Our incredible, wonderful John turns 21 today. Happy Birthday, John! Where did all of those years go?! You were the mischievous little Maxwell boy, who was going to let his children climb the bathroom shelves and eat Rolaids whenever they wanted to. Oh, but things have changed, and no longer is that the thought.

We love you so much and delight to see you serving the Lord. You bring an extra spark of life to wherever you are–truly, your contagious personality brings a smile to people who cross your path.

Happy 21st Birthday, John! We are excited.

“But if any man love God, the same is known of him” (1 Corinthians 8:3).

With having two young children, we find we are often in need of a vaporizer. This winter, we are experimenting with running a vaporizer year round, whether they are sick or not.

The problem, is finding a good vaporizer. Does anyone have any suggestions. Here’s the criteria I’m looking for:
- Cool mist
- Ultra-sonic – these run quieter and have great control on mist output. When the girls aren’t sick, we run it on a very low setting over night.
- Easy cleaning – the ultra-sonic one we just discarded (due to mineral deposits I couldn’t get off the base, hence it wasn’t putting out mist) made it virtually impossible to clean the tube that the mist travels up. I found a thick, gross looking layer of pink slime coating the inside of this tube. I need to be able to get a cleaning brush/rag on every internal surface. I handle vaporizer cleaning, while I’m happy to use power tools to get things dis-assembled and clean, I don’t know that the vaporizer will work once I’m done with it.
- Easy filling — This is not a necessity, but would be very nice. Does that tank stay upright when upside down?

There’s the challenge. What have you found to work well? When responding, if you have both the model number and the name of the manufacturer I would be grateful.

Thank you.
Nathan

“But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.”    Genesis 2:6

We’ll post them in order of who got the most votes.

Anna and John built the grocery store.

Mary and Jesse constructed the Victorian Cottage.

Joseph and Sarah put together the Mayor's House.

Dad and Mom did the church.

Abigail, with a little help from her daddy, creatively made the zoo.

“Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.” (Psalms 105:3)

It’ll still be awhile before we can post finished products. Our kitchen is a wreck right now!

Love,
Sarah

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalms 133:1)

This morning started early as we had some preparations for a special breakfast. We wanted to express our gratitude to the linemen that repair downed electrical lines. Dad and John made the delivery of muffins and milk about 7.

Then, mid-afternoon, everyone met in the kitchen and construction was begun on our mini gingerbread city, aka Gingerville. We will be posting pictures later of the finished product and let you all decide which is your favorite.

Love,
Sarah

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14).

Anna and Mary, with some help from Anna Marie, have been investing many hours in baking to preparing for our night of caroling, which is to come very soon. We will post more details later, along with the compiling party, how the caroling went, and other interesting facts.

If your family has been thinking of caroling to your neighbors, but haven’t gone for it, it’s not too late! You don’t have to bring goodies along (although it is a nice “extra”), just smiling faces and a joyful noise. Caroling is a thing of the past, for the most part. When was the last time carolers were at YOUR door? I could count on one hand the number of times we have been caroled to. It’s something our neighbors love. Now, with the added grandchildren effect, we have the cute factor.

Merry Christmas!

Love,
Sarah

Mary, Anna Marie, and Anna

Yesterday afternoon, we girls made cards. It was great working as a team.

Christopher and Anna Marie stopped in, as Joseph was going to take their picture. Christopher grabbed a few pictures for us of our work.

The front of the card. A special thanks to Mrs. Kim C. for your inspiration on this card. Your cards have been incredible over the years, and it spurred us on to creativity.

We were watching the little girls this afternoon so Nathan and Melanie could have a special Christmas dinner out and time to shop. So, of course, we can't help but add this picture of Bethany Mary took.

“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people” (Luke 2:10).

The Maxwells are grateful to the Lord Jesus Christ for the following, and so very much more!

Dad’s Gratitude List

• My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
• My wife, and wonderful children, daughters-in-law and grandchildren
• God’s Word
• Brothers and Sisters in Christ
• Daily provision of food and a place to live
• Opportunities to share Christ
• Local assembly
• Health
• Wonderful neighbors
• A country where we still have freedom of worship
• Transportation

Dad and Mom

• Jesus Christ and His Word
• Family with special joy over two daughters-in-law’s pregnancies
• Thirty seven years of marriage to a man who is the spiritual leader of our family
• Children who love and follow Jesus
• Our ministry
• Brothers and sisters in Christ
• God’s provision
• Our health
• Morning walks
• Nursing home church
• Uriah

Sarah’s Gratitude List

• Jesus, who bought me with His precious blood and saved me. He owns me, and I delight to be His!
• My precious family
• Word of God and ability to read it, allow it to penetrate my life, and memorize
• Traveling together as a family, sharing with others and seeing dramatic results
• Those who pray for us and stand behind us by encouraging us in the Lord
• Health, which many don’t have. Ability to exercise.
• Ability and the opportunity to write to bless others
• Our house and all my needs taken care of
• Opportunity to bring joy to the elderly at our church
• Many things to fill my time. Opportunities to learn more and minister.
• Our blog readers

• Jesus (His grace, His patience, His gentleness)
• Dad and Mom
• My Family
• Our Titus2 ministry
• Evening Bible time
• My Bible
• My health
• A roof over my head
• Our church
• My job

• Salvation through Jesus
• My family
• The Bible
• Our church
• My work
• Health
• Our house
• The ministry
• Transportation
• The ability to workout

• Jesus dying on the cross for my sins
• The Word of God
• A loving home
• Every breath that the Lord gives me
• For my parents leading me in His ways
• For each on of my brothers and sisters
• For parents that were willing to sacrifice and teach me at home
• For my sweet little nieces
• For parents who have instilled in me life skills
• Every morning that the sun rises
• Titus2 and ITonRamp
• Every opportunity to serve
• Freedom to worship the Lord
• Our house that the Lord has blessed us with a couple of years ago
• Our Home Sweet Home on the road – our bus

• Jesus, who bought me with His precious blood
• A loving family
• Health
• Work
• School
• God’s daily provision of food
• Our church
• God’s protecting hand on us
• Brothers and Sisters in Christ
• Our House
• Outreach that we are able to do
• Financial Provision
• Music
• A country that we are free to worship God in

• Jesus, who is my Lord and Savior
• My wonderful family
• My dad and mom who are so godly, loving, and caring
• Susannah Joy and my two other nieces
• The Bible
• The prayer Jesus answers
• The opportunity to minister to others around the country
• Our house
• The bus

For defending the defenseless!

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.” (Psalms 33:12)

Friday morning, we had the joy of hosting a brunch for ladies in our neighborhood. It was a special blessing to fellowship with our neighbors. It seems in the culture we live in now, interactions with neighbors are just an occasional wave or a “hi” here or there. So, it was wonderful to be able to spend time with the ladies.

We had quite a spread of food, and the girls and Mom planned a wonderful menu including meat & cheese empanadas, ham/cheese casserole, fruit, veggies with dip, pumpkin scones (thanks, Anna Marie!), pie crust with cinnamon/sugar, pumpkin pound cake (thanks, Mrs. C.), and delightful hot drinks.

Instead of just breaking up into individual conversations, Mom asked if each lady could share how they came to the neighborhood. It was very interesting to hear the background behind the families being here, and we really enjoyed hearing their stories.

It was a special time with our neighbors. Maybe it’s something you might enjoy doing this holiday season in your home.

Love,
Sarah

Baking was done on Thursday.

Pie crust with butter/cinnamon/sugar and then baked. Yumm.

Anna made empanadas.

Mary made mini chocolate chip muffins.

Bethany was super cute.

The finished empanada product.

Mrs. B and Anna.

It was a full table!

What a cute big sister!

Winter here in Kansas is not like it is up north, but it still gets cold, and it does snow. Before we built this house, some diseased Dutch elm trees had to come down. We’ve been using that wood for the past two winters. I heard our stash will likely hold another two years, depending on the temperatures this winter. I love the smell of a wood fire on a delightfully crisp autumn day or a cold winter day. Dad had an idea for wood storage. Instead of bringing it inside on a pallet, he built a neat wood “bin”–using leftover wood and items we already had here. The guys have taken a few minutes here and there to haul wood from the back yard to under our deck.

Sarah

Finished product!

I had to include this picture of the two A's on Anna's birthday. Anna's holding a card Abby made for her.

“But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day” (Matthew 24:20).

It is with joy that we celebrate Anna’s 19th birthday. She brings an extra ray of sunshine to our home and ministry. We delight in the young lady she is and her love for the Lord Jesus. Happy Birthday! We love you!

“…for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman” (Ruth 3:11).

Flowers for Aunt Anna (and Aunt Sarah got some too).

Late this afternoon, Anna and I were over at Nathan and Melanie’s a little ahead of the family. It was a beautiful day for a walk. Before we went, Abby picked some flowers. So sweet. Bethany loved the flowers too.

You know, I am grateful for the gift of little children in our lives. It is a joy to see their love for life, enthusiasm, precociousness, innocence, and excitement.

Love,
Sarah

I love that expression!

Flowers for Aunt Anna.

And there's cute Bethany.

We have totally seen the Lord’s Hand. Let me explain.

1. When the tire alarm was going off, we had to find an exit to pull off on. We ended up being about three miles from an exit, and upon taking it, we saw signs that said “accident ahead” on the highway, and brake lights. Wow!
2. As we pulled into the Petro, the transmission light strangely came on. The tires ended up not having any problems, but the transmission light continued to stay on. If the tire alarm hadn’t gone off (which it turned out was for no reason), we wouldn’t have stopped, and we would have been stuck in the traffic back up, with a transmission problem, and likely have been stranded right there.
3. The transmission was heating up just parked, so Dad and John decided we needed to get back on the road. The interstate was now closed, and the only option was a back road. So, we took it.
4. We hit rain on the two lane road, but we were fine.
5. I found a Detroit Diesel shop which was about 30 miles away. We were already driving that direction.
6. We were grateful the transmission was stuck in third and not first.
7. We got to the shop, and we reset something on the transmission. It popped out of third, and we wondered if it was fixed.
8. As we began to drive to see if it was working, it popped into first. Wow! That made us even more grateful that we were in third before. Those thirty miles would have gone very slowly.
9. Dad talked to the service guy, and he had an idea for what might be the problem. It is possibly as simple as a speed sensor that went bad. They said they can look at it right away in the morning when they open at 7:30 a.m.
10. We are just praising the Lord. Truly, we rest in His hands. We didn’t have any conferences scheduled until Friday, so it’s all fine.
11. We would appreciate prayer that it would get fixed easily and quickly in the morning.
12. And, we have a great place to park and all the amenities we need right here (beds, food, air conditioning via the generator). What more could you want?!

Love,
Sarah

The guys partially unloaded a bay to get into the panel area.