Shortwave Memories

Soon after Dad died, a dear friend of our family told us about the online Rejoice Radio (rejoiceradio.org). I “tuned in” and have not “tuned out” since. It is such an uplifting radio station, and it helps keep my thoughts on the Lord and His goodness and care over us.

One night, about one month after I returned from Dad’s funeral, the Back To The Bible program (J.Vernon McGee) came on. Andrew and I got in on the last part of the program, and as we heard the song, “Jesus Paid It All” at the end of the program, Andrew said, “I wish we had discovered this before Dad died. What fun he would have had sitting in his rocking chair in the living room, listening to his beloved J. Vernon McGee!"

I still listen to it every day. What a blessing to have uplifting Christian programming coming over the internet!

This morning, I remembered something I wrote to my Mom and sisters in May, 2004, and I wanted to share this with you. What kind of memories are we creating for our children?

Psalm 34:11 says, "Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord."

I was preparing my devotional for Norma's Baby Shower yesterday, and I came across this verse. I have been thinking about the following thoughts.

Remember when on Saturday mornings when we would all go into Dad's room (sleepy-eyed and in our pajamas and gowns) and climb into his bed (sometimes, Mom was still in bed...Dad lying there, still in his t-shirt) and listen on the short-wave radio to Odyssey, then to Children's Bible Hour? When I think back to those days, such a warm and comfy feeling comes over me. A whole hour of kids’ fun. We didn't care that it was so early. I remember going to sleep on Friday nights and thinking, "Tomorrow we get to listen to Odyssey and to Uncle Charlie!" Oh, and the mornings when we would sleep late and MISS those programs! It was awful!

Truly, the short-wave radios that Dad has had throughout the years have really been a wonderful thing. Not only getting to listen to programs in English, but Christian, English programs! Remember? Family Radio...HCJB...J.Vernon McGee? Voices of the past, we could say.What wonderful memories. Thank the Lord for such sweet memories to look back on. Those care-free childhood days!

Well, now to the present. Guess what. Andrew has a little short-wave radio that he bought several years ago at a little stand at the market. I think he said it cost him $140 pesos. It is no bigger than your hand. But it is a GREAT BIG thing when you are back in San Antonio. You click on a switch, and you can hear programming from the United States, from Chile, from Spain...France, Germany...all OVER the world! But our favorite is Family Radio. In the evenings, after Andrew's patients have gone home, and we come in from our showers (we have to go to another place to shower), Andrew brings out his handy little short-wave and pulls out the antenna and (M A G I C!)...the Scriptures are being read. Our favorite program is Open Forum (Foro Abierto), where people call in with Bible questions, and Hna. Olimpia reads the questions and Hno. Otto answers them. And we always learn. Hno. Otto is such a smart man when it comes to the Bible!

We are making new short-wave memories. This warm and comfy and sweet feeling comes over me, as I now remember our times in our little (nice) house in San Antonio. It's dark outside, because everyone has gone to bed. (And it is only 8:00!) No music is being played, no children are playing outside our house...just me and Andrew and our short-wave, because even Baby Andrew is sleeping. Sometimes we play Rummikub while we listen. Sometimes on Wednesday evenings, that will be our "church" time. And when Baby Andrew grows up, I hope that he, too, will have short-wave radio memories.

P.S. Just thought I'd post these pictures that I took of the kiddies while they were playing yesterday.

Cheethe, Pleathe!

Deborah Jolene

“Mommy, can I pleathe have thome cheethe?”

Ever since Debbie could talk, she has talked with a “lisp,” not being able to pronounce her “sssss” correctly. (By the way, I did the same thing, too.)

Well, she came into the kitchen last Sunday night as I was preparing quesadillas for our supper and she said, “Mommy, listen. Can I pleassssse have sssome cheessse?” She just smiled at me.

I put down my spatula I was using to turn the quesadillas and, pretending to cry, I hugged her and said, “Oh, no!! My baby’s growing up!” She just smiled and said, “I can talk like Thammy now. No, wait…I can talk like Sammy now.”

Andrew walked in at that moment and just smiled knowingly at me. I felt like that is the last “baby” thing she still does, and I don’t think I’m ready for her to out-grow that!

Every now and then she lets it slip, but she has nearly left that part of her “baby-hood.”

Do all mothers feel this way about their “baby”? Why do we want to hold on to their infancy? Maybe it is the need to still feel needed!

We don’t want them to become independent, as we know they will!

But for now, I’ll hold on to every word she says…and I’ll enjoy every new thing she discovers. She’s growing up too fast! Isn’t that what happens, though?