There's No Place Like Home

The FREY homestead

There is certainly no place like home!

I found myself longing for it even more every day leading up to the day 

I could get on that plane.

~~~

When I was on deputation, I was constantly going to or from a meeting.  

My theme song during that time was

 "This World is Not My Home, I'm Just Passing Through".

I spent those 3 years not really "at home", but I was in the great old USA.

~~~

Living in South Africa is not really a hard life, just differant.

After a while, you get a bit lonesome for familiar surroundings, 

to feel the saftey and love of home.

Finally, I had a chance to come home.

I have to say, I was getting pretty weary.

My close friend Amy called me with news of her engagement.

What a great opportunity to take a short break and come home.

In anticipation, the days rolled by on the calendar.

Between school and ministry, I was kept so busy, 

that the days went by so quickly.

WEEK ONE 

First week was the wedding.

Mom sewing my gown

Praise the Lord, I already had a dress at home for the wedding.

It just needed a few alterations.

Mom altering my gown

My mom worked hard and fast to get the alterations done, 

so we could enjoy our time together.

Me in my gown

This is what the gown looked like.

Mom did a wonderful job!

Amy and bridesmaids

It was amazing to see how all of the gowns 

(which by the way, were all purchased at thrift shops)

matched perfectly!!!

Thank you, Lord!

Jonathan and Amy's Wedding Party

It was a special blessing to be there for Amy's wedding.

She is the last of a long line of my single friends.

As teens, we called ourselves the "old maids club".

We never realized we would be single for so long.

Now the club is over.  I am the only member left.

It is hard as a single person to see all of your close friends married, 

and still with noone in sight for you.

Makes you wonder what the Lord is doing and why His plans are the way they are.

Amy & Jonathan

I praise God for the wonderful husband that He has given my friend

and in faith I trust that maybe one day, He will choose to bless me in this way.

WEEK TWO

 The other special blessing of going home at this time 

was for the sending service for my pastor & his wife.

It was so great to be able to be in my home church for a while.

The music and preaching certainly ministered to me.

What a wonderful service as we glorified God by looking back at all He has done

and then forward at all He will do.

Randy & Shirley Starr

The Starrs are heading out in an evangelistic/training ministry. 

To read more about what they are doing click here.

To listen to the morning message click here.

LATER THAT WEEK...

I was able to visit the place where I had lived and served for 19+ years.

My brother and I walked around the property together.

I even got to see my cat, Bandit.

She is the "camp cat" and everyone is taking great care of her.

I was happy because she remembered me!

Here are a few other sights from around where I lived-

My brother said, "You are like a tourist in your own country"

and I said, "I just want something to look at to remember".

WEEK THREE

During the third week, my family went to Saxis Island, VA.

We love Saxis, because it is a laid back place.

A place where we can take the boat out on the Chesapeake Bay,...

...go out fishing,..

...or even crabbing.

My favorite week that I was home,

 was the time I got to spend alone with my family!

During my time in the States -

While I was home, there were many supplies 

I had to gather for the ministry in South Africa.

There were also times that I could do some things to help at home,

play games, and visit with friends.

One way I spent my time while I was home, was in working.

I made peach dumplings - YUM!

I had missed peaches.  Ours here are awful!

Mom & I made and canned fresh salsa with vegetables from their garden.

I painted my parent's mailbox.

Before
I even wallpapered a room in 2 days!

After

Of course my time was not all spent on work.

I played games with my family...

... and spent time with some friends.

We even celebrated my "little" brother's 17th brithday.

I can't believe he is that old!

What a handsome young man he has become.

We have such great fun together!

 Yes, there is certainly no place like home!

~ ~ ~

When I got on the plane to return back to South Africa,

I also had the feeling that I was heading home.

It may not be the place I grew up

or even where "my people" live,

but it has become my home.

I was excited to see "my South African people" again.

Thank you, Lord, for my "home away from home"!

Ephesians 2:19

 "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, 

but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;"

Pappy's Bible

Pappy Frey's Bible

While visiting with my Great Uncle John & Aunt Floss, 

I was able to see and read my Great Grandpa Frey's Bible (who we lovingly call "Pappy Frey").

On the inside of his Bible he wrote this:

Uncle John told me that Pappy Frey and Mammy 

were saved at a special service at the local church.

Mammy was saved at morning service and Pappy was saved in the evening.

What an exciting day that was for our family!

The date is easy to remember because it is the day before my birthday (not the year though).

From now on I will always remember that my Great Grandparents

 were saved on February 17th.

Pappy, Mammy & some of the kids 

What were the events that led up to them accepting Christ as their own personal Saviour?

My Aunt Floss told me that Pappy Frey was known as the town drunk.

He also did some work in his garage and had some very bad pictures posted on his walls.

At that time, Mammy and Pappy had two children - Roy (my grandfather) and Hazel.

All the kids- Roy and Hazel are the two oldest (on the right)

My other Great Uncle, Paul (who we call "Amos") told my dad the other day about the events

 that led up to Pappy Frey attending that church service where he got saved.

He said that Pappy was passed-out drunk in a ditch somewhere,

 when a friend of the family came along and found him.

This dear friend took Pappy home with him and sobered him up.

 When Pappy was sober, he invited him to come with him the next day to the special church service.

He made Pappy promise that he would come with him.

The next day, Pappy's friend came to pick up Pappy for service.

Pappy was not ready and said that he did not remember promising him that he would come.

Mammy and the kids went to church with their family friend and as you read in the entry from Pappy's Bible,

 Mammy was saved that morning.

When that friend came along to pick them up for church service that night, Pappy went along.

That evening, Pappy accepted Christ as his personal Saviour.

My Great Grandpa, "Pappy Frey"

As a Christian, Pappy Frey was differant than before.

The town drunk, no longer lived in that community.

Pappy tore down all of the bad posters on his garage wall. 

One of my Great Uncles told me that he put up pictures of great Christians instead 

(like Spurgeon and R.A. Torrey).

After salvation, Mammy and Pappy Frey gave thier children

 Bible names like: David, Samuel, John, and Martha.

The old man had passed and the new man was alive in Christ.

Pappy Frey working on oil burners

Pappy was a hard worker.

He taught his children to work hard, obey God's Word, and be kind to others.

One of his sons told me that he would come downstairs early in the morning 

and find Pappy on his knees in prayer.  

Many times the children would hear thier names being uttered in prayer.  

Pappy and Mammy prayed for thier children. 

 Many times the boys would come back in from the morning milking

 to find thier father still on his knees in prayer.

Mammy did her part in raising the kids to honor the Lord.  

Aunt Floss told me that she remembers coming to dinner while she was dating John.  

Mammy would have each of the kids recite a memory verse before they could eat thier dinner. 

My Great Uncle John is a pastor.  

He said that most of the Scripture that he has committed to memory

 is from his childhood, because of Mammy.

Below are some of the notes that I found while paging through my Great Grandpa's Bible:

Was he thinking of the wretched life he used to live, before he found Christ?

I am thankful to God for the godly heritage I have because of Pappy Frey.

I believe he would be proud of his sons and daughters as they serve the Lord in thier homes, 

at thier jobs, churches, and some even in ministry.

I can't wait to get to Heaven to talk to him about the people that God

 has led me to minister to in South Africa.  

I believe he would be proud!

Reading Pappy Frey's Bible

On Sunday morning, before going to church with Great Uncle John & Aunt Floss, I did my personal devotions out of Pappy Frey's Bible.  What a treat!

My Bible with Pappy's Bible

Pappy's Bible contained a story. 

His story started on the first page with his and Mammy's date of salvation.

God's Word contains the same story for each of us.

The story of God who loved us so much that He sent His Only Son to die for our sin.

The Bible shows each of us how we can be a new man, with old things passed away.

A heritage of faith can be passed down to our children,

 grand children, and great grand children.

The story of salvation can be shared by a loving family friend, 

who desires for others to come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

This story of God's love, is the same story that I will take to the Zulus in South Africa.

What a story!

Paper, Ribbon, Fabric, and Buttons

 Last week, my friend Libby came over to teach me 

how to make some new craft projects.

We enjoy spending time together because we both have 

a burden for missions.

She is the "flower lady".

We made flower pins and she made a box and card with flowers.

Each of these projects are not just crafts, but gifts for people, 

as well as, things that we can hopefully do with some of the 

children and ladies on the mission fields that God has directed us to.

My mom also came over and did her favorite thing - sew!

I have a "Big Shot" die cutting machine that will

cut through 8 layers of cotton fabric.

 Mom came over to try out the new die that came in the mail.

It is a Dresden Plate quilt design (see the picture below).

It was so easy to have two different size Dresden Quilt blocks 

in just a matter of minutes.

I think all the excitement wore my mom out :)

We accomplished alot and laughed alot.

It was so much fun to be creative and to have a wonderful time of fellowship.

I am so thankful for the family and friends that God has placed in my life.

 Proverbs 27:9 "Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: 

so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel."