So much of what we choose to do is based on what will I get out of it? We all live such busy lives and so we choose carefully what to be involved in. We want to make sure it benefits us or our family. As fall approaches and the busy season of school is starting up again, we are all weighing the importance of what things to give our limited time to. We need to do a priority check.
What are the reasons to choose one activity over another? How do we decide the benefits will be worth our time? Is it the pleasure it will give us? Will we or someone in our family learn from it? Is it an experience we want to try? Will it bring future benefits? Those are questions we ask ourselves, but what if we asked a different question?
What if we decided on our activities by something else entirely? What if our choices were made not to benefit us, but to benefit others? What would it be like if we prioritized our activities by how we served others? What if we weighed everything we did by how it would minister to someone else?
I wonder what benefits we and our family would receive with that kind of servant attitude. How many blessings would come our way? How many lives would touch us as we reached out to them? I can't even imagine the lessons we would learn.
I serve with a few volunteer groups and the lament is always that no one wants to help. We are always struggling to find more people willing to do something. While many believe in the cause, few will do the work. They are just too busy! And we all are, but are we busy with the right things?
Are all the things we are busy with for ourselves and not others? Who are we serving? Are we using our heart's passion to touch other lives? Are we intentional in doing that? Do we plan it? Or does it only happen when we have no choice, when we are pushed into the doing of service for others?
As I plan my fall, winter, year, I am reconsidering my priorities. Who am I reaching out to? Whose lives am I touching? Am I on the path God created me to walk on? Am I where I should be? Am I willing to go down a different path? When I am in that right place, my heart is filled with joy and that joy flows out to others.
Someone once told me many of our choices are between good things, even very good things, but we should choose those that are excellent. What is more excellent than serving others, seeing others with a God perspective? I want to strive for that.
Monday, August 19, 2013
Monday, August 12, 2013
I am a writer!
You know you are a writer when…
No. I am not published. So I am not an author…Maybe someday?
But I am a writer.
Because I have to be. I was created that way.
When others need to
call someone to express themselves over a hurt or to re-live a joy, I need a
pen and paper. I just have to write it.
That’s what makes me a writer. It’s how I vent. It’s how I find a smile again. It’s how I
think things through. It’s not enough to say it. I must write it.
I have multiple
notebooks full of my ramblings. They may never mean much to anyone else, but
they have helped me to keep my sanity. And sometimes my temper. I can rant and
never offend. I can lecture and not have someone be turned off by my passion. I
can get sentimental and weepy, and not embarrass myself or others. I can be silly
and imagine things I wouldn’t want to share.
Writing is an outlet
for my emotions, my thoughts, and my spirit. I can be fully me, unchecked. It
is my safety net, my Ebenezer, or memorial stone. Writing is a survival tool
for me. It is part of who I am. I am a writer.
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Health : Do we take it for granted?
Today my brother-in-law is having triple bypass surgery. I am praying this surgery is successful and really makes a difference in his quality of life. This isn't his first brush with mortality. He had an abdominal aneurysm and a brain aneurysm before. Both of these surgeries were very risky, too. He made it through both of them. We were thankful God preserved him and we are praying God will be with him in this surgery as well.
It makes me think though how often we take our good health for granted. Another relative had a heart attack last year and he is only a few months older than I am. I have a nephew whose 18 month old daughter is dealing with leukemia. We don't think about our health unless we or someone we know is sick.
How often do you thank God for your breath? We just breathe because it is a normal function of our body. When my father-in-law went through lung cancer and he struggled for each breath, I became more thankful for each breath I could take. When we have a cold or allergies, we may experience that discomfort to a small degree, but we can still breathe.
Our body is a magnificent creation with so many parts that all have to work together so we can live. God has created us so intricately and so wonderfully. We need to do our part to take care of ourselves. We often don't realize the harm we do to our bodies by not eating right or by not exercising or by doing something bad to it. We take it for granted until we are forced to pay attention to it.
As I age, I ache more when I do something out of the ordinary. My body doesn't respond like it used to, and yet, at times, I know I am more comfortable in it and worry less about it. God made me and I know "I am fearfully and wonderfully made" as the Psalmist says in Psalm 139. I rejoice in that and in my heart know I belong to Him who made me.
It makes me think though how often we take our good health for granted. Another relative had a heart attack last year and he is only a few months older than I am. I have a nephew whose 18 month old daughter is dealing with leukemia. We don't think about our health unless we or someone we know is sick.
How often do you thank God for your breath? We just breathe because it is a normal function of our body. When my father-in-law went through lung cancer and he struggled for each breath, I became more thankful for each breath I could take. When we have a cold or allergies, we may experience that discomfort to a small degree, but we can still breathe.
Our body is a magnificent creation with so many parts that all have to work together so we can live. God has created us so intricately and so wonderfully. We need to do our part to take care of ourselves. We often don't realize the harm we do to our bodies by not eating right or by not exercising or by doing something bad to it. We take it for granted until we are forced to pay attention to it.
As I age, I ache more when I do something out of the ordinary. My body doesn't respond like it used to, and yet, at times, I know I am more comfortable in it and worry less about it. God made me and I know "I am fearfully and wonderfully made" as the Psalmist says in Psalm 139. I rejoice in that and in my heart know I belong to Him who made me.
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Do children play outside?
When I was a child, I loved being outside. I couldn't wait to finish my chores so I could get out and play. I rode my bicycle, went to the playground, went to the beach, ran through sprinklers, and played with my friends. We played Annie, Annie, Over! We would get kids together and play football, kickball, tag, and hide and seek, plus other games. We went for walks. We camped out in our backyard. I had horses for a couple of years so I rode horse all the time during that time. It was hot. We didn't have air conditioning, but we survived. We didn't have any reason to be in the house. TV was reruns in the summer and we stayed out until it was dark out. I took my dog for walks. I went to the zoo. We had fun outside.
I know the world is a different place than it was. We don't allow our children to go so many places alone. Or at least I don't! But kids just don't play outside like they used to. I went to the Twin Cities last Sunday and as we traveled through some small towns and neighborhoods, I didn't see any kids outside in their yards playing. It was warm out so maybe they were inside enjoying their air conditioning. I only saw one boy riding a bike and then some at a carnival. I saw children out riding those rides. Are the kids inside with video games? Are they watching TV or DVD's? Maybe some were at a beach or on vacation? I actually saw more adults out walking, but no children.
Do we worry about childhood obesity more now because the kids aren't out playing? Why aren't they? What are they doing instead?
I haven't thought about it a lot because we live out in the country and we are blessed to have a place with a swing set, sandbox, and pool. We have room to run and play tag and hide and seek. We have a kids' playhouse. We encourage our children and grandchildren to go out and play. After a wet spring, we have had too many mosquitoes, and that has hampered our outside play some. But when we can be outside, we are. God's world is so incredible; we should enjoy it. Our summers are so short here; we need to make the most of them.
Do you and your children go out to play? What are your favorite activities outside?
I know the world is a different place than it was. We don't allow our children to go so many places alone. Or at least I don't! But kids just don't play outside like they used to. I went to the Twin Cities last Sunday and as we traveled through some small towns and neighborhoods, I didn't see any kids outside in their yards playing. It was warm out so maybe they were inside enjoying their air conditioning. I only saw one boy riding a bike and then some at a carnival. I saw children out riding those rides. Are the kids inside with video games? Are they watching TV or DVD's? Maybe some were at a beach or on vacation? I actually saw more adults out walking, but no children.
Do we worry about childhood obesity more now because the kids aren't out playing? Why aren't they? What are they doing instead?
I haven't thought about it a lot because we live out in the country and we are blessed to have a place with a swing set, sandbox, and pool. We have room to run and play tag and hide and seek. We have a kids' playhouse. We encourage our children and grandchildren to go out and play. After a wet spring, we have had too many mosquitoes, and that has hampered our outside play some. But when we can be outside, we are. God's world is so incredible; we should enjoy it. Our summers are so short here; we need to make the most of them.
Do you and your children go out to play? What are your favorite activities outside?
Monday, July 1, 2013
Summer Boredom? Never!
Recently someone commented on their kids being bored in the summer, almost wishing for school to fill their time. I couldn't relate. Bored rarely happens at my house. Sometimes there is a
restlessness when nothing in particular appeals at the moment... Or when something elusive is tugging at us to do or try something different. That restlessness often just means we need to get out of the house or we should do something new.
I don't understand being bored. There's never enough time to do all we want to do. Sometimes it's a matter of not being able to choose how to spend any extra time. Occasionally we choose to sit back and relax. We may appear bored, but ahh... to just do nothing is a blessing. We all need to refuel and rest, too.
How do we keep from being bored? First, we love to read. There is always a new book to fall into and explore. There are whole other worlds to be a part of. We can go to other time periods, places, and have experiences with people we would otherwise never meet! We like fiction, biographies, non-fiction, magazines, newspapers, blogs, Facebook...Did I mention we really like reading?
We also like to create. We sew, cook, bake, do crafts, garden some and more. We each have our own specialties and enjoy a variety of activities.
We also like to travel. We camp, visit historical sites, attend local festivals and fairs. We love seeing new places and people.
The outdoors are great to explore, too. We ride motorcycles, dirt bikes, and 4-wheelers. We hike and swim. We boat and go tubing behind it. We occasionally take out a canoe, a paddle boat, or sailboat. Sometimes we fish. The girls like to bicycle. The guys hunt. There is so much to enjoy outside!
Volunteering keeps us from being too me-centered so we look for ways to be involved in our community and church. We are also very politically involved. One of my daughters hopes to help with a local community project; another helped out at the library recently. We like to serve. We meet new people with common interests. It's a great way to use your time.
We also like to have company. Whether it's family or friends, our house is always opening itself to guests. We enjoy people so are blessed by those who come to visit.
Of course, we have the everyday chores to do, too. Laundry doesn't do itself nor do dishes wash themselves. We like to eat so meals must be cooked. The grass keeps growing and the dust multiplies. Our everyday work must happen, too, but we often share the tasks and that helps!
Ohh... We like to write, too! We blog, write in journals, FB, etc.. We play BOGGLE, Words With Friends, Scrabble, Bananagrams, and other word games. We like words.
Bored? Rarely! Indecisive about what to do? Sometimes! There's always something calling to us!
What about you? Do you get bored? How do you solve it?
restlessness when nothing in particular appeals at the moment... Or when something elusive is tugging at us to do or try something different. That restlessness often just means we need to get out of the house or we should do something new.
I don't understand being bored. There's never enough time to do all we want to do. Sometimes it's a matter of not being able to choose how to spend any extra time. Occasionally we choose to sit back and relax. We may appear bored, but ahh... to just do nothing is a blessing. We all need to refuel and rest, too.
How do we keep from being bored? First, we love to read. There is always a new book to fall into and explore. There are whole other worlds to be a part of. We can go to other time periods, places, and have experiences with people we would otherwise never meet! We like fiction, biographies, non-fiction, magazines, newspapers, blogs, Facebook...Did I mention we really like reading?
We also like to create. We sew, cook, bake, do crafts, garden some and more. We each have our own specialties and enjoy a variety of activities.
We also like to travel. We camp, visit historical sites, attend local festivals and fairs. We love seeing new places and people.
The outdoors are great to explore, too. We ride motorcycles, dirt bikes, and 4-wheelers. We hike and swim. We boat and go tubing behind it. We occasionally take out a canoe, a paddle boat, or sailboat. Sometimes we fish. The girls like to bicycle. The guys hunt. There is so much to enjoy outside!
Volunteering keeps us from being too me-centered so we look for ways to be involved in our community and church. We are also very politically involved. One of my daughters hopes to help with a local community project; another helped out at the library recently. We like to serve. We meet new people with common interests. It's a great way to use your time.
We also like to have company. Whether it's family or friends, our house is always opening itself to guests. We enjoy people so are blessed by those who come to visit.
Of course, we have the everyday chores to do, too. Laundry doesn't do itself nor do dishes wash themselves. We like to eat so meals must be cooked. The grass keeps growing and the dust multiplies. Our everyday work must happen, too, but we often share the tasks and that helps!
Ohh... We like to write, too! We blog, write in journals, FB, etc.. We play BOGGLE, Words With Friends, Scrabble, Bananagrams, and other word games. We like words.
Bored? Rarely! Indecisive about what to do? Sometimes! There's always something calling to us!
What about you? Do you get bored? How do you solve it?
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Where Are the Christian Young Men?
I sat in church on Sunday and people watched a bit. I also worshiped and listened to a very good sermon. But as I reflected on my whole experience and thought some more about the people, I thought about who I saw there. And who wasn't there. I started thinking about the young men I saw. One young man in front of me had long hair in a ponytail, and a headband. He was in shorts and looked as though he wasn't sure if he wanted to be there. His participation was minimal. I realize this could be misconstrued as judging, but really I am just recording my observations. A few rows up, there was a young man who was very much in worship mode, arms raised and singing every song. He had rapt attention for the pastor's words. He was with a group from a local drug rehab center. The first young man had grown up in the church; the second had come from a difficult past. One seemed bored; one seemed enraptured. I admit to taking some liberties here as I don't know either of the young men, just their current circumstances.
As I sat with my two daughters, I thought about which young man would make a better potential mate. I long for my daughters to marry someone someday who loves Jesus even more than they love my daughter. So if I were to choose from my observations, would I choose the guy who grew up in the church, but who didn't seem too excited about being there now? Or would I choose someone who is new to the faith, but on fire for now at least? I am glad I don't have to choose. I will instead pray for God to lead my daughters to the right man for her.
But back to my original question... Where have all the young men gone? As I looked around, I didn't see many at church that were unmarried, unattached, potential suitors for the young women I know. I know 4 young women in their early 30's who are Christian, professional women that are all single. Who will step up to the plate to court these young women? I know more that are 18-30. Many of these young women long for a godly relationship with a young man and eventually a marriage and life with him. Where are the guys? Why are they not actively seeking a wife?
This has long been a pet peeve of mine. Why aren't we raising young men that want to get married? Why don't they want to do it younger? My husband and I married when he was 18 and I was 21. My older son married when he was 25, but he would have liked to be married younger. It just didn't work out for him as he was deployed in the National Guard several times. My younger son married when he was 19. We don't believe in long engagements either. We raised our sons to take initiative, set goals, plan for the future, and plan for a family you can support. Is that odd? We wanted them to get married, and have children, even while they were young.
Now when we look around, we just don't see that for our daughters or their friends. Guys are so into furthering themselves, having a good time, experiencing life, that they are not ready for marriage, a wife, and children until much later. We are doing a disservice to our children, raising them to think of themselves when we should be preparing them to think of others first so a marriage will work. Where are the Christian young men? What are they thinking about marriage and their futures?
Some seem afraid, but why? Have we sent the wrong message to them? Have we given marriage a bad rap? Yes, some fail. But many thrive and the spouses have a better life than if they were single. I want good marriages for my children. I want them to have godly partners that will lift them up, will pray for them, and will love them. I know no marriage is perfect, but it can be a good, good life! Let's encourage our young men to find wives, to court our lovely young women , and to start families. We must model good marriages for them and show them the benefits of marriage. We must support them as they seek to figure out how to find their potential spouse. Churches need to figure out how to minister to the singles in their congregations. We need to find ways for these Christian singles to meet. I see so many of the Christian young women out there in the community, in the church. But where are the Christian young men?
As I sat with my two daughters, I thought about which young man would make a better potential mate. I long for my daughters to marry someone someday who loves Jesus even more than they love my daughter. So if I were to choose from my observations, would I choose the guy who grew up in the church, but who didn't seem too excited about being there now? Or would I choose someone who is new to the faith, but on fire for now at least? I am glad I don't have to choose. I will instead pray for God to lead my daughters to the right man for her.
But back to my original question... Where have all the young men gone? As I looked around, I didn't see many at church that were unmarried, unattached, potential suitors for the young women I know. I know 4 young women in their early 30's who are Christian, professional women that are all single. Who will step up to the plate to court these young women? I know more that are 18-30. Many of these young women long for a godly relationship with a young man and eventually a marriage and life with him. Where are the guys? Why are they not actively seeking a wife?
This has long been a pet peeve of mine. Why aren't we raising young men that want to get married? Why don't they want to do it younger? My husband and I married when he was 18 and I was 21. My older son married when he was 25, but he would have liked to be married younger. It just didn't work out for him as he was deployed in the National Guard several times. My younger son married when he was 19. We don't believe in long engagements either. We raised our sons to take initiative, set goals, plan for the future, and plan for a family you can support. Is that odd? We wanted them to get married, and have children, even while they were young.
Now when we look around, we just don't see that for our daughters or their friends. Guys are so into furthering themselves, having a good time, experiencing life, that they are not ready for marriage, a wife, and children until much later. We are doing a disservice to our children, raising them to think of themselves when we should be preparing them to think of others first so a marriage will work. Where are the Christian young men? What are they thinking about marriage and their futures?
Some seem afraid, but why? Have we sent the wrong message to them? Have we given marriage a bad rap? Yes, some fail. But many thrive and the spouses have a better life than if they were single. I want good marriages for my children. I want them to have godly partners that will lift them up, will pray for them, and will love them. I know no marriage is perfect, but it can be a good, good life! Let's encourage our young men to find wives, to court our lovely young women , and to start families. We must model good marriages for them and show them the benefits of marriage. We must support them as they seek to figure out how to find their potential spouse. Churches need to figure out how to minister to the singles in their congregations. We need to find ways for these Christian singles to meet. I see so many of the Christian young women out there in the community, in the church. But where are the Christian young men?
Friday, May 24, 2013
Vacation Tales
We just got home from a wonderful vacation! We made some great memories and have a bigger picture of our incredible country. Yet it wasn't perfect... I could choose to focus on what went wrong or what went well.
It started out well. My husband got home from work early and we had the car and camper mostly packed and ready to go. Our son was going to take care of pets so we were set. We were on the road, ready for an adventure.
Our first stop was going to be in Pennsylvania, at the Sights and Sounds Production of Noah in Lancaster. We were so excited to get to go to this. I had the tickets purchased and we were on a tight schedule to make it there. We had no extra time if we were going to get to it. We had over a thousand miles to travel. And while on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, our car just stopped. Oh, oh! Didn't I just say we had no extra time for anything?
We didn't know the area we were in. We didn't know the extent of damage to our engine. We didn't have all the tools we needed and we didn't know where to get parts. And it was starting to rain! Eventually a tow truck came and towed us to the nearest parts store. He dropped us in a parking lot across from the parts store. So we were in a town we had never been in; it was raining harder, and we were in a parking lot not too close to anything with no car to get anywhere else. My husband started looking at the car's engine and saw that the timing belt was ruined. Now if that is all it was, it was fixable. However if the timing got off before the car stopped, we could have ruined the engine. And it was about 4:00 on Friday. We were running out of time. Would we need to buy a different car to get home? Could this be fixed? My husband decided to go ahead and try to get the parts. They didn't have them. :-( My daughter started calling parts stores all over the area. None. But we could overnight them! So we did. That meant no play in Lancaster. It also meant spending the night in a parking lot with no bathroom in the rain. To say we were disappointed is an understatement.
We did make it through the night and we got the parts the next morning. It didn't stop raining so my husband did all the work in pouring cold rain. We had to buy tools, but not a different vehicle. The engine was not damaged. How we thanked the Lord for that! We were able to get on the road again!
Now we were really looking forward to going to the musical Noah and we didn't get to. The staff there did give us a gift card good for 2 years so maybe another trip will be in the plans. The shows are also in Branson. Even though we were beyond disappointed, we moved forward. We chose to be thankful that the car was running. We regrouped and realized we had time to visit Hershey, Pennsylvania! I have always wanted to. I love chocolate! What fun we had as we toured Chocolate World!
Our next stop was Gettysburg on Mother's Day. What a humbling place! To realize the lives that were lost there is a solemn remembrance of all it has taken to make our country what it is. Then we were on to Washington DC. First we went to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum and the American History Museum. There is so much to see! I loved the American History Museum, especially the war exhibit because it gave me so much perspective on the wars. We dropped off our daughter, Mandy, at a hotel for a conference and headed to our campground. There is a campground close to Washington DC. On the next day, we did almost all the monuments and had a tour of the Capitol. We also saw Union Station. On our last day there, we went to the Holocaust Museum. My heart and mind got all tangled up in there and the emotions filled me up so completely that it will take a long time to sort it all out. It is very well done. We also got to spend time with friends and have lunch with them. We saw the Federal Courthouse where our friend works and got to just chat a while with them. Next we went to Arlington Cemetery and saw the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. And then back to the campground.
Thursday we picked up Mandy and headed across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. We did have to get a new battery pack for the camper to keep our refrigerator running. One more expense we didn't plan on... We went to Assateague Island to camp, a favorite place of mine. We saw the wild ponies. Did you read Misty of Chincoteague? We ate at a seafood buffet in Ocean City that night for my late Mother's Day gift. It was hilarious to see my daughter pop a steamed shrimp in her mouth and then say, "Was I supposed to take something off this?" When we told her she was supposed to peel it, she spit it in her napkin! The next day we played in the Atlantic and picked up shells. We went again to Ocean City and walked the boardwalk. When we left the Island, we went south to Chincoteague. Remember the book? I really liked that book as a child! It started raining again, but we were in the car. Next we crossed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. What a cool experience! You go on a bridge and down through a tunnel and then up to another bridge and then down in a tunnel again and back up to a bridge again! We saw big ships go by while we were stopped at one of the top parts.
It kept raining. Setting up in a campground that could be potentially flooded didn't thrill us so we looked for a hotel. We got to swim in a pool and sleep in a bigger bed and have a nice long hot shower! The next day we headed to Williamsburg.
Colonial Williamsburg was like stepping back into history. It was so interesting. I loved the idea that we walked where George Washington and some of our earlier patriots walked. Seeing how they lived and worked made history so real. It was very special.
After we had walked and walked, we were ready to sit in the car a bit. We headed home, sorta! The girls and I were ready to ride, but my husband decided we would camp one more time. We headed to a campground in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It was raining again. Had it not been dark and raining, it might have been appreciated more. It was a beautiful place. We just didn't see it when we drove in.
In the morning we started for home via the mountain roads. It slowed us down some, but was glorious country. God has given us such a varied, beautiful country. As we traveled into the night, it started to storm. It wasn't just raining. It was threatening. There were tornado watches, severe thunderstorm warnings, possible hail... We listened to the weather radio, had our cell phones on the weather channel and prayed. We did end up pulling into a small town to wait it out for a while. It was scary and the adrenaline was flowing so when we started driving again, we were wide awake. We drove way into the morning, stopped at a rest stop for a few hours, and then drove home that day!
What a vacation! We all agreed it was one of the best. We had difficulties, spent money we didn't plan on, and missed one of the things we really wanted to see. It rained a lot, too. We could concentrate on what went wrong or we can see the blessings in it all. When our car broke down, we could have wrecked the whole engine. God's grace saw us through that. God protected us in the storm. He gave us patience and peace. We were able to do so much and see so much. We have much to be thankful for. God was with us. Take Him with when you vacation. He will give you the flexibility you need to get through whatever comes your way.
It started out well. My husband got home from work early and we had the car and camper mostly packed and ready to go. Our son was going to take care of pets so we were set. We were on the road, ready for an adventure.
Our first stop was going to be in Pennsylvania, at the Sights and Sounds Production of Noah in Lancaster. We were so excited to get to go to this. I had the tickets purchased and we were on a tight schedule to make it there. We had no extra time if we were going to get to it. We had over a thousand miles to travel. And while on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, our car just stopped. Oh, oh! Didn't I just say we had no extra time for anything?
We didn't know the area we were in. We didn't know the extent of damage to our engine. We didn't have all the tools we needed and we didn't know where to get parts. And it was starting to rain! Eventually a tow truck came and towed us to the nearest parts store. He dropped us in a parking lot across from the parts store. So we were in a town we had never been in; it was raining harder, and we were in a parking lot not too close to anything with no car to get anywhere else. My husband started looking at the car's engine and saw that the timing belt was ruined. Now if that is all it was, it was fixable. However if the timing got off before the car stopped, we could have ruined the engine. And it was about 4:00 on Friday. We were running out of time. Would we need to buy a different car to get home? Could this be fixed? My husband decided to go ahead and try to get the parts. They didn't have them. :-( My daughter started calling parts stores all over the area. None. But we could overnight them! So we did. That meant no play in Lancaster. It also meant spending the night in a parking lot with no bathroom in the rain. To say we were disappointed is an understatement.
We did make it through the night and we got the parts the next morning. It didn't stop raining so my husband did all the work in pouring cold rain. We had to buy tools, but not a different vehicle. The engine was not damaged. How we thanked the Lord for that! We were able to get on the road again!
Now we were really looking forward to going to the musical Noah and we didn't get to. The staff there did give us a gift card good for 2 years so maybe another trip will be in the plans. The shows are also in Branson. Even though we were beyond disappointed, we moved forward. We chose to be thankful that the car was running. We regrouped and realized we had time to visit Hershey, Pennsylvania! I have always wanted to. I love chocolate! What fun we had as we toured Chocolate World!
Our next stop was Gettysburg on Mother's Day. What a humbling place! To realize the lives that were lost there is a solemn remembrance of all it has taken to make our country what it is. Then we were on to Washington DC. First we went to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum and the American History Museum. There is so much to see! I loved the American History Museum, especially the war exhibit because it gave me so much perspective on the wars. We dropped off our daughter, Mandy, at a hotel for a conference and headed to our campground. There is a campground close to Washington DC. On the next day, we did almost all the monuments and had a tour of the Capitol. We also saw Union Station. On our last day there, we went to the Holocaust Museum. My heart and mind got all tangled up in there and the emotions filled me up so completely that it will take a long time to sort it all out. It is very well done. We also got to spend time with friends and have lunch with them. We saw the Federal Courthouse where our friend works and got to just chat a while with them. Next we went to Arlington Cemetery and saw the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. And then back to the campground.
Thursday we picked up Mandy and headed across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. We did have to get a new battery pack for the camper to keep our refrigerator running. One more expense we didn't plan on... We went to Assateague Island to camp, a favorite place of mine. We saw the wild ponies. Did you read Misty of Chincoteague? We ate at a seafood buffet in Ocean City that night for my late Mother's Day gift. It was hilarious to see my daughter pop a steamed shrimp in her mouth and then say, "Was I supposed to take something off this?" When we told her she was supposed to peel it, she spit it in her napkin! The next day we played in the Atlantic and picked up shells. We went again to Ocean City and walked the boardwalk. When we left the Island, we went south to Chincoteague. Remember the book? I really liked that book as a child! It started raining again, but we were in the car. Next we crossed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. What a cool experience! You go on a bridge and down through a tunnel and then up to another bridge and then down in a tunnel again and back up to a bridge again! We saw big ships go by while we were stopped at one of the top parts.
It kept raining. Setting up in a campground that could be potentially flooded didn't thrill us so we looked for a hotel. We got to swim in a pool and sleep in a bigger bed and have a nice long hot shower! The next day we headed to Williamsburg.
Colonial Williamsburg was like stepping back into history. It was so interesting. I loved the idea that we walked where George Washington and some of our earlier patriots walked. Seeing how they lived and worked made history so real. It was very special.
After we had walked and walked, we were ready to sit in the car a bit. We headed home, sorta! The girls and I were ready to ride, but my husband decided we would camp one more time. We headed to a campground in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It was raining again. Had it not been dark and raining, it might have been appreciated more. It was a beautiful place. We just didn't see it when we drove in.
In the morning we started for home via the mountain roads. It slowed us down some, but was glorious country. God has given us such a varied, beautiful country. As we traveled into the night, it started to storm. It wasn't just raining. It was threatening. There were tornado watches, severe thunderstorm warnings, possible hail... We listened to the weather radio, had our cell phones on the weather channel and prayed. We did end up pulling into a small town to wait it out for a while. It was scary and the adrenaline was flowing so when we started driving again, we were wide awake. We drove way into the morning, stopped at a rest stop for a few hours, and then drove home that day!
What a vacation! We all agreed it was one of the best. We had difficulties, spent money we didn't plan on, and missed one of the things we really wanted to see. It rained a lot, too. We could concentrate on what went wrong or we can see the blessings in it all. When our car broke down, we could have wrecked the whole engine. God's grace saw us through that. God protected us in the storm. He gave us patience and peace. We were able to do so much and see so much. We have much to be thankful for. God was with us. Take Him with when you vacation. He will give you the flexibility you need to get through whatever comes your way.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Choosing a Doctor
How do you choose a new doctor? It is one of my dilemmas in life. How do I trust another person who doesn't even know me to make medical decisions about my body, me?
I think we should have a way to interview the person who may be your next doctor. I want to know if they have similar values. Do they like to be zealous or laid back in their treatments? Are they totally honest in their assessments or do they just tell you the minimum? Will they respect my choices if they are different from theirs? Will they trust that I know my own body and listen to me? Will they let me ask questions? How much time will they take with me? Will they care if I do my research and know as much as I can?
Why do I have to go to a doctor first and pay for an appointment to someone I may not even like , nor want to treat me? I would like to have others' recommendations, but last time I did that the doctor I chose wasn't taking new patients. :-(
What kind of doctor should I choose? Do I need a family physician? Should I see a doctor specifically for women? Do I need to see an internist? What about a P.A.? Or a nurse practitioner or a midwife?
My insurance company has a say in it, too. They determine who gets paid, and thus, who I can see. Distance and availability may also play into it.
What am I to do? In almost all other areas, I am decisive. In this area, I don't know where to start. I need my annual exam as it isn't annual anymore. I missed last year. I know it's time, but what to do? How do I choose? How do you choose? I need help in this!
I think we should have a way to interview the person who may be your next doctor. I want to know if they have similar values. Do they like to be zealous or laid back in their treatments? Are they totally honest in their assessments or do they just tell you the minimum? Will they respect my choices if they are different from theirs? Will they trust that I know my own body and listen to me? Will they let me ask questions? How much time will they take with me? Will they care if I do my research and know as much as I can?
Why do I have to go to a doctor first and pay for an appointment to someone I may not even like , nor want to treat me? I would like to have others' recommendations, but last time I did that the doctor I chose wasn't taking new patients. :-(
What kind of doctor should I choose? Do I need a family physician? Should I see a doctor specifically for women? Do I need to see an internist? What about a P.A.? Or a nurse practitioner or a midwife?
My insurance company has a say in it, too. They determine who gets paid, and thus, who I can see. Distance and availability may also play into it.
What am I to do? In almost all other areas, I am decisive. In this area, I don't know where to start. I need my annual exam as it isn't annual anymore. I missed last year. I know it's time, but what to do? How do I choose? How do you choose? I need help in this!
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
What I Didn't Get for my Birthday!
1. I didn't get ignored! Many wishes came my way for a good day! My sons called or came over and my daughters-in law both called. I loved hearing "Happy birthday, Oma" from some of my grandchildren. I heard from one of my sons-in-law and a granddaughter, too.
2. I didn't get any cards in the mail, but I got FB messages and email messages galore! The post office didn't get any business from us because of it!
3. I didn't go out for supper, but we had all the ingredients for all my favorites at home! We had BBQ Ribs, Baked Sweet Potatoes, Fresh Asparagus, Cantaloupe, and Snickers Cake! It was delicious!
4. We didn't go out on a date. Instead I got The Hobbit Movie and we all watched it together.
5. I didn't have a big party, but my two youngest daughters and I had a nice lunch out.
6. I didn't get any particularly bad news. That's good, really!
7. I didn't get the warm weather I had hoped for. I do live in Minnesota and, at least, it didn't blizzard. It has on my birthday before.
8. I didn't get any sicker. I have had a cold for over 2 weeks and it is getting better. Yeah!
9. I didn't get any younger! That's OK! My dad always said any day above ground was a good one! I am alive and glad of it! I love life!
10. I didn't have to get up early. I didn't have to put down my book until it was finished. I didn't do school with my daughter(teacher's day off!) I didn't have to do the dishes. I was spoiled, treated with love and care, and made to feel special. Though there were a few disappointments, I knew joy and found much to be thankful for!
I received gifts that I asked for, but now am questioning the wisdom of asking for a bathroom scale and my favorite cake! I received both! So should I eat cake? Sure! It was my birthday. The scale can come out of the box next week!
2. I didn't get any cards in the mail, but I got FB messages and email messages galore! The post office didn't get any business from us because of it!
3. I didn't go out for supper, but we had all the ingredients for all my favorites at home! We had BBQ Ribs, Baked Sweet Potatoes, Fresh Asparagus, Cantaloupe, and Snickers Cake! It was delicious!
4. We didn't go out on a date. Instead I got The Hobbit Movie and we all watched it together.
5. I didn't have a big party, but my two youngest daughters and I had a nice lunch out.
6. I didn't get any particularly bad news. That's good, really!
7. I didn't get the warm weather I had hoped for. I do live in Minnesota and, at least, it didn't blizzard. It has on my birthday before.
8. I didn't get any sicker. I have had a cold for over 2 weeks and it is getting better. Yeah!
9. I didn't get any younger! That's OK! My dad always said any day above ground was a good one! I am alive and glad of it! I love life!
10. I didn't have to get up early. I didn't have to put down my book until it was finished. I didn't do school with my daughter(teacher's day off!) I didn't have to do the dishes. I was spoiled, treated with love and care, and made to feel special. Though there were a few disappointments, I knew joy and found much to be thankful for!
I received gifts that I asked for, but now am questioning the wisdom of asking for a bathroom scale and my favorite cake! I received both! So should I eat cake? Sure! It was my birthday. The scale can come out of the box next week!
Monday, March 4, 2013
My Homeschooling Journey
Homeschooling has become a way of life for us now and I can't imagine not doing it. But it wasn't always that way. I first heard of homeschooling while I was living in Maryland in 1984-1985. I heard about it on a radio program that Marlin Maddoux did in the afternoons. But since my only child at that time was only 3, I wasn't too serious about checking into it. I heard of Raymond Moore and his wife and eventually looked at their books and a few others I found at the library.
We moved back to Minnesota and when it was time for our oldest to go to school, we sent him to a small public school in a little town not far from where we lived. He went to kindergarten and first grade there and it was OK. I had a few issues, but not terrible ones. He rode the bus too long. He learned evolution and there were witches in the story books. Some of those things just didn't work with our Christian worldview. He also came home saying,"My teacher said..." and I would have to correct him and tell him we didn't always agree. I didn't like the conflict in authority. But the biggest thing was our schedule. My husband worked at a camp and we lived there, too. We worked long days in the summer and on weekends. Our weekend was Sunday noon until Tuesday noon. When we wanted to do something as a family, our son was in school. We took vacations during the scool year, too. He would have to get out of school to go with us.
I decided to try this thing called homeschooling for a year to see if it would work for us. I researched curriculum, the state's laws, and sent a letter to my school district to let them know what I was going to do. No one had ever done it in this small community so they asked me for a copy of the law! We moved in about two months so I had to let another school district know about it. They were not thrilled about it, but none of us were sure of our roles. We weathered the storms that came and figured it out a year at a time. The laws have changed a couple of times and so we have had to keep up to date on those. We had more children and adopted 2 older children that didn't speak English. There were many changes to adapt to. Curriculum choices have exploded and homeschool groups abound now.We have support in many different areas and people homeschool for many different reasons.
I started because I wanted more family time and more flexibility. But I have continued for so many other reasons. First of all, I am able to impart our Christian worldview to my children in every subject. We can pray together in school! i teach Creation science rather than evolution. We eat together, talk together, work together, and develop close relationships. I know my children well. They know me well. We share so much just by virtue of the amount of time we spend together. We get to travel together and try things that they would never get to do if they were in public school and on their schedule.
My children have had many opportunities to volunteer, to try new things, and to study what they love because I can individualize their studies to them. They have also taught me things I would never have learned on my own.
It has been a journey for us, but one I would do all over again. I got to teach them to read and write. I got to read to them and instill a love of books and learning in them. I was privileged to give them a foundation of faith. And I was honored to see them grow 'in the way the should go' as they each learned and used their gifts and talents. They each have experienced different things and have each gone into their own areas with enthusiasm and excellence.
Homeschooling was a surprise to me. I was just going to try it for a year, and then one more. I still am doing it 23 + years later and have years ahead as my youngest is in 6th grade. God has blessed me through it and it has definitely been one of the joys of my heart.
We moved back to Minnesota and when it was time for our oldest to go to school, we sent him to a small public school in a little town not far from where we lived. He went to kindergarten and first grade there and it was OK. I had a few issues, but not terrible ones. He rode the bus too long. He learned evolution and there were witches in the story books. Some of those things just didn't work with our Christian worldview. He also came home saying,"My teacher said..." and I would have to correct him and tell him we didn't always agree. I didn't like the conflict in authority. But the biggest thing was our schedule. My husband worked at a camp and we lived there, too. We worked long days in the summer and on weekends. Our weekend was Sunday noon until Tuesday noon. When we wanted to do something as a family, our son was in school. We took vacations during the scool year, too. He would have to get out of school to go with us.
I decided to try this thing called homeschooling for a year to see if it would work for us. I researched curriculum, the state's laws, and sent a letter to my school district to let them know what I was going to do. No one had ever done it in this small community so they asked me for a copy of the law! We moved in about two months so I had to let another school district know about it. They were not thrilled about it, but none of us were sure of our roles. We weathered the storms that came and figured it out a year at a time. The laws have changed a couple of times and so we have had to keep up to date on those. We had more children and adopted 2 older children that didn't speak English. There were many changes to adapt to. Curriculum choices have exploded and homeschool groups abound now.We have support in many different areas and people homeschool for many different reasons.
I started because I wanted more family time and more flexibility. But I have continued for so many other reasons. First of all, I am able to impart our Christian worldview to my children in every subject. We can pray together in school! i teach Creation science rather than evolution. We eat together, talk together, work together, and develop close relationships. I know my children well. They know me well. We share so much just by virtue of the amount of time we spend together. We get to travel together and try things that they would never get to do if they were in public school and on their schedule.
My children have had many opportunities to volunteer, to try new things, and to study what they love because I can individualize their studies to them. They have also taught me things I would never have learned on my own.
It has been a journey for us, but one I would do all over again. I got to teach them to read and write. I got to read to them and instill a love of books and learning in them. I was privileged to give them a foundation of faith. And I was honored to see them grow 'in the way the should go' as they each learned and used their gifts and talents. They each have experienced different things and have each gone into their own areas with enthusiasm and excellence.
Homeschooling was a surprise to me. I was just going to try it for a year, and then one more. I still am doing it 23 + years later and have years ahead as my youngest is in 6th grade. God has blessed me through it and it has definitely been one of the joys of my heart.
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