Looking back over another week, I sense a new appreciation for God’s great mercy: acceptance or favor that is not earned or deserved. On Sunday He brought me across the lines of a hymn that I had forgotten about, saying simply: There’s a wideness in God’s mercy, like the wideness of the sea. There’s a […]
Did you know that skunks are very confident but not very courageous? The night was warm for September. The singing chorus of crickets and dew-covered grass helped to muffle the sound my footsteps. Cautiously, I moved from the shadows of the forest into the moon-lit field, scanning for any signs of occupation. A few minutes […]
Sept 7: Grandma Brannon’s 80th Birthday: What a cause for a celebration! Saturday afternoon the Staddon home was bustling with many diligent workers in preparation for the party. We were grateful for everyone who came to help decorate and prepare food. Sunday morning during church Esther and Mom surprised Grandma by playing the special music […]
While we’re already into our third week, we’re actually only beginning to “take off” with a full-fledged teaching schedule. Yesterday and today students from Nan Jung (our host school–pronounced Non Rong) came for a total of seven 45-minute periods and next Monday students from an elementary school will be the first regular outside guests to […]
While walking home after work these past few days, I’ve been surprised at how quickly evening approaches. It’s hard to believe that summer is almost gone. But before it leaves completely, let me post a few of my favorite summer portraits. The way some flowers line up on their stem allows room for creativity in […]
It is Thursday. The time in Choujou is 8:55am. My location is the English Village office in the corner of Nan Jung Junior High school, at a computer in front of a window facing eastward towards America and towards home and towards New York City. Memory is a tremendous blessing from God: not completely tame; […]
We have been blessed with another successful beekeeping year so far. I was delighted to see our ten productive hives bring in a surplus of over 600 pounds more than they needed this spring. It was more than they had ever brought in before. Recently I read an opinion stating that people should not eat […]
It’s just a little past 6:00PM on Thursday, August 28, and we are finally off on the long awaited Staff Retreat. Finally? Yes, finally because we were scheduled to leave at 3:55PM sharp. Instead of traveling to Northwoods Michigan, Mr. Gothard modified this year’s plans for the annual IBLP Staff Retreat to go down south, […]
Praise the Lord. Tomorrow we will have been here one week. It seems much more like a month because of the many new people we have met here. We are near Ping Tung city and not far from Taiwan’s southern tip. Our team consists of Wes and Juliana; Joanna, Kara, Hannah and Sarah; Austin and […]
We could not believe it was already time to leave! The six days with the Van Essens had been full of fun and activity, and, as is the case any time you visit good friends of like faith, the time had flown by.We were so thankful for the encouragement, fellowship, and hospitality the Van Essen […]