Marsha's Blog

 Good Morning All, Well, I promised you another blurb from our upcoming book. I want to share the following story, but sadly it may not make it into publication.  "Why?" you ask.  Because it’s a story that has already been told many times, in many ways. But it’s a great account about a wonderful lady, so let me share a few details here. A tip of the hat and a big “Thanks” to my friend Tim, who did a lot of researching and put together what you’re about to read. If you are a Baptist, then you'll recognize the name "Lottie Moon". For many years now, she has been the “poster child” for our annual missions offering always happening around Christmas.  The story of her life is certainly an inspirational one. Even a cursory search will turn up several books about her life (and death). The one that has provided the most information for this blog is called, Lottie Moon: Giving Her All for China, from YWAM Publishing (2001). Lottie was born in 1840 in Virginia and was app...

 Good morning friends, I got several comments about my blog “Truth Hurts” and I thought I’d send you one from my cousin in Brazil.  Hope you enjoy it, Here it is> Sunday night found me, a tired but grateful missionary, sitting in my rocking chair, relaxing… to read Marsha’s blog. “Truth Hurts”  It left me feeling o.k? maybe a bit empty?  Really?  I pondered the idea during my waking hours of the night.  I woke up this morning still thinking.about it.  Is this slogan true? My mother-in-law was born in the United States of Danish immigrant parents.  She grew up in a very Danish community in Portland, OR.  Danes are known for being blunt.  They tell it like it is, as they see it!  My mother-in-law told a story about her mother and her aunt.  It seems that Tante Greta had her picture taken by a professional photographer.  She was not pleased with the results!  She complained as she showed the proofs to sister Minnie....

 Good Morning Everyone, As many of you know, when you're getting older, the day may come when you decide to get out there in the garage and start sorting things out.  Looking at the mountains of “treasure/trash” in every corner, I couldn’t help but recall the words I heard on this last trip, "There are no U-Haul trailers behind hearses".  Now there’s something to think about.  Anyway, as I was traveling down memory lane looking thru boxes, I had a little moment when I came across a box filled with mementoes from the days when our kids were living at home. With the scent of mothballs making my eyes water, I lifted out my son Nathan’s senior year sweatshirt. It was supposed to have been a bonding experience for the students, and they were given permission to have a personalised slogan printed on the back. I remember his friends were putting stuff like “Cool Dude" or "Successful"........  slogans to live by that would carry them on into graduation and beyond. ...

 Hello Friends! As promised, here are a couple of chapters of the upcoming book, “Stories in Time”. We’re trying to write about people who have experienced identifiable meetings with God in their last moments.  I hope you will be encouraged by these, and by the way, if you know any similar stores, please share them with us. We’ll write up a sample chapter based on your story, and with your permission will include it in the book.  Here’s the Preface, to give you an idea:   “Cars eased to the left and the right of the road ahead, as their drivers noticed either the red flashing lights or heard the whoop! whoop! of the siren. Glancing in the rear-view mirror, I saw a car hugging our back bumper. My partner, Steve, said, “Gonna have to dob that one in. Ambulance chasers are a menace to traffic.” “Will do,” I answered, reaching for the radio’s hand-held mic. I called the dispatcher, who in turn called the local police. That poor fellow was about the have a bad day. Coming...

 So there was a pastor and a bus driver who stood at the Pearly Gates. After a few moments of discussion, the Powers-That-Be stepped aside and let the bus driver in. The pastor protested as the gate swung shut, but then the answer came. “Well, pastor, when you preached, people went to sleep, whereas when the bus driver drove, people prayed!” We did a lot of praying on this last trip. We recently watched from the back of a pickup truck (which had been converted to tourist seating) as a young girl careened us all over a mountain road while texting on her phone, vaping and managing to drive using her last two available fingers. When you get down to it, travelling of most any method is not for the timid, that’s for sure.  For Tony, at least, it was all worth it since he had plenty of opportunities to peach and teach along the way. Arriving back home the other day, we were reminded of something we’ve always said, sometimes in jest but sometimes deadly serious: we need to consider a...

A good friend turned 95 this last week (you know who you are), and it startled me to realize just how fast the time is flying.  I remember this particular birthday because we had been commissioned to send a comment on his 70th that day.  But that was the day the world stood still, 9/11. I’m guessing there wasn’t much celebration that day.   Do you realise that was 25 years ago already? So, we heard a good sermon while we were on the ship recently.  It was delivered by a very humble and straightforward layman passenger, not a great orator or decorated scholar.  When I commented to him afterwords, I said, “I’ve heard a lot of great preachers, and I’m married to one as well, but that was absolutely a great sermon and I won’t forget it soon.”  He almost cried to feel that God would use him in such a way. We weren’t the only ones blessed to hear him speak that day. People were lined up with comments and questions so that it looked like backstage after a Tay...

 A long time ago, in a Bible study we attended, Tony & I met a remarkable man by the name of Marcus Uzielvsky.  He was quiet.  Usually sat at the edge or just outside the circle. We knew he had a story, but this group took seriously the decision that we would protect each other’s privacy. We did know that he was an artist and rumour had it that he'd once been a part of the popular "New Christy Minstrels". If you think you’re getting old, I’ll just affirm that by adding that when he left that group, his replacement was none other than Barry McQuire, known for his hit song, “Eve of Destruction”.  Google it. You’ll be blessed. There was an aura about Markus I can't really explain, but it was obvious to all that here was a man who walked with the Lord. He will never know this side of Heaven what an amazing impact he made on our lives, one that would carry us through years of mountaintops and valleys. The first collision came one night at Bible study. We had just shar...

 Lately I've been really enjoying the Old Testament.  Maybe that’s because I'm getting “old” myself; who knows?  Anyway, the other day I came across Isaiah 2:3, “Many peoples will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,     to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways,     so that we may walk in his paths.’” Suddenly an old song that I knew popped into my head.  It's in Japanese, but so beautiful. And the reason it was dually beautiful was that I remembered Tony singing that scripture to me about 40 years ago as we were walking up to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. This song was written by a dear friend of ours, Makoto Iwabuchi. Over the years, he’s been a real inspiration in our lives, in addition to a lifelong friend. It was the early 80’s. Tony and I were settling into life in Sendai when Makoto and another fellow by the name of Chu Kosaka came and held a concert in the city auditorium. We fell in love with...

 We were talking the other day in Bible Study about how to be ‘full on’ Christians in the world we live in now. History shows us dramatic examples all over of men and women who keep their faith razor sharp, and often pay the ultimate price for it. But what about us, in the world in which we find ourselves today? Of course, all the obvious things were mentioned, like reading our Bibles faithfully, or praying like Miss Clara in the 2015 classic, “War Room”. That raised lots of related questions, and someone asked, “What about praying in restaurants?” Wow, that opened the kettle. Some thought that prayer is a personal thing and so praying in public might not be appropriate. Others brought up the “Pray without ceasing” quote from Paul in I Thessalonians 5:16, and that reminded me of my son’s father-in-law, who has taken that verse quite literally.  We all agreed that this was a subject that bore deeper inspection. The group was split over whether or not praying in public is a mark...

 Surprise! I mentioned last time that we were having trouble finding enough WiFi to send out the weekly blog. Yesterday we managed (I Think!) to get one on its way. In the meantime, here’s another one that’s been sitting in my outbox for over a week. I’m going to send it now while I have a chance. Please be patient for the next 3 weeks; connections will be iffy at best. Good Morning Friends, Well first of all, my face is red because I believe the blog did not go out as scheduled.  We’ve been in a very dead zone of the Caribbean, and I guess the signal just didn’t go thru.  So here’s a word on the 3rd of August. First of all, shout out to my sister for her 30th anniversary.  Like most marriages, it’s been a journey but they’re hanging in there. Speaking of anniversaries, we had a lovely anniversary on the ship at sea.  Not much we could do extra to celebrate, but Tony took me to dinner (as usual). We have gotten involved at the participation end of an on-board Bi...

 Recently I was reading a dime store novel about some settlers in the Rockies who got caught in a sudden snowstorm.   I grew up in the Rockies, so that got my attention. Even though my birthday's in June (early summer in Colorado), I'd had snow interrupt a few of my party plans. But as I continued to read thru the novel, I realized I was relating because I COULD relate, if somewhat painfully. We were in Australia, maybe in our early to mid 50's when a particularly interesting 'trek' as they're called here, captured our imagination.  It's called the "6-foot track" and it's 42 KM (about 27 miles) right thru the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney.   The reason it’s called the Six-foot track is because it was built in the 1800’s originally as a wagon trail leading to some famous caves.  They’re still famous, by the way. Anyway, the terrain is rough, so no one wanted to spend time breaking rock unnecessarily. Therefore, the trail is no more than six fee...

 Apologies for the messed up blog schedule. We've been having a heck of a time finding wifi that's reliable. This is going out now since we're in Lima, Peru and seem to have a connection. Hang in there with me for four more weeks and we get back home! Recently I was reading a dime store novel about some settlers in the Rockies who got caught in a sudden snowstorm.   I grew up in the Rockies, so that got my attention. Even though my birthday's in June (early summer in Colorado), I'd had snow interrupt a few of my party plans. But as I continued to read thru the novel, I realized I was relating because I COULD relate, if somewhat painfully. We were in Australia, maybe in our early to mid 50's when a particularly interesting 'trek' as they're called here, captured our imagination.  It's called the "6-foot track" and it's 42 KM (about 27 miles) right thru the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney.   The reason it’s called the Six-foot track is...

  I came across an interesting comment in Psalms 133:1. Just one sentence by King David, “How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity!” Just reading that one verse took me back … way back to 1980. We had been in Japan for two years, studying Japanese in Tokyo. Finally done, we packed up and headed north for the town of Sendai. We had been tasked with the job of establishing student ministries, and Sendai ticked all the boxes.  What a delightful place!  There were 13 prestigious universities in town, and we had the pick of them all.  English classes taught by native speakers were like pure gold. We were in demand, and the biggest challenge was to pick the places to which we could commit.  Students of course were initially drawn by the “Engrish” lessons, but they were also quite open to hearing the Gospel. We taught the Bible, in English, to one and all, then followed that up with a Bible study in Japanese. The biggest success story was ...

As most of you know, you can't say anything to me that doesn't remind me of a personal story that I just HAVE to share.  I think there are words for people like me, but I’m not sure they're always nice.  Take for instance that great story about Elijah and Elisha (from 1 Kings 19). Elijah was about to be taken up into Heaven.  We know that, because people kept asking the young man Elisha if he knew this was happening soon.  His answer was, “Yes”. But Elisha didn't want to let him go, so he kept following him around ........ until Elijah stops and says the equivalent of "WHAT??" Then Elisha asked for his blessing, which he received. Now, fast forward thru history to 1968.  It was winter, Tony and I had fallen in love and naturally we wanted to get engaged.  But these were the days when the guy (if he’s decent) gets the girl's parents’ permission before he moves forward. I’m thrilled to mention that both my son and my son-in-law honoured that age old practice...

This morning I'll tell you another story about those interesting, exciting and Spirit-filled days in the small 700-year-old town of Yoshioka. As I mentioned last time, a big part of our week was spent at a small country church built there by a true man of faith, Dr. Abe (pronounced "Ah - Beh"). By the time we arrived, the small medical centre he had built had added a preschool that attracted just about every family in the community, along with a church that offered Sunday services and weekly Bible studies.  As with all things old and traditional, Yoshioka was changing into a bedroom community for Sendai, and along with the changing nature of the population, we were seeing new convenience stores, a gas station, revitalised government offices and the beginnings of a new preschool.  Not unexpectedly, Dr. Abe’s  clinic/preschool/church was starting to slip.  But it was not going to go silently. The people were still filled with enthusiasm, and every local festival day in...

I’ve shared with many of you the wild experiences Tony and I had in the months before our son, Trevor got sick and died. Looking back, I’m convinced that it was a time of preparation, while God systematically removed any traces of doubt we may have had about His existence and His love for us. We would be needing all the faith and hope we could muster, and God was there to give it.  In particular were those 'interesting' experiences with both the Holy Spirit and with demons during those years we were living in Sendai, Japan. I remember one precious Japanese family.  He was a soldier, on assignment to a little town north of us, close to where we had a church.  Mrs and I became good friends. She came to church asking about salvation, and within a few weeks she prayed to receive Christ. Then the 'fun' began.  She had a good, loving relationship with her husband, which was sometimes rare in a country like Japan, where in the previous generation, around 90% of all marriage...

Good Morning America! If you're reading this in the land of my birth, you're probably too busy to be reading it.  I can picture you wiping off the BBQ sauce with your elbow as you scroll down the page.  How we miss America, especially this time of year! We have a little pack of cousins in North Texas and “The Fourth” (as it should be) is enjoyed to the eyeballs … or elbows, if you will.  There is red, white and blue bunting everywhere, a football game on the lawn complete with resplendent water sprinklers, or as in the case a few years back, a stock tank filled with fresh water for a baptism, followed by a quick dip by every kid in the yard for a nice cool down.  Some of my happiest memories have been there. And the reason?  Because we live in a FREE country.  We celebrate what we want, worship Who we want ......... all with the freedoms allowed us, thanks to the blood of our ancestors and their quest for freedom. (and we can say the same for our other coun...

 Heard an interesting sermon the other day.  It was based on Psalms 124, where David is recalling all the ‘incidents’ in his life that have made him feel like he's living in unresolvable chaos. But even in everything, he can still sing, “If God had not been on our side …” The pastor then shared a bit of his life story about when he was 18, was a baker's apprentice, lived at home, had a fast car ....... and a girlfriend. He was a believer, active in his church’s youth programs. He seemed to have all the things we call “good” to his credit, but …… He came home one day and his mother said, almost cheerfully, he remembers, "There's something on your bed for you." "Oh goodie! he thought, my life couldn't get better" as he rushed up to his room. There, spread out on his bedspread, were SEVEN overdue speeding tickets.  They had been held up because he'd 'forgotten' to change the address on his licence.  For an 18 yr old, that was HIS end of the ...

Dear Friends,  This morning as you’re opening this, we are in Barcelona, Spain. For most of you, you will know that this is where the famous architect Gaudi started building his famous basilica, "Sagrada Família" 144 years ago. If you’re like me and don’t know what a ‘basilica’ is, it’s kinda like a church building with no congregation.  We went inside it a few years ago, and I have to say it’s probably the most beautiful place of (not) worship I’ve ever seen. Unfortunately, we won’t be able to go inside today because Tony’s busy leading the worship service on board the ship! (in a room with no permanent congregation as well), but that’s another story, hopefully for next week!!  Please enjoy this following article I came across and remember that God is still honoured in the world:   …..Sagrada Família has almost touched the sky. In Barcelona, something happened for which the world had been waiting for 144 years.! The Basilica of the Sagrada Família — one of the ...

 I won't lie when I say I was pretty confused about God when our son died.  We'd tried everything, promised everything, threatened even more.  I even told God I wouldn't believe in Him if He let my son die.  I had to stop right there in the hospital corridor and chuckle when His immediate answer came to my mind, "Oh great, lose your son and your God at the same time”. Fortunately, I lost neither, but now my son was in Heaven and my God felt far away.  I had nothing to say. We left the States on our way back to Japan, planning to bury his ashes at the church where he had grown up. At the insistence of our mission, we had a stopover in Australia for some time of rest and reflection. We were reminded that we still had an 11-year-old son, Nathan, who had been largely ignored for the last eight months. “Don’t make him a victim, too,” we were told.  I had a book (back before the internet) and we found a 'Farm Stay’ near the airport in Brisbane.  We'd go ther...

Good Morning Friends, Thank you again for keeping up with us during this travel-time. And I hope you’ve been able to follow my “thought trains” as I’ve rambled along, trying to craft this wonderful language we call English. I am so grateful to have been born in a country where necessity had decreed that everything I undertake, from mealtime to worship has to be in English if I am to survive. Otherwise, I’m afraid life would have turned out much differently than it has. I say this because lately as we find ourselves in a new country almost every other day, I’ve gained a greater respect for those who have had to learn the challenges of speaking to people like me. And as a tribute to those intrepid interpreters, I’d like to remind them that from time to time, we native English speakers don’t do much better. What better place to find examples than in our own daily diatribes?  Here are a few illustrations taken from letters sent to various government offices over the years.  So her...

 Good Morning All, Well, you may not know it, but you’ve been reading a pre-programmed blog for the last four weeks. I didn’t mean to abandon you, but wasn’t sure if I’d have internet, so I set it up before we left to make sure we’d be covered. Now it really is the 31st of May (at least where we are, in transit from South Africa to Armenia). I think we were a little ‘weirder’ than we thought when we started this trip a month ago. We have been battling with some issues (not bad but sort of confusing and draining), and I think we needed some help. When we got onboard the Oceana cruise ship Regatta, we were immediately hit with the opportunity to lead both the sea-day Bible studies along with the Sunday services.  Tony even got to help in some of the Catholic gatherings and has had some real “heart to hearts” with folks from the Jewish community here. He was in heaven, doing what he loves to do among ‘like-minded’ people; but for both of us, it’s been a real healing experience. A...