You are currently browsing the monthly archive for March 2007.
I watched these creatures unfurl their wings right in our backyard last year!!!
Grandpa Harold Aslakson plowing as a young man on his farm in Sheyenne, ND
My Mom, niece and me among flowers, God’s Day Brighteners!!!
My friend Sharon has taught in Tibet for over 10 years. She grew up in India. I met her in China and later taught with her at University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. Sharon loves photography and revels in the scenes she sees in Lhasa’s high altitude. I hope to go visit her one day, the Lord willing.
Frost on Cherry Blossoms
Oops, we didn’t know to put our clocks forward so we missed out on the first hour of our church service today. We go to the Church of the Holy Trinity that is just up the hill from the circus on 50/52 Schevchenko. Called the “House of Artistic Unions,” it has the mosaic tiles on the front. Their service is all in Russian or Ukrainian and a worship band with bassoon, guitars, piano, vocalists and words to the worship songs in Powerpoint gives it a more contemporary feel. Many young people attend but also some of the older women from McMurrin’s widow ministry. I don’t think the four widows who visited our class last week go to this church where they used to attend. Many widows have moved to the church that meets close to Maidan Square.
You are welcome to come to the 12 noon service on either Palm Sunday or Easter Day if you have no where else to attend, especially on April 8th, Easter Day!!! I know many of you will probably be with your families enjoying Easter on the same day as we celebrate this western holiday. I wish you a “Happy Easter” ahead of time. Now, that I have my watch set correctly, I have to fix all the other clocks in our flat.
*Photo credits go to Mrs. Jaimie Peipon, better known as Dasha!!!
A year ago George Markey Sr. talked in our WIUU classroom 2-4 on a subject he LOVED to talk on. He was a giant of a man with a quick, infectious smile and had the jovial look to him. Seemed he had an “inside joke” appearance, yet you knew he would willingly share what amused him if asked. George had time for people, he gave of it liberally. Some would call him disorganized, others knew he was just being a “people person.” I can picture George now with his graying hair, distinguishing feature for a 65 year old, and his trademark turtleneck shirt with a warm pullover sweater. George always looked comfortable and he made people feel comfortable around him; I don’t recall seeing George in a suit and tie, EVER! George liked WIUU students and years ago he came to our movie nights to share two movies he loved, “Iron Will” about dogsledding and the other “Tucker: The Man and His Dream” was about an Indiana car maker that went bust. George LOVED cars!
George and his family left the city of cars (Kyiv) after having lived here for 15 years to live in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. He changed addresses six months ago and left a thriving church called Calvary Chapel behind. Last night one young Ukrainian man told how George had come to the hospital where he was laid up for several weeks and how there was an Orthodox priest who shared his room. This young priest was good at playing cards to pass the time and was visited by a very high, high priest with flowing robes and crucifix on his front and the people in the hospital kissed his hands and feet as if he were Jesus. When this distinguished priest left the room, George entered it with his “comfortable” look of jeans and sneakers. George handed the young Ukrainian man a yogurt and prayed with him, that convinced him to solidly commit his life to Christ and to be a part of George’s flourishing church.
Pastor Markey was a leader and many people followed this humble man because of his servant attitude. One time George stopped his van and helped an old man who was in a wheelchair struggling with hand peddles to get up a hill. George pushed him to the top and the guy didn’t know what to say, George knew what to say but didn’t know how to say it. You see, George knew very little Russian and got by with all his children becoming deeply integrated into the Ukrainian culture. One time he came from the U.S. with a dufflebag full of tennis shoes to hand out to the Ukrainians who were waiting for him. It gave him joy to give.
George changed addresses again on Feb. 13th when he died in Indiana, his home state due to complications with his pancreas. His last word on his lips was “Jesus.” That is WHO he loved to talk about. George is in heaven with Him right now and it was easy for all of us at his memorial service last night to imagine him looking down and smiling at the crowd of cheerful mourners. Now there was a good man who just changed addresses for the better. George would often repeat Paul’s line, “For to me to live is Christ, but to die is gain.”
Philippians 1:21
The blog entries I am reading from both classes about the interviews with Klaudia, Lidia, Anna and Margarita are AMAZING!!! These women have seen it all and yet they still smile and have hope in their hearts. God has put His finishing touch on them. Without His forgiveness, they would be sour, bitter and perhaps already dead. They know they yet have a purpose when they talked to our classes. Thanks for listening to them and making them feel important.
“It appears we have appointed our worst generals to command forces, and our most gifted and brilliant to edit newspapers! In fact, I discovered by reading newspapers that these editor/geniuses plainly saw all my strategic defects from the start, yet failed to inform me until it was too late. Accordingly, I’m readily willing to yield my command to these obviously superior intellects, and I’ll, in turn, do my best for the Cause by writing editorials – after the fact.” Robert E. Lee, 1863
Robert E. Lee was the Leading Warrior for the South during the U.S. Civil War. The winning general was Ulysses S. Grant for the North. It would seem that by reading all accounts from American newspapers that THEY (the editors and columnists) are “winning” the war on terrorism with their words. Does anyone understand what I mean by MY words?
