Son Micah's photo taken today at Mentone, AL.
Today:
• Talked with my business associate and ministry coworker, Barbara Ann Oliver, who is in Costa Rica working with the church. First time we've chatted in a while. Caught up with her and shared a bit of news from here. We touched on an idea for October.
• Translated a poem into Portuguese — not mine — "Gaining Through Losing," and posted it on the congregational website.
• Spent some time trying to get my online-links Twitter account to post to my FB author's page. Am finally getting it to FB, I think, but not to the page. I use the Twitter option on my regular account for posting to FB, so I'm having to use a workaround.
• The Missus has set me up tomorrow with the 24-hour blood pressure mapping. Can I sleep through it? Grrrr. The stuff these med people come up with to make life uncomfortable. The cardiologist is determined to find something wrong with me.
• The Maiden got the job. She starts at Embraer's Nashville facility on Monday, about 10-15 minutes to the airport from where she lives. We're very thankful for this opportunity for her.
• I wrote on the Brazilian church twitter earlier that we expect palliative measures to satisfy us, and we always come away disappointed. Let's learn to seek Him who satisfies.
Joe Parker met a fellow two months ago in Hawaii. Joe didn't know this man or his family when he offered to take their photograph. By the end of the day they knew they were closely connected, for they share a very significant ancestor in common.
Joe had moved to Hawaii a year ago seeking a change for the better in his life. Rick Hill, the "stranger", was on vacation with his wife and two children. Upon learning that Rick was vacationing from Massachusetts (where Joe was from), they began discussing people they might know in common. "Do you know Dickie Halligan?" Joe asked. When Rick said, "That's my father," Joe was stunned, for that was his father, too (Halligan died in 2002).
This weekend, I needed a notebook. So I went to the office and pulled one off the bookshelf. I got to looking through it and found a list I had started. We were at an event 2 years ago, and we were challenged to come up with our top 100 things we want to do in our lifetime. Micah and I each started one, but only got to #30 or so. Then I saw A Walk To Remember last night on TV, and she has a similar list. So I figured I would finish my list for this week’s Thursday’s Things! So, in no particular order, here goes!
From DIL Val. Good list.
Often, in the Bible, we are shown what honor is by examples of dishonor. We are commanded to honor father and mother (Exodus 20:12; Eph. 6:1-3) but the “how” of it is given in terms of things not to do. The man who strikes father and mother is worthy of death. The man who withholds financial support in old age, calling it “corban” is breaking the command of God and is worse than an infidel (Mark 7:10-13; 1 Tim. 5:8). We may understand how to honor our wives by recognizing that there is no honor in abuse. In context this refers to undue physical burdens but may refer just as easily to verbal and other kinds of physical abuse.
Prayer is not a spiritual activity performed far from the daily routine of life, nor divorced from one's human relationships. That most intimate of human ties, marriage, affects our prayers, just as prayer may affect our relationships.
Spirituality is not separate from family life. Peter warns that us these cannot be compartmentalized. Life in Christ envelopes the whole. One part badly conducted harms the rest.
It's with Joel's cell phone, so still not the greatest quality, but at
least you can see her face and little hands.
weighing 6 lbs. 9.5 oz. and 18 3/4 in. long.
Joel just wrote: "I give you: Eden Lynne Matheny! They are doing great! Eden is 6 lbs 9.5 oz and 18 3/4 in long."
Shortly afterwards, we got to see her stretch and yawn for a bit on skype, she's a doll. Looks just like me. ;-)
Eden was born at Nashville's Baptist Hospital, a bit early (due date was Aug. 20), but still considered full-term, Joel said. Because of Tansy's high blood pressure, it was done by C-section.
Late they arrived, but they did make it fine. I picked them up at the bus station around 8 p.m. Vicki didn't teach at this one, but she had people requesting her material in written form that she'd given at other ladies' retreats and had requests for advice throughout the day.
One of two speakers was Marlene, a sister in Christ from Belo Horizonte. She blames me for getting her started with public speaking. She's been a speaker at ladies' events nine times so far this year, with two more commitments already set, and two more invitations came to her today. I'm not sure how I served as an encouragement to her during the time we worked at the congregation where she worshiped, but I'm glad to have been a small cog in her life. She's told me she's writing a book as well.
Vicki also heard that Belo Horizonte missionaries Mike and Melody Ford, with whose lives ours has intertwined at different points, will be returning permanently to the US. They were instrumental in establishing the El Dorado congregation in the city of Contagem.
About 120 participated today in the ladies' day at the Itaquera congregation in the capital. Besides Marlene, a sister from the hosting congregation also spoke. It started, after registration and breakfast, at 9:30 a.m., and finished around 5 p.m.