I stayed home from church today since the Lyrica is really laying on the side effects, namely dizziness, and it probably wouldn't look good for me to be wandering around the church looking like I'm drunk as a skunk. The poor kids in Children's Church & Sunday School... "Why did Miss Marla just fall into the wall?"
Speaking of church, our congregation has grown enough in the past couple of years since we finished the new addition that we are outgrowing our building. In August, we'll be going to three services instead of the two that we have now, and doing two Sunday School hours instead of one. Sunday School will be done during the second & third services, which means we'll have the kiddos for an hour & fifteen minutes instead of the forty-five minutes that we have them for now.
And speaking of Sunday School... Mom, Dad & I teach one of the Kindergarten classes - we're the Kindergarten Kittens. Last week Mom taught the story of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10) and was very clear about the plan of salvation. Mom went over the Wordless Book with them and at the end of the lesson prayed a prayer of salvation. She asked them to come see her at the end of the class time if they prayed that prayer with her for the first time and meant what they said. When she asked them to talk to her later, four little ones came up. She talked with each of them to make sure they understood and apparently they did. We got an email from the parents of one little boy who for sure got it.
That, my friends... is awesome.
Showing posts with label Seriously. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Seriously. Show all posts
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Monday, May 28, 2007
Thank You
Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all who have served & are currently serving in the military. You are what makes this country great. You are true heroes.
“It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”
~ Teddy Roosevelt
“It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”
~ Teddy Roosevelt
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Dave
A friend, Dave, died of a heart attack yesterday at work, while in one of the cottages with the kids. The girl who was going off & stressed him out is on the run. She doesn't yet know what happened, but her peers are threatening to kick the ever-lovin' you-know-what outta her once she returns.
His daughter also does overnights here & his dad/her grandpa died several months ago. In addition, the grandma is not in good health at all. So, please remember this family in your prayers. And the staff & kids here as well.
His daughter also does overnights here & his dad/her grandpa died several months ago. In addition, the grandma is not in good health at all. So, please remember this family in your prayers. And the staff & kids here as well.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Turkish Martyrs
Warning: Very gruesome details are included in the following report.
From an email from a local missionary friend:
On April 18, in a gruesome assault against Turkey's tiny Christian community, five young Muslim Turks entered a Christian publishing office in the southeastern province of Malatya. They then tortured and slit the throats of the three Christians present.
The following report is from Asher Intrater in Israel. It is graphic. Indeed, the nation of Turkey is truly at a crossroads. Let us, therefore, pray with vision that the terrible deaths suffered by these Christians would result in the spread of the gospel to the people of Turkey.
Turkish Martyrdom
by Asher Intrater
Last week we reported on the murder on Wednesday, April 18 of three Christian evangelists in the east Turkey city of Malatya (46 year old German missionary and father of three, Tilman Geske; 35 year old ex-Muslim, pastor of the local church, and father of two Necati Aydin; and Ugur Yudsel, a younger, ex-Muslim, already engaged to be married).
The young Muslims who performed the murder were university students, all 19 years old (this was planned on purpose, as Turkish criminal law prevents harsh punishment for minors under 20).
The details of the murder are grotesque, reported as follows:
The boys tied Ugur, Necati, and Tilman's hands and feet to chairs and as they videoed their work on cell phones, they tortured them for almost three hours.
Tilman was stabbed 156 times, Necati 99 times, and Ugur's stabs were too numerous to count. They were disemboweled, and their intestines sliced up in front of their eyes. They were emasculated and watched as those body parts were destroyed. Fingers were chopped off, and their noses and mouths and anuses were sliced open.
When the police finally broke in, they found that Tilman and Necati had been slaughtered, practically decapitated with their necks slit from ear to ear. Ugur's throat was likewise slit and he was barely alive (dying shortly thereafter).
Over 500 hundred Christians showed up from all over Turkey to attend Necati's funeral in Izmir (including our friend and coworker MN, who carried with him donations for Necati's widow Semse, from Messianic believers in Israel). There are only a few thousand evangelical Christians in Turkey, a Muslim country numbering over 70 million people.
The front pages of all the largest newspapers in Turkey carried an interview with Susanne (Tilman's widow), saying "God forgive them for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). In a nation where blood revenge is a normal part of the culture, Suzanne's statement of forgiveness came as a shock to many. One newspaper columnist wrote: "She said in one sentence what 1000 missionaries in 1000 years could never do."
The funeral was covered by all five of the major Turkish television news networks (as well as being filmed by the Turkish secret police). In a powerful message, Ishan Ozturk, head of the Protestant Churches in Turkey proclaimed, "For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:23).
At the price of the blood of these martyrs and by the risking of the lives of the local Turkish Christians, the gospel has touched an entire Muslim nation in an unprecedented way. At the very time this speech was being given, the Holy Spirit fell upon our fellowship in Jerusalem, with Jewish believers falling to the ground, weeping in prayer, crying out for the salvation of the Turkish people.
Let us continue in faith and prayer at this turning point in the history of the Turkish nation. As it is said, "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the gospel."
============================================================================Asher Intrater is a highly respected voice in Israel and beyond. Asher is a Jewish believer in Jesus, the Messiah. The Intraters' passion is to see a national revival in Israel. We invite you to visit their website - www.revive-israel.org
From an email from a local missionary friend:
On April 18, in a gruesome assault against Turkey's tiny Christian community, five young Muslim Turks entered a Christian publishing office in the southeastern province of Malatya. They then tortured and slit the throats of the three Christians present.
The following report is from Asher Intrater in Israel. It is graphic. Indeed, the nation of Turkey is truly at a crossroads. Let us, therefore, pray with vision that the terrible deaths suffered by these Christians would result in the spread of the gospel to the people of Turkey.
Turkish Martyrdom
by Asher Intrater
Last week we reported on the murder on Wednesday, April 18 of three Christian evangelists in the east Turkey city of Malatya (46 year old German missionary and father of three, Tilman Geske; 35 year old ex-Muslim, pastor of the local church, and father of two Necati Aydin; and Ugur Yudsel, a younger, ex-Muslim, already engaged to be married).
The young Muslims who performed the murder were university students, all 19 years old (this was planned on purpose, as Turkish criminal law prevents harsh punishment for minors under 20).
The details of the murder are grotesque, reported as follows:
The boys tied Ugur, Necati, and Tilman's hands and feet to chairs and as they videoed their work on cell phones, they tortured them for almost three hours.
Tilman was stabbed 156 times, Necati 99 times, and Ugur's stabs were too numerous to count. They were disemboweled, and their intestines sliced up in front of their eyes. They were emasculated and watched as those body parts were destroyed. Fingers were chopped off, and their noses and mouths and anuses were sliced open.
When the police finally broke in, they found that Tilman and Necati had been slaughtered, practically decapitated with their necks slit from ear to ear. Ugur's throat was likewise slit and he was barely alive (dying shortly thereafter).
Over 500 hundred Christians showed up from all over Turkey to attend Necati's funeral in Izmir (including our friend and coworker MN, who carried with him donations for Necati's widow Semse, from Messianic believers in Israel). There are only a few thousand evangelical Christians in Turkey, a Muslim country numbering over 70 million people.
The front pages of all the largest newspapers in Turkey carried an interview with Susanne (Tilman's widow), saying "God forgive them for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). In a nation where blood revenge is a normal part of the culture, Suzanne's statement of forgiveness came as a shock to many. One newspaper columnist wrote: "She said in one sentence what 1000 missionaries in 1000 years could never do."
The funeral was covered by all five of the major Turkish television news networks (as well as being filmed by the Turkish secret police). In a powerful message, Ishan Ozturk, head of the Protestant Churches in Turkey proclaimed, "For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:23).
At the price of the blood of these martyrs and by the risking of the lives of the local Turkish Christians, the gospel has touched an entire Muslim nation in an unprecedented way. At the very time this speech was being given, the Holy Spirit fell upon our fellowship in Jerusalem, with Jewish believers falling to the ground, weeping in prayer, crying out for the salvation of the Turkish people.
Let us continue in faith and prayer at this turning point in the history of the Turkish nation. As it is said, "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the gospel."
============================================================================Asher Intrater is a highly respected voice in Israel and beyond. Asher is a Jewish believer in Jesus, the Messiah. The Intraters' passion is to see a national revival in Israel. We invite you to visit their website - www.revive-israel.org
Monday, December 25, 2006
Merry Christ-mas
I hope that you all are having a lovely Christmas and are surrounded by family & friends. May we all remember the reason for season.
Luke 2:1-20
The Birth of Jesus
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
The Shepherds and the Angels
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them,
"Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ[a] the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest,and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Text obtained from BibleGateway.
I think this one was in kindergarten. I'm the one with the braids, staring the camera down.
Luke 2:1-20
The Birth of Jesus
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
The Shepherds and the Angels
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them,
"Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ[a] the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest,and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Text obtained from BibleGateway.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And now for a trip back into the annals of history...
A grade school Christmas program. I'm the one with the 'toy' banner.
I think this one was in kindergarten. I'm the one with the braids, staring the camera down.Don't ask me what in the world I was thinking there, 'cause I haven't a clue.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
A Date That Shall Live In Infamy
December 7, 1941
The Japanese Army attacks the United States at Pearl Harbor
Dead - Navy 2,008 Marines 109 Army 228
Wounded - Navy 710 Marines 69 Army459
Civilians - At least 57 were killed and approximately the same number were wounded
Eighteen ships were either severely damaged or sunk as were 263 planes.
On December 8, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt addressed Congress and the American people:
Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us.
No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.
I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again.
Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.
With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounding determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God.
Through the courage of many, many Americans, we did gain the inevitable triumph, maintaining our freedom and giving freedom back to many others who had lost theirs.
...
We are in the same situation again.
We are in the same situation again.
Hostilities exist still. The same form of treachery is endangering us again. Three thousand lives were lost on September 11, 2001. And we are once again at war. Not one entered into lightly, not one entered into falsely, but one that needs fighting, lest we lose our freedom, our heritage, our very nation. We need the same resolve the Americans had back in 1941. I fear that too many in our great nation have forgotten what freedom takes.
From time to time, the tree of liberty must be watered with the blood of tyrants and patriots. - Thomas Jefferson
To all who have served and are serving still in our military, thank you from the very bottom of a grateful American's heart. You are the reason this country is the greatest in the world and, Lord willing, shall remain so. Again, thank you.
Pictures from the Naval Historical Center.
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Rings
The other morning at work I was reading over a girl's Mastery paper (to move up to the next level) & one of the girls asked if I was married. Another girl said "No, she's engaged."
Huh? When did this happen? Turns out she was confused by the ring I wear on my left ring finger. They wanted to know why I wore it & I said it's my purity ring. None of them knew what that meant, so I explained that it's a symbol of the vow I made before God to remain sexually pure until I marry. All but one girl went "Huh? What's that mean?" The one girl's jaw dropped & she practically shouted "You're a virgin!?!"
When I answered in the affirmative, the rest of the jaws dropped & they wanted to know how old I am. What's sad is that they all said they wished they were still virgins - 14-17 year-olds who are so jaded & have never been taught another way. Even worse, the ones who never had a choice, having been raped by fathers, uncles, mom's boyfriend, etc...
I normally don't share this kind of info with clients, but I think that they need to know that it is possible to live another way. Having a boyfriend all the time is not a life or death deal like they seem to think it is. I don't know if it'll have any real effect on their lives but maybe it'll stick in the back of their minds & come through someday when they need it.
Huh? When did this happen? Turns out she was confused by the ring I wear on my left ring finger. They wanted to know why I wore it & I said it's my purity ring. None of them knew what that meant, so I explained that it's a symbol of the vow I made before God to remain sexually pure until I marry. All but one girl went "Huh? What's that mean?" The one girl's jaw dropped & she practically shouted "You're a virgin!?!"
When I answered in the affirmative, the rest of the jaws dropped & they wanted to know how old I am. What's sad is that they all said they wished they were still virgins - 14-17 year-olds who are so jaded & have never been taught another way. Even worse, the ones who never had a choice, having been raped by fathers, uncles, mom's boyfriend, etc...
I normally don't share this kind of info with clients, but I think that they need to know that it is possible to live another way. Having a boyfriend all the time is not a life or death deal like they seem to think it is. I don't know if it'll have any real effect on their lives but maybe it'll stick in the back of their minds & come through someday when they need it.
Monday, November 06, 2006
Needy Children
I finally remembered what else I was going to say in my last post. I'm doing two boxes for Operation Christmas Child this year & got everything the other day at Wally-World. They're all ready to go, except for the pretty beady edging I need to sew onto the bag for the little girl. I don't do the shoe boxes like they say - instead I put use hard plastic storage boxes. Our young adult ministry group did this last year & it works great. I line the box with a handerchief & then fill 'er up. I'm including a Kansas post card with my address in case the kids who get my boxes want to write.
I also adopted a little girl from Burkina Faso through Compassion International yesterday at church. (This was our missions themed weekend & I even got to see Teri again. I was kinda surprised that she remembered lil ol' me.) My little girl is Kabore Pegwende Clementine. From her adoption page:
She lives in an HIV/AIDS affected area, so that means that there are extra expenses, if not for her then for others in that area - meds, extra care, more orphans, etc. Malaria & meningitis are also common.
Sponsorship allows her to be provided with Biblical & hygiene education, recreational activities, socail clubs & academic tuition, as well as reading & writing education. Clementine's mom will also be able to attend educational meetings. Forty-four percent of the kids in her area are not in school due to a lack of economic resources.
Anyway, if you want to do something that will make a difference in a life, check out both of these charities. When you see a red ribbon on the Compassion site, that means that child is in an HIV/AIDS area.
(I'll put up a picture of Clementine sometime when I'm around a scanner.)
I also adopted a little girl from Burkina Faso through Compassion International yesterday at church. (This was our missions themed weekend & I even got to see Teri again. I was kinda surprised that she remembered lil ol' me.) My little girl is Kabore Pegwende Clementine. From her adoption page:
Clementine lives with her mother. She is responsible for helping in the kitchen, running errands and cleaning. Her mother is sometimes employed.
For fun, Clementine enjoys jumping rope, hide-and-seek and playing group games. She attends Bible class regularly and is in primary school where her performance is average.
She lives in an HIV/AIDS affected area, so that means that there are extra expenses, if not for her then for others in that area - meds, extra care, more orphans, etc. Malaria & meningitis are also common.
Sponsorship allows her to be provided with Biblical & hygiene education, recreational activities, socail clubs & academic tuition, as well as reading & writing education. Clementine's mom will also be able to attend educational meetings. Forty-four percent of the kids in her area are not in school due to a lack of economic resources.
Anyway, if you want to do something that will make a difference in a life, check out both of these charities. When you see a red ribbon on the Compassion site, that means that child is in an HIV/AIDS area.
(I'll put up a picture of Clementine sometime when I'm around a scanner.)
Friday, October 06, 2006
Whoa...
Straight White Eric is a fan of Robert W. Service, and after the poem he posted (a while ago, but with a new link to it) so am I.
Go read The Law of the Yukon. My favourite lines follow:
Wild and wide are my borders, stern as death is my sway,
And I wait for the men who will win me -- and I will not be won in a day;
And I will not be won by weaklings, subtle, suave and mild,
But by men with the hearts of Vikings, and the simple faith of a child;
Desperate, strong and resistless, unthrottled by fear or defeat,
Them will I gild with my treasure, them will I glut with my meat.
It makes me think of the book Wild at Heart by John Eldredge and how he talks of every man needing 3 things in life - a battle to fight, an adventure to live and a beauty to rescue. Men, especially Christian men, have been trained to be "nice guys" and have lost sight of what life is meant to be. Men should be dangerous. That's the way they were created. Society, and far too often the church, are doing their best to tell men and boys to be nice, don't be bold & daring. Sit quietly, don't play with guns, don't even point a stick and say "bang!" Fighting is bad.
Well, sometimes a fight is what is needed. A fight for life, for love, for a marriage, for what is right. A woman's heart thrills when a man is able and willing to stand and fight for her. (Speaking of women, John & his wife Staci wrote a similar book for women called Captivating. It is honestly one of the best and most life-changing books I have ever read. I believe both men & women should read both books to get a better handle on what the other sex thinks & needs.) I don't pray for my future husband (if God has one out there for me) near as often as I should, but I do pray that I will be a Godly woman worthy of a Godly and yet dangerous man. God & I are working on it...
The poem also reminded me of standing on a rock at the top of Pike's Peak, above a steep drop-off (not smart for someone with vertigo issues, but oh well - what's life without a little risk, right?) and just drinking in the sheer awesomeness of the view. Getting a glimpse of how small I am in relation to the rest of the world and yet knowing that I belong to the Great God who made those mountains & lakes.
One quick quote from Wild at Heart - The only way to live in this adventure ... with all its danger and unpredictability and immensely high stakes ... is in an ongoing, intimate relationship with God.
Seriously, even if you're not a Christian and don't believe in God, these books are still great for digging into your heart and soul and giving you the freedom to live as we were created to.
(And once again, I've gone off on a bunny trail. I'd meant this to be some quick linky-love & the poem snippet, but ah, well...)
Go read The Law of the Yukon. My favourite lines follow:
Wild and wide are my borders, stern as death is my sway,
And I wait for the men who will win me -- and I will not be won in a day;
And I will not be won by weaklings, subtle, suave and mild,
But by men with the hearts of Vikings, and the simple faith of a child;
Desperate, strong and resistless, unthrottled by fear or defeat,
Them will I gild with my treasure, them will I glut with my meat.
It makes me think of the book Wild at Heart by John Eldredge and how he talks of every man needing 3 things in life - a battle to fight, an adventure to live and a beauty to rescue. Men, especially Christian men, have been trained to be "nice guys" and have lost sight of what life is meant to be. Men should be dangerous. That's the way they were created. Society, and far too often the church, are doing their best to tell men and boys to be nice, don't be bold & daring. Sit quietly, don't play with guns, don't even point a stick and say "bang!" Fighting is bad.
Well, sometimes a fight is what is needed. A fight for life, for love, for a marriage, for what is right. A woman's heart thrills when a man is able and willing to stand and fight for her. (Speaking of women, John & his wife Staci wrote a similar book for women called Captivating. It is honestly one of the best and most life-changing books I have ever read. I believe both men & women should read both books to get a better handle on what the other sex thinks & needs.) I don't pray for my future husband (if God has one out there for me) near as often as I should, but I do pray that I will be a Godly woman worthy of a Godly and yet dangerous man. God & I are working on it...
The poem also reminded me of standing on a rock at the top of Pike's Peak, above a steep drop-off (not smart for someone with vertigo issues, but oh well - what's life without a little risk, right?) and just drinking in the sheer awesomeness of the view. Getting a glimpse of how small I am in relation to the rest of the world and yet knowing that I belong to the Great God who made those mountains & lakes.
One quick quote from Wild at Heart - The only way to live in this adventure ... with all its danger and unpredictability and immensely high stakes ... is in an ongoing, intimate relationship with God.
Seriously, even if you're not a Christian and don't believe in God, these books are still great for digging into your heart and soul and giving you the freedom to live as we were created to.
(And once again, I've gone off on a bunny trail. I'd meant this to be some quick linky-love & the poem snippet, but ah, well...)
Monday, September 11, 2006
Remembering
I'll never forget where I was on September 11, 2001.
I was working on putting together the nose of a Cessna Citation Excel jet, standing on the south side of the jig when I heard over my headphones that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. I'm ashamed to say that my first thought was "great, another Cessna hits a building & we're gonna get blamed for it." (There had been several stories in the news in the preceding months about Cessnas crashing & I assumed that this was another little turbo-prop.) When I heard there was another crash and they said the planes were Boeings, I was floored. I listened to the news all day until I was numb from the shock and horror. When I got home and finally saw the pictures of the devastation... there are no words to describe how I felt. Even now, my chest is tightening up and the only prayer that I can compose is "Oh, God..."
I didn't lose anyone I knew in the terror attacks that day, but it has still had an impact on my life. I pay more attention to what is going on outside of my own little world. I am more aware of our brave military men & women. I tried to join the military so I could go kick some terrorist butt, but they wouldn't let me in.
And now after that Perspectives class last spring, I have a different, uh... perspective. There is more of an urgency to my spiritual life especially as I feel called to go and do something. We need Biblically-grounded missionaries over in the Middle-East who stand firm on both grace and truth to reach those radical Muslims. The love, grace and truth of Christ is the only thing that could cause such a radical shift in their worldview that the terrorism would stop. Unfortunately, with the end times coming closer, that is very, very unlikely to happen. Still, with every one that is reached, shown the Truth... that is one less terrorist who is killing innocents and, ultimately, more glory to God.
I know some people are going to say that I'm crazy, a nutcase. I've never claimed to be otherwise. ;D Yes, there is a lot of danger and risk involved. But "Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it." Luke 17:33.
Anyway, I didn't mean for this evolve into what it did, but that's what came out so, yeah...
I was working on putting together the nose of a Cessna Citation Excel jet, standing on the south side of the jig when I heard over my headphones that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. I'm ashamed to say that my first thought was "great, another Cessna hits a building & we're gonna get blamed for it." (There had been several stories in the news in the preceding months about Cessnas crashing & I assumed that this was another little turbo-prop.) When I heard there was another crash and they said the planes were Boeings, I was floored. I listened to the news all day until I was numb from the shock and horror. When I got home and finally saw the pictures of the devastation... there are no words to describe how I felt. Even now, my chest is tightening up and the only prayer that I can compose is "Oh, God..."
I didn't lose anyone I knew in the terror attacks that day, but it has still had an impact on my life. I pay more attention to what is going on outside of my own little world. I am more aware of our brave military men & women. I tried to join the military so I could go kick some terrorist butt, but they wouldn't let me in.
And now after that Perspectives class last spring, I have a different, uh... perspective. There is more of an urgency to my spiritual life especially as I feel called to go and do something. We need Biblically-grounded missionaries over in the Middle-East who stand firm on both grace and truth to reach those radical Muslims. The love, grace and truth of Christ is the only thing that could cause such a radical shift in their worldview that the terrorism would stop. Unfortunately, with the end times coming closer, that is very, very unlikely to happen. Still, with every one that is reached, shown the Truth... that is one less terrorist who is killing innocents and, ultimately, more glory to God.
I know some people are going to say that I'm crazy, a nutcase. I've never claimed to be otherwise. ;D Yes, there is a lot of danger and risk involved. But "Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it." Luke 17:33.
Anyway, I didn't mean for this evolve into what it did, but that's what came out so, yeah...
Barbara P. Walsh
This is in remembrance of Barbara P. Walsh from Staten Island, New York.
Barbara worked as an adminstrative assistant for Marsh & McLennan on the 96th floor of Tower 1. More than that, she was a gracious lady who opened her heart and home to friends and family. A grandmother who loved to cook and garden and a niece who took time for her aunt.
I sincerely wish I knew more about her, that I had known her myself, but I don't. So I'll let her family and friends tell you who Barbara was.
~~~~~~~
The glue that held the family together ~ from Portraits
~~~~~~~
From Legacy.com:
Thank you for letting me into you life. You treated me like you own child. I will never forget that. You have done great things for me and helped us out so much.
We miss you very much but will never forget you.
You have a grand-daughter on the way. Her name will be Brook Ashley. Allison and I decided that the baby's name had to start with a "B" in your honor. ~ Frank, son-in-law
You were a good friend to me on the ferry every morning at 7:40am and I will miss you. ~ Cheryl
Barbara was the sister I never had-- I adolized her as a child. She made me a part of her family and we had wonderful vacations with our children as they were growing up. I have wonderful memories of our years together. I knew on that day 9/11 that you might be in trouble--but thought you would miraculously escape. I miss you terribly, our weekly chats and still think of you all the time. You will be in my heart forever. ~ Rita, cousin
I miss you very much,miss the many laughs we shared over little things,you are in my prayers every day. ~ Maureen, sister
It seems like yesterday that you left us. Not a day goes by when everyone doesnt think of you. ...You will always be in our hearts and prayers. ~ Patrick, nephew
~~~~~~~
From The Staten Island Advance:
She was always very helpful and caring, ...She'd do anything for anybody. ~ Jennifer, daughter
~~~~~~~
To any family or friends of Barbara's who should happen upon this page, you have my sympathy and my prayers. You were so very blessed to have her in your lives and a part of her will carry on in your hearts.
"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace." Numbers 6:24-26
The rest of the 2,996 tributes can be found at Mad Momma Jen since the origianl site is down.
That 1 Guy at Drunken Wisdom also has the list up. If you are looking for someone in particular, typing CTRL + F will allow you to search for their name.
Barbara worked as an adminstrative assistant for Marsh & McLennan on the 96th floor of Tower 1. More than that, she was a gracious lady who opened her heart and home to friends and family. A grandmother who loved to cook and garden and a niece who took time for her aunt.
I sincerely wish I knew more about her, that I had known her myself, but I don't. So I'll let her family and friends tell you who Barbara was.
~~~~~~~
The glue that held the family together ~ from Portraits
~~~~~~~
From Legacy.com:
Thank you for letting me into you life. You treated me like you own child. I will never forget that. You have done great things for me and helped us out so much.
We miss you very much but will never forget you.
You have a grand-daughter on the way. Her name will be Brook Ashley. Allison and I decided that the baby's name had to start with a "B" in your honor. ~ Frank, son-in-law
You were a good friend to me on the ferry every morning at 7:40am and I will miss you. ~ Cheryl
Barbara was the sister I never had-- I adolized her as a child. She made me a part of her family and we had wonderful vacations with our children as they were growing up. I have wonderful memories of our years together. I knew on that day 9/11 that you might be in trouble--but thought you would miraculously escape. I miss you terribly, our weekly chats and still think of you all the time. You will be in my heart forever. ~ Rita, cousin
I miss you very much,miss the many laughs we shared over little things,you are in my prayers every day. ~ Maureen, sister
It seems like yesterday that you left us. Not a day goes by when everyone doesnt think of you. ...You will always be in our hearts and prayers. ~ Patrick, nephew
~~~~~~~
From The Staten Island Advance:
She was always very helpful and caring, ...She'd do anything for anybody. ~ Jennifer, daughter
~~~~~~~
To any family or friends of Barbara's who should happen upon this page, you have my sympathy and my prayers. You were so very blessed to have her in your lives and a part of her will carry on in your hearts.
"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace." Numbers 6:24-26
The rest of the 2,996 tributes can be found at Mad Momma Jen since the origianl site is down.
That 1 Guy at Drunken Wisdom also has the list up. If you are looking for someone in particular, typing CTRL + F will allow you to search for their name.
Thursday, August 17, 2006
"On The Virtues of Killing Children"
Go over to Blackfive and read Grim's post on children and war.
It's powerful, heartbreaking and, unfortunately, accurate.
In the words of Golda Meir:
We can forgive you for killing our sons. But we will never forgive you for making us kill yours.
and
Peace will come when the Arabs will love their children more than they hate us.
It's powerful, heartbreaking and, unfortunately, accurate.
In the words of Golda Meir:
We can forgive you for killing our sons. But we will never forgive you for making us kill yours.
and
Peace will come when the Arabs will love their children more than they hate us.
Friday, August 11, 2006
Never Forget
I ran across this 9/11 tribute at Pet's Garden Blog. Please, go watch it.
As I watched, all the feelings from nearly five years ago came rushing back. The horror, the helplessness...
I sat here and prayed for the survivors, for the families of the lost, for our nation's leaders...
I don't personally know anyone who was lost or, as far as I know, anyone who lost someone in the terror attacks on that terrible day. But my life was changed, as was the life of every other American. I wanted so badly to do something, anything. I tried to join the military, but I have several medical disqualifiers. I couldn't donate blood because of meds & medical conditions. So, I am doing one very, very small thing that will hopefully keep the fire of remembrance burning.
I have signed up with the 2996 Project to honor a victim of the terror attacks. Her name is Barbara Walsh, from New York. She worked in the World Trade Center. I know it's not much, but it's all I have to give at this point.
If you are a blogger and have not yet done so, please go sign up to honor someone. All of victims will be remembered by someone on the fifth anniversary on September 11, 2006. They still need bloggers who are willing to devote a small amount of time to make sure that we never forget those who were murdered.
As I watched, all the feelings from nearly five years ago came rushing back. The horror, the helplessness...
I sat here and prayed for the survivors, for the families of the lost, for our nation's leaders...
I don't personally know anyone who was lost or, as far as I know, anyone who lost someone in the terror attacks on that terrible day. But my life was changed, as was the life of every other American. I wanted so badly to do something, anything. I tried to join the military, but I have several medical disqualifiers. I couldn't donate blood because of meds & medical conditions. So, I am doing one very, very small thing that will hopefully keep the fire of remembrance burning.
I have signed up with the 2996 Project to honor a victim of the terror attacks. Her name is Barbara Walsh, from New York. She worked in the World Trade Center. I know it's not much, but it's all I have to give at this point.
If you are a blogger and have not yet done so, please go sign up to honor someone. All of victims will be remembered by someone on the fifth anniversary on September 11, 2006. They still need bloggers who are willing to devote a small amount of time to make sure that we never forget those who were murdered.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Capital Punishment
Those of you who know me know that I am usually pretty easy-going. However I can be a little on the vengeful side too. Especially when it comes to child-raping monsters like the guy jimmyb wants to take down. Or the woman who cut off part of her son's tongue.
I work in a residential treatment facility for kids with emotional & behavioural problems. I have seen kids that are so messed up from being sexually abused, they don't want to live anymore. I have seen scars larger than my hand on a 11-year-old boy's side from where his father burned him with a hot lightbulb. I have seen cigarette burns on kids. There are kids here that cut on themselves after being told that they aren't worth jack squat by their family members. One boy watched his dad shoot & kill his mom.
People who do this to defenseless children need to be exterminated. They have no right to continue polluting this earth with their fetid presence. They should be punished by having done to them what they did to their victims. That Susan Smith woman who drowned her two little boys & then claimed they were kidnapped by a car-jacker? My punishment for her - strap her into a car, moniter her vitals & drown her. Just before she flat-lines, pull her out, revive her & do it again. And again & again. When resuscitation efforts don't work, fine. She would've had plenty of time to consider what those little boys went through while she was slowly on her way to Hades.
Oh yeah, make sure it's all done publicly.
Of course, jimmyb's idea of a bullet would be cheaper & wouldn't waste any more precious time or effort on the scum, but I think that if the public were to see what the results of their actions would be, more people would think twice before harming anyone else. Especially a child.
Now, some may think that this post or my beliefs on capital punishment don't mesh with the Sunday-ish Hymns I post, but in actuality, nothing could be more compatable.
Matthew 18:6 (NIV)
(Thanks, E. David Quammen)
I work in a residential treatment facility for kids with emotional & behavioural problems. I have seen kids that are so messed up from being sexually abused, they don't want to live anymore. I have seen scars larger than my hand on a 11-year-old boy's side from where his father burned him with a hot lightbulb. I have seen cigarette burns on kids. There are kids here that cut on themselves after being told that they aren't worth jack squat by their family members. One boy watched his dad shoot & kill his mom.
People who do this to defenseless children need to be exterminated. They have no right to continue polluting this earth with their fetid presence. They should be punished by having done to them what they did to their victims. That Susan Smith woman who drowned her two little boys & then claimed they were kidnapped by a car-jacker? My punishment for her - strap her into a car, moniter her vitals & drown her. Just before she flat-lines, pull her out, revive her & do it again. And again & again. When resuscitation efforts don't work, fine. She would've had plenty of time to consider what those little boys went through while she was slowly on her way to Hades.
Oh yeah, make sure it's all done publicly.
Of course, jimmyb's idea of a bullet would be cheaper & wouldn't waste any more precious time or effort on the scum, but I think that if the public were to see what the results of their actions would be, more people would think twice before harming anyone else. Especially a child.
Now, some may think that this post or my beliefs on capital punishment don't mesh with the Sunday-ish Hymns I post, but in actuality, nothing could be more compatable.
Matthew 18:6 (NIV)
But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
(Thanks, E. David Quammen)
Sunday, April 30, 2006
Honor
I'd meant to post this earlier in the week but the computer kept freezing up on me.
ThreatsWatch.org and Media Lies have posts up with some thoughts stemming from the MilBlog Conference in DC.
From Media Lies:
Steve at ThreatsWatch has written a powerful commentary on how the media has tried to steal the honor of our soldiers and how one man found his again. Go read the whole thing. As someone put it - the post of the year.
Found via AWTM.
ThreatsWatch.org and Media Lies have posts up with some thoughts stemming from the MilBlog Conference in DC.
From Media Lies:
There are, of course, honorable men and women in every category of life,
but the military attracts them in droves. There are also despicable cowards in
every category of life, and the military attracts a few of those as well. The
media has consistently highlighted the handfuls of despicable cowards in the
military, whose reprehensible acts have been exposed, and completely ignored the
honorable acts of the vast majority of men and women who serve.
Steve at ThreatsWatch has written a powerful commentary on how the media has tried to steal the honor of our soldiers and how one man found his again. Go read the whole thing. As someone put it - the post of the year.
Found via AWTM.
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Another Reason To Stay In Iraq
NewsMax has a small piece advising that we look to Kosovo as an example of why we should stay in Iraq for a while longer.
Bloomberg: Kosovo Offers Iraq Lesson
Those calling on the U.S. to cut and run in Iraq might look to another
conflict-ridden region, Kosovo, opines Bloomberg.com columnist Amity
Shlaes.
The southern enclave of the old Yugoslavia was a battleground between
Albanian Muslims and Christian Serbs in the late 1990s, when Serbian leader
Slobodan Milosevic launched an effort at ethnic cleansing.
NATO intervened with a bombing campaign against the Serbian capital,
Belgrade. Milosevic relented, and both NATO and the United Nations sent in
troops to keep the peace. Around 1,600 American troops remain there among the
more than 15,000 peacekeepers in Kosovo.
The results, more than six years later, suggest that President Bush's
plan to remain in Iraq through his second term might prove a wise one, according
to Shlaes.
"Many Americans are coming to believe that posting soldiers to spend
years defending a beleaguered Muslim population in some dangerous backwater is a
suicide mission," Shlaes writes from the region's capital, Pristina.
"This week I am visiting a place that may disprove all those ideas --
and in the end provide a powerful precedent for Bush's Iraq plan."
Everyone in Kosovo wants the Americans to stay, Shlaes says.
"Sometimes they don't ask. They insist. "
'There will be no more war in the Balkans,' Ardian Gjini, a cabinet member
in Kosovo's provisionary government, said in a meeting this week in Pristina.
'The U.S. presence is why.'"
When asked how long the U.S. must stay in Kosovo, a Serbian official
told Shlaes: "At least 10 or 15 years."
A member of Shlaes' group in Pristina asked an official if Europeans
soldiers might replace Americans in Kosovo.
"Europeans are good fellows," the official replied. "They operate in
two speeds. Slow and slower."
Shlaes concludes: "The former Yugoslavia is worth looking at twice.
"People in the U.S. just now may doubt the value of flying the flag in
these places. But in Kosovo and Belgrade, they don't."
My Heroes
To Be Born Free Is A Gift
To Die Free Is A Responsibility
While on vacation in Oklahoma, Mom & I ran into a gentleman who had the above picture and saying on the tailgate of his truck. We ended up visiting with him and his wife for several minutes. He was a Vietnam veteran.
Mom & I both, at different times, thanked him for his service. His response both times was that he didn't tell us that he was a vet so he could be thanked. I had a feeling that he was going to say that. Most former and current military I have seen have responded in a similar manner.
I would like to repeat it to all former, current and future military men and women out there - Thank you so very much. You are the reason this is the greatest nation in the world and, Lord willing, will continue to be so. You have the courage and willingness to give up part or even all of your lives to preserve the American way of life and to give others a chance at freedom.
Don't pay any mind to those who protest against you. Know that the majority of America is behind you and that you are in my prayers every day. Many of us would be right beside if we could.
You are my heroes.
Friday, March 17, 2006
I've Been Thinking...
...frightening I know, but just wait a few moments before screaming in terror.
Ever since I burned out for the first time in college and had to quit, I've kinda been floating along. I worked at Cessna for 2 years before I got laid off and I've been here since then and this is not a job I want to do for the rest of my life. I'd end up in Prairie View Mental Hospital.
I'm interested in lots of different stuff and have considered Criminology, History/Archaeology, Library Sciences and Education degrees. None of those ever felt right and I've also been worried about being up to snuff mentally.
I've burned out, as in worked until I couldn't function (Cessna Health Services sent me to the ER several times in the middle of the work day & told me not to come back for 3 days), 3 different times and I don't focus as well now as I used to. My GPA dropped from 3.85 to 2.85-ish due to the exhaustion.
Anyway, all that to say that I'm coming to a decision.
I've been taking these Perspectives on the World Christian Movement classes at church and it has me thinking of missions again. I'd considered missions as a kid but then the horses came along and consumed my life. After that rug was yanked from under me (and I discovered that it *is* possible to live without a horse) I lost my direction.
This class is helping me discover it again.
Only problem is, I have no useful skills for the mission field. I am not a teacher or a leader. I don't (yet) know any foreign languages.
However, this has been in the back of my mind but I never really considered it, thinking I couldn't do it.
Nursing.
This would be very usable in the missions field, and could even allow me to go in to otherwise closed countries as a tentmaker like Paul. And someday, when my work there was done, I would have a marketable skill for here.
So basically, I'm looking into nursing programs here and hope to start a class or two this summer.
Oh yeah, I need to start working on learning Arabic or Farsi...
Ever since I burned out for the first time in college and had to quit, I've kinda been floating along. I worked at Cessna for 2 years before I got laid off and I've been here since then and this is not a job I want to do for the rest of my life. I'd end up in Prairie View Mental Hospital.
I'm interested in lots of different stuff and have considered Criminology, History/Archaeology, Library Sciences and Education degrees. None of those ever felt right and I've also been worried about being up to snuff mentally.
I've burned out, as in worked until I couldn't function (Cessna Health Services sent me to the ER several times in the middle of the work day & told me not to come back for 3 days), 3 different times and I don't focus as well now as I used to. My GPA dropped from 3.85 to 2.85-ish due to the exhaustion.
Anyway, all that to say that I'm coming to a decision.
I've been taking these Perspectives on the World Christian Movement classes at church and it has me thinking of missions again. I'd considered missions as a kid but then the horses came along and consumed my life. After that rug was yanked from under me (and I discovered that it *is* possible to live without a horse) I lost my direction.
This class is helping me discover it again.
Only problem is, I have no useful skills for the mission field. I am not a teacher or a leader. I don't (yet) know any foreign languages.
However, this has been in the back of my mind but I never really considered it, thinking I couldn't do it.
Nursing.
This would be very usable in the missions field, and could even allow me to go in to otherwise closed countries as a tentmaker like Paul. And someday, when my work there was done, I would have a marketable skill for here.
So basically, I'm looking into nursing programs here and hope to start a class or two this summer.
Oh yeah, I need to start working on learning Arabic or Farsi...
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Bad News
Tonight our Perspectives class found out that a 15 or 16-year-old guy in our church was killed in a motorcycle accident. I'm looking for more info on the local news sites, but haven't found anything yet.
Update on 3/7: Learned tonight at Bible study that he was racing motorcycles with a friend, also from church, when he wrecked. He was in the hospital and was pronounced dead Monday night. He was wearing a helmet. Tuesday would have been his 16th birthday.
We also lost a 12-year-old boy about 2 months ago in a freak accident while he was playing catch with a friend after school.
Please keep both families in your prayers.
Update on 3/7: Learned tonight at Bible study that he was racing motorcycles with a friend, also from church, when he wrecked. He was in the hospital and was pronounced dead Monday night. He was wearing a helmet. Tuesday would have been his 16th birthday.
We also lost a 12-year-old boy about 2 months ago in a freak accident while he was playing catch with a friend after school.
Please keep both families in your prayers.
Saturday, February 18, 2006
Here We Go Again
I’m finally making myself sit down and redo my reply to all of the commenters on this post since Blogger ate the first one.
UPDATE: I found the original archived somewhere and so am re-posting it here. I also have it saved so that if it goes bye-bye again, it's not a problem.
Originally posted 2.4.06 at 7.47am
One addition:
tongodeon’s claim that out boys and girls over there are doing more damage than Saddam – get real. If you want to know what is really going on over there – pull off the tinfoil hat and do a little research on your own instead of blindly swallowing the crap the goons on the TV feed you. Read the CENTCOM updates. That’s the truth, no leftist propaganda.
UPDATE: I found the original archived somewhere and so am re-posting it here. I also have it saved so that if it goes bye-bye again, it's not a problem.
This is my response to the filepile.org-ers who have been visiting and the few that have been leaving comments on the Don't Close Your Blinds post. This is all the "arguing" I am going to bother with due to the fact that I have learned from my job that it does no good to argue with someone who is determined to believe whatever they want. So, unless someone has something particulary good or I feel like responding to something, this is all she wrote.
First of all, that piece is not satire. I don't see how anyone could possibly get that impression. As far as being "blinded by ideology" goes, the road runs both ways honey. When someone refuses to accept the truth as fact merely because they hate the "spokesperson" that promotes said truth, as the left often does, well... I'd consider that being "blinded by ideology".
Secondly, alex p. claimed the neighbor was actually having a barbeque. Here's your barbeque. You forgot to mention that the wife and kids were the main course.
As for the accusations that Saddam didn't have weapons, or WMDs, I suggest that you go read Who Is Lying About Iraq by Norman Podhoretz.
Just for the record it isn't the regular citizen in Iraq that wants us out now, it is the terrorists (mainly from other countries) who want to control Iraq. These people are not "freedom-fighters". They plant IEDs and use car-bombs, uncaring of the fact that they kill innocent Iraqis in their attempts to get our soldiers. They kidnap and behead citizens. If they were truly "freedom-fighters", you'd think they would have a care for the people they were fighting to "free".
In regards to my first comment to anonymous, I apologise. I shouldn't have been so sarcastic. The meaning would be the same, just not the method.
Originally posted 2.4.06 at 7.47am
One addition:
tongodeon’s claim that out boys and girls over there are doing more damage than Saddam – get real. If you want to know what is really going on over there – pull off the tinfoil hat and do a little research on your own instead of blindly swallowing the crap the goons on the TV feed you. Read the CENTCOM updates. That’s the truth, no leftist propaganda.
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