Christian Photographers Community

We have had rain all week here.  It started when John left for his trip and is ending now, and he is heading home!  My grass is long again and as soon as it dries I will be mowing yet again.

Janet I have enjoyed the mission reports.

Good to "see" you Janice!

I will be back!

Just doing a little cleaning on this computer before we meet with youngest son & wife.  They sold their house & trying to finish the sale on a bank owned home.  What drama is involved - the former owners kept coming back and taking even fixtures & had to be warned.  As the buyer, our son is not allowed to even call the bank to see how things are coming - isn't this the dopiest way to do business you have ever heard?  They wanted acreage and will get their wish. 

Al:  Chicken and sweet potato - I will fix it if you just come this way. 

Janice:  Those are awful high temps.  How sweet that you have those baby clothes saved all these years.  I saved a few things too but no one ever wore them.  It sounds like Earl has a full plate of health issues - my prayers for you two.  Keep checking in. 

Oh, how I wish I could have gotten the window sticker on my car.  I don't know if my car has front-wheel drive or not.  But you know...when you are retired and the snow is coming down or already deep, you don't have to get out in it!  Thank God, I have never had problems driving in any weather. 

And as for Bluetooth...I don't know what Bluetooth does but I was thinking I could answer phone calls and talk through the speakers and such.  Wasn't thinking about playing music on my phone on Bluetooth.  I have AM/FM/CDplayer and XM!  That's enough music!  I guess I need to check online what Bluetooth does! 

Love it!  Love it!  Another report from Africa!  I will never get to see Africa myself so it is great to read Eli's reports!

And I am praying that Earl's health goes upward...not downward.  I am sure you feel honored to have a baby named after your son.  Hope you get to see the baby with your son's outfit on or at least, a photo.  And no, Janice, I don't have any trips planned.  I need to get over Vacation Bible School and rehab before thinking about a trip.  My friend, Kitty, and I have decided we need to go to Shipshewana, Indiana, on a Tuesday.  The town is Amish and on Tuesday they have an open outside Flea Market.  Anything and everything!  Horses to kitchen items.  Shipsehwana is in northern Indiana...about 2 hours away!  Nice drive!

I have a credit card taped over my touch pad also.  My mouse was jumping also.  Sure does help.  But it didn't jump before it was fixed by PC Help last year so I figured it was a problem they caused or didn't check. 

Great suggestion about Skype.  I don't know anything about international calling but I love talking on Skype.  Especially when you have a laptop.  My friend in Mexico has seen my whole house AND snow on the ground as well as corn and soy bean rows in the fields!  Great for show and tell to those who live away!  Mexico must not be international since I don't pay anything.

Kaye Don is building a deck on the front of his house.  He hasn't seen 'Hawaii' yet so I think I will change clothes and go to Lapel for a few things.  I will stop at Kaye Don's going or coming back. 

Weather?  Well, last night...the prediction was rain today.  Ha!  Bright and sunny with some white puffy clouds in the sky!  I am thinking that weather rock is the best idea yet!

Janet, the newsletters from Malawai are wonderful.     And what a great visit Beth is having with John.  He certainly is good to her - and for her!

We started out dark and chilly and rainy this morning, but now we have a bit of hazy sunshine and it's warming up a bit.  Still very damp feeling, though. 

Beth and John just left.  We went through her BIG box of movies and music DCDs, they took the ones they want to use.  Then we talked about Tuesday.  They want to have another photo taken while he is here, so I looked on my computer and printed out good coupons from PictureMe.com and then called and made the appointment for Tuesday, before we have to be at the hospital for her test.  Then I called Mary, our friend in Dallas, she is going to come before John leaves, as she has never gotten to meet him; then called Beth's favorite nurse who is no longer at the Home; she promised to come see them (and me!) on Wednesday!!  Must be a God thing, to make all connections in one day!  Praise the Lord!!

Etta Sue, yes, Mexico is international!  We tried to call Diane once just after barely crossing the border, no luck!  Now, how did that cell phone know the difference in 100 yards?  Google maps?  Anyway, it is not the US, so it is international.

Carol, I bought a few sweet potatoes last week, too.  Love 'em!  and they are so much better for you than white potatoes, especially for diabetics.  Darrel has a pot of beef stew on, and it smells wonderful!

And here is the last report from Eli.  Should have new ones from both him and Shirley by Monday!

Date: Monday, June 20, 2011, 6:01 AM


I have to make this super fast! I miss and love all of you guys!
You're amazing. Continue to keep us in prayers, also, the teams are
starting to get sick...it's cold season here...keep us in prayers.

We went out to our first villages this week. I went to two...Jesse and
Singanu! We did the medical clinic thing and showed the Jesus Film and
the Passion of the Christ in one village and a corny movie called the
Cross and the Switchblade in the second. They were well recieved. I
think I preached one of the best sermons that I've ever done...it was
on Ephesians 4, Titus 1 and 2, and the Kingdom of God! Got to annoint
some pastors and just do some good teaching! They recieved it very
well and asked us to stay longer...not possible though, but we left
with their blessing! Second village was amazing. I didn't preach in
that village, but did more of the medical stuff, jesus film stuff, and
children's ministry! It was pretty cool. I'm learning a lot from just
playing with the kids! Oh and we should the Passion in the first
village. People were sobbing, i think that they had a really good
response. We had some comments later that they would have never
guessed that Christ did so much for us in just 12 hours! It went over
really well!

Second village, Grandma was a beast! She knows how to pray!!! Not
gonna lie! She is our prayer leader during the medical team, and some
of the people that wen't for clinical help just walked away after she
prayed for them because they were healed! Amen and amen! She is also
huge on giving words of knowledge! It's amazing what she is doing! She
loves the kids and the Chief of the village fell in love with her and
gave her an extreme honor. Her testimony is so great and they just eat
it up! I also got offered a village by the Supreme Chief, which was
amazing...little does he know that I would be a tyrrant...ha ha! no!
It was an amazing honor!

We're back in Blantyre for the day, and I stayed behind at the hotel
with grandma cuz he's got a sinus infection...no bueno. pray for her!
It's super dusty out here right now, so we're just inhaling dirt 24/7!
It's better than getting stuck in the mud i guess.

we go out to 2 villages this next week as well. it should be super
fun! Bathroom jokes are always the lifters for the days! been praying
a lot, been contemplating a lot and i absolutely love this place, but
there's a huge world out there. i absolutely know that i am called to
teach though! I don't think i care where I go, i just want to teach
the bible to people!

Mosquitos suck. period.

John Rusk: Pastor Chabwela is the new president of Foursquare Malawi

Witchcraft....got to cut some charms off of some people in this last
village. We're annointing people like crazy and pretty much telling
people that they don't need us to get right with God or see miracles.
We're doing a lot of passing the torch to the people, which is how it
should be! We're also encouraging them a lot! I think they need
it...they feel inferior to us sometimes, and there is no need for that
whatsoever! God is moving and he's speaking to us. I really love where
Grandma is at in this place, she's really in her element! She hates
the city, but sure can minister to people like another! I love
bragging on her! It's fun!

Aunt Leanne: do me a favor and pass these updates onto grandma's
grandchildren and aunt Joanne, i don't have all their emails and
whatnot...oh and uncle craig of course! lol

thank you guys for praying for us and sending me emails back...it's
nice to here for you guys. favor: send me some news updates, i'm
totally lost on what is going on in america! lol.

love y'all!

Janet, great news about Beth and John and upcoming visitors,  and a wonderful report from  Eli.  Thanks!

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST!!

I just got a very short email from Shirley's daughter-in-law, saying she got a text message from Eli in the wee hours of the morning saying that Shirley has pulled a hip, and that it is really bad. 

I don't know if 'pulled' means dislocated or something else; also don't know if she fell or what, or whether it is the hip she had replaced about two years ago.  But we need to pray!  The devil will NOT keep her from doing what God called her to do, in the name of Jesus!!

Janet, I'm praying now! 

I'm praying Janet

I LOVED reading his post from Africa! May the Lord bless the ministry of these persons who love God and others so much. Their ministry will ripple like waves from a pebble tossed into still water, imagine, I've just been trying to imagine, the individuals who will be praising our Lord around His throne in heaven because of this ministry.

Our Father, in Your Son's Holy Name we pray for Shirley's health, and ask that You send the Comforter to encourage and strengthen her, as well as to encourage and strengthen the rest of the team as they minister without her while she recovers. And, if it is within Your will, we KNOW that You will work all these things according to Your riches in Heaven. We pray humbly and in Thy Son's Name, Amen.

Y'all, lets take the rest of our day praising and drawing closer to our Lord.

Ruth Ann

Ruth Ann, I have been thinking along those same lines.  I was thinking of the song Thank You, the one that talks about all the people in heaven coming to thank the person for giving to the Lord, and that's why they are in heaven; thinking about all the ones who will be there because Shirley was courageous enough to make this trip.

No further word, thanks for praying, and please keep it up.  I will be back later or in the morning early to post Thoughts for the new week.

I am praying, Janet!  You know I am!

And I know Mexico is international for cell phones but I talk to Mexico on Skype 1-2 times a week and I don't have to pay the international fee.  I think if the other person doesn't have Skype, you have to pay.  In other words, use Skype on your computer to call someone's home phone in another country, you may have to pay a fee. 

Ivalou called last evening and asked if I wanted to go to our local Lions Club and have fish for dinner.  So I drove Hawaii and picked up Ivalou, Marge and Betty.  The fish is soooo good at this Lions Club.  It was great and of course, I got to see people I hadn't seen for a long time!

Today is church, then Sunday School.  At noon we are going to a lady's home that her family is having a 90th birthday get-together for her.  A light lunch will be available.  Then at 5pm games are being played at church and 6pm is eating a potluck dinner.  Right now it is cloudy, gloomy and has been raining.  Hope that stops before 5pm.  But if it doesn't we will eat in the basement of the church. 

Hi everyone.  After a lost Saturday spent mostly laying on my bed resting I seem to be feeling better this morning and will be going to church.  Today we sing in the choir loft for the last time for five weeks.  We take the month of July off from practice or being in the choir loft.

Pat just told me she saw on the weather that some severe weather is headed our way later this afternoon. Hope it doesn't do the damage that recent storms have. 

Janet, wish we had something like the Prairie Pak available to us.  It sounds like something that would be very helpful to our daughter. Hope your A/C is working well as that sounds extremely hot.  I liked Delbert's response.    Wonderful that John can get Beth out and about.  I bet they both will be tired when the three weeks are over but also have a lot of good memories.

Carol, your son was fortunate to be able to sell his home.  Hope they enjoy their acreage.  That is the last thing I would look for in a new home. 

Etta Sue, what kind of window sticker are you speaking about?  Why not call your sales rep and ask about the front wheel drive?  I think you could if your phone has blue tooth.  You are very handy so bet you could set that up or your sales rep would probably help you since it was a feature of the car.  Etta Sue, I would suspect that when the PC Help ran its programs it put that feature of the touch pad back into active service.  There is probably a combination of a function key and one of the numbered F keys that toggles that on and off.  That is the case with my laptop. 

I may be wrong but I don't think Skype when calling computer to computer knows you are International as you are using the worldwide internet system and not the phone lines.  Etta Sue, I see you have posted basically what I am saying.  To call an actual phone number would involve a fee just as it does in the USA.  I know this because our daughter uses Skype to call land lines and to receive calls from land lines and we pay a fee for both types of services.

A special Hi to Judy, Marilyn, Jeanne and anyone else I have commented to. 

Janet, what a wonderful testimony from Eli and his love for his grandmother just flies off the page.  So sorry to just ow ready of Shirley's hip problem.  Certainly not something one wants to encounter so far from home.  I will pray for her.

Good morning all!  Gray and dull, but it's a beautiful day that the Lord has given us.

Yesterday afternoon I turned on TV to watch the Wimbledon tennis match and the sound I was getting was just terrible.  At first I thought maybe it was just the one channel, but everything sounded the same - very, very scratchy and completely changed voice tone.   I'm still not sure whether it's the TV or my hearing aids, but I suspect it's the TV.  Other things like the phone, the "ding" on the microwave, etc. still seem OK.  I was hoping it would be the hearing aids - they're still within the guarantee and could be repaired for free.  But it seems more and more as though it's the TV.  I'll check later this afternoon to see if maybe it's just a connection that has loosened up.  The Lord just doesn't let me stay too comfortable!   

Praying Janet.


A beautiful day here in the North.  Sun is shining in a cloudless sky.  The temperature is going up as well.  Thank you Lord.

Have a great Lord's day everyone.

Etta Sue open the hood of your car and see which way the engine is positioned, if it  is crossways with the oil stick in the middle of the  of the front you are front wheel drive, If the engine is inline with the body of the car and the oil stick is on  the side then it is not front wheel drive. It is easy to tell if your car is front wheel drive or not.

Time to start a new week.  Here.