Don't Lose Hope!

Sorry I can see that the faithful are checking to see if I am being faithful to my blogging, and admittedly it was a bad week for blogging. Lots of stuff going on as we try to close out for the year here.

School is definitely in wind down mode even when for some they still have 3 weeks to go. Cairo American closes this Friday and graduation will be held at the Pyramids as usual. On Wednesday we are having our end of the year youth celebration now known as "Bashapalooza." I spent about 3 hours yesterday working on a music video to be included in the year end review video. When it goes public I will consider posting it, I have not actually seen it as it is so awkward to do I can't stomach seeing it as well. I did an interpretive dance to Michael W. Smith's "Friends are Friends Forever." Of course that is only IF the Lord is the Lord of them!

Friday I preached at church on Gal. 5:16-25 not gratifying the desires of the flesh, which included doing a shirt change on stage which I managed without flashing anyone. My last big event will be next Saturday as I am heading up Brenda Petrescue's farewell party. She has decided that it is time to go "home" to Canada, although I think she uses the term "home" loosely. She is going to a home they own in Western CA but she has never actually lived there. I am hoping that the party is a great send off and that she knows what a difference she has made here and not just Dave. Although she and I don't spend much time together she is one of the few remaining folks who was here when I arrived in Cairo in 1994 and with whom I share so much history. It is hard to imagine MCC without her and Dave.

As always June is the month of tears and farewells and no matter how many years I am here it never really gets easier. We found out last week as well that our Admin Pastor and his wife will be returning to the States. This is one of those times that I can't argue that God has opened a door but I hate the decision. They have only been here 2 years and yet in their own quiet way made a massive impact on our church and community. Right now I just can't visualize who and how someone can step in and fill their shoes, but am trusting that God has reasons for all of this.

Caleb is anxious for summer and a taste of childhood freedom. He is going to attend 2 weeks of morning summer school to help him along in his reading and then right after that we will be taking vacation! Two whole weeks! Our big summer goal is to learn to swim and ride a bike...maybe "our" isn't the right word "my" goal for Caleb is to learn to swim and ride a bike we will see how that goes.
Well thats all for today!

This is Not the San Diego Zoo!

Only at the Cairo Zoo can you practically stick your hand in the mouth of one of the most dangerous and unpredictable animals in the world. I am trusting that the zoo guy pictured here is a highly trained professional...NOT!

This is my personal favorite. The Polish Chicken exhibit!

Still Here!

Yup! It's May 22 and I am still here and well so is virtually everyone I know. It appears that the rapture did not happen or even begin as predicted and seriously Harold Camping and his followers must be feeling a bit awkward right now fo realz!
I joked about it on Facebook and got numerous responses, but then I was thinking that such joking could lead one to think that I am ambivalent to the concept of Christ's Second Return and that I am not!
Would it not have been an awesome day had it really come true? I love everyday of my life and enjoy it BUT I am so ready to check out of here and and lay to rest the challenge of walking by faith and to SEE Him! I want to see hug those who I love who have gone on ahead. I want to experience what true peace/shalom feels like when all is as it should be, not peace in the midst of a storm but just peace. People often talk about questions that they want to ask God, I don't really care about those anymore I just want to be there.
Harold Camping was foolish to try and put a date and an hour on the event, but we would be just as foolish to be complacent in our attitude towards THAT DAY. I have been reading in Exodus lately in preparation for my fall study and it talks a great deal abouthow God uses delay to intensify our desire. The Bible promises a reward to those who anxiously await His return. Do you?
I am off to the zoo with Caleb and his class, he asked me if we could take our picnic bag and have deviled eggs which is the definitive picnic food according to both of us, brings back long ago memories.
Have a great day!

I Was Planking When Planking Wasn't Cool

OK I think my arms are supposed to be straight at my side but other than that I was doing this long ago. My unusual spot in this case I believe was some ruin in Turkey.

"An obscure activity called "planking" is garnering international exposure after an Australian man fell to his death last week while attempting to take part in the online fad.

Planking takes its name from how players mimic a wooden board by lying rigid -- preferably in a public place or on an unusual spot, such as a washing machine, a sign or a railing. The point is to post a wacky planking photo online"

Busted

So I am putting Caleb to bed tonight and as usual he pulls out some nearly impossible book to read, last night it was the "Pictorial Encyclopedia of Bugs" and tonight "Prehistoric Mammals." Whats wrong with good old "Horton Hears a Hoo?" It has a plot line and conclusion that is what I like in a book! Anyhow so I start reading "Prehistoric Mammals" and it begins with something to the effect of "15 billion years ago a cataclysmic event took place called the Big Bang which caused the creation of the earth and all of its creatures blah blah blah." I, am willing to read about dinosaurs etc but I am not willing to give credit for their creation to the random act of the big bang so as I am reading I am doing a few word changes here, but keeping what I think is a pretty good flow to the story. By the time I reach paragraph 3 he says "Hey where does it say anything about God?" "Huh?" I respond. He says "You said that God created the prehistoric mammals but I don't see God anywhere on the page." BUSTED! Fine time to decide to read along. So We ended up closing the book and having a short conversation on the fact that Mommy believes that everything was created by God, but that not everyone believes that especially not all of our books on dinosaurs.

Enjoyed a very laid back day of rest today. I was a bit worried as I had a rough start to a root canal yesterday which had my head throbbing most of last night but fortunately I awoke this morning pretty much over it. The bad part is that the dentist was barely able to do anything because after numerous shots she couldn't get my nerve numb. So she put a temporary filling in and we will try again next Saturday. She says she has a different shot that is much more powerful. Hope so cause I am in trouble if I am going to be expected to tough out drilling on a live nerve. I have my own suspicion that I might have some infection under there but she says not enough to warrant antibiotic. We shall see. I think this will be about my 10th root canal, so much for all the preventative measures that were taken in my childhood.

Best Night Sleep in Months!

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in you;I will sing praise to your name, Oh Most High. ps. 91-2

Sleep is always the place that stress and fear most affects me, and, as of recent months, I have been battling insomnia (supposedly a sign of the onset of menopause!) on a nightly basis, so when I fall asleep instantly and stay asleep for a full 9 hrs then I must "recount his wonderful deeds!"

After I posted yesterday morning I was determined to keep my mind in a posture of faith, my iPod played repeatedly "You Never Let Go" and Ps 33 trooped through my mind. There really is power in captivating your thoughts and dictating their direction. I ended the day with my Neighborhood Prayer Watch which I started a few months ago. During our time of crisis here prayer times really became central to our church community in a way we had not experienced before...sadly. In the heat of the battle we were gathering 50+ strong, reciting psalms, pleading on behalf of the nations of the ME and it really was an amazing experience. But, of course life began to resume its normal pace, everyone went back to work and business crept back in and yet Egypt and the surrounding countries remain in a state of crisis even if we are not breathing the tear gas this time. The church has continued the prayer times, but for me in particular, it was hard to make as it unavoidably crept into my Caleb hours. One of the great benefits of my present living status is that I live in very close proximity to other strong believers and church members who share a vision for ME and prayer. So we have begun praying Monday nights after we put the kids to bed, and it has really grown to be a priority and a bond of commitment in our week. The focus is not on our personal needs but on Egypt and surrounding countries. Now any of you who know me would know that being a prayer warrior or being remotely excited about prayer time is FAR from my usual priority and has always been a source of guilt and disappointment in myself. So to find a time, community and joy in such a task is evidence of the Spirit's work in my life as well. All of this is a long explanation to say that yesterday which started under a fog of fear ended clear and light and peacefully and offered me literally the best night of sleep in months!

Muslim leaders: We want an Islamic state...Egypt's clash of religions..."I have cc'd this letter to my counterpart at the Embassy..."

Two of the above are this mornings headlines and one taken from an e-mail I received none of it was good news to wake up to. In addition my maid arrived at 6:30 am for the second day. Why? Because she was beaten up by her landlord who is trying to intimidate her and force her to move out even though she has a contract that covers her to live there for till death. Fear and nervousness swells up within me, things seem very shaky in these post revolution days. Everyone is talking about it, the local Christians demonstrate their fear in angry outbursts, everywhere I look wrought iron doors are replacing the old glass or wood doors and lots of discussion about carrying a weapon. The uncertainty is palpable.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. Jn. 14:27

This is where I want to rest and find my security, not in headlines, not in elections, not in location. I do believe that this is a time of testing for all believers in this country, but my nervousness comes when I realize at times how theologically and spiritually immature the church is here in this country. Pray for us! Pray for the church of Egypt that they might stand strong in faith not in weapons nor words but FAITH. Pray that God's Spirit will pour out upon the church here, not because they deserve it or are even seeking it but because they desperately need it. Pray that as persecution intensifies so will their faith and determination to love in the face of evil. Pray for a spiritual revolution!

I don't claim to fully understand Isaiah 19 nor do I know at what point in the time line we are existing, but this much I can grasp.
vs. 16 God's fist of judgment has/is/will shake over this land and it will scare us to our core
vs. 18 There will always be a remnant who follows after God, ppl who identify themselves with God's ppl.
vs. 22 The Lord will strike Egypt, striking and healing and THEY WILL RETURN TO THE LORD
vs. 25 God has made a promise! Blessed be Egypt MY people

Quick Update

Lest I appear to be slipping back into old habits let me quickly type a few words. It is Sunday am "Happy Mother's Day" to all my motherly friends. Caleb celebrated a few months ago on Egyptian Mother's Day so I thot not to confuse him with such talk today, today will just be my day to be thankful that I have been blessed twice to be a mom.

We had a good but busy weekend as usual, they never strike me as particularly restful which is why I am enjoying Sundays so much now that the women's Bible study is over and I really have a full day of rest...well I have lunch duty for 45 min. We had a birthday party and a BBQ with old friends yesterday and Friday was packed getting ready for service. There was lots going on at the service and a bake sale afterwards.

I am off to coffee with a friend, and then lunch with another friend, then having friends over for dinner tonight, not a restful day but a fun day none the less.

Wednesday am

Here I am for my early morning posting! Just sent Caleb out the door none to excited. On Sundays and Wed. my friends pick him up and walk him to school and on the other days I pick them up and we drive, it's a great arrangement and allows me days to focus on him in the am instead of both of us trying to get ready at the same time. Today was still a bit rushed cause I let him sleep in since he had a rough night of bad dreams and mosquitoes. He crawled into bed with me, and I added to his misery with my constant hacking cough.

After much debate and discussion over what to do for youth group last night we settled on a sharing time idea to allow the kids to fill one another in on what they had done while we were apart. Sharing time always makes me nervous but it actually went pretty good and some good honest insight. Next week will add a few more kids and so on for the next month and then poof! Goodbye all over again.

Stayed up way too late last night reading all things Osama and now can put that all to rest. Between the royal wedding and the bin Laden event my eyes have been glued to BBC, but I think at this point I know all I need or can possibly know, Prince Charle's jokes about Williams balding head and Osama burned all his trash and had a goat delivered weekly to his compound...Got it! movin on. I am, though, willing to go back and watch Jon Stewart one more time do his Abbottabadbingo routine too funny!

Attempting Consistency

I have really enjoyed these last 2 weeks after the rush of Easter my life drastically slowed down. I love getting to move at my own pace for the most part in the mornings, drink my coffee on the porch, get Caleb ready and off to school before I start getting myself ready, moving at my own pace (slow) just puts a completely different spin on the day. So here's to another slow one!

I do have to teach tonight at High School youth and admittedly I don't really have a topic at this point. This entire last semester (since the revolution) has been a bit off center. We stopped mid theme what we were teaching because it just didn't seem right to carry on as usual when life wasn't really usual, at the same time we settled into a bit of a new routine, but never really found the pulse of where we were all at emotionally and spiritually. I for one have learned some interesting things about the group in light of all this, not good/bad but eye opening. Definitely we are a group built upon friendships, hence when your friend goes you go. We learned never to advertise ahead of time a prayer event. A few other insights that certainly spark points of prayer and areas that truly need to be developed. I have great hope though that God has/is doing things in our church and youth group that will have long haul ramifications. In leadership we are praying that things won't go back to normal but rather that God would work something new in us. I just don't feel like I can put my finger on specifics, and I suspect that this year will be one we all will understand more clearly in hindsight and I look forward to that clarity and am OK with the lack of for the time being.
I am restarting a book I know I need to finish called "Mere Discipleship." I have started and stopped it about 3x. It is another one of those books that is uncomfortable to read, similar to David Platt's book "Radical." These books demand change in one's life and outlook a much more intentional style of living. I am also reading "Sacred Parenting" and admittedly I am overwhelmed with how much I am supposed to be thinking about everything I do. I tend to be by nature a bit carefree, "Lets just love each other and have fun!" On the other hand I was encouraged by a quote of Soren Kierkegaard about being "stupidly serious" which he defined as trying so hard to get things right we lose all sense of joy and simplicity. Somewhere in there is a balance that I am trying to find! So thankful that I am participating with God in the task of raising my child verses being the one who is solely responsible, I am confidant that He will bring to pass goodness and mercy in Caleb's life and I couldn't screw up what He intends to do even if I tried. So I relax.