sweet daddy April 29, 2008

on my drive home from work
i often call my mom or dad.

i hadn’t heard from dad in a
while, so i called him.

he was out of town at a big
racecar event in kansas city.

at one point in the conversation
he said, “you know, i had a great
time, but i’d just rather be with
your mom.”

then he went on to tell me how
much he enjoys being with her
and how he can fully be himself
with her and is fully loved by her. 

i almost cried.
i think, HE almost cried.
(i am convinced that if the
conversation would have lasted
even a moment longer we both
would have been in tears)

it was such a sweet and rare
glimpse into my father’s deep
affection and love for my mother.

i was deeply moved.

oh, that the Lord might have a
similar relationship in mind for
me one day.

mom and dad,
thanks for the example of
faithfulness, teamwork, fun,
love, loyalty, companionship
and so much more
you give me and everyone else
in your life. 

i love you!

walmart run April 27, 2008

so, it’s midnight.

i just got back from walmart
with julie.

see, i have this darling dress
i want to wear for church in the
morning.  however, all my shoe
options are inappropriate.

too fancy

too casual

you know how it goes,
right ladies?!!

so julie suggests a quick run
to walmart.  after we decided
to go i find out that she had
taken a tylenol p.m. and we
have less than 30 minutes
before she drops dead.

isn’t she a good friend?
she said, “that’s what friends
are for!”

queue stevie wonder, dionne warwick,
and all the wonderful 80’s rock stars
singing in the chior and swaying in the
background.

to prepare for the trip i changed out
of the dress for tomorrow, that I
was trying on for julie, and put on the
worst, yet most comfortable outfit
i can find.  we call it “crapin’ it up“.
i had to borrow a t-shirt from julie
for tonight’s venture.  i went
with as many shades of blue as
possible.  i think i won the ugly
war for tonight.  but julie usually
fights pretty hard for it.

in the shoe isle we had a fit
of laughter because we decided
we can’t buy several pairs (okay, most of them)
of shoes because they…
well…
sort of…
look like they are from walmart!

who are we kidding here?!

it’s a shoemergency!!

and i am, in fact, at walmart

i cannot be picky.
we decide on a pair of black
velvety flip flops. they will do
the job just fine.

on the way out we pick up some
more items. here are a few that
found their way into out shopping
bag:

*gum (two different flavors)

*bug traps

*batteries for my dance machine,
a game i got from meg for my
birthday. it could be really lame….
or… 
fantastic.
i’ll let you know how it goes. 
julie was too tired to try it out
with me when we got home.
the drugs

*a box of nilla cakesters.
yes, i’m not pulling your leg!
you know the new oreo cakesters?
well, they now come in the nilla
wafer variety!!!  i’m so excited to
try them!!  i’m sure they will be
delicious. at the rate that 
i am consuming their products
i should consider buy stock in
nabisco!

but seriously, props to the new
oreo/nabisco snacks!!!

julie has already fallen into bed
and is on her way to dreamland.

sweet dreams to you all
oh, and happy sunday!!!
may we worship from the
depths of our hearts today!!!

unusual April 25, 2008

so, remember when i mentioned
that my fishbowl might explode
because of all the hatred and
tension in the tank toward the
big orange fish? 

well, i do not know what’s
going on now, but they are
all huddling together like
they are around a campfire
or something.

first they want to kill AND EAT
each other, now they are sticking
together like teenage girls at a
mall.

i do not understand this behavior.

i thought it might be the filter.
maybe they can’t breathe so they
are conserving oxygen?

so i cleaned the filer.

they remain close.

maybe i just need to get a new
filter.  i’ll let you know what
happens.

for now, enjoy this peaceful
picture of my tank.

oh, don’t mind the green spots
on the glass.  although you might
not be able to see the fish through
them.

oops. 

bad fish-mom!
bad!

my dad would be so ashamed.
he’s the
B E S T
at it.  our fish at home never have
to write “wash me” on the glass of
our tank.  and his tank is about
50 times the size of mine here.

i’ll do better, daddy!!

captain obvious April 25, 2008

last night at work i was in a
patient’s room and on tv was
a commercial, with an infomercial
kind of feel, for a company
(local) offering to finance you
to buy a computer
“no matter your credit history.”

this is part of what was said, trying to
entice and educate the viewer on
why we should buy a new computer:

“you can send emails, download
music, print and email pictures…
you can even organize your finances!!!”

it was said in a this-is-totally-new
and-wonderful-information!! tone of
voice.

it would have been a moderately
informative commercial 15 years
ago, but running this commercial
today is like saying:

“i want to sell you a telephone!!  you can
communicate with friends and family in
any part of the country, and virtually the
world!!  you can keep up with loved ones
by simply picking up the receiver, dialing
some numbers and talking naturally
into the mouthpiece!  buy yours today!!

thanks captain!!

sweet ride April 24, 2008

the other day julie and i were
walking to 7-11 and passed
this bike.  i had to take a
couple of pictures of it…
to preserve its beauty forever.

i am confident a few of you
will appreciate it. 

please note the flowers on
the seat, the basket on the front,
and the overall colors of the bike:
orange
yellow

could there be better colors for
a bike of this kind?

no.
the answer is “no!”

if i owned this bike i’d ride it
everywhere and i’d chain it up
tight so no one could take it
from me.

but, as it is, this is not my bike
and i am forced to only admire it
through these pictures.

i hope you enjoy it too.

 

i’d like to dedicate this post to
erica st.lawrence. 
this bike reminds me most of you.
you’d ride it with joy in your heart
and delight on your face…
while wearing scrubs
(or even normal clothes) to match!!!

psalm 91 April 23, 2008

sometimes we don’t know what
we need by way of encouragement,
help, rebuke, strength, discipline,
comfort, and love from the Lord and
our community until we receive it.

this is not the case with me today.
i woke up knowing that i needed to
be drawn in close, cared for, loved,
and reminded that He bears me up,
strengthens my heart to stand when
i am weak, and tenderly loves me
when i am lonely.

and that is just what i got.
praise be to the Word of the Lord!

i almost didn’t read it. i’d already
spent a good while reading and
thinking. i almost stopped after
psalm 90.

i’m sure glad i didn’t!!

Psalm 91
v.1-2,15-16
really, the whole psalm is excellent
i encourage you to read it all.

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my
fortress, my God in whom I trust.’
‘Because he holds fast to me in love,
I will deliver him;
I will protect him, because he knows my name.
When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him and
show him my salvation.’”

 

I can trust him.
I do trust him.
He is a strong tower.
I am protected from ultimate harm.
He hears me.
He answers.
He satisfies.

amen, and amen

new (to me) and worth trying April 22, 2008

julie is a sucker for anything labeled
limited edition or new

so, i too have developed eyes for
new products.

the most recent things we’ve tried:

*strawberry milkshake oreos
that’s right!!  i’m not even kidding.
they are AMAZING.  don’t try them
if you are not calorically willing and
able to become addicted.  one cookie
and you are done.  they really taste
like the best strawberry milk shake
you have ever had. 

i went to the store to buy some
more today and they were out.  it
was just a promotion and will be
back later.  i resisted when the store
worker said, “do you want me to
call the other stores and find some
for you?”  “no,” i said to myself, “no,
lisa. they are not that important.
you can quit.  they don’t own you!
no. just walk away.”

and i did.  when will they ever return
to me?  i do not know, but if you are
in a store and see them,
YOU BUY THEM!!! 
not for me, for yourself.  you don’t
even think about it.  pick up two bags
and run toward the checkout line!

*anti-viral/germ-resistant tissues
julie and i have a cold.  poor julie
is much worse than me.  i’m on
my way out, but she’s only getting
worse. so i went to get us some
tissues today and found these.  they
are spotted with little blue dots.
like tiny virus traps.  and the tissue
is 3 ply!!  they are my nose’s best
friend right now.  every family should
have a box of them.

*nestle nesquick banana milk
woe!!  julie just introduced this to
me and i’m hooked.  it’s cold, it’s
creamy, and it’s bursting with a
perfectly sweet banana flavor.
not every store sells it, so when
i found it at a 7-11 near my golf
lessons i bought a few bottles to
surprise julie.  every child would
ask for it constantly if they ever
tried it. 
strawberry?  who gives!
chocolate?  old news

banana is the new chocolate!!!!

mutiny April 22, 2008

something is going down in our
fish tank. 

each morning i wake up half
expecting all the fish to be
exploded and floating on the
surface.

i think the two little fish have
had it and are ticked off at the
big orange guy.  they have seen
too many of their friends go
down and are not gonna have
it happen to them!

the sucker fish is fighting back.
actually he’s been pretty mean to
the big orange guy.  with short
bursts of swimming he fiercely
chases the orange one, periodically
attaching himself to the side of the
tank or the coral ‘furniture’ for a break
or possibly a snack.  the orange fish
seems to be freaked out.  he looks
pretty nervous most of the time. 
he’s been swimming back and forth
on one side of the tank probably
seeking comfort in his reflection.

i’ve also seen the black stripped
fish going after the orange guy.
they are doing a good job at
breaking him of his habbit of
killing and eating people (by people,
i mean fish). they are doing better
than this fish-mom could do!

there is unrest in the tank and
who knows what will happen!

name that tune April 21, 2008

this past week i have unconsciously
been searching for a song to express
the state of my heart. i am not sure
if i found exactly the song that i
have been longing and needing to
sing, but yesterday’s service at
trinity was a help.  i entered into the
time primed and ready, hungry to
bless the Lord with my offering of
worship and longing to be loved
and understood by Him.

pre-church:
as i sat on my couch reading sunday
morning this song poured into my
apartment from the church that meets
next door.  this is the second time this
week (different groups people singing
it) that i’ve been on my couch and have
had no other choice but to hear this song
sung heartily by worships on the other
side of the wall…
i sang too
i worshiped too

blessed be your name, in the land
that is plentiful, where your streams
of abundance flow, blessed be your
name.

blessed by your name, when i’m found
in the desert place, though i walk through
the wilderness, blessed be your name.

every blessing you pour out i’ll turn back
to praise. when the darkness closes in
Lord, still i will say…

blessed be the name of the Lord, blessed
be you name. blessed be the name of the
Lord, blessed be your glorious name.

blessed be your name, when the sun’s
shining down on me, when the world’s all
as it should be, blessed be your name.

blessed be your name, on the road marked
with suffering, though there’s pain in the
offering, blessed be your name.

bridge:
you give and take away,
you give and take away.
my heart will choose to say,
Lord, blessed be your name.

ummm, yes.

at trinity this was the last half of the
call to worship:

minister: the counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.
people: the Lord of hosts has sworn, “as i have planned, so shall it be, and as i have purposed, so shall it stand.”

yes, all shall be as you have planned,
Lord!  what a lovely promise to begin
the morning. i love declaring it aloud
…together!

two songs later:
verse three of Psalm 130
from the reformed university hymnbook
(p.s. i think martin luther wrote the words)
(p.p.s. i need to get a copy of that hymnbook!!)

3.  therefore my trust is in the Lord,
and not in mine own merit;
on Him my soul shall rest,
His word upholds my fainting spirit;
His promise mercy is my fort,
my comfort and my support;
          i wait for it with patience
          i wait for it with patience

i’ve been singing this verse to myself
since then. can it get any better than
that!! “his promised mercy is my fort,
my comfort and my sweet support”
this was the case before i ever sang
these words, and it will still be ever so
true when i forget the words to this
song, but singing this on sunday made
the reality of his protection and the
comfort of his love more tender and
tangible than ever. singing this made
me more steady as “i wait for it
(the comfort and supportof my Lord)
with patience.” 

at the conclusion of the service
savior, like a shepherd lead us was the
perfect response.  humble, begging
for the mercies of God.  even the tune
is sweet and matches the heart of the
words perfectly.

(the first two verses)
savior, like a shepherd lead us, much we need they tender care
in they pleasant pastures feed us, for our use thy folds prepare
blessed jesus, blessed jesus, thou hast bought us, thine we are
blessed jesus, blessed jesus, thou hast bought us, thine we are

we are thine, do thou befriend us, be the guardian of our way
keep thy flock, from sin defend us, seek us when we go astray
blessed jesus, blessed jesus, hear, o hear us when we pray
blessed jesus, blessed jesus, hear, o hear us when we pray

i’m so thankful i was given a few
lines with words and melodies to
sing to myself this week. 

there is grace and POWER in music,
isn’t there?!  we can sing something
that might never be expressed clearly
by our hearts, and the reality of the truth
within the song can resonate deeper
down in our core than a mere paragraph
of words can reach.

what song are you singing today?

what’s in a name?? April 17, 2008

working in hospitals i come across
some pretty interesting names.

since i have been in a hawaiian
hospital i’ve heard the most
interesting and hard to pronounce
names yet.

i will share a few of them with you.
it will be hard to pronounce without
knowing the hawaiian alphabet.  but
you can do some research and try
your best.

ali’iano

lehualani

kaimanalani

leina’ala

ikaika

kaipo

leinani

ke’ala 

pualani

keikilani

keola

it’s understandable that most
nurses, even hawaiian nurses,
address the baby as ‘baby’ instead
of trying to figure out their name
and possibly offend the parent
as we butcher it.  calling the patient
‘baby’ also helps us not get the
gender wrong.

“how much has baby eaten today?”
“how do you think baby is doing today?”
“will you let us know when baby wakes?”

nurses sweetly get called auntie, and in
return we call the patients with difficult
names baby?!  this can’t be right.  i’m going
to try harder with names from now on!!!

evil fish April 16, 2008

so, remember when one of my
fish died? 

well, after that the bigger orange
fish in the tank kept chasing the
last little orange fish.  i decided to
discipline this fish.  i will not have
bully fish in my tank! 

i scooped him out of the tank and
put in in a clear container and set
him next to the tank.  he freaked
out a bit and swam furiously in
circles.

“that will teach him to pick at the
other fish,” i thought to myself, with a
satisfied and motherly expression
on my face.

i left him in his ‘time out’ as it were,
for a day and a half.  he started to swim
slower and his scales sort of started to
shed.  clint came over one day and
i explained to him my fish-caring
methods.  he said, “he needs a filter!
he’s not a goldfish.  he needs air!!”
i meant to teach him a lesson, but
instead i was killing him!!!  what kind
of fish-mother am i?!!!??

so i quickly plopped him back into
his tank.  he recovered and didn’t
chase anyone for a while. 

however, it’s hard to rehab an
evil fish.  he started it again.
i didn’t even notice that the last
little orange fish was looking
sickly…i am still not convinced
that he was not sickly at all.

last sunday i woke up and there
was no little orange fish. 
but
there was a little fish
SKELETON
on the bottom of the tank.
now, how could evil orange fish kill
AND EAT
little orange fish in one night?
i do not know. it’s an unsolved mystery.
but it happened.  julie and i were so
dismayed that we didn’t immediately
scoop the bones out of the tank.

the next day…the bones were gone too!!!!!!!
what’s going on in that tank??? 

i don’t even know!! now we have
evil orange fish, strong striped fish,
and bottom dwelling sucker fish.

we’ll see what happens.

i’m sorry i couldn’t protect you
little orange fish.  i failed you.

saddle up April 16, 2008

last saturday was jane wayne day
at the marine corp base.  it’s an
annual event for the wives/girlfriends
/female guests of the marines of 1/3. 
(1st battalion, 3rd marine regiment
…clint’s battalion)

okay, remember in elementary school
when the fire department invites the
kids over to the station? they let them
put on their big yellow pants and hats;
they let them slide down the pole and
take them for a ride around the block
on the truck while the sirens are blaring.
you remember that?  well this is what
jane wayne day was…

except for adult women and
50 times BETTER!!!!!

saturday morning, after a little bit
of maufan (chinese word for annoying
bothersome trouble), i show up at
range 5 wearing clint’s gear. green
uniform: pants, flame resistant undershirt,
and button down pocket covered shirt. 
i had his eye protection in my pocket
and his camelpack on my back.  i was
fitted with a flak jacket (bullet proof vest
that is really heavy) and a helmet. 

clint was the ROS (range safety officer)
for the day so he was not able to hang
with me, but his platoon staff sergeant
(clint’s right hand man) and his wife
took good care of me and let me stick
to their side.

  

first event: shooting range!!
after a safety and weapons handling
brief given by the ROS, we got to
shoot an MK12 sniper rifle, M249 SAW
and M16A4.
(translation: some really big guns)

thankfully my dad took me to the shooting
range in okc when i was home in january,
so i was pumped and ready!!

my favorite was the sniper rifle.  it had a
silencer and was smooth and accurate,
although the machine gun (M249 SAW)
was pretty sweet and loud.  we were in
a prone position on the ground and a marine
got it ready for us, turned off the safety
and we had the freedom to unleash the fury. 

later we got to crawl into some vehicles
with big guns and grenade launchers on top,
and a marine showed us how everything worked. 
we didn’t get to shoot those, but at the end
of this portion they did a demonstration for
us.  lots of huge shells, smoke, and small 
bursts of fire as they hit the target.

after a ride in an armored convoy  we
put our flak jackets and helmets back on
for a ride in an AAV. 
(assault amphibian vehicle)
this was maybe my favorite part.  
there were long sunroof sort of
slots in the top.  we stood on the benches
and stuck our heads out of the top.  
we took off on a path that i highly
doubt was big enough for the vehicle 
because we hit the trees the whole way. leaves
and branches flew in like someone dumped
a back of freshly pruned lawn garbage on
us. then we splashed into a couple of BIG
puddles and got covered in gray muddy water.

i held on for my life and was thankful for my
height.  a little lady got thrown across the
inside of the AAV because she was so short. 
they put her in a special seat on the ride
back. i went again for a second ride!!

i really can’t explain to you how r a d  this
AAV is.  it can monstrously traipse across
any surface on land…AND
it
swims!!!!

yes!  it goes in the water too.  one little
switch and some flaps open up and there
are jets to move it around in the water.
it can go in any depth of water and swim
for as long as it has fuel.  that is the job
i want…driving that thing!!!!  we begged
the marines driving it to take us in the
water, but our feminine charm did not work. 
they like their job too much to loose it for
a bunch of girls who are already taken.

after this we went to the gas chamber and
were gassed.  don’t worry we were wearing
gas masks.  we put them on, made sure we
had a good seal and then went into a cement
box.  they were surprisingly comfortable.
much less claustrophobic than the tb masks
i have to wear at work.  but i think i’d get
pretty tired of it if i had to wear it on a hike. 

one more ride in an armored convoy back
to our starting place and our afternoon was
over. 

it was a

b
l
a
s
t

when is wearing camo not a blast?
when is shooting guns not a blast?
when is riding in an AAV not a blast?
when is wearing 20 (or more) pounds
of bullet proof vest and a hair smashing
helmet not a blast?  (wait!)

as soon as i got in my car and was cruising
down the highway toward home i called
my dad and squealed it all out to him 
in gleeful excitement.  he was so so
JEALOUS

jane wayne day 2008
was
amazing!!!

 

brilliant guitar April 10, 2008

last night i went to a concert at the
pipeline cafe.  we saw

the john butler trio

oh

my

goodness

they were amazing! 
the guitarist, john butler, played
maybe 6 different guitars.  the
drummer had a 20ish (or more)
minute drum solo, and the
base player played the sweetest
upright electric base!!

they are from australia.
musically they were incredible. 
lyrics are another story.

at a concert you are sort of smashed
into others around you so we made
some friends:
*college hair
*business hair
*dancing pregnant lady
*girl bouncing w/ the drink that
just might spill on me.

people watching is so fun at
concerts.

you have to see this for yourself:

back from the silence April 9, 2008

sorry to everyone who reads this
blog regularly.  i apologize for
being such a slacker over the
last month or so…but i’d like you
to know that i’m back!!!

so here are a few random things that
have happened since we last talked:

i am on vacation from work.  i had the
space open for a friend to come visit,
but it would not work, so here i am with
13 days of no work and no out-of-town
guests.

the vaca started on monday.  i was in a tired,
yet awake coma after i woke on monday
afternoon (3pm)  i slept 4 hours in 48 the
previous 2 days. (i think).
i tried to figure it out at work while
trying not to fall asleep on sunday night.
i did it to myself, so i’m not complaining.
i played all day saturday and acted like i
didn’t have to work that night hoping that
i’d be called off.  i was not and i did have to
work.  then sunday is church  and everyone
has to eat lunch right? …2pm sun. afternoon
is when the 4 hours of sleep happened,
then back to work for 12ish more hours
of eyelid-propping torture.  it’s all over
now and i’m well rested, so don’t worry!

i’m enjoying my days off so far.
i had a golf lesson yesterday, i’m going
out with some friends to see a band
tonight (which band i don’t know, but
i’ll let you know later),  going to a UH
tennis match in a few minutes and hope
to do something fun with weekend.

aside from all the fun-having i expect
over the next 12 days i have set some
goals for my time. 

*start reading Tim Keller’s new book
(it was a b-day gift from meg and kari jo. thanks!!)
*blog-i went to the big island two weeks
ago and need to fill you in on the wonderful
times had there…and oh, the pictures!!!
*catch up on emails
*make some phone calls
(the above two are related…i have some
catching up to do with friends)
*oil change and deep cleaning of my little poni
(my dad would/should be proud)
*have some solid reflection time and
extra bible reading.
*make peanut butter
*write some thank you noted
*have a bbq at heidi’s super sweet pad
(she doesn’t know this plan yet…but
she’ll love it!)

here are some more random things
you may or may not want to know about:

- i had a small house fire today. some
food-goo on the foil covering the bottom
of the oven lit on fire…big flames.  but
i kept my cool and transferred the flaming
foil to the sink with a spoon (it was the first
thing i grabbed) and turned the water on it.
out and smoking in no time. 

-my little poni is having some minor
problems.  her horn is broken…she is
silent and her voice is heard no more.
and her passenger side window is
broken.  it won’t roll up!  it’s stuck
down.  i have taped it up in place,
but it won’t stay.  i’m going to need
some male assistance for the next
attempt.

-julie and i have a moth colony living
in our apt.  i sucked them all ( about 8-
12 little moths) up with the vacuum
(i give kj credit for teaching me
everything i know about sucking
things up in a vacuum.  if it’s gross
and you don’t want to touch it…suck it
up!!!) but today more came back and i
have the vacuum out again. 

-our fish are all still alive.

-julie and i read price caspian together
in prep for the movie that is to his
theatres in may.  did i ever tell you how
many times i saw the first chronicles of
narnia movies on the big screen?  you
don’t want to know.  i’m a B I G  fan.
julie and i squealed with delight at
certain points in the book as we read
it aloud to one another.  we re-read
sveral passages hanging on to every
word.  you have to love that c.s. lewis!!

today is your birthday… April 9, 2008

there have been a pile of
birthdays and i’d like to
give out a few

birthday shout-outs

first things first:

m o m:
march 18th
you are as lovely as the
day i first met you…well,
i don’t really remember
that day very well, but you
are lovelier than you were
last year and i’m sure the
pattern will continue.
you are a fantastic mother
and i appreciate you. 
i love you with all my heart!

rebekah:
march 8th
30 years… how does it feel?
i need to get ready for next
year. so glad you were able to
come play with me in hawaii!
press on, dear sister!!

becky stamps:
march 12th
happy birthday, college roommie!
from college to married with two
beautiful children.  you are still
a bucket of fun…and so are your
children!!!  glad for your life.
miss you!  p.s you look beautiful!!!!

brianne:
march 17th
glad nothing too horrible happen
on your birthday this year.
may this next year be full of life
and gladness… and drama free!

nathan cates:
march 30th
happy 9th birthday!  you are an
amazing young man. i am privleged
to watch you learn and grow.

jared:
march 19th
happy 24th birthday, baby j!
it’s been so fun to get to know
you well over the past several
months i’ve been here in hawaii.
you are quality.

kari jo:
april 2nd
man, do i love you!  you have
such wonderful perspective on
life.  i long for just the creativity
you have in you little finger alone. 
you love our God, the community,
and your beautiful family so well.
i am pushed to be better!

joy:
april 5th
29 years!  who would have thought
that 11 years after we first met
in wmu dorm we’d have such a deep
and cherished friendship?  i am so
thankful for you and the joy that
persists in you. may you understand
the depths of the father’s love and
grace over this next year of life. 
what should we do for our 30th?
something big, hu?

i know i am missing people.
so if i didn’t give you a birthday
shout-out, and you are due one 
please file a formal complaint and
i’ll see that it is addressed.

i still have a couple of pictures to add.
check back soon.