Remembering To Never Forget

     Remembering things has never been an easy task. When I was a kid, people would put a string around their finger or a rubber band on their wrist to help them remember things that they were trying not to forget. Simple things, like picking up milk or bread at the store or picking up the dry cleaning on the way home from work. 
     As a young adult, there were organizers, dashboard scratch pads, and mini cassette recorders to help us never forget the "small, but important stuff". Nowadays, we have wonderful "smart" phones that not only help us remember ("there's an App for that") but also shows us everything we need to know about anything we ever wanted to know about everything. (Help!)
     Sometimes it's easy to see how some folks lose themselves in the journey. We all need "markers" along the way that reflect our chosen path so that when we do lose our way, we can remember where we came from and hopefully not have to re-trace our steps back to the beginning.
     Holidays, Celebrations, and Remembrances are the ways our country and culture provide those "markers" naturally. In recent years we have "moved" some of those "marker"dates for our convenience and lost a little of the remembrance for the next generation to understand. It saddens me when the focus of the day becomes something other than what was intended originally. It's hard for young people coming up to understand who we are as nation and people if the main focus of those times becomes our personal leisure.
     Thankfully this weekend of Remembrance and Memorial still stands as a beacon among many of our "defining days" that celebrate those who have paid the ultimate price for the freedoms we so richly enjoy by the grace of our Heavenly Father.
     Friends let's savor, pause to remember, and be thankful this Memorial weekend. So that we never forget where we've come from and who we are as a nation and people. Hold your children close and tell them why they must never forget.  God Bless the United States of America .

Winds of Change - When life goes tsunami

      Here in Columbia the winds of Spring have been coming from every direction. At times it seems that winter's chill just won't go away! Temperatures have been all over the map lately as we have been in the low 40's one day and upper 80's the next. At times like these it's hard to make sense of what is happening, and when will things stabilize.
     Life can be that way too. Recently, while putting the finishing touches on some Easter music, everything seemed to go sideways all at once. Differences of opinion cloud the issues, while logistical plans that were normally stable suddenly went into a state of limbo. Challenges in my workplace had boiled to a sudden spill that is beginning to calm. Life seemingly got really crazy, really fast.
     As I write, I am reminded of the storm that Jesus calmed on the waters of the Sea of Galilee. Mountains surround that very large lake that is below sea level. Many times the conditions made it easy for the west winds to swoop down, without a moments notice, to create a mini-tsunami like wave that struck fear even to the normally sea-worthy fisherman / disciples in the boat.
    Life gets like that at times when everything appears calm, then "wham!" nothing is stable. Where do you turn when life goes sideways? Is there a rock you use when life storms come. People today see their lives differently than in the past. How do you navigate the tough times? Many people handle crises differently. What is your life anchor in times of trouble. Friends? family? Personal drive? Faith? How's it workin' for you?
    

Fresh Pot brewing...

Hey there!

   If you weren't able to catch us over the holidays, we hope yours was a blest time with family, friends, ...and maybe a little SNOW!
   It's been a really crazy, wonderful ride in preparation for Christmas this year as I have been working a bizillion hours at the Joe Bank store in Columbia. Sorry that this pot of coffee has gotten pretty stale since August, but rest assured a new pot is brewing.
   Christmas was wonderfully peaceful here at the Athans home. Kinda like the song "Silent Night", it was restful and reflective upon the celebration of Christ's birth. Drinking deeply in the story of God's love reaching to all mankind through His precious Son, Jesus.
   Last time we talked alittle about building relationships and how trust and intimacy are built. This holiday season was filled with renewing friendships across the miles through cards, emails, and facebook, while also developing new friends connected to folks we already knew. I really enjoy that about the holidays as well as throughout the year. Like one of my all-time classic song faves by Streisand, "People who need people are the luckiest people in the world". Yeah, there are some "diamonds in the rough" out there. But in a culture that seems to over-emphasize the "dark and bitter" side of life, I think it's well worth the time to "look for the good stuff" in everyone. We are all in this together and I believe God wired us that way for a reason: to need each other and need Him. New Pot, New Year!

Coffee's On...

     Hey there, welcome to the h2hcofe blog!
     Pull up a chair with you favorite brew and join in the discussion.
     If you're wondering about the blog name, it is a short version for "heart 2 heart coffee". (or "have 2 have coffee" if you prefer ) We like both. Anyway, as you can guess this blog is about the stuff we have a passion for in all of life. You can also guess that as missionaries with the AMF (American Missionary Fellowship) that there will be a good blend of how God is working in our lives. (the very good, the not-so-good, and the UGly!) We believe God has a deep desire to interact with us in all the stuff of our lives, on all levels. This is important because even though we have more and more opportunities to communicate with one another via every form of tech media possible, we find it hard to be "real" with folks. We love the guarded experience of techno-relationships. Trust is an essential ingredient in any relationship. I think it starts with many shared and challenging experiences that stretch everyone. How do you build trust? How do others build trust with you?
From the start, this life is all about relationships...and that's a good thing.