Eight years ago, I was busy getting ready for my wedding. I can't believe it's been eight years! Time flies.
We have mostly celebrated our anniversary. We spent the weekend together, just the two of us (well the dog was here, but she didn't interrupt much). Ian spent the weekend with his grandparents and had a great time. Today he was telling me that he missed them. He'll see grandma on Wed. I'm sure that will help.
We had planned to spend the weekend in Westport, but decided it cost too much. I'm really glad we stayed home. I have been so tired lately, I'm afraid it would not have been the best weekend to go away.
Colin surprised me with roses and a balloon (which Ian wanted of course) and a card. Ian started telling me "Happy Anniversary! Happy Anniversary!" I told him our anniversary is tomorrow. He said, " Happy Anniversary! Does that mean no school tomorrow?" Nice try, but we have school tomorrow. Silly boy.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Thursday, October 25, 2007
His Loving kindness
Last night I went to my Bible study, even though I was tired and I hadn't gotten my homework done. I really wanted to skip, but I didn't. I'm so glad I didn't. First, I was able to ask them to pray for me and whatever this weirdness is that's going on with me right now.
Second, while we were going over the Bible study lesson there were two great questions. The first one was what has happened in your life that if someone had told you would happen, you wouldn't have believed them. I have several of those. Surviving cancer, meeting my husband on the internet (ha! even the internet would have been unbelievable several years ago), moving away from Kansas and now owning a house. All those things seemed impossible, but God made them happen.
The second question was about where do you see God's loving kindness in your life directing you or leading you? Sort of God's hand in your life. That one I can look back at my family and marvel that I am here. On my dad's side there are three soldiers in three generations. My dad's grandpa was in WWI. My dad's dad (my grandfather) was a marine in WWII, he was a flamethrower (they didn't have a high life expectancy during that job) and my dad was a marine in Vietnam ( a machine gunner, they also had a very poor life expectancy during that job). So just on my dad's side three soldiers had to survive terrible wars for me to be here. That's pretty amazing.
I was thinking about the same thing for Ian's life and it's even more amazing. He has the same soldiers as me plus both Colin's grandfathers were in WWII and one was also in Korea. Then you have to add that I had to survive cancer and not go into menopause from the chemotherapy. Plus meeting his daddy over an internet connection.
I marvel that people can believe that life is random and just happens. I look at my life and my family history and I can see God guiding. Do you see His guidance over the steps of your life, too?
Second, while we were going over the Bible study lesson there were two great questions. The first one was what has happened in your life that if someone had told you would happen, you wouldn't have believed them. I have several of those. Surviving cancer, meeting my husband on the internet (ha! even the internet would have been unbelievable several years ago), moving away from Kansas and now owning a house. All those things seemed impossible, but God made them happen.
The second question was about where do you see God's loving kindness in your life directing you or leading you? Sort of God's hand in your life. That one I can look back at my family and marvel that I am here. On my dad's side there are three soldiers in three generations. My dad's grandpa was in WWI. My dad's dad (my grandfather) was a marine in WWII, he was a flamethrower (they didn't have a high life expectancy during that job) and my dad was a marine in Vietnam ( a machine gunner, they also had a very poor life expectancy during that job). So just on my dad's side three soldiers had to survive terrible wars for me to be here. That's pretty amazing.
I was thinking about the same thing for Ian's life and it's even more amazing. He has the same soldiers as me plus both Colin's grandfathers were in WWII and one was also in Korea. Then you have to add that I had to survive cancer and not go into menopause from the chemotherapy. Plus meeting his daddy over an internet connection.
I marvel that people can believe that life is random and just happens. I look at my life and my family history and I can see God guiding. Do you see His guidance over the steps of your life, too?
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Bummer
I haven't written much lately. I've been sort of bummed, I guess. Recently I have started shedding, a lot. It's probably my thyroid, which I'm having checked today. Anytime I start shedding hair in small handfuls, it worries me. That was one of the very few symptoms I had before I found out that I had Hodgkin's.
I'm trusting God, but I'm just a bit nervous. I don't suppose that it really helped that on Monday Ian's devotion was about dying and then I watched Oprah, which I almost never do. Can you guess the topic? Death and dying. It was a good episode, but perhaps not the best choice to watch when I'm feeling uneasy about my health.
I am glad that I am getting my thyroid checked out today. The last time I shed like this, my thyroid was way out of whack. I think it might be again. I know I'm really tired and somewhat moody and I was then, too.
Please pray for me that I find out what is making me shed and feel weird and that it's something easily remedied.
I'm trusting God, but I'm just a bit nervous. I don't suppose that it really helped that on Monday Ian's devotion was about dying and then I watched Oprah, which I almost never do. Can you guess the topic? Death and dying. It was a good episode, but perhaps not the best choice to watch when I'm feeling uneasy about my health.
I am glad that I am getting my thyroid checked out today. The last time I shed like this, my thyroid was way out of whack. I think it might be again. I know I'm really tired and somewhat moody and I was then, too.
Please pray for me that I find out what is making me shed and feel weird and that it's something easily remedied.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Scrapbooking Crop
Saturday I went to a scrapbooking crop. It was at a local high school (a fundraiser for its FBLA club). It started at 1 and got over at 9. I had so much fun. I didn't accomplish a whole lot, I never do at crops, I talk too much! I did do a layout of Ian's soccer pictures and started on his t-ball pictures. I got the story of Colin's 30th birthday party written down and added to that layout. I also got to do a couple of cards that were "make and takes" from a couple of scrapbook companies.
Mostly, I got to talk and talk. Uninterrupted thoughts. Nobody wanting me to 'do this or do that' for them. No crisis. Just pure fun. I haven't gone to a crop in probably three years. I didn't realize just how much I missed it. I can't wait until they have the next one. Sign me up now!
Mostly, I got to talk and talk. Uninterrupted thoughts. Nobody wanting me to 'do this or do that' for them. No crisis. Just pure fun. I haven't gone to a crop in probably three years. I didn't realize just how much I missed it. I can't wait until they have the next one. Sign me up now!
Friday, October 19, 2007
Our First Field Trip
We went on our first field trip with our homeschool group yesterday. We went to Lattin's Cider Mill. We had apple cider and apple cider donuts. There were 40 kids and their parents, so it was a good sized group. The lady from the cider mill was trying to tell us stuff through a bullhorn while they were passing out cider and donuts. Everyone was reasonably quiet, but she still ended sounding like Charlie Brown teacher half the time. Do you remember what his teacher sounded like to him? Wah wah wa wa wah.
After the yummies we got to feed the animals and then we rode on a hayride to the pumpkins. Ian picked out a very nice pumpkin. After the pumpkin patch we went into their little store and bought some very delicious apple cider.
I took some pictures. If I have some good ones, I'll try to post them soon!
After the yummies we got to feed the animals and then we rode on a hayride to the pumpkins. Ian picked out a very nice pumpkin. After the pumpkin patch we went into their little store and bought some very delicious apple cider.
I took some pictures. If I have some good ones, I'll try to post them soon!
Thursday, October 18, 2007
The Not So Scary Boys
Tonight was friend night at Awana for Ian. We have a hard time finding friends for Ian to invite. Every time we invite a new friend, they end up joining Awana, meaning we have lost them as a guest forever! I'm happy that they like Awana and that they want to go, but it can make life challenging on the friend seeking department.
Part of the problem is that we live so far away from where we go to Awana, about 45- 50 min. I don't really feel comfortable inviting kids in our little town that we have just met to go that far away from their parents. Plus, I'm sure their parents would be a little leery about that, too.
So I racked my brain trying to think who we could invite to Awana. I came up with a slightly unusual choice. My friend Kim's two boys. The reason I say unusual is that the last few times we were at their house, Ian had a definite thing about those boys. He wouldn't play with them, he wouldn't listen to them if they wanted to play and he hid from them. I asked him if they had been mean to him, but they hadn't, he just didn't know them well enough to feel comfortable around them. This afternoon he thought that he might have felt uncomfortable because they had grown so much since he last remembered playing with them.
Ian was at least comfortable with inviting them (after a little coaxing), and so this evening we went to their house and picked them up to go to Awana. We took them to Pizza Hut for dinner, which all three boys loved, and then we took them to Awana.
Silly Ian. He has gotten over his thing about those boys. On the way home he told me he missed them! I guess they weren't so scary after all.
Part of the problem is that we live so far away from where we go to Awana, about 45- 50 min. I don't really feel comfortable inviting kids in our little town that we have just met to go that far away from their parents. Plus, I'm sure their parents would be a little leery about that, too.
So I racked my brain trying to think who we could invite to Awana. I came up with a slightly unusual choice. My friend Kim's two boys. The reason I say unusual is that the last few times we were at their house, Ian had a definite thing about those boys. He wouldn't play with them, he wouldn't listen to them if they wanted to play and he hid from them. I asked him if they had been mean to him, but they hadn't, he just didn't know them well enough to feel comfortable around them. This afternoon he thought that he might have felt uncomfortable because they had grown so much since he last remembered playing with them.
Ian was at least comfortable with inviting them (after a little coaxing), and so this evening we went to their house and picked them up to go to Awana. We took them to Pizza Hut for dinner, which all three boys loved, and then we took them to Awana.
Silly Ian. He has gotten over his thing about those boys. On the way home he told me he missed them! I guess they weren't so scary after all.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
The Last Order
Well, I have submitted my last order to At Home America. I haven't told them yet, but I am ready to be done. I love their products, but not their quality control. I only had about 5 or 6 parties, but I've probably done close to 20 exchanges. Too frustrating. Plus, I just don't have the time needed to do the parties and shows.
I think God must agree with me, because He really convinced me with this last party. It had problems with closing it. I just closed it today, 10 days after the party!
So, farewell At Home America. Hello to staying at my home!
I think God must agree with me, because He really convinced me with this last party. It had problems with closing it. I just closed it today, 10 days after the party!
So, farewell At Home America. Hello to staying at my home!
Sunday, October 14, 2007
The Paperweight Roars To Life
We have had a rather large paperweight sitting outside our home for the past ten months. It has sat there as a testament to my husband's procrastination. If you saw our paperweight you might have called it a van. I called it a paperweight because it would not move.
It all started last December. Colin's 1989 van decided to stop running. He figured it was the starter. I figured he would fix it. We were both right, only it took ten months for him to get to it. I asked him why it took so long. He told me he was waiting for a sunny day. Now I know it's cloudy and rainy out here quite a bit, but rest assured, yesterday was not the first sunny day that we've had since December. It was at least the third or fourth sunny day since December. Just kidding!! You mid-westerners will just have to trust me on that one!
Well, to fix the van, Colin had borrowed some ramps to get the van up on. He asked me to help push the van up there. That didn't work, so he found a neighbor to help. That didn't work and then a neighbor was driving by and offered to help. That worked too well. Colin thought that the van would "settle in" once it got up to the top and just stop on its own. Wrong. He also didn't think to say put on the brake (I was steering the van). The van finally made it to the top of the ramp and went right over making the van high center on the ramps. Then Colin did what I had suggested might be easier about 45 minutes before the ramp episode, he went and got a jack and some blocks or something like that. He put in a new starter and the paperweight roared to life. Hooray!
You know, Nick at Nite has recently started airing reruns of Home Improvement. The ramp fiasco sure looks like it could have come straight from that show. I think Colin has been watching it too much and it rubbed off!
It all started last December. Colin's 1989 van decided to stop running. He figured it was the starter. I figured he would fix it. We were both right, only it took ten months for him to get to it. I asked him why it took so long. He told me he was waiting for a sunny day. Now I know it's cloudy and rainy out here quite a bit, but rest assured, yesterday was not the first sunny day that we've had since December. It was at least the third or fourth sunny day since December. Just kidding!! You mid-westerners will just have to trust me on that one!
Well, to fix the van, Colin had borrowed some ramps to get the van up on. He asked me to help push the van up there. That didn't work, so he found a neighbor to help. That didn't work and then a neighbor was driving by and offered to help. That worked too well. Colin thought that the van would "settle in" once it got up to the top and just stop on its own. Wrong. He also didn't think to say put on the brake (I was steering the van). The van finally made it to the top of the ramp and went right over making the van high center on the ramps. Then Colin did what I had suggested might be easier about 45 minutes before the ramp episode, he went and got a jack and some blocks or something like that. He put in a new starter and the paperweight roared to life. Hooray!
You know, Nick at Nite has recently started airing reruns of Home Improvement. The ramp fiasco sure looks like it could have come straight from that show. I think Colin has been watching it too much and it rubbed off!
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
The Field Trip
As if I wasn't busy enough, I decided to coordinate a field trip for our homeschool group. We are going to ride on a train to Seattle, find a place to have lunch and get to the Seattle Aquarium. Sounds like fun, huh? I have to keep reminding myself that it will be fun, there is so much to coordinate!!
First of all, it's a lot of people to coordinate. 70 people can go. Then there are the people who sign up and then change their mind after you've locked in with Amtrak. Amtrak picked our back-up date so that means coordinating again with the aquarium, who is hard to get hold of. I know in the end it will be worth it, we will have a field trip to remember, but right now it is a lot of WORK!!!!
First of all, it's a lot of people to coordinate. 70 people can go. Then there are the people who sign up and then change their mind after you've locked in with Amtrak. Amtrak picked our back-up date so that means coordinating again with the aquarium, who is hard to get hold of. I know in the end it will be worth it, we will have a field trip to remember, but right now it is a lot of WORK!!!!
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Be Still
Be still and know that I am God.
Have you heard that verse? I know I've heard it many times. I've heard sermons on it. Be still. I have a problem with that. Being still. I try, I really do, but I am a 'sign me up, that sounds like fun' kind of girl. So what do I do? Instead of being still, I send myself in a million different directions thinking it will be wonderful. It is wonderful as I start in one direction, but then I add in all the other and suddenly I am reminded that I can't do everything. Honestly, that should be my motto when I'm thinking about signing up for something new...I can't do everything, I can't do everything, I can't do everything. When I try to do everything, I get lost. My mind can't hold all the details because there are so many. I get bogged down in the process of being that I forget to be still and to really listen to God.
There's a good reason the verse doesn't say 'hurry up and know I am God' or 'pause for a minute or two and know I am God'. You can't get to know someone that way. Maybe you've tried. Have you met someone before and thought 'I'd like to know them better' ?
Did you spend a minute every other week or two getting to know them or did it take time together to really get to know them?? I know for me, it takes time to get to know someone.
So while I am busy with all these great things that I signed up to do (mostly for Ian), I am losing precious time. Time to be still. Right now, I thirst for that. Thankfully, it isn't too far away. The overscheduled schedule is starting to clear. It won't be long until it's easier to breathe, to think, to be still.
How about you? Have you ever been still enough for God to reach you? For you to know He is God? The Bible says we have no excuse not to know Him, His handiwork is everywhere around us. Be still and know that He is God.
Have you heard that verse? I know I've heard it many times. I've heard sermons on it. Be still. I have a problem with that. Being still. I try, I really do, but I am a 'sign me up, that sounds like fun' kind of girl. So what do I do? Instead of being still, I send myself in a million different directions thinking it will be wonderful. It is wonderful as I start in one direction, but then I add in all the other and suddenly I am reminded that I can't do everything. Honestly, that should be my motto when I'm thinking about signing up for something new...I can't do everything, I can't do everything, I can't do everything. When I try to do everything, I get lost. My mind can't hold all the details because there are so many. I get bogged down in the process of being that I forget to be still and to really listen to God.
There's a good reason the verse doesn't say 'hurry up and know I am God' or 'pause for a minute or two and know I am God'. You can't get to know someone that way. Maybe you've tried. Have you met someone before and thought 'I'd like to know them better' ?
Did you spend a minute every other week or two getting to know them or did it take time together to really get to know them?? I know for me, it takes time to get to know someone.
So while I am busy with all these great things that I signed up to do (mostly for Ian), I am losing precious time. Time to be still. Right now, I thirst for that. Thankfully, it isn't too far away. The overscheduled schedule is starting to clear. It won't be long until it's easier to breathe, to think, to be still.
How about you? Have you ever been still enough for God to reach you? For you to know He is God? The Bible says we have no excuse not to know Him, His handiwork is everywhere around us. Be still and know that He is God.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
