Our Jonesy

For the two or three (family members I'm sure) who still check in to see if I am still a member of the blogging world, a little video for your viewing pleasure. We celebrated Christmas last night with Grandmommie and Granddaddy Bishop. The hat and Ryan is wearing and the whip he is wielding in this video are are by far his favorite presents! Hope I can load this video!!
Will try to blog a little more often too, not like we haven't had a ton of stuff going on.

I won!

It has been a long time since I have won anything, in fact I don't think I can remember if I have ever won anything before, but today, I won. I hope you read Beth Moore's blog--mostly because she is funny, insightful, wise, and it will bless your heart. Occasionally she runs a contest and gives away prizes, and today I was the first runner up in her latest, see:

Our next five winners are:
1) Christine at "Christine's Corner"
2) Trish Wagner
3) Sue in Las Vegas
4) Gene54
5) Twinkle

*Applause and cheers for these five siestas*

So Thanks Beth, that made my day! Could you pass my name on the to folks at Publisher's Clearing House, they often give away things too.
Happy Tuesday!

Night for Africa

A few weeks ago we had the honor of attending the 2nd annual night for Africa sponsored by 410 Bridge. Last year it was held at Northpoint Community Church and was really cool. This year they moved it to the Gwinett Center to coincide with the conclusion of Catalyst 08. I think that worked because so many of the Catalyst conferees stayed for it. Obviously the setting was not as intimate, and many of the participants were tired, but it still was an amazing evening.

In addition to great music by Fee, we heard the children from Africa sing, and Jeff Foxworthy hosted the event. He is very funny, but also a very committed Christian who openly shared his faith. The event was a fund raiser, and I hope they raised a lot of money because they are doing some amazing things for Jesus in Kenya. Oh yeah, and at the end all we groupies went down for autographs and pictures!

Next Time

This is dedicated to all my friends and family members who are pastor's wives!

What we need is Change

I really love this time of year, especially here in north GA. The air is crisp, the sun is bright, and the leaves are turning millions of colors of red, yellow, and orange. I have already made the first batch of cabbage patch stew, and am considering getting out the hot chocolate. My fall decorations make the house seem so cozy and warm. The seasons are changing and it is exciting. It is interesting to me that when fall comes and everything changes I welcome that; usually change is difficult for most of us. Maybe it is because this change is so clothed in beauty; or perhaps it is because I have experienced this change before and am confident of the outcome. For whatever reason, I welcome the change in weather and am grateful fall is here. Change seems to be the buzz word during this election year, but all that is accompanying it is not very beautiful. We have two weeks left and there will be change; I only pray it will be a change for the better.

I strongly support our democracy and encourage everyone to vote, but I have also been reminded, in Proverbs 21:1 that "The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases." The Lord is in control and regardless of who wins the presidency, His will will be done. He is not limited by man, good or evil, and should He choose to allow us to pursue our greedy and evil ways, that does not mean He will abandon us. I believe it does mean that Believers will be forced to sacrifice and live out our convictions more faithfully, and that may be a change for many. As Tony Campolo reminds us, "We are not called to happiness, but to holiness."

Yes, change is in the air, and I believe that for many Christians we may be on the brink of changing from somewhat of a complacent faith to an active testimony of God's grace. The leaves would never be the beautiful colors of fall were it not for the fact that they were dying. The Lord wants His bride, the Church, to be a beautiful witness of His love. The change we see in the future could be that she will need to die to selfish desires, and let His love change her to be a brillant, muliticolored picture to the world. I agree, it is time for a change.

Our Tennessee Vacation

A few weeks ago I mentioned that we took a short family vacation and someone commented they would like to know more about that, so if you are still reading, let me tell you.

We went to Chattanooga for 3 days and had a nice, relaxing time. The city was not as big as I thought, which was a pleasant surprise. We went to Ruby Falls, which I had heard about for years, but did not realize it is an underground falls--several hundred feet underground. Lookout mountain is a long mountain, located in more than one state. When you visit Ruby Falls you begin by going down in an elevator a couple of hundred feet. Then you walk almost a mile underground in the cave. While we were walking on almost ground, the mountain above us was getting higher, so by the time we reached the falls we were almost 1000 feet underground. All of this was a little disconcerting to both Rachel and Edgar; strangely enough that did not bother me--my issues are with heights.

The falls were pretty, I think the water falls 45 feet and there are colored lights that have been placed there to give a lovely effect. It was cool and damp in the cave but not uncomfortable. The little boys did well with all the walking. We did not do the incline railroad, but it was a nice adventure.

A little surprise was that Lookout Mountain, the tourist part, is actually in Georgia! To get to it you start up the road in Tennessee, but when you get to the top you are in GA!! I remember seeing the signs for it all in TN and VA when I was younger, no signs in GA. I took my word for it that you can see 7 states, I looked, but with out the map lines it is hard to tell. The wildflowers on the path were really pretty and I did okay with the heights.

We also ate at one of my favorite places, one that we do not have in GA--Qdoba's! It was great! We also visited Cheeburger Cheeburger--a LOT of great American food! We ended our visit with a riverboat lunch cruise. The kids enjoyed the view and we had a couple of hours to just visit and relax.

We always enjoy time with family from CA. The boys are so cute together, the van ride with eight people is an adventure, and overall it was a great trip! There you have it!

Best Alarm Clock

So when Edgar is away on business, he really likes for me to let Ellie, our dog, off the lease at night. She normally sleeps right inside the back door, but on a lease. She is a great watchdog and will alert us if any unknown being--human or animal comes in the yard, so I have no problem with her sleeping inside; I do prefer that she stay on the leash as I do not want her wandering around the house-ever.

But, being the submissive wife that I am (quit snickering) I let her off the leash the other night and let her sleep on the floor beside Edgar's side of the bed. At 5:55am Rachel came into my room breathing very heavily and with fear in her voice said, "Mom, Mom, Ellie was is my room and I felt her breathing in my face--it scared me to death!"

Evidently at some point early in the morning, Ellie very quietly went upstairs to check on the children and when she got to Rachel she very lovingly laid her head on the bed right next to Rachel's face. Needless to say, the child was AWAKE!

Where Do I Begin?

When you get too busy to blog and you go weeks, months!, without a word, it is increasing difficult to get back into it. So many things have happened, but I must resist the temptation to try and blog about all of them, lest this would be so long no one would read it! I will hit the highlights and vow to be more faithful in writing. We are doing well by God's grace.

Rachel--a Sr. this year (how is that possible?!?!), beautiful, smart, independent, in love, missing Kenya, singing in choir, co-leading a group of 7th grade girls at church, and still won't learn to cook!!
Ryan--doing really well in school--almost reading for pleasure, active in cub scouts--he is a Bear this year, gaining more skills in soccer and playing very well, is our resident expert on the Titanic.
Edgar--jet setting between Jamaica and South Fl--finishing a cemetery job in FL and farming in JA. At home he and Ryan are enjoying their new canoe, and is contemplating opening a coffee roasting operation here.
I am staying busy with the coffee Internet business--creating gourmet coffee baskets, co-coaching 17 amazing kindergarten volunteers at church, and praying about the possibility of a Christian Montessori school here.

The weather in north GA is more than amazing, leaves are turning color, air is brisk, and I am loving every minute of it. We would love to get a contract on our Greensboro house, but God is faithful and keeping us dependent on Him.

We were reminded a few weeks ago that if God invites us to do something He will guarantee its success. So I am doing some 'housekeeping' things to be prepared so that if He asks, I will be ready to say 'yes'. The trick is to let Him do the asking.

She's Driving!

Yes, it is true, Rachel finally got her Driver's License!  It is not that she has taken the test before and failed it, it is that she has not taken it before.  She passed with a score of 95 (he graded her down for going too slow), but I really don't think teens need to be driving and have made her wait.  The truth is she drives pretty well and if we ever decide to let her borrow the car I am sure she will do fine!

Ryan had his first soccer practice with the new team; it was very encouraging.  We have been with the local recreation league for the last three seasons, but made the change to the YMCA league this year.  Our first two seasons Ryan's coach was his uncle Phillip and it was a great experience!  The last season, after Phillip and Anita moved away, the coach was not so great and the whole experience left much to be desired.  My expectations really are not that high--I want a coach who speaks English, shows up for the games, does not stay on his cell phone during the practices, and doesn't let the team just play for the first half of each practice.

Saturday we got to the field a couple of minutes late and the coach was not there, and my first thoughts were, "Oh no, here we go again."  To my surprise two of the dad's were there and knew the coach couldn't make the first practice so they were prepared to fill in.  They ran drills with the kids, demonstrated techniques, and led a fun and encouraging practice!  All of their comments to the kids were very encouraging and really reminded me of the old days with Upward Basketball.  I am really looking forward to a great year.

I plan to blog about the great time we had at the HS mini reunion and our Tennessee vacation, but not tonight.  Tonight we plan to stay up and watch the "two moons"--hope you get to see it.

The old phone

We have had a very busy month and I intend to do some serious blogging soon, but for now, let me share a simple story that was sent to me via email. In some ways I think the blogging community has replaced "Information please" for many people. Thank you for your entertaining, comforting, and often inspiring words. You never know what impression you make on others.


When I was quite young, my father had one of the first telephones in our neighbourhood. I remember the polished, old case fastened to the wall. The shiny receiver hung on the side of the box. I was too little to reach the telephone but used to listen with fascination when my mother talked to it.

Then I discovered that somewhere inside that wonderful device lived an amazing person. Her name was 'Information Please' and there was nothing she didn't know. 'Information Please' could supply anyone's number and the correct time.

My personal experience with the genie-in-a-bottle came one day while my mother was visiting a neighbour. Amusing myself at the tool bench in the basement, I whacked my finger with a hammer. The pain was terrible but there seemed no point in crying because there was no one home to give sympathy.

I walked around the house sucking my throbbing finger, finally arriving at the stairway. The telephone! Quickly, I ran for the footstool in the parlour and dragged it to the landing. Climbing up, I unhooked the receiver in the parlour and held it to my ear. 'Information Please' I said into the mouthpiece just above my head. A click or two and a small clear voice spoke into my ear.

'Information.'

'I hurt my finger...' I wailed into the phone. The tears came readily enough now that I had an audience.

'Isn't your mother home?' came the question.

'Nobody's home but me,' I blubbered.

'Are you bleeding?' the voice asked.

'No,' I replied. 'I hit my finger with the hammer and it hurts.'

'Can you open the icebox?' she asked.

I said I could.

'Then chip off a little bit of ice and hold it to your finger,' said the voice.

After that, I called 'Information Please' for everything. I asked her for help with my geography, and she told me where Philadelphia was. She helped me with my math. She told me my pet chipmunk that I caught in the park just the day before, would eat fruit and nuts.

Then, there was the time Petey, our pet canary died. I called 'Information Please,' and told her the sad story. She listened and then said things grown-ups say to soothe a child. But I was not consoled. I asked her, 'Why is it that birds should sing so beautifully and bring joy to all families, only to end up as a heap of feathers on the bottom of a cage?'

She must have sensed my deep concern, for she said quietly, ' Wayne - always remember that there are other worlds to sing in.'

Somehow I felt better.

Another day I was on the telephone and asked for 'Information Please.'

'Information,' said the now familiar voice.

'How do I spell fix?' I asked.

All this took place in a small town in the Pacific Northwest . When I was nine years old, we moved across the country to Boston . I missed my friend very much. 'Information Please' belonged in that old wooden box back home and I somehow never thought of trying the shinny new phone that sat on the table in the hall. As I grew into my teens, the memories of those childhood conversations never really left me.

Often, in moments of doubt and perplexity, I would recall the serene sense of security I had then. I appreciated now how patient, understanding, and kind she was to have spent her time on a little boy.

A few years later, on my way west to college, my plane put down in Seattle . I had about a half-hour or so between planes. I spent 15 minutes or so on the phone with my sister who lived there now. Then, without thinking what I was doing, I dialed my hometown Operator and said, 'Information Please.'

Miraculously, I hear the small, clear voice I knew so well.

'Information.'

I hadn't planned this, but I heard myself saying, 'Could you please tell me how to spell fix?'

There was a long pause. Then came the soft spoken answer, 'I guess your finger must have healed by now?'

I laughed, 'So it's really you,' I said. 'I wonder if you have any idea how much you meant to me during that time?'

'I wonder,' she said, 'if you know how much your calls meant to me. I never had any children and I used to look forward to your calls.'

I told her how often I had thought of her over the years and I asked if I could call her again when I came back to visit my sister.

'Please do,' she said. 'Just ask for Sally.'

Three months later, I was back in Seattle . A different voice answered 'Information.' I asked for Sally.

'Are you a friend?' she said.

'Yes, a very old friend,' I answered.

'I'm sorry to have to tell you this,' she said.'Sally had been working part-time the last few years because she was sick. She died five weeks ago.'

Before I could hang up, she said, 'Wait a minute, did you say your name was Wayne ?'

'Yes,' I answered.

'Well, Sally left a message for you. She wrote it down in case you called. Let me read it to you.'

The note said, 'Tell him there are other worlds to sing in. He'll know what I mean.'

I thanked her and hung up. I knew what Sally meant.

Never underestimate the impression you may make on others.

Whose life have YOU touched today?

Lifting you on eagle's wings. May you find the joy and peace you long for.

Life is a journey --- NOT a guided tour. So, don't miss the ride - enjoy life - enjoy family and friends - you don't get a second shot at it.

From the Inside Out

Well, as much as I enjoy checking my blogline feeds each day, thank you Phillip, and reading everyone else's posts, I can't seem to get to mine too regularly. Sorry, we have been very busy this summer but I will try to do better at making regular posts.

I finally finished reading Andy Stanley's book, It Came From Within. In it he describes 4 negative conditions of our hearts and how to turn them around. The over riding theme is that no matter how you try to dress up the outside, what is on the inside has a way of always coming out--usually at the most inappropriate times. Thus the need to make sure our hearts are in good condition.

I guess God wants to make sure I really get the point because He is giving me some real life illustrations. Remember the problems we were having with the Greensboro house--the leak on the main floor from the toilet, we thought, that was right above it? Remember how we sent Brian up three times to make MAJOR rennovations in the house? He replaced toilets, rebuilt seals and upgraded everything--remodeled the laundry room screened porch, and family room, replaced a ton of stuff. Then we had the wooden floors sanded and refinished, cleaned the carpets, cleaned the house and had it staged. It is gorgeous! The landscaper did his thing and we signed up with Help u Sell and scheduled the first Open House for July 13th.

On July 11th we got a call from the Realtor--the ceiling in the front hallway was leaking and the water was running down the wall--WHAT?!?!?!

To make a long story short, we had him turn off the water and electric and had a roofer check to see if the roof vents were leaking--they have had a lot of rain. All that checked out so we sent Brian up for a fourth trip. He turned everything on and waited--no water. He thought it must have been the A/C condensation. So he repaired the damage and came home. We rescheduled the Open House for this Sunday and yesterday got a call--this time with very ugly pictures--it is leaking again!! Only now we are 24 hours from our first wave of summer guests and our vacation right before school starts, so we can't go back up there now. We have contacted a local man our house stager knows and he will look at it Friday morning. I think he will need to tear out the wall, oh my I don't want to think of the mess that will make!

The moral of this story: No matter how good it looks on the outside, if there is a problem in the heart of the home, it will show and must be dealt with! Okay, Lord we are trying to get at the source of the problem, and if you are trying to tell me something about my heart, could you just come out with it and let me let you fix it? I really need to sell this house. Amen.

Summer fun

We had a great week with my niece, Anita, and her two girls, Savannah and Rylee. They drove over from Charleston so that we could enjoy some summer memories. The time went by too quickly, but the weather was awesome and the kids enjoyed some great times at the pool and at the park. We were surprised to see how well they were all swimming and learning to dive. Having Rachel and Brando there to play in the water was a nice break for we adults. Thanks to Anita, we also got some great picutes!! Hope you enjoy!

out for a drive

Since moving from Fl, one of the things Edgar and I really enjoy is going for rides in the country. I know, I know the price of gas is making it an expensive hobby, but both here in GA and while we were in NC we love to do it. The other day we were driving and had an interesting thing happen. Here, we made a video to share:

Plan a Date

I think the longer you are married the more you have to schedule dates with your spouse.  It is not intentional, it is just that kids, jobs, life can take over your calendar and before you know it you can't remember the last time you had a real date.  Edgar and I work together, from our home offices, so we have a lot of time together, and often by the end of a long work day we are just too tired to 'go out', but we are working on changing that.   

A friend sent me this link to a new movie that is coming out in September and I have marked my calendar to go out with my husband to see this.  Take a look at the trailer, and maybe you will want to mark your calendar too, and set a date with your spouse!

A Little Americana

There is something nostalgic and refreshing about a small town celebration.  The whiff of barbecue in the air, the site of babies in strollers, moms and dads walking hand in hand, and youngsters with balloons; it is nice to see a little glimpse of Americana in your own backyard.  We began the celebration Thursday evening with blankets, lawn chairs and meeting up with friends to watch the fireworks.  Had a great spot and the weather was perfect.  Then we got up relatively early Saturday morning to go back for the parade.

We got front row seats and enjoyed watching people set up their camping chairs, umbrellas, blankets and get settled in for the show.  There were a few clowns, several police officers on motorcycles.  The city of Cumming has this parade annually and most of the participants are old steam engines or restored antique cars.  Rachel and Ashley rode with Brandon and some of his cousins on the family steam engine, while we watched from the sidelines.  Most of the people on the engines or floats threw candy which is OK, but you can really see the greed in people as kids and adults fight over who can take home the biggest sack of bubble gum and tootsie rolls---why??

Other than the rude lady and her equally rude little girl who sat beside us, it was a great experience.  Having spent so many Independence Days in south Florida where it is way too hot to go outside for a parade, this was nice.

Those Lazy, Hazey, Crazy Days of Summer

Summer is supposed to be a time of leisure, at least that is what my 17 year old daughter keeps trying to tell me.  Sleeping until noon, spending hours at the pool, hanging out with friends until the wee hours of the morning, thus the need to sleep until noon.  Actually all of this sounds quite attractive to me also, but this little issue of trying to earn a living keeps interrupting my plans for leisure.  And as if that were not enough, our 8 year old son has an internal clock that seems to be in sync with the sun.  He is ready for sleep about the time the sun goes down, 9:00 pm, and is wide awake when the sun comes up, 6:30 am.  Edgar and I find ourselves  awake and waiting to know that the teenager is home and nestled in and then up at the crack of dawn to try and monitor what creative things the boy is up to so early.  We are exhausted; I am ready for more leisure!

It is the second day of July for pity sake, the kids have been home from school for 40 days.  Biblically speaking the number 40 represents testing--it rained for 40 days and nights when Noah was on the ark, the children of Israel wandered in the desert for 40 years, Satan tempted Jesus for 40 days, etc.  Does this mean that beginning tomorrow my testing of trying to be calm, pleasant, encouraging, and supportive while in a state of zombiehood (spell check does not consider that a word, but you know what I mean) will be over and I can just SLEEP?!?!?

Actually I do enjoy having them home for the most part.  I even sneak down to the pool with them occasionally and momentarily forget my many responsibilities awaiting me once I come back to reality, I mean home.  Ryan and I enjoy playing baseball or bowling on the Wii, and Rachel keeps trying to teach me how to play guitar hero, but it is rather futile.

This weekend we do plan to just chill out a little.  Ryan and I are hoping to get everyone up and out of the house so we can enjoy the Parade downtown on Friday and Saturday is the annual cookout/hangout at our neighborhood pool.  There are a couple of Independence Day musical celebrations on TV this week that I hope to view also.  I don't want to ever forget that the reason we can take a few days off and enjoy some leisure time is because of the men and woman who served and died for this country.  We have friends and family members in Iraq right now who will not have leisure time because they are actively protecting our freedom.

What will you be doing this holiday weekend?  Do you have plans to relax and chill out?  How will you honor those who have served and are serving our country to give us this freedom?

A Good Day

This was a great Sunday to be at church.  I am only serving in Upstreet as a substitute this summer, so there are Sundays when they don't need me and Edgar and I can go to the service together; today was one of those Sundays.  

First of all it is great to know that regardless of what is 'on the menu' for the day, it will be done with excellence.  Rarely to people actually look forward to the announcements at church, but the video announcements done by North Point Ministries are so well done, it is entertainment along with information.  Edgar even leaned over, shaking his head and said, "these guys are so creative', and they are.

Worship was led by one of my favorites--Cori Moon.  She has a rich mezzo soprano voice and not only can sing  so well, she truly leads us in Worship.  Today, along with the usual acoustic guitar and drums we had a cello, and two violins.  After opening by reading from Psalms she led us in one new son and a couple of older hymns.  It was really very meaningful.

Our speaker was John Woodall who gave an inspiring challenge to dads to Teach their children consistently, to Model authentically, and to Pray constantly.  His story of raising his own four children to adulthood was not one of all peaches and cream, but  very real and practical.  At the end Mike Gleason did an awesome job with Cinderella, while the Steven Curtis Chapman video was on the screens.  It was a great morning of worship.

We will spend the rest of the day resting, reflecting, preparing for the work week ahead, and thanking God for the awesome privilege of parenting two amazing kids.  

I've Been Tagged

Kathy tagged me to do this, so here goes. . . 

WHAT WAS I DOING TEN YEARS AGO?  Ten years ago we were living in Pompano Beach and I was staying home helping Edgar with the businesses.  We had a fully licensed AMS Montessori School with 5 students in our home.  Rachel worked with me using some of the Elementary level materials and we hired one of our good friends as the teacher for the school.  Rachel and I were very involved in the home school support group at our church where she was in hand bells and several co-op classes.  I sang in the church choir and  one of the praise teams.  We had a girl from Denmark living with us and had just returned from an around the US 3 month trip.  We have precious memories from those times.

MY FIVE FAVORITE SNACKS:  I love pastry of most any kind.  My favorite desert is Lemon Ice Box pie, mom's recipe.  At the movies one must have some popcorn, don't you think?  During the summer especially we love to snack on fresh fruit of all kinds.  And of course no list would be complete without mentioning dark chocolate.

FIVE THINGS N MY TO DO LIST TODAY:  We are getting ready for Edgar to come home after having been away for a week, so today's list was a bit scattered.  take Ellie to the groomers to be bathed, pick up coffee from the roaster, take the packed coffee orders to FedEx, finish paying some bills online, spend some quality time with Rachel and Ryan.

THINGS I WOULD DO IF I WERE A BILLIONAIRE:  Wow, a billionaire, now that holds much more possibilities than just being a millionaire!!  Well, after giving the Lord 15%, uncle Sam 30%, and saving (in some kind of interest bearing account) 20%, I would make sure my close family members all had homes that were paid for and college funds for their kids.  Now for the really fun stuff--I would want to sponsor a couple dozen more kids in Kenya and through World Vision.  I would also need to give serious consideration to opening that Christian Montessori School I've always dreamed about.

FIVE JOBS THAT I HAVE HAD:  The paying jobs include:  being a cashier at Kresege (anyone remember that one)?, being a TA for my college music prof, assisting in the office of Development for my college, working as secretary for MIHS Adult Ed, working as a sales associate and a switchboard operator at JC Penneys, working as a Montessori Teacher and preschool Owner/Director, working as a Montessori Teacher Educator, serving as a Children's Minister, Co-Owner of Internet Coffee Business.  Sounds like I can't hold a job, huh?  This list would be incomplete without mentioning the most important jobs--the ones without a paycheck--wife and mom.

FIVE BAD HABITS OF MINE:  I often start reading books, but never finish them.  I stay up  until the wee hours of the night watching TV movies when I am alone.  I rarely do any kind of formal exercise.  I spend too much time with my macbook in my lap--mostly reading blogs.  I prefer to sleep late whenever I can, which is not very often.

FIVE PLACES I HAVE LIVED:  Arkansas City KS, Merritt Island FL, Manhattan KS, Vero Beach FL,  Lantana FL,  Deerfield Bch FL, Pompano Bch FL, Greensboro NC, Gainesville GA.

FIVE RANDOM THINGS PEOPLE WOULDN'T KNOW ABOUT ME:  I worked as a DJ in college for our college station.  I love scrambled egg sandwiches with bacon, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and peanut butter--all the food groups!  I taught an eight week class to adult students who mostly spoke Chinese--had an interpreter.  My mom left me in the hospital for the first 10 days of my life because she was tired and wanted them to get me on a schedule--it only cost my parents 50 cents a day, I have the bill!  I would love to visit NY when the weather is perfect so I could go to Central Park ad visit the Statue of Liberty.  

FIVE CD'S I'D HAVE TO HAVE ON A DESERTED ISLAND:  Well first of all I would really hate to be on a deserted island--too much sand and humidity for me, but I understand the real question here.  Anything by John Denver, The Carpenters, or Sara Groves.  The Best of the Beachboys, and anything by Chris Tomlin.   (I think CD's were not out when John Denver and Karen Carpenter were recording, but you get the idea).

That should fill you in on most anything you would want to know--not even sure I knew all of this stuff until tonight!

First of all I sure wish I could figure out how to put Youtube videos on this blog and not just the link!!!  I obviously need a blog technical tutor--ugh

I haven't mentioned lately how well my son is doing--he is such an awesome little man.  He went to VBS last week at a local Baptist church, our church does not do VBS, and he did so well.  First of all entering any new situation is a bit of a challenge, but he went right in and participated enthusiastically all week!  We did take a friend with us, but Ryan did not know him--he knew his mom.  The highlight was Friday evening at the program when he got up on the stage with the other 350 kids and not only sang in front of a packed out congregation, but even did the hand motions.  Edgar, Rachel, and I were all blown away--it was awesome.

He has also learned to navigate my iphone.  He knows how to go to You Tube, type in the name of some of his favorite things, Noah's Ark, the Titanic, and Eight Below, and he brings up movies and sits and watches them!!  (Yes, I did think about asking him if he could show me how to load videos on to this blog, but I don't want him on my macbook!!).

We are going to the pool almost daily and he tans so easily and deeply--drives Rachel and I nuts, but I am going to try of give you a glimpse of my Coppertone Baby if I can do it without being obscene!  Here he is looking for a movie on my phone--yes I do have to remind him to put on clothes after he showers!

A friend sent this to me--take a lesson it is awesome.  file:///Users/jablum/Desktop/NationalAnthem-CactusJH.wmv

Texas Tech University Basketball game, Feb 9th

Five girls ages 6-8

Am entire arena remains silent throughout the song.

I love seeing young people express patriotism; I fear it is lost on many.

A few comments

Most of us list other blogs and from some of those lists I have found some really interesting sites. I wanted to call attention to a couple that I have listed. First of all if you have never visited thepioneerwoman.com you are missing a real treat. She has a little of everything and she posts almost daily! Whether you like seeing her pictures of life on a cattle ranch, or want a little tutorial in photography, or need to add to your recipe file (not if you are dieting, though), she has something of interest for you. Then if you want a sweet, be it sappy love story, you can read the true story of her romance with her husband, to whom she refers as 'Marlboro Man'. It is a great story and she is an excellent writer.

The other site that is very good is 97secondswithGod. Here Prodigal Jon, of the Stuff Christians Like blog, is doing a daily devotional --one for each chapter of the Bible beginning in Genesis. It is not too late to start as he is only on chapter 5. It is thought provoking, inspirational, and is a nice on-line devotional.

The others, many of which are my good friends and family, are also wonderful and I do appreciate the consistent updates.

There's no place like home!

In the last week we have done a fair share of traveling and spent too many hours on the road! We are almost ready to put our Greensboro house on the market and let me tell you--that house never looked as good as it does now, at least not when we lived in it! In addition to the fact that it would be financially a wonderful thing to only have one mortgage, I really do think it is a great house in a super neighborhood. I pray the Lord will send the right family to come and make some wonderful memories there and I pray He will send them SOON! Brian is almost finished with his work, Edgar made a second trip to help, and the floors will be done next week. We would appreciate your prayers.

Now that we are back in our real home in GA, Ryan and I are going to VBS all week--he is having a ball and I am really enjoying the 5 year olds. We are teaching the kids to Know God's Truth, Speak God's Truth, and Live God's Truth--a big challenge for us all.

We are looking forward to several friends and family members coming by this summer for a visit and we will do a short trip to Tennessee for a little family vacation. I have recently learned that several people with home I graduated from High School actually live in the Atlanta area, this is something considering how many decades ago that graduation took place! Even more exciting is the fact that 4-5 of my dearest HS friends are among those in the area and we are planning to get together in July. Most of us have not seen each other, or had any communication in over 35 years, but the recent emails and phone calls have been delightful.
The really scary thing is that most of us were in Chorale together and we are planning to meet where there are guitars and pianos--could give all new meaning to 'joyful noise'.

Time for a heart inspection?

It started with just a little musty smell, not overwhelming, but it was there right when you walked in the door.  Then we noticed a little moldy spot in the downstairs bathroom, not a big spot mind you, but definitely an indicator that all was not well, but a little scrubbing or at best a small section of replaced drywall and it would be fine, right?  Then it happened.  Brian was taking a shower in the downstairs bathroom and all of the sudden the ceiling above him began to cave in.  At this point it became clear that we had a problem.   First of all, you may be asking, "Who is Brian and why is he in your shower?"  Brian is our good friend who is an amazing handyman, plumber, electrician, carpenter, guy who can fix anything and everything and he has made three trips to Greensboro so far to do a little fixing up on our house there so we can sell it.  He is staying at the house, thus why he was in the shower.  The little musty smell was from the upstairs powder room toilet, which happens to be just above the downstairs shower.  The problem was that the toilet had old seals which were causing leaking, which caused moldy spots, musty smells, and ultimately a collapsed ceiling.   Now the good news to all of this is that it happened while Brian was there, he can fix everything, and it will all be much better in the long run.  All of this got me to thinking. . . 

Sometimes, many times, we have little 'issues' that begin as just a little musty smell, which can be covered up, but it is always a symptom of something else that is going on.  Sometimes it is hurt feelings between loved ones, or 'little white lies' (what is a white lie anyway?) told to conceal something relatively minor, or just plain jealousy.  Regardless of what it is, the musty smell in the foyer almost always means a more serious problem somewhere.  We don't always have a super duper handyman to find and fix the problem, but we do have a Heavenly Father who desires to reveal and heal all.  

Tomorrow as you go to church to express your worship corporately, I pray you will spend a few minutes asking God to poke around your heart and make sure all is well.  I know that is my plan, for as frustrating as it is to have to fix leaks and replace ceilings, it is better than living with musty smells all the time.

Empty Nesters

Sunday morning our birds left us. We actually saw them moments after they had all left the nest. The mama and daddy bird along with all four little ones were in the front tree chirping away and fluttering about. All too soon they were gone and we could take back our front porch. There was one unhatched, I presume infertile, egg left in the nest, and I feel a small sense of pride that the other four survived so well. I was going to keep the nest, but it has a 'crown' of bird poop all around the top, so I am rethinking that decision.

Edgar, Ryan and I spent a great day at the Atlanta zoo on Saturday while Rachel attended both a morning and afternoon class at Barbizon. Then Sunday because Upstreet and Extreme were closed, we all got to worship together as a family. Eddie Kirkland did an amazing job leading worship, and I have yet to hear Andy preach a bad sermon. In light of the sad news of Maria Chapman this week, his sermon on "When God says no" was most appropriate.

The pool is now open and Ryan is so happy. That boy could spend all day everyday in the water if we allowed it! Saturday evening we enjoyed a little informal bar-b-que with the four other families in our community who actually use the pool! It is great motivation for him to finish his chores early so he can spend long hours at the pool each day--ahh, summertime!

I hope you watched the National Concert last night on PBS. It was a moving tribute to our soldiers past and present who make it possible for us to live this free lifestyle we enjoy. I grew up in a family that emphasized patriotism; my dad was a WWII vet, but it is difficult to instill those values in my children as it is not really popular. We know a couple of people now serving in Iraq and Afghanistan and I need to remember to send emails and letters on a regular basis, not just on Holidays, to thank them for their service. We plan to spend a little more time today in memorial for the freedoms we enjoy.

Well, the Princess is still in bed, Edgar is playing with his new toy, I mean cutting the grass with the riding lawn mover he bought from uncle Jeff, Ryan is outside watching dad, and I need to head to the office to finish packing coffee. Have a great day!

Cinderella

We just learned that the Steven Curtis Chapman family has experienced a terrible tragedy today and we should all stop right now and pray God's mercy for them. Steven and Mary Beth are champions for children and for adoption. They not only adopted three daughters from China, but established an organization to help Christian families with international adoptions. Today, one of their teenage sons accidentally ran over their youngest daughter with the family SUV. My heart breaks not only for the family in general but especially for their son. I cannot imagine losing a child and the incredible pain they are experiencing. I certainly cannot imagine going through something like this without the love and comfort of our Savior.

I have recently come to love one of Steven's more recent songs: Cinderella. The song is a tear jerker anyway to anyone who has a daughter. In light of today's events, the words are almost haunting:

I dance with Cinderella, while she is here in my arms
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
I dance with Cinderella, I don't want to miss even one song
All too soon the clock with strike midnight, and she'll be gone.

Oh God, let us never take our children for granted and when you do take them home give us your divine grace to ease the pain until we can be reunited in Your Presence.

Some random thoughts and updates

First of all I am a year older, well actually just about a week older since my last post, but I did have a nice birthday yesterday and appreciate the many well wishes. Billie and I had a great time in Atlanta on Friday. We went to lunch and looked around some cute shops in the Virginia Highlands area and ended our afternoon by going to the movies, such fun! On Saturday Edgar, the kids, and I attended Amanda's wedding and took some pictures since we were all dressed up. The wedding was lovely and they looked so happy. Of course they are on their honeymoon this week so we have no extra help in the office!!

As for our little birds, it seems we have 4! Their eyes are open, their fuzz is beginning to shed and feathers are beginning to appear. The pictures are not too good as mama bird was not happy to have me peeking into the nest, so I took the pictures from inside the house. We also became concerned that once they start to fly the nest is not in a tree over grass, but on our door over a wooden front porch, so we set up a little safety net, "just in case". I am really excited to see them learn to fly, a little sad to know they are almost gone, and a little excited to have my front porch back--especially since the weather has been so beautiful.
Lastly our garden is overflowing with strawberries! We planted four plants late last summer and they have spread all throughout the garden. We carefully kept them covered through the various frosts, and now the garden is overflowing with sweet, red strawberries. Of course Rachel and I are in the dog house because we have not done any strawberry picking yet, but we will I am sure. For now, Edgar has been faithfully picking a couple of bowl fulls each day, yummy.

Sharing Mother's Day with the other Mother here

This Mother's Day I find that I am not the only Mother in this house today; our baby birds have arrived!! We confirmed 5 little eggs last week and think all five hatched, but for goodness sake they are so small it is hard to tell! We pulled a chair into the foyer, up to the glass door and each of us took turns peeking into the nest. We saw a nest filled with little squirming, fuzzy, lumps. We didn't stay long because mama bird was hovering nearby anxiously wanting to return to her nest. With all of the high winds we have had the last 24 hours, these little birds have no idea who well protected they are to have their nest on our front door under the porch!

Hope you all had a restful day of worship and a time to treat moms like a queen! I got flowers, cards, and an itunes card--it has been a great day!

I remember. . . .

She was born in 1915. She lived through two World Wars, the Great Depression, The Korean Conflict, the Vietnam Conflict and spent over 70 years in the work force. Her own mom died before she was 10 years old and she practically raised her younger brother while taking care of her dad. She made most of her own clothes, the few she owned, and learned to be quite a cook.

She loved to sing, and as a young woman shared a radio show with her best friend where she sang and played the piano. During this same time she worked as a waitress for a small diner and after a 12 hour shift would go dancing until all hours of the morning. Although a woman of high morals, she told me she "felt so sorry for the young men going to war, so she got engaged to a few of them--so they would have a reason to come home." I don't know how many actually did come home, but one young soldier from Oklahoma made it back and she married him. When I asked how daddy proposed, she replied, "He said, 'do you want to get married or something?', and I said, 'We'll get married or nothing!!'".

She never lost her work ethic. Yes, even in the 1950's when June Cleaver was the ideal wife and mother, my mom worked outside the home--she had to. It took two incomes to support her dad and we two girls. Even though finances were always tight she managed to save enough pennies from her grocery budget to make sure every holiday had special meaning and special treats; a box of conversation hearts at Valentine's, a hollow chocolate egg at Easter. We never knew that we were poor.

Mother never met a stranger. She would strike up a conversation with anyone she met and made friends with most of them. Her big smile and generous ways were her trademark, but she was no pushover. On more than one occasion I remember my father attempting to deal with a car repairman, insurance agent, or less than attentive sales clerk. If things were not progressing to his satisfaction, he would simply say, "Would you feel more comfortable speaking to my wife?", to which the answer was always the same, "Oh no sir, I'll be right with you!' Don't even asked how many times we would be eating out and see mom march back to the kitchen with a plate of food that was not prepared to her satisfaction!

Formal education was a luxury and completing the eighth grade was as far as she got. Her skills in math were exceptional, and at 48 years old she began working at a service station as their bookkeeper. The previous bookkeeper had kept most of the figures 'in her head', so it took mom over two years to fully reconstruct the books, but she did it, and kept them 'penny perfect' for many years. Two decades later, she taught herself how to use a computer to keep books for another service station.

Although I never heard my mom say an audible prayer, I know she prayed, often. She took us to church faithfully and lived out her faith to all who knew her. Once in an adult Sunday School class an insensitive teacher asked her a question to which she did not know the answer. She never overcame her embarrassment of that moment, and never returned to an adult class, but she did not forsake Sunday School. For over 27 years she served in the church nursery. "The babies have no idea if I can answer Bible questions, I just rock them and sing to them." (I am confident that in the last 11 years she has been in heaven she has found some babies to rock!)

When I was in college, Roe vs. Wade was a very hot debate and I mentioned to her that when the mother's life is in danger, or the viability of the fetus was at stake, certainly abortion would be OK, wouldn't it? She then told me that when she found herself pregnant at 37 years old with her second child, the Dr.'s all advised her that to attempt to carry a child to term could endanger her life and the odds of the child being born healthy were slim. She thanked them for their medical advise, but reminded them that the child she carried was a gift from God and if He did not want her to have it, He would let her know. Nine months later she gave birth to her second healthy daughter, me.

Thirty seven years later when I became pregnant I found great comfort in the knowledge that giving birth at an older age ran in the family. I am so sorry that she did not live to see Rachel grow up and never even met Ryan. She would so have loved knowing them.

My mother was not perfect, but she was a great mom. She sacrificed much and did the best she knew how. I am so grateful for her strong will, her undying faith, and her unconditional love. I only hope I can be half as inspiring a mom as her I miss you mom, Happy Mother's Day.

I Have 11 Friends

That's right, I have 11 friends.  I know this because I signed on to my newly acquired Facebook account and it told me so, right up there at the top.  I'm feeling pretty good about this, I mean I know I have a lot of acquaintances, but now I have 11 people who actually consider me their friend.   

I have no idea what a Facebook actually is, I presume it is a book of faces, but it says I have 11 friends so why isn't it called Friendbook?  I don't know what to do with it either.  I see there are walls, although I have have never actually seen a wall, is it supposed to be made of brick?  I see that people write on these walls, I don't know how to do that either.  Oh, there is a Super wall, I guess it is bigger or maybe more expensive, not sure.

Then there are groups, and one of my friends has an Entourage---I had no idea!  I have noticed that sometime people poke each other.  I have not done that, I was taught that was rude.  

I have heard about Twitter and asked my nephew Phillip, who makes a point of knowing all about these things, what it was.  He simply said I had no business getting involved with that, and since he is a professional Christian, I didn't question him (although a lot of professional Christians seemed to be into Twittering).

There is this thing for we older folks called TeeBeeDee, but I think I will wait to join that one.  It could be more complicated than this book of Faces thing.  The point of all of this is simply to say that I am quite happy to have 11 friends.  Four of them are related to me--do they still count?

Have you seen my table?

I had the strangest dream last night and it has preoccupied my thinking all day, without any resolution, so I thought maybe you could help.  

In my dream we were having dinner on the table I inherited from my parents.  It was not an expensive table, I grew up in a home with few material items, but it was a very interesting design.  It looked like a simple hallway-type table, about 3 and a half feet long and maybe 2 feet deep.  When Edgar and I had it, I kept an embroidered cloth over it and a couple of hurricane lamp/candles on it as I recall.  It was a brown veneer, and not very pretty, but it had a great design.  See, the front part pulled out and stored behind the doors in front were 4-5 leaves that stored folded in half, but when opened fit across the parallel pull-out panels creating a table for 4, 6, 8 or 10 people.  We used it many times growing up and Edgar and I used it a few times when we had company.

Now here is the mystery:  I have no idea where it is!  I don't know if we gave it away, forgot to pack it in one of the moves, or simply lost it.  I do know that it is not in this house and we do not have a storage unit, so where could it be?  I remember having it in our first home, 22 years ago, in Vero Beach,  and I am pretty sure we had it in the apartment in Deerfield Beach.  I can't visualize where it was in the Pompano Beach home, nor do I ever remember seeing it in Greensboro.  Can you help?  

If you remember seeing it, or dining on it please let me know where.  If we gave it to you, then could you refresh my memory on that also.  I don't necessarily want it back, but it does have sentimental value and I hate to think that I simply lost it somewhere.

That's it.  If you know where the table is please let me know!  Thanks so much.

A Few Observations

I love to watch people. You know, in public places when you can just sit back and observe human behavior. I had many opportunities to do just that at the Orange conference. Young student pastors, new moms, seasoned pastors, teenagers. Most of the participants were there eager to learn more of the Orange approach to ministry, but it was interesting to observe the skeptics. Some of the ideas are difficult and require mental and spiritual wrestling. For many it was as if they were hearing truth, or heresy, for the first time. For most it was a time of great excitement and a little frustration--loving what they were experiencing and trying to figure out how to implement it in their church. I remember those days.

I mostly enjoy observing children, especially really young, non-verbal children. Their sense of wonder and natural curiosity is really amazing; you can almost see them learning. Every interaction is a lesson, every activity a scientific experiment. Discovery leads to bolder experimentation as they move from their comfort zones to new and more challenging discoveries. It is much more rewarding to observe them making self discoveries than to always give them directions. Of course some direct instruction is necessary, but the lessons learned by experience seem to "take" quicker and last longer.

Maybe that is why God left so many mysteries to our faith. The Bible, although very interesting, is not always an easy read. There are many concepts for which there is no reasonable explanation, they simply require faith. Maybe He delights in our discoveries as we study His Word and desire to know Him. Perhaps He intentionally leaves us to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. With this thought, I pray as we endeavor to bring glory to our God, may our lives filled with amazing discoveries that delight our Heavenly Father.

I'm seeing orange

I have just come from the first main session at the Orange Conference--wow, Reggie Joiner brought a powerful message on what our main focus must be--treating the prodigals the way the loving Father treats his own son.  Steve Fee led worship, Lanny Donahoe did his usual shenanigan's, Sue Miller did a nice piece on volunteers in the church, and all in all it was a great end to a long, but fun day.  Last night and all day today I worked registration and was at the desk where attendees could update/change their breakout sessions.  I really like getting to meet all the people and think this was a good fit for me because I actually could speak semi intelligently about the content of most of the breakouts.  I sort of felt like a guidance counselor helping student drop and add classes.  Eating dinner in the same room with a ton of other volunteers and well-known worship leaders is a nice perk too.  Also got to reconnect with several people who were there last year--I love this stuff!

I am staying at a hotel very close to the conference, thank you Edgar, and the room is really nice, but the bed is the toughest, lumpiest, most uncomfortable bed I have experienced in a long time.  I was up a lot last night and am hooping my state of near exhaustion tonight will allow me to simply pass out and not notice the lumps!

The only down side to all of this is I do miss my family.  Rachel called tonight and chatted my ear off about her adventures in Jamaica and tried to catch me up on the latest HS drama--I love that kid.  I barely got in a word and didn't even get a chance to tell her I met a couple who were on her Africa trip last year.  I really appreciate Anita taking good care of Ryan and hope to speak with Edgar tomorrow.

Time to sleep, tomorrow will be another long day.

Empty Nest

No, I am not referring to the birds, they are still here and we have seen one egg, but I think she laid more.  I am talking about our home.  It is 7:45 am, Ryan is at school and Edgar and Rachel are on their way to Jamaica.  Edgar's dear uncle Keble died last week.  He was an incredible man who served Jamaica for decades in politics, revolutionized the coffee industry there, survived being a POW, and was a dear man whom we dearly loved.  The country is honoring him with a State funeral and Edgar and Rach are attending and representing the family.  Rachel met him on her only other trip to JA when she was 2 years old and we were there celebrating his 75th birthday.

So my little nest is empty for at least a few hours and in addition to processing and packing coffee orders alone, Amanda has finals this week, I am tackling Ryan's room.  I convinced Edgar to help me rearrange it some last night and today I need to go through all his stuff--eek.  The new arrangement will be much better and it will satisfy my need to 'spring clean'--well, maybe I still need to tackle the pantry, but not today!

I have had Chris Tomlin's, "How Can I Keep from Singing" in my head for the last few days.  The words are so good and the tune very catchy.  He starts by saying 'there is an endless song echos in my soul. . . "  If you have not heard it, the chorus is:

             How can I keep from singing Your praise?

How can I ever say enough?

How amazing is your love.

How can I help from shouting Your name?

I know am loved by a King

And it makes my heart want to sing!

What more can I say?  What more could we want?  This day I hope you truly know that you are loved by The king!

More nest pictures

The nest is almost finished--didn't they do a great job?!  We are tip toeing around the foyer area as to not disturb the mother bird.

No shaken birdie syndrome

One of the things I love to do is to change out some of my decorations inside the house with the change of season or holidays.  I mean, why only decorate for Christmas?  Of course I don't go all out but I change a few nick knacks and table decorations.  I have also added putting a wreath on the front door since we moved to Georgia.  A few months ago I saw a metal basket in a catalog and really liked it.  My dear friend, Billie, gave me one for Christmas and I put some silk flowers and hung it on the front door.  Just before Easter I found a bouquet of wild flowers so I got a couple and put in the basket--looks quite nice I think.

When I came home a few days ago I noticed there were a couple of birds on the front porch flying around and chirping like crazy.  I thought, "hmm, I wonder if they are making a nest up in the ceiling?"  So I looked around on the porch and didn't see a nest so I dismissed it.  Then a few days later I was in the house and saw birds on the porch again.  This time I stood and watched and noticed they were flying near my metal basket.  After they flew away I moved in to get a closer look and there was the beginnings of a nest!   Seems the birds liked my flowers, too!

So now I need to make a sign asking everyone to avoid the front porch and especially front door for a few weeks.  I think the birds are house finches, and I am really pleased that they have chosen to nest with us.  Because the door is glass we will be able to see them from the inside, but must be careful not to frighten mama bird away once she lays her eggs.  

I was able to snap a few pics while the birds were away gathering more twigs.  Isn't it amazing how birds, bees, and spiders build such intricate homes--our God is so creative! (Ok blogspot is having trouble uploading images right now--I will try to add photos later)

We do hope you will come visit us, we love to have company--but come through the garage door if you please, we don't want any 'shaken birdie eggs!"

Prom Pics

Many year ago when I was homeschooling Rachel, she began telling me that someday she really wanted to go to public school.  When I asked 'why' she replied, "so that I can go to prom".  Since those days she has attended private school and almost 2 years of public school.  Last night the purpose of her educational quest was fulfilled:  she went to prom!  Actually the whole day was spent in preparation for the blessed event, but she went with her boyfriend and a couple of other kids from school.  They had a great time, came home early and all was well.  These are a few photos.

Whirlwind Trip

Well it is spring break for the kiddos and so we decided to take a little road trip; we went to Greensboro.  In the past when we have 'gone back' (we used to live there) the trip seemed long and we left wishing we could have seen more people, not this time.  For some reason the trip moved along-we did stop in Taccoa Falls to check out a potential college for Rachel.  The falls were awesome and the college is promising, we will see.  Both kids were able to see several of their friends in Greensboro; Rachel and I even got in a few innings at the Greensboro Grasshoppers opening night baseball game.  (Yes, they named the baseball team after an insect--folks, you gotta know that NC is famous for basketball not baseball!)  We all ate our way through town trying to hit as many of our favorite restaurants as possible and even spent time seeing many of our former colleagues and church friends.  

The main reason for our trip was to meet with a painter and house stager to prepare our house for selling.  Our renter will be leaving soon and it is time to get our house spruced up on put on the market.  I think I had forgotten how pretty our old neighborhood was!  The really exciting news is that we all agreed that with a little work we can finish enclosing the closet in the basement and then we will have a second master suite and a 5 bedroom, 3.5  bathroom house! If any of  you know someone who is looking to move to NC, Greensboro is a great town and in about a month we will have a super house deal!!

Driving home last night I found myself very aware of the white lines on the road.  I know they are always there, but with trucks whizzing by and dark curvy roads, I was comforted by simple white lines on the edge of the road.  It reminded me how important it is to have boundaries. We don't often welcome boundaries, but in reality they not only provide limits- but freedom.  I remember learning in college some great advice: never accept a job that doesn't have a job description-if the employer doesn't have one, you write one and present it to the employer for approval prior to signing on.  It is very freeing to know exactly what is expected of you rather than spending time creatively trying to meet expectations only to learn your understanding of the job is not what your employer had in mind!

Studies show that young children will tend to stay in one area of an unfenced yard, but use the whole yard if there is a fence.  Certainly the white lines on the road prevented us from straying into areas that were unsafe and provided guidance and freedom within those limits to get us home safely.  It is too bad that we often view God's rules as restrictions to limit our freedom, when in reality, when we know the limits (and the truth) it will set us free!

  

I wonder

We have enjoyed a few very busy days with extended family and although tiring, very enjoyable.  In the middle of all this I received two unrelated phone calls from people with whom I had professional relationships in the past.  The first was from the young man who was my ministry assistant in the last church where I served as Children's Minister. He and I worked very hard to create relevant environments for the children and found that we had much in common regarding creativity and desire to worship and serve.  He has been working full time in the restaurant management field and called to ask about our church and say that he is ready for a change in his life.  As Edgar and I are praying about moving our coffee business from our home to a location where we could roast, pack and ship, and sell retail, we have also considered a small coffee shop but quite frankly don't want to be tied down to having a shop to run.  Of course if our friend decides to move to town he will need a job and that might be a great fit.  Can't help but wonder what God might be up to, . . . hmmmm.

Then I got a phone call from a lady who lives in GA and is a Montessori teacher who is involved with helping small churches open preschools as a ministry to grow their church.  She is working with a new church school and of course setting it up with a Montessori curriculum.  One of the most rewarding things I have ever done is train teachers in the implementation of Montessori education on the Infant and Toddler level.  The course is so informative and practical for educators and parents.  She wanted to talk with me about the possibility of training some Infant and Toddler teachers for her new school.  Can't help but wonder what God might be up to, . . . hmmmm.

Lastly we have been working with Ryan's school and a local psychologist to best evaluate him and support and assist him with his learning.  We had a appointment last week and the Dr. had more questions than answers.  We thought we were on a pretty clear path, but now feel we need to gather more info before we make any final decisions.  Of course we want to be careful to not put him through too many tests as is it very taxing.  So we have personal  knowledge, observations, evaluations, and screenings that all play a part in the puzzle, but right now all the information is very inconclusive, can't help but wonder what God might be up to, ...hmmm.

What we do know is that God is faithful and His mercies are new every morning.  As for what our future hold, that is unsure, but we know that He knows and we trust Him.

Awesome weekend

We did not get to do the Seder meal like I had hoped, for a variety of reasons and I was a little bummed about that, but thanks to the wonderful staff at our church, we attended an amazing Good Friday service and Sunday morning celebration.  Major kudos to the staff and production volunteers at Browns Bridge Community Church for going the extra mile(s) to make this a worshipful weekend.  Friday night the focus was on remembering the incredible sacrifice Jesus made for us.  The music, communion, and Lane's talk really set the tone for the weekend.  This morning our family attended the 1:00 service together after Rachel and I volunteered in Waumba Land, our preschool environment, during the 11:00 service.  

Dinner was at home with the family, quiet, but nice.  I am so grateful for family, church, and most of all a resurrected Savior!!  I hope your weekend was awesome!

Preparing for Easter

As we are preparing for Easter (in the middle of March!!) I am excited to share the Passover Seder with Ryan.  For years we did a small Seder in all the preschools I directed or classes I taught, then when we were homeschooling Rachel we did a full blown dinner with all the families. But we haven't done it for Ryan and actually I really miss it too, so this Friday, after we go to our Good Friday service at church, we will come home and have Passover.  If you have never done a Christian Passover meal with your family, I strongly encourage you to consider it.  Not only is it a great review of some OT history but I assure you that you will never celebrate the Lord's Supper the same.  When you contemplate the vast amount of symbolism in the Seder and see God's handiwork in redemption from the beginning of time, it will bless you and deepen your faith.  When we first started doing this some 20 years ago, I really had to dig to learn what to do and what everything means.  Now all you need to do is Google "Christian Seder" and you will have enough information to get you well on your way.  If you don't want to do a Seder, this year, then I encourage you to at least go back and read the Exodus story, descriptions of the Feasts in Leviticus, and meditate on redemption.

Another interesting read is that of Good Friday.   I realize that traditionally we accept that Jesus died on Friday and we honor that, but many scholars disagree and feel that He actually died on Wednesday or Thursday.  Again, about 24 years ago my Sunday School teacher, Phil Plemmons, introduced the thought of a Wednesday crucifixion.   I have enjoyed researching that idea, and tend to agree with him.  With another Google search I found some well researched articles and one of my favorites is brotherjosh.blogspot.com/2006/04/good-friday-what-day-did-jesus-die-on.html.  

What ever you are doing to prepare for this most important day of the year, I pray that your Easter is a joyous celebration of the Gospel and you can rejoice in your salvation.

Getting ready for spring

You may have heard about the storms we had in Atlanta, thankfully are were spared, as were our friends ad family, but we did get some much needed rain.  Unfortunately for the second week in a row our soccer game was cancelled.

  We did have an adventure Saturday, though.  We drove down to Buckhead because Rachel has started here 12 week course with Barbizon, a talent and modeling agency.  We will repeat this journey every other Saturday for the next 6 months, but she is really excited about these classes and we think it will be a great experience for her.  After the classes we stopped at the mall to eat and she and I got her prom dress.  Boy it is a good thing she is working and earning some money!!

The sun has come out and today Edgar is digging a hole in the front yard to add a small pond for the turtles.  We are ready to move them from the very noisy, gurgling, aquarium upstairs to their own environment outside--yeah!  Spring will officially be here in a week, but we are jumping the gun a few days.  Hope your week is a great one!

Child Like Faith

So Edgar is out of town again--this is the second trip this week, but that means business is good, so although we don't particularly like it, we appreciate the income.  This morning the kids and I all had to be up and out of the house before 8:00, which was a little challenging with the time change but we made it.  

We went in early because I had an appointment to do a baptism interview with a little boy.  When I met him and his mom I was struck by the fact that he was really little--I mean young, small, and short.  When I ask him how old he was and he said "five", my first thought was 'he is too young to understand this very important decision'.  Boy was I wrong!

This precious little guy told me the day and the time he asked Jesus to come live in his heart.  He then went on to describe, in his limited vocabulary, the concept of sin and how it applied to him.  When I asked him why he wanted to be baptized, he said, "because I sinned and Jesus died for me, and I want to make Him happy."  Wow, pretty good don't you think?  I looked at his mom who had been careful to keep her back to us so as to not influence his answers to my questions.   She said, "I know he is young, but he has been asking for months when he can be baptized, and we kept thinking about what Jesus said about child-like faith, so here we are."

This got me thinking  about the concept of 'making Him happy'.  I know what to do to make my kids happy, to make my husband happy, to even make my dog happy.  But making God happy is a big order.   I mean, He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, He doesn't need anything, and He already knows everything.  There is nothing I can do to make Him love me more, or less, than He already does because His love is perfect.  

I know that we can bring sacrifices to God which are pleasing, and the psalmist refers to mediating on His word in a manner that is pleasing to God.  I think it will be interesting to study the Bible and see how many things we can do to actually make God happy.  I want to live my life in a way that is pleasing to Him.  As we preparing to celebrate Easter many Christians choose to 'give up' some of their favorite things as a sacrifice; I would like to discover specific things I can actually do to 'make Him happy'.  If I am successful, I think both God and I will be blessed.  

Our First Soccer Game this Season

This morning was an historical occasion for us--Ryan played his first soccer game today without uncle Phillip being his coach--and he did it!  This is pretty significant for him and at the first practice I had to literally drag him onto the field and stand with him for about 5 minutes, so the fact that he willingly participated in the game was huge!  He remembered many of the skills he learned last year, thank you uncle Phillip for your leadership and patience, and he is improving!  He blocked a couple of goals from the opposing team and made two goals--one for his team and one for the other guys, but hey the ball went in the net!  Looking forward to a great season!! 

Okay someone please teach me how to add photos where I want them!!  The soccer picture is at the bottom of this page.

It's Gonna Get Messy

We have a local barbeque franchise whose tag line is: "It's gonna get messy" and the unspoken completion of that statement, is 'but it is so worth it.' I sometimes think that is the way it is on my journey of attempting to live my life as a fully devoted follower of Christ.  It can get messy.

In the second chapter of Mark we read the story of the four young men who were determined to get their paralyzed friend to Jesus.  When they could not get through to him, they undid the thatched roof and lowered him down to where Jesus was teaching.  I've studied this passage in Sunday school and heard many sermons about it, but they all focused on the determination of the friends and the mercy of Jesus to heal.  I read this again the other day and was struck by the thought of the roof.

I love to have company come over and I try to do my best to clean the house and make everything look presentable and comfortable for my guests.   My husband says he likes to have company because that's the only time I cook--which is not true!  I say I like to have his family come to visit so I can get some of the things on the 'honey do' list completed.  The kids usually moan when I mention guests because it means their rooms need to pass inspection.

 So I was thinking about the woman of this house.  Knowing that Jesus was coming over, I am sure she went to a lot of trouble to prepare for him.  Had I been in her place I am sure I would have been hysterical when those friends started tearing apart my roof!  Can you imagine the mess that would make, and she didn't even have a Dyson!  I am sure I would have done everything in my power to get those men to stop, and of course had I been successful I would have missed not only a  huge blessing, but I would have missed being an eye witness to a miracle.

I wonder how many blessings or miracles I have missed in my lifetime because I didn't want things to get messy.  I am comfortable with order and predictability.  I like to plan ahead and set short range and long range goals.  I need to remember that messes can be cleaned, and miracles sometimes come unexpectedly.  It sometimes is gonna get messy, but if God is in it, it will be so worth it!

Reflections

Sometimes I am so filled with gratitude I can hardly hold it in.  Today is one of those days.  The sun is shinning on a gorgeous, crisp, and clear Georgia day.  My precious little boy is in the back yard doing one of his favorite things--playing with his dog.  As I sit on the sofa in my bedroom, in a house this is far nicer than I ever thought I would own, I am grateful  Grateful for a fenced yard, grateful for a dog is lets her master tie her to a wagon and lead her all over the yard trying to convince her she really is a sled dog.  Grateful for a child who innocently plays in his imaginary world with seemingly not a care in the world.  Grateful for a husband who supports his family well and loves us despite all of our inadequacies.

And then there is our daughter.  I can hardly believe that she will soon be 17 years old and preparing for her senior year in high school.  She recently had pictures taken by a local photographer who made her some cards to distribute to her friends in school in hopes of acquiring more business.  One of the pictures was used in a magazine to advertise for the studio--she is stunning.  Of course I think so because she is mine, but several people who have seen the ad have called to tell me so; it is validated.  The pictures show her outward beauty; I am grateful to also know her inward beauty.  She is stunning because she has a contagious smile that can light up a room, and a heart as big as all outdoors.  But her love for others and her willingness to give of herself is what really makes her special.  Today I was so proud of her as I watched her go up on stage to pray for a sixth grade girl from the small group she co-leads at church who was baptized at our Family Birthday Celebration.  She is an amazing young woman that daughter of mine, and I am so grateful to be her mom.

Then there is our church.  I know there are many wonderful churches and I am not trying to suggest that ours is superior to any of them, but I am so grateful to worship with such an amazing group of people.   Today I was especially grateful for my 5th grade team.  We have two greeters who not only efficiently check in over 65 regular attenders each week, remembering most of them by name, but who also greet an average of 10 visitors each Sunday and make them feel welcome and safe.  I was also grateful for small group leaders who met with their students, engaged them in conversation, and opened the Bible and shared truth from their hearts.  It was an awesome day and I am so grateful to be a little part of that ministry.  Most of all today I was grateful for a small group leader who travelled many miles, at personal expense, to be there for the boy from his small group was baptized today--what commitment; I am awed at such dedication.

I guess most of all I am grateful for a loving, forgiving, and merciful Heavenly Father who loves me and showers me with incredible blessings.  I am grateful for His precious Word that gives meaning to my life and reminds me of all I have for which to be grateful.

I know there will be many days when I am frustrated by the many things in a day that make my life difficult, fail to meet my expectations, and generally tick me off.  But for right now, I am just feeling grateful--it's a great feeling!