am i supposed to say thank you?

This is a scorpion that i spied on my shower curtain late tonight. He had in his custody a tiny baby centipede. I asked God to protect me from the centipedes- so perhaps the scorpion was His enforcer. That said, i hope his mission was accomplished, because i smote him with a New Testament commentary and a pliers.

I am glad he caught a centipede. But, I mean... am i supposed to say thank you? (Perhaps whacking someone with a book and pliers could mean thank you in some culture?) I admit that i found this scene a little disturbing. Maybe the wildlife channel would like to do a series on my bathroom. I mean, this is pretty much the lion and gazelle footage of the arachnid world!

For the consolation of those disturbed by these adventures of mine: be advised that none of these pests in my house are lethal. Some have painful bites or stings- but there is no lasting damage done. Also, they are fairly common pests in old houses of this sort out here. No worries.

Grandma, seriously- its alright:)

A bbq and a roof top

Would you believe that Saturday actually held two ocean view bbq's for me? Haha- a rather bustling weekend of activities for me! The latter of the events was held by a friend on the roof top of her parent's condo. It had gorgeous sweeping views and a glowing warmth. It was wonderful to be with a bunch of my typical Sunday crowd on a Saturday night as well...just being ohana and enjoying fellowship in this beautiful island i call home.

bbq and a birthday

What better to do with a weekend in Maui than attend a beachside bbq in honor or a friend's birthday?! It was a great time to hang out with friends, talk story, and enjoy the sun.

once bitten

My two day centipede total is at twelve- unfortunately, number eleven was of a rather vicious disposition.

I did my customary inspection of the shower ( always looking closely due to mottled peeling paint on the floor) and waited for the spray to flush any ambushes into sight. Clear. But no sooner did i have suds obscuring my view of my feet when searing pain shot through my left foot. Goodness, how the soap flew. A dousing of clear water revealed my tiny, heartless assailant. I whacked him with the body wash and ended his campaign of violence. An accomplice rushed in, but he too I rapidly subdued (biting my lip and indiscriminately flinging suds). It was a painful and unhappy scene in the shower last night.

Centipede bites are really awful feeling, burning and throbbing unlike any other bite or sting i've had- i'm inclined to feel rather beside myself during those first minutes. My toe was all inflamed and pathetic- despite the ibuprofen i immediately ingested (for pain and swelling). It was really painful for a half hour, then moderate for several hours... after which most the pain subsided and it felt like little more than splinter.

Happily, this bite has less residual pain that the other time i was bitten a couple years ago... that time the site of the bite burned and was sensitive for several days. This time, a single night's sleep has my foot back to normal. Praise the Lord! I am sincerely grateful.

Haha- and thats as close to a happy ending as i can manage :)

the hatching

More fun with spring, i guess.

I haven't had a centipede in the partial basement level of the house where i live in a couple months- a welcome change. And possibly a record. Until tonight.

I was on the phone this afternoon and a tiny baby pede raced nearby my feet. I caught up with him and got him with my slipper. Squish.

(When they are small, they are easier to kill- as adults they cannot be killed with a slipper. But small centipedes have a bite that hurts as bad or worse that adult bites. )

Shortly later i was on the couch and another ran by on the floor- same size. Squish.

Then minutes after, another ran on the table by my laptop (oh no you didn't...!). Squish.

Then as i was getting up, i felt suddenly inclined to look in my flip flop (slipper) before putting it on ... and I literally thanked God aloud- another teensy tinesy baby pede was lying flat against the part that arches down between your toes! That would have been ridiculously painful.Squish.

I told my housemate upstairs that i was afraid some centipedes had hatched recently, and reminded her to keep a sharp eye out.

Then I thought "Really? Four baby centipedes tonight- after all this time? Apparently there has been a hatching. I am going to write on my blog about this. Its been awhile since my readers have had a taste of the tropics. Too bad i didn't get a picture of one. I only have old photos of full grown ones."

And as i was writing the beginning of this post and thinking those thoughts- bang...off one goes across my bedroom floor like a missile. I grabbed my slipper (obviously the hawaiian resident's ever present self defense weapon) and pinned him down, stuck him with duct tape...and got a mug shot of the little sneak. Then... Squish.

During the photo process i stomped on another in my room. Squish.

While i was uploading the photograph yet another tiny pede ventured across my floor. Squish.

And then one crossed my path when i went out to use the bathroom. Squish.

Needless to say, I'm not stoked on this invading hoard.

Little centipedes become big centipedes.

And regardless, little centipedes hurt. (i was bit in my bed a couple years ago- it was really painful.)

So i am praying that God continues to open my eyes to seeing the pests- and warns me of them, like when there was one in my slipper.

Oh. Hang on. By the mirror. Squish.

So that makes nine. Awesome.

So as I was saying... I am going to go to bed in peace (Psalm 4: 8) regardless of what roams my floor.

And i pray God smites my small enemies.

They grow from bad ...

...to worse.

Even thought the small ones bite just as badly and are stealthier, i prefer them to the disturbingly large adults (as pictured above with a pliers) which are both unnerving and difficult to wrangle and kill.

graceful wreaths and ornaments

"Hear, my son, your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching; Indeed, they are a graceful wreath to your head and ornaments about your neck." Proverbs 1:8-9

I was thinking of my mother today- she went home to the Lord some years ago- and when this verse was read in church, i reflected: what was my mother's teaching?

She taught that love was a commitment and not only a feeling- she taught me this day in and day out through faithfulness to my father even in the midst of difficult times.

She taught that care and fellowship were precious characteristics of the Body of Christ- she taught me this by passionately pursuing the gathering and bonding of believers.

She taught that while hospitality is an art, it is foremost a heart- she taught me this through preceding service and hosting with a real love for the brethren. Hospitality was a means of grace- and a gift given to the Body to lend such tender empathy to fellowship.

She taught that Jesus is enough- she taught me this in word and deed; wild with faith, she ever spoke with boldness and lived in joyful submission to Truth in the person of Jesus Christ.

My mother's teaching was that life was to be lived in faith in Jesus Christ-and that faith in Jesus Christ was to be lived in life. Its my desire to ever heed this exhortation in Proverbs- and never forsake my mother's teaching. Its a graceful wreath to my head and ornaments about my neck. As I walk in it, I know full well that I am crowned and graced with her wisdom, which she drew ever and always from the steadfast Word of God.

I thank God for my mother, whose life and love continue to be a gift and grace to me even in her absence.

(i don't wear glasses, and am rarely brunette- but hair dye and fashion frames give the illusion of a stronger resemblance between me and my mother...and thats kind of nice.)

wood and steps

wooden steps

wood

and steps

spring flowers

While Hawaii is sort of in bloom all year long, i'm always happy when the plumeria trees are blossoming. They seem to just go on in cycles and their blooms are never absent for many months. Yet every time i notice them flowering afresh, i'm delighted.

This morning as i prepared to go and teach a session to the students in the current first phase discipleship course on base, i brewed myself some coffee. I prefer coffee iced, so i brew and chill it at home to keep myself from too often visiting the cafes i dearly enjoy. Today i didn't have any in the fridge so i went with the hot version. It was nice strong coffee. I checked the date on my milk- still several days to go. No worries. I poured it in and ....nasty little curdlings. It looked like confetti coffee. Gross. So i ruined my freshly brewed coffee. The cafe won after all. But i was in too big of a hurry to go teach, so it was nearly 10am by the time i got to break to head to the coffee shop.

Walking home with my very smooth iced americano with (fresh) milk in it, i passed under a series of plumeria trees...the same ones i have passed under almost daily for twelve years. I could smell their fragrance in the sunny morning air. Several blossoms lay on the sidewalk. I picked one up and carried it home with me. Its spring.

I was delighted with my plumeria, as usual.

Spring flowers (even when they come more often than just the spring) are such a bright spot in the landscape. So is a decent cup of coffee without chunky milk. Simple things can be so sweet.

sisters

My sister Marcie and her husband Josh are in the final stages of adopting a second wonderful little daughter in Ukraine. I love my sister. She has been an amazing blessing in my life- such a gift to me. I can't help but think how even now she is blessing both her first daughter Isabel and her second daughter Adelise, as by adopting the latter she is giving them the gift that she and i have both enjoyed: the gift of having a sister. Not only do these girls have a loving mama and papa now- they have each other. They have their sister. Maybe to really understand the dearness of this gift you have to have a beloved sister of your own, but i regardless, i think its just beautiful to see Adelise and Isabel interacting so sweetly as my sister sends pictures and corresponds faithfully from abroad. They are blessed as the girls connect and they see their family united at last. And its a blessing for all of us who are praying and supporting from afar.

The court has officially granted Adelise to Marcie and Josh and they have one week left before they can remove her from the orphanage - then there will be another week of embassy appointments and such in Kiev before they can bring her home. This is an exciting time for my family, and i look forward to meeting my lovely new niece. And to seeing her delighted sister Isabel again. Until then, I just glow with joy over the goodness that God has poured out on my own dear sister in the form of two precious precious daughters.

Marcie with Adelise and Isabel (Aren't they dear?!)