Update on the Lues Family

Today is my 100th posting and since it was my birthday on Monday and we took the most beautiful photo’s at a wine estate where we had cake and coffee to celebrate, I thought I’d give a little update on our family!  

We managed to take our first family photo with Michael.

I met Christo on the 16th of January 1987 on a blind date arranged by my aunt - She obviously knew Christo and I very well to know that we would be a match.  Although we only got married 4 years later, we both knew within two weeks we were made for each other.  He is my Leader, the one who loves me more than anyone in the world, keeps me on track when things get out of hand in my thoughts, the one who makes me holy! 

‘Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also love the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.”

Eph. 5: 25-28

Over the past 23 years I have came to love him more and more, through the trials and tribulations, joyful and happy events we have gone through together.  Our marriage verse was Phil 4.4-7 

“Rejoice in the Lord always.  Again I will say, rejoice!  Let your gentleness be known to all men.  The Lord is at hand.  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

There isn’t another verse in the Bible that describes our life together, any better.  Thank you Lord!

Christo has a health shop, a natural medicine blog and does Live Blood Analysis.  He believes this is God’s calling on his life - to teach and heal God’s people! 

I’m the proud mother of our eight beautiful children! I have home schooled them since 2000, when CJ was 6 years old.  God called me to home school our children during a retreat in the Magaliesberg in April 1999 (Christo already asked me to home school our children years before!) and since that day I’ve never doubted God’s provision and guidance in home schooling our children!

Christo and I never dreamed to have as many children as God chose to give, but over the years God has opened our eyes to His heart for children and we are hoping for more children to influence the world for God, reclaiming God’s light in a dark and deceived age!

In 2005 we as family, became the distributors for the Above Rubies Magazine in South Africa and currently send out 4,000 magazines to 570 families in South Africa and neighboring countries, 2 - 4 times a year. Over the past 4 and a half years I’ve met the most wonderful families through Above Rubies. God also granted me the privilege of bringing the truth about children to dozens of families. 

I love to work with my hands, either in my vegetable garden, doing scrapbooking or making dresses for the girls.

Our first born is CJ - 15 years old!  CJ is my only introvert child and a dreamer. He just loves horses.  In 2009 he brought home dozens of rosettes through his horse jumping and express events.  CJ is also the webmaster of our Home school website.  His favorite learning subject is Science. In 2009 he was twice the co-winner of the Science Question of the Week competition by Apologia.  CJ is my right hand in sustaining my vegetable garden by taking care of the raised beds, my compost heap and doing all the hard physical labour.  CJ also has a natural feeling for preparing the most exotic and delicious curry meals, much to his dad’s delight!

Heidi-Mari, 12 years, is our second child and first girl. She is the only one in the house with the gift of organizing, to her great frustration and to my biggest blessing.  It is thus no surprise that she is my right hand in keeping house for 10 people. She helps looking after the babies, preparing meals, sowing seeds and watering the vegetable garden. She loves ballet and you will most certainly find her sometime during the day, dancing and practicing ballet! Heidi-Mari also has her own blog, filled with craft projects, especially doing scrapbooking and making cards.  Her favorite learning subject for 2010 is baking, learning the principles and techniques of baking cakes and tarts.  She also shares this on her blog.

Josua, 9 years, is our second son, an extrovert full of fun and humor and has a very thankful heart! Through Josua’s birth God started to reveal to us His will for families regarding children. Josua also loves horse riding and received a number of rosettes in 2009!  He can play for hours with his siblings in their tree house, building airplanes out of Lego or making wooden swords. You will also find him in the garage busy stripping an old video machine or watch or something.

This is our little princess Danika, 6 years old, and very eager to start reading this year! She adores her sister and also wants to be a ballerina! She just loves to play cars and Lego with her brothers.  She can climb trees and be wild with her brothers, as well as playing dress up or making cards alongside Heidi-Mari! 

Andrew is 4years old. He was our first child after we surrendered my womb to the Lord. He is our sensitive, spirited child with the very loving heart, who will tell you countless times a day how much he likes his family!  Andrew is also the ‘thinker’ in the family, asking profound questions for his age.  He needs the minimum amount of sleep and takes hours to fall asleep at night! There is a very special calling on this boy’s life!

David Martin is 3 years old, only 16 months younger than his brother Andrew.  He has life, and that in abundance!  Since he was a small baby, we sensed the sweet spirit of David in him! He also has a very strong personality and knows exactly what he wants from life. He  always makes fun of every one and can drive his brother Andrew mad by teasing him. He is also very athletic.

Little Daniel is 18 months old and has very much the same personality as Josua. He is full of fun and joy, always laughing and very content. But he doesn’t sleep at night!

Michael Jonathan is our youngest addition to the family. Born on the 29th of January 2010, weighing in at 4.38kg our biggest baby! He is my easiest baby, so content and happy, currently the joy and object of all attention in the house!

My husband and children are the centre of my life!  I’m in a season of taking care of my family, with very little time for anything else.  I’m very dependant on my Heavenly Father to sustain me during this season of my life and keep my eyes focused on Him alone.  Society is very quick to ask: ‘What about Your time?; Aren’t you getting tired?; How do you keep a balance?”  My time is filled with the joy and adventures of my husband and children.  I don’t want a life outside of them. Yes I do get tired, but when I look into the loving eyes of my children, kissing their sleepy cheeks good night, I know it is all worth it and tomorrow I’ll have new energy again.  God called me to be different from the world, out of balance and He is a rewarder of those who do His will and please Him!

I’m a blessed woman and I would never want a life different from the life I have. 

Thank you Lord for the plans You have for me!

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

Jer. 29:11