Meeting our Little One

Early in the morning Michael and I (as well as our good friends Jill and Lisa) arrived at the Southern Crescent Women's Health care for our 21-week ultrasound.  As we were waiting to be called back we couldn't help but giggle from time to time as a lady waiting tried to figure out which one of us was pregnant, who went with Michael, and tried to project her reality of parenting onto Michael.  Nothing could have kept us from enjoying this morning.  Even though Michael and I have been able to feel this little one kick and push we were going to see our little baby.  I had butterflies in my stomach and this time it wasn't because of the baby's movements.  When they called us back Michael and I went first to be able to share this special moment- just the two of us.  We made it VERY clear that we did not want to know if we were having a boy or a girl.  Becky, our tech, reassured us that she would not even look.  She prepped me and nothing could have prepared us for the images we were about to see.  We saw the cutest button nose and were overcome with emotion as we started to realize that was our baby.   Michael and I looked and one another and held on to each other as we watched our little baby move all around the screen.   Becky then took some measurements of the vital organs/body parts to calculate the growth of our baby.  We saw feet, hands, arms, legs, nose, mouth (even watched the little one swallow), a beating heart, a full stomach and and full bladder!  Wow!  What an amazing God and Creator we serve!  We were in awe at life and this amazing creation process.  All is normal with our baby and based on their estimations is right on track weighing in at a whopping 9 oz.  

Michael went out to get Jill and Lisa.  Oohs and Aahs filled up the room as they saw baby Kaspar on the screen.  We were all holding back tears as we were mesmerized by these tiny little movements from our baby.  The cutest moment was when baby Kaspar reached up and hit his/her little head.  This movement followed by a rubbing of the head, as if to say, "Hey who hit me??  That hurt!"  We were overcome with laughter, wanting this moment to last, but knew it was coming to an end.  We soaked in the last few moments knowing that it would be another 19 or so weeks before we would be able to see this little one again.  Only next time it would include a whole lot more: holding, feeding, changing him or her, and waking-up many times in the middle of the night).  We can't wait to meet you face to face little one.  

Click here for some more pics.

    

Baby Kaspar's Heartbeat

We had another appointment with our midwife, Karen.  This was the first time that we were able to hear our little baby's heartbeat.  It was music to my ears as I have not felt very pregnant.  I am in awe as I study and learn more about the development of our baby.  He/She is so tiny (about 3.5") but has a steady heartbeat, kicks and moves, makes faces and even sucks his/her tiny thumb!  We have also discovered that this little one already has some attitude.  Every time the midwife would get the heartbeat the baby would move away!  

Birthday Surprise

What an awesome miracle!  We are now in our second trimester and I am feeling great.  I have been blessed with a great pregnancy and no morning sickness.  We are so excited to meet the newest addition to the Kaspar family sometime at the end of March.  To answer the most common question...we are going to wait to find out if we are having a boy or a girl.  Thanks for your prayers for us and the new little one!  

The World Eats: Bhutan

Bhutan: The Namgay family of Shingkhey Village
Food expenditure for one week: 224.93 ngultrum or $5.03


The World Eats: Chad

Chad: The Aboubakar family of Breidjing Camp
Food expenditure for one week: 685 CFA Francs or $1.23


The World Eats: Ecuador

Ecuador: The Ayme family of Tingo
Food expenditure for one week: $31.55


The World Eats: Egypt

Egypt: The Ahmed family of Cairo
Food expenditure for one week: 387.85 Egyp tian Pounds or $68.53


The World Eats: Poland

Poland: The Sobczynscy family of Konstancin-Jeziorna
Food expenditure for one week: 582.48 Zlotys or $151.27


The World Eats: Mexico

Mexico: The Casales family of Cuernavaca
Food expenditure for one week: 1,862.78 Mexican Pesos or $189.09


The World Eats: USA

United States: The Revis family of North Carolina
Food expenditure for one week: $341.98


The World Eats: Germany

Germany: The Melander family of Bargteheide
Food expenditure for one week: 375.39 Euros or $500.07


The World Eats: Italy

        

Italy: The Manzo family of Sicily
Food expenditure for one week: 214.36 Euros or $260.11


Do Not Worry . . .

As we have been praying and thinking through our future, I (Lindsey) have often caught myself worrying about the future. Stumbling over thoughts like, “how will we ever raise more support? Or how do we know where God wants us to serve,” I find myself falling into the trap of worry. The reality is I am not trusting God with my future. So often I want to know what is going to happen and when it will happen – I want to be in control. God is daily bringing me to my knees as he shows me that He is God and I am not. He is the one who is in control and no matter how hard I try I will never have control. He longs for me to come to Him in my place of need.


This morning I was reading through Matthew 6 and once again found myself broken that I was worrying about my life. I also found peace in the promise that He knows my needs and will care for me. Jesus tells us to not worry about our lives. I often fall short and I need that reminder that He will provide for me in His way and timing. I pray that as you read through the passage below you to will find comfort and the courage to step out of the all too familiar trap of worrying about what is to come.


“Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat? or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:25-34

The World Eats: Japan

Japan:     Food expenditure for one week: 37,699 Yen or $317.25


IKEA

Over the weekend we enjoyed some time at IKEA. New shelves above our desks and some organizing things were our main purchases.

Dallas, TX over Labor Day

Lindsey and I look forward to attending some training for our work and ministry. If you think of it, please pray for us Monday and Tuesday. We will probably stay until Wednesday evening.

Rain is here in Georgia

The rain is here after hurricane Faye hit Florida.  We enjoy the rain--it reminds us of Seattle, WA!

Motive Distortion

Colin Harbinson recently presented this message at our OM office. He leads an initiative called StoneWorks.

My motive may be distorted if . . .

        ❑        I love serving God more than I love God Himself
        Phillipians 1
        Revelation 2:1-7

        ❑        I meet needs because I have a need to be needed
        (hint: there will always be need)
        And Jesus was not motivated by need. He did what the father told him to do.
        God requires obedience.

        ❑        I am afraid to say “no” because I fear rejection.
        So many people do not have boundaries & when we take on too much, we run out of grace.

        ❑        I think I am the only one who can do it right.
        (this is pride)

        ❑        I live my Christian walk out of a sense of guilt.

        ❑        I “perform” to get God’s attention and approval.
        If this happened in your childhood, we can take this into our relationship with the LORD.)
        There will never be a day the rest of your life that God doesn’t love you any more than he does today.
        Why was Jesus so hard on the Pharisees? Because they preached a gospel of “acceptance by performance.”

        ❑        I build my own Kingdom, not God’s Kingdom.
        Unless the Lord builds the house, the workers labor in vain. Psalm 127:1

        ❑        I confuse obedience with sacrifice.
        People in ministry do it all the time, they sacrifice time, money, family, marriages thinking it will please God.
        Billy Graham wishes after a lifetime of ministry that he would have spent more time with his children.

        ❑        I have an unBiblical view of priorities.
        It is not a list with God at the top. Instead put your priorities on a horizontal level and let God intersect all areas.
        Listen to God and respond in obedience.