I started this blog at the urging of friends and family in April 2010 when my husband and I were given an opportunity to relocate in Maryland for one year. We have now returned home to Arizona and continue to walk by faith as we watch God orchestrate the adventures in our lives. I invite you to share in our adventures as we watch God at work!

We live by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7



Saturday, July 23

queen of drama ... and proud of it!

Do you ever think there is entirely too much drama in your life? Is that co-worker who has a "situation" every day starting to drive you crazy? Do you have teenagers? Is there a Facebook friend who makes mountains out of molehills  and then wants to share every thought? Are you a drama queen?

drama

I think we've all been a drama queen at some point in our lives or about a certain thing. But that kind of drama on a daily basis wears me out and drags me down. Fortunately, I've discovered an antidote!

Real honest-to-goodness drama! As Alfred Hitchcock once said, "Drama is life with the dull bits cut out." He, of course, was referring to motion pictures, but the same is true for live drama... and it's even more exciting since there are no retakes!

I had been feeling a bit dragged down by the drama in my life over the past month or so. And then last week I went to THREE live productions with three different friends.

drama tickets

The first one, Over the River, had me laughing in the aisle (okay... my seat!) as well as shedding a few tears at the family dynamics and antics of an Italian family (boy, could I relate!). The Herburger Theater in Phoenix has a "Lunch Time Theater" that does short productions during, you guessed it, lunch time. I saw With Friends Like These mid-week and howled (ok... quietly roared) through a play about three types of friends... ones we ALL have! At just $6 (you can bring your own lunch in or buy theirs for an additional $6) it is a bargain! At the end of the week I saw Little Shop of Horrors, a play I've seen several times but always enjoy- especially seeing how they will do Audrey II. Although the plot is preposterous, the music is uplifting and, as anticipated, I left the theater upbeat.

Side Note: Two of the plays were at the Hale Centre Theatre in Gilbert, a small, family-owned and operated theater. Their prices are very reasonable (we got tickets for one show through Groupon at 50% off- an even better deal!) and every production we've seen there has been top-notch. 

By the end of the week... and my theater-going... I was able to put the silly drama in my life into perspective. And became a queen of drama... not a drama queen!...  in the process! 


Thursday, July 21

a dirty story

I have lived in the Valley of the Sun most of my life and am no stranger to monsoon storms. Sometimes they are mostly noise- lots of wind blowing patio furniture around, booming thunder and streaks of lightning. Other times they consist of bright heat lightning followed by a gentle rain storm. There are "dust devils"-swirling funnels of dust and debris that arise suddenly and disappear just as quickly- that roam across the road leaving a layer of dust on your car but not the car in front of or behind you. And occasionally we get the storm you can see, hear, feel, taste and smell... a haboob.

The term "haboob" is derived from the Arabic word "habb" meaning wind. It is basically a wall of dust created by the downdrafts during a thunderstorm in a very dry desert. They occur in three regions of the world- the Sahara desert (particularly Sudan), the Arabian Peninsula (Kuwait, Iraq) and the southwest United States (Arizona, New Mexico and western Texas).

The week before last we watched a haboob roll in as we were driving home, hoping we would get home before it overtook us. We later learned it was the largest haboob to hit the Valley measuring about a mile high and more than 50 miles wide as it rolled through the Phoenix area. As I watched this storm and the effects afterwards, I was reminded of some similarities between the storm and sin.

What is it?

At first, it looked like a cloud... soft and billowy... beautiful even. It's often the same with sin... it seems benign when we're first seduced. We see what we want to see and rationalize its effects. 

Roling, rolling, rolling

We were still several miles from home when we realized it was not a pretty cloud but a wall of dust rolling our way. The air was still and quiet. You knew the wall was there but could look the other way and ignore it... just like sin.

it's coming

We made it home before the haboob hit and stood outside quietly watching it roll in. A musty, dusty smell filled our nostrils as our eyes were drawn to the powerful wall of dirt plowing through our neighborhood. And the closer it got, the dirtier and uglier it looked!

time to go in

Soon the haboob was right behind the houses across the street and we had a choice to make. We could either stay outside in the dust storm or we could turn around and go inside. We have that same choice when it comes to sin- stay, indulging our selfish desires, or turn away from it.

no denying it

Leaves on the trees began quaking as the wind started to kick up and the air was thick with dust. We were inside but people who were caught outside during the storm said it was hard to breathe, almost suffocating, and their teeth were gritty with dirt. Sometimes the Holy Spirit gives us a nudge about a sin- that uneasy feeling that we've done something "wrong" (guilt) that makes us feel like we just... can't... catch... our breath. 

wind and darkness

Several minutes later the storm intensified. We could hear the howling gusts as our wind-whipped tree hung on for dear life. Darkness descended like a shroud as the storm seemed to dig in, not wanting to let go. Finally, about ten minutes later, the wind lessened and then was gone. It was once again still but with the smell and taste of dust hanging in the air. My eyes felt gritty with sand after being outside for just a few minutes. Sometimes sin also likes to dig in, taking root in our hearts. And it takes the power of God to shake it loose just as the power of God moved the storm along.

aftermath

The next morning, in the light of day, we could see the aftermath of the haboob. Everything- and I mean everything!- was covered with a layer of silt about a sixteenth of an inch thick making sidewalks slick and pools filthy. The air was still thick with dust. Thousands of homes were without power- thankfully not ours! Health experts predict there will be THREE times as many Valley Fever infections over the next two to three months  as is normal for this time of year as a result of the haboob. The consequences of this storm will touch many people, some living in places where the storm did not hit. Sin is like that, too, with far-reaching effects and consequences. 

clean up

Much time, money and effort was spent on clean-up across the Valley of the Sun- road crews cleared debris, power companies restored power, pool cleaning companies were working overtime. We hosed down our house, washed furniture, scrubbed windows, cleaned out the pool pump and filters several times, and dusted and vacuumed INSIDE our house (houses are not air-tight!). After four or five days the air began to clear. What had been dirty was now clean. When Jesus died on the cross and rose again, He cleansed us of our sins and clothed us with His righteousness. But unlike hosing off the patio- which had no choice but to be cleaned- each person must choose to accept the gift of salvation and eternal life that is offered. 

"Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood."  
Romans 3:24-25

Monday, July 11

4th of July with our peeps

The 4th of July is a time to celebrate the birth of our country. Our wise Founding Fathers stated in the Declaration of Independence, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." During the recent 4th of July weekend, our MR KLUD group met at Mike and Laurie's place in Payson to pay homage to those unalienable rights- life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Peeps
Bet you're wondering what these kind of peeps have to do with this...

The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution gives Americans the right to bear arms. We decided to honor "liberty" by exercising that right. Doug brought his bb gun and several boxes of really stale peeps and the guys set up a target.


Peeps on a log
Yep... now you're getting the picture!

Standing on the deck about 30 feet away, we took turns taking peep shots. Everyone shot at least one peep with Ursi in the lead for the girls and Richard taking the lead for the guys.

girls collage
The New Charlie's Angels? 
Laurie, Kristin and Ursi

boys collage
Doug, Mike
Richard, Matt (Mike & Laurie's son)

Shooting is hard work requiring steady hands, good concentration and factoring variables like wind speed and direction. After several rounds we needed a break so we examined the peeps to determine "cause of death."

peep shot
Poor Peep didn't stand a chance!

We "pursued happiness" as we played games with friends. Amid much talking, good-natured kidding  and laughter, we played Mexican Train Dominoes, a game we frequently play when we're together. Ursi was happy she won (score 236) and she says she "always loses!" I was happy the game was finally over and I had exactly 500 points- yeah, I lost! 

domino collage
Win or lose, it's always FUN!

Doug and Richard played Washers, a game similar to Horseshoes while the rest of us got dinner ready.

washers
Boys and their toys!

Chef Mike
What could be more "4th of July-ish" than a backyard cook-out? Chef Mike donned the BBQ apron and grilled delicious hamburgers and corn-on-the-cob!

There is one "unalienable right" left- life. Before we ate the feast Mike prepared for us, we gave thanks to our Creator for our lives, for living in a country where we enjoy so many freedoms and for the people who have fought for our freedoms. 

MR KLUD
MR KLUD

Without a doubt, it is the peeps... friends, family, neighbors, acquaintances... in our lives that make life memorable!