sky ponders in…

drink from the Water girl

A Lesson In Gratitude

"Life does not have to be perfect for us to show our gratefulness." -Sky Adams

I can't even imagine riding this bike. It is too big, the seat is worn out, it is dirty, etc., but this little guy with his creativity has made it work and his little smile reflects his gratefulness. He couldn't be happier, when riding down a bumping road on his bike. Thank you little guy for reminding us to be grateful even though things aren't perfect.

10-28-22

A Moment Of Friendship

Some friendships last for a lifetime, some for a season, and some for a moment. I was walking and saw this water source and it stopped me in my tracks. A woman came up to me to talk and then she wanted her photo taken with me. It was a magical moment of friendship where everyone around us shared a peacefulness and joy. I might not ever see this woman again, but I will never forget her.

10-17-22

Mixed Emotions

Sooo many mixed emotions about going to Uganda, Africa for the first time without Grant. It will be an emotional trip, but I also know it will be rewarding to see all the work has been, because of you and the friends in Uganda, Though I know there will be tears but there will be fun and laughter.

I could have worried when I slipped my passport in the mail to be renewed at such a late date, but I decided not to. I asked friends to pray for a quick return and our prayers were answered. Today was the BEST! I walked down to the mail box and there was my passport. I am one happy camper, thankful for the people that prayed, and God’s faithfulness. The longer I live my faith grows stronger because of His faithfulness.

We leave October 7th and return October 23rd. Debi Wineroth, a friend and a BTG volunteer will be traveling with me. Keep us in your prayers as we get ready, travel, be in Uganda for safety, emotions, and doing any good that we can do.

Happiness is two different cultures being together.....sharing tears and laughter!

9-21-22

A Note From Sky

I would rather not write this note, but I know that it is important, because some of you are not aware that on November 15, Grant fell asleep in my arms as the family surrounded him.  Grant and I were cycling on the bike path leading to Durham, when suddenly he fell.  I believe the fall was from an aneurism.  I am forever grateful for the love of God that He shows me through His people and the 55 years of sweet memories with the love of my life that sustains me.

I have been asked if BTG4Water will continue and the answer is YES!  Grant and I were a team and it is taking me a while to sort everything out.  I am grieving with hope.  What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. 

“All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.” -Helen Keller

Walking in the Footsteps of Others

Thousands of photos have been collected over the fourteen years that Grant and I have been going to Africa for BTG4Water.  Because of COVID19, we were not able to go this year. When I find myself especially homesick for Africa, I enjoy looking at old photos.  Remembering the first time I had a jug of forty pounds of water on my head brought some powerful thoughts to mind.  When walking by a young school girl carrying a jerry can filled with water so gracefully, it occurred to me that I wanted to be like her and carry water.  Without a  translator, we were able to communicate that I wanted to carry the jug.  It was quite comical.  When I tried to lift it on top of my head, it was impossible for me.  The young girl knew exactly what I needed….I needed her help.  I will never forget how we bonded working together and how it felt carrying the water.  Walking in other people’s footsteps motivates me to end their long walks of carrying water for survival. Working together for good is the best!

sky

Many people ask me why I am going by the name Sky, so I thought I would share the story behind the name. There are three experiences that led me to call myself Sky.

*When Grant and I first bicycled across the USA, I fell in love with the sky.

The Sky Shall Behold Him
The sun pours it rays in the clouds to make a soft pink and purple sky…I behold his creativeness. 
Gradually the sun rises in all its’ glory…I  behold his faithfulness.
All the sky is an umbrella for God’s people: The birds that sing softly to me, the deer that leap across the road, and fields that provide work and food… I behold His provision.
The sky is stirred by wind & becomes like dirty whipped cream... I behold His warning for me to prepare.
The sky begins to rumble and lightening begins to crack… I behold His power.
Meditations from a Peddler’s Heart.

*One day I was sitting on the curb talking to a homeless girl and she shared that her name was Star.  I asked her if her Mom gave her that name and she shared that it was her road name.  I shared that my road name was Sky (I had never referred to myself as Sky before that time) and there was an immediate connection between the two of us.  We sat and talked for a long time and I have never forgotten her.

*When we began visiting Africa, I noticed that my name was difficult for some of the Africans to say, and one day I said my name was Sky.  End of story.  I think of myself and refer to myself as Sky, but feel free to call me Shirley or Sky.

biking Oklahoma brings clean water to Africa

As I was looking through our photos from biking across Oklahoma to raise awareness and funds for clean water in Africa, I remembered that one time I got off my bike to enjoy the beauty and peacefulness of the moment. I couldn’t understand the tears that were welling up….my emotions were ahead of my thoughts, and then it all came together. This beautiful country scene was the way it was supposed to be….animals drinking from a pond and humans drinking from the tap, but in so many developing countries this is not the way that it is. I have seen women and children come to bodies of water where they wash clothes and fetch their water right beside cattle polluting the water that they will end up drinking. I am so thankful for gentle reminders of all that we have, and that as a team of people we have the opportunity to help make things right.

off to uganda and zambia

Once a year, Grant and I put on our flying wings to venture to Africa. It is a work vacation to visit our past projects, check out the new ones that have been put in this year, distribute TivaWater Filters, visit dear friends and pick our projects for next year. We will be dividing our time between Uganda and Zambia with LifeWater International, TivaWater, and World Vision. We will be visiting Mayoge, Uganda with LifeWater to see a safe water project that you generously gave to. You definitely made a difference for good. Please click the link to see how Lifewater and Bridging The Gap Are helping bring safe water to the people of Mayoge, Uganda. As we travel, we appreciate your prayers for all the decisions that will be made, for our safety, energy, health, to be in the present in every moment, and to be able to communicate with all of you.

never forgotten

Laying by the fire, an image flooded my mine of a small child that I met several years ago in an orphanage where BTG was going to put in a borehole. The children were thanking us by singing, when a forlorn child slipped into the room and sat at the edge of the crowd, not wanting to be noticed. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. Her eyes gleamed and a small smile crept over her face as she watched the singers. As the children filed out of the room, the child did not move until everyone was gone, then she stood up and walked to where the group of children sang. It was like she was asking herself, where do I go, where do I eat, why does my tummy hurt? She had not seen me and I knew that I might frighten her if I walked up to her, so I slipped out to share with the overseer about this small child that seemed so lost. No, I do not know the outcome, but she often comes to my mind to pray for her.

Though BTG’S purpose is to raise awareness and funds for clean water, often times people are brought into my life in such intimate ways that my eyes are opened to see all that I have and in gratitude it is a joy to give. In gratitude, I thank you for sharing your gifts, so that others might thrive.

rags to riches

Bringing safe water projects to a village is always a story about “Rags to Riches”. When we go into villages that are desperate for water, where mothers and children are spending most of their time searching for water, gathering wood to be able to boil the water, boiling and straining the water, there is little time for anything else. Most of the people are living on one meal a day. Small children are taking care of infants, and suffering from diarrhea is common….the picture is not a pretty one. Compare that to villages where a safe water project is in place which includes clean water, sanitation, and training in hygiene. There we will see children in school, eager to learn. Crops will be growing, food will be plentiful, and mothers will have time to take care of their children and be involved with micro-enterprise.

Thoughts before leaving to ethiopia

Rambling Thoughts on Worry:

Sometimes I pray for God to shine a spotlight on my life to show me something I need to change, so that I can reflect Him more. I can honestly say that I am not sure when He begins the work or how it happens, but he always answers.

Here is how He did a work about worry in my life. Years ago, I had a serious problem with depression. It was suggested that I read the book of Philippians aloud for a month, that the discipline of daily reading was the beginning of my healing from depression.  It also gave me principles to use in every aspect of life.  “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:6&7.

My thoughts on Worry:

*It drains me of energy.
*It does no good.
*God is my provider….He has never failed me….Why worry?
*Everything I need is in Him. 
*Somehow gratitude plays a big part in destroying worry tendencies. When I am grateful, I am acknowledging that God is my provider and there is no reason to worry.
*One day I sat down to write the pros and cons of worry and there was not one pro, just cons.
*If my mind is filled with worry, it is harder to hear from God.

Philippians is my go-to book, so much that I memorized it one year. No, I couldn’t recite it to you today, but the messages of the book are imprinted in my heart and soul.

“I lift my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2

I am forever grateful that God has freed me from worry and because of this I am off to Ethiopia with no worry.

Time to Celebrate

“The Classical Disciplines of the spiritual life beckon us to the Himalayas of the Spirit.  Now we stand at the timber line awed by the snowy peaks before us.  We step out in confidence with our GUIDE who has blazed the trail and conquered the highest summit.”  These were the last words that I read the night before Grant and I left to climb to the basecamp of Mt. Everest.  My life was forever changed on that trek.  Now, 10 years later, I am climbing  Mt. Kilimanjaro to celebrate Bridging the Gap’s 10th Anniversary and all the good people that have helped to give over 21,000 Africans clean water, sanitation, and training in hygiene.

Every trip is different and I am excited to see the goodness and God watching over me.  Yes, I am going with a hairline fracture on my elbow.  I feel strong, with limitations.  I am going to take the first step, the next step and see where I am led.  I am forever grateful for the Lifewater International Team of 16 that I will be trekking with and the family and friends that I will be trekking with.

Pennies from heaven

October 29, 2015

In 2007, when Grant and I started cycling to raise awareness and money for clean water, sanitation, and training in hygiene, I started a tradition of stopping to pick up pennies and small change off the road as I cycled. This new activity drove Grant crazy, so he said that he would give me double the amount if I did not stop to pick up the coins. At first I thought it was a good idea, but not for long. I realized picking up pennies was a spiritual exercise for me.  It humbled me to stop, pick up the coins, and to realize that God was the ultimate provider, not only for me but every person who needs clean water. Picking up a discarded penny always reminds me to Be Grateful for the smallest provision from God! Oh, by the way, all these pennies go to help provide safe water projects.

B is for Biking

June 2015

Whoever would have thought as we were exploring the world on our bikes, raising awareness and money for clean water in developing countries, that the little eyes and ears of our grandsons were listening and watching our adventures. By simply being ourselves and doing what we were created to do  with joyful hearts, we passed the baton to our grandsons.

As I biked, I dreamed and wondered if someone would follow in our wheel prints someday. I shouldn't have been shocked when our grandsons came and shared that they wanted to do a Coast to Coast Ride this summer, but I was. I thought they were so young, but then I realized that they had been listening to Papa and Meme's bike ride adventures for years.  I also knew of their character, work ethics, and physical fitness level, which helped me to become fully supportive of their adventure. 

Grant Adams, a June CHS graduate, and Walker Adams, a junior at CHS, will be biking Coast to Coast. They will begin their ride on June 7th by dipping their back wheels into the Pacific Ocean and completing their ride in Yorktown, VA. You can follow their journey of miles biked by liking them on Facebook: 4 Wheels For A Thirsty World. 

The boys came up with this idea on their own and will be paying their expenses as they raise awareness and money for clean water projects. All I can say is that I am forever grateful to be a part of this incredible journey that the two boys are undertaking, and that they are a part of BTG’S team to help provide clean water to our thirsty world. 

Eating on a $1 a Day

August 28th, 2014

After returning from Uganda, Africa this summer, Grant and I were motivated to eat on $1 a Day for a Week and then $2 for the second week.  It was an experience that I won’t forget, even though it was as though we were play-acting compared to the real world.  Almost 1 billion people eat on $1 a day.

A Few Things We learned by Eating on $1 a Day:

✦ We savored every mouthful.

✦ We wasted nothing. We even licked our plates a few times, and if we ate with our hands we got to lick our fingers.  Eating with your hands in Africa is very typical.

✦ If we have too little, we look for more; If we have too much there is an issue of control.

✦ As creative people, we try to improve what is given to us.

✦ We eat too much on a regular basis.

✦ Self control is the delay of gratification.

✦ We all live under the same sky, so it is best if we share.

✦ We see the importance of having a veggie garden in our backyard.

✦ You never know who is watching.  Today I received a phone call from our local paper and they are going to run an article on our week of eating on $1 a Day and our time in Uganda.  Someone gave the paper a tip from these posts.

✦ My cholesterol dropped to 172.

✦ Since I basically cleansed my body from sugar, I have no cravings for sweets and it is easy to keep my weight down.

✦ People can eat for very little money and be healthy.

Shirley’s Grocery list:

1 1/4 lbs. brown rice

1 1/4 lbs. dried beans

1 1/4 lbs. dried old fashion oatmeal

1 1/2 onions

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 banana

1 lb. popcorn

1/2 cup oil

1 lb. wheat pasta

1 T salt

Free from the garden: 1/2 cucumber, wild blackberries, basil, peaches, and grapes

Grant and I ate basically the same foods, but because he added three items such as coffee, milk for his coffee, and a dozen eggs, he ran out of food.

God’s Gentle Reminders

July 2nd, 2013

A Story That Warmed My Heart

March 4th, 2013

More About Gratitude

January 30, 2013

My choice to make gratitude my theme for the year is beginning to change my heart.  Everyday I look forward to being still and taking a few moments to remember and to write down the gifts that I received today....no matter how big or small.

Here are some of my entries so far:

1/21: Massa Rice - Yummy tossed green salad with chopped dates - The process of making a difficult decision - Soft music by the fire - God’s continuous guidance. 

1/25: Painted toenails - Bidwell B&B with friends - Walking in the snow - Laughing - Rainbow over the lake - Gail, my webmaster - Oranges.

I am off to write a note to express my gratitude!

My Heart is Breaking

January 17, 2013

My heart is breaking tonight.

I little over two years ago I was in Mali, Africa and had the privilege of meeting my sponsored child. I laughed and cried over their joys and pain, ate their food, gave them clean water, talked and hugged, received gifts from them, played with the children, danced with the women, and lived life with them.

And now many of them are having their lives shattered by evil. I have never experienced what I am feeling at the moment.....it is hard to be so close to injustice.

Join me in prayer for Malians who deserve sooooo much more.  I feel God gave me the privilege of my time in Mali so that I can hold them up in prayer. I wouldn't have this burden to pray if I hadn't been there. God works in such creative ways.

A Year of Gratitude

January 1, 2013

I started right after Christmas because I just couldn't wait for the new year to begin. I am already learning that it is impossible to feel bitter and grateful at the same time.

Christmas Thoughts

December 12, 2012

At the end of the day, I like to sit by the fire and ponder about the day. I was gazing at our Big Boy Christmas tree and I couldn't help but think of the abundance we live in.....even our Christmas Tree. Our tree drank 2.1 gallons of clean water on the first day it came to visit and now it is down to drinking 1.2 gallons of clean water daily.

Of the over one billion people that do not have access to clean water, the average person uses about 1.3 gallons of whatever water they can find a day. That is less than one flush of a toilet.

I am forever grateful that we are making a difference for our thirsty world.

Summer Time

May 29, 2012

There is nothing better then getting up early to beat the heat and go on a bike ride to Forest Ranch followed by breakfast with a friend.  Swimming, camping, hiking, gardening, traveling, and spending time with friends are just part of the list of summer fun possibilities.  I will probably do all of these this summer, but I want to do more.  I want to do what I love to do, to help change the world.

So, what will that look like?  In June, Grant and I will travel to Honduras with Agros International.  Agros International is committed to breaking the cycle of poverty for rural families in Central America and Mexico by enabling landless communities to achieve land ownership and economic stability. We have learned that the root causes of poverty extend across communities and are passed down from generation to generation, and so the Agros development model is holistic, sustainable, and focused on long term results. This commitment to the long-term sustainability of a whole community serves to break the cycle of poverty in all its forms.  We will be visiting a small village, Brisas del Volcan, that was adopted by Bidwell Press approximately six years ago.  The village now has a productive coffee plantation and is developing a fish farm, and the cycle of poverty has been broken.  Grant and I will be exploring areas that will soon be adopted and considering how we can help with a water project.

I am also looking forward to opening our home for a dinner to show my appreciation to the many volunteers and donors that give so generously to Bridging The Gap By Giving.  Be sure to save the date, August 17th.  There is nothing better then doing the things you love to do to help make the world a better place to live!

A Little About Me

May 10, 2012

Sometimes I wonder how I came to be who I am…..why am I so passionate about our thirsty world? 

Gradually the eyes of my heart and mind have been trained to see God’s faithfulness in my life and I am forever grateful for His part in my life. I was one of those little surprises in my parent’s latter years and it was suggested that I be aborted, because of my mom’s health. My mom would have nothing to do with that plan. Yahoo, what a beginning!

I learned many good qualities from my parents: work ethics, hospitality, living simply, creativity and organization. Of course, there were some teachings from my parents God needed to redeem me from. I was taught not to care globally, but God was gracious to bring people into my life to remold my thinking to be more like Him.

My husband Grant and I went to a church that supported several missionaries, which mystified me. Through biblical teaching and our natural love for adventure my eyes began to be open to see the great disparity between nations. I was trekking to the base camp of Mt Everest when I saw a man chipping stone on his knees. Santos, our leader, shared that he works 12 hours a day and is paid a little over a dollar. I heard two voices speaking urgently in me. My dad was whispering that this man is meant to live this way and that he is content. The other Voice was much louder and said, “This is not how I created the world to be,” and I realized how unjust this picture was. I didn’t know it at the time, but it was one of the pivotal moments that taught me that I could no longer turn from the great needs of the world and live a life of comfort without sharing. I was being called to help bridge the gap between my country that lives in abundance and the people of developing countries that have such great needs.

After coming home, the foundation, Bridging The Gap By Giving, was formed, and in six years over 13,000 Africans have received clean water, sanitation and training in hygiene.

To God Be The Glory!