My Dear Solid Prayer Partners

I am blessed to have some friends that have prayed with me for many years, at least seven. We have prayed over our kids as they were growing up, our marriages in their different stages, our diets, our churches, our health, and many other issues. And I am happy to say we have a great track record of answered prayer.

So now while the whole nation is having some shaky financial times, I am getting lots of prayer myself for our economic troubles. Bill has lost his job, and I still haven't found one. Times are tough, but God is good. We will see what His plan is for us as it unfolds.

Our family has had this same prayer request entirely too much over the past four years. But God has been consistently faithful and trustworthy, so that is who we are looking to. And waiting on. And hoping in!

Reunion in Galveston, Texas

Once again, my high school girlfriends and I managed to carve out some time to get together, this time in Texas! This is our third reunion in thirty-five years and we had a wonderful time catching up, singing favorite Spanish songs, and laughing over old stories.

Back in the 70's we attended a missionary kids boarding school that only had 42 in the high school. So our graduating class was only ten people-7 girls and 3 boys. We have lost track of the boys, but we girls have kept up with each other through marriages, motherhood and now grandkids. How many people can say they keep up with 70% of their graduating class?

We "frittered away" a lot of time just being together and reminiscing. What a gift to have that time apart from life's whirlwind. Since I don't have flesh and blood sisters, they feel like my sisters in every sense. We have our love for God and our faith in common which makes up for lots of differences.

Merry Zoe hosted us at her home in Houston, and part of the time at her condo in Galveston. Lois flew in from Spokane, Washington, and Debbie Gray from Maryland, while Debbie Schwing drove in from Louisiana. Lynne and I winged our way from sunny California, and our favorite teacher Trudy Kutz joined us from Eugene, Oregon.

It was a delight to hear about each other's kids and husbands and families. Some tears were shed, but we also spent time praying for each other. I was encouraged and uplifted!

Rock Beautification Project

Perhaps painting woodland creatures on randomly procured rocks might seem hokey, but I am thoroughly enjoying it! My latest artistic endeavor involves scoping out the interesting shapes of rocks everywhere I go to determine which animals could be painted on them. Right now out on my patio is a smooth stone that boasts the contours of a sleeping fawn which I will paint soon.
Okay, so it isn't classic art, but I am attempting to use the technique of "trompe l'oleil" or "fool the eye" to make them seem alive. I have given some as gifts, which is great if the person likes handmade things, but not so great if they think you are just a cheapskate. The reactions have varied from "Oh, I love it! It will be perfect in my garden!" to "It scared the crap out of me!"
I have painted other murals in the trompe l'oleil tradition, and I recently came across some wonderful examples in the 3-D art drawn on sidewalks by Julian Beevers.

Update on Jared's adventures

After not hearing from my youngest son for 2 weeks while he was in South Africa I received a link to a YouTube video of him doing a bungee or bungy jump off a huge bridge! (See "Jared's bungy" on YouTube) Just what a mom loves to see! But at least I know he survived the trip. The team worked hard and then did some fun things at the end, like surfing off the coast of South Africa.

Oldest Son Jesse Off to New York

In two short weeks my firstborn will be transplanted to the East Coast to pursue his artistic dreams. I am happy for him. Really I am.
He has grown into a wonderful young man, full of life and enthusiasm. It has been a delight to see him discover his talents and then begin to branch out.
But New York is so far away! I have never been there, but he has. He describes it as an exciting place that stimulates his creativity. It is hard not to think of the scary-dangerous New York that I have seen in the movies.
We have now come to the part where we have to trust God to watch over him and provide for him. Truthfully, that has always been who was taking care of him, but he seemed safe in the circle of his family that loves him. Even though I don't know the people he will be living with, I trust his judgment. He usually chooses quality friends, albeit eclectic ones, and that will probably continue to be true.
So this is the season of letting go, sending him joyfully on his way, blessing his future plans.
I wonder how long this tearing and ripping sensation lasts?

My Baby Leaves for South Africa

Jared is 19-years-old now, but he is still the baby of our family, youngest of my four sons. He has been serving at the Causeway Coast Vineyard in Northern Ireland since September 2007, doing servant evangelism, healing in the streets, and leadership training in the church.
The church supports a couple as missionaries to George, South Africa in a poverty and AIDS project, and they are sending a group to help encourage them in their work, and Jared is part of the team.
He is so excited! He will be on three continents tomorrow, April 10th, beginning in Europe, with a 5 hour stop-over in Dubai, and then Africa! But the travel time is 33 hours so I sent him the book, "The Shack" to read since he will have ample time. I looked on YouTube and saw lots of poverty, but also beautiful scenery with friendly people and exuberant "Gumboot" music. What an opportunity this is for him. I am praying for him to grow and experience all that God has for him. I am also praying for his protection, especially from malaria. (It's that Mom thing again, I can't help myself.) If I knew where to buy nets to sleep under I probably would have sent him one.
Last week he went on a mission trip to Scotland and he worked really hard but enjoyed it immensely. He has promised to send photos soon of both trips, but in the meantime I will post one of him in N. Ireland. I feel like I miss him more because the distance will be so much greater in South Africa. He will be home at the end of June, but is scheduled for two more church outreach trips before then. More on those later!

Announcing the much-anticipated, long-awaited birth

Harper Jamie Henderson
Born March 21, 2008 weighing 7lbs. 9 oz.
A beautiful little boy and already loved by many!
I am so thankful he has all his fingers and toes, and a healthy set of lungs! God is good and faithful, and has so skillfully and wonderfully made my new grandbaby, and blessed my son Jacob and his precious wife Allie. Having another baby in the family is like unwrapping a lovely surprise package. I can hardly wait to see what God included in this special delivery!

Grandma Alert!

Still navigating the losses and adjustments of the empty nest syndrome, and yet I will soon join the ranks of grandmothers everywhere. I will need to perfect those skills I used to have perfected, such as jiggling and jouncing a baby to sleep, soothing a cranky soul, comprehending the mysteries of various cries, wiping of noses, mouths and bottoms-preferably not with the same cloth!
Yes, I fully realize that it is not my own nest that will be full again, but rather my son and his wife, but I have high hopes they will need some babysitting. The grandpa-to-be asked tentatively if it was standard protocol for grandads to get to wear the baby in a backpack which he enjoyed immensely when our boys were babies. A lot remains to be seen and negotiated I guess.
A baby in the family again! I remember the feeling of a fuzzy little head nestled up under my chin, sort of nuzzling for safety and security. I will sing the same songs again that soothed my own little ones. I will pray for my tiny grandbaby and bless all the days to come. I can hardly wait!