Good Saturday to you on this beautiful weekend here in our small corner of the world. This week we have enjoyed a hummingbird that has come to visit more than one day while we were porch sitting. Also, loving the cooler weather and grateful for the good rain that came last night. It is very dry here, just like so many other places, The land is thirsty....
Speaking of land, it has been hard this week not to be thinking about Afghanistan and the horrific crisis that is going on there with the Taliban taking over the country. Lord have mercy on the Afghan people who are wanting out........those Christian Afghans who are expecting to die, and the women and girls who will be once again without any freedoms or rights. And then there is Haiti.....a suffering country in more ways than one, their leader assassinated, hurricane, devastating earthquake. Again, Lord have mercy!
Seeing the images on TV of the airport and the streets of Kabul, took me right back to when Saigon fell in the late seventies. So many images of people trying to leave the country, images of desperate parents trying to get their children out of the country. Begging soldiers to take their babies....because what they would be facing would be so horrific. It took me back to when I helped with Operation Baby Lift while we were stationed in The Philippines at Clark Air Base. It took place a few weeks before the fall of Saigon. Joel was forecasting the weather for pilots that flew everywhere including in and out of Viet Nam. This was his job as a meteorologist. I signed up to help care for one of the many orphan children that were being airlifted out of Nam. I was picked up by a military bus from the base (our home was off base) and taken to a place to be given information on our "duties", then we went to the airport where we all waited for the first plane to arrive. It was not too long before we were told that the first plane had crashed while returning to the airport due to mechanical problems. Sadly many children and adults died or were injured. After receiving that news, we were taken somewhere on the base to wait and see what was happening next. It was after midnight when we were once again taken to the airport to meet the next plane to arrive. We walked in single file onto the plane picking up and carrying the first child available to us. We carried them back to the bus and drove with them to a place that was well equipped for us to care for them for the 12 hour shift we were assigned to. I will never forget this experience and felt so blessed to be a part of it. I did not realize how much those Saigon images or the plane crash affected me until I saw what was going on at Kabul. I was mostly an observer of all that was going on, but it impacted me enough to bring strong emotions to the surface. I believe that we in America have little idea what the Afghans are going through. We take so much for granted. Our prayers are with all those trying to leave....those trying to save their children. Lord, have mercy.
And as long a we are lifting up our hearts to God let us not forget the Covid-19 crisis here that has once again reared its ugly head, trying to swallow up not only the elderly, but the children and younger adults too. Lord have mercy.
All of this and more can keep a person in a high state of anxiety and apprehension, It is not a good place to be.....how do you all cope with it? I am now limiting once again the news and who I listen to, when, and questioning how much info I really need. We are doing a lot of porch sitting! Praying! Giving thanks....And remembering who is in control........who is our provider, protector, healer, Amen and Amen,
The good news here this week is that my oncology exam and blood work was all good. Yay......The DNRS does give me more energy even though at times other things talk louder. I am still walking daily, and getting house "stuff" done. The new med I have been on for a month is giving me less cognitive issues, less fatigue, and less joint pain. All good......
Joel is working at Habitat today to help build a house here in Mason City, he has gotten in some biking, and more projects done. He likes to make things out of scraps and made both this easel tool holder and this table in the picture for when he is working on something like our back window. Very creative.........and practical too!
We watched an interesting movie this week called "Fisherman's Friends" on Netflix. It is based on a true story of a group of fishermen "discovered" by a guy seeking out new groups to record music. They sang "sea shanties" and he helped them get a contract for their music when no one else would believe in them! It was quite entertaining, although a bit slow moving at first.
This weekend I am watching a live stream Pentecostal conference put on by a couple teachers/speakers I follow. Joel and I watched a service last night that had us both saying..........well, this is definitely out of our comfort zone! Haha It was definitely more than a little different than our Lutheran services of worship. It is good to experience new things!
So, today I am thankful for memories of Operation Baby Lift, the young boy I cared for and what he shared with me, for good reports, for walking and biking, for porch sitting, open windows, movies to distract, texts, phone calls and emails, rain, hummingbirds, stepping out of our comfort zone, and so much more.......
Enjoy your weekend!
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