I don't do ORANGE

Never have and never had a desire to start, albeit I will be doing just that when we move next month.
I’m choosing to be optimistic and am calling the ORANGE “Tangerine!”

Mick and I were in Prague last week. Mick had some meetings and I had appointments to look at apartments. The second one I saw was nice and remained my favorite throughout the week of hunting! The only drawback was the half ORANGE wall in the kitchen and the ORANGE floor in the bathroom! I voiced my concerns to Mick, who doesn’t DO ORANGE either!

On Monday (last) we were able to go and see the apartment together. Mick readily understood why I liked the apartment. Its rooms are wide open, it is very clean, and it has MUCH needed storage (even has a laundry room!) But the wall and floor tile issues remained!!!

We walked through the apartment several times, placed (in our minds) our furniture pieces where they would go in our new home. All the furniture fit! And so much storage (did I mention that the new apartment has lots of good storage?)

Space and storage won out over ORANGE…we took the place!

As we left the kitchen for the last time that day I said, “I think I’ll call the ORANGE "Tangerine!"
For some reason Tangerine seems less offensive to us than ORANGE.

I must clarify: if you like the color ORANGE I do not want to offend you…our Daniel loves ORANGE and when Ukraine had our ORANGE revolution in 2004 he was ready for it. He had a different ORANGE shirt to wear daily for two weeks! He even had an ORANGE coat (thanks to Grandma!) And I must say that Daniel looks great in ORANGE…
BUT ORANGE is not our color…if it is yours, I’m very happy for you!
Wear it (or use it in your home) with PRIDE!

Of course, I’m being funny (sort of…we really do not like ORANGE and it really was an issue!)
But the point I want to make in this post is that when we took the apartment and it became ours I called the ORANGE half wall and the ORANGE floor TANGERINE.

I know the color didn’t change…my thoughts toward that color, however, did change.
I’ve done this before in life…haven’t you?

Sometimes I’ve called my sin (for this POST we will let ORANGE represent SIN..I like that!) another color because I was holding on to it. The Bible teaches us that we should look on sin as God does. God would never call it another color! He calls it SIN!
Read Romans chapters 6-8…good stuff about “ORANGE”

Then at other times I’ve done what we did with the new apartment…I’ve allowed something I didn’t like in my life to be there because (either I couldn’t change it) or it was best for that time.
When we were getting ready to come to the field we were told that Missionaries needed to be very flexible…so flexible that they become like liquid…FLUID like!
Well, I can’t change the TANGERINE half wall and the floor in my new apartment…but I can work around them…I’ve already started thinking about the OTHER colors that will be accented in the two rooms.

I can do this…

“I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

EVEN ORANGE!!!

Our new home

The ORANGE tile

View off the balcony

Why add MORE???

Been to the Republic of Georgia and back.
I have to make sure that I say Republic of Georgia because I didn’t on my Facebook status and someone thought I was in the state of Georgia.

Shannon and Katie Ford, Mick and I left last Tuesday to visit friends there. Mick, Shannon and Katie went on to see some friends in Armenia too… I could not go. No visa is required for the Republic of Georgia but one is for Armenia. My passport is too full to put one more visa in it. I stayed behind and was treated like a QUEEN by our friends in the Republic of Georgia.

While Mick and the others were in Armenia they went to an Armenian Orthodox church and took some pictures. One picture was of a dead chicken being sacrificed on the altar. For a Christian it was a very gory sight.

We were talking about this and how we did not understand how anyone could think that cutting up a chicken and placing it on a altar could do anything about their SIN PROBLEM. Mick remarked that MAN (through the ages) has tried to find some other way to take care of this instead of just taking GOD at His Word and simply accepting HIS gift of His Son.
How uncomplicated it sounds (and is!)
But MAN wants to make it so much harder…to ADD MORE to God’s Word…instead of a single act of FAITH in what has been done for us on the cross…man invented a rigid ritual that must be repeated over and over again. With NO PEACE!
God’s way (according to man) needs some improvement. It needs to be harder!

How sad that is!

But I thought about the fact that often man who has accepted that gift from GOD and knows the truth makes the Christian life harder (or adds man’s regulations…MORE than what God has required!)

When Mick went to Gori (the city in the Republic of Georgia that was hit by the war) back in August he bought some quilts for about $7 each. He came home with two of them. One of my friends in Kiev saw my quilts and wanted one. I told her that we would be going back in February and I’d get her one. To make sure that I could come through with my promise I called friends in Tbilisi and asked them to order me a quilt like the ones Mick bought while there.

They ordered my quilt and told the Georgian lady that it was for Dalese. My quilt was ready when I got there. But because I’m the supervisor’s wife they did MORE…MORE than I required, MORE than I wanted. My quilt was no longer a quilt at all, it was a comforter.
The comforter is beautiful…but if I’d wanted a comforter I would have asked for a comforter. I wanted an inexpensive quilt like Mick had purchased. My comforter cost $30, not $7…and it isn’t even what I wanted…it is MORE!

Why is it so hard for us humans (redeemed or not) to do what GOD says? Why do we have to ADD to His Word?
I don’t have the answer…but I’m praying that I will be more aware of my human tendency to ADD to His plan for me and that I will simply TRUST HIM and ACCEPT my FREEDOM and my simple life in HIM!

“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Micah 6:8

Church in Armenia

Friends on Valentine's day in the Republic of Georgia

Little Lizzie

The Corder Family in Gori

Going to the Chapel and You're Gonna get Married

AND THEY DID…On January 17th, 2009 our middle son, Jonathan Woodard Stockwell, married Katherine Anderson. It was a beautiful ceremony with Mick officiating. This time he only teared up once…we learned why after the ceremony when he told Katie that the secret was to not look them in the eyes! Mick had made that mistake at Christopher and Katie’s wedding in 2007 and almost lost it three times during the ceremony. He figured out how to get through the ordeal without loosing it! Because Mick didn’t cry (more than once) I didn’t cry more than once.

The bride was beautiful in a gorgeous dress. The groom, well, I’m the mom, what am I going to say? He was the most handsome man in uniform at the wedding! There were four others there in their Dress Blues…after Mick pronounced them man and wife (and after having Katherine say her last name!) the beautiful couple walked between four Lieutenants with their swords held high. I am pretty sure this is a West Point tradition but it may be an Army tradition. Tradition is that the newly wed couple walk through the sword line and the last man gives the bride a little slap (with his sword) on the bottom and says, “Welcome to the Army, Mrs. So and So.”
Katherine didn’t get the last part of the tradition. I think it is because the sword line was inside the chapel and the officers did not think it was appropriate. I think it would have been fine!

Many of our friends and family members joined us for the occasion. All three of Jonathan’s living grandparents were with us. Uncle Evan was an usher. Other birth aunts and uncles came from as far away as North Carolina. Two great aunts graced us with their presence. His Mr. and Mrs. G were there…better known as Kenny and Teri Pope to you. His IMB uncle Rodney and aunt Debbie were in attendance also. And Dwain Gregory, long time friend and adopted member of the family was also able to share in the joy of the day.
Long time friends from our home church, Houston Northwest, drove up and celebrated with us! Some of these Houston Northwest friends live in Arkansaw now...but they show up for every major event!

Mrs. Lori Smith came all the way from Hawaii. Her husband, Col. Smith, couldn't come with her but she represented her family well.
We are so thankful for all who came…who supported us and the new couple with your love and who will continue to support them with your prayers!

Wow, after they were hitched we went to celebrate and EAT. I got to the club too late to get any of the chocolate covered almonds and pecans…but I’m told (by several) that they were VERY GOOD! Glad someone got to enjoy them! I did make do with the other candy provided before the delicious meal was served.

Jonathan and Katherine were announced and danced to a song that they had not picked. The DJ never found the right song…but who cares, they are married and all is right with the world! Katherine and her dad danced to a cute song and she cried most of the way through it. Sweet sight.

It was now Jonathan’s and my turn…we danced to “I Hope You Dance.” I didn’t get to Jerry and Bonnie Methvin's house or hotel room for a refresher course (took dancing lessons from them before Christopher and Katie got married.) I should have known we were in trouble when I got on the floor and Jonathan started telling me what to do. Did we look stiff or what??? It doesn’t matter…we had a wonderful time being mother and son. I don’t care what we looked like, we were enjoying the quiet time together. At one point I saw a tear in Jonathan’s eye and said, in amazement, “Jonathan, why are you crying?” He replied, “Because you are, mom!” I wasn’t UNTIL then…at that point the tears flowed from both of us…we messed up the messed up dance and just stood there hugging each other. One of us started moving again and we tried to keep up our pretence of dancing while we kept crying!
I will treasure that dance until the day I die!

Well, the day came to an end (all too soon!) The happy couple took off in a limo to spend their first night together as man and wife.
We went home to Mee-maw’s and a house full of guest. The After Wedding Party.
We watched the DVD that was made for Jonathan and Katherine by Jonathan’s IMB aunt Becky Dewett and talked about the day.

The house phone rang. All weekend long the only person who had called on the house phone was Jonathan. I said, “I know it isn’t Jonathan!” BUT IT WAS…he needed to talk to Daniel about some of their gifts Daniel was dropping off at their place in Georgia on his way back home.

The next morning we went out to eat at Denny’s (the same one we went to in 2007 the day after Christopher and Katie wed.) While there we called Jonathan and Katherine. They were on their way to Georgia. Going to their new home. Their home!!!

Why did I tell you about the After Wedding Party and breakfast at Denny’s?
Because, though we have only done these things twice now, they are traditions for the Stockwell family.
There are other traditions…Mick having his daughter-in-loves finish the sentence, “It is my honor to present to you, Mr. and Mrs. ______.” He stops and, so far, Katie and, recently, Katherine have said, “Stockwell!”
We follow traditions set forth at Christopher and Katie’s rehearsal dinner too.
We love traditions…they bind us together when we are far apart.

In our lives we are going to be far apart. The Lord has ordained that. Christopher and Katie are living in Houston for the time being, Jonathan and Katherine are about to move to Hawaii, Daniel is in South Carolina, and Mick and I are moving to Prague soon. Many miles between us.
But we know that doesn’t mean that we are not bound…by tradition and LOVE.

I’m thankful that I also know that I don’t have to live near my children to watch over them. How could I pick which one to live near anyway? I can rest assured that they are in God’s hands and that He is better at watching over them than I.

Weddings are fun…they enlarge a family and the Lord enlarges our hearts to embrace new members of this Stockwell clan!!!

"Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain..." Psalm 127:1

GOD, we invite you to build our houses and our homes!

My two Katherines...Katherine on the left and Katie on the right!

Sunrise, Sunset

Years ago (and I do mean years ago!) I heard a New Year’s message by Paul Burleson…it was about TIME. He explained that we have been tricked by the CLOCK…ROUND as it is (I told you it was years ago…I know that today most people have digital and this illustration just wouldn’t mean the same thing!)
Dr. Burleson explained that TIME does not go around…it just goes…thus the famous TIME LINE!!!

His point was that we need to be aware that we do not get TIME back...it goes FORWARD!
Almost every New Year I think about this fact…it is a new year, it is January AGAIN, but TIME is GOING…GOING…FORWARD
As 2009 begins there are MANY things in my life that are Going, Going, Forward.

I’ve already shared that we are moving soon. This holiday season has been my last in Ukraine. The last time I will go to the square and see the BIG Christmas tree. The last time I’ll knock on my neighbors’ doors and give them a small gift and wish them a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. The last time I’ll be in this apartment…this is a BIG deal to me because all my kids have been in this place together…who knows when they will be in our new home in Prague or if they ever will all be there together?
Many LAST (time in Ukraine (as I know it) is almost GONE!)

The Lord graciously allowed Daniel to come home for one more Christmas here in Ukraine. We had a great time of closure. Daniel went ice-skating with my English student. He made me skate too. I’d not been on ice-skates since before Christopher was born. I was not happy with Daniel…but I put on the skates and went out on the ice. Before long I was skating and came off the ice EXCITED that I’d pushed myself (okay, Daniel pushed MYSELF) and found that I’m not too old to do NEW THINGS.

Another adventure that we had was that Daniel and Mick both expressed that they had always wanted to walk across the Dnieper River…we have had a very GOOD winter (according to Mick…this means, IT IS COLD HERE AND HAS BEEN FOR A LONG TME!) so the river was traversable. Funny story they told me when they got home (alive and well)…They saw an ice-fisherman and asked him if he thought that the river was crossable. He replied, “I don’t know of anyone who has crossed it yet this year, but it should be Okay!” My men walked on!
They made it home feeling a little more like MEN. I mean, really, have any of you ever walked across the frozen Dnieper??? Didn’t think so!

One of the most memorable things for me was that we were able to attend a Worship service (Daniel’s last in this country) at the same church where we attended our first Worship service over fourteen years ago. As I walked down the aisle I passed the pew where we sat through a LONG Sunday morning worship time not understanding ONE WORD! Daniel was six years old and fell asleep (believe it or not) during the second or third sermon. When it was time to stand a little grandmother behind me said, “Sadeetyes!” I didn’t know what it meant, but I felt her hand on my shoulder and knew I was to stay seated! I was so thankful for that grandmother.
I didn’t get real emotional until we (IMB missionaries in Kiev) got up to sing. We sang in English and then in Russian. During the last verse of Silent Night (in Russian) I couldn’t sing…I just started crying. I thought about the change that had taken place in me and in Daniel in fourteen years and I was over-come with JOY that the Lord allowed Daniel to start and end (Sunrise, Sunset) at the same church.

Another reminder that TIME goes forward and NOT around is that Jonathan is getting married a week from today! When I think of weddings I think of the song Sunrise, Sunset…how quickly go the years! Jonathan has grown into a man…A man who has fallen in love with a little girl who has grown into a young woman.

Becky Dewett came to Ukraine in 1994 to be the Stockwell boys’ school teacher. She has stayed in Kiev. We have stayed in touch with Aunt Becky through the years and she has never stopped loving the Stockwell boys (men!)
Becky put together an amazing power point to be played at the rehearsal dinner (her gift to Jonathan and Katherine.)
While driving to Becky’s today to pick up the finished project I was listening to an old WOW Worship CD. The song, You are God, by Scott Underwood came up…I love this song. It says:

You are God of the heavens and God of the earth You are God of our Savior’s virgin birth

You were God on the cross and God over hell You were God before man and God when he fell

You

You are

You are God

You are God, God, God

You

You are

You are God

You are God, God, God

You are God in what seems like happenstance You are God in every circumstance You are God when we fall and God when we stand You are God who holds us in Your hand.

Well, of course I started crying and because I got lost I was able to listen and listen again to the song as I drove.

HE IS GOD…in SUNRISE AND SUNSET…HE IS GOD.
It is my desire to recognize HIM as such this year…2009.

LET HIM BE GOD in your 2009 as TIME goes on (not around!)

He is STILL THE ONE

Yesterday Mick and I celebrated twenty nine years of being husband and wife. We went into the center of town for lunch. Since we never drive into the center of town during a weekday we went by metro. Instead of taking the car to the metro or even getting on a bus at the bus stop (near our apartment) we decided to walk through our woods (about a 15 minute walk when it is slippery out!)

Mick loves SNOW and all things associated with it…that would be, skiing, sledding, rides in a sleigh, ice-cycles, COLD weather, and even SNOW ICE-CREAM.
He also loves FIRE PLACES (when lit!)

Because of his great love for everything having to do with SNOW we have OFTEN walked in the snow through the years. Even our honeymoon was in Colorado so that we could go snow-skiing. In fact, I had to learn to ski before we could get married so I could go with him on HIS honeymoon!

We went skiing one snow day in college (yes, professors could not get to us…but we could get to the slopes!) After I had about two hours of lessons Mick picked me up from class and we proceeded to the slopes. Seems that either my teacher forgot to teach me the art of TURNING or I was just too dumb to pick it up because we soon learned that I had a problem. I did fine going STARIGHT down the mountain (I looked good, skis together and all) but when it came time to TURN (to avoid other skiers or to make sure I didn’t get too much speed up) I just couldn’t make my feet, legs, and body do that!

When I fell, I fell hard. Everyone with us was trying to get me to Snow Plow in order to slow down...to this day I can not Snow Plow! Finally I got a little better and we left the BUNNY slope behind (I’d had lessons and had learned to do something along the lines of turning) and went for the BLUE.
Mick told me to stop worrying about the people in front of me…they were skiers (he seemed to think) and would get out of my way!
So, down the mountain I went…doing whatever it was I’d learned to do to hold my speed down (still not called a TURN, I’m sure!) As I looked down the mountain I saw a man standing, in the middle of the mountain, on the slope, just standing! BUT Mick had told me that THEY WOULD GET OUT OF MY WAY so I decided to take Mick at his word and not fall over to stop so that I wouldn’t run into the STANDING man…HE WOULD GET OUT OF MY WAY.
Well, HE DID NOT…I plowed right smack dab into him. He fell and I fell (several feet below him!)
Mick came flying down the mountain and I started yelling, “You told me he would get out of my way!”
The poor man had no idea what I was talking about…and really, how do you explain what happened to a complete stranger who you have just wiped out?
Mick helped me up and we left the man in the snow!

All that came to my mind yesterday as we walked through the woods. MEMORIES
I wish that I could say that I have listened to Mick’s advice and followed it as avidly these twenty nine years. I have not! I’ve not been a PERFECT wife (as I had planned.)
To be honest with you…he hasn’t been a perfect husband either (have no idea if he planned to be or not.)

But walking through the woods yesterday (and waking up beside him this morning) I can say that I’m so thankful that GOD gave Mick Stockwell to me…to have and to hold from December 29, 1979 until Death Do Us Part!

I love you Mick…you the BEST!!!

December in my World

It happened…I knew it would…I am no longer “50”!!!
Up until this year it has been okay to give out my age…but something about “51” just doesn’t sound attractive. You know up until this year I’ve been on the under side of middle age (according to the way I perceive it!) and then even “50” had some status to it. But...“51”...that is just so bland sounding. So, I’ll be “29” from now on if you don’t mind!

My “50th” was a GREAT celebration.
We were in a beautiful cottage in Colorado with friends and great weather. One of our old “youth” came up the day before and it was ALL ABOUT ME.





So, I was sort of thinking that this year would be rather BORING. But my “Partner in Crime” as her husband calls us, gave me a birthday party.

I even had to pick the menu. The food was hard to pick, but the dessert was not. Her famous Chocolate Cheesecake was really what got me to the party (given in my honor!)
The apartment was decorated beautifully and the night was

ALL ABOUT ME! What FUN!!!




I started a new tradition of my own…I figured that after “50” years of GIFT RECEIVING I should start doing some GIFT GIVING on my special day (which by the way was Lottie Moon’s birthday…just throwing that in as a bit of interesting trivia!)
I’ve decided that this will be my new tradition…therefore, from now on my birthday parties will have to be SMALL in number of attendees (or the gifts will have to be small in VALUE!)


I’ve always loved my birthday month…a very exciting time of year!
This year has been the same. Daniel is home for the Holidays.



Almost two years ago he got on a plane and left us for college…but he is back and it is wonderful. He will be the only Stockwell male child home for this Christmas. Though we wish all of the kids could be here…including the girls…we are choosing to THANK THE LORD for Daniel’s visit and enjoy ourselves in keeping all the traditions we have had through the years.

I’m so thankful for the memories of Christmases past…those when a child in Wichita Falls, Texas with my parents and brothers. My mom says I loved the tree and she often caught me standing, staring at it and sometimes she caught me running through the house with some Ice-cycles in my hands. I remember Christmas Eve meals with the Woodards and Christmas Day with the Thorntons.

The Christmases in Houston, Texas when the boys were small have a special place in my heart. How fun it was to continue Christmas traditions that both Mick and I brought to our new family.
And then we moved to Ukraine and had to come up with some new traditions…which have become just as BIG a part of us as the old ones.

I remember some gifts (received and given) but most of all, I remember the FEELING OF BELONGING.

I heard a song this year by Ray Charles…Christmas in my Heart…it says, “Christmas time is ALL ABOUT RECEIVING…the gift that God has sent from up above!”
What a wonderful thought…
We have been told that it is about GIVING…And God did GIVE His Son…but I’ve enjoyed dwelling on that RECEIVING part this year as I contemplate this special season.
Because that GIVEN GIFT has to be RECEIVED!

In receiving this FREE GIFT I have come to BELONG to the FAMILY OF GOD. There are times when I’ve not been able to be with my parents, children, and other family members for special occasions (like this year,) but because I received that FREE GIFT from my Heavenly Father, I have been able to have fellowship with my Christian Family.
NOW THAT IS BELONGING!!!

I pray that each of you knows the value of RECEIVING!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR

John 3:16

For God so loved the WORLD that HE GAVE His one and only Son, that whoever believes (RECEIVES) in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Joy to the world! The Lord is come; let earth receive her King.

Something's Happening Here

“Something’s happening here. What it is ain't exactly clear.”
(song by Stephen Stills)
Well, something is happening here and I am not exactly clear as to what all it will entail.
So for a while my post may be of thoughts about the CHANGE that is taking place in our lives…

Mick and I are moving to Prague…when? Well, that is one of those things that ain’t exactly clear!!! But some time in the Spring of 2009.
The Lord has moved us out of this ministry into another. And if I did not know beyond a shadow of a doubt that HE was moving us I couldn’t go.

I do know that it is the next step of obedience and will take it in trust…but I’m doing much reflection these days.

Tonight I baked a chocolate pie for guest. As I was stirring the pudding I remembered the first time I made a chocolate pie in Ukraine. It was in 1994 in our first humble apartment. Back then I had tears in my eyes as I stirred…it is a wonder that the pie wasn’t too salty to eat. I was so home-sick…and the stirring of the pudding made me miss my mom more. You see, she always let me stir the pudding when she was baking a chocolate pie.
I also remembered the Thanksgiving (what year was it?) when we were at the Ray’s and Regina Lamb (the boys’ teacher) was stirring and stirring the pudding for the pie and it wasn’t getting thick…we finally realized that the burner (gas stove) had gone out! Poor Regina!

As I stirred tonight I thought of the changes that have taken place within me, my family, and this country since 1994. The most outstanding change I contemplated tonight was that I am feeling home-sick for Ukraine even before we move. Who would have thought, fourteen plus years ago, that one day I’d be stirring the pudding for a pie thinking how sad it was going to be to leave this place?

God is the only one who could do this…take this small city girl from Texas…bring her to Europe (yes, Eastern) and put her in a BIG city with a whole different culture and language and make her feel at home…I didn’t even notice when He did it, that is the witty thing.

Something has been happening here for years…and the only thing I’m clear about is this…
He is in control, He is faithful, He is the judge of all the earth and He will do right. (Genesis 18:25)

"Thank you, Jesus…I will wait for you to heal my hurting heart and make Prague home.
Do you think You could give me a hint on how long that is going to take???
Okay…I’ll wait!"