The men in my life!

This is one of my favorite pics!



















Three generations of Gosa men!

The last walk?

I must confess that I am feeling very sorry for myself. If you are not new to this blog then you know how special my walks are for me.

However, the past 2 years I've been ignoring heel pain in my right foot. The last 6 months have made it very hard for me to continue to ignore so I finally went to a foot specialist. The diagnosis is exactly what I expected. Plantar Fasciitis.

There are number of factors that have caused this problem for me. One is that I had foot surgery years ago and don't have the ability to stretch the plantar like it needs. The other is that I have "VERY" high arches. In fact, the doc said they might be the highest arch he has seen where surgical correction is not needed. Hmmmm... Anyway, no more surgery for this girl. So the other issues for causing this to be as major a problem as it has become is that I'm "older" and "overweight". Just what every girl wants to hear before her 51st birthday.

And the severe pain that accompanies every step I take also has to do with the bad arthritis he saw on the xray. Blah, blah, blah. That is all I heard at this point. Too busy feeling sorry for myself to really listen to what he had to say. Treatment involves stretching exercises that he doesn't feel will help much due to surgery from years ago but wants me to try anyway. And a shot in the heel. Not just any shot but a combination of medicine that he called a shot "cocktail".

If you ever have a desire to experience a new level of pain you didn't think existed just let a doctor take a long needle and shove it into an already painful heel. He sprayed and froze the area first but trust me, you still feel this. Or don't trust, ask the other people who were in the office that day and heard me scream.

To take my mind off the pain I reflected back on how depressed I started getting in the waiting room. Every other person there had to be 80 years old and up. Not sure I liked the idea of having problems like this when I hopefully have 30+ more good years left. The shot is done and he puts a bandaid on my heel. That is when I get to share with him that I have recently developed an allergy to bandaids. We don't know but my other doctor (yes, I now have multiple doctors) feels I am allergic to the adhesive used in bandaids. I explained how recently I had to used one and that while the original sore healed that allergic reaction and loss of skin where the bandaid touched it is significant. So he took the bandaid off and had to get creative with a flex wrap and tape over the wrap.

This fix was to stay on for five days. By day 3 I could no longer stand it, I was having an allergic reaction. Now the heel in my foot does not hurt as much since the meds are working but the itching and rash and blisters are unbearable. Peaceful sleep does not exist. I called around and learned that bandaids and this flex wrap both have latex so we (actually me since I'm now acting as my own doctor) are now thinking I'm allergic to latex.

By now you are wondering about the title of this post. "The last walk." It turns out the worst thing I can do for my plantar problem is to take long walks or to stand for long periods. And I'm never to go barefoot. Not even in the house. Swimming is okay - its going to be below zero tomorrow and the pool is closed. Biking is okay - oh yeah lets do that again! Elliptical is also okay, which I don't mind except for all the twenty-somethings with zero body fat in the exercise room. And my walks have always been more than just exercise.

They have been spiritual in many ways. I just can't imagine no long walks in the park. No long talks with God as He amazes me with His creation. Yes, this girl is feeling a bit sorry for herself.

But I know me. I won't stay here long. I'll pick myself up and do what I want and just learn to endure the pain. Just not sure when that might happen.

Christmas and other things

Here is a recent picture of me with Gary. We were at an awards ceremony.











Here is this year's Christmas tree. At first we weren't so sure but now I really love it! It is so simply and pretty and when the sun shines on it the entire room lights up!














This pic is for Kelly! I wanted her to see how pretty the flowers are that she and Malcolm sent me for my birthday!













And this last one is my favorite. It is our Christmas present from Kelly and Malcolm. I always give Kelly a hard time because she pretends to bite Malcolm. Well, it isn't always pretend maybe playful is a better word. Unless you're the one getting bitten.

Linus Clayton Gosa

Psalm 128:6
May you live long enough to see your grandchildren.
























Father God, thank you for this precious life.
My heart can not express the love and joy that it has but I know that Your love for Linus exceeds anything I'm capable of. Protect him as he grows and bless his parents as they raise him in the knowledge of You.
Amen!

Sex, babies, and...

So I have been up since 3:30 AM. Can't sleep. Kept trying but too many thoughts going through my head. Did all the normal tricks to fall back to sleep but nothing helped. After 2 hours of that I have just given up.

I had a thought during that time that; what if God completely took away every woman's ability to have children. For a moment assume that man has figured out how to reproduce without women being part of the creation of this new life. What happens deep in your gut when you think about that. I start to cry. Do you think our world would change? Do you think that the way women feel, act, and behave would change? Do you think if the soul of women changed that our entire society would change? I do. Would this be good change?

So not being able to sleep I get up and start going through the mail that is sitting on my desk from the last week. I remember the days when I thought I was busy but now I know those were the lazy days. The days I could actually find time to open the mail every day. But I have now strayed from my thoughts so let me bring it back. In the mail I received a newsletter from my obgyn doctor's office (coincidence or God-incidence?). 2 pages completely devoted to "mission hysterosocopy". They are going into third world countries and sterilizing all the women they can. They are proud of this and proud of how they are "helping". I really think they believe it but I find myself very ANGRY.

First of all they went in experimenting and perfecting "new" procedures to accomplish this surgery and it will be generations before anyone really knows what side effects will result. Second what makes us women? Sure we are more than our female body parts but we are uniquely female by them. And since when did being female mean it was bad to bear children. Who is getting all these women pregnant anyways? Why aren't they going into third world countries and snipping and clipping the men? (Sorry if that offends some, wait - NO I'M NOT!) Really someone tell me why!!!!!! Would men in these countries line themselves up to willingly be made sterile or would that not sound so good to them? And if not, why not? I'll tell you why, because they want to have children. Maybe they don't want to raise them but they certainly puff up like roosters talking about their many children.

AND, if we want the women of the world to bear complete and total responsibility for their fertility without men being involved then why aren't we going in and teaching them about their fertility. It isn't rocket science. There are only certain times during the month a women can get pregnant. Would it be so wrong to empower them to say no to sex during those times, even with husbands? Would the men in these countries, or this one for that matter, allow that or are women not to be allowed to be in charge of their sexuality. Are women not "smart" enough to handle this? I feel a rant coming on so I will stop with one more thought that plagues me almost all the time.

Why do we in this country and other countries, think women are stupid? Why don't we give them credit for being intelligent, thinking, human beings? Oh sure, women can have this job or that job but have a say in their sexuality or learning about Natural Family Planning and choosing to abstain from sex when they could get pregnant. No that would be too hard for them. Let's just sterilize them, that is easier and then we aren't burdening them or society with more children. Yeah, let's not teach them about their fertility or invent tools to help them understand when they are fertile. No, they might misuse that power.

This is ludicrous, insanity, and wrong. It's wrong by God's standards and by human standards.

And don't think this is just happening with this topic. Don't even get me started on how this country protects a woman's right to an abortion as strongly as it protects the abortionists right NOT to give her all the information she needs before making that decision. No heaven forbid she should be told about the possible emotional and physical risks, heaven forbid she should be given information on the developing child. No let's just tell her it is easy and quick ("that will be $400 please") and let's just tell her its "not a baby" but a "bunch of cells or zygote or embryo", you know something she might not understand. Let's not tell the baby's heart has been beating for quite some time. No she couldn't handle that. The truth would be too hard for her, the truth is what will cause her emotional distress. Maybe so much that she would not make the "right" choice. I mean what if she went out and decided to continue that pregnancy? What would be the result then? Crap, another baby would be born.

Okay, I think I'm done. But maybe if you made it this far you can see why falling back to sleep just was not going to happen. This really is just the tip of the iceberg of thoughts I have on these topics.

Oh yeah, and now I think I have to find a new doctor.

"This is so hard"

I find that I have been saying "this is so hard" a lot lately. So I'm wondering...what is that about?

Am I overwhelmed with all the things I'm trying to accomplish? Am I in over my head or trying to do things beyond my skills? Am I just lazy?

As I ponder on these questions I look again at the quote that so often goes through my head.

"This is so hard"

I notice what it doesn't say. It doesn't say "this is TOO hard". I'm guessing that since I chose the word "so" and not that word "too" that I am not giving up or giving in. I'm just expressing a statement that what I'm trying to do requires a lot of thinking power or physical power or more than what I would typically give to a thing.

And I start considering that maybe the things I'm involved in are hard. And maybe that is good and the pain I'm expressing is one of growth. Perhaps if I stopped worrying about burn-out and just plowed forward I would find that the thing wasn't really as hard as I once thought it would be.

I don't know; but all this thinking about it has me once again saying to myself that "this is so hard."

Father and Son

Recently Kevin was here to perform a concert. Even though he was here less than 24 hours it was still a very nice visit.

This picture was taken on the patio where we visited prior to going in to the studio.

I don't know if it is Gary getting thinner or Kevin getting older but these two men look more alike as years go by.

My cup runneth over!

Sentimental

Many years ago when Kelly still lived in Kansas and we had a house, we decided to update the "look" of our home. Kelly was in charge and did an incredible job. It turned out beautiful. Specifically I remember our half bath and how she took it from a cow motive to a modern sleek look. She put up a glass shelf with these glass vases with beads in them and one long flower type thing. It was great and worked perfect for that room.

Then we moved. We now live in an apartment and there really wasn't a place for these five vases. We tried some different spots and in one attempt to move them one fell and broke. So now there are four vases.

For a long time they were on the fireplace mantel and even though they don't exactly match the decor we kept them there. Well, until one day when we redid the things on the mantel because of a new gift we received from the kids. There was no denying that the vases just didn't work there anymore.

Gary moved them to three different places and I tried to let them be but it just wasn't working for me. This past week we had our son and his friend here for one night and when I was getting things ready I decided to move the vases into storage.

Friday night Gary and I sat watching TV and during a commercial break he asked about the vases. I could tell by his quiet tone that he was very sad. He said something like "they remind of Kel-Kel". So I told him where to find them and he combined the four flowers to one vase and it now sits on our dresser in the bedroom. I watch each night as Gary gets ready for bed and see him pause and look at the vase. Knowing he is reminded of his daughter who lives far away but is always close to his hear, I pray he will sleep well.

Ode to September

quiet
cool nights
beauty in motion
month sister was born
days get shorter
almost over
gone

I remember September and love her cool nights.
It is over too soon and I'll miss the daylight.
As winter gets closer and warmth goes to sleep,
We'll be buried in snow that can get quite deep.

The sky is so blue during September's days.
Tree leaves begin turning and there's a light morning haze.
The dog days of summer are gone for a year.
And store's turn attention to Christmas that's near.

If spring is my favorite then September is second.
A walk in the park can feel close to heaven.
She comes in quick and is gone too soon.
September's beauty is seen in the sweet harvest moon.

Boldly

As I walked and talked with the Lord I wondered about God and how unworthy I am to request to be in His presence. Yet, my heart is troubled and in need of wisdom so I walk and wait on the Lord.

It is a nice day for a walk. The weather is perfect. Some leaves have just begun to change yet there are leaves that have already fallen to the ground. Still, plenty of green and an abundance of flowers line the path as I walk. The sky is a beautiful blue and the big puffy white clouds look like floating mountains.

I ponder about the thing that weighs so heavy on my heart. How can it consume me while I'm surrounded by such beauty? I bring it to the Lord and ask for what I want. I end my prayer with "if it be Your will, Father; if it be Your will".

I walk some more and wonder if I believe that. I say it because I know He is God and I am not yet I also know His word instructs me to come boldly before His thorn. So I sit on a picnic table and bow my head. BOLDLY, BOLDLY, I make my request to the Lord. As I do a peace comes over me that I did not have at the end of my last prayer.

I cry. When the tears stop I know that His will, will be done. He knows the desires of my heart and no matter the outcome of my prayer, I will delight in Lord always.

Blue Sky

The sky is very blue today. It is 70 degrees and just looks wonderful out there. I wonder if it is a good idea to have window in my office on days like this.

I see my car parked right outside my window and know that in the trunk are my golf clubs that do not have any 2008 grass stains on them yet. I think about my 4:30-5:30 meeting and then my 6PM to 8PM meeting and start feeling like I did back in high school when I'd just escape and go to the park.

Part of me wants to just get up, leave, and go outside to play. Yet, responsibilites cry out to me and so instead I take a break from work and decide to post on my blog. Today I met with a woman who could only verbalize that is was time to "take care of herself." She could not think about the fact that her teenage daughter was pregnant and maybe needed her. No, she could only think about doing what was best for herself. She felt she deserved that. We talked about God and she stated that she decided a long time ago that God did not care about her. If He did then her life would have been much easier, she reasoned.

Really? Is that what God's purpose is for our lives...to make them easier? If it is then I'm doing life all wrong. Easy is not a word I'd use to describe a day in the life of me. In fact, if I were honest I'd say most days were hard and filled with challenges. Could I choose to walk away from those things? Yes. Will I? No.

I'm reminded of a sermon I heard decades ago about the ant that never stops planning for the winter, working hard all summer. If you read the Bible passage too quickly you may miss the fact that winter does not mean time off, it includes the gathering of the harvest that the ant worked so hard at storing. No, I don't think God wants to make our lives easy. A great example of why can been seen now in our culture. The easier life gets the lazier we get. Physically and intellectually. So many people I meet seem to have just stopped using critical thinking. So much information is fed to them through television and other media that they just accept what they hear as fact instead of doing the hard work of researching a subject for themselves.

I see this with how people, like the woman I met today, approach "knowing" anything about God. Rarely will they read the Bible for themselves and rarer still will they investigate what they learn if they do read the Bible. No, it is easier to build Biblical knowledge off bumper stickers, the nightly news, and popular sitcoms. It makes me sad.

When was the last time you read a good Book? Have you spent even 20 minutes in the Bible lately? I must confess that the internet has helped to make me lazy in my Bible reading. I can go to a website and just search on a word or a passage and let the computer bring it up for me. I don't have to even open the paper pages of a book anymore. But what have I lost?

The search for a particular passage by turning to Ephesians or the Psalms always led me to other treasures that I wasn't looking for. Hmmmm...suddenly the old saying "physician heal thyself" comes to mind. I guess before I point the finger of laziness at others, or our culture, I must first look at myself. I think I'll stop posting now. I suddenly have the urge to read my Bible for the remainder of this short break from work.

A Lesson from the Ants
Proverbs 6:6-8
"Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise! Though they have no prince or governor or ruler to make them work, they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter."

Last week of August

Just a short post to share what a GREAT month we have had in Kansas. I love the hot and sticky weather for sure but it has been really nice to have temps in the 80's for most of the month. What has been really good is that I think this is the first August in the 12 years we've lived here that we were able to occasionally turn off the air conditioning. Well, if you don't count those times when the air conditioning unit broke due to overuse in previous years.

Psalm 23 from my heart to God's

God you are my Shepherd, my Rock, my Fortress. You Lord, fill my every need.
It is God who calms the storms of my life. Only God who leads me to peaceful waters.
My Lord, when I'm at the end of my rope, You restore my soul. Peace overcomes me.
You give me strength. You guide my steps on the path that is right, for Your sake.
God be glorified! God be honored!

Here I am, deep in this very dark valley. Yet it is here in the dark that I find You.
I am not alone. I will fear no evil. You are with me. You wait for me.
You are the God who spoke and all I see came into existence.
In Your shadow I find indescribable comfort and rest. My God is with me.

My enemies, those seen and unseen, don't have a chance because You are with me.
On my own I am easily defeated but I am not alone. Your blessing is on me.
Your favor follows me. Not because of who I am but because of who You are.
Were I to be penniless and broke, left with nothing, I'd still be rich because of You.

God, Your mercy and grace is always there. All the days of my life I will have You.
You have promised in Your word that you will NEVER leave me or forsake me.
Your word is trustworthy and true. I am content.
I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever and ever amen.

08.08.08

From darkness into Light!

She sat in deep despair
Did not know that God was there
Heart now broken, pain her friend
She thought it best her life should end

Afraid to die, afraid to live
Feels she has nothing to give
The choice is done, child now lost
But that choice had such high cost

"Sold my soul to get my way"
Didn't know the depth of shame
God so far, she tries to hide
Regret and pain she can't abide

Condemned to hell, her biggest fear
Does not know that He is near
I sit shiva with her now
Pray and hope her head will bow

To the One who cares
The One who dares
To take her sin upon His back
To guard her from Satan's attack

She hears what Jesus did for her
Forgiven and loved, the lesson learned
I hear her pray "forgive me Lord"
A child of God has just been born!

Darkness gone...she lives in Light
The road still hard but hope in sight
I wonder will we meet again
If not on earth, then in heaven

Praise the Lord for this soul now saved!
Praise the Lord for His life He gave
The truth is found in His Word
Heaven and earth...praise the Lord

AMEN

That's what I'm talking about!

Heat index 112!

Not sure how they get that number but it sure sounds hot. Yesterday was hot, humid, sticky, sweltering, in other words...PERFECT! Add to that a 7 mile walk and it just doesn't get any better than that.

No wait, it does! Gary went on the walk with me. He complained a little and I would just remind him that someday, if I should die before him, he will appreciate these days because he will remember how much I loved them.

We were on the last mile and half when I realized I was so busy walking I forgot to really look around and enjoy the day. I was in the sun and as I walked, I saw it was so hot that my wrists were even sweating. I just smiled. Earlier, we had noticed these really cute little butterflies that had been all over the place during the entire walk. Now, as I slowed my pace and began seeing what was around me I saw one of them on a flower on the side of path.

I call them "lacy flowers" because they look like lace (clever huh). A few yards more and there was a whole a patch of these lacy flowers. On each one was one of those little butterflies with their wings spread out showing the full color of their beauty on the white lace flower. It was breathtaking and I just stood there admiring it for a while.

I wondered if butterflies cared about things like heat indexes and decided they had no idea how hot it was. But I bet the flowers do and perhaps on those really hot days the flowers release more nectar than normal which makes for this wonderful lunch buffet the butterflies were enjoying. Just a thought.

Oh by the way. They are predicting it will be even hotter today, now that's what I'm talking about.

Grandchildren

Deuteronomy 4:9

You must be very careful not to forget the things you have seen God do for you. Keep reminding yourselves, and tell your children and grandchildren as well.

Psalm 128:6

May you live long enough to see your grandchildren.

Proverbs 17:6

Grandparents are proud of their grandchildren, and children should be proud of their parents.

Desecrated Path

Well if you spend any time at all reading my blog you know how much my walking path means to me. I love taking long walks, short walks, hard walks, leisure walks, whatever, on it.

A of couple weeks ago I was on a walk that was quite the workout. There is this one area on this particular path that I always say to Gary when we get there, "If I ever run away from home this is where you'll find me." It is short wooded area with a stream running next to the path. When returning from the walk; the opening before I get there is always so welcoming. I feel like I'm entering the arms of God as I get to that spot. Right at the entrance is the marvelous clump of trees that I call the "family tree". It looks like a bunch of trees met there for a family reunion and they are all standing at the gate to great me as I enter in.

When I get to this spot I am on my return route and it is about the 3 mile mark for my 4 mile walk. So often I am tired and sometimes want to give up, but I can't because I still need to get home. Well, anyway, when I was coming around the bend before I reach that spot I noticed two people (a man and a woman) cutting across the grass to the path from some homes in the area. They looked to be my age and were dressed like they were going to take a leisure walk. As I go around the bend I lose sight of them until I reach the entrance to this wooded area. That is when I see them again.

They are standing in the woods right behind my tree family. It is very clear that they are not there for good purposes. The exchange of money and "something" in plastic bags makes it clear that whatever they are doing is something they don't want others to see. As I approach they look at me and I at them. I give them "the look" that my daughter always said I was so good at. I don't stop or talk with them. In fact I pick up my pace a bit so they know I'm not a threat. I'm hoping they decide this might not be a place to do whatever business they were doing in the future. It is public and often a busy path.

It saddened me as I reflected back on the experience. It was so unexpected on a beautiful Sunday afternoon in the suburbs. They didn't have tattoos or torn cloths, they just looked like a couple going for a walk that you might bump into in a grocery store somewhere. Now as I walk past what used to be my place of serenity I'm reminded of that day. I look over at the houses and pray for whoever lives there. That they will find a better way to live and that no harm comes to others in that neighborhood.

Soul tired

I've been in this funk for two days now. Not sure what it is about. But as I had my quiet time with the Lord yesterday morning I was struck by the word "soul". I started wondering where does the soul of person reside while in our earthly bodies.

I ruled out the heart because people have had heart transplants and artificial hearts and that did not change who they were at the core. So I decided the sole must reside in the brain. After some internet searching I concluded that there is no evidence to support that conclusion, just lots of various and contradicting theories. Some said the soul resided in our consciousness...but where does that reside? There was no answer to that question.

Then I began to think that perhaps the soul is somehow mixed into our DNA. That is what makes us unique and individual. But I remembered a CSI episode (again, getting my knowledge from a TV show might not be ideal) where they stated the statistics of 2 people having the exact same DNA. Apparently it is possible and yet these people would be distinctly different.

So I was left with no answer. I did a word search for "soul" in the Bible and about 400 verses in various translations came back. I read them all. It was very interesting and nothing led me to the answer I sought. What was clearly evident is that the soul and our spirit are eternal. Which got me thinking about being eternal. While I know I will live again after I die and I'll be with the Lord I thought about the fact that I am not eternal in the sense that God is eternal.

God always was, is, and will be. My existence had a beginning but it will have no end. So while I'll live in eternity I have not always been eternal. All this thinking makes me tired.

Hemp

Okay so I haven't done a post about my sweet husband in quite a long time. He usually gives me so much material too. Anyway, he has been on this quest ever since our trip to Singapore to find these breakfast bars he had while there. With Kelly's help we learned that they are made in Australia and they are NOT sold here in the U.S. of A.

So he has been trying to find the next best thing. At a health food store he found something he thought would be close. It wasn't but that isn't the funny part.

To give you context to this story you need to know that a couple weeks ago they started random drug testing where Gary works. It was stressful for some and a few are now unemployed. Hmmmm. Anyway, it just annoyed Gary as he knew he didn't have anything to worry about...or did he? You see, my sweet husband tends to think of the most odd things. He been told that the poppy seed in a poppy seed muffin could possibly result in a problem with some drug screenings. Yet he didn't eat any of those muffins but he started to wonder if something else he ate might have made something "bad" come up with the test. Well, as I predicted it didn't and he calmed down.

Fast forward now to the purchase of these breakfast bars. One of the ingredients in them is hemp seed.The first time he ate one was for breakfast on his way to work. Once there he started thinking about the ingredients. Then the paranoia set in. Not only was concerned they might do another surprise drug testing but he actually said he started to "feel funny". Hee...hee...hee...hee. This just cracked me up!!!

He felt funny, like maybe the breakfast bar was giving him a buzz. He was so serious as he told me this that it only made me laugh harder. Even now as I'm posting about it I'm giggling. I assured him that all would be okay and he won't need to be going to drug rehab or anything like that.

But the real question I had for him was if he had the munchies the rest of the day. :)

At Rest In Jesus' Arms by Ray Harvey

I have this picture on the wall above my desk. It has always meant a great deal to me. But like anything that hangs on the wall for a long time you eventually get so used to it being there you don't see it anymore.

Recently, in a Bible study I'm doing, I was reminded of the time when the Jews were in the desert complaining about everything. God was angered by their behavior and sent snakes to the camp. Many died from the snake bites. The Jews repented and God had a bronze snake placed on a stick. When a person was bit by a snake they only needed to look up at the bronze snake and they would healed. This seems odd to us in 2008 but the lesson is still relevant.

I sat at my desk and looked up. There was this picture. It has always meant so much because of the work I do. But this time as I looked at it I imagined myself as the infant.

No matter our age, no matter what we are going through Christ is there. Holding us, protecting us, marveling at each soul. He knows we will fail, yet His love for us never changes. The Bible says we are His "joy"! Imagine that next time you watch the nightly news or look in a mirror. Imagine yourself as that infant being held in the arms of your Savior and King and know that you are precious in His sight. In all things look to the Lord...He is right there waiting for you.

www.rayharveyart.com

Change the world

I've been thinking about this for a while now. Is it possible for one person to change the world?

There are those that say no. Yet it has been done over and over again. One person invented a light bulb and the world was changed.

One person wrote a book that began the rethinking of a nation to outlaw slavery.

One tired person, refused to give up her seat on a bus and it changed a nation.

I did a Google search on "changed the world" and the people, pictures, events, whatever, that came up were endless. Some seemed really big but most were more like the examples above. One person, tired or unknowingly, did something that forced others to take notice.

So I started wondering; can one person do something that really could change the world? I believe the answer is yes. Now the adventure is on to see it happen. My plan is to stay steady in the battle God has placed me in. To not give up. I was reading something recently that said to "love God and others in risky ways". Imagine how the world would change if everyone did that. The possibilities are endless.

There is One who showed us how to do that. Not only did He die for our sins but He left Heaven and all that means behind to come to earth in human form. Knowing how we would treat Him and the pain He would need to endure. One Man changed the world. It doesn't matter if you are Christian, Muslim, or don't believe in God at all. That one Person, changed human history forever. For those that are Believers, history was not only thing changed. For them, their eternal destiny also changed.

So my challenge to you is to love someone in a risky way today! Take a chance that takes you out of your comfort zone. Who knows...you may never be the same. Who knows...the world might never be the same.

88

Yesterday my father-in-law celebrated his 88th birthday. WOW! Makes 50 seem really young. I've known this man for 30 years which as I thought about it that means he was just a little older than me when we first met.

I remember that first meeting like it was yesterday. Gary took me to his home on James street in Waukesha Wisconsin. It was a street right off an old 60's family TV show. A big yellow house with a big porch on the front. I immediately liked Gary's parents. They reminded me of Edith and Archie Bunker and it was so fun to listen to them. Eugene (father-in-law) is never at a loss for words and I think everyone should experience going shopping with him. Don't expect to get done quickly because he will want to have a conversation with everyone who will stop long enough to talk with him. It is actually kind of fun, unless you are in a hurry.

So what do you do to celebrate your 88th birthday? In his case you take a trip to South Dakota. Growing up Gary remembers many family trips there and his dad has had a love affair with that state for as long as anyone can remember. With his health and being 88 this is not an easy trip, yet nothing short of death would have stopped him. Gary talked with him yesterday and while he sounded exhausted he also sounded completely content. Gary's sister and her husband made this trip possible by renting a van and committing to do whatever was necessary to make it happen. Thank you would never cover the gratitude we have for them doing that.

I hope when I'm 80 or 90 I'll be able to take a "dream" trip too. It gives one something to look forward to.

On the path again...

I can't wait to get on the path again. Okay so it doesn't work as well as "on the road again" by Willie Nelson but hey, I love my walking path. Maybe somebody needs to write a song about it.

Friday I went for a two hour walk (7 miles). It was awesome. Perfect weather and pretty much had the path to myself. It was so great to be back out there. As I've shared before this is a great time of prayer for me and seeking God. Each thing I see reminds me of His goodness and provision. The Bluejay I saw was really a bright blue. Telling me that God loves beauty and color in His creation. Since I walked farther than normal I got to go into this wooded area I rarely walk in. It was great. The trees provided protection from the hot sun but every once in a while there would be a break in the trees and those first rays of summer sun felt really good (I know I was in Singapore in February and got lots of sun, but that was MONTHS ago now).

Then I saw something that took my breath away. This owl flew from one tree to another and her three little babies flew behind her. Owls are so cool to see as they fly, they look like a barrel with wings. It was such a special moment and for me very rare. I've put a lot of miles on the path over the years and this is only the second time I've seen an owl and the first time I've seen one with her babies!
Seeing this Owl reminded me of how God protects those He loves. This mother Owl never let me out of her sight while her babies were near. And with the motion she has been given to turn her head she was able to watch me for quite a while.

Today I again went for a walk. It is HOT here today, 90 degrees or more. Pretty sure we might get storms later or tomorrow. I went two miles turned around and started back. I was listened to my music and a song had just started about how God painted me a sunrise to start my day and I never even saw it. It gave other examples of how God shows us His love for us and in the busyness of the day we never notice. I had been very deep in the words of this song and must have been looking down at the path for a long time because I didn't even notice this Hawk on the ground until I was about five feet away from it.

I was amazed it didn't fly away. Kelly and I tried many times to get a picture of a Hawk and every time they flew away as soon as we stopped. And we were never THIS close. It was huge and spread its wings but stayed on the ground. As I walked closer to pass by it I could see that the reason it didn't leave was because it had just caught its dinner. I saw this very large black snake wiggling around and trying to get free from this Hawk's powerful claws. I stopped to watch and as soon as I did the Hawk clutched it prey tightly and looked straight at me. Seeing its beak that close and knowing the kind of power those claws had I decided it was best not to linger there.

I walked on amazed at what I had just witnessed. There is no doubt in my mind that the Hawk won that battle. I had to call Gary and tell him about it because I was so excited I couldn't wait to get back from walk to tell him. He asked if I took a picture. I never even thought about it. My cell phone has that capability but frankly all I could imagine was the Hawk attacking me or worse yet, flying over me and dropping that big black, now bloody, snake on my head. Neither of those situation appealed to me so the only real picture I have of the event is locked in my memories. Here is a picture I found to just give you a feel for what I saw:

Wow! I exercise up at the gym a lot and miss out on all these wonderful adventures God has for me on that path. I love it that winter is over. Praise the Lord!

Seeing that Hawk with its dinner reminded me of God's provision. Beauty, protection and provision...just three things that God does for all of us. Again, I am humbled that the God who created everything I see and all I can't see cares about my needs. Hmmmm...

You know you live in Kansas when...

You read an article with the title "Subway Ads Bring Hope To Women" and you think, "What is that Subway sandwich shop doing now"?

Then further into the article you realize, ohhhhh "subways", as in trains that take you here and there. Like in New York! And I laugh to myself about being a midwest person who really does forget that not everything is like it is here.

My utmost for His highest

I was reading a devotional by Oswald Chambers (Oswald, don't see many kids being named that these days) this morning and was struck by the simple honesty of it.

When sharing Jesus with others it should never be done in a demanding way - "you are required to believe the Bible or else". As Christians we are not required to believe the Bible as much as we are to believe in the One of whom the Bible teaches.

Others will see Jesus more in how we present Him with Truth, and how we allow and live out our faith by our lives, than they will in our demanding they believe. We are instructed to take His yoke upon us, not place a heavy yoke on others. When we do it God's way we find that His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matthew 28:19). When we do it our way, there is resistance and strife. And then in the devotion it says this very profound statement:
"It takes God a long time to get us to stop thinking that unless everyone sees things exactly as we do, they must be wrong."

Ouch, that hit home!

God deals with us with gentleness and patience, we should do no less when dealing with others. Never water down the truth of God...let it stand and speak on its own. Jesus said, "Go...make disciples..." NOT, "Convert everyone to your personal opinions and thoughts."

Now that's convicting.

Has she lost it?

Okay, so I know that four posts in one day is a bit much. I guess I have a lot to share since I only did two posts the entire month of April.

The end of days

Recently something happened in my life that has caused me to stop and reflect on what it means to be God.

This movie crew was working on a film about a real life situation. It is based on the true story of this really horrific event that happened in a young woman's life. How I became involved in it is a very long story and I will spare you those details. I was sitting outside the building where the filming was taking place because to be inside was too difficult (emotionally and spiritually). Knowing what was being acted out, I was reminded that just a few miles away from where I was there were real life situations just like this one happening.

Lives were being ended and lives were being destroyed. I began to think "how can one human being do this to another human being?" It was sunny and the sun felt good but a very cold north wind was blowing. I felt frozen in that place, not wanting to go in the building and not wanting to stay outside. Then I asked myself, "how can God allow this to continue?" He sees it all, in every city, state, and country. He sees horrible miss justice to innocent lives all over the world and all at one time. How can He take it all in? Why does He allow it to continue? How can He possibly tolerate the way His creation has turned against Him and each other?

I can only hope that while He sees all the horror He also sees humans having compassion on other humans. And perhaps, right now, the compassion events out number the horror events and so He allows life as we know it to go on. Maybe someday in the future, a day that only God knows, when He destroys this earth and the heavens as we know them, maybe that day is the day when the horror events will out numbers the compassion events.

Maybe. We can't really know for sure why or when God will say "I've had enough." All I know is that God has more patience and understanding than I'll ever have.


Matthew 24:35-36
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone."

Sweet Surprise

Gary did not have to be on the worship team this week and I didn't have any speaking engagements so we got to be this married couple that just goes to church on Sunday morning. It felt weird and we were a little off our game. First of all we got up too early so we decided to go and have a nice breakfast out.

That was great but when we were done we still had an hour to kill before we had to start heading to church. So we went to the park to watch the lake. It is a beautiful day and we were really enjoying the water and the birds when someone decided to park fairly close to us. They kept their car running and played their music too loud. It really ruined the moment. Rather than get in a bad mood I decided I was bored and we just needed to drive around the park instead of parking and relaxing.

We rounded the first bend in the road and there in the field just off the road was this awesome Army helicopter. We pulled over and stared at it. We had never been that close to one of these monsters and the soldier standing near it invited us up for a closer look. So of course we went!

It was awesome. We got to go in it and talk with the other soldiers there. We learned about the massive power this Chinook helicopter has. We learned it has been around a long time and even had been to Vietnam during that war. One of the soldiers shared stories of his trips to Pakistan in it and how one time they landed on top of the Himalayan mountains and got out to have a snowball fight. Cool!

Time went too fast and we had to say goodbye to head off to church. We shook the hand of each soldier and thanked them for their service to this country. I walked away and for the first time was proud that I pay taxes. I also was sincerely glad that woman parked next to me and annoyed me enough to cause me to leave. If it had not been for her we never would have had that opportunity.

One more reason to come and visit us

We have a "Five Guys" in Olathe now!!!!!
Yesterday morning I was complaining to someone about how spoiled I was since my last trip to Florida. Five Guys hamburgers are the best! Nothing quite hits the mark and then I complained how it would cost too much to fly to Florida just for a hamburger. Gary and I went out last night and were completely surprised to find a Five Guys had just opened! YUMMMMM!

I bet my kids are jealous now.

Things that make me smile

In one of my Bible's I have reserved the back page for writing a list of my favorite things. This is an awesome exercise and I would encourage everyone to do it. I try to put the date behind new entries so I can see when and how my life is impacted by things. This is a great place to turn on a day when I feel a little blue. I read the list and am reminded of things that make me smile.

Some things don't make that list but they still make me smile. Here are a few:

Springtime in Kansas! There are so many flowering trees and the blossoms seem to stay for a while. Springtime in Wisconsin seemed to come and go too quickly compared to here.

Here is a picture of a tree that is right off our balcony:

Another thing that will always bring a smile to my face is a redbud tree in bloom at springtime. There are many of these trees here and just driving down any road the color and beauty they bring brightens my day.

The last thing that I just have to share is my husband's new "thing" since we returned from Singapore. While there he tried "finger" bananas and found out that he really liked them. So, anytime he sees them here he has to buy them. What made me smile is when I turned the corner and saw them hanging on our banana tree. They are so small and looked funny compared to the normal bananas that would be hanging there. It made me smile. :)

A mom's prerogative

Since this is my blog it is kind of cool that I can post what I want! Maybe even a little dangerous.

Here is a link to a website that has a video podcast and an audio podcast of my son preforming with Jake Armerding at an east coast coffee house. I enjoyed it a great deal and hope you will to. The performance was taped live on April 2nd.
http://www.acousticlongisland.com/

Here is a link to Kevin's website if you want to keep up with what he is doing professionally: http://kevingosa.com/
April 18 and 19 he will be performing with Jake (http://www.jakearmerding.com/) in the Chicago area!

Things that "weird me out"

The other day I went in for an echo stress test. I found it interesting and was glad that I passed the test. If you've never experienced this they hook you up to an EKG machine so they can monitor the heart at all times, and they take your blood pressure (a LOT), and before you start the stress test part they do a sonogram of your heart, which they do again later when you get your heartbeat up.

I laid on my side as I had been instructed and was able to look at the monitor. Now, being in pregnancy center work, I get the opportunity to see sono's pretty often and am always amazed when I can see that little flicker indicating the heart is beating and the baby is a 7 week old embryo. Amazing.

But this was much different. It wasn't a little flicker beating fast needing time to grow. No, this was my heart and it appeared to be working hard. The part that freaked me out was watching my own heart beating on the screen. I thought about how weird it would be if it suddenly stopped beating as I was watching it. YIKES! That was a scary thought.

Then I thought about how it has been working and beating for over 50 years now. Never getting a vacation, never getting time off for a job well done. What an amazing creation we are! God willing; my heart will continue to do its job for decades to come. But in the meantime, I just wonder if there shouldn't be a national heart appreciation day.

You know, a day to just stop and thank our hearts for doing their job, relentlessly, tirelessly, continually. Maybe buy it something, like an apple in stead of a bag of potato chips or a turtle sundae. :)

Easter 2008

The Throne

He approached the throne trembling inside.

Where could he go? Where could he hide?

Time stood still. What brought him here?

He couldn’t remember and was filled with fear.

Closer now, each step seemed like his last.

He couldn’t look forward, just thought of the past.

Past sins and regrets, his life brought him shame.

“Is this heaven” he thought, then why all the pain?

Now he stood at the foot of this beautiful throne,

Looked around and saw he was all alone.

The seat it was empty. No one was there.

He wondered…should he go sit in the chair?

His hand touched the wood and what flashed through his eyes

Was the scene of a mob and loud angry cries.

He cried from a pain in his hands and his feet.

His head hurt, his side ached, he felt deep deep defeat.

Just when he thought he couldn’t take any more,

And his heart swelled with sorrow he couldn’t endure.

He let go of the chair and fell to his knees,

When Christ came, took his hand, and met all his needs.

Now standing with Jesus; face to face.

He understood fully the cost of free grace.

He bowed to his King who sat on the throne.

That place is for Jesus and Jesus alone.

Hebrews 4:16 NLT

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Fireproof

I have a friend who is going to be in a movie! This is very exciting. I met her last year at a conference in South Carolina and we became instant friends. She lives in another state but we talk and email all the time. The church she attends made the movie "Facing the Giants" and they are releasing another motion picture in the fall. The link below is to a trailer for that movie. You will see my friend near the beginning. There is about to be a train wreck and she is the woman you see scream. She said she is shown more than that in the actual movie but it is a bit part and she is only in the scenes during the train wreck.

Fireproof Trailer <http://www.fireproofthemovie.com/>

I can't wait to go to the movie theater and see it!!!!!

Nothing really

So I wanted to post but really couldn't think of anything to blog about. Perhaps a random entry is due.

It has been a good week. God has much to teach me yet. Sometimes I wish the lessons didn't have to be so hard to learn. Yet they are. At least the ones worth learning are.

While in Singapore our son-in-law took us to his favorite mall. It is floors and floors of electronics. Stereos, speakers, you know, guy toys. Well, needless to say Gary had a blast there. Not only that, it gave him the "bug" to buy a new stereo. So we have been looking at stereos since we got back and I can't even tell you how many times I heard, "I wish we had mall here like the one in Singapore". Well we don't, so it meant traveling a lot and using up a lot of gas but it was successful. Gary was able to find the stereo he wanted at the price we were willing to pay. So we have a new system but it hasn't been a good weekend for us technically here and he hasn't quite figured out how to make all the things work on it. He will, just not this weekend.

I got a digital photo frame. YEAH! I've been wanting one for a long time and I finally broke down and used a gift card I had to purchase it. I spent last night reading the manual. Who would have thought that some day you would need a "manual" for a picture frame. Anyway, I then spent hours downloading just the right pictures on to the flash card and put it in to find out it didn't work. I'm not sure what is wrong yet. Some pictures will come up but most do not. After about six hours I decided to give up or something would end up getting broke. Hopefully I will figure it out soon.

It was a beautiful day today. Sunny, maybe in the 50's. I don't know for sure. But really nice and Gary and I went for a walk. Now we are back and I'm posting about nothing while he takes a nap. Hmmmmmm....

Worship in America

So I know I've posted about how awesome it was to go to Church in Singapore and how moving the worship there is. I just had to do this post about church here, in America, in a mid-sized church in Shawnee Kansas.

Yesterday was our first time back to church since our trip (we were all time zoned out last Sunday and slept right through Sunday morning, probably because we were up most of the night). I participate in a prayer ministry for my church that specifically prays for Sunday Services. This Friday, as you can imagine, my prayers focused a great deal on worship and the desire of my heart to feel that deep worship I felt in Singapore, and that others in my church would have a deep passion for worship.

Let me just say that God does not disappoint. While the worship is not the same as what I experienced in Singapore it was still a pretty awesome experience. I'm sure it is not because of me, or my prayers, or even having my husband next to me (usually he is on stage, part of the worship team). No, it is simply because I allowed God to be the focus of my worship time and did not allow anything to distract from my attention being solely focused on Him.

Everything else enhanced that experience. The song choices, others around me, the leading of the worship team. But really, God reminded me that true worship comes from the heart, from my heart. As I sang, prayed, and read aloud the scripture presented, the thought came into my mind that "what if this is the last time I could worship God here on earth", "what if this is the last time I could worship with these brothers and sisters in Christ". What if something happened and I woke up and found myself in His presence? Would I want to remember my last time on earth worshipping to be filled with thoughts about how others are or are not praising the Lord or do I want to know that I didn't waste even a single second of that opportunity? For me it is the latter.

So in the space of my chair, in the small area I stood, I just forced all others thoughts to leave my mind so my sole focus could be on honoring and glorifying God. My soul was moved and my heart prepared for the message that God placed in the heart of the Pastor to present. And the song titled "Open the eyes of my heart" became true as I listened to that message.

My heart was prepared to really "hear" Ephesians 2:10 -
"For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."

And I realized this is THE purpose to life. To fulfill the God given mission we have all been assigned. Not to live for self, or to merely exist, but to live for Christ and to do the "good things" that He planned in advance for us to do. In that process Christ is glorified and God is honored. In that process life makes sense. In that process there is a peace in my soul that surpasses all human understanding.

Praise God from whom all blessing flow!

Lunar New Year and hats!

One of the perks in visiting Singapore during February is that we were there during the Chinese New year (aka Lunar New Year)! It is very festive and the kids had a lot of time off (plus they took some personal holiday time too). It is like Christmas here when it comes to the family gatherings and the decorations every where you go. 2008 is the Year of the Rat as you can see from the picture here. Also, most of my pictures I have my hat on. I never did figure out how to get my hair to behave there!



Often you will get to see Lion Dances too. We saw them when they were in trucks going down the highway to whatever destination they were going to. All the while they are in the back of that truck they play the drums and make noise. Then, they go to businesses, stores, schools, homes, whatever and do a traditional dance for good fortune and happiness in the new year. It was pretty fun to watch but very LOUD! (Notice the young boy covering his ears?)

The first night we were there it was New Year's Eve and we went to Malcolm's parents home for a traditional New Year's Eve meal. It is called "steam boat" and there is a large deep pan placed on a portable burner in the middle of the table. The broth is placed in and brought to a boil. All kinds of things to boil and cook is placed around the table and we all get to participate in cooking it. Things like: vegetables, shrimp, pork, chicken, beef, sea bass, and my favorite - fish balls. There were other items but I can't remember them all. It was very good and Malcolm's parents are gracious hosts. This year while there I found out I can eat with chopsticks. The problem last year was that I kept trying to make them work using my left hand (I'm mostly left handed) but learned, like when using scissors or golfing, I can only do it with my right hand. Who knew?

Many of you have asked how Gary did on the trip. I am pleased to share that he did awesome. He had moments of being overwhelmed by everything but for the most part he really did enjoy it. Except during the time I wasn't feeling well because he tends to worry a great deal about me. Anyway, he tolerated the plane trip. The way home our flights got goofed up and we were put on a different airline (Singapore Air - best in the world!) and had a direct flight from Singapore to LA. 17+ HOURS! Now, that was a long flight and I think there was even a brief moment during the last 2-3 hours that I started to feel a little claustrophobic. Gary hardly slept at all, a little here and a little there. But overall I would give him a "B+"! And I think he said that, "if he had to", he could do it again. :)This was his most common pose while on the plane, except he usually had ear buds in and his straw hat on. We are very sad to announce that his beloved hat was lost on the journey. That hat had been to many states and countries with him. He thinks he left it at the hotel in LA. :( Bummer.

Leap Day!

Happy 29th of February, 2008!

February 29 is the 60th day of a leap year in the Gregorian calendar. It occurs every four years in years evenly divisible by four except for centenary years not divisible by 400. Interesting, I did not know that.

I love February 29th. I don't know why. I guess it is because it doesn't happen every year. It just feels like a gift. Like a free day. I think it should be a holiday. What do you think?

Sleep

I used to think sleep was overrated.

That was until this week. Since returning from our trip it has been an interesting process in seeing how our bodies adjust back to this timezone. The first night home in our own bed was wonderful and we slept 11 hours. I don't think my husband has slept 11 hours straight in the 30 years we've been married.

Since then sleep has been a challenge. Sunday night we slept from 11 PM to 12:30 AM and then from 3:30 AM to 5 AM. Weird...and let me say that there is not much on TV from 12:30 AM to 3:30 AM. Which you think would be good because we could watch something really boring and fall right back to sleep but that really doesn't happen. You just kind of toss and turn, change channels, talk a little and just keep trying to fall asleep. But, it doesn't happen and the first day back to work you got no REM sleep and just feel completely out of sorts.

So you get home Monday evening exhausted and do everything you can NOT to nap, hoping that will ensure a full and complete night sleep. BUT...3 AM roles around we both find ourselves awake and go through that whole process we did the night before with no success. So day 2 it is back to work with having had 4 hours of sleep and already having been awake for 6 hours before the day begins. This is a long day for me as I have a Donor Meeting to facilitate in the evening. Gary joins me at this meeting and we finally get home just a little before 10 PM. I think this turns out to be a blessing.

Gary is asleep within seconds of putting his head on the pillow. I'm asleep by 11 PM. This time 3 AM came and went without either of us noticing it. YEAH! Gary sleeps straight through until his alarm goes off at 5:15 AM (which I never hear) and I sleep until 6 AM!!!! I did wake up briefly around 4 AM when I realized my glasses were still on but after taking them off and putting them on the nightstand, I was asleep within a few minutes.

Driving to work this morning I realize how much more alive I feel and understand that my previous position on the over importance placed on a good night's sleep was most likely based on getting a good night's sleep. Oh, I've had my times when that wasn't the case. Like when the kids were babies. But in those times there is a reward for little sleep and it is that precious little child in your arms, completely dependent on you for all its needs, that has the sweetest face you have ever seen in your entire life. A friend who just had a baby and got little sleep last night said to me this morning "You know, I think God must give special abilities to new moms so that they can still function without getting the sleep they need."

I thought about that for a while, remembered those months after the kids were born, compared it to the last few days with little sleep, and decided she is 100% correct!

Jeremiah 31:25-26 CEV
Those who feel tired and worn out will find new life and energy, and when they sleep, they will wake up refreshed.

Three reasons to go back to Singapore

Kelly and Malcolm live on the right (east coast) side of the island. Fairly close to the Airport, but not too close!

There are so many reasons to visit Singapore but I was thinking about my top three and decided to share them with you.

The first one is to see Kelly and Malcolm:


















They are incredible hosts and really make the visit worthwhile. We have so much fun with them.

The second is to go to church.
It is hard to explain what church is like in Singapore or even why it is like that. Maybe it is because in a population of over 4 million people, Christians are only about 18%. Many it is because the Christians there may have had to sacrifice a lot to choose to follow Christ and they know that others see it as foolishness. Perhaps that impacts why and how they worship. I don't know, all I know is that you feel like you are standing on holy ground when in worship there. I am always moved to my soul and to tears just as a result of having the honor to worship with these Christians. You sense the urgency of the message presented and you know that when they cry and pray for their family and friends that don't know Christ that it comes from the depth of their souls. When they sing about the Glory of God there is not a single person who isn't singing from the heart. I wish every American Christian could have the experience of attending a worship service in Singapore (or another country where they really understand the sacrifice it is to choose Christ). You'll never be the same.

And the third reason to go back to Singapore is to have a CRISPY SWEET CORN PUFF!

YUMMMMMMMMMMMY!

It IS all about me!

Let me start by saying "we are home"! There's no place like home, there's no place like home.

I've been reading these books lately that are for Christian living and all have the same theme "It's not about you". While I know this is true and it is really all about God and His glory, the concept is a hard one to accept.

After being gone for three weeks, to some very exotic places, I found that almost everything I missed is all about me. Here is the short list:
I missed...

• my shower (in fact that is the first thing I did when I got home).
• my shampoo and conditioner.
• my things and my own bed and my special blanket for covering up with (actually never would have needed this blanket on a tropical island).
• my pillows (all four of them!).
  
• the way the water smells in my shower (yes water does have an odor, you just get used to it and don't know the smell until you've been away from it).
• my toilet paper (but that might be too much information).

So you see. It is all about me. With my shower done and my hair now behaving the way I expect to I can honestly say it is good to be home. I hope this doesn't sound too ego-centric but it is my reality. Here is a short list of things I didn't miss:

• SNOW!
• 20 degree weather!
• Slush!
• Oh, and did I mention SNOW!

Having spent Christmas in Florida and now this time in Singapore and Phuket I have to ask myself, with all the places in the world a person could live, why do we choose to stay in Kansas. I guess that is the part that is not about me. I know that what holds me here is the work God has called me to do and it is for Him that we stay. It is in this area of my life that I know the truth to the concept in those books that teach "it's not about you". And, I'm thankful for that truth but not necessarily thankful for the cold and snow. Oh well, it is still good to be back.

Airports

For those who live in KC and use KCI I'm sure they will understand this post more than others who are spoiled by some of the better airports in the country. But even those "better airports" can't compare to the one in Singapore.

We arrived at the airport in Singapore before 9 AM local time. It is now 2PM and we are still here. Our original flight has been delayed which made it impossible for us to make our connecting flight in Hong Kong.

So they switched us to another airline (Singapore Air - known as the best in the world) and that flight should take off in about 2 hours. It is also a direct flight to LA which I like!

All I have to say is that if you are going to spend 7 or 8 hours in an airport this is the one you want to be in. Really, I am amazed. They have these awesome areas you can wait in with lounge chairs and soft lighting gentle music and flowing water falls. They have TV areas everywhere with comfortable chairs. You can shop until you run out of money or get a massage. Or there is a free movie area. Oh yeah, don't forget the many many food places. They will take whatever country currency you might have or a charge card. I could go on and on, like even the free internet access that is making it possible for me to do this post. And free carts for your luggage.

The whole place is carpeted and if it weren't for the airplanes outside the windows you wouldn't even know you were in an airport. You might think you were in a resort because of the workout room and spa area that is available, as well as a world class hotel.

Compare that to KCI. Well, really what can I say. I guess to give you a word picture I have to say that comparing the Singapore airport to KCI is like comparing the Mall of America to a Kmart store that is going out of business.

This will be my last post from this part of the world. God willing, we will be in the states about 24 hours from now. Very hard to say good-bye to my daughter and son-in-law. I think it gets harder each time and probably not knowing when we will see them next and be able to hug them makes it a little harder.

But this has been a GREAT visit and I'd do it again in a minute!

Phuket

Once again I am amazed at the hospitality of the Thai people. They are so nice and just seem to really enjoy making their guests happy. If they don't like their jobs you would never know it.

The resort we stayed at was on a hill between small mountains and the beach. We had a short walk down hill to the beach and the sand was so nice. The water is clear and we spent a lot of time playing in the waves.

We also got some famous Thai massages. I can't believe that an hour of massage is less than 30 U.S. dollars. The food was okay, the best place we ate was a small local place right off the beach.

My last thought on Thailand is that I am always thankful when I survive the taxi rides. I think that it is amazing I have never seen an accident since it feels like you will be in one at any moment. I pray a lot and will gladly get in a plane and fly 15 hours more than I would want to get in a car in Thailand. So I close my eyes a lot but we make it every time.

Must be time wasted on worry. I guess that is why the Bible instructs us not to worry. God must know that most of our time spent worrying is foolish and a waste.

More Singapore

Well I'm finally starting to feel a little better. Yesterday Gary and I went to the Singapore Zoo. We took a bus to get to the train to take a taxi to arrive at the airport. I'm still amazed that while this island is not very big it does take a while to get to some areas of it.

The zoo here is amazing. You get very up and close and personal with the animals. It is better than any zoo I've been to in the states.

Today we leave for Phuket, pronounced poo-ket not foo-ket like I was doing it. YEAH! I'm exited. We will be staying at a beautiful resort and plan to spend most of our time on the beaches.

Sorry I can't figure out how to post pictures from here but I will add some when I get home!

Sunday in Singapore

Once again I am moved to my soul by Sunday church services here. Really, the worship was so moving that I had tears through it all. The Christians here at the church we attend with the kids are so on fire for the Lord and they have no fear to praise the Lord with loud reverence.

It is like nothing I've experinced anywhere else. It was amazing to see Gary have the same reaction. My voice is not good due to being sick but really that didn't seem to be important to anyone.

We also visited China town today which was fun and saw a bride and groom. They were so elaborate it was really cool. Being the holiday we also get to see Lion dancers often which are so colorful and it is really neat. Again, I hope to post pictures later. That's it for now!

Singapore

(Note I can't figure out how to add a picture or do spell check from this computer so forgive typo's and I'll add pictures at another time.)

Topical island and perfect weather.

After a few delays our flight finally arrived in Singapore. The trip was harder this time then my last trip. The next day after we arrived I commented on how I was completely wiped out and felt like I had run a marathon or something. What I didn't know was that I was getting sick. That became quite obvious the second day.

Interestingly, I'm reading the book "Cat Theology, Dog Theology" (or something like that) and the chapter I'm in discusses the difference in prayers between cat Christians and dog Christians. And an example was how a cat would pray "God make me well" while a dog would pray "God, in sickness or in health may I glorify Your name may I share You with others I meet".

Well, I must admit that had I read this when I wasn't ill and when I was home and in my own country I'd be saying "yah that's right". However, being in a foreign country far from home and very ill it is hard to keep that attitude. My prayers are often "God please heal me and please don't allow anyone else to get this illness" and that is where I want to stop. But this book has convicted me to pray beyond that. To include "and God, whatever happens, Your will not mine be done. Help me to stay focused on others and how I can show them You no matter what."

This doesn't come easy. But I'm working on it.

I am trying to not allow this illness to prevent us from doing things but it is slowing us down quite a bit. My husband is spending far too much time worrying about me and not really enjoying this experience. For that I am most sorry.

This country is beautiful and we have walked the coast a number of times since our arrival. The sandy beaches and miles of ocean are awesome. The giant ships are incredible to see just off the shore. We are here for the Lunar New Year and that brings much celebration with it.

We went to Little India one night. Not Gary's favorite but what an opportunity to experience another culture. One the shops we went to had a whole wall of trinkets you could by. All of them were one type of god image or another. I really didn't know there were so many different gods still being worshipped. Then on a shelf right next to Buddha was a small plastic statue of Christ on the cross. Next to him another statue of Mary. It made me uneasy for two reasons.

One was that its sole purpose was for profit for the shop owner. God brought down to nothing more than a trinket on a shelf with other gods. This was quite sad and if I could I would have bought them all and just thrown them away. Everything about it just seemed wrong.

The second part that made me uneasy about it was that I knew that most who saw it had no idea who it was. Just as I had no idea the names of all those other gods that were there. For many there, they have never heard about Christ or the signifance of the cross. I was overwhelmed. Where do you start and how? These are all people who need to know about the only God who can save them. The only God who is real and deserves their worship. So silently I say a quick prayer and wonder who will tell them.