Sunday, April 17, 2005

Ok, Gayla, here it is.

My dear friend and sister, Gayla, at Journey of the Heart has asked me to answer some questions on my blog. That's good, because I wasn't feeling much like writing today. But I'll blog on that later. so... copied from her blog:

For my dear friend and sister, Carolyn:
Where is your perfect "dream vacation" spot?

hmmmmm, gotta think about that. Probably Hawaii or Israel. I love the thought of laying on the beautiful beach and eating exotic fruit. I love the warmth. But ... I so want to go to Israel to walk where Jesus walked. I'd have a tough time deciding!

When you were in a situation where something struck you as funny, but it was inappropriate to laugh, what was it and what did you do?

Oh goodness, you sure knew me when you asked this one. I have had this happen many, many times. I tend to really see the "funny" in most things.

How about when we were all sitting in the front row waiting to get our Doctorate degrees, all decked out in our gowns and caps and listening to speech after speech droning on and on. It was in early June and it was hot, hot, hot, hot. I had forgotten my lipstick, my lips were dry, we were squeezed in tighter than tight together.

Well, my precious sister in the Lord - and often partner in crime at the college - leans over and tells me how thankful she is that she took her dress off and was only in her bra and stockings under her gown.

I thought I was going to pass out ... we caused quite a stir with our giggling. It certainly was not very 'doctorly'.

What's the worst weather situation you've ever been in?

Bill and I used to sail a 30' sloop on Lake Ontario. I was usually quite seasick in bad weather and it was not unusual for me to be below with whatever is in my system coming out both ends ... sorry if that is too much info!

Well, this one time we were in the middle of the lake when a storm hit. It is a seven hour sail from Niagara to our home port, so that was a dangerous place to be. We had what they call "The Three Sisters" following us. That is a nautical term for one heck of a lot of water coming at one with great big speed from aft (or behind the boat) - three large waves, one after another. They were about 7 to 10 feet hight. It is very, very dangerous.

Bill screamed to me (I was below being ill) to come up and take the sails down as he was having all the time he could to keep the boat into the wind. So ... I had to come up - with only my shirt on because I was being sick. It was not a pretty sight. We almost capsized ... and the trip was dubbed - 'the trip from hell'. There we were praying with all our might. I can't remember ever being so afraid.

What's one thing that makes you really angry?

Read the rest of my blog! People who will not take no for an answer or who impose themselves in other's lives when it is none of their business. I guess in essence, someone who intentionally hurts another. I have no patience with that.

What personal religious/spiritual experiences have had the most profound impact on you?

Oh my. Without a doubt, being healed of Multiple Sclerosis at a retreat in 1998! I should expand upon this. It was not the physical healing that was such a profound experience, but it was the emotional and spiritual healing that preceeded it. I was at a retreat. I was so ill prior to it that the doctor suggested I not make the 7 hour trip to Pittsburgh. But I knew I had to.

God freed me that day from the pain of an abusive father. I was able to forgive him for the first time in my life ... and was freed from the intense pain I had carried in my heart all of my life. I had never known the freedom of feeling "worthy to breathe air". It was only after that experience that the Lord through a simple prayer, healed my body totally and completely of M.S.

I was pushed into the service in a wheelchair with braces, etc. (See my post back in March, I posted a picture of myself at the retreat just hours before I was healed.) I carried that wheelchair out! As a matter of fact, it was an ultra light titanium wheelchair and it is now in Africa on the mission field somewhere, blessing someone. I prayed before it left that every person who sat in it would be healed by the power of God's love! Amen.

That experience drew me to the Lord like never before and it was only a short two years before I was going to Bible college and pursuing full time Ministry. Ahhh, God is good. From wheelchair to pulpit. Only God can do that!

Fun questions, Gayla, so when do we get to read yours???

3 comments:

jettybetty said...

Interesting answers!
I vote for Hawaii--of course, I haven't been to Israel. I have a very good friend that went a couple months ago and she loved it. The thing that disappointed me (from her pictures) was that so many sites are shrines--just not how I pictured. Also, she says so much of her tour said somewhere around here is where Jesus did ....
I loved your doctoral graduation story--hehehe!
Blessings! JB

Anonymous said...

Carolyn, thanks for playing! I'll be happy to answer any "interview" questions for you. So ask away!

Your graduation story was hilarious. The weather story...OH MY GOSH!!! I don't like to be in boats all that much in the first place - that one would have done me in for sure!

Love you, lady!

daisymarie said...

I would have had to take a pill and gone below deck...that trip would probably have kept me off a boat forever! Wow!

I also tend to see the funny. Yours was really funny though!!!

I enjoyed your answers...and your cyber hug on my blog!