Daniel brought home some extra milk today...

Ten gallons extra!


(It was a good deal, ha ha.) So I started thinking about what to do with so much milk.

The first thing that came to mind was to make queso fresco, a soft cheese. After looking around on the internet and finding several recipes, I combined a couple, and this is what I ended up doing:

Heat four quarts of milk to 180° F (82° C), stirring constantly. (Be careful not to scald it.) While stirring with a wisk, slowly add 1/4 cup white vinegar. (The milk will begin to curdle.) Continue to stir for 10-15 minutes. (I left the heat on low, to maintain the temperature.) Line a colander with a fine cheesecloth, and pour the curdled milk through it. Allow the curds to cool for about 20 minutes, then gather the four corners of the cloth and hang it, suspended over a bowl or sink until it stops dripping (about 5 hours). I helped it by squeezing it periodically.


The solidified cheese can be broken apart and salted to taste, or left unsalted.

We use queso fresco in lasagna (instead of ricotta), tacos, sprinkled over tostadas with beans and salsa, and on top of bean dip. It's delicious!

After the cheese-making process, I ended up with about three quarts of whey by-product. Any ideas what I could do with that? I was thinking of chilling it to pour over cereal, or using it for pancake batter or biscuits.

So, just nine more gallons of milk to go! I am freezing some of it, but maybe some of you cooks out there have recipes that use milk as a key ingredient. Let's hear 'em! If you like, post it on your blog, and I will link you here.

...Like crazy, with all the rain we have had! We've been harvesting lettuce and onions for a while now. The broccoli plants are huge and bushy, but no broccoli yet.


The squash is doing well, in spite of the frost damage we had a couple of weeks ago. Its vines creep along the ground under the corn, and Daniel trained it up one wall of the enclosure.


The tomatoes look promising. These are the plants that Jessica and I started from seeds. They did NOT like the transplant process, and I worried that we might lose them altogether. But they are surviving, and we were so excited when they finally bloomed!


...I'm already dreaming about salsa...

I received an email this morning that said this:

"The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you."

Sounds good, doesn't it? But how true is it? That depends on how you look at it.

One way to read that saying is that when you are in God's will, He will protect you from physical harm. Are we always protected from harm? What about my brother, who got punched in the face one time for witnessing to a fellow? Did he suffer harm because he was out of God's will? Are the brave believers who suffer torture and death for their stand for Christ, out of God's will?

While I have heard of and experienced many times God's blessings and protection from harm, I do not believe that being right with God is an automatic shield of protection from physical harm.

Another way to read that saying is that when you are in God's will, His grace can keep you in spite of adverse circumstances! We who are His own can experience security in His grace, whether experiencing a storm or smooth sailing, and peace that no one around us can understand. If you have been a child of God for any length of time, I'm sure you can identify!

Even though we are walking with the Lord (and sometimes because we are walking with the Lord), Christians WILL suffer adversity and hardships. The difference is that those who have a relationship with the Creator are able to rise above those circumstances and ride out the storm with calm assurance instead of fear and uncertainty.

Don't you love it when warm rain falls from a sunny sky?


Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God...


Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains...


He giveth to the beast his food...


The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy. Praise the LORD!

I promised to post the notes from that great sermon we heard at the youth meeting last weekend, and I waited until I could borrow the preacher's notes. I took my own notes at the meeting, but I was holding a toddler in my lap at the time and, well, you can imagine what my notes look like!

So now I have obtained the original outline from the preacher, and guess what. It's the same stuff that I managed to scratch onto the back of my song sheet! I can't believe he preached all that he preached, in between the lines of this simple outline! But, without further ado, here it is, translated loosely from Spanish:

Text: Acts 5:1-11 (The account of Ananias and Sapphira, and their fatal hypocrisy.)

(After reading the passage, the preacher opened with some comments about the sin of Ananias and Sapphira. Their sin was not in holding back a portion of the money from the sale of their property, but rather it was their hypocrisy. They were not true disciples, but hoped to be thought spiritual and benevolent by their act. They were willing to deny themselves IF it brought to them some kind of benefit. They thought they could serve God AND mammon. And they hoped to fool the apostles, the church, and even the Holy Spirit, with their lies. We can learn from this how the God of Truth hates lies, not only direct lies, but also words with double meanings, meant to deceive.)

Signs of a False Christianity:
as exemplified by Ananias and Sapphira

I. Lack of Pure Motives. Their motives were not to give an offering, nor to honor the Lord, but that others might think well of them. *Why do you do the good works you do? Just to be seen of others?

II. Lack of the Fear of God. It did not matter to them that God saw what they did, because they did not fear Him. *There are people who call themselves Christians yet live as though there were no God at all!

III. Lack of the Truth. They lied in order to accomplish their own purposes. *No lie stands alone; every lie is accompanied by more lies. *Who did Jesus say is the father of lies? *"Ye are of your father, the devil."

IV. Lack of Life. They lost their lives, literally. *Ephesians 2:1 "And you hath he quickened, who WERE dead in trespasses and sins..." *Colossians 3:9 "Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the NEW man..."

A prayer was made at the end for those who might be living a life of hypocrisy, trying to fool God and those around them into thinking they really are Christians, when in truth there is no life in them.

Monday is always Catch-up Day around here. Between weekend activities, and the fact that practically NO housework gets done on the Lord's Day, there is always plenty to catch up on.

So while I am at it, I think I'll do a little catching-up on This Pilgrimage..

This weekend we enjoyed a wonderful Youth Meeting with a few other churches in the state. Our group prepared some special music with a chorale, acoustic guitars, and flute. The preaching was just excellent, and I think I am going to post the outline here later. Signs of a false Christianity. Convicting.

'Tis rainy season in Guatemala. The house is cool during the day, and nights are cooler. I haven't been blogging much because we have dealt with some illness, and I myself am still coming out of the fog of a monster ear/nose/throat infection. We don't take antibiotics unless the situation is out of control, which almost never happens, so we use a lot of home remedies around here. My favorite? Garlic Lemonade, a hot drink that feels sooo good on a sore throat. (That recipe is right here.)

Another reason I've been MIA, in a word, Facebook. My brother persuaded me to sign up. He said we can keep in touch better, and I'll find so many old friends from my past on there, and catching up is so much fun! All that is true, but it certainly does create a time conflict. My blogging friend Jungle Mom told me that "the younger folks prefer Facebook, the busy people want Twitter, and the rest of us like Blogger." That sounds about right! Facebook can be fun, but Blogger is where I can be stretched. I have found that great is the temptation to simply post one-liners on Facebook, and never get around to a blog post, which requires much more thought and effort. Repenting!

So now that I have expunged my guilt here, I must go refill my cup with hot tea and get back to household duties. May you all have a happy Monday, and a blessed week!

An old friend of mine has got me to thinking about Lazarus, and his sisters Mary and Martha. They are mentioned several times in the gospels, and were very good friends of the Lord Jesus. They lived in Bethany, which was located just about two miles from Jerusalem.

This is the Mary who anointed Jesus with expensive ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair. This is the same Martha who toiled in the kitchen, complaining to the Lord that her sister had left her to do all the work. Both sisters expressed the tiniest smidge of doubt when their brother Lazarus had died and Jesus showed up four days "late," so they thought. It makes me smile when I think of how I can relate to these very human people!

With all their quirks, these three, Lazarus, Mary, and Martha, had a home in which the Lord Jesus felt welcome. Several times when Jesus was in Jerusalem, pressed by crowds, selflessly ministering to people, teaching those who would listen, and being wearied by hypocritical Pharisees asking pointless questions in order to trap him with his words... we see Him at the end of the day, resorting to Bethany to rest in the house of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary.

What was it about these particular people that made Jesus feel welcome in their home?

I think, first of all, they were humble. Humility is willingness to yield. Humility is the absence of pride. When humility hears a Word from the Lord, it says, "I will obey." Jesus could recognize pride immediately, and always rebuked it. No doubt Lazarus, Mary, and Martha must have been humble people.

It follows that they were also obedient. Jesus said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." A simple thing, even if it is easier said than done sometimes. There is no clearer demonstration of our love for God, than our obedience to Him.

Due to their obedience, I believe they were people who lived a holy lifestyle. Holiness is very underrated these days, and many preachers never preach about it, because it makes people uncomfortable. "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation [lifestyle]; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy."

Lazarus, Mary, and Martha were not without their flaws, as we have seen. But I think the key to having a home where Jesus feels welcome is found in our heart attitudes. We should be aware of our shortcomings, willing to listen to His Word, and ready to yield and make changes as He deems best.

An attitude like that is like a big, cheery sign on the door that says, Jesus is welcome here!

This post is going to be a little bit random, but it includes a few shots of my parents' visit, as well as some photos from around Guatemala. Enjoy!

Shopping in the market. Strawberries were less than fifty cents a pound!

Checking out the chickens..

Busy in the kitchen one morning.

At the Iglesia Bautista La Esperanza.

Going shopping near downtown Xela.

Mom & me at a restaurant in Antigua. I {heart} my mom!

Hospital Privado in Quetzaltenango, where we took Dad to have blood work done while he was here. (Doctor's orders.) See the smile on his face? That's relief that it wasn't so bad after all! ;o)

Artwork in the market.

A park in Parramos.

These are the pilas, where women come to scrub their family's clothes over stone surfaces, rinsing them with the water you see. Most homes here have their own pila, including mine. It really comes in handy for big clean-up jobs and for scrubbing stains or rinsing mops. But as for my laundry? I'm so blessed to have a washing machine! :o)

This is Oscar, our weasel - er, Dog, I mean.

This is Mom & Dad at the airport. Sad day!

Here is one of the pieces of Mayan stoneware dug up by a neighbor of ours. Many pieces of ancient Mayan artifacts are kept and preserved by the government and/or in museums, but who knows how much pottery and statuary are in the homes of the people who find them? Some of them appreciate the history and take care of it, like this fellow does. I want one!

Jocote marañón, a fruit brought up from the coast. Notice the strangely-shaped "stem"? That contains what you know as a cashew nut!

Woman in Guatemala City.

(What's with the broccoli? you might be thinking. That is Ann's button for the Food on Fridays she hosts on her funny, informative, and very clever blog. Go check it out!)

Getting back to Scrumptious Oatmeal, but posting a photo which will evoke more appropriate olfactory memories...


(much better...)

Maybe you wouldn't normally put the word "scrumptious" before "oatmeal". But be it ever so humble, oatmeal doesn't have to be boring!

Because it is so nutritious and CHEAP, we eat it for breakfast a few times a week, which could get monotonous were it not for a few tricks which I will share forthwith.

Method #1: Put your pan on to heat, adding a heaping spoonful of butter to melt. When melted, add your measured oats and stir to coat with butter. Continue stirring, allowing the oats to toast until you smell the wonderful aroma filling your kitchen and making your stomach growl. Then add the measured water and salt. Stir and cook until done.

Method #2: Cook the oats according to directions, then add one or two cubed bananas, a little vanilla, and a handful of chopped nuts, and brown sugar. Banana Nut Bread in a Bowl!

Method #3: Melt butter in your pan, then throw in a peeled, cored, and chopped apple. Saute the apple pieces until they soften, then add the oats, water and salt. Cook until the oats are done, then add cinnamon and brown sugar to taste.

Note: Packages of oatmeal always instruct you to boil the water, then add the oats. I've always wondered why? I end up with lumpy oatmeal when I do that, no matter how furiously I stir while adding the oats to boiling water. So I stir the oats into cold water, then bring it to a boil. Works for me!

I have heard so many negative things lately about the roles of wife and motherhood.

"It's boring.... I'm not making any real contribution to society.... There's more to life than being a mother.... I've lost myself and don't even have my own identity anymore," et al.

Assuming that some of my readers are hearing the same voices, I just wanted to encourage you all, especially you stay-at-home mothers, myself included, with some Truth! Yes, this is a pep-talk for me, too.

First of all, our biggest problem is allowing those negative attitudes to infiltrate our minds and affect our own outlook. Boredom is a state of mind, and if a woman sits at home dreaming about being "on the outside" or fantasizing about being someone else's wife, guess what? She is going to get bored with reality, become discontent with her life, and start wishing for a way out. Next step after that is looking for a way out, and Satan will be right there with an opportunity! The best ways to avoid boredom is 1) choose to like what you are called to do, and 2) don't settle for "good enough". Work at making your home your dream-home, and I'm not just talking about the house!

Being a good godly wife and mother is the highest fulfillment of God's purpose that a married woman can attain! Anyone who doesn't believe me needs to refer to the principle of First Mention and go back to the book of Genesis. When asking the question, "Am I really doing anything worthwhile?" one should also ask, "Am I fulfilling God's purpose for me?" In order to answer that one, we need to determine what we were created for, and the answers are found in Genesis.

God said that it was not good for man to be alone, and decided then and there to create a helper suited to the man's needs. (Genesis 2:18-25) She was to be his partner, his intimate friend, companion, co-laborer, helper, lover, and sharer in the joys and sorrows of life! This was Eve's God-ordained purpose in life, and so it is ours as well. This is what we were created for, and to "lose" ourselves in this purpose is not loss at all! Rather, it is to "find" ourselves in God's will, to experience all the joys of being in His favor, and experience true fulfillment.

Being wife and mother are full-time occupations. Do not allow anyone to belittle your high calling, making you think there are bigger and better things that you should give your attention to. We cannot rise above what God has called us to do. There is no better thing to devote ourselves to than to what He has created us to be!

So take courage, ladies, and block those negative voices from your minds and hearts. They are a tool of the devil to discourage you and distract you from your holy purpose. Take up the distaff with a firm hand, and rejoice in the task God has given you. It's a holy work we can do in Jesus' name!

A final word...

"I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully. For some are already turned aside after Satan." I Timothy 5:14,15

"That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed." Titus 2:4,5

~WHEW!~ I needed that...

Mom and Dad arrived in Guatemala on Monday and will be with us for a little while. It is so good to see them again! With today's technology, we can talk to them from a thousand miles away or IM every day if we want, but there is just no substitute for a warm embrace or a smile in person.

My children are thoroughly enjoying their Grammy and Papa, (the younger two getting re-acquainted with them :o). We'll let them rest up from their trip and get acclimated to the altitude before we take them to do any crazy stuff!

I hope you are all seeing God's blessings today as well!

"Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad....

Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples....

[Just hours later...]

Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

And he went out, and wept bitterly."

Matthew 26:31,35,74,75

It is easy to say that I would never deny the Lord. But this passage is a sobering reminder that anybody can fall to the temptation, given the right circumstances.

It is getting more and more difficult to be true Christ-followers these days. The laws of the land are changing, and the direction they are taking is not Bible-friendly, to say the least.

Most likely great persecution is on its way to America, though most Christians think America is immune to persecution of the church. Preaching the truth will soon be "hate-speech", and giving out the gospel in public venues will be against city regulations. People have been and will be arrested for attempting to carry out Christ's commission to His disciples to GO and PREACH the Gospel.

In the book of John, chapter 17, is recorded a prayer Jesus prayed on behalf of His disciples, and several times He prayed for their (our) unity in the truth. We need that unity because we are rejected by the world as a whole. "I have given them Thy Word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."

Let true believers be unified by the Truth, that we may stand faithful as times get more difficult! And let us pray for one another.

to address an earth-shattering issue which my friend Connie brought to my attention. Perhaps you have already heard about it? President Obama has heartlessly and needlessly murdered an innocent little fly!

I don't usually address political issues on this blog, but this spills over into moral issues. Connie emailed me a link to THIS ARTICLE, and if it weren't for the source, I would have thought it was a joke. I quote, with my notes in {brackets}:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals {that's PETTY, er, PETA} wants the flyswatter in chief to try taking a more humane attitude the next time he's bedeviled by a fly in the White House.

PETA is sending President Barack Obama a Katcha Bug Humane Bug Catcher, a device that allows users to trap a house fly and then release it outside.

{So it can fly back into your house, I presume.}

"We support compassion even for the most curious, smallest and least sympathetic animals," PETA spokesman Bruce Friedrich said Wednesday. "We believe that people, where they can be compassionate, should be, for all animals."

{Do flies also have the "right" to land on my food and contaminate it??}

During an interview for CNBC at the White House on Tuesday, a fly intruded on Obama's conversation with correspondent John Harwood.

"Get out of here," the president told the pesky insect. When it didn't, he waited for the fly to settle, put his hand up and then smacked it dead.

{WELL, it disobeyed an executive command.}

"Now, where were we?" Obama asked Harwood. Then he added: "That was pretty impressive, wasn't it? I got the sucker."

{You know, this is the first presidential act since he was elected that I have been able to identify with!}

Friedrich said that PETA was pleased with Obama's voting record in the Senate on behalf of animal rights and noted that he has been outspoken against animal abuses.

Still, "swatting a fly on TV indicates he's not perfect," Friedrich said, "and we're happy to say that we wish he hadn't."

{So PETA now judges who's perfect and who is lacking in their character? Help us!}

Deputy press secretary Josh Earnest said the White House has no comment on the matter.

{I don't blame him. I was speechless at first, too.}

So there you have it. Our president has REALLY blown it, now.

None of that crowd thinks anything of it when the president wants to remove all bars for partial birth abortion and deny parents the right to consent before their adolescent decides to murder her baby. No big deal when he sends funds to the U.N. population agency which in turn helps the Chinese government force abortions and sterilizations onto their people. What? No big headlines protesting his reversal of Bush's executive order to press for research for obtaining embryonic stem cells without harming human life?

The fly is NOTHING. America needs to get her priorities straight. We have more than fly guts on our hands. We have the innocent blood of millions of babies on our hands.

Lord, have mercy!

I was sick throughout the night, and so when six a.m. rolled around, I was rather reluctant to leave the comfort of my bed. Hubby had left around five a.m., so it was all up to me this morning, I thought. As children awoke and the house gradually filled with their noises, eager to get the day started, their less-eager mama just pulled the covers up over her head.

Before long, my nine-year-old came in and lay down with me for a few minutes. She asked about breakfast, and I told her she could look at the menu on the 'fridge to see what today's breakfast is (as I prayed it was something easy!). She went to check, and got the table set for cereal (Hallelujah!).

Soon after that, my ten-year-old came in just to check on me. I let her know I'd been sick in the night, and she kissed me and tucked me in. She left quietly and went to serve breakfast to all her siblings, and smiling to myself I could hear her hushing them to be quiet while Mommy rests.

A little after eight, I finally made myself throw the covers back and swing my feet out of the bed. I had read my Bible in the wee hours of the morning, and felt the conviction that I must get up and at least do what I can! After all, I am the Keeper of this home, and six children running free with nobody at the helm equals disaster!

But what I saw as I emerged from my bedroom took me totally by surprise. The livingroom was relatively neat. The table had been cleared of the breakfast dishes and wiped. The floor had been swept. The littlest ones were contentedly busy with looking at books or playing with toys.

No, I was not still in my bed dreaming! My oldest daughter brought out a bowl and cereal for my breakfast. My little one-and-a-half-year-old joined me at the table. (He's always up for a second breakfast :o) And I gave thanks for the food, for the new day, and for my wonderful children... SO much to be thankful for! Nothing have I done to deserve any of it.

Just wanted to share these blessings! I hope your day is blessed, too.

Our "baby" girl turned five years old! She was our first child born in Guatemala. She wanted to share her cake at church, so we waited until Sunday night for that. So on the morning of her actual day, we had birthday pancakes with homemade butter and cinnamon syrup.


Then on the Lord's Day we sang to her, thanking God for her life and praying His blessings upon her. Wish I had a photo of everybody who was there!


Her cake says, "Johanna is (five) years old."


Later at home, we all had some gifts to show her our love. This is a hand-stitched doll quilt her big sister made! Isn't that sweet?

These are five things I love about our Johanna Joy:

1) Her energy, spunk, and easy affection! (Oops, that's three, not one.)

2) Her funny little ways that make me laugh, such as "needing" three washcloths for her bath. One for her face, one for her bum, and one for her feet. Funny!

3) Her love for all things pretty and feminine. Such a girly-girl!

4) Her willingness to serve. She is always offering her help to others!

5) Her godly goals in life. She wants to be a good mommy more than anything!

I love you, Johanna Joy! You truly are a joy to us all. :o)

It has been a while since I updated about my shampoo-free experiment. Three months have passed since I stopped using shampoo, and some of you might have wondered how it's going. (If you are new to the blog, you can read my previous posts about it HERE, or click the words "shampoo-free" in the label cloud on the right.)

I'm still washing with baking soda and rinsing with vinegar every five, sometimes six, days. I really like how it treats my hair, and feel good about what I'm putting on my skin. (Not sure what the big deal is about the chemicals you put on your skin? Read this article!)

So, here is how I rate being shampoo-free:

**How my hair feels; manageability: A+
(My hair is soft and shiny, and easily managed. Granted, I put my hair up every day, but I'm talking about when it is loose at home.)

**Greasiness/"ick" factor between washings: A
(This has improved over time. I went through a stage when my hair got oilier than I cared for, but it has balanced out now.)

**General hair health: A+
(My hair has never been healthier. Very few split ends, no dandruff, less hair loss after washings. Perhaps it will even get thicker over time.)

**Time spent caring for hair: B
(It does take longer to wash with baking soda instead of shampoo. But then again, since I don't do it daily, I'm probably saving time in the long run.)

**Cost: A+
(I haven't even calculated the difference in cost. Baking soda and vinegar cost pennies per use, plus I no longer have to use leave-in conditioners, detanglers, or split-end menders. I know, I'm such a cheapskate! ;o)

When my hubby saw that my hair did not rot and fall out, he decided to try it for himself. He has been shampoo-free for a couple weeks now, and just rinses his hair out every day. He reports that his hair is much easier to brush into place, which surprised us both because it can be rather unruly!

As for me, folks, I no longer consider this an experiment. I am officially shampoo-free! I know you were wanting to know that. ;o)

When one moves to a foreign country to live, one often has to do without some things that one likes or is used to having around. Sometimes, this can make one more than a little homesick. After a while, one begins to crave things that one normally wouldn't crave, just because one (okay, I'm talking about myself) can't have it.

HOWEVER...

There is the occasional rare treat, and it becomes all the more delightful because of its rarity.

Just the other day my hubby came home from the grocery store with this little item:



Hmmm, "Great Value" knock-off brand Spaghetti-O's. "Great Value, isn't that a WAL-MART brand?" you might ask. And you would be right.

A Wal-mart brand item found in a store right here in the middle of Guatemala, Central America. Yes. That is right.

It turns out that Wal-mart has bought out our chain grocery store in Xela, which is only 25 minutes from my doorstep. I went to the store to see for myself, and even the employees have those little blue Wal-mart name tags on their shirts. I'm amazed!

Granted, the prices of the U.S. items are still high. This can of spaghetti rings cost about a dollar, which leaves a lot of room for rolling back prices, in my opinion...

But they sure were good!

He is still in the hospital, but he is doing well. They did a stress test on him today, and the doc said he did well. There is no damage to his heart, they are just working on keeping it regulated, and they are putting him on a blood-thinner. He is in high spirits, and looks forward to going home in a couple of days once they get his meds worked out.

Praise the Lord! And to those who prayed, thank you! :o)

***I forgot to add that my parents had planned to come down to Guatemala for a visit in a couple of weeks. We are hoping that Dad's health will be good so that they can still come! ***

It's been a long, busy day today, and I am just weary. Classes at the Seminary resumed this morning, and they always have a special chapel service on opening day. Our whole family got to participate. Daniel directed all the music, I played piano, and the children sang beautifully with us, "O Worship The King" and "He Hideth My Soul".

How those songs minister to me! They are precious old hymns that I learned growing up, because my family went to a good church where they sang them. Our hymnbooks never got dusty (tattered, yes, but not dusty), and I tell you, the exquisite language and rich Bible Truths contained in those hymns were written on my heart early in life.

I will take a humble old hymnbook over all those rock-music, vain-repetition, flesh-feeding "praise and worship" songs in the world.

My Dad was always my music director until I reluctantly left the nest. My favorite songs were songs that he sang. He led the church in singing hymns that minister to the soul and not the flesh, and many of those I can sing today from memory, verse by verse. Thank you, Daddy!

I guess I should get to the title of my post! My brother called me today to let me know that my Dad was admitted into the hospital. He and Mom had gone in to their doctor for a check-up, and they detected an irregular heartbeat from Dad's heart. They wanted him admitted in order to observe him and try to get his heart regulated, and that is all I know at this point. I would appreciate it if Christians would pray for Bro. Graham, my dad. Thanks so much!

And now, a couple of verses for you, Dad, from what we sang this morning (but in English :o)...

"A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord, He taketh my burden away,
He holdeth me up, and I shall not be moved,
He giveth me strength as my day!

He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock
That shadows a dry, thirsty land;
He hideth my life in the depths of His love,
And covers me there with His hand,
And covers me there with His hand."

from He Hideth My Soul, by Fanny J. Crosby, 1918

And this one...

"O worship the King, all glorious above,
O gratefully sing His Power and His Love;
Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days,
Pavilioned in splendor, and girded with Praise.

Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail,
In THEE do we trust, nor find Thee to fail;
Thy mercies how tender! how firm to the end!
Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend!"

from O Worship the King, by Robert Grant.

The enemy crouches ready, each troop armed with every weapon they can manage. The first strike is imminent; a clash inevitable. They've awaited it for hours, plotting their tactics and sure that, this time, they will emerge from the fray victorious!

But the General is aware of their evil plan, and knows the location where they lie in wait. He also knows they are expecting him to come from the West. And he is ready.

The General is unarmed, and vastly outnumbered, and yet he charges courageously into the battle... From the North! A brilliant offensive move! The enemy is sufficiently surprised, and in the ensuing confusion, the General wrests weapons from one of the troops. They fall back to regroup!

The battle is on! I sit hunkered here before my computer, hoping to escape the din. Thunder sounds over my head, the missiles fly, and shrieks pierce the evening as they hit their target with precision.

This is no ordinary battle.

This is Saturday Night Pillow Fight With Daddy.

The General advances his attack. Oof! One of them blind-sides him with a sofa pillow! No fear, he quickly recovers. Children dive behind the beds as he takes aim, but this time the pillow just barely swipes a blonde head. He is unarmed again and, seeing his disadvantage, the troops advance once more... The littlest one latches onto his leg, wanting to be picked up. This puts The General at further disadvantage! Will he succumb to the barrage of pillows and fall to the ground, vulnerable to the enemy's notorious Deadly Dog Pile?

My ears strain to hear any signs that would tell the outcome. What's that? They are coming down the stairs! They are sure to discover me here, hiding out with the computer.

But they wouldn't attack a pregnant mama... Would they?