28May2013 Americana

Grub from yesterday's Memorial Day cookout.

26May2013 Quickshot: Coming Along

Our garden is coming along.  Thank God for spring showers.  Now if we can just keep the blasted weeds hoed back...

26March, 2013 Love vs Terror

Earlier this week I spent some time chatting with a Palestinian friend about the current situation in Syria and the surrounding region. The causes and effects of decades upon decades of political maneuvering shrouded in religiouseze may be too deep for a simple man born and bred in the American South. I’m learning though and thank God for some very patient teachers.

As it nearly always does, the discussion led to the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. Abu Issa shared the story of his family's flight from Jerusalem during the Nakba (النكبة‎ Arabic for "disaster" or "catastrophe." This is the term Palestinians use to describe the exodus of their ancestors from Israel in '48 following the Israeli-Arab War) His uncle had been married just one month when soldiers appeared at the family home and at gunpoint forced the clan to flee their land. En route they were stopped and searched by a patrol. Abu Issa's uncle made two mistakes that day. One, he poorly hid the little bit of money he was carrying. Two, he refused to hand it over immediately. He was shot on the spot. The family reluctantly continued in compounded grief, tears dropping on the dusty road. The matriarch of the clan however refused to leave. Her loved ones were unable to compel her to go. Rather she remained prostrate in anguish, clutching her dead son's body. They never saw her again.

As a result of this conversation I've been reading about the Nakba. During my research I stumbled upon a speech given by PLO leader, Yasser Arafat, on the 56th anniversary of this event. Arafat ended his oration with this very loose quote from the Quran, "Find what strength you have to terrorize your enemy and the enemy of God..." Nothing shocking here considering the flamboyant, oft-agitating source, but certainly stark contrast to a couple phrases I read recently in my studies:

"...There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror!" 

1John4:18a (AMP)

"You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy; But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, To show that you are the children of your Father Who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the wicked and on the good, and makes the rain fall upon the upright and the wrongdoers [alike]. For if you love those who love you, what reward can you have? Do not even the tax collectors do that? And if you greet only your brethren, what more than others are you doing? Do not even the Gentiles (the heathen) do that? You, therefore, must be perfect [growing into complete maturity of godliness in mind and character, having reached the proper height of virtue and integrity], as your heavenly Father is perfect." 

Matthew 5:43-48 (AMP)

One word came up repeatedly in my conversation with Abu Issa, was also used by Arafat in his Nakab speech and is sprinkled liberally throughout every news story regarding the Middle East. Terror! What a powerful word! But, as stated above love "expels every trace of terror."

As we walk out our faith one thing is increasingly apparent. The way of the Father is completely opposite to the way of the world. We're called to love our enemies not terrorize them. I'm praying for what's going on in Syria. I'm praying for peace in Israel. I'm praying for those who use terror. I'm praying for the strength to love my enemies and bless those who curse me.

*To read another Nakba account checkout http://deeswalkthroughthevalley.blogspot.com/2013/03/serani-story-of-nakba-survivor.html

22May2013 Quickshot: Potential

Love this shot of seedlings we're growing for a second planting of the garden.  Nothing screams "potential" like vegetable seeds or plants....except maybe children. 

20May2013 Connection

One of D’s biggest frustrations while living overseas was the strangely configured electrical outlets.  Every electrical appliance required an adapter, transformer or converter of some sort.  Even if you got everything setup correctly and the stars were aligned properly, the outlet may crackle and pop or the plug may spark and singe to a crisp.  Sometimes it was impossible to get a good connection.

That’s exactly how we feel about our time back in the US thus far.  What we envisioned would happen during our return, reconnecting, refreshing and regrouping, hasn’t really taken place.  Instead our lives have been more like trying to force a 110 plug into a 220 outlet.  Maybe we’ve changed?  Maybe our perspective or world outlook is different?  Maybe we forgot how to interact with Americans? 

We take a lot of comfort in the fact that this is all in God’s hands.  Afterall we know He “causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Looking forward

19May2013 Quickshot: Honeysuckles

Love the smell of honeysuckles in the spring.  Smells similar to the jasmine that grew on the walls around our house in the Middle East.

May 18, 2013 Strawberry Goodies

It's strawberry pickin' time here in the Carolinas.  Here are some of the goodies we've made in celebration: 

17May2013 Great Quote

Love this quote!

“God made us: invented us as a man invents an engine. A car is made to run on petrol, and it would not run properly on anything else. Now God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other. That is why it is just no good asking God to make us happy in our own way without bothering about religion. God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there.” CS Lewis

12May2013 Quickshot: Mother of the Year

Look at all those younguns!  No wonder people stare at D. every time she walks into a store with them.  It's almost like a reality TV show or something!  Seriously, what a blessing!

12May2013 Brief Thoughts: Mothers

I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me.  They have clung to me all my life.  Abraham Lincoln

On this Mother's Day I'm grateful for three women God planted in my life, adding grace and beauty, whose impact resounds daily on an unworthy man.

My grandmother lived beside us as I was growing up.  Her overarching presence casting a shadow over my childhood like the pair of ancient pecan trees the grew between our homes.  Baking biscuits, baiting fishing hooks, sharing wisdom, modeling prayer, grandparent meets dance partner.  Granny set the standard for the women in my life. 

Then there's my mama.  When a man is given a mother who prays for him daily he has a near-unfair advantage.  Mom embodied the phrase help-mate.  A career woman and mother of four.  She lived her faith and loved us.  She continues to live her faith and now she loves her grandchildren.  A graceful beacon, a friend, an example.

Finally there's D.  For the past dozen years she's been mother to my kids.  I know they don't give an instruction manual to parents but it seems like she was given a cheat sheet.  More likely her love for God impacts her call to motherhood.  Selfless, patient, compassionate, constant.  Just as likely to cook her babies a good home-cooked meal as play kickball in the backyard with them.  Not afraid to set them straight but the first one to stick a bandaid on a boo-boo and kiss away hurt feelings.  

Praise God for these three women, three mothers, three friends, three warriors.  Happy Mothers Day 2013.  

The sweetest sounds to mortals given
Are heard in Mother, Home, and Heaven. 

William Goldsmith Brown 

11May2013 Quickshot: Gordo

Our long-legged neighbor, Gordo, is back.  His nightly serenade, several decibels deeper than last summer, lulls us to sleep each night. 

10May2013 Garden

J, Z and P spent a couple hours hoeing the garden this afternoon.  Recent rains have everything growing especially the weeds.  The only thing looking poorly is our okra.  Hopefully a couple days of sunshine we help.