Something else

And the debate goes on.
Is it the holiday season?
The winter festival?
Or something else.

It seems that each year, the news addresses this question and never comes to a solid conclusion.
Yet, next year it will make headlines again.


Do we call it a holiday tree?
Do we greet others with a "Merry Day to you"?
Or is it something else?

My heart turns to the Reason for the season.
Christ came to earth in the form of a baby.
Humbled Himself, left heaven, was laid in a manger.


Having everything, He now had nothing.
Why? To reconcile us to God.

That's it.

The Bible says He will cause nations to tremble.
And they do.

The Bible says He will divide families.
And He does.

The Bible says His love and mercy never ends.
And that is true!

Believe the Bible or the nightly news. Where will you stand this Christmas?
This December 25th will you celebrate the birth of the Christ child or something else?

The Bible says there is one way to the Father and that is through His son.
As we celebrate His birth, remember why He came!

Rejoice and know that He is Lord!
Ezekiel 38:23
"And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.'"

Merry Christmas!

Worthy of a second post

I just had to post this again in case you missed it in a previous post.

Follow the link...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyR0lwO-nXc

Ice Storm

Psalm 147:17
"He casts forth His ice as fragments;Who can stand before His cold?"

We have an ice storm today. Not a terrible one but enough to decide to stay in and just figure out what to do. Not bored yet but I know will be eventually. I went to my facebook account and caught up with friends. It was fun but I started to wonder if the word "ice" was in the Bible. I didn't remember ever hearing it mentioned so I went to biblegateway.com and did a word search in various translations. Seven verses came back. I was surprised.

God is in charge of weather. I'm guessing that as He formed the universe and our planet, when He established the number of days it would exist, He laid out each day and determined the weather that would happen all over the earth on each specific day. He knew, even then, what would be going on and who would be affected by it. Because He knew before we existed when and where we would live. It doesn't matter if you live in the States or Singapore. He knew. Amazing isn't it? I am once again in awe. All from a small search in the Bible on the word "ice".

Psalm 147:18
"At his command the ice melts, the wind blows, and streams begin to flow."

Face to Face

So, I've been wondering about why people who know better do things they shouldn't. Not just the 9-5 type worker but people in authority or positions where what they do really does matter. People like Presidents of countries, CEO's of major corporations, policy officers, clergy.

You know, not the "oh I let a bad word slip out" kind of mistake but the kind of mistake that changes lives, that changes careers. Is it the lure of sin? Is it the feeling of being untouchable? Is it selfishness? Is it spiritual and the enemy of their souls wants them in bondage? Is it something else entirely?

I don't know why I've been wondering about this. I guess it is because it worries me. There are people I look up to and then there are people that look up to me. If someone I admire or learn from were to screw up big time. How would I handle that? I must admit I wouldn't handle it well. I'd probably say something like, "They should've know better." or "I can never trust them again". I don't know, something unsympathetic like that.

Then I wonder what if I were that person and I did something really stupid. Is that possible? Is what I've tried to teach my children true? Are we really all only one choice away from making a mistake that could ruin our lives, or worse yet, the lives of other people? And if we are, what could possibly prevent it?

I don't think education is always the answer. In the case of clergy caught in sin, they knew better. In the case of people abusing the authority they've been given, they knew. Many times they probably believe they won't get caught, or if they do get caught they can explain it away. But it doesn't work that way. I've had too many friends caught in the ripple effect of other people's sins to believe it is that easy.

So, why does a President abuse power? Why does a member of the clergy get caught in immoral acts? Why does the CEO of a company get "creative" with finances? And is there anything that can be done to head it off? Possibly prevent it?

I don't know for sure but I wonder if they had someone in their lives that would point blank ask them things like; "Are you being faithful to your wife?" or "Are you drinking too much?" or "Are you doing anything in secret that you think God might have a problem with?"

Are we willing to ask a friend or a boss or someone we respect those tough questions? Typically not. Typically we are too afraid. Afraid to insult, afraid to butt in, afraid to offend. But what if that intrusion or that offense could save a family? Then is the risk worth it? What if it saves a country? What if it saves a church?

Maybe we need to consider getting out of our comfort zone occasionally. I had a friend once who would ask me those tough questions. I miss her. I didn't always answer them truthfully but they always gave me cause for reflection and correction. If you are reading this you are probably someone I know. We may run into each other now and then or even talk on the phone. Please know you have my permission to ask me the tough questions. You have my permission to risk offending me. You have permission to insult me if necessary. I promise you, I will recover and we will remain friends because I will know it was out of love and concern.

Someday I will meet my Savior face to face and if I can't be honest with you, how will it be with Him? Leading a ministry I know that others are watching me. I know that what I do and say counts. I know I am human and subject to sin. I know their is an enemy of my soul that does not want me to be effective and will use my own weaknesses against me. So, I want to walk through life knowing that I will give an answer for what I've done on earth and what I haven't done. I want to stay on track and be effective in the work the Lord has given me. Thank you for helping me make that a reality.

"Now all we can see of God is like a cloudy picture in a mirror. Later we will see him face to face." 1 Corinthians 13:12a

Surprising reaction

Years ago my father-in-law had to have open heart surgery. They ended up doing five bypasses. The day of his surgery he requested that everyone go to work as usual. He felt that if too many people were at the hospital then we would be thinking that he wouldn't survive. He decided that everyone just did their normal routine then everything would be okay. So I went to work.

I remember waiting for my husband to call me with an update. I knew what time the surgery started and about how long it would take. As the clock ticked past the expected time for an update I began to brace myself for "bad news".

Finally the call came. My boss had me take it in his office, "just in case" I needed the privacy. With joy and tears my husband said his dad was doing fine and filled me in on why it had taken so long. I hung up the phone and my body began to shake and then I started crying uncontrollably. I guess in my efforts to prepare for the worst possible news I hadn't anticipated how I would handle good news. My reaction to this good news surprised me.

I was reminded of that today. Lately I have been working with clients that just touch my heart deeply. I feel their pain and their sadness as they try to decide what they are going to do. When their decisions are not what I had hoped for them I am deeply grieved. Today I was in the sono room with a client who has decided that ending her pregnancy is not an option for her. This was her third sono as she has worked through all the issues in her life. One real fear for her is that she will lose her job. She is raising two little girls and needs the income so this was a very hard thing for her to have to face. Yet, she has decided that this little one in her womb deserves the opportunity to continue living. So, despite the risks to her finances she is going to continue the pregnancy. I stand in awe and amazement.

I went to my office and cried. I had not expected she would make this choice and had prepared myself for a different outcome. Yet, my reaction is one of tears. Not tears of grief but tears of relief. I had not expected this reaction and am once again surprised at how I respond.

I wonder, what is it that surprises me here? I know and understand that I am a control freak. So is my reaction caused by the fact that I really don't have any control? Or is it something else. Perhaps, I need to learn to not prepare myself for "bad news" only. Perhaps I should prepare myself for God to do the unexpected, He is known for that. And maybe, just maybe, God is trying to teach me to trust Him more.

First Snow of the Season!

Well it snowed yesterday! That makes it officially winter. For my friends and family that live in places where they never get snow I thought I'd post a few pictures so you can see what you're missing.

Park your cars. Stay off the streets. Bundle up the kids. The snow, just a dusting, but a dangerous blow. Hee...Hee!

Sweet

Look how pretty!!!

Aren't these the most beautiful flowers you have ever seen? My sweet daughter sent them to me to cheer me up. It worked!

PS: Go PACKERS!

Cable update

So we have been enjoying our 19 channels for about 3 months now. Each month I check my bill to see that they are really only going to charge me the $11.25 they said it would cost. I'm also curious as to when and how much they will charge for setup since they had to come three times before they got it right.

Anyway, each month I look there is nothing there. The only charges are for my Internet connection. Being the good - and "never trust the cable company" - person I am, I decided to call and ask them about it.

I dial the number on the bill and get the machine that tells me to enter my phone number, then press 2, then press 1, then press 1, then press 2, then I listen to information I already know about when I paid my last bill, then press 1, then confirm again who you are by entering your phone number, then press 4, then press 1, then if you want to talk to a customer service rep press 0. With tired fingers I press 0 and listen to the message explaining that "all customer service reps are helping other customers". I think to myself, who can they helping? Everyone else should still be going through the press this, press that maze. Well, after that bit if information I am informed by the machine that my call is "important to them" and I will have approximately a one hour wait! ONE HOUR!

But they give me another option, press 1 and leave a call message. So I opt for that one. They will return my call to the number I gave them "in more than one hour"? What? What does that mean? Will they even talk to me today? I don't know but I hang up.

Three hours later my cell phone rings, I pick it up and get a message telling me that I tried to call the cable company. REALLY!? I didn't know that, they are sooooo helpful. Then I hear my voice saying my name and am told to press 1. I press 1 and get a message that says "we're sorry but that key is not recognized". YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!

I hang up and call the original number. I don't listen to any recordings or messages. I just keep pressing 0 until I get hold music indicating I might actually be waiting for a live person. Magically someone answers the phone to help me. I explain I want to check on why I'm not getting billed for cable service. The prompter in front of the customer service rep doesn't have a pat answer for what to say when someone wants to pay their bill but are not getting charged. Stupefied, I'm transferred to someone else who can help me.

I go down this path three more times before I get a customer service rep that I think might actually be located in the United States and not at a call center in India. This person explains that my cable is included in my rent at the apartment complex I live in. I know this is NOT accurate and gently explain that back to her. We volley this complex idea back and forth a number of times until I say, "I don't want to take up your whole day. I don't want to beg you to bill me. I would be more than happy to accept free cable for the next few years." She says, "hee hee, its not free, its included in your rent." I thank her and hang up.

Not satisfied that I've done all I can I call my landlord. She remembers my request for lifeline basic cable and giving me permission to work directly with the cable company. She explains that she can not charge me through the office because she'd have to charge me $45 which hardly seems fair. I agree and we both agree to drop it.

So now I wait, enjoying free cable and expect to see a $600 bill some day for back pay.

Getting ready for Christmas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyR0lwO-nXc

Christmas with a capital "C"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAckfn8yiAQ

In the eyes of strangers

Years ago I had a serious bicycle accident. I remember a squirrel and then nothing until I'm looking at this person I don't know repeating back to me things she claims I told her. There were others on the trail I didn't know too. Somehow I think I realized I was hurt and when I started to look around this lady just starts yelling at me saying "Keep looking at me, look at my eyes, don't look at your arm!". I wondered if my arm had been torn off my body and I had no idea why she was saying this but she said it with such conviction I decided it was best to listen.

Then I looked at the other strangers and started to recognize the look of concern and fear in their eyes. These were people I didn't know but for some reason there are certain looks humans have that there is no mistaking the look, even when you don't know the person. But that was a long time ago and a memory that was fading. Well, until this past Monday.

I found myself once again at the mercy of strangers. I had taken a bad fall going up some cement stairs and my face hit the step as I went down. I knew immediately it was bad and just rolled over on my back pressing my hand hard on my mouth and face. I felt the warmth of the blood and wondered if there were any teeth left in my mouth. This man, a stranger who saw me fall, ran up to me to see if I needed help. I did, but couldn't talk. I remembered the lady on the trail from years ago and decided to keep my eyes focused on his. The eyes of this stranger was all I had between panic and passing out.

There in his eyes I saw that look of concern, fear and something else that I didn't recognize at first. I began to wonder how bad it was. Then this woman came up and bent down close to me. Her eyes showed no fear, just concern and what seemed like love but how could that be? She doesn't know me, I don't know her. But I saw no fear in her eyes, she said "it's bad, but you're going to be okay". Her words matched the look in her eyes and all my doubt faded, I knew it was okay to believe what she was telling me because in her eyes I could see truth.

As I've been recuperating I've thought a lot about these strangers and the things I learned about them just by looking into their eyes. Things you can't learn by looking at someones ear or elbow. No, the eyes are windows that communicate great things. I don't even know their names but I will never forget their eyes. So I got curious and did a word search in the Bible and found there are 509 verses that have the word "eyes" in them. God must think they are important. Many verses indicating we should "turn our eyes toward God" and "lifting up our eyes to the Lord". So many verses that it would give someone a lot of material to write a book about or a Bible study on.

Then I came across this verse "But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love" - Psalm 33:18

Imagine that for a moment. God has His eyes on you, all the time. He watches over me and you. This past Monday, when I fell, it was at a Christian event and I learned that if you ever are going to have a bad accident, a good place to have one is where there are a lot of Christians. These strangers with love and concern their eyes, stopped to take care of a stranger. Others who were not able to directly help me stopped and prayed for me. I was touched and had great peace when it seemed I should have been crying and hysterical. I believe God was there and the love I saw in the eyes of these strangers was there because of their love for God. I am most grateful!

Road trip!

I've always heard that as parents age they become more like children and that while they once took care of us there comes a day we take care of them. Well, I'm beginning to see more and more how true that is.

My parents and I drove from FL to SC together. Mom drove the first three hours and then I drove the rest of the way (about 5 hours). Dad stayed in the back seat the whole time. Not that that stops him from providing driving instructions or hints to us.

At one time he gave me instructions on how to use the cruise control "properly". Example: he wanted me to know that you can "bump up your speed" easily. So I said, "Dad are you trying to tell me you want me to go faster". He quickly says no but then he starts to count how many vehicles pass me. Not just how many but how many are trucks or SUV's compared to how many are just cars. He tried to not be too obvious and pretended he was just observing that more SUV drivers speed than car drivers do. But I wasn't buying it.

The funniest thing was when I'm just driving and about to pass motor home and my parents start discussing how weird that thing looked. "The back looks like the front" was the comment that really caught my attention. So I stared at this big thing and tried to figure out exactly what the heck they were talking about. I said "that doesn't look anything like the front" and both began to correct me. So to make peace I said "okay, if you put in a window, add a driver, replace the tail lights with head lights and then take off the ladder...then maybe it would look like the front". The entire time I'm laughing so hard I can barely get the words out.

So after 5-7 hours of my dad counting vehicles I looked at mom and said, "it reminds of kids who ask every few minutes - "are we there yet?"."

Doctors

It has been an interesting week for me of lessons that you'd think I'd have already learned. Lessons like:
My husband will always love me no matter what.
God is ALWAYS faithful, even when I don't believe it.
Some things in life just aren't worth worrying about.
Stress kills.

I have on and off struggled with high blood pressure. All self induced. Over weight, lack of exercise, poor eating and letting stress get to me. Example: every time I go to the doctor (female type doc) my blood pressure is quite high. What's with that? After all, I'm almost fifty, have had two children and get my yearly exams almost every year. Yet, I get in there and the blood pressure is way up there. I think its their fault. After all, think about it. The whole doctor office process is designed to cause stress.

First you call for an appointment that you want right away and you have to beg and sometimes exaggerate the symptoms to get to speak to a nurse, who will talk with doc and then maybe get back to you the same day. Only to be told they can get you in next week.

So you wait (not so patiently) for the appointment, hoping you don't get a call that the doctor was called into surgery and they need to reschedule the appointment, or worse yet, your symptoms go away and you cancel only to be charged for the canceled appointment.

The traffic is always bad on the drive there no matter what time of day the appointment is and today the main exit off the highway is CLOSED!!! DETOUR! Oh yeah, that is another lesson I should have learned already: "Expect detours!"

So now you're late, feeling bad, even though you know you will be kept waiting for 30 minutes or more. You get in and the front desk asks for your insurance card. They eye it up looking for something to be wrong on it, or perhaps checking to see if it is counterfeit. I don't know. They give it back, take the co-pay, and tell you to go sit down.

Then you get to wait. Usually next to someone who is coughing up a lung. Or a kid with a major nose drip problem wiping it on everything it comes in contact with. If you weren't sick before going to the doctor you are convinced you will be in three days. FINALLY, they call your name.

So what is the first thing they do? Weight! I have given up on being polite at this point because they always put that stupid thing on too low a starting point and usually I have to watch them go slowly, slowly, up up up. Until they realize the bottom needs to go up to the next BIG latch and they start the top one all over again. You'd think I was at the circus with the goof-ball that tries to guess your weight. For goodness sake they do this all day long, day after day, year after year. You'd think they could look at you and get a close starting point. No, they don't, too busy looking at your chart; rarely making eye contact. I bet they don't even know I have blue eyes. So I have taken on putting the weight where I know it belongs, before I even get on that dreaded thing.

Next you go to the room and they ask you all the same questions you just spent 20 minutes answering on the intake form. Usually they ask the same question twice because they are too busy looking at the next question to even pay attention to your answer. Okay, now with all that over they decide to take your blood pressure.

I'm not surprised its high. What surprises me is that I haven't lost my top by this point.

So all is done, I'm twenty bucks poorer. There is good news and bad news. The good news is that there is nothing seriously wrong. The bad news is that the symptoms are real but they have no idea what is causing them. "Maybe its stress" says the doctor with the diploma hanging on the wall. "You think?" is my sarcastic response.

Mother nature

Storms came through a while back and when I went for my walk I discovered this tree that was blown apart by lightening. I think the lightening hit the ground and then went up the tree blowing it apart. I think this because I couldn't find any burnt areas on the tree. Here is a picture of it.

Below is picture of a piece of the tree. You can see how far away the debris was thrown. It is as the bottom of this picture.




























Here is a picture that shows what the tree looked like before it was hit. The tree on the right is undamaged and the same size and type as the one destroyed.




















That's it. I just found this interesting and decided to share.

What is this thing?

What never leaves you? No matter how much you wish it would, what is this thing that is always there? What is this thing that even super powers can't change?

For a while I can pretend it is gone, I can pretend it belonged to someone else but then something happens to remind me that it never left. That it was just there waiting to pull me into the muck and darkness. Then I'm overwhelmed with the realization that it will always be there. No matter how far I go or how much time goes by. It will ALWAYS be there. I can NEVER get rid of it. Defeat takes hold and I begin to suffer from ingrown eyeballs.

Then I remember that everyone has one of these and I have to ask myself, "how do they cope with it"? Do they suffer or find joy in it? Maybe I'm the only one that when they rediscover they have this they are sad and ashamed. Maybe I'm the only one that doesn't like theirs. Maybe....

What is this thing that never leaves? Why do I allow it to haunt me? "I allow it"....hmmm. Maybe it doesn't have power over me. Maybe I do have control. Maybe, I am the one who gives it power? What is this thing? It is your past.

Will it control you or do you control it? How do you defeat it? There is only one way I've learned and that is to not let it into your present. Oh it will try to sneak in but you must quickly shut the door. It is not your past that determines your future but your present. And really, none of us are guaranteed a future so why worry about what is not here? No I think it is this moment that we are living in that we are most alive. This moment right now is the only one that really counts. What are you doing in this moment? Wasting it on the past?

Our past may have helped to shape us but it does not make us who we are now. I remember a time many years ago this incredible young man came into my life. A good man. An honest man. We fell in love and he asked me to marry him. I wanted that moment more than anything and when it came I hated it. This man didn't really know me. He didn't know who I was. He didn't know my past. I loved and respected him too much to lead into a marriage with someone he didn't know and so instead of saying "yes", I said "you don't really know me". I poured out my past to him and cried while I waiting for him to ask me to leave. He moved in closer to me, took my face into his hands and looked me right in the eyes. He said, "that person is not who is sitting here with me, I fell in love with you, all I see is this beautiful person right in front of me who I've just asked to marry me, who hasn't yet answered my question." That was about 30 years ago and the answer was yes.

A brief encounter that couldn't have lasted more than 10 minutes but it taught me a lesson that I continually learn over and over again. It is now, that counts. Not yesterday. I am who I am in this moment in time. The past no longer has power over me because I won't allow it. It doesn't own me, I own it. And because I own it, it only has the value over me that I decide to place on it. No, this thing called the past will not define who I am in this moment.

I am a child of God. Forgiven. Loved. In fact, He calls me His "beloved". Time is meaningless to God. It didn't even exist until He created it. God sees my whole life, from beginning to end and knows me better than I know myself. He places a high value on me. I don't deserve this favor but He grants it anyway. He is the potter, I am clay. Mold me and make me. This is what I pray.

Dear Lord,
Thank you for loving and molding me. All of me. Past, present, and God willing, future. AMEN

Isaiah 64:8
You, LORD, are our Father. We are nothing but clay, but you are the potter who molded us.

Remembering Baby R

Baby R came into this world and left us, completely unknown to the community and to the world, except for the very few who had a chance to see her. When I first met Baby R she was only 8 weeks old, safely tucked in her mother's womb. I watched on the monitor as the sonographer worked hard to find Baby R. Then suddenly, there she was. Just a tiny 'jelly bean' but distinctly baby. I thought, she is too small, we'll never really see much. But, before that thought finished we could see the flicker of Baby R's heart. The rhythm was strong and clear.

Silently I watched. Moving my gaze to Baby R's mother who was laying on the exam table. She laid there with both her arms placed firmly over her eyes so she could see nothing. When the Doppler was turned on, and the rhythm of Baby R's heart filled the room, you could tell that mom wanted to cover her ears; but to do that meant she would have to uncover her eyes and so she laid there motionless.

Baby R's mother knew that continuing the pregnancy meant great sacrifice. Young, frightened, alone and with no family in the area to be with her she is faced with a monumental decision. One that she feels completely inadequate to make. We went into an office and talked for a while. She was resigned to the fact that she felt ending the pregnancy was the only thing she could do, yet she still agreed to come back in one week.

It was a long week for me as I prayed for mom and for Baby R. Wishing something in their lives could be different and that there would be a miracle for them.

The next time I met Baby R she was 9 weeks old. This time mom did not cover her eyes. But her body language was one of defeat and resignation. Here eyes were void of emotion and she stared blankly during the ultrasound. Baby R had grown a lot in that one week. She was now bigger than a jelly bean and I could distinguish her head from her body. Tiny little leg buds and arm buds were clearly visible. The flicker of her heart stronger and brighter than the week before. Baby R had no idea of the difficulties her mother was facing and no idea that her life was in danger. I felt my heart pound harder as I looked at the monitor for the last time.

Mom and I again talked in another room after the ultrasound was over. We cried together and prayed together. Mom looked completely and utterly hopeless. Through her tears she said she wished there was another way. THERE IS, I wanted to shout but experience has taught me that she could not see it. Fear of what would happen if she allowed the pregnancy to continue was stronger than the instinct to protect her child.

Two days later mom called me and confirmed the news I had been expecting. The "procedure" was over, "it was done".

I am profoundly grieved.

Mom's voice cracked as she said "it was harder than I thought it would be", she asked "do you hate me now"? The question pierced my heart like a dagger. How could I possibly hate this beautiful young woman? God has bound my soul and my heart to hers. I grieve for her and for Baby R. She has a hard road to go down and I will continue to pray for her and be there for her should she need me. I wish she had made a different choice, but it was not my decision to make. We talked briefly for a while and I could hear in her voice that the pain killers she had taken were starting to make her tired. I told her to rest now. We hung up.

Silence filled my mind and seemed to echo in my apartment. My heart felt so heavy in my chest that I thought gravity might physically lower it. The grief was so deep that tears would not come. Baby R, I will always remember her and her mother. An innocent life, legally ended. A sweet young woman, scared and vulnerable, now carries memories she wishes were not there. When will we see the truth? When will we understand? God forgive us.

Walkless

I find it sad that I haven't blogged in a while. I guess it is because I haven't gone for a walk in a long time. Too busy. Sad.

I get so much great material when I walk. I have been too busy working long days and it is getting dark earlier now. Walking on the treadmill is not the same. No scenery to look at, no way to day dream. I spend all the time on the treadmill just thinking about the fact that I'm walking. I've tried TV watching and reading, or listening to music. None of it works. I still know I'm in a room, going no where and the scenery never changes. Boring. The only time that has worked is when my girlfriend would join me and we would talk. Those were great times but we haven't done that in a very long time.

That's all I got this time. Hope to blog again soon.

Battle zone

Today's walk was really challenging. It was very windy here. Gusts of maybe 40 mph. It is the beginning of fall and some trees do have leaves dropping. By itself that wouldn't seem too bad but as I shared in my last blog the grasshoppers are very abundant right now too. So when something hits me I don't always know what it was before the screaming and jumping around starts.

Then there are these black walnut trees. The black walnut is surrounded by a hard green shell. The entire thing is a little bigger than a golf ball. When they fall out of the tree and hit the ground there is a loud "THUD". So I assume these little grenades would hurt pretty bad if one of them hit me in the head. With strong winds the odds of that happening seem much greater than on a calm day. But I can't look up too long and prepare for the pending boom because these grenades all over the path, having fallen before I got there. If I were step on one of these wrong I'm sure it would mean a twisted ankle.

There also twigs and "banana shakers" all over the path too. I don't know what you really call the "banana shaker" things that is just my name for them. They look like giant brown pea pods. I don't know what type of tree they fall from and really don't care. They just look like if I were to accidentally step on one I would slip and fall like a bad episode out of the Three Stooges.

Oh and I'm not done yet. You remember when I commented how quiet it was on a few walks a while back. Well today was NOT quiet. In fact, there is one area where there is a line of what I think are Poplar Trees. When the wind whips through them the noise is deafening.

By the time I got home, between the noise, bugs, tree bombs and just general feeling of tiredness I thought about the battle zone it was out there today. Just a mess. In fact, because ground foliage is dying off I can also see litter left by others. And I even saw the half empty bottle of Gatorade from weeks ago. Don't forget about the giant mushrooms. Booby traps, I'm sure of it. Just when you think its safe they are the probably the poisonous kind.

Today's walk was exhausting, for many reasons. Life is kind of like that. You barely can make it through one day without having to dodge this or run from that. But you know what? When it is all over and you made it through, remember the words of Coach Lombardi, "It does not matter how many times you get knocked down, but how many times you get up."

Its ball, its a balloon, no its its....

It's a mushroom!

Today on our walk we saw this white ball on the ground back in the wooded area. We went to investigate thinking it might be a ball or balloon with a message. As we got close we saw it was neither and that there were others back there. It is a "puffball mushroom". Apparently edible while young (white). But you have to be careful because it might be one of two other types of similar looking mushrooms, both are poisonous. We left it where we found it, but I am tempted to go back and bring it home to cook it up!

Also, this time of year the grasshoppers are BIG and everywhere. I think I should get extra credit for this walk because you have to burn more calories when your screaming and jumping around. Not a pretty site I'm sure but Gary had fun laughing at me.

Detour

On a recent trip to Wisconsin we were challenged by a number of detours. It is typically a 9 hour drive for us but on the way to Wisconsin the major highway we were on was shut down due to an earlier accident that left a chemical spill requiring haz-mat cleanup. At the time we did not know the reason for the highway being shut down. All we knew was that the road we needed to travel down was closed. Now, we joined thousands of other cars and trucks on a 2 hour detour through the great Midwest. It would have been easy to get mad as we sat for 15 minutes and then got to roll along at 15 mph for 3 minutes only to sit again for 15 minutes, for miles and miles. I watched as cars left the designated detour to try and find a quicker way, only to see them later coming off a dirt road to join us almost at the exact spot they had been before they left the group. In one case, a car that earlier had cut me off, actually ended up behind me. That was sweet.

Then there were cars that seemed to just give up and go back the way they came. Their anger was evident by the way they spun their tires once they had turned their cars around. I felt sorry for cars with kids or full bladders as the only place to go while on this particular detour was into a corn field, which we saw a few brave souls do. Gary and I just did our best to make the most of this extra time together. We got the camera out and starting taking pictures of cornstalks and barns. I wondered if I could walk to the other cars and try to sell the bottled water we had with us. Or, I still had some Honey Comb cereal left that I was snacking on that might bring in a little money. We did neither as each time I thought about it we got to move the car a little farther down the road. We were thankful that it is 2007 and we have cell phones. We were able to call the people waiting for our arrival and let them know to eat without us. Eventually we were routed back to the main road, past the spill, and able to continue on our trip.

A short 2 hour detour, but we choose to make the best of it.

While in Milwaukee, searching for our hotel, and the Wisconsin Club where the wedding reception would be, we ran into more detours. Not your typical detour as the roads were not closed. But every road (and that is not an exaggeration) had construction of some type and lanes shifting back and forth to each side of the road. Many times the way we needed to turn was not available due to the road construction and so we explored areas of the city we might not have seen otherwise. I started to feel like a UPS driver since every intersection had a NO LEFT TURN sign on it. I had heard that UPS drivers try to get to every destination by making right turns only because it saves gas and time. It must be an acquired skill because I did neither.

Finally, time to go home. We choose a new route as we didn't have much luck with the normal one on the way to Wisconsin. We also wanted to do some sightseeing and felt we could accomplish both. We made our plan, content in the exploring that we were eagerly anticipating. Then the unexpected, AGAIN, the road we had chosen, "CLOSED" with a detour. We laughed as this detour took us through farm country one more time. For a time, we wondered if we would end up back where we had started. This time, since we had taken the road less traveled, there were not thousands of others stuck with us. In fact, we were quite alone out there and when miles went by without a detour sign we wondered if someone had forgotten to put up a sign or two. But we had faith, and endured. Eventually, the detour turned west again and then back to the highway we had started on.

Another detour, a little lonelier than the first one but no less interesting and we got a good laugh out of it.

Happy to be on the highway and once again going 65 mph we were feeling quite proud of ourselves for finding this new way back to Kansas. But the highway we were on became a county road and then a main street through Madison Wisconsin. This detour was unexpected but not one forced upon us. This time we accidentally caused our own detour by selecting a road that would not stay a main highway. Madison, if you've never been there, is a maze of streets that go in various directions, rarely straight and every road leads to the center of the city where the State Capitol is. Then you have to go around the Capitol and hope to find the road you were on. And if you make even the smallest mistake you could be lost on the streets of Madison for hours, retracing your steps, getting no where, but still running out of gas. I did my best to guess if I was on the road I wanted to be on and eventually I had to admit to Gary that I had no clue where we were. I had been doing good until we got too close to the college. There was a football game that day, which we had suspected would be the case when we saw a blimp floating over the city. Now I'm on these crazy streets with even crazier people, all dressed in red, walking anywhere they wanted. It was about 1:00 PM and kickoff wouldn't be for another SIX HOURS! That didn't hold off the partying and the narrow city streets were even more narrow as cars parked anywhere they wanted to. It is no wonder I somehow got off the road I was supposed to be on. It is a little hard to read street signs when trying not to run over crazed football fans already drinking and having a good time, while also trying to avoid hitting cars parked on what should have been lanes for the road.

So, now at each intersection I ask Gary "which way do you think we should go"? If it matched what I was thinking I'd turn that way with no regrets. If it didn't match what I was thinking I'd turn the way I was thinking anyway and hope my internal GPS unit was working. I had just stated that as soon as I could find a gas station we would stop and see if we could figure out where we were when it looked like a main road was up ahead. As we reached the intersection we wondered what road it was, no road sign, another Madison joy. So I turned left and hoped for the best. About one block down the road we learned we were actually on the right highway again and that we were even going the right direction!

This detour was again interesting and filled with different adventures than the previous ones. We lost about an hour but boy did we get to see some interesting things!

Now back on the highway, with about 8 hours left until we got home, we knew it would be dark before we got out of Iowa. We try to drive during day hours only as we feel that is safer and it is less likely I'll get tired. But an hour out of Des Moines was too close to home to give up and find a hotel for the night so we forged ahead. There was a bright moon which made the night not so dark. It also helped a bit when there was a deer too close for comfort. Clear skies meant beautiful stars and all seemed beauty was all around us.

The drive from Kansas to Wisconsin is one we've made dozens of times. Typically we take the same route since we know it so well and have it timed out perfectly. But this trip was different, the entire trip was a bit of a "detour" for us. Including spending a night at a nice hotel in downtown Milwaukee. We lived there for years and that was a first. It was after midnight when we finally rolled into our garage. Later, as I lay in bed drifting off to sleep I reflected on our many detours and fell asleep with a smile on my face and joy in my heart.

Detours can be unexpected, planned, burdensome, difficult, long, surprising, beautiful and many other things. Life will give us detours, we can count on it, even if we can't plan for it. The trick is to take each detour as it comes and ask yourself, "What is God is showing me today"? Then, instead of avoiding the detour, or trying to find a way around it, just explore it! You never know what it will bring or where you will end up when on the other side of it.

May all your detours be adventuresome.
May you make new friends and see new things with each one.
And may God protect you and guide you as you go through life's detours.

Crazy

So it has been very crazy busy for me lately. I know, what's new. Nothing really, I guess I enjoy it. I'm looking forward to this weekend though. We are going to WI for a wedding. I'm hoping the tree colors will already be beautiful. I can't wait to get in the car and drive for nine hours. I so enjoy it. Some days I feel like it would be fun to just get in the car and start driving. Anywhere, any direction. Drive until I run out of gas, fill the tank, pick a new direction and drive some more. Crazy huh?

There is something about me on the road that is therapeutic. I don't get bored or sleepy. I see beauty in the most unexpected things and love to be in a place I've never been before. That won't happen on this trip as I could do the drive from KS to WI and back with my eyes shut. I know exactly how far a tank a gas takes me and exactly where I'll be in one hour, 4 hours, 6.25 hours.

The wedding is in Milwaukee and we are looking forward to spending the night downtown. We plan to spend the next day visiting the lake front (Lake Michigan for those that geographically challenged) and going to places we went to when we were dating. It should be fun. We don't have plans for exactly when we will head back home. We're going to decide that at the last minute. So who knows what exciting things will happen?

And yes, I'm taking my camera!!

Time Warp

Gary and I went for a walk today. It is about 72 degrees. BEAUTIFUL! After all those walks with 100 degree type weather it kinda felt a bit cool. But I liked it and so did Gary.

The dragonflies were in abundance and feasting on something we couldn't see. Then there was this one spot on the path were hundreds (or more) red ants were marching across it. Not the tiny little red ants either, these were big like a typical black ant. They looked mad about something so we didn't stay there long.

A little later there was this moment where it seemed like we could have been looking back through time at ourselves. We were coming back through the park area behind the school and there was a family playing baseball together. Mom, Dad, Brother, Sister. Brother looked older, maybe 8, and was at bat. Dad was pitching to him. Mom and Sister who looked 2-3 years younger than brother were waiting for him to hit a ball they could chase. It was like 20 years disappeared and we were staring at ourselves. Memories flooded back and I wondered if Mom and Dad knew we were even there. And if they saw us did they know that they were looking into the future where one day those two sweet kids would be off somewhere making their own lives and it would be just the two of them walking together with just their memories. Very surreal.

Gary and I reminisced more as we walked and then we were passing the tennis courts. A car pulled up and out popped Mom and Daughter with there tennis rackets and tennis balls in hand. TIME WARP. I watched the two of them head into the tennis court. Daughter looked to be about 10 years old and was smiling with excitement at getting to spend this quality time with Mom. I remembered the many hours Kelly and I logged on the tennis courts in Genesee Depot. Never really knowing exactly how to play but having a great time and often laughing so hard that we couldn't even hit the ball. Our counting at one point was only in Spanish (and didn't follow tennis rules) as she worked to learn new words for school. Again, as I watched the Mom and Daughter on the court I was passing, time seemed to disappear. What was years ago seemed like it could've been yesterday.

For a moment I thought I was going to be very sad because things are not as they once were. But I looked over at my husband walking next to me, his hair grayer than it was back then and knew all is as it should be. Life goes on, children grow, they begin their own lives. Ours doesn't stop, it gets better. I love my life right now, I don't want to waste one minute of it wishing it was different or that I could go back in time. No, I want to cherish those memories and enjoy them when they pop up but I want to be actively making new memories with this man God has given me. New memories that we'll look back at twenty years from now and just smile.

Now heading back to our apartment I notice a couple in their 70's sitting on their patio enjoying the cooler air and sipping coffee. I can see them talking and wonder if they notice us. Are they remembering back to their 50's and thinking about what they were doing back then?

Exhaustion

At the end of this day my exhaustion is complete.
Getting through the last twelve hours...a daunting feat.
Yet, my eyes turn toward heaven and I wonder one thing.
Did God see my deeds and was He pleased?

I pray each word has honored Him.
I pray I loved well and this day is a win.
I pray that God's name was glorified.
I pray for peaceful sleep, under His watchful eye.

AMEN

Praising God!

Just felt like I needed to do a short post because my heart is full of praise today.

Punishment

People's perception of God is always interesting to me. I meet so many people from all different walks of life and when we get into God discussions I am amazed at how little people actually really know about Him. Most of them have no idea where they even got their information. They rarely, if ever, go to church, or maybe went as a child; they don't listen to Christian radio; many don't have a Bible and most who do have NEVER read it for themselves. After they think about it for a while they usually answer my question with something like, "Well, I guess I learned it from my parents" or "I think there used to be song on the radio in the '70's that said something about God and a Mrs. Robinson" or "Some of the sitcoms I watch on TV have skits about God now and then" and my favorite, "Oh I saw something on one of those news shows that told me that."

Mostly this breaks my heart because often their understanding of God does not remotely resemble what the Bible clearly teaches us about Him. Don't get me wrong, I don't think my finite mind has the capacity to fully understand an infinite God; but I do believe it is capable of understanding what He has revealed about Himself in the Bible.

Since I've been in a healing ministry (13 years now) and meeting with those who believe they have done the "unforgivable" sin, this key point of knowing who God is critical. These wounded individuals often say they have lived for years, even decades, always waiting for and fearful of God's punishment. Typically I spend a lot of time working with them to show them, from the Bible, who God is. I tell them that God is not sitting in Heaven waiting to "lower the boom on them" but that in fact He is there waiting to love them, waiting for them to run to him. The problem is they are so busy running away from God they can't accept that He even wants anything to do with them. They have forgotten how much He loves them, or perhaps they never knew.

Today, while praying, I was reading through Scripture and came across an interesting verse in Isaiah. It was one of the moments where the words seemed to jump right off the page. I read them over and over again and just meditated on the meaning behind them. I am compelled to share that verse with you now:

Isaiah 53:5
But He was wounded for the wrong we did. The punishment, which made us well, was given to him, and we are healed because of His wounds.

Wow. God is not waiting to punish us and He already has proven His love to us by sending His one and only Son to take the punishment for us. "It is finished." What more can we do? Accept His love, accept His forgiveness and live as one who has been forgiven and is healed from all sin!

Cable update

Well the guy came today to "fix" the cable problem. He did eventually figure out how to activate it. However, he had no clue how to make it just give us the "lifeline" basic. He is going to send someone else next week to figure it out. So for now, we have "regular" basic which gives us 77 instead of 18 channels. We'll enjoy it for a week because I'm sure when they come to "correct" it next week that there will be a new problem.

Anyway, I looked to see what is on since I have 77 channels tonight and guess what? Nothing I like. CSI reruns seem to be on half a dozen channels but I'm sure we've seen them all. I guess this is why I'm not willing to pay $42 a month!

Brothers

We had a great time with Steve and Mary when they were here. It was a lot of fun. I haven't heard Gary laugh that much in a long time. The visit with his brother was good for his soul. However, the weekend went too fast but we made some great memories.

The Gracetones (Gary's band) had a concert for ISI (International Students Inc.) and Steve sat in and sang on a few songs. Mary and I watched and enjoyed. It was outdoors and I only ended up with three mosquito bites. This was the welcome to International students on the UMKC campus. The best picture I have of Gary and Steve is from practice at the church the night before. Here you go:









It was a little humid out and as the sun went down it got more comfortable and God provided a beautiful sky with a big moon that was awesome. I took a picture and was very surprised how well it turned out!

Sunday we went out for breakfast and them shared some fun time together at one of Gary and my favorite shopping areas. Then the sad goodbyes and they were on their way back home!

WE MISS YOU ALREADY!

Cold front!

It is 4:00 in the afternoon and the temperature is a cool 80 degrees! YEAH!


PS: Cable guy came on Monday and as in the past, they met my expectations. No cable service and now I'm being charged for it. Called and complained and they are going to "rush" right over to fix it...by September 9th!

Words

It has been a while since I've blogged. "Blogged", hmmmm, is that actually a word? I guess it has to be, "Googled" is a word now. So is "Swifter", as in "I'm going to swifter the floor". I find words interesting and fascinating. I have a friend who is 20+ years younger than me and she often uses words that I have no idea what they mean.

Sometimes she goes for walks with me and she shares stories of things that happen in her life that can pretty much take up the entire hour. Except she has to stop and explain things to me when she uses words I've never heard. An example is a word she used for a guy she worked with that chewed tobacco. I had no idea what the word was or what it meant. I'm thinking it had something to do with drugs so I just had to ask. She explained the word to me and a cute little smile came across her face that showed me she likes it when she knows things I don't.

Anyway, Gary and I are VERY excited because his brother Steve is coming here with his wife Mary this weekend. Steve and Mary are great fun and we so enjoy spending time with them. Gary's band has a gig at a local college welcoming foreign students to the USofA. They will be doing all 50's and 60's music. Steve will sing with them since he knows the words to practically every song out there. I hope to get some good pictures and will post them in a future entry. Mary's mother is going through cancer treatment so for those of you who spend time in prayer if you could include prayers for her and the family it would be much appreciated.

Oh, one more quick update. Gary and I have not had cable TV since we moved into the apartment. Couple of reasons, one - they wanted too much money for something that just entertains us, and two - we were waisting too much of our lives watching it just because we had hundreds of channels to surf. The neat thing about having limited channels is that you really don't become a slave to TV. The really bad thing is that you have to rely on "rabbit ears" (let's see if my young friend knows what that means) to get any kind of reception. It is fun to watch Gary turn the antenna this way, then that way, then hold it with one leg in the air and touching the lamp; you get the picture. Well, you get the picture but we rarely do. Today I found out that I might be able to get cable (local channels only) for $11/month. I'm willing to pay that and I like the limited channels but really REALLY miss ESPN during football season. However, I'm skeptical since I doubt the cable people know what they are talking about (this is based on a personal horror story with cable people). We'll find out on Monday!

Priorities

Ever hear that old saying: "Be careful what you ask for"? Well I think there is a lot of wisdom to it. Lately I've felt like I'm drowning at work (same old story: too much to do, too little time). Yesterday was sort of the culmination of everything that was bugging me and by the time I left work I just felt like I needed a good three hour cry.

I spent the day doing everything except what I felt needed to get done. I had gone in with good intentions and knew what "MY" priorities were. Here is the funny thing about being in full-time ministry. You have to be able to let go of your priorities, almost always. God's priorities come first. I know this but just this once I wanted God to give me a break. He didn't and so the day was spent doing things important to Him. I don't regret that but it doesn't changed how overwhelmed I feel. I went home from work and had a long talk with God. I just prayed and asked Him to "please, please" let me get at "my things".

On the way to work today I prayed that same prayer over and over again. I walked in with a plan, determined to put my head down and tackle the long list of things that remain undone on my desk. I even came in an hour early to ensure I'd have "uninterrupted" time. Well, God had a different plan. I walked in, went straight to my office, and started digging my way through the papers. I was 20 minutes into it, feeling pretty good that my plan was working and my priorities might be addressed. I went into the front office to make a copy of something. I turned on the lights and immediately knew that things were going to change.

Something dramatic happened between the time we closed yesterday and coming in today. I had no idea what the "something" was but the result of it was obvious. The ceiling in the middle of room had dropped about 2 feet and was sagging from one wall to the other wall. I looked up and said "Okay God, I give up. This is Your day, I give it to You. Let Your priorities be my priorities and let me at peace with it."

I went back to my office and proceeded to make calls to the landlord to see if I needed to close for the day (structural problem?). We didn't, the day went on, a little crazier than the normal craziness but no one died. The ceiling got fixed and I went on to the next priority that presented itself.

With the day at an end I reflect back on the previous one and my prayer. I remember saying something like, "Dear God, it feels like things are caving in on me and I don't understand why I can't just do the work on my desk. I understand the importance of counseling with a mom frightened because her immature 17 year old is pregnant, I understand the need to pray with a volunteer in great emotional pain, I understand the need to support staff because they had a difficult client. I get it, BUT my job still needs to get done." I really remember using the words "caving in". Coming in this morning to a ceiling that was literally caving in reminded me that things could be worse. But some things just aren't as important as loving someone who doesn't think they are lovable, or crying with someone who doesn't have anyone to share their grief with, or praying with someone who hasn't prayed in a very long time. No things, are just things. Here today, gone tomorrow. But people, they are precious, unique, and eternal. God's priorities always deal with the eternal and I think He was just making sure I remembered that.

Temptation

According to my temperature gage it is 102 degrees. I'm guessing that makes the "feels like" temp over 110!

So you would think that I didn't go for my walk today wouldn't you? Well, you'd be wrong. I don't know why but I did go and I did all four miles. More than that, I wasn't even the only lunatic out there. I'm happy to report though that everyone else (and there weren't that many) I saw was just as hot and sweaty as I was. Which if you've read any of my earlier posts you will know why that is important to me. Also, if you've read my other posts then you'll know why it felt so hot. The hint I'll give you is that, other than heat bugs, birds and cars, it was very quiet today. Do you remember what that means? You're right! It means there was NO wind. NONE, not even a little breeze.

I don't carry anything with me when I walk, not even water, because I figure if I do a good pace I'm back home in a little over an hour. However, I didn't count on being gone as long as I was today. Due to the heat I was not doing my 20 minutes per mile pace. I just figured I was doing good to keep going. When I was just reaching the 3 mile point I felt like I needed to just lay down in the grass and take a nap. If it wasn't for my irrational fear of bugs I might have done just that.

I cherished each time the path was shaded by a tree and began to dread each area with no shade. The sun was brutal. Oh yeah, did I mention there are no clouds today? So now I'm at 3.5 miles with half a mile to home and I realize I would do anything, pay any price, just for a drink of cool fresh clear water. I looked down at the creek which if you use a lot of imagination and hold your nose you could pretend it met those qualifications. Just as I'm thinking about how bad it would be to drink the creek water I see something on the path just down a little way.

As I stare at it, I wonder if I'm hallucinating from the heat. It looks like a bottle of something. It wasn't there when I passed this way before. One of bikers must have had it unknowingly fall off their bike. Hmmmmm...what could it be? Now close enough I can see it is a bottle of Gatorade that is half full, or is half empty? At this point in my delusional state it really doesn't matter.

Each step, now slower than ever, I took got me closer to this wonder. Since my pace was that of a tortoise I had plenty of time to think about the pros and cons of picking it up and drinking it. Now, if you are reading this and thinking that I'm crazier than you really thought I was consider where you are. Chances are you are not out in 102 degrees heat with the sun beating down on you and your tongue feeling like sandpaper. You might be in a comfortable house, apartment or office building thinking there is no way she is being tempted by that used bottle of Gatorade, possibly with some strangers backwash in it, that has been laying on the dirty path. Well, guess again because I was very tempted.

I stopped, briefly wondered if I had the energy to make my legs go again, and stared down at that bottle. I had to remind myself that I don't even like Gatorade. Not even a little. I had to tell myself that it was probably 102 degrees which is why someone threw it down. Eventually, the only beat to the temptation of drinking it was to walk away, leaving it there. I didn't even trust myself to pick it up and put in the next trash can I saw. After a few steps I thought about turning around and just looking at the orange nectar one more time but decided I was better off keeping my eyes on the path in front of me.

Temptation. It comes in unexpected places and at unexpected times. It comes in different ways for different people under different circumstances. There is no, one size fits all when it comes to temptation. Recognize yours and realize, the temptation isn't the sin, it is acting on it that is. Consider running from it every time it comes to get you. I did, I just didn't have the strength so I walked away from it instead.

Weather report

So how hot was it yesterday? 100
How about today? 100
What is the temp supposed to be tomorrow? 100
And this weekend? 100

Morale of the story: If you can't stand the heat....stay out of Kansas!

Just a swingin'

I went for my walk today after church. I really don't know why. It was the hottest day yet but at least there was a breeze today. So many things to share. Actually I have to start with yesterday's walk. It was so fun (yes even in 95+ degrees weather). It was about 3 in the afternoon. I enjoyed it because the sun was out this time. It had been cloudy lately or if Gary is with me we have to walk on the shady trail. I just enjoyed soaking up the sun as I walked. Then I remembered that last week or so when I was walking with Gary I commented on how it seemed so quiet. Not that it is, it just seemed that way. I couldn't quite figure it out. I heard the cars on the highway and the birds and the VERY loud heat bugs (locusts, I think), and kids playing. But yesterday, I figured it out, it was the lack of wind that made it quiet. I didn't even know I missed it until I finally had it back. The wind makes the best sound as it rushes through the tall grasses on both sides of the bath. And the leaves in the trees sound like joyous applause.

So back to today. The nice thing about walking on days like this is that there is hardly anyone else out in the heat. I must be the only nut. Well....not really. There was this one guy walking the trail today that I wondered about. He had good walking shoes on but the rest of his attire made me wonder if there was a light on in the attic. He was only wearing a cowboy hat and short shorts (almost speedo looking). He did have ear buds in but there was no way anything was clipped to his shorts and so I'm thinking the ipod would have to have been tucked up under his hat. As we passed (going opposite directions) he said "hot enough for you?" I nodded and pretended he was normal.

Each time I walk I see something new (besides nuts). Yesterday it was this awesome turtle. Today it was a Praying Mantis. Now if you know me at all you know I'm not a bug person. Heat I can take, bugs...no way! But this is just the most amazing bug. I had to stop and just stare at it.



So after this short bug visit I was back on my walk. I went two miles and turned around for the two mile walk back. Gary did not go with today, although I'm sure he would have enjoyed the bug. He stayed at the playground to "shoot buckets". That means he shoots some basketball. It seems that in this area they don't say "shoot buckets" and somehow people think it has something to do with hitting golf balls. So now we say "play hoops". They know what that means. Gary is not a heat lover like me. I didn't know what I'd find when I got back. I figured he would be done long before I returned and expected to see him sitting in the shade somewhere.

As I walked up the path and got closer to the school yard, I had to look hard between trees to see if he is still there "playing hoops". I couldn't see him anywhere and so I walked toward the area where the picnic table that is in shade would be located. I saw it but no Gary. I started to worry that I would have to look for him passed out on the ground from heat exhaustion. I never expected to see him swinging on the swing. It was such a surprise that it made be smile from ear to ear. I don't think I ever remember seeing my husband playing on the swings, I know I've never seen playing on the swings by himself. Kelly and I used to do it all the time and so it was just the neatest picture that I will tuck away in the minds eye to recall when needed.

Oh yeah, I had my phone with me and so I did get three pictures of him too! As you walk wherever you are going in the next week be sure to look around you for something unusual or unexpected. You never know what you'll see.

Vanity Plates...

Okay, so I'm driving home today and began to think about vanity plates. There was this car that was probably being held together by luck and duct tape. It looked like the person who was driving it must be on their last penny. Yet, the car had vanity plates. I don't remember what they said but I do remember that I couldn't figure what it meant. I think it said something like, "dot2dot"??? Vanity plates can be entertaining yet I don't quite get why people have them. They aren't cheap so I really didn't understand why this person had them. In fact I think they are too much money and I don't see why I should pay someone, especially the DMV, to be able to say what is on my mind. No, I believe in free speech.

I would however seriously think about paying for vanity plates if I could put them on other peoples cars. Think about it. You don't like the way someone is driving and instead of them getting a ticket they pick you to decide what should be on their vanity plates for the next year. Here are few ideas I thought of just based on watching others driving on my way home today:
"baddriver"
"2dum2bsaf"
"speeddope"

If I gave it more thought I'm sure I could come up with some more. If you have ideas (PG Rated only) I'd love to see them. Post a comment!

Walked again!

Okay, so it is starting to feel like I post a lot about the walks I take. I guess I do and you'd think I was in really good shape or something but that really isn't the case. I just keep pretending I will be in good shape some day. Actually my walks are therapeutic and often very spiritual as I find myself having long conversations with God when I'm walking.

On a recent walk I was questioning why I was out there. The thermometer said it was 96 degrees out. I don't know how high the humidity was but I'm guessing it was 99.9%. I only guess that because I think it actually has to be raining to be 100%. There was NO wind so despite the fact that it was late in the day it was stifling.

I was determined to burn more calories so I worked hard to do each mile of the four mile walk in 20 minutes. When I'm in good shape I can walk a mile in about 12 minutes but I'm not anywhere near that kind of shape. As I worked hard at my 20 minutes/mile pace I began to wonder if I was insane. No one else was out there. How crazy or desperate does a person need to be to walk in this kind of weather? And do you get extra calorie credits? And when the air is that thick and stagnant do you burn more calories? I have no idea.

When I was almost done with mile #3 I went through this little wooded area. Right in the middle of it there was this little spot of cool air. By cool I'm guessing it was about 90 degrees instead of 96. Just enough to notice it. Suddenly my memory took me back to summers in Wisconsin and swimming in the lake as a little girl. You'd be swimming along and every once in a while you'd hit a cool spot.

It was such a sudden surprise to swim into that little refreshing spot of cooler water. The same is true on my walk. To suddenly go through a spot where it was obviously cooler was a wonderful surprise and somewhat refreshing. But now that I'm home I'm left to wonder if it really happened at all. Was there really a cooler spot of colder air or did I just imagine it? Or was I overcome due to the heat and exercise? Maybe I was burning so many extra calories, walking in that thick stagnant air, that my mind was playing tricks on me. I guess I'll never know for sure.

Breath of life

Sunday at church we sang the praise song called "Breathe". This song always touches my soul. The words go something like this:
"This is the air I breathe. This is the air I breathe. Your holy presence, living in me. This is my daily bread. This is my daily bread. Your holy Word spoken to me. And I'm desperate for You. And I'm lost without You."

As I sing this song, quietly in the place I stand with my head bowed, I breathe in and fill my lungs with air imagining that I'm filling my very soul with God's presence. Then when I exhale I imagine that I am letting out all the things that don't belong in His holy presence. As I did that this week I began to wonder about "breath" and so I've decided to do a Bible study on it.

The first verse I found with the word "breath" in it is Genesis 1:30
"And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food." And it was so."

I did a word search on "breath of life" and found 8 verses with that phrase. From Genesis, all the way to Revelation. "Breath of life" seems significant as it speaks to God giving man and/or creatures the breath of life. Without it, we die. Genesis 1:30 where it is first mentioned is before God created man. It makes me wonder if God breathes. If He does, what is that like? God does not have a body, like we do and I don't think of Him having lungs. So I wonder, if He breathes, how does it happen?

As I think more on this I am reminded of the many conversations I had with my daughter when she was young. She was often asking me impossible questions. Bigger and harder questions than "why is the sky blue". My response was always the same, "Some day when you are in Heaven you will have to ask God". At one point I even suggested she start keeping a list of the questions she is going to have ask God. So for now, I'll take my own advice and someday God will let me know how and if he actually breathes.

For now, I think I will continue to worship Him in song and let my lungs fill with air as I breathe in and ask God to fill me with His holy presence. Then, I will continue to fill my soul by studying His word and breathe in the wisdom it carries.

The log in my eye...

Have you ever read a Bible verse and felt like it was written for someone else? Mostly, the feeling about wanting it to be about someone else is because it seems a bit harsh, or maybe too true, or it could be that it hits too close to home. A few posts ago I shared the story of the "water tower" and how hard it was to see it when we were closer to it. I think that is good metaphor to consider as you read these verses:

Matthew 7:3-5 NLT
“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.

Wow, now that's harsh. "Hypocrite", not something anyone wants to be called.

At the beginning of 2007 I took a trip to Singapore to visit my daughter and son-in-law. The picture to the right is a picture I took of the plants that my daughter was taking care of while her mother-in-law was out of the country for a few months. I made fun of her and even felt it was worthy of memorializing in picture and on the internet. She didn't see the humor in it but I assured her it was funny.

Well, the shoe is on the other foot now. Or should I say now that I've removed the log in my own eye I can see more clearly. How hard can it be to take care of a few plants? Water them and watch 'em grow. Really, it should be that easy. However, it is not. I was put in charge of two little plants to care for while my daughter lived in Singapore for a while. Someday, when they come back to the states to live, she wanted to know her plants would be here waiting for her. As you can see by the pictures below, they aren't going to make it...

......................The bamboo plant is dieing of "incorrect planting".
The African Violet, death by over watering and neglect.
.............................
Yes it is all very tragic but a good lesson to learn. Hopefully, the lesson learned with a couple of plants will prevent me from missing other "logs" that may be in my eye when I'm busy pointing out the "specks" in someone else's.

PS: Sorry Kelly, one - for making fun of you, AND two - for killing your plants. :(

Practical Jokes

So I started to wonder why is a practical joke called a "practical joke"? There does not seem to be anything practical about it. Dictionary.com gives one definition as "mindful of the results, usefulness". Most people who make an art of doing practical jokes are not always "mindful of the results" nor do I feel they are ever useful. Occasionally they might be entertaining but usually not to the victim.

Years ago I worked with a person who constantly, like daily, did practical jokes. For some reason I was his intended victim until one day I scared the bajeebers out of him. He was going through one of those spurts where he had to do something every day. Usually it was while I was on an important conference call. His goal was to scare me so I'd scream and be embarrassed. Occasionally he achieved that goal. I was sharing my daily events with Gary when he said "you know, another person would consider this constant barrage of jokes as harassment". My response was, "hmmmmm".

The next day when I finally found the rotted banana he had hidden in my cubicle, after 2+ weeks of trying to find out where that smell was coming from, I took it to his cube. When he finished laughing I innocently said, "Last night when I was talking with my husband. You met him once. Yes the BIG strong looking guy. Anyway, we were talking and in his opinion, he feels that your constant jokes are a form of harassment. AND, he isn't very happy about it." The man's face went white, I saw exactly what fear looks like on someone and in this case it brought me great joy.

He never played another practical joke on me. He also avoided my husband. My question is: did I play a practical joke on the practical joker? Let me know what you think.

Men and Directions

This past weekend Gary and I went to a small town about 30 miles south of where we live. One of his co-workers was celebrating her 60th birthday. When we got to the town I asked Gary what the address is. His response, "she lives by the water tower".

An innocent enough comment that made me wonder if he even knew where we were going. I headed toward the water tower. Here is the thing with landmarks, as you get closer to them they are harder to see. Why? Glad you asked. This area has many trees and it is summer so there are leaves on them making it impossible to see the water tower at all. "Just keep driving around" was Gary's advice.

After a while I asked, "Do you know how much gas costs per gallon right now?" His reply, "We'll find it soon." So I inquired if the sheet of paper that was the invitation had any kind of address on it. He informed it did not but it did have two phone numbers. I suggested we call one of the numbers to get the address but he said, "Oh, not yet. We can find it."

Sooooooo, he suggested we go back to the town square, which really is a town square because it is that small a town. He thought perhaps there might be "another water tower" somewhere. Those of you who know me, I'm sure can guess what I was thinking at this point but I resisted the urge to share it and prayed for patience and understanding. Guess what? There was NOT another water tower. BIG SURPRISE! But we were able to again see the water tower we couldn't see when we were too close.

This time were were smarter and watched carefully as the tower disappeared into the trees so we could guess how many blocks to go down before turning toward it. Eventually we were there, at the base of the water tower. Now the only challenge left was to drive around all the streets and guess which house the party was at. It didn't take too long until we turned down a street that had lots of cars parked on it. YEAH! Eventually we could see a big grill going and a big crowd in one of the backyards. However, I wondered why there wasn't a sign that said "Happy Birthday" or "Sue turns 60" or "RIP". Ever so gently I said I would wait in the car while Gary checked to see if this was the right place.

Uncomfortable with that he said "Let's keep driving". This time I couldn't keep the thoughts in my head out of my mouth. "WHAT? How about calling one of those numbers!!!!!!" While we discussed it we kept going down the street and soon saw another party going on. This time there were balloons in the front yard with "60" on them. YEAH, we were there!

Morale of the story: You really don't need to have directions or actually know where you are going as long as you have a man in the car who won't ask for directions and who doesn't care how much gas you waste trying to find the place.

Gotta love um!