Evendays

Talked to Son 1 yesterday morning. It was evening there. He was exhausted from the two-week Bible camp. He had a good room of boys 7 to 9 years old. He’s going to crash for a couple of days before heading north to work with the church in Geneva and Lille.

A few minutes later, we learned of Wes’ death, my first camp counselor when I was a 7 to 9 years old. I wrote about him a few days ago. He died in his sleep.

Later in the PM we received the tragic news that Serge, Son 1’s first camp counselor, had died in a motorcycle accident. He was working with the youth at the same camp as Son 1 and died going home after the camp was over. He was in his early 30’s.

I know you will keep these two families in your prayers.

Malibu has cooled off the last couple of days. The AC is now off and the ocean breeze is keeping temps in the high 70’s, low 80’s. We will arrive in Fresno this afternoon, projected high of 111.

Our Lausanne home has no AC. When the heat gets grueling, which was the case 3 summers ago, you open the house early in the AM and close up the windows and shutters when temperatures rise, keeping temps in the low 80’s. Then rinse and repeat for the following day.

Lausanne was a Roman town, established in pre-AC days, perfectly livable all year round without consuming enormous amounts of energy to stay comfortable. So here’s some advice to survive the future global energy crunch: Move to the oldest city you can find. Live within walking distance of your favorite stores and your church. Plant two apple trees, a cherry tree and a plum tree. Don’t eat store bought tomatoes. Buy all your books used. Be nice to your neigbors (even if they yell in the middle of the night).

And keep on blogging.

We have enjoyed the cool weather of Malibu. It only got into the 90’s yesterday. Sister 3 and her husband, both faithful readers of Even Days, have put up with 8 of us relatives for the last 4 days. It’s been great (for us).

Malibu is world famous thanks to Baywatch. In French it’s called Alerte à Malibu. In German, Dummer im Sand. My brother-in-law told me the Spanish version is called Vigilantes de la Playa (sp.). 3/8 of the world has learned what Southern California’s like thanks to David Hasselhoff. Comforting.

What I’ve seen of the place, I love. Son 2 and I were at Zuma beach this morning with the in-law and we boogy-boarded till our ribs were sore. In-law almost collided with 4 dolphins, or perhaps dolphines, who surfed a big wave showing us how it was done. It was magnificent, and more beautiful than anything I’ve ever seen on Baywatch.

Son 2 and daughter made it back safely from Ensenada. So today I’m thankful to God for:

• Randy and his direction of the team;
• The leaders of the church there in Ensenada… Their dedication and hospitality;
• The churches that funded the project, from Arlington to Oregon to Long Beach;
• Stoogelover and Wifefor keeping the kids until we could pick them up.
• Mom for giving up car, phone and limb…
  

We have been on the road for 3 weeks now. We are very thankful for all the hospitality, food, lodging, transport, conversations, communion, prayers and just plain fun we’ve experienced since the beginning of our furlough. It has made for a wonderful trip.

Thanks for dropping by. 

The first time I went to camp, I was about 8 years old. I was in Uncle Wes’ cabin. He’d been a camp counselor for years and was a big guy with a big heart, a central valley farmer who’d been through the ups and downs that only farmers experience.

He would wake up all the fishermen wanna-bes at 5 am. At the beginning of the week, we’d be 12 or so, and he’d spend all of his time untangling line and pulling hooks out of various body parts. We rarely caught any fish. Wes NEVER caught any, although he carried his pole with him to the creek.

By the end of the week we would be only 3 or 4 little ones with dreams of hooking a big one. Wes would talk us through fishing technics and even believe us when we told him about the ones that had got away, consoling us when we came back from a short slide into the icy waters.

He’d let me lay on his bed during the afternoon rest times, sometimes using his stomach as a pillow. He made the week enjoyable, and I was a sad camper when I learned the following year I had graduated into an older cabin, away from Uncle Wes.

But he’d still take me fishing.

Remember Wes in your prayers. He’s in the Hospital now, his body worn down, a little uncertain of what the near future holds for him. But certain of eternity.

Today was the first chance we’ve had to share with our “home” church in Fresno about the work in Lausanne. Wife and I were welcomed by old friends that we hadn’t seen since last furlough. It is neat to be loved in such a way!

Although much of our financial support comes from the Lausanne and Geneva churches, Fresno has played an essential role in our service, being true partners in the work since 1989. But what we appreciate most is the confidence the church has shown in us. The members here really trust us. We are thankful for that.

There are others, families and individuals, who have partnered with us since the beginning, way back in January of 1985. Without their help, we could never have continued serving God in Lausanne.

We thank the Father for the church in Fresno and all that she means to his Kingdom.

Bobby’s is a greasy spoon cafe with linoleum tables and booths with benches and springs that give you uneven support. Uncle J. had been singing Bobby’s praise so we jumped in the truck and waited in a short line for a breakfast booth.

Two eggs and biscuits for $1.65. A bottomless cup of hot, black water for .65 cents. College kids, little kids, grandmas and grandpas… Bobby’s offers something that Denny’s can’t. It’s the "je ne sais quoi" that maybe only small towns have.

Bobby’s is known world-wide. Every male relative of J. has been obligated to eat there, out of respect for J. 

We’re now in Paducah at wife’s brother’s home. They live in the historic district in a wonderful house they’ve rebuilt. They sell coffee and tea at the front of the place in a trendy little shop called "The Global Nomad". This morning there were 8 people lounging in the corner talking and laughing. They’d come out despite the torrential rain to have a good cup of Java and be together.

The kids head to Mexico today. They’ll be participating in an activity that many youth have done: building a house for someone who can’t afford it. Randy will meet them in San Diego to lead the group to Ensenada. Wife’s sister and brother-in-law will head back to Michigan. We have enjoyed the reunion, the first all together since father-in-law passed away.

We just left the city of Searcy, a small town with churches (nearly) on every corner. Aunt and Uncle welcomed us into their home with great love and we had a blast hooking up with relatives, some I hadn’t seen in over 20 years. 

Nana is in a home now. Aunt and Uncles visit her every day, but she is feeling droopy and worries about life. She’ll still talk seriously to you, most of the time making sense, though not always.

I know life is hard for her, but she keeps on, never forgetting what is most important. "I’ve just wanted to be a Christian," she says. "I’m so proud of my children. They all love the Lord. They want to be fine Christian men and women."

When I’m 90, I hope I’m clear-headed enough to discern as well as she does what’s really important: Loving the Lord; Being a Christian; Desiring to grow.

Thanks for stopping by.


 

Thanks for dropping by to see our new "home". We’ve changed some of the furniture and repainted some of the walls, but we’re still the same old folks at heart and are happy to have you at our new site.

You may need to sign up to comment on the different posts (and we bloggers just love comments, especially when they’re witty, drole, and provide debate), but everything else should be just like the old home we loved so much.

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It was 0-0 when in the last minute of Germany/Italy overtime when the storm knocked out the power. With no electricity, it was impossible to know the final score. An hour later, Randy called brother-in-law in Malibu and told us that Italy had scored two goals. We thought that one of them had to be pulling our leg, but brother-in-law in Malibu confirmed it, and we missed the most exciting part of the match.

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We’ve got Randy all set up to run on Macs now. He’s taken to the transition like a fish in water. It’s wonderful when you find what you were always looking for…

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Thanks for the visit.

Brady

The last time I tread on USA soil was in May, 2005, so the changes are not as remarkable as other years where 34 months would separate visits. Even though born and raised here, you have to get used to stuff.

Example: Sales tax is not included. Don’t stare at people who are speaking English in the store. They are not visiting. They live here. And they don’t need your help.

Example: When someone asks you, "How you doing today?," they don’t necessarily know you. They are being nice. Don’t try to figure out where you’ve met them before.

Example: Some people eat tacos for breakfast. No, not just tacos… Tacos with chicken and guacamole and cheese and…

Example: It’s okay to talk out loud in the metro. You can even look at people. Sometimes even make eye-contact.

Example: The Tour de France is finished just after you get up in the morning.

Thanks for stopping by.