Merry Christmas!

Michael, Heidi & Madison



Visiting Daddy!

Madison and Daddy!

Back in the ATL!

 Reunited!

Despite some crazy challenges in checking out of FPC Pensacola and the fact that the BOP did not take into consideration the time zone change  (losing an  hour) for his travel time, thanks to Mr. Robbie Ball, Michael made it to the Atlanta halfway house 30 minutes early! 30 minutes that we were able to spend together!  Due to the beneficence of the BOP (a nice way of saying "completely unorganized"), we were able to have an additional 2 1/2 hours together before he was shown to his dorm.  Only God can work those kind of things out for you! Michael and I both had happy tears and it was such a relief to see him well.  True to BOP form, he did not have all the information he was to have been given but it will be easy things to remedy: liquid laundry detergent, rolls of quarters for the phone (probably last place in the USA that has a pay phone LOL!), mesh or clear bag for his personal items, etc.  Unfortunately the left hand still does not know what the right hand is doing, so no clear time frame for his first pass ("maybe next Monday or sometime after that" - almost as bad as listening to a meteorologist! no offense to the meteorologically inclined) or home confinement eligibility. But the good news is he can have visitors right away, every Sunday from 12 - 3pm, and holiday visits at their discretion.  He can also receive mail which can be addressed to:  Michael Shaw 62166-019, Dismas Charities, 300 Wendell Court, Atlanta, GA 30336. 

We sincerely thank you for all of your support and prayers and ask that you still keep us in your thoughts. We ask you to specifically pray for Michael's new situation and that he may continue to be a blessing to others.  Mr. Ball was kind enough to ask before he left, if I needed anything and that if I did to just ask him.  I was too overcome to say this earlier, so I tell you now: Mr. Ball, thank you for bringing me the only thing I needed...my husband.

The End is Always Just Another Beginning

All month I have been trying to decide what to write. Michael is scheduled to transfer to a halfway house November 8th. All is in order and he sounds so upbeat and is understandably ready to leave Pensacola.  But as the days count down, my anxiety ramps up.  I will get to see him for a little bit to give him the documents he needs for his check-in. It will be 8 months since I drove him to Pensacola. My head is crowded with "what ifs" and worry that he will be so changed that he will not need or want me, or that there may not be room for me in the new life he wants to build. (Cue Beatles, "When I'm 64") So I am trying to send those self-doubts away and hope that if you have a minute on Tuesday, November 8th, that you will think of us and pray.  I am holding onto the plan I know God has for me and sometimes it is just barely.  But God is faithful in His promises even when and especially when I am weak. I am excited about the positive changes Michael has made and am in prayer for the new challenges he will face in his new beginning at the halfway house. And I am focusing on 1 Peter 5:6-7: "Humble yourself, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." (NIV)  So if you hear me singing, "I cast all my cares upon You, I lay all of my burdens down at Your feet, And anytime I don't know just what to do, I will cast all my cares upon You," know that I am believing it too. (Don't you just love the oldies but goodies worship songs! I love the contemporary ones too but wished churches would bring some of the ones I grew up on back!)

Have a great end of October!

Heidi

Unanswered Prayers

That title probably grabbed your attention but not in the way I intended. I love music. I especially love how lyrics find the words for you when you cannot.  Cleaning today I came across some mixed tapes from college - this completely dates me but mixed tapes are definitely a lost art. One of them had country songs on it from undergrad, circa boots, line dancing and Garth Brooks. (Oh Garth, what was up with Chris Gaines? You could have crossed over into rock without the crazy cosplay!) The lyric that made me think was, "I thank God for unanswered prayers" and though that sounds counterintuitive, I really do thank God for unanswered prayers.  Can you imagine what you life would be like if all your prayers were answered? Of course, you say, it would be great! Not really. Remember praying for the right girl or guy to notice/be with you? Well now can you imagine having all those significant others - at the same time? Married people who are honest will tell that one is quite enough sometimes.  Or praying for things or skills. You would have missed all of the experience mistakes and learning bring.

My recent unanswered prayer was prayed at the beginning of this year. I did not want to in effect "lose my husband" and have my life as I had built it crash around me. (Problem #1: "I" built not God. Now am happy to let Him have that job!)  I cried desperately to God to fix it even while not feeling as if it could really be happening to me.  The most well-meaning but completely useless phrase I have been told has been, "It will be over before you know it." Yes maybe in hindsight and definitely for you but not when you live it everyday. I am glad in a way that it has been slow because I have learned an astounding amount of things about me and made many positive changes.  A friend of mine is a songwriter (probably the greatest one you have never heard of, but I may be biased) and shared a song with me. This is the lyric that I love, "It's been some time since I've been free. It's been awhile since I've been me. I don't know where to go or who I should be. So help me find my way..."  It has been awhile since I have been free and I definitely needed to find me. The most free I have ever felt is now, after I have given everything to God and am released from the pressure of making things work.  Now I just trust and am happy each day that I wake up. Another part of the song is this, "These times are hard and it weighs on me.  This road is long and slow is my speed. And I don't know where it goes or who I am going to be. So help me find my way."  I am glad for the slow speed because sometimes I really need it to learn. And as long as God knows the way and who He wants me to be, I am content.

So I am thankful for unanswered prayers and answered prayers, but specifically that there is a God who is in control and sees the bigger picture. That there is an order to the universe (even pure science can confirm this) and that there is a reason and a purpose that God sees, especially when we don't.  And God does not owe us an explanation for what He does. "Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens - what can you do? They are deeper than the depths of the grave - what can you know? Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea. If He comes along and confines you in a prison and convenes a court - who can oppose Him?...Yet if you devote your heart to Him and stretch out your hands to Him, if you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent, then you will lift up your face without shame; you will stand firm and without fear. You will surely forget your trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by. Life will be brighter than noonday, and darkness will become like morning. You will be secure, because there is hope." Job 11:7-18

I am thankful that God sees my purpose and I know that each day I wake up that purpose is still being fulfilled. That doesn't mean that I'll never have struggles or questions. Our lives will always be filled with those. But the peace of God comes from knowing that there's an order in the universe and there is a reason for whatever happens, even if only God can see it. We must trust Him. "To God belong wisdom and power. Counsel and understanding are His."  Job 12:13

To those of you who celebrate it and even those who don't, Happy New Year! I love the traditions that surround welcoming new years and like the Kabbalist view that Rosh Hashanah is the seed of the coming year, as is creating and planting seeds for the coming year.  I also like that it is a time for renewal because who doesn't need that! So Shana Tova Umetukah (a good and sweet year) and may your year be filled with seeds of blessings and happiness!

Heidi

Carpe Diem or See It, Feel It, Do It - Now!

This summer Madison and I have been in Florida, staying with my family. It has been so nice to spend time with them; visit Michael's parents and sister; and catch up with old friends. Free childcare is pretty great too! Madison and I have been so blessed by kindness from our family, people we think of as family and even people we have never even met. It is amazing and we are so appreciative! It has been a great way to reinforce this teaching for her that this is how we treat others. This has also been an area that I want to improve on too and so my thought each day is "How can I become a kinder person?" 
     Summer tends to be a season during which everything slows down and it made me realize this is central to becoming a kinder person.  "Love suffers long and is kind." 1 Corinthians 13:4. To be kind, first you start seeing the needs of people around you. To see people's needs, you have to slow down. Madison is learning the story of the Good Samaritan to illustrate kindness. If you'll remember, a man was mugged and left for dead. Two religious persons, a priest and a Levite passed him but did not stop. A Samaritan passed by and despite their ethnic differences, stopped and took care of the man. Luke 10:33 says, "But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.
     The second thing is sympathizing with people's pain. Another version of Luke 10:33(AMP) says, "when he saw him, he was moved with pity and sympathy [for him].  The best way for me to do this is close my mouth, open my ears, and listen.  Sometimes hard for me to remember because I really enjoy talking, just as my Dad. He says my mom and I can "yap, yap, yap" all day on the phone, every day of the week!
     Third, I am going to seize the moment! Carpe Diem is one of my favorite Latin phrases (little nuggets of knowledge when you take 4 years of high school Latin and 2 years of college Latin along with: agricola, agricolae, etc) even before Dead Poets Society made that and Walt Whitman mainstream (O! Captain, my Captain!). "Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them.  Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him." Luke 10:34 The Samaritan walked approximately 20 miles to that inn, leading his donkey with the injured man. You really begin to notice a lot when you are the one walking 20 miles and your perception changes from just whizzing by on your donkey. I endeavor to slow down and walk those 20 miles with others, with my mouth shut, ... um... mostly! I will try to the view "interruptions" to my life as divine opportunities instead.
     Finally I must spend whatever it takes and that includes something extremely valuable, my time.  "The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, 'Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I'll pay you the next time I am here.'" Luke 10:35 It takes risk to be kind and it can come with rejection. Kindness costs, for you must make an investment in someone else. I am ready to make that investment and enjoy the results that slowing down and creating a new community bring! May this kind of  "summer" last throughout my life!
     Before I embark on this new awareness, I am reminded of what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 about love. Specifically if I do not live a life of love,
1.  Nothing I say will matter.  "If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn't love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal." 1 Corinthians 13:1
2.  Nothing I know will matter. "If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God's secret plans and possessed all knowledge...but didn't love others, I would be nothing." 1Corinthians 13:2
3.  Nothing I believe will matter.  "If I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn't love others, I would be nothing." 1 Corinthians 13:2
4.  Nothing I give will matter. "If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn't love others, I would have gained nothing." 1Corinthians 13:3
5.  Nothing I accomplish will matter. "So no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love." 1 Corinthians. 13:3

So I remember that kindness cannot exist without love. This reminds me of how I always feel when I volunteer at a bereavement camp as a camp counselor. I always arrive at the beginning of the weekend fairly bursting with what I want to give but at the end am humbled by how much I receive. I am sure this will be the same with my kindness quest! Happy Summer!

Happy 4th of July!

Happy Birthday America!



     The picture above is of Madison getting ready to take a July 4th picnic dinner to her great grandmother in the hospital.  Madison and I took the opportunity to spend time in Florida with family and during our stay our Ome had emergent hip surgery.  God is so incredible and good! We were able to be there with her for the surgery and help afterwards during her hospital stay, inpatient rehab and then at home.  I have always been a firm believer that God can take the choices we make and create something wonderful if we let Him. I did not intend to ever work in health care and definitely not at a hospital, but I ended up doing physical therapy in a hospital and loved it, especially wound care. The outcomes for persons aged 80 and older after a hip surgery are generally grim, but Ome did great. The hospital she was at was not as aggressive with therapy as where I practiced but I have never been really shy, so Madison and I took over her therapy right away. (The case manager walked in and told us we needed to consider total care facilities for her. So proud of my cousin, a nurse, who calmly explained to her that Ome lives independently and walked into the hospital with a walker on a broken leg to have the surgery. And that she would be returning to her home. Another fun fact: not only is my cousin a nurse at this hospital, but so is my aunt and my mother. The poor lady really had no chance to not get well and walk out of there!) No bedpans for her - she hates them! - transfers to bedside commodes instead. Lots of exercise with counting in the wonderfully loud voice only a three year old can manage, and walks in the hallway.  Ome has fragile skin and came to surgery with a large skin tear that was beginning to heal, but also received two others during surgery. So we took care of those too and Madison is now proficient at wound assessment and vocabulary. So fun to hear her report to Ome her healing status. And it made me remember how much I love wound care and helping others! Unfortunately parenting does not come with regular evaluations to tell you how good you do something and give you a raise to reward you. I would not trade my rewards of kisses or watching Madison grow and learn, but it was fun to use other skills too!

Even though you cannot see it in the midst of your dark hour, God really is there and working for you! I would have never taken the opportunity to spend this much time with my family all at once had I not been single parenting for 5 months and accepted my parent's offer to come home for a little while.  I had my "pitcher" refilled and in turn was able to help my grandmother and let my daughter know her great grandmother better! Little things like this help me see the sun for the clouds and remind me that God is on my side. Hope your July 4th was just as fun and family filled!

Post Script

True story regarding wanting something tangible to know God's will. When I would sit for standardized tests in high school, PSAT, SAT, and ACT, we took them in the school cafeteria.  When I got to the section asking for intended major during the intro where you bubbled in your name, etc., I would always wait for the answer from God.  I am being completely honest! I would even sit as close as I could to a window to help Him out a little. I figured He could just send one sunbeam to the perfect little circle.  It never happened and I would hastily just fill in Business each time.  I don't know how I got such a literal interpretation of how God was supposed to manifest His will in my life, but I would do it every time.  I was a little panicked about what I should choose for the Rest Of My Life (that's how things feel in High School!) and figured that God had the plan and now was the time to reveal! Obviously once arriving at college and even graduating, I now know that it did not really matter what I bubbled in because you can change your mind until your last breath!

Secondly, if you have not read or reread Exodus or the Pentateuch for that matter, you should really do it! I know, I know, lots of lists, begets, and crazy rules that you cannot understand how anyone could follow. But it really is amazing! Exodus really makes me see just how closely we were formed in God's image. I can totally understand God's frustration with these people that He delivered and kept delivering for.  I really think God has a sense of humor. "Ok, so you are complaining about having no meat and you would have rather died in Egypt because at least they had quail. Fine. I'll give you quail and then we will see how much you like it!" or "Moses! What can they possibly be complaining about now? They have food, water, riches, and even their clothes and shoes do not wear out - yes, I do think about Mothers with many children! - What else could they possibly want. Just enjoy the view and relax!" And when God tells Moses that the Israelites are his [Moses'] people - "What are YOUR people complaining about now?" Just like telling your significant other, "YOUR child(ren) did (fill in the blank) today," because MY child(ren) certainly would have better manners, etc."  The Israelites were the original whiners (actually maybe that was Adam, but he was a blamer too! "The woman made me do it!"); could you just see God thinking, "Can I get you a nice goat cheese to go with that whine?" (Ok, maybe not really. And to be fair, had I been there I would be right in the middle of it, doing the same thing.  How complacent we become when surrounded by great things! "Last time I saw Yahweh, I AM that I AM? I watched Him fill the Holy of Holies just the other day. Cloud so thick you could not even see through it!" Could you just imagine! I would just fall down on my face on the floor. How awesome!)  I can relate to doing something over and over again for someone and not getting the recognition. (Motherhood, marriage, friendship, etc!) And some of the things they do too! Like Aaron when confronted about making the golden calf by Moses. "Moses, it just jumped right out of the fire like that!"  Right... God's capacity to love and forgive us is unending. And He would do it all again for us.  So happy that He sacrificed His only Son for my salvation. (It definitely beats the do-it-yourself animal sacrifice in more ways than one! Imagine that on your check-off list for the day! And the PETA people - oh my!)  So glad that my God is a God of second chances!


*disclaimer: my opinions only! Now I really reduced the readership of this blog to my parents who have to love me anyway since they made me!=)

3 Months!

The best way out is always through. Robert Frost

It is amazing that we are "through" 3 months and starting the fourth!  It has not been without hiccups but has been doable by the grace of God.  Madison and I started June with the stomach flu and I can fully appreciate now having an extra person around just simply for the option of running to the store! But God provides! We had everything we needed to be housebound for a week and plenty of wonderful neighbors who offered help. That really made me feel loved and cared for!  I also realized, especially when reading my Bible about the miracles God performed, that I miss God in the small things like a pantry filled with what I needed to care for Madison. I tend to look for the pillar of cloud/pillar of fire (Exodus) to know where to move next and where to stay. (How great would that be in life if that was all we had to watch to know what God wanted us to do? I can say with the power of hindsight that the wandering Israelites did not know how good they had it! Thirsty? Go talk to a rock. Hungry? Bread of Life on the ground in the morning. Meat? More quail than you have recipes for - as an aside, those little birds are great marinated in Italian dressing then grilled. Need to know God? He sends fire from heaven and fills your worship place with tangible cloud. Not sure what he wants you to do? Just follow the fire and the cloud. But do not lose your trust in Him and mutiny, because He will cause the ground to open and swallow you and your extended family up! Can you just imagine the talk around the camp after that, especially by those who had married away? "I told you your side of the family was crazy!")  I want to be filled with God's Presence but being very human I also like the "big show" so I really, really know what I should be doing instead of listening to quiet voices.  I am a work in progress!

Michael is becoming quite the proficient baker. I continue to be thankful as the weather warms up that he can work indoors.  The monotony and sameness of each day sometimes gets to him but he realizes he is fortunate to be where he is.  He was the recipient of a summer haircut this weekend; a product of some of his coworkers and CO teasing him about shaving his head and telling the inmate who cuts hair that was what he wanted.  Unfortunately you don't see what your hair looks like until you are done and despite asking for a trim, Michael received a very, very, very close buzz cut.  For those of you that know him well, since his hair line has been receding, he is sensitive about haircuts.  This was very humbling and he was understandably upset! But hair grows back (even though they teased him and told them it probably would not!) and Michael is learning very valuable character lessons that he probably did not want to learn!  At least he will not have to that person cut his hair for a very, very, very long time!

Madison and I are excited for June! Madison is learning how to swim and loves the water. We are blessed to be in a neighborhood that has a pool and she loves meeting her friends there.  The past 21 months have really impressed upon me the seasons of change (Ecclesiastes 3 or a song by The Byrds, depending on how you grew up =)!) and this month especially! We will be saying good-bye to good friends and neighbors across the street, Madison's best friend, who are moving to a different state for a new job. But we also will be welcoming a new little baby next door, who we cannot wait to hold and love on.  I am grateful for a God who sustains me through all things and the wonderful people He puts in my life!

Happy beginning of summer!

Heidi

Plan B

Our church Vinings Lake just finished a series called "Plan B" inspired by the book by Pete Wilson of the same name. It was amazing and especially poignant for my life right now. (Another amazing thing is technology, through which you can watch the sermons by going to www.viningslake.org and selecting "Welcome Back" and "Watch Messages." Check it out!) Especially when things are not going how I planned, it is easy for me to think that everyone else's lives are going great and their plans are succeeding and wonder why mine aren't! How easily we forget that we do not truly know what others are going through. One of my favorite quotes from Plato is, "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." The beautiful thing is that is does not have to be hard! Once we realize that God gives us freedom, but is ultimately in control, things become infinitely easier. And I for one like easier and besides it is no contest between an all-powerful God in control versus imperfect me! "We must be willing to abandon the life WE planned and dreamed of in order to receive the life GOD has planned for us." God is so much better at planning and knowing and I will try to relax in that knowledge and let him. It reminds me of watching my daughter figure things out for herself and knowing what would work the best, but she needs to come to that appreciation herself. I need to do the same with God - and what a better appreciation I have and the next time it becomes even easier to trust Him. "His ways are always better than our ways." Proverb 19:20

My foundation to start this week: 1) God loves me. 2) God allows freedom but maintains control. 3) God can use our worst to create something beautiful! "I have told you these things so that IN ME you will have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD!" John 19:33

Have a control-free week!

Heidi

Happy Mother's Day!

Heidi & Madison Mother's Day 2011

This has been a great Mother's Day weekend! Madison and I received cards from Michael and were invited to spend the weekend with friends! I felt so loved and blessed. We are doing well and excited for summer time to begin. Madison is really looking forward to swimming at the neighborhood pool and playing with her friends. We plan on packing a picnic dinner and taking to the pool a few nights a week! I really appreciate all the nice things people have relayed to us and the prayers that have lifted us up. A Bible verse that has been important to us this week and one Madison is learning is: Galatians 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up!

Heidi

Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

Celebrating at Madison's favorite restaurant Nuevo Laredo Cantina!

In an interesting turn of events at FPC Pensacola, Cinco de Mayo was celebrated with a special lunch meal! They were short handed in the kitchen, so Michael helped out. No special Easter meal but Cinco de Mayo food! There even was a spiral ham for dinner (Michael thought this was a little strange and could have been served for Easter dinner instead of liver and onions!). Ah! The mysteries of the Federal Prison system! Hope you and yours enjoyed May 5th! Madison learned about the battle of the 4,000 Mexican soldiers against the traitor Mexican army and the French. Napoleon detested the United States and as it was embroiled in a Civil War probably thought Mexico was the stepping stone to invade the US as well. Americans were sent to help and provide munitions to Mexico and this victory kept Napoleon from providing weapons to the Confederate side. This also allowed the United States to create the greatest army the world had ever seen and 14 months later the Grand Army was victorious at Gettysburg! History unites us all! Viva! el Cinco de Mayo!

PS> Happy belated Stars Wars Day - May the 4th! May the Force (4th!) be with you!:)

2nd Anniversary

Happy May 1st, our 2nd anniversary of enrolling Michael at Camp FPC Pensacola! April seems like it flew by, especially as Madison and I were able to go to Florida for the last two weeks to visit family. It is so wonderful that you can always go back home again! Thank you for your thoughts for Michael's health. He has found a few guys who strength train and has been doing some strengthening for his back in the evenings with them. His back is feeling much better and a camper who is a doctor suggested some orthopedic inserts for his boots. The downside to his working out is that the FPC does not serve a lot of good protein and only offers milk in the mornings so he is learning how to adjust his diet needs to his increased working out. He has been feeling weak and fatigued and is trying to supplement his protein needs at the food commissary. So amazing what you can take for granted each day, like being able to drink milk when you want.

I am learning a lot about the BOP system and received a home visit from a probation officer. I am sure he got more than he bargained for when he met me and my list of questions. If nothing at all, I am good a researching, asking questions, and holding you to an answer! I am not a pushover inmate spouse by any stretch of the imagination. He even went so far as to say that in a year he may not be assigned to Michael but probably will. I think I made him a little nervous! I am thankful that Michael's file landed on his desk because he does like to get things done early and be ready for release dates. I was anxious about the visit (especially when he asked for a floor plan and tried to make a joke about knowing where we might be having a counterfeiting ring until I asked him if the floor plan was really for fugitive extraction - no answer to that one!). It is hard to explain but I felt that God was with me and happy that Madison could stay with a neighbor. Hopefully the paperwork ball is rolling in preparation for an eventual smooth release.

Madison and I enjoyed a great outdoor sunrise Easter service on Sarasota Bay by the church I grew up in. It was nice to see old friends and former congregation members who return for the service as well as the pastor who married us and dedicated Madison. Michael enjoyed the Good Friday and Easter services offered at FPC Pensacola. During the Easter service the pastor compared the gospel accounts and Michael said he like how it was presented. He was looking forward to some holiday celebration as Passover had been celebrated for those of the Jewish faith, however he learned Christian holidays are not. Michael said in fact some campers seemed surprised when he told them Happy Easter that morning. On the Easter dinner menu: liver and onions! Michael chose the vegetarian option of PB&J! It is sad that we are not able to send him baked goods for a holiday at least.

We are excited about what May brings for our family. Thank you for continuing to keep us in your thoughts and prayers, and for checking in on us. Michael really has enjoyed your visits and correspondence. We are thankful that he still is finding favor in the bakery despite some attitude problems of the other workers and that he was able to help out some new campers. Michael said he remembered wandering around lost and wanted to be helpful like those who had been to him. He was able to give another man an extra pair of shower shoes that he had. I am proud that it is important to him to help others and that he continues to be a shining light.

Heidi

He is Risen!

"He is not here; He is risen, just as He said." Matthew 28:6

He is Risen indeed! Happy Easter!

A Prayer Request for Healing

Please pray for healing for Michael this week. Michael has been experiencing some low back pain and hot "flushes" on the top of one of his feet. We both think it is due to the new demands on his body: lifting heavy things and standing on tile floors in his boots for a majority of the day. There is a camper who is a doctor on his dorm floor and he recommended some gel orthopedic inserts and to get his back checked out on a "sick call" on Monday. Isn't it great how God puts the right people at the right time in your path? Michael reports it is anxiety provoking to be ill or have a medical issue at the FPC as you are regarded as trying to get out of work/duties. Please pray that these things are not serious and that he will be treated well. He is also starting to workout with another camper who know about strength training which will help combat the soreness as well. Thank you for lifting our whole family up in prayer this week! Madison and I are traveling to Florida to visit family for Easter. We are excited about our first road trip. Only one snafu so far! I was trying to get all the laundry done so that when we return it is to a clean house. On the last load of towels in the dryer, the dryer decided to stop drying. Funny how things work! So we will be calling back the repair people who fixed the washer for a dryer checkup when we get back. It made me wish for a clothesline - instead the towels are draped over drying racks! And they will be dry and ready to use when we return! God is good! Heidi

Happy New Week!

This has been a great week for the Shaw family! Michael is enjoying his job as a baker and says it is really fulfilling to make some one's day through simple baked goods. He gets to serve what they have made and has had other campers come up later and thank him, telling him they really enjoyed their cakes/cookies/brownies. As he puts it, "It is nice to do something special like this because nothing great happens here." I am glad he is trying to be a light and provide joy. Michael has also been able to make some of his own meals (breakfast and lunch) in the kitchen when they are busy. Another good thing is that the kitchen is air conditioned. This has been especially valuable since the air conditioning in the dorms has been out all week and they were told today it may not be fixed until the end of next week. Michael said they have had the windows open but it still gets pretty hot in the dorms. Last week Michael was asked to "emcee" the church service he attends. He now qualifies as a "regular" and they needed someone to do the welcome, announcements and introduce the clergy person. He said he really enjoyed doing it and thought he did a pretty good job. Yesterday he was able to visit with his mentor through the L2L group, Max, and was happy to spend time with him catching up. L2L is an Atlanta-based Christian community focusing on mentoring one- on-one or "life-to-life" in small group settings (www.l2l.org). It is a phenomenal group and should be a national organization if it is not already. If you are looking for something like this - find out more about them and find a group. It will make a difference in your life and those you interact with. Michael and I both wish he had found them sooner. Through the L2L network, Michael was introduced to another man, Robbie Ball who lives outside of Pensacola. This man also visited Michael this weekend which was a nice treat too. I am learning just how much visits mean to Michael and how they help him stay connected to the "real" world. Thank you for checking in with us! Madison and I have enjoyed the warm weather and have tried to play outside as much as possible! We are loving the warm weather a little more than Michael - that is until the air conditioning at the dorms are fixed! Madison has discovered the joys of running barefooted through our grass and she reminds me to stop and just enjoy. We hope you enjoy your week! Heidi

The Right Place at the Right Time

Today was Michael's first "official" work day at his new placement! He dutifully showed up at 6am but no one was there in the vegetable prep area to direct him, in fact no one was there at all. So he offered help to the man assigned to prepare eggs for omelets. While he was helping, the baker came over and asked him if he could bake. The baker told Michael he had a new assignment starting now and he was now the second-in-charge for the bakery. Michael made cookies and biscuits today and said the baker is looking to try out new recipes and make more things from scratch. Not bad to get a promotion from veggie cutter to baker on your first day! This just goes to show you that if your heart is right and you are doing the right things, God will reward you! Michael's new work schedule will be Sunday through Thursday from 5am - noon on Sunday and 4am to noon on Monday through Thursday. The nice thing about being on campus for your job, is that when your work is complete your time is your own until you need to be certain places for count. Happy days! This Saturday morning Madison and I were blessed by 5 men from a community group at our church Vinings Lake. (If you are looking for a church, come check it out! It's awesome! You would be hard pressed to find a nicer group of spirit-filled people who make you accept you for who you are.) These men mowed, edged and put down new mulch for us. The yard looks amazing and the house feels as if it is brand new! Madison and I have been one Publix bag full of weeds in the evenings when the weather was nice to try to keep up our lawn. What a difference 5 people make! They were especially sweet to Madison and that made me so happy. One of them preached today and Madison did not even get out her activities from her quiet bag, she just sat and watched him. He is the children's pastor at the church and I am happy that when she is old enough (his program starts at age 5), she will be comfortable learning in that environment! Thank you so much for spending your Saturday morning with us - it meant so much! Heidi

Happy 1st month anniversary!

When we were newly married up until we had Madison, we used to celebrate the 21st of each month (our wedding day) and do a little something special for each other. Most (married!) people were cynical about it and told us doing things like that would not last long. Well it lasted until the birth of our first child 5 years later and then transformed into something new. Madison was born on the 21st - the ultimate gift that month! - and we included celebrating her growth every month. On her website I would post a picture of her each month on that day and the accomplishments she had. What a great day the 21st is for us each month. Now we get a new special day to add to our celebrations - the first! Today is the anniversary of the first month for Michael's incarceration. We got to celebrate on the phone this morning which was so wonderful as we had not been able to talk to him in a few days. God has again answered prayers and today he has been reassigned to the Food Service Department! On Wednesday he learned how to drive a commercial hand-controlled mower (he said it was not as easy as you think especially since they were being judged on how straight they could drive it and one of his left tires was low pulling the machine to the left!) and on Thursday he was a flagman directing traffic for another camper who was blowing leaves and yard waste. He had spoken with the director of Food Service on Tuesday who told him he was supposed to be assigned to the kitchen but the lady he needed to talk to was not in until Thursday. On Thursday the bus was late returning to the camp from the Navy Yard and he had to wait for an inspection of the Navy Yard campers for contraband before he could sprint to her office. But after dinner on his Work Assignment Sheet, he was posted to the kitchen for today! What a great first month anniversary present! So today he gets fitted for his white pants and shirt and then fills out paperwork! Terrific! Thank you for your prayers for this - God always has everything under control! And Michael feels like he will definitely never lose appreciation for being in the Food Service Department after his first week at the Navy Yard. He said most guys there were just happy to sit but it was difficult for him to not have anything to do. He is still learning the unfortunate FPC mindset of doing things slow, slower, and slower! Thank you for celebrating our first month anniversary! Next week Michael will be able to try to get tennis shoes again to! We are praying that they stocked a lot of size 10's! Have a great weekend! Heidi

A New Day, A New Experience!

On Friday evenings at the FPC Pensacola, your schedule for Saturday, Sunday and Monday is posted. This past Friday Michael found out that he was scheduled for the Navy Yard on Monday - the beginning of his regular work assignment. Michael had hoped he would get assigned to the kitchen but the silver lining is that the Navy Yard is 20 minutes away by bus so you get a chance to get off campus and the boxed lunches you take are supposed to be good. On Monday he called us early before he had to report at the Bus Barn at 6:30am. He was up early partly because he did not want to be late his first day and because as the new man in the dorm room, his bunk is directly across from the door to the hallway and bathroom. The community bathroom door is broken and stays propped open, so when the dorm room door is opened he says it is like a searchlight right on his bed. He is learning to sleep through the metal clanging of the early riser's locker openings and shuttings but the searchlight is not as easy! Just to give you some background, when I first met Michael in undergrad and helped him move from his apartment to law school, I could not believe he had newspaper on his bedroom windows! I could not help laughing and told him that "old people" did this to block the sun. At least in Florida there seemed to be alot of foil/newspaper on windows of retired people - huge generalization I know, but I was young. Each apartment since he has done the same with a combination of car window blockers and folded boxes, etc. After we were married and went to Hilton Head with his parents, I realized what a great idea this was especially to help reduce the heat in the room - so now I am a convert. However it was funny at the time and I would call his bedrooms "the Bat Cave." Michael was up early and probably the first one at the Bus Barn. He was told not to expect to do too much the first couple of days because he yet again had to be cleared in a new place. So yesterday he sat on a picnic bench under a metal awning from 7:15am until 2:o0pm - no book, no conversation, nothing just sitting. He said it was nice to have the awning at first but in the afternoon it was really hot underneath it. This week he will be learning patience and stillness under his metal awning on his metal picnic bench. Please pray for him to have a good attitude about this and for him to be put in the place God has for him. When he asked if he could bring a book or paper to write letters he was put in his place quickly and told he just needs to sit until he is told otherwise. A great verse we shared with him was Psalm 46:10, "Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Hopefully today will be the last sitting day and I can post about his new adventure as a groundskeeper/grass cutter! Heidi

An Omer's Measure of Grace

I am currently doing a Woman's Bible Study in my home on Wednesday nights and last night's study was especially poignant. We are doing Beth Moore's "A Woman's Heart," and the topic was the beginning of the Israelite's "exodus" through the wilderness. The verses that I needed this week were Exodus 16: 16-18 where God is explaining how they will gather manna to eat each morning. They gathered the manna (bread from heaven, literally the food of angels) by the omer which is about 2 quarts. No matter how much or how little they gathered, it was enough for their needs for the day. In her commentary, Beth Moore gave me exactly what I needed for this week.
"God is always sufficient in perfect proportion to our need. Every morning He has already set aside the omer for our daily need. God's grace and mercy are always there, available every day, prior to our need, and in direct proportion to every moment's demand; but we must gather them. God's grace is always sufficient, and His arms are always open to give it; bur will our arms be open to receive what He so graciously offers? You and I can survive anything, but we must want to."

So this week I will start each day open to take the grace and mercy I need. Today it was grace to handle the 1,000 suicidal termites at my front door and be thrilled about the science lesson it provided my daughter, not to mention the joy it gave her to help use the vacuum cleaner to suck them up. This grace will be new every morning as I clean them up until my termite appointment next Thursday!:) I also have praise to offer that Michael had a great "team meeting" last night and was able to take his final orientation classes today. He was told that he has received the highest recommendations in evaluations from the supervisors he had interacted with. On Monday he will find out if he is cleared for work and what his choices will be. Michael is trying to maintain the "highest" level on his evaluations as this will speak to the possibility of an earlier release in the future. Please pray that he continues to be surrounded by the right people and makes the right decisions. We thank you in advance from all your prayers and please know that you too can receive your daily refreshment from God, all you have to do is receive it!

Heidi

Family Visit

This weekend Michael's Mom and Dad were able to go to Pensacola to visit. Michael was able to spend time with them Friday afternoon, Saturday and Sunday. Michael really enjoyed the visit. And Robbie Ball came on Saturday afternoon and was able to meet Michael's parents. They learned some new visiting "tricks" too! For instance if you are planning on eating lunch from the vending machines, buy it when you arrive and set it on your table or else your options are limited when lunch time comes. You can pile your food on your table (all preservative-filled and you microwave when ready so it won't spoil) and no one bothers it. There are board games and cards and indoor and outdoor seating. He even got to enjoy an ice cream sandwich after lunch - what a great treat! His parents also experienced how different the FPC world is - having to wait an hour to get in on Friday since everything shut down until the power at the camp could be turned back on after going out. During the wait they were able to talk with other families and reported that everyone was very helpful and friendly. They also learned that the change machine was not that helpful and that it is better to bring quarters and dollar bills for the vending machines!

This Wednesday Michael has a "team meeting" where he is given his recommendation for job placement. He is praying for a teaching or kitchen assignment and we would appreciate your prayers for the same. Today he gets to go to the dentist, where they "count your teeth to make sure you have them all and record it for my medical file." Fun times! But he sounds like his cold is going away and he was in good spirits!

Thank you for your continued prayers for our family! Madison and I would like to add that since termite season is starting, please pray that they do not find our home tasty and pass right over! This Florida girl will never be used to swarming termites nor the (very southern, drawled) response from our termite bond company when we learned about swarming termites: "Oh honey! Don't worry! They just swarm and swarm for 24 - 48 hours and then just die. Those are not the ones to be worried about!" I beg to differ when 100,000 of them die on my front step and get blown into my home when the door is opened!:) Especially with a small child and a curious cat living here.

Have a great week!

Heidi

Madison and Heidi at the Shamrock and Roll 5K!

After the race with a respectable time of 46:52!

(Pretty good for only practicing 2 times before the race! Next time we will be stroller contenders!)

Michael's First Visitor!

Thank you Mr. Robbie Ball for visiting Michael Saturday afternoon! It came at the perfect time since Michael was feeling lonely and under weather with his first cold. Nothing like the first few colds to build up your immunity in a new place with new germs! It is a wonderful thing to hear your name called over the PA system telling you to report to the visitor yard for a visitor. Each camper is searched before and after the visit to ensure no contraband has been received or given to the visitor, but once you are in the visiting area it is nice to be back in contact with the "real" world. Thank you for encouraging Michael and helping turn his day around!

Madison and I had an eventful weekend too, with our washer circuit board breaking and the door knob to our garage breaking, but we overcame! It is nice to know that it really is difficult to break into our house-t0-garage door. We had to take the door completely off the hinges to get the broken retracting piece out of the door. We decided to "choose joy" in everything and sang the "Bob the Builder" theme song as we marched through Home Depot to the door knob aisle. "Bob the Builder ... YES WE CAN! ... Bob the Builder... Can we do it? ... Bob the Builder... YES WE CAN!" We got a few curious looks but most people stay out of the way of a woman in the Home Depot pushing one of those #20 race car carts. Have you seen the turn radius on the those things? Not pretty! Anyway, we have a lovely new door knob that we even rekeyed to match the old key and felt pretty good! And we have plenty of clean clothes to get us to Thursday when the new part for our washer should be in - and plenty of awesome neighbors who have offered their washing machines too! Although I think Madison might enjoy the coin laundry and it is never too soon to start getting ready for college. But I think now they use debit card functions on their ID's instead of coins. I realize that this dates me by reminiscing over coming to college with an old peanut butter jar full of quarters. What a great gift idea wasted by technology!

Our praise for the weekend was Madison and I completing a 5K on Sunday morning. Our church service that day was enjoying the beautiful (though chilly) weather on the first morning of the time change with 2800 other people. What a great day! Our other praise is that Michael has arranged his schedule for the time being to be able to call us around 8am our time and talk for 4-5 minutes each week day! This is a great start to our day and helps us miss him a little less during the day. The best $1.25 we have ever spent a day! Hope you have a great week!

Heidi

First Letter! (and 2nd and 3rd!)

We finally received our first letters from Michael today! He included his schedule (wake up at 4:30!) and what his days have been like. He has done some grounds keeping and work in the kitchen. When he is medically cleared and his orientation is finished (approx. 4 weeks) then he will be able to choose a more permanent job. Pensacola has had some severe thunderstorms and he was surprised to learn that the campus effectively "locks down" in inclement weather and they are sent back to their dorms. One of the afternoons he was in the kitchen so could remain there and finish working. He was able to participate in a non-food commissary day and purchase some casual clothing, a watch, and a radio receiver for the television. Unfortunately March is inventory month and they no longer had tennis shoes in his size. He will be able to try again for tennis shoes the beginning of April. One of his roommates (11 in all) suggested purchasing gel inserts for his boots and that seems to help.

Michael reports that his roommates are very helpful and have been instrumental in his adjustment to camp life. I am so grateful that this is the case. The dorm room has 6 bunk beds and he has a top bunk. There are high school type lockers on one wall and he was able to get a bottom one. He is happy to have a watch since he is expected to be certain places at certain times and was a little anxious about being able to do that without one. Another happy point - he says the food is not that bad so far!:)

Ever since Madison was born, Michael has made up stories for her and he has decided to write these down (they evolve with retelling and are usually used for distraction!) and add more. Madison and I look forward to his new stories and I think it is a great idea that he is doing this for her. Before he left, a man named Nathan from our church came over to the house and video taped Michael reading some of Madison's favorite books. Nathan is putting these on DVD's and will be posting them on a website that I can access for Madison from my computer. I am so thankful for these and the phone calls he will be able to make as they will help Madison through this next 15 months. We look forward to his next communication!

Heidi

The First Week

As I write this it is exactly to the hour one week since we left Michael in Pensacola. The beginning of the trip home was sad but by the halfway mark (a little side trip through Montgomery, AL to find I-85 again!) it became more about knowing that we will both be able to come through this better than we were when we began. I owe a great deal of this feeling to my father who happens to be an excellent road trip buddy. He is able to help you find the positive in any situation and can find humor in anything even taking a wrong turn. ("At least we are going in the right direction still," my Dad reasoned. "And it gives us time to enjoy our food.") Also he has some great ideas about what your GPS really thinks and wants to say when you do not follow its directions and it has to recalculate.

I know I will be able to handle this upcoming year not because there is something amazing about me but that I can rely on God and share my burden with others. I have been more on the "willing to help others" side and have found it difficult to accept the same help. I am learning and hopefully doing so graciously. I subscribe to a daily email devotion and this morning's verse was "Cast all your anxiety on Him because He care for you. 1Peter 5:7." What a perfect thing to read. The devotion went on to describe a person who had a personal tragedy and became closer to God. I wanted to share this from the author:
"He is the first to admit that despite his independence in life, spiritually he is more dependent on God than ever, and it's a gift. Desperate dependence is where you surrender not to the circumstances or the loss, but to God. Author Max Davis says, 'Desperate dependence is the place where we can stop living by our own power.' It's where we discover God's strength in and through us."

Thank you again for letting me share my burden with you and lifting me up!

Heidi

First night on our own!

This afternoon my Mom left to go back to Florida and Madison and I are officially on our own. (Of course we appreciate being able to call any of you whenever we need too!) So far so good. Then I was able to talk to Michael tonight and hear about his first commissary visit. He can purchase clothing, electronics and shoes on Mondays so was able to purchase some sweatpants, shorts, socks, a radio to listen to the group televisions (you can only hear the TV via headphones and a radio receiver), and a watch (there are not many clocks on campus, maybe some one's way of being compassionate? Although it would make me crazy!). He wanted to get some tennis shoes too but they did not have his size and he was told that they will have some the beginning of April. He was issued steel-toed boots when he arrived and says that he is getting used to them. He was also able to get some shower shoes.

We have been so blessed each step of the way. Thursday before Michael left, we received a call from a friend of a friend who had personal experience with the Board of Prisons. He gave us great advice including the suggestion to bring a money order with you when you surrender so you could start getting the things you would need. He recommended at least $300. We have a really tight budget, supplemented by prayer right now and we were not sure how that was going to happen. So that night we prayed. The next morning at Michael's L2L morning prayer breakfast, not only did those men pray over Michael, but they handed him a money order for $300. God is so amazing! It reminded us of when Jesus told Peter to go fish for the money to pay the temple tax and there in the fish's mouth was the exact coin denomination he needed to pay his tax and Jesus'! God meets our needs exactly! (Matthew 17:24-27)

I am so proud of Michael. He is a shining light at this campus. He was able to take in a soft cover copy of the Bible when he surrendered and has been sharing it with his roommates and other men in a Christian men's group he joined. They had not seen a contemporary version of the Bible like Michael's Starting Point Bible and were excited that it "made sense" to them. It is not an easy thing to be a witness and it is so wonderful that Michael is able to do so and not fall into bitterness and despair. Thank you L2L and Vinings Lake Church for everything you do!

One more note - Michael was so excited to hear his name called during mail call this evening! When he went forward to receive his mail, it turned out that it was the letters he had posted last week. He did not put enough postage on them. :) Just so you know, it is nice to receive anything even if it is your own letters that you have to repost! Thank you in advance for taking a few minutes to write a quick note to him. I know it will be read over and over again and greatly appreciated!

Heidi

First Phone Call!

We had our first phone call today! It was so wonderful to hear his voice. Of course we were both crying happy tears too! Madison was able to talk too and tell him that she loved him! Michael says that his roommates are good guys and he has met some other good guys at a Bible study group. Yay! I was worried about who he would be around and was praying for some solid people. He was surprised at the prices in the commissary as was I - tennis shoes $50, watch $50, radio (to hear the group TV's) $50, and toiletries were expensive as well. Praise God the laundry is free! I thought that the things available to buy would be at a reduced rate especially for a government operation. Apparently the savings are not being passed on to the consuming campers!

What a learning experience this year will be! We are looking at it as a way to strengthen our communication, our marriage and our walk with God. Also we know we will be more humble in our everyday lives and be among the first to help others, especially those in this situation. Praise God for the dormitory and room Michael was placed in. I continue to cover him in prayers for his safety and that he would meet favor with those he interacts with and be a good witness. And maybe get a sentence reduction/transfer to home confinement!:) I have learned that you cannot put God in a box and that He is mighty to save! I am looking forward to the first letter which Michael said he posted yesterday!

Heidi

BOP - Not My Favorite People Today

The BOP went down in my estimation today when we received the box of Michael's arrival clothes via UPS. To understand the full impact of this near disaster, you must understand that my daughter loves the UPS man and can identify the truck, the man in uniform, the logo, etc. anywhere at anytime. This may be the second "word" she has learned to spell, the first being her own name. Madison loves UPS because Grandma and Grandpa May send her care packages frequently and she believes that Brown works for them. So today when the UPS man came bearing a package to our door to the cries of "UPS! UPS! UPS!," and I realized what it might be, my stress level shot right up.

Before Michael left, we received great advice that he should wear old clothes/shoes and just have the BOP donate or toss them, whatever their policy was at the time. Otherwise the camper pays for the postage for them to be sent back home. I think this is crazy during a voluntary surrender, when they could literally toss them out the door to me (actually I was thinking over the wall to be more dramatic but there are no walls surrounding the campus!). So BOP when my daughter mistakenly thought the package was for her and when it was opened recognized his clothes, this was the first fragile moment for us. God is so good and He provides! One of the things we did to use up the time before Michael turned himself in was wander around the Walmart. The choices were Walmart, Home Depot, Lowe's, and KMart. Walmart is always a great place to find out just what kind of place you have arrived at! Grandpa May suggested that Michael pick out something for Madison and so we choose some bubbles (a favorite) and a new Crayola Color Wonder pad for her church bag. (The markers will only write on the Color Wonder paper - perfect for pews!)

We had not given Madison her gifts yet and I thought I would give them to her at an appropriate moment when she was missing Dad. Out came the Walmart bag (another favorite place for her, as she will tell you that you can get ANYTHING at the Walmart!), and she was so happy that her Daddy had something special for her. Thank you Jesus for always being there and carrying us through the shadows in the valley! Just another reminder that I am not alone and My Heavenly Father cares for me! (And my earthly father - Thanks Dad you are the best! And thank you for modeling the characteristics of our Heavenly Father so that I could have a clearer and more accurate picture of Him.) 1John 3:1-3

Heidi

First Communication!

Today I received my first email from Michael! It was brief, but he writes that he is doing well and still getting his bearings. He also wanted me to confirm his Register Number 62166-019 for correspondence.

This email takes a little bit of pressure off my chest! It is amazing how much just 19 words can mean to a person. It has been empty here without him and several times a day I find myself thinking of things I will tell him when he gets home only to realize that will not be the case for awhile. The night before we left for Pensacola, we counted the times that we had been apart from each other in our marriage. It turned out that it was only 6 nights in 7 years! Being apart will take a little time to get used to! Only 395 days to go!

Madison is doing well and prays for Daddy at his new job. My parents have been such a blessing and I appreciate them staying with me during this first week for support. It has made the transition easier for both Madison and I. Thank you for all of your prayers and please keep them coming. We need them!

Heidi

Steadfast Love

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.
His mercies never come to an end.
They are new every morning.
Great is Thy faithfulness, O Lord.

It was a very emotional and long day. We arrived early and were able to spend time with Michael in Pensacola before leaving him there. The personnel we interacted with at the Camp were nice and it seemed that the campers had a lot of freedom to come and go around the campus. It is not easy being so heart broken but I am trusting in God. I cannot thank everyone enough for their support before Michael left. Your well wishes really meant so much.

We have prepared Madison by letting her know that her Daddy is starting a new job. Mommy and Grandpa were taking him to his new job while Madison played with Grandma. A big thank you to all of our friend with small children who travel, as Madison was comfortable that her Daddy had to travel and work somewhere other than home. Who knew how handy this normal for her would be! Also thank you to everyone who graciously shared their experiences and gave us tips for what to expect and what to bring. Information really is power and helped us immensely. Finally thank you to everyone for your prayers. We could not have done this with out the peace that comes from God. Madison and I are looking forward to our first call/email and planning times we can communicate with Michael.

At the bottom of this blog page there is a section called "Correspondence." I have included the information I was given today along with Michael's Inmate Number and his mailing address. It will remain at the bottom of the blog at all times and I will update the allowances as I find them out.

Thank you for being so wonderful to our family!

Heidi

Off to Pensacola

This morning has been very difficult! My heart is breaking as each minute goes by knowing that I will not be with Heidi, Madison and Emma for the next year. I cannot imagine how my days and nights will be without them.

I am focused on Matthew Chapter 6. I am going do to my best to not worry about the future, but to remain in each day. I know this will be difficult in the beginning, but God has a plan for us and I look forward to the journey.

Heidi and Madison - Daddy loves you with all his heart and I will see you soon!

Love,

Michael

Assigned to FPC Pensacola, Florida

On Thursday, February 17, 2011, I received notice that I would be spending my sentence at FPA Pensacola, Florida. At first I was disappointed that I would be so far from home. However I have found out additional information about FPC Pensacola that leads me to believe that God is at work. FPC Pensacola is a newer facility with many programs and amenities. The Camp is also considered very safe. As of February 2, 2011, FPC Pensacola issued email addresses to its campers. At this time, I am not aware of the email rules, but I will find out on March 1, 2011. I plan to provide updates through this site to my friends and family. Please check back to see how I am doing.

Please remember to keep Heidi and Madison in your prayers. I would be eternally grateful for any help you can provide my family while I am away.

Michael