My Baby Needs A Shepherd

My baby needs a shepherd
She's lost out on the hill
Too late I tried to call her
When the night was cold and still
And I tell myself I'll find her
But I know I never will
My baby needs a shepherd
She's lost out on the hill

My baby needs an angel
She never learned to fly
She'll not reach sanctuary
Just by looking to the sky
I guess I could have carried her
But I didn't even try
My baby needs an angel
She never learned to fly

Oh I ran so far through a broken land
I was following that drummer
Beating in a different band

And somewhere on the highway
I let go of her hand
Now she's gone forever
Like her footprints in the sand

Toora loora loora lo
First the seed and then the rose
Toora loora loora li
My kingdom for a lullaby

My baby needs a pilot
She has no magic wand
To help her part the troubled waters
Of the Rubicon
But in my soul I know she'll
Have to go this one alone
After all that is the only way she's ever known

But there is no lamp in all this dark
That could chase away her shadow
From the corners of my heart

I pray she rides a dolphin
But she's swimming with the shark
Out where none can save her
Not even Noah and his ark

Toora loora loora lo
To the cradle comes the crow
Toora loora loora li
My kingdom for a lullaby

My baby needs a mother
To love her till the end
Up every rugged mountain
And down every road that bends
Sometimes I hear her cryin'
But I guess it's just the wind
My baby needs a mother
To love her till the end

Emmylou Harris

A Call

God calls us to do great things in the world, but He does not do so out of need. He could feed the hungry all by Himself, but He's called us to be the conduit for the food. He could provide clothing and medicine by Himself, but He has given us the charge to take provision to those in need. In those terms, God's directive to us is not a burden; it's a blessing. He blesses us by pouring out through us. He fills us to overflowing.
from Get Uncomfortable by Todd Phillips

Our Compassion Daughter--Brendah

Back in 1998, Carey and a friend volunteered at Spirit West Coast, a Christian music festival. While there, she saw a Compassion display and chose a new member for our family. Brendah was about 6 years old (her birthdate is unknown) and lives in Uganda. We have been sponsoring her ever since. Brendah is 16 now and has 7 siblings. She loves to go to church and sing. Her father works as a farmer. She likes to help out around the house, sometimes carrying water, gathering firewood, and washing clothes. She is doing very well in shcool this year. We are very proud of her. Unfortunately, we haven't had the opportunity to visit and meet Brendah and her family, but we keep in touch through letters and pictures. It has been a joy to watch Brendah's progress through her letters and drawings and sharing about her family, school and church. She almost always includes a Bible verse for our family.
Uganda, called "the pearl of Africa" is a landlocked country which consists of savanna plateaus with mountains, lakes and Victoria Falls and is home to the endangered mountain gorilla. Uganda is also home to the Lord's Resistance Army which continues to abduct children, forcing them to become child soldiers. (see Invisible Children)
Agriculture consists mainly of coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco and beef. Exports include coffee, fish and fish products, tea, gold and cotton.
Though English is one of the national languages of Uganda, Swahili and Lugandan are two of their other languages. Here are some words in Brendah's language:
Mulembe=How are you?
Urena=How is life?
Kamokihokio=the news (I believe that is correct.)

Perhaps you would like to sponsor a child in need from around the world. For $32 a month you can give a child the opportunity for a good education, health and personal development. Your child will learn about Jesus in a church--based program in his or her own neighborhood. Go to www.compassion.com to see the children.

Setting Fluffy Free

On Easter morning, as we walked out to the car for church, there sat a tiny little cottontail rabbit. What a gift--something I needed to remind me of God's little creatures in springtime. The bunny hid amongst the boxes and under the piano but always came out to eat. We kept water and grass out for him and he always ate til it was gone. Finally, after 2 days we were able to catch Fluffy and put him in a box. The first try he jumped out so found a deeper one. After researching and asking friends about care for bunnies, we decided he was big enough to set free. He was just so tiny though. They said if he was as big as a softball and could run away from you, it was okay to let him go. Charley and I took him over to the walking trail across the street, found a treeline with plenty of brush to hide in, and let him go. Hope he makes it. Walking the trail, we look for him, but no sign of him yet.

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

A free bird leaps on the back of the wind
and floats downstream till the current ends
and dips his wing in the orange suns rays and dares to claim the sky.

But a bird that stalks down his narrow cage
can seldom see through his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill
of things unknown but longed for still
and his tune is heard on the distant hill
for the caged bird sings of freedom.

The free bird thinks of another breeze
and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn and he names the sky his own.

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill
of things unknown but longed for still
and his tune is heard on the distant hill
for the caged bird sings of freedom.

Cheekwood Botanical Gardens

Entrepreneur Joel Cheek, developed a superior blend of coffee which became known as Maxwell House Coffee. Leslie Cheek and his wife, Mabel, invested in their cousins venture. They bought 100 acres in west Nashville and hired a NY architect to create a 30,000 square foot Georgian-style mansion with formal gardens that became Cheekwood.
In 1943, several years after Leslie's death, Mabel deeded the property to their daughter and son-in-law. They then offered the site for a botanical garden and art museum to the city of Nashville.
Cheekwood Botanical Gardens includes several gardens, a learning center, a sculpture trail and an art museum.

Thinkin' 'Bout Life

If mid-life happens around 30 or 40, I must be in 3rd quarter or possibly 4th.
So what's a woman my age doing trying to figure out what she's doing for the rest of her life? I want to finish well, but what kind of legacy am I leaving? Or do I need to leave a legacy? Have I spent over half a century doing what God wanted me to do? Did I spend it doing what I've dreamt of doing? We all leave a legacy--whether its positive or negative.
At only 18 years of age, Clayton McDonald left an amazing legacy. He loved God and showed God's love daily.
I know I've mentioned Clayton before, but I just can't shake him off of my mind. Perhaps, because I have a son his age, or perhaps because of something more. He didn't waste his life. After an 11 year battle with leukemia, Clayton went to be with the Lord. He lived out John 3:16 on a daily basis and he passed away on 3/16(09) encouraging friends and loved ones who surrounded him. He loved God with everything he had and he loved others. He challenged us with this message: "If you're breathing, you have a job to do." I'll include a link to one of his last messages that he shared with his youth group last November. It's a powerful message and one you'll enjoy. (www.claytonsstory.com and click on "Knocking on Heaven's Door") If you only have a few minutes, watch a shorter version of his testimony in a video he finished the day before his passing. (www.thedoorpost.com/joy/claytonsstory) He has inspired many, including myself, to look deeper.
Passions I have had in the past have been stripped away. Perhaps so I may focus on Him rather than a "purpose" or a "cause". Do I still have an interest in some of the things that used to hold my thoughts captive? I remember hearing: "Go back to where you first heard God speak to you." I want God to break my heart with the things that break His. I want to go back to that place. One day, perhaps. I want to leave a positive legacy.

Natchez Trace

Today, the Natchez Trace Parkway is 444 miles long, 800 feet wide and stretches from Natchez, Mississippi (on the border of Louisiana) to Nashville, Tennessee. It consists of 52,000 acres.
Back in the 1800's, the Old Trace ran 500 miles and took about 35 days to cover by foot or 20-25 days by horseback. Travelers of the Natchez Trace included farmers and boatmen from the Ohio River regions of Pennsylvania, Ohio and Kentucky. From there, they would float supplies such as agricultural goods, coal and livestock to ports in Natchez and New Orleans. These people were known as "Kaintucks." The Old Trace connects southern portions of the Mississippi River through Alabama to the salt licks in central Tennessee.
The Trace ran through Choctaw and Chickasaw country. The Choctaw was the largest tribe along the Old Trace. They were excellent farmers and provided food to early Europeans. By 1830, as Choctaw lands continued to shrink, The Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek removed most of the Choctaw to land west of the Mississippi River to Oklahoma. The Chickasaw were known as fierce warriors. In 1832, The Treaty of Pontotoc Creek, forced the Chickasaw to lands in Oklahoma as well.
Habitats here include streams, lakes, swamps, riparian woodlands, hardwood forests, prairie, fallow fields, and agricultural croplands. 100 different species of trees have been identified such as the Dogwood and Redbud. 2200 plant species cover four ecosystems. Thirty-three confirmed mammals live in the park, including white tail deer, bats, bobcat, coyote, fox, armadillo, river otter and the Louisiana black bear has been seen on occasion.
(the above information was found on the Natchez Trace Parkway website)

Cory's Experience With Malaria

My daughter Cory shares her experience with malaria that she contracted in Madagascar. April 25 was World Malaria Day to remember the people that are suffering with this disease throughout the world.
I not only have a heart for Africa but also a big connection, as well as malaria. Since I lived in Madagascar, Africa for many years, I was infected with malaria, more than once.
Let me share my story...I lived in Madagascar, Africa for close to nine years as a missionary with Youth With A Mission (YWAM).
I was over there in 1999, starting out as a long term missionary after a summer trip in 1997.
I first got malaria in October of 1999, when I was on an outreach with a group of Malagasy's. My symptoms just started
out as a normal cold, but than it got worse over time, and the symptoms increased. After the head cold symptoms, the n I was
hot then cold, dizzy, nauseated, loss of appetite and extremely weak...that's what I can remember anyways. I finally was able
to see a doctor and they knew right away that I had malaria. I was put on medication right and had to have three shots,
once a day. The medicine was okay, but when it came to the shots...OUCH!
I figured that I had gotten bitten on the previous outreach, as there were many mosquitos that we had to 'fight off'. Also, with
a strong change in the weather, it just made it all worse.
It took a while before I got better, as I was really weak. I also had some weird side effects for a while from the shots.
Once infected with malaria, it's in your blood. It can become dormant at times and then comes back again and attacks the body.
The following year, around April, just a few weeks before my birthday, I got sick with malaria for the second
time. I was actually planning on going home in June of that year, and with this case of malaria worse than the first, I was
given the option of going home early.
This time of Malaria was worse as I could hardly keep anything down, and I wasn't even able to feed myself. I had the
similar symptoms as the first time, but just a worse case of it. I was so grateful and blessed to have a 'family' in
Madagascar who 'took me in' and took care of me. One night though (I remember as if it were yesterday), I was so sick,
I was about ready to go to the hospital. It had just gotten so bad, I really  thought that was my last night. I was prayed
over and the following morning I started to feel better and day by day my health improved. It took time though to really regain my strength. After some time though, it came back.
As I said earlier, malaria can come back. Less than two years later I came down with malaria again. This time it
wasn't as bad as the first two though. I started to get the symptoms again and I saw a doctor. I was put on medication, got a
couple shots and I was told that if the medicine didn't work, I would have to be admitted to the hospital. Of course I freaked out, who would want to go to the hospital...so I prayed! I got better from the medicine and the shots, and regained lost strength over time.
I don't know why or how I got malaria the first time--if the medicine that I was on didn't work, or because I might have
missed a couple pills (Oops)...but malaria is real and it's not just a bite from the mosquito, but a deadly disease.