Here's to you

So I have been working at an indoor fruit stand/market, and I have come to realize how much I miss the values of my Christian guy friends...Sure, my co-workers are nice and funny, but they definitely do not have the integrity of "my guys", especially "my" IBEXers...

Tim waiting for everyone else to go eat before he would eat
Ry and Nate insisting that the girls sit before they did
Austin bandaging Colin's feet on the Dead Sea Hike
Luke and Tad passing out encouragement
Ryan Moore treating Sarah with kindness and gentleness
Jer creating entertainment and being willing to help
Paul being willing to tutor half of IBEX
Correll helping organize things
Chris playing with all the kids
Laney being ready to answer any questions
And the list goes on..............

To all "my" IBEX guys and "my other guys" (Garret, Nic, Adam, Shane, Kaleb, Paul, etc.), thanks for your integrity, humor, kindness, and maturity...I'm sure at times it feels like no one cares or recognizes your hard work to be men of God, so this is simply a thank you...

A man's steps are of the LORD...
-Proverbs 20:24a
What is desired in a man is kindness...

-Proverbs 19:22a

The righteous man walks in his integrity...

-Proverbs 20:7a

A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches...

-Proverbs 22:1a

The Return of Mr. Twain

So I've gone a little crazy on Mark Twain...He is a great writer, being not only entertaining but eloquent as well...I found more quotes in The Innocents Abroad that relate to IBEX, so bear with me as I repeat them here...

Jerusalem

To us, Jerusalem and to-day's experiences will be an enchanted memory a year hence - a memory which money could not buy from us.

We paused on the summit of a distant hill and took a final look and made a final farewell to the venerable city [Jerusalem] which had been such a good home to us.

The Moslems watch the Golden Gate with a jealous eye, and an anxious one, for they have an honored tradition that when it falls, Islamism will fall…

Travel

…I knew then what I had sometimes known before – that it is worth while to get tired out, because one so enjoys resting afterward.

One must travel, to learn. Every day, now, old Scriptural phrases that never possessed any significance for me before take to themselves a meaning.

Jericho

Ancient Jericho is not very picturesque as a ruin. When Joshua marched around it seven times, some three thousand years ago, and blew it down with his trumpet, he did the work so well and so completely that he hardly left enough of the city to cast a shadow.

Elah Valley

We crossed the brook which furnished David the stone that killed Goliath, and, no doubt, we looked upon the very ground whereon that noted battle was fought.

Aijalon Valley

This was the plain of which Joshua spoke when he said, "Sun, stand thou still on Gibeon, and thou moon in the valley of Aijalon."

My Buddies and How I Met Them

*Mish: Mish was the crazy ARA on my wing...We would ride around Santa Clarita in her red 4-Runner, pretending to row as we drove down the road...She let my roommate and I dress her up, and she would tell us bedtime stories...Mish is always willing to admit her faults, and not only admit them but work to fix them...

*B: B was my roommate from Moody...She loves photos and all colors (except brown and black)...I had to be careful with dark chocolate around, or it might be gone when I came back into the room...She was one of the crazy ones who took 5 classes...B pressed on when things were the hardest...She lived the phrase, "God is good all the time"...
*Meg: Meg was the awesome Frisbee player at Master's...I actually slapped her in the face (on accident) while reaching for the Frisbee one Saturday morning...She played a big part in my being so excited about IBEX...I was so excited for her to be the volunteer...Meg is very loyal to her friends, and loves learning all she can about the Lord...
*Em: Em was my roommate from Wheaton...I really liked her short red hair...She was always enthusiastic about something, whether it was something she had learned in class, a package from a lady in her church, or hummus in the caf...She always played interesting music...Em made sure that her words were true...She loved to gain new insight into Bible passages...

I love you all!!!!

Ketef Hinnom

Melyndee, Nate, Brooke, Ryan Moore, Ryan Heathers, Luke, Heather, Ryan Correll, me, Gracie, and Brittany checked out the bone repository that used to hold bodies and burial objects. Good times...

Puppy dog tails

This is Sutter, aka Sutter Puppy or Sutter Boy, my six-month old Golden Retriever.
Isn't he cute!