Out of Touch

Isn't it interesting how we get into routines and then just as quickly, we get out of them again? I know I was blogging pretty faithfully last year but I can't even remember what happened... but something did and I got distracted and simply just forgot to blog. I have to relearn how to do this again. I even struggled to remember my password to get in here!


Blame it on old brain cells or lack of interest and motivation? Probably both. I know this is my first blog post this year so far. I know my blogs were in the "dead" zone because I was getting constant spam messages in the comments. I have since changed my settings. I apologize for the inconvenience for having to figure out what all those bunched up letters and numbers are to leave a comment but they do cut down on spam.


So... what is new with me since last fall? I'm thinking...


My life is pretty stable...always has been. I pretty much stay the same year after year without making major changes but more like baby steps. I am still working on eBay and I'm still a "Power Seller" although they have now changed that term to "Top Rated Seller". Just got my certificate in the mail this week which is hanging on my eBay hall of fame door. Hey... I got several new consignment clients the past few months too! They keep my inventory fresh and varied.


Business is also stable... not getting rich but enough to pay the bills and have a little left over for "stuff" - mostly to pay for stuff related to our kids. We have one kid graduating from high school this May so that means we will be having an "Open House" for him this summer. I guess that will be my summer project and motivate me to do things to improve the inside and outside of the house.


I'm still involved with Deaf Cafe which went through some rough ups and downs the past 6 months or so. What a ride that was but God provides for our needs, as always and we give Him an applause of praise and thanksgiving.


My husband is still working for Delta/NW so I still do a little bit of traveling.. not as much as I wish but we go as we are able. I was in Wash DC/VA area a week ago and it was good to force me to get out of town. Sometimes traveling is a pain in the neck with the packing and in my situation, being stuck in airports if there are no standby seats available. I learn to be flexible and patient!


Hope you all have a lovely day and I hope to get back to more frequent blogging!

Fire in Self Cleaning Oven on Easter Sunday

I had a terrific Easter weekend. It started with our regular monthly Deaf Cafe, Flint program on Saturday night. We had a Bible time Jerusalem theme. ALL the team members wore Bible time costumes. We had the usual dramas, songs, videos during the first half of the program. During the second half, we served Bible time food such as hummas, feta cheese, nuts, dried fruit, raisins, grapes, oranges, apples, olives, olive oil, honey and pita bread. It was wonderful meal. While eating, we showed part of the "Jesus" movie. The program ended with a short devotion. We decorated the room with props that made it looks like Jerusalem. We had drop cloths on the walls that were painted to look like stone. One of one members made two palm trees and more walls and gates from cardboard. It was one of the best Deaf Cafe programs we have done in 5 years.

Sunday we went to Deaf Church at Cornerstone where John, my husband, taught Sunday School and then preached in ASL. We had a very large group which was great! After church, we had two families over to our house for the traditional Easter meal of ham, etc. My husband did most of the cooking with Kirstan contributing her ozo salad (yummy). The food was terrific. I'm still stuffed! We spend the afternoon just sitting around the table chatting. It was a great day of being with good friends and knowing that Christ is alive!

However...the day almost ended in tragedy. My husband had gone back to church but I decided to stay home and clean up the kitchen. That's my job.. he cooks and I clean up. I started washing the dishes and I noticed that the oven got dirty so I decided to run the self-clean cycle. I then continued washing the dishes. I finished that and something made me turn around to check the oven and there was a fire inside it! It was shooting flames about 10" high in the middle where the crusted over food was. I did panic. My first thought was to open the door - which didn't work as it automatically locks when set for cleaning and it will not open until it cools down. I pushed all the buttons to turn off the cycle and that was successful. I must have screamed as my two teenagers came running to the kitchen. My 16 yr old is holding his phone saying... I'm going to call 911! I tell him to wait... as I could see the flames were getting smaller.. and smaller.. and smaller and finally it burnt itself out. big breath! This all happened in about 2 minutes.

It was another hour before the oven cooled down enough to unlock itself. I realized that it was the sugar glaze from the ham that set off the fire. I made the mistake of not cleaning up that mess BEFORE I set the cleaning cycle. I had used that feature many times over the years and never had a fire before. I don't know if I will use that feature again. I think I'm scared to now. But I praise my Lord for taking care of us and for patting down that fire. I praise the Lord that I was NOT successful at opening the door as that probably would have made it much worse feeding it oxygen. I praise the Lord that I was at HOME and had not left the house!

So.. please take this as a warning. If you use the self-cleaning feature on your stove, please make sure there are no grease or sugar drippings on the bottom that could catch fire. Make sure you are HOME. Never leave the house while this cycle is running. Most of all, make sure your smoke detectors are operating. I didn't have any smoke so my alarms did not go off.

God is in Control story

This past weekend was our November Deaf Cafe, Flint program. I have mentioned several times that my husband, daughter and myself are part of this ministry. Its an AWESOME group of dedicated committed Christians who love to serve the Lord.

Deaf Cafe is a monthly 2 hour variety type Christian program. We have drama, skits, music, videos, power-points, games and devotions. Its a great 2 hours of fun and laughter and serious learning about God's word too. Our purpose is to reach those - deaf or hearing - who might not normally attend a regular church. In everything we do, God gets the glory.

And God certainly got the glory this past Saturday. We had a special guest speaker, David, who planned to do 15 mins of magic tricks and also the devotion at the end of the program. His wife, Sharon who is wonderful with music, would lead the team in a couple of songs. They arrived Friday night and we practiced with no problems. Everything looked good for Saturday's program. Saturday at 11am, I received a VP call from the husband of a team member. David and Sharon were spending the weekend at their home. We were informed that there was a family emergency and David and Sharon had to immediately leave for home.

Oh my! Four of the other team members of DC just happened to be spending the weekend at my house so the majority of the team was there. We immediately said a prayer for David and Sharon (found out Sharon's brother had a heart attack and he passed away last night - our deepest sympathy to them). We then put on our thinking caps as we had to quickly come up with Plan B. We had 15 mins to fill in the first half, we had to come up with a devotion speaker and a new song leader. My husband John said he would take care of the devotion and Kirstan would do her best leading the song. As Kirstan is deaf herself, that is a big achievement for her. Sometimes she can hear the words on the CD and sometimes she gets lost. We knew it would work out. I found another video to show (my job is tech person) and we would extend one of the dramas.

We knew God was in control!
We practiced the main drama just one time an hour before the program started at 6pm. My husband, (it just so happened that he had many roles during that program) played a "Billy Mays" character by first trying to selling "Super Duper Clean" products that clean EVERYTHING. Later he meets Jesus and realizes that Jesus is the only thing that REALLY cleans EVERYTHING. He then becomes a spokeperson "selling" Jesus. The team sang "Nothing but the blood of Jesus" in the middle of this drama. It was VERY effective and one of the best dramas we have done. GOD GETS THE GLORY!

Kirstan also wrote about Saturday's program in her blog. Check out her version too! Don't forget to click on the google ads!

Need Sermon Videos? Countdowns?

One of my favorite sites

Today I'm going to brag about a site called SermonSpice.com. This site is one of my favorites and I'm going to add the link to my favorites columns today.

Creative Video Illustrations

I have been a regular to this site for I guess 5 years now. I belong to a ministry called Deaf Cafe. My role is the tech person and I'm responsible for finding short videos for fillers between the music, drama and games during the program. Sermon Video has EXACTLY what we need for our 2 hour program. This site provides really cool short sermon illustration videos. I can easily find one that will match our theme.

Perfect for a Deaf audience

Not all of their videos serve our purpose because some of them use voice over... those are worthless to Deaf people but we LOVE that ones that are ALL captioned.. not really captioned but are visual and have the words on the screen. Those are perfect for our purpose as we can read what the video is saying... and what they are saying is very profound and to the point! They have wonderful creative ways to share the gospel.

10...9...8...7...

Another product that they provide that I use during our Deaf Cafe programs every month is countdowns. We use the countdowns during break time of the program so people know how much time they have to find their seats and get ready for the rest of the program. Its very effective. Sometimes we use a short 1 or 2 minute countdown during a game. They are so visual and exciting. People just sit there and watch the time count down.. it goes by fast that way!

More Cool Stuff

Many pastors use these to start their sermons. They also have motion backgrounds which are used during songs. I have not used motion backgrounds much as they distract from the person signing in ASL but its a lovely backdrop to a vocal song.

All these products are so easy to use. You pick what you want... pay for it via credit card and have instant download access. Perfect if you need something at the last minute and a perfect solution for whatever your need is! A great way to spice up your talk for Jesus!

You will be blessed watching the videos at SermonSpice site... head over there now... http://www.sermonspice.com/. Did I mention that they also have FREE videos you can download?

Songs and Hymns in ASL

I love watching a skilled signer "sing" in ASL. It's so fluid and yes, it is beautiful but more than that.. its expressive and it tells a story.

Old Traditional Hymns in ASL?

I am part of Deaf Cafe and every month we do 2 to 3 different songs during the program. Most of these songs are new to me and I love learning new songs. New songs are easy to learn as I don't know how the tune goes. However... I grew up in church and know most of the old gospel songs... at that time I could hear somewhat - and therefore, I also know how the tune goes.

Those old gospel hymns do not translate very well at all as most of the time we don't even know what the writer is talking about with their flowery words but after singing them Sunday after Sunday, they become a part of you and you just sing it that way.. whether you understand the words or not.

ASL is not English in individual words.. its taking English words and making concepts. I don't fully understand this myself as I'm still learning this as I go along. This makes all those old hymns I love so well into new songs and they don't always match the tune that is going through my head! I also tend to sign those old favorite with English instead of ASL. I'm learning all the time!!! It's not easy to change old habits.

Roy Boltz "Thank you for Giving to the Lord"

But getting back to singing in ASL...One of my favorite songs is from Ray Boltz. He sings "Thank you for giving to the Lord". Its interesting that a few years ago I found a t-shirt that said just that at a yard sale. The back said "I'm a life that was changed". I bought that t-shirt before I knew those words were part of a song. When I first "heard" his song, I was so excited and said.. I have a t-shirt with those words on them! This song touches me so deeply that I almost always start crying when I hear it. It is such a blessing to serve the Lord and to change lives.

The music director for Deaf Cafe kindly translated that song from English into ASL. I asked her permission to share it with you and she agreed as long as I left these credits.... Glossed by Vonnie with help from the Lord. (Thank you Vonnie for giving to the Lord!)

So.. here you go...if you know ASL, give it a shot...
the black is English.. the red is ASL...keep in mind this is just like telling a story!

Thank you for serving the Lord

By Ray Boltz

I dreamed I went to heaven
Me dream Heaven go

And you were there with me;
You with me

We walked upon the streets of gold
Street gold two-us walk (use both #1 hands side by side to show walking together)

Beside the crystal sea.
beautiful ocean near

We heard the angels singing
angel sing, we listen

Then someone called your name.
hear, person your name call

We turned and saw a young man running
We looked young man come- to you (sign both # 1 hands like person come to other person)

And he was smiling as he came.
He smile
And he said, "Friend you may not know me now."
say Friend now don't- know who me

And then he said, "But wait,
but wait,

You used to teach my Sunday School
before my SS you teach

When I was only eight.
me only age-8

And every week you would say a prayer before the class would start.
every week before start you pray

And one day when you said that prayer,
one day you pray happen

I asked Jesus in my heart."
accept Jesus my heart

Thank you for giving to the Lord.
Thank you for for? serve Lord

I am a life that was changed.
my life change

Thank you for giving to the Lord.
Thank you for for? for serve Lord

I am so glad you gave.

me much happy you serve

Then another man stood before you
Other man come to you (sign like two people meet)

And said, "Remember the time
say Remember before

A missionary came to your church
missionary show up church

And his pictures made you cry.
show picture you cry

You didn't have much money,
you money little bit

But you gave it anyway.
you give anyway

Jesus took the gift you gave
Jesus accept gift

And that's why I'm here today."
I became saved

Thank you for giving to the Lord.
Thank you for for? serve Lord

I am a life that was changed.
My life change

Thank you for giving to the Lord.
Thank you for for? serve Lord

I am so glad you gave.
me much happy you serve

One by one they came
One come one come one come (alternate #1 hands coming toward you)

Far as the eye could see.
(mime long line people) see end can't

Each life somehow touched
all you influence

By your generosity.
how? you serve

Little things that you had done,
simple thing you do

Sacrifices made,
sacrifice you give

Unnoticed on the earth
here world notice not

In heaven, now proclaimed
but Heaven announced/showed

More experiences being Deaf

The Deaf have a saying... the old past.. the new ahead. Here in Michigan we are looking forward to spring with a passion. It has been a rough winter with record amounts of snow. From my window I see green spouts in my flower beds and I'm itching to get outside to start cleaning up. I will try to do that next week. What have I been up to the past four months?

In January I attended a funeral for a Deaf man.

He's the brother of a good friend. I didn't know the man himself very well but did go bowling with him and his wife once as part of a church activity. He was not well known in the deaf community as he pretty much kept to himself and his hearing wife. He did not have strong ASL skills so it was hard for him to communicate with other deaf. At his funeral, there were only a few deaf present and all but one were from the church community. The rest were family. The whole service was interpreted and my friend did a song in ASL. It was lovely.

In February I got my hearing aid again.

With the help of MRS, I was able to afford to purchase a new hearing aid. They had actually fit me for two of them. I had never had two aids at the same time but was willing to try it. I made arrangements with the office to be allowed to test wearing two aids for a few hours to see what I thought. That was weird. It was awful. The aid on my right ear was just fine as that is the side I'm used to wearing my aid. But the left side was so powerful it hurt to wear it. Everything was greatly amplified and I actually cringed with discomfort. I had the volume all the way down and it still "hurt". My husband and I had gone out for lunch at a quiet restaurant and realized we should have gone to a place with more noise to test this so after we ate, we went to Sam's Club and my left side hurt so bad from the loud sounds that I took it off. I was fine with the right side and I had the volume all the way up on that aid. When we returned to the office, I told them I could not tolerate having two aids at the same time and would only be purchasing one of them. I found out at that point the technician could have been able to adjust the volume on the left side aid to make it more "realistic" but I decided not to further the experiment and just go with one aid. Having one aid was enough for me to function and hear what I needed to hear. No matter how loud things got, I would never have perfect hearing or be able to understand without lipreading. I had since returned to the office and had the volume adjusted on the right side aid so I had a little "room" to increase volume if I wanted. Its cool to see how the computer is able to make these changes in just a few clicks.

So... I've had my aid over a month now and its as if I never lost it for 6 months. Things are normal as they are going to be. I only wear it when I go out in public and not at home. I'm happy that the battery lasts a month or me. YEAH.

Deaf Cafe, Fint continues

Other things happening is my continued involvement with Deaf Cafe, Flint. Next Saturday is our April program. Our theme will be Freedom is not Free. We will remember all the soldiers who gave up their lives for us. Last night I watched the movie GLORY... wow.. all those men are heroes to me! To everyone who gave of their time, energy and yes, their lives for this country and our freedom, I say THANK YOU.

Big Big news.... there is a new Deaf Church in Michigan. I will write about that in my next blog!