Category: mi familia

Update from Uganda

I just received an email from Matt. I think it’s about a week old now – DOH.
Matt’s e-mail is an update from “my sister” Kathryn, who’s in Uganda right now. I believe she returns home tomorrow so please pray for safe travel.

Katya texted me about 1pm today which is about 9pm over there. She said today (now yesterday for her) she had her first contact with children. She said she is very tired and also she is very troubled with what she has seen. Quote: ” its
devastating the conditions over here…the people desperately need hope” “we worked kids today for the 1st time today, I dont have the words 2 tell whats going on here”
She spoke of a girl named Juliet, a 7 year old girl who is taking care of four siblings because the parents abandoned them. ” my heart so heavy and burdened with all i saw and heard today”
Please pray for her for God’s peace and rest, also to remember to remember God is still in control even with what we see and dont understand. She has such a heart for people of are hurting.
Just letting you know how things are going…..

Bypass the bank for lower APR

A while back I read a post on Lifehacker about social network Prosper.com.
The website allows people to post their financial need and people can bid on the option to loan the money out.
So let’s say you’re paying 29% on a $2000 credit card debt. You’d like to stop paying bank interest and get your debt paid off quicker.
Sign up for Prosper, post your needs ($2000) and see how low you can get your interest rate. People wanting to make money (who doesn’t) and willing to take a risk on you and your credit will offer you a lower rate. Your interest rate could drop substantially.
Multiple people may bid on your debt and once you meet your goal your monthly payment is deducted from your bank account and distributed to the people bidding on your debt.
Lifehacker posted an update today on a less risky means to borrowing and lending money – try a family member.
Blogger Clayton Cramer paid down a charged up credit card with an interest rate of 18% by paying a family member instead of the bank. His sister gave him a loan at 14.5% APR and he was able to double his payments, paying his debt off in half the time and his sister was able to make some substantial money.
Not a bad idea for either party. Just don’t lend out your cash to anyone and don’t let it ruin your relationships with family or friends.

Firefox plugin protects children

From Lifehacker:

New Firefox extension Glubble whitelists parent-approved web sites for kids and locks down the browser to create a child-friendly, safe browsing environment.
Once Glubble’s installed, you create your own “Glubble world” and add yourself as a “controller.” Then you add individual usernames and passwords for each of your kids. From there you approve web sites that are ok for the children to visit. Essentially Glubble sets up an extra login to get into Firefox. When the kids log in, they’ll see a bright and colorful Firefox skin with lots of graphics and access only to approved destinations. If the child happens upon a site that’s not whitelisted, a request is sent to the controller. Then, next time you (the parent controller) log on, you can approve or deny the requested site.

From Glubble:

Glubble gives you the peace of mind to know your child can only see web sites that you trust for them. Think of Glubble as being better than sitting next to your child all the time because the software lets your loved ones see what you already approve and blocks everything else, even on search engine results from Google or Yahoo!

Laurie and I were just talking about how we definitely plan to limit our (FUTURE) kid’s Internet use. This looks like a great way to do it. And you’re still using Internet Explorer? Why?

Male Call

From Brian on the encounter blog…

There is something within men that causes them to love the 4th quarter comeback, the soldier who fights to the end, the battle that is won by a few against an army. Seems easy to see on the field of sports and in the movie. Its quite another story when it comes to life. Seems odd. The battles we watch on screen often count for so little, while the battles of life are more real, more costly, and more significant = loving your wife regardless, resisting temptation at all costs, standing for Christ even in the face of persecution. The Scriptures say we are to fight as warriors and run as elite sports figures.

My boys and I love playing some Halo and war games on the xbox. We battle it out, shout in our victories, and scream in our defeats. So much more than that. I want them to see in me and grow in them the heart of a warrior not just on screen, but in life, in faith, in their family.

Fight on!

For my sleep deprived friends

For my sleep deprived friends (and family)… here are some tips on getting a good meditative power nap in from Lifehack:

  • 1 STRETCH your legs for 30 seconds.
  • 2 SIT on a chair or couch. If you’re at work back away from your desk a bit.
  • 3 CLOSE YOUR EYES.
  • 4 STRETCH your arms above your head, slowly roll your head to stretch your neck.
  • 5 DEEP BREATHING – take at least 3 deep breaths in and out. Do this slowly and hold in between the in and out breath.
  • 6 REST and RELAX your face, jaw, eyes and whole body.
  • 7 BE AWARE HOW YOU FEEL as you relax.
  • 8 CALM THE MIND. Let go of all thoughts. As thoughts come into your mind, just repeat this gentle reminder to yourself “Empty The Mind.” You may want to switch over to a word of your choosing to focus on (mantra) that will help push out other thoughts. Examples of words are Peace, Calm, Rest, Empty, Power, Strength, Love. Any word is fine. In fact the word “OM” can be helpful because it is not attached to other meanings. Whatever works for you is what is best at that moment!
  • 9 IGNORE NOISES in the same way that you ignore thoughts. Repeat your mantra or “Empty the Mind.” Don’t get mad at noises, just flow with them as if they are waves under your boat of meditation.
  • 10 OPEN YOUR EYES slowly after about 10-20 minutes. Take a few more deep breaths and stretch again: arms, neck, legs.
  • 11 AHHHH. Feel the rejuvenation!

Leaving on a jet plane

“My sister” Kathryn left Saturday afternoon for a trip to Uganda, followed by a trip to Russia.
I just got this email in an old email account (apparently she hasn’t updated her address book):

Thank you so much for your generous support! All your donations, prayers, and
encouraging words have been such a blessing. Although you will not physically
board the plane with me today, you will be apart of spreading the Good News of the
Kingdom of God to the people of Rakai, Uganda.

Jesus says in Isaiah 61 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has
anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom
for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, and release the oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Jesus’ mission was to not only bring
spiritual healing, but his mission had a physical dimension as well. Jesus’
mission was to show what the Kingdom of God is like, and we as his missionaries
are sent to the world to proclaim the goodness of God and the reality of His
Kingdom.

Many people in Rakai are oppressed, many are imprisoned by poverty, HIV/AIDS,
spiritual darkness, and we are called to help fulfill the message of the Good News
that there is FREEDOM and HEALING in Christ. We will do this not only by our
words, but by our actions.

Please pray that God may use us as his missionaries to help bring lasting healing
and transformation to an area that is beautifully green and lush, but is a desert
wasteland spiritually as people live under the oppressive yoke of the kingdom of
this world. Together with your fervent prayers, let’s wave the banner high and
kick in the gates of hell!

I look forward to writing you again and updating you on what God is doing in the
lives of the people in Rakai.

Much love and gratitude,
~Kathryn

Trip Dates: (Rakai, Uganda – 6/9-6/22) (St. Pete, Russia – 7/5-84)