Garden of Eden Found

I've heard about the Garden of Eden years ago and from stories I gathered, it sounded very interesting.  Finally last Friday I got to visit the place.  It was not what I had in mind.  I was thinking of beautiful, colorful sculptures made from different mediums like metals or wood perhaps.  My disappointment, however, was changed to that of curiosity.  The sculptures were a jumble of images that at first doesn't made sense but I know there's got to be a story line in all of them.

The place is closed and no guided tours are offered because of the Covid19 but we were free to enjoy the artwork at our own leisure outside.  Not knowing where to start, I headed to the west side of the house.  I found I was looking at "Labor" crucified in the middle with four characters "Preacher," "Banker," "Lawyer" and "Politician" on all four sides.  I struggled to think what the creator, Mr. Dinsmoor, must have in mind when he fashioned these sculptures.  I moved on to a huge bird sculpture with the American flag behind it and then to my left was something that looked like a ziggurat and I saw up the tower above it, was some sort of a ritualistic scene.  I can't make it out from where I was standing. 

As I moved on from sculpture to sculpture, I noticed lots of serpentine images.  Once I got to the other side of the house where the "Garden of Eden" gate was, I was able to weave out a story, mainly, the fall of man but rounding the corner I was lost as to what all the sculptures before me were about.  Mike and JJ helped me out "interpreting" the images before us.  Mr. Dinsmoor tried to express his ideas and ideology through this folk art medium that he had created.  To me, it is like reading an old, old, newsprint, only these are in concrete sculptures.

Apparently, Mr. Dinsmoor dug up his first wife's bones and moved it to the present Dinsmoor "mausoleum" right on the corner of his property where his body is also.  The mausoleum is part of the tour but I probably won't even want to peek.

Anyway, here is the video I uploaded on You Tube of our jaunt last Friday in Lucas, Kansas.  Feel free to drop a comment on what you think of the place, the artwork and the idea behind this labor of love by Mr. Dinsmoor which is considered the 8th Wonder of Kansas.  Enjoy and blessings!

Combining Blogging and Vlogging --- Is It Possible?

Hey all.  I pray everyone is doing fine these days with all that is going on in the midst of this pandemic.  I'm thankful that up to the present, none of my family and friends have been infected with the virus.  I thank God for that everyday.

So the school year ended with a bang (being sarcastic here) hehehe.  Now what?  We wanted to get away one weekend and when I inquired whether pools are open in the hotels I've contacted the answer was no.  All we wanted was to swim in the hotel's pool or soak in the jacuzzi but not one hotel has their pool open.  Amusement parks are still closed so what do we do?  Good thing parks and bike/hiking trails are open so we visit them almost everyday and enjoy the trails and scenery and sweat and huff along the way.

Another thing I tried during this stay-at-home season is learning to use GoPro to film and learning to edit videos using an editing app.  This 60 year old woman is slowly learning some technology - ahem.  It took a while but hey, the lock down gave me all the time I need to scratch the surface - I'm not there yet but I'm slowly getting there.  Then on May 25 I branched out to "vlogging" by launching my first You Tube video - getting brave here LOL.  Last night June 1, I uploaded my fourth You Tube video, I guess I need to keep going since I started this.

Since this blog is about Mike's and my midlife wanderings, I figured we'll wander around Kansas and the Midwest for now since we've moved back from our wanderings in the Philippines a couple of years ago.  I thought about stopping to blog and instead go vlogging but reading our past blogs made me decide I can not possibly do that.  These blogs are our story that we are sharing with you all and a testament to how God had sustained us through the years.  I cry reading some of my past blogs because my heart just overflows with thanksgiving to our LORD.  He has been and always is so, so good to us.  Besides, I love to write....that's the thing.  Writing gives me freedom to express my deepest emotions whereas vlogging does not (that's just my opinion though).

I plan to highlight some hidden gems around Topeka and surrounding areas this summer so I hope you will continue to follow us still.  I will be filming and writing about them as we go along so this should be interesting.  And as soon as the drone I ordered arrives that would even add another excitement to the site.  Yes, I will still need to learn yet another technology....let's see how fast or slow I'll master this drone business but it will be interesting....something new to learn.

Here is my fourth YouTube video uploaded last night --- ENJOY and blessings!

Hey What's Up? Today let's cook Pancit - Filipino noodles

So I'm thinking of transitioning from blogging to vlogging and this is my second You Tube video.  I really don't think I should only concentrate on vlogging because I love to write so much.  What do you think?

Oh, you can find the recipe to the Pancit in the description below the video.  Try it and I hope you like it.  Enjoy!

MARGUERITE LEDOUX and Lock Down Syndrome

JJ and I have been reading a Yearling Newberry book titled "Calico Bush" by Rachel Field published in 1931 during this safer-at-home time.  It's a story of a young girl named Marguerite Ledoux, who was left orphaned and alone shortly after her French family arrived in the New World.  The year was 1743, young Marguerite Ledoux has promised to serve a family for six years in return for shelter, food and clothing.  I see a very tender, refined and humble yet very intelligent and determined spirit in "Maggie the Bound-out-Girl."

I like her courage and resourcefulness even though the people of Maine treated her with suspicion because she's a "foreigner."  Life is hard, with the danger of Indians, the bitter, hungry winters and yet I see in her the ability to adapt in spite of circumstances and to hope for better days ahead.  As I pondered about the book I remember another lady named Marguerite Ledoux.

In 1988, Michael and I moved to San Diego, California where he was stationed.  We found a church, Hilltop Baptist Church in Chula Vista.  They became our family support in this new city and for those months we were there, we met and formed kinship with the members.  One of these families were the Ledoux family.  Marguerite Ledoux had 3 little ones, the oldest, Meredith, was about 4 years old.  Her husband, Lance, who was also in the military was always gone.  Marguerite and I became friends fast.  We spent many afternoons just talking about life specially when both our husbands are underway.  I think she became my mentor without her or me knowing it. It was only when we moved back to Kansas did I realize that she was an important part of my walk with the LORD.

Our last Sunday at Hilltop Baptist Church, I was volunteering to work in the nursery during Sunday School.  When Marguerite learned I was in the nursery she came down and we had a very good heart to heart talk.  Her final words to me before we parted was "Treat everyday as if it is a gift.  Open it with great expectations knowing that the Giver wants nothing but the best for you."  Almost always that had been my attitude but lately, I have to admit there are days that I don't even want to open this gift or I do not expect anything good at all.  Lock down syndrome?  Hmm....I think so. 

JJ expresses his emotions about the lock down most days and I catch myself telling him to be thankful instead.  That at least we don't live in big cities like New York; that at least here we can still go somewhere like the grocery stores, or the park, or the lake; and at least we can still ride our bikes along the trails.  Well, I'm telling my son all these - in reality I need to tell ME!  Funny how easy it is to lecture someone when the one talking is the one who needs to hear the message isn't it?  I need to embrace the situation with an attitude that is hopeful and with positive expectations everyday for the sake of JJ knowing that he is watching me every waking moments.  Whew!!!
 
How about y'all?  Are you holding on knowing that change is only a skip away?  Be safe everyone and stay well and let us not forget to pray for each other.   We love you!

CAN I BE QUARANTINED HERE? OH PRETTY PLEASE!!!

I watched the live press conference last night of President Duterte and his cabinet members regarding the ECQ (Enhanced Community Quarantine) or the lock down in the Philippines.  I've been following the developments rather closely because I need to know when we can fly back to the Philippines.  Last night's press con gave my heart a little flutter.  I'm seeing a little ray of hope breaking in the otherwise gloomy state we are all in.

Here's what I've learned:

ECQ until May 15

NCR (National Capital Region) Manila and surrounding areas;
Region 3: Bataan/Bulacan/Nueva Ecija/Pampanga;
Region 4A: Cavite/Laguna/Batangas/Rizal/Quezon (CALABARZON);
Region 4B: Oriental and Occidental Mindoro;
Region 5: Albay/Catanduanes;
Region 1: Benguet/Pangasinan (may change by April 30);
Region 3: Tarlac/Zambales (may change by April 30).

The following are subject for re-check:

Antique/Aklan/Iloilo/Capiz/Cebu/Cebu City/Davao del Norte/Davao City and Davao de Oro (also known as Compostela Valley).

As recent as April 22, I've heard from a vlogger that a barangay in Cebu City is in total lockdown (no one's allowed to get out and no one's allowed to come in).  The whole barangay is considered infected, the reason for the total lock down.

In the meantime, most of the island provinces are all safe, they are declared very low to zero incident, hence, the GCQ - General Community Quarantine which is way better than the ECQ.  In GCQ, the people have a little more freedom and mobility.  Now if the airlines resume their flights, which I hope soon, I'd like to be caught on lock down (if it happens again) here:

or here:

.....where I could sit by the beach on a sunny afternoon and think about .... the Covid19?   Nah!

Or maybe go to Pintuyan, Southern Leyte,  and swim with the gentle giants of the sea.....

 Or spend the day and night in San Pedro Island, Hinunangan, Southern Leyte.  Island hopping should be allowed by then since there is zero incident in my hometown.

Well, well, well.  It's so nice to daydream, BUT....it could happen too since President Duterte has eased the lock down in our parts of the country.  See you soon Southern Leyte..........


You all are in our prayers during this difficult time.  Know that Jehovah is still in control!  Stay safe and well.  We love you so.

QUE SERA SERA

In the blink of an eye, everything's upended.  In the blink of an eye, plans are put on hold, but for how long?  Fear, worry, unsure of what's around the bend gnaws at me constantly but I cannot give in to these uncertainties.  And I hope and pray that you would remain strong also.  Amidst the roller coaster ride of the stock market, the community lock down happening everywhere around the globe, the rising death toll of the Covid-19 pandemic, let us remain strong in our faith in the One who is faithful for "He will never leave us nor forsake us."  Yes, I'm holding on fast to the One who holds our tomorrows.

And then school closed for the year even through there's still 10 weeks left of the school year.  Now what?  Parents are grumbling and panicking.  Relax y'all!  School is not just about worksheets, books and pencil and paper.  There are myriads of ways of teaching at home, most of the time your children won't even know they're doing school - I promise you that.  Just be there and spend time with them doing what you both love to do.

Anyway, yesterday we picked up JJ's device at his school and while we were in line waiting for our turn, I spied these corona virus-like seedpods lying on the ground.  They were everywhere under the big tree on the corner of the school parking lot.  So while we wait for the cars to move along -- PING! an idea came - in the blink of an eye  (can you see my eye blink and a light bulb above my head?)  Hahaha.

Once we got the device I parked my car in the corner and JJ and I each had a grocery bag and we went and filled both of them with the seedpods.  Of course JJ was grumbling about it but I challenged him to find out what tree it is and do a research about it as part of his home school.  It might be hard, of course, because the trees are still bare so we won't even have a clue what the leaves even look like.  (If you know what tree I'm talking about please feel free to comment below).  I mentioned that he can find out whether this kind of tree is endemic to the Midwest only.  He asked what "endemic" means and - BINGO - that's another "word of the day" for him.  He will look up the meaning of the word for me.  So there, parents, one example of teaching your children at home - simple, everyday activities that brings the most impact and will stay with them forever.  But, a tip, don't do it often or they will stop asking for fear that they may be asked to research it...tehehehe.

Back to the corona virus-like seedpods, I will turn these into a beautiful wreath worthy of hanging at my door.  Hey, who knows I might get orders - Hahaha.

And here it is....TAHDAA....tell me what you think.  I will be experimenting with other designs as well.

Well on the serious side of the matter at hand, let me ask you this, dear ones.  When we come out of this pandemic, and this lock down and Stay-at-home-is-safer idea, what will our score card look like?

# of hours slept?
# of hours spent on our phone?
# of movies watched on Netflix or Hulu?
# of hours spent online?
# of hours awake at night worrying?

........you fill the rest.  Or did our pursuits changed to spending more time with the Father, soaking in His Word and communing with the Holy Spirit while we're ordered to stay home with our family?

Let me leave you with this: Psalm 107: 6, 13, 19, 28 ""LORD help!" they cried in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress."

And this:  Psalm 107:43 "Those who are wise will take all this to heart; they will see in our history the faithful love of the LORD."

May we find rest under the Shadow of the Almighty today.  Thank you for following - loving and praying for y'all!  Please feel free to share this with your friends.

A WONDERFUL GOOD PROBLEM, AIN"T SO?

Some of you know that Mike and I started a children's Saturday Feeding and Art Program ministry during our stay in the Philippines.  We left it in the care of our Pastor and his wife with the promise that we will continue to support it financially which we have been faithfully doing.  The attendance has its valleys and peaks and some of the children are now teenagers and they have stopped coming.  Still Pastor Teddy and his wife, Deborah along with the few energetic ladies continued to minister to the children who come every Saturday.

Because the place where we used to meet has not been repaired yet, they started meeting at the church.  Below is the picture that was sent to me last summer.  Here's Pastor Ted giving them the Bible lesson before the feeding starts:

Today, March 2, I received a message from them wondering if it would be possible to up the financial support that we send each month.  I learned that attendance is growing, almost doubled.  They now serve children from 3 different Barangays or District.  We started with children from our neighborhood and children from Barangay Nasa and now I learned that there are children from Barangay Canipaan who regularly attends.  My first reaction was to dance and praise the Lord for bringing more children into the ministry.  Just imagine how many household will eventually hear the Gospel through these children?  How many will come to know the Lord and how many will we meet in heaven at the end of the age?  I am so elated I couldn't keep it to myself so I'm sharing it with you all.

Think of a one room church overflowing with children on Saturdays eager to hear the Word. I can't wait to go back and visit them.  And well, yes, isn't this a wonderful problem to have?  I'm going to make and sell more tocino so I can send them the financial support, hahaha.  I used to send them $50 a month, now I need to send $100 every month for they have multiplied, indeed!  HalleluYah!


Thank you all for following.  YHWH bless us all!