Love After Marriage

Really?  After?  YES!

We have been blessed since March of 2013, when we participated in Love After Marriage for the first time.  Since that time we've attended three times, attended leader training, facilitated three DVD workshops and can't wait to do more.  What is different about this marriage program?  One word.  Authenticity.  Here's two more.  Nothing Hidden.  It's really that simple, and yet hard.  It is really hard for us to shake off the limitations we put on ourselves through shame and fear.  Will anyone still like me if they knew the "real" me?  Surely not.  The answer is pretty surprising when you try it.  For real. Check out the personal stories (or testimonies) on their website.  www.nothinghidden.com

Here I am....again?

 Here I am, again.  I don't really know why I am here.  Some of the reasons I'm here are the same reasons I've been gone for nearly four years.  Yes, I've been busy.  Yes, I've been needing to write.  So I am going to start again.  Here.  Ready. Set.... naw.  I can't do it.  What am I thinking?  If I start writing again, then I will HAVE to keep it up, and I really don't want something else to add to my already overwhelmed to-do lists.  Poor lists!

There's really no NEED for another blogger.  The internet is already overSTUFFED with them.  Some can write, and some...well, they have nice links. :-)
I can't tell you how many times I've read a post that I thought...they could write this in fewer words or at LEAST SPELL THE WORDS CORRECTLY! (I did really shout that, didn't I?) Or grammar! Stop. The world doesn't need another armchair critic.  At least they are putting themselves out there, right?  Me, I'm scanning the Facebook feed to see what I'm missing out on in life.  Really.  I rarely read any other blogs, because I'm not looking to see the "church face" that people want to display.  You know what a church face is? Right?!  That face that says "I'm ok, so don't ask" :-)  Yeah, tell me how you're making perfectly formed and photographed dishes or crafts while your kids are screaming and dirty and just want a minute of love and attention.  Yeah, I do it too.  My kids know it takes awhile to get Mom away from the screen sometimes. Whether it's Facebook, Kindle Book, or QuickBooks.  It sucks you  into it's web.  The Matrix, I like to call it.  Welcome to the Matrix.  In here you don't know where you are or who you are, really...or do you? 

Value

WE hold these truths to be self-evident...

In a country that barely reminds me anymore of these lofty words, it stirs my heart to read them again. It so much feels like today that our attitude is much different. What can I get for nothing? How can I get out of working and still live? Of course I fight these feelings daily myself (and might be the reason I am blogging now, and not working...ahem...but I digress).

She may be 235 years old, and we may have become so accustomed to freedom that we take it for granted. I am certain, however, that this is the best deal on the planet.

We gathered together on Independence Day to hear the Declaration of Independence read aloud on the courthouse steps. Fine words. What passed through my mind was the gravity of the meaning of this document. Pledging, "our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor" to this cause, 56 men solemnly vowed. For decades, and even centuries since, people from all walks of life have invested the same, for the future of this country. It is only because of those willing to sacrifice, those willing to lay down their own comfort for the benefit of the rest, that I am able to enjoy the freedoms I do today.

I salute them.

God Bless America.

"...The best day of my life! "

The first day of Fresh Air started out slow. THIS time, I had arrived on the bus with the kids, too! THIS time we had two children come for a visit. D, our favorite girl, and J our first boy in years! So it took awhile for the mama to get herself caught up on life. Particularly since we didn't get home until just before sunset.

Of course we were out of waffles and pancakes, so we pulled out the irons...
























...and made waffles! (I tripled the batch, so hopefully there will be enough to last a day or two)


















But the children found ways to entertain themselves...

a snake....


















....a moth























Then I remembered Grand Caverns was having a special discount for Library Card holders under 18.
So we packed up and went!

Photos in the museum...

Then home for a late supper, and a brushfire,
(thanks to my life scout)
and bonfire...with the requisite s'mores....

Sitting on the patio my new visitor exclaimed "This is the best day of my life, ever!"

I guess it turned out all right ...

It's up to you, New York, New York! ....

I just returned from New York. My 5th visit. Ever. First was the summer of 85 with a church sponsored high school youth conference. We were there to tour the UN. Right.
Most of what I remember can be summed up as such:

• Seeing the Statue of Liberty from a distance as she was completely covered in scaffolding.
• Sweeny Todd at the NY State Opera house
• The Tap Dance Kid on Broadway
• Getting lost in a smaller group, in the middle of the wholesale district.
• Going to the top of the World Trade Towers right before sunset and staying until dark. (...ah..ma...zing...)
  
• People of New York were rude and hated tourists. We tried our best to "fit in" and go as undetected as possible (in our tour group ...lol) I learned all kinds of tricks to blend in..

• The subway was dirty, full of graffitti, and scary...(and they REALLY hated tourists!)

I've made several more visits. Each one was nice in its own way, and full of sights and sounds and culture of Urban America. Nice. This time was a bit different. One of my traveling companions had never been to the city before. (how fun!) Rather than attempt any of the "normal" tourist spots, she had two pages of information from a friend who had recently relocated from NYC. And they both had an interest in food. So it was full of "if you go to this area, this is what you should do".... for apparently every borough of the big apple! Since the rest of us had been before, and had no real agenda, we agreed to try out as much of this list as possible! And it was fun.

It included two of my downfalls. Bakeries and Cheese.

It also took us to places off the well-traveled streets of midtown surrounding Times Square and into some of the more residential areas and shops. What fun. Glad I wore my walking shoes!

We also took the subway. A. Lot. Wow. I can say that much has changed, thanks to Giuliani and 9-11. Everything was much cleaner. Gone was the graffiti and grime. People were much more pleasant, and honestly, friendly. More than once we stopped to check our maps or the one located at the station, or on the train. Many, many times people would come UP TO US and ask if they could help us at all. Sometimes I really felt like saying "no" because I wanted to figure it out myself...but my desire to get there quickly and accurately won out each time.

I love cheese. Especially real aged cheese. Ohhhhh.... And of course we were told exactly where to go. And she was so right! In my promise to keep posts short, I'll tell about this later. (I end up skimming when posts are too long... good writing is not always about length... and I love succinct writing. That is another soapbox I won't get on today. )

One thing I have missed, I have not been to Ground Zero for a few years. I had been photographing the changes during each visit, but twice this year I chose not to go. I wish I had, now. In my scrapbook from HS is the brochure from our visit to the twin towers. (I didn't have a camera then, and usually bought postcards and saved brochures, etc. ) The slogan on the brochure was this:

The closest some of us will ever get to heaven......

Interesting, huh...?

The first year I went after 9-11 (summer of '02 or '03 I think) the site had a "hallowed ground" sense to it. There was a tangible hush and a feeling of awe and mourning laid heavily on each person present. I wept and took photos and video of the site (heavily covered with fencing) and the remembrances and memorials placed everywhere. It was heartbreaking.

The next time I went, there were more permanent memorials, and activity had begun to occur deep within the hole that was left. Although still sacred, hope was starting to beat in the heart of New York.

I wonder what I would have thought this year? I will look next time.

Believe it .... or Not.

Believe it or not, here I am. Writing has been placed upon my heart again, not because I missed it terribly, but because it won't leave me alone. :) Again and again, the ideas come, and yet, if I try hard enough, I can suppress them for awhile...but like bad eggs, no matter how many times you push them below the surface, they continue to return as soon as you turn away.

So I'm here again.

No fanfare. No hype. And no promises. MAYBE I will be baaack. Maybe not. Only God can see into the future clearly. But I will try. Again.

Some of my hesitation has been that so much has happened over the time period of missing posts, and I feel I should write chronologically. So I officially give myself grace for that. I will not force myself to go back, but if you have a question, or something doesn't make sense, please send me a comment, and I will be happy to fill in the blanks.


And so, with hesitation and shaky hands, here we go.....

Better not run!

The story of Jonah from Corinth Baptist Church on Vimeo.

Logan, the Sky Angel Cowboy

Some Days....

Some days.....
I despise the internet
And gadgets....
Like today.

Other days
I don't mind so much
There is usefulness
and fun.

Some days
I even LoVe it
In a geeky
Sort of way.

When I can connect
With friends and
FaMiLy from my chair
It is great.

When it provides me with
Information and
Keeps me from
Isolation.

It is good.

When it keeps me up
Querulously
Until 3 am
And I give up.

It is bad.

Oh Dear God
In heaven.
Please help me.
Amen.

Your kid's an All Star? Wow! Someday he'll be average like the rest of us.

Your kid's an All Star? Wow! Someday he'll be average like the rest of us.

Mountains

Ok. I don't know where to write this down. But I feel the need to do it. I may never hit "post", and I may just copy it down whenever I have time to dig out a journal, but for now it is burning in me. I have been looking in all the wrong places lately. I had lost my focus. I don't think you could always tell it, but I had. I was worshiping in my car to some Robin Mark memories and it hit me again.

The same word that the Lord keeps speaking to me.

Let me back up, maybe. I had become heartsick. (Proverbs 13:12) My hope had been deferred. Or had it? Was it just my own selfishness and impatience that had driven me down that road? Hadn't God himself still been faithful to me during all the time I was thinking I had been deferred? Of course! In my faithlessness, He had still remained faithful! So what was the difference? I had easily been distracted from my true source of life. In praying and meditating on the concerns of some friends, I had a breakthrough. ("if you have faith and do not doubt, you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. ")

And then I realized. It was my breakthrough too!

So I am still driving in the car and I see the corner of a piece of paper sticking out from my visor. I kinda know what it is, I mean, I wrote it down and put it there, and have read it dozens of times, but I am not sure. (did I tell you I have a mind like a sieve) So I pull it out and it is this

Matt 21:21, 22 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

Yep. ~ Then I realize that the truth is that I have not been speaking to my mountains either. I have been allowing myself to soak in the mud much too long. (Psalm 40:2)

Let me explain it this way. I heard a story about a young man who never knew his birth father. His mother never spoke of him, and refused contact. Years later, his wife thinks it wise to search out his heritage. She finds out that not only does his father exist, but he has made numerous attempts to contact his former sweetheart and son. And if that isn't news enough, she finds out that the father is royalty. Thus the son is now royalty (or has been all along, he just didn't know it) But it gets better. For 32 years, whenever there was a family meal, a portion of the food has been set aside for him. (this unknown son)
Neat story, huh?

The deeper truth of the story is that we ALL are royalty. That God Himself has called us His children. Not his slaves, not his servants, not even just his creation... but his SONS and DAUGHTERS.

So there are millions of us roaming this planet of ours as orphans. We are Children of the Most High God, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and yet.... we don't know it. Some tag them "the lost", some "the unsaved","the pre-saved" etc, etc. But one thing is certain, they are heirs to a great kingdom, unaware.

But what about those who know their true heritage? What about those of us who know we are sons and daughters, and yet live as if we are still orphans? Have we forgotten? Believed lies about our true claim to the inheritance? We have written and spoken assurances, but somehow we think ...what? That we are not really in the will? Somehow, we reason, there is more that is needed to assure our place, to prove our worthiness, claim our destiny. But it is a l~i~e.

Which is why I needed that verse today. Sometimes I just need to speak it to my "self". I need to tell my "self"of its destiny. (1Corinthians 2:9) Of its inheritance. (1Peter 1:4) Of its place. (Matt 5:13) Of its power(John 14:12). Of its i.d.e.n.t.i.t.y. (John 1:12).

For Laughs...

"Homeschool dads - Do you ever get confused with some your wife's proclamations when you come home from work? Matt Binz, Mr. HomeScholar, is here to help!"

Here's what I am wrestling with today..

ARTICLE: Are You Sure You Know - Matt Chambers | Catalyst

Chicken update

This spring we had baby chicks of our own! It certainly was a learning experience for us all, and we had a bit of a hard time figuring out HOW we were going to do it, when the wheels were already set into motion. We first realized what was happening when one of our hens decided to "go broody" and set on her clutch of eggs. So, we thought, ok! Why not let her! But as time went on, the nest of eggs grew in number, as her roost-mates began laying their eggs in her nest as well!
Then we had to decide whether we were going to go "natural" and let her raise them herself, or raise them in a more "commercial" manner as we were accustomed to. I preferred to go the natural route, but apparently we had already shot ourselves in the foot somewhat because by this time she had a pretty big clutch and some of the eggs had begun to hatch, while others would take weeks to eventually hatch. We learned a LOT about life (and death), and in the end enjoyed seeing TWO of our hens cluck around the yard with their chicks wobbling along behind them.

Friends

Some pictures tell a story....like this one....

While I was taking them, I imagined their "conversation"....

Uh-oh... I think I've been spied!
Yep! I believe so!




Well, at least I am not THAT interesting!






Whoops! I've been caught!

Drive Hard

I have adjusted to three new Hard Drives since mid-January.... I don't even know how to say it. Ugh. Technology can be so much fun, but it, too, comes at a cost. On the bright side, I could tell you, (through trial and error) what is the best way to transfer your "stuff" from one to another!

OH. And if you haven't gotten the backup "religion". Please do. I highly recommend Carbonite!

If you want a referral, for an extended free trial, I can send it to your email address.

I know, I know....you are just dying to find out! ;-)

Facebook Failure

YEP. it is true. I have been sucked down into the vortex that is Facebook. I have reconnected with friends and acquaintances from High School, gotten to know people in my own church better, had fun being silly and (yes) playing Scrabble.

But Facebook is to a telephone call, as Blogging is to journaling. Both are good. One should not supersede the other. Right. I'll keep trying...

So sorry, the reasons I started blogging have not changed, nor has Facebook fulfilled them (other than in posting photos online), so I will persevere.

Working on 5 for 5

I'm not sure I can keep this up, but for today I'll try. We've been planning all week to go camping this weekend. We are planning a family trip in June to the Grand Canyon (and places in between).
Twenty years ago we visited the canyon, while living in Clovis, New Mexico. When we left in 1990, we wondered if we would one day return. Maybe bring our family. We hoped so.

Last year we purchased a used camping trailer on eBay for this purpose. We "practiced" last summer, learning how to camp. The learning "curve" was greatest for me! I had no prior experience. But I like it.

So it was announced that we should take the camper out of winter storage and test it before the big trip. And the only weekend that would work well was THIS weekend. Great! Fun! Whoo hoo!

Ummm....but
the weather isn't cooperating.
So now I wait, and plan, and wonder, man.... I hate being the adult!
I still feel like the kid! I don't want to cancel the trip...I don't want to be disappointed...but what will a weekend be like cramped in a tiny camper trying to avoid the rain? Damp and cold. Brrr!

So I'm hovering over the weather forecasts.....and waiting......

Birthday

Last Saturday was my birthday. My daughter made me an awesome birthday cake, all on her own. Isn't it beautiful?? I had a lovely lunch with a dear friend at the "special restaurant" in town that everyone talks about, but I had never been to. Hmmm ... uninterrupted adult conversation, yummy food and drink, while my dear husband was doing parent duty at the ballgame. Wow. I don't think that I've ever felt so loved as I did last weekend. Saturday evening we were invited by some long-time (not old) friends mountain cabin for family fun....(and LOTS of creek play for the kids!) Not one of them came home clean OR dry. Don't know why I didn't think about that and pack extra clothes! We took the special birthday cake with us to share with the crowd..and Gail (who's birthday is right after mine) and I were wished a Happy Birthday!


On Sunday afternoon, my husband pulled off a great feat. A surprise party for me. Yep. He gloated. And well he should, because I didn't have to do anything to prepare for it. Except get over my shock, die a little..(cause the house wasn't as clean as I would have made it for a party), oh...and run change my shirt! After I got over it, I had a grand time. Who wouldn't be thrilled to be surrounded by all your people!?? Wonderful. Plain and simple. I am rich. Wealthy. Blessed. Thank you, Lord!