Cupcakes Without the Paper

I made cupcakes for Macks birthday back in January and took them to the church to share. Well I noticed everyone eating the paper, ok, chewing on the paper to get off all the cake that gets left on them. I made cupcakes yesterday for the ladies fellowship. Prince met us at the car because he knew we would have food. (laughing) Naomi hands him a cupcake with no paper on it, he says, "yes, these are better, no paper." He then began to tell me a story. Cupcakes where brought to the place where he works and one the men he works with asks him, are these good? Prince says, "If you don't want it, I will take care of it." I guess the other man never ate a cupcake. Once he took a bite he realizes how good they are. He continues to eat and then begins to eat the paper (chew it) trying to get off every bit of cake left on the paper. I started laughing. I never realized. I began to explain what the paper is for, he says yes, but it wastes so much. Then I came to the conclusion if they are going to eat the paper, it doesn't matter if we touch their cupcake while handing it to them. It is a good thing because I ran out of those muffin cups anyway!

Yikes! It's Good To Be Busy!

Where to begin? Our room we meet in for church, needed a fresh coat of paint. It took  a few weeks, how? It's only one room. I am not quite sure, other than they don't know how to paint? We also painted the benches the kids use. Some kids got paint on their clothes, oops, I guess the paint wasn't all the way dry by Sunday. Easter is this Sunday, next Sunday is CBBC's 5 year anniversary. We are putting on a play called "Stay in the Castle" we did this one before, but it's time to pull it out of the archives. We are trying to get together some special music for the ordination services in May, it would help if any of us had any musical talent. Also the Sunday school kids will be doing some verses and songs. We are also having some folks from our home church coming for a visit. We asked our Pastor to come for the ordination in May. So trying to get the house in order, plus the church activities. Oh, boy!

Well Naomi is the only one who got "Pringles" for reading her books. The boys tried, they read 2 books, but didn't quite finish the last one. So we will see who makes it this next time. I told Mack I should get Pringles I read at least 3 books since then.

Mack and I celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary on March 30th. As I was doing my devotions, I usually write down the date and what the Lord showed me out of the chapter of each book I read. I started writing down the date 3/30/96...ha ha no, it's 2012. Mack took me to dinner by myself. We left the kids! That is so strange. We are NEVER without the kids. It was nice, but strange. Naomi will be 14 in May so I think we can start to leave them? It is just a new phase of life we are getting into. Their all growing up so fast.Sniff.

Ghana's Independence Day

It is a warm day here in Ghana. This morning the girls and I went on visitation. Today we had 7 girls show up, because they had a day off of school. It was nice because everyone was home today. Then we looked around the market a little. The Navy gives free boat rides for Independence Day, so tomorrow we as a church are going  for a boat ride. Esther has invited two girls to church, they have come the past 2 weeks and they also where among those who came for visitation. This is the time of year for black berries, ok, not what you think of as black berries. They are more like a seed. You peel off the shell and suck on the fruit inside and then spit out the little seed. They are quite good. A lady gave me some today. Naomi loves these, the season for these last until May. Then we went to visit Cecilia and Evelyn. Cecilia's mom was home and she gave me some Kenkey to take home. Kenkey is a fermented corn dough, wrapped in Plantain or Banana leaves. The taste reminds me of sour dough bread which I love. So Kenkey is not bad. I prefer it over Fufu any day.
http://www.betumi.com/2009/08/recipe-12-kenkey-ghanas-challenge-to.html


Today Ghana is celebrating 55 years of Independence from the UK, they gained their independence in 1957.
Ghana was the first black African country to become independent.

In 1960, Nkrumah declared Ghana a republic and himself president for life in 1964. He banned all opposition parties.

He was deposed in 1966 by a military coup while on a trip to Peking. He later died in exile in Romania in 1972.

There followed a period of unstable government with one coup after another, culminating in 1992 in a referendum on a multiparty system. Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings, who had already led two coups against the government, was elected president.

His supporters credit him with stabilising a turbulent political scene and leaving a legacy of democracy.

He retired in 2000 and President John Kufuor was elected. Ghana was the first black African country to become independent.

Pringles Club

I am trying to get my kids to read more. In school they had a Pizza Hut Book it program. Many of you may know of this. Where if they read so many books by the time required they get a free personal pan pizza, from Pizza Hut. My kids loved that. On a couple of occasions we all got to go out to eat at Pizza Hut. The kids getting a free personal pizza. Mack really enjoyed not having to pay the bill.  So we came up with the “Pringles Club”. If our kids read (we haven’t decided on the number yet) so many books by the date allowed, we will get them their very own can of Pringles potato chips. You say, Pringles? My kids love chips and we do not get isles and isles of potato chips. We get one little section which consists of Pringles, Master Chips (generic Pringles) and occasionally we find snack bags of lays or something. The last time they got Pringles was for Christmas. I know we are terrible parents. However it is something my kids will work towards, to get their own Pringles. Find something to motivate and encourage your kids. Some kids I guess you would have to buy a super duper toy or an expensive gadget. My kids…Pringles. I am thankful that my kids aren’t spoiled and have everything. Then they wouldn’t be satisfied with a dumb can of chips. If we are not careful, we are not satisfied with the little things. We want more, more, more!!  Bigger, better, MORE!! Be thankful for what you have, no matter what it is.

 Pr 27:20 Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

Before returning to Ghana after our furlough, we purchased a Velocity Cruz tablet. So we wouldn’t have trunks full of books to lug to Ghana. I am new to all this technology. It comes already with a Kindle App. We were looking into Nook books before we left and my husband wouldn’t buy a Nook, he said read it from your computer. To make a long story short, I go the PC App for Nook and ordered a few books. The last minute he bought a Cruz. Come to find out we couldn’t get our Nook onto it. Once we arrived in Ghana I ­started finding Kindle books and even got registered with the library. So far I have not bought any books from Kindle, all free!!  Just a side note, buy and figure out your gadget before coming to the field. You can’t just call up somebody and ask, HOW DOES THIS THING WORK? If any of you have some good reading material we can borrow from your Kindle and or good books to purchase for the kids, ages 10-14. We would appreciate any information or a good library that we can get access to, that has Kindle ebooks.

God gives us the best, before we even know we have it. We think we have all the answers. We think we know what is best for us. We may not think it is the best, but later we find out it was. What are you doing with God’s best? Your spouse, kids, ministry, home? Don’t mess up the best. God has given them to you to increase it, not destroy it. 

Matt 7:11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

Just like a parent we want the best for our children, so does God.

Do More in 2012

Mack has challenged us as a family and a church to do more in our personal Bible reading. The kids are getting older so they can read more than the did last year. We have been writing down how the Lord speaks to our heart. It amazes me as I read the Bible, how God says the sames things in different books. I have read a book in the Old Testament and one in the New Testament but I guess I never payed much attention to their message and how God shares with you the same theme. I was reading just to read. Getting something out of it, yes, but not looking for the one things in both passages. Anyway it has been exciting. I know I am just 10 days into it. Mack also downloaded Alexander Scourby on my phone, so I can listen to him. When you listen to him it helps me to understand it more. Today's devotion was about the Rich Young Ruler, who didn't want to give up what he had to follow Christ. I have nothing, but with God I have everything. I am so thankful for those who have given up something, so that I could have. Christ being our greatest example.

Will will have the church address this Sunday night. The youth has planned some youth activities for this year. We are going to be busy. Sounds fun! We have a lot happening in the next 5 months.

School! ugh! I didn't like it before, I don't like it now! I am not the one doing school, but overseer. 4 different grades. HELP! I have a blessing though. We had to order 7th grade English because what we did have was outdated. So thanks to the Consfords, his parents came for a visit. We were able to have them bring the new DVDs and some teachers books for that class. Thank you Ginger and Dad? (don't know his name, sorry) Then another missionary had the new teachers edition text book, which we needed and didn't know it, until yesterday. God has the answer before we even ask. AMEN!

Getting back to Tuesday ladies visitation after the 2 week break we had. It was hot today. Priscilla is doing better at the flute! She is making a noise!! Her goal is to play a song by May. Doesn't have to be a long one just a song. She has learned 5 notes so far, she will be working on those this week. Changing fingers is her exercise and playing those smoothly.

Christmas, A Nap, Pizza

I hope you all had a good Christmas! We enjoyed our time with our church family. We had a Christmas party at the house on Thursday the 22nd. Prince and Priscilla cooked up some good fried chicken and we had cabbage stew and rice. It was the best I have ever had. Everyone played volleyball and the younger kids played with the bikes. I think they liked the swings the best though. It was so funny listening to them scream as they swung. You know how you get that little tickle in your stomach when going to high. Well the funny part was they were hardly swinging at all. For Sunday we passed out goodie bags to the jr. church kids. They were filled with popcorn, juice box, cookies, and some candy. I got my ss class a little bag with a pen and paper in it, for their bible. Naomi and the some of the girls sang for the morning service. I taught jr. church. It wore me out. I haven't taught in a while, but I wanted to do a Christmas story. They can have it back next week. ha ha

We came home and had lunch. We went to turn on the air conditioner in the living room, but it wasn't working. So we all decided after lunch to hibernate in our room with the air and watch movies and pig out on cookies and junk. Good plan! However, I fell asleep. It was an unusual way to spend Christmas that is for sure. Once I revived, everyone wanted me to make pizza, so off I went. It was good day, all and all.

This week we have been lazy! We have enjoyed our time off of school and just being together. Mack was busy on Monday, so on Tuesday we cooked out and played outside all day. Prince preached last night. We have the best Preachers in the world.

We are going to have a Sat. evening service and pray in the new year. Then we will have Sunday morning service as regular and no evening service, because we will have already had our evening service on Sat. A little mixed up this week.

Have a Happy New Year!!!!!!!!

Wishing You Where Here!!

Getting ready for Christmas. However this in our hottest time of year. The Harmattan has begun. It is sand storms from the Sahara Desert. It just blows and covers EVERYTHING! You can dust and sweep and 10 min. later it looks like you haven't cleaned in months. It is really fun trying to keep things clean. So lets put up the Christmas tree!! When we take the tree down, we shake the dust out of the tree before we pack it up. JOY!! 'Tis the Season!

For Thanksgiving we went to another missionaries house. We enjoyed the fellowship. However someone sent us pictures of last Thanksgiving with our family." Wishing you were here." Last year all of the Siekbert missionaries where home at the same time. So we all enjoyed our families being together for the Holidays. For my family we had to have Thanksgiving the week before. When you don't get Turkey for 3 years, then you get it twice for the same holiday. GREAT!

We had a great service on Sunday. I had 7 in my teen girls Sunday school class. We usually have about 4 faithful ones. I would rather have a few faithful than 100 who don't really want to learn. I began teaching Priscilla the flute. I will let you know on the progress, practice, practice, practice. I am not so good about practicing either.

Nehemiah turned 5 on November 28th. He learned how to ride a two-wheel bike. He also got a big wheel for his birthday. He is to short for it though. So the big kids have been having fun on it. Poor Nehemiah. GROW! I am thankful for my kids. They are a big help. Naomi helps me a lot in the kitchen. The boys help with the outside work. We have no watchman in the day or night. So the yard has become their job. I never realized how fast it gets dirty. I can't keep up with the inside and outside. It's not just cutting the grass, it's a lot more. We have been trying to get rid of the grass growing in between our brick driveway. We have sprayed it with round up but now we have to scrape up the dead grass, we have 2 driveways and they are long, little by little. We are trying to get it cleaned up for our Church Christmas Party. We are having it at the house. We are going to play, volleyball, basketball, have food, and then watch a movie.

I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! Remember Jesus is the reason for the season.