It was a cold and snowy night…

I missed the big snow, but still took a few pics before the big melt:

Rusty rolling around like a crazy dog!


The Ropes Course


The waterfront dock


The lodge (formerly the crafts center)


Playing field


My feet

Kenya - my friend Tom

As you probably know, the country of Kenya has been rocked by violence and uncertainty after the presidential elections of late last year. The following is an exchange between myself and Tom, one of Buckner's in-country staff. Tom is one of my favorite people in the world...he has the biggest smile, loves Jesus in a beautiful way, tells many funny jokes and generally makes you want to be around him. Tom is getting married in June to a woman named Perpetua and is busy making wedding plans:

Hello Tom!

It has been much too long since I’ve written you. You have my deepest apologies. You and all my friends in Kenya have been on my mind and in my prayers as I’ve read about the troubles there after the election. I trust and pray that you, your family and your friends are doing well. How are the wedding plans coming along? I’m afraid that I do not know when the wedding takes place, could you tell me please? I’m very excited for you and your wife-to-be; she must be happy to be getting married to such a smiling man as yourself!

It is my hope to return to Kenya with Buckner in December. I look forward to the day when we can meet again as I miss your jokes. I’m sure you miss me as well! Please let me hear from you if possible. I truly hold you as a dear friend in my heart and I miss you. Again, I hope all is well. Pass along my greetings to the children of BCC and others who might know me.

Your friend, Dave

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Thank you Dave! We have had a difficult start this year but are glad that things seem to be working now....i really thank God for the prayers of many, including yours, God has spared us a lot of trouble.
Yeah, Perpetua needs to see this message! Thanks for your kindness. The wedding is set on June 14. at the moment, I am putting together a team of people from church to help with various arrangements including raising finances for the expenses. It's really hectic!
I am glad all the kids are doing well. The violence made them stay at home so much but we are glad they are well. some of the ones in high school had a difficult time and were unable to travel back to school, but they are now all there. i will pass your greetings to them sometime when i see them. as always, it would be good to see you again and i pray God makes it possible so that we may encourage one another in the Lord. have a good day. Tom

Down on the Bayou

Drove down I-49, tonight through Shreveport, Natchitoches (curiously pronounced "Nack-a-dush", all slurred together), and ended up in Alexandria ("Alex"). I'll be in New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Lafayette the first part of the week before I return the way I came.



I've got to be honest, though: I don't like Louisiana. I like the people, for the most part. They seem to have a healthy amount of "joi de vivre." The food is undeniably unique and amazing. The accents, particularly in the south, are delectable, irreproducible, and inimitable. There are a lot of great things about Louisiana. But still...

I think it's because I feel like there's some sort of Voodoo just around the corner. Something dark and sinister and up to no good. Something I can't ever quite lay my eyes on. I know...sounds weird, but it's how I feel when I'm in LA. I've always felt this way when in the Pelican state. Just out of my peripheral vision, there it waits...Voodoo.

I'll be glad to get back to my home of the unwashed redneck, good 'ole Arkunsaw.

Note: I'm reading two books right now. "The Castle", by Franz Kafka, and "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy. Both books are bizarre reads, but especially "The Castle." It's so...so..."Kafkan" (imagine that.) Makes me wish I read German. I'll write more about it when I'm done and have a bit of time to process. Just started "The Road", it's a loaner book.

Bric-A-Brac

Dad. Lift Hard = Gift Card. You can do cryptoquotes in your head but you couldn't figure that out? Gift Card, as in "Barnes and Noble Gift Card."

Grammer. Love the golden triangle of Alpine, Marfa, Ft. Davis. (Let's not overlook beautiful Ft. Stockton while we're at it. Home town of my parents and site of my happiest days as a youngster, hanging with the grandparents.) Drove the triangle twice on my trip, and spent New Year's Eve sitting at the Marfa Lights lookout station for about 45 minutes (sorry, no lights.)



Stayed the night in Ft. Davis, at a cool little hotel called Hotel Limpia.



Went to the McDonald Observatory (took the tour even).



Camped out in Big Bend (me and my trusty Tacoma and my Sierra Design tent.)


Marques. Why do you know so much? When are you coming to visit? Why did Tennessee get beat so quickly after becoming #1? In 5 words describe your time in Samoa.

Files Family. Cute kids, funny pics. Loved the carrots.

Read On Again!

Hey, thanks everybody for your comments! Who knew there were twice as many of you as I thought. You've given me many books to look forward to so, Dad, if you're reading, you know what I want for my birthday (rhymes with lift hard).

Some of you mentioned books that I've read and love:

"Same Kind of Different as Me" - Ron Hall and Denver Moore. The true story of a white couple in Dallas who reach out to "save" a homeless black man. Exactly who ends up saving whom is a real question with this book. There are lots of other good questions as well: What does it mean to be a Christian who loves others? What is the nature of race? What is faith? What is the real power of prayer? What is love? A very powerful book which has changed the lives of many who read it. Maybe not for everyone, but highly recommended.

"The Screwtape Letters" - C.S. Lewis. Are you kidding me? Simply one of the greatest books I've ever read. I've read every C.S. Lewis book written, several times, and TSLs is one of my very favorite.

"A Thousand Splendid Suns" - Khaled Hosseini. The follow-up novel by the author of The Kite Runner. I never read The Kite Runner, but saw the movie. Luckily, I read A Thousand Splendid Suns before I saw the Kite Runner movie. It's a very powerful, moving account of two Afghani women whose lives are defined by war, abuse, death and hope. Great characters, great emotion, great read.

I look forward to reading some of the other books you've mentioned. By the way, when will someone come out with a "netflix" type deal for books? I can't imagine it'd be much more difficult. You make your list, your top book comes in the mail, you read it when you want, you send it back, the next book comes. Shipping might be a bit more, but I'd consider doing it. Plus, books would fare no worse in the mail than the DVD's they send. Someone get on this and make it happen.