Working in Port Alsworth

I (Abigail) just got back from working in Port Alsworth at the Farm Lodge.  I made beds, washed dishes, set tables fancy and all that fun stuff. =)  The Farm Lodge and Lake Clark Air that my dad flies for are run by the same family.  It was nice, if I needed something dad was always stopping in since he flies out of there.  It took the pressure off packing. =)  I got to come home every Friday night then go back to work on Saturday. 

Inside the Lodge.

Right outside my room.

It was a ton of fun.  Not only were there awesome people to work and hang out with...

 And beautiful scenery...

The Beaver Pond
You can see more of my favorite pictures here - https://picasaweb.google.com/118372188510084846364/PicturesI3

 You get to do a ton of fun stuff working there.  

Like pick potatoes...

 Hike Tanalian Mountain...

Port Alsworth from the top of Tanalian.

 Watch the Northern Lights...

Sorry about these pictures.  They don't turn out very good on blogger.
You can see them better here - https://picasaweb.google.com/118372188510084846364/2012100803#

 Hike to the falls...

You can see more pictures of the falls here - https://picasaweb.google.com/118372188510084846364/20121011

 And go bear viewing just to name a few.

You can see more pictures of bear viewing here - https://picasaweb.google.com/118372188510084846364/MoraineCreekBears12

OK, so that's a ptarmigan not a bear.

Sorry for the photo overload.  It's hard to pick just a few pictures. =)

Deborah is 16 and 3/4

Okay, I made a video of Abigail when she turned 16 and it came out very nice so I fully intended to make one for Deborah too when she turned 16, however...  I have a good excuse, Deborah turned 16 while we were on the road returning from Israel.  So, here it is 9 months later... she is still 16 :) Oh well it's worth the wait.  She's such a beautiful young lady with such a sweet spirit.  She's definitely the nurturer in the family.


Deborah's 16th Slideshow from Paul Brendemuhl on Vimeo.
If you don't see a video above, click on this link to see Deborah's slideshow.   https://vimeo.com/49736004

Abigail is 18

I can't believe we have a child who is 18!  Where has the time gone?  She was just a baby...  Now she is a beautiful young lady that loves Yhwh with all her heart.  She has grown so much even in this last year..  she has been a joy to be with and I love watching her mature.

It was a beautiful day, so we were outside until the bugs got bad.

Deborah and Anna made all the decorations and the piniata.

Paul watching Abigail blow out her candles.

Lavonne's Grandmother, Cheda Mary, at Abigail's party.

A few days after Abigail's birthday, it was a gorgeous day.  Grandma Effie was here so we took her across the lake and up the Tazimina River.  Abigail, Deborah and I paddled rubber kayaks across the lake.  Paul gave us a ride up the river after he dropped his load as the current was swift.  

The birthday girl jumping into the freezing cold water.

Deborah

Quentin

Joshua

Abigail and Deborah helping the little kids across the river.

Paul visiting on a log with his mom, Grandma Effie.

Anna practicing her volleyball.

Momma bear and two cubs.

The kids waded and played until a bear and her two cubs showed up about 300 yards upstream.  The kids decided they'd swum enough.  

Paddling downstream in the kayaks was great fun.

The video below is from the boat while Paul is taking us upstream.  You can see salmon swimming around us.  They have already turned red so they look like big goldfish.  I also tacked on a clip of  the momma bear showing up with her two cubs.  You can hear the excitement in our voices.

If you get this post emailed to you, click on this link to go to the video http://youtu.be/FwSG_HI3yTc

Benjamin ties his own Tzit Tzit

We made a video of me helping Benjamin, 5 years old at the time, tie his tzit tzit.  He made all four of them and we had a fun time doing it.

Numbers 15:37-41 says, Again the LORD (Yhwh) spoke to Moses, saying,"Speak to the children of Israel:  Tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a blue thread in the tassels of the corners.  And you shall have the tassel, that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the LORD (Yhwh) and do them, and that you may not follow the harlotry to which your own heart and your own eyes are inclined, and that you may remember and do all My commandments, and be holy for your God.  I am the LORD (Yhwh) your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God:  I am the LORD (Yhwh) your God."
Because the Bible doesn't give us specific instructions on how to make our tassels (in Hebrew it's tzit tzit, singular and tzitziot plural), I believe we are free to be creative as long as they have a blue thread.  Here is how Benjamin made his:
Cut 3 threads of any color 24 inches long.  Cut a blue thread 30 inches long.  The longer blue thread should be even with the other threads at one end.  Make a loop about an inch and a half long in the top (this can be braided) and tie a square knot.  Take the longer blue thread and wrap it around the others ones.  Benjamin wrapped it 10, 5, 6, and 5 times with a square knot between each set.  These numbers correspond to the letters of the Hebrew alphabet that spell God's name, Yhwh, Yod, Hey, Vav, Hey.  Instead of just wrapping the threads, you can make the longer blue thread even with itself and then tie macrame half knots.  This causes the blue thread to make a cool spiral.  If you do that, make your blue thread a little longer, about 32 inches.  After he finished all four tassels, Benjamin cut the ends so they were even.
I like to think of tzitziot as God's version of WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) bracelets.  The New Testament refers to Jesus wearing them and God Himself tells us to wear them to remind us to do what He wants us to.


The song in the background was written and sung by David Martin, Davidsinstrumentsofpraise.com
It's taken from Psalms 119:165-166.

Shalom Have They Which Love Thy Torah

Shalom have they which love Thy Torah
Nothing shall offend them at all
Yahuwah I have longed for Thy Yeshua (salvation)
And done Thy Mitsvah!  (Commandment)

Yeshua, Yeshua, He is our hope
Yeshua, Yeshua, He is our joy
And in Him does rest
All our hope of redemption!

Benjamin turns 6

We had fun celebrating Benjamin's 6th birthday.  My baby boy is growing up!  

The kids decorated with paper airplanes

I don't even think they knew he was getting an airplane for his birthday... 

The next 3 shots are of Benjamin dunking in the freezing cold, glacier fed lake!!!

 

 
Benjamin is an incredible little man.  He's full of life and joy and he truly wants to please Yhwh. He ties his own tzitziot and he understands that they are to remind him to love Jesus and obey His commands.  He is our expert on which animals are clean and unclean :)