What's in your Ipod????

It's a little weird for me... I was so tired of the music on my computer that I had to order some new tunes... and I actually ordered quite a few CD's (trying to fill "that" thirst) ... but what really made a difference? What music touched my soul? "The Remedy" by David Crowder Band and "Our God Saves" by Paul Balouche are both absolutely AWESOME CD's and ... if you don't want to waste time listening to other CD's... these two will touch you on a deeper spiritual level than so many other tunes out there today... "Rain Down" on DCB is outstanding (ok... to me it's actually beyond outstanding, it's an "anthem" type of tune) but there are other tunes that could become congregational tune like "Never Let Go". Even "The Glory of it All" is an "OUTSTANDING" tune because it's really all about "the glory or it all" as the song claims. But really listening to all the song just seem to touch a spiritual nerve.... way to go guys!!!

When we look at Paul's latest Cd "Our God Saves".... this is a guy that is so intune with God.... not that I'm always in tune with God... but the other day when I was listening to this driving to work and I found myself crying while listening to "Only True God (song 4) through "You Gave Your Life Away" (song 8)... what is it with this last song (these songs) (You Gave Your Life Away)??? even as I'm writing this blog... I'm listening to this song... and the tears are just flowing ... just looking at the chorus of “Your Gave, You gave your life away” is so VERY powerful…. And “Your grace has broken every chain, My sins are gone my debt’s been paid”… wow… who can tears not flow down my cheeks when I am reminded of what Christ has done for me? Maybe if when tear don't flow out of thankgiving for what Christ has done .. then maybe I should be concerned about where I'm at with HIM... Wow….. check ‘em out :0

While talking about music… are you're looking for something a little more “hip-hop”? A little more like “Christian rap?” Try T-bone and “Servin’ Up Tha Hits” as it’s really a great CD of Christian rap! This CD has driving lyrics and a great beat!

Help Me Understand

I'm a little confused. Recently there is the case in Sudan of the child... let me restate this... there is a child in Sudan... a Muslim child... that has chosen to name a stuffed bear Muhammad... after his own name, which happens to be Muhammad too... Sure... we don't have dolls or other stuffed objects named "Jesus" in the "western world" ... but ... ever since Jesus came on the scene... you don't see people naming their children "Jesus" either ... why? Because God almighty has already given that name to the one that is above all others ... but why do Muslims get upset that someone is using their prophets name for a doll (ok... a doll sounds so feminine, so let's stick with him being a "teddy bear")... when it's SSOOOO ok to name almost everyone in Islamic society "Muhammad"? Most of the Muslims I know have Muhammad in their name somewhere.... Did I miss something somewhere????? Or is this just a case of "selective reasoning"? Ouch... did I say that??? I know Islam continues to advance as a religion in the world... but it's interesting to see how spun up Muslims get when their beliefs and religious rules are attacked... I wonder what will happen to me personally since I'm posting this from my home... but it's time I make a stand myself and called a spade a "spade".... we in the west don't get all bend out of shape when our Savior is portrayed in demeaning ways. We are secure in our belief that Jesus Christ is our Saviour... He tells us "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6) ... maybe that's part of our problem in the west... .we're so tolerant of everyone else's opinions that we've LOST the true conviction of our own beliefs in God to put up a fuss when derogatory things are said about our own Savior ...

Mia Learns to Bike

It's kinda' funny. We had gone to the basement earlier so Mia could ride her skuter and then once we came back upstairs Angela mentioned that she'd like to go to the basement and ride her bike. That was ok but Mia wanted to attempt to ride her bike... something we actually had not attempted since we left Connecticut to come to Cairo... since the last time we figured she'd be an "easy learn" of biking because of her skutering skills... so... it really wasn't a matter of her not being able to balance a bike, but it was more just a matter of us not having taken the time to let her practice the balancing that is needed to ride a bike. Well, today was Mia's day... she got on the bike... and was off! Congrats Mia... you're off on a bike.

Over Half Way

That's the neat thing about school... the things that we celebrate. In this case... it's the half way mark of the semester. For the Humanities course we're suppose to go to a Japanese Tea Ceremony and give a critique of the event... but when you live in Cairo... where in the world do you find someone doing a Japanese Tea Ceremony? Yeah... that's what I thought too... not here in Cairo anyways... but thank God for the wisdom to call the Japanese embassy and see what they knew... and lo and behold... there's a ceremony next week. They only perform the tea ceremony here twice a year... and go figure that it just happens to be during the course I'm taking. Thank you Lord, for His timing is perfect. Now Sandra and I are going to turn the outing into a mini date.

This week in History was interesting from a practical point of view... it was The Rise of Islam and its Impact in the Region... it's actually interesting to be taking a course that applies to where you live... and to what people believe in the area you live... especially when it's so different than yourself.

More Homework... 2nd Grade Style

OK... I know I find myself consumed in my own educational pursuits sometimes (ok... not just sometimes...), but my kids are still in elementary school... which means they have their own homework to complete... usually four nights a week. In this case, Mia had to make a collage of her country of birth. So... what do you think? Can you tell where she was born by her artwork?

Actually as a parent I have to say I am very proud of the work both girls are doing this year. Keep up the great job you've been doing ladies :-)

As a side note about 2nd grade... a few weeks ago while my own Humanities class was studying about colors and their meaning Mia comes home and basically tells me what I just learned in my course (maybe I'm wrong to say this... but it's so sad when a second grader not just learns... but KNOWS this stuff). So ... is it second graders are learning college level material or ... a little more likely... have I forgotten absolutely everything I EVER learned in school and need to be taught all over again in college? :-)

Middle School Choir

Angela has been pretty busy at school ... she is in mixed choir this year and they had their first performance recently... then last weekend she attended the 24 hour drama at school too... Although she claims to be shy it's these very kind of activities that will build her confidence to be in front of people later in life... well... if she has to be. Now she's even thinking of trying out for the next middle school play... which is a big step for her :-0

...And Homework

The Humanities course I'm taking has been interesting... but time consuming at the same time. For the architecture portion of the course I critiqued our house back home and then the Mohammad Ali palace inside the Citadel. I've been here before, but never looking at the place with this kind of scrutiny. It really is an interesting structure, and because of the high domes the inside really does have an expansive feel to it... plus it's cool even on a hot day without air conditioning.

This homework assignment wasn't bad, but the last two weeks have also had me racing to finish the Fyodor Dostoyevsky "The Brothers Karamazov" book... with the second half being close to 400 pages... which for me... oh man, that's like a years worth of reading needing to be done in two weeks. Ouch! It really was an interesting book with Dostoyevsky painting very believable characters with their strengths and faults... but thankfully... the book is done and it's on to other assignments :-)

So Where Have I Been??

Well, it's hard to believe that it's already been 3 weeks since the last post... and for the most part it's just been plain busy here. So... a short recap I guess is in order. Auntie Carmen went back home to the Philippines after coming back with us in July, here we were on our way to the airport and the staff at our apartment were saying good bye. Her time here was a blessing to us with watching the girls and for her it was a blessing to have the chance to come to Egypt and see a little of the country.

Band in a Box

This last weekend as part of the Humanities course I'm taking I needed to watch and evaluate a live band... this was a small problem to me since we've never gone "clubbing" here in Cairo and we don't (ok until there, didn't) have a clue as to the nightlife here... but a good friend gave me a tip on "After Eight" in downtown Cairo as a possible venue for my homework. I made a reservation (table 6) and we got there about 15 minutes before the band (Skin Deep) went on stage. Now as you can see... the band is playing in a box... literally. It actually looks like the place had a small garage and they closed the car doors and knocked the wall down on the restaurant side and put up some curtains and ... whala... you have a "band in a box" stage. All in all they were pretty good. The only drawl back was all the cigarette smoke... it seemed like everyone except the waiters were smoking... will we be back? Ah... I'm not too sure about that one... but it was a good experience... and I did get enough material to complete my homework.

Rain?

Are those rain clouds in Cairo? Well... yes they were. I know where you're at in the world rain isn't a big deal... but here in the Middle East, when it rains... it's like snow in Georgia... or maybe an ice storm in the Northeast... and everything gets a little out of whack here.. but more unusual is the fact that it rained... in October!

The nice thing about todays rain? It smelt good, like a spring rain back home. Funny the smells you can miss. Next time it rains (before the snow comes), go out and just enjoy watching the provision of our Creator as He takes care of His creation... enjoy the rain.

4 Day Weekend / Can You See The Difference

We went camping in the desert during the recent Eid holiday. Ok... we stopped at these Roman ruins close to the lake in Fayoum... and just to give you an idea of how high these walls were... you can open the pick on the right (ok... maybe it's on the bottom now...) and see the "speck" there (5 ft 6) ... just to give the wall height some perspective. I'm gonna' guess the walls were about 40 ft high. It's really amazing that this place was made out of mud bricks... and the Roman's haven't been in Egypt for quite some time now... right in front of this old outpost is part of a Roman road... of course it looks like it goes straight to the lake.

Fresh Driven Sand

Cone Shells Too

It's crazy to see thousands upon thousands of these cone shells in the area that we camped in.

Possible Christmas Card ...

Looking up the hill from the coral (below shot) you can see the "crocodile house" on the right and a nice plateau on the left... this was Sandra and Carmen's first time to the "real" desert... and it was a one night camping trip to boot :-)

Ah yes, a chance to leave the noise of the city for a day... breath some air that wasn't filled with exhaust... and maybe even see some stars...

Where's The Water ?

The desert here is a very interesting place... you see shells everywhere... like here we came across this scattering of what appears to be petrified coral. Simply amazing. Then there are clams and oyster shells all over the place too.

Humanities Homework ... Coptic Museum

Visit a museum and write about two paintings. I went to the Coptic Cairo Museum again, but this time I actually looked at the art work with a purpose... instead of just to say... oh yeah, I've been there. I choose a wall painting of Jesus with two angels from the 6th/7th century found in the Monastery of Saint Jeremiah in Saqqara. My second pic was of Michael the Archangel holding a staff and a balance scale. This one was painted in the 18th century so not quite as old as the first.

When it was time to catch the train back home, I gave the ticket guy a 20 pound note to buy my one pound ticket... but he didn't have change. He just gave me a 10 and 2 fives. So I was thinking, oh, I see, I have to go and find my own change. My first thought was to go and find change... or maybe to go back to the guard I had tipped 2 LE to and ask for pound back so I wouldn't have to hassle with the change issue... but that was just a fleeting thought really. But then the thought came to me to buy 5 tickets... and bless those around that needed a ticket. The ticket guy didn't seem to keen on the idea of me buying 5 tickets ... but the old lady standing there waiting for him to get change so she could get a ticket like it... and another old lady that didn't have a ticket to get out from riding the train was happy to get a ticket... then a guy buying a ticket for himself and his wife thought I was crazy... trying to GIVE him a ticket... without him needing to pay anything for it, he did finally take the 2 tickets. That was so cool... God provided an opportunity to bless some people with free rides.

Recognize This ??

Of course you do... if you're really not sure... click "older posts" to see the answer...

Some Things Are Universal

Well... they're the same except for the addition of the Mc Arabia Grilled Kofta... and if you want, you can get any of your burgers on pita bread instead of the regular bun... I have to say the fries are better here... because they're still allowed to salt them without you having to ask for salt :-)

Is This Elijah's Tree?

Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day's journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, Lord," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors." Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep. (1 Kings 19:3-7)

Every time we're out in the desert driving and I see one of these trees... in the middle of no where... I can't help but to think of Elijah. Is this a "broom tree"? I haven't a clue really... but to me just seeing this tree makes me think of Elijah. It is amazing though all the amazing things God had done through Elijah (the profits of Baal and the drought and prayer for rain were just a few of them) before getting to this tree in the middle of no where... he had been on a super spiritual high that followed by this super spiritual low. Ups and downs... sounds like my life... what about yours? What's so cool though is God's faithfulness in all circumstances.

Even here in the middle of no where the Lord fed him. I know it's so easy to get to the "middle of no where" in our society with all the distractions we have ... tv, phones, ipods, work... the list really is endless... our enemy would like nothing more than for us to wander around in the wilderness for 40 years... I think Psalm 139:1-7 is a real source of encouragement ...

O Lord, you have searched me and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O Lord.
You hem me in - behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?

Time Never Stops Does It

Where in the world have I been these last few weeks? Here in Egypt that's true... but not here on the site ... oh... you noticed? Sorry...

It's funny, work is slowing down... which is great... but now taking 2 courses online that both started 1 Oct... and that's great ... but the Humanities course instructor is really challenging me to be actively engaged in his curriculum... Call me silly... but I expected Hum 1000 to be a "cake walk" but ... oh boy... reality check for me... so... with a new set of courses starting and then our going to Sharm this last weekend... I've found myself continually behind in reading and posting discussion questions... and well... just keeping up with everything else has led to my absence.

Now with the trip to Sharm it's interesting the things you see on the 500km trip... this was one of those ... goats running between the traffic ... It was also amazing the number of cars we saw sitting or abandoned on the road from serious accidents.

The beach in Sharm was pretty nice... but we've come to two conclusions.... 500km is a long way to go just for 1 full day at the beach... and 2, some of the foreigners that come there on vacation from other countries just make it hard to enjoy the beach in a family setting... maybe we're going to have to start looking for some other places to go for some time on the beach.

Glasses for Everyone

I don't remember if I mentioned that we have all been doing the dental and eye exam check-ups here lately... and Karmia was the winner in the dental area... she had zero cavities... even after a whole year between check- ups.... but now ... as you see... she has a strong does of dad's genes and now has her first pair of glasses ... so far she seems to like them. Really she only needs them for reading... but so far she seems to enjoy wearing them all the time.... even I'm getting a pair of glasses again.... it's been four years since I had laser surgery and one of my eyes is weakening again... oh well... As for the mold of teeth... well... those are Angela's. These will be evaluated by our insurance to validate that she needs braces, so we won't have to pay for them 100% anyway.

Brian Doerksen Comes to Cairo

It was really great to have Brian Doerksen and his band extend their tour to include Cairo... although I'm delinquent in posting about it since they were here last weekend... opps... well, anyway, it was still great to hear "Light the Fire Again", "Faithful One", and "Come, Now is the Time to Worship"... along with many other songs that he's written... here... in Cairo. Brian's message from Psalm 23 was about the characteristics of sheep was a great set up for our own cell groups study in Matt 25:31-46... with the sheep and the goats... anyway, they led the regular services on Thursday and Friday and then had a concert on Saturday night at the local softball field... which was quite the feat! Well done to MCC and especially Mark for coordinating the whole thing. Our whole community got to enjoy some truly heavenly music for a change :-)
Thanks Brian from coming to town, we truly enjoyed it!

God's Love & Forgiveness

I was talking with a friend the other day and I asked how his relationship with God was these days... I also asked if he had found a good church to attend in his area... and his reply was "I went to a church here once but didn't go back because I was afraid of what God would reveal to me about myself".... and he also told me that he was afraid if he started to get close to God again... that God would turn His back on him...

I was actually surprised by his answer... I tried to explain that the Lord is not one to withdrawal from us... it's actually quite the opposite... we are told in Isaiah 55:6-7 to "Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked (all of us) forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon."

There's a lot in there about how much our heavenly Father loves us and wants to drawl us near to Him... we don't have to clean ourselves up to come to Him... He just wants us to come... He'll take care of the rest. He desires to forgive us and to have us near... but the key is we have to come to Him.

Greek Tragedy

It's interesting, I don't remember if I've ever read any of the Greek Tragedies while in High School... British Lit and Shakespeare, yes... but in any event I'm taking basic Humanities next semester and started reading Sophocles and The Theban Plays... and I've actually enjoyed it... what's more, I have found it very interesting to see that there was a concept of honoring one's word... no matter the cost to oneself... 2,400 years ago. I at least see why this book is part of the course curriculum now ... it's quite a lesson in honor, even in the incredibly weird stories given...

While reading Antigone I was impressed with her statement "We have only a little time to please the livings, but all eternity to love the dead." Wow... that's absolutely right... and in the context she was saying this she knew the right thing she needed to do could cost her her life... and then I think of how this relates to life today... it's not about being a "man pleaser" that is important in this life now, it's about doing what is right now... and that will have eternal rewards from our Heavenly Father. It's a matter of living a life that is surrendered to the will of Christ today... and everyday.

Friday Afternoon

What do you do on a lazy Friday after noon? Go out to the local wadi and enjoy some time with friends that's what! There's just something about being out in the rugged outdoors and enjoying letting the kids run without worrying where they are... or what they're doing.

I look at this countryside and can't help but think of David and his prayer in Psalm 61.... "Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings."

And it's Still Busy Here

But what else could take up all our time here? Back to school events... a wedding where Angela was the Bride's maid and Mia was the ring bearer... best wishes to Sam and Cathy as they begin their lives together... but we've had dental exams this last week... eye exams... and now that we've been here just over one year, it's time to re-register the car... then there's all our regular commitments through the week... Well, life in Cairo keeps us busy that's for sure.

14th Anniversary

Wednesday the 12th was our 14th anniversary... and my bride was so nice to take this years celebration of our vows to another level by scheduling dinner out, we ate at the Bukahara (Indian cuisine) and then surprising me by reserving a room for just the two of us at the JW Marriott... she went so far as to pack for me and didn't let me know we were going to the hotel until AFTER dinner :-) and indeed it was great to have some time just for us without the girls. A little massage and some more time just resting in the lawn chairs on the sand gave us time to just relax and chat. It's the chatting part where a marriage is really built. Thank you Mahal for a great anniversary.

The Dairy of a Cairo Driver

It's been a while since I've written, but one thing that sits on my mind is driving here in Cairo and all the different things I see going back and forth to work here.... Things like a guy driving his pick-up truck with his head out the window to see where he's going... because the windshield is shattered and he couldn't see where he was going otherwise... or maybe the people in a little cab with a bicycle on the roof... and arms coming out of each window to hold it on the roof as they drive along... or there are the single car accidents where people seem to be attracted to the light pools with the center of their hoods. I'm actually surprised how strong those polls are because they never seem to fall from the hit ... as the cars here are no match for them when they hit 'em. Then the trucks with their loads of cargo... or rubbish loaded so high you just wonder if the truck is going to tip over... not that I haven't seen that either... an 18 wheel truck laying upside down on the freeway like a "dead cockroach" with all 18 wheels pointing towards the sky... with a few 100 backs of something on it... or maybe two guys on a moped, with one of them holding a satellite dish... there are so many times I wish I "had a camera" for things I see... well... driving here is truly an interactive experience... and honestly... I wouldn't trade these driving experiences for the roads back home!

Back To School

It's amazing... another summer gone by and the girls are back to school again. I know for me back to school always was followed by the changing of the leaves and the change of seasons... there was always something a little magical about this time of year... I mean, don't get me wrong... I was never one to look forward to going back to school, but I still liked fall and all that went with it. Jumping in piles of leaves... the first day you can "see" your breath... and then of course there's football... lots and lots of football... pee-wee (ok, micro, juniors and seniors) ... high school... college... and yeah... pro... never too much football....

Well... no leaves are changing in our neighborhood... we'll have to leave all the "leaf racking" to you there :-) One thing that is the same though... and that is that the Lord is here too... working here in this land just as He was thousands of years ago. Continue to pray for a softening of peoples hearts here in Egypt so they will be open and receptive to the word of God and to come to a true understanding of who their Savior really is and to have the courage to accept Him today.

Rescue Diver Course

What a weekend... the seven of us that have been working on the PADI Rescue Diver course went to Dahab and did all the skill sets required in the water... what a workout the actual retrieval of the simulated unconscious diver and then the towing of them to shore ... then couple that with the rescue breathing... wow... I was spent by the time it was over... the great thing about the course is it teaches you to look out for those around you... and because you've practiced the many of the different type of unusual things that could ...and sometimes do happen while diving... well... you're just more prepared for the "what ifs" of diving.

The girls finished up their week of Vacation Bible School on Thursday... they really like the tunes that they heard there... And now tomorrow is the beginning of another school year here :-)

Is The Pressure Really On... Or is it Just Me?

What do I mean by that? I seem to manage to fill every minute of the day with stuff... of course there's time for work (don't work... don't eat) ... then there's the one college course this semester... put a bible study in there once a week... add the Rescue Diving course training going on the last 2 weeks... plus... well, you get the picture... but what is it all for?

I know yesterday I was a little stressed after having taken the family to Ain Sukna to rest. Imagine that, we go away to rest... and I come back more stressed. The kids had a good time, swimming in the pool there... and wading in the shallow Red Sea and playing in the sand and mud there... but I came back more stressed because of falling a chapter behind in the online course coupled with the diving class going on. But God knew my stress and intervened... He knew I was concerned how I'd get a major homework project done while doing the diving course work... so He provided a shortened diving training class last night... allowing me to focus on the college work... and really bringing a load of relief to an over-active- self-imposed- stress- filled- mind.

Cast your care on the Lord, He will never let the righteous fall. Ps 55:22 That about sums it up. When everything seems out of control... it's time to re-center and remember that He is the one that is in control of everything.

I Will Be Careful to...

....................................................... Lead a Blameless Life-

Wow. Ever read something and you think... ah, that's great for him... or someone else, but there's no way that applies to ME! Yeah, that's what I had to ask myself last night while reading Psalms 101 when I got to the 2nd verse. . . So, does it apply?

I mean when the Psalm started it was "all good". Here we have "I will sing of your love and justice; to you, O Lord, I will sing praise". Fair enough... easy enough really... I love to sing... and hey, to sing of His love and justice... all right... let the singing begin. Then there's where we're suppose to love others in the love of Christ, still an admirable thing but ok, let's give it a try. But then David makes this declaration in v2 that "I will be careful to lead a blameless life - when will you come to me? I will walk in my house with blameless heart. v3 I will set before my eyes no vile thing. The deeds of the faithless men I hate; they will not cling to me"

Again I have to say... wow! I mean giving my life to Christ is one thing... but to make a commitment to do "my part" and covenant with Christ to lead a blameless life... I know it's just me and my selfish self but ... I don't usually think of "attempting" to live a blameless life. I've always just thought... if I do good, praise God... if I fall... ah, Lord will you forgive "this... again"... and move on again... but to covenant to be blameless... and that beginning in my own house before even getting to the house of God... that's a real commitment. I mean, there are so many ways for a guy to sin... at home... where it's out of the public sight... but God knows... and that's where my own commitment needs to begin... Now what does it all mean?

I believe in the end it comes down to faith in our Lord. We've not capable of living the sinless life, otherwise we wouldn't need the Savior. But... by His grace coupled with His Spirit, we are washed clean and can live a blameless life, but really, it's by His Spirit we (I) can live a blameless life. Wow! Live LARGE in Christ!

Summer Doldrums

It's hard to believe that it's almost been two weeks since I've taken the time to post... but the truth is, now that the summer vacations are over... it's a little like "back to reality" and I'm a little unmotivated ... yeah... the summer doldrums are upon me.

I mean, there's plenty going on here to talk about. In church we've started a series on the parables which is really good, we've looked at the wine skins and the wise/foolish builders. Our Monday cell group just met again for the 2nd time this summer... and we went over the parables of the "mustered seed" and the "yeast" in Matt 13:31-33... and there was some great discussion... praise and worship was nice last weekend... but really... I just have that uninspired feeling ... maybe I just need to put it out here that I feel this way... and the "fog" as it were will lift and I can get back into things without wishing I was still on vacation somewhere instead of "back to work"... I mean, I'm glad to be back here in Cairo... and actually have a new found enjoyment in being here ... but I'm still feeling a little lazy :-}

Live Aboard Diving... WoW!

I wasn't really sure what to expect... except to see loads of sharks on our diving trip to the Brothers Island... well... the sharks didn't get the dive trip agenda and were pretty scarce (I only saw 2 ... and on the same dive)... but that didn't ruin the trip... it was an excellent experience to see the Red Sea and so many other fish that I'd never seen during other dive trips... Of course there we the two Grey Reef sharks (Longnose Blacktail Shark variety became the naming debate) with one giving a great view at around 70ft (can you see his smile?) There were so many other fish to see though, schools of juvenile Barracuda's (pic to the right) along with the solitary adult Barracuda's, schools of goat fish with a few 1,000 fish in them... Gigantic Napoleon's, Morey Eels out swimming around, tons of Blue Spotted Rays, clear fin and common Lion fish, Octopus (they are really amazing how they camouflage themselves into the reef), and really... the list goes on and on. Roger, Hussein, and Gary took tons of pictures, and I have to thank them for sharing their pics with all of us from the trip, these that are here are from Gary ... oh yeah, the pic on the left is a little display of how amazing the corals were too.

... and Good Bye Cairo

... well, good bye for a week anyway... it's just been a week since returning and being back to work which has led me to take another week of vacation... ok... work wasn't that bad... but this is the diving trip of the summer so I just couldn't pass this trip up... the group of us from work will leave in 20 minutes and head to Hurghada and then sail out to the Brothers Island. We'll be using the Sea Queen for our trip... five nights of live aboard diving... should be really interesting.

Good Bye Manila... and the Philippines

Well, it's that time again to leave the Philippines and return to work... it was great to see all the folks we saw... but it was indeed a very busy 20 days in country... boat and jeepney's rides along with the shopping that we were able to get in did indeed make this years trip one we'll always remember.

Some Things Are Only in the Philippines

The girls and I did manage to squeeze in a trip to the Manila zoo in between visiting relatives, shopping, and working Auntie Carmen's paperwork to come to Egypt...

The "petting zoo" there is not like what you'll find back home... they have Boa Constrictors along with Burmese Pythons that you can drape on your shoulders for a photo op... they have large tortoises that the kids can sit on ... and loads of birds that they'll put on you ...again... for that photo op...

How about a "pet" alligator? He was cute that's for sure... all I could see while holding him was a new wallet... or some wild shoes... all he could see was that clear tape on his snout keeping him from a tasty meal of little girls and the crazy guy holding him... as you can see... Angela wasn't too keen on the whole alligator thing...

Relatives In Manila

... yes we made it to Manila without a hitch. Thank you Father God for holding the seasonal typhoons at bay during our sea travels.

... and even in Manila there were plenty of relatives and friends to visit. Here we have Auntie Rica and her family along with Judy and Nelson... it really was so good to see everyone.

Family Family Family

It's hard to believe we've already been here in the province for a week now... and that we'll be heading back to Manila very soon... but everyday has been busy with seeing relatives and running into old friends everywhere we seem to go. This shot was taken just before we left for Mahighag for a day of swimming at a natural spring that was channeled into a great man-made set of pools. The water was very refreshing (ok... just another way of saying extremely cold) but with the heat here it was still a great way to spend an afternoon.

And we've seen some rain. Everyday it's rained in the afternoon and then into some of the evenings... and because of the rain, it's green EVERYWHERE.

A Trip Like This is All About Family...

It’s hard to believe it’s been over 7 years (7 yrs and 7 mths to be exact) since our last visit to Molave. The older folks really haven’t changed much… but their kids… oh my, it’s amazing their changes as many of the kids we remember are now young adults. That in and of itself reminded us that it’s really been way too long since our last trip here. Now the question is "will we come sooner than 7 years before the next visit?" well, only time will tell, but for now it’s time to enjoy seeing everyone we haven’t seen in years.

While Out at Sea...

... it’s really easy to get the "bug" to want to be back out at sea… the unlimited visibility past the horizon, the billowing summer (rainy season here) clouds towering to 30,000+ feet into the sky… the sound of the water peeling off the bow of the ship as it cuts through the sea… the awesome night time viewing of the uncountable number of stars with a new moon in full effect (really reminded me of those night time watches as a Deck Seaman during WestPacs deployments and looking for these same kind of boats so we didn't run them over) … seeing two shooting stars, many flying fish, and at night the sea lit up with the lights from small little fishing boats (I counted 35 ‘little lights’ on the second night) … and some very strong heat lightening. All in all… these are the very reasons we decided to take the boat from Manila down south… Thanks be to God that no typhoons were on course during our travel, that’s an answered prayer for sure : - )

And they Moved the Departure Location of the Piers!

It was a little funny… the cab driver was getting ready to turn towards the waterfront area that foreign cruise liners would pull into so I told the guy… "uh, don’t the WGA ferries depart from over the next bridge down on the edge of Tondo?" His response, "as far as I’ve known they leave from here." Well, I had the guy go straight just to check… but sure enough, they had indeed moved the piers to this new location. And oh boy, has getting on the ferry changed here in the Philippines. All luggage had to go through X-ray machines… then all luggage (including hand carry stuff) had to be sniffed by dogs… and then they when you passed through the final ticket check counter, they scanned the bar-code on your ticket… and then took a web-cam photo to tag to your ticket for their travel records… I’m amazed at all the new security measures in place… but it does give a sense of security when traveling by sea. Even on the boat there was a small military contingent, just to make sure all went well. The boat departure time was 7:45 pm… but while waiting to get on the boat we got to experience a regular rainy season phenomenon (as seen here in the pic) … it rained :0 but it never cooled down, it just got a little more sticky…

We're Here in Molave...

We arrived in Manila just as scheduled on the 11th... and made our way to the boat… again, just as we had hoped. It was actually quite amazing to see Roxas Boulevard with so little traffic… and so CLEAN! Maybe the fact that we were traveling on Monday the 11th… the day before the June 12th Filipino Independence day celebration contributed to the missing traffic with people making it a 4 day weekend instead of working on Monday and being off on Tuesday too. Either way we were happy to make our way to the pier with no delays.

Charlies AnGeL's

Charlie might not have known it but there's another group of Angel's out there... We've made our way to Abu Dhabi for 2 days on our way to the Philippines... and it has been great to see Helen, Jerry, and MaLou... the last time we visited with Helen and Jerry was in Italy in 2000... so it's been quite a while since we've seen them.

Abu Dhabi is in the middle of its own growth phase (just like Dubai)... it's amazing to see 7 lane wide traffic lights and all the shiny and neatly arranged buildings here.

It's funny, the temperature is about the same as back in Cairo... but it feels much hotter because of the humidity... 38 degrees with 80% humidity feels like 42 or so back home with 30% humidity. Last night we had a very nice Thai dinner, thank you so much Jerry and Helen for all your hosting you've done while we were here.

Next stop... Manila.

Anticipation

There are so many things that we anticipate. For me this week we had an inspection of the operations at work ... and there was much anticipation before hand... to the point of it actually being unhealthy (loads of anxiety)... and our Father tells us to be anxious for nothing... and with that in mind the prayer became "Lord, give me wisdom to prepare things... and favor with the inspector when he's here..." and now that I'm on the other side of the inspection... things went well... all the glory is to God!

Now today... all four of us have a heightened sense of anticipation... but this time it's in the positive form... as we leave for vacation tomorrow for three weeks. It's been four years now already since we've seen our relatives in the Philippines... so we're really excited to go back and enjoy a few days in the beautiful Philippines. For Mia this will be her first trip down south... and for Ahte it'll be the first time since '99... so... they'll get more attention than they can even imagine :-) As for the site... I hope to make at least a weekly update while we're out... so stay tuned.

Today while doing a little reading... Mark Batterson was ed-u-ma-kating (you have to read it like that and think of a southern accent... and :-) ... well... you get the picture)... me and he was outlining the word "enthusiasm". This word comes from two Greek words, "en" and "Theos"... and when they're put together they mean "In GOD"! Wow. That's awesome. I mean, our God is awesome, but learning that, I find it hard to believe we as a people (Christian people) are not propagating the word "enthusiasm" more... there's no bands named "enthusiasm"... or book stores.. or whatever... maybe it's just me... but the word enthusiasm just took on a whole new meaning to me. Your thoughts????

Vanity

I can remember when I first set up this blog thinking... ah yes... if old friends are every wondering what ever happened to me, they could just do a simple search for me and... whala, they'd be here at this site...

So I did a yahoo search with my name... and it didn't find this blog... I tried google... surely it would see me and point to the blog... but... NO... a genealogy page came up, and a few other sites ... but not here. I tried a few weeks ago on google... and it still wasn't pointing this direction. But today... "drum roll please"... I preformed the ole vanity search on google and it listed this site as the "top hit" ... yeah... pretty shallow I know... but at least now I know that if (ok I'm not sure why... but still "if") someone were wondering what's up... now they can know.

On the flip site... just a few more days until vacation...

Now I Understand... Summer ='s Good-Bye in Egypt

Well... we're coming up on our one year anniversary of being in Egypt (28 June is the "official" date). And the year we've been here has been a year of building some great friendships in the Lord... but none has been more influential than Duane and Shirley... we knew coming to Egypt was God's call for us... and He was so very faithful to put the right people into our path... like the first day we were in country and trying to "beat" jet lag by taking an early evening walk... and who do we meet but Duane and Shirley. Our heavenly Father is so faithful. We weren't in the country 12 hours and He had already provided the divine meeting with this great couple that quickly became mentors for Sandra and I.

Although we're pretty use to moving and seeing others leave too, there are indeed people that you become really close to, that those times of parting... well, quite simply, they stink. Yes, we know they'll come "someday"... and because of that we seem to have many superficial relationships, kind of buffering in advance for the "loss" of these friends because we know either they or ourselves will eventually be moving on ... but there are those that you just can't help but to become close with... they truly become part of your family... and now we're experiencing it ourselves with the imminent departure of Duane and Shirley. What can we say except thank you Lord for giving us this time together in Cairo. No... they're not dying... they're just going back to the States... but for us we'll miss the face to face interaction... the conversations, the Godly insight, and the mature perspective they both bring to every issue that came up while we've known them here.

Duane and Shirley have been to numerous "going away dinners" in the last few weeks but for sure we were so very happy to host them tonight and wish them all the best as they go back home... where God will allow them to see their own children and enjoy their company for a season... but also to be reassigned in what the Father has for them to do next...

More importantly though, this is a time of renewal for Egypt. As many believers are going back to their home countries, we pray that God will bring more believers of the faith here to continue to be lights in this diverse country... to come along side those of us here now to bring the message of Jesus to the dying world we live in. For those checking this site out... that's our prayer request... that the Father will send servants to our fields here ... Blessing Always.

Summer Has Arrived

The temperature has finally started to go up... and although getting the numbers to come out was harder than I thought it would be... you can faintly make out that it's "just" 105.3 F (ok, about 42 C) at 5pm... we're very glad for A/C that's for sure.

Weekends....

This was what I really went out to take a few more pictures of... and got the brick truck below too...

It was a very nice weekend. Angela spent the night at Julia's for her birthday party Friday night... we had a work going away and new comer welcome party (although... it seemed that most of those just arriving were traveling seeing the country and those that are leaving... weren't at the party in their honor either...)

Last night was Great ... we cooked up a 5 pound (ok... 5.27 lb) piece of pork Hawaiian Kalua style... and got together with a few very good friends and just enjoyed dinner together...

We also had Angela leaving the family camera at school on Thursday... actually, she had left it on the bus... we went to the school this morning checking her classroom... and no camera... went to lost and found... still no camera... I never really gave the bus monitors office much thought, but Angela checked there on the way home... and thankfully it was indeed there. Yes a camera is just "stuff" ... but we know God cares about our cares... when we turn them over to Him... He's our Father and that's something Dad's get stuck with from time to time, watching over the kids stuff... and yes He did bring it back home. With a vacation on the horizon a replacement was not something I wanted to spend money on at this time that's for sure. Thank you Lord.

Logistic Lessons 101

I went out to take some more pictures of the flame trees today and saw this load of bricks being moved and had to capture it... there's something to be said for balancing a load huh? The guy catching the bricks was walking along side trying to hold them up... not quite sure how far he was planning to hold the bricks from falling while his buddy drove...

When God Ministers to Those That Minister

It's such an honor to sing on the worship team here at MCC, but there are those times when God reaches down and deeply ministers directly to the members leading the time of worship... and tonight was one of those times for me. As we were finishing up Faithful One (by Brian Doerksen) and while singing "Your love is the anchor" a few times extra times during the closing of the song, really allowed the Holy Spirit to reach down and touch me... It's awesome to be able to worship the Creator of the Universe.... and especially on a day like today... you see, I learned today that I was not selected for promotion during the annual record review, but really, it's a minor thing compared to being able to serve and worship our God... and tonight, being on the worship team was exactly where God knew I needed to be so He could remind me of what's really important ... Thank you Lord for placing us in the right place, at the right time... all the time.

There's Always A Season

This last week we've seen the "flame trees" coming to life... and they're simply awesome to see ... the beautiful red is such a nice change of pace from the sand color that everything seems to turn here... of course I do believe red is the best color of all the colors, but thankfully there are the other colors so red can standout as it does. As a side note, this picture was taken today, 23 May 2007 but notice the classic cars parked around the tree. ... ah one other thing that's been nicely this week... traffic seems to be a little lighter than usual... maybe because of college final exams... but the bottom line is it's been nice and light!

While on the topic of always a season... it seems for me I've come to a season of not reading the word like I know I should... or like previous "season" where I just couldn't seem to put it down ... and last night during our cell group, I wanted to repent before the men there of what God slapped me upside the head with ... but I just couldn't get the words out of my mouth (pride) ... so ... I'm convicted to post it here. Lord forgive me for neglecting Your word and I ask for a renewed eagerness to study Your word. Thank you for revealing my shortcoming Lord and bringing me back to where You have called me to be.

A Day Away

It's amazing what just a few hours away from home can do for one's outlook on things. We took off to the Marriott just 20 minutes from our flat for 2 days of swimming and a night in their king sized bed and the use of their wonderful shower (great pressure and plenty of hot water)... and everything seems manageable once again :)

Of course we realize that God is in control of everything in our lives, but there are indeed those times when you just need to get away from the day-to-day to get things back into perspective... While reading "In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day" there's a line that states "Don't let what's wrong with you keep you from worshiping what's right with God". Wow! Now, that's what serving our Creator is all about.... and that's exactly what He longs for us to come to understand... He accepts us as we are... we don't have to clean up before coming to Him... we just need to come just as we are!

Static Electricity and Hair

Mia was checking out Daddy's blog and when I asked her if she wanted me to post a better picture of her... she said "Sure!" ... and this is what she picked... .enjoy ... just another example of her "electric" personality.

Is it His leading or am I tempting Him?

Just over two weeks ago I saw a job announcement for a position back in the states that would be a "perfect" change from my current job to a more permanent / don't have to move any more position.... and in that instant I submitted my resume, especially since the day I saw the job posting was the closing dated for resume submissions... and during this whole flurry of activity I prayed (loosely paraphrased 'cause I don't remember the exact words)... God, if this is your will for us then may Your blessing be here... and if we are suppose to stay where you've put us now... that's fine too ... well, yesterday word came back that I'm qualified for the job... but not ranked high enough for placement... which is the confirmation to me that our work here in Egypt is not done. So... when I saw the job advert I wasn't sure at that moment if it was His leading for us or if it was just me going down the wrong direction... well... thank you Father for keeping me on the right path!

Actually, I think now that we're coming up on one year in country... our work is really just beginning here. Last week I completed the cell pastors training course with five other people. The course really was so much more than I expected when it comes to leading small groups ... and to really know the vision of what our small groups should be doing (reaching out to those around us and brining them to Christ)... so... as much as I felt at the beginning.... and even at times during the course... that it was "just a formality" to be able to lead groups here, God has shown me that was nothing more than my own pride saying "Oh yeah, I know how to lead small groups"... but really... God still had more to show me... but I couldn't see it until I opened my heart ... but now... Wow! Am I ready to lead a group all on my own?? ... NO! but I did learn that it's not about doing it alone... so in that regard maybe I am ready... to help in running / coordinating / hosting ... or whatever God has for us to do within a small group.

On another note... Girl Scouts officially ended this last weekend for the school year... it's been great for the girls that's for sure... And our female hamster is proving to be a female by having another litter of "pups"... but is down to just 1 survivor from the 4 born... we're going to have to get some eduction on helping the little hamsters survive because mama seems to like the way her young taste...

Welcome Hayden

On 5 May... at 7:07 pm... est ... Hayden Jean-Jackson Keffer came into our world. It's amazing to see my kids ... having their own kids already! Liana, you've done well... congratulations on delivering a beautiful young lady.

Not Your Average Week

This was an interesting week. Our youngest daughter Karmia had her piano recital on Tuesday night... and she played "Ode to Joy" ... perfectly before a room of about 50 people ... we're very proud of her! I wasn't quick enough to catch her "lighting up the keys" but here she is with her older sis and her rose.


This week marked the first time in my life I fasted for more than one day... and honestly the last time I remember fasting for just one day was back in 1991... so... for me it was significant to even desire to fast for more than one day and to trust God to carry me through the three days I fasted. It's amazing how much more in tune to God you become when fasting... I know it won't be 16 more years til the next time I fast ... I actually wanted to fast longer than 3 days but started to question my own motives ... as if God could be manipulated by my fasting... but to ensure my motives were pure I stopped fasting after 3 days... for personal praise and worship time I was listening to Ross Parsley and the Desperation Band's My Savior Lives CD... and the worship set of songs 4-9 are an outstanding set that lead right to the feet of our Lord! Wow! He really is "Wonderful, Beautiful, Glorious, Matchless in every way."

While reading from "The Secrets Men Keep" by Stephen Arterburn it's interesting as he looks at Gen 3:16 "Your desire will be for you husband, and he will rule over you." ... and he concentrates on the word "desire"... where it's the same word desire from Gen 4:7... where it's understood that this desire is a "desire to rule over"... which could explain why many couples have conflict that they don't even understand how or why it's there... he mentions couples walk a thin line between respect and responsibility, freedom and obligation... but these conflicts are overcome by serving each other in the love of Christ (as us husbands are commanded to do in Eph 5:25).