Mark Downham’s Neighborhood

My first post on this matter here, and the follow up is here.

The Latest:

So I called the PR lady after emailing her, her first question is Who are you writing for?  After I said I wasn’t writing for anyone YET she proceeded to tell me that she would not speak to me at all.  So… I got nothing.  And I don’t like getting nothing.  So I need some suggestions on how to go from getting nothing to getting somewhere.  Ideas?

I'm going to need to make some decisions along this path.  It now seems unlikely that I'd  be able to hide who I am and manage to get this information to print somewhere without the help of someone at my parent's house.  I won't tell Mom, but I might call Dad.  And quite honestly, I don't think he'll help me.  I really don't.  Because they need the money that she urns working there, and as long as the possibility of her getting fired is on the table... well... I just don't see anyone in that house being an activist over the way things are going there.  Now I DO know that ONE DAY my Dad will have had enough.  (Can't believe how freaking patient he has been!  And ONE DAY he will let loose with all he knows, including the ways the company has broken the law.  But for right now, with their stock portfolio in a strange place (along with everyone else's) and bills that need to be paid and bridges that they really don't need to burn at this stage of their lives when they could very well be residents of a place like that in a number of years... well... I just don't know if it will ever happen.  And I find that annoying.  Because my family did not raise me to ignore injustice, and yet they are participating in the very system that abuses my Mom and saying NOTHING.  Which I should be supportive of, but it grates my nerves.  I get to hear her call and complain about how horrible it is to work there, and neither of them will stand up and say BOO! about anything!  It really irks me. 

And it is still none of my business,

And yet it still irks me!

Lightning and phone pole

God taught me about true prayer when I was little...a 7-yr old kid heading home on my bike facing a fast-moving thunderstorm, which frightened me enough to want to pray.

Problem was that at 7, my knowledge and vision of prayer was that of someone on their knees with their hands folded and eyes closed...but I didn't have time to do all that; so I started to cry and was worried if God would hear me.

Immediately I felt a three-fold assurance in my heart: (1) I would get home quicker if I stayed on my bike, (2) I was safer on my bike than on the ground, and (3) I was safer with my eyes open and hands on the handlebars instead of folded. My heart knew that not only did He hear me, but that He understood...and I got home safe.

So...prayer does not require getting on one's knees and folding their hands...it is soooo much more.

Prayer is what happens whenever we turn our thoughts toward heaven...prayer happens whenever we turn our hearts toward the One who created it...prayer happens whenever we find that we're at the end of ourselves and cry out to the Lord, knowing that we can't continue with the task by ourselves.
Prayer can be spoken, and it can be sung.
Prayer can be praise shouted from the rooftops, and it can be quiet...silent.
Prayer can be eloquent, and it can be simple...it can even be a moan or groan from the depths of our very being. And during the times we don't know what to pray, the Holy Spirit steps in and prays on our behalf, and even shows us what to pray.
Prayer is simply communicating with God. It is He who has chosen prayer to be the vehicle of communicating.
Prayer respects boundaries:  our own and His.

So...what about prayer and God's answer to it? We're taught that God always answers prayer, usually with a yes, no, or wait. And while those answers address many issues, there are times when they seem quite black-and-white...almost robotic; and while God is steadfast and remains holy and true to His word, I don't think of Him as being robotically rigid.

Aren't there times when you pray and find that the answer was waiting? God was waiting for you to pray.
Aren't there times when you pray and it seems God is silent? There could be numerous reasons for this, but many times I've found that the answer came, yet I didn't know because my eyes weren't open wide enough to see it.
Aren't there times when you pray and it seems like your petitions come up against a brick wall? Sometimes God wants us to be like Jacob and wrestle for the answer because there's something to be learned in the wrestling; and sometimes we just have to pick up our cross and move on within the boundaries He's set for us...and even that takes persevering in prayer to accomplish because it's all too easy to think it could be time to put a particular cross down.

I certainly don't know everything, but I don't believe there is a formula...no set recipe where we can put in the same amount of ingredients and be guaranteed the same result.

Regardless of what the prayer is, it's God's main vehicle of communication; we have no other way. And it's a good thing that there is no set formula, because it keeps our relationship with God alive...fresh.

Jesus taught us how to pray in Matthew 6...we're taught not to pray as the heathen do with empty repetitiveness...not to pray with a motive of desiring to be seen by others, but to go into our closet and pray in secret. And He gave us a prayer to use as a model which we can personalize: The Lord's Prayer. When our petitions fall within this model given us, we truly are praying in God's will. So, here goes:

Father God in heaven, You have revealed Yourself to us as the great I AM...Creator of all things in all the universe. Your name is holy and You alone are worthy of all glory, honor and praise.
Your kingdom comes, Lord. For yet a short time will the prince of the power of the air be here and the world remain as we now know it; but the earth is Your's and the fullness thereof.
Day by day we watch Your kingdom become established as You bring Your word to pass right before our eyes. Day by day we watch as You bring Your will to pass in earth as it is in heaven.
Thank You for giving us today our daily bread. The economy is so bad, Lord...and while we know we're not to worry, and while we know we're not even guaranteed tomorrow, we know it is foolish not give tomorrow consideration. Moses asked, Lord, that You would teach us to number our days so that we could redeem our time and resources. I ask that You continue to provide us with our needs...needs which You know of before we ever have need of them. Thank You for Your divine care.
Father God, I confess to You that I have been anxious about many things, including the elections. Please forgive me of this and help me to keep my eyes fixed and to trust You more for our nation's well-being. Isaiah tells us in Your word that the government is on YOUR shoulders; You will bring to pass whatever needs to be accomplished for Your kingdom, regardless of who is at the helm. And as I trust You, Lord, help me to remember that all things come to us from Your hand first, that I may not walk in unforgiveness.
Father, lead me not into the temptation of criticizing this administration outside of due cause (such as with abortion); keep me on track with Your purposes, Lord God, and deliver me from evil as is needed.
Yours is the Kingdom, Father God, and the power and the glory forever. You have put Jesus first and have done all things by Him and for Him...all things created in heaven, in earth, visible and invisible: thrones, dominions, principalities, powers...Jesus is before all things and by Him all things consist. He is the head of all, that in all things He comes first.
I bless Your holy name, Lord God, and commit to You all the glory and honor and praise for ever and ever. Hallelujah!  In Jesus' name, Amen.

2 Timothy 4

 1I CHARGE [you] in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, Who is to judge the living and the dead, and by (in the light of) His coming and His kingdom:

    2Herald and preach the Word! Keep your sense of urgency [stand by, be at hand and ready], whether the opportunity seems to be favorable or unfavorable. [Whether it is convenient or inconvenient, whether it is welcome or unwelcome, you as preacher of the Word are to show people in what way their lives are wrong.] And convince them, rebuking and correcting, warning and urging and encouraging them, being unflagging and inexhaustible in patience and teaching.

    3For the time is coming when [people] will not tolerate (endure) sound and wholesome instruction, but, having ears itching [for something pleasing and gratifying], they will gather to themselves one teacher after another to a considerable number, chosen to satisfy their own liking and to foster the errors they hold,

    4And will turn aside from hearing the truth and wander off into myths and man-made fictions.

    5As for you, be calm and cool and steady, accept and suffer unflinchingly every hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fully perform all the duties of your ministry.

    6For I am already about to be sacrificed [my life is about to be poured out as a drink offering]; the time of my [spirit's] release [from the body] is at hand and I will soon go free.

    7I have fought the good (worthy, honorable, and noble) fight, I have finished the race, I have kept (firmly held) the faith.

    8[As to what remains] henceforth there is laid up for me the [victor's] crown of righteousness [for being right with God and doing right], which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me and recompense me on that [great] day--and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved and yearned for and welcomed His appearing (His return).

    9Make every effort to come to me soon.

    10For Demas has deserted me for love of this present world and has gone to Thessalonica; Crescens [has gone] to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.

    11Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very helpful to me for the ministry.

    12Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus.

    13[When] you come, bring the cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus, also the books, especially the parchments.

    14Alexander the coppersmith did me great wrongs. The Lord will pay him back for his actions.

    15Beware of him yourself, for he opposed and resisted our message very strongly and exceedingly.

    16At my first trial no one acted in my defense [as my advocate] or took my part or [even] stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them!

    17But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the [Gospel] message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was delivered out of the jaws of the lion.

    18[And indeed] the Lord will certainly deliver and ^[a]draw me to Himself from every assault of evil. He will preserve and bring me safe unto His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen (so be it).

    19Give my greetings to Prisca and Aquila and to the household of Onesiphorus.

    20Erastus stayed on at Corinth, but Trophimus I left ill at Miletus.

    21Do hasten and try your best to come to me before winter. Eubulus wishes to be remembered to you, as do Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brethren.

    22The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace (God's favor and blessing) be with you. Amen (so be it).

God Bless You!!!

I met a local Doctor this summer as I did the Farmer’s Market and now I’m going to do gifts for all her nurses and staff.  I’m excited.  She was here today, blew through like she’s on some kind of “fast forward” but she liked my ideas and my work and she ordered twelve, so I’m tickled.  Plus she paid half down.  Yeah baby!  The cash is a big help right now, let me tall ya!!  And will be as long as I’m the annoyed owner of two houses!

The idea I pitched her was a candleholder with candle from my hand painted art glass collection.  Then three bars of soaps that match, plus a coordinating bag of my herbal spa soak.  So the ladies can light their candle, draw an herbal bath to relax plus three matching bars of soap that will last quite a while.  And they will be in white bags with matching tissue and ribbon!  All for $25, and completely hand made and all matchy-matchy by me.  I think they will be marvelous!  I’ll be making them over the coming days and as I do, I’ll post photos.

She has a running joke with a friend who eats everything in sight – especially chocolate - so she also bought a collection of my gourmet soaps plus the edible fragrance guest bars for that friend.  I wish I could be a bug on the wall when that gift is unwrapped.  LOL!

I did corporate gifts for an office at GE for a few years.  They like to do handmade artisan stuff and I worked that process to get two years out of the deal.  Usually they choose an artist and then a new one the next year but because I work in a variety of media, I was able to do it twice.  They spend $70 each year – KaCHING!  Seriously, I love this kind of thing.  I totally get all jazzed when people like to give my stuff as gifts!  Plus, it was fun to send my art glass to different countries all over the world.  United Arab Emirates, Japan, France, Germany, etc…  yeah baby! 

Anyone else want in on this?  I’ll be happy to make corporate gifts for anyone else who needs them!  The woman at GE that I worked with just made her Christmas cards and sent them to me, picked from images I emailed her, then her assistant gave me the credit card number and that was all she had to do.  Done!  I created the gifts, packaged them along with info about me, included her Christmas card and shipped them out.  Yeah, that was fun!

Check out my website and then email me with your price range and number of folks you want gifts for and I'll email you a list of options to choose from.  It's fun!  And it's another thing off your list!  I love my job! 

Here are some current items of interest for your information and prayer consideration. Please pass along to your email list. 

God bless you all!!

11/12/08

• "An Open Letter to Barack Obama" ~ We the People Foundation is planning to take out a full-page ad in USA Today demanding resolution to the open issue of his original birth certificate (Berg v. Obama).
  

• "Obama is Disqualified by the Known Unknowns" ~ this was written by Dr. Coambs, who studies human logic and reasoning. You might guess that he goes overboard, but there is still hope (and I hope this is true): 
  

• Selective Service Registration most likely falsified. Here are details.

• Catholic bishops are declaring they will fight Obama on abortion.  Click here for article from Yahoo! News/AP.

• Nine days after passing away, and (as of 11/13) there are no burial plans for Obama's grandmother. Click here for more.

• It seems some of the mainstream media is beginning to sing a different tune. Here is a post from Jeff Schreiber of www.americasright.com with a selection from an ex-Obama-loving writer who "mentions the controversy surrounding Obama's birth certificate, the media's failure to address Obama's connection with William Ayers until a few months before the election, and Sarah Palin as the possible new face of feminism in America."

11/13/08

• There will be a public service for Obama's grandmother in Hawaii on Friday, 11/14; click here for more.

• Please pray for peace within our borders. Here is an article about a priest in South Carolina who told parishioners that "they should refrain from receiving Holy Communion if they voted for Barack Obama because the Democratic president-elect supports abortion, and supporting him "constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil."

• A job with the new administration?  It seems that the media is beginning to come out of their trance. Here is a review of the 7-page, 63-question job application from ABC News; and here is the .pdf application.  You might guess that the questions are quite intrusive/invasive.  What I have a hard time with is this: 63 highly personal, intricate questions for a government job yet Obama himself refuses to release his original birth certificate, medical records, college transcripts?

Awww….  It’s the end of an error.  I can’t believe it!  I use iGoogle as my home page when I’m online and right near the top is a module that quoted Bush’s uh… special brand of language strangulation.  It is called the “Chimp-o-matic” and each time I refreshed the page it popped up another priceless treasure – all direct quotes with footnotes - from the last eight years of the Bush Presidency.  And such priceless treasures they were.  “I am often asked, is our children learning?”  Direct quote, and that one was on a bumper sticker on my hubby’s truck for a while.  Perfect because he’s a teacher.  LOL!  Today the Chimp-o-matic says “Service Unavailable.”  I knew it was going to happen.  I knew it would happen soon.  But I’m gravely disappointed to see it go.  Not disappointed to see HIM go, cause I’ve always been baffled that he got a second term.  But sad indeed to part with this grand reminder of what it meant to be a citizen of a country that (can be hoodwinked into) electing this kind of leader.  Whatever will we do to amuse ourselves in the Obama administration?

I’m worn out.  This weekend my in-laws were our first house guests from Friday night until Monday morning – they actually slept in our new house before we did.  I didn’t even have a rug on the floor in the bathroom and we hung a shower curtain only moments before they drove in. 

They came to work, so Saturday was our day of kicking some serious bum.  My family room is the size of a two car garage (because that’s what it was going to be but the first owners decided they’d rather have a large living room.)  It had dark wood paneling on the walls and the room was dark in spite of its size.  So my mother in law, my mom, and my dad and I all worked on getting some of those stripes in the paneling filled, sanding, priming and priming a second coat.  It took us all day, and in the midst of things I fed them handsomely three rather impressive (if I do say so myself) meals.  Yesterday I got most of the painting done and I really want to go buy chair rail to put up so I can finish the project but hubby nixed that.  So last night we moved the piano out of the kitchen into its new spot as well as most of the rest of the furniture that will end up in that room.  I still want chair rail in there, but I know there are lots of other financial demands right now.  I may have to put up ghetto curtains for a while.  Now that grinds my niblets!

The Social Worker called me last night.  They’d sent the completed home study off to our agency to have them look over it and see what needed to be added.  There was a whole long list of eight things in there that needed to be updated, so now I need to go look up more information for them that I feel rather “it’s-none-of-your-damn-business” about.  But this is the nature of the adoption beast.  Our Social Worker said she’s never seen anything like this, she’s never put together a Home Study that was this much information in her whole career.  The one that really stuck in my crawl the worst was the request for our Net Worth figure.  Yeah, they have all the figures there in black and white, it’s not like they can’t do the math themselves.  Problem is, things changed some since the time when we filled out that financial statement.  Now we own TWO houses.  And seriously, this morning I realized that the last thing I want to do right now is send a Net Worth figure to Colombia that reflects the fact that I own (in theory) TWO houses because it seriously kills the bottom line.  It makes it look much worse than it is.  So I decided this morning that I really want house A to sell.  NOW!  (Please, Jesus?) 

I have past “exhausted” and gone on to seriously grumpy.  I have an Open Studio event at my house starting Thursday and I have so much work to accomplish for that it isn’t even funny.  I need to make a serious batch of art glass completed for that, I’m just trying to empty the boxes and other furniture out of my kitchen so I can even get to that work.

And I still don’t even have my clothing at house B.  Since I haven’t been the one doing the schlepping, I’m still waiting on a bunch of my stuff.  With my back, I feel hampered by what I can go and get by myself so I feel like I’m in a holding pattern dependant on someone else.  Now I’m not a patient person, nor do I like to be at the mercy of someone else, so this has been really frustrating for me.  Especially going out to look at the truck and realizing that only half of what I asked for actually got on the truck last night while a bunch of other stuff (that didn’t seem nearly as important as being able to dress myself) did make it on.  I’m out of steam, and out of “nice” as well.  Aren’t you glad you don’t have to live with me right now?  I’m told it is horrible.  Yes, I’m repeatedly reminded.  Thanks SO MUCH! 

I really should go back over to house A and spend the day cleaning and packing up the last of it.  (And getting my clothing myself, damn it) but with the Open Studio event this weekend, I feel like I have to carefully prioritize what is left of my energy.  My worst nightmare at this moment would be if my realtor called and wanted to show the house in about 20 minutes.  On the other hand, my worst nightmare right now is continuing to own two houses.  God, I need a another miracle!  ARGH!!!!

Oh, I remember one other thing to grump about… I’ve decided my border collie is autistic.  She hates this change in her life!  That damn dog is trying my last nerve right now.  House A has a fenced yard, house B does not.  We can’t afford to fence house B right now (it would help if house A sold!!)  So when I’m away I leave them in the yard at house A, and when I need to, I go gather them up and bring them to house B, where they hate being outside because they have to be tied.  (Border Collies should never be tied!)  Hopey is really unsettled and for revenge she decides to come up to me real close, (usually behind me where I don’t see her coming) and bark real loud and then continue to jump and bark at me complete with alligator face and rumbling growls.  Usually I jump when she does it the first time, which I imagine is really satisfying to her.  I give her consequences, but it is really tiresome to be stalked and surprised in your own home simply because I disrupted her cushy life.  When I crate her she just barks and barks and she's really LOUD!  I love that dog, she’s family, but right now I’m totally on a dangerous edge with her.  I’d really like to knock her into the middle of next week.  But it’s not what either of us need.  She’ll settle in, we all will, I just hope it’s sooner rather than later!

Oh the glories of moving.  I do love my new house though!  I love the views, I love the space, I love the views...  I really love looking out of my windows!  LOL!  I'm weary, I'm grumpy.  I am going to self medicate by looking out of my windows while drinking a cup of tea!  LOL! 

There is an interesting article on adoption in our local paper today.  I don’t actually get the local paper, but I do check out the website nearly every week day.  This newspaper has a comment policy where anyone can post comments on the articles after they are posted online.  It’s not uncommon to read a great article followed by something horrible by way of response in the comment section – further proof that “free speech” is a royal pain in the ass.  So the marvelous article about adoption is followed by these remarks from “Jim Morrison.” 

“Thanks for qualifying your message to target American children. I fear too many people are adopting children from the "Heathen Country du Jour" in order to show them off as acquisitions and status symbols at their off-brand churches.

Hopefully, there's enough interest out there in our own suffering that an American orphan can find a good home without qualifying as a piece on someone's charm bracelet.”

Well, there’s a new one by me.  Usually adoptive parents get halos in the press (which feels a little strange also if you ask me.)  This time, I’m the Angelina Jolie wanna-be.  And won’t my sweet little church be surprised to find out they are “off-brand!”  And what would happen at a Name Brand church?  People wouldn’t be allowed international adoptions?  Uh… hmmm…

Our home study nears completion and then we’ve got a few other hoops before we send that stack of information off to Colombia, otherwise known as the “Heathen Country du Jour.”

We’ve joked with close friends about some of the crazy requirements for adoptive parents.  Our DMV record is checked, I suppose because someone had a wreck with an adopted child in the car, or else got a DUI.  The news also had a recent story about adoptive children found in the freezer, so we joked that now none of us would be allowed to own freezers.  Next they’ll want to search my jewelry box for children on my charm bracelet.

My husband and I will have been married 19 years in December, no birth control, no children.  Yes, I’m in the process of an international adoption.  It will likely take somewhere between 9 months and 2 years.  (It’s already been about a year)  We are not made of money, so far we’ve worked really hard and put together lots of fund raising events that have actually been surprisingly successful and we are very grateful for the generosity of our friends as well as people we don't even know.  We even bought another house so that we could qualify for more children.  This is my normal.  I’m no hero, so spare me the adulation.  I’m no Angelina Jolie, so spare me the judgment.  This is my life.  And “Jim Morrison,” go take a long walk off a short pier!

I was out shopping for an external hard drive when the handle on the purse I was carrying sprang off, leaving the unfortunate contents to dangle and sway precariously, poised between order and chaos on the floor.  I had not expected that, especially since I made that bag myself.  But it happens. 

While I was in Staples I ran into a friend who is a Democrat.  They have apparently left our congregation because of all the Republican garbage, but I hadn’t realized that.  Now I want to go back and find out where you CAN go to church in this town without all the Republican garbage?!  Is there such a thing?

So I stopped by TJ Maxx to see if I could find a new handbag.  I spent nearly an hour and a half there looking at the purses, examining them and the number of pockets each had, the various colors, etc.  Every time I have to purchase a purse, it takes me a long time to decide on one.  I found one that had tons of pockets, it was rather small and would have illuminated the need for a wallet in addition.  But it was an ugly color.  So I finally put it back.  I looked and looked for the same purse in another color but such a thing would not be found.  I finally settled on one that I found attractive, that was a reasonable price.  (I’m totally NOT one of those status handbag women)  I went through the whole section one more time to see if that was the best bag. 

I got it home and decided that I love the way it looks, and the price was right, but seriously… I must have been ill when I purchased this bag!  It has one pocket inside!  Just one, that’s all!  I passed up the 10 pocket purse for this?  And it’s big.  I love the way it looks, but it’s big enough that I will end up carrying much more than I should.  And a heavy bag on the shoulder may well be a contributing to my back pain issues.  It’s also just a bit too big for fitting into shopping cart purse holders.  Hmm… Did I mention that it’s pretty?  So I have some internal conflict over my choice but I still love the way it looks.  :) 

And that was the most exciting aspect of my day yesterday.  And I have only written 6 words on my Nanowrimo project, so I don’t see that happening.  And my kitchen is between houses.  I have the milk at one and the cereal at the other.  So there is no shortage of things to get done.  But moving is mentally boring work!

A guy from church called and asked if he could come over and watch the election with us.  I warned him of the lack of furniture, the dogs…  I should have asked him who he was voting for.  Hubby and I had to be very low key and polite about things we would have otherwise been squealing over.  It was ok, he is kind of strange but he seemed to enjoy himself.  And he left before we were ready to throw him out, so that is good.

I must say that I’m pretty amazed by some things I’ve heard since the election.  I loved Oprah’s special on this historic event last night.  She’s so thrilled that it’s fun to watch her right now.  And on the other side I saw a friend’s facebook where she made the comment that her country was now becoming the same thing her parents fled from.  Yes, that’s right.  She COMPARED OBAMA to STALIN!!!  What. The. Heck?!!!  Now that is some seriously screwed up mojo if you ask me. 

What did I do for excitement before this election?  I remember vaguely that there were interesting things back then, but I can’t quite remember what they were…  It would be SO freakin cool to be able to go to DC for the inauguration.  Now THAT would be cool!  Or downright cold… as the case may be.

Still, I have a pretty purse now!  I am glad the election is over and that it turned out as beautifully as it has.  I hope some of my rabid Republican friends can settle in to their new leader.  I've put up with theirs for eight LONG years.  It's only fair.