Hi Agate - "rusty rainbow"...I like the imagery. It reminds me of the "soiled doves" someone else wrote about. Think there's a song in that? Rusty rainbows and soiled doves...

Many thanks to Songbird, JawJaw, Maggie, Smile & Newhope for your condolences. A fishbowl of grief, a valley of grief...that about sums it up. I'm so tired and numb that if anyone else dies, I'm going to prop them up in the corner and tell people they are just quiet.

Newhope...your prayer group leader of 20 years ago wouldn't be called Pat, eh? That reminds me of a woman I know who is a tremendous prayer warrier and teacher; she taught in CT and then Richmond, VA.

Julie - wonderful quote and very appropros!

Dotsie - may our dear Lord heap blessing upon blessing on you and your family for being willing to be a faithful servant.

Garrie - yep, headed to Moscow, Yuroslalv and the Komi Republic next month. I'm teaching cultural, heritage and ag tourism and will try and help figure out ways for folks to use the infrastructure already in place as opposed to spending a lot of money setting things in place.
Needless to say, I'll be in the boonies...what's new there?

Everyone's prayers will certainly be welcome. This is the first time I've ever needed a passport and we're headed some pretty rural places. My poor mother is beside herself but I say God can take care of me there as well as He can here. That's not to say I don't have a twinge or two...I do. It's just I'm trusting the great "I Am" more than the twinges.