as he had a fantastic Auntie) but excited to see and hear what God has in store for their futures.
2. A week and a half ago we were on our way, following our friends, to camp in the Masai Mara. On the way our car completely died. We had to have it towed back to Nairobi where we were told we needed a new engine! Stink! We decided to proceed with our camping trip since we didn't have the money for a rental car and didn't want to just sit around the house all weekend. We had a fantastic time and Ezra was a trooper. The past week and a half we have been trying to do ministry without a car. It has been quite a challenge, but we have some really great friends who have gone way out of their way to help us. If we ever didn't have money for a new engine, it's now.

Ways I have seen God in this:

• We broke down in a GREAT place on the side of the road.
• We were in a convoy with friends who were able to come back for us and tow us to a gas station.
• We have a great mechanic whom we feel we can trust.
• Friends of ours have let us borrow enough money to pay for the new engine until we could pay them back. These are some of the same ones bending over backwards to help us get to ministry sites.
• We got an email today from some supporters saying they just sent a check in. It's almost enough for a new engine!!! (All of this is still cheaper than getting a new vehicle. It's the best option we have.)
• Our friends gave us all their left over groceries since they were packing up to go home! So we had enough in our pantry to last us until October!

God TRULY gives us our daily bread!!

3. Ezra is sleeping through the night!! And he is just an amazingly great baby.

4. We can officially announce that our Welsh friends are expecting a baby in February! They have been trying a long time as well! God is faithful!

5. The Helsby's are dropping in!! (an unexpected treat this Friday)

6. Thomas and Noah slaughtered 160 chickens Friday and put them in the big outside freezer. Thomas came on Saturday and moved them around hoping they would freeze. I began smelling an odor Sunday and told Chris. He thought it was just spilled chicken juice. When Thomas came Monday he realized that hardly ANY had actually frozen. Ugh- this makes me sick to say: We had to burn nearly all of them. It was SO disappointing.... to say the least. That was a pretty big blow, I must say.

7. The boys are doing well in school. A friend came and took some video of them in class the other day. I nearly cried. They look so big and grown up in their uniforms. I'm just so proud of them! Their teachers have come to Chris saying "These are really good boys." I miss them though...

8. Chris' Dad is bringing a team in 2 weeks! We are so excited about him finally meeing our sweet boy!

Berith Bible College Graduation...

What a joy it was to get to be a part of BBC's first graduation. Here are a few pictures from the graduation in Kibera last Saturday:

All the graduates together with Professors Vitalis, Indiazi, Sukresh Padri (and Chris)

Pastor Indiazi finishing the graduation ceremony by "turning each student's tassel".

Susan M.

Wesley Langat

Vitalis translating the ceremony for Indiazi

The procession of students entering

Thomas' proud family

Ezra and Uncle Thomas

Sunday Supplications...

Praises!

Berith Bible College had their first class of graduates this past Saturday! Six students graduated. Their families, from all over Kenya, were able to come and participate. It was such an exciting time for the ministry and we were so blessed to be part of it! (Stay tuned for an update this week with pictures.)

Chicken farming is going extremely well! There was a profit this month! This is a great encouragement for our partners.

Prayer Requests:

Please continue to lift up those up country who are affected by the famine.

I ask that you please visit our friends- Bryan and Libby's blog: http://bryanandlibby.blogspot.com/

They were recently evacuated from their home...please...just read it. While Ezra is happy to have his girl, Annabelle, back in Nairobi- we are so sad at why they had to return. Please, please pray for the people of North Africa. They are in desperate need of us to petition the help of our Savior on their behalf. Honestly, I just sob every time I read their blog. I sob for an array of reasons: Grateful for their friendship. Thankful that there are people like them in HARD HARD war torn areas. Relieved that they are here, safe in Nairobi now. Heart-broken for these people. It's so different now when I see pictures of a Mother/Father holding their wounded child because they just couldn't run fast enough or they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Why is it different now? Because I look over at my sleeping boy swinging peacefully and cannot, for the life of me, imagine myself running for my life and his. I cannot imagine trying in find a ditch for he and I every time I hear a plane flying above. I can't help but sit here, helplessly, in my bed- crying.

So I ask, on behalf of these people, that you do what I'm about to do. And that is get alone with my Savior and take these people before the Throne.