Christmas Bung Lotu

Christmas Greetings from Indiana to all of you!
2009 PNG CHRISTMAS BUNG LOTU
Jesus is the reason for the season. The greatest “PRESENT” mankind ever could receive was given to Mary wrapped in swaddling clothing and they presented Him to this world. We do not deserve this unmerited gift from God, but He loved us while we were yet sinners. It is not what we earned. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son to us. We could not go to where He was, so HE came to us. Let us prepare ourselves, come with open heart to celebrate His birthday. Pray much and expect God to do great things in our lives.
Christmas is the season for giving and receiving gifts-what will you give to God this Christmas? The best gift you could give to God is your soul. God requires us to present our bodies to Him as a living sacrifice which is our reasonable service. This is the only time we will give to God. Please come prayerfully. Do not bring any electronics that will take away our time from worshiping God. Let us especially set these three to four days aside for God and let Him come and meet with us. This is a PNG Christmas service that means we will worship the way we normally worship in PNG.
DRESS CODE:
Girls/Women-dresses or skirts and blouses with sleeves.
Boys/Men-slacks or jeans and shirts with sleeves.
Due to many expenses involved in this get together we will collect an offering so please come prepared. Our cost is approximately $2000.00. This includes food, gas, guest speakers, and etc. Beech Grove Independent Nazarene Church has been a great help to us over the past Christmas services, but as of today we do not know whether they will help us or not. Please pray for this need and let God direct you in what you should give. There are no camp fees, however give as God leads you, as there are expenses.
You are all invited, including former missionaries to PNG and our PNG students to the United States.
VENUE:
Guest Speaker: Jack Kipoi – graduate of Hobe Sound Bible College
Directions: You can either find through google map http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl or through http://www.mapquest.com/
The address is:Independent Nazarene Church @ 5152 Hornet Avenue Beech Grove, IN 46107
OR
You can contact Bill Okie @ 317-517-3572, George Gidisa @ 765-393-2381, Ivan or Youan Tainapel @ 317-696-6743

written by Bill Okie

cool place to get free picture Christmas cards...

I already have my order in for Christmas cards. I got this site from friend off of FB. She has already received her order that she placed.

http://freebies4mom.blogspot.com/2009/11/50-free-photocards-shipped-free-too.html

In loving memory of Betty Omi

THE BROKEN CHAIN
We little knew that morning that God was going to all your name,
In life we loved you dearly, in death we do the same.
It broke our hearts to lose you, you did not go alone,
For part of us went with you, the day God called you home.
You left us peaceful memories, your love is still our guide,
And though we cannot see you, you are always at our side.
Our family chain is broken, and nothing seems the same,
But as God calls us one by one, the chain will link again.
--Author Unknown

(Betty is at far right)

10 Christmas Activities for Families

10 Christmas Activities for Families by Whack-E-Doo Mom
For children, Christmas is magic. It’s wonder and excitement. Often times, for grown-ups, it’s mile long shopping lists, mile long lines in department stores and mile long credit card bills piling in after the first of the new year. Don’t allow the hassles and stress of the holidays to diminish your Christmas spirit! Christmas is a time for memories, not migraines! Here are some fun ideas for you and your family to regain the true meaning of Christmas.
1. Ambush your kids with a surprise late night drive around town to see lights and decorations. Get them all set for bed, in nice warm jammies. Then, right when you are about to tuck them in, scoop them up, bundle them in blankets, buckle them in the car and go cruisin’! Be sure to have Christmas tunes ready in the car to sing along to. Older children will especially get a kick out of this special holiday adventure!
2. It’s important to teach your children that Christmas is not just about presents under the tree. Have your children decorate an old shoe box with reds and greens and ribbons and bows. Then talk to your children about gifts that don’t come wrapped, gifts that you can’t touch, such as love. Help your children make a list of all the gifts that they are thankful for that can’t be wrapped and put under the tree. Put the list in the box and place the box in a prominent spot in your home as a reminder of this life lesson. You can pack the box away with your holiday decorations and add a new list each Christmas.
3. Lights, camera, action! Act out your family’s favorite Christmas story, such as Frosty the Snowman or Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and record it. Everyone knows how the story goes, only rehearse your skit once, then capture it on film. You are guaranteed tons of laughter and a great memory!
4. Start a Christmas tradition that each year your family will do something new, something that your family has never done before to celebrate the spirit of the season. It can be anything – ice skating, caroling – have each member of the family come up with an idea for a first-time activity and write them down, then throw all the ideas into a hat. Then write each member of the family’s name down and throw them into a separate hat. Mom or Dad can choose the name out of that hat and whoever they pull out gets to pull the activity out of the other hat. Maybe your experience will be a one shot deal (we had a skiing fiasco in our family last year) or maybe it will be something your family wants to add to the Christmas traditions you already celebrate each year.
5. Get out of the house! Check your local newspaper for community Christmas events that you and your family can enjoy together – going to see a high school production of “The Nutcracker”, joining an organized caroling event or attending a live nativity scene.
6. Put together a time capsule to be opened on a future Christmas. Have your child include their Christmas Wish List, holiday crafts that they’ve made in school and whatever else you’d like to add as a Christmas memory. Mark the box with “Christmas” and the current year and then the year you’ll uncover the time capsule – how about five years from now? Your then eight year old will be horrified to learn she wanted a Barney tape when she was three! You don’t have to actually bury your Christmas Time Capsule – unless you want to – it will stay much safer up in the attic or hidden away in the garage.
7. Tell your children the story of the birth of Jesus. Explain to them that the baby Jesus was born poor and homeless and that even though that was many, many years ago there are still babies born today who don’t have what they need. Take your children to the store and have them pick out gifts for babies born like baby Jesus. Take your children with you to a pregnancy center or woman’s shelter to donate the items. Say a special prayer at bedtime that night for the babies who will receive their gifts.
8. Expose your children to Christmas traditions from around the world. Do some research online or check out a book from the library and educate yourself on Christmas customs from different cultures. Then share your new knowledge with your little ones. One of the traditions you learn about may speak to you and you may want to incorporate it into your own family’s holiday traditions.
9. Hear ye’, hear ye’! Create a family newsletter to send out with your Christmas cards or through email this year. Tell about what’s happened in your family in the past year. Each member of the family can have their own message, older children can write their own and younger children can dictate to you what they’d like to share. You can even include photos, recipes, a word search – whatever you’d like.
10. Many families give their children’s school pictures or a family portrait in a frame as a Christmas gift. Why not add a really personal touch to an already personal gift? Help your children decorate the frames in any manner they choose. You knew you’d find a use for those odds and ends craft scraps of yours!
Hope these suggestions have been helpful. Don’t try to do all of the activities or you’ll wind up more stressed than before, just pick those that spoke to you. Christmas can be a magical time full of wonder and excitement, even for busy grown-ups. Don’t lose sight of what matters this time of year and don’t pass up an opportunity to make a special Christmas memory. Even the seemingly simplest activity can create a special Christmas memory for your child. Maybe even one they will share with their own children someday when they’ve turned into a busy grown-up and need to rediscover their Christmas spirit.
Happy Holidays, here’s to the memories…
Revel in the ramblings of The Whack-E-Doo Mom on her blog at http://whack-e-doo-mom.blogspot.com .

OTHER PICS OF PNG INDEPENDENCE DAY

some of the people who gathered for our Independence Day celebration...there were about 40-50 people. Some of the husbands, wives, and children were running around during photos

Sis Brock spoke about PNG before it gained its independence

George speaking about the vision of the "college boys" who helped PNG become independent

Prebirthday dinner for daddy...

This is the yummy smoothie that George made. Ingredients include: passion fruit, strawberry, and banana.

One of my fave ingredients: coconut milk and ginger.

Some more stuff: plantain, star fruit, passion fruit, cassava, and greens.

Some more PNG Independence Day Celebration

Inside the gym area that Dr Hood allowed us to use.

Some very special girls (Martha and Regina Pande) with their grandpa.

Putting the heated rocks on top of foil to heat the food underneath...nothing like PNG style:)

The kids had to bring their rollerblades...I am going to have to invest in some considering I lost my other ones.

PNG Independence day celebration-September 12, 2009

our next generation of Papua New Guineans...enjoying chatting and playing at the celebration (bung)

Some of the wantoks that came to the Bung...more came later...we had about 50 or more in attendance.

George sharing his stories about the history of the men who fought for PNG's Independence.

All the wantoks working together to make a mumu...yummy!

This pic should have been first as it happened first...digging the pit to put the mumu in the ground.

Even though PNG's Independence is not till September 16, we celebrated this past weekend and had a wonderful time of fellowship. Here are some pics of the events.

Aunt, Uncles, and Cousins

we've moved-some updates on house...

This is just some pics taken from our bathroom...George and I (George mostly) have been updating it a little...

trying to post pics

I was trying to post pics but not allowing me to. I will have to check to see what is going on. Have you all experienced that?

some of my weightloss efforts...

21 days to start a new habit...

Have you all heard that it takes about 21 days to start a new habit. Well today is day one...of starting some new habits. I am going to start with just two.

1. no eating after 7pm. I know there might be exceptions, but as a general rule I want to accomplish this.

2. I want to start walking or working out every day again.

3. I am going to add another one in here though. I want to get my devotions in before going to work. Bible reading and prayer.

Wish me luck. If any want to join feel free to and we can possibly be accountable to each other.

Also here is some great tips how to burn fat-realisticly.
http://www.webmdhealth.com/nl/nlv.aspx?id=gbefm7IjhRM=&s=10810

The love of the Father by Wendy Pope

I got this from my inbox on yahoo and wanted to share...from Proverbs 31 Ministries

by Wendy Pope

"For the Lord corrects and disciplines everyone whom He loves, and He punishes, even scourges, every son whom He accepts and welcomes to His heart and cherishes." Hebrew 12:6 (AMP)

"This hurts me more than it hurts you." These were the exact words my mother and father used before they disciplined me. Have you ever heard these words? Have you ever said these words?
As a child it was hard to understand how my parent's correction and discipline could hurt them more than it hurt me. After all, I was the one on the receiving end of the pain and suffering! I had many mental conversations with myself on this very subject. How can they say that when I am the one confined to my room for the week?

Growing up I thought I would only use positive reinforcement as disciplinary tools to raise my children into civilized, well-behaved members of society. My plan worked perfectly until I actually had children. Then I begin to re-think my mindset and seek the counsel of the Word as my guide for disciplining my children, as well as for receiving my own discipline from the Lord.

As a young mother correcting her children, my heart began to understand the Father's correction. It helped that I had already made the decision to allow God to be the Lord of my life. I was surrendered to His leadership in my life. Surrender meant accepting and submitting. Accepting His unconditional love and undeserved grace for my sin and submitting to His correction and discipline in my life. Trusting Him to use His Word to shape me into the person He wanted me to be. I was and I am today the object of His great love.

The Lord's correction and discipline is given to everyone He loves, accepts, and cherishes in His heart. According to Ephesians 1:5, through Jesus Christ we are adopted as sons of God. Therefore, as His children we are entitled to His great love and His loving hand of discipline.

Admittedly, it took me some time to willingly submit to the correction and discipline of the Lord. At times, the process was painful and difficult, asking me to give up things I took pleasure in. When I obeyed though, I always saw a positive result. Two truths came to life: discipline is good, and discipline is necessary to help me become like Christ.

I felt His great love as God would tell me, "No honey, don't watch that show anymore" or "Wendy, that relationship is not really beneficial to you. It would be in your best interest to break away from it." When I submitted to the discipline, I could see that He really loved me and wanted what was best for me.

As a young mother, I began to understand how giving the discipline really does hurt more than receiving the discipline. How? Because of the love. The giver loves so deep and in a way the receiver cannot understand until the discipline is accepted and applied, and the receiver matures. Eventually, the one receiving the discipline and correction realizes that discipline brings what he or she has always longed for: security, comfort, and peace.

The next time you need to accept discipline, remember the love of the Father who uses correction to shape you into the person He has designed you to be.

Dear Lord, help me to accept and apply Your loving discipline to my life. Thank You for loving me enough not to overlook my faults. You want me to be all that You have planned. Forgive me when I stubbornly stand in the way of the work of Your great love. It warms my heart to know that You accept and cherish me in Your heart, even enough to discipline me when I need it. In Jesus' Name, Amen.


George and Margaret Gidisa

30 life principles...

I just wanted to share this link...

http://ww2.intouch.org/atf/cf/%7B865500FE-874B-487B-A95C-C0B327D0A690%7D/30LifePrinciples.pdf

Learning pidgin with kids...

I have been trying with kids and George to get better at speaking and learning pidgin (one of husband's languages). I was reminded of this idea when on oprah.com. She advises to take some classes with or as a family to learn things together. What we have been trying to do is at some meals just speak pidgin so the kids and I can learn more. I am also going to share the link I got from oprah

Facebook Beware

Just a heads up. Beware of Facebook...I thought I was getting a note from friend and opened something and now I have no way to get into account and the password has been changed. I have gotten some messages from FB in French also.

PNG CHristmas Lotu @ Beech Grove IN