"A Piper Is Down!"
25 points to the first person who can tell me what movie this post's title comes from.
I'm not a piper, but I do have scottish heritage. I've been sick for 4 days and I now remember how I hate being sick. Saturday, I woke with a very sore throat and other symptoms, but I was functional. Sunday & Monday, I was absolutely useless. Today started out rough but I made a go of it. A power nap at lunch made a huge difference and tonite I feel almost normal. I think what I hate the most is the unproductivity. Two full days with not a single thing accomplished. What a waste of time.
A week and a half until I'm off work for the better part of the summer. Looking forward to some free time. Not so much looking forward to the lack of paycheck.
Update from Trinidad
The following is an excerpt of an email from Pastor Carl...
I just finished talking to Kevin. He says to say hi to all of you. He also thanks you for your prayers. As you know, he was shot in the neck and the doctor says that a “thumb nail” thicker would have been disastrous. The doctor could not believe he was alive since people shot in the neck usually die. He is still in pain and need our prayers. Today is Kevin’s b-day, and reflecting on what happened, he realizes that it is a blessing to see another b-day. (That reminds me to be thankful for everyday I can breathe).
Sue’s condition is worse than Kevin’s. She was shot in the hip and the bullet almost hit her spinal cord. At this point, she cannot lift more than 2 pounds (which is a “cup of coffee). She is in a lot of pain, but she is home resting a lot.
The rest of the people are doing better, but still recuperating from what happened. The kids are obviously still very shaken by the whole thing. At this point, they are raising funds to put fence around the living area.
The good news in all this is that doors are being opened for Kevin to speak in different places and connect with a lot of people on the island. The Wesleyan churches also contacted him and are supporting him in prayer.
Please, keep them in your prayers as they go through the physical and emotional healing process!
more wedding pics
These are just about it that show my brother, except a few group shots that aren't very close. I do have a large number from the rehearsal party that I will post sometime soon.
Yesterday merged into today
1. I enjoy tv, but in recent months, I almost never watch it leisurely. Late last night I wanted to veg for a few minutes so I curl up with a pillow and start watching Everybody Loves Raymond (sans commercials, thanks to
peekvid.com). Next thing I know, it's 6 am and I'm still in my clothes from yesterday, lights on. Even though I slept solid (obviously), I somehow feel cheated, like today just kinda grafted itself to yesterday and I didn't have a chance to make sure I was ready (clothes ironed, lunch packed, etc.).
2. I have a vague recollection of a dream I had in my deep state of slumber. I won't bore anyone with the spotty details that remain in my mind, but I do remember I was quite amused by the circumstances in the midst of my dream. The thing that makes me laugh right now is that I remember having the thought, "I so have to blog about this..."
3. Last night at youth we had Battle of the Bands, featuring 10 bands from local high schools. There's no official final count yet, but I think we probably more than doubled our previous record for attendance on a Tuesday night. It seemed to go smoothly from a logistical, programming, & security perspective. Each band had a 10 minute set. Most of it was quite hard core...I think it's called "screamo"? It's not my first pick stylistically, but they all seemed "good" in that it sounded as intended. All bands but one were secular. All lyrics were screened by Pastor Mark and anything that was inappropriate was cut/replaced (not that you could decipher what most of the words were anyway). The mosh pit seemed like absolute madness, especially when you watched from the balcony. To my knowledge, no one was hurt. A lot of the first time kids looked quite rough around the edges, but they seemed respectful from all of the interaction that I had. Pastor Mark took 5 minutes near the end of the night to share his testimony and give a brief overview of what we are about.
What intrigues me most about this event is the wide variety of responses among the adults. I heard everything from "This is awesome!" to "There is nothing godly about what is happening in there..." One person suggested to me that this could cause some of our regular kids to stumble because they could get a taste for the more edgey lifestyle and want to experiment.
I have my thoughts. What are yours?
sechs Einzelteile
1. Six days from now, my little brother will be married.
2. Gram is here visiting until the wedding. I so love having her around. She just now asked me if I would consider allowing her to dye my hair a few shades lighter. I think I will.
3. My latest endeavour is learning photoshop and I'm loving it. I get frustrated when I can't figure out how to do something or I don't understand why it works the way it does, but I'm making progress.
4. Moncton Icon finals were held on Friday night. Ben, Laura, and Josie all did incredible. Laura and Josie advanced to the final four based on audience voting (Ben HAD to be #5 because he was fantastic!) The competition was steep. Laura sang with strength and confidence that belied her small frame. And when Josie sang about God's enduring love, everyone in the place was absolutely captivated. Watching the video clip afterwards still gives me goosebumps. In the end, the judges placed Laura third and Josie second.
5. Our latest international night was held this week. The food was alright. Chicken in tomato sauce, pumpkin fritters (both from our Trini cookbook), samosas, rice, pita & babaganouj, pineapple. Not bad, but not our best yet. Trial and error. But it was a good time with lots of laughs.
6. I spectated my first rugby game on Saturday. Brutal. I was very impressed with the pics that my camera took. I left it on the auto setting and just snapped away, and the majority of them were incredibly clear, action shots and all.
Missions Banquet 2006
Saturday night was our missions banquet, the culmination of many meetings and many hours of prep work. Thankfully, it all went well. We went took a risk this year. Our theme was "Welcome to the Real World". The decor was made to look like a refugee camp. The first half of the program was somewhat light and entertaining, featuring an African Choir, a presentation from the Trinidad & Mexico teams, etc. Then, came the meal, which was a representation of the real world. Servers dressed in military fatigues were directed by a mean-looking dude in a beret. 70% of those attending received only a plate of rice. 20% got fish & rice. 10% got a typical banquet meal of stuffed chicken, rice, veggies, apple pie. One person was served a lobster & steak dinner on a silver platter, which was followed by a cart full of just about anything a person could want. McDonald's, a pizza, a beautiful black forest cake...and much more. Four servers were stationed next to him to attend to his every whim. He was not allowed to share one bite with those around him. In fact, another table that was caught sharing fish and chicken had every plate taken away. At the end of the meal, the gentleman with more than he could handle was asked, item by item, if he was finished. As a camera provided a live feed on the big screen, people groaned watching untouched food dumped into a garbage can. The commander directed the servers away and looked around the room. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the real world." Tickets were $10. Needless to say, some people were quite annoyed initially. However, by the end of the evening, it seemed like there were no complainers left in the crowd. The point had been made, and the profits made on what would have been spent on food are going to feed people in the Democratic Republic of Congo. I'm so excited and relieved that it was received as we intended. The meal was followed by a speaker who communicated effectively, a graphic video illustrating the dire situation in Congo. We announced our two adult missions trips for 2007...
I am so excited about these two trips. So completely different from each other, but both are incredible opportunities that fulfill important objectives. The response has been very positive and there are many more people showing an interest in these trips than I dared hope...
There we have it. It seems that there is a momentum building within missions at MW, and it does my heart good.
Twelve Things I Love About "Andrea Rice"
There's a young lady I'm privileged to quite well, and she's really cool. I think she makes me cooler by association. I've changed her name slightly to protect her identity. :P Here are some things i love about her, in no particular order...
1. She's cuter than puppies playing in a field of daisies.
2. She loves theatre and dance.
3. She appreciates jelly bellies.
4. She's not known to be rebellious, but she doesn't do things just because it's what is expected.
5. She loves God deeply and it is evident in her life.
6. She is willing to be stretched.
7. She's up for trying new things (international night..woot woot!)
8. She makes me laugh on a daily basis.
9. She is a leader amongst her peers.
10. She puts up with me when I'm in a goofy weird mood.
11. She's trustworthy.
12. She's a smart one.
Five Things
1. Every now and then, I'm talking with someone and am surprised when they say, "Oh yeah...i read that on your blog." Often, I can't immediately think of how they would have found their way here...Now I know I'm not the most prolific & intriguing blogger, nor do I think it is widely read, but I'd be curious to know who some of my silent readers are...so whoever you are, I invite (dare!) you to make your presence known. Even with just a quick hi.
2. It occurred to me tonite that I am fortunate to have family members who are also friends, and I have friends who are family.
3. Trustworthiness is a quality I value very highly, and so it means a lot when someone trusts me. I think I've experienced a new level of trust within several relationships this week and I love that.
4. Spring and fall are my absolute favourite times of the year. I love it when there's that new smell in the air in April/May, and the crispness in the air in October.
5. Every time I've driven by a certain wooded area on my way home over the last few weeks, I turn down the radio and roll down the window to hear all the crickets/toads (?). So many of them, it just echoes all over the place and the sound has some kind of nostalgic association that I haven't quite identified yet. I love how certain scents and sound can evoke an emotional response before you're even able to clearly conjure the actual memory.
a little stunned
Last night we found out some news that I could not believe. I totally thought someone was pulling my leg.
Two nights ago, the base in Trinidad where we were was attacked by 5-6 masked men, looking to steal a ministry vehicle that actually wasn't there at the time. The director was shot in the neck and his wife in the hip, all the while their children watching. Somehow, their condition is not life-threatening. As of last night, the director was awaiting an MRI and his wife was needing surgery.
It seems completely surreal. I know that people get shot every day, but these are people we ministered with just weeks ago! When it does sink in a little bit, I just feel overwhelmed, especially for the kids. The boy is 11 and the girl is 14ish. I can hardly imagine how traumatized they are, having watched their parents nearly killed.
Obviously, we are all praying. A picture of the couple can be found
here.
