Words from Warr

Smile.

2012-01-13T00:03:00.000-06:00

Dawn of Grace (Wells/Witt/Wood)
Oh, the law I cannot keep
Brings me breathless to my knees
And there I learn to let the gospel be
The sum of what I know
Like rays of rising hope
Oh, dawn of grace upon my soul
The sweetest day my heart has known
And once I looked on Jesus’ face
It was the dawn of grace
All my striving is in vain
All my pride a losing game
And all of my best efforts, simply chains
My Savior steals me from the night
Leads me into love and light
Oh, dawn of grace upon my soul
The sweetest day my heart has known
And once I looked on Jesus’ face
It was the dawn of grace

This is my current favorite song. It is off the Image of God EP by Christa Wells and Nicole Witt. The music is beautiful. The lyrics are timeless truths. I put it to some of my Kenya pictures tonight (when I should have been sleeping).

Go buy the EP. It's also on itunes. And it's the best 5 bucks you'll spend in awhile.

Settling for...not so quality time

2011-12-23T00:37:00.002-06:00

I am a proponent of technology. I'm in this generation, although on the fringe, I still know what LPs and cassettes, even seen an 8track. I love the stuff - blogging (duh), facebook, twitter, pinterest....

But I fear sometimes there is a danger of it taking over. Useful as it is - networking, keeping in touch with friends around the world - it can become a substitute for real community.

I was ~~talking,~~ no chatting with a friend just a few minutes ago when we realized we were going to be in the same city over Christmas. We made plans to see each other face to face. And both of us are so super excited that it was a reminder not to let the screen take over. To use my phone as a phone more often, hear people's voices. Turn the technology off and go outside (if the sun comes back out, although we've needed the rain). Just listen to the quiet, peacefulness of living away from the city. Use camp for what everyone else does.

So, here's to turning off the screen more often...to connecting in real life. Maybe you'll get a phone call or a visit.

Never underestimate

2011-12-21T20:50:00.003-06:00

my Jesus.

He's funny. And tricky.

You see, I've been feeling a little puny this week. (Puny is what we say 'round here, most other people would say I've been sick. And it's true. Sick enough I went to the doctor on Monday, which for me, means I felt really bad. Well, yesterday was a little better. Today a little more so. But it was Wednesday. And honestly, after being sick, trying to get ready for Christmas, needing to do things like laundry and walk the dog, I didn't really want to go to church. However...it was my turn to teach the 5th and 6th graders.

So...I looked over the lesson this afternoon and headed off to church. I love my church family and always love seeing them. In fact, I might've gone tonight even if I didn't have to teach. So I'm there before they finish supper...no food for me though...still feeling rocky. Then we all meet together for announcements, songs, and prayer before splitting into classes.

So the pastor gives announcements and starts his prayer. He always prays for the people teaching...and mentions thanks for (not me) being willing to teach the kids. Suddenly...I think...what is the date?

And I realize...

My week (I had switched because of being out of town last week) wasn't until next week!

So why didn't I remember that until just then? Maybe I wouldn't have gone. Apparently I was supposed to be there.

Never underestimate my Jesus. Even on drizzling nights when you've been under the weather. :)

Something to think about...

2011-12-02T22:34:00.001-06:00

I taught all week on the account of the flood. You can read the original here. Genesis 6-9.

The "new" that has stuck in my mind after telling it over and over to the kids at school is this thought:

It took about 100 years (yes, years) for Noah (and maybe his sons) to complete the ark. It was in service for a little over a year, maybe two.

100 years of preparation for a single year of service.

Something to think about.

Secret Church

2011-11-27T03:47:00.001-06:00

My last post was just a placemarker really, to remind me to post about Secret Church 11. I'll get to that. One day.

I was asked to teach a sunday school class next quarter, December through February. I could not figure out what materials to use. I toyed with the idea of going through Radical (also by David Platt), but wasn't totally set on it. Then I participated in secret church 11 and was blown away by resources available from it and the others.

So starting december 4th, I'll be leading a class using the materials from secret church 3, "How to Study the Bible." It's incredibly in depth. I'm excited about what God will do in the next 12 weeks -- in me, in the class members, in the church, in the community, in the world.

Football...concerning rivalry

2011-11-27T02:55:00.001-06:00

War Eagle. Roll Tide. Go Dawgs. Go Gators. Geaux Tigers. Common phrases heard in the southeastern states, all throughout the year, but especially during the fall. SEC football is a religion. No, really. It is. People plan weddings around football schedules. People miss otherwise huge life events for tickets to one of the big games.

My parents both graduated from Auburn. During the time that they were students, I was born. So, as they say 'round here, I bleed orange and blue. Some of my earliest memories are of watching and listening to Auburn football games. Those memories are awesome. I have no idea when I learned what a first down was, or punt, or touchback, or positions. But I know them. I loved hearing Jim Fyffe call "touchdooooown Auburn" over the radio. I love greeting other Auburn faithful with a hearty "war eagle" and getting one in return, especially in crazy places like on a plane in Amsterdam. Going to a game at Jordan-Hare [that's pronounced "jerden-hare"] stadium is up there near the top of favorite things to do.

My college experience as a student came at Troy (State), not Auburn. In football, the two schools are on completely different levels. As a band member and student, I followed my own school's football while I was there. As an alumnus, I keep up with them still, but not on the same level. It's different.

The SEC has rivalries like no other. Rivalry. Webster's defines the word as "the state or condition of competition or antagonism." Anyone who has ever played team sports has tasted rivalry. It goes beyond the players to the fans and supporters. Go watch a little league game if you don't believe me. Only don't watch the game. Sit in the stands and listen to the parents.

There's a fine line around rivalry. On the one side, it enhances the competition. After all, if there's no heart in it, what's the point? On the other side, it causes people who are, in all other aspects of life, kind and gentle hearted to become mean, hateful, and even vengeful. Over something that, in the great overall scheme of life, really doesn't matter all that much.

The Iron Bowl was just played. I knew my team this year would most likely lose big. And they did. But they're still my team. I'll still say "war eagle" and wear my orange and blue. I'll still hope we beat bama next time. But that doesn't mean I'm going to hate it when a bama fan celebrates over the win. And the next time we get bragging rights, anything I say will, as much as it is up to me, be in good-natured fun. It's when the celebrating or commiserating gets to be hateful and vengeful that bothers me. It's when friendships are lost over football preference. It's when family members disparage and belittle each other. It's when people say things they would never say otherwise and completely contradict their own reputation and testimony. Is a football game really worth all of that?

The way I see it, the SEC is like a family. The teams and their fans like siblings. In most families, including my own, siblings will fight each other tooth and nail, argue and fuss, when on their own. But bring someone else into the picture and have them pick on one or the other and they turn with a united front. A "don't mess with my brother or sister" mentality. An "if you mess with them, you mess with me" mentality. So when Auburn plays Bama, or Georgia, or LSU, or any of the others, it's war eagle, fight during the game. When the championships come around, if it's us, great! If it's another SEC team - then bring it back home! If it's two SEC teams playing each other, well...I'll probably cheer for the one on defense. Because we all know defense wins championships. Or just watch and enjoy the game without any pressure. Basically what I'm saying is if my team's biggest rival is in the championship and my team is not, I'm not going to hope they lose just on the basis of the rivalry. But there are many fans who do just that. There's no point in letting a rivalry take over everything one thinks, says, and does. Our mindset should not be if we're not the best, they can't be either. That's dumb. If I ever get close to that, I should quit supporting any team at all.

One more thing. What is it about college football, the SEC, rivalry? What is it about these things that caused me to spend time writing about it? What is it that causes people to go crazy? What is it that causes 100,00+ people to join together in a stadium to watch when they could be doing anything else?

For many, it's part of what defines who they are. It touches something deep in our soul. For that 60 minutes (played out in 4 hours), those 100,000+ people are connected. Connected in spirit. Connected in goals. Connected in faith that their boys will win. Connected. Fighting together for a common goal.

Imagine what could happen if we were that connected for things that really matter.

shhh....

2011-11-07T23:17:00.000-06:00

It's a secret.

That thousands of people joined together for.

6 hours. Intense overload of Biblical information. This was the overall 11th. My first. Not the last.

More later, but in the meantime, check it out here.

Workout plan: Level 1, Complete.

2011-10-28T19:16:00.000-05:00

Someone got me on pinterest...

...among other things, I came across a three level workout plan from this site and decided I'd try it. I figured if a day was too much, I'd just stop and find something else.

Well, the first level is totally doable. Although I did it in 21 days instead of 20, but who's really counting?!

All idea credit goes to the author.

Yay.

An Update

2011-10-26T23:35:00.000-05:00

This is following up to this post about water in the Maasailand.

Since we were there in September, the well-diggers made it to the spot that had been designated. They started digging.

100ft

200ft

500ft

all the way to 700ft.

No water.

Remember they must walk 20K to get water. 20K back. They have herds of goats and sheep and cattle. No water. Dust. Sun. Heat. No water.

They are going to dig in another spot. But the land must be tested. These things take time. In the meanwhile....no water.

Pray for water for the Maasai.
Pray for a well close to their community with good potable water.
Pray for the physical water to point to the Living Water, to show the greatness of Jehovah Jireh.

Death. Really? Really. Death.

2011-10-26T23:27:00.000-05:00

"You won't really die..." says the serpent to Eve. They were in the Garden of Eden, talking about the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The one tree God commanded not to eat of the fruit. The one tree Eve was focused on.

"You won't really die..."

People are still believing that lie. I am still believing that lie.

"You won't really die..."

Yes. You will die.

In committing sin, no matter how small, the wage is death.

Death. Complete death. Not slightly dead, not mostly dead, but all dead. Because without Christ, there is no life. Not really. Sin takes us away from the Vine. Disconnects. Without the Vine, the branches die.

Sure, it's paid for.

With His death. With His blood. Innocent blood. But that makes committing sin even worse. That means I'm taking His sacrifice for granted.

Do I really believe "in the day that you...[insert sin here]....you will surely die?"

Or am I trusting the lie?

Guest Post - Finding Water in the Maasailand

2011-10-17T23:00:00.004-05:00

Before I get to the meat of this post, I must introduce the author, for it is not me.

This is Lena:

Even the picture brings a smile to my face. And that is Lena - I can't see her without smiling. She is a fearless proclaimer of the gospel (if a dictionary just had pictures and you looked up evangelist, this would be what you'd find). Born in Brazil, she came to America through her marriage and lived in Chicago for quite awhile. I know her from our trips through her church in North Carolina, where she now resides. It is fun to hear her speak to the Kenyans because of her Brazilian accent along with the English - hers is as much fun to listen to as the Kenyans'!

She lives to tell people about Jesus and following is a story she shares - the church is helping to fund a well for the people we visited. Hopefully by now the digging has started. When we visited, the rocks in the picture mark the site to dig.

This place is about 1K from the church. One of our translators, Grace, told us that the women walk at least 20K (approximately 12 miles for you non metric readers) just to get water. Sometimes they go at three in the morning just to be able to get it done and be cooler when walking. It has not rained there since last December.

So here is Lena's story - with some slight editing by me. Enjoy.

I ask our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to open their hearts -- for whoever

reads this Living Water Letter, Peace and Praise to our God. Amen!

I got the great news about "The Digging Of The Well".

Last month I was in Kenya (Africa) to give God's word to those

precious and wonderful women there. Our Lord God opened my heart that

day, to teach these women about THE WOMAN OF THE WELL. [John 4]

As I know that in this town, Bay Leaf B. Church was going to build a well for

the village to get water.

I began telling when the Samaritan woman came to draw water, JESUS

said, to her, "Will you give me a drink"? She did not know what kind of

water He was talking about. The Samaritan woman said to HIM, "You

are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a

drink? (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)"

I told them the water that Jesus Christ offers is the Living Water of "Eternal Life". But

this Well that they are going to dig is for the nurturing to their

bodies. I told them that we need both. I reminded them, that when we

are in Christ Jesus, we associate with everybody because Christ loves

everyone. Therefore, we should be doing the right thing. Forgiving one

another as Jesus forgave us. I encouraged them to walk together to get

the water at the Well, and pray together and Praise God for all that

He has done for them. Are you going to do that? They answered me:

Yes. We are going to Praise Him and worship Him. Amen!

"For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things to Whom be glory

forever." (Romans11:36).

These women love The Living God. They are thirsty as The Woman of the Well. Is something about them that makes me humble. I love these women. My heart is filled with joy when I am with them giving God's word. Many times I asked our Lord Jesus

Christ: Did I miss anything? My heart is open and full of love for them. When I looked at them: I cannot have much to say. Just love them. Love is the fruit of the spirit.

Back to the woman at the well...Jesus told her, "believe me woman, a time is

coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor

in Jerusalem."

I told the women you can worship Jesus Christ everywhere. When the well will be dug, you will have water, and do not forget who gives it to you. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The God who gave you eternal life. They all said: AMEN!!!!!!!

I told them do not be sad: because NOTHING 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. When you feel tired, hungry, thirsty look to heaven and say: Jesus

help me. And He will help you. These women are a treasure to my heart. My love for them, I cannot describe. God has given me a passion for them.

Isaac the Peacemaker, his well, God gave the power to have more and

more water. My prayer will be that God will do the same thing for this well

in Kenya, in the Massailand. As they are preparing the feast to give

the glory to God, I will be praying for all of them. And I told them

to go out and tell all about the Samaritan Woman. They said to Emily

the translator: we are going out to tell about Jesus Christ.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In

this world you will have trouble. but take heart! I have overcome the

world." John 14:27.

Blessings,

Lena

I love this story - Lena's and the account in John 4. It is my favorite. Jesus meets her where she is. And He actually says to her "I am He"! Can you imagine looking into His eyes and hearing those words?

No wonder she dropped her water pot and ran back to town.

I don't think it's a coincidence that I'm posting this on the day that these guys release an album called "Come to the Well." I preordered it and it downloaded before midnight! So I'm listening as I type this. God is into the details. Look for Him there. Spend some time at the well!

Nadia

2011-10-04T21:57:00.001-05:00

"Seek the LORD while He may be found;

Call upon Him while He is near.

Let the wicked forsake his way

And the unrighteous man his thoughts;

And let him return to the LORD,

And He will have compassion on him,

And to our God,

For He will abundantly pardon.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD.

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

So are My ways higher than your ways

And My thoughts than your thoughts.

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,

And do not return there without watering the earth

And making it bear and sprout,

And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;

So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;

It will not return to Me empty,

Without accomplishing what I desire,

And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it."

Isaiah 55:6-11

This trip was an exercise in learning to water the seeds that had previously been planted. And to be reminded of the importance of that part of the process. It is equally important to the harvest, possibly even more so.

It started on the second plane, the first long leg of the flights. I was seated in the middle of the middle. This plane had two seats, an aisle, four seats, an aisle and two seats - at least that's the setup back in the back where we were. Two of my team member buddies were with me in the middle four. But next to me was a lady named Nadia. Her husband was across the aisle. I don't really remember how the conversation started and it wasn't continuous, just a question here and there, but the questions had depth.

She mentioned that her husband was from the south and they lived in the midwest, but she had a distinctly European accent and was reading a book in Greek. Yes, Greek! I have no idea what it was.

In the beginning she asked about our trip and my response (I never really know how I'm going to phrase it ... it comes out different every time) was that we were teaching the Bible. Her response to that was "Oh! You know the Bible well enough to teach it?!" What a question/statement...

Throughout the flight it became obvious she was seeking. Her leaning was toward new age or Buddhism thought, but she asked questions that made me think. For one of the first, I answered by getting my Bible to look up a verse and it seemed to surprise her that I would show her.

She did not become a believer by the end of the flight, sadly enough, but she did listen to my attempts at answers. Her main stonewalls came in understanding the wrath of a "loving" God, and Jesus being the only way. Remember, she's got to be intelligent - she was reading Greek! It just didn't add up for her. It didn't click. She wanted to believe there are many ways and they all reach the same place. Well - she's kind of right. On the wrong side of the equation.

So pray for Nadia - and others like her. And plant the seeds as you go. Water the ones you find planted. Pray for someone to be there to harvest when the time comes.

Perspective From A Safari

2011-09-30T23:35:00.002-05:00

The planners and organizers of the Bayleaf trips are always good about building in a small amount of "tourist" time. After all, it seems as if one can't really visit Africa without seeing at least a few animals.

This time we visited the park called Amboseli. While there we saw zebra...

God's designs are amazing. The zebra are about the size of a horse...not huge, but not small either. Each one has a different stripe pattern. We also saw gazelle, wildebeest, and giraffe. And elephants. Lots of elephants.

Elephants are huge. No, I mean, they are HUGE!

I knew that.

But it wasn't until I saw an elephant standing next to a herd of zebra and other animals that the perspective really started to hit home.

And then...to set off the contrast even more...we drove around and found Mt. Kilimanjaro in the background.

Just to try to make it fathomable - the ridge at the top of the mountain? Three miles across, 19,000 feet high. We were about 27 miles from the base of the mountain. The elephants stand up to 10 ft in height and weigh several tons. They dwarfed the zebra. The mountain swallowed the elephants. And me - well I'm not very big. [wink].

Creator God is BIG.
And yet His design is down to the smallest detail of stripes on a zebra, tusks on an elephant, spots on a giraffe, and the intricacies of the human body.

And He named the stars.

And He knows my name. And yours.

And He wants us to know His.

"Then they will know that I am the Lord." This phrase is repeated so often throughout the old testament. Everything He did was so that the people would know who He was. Is.

"Everyone who is called by My name,

And whom I have created for My glory,

Whom I have formed, even whom I have made...

“You are My witnesses,” declares the LORD,

“And My servant whom I have chosen,

So that you may know and believe Me

And understand that I am He.

^{Before Me there was no God formed,}

And there will be none after Me.

“I, even I, am the LORD,

And there is no savior besides Me.

“It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed,

And there was no strange god among you;

So you are My witnesses,” declares the LORD,

“And I am God. " -Isaiah 43:7, 10-12

The reason for all of it - creation, life, breath, day, night, light, darkness, emotions, love, the cross, the resurrection - is so that we can know Him, just as He knows us.

Perspective.

Humbled to be Honored

2011-09-28T23:49:00.000-05:00

The morning started with a jarring ride down a rocky, dusty road. Two hours later, we turned onto a slightly smoother although dustier path. Finally, we found ourselves and our van in the Kenyan bush, driving through dry creek beds, over rocks, around thorn trees. The pastor who was navigating for us lost the way - there was a large rock cropping that the van could not traverse. So he and our driver got out and climbed up on the rock. He whistled and soon heard an answer from a fellow Maasai. We started again and found Sammy, who guided us the rest of the way in to where we were going to share the gospel..."even to the remotest part of the earth." [wink.]

The van stopped close to a tin church building, Olikarikara, where children were having school. A few of them were outside and smiled shyly at the mzungus. We waved. As we walked by them, they bowed their heads in greeting. We touched the top of their head and said "supa!," returning the greeting. That is how young Maasai greet those older than they. Sadly, we were not able to share with them at school. We walked a short distance past the church/school, along a path that wound around another rock to a boma. The boma is a fenced in compound of mud huts that a Maasai family calls home. They don't get many mzungu visitors here. Polygamy is common, so each wife has her own home in the boma.

While the news was given (visitors!), we waited under acacia and thorn trees. It was shady with large rocks to sit on, peaceful and calm. Looking toward the fence of the boma, we could see little ones, curious. I waved and smiled. The older would wave back, the younger not so sure about these new faces. Eventually four Maasai ladies joined us from the boma. They had dressed up in their beautiful beaded Maasai jewelry that they make by hand and colorful cloth wraps. The Maasai love color, especially red. It makes them stand out with the animals on the side of the hills, for they are herders of sheep, goats, and cattle.

We greeted them as they came out to the shade tree. One lady brought plastic chairs. The visitor's seats. I think she walked down to the church/school to get them and carried them back up - for us. They insisted we have the chairs while they took the rocks, or ground. That's the way it is. Even for the women visitors. In both African cultures I've interacted with, this is what they do. The men are most important, for lack of a better term. The women are the workers and servants, preparing food, keeping house, caring for the children, getting water. The children are loved but not spoiled. But visitors - they are honored. Men, women, and children. When having a meal - the guests are served and the men might eat with them, but the women eat elsewhere as do the children. There are always chairs brought for the visitors, no matter how far a walk it is to find and return with them. We are given the best that they have.
Seats, food, water. Sometimes all that they have. It is humbling to be the recipient of that honor.

You see, I'm just a single girl who wears blue jeans and sneakers (that is, when I wear shoes at all). I like to play with kids and tell them about Jesus. In their culture, I'd be the one carrying the chairs and getting the water. And even though as an American I have more money than they do, were the comparison culture to culture, my house is fairly similar to that mud hut and tin church building (and I like it that way). So I'm perfectly happy sitting on the rock under the tree with the children around me. But they were honored by my visit, so they brought me a chair. And so I sat in the chair and smiled at them sitting on the rocks, happy to have someone come to see them. I listened to fellow team members give their testimony and share the gospel. I smiled at the children trying to take it all in. At the babies being babies. At the mothers caring for them. I wondered what I could say that hadn't already been said. Mimi and Lena shared the good news and Lena prayed with them - one lady becoming a Christian there under the tree!

They didn't want us to take pictures, but her name was Helen. The others (who already believed) were Pauline, Rose, and Jennifer. I think Jennifer had carried the chairs. Rose was the grandmother of the group. I shared how I teach the Bible to children here at home, and from Deuteronomy about talking of the scriptures when we walk and at home and in the morning and at night.

We walked a short ways towards the next boma where a couple of other families were gathered. They followed us. They carried our chairs. We shared some more, to this group I told my story and shared the love of Christ's death on the cross and the joy of His resurrection. Lindsay shared the story of Gideon. Lena made them smile with her enthusiasm. There were a few men at this place and Peyton was able to talk with them. There was a mother with a baby who had been deformed from lack of water. After we gave out salvation bracelets and Mimi explained what each of the colors meant, it was almost time to go. We circled around this mother and Walt prayed for the baby. They greeted us as we left. Emily, our translator, said that one woman had told her "no one ever came to visit us like this before."

They won't know unless we go.

[Romans 10:14-17]

stream of consciousness

2011-08-30T22:28:00.001-05:00

Watching paint dry. One coat down. Two to go. Finishing the wall in the kitchen so it matches the living room, so it flows. It's all the same wall.
Mentally packing for two different trips at the same time. Conference. Kenya. Clothes. Flute and piccolo. Teaching notes. Gifts. Other supplies.
Laundry.
Music. Listening to new tunes from Christa Wells and Sara Groves, and some old stuff from Reilly. Love it all.
Day of prayer for camp ministry tomorrow.

A video to end with:

and her lyric, complete here

His bow is on the strings

And the tune resonates in the open space

To show us how emptiness sings:

Glory to God, Glory to God!

In fullness of wisdom,

He writes my story into his song,

My life for the glory of God.

blogger 101

2011-08-26T00:41:00.001-05:00

Just figured out I could add different pages. Now I'm trying to think of things to put on different pages.

About that last song/video I posted...

2011-08-25T02:26:00.000-05:00

I am blessed to have an earthly Daddy who could've written this song himself, were he a composer. The first time I watched the video was also the first time hearing the song and although Shane and Shane wrote it from a (new) father's perspective, I heard it from the daughter's view. Precious. Beautiful. I know that everyone does not grow up with this kind of father. But I pray that those who don't find that love in the One we all need. I am thankful to have both.

"Hey, hey sweet daughter
I'm so proud to be your father
each day is like a gift from God
hey, hey sweet daughter
there's no music like your laughter
and your smile is like the rising sun
you know I've loved you from the start
so come in close, take my hand
while Daddy shares his heart

I wish that I could be your everything
be the one to give you all the things you need
sometimes I'm gonna let you down
but there's Someone that if you'll just believe
He'll be your hero
like he's always been for me
Darling, Jesus is the One you need

no matter what you walk through
he will always love you
just the way you are
for there's nothing in this world
that I want for my baby girl
than to be happy ever after

the story of your life is still untold
I pray the king of all the universe
would make your heart His home

I wish that I could be your everything
be the one to give you all the things you need
sometimes I'm gonna let you down
but there's Someone that if you'll just believe
He'll be your hero
like he's always been for me
Darling, Jesus is the One
who will never leave
he's been there all along
oh when you're ready
you can find true love

I wish that I could be your everything
be the one to give you all the things you need
sometimes I'm gonna let you down
but there's Someone that if you'll just believe
He'll be your hero
like he's always been for me
Darling, Jesus is the One you need"

Lyrics by Shane and Shane

the One you need

2011-08-13T21:47:00.002-05:00

Shane and Shane's new single. Whole album is great. Download available on their site.

Normal

2011-08-11T20:50:00.000-05:00

This afternoon.
Home.
Cleaned a little.
Watched an episode of a tv show.
Thawed some leftover lasagna for supper.
Walked the dog.
Cleaned a bit more.
Ate at the table.
Tidied up the kitchen.
Listened to some tunes.
Checked facebook and email.
Drinking some hot tea.
Reading a little CS Lewis.
Sleep at a decent hour.
Normal.
For some.
Unusual.
For me.
Home.
Smile.

Found via Twitter

2011-07-23T22:02:00.000-05:00

sunset time lapse

2011-07-16T09:05:00.000-05:00

This is what I worked on while waiting for dvds to burn last night!

Best/Worst

2011-07-09T18:11:00.000-05:00

One of the best things about working camp is meeting super cool people and forming fantastic deep relationships quickly because you are together 24/7.
One of the worst things about working camp is saying "see you later" to those same people.

Met a great new family this week. Pray for M and J and their kids as they raise support to go serve in Liberia.

Also said "see you later" to some pretty cool cit kids (who used to be my campers). Awesome to see them growing up and serving the Lord.

In other news...the late night last night has me feeling like a zombie today.

...there was an oak snake caught on a sticky trap inside my house.

...that'll give you a jolt.

...luckily I live next to the reptile guy and he came to get it. Thanks, Paul.

...Merry Christmas. [Jen and I are having our own Christmas in July celebration tonight. Cue the Christmas music in 3..2..1...]

...have company this week! A counselor from last year is visiting with her twin sister.

...birthday is soon! 28. crazy.

...have been doing domestic things...like laundry and cleaning the bathrooms today...it's been kinda nice. feels almost normal. whatever that is.

All it takes is a second....

2011-07-03T14:47:00.001-05:00

I make highlights videos for camp each week. Mostly they are fun and exciting with some serious moments from chapel sessions towards the end. I always try to get a good portion of the gospel message in from the speaker and some other good practical things to remember from the messages.

This past week a church group was here for the first time. While they were here, they received word that a man from their church (about 8 hours away) had passed away. They were all very close to him and it was obvious that it was very difficult to be here instead of there. So at the end of the week's video I put in a segment from one of the leaders of that group doing a thing this man had done at their church and a slide in memory. It lasted probably 8 seconds in all. The response from them was unreal. So thankful.

So. God uses camp videos. :)

Lunar Eclipse, June 15, 2011

2011-06-15T16:30:00.000-05:00

Caught part of google's livestream of the lunar eclipse! Awesome!

10 years

2011-05-24T21:54:00.000-05:00

This time ten years ago I was finishing a night of listening to pomp and circumstance, swatting mosquitoes, and turning the first tassel and throwing a square hat in the air. Oh, and a gazillion pictures. None of which are on this computer, so you'll have to take my word for it. A couple trillion are in my granny's possession because she took the most, I'm sure. Those are definitely not digital.

So much has changed since then. And so much hasn't.

Goals for the next ten?

Go deeper in the WORD.
Draw near to Him.
Keep traveling periodically.
Be willing to change what needs to be changed.
Love my neighbor as myself.

Simple things. Difficult things.

Happy 10 year reunion class of 2001!

Something About Me

2011-05-24T21:31:00.000-05:00

One of my jobs next week is to co-teach a Bible study with our volunteer high school staff. Their supervisor always uses some type of personality study with this. For this year we are using Gary Chapman's five love languages , especially the teenager and children books - teenager as it relates to themselves, children as they relate to campers. It's always fun to go through the studies and I always learn more when I teach.

So here's some info about me - my top scoring love language is quality time:

Quality Time
In the vernacular of Quality Time, nothing says, “I love you,” like full, undivided attention. Being there for this type of person is critical, but really being there—with the TV off, fork and knife down, and all chores and tasks on standby—makes your significant other feel truly special and loved. Distractions, postponed dates, or the failure to listen can be especially hurtful.

But closely second is physical touch:

Physical Touch
This language isn’t all about the bedroom. A person whose primary language is Physical Touch is, not surprisingly, very touchy. Hugs, pats on the back, holding hands, and thoughtful touches on the arm, shoulder, or face—they can all be ways to show excitement, concern, care, and love. Physical presence and accessibility are crucial, while neglect or abuse can be unforgivable and destructive.

Studying this again in preparation to teach made me start thinking about spiritual gifts too. Because there's another love language that I "speak" pretty well, but it isn't "mine." That would be acts of service.

In spiritual gift studies, my dominant comes out to be Mercy. But the secondary that closely follows is Serving. Which is why I wasn't so great in the discipline department when I student taught...and why I enjoy behind the scenes work like making videos. Smile.

Here's some info on those:
Mercy

Your number one dominant gift is MERCY SHOWING! The Greek word "ellco" means to feel sympathy with or for others. As a mercy-shower you have the Spirit-given capacity and desire to serve God by identifying with and comforting those who are in distress. You understand and comfort your fellow Christian. You enter into the grief or happiness of others and have the ability to show empathy which is to feel WITH others, not just for others.
As a mercy-shower you are willing to deal with and minister to people who have needs that most people feel very uncomfortable working with. You seem to say the right thing at the right time. Your personality is likely one of soft-spoken love. It hurts you to scold someone; you are very non-condemning. People love you because of all the love you give them. You find it easy to express yourself and are outgoing with a low-key, inoffensive personality. You are easy to talk to, responsive to people, a good listener, peaceable, and agreeable. You tend to make decisions based on feelings more than fact and like to think about things for a while before making a decision.
In your burden to comfort others, your heart goes out to the poor, the aged, the ill, the underprivileged, and so on. You tend to attract people who are hurting or rejoicing because you identify with them. Be careful not to let others use you. Try not to resent others who are not as understanding as you. Refrain from becoming a gossiper when you are around other mercy-showers. Do not let your circumstances control you. Because of your supernatural ability to show mercy, others accuse you of taking up for people, being a softy and a compromiser. They may think you are too emotional.
Mercy-showers make excellent counselors. However, left untrained, you may destroy yourself by your tendency to take people's problems home with you. Your empathy can become detrimental without personal training on how to deal with it.
Beware of Satan's attack on your gift. He can cause pride because of your ability to relate to others. He may influence you to disregard rules and authority. You may experience a lack of discipline because of strong feeling for those who hurt due to disobedience and sin. Don't fall into Satan's trap of complaining and griping.
HOW CAN YOU USE YOUR GIFT? Your gift is used best in times of sorrow and in times of great joy. It fits well with another gift of service such as deacon, youth worker or hospital visitation. With a counseling course, you could become a good counselor. You may serve as a hospital, nursing home, or shut-in worker; a funeral coordinator and provider of sympathy and support; or a poverty center worker. You would do well as an usher or greeter and welcome center worker or hospitality person. You may want to work in a telephone ministry. You would make people feel welcome on a newcomer visitation team. Other appropriate ministry areas include missions, committee member, furlough assistance, and correspondence helper. You would work well with the elderly and with people who have mental and physical disabilities, in nursing, and with special ministries to migrants, released offenders or abused children and women.

Serving

Your second dominant gift is SERVING! The Greek word "Diakonia" means to do service. In Acts 6:1 the word is interpreted "ministration." Our word deacon comes from the same Greek word. Actually the gift of serving combines helps and ministering. The word "helps" is used in 1 Corinthians 12:28 and "ministering" in Romans 12:7. As a server you have the Spirit-given capacity and desire to serve God by rendering practical help in both physical and spiritual matters. You enjoy meeting the practical needs of your fellow Christians and the church.

The gift of serving is not the gift God gives you when you cannot do anything else. It is spiritual in nature and as important as any gift in the church. Never think it is anything less; it only becomes less if you do not use it as God intended.

As a server you are the person who is willing to do a million and one necessary tasks in the church. You probably do not realize that your love for the Lord is showing every time the doors of the church are open, especially if you oiled the hinges last week so they don't squeak any more. You are happy working behind the scenes. You are ambitious, often involved in a variety of activities, and enjoy manual projects. You are loyal, sincere, tolerant, faithful, and devoted. Most people find you easy going, likable, congenial, and inoffensive. You can listen to others without being critical. You do not like to be in the spotlight and prefer not to express yourself publicly.

You are quick to respond to needs and impressed with the need to respond when exhorted to serve. Because of this, you find it difficult to say no. You like to support a good leader. Some consider you a workaholic. You tend to emphasize practical needs over spiritual needs.

Be careful that you complete what you start and do not neglect the needs of your own family by trying to meet so many needs in the church or in others' homes. Be willing to read and follow directions in the beginning--not just when all else fails. Because of your quick response, some people think you jump in too fast. Others think you neglect spiritual needs.

Beware of Satan's attack on your gift. He can cause pride because of the work you do. He may cause you to feel insignificant or cause you to lack concern for people or for spiritual growth. Impatience and lack of knowledge cause poor-quality workmanship.

HOW CAN YOU USE YOUR GIFT? Your gift may put you into action. You may serve as manager of maintenance and grounds. You can do may tasks such as paint the walls, pick up trash, sort hymnals, clean the baptistry, keep the nurseryÐor launder nursery bedding, cook meals, paint signs, drive the bus, help with the choir, run errands, serve as an audio-video worker, help with recordkeeping, be the church librarian, act as a greeter or an usher, serve as a stage hand in drama productions or as a photographer. You may want to help in special ministries such as migrant or community help (with home repairs or meal-on-wheels for the needy and elderly), as a hospitality worker for newcomers, or as an instrumentalist. You may also enjoy beautifying the church ground with flower gardens and landscaping. The list goes on.

LIFEguard

2011-05-23T20:28:00.000-05:00

Lifeguards.

Little kids look up to them.

Junior high kids want to be them.

High school kids think about it for a summer job maybe.

I've held a lifeguard certification for six years now. Taking the course to re-certify this week. When I finish I'll be certified for another three years. It's much more than a "cool job." It's difficult, physically and mentally. It's a huge responsibility, guarding the life of people around water. But most of the work is in prevention. If the lifeguard communicates with the patrons, clearly explains rules and reasons for those rules, watches alertly and is prepared, then most times there is no need for a rescue to be made. Still, the guard is there to ensure the utmost safety of the people enjoying the pool, park or waterfront. And yet...

There are parallels.

For a lifeguard the goal is preventing emergencies. Preventing injuries. Preventing accidents. Preventing loss of life.

Shouldn't that be my goal as a child of God as well? Preventing loss of life?

"for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. ¹¹For the Scripture says, "WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED."
¹²For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him;
¹³for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."
¹⁴How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?"
Romans 10:10-14

So as I review the lifesaving techniques this week and practice the skills necessary to be certified as a lifeguard, I am thinking of that other life. The eternal one. Am I surveying those I know? Am I on the alert to see potential dangers? Dangers of someone in spiritual peril? Do I recognize the distressed? The drowning? Do I jump in to offer help? How else will they know?

100

2011-05-23T00:27:00.000-05:00

Some love for 100 posts!

Silence

2011-05-20T00:38:00.001-05:00

A friend posted this on my facebook today.

Lyrics:
Have you heard the silent night
The earth is always singing
Praises of the morning sun
Even before morning
And the whole world is singing of
Its beauty all day long
And even the quiet dark
That silence is a song

Weep not for the day of gray
For the heavens are not weeping
The roses are still red and gay
They are even blooming
And the whole world is singing of
Its beauty all day long
And even the quiet dark
That silence is a song
That silence is a song

Not only is it a beautiful haunting melody, but a great reminder, especially at this time of year. A reminder to embrace silence. Even plan it. A reminder to unplug. To be still and know. Be still and know that God is God. Be still and remember who I am and what I'm doing, why I'm doing it. Be still and know what life is all about. Abundant life. To treasure the moments. To pray. To live.

"new" (to me) music

2011-05-19T22:33:00.001-05:00

matt maher.

audrey assad.

Crazy Life

2011-05-17T22:59:00.001-05:00

Have been neglecting the blog. Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up.

Huge tornado hit towns/cities in my state. Have been praying and trying to help from afar in any way possible. Some teacher friends' schools/school kids lost homes and more. The kind of thing that magnifies what is truly important. Life. Abundant. Eternal.

Just a few days till my 8th full summer of camp. This will make my "full time" summers more than my "counselor" summers. My campers are now counselors and CITs....

...and on that note, my ten year reunion is this year.

Painted my living room. Yay for fun home improvement. Also rearranged. And done before camp!

Started sending a weekly email with prayer requests. Goal: have people praying more specifically and often for the work God is doing here. Also gives a better picture of the day to day stuff I get to do. If you're not already receiving it, send me your email!

Had an eye checkup....new glasses on the way! Thankful to have a place to order from that doesn't cost an arm and leg. (Here)

Going back to Kenya in September! They are officially teaching Bible lessons in the schools now, regularly. And have started a christian school there at the pastor's house. And are starting a camp!

Am walking and jogging in attempt to be in shape to update my lifeguard certification. Starts monday....and summer is here, just like that.

[oh. and extra points for guessing the movie quoted in this post.]

awesome

2011-03-30T23:31:00.001-05:00

Go here for an awesome display of sportsmanship and character.

chick flicks

2011-03-30T21:44:00.000-05:00

Found a new favorite - for that night when you just need a chick flick and some tissues.

Beautiful story.

Excellent music.

Tearjerker.

Found it on netflix streaming.

A story.

2011-03-17T14:45:00.000-05:00

Today I was driving back to work at camp after lunch at home.

As I rounded the curve towards the chapel, I heard a noise from my car. A pop kind of noise.
Then, as I kept driving very slowly to a place to park, the noise changed to a squealing, nails on blackboard type of noise.

I parked. Saw a coworker nearby (maintenance is his job) and waited for him to get off of a phone call.

As I'm waiting, all these thoughts are going through my mind...
how-much-do-I-have-saved-which-shop-am-I-going-to-will-I-be-able-to-drive-it-there-how-long-will-it-take-is-it-fixable-will-i-have-to-get-something-new-

etc etc

So then he gets off the phone and comes to look at it. Looks under the hood, doesn't see anything immediately. Drives forward a few feet and we diagnose that it's coming from the front passenger wheel area. Decides to drive it half a mile back to the shop (the nails on blackboard gets worse). Cuts across the ballfield to make it shorter.

Takes the tire off. And in the part the tire attaches to is this:

Just a tiny little rock. It was grinding against the metal as the tire rotated. So he takes it out, puts the tire back on and that's that.

I'm sure there's some way this can be used as an illustration.

For now, I'm just thankful that it wasn't something worse!

God provides!

a current favorite

2011-03-03T18:17:00.000-06:00

go here to listen

Written by Mark Schultz, Matthew West, Sam Mizell
Love Has Come

Well, I know this life is filled with sorrow
And there are days when the pain just lasts and lasts
But I know there will come a day
When all our tears are washed away with a break in the clouds
His glory coming down and in that moment

Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess
That God is love and love has come for us all
Every heart set free, every one will see
That God is love and love has come for us all

For anybody who has ever lost a loved one
And you feel like you had to let go too soon
I know it hurts to say goodbye
But don't you know it's just a matter of time till the tears are gonna end
You'll see them once again and in that moment

Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess
That God is love and love has come for us all
Every heart set free, every one will see
That God is love and love has come for us all

Oh, and on that day we will stand amazed
At our Savior, God and King
Just to see the face of amazing grace
As our hearts rise up and sing

Glory, glory, hallelujah
Thank You for the cross
Singing glory, glory, hallelujah
Christ has paid the cost

Glory, glory, hallelujah
Thank You for the cross
Singing glory, glory
Christ has paid the cost

And every knee shall bow, every tongue confess
That God is love and love has come for us all
Every heart set free, every one will see
That God is love and love has come for us all

Love has come for us all
Love has come for us all

And every knee shall bow, every tongue confess
God is love and love has come for us all
Every heart set free, every one will see
God is love and love has come for us all

Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess
God is love and love has come for us all
Every heart set free, every one will see
God is love and love has come for us all

March Madness

2011-03-02T19:45:00.000-06:00

Released Time: teaching the same lesson to 31 classes in a row
Mailbox Club: 400+ have requested lessons. 64 came back yesterday
Elementary Retreat: immediately following released time, on saturday and sunday
Housekeeping duties: cleaning cabins immediately following retreat, on Sunday
Calling this my "job": priceless

Intercession

2011-02-19T23:09:00.001-06:00

Intercession:

1: the act of interceding

: prayer, petition, or entreaty in favor of another

Supplication:

: to make a humble entreaty; especially : to pray to God

"God's giving is inseparably connected with our asking" - Andrew Murray

Diving into this book: Ministry Of Intercession in preparation to journey through it with a sunday school class. The more I study it, the more people and ministries I find to pray for. Coincidence? Nope. Call? Definitely.

Excited about this deeper dive.

Fishing

2011-02-17T23:38:00.000-06:00

There's some good fishing in Kenya these days.

Read about it here.

We serve a big, big God!

CBM Ladies Retreat

2011-02-09T16:40:00.000-06:00

Road trip!
Katie and I went to the CBM Ladies Retreat last weekend. Here.

These ladies joined us

We were momentarily overtaken by a bunch of hillbillies

We hiked up the mountain.

And took some pics. I stole all of these from Shelly.

We exchanged gifts. I ended up with something from Kenya. Wink.

It was lots of fun!

Missions Retreat

2011-01-30T00:09:00.000-06:00

The last weekend in January is the annual missions retreat at Camp Victory.

Friday evening to sunday morning set aside for high school and college students to meet missionaries [real live ones!] and hear about what they do and see the need for laborers in the harvest fields.

It is my favorite event.

Coming off a week of teaching the crucifixion makes it even better.

Hearing the students pray for the different missionaries and each other makes it awesome.

Pray for these students, that they will answer the call to be laborers, now where they are, and maybe even for life.

"He is no fool, who gives up what he can't keep, to gain what he cannot lose." ~Jim Elliot

People I would like to meet:

2011-01-23T18:43:00.000-06:00

Part 1:

Part 2:

Crucifixion

2011-01-21T11:41:00.000-06:00

"On Friday a thief
On Sunday a King
Laid down in grief
But awoke with keys
Of Hell on that day
The first born of the slain
The Man Jesus Christ
Laid death in his grave"

Trumped up charges. Mock trial in the middle of the night. Beating. Mocking. Spit. False Accusations. Desertion. Innocence. Love. The crucifixion of Jesus was so much more than death.

Today I am studying the accounts of the crucifixion with new eyes - teacher's eyes. Next week to 31 classes of kindergarten to fifth graders, I will have the opportunity to teach them a new definition of love, showcased by the crucifixion.

It's funny how God brings things together. Was recruiting in troy this week and heard this song by John Mark McMillan, called "Death in his Grave." A beautiful picture of what Jesus did on the cross.

This story I am teaching will be "to be continued," for the next round will be the Resurrection account.
Pray for the students to see their need of the savior this week as they hear the account of the cross. Some will be hearing it for the thousandth time, some for the first. Yes, even in the Bible belt.

Deer

2011-01-19T21:29:00.000-06:00

Wisconsin just moved up pretty high on my "to visit" list.

Here's why:

We serve an awesome Creator.

Fun Pic

2011-01-11T19:23:00.000-06:00

This is my cousin Cain and me at Christmas.

Proven

2011-01-11T18:34:00.001-06:00

Coaches always say it.

The SEC thrives on it.

And last night it was proven again.

Defense wins championships.

Offense got us there. But defense won it.

War Eagle!

People

2011-01-02T18:47:00.000-06:00

Modern culture. Third world. In between. Red. Yellow. Black. White. Adult. Children. Teenagers. Languages. People everywhere are the same.

Individuals want to be part of a group. Children want to be loved, nothing more. Laughter is contagious. Musical tastes are shared. Or not. Family is important.

Missions is not about telling a story. Or praying a prayer. Or supplying food, water, or shelter. Missions is about people. Relationships. Looking into eyes that say a thousand things without a word and giving not an answer or solution to the problems, but love. God's love. Real love.

2011 - thoughts at the start of the year

2011-01-01T17:54:00.000-06:00

I think I will say two-thousand-eleven as opposed to twenty-eleven.

Today has been a quiet, rest-filled day. It rained all day. I don't have a rain gauge but I would guess we got at least three inches, if not more. There is one at camp so I will find out on monday.

Maybe because my birthday is in July, or because my schedule is really an August to July year, but new year's never feels like the beginning of my year. More like the middle.

I recently purchased an ipod touch because my classic died. The free kindle app is awesome. I got some free books off of it - planning to get back to reading this year. I always used to have my nose stuck in a book. So the main one I've been reading the last few days is: The Ministry of Intercession: A Plea for More Prayer by Andrew Murray

Not a new book. New to me, though. And full of insights and practical ideas on prayer. Has been added to my list of must-reads. Probably will post more in depth about it in the future.

I also picked up a few free classics like Little Women. The prequel to Dee Henderson's O'Malley series is free at the moment, Danger in the Shadows. That series is my all time favorite fiction.

What else is new for 2011? [yep, definitely "twothousandeleven"]
Hmm. I went on a trip. Will be adding posts about that soon.

Still serving at camp. Loving it.

Adventures with my dog, Jake. He came inside yesterday and thought he belonged.

Happy New Year.

Dear At&T, part 4

2010-12-09T21:36:00.000-06:00

I called customer service.

The first person tried to help, but then transferred me to another person.

I had to go through recorded stuff when they transferred. And tell them all my information again- couldn't they have transferred me directly and skipped that part?

The hold music was different. I think it was a 16 bar loop. That's better.

The second person helped. She sent me an email with a return label to print for the phone I didn't need that you sent me anyway.

I'm sending it back tomorrow.

Don't charge me for it.

Your online account management is better than Alltel's. I never liked theirs.
Seeing as how I do most of my stuff online, that is a good thing for you.

You appear to have my rate plan from alltel intact. Let's hope that appearance isn't deceiving.

You are getting better. thanks.

Now you just need to implement an unlimited data package that doesn't cost both of my legs,

Amy

Dear AT&T, part 3

2010-12-09T20:27:00.000-06:00

This is part 3.

Today my phone was activated. By you. Before I got my data card.

But the data card did come today.

And I'm using it right at this moment.

Good for you.

However, there was no shipping label in the package to return the phone you sent that I did not need in the first place.

I'm returning the phone. Do not charge me for it.

Next time we'll talk about how you handled the first bill and your promises to keep my rate plan from alltel.

A slightly happier customer,

Amy

champs!

2010-12-04T22:56:00.000-06:00

they won in '83 when i was a baby
they won this year too
good, bad, or ugly i'll always bleed orange and blue

warrrrrrrrrrrrrr eagle, hey!

love my tigers

watch out, ducks...

Jehovah Jireh

2010-12-02T19:38:00.001-06:00

It's amazing what God can do for you with a little trust on your part.

That's all.

Going to see these lovely people in a little more than a week!

Dear AT&T, part 2

2010-12-02T19:32:00.002-06:00

Here is an update.

1. You began to redeem yourself today.

2. Notice I said began.

3. I drove 40 miles to the store this afternoon.

4. It didn't start out so well. The line was outside. It was 45 degrees. [that did make me feel slightly better about not getting an answer on the phone.]

5. I got in line. Some people walked by the front of the line. An employee came outside and started putting one of those people's name on the list. I was there before them. In the back of the line.

6. I went up to get my name on the list. She asked what the problem was.

7. I told her you sent me a phone instead of a data card.

8. Her eyes got real big. Then she said they were out of data cards.

9. Then she said the other stores within 60 miles of my house were also out of data cards.

10. I asked if I could give the phone back and leave an address for them to ship me a data card because I live 40 miles away.

11. She said she could give me a # to call to do it myself. Why couldn't I find that # on your website?

12. I took it. And left before I wasn't very nice to someone.

13. I called the #. Staying in town in case I had to go back to the store.

14. Someone actually answered the phone. Points for you.

15. He said he could get a data card shipped to me. More points for you.

16. He put me on hold while he worked. Your on hold music is terrible. You could at least get a 16 bar loop instead of an 8 bar loop. Maybe even a 32 bar loop. That would be better.

17. After about 15 minutes (with him checking back with me every few) it was finished.

18. Data card is on its way with a label for me to send the phone back. I will send the phone back. Please do not charge me for it.

19. They could have answered the phone at the store and given me that number.

20. You should send them more help. (And more data cards.) People don't like to stand in line. Especially when it's 45 degrees.

21. Stay tuned for the next installment.

Waiting for my data card,

Amy

Dear AT&T, part 1

2010-12-01T21:09:00.001-06:00

Dear AT&T,

1. I did not ask for you to take over alltel.

2. I liked alltel.

3. Alltel has options for unlimited data and texting. You should take note for all these customers you are getting. I'm sure the iphone people will like it too.

4. When you sent me my new phone, you sent another phone instead of the data network card for my computer.

5. You did not send my store any network cards.

6. I have to go to another store that is 40 miles away to get a network card exchanged for the phone you sent me that I do not need or want.

7. I have a job. It helps me pay for your phone service. I have to be there. 40 miles is a long way to go and come back during working hours.

8. I called the store that is 40 miles away. On the 5th time someone answered. It rang for 2+ minutes each time.

9. He told me they had the phone-instead-of-data-card-problem with a lot of customers. He also told me they were out and should get some more in a couple of days.

10. Boy was I glad I called before driving 40 miles. [You were too, you just didn't know]

11. The shipment day came. I called again.

12. That was yesterday. I called to make sure the cards came in before I drove the 40 miles to pick it up. No one answered. It rang for 4-5 minutes until it disconnected. This happened 18 times. Fail.

13. I tried calling again today. Same thing. 24 times. Epic fail.

14. That is ridiculous.

15. I will drive the 40 miles tomorrow when I pick up my car after work. I will get the data card. And give you the phone I don't need. I will also talk to a manager or someone in a supervisor type position.

16. You are a phone company. You should answer the phone.

17. I might go to verizon.

That's all for now.

Your customer who was once excited about the possibility of upgrading to an iphone but is not anymore because I can't talk to a person to simply see if orders have come in to the store,

Amy

holy smokes, batman!

2010-11-29T18:02:00.002-06:00

picked this up at a flea market today. yes.

Yes, i know it's not even Thanksgiving yet...

2010-11-20T17:58:00.000-06:00

But I went to a Christmas concert. And so I'm in Christmas mode.

Best Christmas movie of all time:

Excitement

2010-11-16T11:22:00.000-06:00

Travel plans are in the making!

Going to visit some missionary friends next month. And help them move into a new house.

Yay!

interceding

2010-11-08T16:07:00.002-06:00

26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;

27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. [Romans 8]

24 but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently

25 Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7)

These came up in church the other day and I've been mulling over them ever since.

The person of the Holy Spirit intercedes for me.
Jesus intercedes for me.

What does this mean...
-for my prayer life?
-for my perspective of prayer?
-for my perspective of God, Holy Spirit, Jesus?
-for how I pray for others?
-for the way I direct my prayers?

yes, please

2010-11-04T18:49:00.004-05:00

War Eagle!

2010-10-23T13:33:00.001-05:00

A Day in Jordan-Hare

What is it about a game that makes 87,451 people join together?

Yes, I am one of those people.

87,451 voices in unison calling the battle cry of Waaaaaaaaarrrrrrrr Eagle, Hey! during each kickoff.

87,451 people arriving days, hours, minutes before game time.

87,451 people meeting up with friends, family, coworkers, colleagues, to share in something special...

What is it that makes a fall saturday in Jordan-Hare stadium an amazing experience?

Well....

"....it's the eye of the tiger, it's the thrill of the fight, rising up to the challenge of our rivals..."

The fight.
Joining forces to battle it out for 60 minutes [read 4 hours] to find out which team is the best on that day.
The SEC.
Best conference in college football because the teams are good and you never know what will happen.
No paychecks - these boys are playing because they love the game.
The crowd really is the "12th man." We are part of the team.
98% of the people in the stadium are actually following what is happening on the field. Maybe more. [This does not happen at all stadiums.]
The eagle circling the stadium before kickoff.
The spirit of family as tailgaters greet each other with warm "Hellos" and "War Eagles" before, during and after the game. And that doesn't just happen on game days in Auburn, it's anywhere and anytime you see a fellow Auburn fan.
The legacy - Auburn people have some kind of connection to the school - students, staff, faculty, alumni, family members who are alumni, etc.
Loyalty - win or lose, it's still War Eagle.

The Rest of The Story

2010-10-12T17:05:00.001-05:00

Uploaded approx 5pm central time Tuesday afternoon... youtube will continue to process them so if the quality isn't great, it will be later.

Part 2

Part 3

Vision

2010-10-11T20:28:00.000-05:00

So last year off and on I worked on scanning (one by one) thousands [no, literally, thousands] of slide photographs into the computer at camp to digitize them for future use. I knew that we'd be making a video for the 50th anniversary this year.

Well, that video, after many hours of editing, is finally finished. We showed it at the alumni staff reunion on October 2nd and will probably show it again at our family day in April. In the meantime, I'm uploading it in 3 parts to youtube. Here's part 1:

What an awesome thing to have a small part in...stay tuned for the rest of the story. :)

These

2010-10-06T15:33:00.000-05:00

Are Amazing.

Remembering

2010-09-11T15:46:00.000-05:00

9 years ago I was in a college classroom. Came out of class and heard some guy say something about the pentagon being attacked. Thought he was joking. Went to my next class which was in a computer lab and surfed the net for news the whole time. Went back to my dorm room and watched the replay of the plane hitting the tower.

1 year ago I was here:

telling kids about Jesus who'd never had a visitor like me to their school, much less heard the gospel.

My friends are returning in about a week. Pray for open hearts and lots of ministry opportunities as they go!

night owl

2010-08-27T00:25:00.003-05:00

I've always thought I lived in the wrong time zone or something.

I found this wiki article. I think I have it.

Dross

2010-08-18T23:49:00.000-05:00

“‘I have loved you’, says the Lord...”
“...A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?" says the LORD Almighty. "It is you, O priests, who show contempt for my name. "But you ask, 'How have we shown contempt for your name?'
"You place defiled food on my altar. But you ask, 'How have we defiled you?' By saying that the LORD's table is contemptible. When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?" says the LORD Almighty. "Now implore God to be gracious to us. With such offerings from your hands, will he accept you?"-says the LORD Almighty.

"Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you," says the LORD Almighty, "and I will accept no offering from your hands. My name will be great among the nations, from the rising to the setting of the sun. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to my name, because my name will be great among the nations," says the LORD Almighty. ” Malachi 1:2, 6-11

These words from Malachi hit me square in the face the other day. First - the reminder that He loves me. He really loves me. When I don’t give Him the time of day, He loves me.

And yet...

....sometimes I don’t give Him the time of day...

and that makes me just like those priests.

So some questions to ask myself:

What are my sacrifices? [because they’re obviously not sheep and goats. :) ]
What causes those sacrifices to be blind, crippled, diseased, or otherwise inadequate?
Am I ignoring the fact that they are inadequate, like the priests?
What useless fires am I lighting on the altar?
Are my offerings acceptable, worthy, reverent, holy, pleasing to God?

Of course it’s one thing for me to sit here and write this for you to read, and a completely different thing to act on it and fix the areas that are wrong. I’ve been musing on this verse from Proverbs for awhile now, and perhaps it fits here...

“Remove the dross, and out comes material for the silversmith” Proverbs 25:4

You see, growing up in church and Christian home and surroundings, I have been familiar with the analogy of the dross being removed from the metal as sin or other impurities are removed to bring us closer to holiness. That’s a good thing, continuing in the process of becoming holy - set apart for God, being holy as He is holy as we are commanded to do. But look again.

Remove the dross.

THEN

Out comes material for the silversmith.

Only after the dross is removed can the smith begin to mold the metal into whatever it is supposed to become.
But removing the dross doesn’t immediately give a finished product. There’s more work to do.
The removal of dross is only the beginning of the process.

The priests in Malachi’s day had some dross to remove. Then, God would be able to use them to exalt, glorify, and tell the nations of His name -which He had chosen them for in the first place.

The dross was removed by heating the metal, melting it. Not something comfortable for the metal! Once the dross was removed, the liquid metal could be poured into a mold, cooled and shaped into a tool or piece of armor, then decorated and finished. And used. For whatever purpose it was made.

Am I material for the silversmith?
Or has some dross covered the shine?

Must See

2010-08-14T00:04:00.000-05:00

Arm yourself with tissues.
And make sure you have access to paper and pen for afterward.

Then sit and watch this:

That's real.

Control is a funny thing...

2010-08-09T22:16:00.001-05:00

...there's a whole post in that statement. I just haven't written it yet. Coming soon though.

...meanwhile, back at the ~~ranch~~ camp,...

a really good summer.
extremely fast.
lots of kids - over 1100.
90 salvations
51 assurances
countless memories
other decisions we don't know about
friends made
lives changed

now: celebrating 50 years of those summers. Alumni staff reunion in October.
Also celebrating 75 years of the parent organization Children's Bible Ministries (CBM)
Kicking that one off at conference in september.
Week off in t-minus 11 days. Visiting some dear friends for some catching up and r and r. Maybe you'll see me!

robert frost

2010-04-26T00:05:00.000-05:00

one of my favorites from him. was in a poetry mood tonight.

Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening
by Robert Frost

Whose woods these are, I think I know
His house is in the village though
He will not see me stopping here
To see his woods fill up with snow

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
On the darkest evening of the year

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake

The woods are lovely, dark and deep
But I have promises to keep
And miles to go before I sleep
And miles to go before I sleep

Good Stuff

2010-04-09T11:12:00.003-05:00

Overflow

2010-03-31T22:25:00.000-05:00

I filled up my car with gasoline today.
I had let it get so low that the check gauge light was on.
That doesn’t happen very often - usually I fill up when there’s about a quarter of a tank left. Hazard of living out of town.

But there’s a point to this. It makes an excellent analogy.

See I, as a follower of Christ, am supposed to be filled by Him, with Him, with the Holy Spirit.

Many times, I fill up with Him. Through Bible study, fellowship, prayer time, solitude.
And it’s great. And I’m overflowing to others. Or rather, He is overflowing through me. Which is the way it should be. Take what Jesus said to the woman at the well:

        “Jesus answered and said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever         drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become         in him a well of water springing up to eternal life."

and what He told the Pharisees in Luke 6:

        “...for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.”

and what He says to the disciples in John 15:

        “...Abide in Me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit unless it abides in the vine, so neither can         you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he         bears much fruit. Apart from Me, you can do nothing.”

So I must be continually filled with Him in order to overflow with Him. And in order to bear lasting fruit like “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self control” (Gal 5:22-3)

But then I miss a quiet time here or there, don’t take time to really focus on praying. And I find I’m running on empty.

So, when I realized I needed to fill my car up, I thought of this. And decided that I’m going to start “topping it off” each time (or every other time) that I am in town, not letting it get below 3/4 of a tank instead of the light coming on.

Hopefully, this will accomplish two things.

My car will always have a full tank of gas!
I will be reminded to be continually filled with Christ as my car is continually filled, and I won’t mind the minor inconveniences that it takes to fill both my gas tank and my spiritual tank.

On another note,
find some fun kids songs
here.

Pics and a Prayer Card

2010-03-26T23:34:00.003-05:00

More pics here taken by my good friend, Hannah.

Jealous Love

2010-03-22T22:14:00.000-05:00

“...all Israel played the harlot...”
“....again the sons of Israel played the harlot with the Baals....”

I read that in Judges and think how terrible Israel was to God.
But do I transfer it to myself and my sin?
Usually not.
I should though.
Maybe it’s not Baals, but I definitely stray from God. Yet it’s not that big of a deal.
Or is it?

Why can’t I see that He is jealous with love for me?
The one thing my heart wants is right in front of me. And you.
We just have to choose it. Choose Him. He’s already chosen us.

Madness!

2010-03-18T23:45:00.001-05:00

Stayed up way too late tonight watching basketball, but there were some goooood games!
Intense.
Lots of heart.
That’s why college sports are my favorite.
[Although football is more favorite than basketball.]

Here’s my bracket. I just make one for fun. :D

One Year Ago

2010-03-10T21:07:00.002-06:00

Was a very strange day. Small town life was shaken up a bit. This is what I posted afterwards.

Clear the Stage

2010-01-31T22:13:00.005-06:00

A new favorite:

Clear the Stage
Ross King

Clear the stage and set the sound and lights ablaze
If that's the measure that it takes to crush the idols.
Chuck the pews and all the decorations too
Until the congregations few then have revival.
Tell your friends that this is where the party ends
until you're broken for your sins you can't be social.
Then seek the Lord and wait for what he has in store
and know that great is your reward and just be hopeful

Cause you can sing all you want to.
Yes you can sing all you want to
you can sing all you want to
And don't get me wrong, worship is more than a song.

Take a break from all the plans that you made
And sit at home alone and wait for God to whisper.
Beg Him please to open up his mouth and speak
And pray for real upon your knees until they blister.
Shine the light on every corner of your life
Until the pride and lust and lies are in the open.
Then read the word and put to test the things you've heard
Until your heart and soul are stirred and rocked and broken.

Cause you can sing all you want to.
Yes you can sing all you want to
you can sing all you want to
And don't get me wrong, worship is more than a song.

Anything I put before my God is an idol.
Anything I want with all my heart is an idol.
Anything I can't stop thinking of is an idol.
Anything that I give all my love is an idol.
We must not worship something that's not even worth it.
Clear the stage and make some space for the one who deserves it.

Cause I can sing all I want to.
Yes I can sing all I want to
I can sing all I want to
And still get it wrong, worship is more than a song.

And you can sing all you want to.
Yes you can sing all you want to
You can sing all you want to
But don't get me wrong, worship is more than a song.

Two Weeks In Africa

2010-01-21T22:13:00.000-06:00

I was looking (and still am I think) for new music to download with some Christmas itunes gift cards when I discovered that Caedmon's Call, a band I really like, has a new album out.

Looking down the list of titles, #8 jumped out at me: "Two Weeks In Africa"

Here are the lyrics. It's too new to be on playlist but you can listen to it here.

"Two Weeks In Africa"
Words and Music by Andrew Osenga
(c) 2007 House of Mirrors Music (ASCAP) admin. by Simpleville Music, Inc.

Johannesburg to Capetown (I could change these words: Nairobi to Mfangano)
the plane had barely touched down
she was taking photos for the friends back home
this was always where she felt her heart belonged
and she was finally here
the sky was bright and clear

two weeks....
and we all can feel the calling
two weeks...
to make the world a little smaller
and so a girl got on a plane
for two weeks in Africa

Johannesburg to Houston (and again: Nairobi to JFK)
she came home on a mountain
but school was starting, things kept moving on (work)
before you knew it, seven years had gone (hopefully not seven!)
she found a picture of her
standing, smiling
arms around the starving kids
she swore to not forget
she swore to not forget

and if we follow our dear sun
to where the stars are not familiar…

faces turn to numbers
numbers fall like manna from the sky
why, oh why?
oh Father, why?

one village in Malawi now has water running pure and clean
one church alive in Kenya’s full of truth and love and medicine!!!
We put the walls up, but Jesus keeps them standing
He doesn’t need us, but He lets us put our hands in
so we can see
His love is bigger than you and me (this is exactly what you see!)

So yeah, I bought the album!

Epic

2010-01-21T20:02:00.000-06:00

i'm in the middle of three books right now and re-watching LOST to prepare for the upcoming and final season. This is rare for me because I usually latch onto a book until I finish it. But there's a common theme in all of these things: The focus is an Epic story.

However LOST ends, [and it has the potential to be something amazing] it still has an epic quality. There is something or someone bigger than the people on the show. But the things they do, the actions they take, still matter.

So the watching of the show led to the finding of this book:

The author, whose brother is Robbie Seay, of the Robbie Seay band, explores the theoretical elements of the show - mystery, the unknown, violence, faith, science, etc and compares some things to the way Jesus worked during his three year ministry.

Interesting reading - pretty sure his main goal is to inspire the reader to think for themselves and ask questions and dig deeper into life.

Also reading two books mentioned in this earlier post - the Eldridge ones. The Epic story theme follows through both. Captivating focuses on all things female while Waking the Dead gives a picture of a great story that is life.

Life. Abundant. Full of adventure. Risky. Dangerous. Exciting. Difficult. Joyful. An epic story. Where my actions and your actions matter. Where we have a role to play. And it's important. Life worth fighting for --- which does mean that there is an enemy out there to fight.

So that's what I'm learning to do. Learning to fight. Not by reading a book, or three, or watching a tv show, but by realizing there is a battle, a raging war going on. And knowing which side I am on. And deciding that it is worth being in the thick of the skirmish. That the abundant life promised is worth fighting for. Epic.

What Jesus Did

2010-01-20T21:43:00.000-06:00

I am reading through John in my Bible study at the moment and am almost finished. Yesterday I was in chapter 19 and this phrase from verse 28 caught my attention - the scenario: Jesus is on the cross, about to end it all, and this is what he is thinking:

"After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished..."

That phrase stopped me. He knew exactly what was happening. He knew that this was his purpose in even coming down from heaven. But that didn't make it any easier. He was counting on the fact that He knew that it was already done to help him go through with it. Like when we countdown to the end of some stressful time. So as I was thinking about that, this is what I wrote in my journal (the real one)...

He was about to give up his life. Already having given up eternal glory and power to become human. Already having been persecuted, hated, and mocked. Already having taught and loved and healed and saved; only to be rejected and laughed at and thought insane. Already avoided (several times) being stoned to death. Already having been misunderstood, homeless, and betrayed. Already having been scourged (the 40 lashes minus 1, to within an inch of life), slapped in the face, spit upon, tortured with a crown of thorns.

The last battle called for Him to give up the last thing he had to hold on to: his breath, His spirit, His life. He didn't have to. He is God.

But he looked ahead and saw the dwelling places he would prepare in heaven. He looked ahead and saw the disciples there, the men he poured his heart into. He looked ahead and saw every Mary and Martha and Lazarus and Nicodemus and Paul and Timothy and the woman at the well and the people he had healed and the leper who came back to say thank you. He looked ahead and saw me. He looked ahead and saw you. And he knew without him we didn't stand a chance. And He gave up his spirit. With a smile? I wonder...

some favorite authors and their books

2010-01-08T20:43:00.001-06:00

John and Stasi Eldredge

Dee Henderson

i am still alive

2010-01-06T22:31:00.000-06:00

I've been neglecting the blog of late. So here's a post.

It might snow tomorrow!

Congrats to Ruth and David on the birth of the Twinsleys!

Did I mention it's really cold? Like the thermometer read 18 this morning!?! I live 10 miles from Florida. Ridiculous.

There's some football game tomorrow. I don't know who I want to win. Perhaps I'll just ignore it and watch a movie.

I have been switching to decaf lately, since mid decemberish. Haven't had any regular since monday! I am sleeping better. Can't tell much difference in waking up yet...but then 20+ years of caffeine intake will take awhile to flush out the system.

Any suggestions on what to spend my itunes gift cards on?

LOST returns in less than a month!

Here's hoping for snow - at least there would be a benefit to the cold!

dependability

2009-11-30T20:56:00.000-06:00

Dependability. That's the character quality we're teaching this week. And today, during the last class of the day, a fourth grade class, I find these words coming out of my mouth:

"...but it is possible to be dependable in a wrong way. Like, for instance, I sometimes [ok a lot of times] turn my alarm clock off and go back to sleep. And people know that about me. That's dependable. But not good..."

Then I processed what I heard myself saying.

Ouch.

I am..

2009-11-21T17:00:00.001-06:00

....an excellent procrastinator.

But eventually....

...I do finish things. :D

I think I had forgotten....

2009-11-08T17:19:00.001-06:00

...for awhile, how to be still. It took a whole weekend to remind me. Starting with Friday, we had a really neat home school day (one of our school year time ministries) in which a group of civil war era reenactors came and set up shop on the ballfield. There were several different stations the home school families went around to, learning about candle making, cooking in that period, laundry then, artillery, and lots of other cool stuff. The day was low key - as in that time period. Life was hard work but that work took time, like all day to churn butter. And it was a collective effort. Conversations were had, relationships cultivated.

Then Saturday was just wonderful, see previous post.

And today even though it was full with church and watching kids afterwards for a few hours, it was still a change from the everyday "busy"ness of life....and now that it's dark at 5:20 pm I've got some coffee (with dark chocolate cocoa mixed in) and a good book to snuggle up with along with my itunes.....

....good stuff.

Tomorrow we host a community wide free pancake supper. About 200 or more people will come through our dining hall to catch up on camp news and eat yummy pancakes. Yay for outreach to people who keep us going.

I really like porch sittin'...

Things that made today a really good day...

2009-11-07T20:47:00.000-06:00

1. i didn't have to set an alarm clock
2. I still woke up earlier than I planned on - on my own - because I'd had enough sleep
3. Had coffee to drink and time to sip on it
4. had a front porch and rocking chair on which to do so, with my 6 month old puppy to hang out with
5. my young neighbor ethan came to visit and we had a nice conversation. he likes to play with my puppy
6. I got some of my house cleaned and laundry done
7. I cooked lasagna (and it's really good)
8. Friends came over to eat and visit
9. All of the above was stress free (or good stress)
10. Ending the day with Jesus and studying for teaching a sunday school lesson

Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know..."

Those safari pictures I said I would post?

2009-11-06T23:49:00.000-06:00

They are here.

today's quote from Oswald Chambers

2009-10-22T19:14:00.000-05:00

"It is ingrained in us that we have to do exceptional things for God—but we do not. We have to be exceptional in the ordinary things of life, and holy on the ordinary streets, among ordinary people—and this is not learned in five minutes."

Exceptional in the ordinary. That is not easy.

water

2009-10-15T12:22:00.000-05:00

Water
It comes from the sink in the kitchen. Or the bathroom. Or the guest bathroom. Or the refrigerator. That's even cold water. Or the filtered pitcher in the fridge. Or even from the hose in the backyard.
It's available in bottles at the store. Or gallons. Plain. Flavored. With vitamins. FDA approved.
Cool.
Clear.
Good for you.
water.

In my house, which is small by American standards, there are three sinks, all with hot and cold water, two toilets, two showers with tubs, water going to my washing machine (also hot and cold), and a couple of spigots outside. And my water is well water. Mmmm. Good stuff.

So if I want some water I just turn on a faucet. And if I want it really cold I put it in a pitcher in the fridge.

The water in Kenya was way different. Mostly what we drank was bottled. At Pastor Joshua's, where we stayed, the water comes from the lake. He has a pump that runs on a generator. He's the only one.
Then it was treated.
Then boiled.
Then put through a filter.
[I think I got all that right].
Taste like well water? No. But safe(r).

Not many people do all of that. They just use what they can get. And when there's no rain, it's hard to find. We can't solve their water problems. But we can pray for rain. And we can introduce them to another kind of water. The kind of water found in John chapter 4. Living water.

Put yourself in a desert town. The only water to be found is at the well. A mile or two or three from home. You take your waterpot and secure it on your head, gather your rope and pull bucket, making your daily trip to the well. An outcast in the town, you go late in the day so you don't have to speak to anyone. Ugh. You arrive. There's some strange Jewish (that's important b/c you are Samaritan, they don't mix) man sitting there, leaning up against the well. You take out your rope and bucket and begin to lower it in the well to get water. The man speaks. There's no one else around. He asks for a drink. He's obviously tired. Why is He speaking to you, a woman, a Samaritan? That's what you ask Him. He says crazy stuff. Like you should be asking Him for water.
Wait a minute, water that will make you not be thirsty again?? By all means give me some of that, you say. Not have to come back to this well ever again? Please. But then He tells you all about yourself. Things you really don't want to talk about. But that's actually making a little more sense. Ok. So He's a prophet. Well there's a question you've been wondering about so why not ask Him. But His answer is confusing. So still hoping for that water, you say well I know Messiah is coming and He'll explain everything.
At this point He is no longer tired and leaning against the well. He makes eye contact with you. Making sure you are listening, full undivided attention. The waterpot is all but forgotten. And He says, I am He.

You get it. The Living Water. Springing up creating life. And you drop your waterpot, by this time full of the precious water you've been working to get. And without a second thought, run back to town. To the people who ridicule you, and tell them of the man at the well who knows all about you. Tell them of His water.

My favorite account ever.

So the next time you drink a glass of cool, clear water - pray for the people who don't have any. Pray that they will have living water.

80s

2009-10-15T11:16:00.000-05:00

So I have this ongoing project at camp - transferring all of the old photograph slide pictures to digital by scanning them. We have a gazillion so I'm doing a little here, a little there. But more these days because the 50th anniversary is coming up and we want to be able to make some slideshows.

Anyway. I've been doing a lot this week, made it to 1985,6,7 and we got the internet set up in here so as I'm looking at all these pictures from the 80s I put on pandora and am listening to the likes of chicago, boston, and journey! Life is good.

And I'm thinking that some of the patterns of the 80s clothes we wore looks a lot like some of the kenya cloths :P

I love it. Here's a couple for you to see. The lake looks very much the same.

a closer look

2009-10-13T18:46:00.002-05:00

A closer look at two of the minstries on the island:

HERE

(should take about 8 minutes to watch)

:D

a funny

2009-10-09T19:47:00.000-05:00

So we went on a safari. {we stayed in the vans of course}
And we saw a lot of animals. It was cool.

But the safari place, called Maasai Mara (spotted land) is right in the middle of the land of the Maasai trible. The Maasai people are shepherds. They also are very good at making beaded jewelry, and when they wear it, they wear a lot of it.

Well, tourists can be dumb. And these people are poor. So the Maasai warriors will get all dressed up in their tribal clothing and beads and carry their clubs (that they use to keep predators away from their flocks) and stand out beside the road that begins the safari. And tourists want to take pictures of them. And then they ask for some money for you to take the picture. Not for the picture. For you to take the picture.

So we are sneaky. And we got a picture. And I was ordering prints and it just makes me laugh.

Anyway. I was going to finish posting this and realized you might want to see some actual safari pictures.

So I'll make a whole post of animal pictures. After I find and edit the best ones. [I took a lot.] {that was the understatement of the century}.......... :P

another song

2009-10-05T23:11:00.004-05:00

I learned this song while on a summer beach project with Campus Outreach in 2002. It quickly became a favorite. Little did I know that I was in the process of becoming a missionary. Perhaps I already was a missionary and just beginning to realize that was what God wanted me to do as a "career" as well. At any rate, the song stuck with me - they tend to do that in case you haven't noticed. I'm wired for music to work with my brain and heart. I referenced the song to people when missions came up, used it at camp even. And the last few weeks it's been playing through my head a lot.

You said, ask and you will receive
whatever you need
You said, pray and I'll hear from heaven
and I'll heal your land
I'll heal your land

You said, Your glory will fill the earth
like water the seas
You said, lift up your eyes
the harvest is here
the kingdom is near

You said, ask and I'll give the nations to you
Oh Lord,
that's the cry of my heart
Distant shores and the islands will see Your light
as it rises on us

higher quality video

2009-10-04T12:48:00.001-05:00

Posted a higher quality version of the video a few posts back on youtube

http://www.youtube.com/user/tigerflute27

more coming soon.

this post has nothing to do with kenya

2009-10-03T23:17:00.002-05:00

but that doesn't mean I'm not thinking about it.

but.....I really enjoy watching college football.

War Eagle!

That's all.

The Sunday Service

2009-10-01T12:22:00.009-05:00

The Sunday we were on the island, we had a big church service at Pastor Joshua's church, Wakinga Baptist. So many people came, it was wonderful.

Page and I had new dresses to wear that Mary surprised us by making - we didn't know she was doing that.
Everyone said we looked smart in our Kenya fashion!

We each taught a Sunday School lesson. I had the youth - and we studied the account of Jesus going off to pray alone after teaching and sending the disciples over to the other side of the lake and Him coming to them walking on the water in the middle of the night. Then we took prayer requests and sang some songs.
These were taken at the beginning, by the end we had practically three times as many people. This is the church building - we had the rest of the service outside because there were so many people.

Then when we sat down for the church service, I got a visitor. She stayed with me through the whole thing - well until she fell asleep and her mom came and got her. But a few minutes later she was right back.

A taste of Mfangano Island Ministry

2009-09-27T22:48:00.003-05:00

Mfangano

2009-09-25T22:40:00.005-05:00

View Larger Map

It looks like a fish. Mfangano and its neighboring islands, Takawiri and Ringiti are home to about 30,000 Kenyans of the Luo and Suba tribes. It took about an hour and a half to fly to Mfangano from Nairobi on the way in.

We landed on the airstrip (dirt/rocks/cows) and some of the people met us at the plane. They all wanted to greet us and take pictures and help carry our things, down to the littlest girl, the pastor's youngest daughter Miracle. She tried to take my backpack but I convinced her to carry the smaller bag I had.

Erokamano, Miracle! [that's thank you in Luo]. The last picture is on our boat ride over to Pastor Joshua's house, where we stayed.

Love is Here

2009-09-23T22:28:00.005-05:00

Come to the water, you who thirst, and you'll thirst no more
come to the Father, you who work, and you'll work no more
and all you who labor in vain,
and to the broken and shamed

Love is here, love is now
Love is pouring from His hands, from His brow
Love is near, it satisfies, streams of mercy flowing from His side
'Cause Love is here

Come to the Treasure, you who search, and you'll search no more
Come to the Lover, you who want, and you'll want no more, no

and all you who labor in vain
and to the broken and shamed

Love is here, Love is now
Love is pouring from His hands, from His brow
Love is near, it satisfies, streams of mercy flowing from His side

And to the bruised and fallen
captives bound and broken hearted
He is the Lord, He is the Lord
By His stripes He's paid our ransom
from His wounds we drink salvation
He is the Lord, He is the Lord

Love is here, love is now
Love is pouring from His hands, from His brow
Love is near, it satisfies, streams of mercy flowing from His side
streams of mercy flowing from His side
'Cause Love is here
Love is here

[Tenth Avenue North]

Our team of three visited several schools. The students were so eager to listen and many met Jesus. Love is here.

saturday

2009-08-31T22:35:00.001-05:00

it's the end of monday.
i leave on saturday.
this time next week....i'll be in kenya....!

beach pictures

2009-08-27T20:54:00.002-05:00

beach pictures

How could I resist?

2009-08-18T22:39:00.008-05:00

He showed up at one of my co-workers houses.

He now lives at mine.

His name is Jake.

And on a completely random note, this is my new favorite song. Smile.