When the Bosses Are Out

An email a co-worker sent to me at work... "What my other co-worker and I do when the bosses are out!" A good, needed laugh last week.

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The Gentle Giant

A shaken community, a life well lived and a future with the Father. For both Howard Fisher and the Montreat community, the last few days have been a glimpse into life with the Father. For Howie, it became a reality as he woke up in heaven early Wednesday morning. For the Montreat community, it is the image of Howard praising the Savior at the throne and a reminder of living eternally while still on earth.

Howard Fisher, the gentle giant from Jamaica, was a stellar goal keeper on the Montreat Cavalier soccer team. His smile would change your day and his light-hearted humor would make you laugh in a heartbeat. Howie was a senior, one semester away from graduation, and being looked at to play soccer professionally. He had a sweet girlfriend that he'd planned to married, also graduating this year.

At Christmas, Howard went home and visited the hospital feeling dizzy and weak. He headed back home for the holiday, but realized he was not getting better. At the end of December, Howie was diagnosed with aplastic anemia, a rare condition. The developed state in which it was discovered, did not leave much chance of survival. The CEO of Duke was working with many to bring Howard to the states for treatment, and the school was raising hundreds of thousands to help make the flight and the bone marrow transplant possible. However, our almighty God had other plans.

Howard's mother would stand at his bedside in Jamaica and tell Howie, "Just trust Him." It is our almighty God, still just as powerful as He was Wednesday morning, calling Howard home. And there was no better testimony to this fact than the testimony of his own family, accepting the will of the Lord and His hand at work.

Howie's example, hard-work and love for the Lord will always be remembered. It was a life well lived and is a testimony continued, even after Howard's life here on earth. The memorial service today was truly evangelistic and worshipful, it spoke forth what Howard was all about. One of his favorite worship songs speaks forth his heart's desire.

How lovely is
Your dwelling place
Oh Lord Almighty,
For my soul longs
And even faints
For You
Oh, here my heart
Is satisfied
Within Your presence
I see beneath
The shadow of
Your wings

Better is one day in Your courts
Better is one day in Your house
Better is one day in Your courts
Than thousands elsewhere

One thing I ask,
And I would seek,
To see Your beauty
To find You in
The place Your glory dwells
One thing I ask
And I would seek,
To see Your beauty
To find You in
The place Your glory dwells

His soul will no longer faint or long for Him. Howie now understands this reality better than us, as He has truly seen the Father and is dwelling in His presence at this very moment, no doubt smiling. Never has he, nor have we experienced such inexpressible joy. He asked and sought, and has now seen "The place where His glory dwells."

Cold Weather & Bare Trees

Winter, seemingly endless with it's cold weather and bare trees. And so it was that we had another big snowfall this past weekend. We had 10 inches of snow between 3pm and 12am Friday night. Steady sheets of snowflakes fell consistently. Walking from the car inside, my head and coat were covered in plump white flakes.

Brenton had to leave for the airport shortly after 4pm, with a good inch of snow already on the ground and during our "Winter Storm Warning". At 6pm he called saying he was leaving the airport. What is normally a 45 minute drive was taking a bit longer with the snow showers. An hour and a half later he called to say he'd sat on Interstate 26 without moving. At 11:00pm I jumped off the couch when I heard the dog bell jingle as Brenton opened the door. Ironically, the gentleman Brenton dropped off at the airport made it to Chicago, on a re-routed flight, before Brenton made it back to the college.

Sure enough the snow came down good and hard. I missed the good pics though, quite a bit thawed out today with the warmer weather. Guess that means there is still work on Monday! But at least there is also 24 to look forward to Monday night!





Lexi (left) & Bentley (right)

Hmmm...

What to blog about... I'm headed to a jewelry party at my friend's house in a few. Brenton's currently working on his last class for his masters, while emailing soccer recruits and watching "Walk the Line". School is back in session... we've already had a mandatory hall meeting, a fire drill and my Resident Assistants have helped me plan our activities for the semesters.

I baked a cake for one of my supervisors at The Cove, it was her birthday on Friday. Chocolate cake, with a chocolate creme center and coconut cream whipped topping... a light tasty treat. Was a nice boost in between two three-hour meetings.

Running off to get ready and take a few of the college girls to the party this rainy Saturday afternoon.

A Little Bit Of...

Random. What better describes this word than our weekend in Jamaica! Even the beginnings of the trip were a little sporadic. In mid-December Brenton had a contact touch base about a tournament in Jamaica. We decided to sign up just before Christmas. We left early this past Thursday morning, with a full day of travel, to find ourselves waiting for a few other coaches. Our taxi took us on the scenic route through the mountain, one to make your stomach churn for sure. The few hour ride to Jakes Place, with our new friends, was good prep time for the next adventure.

















When we arrived, the place could not find our reservation. Shortly after a little follow up, they showed both of us couples to a little cottage we were to share... two bedrooms, one bath, with a little living room and kitchen to share. The other couple was kind to give us the bed with a mosquito net since the little booger swarm me and leave me itching with welts for days. And luckily, our room opened up to the patio and ocean. A serene, restful environment for sure. Brenton and I both agreed our bodies went limp from overcast breezes, resting from the point we woke up, and listening to the waves lap over the rocks again and again. Peaceful.



















The sandy spot near the pool dropped off into a run-down coral reef, with strong under-tows. We never swam but walked around a few of the long dried out reefs once the tides came in. We didn't go far out of Jake's Place as it was communicated by our local contact that we should not venture out and about. There was one sunny day, the day of the tournament.

Brenton had a long day at the soccer tournament where over 300 individuals, both men and women, were entered. Two of his Jamaican players met up with him at the tournament, one whose father introduced him to the previous coach of Jamaica's national team. Brenton also gleaned a lot from the coach we stayed with, who has coached over forty years at a Division I college.


We left on Monday, fifty minutes later than expected. Luckily we made it to the airport an hour and a half prior to our flight. Lunch was a luxury for our beating hearts.