Mike and Anita James

I said these words so many times that I think I’ll be saying them in my sleep.  With the help of some friends, Sarah & Rebekah Taylor, we had 250 homemade cookies ready to pass out in Hoofddorp. We got a permit from the city to be able to pass them out.  The process was fun.  First, we mixed up 5 batches of cookie dough. The longest part of the process was the baking part. My oven only cooks one pan at a time.  That ended up being 16 cookies at a time.  We finally perfected the process of them and cooked them for 5 minutes before turning the tray and cooking them an additional 5 minutes.  Yeah, it took a while.

Sarah & Rebekah mixing cookie dough

The next step was waiting for the cookies to cool off enough to be able to pack them.

Waiting on some cookies to cool

When they were finally cool, we included a church business card and sealed them up with a sticker with our logo.

Packaged cookie

Today, Mike, Rebekah and I went into Hoofddorp to start passing them out.  We’ll also be handing them out on Wednesday. As I found, most men and children or teenagers were happy to take a cookie.  Many people asked us why we were passing them out.  They were surprised to find out that we were a church who were just wanting people to have homemade cookies. AAt first, I was surprised when people turned us down, but then I realized that I would probably also be a little reluctant  to take something like that from a stranger. The only negative thing I was told was that a man at the bakery didn’t like me standing near his shop passing out things for free. I just moved on down a little bit and kept passing them out.

Explaining why our church is passing out cookies

Mike had several boys who came back for more.  They did promise to give them (or at least the cards) to their parents. Overall, the reaction was positive. When people asked me why they we were doing it, my response was, “Well, we’re a new church, and we wanted to do something for Hoofddorp. We were trying to think of something, and I like to bake.  So…we decided to give out cookies.”

Mike talking with a lady while passing out cookies

We’ll have several more times of passing out cookies. Please pray that we continue to make good connections with people and can connect people to our church.

We’ve been meeting quite a bit with our friends, Vanessa & Sietse to plan for our new church, iChurch Hoofddorp.  We’ve been going through things like the vision for our church.  We had our first meeting on Sunday, 1 April.  We decided to start by talkig about what our core values.  Mike spoke about being authentic.  People have been known to put on masks and hide who they really are or what they’re gong through.

Mike being authentic

Sietse and Vanessa took care of music – a Bon Jovi song to start it off and a Hillsong United song to end it.

Sietse & Vanessa leading worship

One of the things we said that we wanted was for our church to be fun.  Mike and I have done children’s ministry for so long, it’s kind of natural for us.  We played a game – “Who Is Telling the Truth?”  He and I would each make a statement, and they would have to decide who was telling the truth and who was lying.  The one that confused everyone about me was when I said that I had never fired a gun.  They were tricked because they thought that if I came from America – especially from Arkansas – that I had done it, but I wasn’t telling the truth on that one.

Our media department

Grace was our media department.  We practiced with her on Saturday.  She did such a great job.  I was really proud of her.  It helped her focus on what was being said and also gave her something to do.  I told her that she did a better job than a lot of adults I’ve seen.

My job was to come up with something for children.  I didn’t know how many children we would have or if we would even have any other than Grace.  She turned out to be the only child, but she appreciated having an activity to do.  It was also about being truthful and honest.  My other job was to take care of hospitality  If you don’t know Dutch people, let me fill you in – you HAVE to have coffee.  Sietse says that we don’t only need coffee; we need good coffee.  So, we packed up the Senseo and I made homemade chocolate chip cookies.  Hey, if we’re going to have good coffee, we should have good cookies too.

We had another girl there with us, and we’ve had a few inquiries from other people about our next meeting, so hopefully our community will grow.  We’re very grateful to friends from our church in Leiden who live in Hoofddorp and have offered their house to use for the meetings!  We plan on moving in July, so if we don’t need to find a larger place yet, we’ll start meeting in our house.  Please pray with us that God will direct this new phase in our life and that we will build a strong community in Hoofddorp.

Our list of how a church can be authentic

If it gets and stays cold in The Netherlands, people get pretty excited.  They look forward to the Elfstedentocht.  That means eleven city tour.  Ice skaters race along natural ice paths for around 200 kilometers (120 miles).  The ice has to be 15 centimeters (6 inches) thick throughout the course for it to be officially on.  We’ve been here when it was close, but snow actually messed everything up.  This year was the closest we’ve seen to them having it.

It was cold for a long time, and it didn’t snow enough to ruin the ice.  People were on the ice enjoying the natural ice.  You can understand why the Dutch have a long history of very good speed skaters.  It’s something they’ve naturally done for years.  The last time there was an Elfstedentocht was 1997.  We watched the news reporter who announced, “Wij hebben geen goede nieuws” (We have no good news) and were saddened along with everyone.  There’s always next year.  Of course, to have it, we have to go through a bitter winter again.  Do I really want to see that race?

Chair left on the ice - Used to help an unsteady skater

People loved getting out onto the ice.  There was a cafe in Leiden that even opened up tables and seating on the ice.  Even though it was miserably cold and I was very tired of the cold and ice, it was very pretty.

Normally by the canal, there are runners. On this day, there were skaters.

Fortunately, it’s warmed up a bit.  It’s not warm by any means, but there’s hope for it.  Flowers are starting to pop up, and we are enjoying another beautiful aspect of life in The Netherlands.

So, when we first moved here, we bought some bicycles.  It’s not only part of the culture here, it’s kind of a necessity.  Bicycle paths everywhere make it safe, and the price of gasoline makes it more than a necessity.  I got a used bike and thought it was a steal.  I didn’t really know how much I would use it.

As it turns out, I use it quite a bit.  (Ok, I’ll be honest and say that I don’t use it as much as most Dutch people, but I’m way beyond what an American does.)  I usually take my bike to the grocery store, and I also take it to Grace’s swim lessons.  I’ve met up in the city with friends and gone to people’s homes to visit with it.  I’ve also done things like take meals to people on my bike and gone to Bible study, church and church meetings.

Bikes here are so much more convenient than cars sometimes.  You can go down paths that are shortcuts or that cars are not allowed on.  It’s actually faster to go to our church with a bike than with a car.  Another beauty of using a bike, besides the general healthier factor, is the money that you save using them.  I mentioned something about gasoline.  I just figured out what I paid for gasoline with the last conversion rate we used.  We’re happy because the conversion rate is actually down at the moment.  Still, we pay about $8.40 per gallon.  Crazy, huh?!  Imagine how much money we save by taking our bikes over the car.  Plus, with a bike, you don’t have to pay for parking.  In my head, I’m hearing the sound of a cash register adding up all the savings from riding a bike.

So, do you want to check out my glorious new ride?  Here she is in all of her splendour:

The new ride

Do you want to know how much better this is than my old bike (which I will actually be giving to a friend who needs a bike)?  This bike has a kick stand.  When there’s no good place to park your bike, you realize how important that is.  The brakes work really well.  That’s kind of important.  I can change gears.  The frame is sturdy enough to haul quite a bit.  My seat is complete and doesn’t have holes that take in water like a sponge.  (Again, rainy weather here really doesn’t help that problem!) My wheels aren’t rusted, and the spokes are all attached.  Yes, those are some of the things that are better about my new bike.  With my old bike the way it was, you might wonder why I’m giving it to a friend.  Hers was stolen, and her husband can do some repairs to the old bike.

You’ll notice that there isn’t a picture of me with the bike.  I took it for it’s first spin to the grocery store.  It was sprinkling a little when I left, but if you wait for it to stop raining here to do something, you might never do anything.  So, I went.  It proceeded to rain harder and then hail.  In case you’ve never cycled in the hail, you might want to know that it isn’t the most pleasant experience.  In fact, it’s a bit painful.  I was going to have Mike take a picture of me when I got back with the bike.  I looked like a drowned rat, so that photo shoot was out.  Maybe tomorrow.

I have to say a big thank you to North Texas Youth Ministries who gave money through Speed the Light to help me get my new bike.  There are kids who sacrificed for me, and I don’t take that lightly!  I can remember giving when I was a teenager for Speed the Light.  I thought it was a pretty awesome program then, and I think it’s even more awesome now!

Things are definitely changing around here.  You can see more and more signs of autumn.  Our time changed last Sunday.  Now, when I take Grace to school, it’s not totally dark.  Unfortunately, it will be before too long since we continue to lose daylight right now.  It also gets dark much earlier.  It makes you really appreciate a sunny day when you get one!  You’d be surprised by how much the lack of daylight affects you.

This might sound like a gloomy post, but for the past few days when I’ve been walking Boomer, I’m reminded of beauty in this time of year.

Leaves on the ground

Just look at those beautiful fall colors on the leaves.  Below it, you can see brilliant, green grass.  A few years ago, we had friends visiting from Africa.  They came in December and were curious about what type of grass the Dutch people planted during the winter.  I didn’t know what they were talking about.  They said, “You know, what kind of grass is it?  It’s so green and it’s wintertime.”  I had been taking it for granted.  We have the same beautiful, green grass all year.  I had a Dutch friend who told me once that there might be a lot of clouds and rain here, but it helps keep the grass beautiful and helps beautiful flowers show up in the spring.

path during autumn

It might be getting a bit cooler outside, but I still enjoy taking Boomer for our daily walks.  If you see the beautiful path where we walk, you would probably enjoy it also.  So, if I can find something beautiful in all these things, maybe I can find something positive about getting into a freezing cold bed for the next few months.  :)

We feel that God is leading us to start a new church in the city of Hoofddorp. We’ll be starting it with some friends of ours, Sietse and Vanessa Houtman. We’re really excited about being used by God in this new way.

Sietse & Vanessa

If you’re wondering if we will still do children’s ministry, the answer is yes but not as much.  We are still doing training and teaching, but when we start the new church, it won’t be our only focus.  We will be doing children’s ministry though.  When you start a new church, you end up doing a lot!

We have a facebook group, Pray for Hoofddorp.  If you’d like to get updates about what is happening or how to pray for us, follow this link, ask to be a part of the group and join us in this new adventure!  http://www.facebook.com/groups/159364030812216/

When we got our dog, Boomer, 5 years ago, I was unaware of a subculture here in The Netherlands.  That subculture is dog owners.  I remember walking with our puppy and having strangers come up to us talking about our dog.  Normally, people here don’t do something like that; they’re much more private.

We definitely weren’t your typical dog owners at the beginning.  We didn’t take our dog for as many walks as most people around here did.  We were happy to let him out in the back yard to do what he needed to do.  In the last few years, I’ve learned to really enjoy taking Boomer for a daily walk.  During the week, we walk for 1.5 miles and on the weekends, we bump it up to 2 miles.  It’s something he very much likes to do.  During these outings, I realized that I slowly had become part of the dog-owning subculture or “one of them.”

In the beginning, I never let Boomer off his leash.  Inside our house, he was apt to bark at anything – especially dogs – that walked by.  He also wasn’t the most obedient.  I was afraid that if I let him loose, I’d never get him back.  Plus, he constantly pulled trying to get to other dogs.  I only saw the bad that could come from that.  I eventually got to the point that I started letting him loose, but only in certain areas where everyone else did.  I started to encounter the same people/dogs everyday.  It reminded me a bit of children’s church.  While I might know all the kids’ names, I have a hard time with their parents’ names.  I found myself talking to the dogs and calling them by name but having no clue as to the owners’ names.

One day, I met a lady walking her dog.  Sometime into our conversation, here’s what was said:

Her – “Ben je een Nederlander?” (Are you Dutch)

Me – “Nee, ik kom uit Amerika.” (No, I’m from America.)

Her – “I’m English!”

Since then, when I see Harvey (I still don’t know her name), I immediately speak English.

Not too long ago, while Boomer and I were out for our walk, I came across someone with their dogs that I’d never seen before.  I went a little further and ran across my neighbor.  Yes, I do know his name.  :)  As we were talking, he pointed to the other man with his dogs and asked me if I knew them.  I said, “No, I’ve never seen them walking around here before.”  It hit me then: I’ve become one of them.  I’ve found that when I’m jogging, other joggers greet me like we’re great friends.  When I’m walking my dog, I really have built relationships because of Boomer.

Last week, Boomer had to have surgery to remove stones from his bladder.  He has stitches and isn’t allowed to scratch them.  In the house, he has to wear a t-shirt that is more like a onesie.  It even has snaps that go on either side of his tail.  It’s better for him than a cone, but it’s a bit of a hassle for us at times.

Boomer's onesie

When I’m taking him for a walk, it’s definitely in the way, so I take it off.  Until the stitches come out, he has to stay on his leash while on walks.  I feel like we’ve stepped back in time when I was afraid to let him loose.  I’m also concerned with what the other owners will say.  Yep, I’m definitely “one of them!”

I know I’m biased when it comes to The Netherlands, but honestly, I can’t believe that there is a more beautiful place in Spring.  Don’t believe me?  Here is some proof:

Canal near our house

Everyday I take our dog for a walk.  What a beautiful view I get to see and enjoy!

Blooming tree

I love walking by this tree. It looks a bit like snow when its petals start to fall.

Spring flowers

I know what you’re thinking.  It’s Spring in Holland.  Surely you’ve got some tulips around.  Of course we do.  In fact, we have a few in our front yard.  They’re so pretty that I don’t want to pick them.  I just enjoy looking at them in the ground.  One thing I love here is when we go into Leiden.  There’s a farmer who sells flowers pretty cheaply.  Today we went by, and I saw that he was selling 5 bundles for 5 euros.  That’s 50 flowers for 5 euros.  Do the math!  You can’t get anything priced like that in America.  I brought them home, and they were too much for my large vase, so I had to add an additional vase.  Beautiful!

My Tulip Bargain

We finished a series on the Fruit of the Spirit. It was a lot of fun. We recycled an old song we did years ago that taught the kids the list.  To get the actual lessons into their heads, we did some of my favorite videos so far. You can check out our youtube channel to see them: www.youtube.com/mikeandanita.

We also had a few Zuper Zondags during the series. We’ve got an incredible lady who comes up with crafts for us. Here are a few of her ideas for the kids.

Fruit tree

Fruit mouse

Of course, the kids were creative and made things in their own way.

Kid's fruit mouse

For our last lesson, we talked about good fruit vs bad fruit. Mike offered bad fruit first to the kids and then gave out good fruit.  It was a good visual for the kids and adults as well. The apple was so gross! Mike put it in a plastic bag and simply pushed on it causing it to explode. I definitely want to have good fruit in my life!

Good fruit vs bad fruit

We often play “What’s Your Favorite” as a family. Generally, one person will ask a question about a favorite thing.  It could be things like what your favorite movie, tv show, song, game, etc is.  Grace often asks what our favorite season is.  Her “favorite” season is: fall (because her birthday falls during that season), winter (because of snow and holidays), spring (because of the flowers) and summer (because of no school).

My favorite season is spring. I love the hope that comes after a long winter and gray skies. I love the flowers making their first appearances and warmer temperatures. We’ve had a few days of warmer weather. Well, I guess warmer is relative. I saw that for family in America, it has been much warmer than it has here. Nevertheless, I’ll take the warmer temperatures we’ve had. The highs have been 10 – 15 C (in the 50s F). I got so excited that I decided to wear a short sleeve shirt and flip flops when we went out. Mike laughed at me, and I realized that it was a bit too soon for that. I’ve added a hoodie to my t-shirt and traded my flip flops for warmer slippers.

We can see flowers beginning to bloom everywhere. They’re so beautiful. With that, blue skies and warmer weather, it’s hard not to get excited. Now, if it will only get a little bit warmer, I can break out the flip flops and not freeze trying to wear them!