Road Trip Snack (in Thailand)

Going back through my photos, I found some that would make for interesting posts. Here's one of my favorite snacks as I traveled from Chiang Mai to Mae Sai, where I had to cross the border into Burma about every 2 months or so.



It's sticky rice steamed inside of bamboo! Slightly sweet, and there are several variations on the type of rice and the flavoring. Just peel back the bamboo and dig in! And the container is biodegradable.

Ripples after nearly 30 years

It's a privilege to see the results of something you started nearly 30 years ago. A couple of months ago my mom and I visited our old church in Japan--the one my parents started back in 1981. Two people in particular stood out in terms of being an encouragement to my mom for the work she and my dad did all those years ago.

Ryo had just become a Christian 3 weeks before we met him.

"I'm so excited to meet the person who started this church. This place means so much to me."

And then there was Keiko-san.

She remembered a powerful image of my Dad on his knees, thinking he was alone, praying for Japan and weeping. It brought tears to her eyes several years after the fact.

I say these things to be an encouragement that the things we do MATTER, even if some of them take years to come about!

Emotional Election

Well, even if for a moment, something about BOTH candidates brought tears to my eyes.

OBAMA -- seeing all the black people for whom this is a HUGE step, considering the racial problems we've had for the past 200 years or so, slowly getting better but sometimes too slowly... I acknowledge that this is big. I didn't expect to get so teary-eyed over it, but when it was right there, happnening, I did feel this victory on behalf of all of my black (and other non-white) countrymen.

McCAIN -- hearing his gracious speech, remembering his heroism and how much he loves this country, knowing that was his last chance to win the White House... once again, I got tears in my eyes and felt thankful to him.

On a less sappy note, I've enjoyed playing with this interactive map, looking at the numbers...

I pray for our new president and our nation!

Two Men and a Truck

Saw one of these today, and I just had to say something...

In this era of sometimes over-feminism, it's refreshing to see evidence that some people still recognize that men and women are different!

Of course we have equal value; I don't doubt that God created both and both are "very good."

It's just that, I do think sometimes women don't just want to be equal to men, they want to be seen as men.

Well, when faced with a big move, would you hire "Two WOMEN and a truck?" Or maybe I should say "Two Womyn."

My thought is that, while the men would actually MOVE the furniture into the truck, the women might be handy for handling all the little details--cleaning your refrigerator until it shines like new, for example.

It is generally provable that men are physically stronger than women. And, possibly that women are emotionally stronger.

Each gender has many good qualities that are unique to that sex, and I for one appreciate them all.



If I ever hired someone to clean my house, it would probably be a woman. But for heavy lifting and loading of my furniture, I'm calling Two Men and a Truck!

BONUS: Not only are they strong; they care!

Coolest Niece Ever

She's a typical 4-year old girl--loves to dress up like a princess and has a pink and purple room with a flowery bedspread. But, look underneath the covers and you'll find Star Wars Sheets!

Her Daddy, my brother, is a huge fan, but promises he didn't put her up to it. "She loves it!" He says. She's gonna be Princess Leia for Halloween.