Going through the Panama Canal

Running along each side were train tracks. Our ship was attached to 4 of these engines on each side with cables. They slowly pulled us through as we entered each section of the canal and watched the water pour in from the section ahead of it. Then, when the water level was even with the next section, the gate would open.



See the double gates. Our very heavily accented guide who was on the ship's speaker divulging information that most of us couldn't decipher, due to the accent and lousy speakers, said something very clear on this note. It was something like this, "The two gates are there for SAFETY. They are there for the purpose to keep you SAFE."

Oh, the things you can learn!

A view from Central America

I felt a need to post a few pictures as I actually have a ton and have done nothing with them. Life has felt like a whirlwind of activity for the last year, and not much let up in sight. Everyone says I am too busy. Maybe I am, if the Cruise I took in the beginning of the year is just now making it's debut.
Enough of my dribble. The photo of me is overlooking the lush lands and lake on the passageway between canals in Panama. it was really remarkable. I hope to get up the photos of the Canal crossing in our 14 story ship. It was a very tight squeeze.
The ruins were an old convent/ seminary kind of place in Antigua, Guatemala. It was fascinating to me. There really are underground passageways from one church, convent, seminary, to another. Antigua was once the center of training for Priests, Monks, and Nuns in the Americas. They sent out many missionaries.

Fellowship with Butternut Squash soup!

Thanks to Rosie for teaching me how to make her amazing butternut squash soup! It was great and my company raved about it. (All except the couple that didn't eat it...)
But It was so good that John Klein, an avid cook, had to have the recipe! I had to have 3rds. I am so grateful.
And again I found myself surprised and blessed by just the right people showing up to worship, share, eat, hear the Word and pray.
Tonight Juan San Martin, a dear friend and amazingly talented musician, brought his cajon ( a wooden box which serves as a kind of drum. I pulled out my rainstick, castinets, and an array of exotic other instruments that Rosie or myself has bought in various places around the world. I handed them out and we made a joyful noise with poor Juan, the professional trying to lead us in some kind of rhythm. It was fun! The Word that John felt he was to give was about being faithful. He had a ton of scriptures on it, but we didn't get through them all because he had this great idea for prayer. He'd put various scriptures on pieces of paper and placed them in a box. then he had the men draw one first, give it to a woman, and the women each took a man to pray that scripture into their lives. Then the women got one and the men prayed for them.

Mine was "And let us not be weary in well doing : for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.' Gal. 6:9
Last week's sermon, and before the sermon, the scripture that hit me was in Phil. 1. "He who began a good work wiill be faithful to complete it!
God is good!