Field Lilies

Word for the year. . .

2012-01-05T22:49:00.008-05:00

Everyone, it seems, is buzzing about their "word for the year".   Well, I'm no different.   Except that I don't really have a word for the year.   Huh?   Let me explain.

For the past two years I've participated in this little exercise and I picked out great words - if I do say so myself.

Two years ago my word was INTENTIONAL.    What could be better than being more intentional? I printed out the word, posted it in several strategic places and there it stayed. All Year. Reminding me every day to be intentional and causing me all year to wonder if I was. Intentional.

I got to the end of the year and I had this sinking feeling that I really hadn't done much that was all that intentional. Come on. We're all guilty. Days go by. Weeks go by. Months go by. And we are so busy. Or distracted. Does the reason really matter? At the end of a year, if we're really honest with ourselves we can all probably look back and have this sense that we didn't do all that we had hoped. For me, I felt I hadn't been all that intentional. In relationships. In my activities. In ministry. In my life in general. Come December 31, 2010 I had to admit I had failed to live a very intentional life.

I was disappointed in myself, but figuring I had just chosen a poor word, I set to work to think of a better word for myself for 2011.

I didn't want to commit too early, so I contemplated carefully. I believe it was around. . .um. . .yep - June when I finally came up with my word. My new word was Magnanimity (or Magnanimous).   And by focusing on that word I hoped that I would become that. Big-hearted. Generous - in spirit and deed.

Now, I know I only had about 6 months (compared to 12 the previous year), but still. . .you'd think I'd didn't need that much time to learn my lesson again. Typing a word out and posting it in guilt-inducing places does not make one that word. I thought about the word a lot.   I loved my word. I contemplated ways to be magnanimous. I imagined how great it would feel to be free with my time and energies. But again, I got to December, 2011 and I looked back on a year of the same. Mostly stingy, selfish hoarding of my time and energies. That may not be completely true outwardly, but inwardly I knew I was as selfish as all get out.

As I sat in church on the first day of this year, I decided (momentarily) that I just wasn't cut out for this word for a year thing. Who needs it? Picking a word doesn't mean anything. It had not meant anything for me - except to expose my unintentional-ness and lack of magnanimity.   In fact, as this past year had passed and I was painfully aware of my lack of magnanimity, even with those I love, I recognized a principle at work.   I recognized that in my attempt at preserving (okay - hoarding) my energies and time I shrunk in spirit. I became less. Instead of magnanimous I was, too often, petty. tired. selfish.

As I continued to sit there that Sunday morning it occurred to me that I had focused on the wrong thing.   I had thought about ways to be those things and how great I would feel when I had done them.   But there was a disconnect. Obviously. The simple truth was that I simply needed to do those things. A whole lot less thinking and a whole lot more doing. A pretty simple concept - even for an over-thinker like me.

So like I said. . .I don't have a word for the year. Nope. I've got TWO words for 2012.

Do It!

That's it - Do It!

And no - I didn't steal it from Nike. I thought of it all on my own.

Honest.

We had a free-sharing time at church on January 1st. People shared their goals, their visions. Really whatever was on their hearts.   I had no INTENTION of getting up and speaking, but I was so motivated by my little epiphany I decided to share too (we're a small fellowship, so this isn't as big a deal as it might sound - but it was very real. And good.)

Another gal shared in her thoughts the idea of "Being It". Yeah. I like that too. But Do It or Be It - it's all kinda the same thing. Kinda. Okay, not really, but I'm rolling the thoughts into one and making them the same.   One doesn't do Intentional or do Magnanimity. One is those things (or not). I can BE Intentional or Magnanimous (or not). But to BE those things I have to DO IT!   Get my drift?

So this is the year I'm actually going to Do It!   I mean it. This is the year I'm throwing caution to the wind and actually being more intentional. And magnanimous.

Just watch me.

stuck

2011-11-06T19:40:00.001-05:00

I really wanted to like this Bible study. Truly, I did. I wanted to share it with my girlfriends. But I don't think I'm going to. I'm really not all that favorably impressed, unfortunately.

If you're at all familiar with Rob Bell and his Nooma videos, that's what's cookin' here except the main player is a woman nameed Jennie Allen. Other than the fact that a woman is in the videos, Stuck appears to me to be pretty much a carbon copy idea of the various Nooma studies.

There are seven lessons in the study book and each lesson has an accompanying video component. Jennie Allen is attractive and well spoken, but her delivery quickly became so utterly and boringly predictable the message became largely lost. On me, anyway. I think the point of this study is to identify one's "stuck-ness" and hopefully get beyond it, but honestly. . .I became so stuck on what was annoying to me about this study I couldn't get beyond the study (or my annoyance).

In addition to what has become to me an already over-done idea (filming someone awash in spiritual questions - as if she is the only one who's ever asked an honest spiritual question) I found the study book itself to be lacking. Content-wise the study is pretty basic. The questions are largely open-ended and encourage one to explore inside oneself. I'd give at least a B to the content of this study - figuring it's target audience is probably young adult women who are still sort of finding themselves.

I can't give the material quality of the study book much more than a low C, though. I was immediately disappointed with the quality of the print. The study book text is printed mostly in gray scale on thin paper that allows you to see the print on the other side. Well, almost. If the print were actually dark enough to read comfortably, you'd be able to see it through the other side of the page, but it's not quite dark enough to read comfortably. I had serious trouble focusing on the print almost to the point of eye strain. Use a little more ink, please. Give me some contrast!!!

In all fairness, this study may appeal to a "seeker". Someone who has little spiritual or biblical background, but who is honestly seeking for spiritual truths. Or maybe someone who's neglected their spiritual walk and is beginning to wander back. I'm not sure this study is going to provide much depth, but it may be the ticket to get someone who's awash in their own questions onto an honest road of spiritual searching out.

Frankly, though, I just couldn't get beyond the Nooma-ish-ness to appreciate what Jennie Allen is trying to do with this study. If you like Rob Bell's style, you'll probably like Jennie Allen's. If you have no clue what I'm talking about, just google Nooma and you'll find plenty of videos online to give you a taste of what you can expect with the video portion of this study. Just because I don't care for it, doesn't mean you won't.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review - and as you can see, I didn't.

Steve Jobs - Have the Courage to Follow Your Heart

2011-10-05T23:59:00.001-04:00

Have the courage to follow your heart.

The Book of Man by William J. Bennett

2011-10-05T21:45:00.001-04:00

Bennett has compiled another rich collection of stories in this volume. This time his focus is on what makes a man a man. This 517 page book contains hundreds of stories, vignettes, quotes, prayers. . .that adult readers will find interesting as they reflect on the qualities that make great men.

There are writings about men in ancient times as well as modern and each entry gives the reader food for thought as he contemplates what it means to be a man. Men of various political persuasions, religions, and professions are told about - all with equal admiration from the writer.

Rather than choose a chronological order, Bennett chose to organize the readings according to the following divisions: Man in War; Man at Work; Man in Play, Sports and Leisure; Man in the Polis; Man With Woman and Children; and Man in Prayer and Reflection.

This somewhat lose organization allows the reader to pick up the book and begin reading in whatever category he may be interested in at that moment.

I can imagine a person using this book as source of material for inspirational talks in a variety of situations. This is a book for adults and it will, no doubt, be a book picked up and gleaned from for years by the adults who own it. I consider it a keeper.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

2011-09-24T13:56:00.003-04:00

Subtitled: Is the New Atheism Running on Empty?

I found Alister McGrath to be refreshing and engaging as he took on the “New Atheist” in this book Why God Won’t Go Away.

Of course there is nothing “new under the sun”, but McGrath explains who the current high-stakes players are in this newest installment of the atheist movement and what their tactics entail (namely ridicule and dismissal, but with militant zeal) which, of course, only serves to shut down conversation, not keep it going.

In contrast, McGrath entertains many questions asked by “new atheists” and gives reasonable responses. In reading this book (and I also recommend watching a debate or two between Alister McGrath and Richard Dawkins and/or Christopher Hitchins – such debates can be found online), one cannot help but see the difference between McGrath’s sensible (even humble) handling of a challenging subject and the defensive and insulting manner in which the “new atheist” tends to handle it.

A truly reasonable person should be able to rise above defensive and insulting posturing, not succumb to it as a main tactic in winning an argument. Insult and dismissal are not the tactics of those who honestly desire to have reasonable and rational discussion. Regardless of what side of the divide you may be on, I suggest giving Alister McGrath a read. The contrast in style between McGrath and the “new atheist” is stark indeed.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Ten-minute no-sew recycled t-shirt bag!

2011-06-24T14:04:00.000-04:00

Here is a very cool craft. Cool because it's simple, makes use of something everyone has hanging the house, AND the end product is a very useful item. Kids will love to make their own special T-Shirt Bag. And I'm thinking this might even be a fun actvitiy for a moms' night out. I can't wait to suggest it.

Lee Meredith at leethal.net has a great tutorial that will walk you through making your own bags. Here are my first attempts at making my own cool t-shirt bags:

I can't wait to make some more!

UNSINKABLE by Abby Sunderland and Lynn Vincent

2011-06-11T21:54:00.005-04:00

Unsinkable is a story co-authored by Abby Sunderland and Lynn Vincent about Abby's attempt to be the youngest female to sail solo around the world. The attempt failed, but success was measured in other ways.

Unsinkable gives the reader an inside glimpse into the Sunderland family starting with the earliest days when the family (which included the four oldest Sunderland children) sailed for three years in and out of exotic places - living and learning about worlds few of us even have the opportunity to read about. This background, as well as Lawrence Sunderland's background as a seasoned sailor and shipwright, is essential to understanding how and why setting a goal of doing a solo sail around the world would even occur to his16 year-old daughter.

I will admit, this land-lover had a hard time comprehending how any modern 16 year-old could be capable (physically, mentally and emotionally) of making such goal a reality, but before I was half-way through the book I began to understand that this was no average 16 year-old - no average modern-day girl, for that matter. And the Sunderlands are no average family. On the other hand, I have a feeling they are very comfortable people and, in a sense, just every day folk that I'd enjoy getting to know.

Unsinkable is an engaging book filled with adventure and information about the sailing world as well as answers to why Lawrence and Marianne Sunderland not only allowed, but made provision for their daughter to attempt her goal of sailing solo around the world. While knowing nothing of sailing and the kind of life the Sunderlands lead, I came away from my reading of this book with an appreciation of their lifestyle, certainly; and at least a modicum of understanding how and why Abby entertained such a dream.

I wholeheartedly recommend Unsinkable to anyone who is curious about this story.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Additional reviews are available at:
http://booksneeze.com/blogger/resources/9781400203086
Product Page: http://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/product_detail.asp?sku=9781400203086

Product Details:

Hardcover
ISBN: 1400203082
ISBN-13: 9781400203086
Page Count: 240
Retail Price $22.00

Graduation Time!

2011-05-30T22:06:00.005-04:00

One Open House and Two Graduations in one week! Whew!

Just yesterday it seems they were little boys.

Where has the time gone?

The Story of the Bible by Larry Stone

2011-03-19T01:51:00.005-04:00

Do not be deceived into thinking this 96-page book is lightweight - in size or content. This beautiful oversized hardback book gives a broad, if not deep, overview of the history of the Bible.

The first part of the book is devoted to the history of the ancient manuscripts that supported the Hebrew scriptures in the time of Christ and explain why the authenticity of our current scriptures can be trusted. The author does an admirable job of attempting to explain all of this to the lay reader, but going into much depth is, quite honestly, impossible in such a cursory overview. And I'll admit, it got confusing at times.

Next, the book covers the early church and the narrative tone flows more naturally. It offers a chronological telling of many important persons and events and the impact scriptures had from early Christendom through the Reformation, all the way into the 20th Century. Again, coverage was not extremely deep, but it is an interesting read and admirable in its breadth.

A wonderful component of this book is the additional 23 pull-out pages that are stored in strong vellum pockets throughout. These loose pages provide many examples of ancient Bibles and manuscripts. As a home-educator, I can see that these would be a great aid to the student in seeing how painstaking it was to reproduce Bibles and manuscripts in long ago times. These illustrations also provide beautiful examples of illuminated manuscripts. The fact that these illustrations are loose and can be used separate from the book makes them a great resource that can be used for a variety of purposes.

A serious student of this subject will need something more academic and thorough to adequately cover the subject of the history of the Bible, but this is a lovely book to have available to read and browse at one's leisure. It is a great resource to share with students if one is covering this topic or any of the time periods discussed in the book and wanting to discuss the relevancy of scripture to what was going on in the world at that time. If this is one's first exposure to the history of the Bible, one will likely come away curious for more in-depth study; and that alone makes this a worthwhile read.

The Story of the Bible is not a difficult read, but it is not simple either. How could it be simple to cover such a topic that spans several millennia and innumerable political upheavals and world events? I recommend the book as a resource for educators of religious studies and also for someone wanting a cursory overview of the subject of the Bible and early church history in an attractive coffee-table type book.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Additional reviews are available at: http://www.booksneeze.com/blogger/resources/9781595551191

Product Page: http://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/product_detail.asp?sku=9781595551191

Product Details:
Hardcover
9.4 x 11.8 x 1

ISBN: 1595551190
ISBN: 9781595551191
Page Count: 96
Retail: $34.99

Just button it up, why don't cha?

2011-02-08T23:33:00.006-05:00

I made several of these scarves at Christmas time (two just like the one pictured - made out of a wool yarn, and one out of a soft acrylic, and another out of an acrylic and alpaca blend). They were easy to make and were hits with their intended recipients, though no one in my immediate family will wear one for some reason (outside of modeling it, anyway).

Don't quite understand my guys' aversion to it as this is the most comfortable and stay-where-you-put-it scarf I've ever seen. I don't think they understand how cool these scarves are and how cool they'd be wearing them.   

They are so cool, I've been wishing I had made one for myself while I was at it.  Hmmmm....maybe it's the fact that I think they are cool is why they don't. 

Life is cruel that way.

I'd start one for myself, but I have a feeling winter's about over around here.  

Hey, can't blame a girl for hoping can ya'?

Book Lovers Love Books

2011-02-05T12:56:00.019-05:00

How's that for stating the obvious? Whether the books belong to her or someone else, a book lover just can't seem to get her fill when browsing another's bookshelves. And homeschoolers are, by and large, book lovers and book collectors; and almost without fail what a homeschooler's eyes are drawn to when visiting a new friend are their books! Maybe we want to get new ideas. Maybe we want to see if we have common tastes. Or maybe (and I almost hate to suggest this, but....) maybe we're just afflicted.

I don't know why it's such a compulsion to peruse another book lover's bookshelves, but I know that it is. So I invite you to browse a sampling of the many books we've collected over the years. Clicking on a picture will enlarge it (because I know you want to read the titles).

A sampling of the books in the family room

Nature and Science books

Art books

Philosophy, History and Geography

These are the ones not in boxes. I store history books by period in a storage room and rotate them out as we're studying a particular time period because we don't have enough shelves to hold them all at once.

Teacher Resources

Way too many cookbooks

A glass front bookshelf houses a few of Greg's WWII books

This little thing has always been my "woman's shelf". Early on it was a new mom's bookshelf. Then it became loaded with homeschooling books, and a sprinkling of spiritual helps. At the moment, it's undergoing a metamorphosis as I begin contemplating the transition from homeschooling to.....who knows?!? It may simply remain an eclectic collection of what interests me at the moment.

And then there is music, poetry, nursery rhymes and all sorts of miscellany in the living room

And as hard as it is to believe, I didn't even get pictures of the books in the boys' rooms, several other shelves of teacher helps, Bible study resources, Greg's Landmark book collection, books of music scores, and some wonderful children's literature I hope to someday share with grandchildren. And, well...I'll admit I intentionally didn't snap any pictures of the collections that are growing on my dresser (my Mitford, Miss Julia, and The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency books - books I've only recently discovered are wonderful, fun reads).

Yes, I suppose it is an affliction.

But a lovely affliction it is.

Operation Happy Birthday!

2010-11-13T19:54:00.004-05:00

In October, Ben turned 15th and when contemplating what he wanted to do, he decided he wanted to spend an evening putt-putting and eating pizza with his pals. He then decided that in lieu of birthday gifts, he'd suggest that his friends bring a donation for an Operation Christmas Child box. Donations he received! Between the six fine fellows below, they managed to fill 4 boxes!

Ben is in orange. And yes, these guys are as fine and fun as they look!

On that beautiful autumn evening in October the boys enjoyed pizza and putt putt before returning home. And tomorrow we finally take the filled boxes to church where they will be gathered with many other boxes, prayed over, taken to a collection center where they will then be sent on their way to be received by children possibly on the other side of the world.

Hope for a Merry Christmas and a little bit of love is enclosed in each box.  

You, too, can touch the heart of a child. Visit Samaritan's Purse to see how.

Joshua Allen Harris' Inflatable Street Art

2010-11-12T20:10:00.001-05:00

2010-11-06T19:25:00.031-04:00

It is said that sports teaches one a lot about life.

And while that can be said about a lot of things, we've certainly learned that that old adage is true.

One learns to be part of a team and to be a team player.

One learns endurance through hard work and that hard work pays off. Okay...not always in tangible ways, but hard work does pay off. If only that you feel better about yourself.

One learns to anticipate the unexpected.

and to maneuver obstacles.

One learns that while it's okay to flinch...

One must never retreat.

One must stay in the game.

Stay focused.

Remembering always that your teammates are counting on you.

Just as you are counting on them.

And that your opponent may be just as strong as (or stronger than) you.

And that he wants to win as badly as you do.

And while winning is great, the ultimate prize is to finish well and with honor.

And to know in the end....it is, afterall....just a game.

Oh Give Me A Home Where the Buffalo Roam

2010-09-10T01:04:00.012-04:00

Please???

And where prairie dogs...

and wild burros...

beg for Doritos all day.

Classic

2010-06-22T10:30:00.000-04:00

I've joined a Classic Literature reading challenge at Paperback Swap (btw, PBS is a great place to swap old loves for new ones - books, that is) and I thought I'd post my personal Classics challenge here. Just to keep it handy.

I have many to fill in yet and it may change through the year, but here is my personal Classic Literature Reading Challenge for 2010:

Set during a war - A Farewell to Arms - finished 6/4/10
New to you Author
Pre 19th century novel
Classic that is also Historical Fiction
Classic Mystery - The Hound of the Baskervilles - finished 2/11/10
Book on your TBR list or pile - King Lear - finished 3/19/10
Read a Dickens novel
Epic - Beowulf - finished 1/15/10
Lost in Translation (a book translated to English) - The Confession of Saint Patrick
Classic Horror or Scary story (the question is...do I really want to be scared or just meet this challenge?)
Classic Sci Fi - Fahrenheit 451
High School Reading List Revisited (A classic that you had to read - or were supposed to read - in High School/College) - Animal Farm

BTW, if you have any interest in joining PBS, please use the blue, square PBS button (over there in the right hand column) and I can receive credit once you've begun trading. What do I get, you ask? Seriously, I just get credit. That is.... a credit. And that allows me to order a book. It may even be an old, slightly tattered book. I know. It's not much, but is a small thank you from PBS for sharing the word. BTW, don't join for my benefit. Join for yours. It's the most fun way I know to get rid of books and find new ones to read.

I almost forgot to mention. PBS is free to join. The only cost is the cost of postage to mail a book off to someone who orders it from you (usually less than $3.00). That earns you a credit and then you get to use that credit to order a book from someone else. And you get to do this over and over and over again - recycling books and finding new ones to read. It's an ingenious idea, really. And did I already mention...it's fun?

Dreaming of Snow - when it's 95 outside

2010-06-15T21:53:00.011-04:00

DUDE!

No guts....No glory

No achin' back neither

2010-04-10T00:56:00.002-04:00

There's a reason they call it Leap of Faith

2010-03-01T12:27:00.007-05:00

Wow. I just visited the most awesome blog called Holy Experience. The words, often quirky yet profound, are always poetic. The music - it touches my heart. And the pictures. They are stunning.

I'm looking forward to visiting often and being refreshed. Click on the above link and join me there.

2010-02-24T09:50:00.006-05:00

This book took me into the life of southern America during the early 60's. I would have been the age of the children in this book, but growing up in the midwest the life that is described in this book is completely foreign to me. It is an important book to me on that count alone.

I would give the book 5 stars, but I do believe it slipped a couple times trying to be "politically correct". Firstly, by occasionally expressing some ideas that were unlikely expressed (at least in the way they were) during this time period. And secondly, by idealizing black women (particularly domestic help during the time period portrayed). It tried to look like it didn't do these things, but it did. In the end black women were the only heroes, white women the only villians, and everyone else was a puppet or victim. People are much more complicated than this, but perhaps the book would have become too unweildy had the author attempted to show so many dimensions of the characters.

All that said, I do highly recommend the book. It is a good read that you'll likely feel ended far too soon. But more importantly, it can provide fodder for discussion that many of us would likely never have.

Be sure to read the author's notes at the end of the book (very easy to miss as they are behind the acknowledgments).

Julius Caesar

2010-01-28T23:28:00.004-05:00

They loved him. Then they hated him. Then they loved him.

We recently wrapped up our reading of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar and topped it off with viewing the 1953 classic version of this play. We all agreed that James Mason made an excellent Brutus and Marlon Brando was awesome to watch as Mark Antony when he manipulated the Roman citizens to first accept that Caesar's murderers acted in the best interest of Rome and then (within minutes) turned them into a vindictive mob onto the same men.

It was also amazing to see the actors speak Shakespeare's Elizabethan English so smoothly after we had stammered and stuttered through our reading. As much as we stuttered, we did enjoy it, though.

In the end, we concluded the play had been mis-titled and should have been called "Brutus" for it was more about the valor and honor (if you can call a murderer honorable) of Marcus Brutus than about Caesar.

So....I'm curious who knows that the following lines are straight out of the play Julius Caesar? Bonus points to the smarty pants who know who said them. (without looking it up)

"Friends, Countrymen, lend me your ears!"

"It's Greek to me."

and while they may not be famous, aren't these some great lines?:

"Th' abuse of greatness is when it disjoins remorse from power."

"...lowliness is young ambition's ladder, whereto the climber-upward turns his face; But when he attains the up most round he then unto the ladder turns his back, looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees by which he did ascend."

Misc. Pictures

2010-01-01T00:09:00.004-05:00

It's that time of year again.....

2009-08-14T10:37:00.003-04:00

A Love Story

2009-07-15T19:52:00.004-04:00

Ralph and Edna were both patients in a mental hospital. One day while they were walking past the hospital swimming pool Ralph suddenly jumped into the deep end. He sank to the bottom of the pool and stayed there.

Edna promptly jumped in to save Ralph. She swam to the bottom and pulled him out. When the Head Nurse Director became aware of Edna's heroic act she immediately ordered her to be discharged from the hospital, as she now considered Edna to be mentally stable.

When she went to tell Edna the news she said, 'Edna, I have good news and bad news. The good news is you're being discharged, since you were able to rationally respond to a crisis by jumping in and saving the life of the person you love. I have concluded that your act displays sound mindedness.

The bad news though, is Ralph hung himself in the bathroom with his bathrobe belt right after you saved him. I am so sorry, but he's dead.'

Edna replied, 'He didn't hang himself, I put him there to dry. How soon can I go home?'

Be sure to celebrate Mental Health Day on October 10, 2009!

Happy Birthday To Me!

2009-04-18T23:30:00.003-04:00

And a happy one it was.

I'm older and wiser. And many friends and family were charming enough tell me wonderful things that made me feel better about reaching this milestone birthday. I turned 50 today and it really wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. The anticipation was definitely worse than the reality.

Don't be shocked that I'm admitting my age on the world wide web. Afterall, Greg already announced to practically everyone in our address book exactly how old this old gal is --and encouraged them to send me birthday greetings. Thank you, everyone who sent kind and gentle (and even some profound) words my way.

Following is an e-mail I sent to a friend who asked me how it was -- as she is anticipating her 50th birthday later in the year and is wondering what she and her husband can do to prepare for it:

It's glorious, Friend. Really....when the time comes, just embrace it. I have and it's not as hard as I thought. Oh...and suggest that your husband send an e-mail out announcing to the world that you're now older than dirt. Really. It's all uphill from there.

All kidding aside, it's been a great day. And I'm happy to report that the anticipation was worse than the reality. For months now, I've been whispering, "I'm turning 50 this year." Just to see how it sounded. Today I've proclaimed it proudly at least 5 or 6 times. And no one fainted (or even looked the least bit surprised). Honestly, I wouldn't mind a little touch of surprise from a few of my admirers. Oh yeah...Greg already told them. I have no more secrets. I've embraced humility too.

Okay...truly - now all kidding aside.....We're going to a fun concert in a couple hours -- Riders in the Sky . They are the singing voices on Toy Story 2 (if you can remember back that far -- if you have REASON to remember back that far.) They are a quartet of singing cowboys, comedians and who knows what else they will bring to tickle our funny bones. I figure welcoming in the next 50 years with laughter is the only way to do this thing gracefully.

Thank you for the birthday greetings.

~ Becki

P.S. Make sure your husband has our e-mail address flagged to get your entering-the-2nd-half-of-the-century birthday announcement. But just in case I miss it, Happy 50th, Dear! Isn't it great to be in such good company?

An Inside Look At Homeschooling

2009-02-11T18:32:00.007-05:00

I'm just one of the participants in Debbie Harbeson's series of interviews of homeschooling families. I added some pictures and posted it here at Homeschool Heartline, my homeschooling blog.

If you're interested in getting a glimpse into the lives of real homeschoolers, be sure to check out Debbie's blog, Homeschooling: Freedom and Fun For Your Family and read what other homeschoolers have to say about the benefits of this lifestyle. While you're on Debbie's blog, be sure to read her other posts as she is one funny lady. And check out her online book: Okay Kids, Time for Bedlam! for one family's sordid - I mean, hilarious experiences in home education.

The more things change, the more they stay the same....

2009-01-05T11:56:00.023-05:00

I had so much fun writing this and sharing it with friends on a homeschool forum I decided to put it here with some pictures to enjoy another day.

I was reminiscing recently about how the way I laid my infants down to sleep at night changed with each baby (they were about three years apart.)

The first baby (Nathan) was to be laid on his tummy (which worked lovely, though it was a bit of a trick to not wake him up after I had nursed him to sleep). In the picture above you can see how content he slept with his thumb securely in his mouth propped by the bed underneath him.

This photo is documentation that I obeyed the baby sleeping on the tummy rule (of 1989) and that I once had dark hair (and if it showed more of me, it would also document that I used to be downright skinny.)

By the time the second child (Joel) was born it was determined that babies lying on their stomachs could possibly suffocate in a wrinkled sheet or under their baby blanket, so infants were now to be laid on their backs. I was horrified at my ignorance with my first child and thought regretfully of all those times I'd woken him up trying carefully to put him down on his stomach. But I decided my overriding attitude should be one of thankfulness that he had survived.

I quickly learned, though, that babies laid on their backs also often jolt awake when slipped out of their mothers' warm arms onto cold sheets, but alas....I did not fail to obey this new rule until baby #2 managed to turn himself over and I knew I was now released from this burden of putting him down "correctly".

I evidently didn't document the child sleeping on back technique, but I was relieved to find many pictures of Joel sleeping contentedly:

On Granny Biberdorf's shoulder

On Grandma Axsom's shoulder

Nestled into Grandpa Biberdorf

In Ricia's sling, even

And Greg tried to get Joel (and many other babies) to sleep with his "Double Thump". You know...come to think of it, maybe it's not that we were all that skinny, but rather our glasses were all that BIG.

Then when my third son was born imagine my surprise to learn that babies were to be put to sleep on their sides. The nurse actually told me this with a straight face, but when I laughed out loud she explained to me that babies laid down on their backs sometimes drown (on their own saliva? spit-up? - it's been 13 years, so memory fails) so now they were to sleep on their sides. Being corrected by someone who was so obviously "in the know" and I was a mere mother three times over, for some reason I decided I'd better heed the nurse's instructions. (Only the Lord knows how the second child survived as he was a big spitter-upper).

Sure enough. I found this picture of Ben in his hospital bassinet sleeping peacefully on his side.

So after arriving home and propping baby Ben up against the side of the crib I thought, "The only way this child is going to be guaranteed to lay on his side all night is to strap him to the railing!" Something about that went against my mother-nature, (and besides...I didn't have anything to tether him to the crib with and that beautiful soft baby bumper was in the way even if I wanted to do this unnatural thing).

Not to be undone by what appeared to me to be a bit of a mystery, I decided to put him in the middle of the crib, roll up a blanket for the front of him and a blanket for the back. It appeared to work, so I propped him up thus to spend his first night wrapped snugly in his baby blanket, semi-suspended like a single book between two book ends - hoping the poor thing didn't develop a crick in his neck.

I worried all night that he might suffocate if he somehow rolled over forward in his sleep or drown if he rolled backwards. After that restless first night I decided to just lay him down however the mood struck from then on (right side up or upside down) and trust that down through the ages children had survived (and, sadly...died) no matter how their loving parents laid them down; and regardless of what I did to care for mine properly in my awake hours, they were entrusted to their guardian angels during the hours the rest of the household slept.

Twenty years later, I am happy to report that they all survived. And having solid (some might say fat), healthy babies, I was a doubly blessed momma because they all were sleeping through the night by 4 weeks of age. One of them began sleeping through the night at 2 weeks. Incredible, I know and I'm sure the baby doctors and nurses would have something to say about that too. I LOVED the baby stage and found it most enjoyable when I relied on my mother instincts and common sense and put the experts in their proper place.

It must have been during this period of having my babies that I firmly grew suspicious of how "expert" were the experts. By the time my babies reached school age, I was oh - so ripe for homeschooling.

Priceless

2008-12-30T08:56:00.001-05:00

Gift of Christmas alive at this house

2008-12-26T21:58:00.003-05:00

*********************

Clicking on the title above will take you to an amazing story, but to be truly inspired, be sure to check this link for an audio/slide show of a remarkable family - parented by Robert and Dorothy Bode of Minneapolis.

**********************

Getting into the swing of things....

2008-12-17T02:11:00.003-05:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

It's Beginning to Look a Little Like Christmas

2008-12-12T14:23:00.034-05:00

It's been a loooong time since I've participated in Kelli's Show & Tell, but in the midst of the mess of fixing yet another water problem, I've decided to spend a few minutes contemplating some lovely things.

We have some sweet Christmas ornaments and my youngest son still enjoys decorating the tree with me and reminiscing over each one as it's unwrapped. Here are just some of my favorite ornaments (some are hand-made, some old and precious - and some are both!)

This star ornament is from Greg's childhood. Waaay back when those big lights were all anyone had, this ornament was to be hung just above one of them and the heat rising from the bulb would cause the whirly-gig inside to turn. Cute.

And this beaded ornament is also from Greg's childhood. It honestly looks like something someone might make today.

This Victorian-looking ornament was made by yours truly nearly 20 years ago.

I needle pointed this many, many years ago -- probably 25 or more. Memory fades.

This was stitched up (along with several others) in the early 80's -- when candlewicking made a come-back. Does anyone do candlewicking anymore?

And here is a sample of some crewel work that I used to love to do. Again, over 20 years ago. I'm not sure I have the eyesight or the patience to do this kind of work today, but I do love it.

And I made a number of these sweet little cross-stitched, sampler ornaments...oh, about 15 years ago, I'd guess.

I stitched up a bunch of these bears almost 20 years ago (using a variety of Christmas prints) when a friend and I decided to sell some hand-made goodies at a craft show. I've given so many of these away -- I wonder where they have all ended up. ;^)

This was one of the first ornaments the boys and I did together (it's older than it looks). We simply took an old jigsaw puzzle, glued the pieces together, spray painted it green, added a bell and a bow and voila! A cute little wreath.

And the boys and I made these a couple years ago. Just a white feather and some white/clear sparkles in a glass ball. Very simple, very elegant.

And I've saved my favorites for last:

These two store-bought balls are probably from the 60's. I'm amazed they have been preserved so well.
And this geo-ball (below) was ahead of its time. It was made lovingly by Greg's mother many years ago out of old Christmas cards - and I'm glad she passed a couple of these along to us. I want to try my hand at making one someday. I found this tutorial on-line and it doesn't look too hard, but I like ours better. I think the different-textured gold cards make this one look beautiful.

Hope you enjoyed a small sampling of ornaments from our tree. Visit Kelli at There's No Place Like Home to see what others have decided to show and tell this time around.

Making a list, checking it twice

2008-12-08T17:07:00.003-05:00

With a new house repair to look forward to Greg and I, both, are in the dog house for sure this Christmas, but you may still have hope.

To see how you can avoid ending up in the dog house this holiday season, watch (and take notes):

Beware of the Dog House!

And don't say you weren't warned.

************

Jingle Bells, The Basement Smells

2008-12-07T22:03:00.005-05:00

Discovering water (again) in our family room this afternoon is dampening the jolly holiday spirit here (at least momentarily). This doesn't quite put things right, but it's pretty cute:

Taking Stock

2008-12-05T15:40:00.008-05:00

Ben has one 4-H project for next year done already! I think that might just be a record - for this family. This stock car model with many, many decals is the hardest model he's worked on to date.

That little guy is Tony Stewart, in case you wondered (or if you're like me and didn't have a clue who #20 was.)

The big guy is Ben - who's pretty pleased with a job well done!

The Older I Get, The Harder I Hurt

2008-11-24T22:45:00.011-05:00

Here's the owie I got recently:

A displaced complete radial collateral ligament avulsion with associated injury to the sagittal band of the metacarpophalangeal joint of the small finger, if left untreated, may result in chronic pain, instability, weakness, and deformity. A case of a displaced radial collateral ligament that ruptured through the radial sagittal band of the small finger, with resultant injury to the extensor mechanism, is described and discussed with a review of the literature. Proper identification of this injury by physical exam and imaging studies along with surgical repair is associated with good outcome. Keywords Metacarpophalangeal - Collateral ligament - Avulsion

Translation: I hurt my pinky.

Actually, my injury was between the joints of my third and fourth fingers. With the ligament came a bone fragment. I know....it makes me a bit queesy too. Amazingly, though, the treatment is to tape them together like so:

It's not very dainty, but it works and I am so glad the doc expects it to heal up on its own --- eventually.

Greg was really hoping the doctor was going to tell me to lay off the computer for a while. Imagine his surprise when she said typing on a keyboard shouldn't hurt it a bit - as long as I'm not causing strain to the injured area on my hand.

It took me a week or so, but I eventually learned to type with this minor limitation. When I get really impatient, I untape the top of the fingers, but most of the time I keep them faithfully snugged together. And I sleep in a custom made splint that keeps my hand bent at a 90 degree angle (or that's the idea, anyway). I shudder at the thought of what that little baby is going to cost.

Meanwhile, ring man and tall man are getting real cozy and familiar with each other and my pinky is as free as a bird -- even if it does get a little cold from time to time.

And I've learned to never try to stop my fall (up the stairs) by flinging my hand wildly at the door frame. The door frame is not going to help me.

Soccer

2008-10-28T23:16:00.002-04:00

Joel played on a co-ed homeschool soccer team this fall. It was a great season for this team's first. They won half their games and the last game was a tie.

It's hard to get really great pictures on our little digital, but here are a few highlights:

Tell me that boy is not getting ready to elbow my son!

Run Joel!

Run!

This is why co-ed soccer shouldn't be. Joel insists she was shoving. The girls on any co-ed teams we played were notorious for shoving.

And of course, our boys were perfect gentlemen.

A season well played, Soutside Thunder! Looking forward to next year!

My Baby's a Teenager

2008-10-08T22:37:00.002-04:00

I am now the mother of three teenagers. And I have to confess...

It's pretty terrific.

Ben turned 13 today and I think had a very successful transition into teen-hood.

Here he is cutting up "green peppers" for his birthday cookie.

And here he is preparing "black olives".

What kind of birthday cookie is this you may be wondering?

A PIZZA Cookie!

Okay, the butter-cream frosting "cheese" is a little too yellow and the whole thing was pretty sickening sweet with all that frosting and candy, but we thought it was clever nonetheless.

We used berry fruit roll-up type candy to make the tomato sauce and pepperonis. Cut-up green gummy worms to make the green peppers and sliced tootsie rolls with a hole cut out of the center to make black olives. And, of course, the gummy fish are anchovies. Fearing it would be too sweet, we decided to go for the understated look and not being able to figure out how to make mushrooms, we contented ourselves with a less than "supreme" pizza cookie.

But we thought it was a success -- even when we realized we had no candles. Ah well. It didn't stop us from singing and ushering our youngest man-child into his teens.

Happy Birthday, Ben!

Creation Museum

2008-09-27T00:14:00.026-04:00

We visited the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky (near Cincinnati, Ohio) in late August with others in our homeschool group. And what a great start to the school year it was.

While the museum doesn't waffle on whether or not creation as spelled out in Genesis is true, I felt it took a pretty respectful tone toward the creation/evolution debate.

Clearly, the challenge to every visitor to the Creation Museum is to consider that one's worldview has a huge impact on how one views the evidences (fossil finds, geological formations, etc.) of earth's history. In other words, nearly every exhibit and program there emphasizes that scientists on all sides of the debate (creationists, IDers, and evolutionists of all stripes and persuasions) all have access to the same evidences, but the lenses through which one approaches the evidence has great influence on the interpretation of those evidences. To come away from the Creation Museum and not understand this is to have missed a huge point of this museum's existence.

Certainly, no one could complain that the facility isn't top-notch in its design, attractiveness and effective layout. The dinosaur models were eerily real.

I'm pretty sure this one hadn't had lunch. I was a little nervous snapping this shot. Just a few seconds later it growled at me.

But then something else grabbed his attention and I was no longer the tasty-looking morsel I was imagining myself to be.

I'm not sure which Ben considered more fun. Running back and forth over this suspension bridge dozens of times, or...

...Meeting Buddy Davis. Ben talked about singing, "Billions of Dead Things" with Buddy Davis for days. Ben (on the right - Buddy's left) and his friend, Chris, pose with Mr. Davis. It was a highlight of the trip. Buddy Davis is the creator of many of the dinosaurs on display at the Creation Museum. An artist and a musician and a great story-teller, to boot.

The Planetarium was probably the highlight for everyone, though. We've been to various planetariums over the years and always learn something new, but I have never seen a planetarium show of this caliber before. The quality was stunning, but the perspective of how huge our galaxy is and yet how small in comparison to the known universe was thought-provoking. The perspective of how small our sun is to stars like Betelguese and Antares was breathtaking. Really, the overall feeling one had when leaving the planetarium show was one of being awe-inspired and desiring to know more. In comparison, other planetarium shows that we've attended, I believe have been overly cute, too simple to inspire, and well...dull. I have been ruined for anything else, I fear.

It was a great day in all respects. And a perfect start to a school year in which Joel will be studying Astronomy and Ben, Zoology -- among other good things for our noggins.

I just called to say I love you....

2008-09-25T20:43:00.012-04:00

Got a call from Nate today. He just wanted to say "Hi" and "I love you" (does it get any better than that?) Filled with warm fuzzies, I realized that I had never posted pictures from his last day at home/first day at college this year (sophomore year). We took some pictures just before he and Greg got in the car to leave and then....just like that - we were Nathan-less once again.

This picture perfectly depicts (in caricature) our three very different sons. I'll just let the picture speak for itself.

Greg sports this dazed look most of the time these days.

Poor Dad.

Unpacking and making himself at home.

Nate was very glad to get back to college to see his chums and have a social life again. I guess working 40 hours/week and taking an online class and trying to catch up with everyone on facebook in the wee hours didn't cut it for social stimulation. Not to mention most of the summer was spent living amongst the chaos of boxes and furniture (I'm happy to say the flood of 2008 is becoming a distant memory)

And I'm not the least bit bothered that home can't compete with the social life of even a tiny little college campus. I'm very much at peace that Nathan is thriving as he grows into the man God is shaping him into. I pray for him more -- not because I worry exactly, but because it's really the only thing I can do for him sometimes. Our children outgrow so many needs, but they never outgrow their need of our prayers.

I guess it's good to still be needed. ;^)

How does your garden grow?

2008-08-01T14:10:00.019-04:00

A recent gardening thread on the IndianaHomeschoolers yahoo group made me think of my dad and this trellis he made out of PVC pipes (in 1986) so I just had to go looking for some pictures of it.

This is Greg and me (don't know if I just wasn't ready for the click, or if I was embarrassed to be posing for this photo), but this picture shows the size of Dad's cucumber trellis. I'm amazed he had the patience to build this thing. See that big pipe at the bottom on the side? He also had rigged up some type of irrigation system. Dad was a plumber and I happen (now) to think he was a pretty smart cookie.

This looks like a night shot and perhaps shows better how successful Dad's invention was. I can remember Dad talking about being able to walk inside and pick cucumbers overhead. And that gravel pad inside makes me think he and Mom may have put lawn chairs in there to enjoy their little cucumber house. Isn't that just too cute?

And here is Dad inside the trellis. This is a great picture (color and everything) that shows more details of the trellis's construction. I'm so glad I have this picture. The strings don't show up in the others. Is that elaborate or what? And you can see my handsome dad too.

And as I was searching for pictures of the famous Paul Axsom PVC Cucumber Trellis, in the same box I uncovered this picture of my Grandma Axsom working in her garden:

On the back side of this picture someone wrote, "Surely Heaven will have a few small garden spots just for people like this great lady!"

I love this picture. An elderly lady in a flowery dress with her hair braided and pinned up outside gardening (by those large squash growing in the background, I'm guessing it might have been in September sometime.) It wears me out, but at the same rejuvenates me. Our ancestors were a hardy (and inventive) lot.

And just to show the nut doesn't fall too far from the tree, below is a picture of me c. 1970 hoeing my zinnia garden. I would have been about 11 years old in this picture, but I remember this like it was yesterday. Growing zinnias for 4-H. I also remember that shirt I was wearing (I can remember the feel of it). Isn't that so weird?

I don't remember, though, that my zinnia garden was so pathetic looking. What I remember is being so proud of it. Ah well. I'm still trying to figure out how to get things to grow.

Happy Gardening!

Whiiiiiii!!!!!

2008-07-24T21:23:00.005-04:00

In recent discussions about what to do with our new family room, someone suggested we get a big plasma TV and a Wii. At first I balked, but after watching this video, I'm inclined to consider it

Be sure your volume is on.

I think I can.....

2008-07-23T15:08:00.017-04:00

It's amazing the difference carpeting makes to a room. The echo is gone and the room is cozy (well, as cozy as you can get without furniture). In case you're wondering what color we painted with (or even if you're not), we'll just call it our classic beige-a-vu. Okay, so we're pretty tame when it comes to painting the rooms of our home. There are worse things. Like black wallpaper and pink roses, that's what. (Don't ask unless you really want to know).

Actually, we painted with Sherwin Williams Beach House (darker shade on the brick wall) and Kestrel White (lighter shade and gloss trim). The paint brochure said it was an airy look. To me, it just looks like beige-a-vu.

Now -- the last push to paint three inside doors (both sides), a set of french doors (inside only) and window trim on two windows begins.

Can we do it?

I think I can....I think I can....

A new view of where the rains came down and the floods came up.

I used a latex gloss on these bookshelves. Now I read that I may need to wax them (with car wax, of all things) to keep paint from sticking to books. (sigh) Oh well. I think I can....I think I can....

I'm envisioning two cozy chairs in front of the fireplace. I'm also envisioning a gas log in there. We don't own those two cozy chairs or gas log yet, but I think I can....I think I can....

This little alcove is the space where I'm going to try to fit all our homeschool stuff (at least the stuff that remains in the family room.) I think I can....I think I can....

The boys are envisioning a pool table of sorts in this spot. I did too at one time, but I'm beginning to think.....I can't....

Ah well...we can finally see the light at the end of this tunnel and it's getting brighter every day.

It's a Blue Ribbon Day!

2008-07-21T16:51:00.010-04:00

We're lightweights anymore when it comes to 4-H, but it's always good to bring home a ribbon or two from the county fair.

Joel received a Reserve Champion on his Shooting Sports poster. Joel loves Shooting Sports. Hates making posters. Joel learned that the gal who beat him out of a Champion ribbon won because the judge liked the pink border she added to her poster. I'm not sure how useful that information is since Joel is not likely to be adding anything pink to anything anytime soon. (What can I say.... he has never understood the draw of the "real men wear pink" club.) He also doesn't care for quiche.

Hmmm....I just noticed that Reserve Champion ribbon is pink. (snicker)

He's smiling not so much because he got that pink Reserve Champion ribbon, but because completing this poster also earns him the privilege of 3 extra "shoots". That was a club incentive. It worked better than any cajoling on my part ever did. When he's happy, I'm happy.

Ben was a good sport this year -- not really crazy about shooting sports, but willing to make this his 4-H club in order to simplify our running around. He'll tell you his favorite events are archery and rifle and pistol. And in the shotgun event, he hit his first clay he ever took aim at and likes to say he has a perfect record with a shotgun. Truth is, he does not like the kick of a shotgun, so he never picked it up again after he shot that first clay. Ah well.... Ben earned a Blue Honors with this poster on basic gun safety.

Ben learned a lesson (again) about the subjectivity that goes into the judging of 4-H projects. His older brother had earned a Champion ribbon on this same submarine several years ago,but Ben decides to smile over his red ribbon. Did I already mention what a good sport he is? Every fair time is an opportunity for my guys to learn to not put too much weight on the judgements passed on from another person. THAT is a valuable life lesson. They seem pretty strong and unconcerned when it comes to project judging. And that makes me a happy mom.

And most importantly.......4-H is over for another 7-8 months -- well, except for those extra shoots. ;^)

~Happy Mom.

It's a Comin'

2008-07-20T02:01:00.011-04:00

The family room is finally coming together!

What was a dreadful shiny white painted brick wall...

...while needing some touch-ups in spots, now looks more sedate.

In the fireplace (behind the leaning door) we're hoping to install a gas log to enjoy this winter.

Joel (above) and Ben (below) putting a final coat on the new drywall.

Carpet is to be installed on Monday morning. Almost can't wait -- except there is still a load of trim to paint. Oh, my achin' back.

It Could Be Worse...

2008-07-09T22:02:00.015-04:00

Construction has begun on our family room this week and we are so excited to be moving forward. Good things are ahead. In the meantime, I'm posting something Greg wrote tonight that pretty much sums up the week.

This is a true story. Only the yelling has been changed to protect the innocent....

On June 7th when we got 8 inches of rain, I thought, "It could be worse..."

When the water started seeping into our family room, I thought, "It could be worse..."

When the insurance company said we weren't covered, I thought, "It could be worse..."

When the FEMA said we made too much to receive a government handout, I thought, "It could definitely be worse..."

When the SBA said we made too much for a really low interest loan, I thought, "It could be worse..."

When the SBA said the money was disbursed electronically, I thought, "It could be worse..."

When the automatic deposit wasn't made for the loan, I thought, "It could be worse..."

When they said the check was in the mail for the loan, I thought, "It could be worse..."

When the building contractor said they could start right away, but they needed money down, I thought, "It could be worse..."

When the studs were exposed we saw water damage that necessitated re-drywalling more than we had originally anticipated, I thought, "It could be worse..."

When the paneling was pulled off we learned we didn't have insulation, I thought, "It could be worse..."

When they pulled out the bathroom sink, I learned we had a leak that then required a plumber for a couple of hours, I thought, "It could be worse..."

When they fixed the plumbing and as I sealed the walls with masonry sealer, I thought, "It surely won't get worse..."

When they finished fixing our gutter and pointing it away from the house, I thought, "It could be worse..."

When a monster storm came through last night and dropped a huge hundred pound limb on the fence and wires, I thought, "It could have been worse..."

When they pulled off what was supposed to be insulation, and discovered the remnants of termites, I knew it would get worse....

When the termite guy came through he said, "Yes you had termites, and while they aren't in the walls now, we need to treat by drilling holes all around your house and poisoning the colony". He went on to give us a lesson in entomology as he explained (in a jovial way we had trouble appreciating) that termites live in cool comfort underground in the heat of the summer, but will make their way back come fall, I thought, "It could be worse...."

When the contractors left and we decided to order Chinese because we felt like not cooking, I thought, "Well, maybe the worst was over." The weather had turned beautiful, the food was great, and our deck was comfortable (thank goodness as it was the only place we could all sit)....

That's when it got worse. The bluebird of happiness dive bombed the deck and I took a direct hit to the back of my neck and almost my plate of food....the bird must not have liked the Poo Poo Platter!

GRRROSSSSS!

But that's when I knew....it surely, most certainly, without a doubt....can't get worse (at least not for the moment).

How poetic, how ironic, how perfectly appropriate for the day----

I hope your day is better, but never stop thanking God for blessings and good friends that offer help, because it could get worse!

Greg

Shooting Sports

2008-07-01T23:51:00.015-04:00

We're getting ready for the 4-H fair in a couple weeks. Joel and Ben will be completing Shooting Sports projects and Ben will be entering a large Lego display. Below are just a few pictures that will likely go on their shooting sports posters:

Ben on the archery range

Ben taking aim to shoot a rifle

Joel aiming for the bullseye

Joel practicing his stance and aim with the Winchester shotgun his Grandpa B. gave him for his 16th birthday this year. This shotgun is a prized possession.

2008-06-26T10:27:00.001-04:00

“The Strife is o’er the battle done;
Now is the Victor’s triumph won;
Now be the Song of Praise begun.
Alleluia”

Thursday, June 26, 2008 at 12:15PM, Gloria finally and victoriously won her battle against cancer for good!! By God’s grace she defeated it and crushed it at the center, thus entering eternal life with her Savior, Jesus. “Oh death where is your sting?”

Hats off to Gloria!

The words above (and the picture and caption) accompanied an announcement of Aunt Gloria's passing. We cannot physically attend the visitation and memorial service, but our hearts and prayers are with her family and other loved ones as precious moments are shared and Gloria's life is celebrated this weekend.

2008-06-23T09:48:00.008-04:00

Last night Greg called his uncle Art who's dear, sweet wife is dying. Aunt Gloria. Isn't that a precious name? It's a fitting name for a precious lady.

Marrying into the family, I've come to know this wonderful couple through their visits to the midwest from the west coast. Each time they've visited, I've not only heard great recollections of bringing up four rambunctious boys, but there is always something current to relish as well. Art and Gloria have a way of making life BIG as they share themselves with you and simply celebrate life. They are two of the most alive people I know. Even in Aunt Gloria's last days she is more alive in my mind than I sometimes think I will ever be.

Uncle Art gave a glimpse into what was going on in their home on Sunday evening. Art and Gloria's four sons have gathered from near and far and are with their mom and dad. Uncle Art said they are having a holy time together, praying, singing and simply being with Gloria. I can picture this family of happy, boisterous (and big) men gently loving their wife and mother as she rests in the peace of that kind of love and the faith that she will soon be seeing Jesus.

Our thoughts are with our uncle and cousins and others of Art's and Gloria's loved ones, as we pray for their heavy hearts and with Gloria as we pray for her physical and emotional comfort in her last days or hours here on this earth -- only the Lord knows how long she'll be.

Losing a loved one who knows Jesus as Savior is a heartache - to be sure, but it is not a bitter one. This family has been given a gift and they are cherishing it. They have been given precious last moments with their dear wife and mother who'll soon be waiting to embrace them in eternity.

Far away from that holy gathering I am contemplating the gift that I have been given too. My gift is that my life has been touched by this wonderful, sweet, funny and loving lady.

We love you, Aunt Gloria.

Gloria and Marcene (2007)
Gloria regales us with her hilarious story of a recent shopping escapade.

Choosing Simplicity

2008-06-12T19:15:00.003-04:00

I came across this excerpt from Choosing Simplicity (p. 25):

“Living simply is not about rejecting the material comforts in life. However, it does involve unburdening our lives, living more lightly with fewer distractions—whether they are material things, activities, or relationships. It means letting go of anything that interferes with a high quality of life”.

This strikes a chord as I sift through endless piles of STUFF this week. I think I need to get me a copy of this book!

The mind of a man plans his way,

2008-06-09T20:00:00.045-04:00

but the Lord directs his steps. - Proverbs 16:9

A change in perspective -- by The Soggy Blogger

As a homeschooling family of 15 years, we had decided we had accumulated far too much STUFF so I've been dejunking this spring getting ready for a whopper of a garage sale.

Here is just a sampling of what I've been collecting -- um, okay.... let's just call it what it is - hoarding. And this is just part of it all):

Neat hoarding is still hoarding.....

Lest you think, "This isn't so bad," keep in mind....I didn't take pictures of what wasn't neat.

'Nuff said.

As the date of the garage sale drew near Ben announced he wanted to sell refreshments. Great! An opportunity to learn some business principles. He figured the cost versus the profits and in the end, he concluded it would be fun to do a refreshment stand anyway. So Friday afternoon Ben made brownies, cookies and rice crispy treats.

Greg and I put the finishing touches on the garage sale (i.e. we made sure everything had a place and a price-tag). We are neat garage sellers, too:

See anything you want?

We'd heard there was a chance of scattered showers the next day. But hey! What's a little rain to a serious garage sailor? (Bad pun intended.) We shrugged it off and hoped for sunshine.

As we left our beautifully arranged stuff tucked neatly in our dry garage, we went to bed while visions of money (to buy more STUFF, no doubt) danced in our heads.

z z z z z z z z z

Thunderstorms rattled the house through the night and I woke up around 5:00 a.m. and groaned to see that the street in front of the house was flooded. I think I grumbled to Greg, "No one is even going to be able to make it across the moat in front of our house and into our driveway!" Keep in mind, we've had the street "flood" during heavy rains before, and since Greg wasn't worried, I decided to crawl back into bed and get some more shut-eye.

About 7:00 a.m. I got up for real and plodded down to the kitchen. "WOW! Look at all that water in the back yard!" But again...we've had a lot of rain before, so I didn't get too excited - yet, but I was beginning to think the garage sale might not happen.

I decided to check our downstairs. We have a half-basement family room with french doors that open out onto a cement patio area. This area sometimes accumulates a bit of standing water in a heavy rain, and remembering once before it had gotten dangerously close to the doors I called out for Greg to come take a look.

By the time he got down there, I noticed that the carpet was a slightly darker shade of gray along the doorway. "It's coming in!" I yelled. Then I noticed that the carpet was wet all along that wall. It was wicking in fast. We called the boys to get up and help us move bookshelves and desks from that side of the room. We pulled everything away from that outside wall and then we sat down to take a deep breath thinking of the disaster our precious bookshelves had escaped.

Then we noticed that what was previously just wet-looking had turned into a puddle. "Quick! Get these bookshelves unloaded and carry everything upstairs!" We spent a frantic half hour (at least) doing just that. And since Joel had boots on, he was enlisted to go outside and place bags of water softener salt along the outside of the door. What a sport.

Then we sat down to catch our breath again (and to apologize for all the yelling that had just gone on - yes, ours....not the boys'). Beginning to see the humor in it all, the guys started to laugh and made a list of all the videos we could watch while we waited this baby out. They came up with:

The Longest Day (June 6th)
The Poseidon Adventure
Titanic
A River Runs Through It.
The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything
Jonah
The Sea Hawks
Treasure Island
Mysterious Island
Run Silent, Run Deep
The Hunt for Red October
Lifeboat

And anything with Claude Rains.....

I decided to check out the downstairs room again. "Get down here, everybody! The water is making it's way to the other end of the room!" The salt bags weren't helping much at all. So once again, we worked frantically to carry the remaining books, and bookshelves, upstairs to higher ground. The only things we couldn't manage to get up the stairs were a large computer table, a sleeper sofa (that has seen many, many better days) and a recliner.

At this point, we crashed and decided there wasn't much else that could be done but to wait it out. I mean, it had to stop raining sometime, right? I decided to humor myself and take some pictures.

It wasn't very funny:

Up until last weekend, we had thought this floor outlet was pretty clever. After it bubbled and sizzled, we began to wonder just why we thought it was a good idea. (BTW, the electricity was turned off at this point.)

Greg tried squeegy-ing water from the carpet into the laundry room where there is a floor drain. Can't you almost hear the water sloshing?

The rain did finally begin to subside and we ventured outside to take a peek.

Yes, that is blue sky you see reflected in the pool of mud on our back patio.

The lowest corner of our back yard. By late afternoon it was already starting to recede.

Our shed remained flooded for the better part of Sunday.

And believe it or not....about mid afternoon on Saturday we decided to open up the garage door and have at it. We made a whopping $7.50 -- with Ben making the majority of that selling brownies (and that $7.50 included a 2-dollar tip!) We've got some pretty nice neighbors, don't you think?

Sunday afternoon, our good friends, Mark and his son, Danny came by to help in whatever way they could. The guys pulled out the larger pieces of furniture we hadn't been able to remove the day before and then ripped up the saturated carpet and pad:

Nathan, who is SO glad to be home from college, hauled wet carpet and pads out to the street.

Ben and Joel took turns vacuuming with a shop vac while Mark squeegeed.

How do you like that 60's linoleum? Ben wants to leave it so he can roller blade on it. I know retro is in, but I'm not sure I can live with this.

Dan and Joel also worked hard pulling out the wooden carpet strips and baseboards. I can't believe I didn't get a picture of Dan working up a sweat! What great workers they all were.

After a second trip to Walmart for me (to buy a couple mop heads this time) the floor got a good mopping and while we waited for the floor to dry, we enjoyed some well-earned sub sandwiches. Finally, the guys carried back downstairs (onto a dry floor) the bookshelves and many boxes of books we had lugged upstairs the day before -- so we wouldn't be tripping over them in the coming weeks while we figure out what we're going to do to give this room a face lift.

A contractor (and friend) came by today to give us an estimate and a time frame for getting this room into shape. It will be at least three weeks before we can get squeezed into their schedule.

The silver lining is that we have time to contemplate what we want to do with this room.

And to contemplate that we were among the luckier ones. Many suffered much worse damage than we did -- just blocks from our home. Some lost homes and automobiles and at least two persons are missing as a result of the flood waters in this sleepy little town last weekend.

We're also contemplating how much larger our garage sale is going to be once we're done clearing through everything that we're realizing hasn't really been all that worth saving for the past 10 years. (That's how long we've lived in this house).

It's interesting how something like this changes one's perspective about material things.

This change of perspective is a good thing.

2008-06-02T21:20:00.008-04:00

Sermons We See
by Edgar Guest

I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day;
I'd rather one should walk with me than merely tell the way.
The eye's a better pupil and more willing than the ear;
Fine counsel is confusing, but example's always clear.

And the best of all the preachers are the men who live their creeds,
For to see good put in action is what everybody needs.
I soon can learn to do it if you'll let me see it done;
I can watch your hands in action, but your tongue too fast may run.

And the lecture you deliver may be very wise and true,
But I'd rather get my lessons by observing what you do;
For I might misunderstand you and the high advise you give,
But there's no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.

When I see a deed of kindness, I am eager to be kind.
When a weaker brother stumbles and a strong man stays behind;
Just to see if he can help him, then the wish grows strong in me
To become as big and thoughtful as I know that friend to be.

And all travelers can witness that the best of guides today
Is not the one who tells them, but the one who shows the way.
One good man teaches many, men believe what they behold;
One deed of kindness noticed is worth forty that are told.

Who stands with men of honor learns to hold his honor dear,
For right living speaks a language which to every one is clear.
Though an able speaker charms me with his eloquence, I say,
I'd rather see a sermon than to hear one, any day.

A Winner!

2008-05-27T11:57:00.006-04:00

Time to announce the winner of the book I offered in Friday's Show & Tell.

"Hadias" was chosen to be the recipient. I trust she will enjoy it as much as I enjoy my copy.

Thanks to each of you who left sweet comments. I have enjoyed visiting your blogs.

Show & Tell Friday (and a fun surprise)

2008-05-23T01:45:00.008-04:00

I received a generous gift this week from Kelli at No Place Like Home and I'm choosing to show & tell about what she sent me.

Two weeks ago Kelli explained on her blog that she had found some wonderful books at a resale shop and she offered them as gifts in a drawing -- and I won! Kelli's blog is one of my favorites so I was really excited to receive such a neat thing from her.

Thank you sooo much, Kelli! Oh, and thank you for the herbal tea too. What a thoughtful and generous lady!

This is what Kelli sent me:

She tied the books together with an embroidered ribbon. I shouldn't have been the least bit surprised with all Kelli's pretty touches on so many things she does - as pictured on her blog.

Here are the books and a sampling of their contents:

This sweet little book is filled with watercolor paintings accompanied by scripture, prayers and blessings.

***********

And this book has fun pictures (again, watercolors) accompanied by proverbs, quotes and scriptures about friendship.

***********

This little paperback is filled with all kinds of ideas for tea parties and it has some wonderful recipes. Really....I need a pretty tea pot now so I can invite someone over for a spot of tea.

***********

This book is my favorite of all of them and I've read it from cover to cover already. It's all about making one's home a hospitable place both for family and visitors. I am inspired by this book to find simple ways to bring beauty to our home.

Here is a sample of the beautiful artwork in The Gentle Art of Hospitality.

***********

And last, but not least, a lovely little gem of a book that I am going to give to someone (who stops in here and leaves a comment) because I already own a well-loved copy:

This book has beautiful paintings done by Edith Holden, a lady who kept a nature journal at the turn of the previous century, which was later published under the title The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady. Here's an example of Miss Holden's beautiful artwork:

This copy was well loved by someone at one time and has some vintage stains (which adds to its charm). This book is a bit broken in so you will not be afraid to use it. I think that is ideal because this book really should be used, loved and shared with others.

I will select someone (from all who leave comments on this post by Sunday 5/25) to receive this paperback book. If you already own a copy of this book, or don't think you'd particularly enjoy it, please do say so. I will not be the least bit offended and that way someone who will enjoy it will be more likely to receive it. Be sure to leave your e-mail address when you comment and I will notify the winner sometime on Monday.

After leaving a comment here, check out more Show & Tell offerings at Kelli's.

Reflections

2008-05-22T23:36:00.013-04:00

We often enjoy the silly antics of birds, squirrels and chipmunks at our birdfeeders, but this morning my youngest son was completely distracted from his reading by a goldfinch tap-tapping on the living room window.

This has happened off and on for several days, but today the tapping was almost incessant. This evening I finally got the camera out and snapped some pictures (the finch appears to blend into the green leaves in these pictures, but they are actually very vivid yellow -- at least the fellows are):

Here is a goldfinch perched on the feeder.

Here is the little guy flapping and pecking at the window. We can only figure he is seeing a reflection of blue sky and leaves and then himself when he gets right up to the window.

Then he would go back and perch on the wrought iron hook that the birdfeeders hang from.

And a few seconds later, back again he'd come (at the top of the window this time). This went on for over half an hour during one spell. What a determined little guy.

We look forward to seeing if he persists tomorrow.

Yo! Gert

2008-05-16T19:10:00.007-04:00

I've taken to buying plain yogurt because I've heard it's supposed to be good for my digestive system. Plain yogurt, that is.

Not that I'm having any problems with my digestive system, but at my age I figure doing something that is good for me might begin to make up for all the abuse I've done during the last nearly half-century.

Problem is, the only size I can find plain yogurt in is in the mega size -- like four times as much as I could possibly eat in a week.

The other problem is it tastes a little like tasteless custard. Hmmmmm.

So it's really like eight times more than I could possibly eat in a week.

One source I read told me the taste would grow on me.

It hasn't.

It's not all bad, though. While I get no pleasure sensation from the taste, the texture is pretty wonderful.

So I eat and pretend I like it.

....hoping it will grow on me.

It hasn't.

Meanwhile, this gives me a laugh (I notice that no one is eating plain yogurt, though):

2008-05-11T00:00:00.004-04:00

2008-05-07T10:51:00.006-04:00

It has been THE most amazingly beautiful spring here in central Indiana. The tulips are fading, and the daylilies will soon be replacing them. The peppers, tomatoes and beans are planted and now I'm bracing for the Hoosier heat & humidity. Dare I hope for a beautiful summer?

I do!

------------

Random Moments

2008-05-06T22:54:00.008-04:00

My boys sometimes tell me I'm random.

Thinking that is not quite a complement, I try to deny it. Though I've had to admit that sometimes my thoughts do come out in a rather random fashion. Somehow with my girlfriends the free-flowing conversations don't sound so random. With my boys, they evidently do.

Personally....I prefer to think of my occasionally saying random things as "seizing the moment".

Like this morning when my teen walked by on his way to the bathroom to take his shower. His hair was all mussy and his eyes were only half opened. I said good morning. He said good morning back. I decided to seize the moment and said, "I love you."

He looked at me funny and said, "Mom, you are so random."

I said, "No I'm not." Denying it (like I always do).

He didn't buy it. He insisted I was random (like he always does).

I said, "Well okay....but telling someone you love them is supposed to be random."

He smiled and said, "Okay. Love you too, Mom."

Seize the day! One random moment at a time.

And they think I'm random....

------------------

It hurts when I laugh

2008-05-03T14:38:00.008-04:00

Crafty Ideas

2008-05-01T22:55:00.016-04:00

Flitting around blog-land I've come across some wonderfully crafty sites recently. I have neither time (nor much inclination - thank goodness) to go on a crafting binge, but for some reason I'm completely enthralled with looking at other's amazingly creative endeavors. Here are some of my finds:

I've just got to remember this come next Christmas! These little elf clogs are too cute, but what to do with them? Maybe they could hold candy and serve as a place setting decoration for Christmas dinner? I think I would fasten them together with some twisted embroidery floss so they can hang from the tree.

I like wearing aprons when I cook and like a pretty apron especially, so I was intrigued that there are entire websites devoted to apron design. This gorgeous apron is downright elegant and makes me want to stitch up some beauties; while these aprons and these just make me want to be skinny. Oh, to look so good in the kitchen! And here is a tutorial for making a half apron out of jeans and pretty fabric. I don't think I could get away with wearing that, but it sure is cute.

This handbag is pretty and functional. Oh, and these beauties make me think I just may have to try my hand at making a summer cloth handbag (or ten).

I could spend hours clicking through this list of on-line tutorials. Wow! What a treasure trove - I could get lost and never find my way back if I'm not careful.

And this is one of my favs in blog-land: Kelli inspires me with her ideas and what appears to me to be an easy elegance in homemaking (not to mention her great picture-taking of the wonderful things she creates). Her weekly crafts look easy, but always beautiful. These I really am going to try my hand at - to justify my stash of scrapbooking/notecard making supplies.

Okay....enough dreaming up ideas of things to make. For now I apply myself to some decluttering and cleaning so that when the creative bug bites I can scratch without guilt. ;^) Till then, I'll keep these great ideas filed away.

Show and Tell Friday

2008-04-25T13:10:00.004-04:00

Several years ago we were presented with a beautifully carved gourd by friends who have worked for years as Wycliffe Bible translators. The gourd was carved by Quechua Indians in the Peruvian Andies to commemorate the completion of the New Testament into their native tongue.

It is a beautiful work of art that I never seem to tire of studying. I've snapped several photos to try to show the details in the carvings:

Check out Kelli's Blog for other Show and Tell items!

Taylor Promotional Video

2008-04-24T22:32:00.004-04:00

Check out the following video for a glimpse of Taylor University Fort Wayne and Nathan!

http://fw.taylor.edu/influence

Nate is about halfway through the 3-minute video (at 2:49)

Show and Tell Friday

2008-04-18T00:10:00.007-04:00

A while back we ruined a microwave by severely burning something in it. Okay, the real story is that middle son reheated a pork chop for 5 minutes - the house was filled with smoke and the chop was on fire when I walked in the door. The plate he was cooking on exploded and all in all.....this little episode did not bode well for my high hopes the boys could manage without adult supervision for any serious length of time.

After several days of trying to cook and gagging on burned pork chop smell, we admitted defeat and decided to replace the microwave. With our pronouncement of this news, oldest son suggested an experiment he had heard about.

First you take 1 old ruined, but working, microwave (you don't want to do this with a good working microwave, and I'll explain why in a minute). You place a bar of Ivory Soap in it (we used Lavender-scented).

Close the door and "cook" on high. This is what it looks like after about 45 seconds:

After a minute or so:

Pretty cool, isn't it? Well, we thought so, anyway. We used it afterwards for soap to wash with, btw. It was very fluffy. Hard fluff. Kind of weird, but kind of cool.

BTW, I suggest doing this outside because the smell of soap will become overpowering inside. Also, use a ruined, but operating, microwave because the smell of soap will remain and will permeate the microwave and I would imagine the lingering soap scent would flavor food cooked in it. The only thing I can imagine being worse than burned porkchop-flavored popcorn is soap-flavored popcorn.

Actually, I can imagine much worse, but it would not be polite for me to print it here.

So there you have it. Check out other's Show and Tell pictures at Kelli's place!

Show and Tell Friday

2008-04-11T11:02:00.014-04:00

This is the first time I've participated in Show and Tell Friday hosted by Kelli at There's No Place Like Home. I've enjoyed looking at the pictures of others who regularly participate in this fun little exchange, so I decided to take the plunge. Let's see how my first humble attempt goes.

The first item is a little painted cast iron Amish couple sitting on a bench that I bought from an estate auction of my dear Aunt Louise. (Being given the middle name Louise, I was always told I was her namesake......so this sweet lady has a dear spot in my heart though she's long gone from this earth.) I can remember these little people sitting on a shelf in her house and as a little girl thinking they were so cute. They are only about 3 inches tall, but they make me smile as I see them on the shelf keeping watch over us in our dining room.

**********

This tea cup is from a china set that at one time belonged to my husband's grandmother. It comes from occupied Japan during WWII. In fact, the only thing stamped on the bottom are the words, "Made in occupied Japan".

I love the roses that decorate each dish. There is a general pattern followed, but each dish is unique in it's own way. For example, all of the tea cups have the little cluster of roses painted on one side (as is pictured above), but three of the teacups also have a single rose painted in the very bottom of the cup -- each of them turned a little differently -- to delight the drinker when he/she tips a near-empty cup.

The set was passed along to us about 10 years ago and it has been mostly hidden safely away. We have three boys and I just wasn't brave enough to put it in front of them very often. Recently, though, I've been thinking that I really ought to use these pretty things and they are now are within easy reach in my china cabinet. I display this china with other glass dishes (mostly pink and green plates) and again....I smile every time I look at it all.

A little touch of dainty in this testosterone-saturated house. Helps me feel just a little refined. ;^)

His promises are new each morning!

2008-04-10T22:57:00.012-04:00

The Magnolia tree in our front yard 4 days ago.

Same tree today. Its fragrance is absolutely amazing.

A boy in his tree.

Spring!

*********

2008-04-09T23:17:00.007-04:00

"A woman is a creature that’s always shopping."

---Ovid (ca 43 B.C. - A.D. 18)

********

"These impossible women! How they do get around us! The poet was right; can’t live with them, or without them."

---Aristophanes (ca 450 B.C. - 385 B.C.)

*********

"Marriage is neither heaven or hell, it is simply purgatory."

--- Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)

*********

This is one inventive guy!

2008-04-03T14:16:00.017-04:00

Ben modeling his K'Nex Book Holder

He added a shoulder strap for stability

**************

I guess he got tired

***********

But wait!

Ben receives nourishment while reading

-- without missing a word --

with the aid of his handy-dandy book holder.

*****************

2008-04-02T16:19:00.011-04:00

http://www.carolwimmer.com

Frog Dissection

2008-03-28T23:51:00.011-04:00

One of the moms in our group has a background in Biology and she has been offering a weekly "helps" class to all the kids in our group who are studying Biology this year. It's been a great boost for Joel who hasn't been all that thrilled with this highschool science subject.

Joel's comments about this particular dissection class? "Just glad we ate lunch first."

The Tripods Trilogy

2008-03-27T01:09:00.004-04:00

I took the advice of my favorite 12 year-old (Ben) and am reading a science fiction trilogy that has me on the edge of my seat. The Tripods Trilogy by John Christopher. I continue to be impressed with what my sons have to show me. While this may not be terribly challenging or even considered great literature, this is some good reading!

I finished the first book, "The White Mountains", in record time and am now racing through "The City of Gold and Lead". Will Parker, the young protagonist, has escaped from a life of contented, if not mindless, submission to the Tripods just before his "capping" and is now making his way to a competition that may win him the prize of entering the city of Tripods where he and other subversives hope to study them and perhaps discover where they are weak and may be attacked. At least, I think that's what's going to happen. I haven't finished the second book yet. I have high hopes, though, that Will and his comrades may save mankind afterall.

Great stuff for a 12 year-old boy to read. And lots of interesting ideas to chew on. On second thought.....maybe this is great literature!?!

I recommend the Tripods Trilogy for any pre-teen on up. Boys, especially, will eat these up.

2008-03-19T01:25:00.004-04:00

"If a commission by an earthly king is considered an honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?"

--- David Livingstone

Where has this month gone?!?!?!

2008-03-16T19:56:00.008-04:00

This week finds me in the last stages of preparing for our group's last monthly homeschool event for the year. Our homeschool group chose the theme "World's Fair" this year for our monthly activities and it has been interesting as we've read books on China, Austria, Holland and now Africa.

I'm rather pumped at what we've come up with this month since these "Group Days" tend to stress me out. (hmpf) That's a bit of an understatement. Really.....I honestly think I'd rather have a tooth filled than endure the brainstorming, planning and then carrying out of a dreaded "Group Day". Being on a committee with imaginatively creative minds that threaten to spin my tame world out of control unnerves me. I really don't do good with the fluidity of creative genius (unless I'm the genius wandering in and out of wonderful ideas, and then it's okay, of course.) Other people being fluid with their ideas and leaking them onto me makes me want to run and and hide for cover. All that said, at this point I'm feeling pretty good about this one.

As we wrap up our school year, the committee I'm on chose to read a book about David Livingstone. We have invited a couple dads to speak about their visit to Africa (complete with a power-point presentation); one of the moms has organized a program that utilizes a dozen or so teens and their musical abilities (my guitar-playing son is part of this ensemble), another mom is in charge of decorating and we are topping off the day with a pitch-in international luncheon. I'm responsible for the luncheon part (basically looking up simple ethnic recipes for others to make and organizing the details of the meal.)

The items on the menu are:

Arroz Con Pollo -- Latin/South America
Tortilla Chicken Casserole -- Latin/South America
Polynesian Meatballs -- Polynesia
Chicken Lo Mein -- Orient
Squash and Peanuts -- Africa
Chicken with Cumin Sauce -- Africa
Coconut Rice -- Africa
Taquitos with sour cream and salsa -- Mexico
Humous and Pita Chips -- Mediterranean
Mexican Dip and Chips -- Mexico
Loaves of French Bread and Brie Cheese -- France
Eggrolls -- China
Pizza - Italy

Australian Jack (cake) -- Australia
Pinapple Custard -- Australia
Eclairs - France

I think that's a pretty fun and mouth-watering food line-up. I'm starting to look forward to it.

More later after I survive the day. Maybe I'll even remember to take my camera.

Bis dann!

Granny B's Birthday

2008-03-02T00:54:00.001-05:00

Expo Night

2008-03-01T12:31:00.001-05:00

Below are some pictures taken at our Homeschool Group's annual Expo Night. This year, with the help of a very talented mom in our group, the teens produced an "Old Time Radio Show" and the various talents of the children were the radio show's program. Very clever idea.

Ben (in red) made an "Interesting Animals of Madigascar" display and also exhibited his own lego creation depicting a scene in The Last Crusade.

The teens who produced the Old Time Radio Show. Joel (in the back in plaid shirt) played the role of Cameron Townsend and also was a sound effect "technician".

The young ones who performed a choregraphed program illustrating people groups around the globe and everyone's great need of the gospel. Ben in front (second from the left).

"Window on the World" presentation by the younger children. Ben in red with purple flag.

2008-02-22T10:06:00.008-05:00

What can I say? It's FAFSA time of year again.

-----------

Free Hugs

2008-02-18T23:34:00.003-05:00

Doesn't this just give you a kick? I love it!

What is a Family?

2008-02-04T10:46:00.003-05:00

Some books take a long time to get through because they're..... well - just hard reads, but some books take a long time to read because you want to savor them - you simply don't want them to end. What is a Family? by Edith Schaeffer was that kind of book to me over the past year.

Since I've entered the inevitable season where my children aren't so young anymore, I really thought much of this book would be irrelevant to me, but because I love Edith Schaeffer's style of writing and her ideas, I decided to read this book anyway. I'm so glad I did! From the first chapter to the last this awesome lady challenged me to consider how I impact my family every day and how I will continue to impact our sons when they've left our daily care, and how my influence (whether or not anyone gives it a second thought) will have its effect in the lives of grandchildren and great grandchildren when I'm long gone from this earth.

The Schaeffers lived a unique lifestyle of ministry - rubbing shoulders with the world in a way that many of us are tempted to glamorize or think idyllic, but Edith writes honestly and sometimes humorously about their struggles and relates to things we all experience in our immediate and extended families. There is so much meat to savor and ponder in this book. It could be read very quickly, I have no doubt, but reading it slowly gave me the opportunity to relate her teaching to different seasons and crises that occurred in our extended family over the past year. It was like having an understanding and like-minded friend come alongside me as our family encountered uncomfortable issues. What an encouragement she was to me!

I was convicted, blessed, strengthened, and encouraged to be a better mom - not because I've been such a lousy one up to this point (okay, sometimes I have been, but that's not the point.) The point is that the Lord always wants us to reach for His holiness and at the same time live in humility - understanding what we're really made of. He wants us to be witnesses of the redeeming work He does in the lives of all His people. He wants our families to love each other and to mean something in a godless culture. Did I mention that I was convicted by this book? The ways we do that will happen in our relationships with each other and in the traditions we create and in the way those things flow out from our families to touch the world. And it will be different for each one of our families. That's what's so wonderful about this book. It doesn't contain a formula for creating a perfect family - never mind that the perfect family doesn't exist. It's simply an encouragement to live humble and meaningful lives in the context of family to the glory of God.

I have no doubt that others will glean different things from this book than I did. If you haven't read What is a Family, I encourage you to put it on your list of must reads. If you're like me, you'll probably want to read it several times to gather the many jewels it possesses that are relevant to the different stages of life we experience as women and mothers.

2008-02-01T01:37:00.002-05:00

It's the 1st day of February and baby, it's cold outside. Brrrrr.

What's that? That's not snow. It's sand!

In honor of the first day of February (or rather to thumb my nose at it) I'm posting this photo taken of the guys a few years ago. I love this picture. It is taken on top of Mt. Baldy on Lake Michigan.

Mount Baldy. Yep, it's bald. Just a great big giant (and I do mean GIANT) hill of sand. It nearly killed Greg and I to climb to the top, but we were rewarded with an exhilarating view as we stood there gasping for breath and clutching our chests.

Thinking of that hot white sand almost chases the shivers away!

Creative Pursuits

2007-10-31T00:06:00.000-04:00

Nathan's Graduation Photomontage

2007-07-01T01:49:00.012-04:00

Highschool Graduation

2007-06-30T04:56:00.003-04:00

Well..... there hasn't been much sittin' here in the past few months, but lots of thinkin' goin' on. March found me preparing to speak at our annual Homeschool Convention and immediately after that I got into full swing with planning our oldest's graduation ceremony and open house.

We participated in a formal, but simple graduation ceremony with 7 other homeschooling families. It was lovely with beautiful music, delicious cakes and lots of attendees to bless the graduates. Each graduate was given the opportunity to contribute during the ceremony in some way. Nathan gave a short speech and his humor, as well as his spiritual depth, came through beautifully. What a wonderful young man he has become. I could not be more pleased.

We held Nathan's Open House the weekend before his graduation and we were overwhelmed by the number of friends and family who traveled across town as well as those who came from a couple hours away. With a little help from some friends, we fed a huge crowd approximately 20 pizzas and all kinds of assorted goodies. We've decided hosting a graduation open house before the actual graduation is a great idea. I was able to enjoy the final preparations for the graduation ceremony the following week. I have struck upon a good idea. Too bad I only have two more chances to perfect it.

The beginning part of summer finds us wrapping up 4-H projects, preparing for Nathan to leave for college in late August, and me in a constant state of de-junking. There's something about knowing one of your fledglings is about to leave the nest that helps one see the unnecessary clutter all around. Unnecessary clutter -- talk about redundant! Well, this is an ongoing job and while I hope to make significant progress this summer, I know it's a forever task.

2007-02-20T00:41:00.003-05:00

Just sittin' & thinkin'