Tordoff Family 2013 Christmas Letter

2013 Tordoff Family Christmas Letter

From Michelle, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to my family and friends.   Chairen (Greeting that means JOY TO YOU!!)   From James 1:  Count it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you meet trials of various kinds for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have it's full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.   

I wanted to write out all of Chapter 1 because it is so rich and full of great truths, but decided I’d start you with a smidgen to entice you to read the rest on your own.  It will bless you.   I am in the midst of teaching 2 groups of women James through a Beth Moore study and have been chewing on it for a few months now and couldn't resist beginning my letter this year with James.   I have also been working on a book for NANOWRIMO.org for National Novel Writing Month.   It's what I wanted to write for my children when I was ill, but didn't have the “umph” to do it.   What else has been going on in the Tordoff home?   Well, it's been a busy, busy year.   Here are the highlights:

January: 

œ Michael still playing basketball with the home school team.
œ Nicholas and John Russell went to Passion in Atlanta.  

February:  

œ    Christopher turned 4 (sweet, fun fella.  Still my baby!)

œ    Nicholas turned 18 (finishing up 2 classes to graduate high school and working with Dad.  Great help!)  Note:  the picture below John Russell is our Christmas picture that we were trying to accomplish the 1800’s no smile effect….Nicholas smiled!

œ    Emily turned 8 (sweet, snuggly, full of sugar.  A joy to be around!)

• œ    John Russell turned 20 (grown and on his own.  Proud of him!)
  
  

March:

œ Great home school conference in Greenville.    A mini-vacation for the kiddos and I amidst a lot of learning.
œ Our Rotsky’s were born (Rottweiler/Siberian Husky mix)

April: 

œ Rylie Kay turned 7 (she is now in 2^nd grade and always an A student!)  

œ Cindy turned 27 (and is now an RN who works full time)

May:

œ  Great Mother's Day at Nana's Log Cabin in the country.

  

Organized a 5K, Jamaican Me Run, for our church's youth group.   Lots of fun!

œ Trip to see family in Florida.   Great fun. 

June:

œ    Beach trip to see our good friend Suzanne.

œ    Praise turned 14 (sweet, big reader, my mystery watching partner.    Great help!)

 œ Everyone either helped or was a part of V.B.S. and the littles went to a lot of other VBS’s.  (The World Tour ~or so it felt .)

July:

Nicholas and Timothy take a mission trip to Jamaica to help build a community center and do Vacation Bible School for the area

they were visiting.

œ    Michael turned 12 (active, loves to bake, great at organizing.   Very motivated!)

August:

œ    I turned 47 (and so thankful for another year!)
œ    Timothy turned 16 (helpful, funny, got interested in current events and politics this year.   Blessed to have him!)
œ    Began “Dress A Girl Around the World.”  A sewing club in my home for orphans.

September:

œ    Nicholas begins working full-time in the Wood business with his Daddy (so far he's done cabinets, wood floors, tile, and more)
œ    Timothy and John Russell work part-time for All About Wood (Rusty's business)   Timothy is still doing high school and John Russell works at Earth Fare also.œ     

œ    Our home school co—op started back.  I am teaching American Literature and helping teach Biology.

October:

œ    Our 28^th Anniversary
œ    Jackson turned 5 (active, funny, tender-hearted.   Love this fella!)

œ  Sam Simms lost his battle with nonHodgkins Lymphoma.    (Did I mention I HATE cancer.)  He loved the Lord and is now pain free.   I rejoice for him, yet my heart hurts and is heavy for his family.  His mother and I have been friends since junior high.  

œ    Began teaching “James” on Wednesday nights at church and lunch time on Monday’s at the house.   Love spending time in the Word with these ladies!

  

November:

œ    John Russell is registered to begin school in January.  He is going to work hard to become an R.N. 
œ    Helped organize a Home Run Derby for Sam Simms.  (My nearly life long friend Frankie has a daughter, Jessi, who did this for her high school project.)  The proceeds went to Make-A-Wish foundation and the Sam Simms 4-H scholarship fund in Bulloch county.
œ    Spent Thanksgiving with the North Carolina family. 

December

œ    1 year cancer free (Praise the Lord!)
œ    Fran and Mike are officially in Thomson, GA.
œ    Merry CHRISTmas.

Thanks for taking the time to read our long Christmas letter.  Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a blessed and Happy New Year.

Love,

Michelle & Rusty

And the rest of the Tordoff Troop

 

Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation

 

Issued by President George Washington, at the request of Congress, on October 3, 1789

 

By the President of the United States of America, a Proclamation.

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and—Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me “to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:”

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favor, able interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquillity, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted; for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations, and beseech Him to pardon our national and other trangressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally, to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation 10/3/1863

 

By the President of the United States of America.

A Proclamation.

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consiousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln
William H. Seward,
Secretary of State

A Month of Thankfulness

Thought I'd add my face book posts here for my month of thankfulness for my kiddos who might have missed it.

Thankfulness day 1 and 2: Thankful for friends and family. Thankful for the freedoms we have daily in the Lord.

Day 3:  Today I am thankful for an extra hour of sleep. (Apologies to my hubby and Cindy who had to work an extra hour last night, but it was wonderful!)

Day 4:  Thankful today for my Cindy! what a blessing she has been and continues to be. Worked hard all night and still showed up at lunch for our Bible study, and even invited us over for dinner tonight. Love my girl!

Thankful for my son-in-love too!

Day 5:  Today I am thankful for John Russell! We prayed like Hannah for the Lord to bless us with another child and He was gracious to us. Thankful for the young man he has become, the goals he is working to accomplish, and his love for the Lord. I am a blessed mama indeed!
  

Day 6: 

Today I am thankful for my Nicholas. He began as the biggest baby at 8# 4oz (until Christopher came along), and then believe it or not was the tiniest fella growing up. You wouldn't know it now when you see him! He is my quietest fella, yet has the strongest will. When he was little fella, I worried I may break his will instead of shape it. So my prayer has always been that his strong will be used for His glory, and thankfully he does have a heart for the things of God. He is a great help to his Dad in the carpentry business and we are so thankful that the Lord blessed us with him 18+ years ago.

Day 7:  Today I am thankful for Timothy! Every home needs a Timothy to make them laugh (it really is great medicine). We love the young man he has become, his kindness towards others, his love for the Lord, and his love for life. Thankful for our Timothy!

Day 8:   Today I am thankful for our miracle baby Praise. Thankful for all the help she generously offers, her sweet spirit, and her love for books. May she continue to grow in the Lord this coming year. Thankful for her name that reminds us to praise the Lord from Whom all blessings flow.

Day 9:  Thankful for my Michael! He came into the world going transverse during labor which ended my midwife assisted birth and turned it into a c-section, and he has beat to his own drum ever since! Thankful for his "get it done" personality that will do chores and school early, his love for cooking, and his helpfulness. It's a joy to be his mom!

Day 10:  Today I am thankful for my sweet Emily Ruth. She may be growing up, but she is still a little snuggle bug when she is tired, she has a contagious joy about life, and she is sweet as sugar. Love my Emily.

Day 11:  Today I am thankful for my Christopher. He is all boy, yet still the baby. He wakes up loving life, yet doesn't mind hitting the hay at the end of the day. He is always happy and loves his older siblings and his nephew Jackson! Love my little fella.

 Today I am thankful for my handsome husband Rusty!    He was my high school sweetheart and I love him more everyday.  He is a hard-working man who loves his children.  Most of all I love how we still laugh a lot together.  Cannot believe it's been 28 years married and 31 years together!

 



 

Thanksgiving

Eyes on the Prize

Earlier I woke my Christopher up and told him to get a shower because he had a doctor appointment this morning with his brother Michael.   Christopher is four years old.  His first response was "Noooo, I don't want to go to the doctor."   I told him I understood, but we needed to go.  As he was dressing he asks me, "What are they going to do, Mom?"   I told him he was to get a few shots.   He jumps up and says, "Yes, I am getting stickers!".     I said pretty incredulously, "okay, let's do this."

Sure enough, he gets up on the table in the office and he pulls up his pants legs for his shots.  (We could not get those pants down for a million stickers!)   He gets three shots without making the slightest face or flinch.   As I talk to the nurse, he did get up and sneak over to his older brother and whisper to him that the first one really burned.    We check out, he gets his stickers, and we drive merrily out of the office.   Wow, that was way too easy, I thought.  Then I got it!   He kept his eyes on the prize and didn't let his mind think about what he was going through.    He just thought if he did what he needed to do that he would get his sticker.   He was focused.

Ahhhh, to have the faith of a child (Matthew 18:3).  When I go through trials, tribulations, struggles, sad times, hard times, etc., what do I focus on.    Do I have the inward hook and focus on "woe is me"?   That is probably my first natural reaction.    How will this get paid?   Will I be healed from cancer?   Will our marriage survive this struggle?  Will my child make wise decisions?   Will I always battle this problem?   Will my struggles consume my every thought?   Or will I be like Christopher and keep my eyes on the prize?   Hebrews 12:2 says to "fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

As I discussed with a friend my thoughts on the morning, she said "but it's harder when  you are an adult and the problems are bigger and much more difficult."    I said to her perhaps.   But what bigger problem does the average four year old face than the fear of getting a shot?  Why should we behave any differently as adults?   The Lord doesn't make it harder for us as we grow, but easier because we can read His Word.   His Spirit lives within us.   His Word speaks to us as we encourage ourselves with It.   Our circumstances should never determine our joy.   James says in chapter 1 to "Count it all joy, my brothers,when you meet trials of various kinds,  for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."   I want to grow up and be like Christopher and keep my eyes on the Prize!
 
Video: Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

Thanksgiving Everyday!

I love this book!!   I read it a few years ago after a home school conference.   We've kept nature journals off and on for years, but wanted to get back in the habit this year.    This year I put it on my calendar to do every Monday with Emily so I could be sure to get back in the habit of nature journaling.    If you enjoy Pocketful of Pinecones, I am absolutely sure you will also love her "Lessons at Blackberry Inn."   

Hope you are having a happy Monday and enjoying this fall weather!    I will end today's post with a poem from William Blake in 1783.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To Autumn 

O Autumn, laden with fruit, and stainèd
With the blood of the grape, pass not, but sit
Beneath my shady roof; there thou may'st rest,
And tune thy jolly voice to my fresh pipe,
And all the daughters of the year shall dance!
Sing now the lusty song of fruits and flowers.

 

The narrow bud opens her beauties to
The sun, and love runs in her thrilling veins;
Blossoms hang round the brows of Morning, and
Flourish down the bright cheek of modest Eve,
Till clust'ring Summer breaks forth into singing,
And feather'd clouds strew flowers round her head.

The spirits of the air live on the smells
Of fruit; and Joy, with pinions light, roves round
The gardens, or sits singing in the trees.'
Thus sang the jolly Autumn as he sat;
Then rose, girded himself, and o'er the bleak
Hills fled from our sight; but left his golden load.

Teaching Our Daughters to be Keepers of Home - back on schedule

We took a lot of time off for the summer because our schedules just didn't jive.   But we are back in the groove of things.  Here is what our last week looked like:

Sewing:  We ran out of time, so I described our next project which is oven mitts.   I sent material home to be cut out and we will sew it next week..

Cooking & Baking:   The girls made tuna roll ups.   They were delish!

Bible
We read “Company Manners” and “Courtesy to Strangers” and discussed a lot about how we treat others including our own family.

We discussed that we are going to let the boys have a productive project while the girls are busy at their things.  We decided to let them do a postcard swap where they will collect postcards from all over the U.S. and  maybe the world.   I joined a group before I got cancer that swaps postcards so I just have to jump back in.   They also could write letters or think of things they could collect to send to soldiers.  They usually play basketball, but thought they could also have chess playing days too.   

This Thursday we will finish our mitts.   Stay tuned  .

George Mueller on Prayer and the Great Secret of Success

"It is not enough for the believer to begin to pray, nor to pray correctly; nor is it enough to continue for a time to pray. We must patiently, believingly continue in prayer until we obtain an answer.  Further, we have not only to continue in prayer until the end, but we have also to believe that God does hear us and will answer our prayers. Most frequently we fail in not continuing in prayer until the blessing is obtained, and in not expecting the blessing. Those who are disciples of the Lord Jesus should labor with all their might in the work of God as if everything depended upon their own endeavors. Yet, having done so, they should not in the least trust in their labor and efforts, nor in the means that they use for the spread of the truth, but IN GOD ALONE; and they should with all earnestness seek the blessing of God in persevering, patient, and believing prayer. Here is THE GREAT SECRET OF SUCCESS, my Christian reader. Work with all your might, but never trust in your work. Pray with all your might for the blessing in God, but work at the same time with all diligence, with all patience, with all perseverance. Pray, then, and work. Work and pray. And still again pray, and then work. And so on, all the days of your life. The result will surely be abundant blessing. Whether you see much fruit or little fruit, such kind of service will be blessed." – George Muller

Believer's are FATHER'S SPECIALS!! Ephesians 1:3-14

Was reading through an older book and found this bookmark from Pastor Wade Trimmer.   Love this reminder!!

Believer's are FATHER'S SPECIALS!!

Ephesians 1:3-14

S-OVEREIGNLY CHOSEN - elected us

P-OSITIONALLY HOLY - justified us

E-XPERIENTIALLY CHANGED - regenerated us

C-OMPLETELY ACCEPTED - reconciled us

I-NCREDIBLY SECURE - adopted us

A-VOWEDLY VALUABLE - redeemed us

L-EGALLY CLEARED - forgiven us

S-ECURELY MANAGED - sealed us