T. Davis Bunn's new book The Fragment rocked

I think I have read every book Davis Bunn has written. I love them all. He is such a descriptive writer that I can see a picture, become the heroine and live the adventure. (Take for example, this narrative, “They approached the cloister just as the sunset laid a golden hand upon the western roof.”) Every once in a while I am touched through Bunn’s book at a spiritual level I didn’t realize could be reached. The Presence, The Turning and The Reluctant Prophet Series to mention a few. The Fragment was another one of these books. There is just a moment when you appreciate your relationship with God the Father, Son and Spirit are the most important things in life. Just a split second of ah ha that takes you to the Throne of God. It’s a subtle takeover.

This book, The Fragment, was a page turner from the beginning.

Bunn is excellent at stringing together a group of characters, creating intrigue, pulling in historical facts and creating a can’t-put-it-down story. From a resilient Paris in 1923 recovering from the ravages of WWI and the Spanish Flu to Constantinople via the Orient Express, photographer Muriel Ross and long-time mentor Senator Thomas Bryan head out on a journey to determine the authenticity of a reliquary - the One True Cross. Intermingled with travel, deception, a love interest and an exodus of sorts is a simple story of a dream come to be realized. 

I am glad I read it. 

THIS IS OUR WHY - MIDWIFE KITS

THIS IS OUR WHY

Mid Wife Kits

Roy & I got married in January of 2006, began ESM in May of the same year, went on our 1^st missions trip together in March of 2007 and were preparing to move to Lewiston, ID as soon as we returned from Africa. It had been a crazy 1^st year of marriage but our priority was to seek God’s intention for Eden’s Song so we were excited to be heading out with an awesome group of people to work with a Pastor and his college age ministry in Uganda.

One of the trips we took was to a village called Bombo where we passed out medical supplies, toys for the kids and spent the day working in a clinic. The Doctor was proudly showing us his ‘birthing room’ where they had just received electricity and a ‘new’ bed. We were excited with him but looked around in awe. There was a metal table with a thermos of water, a baby scale and the bed was ripped and torn. When we walked out of there, I told Roy our first project was going to be to supply them with the needed provisions to deliver a baby in a safe and hygienic area.

When Roy & I returned home we began calling our friends in the medical field to round up a resource list of things they should have and collecting them. However, we were moving from Las Vegas to Lewiston in 2 weeks’ time, so we decided to wait until we got settled in our new home, town and jobs. I started work at our church the day after we moved in & met a couple coming in carrying box after box to a storage area. I asked them what they were doing and they said that God had told them to begin collecting medical supplies. They didn’t know why but they were just being obedient. I told them about ESM and our trip and how we wanted to provide this village with medical supplies and they said “well, that must have been why we were doing this”. We took everything to our garage and that began what is now affectionately called the “blessing barn”.

Shortly after that I met a Pastor’s wife on a trip to Oregon who was a mid-wife. She taught us how to use the supplies and make up kits. We packed boxes of the midwife kits and what medical supplies the Bombo Doctor, took it all to the post office, spent every penny of our savings and shipped our very first shipment.

8 years later we ship midwife kits & clinical supplies through many medical teams like Family Circus, Bethel, Global Health, Show Mercy, Medical Teams Intl and ORU as well as individual missionaries reaching many hospitals, clinics and villages all over the world. We make close to 900 midwife kits per year and now add diapers, onesies, booties, hats and other baby goodies as well as a ‘Mama’s Bag” which is a tote bag full of grooming supplies, nail polish, lipstick, bible and a journal to the clinical needs.

We are so thankful to God for an incredible team of people that are just as excited to gather together, share their creative juices and allow Him to use us all in such an incredible act of love. 

THAT DIM GLASS

I looked in the mirror as I passed through the bathroom. I've seen the face that glanced back at me every day for 61 years, but today I didn't recognize who was watching me walk by.  The eyes were still sparkling but they were surrounded by tiny little strokes of a very sharp pencil, the smile embraced by laugh lines and there were crevices I'd never noticed before. It's not that I despise that I'm showing my age; my life is full and I enjoy every day. It's not even that I feel a need to all of the sudden settle in a bit and become my 'age'; I doubt that will ever happen. I know I'm always on the move and I'm good with that. It was just kind of a shock!

I had a friend once that I tried every wrinkle cream known to man with. We stopped short at Botox or surgery. We even went to a gal that gave us some cream that pulled our skin up and we were so happy until we ran out and plop. Down it all came. We had a ball doing it, but in the end we hadn't really changed. On the outside. Where I've found the most important change happens is in my heart. That the renewal of my mind, the love for the Trinity and the gifts they've given me to share with others is the best face lift I can ask for. Allowing myself time to lay before the Lord, dance in the Spirit and/or fall to my knees in prayer is the best rest I can take. They say water is the best thing for your skin. Drink a gob of it a day and it will stay supple. I drink the living water many times during each day to keep my mind hydrated.

I love the ME that God created. I'm not beautiful or perfect or always of good nature. But I am me. And I adore the One who loves me most. I love my husband, my home, my city and my life. Every day I can wake up and sincerely thank the Lord for the blessings He bestows on me. There are greater dreams and desires stored up in my heart. Without a vision people perish and I am not short of hope.

I encourage everyone to seek God for the MORE. Seek God for a bigger dream, a greater vision...what crazy, wonderful thing does he want you to do today? tomorrow? The thing you couldn’t possible do without His help. Then do it! 

I did read tonight that women my age should not wear eyeshadow or eyeliner but I'm not quite sure I'm ready to go that far.....yet.