The Silver Lining

Sept. 3-7, 2018 BEACH!!! Usually by September, I have been to the beach  several times.   This being  “the Summer that Wasn’t”  – I have only been once, early on, and at the time I  felt so awful I barely remember the trip. We decided to go the week after Labor Day.   For one thing, the crowds will be thinned out considerably since school has started.   My immune system is compromised at the moment, so the less people I am around, the better.   I just wanted to park myself underneath an umbrella with a good book and read.   And that’s pretty much exactly what I did.   My "light" beach read:  "Alexander Hamilton" by Ron Chernow -- only 731 pages.  (Hey I made it halfway through!) I felt fairly good the whole time, though I was really jittery and at times quite weak.   The Vitamin D of the sunshine, and the “Vitamin SEA” both did me a lot of good.   I almost got a tan, haha! ...

We've had a truly wonderful day! Each day has been great, and I am so thankful for all that we're experiencing here. We started this morning with a terrific worship service. I was delighted to see some friends that had returned to Ghana after several years' absence: Angela and Lizzie. Both of these ladies accompanied me on "road trips" in past visits here, and they both sang and gave testimony. Lizzie has just recorded a cd, and we were excited to be able to purchase a copy. Some others also gave their testimonies, and then the choir sang. I wish I could have a recording of the Christ Harvests the Nations Choir. They just filled the place with glorious songs of praise. It was impossible not to stand to your feet and sway to their music, their voices interweaving with each other in beautiful harmony. Each of us then had the opportunity to speak. Davi spoke first, and she spoke about the need to love God with all our hearts, minds, and souls. Then Becky t...

Another year winds to a close, a new one awaits. I can’t say I’m sorry that 2008 is ending. For me, it’s been a bittersweet year, full of emotional ups and downs. I had the chance to return to Ghana this summer, for the first time in 3 years. And I was able to share Ghana with someone who loved me enough to go with me, my husband David. That was a wonderful “high spot” in the year for me. At the other end of the spectrum, I lost my grandmother Eula Belle. She was a guiding force in my whole life, one who always encouraged and supported me, one who always managed to make me laugh. I’ll miss her for the rest of my life. There have been other events of the year. Some have made me laugh, some have encouraged me. Some have left deep gashes, wounding the soul, leaving rough scars. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about the gashes and scars, that I don’t pray for the situations and people. But as I grow older, I realize that sometimes God uses the worst pains in our...

Hi Everybody! First, I'm going to share a few photos from Saturday. Take a look & be prepared to smile! Christabel isnt too fond of the beach!! At last~~ A smile from Junior! OOOO KELSEY, your hair is SCARY!!!! My "twin" Lego. Lexi & the bubbles. Mary and I enjoying photos from a friend (Thanks, Sandy!) 3 Kids on top of the world! Dave with Christabel, on snooze control. Ice cream -- yummy to the last drop! Emmanuel with the goat. Hi everyone! Thanks to those of you who have responded to our blogs! We really appreciate any acknowledgement -- lets us know folks are reading & living this trip along with us. The trip last week to Logba Tota (Wed-Fri) was so wonderful, I am still processing my thoughts about that amazing place. I'm skipping over those days so I can tell you about Saturday. I'll come back to those days in a later post. * * * * * Saturday was really a "rest day." Little Anita's graduation from school was postp...

GCBSC = Garden City Beach, South Carolina I've had the priviledge of coming to GCB my whole life! I recall many trips with my mom & dad, and with my grandparents (Pop & Belle) the past 50-something years. It's almost like a 2nd home to me, and any "other" beach just isnt quite the same to me. While I've been here many times, I've rarely been able to stay more than a couple of days at the time. This time, David & I are staying an entire week -- a real treat! My son Drew was here for a day or two when we arrived, but he had to return home for work. My daughters Amanda & Melody are both coming for this weekend. It's been quite a long time since I enjoyed my whole family together at the beach -- I guess this will be as close as I can come this time. I'm excited that they each made the trip down here with us -- though I wish they could all have been here at the same time. There's something about the sea that just soothes me. I can sit be...