That One Question: Part 2

    We have recessed ceiling lights in our kitchen. With the flip of a switch, our whole kitchen lights up. We avoid stubbing a toe or tripping over a pet. We can start an early day in a once dark room, flip on the coffee maker, reach for cups and platters, and alert the kitchen to its purpose, all under bright lighting. 

    But there is one recessed light that we forget to use. It isn't activated when the other recessed lights are prompted to work. It's a directional spotlight that illuminates only the kitchen island. The switch for it isn't on the kitchen toggle plate. Instead, it rests against the back of the kitchen toggle switch around the corner on the dining room wall. We forget about it. It has a dimmer, too. Its soft beam would rest easier on the eyes early in the morning. 

     More times than not we question why we miss the opportunity to use that one spotlight.

    Have you ever wondered about missed opportunities?   We have.                                                                                                              

   

     When we travel overseas to Spanish-speaking countries, we carry two small business-sized cards that carry two different scriptures on them.  On one side of the card, the scripture is in English, the flip side reads in Spanish. 

   

     Many times, God gifts us with conversational settings. We practice our broken Spanish, and they use their broken English. It's fun, purposeful engagement, and a fantastic way to learn more about culture and foods. 

    Eventually, we always ask that one question in English: "Do you have a church home?" Or, ask in Spanish, "Tienes una Iglesia local?"

    Immediate reactions are revealing, of course, as they would be in any culture. Multiple times, that question leads into authentic conversation about their church, their pastor, and their ministries. We share about our church and ministries. 

    Eventually, we offer our scripture cards to them. One couple in Argentina, placed their cards on the back panel of their phones under the protective shield. 

         Do we ever forget to ask that question or offer the cards? Yes. Sadly, several incidents come to mind. Though the Irish don't speak Spanish, we should have offered our Uber driver a card. He was curious and asked questions about our faith. When dropped off at the airport that day, I could have reached into my crossover and shared a card, but I forgot.  Another time in Ireland, we met two young adult women from Ukraine in a church vestibule and started a conversation about baptism as we focused on the baptistry. Of course, they didn't speak Spanish, but one side of the card has the scripture in English. The card unfailingly opens up spiritual conversation and leads to that one question: Do you have a church home?  Why didn't we share the scripture cards with them? We simply forgot, much like forgetting to flip on the spotlight that illuminates the dark space in our kitchen.  

    

    The Psalmist nailed it when he wrote,  "Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you."   

    Does God redeem lost opportunities? Indeed, He does. When we retrace our walk and ask God to share His light in places where we forgot to, He will. Where we walk matters to God. 

    

    Do you have that one question that opens up a non-threatening conversation about spiritual matters? You can have our question. And, we encourage you to print cards with scriptures that are relevant to the lives you most commonly encounter.    

 "I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness."                       (John 12:46)

Keep Looking Up!

J:m and L:nda

 

That One Question: Part 1

     I was about two miles back to the start of the trailhead when I heard someone behind me ask, "Did you walk the Camino?" I turned to see another solo hiker heading back down the mountain.

    "Yes, we did. Are you thinking about walking it?"

    "I am," she answered. "I'm walking the Portuguese in April."

    "That was our first Camino in 2022. It's a good one," I replied.

    We stopped on the trail and introduced ourselves. 

     Curiously, I asked Claire, "How did you know I had walked a Camino?"

    "I saw the shell on the back of your backpack," She pointed.

    

    There is an actual shell that often swings from the back of a pilgrim's backpack, symbolizing the walk of the modern-day pilgrim toward the Cathedral of St. James in Santiago, Spain where Saint James the Apostle is laid to rest. 

    My backpack doesn't display a scalloped shell, but I do have a Camino pin that displays the yellow shell above the yellow arrow, symbolic of directing pilgrims along the hundreds of miles of collective paths on the Camino, called the "Way."

 

   Since that random meeting on the hiking path, Claire and I have joined a local Camino Chapter of 801 members who have had meaningful experiences walking the many Camino paths across Spain toward Santiago. They are a wealth of information for anyone considering a pilgrimage. We have gone to Camino meetings and hiked with a few of our 801 friends in Arizona. We have introduced our husbands during one hike and introduced another couple to Claire and her husband. 

    She leaves in April to solo walk the Portuguese Camino, and we leave in September to walk our third one, the Camino Ingles, which is a new one for us. 

    

 Now, when Claire and I hike, we talk about her solo Camino plans and I share our past experiences. 

 

    What is the significance of a Camino pilgrimage? The route's origin is synonymous with a religious trek finishing in either Jerusalem, Rome or Santiago, Spain. Pilgrims often start walking in nearby countries and walk for days and months toward their goal city.  Pilgrims can set their own pace and mileage per day. They walk to experience new surroundings, to meet new friends or perhaps to mourn a loss. However, for many, despite their emotions when they begin, the walk becomes a spiritual journey. 

   

     I was hiking solo on that mountain that day, and so was Claire.

My friend is Catholic and I am Baptist, yet we share the common faith that calls so many to walk this spiritual pilgrimage. She is not ashamed of the gospel and neither am I. 

     I did not need to be convinced to continue the hike back to the start of the trailhead. It was a warm day and I had already finished six miles, so walking and talking with someone along the way, only shortened the two miles back down. Her welcomed inquiry resulted in a good friendship. 

   

     Jesus knew who would ask That One Question of Him - He invested in twelve followers who asked, "Where are you staying?" His reply was "Come and See." They asked one question that profoundly brought about a deep spiritual kinship with the Messiah, resulting in surprising and blessed opportunities beyond expectation. They walked with Him. 

    That One Question opened so many unexpected blessings for me. Claire's attention was drawn to a small, yet definable pin on my backpack. From that question, a Christian friendship has developed. 

    Jim and I have That One Question.  Read about it in That One Question: Part 2

   Keep Looking Up!

    J:m and L:nda 

    

    

    

How I Learned About Casual Day Syndrome

An Arizona Hike

      "Casual Day Syndrome" is a term often associated with climbers or hikers who are overconfident on familiar trails or have presumptuous attitudes on new trails. It's a term that defines being too relaxed, or not alert. Casual syndrome isn't only applied to the climber alone. We are not excused just because we aren't adrenaline-pumping sports enthusiasts, such as a mountaineer, a paraglider or a cliff diver. The everyday stroller can have a relaxed attitude of complacency and take a tumble. An experienced driver can give casual day syndrome a ride, and we can assume the results.  

    We can casually trip over the corner of a familiar rug in a familiar location in our familiar home, and break a bone simply because we had walked that way a hundred times. That's casual day syndrome. 

    Casual day syndrome can hijack our talents and skills fitted to us before our first breath. Since God gave them to us, and we expect we will always have them, we can be casual about using them. We might casually claim that it's not necessary to sharpen or improve His talents. We can lose passion for learning and growing and end up forgetting a line, misinterpreting a concept, or missing an exceptional opportunity. 

     Relationships, though intangible, can suffer from casual day syndrome, too, and perhaps do the most damage. "They will always be there," or "I can fix it later,"  or "It wasn't my fault" are those nasty peaks we should attempt to summit, but we aren't interested in putting on cleats. Perhaps you have seen the "Round Tuit" procrastination token that reads, "I'll get around to it." Oddly, rubbing the surface until it has a new dent represents a casual attitude of disregard. If we can, we want to avoid the trailhead, "If Only." 

    Sadly, casual day syndrome can be applied to a relationship with Christ. Many casually approach the familiar trailhead, "There Will Always be Time," yet choose to take the trail which Christ would not. Like climbers who died because they didn't turn around at the point of knowing something wasn't quite right, many will casually rub the Tuit token into eternity, absent of a relationship with Christ. But, can Christ find those who casually ignore Him? Yes. He can. He does not give up on pursuing people. Recall the Parable of the Lost Sheep when Jesus speaks of the shepherd who left his ninety-nine to search for the lost one until he finds it. There is nothing casual about Jesus and His purposes for us. 

    If you have been following our Steppingstone Journey blog for fourteen years, you know we hike a lot, both domestically and internationally. In 2022, I met Casual Day Syndrome personally on the side of a mountain that I had hiked multiple times. I knew this mountain. But that day, I tripped on one of the many granite boulders perched on that trail. I pitched forward and landed full force on an obliging boulder. Ouch! That stung! Later, I was surprised that I had been so overconfident and careless. As a reminder, to this day, the boulder hit left a small indent where the bruise occurred. 

    

What was the lesson I learned as I stepped into the week with a swollen cheek and a puffy, black eye? I had to explain I had become overconfident with familiarity, and that I didn't finish strong. I was too relaxed, too casual. My mind wandered and I wasn't paying attention. 

    Where else have I practiced Casual Day Syndrome? I can name them! I've been back on many mountains many times, and boulders are still there, but I trust my Foothold. Also, I trust Casual Day Syndrome to be an attitude that will try to hitch a hike!

Thank you for reading. Keep Looking Up! 

J:m and L:nda

   

  

The Earth is Shaking Under Me!

The earth is shaking under me!

Scree - small loose stones that slide and make footing unstable when hiking. 

    When we encounter scree on the way up a mountain trail, we manage a foot hold and make our way through it. But we know it will be like ball bearings when we hike back down the slope. 

    Arizona's monsoons seldom deliver as much rain as in August 2025. We had record-breaking rainfall recorded as high as 8.3 inches, which is above the annual average of 7.3 inches. It rained and it rained a lot. 

Gully waste on hiking paths

   

     "Fantastic!" Jim and I cheered. "Dampened trails will reduce loose gravel and give us better tread."

     

     Not so, we discovered. Since August, every hiking path has been pitted with unwelcome gullies cut by rushing water, channeled from mountains tops. Those were easy to spot and hike around. But surprisingly, the rains had left loose gravel that layered the trails, hiding scree underneath.

   

    On a recent hike, we rested on boulders at the top snacking on energy bars...contemplating. We had scrambled up loose gravel on this familiar trail and knew there was scree beneath. Now, we had to hike back down.  In between bites, we discussed an article we had read about managing downhill scree. The article cautioned the hiker to carefully place boots flat-footed, test the ground and repeat. So, we'll just be cautious. Walk lightly and slowly on the down slopes. 

  

      But the scree had other plans.

    

     We started down the slope. Information and application were about to intersect as scree made its debut. Every muscle in my quads and hamstrings shook as I placed my boots flat-footed on the shifting scree, hoping my boot treads would hold. My arms swung out, offering balance. I slid and slid again, trying to grip and stay upright on the side of the slope. I felt as though the entire earth was moving beneath me. Finally, my bent knees stilled me. Jim was struggling in front of me but not as much. We had met scree before on previous hikes, but this time, it had the grip;  we didn't.

    

    I remembered the article: Test the ground. The whole earth is not shaking. It just seems like it. Only the loose gravel underneath the boot is moving. Quit fighting... then the force of what is highjacking will stop. 

    

    Fatigued, we returned to the trailhead, removed our dusty socks, raked the scree from our boot tread, and put on our Tevas.  We drove home knowing tomorrow that hike will call out our muscles.

    

     Then, we discussed the trail...all the way home. The article had given us guidance, but only when applying the information did it help us. There were so many applications

    

    After all, Who is our tread when life ambushes us? Who holds us and keeps us from sliding out of control? Who tells us to stand still? Who offers us balance when we feel like the whole earth is shaking uncontrollably beneath us? Who reminds us only the top soil beneath is moving. 

    Many carry burdens, like loose gravel - easy to see, but hiding underneath are scree firestorms that challenge abilities to stay upright and keep a grip. Trust the Creator who made every boulder, every rock, every pebble. He is The Christ who rolled away that big stone long ago, and He still invites us to test His ground today.  The minute we quit fighting what is highjacking us, we allow Him to fight for us. 

    "The Lord will fight for you;  you need only to be still." (Exodus 14:14)

    Our next hike?  Granite Mountain... and we expect to find scree.

    Keep Looking Up,

    J:m and L:inda

    

    

    

    

    

    

 

       

"We Are Irrelevant Now"

 

    She leaned in my direction with her coffee in hand and said, cheerfully, "We are irrelevant now." 

    We had arrived early at the Dublin, Ireland airport...on purpose. We were headed home and wanted to check our backpacks through to Phoenix, via Dallas-Fort Worth International airport with high hopes that they would make it all the way. We also had a secondary reason: get our last coffee at Butler's Coffee Cafe. We had discovered a coffee that almost equaled Dutch Bros, our favorite in AZ. However, unlike Dutch Bros, Butler's adds a piece of their candy with every coffee. This morning, we asked for dark chocolate, salted caramel.

    With our piping hot cups, we searched for an empty table, and fortunately, found one. To our surprise, we did not end up with two coffees, but one hot chocolate and one coffee. Our drinks were un-lidded and we were pouring one into another, mixing the coffee with the chocolate drink when a couple asked if they could join us at our table.

     Both of them born and reared in Dublin, they were a wealth of voluntary information as they sipped their teas from Butlers. Don't you know about their coffee? I remember thinking. A newly retired pharmacist, the two were headed to Nice, France where they vacationed occasionally. Nice!  I thought. She shared about their once busy professional lives, their children and now retirement days. 

    He interjected in a beautiful Irish accent, "That's quite a potion you have mixed up there. How's it taste?" 

      "This is the extent of our chemistry knowledge, but Butler's can now serve a chocolate coffee." We confessed with a light laugh.

    Then, she said it. "We are irrelevant now," and casually bit into the remainder of her chocolate.

     I swallowed mine and murmured "Oh, we shouldn't think like that. I believe, especially in retirement, we can still make an impact. I'm sure you do now.  I asked if I could share something with her. She agreed.

From my sticky chocolate-covered fingers into hers, I gave her a card that we travel with that quoted Jeremiah 29:11. She accepted it, read it and thanked me.

I told her we were retired, too, and mentioned what occupied our lives now. She knew two of them...already.

    Later, after our "nice to meet you and safe travels" farewells, I sat at the gate and recalled many famous people who made an impact late in life. I researched the age at which they died.

• Moses was 120 and he certainly had an impactful life
• Noah was 950 and he made a significant difference
• Abraham, 175 years old. His impact is a living testimony today
• Isaac and Jacob died at 180 and 147, respectively
• Florence Nightingale, a most compassionate nurse, died in her sleep at age 90
• Laura Ingalls Wilder published her first book at 65
• Harriet Tubman died at the age of 91 with words of faith on her lips
• Dr. George Washington Carver died at the age of 79. We love our peanuts to this day!

    We could go on and on. These are names we know, but think about those older around us, still living, who have made and are making an impact in our lives. Aren't we just as obligated to make a positive impact?

    I say, as long as God gives us breath, as long as we are above ground, we can make a difference and have a positive effect. Actually, God's children are never irrelevant...even after we die. (See names mentioned above.)  Even when we briefly meet a stranger. 

Matter today!

Keep Looking Up!

J:m and L:nda

    

    

    

Backpacking Packing

         Packing for Seasons

     A small flyer made its way into my hands in 1992. Ms Martinez, a professor of Spanish at MidAmerica Nazarene University was planning an eight-country, three-week trip to Europe. And, it was for those who were interested in learning how to backpack. "Buy a backpack and come to our first meeting."  I bought a backpack and went to the meeting. 

    Travel changed for me after that adventure, and it influenced Jim, too. In 1993, he bought a backpack and we started out simple: a backpacking trip to Canada.  We managed with little, so we considered it a great success.  Still, there was much to learn about traveling with little!  In 1994, we graduated, bought Eurailpasses, Hostel passes and backpacked for three weeks in Europe. It was getting easier because we traveled during the summer months and only had to pack for one season, the hot one.

  

  Fast forward to forty countries later, and we have upgraded from JanSport to Ospreys - Porter 46L for Jim and Fairview 40L for me. The larger the backpack, one begins to pack their fears. So we settled on perfect sizes for us and packed only the necessities. I pack like I want and Jim packs what he wants.  :)

    The biggest challenge is always shoes. Summer travel is easy - sandals and Tevas, which don't require much room inside the canvas. On several recent adventures, we faced weather and temperature changes that required enclosed shoes and several pairs of them. 

    For example, on the two pilgrimages we did in Spain and Italy, we wore our hiking boots on the plane there and packed our Altra's or Solomon's for the change.  However, we broke the rule in Patagonia. We wore the hiking boots on the plane, trail runners for there and Tevas to air our toes! 

   

     Secondly, traveling in several countries with climate differences during the trip, is challenging. We were slow learners here but eventually learned that layering is key. We can't take it all, so we have accumulated over the years a lot of merino wool clothing. They layer nicely and don't smell. Seriously! They wash easily (if they get washed) and dry out overnight. When we travel on public transportation in some countries, hands down, we blend in quite seamlessly. 

    Finally, laundering. Some countries make this easier than others. In warmer climates, we need a laundromat...just to avoid offending!  Now, in Europe, these "laundromats" are available outside supermarkets, service stations or beside phone stores (great marketing strategies...all). We take laundry sheets, pop them in and smell delicious for a day or so. If we can't find a service like this, it's laundry in a sink at night and pray the radiator heats up! Otherwise, wet clothes travel in ziplocks.

There is a skill to backpacking, and we are still learning how to do it well and how to pack tightly. We try to take as little as possible because we must carry what we pack, which is why investing in a line of clothing that dries quickly, warms or cools during weather changes, and keeps us dry is important. 

    There are so many advantages to backpacking independently. It opens up opportunities to meet the locals, to struggle with the language, and to experience up close traditions and cultures of other countries.  It makes us realize that we don't need, but we can do with what we have...which is a way of life in many countries where we have traveled.  It's actually a good lesson of living with little for a while.

Keep Looking Up!

J:m and L:nda

    

    

  

How Did I Miss This?

 We are cleaning our trail runners, hiking boots and Tevas again, getting all the red trail dirt off. Removing the tiny stones that made their way into the tread of their soles.

December 2024, we traveled to Chile and Argentina to hike the small spine of the Andes Mountains that extends into the Tierra del Fuego archipelago. We had studied the unpredictable weather pattern of this summer month. Lots of rain, low misty clouds and even snow could make the rocks slippery and the trails muddy. While we have always felt sure-footed and our footwear is dependable, we weren't sure about the trails we had selected and hoped to hike in this new territory.

It was then that we got the idea to invite several friends to send us scriptures that related to "feet, agility, and balance." We did not want to stumble, fall or slip on the large boulders or steep climbs. In the front of my journal, I randomly recorded the scriptures received under a numbered day.   

Once we began our hiking days, I recorded a scripture connected to the numbered day from the front of my journal. Under Day 1, I had written Philippians 4:13 so I transferred that scripture to the top of my Day 1 journaling day and included it in our daily devotions.

God had known exactly which scripture would randomly be placed at the top of my journaling days. At the end of each day, we were amazed how perfectly that scripture given to us by friends had upheld us. 

One friend had given us Psalms 18:33, "He makes me sure-footed as a deer; he keeps me safe on the mountains." That day, we hiked two very different trails and God's promise had kept us sure-footed. 

Another friend had given us Proverbs 16:9, "The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." On the evening of this day, we boarded a Busbud coach at 3:30P from Chile to arrive in Argentina at 8:30P. God certainly ordered our steps that time and our stops, too. Did He know we needed rest? Our bus arrived 3 hours later in Argentina at 11:30P. He had ordered our steps to include stopping. 

Today, August 2025, I re-read the scripture from Psalms 119:105, randomly read on December 11, 2024: "Your Word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path."  How did I miss this? I had not noticed the two prepositional phrases, "for my feet" and "on my path."  December 2024, we had hiked the Grey Glacier tundra toward a small island. We started very early, almost alone. Once atop the mountain, gale winds blew in, actually bringing a heavy, grey cloud cover. We needed light in order to see the trailhead leading  back to the tundra. The scripture that morning had promised He would highlight our path. The winds blew the low clouds, allowing strips of sunlight to escape and light our path. That is what God had done for us. He reminded us today in 2025 as we read this scripture how He had made it real in 2024. 

Perhaps you are on a trail or a path and you do not want to stumble, fall or slip. Maybe you are tired and you need to stop and rest. His Word is the lamp that lights and leads the way. That's a sure-footed promise! 

Keep Looking Up!

J:m and L:inda

Big Mountain, Small Steps

Has a painting or a photo of nature ever snagged you to stand still and imagine where that path leads or who might walk that path?

In recent years, we have travelled some interesting paths; some have been very isolated while others have been bustling with travelers. There are times when we pause briefly to chat with those around us and discover they live in the surrounding villages or towns.  

In other countries, on a path, some locals stop us and chat, noticing that we walk among the many pilgrims walking the Camino route to Santiago, Spain or through Tuscany on the Via Francigena, a historic route stretching from Canterbury, England all the way to Rome, Italy. 

In their beautiful accents, they share a snapshot of ancient stories about their past and then bid us Buen Camino! or Bon Viaggio! with a friendly wave. One story in particular has stayed with us. 

We were walking a stunning stretch of the Via Francigena through Tuscany, midday on Day 3 when a private gate opened and a lovely, sparkling clean couple stepped out and greeted us. It was unusually hot that afternoon, and we were predictably dusty at that time of the day! Their accents revealed they were from the UK or Australia, but we knew better than to make which assumption. 

Our accents revealed we were Americans, and they paused to open a conversation to share they were from London. (We were happy for that disclosure early on!) They were going our way up the hill and walked along with us.We asked them about their lifestyle in London, and they spoke of their children and their retirement years. They escape London's summer months and vacation in Tuscany.  Eventually, we arrived at a small village and found a shady spot to rest and continue to chat. We were carrying our backpacks and probably wearing clothes we had just pulled from wear the day before. Now, we were face to face with a spick-and-span couple with Downton Abby accents, yet they wanted to walk with us and hear about the reason for our pilgrimage. 

 

     We shared, "The stages of the VF offer us quiet and serene walking days with hours of together conversation. We make plans while walking, admire the Creator's handiwork and solve problems. We laugh about everything and rest on stone walls to eat our snacks. We pray through the day, and we visit with nice people like you."

    

    She answered, "Don't we all need days filled with laughter and rest? Everyone has hills to climb."

   

     I found that comment most interesting - 'We all have hills to climb' and responded, "Yes, and these Tuscan hills have been quite a challenge for us. The elevation is sometimes endless!"

  

      "We hike in England, and we have a saying, Big Mountain, Small Steps. We always reach the top with that strategy." She smiled. 

    

We took a few sips of our water and wished each other well as we continued on up that endless Tuscan hill.     

We will never meet that couple again, but too many times to count, we have quoted "Big Mountain, Small Steps" as we encounter some mountains that seem unsurmountable midway up. Since then, we have applied that strategy to both spiritual and daily challenges. They were from England and we were from America, and, providentially, our experiences overlapped within a third country. 

At the end of that long day, after our visit to a lavandería automatica, after bellies full of fresh pasta and warm bread, now spick-and-span clean, I sat at a desk in our room and wrote the English couple's quote in my journal. 

Do you have a mountain that seems insurmountable?

"I will lift up my eyes to the mountains - where does my help come from?  

My help comes from the Lord, Maker of heaven and earth." (Psalm 121:1-2)

Keep Looking Up!

  J:m and L:nda

 

All Trails

Pile of rocks

 

~Good bye, 2020!  You have left us with no option but to show you the door and bid you adieu, adios, so long, bon voyage, and sayonara! 

Never to meet again, and don't come back!  

We are joining the world to welcome in 2021, and we are all praying (even if you don't have a prayer history) that 2021 will show us favor.  If you are a Believer, let's pray that God will show 2021 favor;  thereby, bestowing blessings upon all the world.  

You understand that to which we are referring: that beastly COVID-19.  We are showing you the door!  Beat it, scram, don't look back!  

~We are looking forward!  Forward to 2021 with all its new possibilities.

Perhaps we need something like an All Trails app to help us navigate through 2021.  We use this app for the trails we hike in Arizona.  It's amazing! When we select a trailhead, the app immediately coughs up directions, elevation gain, route type, hike classification, reviews, weather for the day, and more!  Wow! 

Follow the path to your destination

~Imagine for a moment what this could mean if we could download an app for 2021 that could "help us know the details before we go," or "keep us from ever getting lost," or "keep a list of the places that inspired us as well as a list of places to NEVER go again," or "take us on new adventures - to places we would otherwise never go."  We could name it the "Life in the Hand" app. Without a doubt, that would be the most popular app in all of technology history.  It would be the coolest app, the trending one, and a big market for global users, who, by the way, downloaded 204 billion apps in 2019 alone, a statistic which has increased by at least 6% in 2020.  With this type of insight, "Life in the Hand" app would not be free;  people would pay!  We know the reason for this popularity, right? People want to know before they go. 

~It would become our "Oh, the Places You'll Go! guide.  

(Dr. Seuss)  We would not have to second guess suggestions from friends, neighbors, co-workers, doctors, pastors, or counselors.  That app would be our "walk by sight, not by faith" guide.  We would rarely make a mistake so rarely learn anything.  We would rarely use intuition so critical thinking becomes obsolete.  We would never take risks so courage dies.  

~As long as we could pull up that app; you know, access "Life in the Hand," life would be copacetic.

Unfortunately, a problem with our All Trails app occurs when we reach areas where there is no internet.  Stop right there.  If we walk by sight, we might select a deviating path - one that takes away from the right way, away from our intended goal. That's when we need intuition and nature's sun!  We have done this before. We have had to turn around and retrace our route.  We have lost time.  It is then that we spot something that we had overlooked: the white arrow or the pile of rocks. We learned from our mistake.  It's easy to get lost and can be a costly mistake for some.  

~April Fools in 2020!  There is no "Life in the Hand" app.  Too many times to count, we must "walk by faith, not by sight" because we can't always trust sight.  There are times when things are not as they seem. There are diverting paths that seem to be right.

~Personally, we are walking more by faith in 2021 than by sight. It will be by faith that we seek the Way and by faith that we will see God's guiding hand, His white arrows and His pile of rocks.  "...choose you this day (this 2021) whom you will serve; ...but as for me and my house (us), we will serve the Lord."

And, we all will have good stories to share on our FB app.

God Bless 2021!

Thank you for reading our blog!

Keep Looking Up!

J:m and L:nda

  

 

 

Hold On

Stay the course

Stay the course...what has kept us on course since March 2020?  Perhaps it was family, friends, neighbors or careers?  None of us could have imagined that a virus that travels through the air searching for the next nasal passage or eye socket would still be on its reconnaissance assignment combing and poking around freelance restaurants, churches, schools, gyms, waterparks, and hospitals like a conquistador looking for its next target.  Nor did any of us ever think we would be absent from life's milestones, i.e., welcoming newborn babies into families, celebrating weddings and anniversaries, eulogizing final farewells to loved ones, expressing Godspeed to those who relocated, commending high school and college graduates, and surrendering calculated and budgeted vacations. None of us...ever thought.  

Consequently, here we linger six months later (including March) reading a blog entitled " Hold On" as if to imply that we have seized a steel cable and we are holding on until we can let go.  Then what?  We have the hope of experiencing things as they used to be. Of course, like you, we have found ample time to pray for that.    

However, consider this:  how has six months of evading a contagious virus changed you?  For us, at first during mid-March, extended Spring Break, suspended work weeks, stay-at-home persuasions did not seem so bad.  We found ourselves appreciating a reason to sleep in, to stock up, and to aimlessly read during the cooler, wet days of March.  But somehow April, May, June, July and August attached themselves to March.  We got caught in the middle of all of this:  we sold our house mid-March before we knew, really knew.   By  June, we had resettled in Arizona and, for us, an "On Hold" was contained inside the "Hold On."   Driver's licenses, car plates, banking, medical record transfers, certification transfers all began with On-Hold phone calls in hour-long queues.  Hiring a contractor? Transferring utilities?  Shopping for Internet providers?  Carve out time because these require telecommunication!  On the upside, updating an address, registering to vote, and comparing insurance quotes can be done online.   Oh, and the supply chain infringed on just about everything we wanted to purchase - backorders, rain checks, and shipping dates were impacted.  Comedy abounds when you move during a pandemic.

How have we changed since March? We have learned to behave better in a queue.  We breathe and are thankful we can.  We embrace FB notes and phone calls like never before. We appreciate time, books, each other, family, and a little bit of media.   

Like the sailboat in the photo above on Lake Zurich, we have to stay the course in order to land safely on the other side.  We'll get there..."Hold On" together.  

 

A Day in SigSig, Ecuador

§ We were invited to attend a Nazarene youth rally on Saturday up in the mountains 90 minutes East of Cuenca. There were a lot of switchback inclines then deep descents into a valley. Keeping eyes forward helped with potential car sickness!  Once there, the beautiful views helped to offset the chilly, wet weather.  The temps stayed at about 55 degrees with intermittent rainfall.

§ When we arrived, we were greeted by teens from two other Nazarene churches.  We played games to become acquainted. We joined in, although, all the instructions were in Spanish.  We quickly learned that observation keeps you in the game longer!

§ Another challenging game was Charades where the player had to guess the phrase/word taped to their forehead.  Before we could give pantomimed clues, we had to figure out the meaning of the Spanish Biblical phrase taped to the head!  Once we understood, for example, Mar Rojo (Red Sea), then we could begin our clues!  A great way to learn even more Spanish!

Neighbors

§ We were then divided into small groups and given tickets/invitations to pass out to the neighbors.

The neighborhood

Now, neighbors was an interesting word because there are no "residential hoods" up here in these mountains.  Handing out these invitations meant walking up steep hills on tiny, narrow dirt paths with curious dogs underfoot!  The invitation:  Come see the Jesus Film in Spanish at 4pm!  😄

Jim was on this team.

Thirty-one came to view the Jesus Film that afternoon.  You can watch it, too.  The story of Jesus changes lives. jesusfilm.org

I was on this team.

§ Our small groups had a short Bible study/discussion from Luke 7:36-50.
I was struck by the biblical knowledge that the young people in my group had.  In the story, Jesus teaches about forgiveness: two people owed two different debts - 500 coins and 50 coins.  Their banker forgave their debts, completely.  "Which," Jesus asks, "loves the banker more?"
Of course, the one in deepest debt.  So, it is with Jesus' forgiveness: We can't out-sin His merciful willingness to forgive all who seek Him.



§ Lunch!  Lots of chicken, arroz con frijoles!  It was warm and delicious!

Pastor and his family

Lunch!  Ate it all!

Day Trips and Other Adventures

§ Located in the historic area of Cuenca, Ecuador is the Panama Hat Museum and Factory.  We took the short tour, which was all in Spanish and tried on hats that ranged in price from $35.00 to $2,000, the latter being behind glass and only offered upon request!  The different weaves, designs, and colors are astounding.  Big eyes and tiny fingers still do much of the production.  Panama hats are not made in Panama. 😲
When these straw hats were first woven in the mid-1800's in Ecuador, the makers needed to commercialize them, but Ecuador is buried inside South America.  However,  a little north was the country of Panama, so the hats were sent there because of the commercial traffic at that time.  Customers bought them, wore them throughout the world and when asked, "Where did you get that hat," they answered, "Panama!"  Years later, insightful Ecuadorian hat producers began placing  'made in Ecuador' labels inside the brim.  This is one time when "labeling" paid off!


 § On another sunny day, we decided to visit two charming craft towns further up in the Andes:  Gualaceo and Chordeleg.  Gualaceo is a tiny pass-through town but home to a tie-dyed and handwoven shawl workshop.  The shawls were lovely and beautifully woven.  The colors were brilliant.  Because the handcrafted shawls are individually woven, they ranged in price from $25.00 to several thousand dollars for the more intricately-designed shawls.  One weaver draped a lovely shawl around me, but I had to resist the investment.  Backpackers just don't have room to add anything!  But, it was tempting!

§ We drove on to Chordeleg, a very small village of 5500 residents and famous for its silversmiths and  their silver jewelry.  And do they have the silver shops!

I love silver, but did not purchase any! After touching every piece of silver in the shops on the square, we made our way to the local open fruit/vegetable market where little guinea pigs had met their demise and were displayed over a smoking fire.  These delicacies are very popular in all of Ecuador;  however, we just were not in the mood for a "guinea on a stick" snack!

Living Spaces

Cuenca, Ecuador has an urban population of a debatable 400,000. It's located in the highlands of Ecuador in the Andes Mountains with an elevation of 8500 feet above sea level.  The center of the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its Spanish Colonial architecture.  

We visited here for a weekend in May 2012 (during the dry season) and were very impressed.  We have returned during the wet season, and we freeze about 50% of the time.

We moved into our VRBO rental and were 

not disappointed.  It's located in the historic city center area right behind  San Sebastian Catholic church and plaza (good job, Jim).   Immediately, we noticed the loud music beginning at 8pm each night.  We have learned that the Ecuadorians believe that if they like their music, then you should, too.  It was loud!  However, it abruptly stopped at 9pm.  So it went.  Nightly, from 8-9pm jarring music... then silence.   We investigated.  The plaza is buzzing during that time with local dancers making merry!    

Open Market

In our home now!

Since we have such a modern kitchen with all the amenities, (except for a 4-cup Oster coffee maker, which makes 12 cups when reloaded 3Xs), we needed to visit the awesome open fresh markets unique to Ecuador.   Every fruit and vegetable you can imagine is sold here, along with whole, skinned animals and yellow, de-feathered chickens, which we don't buy!    The indigenous peoples wear their beautiful traditional dress and very few speak English.  Some vendors have marked their prices, but those who don't, can ask a price according to accents!  True!  We have walked away many times.    

After our first trip out, we have displayed the fresh vegetables and fruit that we bought.  There is a little work involved in preparation of these.  We have to soak every fruit and vegetable in a vinegar/water solution for 20 minutes, then scrub with a brush to disinfect them.  After that, they can take their place in our refrigerator.   

Guarding pastries

Americans shop here

There is a SuperMaxi supermarket about 3 miles from us.  We don't have a car, so we walk there and back.  There, we can pick up fresh meats, bagged lettuce, and a rotisserie chicken that will make multiple meals.  Interestingly, supermarkets here, whether large or small, have security guards plus lockers in which you are required to put your backpacks or bags.  When you are finished shopping, you can collect your items...not before.   Hotels, banks, and even some restaurants have security guards.  If we go into a department store just to have a look, an employee follows us and watches us like a hawk!   Funny, when we arrived in Panama and went through customs, they took our photos and fingerprinted both of us.  This definitely inhibited our ability to "lift" anything 😫while there!   One bakery shop had a security guard.  We bought some goodies there because we figured that the treats must be VERY good. 

Ecuador is super affordable, so sometimes we don't want to prepare meals.  We eat out.

These two delicious pizzas cost about $4.00...total.   And the spaghetti with fresh bread cost about $5.00.  

We don't drink the water, so we must invest in lots of large jugs of water, which, while a burden to carry, cost very little.  

We enjoy exploring new cities and cultures.  While the currency here is the same as the U.S. and the time is the same as Central Standard, we still have difficulty finding our way.  We struggle finding the products we need and reading directions on our washer and dryer.  The street names and menus are in Spanish.  We write down where we want to go and hand that paper to the taxi driver and hope we get there.  

If we ask a simple question in Spanish, the response is rapid Spanish with hand gestures.  We nod and go on.  

The Eighth Wonder: The Panama Canal

Panama City, Panama

Panama City, Panama

We left Texas on July 17, 2019 for another of our backpacking trips.  This time, we wanted to see the beautiful country of Panama and while there, take a little cruise through the Panama Canal.
Our backpacks were stuffed full of clothing to accommodate two different climates:  Panamanian heat and afterwards, Andean cold of Ecuador.

Packing Our Backpacks

     The first stop of our six-week journey will be Panama City, Panama where we will stay for 6 days.
On one of those days, we will take a 12- hour excursion through the canal.  Panama has two seasons, and we will be there during the very rainy season, but our faithful Marmots will cover that!   The high temps will average 93 muggy degrees along  with ☔.   Umbrellas are heavy weight for a backpack, so they will clearly be an initial purchase.  Panama City is about 100 feet above sea level.

Three airport connections later, we touch down in the Andes Mountains in the city of  Cuenca, about 8500 feet above sea level. The center of the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its Spanish colonial architecture.  We will probably get 10 rainy days while there, but with highs of 68 and lows of 48 during August;  the climate can be bone-chilling.

We packed our backpacks several days ago, but each time we looked at the elevation, temperature, and rainfall differences, we removed and exchanged clothing items multiple times. We are at a standstill now.  Here is our final decision:  if we don't have it and need it, we will buy it and leave it; if we have been wise enough to pack it and don't need it, shame on us - we have overpacked!
We have done this since 1992, but have never had the climate differences as we will on this trip.

Accessory pack:  these are small zippered cases that organize chargers, external batteries, adapters, ear buds, etc.  Everything is just a zipper away.

Jansport Day pack :  We always travel on American Airlines and will travel on two domestic airlines through Colombia into Quito, Ecuador on our way to Cuenca.  Backpack sizes become an issue on all airlines, so we did our research and we meet specifications for AA, but who knows how welcome our backpacks will be on smaller domestic, in-country flights.  These day packs will always stay with us and carry our Kindles, my journal, and yes, the extra pair of underwear!                                     

Osprey backpacks:   We chose slate grey color to cover travel mistreatment, and Jim's backpack is several liters larger than mine. Backpacks are always the recipients of abuse!  They are insulted, kicked around, and trashed.  They end up on their backs, sides, and fronts on trains, busses, hostels, hotels, and pensions.  They are exposed to heat, rain, sweat, dirt, and food stains. But they knew this when they were born into this partnership.  Our backpacks include hiking pants, long/short sleeved shirts, sweaters, jackets, sleepwear, 2 pair of shoes/socks, 1 set of church clothes, and hats.  And Hydro-flasks dangle from their sides.                                         

Toiletries:  TSA's 3-1-1 rule, that is 1 quart zip-lock, 3-oz containers of liquids, per 1 person, actually helps us to downsize even more.   However, this one takes some careful consideration and some negotiation so our two zip-locks will perform as intended. Many items can now be bought in travel sizes and once into our countries of destination, we can replenish.

We are cinched up and ready.  Ready to really stop, rest, read,
be present, study the book of Acts, and welcome the friendships that stumble our way.

We invite you follow our travel blog, pray for us along the way, and allow the travel bug to support your bucket list.


Til next blog, Keep Looking Up,
J:m and L:nda