My Passions

Good Quote.... Think about this one... and apply it.

2011-06-25T13:45:00.001-07:00

"No matter what a person's past may have been; his future is spotless" - unknown

Good Quote

2011-06-25T13:43:00.001-07:00

"Difficult times have helped me to understand better than before how infinitely rich and beautiful life is in every way, and that so many things that one goes worrying about are of no importance whatsoever."

– Isak Dinesen

Quote

2011-05-05T22:11:00.000-07:00

As someone who started a ministry called "M.A.D. Skates & Rec Center" with M.A.D. meaning Making A Difference, this particular quote caught my eye. It really lends itself to my way of thinking that everything you do in life matters... everything. The smile you give the mail carrier. The honk you impatiently let the slow driver in front of you hear. The "teeny tiny little lie" you told just the other day. The hug you gave your son this morning. The penny or the gum wrapper you picked up, or maybe you did both.

"We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily differences we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee."

– Marian Wright Edelman

Great Quote

2011-04-24T21:19:00.000-07:00

"Do not let yourself be bothered by the inconsequential . One has only so much time in this world, so devote it to the work and the people most important to you, to those you love and things that matter. One can waste half a lifetime with people one doesn't really like, or doing things when one would be better off somewhere else."
-Louis L'Amour
(Written as the words of Mr. Finian Chantry, a character in one of his books.)

Christ in Zambia

2011-02-13T14:58:00.000-08:00

CHRIST IN ZAMBIA

(Originally written as a song while in Zambia on a mission trip.)

There’s no better place

Than where each smiling face

Is showing Jesus’ love

There’s no greater faith

Than the kind of faith

I found in Zambia

We met brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ

They sang and prayed into the night

Doing the work they knew was right

I’ve never seen such sacrifice

Come with me and see the greatest joy

On the face of each girl and boy

Come and see Jesus’ love

Came with me to Zambia

© 1999 Brett Elizabeth Spore

Written by Russell Kelfer

2010-10-11T10:40:00.000-07:00

I am sorting through papers and stumbled across this poem written by Russell Kelfer. I don't know the title or where I originally obtained it. After reading it through, I can see why I wrote it down and why I kept it for so long. Enjoy...

You are who you are for a reason.
You're part of an intricate plan.
You're a precious and perfect unique design,
Called God's special woman or man.

You look like you look for a reason.
Our God made no mistake.
He knit you together within the womb,
You're just what he wanted to make.

The parents you had were the ones he chose,
And no matter how you may feel,
They were custom-designed with God's plan in mind,
And they bear the Master's seal.

No, that trauma you faced was not easy.
And God wept that it hurt you so;
But it was allowed to shape your heart
So that into his likeness you'd grow.

You are who you are for a reason.
You've been formed by the Master's rod.
You are who you are, beloved,
Because there is a God.

Swaziland Africa

2010-04-29T11:20:00.000-07:00

This is a pretty cool video with a great song. I just wanted to share a piece of my heart.
http://vimeo.com/8961367

Working Out... Or Not

2010-04-27T16:48:00.000-07:00

OK. Anyone who knows much about me knows that I love to workout. I also love helping others find a healthier version of themselves, which is what drew me to the TV show The Biggest Loser. I truly am enjoying watching my first season of the show, and I even went online to check out the website. Of course everything on there costs money, and that kind of irks me, but this is America, we are a capitalist nation, and I believe in our system. Who knows, maybe Biggest Loser will single-handedly fix our nation's economy... or maybe not. OK OFF TRACK.

My point is this... On the Biggest Loser website they have some past competitors' quotes, and having delivered a baby just 4 months ago with no medications, I totally fell in love with this quote.

"There's no epidural for exercise... that's really unfortunate." -Heba Season 6 at home winner.

Back On My Feet - One Woman Changed Her World

2010-03-17T20:31:00.001-07:00

This is totally my kind of story. One woman stops in the middle of the rush of life and gives. The ripple is felt for years to come. Stories like this always cause me to pause and ask, "What am I doing to change my world?"

Copied from Fitness Magazine. March 2010

Running Buddy - Anne Mahlum
Runners are a tough breed, and Anne Mahlum is no exception. When the men outside a homeless shelter started hollering at her as she jogged past, she didn't change her morning route to avoid them. The hard-charging Philadelphia marketing consultant steered straight to them and suggest they high-step it - with her. "Logging miles has always made me feel good," Mahlum says. "I wanted to share that with these guys, so I offered to train with them three times a week." Nine took her up on it.

Today that running club has bloomed into the nonprofit organization Back On My Feet (BOMF), which has 13 full-time staffers, 1,000 volunteers and 13 teams spread throughout Philly, Baltimore and, this month, Washington, D.C. (Chapters in Boston and Chicago are in the works.) Thanks to donations, fund-raising events and corporate sponsorships, Mahlum's mission has also expanded: In addition to helping members get strong physically and mentally, she now provides them with job training and placement, housing and bank accounts.

Through BOMF, 64 men and women found work last year, 35 began job training, and 42 moved into their own homes. Last November, 63 members ran in the Philadelphia Marathon & Half Marathon. "The sense of accomplishment you get from finishing a race or going a mile can change your life," Mahlum says. It's a lesson everyone can follow. - Rachel Sturtz

Gentlemen

2010-02-04T16:26:00.000-08:00

Gentlemen come in all shapes and sizes, and amazingly, you can still find true gentlemen in today's society.

I went to the pet store to get cat food. I had Isaac (6 week old son) in the carseat. I managed to carry the carseat and the 20lb bag of dry cat food from the back of the store to the register where a young man rang up my bill and took my money.

He then turned to the next guy in line and asked how he could help him. As he was asking this, I was taking my time putting my receipt away and making sure I had my keys ready, so I wouldn't drop the kid or the cat food on the way out to my car.

The guy in line behind me was somewhere between 22 and 32 years of age. This gets harder and harder to determine the older I get. He had a nice faux hawk and a bunch of tattoos. He was thin, looked like he probably worked out fairly regularly, and was clean - as in you could tell he showered daily.

As he started to answer the pet store employee by asking if they still sold snakes, he interrupted himself midway through his sentence, turned toward me, and asked, "Ma'am. Would you like some help out with that so you can carry your baby?" The pet store employee almost tripped over himself to jump in and say that he could do it and he was sorry he hadn't seen the baby. It was kind of cute how fast he moved.

My point is this, the guy behind me in line was a true gentleman. I hope God blesses him today for his act of kindness, caring heart and ability to see a need and meet it. God bless you snake buying gentleman at the pet store!

Happy New Year - A Recipe for Success

2010-01-12T12:29:00.001-08:00

I got this out of a magazine, and I like it a lot. It is anonymous, so I have no clue who to thank for it.

Recipe for a happy new year...

Take twelve fine, full-grown months; see that these are thoroughly free from old memories of bitterness, rancor, and hate; cleanse them completely from every clinging spite; pick off all specks of pettiness and littleness; in short, see that these months are freed from the past - have them fresh and clean as when they first came from the great storehouse of Time.

Cut these months into thirty or thirty-one equal parts. Do not attempt to make up the whole batch at one time (so many persons spoil the entire lot this way), but prepare one day at a time.

Into each day put equal parts of faith, patience, courage, work (some people omit this ingredient and so spoil the flavor of the rest), hope, fidelity, liberality, kindness, rest (leaving this out is like leaving the oil out of the salad dressing - don't do it), prayer, meditation, and one well-selected resolution.

Put in about one teaspoonful of good spirits, a dash of fun, a pinch of folly, a sprinkling of play, and a heaping cupful of good humor.

The Music of Opportunity & The Sound of Potential

2009-12-01T09:18:00.001-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xwCG0Ey2Mg

Make A Difference

2009-10-31T22:35:00.000-07:00

This summer at Skate Night, we watched a video series put out by Voice of the Martyrs with a group of teenagers who went to Vietnam to work with the persecuted church there and smuggle Bibles and Biblical materials into Vietnam. I also read "Tortured for Christ" by Richard Wurmbrand. It's easy to sit back in a chair in the US and read a book about modern day martyrdom, and although it's a little harder to watch a video about it, it's pretty easy to detach oneself from the reality that this is actually happening around the globe.

Tonight I received an email from Voice of Martyrs asking if I would "Be A Voice" for persecuted Christians around the world. I had to say "Yes" as I sat in my comfortable house with a full belly after just spending what we call "Falloween" with my family. Tonight, I wrote my first letter to a prisoner. She's in jail in Punjab, Pakistan. Why? Some Muslim woman were talking to her about their religion, and she responded by talking to them about hers. She went to prison; they went home. It took me only about 5 minutes to write the letter and less than a dollar to ship it to Pakistan. 5 minutes and 1 dollar for this woman in prison; for her, it could be the ounce of encouragement she needs to press on.

If you want to make a difference too, go to https://www.be-a-voice.net/qry/bv_home.taf and find out more.

God bless.

Mr. Rogers

2009-10-30T23:23:00.000-07:00

This is an incredible viewpoint that more people in America should hear!

Congressman Rogers on health care reform
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=G44NCvNDLfc

I know nothing about this guy, but I can tell you that I am 100% behind what he says in this video.

Amen!
Hallelujah!
Preach it brother!

Family

2009-10-18T10:03:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who came out yesterday to celebrate Isaac! The baby shower was fantastically fun, and it was great to see so many faces of family and friends we consider part of our extended family.

Thanks to John and Katie for hosting, Bethany Bible for allowing the use of their west wing, Mom and Dad Bennett and Mom and Dad Spore for all the time and energy you put into helping out, and thanks to Carrie Spore for helping decorate.

Where would we be in life without family? I am truly blessed.

Thank you Lord for all the loved ones you have surrounded us with. May we be always grateful. Amen.

My Heart Cries Out

2009-09-20T09:43:00.001-07:00

This video is long, heart wrenching, and totally worth watching!

http://www.ahi-ug.org/media/Uganda/Uganda.htm

Writing

2009-09-15T22:38:00.000-07:00

I don't take much pride in my writing, but every now and then I find something I've written and truly step back and say, "Wow. God hit a home run with that one." Not sure this will strike you that way at all, but I'm throwing it out there anyway. I found a box of old college papers, and as I was going through them to see what I should keep and what I should toss, I came across these little snippets from a couple of assignments I had written in one of my many English/Literature classes at Northwest.

Topic 1
Grace and mercy, God's gifts to mankind, burrow their way into our hardened hearts and turn our lives heavenward. Grace and mercy, the twin engines of God's love, ignite our souls and illuminate our flaws, so that we can examine ourselves with the thorougness of God, while the action of mercy covers our pride like a flame and consumes it.

Topic 2
A lot of times people judge where you are in life harshly or take what you've accomplished in life so lightly that you want to stand up and show them a video recording of your life, so they will appreciate you for who you are and what you've done in light of your past. Maybe then, they would understand and accept you. Then again, maybe not.

Isaac Adrien

2009-08-24T07:21:00.000-07:00

We found out on August 13th that we are having a baby boy. We named him Isaac Adrien. Last night was an exciting night. As I was in bed getting ready to fall asleep, I felt Isaac moving around like he often does at that hour. Although this wasn't the first time I'd felt him move, it seemed like it might be strong enough that by some chance Jason might be able to feel it. So, I asked Jason to come over to see if he could feel it, and then I said, "Isaac, can you kick for daddy? Can you kick again for daddy?" And Isaac kicked harder than he's ever kicked before and Jason was able to feel it. It was a pretty cool night!

Eating great food!

2009-07-11T22:25:00.000-07:00

Jason and I just returned from a late-night dinner at Teddy's Bigger Burgers in Woodinville, WA. Fantastic! I have heard this place is packed during the day and into the early evening, but upon arrival at 9:30 this evening, there was only one other couple there. Two more couples and a college aged son came in while we were there, making it peaceful but not lonely.

The orginal Teddy's Bigger Burgers is in Hawaii, and I hear it has been a popular burger joint there for 10 years. Woodinville is the first mainland location. The customer service was outstanding. The young lady that assisted us actually welcomed us in even though they were closing in 30 minutes, asked if it was our first time, asked if we wanted to hear their "spiel," and offered us "the better deal" when it came to how to place our order. As we were eating, another couple walked in with only 15 minutes left on the clock. Instead of saying something that I hear a lot these days like, "We're only open another 15 minutes, so you better hurry." She actually said, "Hi. Come on in. You've got another 15 minutes" in a happy, cheery, welcoming tone that said, "We're excited you're here with us!"

I was so impressed that I asked to speak to the owners/managers. Co-owner, Wes, was busy with clean up, but our waitress stopped him after our meal. He gladly took a moment to talk to us and stated that he & Diane are pleased with business so far, they appreciate our compliments, and they hope that things continue to go in the upward direction for them. He prides himself on having a clean establishment, good customer service, and he says, "We know our burgers are good, the beef comes from Colorado and we cook them just right." After pointing out that the burgers are good, he showed his heart in saying that it's the little details like customer service and cleanliness that keep people coming back. I enjoyed meeting him. His wife, Diane, as co-owner of the restaurant was busy leading the staff through clean up, so I did not get a chance to talk to her.

The decor is 50's with a touch of Hawaii. They have their own radio station that plays "Oldies" music along with ads for their burgers, extended summer hours, etc. They have a fish tank in the center that you can sit around and eat while watching the fish, several televisions showing surfing shows, and pretty comfortable looking 50's diner booths. We sat at the fish tank, so I can't attest to the seating quality of the booths. I'll have to check that out next time.

The place was clean as a whistle when we walked in, and they hadn't started their night time cleaning yet. It appears it is a constant process in which they are always trying to keep it in tip-top cleanliness. For those who know me this is going to sound a bit odd, but I did not check out the bathrooms while there. Based on the rest of the place, I would guess they were pretty nice, new and clean. I'll have to check it out next time; this time, I think I was too busy devouring my burger to even think about a bathroom.

Burgers are available in 5, 7, and 9 ounce varieties and come with a few standard items like pickles, onions, special sauce, tomatoes, and I believe lettuce. You can add or remove whatever you like from that. They have almost any topping you can think of including teriyaki sauce, peanut butter, pineapple, bbq sauce, four different cheeses, grilled onions, and more.

I kept it pretty simple - delete onions (pregnancy issue) and add pepperjack cheese. Absolutely delish! Jason got his with all the standard issue items and added american and cheddar cheeses, bacon, and mushrooms. He also ordered a kids soda and a strawberry extra thick milkshake. Our total bill was $21. Not exactly "cheap eats," but not bad for two people for dinner and absolutely, totally worth every penny. I wasn't even out of the parking lot before I was text messaging my college friend in Spokane about the joint.

I don't know when I will be back, but I hope it is soon! You've got to check them out. Teddy's Bigger Burgers - Woodinville, WA.

MMA

2009-06-13T00:09:00.000-07:00

OK. So, I'm one of those wacky ladies that loves MMA (mixed martial arts for those who didn't know.)

Recently, there have been more and more Christians in this sport which is awesome in my opinion.

Check out www.jesusdidnttap.com, www.ighclothing.com, www.afmedia.ning.com for more on the Christian MMA scene.

Well, it's after midnight, and I really didn't have anything else to say. I love MMA. I love Jesus. I love that the two can come together to make a difference in people's lives. God bless.

Modern Day Martyrs

2009-06-06T08:29:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading my latest copy of Voice of the Martyrs. Richard Wurmbrand founded Voice of the Martyrs after suffering 14 years of imprisonment for preaching the Gospel. Here are three excerpts from the introduction article for this month's magazine.

"Richard, who spoke about a dozen languages, lived in Romania when the Russians came, bringing communism with them. He visited the occupying Russian army barracks under the pretense of selling watches. He would speak about the Savior to soldiers raised on decades of atheism. The soldiers were so thirsty for the word of God they listened to Richard and even offered to play lookout for communist officers. By design, one of the soldiers, spotting an officer, would pat Richard's knee as a signal to talk only about watches. Richard and his wife were both imprisoned for their courage to turn opposition into opportunity."

"Richard Wurmbrand used to annoy some Christians about their campaign to restore prayer in schools. Mystified, he would say, 'Why do you need a campaign? Just have your children bow their heads and pray." We become so worried about legal walls and petty penalties that we forget there is always a window, even when there are trivial earthly consequences."

"Today, Christians across our nation are beginning to be tested. Our children are and grandchildren are watching. What will they learn from us? John Calvin wrote, 'The Lord often permits Christians to be despised or rejected by the world, that being liberated and cleansed from its pollution, we may cultivate holiness. We must love those who do not love God, but conforming ourselves to their standards for their approval and acceptance is disastrous.'"

My thoughts:
My heart is crying out to help people around the world while at the same time, I see America going full throttle in the same downward direction. I am crying out for American Christians to unite and stand in the face of the adversity that I know is coming to us. It has already begun. What will we do? In 51 countries around the world Christians are beaten and killed for preaching the gospel, and many of us don't have the guts to say "God bless you" to a passerby or our waitress, because we're afraid we might offend them. I can't take it anymore. I have to speak out. May God protect me and my family, and if not, may I go out still carrying my cross!

Family

2009-04-18T06:40:00.000-07:00

The day before Easter, Jason and I headed over to my brother's house to do a little Easter egg hunt for the twins.

It was great fun watching the girls react to the eggs completely differently from one another. Rebecca went on an egg finding quest grabbing one egg after another until her bag was stuffed. Alexa instantly discovered there was candy inside and from that moment on, she had to open each egg, make sure there actually was something inside it, and close it back up with the contents secure before placing it in her bag. Conveniently, Rebecca filled her bag quite rapidly, and Alexa covertly switched bags with her. Rebecca, apparently thrilled to have more room in her bag, took off on another egg hunting adventure and filled that bag as well. It was highly entertaining for the adults in the room.

Alexa before the egg hunt.

Rebecca before the egg hunt.

Rebecca on a mission, and the hunt begins!

Alexa on a mission of her own.John trying to get her to put the eggs in the bag. Good luck Bro!

This is my sister in law, Katie, and their new baby girl, Anabella.

Family

2009-04-07T16:21:00.000-07:00

Last week my brother, Robb was up visiting and helping my Mom with her book - Wounded Head, Wounded Heart (www.wheatwinepress.blogspot.com). They came to skate night (www.madskates.blogspot.com) to speak to the kids and show a short video. On the day Robb arrived in town, my 3rd niece, Anabella, was born to my other brother, John and his wife Katie. It is a very exciting spring for us so far, and we can't wait to see what God's up to next. I thank God for my family. Despite our differences and occasionally wanting to smack someone upside the head, we really do love each other, we're there for each other, and I don't know too many people who would say they'd pick their mom to travel with over any one else (except my 1st choice is my husband obviously - who by the way also picks my mom.) Well, all that to say, I love my family, and I think it is critical that we work toward better relationships all the time.

CHANGE

2009-03-28T13:42:00.001-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42E2fAWM6rA

Friends

2009-03-25T20:48:00.000-07:00

Went to Alabama last week to visit my good friend, Steph. We had a great time just relaxing, talking, and walking around the town. There really is nothing like a good friend. I hope you have one, and I hope you hold them dear. I know I do.

Busy Busy

2009-02-22T22:47:00.000-08:00

Well, for any of you that actually follow this and read it, I'm sorry I haven't updated or written anything on here for almost an entire month.

Skate Night started on February 2nd, and it seems that my life has gotten even more busy than it was before. (www.madskates.blogspot.com or www.madskates.com)

However, I have taken to actually participating in the concept of Sabbath, and I believe my spiritual growth as well and my physical and mental health are much improved because of it.

I hope everyone out there is doing well, trusting God in these difficult times, and believing that His grace truly is enough.

God bless,
Miss Brett

Living My Dream

2009-01-25T10:04:00.000-08:00

Campus Life, January/February 2007

Living My Dream
Pro snowboarder Kelly Clark wants everyone to know who she's living for.
by Elisabeth Freeman

Success Meant Nothing
There's something different about professional snowboarder Kelly Clark. It's not just her flips and tricks. Or her speed. Or even her success in the X Games or Winter Olympics (she won gold in 2002 and finished fourth in 2006).

Instead, it's her dynamic and positive personality. "I love Jesus," she says. "And I guess everyone can tell."

It wasn't always this way. "When I was younger I was never happy," she said. She thought it would be better when she found success. But even after winning the gold medal, she still wasn't happy. In fact, she felt worse. "I was lonely and depressed. I wanted to die."

Desperately Searching
At one tournament, Kelly overheard other snowboarders talking about God. "They said God loved everyone," she says. "But I wondered if he could really love me."

Later that night, desperate and lonely, Kelly opened the Bible in her hotel room. It was the King James Version and she understood very little, so she went to the room of one of the girls she'd heard talking on the slopes. "I asked her if she could explain God and Christianity to me," Kelly says. "God really began to move in my heart."

Over the next few months Kelly began attending church while sidelined by a knee injury. Soon after, she accepted Christ. "It was the best day of my life," she says. "No trophy, no medal and no amount of money can equal what Christ did in me that day."

I Cannot Hide
As she healed, she was scared about returning to competing. "I didn't know how I'd tell everyone about Jesus and my new life," she says. "It was a tough time for me."

Kelly prayed about her fears and put it in God's hands. "Then, one night in worship, we sang this song with the words 'I cannot hide my love for Jesus.' That's when I realized God would work everything out, because I couldn't possibly hide my love for him."

Before returning to the slopes, she had a sticker made for her board that says: "I cannot hide my love for Jesus." That sticker's message is now the foundation of her whole life. "Everything I do is about Jesus," she says. "And that sticker has opened a lot of doors for me to witness."

Today, Kelly is one of the most famous snowboarders in the world and is living out her dream. Kelly is also on the prayer team at her church, teaches a young adult discipleship class and mentors other snowboarders. And by talking about Jesus on Olympic telecasts and boarding to the music of David Crowder, she lets everyone know who she's living for. She says: "God is blessing me so much by not only allowing me to do what I love to do, but by allowing me to tell others about him at the same time."

Copyright © 2007 by the author or Christianity Today International/Ignite Your Faith magazine.Click here for reprint information on Ignite Your Faith.January/February 2007, Vol. 65, No. 6, Page 13

Helping Others and Helping Others Help Others

2009-01-10T11:25:00.000-08:00

New Horizons Ministry in Seattle, WA works with homeless youth. In some recent conversations with the staff there, I have learned about a need for acoustic guitars for a couple of programs they are running.

If you have an acoustic guitar that you are no longer using, please send it to New Horizons and change the life of a young person today.

New Horizons Ministry
ATTN: Aimee Lee or Carina Schubert
PO Box 2801, Seattle WA 98111
(206) 374-0866
info@nhmin.org

Life

2009-01-06T22:16:00.000-08:00

I have discovered a new passion called life and living it to the fullest. To truly explain why it is a new passion would take hours of writing and pages of text.

I don't really have anything spectacular to say on the subject of life and living it to the fullest at this particular moment, but stay tuned. A new day is dawning.

I hope that 2009 brings to all of you a new hope, a new dream, a new life. Every day is a new day - a chance at a new beginning. Grab hold of today and live it to its fullest.

Welcome to 2009. May God truly bless you and yours.

Poetry & Prose 107 - Live life to the fullest

2008-11-29T15:38:00.000-08:00

The Dash ~by Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak
at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
from the beginning...to the end.

He noted that first came the date of her birth
and spoke of the following date with tears,
but he said what mattered most of all
was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time
that she spent alive on earth...
and now only those who loved her
know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own;
the cars....the house...the cash.
What matters is how we live and love
and how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard...
are there things you'd like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
that can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
to consider what's true and real,
and always try to understand
the way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger,
and show appreciation more
and love the people in our lives
like we've never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect,
and more often wear a smile...
remembering that this special dash
might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy is being read
with your life's actions to rehash...
would you be proud of the things they
say about how you spend your dash?

Music - Matrimony - Main Man

2008-11-05T19:53:00.000-08:00

I haven't said much lately, because I've been traveling a lot for work. However, I had to jump on here today and talk about a few things on my heart.

I love music. Absolutely love it. I never stop being amazed by how I can be in the Christian circles I'm in and somehow I am constantly finding out about musicians I've somehow never heard of or simply overlooked. This Sunday our church had Youth Worship Weekend during which the youth group leads the music portion of the service. Additionally, it was purity weekend when any youth who choose to participate commit to abstinence until marriage. This brought up a few things... First of all, Brooke Fraser is an incredible artist who I had never heard of before. Secondly, her song "Love is Waiting" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bTjDace9nY should be required listening for every young boy & girl. Finally, I feel that we need to stand for what we believe in, and we need to speak out about it at all cost. I believe we are entering a time of persecution for our beliefs, and I believe that this should only strengthen our resolve - not silence us. A person should wait until marriage for sexual contact. A man should marry a woman and a woman should marry a man. It doesn't work in God's plan any other way. A person's "Main Man" should be God - first and foremost - always. It's simple and yet difficult to live out. I love my husband more than words could ever describe, more than any amount of money could ever put a value on, but I can never put him before God or all will fall, my foundation will crumble, and my ability to love my husband will never be as great as it can be when my "Main Man" is God.

Well, those are my thoughts for today. God bless you all.

Africa 106 - Swaziland

2008-09-24T21:42:00.001-07:00

You may have started noticing a trend... I love Africa.

Anyway, this is a report from the country in which I was raised from age 6 to age 12. If you have a moment, read it and see the dream this pastor has for his country and the millions of orphans there.

http://swaziland.myadventures.org/?filename=nsoko-update

Thank you and may God bless you all.

Africa 105 - IN AN AFRICAN MARKET, PENNIES ARE NOT PEANUTS

2008-09-17T19:40:00.000-07:00

My Mom sent this story to me. She and I share a passion for Africa.

Please read and enjoy this journalist' lighthearted retelling of his wait for a ferry and attempted purchase of a single bag of peanuts in rural Africa.

http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/09/16/1401237.aspx

Poetry and Prose 106

2008-09-13T08:49:00.000-07:00

As many of you know already, I love poetry and prose. What some of you may not know about is my heart for missions especially as related to young people. Today's poem comes from one New Horizons Ministry's youth. New Horizons works with youth on the streets of downtown Seattle. Check out their ministry at www.nhmin.org, join them in prayer, donate if you can, or volunteer if you are in the Seattle area. This is a ministry that is changing lives and turning hearts to God.

Here's the Poem:

‘Open Arms, Open Hearts’
I fell hard and deep into the darkness
You opened your arms and let all your light inside
So I could see through the lies I told myself
I was yours, and you were always mine
And yet I tried to hide so you could not reach me
And even though I could not see you I always knew you were there
Just in case I needed to wake up from the never-ending dream I want to be in
Since that day you came to me and helped me through what I could not see
I’ve never been so happy or so clear
And I will never let myself fall again because I now know what is good for Me
At peace inside and steady as a drum my soul is open to you
And all that is good for myself and others around me
They do not know you are here with me, by my side
And watching, waiting, wanting to help them see too
I fell so deep and you lifted me up so high
I’m yours and you will always be mine, I’m glad we’re as one
Side by side we’ll always be, no more, no less
You and me Lord always!
- Tonya

I love a great quote.

2008-08-20T20:22:00.000-07:00

My mother-in-law (who is also my friend and co-worker) cut this out of one of those "Inspirational Posters" catalogues. I love it!

The Courage of Integrity

The highest courage is to dare to be yourself in the face of adversity. Choosing right over wrong, ethics over convenience, and truth over popularity... these are the choices that measure your life. Travel the path of integrity without looking back, for there is never a wrong time to do the right thing.

Skateboarding for Christ - Reaching the Youth

2008-08-15T18:10:00.001-07:00

These are my friends, my comrades in arms, Boarders for Christ.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lr3f8qGdjWw

Helping the Helpless (Do not read on if you are faint of heart.)

2008-08-07T20:23:00.001-07:00

I just received an email from Action International founder, Doug Nichols. This is the story about child slavery in Haiti. The title below says it all, but if you are able to read on, please do so. When you are done, please pray about what you can do to help or how you can better pray to help the helpless. If anyone has any links to share on ministries helping child slavery in Haiti or elsewhere in the world, please post a comment, so others can pray about their involvement in stopping this insanity.

How to Buy a Child in 10 Hours
One Reporter's Journey Reveals An Epidemic of Child Slavery in Haiti
By DAN HARRIS
July 8, 2008—

This deeply unsettling experiment starts on a typical Monday morning on Manhattan's leafy Upper West Side, where commuters stroll by Starbucks and Central Park.

At 7:10 a.m., I'm off to see how long it takes to buy a child slave.

It's 45 minutes to Kennedy Airport and an hour or so wait in the terminal, then a 3½-hour flight to Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

A band greets the flight.

By the time my team and I have collected our luggage, gone through immigration and customs, and are loaded into our vehicles, it's about 3:15 p.m.

As we leave the airport, two things become immediately apparent: Port-au-Prince is an amazing, vivid place, and it's also extremely poor. The U.S. State Department warns Americans against visiting here. United Nations peacekeepers patrol the roads while we drive with our own security team: two armed Haitian men in SUVs.

'I Would Like to Get a Child'

By 4:45 p.m., I'm poolside at one of the city's few upscale hotels. I'm wearing a hidden camera built into the strap of a bike messenger-style bag that's around my neck. There's another hidden camera in a leather satchel on the table, right next to the fruit plate and Evian water. My colleagues are manning cameras in hotel rooms overlooking the pool.

Our security guards are sitting discretely nearby.

That's when the man with whom I've arranged a meeting shows up.

He says he's a former member of parliament and that he has connections. In broad daylight, with hotel waiters walking by, he doesn't even flinch when I make a horrific request.

"If I would like to get a child to live with me and take care of me," I ask. "Could you do that?"

"Yes," he says. "I can."

He's speaking in Creole, the most prevalent Haitian language. The man doing the translation, who has set up the meeting, works for us (unbeknownst to the slave trafficker).

The trafficker assures me he's done this sort of transaction many times before.

"A girl or a boy?" he asks.

"A girl probably," I say.

"How old?"

"Maybe 10 or 11."

"Not a problem."

He says he can get me an 11-year-old girl, although he suggests that a 15-year-old might be better, because she'd be more "developed."

I'm thinking: I can't believe I'm having this conversation.

"And this is OK?" I ask. "I won't have any trouble from their parents or anything like that?"

"No, you won't have any problems with their parents."

"Why not?"

"When I give you the child, I will train it for you."

I'm not exactly sure what that means.

A Successful Negotiation

"I'm a little nervous." I say. "I just want to make sure that this is OK, that I'm not going to get in trouble, that this will be smooth, that you've done this before."

"I guarantee my service," says the trafficker, grinning. "I can get you your girl as early as tomorrow."

And now, the negotiation begins.

"So how much will it cost me to get a child?" I ask.

"The last one I gave was $300."

Trying to test the value of human life, I push a little.

"I have a friend who got one for $50."

"No," he says.

"What about $100?"

"$150," he offers.

I accept.

And there it is. It's about 5 p.m. Roughly 10 hours after leaving my office in New York City, I have successfully negotiated to buy another human being -- an 11-year-old girl, whose value is set at just $150.

As we conclude our meeting, I want to make sure the trafficker does not act on my request. I ask him to wait a day before doing anything. I assure him I'll call him tomorrow with my final answer. He agrees.

Offering Fake Papers and a 'Pretty' Child

And then, to show that this grotesque sort of deal-making is not a fluke, I have a second meeting, with another trafficker -- a beefy guy with the air of a street thug.

This second trafficker is asking a much steeper price for an 11-year-old girl: $10,000.

"It's something definitive," explains our translator. "After the sale, he doesn't mind what happens to the kid."

"So for $10,000, I can have the child and do anything I want to do is what he's saying?" I ask.

"Yeah, definitely."

As further enticement, the trafficker says he can even get me fake papers that would allow me to take this child back to the U.S. with me. Both traffickers say they have experience providing children to Americans. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, officials have no idea how often this sort of transaction transpires. As the slightly menacing slave trafficker describes this girl he's promising to provide, I hear him use the French word "belle." French, along with Creole, is one of Haiti's official languages.

"Did he use the word 'belle'? Like, pretty girl?" I ask the translator.

"Yeah."

"So he's saying this would be a pretty child?"

"Yeah."

"Do you think he's hinting that the child would be a partner of some sort?"

Once again, I can't believe I'm having this conversation -- sitting in the sunshine so casually transacting such diabolical business. Just to make sure I fully understand the offer on the table, I ask, "If I pay $10,000 I essentially own this child?"

"Yeah, it's yours. You do whatever you want."

I've heard enough. I conclude the meeting, once again making sure the trafficker doesn't actually act on my request.

"Yeah, it's up to you because that kid is yours."

But now comes the craziest part of this wildly disturbing day.

Two waiters sitting nearby call me over. They say they've heard my conversations. At first I think they're going to yell at me or something. I'm bracing for shame. Instead, the waiters offer to sell me a child.

"So you're saying if I want to get a child to live with me, you can help me?" I ask.

"Yes," says one of the waiters. "I give you my telephone also."

"About what age?" asks the other watier.

"Maybe 10, 11 years old."

"10 or 11?"

"Yeah," I say. "A girl."

"Ok," says the first waiter, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Ok. I'll help you."

The 'Restaveks'

Having illustrated how horrendously easy it is to buy a child slave in Haiti, let's consider something exponentially more awful: the real scandal here in Haiti is that children are usually just given away.

There are an estimated 300,000 child slaves in Haiti according to UNICEF. This staggering statistic is discussed in E. Benjamin Skinner's "A Crime So Monstrous," a new book about the enormous and often underreported problem of modern day slavery. Skinner has come to Haiti with us. He was the one who gave us the idea to see how long it would take to leave New York City and buy a child slave.

They're called "restaveks" -- a Creole term that means "stay-with." But these children often do more than just "stay with" families; they are usually forced to work from dawn until dusk, and are often underfed, beaten and sexually abused.

To meet some of these restaveks, my team and I traveled into the claustrophobic back alleys of one of Haiti's worst slums, Solino.

Here we find Onise, an achingly beautiful 8-year-old with haunted eyes. Her parents, who live in the countryside, are so poor they simply gave Onise away to a slightly less poor family in Port-au-Prince.

Her owners promised her parents they would pay for Onise's education. But every day, when the other children in the tiny, one-room hovel where the owners live head off to school, Onise stays behind to do housework and run errands.

When we get her alone, she reluctantly tells us about her life.

"When was the last time you talked to your parents?" I ask.

"No," she says. Our translator expands: "She never talks to them."

"Do you miss your parents?"

"Yes," she says, in a nearly inaudible voice.

This child seems dead inside. The insides of her forearms are covered in scars.

"Do they hit you a lot?"

"Yes," she says.

"When you dream, when you think about the things you want to do with your life -- your hopes -- what do you think about?"

"I want to drive a car," she says.

The Promise of School

It is a bleak irony that Haiti is crawling with child slaves. This, after all, is the only nation in modern history to be founded as the result of a slave revolt, in 1804.

It's also a place where parents clearly take great pride in their children's appearance, dolling them up in elaborate school uniforms every weekday morning. Parents here also make massive economic sacrifices to send kids to school, in this country where, for the most part, there are no public schools.

Slave traffickers use Haiti's poverty and lack of opportunity to their advantage.

"They dangle like a diamond necklace the promise of school," says Skinner. As he explains, Haiti's system of child slavery began generations ago. Poor families from the countryside would give their children to wealthy families in the city. The children would do domestic work, but they would also be fed, clothed and educated. It was a sort of social compact.

Even though the system has now morphed into something grotesque, traffickers exploit the false, residual glow of altruism.

"You talk to the traffickers about this," says Skinner, "and they'll often say, 'Well, I'm doing a service to the family that's giving up this child.'"

This bogus sheen of charity is perhaps why we are able to get slave owners to talk to us on camera. (Perhaps it's also because having a slave is so commonplace as to be almost entirely uncontroversial here.)

We meet Onita Aristide in a shantytown precariously perched over a ravine filled with trash and also wild pigs and goats. Aristide is a mother of two who sells sandals in the local market. For four months she's owned a "restavek" nicknamed Ti Soeur (Creole for "little sister.") As usual, Ti Soeur comes from a poor family in the country and spends her days here in the city doing forced labor. She sleeps on the floor of Onita Aristide's tiny home.

"Do you think she has a better life with you than she would have with her parents?" I ask Aristide.

"Yes," she says.

"Why?"

"Because her family is poor and cannot afford to support her."

There are a bunch of hard questions I want to ask this woman, for example, why doesn't she send the girl to school? But the scars on Ti Soeur's arms suggest I should tread lightly.

Knowing Aristide doesn't speak any English, I broach the topic with our translator. "I don't want to push her so hard that she gets angry and takes it out on the kid. Do you think I'm correct?"

"You're correct," he says.

Ti Souer's Hope

We follow Ti Soeur as she goes to fetch water from the communal well. This gives us a chance to ask her questions without her owners hearing.

She's a bright-eyed 11-year-old with short hair. When I ask her questions about the marks on her arm, she says, "The lady did it to me with an electric wire."

As I later learn, this appears to be a standard punishment -- whipping restaveks with the sort of electric cord you might you use to plug in a toaster or a laptop.

"Why would she do that to you?" I ask.

"Because one of the kids in the neighborhood came to see [her] in the house," the translator says.

"So you're not allowed to have any friends?"

"No."

"Do you have any time during the day where you can play, like a normal kid?"

"No. We don't play."

The translator explains, "If she doesn't go and pick up the water, they beat her up. If she doesn't sweep, beat her up."

By the time we visit Ti Soeur at 10 a.m., she's already cooked, cleaned, prepared the family children for school.

"Do you think the situation you're in right now is unfair?" I ask.

"Yes."

"Do you think you'll ever get out of this situation?"

"Yes."

"Do you have hope?"

"Yes."

"Good," I say.

After meeting Ti Souer, we decided to go find her parents, to get a sense of why they would give their child away.

'My Husband Forced Me'

Following a lead, we drive out of the throbbing, chaotic city, hours away, into the lush countryside. It's beautiful out here. We see clouds resting lazily in green valleys. We see women on their way to market, carrying impossibly large loads of goods on their heads.

But you can't miss the deprivation: It's everywhere. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere -- the result of decades of bad, brutal, kleptocratic leadership, and also, many believe, negative interference from outside powers, including the United States.

Haiti's poverty is on full display as we pull up to the house where Ti Soeur's mother lives. It's a shack, housing three families. Nine children live here, including one who we see using a condom as a toy balloon.

Ti Soeur's mother is named Lita Bellevue. After a few pleasantries, I ask her the obvious question.

"Can you tell me how it happened that you gave your daughter up?"

"My husband forced me to do it," she says.

She tells us that Ti Soeur's birth father is dead. Her new husband, who is abusive, forced her to give the child away, she says, because they are too poor to take care of her. However, the husband does not seem willing to part with the two young children he and Lita have had together.

"Can you imagine living without these children?" I ask.

"I cannot live without them," he says, flashing a nervous, toothless grin.

Lita says she's heard rumors that Ti Soeur is being abused by her owners.

"I hear she's being cut all over her arms and her head," she says. "I try very hard to rescue the child, to go see the child, but my husband won't let me."

"When you think about you daughter living this way, how hard is it for you?"

"I feel sick inside," she says.

To help us better understand why parents make these sorts of decisions, we go see Jean-Etienne Charles, a local Pentecostal pastor who preaches against child slavery. He's got a broad, happy face and a thriving church, complete with a school for local kids.

"I do not think that it is because they do not love the child," says Charles of parents who send their kids into servitude. "They love the kids; they love them. But because they think that they cannot take care of them, they turn them to another person."

As a sign of how deeply entrenched this practice is, it turns out that the pastor's family has a girl living with them whom they took on to do domestic work. They have since legally adopted her and are putting her through school, as an example to the families who abuse child slaves.

"I believe that people who do that should be thrown into jail," says Charles. "But the government is not doing anything about it, so that is why the Haitians are doing it."

Now that we've learned that Ti Soeur is stuck between slavery and an abusive, unhappy home, we decide to try our luck with the Haitian government. We go to the Department of Social Services and meet with several senior officials. We show them videotape of Ti Soeur's scars.

"This is unacceptable," says one official. She promises to act as early as possible. We leave feeling confident that Ti Soeur's fate may soon change.

But within days, government officials stop returning our phone calls, and Ti Soeur's case takes some surprising turns.

A Wrenching Scene
We learn that Bellevue, Ti Soeur's mother, has done something brave and extraordinary: she has forced her abusive husband to go and retrieve Ti Soeur from slavery.

With the government seemingly missing in action, we hook up with a social services organization affiliated with the American-based group Beyond Borders.

They work with mother and daughter, reunited as a result of Bellevue's courageous insistence, to get Ti Soeur accepted into a clean, cheerful orphanage.

But it's a mixed blessing for the former child slave.

Her mother is being kicked out of her house, for the crime of having spoken out to her husband. Rather than take Ti Soeur with her into an uncertain, and potentially homeless future, she decided to leave her at the orphanage, where she's safe.

As they're forced to part again, it's a wrenching scene. Ti Soeur is sobbing. She throws herself on the ground, inconsolable.

As we leave her, Ti Soeur seems traumatized, confused and lonely. But she's also, finally, in a place where she'll be fed, educated, safe and free from slavery.

For Haiti's child slaves, this may be as close to a happy ending as you'll find.

Copyright © 2008 ABC News Internet Ventures
Source: http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=5326508

Hiking - God sure makes some beautiful things.

2008-07-26T20:43:00.000-07:00

Hiking with Kristi is always an adventure. We had previously discussed just how out of shape we are currently. I get in her car to leave my house, and I look down and see the directions for where we are going and a description of the trail. Rachel Lake. 4.8 miles one way. The last mile is fairly vertical. Estimated time. 3 hours one way... Are we nuts? Yes!

The hike was worth it - the views were spectacular, the flowers were beautiful, the waterfalls indescribable, and the hour sitting at the lake in the mountains enjoying lunch... truly was priceless.

I didn't get the best video on my digital camera, and the lens was wet from taking undewater photos, but you get the point. God sure makes some beautiful things.

Stories That Touch My Heart

2008-07-24T23:01:00.000-07:00

I love stories that have a point, that touch my heart in a special way, that cause me to want to change the world. Here is one I recently received in an email from Doug Nichols (Action International Ministries www.actionintl.org). I have included Doug's comments at the end as well, because I appreciated his heart. Will you be a brother or sister... like this?

Years ago in the Philippines, I heard a story of a man who parked his car in his office complex in downtown Manila. There was a street boy nearby and to pick up some money, he asked if he could watch (guard) the man’s car while he was in the office.

Several hours later, when the man came back to get his nice Mercedes, he paid the boy some loose change and, as he was getting in his car, the little street boy said, “Mister, you sure have a nice car.” The man was quite surprised that this boy had even spoken to him and said, “Well, thank you.” Then the little boy said, “Where did you get your car? Did somebody give it to you?” The man replied, “Well yes, somebody did give it to me. My brother gave it to me.”

As he continued to get in the car, he expected the boy to say something like, “Oh, I wish I had a brother who would give me a nice car.” Instead, he heard the little boy say, “Your brother gave it to you? I wish I could be a brother like that.”

The man was so amazed at the statement of the little boy, he asked, “Have you ever been in a nice car like this?” The little boy said, “No.” The man replied, “Well, get in. Let me give you a ride.” The boy jumped up in the front seat and as they drove down the road, the man had to roll down the windows because the little boy was so smelly.

The boy was so joyful and in awe that he said, “Sir, could we go get my little brother and give him a ride too?” The man said, “Tell me about your brother. Where is he?” The boy pointed at a poor slum area of Manila called Tondo. They drove there and parked and the man said, “Go get your brother and we will give him a ride.”

The little boy ran down a filthy alleyway and a few minutes later came back with his little brother on his back, as he was crippled! The man said, “So this is your little brother; what’s wrong with him?” as they put him up in the front seat. The little boy said, “He had an accident. He’s crippled and can’t walk.”

As they drove and talked, the man found out that the brother had a crippling accident and because his family was so poor, they could not get him the medical care he needed.

The businessman said, “Well, my brother is a doctor. Why don’t we go see him and find out what he can do for your little brother.” After the examination they found that after a simple operation, the boy would be able to walk again. The operation was performed and the little boy who could not walk, but had a brother who loved him, was able to walk again.

Why did all this happen? Simply because of the unselfishness of someone caring for someone else, rather than for himself. So, might we have the words on our lips, “I wish I could be a brother (or mother, father, sister, fellow worker) like that.”

In the words of the missionary, the Apostle Paul, “…regard one another as more important than themselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others” (Philippines 2:3-4, nasb).

Yes, “I wish I could be a brother like that.”

Making A Difference

2008-07-19T07:05:00.001-07:00

A huge theme in my life is making a difference. It was first heard by me in junior high or high school when a speaker at a conference told the story of sending his kids off to school every day. As they left the house, he would holler out the door, “Go MAD!” Everyone wondered what that meant, and the kids were able to talk about how their father had instilled in them the concept of making a difference. Every day as they left the house they were challenged to “Go MAD” to “go make a difference.”

This idea has stuck with me for many years. It's what I fashioned the name of the skate park and recreational center after. It’s how I try to look at both every day of my life and the grand scheme of my life. The question I have to ask myself is “How am I making a difference?”
There is a quote that was mentioned in church last Sunday. It has several variations, because no one has ever found a written copy of the original version. Edmund Burke is credited with the saying, and it goes something like this…

The reason the forces of evil are winning in the world today is because too many good men and women are doing nothing.

So I challenge you, the good men and women of the world, to “Go MAD!” every day of your life. The victory is ours in the Lord. Lay claim to it. Pursue it. Go MAD!

Women of Faith (Polka Dot Girls) 101

2008-07-08T06:23:00.000-07:00

On June 26th, my mom and I left my house in a van with three other ladies and headed off to the Best Western near Seattle Center where we met several other women involved in our small group better known as The Polka Dot Girls.

After checking into our hotel the first night, we took the monorail over to Westlake Center and had dinner and did some shopping. Everyone got along well, and we broke into smaller groups on and off throughout the night. Afterwards, we took the monorail back to the hotel.

Friday morning, we woke up, two of us crazy people met in the gym and worked out, we all had breakfast separately, and then walked to Key Arena for the Women of Faith Pre-Conference. The music was great. The speakers were great. God provided two women who were pleased to be able to get conference tickets from me at a reduced rate. (I had a couple extra tickets due to last minute cancellations.) Friday afternoon, my mom (Karen B), Debbie, Sandy, Bev, Janet, and I went over to the Seattle Center where they have some rides and went on several rides and did the bumper cars. It was a hoot. Then we met up with Karen D, Diane, Pat and Sandie at the Center House Bistro where we had a nice dinner together. The timing worked out perfectly, and we finished eating just in time to walk back over to Key Arena for the start of the conference. That night, Lois joined us, and there was a small party in our room, and we played "Get to Know Bingo," the string game, gave away prizes, talked, and snacked.

Saturday morning we had to check out of the hotel, so everyone hustled up and got packed, checked out, had breakfast and walked over to the conference at Key Arena. The music and speakers were once again fabulous. After the conference, everyone went their separate ways except that our van load and Pat & Sandie met my husband at California Pizza Kitchen in Bellevue for one last meal together.

So the question is... Will I do it again? Lord willing I would love to. So the real question is... Are you a Polka Dot Girl?

Poetry & Prose 106

2008-06-10T06:06:00.000-07:00

This isn't one of mine, but I really like the thought behind it. I wonder where will you travel?

TRAVELING ON MY KNEES
Last night I took a journey to across the seas;
I did not go by boat or plane, I traveled on my knees.

I saw so many precious people there with scars and wounds within,
But God told me I should go, that there was oil to pour for Him.

But I said: "Lord, I cannot go and work with such as these."
He answered quickly: "Yes, you can ...by traveling on your knees."

He said: "You pray, I'll meet their need; you call and I will hear.
Be concerned about their fate, of those both far and near."

And so I tried it, knelt in prayer, gave up some hours of ease;
I felt the Lord right by my side, while traveling on my knees.

As I prayed on and saw them helped and the badly wounded healed,
I saw God's workers strength renewed, while laboring on the field.

I said, "Yes, Lord, I have a job, my desire Thy will to please;
I can go and heed Thy call, by traveling on my knees."

(Author - Anonymous)

Africa 105 - Uganda Skateboard Union's Video Preview

2008-06-06T10:46:00.000-07:00

As some of you may know by either knowing me or reading my blog, half of my heart is always in Africa. One of my other passions is skate ministry. Recently Christian Skaters sent out their email update and included a link to this video.

For anyone who thinks "We can't afford a skate park here." Watch this.
For anyone who thinks "Youth can't put something like a skate park together." Watch this.
For anyone who has given up on their dream. Watch this.

http://current.com/items/88840051_uganda_skateboard_union_s_video_preview

May God bless you all and may He use this video to light a fire in you for whatever it is He has called you to do.

Remember: Nothing is impossible with God.

Sculpting 107 - Size Still Matters

2008-05-29T09:32:00.000-07:00

Here are few more pictures...

BTW: For those who wondered, the Meet the Band guys are approximately the same height as the carved lady which is titled "Mary: Is there no other way?" in the previous post.

Sculpting 106 - Size Matters

2008-05-29T09:23:00.000-07:00

Some people have requested that I somehow show the size of my work. So, here goes. These are a few pictures of some of the stuff I've done with a ruler next to it, so you can see the general size that I build.

Sculpting 105 - The Stand

2008-05-29T08:57:00.000-07:00

The "stand" was made after the heart, but it worked out. I have to thank my husband for his brilliant ideas and assistance in making it work. I carved the vines and flowers into the greenware, underglazed them, and then into the kiln it went.

Sculpting 104 - The Gift

2008-05-29T08:49:00.000-07:00

I wasn't able to post pictures of this project as I was making it, because it was a gift for a dear friend. The heart was made from a slab. Each flower was made independently, adhered to the slab, and then I began the underglazing process. Once it was completely underglazed, it went into the kiln.

Africa 104 - 10 years at House of Moses

2008-05-14T06:09:00.000-07:00

On a brighter note about Africa, here is a video in celebration of the House of Moses being in Lusaka and saving young lives. Enjoy the filming and the music and realize this is hope.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOoPeJtnhpY

To donate to House of Moses:
Alliance for Children Everywhere
PO Box 12250
Tucson, AZ 85732
800-815-9095
www.ChildrenEverywhere.org

Africa 103 - Help Prevent the Spread of HIV

2008-05-14T06:00:00.001-07:00

This is my heart - for the weak, the infirm, the abandoned mothers and orphaned children of Africa. World Vision directed me toward this video titled "The Gift" narrated by Gwyneth Paltrow.

I hope you will take a moment to watch it. Then act. Simply watching a video and shedding a tear or two isn't going to change the world.

Say a prayer. Send a buck. Change a life.

http://thegift.unicef.org.uk/

My heart cries out for the people of Africa, and I cannot turn my eyes away.

Poetry and Prose 105

2008-04-25T06:18:00.000-07:00

"My Captain"

I threw my conscience to the wind
And now the ship I'm sailing in
Has wandered off the proper way
And I have lost my faith today

I have shipwrecked on the rocks
My vessel never reached the docks
The words I say I ask you heed
My Captain came to meet my need

He calmed the waves and stowed the storm
Tossed me blankets to keep me warm
He pulled my ship from off the rocks
And pointed me back toward the docks

And now restored my faith has been
No thanks to me, but thanks to Him
On into port my ship does sail
Where calmer winds of love prevail

A port where I can find some rest
And leave behind my loneliness
Where I can find some peace at last
Lower the sails against the mast

O Captain, you have set me free
And truly I am free indeed

(c) 2008 Brett Elizabeth Spore

Exercise 102 - The Big Climb

2008-03-20T06:13:00.000-07:00

OK. So we already know that I like to workout, but lately, that's been a challenge. Time constraints and the injury I obtained snowshoeing prevented me from doing my last ditch effort at getting ready for THE BIG CLIMB. Those two things plus months of relative inactivity made this year's climb a rough one. However, I still managed to pull out a 15 minute 14 second trip up 69 flights of the Bank of America Tower in downtown Seattle. Not even close to my best time of 12 minutes, but not too shabby overall.

For more information about the Big Climb go to www.bigclimb.org where you can learn about the event, The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and how you can get involved. As for me, I'm still taking donations (checks made out to LLS and mailed to me) until April 2nd, and I'm training now for next year. :)

Snowshoeing 101

2008-03-03T05:37:00.000-08:00

What is better than this? 5 hours in God's beautiful Northwest mountains on a sunny day with a great friend (Kristi) and my best friend (Jason, my husband). It was amazing. We have never had the weather so good, and our lunch overlooking the valley put a smile on my face. Enjoy some of the photos I took along the way.

Poetry and Prose 104

2008-01-28T21:54:00.000-08:00

"Hidden Heart"

A lot of fear and a little pride
Keeps you from getting deep inside
My heart is strong; my fortress stronger
Press the siege a little longer

The walls might crumble
The walls might fall
Your love and kindness
Might break them all

And like the gold inside a cave
I'm shining from deep down within
My spirit rises from the grave
My servant's heart was hidden in

(c) 2007 Brett Elizabeth Spore

Poetry and Prose 103

2008-01-23T22:39:00.000-08:00

"Sculpting"
B.E. Spore
1/4/08

When my fingers touch the clay
And the music starts to play
I forget about the day
And I sink into the clay

My roles in life disappear
Who I am becomes unclear
This is something I don't fear
For in the clay, dreams draw near

What's in me starts coming out
Feelings that talk, dreams that shout
Sculpting eases all my doubts
Showing what my life's about

(c) 2008, Brett Elizabeth Spore

Africa 102 - Zambia food Crisis

2008-01-15T06:12:00.001-08:00

As many of you know, Jason and I are involved with two missions groups in Zambia, Africa. Today I received the following email from one of our missionary contacts there.

"At this point, the biggest challenge in the feeding program is that it is rainy season and the cost of food and supplies has gone up significantly. It has been raining here every day to the point of roads being washed out. Charcoal has gone from 40,000 kwacha a bag to 100,000 per bag because it is all wet. We are starting to see an increase in fish as well because they can’t get it into the city. Several bridges have been washed out as well.

The National food storage places in the South and East have been flooded and they have lost their reserves. With the rain not letting up, crops have not grown or they have developed fungus and are going to be spoiled. We are worried about there being enough food to go around this coming March, April and May. I am keeping an eye on the newspapers and radio."

This email came as a response to my question of how much more money they needed to feed the kids more than 3 times per week. For many of the children these are the only three meals they receive each week. It seems the crisis has reached a point of just trying to get them fed the three times per week right now.

I won't take any more of your time, but if you are interested in helping out, please send funds to Action International (mark Zambia Feeding on the memo line) or simply say a prayer for the flooding and food crisis in Zambia.

Action International
PO Box 398 Mountlake Terrace,
WA 98043-0398United States
http://www.actionintl.org/

Thank you for your time.

Africa 101

2007-12-18T20:20:00.000-08:00

Africa - My other home. Africa is not a country; it is a continent. Much of Africa is not like the other "much" of Africa, so to say that I am passionate about Africa is a bit of a broad stroke. I am passionate about sub-saharan Africa mostly.

I lived in Swaziland from age 6 to just before I turned 12. I always say that half of my heart is in Africa. The music courses through me. The images of wild animals and trees on the horizon moisten my eyes. Pictures of the people make me smile like a grandmother smiles at her grandson.

8 years ago I had the rare opportunity to travel with my mother on a missions trip to Zambia. We were on a research mission for Action International, a Christian organization that works with the urban poor. It was our goal to meet up with representatives of Alliance for Children Everywhere to be shown around the Lusaka area to see how Action could best be used in Zambia. The trip was amazing, and I once again fell in love with Africa... although we all know, the love had never left.

In February of 2006, Jason and I had the fantastic blessing of being able to travel to Lusaka again as missionaries of both Action International and Alliance for Children Everywhere. This was an remarkable trip! We got to meet the young boy that we were sponsoring through ACE. We got to help with the feeding programs that we support through Action. We got to stay with the Stranbergs, who are a wonderful family with a missionary heart. We got to see how far ACE had grown since I was there 8 years prior. We got to see where our donations were being spent and how Action had developed since my mom and I did our project. And we got to meet Mubiana, who is the little boy this blog is named after. Mubiana is still in the transition home in Zambia, and we are still sponsoring him over a year later. We took on Mubiana after James and his housemate Lucy were adopted here in the US. He is a gem.

I could write pages and pages about Africa and my love for it. I could write even more about the children there and the adults that care for them and the mission agencies that work with them and everything else going on there. However, it is getting late, and I have much to do around the house before packing it in for the night. Stay tuned though. I'm sure I'll have more to say.

Sculpting 103

2007-11-22T10:01:00.000-08:00

Well, here are some finished products (well mostly, I need to fix one guy). The cross I made never appeared once I put it in the area to be fired, so I guess I'll just have to make more. In any case.... I would like you to "Meet the Band."

Poetry and Prose 102

2007-11-15T22:08:00.002-08:00

"Diamond in the Trash"
Brett Elizabeth Spore
11/1-2/07

God dropped a little diamond
It fell into the trash
Got covered up with garbage
And stuff like soot and ash

Its sparkle was not discovered
It was not to be seen
Until it found its resting place
No one could see its gleam

The trash went into a landfill
The diamond it went too
The landfill is this world we know
The diamond, that is you

God didn't drop the diamond
It's where it needed to go
He placed it there, because He knew
The little diamond, it would glow

All the world would see its light
Which really was His son
Jesus Christ was shining bright
Reflecting off this one

So little diamond, shine for Him
In landfill or on crown
In all the things this life might bring
Don't let them get you down

God placed you here for a reason
One you may never know
He loves and He knows that you
Will lead the others home

(c) 2007, Brett Elizabeth Spore

Poetry and Prose 101

2007-11-15T22:08:00.001-08:00

Poetry is one passion that I am just now realizing has been a part of my life for a very long time. Recently I have been doing a lot of writing, but I had no idea that it had been in me for so long. Just last week, I was cleaning out an old desk and came across poems from 1994 and older. You may or may not like my style, but that's your choice. Despite my desire to be loved by all, your possible distaste for my writing doesn't seem to bother me at all, and I intend to continue to write poetry and prose until my face turns blue. :)

Sculpting 102

2007-11-07T06:13:00.000-08:00

Last night I learned several hard lessons about sculpting and what's on the inside.

Since I started sculpting, everything has been rolling along fairly smoothly. My little dudes have been turning out pretty good. Most of the people in the class are like expectant aunts and uncles waiting to see the next birth or watching them "grow up." A couple of people walk into class and instantly ask "How's the band?" or "How are the little people?" Knowing that a lot of people are watching what you are doing adds a little pressure, but I was still happily sculpting away.

I'm now in the underglazing of the greenware phase, which apparently for me means the "everything is now going to fall apart phase." The singer fell over and several bits broke. He still isn't put back together, and honestly, will never be the same. I'll still be surprised if he makes it through the fire. The bongo player's head fell off, broke his hat, and now will go hatless. My cross that I put in to be fired three weeks ago is missing in action, and I'm living in fear that all my little dudes are going to be catastrophes at the end of this class in two weeks.

To say the least, it was a rough night at sculpting class, but I learned a few things. I learned how to better attach my pieces. I learned a new trick for repairing damaged greenware. I learned that sometimes, you just have to let go, because there is no resurrection power left in the little guy. I was reminded that when everyone is watching you do well, they are also watching you do poorly.

As my pieces were falling apart in front of my eyes at an alarming rate, I had this overwhelming sense of those around me watching my reaction. I felt it was crucial to set an example, to be calm, to walk this difficulty out in a way that still showed that I followed Christ not the world. I didn't think it in my head; I just felt it. I didn't falter, and I wasn't untrue. It was clear that I wasn't happy about my pieces breaking, but I stayed calm. I stuck with it, and I searched for answers on what I could do and couldn't do in trying to salvage the pieces. People knew it was rough for me, but I didn't dump the entire thing into the garbage and walk away.

I'm not patting myself on the back. I'm simply saying "AMEN and HALLELUJAH!" Any of you that know me, know that this is a huge transformation that God has been walking me through for years. I'm glad to know that "what's on the inside" is finally something others want to see on the outside.

It is interesting to me how God gave me a passion, took me down the road a little ways, taught me a painful lesson, and hopefully used me to impact others.

Sculpting - It's not just about me changing clay; it's about God changing me.

Sculpting 101

2007-10-16T22:41:00.000-07:00

Not much to say on this tonight, but I felt I needed to throw something down. I've started taking sculpting classes at Kirkland Arts Center. Jason Huff is a great guy, and he has really helped me along and encouraged me to finish projects that I may not be so excited about myself. I have to thank my husband, Jason Spore, for helping me get the guts to actually sign up for the class. I just spent 3 hours at class, and every moment seems like time has stood still. I love it. More on this later.

Exercise 101

2007-10-16T22:34:00.001-07:00

I love to exercise be it at the gym or on a mountainside. I don't know what it is that I enjoy the most about exercise. I love the challenges of overcoming my weaknesses, injuries, and fears. I love the conquering of new feats and achieving new "bests." Simply put, I just love to move as anyone who sits next to me in church can attest. (Sorry Baines & Schakohls) Some of my fondest memories are climbing Mt. Adams with Kristi and Rosie, jogging nightly with Jason, meeting my brother John at Frank Love to shoot hoops early on a Saturday morning, walking along beaches with just about anyone (Mom & Dad B, Mom & Dad S, Jason, Brian & Julie & Olivia), snowshoeing (Pat Hulbert you better join us this year), the Big Climb for Leukemia (thanks Amy M. for getting us addicted to that), and the list could go on for pages. Thanks to all my friends and family that put up with my inability to sit still and every once in awhile indulge in joining me on one of my insane adventures. I love you all.

Jason

2007-10-15T20:54:00.001-07:00

Jason is the love of my life. We met in high school and married while I was in college. We have been married for 12.5 years, but who's counting. :) All I know is that the best thing that ever happened to me was forming a relationship with Jesus Christ, and the second best thing ever was being Jason's leading lady.

He is loving, compassionate, caring, gentle, kind and supportive. He makes me feel like I'm something special even in my sweats and sweatshirt. He is my knight in shining armor, the wind beneath my wings, and my blanket on a cold night. He stands strongly for tradition and family values, and he has made my fall and winter months something to look forward to each year. He loves pumpkin carving, raspberry sorbet, kittens, leaves falling, walks on the beach, pizza, watching movies, eating out, snuggling, and Christmas. His passion for living life and enjoying every minute of it has worn off on me, and I now wake up looking forward to spending another day with my main man.

I hope that everyone that reads this sees that I am still madly in love with Jason. I also hope that someday, if you haven't found the man or woman yet, that you will find someone who makes you feel like a billion bucks couldn't take you away from the guy or gal that stole your heart.

Welcome

2007-10-15T20:46:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my blogspot. It is my desire to share the passions of my heart with you, which is why my blogspot is found at www.obi-mubiana.blogspot.com. Mubiana is but one example of where my passions have taken me. Come with me on a journey to discover who I really am and who God is making me. Join me and Christ as we walk together, hand in hand, across the sand... across the beaches of my dreams.