I am participating in a Bible study right now that focuses on the Psalms of Ascent (Psalm 120-134). It hasn't been that close to my heart until this Tuesday when I finally made the connection (I don't know what took me so long) that the study is all about pilgrimage. Every year the Jewish people made several journeys to Jerusalem for different holidays, feasts and events. And do you know what? They did it together. There were no lone rangers on these journeys. Why? Because it afforded them safety and company. And they had a shared destination.
On the way they faced many dangers and evils-just like we do on a daily basis. We may not see it and it may not be as obvious as the dangers these pilgrims faced but we do. Jeremiah 41:1-10 tells the story of pilgrims who made the journey to the Feast of Tabernacles when a man named Ishmael attacked and killed 70 of them while the rest of them were taken captive. It's dangerous out there. And we need each other.
Forgive each other. Don't hold a grudge. Unforgiveness is like a poison. It separates and destroys. Beth Moore writes that we need to wise up and not be outwitted by our enemy's schemes (she is referring to satan as the ultimate enemy). Unforgiveness leads to isolation. And slaughter. We don't just want people to be sorry, we want them to "be sorry". We want to see them pay.
Second, we need to encourage others. Look for opportunities to build people up. People get discouraged-it creeps up on us all and blindsides us. When you give someone a positive word you don't know what it will do for them. It might make the difference. We've all heard the stories of people who have determined to commit suicide (literally) unless someone smiles at them or talks to them before a set time. My heart aches for those people who just want a word or a smile. From anyone. Can you just say something so simple to someone that is encouraging? As Beth Moore says "A woman will even take 'that is one cute purse you have!'". So easy and so vital. To encourage means to infuse with courage. Think about that.
And last-this is the one I really wanted to write about here but felt I needed to give credit to her study ("Stepping Up-a journey through the Psalms of Ascent") and set the background.
Love each other deeply. People need that. We live in a world with more contact than ever (social media, email, phones everywhere, texting...) and yet we don't really spend time with one another and know each other. I've felt this for a long time but who wants to say it? It sounds whiny and pathetic. People don't have time for friendship. Why do we text? To avoid getting into long conversations with people. I do it. You do it. Beth Moore admitted to it. I have even seen it in my children's friends. They are so busy with 100 extra-curricular activities that they don't have time to be kids. To be friends. And I've seen the loneliness that it leads to for others. When people are too busy to love, to be friends, it makes others feel insignificant. God created us to need companionship. No matter how much we want to fight it, we need other people. Beth cited studies proving health (even cardiac health) benefits to our relationships. Those with close, deep relationships were less likely to die!!Deep relationships. Not how many friends you have on facebook or google plus or whatever. So what if you have 546 friends on there. Do you really know them? Do they know you? What makes you smile? What makes you hurt? I'm not saying that social media has no place in our world and life but it canNOT take the place of true friendships. The kind with a shared cup of tea or coffee. A hug. A real conversation about what makes you tick.
We like to think that when we need no one we will have arrived. We will be successful. At what cost? I think it's safe to say that loneliness is pervasive in society today. But it doesn't have to be. If we just take time to know people-quality over quantity-we can help each other on this journey called life.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Monday, August 8, 2011
Adjustments
I am, admittedly, not very good with adjusting to new things. I have wanted a laptop forever and yet I didn't want to get one because that's a whole new way of doing things. A whole new kind of keyboard to get used to, a new "mouse" ('cause there's really not one)...just all new. And what about wi-fi. What is that even? (Right now I'm sitting at my computer desk even though I have a laptop because I'm using my old modem and I'm still connected to the cord!?) And does it cost extra to get said wi-fi?
But last night we bit the bullet and bought one (cash Dave Ramsey, cash! When it said "swipe card" I didn't!). We didn't get the most expensive one-prob'ly one of the least expensive ones. But, in all honesty, I way underuse my computers, cameras, phones (anything and everything technology) so the guy in Best Buy with his look of disdain...take that. I'm happy with one without all the bells and whistles. Nyah. (He was kind of a snob about it.)
So, it might be a bit before I learn the ins and outs of posting pictures (the part where you get the pictures ON the computer that is) and stuff...but so far, I'm liking it!
But last night we bit the bullet and bought one (cash Dave Ramsey, cash! When it said "swipe card" I didn't!). We didn't get the most expensive one-prob'ly one of the least expensive ones. But, in all honesty, I way underuse my computers, cameras, phones (anything and everything technology) so the guy in Best Buy with his look of disdain...take that. I'm happy with one without all the bells and whistles. Nyah. (He was kind of a snob about it.)
So, it might be a bit before I learn the ins and outs of posting pictures (the part where you get the pictures ON the computer that is) and stuff...but so far, I'm liking it!
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Bittersweet
These past couple of months have seen some big milestones and changes for our Baby Nathan. I feel like he is growing up so fast that my head (or heart) is spinning. The two major changes are that he is now weaned from nursing (19 months) and he got his first big boy haircut. Both have made me a little sad-or maybe nostalgic!?
I have known he needed a haircut for quite a while but it was so hard to cut those blond locks off...where did he get them anyway? The fact is, no matter what baby habits you keep, they grow up anyways. But if you try to keep them a baby it's like a middle aged woman trying to dress like a teenager. It just looks silly.
I could have kept nursing him...but wouldn't it besilly stupid if he were leaving the dugout in Little League to come for a sip? Something along the lines of a water bottle or Gatorade might be more appropriate.
I could've kept his hair long...but he was starting to look a little Donald Trump-ish.
All of these baby milestones have to be dealt with...it's just a little harder when it's your final baby. The last time.
I try to remind myself it's the beginning of another time. A time when I get to participate more in the lives of my big kids...but it'd be sour grapes if I pretended I was glad he's not my little baby anymore.
I have known he needed a haircut for quite a while but it was so hard to cut those blond locks off...where did he get them anyway? The fact is, no matter what baby habits you keep, they grow up anyways. But if you try to keep them a baby it's like a middle aged woman trying to dress like a teenager. It just looks silly.
I could have kept nursing him...but wouldn't it be
I could've kept his hair long...but he was starting to look a little Donald Trump-ish.
All of these baby milestones have to be dealt with...it's just a little harder when it's your final baby. The last time.
I try to remind myself it's the beginning of another time. A time when I get to participate more in the lives of my big kids...but it'd be sour grapes if I pretended I was glad he's not my little baby anymore.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
One Summer: A Book Review!
I don't think I've ever done a book review on my blog before, but here goes!
The book is titled One Summer (by David Baldacci)
He is one of my favorite authors but usually writes more of an intrigue/suspense genre. I was skeptical because there have been other authors that stepped outside of their norm and I was not impressed (The Painted House anyone?) So, when I saw this book, I checked it out but I kind of set it on the bottom of the stack. And started reading my other books...til I found out that this one was not renewable because it was being requested on hold at the library. Hmmmmm. Ok, I put down the other book (The Appeal by John Grisham-a so so read IMO) and picked up One Summer.
I can barely put it down.
A man (Jack) is given a death sentence. Not the legal kind but the medical kind. It never mentions the illness he has (I guess the author doesn't want you to get side-tracked by that?) but he is dying. Painfully, slowly and in front of his family. A wife, a teenage daughter, a pre-adolescent son and a toddler son. While he lays in his hospital bed languishing he has a lot of time to reflect. His goal is to make it til Christmas. And he does. But, in a cruel twist of fate, his wife goes out on icy roads to get his pain medicine-which she forgot earlier. And she never comes back. She is killed in a car crash.
In true mother-in-law-from-the-movies fashion, his wife's mother takes charge (her husband is a seemingly weak person that you get the idea that he doesn't really like her shenanigans but does nothing to contradict her) and in short? The kids are farmed out to family and dad is left in the care of hospice to die. Alone.
Let me tell you, I am not a crier...ok, Little Women made me cry as did a Danielle Steele novel (??? what's up with that?--can't even remember which one! Think it was Fine Things) once and John Grisham made me almost sob once. I think it was The Chamber. But that's nothing. I read a LOT. But this book almost made me cry. Had I let it, I would've let loose with some real tears. But, I supressed it so I could keep reading. And because I didn't have the luxury of time for a good cry.
Anyways, now that you know I have a heart of stone (!?!)...I didn't even cry at The Titanic!
Like I said, anyways, he doesn't die. While laying there waiting to die (alone-can you imagine?) and listening to the sounds of death in the hospice he's been abandoned to...he begins to get better. He can hardly believe it...and that's where I'm leaving you. He must then grapple with how to get his kids back, physically and emotionally-especially in the case of his teenage daughter and with the issue that he was supposed to be dead, not his beloved wife. It wasn't supposed to be this way....
The book is titled One Summer (by David Baldacci)
He is one of my favorite authors but usually writes more of an intrigue/suspense genre. I was skeptical because there have been other authors that stepped outside of their norm and I was not impressed (The Painted House anyone?) So, when I saw this book, I checked it out but I kind of set it on the bottom of the stack. And started reading my other books...til I found out that this one was not renewable because it was being requested on hold at the library. Hmmmmm. Ok, I put down the other book (The Appeal by John Grisham-a so so read IMO) and picked up One Summer.
I can barely put it down.
A man (Jack) is given a death sentence. Not the legal kind but the medical kind. It never mentions the illness he has (I guess the author doesn't want you to get side-tracked by that?) but he is dying. Painfully, slowly and in front of his family. A wife, a teenage daughter, a pre-adolescent son and a toddler son. While he lays in his hospital bed languishing he has a lot of time to reflect. His goal is to make it til Christmas. And he does. But, in a cruel twist of fate, his wife goes out on icy roads to get his pain medicine-which she forgot earlier. And she never comes back. She is killed in a car crash.
In true mother-in-law-from-the-movies fashion, his wife's mother takes charge (her husband is a seemingly weak person that you get the idea that he doesn't really like her shenanigans but does nothing to contradict her) and in short? The kids are farmed out to family and dad is left in the care of hospice to die. Alone.
Let me tell you, I am not a crier...ok, Little Women made me cry as did a Danielle Steele novel (??? what's up with that?--can't even remember which one! Think it was Fine Things) once and John Grisham made me almost sob once. I think it was The Chamber. But that's nothing. I read a LOT. But this book almost made me cry. Had I let it, I would've let loose with some real tears. But, I supressed it so I could keep reading. And because I didn't have the luxury of time for a good cry.
Anyways, now that you know I have a heart of stone (!?!)...I didn't even cry at The Titanic!
Like I said, anyways, he doesn't die. While laying there waiting to die (alone-can you imagine?) and listening to the sounds of death in the hospice he's been abandoned to...he begins to get better. He can hardly believe it...and that's where I'm leaving you. He must then grapple with how to get his kids back, physically and emotionally-especially in the case of his teenage daughter and with the issue that he was supposed to be dead, not his beloved wife. It wasn't supposed to be this way....
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Ranch Chicken Sandwiches
I honestly cannot remember where this recipe came from...but it's a favorite in our house!
2. Put the thawed chicken in a (glass) dish with the Ranch dressing-making sure it's coated on all sides (at least an hour works best I think...all day is even better!)
3. Grill (or pan fry in a pinch) your chicken breasts after they marinate.
4. Place the slice of cheese on the cooked chicken breast (we sometimes do it while it's still on the grill, but JUST before we take it off--just long enough to melt it a little)
5. top with tomato and put it on the bun!
(we reserve some of the ranch before we put raw chicken in it and save it for dipping the sandwiches in or putting some extra on it)
Dinner is served! Oops! I was going to put a "finished product" picture but it was so late that the food was scarfed down before I could say "camera".
- chicken breasts (we use flash frozen because they are the easiest to buy and store and choose how many we need just an hour or two before dinner)
- Ranch salad dressing (we have used everything from the kind you make-Hidden Valley-to the cheapest store brand and I think the key is not in what dressing but how long the chicken marinates in it!)
- Provolone Cheese-thin slices
- tomato (sliced)
- buns
- any other condiments you would enjoy--I've had it suggested that avocado would go yummily with this sandwich!
2. Put the thawed chicken in a (glass) dish with the Ranch dressing-making sure it's coated on all sides (at least an hour works best I think...all day is even better!)
3. Grill (or pan fry in a pinch) your chicken breasts after they marinate.
4. Place the slice of cheese on the cooked chicken breast (we sometimes do it while it's still on the grill, but JUST before we take it off--just long enough to melt it a little)
5. top with tomato and put it on the bun!
(we reserve some of the ranch before we put raw chicken in it and save it for dipping the sandwiches in or putting some extra on it)
Dinner is served! Oops! I was going to put a "finished product" picture but it was so late that the food was scarfed down before I could say "camera".
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Disney World
Ok, honesty here. I was totally overwhelmed by our vacation to Disney-more the planning and the execution of it rather than the actuality of it. Does that make sense? Do you realize that people actually make full time jobs out of Disney Vacation planning? I know, I know...it's so commercial and cliche. But I really wanted to see my kids' faces light up when they saw all the commercialism. Kids like that!
Tips for planning:
- go during off-peak times if you can. We homeschool and this is a huge benefit of homeschooling. We went in February when it wasn't hot and it wasn't as crowded!
- mousesavers.com --all kinds of tips for planning and budgeting your trip to Disney.
- a Travel Agent! --
- plan your days-meals and all! But leave room for error and down time. We had reservations for most meals and when we didn't have reservations we knew where we wanted to eat. We also had a list of each day's must-dos. We spent one day in each park, we knew we couldn't see everything and trying would make everyone miserable. So, as long as we got our "must sees" done...we didn't stress about the rest.
- the meal plan is worth it. Food at Disney is very expensive (seriously!) and our meal plan kept us on a budget and it was so simple! And we never felt deprived or hungry.
- Use the family pass and the fast pass options. If you don't understand it? Ask one of the workers at Disney! We had a lady that stopped what she was doing and very enthusiastically showed us how to use these options!!!! We found their hospitality to be wonderful at Disney-overall.
- skip the park hopper pass-it just makes you spastic
- stay on site-free transportation and no parking fees! And you get perks-extra Magic Hours and stuff like that if you are staying on site! You just have to check which dates of your stay is the best to go to which park.
- Enjoy it! Let perfection go...it won't be perfect, you won't see everything and you and your kids will get tired and grumpy-even at "The Happiest Place on Earth"!
We drove. Yes, drove. It took us 2 days (plus an evening on the first night because we left in the late afternoon to get part of that first leg done!). But if we had flown, with the size of our family, we were afraid we'd have gotten there, looked at the castle in Magic Kingdom (from outside of the park) and said "ooooh. aaaaah" and had to go home (due to used up funds). I planned out (mapquest.com) where we would stop each night--and it was so worth it! To have printed out directions to each hotel, knowing what amenities (free breakfast anyone?) they had and that there was a room for us! All we had to do was follow the directions and check in! Voila!
So we checked in to our Resort (hotel) at Disney on Sunday night. That way the fun could begin Monday morning! To be continued....
Thankful Tuesday
It's time again...Kelly at "Oh, That Mom Again" is sure challenging me...Honestly, I thought about skipping Mr Linky this week. Who would know? Who would care? Then I thought, that's pure laziness! So, here goes!
1. Air Conditioning. That will be my number one thankful thing til prob'ly....late September where I live!
2. That I get to stay home with my kids. I know it's not for everyone, but it is for me.
3. Friends. Good friends. Friends that care what you are going through. Friends I've never met but know online.
4. Books. "I can go anywhere, take a look, it's in a book..." (Remember that one? Think about it and see if you can conjure up that childhood song from a tv show!)
5. My grandpa. Every time I call him he acts like it's the best thing that happened to him. Ever. And I've never known it to be any different.
6. Children that are healthy enough to drive me crazy. They can run, make lots of noise and even more lots of messes....but it means they are alive and healthy! I'll take it!
7. Running water. Think about it. Has your water ever been turned off for repairs? We take it for granted but I can't imagine not having it.
8. My husband's job. He has one. A lot of people don't.
9. My husband. He's not perfect but he's perfect for me. He balances me out. (I kind of stole this one from Kelly but it resonated...it was true.)
10. My home. Some people have nicer, fancier, bigger homes. But mine is cozy and it's ours. We get to stamp it with our personal stamp. Even if right now that is a bunch of messes. So many that it might be one big one.
1. Air Conditioning. That will be my number one thankful thing til prob'ly....late September where I live!
2. That I get to stay home with my kids. I know it's not for everyone, but it is for me.
3. Friends. Good friends. Friends that care what you are going through. Friends I've never met but know online.
4. Books. "I can go anywhere, take a look, it's in a book..." (Remember that one? Think about it and see if you can conjure up that childhood song from a tv show!)
5. My grandpa. Every time I call him he acts like it's the best thing that happened to him. Ever. And I've never known it to be any different.
6. Children that are healthy enough to drive me crazy. They can run, make lots of noise and even more lots of messes....but it means they are alive and healthy! I'll take it!
7. Running water. Think about it. Has your water ever been turned off for repairs? We take it for granted but I can't imagine not having it.
8. My husband's job. He has one. A lot of people don't.
9. My husband. He's not perfect but he's perfect for me. He balances me out. (I kind of stole this one from Kelly but it resonated...it was true.)
10. My home. Some people have nicer, fancier, bigger homes. But mine is cozy and it's ours. We get to stamp it with our personal stamp. Even if right now that is a bunch of messes. So many that it might be one big one.
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