Desert Rat

I have never met anyone besides me who really appreciates places like El Centro California or Yuma Arizona. I’m sure there are others who love those desolate desert places…I just haven’t met them.

What more can I say about the desert, except that I love it. I love the sand, the heat, and the wind; the way it blows through my hair and kisses my cheek. I love sitting on a balcony or patio of an elegant hotel, my husband holding my hand as we sip coffee or iced tea and watch the palm trees gracefully bend in the warm dry caressing breeze. This is my perception of the perfect priceless get-a-way.

My husband Terry not only understands this love but has been gracious to indulge my obsession and allow me to pursue my passionate love for the desert. I know that secretly in his heart he probably refers to me as his Desert Rat but he seldom complains. However, I do remember a testy response to my question as we ate our lunch on the Patio of the restaurant at The Westin Mission Hills resort in Palm Springs.

“Why does everyone keep asking us if we’re okay out here?”
He couldn’t contain that slight look of amazement as he wiped the flowing perspiration from his forehead.

“Good grief Val, it’s 105 degrees. Haven’t you noticed we’re the only ones out here? They probably think we’re crazy.”

In defense of my erratic behavior, I will point out that I grew up in Phoenix Arizona. Many of those days hit the triple digits but I don’t recall doing much complaining. Perhaps the emotional trauma due to my being transplanted to San Diego California around my 15th birthday has slightly deranged my perception of desert life. Well, that’s always been my excuse…and I’m not changing it now.

My brother Bob knows I love the desert. He and his wife Terri have been on their “Lost in America Tour” traveling the country in their beautiful, huge coach for the last couple years. Recently they sent me a great book called
Vanished Arizona: Recollections of My Army Life, the story of a New England Woman by Martha Summerhayes (Author), Dan Trapp (Introduction)

I found this a fascinating read on the personal history of Martha Summerhayes during the 19th Century in the American West, the recollections of her life on the Frontier and Arizona. It includes some wonderful black and white illustrations of historic scenes of Arizona and some personal letters and correspondence. It a Softcover. 307 pages. Measures 5 1/4 by 8 inches.

Thanks Bob & Terri…See you soon…!Your sister…The Desert Rat

"Good dog...Bad dog"

My Good friend JoAnne mentioned that the two furry members of my family are not on my blog. Well…actually I am lacking in several areas there… I’m still trying to play catch-up when it comes to blog content. However, since it was mentioned, I thought I would plug in a few lines about our two Jack Russell terriers…commonly known in the Frost household as “good dog - bad dog.” Look at the picture I bet you can figure out who is the good dog. The eyes are definitely windows to the soul for our Daphne, commonly known as Daphodile, the baby, sweetness, baby-pie and Rocky, Aka the Rocket, Rockodile or Beelzebub.

Daphne can commonly be found gazing adorably at her mom and dad or feverishly licking their faces trying desperately to do what is good and right in their eyes. The Rocket, on the other hand, can be found anywhere you don’t want him to be… for instance perched on top of the 4-drawer file cabinet in the office or dismantling the table so that he can get the chew-stick that he shoved under it so he could ─ dismantle the table.

In the morning when I get ready for work Daphne lays contentedly in one of the two doggie-beds in the bedroom. One faces the bathroom with a view of the shower. The other is next to my make-up table. The one Daphne gets to lie in depends on where I am at the moment. If she is in the one facing the shower when I go in, Rocky moves her out so he can keep tabs on me. So she moves to the one by the make up table. Later when I sit down to blow-dry my hair suddenly he’s standing over her willing her out of her spot with that stony gaze. She often turns her back so she can’t see him look at her. That’s when he gets pro-active and will actually step into the bed between her and the wall, place his feet firmly on her body and then lays down as he stretches his legs until he shoves her out of the bed on to the floor. I try to keep him from bullying her but the second my back is turned in the shower or head upside down blow-drying…he gets his way. Poor baby!

The bullying is exactly why I insist that they have separate rooms at the Bates Motel.
Okay…for clarification the “Bates” is what we call the doggie care center where they stay when we go out of town without them. My hubby feels really bad when they can’t go with us and always apologizes. “Poor little guys…daddy’s sorry you have to go to the Bates!” It’s an okay place but we do hate to leave them…though it is sometimes nice to get a rest. I don’t think Rocket and Daphne appreciate being left but the kennel keeps coming up with new and innovative ways to make us more comfortable about their stay. The last time we left them was for my High School reunion in Phoenix.

While hubby was in the shower I checked my email. There were two separate emails from the Pet resort; one from Daphne the other from Rocky. Each read. “Since we can’t call you, we thought we’d send you a picture to show what a great time we’re having.”

I must admit I could barely stop laughing. Whoever took the pictures did a great job of catching the personalities and the attitudes of these two sweeties. I’ll let you judge for yourself…good dog…bad dog. Can you tell?

Please Save Me

Help me please...Norman is scary!!!

I'll Get Even for sending Me to the Bates

Oh Norman...Norman...where are you??? Heh...heh...heh!

Staying On Course

“One of my favorite quotes is sometimes God calms the storm…Sometimes God lets the storm rage and calms the child.” ~Author Unknown


Read Matthew 14:22-33

I heard a story about a man who grew up with a passion for flying. His fervor drew him through many areas of skill. He was a test pilot, and a military pilot who flew the latest in jet aircraft technology. One day while he was in the air he received a call from the controller. There was a young pilot in the air. He was in the clouds, lost, disoriented and very scared. The controller told the seasoned pilot that the young man was in serious trouble and he was the closest to him and asked if he could help him. He immediately turned in the direction of the small aircraft, and pulled along side bringing his craft to a crawl next to the tiny craft. Locating his frequency He identified himself and said “look to your left”. The terrified pilot looked and saw an amazing sight hovering at his left wing, a beautiful, modern sleek fighter jet, flaps up, landing gears already lowered and locked. The fighter pilot saw the tears of relief flood the young face. Then he spoke to him in a calm, authoritative manner.

“I’m going to pull in front of you and I want you to do one thing and only one thing. Keep your eyes on me. Follow me… do everything I do. If I…turn you turn. Wherever I go… you follow. I’ll go slow and keep an eye out that I don’t lose you.” So the Jet pulled in front of the Cessna and they headed through the clouds together. Soon they dropped through the clouds Ahead right below them was probably most beautiful site that scared pilot had ever seen– the runway. The emotional meeting on the ground made a great impact on the old pilot. He realized that at that very moment of their meeting in the air he held the words of life and death. God had given him the ability, the knowledge that allowed him to lead someone safely on a path towards home. Could his entire life’s training and purpose have been directed to save one life? Could that be our purpose…?

This story stands out to me one, because my hubby is a pilot…two, because of an event that happened at the company he flies for occasionally.

A young pilot had completed his training and was scheduled to go to Los Angeles to take his test for his pilot’s license. To do that, they go on a solo flight. The instructor briefed him on all the flight protocol needed for him to make a safe flight and pass his test. Part of the procedure is checking the weather details and watching for unsafe conditions. Flying up the coast he ignored an oncoming weather pattern that was a flight hazard. He flew into a fog bank became visually disoriented and crashed into the ocean. The people who lived in the crash area said that one moment it was clear…the next you couldn’t see your hand in front of you. The short sad truth is the pilot didn’t follow the guidelines that his instructor had given him on when to proceed, when to change course…or when to turn back…it cost him his life.

It’s the same in the spiritual realm…we have the bible…the instructor…but too often we’re following our own plan. For the unsaved…the wrong plan is a matter of life and death…eternal life. Following our own plan is just as detrimental for us even as Christians because we’re out here in the midst of the storm barraged by waves of disaster sinking in a sea of problem. The fog settles in and the only way anyone gets through it is by following our Savior. Even working at a church where most people think it should be safe we find Satan is often lurking. We know the devil will sneak in everywhere he can and if we let him he can bring that storm in so quickly that it surrounds us and we’re lost. I need to follow my Savior Jesus daily not just at that decision moment but ongoing every day so I can stay on course, especially with all the storms going on around us now.

I need to remember that the entire purpose of my Savior coming to earth, teaching, suffering, dying on the cross was so that I would have a clear direction and path toward home….even through the storms of life.

Matthew 14:30
“But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out saying ‘Lord save me’.”

I can close my eyes picture Jesus saying these words to me “Don’t worry…keep your eyes on me. Follow me… do everything I do. If I…turn you turn. Wherever I go… you follow. I’ll go slow and keep an eye out that I don’t lose you.”

Jesus saved me. Even when I’m off course He is there for me.

The best Part of the Day

How often have do we make the decision that we are too busy to start our day with God or even spend time with him? If we really believe that he is abundantly able and willing to provide for our needs why don’t we consider that he will provide the exact amount of time for everything we need to do each day. The time we give him each day will be used for Him to advise and guide us in every aspect of our life including time management. He’ll help us to weed out and choose the good things. And we might even discover that when we get rid of the things that steal our time and give us no benefit, we'll have more time for what we want to do.

In Luke 10:38-42 when Martha was upset with her sister for sitting at the feet of Jesus, he spoke to her. “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” Remember that the time we spend with Jesus never takes away from part of our day. It only adds to it...the best part.Don't let anything take that away from you.

More From The Desk of Chaplain Dale

Hi Everyone!

It’s hard to believe that the decade of 2000 will be over in just 29days! It seems like yesterday that we were all looking forward expectantly to the dawning of the new millennium, and now we’re already 10 years into it!

Ten years ago I had my hands full with the possibility of a Y2K meltdown. I had been tasked with the project of “Disaster Preparedness” for Horizon Christian Fellowship and Horizon Christian Schools. I had the responsibility of formulating and implementing a plan of action to keep approximately 1500 children, staff, faculty and employees, on two separate campuses, safe in the event of a natural or man-made disaster…food, bedding, clothing, toilet facilities, communications, security, etc…etc…and all without the use or availability of electricity! No small task!

I bring this example up because at the time, I was overwhelmed. The enormity of the task was beyond my capabilities. I had to trust God and ask for His wisdom and direction for every part of that very complicated and complex directive. In essence, I had to pray…

Now, ten year later, I find myself in the same waters. God has called me to a ministry that is way beyond my capabilities. The complexities, nuances and burdens are more than I’m equipped to handle. So what am I to do? Pray….

So much has changed, and yet nothing has changed! The answers still come from the same source…God. And He promises, “You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all of your heart.” “Trust in me with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Me and I will direct your path!”

The source is still Him.

The source is still prayer.

2010 is just around the corner…a new decade…and a chance to watch God do “exceedingly and abundantly more than we can ask or think!”

May you have a blessed and VERY Merry Christmas!

Your servant,

-Dale

From the Desk of Chaplain Dale

A good friend of mine Dale Lowrimore is a San Diego Police Department Chaplain. This is a copy of the article he wrote for the Police and Sheriff magazines that will come out this month.Here It's definitely a great message worth passing on.

December 2009

“I don’t know of a single foreign product that enters this country untaxed except the answer to prayer.” (Mark Twain)

Over and over in the Bible we are entreated to pray. The word “prayer,” and its derivatives are used 545 times in the Old and New Testaments, and there are hundreds of examples of prayers being offered and answered through the entirety of Scripture.

But what is prayer? Please allow me to give you another quote, this time from Francois De La Mothe-Fenelon (1651-1715):

“Tell God all that is in your heart, as one unloads one’s heart to a dear friend. People who have no secrets from each other never want subjects of conversation; they do not weigh their words, because there is nothing to be kept back. Neither do they seek for something to say; they talk out of the abundance of their hearts, just what they think. Blessed are they who attain to such familiar, unreserved intercourse with God.”

You see, this is what prayer is…simply talking with God!

Now I must admit, there are aspects of prayer that I don’t quite understand or comprehend. But this should in no way hinder or impede my willingness to spend time talking to my heavenly Father. In fact, I stand in good company…the disciples of Jesus didn’t quite understand prayer either because at one point they said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray!” (Luke 11:1). It is from their inquiry that we have the model of “The Lord’s Prayer” that is so familiar to millions of Christians around the world.

“The Lord’s Prayer”

• “Our Father”…Speaks of intimacy. We are able to speak to God with the fondness and closeness of our own earthly father.
• “Which art in Heaven”…This sends our mind to where God dwells and speaks of His transcendence (i.e. that God is outside of our space/time continuum).
• “Hollowed be thy name”…This reminds us that the One to whom we are praying is absolutely Holy! He dwells in an environment of white-hot holiness!
• “Thy kingdom come”…What is our motivation for praying? Is it to further God’s kingdom?
• “Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven”…Are we willing to be obedient to the known will of God as explained in the Bible?
• “Give us this day our daily bread”…This reminds us that God is the one who sustains us; it is He who puts food on our table.
• “And forgive us our debts” (i.e. trespasses, sins)…This is not speaking about our MasterCard bill. This reminds us to come to God and ask for forgiveness for the sins we have committed against Him and our fellow man.
• “As we forgive our debtors” (those who have sinned against us)…Jesus warned us that we will not be forgiven if we are not willing to forgive those who have trespassed against us. (See Matthew 6:14-15)
• “And lead us not into temptation”…This is an unfortunate translation from Greek to English. It can be better rendered, “And let us not be led into temptation.” The first rendering can sound like God sometimes leads people into temptation but nothing could be further from the truth! God does not tempt people. We are tempted by our own lusts and desires (James 4:1-4).
• “But deliver us from evil”…When we find ourselves tempted to sin, that is the very moment that we should pray to our heavenly Father!
• “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen”…Finally, we are reminded that God is the one in control. His kingdom, power and glory are unmatched and will go on for eternity.

Let me encourage you during this Christmas season to contemplate the need for prayer in your life. It celebrates the birth of One who, according to the Bible, was born into this world to pay with his own life and suffering the penalty for our sins, so that we could have a relationship with God, and direct access to Him via prayer. Now He can say to us “Call to me, and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3… God’s phone number). What a wonderful gift! Take full advantage of it!

May the Lord richly bless you and your families during this wonderful Christmas season!
-Chaplain Dale