Television WORTH watching!

Joni Eareckson-Tada is one of my earthly heroes. She has lived as a quadriplegic for over 40years. Her faith and ministry is so encouraging! Please take a moment to check out her website. I am linking here to her television network. My family has been streaming these on-line for free. They are life changing! You will be so blessed.

As of January 2013, Joni's television network will air on the American Forces Network. This broadcasts to all American Forces and even to our Naval ships. What a opportunity for the gospel of Jesus to be shared. Please check out this ministry.

http://www.joniandfriends.org/television/
http://www.joniandfriends.org/blog/jaf-tv-afn/

 

Lord, Help Me Not Obscure Your Glory

"Grace is the pleasure of God to magnify the worth of God by giving sinners the right and power to delight in God without obscuring the glory of God." 

John Piper


"If you live gladly to make others glad in God, your life will be hard, your risks will be high, and your joy will be full."

John Piper


Dear Precious Lord,

Help me today to be a fragrant, joyful, and glad aroma of your love and grace. Help my children to see in me a joy that comes from you. Help me to give all glory to you. Help me not to build a kingdom where I am on the throne, but YOU are! Help me to find reasons to be thankful when I am tempted to sin. Help me to see reasons to be thankful to you for the child who sins against me. Help me to depend on your power through prayer to live out this joyful gladness in You.

A Greatful Momma!

Well, I cannot remember the last time I posted to our Henn Family Blog. I must confess I do not even know why I am doing it now at 10pm. Smile.... Layne and Bugg are the ones who attempt to make any updates, and now Bug has a blog of her own......I am not sure if there are any readers out there and if not, I do not blame you. (another smile....... )I just want to take a moment to record in the blog world (with hopes of publishing a copy someday for our family to read) what the Lord has been teaching me lately.

The train at the Mall of America with Bopie

I am weak.....He is strong......
My life has disorder.......God brings order
My mouth is corrupt and can easily tear down when I am frustrated.......God gives the strength to fight anger.

God's Word is my anchor and rock. I know my need for it, but will not always run to it when I am struggling. God ALWAYS moves through his precious Word.

My children are a blessing, even when they fight and make my neck tense up and heart race. Someday, I will look around my house and they will be gone and on their own. My time with them is fleeting. I want them to remember they were loved and that Jesus makes us truly happy.

All tuckered out! Lilly is never hurting for snuggles.

Ephesians 5:1-2
"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

Erin begged to make this homemade costume for Halloween.

Tin Tin and dedicated nurse

In the summer we like to....

Have lots of fun!
Yes, I know I have been reserved in the posting area lately, but we are having quite the summer and have been busy.... (not a very good excuse, I know :) But, here are a few pictures for you dedicated readers...
1. Father's Day: That was awesome. I seriously have the best daddy. ever. He's our teacher, book-reader, hug-giver, encourager, cook (sometimes :), and so many other things. He leads us to Christ in the every day things, no one is perfect,  and my daddy has his days, but he is forgiven by Christ and is becoming more like him all the time. We had a good day and went to the Blue Bunny ice cream parlor with my cousins and grandparents.  
2. Erin's 8th Birthday!! Our little butterfly turned 8, and I can hardly believe it!! I love my little sisters. She had a cupcake themed party, and instead of asking for presents at her party, she asked people to give money to buy a cow for our sponsor child. God is moving in my sister in lots of ways, and I am so thankful to Him for that.
3. I went to Okoboji... That was awesome, and so kind of my friend to ask me along :)

 4. Cousins!! Our dear cousins from out of state came for a long visit and a family reunion. We had so much fun with them...Including a giggle-filled sleepover, and tea party breakfast. The boys also had a sleepover, but they opted out on the teaparty :)

 5. Goodbye Kitchen! Yep, it's gone. We gutted it down to the studs and are starting from scratch. Although it is very difficult cooking for our family with out a sink, stove, or oven, we are very excited for the finished results!

Our makeshift kitchen :)

 6. Lou Lou's 2nd Birthday!!! Our baby turned 2 on the 1st. She really isn't a baby anymore... We all love her to death and she is a constant fountain of joy!

 She absolutely loves Elmo, Abby Cadabby (Dabby Abby!), Big bird (bi bid), Ernie (enie), Bert (bet) and Cookie Monster (toootie monter) My mom bought some balloons that were elmo and she said, " Doo tit dat! Elmo boons!" (Look at that, Elmo balloons) and then later, "Oh my doodness!" (oh my goodness :)

I made an elmo cake, which she couldn't keep her fingers out of...

 7. Getting Wet: Yes, this is probably one of our favorite summer activities, pools, waterballoons, water guns, and slip'n'slides!

I hope you all are having a fantastic summer, and Happy 4th of July!
~Bugg

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to the most wonderful mommy! God has blessed me so much with such a great role model in my life. You are such a servant and even though you aren't perfect, and can have your 'days', you look to Christ as your example and strong tower. Thank for all that you do, and words could never begin to express the love I have for you. You are a cook, baker, chauffeur, laundress, seamtress, dish doer, teacher, floor scrubber, good night kiss giver, band-aid putter onner, encourager, lover, and most of all a servant of Christ that is willing to submit to whatever task he sets before you, even if it isn't the most pleasant or what you wanted to do. Thank you for pointing us to the cross, and being there to tell us that you and daddy love us, but most of all Jesus loves us. I love you sooo much and I hope that we can grow closer and closer together throughout the years!
~Bugg

Oggie turns 11 today- Happy Birthday, ICEMAN!

Someone at  work said to me yesterday, "man, you are ALWAYS having a birthday at your house!" 
The Iceman (aka, Oggie) turns 11 today and we will celebrate starting today and through the weekend.  He is very excited for his birthday!  I peeked in on him while he is still sleeping right now and I can't believe how fast this time goes.  He is becoming a young man!  He loves to mow our yard, he plays soccer with boys who are as tall as his dad, he has become more difficult to wrestle with and is reading books like the Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and other classics.
He is an intelligent, FUN, loving, and strong, individual and I am so thankful to our Lord that I get to have him as a son!
Post him birthday wishes in the comments!

Overheard at the Hennhouse

(As we are driving down the street Dash spotted somebody out walking...)
Dash: Look at those people over there!
Bear: Those aren't people!! Those are humans! You are so mean.

(Oggie and I were discussing who we know that are social butterflies...)
Oggie: Yeah, she is definitely a  social butterfly.
Bugg: So... am I a social butterfly?
Oggie: Well, um I think you're perfect. Not too butterfly-y but still pretty fun.

~Bugg

Piggy Toes and Picky Fingers

~Bugg

Sorry for leaving you all hanging for such a long time....
Dash and Bear both had birthdays in March and they are getting sooooo sooooo big. I love those two to death and I'm very thankful God put them in my family.

They are getting so big and handsome. I love them so much! Happy Birthday Boys!! Mommy and I spent her birthday in Ethiopia!! We had a wonderful, God-filled, life changing time and I will have dedicate a post to that subject entirely... Here are just a few sneak peeks of our time there.

                                                 The travel was exhausting.....

                                                     The coffee was to die for.... :)

                                    

God totally blessed the time we had there and gave us so much grace even when we were at our weakest points. Once we got back, we realized that getting back into the swing of things was going to be difficult, and sometimes even now it still is....
We had an amazing Easter, and I don't know if I will ever be able to express how ecstatically grateful I am that Jesus is ALIVE!!

We drove up to our cousin's house to celebrate Easter, and we had so much fun. (Sadly though, I forgot the camera, and the phone pictures aren't on the computer yet, so you'll have to wait...) The weather has been so beautiful here, and we have been enjoying it as best we can. Oggie and Dash started soccer and they love it. I have been running with my friend once or twice a week and Bear is the basketball KING! Erna is a total bicycler and Lillers, well she just hangs out...

Our baby is getting so big... Pretty soon we'll be celebrating her second birthday....Wow! Time surely does fly! Well, signing off for now, and I will be back soon with more hennhouse updates...
~Bugg

Sick House.....

Yes, we here at the hennhouse are all sick. very sick. Squeakers was rushed to the hospital on Sunday because she was having a seizure, because she has a fever, that's how sick we are. But the few good things about being sick: Daddy being home, Starwars all DAY, no school,time to make packing for Ethiopia lists!!,  Pop, chips and extra attention, and pancakes! The bad things: Runny noses, fevers, coughs, sneezing, icky medicine, (but we are thankful for it!), and the other sickness symptoms that aren't worth rambling on about. Thanks so much to the friends and family that prayed so hard for us on Sunday! That was so hard and scary to see little Squeakers so helpless and not knowing what was going on! Thank also to the people who have been so sweetly bringing us meals, flowers, coffee, and tea!! Please keep our family in your prayers and thanks to every one who has been praying for us! We are slowly on the mend!
~Bugg

A little bed night levity

It's always fun to get little people ready for bed at our house (tongue-in-cheek).  It seems like this song has been coming up more and more as we start the process of getting ready.  Enjoy.

it comes from this part of the Dispicible me movie:

a little help can go a long way

Check out the link below:
http://nordstromsadopt.blogspot.com/2012/01/swing-set-for-orphans-please-help.html

As many of you who would read our family blog already know, Ta and Bugg are getting ready to travel to Shone, Ethiopia to serve with Look Development.

Last year, the day after Christmas, I went on a similar trip to the exact same area with a group of 28 people.
Below are some pictures from the trip I was on.  It was such a joy to see the families that we sponsored.  They loved spending the brief moments we had together and wanted to talk about our family and their love for the Savior!

I will never forget my time there, and I hope to return someday. I learned so much about faith in God and the power of prayer in a place where depending on God takes on a whole new meaning.  Bugg and Ta will be truly enriched by the faith of the people they will meet there, the Look Development ministry and the beautiful work of the gospel as they bring the Good News!

There are so many ways to pray for them as they embark on this journey.  They need prayer for funding, medicine, formula for the infants in the orphanage and all the preparations.  May God bless their journey!
I'm posting the link again, there is a place to give your donation at the bottom of the linked post!
http://nordstromsadopt.blogspot.com/2012/01/swing-set-for-orphans-please-help.html