Symanzik Family Update

Please pray for all the people affected by this flooding....Thanks.
This did not occur in Davao where we live but in towns several hours here on the island of Mindanao.

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/12/18/death-toll-from-philippine-storm-reaches-569-hundreds-missing/?iref=allsearch
from CNN website:
Death toll from Philippine storm reaches 548; hundreds missing
December 18th, 2011

Devastation from a tropical storm that deluged the southern Philippines mounted on Sunday, with the death toll rising to 548, military officials said.
About 370 people are missing, the Philippine Red Cross said, after entire villages were swept away. The agency offered a different death toll than the military - 532 - but it was not clear why.
The stench of death permeated the air as aid workers scrambled to help survivors.
The vast majority of the dead were found in the port cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro, according to military and disaster officials. Water-logged bodies from washed-away villages floated at the shoreline, on the northwestern coast of Mindanao island.
Five people were killed in a landslide, but virtually all others died in flash flooding after Tropical Storm Washi, which is called Sendong locally.
Survivors in the hardest-hit areas now contend with no electricity and a lack of clean drinking water. One woman in Cagayan de Oro collected murky brown floodwater in a bucket, just meters away from where a destroyed vehicle was submerged.
Flash flooding overnight Friday - following 10 hours of rain - fueled the devastation. As much as 20 centimeters (8 inches) of rain fell within 24 hours in some areas.

Perhaps you have heard Mindanao was hit by a tropical storm.
While we here in Davao faired well, in other parts of Mindanao devastation has reigned....over 400 are dead....villages swept away in flash flooding....pray for those affected by this storm....

just one of many, many images of devastation

James and I were walking in the cemetery this afternoon.
He pointed out to me the pretty clouds and said Jesus was up there.

I said, "yes, Jesus is everywhere"

"In my heart, too, Mom"

"Yes, in your heart too!"

"I want to see Jesus face to face."

"When we are in Heaven we will see Jesus face to face!"

"Maybe on FaceBook, Mom! Maybe on FaceBook!"

I just had to laugh....It was just the soul-refresher I needed to hear today. Little kids have such simple faith. I am thankful for the gift of James and his innocent, fresh faith. He is so sensitive and will spontaneously say to me, "Mom, I love Jesus so much!"

Matthew 11:25"I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father,
for this is what you were pleased to do.

28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you andlearn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, andyou will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easyand my burden is light."

Well, we obtained all the papers that were on our list to obtain for filing for adoption of James and Jerard......

went to Department of Social Welfare and Development to turn in all the papers so they could file the request for adoption in Manila......

only to be told we need a few more documents....most of them are easy to obtain.....

but one, requires us to make an appointment with the US Embassy in Manila, fly up there for the day to get a notarized affidavit from the US Embassy, then fly back here.............

It could seem like a hassle, but it is not.......James and Jerard are sons of my heart....and I'll do what I need to for them to also be legally my sons.....

just...............

Pray for us to obtain the funding for this unexpected trip up there....

.....I find myself thinking often of the unselfish love of my Heavenly Father to "go through the hassle" of sending His Son, Jesus, here to live as a man in this sin-soaked world.....wouldn't it have been easier to send a flood and wipe us all out?.....
but, oh.....the great, great love He has for us......love unending......

Love divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of heaven to earth come down;
Fix in us thy humble dwelling;
All thy faithful mercies crown!
Jesus, Thou art all compassion,
Pure unbounded love Thou art;
Visit us with Thy salvation;
Enter every trembling heart.

Breathe, O breathe Thy loving Spirit,
Into every troubled breast!
Let us all in Thee inherit;
Let us find that second rest.
Take away our bent to sinning;
Alpha and Omega be;
End of faith, as its Beginning,
Set our hearts at liberty.

Come, Almighty to deliver,
Let us all Thy life receive;
Suddenly return and never,
Never more Thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
Serve Thee as Thy hosts above,
Pray and praise Thee without ceasing,
Glory in Thy perfect love.

Finish, then, Thy new creation;
Pure and spotless let us be.
Let us see Thy great salvation
Perfectly restored in Thee;
Changed from glory into glory,
Till in heaven we take our place,
Till we cast our crowns before Thee,
Lost in wonder, love, and praise.
John Wesley

I am really enjoying Ann Voskamp's book "One Thousand Gifts" and also recieveing her daily blog posts at aholyexperience dot com.

Here is a quote from today's post....something God is teaching me....to enjoy the moments....

"Still unfolding it: the only place to be fully alive is right here.

There are dishes in the sink (and I might add toys on the floor, piles of laundry to fold and iron, clothes to hang on the line, bread to bake, shopping to be done, etc....

I profane this moment when I don't stay in it.

Be all here: and be holy. Because the Presence of I AM
always fills the present moment.

When I am mindful of this moment, the mind fills with God
and the heart fills with peace, and joy-thanks fills the prayers,
and isn't the only way God can come to us is through the door
of this moment?

Here.

Joy, it's this snowflake on the sill --

living only here in this moment....

"Wherever you are, be all there." ~Jim Elliot