From our arms to His

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His faithful servants.

Psalm 116:15 

At 1:00 this morning, September 3rd, 2013, Grandmom earned her eternal award - one she has truly given her life to/for.  No more suffering. No more pain. Walking with Jesus. Meeting her Lord. From our arms to His...

 I spent Sunday and Monday by Grandmom’s bedside, holding her hand, reading her Scripture, counting her breaths, and praying her into sweet Jesus’ arms. For almost 25 years, I was blessed to have the world’s best Grandmom – a true godly example, a woman of prayer and God’s Word, dedicated to His service. If everyone had a mother/grandmother like my family has been blessed with, the world would be a better place. There would be more kindness, generosity, and Christlikeness. There would be less hunger, war, and anger. I hope my children and grandchildren will have at least half the amount of admiration for Titus and I do as I have for my Granddad and Grandmom Ache.

Staring into Grandmom’s sleeping eyes, I remembered the good times – times when Grandmom was stronger, when I was younger, the special things that she would do, the ordinary things that she would do in a special way. Sitting beside her bed, reading portions of the books of John and Psalms, I vividly remembered her sitting next to my bed, reading to me – stories about little boys and girls in Africa.

To be continued…

Cherishing her legacy,
Jewel

My Precious Grandmom

If you have followed my blog for any length of time, you probably know that my grandmom is very fragile and often very sick.  Two weeks ago, she had a check-up with the doctor regarding a serious illness and surgery she endured in May. The next day, the doctor called my mom with grandmom's terminal diagnosis - fast-growing cancer in her liver and one lung.

She is truly a woman of the Word, of prayer, and admired by many! Grandmom was once a missionary in the bushes of Sierra Leone, Africa and although her two feet haven't been outside a few home states since her return from Africa, her influence has circled the globe, and her prayers have touched every nation. For many, many years she has financially supported almost as many missionaries and ministries as I have books on my shelf, including Samaritan's Purse, World Missionary Press, missionaries from the Christian Missionary Alliance Church, World Gospel Mission, the Wesleyan Church, and more.

I'm selfish to want her here any longer, enduring more. She wants to be with Jesus! She told me on the night of her diagnosis "my suffering will be short, but eternity will be long!"

For more than 10 years, Grandmom has been writing her testimony and life story in book form.  We praise the Lord that He gave her the strength and sight to finish her final revisions!!!  Once in printed form, this book will certainly be a gem for our family - a book to be cherished long after Grandmom is gone.  In it, she talks about life as a missionary, a pastor's wife, a mother, precious moments with Jesus, and life since Granddad passed away almost 20 years ago. I can't wait to read it and I pray that I will never take her written words for granted. 

Thank you for continuing to pray for Grandmom and that she will be with the Lord before she suffers much more.

Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,

When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,

I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Cherishing her legacy,
Jewel

Much needed update and big announcement!!!

Months of big life happenings have become Romdenh family history since I last blogged.
I'll try to catch you up on all of these happenings in the next few weeks, but it's going to be a challenge to rekindle this old habbit (as with any.)  My personal goal is to post two blogs each week! :)  I don't just blog for you, although you inspire me the most, but for myself too, and maybe even for my children and grandchildren to come!  I have laughed, cried, and smiled as I have read through old journal entries on this blog, and I really want to keep that going!!

Today's big announcement is pictured below, and my goal is to have another before the end of the week!

Onesie reads: "Cambodian American"

 

 

Onesie reads: "Made in America with Cambodian parts"

We are very excited and I am feeling very blessed to have a pretty easy pregnancy so far!  Three or four weeks were pretty rough with morning sickness, but I'm now at 141/2 weeks and feeling great! 

Statistics:
Progress: 14.5 weeks! Second trimester!
Craving: Orange juice!!
Avoiding: Garlic and coffee!!
Baby is: 3 inches long and weighs nearly an ounce. Baby has fingerprints and gender is becoming aparent!
Mom is: Excited! Praying for a health baby and easy pregnancy and delivery! Anxious for the next ultrasound! Energized! Trying to re-organize the house! Planning an elephant-themed nursery!
Dad is: Excited! Wants a boy!!!!!!! Anxious for the next ultrasound! Very protective of Mom! Praying for a healthy baby!

"I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord."

1 Samuel 1:27,28 ♥ ♥ ♥

Already loving Baby,
Jewel

Giveaway extended...

Dale and Carrie have extended their adoption fundraiser giveaway, so I'm extending mine too! All donations must be made by midnight on Thursday, April 18, and the winners will be announced on Friday!

What you need to do:
1. Visit http://brad4dadoptionjourney.blogspot.com/2013/03/kindle-fire-hd-giveaway.html and donate any dollar amount using their PayPal button in the right column.
2. Leave a comment on Carrie's blog indicating the donated $ amount, and whether you shared the giveaway details on Facebook or your own blog.
3. Leave a comment on MY blog indicating the donated $ amount, and whether you shared the giveaway details on Facebook or your own blog. On my blog, each $ gives you 1 entry and each share (Facebook or blog) gives you 3 additional entries.

Remember, not only are your dollars changing a life and a family forever, but you could win one of these:

Andrea's Big Giveaway!

^^ These hearts love Andrea! ^^

My sweet friends Dale and Carrie are raising funds to bring home this sweet little girl, Andrea, whom God has called them to adopt.  Carrie has been working with children and adults with disabilities for ten years.  A few months ago, God called Dale and Carrie to more than loving children through a career and they have opened their home and family to a precious child with Down Syndrome. Andrea will be truly blessed in a life-changing and eternal way to become the fifth family member in the Bradford family. In talking to Dale and Carrie, I know that Andrea is already deeply loved by both her God-given parents and her little God-given sister and brother!

Dale and Carrie's financial goal is within sight - only a few thousand dollars away! If you can give just $5, $10, or $25 to help them reach their goal, you could win a Kindle Fire HD, a $25 Build-a-Bear gift card, or a beautiful hand-made jewelry set! Visit the Bradford's Adoption Journey HERE (http://brad4dadoptionjourney.blogspot.com/) to give and learn more.

 ------ THERE'S MORE!! THERE'S MORE!! THERE'S MORE!! ------

If you donate to Dale and Carrie (via the PayPal button on their blog) AND you comment on my blog, then you will also be entered in a drawing for one or two or three of these:

What you need to do:

1. Visit http://brad4dadoptionjourney.blogspot.com/ and donate any dollar amount using their PayPal button in the right column.
2. Leave a comment on Carrie's blog indicating the donated $ amount, and whether you shared the giveaway details on Facebook or your own blog.
3. Leave a comment on MY blog indicating the donated $ amount, and whether you shared the giveaway details on Facebook or your own blog. On my blog, each $ gives you 1 entry and each share (Facebook or blog) gives you 3 additional entries.

**In two weeks (April 15th,) I will update my blog announcing the winners and giving directions on how the winners can select/receive their prize(s).**

Thanks for supporting Dale and Carrie and helping to change Andrea's life forever!

Love, love, love,
Jewel

Praise be to God!

1 Peter 1:3-9
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

My Khmer Family

Meet my beloved Cambodian family, the bloodline of my pdai (husband):

Pa and Ma. Chamnan and Sokly. A beautiful couple who have raised six, strong young men.  Pa is an engineer and currently works as a "project manager" in the rice fields in the province. Ma stays at home and raises our nephews. One mealtime it was mentioned that I want a Khmer name (that my family can pronounce and remember!) Pa chose Leakena, which means "girl with an almost perfect attitude."  They are beautiful people and I think about them all the time, always praying that they will recognzie their need for Jesus Christ- Savior and Redeemer.  I'm anxious to see how our relationships grow and develop in the years ahead. :)

My nephews! On the left is Chamroat, age 7, and on the right is Reaksmey, age 5. (Both much smaller than your average 7- or 5-year-old child in America.) They are adorable... Seriously, so cute!  We visited them at home twice before going on vacation together. At the beach, Chamroat warmed up to me, but Reaksmey never really overcame his shyness. I really enjoyed watching the boys play and interact with their uncles!  The boys LOVED the beach! While we were in the sand or water, they were all smiles, all the time!  In the days ahead, Chamroat and Reaksmey will be starting school for the very first time! We are excited to help provide this opportunity and to see what the future holds for them!

My brothers! When I married my husband, I gained five more bong-tlay (brothers-in-law) - Chamraun (28), Chamnieng (26,), Chamrong (24), Chamnong (20), and Chamnob (16). Pictured with me above are Chamrong, Chamnob, and Chamrong.  While we were in Cambodia and on family vacation, I especially enjoyed getting to know these guys! I miss them today!

They were all very welcoming. They seem very close. They are all funny like their oldest brother, my husband. I could hardly understand any conversation that took place during our time together (HATE THAT LANGUAGE BARRIER!) but I can see that they all love their motherly deeply, have great respect for their oldest, and are curious about their new sister-in-law. I often find myself thinking about them and wondering what they really think, how they really feel, always praying that they will come to know the Lord. I'm anxious to see how our relationships develop and grow in the future... and I'm anxious to see this family grow more!

At home, the Romdenh family minus Pa and Chamraun


Chamnieng and wife, Bopha, with sons Chamroat and Reaksmey


Sad good-byes at the airport

Missing them,
Jewel

I want to tell you about my friends, Daniel and Mae. Daniel was my Sunday School teacher for a number of years, and Mae is an inspirational sister in Christ (in an especially obedient and creative way!)  The Lord has called Daniel and Mae to “set the lonely in families” (Psalm 68:6) in a very specific way. Daniel and Mae are in the process of adopting a minority infant through domestic adoption. Just a few months after Daniel and Mae said 'yes' to God's call to adopt, they discovered they are pregnant and are expecting a baby girl this summer! They are currently almost almost almost 1/3 of the way to the $30,000 necessary for this adoption!  Can you give even a little to help them reach their goal?

Click HERE to visit

and learn how you can become the proud owner of these and more!!

Love love love,
Jewel