Saying Good-Bye to Mandy

Mt 19:14 Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

Today is a momentous day in our family’s history. Our oldest daughter left today to teach high school English in Indonesia. It is a 2 year commitment. She says she’ll come home next summer. That seems like a long time.

I’ve not cried after leaving the airport. I’m not sure when it will hit me that she’s gone. I’m going to avoid looking at her computer desk and bedroom for several days. But several pieces of mail came for her today. I opened them slowly. This was not something we had remembered to discuss. We knew to talk about passwords, transfer of car keys, phone numbers, car insurance. I’m not forwarding hardly anything as I’ve been told it takes forever for mail to arrive. That makes her seem very far away, which she is.

She’s called once to say she’s already had delays in departures leaving our local airport and then in Chicago.
Her trip halfway across the world will take 2-3 days. That’s a long time to be traveling alone in a strange country. I worry about her being tired and carrying a new laptop, a passport, some cash for meals. Somebody could steal them easily when she dozes in between flights.

I know she can take care of herself, but that’s if everyone else behaves themselves. Still, I can't worry or I’ll be too upset to do anything else.

She's always been a child of God -- when we took her to church weekly all during her growing up years and now as a beautiful young woman. She has chosen to stay close to God and honor Him in her life. She believes it's His will for her to go to Indonesia. We support her in that decision.

Still, it is difficult.

We will miss you greatly, Mandy. We pray for you constantly. Love you, Mom

A Meeting with Debbie Macomber!

Ps. 126:3 "The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy."

This week I had the privilege of meeting one of America’s best women’s fiction writers – Debbie Macomber. She was at a book signing in our area. My mother, Joan Brewer, and I have read over 60 of her books and enjoyed each one.

Mom and I arrived a couple of hours before the book signing and saw we were not the first ones there! Some women had showed up 4 hours early! It was held at a large department store so we were able to lunch and shop while there. That was helpful, but another bonus was meeting other readers who like Debbie’s books as much as we do.

One of them was Karen Pettyjohn, a reader from Ohio. She chatted with us for a while and agreed to take our photo. Thanks, Karen! Debbie is dressed in white. I am standing beside her.

My editor at the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel newspaper agreed to let me write an article about Debbie for a column. We tied in the interview I did with Debbie to a Fort Wayne book club that won a national contest as part of Debbie’s book tour. This book club submitted their name to the contest and won! The prize? A dinner out with Debbie! How fun would that be?

I was not part of the dinner, but I did interview the woman who was in the club and she and her friends were excited about meeting and dining with Debbie. This same woman was involved with a prayer shawl ministry, which Debbie mentions in her Blossom Street books.

If you knit or crochet, I encourage you to read these books. They will inspire you to use your skills to help others. If you have not knitted in a while, as was my case (20 years), they will encourage you to get started. I’ve done this and started a small knitting/crocheting club at a local coffee house. Anyone can attend. We are at all levels and are willing to share experience and patterns. It is a relaxing hour and most of us are using it to make items for others – baby blankets, chemo caps, and afghans.

Here is Debbie’s website for more information on her and organizations that can benefit from knitting talents:

http://www.debbiemacomber.com/

And here is a link to the story I wrote about Debbie and the book club that won a dinner with her recently.
Depending on when you read this, it may not be available:
http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080611/NEWS01/806110330

Let me know if you decide to start knitting or have another connection with this fun hobby. Even if you don't have access to a teacher, don't give up. Last winter, I taught myself to crochet using a Dummies book!

If I can do it, you can do it.

Take care,