Tilapia in a Bag

We had a memorable Memorial Day trying our hand at Tilapia in a Bag. Glen has had this and also Halibut in a Bag at Red Lobster. I had frozen tilapia fillets from Costco in my freezer and was able to find a roll of parchment paper in the grocery store and we got the vegetables Glen could remember that were in the bag. Glen even found a Tilapia in a Bag recipe online shared by Red Lobster!!  It was delicious though I had more vegetables than we needed. We invited Dalen, a friend from church, to come over and get acquainted with Peter and Rachel as well as enjoy the food.  Dalen knows Dr. George Flattery who is the founder and director of Network211.com, the internet evangelism and mentoring ministry that Peter is site administrator for. It was fun to watch them interact as MK (missionary kid) Dalen shared stories and current missions/ministry insights as well as Peter sharing about Project 10 Million (evangelism) and 1-2-1 Connections (mentoring) with Network.com.

Peter and Rachel will head out today to Seattle for a little 3rd anniversary getaway. Rachel has never been to Seattle so this will be fun for them. We took Andy and Peter to Seattle the Christmas Peter and Rachel were dating. That cell phone was pretty busy!

We are thankful for all the men and women who have served in the military forces so our country can maintain its freedom.  Glen’s dad served in WWII and his grandfathers served in WWI. My brother, Bud, served in VietNam.

I was also thinking of Tamara (henkelberry) and her family with the loss of her brother, Rich, who was serving in Iraq.

   
Schreiner’s Iris Gardens
     

Peter and Rachel are here and we had a great time this afternoon checking out the 2007 Bloom Season at Schreiner’s Iris Gardens, a little north of Keizer/Salem right alongside I-5. (In toomanyhats neck of the woods.)  It rained a little before we got there so the raindrops added beauty to the flowers.
 Andy flies in Wednesday and we’ll have a long weekend to celebrate Glen’s 60th birthday.

Transition and Change Seminar

The seminar here in Seattle is powerful!  The Missionary Renewal Asia Pacific team (eaglewind and colleagues) is sharing God’s love as they convey truths we can learn in our minds (and more importantly understand in our hearts) what it takes to be effective and finish well in our ministry career path or even as a Christian with nonprofessional ministry path.   The sessions are confirming things I have learned over a 21 year period of time, 1986 being when I first started on my journey to emotional wholeness. There is also a ‘filling in the blank’ in other areas or presenting in a such a way that the lightbulb turns on!  “Oh, oh, I think I am finally getting this!”  Again, most importantly, my heart is knowing it.  An example is “I know God loves me.”  But I am experiencing on a deeper level, “God really does love me.  He values all these people in this room.  And He values me.”  Maybe simple, but so amazingly profound.  Would you be praying for the MRAP team and we participants as we are together 2 more days??

This past month it has seemed wherever I turn in scripture, music, etc. these words were popping out at me.  They are here in abundance too!!  Those words are Grace, Love and Mercy.

I must share that it is so very wonderful to hear testimony of how God has powerfully worked in people’s lives.  Like my dear friend, Ronda, in Denver has said many times,

“He is our Redeemer God.”

Seattle

I plan to not be ‘sleepless in Seattle’ tonite!!  Soon.  My drive up here today was uneventful.  There was light rain.  After I got here it really started raining and has been quite soggy.  I’m very glad I wore my raincoat with a lining today.  48-55 degrees is cool with all the humidity. 

I was able to meet with a young missionary couple this afternoon, John Jr and his lovely bride, Kristen, of almost 5 months.  They are getting ready to head to Germany this summer to minister to University students.  His parents have been in that ministry in Europe and other areas as well.  Glen knew his dad from Wisconsin days.  John Sr. was the Chi Alpha director of Wisconsin and spoke at our University of North Dakota Chi Alpha retreat in southeastern North Dakota in the fall of my senior year.  He brought a carload of Chi Alphans along and invited our gang to come to a somewhat regional (ND-SD, MN and WI) Chi Alpha retreat over New Year’s.  I ended up being the only one who went from ND… by train to Minneapolis and the MN Chi Alpha director picked me up at the train station and gave me a ride to the campground.  Glen had graduated from college but drove up from the Chicago area for the retreat near St Paul.  That’s how we met!  John showed me some of his folks’ photos from a 25 years in ministry collection.  One of the photos of when they were dating was at that same retreat…. as I was in the background!!  What a hoot!!  I said, “No way, John!  That’s me in the background.”  Long blonde hair and the small dark brown glasses.  At least my brain can still function quickly enough for me to realize it was me! Too funny!

Today it was fun to finally meet John Jr. (Johnny) who is 3 months older than our oldest, Andy.  I had some old photos of when his dad came to Grand Junction, CO, for a mini retreat we had with our Chi Alpha group at our church that Glen and I were sponsors for.  John Jr. delighted in the photos and said, “I wear that sweater now!”  What’s with these Wisconsin men that can’t give up sweaters, but hand them down to their sons?  Peter has worn one in high school of Glen’s … for ‘nerd’ day.  Well, a bright, chartreuse green, furry sweater and plaid knit slacks with a pocket shield in his shirt did look pretty nerdy!!

Enough reminiscing.  Time to get to sleep and be ready to attend the “Transition and Change” seminar tomorrow (through Thursday) at the missionary care ministry I have volunteered to work with.  Their way to do things is through relationship, so they invited me to come get acquainted with their work and how they do things.  Wonderful!

What a rich experience!!

Last night Glen and I had the privilege of attending a concert at the Beaverton Christian Church.  It was the approx 90-100 voice choir and 30-40 member orchestra from California Baptist University in Riverside, CA with Dr. Gary Bonner, the conductor.  The music was superb as the Christian music had such depth.  The orchestra was great though it did not ‘cover up’ the choir.  We could understand every word.  The concert was also delightfully interactive.  Dr. Bonner is a Snickers fan and lo and behold, there was a Snickers bar on his conducting stand.  When he saw one of his graduates in the audience he paused to say “hi” and met her 9 year old daughter.  Since it was the daughter’s birthday, he decided she should have his Snickers bar.  Later in the concert the choir members stood around the sides of the audience, the front and 2 sides.  Wow!!  What a different ‘feel’ for the music.  Their energy was vibrant and, of course, their musical talent was/is fantastic!  Dr. Bonner was at Azusa Pacific University for many years.  He has now been at California Baptist University for 5 years and has built the music program from scratch!!  Wow!!  One of his protegees, Don Hoffer, has started a choir with the Bonner technique for the Portland area.  It is called Voices of Hope and will offer concerts for benefits.  My husband, Glen, is a member of the choir.  So far they practice every third Saturday morning at Tualatin High School and will soon move to every two weeks.  Glen prepared the practice CDs for them.  I have a copy so I can enjoy the music whenever I desire.  Note: there is still room for more people in the Voices of Hope, especially men!!  Let us know if you are interested and we’ll get you the info.  The next practice is this Saturday, May 19.

Learning

Life is always a learning curve.  Every now and then I get myself into a steep learning curve.  Then again.  Sometimes it is a learning curve and I really don’t know a lot how to proceed.  Just take it a step at a time and listen for wisdom and direction.

I’ve been on one of those journeys the last few weeks and last day+.  I was convinced I should really make a commitment to go to the pool for my water workout of exercises the physical therapist/personal trainer at 24 hr Fitness and I worked out for me months ago.  Well, I had been off quite a bit the last 11 months before with burning a hole in my ankle (my cold feet needing a heating pad in my bed) and getting an infection and thus needing to not be in the pool.  Then I was out of town to ND and later Norway.  Coming back I didn’t feel great for months and finally got to the naturopath to address stuff.  Been pulling out of that slowly.

So what’s the mystery and learning curve now?  I was getting back into the pool 1 time a week and then about 6 weeks ago I decided I was ready for a 2 times a week commitment.  OK.  It’s like an appointment.  Go Monday and Thursday afternoons with some flexibility to go Tuesday and/or Friday if Mon and Thurs didn’t work out for some reason.

Ooops!  I started having problems with my right hip and muscle below it, and down the side of my thigh/s.  A bit weird to try to get out of bed in the middle of the nite.  And up some nites in pain the first and second nites after the pool workout.  Have tried to work into the number of repetitions of my exercises  and all that.  I was able to get into the Kaiser physical therapist pretty readily.  We reevaluated my exercises and she gave me extra stretching exercises both before going in the pool and in the pool.  Found out from her that the leg raises I was doing were not conservative enough.  I thought 25-30 degrees was just a little leg raise.  She said, “No, 15 degrees.”  She said I had bursitis and tendonitis.  She didn’t make a big issue out of not going or as much, or about ice and ibuprofen.  Just that it is a good idea.  I went to the pool the next day with her instructions in mind and seemed to do some better.  Then last Monday I went and the next two nites I was up during the night with pain.  Ice, ibuprofen and the pain relieving cream Celadrin are my friends. 

I had also made an appointment to  go touch base with my regular doctor.  That was yesterday morning.  I was sore and it progressed.  He ordered an xray for my hip.  He wonders if it is arthritis in my hip or chronic bursitis?  Man, lying on that table and the contortions they put you through and then ‘hold it’ that way.  I went on to have lunch with my friend and then a good walk shopping at Costco.  After getting home and putting stuff away, whew!, I hurt and I hadn’t even gone to the pool.  I had decided to go Tuesday instead of Monday and Costco was my workout.

I am trying to listen to God’s directions on this.  Probably pull back from the water workout for awhile.  Let myself heal.  I am having help with some regular/spring cleaning and am preparing for when our kids come and Glen and my trip to MT-ND in June.  I am pacing.  Always a good thing to do. 

I am also pacing and planning to go to Seattle next week.  I am driving alone and am allowing enough time to get there with having stops to stretch though I am meeting a missionary couple at my motel mid Sunday afternoon.  I have felt drawn to volunteer to help with a ministry there.  In my volunteering I learned their way of doing things is through relationship.  They invited me to attend a seminar next week so I can get more acquainted with them by experiencing how they do things.  I am honored.  Meanwhile, I realize the enemy is not too happy with these plans.  Would you join me in praying for the physical challenges I currently have?  I believe I am to be able to pace and have the stamina to do the things that are scheduled for the next 6 weeks… though they are a stretch for me to do that much back to back.  God’s grace, grace, grace!!

=2:15 p.m. update

With fibromyalgia it is a good idea to have a multidisciplinary team to help you face the flares.  After I blogged I called my chiropractor and miraculously was able to get in within 45 minutes.  Great electrostim on the sore spots and her adjustment.  Plus a great, one hour massage!!  I learned lots from that and felt like good work was being done… though I flinched pretty good every now and then.  Now to keep chugging the water  one needs to do after a massage.  Supposed to flush out the toxins that have been released in the muscles.  I go to the chiro again on Thursday a.m. and then the following Friday after I get back from Seattle Th. p.m.  In two weeks I have another massage.  I think this is a realistic, aggressive approach.  They may be getting to the bottom of my goofy ankle too.  Mentioned it to my doctor yesterday and wished he would have xrayed that at the same time as my hip.  Time will tell what’s going on with that.  Meanwhile, an adjustment and I was instructed to put my foot in a bucket of ice water and write the alphabet with my foot.  Interesting…

 
Happy Mother’s Day!!

I trust you mothers are having a great Mother’s Day, and that your family and those around you are able to express their love and appreciation.

To start out my Mother’s Day weekend, Friday night Glen took me on a date to have some delicious Thai food in downtown Tigard.  Definitely some of the best we have had!  On the way home we stopped at a store to pick up a few things and came out of the store with three roses which are yellow, coral and pink.  They represent each of our kids.  Andy-yellow, Peter-coral, and his wife, Rachel, is pink. 
 

Saturday afternoon the doorbell rang and I went to the door unsuspecting.  There was the flower delivery gal with a super, PURPLE/pink, arrangement!!!!  I wasn’t expecting any flowers with the expense of the kids coming the end of the month to celebrate Glen’s birthday.  Had I even thought of it my thinking would have been, “Their coming is my Mother’s Day gift as well as Glen’s birthday gift!”  Our oldest, Andy, is one thoughtful fellow!!!!!!!!!  Later on the phone he said the promo said “for the purple lover” or something like that.  Wow!  It has filler, purple flowers with pink mums and carnations with a shiny, purple vase!!  The plastic cover even had purple flower sprays on it.  Great!  I looked online at 1-800 Flowers.com and it is called “PLUM CRAZY”.  I guess “that would be me”.

I received a really neat Mother’s Day card from Peter and Rachel.  The expressions on this card are wonderful and I want to keep living up to that!

Yesterday afternoon I sat down to listen to the Gaither CD, “Give It Away”, with the Gaither Vocal Band.  When I first saw the DVD on TV I was very drawn into the message of the song, “Through”, with Guy Penrod as the soloist and Gaither Vocal Band backup.  I’ve been up early and had that on repeat.  I realize my relationship with the Lord and ‘making it’ in my life has been because of this core knowledge that God loves me, He is there for me, and He’ll see me THROUGH every difficult situation as well as joyous times.  His grace is sufficient.  He knows every hair on my head.  He knit me together in my mother’s womb, and kept me knit in when I could easily have been miscarried considering my mother’s health.  There have been various songs through the decades that have conveyed that message to me.

My THROUGH song for the decade of 2000 is

Through
by Gloria Gaither, William J. Gaither, and Michael Sykes

When I saw what lay before me
“Lord,” I cried, “What will you do?”
I thought He would just remove it
But He gently led me through
Without fire, there’s no refining
Without pain, no relief
Without flood, there’s no rescue
Without resting, no belief
Through the fire, through the flood
Through the water, through the blood
Through the dry and barren places
Through life’s dense and maddening mazes
Through the pain and through the story
Through will always tell the story
Of a God who’s power and mercy
Will not fail to take us through

During the mid 90s amidst a lot of fibromyalgia pain I found the song Through Every Storm (sung by Janet Paschal) to be such a comfort and lifting of my arms in the battle.  In 1996 when Glen and I produced “Songs of Grace – music to sustain”, a CD and tape project, we included that song.  If you click the title it goes to a web site where you’ll hear Janet singing that song.

In the 70s and 80s my standard song on the theme Through was the Andrea Crouch’s “Through it All”.  Here are the words to that old song.  Yes, trust in God and dependence on His word are so essential.

Through It All
by Andrea Crouch

I’ve had many tears and sorrows,
I’ve had questions for tomorrow,
There’ve been times I didn’t know right from wrong:
But in every situation God gave blessed consolation
That my trials come to only make me strong.

Through it all, through it all,
I’ve learned to trust in Jesus,
I’ve learned to trust in God;
Through it all, through it all,
I’ve learned to depend upon His Word.

I’ve been to lots of places,
And I’ve seen a lot of faces,
There’ve been times I felt so all alone;
But in my lonely hours,
Yes, those precious lonely hours,
Jesus let me know that I was His own.

Through it all, through it all,
I’ve learned to trust in Jesus,
I’ve learned to trust in God;
Through it all, through it all,
I’ve learned to depend upon His Word.

I thank God for the mountains,
And I thank Him for the valleys,
I thank Him for the storms
He brought me through;
For if I’d never had a problem
I wouldn’t know that He could solve them,
I’d never know what faith in God could do.

Through it all, through it all,
I’ve learned to trust in Jesus,
I’ve learned to trust in God;
Through it all, through it all,
I’ve learned to depend upon His Word.

May this THROUGH message be a strong message to you, mother, today!

**Today I dedicate this blog to my sister-in-law, Merilyn, who has been going THROUGH health issues this spring.  He has given her incredible peace through her surgery and strength needed for the treatments since then.  I am believing He will keep giving her, and her family, the daily strength and peace that is needed.

May this encourage those who are called to minister in a creative, entrepreneurial way.  It’s the May 10 devotion from Dan Betzer’s Byline that I receive in my email box.

 >>”ByLine with Dan Betzer” Program # 3549
Thursday, May 10, 2007
“A Church in Barbados Proves the Value of Entrepreneurial Missions!”
——————————————————-
 
Hello again, this is Dan Betzer.
 
I am keenly interested in missions, as is the church I pastor. Permit me to rephrase that: we are interested in successful missions. Entrepreneurial leadership in expanding God’s kingdom around the world usually yields an overflowing harvest. Case in point: Nearly fifty years ago, Holmes Williams was an up-and-coming businessman in the West Indies and Canadian banking. He and his wife Rose found Christ as their Savior and were soon called into ministry in their home of Bridgetown, Barbados. They took a tiny church and began to pour their lives into it.
 
This past Sunday, it was my joy to return to that island, after a 20 year hiatus, and preach at the Peoples’ Cathedral once again. The Sunday morning crowd was over 5,000 – the usual complement of attendees. And on Sunday night the cathedral was packed with people even sitting outside to enjoy the ministry. When God called Holmes to that work, He told him what to do and how to do it. It is to that preacher’s credit that he never swerved from the divine call. Holmes had more than his share of critics in the beginning days, who cried out, “Why, Holmes, that’s not the way missions should work,” and “We’ve never done it that way before.” But the One Who called my friend to Bridgetown has nailprints in His hands, not a pencil. And Holmes listened, believed, and obeyed.
 
The world will never be saved by a committee, I suspect, but it will be reached effectively by brave soldiers of the cross who march to divine rhythm, who hear the voice of God, and respond affirmatively. Check your church history books for more evidence of this truth. 

reprinted with permission:
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Crystal Springs Rhododendron Gardens
southeast Portland

Wandering through www.PeggiesPlace.com I noticed the alert for Internet Evangelism Day and their site.  Here is something interesting I found at the IED site.  Since I am working on my simple web site for WalkAlongside Ministries www.walkalongside.org I knew I could glean some great insights. Thought I’d share this tool as a FYI.

Self assessment design tool helps church sites reach into the community