a tangible reminder

Yesterday I was able to meet up with a friend from my past, Mary Hendershot. She is a missionary in Burkina Faso. She works with SIL and heads the musicology department. I'm sure I am not doing justice to what she does, but from what I understand, she learns the techniques, rhythms, styles, etc. of music unique to various tribes and groups of people and then helps create songs based off of scripture that incorporate those elements. Fascinating! She plays a number of instruments. She gave me flute lessons for a while and helped me with my keyboarding during worship evenings that we had called, Edge.

A church here in town supports her, and hearing that she was around, I miraculously got in touch with her and we met up for some coffee. The first thing she said to me was, "So, tell me all that you've been up to these past 7 years!"

In those 30 minutes that we were able to visit, time stood still. I could once again talk about places, people, and events that were once (and still are) so dear to me without having to add a 3-minute explanation. Having a tangible reminder of where I came from and grew up is precious encouragement to my heart and soul. She understands a part of me that most people don't even know exist.

A CHANCE TO DIE

Last week I finished reading a biography on Amy Carmichael and written by Elizabeth Elliot. It was fantastic! Beautifully written, inspiring, encouraging, etc. Amy Carmichael was an extraordinary single missionary lady to India at the end of the 19th and beginning 20th century. Read it! It will do you some good! Here are a few of the many quotes I wrote down from the book:

"... Amy felt all the more keenly the need for a comrade, one 'who will be utterly other-worldly, utterly single-hearted, utterly consumed. Don't think I am that myself! I fall far short of my own standard. But that is what I want to be, an that is what we must be if we are to stand the strain and conquer'" (197).

"No work that is set on following the Crucified escapes the Cross."

Here's a poem she wrote:

The shadows of the underworld
Compassed about my guilty soul,
And thunderbolts were on me hurled,
And lightnings flashed; and on a scroll
Was written down, without, within,
The secret of my hidden sin.

Without, within, I saw it stand,
In clearest worlds accusing me;
Till, as it were, a wounded hand
Annulled its record, set me free;
With that the stormy wind did cease;
A voice commanded; there was peace.

O Savior, stricken for my sin,
O God, who gavest Hi to grief,
O Spirit, who didst woo and win
My troubled soul to seek relief,
O Love revealed at Calvary,
Thy glory lights eternity.

What an outstanding woman. She lived a life completely driven by the cross, never losing focus. She lived to serve; to make herself less and Jesus more. She lived radically, boldly, and counter-culturally. She was revolutionary!

Labor Day Weekend

Sherlynn and I decided to stay at our apt (apartment) for Labor Day weekend for some much-needed rest, relaxation. In between the R&R, we managed to have some fun! Here's how we spent the weekend!

Friday evening, I came home from work and this is what I smelled as I entered the apt.



Sherlynn made yummy deep-dish whole wheat crusted pizza! yummh! Along with the pizza we had our new favorite drink: Coke Zero! We poured it into our special party cups!



And of course, what's a pizza party without a movie........projected on our wall?!



Of course, I had to periodically keep tabs on what the neighbors were up to:




The next day we attended the first ESU football home game! We were all decked ready to cheer on our team, who won 28-7!



After the game, we had some babysitting to do. Aren't they the cutest kids EVER?!





Sunday night we hosted a game/movie/snack night! The very first one in our apt. It was to celebrate our one-month move-in anniversary! I made cookies, home-made guacamole, and delicious also home-made black-bean salsa! The watermelon was not home-made, but it WAS hand-chopped! mmmhhmmmmmhmmhhhh..... Troy, don't you wish you would have stopped by now?!




What a GREAT holiday weekend!

The Perfect Remedy

Despite fits of melancholiness from time to time, I know just what I need to watch to cheer me up. This video was taken on family vacation and is of us (mainly Andrew) singing along to "Tradition" from Fiddler on the Roof! (Another must-see musical!)The volume isn't great so you might need to turn it up!

edelweiss

"Edelweiss" is a song from the movie Sound of Music. Edelweiss is a kind of flower in Austria. The song has a beautiful melancholy tune. I've been listening to it a lot lately. A week ago last Monday my older sister moved back to France for another 2 years; Friday my younger sister moved to college for her first year; Saturday my Grandpa died. As I walked around the house Saturday it all seemed very empty. So many changes so fast. Needless to say, I've been feeling rather melancholy lately and "Edelweiss" is the perfect song to listen to. It makes me think of the part in Sound of Music where Captain Von Trapp is singing it before hundreds of people, on the night he's about to leave his home forever. He starts crying and Maria comes in for support. It's such a beautiful heart-touching scene. If you have not watched the Sound of Music it's a must see!

...when Dorsches go looking for gold... (part 2)

We reached the cabin Sunday afternoon and that evening we set out looking for gold in the old mines. We were thirsty, but thankfully I found a source of water to refresh ourselves. Water wasn't the only thing I found. I also found ... [drum-role please] ... GOLD!





When we weren't looking for gold, we spent our time cooking, playing games, reading, arm-wrestling, spotting bear tracks, and exploring the great outdoors. We took some fabulous hikes!












It was a memorable vacation! Every morning we spent time having family devotions, praying, reading, and crying together! It will be the last family vacation one for a while, so it was extra special!

...when Dorsches go looking for gold... (part 1)

I realize it's been about a month since the great Dorsch family set off to find gold deep in the mountains of Montana, but since the experience was so momentous, special, and life-changing, I cannot NOT post it on my blog and rest easy with my conscience. Therefore, without further ado, let me relate to you (briefly, and mostly through picture) the events that took place July 23-31. The roadtrip began with an excessive amount of luggage. How many Dorsches does it take to load the back of the van?


We all had our own designated seats in the van:


On the way to Montana, we stopped a couple of different fascinating historical landmarks. The Dorsches LOVE history. The first stop was Independence Rock. For us kids, it was not the first time we had encountered this landmark--we often passed it while traveling a trail to Oregon--at least, on the computer game! Nevertheless, we bravely scaled the giant "rock"!

Father Bear even made it to the top. He's that little orange speck.


Our second historical landmark was Lieutenant Colonel (he was demoted from a general) Custer's Last Stand battlefield. I won't add any pictures for the sake of time, but it was FASCINATING!