A Vellum Scroll

It's here!

2011-10-20T11:54:00.001-04:00

Fall has finally arrived!

The weather is crisp and cool.

The apples are abundant and the sweet potatoes ready to be enjoyed.

So what else should we do but make Sweet Potato, Chipotle & Apple Soup?

HAPPY FALL!

I Call His Name...

2011-10-12T09:06:00.001-04:00

This is what the LORD says, he who made the earth,

the LORD who formed it and established it

—the LORD is his name:

‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you
great and unsearchable things you do not know.’

~Jeremiah 33:2-3~

Savior King

2011-10-11T10:01:00.000-04:00

"We love you Lord, we worship you
You are our God, you alone are good"

~Savior King~

~Hillsong~

Emma by Jane Austen

2011-10-10T10:09:00.001-04:00

"It is only poverty that makes celibacy contemptible."

~ Emma to Harriet on why she has yet to marry.

Day Fourteen: a Picture of your Best Friend(s)

2011-10-06T10:15:00.001-04:00

I am fully persuaded that friends are seasonal.

I don't mean that they change with the wind or the climate.

I mean that God places a particular group of people together for a specific season.

I am so blessed to be surrounded by this season's friends.

There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under the heavens...

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance...

~Ecclesiastes 3:1&4~

I'll never forget it.

2011-06-19T13:32:00.001-04:00

You may be tired of hearing me write about it, but my trip to the San Blas Islands of Panama last year was truly one that I'll never forget. The beauty of the place and the joy of the children are only two of the many reasons this trip was memorable.*

Today, another medical missions team returns to the area. I'll be honest, my heart hurts a little to know that I am not going to be with them this year.

My task instead is to stay and pray for them. Pray that God will open doors and that His work will be accomplished during the next 10 days.

*To read about the trip, click the 'about Panama' tab at the top of the page.

Here's what I enjoy...

2011-05-08T23:19:00.002-04:00

Coffee with friends. Doughnuts optional.

Some things just don't change.

2011-04-22T11:30:00.000-04:00

Songwriters: Jared Anderson, Meredith Andrews

Publisher: WORD MUSIC, LLC

Standing, part II

2011-04-08T11:41:00.001-04:00

First, let me say thank you for the many kind comments passed along via the blog, facebook and given to me personally. I truly wasn't fishing for complements when I asked the question in my previous post. Still, you have reminded me how blessed I am to be surrounded by such an encouraging group of friends and family.

Now, what do I stand for?

The truth is, there are many things I stand for.

~I stand for children.
~I stand for family.
~I stand for education.
~I stand for the unborn.
~I stand for the oppressed.
~I stand for missions.
~I stand for justice.
~I stand for mercy.
~I stand for compassion.
~I stand for love.

But above all, I stand for truth. Absolute Truth. Yes, though it is an unpopular stance, I believe that there are absolute truths. And I stand on the conviction that they can be found in the unerring Word of God.

"Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes,
you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."
Ephesians 6:13

"If you don't stand for something..."

2011-03-30T13:41:00.001-04:00

"...you'll fall for anything." I don't know who to attribute this saying to, but I am convinced it's true.

Now, today I am supposed to offer you a photo of something I stand for. It would be interesting, I think, to know what you, dear reader, would choose for me on this one. So instead of presenting a photo, I choose to pose a question.

What is it you think I stand for? What is the first thing that comes to mind about me?

Blessings

2011-03-23T14:08:00.000-04:00

Heard this for the first time today. It caught my attention and resonated with me.

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

All the while You hear each spoken need
Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You're near?

full lyrics can be found here

A photo of someone I love.

2011-03-18T15:41:00.001-04:00

My grandmother is one of the most wise, beautiful, loving people I know.

Words really can't describe how special she is to me.

She is a grandma, a mom, a woman of faith, a mentor and a friend.

Yesterday, she sat with me, picked my brain, offered comfort and help.

We have a name for unconditional love in our family.

"Bo."

It makes me laugh...

2011-03-09T15:57:00.001-05:00

So, an American, a Jamaican and a Nigerian all walk onto a porch and have a seat...

...and proceed to watch a World Cup game through the window of a stranger's house.

Did I mention that the stranger's porch, house and tv happened to be located in Puerto Obaldia?

Yep. This is a photo that makes me laugh.
Somebody check day 5 off the list. :-)

Waiting.

2011-03-08T13:20:00.003-05:00

I am continuously amazed at how God speaks in that perfect moment. I never really listened to this song until this weekend. When I heard the chorus, I was immediately convicted in regard to my attitude. I am waiting. Still, while I'm waiting, I will serve, I will worship.

"Even the youths shall faint and be weary,

And the young men shall utterly fall,

But those who wait on the LORD

Shall renew their strength;

They shall mount up with wings like eagles,

They shall run and not be weary,

They shall walk and not faint."
~Isaiah 40:30-31~

If you could go anywhere, where would you go?

2011-03-04T17:03:00.000-05:00

That's a question that I like to ask friends and family on occasion. I've even been known to pose the query to someone I've just met. It says a lot about the person, I think, when they tell where they would like to go and why. I know there are many places that I would like to visit. That being the case, choosing the photo for today was a challenge. It's day four: the day to post a photo of a place I'd like to visit.

I would like to go to Alaska...

...because it's somewhere that my grandmother has always wanted to go. She had the opportunity one summer and passed it up. I think it's one of the few trips she regrets missing. I would like for the two of us to take a cruise to Alaska one day.

I would like to go to Hawaii again...

...because my mother would like to go. My parents lived in California when they were first married. So close, yet so far away because of their newlywed financial status. I would take her if I could.

I would like to go to the Grand Canyon...

...because I've never seen it and my dad wants to go cross country again. Everyone in the US should see the Grand Canyon at least once, I think.

I would like to go to Australia...

...because that is my brother's dream vacation. Wouldn't it be grand to experience the Great Coral Reefs and the wonders of that land down under? Of course, he'd probably rather take his family than me. :-)

I would like to go to Disney World soon...

...before my nieces grow up and loose the wonder of fairy tales. How exciting it is to see places like that through the eyes of children!

I would like to go to Europe...

...anywhere in Europe, because that's always been a dream of mine. In all of my travels, and I am blessed to have travelled often, I've never gone trans-atlantic. I would enjoy that someday.

Truly, where would I like to visit? Just about anywhere.

Throw a dart at a map of the world. Wherever it lands, that's where I would like to go.

while the sun goes down...

2011-03-04T16:52:00.001-05:00

two young men pretend like they know how to play tennis.
a couple lets their toddler run around the court while they practice volleying.
a woman walks laps on the trail.
a pre-teen joins her, dribbling his basketball.
dogs take their owners for a walk.
an amatuer golfer practices his swing on the abandoned basball diamond.
the red breasted robins make their debut.
I watch it all, eating my french fries and enjoying a milkshake.

The tale of Judica, the starfish.

2011-02-28T17:56:00.001-05:00

Day three: a photo that makes you happy.

Today's task, post a photo that makes me happy. Does it seem strange that the picture is a starfish hanging out in an octopus sand mold? Allow me to share with you the tale of Judica, the starfish.

During the warm, lazy days of summer, one of my favorite things to do is to scoop up my nieces and cart them off to the beach. We're blessed not to live so far away from the beach. I'm doubly blessed that they love to go with me.

The day this particular photo was taken, Boo and I were at the beach by ourselves. Moo was sick and the other adults had to work or were otherwise occupied (strange how that's usually the case with those adults...). So we loaded up our backpack and hit the sand.

On arriving at the beach, we claimed our spot and headed toward the gully to splash awhile. Wonder of wonders, what did we see? What seemed to be a thousand starfish hiding in the gully and sprinkling the sand. In her excitement, 6 year old Boo really wanted to keep them all to show everyone at home.

After much discussion, she was convinced that they would be much better off if we returned them to the big water.

We spent half our time at the beach that day throwing the starfish back. One lone starfish did she convince me to set aside for photo ops. Immediately, our captive was named Judica and declared to be a much loved pet.

Why does that picture of Judica make me happy?

Boo is 8 now. As she grows older, she may not remember that day at the beach, when it was just the two of us. But when I see that picture, I remember.

And it makes me happy.

Long, long ago in a land not so far away...

2011-02-26T11:18:00.001-05:00

Day two: a photo of yourself at least a year ago.

Hmmm... I've noticed that I don't actually have a lot of pictures of myself available online. So, I went and borrowed a previously uploaded photo for this one (thanks Lee!). It's at photo of myself at least a year ago, alright. Try more than 12 years ago. That's right folks. The precious toddler in the picture is now a 14 year old ~~menace to society~~ model of a teenager. :-) His mother, the beautiful lady pictured with us, is still counted among my close friends. I am so blessed with long lasting friendships.

Here we go again!

2011-02-18T19:14:00.003-05:00

Wow, again, it's been 6 weeks or more since I've posted. There are times when I think that I should write a blogpost only to find myself facing writer's block. It's one thing when you decide to write because you have something to say, and another thing entirely to try coming up with something to say because you've decided to write. I'm sure there has been no great loss of discussion simply because I kept my thoughts to myself. The five of you who read this probably found some other way to fill your time. :-) Still, I'm not quite ready to relinquish the blogosphere to every one else. So, in the infamous words of Bro. Jerry, "Here we go again!"*

I have a friend. Suffice it to say that she is my blogging hero. Recently, she posted a Photo a Day plan for her blog.** And, because she is my blogging hero, I've decided - with her permission of course - to jump on board. No promises as to how long this will stretch. We've already established that my "a Day" plans don't always follow the standard 24 hour interval.

Day #1 - A Photo of You

This is a photo of me taken about 1.5 years ago by my niece MooMaLa.
She was 4 yrs old at the time. Not too bad, huh?

*See the About Panama tab for more info on the original phrase...

**
Day one: a photo of you.

Day two: a photo of yourself at least a year ago.
Day three: a photo that makes you happy.
Day four: a photo of a place you'd like to visit.
Day five: a photo that makes you laugh.
Day six: a photo of someone you love.
Day seven: a photo of something you stand for.
Day eight: a photo of something you enjoy doing.
Day nine: a photo of yourself when you were a baby.
Day ten: any photo you like for any reason.
Day eleven: a photo of a night you loved.
Day twelve: a photo of when you were happy.
Day thirteen: a photo of one of your favorite movies.
Day fourteen: a photo of your best friend (s).
Day fifteen: a photo of you and a family member.
Day sixteen: a photo from your childhood.
Day seventeen: a photo from a trip you'll never forget.
Day eighteen: a photo of your town.
Day nineteen: a photo of your favorite thing from school.
Day twenty: a photo of something you ate today.
Day twenty-one: a photo of somebody you find attractive.
Day twenty-two: a photo that you associate a good memory with.
Day twenty-three: a photo of something you want to do someday.
Day twenty-four: a photo of what you want to be when you grow up.
Day twenty-five: a photo that inspires you.
Day twenty-six: a photo of your favorite subject in school.
Day twenty-seven: a photo of something you are looking forward to.
Day twenty-eight: a photo of something/somebody that made your day.
Day twenty-nine: a photo of your favorite person from history.
Day thirty: a photo you find beautiful

"Many Happy Returns!"

2010-12-31T16:11:00.000-05:00

So, this isn't originally a new year's wish. It is in fact, a birthday wish from young maid Becky to the sadly misplaced Sara in Frances Hodgson Burnett's A Little Princess.*

However, I've decided that this will be my 2011 greeting for you all. May you have many more years to greet. May they always begin with love, joy and faith. May they be filled to overflowing with every good and perfect gift. May all of your steps be ordered by God. May you be blessed beyond measure in every facet of your life.

Many Happy Returns!

*PS-If you've never read A Little Princess, I recommend you run out and buy, borrow or download a copy ASAP. It's a beautiful work.

"If the Grinch came and stole your Christmas presents...

2010-12-21T13:08:00.001-05:00

...and they were about to go over the side of the mountain, what would be in your box?" With a huge sigh, 5 year old Moomala answered, "Clothes." Her 8 year old sister agreed, "Yeah, probably clothes."

The 9 year old of the group was certain that the answer was "video games." His preteen sister went with "a book." (That's my kind of Christmas present!)

So began last Friday evening, a night filled with laughter and silliness. Watching the old school version of the Dr. Suess classic and eating a pre-light viewing roasted marshmallow, Becky, Moo, Boo, J.Eg, C.Eg and I were soon joined by Ashley and her clan.

Piling into the cars we made our way throught brightly lit neighborhoods to the local Festival of Lights.
Our rules for the evening:
     ~ If you're the first to see a decorated yard or house, yell out the code word* so that we can all look.
     ~Be on the look out for your favorite light display so that it can be properly recognized.

Simple enough and oh, so fun!

Amid much singing**, yelling of the code word and teasing about mistletoe, we made our way through the lights.   Parking under the "Star of Bethlehem" we got out to wander through "winterland" and to see the wonders of the park lit for Christmas. It was on our way back to the car (thank goodness we had the star to guide us!) that we discovered the light show. Set to TransSiberian Orchestra's version of "Carol of the Bells," a beautiful display kept us enraptured. With near unanimous agreement, we gave a formal presentation to the light show as our favorite display. The one dissenter gave her vote to the Peacock, a worthy light display.

Returning to la casa de la noche, we indulged in s'mores, hot chocolate, fuzzy socks, Polar Express and attempted bribery (of the cat that is).  Could this be a new tradtion? We'll find out next year!

Ashley's video of the light show was interrupted by voices in the background, so this isn't the one that wond the award. Still in all, a beautiful song and a beautiful light show. Enjoy!

* I'm not going to share the code word with the world. But if you happen to guess it, I'll tell you if you're right.

** Who knew that 4 kids under the age of 12 could out do 2 grown women when it came to singing Christmas Carols? They knew all of the verses to the 12 Days of Christmas and could sing them fast. Becky and I kept joining in around 8 maids a milking...

God given rest. How much better could it be?

2010-12-13T15:28:00.000-05:00

Last night I rested better than I have in a while. I know that this is a blessing from the Lord. Psalm 4:8 says "In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety."

Indeed what could be better than a rest that is blessed by God? How about a rest that is interrupted by the angels of the Lord? God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen tells the story of that moment. When shepherds were the recipients of God's glad tidings. God Rest Ye or in other words, don't be afraid, be at peace!

Here it is. A BHC (Beloved Holiday Classic) sung by a great gentlemen, Nat King Cole...

Then there are those who know what Christmas is all about...

2010-12-09T08:00:00.002-05:00

Dear Chick-fil-A,

2010-12-08T16:12:00.001-05:00

Please don't put the crushed up peppermints in my milkshake anymore. As much as I love peppermint and chocolate together, I have a great dislike for things that stick to my teeth.

Sincerely,
Modern Day Scribe

A lesson on saying too much...

2010-12-08T13:24:00.000-05:00

Do not be quick with your mouth,

do not be hasty in your heart

to utter anything before God.

God is in heaven

and you are on earth,

so let your words be few.

~Ecclesiastes 5:2

Do you hear the bells?

2010-12-06T12:40:00.001-05:00

Taking a cue from Becky's blog, I thought I would share a favorite song today. Enjoy!

PS - This is, without a doubt, my favorite Christmas album.

A Thanksgiving Reminder...

2010-11-29T19:01:00.000-05:00

So, last week I attended a Thanksgiving Recital. All for the pleasure of seeing my nieces perform for an audience. Now, while I thoroughly enjoyed the K-4 & K-5 rendition of Albuquerque Turkey, the performance highlight for me was when the 1st and 2nd graders sang "Let All Things Now Living."

I'm not sure I had ever heard this before. I know that I will always try to remember it. As I listened to the sweet voices of those children, I was swept away by a true feeling of gratitude. How awesome that God is so vast, yet cares so much about us!

We too should be voicing our love and rejoicing;

With glad adoration a Song let us raise

'Til all things now living unite in thanksgiving:

"To God in the highest, Hosanna and praise!"

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

PS - Sadly, blogger and I had a miscommunication. This was to have posted on Thanksgiving Day. Oh well, it should be Thanksgiving every day of the year, right? Happy Belated Thanksgiving!

Another Book Review: Jungle Warfare by Christopher A. Cunningham

2010-11-29T18:58:00.001-05:00

Jungle Warfare by Christopher A. Cunningham allows the reader a unique perspective on the sales industry. Subtitled “A Basic Field Manuel for Christians in Sales,” Cunningham uses instructions from an old WWI jungle warfare field guide as a parallel to the guidelines a Christian in the industry should follow. The book is brief, set in a 22 day devotional style with an FAQ section in the back.

While I found the concept intriguing, I must say that the description is a little misleading. As someone who is considering sales as a future job, I expected more of a how to survive style of instruction. What I found was more of a daily discipleship devotional. Each of the points presented should impact a Christian regardless of job field. Though Cunningham did attempt to tailor the topics to sales experiences, overall the subject was too broad to specifically address the sales industry.

I give this book 3 ½ stars for discipleship. Only 2 stars as a sales guide.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Wouldn't you think...

2010-11-24T11:09:00.001-05:00

...that the day before Thanksgiving, Starbucks would serve their Thanksgiving Blend? I would have thought so. Sadly, they have moved on to Christmas Blend. Still, in all, I am thankful for my coffee.

Happy Thanksgiving Eve!

A Thanksgiving Feast - Kid Style.

2010-11-23T15:27:00.002-05:00

It has been years (at least 15) since I attended a Thanksgiving banquet. But this year, I was fortunate enough to snag an invite to my niece MooMaLa's class celebration. Yesterday, the Pilgrims (aka K-5) invited the Indians (aka K-4) across the hall for a Thanksgiving Feast. The Pilgrims provided the meal, of course.

The menu consisted of turkey, mac and cheese, cranberry sauce, warm pasta salad and some other things that were long gone by the time I made it to the table. But the highlight was the Cinnamon Coffee Cake! YUM. I thought this was dressing when I put it on my plate. (Don't laugh. It looked like dressing.) But when I put it in mouth, the flavor, the consistency... oh, the bliss!

I'm suprised I didn't dream about this last night. We will definitely be seeing it again over the holidays.

Happy Tuesday Before Thanksgiving!

Addendum: The Recipe!
Thanks to my dear sister-in-law for sending this over.

Cinnamon Coffee Cake

1 package yellow cake mix
1 package instant vanilla pudding
1 package instant butterscoth pudding
4 eggs
1 cup of water
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

1)Preheat oven to 350°. Grease 9 by 13 pan
2) Combine cake mix, vanilla pudding,butterscoth pudding, eggs, oil and water. Mix well.
3) In another bowl combine brown sugar and cinnamon.
4) Pour half of batter in the pan. Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon mixture. Cover rest with batter. Top with remaining cinnamon and sugar!!
5) Bake 20 minutes at 350°.
6) Reduce temp to 325° and bake 35-40 minutes!!

Enjoy!!!!!!!

And then there was...

2010-11-19T14:16:00.000-05:00

...Pumpkin Cake with pecans and raisins.

Another wonder of the roasted pumpkin.

Who are these guys?

2010-11-07T23:26:00.000-05:00

International Church of God Panama Missions Trip 2010...A.K.A. Who are these guys?

12 people - 3 islands - 8 days - 1,045 patients - 1 unit of Panamanian Special Forces...this is the story of Panama Missions Trip 2010.

Our Abridged Version:
Monday - There are a lot of well-armed guys here, kinda creepy. They seem a bit suspicious of us. Hey, there's one in the bushes near our shower - What Is Up?! We are here to help the Kuna not hurt them...kinda in my space.

Tuesday - OK, now we understand a bit more. There is an increase in guard because of Colombian guerilla that have pillaged the villages in this area. These guys are for the protection of the Indians - but so many, and they do this crazy flashlight talk at night; is that really necessary? Kinda weird.

Wednesday - Well now, these well-armed, very serious soldiers or 'policia' are escorting us to the next village to ensure our safe passage...ok this is fine. This would make us feel safe if we thought our safety was threatened but nothing 'seems' dangerous. Nice touch but maybe a bit overkill.

Thursday or what we now call CID (Critical Information Day): We now decide we cannot do without our protective force. It turns out the Panamanian government issued the guard for OUR small group to cover us 24/7 because the Colombian guerilla know we are here.....ok..... Another nugget: The guerilla in this area are also responsible for the supply lines for their counterpart in Colombia. Supplies such as medications which, hello, we could treat every guerilla's foot fungus for years-type supplies!! So now we realize the equation:
Americans (especially women) + doctors + supplies = hook-up for guerilla!!!
Ok, these soldiers guys better hang close - please sir, my space is your space; keep your hand on that gun!!

Friday - Panamanian soldiers are injured nearby when guerilla set trap on Panamanian territory. Two men lose limbs and are flown to hospital on the mainland. This is serious folks. These soldiers' lives are at risk and they are protecting Us. This is officially a level three mission trip (to be explained later). Everyone is on high alert (and when I say everyone, I only mean the guys in camouflage because we are clueless for the most part). Our guys now get to escort us again to the third village via their boat instead of traipsing six hours through the jungle as originally planned. They now get to ride in the very large and very fast boat to village #3. Did I mention we also witnessed these guys commandeer another, most likely up to no good, probably drug-running, most likely arms-trading speed boat while we were in transit to the last village. We weren't sure if we were about to witness simply an arrest or an actual 'taking out the enemy' kind of encounter. No shots were fired but since the village was not secured for our team because of the slight distraction, we were able to witness a different degree of protection: sharpshooters. As we were relaxing with the family in the village just off the shore, again clueless, we wandered back to the beach area to see multiple men lying on the ground with their guns pointed north. The tactic of skillful shooting is now temporarily replacing the volume of men for our guard. That was one of the most awakening moments of this adventure.

Saturday - Did I already say we are in village #3, Armilla, because it is when we are here that we find out that the guerilla were encamped about us in the jungles of village #2, Anachukuna! No wonder God gave us Psalms 23:5. We also realize that there were Kuna spies in that village communicating with the guerilla and most likely were their source for the one week heads-up that we were visiting the area. (side note: We must have seemed quite bold to those villagers holding clinic and services with those silly targets covering us.)

Sunday - At this point, things are becoming about as clear as our Panamanian bathwater, before we used it. Now it makes sense as to why the soldiers remained no more than five feet from the pharmacy and why they knew all our names and where were are at all times. It also makes sense, in a very surreal kind of way, why they said to us, 'Call us if you return to the area because you will need us.' We now have a platoon of Navy Seal and Army special forces-trained guys who have said, 'Give us a call'. Who else can say this??? Did I mention they are also men in God's army now? Yes, they all surrendered their hearts to Christ and recognize His authority and His protection. We watched as they all read Psalms 91 holding the Word with one hand and their weapons with the other under the dim light of one of the most amazing nights I've ever spent in Panama.

And now for the Full Scoop:
We (and I mean we - this is the story of the Panama Mission Trip as relayed by Becky, Allison, Jen, and Angela) have decided that the trip sound bites, as captured in our journals, best sum up our experience. Here we go...

"This is fun. It's like a ride." - Jeff
Jeff spoke approximately 50 words on this trip - 49 of them were sarcastic, all of them were hysterical. At 6:30am on Sunday, June 20th (Father's Day), 2010, the 9 International Church of God (ICOG) members of our 12 member team met at the church to load our 18 suitcases for transport to the airport. At 7:00am we began checking in. Medicine is critical when going on a medical mission trip - LOTS of medicine. We had spent well over 100 man hours organizing, packing, unpacking, reorganizing, and repacking medicine into our 18 suitcases. Please note: clothes were not included in these 18 suitcases. One had hammocks, one had toiletries, one had tarps and supplies, and the remaining 15 had medicine - LOTS of medicine. (We did take clothes, they just had to fit in our carry-ons...didn't want you to worry)

Trip Hurdle #1 - Get all bags onto the plane without repacking, leaving anything behind, or paying the $50-$450 overweight baggage fee. We pre-weighed the bags at the church to get as close as possible to the 50 pound limit on each (did you know a gallon plastic bag of toothbrushes weighs approximately 5 pounds, or a gallon plastic bag of vitamins weighs a hefty 10 pounds?...we did)
God's Solution #1 - Chad's check-in scale was broken - 2 bags. The agent weighing Craig's bags (which we know were the heaviest) didn't even look at the scale (we did...it wasn't 50). Jen's bags originally weighed in a 51 and 53 pounds, but without anything changing the scale dropped to 45 and 49 pounds. Angela's bag weighed 52 pounds, we removed a stack of plastic bags used to hand out meds and added it to a carry-on and the beautiful number 50 popped up on the scale. By the way - shout out to Publix for donating plastic grocery bags, which are light-weight, do not take up much room, and as you find out on the Kuna Islands are both multi-functional and worth 10 times their weight in gold (granted, gold isn't worth much when there is no real use of money).

With that, we had breakfast, enjoyed Sunday morning service, grabbed lunch, and headed back to the airport where in no time at all we found ourselves in Atlanta...

A brief layover, some more time spent in the last aisle (we don't want to talk about it), and we were waiting in line at customs in Panama City...

The only hitch in customs was the lady not believing Jen was a missionary...stay tuned for her thoughts on that. Lots of verbs come to mind when talking about Panama. - waiting is VERY HIGH ON THE LIST.

After hotel check in and dinner we headed to bed at 12:30am and woke up at 4:45am to head to the plane that would take us to the islands. More waiting, more bag drama, and half of us were off to Puerto Obaldia.

Our pilot was not nearly as interested in what was outside the window as we were...

...yes, he has a sunshade and he is reading. Allison was reading with him in fact, that's how close we were to them. Never fear, the other pilot seemed far more interested in his job. From our little windows we got to see the boats lined up to go through the Panama Canal (they look tiny on the picture)...

and the varied topography of Panama...

Upon landing we took up residence on someone's front porch (we still aren't sure if anyone we knew actually knew who they were or if we were totally confusing and so they didn't say anything to us) and waited for the second half of our group to arrive.

The rest of our team was dealing with Trip Hurdle #2: getting the medicine out of Panama City and to the Kuna Islands. This required bilingual, on your toes problem solving, with multiple government officials, even after Angela spent hours collecting (and making triplicate copies) all the documents said government officials had requested. God Solution #2: After 2 hours of being sent all over town, take a firm stand outside the Minister of Health office, and get the signatures as he happened to pass by. Finally, they too were on the way to the Islands...WITH the medicine.

Once everyone arrived we checked in with the board guard to register our arrival and...waited...again...in the heat...with our mini fans...looking like total Americans.

Side Note: this sign was on the lawn of the soldiers' compound. Pisar means 'to step'...hence this means 'do not step on the grass'. Pastor was very sure it could be translated to mean 'don't pee on the grass'. Right.

Puerto Obaldia was not even our first island. However, at this point transportation took a new state of matter - WATER. It was fun...it was like a ride.

"I'm about to have my first albino encounter!" - Jeff
There is a higher concentration of albino people in the Kuna Island than anywhere in the world. Albinos make up 1% (1 in 100) of the population, as compared to 0.0059% (1 in 17,000) for the world overall. And so, as a first time Kuna Island missionary, Jeff was very excited to meet Blanco on our arrival at Carreto. As it turns out Blanco was very excited to meet Jeff and Craig. Jeff was one of the first white people she had ever seen, and Craig was her polar opposite - she actually touched his skin in wonder. We are so sad we didn't get a picture of Blanco, she is to this day one of our favorite Kunas. Side note about Blanco: really, did you need to name your albino child 'white'?

Upon reaching Carreto we found out a number of important facts:
1. We would not be visiting islands, as much as villages on the edge of Panama...bordered by jungle.
2. The military were awaiting our arrival. (look closely)

3. We would be required to stay within a perimeter predetermined by the military (refer back to 'Monday' of the abridged version to know what we thought of this)

"It's going to be a tough night." - Lenny
Prayer Watch. Those two words, in the end, turned out to be the main reason we were brought to this corner of the world. Each night 4 people got out of their hammocks, ignored their brain telling them to climb back in, and took their position as night watchmen. Isaiah 21:6-7 - For thus has the Lord said to me, go set a watchman, let him declare what he sees...and he listened earnestly with great care. Two at a time, we listened to praise music, watched, and prayed. Two from midnight until 3am, and two from 3am until 6am. Some nights were tougher than others, and it was better to be prepared for a tough night ahead of you.

It took us a while to realize that we were the spiritual counterpart to the soldiers' physical watch. Once we realized why exactly they were with us, we recognized the mutual exchange of protection - they protect us in the natural and we cover them in the spiritual. We also honestly believe, based on how they interacted with us after seeing multiple nights of prayer watches, that they too understood this awesome parallel. God Solution #3 when we didn't even know Trip Hurdle #3 was the guerrillas.

"Hook him up. He's got a gun." - Allison

Every day we set up a medical clinic and pharmacy. We began seeing patients at 9am, took a lunch break around noon, started back up at 1pm, and closed up shop usually around 4pm. Each island had a different location, but the schedule of events was the same. The Kuna Indians started by taking a number (very American, and very difficult to explain in Kuna why this should be done) and having a seat. Craig or Allison would meet them in triage, which involved taking names, ages, symptoms, and a lot of translation. From Kuna to Spanish to English and back from English to Spanish to Kuna.

From there, they met Lenny or Angela for examination, diagnosis and prescription. Some times this took only moments, others involved more detailed interaction...and translation.

The primary conditions were fever, cough, diarrhea, lice, scabies, fungus, and pain. In the U.S., these are the things we walk to our well stocked drug store to address whenever we have a concern. In the Kuna Islands, these things can go from minor to major pretty quick, because the drug store doesn't exist. Many of the kids had infections from simple bug bites because of the lack of sanitation.

After receiving their prescription, they moved to the pharmacy. The pharmacy was intense. Before leaving Charleston, we separated medicine into suitcases so that each village would have access to the different types - cough, cold, pain, fever, stomach, antibiotics, antifungals...you get the picture. The suitcases looked nice and organized.

Then clinic started. At the discretion of the 'pharmacist' (I use this term loosely as it was Becky and Jen, neither of which have any sort of pharmacy degree) and the instruction of the doctors (who actually really are doctors), pre-bagged medicines were dispensed. All the instructions had been translated into Spanish, but most of the people only spoke Kuna so there was an additional layer of translation needed when explaining how to take the medicine. Add to this that there were generally 4-6 kids in addition to adults on the prescription, we had two sharpies and plastic bags with which to make it clear who got what meds and in what quantity, each family got toothbrushes and vitamins in addition to their prescriptions, all the sheets you are filling out are in Spanish so you have to make sure you are marking the right area, it's HOT with no ventilation (Jen's description was feeling like someone had started up a space heater and positioned it in front of your face), and you have yourself a wild ride. There were two of us in there for a reason and it was not just to make it easier to do the work, it was to keep each other sane.

The first day, after noting that Jen and Becky could possibly at any moment have a breakdown, Lenny suggested Allison join them in the pharmacy until they got themselves in a groove. This, being the first day, was the first time we provided medicine to the soldiers in addition to the Kuna Indians. The soldiers didn't have much access to even as simple as an ACE bandage, so don't think we were skimping out on the villagers. When Allison read off our first soldier's prescription she followed up the note Angela had written 'extra pain meds' with 'Hook him up. He's got a gun.'

Each afternoon, when clinic ended, we handed out reading glasses. The Kuna people would line up (after coaxing) and come one by one to the table to try on the different prescriptions to see which was the best. The women practiced on their molas to determine if the prescription was strong enough to see when threading their needles. Molas are the tapestry like needlework that the Kuna Indians are known for. They are amazingly beautiful and extremely difficult to make - reverse embroidery for anyone who knows what that means (my grandmother is the only one I know that does).

"Comida?" - Pastor, pointing the monkey after Jeff insisted that it was not for food
During clinic time each day, Pastor, Chad and Jeff walked the island, praying and going hut to hut to invite everyone to both the clinic and our nightly services. Through translators, they enjoyed the Kuna's unique brand of hospitality at each home and offered to pray for anyone who was willing. During their visits old women would get up and insist that their guests have a seat, and were offered many unusual drinks. The evangelism team truly walked away with a better understanding of how the Kuna people live. Among the strange things they encountered was a monkey. Jeff was certain that this was a pet. Pastor was certain it was not. Upon asking the monkey's owner if it was 'for food', Pastor's hunch was validated by her saying 'si, por supuesto' - yes, of course.

On our first village of Carreto, hours after our team had finished walking and visiting the huts, we received reports that two people previously unable to walk were healed and now walking around. The one woman's husband had been carrying her to the bathroom because she could not use her legs at all. Gloria Dios.

"I know what the devil is doing. He's making fried chicken on my fasting night to tempt me. Mogi said he couldn't get chicken. I'll knock his eyes out." - Pastor...AKA "What is it? Does it taste good?...What is it? Does it taste good?" [repeat 10-15 times per meal] -Chad
Eating was a happy time on the Kuna Islands (although you couldn't tell by Jeff's face here)

Most meals consisted of rice, a protein and plantains. Lots and lots and lots of plantains.

The protein usually involved seafood, whether it was fish, conch, or crab or occasionally something like chicken (or monkey). Most of the time, we didn't ask, they didn't tell.

Every once and a while there was something exotic on the table that only Craig and/or Lenny had ever eaten (in Jamaica or Nigeria, respectively). This year, we had the distinct pleasure of eating soursap. I HIGHLY recommend it.

While eating is a highlight of the day, not everyone made it to the table each meal. We had been instructed before leaving for Panama to have a schedule of fasting times, in addition to our prayer schedule. Fasting, for those who are unfamiliar, is giving up food for a specific amount of time, for a spiritual purpose. From the time we landed on the Kuna Islands until the time we departed, someone from our team was fasting at all times.

The one night we had fried chicken happened to be Pastor's night to fast. But we all knew that regardless of the food we missed, the fasting was necessary to our ministry. In addition to possibly eating a monkey, we most likely ate this specific chicken...Pastor didn't miss anything...

"She ain't gonna make it, mon. She over their praying for Angela and she need prayer herself." - Craig ...AKA "I don't even know what we're praying for!" - Becky
Our third day involved a trip to our second village of Anachacuna, a half day of clinic at that village, and then service at night. Before we could move onto Anachacuna, the captain of the soldiers told us they would go ahead of us and "secure the village". Right - we never thought we would be in a position that someone would be "securing" anything. If you refer back to our abridged version, we were still pretty unsure of this whole soldier thing. But, some of us after talking with the soldiers realized that they seemed to be most concerned about this specific village, and apparently there was guerrilla activity most frequently there.

As a result of our prayer watches, our team had specific things to pray about for each village. For instance, on Anachacuna, we prayed about deception and death. We also prayed over anyone's dreams or visions. Lenny had a vision on Tuesday in which two guards were shot across a brackish area. There was much blood and violence because they were unprepared, not on guard. He felt he should share it with the captain, and once arriving on Anachacuna, the captain asked Lenny to go with him to an area behind the village. When arriving at the spot, Lenny confirmed it was the place he had seen in his vision. The captain increased the guard to four men and put booby traps around the area.

Each night when clinic closed, we would eat dinner and then conduct a service for the village. This usually took place in the courtyard outside the school. This was the location in Anachacuna, as the ladies from the village swept away the dirt...

The service was comprised of singing songs in Spanish, a sermon spoken THREE languages (Pastor spoke, Jerry translated to Spanish, and then Navas translated to Kuna), and prayer for people who needed salvation, healing, deliverance, and being filled with the Holy Spirit. The services did not start until after the Silas (leaders of each village) finished 'congress', which was usually around 7pm. Wednesday night we were told service could begin at 7pm as usual, but at 7:15 received a message that it would be 8:30 before we could start. At 8:30 we were told that a visiting Sila from Columbia would speak at congress and service would be delayed. Service actually started at 10:00pm. Angela and I were on the opposite end of the court from where the updates on service start times were arriving...hence, we were a bit confused about the whole thing.

Here is a quote from my journal: 'We were in the hot, I was exhaused, had a headache, my ankles were swollen, I had bug bites all over my legs, I was fasting dinner, but it was far more than all of these things combined. I can only guess that the spiritual aspect was intensifying the physical aspect. In Angela's words 'it was torture'. Little did the 4 girls know, but we were all experiencing the same overwhelming sense of exhaustion or stupor. At one point Angela asked me to pray because she had just fallen asleep sitting up. Craig, who was sitting next to Angela and I looked over at us and saw this. The next morning at breakfast we were recapping the evening, and Craig busted out with the quote above...apparently I wasn't looking very good either. Shortly after I had prayed for Angela, Jen came over to tell us to keep praying...unfortunately as you can see above, I was at a loss for what in world was going on, let alone what I was to pray about.

Needless to say, our first night on Anachacuna was rough...little did we know what was ahead of us...

"Then we were thrown in a room, told to put our heads down and waited for the guerrillas to kidnap us." - ...AKA "Let that woman at the airport ask me if I'm a missionary!" - Jen
When we arrived on Anachacuna we were instructed that if anything 'happened' while we were there, that we were to go directly into one of the rooms in the school - the safest building in the village. This is Angela and Allison enjoying the close confines of "the room" as it soon became known...

Thursday night - Critical Information Day (see abridged version). Before the service, the captain came to Pastor and Lenny and said that his men had asked to receive prayer. We found out the service would be delayed again, so they decided to pray with the soldiers while we waited. We watched, and listened to 17 soldiers praying for salvation in Spanish in unison. It was pretty awe-inspiring. Immediately upon concluding there was a sound that put the men on high alert. The next things we heard was this "Do they have to go? Yes they have to go now." The soldiers immediately dispersed to their assigned stations and we were ushered into "the room". It was awesome to see and hear how quickly these men moved to protect us. We were very literally told to sit along the wall and keep our head down.

Each of the four ladies had their own specific experience while we waited in "the room". Jen had an encounter with God as her Father like she never experienced before. Angela was looking for protection - specifically a knife, which I just so happened to have in my purse, and she just so happened to make sure of. Becky had a time of soul searching as God asked me whether it would be worth my life, if even one person we had already seen be saved went to heaven. Allison was contemplating God's faithfulness to his Word - specifically the three verses he had given us before we left Charleston. Joshua 1:9; Psalm 46:10; and Philippians 4:6-7. We don't know what the men and the Panamanians were thinking, but it was a pretty intense "20 minutes" (the standard Panamanian measurement of time).

Though it felt like hours, it really was only a short period of time before the soldiers returned with an 'all clear' and we were released from the room. It turns out the noise we had heard was one of the booby traps being set off. They believed after searching the village and the perimeter jungle that it was a palm branch. God had warned us to pray against a sneak attack, and we believe that had the soldiers had not been alert and obedient that the vision Lenny saw would have come to pass.

After returning from their stations, the soldiers lined up to be prayed for by Pastor, Lenny and Chad. Watching them pray protection over each of them individually was beautiful. It made me think about all that had to be put in place for that moment to occur. God, in His wisdom, made each thing happen for His purpose for each one of those men. We were blessed to be part of that plan.

"I'm telling you, Navy SEALS are MY size." - Chad
The soldiers were planning on walking from Anachacuna through the jungle to our third village, of Armila. Their standard job was patrolling the jungle, and as we had found out the night before, the jungle around Anachacuna was the base of operations for the Colombian guerrilla supply chain. As noted in our abridged version, when we awoke, we found out that they would instead be accompanying us by boat to Armila. This was due to the fact that two Panamanian soldiers had been injured by land mines set by guerrillas.

Their boat, as you can see, was rather intense, much larger than ours, and could go a WHOLE LOT FASTER. We found out just how fast when en route to Armilla our soldiers had to chase down drug runners in the open ocean. Does Craig look as though it's perhaps his secret mission to protect us...and perhaps specifically our Pastor?

Yes? Because that's what our soldier thought! We had found out the night before that in scoping our team out through conversation the soldiers had picked up on the fact that Chad had been in the Navy and Craig is in the Navy. Their obvious conclusion was that they were Navy SEALS, protecting the Pastor. Chad assured us that this was not illogical thinking. No really, SEALS are their size. :)

"Here we go again" - Jerry (said into the microphone in ENGLISH when no one speaks English)
On Armila, we followed the same pattern - clinic, evangelism, service, prayer watch - but everything seemed more heightened. At a specifically intense moment in the last service Jerry, generally only translating what Pastor said into Spanish, said into the microphone in English 'Here we go again". I'm pretty certain no one but us understands how completely hysterical that was and yet it totally summed up the moment.

"You can probably take two, you're bigger than the Kunas" - Angela
One very different aspect of Armila was the presence of a military base in the village. It was here that "our soldiers", as we liked to call them by that point in the trip, turned us over to protection by these police. After closing down clinic and pharmacy the last day, we organized the undistributed medicine into a couple of suitcases to leave with people in Panama. We left extra supplies with the school superintendent, as we had done in each village. Additionally we left supplies with both, the chief Sila, and Pastor Navas (our go-to-guy for all things Kuna). We also put together a suitcase together for the medic at the police station on Armila.

We took the meds over to their compound before dinner that night and in explaining how to administer each type, Angela let the medic know he could give two Tylenol instead of one...since they were bigger than the Kunas and all.

Allison and one of the Kuna translators, Lilly. Note: Allison is only 5'3".

Angela's head towering over the 'high' walls of the bathroom on Anacachuna

Our last suitcase was handed to the head guy over our captain and soldiers. Once we realized just how much danger we had been in over the past week, we were very grateful for the presence of 'our soldiers'. These men had been carrying out orders handed down from the President of Panama to protect us. No wonder God told us before we left 'Go in peace, I've gone before you.'

"Friend, Friend. Where are you from?" - Random Kuna man...in English..not joking
Before we left Armila, Pastor Navas's family presented us with gifts the ladies had made.

Pastor Navas and Tina

The next morning, Sunday, we waved goodbye to our soldiers and returned by boat to where it all began - Puerto Obaldia. As WikiTravel describes Puerto Obaldia, it is "a ramshackle collection of decrepit houses, mostly with damage or missing roofs, a beach littered with rubbish...a little known and dirt cheap alternative to travel from Columbia to Panama and vice versa."

(check out how amazingly camouflaged he is!)

As we waited, and waited, and waited for our plane, Jen commented 'I feel like I'm on the set of a music video of a really weird song'. In other words, we concur with WikiTravel.

Despite our surroundings, Lenny, Craig and Chad did find a way to watch the World Cup...yes, they are sitting on someone's porch and watching the TV through the window

I remember waiting last year in Panama, but there is something about the passage of a year that dulls the experience...after a week of being reminded it was all we could do to get through the last leg of waiting...waiting on the plane that was supposed to pick us up at 8am, and yet come noon it still hadn't left Panama City...oh, the world of waiting. There were other travelers waiting here as well. One of them, after chatting about what he was doing, asked us how our vacation was. We sat there staring at him unsure of how to answer that question - Jeff's response summed it up 'That was the worst vacation I've ever taken'...not that it wasn't an amazing experience, it was just definitely not a vacation!

Needless to say we were happy to be back in Panama City, have a hot shower that didn't involve buckets or praying that your Hepatitis B shots are working, and glorious, glorious coffee...as an FYI macchiatos are not the same when you aren't at Starbucks, notice you can't even see the cup Jen is holding it was that small (and strong).

Some lice and scabes creme, a nights sleep on a flat bed, another hot shower, some jeans, lip gloss and mascara and you have yourself some happy campers (well ok, only the girls were excited about the lip gloss and mascara).

We hope you enjoyed it - we are blessed to have experienced it, but glad to be home!

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Sailing, sailing over the ocean blue...

2010-11-03T12:45:00.005-04:00

No, I'm not a sailor, but I have recently been sucked in to the sailing world and have found a new pastime. Tracking the Velux 5 Oceans solo race around the world.

They say that there are approximately 1,000 people who have summitted Mt. Everest. There are only about 250 people who have successfully sailed around the world alone. Quite a feat!

Every 8 years sailors pick up the challenge again. Formerly known as the BOC Challenge and the Around Alone, this solitary race pits man and boat foremost against nature. Competitors are a concern, but can be an afterthought in the drama of the moment.

With four stops, this nine month race kicked off from La Rochelle, France on October 17th. Now, they are midway to Cape Town, South Africa, their first port of call. After rest and repairs, the 5 sailors competing this year will be off to Wellington, New Zealand, then Salvador, Brazil, before hitting Charleston, SC, USA in preparation for the final sprint back to La Rochelle.

It will be March or April 2011 before they finish.

Fascinating! You can follow their progress on the map at Velux 5 Oceans raceviewer.

I wish all 5 sailors a successful circumnavigation! But secretly, I'm rooting for the hometown candidate from the good ole' US of A.

All Things Pumpkin: An Epilogue

2010-10-28T17:13:00.009-04:00

So this weekend, Becky and I tried our hand at a few new recipes. Included in these were All Things Pumpkin as delightfully detailed on Becky's blog. Of course, you'll notice she didn't include a picture of the pumpkin cookies.

There are a few reasons for that. First, we were too busy talking, brain storming and eating the results to remember the photo. Second, the cookies, though delicious, were FLAT! They looked a little more like pumpkin crepes than cookies.

We had some of the roasted pumpkin leftover and - as I had a cook out to attend tonight - I decided to try the cookies again.

They look so promising when they go into the oven...

But 10 minutes later...you guessed it. Flat again!

Still, all is not lost. Thanks to the creative thinking of my mother, a solution has been found. While this recipe seems to be a failure at making plump cookies... as pumpkin cream cheese whoopie pies, it is a resounding success!

Our Prayer in the Desert...

2010-10-19T16:37:00.003-04:00

...Make that our prayer in the jungle. There's not a lot of desert in Panama. We four ladies who went to Panama this summer have declared this our theme song. It always helps to remember that "God is my Victory and He is here."

Greater Love by Robert Whitlow

2010-07-13T15:45:00.001-04:00

Greater Love is the story of a VERY conservative young woman who begins her "real life" away from home. After being introduced to the secular collegiate world, Tami Taylor graduates and starts looking for her place in an established law firm. She quickly learns that all though some decisions seem right, they are not always God's choice for us. Drama and a bit of intrigue lead the reader to see that Tami's faith influenced not only her work ethic, but her clients and colleagues as well.

Well written, Whitlow has brought this home to the South.

As I have not had opportunity to read the first and second books of the series (Deeper Water and Higher Hope), it took me a while to grow accustomed to Tami's very sheltered point of view. A refreshing look from a point of view not often explored by writers of any genre.

The mystery element was a little bit sparse. The story really focused more on Tami and her decisions than it did on the mystery that was woven throughout the story. A little more detail, a resolution that took a litlle more effort, would have enhanced the story.

Overall, well done. Thank you, Thomas Nelson, for the free copy. I enjoyed the read and have found a new author to consider.

Panama...Kuna Yala

2010-07-02T13:03:00.003-04:00

A Beautiful Place...

A Beautiful People...

An Intense Journey.

Panama Mission 2010.

Let's GO!

2010-06-15T12:48:00.005-04:00

Wow. It's been awhile since I posted. April and May combined into one giant whirlwind that swept me away for a little while. Being dropped back down into normal life has left me a little disoriented, but, as we said over and over again last week in VBS, "Let's GO!"

Work has changed, VBS is over and now I'm saying, "Let's GO... to Panama!" I have been selected to go on a mission trip to take medical care and the gospel of Jesus Christ to the native people of Kuna Yala, Panama. We leave this weekend for 9 days of intense ministry. You can read a preview of the trip at The Substance of Things Hoped For. Also available here is a report of last year's trip to the islands of Kuna Yala. Thanks Becky!

No more for now, but a I'll do what I can to update you on our return.

God Bless!

Hand of Fate by Lis Wiehl with April Henry

2010-04-05T08:52:00.002-04:00

Revenge? Hate crime? Terrorist attack?

Opening with murder by mail, Hand of Fate grips the reader in a quickly paced story that revolves around the death of radio talk show host, Jim Fate. Three women, Prosecutor Allison, Special Agent Nicole and Crime Reporter Cassidy – previously united in Face of Betrayal – work together to unravel the mystery. But could one of them be holding back critical information?

I confess to being skeptical of the endorsements on the cover. Pulse-pounding? Major twists? Delivers big? We’ll see.

I’m glad to report that it’s true. Wiehl’s second Triple Threat Novel does deliver big. From the first, I was never quite able to form an opinion on “Whodunit?” I would decide who had not done it, only to revise that opinion further into the story. With a well developed plot carried through with great writing, Hand of Fate definitely goes on the shelf to be read again. Highly recommended.

New Book - A Case for Love by Kaye Dacus

2010-03-30T09:46:00.004-04:00

There is no better way to spend a rainstorm than curled up with a good book. Coffee is optional.

In that light, here are the details on my most recent read.

Set in the small Louisiana town of Bonneterre, A Case for Love by Kaye Dacus takes a look at the struggle between ethics and family ties, small town retailers and corporate advancement. Attorney Forbes Guidry takes on a pro bono case that puts him in direct conflict with the largest company in town. Did we mention that Boudreaux-Guidry Enterprises is owned by his parents? Of course, a bonus to the case is that it puts him in close contact with Alaine Delacroix, the TV personality he’s wanted to meet for years.

Throw in dance lessons, a matchmaking company, a boss who does not garner the reader’s sympathy and you come up with a delightful read.

A Case for Love is the third in Dacus’ “Brides of Bonneterre” series, following Stand-in Groom and Menu for Romance.

Things I like about Kaye’s work:
A) The main characters have never been married before.
B) They do not have children.
C) They are not right out of high school/college.
D) She does not write in first person.

It seems that 2/3 of the books I pick up today are about widows/widowers, divorcees or parents. Oh, or they are pining for their High School/ College sweetheart. Now, as I have never been married, am not a parent and am approaching a new decade, these are not my preference for entertainment. There is something about identifying with a character that draws me into the story.

The first person point of view, well that could be a whole other post.

Great job, Kaye!

Recent Snowfall

2010-03-04T16:44:00.002-05:00

God's voice thunders in marvelous ways;
he does great things beyond our understanding.
He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth,'
and to the rain shower, 'Be a mighty downpour.'
So that all men he has made may know his work,
he stops every man from his labor.
~Job 37:5-7

This grabbed my attention...

2010-02-09T15:18:00.002-05:00

"A simple illustration provides a pithy parallel to our situation: a ship in the sea is all right; the sea in a ship is all wrong. In the same way, the church in the world is all right; the world in the church is all wrong. If there is too much of the sea in a ship, it will sink. I believe the ship of today's church is so near sinking that every individual who becomes a believer and accepts Christianity is set to bailing water with everyone else to keep the church afloat."

Excerpt from Protection From Deception by Derek Prince

Plain Pursuit by Beth Wiseman

2010-01-21T18:58:00.001-05:00

Plain Pursuit tells the story of Carley Marek, a young woman healing from the grief, pain and mental stress of a car accident that stole her mother's life. Carley spends a month of mandatory vacation by going to visit with Englischer turned Amish friend Lillian (whose story is told in Wiseman's Plain Perfect).

The tale that unfolds from there is an enlightening, heartwarming tale of a Noah Stoltzfus who followed the call of God to become a Doctor and the shunning that ensued. Wrapped up in the tale of his rejection are the conflicting emotions of his immediate family and the illness of a nephew he has never been allowed to meet.
Wiseman does a beautiful job of going beyond the conventional Englisch perception of an Amish shunning. The reader comes away with a better understanding of the faith and community which exemplify the Amish way of life.

It was nice to pick up a book billed as Amish fiction and find a contemporary story that doesn’t focus on the long lost daughter of the one who was shunned. Likewise, Wiseman’s story was a nice departure from the predictable. I look forward to finding out if the rest of the Daughters of Promise series exhibit a similar style and feeling. Well done.

He Is.

2010-01-13T01:41:00.003-05:00

New Book: Green by Ted Dekker

2009-11-20T18:16:00.001-05:00

Followed by the books Black, Red and White, Green begins and ends Dekker’s circle series. Our Hero: Thomas Hunter, common man in modern time, leader of “The Circle” in an alternate future. Our Villians: Ba’al (future) and Billy (modern). Green is an interesting, but sometimes confusing story of good and evil.

With vivid description and multiple characters of interest, Dekker paints a new and frightening world. A bit edgy and disturbing in places, hopeful and encouraging in others. Aside from the battle between good and evil, Green does bring to mind the matter of second chances. Do we all get them? Do we realize it when we do? Do we make the same mistakes?

While I think that Green may wrap this series up well, this was my first acquaintance with Ted Dekker's work. By default, Green represented the beginning of the circle for me. Unfortunately, I think this was the wrong choice. Apparently so much had gone before, that I was unable to get an accurate picture and found myself confused at points. In Lord of the Rings style, there were new terms to learn and a new world to understand. Mixed in were chapters and references to a time in the not too distant future. In order to really appreciate Green, it seems beneficial to read it as a conclusion. It does seem that this book could begin the series again, just reads as an awkward first time beginning. IMHO.

Koinonia

2009-10-26T17:12:00.003-04:00

Love is:
~a verb.
~an action.
~a feeling.
~a belief.
~a reason.
~a many splendored thing.

How many people have tried to define love? How many philosophical and impassioned discussions have there been on the subject? Too many to count I'm sure.

I don't have an answer and I'm not trying to stir up another discussion.

I just have a few comments to make.

There are some people that I like. Some that I tolerate. Some that I may never have more than a passing acquaintance with.

Then there are some people that I genuinely love.

Sure, there's my family.

But there are friends for whom I have a deep, platonic love for.

A love birthed in fellowship.

{Fellowship -
{1. the state of sharing mutual interests, experiences, activities, etc.
{2. a society of people sharing mutual interests, experiences, activities, etc.; club
{3. companionship; friendship

I recently had the priveledge of gathering together with a group of friends that I love. It was a group that hasn't assembled for about 5 years. I've seen some of them off and on over the past few years, but this was a special time.

We shared joy together. We laughed. We shared trouble together. We prayed.

Truly this is a group that I share Koinonia with.

{Koinonia -
{Christian fellowship or communion with God or with fellow Christians;
{said in particular of the early Christian community.

I don't tell them often enough how much I value them. Honestly, the depth of my feeling for each of them doesn't in anyway make light of my other friendships and relationships.

But I read something today that I felt applied specifically to this group:

"I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." ~ Philippians 1:3-6

I love you guys.

Two Hits & A Miss

2009-10-08T16:05:00.004-04:00

So, as I mentioned before, I'm a big reader. But I've been taking a break over the last month or two. Busy life yields little time for the library. I did however, manage to sneak a quick trip in last Sunday. All three books I brought home were by authors I didn't really have a previous acquaintance with. Hit or miss, right?

Thankfully, two of these turned out to be gems.

The first, Gone to Green by Judy Christie, is about a big city editor who gets stuck with the ownership of a small town paper. Committed for a year to small town Louisianna, Lois Barker has to figure out how to fight prejudice and inject change into both the paper and the town. Great read. I look forward to picking up the sequal.

The second book was by author Kristen Heitzmann. Now I had read Halos before, and though enjoyable, it didn't really leave me with a strong affinity for her work. This book changed my mind. Finally, a good Christian author who doesn't try to wrap things up in a tidy package of 250 pages or less.

A Rush of Wings tells the tale of a woman on the run.

From something.

About picking up her life.

Somewhere.

About her personal journey.

Oh, yeah, and her romances.

Though, I must say at the end, I was thinking, "But what happens to the other guy?!?"

Thankfully, I've discovered she wrote his story too. That's on my list for the next drive by at the library.

Oh? You want to know about the third book? Well, I've struggled to get through the first chapter. It just hasn't grabbed me yet. I may give it another try. Or it may go back for some other lucky reader to snatch up.

The Reminder of a Promise

2009-09-27T21:27:00.004-04:00

Last Wednesday, I was driving into town when I noticed a sliver of a rainbow of to the right. "How beautiful," I thought and kept on driving. The farther down the road I got, the more I noticed the rainbow. The clouds began to break and I realized that I was seeing a glorious range of colors that spanned the road.

Below, a picture I tried to take while stopped at a light.

On turning to another highway, the clouds dissipated and the rainbow grew clearer. Absolutely beautiful. I had to wait until I parked to get this picture, so the trees got in the way. But imagine a full rainbow, like one you'd see in a cartoon. :-)

"Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds,
I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind.
Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life."

Genesis 9:14-15

An Unexpected Conversation

2009-09-16T16:20:00.004-04:00

Here I am in my friendly, neighborhood bookstore mega mart. Trying to get out of the house and take advantage of free wi-fi while I do a little work.

It looks as though there are several others doing the same. Laptops, ipods and text books seem to be the order of the day. Who knows? Maybe I sit among industrious college students or those with the freedom to work virtually. Perhaps I sit with the unemployed masses, searching for jobs over the world wide web.

Either way, I was delighted to look up from my screen, take out my earbuds and greet a dear friend.

An hour later, I'm encouraged. Our conversation was serious, though there were laughs aplenty.

There's something to be said for sharing from the heart. The emotions and feelings that can be trusted to a dear friend. Knowing that whatever is said will be taken solemnly. Knowing that prayers will be offered in earnest.

Thanks for taking the time to talk, friend.

A Name So Sweet

2009-09-15T13:32:00.001-04:00

Memories...

2009-09-10T12:52:00.004-04:00

In 1924, a ten year old boy could walk the marshes of Charleston and find all kind of treasure. If he happened upon a soft shell crab, it was a treasure indeed. The kind that could be sold to the chef at The Francis Marion Hotel for $.75.

How do I know? My grandfather was one of those young boys. He told me all about the entrepreneurship of his youth a few months ago. It was a good memory for him.

Of course over 96 years, not all of the memories are good. Some were sad, some were repentant, some were blissful.

I am blessed that my memories of my grandparents are all good. I'm sure that my parents, aunts and uncles have a few that they would rather not pull out. Truthfully, there are some I'd rather not hear about.

I've always been an optimistic realist.

Regardless, today I have the privilege of celebrating 96 years of a man's life.

Happy Birthday Grand-Daddy.

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
~Romans 8:38-39

A Week of Good Byes

2009-08-31T21:29:00.003-04:00

Have you ever really thought about what it means to say "Good Bye?"

The dictionary says that Good Bye is:
1. An acknowledgement at parting.
2. An act of parting or leave-taking.

That pretty well sums up the last week for me.

On Wednesday, I "acknowledged at parting" a friend who was moving back to her home country.

On Friday, I participated in the "act of parting or leave-taking" after four years of working at an awesome company.

Today, I said "Good Bye" to a dear woman of God who passed away over the weekend.

Some good byes are inevitably sad, but some are more along the lines of "see you later."

Christine, I hope to see you later.

MM, I'll see you soon.

Sis. Sylvester, I'll see you again one day.

Good Bye for now.

Consuming Fire

2009-08-25T10:27:00.003-04:00

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken,

let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,

for our "God is a consuming fire."

Hebrews 12:28 & 29

More about Frogmore...

2009-08-21T14:17:00.002-04:00

By popular demand:

Frogmore Stew

PS - add about 6 lbs of crab legs when you add the shrimp. It's just better that way. :-)

A New Generation

2009-08-21T09:22:00.003-04:00

You may remember the story of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea on dry ground. If not, take a minute and read about in Exodus 14:10-31. After this miraculous crossing, these same Israelites saw God move in many ways, but because of a lack of faith, they all died before they could enter into the promised land, the land that God was giving his people.

A new generation was prepared to go wherever God sent them. First step, cross the Jordan River. Now, check out the following:

"He said to the Israelites, "In the future when your descendants ask their fathers, 'What do these stones mean?' tell them, 'Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.' For the LORD your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The LORD your God did to the Jordan just what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God.""
~Joshua 4:21-24~

Do you see what God did? The very same thing he did at the Red Sea, he did at the Jordan River. Why? So that a new generation would know that he is the same yesterday, today and forever.

What does that mean to me? That God, who did everything the Bible says he did, can do the same thing for me today. That God, who carried my great-grandparents through the Great Depression, will carry me through this year and next.

He's the same. Yesterday. Today. Forever.

Start With Worship

2009-08-17T10:20:00.005-04:00

A favorite band, a favorite song, a favorite way to start the day. With Worship.

Getting your hands dirty

2009-08-15T20:01:00.003-04:00

Ever gotten up from a meal with dirty hands?

I'm not talking sloppy joe messy. Not fried chicken messy. I'm talking you ate with your hands, messy, greasy, sloppy all at the same time.

That was my dinner tonight.

Frogmore Stew.

A delicious meal of crab legs, shrimp, corn on the cob, potatoes and smoked sausage all boiled together in one flavor filled pot of water.

You can use a fork for the potato and sausage if you like.

Otherwise, this is a hands on meal.

With drawn butter and cocktail sauce.

Yum.

Messy? Sure.

Worth it? Absolutely!

Summer Storm

2009-08-12T14:44:00.004-04:00

"What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed, or the place where the east winds are scattered over the earth?

Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain, and a path for the thunderstorm..."

~Job 38:24-25~

I won't deny it.

2009-08-11T09:32:00.002-04:00

I am a reader. Not just a casual reader. A voracious reader.

As such, I am constantly searching for the next great read.

Now, before you go making suggestions, there's something you should know.

I read G, with the occasional foray into PG, books only.

No graphic scenes.

No obscenities.

You get the picture.

Sadly, this limits the selection.

So yesterday on my way home from work, I stopped by the book exchange and picked up a few quick reads from the Love Inspired line.

I was pleased to find Crescent City Courtship by Elizabeth White to be an execellent story with fully developed characters and story lines.

When I finished the book, I read the author's notes. (I don't always do so, which should be indicative of how much I enjoyed this.)

What did I discover? That this story was written as White's thesis for her Master's in Creative Writing.

That brings a whole new perspective to writing a thesis for the intent of publication.

Back to work.

2009-08-10T13:27:00.005-04:00

"Work is either fun or drudgery. It depends on your attitude. I like fun."

~Colleen C. Barrett

It's back to work for me today. No more vacation. No more rest.

Thankfully, I'm blessed to have a job that can be fun.

Of course attitude does make a difference.

Today's attitude:

"Hey guys! I'm back!"
"How are you? Tell me about your vacation."

Oh, yeah. Let's get some work done while we chat.

Ahhh. It's good to be back.

The best laid plans...

2009-08-05T21:58:00.004-04:00

Vacation is half way over. So sad.

On the other hand, it's been INCREDIBLE so far. There are plenty of stories.

Tonight, we tried to make a trek to Busch Gardens for a couple hours of shows, rides, etc.

Sounds like fun, right?

It would have been great.

Except for a couple of things.

We walked all the way to the boat landing, hoping for a river cruise.

It closed 30 minutes before we got there.

We tried to ride the skyline to the other side of the park.

It closed due to an approaching storm.

We tried to go to FestHaus for the German oompa-loompa show.

The last one had already played.

So, one ride on the carousel and 30 minutes in the Land of Dragons later, soft drinks in hand, we were trying to beat the afore mentioned storm out of the park.

Question of the day: When a storm is approaching and you hear an announcement about "inclement weather" coupled with instructions to "seek shelter," how do you react?

A) Walk calmly to the nearest exit, hoping to make it to your car before the bottom falls out.

B) Run quickly to the nearest building and wait it out.

C) PANIC! Run! Where's the car? Who has the keys?

We chose option A. Sadly, the majority of people in the park were caught up in option C. Really people? It's a little rain. Pretty sure none of you will melt.

That being said, we fought to stay upright in the tide of humanity rushing to the exits and shelter. And finally made it to the car. Were we a little wet? Sure. A little cold? You bet.

But all in all, nothing a little hot chocolate and a warm blanket couldn't cure.

Can't Stand It!

2009-07-30T14:48:00.003-04:00

I'm leaving for vacation in just a few hours.

I. Can. Not. Wait.

Yippeee! Woo-Hoo!

On a budget...

2009-07-29T13:18:00.003-04:00

"Due to the economy, I am cutting back."

That's something you haven't heard before, right?

Ah, well. This takes different forms for each of us.
For me, food expenditures needed serious time with the red pen.

Conclusion: More groceries, fewer restaurants.

Plan of Action: Coupons!

For those of you in the South, check out Southern Savers.
It's great advice stocking the pantry with the best deals.
Some coupon links are included.

Let me know how you do.

As for me, I'm headed to Publix to get:
Pop Tarts for $.75/box
instant oatmeal for $.94/box
pasta for $.32/box

2009-07-28T09:27:00.003-04:00

Just saw/heard this for the first time. AWESOME! What a way to start the day.

Thanks for the link Sonia!

This blogging thing...

2009-07-27T14:41:00.001-04:00

Online Journal 4Web Log 4weblog 4 blog 4 ?

Right.

So...

Hi.

About a year ago, I made a tentative move to join the blogging community. I was faithful to write once every week or two for about 2 months. Yeah. Add that up and you get about six posts.

That few people read.

Of course, it was a small social networking site. Made up of people of like faith.

Now here I am. Making another tentative move into the blogging arena.

Motivation? Peer pressure.

But that's a whole other topic. Too deep for this initial post.

I can't tell you what to expect if you follow along. I can't tell you what I expect this to become.

I'll just say hello and leave it at that for now.