Days at Our Home Hello everyone! Well, here I am, finally, but I’m finding it somewhat difficult to know just where to begin! I’m sure you’ve all felt that way at some time or another. I guess it’s typical of human nature. =) I think I’ll begin with telling you some news of an exciting nature. Now, don’t hold your breath because this “exciting thing” has already happened; nevertheless, it’s still a “marvelous” thing to look back upon. Now I know you’re really curious! =) Well, okay... I guess you know by now (that is, if you’ve already read “Dear Sisters” of this issue) that we did end up moving our nine member family into that seemingly tiny 14’x80' mobile home. I wonder what you would think if I told you that another ten member family moved into that same small space with us?! I can just see some of you gasping for breath right now =). So, to relieve your minds, I must say (sadly for us Chapins), that no, this family did not actually move in with us, but rather that they came to visit us (from Illinois) and stayed for only one week.... Oh, but we had the most wonderful time together, didn’t we, Melody and Esther? Before I go on to tell about this most exciting week, I’d better introduce you to this most wonderful family! =) Mr. and Mrs. Pinzur are the head of all that follows: Av (18), Esther (15), Joseph (11), Joanna (8), Bethany (6), Samuel (5), Jonathan (3), and Ezra (1). Well now, I guess I’ll just start with the day that they arrived, and work my way up from there! All right......to begin our week, Melody and I were hurriedly rushing around, changing bedsheets, pulling clothes, etc. out of drawers and stuffing them into plastic containers and boxes, making closet space for the Pinzurs’ clothes, washing blankets, vacuuming, and putting name stickers on 17 plastic cups (the two baby cups didn’t need stickers.J) Anyway, excitement was thick in the air, and in all the hustle and bustle I managed to work up quite a sweat. There was still time to cool down and admire the numerous shining speckles in the dark, blue sky before the Pinzur family finally managed to pull into our gravel driveway, however. It was with great pent-up joy that we welcomed them all into our home, and then...the fun began! The whole Pinzur family was animated from the very beginning, (Mr. Pinzur especially), and we listened to him relate event after event to us in a most delightfully dramatic manner! After supper (as it was already very late) we hurried to make the beds and floor pallets ready... Now, I suppose all of you must be perfectly curious as to how in the world we managed to fit nineteen people into three bedrooms (one of these being, in reality, the computer room)? Well, the solution was relatively quite simple. We put both sets of parents each into one bedroom, along with a babybed for each baby. The two little Pinzur boys “camped-out” on their parent’s bedroom floor, and Tommy, Samuel and Harmony “camped-out” on Mom and Dad’s bedroom floor. That left only the two older Pinzur boys, Av and Joseph (who “camped-out” in the computer room), and we three older girls (Melody, Esther, and myself), and the three younger girls (Joanna, Bethany, and Charity), who “camped-out” in the livingroom... Okay, okay, so we didn’t have enough beds to go around, but we sure had enough floors. =) Just be glad we didn’t have to hang everyone up on a peg on the wall, as was jokingly suggested by my dad! =) No, but seriously, everything worked out just fine. Before I continue, I want to sort of paint an overall view of our situation and surroundings in light of the nine younger children (aged 9 and under!) First, picture yourself running a mini-daycare of nine, energetic children in one medium-sized livingroom and one kitchen. (Now I’m not saying that this is exactly what it was like here or that this was an absolute limit to out space here at all times. Not at all! I’m just trying to get your imagination working. =) ) But anyway, what do you think you would do to keep them preoccupied? Now, I remember when Melody, Tommy, and I were little. Some of our favorite things to do would’ve included turning somersaults, twirling to music, trying to learn how to fly by jumping off of things and flapping our “wings”, making tents so large that a person could hardly walk through the rooms they were erected in, playing on the swingset or in the treehouse, skating on the paved driveway, and building with blocks. But now, I want you to imagine with me for a minute, nine young children turning somersaults and twirling to music; nine young children trying to learn how to fly; nine young children making tents so huge that...that..! Anyway, you get the picture. Thankfully, it’s an exaggerated one! So, what did we do with all of these younger ones in such seemingly tight quarters? Did we put them all in boxes and tell them to go to sleep, or did we leave the house to escape the noise while everyone took to painting the walls and swinging from the curtains? Thankfully we did neither! I guess you could say that we saw from the beginning that if all this was to work out, we would need a schedule. Now you understand why I brought all of the above up. It was to show you that yes, indeed, we did need a schedule, and a strict one at that... So exactly what was this schedule like, and what did all of these little ones actually do during the day? Now I’ve reached a subject that if I elaborate on too much, you will quickly grow bored and quit reading altogether... However, I imagine that you probably will want to know at least sort of what it was like. I’ll try to keep it as short and simple as possible. =) Before 6:00 a.m. - everybody woke up; older ones got dressed and helped younger ones dress as much as possible before breakfast; beds were made up, and breakfast was cooked by (Summer), but often with Melody and Esther’s help. 6:00 a.m. - breakfast was eaten, and then we had family devotions before Dad went to work... Around 8:00 a.m. - All clean-up chores should have been completed by then; personal devotions for two of the older girls started, while remaining girl read stories to younger ones in living room for an hour. 9:00 a.m. - The other two girls came in to watch the younger ones, while the third girl went out for one hour of personal devotions. The two girls “divided” the younger ones into two groups - The older group did math worksheets, coloring, writing, etc. at the kitchen table, while the younger group played in the living room with blocks, etc. After the worksheets were completed, the little ones were usually free to play outside on swingset, or in playhouse (shed). 11:00 a.m. - lunch was eaten, and then clean-up and chore time followed. After that, playtime resumed for most of the younger ones, while older ones busied themselves with different projects, or just whatever needed to be done, etc... I think I need to break into the middle of the “schedule” to make something clear. -I need to say here that most of the serious playing that was done while the Pinzurs were here, was done outside, even when it was cloudy or rainy (which was what most of the week was like, believe it or not)! When it wasn’t raining, everyone could play in our huge backyard and on the swing-set, but when it was raining, they could busy themselves in the “playhouse”, (which definitely came in real handy, as you may well imagine!) Sometimes, different ones of us also took little walks to the back of the land to admire our gently flowing creek, and one time... oh, but that’s another story! =) Back to the schedule: Supper was officially ready at 5:00 p.m. After that was kitchen clean-up; then visiting time between the two families (normally in the living-room), and the younger ones got ready for bed. Around 8:00 p.m. the two families separated for personal family time and devotions. Bed was (supposedly) at 9:00 pm. Now, although I’ll admit that’s a pretty strict schedule, I won’t admit that we kept it strictly. Well, you know what I mean... We left room for flexibility, and didn’t do everything exactly on the dot..=)...and occasionally, uh, ah, Esther, Melody, and I would do a little serious discussing, as well as light chatting, after all the younger ones had tapped out.=) So...there, you get the picture? I think the “schedule” gives you at least some idea of what it was like around here - At least for me, Melody and Esther (and the younger ones). Most of our time during the weekdays was spent cooking, washing dishes, keeping our eyes on the younger children, and trying to talk together whenever we could. Of course that’s what “big girls” are for, right? =) (No, I’m not being sarcastic! It really was a lot of fun!) To be a little more specific ( and I think I’ve got it straight here), Tuesday, Esther baked bread while I cut out material for a dress; Wednesday, I baked bread, and then Melody, Esther, and I sat down to address sample and back issues of “YWSH”; and Thursday, Melody and I disappeared for the day to clean house for our Aunt Gloria in Dallas, and then we rushed back home to “rescue” Esther. =) And then Saturday came along... Finally. Our family had been waiting for the weekend all week long. Why? Because it’s on the weekends that the most exciting things often happen! Not only that, but we could also rest together and visit more. (And here I switch to present tense for the sake of making this day seem more interesting) Saturday - the day to actually rest and enjoy God and His wonderful creation is finally here! Ahh, glorious day - just perfect for a little trek into the woods to enjoy the wonderful creek with its steep, muddy banks and sandy, sea-shell littered shores. (I’ll explain about the sand and sea-shells later. =) ) So it all starts like this... Mr. Pinzur decides to accompany Tommy and Joseph out to the creek. Well, before you know it, all seven of the younger children decide what a delightful thing it would be if they could accompany Mr. Pinzur and the two boys... (Whoa!... ... psst! Esther? Melody? Summer? Don’t you think your assistance may be needed out there with seven young children on those steep muddy banks, and sandy, sea-shell littered shores?) I don’t know exactly whose idea it is for us three older girls to accompany Mr. Pinzur, the two boys, and all the little ones out to those steep, muddy banks and sandy, sea-shell littered shores, but whoever’s idea it is, we all three decide that it is a good one. After all, who can resist the thrilling lure of adventure?! =) ...Actually, we don’t fully realize just what an adventure it’s going to turn out to be! ...So anyway, here I am, searching frantically around for my sweater, when Esther comes rushing in, “Oh, Summer? Melody says to bring the camera.” Ah yes, my camera! No I certainly mustn’t forget that... especially since I’ll be needing some pictures of this little trip to print with “Days At Our Home”. Hurriedly, I pull on my sweater, grab the camera, and tuck an extra roll of film into my pocket. There, all set! It only takes me a few moments to catch up with the others, for, although they are already half-way to the creek, one can’t expect younger children to walk twice as fast as someone twice as big. =) After reaching Esther and Melody, I then drop back for a moment to take a snapshot or two. They turn around obligingly and smile. We are now within the woods and are only a few yards away from the section of the creek where a great uprooted tree reaches from one side of the bank to the other. Tommy has already slid partway down the bank to the tree and is heading across. We girls walk together to the edge of the bank, which is, on our side, a steep drop-off of about 16 feet. I am still holding the camera in one hand... Oww! What in the world? I glance down at my dress to see what is pricking me. Sure enough. It’s one of those nasty sticker bushes which have constantly been getting in my way ever since I first entered the woods. Ah, well, at least there’s a simple solution. I reach down with my right hand and grasp the sticker bush, moving backward simultaneously. “Ohh!!” I gasp as I suddenly realize that I’ve lost my grip on the camera! Esther, Melody, and I watch in horror as the camera tumbles down the steep incline, and plunges with a sudden splash into the shallow water. Helplessly, I watch it being swept swiftly down the stream. I panic. Who will rescue the camera? If someone doesn’t jump in quickly, it will surely be lost! We spot Tommy still standing in the middle of the uprooted tree. It’s only a few feet’s drop from the tree into the water, and the camera will soon be passing directly beneath him. “Jump in, Tommy! Jump in!”, several of us yell. Tommy looks up questioningly. “Yes, jump in! The camera’s almost there!” After a moment’s hesitation, Tommy crouches, plunges in, and grabs the camera. What a relief is mine when I finally have the camera safely back in my own two hands. “The film is surely ruined, but the camera should recover.” I explain as several persons bombard Melody and me with concerned questions and comments. Thankfully, we’ve been through this before...with another camera. (Ahh, how well I remember the day when I returned home from an outing, only to discover that Harmony, who knew no better at the time, thought she would do us a favor by washing - yes, washing our camera! At first, we were greatly discouraged, for it was our family’s only working camera with a flash. But, after several days of drying out, we were very pleased to discover that the camera was not ruined after all. PTL!) So now I stand assessing the situation. “Hmm...I think that if this camera is now unusable (at least for awhile), perhaps I should buy some 110 film at Wal-Mart this evening to put in the other camera that Harmony washed. That way, perhaps I can still take pictures to print in “Days At Our Home” of the Pinzurs before they leave next week... Yes, that’s what I’ll do.” Reassured, I gently dry the 35mm camera I am holding and hang it on the twig of a small tree, to prevent the same mistake from occurring again. So here I am, standing beside the twig from which my camera is “daintily” suspended. What am I going to do now? It seems quite obvious that it is not in the Lord’s plan for me to put photos of this outing into the next issue of “YWSH”...and, I really am not certain that it is in the Lord’s plan for me to make my way down that steep, muddy bank, and to walk across the uprooted tree to the gentler slope, (and the sandy, sea-shell littered shore) on the other side, either. Well, you see, um, I’m not...exactly fond of ....mud. =) So, I finally decide to just stand there with Mr. Pinzur and watch all the others have a most wonderfully grand time. -Or is it? You’ll soon find out what kind of a wonderfully grand time it turns out to be. =) Okay, so the first problem we must solve is how in the world do we manage to get so many young children down this steep, muddy, bank, and onto the uprooted tree? Hmm.. simple solution. Since Melody and Esther have already managed to make it down safely, if we can just somehow contrive to hand them all down one at a time for Esther and Melody to take across, everything will be in perfect control! And so we manage...quite perfectly. I watch eagerly as the Pinzurs then begin to scan the ground near the creek for these Texas souvenirs I keep mentioning...yes, you got it! - sea-shells! Seashells? What in the world are sea-shells doing in a creek in Texas? Well, let me explain... These “seashells” that I keep mentioning are completely fossilized! =) So, how did they end up in Texas?... by the Great Flood mentioned in Genesis, of course! I don't think that I would be exaggerating to say that at some places near our creek, there are “lumps” and “clumps” of seashells! The first time I saw these shells after moving here, I was absolutely amazed. God is just so faithful in providing the evidence for His creation and the infallibility of His Word! (As for the sand that I keep mentioning, there’s some of that too, but I’ll admit that this particular spot I’m speaking of is layered with plenty of loose rock as well, so it’s not completely “sandy”. =) ) ...So here everyone is, gathering up these fossilized sea-shells and giving them to Esther so she can walk across the tree and hand them up the steep bank to her dad. It’s quite a job! Finally, Esther decides that they have enough sea-shells, and the younger ones resort to following Esther and Melody up the muddy bank on the other side of the creek. Getting them up is also a feat, but once up, they have fun exploring the woods...at least for a short while. And then comes the test! Getting them all back down again, and then back up the other side to where Mr. Pinzur and I are still standing. Uh oh! I nearly choke in horrified amusement as I then watch the younger ones try to make their own way down the muddy slope at a place where it’s not very steep. I can hardly give an accurate description of the scene... but it looks funny, although it really isn’t (if you know what I mean =). ) Try to imagine a really slippery, muddy slope, and then picture six or seven younger children trying their best to get down it!... The funniest thing, though, is that after Harmony makes it safely to the rocky bottom, she suddenly decides that she’s landed in the wrong place, and so starts climbing up the muddy slope once again. Oh, is she ever now a mess! Okay, now that they’ve managed to get all that wonderful brown stuff all over them, Melody and Esther have to help them across the fallen tree and up the steep bank to the other side. The process turns out to be somewhat difficult, but, with a great deal of help from Mr. Pinzur, and some from me, the job gets done. Finally, we all being half amused and half disgruntled at the muddy sight we now make, we trek through the woods, through the field, past the pond, and to the trailer. Relieved, we all slip out of our mud-caked shoes at the back door. Whew! What an interesting adventure... And no, I won’t say that it wasn’t fun!... although I know that my poor camera will never say that it was actually fun! =)....but that is to be expected. Saturday still isn’t over, and so , after our little trip to the creek, it is a delightful treat for me, Melody, and Esther, that Mom decides to sit down at the piano to play while we sing a few hymns. It is something we’ve been wanting to do all week, and, so on an impulse, we decide to record it. After we girls sing for awhile, everyone gathers in the livingroom to discuss our trip to the creek. Then, as two families, we settle down to sing Psalms together, discuss the scriptures, and listen to a taped sermon. It is a wonderful spiritual fellowship that we share! At night, after the sun has disappeared beneath the horizon, and supper has been heartily consumed, Melody, Esther and I leave the dirty kitchen behind and head off to Wal-Mart with Dad to do the weekly shopping. It really isn’t an undesirable retreat, as Melody and I enjoy shopping (especially since Esther gets to go along =) ) And I’ll admit that it’s not a minor relief when we girls make it home to find the dishes sparkling clean... Thanks to the boys! =) And so, thus ends this wonderful day for both the Chapins... and the Pinzurs. (Good night, and... God bless.... zzzzzzzzz! ) Finally!... back to past tense now. =) I’ll admit that it isn’t exactly easy to write in present tense. I kept wanting to fall back into past tense as I wrote the above paragraphs about Saturday, but I will feel free to declare, in past tense now, that the next two days of Sunday and Monday were no less eventful! Sunday dawned as promising a day as ever. It was the day of our Bible study, and things were soon in a flurry-scurry of activity, that is, at least until 2:30 p.m. rolled around! It was time for our weekly “YWSH” chat over the internet with some of our “YWSH” subscribers... Esther, Melody, and I had a lot of profitable discussion with everyone! (Hello, all of you “chatters” out there! =) ) After the Bible study was over that evening, we all had a meal together, and then Mother agreed once again to sit down at the piano to play while we girls sang! This time Av also submitted his “bass” to the former “trio”. We decided to record the singing again, and we also managed to include much of the background noises. - The sound of a toy xylophone was most prominent, if I recall correctly. =) ) The Pinzurs had, at first, considered leaving the next day, which was Monday, but, happily for us, they decided to wait till Tuesday. - After all, Monday was Samuel Pinzur’s fifth birthday! =) Since the Pinzurs planned to stay for another day, Esther, Melody, and I were excited that we would have some extra time to sing! =) And well, why not invite the Neal family over for supper since they weren’t able to make it to the Bible study? =) So that’s what we did! Monday was not an overly warm day as I recall, but I certainly won’t forget the stifling heat that the stove busily generated in the kitchen as I tried to bake 4 large pans of “baked fries” for 3 large families. (The Neals have 8 in their family!) I guess it wasn’t exactly a “smart idea” to try and bake so much all at once, as the oven was so stuffed that it absolutely refused to close properly! As a result, much of the heat escaped, the fries took extra long to bake, and by the time I was finished, I almost felt like a “baked fry” myself. =) Thankfully, I could retreat out the front door (in between the times I had to turn fries) to watch some of the others playing Frisbee in the cool air. I spent much of my time “snapping shots” outside with our 110 camera, praying that the pictures would turn out in the fading sunlight. I noticed, sadly, that the flash on the 110 camera wasn’t working properly...and well, that meant that I wouldn’t be able to take pictures inside the house like I had so badly wanted to do. Earlier, I had removed the wet roll of film from our 35mm camera, dried it out as best I could, and then I inserted a fresh roll and new batteries. To my great surprise, after taking a few snapshots with the 35mm, it’s flash begin working properly again. -However, I noticed water droplets inside the lens, so that could mean that the pictures would turn out blurry...Oh well, I prayed for the best, and just kept snapping away with both cameras. And then, Praise the Lord!...The flash suddenly started working on the 110 camera as well! “Surely between both of these two cameras,” I thought, “Surely some of these pictures will turn out!” And guess what? Almost all of them did!...although the ones taken with the 35mm were slightly blurry; but only slightly. PTL! After the Neal family got here, the food was fairly set on the table in “buffet style”, and the prayer had been said, I grabbed both cameras and took some quick pictures of everyone gathered around in the livingroom. Let me tell you, it’s not exactly easy to get 27 people gathered together at one place, and at one time!...so I took my chance. =) ...And then we ate, although some of the “baked fries” were,...uh..still sorta...not done. =) And then, before we knew it, Tuesday morning had dawned. Ah, sad day of .... the Pinzurs’ departure. However everyone seemed in high spirits. After all, who couldn’t help but be happy that the week had turned out so well? I mean... nineteen people staying together in such a small space? Who ever heard of such? So the Pinzurs were all bustling about, packing up their van, but before they actually packed themselves in, they grabbed their camera, and we grabbed ours to take a few, final group shots. Boy, is it ever difficult to get a picture where there are nine younger children smiling at once!... I sure found that out. =) Shortly before the Pinzurs left, the Choo-Choo train chugged by our trailer, whistling a timely farewell. (There are railroad tracks some yards from our trailer that I’ve failed to mention up to this point.) Anyway, a lot of the children raced up to the shed to wave wildly at the conductor - a fun sport which the younger ones in our family still have not given up since we moved here. (In fact, it has almost become a hobby for them to count the engines and the cars! =) ) Only after the Pinzurs had finally crunched out of our gravel driveway, did the awful realization set in! Boy, did our house ever seem awfully empty, awfully quiet, awfully huge! Why, now our little trailer seemed almost enormous - what without the Pinzurs to fill it up! To be honest, it took a few days for us to “pull out” of the “depression”. =) Now as I look back at the short time we spent with the Pinzurs, I would have to say that there were two spiritual lessons which the Lord especially impressed upon me. The first one is this: “With God, all things are possible”! (Mark 10:27b) With God ... I think those two words are the key right there. Without God, we can do nothing, but with God? Well, we can “do all things through Christ which strengtheneth (us).” (Phil. 4:13) I think that having morning devotions together, evening devotions, and personal devotions helped us greatly in knowing how to prioritize our lives that week. What would we be?- Where would we be?....without spiritual communion with Christ? It’s so essential! It is something that we all (that I) need to keep up regularly on a daily basis! Esther also brought to my remembrance the fact that every morning, as our two families gathered together for devotions, Dad made it a priority to pray for peace in the home. He prayed that there would be no strife and contention between the children, especially considering the tight quarters we were sharing. We thank the Lord for mercifully meeting this request! How we praise and thank him! How glad I am indeed, that with Christ all things are possible! The other spiritual lesson that I think we all learned was, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity: It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.” Ps. 133 Unity, sisters! Fellowship with others of like-mind and of one heart with each other and with Christ! Is it not precious? Is it not something to be greatly desired? These two verses also greatly impressed me: “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: For with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” (Hebrews 13:15-16) “ Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.” (Malachi 3:16) What a blessing! - What a privilege it is to be able to speak freely with one another of the Lord’s goodness! We should not take such a privilege lightly or for granted. There have been many times when Christians in other countries have not had the liberty to do this. Yes, and have even been persecuted for trying to! I fear that perhaps I, at times, lapse into a spiritual apathy and fail to speak of the Lord and His attributes as often as I ought. Oh, that we would all be on fire for Him always! So often we get caught up in the worldly affairs of life. What a distraction! - the food we eat- the clothes we wear- the friends we make- the material possessions within our grasp (or that we wish were!)- the music we listen to- the gossip that frequently flies around- the lives we have to live. Satan always seems to try his best to deter our focus from Christ by using these things to grab and hold our wavering attention. But oh, that we could stay focused on Christ only always, and speak of Him often! How I wish that every one of us could live our lives constantly in the light of His presence! How often I fail, dear sisters, in this area. I refuse to make any false pretense of “having it all together”, because I do not, but this is where my heart is, and it is where I sincerely hope and pray your heart is too! What can be more pleasant or more fulfilling than to speak often of Christ with one another? Speaking of the normal, mundane happenings of life is okay, but it is not fulfilling to the spirit. I think Christ would be more pleased if we spoke more often of Him, and meditated more on Him and His holy, precious Word. I think I can say that the Pinzurs were such a blessing to us in this area, because we were able to speak of Christ with fellow believers, day in and day out, for a whole week. It just made me realize how precious such close communion really is! ... And I thank God often in my spirit for all of you dear sisters. I will ever be grateful to Him for the close communion we share together through this magazine. It is my sincere desire that we all may continue to lift one another up spiritually instead of drag one another down. Yes, peer pressure of the wrong sort can become quite detrimental to our spiritual well-being. Oh, I pray that none of us will succumb to such a “pressure”. We are to stand out in the world. We are to look different. We are to act different. People should be able to tell that we are different. There’s nothing wrong with being different, if our differences are “Biblical”. God’s Word itself tells us that we ate to be “salt” and “light”. We are not to blend in with the world. We should not even try to. As I think about these concepts of “blending in with the world” and “succumbing to peer-pressure”, however, I am also deeply reminded that even if we keep ourselves from succumbing to the world in outward apperance and actions, we may not be keeping ourselves from worldly thoughts and desires on the inside. Materialism is a great snare, and for example, even “plainly dressed” people can take pride in the clothes they wear! The great question is, are we doing what we are doing because we know it is what God, in His Word, is convicting us to do?... Or are we doing what we are doing out of our own selfish desires or proud motives? Our thoughts should always be on God. Our desires should always be to do what He wants us to do, and we should not succumb to outward temptations and pressures... May the Lord give us all the grace to lift one another up and to encourage one another in that direction! That’s what we, as sisters in Christ are for! May God bless every single one of you! Love in Jesus, Summer Joy YWSH Main Page