we're back!

yes, I am back and I'm ever so slowly compiling an account! Sorry it's taking so long!

30^th October, 08

 

We have one hour ‘til landing! I must say, the time change is difficult when you don’t have any timepiece! I’m still not sure what time I actually fell asleep…finally! Jack said she slept in total one hour on the flight…and Mrs. Rienow little more (and she did not sleep at all the night before!) Other than that, the plane ride has been quite smooth and lovely. The service was impeccable. We arrived at the airport 20 minutes before we were supposed to meet. After the usual hassle of checking our baggage, we moved on to the odiously loooong line for the security check point…oh my goodness! I just caught sight of *my first* glimpse of France! The sun has just risen, revealing a hazy, yet enticing view! This is going to be an awesome few days!

 

But, back to the first leg of our journey…we traveled through the tunnel of lights, enjoying the fun of watching the kids excitement. Finally arriving at our terminal, we found that we had 15 minutes ‘til boarding! We quickly grabbed some food to tide us over until dinner (which actually wasn’t so bad, Rob! More on that later!) from McDonald’s and Quizno’s (and yes, I did get a chicken sandwich though I did not put catsup on it…but  did take off the mayo!!! Yuck! J) We boarded…as usual we switched seats with some people…I am now sitting in a (as Pastor Rienow calls it!) “a breadish place” and the McAuleys just arrived.

 

…the plane ride was gorgeous, even though I was sitting in the middle aisle (the plane was seven seats across). When we arrived in Paris, we unloaded TEN people’s stuff…only lost one item…:P By the way, even in Chicago we were asked if we were one family! And in France…! I think we’re really an oddity! We took a driverless subway tram think from the airport (which seemed quite small, circular, and had many shopes) to the terminal where we were to wait for our train. We waited there for thre hours. I am now on the train, loving the rural countryside. So far, I have seen two cars, many small (Kenton and Anna’s house in big) but beautiful houses, lots of dirt roads, no shopping centers, and much farmland. Maybe it is just the area we are in, but it is beautiful. The fashions I have seen seem nice, no skirts (long, at least!), not horribly immodest (but perhaps this is due to the weather!) buuut…the gentleman across from me is wearing a dark! brown pinstripe suit, a blue on white button down shirt and a verdigren (however you spell that) wool blazer!

 

More on the towns…I’ve seen anywhere from 10-100 building towns seeming to average 20-30 or so. The coloring of the buildings is browner than we see in the states – most houses have brown roofs and some have brown shutters. The homes seem to be all about the same size, excepting the church and perhaps one larger house. It is truly rural and picturesque. Momma, you would never want to leave. It is exactly what you have always imagined! The terrain is rolling fields and open meadows, pine forests, and orchards, also other trees of green and golden hue. There is no red to shock you J but it is all so harmonious! I don’t think I shall want to leave. And yet, I fear for the people of France. I fear for the lack of belief in God. They also seem in some ways more friendly to strangers.

 

Yesterday, (Thursday) was a loooong day…we finally got to the camp after missing our second train…trying to find the car rental place…waiting in the cold wondering what happened to Mr. and Mrs. Rienow?! But as we entered the camp, it was a narrow road overhung with snow laden branches…gorgeous! We have around 8 inches…so the kids are having an awesome time! And that’s all I have time for today!

 

ttyl, Amber J

 

 

 

 

France...!!!

For those of you who might not know, Jaclyn and I will be leaving Wednesday for France with our family pastor, Rob Rienow, his family, and one other girl who attends our church. We will fly into Paris, take a train (not just any train, but one that goes at least 180 mph! How fun!) south (and a little bit east, it's in the Swiss Alps) to Lyon (!!!...goin' to the Silk Capitol!!! *sighs ecstatically*), picking up two rental cars, and driving to Grenoble, which is south-east of Lyon (pull out your maps!). Jaclyn and I will be helping with childcare and food prep at a Visionary Parenting Conference Friday evening-Monday morning. Please pray for strength after jet lag, that we can serve the kids with strength, gentleness, and love, and to be a testimony to the people with whom we come into contact. On Monday we will tour the area near us, then on Wednesday take the train back to Paris, where we have an apartment for the 5th-9th. We will be touring the Paris area, enjoying the company of the Rienows, hopefully doing some shopping, and learning much to tell back home! We will return Sunday, the 9th. I will hopefully be able to post a few times during the trip, but if not, I will be journaling each night, and will post it once home! Thanks for your prayers!

Fall Pictures 2

ever since Katy was...oh, two years old, we've taken pictures in a tree...so here are the favorites!

Rob and I

as we were getting out of the tree...

Recently, we watched A Midsummer's Night's Dream with Mickey Rooney and Olivia De Haviland. Rob and I got a kick out of Thisbe's actions and were thus imitating her...wow!

all the Agnew kids!

Blessings on you all this fall!

Fall Pictures in the Maple Tree!

Amber (myself)

Rob and Jack

Jack

Today I finished Rob's trousers, so I'll have to post pictures once Mom finishes his shirt! And there are only eight days 'til Jack and I leave for France!!! YAY!

A Summary...

A book I read today and wrote a summary of...

In reading Cross-Cultural Connections by Duane H. Elmer, I found a well-written, concise, and spiritually moving work of art. Elmer, who is a professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and has taught cross-cultural training in over seventy countries, discusses what to expect when going into a new culture, whether it is across the street ministering to a new neighbor or across the globe. He also provides wisdom that is beneficial once at your destination for effectively ministering and, finally, how to re-adjust upon arriving home. Three insights Elmer shares that successfully sum up his message are: (1) “It doesn’t matter where [you serve] as long as you use your gifts (p. 18), (2) “…to accept others is to love them” (p. 97), and (3), “…to realize that the people you’re coming home to have not had the experiences you have...therefore instead of thinking that they have changed and get frustrated because of it, realize that you have changed and are the better for it” (pp. 193-4, 201). This book prepares you to have an incredible journey; get ready to change the world by cross-cultural connections!


Elmer, Duane. Cross-Cultural Connections. Downer's Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2002.

Is War Just?

Part of my studies this year includes a few essays and one 8-12 page research paper. I thought it might be fun to see who reads my stuff, and if so what you think of what I'm writing! Here goes for the first one...


Is war just? I will focus this broad question for this brief essay on a very critical, practical and personal component of this question, as my country has engaged in two wars during my life. The focus: is war something I will condone or something in which I will participate? I could discuss whether should Government condone or engage in war or if war is best from a societal perspective. But this essay answers an important question each needs to ask from a personal, religious and philosophical perspective.
In discussing my position of the question “is war just?” I will base my perspective on the teachings of Jesus the Nazarene and the actions of the early Church, more specifically I will be looking at the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, and a historical review of the early Church as chronicled in Transformation Ethics by Thomas McFaul. From reading the perspective of Jesus of Nazareth and looking at the actions of the early Church, I am fully convinced that for myself, I will not condone or engage in any war-like pursuits.
In Matthew 5, we see that Jesus is speaking on murder, retaliation, and love for enemies. He tells us not to judge for fear of the fires of hell (v 22) and not to resist an evil person even when they strike us on the right cheek, but rather to turn the other also (v 39). He instructs us instead to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (v 44). As I see it, this teaching could be used as a method of preventing war. If we followed the teaching of Matthew 5 on an individual level, by acting always in love toward our fellow man, then could war be less frequent?
On the other hand, Jesus’ teaching in this situation is focused on personal endeavor, not on governmental action. We can take from this that Jesus deeply wants us to keep peace among ourselves: to live in light of eternal grace and justice, moving above the petty issues and acting as cooperative, intelligent human beings who can discover peaceful solutions and disagree without engaging in war.
To paraphrase Thomas McFaul, while Jesus was alive, He invoked images of a peaceable Kingdom governed by love and void of violence. As the early Church developed, Christians pursued Jesus’ vision of peace. When the early Christians were called upon to join with Roman officials and defend the Empire with brutality and perhaps bloodshed, they refused, pointing to Jesus’ teaching of avoiding vengeance, forgiving wrongdoers, loving enemies and not returning evil for evil. As Christianity expanded and Constantine in particular embarked upon the mission of conquering his enemies in the name of the cross, the change from pacifism to military participation was complete (50). As Christians began to participate in military pursuits, they lost the essence of Jesus’ vision: “a peaceable Kingdom governed by Love and void of violence” (McFaul 50).
In this paper, my goal is to search the scriptures, looking at the teachings of Jesus and the actions of the early Church to understand logically whether I personally should join in military pursuits. I have not covered all of the questions such as is governmental war ever justified, or if others should join the military. People in America can choose not to engage in combative war based on religious conviction, and, as you can see, this is my conviction! In order to uphold the teachings of Jesus the Nazarene, and follow the practice of the early Church, I will not condone any war-like pursuits. The sword protects, but Love saves.
Amber Agnew, Anno Domini 2008

Works Cited
McFaul, Thomas. Transformation Ethics. University Press of America, 2002.
NIV Study Bible. 1985. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002.

Katy's play outfit

so here are a couple of pictures of Katy's outfit almost finished...I don't know what happened the the pix of the outfit finished...I'll have to take some more and post them later! But for now...enjoy!

Oh, and Katy's in that stage of "this the cool way to smile"...and thus lends errrr "coolness" to the picture! Also, she found that slumping is really fun in a boned bodice!

Outfit of the Day

We were shopping at Talbot's where I found this fun but wery expensive jacket...

and this is what I'm wearing today...Evy, I couldn't find a sparkly scarf...would brown work, what?

smiles...!

Dyeing...!

So, I'm dyeing fabric spontaneously! I was working on a bodice for Katy (see pic below) when Jack called. She was at Blick and asked if I needed anything...and I had been planning on dyeing some fabric as soon as I could get over to JoAnn's for dye...oh and Vogue for fabric...we seem to b completely out of white linen, which is HORRIBLE when you're in the midst of many (o.k. so like um...four) projects that all need white linen...ergo...I need to go to Vogue! Anyway...so I ended up deciding to test dye some fabric to check color and stuff like that...so you know, I don't like waste four yards of my beeeeautiful cotton... :D

here is a picture of the outfit I am making Katy that I mentioned in my last post. I am making a dark blue bodice for practice first...We'll see how it goes! So far, so good...I'll post more pix later!

All Quiet on the Western Front

So I'm happily preparing for school, spending time with my fambly, teaching (these are my busiest two weeks of teaching yet, but will persevere!), sewing (currently working on a play outfit for Kate, and decorating Mum's room. Yay!), and all the stuff that normally happens on a day to day basis! No, I have not forgotton you guys, just haven't posted anything fun recently! Some day I'll get those Summit pix from Jaclyn... :P

last thoughts

over all, it was a beautiful party, thanks to the many wonderful hands that did food, helped with set-up, tear-down or whatever, the sweet girls who gave their father's day up to dress up, do hair and take pictures, and the amazing guests who came to celebrate from far and near! Thank you for your gift of love!

EmmaLynne

EmmaLynne did wonderfully playing ladiesmaid. She was great to have in times of need!

she also looked beautiful! Thanks, Evy, for the hair-do!

Ember

Ember is so sweet and wonderful to have around! She was so easy to take pictures of as well!

she is always happy to eat any fruit that is there...her enjoyment of it is so fun to watch!

the otherwise part!

here is the "otherwise" picture!

Evy loves this picture of Jacket in that she feels it has the look of a Parisan Cafe! I'll agree...

fun with fans...and otherwise

All the girls

shoes are a lettle expensive, so bare feet was a fun and modern twist!

couldn't get enough of the fans!

random things at grad party 2

totally fun picture! I love how the fan's pattern is so highlighted

no, this is not wine (even if Michael did think so!)!

croquet, anyone?

Jesse is so serious!