Thar She Blows!

Mt. Redoubt on March 15, 2009.

Mt. Redoubt has vented. Here in Big Lake I have not noticed any ash fall, so that is good. Skwentna has some fallout I've heard. Not sure who, where if any else are being affected by Mt. Redoubt's eruptions last night and early this morning. Keep track of any other activity here. NOAA

If you get ash on your vehicles you have to clean it off or else the acidic ash may wreck the finish. So the guys in my family are very interested to keep track of which way the fallout is heading. I am watching. Doug has a truck out there (covered with a protecting layer of snow); my car is safe and snug in the garage; Klint, Kris and Marie keep their vehicles outdoors too.

I was in Togiak with the Alaska Freedom Band two Sunday's ago. I went to high school with others from Togiak so it was fun to see this village/town way out in West Alaska. Boy was it COLD! "The day before you got here was so warm we were out smelt fishing without our coats on." I had a hard time believing that! The wind was blowing and I felt like if I stopped moving for very long I would freeze solid where I stopped! We had some great times of worship and sharing. Thanks to Paul and Laura Frost for their hospitality!

Anyway, I took some pictures of Mt. Redoubt as we flew past on our return from Togiak. She was only steaming (March 15). Last night she finally blew off some pressure! Just like we all do sometimes huh?

Out comes the pent-up frustrations and everyone in the area knows it too. After that rumbling and venting we have to take a look-see around to see where the 'ash is falling' and THEN the hard part --- gotta try to clean up the mess before it hurts any deeper!

I've been physically tired and emotionally worn. I sit down and fall asleep and sleep really hard! I've never done that since I was pregnant! I've thought maybe it's because I am old. ha But no, I've had a full plate lately - learning to get along with a new person living in our home has been a challenge for me -- for us all.

There are many aspects of that challenge, not only the daily change of having my Mom in my house day and night. We also have to deal with my siblings that chose not in years past to be part of my family or my life but now because Mom is here I hear from them. Certain ones more than others - strong opinions of Mom's care; the things that have gone on with with Mom that are wrong - helping her to see it as wrong; the fact that my relationship with my children is being adversely affected by the troubles Mom has is very hard on me. I'm learning that dealing with a troubled elderly parent coming into ones home will affect every aspect of life! I consider it all invasive! I didn't expect this ever in all my life!

Dealing with Mom's physical problems is much easier than dealing with family/sibling issues. My family (my own siblings) issues can be like the acidic ash that is falling out there. Words that are spewed into our hearts are not so easy to clean up. So we hurt and we struggle.

But Christ...

is faithful!

I am learning to put my burden back on Him for He cares.... again! And again! And again!

Doug shared with me that one his drive home on Friday he listened to Alistair Begg speaking about the unexpected cross that Simeon was called on to carry for our Savior as He was being led to Calvary. (Do Not Weep For Me, Part A) Luke 23:26-31. Simon had been making his way to Jerusalem to worship God at the Temple and he was chosen from the crowd to carry this cross for Christ. It was unexpected, it was hard, it was heavy. I would imagine that Christ's cross was covered with His blood, and I would imagine that Simon was cleaned-up and ready for visiting the Temple. So unexpected. So it is for some of us in this world. We are called on to carry a cross sometimes, like Simon did, unexpectedly.

What cross have you been struggling with? Even though it may have been unexpected, hard, messy and heavy you can determine to carry it in such a way that it will bring praise to Jesus Christ. Listen to the sermon by Alistair Begg, it will encourage your heart like it did mine.

"Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus."

Jesus Christ is Lord!

[Top picture: Old Harbor Boat Harbor, and the Old Harbor dock at sunrise.]

“We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God’s Amazing Grace and Glory, standing tall and shouting our praise.” Romans 5:2

This was the verse at the Kodiak's Crusade for Christ that we were privileged to attend last week. We spent time with Kodiak Christian's as they took a week to praise and worship Jesus Christ and honor the memory of a dear friend of theirs Nadia Mullan.

[First picture:Alaska Freedom Band, Adam, Don and Doug (missing Steve), Bottom: Me pointing at the Tustemena leaving Kodiak.]

The reason I got to go to Kodiak/Old Harbor was The Alaska Freedom Band was invited to lead the music and Doug is part of that gospel music group, and Doug invited me to go along with him. *big smile* A big THANK-YOU to my daughter Kim for visiting with my Mom the week I was away!

I was also asked to share my testimony. This can lead me to many days of fingernail-biting anxiety but it didn't! I found myself quietly asking God to fill me with His Holy Spirit and give me words to bring honor and glory to His Son... and He did! I praise the Lord for that. Besides that my Mom and my grandchildren were praying for me too! God is good.

Besides Kodiak we also flew back to my hometown Old Harbor. It was great to be back near the ocean and in the place that I spent my growing up years. I got to see many friends and relatives that I have not seen for so many years. It was a blessing and I ask that God will bless them with the knowledge of His Son Jesus Christ and what He accomplished for us all at Calvary, which is the very best blessing that I can ask be given to them or anyone else.

"Jesus Christ is Lord!"

These are the words on a plague seen in the Windbreak Cafe in Wasilla and was a delight for Mom to see for the first time today as we sat down for breakfast after attending the early morning service. Everyone was out for breakfast today as we don't normally go to Windbreak on Sunday mornings but because the Mat-Su Family Restaurant was plugged we ended up eating there.

Mom had some medical challenges lately and we've been to see the doctor too many times. Her blood work showed that she has a Vitamin B-12 deficiency and I will be learning how to give her shots next week! I am hoping I do not fail the test of poking my Mom with a needle for her own good and just faint on Tuesday morning!

Blessings to all.

I'm Longing For Jesus, Alaska Freedom Band

Alaska's traveling worship team. I've decided that is the best description of the band that Doug plays his bass guitar for. It consists of my oldest brother Don, a high school friend named Steve, my brother-in-law Adam (Millie's husband) and my own Dougie. My other brother Toby used to sing with them but does not now, maybe in time he will be able to sing with them again.

AFB practices every week after working. When they get invited, they will travel to villages and towns where they will perform as a worship team for the weekend. They usually sing as a group but also do solo's and duets. Many times AFB will involve the church members that they are visiting so that not only are the isolated Christian's refreshed, but so are the guys!

I've traveled with the bunch before to different places like Homer, Iliamna, Pedro Bay, Huslia, Egegik, Naknek. One place AFB is sure to sing is at the fairly new gospel music event held in the MatSu Valley - Howling Huskies Gospel Festival (coming up in August). I've sang with them and with Doug. If I must say so myself... AFB is popular with the Native people's of Alaska! They are! Most Native's of Alaska love country gospel!

Via a good friend AFB was able to record a CD. He brought over his portable recording equipment one day and they recorded a casual disc full of music. I took one of my own favorite songs and added some of my own video and photos to it to create this video.

I hope you listen but mostly, I hope that you ENJOY it! I worked long time on it!

The video I took of the new baby loon here at Twin Lake, the first baby loon we've seen in a few years! The local eagle is trying every day, many times a day to steal this little one away! A few days ago while my granddaughters were with me we were on the back deck hollering at the eagle, GO AWAY! GO AWAY! He was bound and determined to eat loon for din-din! We were so relieved when we saw my son Klint come zooming out as fast as he could in our paddle boat to chase away the eagle! Saved for another day. The rest of the video is of the resident muskrat... he is not so beautiful, but he is cute! He was peeking at Doug and I behind the lily pads! I've seen those darn eagles carry off muskrats from the lake too! Life in nature is HARD on animals!

Bookmark Alaska Freedom Band's YouTube account that I just created for them and also check out their Alaska Freedom Band's MySpace to hear a few more songs from that CD.