Creatures from Honduras

You already saw my cool spider and bat photo a couple blogs ago. Here are the rest. This first thing is call a paca.

Next is a shy hermit crab.

A moving green lizard with a blue face.

A turtle who has seen better days.

And one of a line of ants that looked like we'd better not mess with them.

Which Is Better--Ethiopia or Honduras?

Andrew and Laura seemed to be doing pretty way in various ways, but in other ways, it didn't seem like they were quite settled or happy (at least it seemed that way with Andrew). I think he is finding his job rather more work and rather more stressful than it was in Ethiopia, though the job there had its own set of issues.

I made up this list from things he said and things I observed while we were there:

Ethiopia was better in these ways:

* Level of education of the staff
* Church
* Coffee
* Personal security
* English is language of business
* Overall level of job stress

Honduras is better in these ways:

* Food
* Driving
* Fewer beggars
* General level of economy in country
* Ease of visiting family
* Internet access

Are Some Sins Worse Than Others?

Big sins with our hands.
Bigger sins with our mouths.
Biggest sins with our hearts.

Spider and Bat

Photo credits to David with his nice camera.

Preparing to Leave

Hmm, I thought my last post was funny, but judging from the dearth of comments, I guess I'm just laughting to myself. Or by myself. Or maybe at myself would be more correct.

Today David leaves to fly back to Houston at 3pm. We're on the same flight out tomorrow, but of course we go to Dallas from Miami, not Houston. So I'm busy this morning using David's computer to make CDs of all the photos we've taken while here. That sounds simple enough, but I've already messed up one CD and had to reboot.

Gary has made good progress on his databases. It is an added level of complexity when all the user interface has to be in Spanish (and Gary doesn't speak Spanish). Yesterday he worked with the head of the child feeding program and got specifications for what that db needed. It turned out to be somewhat simpler, but still needed. The food for this program comes from the USDA, and they have specific reporting requirements that this database will make easier to comply to.

Birdwatching

"Can I help you with this?"

Computer Crisis

We had a computer crisis this morning here in San Pedro Sula with Gary's laptop which runs Windows 2000. He had made good progress on his project and wanted to start testing it, but needed to have his computer and the computer (Windows XP) of the person filling in the db to talk to each other over the network.

Once you start fiddling with network settings it is fairly easy to understand why you can earn a degree in computer networking. We could see her computer on the network, but couldn't read it even after we set up sharing properly and diddling with various settings.

So next we decided to put Gary's computer into the same workgroup as her computer. But when we actually did this, we got a funny little message saying something like "you are now leaving the Dallas network. Please talk to your administrator." Then it said you needed to reboot, so we did. But then, the disaster struck--Gary could no longer log into his own computer. It just refused all our favorite passwords.

Fortunately, Andrew's cell phone dials America just as easily as anywhere else, so I called the Center computer helpdesk (after first getting the swimming pool answering machine). Fortunately, we were able to convince the guy there that we needed the administrator password or we were going to be toast.

Shortly thereafter Gary did get logged in, and, lo and behold, was able to read the folder on the other computer. That made him happy and now he's making good progress on this project.

The End.

How Do You Eat a Bag of Water?

You bite it.

Preparations--Almost Panic

I Love Honduras !

Well, it is only 30 minutes past midnight, and we are packed and ready to go. I have a note to remind myself to pack a frozen loaf of zucchini bread. You know Andrew and Laura want that! Also some cookies Rachel made for them.

Today went quite smoothly, at least for me. I wrapped up some stuff at work, took the girls shopping, made dinner for a last minute guest, and packed.

Gary had a few moments when ten people wanted his time all at once, so it was a bit more stressful for him. But generally speaking, he doesn't get flustered, which is nice.

If you think to pray for us, pray also for Rachel and Doro, repainting her apartment without my supervision. Let's hope they don't spill a bucket of white paint on the brown carpet, or any other disasters like that.

I hope to have some internet access in San Pedro Sula and be able to post once or twice from there.

Preparations -- Leisurely

We leave for Honduras very early Tuesday morning (Thanks, Michael, for your willingness to takes us so early). We are starting to get ready, but on a leisurely pace. Tomorrow will be the day for panic preparations. So far we have:

• Put address/phone/email labels on the insides of the suitcases.
• Packed two old hardside suitcases with children's books, for transshipment to Ethiopia when Andrew goes again (very heavy!).
• Prepared a first draft of a "Things to do/People to call" list for Rachel and Doro.
• Printed out a hardcopy list of my email addresses and snail mail addresses.
• Reinstalled the OS on Gary's aging laptop (well, we didn't do this ourselves, we took it to the computer help desk).
• Installed a bunch of software on said laptop: Office, Skype, Firefox, XML Spy, Lotus Notes, AIM, some security software, etc
  
• Collected a bunch of stuff to take to Andrew and Laura: sun screen, CDs, picture hangers.
• Bought a book about Central American birds.
• Read a little about the Mayan ruins at Copan.
• Read the World Factbook page about Honduras.
• Oh, and I can't forget to mention that Gary has gotten a good start on creating the Access database. Lucky for him, one of our office coworkers actually know how to program in Access, so he has been helping Gary quite a bit.
  

As for Rachel, she's baking some cookies to send to her brothers and Laura. If we don't eat them all first.

Chelsey's Wedding Shower

Doro joined me and Rachel at a wedding shower for a friend tonight. Chelsey's mom and I get together for lunch every so often and discuss our kids--two of whom at one time were dating each other. Doro told us they don't have wedding showers in Germany, so she was curious what they were like. This particular shower had no silly games, and ended in a prayer time, so maybe it wasn't typical either.


This photo is to prove to my far-away boys that yes, Chelsey was absolutely delighted to get a flashlight (batteries included) as a shower gift. Why did they ever doubt my choice?

Chuck, the lucky guy, showed up before the party was over. He came in time to try on his new wedding hat. It is a little hard to tell from this photo, but his had looked like a tuxedo. Cute, huh?

They will be married August 12 at exactly the time I want to attend a wedding reception of another friend, so I told Chelsey I may or may not make it to her wedding. We'll see.

Yet Another Empty Nest

This time, a real one that fell out of the tree into our front yard.

Speaking of the front yard, I thought these blossoms on Rachel's rose bushes were nice.

And now moving to the back yard, last week we had a Texas Spiny Lizard laboriously dig a hole near one of the sunflowers, and then later cover it up. Maybe it was a she and she layed eggs there. Do lizards bury their eggs?

Ice Cream

I thought Moose Tracks was my favorite kind of ice cream. That was until I tasted Extreme Moose Tracks.

Another Empty Nest

Wow, isn't Google maps great? Got to love those satellite photos. Last Saturday we visited Joe Pool Lake and found a nest of bluebirds. Today I found on the satellite image the very tree where we saw the full nest. Start at the westernmost parking spot, walk to the picnic table covered with a red roof partially shaded by trees, then walk 5 yards further west and there they will be.

Or so we thought. Late this afternoon Gary finished writing a paper he's been working on, so we made a picnic and took off to see if the bluebirds were still there. We were quite disappointed. The nest was completely empty, but it hardly seems those babies were old enough to fledge.

Then we found another spot to have our picnic, and Gary complained that I brought salad with chicken on it instead of hamburgers or sausages to grill. Turns out the previous occupants of this picnic site had left their coals burning, so to stop his complaining I took one thin strip of chicken breast off my salad and roasted it for him. :-)

There wasn't a lot of wildlife to observe at this location, unless you count all the speedboats and waverunners, but there were a few butterflies.

My Astuteness is Commendable

Really, it is. Ms. Tricia said so.

Dear Ms. Simons,

Thank you for inquiring about the fee postings on June 30th and July 3rd. Your astuteness to your accounts is commendable.

Through notifications such as yours, we discovered that EC*Web is reporting the fee twice, however, the fee actually posted to your account only once. We are working to resolve this as quickly as possible.

I hope that this information is helpful. Please let me know if I may be of further assistance.

Sincerely,
Tricia
Member Services

And this is yet another example to my kids who think they don't need to balance their checkbooks, "because it is all online."

Let It Rain

We've had very little rain here for a couple years, so when our plans for celebrating Independence Day were interrupted by rain, I could hardly complain.

The rain also caused Gary a problem yesterday. He faithfully watched 113 minutes of scoreless World Cup soccer--in Spanish, no less--and then got up to shut down his computer because a lightning storm was passing through. Just then, Italy scored. So he ran back to watch the rerun, then went back to finish with his computer, and Italy scored again.

Am I Bugging You?

Ugh--bad joke, I know.

I would have said this was a mayfly, but the books says mayflies have tiny antennae.

I think this is a true bug, order hemiptera, but I can't find it in my book.

Leaf-footed bug, order hemiptera.

Grasshopper.


Overheard:

Do you have a tissue? You know I can't chew gum and drive at the same time.

Old People Can't Sleep

OK, I give up. I tried to sleep, but it appears there will be no nap for me this afternoon. The phone keeps ringing with people calling to wish me Happy Birthday.

:-)

Sundown

The Texas heat doesn't seem so bad once the sun goes down.

Overheard:

If you cross a blue bird with a cardinal, do you get a purple martin?

Sunflower

We're hoping the few sunflowers that Gary planted will all mature and provide lots of seeds for the birds next winter. The first one opened up a day ago.

My Brain's Gender

I suppose this is just another one of those dumb internet quizzes, but sometimes I think I think less like a woman than many women. But I can find things, and men can't, so I know my brain is not entirely male.

Your Brain is 47% Female, 53% Male

Your brain is a healthy mix of male and female You are both sensitive and savvy Rational and reasonable, you tend to keep level headed But you also tend to wear your heart on your sleeve

What Gender Is Your Brain?

Tarantula

James 2:1b You must never treat people in different ways according to their outward appearance.

I was just minding my own business last night, photographing this tarantula who was walking along Sarah Drive with me, when along comes an MK boy who just had to pick it up, didn't he?





He claims he used to have a much larger one for a pet.

Overheard:

Most people aren't intentionally out to get you. And even if they are, it is better to pretend that they aren't.

Are You Ready Yet?

Ecclesiastes 11:4 If you wait until the wind and the weather are just right, you will never sow anything and never harvest anything.

I've posted from Proverbs for a month, so now I think I'll leave that for a bit.

I've been thinking about timing lately. There are things that happen to us that have either a big impact or small depending on their timing. For example, it might not be such a big deal to find a quarter on the ground unless you just happen to spy it while you are fishing around in your purse for a coin to put in the parking meter.

I've been thinking about a friend of mine who has been having a hard time finding a job. He (he could be a she, but I'll use "he" for now) is fully educated yet inexperienced in his chosen field and he seems unable to find a job that suits him. He keeps looking and looking, but none of the jobs seem quite right, so he looks some more. Or he gets discouraged and quits looking and plays computer games instead. Is it foolish impatience that makes me think he should just get any job in order to get on with life, or is it actually a good strategy to hold off until the perfect job presents itself?

I've had similar thoughts about a number of young people I know who are looking for the perfect mate. They look and look, and there is always some problem with the potential candidates for the position. Is that because they are too picky, or is it because they really haven't found the right (dare I say "perfect"?) person yet? Or perhaps they are paralyzed with fear of rejection to even take the first step, so they wait some more, hoping the conditions will change so they can move forward. They wonder, is it just "settling" to marry a person who is less than the dreamed-of ideal? Or is it better to wait until the as-yet-unidentified perfect person takes the initiative to make the first move (or two, or three)?

And this thought extends to all kids of situations in our lives. Maybe we hesitate to speak to our neighbor in order to befriend them because, well, there will likely be a better time later, we say. I know personally I have failed to do good many times because I said the time wasn't right. Really, that was probably just laziness or procrastination or just plain disobedience.

Some of us have the personality trait that we like things to be all figured out and a firm plan in place before we are willing to even take the first step. Is this a Biblical attitude? I really don't know, because it seems that Scripture at times encourages us to wait upon the Lord (Lamentations 3:26) and at other times encourages us to step out in faith without knowing where we are going (Hebrews 11:8).

Overheard:

May you never look like your ID photo.

He's Too Young For Me

Following the theme of yesterday's post, I want to share an excerpted version of the sweetest email I got today:

Dear Family & Friends,

Do any of you still remember me?? This past year I've not written many letters and no group letter. My excuses are poor vision, faulty memory and general slowing down in all areas of my life, But I still enjoy a good laugh, a happy greeting, and my meals. Many people my age (101) just quit eating but my appetite is A.1.

I praise the Lord that I've missed going to church only 3 times this year and I have a little ministry on Sundays. Our pastor prints out his Sunday sermons and I deliver 25 of them to members who can't get to church.

Some of you have been told by others about my Gentleman Friend. Well, I'm not afraid to tell you abut my John S. He's been coming to visit me almost every day. He loves to read to me and I like to be read to. We both have macular degeneration, but his is worse than mine. We love to walk outdoors and we do it often, but not this week when temps ran 100-106 degrees. Tonight John was reading a book which had some unusual words neither of us know. (John has a great vocabulary) so I had a Webster's College dictionary on my lap and looked them up. We enjoy learning together and laughing a lot. He even says he likes my sense of humor.

Well, I could fill this whole page about John. But he's only 93, so there will be no marriage. We do enjoy each other and haven't had one quarrel yet.

Overheard:

I was trying very hard in yesterday's email not to say "you made your bed, now sleep in it" or turn it into a rant about standards
compliance. I used my delete key a lot :-)

True Love

Be wise enough not to wear yourself out trying to get rich. 23:4

Today I talked Rachel into going to the pool with me. When we got there, we found a family she babysits for was there.

Cute little boy, jumping up and down: "Miss Rachel is here! Miss Rachel is here!"
Rachel: "Aw, Mom, it is so nice to be loved. Even if it is a three year old's love."
Me: "Three year old love is the best kind--completely unconditional."

Overheard:

Did you get new carpet?
No, I vacuumed.

A Visit to the Dallas Police Station

Be generous and share your food with the poor. You will be blessed for it. 22:9

Yesterday I took the day off work (not being hard to do since both my bosses were out of town) and went downtown Dallas to do an errand for Andrew. The Dallas Police Records building is on our side of downtown, so it wasn't hard to get to, and amazingly, no line to stand in either. I was able to secure Andrew's letter of good behavior, which he needs to apply for residency in Honduras, with only a few minutes of fast talking to explain why it wasn't possible to have the request letter notarized. After they agreed and started to process the thing, the lady asked me who Andrew worked for and I proceeded to explain about Samaritan's Purse. Then she went on to say that she thought she should take up a donation for missionaries, at which time I, never wanting to miss an opportunity to secure more supporters, told her who I worked for :-) Then she asked me for a business card, which, naturally, I didn't have. But I wrote down the company URL on a post-it note with my name.

Anyway, this vintage police car was inside the building, and the entry way was studded with bronze mosaics about the history of the Dallas police.


Overheard:

You don't know what something is until you know what it is not.

The Trouble I've Seen

Be kind and honest and you will live a long life; others will respect you and treat you fairly. 21:23

Well, it was close, but not quite enough--the Dallas Mavericks lose the Finals.

Would you like to hear the special music Gary played for offertory last Sunday at church? (This song may sound appropriate for the Mavericks, but that is just a coincidence.) If so, click here. The song is 4 minutes long. And if anyone out there knows how to make that song go into my iTunes player, please tell me how (now it starts up with Quicktime and doesn't let me put it into iTunes as far as I can tell).

Gary arranged this song in honor of colleagues who were going through a big struggle at the time--the mom in this family had been stuck by a needle during her job as a nurse. The person she was trying to medicate was drunk, boisterous, and both HIV and Hepatitis C positive. I think 6 months have passed and she is thus far not infected, for which we thank God.
Overheard:

The older we get, the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for.

Happy Father's Day

Some friendshops do not last, but some friends are more loyal tht brothers. 18:24

Gary observed that the Mother's Day sermon was about the virtures of mothers and the Father's Day sermon was about the vices of fathers. In other words, the pastor reviewed the sad statistics and results of absent and abusive fathers, statistics provided by the US Census bureau (not by a right-wing Christian group).

The proportion of children living with just one parent rose from 9 percent in 1960 to 28 percent in 1996. Currently, 57.7 percent of all black children, 31.8 percent of all Hispanic children, and 20.9 percent of all white children are living in single-parent homes.

--Source: Saluter, Arlen F. Marital Status and Living Arrangements: March 1994., US Bureau of the Census, Current Population Report. p28-484. Washington, DC: GPO, 1996. US Bureau of the Census. Statistical Abstract of the United States 1997, Washington, DC: GPO, 1997.

My kids are blessed to have a good father.

Overheard:

Fathers are not optional accessories for children - they are an essential part to raising the next generation.

Obscene or Not?

Trust in the Lord and you will be happy. 16:20b

Today I spent an obscene amount of money on a swimming suit. I justify this expenditure due to the fact that I am trying to prevent myself from looking obscene while swimming.

Overheard:

Acodrnicig to smeboyd's crkcaopt teorhy it is pssbiloe to raed a mgsesae lkie this with flul ustednannirg eevn tuoghh the lteters are mxeid up, as lnog as the bngeninig and ednnig lreetts of ecah wrod are ccrreot. Is trhee a lgnsuiiitc eatlpxanoin for this pneohmnoen? Or is it a bcnuh of beoalny?

Don't Believe Everything You Read

Kind words bring life, but cruel words crush your spirit. 15:4

Today's Game
Mavericks 74
Heat 98
Final

Our Mavericks have just lost bad to Miami, but I have a funny Mavs story to tell anyway. Tonight we had dessert with friends whose son had dressed up with three of his friends to see if they could win free tickets to get into the first Mav's game of the finals. We saw the home video of these boys dressed with their graduation caps, aviator sun glasses, and bare bellies that spelled out M-A-V-S. Their winning audition included a song and dance routine and they added a dramatic touch by turning to the camera and saying things like, "Grandma, I'm sorry you came all this way to see me graduate, but I really wanted to watch the Mavs win tonight, so I won't be there."

Well, the gullible Miami Herald reporter picked up on this, and wrote the following story.

Miami Herald, The (FL)
June 9, 2006
Section: Special Section
Edition: Final
Page: 2NB
Memo:NBA FINALS


WHAT'S HOOPENING? GO TO GREAT LENGTHS
CAMMY CLARK, Miami Herald Staff

When Pomp and Circumstance was played at Rusk High School in Rusk, Texas, on Thursday night, the friends and family of senior Troy Harrison were in for a shock.
Beloved Troy and his three buddies were playing hooky from their own graduation. Instead of getting their diplomas, they were three hours away in Dallas - wearing their caps, but not their gowns. Their stomachs were bare, spelling out: M-A-V-S.

``I didn't tell them I was coming,'' Harrison conceded. ``We got other friends they can cheer for.''

The teenaged quartet was among about 250 people who looked like they were going to a Halloween party and acted like they had just escaped from the Cukoo's Nest.
...

And the followup to this story: when the Miami Herald actually printed this story, the boys were shocked. One of them told his mom, "I've really learned a lesson here." She then expected him to say something like, "Surely your sins shall find you out." But no. He said, "I've learned not to believe everything I read in the newspapers."

Overheard:

There's a lizard in my bathroom.

Why Didn't We Do This Sooner?

If you refuse good advice, you are asking for trouble; follow it and you are safe. 13:13

It has been two weeks since Rachel moved "out" of our house, and "into" her own apartment. Now, if you've ever actually been in our house, you realize why those words in the previous sentence were in quotes.

It has been a very good two weeks. It has been good for us, and it has been very good for Rachel. We are enjoying our privacy, less talking, and having less mess in our space. She is enjoying cooking for herself, playing with her new kitty, going places without discussing it first, and in general making her own decisions. So far, I think she hasn't even gotten very lonely since she's found some new friends and had some friends over for her birthday. Also, I've been pleasantly surprised how she is finding her way around in her car to new places and also being responsible with her limited income. All in all, this has been a good move.

The main remaining issue for her at the moment is a lack of a full time job; she is hoping to hear soon about her most recent application to teach at a Christian school. In the meantime, she is babysitting some nearly every day.

Overheard:

How can I help you?

Stupid and Sad

Thoughtless words can wound as deeply as any sword, but wisely spoken words can heal. 12:18

I really should have repeated the proverb from last Tuesday for today's post.

*rant*
I heard a sad story today of a marriage that is falling apart. Joe and Sally (not real names) have been married for 23 years. Their 17 year old daughter overheard a phone conversation Joe was having with the other woman and reported it to her mother. When confronted, Joe's response was to complain that his daughter betrayed him. How stupid is that?? Has he not yet figured out that he is the one who did the betraying? Oh, and his complaint about his wife? "She laughs too loud."

I'm afraid this is a classic case of mid-life crisis (not that that excuses him in any way): Joe has been buying lots of fancy audio visual equipment, a new Lexus, and refuses to let others call him grandpa since his older daughter just had her first baby a couple months ago.

Adultery doesn't just affect two people. The ripples move out and hurt many, many others too.

*/rant*


Overheard:

As long as you are here, I won't, I can't. So leave.

The Blind Leading the Blind

Someone who holds back the truth causes trouble, but one who openly criticizes works for peace. 10:10

We had a bunch of ladies from church over for lunch today. One of them is blind so she and Gary had lots to talk about, in particular Gary's book port.
Overheard:

Candy is a treat. Please consume in moderation -- inside wrapper of a Hershey's bar.

I'm Such a Dork

To be wise you must first have reverence for the Lord. 9:10

Today I dropped my cell phone and the battery fell out. I put it back in, but it appeared to be dead. Next I tried a battery from a different phone and still no sign of life. Then Rachel reminded me it might work better if I turned it on.

The swimming pool will be used Sunday morning, June 11, by the Montagnard Church for a baptism from 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM. All other swimmers will need to leave the pool during that time. Thank you for your cooperation.

25 Years Ago Today

Keep my teaching with you all the time; write it on your heart. 7:3.

...I was giving birth to baby Rachel at Kilu'ufi hospital in Auki, Malaita, Solomon Islands. The recovery room contained 10 newborns with their mothers and grandmothers. We were given half a loaf of bread and a tin cup of sweet tea the next morning. We gave Rachel a middle name from the language we were living in, Fiito'ona, but we anglicized it to Fitona. It means 'faith'.

A week ago today we were ceremoniously shutting the door between our side of the house and hers, so now she has been living in her "own" place for a week. So far, she seems to enjoy it (except for not having a dishwasher), especially now that she has a new kitty to keep her company. She also potted a plant for her new home. Women need living things to care for.

Overheard:

I've lost my car--again.

50 Years, 90% Sure

A man who commits adultery hasn't any sense. 6:32

Last night we attended a 50th anniversary celebration for missionary friends. These two both have a terrific sense of humor, so that made their party a fun one. Their kids had organized a photo tribute that covered the two New Testaments they produced in Papua New Guinea, and we saw a video of the dedication of the most recent one. Their daughter seems to have inherited her parents' sense of humor--inside the lovely arch, decorated with tulle and golden wedding bells, were two wheel chairs.

Today the husband of this couple was at coffee break with us and he talked about the fun evening. Then he mentioned a phone call he had had with his daughter when she was dating her now husband:

"Dad, I like him, but I'm just not completely sure. I'd say I'm about 90% sure."
"Karol, I've been married to your mom for over 40 years now, and I'm still only about 90% sure!"

We all got a laugh out of that, but he said on that advice Karol realized that she had a good thing and that she should proceed, even if she still had a few doubts.

In other news, Rachel got a call today to interview for another Christian school as a Kindergarten teacher. And she got a call today for a date. I have no idea how either of these things will turn out, but it is always nice to be asked!

Andrew called me via Skype tonight--it worked really well and was free.

Overheard:

I've lost my keys--again.

Urban Camping

Love wisdom, and she will make you great. 4:8

When the kids were little, we used to camp out quite a bit. But somewhere along the line either the kids got too big or the tent got too small. Then one day, while drying out the tent, the wind carried it off to a barbed wire fence and that was the end of that. So we gave up on camping.

Last week Gary and I decided to try urban camping. We drove a total of 4.5 miles to Cedar Hill State Park, located on Joe Pool Lake. To get in we bought an annual pass to all Texas State Parks, then drove past all 350+ campsites to see if there was one we liked. Since it was a Thursday, the park was pretty empty, and we found a great spot right on the water.

Next problem, we had to go buy a tent. Lucky for us, Wal-mart is only 3 miles away from the entrance to the State park. Gary wanted to buy a little tent, but I insisted on one you could at least stand up in. Notice, it is intended for urban camping.We then went back home to pack for camping. We knew we could, but we resisted bringing a microwave or TV, but did bring an electric kettle so we could have a cup of tea (that didn't taste like smoke).

We drove to a place to go for a hike (this is a big park and you have to drive everywhere, just like the rest of Texas) and noticed they had strict instructions for the urban snakes.On day two of our trip, we got too hot and drove home to relax in the a/c during the middle of the afternoon. Good time to upload one's photos and check the email. Back to the park in time drive a couple miles to the other side of the park for an outdoor lecture on coyotes, complete with powerpoint slide show projected with a video projector.Lest you think I'm joking about the urban camping thing, here's the sign at the entrance of the state park:For another account of our vacation, look here.

Overheard:

My cat loves me!

Vacation

Trust in the Lord with all your heart. 3:5

We've just returned from a mini vacation. Gary needed a couple days off work, and I wanted to have a couple days to transition to the latest instance of my empty nest. In a day or two I'll tell about our camping adventures, but in the meantime I just wanted to post a couple more of the nature photos I took while were were out.
Overheard:

The Mavs lost. Fortunately, you can only lose once per game.

More Photos

Still no time for blogging today, but since Cheryle like my recent nature photos, I'll add a few more from another couple of short hikes.

Flower and Bee

 
Not really much time for blogging today, but I did want to show off this cool photo I took this morning while hiking. 

Paranoia

There are four things that are never satisfied: the world of the dead; a woman without children; dry ground that needs rain; and a fire burning out of control. 30:16

Today I was asked, again, to amend a comment I put in someone's blog. I was asked ever so kindly and politely, and I simply gave the asker the directive to delete my comment. (And if this person is reading this post, please know that while your request got me thinking about paranoia, this post is not really aimed at you because I understand the reason for your request.)

This got me thinking about the nature of on-line communication. It made me think of why people use screen names instead of their own names, it made me think about why people have numerous screen names, or numerous blogs (I myself have two). It made me think about administrators tracking IP address so they know who is posting. It made me think about the online persona that I've seen put forth by people I know IRL, and wonder about the disconnect. It made me think about lurkers. It made me wonder about people who admit to paranoia and others who should.

In some ways online communication oozes with loneliness, people seeking social or emotional intimacy with someone--anyone, really. Or to quote the words of an anonymous friend of mine, "The blogosphere is largely composed of people seeking more human contact. We write to say something, or anything, that matters to someone, somewhere." Yet there persists a strong unwillingness to reveal truth about oneself. So often it seems we want to know, but not be known.

Overheard:

Just because you're not paranoid, doesn't mean they aren't out to get you.

Everybody's Getting Married

It is dangerous to be concerned with what others think of you, but if you trust the Lord, you are safe.

Late each spring I would hear this lament from my kids when they attended Christian colleges. It is late spring again and my kids have all graduated, but I'm still hearing it. And somehow it actually seemed true today when I was told by one of David's old girlfriends, whom I bumped into at the store while she was picking up stuff for her own wedding, that one of Rachel's old boyfriends was getting married next Saturday.

Overheard:

I'm ambidorkstrous--I fell off both sides of my motorbike.

Hidden Baby

Give to the poor and you will never be in need. 28:27a

I scarcely know who Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are, but, having myself given birth in a third world country, I ask why would someone rich and famous choose to go to Namibia to have their baby? Did they bring their own doctor, clean water, and blood supply along with them? Contrary to trying to "avoid photographers," I'd say this sounds like a publicity stunt.

Overheard:

4th grade was the hardest three years of my life.

Work and Play

The lazy man turns over in bed. He gets no farther than a door swinging on its hinges. 26:14

The Dallas Mavericks have won one and lost one in the NBA Western Conference finals. The games have not been on TV (well, they've been on cable, but we don't have cable) so we've listened on the radio. That radio station doesn't come in very well either, but we do have a couple digital radios that bring in the station pretty well. Rachel has become quite a fan.

While the game was on I kept working on things around the house. It is less than a week before we close the door between Rachel's end of the house and ours, so we're working hard to get everything ready for her to live on her own and do some things at our end of the house too. Today I installed a towel rack, a spice rack, a wax paper rack, hung two sets of cups and saucers for display, hung a medicine cabinet, and attached a folding ironing board to the wall. Tomorrow I need to put up valences in the newly painted guest room.

Overheard:

I'd be interested in cricket, but I don't have five free days.

Change Is Not Easy

An honest answer is a sign of true friendship. 24:26

From an email from my boss to our entire group:

4) One of our clever AA team members snooped out the Martin Van Buren reference letter. She discovered this link on urban legends. Apparently it has been used for purposes such as ours more than once! Seems that it doesn't float!
http://www.snopes.com/language/document/vanburen.htm

*takes bow*

Overheard:

I have to write it on the list so I can cross it off.

You Look Good In Red

Don't be envious of sinful people; let reverence for the Lord be the concern of your life. 23:17

If was nice of Jessica to come by with her bf today. I warned him that he was here so I could see if he passed inspection. Jessica reminded me of the post I made last Valentine's Day, so I explained to John that he must be a great guy to meet with Jessie's "list." And I believe I agree with her assessment. John, if you're reading this: you passed. :-)

Overheard:

Don't try to upload your photos in the early evening. That's when everbody and his blog is using the internet.

The Key to Everything

Be generous and share your food with the poor. You will be blessed for it. 22:9

Our boss came to work the other day, reached in his pocket and took out his keys, and unlocked the office door. The only thing strange about that was the key he used was to the back door of his house.

On a different note, I remembered something else the pastor said yesterday during his sermon: "Adam was made out of dirt, but Eve wasn't." Hmm...

I used to be on a forum where I used to have a signature where I used to put funny things that I used to hear. I may try that here:
Overheard:

Did you know the street price of the benzodiazepines is directly proportional to the rate at which they hyperpolarize neurons, thereby activating the dopaminergic system?

Proverbs

Do what is right and fair; that pleases the Lord more than bringing him sacrifices. 21:3

I've always liked the book of Proverbs, for several reasons, not the least of which is that it doesn't take a lot of brains to understand the proverbs. They work for people who have short attention spans. I can appreciate the direct and to-the-point style in which they are delivered, and I find them easy to apply to life in spite of the fact they were written millennia ago. It is convenient that the book of Proverbs has 31 chapters; I often read one each day of the month. I go there when I feel too stupid or cranky to understand other parts of Scripture. I've added a little template to my blog to give me a place to type in a proverb each time I post.

Church today was interesting. Our pastor is a good speaker, he's not hard to listen to, even for those of us whose minds easily wander. Today he wrapped up a series on stewardship in family life based on the familiar passage of Ephesians 5.

He had three funny little acronyms to help us remember how to treat family members.


HAT OFF -- Men should treat their wives:

• H - Honesty. Always tell the truth to your wife.
• A - Affection. Treat your wife with affection.
• T - Talk. Talk to your wife
• O - Opinion. Ask your wife her opinion about matters.
• F - Financial security. Consider it your responsibility to provide most of the funds for your family.
• F - Family commitment. Your wife needs you to love your kids.

HARP -- Wives should treat their husbands:

• H - Homemaking. Wives should take the lead.
• A - Admiration. Wives should express admiration however they can.
• R - Recreational companionship. Wives should find some fun things to do with their husbands.
• P - Physical affection. Well, we all know what this one means, so I won't elaborate. :-)

EAT OUT -- Kids should treat parents:

• E - Encourage your parents. They need it.
• A - Assist your parents when you can.
• T - Thank your parents for what they do for you.
• O - Obey your parents.
• U - Unconditionally love your parents.
• T - Trust. Behave in such a way as to deserve your parents' trust.