The Ultimate Sacrifice

I absolutely love the Christmas season!  We thought we would be back in Texas for this one, spending time with dear friends and family.  For different reasons that wasn't possible this year.  I thought facing that fact, especially as all the facebook posts poured in of others with family, Christmas

traditions being upheld, the look and feel of Christmas all around in pictures (not in Uganda!), would make me feel really sad.  I just knew there was a huge pity party in my future.

But it didn't happen.  God was so faithful to remind me of the ultimate sacrifice which made my life not worth pitying, but praising Him.  There was one before us that was the true missionary, sacrificing it all.

"He gave up his place with God and made himself nothing.  He was born to be a man and became like a servant."  Phillipians 2:7

That is true sacrifice.  That is the reason for this Christmas season.  Jesus left a place with God to come to earth.  This earth.  To be ridiculed, beaten, laughed at.....every day of his life.... all from the people he came here for.  I can't imagine that level of sacrifice.  That level of homesickness and longing to be back with God.

So, instead of being sad or disappointed in what we didn't have, I chose to focus on all the miracles and gifts all around us.  I am choosing everyday to try to give more of me for Him, in some small resemblance (very small) of the gift and sacrifice that was already made for me.

I hope you and your family had an incredible time this Christmas.  Cherishing the things that are the true gifts in our lives.  And if you found yourself alone physically, I hope you felt His love and arms wrapped tightly around you.  I hope that you allow Him to fill that loneliness when others can't.

Merry Christmas!

Making new traditions with new additions to the family

Tom & Apio

It's a Dog's Life!

We had a bit of a surprise left for us outside our gate a couple of days ago....... a box of puppies.

They look like German Shepherd, or at least half German.  4 of them, which made our kids think that each one was specifically placed there just for them.  They immediately each claimed one as their own, named them and started bonding before Jason and I even knew what had happened to us.

What is a mom to do?  Taking a puppy away would be heartbreaking to any kid, but to ours, it would have been extra heartbreak on top of an already very emotional month for them.

So we still have them and it looks like it is too late to turn back now.  The puppies can't be older than 3 weeks and I honestly didn't think they would even survive the night.  Each kid has been taking care of their puppy, bathing it, feeding it and is responsible for their puppy if it goes potty.

 

Here is the trouble..... we already have 6 dogs.  4 are for security purposes, one is a pet dachshund and the other is another stray that just hasn't found a home yet (but hopefully will very soon).  WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO WITH 10 DOGS??

Luckily we may have a possibility.  We recently started a team house for visiting teams, interns, adopting families and other missionaries visiting the Jinja area.  That house has a large lot and will need security dogs at it as well.  We had already planned on sending two of ours there and Jason was nervous about only having 2 here, so I may have come up with a solution.  We'll have our current 2 Germans train up these pups for security.  Once they are big enough the 2 can go to the team house and the kids' 4 can guard here.  Maybe this will work?  You're right, we are just crazy.

His Peace through Pain.

Here are some of the pictures that I wish I could have shared earlier.  This is our family in July of this year.  I am getting closer to being able to share the whole story, but just not quite there yet.  Thank you for your continued prayers.
~The Segner Family