Random Thoughts

This picture is one I found a while back, and loved it. It's of some valley in California that you can see off the freeway or somesuch. I used it as a background on my computer for a whle. I just love the colors...

Yesterday Kayla gave me a "prayer shawl" (it looks like a very warm very large scarf, being almost two feet wide and at least eight feet long) that her grandma had made. I love it, it is soo warm and comphy (though very magenta in color, which is something new to me...) It's called a prayer shawl because you pray the entire time you make it.

I recently have been in the mood for watching old eighties movies. So I went and got "Don't Tell Mom the Babysitters Dead" from the video store. It was great fun. I also got "Fried Green Tomatoes", which is one of my favorites. Next I want to watch "Son in Law", which I am getting from the library (since that is by far the cheapest way to get movies). If anyone can think of any other "classic" eighties movies, tell me, so I can watch them.

As far as books go, I am currently reading "Just As I Am" The Autobiography of Billy Graham. I love it. He has such a down to earth style of writting, and he's not afraid of laughing at himself. His childhood really helps me connect with him (not that I grew up as he did, but that lifestyle has always been one I love and admire). I've really grown to have a deep respect for his wife as well. I really suggest reading it if you haven't (and don't be scared away by the length, it really isn't that bad once you get into it).

I have been currently informed that I have OCD. I never really thought I did, but after a conversation durring the fold and staple, I really started paying attention to my actions and reactions, and I have come to the conclusion that yes, I do have this sad condition, but it rather selective in nature (or so I believe). I guess the only way I'll learn the severity of it is if/when I get married. I don't think this is a bad thing to have, as long as I watch my attitude about it. If I'm constantly getting annoyed about co-workers messing up things and such, then there is a problem. I don't know...

Well, now I have spent nearly 3 hours messing around on blogger, updating my blog, reading everyone elses, commenting, and playing around a bit. Ech... I think it's time to go and do something useful for a while...

Update

Just thought I should update you about my dad. He's gone in and talked to the surgeon. They set a date for his surgery, on the 20th of this month. The surgeon is supposed to be very good at this kind of surgery, and is also well-known and well-liked. He informed my dad that this kind of cancer is a slow moving variety, so the chances are high that it hasn't spead at all, and should be very easy to remove. They also took care of all the preliminary tests and such, so that everything will be ready to go on the 20th. Dad's really doing well. He is thankful for all the prayers going his way. He says he is concerned, but not scared.

It has been a very long, and somewhat difficult week. There has been some other news that I've recieved lately that has caused me some concern (though I really cannot speak of it on here). It seems like this has been a hard week for many people at church. I guess this should be an encouragement to us. It means we're doing something right. It would be nice to have a bit simpler week this week though...

P.S. In other news, the cat is healing fine, and really seems to be enjoying all the extra attention, and living in the house. So far he has not had any fights with the three resident cats, and I hope to keep it that way.

Of Cat Fights and Colon Cancer

Yes, I know, it's been a while since I last posted. There has been a lot going on, and somehow, even when I get to a computer, I just don't get around to an update. Well, as you can tell by the title, I have at least a couple things of interest to share.

Now as many of you know, this summer we had a cat adopt us, and has lately been living in our garage (comfortably supplied with a heated water dish, a full food bowl, and a warming pad to lay on. He's gone from being a small bony creature, to a large chubby garfield-ish cat. This past weekend my step-dad noticed that he (the cat) had a puffy cheek. So today I got to take him into the vet. Now this same thing has happened before to his leg, so I had an idea of what was going to happen. The vet took him into the back room to remove the puss and shave away the hair (so that it would stay clean), and came back to tell he that he had some infection around the wound and that it would have to be cut away. I left him there, and returned later in the day to pick him up. He now has a largish hole in the side of his face, which gives him a very strange appearance (to say the least). He is going to have to stay in the house (likely in a bathroom or the entryway) for a couple weeks so that it can stay clean and heal properly. He took it all very well, and doesn't even seem to notice it. (He didn't react much to his other injury either, he's just a tough cat). Hopefully this incident will teach him to stop fighting with other cats. (I'm not holding my breath on that, though.)

As to the other topic of this post. Last week (as many of you were informed), my dad went in to get a checkup, since he had been bleeding oddly. He had a colonoscapy (I'm not sure how to spell that...) where they put a small camera into his colon to check around. They found one area that looked suspicious and so took some samples to be tested. The doctor informed him that it looked like cancer, though they wouldn't be certain until the results came back. So we had a week of waiting. Today he went back in to here the news. It is colon cancer. They said that he'll need to have surgery within the next month or so to get it removed. If it hasn't spread at all, they should be able to remove it all then, otherwise he'll have to start chemotherapy. Right now he's most sad about not being able to be active out-of-doors this spring (he usually taps trees). We could all really use some prayers, this is going to be a hard process. Though he regularly attends church, I'm not sure if he is actually a christian, and that's what worries me the most right now. I know I can count on you for your prayers. Thank you all.

martyrs of the Philippines

These days we've gotten rather used to hearing about all that we are doing in the Philippines, so much so that it almost just seems like it's an extention of our lives here. And yet, it is a place where persecution is a real thing. Here are a couple of eye opening stories that I've found recently that have made me think a bit when I hear people mention the Philippines. Both of these occurred in 1992.


"We have your nephew," said the handwritten note. "If you surrender to us, we will return the boy to his parents." Brother MT stared at the message. It was from the leaders of the New People's Army (NPA), the military arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines. People in many parts of the Philippines have been threatened and persecuted for years by this group of terrorists.

Brother MT is an evangelist in the Philippines. He travels regularly into the mountains to preach to the terrorist groups. Peter, his eight-year-old nephew, frequently went with Brother MT on his evangelistic trips. He was a special help to him in children's meetings in the mountain villages.

Because of pressure from the NPA, Brother MT was often forced into hiding. Still, as a result of his ministry, some of the NPA soldiers had given their lives to Jesus Christ and left the organization. MT had counted the cost and was prepared to give his life for the Gospel, but he was not prepared for this! He knew there was no hope that his surrender would save his nephew. He knew they would both be killed; still, he hesitated.

The boy's parents insisted that MT ignore this order and continue his evangelistic outreach. As a result, the parents gave their son for the Gospel. Peter was killed on Good Friday, April 17, 1992. He was tortured for three hours and suffered very much. His hands were tied with wire, and the terrorists struck his in the legs and head with an ax. Finally, he was beheaded.

The abductors have warned the boy's parents and MT that if they do not stop their ministry, they will return and torture them. Brother MT is continuing his dangerous work in the mountains among the terrorist groups.



The service was over. Jackie Hamill, a young Australian prison evangelist, was excited about what God was doing. She had felt the love of Jesus reach out to these inmates. Jackie and fourteen members of her church had traveled to the Philippines to minister in a military prison there. They were concerned for the lost souls of the inmates, many od whom were Communist guerrillas in prison for murder.

Suddenly, the quiet was broken by the sounds of fighting and gunshots. The inmates were rioting and had overpowered the guards, seizing their guns and ammunition to make an escape.

The evangelists were taken hostage and held for three days. During that time, Jackie and one other girl were raped repeatedly. But even in the moments when she suffered the greatest shame, Jackie prayed for her captors and spoke to them about God's love. Her face did not show panic, revulsion, or hatred, but glowed with the brightness of God's light.

During her imprisonment, she led the team in singing God's praises and presented the Gospel to her captors. One of the rioting inmates threw down his gun and recieved Jesus as his Savior.

On the third day, there was a shoot-out between the prosoners and soldiers who came to stop the riot. Jackie and Juliet, 16-years-old, were shot. Even as Jackie lay dying, she raised her hands to God, praying for the rioting inmates and for the soldiers. She died while singing to God.

Our family in Christ

A story to encourage you and show you that many have gone before; we are not alone.


Anila met Perveen at school. As their friendship grew, Anila gave Perveen a Bible and taught her Christian songs. Perveen quickly learned Christian songs and began to teach them to her younger sister when her parents weren't home. Perveen's parents soon learned of the songs. Being strict Muslims, they were not happy about tham. But rather than confronting Perveen right away, they had her younger sister try to find out where she was getting this Christian influence.
Anila eventually invited Perveen to a Good Friday service. When the young Muslim heard the Gospel presentation, she immediately accepted Jesus. Perveen became very excited about her new relationship with Jesus and saw great changes take place in her life. She read her Bible and praised God boldly. Anila knew that, before long, her friend would encounter opposition from her family.
Perveen's parents were furious when they learned of her conversion. They had previously arranged for her to marry a Muslim man. When Perveen again refused, she ran away.
When Perveen's parents could not find her, they accused Anila and her pastor of kidnapping her. They had Anila arrested. Anila was slapped and beaten in front of her parents for over nine hours. Finally she was taken to prison.
Anila's pastor and his family were taken to prison on the following day. Anila and her pastor experienced horrible tortures in jail. She was whipped sixteen times (five times would make a normal man pass out). When they were released, Anila could not sit for two months, and her pastor could barely walk from the bruises on his hips and thighs.
Perveen was later found by her family. In Muslim nations, children are often severely beaten for converting to Christianity. Others are killed by their own parents or siblings for apostasy, converting to another faith.
To restore the honor of his family, Perveen's brother stabbed her to death. He then turned himself in to the local authorities. As is not uncommon in such stuations, he was eventually released without incident.
Anila was then arrested on charges of kidnapping.
She was imprisoned, then released on bail a little more than a month later. She and her family went into hiding, as their lives were threatened by radical Muslims.
In May, 1999, Anila was acquitted of all charges. Praise God for the prayers of faithful believers around the world! Continue to pray for her protection as she remains in hiding.
"I have seen the world," Anila said, "and it has nothing good. Jesus is my only peace."



Peace to you all,
~H

Another One

The Question: "Where did you live in sixth grade; what was your favorite part about that place and why?"

The Answer: I lived in two places at the same time while in sixth grade (and all of my childhood, actually). With my mom, I lived in a nice house on the north side of town, and my favorite thing about it was that I lived in the big basement room and had my own bathroom and such. With my dad, I lived in a largish house just south of town, and my favorite thing was that we lived on a big tree covered hill with a creek at the bottom. It was fun :)

Alright, what's your answer everyone?

(If your wondering about the two house thing, my parents got devorced when I was around 1 yr old and would go back and forth from house to house daily (no joke))

Something to blog about....

So, I was given a blogging topic, and it is: (drum roll please)


"What do you consider to be the most popular food in the world and why? Support your answer with either facts or well thought out logic."


And my answer is: Ramen

Yes, Ramen is the most popular food in the world. If you need a reason why, then you're a sad sad person who needs to get a life. You should also read all the WoTs articles about the wonders of Ramen.

What is your opinion? Do you agree? Why or why not?