We're back!!1

We just rolled into our Mexican home late last night.
This was not a vacation!

I peeled my bleary eye (just one) open to peek at my soon-to-be-three-year-old-son as he is standing next to my night stand . . .

"I bring you coffee, mommy. I bring you coffee."

Both my eyes pop open to see - *drats* it's just play dishes . .

"You drink it aaallll gone!"

This kid knows me. *smile, sigh*

We actually are out of drinking water in the house so we'll have to go get that as soon as we unload the car and unhitch the trailer. And when I say we, I mean me. Hubby isn't doing so well, part of the "not a vacation" that I mentioned earlier.

So I'm off to tackle responsibilities . . .meanwhile, click on this link and tell me what you think, but be cautioned - there is a bleep-able moment in there.

How to pop popcorn using your cell phone

We are off!

Thanks to: www.CustomSignGenerator.com

I'll still be going about and visiting.

Would appreciate your prayers over our traveling!

Blessings then!

End of Year Ceremonies.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Reminiscing . .

Have I been absent from the blogging world of late?

Yes

And I know this irritates me more than it even registers with you . . .

We are leaving Saturday for our bi-annual trek north to visit the churches, friend and families that support us. So I've been in the hub of preparations, and getting presentations ready and such . . .aside from that we have a visiting group with us this week that leave on Friday.

So I console myself by imagining all the "free" time I'll have on our trip to peruse my bloglines and bloggity friends . . .

Meanwhile, going through some old pictures and ran across the time Heather and I hung out . . .

The mamas

The daughters

The son (*ack!* can this really be before my own two sons were born!!! It is! It is before! *ack!*)

The meltdown (yes, my girl -*roll eyes*)

My brother (who's lady gets the credit and thanks for letting us visit this place) says that it is known as "The Happiest Place on Earth" because the kids make a deposit there . . they go in giddy and leave all the "happy" there.

And since I missed "My Walk Monday" let me leave you with a verse that is really ministering to my spirit this morning: Isaiah 33:2, 6, 22

"O LORD, be gracious to us; we long for you.

Be our strength every morning,
our salvation in time of distress. . . .

He will be the sure foundation for
your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear
of the LORD is the key to this treasure. . .

For the LORD is our judge,
the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; it is he who will save us."

Crazy Days!

Wednesday we left for the states to do some errands and doctors appointments and meetings and such. We also had to pick up some stuff for a group we've got coming down tomorrow. We got back home tired and late last night (Thursday) only to find that the refrigerator was left open a crack. The inside temperature registered a breezy 92degrees.

Yup.

So, dealing with that (go ahead, use your imaginations, cause it was that bad) we both dropped into bed.

This morning I could barely get up. My hubby was delusional because he was rousing me with such motivational language as "Come on, get up, lets go do some pilates!"

But the baby was protesting the delay in breakfast so I kind of lugged lugged lugged over there and began our daily round of activities involved in dress and feed.

• then Rita showed up with her two toddlers
• I find out that our phone is getting no tone but we still have Internet. I call the phone company to get that addressed
• and then Pastor Carlos came over with Yadira - both needed to talk to either my hubby or myself
• Phone man shows up (amazingly fast for here!!!) and is buzzing around all this activity
• we set up Yadira on web cam to talk to our friends and former missionaries who now live in Texas
• Gaby shows up (Carlos sister)
• I go pick up my daughter from school and come home to find out we have no water
• I make lunch for all the small people in this house and Rita and myself, everyone else heads out - I guess the telephone guy too, cause I don't see him here anymore . . .and the phone is working
• I take Rita and her family home - now it is just me and the kids again . . .

*Whew* I put on Cars for the kids and sit down on the couch and promptly fall asleep only to be awakened by baby reminding me that it is his turn to eat.

I'm going to go feed him now . . but I'm just wondering how I'm gonna get the last minute set up done for this group if my day continues much more like it has?

It's 95 degrees as I type, and we all need a shower . . . .pray for that water folks!

It's not a bad day, just a crazy one . . .and here I was hoping to linger here at blogging and visit some blogging friends . . .

A shout out to you all anyway!!!

[[[Hugs]]]

Laugh with Me

Short Ones

An atheist is someone with no invisible means of support.

Arkansas State trooper pulls over a pickup truck on I-40. He
says to the driver, "Got any ID?" Driver says, "Bout what?"

A rock store was closed by the police -- they were taking too
much for granite.

What is a computer's first sign of old age? Loss of memory.

"The Insomniac," by Eliza Wake

Notice! Take lettuce from top of stack, or heads will roll!

A letter carrier's career is a mail-dominated profession.

A guy goes into a second hand shop to buy one for his watch.

A job at the nursery can lead to a budding career.

Didja hear about the Broadway actor who broke through the
floor boards? He was just going through a stage.

The Italian government is considering installing a clock in
the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The reason? What good is it if
you have the inclination, but you don't have the time?

A farmer called his pig Ball Point. Well, it wasn't it's real
name, just a pen name.

When the unemployed actor got a job with a demolition
company, he finally brought down the house.

If a parsley farmer is sued, can they garnish his wages?

Why do they lock gas station bathrooms? Are they afraid
someone will clean them?

If you ate both pasta and antipasto, would you still be
hungry?

Why is there an expiration date on sour cream?

Received from Bills Punch Line.

Brought to you by GCFL.net: The Good, Clean Funnies List
A cheerful heart is good medicine... (Prov 17:22a)
The latest GCFL funny can always be found on the web at
http://www.gcfl.net/latest.php

My walk Mondays

Two days ago a deaf women asked me, in tears, if she should grant her husband the divorce he is demanding . . .

Two weeks ago I was made aware of an abusive relationship . . .

Two months ago another deaf lady tells of a happening that is causing her great shame . . .

And I have been feeling so unqualified, so unable to meet these needs. To give the right counsel . . .

There are so many things that I need to work on - just me - how could I help anyone else? Isn't there someone more studied, more ready, more qualified to handle this than me?

Well, yes, perhaps, but the point is . . . they are not here! I am.

There is some serious spiritual bleeding going on, and there may not be a hospital near by, but I sure can administer first aid!!

So I am going to learn about ministering to the spirit, though prayer, and being able to hear, really hear God's Spirit. And I am going to be ministered to - to help assure that my own spirit is healthy to be able, then, to help others.

I am learning about The significance of sowing and reaping.

It's going to be a process. I know. And I'm rather excited about it.

There are spiritual laws at work that are as real and affecting as gravity, whether or not you believe in them.

Luke 6:37-38 says:

Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be
condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you.
A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured
into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

If you take this verse in context - the part about "give, and it will be given to you" what is it talking about?

Forgiveness

What does forgiveness look like? It is a giving of the case to God.

• it's a decision, not a feeling
• it is acknowledging what happened, not denying the pain or anger
• it accepts that we can not go back to the way things were, not living "as if it never happened"
• it is not forgetting, the aim is to come to a point where the memory will no longer cause us pain
• forgiveness is not reconciling ourselves to a person who is unwilling or dangerous
• it is to accept and live with the consequences, not to be in denial, or continually grieving or blaming . . .
• it is the giving up of my right for retribution or restitution (that's in God's hands)
• it does not maintain a list of offences or hurts or a list of all we'd like to say
• it means dealing with my own hurts and offence and nothing to do with the guilt or innocents of the offender
• it is not necessarily a one time deal, it is only the beginning of the healing process
• it does not grant instant trust, the offender is responsible to rebuild/earn that trust. Earned trust is restitution
• forgiveness is a gift from God and something we do with His strength and grace, not our own

To harbor unforgiveness towards someone is like drinking poison and expecting the offender to die.

That's just to start off this week.

Recipe

How to get a little jiggy with it.

Get your largest coffee cup and fill it up with your regular joe.

Add one tablespoon of instant coffee.

Prepair coffee how you would in any normal circumstances . . . a sugar or two, some creamer . . .

and the piece de resistance; add some instant chi latte and voila!

Just this side of legal.

For 10 minuets of peace.

My walk continued . . .

When I was in college I got my major in cultural anthropology. One of my classes studies these people, the Yanomami. And let me assure you, the typical anthropological attitude towards missionaries is one of extreme antipathy. (There's your college degree at work!)

One book I've kept over the years was written by Napoleon A Changnon called "Yanomamo: The Fierce People". He had particular issue with the missionaries getting in a huff about "chewing tobacco . . .taking extra wives, or most annoyingly, insufflating their hallucinogens and chanting to their hekura spirits." (pg.206)

Do you know what it means "insufflating their hallucinogens"? They take a long hollow pole, one guy, with all his might, blows the hallucinogens into the nostril of the other. Yeah, fun stuff. Changnon wrote of his experience insufflating some hallucinogens and he says "I called out to Ferefereriwa and Periboriwa, hot and meat hungry hekura, and asked them to come into my chest and dwell within me."(pg.208)

Changnon concedes that a few of the missionaries "were downright humane-given their ultimate goal of destroying Yanomamo religion." --yeah, that enslavement to darkness . . .

Years later, this book came out "Spirit of the Rainforest: A Yanomamo Shaman's Story" by Mark Andrew Ritchie. Mark wrote down the story dictated to him by "Jungleman" a powerful shamen that converted, and - wouldn't you know - be of the people that Changnon worked with. How interesting to read Jungleman's side of the story.

One thing that I found interesting in both this book and in the book "Growing up Yanomamo" by Michael Dawson is that whenever worship and praise was played/sung all the hekura fled, wouldn't come near, and it was a particular peeve of the shamens.

So - today, I'm going to have praise and worship going just in case there are any hekura hanging about . . . .

Overheard

Grandma "Whew, I'm pooped!"

2 year old son "You are poop?" (very sincerely)

"No."

"Did you go poop?"

"No."

I can just hear his brain trying to compute . . .

"Little poop?"

"No"

"Big poop?"

"No, it just means I'm tired."

I'm busting up overhearing this, and am surprised that Grandma must be too pooped to find this funny!

There is no good reason for this post.

I've been watching too much LOST.










My hubby is starting to look like John . . .

Somebody clue me in here . . .

Maybe I've been an ostrich of late, but we've had two separate inquiries to our safety in regard to all the violence that has been happening in Mexico . . .

um . . .

What are they talking about? Tell me, what's on your news?

I seriously know nothing . . .

My walk

So, I just finished reading a fun and easy book called "Growing Up Yanomamo" by Mike Dawson.

1 of 10 children this missionary couple had, Mike was born and raised with the Yanomamo.

It was a book lent to me, so I have already returned it . . and for that I am sorry. I am sorry I can not quote you some of the book here *sigh* because although it was fun to read of hunting monkeys and wild boar, getting stupidly close to anacondas, and him holding his breath while a jaguar hunted him, I was mostly touched by how in tune the yanomami where to the spiritual world.

All this world will pass away, it is mortal. My body, my flesh, my things, the items that seem so permanent to me, like the sun, the universe, and even time itself ,will all pass away. Yet our souls remain, God is the great I AM and that means never changing . . the spirit world is eternal. So in essence it is the more "real" of the two worlds and we are . . . a puff of smoke, a flash of light.

Why then do so many deny the existence, and workings of the spiritual or that it surrounds us? Hmm? Because we can't see it? Like the baby before it gets the idea of permanence goes through that stage where if he can't see the thing, then it just ceases to exist. It is a belief that is both dangerous and stupid.

In Spanish there are two verbs: ser and estar. If you use the babel fish translators they will give you "to be" for both of them. But one is used for something that does not change, and another for something that may.

'To be' or not 'to be'?

Sorry, couldn't help myself.

Anyways - ser is the not-changing verb of 'to be', "I am a woman." would be translated with the ser verb. "Yo soy una mujer." Even if I had serious surgery, my chromosomes would give me away; I am a woman and that won't change. But if I were to say - "I am tired." I would use the estar verb "Estoy cansada." Because that will change (soon, hopefully, please) . . .

God's I AM never changes, never has, never will. He is the Great YO SOY!

How can I, changing from one nano-second to the next, think of my existence here as more "real"?

Back to the book, these yanomami were sitting around the fire with Mike when they asked him what was so different about the white man and them so that if the white man wants to be covered from the bugs, he goes out and makes clothes. If he wants to cross the ocean he makes a boat and does so. And if he wants to, he goes builds a ship and walks on the moon. What is the difference?

Unable to quote from the book I will paraphrase here: Mike couldn't respond and the talk around the campfire grew silent as they pondered this until one of the yanomami spoke up and said he knew! See, Mike's forefathers served the Creator God, and He is the giver of wisdom and so the descendents have been blessed . . where as the yanomami forefathers serve Satan and have been enslaved by him and his spirits and, therefore, kept in darkness.

Could you just chew on that for a moment.

This is getting long - so I'll continue next Monday . . . .

On Fridays

Every Friday morning we gather to dissect and interpret the worship songs for Sunday.

Many years ago, when I graduated from college and then packed up and went to volunteer at Rancho Sordo Mudo I didn't know any sign. This was in 1997. I just went willing. They had so little staff at that time that they were grateful for any help they could get. I took one summer community ed class and learned the ABC's. That was it, from there it was the learning from the School of Sink o' Swim.

And if I could, I would love to study-you know - get certified - but I'm on a different path now, so we meet with our deaf pastor Carlos and go through how to sign the songs for clarity, so that the deaf congregation can understand and appreciate the worship.

It's a wonderful practice of thinking outside the box and after each session I am usually strangely stimulated and exhausted at the same time. My mantra is "think beyond the words" . . . meaning, meaning, meaning, . . .

For example:

We have come to a consensus that when the song speaks of not turning back, or falling away we will use a sign that means "united" linking your thumb and pointer fingers together then breaking them away while shaking our head "no". . .

There is a whole song that speaks of hearing the rain and the sounds of nature - so we switch it to seeing the rain and the like.

Yeah, so when I'm posting all these videos of people signing songs, it's typically not a word for word translation. I'm constantly learning. I love it, and I hungrily watch and pick up stuff all the time.

One more interesting aspect is that you can do a song well yet differently - for example this song "The End of the Beginning" was signed by this fellow and this couple. Both songs are done well, and are clear, pure preference would say that one is done better than the other.

Oh, and you do need to know your audience when thinking through these translations. Thinking about if they understand the symbolism involved when speaking about the Holy Spirit in terms of "rain", "fire", or when speaking of "the price that was paid", and "Your reign in me" . . . yup.

So, there you go.

That's my Friday. How was yours?

End of the Beginning

yeah yeah . . I know what you all are thinking . . another signed song!
What can I say. It's close to my heart.

Because it's true

JulieMom has gone and hit the nail on the head AGAIN!

How You Know You're A Mom
By JulieMom

I have decided to make a list of things that will show you (in case you didn't already know this about yourself) that you are indeed a Mom.

You Know You're A Mom If:

1. You leave the house without brushing your teeth. And it's not because you are a scungy person, or you enjoy doling out a good dose of halitosis to the world, it's simply because you're a Mom, and you're busy. Things like teeth brushing are for people who only take care of themselves.

2. You don't shower every day. Or every other day. In fact, you may only get to shower once a week. Or once a month. It all depends on how demanding your kids are, and how many you have. Even though you know smelly gym sock meets greasy dinner is not your husband's romantical scent of choice, you have mastered all the tricks possible to get the most mileage out of your un-showered hair without looking too horrid.

3. There are Little People That Follow You Around and Need Stuff. And unless your name is Dorothy and you live in Kansas, those aren't munchkins. They are your kids. And they will live in your house until they are eighteen. Unless they are boys without ambition. Then they will live in your house eating your food and playing video games until you can either trick some unsuspecting woman into marrying them, or you move away without leaving a forwarding address.

4. You Spend Three Hours a Day At the Sink. If you're a real Mom who cooks real food for the family, then chances are you spend a ridiculous amount of time in front of your kitchen sink. You are either washing you hands, washing vegetables, washing dishes, soaking dishes, soaking laundry, filling pots with water to do the cooking, or filling up the water filter pitcher. If you're lucky you have a window facing the street so you can spy on your neighbors. Yeah, sink times are good times.

5. You Look at the Washer With Contempt. Not because it has personally assaulted you, but because it exists. And it means you have experience with its use. You spend almost as much time with the washer as you do the kitchen sink. It's hard to balance your attention so the other appliances don't get jealous, but that's why you have midnight ice cream snacks. Gotta fit quality time with the fridge in somewhere.

6. Your Alarm Clock Whispers "Mom, I'm Hungry". If you sleep past the crack of dawn, chances are your alarm clock will come in the form of a smallish-type person whispering directly into your nostrils with their stinky morning breath that they are hungry. Of course the sun isn't up yet, but their tummy is. And it is beckoning you to the kitchen. My advice? Buy some cereal bars and keep them on a low shelf in the pantry.

7. You Repeat Yourself Hundreds of Times a Day. Well, the chances of you being a wife and experiencing this are pretty high too, but with kids it's exponentially worse. The Little People seem to think you do this because you enjoy it, but you know it's because every little person is practically deaf until the age of eighteen, or until they have a special person they are dating. Then they are totally Deaf to you and can only hear the special person's voice. Until they get married. Then they go completely deaf on all counts.

8. You Forgo Sleep to Make Cookies. If your kids attend public school, chances are there's a holiday or party at least once a month that your child will volunteer you to make cookies for. And they will neglect to tell you until after you assume they've been asleep for at least two hours. Then they will walk into the living room all sleepy and rubbing their eyes and mention the party to you, and that you need to have five dozen cookies ready. For tomorrow. At seven in the morning. You kiss them, send them back to bed, and walk to the sink.

9. You Know Instinctively That Mopping the Floor Causes Spills. Of course this hasn't been scientifically proven, but my floor has proven it countless times. It's the same phenomenon that when you wash the car it rains. It's just the law of the universe. After you mop all the floors to shining perfection, one or more of the members in your household will spill something sticky and sweet on it. Then they will fall in it and drag others down with them. So you strip them, send them to their rooms to change, and walk to the sink for a little quality time.

My walk

This is my first post of this meme. I'm excited.

I was reading in Isaiah 15-16

Now, I am not a biblical scholar. I've never been to seminary, and I don't have the bible in the Greek translation. I just read it. I depend on the Holy Spirit to teach me and I might pick up a study here and there for more depth and history, but for the most part I usually have laundry that I need to hang up and put away.

So, follow me on this . . .

The people of Moab come from an ugly act of incest (Genesis 19:36-38) and remember the story of the talking donkey? That was the king and princes of Moab who were afraid of the Israelites so were asking Balaam to curse them. (Numbers 22)

Then, right there in this story Balaam says:

"I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near.
A star will come out of Jacob;
a scepter will rise out of Israel."
(Numbers 22:17)

A foretelling of Christ.

And now when I'm reading Isaiah talking about Moab, I find this:

"In love a throne will be established;
in faithfulness a man will sit on it—
one from the house of David—
one who in judging seeks justice
and speeds the cause of righteousness."

Isaiah 16:5

Another foretelling of Christ. Random?

Yeah - I've learned God seldom, if ever, is random.

Why here? Why now? Why again when we are talking about Moab do we hear about Jesus?

Because of Ruth, who will be the great grandmother to King David - the line that Jesus comes from? (Ruth 1, 4)

See, now that, to me, is just plain cool.

"O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago"

Isaiah 25:1

Above All

Heaven, I'm in heaven . . .

*ring*
"You! Go get your teeth brushed, and
*ring!*
You! no, no more chocolate milk . . ."
*ring*!
"Hello? Bueno?" This is how I typically answer the phone here in our home.
"Hello, Michelle? This is Karen." she's a fellow missionary from a different ministry here in Ensenada. She and her husband were directors of an orphanage as of late, but just recently were following God into new areas.

I just loaded up my two kids with Karen and her youngest two (she is a mother to 5) and she is taking them to a Carl's Jr (yes, in Mexico) with a massive play place. That was at 12:30 and she is bringing them back at 5pm.

So here I sit, just me and the baby. Baby is happy chowing down on cheerios and graham crackers. I'm having some flavorful Spanish rice and re fried beans topped with queso fresco and a glass of ice tea . . . I'm out of tortillas.

*shrug* Ni modo

Aaahhhhhh

Oh, and she dropped off dinner for me and the family, too!

Talk about blessing your socks off!

Speaking of blessing your socks off, I got to tell you about Heather's blessing!
Who is probably going about 21 different directions at once about now . . . !
If you don't know her (you really should) she is moving to Japan very soon with her family. She saw that in this interview I mentioned that I needed a lap top and so she offered me a Vaio computer that is very compact, albeit not a laptop, but smaller, newer, faster then the one I was using.

On Tuesday we were able to use this newer computer to do our deaf women's bible study via web cam! And I am having all sorts of fun downloading itunes and the such. Can you believe that my other computer didn't have room to allow me to do that?!?!?!? I am so tickled, just bursting with gratitude - so Heather, if you do stop by to give a read:

THANK YOU!!!! and mucho hugs your way, OK?