ANNIVERSARY of LIFE

Twenty years today...since my life was almost snatched away by a sad soul out drinking and driving along the darkened Hawaii road my husband and I were walking along. It has certainly been a journey that has catapulted me into the arms of Jesus. Out of desperation...and finally out of love. It feels like a long time already - almost half my life! This 'ol body knows it's been a long time and it's been groaning with the stress of not enough muscles doing too much work. Ah well, we're only here for a little while and then we get to leave these broken vessels behind and get our brand new ones! Oh the amazing and wonderful promises of God...'in the twinkling of an eye..." YEEHAW!!!

Yet God had a plan and through His sovereign will and many prayers from many places this little battle maiden made it through the storm and I live to proclaim God's goodness and enjoy Him. I asked Jesus tonight about these many years in my "chariot" and He told me He was proud of me... Thank you Jesus. Can't do anything without you so I ask for continued strength and tons of grace & wisdom to finish the race!

And on this anniversary my dear sweet doggie Jewel had surgery to remove a tumor. She's home now and we've had quite a few laughs at her expense, unfortunately...watching her try to navigate her way around with a huge "elizabethan collar" cone thing wrapped around her head to prevent her from aggravating her wound. She keeps crashing into things - not used to her head being so gigantic. And when she's outside trying to sniff the ground she ends up scooping snow into the cone. Kind of like me in the wheelchair not always being able to estimate how long & wide I really am with these wheels and foot pedals attached. (Scrapes on walls and doors and people's ankles attest to this fact)

So, as I always say..."onwards & upwards" dear soldier friends. With Jesus as our example, our friend, our helper, our EVERYTHING we will reach our destination...

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a
great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entagles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us FIX OUR EYES on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame
and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." HEBREWS 12:1-3

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Thank you to those of you who persevered in finding this post!!! I inadvertently typed the wrong address to this blog (in my great excitement and nervousness) and sent some of you on a wild goose chase. SHEESH...I shouldn't even bother trying to look or sound like I know what I'm doing. But I must say that the very fact that I was informed, not only once but TWICE, that I was nowhere to be found made me feel very, very loved.

In looking back over this blog I found myself having trouble trying to read the bright pink words on the blue background...hmmm. Is it just me or does it do something funny to your brain too? Kind of like a wild Disney ride or something...without the movement...or fun for that matter. Anyhow, let me know if you're annoyed by the colors and I'll see what I can do. There are a whole palette of colors to choose from. Could keep me busy for a long while.

And some REALLY, REALLY great news...I just brought home Annamarie Byl and her mom from the airport. They returned from Children's Hospital in Vancouver where Annamarie has been since December 28th when she had surgery for Crohn's Disease. There have been complications galore and much despair and frustration, but she's up and walking (very weak)and looking absolutely wonderful and alive. YEAH GOD! Pray for her complete healing from this horrible disease. She is such a trooper and a gift from God. One miracle in the making...Thank you dear Jesus.

RESCUED by the PSALMS

You've gotta love the Word !! Woke up needing encouragement rather badly and Lo and Behold in my Bible Reading I found so much nourishment. I'm working through one of those Bibles in a Year (unfortunately it takes me more than One Year, maybe even two or three, but I digress...) and this is the passage I came upon. Let me share the good news!!

PSALM 40:1-4
I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire;
He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God...
Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust"

YEAH! So He showed up in the Word (I know, He is THE WORD) and then He showed up in other very tangible ways. A sweet phone call with a friend who commiserated with my pain and even made me laugh. I called my sister and made sure she was still alive - we take life way too for granted...there's alot behind this statement, but just know that I so love my sister and want to see her delivered. I read the passage above to her over the phone - the WORD is living and active and can do what I cannot for her... And now I found out my dear friend and her dear daughter are returning from a lengthy and difficult hospital stay in Vancouver. I get to pick them up from the airport with balloons and flowers and big hugs and kisses. Again - life is fragile and I want to love more intensely and tangibly because it's all for Jesus and from Him.

He is incredbily gracious and kind. The Giver of Every Good and Perfect Gift.
I am sooo grateful for His amazing Friendship and Love.
Again, He takes my breath away…

Brave Words

Man, I am such a newbie at this blogging thing... I can't remember my font or the colour that matches my page, but hey - on with the adventure!  I must be willing to risk looking silly and sounding like a fool to do this and only one other person in the world (besides Jesus) knows that I've even started a blog.  Should feel safer than it does. 

Just want to report to the seen and unseen world that I'm waiting for some miracles...and while I wait I'm learning to say "Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him"  Job 13:15  Brave words for this little battle maiden, but HE lives in me and speaks truth and gives me courage.  Fighting for the very lives of some dear people - amazed at how incredibly hard life can get for such incredibly long periods of time.  But then again, it is a battle and most battles are not won in a day!  And we will continue to fight the good fight of faith until He sweeps us into His arms and says those long awaited words "Well done myy good and faithful servant".  

So I turn my face into the wind and proclaim blessings and life over barren valleys.  Proclaim that "I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living".  Psalm 27

THE Maiden Voyage

SO... How do I begin to publicly journal my voyage...one which has been going on for quite some time now? I feel hesitant and a little nervous, but eager at the same time, to share words which spring up from some hidden place. Not only words, but ideas, hopes & dreams... I have chosen to share something from You Tube as my first "contribution" to this world of blogging. It brought me to tears and made me realize how deep the desire is in me to make a difference...to touch broken lives and to bring light where there is darkness. This lovely pastor in Africa realized that preaching about compassion wasn't enough...he had to physically go and touch the broken, spend time with them and love them in practical ways. Do I do this for anyone? How do I break out of my selfish world - reach a tentative arm through the bubble I live in and touch someone outside? In asking the question and in viewing this video I somehow become more responsible. This is actually good. I want to be responsible so that where I live "His Kingdom will come and His will would be done..."

"Freely you have received, freely give..." Matthew 10:8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SUJOcRU-_w

Christmas Yearly Recap

Thanks Be to God… for dear ones like you to share our yearly update with!  For the gift of life and health!  For daily food and warm homes!  For the seasons which are endlessly beautiful and full of the fingerprints and face of God!  

THANKS BE TO GOD FOR JESUS!!!! 

I get so excited when I begin to talk about Him and His countless amazing attributes, but my mind is blown when I realize He came for me…and for you. The Lover of our souls, endlessly pursuing us and drawing us unto Himself.  

So, we celebrate His birth and His life.

And this season of celebration also gives us a wonderful reason to communicate with you and tell you the tales of our lives since our last long letter.  And what a tale we have to tell you!  This year, 2001, started out with us planning a move to Hawaii so that Ron could take part in a building project going up beside YWAM in Kona. While we were waiting to go, Ron began to build a house up on our orchard that we thought we could rent out while we were gone.  As the months passed, Ron began to feel more and more hesitant about the move and the job.  By April he felt he couldn’t pursue the Hawaii project any longer, so he settled in to finish the house on the orchard and to do a one-acre planting of apple trees.  He is doing a marvelous job on the house, having designed it and now building as much of it as possible himself.  

We thought we would be in the new house by August…(maybe I was the only delusional one when we moved out of our home on July 20^th) so we packed a minimum of clothing and TEMPORARILY moved into my parent’s house.  The temporary one month stay has now stretched into almost five months!! My parents are incredibly gracious and have put up with us in a most remarkable way. At first I was frustrated not to be in my own new house as quickly as I had hoped, but as usual, the Lord had a multitude of blessings for all of us as we were willing to put aside our own agendas.

It’s been wonderful to be with Mom and Dad, and Ron’s parents also often invite us over for meals to give my Mom a break. We are so thankful for such amazing parents – they reflect the kindness of God to us.  Patrice ended up moving out of the room she and Daniel were sharing…he likes it dark & quiet to fall asleep whereas she likes music and light… So, Patrice went into my parent’s garage, hauled her mattress into THEIR bedroom and set up camp!  She has her CD player, books, clothes, etc. etc. taking over a growing area of their room.  Dad finds it very cozy and I think Daniel is quite content to have a room to himself.  So we have been spoiled and I may need to make some concentrated efforts so that I will be able to take on the duties of looking after my own home and cooking all our meals when I have a kitchen big enough for me and my wheelchair to operate in again! 

One interesting tale happened to me (Karen) the day after we moved out of our home.  Somehow, while driving across the bridge on an incredibly busy summer day I looked down to rewind a cassette I was listening to and by the time I looked up again it was too late.  I smashed into another car and apparently left a dent in our steering wheel with my nose!! (Not to mention the “dent” on the front end of my car and the car I hit.  When I realized what I had done and caught a glimpse of my now extremely crooked nose in the mirror I decided to straighten out what I could.  I grabbed a towel Patrice had left in the car and swiveled my nose into proper alignment.  The grinding sound was quite impressive and I was amazed at what one could do under stress!  Unfortunately my disabled car held up bridge traffic for hours so I quickly went into hiding in the local hospital.  Between bruised ribs and knees, nose surgery and insides which temporarily shut down I was able to extend my holiday, oops, I mean hospital stay, to 11 days.  I recovered very quickly and was able to go on REAL holidays to Vancouver Island about 3 weeks later with Vic & Amy, Elsie and the kids.  We had a glorious time together and I am grateful that God once again rescued me and extended my life.  (I’m really trying to be careful!)

That’s my interesting tale but there are many other stories and adventures involving our wonderful kids.  Daniel is now a young man at age 15 (6 feet tall with long curly hair!?)  and he is such a source of joy to us.  He is in 10^thgrade and was on the Volleyball team which placed first in the city finals this fall!  He also took his Bronze Cross this past summer and is hoping to go on with swimming lessons so that he can eventually lifeguard.  He’s such a great guy and Ron and I love spending time with him.  Very easy going with a wonderful smile.  Patrice is in 5^thgrade and is a lovely young girl. She loves school, has many friends, and is endlessly off to birthday parties and any other fun events she can find!  (I wonder where she gets that from?)  she is involved in King’s Kid’s which is a YWAM group doing music and drama outreach in the city.  She loves music, crafts, dance, animals, writing, sports, reading, and church!  She also loves to accompany Ron to worship practices (where he plays bass guitar) whever possible. She is full of life and passion… a wonderful gift from God to our family. 

Some other adventures this year have included a trip to West Edmonton Mall for us in March (gotta love those air miles!), a trip to Calgary where Patrice and I got to be the maid of honor and junior bridesmaid for my dear cousin Esther and her new handsome husband John, summer camp for both of the kids, lots of picnics up at the orchard, fun visits from Auntie Elsie and Uncle Victor & Amy, and getting to experience firsthand the true miracle of multiplication through the bunnies we have up on the orchard. (We’re giving them away for free if any of you are interested in having one or five of them…you too could experience the miracle firsthand!)  This fall and winter Ron and the kids are once again enjoying watching hockey games when they can and they are all planning on snowboarding together as well.

We are grateful to God for our adventures and for hos He reveals more of Himself through all of the ups and downs of daily life.  AND we are HOPING to be in our new home on December 22^ndif all goes well…  We will wait and see!! 

Christmas Yearly Recap

“He who has the Son has Life, 

he who does not have the son 

does not have Life…” 

                                        1 John 5:12

Christmas Greetings to you from the Engel family!  Just wanted to drop in for a little visit to tell you about our journey through the year 2000 and about our anticipation for the coming year.  We live in such amazing times – such an increase of evil all around us, but the presence of God is so powerful and His promises to us so amazing that we do not lose heart!  “We fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…”  He truly is our Light and Defender, our Strength and Redeemer, our Healer and our Hope!  I could go on and on about His wonderful attributes but I’ll leave you to do that as you prepare for His birthday celebration.

This year has been a good one for our family. In February we took a trip with a group from our church to work in an orphanage and a children’s home in Mexico.  We had lots of fun loving on the kids, teaching them about Jesus and hanging out at the ocean with everyone.  And God gave us such a treat when a bunch of turtle eggs hatched on the beach right in front of our motel.  They could have hatched anywhere, at anytime, but I was convinced again of God’s great love for us when He caused this to happen where we could all sit and watch!  So Ron acted as midwife, helping the weak little ones along, and counting them (exactly 96 little sea turtles!) while Daniel warded off any “would be’ predators as they crawled to the ocean.

Summer was full of highlights.  In July we went to Camp Homewood on Quadra Island for a family camp.  The location was amazing – right on the ocean where we saw seals and eagles and even had a deer grazing a few feet in front of our cabin. When we got home we had the privilege of having some dear friends and family visit so we were able to reconnect and play. (Of course this time was filled with lots of wiener roasts and picnics up at the orchard – one of our favorite spots to hang out and relax.)

This fall saw Daniel entering 9^thGrade and Patrice entering 4^th.  They are growing up so fast it sometimes makes me want to cry!  They’re delightful kids – such a gift from God.  Daniel loves his involvement with Youth at church and has several very good friends.  He’s an easy going, fun loving, and tall young man.  He loves playing games, working on the computer, finding ways to earn as much money as he can with the least amount of effort required, and is presently playing on the basketball team at school.  Patrice is into jazz dance and ballet and she is taking a “sabbatical” from piano lessons!  She continues to keep the house full of INTENSITY- she loves sports, music, writing and she reads a mile a minute!  Two of her favorite things are attending worship practice with Daddy (he still plays bass guitar) and going to hockey games with him!  I attended a couple of hockey games thinking they could be potential family outings, but it proved to be more than I could bear and I have decided that hockey is alien to my understanding and lifestyle.  I just don’t get it – it was all I could do to make it to the second quarter (or was that the 3^rdperiod?) when I finally bribed Patrice to leave for a trip to Burger King.  Thankfully neither my salvation nor our family unity depends upon my attendance of these events.

This September we also celebrated the 50^thWedding Anniversary of my (Karen’s) parents!  We had a wonderful evening of singing, stories, jokes and good food and fellowship with many special friends and family members to mark the occasion Mom and Dad are both in fairly good health and we are grateful to God to have such loving parents. Ron’s parents are also a huge blessing in our lives and they are persevering despite some health concerns. 

The winds of change began to blow upon our lives this fall.  Ron started to feel a real interest in a building project he had heard about that is going up next to the YWAM base in Kona Hawaii.  He felt so much vision and life at the prospect of joining this project so he spent a week in Hawaii in October meeting with those in charge and “scouting out the land”.  As a family we have prayed about and discussed this possibility.  The kids have been positive and I have felt a real peace about going.  (I can just hear your response…who WOULDN’T feel peace about moving to HAWAII?)  Well, Ron has been offered the job of project manager for the condo development so presently a work visa is being pursued.  They would like Ron as early as March but it all depends on the paperwork.  I might follow a little later with the kids so that I can finish up a Prayer and Counseling course I am taking and so the kids can almost finish up their school year. WE are trusting God for further direction and guidance but are working towards this move unless He indicates otherwise. 

So “our” seemingly never ending plans for building a dream home up at the orchard have now taken an abrupt change!  In short order Ron designed a lovely small house that he is hoping to start building in the next week or so.  It will be used as a rental property until we return.  It’s a cold time to build, but having time constraints can sure move things along!  I just wanted to make sure that we would have a wheelchair accessible house we could move into when we got back from Hawaii.  Therefore we will probably sell the house we have lived in for the past 13 years and start on a new chapter in our lives…

So, until further notice we’ll still be content in Kelowna, dreaming of sunny Hawaii, and trusting God to lead us in paths of Righteousness whether that means remaining here or moving somewhere else!  May the light and life of Jesus illumine your hearts and spread to all those you meet!