July 22, 2008 by pamela.

I wrote about all the swooning and fainting at Obama speeches and you know, I thought the whole deal was a perfect set up for the campaign or, rather, the candidate, to appear ‘messiah-like’ in his presentation and presence. He notices the fainting ones… he seemed to care… he was the only one offering help… he was a-mazing. He met felt needs, he presented material people wanted to hear, he appeared to care, he was sensitive, he offered solutions, he promised good things, he seemed to have all the answers…

I kept wondering [and I keep wondering]… is he really only a US Senator? Does he ever go to work? It’s incredible - only in America - could this happen… media driven America and the who-cares-what-he’s-done-I-like-how-he-sounds! What, actually, does he do? Or, what, actually, has he done?  I don’t mean what has he proposed or what has he talked about doing… I mean, what has he done?

Incredible, isn’t it!?!? No real track record of actual accomplishments. No great wisdom or understanding - to produce a change that will be actually wise and beneficial. No wise counsel or solutions - but lots of schmooze for the masses. Is it really *not* important to the American people that the Emperor really has no clothes? Incredible… as with so many other things… poor, poor America.

Here you go: look what Obama has done for you. [keep clicking, there’s more… much more]

But really, Rick Warren’s got all the answers for you here.

[edited Wednesday morning; for incredulity, humour is a bit of a tension reliever.]

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July 3, 2008 by pamela.

This pic’s from Timothy in Ghana.

There’s a story here. Hmmmmm.

Timothy says that’s the Methodist church in the back ground. A very typical sight in the extremely poverty stricken area.  Makes me think:  what are we saying here in the States with our exceeding wealth and mega-buildings and mega programs and mega institutions?

Posted in Timothy - Ghana, Potpourri | Print | 1 Comment »

June 18, 2008 by pamela.

(updated Thursday night) Please pray for the Bryant family - pray as led… this is a very sad situation — read here.

God is only good and is sovereign.  His ways are higher than our ways — His thoughts are higher than our thoughts.  O, that God will carry this dear family through this valley of sorrow and may He comfort them in time of need.

I received a very loving and tender letter from Lorrie Flem (”TEACH”) and here is a sincere & tenderhearted list of requests she presented.  Will you join us in prayer for this precious family??

Pray for the Lord to give you His heart for how to pray for this family. Pray specifically for:

• Rachel, for her to banish guilt and rest in the peace that passes understanding
• The other 8 children as they deal with this tragedy and the day to day reality of life without their baby sister
• For Barry, the father as he prepares to lead a memorial service for Hannah on Sunday
• For Heather, the mama for her heart to instantly turn to Him for comfort when waves of sorrow wash over her
• For the entire family to lean on Him and to actually feel His presence as He walks alongside them grieving too

I believe, and Heather believes, that God is their refuge. Please pray for their strength and their comfort in the days ahead.”

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May 30, 2008 by pamela.

We watched a terrific dvd last night — I hope we’ll watch it over again tonight — it was that great! It’s How Great Is Our God with Louie Giglio teaching/preaching.  In addition to the mind boggling information about the size of the universe, he talks about the intricacy and complexity of the human body and then ends his presentation describing the marvel of the cell adhesion protein molecule “laminin.” Laminin is what holds us together — it’s the “glue” that holds our cells together. I don’t know whether it’s his infectious enthusiasm or the shear volume of information, but his riveting presentation is wonderful. With each image displayed on the enormous screen, the astonished crowd cheers with great applause. In a dramatic climactic closing he quotes Colossians 1.17 “He (Christ) is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” [In the kjv: “And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.”]

What a phenomenal marvel that the protein molecule that holds all our cells together — the glue that holds us together — is in the shape of a cross. Big bang? Chance? Evolution? I don’t think so.

O, how GREAT our God. The Matchless, Marvelous, Ineffable God.

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May 22, 2008 by pamela.

In memory of Maria

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April 17, 2008 by pamela.

This, though sounding like a line from a mainstream ‘pastor’ in the States, is from the last paragraph of Tony Blair’s “Faith and Globalisation” lecture: “If people of different faiths can co-exist happily, in mutual respect and solidarity, so can our world. And if faith takes its proper place in our lives, then we can live with a purpose beyond ourselves alone, supporting humanity on its journey to fulfilment.” And this is the opening line of the lecture: “Let me summarise my argument to you this evening. Under the momentum of globalisation the world is opening up, and at an astonishing speed. Old boundaries of culture, identity and even nationhood are falling.” [sic]

So, I’m contemplating — no, not spirituality ;o) — all that’s going in the world and I guess I’d really have to agree with one of his comments: “the world is opening up at an astonishing speed.”

Here’s a little more, from the same lecture:

The foundation will concentrate on certain key specifics. The first will be to help the different faith organisations to work together in furtherance of the Millennium Development Goals [*]… which are, in many ways the litmus test of the world’s values. Faith groups do great individual work in this area…. if helped also to combine together. The MDGs are stark in their ambition and necessity. We are falling short as a world in meeting them. It would be a great example of faith in action to try to bridge the gap and awaken the world’s conscience. The second will be to produce high quality material – books, websites, every means of communication… The foundation will concentrate, in the immediate term, on the six main faiths, the Abrahamic three and Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism. But, though the foundation will expressly not be confined to the Abrahamic faiths, we will partner existing organisations that promote better understanding and co-existence between Christians, Muslims and Jews, notably in The Coexist Foundation’s [**] vision of creating Abraham House here in London, where people of those faiths but also others, can encounter some of their traditions, explore their roots and, without glossing over their differences, discover what they share. We will also help partner those within any of the faiths who stand up for peaceful co-existence… But I freely confess there is a broader objective.”
[* The UN Millenium Development Goad link added - only for info, not endorsement]
[** TCF link added - only for info, not endorsement]

The unity message was hitting pretty close to home this past week with several international ‘guests’ in nearby Seattle at the Seeds of Compassion conference. Now, to be clear, I’m really not opposed to ‘leaders’ from other areas, nations, etc., visiting — so, it’s not what I’m referencing here at all. It’s just so disconcerting to hear supposed Christians refer to these guests as if to endorse or even be in agreement with what they stand for. In addition to referencing the use ‘his holiness’ or ‘holy father’ in connection with any earthly man - but particularly those who are guests in the US this week - I feel greatly discouraged that opportunities to tell the Truth were not only missed, but because they were missed, the Truth was essentially denied. There is only one holy Father and that’s God - only one Holy and that’s Jesus, our Lord and Saviour. Just because a prominent man is called thus and such by his own followers, does not mean that a believer in Jesus should ever refer to that man as ‘holy’ or ‘his holiness’ or whatever.

In these last days… O, how I pray God will raise up men who will stand in the gap - and though there doesn’t seem to be a radical, visible gap yet when “Christians” like Rob Bell refuse to take a stand for Jesus - the day is likely coming when those who stand for the Cross and those who don’t will be clearly seen. Though given an incredible opportunity to proclaim the Truth, Rob Bell seemed more aligned with those who don’t follow Jesus than with those who have even a little or maybe even no understanding of the Truth. What a pitiful shame he never used the platform to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ and salvation by faith in Jesus alone and did not distinguish himself as a Christian and therefore, by default - his own fault - was (perhaps unwittingly - perhaps fear? perhaps something else?) appeared to be in alliance with the one-worlders and complicit with other ‘religions.’ Jesus said, in Matthew 10.33, “But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.”

I feel quite sure that those of other “religions” were/are surely not sympathetic with followers of Jesus Christ as Rob Bell apearred to be with other ‘religions.’ Rob Bell answered one of the questions from the audience: (as best I could transcribe from the audio)

…Life is journey… and journey is a fundamentally different way to understand life than destination and on a journey all I am responsible for is the next step and that’s all I’m e-v-e-r asked for - is the next step I don’t have to have it all figured out, I don’t have to defend it all I don’t have to have it all nailed down and and if you can shift from destination understanding to an to to journey it frees you - to take life as it comes let it be what it is and do the next right thing.”  — Rob Bell

The moderator was…   well, decide for yourself - listen for yourself to Rob Bell here (see second video as quoted in part above).   I’m thinking Ingrid correctly states: “The emerging emporer is without clothes”

The Berean Call’s Ancient-Future Heresies - McMahon

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April 15, 2008 by pamela.

I would like to ask you to pray for Marilyn Moll (aka The Urban Homemaker) and the Moll family as they mourn the loss of  husband and father, Duane.  Marilyn’s husband Duane passed away suddenly and unexpectedly Sunday night.

I’m struck once again with the brevity and fragility of life and how mere moments can make such an incredible difference.   I consider how my husband’s life so suddenly and dramatically changed when he had a heart attack the day after his birthday last fall.  How stunning that was to me.  I attempt to grasp what she must be feeling tonight… every night now.  Every night alone.  I marvel… my husband’s the same age.

I don’t know Marilyn personally — but feel as though I do.  First, eagerly  reading her column in the early Gentle Spirit magazines which I truly loved and then for the last nearly ten years linking to the Urban Homemaker on my website.  What an inspiration she has been and no doubt will be as the Lord surely deepen her message.

May God bless you, Marilyn, with His care and His gracious and tender mercies day by day.

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April 15, 2008 by pamela.

Well, if there’s any money today, it’s all theirs. And all along you thought it was the IRS. Well, if you’re like us, you’ve spent this day wisely calculating every penny and every documented deduction, receipt, form, etc., etc. And if you’re like us, you’ve taken a look at your bank account and have reached the annual conclusion that it’s all theirs — or break that word up and see it: the irs.

So another year… a few more dollars… $6. in gas to drive to the post office to receive the permissible April 15th after hours post mark. I’m always glad that Samuel’s and Kathryn’s births occurred on the dates they did - the 12th and 17th - and that they were not born on April 15. I think some birthdays would have been rather awkward had either of them been born on the 15th. O, I know… we have 365 days to prepare for this day — or perhaps more accurately, we have about 100 days to do so, but alas… we’ve only on very rare occasions had our return in the mail before the 15th. It’s on these days that I am grateful that Wes keeps such meticulous records and every single receipt and documents in the exact same manner year after year every single expenditure and source of revenue. An early brush with the IRS taught lifelong lessons and, experience being the best teacher, we’ve never forgotten the importance of precise record keeping and full and timely payment of taxes due. Yes, an early major business failure taught us exceedingly valuable lessons.

It’s that sort of experience that taught us to back-up, back-up, back-up our computer data. And that resolve and importance of backing-up data early and often was surely demonstrated yesterday when Wes came to his computer and the screen was black and nothing at all could be done to restore the program’s function - what to do, what to do? Usually, when something like that happens, we think: O, no… well, hopefully the important communiques are still there… the websites, the documents, the photos, etc., etc. But yesterday Wes was struck with the thought: O, no… I need to do the taxes. So then, over lunch, we discussed the problem with our son who works in downtown Seattle - he’s in computers, IT, etc., etc. He said: bad news - your hard drive’s toast. Okay… well, that news is bad on most any day of the year but on this particular day that news is, well, particularly bad.

Fortunately… don’t you just love fortunately or words that seem to imply luck or chance? Well, then, providentially, Wes had bought another computer to have for the children to work on in his office and he was able to use that one to access files and information on a back up. Uh-oh… somewhere along the way in March, the back up failed to do so and so some information that he needed had not been backed up. However, it took little time to work around that relatively minor problem and he was up and running again… and then there was a minor problem with his tax accounting program that continually shut down following a sequence of operation. Again… working around that problem he was able to manage. So all this to say, if you’re experiencing glitch after glitch in processing your information and filing your tax return, take comfort in knowing you’re not alone - that, and the fact that after this - well, you don’t need to worry about a thing for 364 days - 365 if you procrastinate.

As for the money? Yep… once again, it’s all the.irs.

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April 15, 2008 by pamela.

When days are busy, there’s just no way around it — not everything gets done that ought to have been done - but haphazard or intentional (or vice versa) what’s really most important usually does (get done - even if poorly). That’s how things have been or have seemed in the last couple of weeks. I’ve wanted to blog so many things - for there have been so many great things going on - so many things to comment on or to share with you. It seems that for the last few weeks life’s been almost a blurry series of hurry up, clean up, make food, hurry up, wash up, eat up, get up, clean it up, make food… and it’s all good. There’s a big difference between being tired in ministry and being tired of ministry.

For the last ten days we’ve had missionaries, students and other guests here — and before that, we had family from all over. Now, all the hurry, hurry, hurry has passed and all those days, events, and activities are part of a mental scrapbook of sweet memories. So, today is the first day of the new normal. I’m trying to unwind the reel and review the events - and as I do, I’ll write about a few of them… you know… now that things are back to normal (?). Through the years I think we redefine normal about every three weeks or so — for that’s about how long things seem to stay essentially the same — about three weeks. Maybe two. Maybe a day.

So, we’ve had students here from the same mission’s school that Timothy attended. It was great to see them bright and early each morning, to listen to their classes and to serve them meals each day. They had opportunities each day to go street preaching, witnessing and to do door to door evangelism. From Oregon to Seattle provides quite a different venue and mix of people to talk with. They had ample opportunity to sharpen their skills, to listen to the LORD and to *see* people. It’s one thing to walk along and see the masses, but it’s wholly another thing to *see* people and hear their stories and share with them the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And around Seattle — at Pike Place or Union Square or at the University of Washington, or Western Washington U, there were plenty of people with strong views - plenty of people gathering ‘knowledge’ but none of that knowledge will save, none of that knowledge has eternal value. So, they talked… they walked… they heard and they spoke of the Truth. We pray for God’s Word to not return void - that those who spat on them, those who burned tracts, those who ate tracts would one day come to the knowledge of the Truth - and we pray that God will continue to strengthen the church that the church would see the mandate to go into all the world preaching the gospel and making disciples.

We had a tremendous answer to prayer… One of the young women Wes was talking with, on one of the days street preaching, was a woman new to the area. She asked if Wes was a believer in Jesus - and when he said, yes, she asked if he was a born again Christian — a follower of the Saviour, Jesus Christ the Son of God? She wondered if there were believers in the area - Wes told her he didn’t know specifically in that particular area - but that if she was looking for an opportunity to hear the Word, to sing and to fellowship that she could join us in our fellowship of beleivers on Sunday. Problem - no transportation. Wes told her no problem - he & our family would pick her up. He gave her our phone number. She gave her address - no phone. So, Sunday when looking up her address on Streets ‘n Trips, no location found for that address. Sigh. What to do, what to do? Mapquest? No such address found. So later he came downstairs and asked us all to come into the kitchen and pray with him that Ruth would call. He prayed in earnest to the Lord that the Lord would have her to call, that he would be able to bring her up to our fellowship that was to meet later in the day to accommodate all the guests, students and families. He prayed; we joined him and asked the Lord for His will to be done. Riiiing, riiiing…. Riiiing, riiiing… (we have caller ID announce) call from _________. We had never heard the name before (nor could we understand it), but we knew who it was and we praised the Lord that He had, indeed, heard our prayer and He intentionally answered.

Wes and a few of the children went to pick her up and eventually brought her to the home where our church met. I had gone ahead with a few of the children and waited there for his arrival. When he arrived, he introduced the beautiful Ethiopian woman, Ruth, to the church and they welcomed her. It was lovely. What seemed haphazard was truly an intentional blessing of the Lord. She was blessed and was a blessing. At the end of the day when Wes and I brought her back to our home briefly, she looked at all the photographs in our living room and her eyes landed lovingly on the photos of Kathryn and the Ugandan children and Timothy in Ghana… she turned and saw another photo of Kathryn kissing a Ugandan baby — her eyes welled with tears, she smiled and hugged our younger children… they hugged her with smiles and told her they’d see her again. We drove her home — talking the whole way about her life here and her desire to find work. I don’t know what the Lord has in store — but I do know He did bless that meeting — some might have called haphazard or coincidence.

The students saw the hand of the Lord - we all saw His hand. They saw the intentional work of the Lord when believers simply walk in His ways and follow Him. I don’t know when or if we’ll see her again — she lives such a far distance from here… but God knows — and now, more than ever, I’m sure He’ll make it very clear. Intentionally.

Our lives may be or seem pretty haphazard sometimes.  Praise God He loves us so.  So intentionally.

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March 19, 2008 by pamela.

It used to be that when someone refused to waste a drop or when someone would save everything from produce baggies to cottage cheese containers to newspapers to bacon grease — people who never threw anything away after the originally intended use — they were thought to be products of the Great Depression and, as such, were tolerated (even if made fun of behind their backs) and “understood.” Then, time passed and folks were mocked for being pack-rats or hoarding things they’d never use — that, or they were secretly embarrassed over their hoarding and hiding and groups like clutterers and ‘messies anonymous’ spawned — along with the hoards of organization tips: through books, stores and products. Whatever the case, ‘depression mentality’ or no, there are just some people who have a propensity to stash stuff and never throw things out - you know, because they might — need — them someday. I know people like that. Really well.

Today, instead of being thrifty or careful to use and save items, there’s sort of a new generation of folks who save things to remake to use and reuse and reuse. Maybe they’re tight-wads, maybe they’re thrifty, but this tight-waddy-ness (you read it here first!) has led to some clever ingenuity. Consider ’shabby chic’ and all the retro-think and then think of eBay, Craigslist and Freecycle — to name a few. Thrift stores are the main sources of clothing for many people we know (including everyone who lives at this address). I think that’s sort of a combination of the signs of the times (save the planet - recycle - renew the earth) stuff and the Depression Era parents and grandparents passing on that gene.

Well, there was a point to this post. Really. I received an email with this tip for reusing a man’s dress shirt to make a toddler dress [look at all the great photos and tutorial!] . It’s so cute and so clever and sooooooo neuvo. So, you wanna see it? I’m thinking this is a keeper — something to try out! Other ideas are coming to mind! I’ll let you know if I do make it (and it’s worth showing)! :o)

I love doing this sort of thing! For example, recently I made kitchen curtains from a beautiful white-eyelet bassinet skirt that I cut it apart — I hated messing up the originally beautiful workmanship - but it wouldn’t have been any use to me as it was. So there I had plenty of fabric to use for the curtain, and it was just what I would have purchased and I got it for free!

I’ll bet you’re thinking of stuff you could remake… aren’t you.

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March 11, 2008 by pamela.

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March 11, 2008 by pamela.

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March 11, 2008 by pamela.

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March 3, 2008 by pamela.

I wonder this. I ponder this question: Will there be gentlemen? Will there be gentlemen who guard their behaviour, guard their conversations and the words they choose to use in mixed company or not, men who will refrain from crude or vulgar speech or innuendo?

Not much time for blogging as we’ve been covered up with things to do and errands to run lately. Phone talks & letters with Timothy in Ghana, Kathryn in Uganda… comings and goings… a husband to love, children to teach, meals to prepare, a home to keep… ah, a life - nowhere better!

Not much time for blogging, either, when I’ve spent my ‘computer time’ reading about and listening to more from Marks Hill (typo intended). I mulled over each talk and each time was left with an uneasy - okay, sometimes disgusted, feeling. Now, you know I’d be the first to say: whoa, watch that - you cannot trust ‘feelings’ about things - you need to have some reality on which to base your thoughts or your convictions or whatever. And so I pondered that a bit. What is it about his talks, his sermons, his shows? What is it. Did I click on the videos of sermons hoping to (he is a ‘pastor’ after all) find a studied theologian? Did I assume I would hear the words of a wise and faithful scholar? Of course I did. I wouldn’t waste my time otherwise. Not usually.

So my uneasiness turned to regret and disappointment when I watched a few more Mars Hill… or Marks Hill videos… saw or heard some crude innuendo and lack of exegetical or expositional teaching. So, I thought, hmmm; is that the problem? Is the problem that I am not seeing the teaching of sound doctrine? No… no, that wasn’t the heart of the matter. The matter was that there was another teaching going on - yes, some with the words, but more, a general teaching… the general teaching that one can be a pastor, teacher, elder - whatever - in the church and as such, it’s okay to be glib about the scriptures, it’s okay to mock people who don’t fit his particular paradigm, to make fun of people groups, to handle Biblical truths lightly and to be crude and irreverent in the process. I know the Word says this will be so:

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. — 2 Timothy 4.2-5

So I wonder, the young impressionable men of ‘his’ congregation, receiving weekly (or more often) teaching and modeling are, in fact, being conformed into an image… the new pastor persona, the brash, sometimes irreverent, cool preacher who seems unconcerned with social graces. So, I wonder, in the pulpits in churches here and abroad… will there be gentlemen?

Ironically, I hadn’t taken any time to read Steve Camp’s blog for the last several months and did so this evening and I was amazed that the matter, among other related things, was the topic of recent blogs - and at Tim Challies, too. Interesting how this so often goes. So that I don’t have to link the material here ( I think the last video a few days ago was plenty ) I decided to just post a couple of links and you can see for yourself - or not. But I must say, I grieve for the church. Until recently, I thought I was really just grieving all the seductive, emergent, seeker, purpose, I wanna-have-it-my-way, new age infiltration and proliferation. I thought that was the great threat to the church. And it is. They are. But the loss of reverence, the loss of respect, manners, decency and decorum… I didn’t see all this coming as a ripple effect from those who reject the old paths. But here it is.

Who will take a stand against the superfluity of naughtiness? Will there be gentlemen?

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February 14, 2008 by pamela.

with blessings and love to you all.

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February 12, 2008 by pamela.

Ever heard of a bump key? Well…. you may have never heard of them, but thanks to the internet and easy accessibility, thieves have! Here’s a video showing just how easy (and cheap) it is to effortlessly break into any house. Illegal without a locksmith license, bump keys are easily accessible on the internet for a few dollars. Thieves can efficiently enter your home with little effort or trace of forced entry. This news story is nearly a year old but I just received a mail today with this video clip. O — there are apparently locks you can purchase and install that aren’t opened with a bump key. Here’s the locksmith guy’s website with info on bump keys and secure locks: bayarealocks.com

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February 11, 2008 by pamela.

Have you ever noticed that, in conversation with a relative stranger, when you mention your occupation or favourite subject of study or hobby or whatever, the person will often make a comment about your particular passion or interest. Often they’ll be an expert on the subject and will say something like, you know, there are two things about - thus and so.

Try it sometime, when someone mentions something you happen to have an interest in, just say something like: there are two things about __________. I read that somewhere, some time ago. It’s kind of like that book, Everything I ever Needed to know I Learned in Kindergarten. Well, the Two Things goes like this: “For every subject, there are really only two things you really need to know. Everything else is the application of those two things, or just not important.”

I’ve been mulling over lots of life’s Two Things (try it, you’ll find yourself thinking of many “The Two Things about________…”). Here are some I’ve been thinking about… and each time I think of one, I then think of what I think might be a better one. Or two.

The Two Things about parenting:
1. What’s the most important thing right now?
2. This, too, shall pass.

The Two Things about marriage:
1. Today’s the day to make it the best.
2. Things won’t always be this way.

The Two Things about life:
1. Everyone wants to be loved.
2. Everyone wants to be accepted.

The Two Things about people:
1. Everyone wants to be right.
2. Everyone wants to feel important.

The Two Things about the game of life:
1. Don’t cheat.
2. Don’t give up.

The Two Things about social life:
1. You only have one chance to make a good first impression.
2. You never get a second chance to make a good first impression.

The Two Things about marriage:
1. Always be the first to say you’re sorry.
2. Always say you’re sorry first.

Here are some more ideas from the Two Things guy - Glen Whitman

The Two Things about Computer Programming:
1. Idiocy increases faster than idiot-proofing.
2. All compiling errors boil down to a missing semicolon.

The Two Things about Blogging:
1. Everyone who runs one is a kook.
2. Everyone who comments in one is a kook.

The Two Things about Women
1. When complaining, they don’t want your advice, they want your sympathy.
2. Don’t you dare tell them you can sum them up with just Two Things.

The Two Things about Parenting:
1. There’s no such thing as too much affection
2. It’s not so much what you say, as it is what you do

The Two Things about Driving:
1. Don’t hit anything.
2. Don’t let anything hit you.

The Two things about homeschooling:
1. Education has nothing to do with going to school.
2. It’s not really about education.

More “Two Things” another time.

________________________________________

Have you had enough of the elections already?!?!

Do you still wonder who you’re going to vote for? Take this test… you’ll see your choice.

____________________________________________

Vote Chooser

Just think… one of the greatest promises in Scripture is one we might not consider to be our greatest or favourite promise: 2 Timothy 3.12, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”

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February 10, 2008 by pamela.

Kristen sent this mail… I’m including the text of the mail and a copy of the video clip she sent along with the mail.

Subject: Kitchen Fire

I never realized that a wet dishtowel can be a one size fits all lid to cover a fire in a pan!

This is a dramatic video (30-second, very short) about how to deal with a common kitchen fire … oil in a frying pan. Read the following introduction, then watch the show … It’s a real eye-opener!!

At the Fire Fighting Training school, they would demonstrate this with a deep fat fryer set on the fire field. An instructor would don a fire suit and using an 8 oz cup at the end of a 10 foot pole toss water onto the grease fire. The results got the attention of the students.

The water, being heavier than oil, sinks to the bottom where it instantly becomes superheated. The explosive force of the steam blows the burning oil up and out. On the open field, it became a thirty foot high fireball that resembled a nuclear blast. Inside the confines of a kitchen, the fireball hits the ceiling and fills the entire room.

Also, do not throw sugar or flour on a grease fire. One cup creates the explosive force of two sticks of dynamite. This is a powerful message—-watch the video and don’t forget what you see. Tell your whole family about this video… ”

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February 4, 2008 by pamela.

By the grace of God… we do celebrate thirty years - of marriage and family.

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February 1, 2008 by pamela.

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January 30, 2008 by pamela.

Ecclesiastes 3.1-8

1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Please prayerfully remember Heather and the Davis family as they mourn the passing of Eric - her husband, their father… now safe at home, safe at last in the Arms of the LORD Jesus… ever at rest.

May the LORD God bless you, Heather, and your family and may you be ever aware of His merciful kindness, His provision, direction and covering.

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January 28, 2008 by pamela.

Ways with Nutella

Nutella on toast
Nutella on tortillas (pronounced by one: tee-torahs)
Nutella on apple slices
Nutella on knives
Nutella on homemade gingersnaps
Nutella on carrot sticks
Nutella on fingers
Nutella on potato rolls
Nutella on peanutbutter filled pretzels

Nutella is a marvelous complement to just about anything - really, limited only by one’s imagination. Well, that, at the bottom of the jar. I could earn a lot of money if I sold secret to the location of the other jar. That first one was part of the two pack from Costco. Perhaps soon even I will discover where the second jar is. :o)

So that was lunch at our house today.

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January 23, 2008 by pamela.

… be careful out there.

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January 14, 2008 by pamela.

Catching up…

I was thinking of contrasts today. Chilly here and 90 in Africa. Raining here but snowing up the street. Contrasts. But weather related contrasts weren’t the only ones I was thinking of. I smile now — because the day’s over and everything got done that needed to get done — but I smile, too, bcz early in the day I was fretting about some of the “such things as I have” and the condition of some of the “such things as I have.” And, by the way, some of those “such things as I have” were not things at all - they were schedules, relationships, children, etc., etc.

Now, I’m generally pretty content with the “such things as I have” things of life — until I’m not. And when I’m not, I fret. I worry. I compare. I doubt. And then I must needs repent. Truly. It’s almost as if I can see a visible dark cloud hanging over me when I begin to travel down that path - and I know it’s not a path of faith and trust. I have to stop and literally tell myself that whatever it is I am fretting over is really not that important or I have to ask: is this really that important? Is what I’m concerned over really mine to carry or whatever? What I endeavor to say is: if I’m the Lord’s - and I am, then I needn’t fret over the things I do or don’t have, the schedules or the children or the relationships or whatever else I’m fretting about. For, if I’m the Lord’s - and I am, then I have somehow stepped off the path or somehow determined I can and do know what’s best for me or how things are going to work out or whatever. And one precious thing I do know is this: what a blessing to not know what’s down the road or to not know just exactly the details and order of the outcome of things in my life.

I am working at being contented with the “whatsoeverthingsIhavetoday” things of life. For, all of these tasks, all of these needs to meet, all of these relationships, expectations and interruptions are all part of the “whatsoeverthingsIhavetoday” that God has given me - both for my good and His glory ( should I be faithful to yield my heart to Him and to obey). I know I want to obey I know I want to trust Him - and truly, these are not just precious words to a favourite hymn: I know I want to trust and obey, for truly I know there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

I continue to work at being content… and I think of Philippians 4.11

Not that I speak in respect of want:
for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am,
therewith to be content.

I used to say: especially if that state is California… but I try not to don’t say that very often much anymore. really.

So, let’s see… on the home front, we have turned another corner. We’ve made some practical adjustments to our schedule and day to day activities, juggled the dailies and reassigned chores and have set our minds to work, so to speak, so that we can be more productive each day. We had slipped into some pretty sloppy habits… with chores and schoolwork and playtime and bedtime all sort of getting mixed up and out of order. So, it was a necessary thing to talk over all these things and make an adjustment in our course.  So, consequently, our rise ‘n shine time is much earlier again - as is bedtime.

I think I’ve gotten all the laundry done and I don’t see Timothy’s things coming through the wash now (except the items the different brothers absconded). I smile as I think of him… I could tell from his letter today he’s doing fine; happy to be where he is, and from piecing different notes together that he has sent to me and to some of the children, I’d say he is adjusting to life in Africa just fine. It’s a very hard life compared to here in America - there are very few amenities and fewer luxuries - those have likely already run out. But he’s where he’s always wanted to be and that’s just fine with me… Fine doesn’t necessarily mean easy - but like I’ve said before, I’d rather have him in the Hand of the LORD anywhere in the world than anywhere outside of the will of the LORD. I’d never want to spare him discomfort if it would mean compromising truth and trust in the LORD.

It’s all good.

It might not be all that noticeable, but I’m attempting to steer clear of hot topics floating in the blogosphere these days. Sometime back, my husband made a comment that we ought to have a strong conviction to work at charity in speech and so… I thought it fitting to recall what he said and to let those words sink down into these fingers and refrain from all the controversies. You know, years ago when I first started blogging… it was just simply a means to daily make notes of what was going on in our home, comments on mails I was receiving, websites I was visiting, and occasionally, comments regarding the ’state of the church’ and some political going’s on. I just blogged informally for fun and info.

Nowadays, there are blogs are everywhere —great blogs everywhere— and that’s just it: great blogs everywhere (and not enough time to read them all - good as they are!). But there’s also another thing going on and that is the proliferation of blogs that are used to take potshots and sabotage others. I know we all engage in that to one degree or another (me included) from time to time in our speech or writing. But it sure seems there’s a lot more going on recently and it’s sad — O, it might be expected in the mainstream media, of course, but among believers, there ought to be a bit more discretion… especially when we’re dealing with things that are the “gray” areas of the Word — those things that are not clearly spelled out and yet are part of the Word - I think maybe part of the ‘he who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Sometimes those gray areas are what define us or distinguish us from others - either in the world or in the church - so we may bring up an issue, a trend or a topic - a book or an article or some other matter - share it, perhaps discuss it and then let it go at that. God knows… and He’ll work. I think there’s some value in discussion; but to continually dredge up and take part in all the ugliness of debates is really a poor use of time and space - both for the writer and the readers.

Besides, we all have so many “such things as we have” to deal with.

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January 4, 2008 by pamela.

Only a few days into the new year and already it seems old. Actually, maybe not even a new year after all… just another month — another calendar — since the other one ran out of pages. I’m still thinking of Christmas. I’m thinking of all the chaos that surrounds Christmas - those who do and those who don’t: do Christmas. I’m thinking of all the expectations and the dreading other’s expectations. And I’m missing the songs. I’m missing the greetings in the local stores. After being able to say happy-Christmas for several weeks, “Have a nice day” just doesn’t seem to be ‘enough.’ But then, nothing is — ever enough, is it. Well, except for Christmas. I guess there gets to be a point where it seems like we all say: enough’s enough. That’s when we know we’ve really gotten our priorities out of balance — we’ve lost sight of what’s really important — what really matters.

Even still, I’m missing that special thing that Christmas always brings. And if I’m not very, very careful, I miss it at the time. I’ve had to guard against that my whole adult life - and probably much of my childhood, too (though I wasn’t ‘responsible’ for whatever Christmas meant and I guess my mama went through all of that at the time). There’s a very heavy aura about Christmas… the expectations, the hopes, the deep seated joys, longings, regrets and memories. Christmas music only seems to amplify whatever the emotion happens to be at the moment.

Many times as I was doing the dishes in the last month, I would hear: “I’ll be home for Christmas… you can count on me… please have snow and mistletoe, and presents on the tree. I’ll be home for Christmas… if only in my dreams.” And I would begin to dream. I’d dream about Christmas -past, Christmas that never was, Christmas as I had always hoped and Christmas that would never be. Several times, the same towel used to dry the dishes was used to dry the tears that seemed to well up at the most surprising times. And I’d sing along… And so happy Christmas…

When I accepted the Lord as my Saviour I had a real conflict of interest and many things had to be rectified. I had my little ‘t’ theologians and the Truth of the Word.  My little ‘t’ theologians were people I’d sing with all the time. You know, The Doobie Brothers — the little ‘t’ theologians who taught me to sing: Jesus is just alright with me (O, yeah!).   My little ‘t’ theologian, Cat Stevens who taught me mystical stuff that was hard to shake — because it sounded all so right.  And probably the deepest rooted, little ’s’ spirituality and relativism came from the Beatles (and I was truly a diehard fan — much to my regret today). The more I read the Bible the less I would listen to all of that — the less I could listen to all that.

And the longer I walked with the LORD the more I saw that the enemy was subtly luring me with lies in all of that music — is it ever powerful: music. Jesus was more than just alright with me - He became my everything. So much music had to. go!!  And it did go in a big way one day.  I could no longer ‘imagine there’s no heaven’ - it was no longer easy (or desirable) for me to try —for I came to know there is a hell and above us not only sky.  And then there’re all the dumb songs I guess I’m really glad to bid adieu (even if I do get that sentimental feeling when I hear: deck the halls with boughs of holly, tis the season to be jolly).

So it’s another year over.

But some of the songs of Christmas still ring in my ears. I can hear the singing — the old songs, as I think of the old year, the new year. And Christmas.

And so this is Christmas
And what have you done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
Ans so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young

A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let’s hope it’s a good one…”

It’s a new year.

Have a nice day.

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