May 31, 2005

Moving Day

the little golden gate bridge at Beaver Lake Arkansas

We are moving today Woody and the kitties and I. We are moving into a new rental home down in Bella Vista, near by to our new home. We actually started this process the day before, loading up the kitties and all of their baggage...like children they have their own trappings, toys, scratching post, playpen and kitty litter... plus accumulated stuff of ours..

This new place is as close to a trailer court as one can be in here in what is called the Beverley Hills of NW Arkansas. This is a privately owned condo like the one we just left but there is a world of difference in this venue, I can see that the people put in just enough to keep this place going thats all. The master bedroom is Woodies and the kitties and I am in the second room, the bed is so bad that I will require back surgery. I kiddingly tell people that this is as close to camping as I care to get to.

We got the call that the house closed and recorded in Hawaii. I am no longer Kama'aina. It was like a kick in the stomach, but I am bearing up. I understand that the only hold up in closing our new place here is that there is a missing death certificate for the wife in this document package, and we are waiting for our money... I figure that we will close in a day or so.

We are moving forward. Its hoped that once we gather up and get to move in we will stay there for a good long time.

May 30, 2005

Thunder in the Ozarks... A Civil War Memory

Confederate Artiliery emplacements Pea Ridge National Military Park, Pea Ridge Arkansas photo courtesey of Bruce Schultz, civilwaralbum.com

I didnt realize that we live very close to this wonderfully preserved Civil War Battle field. I have not had the chance to view it, but I have, in honor of Decoration Day (Memorial Day today) done a bit of research on this pivital Civil War battle. The Union success here kept Missouri from succeding to the Confederacy, becomming a part of Arkansas. It also was a test of the largely immigrant regements in the region. (many people dont realize that a huge number of immigrants died for the preservation of the union primarily in regements in Ohio and the Missouri territories.) I present a few bits of the research that I found, including this folksong below.

The Battle of Pea Ridge (composer unknown)

It was on March the Seventh
In the year of Sixty-two
We had a sore engagement
With Abe Lincoln's crew
Van Dorn was our Commander
As you remember be
We lost the-thousand of our men
Near th Indian Territory

Cap Price came riding up th line
His horse was in a pace
An' as he gave th word retreat
Th tears rolled down his face
Ten-thousand deaths I'd drather die
As they should gain th field
From that he got a fatal shot
Which caused him to yield


At Springfield and Carthage
Many a hero fell
At Lexington and Drywood
As near th truth can tell
But such another cornage
As did I ever see
Happened at ole Pea Ridge
Near th Indian Territory


I know you brave Missouri boys
Were never yet afraid
Let's try an' form in order
Retreat th best we can
Th word retreat was passed around
It raised a heathen cry
Helter, skelter, thru th woods
Like lost sheep they did fly


Below is a description of the battle and its participants by a decendent of a soilder

The Battle Of Pea Ridge

written by Jerry Rogers, a decendent of a soilder that fought in this battle.

The battle at Pea Ridge was an interesting battle for lots of reasons. It was in many ways an extenuation of Wilson’s Creek that took place just outside of Springfield, Missouri.

There were many German immigrants who took part in both battles. These were not the Germans who came mostly from west of the Rhein River in the 1700 and settled in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. These were men who had for the most part fled Baden, Hessen, and Bavaria because of the attempted revolution in what is now Germany in 1848/49. These men under Friedrich Hecker, Franz Sigel, and others had attempted to unite the German states under one country and promote freedom from the Kings, Princes, and Dukes that were subduing the population. They initially had success, but the Bavarian and Prussian Armies were too much for the rebels.

There were large numbers of Germans who fled to the US during the years just prior to our Civil War. Nearly all were in favor of a strong central government after their experiences in what is now Germany and therefore sided with the Union. Their prior military experience in Germany made them natural soldiers when the war broke out.

There are several books written on the fighting which took place in Southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas. Probably the best one is "Borderland Rebellion" by Elmo Ingenthron. It was published in 1980 by the Ozark Mountaineer. It is no doubt still available directly from the Ozark Mountaineer, Route 3, Branson, MO 65616.

There were several German-speaking commanders at both Wilson Creek and Pea Ridge: Franz Sigel discussed above was a regimental commander at Wilson Creek and a division commander at Pea Ridge. Peter Joseph Osterhaus commanded a regiment at Wilson Creek and a brigade at Pea Ridge. Others include Schafer and Schutzenbach who commanded artillery units.

Here is a short description of the battle at Pea Ridge:

On 7 and 8 March 1862, Union troops led by Springfieldian Colonel J. S. Phelps took part and helped win the battle of Pea Ridge Arkansas. Phelps' mother, Mary, cared for many of the 2,500 casualties.

Many of those taking part were the same troops who had faced each other just seven months before near Springfield. The Union called the earlier battle Wilson's Creek while the Southerners called its Bloody Hill. Again, each side had their own name for this battle...Pea Ridge by the North and Elkhorn Tavern by the South.

The Union troops were largely volunteers from SW Missouri and German immigrants from the St. Louis area and Illinois. There were also Union troops from Iowa and Ohio.

The Southern troops were a strange mixture of Missouri and Arkansas volunteers, Texas Rangers, Louisiana Pelican Guard, and more than 3,600 Indians. Some of the Southern troops were peace-loving neutralist from Northern Arkansas who were forced to serve. The Indians were a mixture of different tribes and were for the most part mounted on little ponies. The warriors' faces were embellished with war paint. Some carried rifles, but about half carried bows and arrows, tomahawks, and war clubs.

The Battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas saw nearly 25,000 men engage in desperate combat. The Northern forces under General Curtis numbered over 14,000 with about 50 pieces of artillery. The South fielded about 10,500 with 49 pieces of artillery. More than 30% of the Southern troops were Indians. The odds in this battle were in favor of the North unlike the Battle at Wilson's Creek a few months earlier.

The North won the battle, but both sides paid a heavy price. Reports vary as to the total number of men killed and wounded, but conservative estimates place the figure at more than 2,500 or 10% of the total force.

Colonel John Phelps of Springfield (he has a street, school, and park named after him in Springfield) commanded the Phelps Missouri Regiment composed mostly of men from SW Missouri. He had seven officers killed or wounded, 11 enlisted men killed, and 74 wounded, captured or missing. The Ninth Iowa suffered 218 casualties.

Many members the "German" regiments from St. Louis and Illinois suffered an especially horrible fate. The Confederate Indians were pitted against them and the dead and wounded Germans were subject to scalping and mutilation.

The commander of the Iowa troops was wounded and captured by the Rebels. In time, he recovered and was exchanged. He was later promoted to Brigadier General and awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his heroism at Pea Ridge.

P. J. Osterhaus and Franz Sigel were veterans of the unsuccessful 1848 democratic revolution in Germany and fled to the United States and became US citizens. They each commanded German regiments from St. Louis and parts of Illinois. Both were later promoted to Brigadier General and took part in many battles later in the war such as Gettysburg and Second Manassas.


War is hell, any time any place. But this war was the worst of the worst. Brother against brother, families torn apart, espcially in these border regions of Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee. A year later, at Gettysburg, more men (and one woman) more died in two and one half days than in all of the 20 years of the Vietnam War. Many regimental monuments on that field of blood have incriptions that read like this..." so and so regiment 258 volunteers, 252 fallen...Accross the five Aprils of 1860 to 1865,more Americans died than in all conflicts up to that point combined. Every little town and hamlet in the midwest has it memorial to its lost sons. The flower of a generation was wiped out in a very short period of time.

150 years later, the issues that were fought over are still being struggled with. The rights of the states to make laws by the will of the people, and to not have to endure the Federal government's interferance. Sorry, slavery wasnt the prime issue that caused the spilling of our brothers blood. Was Emancipation important, of course, it was vital and God made a way answering prayers and the liberation of those in bondage was declaired, we are still working towards the true liberation of all people.

No the "Great Unpleasentness" or "the war between the states" was the direct result of disconnect between the Federal Government and the States. We see such a disconnect today and I think the whole Red State/Blue State thing is a throwback to that time. Remember those of the "blue" bent that called for secession when President Bush was re-elected...how quickly they forget.

Let us not forget. Let us go to the cemetaries as our ancestories did and "decorate" the graves of our fallen heros. Let us remember the price that they paid to preserve our way of life. Let us take nothing for granted and be forever grateful for the sacrifice, that preserves the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Here are other links that have great info and pics

Pea Ridge National Military Park

Battle of Pea Ridge by Dr.Albert Castel

Civil War Album. Com

The Civil War in Arkansas

The Battle Cry of Freedom The "Blue" and the "Grey" version

Flag Flying on a road side Hwy 23 (Van Buren Ave) Eureka Springs Arkansas

I didn't realize that this Civil War standard had two sets of words one for each side I present them both as a tribute to sacrifice to moral conviction.

The "Grey" or Confederate verion

Our flag is proudly floating
On the land and on the main,
Shout, shout, the battle cry of Freedom;
Beneath it oft we've conquered
And will conquer oft again,
Shout, shout, the battle cry of Freedom.

Our gallant boys have marched
To the rolling of the drums,
Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom;
And the leaders in charge
Cry, "Come boys, come!"
Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom.

They have laid down their lives
On the bloody battle field,
Shout, shout, the battle cry of Freedom;
Their motto is resistance
"To tyrants we'll not yield!"
Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom.

While our boys have responded
And to the field have gone,
Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom;
Our noble women also
Have aided them at home.
Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom.

Chorus:
Our Dixie forever, she's never at a loss
Down with the eagle and up with the cross.
We'll rally 'round the bonny flag, we'll rally once again.
Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom.

The "Blue" or Union version

Yes, we'll rally round the flag, boys, we'll rally once again,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom,
We will rally from the hillside, we'll gather from the plain,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!

We are springing to the call of our brothers gone before,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
And we'll fill our vacant ranks with a million free men more,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!

We will welcome to our numbers the loyal, true and brave,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
And although they may be poor, not a man shall be a slave,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!

So we're springing to the call from the East and from the West,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
And we'll hurl the rebel crew from the land we love best,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!

Chourus
The Union forever! Hurrah, boys, hurrah!
Down with the traitors, up with the stars;
While we rally round the flag, boys, rally once again,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!

May 29, 2005

I Am The Good Shepherd

Embracing the World Christ of the Ozarks Eureka Springs Arkansas

John 10

The Good Shepherd and His Sheep

"I assure you, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! 2 For a shepherd enters through the gate. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they recognize his voice. 5 They won't follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don't recognize his voice."
6 Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn't understand what he meant, 7 so he explained it to them. "I assure you, I am the gate for the sheep," he said. 8 "All others who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. 9 Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. Wherever they go, they will find green pastures. 10 The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.
11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will leave the sheep because they aren't his and he isn't their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. 13 The hired hand runs away because he is merely hired and has no real concern for the sheep.
14 "I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, 15 just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice; and there will be one flock with one shepherd.
17 "The Father loves me because I lay down my life that I may have it back again. 18 No one can take my life from me. I lay down my life voluntarily. For I have the right to lay it down when I want to and also the power to take it again. For my Father has given me this command."
19 When he said these things, the people* were again divided in their opinions about him. 20 Some of them said, "He has a demon, or he's crazy. Why listen to a man like that?" 21 Others said, "This doesn't sound like a man possessed by a demon! Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?"


Jesus Claims to Be the Son of God


22 It was now winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem at the time of Hanukkah.* 23 He was at the Temple, walking through the section known as Solomon's Colonnade. 24 The Jewish leaders surrounded him and asked, "How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly."
25 Jesus replied, "I have already told you, and you don't believe me. The proof is what I do in the name of my Father. 26 But you don't believe me because you are not part of my flock. 27 My sheep recognize my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them away from me, 29 for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. So no one can take them from me. 30 The Father and I are one."
31 Once again the Jewish leaders picked up stones to kill him. 32 Jesus said, "At my Father's direction I have done many things to help the people. For which one of these good deeds are you killing me?"
33 They replied, "Not for any good work, but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, have made yourself God."
34 Jesus replied, "It is written in your own law that God said to certain leaders of the people, `I say, you are gods!'* 35 And you know that the Scriptures cannot be altered. So if those people, who received God's message, were called `gods,' 36 why do you call it blasphemy when the Holy One who was sent into the world by the Father says, `I am the Son of God'? 37 Don't believe me unless I carry out my Father's work. 38 But if I do his work, believe in what I have done, even if you don't believe me. Then you will realize that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father."
39 Once again they tried to arrest him, but he got away and left them. 40 He went beyond the Jordan River to stay near the place where John was first baptizing. 41 And many followed him. "John didn't do miracles," they remarked to one another, "but all his predictions about this man have come true." 42 And many believed in him there.

From the New Living Translation

May 28, 2005

Angel Fire

Fire on the Mountain- Sundown over Table Rock Landing Holiday Island Arkansas


There is a burning light
upon the Ozark hills,
lighting the bluest sky
with the brilliant evening light
Sunset brings the nightbreeze
filled with honeysuckle sweetness
bringing to mind the tropical night
with palms swaying in the tradewinds

The moon seated upon the ridgeline
draws strength from the suns waining rays
Twilight decends, the still water reveals
Shining clouds reflecting on the quiet lake
The wild things, creatures of the night
come out to drink in the wild streams
While Angelfire burns on the piney ridge
in the wild blue Arkansas sky.

May 27, 2005

Holiday Invasion

Wide Blue Lake? Lake shore vista at Viney Creek Recreation area

Well its been very quiet here for these few weeks that we have been living at Wedgewood 6. But no more with the holiday weekend upon us, people with boats, rafts, fishing gear and stuff... The summer season has arrived with aplomb. We now have neighbors and they have kids and BBQ's, so we are glad that a place has opened up for us closer to our home in Bella Vista.

I havent been blogging as we have been really busy with the bid process with contractors that will be doing the renovations. Add 4 hours daily travel time from Holiday Island to the Corridor Area eats up time.

I am comming to love this region. The air smells of jasmine and honeysuckle for a taste of Hawaii here in the Ozarks. The weather has been perfect temperature wise. I know that this is a blessing as the rest of the country is swelltering or freezing.

We have the kitties with us for the last few days and are loving it. We wont be separated again on this journey.

We get a lot of questions and its hard to answer them . We came to Arkansas for many reasons and all of them matter. You cant compare the two and there are wonderful things all around you to see. Arkansas is a beautiful place.

It is a wonderful thing to see Woody really happy. That has made it worth everything. I am so glad that we were a part of the seasonal invasion, but unlike the fishing folk and the boaters, we wont be going home... we are home, and I am glad of it...

May 25, 2005

Paw Prints

straight from the undesclosed location Mak and Nani

We just wanted you to know that we are doing well. We have been staying with friends here, and for the last few night that Mom and Dad are staying on Holiday Island we are staying with them. How we have missed them, and we are so glad to be with them.

In just a few days we are all going to a new place to stay while our new home is getting fixed up. I know that it will be a while but it will be worth it.

May 24, 2005

A Glimpse of Home

The Mini Park accross the street from the new house...

It was a sullen grey day, full of rain and blustry cold, but I didnt mind. It was damp on my new lanai, the wind blowing through the oak leaves showering me with huge droplettes through the screen. The wind in the trees sounded like the ocean's roar, and smelled like the breath of Heaven...It was like God speaking saying "Welcome to you home in the forest."

We were at the house today having contractors come in to give estimates on the items that will need to be fixed. A neighbor has graciously given us access, and to just sit in there and think about how far we have come has really helped me to pull out of the funk.

I took the car out to get lunch, and got lost and spent two hours driving around the Bella Vista Subdivision, looking at the golf courses and lake parks. I am amazed...So is Woody, who wondered why it took me two hours to get to the Sonic Burger and back..."Hoku, you need to get out and drive more more..." Our agent gave me a map.

I can see where the furniture will go,how nearly all of it fits... How my ideas will take shape in a subtile remodel of the master bathroom, and enjoying the beautiful forested back yard, with its abundant wildlife. I feel really good about this place and can only pray that this is the begining of a homecomming for both Woody and myself...

May 23, 2005

The Storm Within

The Rolling Ozarks near Garfield AR These hills were alive with the sound of thunder!

Its been a difficult day for me. I understand a lot of what was driving me, making me cranky and edgy. Its hard when you don't get enough sleep.

We were treated to a spectacular thunderstorm Sunday night. Twelve hours of rock and roll lightning, I could hear the cracking of trees getting struck out on the golf course, the sound more intense because of our proximity to the shores of Table Rock lake. The water amplified the incredible noise, and the lightning was so continuous, that it seemed like we had a strobe light on.

Sleep has provided a stative for me these past few weeks so I dont have to think about things Id rather not. I am really trying to let the day take care of its own troubles. But the prolonged sleeplessness sent my mind into a tizzy of unwanted thoughts...

"what is wrong with me? I cant stay awake..."
"Im so mad at myself for falling asleep at the wheel"
"I know I am picking on Woody just to get a reaction, may God forgive me.."
"are we going to close on time?"
"did we do the right thing?"
"I want my kitties...," then I wondered how they delt with the lightning. In Hawaii they didnt mind it, perhaps not understanding it at all.

I tried to dwell on the promises of God, the good time Woody and I had the previous two days, saturday, a stay at home day at the condo, and Sunday after sleeping in, going to a lovely brunch at the 1886 Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs We enjoyed not just the food but the atmosphere as well. Lovely live piano, and the spendour of this Victorian hotel was delightful.



After a big lunch you must walk around. And so we did. Many of the shops were open, so we walked and shopped. We had a lovely chance meeting with a street musician that played old acoustic ballads beautifully. We got a copy of her CD and have enjoyed that.

Upon return to the room from Eureka Springs, Woody retired to his room and I sat in the living room of the condo and watched the storm roll in. God has been very good to us. I am trying to relax and sleep more...

PS I have had this dropping off issue in the car for a long time,years even... at first we though that it was due to heavy antihistamine use, then extreme fatigue. I think its a sleep disorder, but I wont have it looked at until I am working and have insurance. As a result I have only put about 250 of the 3000 miles we have on the new car. I am very careful about it...

May 22, 2005

Beauty For Ashes

Iris and mint growing in the garden of my new home




Isaiah 61

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has appointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to announce that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed.
He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord's favor has come, and with it, the day of God's anger against their enemies.
To all who mourn in Israel,* he will give beauty for ashes, joy instead of mourning, praise instead of despair. For the Lord has planted them like strong and graceful oaks for his own glory.
They will rebuild the ancient ruins, repairing cities long ago destroyed. They will revive them, though they have been empty for many generations.
Foreigners will be your servants. They will feed your flocks and plow your fields and tend your vineyards.
You will be called priests of the Lord, ministers of our God. You will be fed with the treasures of the nations and will boast in their riches.
Instead of shame and dishonor, you will inherit a double portion of prosperity and everlasting joy.
"For I, the Lord, love justice. I hate robbery and wrongdoing. I will faithfully reward my people for their suffering and make an everlasting covenant with them.
Their descendants will be known and honored among the nations. Everyone will realize that they are a people the Lord has blessed."
I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels.

The Sovereign Lord will show his justice to the nations of the world. Everyone will praise him! His righteousness will be like a garden in early spring, filled with young plants springing up everywhere.

From the New Living Translation

May 21, 2005

Staring Out Into Space

Woody staring out into space at Silver Dollar City Branson MO

I see you sitting there
stairing out into space
a stranger in a strange land
unsure if this is
all that you hoped it would be

At least for now
you seem content here.
Embracing the samness
of Middle America
and simpler mainland living

I wonder how long it will be
before you hear the call
to move again.

How can I make you understand
That home is always
where you are at...

Branson Ramblings

Blue Clipper Butterfly taken at the Butterfly Place Branson Mo. He was a little battered from his mating flight, but look at the colors.


We are staying on a slip of land known as Holiday Island for the month of May. Not really an island, yet you feel like you are someplace quite detached from everywhere else. Its very quiet, a nature preserve, so as we came home last night, around 10pm, we saw in the 5 miles of highway we traverse from the gates to our home, 12 deer of various ages, two foxes, a mother Racoon with a few two or maybe three young along with her...and a beautiful fairly large skunk, tail waving back and forth as he waddled along the roadside.

We actually saw a living armadillo... Woody and I found out that the reason that we see so many dead ones on the road side is that when frightened, the creatures jump vertically. When faced with a oncomming vehicle, this just means better placement on your bumper or grille plate. They cause a lot of damage as well...

The wildlife is facinating to Woody, who is a city boy and has not seen such abundance of living animals outside of a zoo was facinated...WE have tried to get in by dark as the twisty winding roads are a hazzard. We got to the main bridge in Shell Knob last night to find a huge accident with a car dangling precariously...If you go to the link that is the bridge I am speaking of. While people are courtieous to a fault here, there are plenty of nuts too.

We are constantly entranced by the beautiful scenery, the rolling hills and farmland, there is a bit of drought right now, prayer for rain is on the lips of everyone we meet, but its still very green and pretty.

Twice this week we made the trip to Branson Mo. Its been described to us as Las Vegas for none gamblers, as a showplace for musical" has beens", a traffic nightmare and not really worth going to. Because of our close proximinty, we thought that we'd go up and at least see what its like.

It did seem quite a bit longer to get there than the mileage sugested. We have since been told that in Missouri, every sign that says "1 mile" ad a quarter to it for they measure a straight line on a map to guage the mileage...Frankly there are no straight roads in this part of the world. ONce we got that figured out, life was much less stressful.

Once you get to Branson you are confronted with a traffic mess that rivals Houston for its complexity, and yet there are only 10000 people living here. New roads are being built, as well as new sections of the city out of farm and ranching land...just like its big sister, Las Vegas, 1000 miles to the west, this resort city is growing into a metroplolis. A mecca for retirees in particular.

We have gotten into the spirit of the thing. We have the "Oldies" radio station on which has tunes from Benny Goodman to Bryan Adams... (1990 is the cut off for the play list) Swing, rock and roll, jazz, country, standards...you just never know what you are going to get out of your radio.

We ate at a Bob Evans, and reminised about our trip to Ohio and how God brought us to the place where we could see that we needed to come back. As we sat there we marveled at the sheer numbers of "mature" people. Understand that we knew we were going to a place that sort of cateres to this age group but the numbers are astounding. Woody then reminded me that I would be the youngest person living on our street. I find that sort of nice...

We looked at the 1001 things that we could do. I have to tell you that the weather has been superb for us since we got here, so we are always trying to stay out doors as much as we can so we can enjoy it. After looking at musical shows and what not I saw a flyer for a Butterfly farm... Woody thought that was certainly original so we were on our way.

The Butterfly Place was a very interesting fun way to spend an afternoon. I was amazed at how much I didnt know about them. We viewed a video then were escorted to the "aviary". I hadnt in anyway planned to go there when I dressed, and all Woody has are bright Aloha Shirts, so right away we became targets for low flying butterfly aircraft. I took lots of photos and we had a very nice time there.

We made a decision to come back the next day and go to a major attraction that we had heard a lot about, Silver Dollar City Part Craft festival part theme park, this was a fun family place to go eat great food and hear wonderful blue grass music. If you have kids bring bathing suits or them as all of the rides seem to soak em down really well, perfect as it was in the high 80's Woody and I are not ride riders anymore, but we loved everything else and bought season passes as the shows change quarterly.

I have come to realize that this is a vacationers dream. Like So California, you have so much to see and do that it would take a lifetime to see it all. We are looking forward to going and doing some of the more outdoorsey sort of activities but a bunch of our weight has got to come off. Nothing brings that to my attention better than days like today where you are walking and doing all the day long.

But while I still hear the call of the ocean, and the mele of Hawaii, I am content. Truly. I know that the sweetness and the bitterness of Hawaii will linger with me forever, and that it will always be a part of my spirit. But truth is I am feeling more aloha in the casual encounters here in Arkansas than I thought would be possible. All is well and we are continuing our rambles where ever they take us...

May 19, 2005

All Talked Out

Wild Flowers along the roadside near Beaver Lake Recreation Area Beaver AR...

This is a great example of what we see along the roadsides here. Many places people plant flowers along even the public roadsides just to make the area nice. I love this about the area we are settling in.

I have about had it... I am talking too much. Day in and day out go go go amd do do do and no place to be alone. I ralized today that I am picking fights with Woody, and just ...Uggh.

Its easy to figure. Having been a pretty solitary person, I have figured out that this is one of the longest periods in my life of forced togetherness. This situation where I have no alone time is quite irksome. Sort of like a Mom of a preschooler. You dont get much of a break unless they are sleeping.

Things are progressing and we have arranged to move down closer to where we will be living. We got into the house today to let a flooring guy in to measure and now that most of the stuff is out of there I can see really how large the home is and I am pleased with it still.

Escrow is comming to a close on the house in Hawaii. It hit me today that I really am not going back. For a holiday maybe, but then there are so many other roads to travels that perhaps I wont be back for a long while.A friend's husband who works for the Canadian Science Service was back in Hilo where he and his wife lived for 15 years before moving back to Canada last summer. He was shocked at all of the building even up the slopes of Mauna Kea, towords the Observatories where he had worked, is all under development..."made him cry..." its all changing...

Maybe you cant go home again...

I wont be able to for a long while...

May 18, 2005

The Bible Is Not The Fourth Member Of The Trinity

Arkansas White Crystal, to some a religious object, to others its just a rock. I thought it pretty so I took a photo of it.

It was a Sunday night in 1992...The large auditorium was packed as usual for the worship and the study. At the time, considered one of the largest churches in America, Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa was like this every night of the week. Pastor Chuck Smith wasn't teaching tonight, but rather his assistant, Pastor Romaine. This former marine is well known for his unusual approches to expository (verse by verse) teaching as well as his unique topical sermons... In the pulpit or in the chuch office, you just never know what to expect from this very blunt, outspoken to the point of rude, but honest and straight up servant of God.

We were all in for a treat. I loved going down there, loved the worship leaders who were fast becomming my good friends, and just felt all of the warm fuzzies you can feel at a time like this... that all changed when I saw Romaine. I sat up on the edge of my seat and looked at this guy. He looked out over the congragation eyes hooded and peicing. I remeber smiling to myself and thinking, " Oh he's really fired up about something, this is going to be good',and it was...

Standing there till there was silence, and that always happened pretty quickly with him... He just looked around at the 5000 or so people there. Then he raised his arm. In his hand was his well worn preching Bible. Holding it up over his head caused a stir and people started to cheer clapping worshipping ect... He growed and barked in his Drill Instructor voice...

"NO!", and threw the book hard against the wall some many feet away. As it flew the cheering turned to gasps of horror and screams. The bible hit the wall with a thud and fell to the floor. There was dead quiet. A mans voice from the back of the room shouted "Romaine, men have died for that book!" The man in the pulpit said with a growl "No one died for that book over there... Its just a book, paper and leather." Then Romaine made a statement that haunts me to this day...

"The Bible is not the fourth member of the Trinity"

Pause, then he said... " I always knew you were a bunch of heathen idolitors, you worship a book... paper and ink. How many of you keep a bible as a ceterpeice of your home decorating, and dont read it? or only read it on sundays when you are here in church...By the way, we should burn the building down too Im afraid there are those among you who worship this building rather than He whom the building is ment to honor, cause you only think about God when you are in here!"

He then began to recite these scrptures, as his bible was still laying lifeless on the floor...

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

1Thessolonians 2:13 For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted {it} not {as} the word of men, but {for} what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.

"How do you suppose the work of God is done by a book if you done read it and apply what it says to your life?" He then quotes Psalm 119:105 "Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path." how can this be a "light" if you dont take it off the shelf and open it up?" He asked... "For certainly the truth is that the Bible is just a book until it is read. People have died for the right to read this book this is a fact, and the fact is that miliions of lives have been changed by reading it."

I bring this memory up in my blog because we have all been astounded by the events surrounding the bogus...and maybe not so bogus... Newsweek story regarding the "desicration of the koran" and the resulting rioting over this. Lives have been lost over paper and ink. Its crazy...

There are all sorts of wacky accusations flying around from certain GI's saying that this did happen, to the LA Times newspaper stating that somehow President Bush caused all of this to happen. I think that this shows just how crazy this is. We all know that disgruntled clerics are using this to try to discredit our efforts in the region...


Romaine's point was that its not the fact that a book has the word "holy" on it or that the words in the book are divinely inspired even what the pages say, its you reading the words on the pages of the book that makes it a sacred thing, the Living Word... With out your eyes beholding it,and the Holy Spirit illuminating it to your soul, the book is just an inanimate object. It is the worshipper that gives embodiment to worship and the student and his desire to know that brings holiness to the pages of sacred text. God didnt inspire the printing press, but the authors of the books of the Bible, and our hearts to understand what is written therein.

For these people to go crazy over a story that may or may not be true... to riot over a bit of paper and ink is madness, and to say this is a religion of peace is also madness. If the koran is what they revere, look at how that "scripture" effects them, moulds them and shapes their character. That is the true test of any faith, not the words of the book but how they are lived out in the day to day struggles of life.

For the Afghans to toss away all that they have worked towards over this bogus story shows the lack of inner evolution. That is tragic. It makes me wonder about the future and how we in the west can effectivly dialogue with such people. They are in the stone age, and seem to want to stay in this unevolved state. I pray that the sons of Ishmael with someday see the light and walk in the truth of the True and Living God. Untill then the world will stay locked in this sibling rivalry between the true and spiritual sons of Issac and the true and spiritual sons of Ishmael. It is a struggle that will come to a good end but the enduring will be long and bloody.

What about you? Get that Bible off the shelf and start to read it. Ask God to open it up to you to see its truths, and to bless your life,... to cause a inner revolution in your own life. God will change you through the reading of His word...and by changing you for good, will change the world, one reader at a time.

May 17, 2005

Taking Things For Granted

Farmers market near Avoca Arkansas... Taken with my treo 650 phone.

you will have to forgive the many typos and akward formatting. I have a new Dell 700m laptop that I am learning to use. Its fun and I am catching on fast... another toy for this wannabee techno geek...

While trolling I found a new blog to put on my blog roll
Right Thinking Girl after reading this post

I find that I take way too much for granted. I really do. I have so much to be thankful for. I dont know anything about the author of the above mentioned blog, but I sense that she is not from this country or has lived abroad. That I know will teach you to be thankful. I am astounded at how much I "did without" in Hawaii. Just walk into a Super Walmart and you will see what I mean...Here I am typing away on this new computer, while looking out on the beautiful Ozarks, in a lovely rental home...My worldly goods are here in town and were unloaded into storage yesterday... House deals are comming along and all is well. Praise God...

Yet Woody and I realized yeasterday that we were not "grateful" enough. We need to cultivate that heart of gratitude that we worked hard at in Hawaii, where we were glad for the little things.

So we are having a stay at home day today, doing housekeeping and catching up on back mail and email. Im wireless so we can both be online at the same time... I dont know whose network I am mooching off of, but I also have earthlink dial up should I need it.

I am starting to look for work. I am so ready for a paycheck of some kind. I got a paper yesterday to get a feel of what is available and there seems to be a lot of work, but you all know how that could be deceptive. We shall see.

May 16, 2005

Howzit Goin

this is a test. I am posting a photo via Hello from my new laptop. Still have a lot to learn about this. I hope that I am more sucessful at learning this tool than I was with the phone.

The photo is the view of our new house from the entryway. The fireplace is the first thing that catches your eye. We both fell in love at first sight I think. It is fully gas running off a large propane tank in the back, that also fuels a line to a outside deck for a bar-b-que. No more changing tanks. The Neighbors say that Mr. D ran the fireplace and the heatpump, (new) full blast all winter as they are always cold, average temp in the house was a sweaty 80 plus. All felt we could pick one or the other and be warm enough. God knows Woody and I have enough insulation already built on by a steady diet of plate lunch, that we dont feel the cold like a lot of skinny folks.

We spent much of the weekend driving the car around trying to get our bearings. Its very pretty here, everywhere you look, flowers are blooming along the highway, its green. Animals have babies that are sweet to look at. Woody likes cows so we stop along the road to look at them. City boy...

I feel really good about being here. Maybe I have stated this before but it is odd how we just slid into life here. When we moved to the Big Island, it wasnt like this. We also had a rather long wait to get into our home. This was a few weeks after 9-11. The incedent slowed shipments to the islands slowing down the construction of the Sellers new home, and we were staying in Waikoloa, in a resort that is not the nicest, and it was very hot, dry and nasty, like living in the desert. People pay millions to live there and I just cant see it... Why????

Anyway, that sense of being adrift never went away. I dont feel like that now, but more like we have a list of things to get done, and know that we will see the end of this. I think not having the emotions of 9-11 to deal with, and the situation with my Mom, who went through this whole..."I have been abandoned by my children thing..." which was silly as my brother, her favorite, was living next door. I was to one with the guilt trip. Today I have a interesting problem as I dont have a way to call her. The phone in the condo is wired for very local calls only (we cant call anyone down the hill either, unless they have a 800 line)and my cel phone doesnt work here. This is more "back of beyond" than the Big Island, but much more civilized, with beautiful areas and the wonder of wonders a Super Walmart just down the road in BERRYVILLE. We are still getting over how huge these bastons of overabundance are...Still its sort of a relief to not be able to call, as its basically one way conversation and so akward with not being there. So I put a new postcard in the mail every few days and feel that this is about the same.

I hope to get to the place where this doesnt bother me.

Its been really great to read all of your blogs and get caught up on all of the news. Even the old IBM PC here in the room was too slow to load a lot of the sites, so having this new system has been wonderful. It has a lot of nice features that I missed in the computers that I was having to use along the journey not that I am not greatful for all of those public koisks in Hawaii, and the blocked pcs in the timeshares. I could also post with my phone but never was in a place where I had enough signal strength to do this. Even now I am working off a wireless network that I dont quite understand how I am doing this without any service that I am paying for. I need to do a bit of research.

May 15, 2005

Why Worry?

Butterflies are free in the wildflowers near the little goldengate bridge at the Beaver lake park Beaver Arkansas



The Gospel of Matthew Chapter 6 verses 24 to 34

The Words of Jesus

"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
"For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, {as to} what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, {as to} what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
"Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and {yet} your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?
"And who of you by being worried can add a {single} hour to his life?
"And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin,
yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.
"But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is {alive} today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, {will He} not much more {clothe} you? You of little faith!
"Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?'
"For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
"So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.


This is not new materiel for a lot of you. But we need to read it and mull it over once in a while. I most of all. I have really found out how much of life I DONT put into the hands of The One That CAN Handle It . There is just so much energy in ones day and spending it on tomorrow is a waste of resources. I am leaarning this kicking and screaming down this path God has me on.

I dont know what is gnawing at you this morning, but take the time to pray about it. Give it to God then refuse to think about it. If It pops up put it down again. and give yourself a rest. It will do you good.

May 14, 2005

Crystals and Peonies

Rock crystal near a blooming Ozarks Peoney. Taken by my Treo 650 near Beaver Arkansas


It was a very interesting day for us, We came home the night before and realized that we still had the key for the home we are buying so we called the agent for the sellers and we drive up to drop the key off.

A huge storm is comming in and we saw the thunderheads building towards the Oklahoma border. The light and shadows were amazing. I love all of the different colors of green, and so far we have yet to see anything that says "You have made a grave mistake"

We learned more about the family that we are buying the house from. The selling agent's mother was the best friend of the woman that owns the house. The death of her friend has been devestating. A large group of friends is helping to get the place ready for us. the Auction for all of the household goods is in a week or so. The nephew that has power of attorney that will be signing the papers will be in over the last week of this month and is thrilled for us and let us know that we could have access to the home to have contractors take measurements and bid the few jobs we will have to have done to get the place ready for a move in, and theis agent is trying to find us short term rental housing that will allow us all to be together... It was a very good day.

At a rock stand that we have passed a number of times we stopped and I bought a peice of Rose quartz that was quarried here locally. I am somewaht of a rock hound, and enjoy holding this chunk of irridescent stone looking at its many shades of pink.

The storm is breaking over me. I am loving the lightning but woder about the fire danger. that will be an interesting topic of conversation with Woody. Im not sure that he considered that our closest disaster is now a forest fire!

We are in a waiting period. Going to be some slow news days ahead so enjoy the photos from my phone. I think that is the coolest...

May 13, 2005

New Doors Beckon

Photo the front door of our new house. Taken with my treo 650 phone and posted to blogger....

We met with the home inspector and there are issues with the house but nothing that we cant deal with and we are asking the sellers for a financial break rather than trying to fix the place up. Only the safety issues were called, the rest we will deal with as time goes on.

I found myself really feeling good about this home and its location. Surrounded by retirees, there is the peace and quiet that I desire, and the neighbors who saw us prowling the grounds after we had dinner last night came out en masse to meet and greet and we learned the story of how the house came up for sale and how this community sadly watched two of its most beloved members go into a serious decline and the wife pass away. The husband is now living with his kids in the Chicago area. The people that we met last night seem to be very friendly and are looking forward to meeting us. We had a concern about the home next to ours that we weren't sure was vacant or not. Two retired teachers from California are in the process of moving in and will be here by the end of July. Our "welcoming commitee" has met them and they told us we were a perfect fit for them as they had been concerened about the same issues. We have had such horrible neighbors in the last two homes that I have livied in that this will be a treat to have nice people around us.

So for the next few weeks we are tourists in the area. There is a lot to see and do here. We are also going to try to find contractors to put in flooring and paint the house for us this next week. I was so pleased to see that the home is a bit bigger than I thought that it was and the yard is a bit smaller. There is 25 feet of common area behind the house between us and the neighbors that is wooded. If I want to have a bench under the trees out there that is fine but then anyone can use it. Across the street is a round patch of land that the neighbors use as a private park with a picnic table and benches in it. Very nice touch and something we will enjoy using. Woody in particular likes to go sit out with a book in the sun.

If my "feelers" are correct... and I dont 100 percent trust them, no woman should especially at this time in my life, I am comming to a place that I will be at home. I am surprised at this I would never have guessed it. But there it is. I feel such a peace when I sit in this house, lived in by Godly people, and well loved, It is my hope that I can finally rest from my journey a little while, and be at peace.

May 12, 2005

Makoa Speaks His Mind

I am writing this for Makoa who purred, and meowed when I told him that I managed to send his photo to Blogger via my phone.

Aloha All, I wanted to thank all of you that have sent your kind thoughts and prayers along the way. This has been a long journey full of strange and terrible wonderful things. I wouldnt want to not be with my People, so it had to be this way. But I must say that the long time riding in the big bird in the dark was horrible, The long ride in the little bird (car) was ok cause mom and dad were there but we slept to not have to think about it all.

Where we are staying is very interesting. Mom and Dad Have a little house (colapsable crate)for us to live in, so we can go outside and see all of the strange creatures that live outside, but they cannot get to us. Most interesting are the small fast creatures with long beautiful tails that sit on their hind legs. Mom says they are called squirels. We had mongoose in Hawaii, but they are not nearly as pretty or as interesting. Nani wants to try to catch one. Mom and Dad say no to this that we cannot go outside with out our house around us. there are many birds and lovely smells to smell

I think we like Arkansas... But miss Mom and Dad and want this to be over, and for us to be in a big house together soon.

So do I, Little Boy, So do I

May 11, 2005

Wedgewood Six

Twilight Keaukaha Big Island Hawaii

posted at Wedgewood Six, Holiday Island Arkansas 5-11-05

Woody asks me " Hoku, What does Oklahoma mean ?"
"Woody, I dont know..."
"It means..." Woody smirked " land of the dead armadillo..."

We had seen so many road killed armadillo that we laughed at this grisly joke...

Well, we have arrived, all of us and we are family once more. At least untill we can make some arrangements.

It was a beautiful journey. We left just after rush hour and by the time we left Texas and drove through Oklahoma the afternoon sun gave the hills and valleys, fields and forests a golden gleem. The Canadian River was massive and the beautiful wildflowers covered the hillsides. It was picture perfect, but we didnt stop at all.

It was a long long journey too, we only stopped long enough to fuel and go to the bathroom, having the cats with us. They did so well. A bit of meowing from Mak our softy crybaby, but they settled down and slept most of the way, at other times they watched out the window throught the airholes of their crates. the new car had stratigic air vents in all the right places. They are currently staying in a "undesclosed location"

We are looking hard at finding a place for Mak and Nani to stay, as pets are not allowed here in this condo. We looked at several including the local animal shelter which was full. Only two area kennels would take them and one place was nothing more than a crude feeding station, where the owner only shows up twice a day to feed and maybe clean, the place stank, and a well meaning lady in Eureka Springs, who runs a dog centered boarding grooming center, she will have the cats, again like Texas, in the grooming area, but unlike Texas, actually caged with the dogs. Can you imagine? She also offered to have them in her home, a one room house on site. When I toured it I saw many dangers. She is a crafter with loads of open paints and solvents, loads of small objects scattered around. Cats are like small children, you must pick up after them and they will eat paints solvents cleaners and room fresheners. No...

Its a situation that we will be trying to resolve as soon as possible, In the mean time the babies are on their best behavior and are crated most of the time and not running amok in the place where they are staying temporarily.

My phone doesnt work up here, I have tried to send some photos, but no go. We go down to Bella Vista to view our home in the morning with the inspecter. Should this go well we will go into escrow. I am very excited and I feel a sense that we are in a good place. Should we not take the house we are looking for a rental, Woody called on some today and we will move on it quickly should we need to as our things are ready for delivery in the Port of Houston.

Looking forward to catching up on all of the blogs I havent been able to read in the past two weeks. Yeah!

Pulling Up Stakes

Red Torch Ginger Lilioukalani Gardens Hilo Hawaii

Posted at the Drury Inn The Woodlands Texas 5-9-05

We are getting ready to go north. Laundry, packing up all of our new stuff and preparing to gather up the cats for our journey north. I have a line of small siutcases, bags boxes and assorted stuff in the room. Looks like a military line up with my khaki green backpack and suitbags. Not very creative in the luggage dept.

There is some concern about getting everything into the car. Car being smaller than what we were first going to buy, like a minivan but then this is much cooler than any minivan so... we all fit or well it gets left behind. or packed at the post office.

Its a long trip. If the baby kitties wernt along Id break it up but they really need to just "get it over with" so we will push it a bit and with potty breaks and stuff we should be where we need to be by night fall.

I may post some photos today swing by again later... Aloha!

May 10, 2005

Freedom of Conscience

into the Rain Forest...Kalopa State park

Im sure that you have all heard about this story. I only caught a bit of it a few days ago and was stunned. This clown could cause his church to lose its non profit status and affiliation with what ever Baptist convention they are aligned with. Frankly Im surprised this pastor hasn't been called to heel....

Pastor Won't Speak on Ousting Bush Critics
By PAUL NOWELL
Associated Press Writer

A pastor who led a charge to kick out nine church members who refused to support President Bush was the talk of the town Saturday in this mountain hamlet, with ousted congregants considering hiring a lawyer.

Pastor Chan Chandler greeted people at the door of tiny East Waynesville Baptist Church on Saturday evening as the church choir practiced and even welcomed them to attend services Sunday morning - if there's room inside. But he was not prepared to talk about his mixing of religion and politics.

"On the advice of counsel, I've been advised not to have any comment at this time," Chandler told The Associated Press. "We will have a statement later."

Members of the congregation said Chandler told them during last year's presidential campaign that anyone who planned to vote for Democratic nominee John Kerry needed to leave the church.

Longtime member Selma Morris, who was treasurer at the church, said Chandler's sermons remained political after Bush won re-election. This past week, his comments turned to politics again at a church gathering that ended with nine members voted out.

Morris said Saturday that some of the ousted members planned to meet with an attorney on Monday to discuss their options. "We're hoping he (the attorney) will make him leave so that the church members can come back," she said.

"This is very disturbing," said Pastor Robert Prince III, who leads the congregation at the nearby First Baptist Church. "I've been a pastor for more than 25 years, and I have never seen church members voted out for something like this."

Those who are still members did not know if the church would be open for services Sunday, or if Chandler would be in the pulpit to preach.

The 100-member East Waynesville Baptist Church sits on a bluff a short distance from downtown Waynesville, a mountain town about 125 miles northwest of Charlotte. A white steeple and stain glass windows adorn the simple brick structure, built in 1965, with a view of the mountains from the front steps.

Across the street sits the church's parsonage, a small brick ranch home with children's toys scattered in the front lawn. A small wooden sign out front reads simply "The Chandlers." No one answered the phone there on Saturday.

In the days since the nine members were ousted, many more members have reportedly left the church in protest.

"He went on and on about how he's going to bring politics up, and if we didn't agree with him, we should leave," Isaac Sutton told The News and Observer of Raleigh. "I think I deserve the right to vote for who I want to."

Sutton, a deacon who worshipped at East Waynesville Baptist Church for the past 12 years, said he and his wife were among the nine voted out.

"I've been going to this church for 25 years and I've never had a problem," Sutton's wife, Lorene, told The Associated Press on Friday. "He's young and he thinks he knows everything."

Other former members of the church declined to speak with a reporter Saturday, citing the advice of their attorney. But the furor over politics at the church was the talk of Waynesville, a community of about 9,200 residents.

"It's just an outrage for something like this to happen in America," said Heidi Jenkins, 52, as she held a garage sale at her home down the street from the church.

Prince said he noticed during the presidential campaign that more pastors made endorsements - although not from the pulpit - than in past years.

"It used to be that pastors would speak about the issues and not specific candidates," he said. "I think that line is being crossed."



Copyright 2005 Associated Press. not used by permission

I am Conservative. You all know that and I have little use for the policies presented by the Democratic party. But this is America folks. People like this using the power of the pulpit...(note not a NGO like Focus on the Family or Family Research Council, that is their job to talk politics...)...to bully people to vote one way or the other is a true step backwards into tyranny. A line has been crossed here.

What do you all think about this? In Hawaii it was against state law to do this as there was so much intimidation ( and still is thought its more subtle). And what do you think of the members of said church that voted the people out. Pretty darn amazing...

I don't think Jesus would have voted people out for a differing opinion, in fact, He died for his teachings, rather than force them upon us humans, we are brought to a place of acceptance, through the wooing of the Holy Spirit. That is the way of Love. Jesus said "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Matthew 5:44-45

Perhaps this pastor should spend more time in the scriptures and less in front of the paper or the TV. Whatever it is that drives him to this.

Should Mr. Kerry or any polititcian be elected, I have these verses to contend with from Romans 13:1-7
Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God's ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.

We are called to pray for those we disagree with not throw them out. Let us as people of faith pray that we will not become so dogmatic that we cannot fellowship with those we disagree with. When that happens we all will be the losers, and America will lose something unique and special in all of the world, the ability to amically go about our business, supporting the country as "loyal opposition", or as "humble servants to all of the people," with respect to politics, religion or any other matter of conscience.

May 08, 2005

Mothering Sunday

A Banana Flower! See the little bunches of bananas in the stem..

If I were in England we'd call this "Mothering Sunday" I saw this little peice on Mothers and l have always liked it so here it is.

To Our Mothers
.
When you came into the world, she held you in her arms.
You thanked her by wailing like a banshee.
When you were 1 year old, she fed you and bathed you.
You thanked her by crying all night long.
When you were 2 years old, she taught you to walk.
You thanked her by running away when she called.
When you were 3 years old, she made all your meals with love.
You thanked her by tossing your plate on the floor.
When you were 4 years old, she gave you some crayons.
You thanked her by coloring the dining room table.
When you were 5 years old, she dressed you for the holidays.
You thanked her by plopping into the nearest pile of mud.
When you were 6 years old, she walked you to school.
You thanked her by screaming, "I'M NOT GOING!"
When you were 7 years old, she bought you a baseball.
You thanked her by throwing it through the
next-door-neighbor's window.
When you were 8 years old, she handed you an ice cream.
You thanked her by dripping it all over your lap.
When you were 9 years old, she paid for piano lessons.
You thanked her by never even bothering to practice.
When you were 10 years old, she drove you all day, from
soccer to gymnastics to one birthday party after another.
You thanked her by jumping out of the car and never looking back.
When you were 11 years old, she took you and your friends to the movies.
You thanked her by asking to sit in a different row.
When you were 12 years old, she warned you not to watch certain TV shows.
You thanked her by waiting until she left the house.

Those teenage years
When you were 13, she suggested a haircut that was becoming.
You thanked her by telling her she had no taste.
When you were 14, she paid for a month away at summer camp.
You thanked her by forgetting to write a single letter.
When you were 15, she came home from work, looking for a hug.
You thanked her by having your bedroom door locked.
When you were 16, she taught you how to driver her car.
You thanked her by taking it every chance you could.
When you were 17, she was expecting an important call.
You thanked her by being on the phone all night.
When you were 18, she cried at your high school graduation.
You thanked her by staying out partying until dawn.

Growing old and gray
When you were 19, she paid for your college tuition,
drove you to campus, carried your bags.
You thanked her by saying good-bye outside the dorm so you wouldn't
be embarrassed in front of your friends.
When you were 20, she asked whether you were seeing anyone.
You thanked her by saying, "It's none of your business."
When you were 21, she suggested certain careers for your future.
You thanked her by saying, "I don't want to be like you."
When you were 22, she hugged you at your college graduation.
You thanked her by asking whether she could pay for a trip to Europe.
When you were 23, she gave you furniture for your first apartment.
You thanked her by telling your friends it was ugly.
When you were 24, she met your fiance and asked about your plans for the future.
You thanked her by glaring and growling, "Muuhh-ther, please!"
When you were 25, she helped to pay for your wedding, and she cried and told
you how deeply she loved you.
You thanked her by moving halfway across the country.
When you were 30, she called with some advice on the baby.
You thanked her by telling her, "Things are different now."
When you were 40, she called to remind you of an relative's birthday.
You thanked her by saying you were "really busy right now."
When you were 50, she fell ill and needed you to take care of her.
You thanked her by reading about the burden parents become to their children.


And then, one day, she quietly died. And everything you never did came
crashing down like thunder.

"Rock me baby, rock me all night long."
"The hand who rocks the cradle...may rock the world".
Let us take a moment of the time just to pay tribute/show appreciation to
the person called MOM though some may not say it openly to their mother.
There's no substitute for her. Cherished every single moment.
Though at times she may not be the best of friends, may not agree to our
thoughts, she is still your mother!!!
She will be there for you...to listen to your woes, your braggings, your
frustations, etc.
Ask yourself.....have you put aside enough time for her, to listen to her
"blues" of working in the kitchen, her tiredness???
Be tactful, loving and still show her due respect though you may have a
different view from hers.
Once gone, only fond memories of the past and also regrets will be left.

I know this to be true. If you havent yet, call your Mum if she is still with us. If not and today is a day very difficult My prayers are with you.

Rainy day at the mall Photo Blogging

This is a multiple photo test of Bloggers new phone blogging system
Taken at the Mall of the Woodlands Texas

This was the perfect day to spend in the Mall. We shopped and them had dinner at the Cheesecake factory. Very nice. Bough all sorts of goodies for myself. Gosh I am starting to feel like a girl again.

The Merry Go Round Beast

The Merry Go Round Lion

one for Woody

The Carousel of The Woodlands

May 07, 2005

Wanting Memories

Creation in Motion Steaming ocean entries at the Kilauea Volcano HVNP/HVO Photo


I want to thank Keali'i Reichel for blessing me today with a rendition of this song on his CD "Kawaipunahele"... Written by Dr.Ysaye Maria Barnwell, it is a song that touches that part of each of us that wants or wants to give "mothering"... Although Dr. Barnwell is not Hawaiian, I believe that she speaks to the soul of the Kama'aina, those of us that feel drawn to the land and how the land is a nurturing mother of sorts. We are nurtured by our past, for good or ill...If ill then let us find the good...

Wanting Memories
.
.

I am sitting here wanting
Memories to teach me
To see the beauty in the world
through my own eyes.
I am sitting here wanting
Memories to teach me
To see the beauty in the world
through my own eyes.
.
You used to rock me
in the cradle of your own arms
You said you'd holld me till
the pains of life were gone.
You said you'd comfort me
in times like these
And now I need you
Now I need you,
and you are gone.
.
Since you've gone and left me
There's been so little beauty
but I know I saw it clearly
through your eyes
.
Now the world is a cold
and bitter place
Here inside I have a few
things that will console
And when I try to hear you voice
Above the storms of life
Then I remember
all of the things
that I waas told.
.
I think on the things
that made me feel
So wonderful when I was young
I think on the things
that made me laugh
Made me dance
Made me sing
I think on the things
that made me grow into
a being, full of pride.
I think on these things
for they are truth
.
I thought that you were gone
But I know that you'er with me
You are the voice that whispers
All I need to hear
.
I know a please
a thank you'
And a smile will take me far
I know that I am you
and you are me
and we are One
I know that who I am
is numbered in every grain of sand
I know that I have been blessed
over and over again...
.
I am sitting here wanting
Memories to teach me
To see the beauty in the world
through my own eyes.




Lyn, this is for you...be blessed.

May 06, 2005

Caveat Emptor

Hawaii Kai

Posted from The Drury Inn The Woodlands Texas... 5-7-05

may 6 2005

Oh... this is one of my favorite lines. I am a looker before I leap and a careful shopper. We sit today all day in the Chrysler store comming to terms with the fact that my lovely new car is the most lightly equipted, no brainer I have ever driven.

We found this out not by a dealer disclosure or asking questions but by trying to get an alarm installed. After neaarl three days of trying we all realized that there isnt enough wiring to the car to put in the sort of alarm I am used to but rather they have put in the most primitive system imaginable. This is when I found out all I have is a 6 banger under the hood, CD and power door locks no cruse control, nothing extra. I knew this, sort of, but didnt realize that what I saw really was all the we had and there was no way to upgrade anything... The 2003 was loaded to the max so I assumed...

And you all know what that means... I cant spell it out on my blog gets black listed on this wretched computer.

Woody is pissed at himself. He has sold cars for 25 years and fell in love with a pretty car with no miles like the average idiot buyer. He spent most of the day kicking himself...And the dealer, who is cutting back a check for 2000.00 for stuff that we didnt get. Its a fraud of sorts. But we need to get out of here and on to Bentonville so we can get our lives started again...so we arent fighting it. We own the car. Its not a lemon, just not what we thought we were getting. Silly us.

We have some concerns now but our check on CARfax says this vehicle is clean, just a stripped down model. By getting the money back we are now paying for the car we got...

A sexy looking V-6 Neon... Oh its peppy and I was able to navigate Houstons Freeway jungle with flair and ease... But Woody's still pissed and when papa's not happy nobody is happy...

We were going to see the baby Kitties today. We have landed a rental house that will accept them in Bella Vista, but we need to see it first...I also see that I may be able to post from my phone and will try that today.

A Little News, A Little Shopping

Rainbow falls Hilo


Posted at the Drury Inn The Woodlands Texas May 6, 2005

Soon My postings will be universal. Frustrated with the total inability to look at news from public computers... its silly really Woody was trying to look at items for the upcomming Kentucky Derby and was blocked as the computer decided that these were "g-mbl-ng" sites. I cant even mention the word or it makes my blog off limits. When I spoke to the manager about this she sighed and agreed with me but its way above her to get this changed, I do understand that.

But its all of the public computers. What is with the sensorship? I am a big girl and can deal with the issues...I dont get it.

So Woody says as we are walking through the Mall of the Woodlands, "There is a Dell Store, get ready to buy us a laptop." Yip Yip Yippe! so we ordered one and it will meet us in Bentonville next week Im very excited about this.

that was not the only shopping I did. There is only one Mall in all of the Big Island, and it was filled with the worst imaginable mix of stores that had nothing that I needed. It had a JC Penny when we moved there but it closed shortly after we arrived leaving us the catalog to shop in. Same for Lane Bryant. They had a huge store there and it closed just after we moved there.. We should have taken the warning and run away then.

So it was with joy that I plunged into both stores, and 100 others here in The Woodlands. The mall reminds me of South Coast Plaza in Orange county, Very broad range of stores from the bargan to the fantastically expensive... Woody and I spent the day roaming around, I bought some much needed things and had a hair cut... Got some face cream... Jeez I look human again.

We have post poned our departure for Bentonville for a few days. We got a call from the LOJACK people to come out and install our lojack in my new car and then the gal stopped and said "Oh Dear, we dont service Arkansas" I said "What , no cars ripped off there?" She said they do have a generally lower crime rate there. So we have had the car into the dealer to put on a dealer system and alarm... Glad for that, but the car really hasnt been driven and wed like to give it a few spins before we take off, cats in tow, for the big trip north. So we get the thing back today and we will drive it this week end and see how it does then leave monday or tuesday.

Kitties are fine. We took them some of the food that they are used to and they nearly squealed with joy and ate a lot of it. Both are well but want to know when are they getting out of jail... they promise to be good kitties. They are anyway.

May 04, 2005

Rome Wasnt Built With Union Labor

Evening on Reed's Bay Hilo Big Island

Posting at the Drury Inn, The Woodlands, Texas may 4 2005

I want to thank Cookie for sending me this article on the land boom in our district on the Big Island, Puna. I read this last week but the censoring device on this computer is making it impossible for me to do any research. It is clssifying the Honolulu newspaper "Honolulu Advertiser" as a chat room. Never, never again will I support the use of this horrible softwear in a public venue, like the library. I dont care if this allows pervs access to porno, It keeps kids from doing their homework and that is what a library is for. This thing here is so filtered that we cant look at nearly any of the blogs on my sidebar, let alone comment. Where we are staying in Holiday Island,next week, I have an open computer and we will be better able to see the world, via the blogosphere.

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2005/Apr/25/ln/ln03p.html

As I was leaving the Big Island we saw the huge swaths of land being cleared for building and we wondered if there is a limit to this. What drives this?Is it just demand? Greed? or pure business, ie speculation. Yet I wonder about how this will end up. How many more peopel will be driven from the A'ina because they are "land poor " and cannot pay the taxes...

Then there is zoning and land use restrictions... Big in Hawaii... Now I am a believer that we are free to do with our posessions as we will including cutting down trees and building on our land that we own as we will.I think its wrong that you can buy a piece of land in Hawaii or elsewhere and you cant cut down a tree or build on the property you spent hard money for... I do think that zoning is good, and that the lack of zoning has been bad for such areas as Houston, as it allows mixed use in places that are probably not the best places for this. I understand that there is no zoning per se within the Houston City limits that from a realtor trying to sell us on living in The Woodlands a very highly structured masterplanned community north of Houston.

I happen to like struture, and think community rules are good especially if the community inforces them . If they dont then they are an irritant. Bella Vista, the village that we are buying a home in is trying to incorporate and we arent sure if that is good or bad. Good if they plan to inforce the present CC&R's, bad if they want to start changing the face of this retirement community to what ever... Currently there are no schools, or kiddie parks ect within the city limits. I hope that it stays that way... But I also think that as city will be better about enforcing ordanances like no trash burning and the like... so common here.... there is that old Texas proverb... " Good fences make for good neighbors"...

I sort have gotten off topic. I want to write about something that is a big news item and has a lot of people talking here and in my home state of California...

Illegal Immigration... Oh I can hear it...." Hoku why do this? Just write about the Great Journey and leave the moaning to Bill O'Reilly but I want to write about it because this issue has a direct impact on the Great Journey...

We Woody and I are astounded at the building...It amazing it really is... Buildings, great and small, Miles of new tract homes, many with ornate brickwork, and hand cut stone work in the kitchens baths and exteriors. Many have hand plastered and detailed ceilings and archways...Even one of the malls near our hotel has ornate plasterwork with stautary and a facade remenisicant of the palace of Granada in Spain. The most basic of new homes has all of this sort of thing which made me run not walk to this 1990's ranch with low ceilings and wide PLAIN windows in a established retirement community... When I say basic house, Im talking a 1500 square foot 3 bedroom two bath, no yard to speak of... some no landscaping but you can have that for a small amount that made me gasp for its cheapness. These homes start in outlying areas as low as 80,000, to the 150,000 for a great view and more squarefootage...

Its not just Texas, but Arkansas too. We looked at 50 or so houses and much of the new constrution was like this... Near the XNA as the Northern Arkansas Regional Airport...(which is a great airport) Huge hotels are rising out of farmlands, creating new cities almost overnight...

We saw the work gangs finishing exteriors at Del Lago at Lake Conroe,Texas and in Rodgers Arkansas, as far as the eye can see farms are being cleared by dark skined men in work gangs, and the brickwork and new landscaping going in.

The New South being built on the back of illegal labor. When I said this to Woody in a hush hush voice he scoffed at first. But this former labor union steward looked again and later as we were going back to our lodging agreed and said that you have to count So Cal as a part of the South as we always do because it is very much like that...We always knew that Big Agrabusiness was fueled by migrant/illegal labor, and that was always the way... But this is something else and for the first time it bothers me and him with regards to our future home and location.

It bothered me in the 90's as I worked in the Intermodal/Transportation business when I knew that the freight was being transloaded by guys here illegally and the drivers were sleeping in their trucks so they could send more money to the family in Mexico and beyond... The place I was working for stated that they paid the "going rate" but I wondered about it...

I love our President but this is the one thing I have against him. He has done NOTHING to secure the borders and protect us from this invasion. In this post I have not brought up all of the financial issues and the crime issues... (The official I spoke to in the Galveston mayor's office honestly told me that 80 percent of the violent crimes charged there were commited by illegals from "Latin America" This was also true for Florida as we looked into this. I dont have the stats in front of me, but it is very scary to think of this situation getting worse and worse...)

Lest you think me a bigot, let me remind the readers that I am of Hispanic heritage, and proud of it... but my Father's mother came here legally, as a child to live with business associates of the family and be educated here. My Father's father was of English and Welsh decent and his Grandmother emmigrated to California a war widow with three small children...(That is a long story and one that you will enjoy, someday I will post that. I come by a lot of my spirit and impetuous nature from that lady, or so my father would tell me.)

I have to agree with the calls for a more stringent Border patrol, and yes the use of troops if needed. It will drastically effect the economy of this area, but it will also be better for the government as a whole. You may get a cheap gardener or housemaid, but you pay for it in taxes going out. The money you pay them doesnt stay here to help the economy of your state, it goes out of the country in a drain that is harmfull to us as well as the state of origin... It makes a colony of counties like Mexico, who now depend on these dollars for the major part of the national gross income. (who'd of thought that the money being sent home by those drivers, maids and bricklayers surpasses oil as the cheif source of revenue for Mexico. I think its tragic that President Fox cannot use the vast resources of his truly rich nation like Mexico to help people so they dont need to try to come here...)

Until the nations that refuse to help themselves out of the poverty that generates migration, then nothing that the US does will matter. We do not have to have cheese cloth borders to be good citizens of the world, nor are we somehow bigots and racist for wanting National Security. This is a problem that has deep roots and wont be solved in a day, but it needs to be solved, because to continue creates a society that is not free, equal or moral, and certainly not just...

Every Blessing Under Heaven

Let the Sea Rejoice Breaking surf at Punalu'u Black Sand Beach...

Posted at the Drury Inn The Woodlands Texas May 2, 2005 late PM

I love this photo... It is the very picture of the earth rejoicing in Gods purpose and plan for our lives and for His creation. It is also the essence of my view of the natural world. Looking for unexpected things and feelings...

Today I have felt the gamut of these feelings. We got the news that the family has agreed to sell us their parents home at the agreed upon price. This home is really nice and more than I expected. For Woody it is a dream home, close by to nearby lakes and golf courses (that we can walk to)... Bella Vista is a top retirement spot. I know that we will be happy here.

It was hard to break the news to our agent here in the Woodlands. Rhonda has been a champ and even had stuff lined up to go at it again today. I knew we'd have "losers" not really the term I want to use but agents and homes that we werent going to buy. The gal in Hot springs village didnt even get a call last week as we knew that Bella Vista was the place for us. Still kudo's for Rhonda...

I havent told my Texas family either. If they read the blog they will know. I put a call in today and hope I can talk to them by tomarrow about this.

The next thing on our agenda was to buy a vehicle. We stopped at the first Dodge Chrysler lot we saw and got out to look. After a procession of used smoked in Malibus and various minivans I went into the showroom and on to the bathroom... I looked towords the main showroom area and froze in my tracks....

Do you believe in love at first sight? It happened in the form of a 2004 Dodge Intrepid. Its gunmetal grey, with a dark interior,sleek and fast (I have the v-6) Yes smaller than my LHS and not so full of bells and whistles, but it only has 553 miles on it and is spotless. Ah the sweet smell of new car. Was a demo and got shuffled off to one side, waiting for me it was. Woody got a killer deal on it, and they threw in the warranty... The trunk is a cavern, and the rear seats are large enough to hold Mak and Nani securely as we migrate north. It rides like a european sedan not so cushy as an American Full sized car. It will take some getting used to but like all things I know thatI will ajust. I wish that you could see it. I was blissfully happy till I realized that we were spending a huge amount of cash...but it cant be helped. I stopped Woody from buying a 2nd car for himself encouraging him to just drive this one for a bit...Its not a girly car by any means and he will enjoy driving it.

I am ajusting to life on the mainland but its a painfull process. I reminded myself of just how fortunate I am. For many people our lives are to be envied. The freedom to just go without looking back is a thril.

We have every blessing under heaven. I know that. I got a little weepy today when it dawned on me that this truth was self evident...Just look around, I see the gifts. The comfort and it is amazing. Thank You God for everything, and if we start to whine or cry, just remind us that this is only for a little while and that soon we start our new lives in a new place... Not too many people get a fresh start like this and thank you for allowing it.

May 02, 2005

Giants in the Land

Cloudscape over Kaimu

Then the LORD spoke to Moses saying,
"Send out for yourself men so that they may spy out the land of Canaan, which I am going to give to the sons of Israel; you shall send a man from each of their fathers' tribes, every one a leader among them."
So Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran at the command of the LORD, all of them men who were heads of the sons of Israel.
When Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, he said to them, "Go up there into the Negev; then go up into the hill country.
"See what the land is like, and whether the people who live in it are strong {or} weak, whether they are few or many.
"How is the land in which they live, is it good or bad? And how are the cities in which they live, are {they} like {open} camps or with fortifications?
"How is the land, is it fat or lean? Are there trees in it or not? Make an effort then to get some of the fruit of the land." Now the time was the time of the first ripe grapes.
So they went up and spied out the land from the wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob, at Lebo-hamath.
When they had gone up into the Negev, they came to Hebron where Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai, the descendants of Anak were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)
Then they came to the valley of Eshcol and from there cut down a branch with a single cluster of grapes; and they carried it on a pole between two {men,} with some of the pomegranates and the figs.
That place was called the valley of Eshcol, because of the cluster which the sons of Israel cut down from there.
When they returned from spying out the land, at the end of forty days,
they proceeded to come to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the sons of Israel in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; and they brought back word to them and to all the congregation and showed them the fruit of the land.
Thus they told him, and said, "We went in to the land where you sent us; and it certainly does flow with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.
"Nevertheless, the people who live in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified {and} very large; and moreover, we saw the descendants of Anak there.
"Amalek is living in the land of the Negev and the Hittites and the Jebusites and the Amorites are living in the hill country, and the Canaanites are living by the sea and by the side of the Jordan."
Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, "We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will surely overcome it."
But the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are too strong for us."
So they gave out to the sons of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, "The land through which we have gone, in spying it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people whom we saw in it are men of {great} size.
"There also we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim); and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight."

Then all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night.
All the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron; and the whole congregation said to them, "Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness!
"Why is the LORD bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become plunder; would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?"
So they said to one another, "Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt."
Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces in the presence of all the assembly of the congregation of the sons of Israel.
Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes;
and they spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, "The land which we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land.
"If the LORD is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us--a land which flows with milk and honey.
"Only do not rebel against the LORD; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them."
But all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Then the glory of the LORD appeared in the tent of meeting to all the sons of Israel.
The LORD said to Moses, "How long will this people spurn Me? And how long will they not believe in Me, despite all the signs which I have performed in their midst?
"I will smite them with pestilence and dispossess them, and I will make you into a nation greater and mightier than they."
But Moses said to the LORD, "Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for by Your strength You brought up this people from their midst,
and they will tell {it} to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that You, O LORD, are in the midst of this people, for You, O LORD, are seen eye to eye, while Your cloud stands over them; and You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night.
"Now if You slay this people as one man, then the nations who have heard of Your fame will say,
'Because the LORD could not bring this people into the land which He promised them by oath, therefore He slaughtered them in the wilderness.'
"But now, I pray, let the power of the Lord be great, just as You have declared,
'The LORD is slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He will by no means clear {the guilty,} visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth {generations.}'
"Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness, just as You also have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now."
So the LORD said, "I have pardoned {them} according to your word;
but indeed, as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the LORD.
"Surely all the men who have seen My glory and My signs which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have put Me to the test these ten times and have not listened to My voice,
shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who spurned Me see it.
"But My servant Caleb, because he has had a different spirit and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land which he entered, and his descendants shall take possession of it.
"Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites live in the valleys; turn tomorrow and set out to the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea."
The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,
"How long {shall I bear} with this evil congregation who are grumbling against Me? I have heard the complaints of the sons of Israel, which they are making against Me.
"Say to them, 'As I live,' says the LORD, 'just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will surely do to you;
your corpses will fall in this wilderness, even all your numbered men, according to your complete number from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against Me.
'Surely you shall not come into the land in which I swore to settle you, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.
'Your children, however, whom you said would become a prey--I will bring them in, and they will know the land which you have rejected.
'But as for you, your corpses will fall in this wilderness.
'Your sons shall be shepherds for forty years in the wilderness, and they will suffer {for} your unfaithfulness, until your corpses lie in the wilderness.
'According to the number of days which you spied out the land, forty days, for every day you shall bear your guilt a year, {even} forty years, and you will know My opposition.
'I, the LORD, have spoken, surely this I will do to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against Me. In this wilderness they shall be destroyed, and there they will die.' "
As for the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land and who returned and made all the congregation grumble against him by bringing out a bad report concerning the land,
even those men who brought out the very bad report of the land died by a plague before the LORD.
But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive out of those men who went to spy out the land

Numbers 13-14 NASB abridged


What a punishment for disbelif. A journey that should have taken 3 months took 40 years. All because the people of God couldnt trust Him. Dear Lord God almighty...I dont want to be as these. Do not allow our wanderings to be of this nature but rather allow us to find rest at Your destination, fully believing that you have brought us to the place You have called us to. Let us look at the giants, and really see them and also see that You will be the defeater of these roadblocks and we only need to trust in You and not in ourselves. Help us in our unbelief... amen