Feast preparation is in full swing - we’re working 24/7 from now until October 6th. We breathe Feast. We eat Feast. When we sleep at night, we dream Feast. It truely is amazing. This is when we see the very best and the very worst of the people we work with every day. Malcolm (our executive director) keeps telling the staff - and it’s so true - that we can do everything right and have a very “successful” Feast, but if we don’t have our hearts right (especially towards one another), it doesn’t count for anything. If we aren’t pure in motive and action, this whole big Feast is a waste of time. I’d say that applies to everything in life.

Our roles at the Feast are pretty much the same as in years past - I am working projection, and Franklin is in charge of the financial side of the Feast. This means that I have the best seat in the house, and Franklin has to sit locked up in a small room with no windows for the duration of the Feast. Last year I was in a panic the whole time about the projection, worried that things would technically fall apart at any moment, or that the people in charge wouldn’t like the way things were done. I can feel that panic trying to get me again this year. If you have a minute to pray for me, I sure would appreciate it.

Franklin seems to be dealing with Feast pressure beautifully. He shaved his head yesterday, so if he feels like pulling his hair out, I can’t tell. He’s in bed, sleeping like a brick as I write this. Hey, what happened to the days when he was an early riser, and I got to lay in bed a little bit longer?

And, of course, it’s wonderful having Mom here - and not just because of the blow-pops. She keeps us sane. She’s been volunteering at the Embassy for the past few days. At first they had her doing arts and crafts for the children’s program (I hope you’re laughing. We sure were.), but then they decided that she would be of more use in Registration (and anyway, her colored macaroni didn’t look as good as everyone else’s). Now she’s as exhausted at the end of the day as we are (but at least she isn’t coming home with magic marker all over her hands anymore).

We are so looking forward to seeing those of you who are coming for the feast - hooray! Hurry up and get here!

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Tada! The website is finished, and the Linker Update has been sent (hello to all of you who are here as a result of the update!). Now I think Franklin and I will go out and see a movie.

We’re really excited about the upcoming week, because my mother is going to arrive Tuesday morning for a visit - and she’s bringing Raspberry Blow-Pops. Then Rosh HaShana starts Wednesday night, and goes until Friday night, which means all the stores in Jerusalem will be closed from Wednesday afternoon until Sunday. Like everyone else in town, we’ll be at the grocery store Tuesday night stocking up. Let the games begin!

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Guess what I’ve been doing for the past 2 days? Well, if you are looking at this site, you probably already know that we have been, um, revamping around here. In fact, things may never be the same.

To tell the absolute truth (and it is always best to tell the truth) I didn’t even write the last (that is to say, the very first) blog entry. Yep, that was written by my good friend Keith. Keith donates server space (very valuable) and personal tech support (infinitely valuable - so valuable you would call it invaluable) to both our personal website, and the Jerusalem Young Adults website (which we also oversee. It’s revamped too - go take a look, but only if you aren’t afraid of green and purple). Keith thinks it would be a good idea for us to communicate more often, and keep our website updated. To this end, he installed this blog software and posted the first post. We agree with him about the website, so we’re going to leave his post intact, and attempt to abide by it.

As of this posting, we are smack in the middle of redoing the site. Thus, half of the site is still in garish burgundy, grey, and (*gag*) pink, while the other half is in very conservative khaki and cream with orangish highlights. I hope to have everything redone, and to have written and published a new “Linker Update” by Monday morning. This will entail hours of sitting in front of the computer, so pray for my hips.

So, enjoy the blog, and please notice that you can leave comments behind. This will let me know that you are reading the blog, which I will find gratifying, and which may encourage me to keep up with the (hopefully) weekly blogging. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the internet and the world today, comments have to be approved before I’ll let them become visible to the world, but fear not, your comments will appear.

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We’re going to try to keep a web log (commonly known as a “blog”) to help keep people in touch with us and our activities.

It’s an experiment at this point. We’ll see how it works out! Hopefully, you should see regular weekly or monthly updates here on what’s going on.

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