Month: August 2020
Protected: Fun with Student Captains
God’s Glory over Jacksonville
Costa Rica Wild
February 2016 found my husband and I vacationing in Costa Rica with friends. This was the first trip the 6 of us had taken together, but I hope it’s not the last. Gene and Marilyn planned the trip and they couldn’t have picked a better get away. Tim and Kelly, as well as Bill and I, jumped at the chance to join them because we all love adventure. And, well, I’ll pretty much go anywhere with Marilyn. It was awesome for the six of us to enjoy so much time together relaxing and exploring. Costa Rica is known to be the country with more monkeys than humans. And oh man, saw a crazy number of monkeys!
Howler monkey 
Capuchin (White face) monkey
I grew up in the Midwest where it is common to see black squirrels in the trees, in the yard, running long the fence tops, or just about everywhere else outside. Once, while sitting on the back porch, I watched as squirrels carried nuts from the backyard through the clothes dryer vent and into the vacant house next store. The homeowner later found that the squirrels had filled a hall closet half full of walnuts. Evidently they were planning to winter in this nice three bedroom home!
Black squirrel in Iowa eating a black walnut
I know about squirrels, but monkeys-nope. I have to say that seeing monkeys up close, without a zoo cage between us, was a new experience for me. And it was fascinating. Still, I refer to the experience by saying that Costa Rica has monkeys like Iowa has squirrels-they are all over the place!
Costa Rica has four types of monkeys: Howler, Capuchin (White face), Squirrel and Spider monkeys. I believe we only saw the Howler and the Capuchin monkeys. The Capuchins were so fun to watch. They were very playful with each other, and rumor has it that they can be mischievous, as well. We stayed at the Conchal Hotel in Playa Brasilito, Guanacaste, Costa Rica. This boutique hotel was charming. The rooms featured local decor and were always spotless. The pool was refreshing. The restaurant was the best in town, featuring seafood and tasty umbrella drinks. I highly recommend it. The owners were ever-present and offered a treasure trove of local information. Including that they had recently reroofed the restaurant and trimmed back the trees. Previous to this, the monkeys would wait on the rooftop, watch the guests in the pool, and jump down to steal away their belongings if left unattended too long!
Conchal Hotel pool 
Conchal Hotel restaurant
Another animal we saw was not nearly was fun to watch….
Costa Rica is home to 600 types of birds. Not the kinds of birds I grew up seeing in the Midwest; Costa Rica has big colorful birds. Some pretty birds even like to get up close and personal:
Bill making friends with a parrot 
I think they are friends now
Marilyn’s new friend 
I think the parrot is eyeing Tim’s glasses
The local children are skilled at sighting wild Macaws. One hot afternoon, we even paid a child 50 cents for pointing one out to us. I don’t have a picture of it, and I can’t swear that I really even saw it, I only know for sure that Costa Rica has beautiful Macaws and that we paid to see one!
The six of us enjoyed our fair share of beach time. Marilyn learned to snorkel on this trip. Then she proceeded to search for local fish, dolphin, sea turtles and humpback whales!
Bill encouraging Marilyn to snorkel 
Marilyn, tell us if you see a shark
Brasilito Beach
I will forever remember this beach as the beach where Kelly refused to get off the massage table. You see, every day two local entrepreneurs walked back and forth advertising massages. Ten dollars for 30 minutes, twenty dollars for an hour. I went every day for a twenty dollar massage and thoroughly enjoyed every relaxing minute of it. I kept asking Marilyn and Kelly to join me, but they kept declining. About day four, Kelly finally decided that she would do a 30 minute massage for ten dollars. On massage tables next to each other, I closed my eyes readying for an hour of luxury. Thirty minutes later Kelly’s beach massage lady gently told her that her massage was over. No movement and no sound from Kelly. A few moments later the kind lady again reminded Kelly that her time was up. No movement and no sound from Kelly. I didn’t want to interfere, but I began thinking to myself “oh man, Kelly isn’t going to get off that table”! After the third reminder, Kelly finally announced that she would be staying for the full hour! I cracked up! I knew it! I mean, seriously, who doesn’t want a full hour massage on the beach?
The sweet fellowship of breaking bread together with friends is always a blessing.
Wait…Did I mean … 
eating sugar cane in the field?
I really meant dinner at Papayas, Conchal Hotel
And of course, all evenings ended with a beautiful sunset. I am thankful for great times with cherished friends. What are you thankful for today?
To the Setting of the Sun
Sweet Lessons in Charleston
No doubt, God blessed my career beyond my wildest imagination. When I started as a clerk with immigration it never entered my mind that I might one day mentor new immigration officers and even teach at the immigration officer’s academy on occasion. Even so, there I was, in Charleston, at the academy, for the summer of 2018, and then again in 2019.
Already retired, my husband was able to join me. In preparation for our dream of sailing in the Caribbean, and we decided that 2018 was a good time to move our boat, Liberty, from Lake Michigan to the East Coast.
Bill and Dick on Liberty 
Liberty on Lake Michigan
Adjudicating immigration applications was always a complicated undertaking. Even after 30 years on the job, I would often find myself thinking, or actually even saying out loud, some version of ‘I can’t believe I know so much of this stuff, but I didn’t know that!’ There was always something more to learn.
I believed I was going to Charleston to teach new immigration officers how to, well, be immigration officers. And hopefully I did that! However, Charleston also taught me much in return. Specifically, Charleston taught me that, although the value of old friendships is golden, the forming of new friendships is like discovering a treasure chest on a deserted island. Without a map!
Bill and I are adventurous and fun. We spent our evenings and weekends exploring Charleston, sailing, kayaking, and, especially, enjoying watching and learning about the dolphins.
Bubba the talking parrot, Isle of Palms 
Kayaking in Shem Creek
Angel Oak, John’s Island, SC
Evidently, people noticed…maybe I talk too much between classes. One afternoon another instructor approached me and informed me that ‘people are saying’ that I’m fun. She went on to explain that she thinks that she, too, is fun, but that she never has the occasion to have any fun. Inviting Cheryl to kayak that weekend with us on Shem Creek was the first step towards a friendship full of fun and excitement to this day.
Cheryl and Angie at Huguenot beach, Jacksonville, Florida
Class content wasn’t difficult for me; however, navigating the technology in the classroom was a different story. I admit that I would have been lost without Julie, Cheryl, Larry, Dave, and the other instructors who helped smooth that over for me. And we all had great fun together on the weekends.
Julie and her husband, Scott, opened their home to Bill and I for dinner on more than one occasion. We also enjoyed dining together at our favorite Charleston restaurants-Lewis BBQ, Swig and Swine, Fleet Landing, and Coconut Joe’s. Although we currently live hours apart, we get together when we can, and we count them among our blessings. The next time you are in Charleston, remember to check out these restaurants. And see if you can get Julie to cook you up something-she’s quite a chef!
Scott and Julie at the City Market 
Scott and Julie with Bill and Angie
Speaking of Julie…I love her, but she is dolphin repellent! Studies show that Charleston Harbor is home to more than 500 dolphins. Dolphins are mammals who have to breath every 15 minutes, so it follows that a person should see dolphins pretty regularly there, right? Well, that’s true, unless Julie is near! She claims to like dolphins, so I don’t know why she is dolphin repellent, but I kid you not. We sailed Charleston Harbor several times every week, month after month, and would see dolphins every time-unless Julie joined us! Trust me: going to dinner, yes; going to the beach, yes; going shopping, yes; dolphin watching, that’s a big nope!
Looking for dolphins in Charleston Harbor with my Student Captains
Dolphins playing in Charleston Harbor
We’ve had all kinds of fun at Shem Creek. Every Sunday after church we enjoyed lunch (The Shelter was our favorite) and kayaked at Shem Creek. We normally saw a few dolphins and occasionally we would see manatee and shark. One afternoon when Cheryl joined us there were dozens of dolphins! They were surfacing all around us and bumping our kayak from underneath! Cheryl and I were laughing so hard-I told her that I thought we were about to go swimming with the dolphins even though we didn’t pay for that experience!
Although I can’t figure out why, one day Julie and I thought it would be a good idea to go stand up paddle boarding on Shem Creek. Even though I have since mastered the SUP (on still water), what made me think that doing it for the first time in a fast moving creek, subject to a 5 foot tide, crowded with motor boats of all sizes was a good idea? You guessed it, I fell in. Not only did I fall into the murky water, I had to be rescued by a tourist boat tied to the dock! You might think I’d have been humiliated, but I must have outgrown that emotion years ago. I looked around for Julie, because the last time I saw her she was happily standing on her board, paddling, and quite possibly oblivious to the fact that the outgoing tide was taking her into Charleston Harbor, headed toward the jetties and the Atlantic Ocean! I was hoping that I’d see her again someday, but happy that she was looking good on her way out! No worries, soon enough she came back up the creek sitting pretty on the foredeck of another tourist boat. Ok, so she didn’t actually fall into the creek, but we were both rescued nonetheless!
Angie and Julie on a recent aquatic adventure
Proverbs 16:14 reminds us that pleasant words are honey from the honeycomb-sweet to the soul and healing for the body. I am so thankful that God provides sweet friendships for me. What are you thankful for today?
Sunset at Cooper River Marina, Charleston, SC
The Aruban Experience
Beach north of Oranjestad, Aruba 
Carnival performer
All of the thoughts I had ever had of Aruba involved beautiful blue water, soft sandy beaches, and very occasionally, Carnival. That all evokes restful beauty and family fun. So, that’s what I expected when planning for our 2015 vacation. I should have known better. Something unexpected and exciting often happens when Bill and I get together with our friends Tim and Kelly. Especially, when we venture outside the boundaries of the continental United States. I can’t figure out why. (But I’m willing to continue seeking the answer!)
I believe it was Bill and Tim who thought it might be a good idea to coax Kelly and I off our beach loungers to take a Jeep tour. They must have been pretty persuasive because the beach was very nice…
The Jeep tour took us to the Bushiribana Gold Mine Ruins. Gold was found on Aruba in 1824 and mined there for the next one hundred years. The name “Aruba” actually loosely translates to “there was gold”. (Save that little nugget of information for the next time you want gold for Christmas or your birthday. If your husband flinches, tell him that you’ll settle for a trip to Aruba!)
What began as just a little off-roading in the Jeep quickly became a crazy, thrilling, roller coaster ride through Arikok National Park. Evidently there aren’t any roads in this park. Or, maybe our tour guide stayed off of the roads intentionally because he didn’t have a driver’s license-I couldn’t tell. The park proved to be a diverse area that began as desert then transformed into a rugged terrain of rock cliffs. Our guide seemed to take great pleasure in driving us right up to the side of the cliffs so that we wouldn’t miss the glorious view of the Caribbean Sea.
Our next stop was at the top of the Natural Pool. Mesmerizing.
The Natural Pool is in a remote area on the East coast of Aruba. Like the rest of Arikok National Park, it is only accessible by Jeep, ATV, horseback, (or helicopter, I suppose), so it ought to be relatively deserted, right? Nope.
Although they should know better by now, our guys don’t look like they are properly supervising us…
Because we just had to experience the Natural Pool (it might be the real fountain of youth):
No, I was just kidding, but Kelly wasn’t!
Our Aruban experience was filled with adventure, relaxation, rejuvenation, and laugh-out-loud fun.
Proverbs 27:9 reminds us that ‘sweet friendships refresh the soul and awaken our hearts with joy’. Bill and I are so thankful for our good friends. God has blessed us for sure. How has He blessed you today?
Live Unafraid!
Graduates in Isla Mujeres
In the summer of 2017, my daughter, Becky, graduated from the College of St. Mary (a women’s college) with her master’s degree in Occupational Therapy. In lieu of a party, she chose to celebrate in Isla Mujeres (the Island of the Women), Mexico. Yay!
Becky and I have often taken girl trips with Marilyn, so having her join us on the Island of the Women to celebrate Becky’s accomplishment couldn’t have been more perfect.
At the time, Becky and I were residing in Nebraska; Marilyn lives in New Hampshire. Becky and I made all of the reservations for this trip and planned to meet Marilyn at the airport in Cancun, from where we would travel together to our hotel.
I hadn’t bothered to relay all of the logistics to Marilyn, because, well, she trusts me to take care of all those ‘little things’. After all, we’ve been friends for more than 30 years, and I’ve proven myself to be trustworthy, right? Unfortunately, a thunderstorm delayed Becky and I in Chicago hour after hour, and I was unable to reach Marilyn to tell her of the delay.
When I finally reached Marilyn by phone, she was sitting alone in a cafe enjoying an umbrella drink and taking in the sites and sounds of downtown Isla Mujeres. I’m so glad she’s resourceful!
As she tells the story, upon landing in Cancun and finding that Becky and I were hours delayed, she devised her own game plan. Marilyn recalled only the name of the island and that our intended hotel had “something to do with the moon”. Admittedly, not much to go on! A taxi fare and a beautiful ride on the UltraMar ferry landed her on Isla Mujeres. Luckily, Marilyn speaks Spanish and was able to explain her moon hotel theory to an “ancient” tricycle taxi guy. In case you don’t know what a tricycle taxi is, well, it’s pretty much exactly what it sounds like: an oversized trike with a gigantic basket on the front, powered by a guy just trying to make a living. It’s actually a very popular thing on the island. Normally, a tourist’s luggage rides in the basket, and the taxi guy leads the way while the tourist follows along behind. But not Marilyn. And, oh man, I really wish I had a picture of this-Marilyn rode in the basket, on top of her luggage! To her credit, she said that the old guy insisted. I nearly wet myself when she was telling me this story. I believe the guy must have endeared himself to Marilyn, because it turns out that she tipped him, in U.S. dollars, the equivalent of an entire day’s wage!
Fun Isla Mujeres 
pictures ‘cause I don’t 
have a tricycle taxi pic!
Marilyn is impressive, she found her way to the Ixchel Beach Hotel. That only sounds like it has “something to do with the moon” if you know that Ixchel is the Mayan goddess of the moon and fertility. I’m not well versed on Mayan goddesses, but evidently Marilyn and the ancient tricycle taxi guy are!
The hotel was awesome: beautiful, walking distance to the shops and restaurants on Avenida Hidalgo, and right on the beach. Perfect.
If a tourist has already taken a tricycle taxi, the next most preferred method of transportation is a golf cart. Of course, none of us had ever driven a golf cart, but we weren’t about to let that little issue hold us back-we’re college graduates, celebrating college graduation, right? The ride across the island was fun, bumpy, and just a little bit scary-even when we weren’t lost.
We loved the Women’s Beading Cooperative. The beading cooperative is run by talented local women who come together to practice the art of beaded jewelry making and selling it to tourists for profit. This project supports women by bringing them together in a community where they teach this craft to the next generation, and allows them to earn an income to support themselves and their children. Plus, I just love bracelets!
Our next stop was to check out the Ruins of Ixchel Temple. The ruins are on the southern tip of the island, and were built to honor the Mayan goddess, Ixchel. The Mayan civilization populated Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and Belize approximately 3000 years ago. Known for their advances in math and astronomy, they built stone temples and pyramids as worship centers for their gods and goddesses. Although, as a Christian, I don’t worship the Mayan gods and goddesses, I can appreciate the beauty of the Mayan workmanship.
Ruins of Ixchel Temple 
The temple grounds 
While relaxing on the beach outside our hotel one afternoon, we decided that we each deserved to get a massage. One by one we enjoyed relaxing massages while listening to the waves roll gently onto the beach. Three massages later it was time to pay the piper. Oops, come to find out they only accept MasterCard. I only had Visa. Marilyn only had Visa. Getting desperate, we turned to the broke, recent graduate…did she have a MasterCard, or did we really just get ourselves into a jam? Or a pickle? Quit talking about food because we might have to sing for our supper! Yay, Becky had a MasterCard and she was willing to cover us this time! Whew!
Fully relaxed on the beach 
My graduate
Like all vacations, this trip ended way too soon. Celebrating women on the Island of the Women was awesome. What are you celebrating today?
The ferry ride back to Cancun 
Hasta la vista, Isla Mujeres
Mystery of the Dead Sea Scrolls
Have you ever come to a time in your life when you wish you would have paid better attention in History class, or Geography? February 2020 was one of those times for me. I traveled to Israel with a group from my church. (I didn’t know I was going to have to ride a camel!)
Oh, man, I saw so much and learned so much on that trip. (Including that the Mediterranean diet is short on french fries!) I have to admit that I had never even heard of Qumran, the Bedouin, or the Essenes. I had, of course, heard of the Dead Sea Scrolls, but I didn’t know that they are ancient fragments of the Old Testament, thought to have been written between 150 B.C. and 70 A.D. by the Essenes. The Essenes were a small group of devout Jews who lived in Qumran, northwest of the Dead Sea, and dedicated themselves to copying Scripture.
This poor goat looks lost 
A cave in Qumran where some of the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered
In 1946, while tending his livestock in the desert near Qumran, a Bedouin teenager threw a stone into a cave and heard something shatter. The Bedouin people are Arabs, traditionally desert nomads in what is now referred to as the Middle East. Preferring to conserve their historic way of life, they still maintain their own communities, religious beliefs, and style of dress. They work their land and raise livestock-mainly sheep, goats and camels. I can only imagine the day-to-day life of herding livestock in the desert, so hearing that shattering sound in the cave had to have piqued the interest of the teenage boy. A mystery! Solving the mystery of the shattering sound in the cave had to have ignited an exciting and irresistible quest. Then to find that it was just an old clay jar full of broken tablets. Ahhh…boring. Poor kid! I’m sure he was hoping for something really good, not realizing that he had just stumbled upon the greatest archeological find of the 20th century, and arguably the most significant find in of all of history.
Within ten years, thousands of additional fragments were discovered. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain fragments of all of the Old Testament books of the Bible except Esther and Nehemiah. The Book of Isaiah was found in its entirety. The scrolls also contain previously unknown hymns, prayers, and other glimpses into the lives of the early Jewish people, including the time period when Jesus Christ walked the earth.
Despite what may have been a disappointing find to the Bedouin teen, the Dead Sea Scrolls are priceless. Careful study of the scrolls have proven that the Bible I read today is essentially word-for-word what was copied by the Essenes. The great care they took to preserve and protect these scrolls, for what turned out to be over 2000 years, shows that they believed them to be the inspired World of God.
Today, you can see many of the Dead Sea Scrolls in the Shrine of the Book in Jerusalem, or in the Museum of the Bible in Washington D.C. National Geographic has also published many of the scrolls online.
I am blessed to have seen parts of the Dead Sea Scrolls up close and personal at the Shrine of the Book in Jerusalem. And I’m forever grateful to everyone who played even a small part in preserving and presenting the Word of God to me in any of its forms.
I would consider it a privilege to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with you. Please contact me if you’d like to chat.