and they're off

When your sons take off for 3 mos.

The boys / Dead Rabbit...were hired to shoot B camera on a reality series.

What I love most about this...

...Mcabe not finding his identity in acting work.  He called his agents and said, "Gotta take this job.  The pay is good and the experience will be great.  I'll call you when I'm back in town."

What I love & hate equally....they will most likely be doing things like going up in helicopters and such.

At least they will be with US army helicopter pilots. 

And look who they bumped into at the Charlotte airport...

Russia's Dogs

When we walked into a Russian orphanage we smelled bad things.  Things like urine and layers of dirt.  We heard bad things.  Things like impatient footsteps rushing down long dimly lit hallways and hostile tones and cries.  We saw bad things.  Things like peeling paint, rust stains, water damage, an industrial kitchen...decayed and unfathomable, grey everything, kids...all with shaved heads, sores and scabs on sallow faces.  We saw distended abdomens and children drooling.  And children rocking.  And a frightened & severely malnourished child performing.  Performing for the strangers who came to take her away.  From that place.  The same kid who had rickets in her bones and parasites in her feces.  The one who weighed 28 pounds at the age of four and a half and didn't walk till she was three.  The one who carries multiple physical scars from God knows what. The one who decided right on the spot...It's better to run from this hell hole clinging for dear life to this woman and this man who I have never laid eyes upon...the ones who don't speak my language...than to stay and rot.

Dogs?

That's nice, people.  Whatever lets you sleep at night.

#iamsorry

Mcabe stumbled upon the #iamsorry exhibit right after it opened and went in.

He told me he thought I should go.  It felt as if I should.  So I did.


Day One

I arrived at 11:30 a.m.  Brad came to wait with me.  We waited in line till 6:00 p.m. but I did not make it in.  Almost...but not quite.  There were maybe 1/2 dozen people ahead of me when all were sent home.

Before I left...I told the security guard he would see me in the morning.  He suggested I arrive by 10:00 a.m. 

photo credit: unknown

Day Two

I arrived at  9:30 a.m.  Galilee came to wait with me.  At 4:30 p.m. I contemplated moving my car again (every 2 hours) but I didn't.  At 5:30 I thought to myself..."I most likely have a ticket on my wind shield so there's no point in moving it now." Not wanting to risk being absent if I were ever to get on deck ...I counted the cost of staying (maybe I didn't have a ticket yet) and chose to stand firm.   We waited in line till 6:00 p.m. but I did not make it in.  Almost...but not quite.  Again...there were maybe 1/2 dozen people ahead of me when all were sent home.

I waved farewell to the security guard, Ken.  "Till tomorrow.  Have a good night."  

A $68 ticket was waiting for me.

Day Three

I arrived at 4:47 a.m.

 I was #13 in line.

Brad and Zion arrived with Valentine's flowers for me.  We prayed together right before I entered.

Photo Credit:  Rodrigo Vargas Design



I got in at 2:45 p.m. Over the next 15 minutes I said what I came to say to Shia.   And then I went home.

  

What an honor.  For such a time as this.   

Redeeming Love 11-17

"In the middle of the journey of our life, I came to myself in a dark wood. "

1*  I am so intrigued by the fact that Dante went from the plural to the singular in this quote.   Can't stop thinking about it.  Thoughts?

"You can wear them or walk barefoot.  Your choice.  But you are going with me. "

2*  Why do we fight against what's good for us?

As I read the passage where Michael takes Angel to see the sunrise...I was struck by her fear.  She had a very real physical reaction to the situation.  It made me stop and think about those around me who sometimes have what I feel to be irrational reactions to things.  It reminded me to be mindful and sensitive.

"It's got to be my way or not at all."

Michael's response to Angel's fear reminded me that ...whatever is in the way...is the way.

This thought is reiterated by Angel when she says..."No matter how hard you try, you can't escape the truth."

He couldn't seem to hear the still small voice anymore.

3* Think about the perfect picture of a loving earthly father.  If we could not hear him anymore...hear his instructions...why would that be?  

4* Would those reasons be true about the Lord? 

It was going to be open warfare from here on out.  Well, so be it.  Anything was better than apathy.

My thoughts on this are...apathy is the enemy.

"That way is home.  One mile downhill, fire and food and me.  But you'd better understand something right now.  If you come back, we're picking up where we left off last night, and we're still playing by my rules."  He left her standing in the road.

Yep.  Submission. 

A woman is either a wall or a door, beloved. 

5*  I've been both.  Have you ever repented for being a wall?

"I know what I am.  I never pretended to be anything else.  Not once.  Not ever!"

I love and totally respect Angel's authenticity.

He had to go and get her back.  She was his wife.  Until death do us part. 

6*  Yep.  When we know obedience will bring pain.  When we trust that it is for our good & His glory.  Did the Lord meet you there?     

The mind is it's own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.

So true.  And, what we think...we do.  We need our minds to be renewed. 

Let's read Chapters 18-22 by Friday...the 21st.

Franklin Canyon

We know some stuff about AZ's various native cultures...but we don't know anything about the Tongva Indians who used to live here in the LA basin in huts like the one above.  I'm thinking it's time to learn about them and write some reports about what we discover.   Stay tuned :)

_______________________________________

So the kids are admiring the turtles sunning on the branch in the above left shot.  They have sticks in their hands...cuz they were walking around the duck pond with with sticks that they gathered along the way.

Two ladies pass by.  One makes a point of stopping to instruct the kids not to hit the turtles with the sticks.

Jeni, Cate and I are standing there with our kids.

"They aren't hitting the turtles with sticks."  I tell the lady.

Even so...she thinks she needs to instruct the kids...our kids... AGAIN not to...cuz turtles are sensitive and they shouldn't be hit with sticks.

"There are no turtles being hit with sticks here...Thank you."  I reassure her.

The turtle loving busy body lady walks away reluctantly...and unconvinced.  15 steps later she plops down to FEED THE DUCKS!!!!!!!!  Processed bread nevertheless...right next to a sign that tells visitors NOT TO FEED THE DUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I swear to almighty God it took all my strength no to walk over to where she was feeding the ducks and ask her if she was feeding the ducks that aren't supposed to be fed according to the sign that says DON'T FEED THE DUCKS!!!!!!!!!

btw...Zion is a mini me.  If I had given her permission...she would have said all of the above to the out of her mind hypocritical turtle loving duck hating lady.  She asked if she could.

Hawkeye

So we were driving down a pretty tree lined street in North Hollywood...when with my hawkeye...I notice this beauty sitting on the curb.  Just waiting for someone like me to claim it.

Say "hello" to our new shoe storage thingie next time you're over.  We keep it by the front door.

Inside the shoe storage thingie were four vases.  Two were ordinary flower shop sort of vases...totally functional...but nothing great.  These two however...are heavy and quite nice.

 ____________________________________

As I was surveying a local thrift store with my hawkeye...I noticed a very interesting gallon sized zip lock bag.  Inside were all these serving/cooking utensils and all these NEW sets of chopstix.  I like high quality wood kitchen things...and we like eating with chopstix...and the whole shabang was marked $2.99 so it was a no brainer!!!!!  Ran them through the diswasher and now we are using them.

_____________________________________

I've been wanting one of these glass drink dispenser thingies for a while now...especially since infused water is all the rage these days and I like anything that brings more possibilities for hospitality into our home...but I never find myself wanting to go into my wallet to buy one when I see one at Costco...or Target...or wherever.

Last Saturday...I got 2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  At a neighbor's Yard Sale.  She's is elderly and having some health issues.  Best $20 I could have spent.

 

Jehovah - Jireh - The Lord will provide