My Life as a Grandma

I think it can't be avoided. There are going to be a lot more photos of Danny on my blog. I can't stop taking pictures of him!

This has been a fun Christmas! It is my first time in 31 years to celebrate Christmas in my own country. It has been a very special treat from the Lord.

I am soaking up memories of Danny to take back to Manila with me. His cute half-smile, his soft skin, his sweet smell, his little gurgles and coos . . . I will surely miss it.

It has also been a great time to be with Matt and his girlfriend, Adela.

I've enjoyed getting to know Jim's family better too. His parents and siblings are here too, and we have had so much fun together!

Our highlight was when all twelve of us went for a walk in the woods on Christmas day!

Daniel James Albright

He is here! Baby Daniel arrived this evening at 6:33 pm. Jim and Michelle are so excited and happy. Actually Michelle is mostly exhausted after a long day of labor, but still excited and happy too. Jim is a very proud dad. And Grandma is totally delighted! Join us in thanking God for this very precious gift.

Waiting in Texas

This is the part where we wait . . . and wait . . . and wait . . . I got here four days ago, eager to meet my grandson. All systems are go, it seems to us, but Baby Danny says it's not time yet. And so we wait. My feelings are jumbled these days, mostly because of jet lag. I am tired, but at the same time, so eager for the baby to come. I feel like the days are slipping away, and I will have to go back to the Philippines in January, so I want to spend as much time as possible WITH the baby, not WAITING for the baby. But I know that God knows what He is doing, so I am leaning on that.

I am grateful to God and to my colleagues at IGSL that I can be here. They are covering for me, handling my responsibilities while I am gone. I remember when my kids were born, how I longed for my mother to come and help me. I was not even that close to my mother, it's just a time in your life when you really need help! I have helped many IGSL mothers when they gave birth, far from their own mothers. So it's a very special privilege for me to be able to give my daughter the gift of my help at this time. God is gracious.

It's Almost Time

This is Michelle, our dear daughter, who lives with her husband in Texas. As you can see, they are going to be parents very soon! So, I am packing my bags now, and will be winging my way to Texas on Tuesday morning. I am so excited to spend time with them and to meet our first grandchild!

Our son Matthew will also join us in Texas for Christmas, while James holds down the fort in Manila. Since both of our kids, and our son-in-law too, grew up in the Philippines, they all have a taste for Filipino food. So usually, when I visit, my bags are filled with goodies for them. I have had fun grocery shopping this week. As I packed the extra-large suitcase, I had to laugh. The baggage handler at the airport is going to take a deep breath and lift my huge bag, and find that it weighs . . . not much. It is mostly filled with dried noodles, spice packets, and chips.

I hope that the customs agents will believe me when I tell them that I am a doting mama and not an importer for an Asian food store.

The Last Pakistani Fellowship

A year ago, I wrote about our little Pakistani Fellowship at IGSL. There are six adults in this group, and four of us are not from Pakistan. But we meet every month, eat Pakistani food, and pray for Pakistan. It has been such a rich time together and all of us look forward to it each month. It has made us alert as we listen to the news--now when we hear of a bombing or any other crisis, we think, "We have to pray for our Pakistan!"

The Pakistani family (Klamint to James' right, Romela to my right, and Sana on my lap) are about to graduate and move back home in a few weeks. They are our only Pakistani students, which is why the rest of us added ourselves to their group. So, last night we met and prayed for the last time. It was a bit tearful, but a precious time together--the end of another chapter. I'll miss these dear people . . . and I'll miss the biriyani too!

Endless Gifts

It was about two years ago when I started my first book of One Thousand Gifts. Yesterday I recorded gift number 3,166. I have been pretty consistent through these months, although sometimes I go for several days without listing anything. I don't want to be legalistic about it!

It has been such a good experience for me, and I don't think I will ever stop. It's a simple exercise in acknowledging reality. Romans 8:28 says that for those who love God (and we do), and for those who are called for His purpose (and we are), He will cause everything to work together for good. And He does. My list affirms that He knows what He is doing, even when I don't.

So the list is filled with tons of gifts that look like blessings. Writing them down makes me acknowledge that my life is FILLED with good things. And the list also includes some things that don't look like blessings, but I believe are there in my life for His good purpose.

What Do You Call Your Grandma?

I had two grandmothers – I guess we all do, right? My maternal grandmother was Grandma, and my paternal grandmother was Memere. Grandma was born in Ireland, and Memere was born in Vermont of French Canadian parents. I have only one vague memory of each of these women, as both died when I was still very young. But whenever my parents or older siblings spoke of them, these were the names they used.

I had always thought that memere was French for grandma, but when I tried googling it this morning, I learned the French word is grandmere. So where does memere come from? Did my parents make it up??? A little more online searching revealed that memere is only used by French Canadians, not by grandmas in France. Makes sense, since my memere was many generations removed from her family’s roots in France. My search also revealed that memere is a French Canadian slang term for a fat old lady. Ouch!

My sister-in-law is Mimi. My sister asks her grandchildren to call her Granny, and from the time they are born she carries them and sings softly into their ears, “I’m your granny, and I’m your favorite!” I grew up in the southeastern U.S., where most grandmas are called mamaw. In the Philippines, a grandma is a lola. I like the sound of that. I am Lola to many little ones here at IGSL, so I’m used to it already. To our kids from northwest Myanmar, I am Pipi. This week, with a new Nepali baby in the house, I am Hajouraama—quite a mouthful for a little mouth!

So how about you? What do you call your grandma? I need to know—I will be one in three more weeks!

Intersection of the Last Two Posts

My last post was about our guest room, and the one before that was about Baby Sandesh. For the past week my world has revolved around Sandesh and his family who are staying in our guest room! Here he is, resting on the famous Bombay cotton sheets. Mom and baby came home from the hospital on Thursday, then Dad arrived from Nepal on Monday. It has been a precious time of watching these dear ones taking their first steps as a family of three. We have loved that it could happen under our roof.

Still having sleepless nights, but enjoying it all.

Our House

Our house has three bedrooms. The first is our master bedroom. I decorated it nicely right after we moved in. The second was Matt's room when he still lived with us. It's the room where James keeps all his weightlifting apparatus, which I think is very unsightly! So I hardly ever go into that room. The third room is our guest room. It has a bed, bedside tables, and a built in cabinet. I use that room as my office, too. For some reason, I never got around to decorating it. I used a bedspread and curtains from our former house, and left it at that -- just functional.

A few months ago, I decided I should really try to make it more attractive, especially since we do have guests from time to time. I found some pretty fabric (see above) which inspired me to try to make it look nice with a rust and gold color motif. I just worked on it little by little and finally last week I finished everything. We have a lot of pictures, vases, and other knick-knacks that were given to us by our students from different Asian countries. I pulled together the ones that fit with my theme/motif, and I am really happy with how it turned out. My friend told me yesterday that it looks like an Asian hotel room now. Would you like to have a tour?

Here is the bed with the pretty bedspread and matching curtains. I made the bedspread and pillows, but hired someone to do the curtains, because it is time consuming.

Everything in the room has a story, even the sheets on the bed! They were given to us during our first trip to India. James taught two weeks of Bible classes for the CCC staff, and this was their way of saying thanks. We fell in love with India during that trip! The sheets are made of Bombay cotton, and are sort of an overview of the history and geography of India. Not your ordinary bedsheets! Bombay cotton must be good stuff, because we have been using them for seven years and they are still going strong.

This is a wall hanging given to us by one of our students from China. It is based on the Bible verse about forgetting what lies behind and pressing on to what lies ahead. I can still remember Jun An, the Chinese student, earnestly explaining the meaning of the verses. We are proud of our graduates in China, and would love to visit them someday.

If you are our guest, one of the first things you will see when you open your eyes in the morning is this elephant from Thailand. I can't begin to count the number of elephant gifts we have received from Thailand. Wooden, brass, and cloth elephants, elephant t-shirts, elephant bags, elephant coasters. It's definitely the favorite animal there. This was a pillow cover, but I thought it was so pretty that I un-stitched it and had it framed here in the Philippines. We have been to Thailand several times because we usually fly through Bangkok on our way to any other Asian country we are visiting. Visiting our graduates in Thailand is always a highlight for me. I am already trying to figure out when I can visit again. So get your guest room ready, Ruth!

This is a vase from Myanmar. Zam and Mimi, the couple who gave it to us, were our first graduates from Myanmar almost 20 years ago. We have more than 30 graduates there now, and they are working in a very difficult ministry situation. My heart aches when I think about Myanmar. We have been there twice.

I want to give you a closer look. The beautiful dark red design on the vase is a classic Burmese art form. It is made from layers and layers of lacquer, painstakingly applied one layer at a time. It's so elegant!

The natural reeds that form the background for these shelves are from Japan. But we did not receive them from a student. In the mall near our house there is a Japanese discount store that sells every item in the store for $1.83. So that's how I got the Japanese look -- we don't have any students from Japan! Hahaha! So I don't have any emotional response to the reed mats, but I think they are cute.

Now, back to the things that have memories for me. . . Aren't these vases lovely? We received them when we visited North India. They are brass vases inlaid with marble. When I see the vases, what comes to mind was the amazing time we had in Delhi last year with our graduates Deepak and Anuja, as they introduced us to their young disciples from Kashmir. I can still hear the melody of a room full of young men from Muslim backgrounds, all new believers, singing praise songs to Jesus. It was an unforgettable experience.

This tiny vase was given to us by Bernard and Sujeema, our former students from Sri Lanka. It's made of etched brass with black lacquer. We are currently emailing back and forth with Bernard to arrange a trip to Sri Lanka next year, hopefully in May. I can't wait!

This is a framed piece of Indonesian batik cloth. The cloth was given to me by one of our Filipino faculty colleagues who traveled to Indonesia for ministry. I love the picture because it depicts a worker bringing in the harvest -- and reminds me of all of our Indonesian graduates who are doing exactly that. Some of our dear Indonesians have been facing severe persecution in the past few years, and the batik harvester always reminds me to pray for them.

This brass sailboat comes from Bangladesh. It was a gift from Hirak and Metali, the couple who hosted my trip to Bangladesh earlier this year. I have such good memories from Bangladesh, and I smile whenever I see the sailboat. And, plans are in the works for another trip to Bangladesh!

I always enjoy scented candles. This pretty candle was made in the Philippines. It has real leaves embedded in the wax. I have had it for years, but it fits my color scheme perfectly, so now it has found a place in my special room. I use this room to sit and read and have my quiet time, and the sweet-smelling candle adds to the peaceful ambiance. I love it!

This is my reading corner, and the pretty square basket, also from the Philippines, holds my Bible, pens, journal, and whatever I am currently reading. The Philippines is home to us, so many things in the room are from the Philippines. Now when I wake up in the morning, I look forward to coming into this room to read and pray and work. I thought I was decorating it for our guests, but it turns out I am the one who is blessed.

So that, my friends, is my favorite room in the house, our Asian hotel room. When are you going to come and visit? I will wash the Bombay cotton sheets and get your bed ready!

No Sleep, No Regrets

Yesterday another couple in our IGSL family welcomed a new baby. I didn't get to go into the delivery room this time and hold the mother's hand; it was a Cesarean and the hospital is a bit more strict in those cases. But I did get to hold the new baby a few minutes after he was born. This little guy's name is Sandesh Chhetri. His Mom is from the Philippines and his Dad is from Nepal. Both parents graduated from our school about five years ago, and are serving God in Nepal.

The doctor at the left is Dr. Mayette Sapaula, who delivers all of IGSL's babies. It's her special ministry to our school. She is my favorite obstetrician in the whole world! She has delivered literally thousands of babies. Each time, she holds the child in her arms for a moment and prays for his life and future. On my left is the baby's auntie.

This is Sandesh with his Mom. Dad is still in Nepal. He is scheduled to arrive next Monday. Sandesh was expected to arrive a week later, and Dad fully expected to be here for his birth, but Sandesh had other plans. One of my happy chores yesterday was talking to Dad on the phone and telling him that Sandesh had arrived. That was fun -- he was so proud, and insisted that I describe every detail of his appearance. His main question . . . "Does he look like me???" I took these photos to email to Dad.

I spent the night at the hospital trying to help Mom and Baby get the hang of breastfeeding. I am much too old to be waking up every two hours. But I loved every minute of it.

A Grandma Shower

The ladies in my office gave me a "grandma shower" recently. We went to a Japanese restaurant, laughed, prayed, and ate, and they presented me with little boy clothes for baby Daniel James. The Japanese restaurant had no connection to anything. They just thought it would be fun. And it was.

We are expecting our little guy to make his arrival in about six more weeks. The last time I talked to Michelle I said, "It's going to be soon, the date is almost here!" She said, "Mom, that's not soon! It's still a long time to wait!" I guess there is a big difference in the perspective of a mom and grandma. I'm not the one with the the body inhabited by two people! But I do remember that feeling . . . being soooooo tired of waddling instead of walking, wanting some SPACE for my stomach and bladder. So Michelle is definitely in my prayers these days.

In Tagalog (the language of the Philippines), the word for grandchild is "apo". One of my colleagues told me that grandmothers have an apo-stolic ministry. Corny, I know. But it made me smile! Another friend gave me a book called 365 Meditations for Grandmothers. It talks about the many important ministries a grandma has in her grandchild's life. I never knew any of my own grandparents, so this is all totally new to me. I'm already starting my first ministry of praying for Danny's life-- what a joy!

Overflowing

Overflowing, overflowing, overflowing grace (Rom. 5:15)
Precious gift from You, Father, that can never be contained
You saw my need, my broken world, my fallen heart
And you gave me Your Son . . . Oh, far beyond imagination!

Oh, Your grace overflows, overflows in my heart
Let the world see the overflow and praise You!

Overflowing, overflowing, overflowing hope (Rom. 15:13)
By the power of Your Spirit as I put my trust in You
I look ahead at days to come, there's no fear
And I find joy and peace . . . Oh, far beyond imagination!

Oh, Your hope overflows, overflows in my heart
Let the world see the overflow and praise You!

Overflowing, overflowing, overflowing joy
(II Cor. 8:2, Phil. 1:26, II Cor. 7:4)
Just to be in Your family and to never be alone
Bearing burdens, sharing sorrows, tasting tears
And You turn it all to good . . . Oh, far beyond imagination!

Oh, Your joy overflows, overflows in my heart
Let the world see the overflow and praise You!

Overflowing, overflowing, overflowing comfort (II Cor. 1:5)
From You, Father of Compassion, to my soul in my distress
You heal my pain, then let me see Your aching world
And there I am Your servant . . . Oh far beyond imagination!

Oh, Your comfort overflows, overflows in my heart
Let the world see the overflow and praise You!

Overflowing, overflowing, overflowing love (I Thess. 3:12)
From one heart to another, holy, pure, spreading wide
Loving brothers, loving sisters, joy to me
And it gives You such delight . . . Oh, far beyond imagination!

Oh, Your love overflows, overflows in my heart
Let the world see the overflow and praise You!

Overflowing, overflowing, overflowing thanks (Col. 2:7; II Cor. 4:15)
For the treasure that you gave us, hidden in these jars of clay
Rooted deep, growing strong, Christ in us
And this mystery brings you glory . . . O, far beyond imagination!

Oh, our thanks overflows, overflows in our hearts
Let the world see the overflow and praise You!

I wrote this poem last year after doing a word study on "overflowing" in the New Testament. The photo is from my friend Ruth, a gifted photographer. When I saw this photo, I thought the photo and the poem belonged together! The photo is posted with her permission and the poem with her encouragement.

Personal Spiritual Growth

I teach a course in our Partners in Ministry program for our first year students called Personal Spiritual Growth. This year I have 20 students from 8 countries. They come from a variety of backgrounds. I should capitalize that: VARIETY OF BACKGROUNDS. The variety is huge.

Some grew up in Christian families.
Some have been in the ministry for years.
Some are from Hindu, Muslim or Buddhist backgrounds.
Some are very young Christians.
Some have been married for many years.
Some can barely speak English.
Some have suffered severe persecution.
Some have been married just a few months.

The one thing they have in common is that their husbands are first-year students in IGSL.

This year I have incorporated much more group interaction, because I am discovering that they can learn a lot from each other, not only from me. There are some very mature ladies who have wonderful insights. At the same time, I love having new believers from non-Christian backgrounds, because their questions are honest. They don't have all the years of fitting into the mold of what is expected in the church.

Our topics include:

Displaying God's Glory
Creating an Environment for Growth
Experiencing God's Love
Enjoying the Family of God
Walking in the Spirit
Giving and Receiving Forgiveness
Using My Uniqueness for God's Glory
Living with Pain and Suffering
Studying God's Word
Praying Scripturally
Understanding God's Heart for the World

My favorite topic is the one on pain and suffering, but I find that the ladies don't like that one. It's a topic that most people would rather not talk about! But later , they often tell me that was one of the most helpful sessions. Many of the topics are just an introduction, and they will study them more in-depth in later courses.

Please pray for me. I need wisdom and creativity. We are halfway through --our last class day is December 7.

And then, on December 8, I will hop on a plane and fly to Texas to be with Michelle and Jim as they await the arrival of Baby Daniel James. I'm super excited about that!

Eating Ice Cream in the Line of Duty

It's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it! Sometimes I just have to go and eat ice cream with people! Last Saturday I was relaxing at home when I got a phone call from the IGSL campus , saying that one of our scholarship supporters was visiting. Some of our students are supported by a foundation in California, and for years we have been filling out applications and sending reports to this foundation. I have never met any representative from their organization, but I assumed it was a large group with many people.

Anyway, I hurried off to campus where I met Miss May, a sweet, elderly Chinese lady who was eager to spend time with the students she supports. She just happened to be in the Philippines and thought she would look us up! And she said, "Let's go out for lunch!" So we did. Miss May, our IGSL student Sithon from Laos, and I went to the mall. After we finished our lunch, she said, "Let's go somewhere for ice cream!" Sithon suggested that we introduce her to halo-halo, a special Philippine treat featuring ice cream and twelve other ingredients. So off we went to search for halo-halo.

And as we talked, I discovered that she IS the foundation. When her father died, he left her a sum of money, and her dream was to use it to help educate Asian pastors and equip them for ministry. And she has done that for a few decades now, quietly, from her own home--an unsung hero making an impact all over Asia. My job is so fun!

The Next Generation

Psalm 78 has been a favorite psalm of mine since I first became a mom. Verses 1-7 are so precious . . . encouraging us to teach the next generation about what an awesome God we have, so that "each generation should set its hope anew on God."

.

I've been thinking about this more and more since I am about to become a grandma. I am so, so, so excited to watch Jim and Michelle start the process with another generation. And I am sure that when December comes I will fill my blog with grandma posts.

.

But this is not a grandma post, it's an auntie post. The sweet girl in this photo is Pristine Roxas, whom I have known since the day she was born. She is the daughter of our good friends Tom and Cynthia. I watched this baby learn to walk and talk. She calls me auntie, and I know her better than I know my own nieces and nephews.

Yesterday I watched her organize and pull off a surprise birthday party for her mom. (I told you we are really into birthday parties in this country!) It was all Pristine's idea, planned and executed with her fun-loving and creative spirit. Seeing the godly young woman that Pristine has become is a great joy.

.

Sometimes walking with Jesus is hard. There are tears. It has been "granted to us to suffer for his sake" and I know that very well. But sometimes, Jesus lets us enjoy the sweet fruit of our labors. I love it when that happens!