Sunshine in California; Blizzards in Other Places

At 12:00, the sun came out in Northern California, making the Pacific Ocean a beautiful blue.  It’s 12 C, like a warm Spring day!  Meanwhile, many places in the world are suffering from blizzards.  My family in Maryland wrote this morning to tell me,

“Hello Everyone!

Just checking in for a brief moment to share our historic MD Blizzard snow experiences.  We have about 2 feet (24 inches) of snow on the ground now at 12 noon Saturday.  Still snowing with expected snow totals of 3 feet (36 inches) or more by Sunday morning.  Maryland is under a State of Emergency, meaning only emergency vehicles can drive on the roads … except snowplows which are considered emergency vehicles in a heavy snow like this one.  News reports state this is a historic snow that has not happened in MD since 1930 (80 years ago).

Steve and the neighborhood men shoveled 24 inches of snow from front door, porch, walkway, and sidewalks this morning.  Our cars are completely buried under snow.  Our deck is filled with snow now.  We are warm inside …. thanks for the prayers and keep them going for our electric power to stay on.  Our front bushes were lying on the front porch weighted down with heavy snow first thing this morning (7am) before Steve shoveled snow later this morning.

In Frederick, MD tradition, the women make all the warm food and beverage nourishment and also provide all the clean warm clothes for the families and after the men do the snow shoveling.  Women prepare for snow events by doing the laundry, buying groceries, crocheting blankets, garments, knitting, quilting, cleaning the house, take snow photos, have fun with the kids while they play in the snow, and then cook the warm foods and beverages on snow days.  The men do the snowplowing, shoveling, and all the heavy work required for preparing for and during the snow.  Steve’s glad he has been using the Bowflex regularly because he is in better shape this year to do the snow shoveling.

Let’s see, is there anything else I can tell you quickly?  We are fine so far.  Just a bit of cabin fever beginning to set in this afternoon and evening, but it helps to get out for a brief minute in the falling snow (not go too far) and do some snow shoveling or photo taking.  Oh yes, snowplows came through our parking lot last night @ 10pm.  But now, we have 2 feet of snow on the parking lot street.  Later, I will send the “one million” photos we are taking of this historic event so you can see a bit of what has happened here.  Steve and I smile and laugh while quipping, “Wow, this is a serious snowstorm!  Hahaha!  This is Un-believable how much snow is coming down and how quickly it’s being dumped on us.”  Our NY neighbor from Buffalo, NY (the “shoveling machine” as we call him; b/c he shovels so much snow very quickly) says, “Yes, this is a major snow even for a New Yorker from Buffalo, NY.  Man, this is a whole lot of snow.  I’ve never seen this much come down in a short period of time.

Gotta go.  Love you, S”

Too Many Memories

The only thing I know to do is withdraw, be quiet, acknowledge and own the pain…and turn to God’s Word for comfort…to fill my mind and heart with a message from Him.  Tonight, the family watched “Tootsie,” with Dustin Hoffman, a movie from the 80’s that Dan and I enjoyed immensely…together.    It was a comedy with a deep message for men and women, about relationships, and about what IS important in life.

Unexpected things ripping open the fragile wound again and again – the only way out of the pain is through it.  I don’t want to go to bed…I don’t know what unconscious thoughts make it so hard to go to bed.  That began when we learned that Dan had cancer.  I felt as though if I slept, he might need my help and I wouldn’t hear him…or that he might die while I was sleeping.  But that’s not the case now.

The help I need comes only from the Lord.  Tonight, He gave me 2 Samuel 23 and 24.  There are many important messages in those 2 chapters.  What stood out tonight is the last oracle of David as recorded in 2 Sam. 23: 2 – 7:

^“2 “The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me;
his word was on my tongue.

³ The God of Israel spoke,
the Rock of Israel said to me:
‘When one rules over men in righteousness,
when he rules in the fear of God,

⁴ he is like the light of morning at sunrise
on a cloudless morning,
like the brightness after rain
that brings the grass from the earth.’

⁵ “Is not my house right with God?
Has he not made with me an everlasting covenant,
arranged and secured in every part?
Will he not bring to fruition my salvation
and grant me my every desire?

⁶ But evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns,
which are not gathered with the hand.

⁷ Whoever touches thorns
uses a tool of iron or the shaft of a spear;
they are burned up where they lie.”

Think on these things.  Where do you stand?  Is your house right with God?   That’s the only way to true peace.  — Anne

Happier Days in Redstone, Colorado

Together in Ciuc, RO, '06

"Those were the days, my friend...oh, yes! Those were the days!" in Brasov, RO '03

Waiting for the plane to the next mission point.

Wearing one of my dresses from Ghana, I carried the Romanian flag on Mission Sunday in Texas. Now, I go on...without Dan...living in Romania...walking with my hand in the hand of the Man who calmed the sea.

My Thoughts Turn Towards Home

My apple green house (and my full length parka coat) await my arrival.

After two months in the U.S. “recharging my battery,” the call of Transylvania is irresistible. Saturday, Feb. 13, ’10, I board a plane to begin my trek back to Sfantu Gheorghe, Transylvania, Romania.   This has been a very important two months for my work.  Connecting with old and new friends at the Missions Resource Network Conference for Romania & Albania along with deeper ties with California intentional followers of Jesus continues to bless me and the work in Transylvania.

You may be asking, “What is so special about Sfantu Gheorghe, Transylvania, Romania, that makes it important for you to make your home there, Anne?”  It is simply this…never before in my life has God opened the doors to help so many good hearts of  fine young professional adults,  and teens who want to become even better people. This is being accomplished through me training licensed psychologists and Social Workers, being a guest teacher at Mikos High School, counseling the hurting, helping the local Red Cross feed, clothe, and provide medical care for the abandoned children and elderly…and facilitating 2 English small group Bible discussions.

I am thankful to God for giving me such a joyful life at age 75.  This Transylvanian Adventure began to happen in 2000 after I started praying, “God use me as a tool in your hands to glorify you.”  And, for good measure, I added Jabez’s prayer which is found in I Chronicles 4:10, “Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, ‘Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.’ And God granted his request.”   God granted my request in a very unexpected, surprising way by expanding my territory all the way to my apple green house in Sfantu Gheorghe, Romania!

If you are blessed to have a job in the midst of these difficult times, and wish to help with this joyous work, go to http://gods-children.org, and click on How You Can Help, then click on Donate on the right hand side of the page.  I wonder how many of you will decide to begin praying for God to use you as a tool in His hands, or pray like Jabez so courageously did.  — Anne

After the counselor training session at Pro Nobis Center

Our youngest son first invited Dan to go with him to see the benevolent works the Randy Dean Family was doing. This led eventually to us moving to Sfantu Gheorghe in 2008. The Deans gave many years of service in Sfantu Gheorghe.

It will be nice to be back in my kitchen with friends.