FINALLY …

… getting around to reading the Hunger Games.

SEVENTY-SIX TROMBONES AND POMEGRANATE YOGURT

Sometimes busy schedules are interrupted by fun evenings when you get to do something out of the ordinary.

Last night was one of those nights.

But first – this has been an entire week of good times with good friends … and family. (And some serious work was done, too – truly.)

Last night, Jenny and I went to a performance of The Music Man. Close enough to the stage to see the expressions on the actors/actresses faces – added to the fun. Another unique aspect was anytime the audience was supposed to applaud, Seventy-six Trombones was playing in the background. Within seconds, random applause transformed into rhythmic clapping to the beat.

On the way home we stopped at a “first-time-for-me” place for a snack – The Red Mango. This is a growing frozen yogurt franchise with all natural, low/nonfat ingredients. The yogurt is self-serve – you fill your serving dish and then top with a variety of ingredients – everything from chocolate, fruit, cereal, nuts and popping boba.

You can taste test the various yogurt flavors – I tested both pomegranate and key lime. Both were good, but I settled on the original vanilla and topped with strawberries and nuts (and a few of the popping boba).

I would definitely go back again.

CUB AMBIANCE

Some glimpses of the game.

Wayne Messner sang the National Anthem. Michael Bush (Bears) sang for the seventh-inning stretch.

HANGING AROUND MILLENNIUM

Had a great day in Chicago with Ruth and Ruth and Melinda and Marissa and K.

First we hung around Millennium Park. Since it’s late – I’ll let the pictures tell the story.

Ok, one thing I didn’t take a picture of (duh!) that I should mention – hmm at the parking garage? I put my debit card into the cash slot at one of those electronic pay-your-parking-fee-machines. Fortunately we found a very kind security guard who very kindly helped us out. Yeah, moving right along to the pictures

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GOOD FRIEND. GOOD FOOD

Had a good time tonight with C. from California (the last-fall-trip-friend).

We went to Cooper’s Hawk. The server was friendly and informative. The pretzel bread was delicious and my fish was good, too.

I like when Headquarters is flowing over with staff from across the U.S.

WEEKEND

1.  Fun being with the ladies of the family for Purim.

2. Saw/heard/felt lots of rain.

3. Got a new weed whacker, but it’s still in the box.

4. Driving in Chicago is crazy.

5. The Amazing Race final episode really was amazing.

6. Looking forward to a good, but busy week.

PURIM 2012

I’ve written about Purim before – how the ladies of our family get together, enjoy lunch, read the story of Esther, share bios we’ve individually done of bold, brave and beautiful women who served God and then toast each other with pickles.

Yesterday we enjoyed Purim, hosted by Lisa and Laurie in Chicago.

And so here is my bio for the year.

ANGEL OF THE PRISON

Matilda, the 7-year-old daughter of wealthy Baron Carl Gustav Wrede, governor of the Finland province of Vasa, stood on the balcony of her family’s manor home looking out at the beautiful gardens. One of her favorite things to watch was the blacksmith who had a shop on the property. This day she was especially interested because her own horse was being shoed.

But then she heard some unexpected noise. Two men brought a third man to the blacksmith and Matilda watched as the blacksmith wrapped a hot piece of melting iron around the man’s leg and held it there until it cooled. The cuff was attached to the chain. Matilda screamed. She knew that her father used chain gangs to take care of the gardens, but she had no idea how cruel this was.

Throughout her childhood, she thought about the convicts, often sneaking food to them as they worked on her father’s property.

At age 19, Matilda trusted Christ at a revival meeting and the neediness of the prisoners instantly became her life’s work. Her father (being high up in government) wrote a letter getting her into any prison to visit. Immediately, Matilda began visiting convicts, daring to go into cells of criminal’s – even murderers – where others feared to go.

Matilda saw their loneliness and their sense that no one cared. She spread the gospel message that they were loved. She even ate as if she were a prisoner because she saw herself as no better than they were in spite of her rich heritage.

At first her father was distressed that his daughter would turn her back on her wealth and spend her time in prison. He retired as governor because he thought if he moved her away from the prison, she would lose interest. That didn’t work. She continued to visit the prisons and began traveling around Finland to visit other prisons, too. Eventually her father understood her mission and in a large part, financed her life’s ministry.

Matilda became so important to the prisoners of Finland that she was invited to participate in the International Prisoners Congress in Russia. There, she realized that the other attendees were concerned about the salaries and conditions of the prison officers and guards and not the prisoners themselves. She loved the prisoners.

Soon she was known as “the angel of the prison.”

After working in the prisons for many years, the Finnish government changed and suddenly she was locked out and not allowed to visit the men she had worked with so long. But, she continued fighting for their rights.

Even those who do not admire her desire to share the gospel with the convicts, credit Matilda with reforming the Finnish prisons.

From the time she was a young girl, she was a bold, brave and beautiful woman who loved the Lord.