Repost: The balancing act Topic: People/Family stories
While out of town with my husband, I'm reposting some of my favorite posts.
Something happened to my house while I wasn't paying attention. ......well, ok, I knew it was happening but it was so gradual that I am amazed at how invaded we now are. The invasion? Technology.....yeah, we are all wired up....so wired in fact, that we are now 'wireless' which means such much technology that you don't even need to be wired to a telephone line to be hooked up. Don't get me wrong...I like the technology, but I feel embarrassed to have so much of it. We now can watch the World Hunger commercials on a 47 inch LCD projection TV....whatever that means....I just know it's huge and I feel the need to explain it when people come in and see it. (My husband used his Christmas bonus to buy it, we aren't in debt because of it, I promise!)
My husband became mister gadget beginning in about 1995. When Apple computers were born into American homes, we got one. Now we have 5 Apples.....all different models and years...all used, but still up with current technology. iTunes, iMovie, iShufflethingie, iBook.....i i i...me me me....hmmm This may be too revealing to post now that I am thinking about it! lol
We have so many cords and converters and external thingies lying around...we have boxes of these things....boxes of disks and CD Roms and Mac Manuals. My husband can fix any Mac you give him....that amazes me too! MY husband, who has never been real handy with fixing things around the house, can take whole computers apart, fix them and put them back together. I am truely surprised by this new talent. And it's rubbing off in other areas. He actually 'fixed' my clothes dryer the other day. It was not heating up and now it is....hmmmm.
Technology.....who knew? This is the same husband who, when we were first married, used to like to buy things that didn't need electricity, 'just in case'. *sheepish smile* I can't remember exactly why we did that. I actually have a friend whose family moved off into the interior of Alaska, built a home that runs without electricity (they have a generator now and a satellite dish for internet), you have to get there by boat (or maybe that's changed?) and they grow and hunt their own food. I didn't hear from her again until this year! (it's been several years)
So I'll take the wires (and the wirelessness)...and the satellite tv.....as long as I can still get my husband to come out and sit on the front porch with me in our wooden rockers as often as possible to watch the birds that come to splash in the creek there. As long as we support missions around the world and pray for missionaries and go on mission trips as often as we can with our kids....and not turn the channel when the World Hunger commercials come on. As long as we turn off the embarrassingly large tv and play board games with our kids and read books and take walks. As long as we get back to nature and get truely 'wireless' and go camping each summer away from the bustle of the busyness of life. As long as my husband keeps going into the woods every summer to hunt down dead trees, chop them up, haul them home in the truck and stack it to make our own heat for winter.
OK, I feel better now....just gotta find the balance sometimes.....
Retreating Topic: Other
My husband and I will be going to the mountains for the rest of the week, beginning tomorrow, for a much needed retreat. Some very kind ladies in our church are sending us up to their cabin and the kids are staying with my friend, Cheryl.
Now I just have to get done with my pre-op biopsy tomorrow morning before we go. It's just standard procedure before a hysterectomy these days, but I've heard it can be painful. So I'd appreciate anyone who would pray for us to have a nice, relaxing time without the downer of being in pain! And pray for Cheryl as she homeschools Maggie this week for me!
Check back each day though! I have set up a few older blog entries to post while we're gone and a Wordless Wednesday Photo for Wednesday.
*One of the ladies in our new Bible study class just gave her life to Christ 2 weeks ago during a church service. She was out of town last weekend, so this was her first Sunday at our church as a believer. She is someone, like a lot of people these days, who is not familiar with church language or how things are done. It is so refreshing to here her talk, using the language that WE need to learn and understand as 'church people'. She is excited about studying the Bible and is full of the newness of it all. It gives me hope that we can still be effective tools for God to use to reach people who are unchurched, even in this very unique time in history.
*I'm very squozen! The hugs and friendly, encouraging words were flowing freely today.
*My mom, who is a new widow (of less than a month), has been coming to a Sunday morning Bible study class...this was her second week. She is also interested in coming to a new Beth Moore Bible study we're beginning in a couple of weeks. I'm so relieved to see her getting involved...it shows hope and that she is looking forward.
*I watched 2 of our youth give prayer requests for their generation. First was Jessica, who asked us to pray that the bondage of drugs in this generation would be broken and that teens would grow to despise drug use. Secondly, Tim asked us to pray that the Christian teens in high schools these days would not be distracted (with things of life....clubs, activities, busyness) from their duty to be an example and witness for Christ. We had a special call to prayer for this generation and are doing so each Sunday this month. (maybe longer, I'm not sure) It was tear jerking and sweet to see youth crumple to the floor near the front of the church in prayer for their generation.
*I took a 2 hour Sunday afternoon nap! (which explains my blog writing at 10:30pm) It was nice to be able to relax so completely in the middle of the day and not have to set an alarm! I awoke to the smell of brownies baking, so I didn't even mind getting up!
*The weather here lately has been especially wonderful in the mornings, which adds a little bounce to your step and sparkle to your attitude.
Philippians 3:12-14 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Each Sunday is a reminder to me of the great crowd of fellow participants I am a part of in this race....and of how great the prize will be as we press on together. The encouragement along the way with wonderful days like this is just a little incentive compared to the greatness of the final prize.
Storms in the sky and in my head Topic: People/Family stories
Today was one of those days that make you feel happy to be home with your laptop in your jammies. Let's call this post...just the facts please. You can fill in the 'blah blah blah' and 'yadda yadda yadda' that usually happens amidst the facts.
I got up at 7:30am showered dunked some gingersnaps in my coffee for breakfast Picked up my mom at 8:30am ran her to the beauty parlor ran home to make lesson plan list (one that would be deciferable for my mom) she ran Maggie-school today! picked up mom at 10am brought her to my house to watch Maggie while I ran around *like a crazy person* Left to have my car's oil changed asked them to check on what was leaking under the car *tried to block out the Jerry Springer show blaring on the tv* turned off the tv when the waiting room cleared out Looked out the window a dozen times at the car progress tapped my pen on calendar that was way too full oil changing guy told me the oil pan gasket needed replacing there are several other leaks in the undercarriage.... "major repairs" he said *felt stomach clench* Drove into downtown to the hospital to have 2 pre-op tests done hysterectomy in less than 3 weeks *eeeeeek* waited one hour for first test...2 minute chest Xray Those gingersnaps were not lasting waited one hour for second test....5 minute EKG....*need food* Got my car out of the parking garage *9 minutes before the fee went from free to $3* Noticed lack of edible materials in my car Looked for fast food found Sonic got popcorn chicken and a strawberry limeade *aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh* saw 2 homeless people come by for cups of ice at Sonic they were granted free cups of ice.... it was so nice ate with the window down, no a/c noticed it was a very nice day outside watched pigeons walk on tables outside Sonic vowed never to eat at an outside table at a fast food place drove home in record time visited with mom while I made dinner monitored homework, chores and attitudes as older kids got home served a yummy pork chop dinner left in a flurry for husband's church league softball game sat on bleachers yelling *woooo* and became skito-chow watched thunderstorm moving in, lightening is amazing got drenched while huddling under overhang of snack bar *with 27 other people* game was called off Our team won! this was a first for our team =) no sooner did the ref leave than the rain stopped went back to our cars in the stillness after the storm looked at used cars online with husband (remember leaky van?) *stressssssssss* ....we can't do another car payment....arg decided to think/pray on this a few days and now I'm sitting on my couch, no shoes, laptop upon my lap I need a little Word to calm my stress-out heart and refocus my whirling mind
Psalm 119: 165 Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.
the storm is calming down inside peace is on the horizon but my head is still hurting even after the storm is spent
Strength for today....bright hope for tomorrow Topic: People/Family stories I was struggling to write a post in remembrance of 9/11/01. Everyone had written beautiful pieces and I felt like I had nothing more to add. I would just let this day pass with no post on this page. Then this morning, as I did devotions with Maggie before school, we came to our prayer time. We always stop to think about things we should pray for.
I asked her if she knew what 9/11 was about. No....she had only been 4 years old when it happened. So I tried to explain it to her. I didn't know that by the end of my explanation, I would be sobbing, especially while telling her of the flight over Pennsylvania. The people on that plane knowingly sacrificed their lives to divert another attack.
How do you tell a 9 year old child about the events of that day in 2001 when America became vulnerable and weak. A handful of people murdered so many people in 3 different states with such malice....and it was personal to each one of us. We didn't know what to do or what would happen. We just stayed glued to our televisions, trying to stay informed, trying to gain some reassurance that we were safe.
And we prayed.....everyone prayed. On television they prayed, in schools they prayed, people wandered into churches wanting to pray.
It was eye opening to me that I still had such strong emotions deep down inside. My general outlook on life is to move on. I want to learn, grow and then think about the positive after something bad happens. I think a lot of my processing of 9/11 was stunted because we had a tragedy in our lives and church 2 days after 9/11, when our friends' son killed himself. The fragile, vulnerable feelings had consumed him and when one last straw was put on his back, he cracked and very impulsively ended his life. He didn't know that life would go on and be good again. He didn't see hope.
It's what makes us carry on in times like these.....we hope...we can see past our present suffering to a brighter future. When we despair, if we just wait it out, we gain our hope once again.
"This too shall pass."
In Isaiah 32, we read:
14 The fortress will be abandoned, the noisy city deserted; citadel and watchtower will become a wasteland forever, the delight of donkeys, a pasture for flocks,
15 till the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the desert becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field seems like a forest.
16 Justice will dwell in the desert and righteousness live in the fertile field.
17 The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.
18 My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.
There IS a hope. God promises us hope throughout the Bible. One day we will be without sin and madness.
quietness and confidence peaceful dwelling place secure homes undisturbed places of rest
These words were meant for such a time as we now live..... to bring us hope.
Concentrate on these things today if you are feeling the remembrance of evil too strongly. And remind your children that there is hope. Help them to have hope....
Oatmeal Muffins Topic: Crickl's Recipes
Someone shared this recipe for oatmeal muffins on a forum I go to. All the ladies there were raving about it and telling what changes they made to it to make it more healthy. So I had to try it and it's good!
Using old fashioned oats adds the best health benefit. Soaking them in buttermilk cuts down on digestive problems and adds good enzymes to your tummy! Next time I'll try making it with canola oil instead of butter (or maybe use half applesauce and half the oil) and use 1/2 whole wheat flour and 1/2 white. I also added a smidge of vanilla and some cinnamon to mine because I didn't have any fruit that sounded good to put in.
OATMEAL MUFFINS
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats 1 cup buttermilk 1 large egg, beaten lightly 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 cup dried currants (or use shredded apple, peach, dried cranberries or mashed bananas)
In a large bowl, combine oats and buttermilk and let stand 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 400?F. and butter twelve 1/2-cup muffin tins. Add egg, sugar and butter to oat mixture, stirring until just combined.
Into another large bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda and add to oat mixture, stirring until just combined. Fold in currants.
Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin tins. Bake muffins in middle of oven until golden and a tester comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
Choose life...the way that is true Topic: People/Family stories And so, have I mentioned lately how cool my kids are????
Hannah is becoming an international Christian activist and someday missionary....long or short term is yet to be determined. She is in college 2 hours away and growing up so beautifully...she amazes us.
Bethany and Emma seem to be flourishing in public high school...thank you, Lord. They've both made friends and are inviting people to youth group. I can see so clearly how God is laying out their lives before them and they are choosing to follow. Bethany is singing her heart out on the worship team at church and discovering it's hard to live up to your own values, but it's worth it. Emma gave a powerful testimony at church a few weeks ago on how God is working in her life, giving her a love of missions.
Maggie is growing up into a sweet 9 year old and learning to make good choices in her 9 year old way. I am just sitting back, watching it all in amazement. God is good and His promises are real....I've seen it unfolding with my owns eyes.
From Deuteronomy 30:
11-16 Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, "Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, "Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.
See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.
19-20 This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life.
"Engaging people who are doing the hard work of laying their lives open to others, and avoiding isolation, has allowed me to see that there is both immeasurable evil and unfathomable good mixing under my own skin and it is grace, mercy and freedom that allow me to not simply be a monster, but to be a good monster.? Dan H., Jars of Clay
Sky gazing Topic: People/Family stories
In our house, we are all in various stages of grief and thinking a lot about deep things lately. It has come out in a daughter's blog and today my husband wrote a really cool post about Heaven. Reading his post made me think of a song I had in the back of my mind, knowing my dad was near death. I was going to put the song to a slide show, but the funeral home did a slide show as part of their package deal, so I didn't have to. (By the way, if you'd like to see the slide show, it is on the internet at a memorial sight and I will be very happy to give you instructions if you email me or leave a comment along with your email address. I just don't want the information 'out there' for all to access.) It's a beautiful song.
Untitled Hymn (Come To Jesus) Chris Rice
Weak and wounded sinner Lost and left to die O, raise your head, for love is passing by Come to Jesus Come to Jesus Come to Jesus and live!
Now your burden's lifted And carried far away And precious blood has washed away the stain, so Sing to Jesus Sing to Jesus Sing to Jesus and live!
And like a newborn baby Don't be afraid to crawl And remember when you walk Sometimes we fall...so Fall on Jesus Fall on Jesus Fall on Jesus and live!
Sometimes the way is lonely And steep and filled with pain So if your sky is dark and pours the rain, then Cry to Jesus Cry to Jesus Cry to Jesus and live!
O, and when the love spills over And music fills the night And when you can't contain your joy inside, then Dance for Jesus Dance for Jesus Dance for Jesus and live!
And with your final heartbeat Kiss the world goodbye Then go in peace, and laugh on Glory's side, and Fly to Jesus Fly to Jesus Fly to Jesus and live!
I really don't know life...at all... Topic: People/Family stories The clouds were on the horizon again today...teasing and taunting, as they do in August in Phoenix. Huge billowy thunderclouds in the not so far away distance, hanging there on the edge of the city. It makes you long for a thunderstorm to wash away the city's stale summer air and refresh the trees and grass. It doesn't come, but I can still wish...and I know one of these days, they clouds will spread over the city and a time of refreshing will come.
A friend of mine called today to see how I was doing a week after my dad's funeral. At first I answered, "Oh I'm fine.....y'know".....then I admitted I've been remembering things from my dad's final days, replaying them in my mind, mulling them over, not able to drive them out. And the tears come easily these days, not over my dad's passing, but it could be anything. It's weird to cry over news headlines or tv commercials, but it's the way my brain is dealing...it's the way the grief is working it's way out. Something to be endured, I say....I don't like it and I've felt exhausted every minute this past week! My friend said it was the same way with her when her dad passed away. (suddenly remembering, 'oh yes, other people have gone through this too....she really understands.') She said she would even have times of running to the bathroom to suddenly be sick to her stomach for no apparent reason. Grief is a tricky thing and I admit I'm not understanding it....yet there it is, following me around. My normal life is hanging there on the fringes like those billowy clouds, taunting me....I know it's there, or at least will be again some day, but for now it's just teasing me and I wait for it to come back.
All of these thoughts kind of came together as I looked at some old bookmarked websights. Tonight I clicked on The Cloud Appreciation Society website. And then I remembered writing an entry before about clouds and saw the song by Joni Mitchell. I read through the lyrics very slowly. I think I'm in the third verse of that song now....
Tears and fears and feeling proud To say I love you right out loud Dreams and schemes and circus crowds I’ve looked at life that way
But now old friends are acting strange They shake their heads, they say I’ve changed Well something’s lost, but something’s gained In living ev’ry day
I’ve looked at life from both sides now From win and lose and still somehow It’s life’s illusions I recall I really don’t know life at all....
A time to mourn, a time to laugh Topic: Humor/memes Upon finding out how to import my old bookmarks, that I left behind in April in order to usurp this newer computer, I rediscovered some blogs that I haven't visited in months! (OK, this is funny because I lost this entry in a browser crash a few minutes ago and just condensed what took me 3 paragraphs to say into one sentence!! ha!) So, I laughed and laughed throughout this post on Paper Sack Lifetime, a blog by a weirdly funny, sometimes disturbing comedic writer named Kyle. I needed to share it with you...
I decided we needed some comic relief in this run of increasingly sad, albeit meaningful, entries. *whew* And since my brain is mush lately, I'll let Paper Sack guy do the comedy
I'm sure there will be more sad entries soon, just in case you wanted more. ;)
New Arrival at the Pearly Gates.... Topic: People/Family stories
I will write more later, but I wanted everyone to know.
My dad passed away last night, Monday, August 21 around 11:20pm. All his kids except for his son in Baltimore (too far with little notice) were there at his side keeping vigil, along with my mom and neice.
He is with the Lord now and able to hike around Heaven and think straight again.
We are so.....SO happy for him. And I'm so thankful that God took him quickly.
Something happened to my house while I wasn't paying attention. ......well, ok, I knew it was happening but it was so gradual that I am amazed at how invaded we now are. The invasion? Technology.....yeah, we are all wired up....so wired in fact, that we are now 'wireless' which means such much technology that you don't even need to be wired to a telephone line to be hooked up. Don't get me wrong...I like the technology, but I feel embarrassed to have so much of it. We now can watch the World Hunger commercials on a 47 inch LCD projection TV....whatever that means....I just know it's huge and I feel the need to explain it when people come in and see it. (My husband used his Christmas bonus to buy it, we aren't in debt because of it, I promise!) 
I was struggling to write a post in remembrance of 9/11/01. Everyone had written beautiful pieces and I felt like I had nothing more to add. I would just let this day pass with no post on this page. Then this morning, as I did devotions with Maggie before school, we came to our prayer time. We always stop to think about things we should pray for. 
I have a glitch in my get-along. If you're having trouble coming to this page, you are not alone. 
And so, have I mentioned lately how cool my kids are????
The clouds were on the horizon again today...teasing and taunting, as they do in August in Phoenix. Huge billowy thunderclouds in the not so far away distance, hanging there on the edge of the city. It makes you long for a thunderstorm to wash away the city's stale summer air and refresh the trees and grass. It doesn't come, but I can still wish...and I know one of these days, they clouds will spread over the city and a time of refreshing will come.
Upon finding out how to import my old bookmarks, that I left behind in April in order to usurp this newer computer, I rediscovered some blogs that I haven't visited in months! (OK, this is funny because I lost this entry in a browser crash a few minutes ago and just condensed what took me 3 paragraphs to say into one sentence!! ha!) So, I laughed and laughed throughout 
