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20-Dec-2004

By amy_import on December 20, 2004

Praise God for the unique Texas weather! This morning at six it was 32 degrees and my bare hands ached with cold as I did push-ups on the front porch after my jog. By lunchtime it was 75 so we had a picnic outdoors  and this evening I played soccer in shorts because the weather was beautiful. By tomorrow evening it will be cold again and by Christmas it will be down in the ‘teens, however it will probably be warm next week. God blessed Texas with the ability to please everyone – if you don’t like the weather just wait an hour or so and it will be different.

Now for the real purpose, God gave me a day at home that I wasn’t expecting so I have time to put up another post. This is our family newsletter (minus the pictures). Each person wrote their own section so I take no responsibility for what is said.  I thought y’all might be interested in knowing my family a little better and seeing how God is has blessed us this year.

“Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!” At Christmastime, we especially think of God’s wonderful work in sending Christ, His Son, into the world to provide for our salvation. We approach the Christmas season with hearts of gratefulness. This year has been one of changes, of children who are growing up so quickly. We have said god-bye to Jim’s dad, Bobby Jones, and to two beloved uncles, Roy Paslay and E. G. Jones. We have sent our three oldest daughters to college in Michigan. And we have welcomed two new members to our family.

Jim (dad) – I shipped out FedEx (giving my business to Michael) and began remodeling again. I snow skied for the first time, played soccer all year, worked for some wonderful clients, and gained a great daughter-in-law who has already blessed me with my first grandson. God provided new insights as I kept my eye on Christ’s Commands and studied the blood covenants. I am so blessed to have these children who love God and put up with their Dad. God has faithfully and miraculously provided for all our needs.

Anne – Our household has really changed with the girls off at school. I’m continuing with my hobbies of scrap booking and astronomy. I also teach a Chemistry class each week. This spring I had the wonderful privilege of cruising to Alaska with my sister Sue, and parents for their 50th Anniversary. I loved all the snow-capped mountains, glaciers, and the whales we saw breaching.

Michael – 23 Just before Valentine’s Day this year, I married my sweetheart, Lindsey Hebert, on the snow-covered mountains of Angel Fire, NM. We are living in Bryan while she works at Wells Fargo Bank and I drive for FedEx. 10 ½ months into our new life together God blessed us with a son, Connor Andrew, born Dec. 10th, weighing 7lbs 7oz. Gramma and Papa and all his aunts and uncles think he is the cutest thing.

Amy – 21 Leaving home for college life has a lot of trade-offs. Starting with the farm we sold our horses in order to buy laptops; discipleship of the neighbor girls was traded for a new ministry among the girls attending a cooking course held on campus; piano students changed to self-defense students; AWANA kids were replaced by staff kids on campus; triathlon training became early morning workouts and noon walks with the kitchen staff. Leaving the old for the new is bittersweet, but “ I count all these things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord” and being in the center of His will. Shakespeare’s Juliet puts it perfectly in saying, “parting is such sweet sorrow.” My crowning achievement however, was directing and producing a two and a half hour radio drama called The Fall of the King , a Narnia based story starring some of our good friends. I formed a close friendship with Mikaela as we spent two intense months planning, recording, sound mixing and watching the hand of God move on our behalf.

Stacie – 19 This year has been one continual blessing, especially the outpouring of love we received from our friends before leaving for college. My major is History, but I have loved everything I’ve studied, from Humanities to Economics. Opportunities to be involved in drama included, The Fall of the King, Gifts for Madge and Guy, and a Nativity readers’ theater. Lori and I are starting to play flute/harp duets for weddings and banquets; it’s nerve wracking, but I love it. The greatest blessing this year has been the growth of my relationship with the Lord. His word is true when He said, “Delight thyself in the Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart”. The Lord has become both my delight and my desire.

Lori -17 The last few months of this year have been dominated with college life. However I can’t think of any better roommates than my own two sisters. I learned I am the youngest student at Verity. I like his because if I’m going to be one of the youngest, I might as well be the youngest. I’m majoring in music theory/composition with the piano as my instrument. I have a flute student, which helps bring in a little spending money 🙂 I’m proud to share my birth month with our first nephew (was there ever a cuter baby?).

Brian – 15 This has been quite year for me. In the early part of this year, I went skiing twice at Angel Fire, NM. I skied a few of the easier black slopes. This was my second year of working with Robert Santini in our lawn mowing business, “Po’ Boys Mowing.” (Interested local people can e-mail [email protected] ) I’m taking a chemistry class taught by Robert’s dad , and a basic drafting course which I’ve enjoyed a lot. (Drafting is drawing things like blueprints and machine parts.) My days are now spent studying, eating, playing soccer, ultimate frisbee and paint ball, singing in our church choir, and working with Dad. All in all, this year has been absolute loads of fun.

Hi! My name is David . I’m 13 years old and I am 5’4” and still growing. This year, we have done a lot of stuff like the Blue Bell Fun Run where I won a medal. We also went to Big Sandy and  did ALERT cadets, where we did rafting, knot tying, search and rescue, and an obstacle course.

Timothy – 11 My first time to ever go skiing was an adventure. I fell down a lot and got up a lot. There was a blizzard and it was clod ad fun. I also ran in the Fu n Run, played piano for the Grand Concert and helped with Republican work. I am learning cello.

This is Katie Jones the explorer, Indian, kier, jogger and Christian. I was a flower girl in Mary Lassiter’s wedding. I ran in the Blue Bell Fun Run and won a gold medal!!! At my Indian 7 th birthday party, everyone dressed up like Indians , with painted faces and feathers. We shot arrows, canoe and rode horses. I played a piano duet, “Take me out to the Ball Game” with Mom in the Grand Concert.

Posted in testifyhim

19-Dec-2004

By amy_import on December 19, 2004

Boy I have an exciting post this time! It’s about a wonderful event that happened not too long ago in the Jones family. I really meant to post this right when it happened, but due to averaging ten hours a day working with my dad and preparing for my English comp test, all “non-essential” activities had to be put off for a while. I do have a praise report concerning the aforementioned activities, my sisters and I have taken the test and are awaiting our scores. We feel fairly confident, being blessed with an essay topic similar to one we had written in practice. I have also made it to the halfway point in working for my dad and earning our next tuition payment, praise the Lord for the abundance that He has provided after “lean” times this summer!

Now for the extra special blessing. At 11:17 Dec. 10 th , I became an aunt! Connor Andrew greeted the world and his parents – my older brother Michael and his wife Lindsey – with a yell of praise to His maker. Everything went perfect, he was a week early (a blessing to the mother), no complications, he was delivered naturally (another blessing to the mother) a healthy, perfect, baby boy. It struck me how blessed we were to have a problem free birth when so many others don’t; we were no deserving than the next person. This could only add to our joy and thanksgiving.

Another thing that was wonderful to behold, was the emotion that came with the event. Now, you have to understand that we Jones’ aren’t really emotional folks, it takes quite an event to cause tears to come to our eyes. Well, Dad and I were covering my brother’s FedEx route while he was at the hospital waiting for his son. When we got “the call,” tears of joy welled up in my dad’s eyes, he was overcome with the very idea of having his first grandchild. Later that evening as we visited my brother and sister-in-law in the hospital they were telling me how Lindsey and her mother were both crying in the delivery room and Michael said that he was supposed to be counting out loud for Lindsey but when he saw Connor’s head crown, he choked up and couldn’t say anything else. Watching him relive the emotion of the fact that he had had part in a new person, caused something to well up in me and I too cried, the wonder and awe of a new life was too great to keep inside.

My dad and I later discussed all these things and he said that we should feel the same wonder and joy whenever we are blessed with a part in bringing a new soul into heaven. As we rejoiced in a new member in the family, how much more the angels in heaven as a new Christian is born again. Connor is now a part of our family, something he can never change. He has an identity that he can never lose and relations that may have little in common with him except for the fact that they can all trace back to a common father.

Draw your own analogies, my brother is here and I’m going to go hold my nephew!

 

Posted in testifyhim

7-Dec-2004

By amy_import on December 7, 2004

 

The angels announced Christ’s birth and then broke into singing, worshiping the Lord incarnate. The shepherds too, praised God for all the things that they had heard and seen.

This last week I have had many opportunities to prepare my heart for the celebration of Jesus’ birth. Immediately upon our arrival home we were assimilated into several choirs. First we were recruited to fill out the alto ranks in a homeschool youth choir led by Mrs. Lassiter (of Sound Foundation fame). Our initial debut was at the George Bush Presidential library where we sang under gently falling soap bubbles (the closest we’ll get to snow this year). The next night we sang for the opening night of “Christmas in the Park,” where the city council turns on the Christmas lights in our central park. We are still booked to sing at a church, another time in the park and finally for all of the parents. I’m grateful to Mrs. Lassiter for bringing about the chance to proclaim abroad the miracle of Jesus’ birth, just like the shepherds.

After practice on Wednesday, and performances on Thursday and Friday, we were really warmed up for our church choir. We had a rehearsal Saturday morning then sang our Christmas program Sunday night. Several new people showed up and we praised God for the chance to proclaim the gospel to them.

One of the songs had some really neat words that really spoke to me. It asked “…what should we offer to God? Burnt sacrifice? Treasure? What is worthy to lay at His feet?” He doesn’t want any of those things, but “a heart full of love for His people.” This is my prayer while I am here at home, and later when I go back to college, that I will have a heart so full of God’s love that I can’t help but let it overflow to those around me. To give to others the same sacrificial love that He has given to me. He that loveth not, knoweth not God.

Posted in testifyhim

5-Dec-2004

By amy_import on December 5, 2004

Quotes and helpful hints from the job site:

An electrician’s job is to make ends meet. – Dad

Too much is better than too little – Amy

“I’m too short!” – Amy

“You seem fine to me. Your legs reach all the way to the ground don’t they?” – Dad

A magnetized drill bit is worth it’s weight in dropped screws – Amy

Work this Friday went very well. Knowing my aversion to electrical – not to mention a deficiency in skill – I was assigned to help Mr. Russell (a man from our church) hang drywall. Now, I have never tried my hand at this type of work either but it looked like fun so I picked up a drill and set to work. My job was to put a few screws in while Mr. Russell held the sheet in place, then finish the rest of them while he cut the next piece.

After a while I realized that Mr. Russell was fully capable of doing the job all by himself but he allowed me participate in his work. He would patiently wait for me to set my ladder in place when he could have easily reached up and screwed the piece in himself. He taught without having to spell out each step of the way or constantly correct and micro-manage, the only thing he said was to make sure the screws were not sticking out too far. I learned by watching what he did and copying him.

As I worked I began to think how this resembled the relationship that God has with us, how He is fully capable of doing His work but He allows us to help. We start with what we can handle and as time goes on and our skill increases we are given more and more of the task.

By the time lunch came around I was able to cut and install some of the smaller simpler parts while Mr. Russell took the hard ones. Our pace started picking up. At one point, another worker who knew more about the whole business than either of us, came and gave a few helpful hints on how we could improve some of our methods. Instead of clinging to his pride Mr. Russell deferred in a gentle obedience that caused me to gain great respect for the other man and follow Mr. Russell’s lead in adopting the new technique.

At this point my mind was whirling with analogies on discipleship. I was learning by following Mr. Russell and when a greater authority came along his response determined my response; both to him and to any instruction that authority night give later. It was scary for me to see how much of an influence I might have on those I disciple in the faith. They would watch my response to God’s direction and then implement that into their own lives, whether for better of worse.

The last step came at the end of the day when my sister came to ask for something to do. I didn’t know everything, but I had learned enough to have a grasp on the work and was able to begin her in the job – I had a disciple too.

Posted in testifyhim

1-Dec-2004

By amy_import on December 1, 2004

 

We had our first frost this morning! It was so cold but so pretty, all of the colors that were common place the day before were now veiled with a filmy white curtain. As the sun rose a steamy fog appeared on the ponds, half hiding the frozen cattails that stood sentry on the banks. All was calm, all was bright. What a perfect way to start December – a winter wonderland of purity, blotting out all that had been there before.

It’s funny that even though everything was one color, it was far from boring. The covering of all distracting and competing colors caused there to be greater focus on the phenomenon of the frost and then a looking towards the sun and the effect that it had on the the whole landscape. The ground sparkled as it reflected the sun, yes, even the very rocks cried out, shining forth God’s glory. The smoking ponds sent their sweet savors up to heaven while the birds sang praises. Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.

Posted in testifyhim

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