The End Of A Stunning Weekend

There never seems to be enough time to take advantage of the beautiful weather here in Hawaii! Sometimes, in spite of all the busy-ness, you have to just get out and watch.

We went snorkeling in Lanikai on Saturday. The water was warm but somewhat cloudy due to sand. We had a good time swimming around even though there wasn't a whole lot to see (well, we DID see a Sea Turtle and they are always fun to watch).

Saturday evening we met a couple from church for dinner and walked downtown Waikiki talking until midnight. We haven't done that for a long time and we enjoyed it a lot.

Sunday morning we went to church (the late service...) And then ate lunch with the same couple and their kids here in Kailua. That afternoon we did a little shopping and then just before sunset, I climbed the Ka'iwa ridge to watch a beautiful sunset over the Windward Shore!

The weather has been particularly beautiful this weekend - clear and bright. It has been a blessing to be able to witness it and get out to enjoy it. May your week be every bit as beautiful as a stunning weekend in Hawaii!

- Joe
(writing on the road with my Blackberry cell phone)

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Driving to work!

As hard as it may be to believe, sometimes I have to be reminded of just how blessed I am to be paid to do a job I love in Hawaii! This is part of my daily drive to work.... God can send great reminders! How wonderful to be here in His care!


- Joe
(writing on the road with my Blackberry cell phone)

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Finally Up To Date!

This blog post marks the first time in three months that I have finally gotten caught up with posting events on my blog (though this picture was taken a month ago). I have noticed that it takes me about 3 hours or more to create the detailed picture posts (like our trip to the Big Island), so it's been difficult to find the time just to sit down, type all this stuff up and arrange pictures! If it's been a while, be sure to scroll down the page to see if you might have missed a blog post because I've done a lot of updates lately!

But now, the posts will be up to date. I hope to be more reflective with less of a travelogue feel, at least for a while. Maybe you'll see some short posts from my Blackberry! Anyway - thanks for reading... leave comments and let me know what you think (My thanks to Jessica for leaving comments)!

I am still amazed that we live in Hawaii and have so many wonders to enjoy. We continue to thank God that we are so positively blessed!

A Week With Andy & Tiffany

Last week, Andy called and said he'd found some cheap tickets to Hawaii, so he and his girlfriend Tiffany came out to visit! They stayed for seven very relaxing days and have now returned home to another school semester. When they arrived, it was Saturday night so we had dinner before heading home to prepare for activities on Sunday.

Sunday morning, we went to church and then headed to the North Shore for some snorkeling at our favorite location: Sharks Cove. But only an hour into our swimming, Andy dove down and his eardrums ruptured. Dizzy from the water in his ear, we headed back to dry land. Later that afternoon, he felt good enough to get dinner, so we stopped by Dukes in Waikiki. Unfortunately, ruptured eardrums meant no swimming until they heal, so Andy wasn't swimming any more during his stay.

I had a full week at work, so I spent the days at the office. On Monday, Andy didn't feel good because of his ears so they all stayed home and relaxed. On Tuesday, Andy got a bad sunburn at the pool, so Wednesday, they spent most of the day inside (in the shade). Thursday, they went to see the University of Hawaii campus, but found that tours are given on Fridays, so that's where they went on Friday. On Friday afternoon after work, we all went hiking up the Kaiwa ridge. By the time we got back home, it was dark, but it was a very nice evening hike.

Saturday, we got up early to film the sunrise and went to Diamond Head for a nice morning hike with 1,000 of our closest friends (Diamond Head is always crowded with tourists). Andy and Tiffany wanted to jog up the trail. DeAnna and I took up the rear with a well-paced walk and eventually met them at the top for a nice breeze and pictures. It was easier to jog back down the hill while dodging tourists, so we were down the trail in record time!

The plan was to then head out to find some waves to do some boogie boarding (not getting ears wet, remember), but the kids only felt like relaxing, so we drove down to Kailua Beach to float and enjoy the water. We left in time to get home, clean up and drive back down to Buzz's Steak House for a nice dinner and conversation.

Sunday morning found Tiffany and DeAnna with upset stomachs, so Andy and I just chilled around the house and Andy packed his suitcase for the trip home. Tiffany and Andy went to the pool for an hour or so before saying a tearful goodbye to DeAnna (who still didn't feel good enough to drive them to the airport) and I took them to meet their flight.

Their stay was no shorter than the other visits we've had, but it seemed to go by really fast - probably because I couldn't take the time off from work during the week. Both Andy and Tiffany are working their way through college and are making choices about their future and their relationship. They are powerfully talented people and I look forward to seeing how their lives unfold. Now, we're settling back into our lives as a couple of folks on assignment in paradise!

More to come...

My Best Friend's Wedding

Those who have been reading my blog for a while may remember my friend Kevin. Kevin visited us in Hawaii back in February and we all fell victim to a rogue wave that nearly drowned him. His girlfriend/fiance Pam rushed out to be with him and has helped nurse him back to health.

On June 7th, Kevin and Pam were married in Northfield Minnesota. I had the great privilege of attending and being the best man. It was a lovely ceremony and I'm so happy that Kevin and Pam are now married. God put in front of them one day and they have lived one day at a time. From now on, they will live each day as God provides. They are a testament to hope and will and grace. I love them both. I hope to see them again and catch up on their lives and ministries soon.


Here's to Kevin & Pam Parker... Today is a good day to be alive!