Sponsorship Sunday – Week Ten – Alex

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Last week I expressed my hope that this weekly item was promoting the welfare of the children at Grace Village. As I mentioned in a post a few days later, it is having the desired effect. You, the readership of this blog, are stepping up to the plate and swinging for the fences. I thank you for your kindness and love toward these children.

Again this week I ask that you take a few minutes and read about my little friends in Haiti. Your sponsorship, just a few dollars a day, makes a huge difference in their lives. Just over a dollar a day meets either their medical or educational needs each day. That donut you got at the coffee shop can be turned into a changed life. Not a bad way to think about it at all.

Thank you in advance for your kindness.

This week’s child is: Alex.

Alex

Lord I Give You My Heart is Alex’s favorite song. Alex is a kind, faith-filled young man who loves studying his bible and playing music for God. Alex is a student at Grace Academy where his favorite subject is math. Alex would like to be an engineer when he grows up. When asked about what makes him special, Alex’s response is that he’s good at English and praising God. One of Alex’s special talents is playing the drums. Rice and corn are two of Alex’s favorite foods Alex’s prayer request is that he will be able to help the people in the world and his family.

Alex came to Healing Haiti in January, 2009. Alex’s parents abandoned him because they had no way to care for him.

Birth Info
Birthdate: May 25, 2000
Place of Birth: Delmas, Haiti

It is my hope that one of you will find your heart touched by this child and take up a bit of Christ’s work by sponsoring them for an extended period. My wife and I are sponsoring a pair of sisters and I look at it this way – I only gave up a fast-food dinner each day to change the life of a child. Healing Haiti will do the right things for these children and I have full confidence in their work. I am not affiliated with them, they don’t endorse this blog, nothing like that at all. I just love kids (can’t be Santa and not love children) and know that Grace Village is the difference between life and death for many of these children. Please open your heart and prayerfully reflect on the opportunity God’s giving us to sponsor these children. Some of them have come out of slavery and have some of the toughest lives you could imagine prior to Grace Village.

Just click the link and it will take you directly to the page where you can sponsor this week’s child. And if God is particularly good and that child is sponsored when you get there, please grab another smiling face and change their life instead. My goal is to put Sponsorship Sunday out of business as quickly as possible and take that day off each week. Thank you. God bless you for your generosity.

Some of the finest people you’ll ever meet. The hands and feet of Christ.

I Am So Busted.

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Not that I really want to taunt Danny, one of my favorite commenters, but this is what I had for lunch on the 4th – along with some buttered corn. (Danny, seriously, you thought I’d have crock pot chicken on the 4th? Ouch.)

Porterhouse with a dash of curry, salt, pepper, garlic.

That’s right – PORTERHOUSE!!! Cooked it right up on the Bubba-Keg and chowed it down.

I am a free man in the greatest country around. (To my foreign readers: I love some of your countries as well, but the United States is my home and favorite.)

And, I had steak. With my wife. I sat on my patio and enjoyed my freedoms today while reflecting on the sacrifice of the founders and my fellow military members.

Some of those who sacrifice all the time are fire fighters. I was at the Cub store this morning and the boys in blue were all there grocery shopping. The rig outside had wicked art on it. I had to take a picture. And here it is: (Frogtown is a neighborhood near mine where the French Canadians were concentrated long ago. The name stuck even though the area is very different now.)

Now night is falling and my terrified friend Stormy is hiding under the desk where I am typing.

Stormy seeking refuge from the – fireworks.

If she hadn’t braved the early morning hours to drop a load she’d be setting a record for indoor-without-an-accident-dog-of-the-century. She won’t go out. Every fire cracker sets her off. Poor critter is petrified. She won’t let me out of her sight.

That’s a good thing. Last night I woke up at precisely 04:06 with a killer migraine. One of those “I’d cry harder from the pain but my face might fall off” muggers that wakes you up. A double dose of Sumatriptan and the two of us sat on my bed waiting for it to work. I needed her comfort at that moment just like she needs mine now. I was in agony. I’ve broken bones and it hurt less. Those of you with migraines know what I mean.

I’m blessed, the migraine monster doesn’t come more than two or three times a month and usually is staved off by timely application of medication. But last night’s woke me up. Railroad spike through the eye time.

Back to Stormy. Every day for the last few weeks we’ve gotten closer. The surgical leave, the thunderstorms, the fireworks – each event brought her seeking and accepting me a little bit more. It’s all good.

I’m going to schedule this to run in the morning and get back to working on a voice-over project.

I hope you all have a magnificent weekend.

Happy Independence Day – A Video Blog Complete With Chicken Recipe

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I’m going to take a few days off from the blog and work on one of my books. I’ll be back on Sunday. It’s been a great week around here and I wanted to cap it off with a video blog.

But, first, a recipe for Danny. I’d tried very hard to get a release for Famous Dave’s recipes so that I could print one for the Fourth of July. Unfortunately I could not secure the release in time for the holiday. Instead, you get my recipe for crock-pot chicken.

What! Not barbecue? Nope, because this bad-boy you can start in the morning, head to the lake, enjoy the day on the deck, and then stroll in out of the sun to a succulent meal. Not everything goes on the barbecue all the time. This one keeps you from working too hard.

So, grab a crock pot/slow cooker liner and start there – I hate scrubbing ceramic crock pots. Less cleanup. Take a large packet of drumsticks (approx 16) and powder them with sweet curry powder. Slice two large lemons into thin wedges and spread them throughout the drumsticks. Chuck them into the crock pot liner and drizzle about 1/2 cup of hot water mixed with honey over the top of the mix.

Cook on low for eight hours. Drain the moisture from the bottom of the liner and use 1 cup of it in making 2 cups of instant rice. (The rest of the liquid is just straight water.)

You now have citrus chicken and curried rice with a nice flavor. And a cool kitchen. So, Danny, hope that does it!

On to the spiel about my favorite secular holiday. Continue reading →

My Readers Got Tears in My French Toast.

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I had breakfast this morning with my friends Michael Stoebner, Jeffrey Gacek, and Curt Dixon at the Daily Diner in Frogtown.

A perfectly wonderful piece of my cinnamon roll french toast was almost ruined when you, my readers, provoked a wave of quiet praise and sobbing at my table. And I thank you most heartily for doing so on this very blessed day.

Cinnamon Roll French Toast at the Daily Diner Frogtown

I met Jeff and Michael on a mission trip to Haiti via Healing Haiti. Jeff is one of the founders of the organization. We had breakfast this morning for no real reason at all. Turns out it’s Michael’s birthday so that was a great reason to celebrate.

I asked Jeff if there was a positive impact from Sponsorship Sundays. And that’s when my eyes welled up and I had to stop and pray for a few moments. He told me that you, the amazing readers of this blog, had been sponsoring children at Grace Village Orphanage.

I am profoundly blessed to have such wonderful readers. I love you all and cannot express my gratitude in any sufficient way for your act of love and kindness in sponsoring those children.

I am literally going to go and pray now for all of you. And thank God for the blessing of this platform. You have brought me such joy and hope today with that news.

Bless you all.

Saint Peter, Please Open the Door Wide for Nineteen of The Best.

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I extend my condolences to the families and friends of the Fire Fighters who died in Arizona.

The Granite Mountain Hotshots

I have known many brave people in my life, and many Fire Fighters. My Father-in-Law is a retired Fire Fighter from Gary, Indiana. I am in awe of his life and his bravery.

I can honestly say that the bravery and sacrifice of these men and women in the fire fighting profession humbles me. Taking a gun or knife away from somebody doesn’t scare some people but going in to burning buildings scares most of us beyond comprehension.

Don McLean wrote, “Cause fire is the devil’s only friend” in his classic “American Pie.” While it wasn’t about fighting fires, it’s true in my experience.

I’ve been around just enough fires to understand the vicious nature of the beast. Fire is almost alive, and it certainly can turn toward evil in a hurry. The worst disasters in our modern era seem to revolve around fires. Wild fires, fires in night clubs, fires in homes and apartments. Fires never turn out for the best – somebody loses something or someone every time.

And those crazy, brave, wonderful fire fighters run in to the buildings while the rest of us run out to safety. And they die on occasion. And they are mourned, loved, honored, and missed for the rest of the lives of their friends and families.

Today I think about those families. Most of the people who fight fires are family people. There are undoubtedly many children headed to bed tonight without their dad (It appears it was an all male crew). The Granite Mountain Hotshots are lamented today.

Please take a few minutes and pray for their families. And the next time you see a fire rig, stop and throw them a salute. Better yet, honor them by getting out of their way every time you see a rig coming – they’d appreciate that even more.

I weep for these heroes.