Thursday, May 31, 2012

Deception


There are so many verses in the Bible about deception.  Jeremiah tells us that we can't be deceived except by our own consent.  Obadiah tells us that the pride of our heart deceives us.  Ezekiel says that God allows deception to punish the false prophet.  Ananias & Sapphira died trying to deceive the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 24 warns us not to be deceived in the last days.  False prophets and false Christs will arise and try to lead people astray.  They will show great signs and wonders!  That chapter says that if it were possible, they would even lead the very elect (God's chosen ones) astray.

Why do I feel the need to address this?  I'm seeing it happen.  I've seen it happen to people who I thought would/could never be deceived.  I Timothy 4:1 says that in the latter days some will turn away from the faith, and give attention to deluding and seducing spirits and doctrines that demons teach.  Demons teach.  Wow.  They don't come teaching dressed as a demon either.  They come appearing to be good people; sheep, not wolves.

I'm so concerned.  People I love are turning away from the Truth.  And it only takes pride and consent on our part.  All it takes is believing we know more...or believing we can't be deceived...or making friends with the wrong people...or being more amazed with the signs than with worshiping Jesus...or not knowing the Truth of the Word of God so you can't discern Truth from lies...or being unwilling to bow to God.

My heart is heavy.  If we're unable to discern the Truth now, what happens when those signs and wonders come from false prophets?  Begin asking God every single day, "God, please lead me to and keep me in  Your Truth!"  Choose to humbly submit yourself to Him.  And..be in the Word.  It is Truth!

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Destiny

This weekend has been overload on what God is teaching me.  Years ago, I began asking God to let me finish well with my life.  I want to please Him, honor Him and love Him as best I can.  And God has spoken to me in ways this weekend I wasn't prepared for.  It's made me begin making that request again.  "Please Lord, let me finish well."

A man admitted to me that he missed the plan God had for him.  God called him to be a pastor and he refused to submit because he feared he'd never have enough money.  (It may have been more about his wife's fear than his.)   And the sad thing is...he never had enough money anyway.  God had already been teaching me that lesson--it's all about fearing God or fearing money.  You serve one or the other.  But what I learned from his circumstance was that fearing money may not be having wealth and forgetting God.  It may be more about the fear of not having enough money (or your focus just on money) which is just as serving as the other.

I'm learning that FEAR takes us places we never intended to go.  It's Satan's most effective snare.  If he can cause us to fear, it takes us into a spiral towards death.  It may not be physical death, but the death of our destiny.  I can't tell you how sad I was to see this man not ending well.  It's like he's spent his whole life making up for saying "no" to God's calling on his life.  But he missed the destiny God had for him.

Then I talked to an older woman who made this comment, "I don't know where the past 30 years have gone."  She wasn't just being melancholy.  She was lamenting the fact that she hadn't fulfilled God's destiny for her life in the past 30 years.   She'd existed, she'd breathed...but she hadn't really lived!

Then Pastor Steve began his sermon Sunday with the story of Queen Victoria.  The knowledge of her destiny of becoming queen was withheld from her until she became a young woman--to keep her from becoming prideful or overwhelmed.  But when she learned she would be queen, she said, "Then I will be good."  (Meaning she would work at becoming a good queen!)

It struck a chord in my heart.  I have a destiny.  God has a plan for my life that I want to fulfill.  Some day...some glorious day, I will reign with Jesus.  I want to be good.  I want to become all that God has had planned from the beginning of time.  I want to prepare for reigning with Jesus.  I want to fulfill all of the destiny that God has said is Becky Dietz.


Friday, May 25, 2012

My Life Notebook--Robert Frank Dietz

We were at Andy's mom's house today and Andy was digging through some old papers and found this booklet.  It was titled "My Life Notebook--Robert Frank Dietz."  It was so interesting to see where Bob (Andy's dad) had been while serving in the military.  The interesting thing is that we've been to the places he mentions in China.  In fact, when we first started going to China, Bob told us where he'd been during WWII. On that first trip, we went to The Hump.  The American military was still very much respected there.  I know many will find this interesting, but I mainly wanted his grandkids to read this.  A fitting tribute for Memorial Day weekend.

My Life Notebook
Robert Frank Dietz

July 2, 1919--I was born to Charles Aarund Dietz and Lillie May Huffer Dietz.
One brother Raymond and Two Sisters Dorothy and Helen.
I was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming and lived there to age 7.

April 7, 1927--We moved to Gulf Camp 5 miles south of Borger, Texas and had to walk to school 2 miles east of Gulf Camp.  4th thru 6th grades.  
1930-1933--We rode a bus to Panhandle, Texas.  Because, 1 mile south of Borger was the county line between Hutchinson and Carson Counties.  Panhandle refused to send us to Borger School.  
1929-1931--During the Depression, I milked, fed and cared for 7 milk cows, drove the car and delivered milk before school and repeated it every evening after getting the cows from the fields.
1933-1938--I worked as an apprentice for Homer Hardeman Radio Service under the Radio Engineer for Radio Station Channel 4 learning Radio and Refrigeration repairman.  I continued to work for Homer off and on thru 1940 as time permitted.
1939-1940 1/2--I worked 1 year and 1/2 building Evaporative Air Conditioners and reclaiming piping from an old refinery and a few weeks with Gulf.  50 cents an hour.  That was good money in those days.  I bought my first car a 1939 Plymouth Coupe.
1940 1/2 July-April 7, 1941--I worked for Huber Carbon Plant at 60 cents an hour.  That was great money.  April 7, 1941, I enlisted in the Army and was sent to Ft. Bliss, El Paso, TX and passed tests for Radio, TV and Air Conditioning with a grade of 98.  I went part way thru basic training and was sent to Ft. Sam Houston.
April 18, 1941--at Ft. Sam Houston, San Antonio, TX,  I was sent directly into maneuvers in the Abilene area, given tent communications truck running Teletype and Radio Communications between other units of the 3rd Air Warning Co.
July 2, 1941--on my birthday, we the 3rd Air Warning Co. were sent to Seattle, Washington.
July 4, 1941--arrived at Ft. Lawton Seattle, Washington.  I worked in the Air Warning Plotting Center for the West Coast 3rd Air Warning.  There are 4 warning centers for the United States.  2 on the west coast and 2 on the east coast dividing the nation down the middle with a central Plotting and Control Center coordinating the results of all 4 Warning Centers.
Aug. 1, 1941--I was provided a Jeepster and electronic test equipment and sent to Bellingham, Washington on per diem to install radio and telephone equipment establishing communications between outlying radar units and visual spotters relaying their reports to the plotting centers from Oregon to Canada.  The telephone co. attempted to get me out of the Army and put me in charge of their system at a good salary but the Army refused them so I continued until early December.  I was brought back to Seattle, and removed 4 Radar units from the west coast for shipment to the Philippines.  Our company was sent by boat on its way to the Philippines and my few personnel and I were to load the radar and heavy equipment in the next few days.  But WAR!!!!!

Dec. 7, 1941--"War"  Needless to say, we went to work re-establishing the Upper West Coast Air Warning System.  We got reports that our troopship had been sunk with our co. aboard.  However, three weeks later surprise and joy our co. arrived back in Seattle.
Dec. 10, 1941--During this time, I received my Staff Sgt. rating and sent out on a Training Cadre Teacher to teach communications to several Calvary soldiers, officers, and men.  Thru. Feb. 20, 1942.
March 5, 1942--I was sent with a battalion of the Calvary to Florence, Florida, receiving my orders direct from Army HQ.
March 8, 1942--I took one company of men and officers to Drew Field, Florida to Radar School.  Desiring to receive Radar Training myself, I attended the school.  8 weeks, 12 hours a day, and finished with a grade of 98.  I was still a Training Cadre Member receiving my orders from Washington.  I volunteered to go with this co. assigned to go overseas.
May 26, 1942--We were sent to Charleston, S. Carolina to ship overseas to where??  We could not be told until we arrived at our destination.  We were boarded on a cruise liner, The Mariposa, prepared for troop movement.  They put covering on all the carpeted floors and put three tier bunks everywhere but the staterooms which were assigned to Officers and noncoms Staff Sgt's and above.  The ceilings and walls were left as they were and they were beautiful.
May 31, 1942--We arrived in Bermuda and joined hundreds of other troop ships and the Navy convoy.
June, 1942--We arrived in Great Britain where other troop ships and British ships joined the convoy.  There were ships as far as the eye could see.
June 15, 1942--We went by Freetown, Africa and were told the Germans had a sub base nearby which was very dangerous.  We could see the Navy surrounding the troop ships and hear them dropping depth charges from time to time.
July 1, 1942--We arrived in Cape Town, S. Africa and docked there before going on to our destination.
July 2, 1942--My Birthday!  I was given a pass with all the men to go ashore.  People were standing on shore preparing to take each of us to their homes for fellowship.  I got a really nice family of three.  Their daughter was in our equivalent 7th grade and was already doing calculous and other subjects that we would be doing in the 11th and 12th grades.  I really enjoyed the day.  We were instructed not to be interviewed or mention anything that might give the enemy information of our departure time.  We had several Chinese Flyers who had received their wings in the U.S. and they got their pictures in the papers and our leaves were cancelled and called back to the boat.  Some were not able to get there in time and were left behind.  We went out in a terrible ocean storm and it felt like we were going to capsize.  The waves were completely over the ship in all directions.  Even the ship's crew were all getting deathly sick.  I got in my bunk and held on for dear life.  We weathered the storm and took count of our company and several of them didn't make it.
Cape Town is a beautiful city on a high hill.  Circular streets and buildings all of beautiful white stone.  It was a shame we didn't get to stay the three days of our passes.  The family I was with planned to take me by train several miles into the North jungles.  It would have been exciting seeing the jungles and animals they said we would see.  O-well.
July 26, 1942--We arrived in Karachi, India-our unknown destination.  We set up our Radar Unit on Manora Island which guarded Karachi's Bay.  We had a brick baracks and brick water fountain trough in which we bathed in the open behind the brick facing the ocean.  We operated the radar until we were moved to Assam, India.
Sept. 17, 1942--We boarded a narrow gauge railway going to Assam.  We went by New Delhi North, then SE to the Brahmaputra River at Calcutta and put the train on boats and went many miles upstream where we went ashore to another set of narrow gauge tracks which took us NE to the junction of China, Burma and India called Assam.  The Himalayan Mts. ran east and west and the Chin Mountains ran south between Burma and India to the Indian Ocean.  Between the two mountain chains was the valley called The Hump.  Our aeroplanes could only fly up to 20,000 ft. and they flew The Hump to Kunming, China, supplying the Chiang Kai-shek and his forces of National China who were fighting the Japanese along with the volunteer Flying Tigers American Flyers well known for their bravery and skill.  The Burma Road ran from the China Sea north along the east side of the Chin Mts. up to Kunming, China.  The Japanese were entrenched along most of the Burma road and nearly from East China to the outskirts of Kunming.  They then began to drive the Chinese and Stilwell out of the rest of National China leaving Communist China North China alone.  The Chinese and Stilwell were driven out along The Hump and along the upper Chin Hills into India.  We had found our radar would not give enough air warning and had to prepare for visual spotters to give us air warning.  Several days later, I volunteered to teach International Morse Code and trained all of the company men and officers, graduating all of them as radio operators able to send and receive 10 words per minute.  I also graduated about 25 men as radio repairmen.  We divided the men into 10 men teams with electric generators, radio receivers, transmitters and food, one cook and all could operate the equipment.  They were then sent in to the Chin Mountains for 6 mo.-1 yr. then two month furloughs to anywhere in India they wanted to go and back to the mountains.  We had 20 to 25 teams spread out from the Himalayas down the Chin Mountains guarding The Hump and south as far as we felt necessary.  We had one team with 25 Gurka guards deep in Headhunter Country in Burma only a few miles from a Japanese air bases.
The Headhunters liked the Americans because the Japanese were ruthless toward them.  They traded fresh-cut heads for our (of all things) tin cans from which they made everything.  The bamboo fenceposts were covered with heads.  It was gruesome.  In turn, they helped our team to stay useful to our air warning system.  We had blankets, food and medicines which other natives demanded but not them.  They demanded our tin cans!  Thru April 1944.
July 31, 1944--I was made Master Sgt.  I received the Bronze Star Medal per the following Citation.

HEADQUARTERS TENTH AIR FORCE
U.S. ARMY
10AF 200.6         A.P.O.  216,
25 JAN. 1945
SUBJECT:  Citation for the award of the Bronze Star Medal
To:  Co. 558th Signal AW Bn, APO 218.6
1.  In accoradance with Par. 1d, letter Hq USAF CBI, file 200.6 dated 3 June 1944, subject: "War Department Awards Policy" the following is the Citation for the Bronze Star Medal awarded to M/Sgt Robert F. Dietz, #####, Signal Corps by Par. 9, General Order 235, this headquarters, dated 29 Dec 44:
"For meritorious service from 1 March 1943 to October 1944.  As communications chief of signal aircraft warning organizations, he installed, maintained and operated an aircraft warning net control station and message center, and in addition carried out a training program for radio operators and repairmen.  His efficiency and intelligence aided greatly the operations of his organization."
2.  Request this communication be furnished M/Sgt Dietz.
By command of General DAVIDSON.

March 1945--I was sent back to the U.S. on the point system.
April 7, 1945--Arrived Santa Anna, Calif.  Met the family and had a good cry and stayed two weeks in the rehabilitation and being fed every kind of food you can imagine.  Restricted only by the reminder that the civilians were on tight rations and we were being cautioned not to waste any food.
1945 assigned to Hq AAFRS No 4SAAB the last assignment before separation and ran a relay station in the mountains of Fresno, Calif. during April and May.
May 29, 1945--Received Honorable Discharge at Separation Center Ft. Bliss, El Paso, TX.

There's more to his story...but I'll save it for family.  Bob went to be with the Lord, Sept. 17, 2006.  His oldest grandson, Jason, wrote some memories Bob shared with him here.  

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

And the music keeps on comin'....



The Wright boys wrote this song and this is a video of Isaac, Josiah & Olivia performing it.  I'm so proud of them!!  What an amazing first song.  Below are the words of each child and what they're singing.  I'm so impressed, Wright Kids!!

Isaac:  I forgot where I am, I'm lost in outer space.  I am lost in outer space, yeah!  Someone give me a map or a GPS!  I am lost in outer space.  I see Jupiter and the moon, all so far away!

Josiah:  I see Jupiter and Earth and sun and other stars too.  I don't know the rest so you can tell the rest.

Olivia:  I don't know where I am.  I don't know where I am!

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Here's Dax!



I was at Lubbock this weekend watching Dax while Zach & Shanna vacationed in Ruidoso.  I videoed him quite a bit while I was there.  I had turned the screen so he could see himself and this was the result.



I worked on teaching Dax how to sign "more" while he was eating.  Uncle Gary & Aunt Amy came to visit and they took us to Orlando's for dinner.  Dax showed off his fine signing skills.  (We always clapped for him after he signed...so he got a little confused about which to do first! ha!)
The funniest thing happened this morning when Dax was chasing Jax (Gary & Amy's dog) to his bowl of food.  Dax sat there signing "more" to Jax!



On our way home from Orlando's, Dax was in a very talkative mood!  I think he's going to be a talker.



I forgot Gary sent this video to me.  We laughed at how Dax has started crawling and moving his head back and forth like a bobble head.  Too cute!

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

The Most Excellent Mother's Day

Enjoy the photos of The Most Excellent Mother's Day!

Matt & Lisa's Kids:  Caitlin (13) & Alexis (9)
Jay & Amy's Kids:  Isaac (9), Josiah (7), 
Olivia (4), Hadassah (1)
David & Lindsey's Kids:  Ryan (8) & Addie (6)
Zach & Shanna's Kids:  Dax (1) & Gus (-3 months) 

...and Benjamin, my nephew 
(who thinks he's my grandson) (9)

Josiah, Ryan, Isaac & Addie

Hadassah

Hadassah & Olivia

Pretty smile!

Hadassah giving Andy the dog kisses

Addie & Olivia washing dishes

Amy & Lindsey

Isaac, Ryan & Josiah reading the Bible in Lego-style

3 Musketeers!

Gee/Guh, Olivia, Addie, Isaac, Ryan & Josiah at the movie watching The Pirates.
The kids all dressed up for the occassion....so cute!!

Pops and the magic show.

Where did those dots go??

Isaac, Benjamin, Ryan, Olivia (front), Addie, Caitlin, Josiah, Alexis

Caitlin, the beauty consultant for the cousins.

Alexis & Isaac

The gang.

Ryan

Beautified Olivia

Caitlin making Addie more beautiful.

Alexis

Ryan, Isaac, Benjamin, Josiah.

Caitlin & Alexis meeting Hadassah.

Two beautiful cousins.  Hadassah & Caitlin.

Two Ethiopian princesses:  Hadassah & Hannah.

Hannah teaches Amy some Ethiopian phrases.
Amy, Isaac, Hannah, Hadassah, Josiah.

Caitlin feeding Hadassah.

Alexis & Hadassah.


Isaac, Josiah, Olivia, Alexis, Caitlin & Hadassah.

Dax came after everyone else left!  But he got a quiet nap out of the deal.

Dax on the car.

Mama & Dax.

The only photo I have of Gus.  
A very tired mommy (Shanna) after photographing a wedding Saturday.


Zach colored a Mother's Day card for me at The Plaza.
I don't really know what it means--I just know I'm the LUCKY one!!
Thanks, guys, for a very wonderful Mother's Day!!



Thursday, May 10, 2012

Blow that horn

 Amy & her kids are here for a couple of days.  Olivia had to try and blow the horn we brought back from Tibet.  Look at those cheeks!  And don't you love her haircut??


She did quite well.
She took a deep breath and let it blow!


...wait til the end!

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Is it really about politics?

"Let every person be loyally subject to the governing (civil) authorities. For there is no authority except from God [by His permission, His sanction], and those that exist do so by God’s appointment.
Therefore he who resists and sets himself up against the authorities resists what God has appointed and arranged [in divine order]. And those who resist will bring down judgment upon themselves [receiving the penalty due them]." 
Romans 13:1-2

Bill Smith has been teaching on Romans in Sunday School and it's been awesome.  Not only does he know the Word, but he's also a history buff and really knows his stuff.  We haven't even gotten to these verses yet (we're taking the slow way--which I love!), but I had to ask him last Sunday, "Can you think of one instance in the New Testament where we're told to be politically active?"  None of us could think of an instance.  But Bill did go on to spell out what was going on in Rome at the time and how some verses referenced it.  (I know someone will come up with some verses for me!)

But my point was this:  I think we spend way too much time discussing politics and getting upset or even angry about our particular political stand.  Rome had some pretty nasty leaders and yet here they were told to submit to the governing authorities.  GOD had appointed them!  Now I also realize that sometimes God gives us what we deserve--there were some pretty bad kings in the Old Testament who were set up to bring discipline on a nation.  But if I'm reading this correctly, it's our own unsubmissive hearts which brings judgment.

This doesn't mean that I don't think we should be salt and light and affect our society.  But don't we do that with love?

I've also been reading Deuteronomy 30-31 this week.  Moses is giving a speech before he dies and the children of Israel go into the Promised Land.  Moses has been their leader for over 40 years.  I put myself in their place and thought, "They had to be afraid!  They'd put their focus on this one man for so long and trusted him.  That's why he keeps telling them not to be afraid."  In 30:20, Moses says, "And (you) may love the Lord your God, obey His voice, and cling to Him. For He is your life and the length of your days..."  Moses was trying to tell them, "Don't focus on me or Joshua.  It's not about us.  It's about God.  He wants to lead you.  Trust HIM!  Give Him your hearts!!"

I know that I've put a lot of confidence (or distrust) in men.  Even though this chapter in Romans is talking about civil authority, I think it relates to the church, as well.  CHRIST is the head.  Not man.  We like a pastor as long as he can be controlled or if he's doing what we think he should be doing.  Man may have voted, but it's GOD who put those leaders in those positions.  Many of us "leave" a pastor before God ever takes him out of that appointment.

I think our homes, our churches, our nation, our world would be a different place if we looked to God and not man...or politics.  It would be different if we gave God our whole heart and submitted to His plan.  In fact, the crux of the matter is just that...submission.  Do I think we should vote?  Absolutely!  It's a privilege we've been given.  But I don't think it's political.  It's spiritual.  We submit our hearts to God and trust His appointments.  If we resist and rebel, we bring judgment on ourselves.

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Waiting


I am NOT a good waiter.  I'm a do-er...let's get things done...in a hurry!  I particularly dislike waiting in line or on inept people.  Pretty harsh, I know.  But God keeps taking me to those waiting rooms.  Today, I had to take some paper back to Sam's.  I inadvertently (ineptly?) ordered paper that feeds through a computer instead of copy paper.  How I did that, I don't know.  I didn't even know they still made that kind of paper!

Anyway, I had exactly one hour to get into Sam's, return the paper and shop for more paper and some things I needed at home.  And I got her!  The lady who pulled out the three-ring notebook with instructions on how to return charges on a credit card on paper which was originally shipped to us.  Not only were the instructions long, but she couldn't get the numbers to enter on the spaces on the computer.  She not only had trouble entering numbers, she couldn't stay on task.  She had to talk to every employee who came behind the desk and walk to the printer (when she wasn't printing) and put kleenex in a drawer.  After 20 minutes, I began tapping my credit card.  (And thought I'd been patient to wait that long!)  She apologized for her slow computer.  (Really??  It's not the talking and walking around?)  At 30 minutes, I was about to tell her to keep the paper, I'd just get more.  But God interrupted me before I spoke.  He said, "Bless her."  I was stopped in my tracks.  And...I began blessing her through prayer.  I prayed for her, her family, her relationships at work, her life.  And as I prayed and blessed, my heart changed....and then my attitude changed.

I got to test that out 2 more times before I left that store.  I had to wait in a long line at check-out.  And because I ordered an electronic that was locked up, I had to wait at the door.  And I blessed those on whom I waited.

I left Sam's in exactly an hour.  And with a different attitude.

Monday, May 7, 2012

Pirates on the High Seas

 There were pirates on the high seas while we were sailing!  Ryan & Addie got to attend Camp Carnival while aboard the Triumph.  They loved "Pirate Day."  They got their faces painted, got a pirate bandana and wrote their own rules.  Captain Ryan's rules were as follows:
  • Fight when I tell you to.
  • Never brush your teeth.
  • Wear the same clothes every day, even if they are torn.
  • Do what I tell you to.
  • Be Mean
   Captain Ryan and First Mate Addie


Two mean pirates on the high seas!
Arrrgh, Matey!

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Pure Pleasure

You know what was one of the best things about our cruise?  How many people were excited for us.  And one of the best things coming home was how many people were excited for us.  We're surrounded by a wonderful bunch of people.  Seriously.

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Home again, home again...jiggity jig

We made it home from our cruise....exhausted!  Why are vacations so exhausting?  In this case, I think it's because we tried to cram so much fun and entertainment into such a short amount of time.  Our first day didn't get off to a rolling start.  (pun intended)  Our ship was about 4 hours late pulling away from the dock.  Add to that, we stood by our life boats waiting for instructions for about an hour (til we gave up and walked away with the rest of the crowd).  And no one told us to pack the kids' swimsuits on our carry-on luggage because it would be hours before we got our stowed luggage.  So...none of us were too blown away by the first day.


Finally pulling away from port!  We were all pretty excited.  And the sunset was beautiful from the top deck.


Ryan, the sailor man!


David & Lindsey in the sunset as we sail away--from a very ugly port.
Galveston port is nothing like Miami!


But then we had our first dining room experience and all was right with our world.  This, in fact, became my favorite time of the day on the cruise.   Knowing that Lindsey was taking some dressier clothes for the evening convinced me to do the same.  So we dressed up and enjoyed a leisurely meal each evening--eating everything we wanted.  And especially enjoying the warm chocolate melting cake each evening.  Wow!  That stuff was GOOD!


We only came home with our own photos.  I was sorely disappointed in the ship's photographers and the photographers at the dolphin experience.  I guess I've become critical after seeing the photography of all my photographer family and friends!  But we opted to spend our money other ways than on their grainy photographs.  (All of these photos are from my iPhone!  ha!)

We loved spending time with this family.  It was so special watching the kids do some of their firsts.  
  • Riding a bus
  • Riding a boat
  • Seeing and touching a dolphin (and watching Guh swim with said dolphin and almost losing swim trunks!)
  • Swimming in a pool on the boat (that was a little scary at first--the water was moving!)
  • Swimming in the ocean
It was a great trip with some great highlights and we made some very special memories.