Category: mi familia

Lazy weekend at Casa de Blundell

Well Laurie and I enjoyed a great fairly lazy weekend the past few days.
Jen and Jed came down from Dallas Friday night and joined us for some fajitas and margaritas at Campuzanos. Doesn’t get much better than that.
We came back to our place for a while and enjoyed some hot apple pie and vanilla ice cream while they looked at our wedding and honeymoon pics.
We crashed around 10 or so, shortly after they left.

I don’t think either of us were out of bed till after 11 a.m. the next morning. I woke up a couple times after 8 a.m. but said there’s no way I’m getting out of bed today unless I have to.
Finally around 1 p.m. or so we spent a couple hours geocaching around Waxahachie.

The batteries on our GPS unit were going bad so we struggled to keep it alive long enough to get two caches in.
On our hunt we were the first to find one cache and also spent some time looking at homes in two of the neighborhoods near the caches we found.
We grabbed some Chick-Fil-A on the way home and then jumped in the pool for an hour or so.

After swimming, our friends Amy and Josh came down from Dallas and joined us for some more Mexican food at Don Jose’s Mexicant Restaran (yes – that’s really how it’s spelled on their sign :-)).
Josh was actually one of the few people this weekend to notice my “psuedo-beard” (or at least make mention of it).

After breaking out with poison ivy in a few places on my face this week I thought it would be best to not shave those areas directly, so rather than keeping my gottee and pretty scraggly face, I just decided to trim it all on Saturday afternoon and make it a lot closer to the same length.
The jury’s still out. I’m not a fan and Laurie said she’s still trying to make up her mind about it as well.

Either way, after dinner we headed over to the Texas Theater to watch Shari and Smiley and their improv group, After Hours Improv.
They had a great show with over 130 people in attendance. If you think about it, do say a prayer for them. They got some bad news after the show regarding their plans for the next year or so.

Amy and Josh came back to Casa de Blundell after the show and looked at our wedding pics, as well as a photo album Laurie put together for them of pics we took at their wedding in June.
Sleep came soon after they left as well.

We wrapped the weekend up with church on Sunday morning, where Brian talked on the context of Christianity and how so often we view Christianity out of it’s intended context – but inside it’s proper context it can be a beautiful thing.
We came home, enjoyed some homemade pizzas and then Laurie spent the rest of the day studying for a skills test she has to take for work today.

While she studied I uploaded the podcast for the week, did a couple loads of laundry and took a nice nap.
Around 9 p.m. or so I started getting a little stir crazy and after our Internet went down (for some unknown, frustrating reason) I spent the rest of my evening wasting time playing with our camera and coming up with new Myspace angle photos.

I also did a goofy animation with our camera.
stairs.gif
Now I just need to extend it by five minutes or so and add music from The White Stripes “The Hardest Button to Button”

So there you have it – a photographic recap (somewhat) of a lazy weekend at Casa de Blundell.
For more entertaining stories, be sure and drop by and read Brandi’s recaps of Summer Camp.

I love my life


Laurie gets ready
Originally uploaded by Jonathan D. Blundell.

I can’t begin to tell you how much I love my life Laurie.
She continues to amaze me with her strength, patience, joy and life.
God knew exactly what He was doing when He brought us together, when He brought us together.
I love you Laurie. Thanks for loving me like you do.

Praise God for his grace, mercy and protection

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Received an update on Kathryn from Matt and her mom late last night…

PRAISE THE LORD AND HALLELUJAH!!!
I hope all of you’ve heard the miraculous way in which the Lord answered our prayers for Kathryn and the Buckner team. Ron and I have been away from our email most of the day and are just now able to send our tremendous thanks to you for your prayers. Please pass it on to others who were also praying.
Please continue to pray for the team, for one-on-one conversations with the kids, and for Kathryn’s arm and wrist that has been hurting since she arrived in Russia. Your prayers are part of the way in which GOD IS WORKING! Please keep it up.
For those who may not have heard, here’s a brief account of the results:
The government officials came out and had a great conversation with one of the Buckner staff members. The official apologized for everything and the caregiver was fired. The Buckner team had a really great day with the kids. Keep praying for this time for the team to present God’s love and salvation to these precious children. Please also keep praying for SVETLANA’s salvation, the caregiver who was fired.

“Come, thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of thy redeeming love.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for thy courts above!”

Wow. I can’t even read the lyrics of that hymn now without tearing up.
What great words of encouragement and grace and mercy.

Re: Prayer for Kathryn’s team

Received a message from Kathryn’s mom tonight. Not much in the way of additional news but just encouragement to know that people are praying for the team.

I found the email list from Kathryn’s recent Uganda team trip and forwarded the request to them. I received a call from Jane Estrada (from the list) who said the whole team had been contacted, were praying, and were forwarding it on for their church to be praying.
We’ve been on the phone or on the computer most of the day contacting anyone and everyone to be praying. We know of at least 3 churches who have this on their prayer chains. We still don’t know what all is going on and/or what might happen when their day begins in about 3 hours from now (approximately 10 p.m. CST). One thing for sure, Kathryn and her team are being COVERED in prayer and the protection of the Lord Jesus Christ!
Ron (Kathryn’s dad) found this verse and I wanted to share it with you:

But let all who take refuge in YOU be glad; let them ever sing for joy.
Spread YOUR protection over them, that those who love YOUR name may rejoice in YOU.
For surely, O LORD, YOU bless the righteous;
YOU surround them with YOUR favor as with a shield.
Psalm 5:11-12

Hallelujah and Praise His Holy, Mighty, Awesome Name!
I’m sure I’ve missed some from the distribution list above. Therefore, if you think of anyone else to send this prayer request to… please do! Thank so much. We will let you know when a new update is received.

Urgent prayers for Kathryn’s team

I received this email from Matt today, regarding Kathryn’s time in Russia.

Kathryn texted me today. She does not have a computer to send any thing out right now. PLEASE PRAY. I don’t know whats going on. This is what she was saying…
“Keep praying!!! I wish I could tell you more. The caregiver at the orphanage is calling government officials. Many investigations continues tomorrow. KEEP PRAYING SPREAD THE NEWS”
“VBS is canceled tomorrow. We will hide or leave when the government is here. This could affect all Buckner’s work in Russia and directors job of orphanage who let us come”
“also PRAY FOR Svetlana the care giver who is calling the government PRAY FOR HER HEART”
Sunday I had a pulling on my heart to pray for Kathryn, some of it I was scared at the time. I talked (to) Kathryn yesterday and she said they went to a new orphanage that day and were going to spend a week doing VBS. She said one (of) the care givers didn’t want her kids to participate with them.
The last text I got today was “there something very big going on in this place Can’t describe it but there is definitly something stirring in me”
Please pray for my friend Kathryn. God knows whats going on, pray for God’s wisdom and believe in His power that in already in control. Pray for there protection…..

Updates from Kathryn

These were all sent to my old email address, but wanted to be sure I shared them with you all so you can keep my “sister” Kathryn in you prayers as she’s just returned from Uganda and arrived in Russia over the weekend.

I was in an earthquake!! Ok…well, it was actually a small earthquake with very little repercussion. It was definitely a new experience for me and, in a way, it was symbolic of what was happening in the hearts of the people of Rakia and those in
surrounding villages. The people were ready to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ and by the end of our time there, 87 new believers were born into the Kingdom of God. Hallelujah!!!
THANK YOU SO MUCH for your prayers and financial support. We were kept safe, everyone stayed healthy, and most importantly, seeds of the Gospel were planted. I wish I had time to relay all that the Lord was doing while we were there.
juliet.JPGI do want to tell you about one little girl named Juliet and ask for your fervent prayers. Juliet is between seven and nine years old and she is the head of her household. Her mother and father abandoned her and her four siblings.
When we visited her hut, two of her siblings were at school and two had gone to look for food. All they had was four or five golf ball-sized Irish potatoes for five growing children. They shared a two-room mud hut with a thatched roof (that surely leaks when it rains), with no windows, no electricity, no furniture, and dirt floors.
After we provided a few gifts of water, food, a mattress, and other needed items,
Juliet asked us to pray that she would be able to take care of her family. (When I was her age, I prayed for a pony.) Our hearts broke as we knelt by this courageous little girl to offer her needs up to the Lord. I ask that you would join us in continuous prayer for Juliet and her siblings for the Lord to meet their basic needs, and most importantly, for her to know the realness of His love.
It’s easy to look at Juliet’s situation and feel that the Lord has forgotten her and so many others like her. However, we know that He hasn’t. God’s love for her is so great that HE used you and me, all the way from the USA, to bring provisions to Uganda to meet the needs of Juliet and others like her. We were just blessed to be the vessel HE used.
I’ll be sending you another email shortly as we prepare to leave for Russia on Friday. Thank you for your continued prayers. I can feel the difference its making!!

~Katya
“Let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” 1 John 3:18

This was just before she left for Russia on Thursday:

Tomorrow we will be leaving for Russia with plans to visit about 6 different orphanages. Our main focus will be on Vacation Bible School (VBS) and forming relationships with the children so that the Gospel can be shared. Please keep us
in your prayers for

  • safety in travel
  • physical, mental, and emotional strength
  • the Lord’s anointing on everything we do as His servants

I look forward to sending you update emails over the next month until my return on August 4th. You can also read the intern blog on Buckner’s website http://internsatbuckner.blogspot.com.
Thank you so much for your prayers! You are vital to this ministry and our team!
~Kathryn “Katya”
“Let us not love with words or tongue but with action and in truth.” 1 John 3:18

And after arriving in Russia on Sunday she sent this:

Our team of seven fantastic ladies has safely made it to Russia yesterday with all of our luggage. Praise the Lord! This morning we enjoyed a contemporary Russian church service and then a nice Russian lunch of chicken crepes…delicious!
This afternoon we will prepare and pack for a week of vacation bible school at an orphanage called Lopoohinka. The interns last month were the first Buckner group to visit this orphanage. We will stay there for six days, coming back on Saturday.
Please pray the Lord will direct our planning and packing for this orphanage of all ages and that the hearts of the children and caregivers will be open and eager to hear the good news of the Gospel.
I urge you to continue in fervant prayer! They are making a difference! I look forward to updating you on how the Lord is working and moving in the hearts of those at Lopoohinka.
~Katya
“Let us not love with words or tongue but with action and in truth.” 1 John 3:18

Thanks for your prayers, I’ll keep you as updated as I can.