RockTheDesert

Kenya - I Need More Time

Now that we're hours away (about 36) from leaving for Kenya, the panic is starting to set in. I remember this feeling from our last trip. I've got a lot to do to get ready for church on Sunday - rehearsal tomorrow night - charts for the band, worship orders, easy worship schedule, etc. The normal stuff that has to be done by Tuesday night instead of Saturday night!! So, hopefully sometime between 10pm tonight & 10pm tomorrow night, all will come together as it needs to. I know God is in control. And I'm being stretched to the max in all my organizational (or lack of) skills.

We spent the day running errands. Looking for power converters, passport holders, malaria medicine, toiletries, gifts for translators, a new stove, shirts for Steven, Clorox wipes, etc.

So now, the laundry is almost done, the boys are just waiting for clean undershirts & socks to pack. Dan is packed. My stuff is all gathered in a pile, ready to go in the suitcase among all the others stuff we're taking like gifts & Proclaimers & packs of tuna & mixed nuts & zone bars & whatever else we've hunted and gathered today.

I'm looking forward to seeing London during our 12-hour layover on our way to Kenya. And I'm really looking forward to seeing lives transformed by the power of Jesus Christ. Michael & Steven have no idea how much this will impact their lives forever. I'm praying that God will use them to show others His grace and gift of salvation. And I'm praying that they will be bold to share their faith. And I'm praying for their physical protection. And for their spiritual protection. And for God to renew their faith and make it very real to them. That they would live their lives differently once we get back home. That they would have a personal glimpse of eternity and that it would give them new eyes to see this life we live and help them prioritize their lives with God always, at any cost, at the center.

Kenya 2007 - Let The Packing Begin

I've been informed that there's at least one Kenya Team member who is 99% packed. WOW! That's amazing. We have been talking about packing for a long time. We've dragged all our suitcases into the living room. And we stare at them. And we discuss various packing configurations. And then we turn off the light and walk away. But today, Sunday, May 27, 2007, is Packing Day. We will be up 'til midnight most likely. Packing, and re-packing, and packing some more. But the deed will be done. We might have to make a couple of late-night WalMart runs tonight - it's a family tradition after all.

Dan is staying for nearly 1 month. He has some unique packing challenges. Not sure if he'll be able to wash clothes at any time. I don't remember seeing any laundromats while I was there. The hotel might possibly have laundry service. But I've heard that can be pretty iffy. So, we'll see what he ends up with in his suitases. 

Michael has been working on his 10-day devotional guide. He is very diligent to complete it before going to bed each night. I'm proud of him for being so conscientious. He told me he has a short sermon ready to go, too. It's on John 3:16. I think he'll do great!

Today at the close of the church service, Randy asked the entire Kenya Team to come to the front of the church. All 22 of us stood shoulder to shoulder. Then he asked the entire church to come forward and lay hands on us and pray over us. It was a wonderful time of prayer and commissioning. When Steve Russell prayed, he lifted up his wife & 2 daughters and gave them to God to be used by Him. That's when a lot of people started sniffling and I felt my eyes well up with tears. It was a great moment. I feel such peace about this trip. I can't even begin to imagine what God will do in us and through us during our Epic journey. I know that Fellowship North, as tiny as we are, has some pretty amazing, faithful servants who are giving freely of their time, talent, resources, & prayer in order to see the kindgdom of God advance and multiply.

I will be posting to this blogsite as often as possible while we're in Kenya. So, check back often. Hopefully, I'll be able to upload photos...I think that's a challenge in other countries, so no promises on that one.

I've added a new photo album - photos of our Epic Team from Fellowship North. I've also added a new Typelist - title is Kenya. Check out the documents posted here. In particular, download the prayer calendar and pray with & for us daily...we'd really appreciate it!!

Carousel

Can't you just feel yourself going around and around, up and down, reveling in the magic of a carousel ride. Didn't you hate it when you were rushed to get on the ride and had to quickly pick a horse without noticing whether it went up and down or not...sitting on a stationary horse was such a disappointment after the anticipation of going up and down on your beautiful, glorious steed!

Yesterday I was trying to find a recorded version of an old Baptist hymn (aren't all Baptist hymns old?) because our guest speaker on June 3 (the Sunday we are all in Kenya - he's an old-time Baptist preacher/missionary to Africa for 30 yrs) has requested a certain hymn to close the service. Well, this hymn was challenging to find but I managed to find a version to work from. As I was playing the hymn over and over again in my office, Randy remarked that hymns played on the organ reminded him of old-time carousel rides. So, thanks for the inspiration for this post, Randy!!

Interesting Carousel facts: (1) In the U.S. carousels spin counter-clockwise (2) There is a solar-powered carousel in California at the Solar Living Institute (3) Binghamton, New York is considered the carousel capital of the world with a record six! (4) The oldest existing carousel made in 1907 in Germany is now at Toshimaen Park in Toykyo, Japan.

For more carousel info, go to http://www.carouselmagic.com/history.htm.

Here's the audio clip of the hymn I was looking for - if you close your eyes while listening, can't you just imagine yourself riding a carousel? Download whereheleadsme.mid 

Update from Joshua & Alyssa

Got a text message from Joshua & Alyssa at 9:19pm tonight: "We're in Nairobi (airport) waiting on our plane for Kigali (Rwanda). We're hot, tired, but in good spirits...Pray for us and enlist everyone else you can, too. We luv U." I know they would greatly appreciate any and all prayers offered up on their behalf. They are so excited about their back-to-back trips. I know that God will work mightily both in them and through them and all the others on these trips!!

The following is a devotional that Joshua posted on the Epic forum - I've also included my response...

Matthew 15:11 - "It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man." Psalm 15:1-3 - LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman.

I'll keep this one simple, because the closer I get the proclaiming the Word the more I feel like a child with only simple things to say... The more I realize that I'm ill equipped to proclaim the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. But that’s okay because salvation belongs to the Lord. Not one of us will save a soul or fail to do so... It is the Holy Spirit who saves souls. God does not need our help, we go only because He said go. We go to be obedient... And take courage and remember - The battle is already won.

Here is my simple devotional for the scripture above: Let every word be pleasing to the Lord... Let every movement be an offering pleasing to the Lord... Let every look be given to God... Let every breath be worship.... Let your life be the Gospel.... And when you fail to do this, confess and remember that He made you blameless... Preach the Gospel, Preach the Gospel, Preach the Gospel - if necessary, use words (St. Francis of Assisi).

MY RESPONSE Joshua, I love this devotional. It is so simple -- the life we are called to live is not meant to be as complicated as we allow it to become. If we live and move and breathe in the Spirit, then we will live lives that are an offering to God and which please Him immensely. If we look to God continuously, we see His holiness and perfection and we are reminded over and over again of our powerlessness to save souls...this actually takes such a huge burden off of me. Christ died. The price was paid. The gift is free and is offered to all. Those who receive this gift receive Christ not me. Those who reject this gift reject Christ not me. So simple. I pray that we would, as much as possible, be blameless in His sight, so that we can walk in His ways and that our offering of obedience would be pleasing to Him.

The Music Man Rocked!

Mrs. Perry-Clark did a fantastic job of pulling together 85 cast members, costumes, props, sets, etc. into a great rendition of The Music Man!! We (of course) forgot our camera. I've posted a few pics sent to us by friends. All are a little blurry due to the darkness of the room. Steven was a great actor. Just sarcastic enough to be totally believable. We had a great time watching Steven dance and sing. He was less than enthusiastic at waving his arms in the air at the end of a couple of the songs. He had a great time and wants to participate again next year. It really helps when you've got some cool guys in the musical with you. Matt, Ben & Lydon made the experience particularly enjoyable. After the final performance, Steven went to a cast party, then at midnight brought a couple of the guys home for a sleepover. They were up 'til 2pm watching a movie and playing XBox. Dan, being a magnificent host, took all the boys to The Good Egg for giant pancakes for breakfast. I wonder if Steven's friends were as grumpy as he was all day on Sunday?!?!?!?

Ran Into An Old Friend

Today I ran into (almost literally) an old (longtime - not age) friend. We hadn't seen each other in almost exactly 1 year. In one year we've both had many changes in our lives. She informed me that they are moving to California! This has been their dream as long as I've known them (about 9 yrs). They have purchased a condo in Huntington Beach. WOW! They are slowly phasing out their law practice and ramping up their new mortgage business. They will do well. They've always been their own bosses. They are used to the pressure of running a business from home. I'm sure the salty sea air will be inspirational and invigorating and add at least 10 years to their lives!! And of course, the golf opportunities will help the stress melt away on a daily basis.

I'm slightly envious. A house by the beach. A thriving business. No more hot desert summers.

I've been in a reconnecting mode. Realizing the value of friends and relationships as the years are passing by so quickly. Wanting to reconnect and stay connected to people whom we cross paths with, believing that there's no such thing as an accidental encounter. I'm trying to revamp my schedule to include coffee and lunches with many friends. The most valuable, irreplaceable things in life are relationships. It is worth every penny & minute invested in maintaining these relationships.

The payoff is immense. Good times. Laughter. Sharing each others burdens. Being there. Having someone be there for you. Help on "moving day." Love. Trust & vulnerability. Celebrations together. More laughter. Finding the rhythm of life together and going with the flow. Sunday lunches. Guitar Center shopping sprees. Prayer. Encouragement. Life at its fullest, the way it was meant to be lived. Christ at the center. "Spill Your Guts Time." Hugs at just the right time. Unconditional acceptance. Inside jokes. Unparalleled silliness. The list is endless... 

Back Where All The Insanity Began...

Tomorrow, Joshua & Alyssa leave for 2 back-to-back missions trips in Africa. First trip is to Rwanda. Back where all the insanity began 1 year ago. They will be in a different part of Rwanda - Kibuye is the name of the city. We've spied on it using Google Earth and it looks really beautiful. They will be part of a team of 27 North Americans. Joshua's cousin & his wife (from St. Louis) will also be on the trip. They have kept in contact with many Rwandans from their previous trip and are excited about reconnecting with them on this trip. At the end of their trip, they will board a plane and join the Fellowship North group in Nairobi, Kenya. It is going to be an amazing couple of weeks for them.

They finished packing over the weekend - - they are my inspiration to not pack all night the night before we leave - - and are trying to prepare themselves spiritually, physically, mentally, emotionally for the task ahead. Pray that God gives them physical strength - 20 days is a long time in Africa. Pray that God gives them emotional & mental strength as they will interact with A LOT of people, including 2 different North American teams. Also, Joshua is a Team Leader on both of the trips. Pray most of all that God will continue to pour out his Spirit of conviction, healing, blessing, forgiveness, grace, mercy, and understanding over Africa and in particular the areas where they will be ministering for the next few weeks. Pray that people would have ears that really hear and minds that really understand and hearts that are really broken and in realization of their need for a Savior.

Dan's Life in Hi Def

Dan picked up his new glasses today. He's 42 yrs old and finally needs glasses - not for reading but for distance. His world has gotten fuzzier and blurrier over the past couple of months. He started borrowing Alyssa's glasses while at restaurants and decided he maybe could see a tiny bit better with her glasses on than without them on. I took this photo with my cell phone camera (I think I should get a small camera for my purse...this is a pretty terrible pic.) Dan is actually very cute with his new glasses on.

He had an eye exam at EyeMasters yesterday. For $49.50 you get a 10 min. eye exam. It takes longer to fill out the paperwork than to have the exam. The diagnosis? Nearsighted. We picked out frames together. Then, doubting our ability to be cool & hip, we called Alyssa & Joshua and had them stop by for final approval of the frames. Dan's favorite frame made him look like the villain in Raiders of the Lost Ark. He automatically ruled out all the frames that had a designer name prominently displayed on them. 20% of the store. Then he ruled out any frames that appeared to be unisex. Another 20% gone. Take away the geezer section. Another 20%. Disregard any that appear metro. 20%. That left a pretty meager handful to choose from.

Dan walked around the mall for a while, realizing that his life would seem to be in hi def for a while. And he discovered that he can't see up close with the glasses on. I hope he adjusts quickly. And I hope he doesn't lose the glasses. Just add one more thing to my list of things to find for him on a regular basis. I'm thinking those handy neck chains might be in order for him.

Why Blog?

I started blogging in Feb 2007 after attending a fantastic worship leaders conference in Franklin, TN. Randy Elrod, conference creator, is a champion blogger - some at the conference consider him to be their "blogfather." All that to say, Randy Elrod rocks, is visionary and inspirational and I check his blog DAILY for a variety of cool posts. Found an awesome article on his blog recently. Maybe it will inspire more people to start blogging!! You can find the entire article at http://randyelrod.typepad.com. Check out the archives April 22-April 28. I've also pasted the entire article below.

Top 10 Reasons To Blog In 2007

10. Because It Is Fun

You have the opportunity to write to your Passion.

 

9. It Opens New Markets

The blogosphere is a powerful global marketing tool.

 

8. It Builds Your Network

 

7. It Is Very Inexpensive

Nothing compares to the affordability and simplicity of plain old blogging. For pennies, blogs can help you promote your company locally and  globally.

 

6. Blogging Makes You Famous

Ahh, I do love groupies. Who doesn’t!

5. Because You Are In Control

Unlike a traditional website…you are able to make changes 24/7.

4. Because It Is Easy

With simple training, anyone can blog.

3. It Helps You Communicate With Your Customers

Blogs support current and prospective customers. Blogs help you understand and interact with your present market.

 

2. Because Google Loves Blogs

Free traffic from search engines is always a powerful marketing tools.

 

1. Because You Want To Make Money!!!!
You build trust when you blog, and trust is what sells products or services online.

Start blogging NOW!!!!

20-10 Celebration

Yesterday Joshua turned 30. The big 20-10. I took this picture with my cell phone since no one (Dan) remembered to bring the camera. This isn't exactly the best picture ever taken, in fact, it's probably one of the worst. But, I wanted to capture the moment - the cake (ice cream cake from Cold Stone) is melting and sliding toward Joshua. But it was still yummy. Devil's food cake with coffee ice cream infused with toffee bits and topped with chunks of toffee all covered in a thick chocolate ganache frosting. I think Joshua liked it. We had dinner at El Bravo with Joshua's dad, David. Actually, I missed dinner because I was running around picking up Steven and the cake. (Steven had his first performance of The Music Man last night.) But Dan ordered a Navajo taco for me and it was delicious. We got to hang out for a little while at Alyssa & Joshua's new house. They haven't moved in yet - it's being updated for them by their new landlord (David - Joshua's dad). They are stripping off the pink flowered wallpaper and removing the pink flowered carpeting. Putting in a few built-ins, wood floors, etc. It is a super-cute patio home about 20 minues north of our house. They have an awesome patio with a built-in gas grill and two huge citrus trees with wonderfully ripe fruit (oranges & grapefruits). They even have a 2-car garage. They have shutters on the windows, a dishwasher, an extra refrigerator. Pretty much everything our house doesn't have, theirs does. I know they will have a fun time decorating the house and making it their own.

We love having Joshua in our family. It is a privilege to call him our son-in-law. I know he loves and follows hard after God. He loves Alyssa & his family. He works hard and has achieved a lot of success in school. Whatever path God leads him on, I know he'll go willingly. He is a man of integrity, courage, and strength. I love that Joshua makes people feel good about themselves. He also makes me laugh. A lot. So, many birthday blessings to you, Joshua. May God bless you. And keep you in the protection of His wings. May God make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you and give you peace. We pray that goodness and mercy would follow you all the days of your life. Keep your eyes on the prize and finish strong. We love you!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Everything

"Everything" is one of many great songs by Tim Hughes (others include "Here I Am To Worship," "Happy Day," "Be Glorified"). We are singing "Everything" this weekend at Fellowship North Church - learned it tonight. Randy is in the middle of a "Drive" series and this week the theme is trust/faith in your "Chief Spotter."

Download everything.mp3 - this is a 40 sec. clip

http://www.worshiptogether.com/features/article.aspx?iid=518476&tid=227 - this link takes you to Worship Together - they have a new jukebox feature and one of the featured songs just happens to be "Everything."

Here's a question for you to ponder with me: In general, have we (the church at large) turned our praise and worship time into a feel-good experience for us and those around us without regard for how God might feel? Oh, it's a subtle shift. We tend to move from spectator to participant to consumer to connoisseur to cynic pretty rapidly...during the whole "seeker" movement, we may have unintentionally helped to create worshippers who have forgotten that worship isn't about them at all - it's all about Him. And if we lose sight of Him during our daily life, a few songs on Sunday aren't going to restore our relationship with Him. Oh, we might feel like we're back on track because we have an emotional/physical response to worship. But, if we aren't truly striving to live our lives in response to God's unconditional love and forgiveness, then we shouldn't be singing at all, but instead, mourning, repenting, surrendering, giving and receiving unconditional love, and being the body of Christ to a world that desperately needs compassion, justice, mercy, grace, goodness, righteousness, gentleness, peace, joy, everything that we have been given through Christ displayed and lived out in a daily, practical way!

And so my heart's cry (and maybe yours too) should and will be "Be my Everything, You Are Everything, Jesus Everything." 

Nascar

Now, you might think I've lost my mind...why in the world am I writing about NASCAR?!?!?

Well, I found a link to a blog written by Liz Allison - married to Davey Allison (according to Dan, the Allison family is a famous racing family). She's got some cool posts on racing. Check out her blog. She also has a cool website.

Well, we're halfway into a message series at church called "Drive" and I thought I should pull ahead of the pack a little bit and find some common ground with the good ol' NASCAR fans. My quest really began when I saw "Talladega Nights" last summer (on my birthday - thx everyone). The movie had a couple of funny scenes - otherwise I thought it was a gross exaggeration/caricature of the NASCAR world. But after doing just a little bit of research, uh, yeah, I'm thinking it was a lot more real than I at first would allow myself to believe. I'm not saying that's a good or bad thing. I've discovered some NASCAR fans who've been following the sport for 35+ years. I've discovered that you can go on a fantastic Nascar vacation. Click here for more info. I've found out that there are generations of drivers from the same family. And I've discovered that NASCAR stands for "National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing." According to Wikipedia, "with roots as regional entertainment in the Southeastern U.S., NASCAR has grown to become the second most popular professional sport in terms of television ratings inside the U.S., ranking behind only the National Football League."

There must be a lot more to this whole NASCAR thing than I ever thought possible. And when I think about it, nothing sends my adrenaline racing more quickly than an obnoxious driver in a newer, faster car than mine passing me aggressively on the freeway. Hmmm. Maybe I shouldn't pursue this NASCAR thing...

The Turquoise Sofa

Steven hates our turquoise sofa. I happen to love it. It's long and low with really wide arms for perching comfortably on. This wonderful, vibey, super-cool sofa is going to be the star of the Rancho Solano Spring Show tomorrow evening. The 6th/7th graders are performing "A Little Help From My Friends" (Beatles). Their dance will revolve around the sofa. Some will sit on it. Others will lean on it. Still others will kneel next to it. Some will stand up and move away, others will sit on it. This sofa is all about the '60's. In fact, I think it was built in the '60's. I purchased it from a friend for the price of a tank of gas. Oh yeah, I paid a friend $20 + all he could eat at McDonald's to move it upstairs (previous apartment) for me. Such a great deal. I will post pics tomorrow evening after the show. You'll see. And you'll fall in love with it too.

Speaking of the Spring Show, it's going to be really great. I teach music 1 day a week at the Missouri campus. We've got some talented kids. They sing. They dance. And it all comes together in a pretty entertaining way. Ms. Trisha is really the brains behind our little team (she and I). She knows the kids pretty well. She teaches P.E. at a couple of the campuses. And she also is a dance teacher. And the kids all love and respect her. So she's come up with some super-cute dance moves for all ages from pre-k thru 8th grade. Ms. Burns is the mastermind/visionary behind the shows. She has boundless energy and is a talented choreographer as well as a super-driving force. I've seen a lot of the costumes and they are awesome. Ms. Betty has done the costumes before and has it all under control and then some. Hopefully I'll get a lot of pics to post for you all to see.

And when I am back at home after an entire day of dress rehearsals and then the actual Spring Show, I will relax in my retro living room, under the dim light of the '70's chandelier, reading a book from the shelves, drinking iced tea, reclining on the turquoise sofa... 

Message by Andy Stanley

I'm really happy that I found this link. When Dan and I were at the E3 partners international conference in Dallas in January, I was channel surfing while waiting for Dan to get ready (I promise) and came across Andy Stanley on TV. Now since we were in Texas, I didn't think this was unusual. Of course they would have more religious programming available in the South. Andy said some key words that made me want to blow off the conference that morning and sit in front of the TV. But then Dan was ready to go and I had to go with him and I sort of forgot about Andy Stanley's message. Until tonight.

The message is called "The Cost of Following Christ." Hmmm. Maybe I should have listened to the entire message BEFORE signing on to Team Berryman.

http://ww2.intouch.org/site/c.dhKHIXPKIuE/b.2295457/k.4ABF/In_Touch_Ministries__Video_Archives.htm

Click on the link then click on January 21, 2007 "The Cost of Following Christ" Andy Stanley.

The Music Man

You know the musical - The Music Man, starring Shirley Jones as Marian the Librarian. 76 trombones. Etc. Well, Christ Lutheran School is producing The Music Man this weekend and Steven is part of the main cast! He plays a traveling anvil salesman named Charlie. We shopped for his costume yesterday. Found some very cool clothes at Savers. Brown slacks. White dress shirt with stiff collar. Wool sports jacket (plaid) with suede patches on the elbows. Suspenders. Classic tie. Handkerchief for the pocket. And the grandest surprise of all, a giant trunk with a carrying handle that will be perfect for carrying around his "anvils." I've heard rumors of a kissing scene - (it's just acting, mom) - that will be worth the price of the ticket. Steven has a pretty natural sense of drama & comedic timing so I'm looking forward to being truly entertained by my son and the rest of the 85-member cast. I need to find some wing-tip style shoes for him tomorrow night - thinking of buying some used golf shoes at Savers and removing the spikes. Sort of gross, but who wants to pay full price for dress shoes for a teenager in AZ in the summer (106 today)??? Definitely not me. 

Mother's Day Gift

Dan & the boys bought me a wonderful Mother's Gift - an ice cream maker! When the kids were young, we'd make fantastic homemade ice cream during the scorchingly hot summer months in Palm Springs. We moved to Phoenix when Steven was 2 and he actually doesn't remember ever eating homemade ice cream. He is especially excited about the prospect of whipping up a fresh batch of ice cream. There's something magical about the whole experience of creating your own ice cream. From mixing the ingredients to layering the ice and salt, the process creates such anticipation that you can hardly wait to taste the first spoonful. And if you happen to have any fresh strawberries to slice up on top of your bowl of ice cream, well, that's truly the best thing on earth. This is going to be a yummy summer!

Technology

Dan has a brand new cell phone...and a brand new # 480.678.4368. It's a BlackJack by Samsung. Looks like he'll have a fun time figuring out all the little buttons and gadgets on this thing. Hopefully it will keep him organized. He switched to Cingular service because Cingular has coverage in Africa!! Of course, I'm still stuck with my '80's phone. My kids make fun of it 'cause it's so big. But it still works and has all my contacts in it so I'm holding out for the next wave of technology. The other day at school a little 3rd grade boy saw my phone and said, "my old cell phone was exactly like yours." I couldn't believe this 8 yr old had already upgraded to the next generation of phones. I mean, c'mon, what will his parents give him when he's 13 - a car? a trip around the world? We gave Steven a cell phone when he turned 13 a few months ago. Since then, he's been texting his friends non-stop - to the point that yesterday I upgraded our service to unlimited texting. I have to admit, texting is really cool. So much quicker than email and you can send and receive texts while driving, while sitting in church (!!), while waiting in line...

The Fam - Part 5

Last, but definitely not least, is Lilly. My mom. Affectionally called "Mame" by my sisters and I. She is the 2nd oldest child and oldest daughter. All that to say - - she's NOT old. She's only 20 yrs older than me, which makes her approximately 60-ish. She is young at heart, though, and has more talent in her little finger...She is married to Carlos, my/our dad. He was in Costa Rica with a friend at the time of the Lucille's event. Lilly was born in San Antonio, TX. Carlos was born in Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico. Since legally emigrating to the US when he was 18 yrs old, he has only returned to his birthplace 2x. He is an amazingly bright man. And the hardest working person you'll ever meet. He received full retirement from 2 different companies. And now he works full time either volunteering his skills or helping people out and pocketing a little profit from his "little jobs." Lilly is a homebody. She loves her daughters and their families. She is an artist at heart. She is an amazing scrapbooker. She keeps track of who's who in the family. Knows a lot about the family trees on both sides. All her grandsons adore her. Michael used to cry for hours when we'd leave their house. She loves to decorate her home and redecorate others' homes (she passed along that trait to everyone but me.) Lilly has a beautiful voice and taught us all to sing harmony at a young age. She worked at the same Jr. Hi for 25 years before retired a few years ago. She and my dad used to invite families over for dinner all the time. Authentic mexican food was the main attraction. On Sunday nights after church, we'd have families over for sandwiches and games. They raised us all in the church and we've never left it. We (Donni, Sandi, Crissy, & I) marvel at the way she can put together an amazing meal from what's in her refrigerator, pantry, and freezer, all with about 30 minutes notice. And of course, her house is always immaculate. (another trait she passed on to everyone except me) She is a champion shopper (another trait she passed on to everyone except me.) I could go on and on for quite a long time. With Mother's Day in two days, I guess I can take a little extra liberty to brag about our little Mame. When we were kids, we'd go to school in the morning and by the time we arrived home in the afternoon, our bedroom would be painted a different color, the furniture was rearranged, and we had new bedspreads and pillows. She claimed it was easier to paint the walls than to scrub the walls. We had lovely long, red shag carpet in our living room at one time. We were never allowed to walk on the carpet after she had vacuumed AND raked it. Like I said, she is a meticulous housekeeper. When we were in jr hi/hi school, she would pack an ice chest with fresh fruit and drinks and ice, pack up the boogie boards and towels, then drive us to the Carlsbad beach (only 20 min away) for the day. And, surprisingly, she became a pretty good boogie-boarder. Those were some awesome times. My sisters and I could (and should) write a book about our incredible mom and the legacy she has created and continues to create daily. We are so blessed to be able to call her Mom (or Mame!) and she, along with our dad have given us so much to be thankful for.

So, all that to say, Happy Mother's Day dear Mame, Happy Mother's Day to you!!!

Thoughts on Creativity

Found this at http://ragamuffinsoul.com. I actually took a "how-to-blog" seminar by the author (Carlos Whitaker) last summer at Saddleback's worship conference. Gave me a lot to think about. Took me 9 months to get it all together and start blogging. This article is on creativity, one of my favorite subjects.

9 Attitudes of Highly Creative People.

Published May 9th, 2007 in .

1. Curiosity

I’ve written previously on the topic of curiosity because I’m convinced that it is an essential skill to build as a blogger. Learning to ask ‘why’, ‘what if’ and ‘I wonder…’ are great questions t build into your life if you want to be a more creative person.

2. Seeing Problems as Interesting and Acceptable

ChallengeOne of the problems of the Western mindset is that we often see problems or obstacles in life as unacceptable parts of life. We avoid pain or suppress it when it comes and in doing so don’t often see and feel symptoms that are there to tell us something important. Creative people see problems as a natural and normal part of life - in fact they often have a fascination with problems and are drawn to them.

3. Confronting Challenge

Many of the most creative ideas through out history have come from people facing a challenge or crisis and rather than running from it asking ‘how can I overcome this’?
4. Constructive Discontent

Creative people often have an acute awareness of what’s wrong with the world around them - however they are constructive about this awareness and won’t allow themselves to get bogged down in grumbling about it - they take their discontent and let it be a motivation to doing something constructive.

5. Optimism

OptimismCreative people generally have a deeply held belief that most (if not all) problems can be solved. No challenge is too big to be overcome and no problem cannot be solved (this doesn’t mean they’re always happy or never depressed - but they don’t generally get stumped by a challenge).

6. Suspending Judgment

The ability to hold off on judging or critiquing an idea is important in the process of creativity. Often great ideas start as crazy ones - if critique is applied too early the idea will be killed and never developed into something useful and useable. (note - this doesn’t mean there is never a time for critique or judgement in the creative process - it’s actually key - but there is a time and place for it).

7. Seeing Hurdles as leading to improvements and solutions

HurdlesThis relates to some of the above - but by ‘hurdles’ I mean problems and mistakes in the creative process itself. Sometimes it’s on the journey of developing an idea that the real magic happens and it’s often out of the little problems or mistakes that the idea is actually improved.

8. Perseverance

Creative people who actually see their ideas come to fruition have the ability to stick with their ideas and see them through - even when the going gets tough. This is what sets apart the great from the good in this whole sphere. Stick-ability is key.

9. Flexible Imagination

FlexibleI love watching a truly creative person at work when they’re ‘on fire’. They have this amazing ability to see a problem or challenge and it’s many potential solutions simultaneously and they have an intuitive knack at being able to bring previously disconnected ideas together in flashes of brilliance that seem so simple - yet which are so impossible to dream up for the average person.

Good stuff. Sorry for all the practical info lately.
Just what’s in my head.

Los

The Fam - Part 4

Uncle Mikey. Aunt Linda. So many great memories from our growing up years. All the years of spending New Year's Eve at their house. The white elephant gifts. And all that food. Remember the classic layered flour tortilla, slice of cheese, tamale, slice of cheese, enchilada, slice of cheese taco? I do believe that Taco Bell stole that idea with their double layer taco. And of course the Taco Town commercial (see Cinco De Mayo post) hits a little too close to home. And then (I'm digressing but I have a point) there's the most amazing little Pizza placed by our house that sells a yummy Calzone filled with Spaghetti. You want to talk about carb overload or what. OK, so back to Michael & Linda. We had such great holidays, bbqs, swim parties, good times in the pool and just hanging out at the formica table in the kitchen mindlessly snacking on fresh Mexican bread or eating banana or rootbeer popsicles from the drive-thru dairy down the street. I remember 5 yr old Danny wearing a tiny little tux playing the piano at his first recital. I remember Yaya & Jerry always stopping by when they heard we were in town. All of the cousins had at least 1 other cousin about their same age to hang out with. I remember all the beautiful hand-made gifts they gave to us. Linda is so talented at crafts and sewing and crocheting and painting. And Michael rocks at photography and all sorts of creative endeavors. Does everyone remember the first time they learned how to back out down their narrow driveway and make that sharp right curve at the very end? Oh yeah, good times. Their home overflowed with hospitality and generosity. I know we've all grown up and moved on, but it's so nice to get together again, even if it's just for lunch, and just re-capture a bit of the past. You know, when you carry the good part of the past with you, you can better create a great future. I don't dwell in the past, but it is a part of me. I was so shaped by the time we spent doing life together deeply with family. Whew. Better stop before I get too sentimental.

The Fam - Part 3

Let's see, I think I'll keep going with Rudy & Susan. Rudy is the youngest child in the family. He's the only sibling born in California. He also is the only sibling with a middle name. Hm. Interesting California custom. Susan is a R.N. Multiple degrees in nursing. Lots of musical talent. Rudy is a teacher. (of course he is -- if you haven't noticed, it's the Fuentes occupation of choice). They have three sons - Christopher (recent Pepperdine grad), Austin (creative genius), and Ryan - well, I don't really know Ryan at all, but I'm sure he at least has the incredibly funny, dry wit that the rest of the men in the family have. Rudy & Susan graduated from PLNU. I also remember Rudy & Susan spending a lot of time at our house when I was in my teens. They got married in 1981 or 1982 - I was in their wedding but I don't remember how old I was. My cousin Yaya & I were the candlelighters. Their wedding photographer was Joe Butts. Oh, yeah, Mr. B-word. He was amazing. A master photographer. So, Dan and I used him for our wedding photos. And they turned out so fantastic that both of Dan's sisters used him for their wedding photos. I had forgotten about that connection until just 5 minutes ago. So, thanks R&S for the tip. Rudy is the person I can thank for showing me how to eat an entire meal with no utensils, just the assistance of a flour tortilla or two (or three). The tortilla scoops, scrapes, rolls up perfect bites, then wipes down the plate to a perfectly clean, "ready for the shelf" sheen, before it then finishes its duties by acting as napkin for your mouth then finally your fingers. So delicious and practical at the same time!

The Fam - Part 2

So, there we were, chowing down platters at Lucille's. I sat next to my Aunt Rosemary & Uncle Joel. They have been an integral part of our lives forever. First of all, they have 7 children. I'm 10 yrs older than their oldest child. Their youngest 3 children are very close in ages to my kids. Tamara, Wesley, Aaron, Steven, Allison, David, Kari. Rosemary was the classic domestic engineer, running a busy household, volunteering at church, baking bread, cooking endless fabulous meals, washing immense loads of laundry, and driving everywhere, first in their big Buick, then for probably the past 15 years in a VW Vanagon. If my calculations are correct, Rosemary has been driving kids to school for 27 years straight. Joel is a pilot. He was in the Navy. Then in the Navy reserves. Was a pilot for General Dynamics. Aaron was in the Marines. Served time in Iraq. Wesley is in the Air Force. At one time they had a dog named Colonel. Fiercely patriotic family. They love and serve God. When Dan and I were dating, we'd hang out with them at their condo in Tierrasanta. We got rained out at a Padre game one night and we decided to stop by (this was before cell phones). Rosemary made popcorn for us (this was before microwave popcorn) and let us watch a movie (Fiddler on the Roof).

Busy tonight - more tomorrow.

The Fam - In Detail - Part 1

The first family members we saw were Ruben & Rachel. They live in Rancho Cucamonga. Ruben was the first one in the family to graduate from college. I can't remember if he graduated from Pasadena Nazarene College or if the college had moved to Point Loma. In which case he graduated from Point Loma Nazarene College (now a University). Rachel has worked in retail for a long time. Not sure where she's working right now. But they are lucky to have her 'cause she's smart & funny & "she works hard for the money...so hard for the money...she works hard for the money so you better treat her right..." Ruben & Rachel have one son, Jason. I rarely get to see Jason because I'm not able to be at very many family functions. But I do remember that Jason coined the phrase "butter tacos" and that grandma Nora would always make butter tacos for Jason. Homemade flour tortilla. Warmed up on the cast iron griddle. Spread butter (or in Grandma's case it was always Blue Bonnet) and roll up tight like a taquito. Don't forget the napkin to catch all the butter pouring out the bottom. YUM! Thanks Jason!!

Robert & his daughter Kimberly & his son Matt joined us. His wife, Pam, couldn't be there because she's helping to care for her dad who is ill. Pam has been a special ed teacher for as long as I can remember. She teaches blind children in the public school system. Pam makes desserts. And she is a dessert-making rock star. So rich that your fillings fall out of your teeth. And if you only budgeted in a five pound weight gain at Thanksgiving, you better double that because her desserts are worth it. Robert is also a teacher. I think he teaches high school math. He's another great cook. He used to visit our house a lot when he was attending PLNU. He was a yell-leader in college. And a baseball player. Kimberly is a brand new teacher (3rd grade?) in Carlsbad and a fantastic singer. They have another son, Mark, who attends PLNU. He is a talented musician. And he surfs. At least I think he does. If he doesn't he should because he's got the look! Matt is their other son. He works in Santa Monica and lives in Brentwood. I didn't ask him what exactly he does for a living, but since he graduated from Pepperdine and studied something like math or computers or possibly both, I'm sure he will be successful in whatever endeavors he is involved in. I invited Matt to join Dan & I in Africa sometimes. He's already thinking of traveling to Tanzania and Kenya, why not swing on over to Rwanda & Burundi while he's there. Makes perfect sense to me.

More tomorrow.

Family Fun at Lucille's

Yesterday was a great day. Alyssa and I were able to join the "fam" at Lucille's in Rancho Cucamonga for lunch. Oh yes, we sure did just fly in for lunch. And it was wonderful. First, we landed in the OC and were whisked away in a lovely Lexus by my stunning sister Sandi (aka Dulce). While en route to the restaurant, we fielded a call on the Bluetooth all-car communications device. Of course, it was Donni (aka Lola). It appears that Donni has decided that we all need to have Mexican/Spanish nicknames. Just call me Margarita. (Jury is still out on that one.) We drove 45 minutes to Victoria Gardens outdoor shopping center. Let me just say, this was not the Cucamonga I remember from when I was a kid. It reminded me a lot of Kierland Commons in Scottsdale, except that it was a lot bigger. A lot. Bigger.

I think I'll spend a few days posting about our day. It was really great to see the familia. Coming soon - a Fuentes family photo album. Submissions are welcomed & appreciated.

Alien Song (I Will Survive)

This is another favorite video - laugh out loud funny.

May 5 aka Cinco De Mayo

OK, in commemoration of Cinco de Mayo, I couldn't resist posting this link to the SNL Taco Town video. It makes me laugh every time. Ole'!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQiR5Njn3dc

National Day of Prayer

I think that I'm at a soul crisis point. I tend to arrive at this place in life when I'm spread too thin. And, well, I hate to admit it, but I've done it to myself. Said yes to too many good things. And of course, it's the end of the school year so we've got projects and performances and final games and field trips and it can be pretty overwhelming. Many others have walked this path before me and can empathize. But I think what I need more than empathy is a firm directive to drop everything, right here, right now, and drop to my knees and pray. And, of course, that would be even more appropriate than ever before because I just remembered that today is the National Day of Prayer. Click here to be directed to the National Day of Prayer website. Be sure to check out the cool American History DVD series. I think I might purchase this for my kids.

I encourage you to join me today in prayer. Take a few moments for silent reflection and confession. Consciously repent (turn from) thoughts and ways that don't please God. Then pray your guts out for our nation, our families, our churches, our world. Pray for forgiveness & reconciliation. Pray for humility and wisdom. Pray for love above all. Pray for peace and hope. Pray for God's will to be done in our lives. Pray for unsaved friends and family. Pray for protection. Pray for guidance. Pray for renewed passion and purpose in life. Pray for justice. Pray for the oppressed. Pray for the widows & orphans who are destitute. Pray for the diseased and dying. Pray. Pray. Pray. Focus on God and never take your eyes off of Him.

An Amazing Discovery

I made an amazing accidental discovery. Let me tell you, I take no credit for figuring it out. It just happened. I posted the previous post with the Wired magazine cover. And in the process I unchecked the box that says something about thumbnails. Not because I meant to change any settings, but because it didn't make sense that a magazine cover would be a thumbnail. But I wasn't sure what size the cover would turn out to be. Full-size, that's what size. The size I would love for all my photos to be when I post them on the blog. The size I thought was not possible to have on the blog without understanding pixels and other foreign terms. So, from now on, this creative genius (not) will be posting full-size pics on the blog. I can't tell you how happy this makes me. It reminds me of the day I discovered the dogs tied to the fences in Rwanda weren't dogs but were actually goats. Light bulbs. Flash bulbs. Violins crescendoing. River dancers. YES!

Team Berryman is Wired!

Check out this new magazine cover - we are wired and ready for our trip!! If you'd like to create your own magazine cover, click here! Steven's passport arrived on Saturday. Now all we need to do is get yellow fever shots for the boys. Such fun. I think I'll have Dan take them in. Last time Michael had a shot, now that was a terrible day. I wouldn't be surprised if the doctor retired after that day. I'm pretty sure his entire staff needed counseling. Our FNC Kenya team met on Sunday after church. We will meet weekly until we leave. We practiced sharing the Gospel using an evangecube. We had documents notarized by Debbie Lawson (thanks Debbie!). We prayed together. The trip is fast becoming a reality and it is really exciting to see so many teens "wired" and ready to go!