Thanksgiving for Forgiveness

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Matt and I had our coffee around the fire bowl this crisp and wintery Tucson morning and spent a little time talking about what we are most thankful for this year.  The top of the list this year and every year has to be forgiveness from God in Christ.  I recently listened to an awesome study on forgiveness from my favorite Bible teacher John MacArthur.  He taught this four part study out of the book of Philemon.  It was amazing.  As he says in the beginning of the study "we are never more like God than when we forgive."  I highly recommend this study to you.  It can be found here free for download on the Grace To You website.

Thanks be to God who demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Feline Fun in the Desert

We take our cats outside every so often for supervised visits with nature.  They absolutely love it but they cannot go out without us or they would quickly become coyote food or road kill.  Here are some pics from today's field trip into the east patio where they learned all about cactus...

Kitchen Gone Mexican

Matt and I have been making the most of our time here in Tucson while he looks for a job. Each day we get up early, have our coffee and then get to work on the house. We have made many improvements in these last couple of months with kitchen remodeling, painting, yard work, and a host of other odds and ends around the house. Here are a few pics of the kitchen so you can see how it turned out. We did this all ourselves with Matt's mom helping us on the tile work.

                                                                 BEFORE...

                                                                      AFTER...

We were inspired by a Mexican kitchen we saw at a store here in Tucson called Rustica which had copper cabinet inserts and was very colorful. Due to the cost-prohibitive nature of these special kind of cabinets we thought we'd try making inserts ourselves. We searched high and low for tin but in the end had to use aluminum. We chose a different southwest design for each cabinet pair and Matt hammered them out using an awl. We also used a bit of paint to give them an aged look and mounted them to our existing outdated cabinets giving them a whole new look. We then removed the orange laminate counter tops and constructed the countertops and backsplash using Mexican talavera tile. Craigslist made it possible for us to upgrade our appliances and then we replaced the sink and lights and painted. It all turned out muy bien! The only thing missing now is the dishwasher and saltillo tile on the floor. Someday...

The Serpent at the Tucson Zoo?

A few weekends ago we went to the Tucson Zoo where I saw the snake from Genesis chapter 3. YIKES!!!

  









¹Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

 ² The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, ³ but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

 ⁴ “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. ⁵ “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

 ⁶ When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. ⁷ Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. -Genesis 3:1-7

An Amercian Family Photo

Matt and his brother thought it would be fun to dress like rednecks and take pictures with their guns one day.  Once we started taking pics we were laughing and having so much fun we had to take one with not just the brothers but with  the whole family.  I thought my friends in Europe would especially appreciate  the pics given their feelings regarding firearms.  What can I say but viva la second amendment!

Costume Party Winners

Beth & Jeff the smore

Ryan & Yunuen the Southside cholos

Nick & Betsy the rubix cubes

Matt & I the  Bedouins

Matt with Ben the hot dog

Liam & Natali as Peter Pan and Wendy

We were the winners

Matt and I went to a costume party over the weekend at our friend Liam's house. Here are a few pics of some of our friends who joined in the costume fun. Matt and I dressed up as Bedouins which are Arab nomads who live in Egypt, Jordan and Israel. We also took our hookah along which fit our costumes perfectly. At the end of the night Matt and I won a six pack of pumpkin beer for best costumes.

Book Shelf Gone Mexican

Matt and I have been having tons of fun working on our house these past several weeks.  We have been trying our hand at a number of different things.  This is what you have to do when you can't or don't want to pay retail prices for things!  This past week Matt repainted and distressed an old bookshelf we bought off of craigslist to give it a Mexican look.  It turned out great.  I am sure this will be the first of many things we will distress!

Before

After

Close up- see the blue underneath?

Wine Tasting in Sonoita, Arizona

Matt, Sandi and I recently took a drive about an hour south of Tucson to a town called Sonoita where Arizona has its vinyards and makes its wines. For a fee we were able to taste 8 local wines and have lunch. There was also a blues band and some craft tables selling goods. The vinyard also had an old church which was pretty cool. Here are some pics from our day together. My favorite wine there was the Tombstone Red.

House Projects

Sorry about all the lag time between posts.  Matt and I have been busy working on our house which needs lots of love!  Thankfully we love doing house projects.  Currently we have been working on our kitchen- updating the cabinets, appliances, sink, counter tops, paint, and lights.  My mother-in-law Sandi was over last week helping us for a few days with the tile work.  It is almost done and I cannot wait to post pictures as it has turned out beautifully.  In the meantime here is a picture I took last week when the tile work was just beginning.

Sugar, Salt and Repatriation

While living in Ireland I heard the term repatriation a few times.  Repatriation is the process of returning a person back to one's place of origin or citizenship.  I heard it said that when a person returns to their home country that person may have difficulty with various things.  In fact if you read about repatriation on wikipedia there is a section entitled overcoming repatriation which says:

"Repatriation is often the ‘forgotten’ phase of the expatriation cycle; the emphasis for support is mostly on the actual period abroad. However, many repatriates report experiencing difficulties on return: one is no longer special, practical problems arise, new knowledge gained is no longer useful, etc. These difficulties are highly influenced by a number of factors including self-management, spouse's adjustment, time spent abroad and skill utilisation. What is crucial is that every individual perceives these factors in a different way."

When I heard about repatriation in Ireland I even heard about people reading books on how to enter back into their culture.  I couldn't believe it!   Returning to the U.S. was not going to be a problem for me at all. In fact over this last year I longed for nothing more.  Maybe repatriation difficulties only affect people who do not wish to return to their country of origin or to people who have been away for much longer than I have been away for.

I have now been back here for about six weeks and there are a few things I can tell you.  America is the land of plenty.  We have so much here.  I once heard on a radio show that the middle class level of Europe is equivalent to the poverty level in the U.S. in terms of standard of living.  I cannot speak for all of Europe but my experience of living in Dublin confirms this.  To repeat myself: we have so much here in America.  Whatever you want.  And it is affordable.   

There are just a few small things I have had to adjust to being back in the U.S.  The amount of sugar and salt used in food here is outrageous!  I was prepared for things to be too sweet but I was very surprised by all the salt.   Beyond these trivial matters I cannot complain one bit.  America is the land that I love and I am so thankful to be home.

Birthday

Today marks two things- my birthday and my first blog entry since returning to my motherland. Matt and I have been busy these last few weeks catching up with friends, family, and Tucson and also trying our hand at a number of house projects. This past week we have been working on our kitchen but today we took the day off to celebrate my birthday. I had a very nice and chilled out day spending a long morning at Brueggers and then taking a nice drive out to San Xavier Mission in the afternoon. After that we had dinner with Matt's family. Then we returned home to find a house full of friends and family and a big birthday cake. That sneaky husband of mine stealthily set up a surprise party behind my back! He also got me exactly what I wanted for my birthday- a hookah! We wasted no time in setting it up and puffed on it all night long.  What a great birthday- thanks honey!

Extra! Extra!

Economist Jerry Robinson and "Follow the Money" Radio Show

A little over a year ago Matt and I were introduced to economist Jerry Robinson through a radio talk show we listen to where he was interviewed.  We liked what we heard and then found out that Jerry Robinson has his own weekly radio show where he discusses global economics, geopolitics, and culture.  We have been listening to him for the past year and have learned a lot from him.  His current radio show is called "Follow the Money Weekly"."  A typical show opens with Jerry commenting on the week's major news stories, followed by an interview with an financial expert of some kind and then ends with a short report on precious metals by Tom Cloud.
Jerry Robinson is of the Austrian school of economics. He is editor of the financial website FTMDaily.com, founder and CEO of Makers Group Financial, a columnist for WorldNetDaily, an international conference speaker, and author of a number books including "The Bankruptcy of Our Nation"  Along with his weekly radio show, which can be podcast from Itunes or more easily downloaded from his FTM website, he also teaches monthly educational webinars on different financial topics which can be live-streamed for free.  And don't miss his regularly updated blog. Jerry Robinson provides a wealth of information and has started me off on my economic education so I can better understand what is going on in the U.S. and the world.  I highly recommend his radio show, websites, blog, and resources to all of my friends out there. 

Is the Bible just another book?

As I make my way through the 2010 Ligonier Ministries National Conference videos I continue to be blessed. Today I listened to Steve Lawson's sermon titled, "Is the Bible just another book?" In it Lawson proceeds to give a list of 10 reasons to believe the Bible is the word of God.

1. The direct claims of the Bible about itself.
2. The perfect unity of the Bible in the midst of its vast diversity.
3. The reliable transmission of the Bible.
4. The historical accuracy of the Bible.
5. The scientific accuracy of the Bible.
6. The fulfilled prophecies of the Bible.
7. Jesus' testimony about the Bible.
8. The amazing indestructibility of the Bible.
9. The ethical superiority of the Bible.
10. The supernatural power of the Bible.

He explains each of the ten reasons providing verses, examples, and facts. My favorite was the last one- the supernatural power of the Bible.  At the end  I wanted to get up and give him a standing ovation in my living room!

As they say in Ireland, "Happy Independence Day!"

Happy Fourth of July!  I know this post is a few days late but I have been sick and so just getting around to posting it.  Over the past 2 years we have spent all American holidays with our expat friends Dave and Betsy which was a real blessing.  This years 4th of July was our first holiday without them since they are now back in NY.  So we invited over a few friends for a BBQ.   We also planned on lighting off some fireworks but Sunday brought Irish gale force winds and though they had let up a bit by Sunday night it was still not safe.  Even without the fireworks it was a blessing to have dinner with our European pals who put up with our American flag napkins, Elvis on the stereo, and a slew of typical 4th of July food.  It was so cute to hear each say "Happy Independence Day" as they walked in the door!

Left to right: Catrin (Wales), Erin (Northern Ireland), Edwina (Ireland), Ebe (Ethiopia), and Matt.

Ligonier Ministires 2010 National Conference

The Ligonier Ministries National Conference which I usually attend each March with my moms, sisters, and friend was moved this year instead to June. Due to schedules we were unable to go.  However I was so happy to be able to live-stream the conference this year and to my surprise the conference videos have been archived online and are available for viewing now.  This years pre-conference focused on Christians and types of media while the main conference topic was "Tough Questions Christians Face."  I have already listened to about half the lectures and they are excellent as expected. I don't know how long they will be available so make your way here to listen.

1. The Brave New World of New Media by Ed Stetzer
2. Principles for Conduct in Communication by Tim Challies
3. Taking Captive New Media for the Church by Burk Parsons
4. The Hypersocialized Generation by Albert Mohler
5. Questions and Answers 
6. Why Did Jesus Have to Die? by John MacArthur
7. What is Evil and Where Did It Come From? by R.C. Sproul
8. Why Do Christians Still Sin? by R.C. Sproul Jr.
9. How Do We Know Which Interpretation is Right? by Derek Thomas
10. Is the Bible Just Another Book? by Steven Lawson
11. Is the Exclusivity of Christ Unjust? by Alistair Begg
12. Questions and Answers
13. Why Does the Universe Look So Old? by Albert Mohler
14. Is Calvinism Good For the Church? by Burk Parsons
15. If God is Good, How Could He Command Holy War? by Derek Thomas
16. Can We Enjoy Heaven Knowing of Loved Ones in Hell?by R.C. Sproul

Saturday, June 19

8:30am - 9:40am with Albert Mohler
Why Does the Universe Look So Old?

Many Christians believe that the universe is only 6000 years old. Others say that all observations of God’s creation indicate that it is much older. In this lecture, Dr. Albert Mohler will explain the difference between general and special revelation and the difference between both types of revelation and human interpretations of that revelation. He will also discuss how these facts should inform our approach to questions of science and faith.

9:40am - 10:30am with Burk Parsons
Is Calvinism Good For the Church?

Recent years have witnessed a resurgence of interest in the theology of John Calvin, but is this necessarily a good thing? Does Calvinism weaken and destroy churches as some contend? Is Reformed theology a hindrance to the church’s life and work? In this message, Burk Parsons will take a look at Reformed theology and explain why Calvin’s view of God, man, sin, Jesus Christ, and salvation are precisely what the church needs in this and every generation.

11:15am - 12:05pm with Derek Thomas
If God is Good, How Could He Command Holy War?

Numerous skeptics have challenged the goodness of God by pointing to His command in the Old Testament to exterminate the Canaanites, including the women and children. Christians have also wondered how to understand those passages of Scripture. In this lecture, Dr. Derek Thomas explains the meaning of Old Testament Holy War in light of redemptive history, showing that it is fully consistent with the holy and good character of God.

12:05pm - 1:00pm with R.C. Sproul
Can We Enjoy Heaven Knowing of Loved Ones in Hell?

Many of the toughest questions Christians face from skeptics involve the doctrine of eternal punishment and hell. But it is not only unbelievers who ask questions about hell. Many Christians have unbelieving loved ones who have died, and they wonder how they can enjoy heaven knowing that their loved ones are in hell. In this lecture, Dr. R.C. Sproul helps Christians understand what the Bible has to say about this deeply troubling question.

Recent MacArthur Quote

"What makes life exciting to me is discovery."

This was said by John MacArthur at the end of a sermon he recently preached on understanding God's sovereignty in salvation and man's responsibility.  Some things will not be understood this side of heaven and MacArthur is happy to leave some things for heaven.  His above statement resonates with me as I believe there is nothing better in life than discovering and getting to know God.  This is a lifelong process which continues into eternity.  Amen!

Swimming in the Irish Sea

As my time in Ireland winds down I am starting to think about things I want to do before I leave.  One of them is to swim in the Irish Sea.  My friend Honor is hardcore and swims in the Irish Sea all the time so I joined her and another friend Erin for a dip today.  The high today was 64, a typical summer day for Ireland.  I have no idea what the water temperature was.  Suffice it to say that getting in the water up to my neck and staying in for a few minutes was a very impressive feat.  The Irish say you will start enjoying the water as soon as your body is numb.  I stayed long enough for my legs and upper body to be numb but my arms felt so strangely cold that I got out after a few minutes. Anyway, I am quite satisfied that I did it and even happier that I lived to tell the tale!

What is a Perfusionist?!

I have yet to come across a single person who, when they ask me what my husband does for a living, actually knows the answer I give.  Even when I explain it to them they still look lost.  So for all of you out there who want to know what it is that Matt does take a look at this short video. I've asked  Matt if I can go on a "ride-along" with him at his work but after seeing some more videos on what he sees at work I don't know if I could handle all the blood and general gore of the OR.  I guess that's why he's the perfusionist and I'm the lady of leisure!

As of right now Matt performs his  sweet perfusion  skills on babies at the children's hospital here in Dublin.  It's been a good gig but it is time for us to return to the land of plenty.  I am dying to know where we will end up.  How bout a clue, Lord?!

Recent Tucson Trip

As many of you know I was in Tucson earlier this month visiting.  We decided to go because Matt was going to the states for a work conference in Reno and we figured since he would be so close why not pop down to Tucson?! While there we spent a lot of time with family, friends, and Mexican food.  We also were able to do a bit of work to our house and yard.  We also stayed in our house for the first time ever. Our renter Steve, a good friend of ours,  was happy enough for us to stay.  He was also good enough to let me invite my sister Regan and our friend Cbass down from Minnesota to stay too.  After Matt left Regan and Cbass joined me for 5 days of poolside relaxation in the Arizona sun.  We also took a short road trip over to the Chiricahua National Monument which is about 2.5 hours east of Tucson.  Here we saw God's beautiful handiwork and did a bit of hiking.  

But this trip was not just for fun, it was also to scout out jobs.  Matt met with his (future) Tucson boss over lunch for the latest Tucson job prospects.  We were very disappointed to hear that there is still no job for Matt in Tucson.  I also met with my Chief of Police who gave me better news.  He told me he had openings and then said I should cancel my return flight, stay here and start working!  While we were considering this idea Matt found out a third Tucson heart surgeon was leaving- that will be three in this last year- which is why there have been no jobs for Matt.  After hearing this news Matt and I decided since Tucson will probably not be hiring perfusionists for a while we would start looking elsewhere for jobs in the states.  As soon as Matt returned to Dublin he started scouring the job sites online and began sending out his CV.  

I didn't think I would be excited to return to the states unless it was to Tucson, my one true city love.  However I am very excited and so is Matt.  I pray God brings us somewhere good where we can make friends and enjoy our time as we wait for Tucson to open up.  Until then I will have to settle for desert visits. 

(Music by Tucson's own "Ryanhood")

Bath, Cardiff and Bristol Weekend

In March Matt and I took a whirlwind trip over to Bath, Cardiff, and Bristol in the U.K.  We have been to England before but not these cities and it was our first time to Wales.  Cardiff was a nice little city, very clean and friendly people.  My favorite thing about Wales was the Welshcakes.  I mean I figured they would be good but they surprised me with how good they were.  They taste like a cross between a minnie doughnut and a sugar cookie!  We also had great fun eating Cornish pasties everyday and partaking in cream tea with scones and clotted cream and Bath buns at the Jane Austen house.  My husband is such a good man to put up with going to such places!  Jane Austen is my favorite fiction writer so it was cool to visit her museum in Bath.  I also really enjoyed visiting the John Wesley chapel in Bristol.  It housed a very nice museum on his life. What an amazing man of God!  Anyway, here are some pictures from the trip.  Do you recognize the song?

Things in Tucson

As I have been getting ready for my upcoming visit to Tucson I have been busy scouring the internet for all things Tucson.  I have come across a few things I wanted to share with you.  First of all there is a great band out of Tucson called Ryanhood.  They are an acoustic guitar duo.  I would liken their sound to that of Caedmon's Call or the Indigo Girls (a few of my favorites).  I downloaded their latest album "The World Awaits" from my favorite site for new music called Noisetrade, last month.  I can't stop listening to it and dreaming of Tucson.  If you love acoustic guitars and harmony this band is definitely for you. They recently released a live album which you and all your friends can download for free at: Ryanhood- "The World Awaits" Live in Tucson

Second, I came across another Tucson artist named Leila Lopez.  She is a folky, jazzy type who has the voice of Fionna Apple and guitar skills of Ani Difranco.  She is also giving away her album called "The Roots and The Crops" on another site for new music called New Groove Music.  Follow this link to get her album: Leila Lopez "The Roots and The Crops"

Third, I came across a great blog called "Tucson Daily Photo."  The author is New York import to Tucson but she loves the Old Pueblo so much that she posts a photo taken from somewhere in Tucson each day.  Follow this link: Tucson Daily Photo

And fourthly, this blog will benefit all my Tucson mates. "Tucson on the Cheap" describes itself as a bargain hunters guide to inexpensive fun in Tucson. Can't wait til I can use this blog myself!  Follow this link: Tucson on the Cheap

From Under the Ash Cloud

Greetings from under the ash cloud.  Unless you've been living under a rock you've probably heard about the volcano that erupted in Iceland which is causing all kinds of havoc in the European skies.  Flights have been grounded since last Thursday when it happened.  I am extremely thankful to God that we were home when it happened and not off on one of our little holidays.  We returned from Italy just 2 days before the eruption and Sandi left us just one day before this volcano was awakened by the Lord. There are no traces of it in the skies above but we know its still hanging around up there as there are no planes in sky. I am praying for this ash cloud to be blown far away as Matt and I are supposed to be flying out to the U.S. next week.  Matt is to leave on Tuesday and I am off on Friday.  I am so excited to go to Tucson that the thought of not getting to go is just not an option.  I have already started packing and have made many plans for when I am there.  We have a bit of work to do on the house as well as other more pressing appointments such as Matt's lunch meeting with his future boss in Tucson to discuss any up coming jobs in Tucson and, depending on how that meeting goes, my meeting with my old boss to discuss the possibility of getting rehired before my peace officer certification runs out in August.  Matt and I were discussing this last night.  In order for me to be able to go back to police work before my certification is up he would have to find at least part time perfusion work in Tucson.  His job requires him to keep up his certification by doing a certain amount of cases each year so we are hoping for and I am praying for God to provide in this way.  I am also praying for wisdom as this is a big decision for me.  When I left the PD I didn't plan on returning but the nearer my certification draws to expiration the more I miss police work.  So, these next few weeks will be decisive in regards to our future.  The biggest obstacle is a job opening for Matt in Tucson.  Please pray with me for God to work providentially to this end so we can come home!

The Lighter Side of Johnny Mac

I've been raised in my Christian life on the Bible teaching of the great John MacArthur. If you're familiar with him you know what a serious and in depth Bible teacher he is. Click on the link below to see a side of him you've probably never seen or even imagined before!

Johnny Mac Celebrates 25 Years at the Masters College

Malta

Matt and I took a trip to the Mediterranean island of Malta a few months ago.  We rented a car and drove all around the island which is only about 17 miles long and 8 miles wide.  While there we saw St. Paul's Bay where St. Paul shipwrecked in Acts 27-28.  I love visiting Biblical places so this was my favorite place to see on the island.  My next favorite place to see was the old city of Birgu, also known as Vittoriossa.  Birgu is a really beautiful old harbor where one of my favorite movies, The Count of Monte Cristo, was filmed.  This harbor also houses the most beautiful vessel I have ever seen called the Maltese Falcon. When we came around the corner and saw it our mouths just dropped open.  Who could own such a ship?!  We had a great time in Malta, eating lots of pizza and pasta, Maltese pastizzis which are ricotta filled puff pastries, and drinking local Maltese wine.  It is a beautiful island covered in forts and overflowing with natural beauty.  Malta also has more churches than I have ever seen in one place.  The day after we left was the annual festival of St. Paul's shipwreck.  It would have been fun to be part of that!

(Song "These Times" by The Normals)

The Hat that Brings Out the Mountain Lion

Matt got me this cute hat for Christmas last year.  The funny thing is whenever one of us puts it on in the house it drives our Bengal cat crazy.  She turns into a miniature killer mountain lion and puffs all out and makes this scary guttural warning noise that I have never heard before.  Even after we take the hat off she is stressed out for the next few hours and carefully scours the flat to make sure that big gray cat is nowhere to be found.  What can I say except that not only do cats make the best house pets but they also provide great entertainment!