I like Cafe Bustelo. Not that I’m a huge fan of instant anything, but for me it is a big plus. I drink it in the morning when I don’t have time to brew coffee. And once again in the evening when I just want a single cup and don’t see the need to brew a whole pot.
Cafe Bustelo is my friend.
It tastes good. There. Enough. and I got a picture and a blog post out of the deal.
Now, if you’re a fan of the Bee Gees read on. If not, thanks for dropping by. Continue reading →
During my trip to Haiti in February of 2013 I had the pleasure of getting to know the people of Healing Haiti. Part of their mission there is an orphanage known as Grace Village. It is my pleasure to present one of the children from Grace Village each week to my readership in the hope that you will take them into your heart and sponsor their care and education.
This week’s child is: Idamen
Idamen is a sweet and intelligent girl who loves to learn so it makes sense that she loves going to school. Idamen is a gifted singer so you will often hear her singing and worshipping God with joy in her voice. Idemen’s strongest classes are English and grammar and it’s evident when anyone has a conversation with her. Idamen loves to help people and pray so she is still trying to decide if she wants to be a doctor or a pastor when she grows up. Idamen is so grateful to have her siblings Samiel, Gernadette and Gerno living with her at Grace Village. Idemen’s prayer request is that she continues to learn in school.
Idamen and her siblings, Samiel, Gernadette and Gerno were abandoned by their parents and now call Grace Village home.
Birth Info
Birthdate: October 25, 2003
Place of Birth: Tabarre, 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’ll do the NSA rant next week. Let’s just say that if you think it’s “meta-data” and no harm can really come from it if you are above board, or that they don’t have your entire data history ready to poach, you need to detox before reading any more stuff on the internet. ’nuff said for now.
Because it’s just too horrible to go on about the currently emerging tyranny that we’ve sold ourselves into, I’d like to write about Stormy.
For the last few weeks I’ve been home healing from surgery. During that time my stand-as-far-from-the-bearded-guy-as-you-can dog has been inching closer and closer to not just tolerating me, more than slightly liking me, perhaps loving me as her position. I’ve been very careful to keep it low key.
I know that she needs low key. And sometimes I blow her mind a bit by scooping her into my lap and just holding her close. She is warm, calm, and smells wonderful. Yes, I like the smell of dogs – wet or dry. Their scent evokes a very deep response in my brain – safety and love.
I’ve been a “dog guy” since I was a “dog boy” in my youth. Some of my fondest memories involve just hanging out with my canine companions. Perhaps it’s because I’m a bit of an animal in my behavior. I’m crude, rude, bark loudly, and … I am housebroken. I relate to my dogs on a level that “owners” never quite get in their souls. I live with dogs, I don’t own dogs.
I’m not an animal rights nut by any means. I have not signed a DNR with my dog getting to make the decision on when to euthanize me. I don’t even let my wife make that decision. Come to think of it, most days I’m safer with the dog holding that power – they don’t remember what I jerk I was in my twenties. She does.
But, I digress. The fact is that the little things have been changing with Stormy in the last few months and the process has rapidly stepped up the pace in the last fortnight. She has been coming around for love. Just simple pets on the head, checking up on me, hopping up next to me on the couch, hopping up on the bed, asking for tummy rubs when I wander through the room, and generally being far more amenable to my presence.
We broke the comfort/need barrier this last week. In the midst of a very loud thunderstorm she sought me out and jumped on the bed while I was reading. She was afraid of the storm (ironic given her name.) She could have stayed with my wife but she came to me. I am the pack leader. I am the strong one. I am the one she chose.
She still likes my wife better, but when the crucial moment of an existential threat came around – it was me she sought out. I almost cried.
Thursday night we hopped the next-to-last hurdle in our love affair. The picture was taken while we played on the carpet. She actually played with me for a long time. She came to where I was stretched out, plopped down, and offered her paws to play a game of paddy-cake. We played for quite a while. I’d stroke her strong legs, rub those little paws, and tap my fingers on the rug.
And then the magic moment came – she nuzzled my fingers and licked them. It was the first time (without peanut butter or chicken being involved) in our time together. It was tentative but most definitely affectionate.
Some day in the future I will write about the first lick on the face. That’s still down the road a bit. But it’s coming. I know that prayer will be answered. She’s healing. I’m healing. I still miss Maisie, but this one has carved her own place in my heart. I love her dearly. Her name is Stormy and she’s the rainbow in my opinion.
