Fresh Perspective

Imagine with me……my kitchen starting to bustle with veggies fresh from the market being washed, breakfast dishes being put away, ingredients and pans coming out for bread making.  The bulging familiar bag is packed and sitting by the door.  This bag equals only one truth in my HEART, my husband the HEAD of our family, is leaving again.  Hubby is sitting on the bar stool.  I’m standing opposite him, fussing with something in the kitchen……maybe peeling dozens of ripe bananas to be thrown in the freezer for smoothies later.  And the HEAD starts talking to the HEART about her baking ministry.  5 minutes before we need to leave for the airport!!!! Before I tell you more about that conversation allow me to introduce you to HEART (me) and HEAD (Darron).  We have been married almost 20 years now and function quite well, HEART and HEAD together.  Darron and I both have a passion for wanting to empower and equip people who are in need.  Darron is alr...

Less then a mile away from our home here in Doyo Baru, Sentani, Indonesia there is a bridge made out of Palm Tree's.  It is getting rickety as it is used countless times a day.  I presume it is unsafe because it leans so much and it sags, but people still drive over it.  It made me think of the bridges in America and the safety inspections of them compared to here.  (This bridge is about 1.3 miles from our home and is much safer.  It is made out of steel.  Don’t let the misplaced planks fool you!) In America they have inspections of the bridges about every two years.  The things that they are inspecting are: lanes too narrow, no shoulder, peeling paint, and cracks or weaknesses in the key supports of the bridge.  In America bridges often have a second support system to keep the bridge from collapsing.  They have even thought of putting in sophisticated sensors to monitor the usage and safety of the bridge.  Here in comparison in Pap...

OK….so maybe it wasn’t a roach.  Maybe it was one of the dozens of Geckos that inhabit our home?  Maybe it was termites?  Regardless, imagine our surprise when I reached into the cupboard to pull out our token of decorations for Thanksgiving in Tropical hot wonderland (that feels nothing like fall or Thanksgiving) to discover this:   OH dear!  And then the childhood stories emerged.  These little salt and pepper figures had been with us since Jacob and Nathaniel were wee little lads.  They always graced out table in the fall.  Many a vegetable was swallowed under the magical distraction of Mr. and Mrs. Pilgrim coming to “life” and having little “conversations” and they would even “fight” and “kiss” and “run” all around the table.  It’s funny how something so small and silly can be so nostalgically important. We had a little burial service for Mrs. Pilgrim.  Where only the 2 younger boys, the dogs and the camera were present for....