The People within the Ministry

Bill, {the blessed man with the quiver full of arrows}, Ps.127:3-5, is a full-time Iron worker employed by Excel Energy When he’s not playing his guitar or saxophone, he may be logging on our property of 80 acres, or sawing those logs into beautiful lumber.  Bill is a wonderful father who patiently teaches his children many things. Even the girls are learning to change the oil on the truck.

Mama Songbird: a.k.a. Lisa. I am a Home Executive. In other words, I try to manage this household of 12 with some semblance of order. Well at least we eat and have clean clothes! I am also responsible for the children’s education as we home school. Thankfully, the children are quite studious, and the curriculum we use encourages independent study. I play bass, and acoustic guitar, and sing in the band.

The Children, (did I mention there are10at present time?)

Joseph is eighteen! He plays the drums and has come a long way in his abilities since he started.  He especially enjoys doing outdoor concerts where he is able to exercise his muscles, if ya know what I mean. His interests and hobbies include: building models, reading, military history, naming and taming chickens, and 4 wheeling, just to name a few.  He has a lot of responsibilities being the oldest and he usually rises to the occasion with a smile.J  “It is rumored he actually cares about his siblings.”

Sarah: My (First Mate), is fifteen now, a lovely young lady with wonderful talent on the keyboard, she also does lead vocal on many of our songs. Sarah has a horse named Gingerbread, who has a filly named Sandy, both of whom she spoils with scratches and apples.   I love to hear the horses whinny in answer to Sarah’s whistle. Theirs is an important friendship.  Sarah likes to write poems and stories, (look for some to be published in the future).  She collects calendars and porcelain dolls, and turtles. She also has many responsibilities around here. I depend on her perhaps too much. I know she will be successful in whatever the future holds for her. She is disciplined, dependable, and delightful!

Paul Harvey is finally fourteen (it seems he is always impatiently waiting for the next one.)  He is a talented singer although at this age his voice can’t always be trusted (this too shall pass).   Paul seems to have taken on his father’s talent for woodwinds as he is doing quite well with the clarinet. In another life, Paul might be a professional baseball player. He really has an arm.  Come to think of it we have enough children for a team!  Paul is an avid reader as are all of the children, some times to my frustration as well as my pleasure.  Paul has a very compassionate heart and is one of the best friends you could hope to have.

Grace is twelve, along with playing the tambourine, or (timbrel), as she calls it, she adds her lovely voice to our band, as well as poetry readings.  Grace is the peacemaker, the patient teacher, the sensitive sister, (though her brother Paul would beg to differ), the girl who often has her nose in a book, when she’s eating, folding clothes, etc…  She has been practicing the keyboard, and shows some interest in the violin.  She is a precious presence in our family.

Emily, the girl with the giving heart, is ten years old now. Recently at a family wedding she introduced me to a newfound friend by saying, (Mom this is Kayla and she just asked Jesus into her heart.) (: Yea Kayla said, she started telling me about Him and I started believing.)  That’s what it’s all about.  Emily hasn’t decided on an instrument yet, but she adds so much to our ministry in many ways.  By expressing the songs through choreography, and blessing everyone she meets with her smile.

Steven is now nine. When he came along everyone called him (even Steven), because he brought the number of children to six.  Steven sings and dances his heart out, he also enjoys the harmonica, but he keeps reminding me the first set of drums we bought were for him, he does practice from time to time so perhaps in the future Joseph will have to share his throne, (drummers like to call their chair that).   Steven is a hard worker and a lover of nature.

James is seven now. He has done very well in school this year and will be the first one finished this spring. I was testing him today to see if he's been doing his flash cards and he didn't falter. He is quite an actor and will be seen center stage in several of our skits. James also sings and dance. James is very sensitive, recently he was speaking to me about his concern that Joseph may soon leave home, and how fast his baby sister is growing. I told him we need to be thankful for everyday we have.

Maria, is a beautiful, (albeit strong willed), four year old, with a heart of gold God designed for ministry. She knows who has a hurting heart and carries that burden to the heart of Jesus for healing, and throws in her tender hugs for good measure.  It’s hard to say what instrument she’ll play, for now she sings and dances.  She is also an understudy of all her sibling actors. Recently when we did a skit we had to make certain Maria was not near a microphone as she knew and would repeat everyone’s lines.

David two years old, when he was born the doctor said (10/4), no I said I don’t think he’ll be a trucker, no said the doctor that’s how much he weighs!!!, and he hasn’t stopped growing since.  Growing deeper into our hearts that is, he is such a joy, and like his brothers before him, all boy !  We think maybe David will be our sound man as he loves to play with the wires, but he also loves to play Steven’s harmonicas, as well as Joseph’s drums, and I saw him eyeing up Dad’s saxophone.  Will he be a prodigy and play every instrument? Only the Lord knows.

  Christine Lynn, nine months old. Our newest little warbler, joined our family on May22,2003.What a blessed addition. I've come to realize that the more children we have the more I appreciate them. When they are as good as gold as they have been it's not hard to feel that way. Christine sings soprano, and claps and waves, and can hardly wait to be David's dance partner, she is almost walking.