Thursday, April 18, 2013

Bitter Taste of Poison

I don’t know about you but the trouble here in this country over the last couple days was more than enough for a lifetime.  I’ve never seen times so troubled.  I wish I could offer some salve to help people but mostly what I have to offer is my faith and prayers.  The different steps to dealing with this as a nation are tough to go through.  It’s a myriad of feelings that go from one end of the spectrum to the other.  Being patient with one another and trying to remain kind when the politics and news is scratching at our door with rumor after rumor isn’t easy.  May there be extraordinary grace for this extraordinarily difficult time.  God bless America. 

Digging through my archives again I see through a window to a kinder and gentler time001.  I used to love dressing up in my Dad’s fire gear.  Yes, that was me putting on my Dad’s stuff that he wore when working with the fire crew at the refinery.  It makes me lighter to see these pictures!  My dear brother Joseph lifting his hands for the shear blessing of a beautiful day on the Ghanaian coast002 or this wonderful house in Zurich, Switzerland where we had a layover before returning home to America003.  The pleasant Swiss garden as we walked was such a joy to see…both then and now004.  I remember one year we were in London waiting for our flight onward to India when a huge snow storm hit005.  If I remember right our flight was delayed three days at least006.  The best times I’ve ever had in my life were working in this nation and others doing good wherever I could007.  Working with children in India was a common thing when I lived there008.  One memory wasn’t so pleasant:  hours spent on hard floors in hot little churches009.  There were chairs but it seemed I spent a lot of time on thin mats on cement floors.  Here we were coordinating a coming church event010.  These young men were good friends.  I felt like I poured out my heart and soul to them011…that’s the pastor and his wife next to me…I still wonder what’s become of them.  My Mom did a good job wearing local clothes…here she is at the church we were working with012.  India had some of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen013.  Sadly when I visited these I was terribly ill with dysentery014 .  Once I was on a beach closer to home when this family asked me to take their picture…good looking family if you ask me015.  Here we are in front of Pastor Samuel’s house…boy did we look white016.  This is me and Samuel’s associate pastor Charles017.  How many hours we spent driving all over India in this van I cannot say018.  Going out we would often see these shacks near where some road work was being done…temporary worker huts019?  What always surprised me was how the weather could go from downpour to dry at the drop of a hat020.  I have seen some real floods before and it didn’t always just seem content to stay in large puddles021.  One day we went out to a bird sanctuary where birds from all over the world frequent022…it was a very peaceful place.  Another amazing place had a stone they called the “butter stone”023…it was said Krishna dropped some butter and it has become a stone that is immoveable.  Many have tried to move it without success…I have to say it made me somewhat nervous being near it.  Last one is the place where people were getting salt from the ocean…something I’d never seen before024.  Stay strong my friends.  It’s never dark as it appears.  Blessings to you.

18 comments:

  1. Joe, You are so right in the times of trouble . Its too much for me at times!!! and I do pray pray pray. Thanks for your grace and guidance that you share . I look to those who a leaders and teacher and I thank you for that. Your travels always leave me in aww and wonder what it had to like to walk that walk. Thanks again for sharing. May you be Blessed Joe.
    with respect
    Lisa

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So good to hear from you Lisa! We all walk before God...that path is different for all of us perhaps but as long as the road we walk is lit by His Word we won't walk blind. Bless you my dear friend.

      Delete
  2. Those are wonderful pictures Joe, evoking precious memories. You sure were a cute little fellow. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do have some pics of me as a kid...I've never really shared them before. Maybe I'd be cute now too if I wore that stuff...or maybe just creepy! LOL!

      Delete
  3. Hi Joe, I think all we can really do at times is pray. Thankfully He knows everything going on in this world and is equipped to handle every situation. Your photos are wonderful, I really enjoy reminiscing about simpler times...and listening to others go back in time as well. Thank you so much for sharing. You were a cute little boy with such a sweet smile. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you very much Linda. Great victories come from great battles...that's the bright side! Thank you so much for visiting...I truly appreciate your comments.

      Delete
  4. There are times to look heaven ward and ask for guidance, then be willing to accept the guidance. To many follow themselves and go off the end into the morass of flesh. So many people feel out of control because of the politics of life is so overwhelming. I see that in the Boston witchhunt. People lashing out, trying to get a semblance of control to their lives. To look into the past, one can see incidents like Boston happening over the years, distant past of centuries. Just that there was not much press coverage back then. We had an incident here several decades ago, a guy was burned at the stake. The Indians would massacre whole families, including children.
    Humans have a proclivity towards ruthless acts of violence and I doubt it will ever change. I have a choice in my behavior as does all of humanity but all do not make good choices. That is a part of God's creation. Therefore I accept what happens and thank God for giving me the peace to deal with and accept. In all this there is good, I must look.

    Enjoy the flashbacks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Words to live by John, I always appreciate your perspective on things. You're right these are historical problems and you can't legislate them away. I feel we are tragically unwilling to learn from history and all too often repeat the things we've done over and over. I'm ever thankful to serve the Prince of Peace in these times. God bless and keep you my friend.

      Delete
  5. I love all your pics, the on of your friend on the beach, amazing and seems so peaceful !! You have seen and experienced more in half a life time them most would or could in ten, you are certainly blessed my friend !!!
    This past week has stirred many feelings and emotions for many and i hoped opened the eyes of many,,,,its the reality that evil exist in many forms all around us !!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sometimes it makes me feel old looking back on that stuff...melancholy too but also strangely hopeful. These are tough times and I'm trying to glean from things past and present to take each day a step at a time. Thanks for stopping by my friend.

      Delete
  6. I love all your pics, the on of your friend on the beach, amazing and seems so peaceful !! You have seen and experienced more in half a life time them most would or could in ten, you are certainly blessed my friend !!!
    This past week has stirred many feelings and emotions for many and i hoped opened the eyes of many,,,,its the reality that evil exist in many forms all around us !!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Joe,

    Yes, a distressing week, hard to swallow what goes on. Good to look back on pleasant memories.

    Blessings Nita

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Shooting and explosions...this day is another difficult one as one of the brothers involved with the bombing is dead and the other is on the run...God help us.

      Delete
  8. How i love your Indian photoos.
    I have a weakness Not for the photoos but the moments u made immortal.Tx for sharing.U did such a good job with ur mom really a gracioeus lady.
    U have my respect Joe but u knew that already
    And u haha as a kid...of course all kids want to be a fire or police guy
    Enjoy the weekend. and my heart goes to all the victims of the horrible Boston and the explosion. We always ask ourselves WHY.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I sure know of your soft spot for India my friend! Those were not all easy times for me...especially when I lived there. I got very ill my last stay there and that sure didn't help. My Mom has been a huge influence on me...she was the one that really got me started traveling all over the world. Yeah, being a cop or a fireman in those days seemed simpler too...in light of current events I have all the more respect for them...but it's a little late for a career change! ;)

      Delete
    2. True Joe Police- and firemen are these days ppl we dont envy Hard work and dangerousjobs.Its not simple.

      So many gave their lives already soemtimes trough other stupid actions.
      Enjoy the sunday
      MJ

      Delete
  9. Yes Joe these are tough times but the good thing is that the wonderful people shine through in times like these!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You truly are an optimist my friend, I like that!

      Delete