We were waiting in the car for Mom to return from the store. We decided that we would play that classic kids game, "What if you were stuck inside a car with a flesh eating dinosaur?" Beware: These pictures are not for the faint at heart!"
Monday, October 19, 2009
Saturday, October 17, 2009
A Corolla And A Camera, Pt. 1
Hello All,
It seems that a good portion of our family's life is spent inside our car. Whether it's a jaunt to Orange County for a dental appointment or it's house hunting in the Inland Empire, our car is the stable common denominator. Usually, we'll listen to some tunes, everything from Veggie Tales to Hillsong United. Over the last several trips, we've had to spend some time doing home school. I think that you get the picture: The car can get quite boring! So, out comes the camera.
This obviously caught them off guard, so I thought, "I'll just snap a few more..."
As you can see, they are warming up to the idea.
Yep, they know the "red light" is on now.
They get it from their mother you know!
What? The girls are getting outshined? That won't last long...
You gotta love that the Bwudda is still trying...
It's two against one dude! It's only gonna get harder to get out in front of these two!
Here's looking forward to the next car ride with these three.
Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez
It seems that a good portion of our family's life is spent inside our car. Whether it's a jaunt to Orange County for a dental appointment or it's house hunting in the Inland Empire, our car is the stable common denominator. Usually, we'll listen to some tunes, everything from Veggie Tales to Hillsong United. Over the last several trips, we've had to spend some time doing home school. I think that you get the picture: The car can get quite boring! So, out comes the camera.
This obviously caught them off guard, so I thought, "I'll just snap a few more..."
As you can see, they are warming up to the idea.
Yep, they know the "red light" is on now.
They get it from their mother you know!
What? The girls are getting outshined? That won't last long...
You gotta love that the Bwudda is still trying...
It's two against one dude! It's only gonna get harder to get out in front of these two!Here's looking forward to the next car ride with these three.
Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez
Monday, October 05, 2009
A Little Us Time
Hello All,
The Cat's Pajamas
We have been living with the Finfrock family over
this last month and in that time, a new litter of kittens was born. There were six. Now there are three. Of course, that means that each of the kids has their own personal kitty. Renae has "Golden Rivers." Elizabeth, lacking a little in the creative department, chose to name her kitty "Salara." And my personal favorite, Caleb's is named "Army Droid Cat!"
The names have changed quite a bit, but they names of reflective of the solid gender line between the girls and the boy!
I will say that these kitties have brought great joy to our kids and have provided them with some great recreational time. Unfortunately, the kitties are traumatized and cannot wait for us to find a new place to live, in their little cat minds, preferably a non-cat friendly environment! Otherwise, the cats may be in for some prolonged exposure to our children. Good for the kids; bad for the cats!
Home Meet School
Since we are currently in another transition, we felt that it would be a bit unfair for the kids to
have to begin school somewhere, only to be ripped out again when a more permanent solution was found. As a result, Lela checked online to see if she could find free home school for the kids and as always, my resourceful wife found it! She got the kids signed up and registered just in time.
For the most part, this has been a great decision. Both Renae and Caleb are doing really well. Lela works with Caleb and my mother-in-law, Debbie, works with Renae for several hours in the morning.
When we move, we may opt to return the kids to school, which would be great for their social needs, as well as our needs for sanity. But, one thing has been clear: We love to see our kids growing and doing well. That has been the trade off at this point, and we are happy to make that trade for now.
Renae Just Keeps Getting Older!
This last month, Renae celebrated her 8th birthday! It's hard to believe that she is 8 years old. I
still remember when...oh, I sound like an old man! She continues to be a very thoughtful, bright and insightful little girl, who always has her Daddy's heart in her hands. I have loved watching her recover from all the little physical maladies that she suffered at infancy, as well as the mental difficulties of the upheaval that she has experienced. Today, she is much more well adjusted, laughing easier and trusting more. I have even watched her embrace the performer's limelight, something that had been anathema to her not that long ago.
On her birthday, we were granted entrance into Disneyland by a friend from Kingsfield Church. Renae got to enjoy her birthday, Caleb got to be trained by a Jedi Knight and Lizzy got to enjoy all the fast rides! It was a perfect day, made much more so by the wonderful smile of my little 8 year old!
Phone Home
We are beginning to look for a place to live and are looking in the Loma Linda area. Suffice it to say, there are a million little dynamics involved. Please pray that the Lord would lead us as we begin our search. Over the years, I have watched God answer my wife's prayers for places to live with great specificity. (He seems to really love her!) When we were in Spain, the place we got to live in was in perfect accordance with Lela's requests. I am sure that He will have no problem meeting those desires again. He has yet to fail us!
Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez
As I mentioned in my last blog entry, I have focused much of my energy lately on news relating to the new Bible study that I am teaching in Colton. Unfortunately, that has taken away from the family focus. So, in the spirit of balancing things out, here is a little update on what's happening with the family.
The Cat's Pajamas
We have been living with the Finfrock family over
this last month and in that time, a new litter of kittens was born. There were six. Now there are three. Of course, that means that each of the kids has their own personal kitty. Renae has "Golden Rivers." Elizabeth, lacking a little in the creative department, chose to name her kitty "Salara." And my personal favorite, Caleb's is named "Army Droid Cat!"The names have changed quite a bit, but they names of reflective of the solid gender line between the girls and the boy!
I will say that these kitties have brought great joy to our kids and have provided them with some great recreational time. Unfortunately, the kitties are traumatized and cannot wait for us to find a new place to live, in their little cat minds, preferably a non-cat friendly environment! Otherwise, the cats may be in for some prolonged exposure to our children. Good for the kids; bad for the cats!
Home Meet School
Since we are currently in another transition, we felt that it would be a bit unfair for the kids to
have to begin school somewhere, only to be ripped out again when a more permanent solution was found. As a result, Lela checked online to see if she could find free home school for the kids and as always, my resourceful wife found it! She got the kids signed up and registered just in time.For the most part, this has been a great decision. Both Renae and Caleb are doing really well. Lela works with Caleb and my mother-in-law, Debbie, works with Renae for several hours in the morning.
When we move, we may opt to return the kids to school, which would be great for their social needs, as well as our needs for sanity. But, one thing has been clear: We love to see our kids growing and doing well. That has been the trade off at this point, and we are happy to make that trade for now.
Renae Just Keeps Getting Older!
This last month, Renae celebrated her 8th birthday! It's hard to believe that she is 8 years old. I
still remember when...oh, I sound like an old man! She continues to be a very thoughtful, bright and insightful little girl, who always has her Daddy's heart in her hands. I have loved watching her recover from all the little physical maladies that she suffered at infancy, as well as the mental difficulties of the upheaval that she has experienced. Today, she is much more well adjusted, laughing easier and trusting more. I have even watched her embrace the performer's limelight, something that had been anathema to her not that long ago.On her birthday, we were granted entrance into Disneyland by a friend from Kingsfield Church. Renae got to enjoy her birthday, Caleb got to be trained by a Jedi Knight and Lizzy got to enjoy all the fast rides! It was a perfect day, made much more so by the wonderful smile of my little 8 year old!
Phone Home
We are beginning to look for a place to live and are looking in the Loma Linda area. Suffice it to say, there are a million little dynamics involved. Please pray that the Lord would lead us as we begin our search. Over the years, I have watched God answer my wife's prayers for places to live with great specificity. (He seems to really love her!) When we were in Spain, the place we got to live in was in perfect accordance with Lela's requests. I am sure that He will have no problem meeting those desires again. He has yet to fail us!
Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez
Thursday, October 01, 2009
...Go!...
Hello All,
Last night, we began our Bible study at the Gonzalez Center in Colton. I admit being completely overwhelmed the day of, mostly due to the anticipation. I had no idea what to expect. How many, if any, would come? Would they be young or old in the faith? How would the room feel? What songs would be appropriate for a group that has never worshipped together? Believe it or not, not knowing the answers to these questions really made it a difficult assignment. Usually, you at least know who you are speaking to, which is helpful in penning sermons. I was completely flying blind and the questions loomed large as the night quickly approached.
The answers came fairly quickly. 15 people joined us for the evening, spanning the spectrum from young and old, single and married, young and seasoned in the faith. It was a blessing to be there with them, most I have known for many years. A few were students that I met while they were in Junior High. A few I met when I married their daughter/niece! One couple I met in the first seconds of my life, though I do not remember that! One couple drove out from Cherry Valley, a healthy 35 minute drive, to be with us. Their presence, as well as the rest, encouraged my heart to know that we are stepping in the right direction.
We worshipped and then we studied Genesis 1:1. I had prayed and wondered about starting in Genesis. I wondered if it would be the right book. Once we got going, I felt that the choice was perfect and it set the tone for the weeks to come. (For those interested in the notes from the study, you can find them right here.) As I was teaching, I felt such joy and excitement to be able to share the Lord's heart, knowing that barring some extreme circumstances, I will not be interrupted in having the opportunity to continue week by week. There are no visa issues here in America as there were in Spain, and this is not a guest teaching experience! With the Lord's help, I will be able to build week by week with a group of people that God desires to sow His Word into.
At the end of the night, I was glad for what God had been doing in our midst. This morning, as I woke up, I began praying for each one, that God would allow His Word from last night, to soak deeply into their souls and that He would meet them in every one of their situations. I prayed specifically when I could and generally otherwise. It amazed me to experience the joy that that discipline brought to my heart, as well as the earnest desire to add to it next Thursday night.
What happens from here is a mystery. Will this be a long term Bible study or will this become a church body? I do not know. One thing is for sure : The ball is rolling! We have begun something that we pray will be a blessing to as many as God intends. With each passing week, we pray that the Lord would confirm that His hand is upon this. I am not worried about how many God brings, as that will always be His business. He is in charge of bringing increase. I'm just the farmer, sowing the seed. My concern is that those who come to the Thursday Night Bible Study will find an undershepherd waiting to feed and care for them. My bible college professor, Pastor Larry Taylor, said it best when he said, "Make sure that your sheep are the best loved, best fed sheep in the world." That is what I hope to live by.
Thank you for your prayers and encouragement. Both prayer and encouragement continue to be welcome!
Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez
Last night, we began our Bible study at the Gonzalez Center in Colton. I admit being completely overwhelmed the day of, mostly due to the anticipation. I had no idea what to expect. How many, if any, would come? Would they be young or old in the faith? How would the room feel? What songs would be appropriate for a group that has never worshipped together? Believe it or not, not knowing the answers to these questions really made it a difficult assignment. Usually, you at least know who you are speaking to, which is helpful in penning sermons. I was completely flying blind and the questions loomed large as the night quickly approached.
The answers came fairly quickly. 15 people joined us for the evening, spanning the spectrum from young and old, single and married, young and seasoned in the faith. It was a blessing to be there with them, most I have known for many years. A few were students that I met while they were in Junior High. A few I met when I married their daughter/niece! One couple I met in the first seconds of my life, though I do not remember that! One couple drove out from Cherry Valley, a healthy 35 minute drive, to be with us. Their presence, as well as the rest, encouraged my heart to know that we are stepping in the right direction.
We worshipped and then we studied Genesis 1:1. I had prayed and wondered about starting in Genesis. I wondered if it would be the right book. Once we got going, I felt that the choice was perfect and it set the tone for the weeks to come. (For those interested in the notes from the study, you can find them right here.) As I was teaching, I felt such joy and excitement to be able to share the Lord's heart, knowing that barring some extreme circumstances, I will not be interrupted in having the opportunity to continue week by week. There are no visa issues here in America as there were in Spain, and this is not a guest teaching experience! With the Lord's help, I will be able to build week by week with a group of people that God desires to sow His Word into.
At the end of the night, I was glad for what God had been doing in our midst. This morning, as I woke up, I began praying for each one, that God would allow His Word from last night, to soak deeply into their souls and that He would meet them in every one of their situations. I prayed specifically when I could and generally otherwise. It amazed me to experience the joy that that discipline brought to my heart, as well as the earnest desire to add to it next Thursday night.
What happens from here is a mystery. Will this be a long term Bible study or will this become a church body? I do not know. One thing is for sure : The ball is rolling! We have begun something that we pray will be a blessing to as many as God intends. With each passing week, we pray that the Lord would confirm that His hand is upon this. I am not worried about how many God brings, as that will always be His business. He is in charge of bringing increase. I'm just the farmer, sowing the seed. My concern is that those who come to the Thursday Night Bible Study will find an undershepherd waiting to feed and care for them. My bible college professor, Pastor Larry Taylor, said it best when he said, "Make sure that your sheep are the best loved, best fed sheep in the world." That is what I hope to live by.
Thank you for your prayers and encouragement. Both prayer and encouragement continue to be welcome!
Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez
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