The first holiday was Thanksgiving normally our family would come to our home. The ladies would come stay the night and we would prepare meals and stay up all night talking and having a lot of fun while the guys were gone. We would even invite all my little nieces over and let them in on all the fun of cooking. This year I believe it all still took place, same people, same place, just no Angie! I missed them but I was still happy they continued the family tradition that we started a few years back. They told me they hung my picture on the fridge and I called them a dozen of times!
As for us we missed everyone and we were a little sad but it wasn’t too bad, Renee and I got up and started to prepare dinner while the Joey’s went on a 15mile horse ride with the natives. When they came back we took our dinner over to the children’s home and had Thanksgiving with them. I started a new tradition this year, I found my best table cloth and used it and had everyone sign it and write on there what they were Thankful for and every year from here out whoever we spend Thanksgiving with we will have them sign it as well.
Our family has been celebrating many answered prayers and blessing these past couple of months and at the same time we have experienced some hardship and trials. Let us share with you:
In October NCF received an electric bill for the gym that was a little over $800.00 the bill for the gym is normally around $125.00 since I am overseeing the accounting I took the bill up to NTUA to see why we were being charged this amount they came off with their excuse and tried to explain it to me but it wasn’t making any sense so I let it go. Came back explained it to Bo and James they had their electrician come out and look over all the electrical stuff in the gym he couldn’t find any reason to why it was so high.
I know all the staff had been praying about it for weeks because the entire bill for all the buildings is normally around $950.00 and there was no way NCF could afford an extra $675. Finally I made one more attempt in November and called NTUA I told Bo and James that I would call them one more time and just to pray. When I called I expressed there had to be a mistake and we wanted to dispute the amount. I get a phone call the very same day back from NTUA and they said they credit the account back! When I phoned Bo to tell him the good news he was so thankful and praising God, he was in tears, he thanked me for my persistence and not giving up. Prayer really changes things!!!
The end of November Renee’s fiancé came to Dilkon and they were married by James Paddock in our home on December 11th we were very thankful that they were able to have this take place before the arrival of our new grandbaby on December 13th. Her husband is Carlos Velasquez he is from Guatemala; his parents still live in the country and the only family he has here is back in KY which is 2 brothers. Renee and Carlos dream is to return back to Guatemala one day for a visit and to do an outreach in the name of Jesus for his community.
Yes, we are now grandparents!! What a wonderful and blessed privilege it is to become grandma and grandpa!!!. Renee had her baby at 11:09am on Sunday Dec. 13th. It was a BOY, Christian Taylor Velasquez he weighed 9lbs 5oz. she ended up having to have a C-section due to the size of the baby. We are so blessed to have a healthy baby boy, he is a cutie pie. We all just can’t get enough of him even “Uncle Joey”. Taylor makes a hard day become an easy one just by holding him and looking into his sweet baby eyes. He is a daily reminder that God is present in our lives and He is with us.
Shortly after the baby arrived home the Joey’s were out leveling some ground with the 4wheeler and as they were finishing Joey Sr. fell off and broke his collar bone. Thank God that is all it was but he has had a little trouble holding his new grand baby.
Our next praise is the visit from my sister, she has never flew on a plane and she got on one all by herself and came to spend 5 days with us thanks to the financial help of our family members. We both needed this visit for a few reasons. I think it helped us to get through Christmas without each other and it was our first Christmas without our father. I love my little sister and worry about her a lot so it was a blessing to see her.
She came just in time to help me with the children at the children’s home the same day she arrived there was 2 more children that came to the home. Joey and I were sitting with the kids while Carol and James were away for a couple of days. We had a total of 5 kids it was very interesting and fun. We made Christmas candy and cupcakes with them on Friday to sell at our swap meet that Joey and I planned for a fundraiser for NCF on Saturday. The swap meet turned out ok we didn’t really make much money, but we plan on doing this at least once a month and we think that in time it will pick up.
Stephanie got to experience all of that and we taught her to ride a horse, ride a 4wheeler, and rope. I also took her to the Little Painted Desert. Oh…plus she got to hold Baby Taylor.
This Christmas was very hard for many reasons; we missed our family and friends, we missed all of the exciting Christmas plays, events, and dinners it was the first year ever that our children woke up to not one single present under the tree to open. Up until Christmas Eve all we had for dinner was a ham. Talk about being worried and feeling guilty!!
This year we realized how easy it is to say "Jesus is the reason for the season", "don't forget why we celebrate Christmas" “Keep Christ in Christmas” and all the other quotes. Up till this year we thought we was celebrating Christmas for the real reason until all the other stuff was taking away and the only thing we had left was the birth of Jesus.
I tell you for us it was very hard to celebrate when all we did was feel sorry for ourselves. We almost feel ashamed to call ourselves a Christian especially after being invited to dinner on Christmas at the children’s home and going over there and visiting the children. They had NO family, NO gifts, NO way to talk to their family, not even knowing when they will be able to return home, NOTHING!!
We soon realized that we was so wrong all day moaning, being unhappy about what we didn’t have and the sad thing is we knew better, we knew in our hearts that we should be thankful for a lot this Christmas, We had all of our children with us, We were blessed with a wonderful son-n-law that treats our daughter and new grandbaby wonderfully. We were alive and healthy and how privilege that we were to be chosen to serve here at NCF and able to be there for those children when their family wasn’t.
When the children from the home slipped into their rooms crying on Christmas Eve and Christmas day because they couldn't be with their family, and I found them each time it broke my heart. I personally grew and realized that this is why all we need for Christmas…. is our Savior!!
We are thankful this all happened because now we know what the true meaning of Christmas is all about and we don’t need a tree, we don’t need presents, we don’t need our entire family around us, all we need is Jesus in our life…everyday all year round!!! He is the only gift we should want or need; besides He blesses us with gifts all the time and it don’t have to be a “special occasion”.
The week of Christmas we celebrated several birthdays with the Paddocks, one being James, (administrator for NCF), and then his 95yr old mother, and then Jaron who turned 7 (James grandson).
The coldness has really set in, when it snows it normally would melt by lunch time however, now it stays around which is nice for the moisture but it has caused problems for the gym. This week we had a pipe freeze and bust it caused damage to the floor and the boys urinals so please pray for NCF for that and their finances for the new year coming.
Please also pray for us, pray the God will help us to be able to provide for our family more and pray for us to stay strong emotionally and physically. Pray for us to keep our eyes focused on Him. Pray for our outreach ministries.
I know everyone wants to know when we are coming hove for a visit. Well our plan is to be home for the last two weeks in February. We are going to put it in writing and give it to James this Sunday at our staff meeting. We can’t wait to see everyone.
We also heard about the “Mission Tree” at church and we want to thank everyone for ALL they did and continue to do for us we really appreciate it!!!
God Bless
Joey & Angie
Wow Angie, I got teary-eyed just seeing how much you've grown, spiritually. You inspire me daily with your faith and service to our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.
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