All HE Wants

Lessons From the Edge

"Goodbye" never gets easy.

I don't even want to go to work today.
Yes, I know. It's Friday. There are fun things planned to do. And on any other Friday I would be happy about going in.

But today is different.

Today I don't want to go.

Because today I'll have to say "Goodbye" to someone, and I don't want to do it.

One month ago, D gave her 30-day-notice. Today she is moving into her daughter's home.
It really will be a good thing for her. D adores her daughter, and as she has become more and more forgetful and confused she has also become more needy for her daughter's presence. And, while her daughter is happy to come to Edgewood on an almost daily basis to visit D, they believe D will be happier if she is with her daughter full-time.
So, D is moving.
And I have to say, "Goodbye."
Goodbye to this dear woman who has lived almost right across the hall from the Activity Room for about a year and a half. (So I am used to seeing her all.the.time.) Goodbye to this dear woman who makes me smile every time I see her. This woman who loves coming to my Bible studies, who teases me about getting to work too late or leaving too early, who sometimes "races" me down the hallway and also tells me I need to slow down.
D is a bright spot in my days at Edgewood, and I am sure going to miss her.

Over the past three-plus years I've been at Edgewood, I have said "Goodbye" to a lot of people. You'd think I would be used to it by now. But I'm not.

"Goodbye" never gets easy.

Disclaimer: The ideas and opinions expressed in this post are my own, and may not necessarily reflect those of Vista Springs Living Centers.

Welcome to My Alphabet

Some moms look at the crazy goings-on in their homes and wearily say to guests,
"Welcome to my zoo."

Are you one of them?

I have certainly had the occasion to feel like my house was more of a zoo than a home.
I recently came to the realization, however, that this house may be better defined as an alphabet.

I've shared stories here about my boys and their ADD/ADHD antics. Well, the other day Matthew (my ADHD guy) was doing his chores - vacuuming the living room carpet. All was well until I heard the vacuum stop moving. For quite a while.
And I wondered, What is he doing now?
The boy gets so easily distracted. I could just imagine him gathering up air soft pellets from the floor and running to his room to put them back in his gun.
While leaving the vacuum running.
Or forgetting what he was doing altogether and leaving the vacuum behind to carry on with a completely different activity.

I rounded the corner to confirm my suspicions, only to find Matthew kneeling on the floor - vacuum tube in hand - sucking up every individual air soft pellet and speck of dirt.
He was intent on getting it all.
Seeing him there reminded me of the time I asked him to wipe the door of a cabinet in the kitchen. He ended up spending a good hour cleaning up so much more than I asked of him.
And there was the time I walked into the eating nook and found him with a toothpick digging out stuck-in dirt from the seams in the table. Oh, and that other time he cleaned out my computer keyboard in a similar manner.
Have I ever mentioned that I think the boy has a touch of OCD? *wink*
My GAD and MDD can make the ADD/ADHD/OCD tricky to handle at times. Add to that an occasional bout of IBS, some PMS every now and then, and regular fits of RLS - and you've got quite a mix of letters, moods and issues.

Yes, friends, welcome to my alphabet.

I'm just glad we're missing BBS, SFS, and EGD.

Did God Contradict Himself???

I am the LORD;
in its time I will do this swiftly.

Isaiah 60:22b

Does anybody else see the contradiction in this verse?

Look again.

Because it's there. I'm sure of it.

Or, at least I thought I was.

Does "in its time" sound slow to anyone else? Or is it just me?
To me, "in its time" sounds like the kind of answer you give to an anxious kid who's asking when her tooth is going to finally fall out. Or the way you'd respond to an athlete who wants to know when his knee will be well enough for him to play sports again.
It surely doesn't sound like the kind of thing you'd say to indicate something which was about to happen at any given moment.
Definitely sounds like w-a-i-t-i-n-g to me.

So where, I ask you, does "swiftly" fit into this equation?
Swiftly, which may be defined as:
1. moving or capable of moving with great speed or velocity; fleet; rapid: a swift ship.
2. coming, happening, or performed quickly or without delay: a swift decision.
3. quick or prompt to act or respond: swift to jump to conclusions.

How can the two terms be used congruously?

I sat with God and pondered that question. I wondered what He meant when He spoke those words through Isaiah. And, by His grace, I came to understand there was no contradiction.
God's timing is perfect, and when He chooses to act nothing can stop Him. When God acts, He moves swiftly. He does not delay, rather moves with all His capability.
Promptly and completely.
The thing I came to understand from this verse is God moves in this way - swiftly - when it is the right time. In this case, Isaiah was talking about God's redemption of His people, Israel. But I believe the same is true of us today.
Though there may be times when we feel like our waiting is endless, when it feels like God is not moving in our circumstance - and we may begin to question His ability to move, I believe we can still trust Him to act swiftly. When the time is right.
When He can say of our situation, It is time.

HE did it for Israel. HE'll do it for you.

What are you waiting for today? I would be pleased to pray for you!

Asking Isn't Easy

Did you ever go to a Sadies Hawkins dance when you were in high school?

You know, where the girls ask the guys?

Sadies is coming up at Elizabeth's school, and who else would she ask but Nick? (There will likely be another edition of Beauty and the Beau after that dance.) And - as with anything my girl does - Elizabeth went overboard when it came to asking Nick to attend the dance with her.
She cut up cereal boxes and glued them together to form the letters S-A-D-I-E-S, and a question mark. She covered them with fabric and put them on the wall. Then she blew up a gazillon balloons (with the help of Josh and an air pump) and filled Nick's room with them. (His room at our house, that is.) She hid under them and waited for Nick to arrive.
Brian had gone to pick Nick up at the bus station so Elizabeth could finish preparations for the big ask. And when he walked into the room she popped out from under the balloons and asked Nick to be her date for Sadies.

He said, "Yes."

And then the real fun began. *grin*

Who knew asking someone to a dance could be so much work? And so fun!

Confessions of a Control Freak

Lessons From the Edge

Life and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are better when they're shared.

Tuesday we took our monthly trip to Walmart. Once a month I load up the shuttle with everyone who wants to go to Walmart, and we get some shopping done. And this week on Tuesday as we were getting ready to head out the door, S decided she wanted to go, too. The two of us went up to her apartment to get her coat and search for her dollar (She wanted to buy a candy bar.) and then we were all on our way.

It will help you better understand this story if I give you a little background on S. She is a very sweet woman. And very forgetful.
Very.
As in, she often needs to be reminded to do such simple things as step out of the elevator when the doors open, sit down when she gets to a chair, and put her glasses on her head when you put them in her hand. Needless to say, I did not want S to wander around Walmart by herself. So I became her shopping buddy.

We started off looking for prizes for a game we're playing today, and as we walked the aisles S began talking about life. "I don't know if you know this," she said, "but E and I are on the outs." She explained that he isn't committed in his faith and we agreed that can cause problems in a relationship.
Then we talked about how much we need to rely on God, and she showed me a hand motion she does (pointing to the sky) when she is reminded of her need for Him.
I told her about Brian introducing me to Jesus and helping me understand what it means to have a personal relationship with Him. She thought that was so neat.
We talked about her growing up years as an only child, and how that affected her parenting habits. I'm still not sure if she had four boys and one daughter, four boys and two daughters, or three boys and two daughters - because she told me all three of those combinations at some point in our shopping trip. But I do know she loves her children, and she was a strict mother. Very strict, she said. *wink*
As we walked around the store, filling my shopping list for our Pizza Night needs, we continued to talk and laugh and enjoy one another. I was so happy she'd decided to join us on our trip.
Then it was time to check out, and S selected her candy bar.
A King Size Reese's Peanut Butter Cup.
When we reached the bench where we wait for everyone to gather, I told her the good news that there were FOUR peanut butter cups in her package. She smiled and offered one to me. (I told you she was sweet!) We both savored the peanut-chocolaty goodness and agreed that we deserved it after all the walking we'd just done.

I looked at S with delight as I reviewed in my mind the last 40 minutes we'd spent together.
And I smiled as I considered the lesson I'd just learned:
Life and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are better when they're shared.

Disclaimer: The ideas and opinions expressed in this post are my own, and may not necessarily reflect those of Vista Springs Living Centers.

That Was a Good Come-Back

Brian: Ha! I have done everything!
Me: Everything?
Yeah.
(doubtful) Really?
Yep. (put-off) Don't you believe me?
Well, you haven't made dinner tonight.
(justified) Ah, but that wasn't on my list.
Oooooh. You mean you've done everything on your list.
(playfully arrogant) Yes. That is exactly what I mean.
(with a touch of sarcasm) I'm so sorry. I should have listened more clearly.
(after a moment of silence) That was a good come-back.

I love that we can have fun, even as we work on our communication skills. *wink*

But I Shouldn't be Here

Saturday Brian and I flew home from our cruise vacation. We started in New Orleans - flew to Charlotte, NC - and were to connect there with a flight to Detroit. Easy enough, you'd think.

Uh, sometimes you just shouldn't think. Goodness knows we weren't!

See, we were hungry when we landed in Charlotte, so we got something to eat. Then, as we were making our way to our gate, we saw a shop which sold smoothies and decided to stop for one. Soooo yummy! But, while we were thinking about how good a smoothie would taste, we were NOT thinking about what time our flight was leaving.
And when we got to our gate, we discovered - the plane was gone.

Ooops!

Brian talked to the gate agent and we got stand-by tickets for the next flight to Detroit.
Fortunately, after all passengers had boarded that next flight, there were two seats left.
17B for Brian.
And 1A for me.
Yes, we had to be split up. Yes, Brian was in the last row of the plane. And, yes...
I was seated in First Class.

After I got over the giddiness of my surprise upgrade, I began to feel a little awkward.
The flight attendant started taking drink orders from all the First Class passengers. When she got to me, I kind of expected her to pass right by. I mean, I hadn't purchased a First Class ticket. I really wasn't supposed to be there. But she stopped, and asked me what I would like to have.
I opted for water.
Once we were in the air, the flight attendant came around with more drinks. And snacks. And each time she came by she offered me choices just like she did to all the other First Class passengers. She treated me the same way she was treating everyone else. Yet I kept thinking, But I shouldn't be here. I don't deserve this treatment. I didn't buy a First Class ticket!
None of my thinking seemed to matter to her. She just kept on treating me like a First Class passenger. (I finally bucked up and played along. *wink*)

Then Sunday morning came along and, as I sat in church listening to the sermon, I began to see the picture God had started painting for me the night before. Our pastor spoke of God choosing us - not because of anything we have done, but because of His grace and love toward us. Indeed, we do not deserve God's grace. We have not "bought the ticket". There is no way we could! God's love and grace given to us through Jesus is a gift, pure and simple. And because of that gift, God treats us like First Class saints. Not like the sinners we are. HE sees us as righteous because of the purifying blood of Jesus which covers us.
In that moment, I realized my experience the night before - sitting in seat 1A, being treated like all the other First Class passengers (undeserving, though I was!) - was a picture of God's grace.
When I get to heaven one day, and God welcomes me Home, I might stand in awe and think, But I shouldn't be here! Yet, I know my Father will assure me, My Son purchased your ticket, daughter. This is right where I want you to be.

Our Cruise to the Bahamas

Ahhhhhh! The cruise Brian and I took last week was uh-may-zing!

If you have ever considered a cruise before, I highly recommend taking it.
I.can.not.wait.to.do.it.again!

Not only was it beautiful (see the picture below) but it was completely relaxing, and loads of fun.

The time spent with my hubby was terrific. And the fact that someone ELSE planned the activities, prepared the meals, made the bed, cleaned the room, and etc. and etc. made it even better.
All I had to do was decide where I wanted to go - and show up.
Loved, loved, loved it!

We started off in New Orleans, traveled down the Mississippi and made our first stop in Key West. Brian and I biked around the island and found a beach where we spent an hour or two before re-boarding the ship.

The next stop was Nassau, Bahamas.
And this is where we went snorkeling. Cute, don't you think?

The water was gorgeous, and the fish were beautiful. Brian captured these on our underwater camera. (I tried to capture a fish, or two, as well. But they were too fast. I only was able to touch them quickly. *wink*)
Video editing and music compliments of my son, Josh.

After Nassau, we spent two days at sea on our way to Coco Cay - a private island owned by Royal Caribbean. And, I'm telling you, the island was heavenly. God gave us perfect weather that day, which I'm sure made it all the more lovely. (That's our ship off in the distance over my left shoulder.)

We made good friends with our table-mates in the dining room, fully enjoyed the activities and entertainment, and simply fell in love with our waitress and assistant waiter. Actually, all the staff and crew were exceptionally nice. It was a treat to be on board with them.

So there you have it, my official vote for everyone in the world to take a cruise. Especially moms. You deserve a break like this!

How Sad

This Week's WORD *Re-post*

Several years ago I used to do a Friday post which I called, This Week's WORD.
Typically, I shared a verse which I'd encountered that week in my Bible reading and my corresponding thoughts.
Since I recently read the following verses again, I decided to re-post this entry from November 20, 2009.

This Week's WORD

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.
2 Chronicles 32:7-8

Are you facing a king and his vast army today? Fear not, my friend. For the King is on your side, and His power is greater!

May you rest in the assurance that the King will fight your battles.
********************************************************************************
If God says the same, Brian and I will be finishing our cruise and returning home tomorrow.
I'll tell you all about it next week!

Knock, Knock! *Re-post*

From February 18, 2010. Enjoy!

Knock, Knock!

Who's there?

Banana.

Banana, who?

Knock, knock!

Who's there?

Banana.

Banana, who?

Knock, knock!

Who's there?

Orange.

Orange, who?

Orange you glad I didn't say 'Banana' again?

Do you remember this annoying little joke from childhood? I used to say 'Banana' at least five times whenever I told this joke to someone.
I can't believe anyone ever listened to me when I said, "Knock, knock!" They all knew what was coming. So why didn't they put an end to the "joke" sooner? Good sports, I guess!

So what has me thinking about annoying, repetitive things today? Uh, that would be some self-examination and a dose of conviction from the Holy Spirit.
My kids just had a five-day weekend, spent most of it inside (Since when did they start caring about it being 'too cold' outside???) and I had a hard time dealing with the noise and profuse bickering. And the dirty dishes they left sitting around. Banana.
And the trash.
Did I mention the bickering?
Banana.
I love my children. I do! But, honestly, there were several moments during their hiatus from school and responsibility (Cuz if they aren't going to school, why should they have to do anything?) when I just wanted to run away. Far, far away!
Banana.
It was like that annoying joke kept following me around and wouldn't let go.

But then, God called out, Knock, knock!
And He offered me an orange.
He reminded me these days won't last forever.
And I thanked Him!
Then the words of those who have gone before me came back to my mind. You know the words. "There will come a time when you'll miss these days."
Still not sure I believe them. Nonetheless, God used it all to remind me of the commitment I made long ago. The commitment to love my children. No matter what. Oh, I am NOT committed to loving every moment, but by the grace of God, I am determined to love my children in every moment.
Orange.
It was like He was saying, Karen, I know the noise is getting to you. Believe Me. I hear them, too! But stop for a moment. Stop looking at the bananas. There's a lovely orange over here. Your commitment to love your children. Focus on that for a while, dear one. Peace and quiet will come eventually. Right now, just trust Me to give you the grace to love them in the noise.
************************************************
And as I was writing this, do you know what I remembered? The ONLY craving I had for anything when I was pregnant with my kiddos?
Oranges!

I Wasn't Expecting That *Re-post*

From March 2, 2011

I Wasn't Expecting That

I love, absolutely LOVE, when God works outside my expectations.

I teach Sunday school during the first service at my church. And sometimes I find myself in another classroom between services - standing in as the 'adult in charge' until another adult can be found to serve during the second service.
Recently when this happened I was standing in the doorway, where I could see a video monitor of what was happening in the auditorium. Singing had begun and - while I couldn't hear it - I could read the words on the screen, and I longed to be in the auditorium. I wanted to be in there with my brothers and sisters in Christ, and I wanted to be singing with them.
And for a moment, I began to get irritated.
I know. Nice attitude for a Sunday morning.
I started to wonder why more people don't volunteer to help with the kids. I had already spent the first service , well - serving. Now I just wanted to be in the auditorium participating in worship.

That's when it started.

When God started speaking to my heart.

HE reminded me that worship is about so much more than singing. I remembered everything can be worship when I do it for HIM - the serving I do during the first service, and even the 'standing in' I do between services.
OK, God, I get that. I will worship You as I serve, and as I stand in. But, (as I continued to watch the TV monitor) I really want to be in THERE. I want to raise my hands and sing Your praise! I don't want to miss this opportunity to worship You with my voice.

At that moment, in spite of how noisy the kids in the room were being, I couldn't deny the way I heard God speaking to my heart. My dear Karen. I love this longing in your heart. I love that you want to get in there and lift your voice to Me. I love it. I do.
Now I'll let you in on a little secret.
I knew this delay was going to happen today. I knew you would be 'stuck' in this classroom past the start time for the second service. I knew you would want desperately to get into the auditorium so you could sing, too. I knew you would feel like crying at the thought of missing it.
I knew all this was going to happen.
And I allowed it to happen.
Because I love it when there is a longing in your heart to worship Me. I love it when you are desperate to get into My presence. And I want to develop that longing in you. It makes you even more beautiful to Me.
Fear not, dear one. Here comes your replacement.
And, sure enough, in that moment someone came and shooed me off to the auditorium.

I was not expecting God to speak to me during my delay, and in spite of my little attitude issue. But HE is not limited to what we expect, is HE!

How has God worked in your unexpected moments?

Are YOU Talking to Me? *Re-post*

From June 23, 2010 - as good of a reminder for me now as it was then...

Are YOU Talking to Me?

On Sunday Brian and I took the kids to a county park (sort of) near our house. They wanted to play with Mindy in the dog park, and Brian and I wanted to nap in the sun. (We settled for a 'nap' in the clouds. *sigh*)
As I was laying there, I couldn't help over-hearing an interaction between a woman and child which must have been occurring only 10 feet away from me. It was time for this family to leave the park, and the child did not want to go. I resisted the urge to open my eyes, roll over, and watch the scene. But - based upon what I could hear - I'm guessing the child was less than two years old. As the child protested, the mother said, "C'mon, now. You're trying to embarrass me. Stop it. Let's go."
And that statement she made, "You're trying to embarrass me," hung in the air like a bad stench.
Everything in me wanted to get up and go say to her, "Your child is not trying to embarrass you. She has simply had fun here at the beach and she wants to stay longer. She isn't being vindictive. She's being a toddler."
But I know better than to get in the way of an Irritable Mother (LOL!) so I kept my eyes and my mouth shut.

However, the little conversation I had in my head with the irritable mother? God brought it back to me later that evening.

Joshua wanted to play with some friends and was eager for me to get dinner ready (earlier than usual). When we got home, I changed my clothes and started preparing dinner. Then Joshua came into the kitchen to ask how long until dinner was going to be ready. I told him, "About half an hour," hoping that would be quick enough to satisfy his urge to play.

I absolutely did not expect the response he gave me.

Rather than being upset that I was taking too long, he protested that I was not giving him enough time to do the things he wanted to do before dinner.

What???

I responded with something along the lines of, "I thought you wanted to have dinner early so you could play with your friends afterwards. Now you're mad because I'm making it too soon? I can't win with you!"
He got sassy back, and I got more irritable.
Joshua stormed off in a huff and I stood in the kitchen. Baffled by my son, frustrated with his attitude, and wondering why he so frequently takes me to this place of angst.

And right about then, God brought back the words I had wanted to say at the park. I thought of how - as an outsider - I could see the woman's child wasn't really trying to upset her. Because I wasn't in the midst of her circumstance, because I wasn't frustrated with her child, I was able to view things from the child's vantage point. I was able to remember the child was, well, a child!
Looking in on her moment, I was filled with compassion and wanted to say, "Dear Mother, she's just being a toddler. Won't you extend her some grace?"

That's when I could almost hear the words in my own heart.

Karen, he's just being an adolescent. Won't you extend him some grace?

I had to pause and look heavenward, asking, "Are YOU talking to me???"

Proof that Jesus Lives *Re-post*

Did I mention that Brian and I are away on a cruise? *grin*
Since I am clearly NOT at home blogging this week, I went through my archives and selected a few of my favorites for you to enjoy. So here you go - from July 27, 2011.

Proof that Jesus Lives

If anyone ever asks me how I know FOR SURE that Jesus lives, I'm simply going to tell them, "Because I prayed for my husband."

See, he came home one evening and made a comment which seemed - well - a little rude to me. It wasn't THAT bad. It just seemed a little off.
And I began to feel defensive.
Which made another of his comments seem abrupt.
So I got a little more irritated.
I started making a list in my head of all the things I do for Brian, and picking him apart for not doing more things for me. I was pouting around the house - grabbing misplaced items and putting them away. I went downstairs and saw the ironing board. On it sat a pair of my husband's slacks, which needed to be ironed.
I let out a hefty sigh and walked over to them. I better iron these. He'll need them for work. Just one more thing for me to do for him.

Brian's slacks.

Part of the dress-code for his new job.

Suddenly it occured to me that I may be on the verge of understanding him.
Brian's new job is great. But there's a steep learning curve. He's been very stressed lately. And I realized a few things:
*Maybe the reason he seemed short to me lately is because his own fuse has been so short.
*Perhaps his level of sensitivity seemed so low because he has been focusing so much energy on finding his way in this new job.
*Maybe he came home and crashed every night because he has no energy left at the end of the day.
And I began praying for Brian - asking God to give him strength, and courage, and faith in what HE can do.

Just two minutes prior to that moment I had been feeling bitter toward my husband. But in an instant God spoke to my heart and transformed me into a praying wife.
Only the power of Jesus could make that kind of change.

I prayed for my husband, and THAT is proof that JESUS LIVES!

How have you seen proof of Jesus in your life?

Oops!

I totally forgot to write "Lessons From the Edge" yesterday.

But I have a very good reason, and I'm just sure you'll give me a pass. *wink*

You see, yesterday I was very busy getting ready for something which begins tomorrow.
That is, Brian and I are going on a cruise to the Bahamas! Been waiting over 20 years for this. *great big smile*
And, just so you don't miss me too much, I've scheduled next week full of some of my favorite posts from yesteryear. I hope you enjoy them.

If God says the same, tomorrow at this time we'll be in the air. Can't wait!
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go do our online flight check-in.

I'm Just NOT Sayin'

I have a really easy recipe for chili.

Like, super easy.

As in, the only "cooking" required is the browning of the ground beef. (Or ground venison, as the case may be in a home where two boys each got a deer this season. *smile*) Everything else is just opening cans and dumping the contents into the Crock Pot.
Oh, and one envelope. You have to open one envelope of chili seasoning and add that to the mix. Which should really just go without saying, because if you're making chili - of course you're going to add chili seasoning. I'm just sayin'.

So, one day over Christmas vacation I asked Joshua to put the chili together in the Crock Pot for dinner that night. He is beginning to get comfortable in the kitchen and I really had no doubts he could handle this assignment. I put all the cans and the seasoning on the counter and pointed out the location of the venison in the fridge. Figured he was good to go. And I confidently walked out the door to go to work.
When I walked back in the door late that afternoon, I was pleased to see the Crock Pot full and turned on. But then I saw something else which didn't please me.
The envelope of chili seasoning was still sitting on the counter. And I thought, Josh, seriously? You didn't put the seasoning in the chili?
I added it myself. And planned to point out the oversight to my son when he got home. It would be important for him to realize the need to pay attention to detail, don't you think? I mean, imagine what would have happened if I hadn't rescued the recipe! We would have suffered though eating a bland meal, and Joshua would have been so embarrassed at his cooking flop.
Clearly, I needed to point out the error of his ways. Right?

Because HE is so gracious, God worked it out that Joshua was delayed in getting home. And that gave me time to think about what I was going to say.
The more I considered my words, the more I realized something I hadn't thought of before. There really was no good reason for me to point out to Joshua that he'd forgotten to add the seasoning. He had done so many things right: browning the meat; rinsing the kidney beans; adding all the other ingredients; plugging in the Crock Pot; cleaning up the kitchen.
Forgetting the seasoning really wasn't a catastrophe.
It was an easy fix.
Sooooooo, when I considered those thoughts - coupled with the recollection of how I feel when a certain someone in my life points out the things I forget - I concluded there was no value in me telling Joshua about his oversight.
I would thank him for what he did. But when it came to the forgotten seasoning?
I decided, I'm just NOT sayin'!

I Had Shoes Like That. Er, Never Mind.

I love my girl.
Elizabeth is a delight to my heart. Her love for God and her desire to live a life pleasing to Him brings me joy which words simply cannot capture.

But when it comes to shopping?
She can pretty much drive me nuts.
The girl is picky.
With a capital P-I-C-K-Y.

Over Christmas vacation I was forced had the opportunity to take her shopping for tennis shoes. Hers had holes in the bottom, and there was no way she could make them last any longer. Yes, she was wearing flip-flops in the snow. *I'm a terrible mother.*

So, anyway, we're shopping for tennis shoes.

The good news was - she knew exactly what she wanted.
The bad news?
The stores we visited didn't have them.
Oh, there were shoes which were kinda similar to what she wanted, and she stopped to look at them. For a moment, I was hopeful that she might even try them on. Give them a chance. Maybe even decide she likes them.
In fact, I was so excited about this possibility, I almost tried to motivate her to make the move by telling her that I had shoes just like them when I was a teenager. I think my mouth was opening and my lips were poised to form the words when I suddenly thought better of it.
Maybe wearing shoes like her 40-something mother - who still owns mom jeans - wouldn't be a motivating factor for her.

Yeah. On second thought, I just kept my mouth shut.

We ended up driving across town to find acceptable tennis shoes. But at least I didn't embarrass myself by trying to convince my daughter "those" shoes were cool when I was a kid. *wink*

If I Had to Choose

Soooooo, mid-Michigan had a little "excitement" over Christmas vacation.
A great big ice storm came through on December 21/22 and left lots (and I mean LOTS) of people without power. Fortunately for us, my family and I were at my mom and dad's house in northern Michigan until the 23rd, so we didn't even know we had lost power until that evening when we got home. (To a 46 degree house.)
We tried to make an adventure of the entire thing. Lighting candles, moving everything from the refrigerator into the garage, imagining what it would have been like to live in the pre-electricity era. I slept with a hat on, and usually with the covers over my face because my poor nose was getting too cold. What a treat it was to go to work - where there was heat! On Christmas Eve we decided to go to the movies, because it gave us something to do (It gets kinda boring around the house when everything is pretty much DARK by 5:00...) - AND we knew it would be warm there.

Our power came back on late in the evening Christmas day. We'd only been "without" for 48 hours, but it was such a relief to have it back. (I know. Our First World problems...)
Through the whole thing I have come to one certain conclusion:
If I had to choose between having heat, light, or the ability to cook? I would choose HEAT without a doubt.

This girl does not do well in the cold. *brrrr!*

Did you have any adventures in the past couple of weeks?

Thinking About 2013

Welcome back to the blog! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas celebration - and that 2014 is off to a good start.

My favorite thing about a new year is the time we take to remember and wonder. Remember what the previous year held, and wonder at all that is to come. And since elderly folks seem to enjoy reminiscing, I decided to do a little "Looking Back" as an activity at Edgewood.
We sat in a circle and each person drew a question out of a bowl. Individuals read and answered their own question, and then anyone else who wanted to chime in on the same question did so.
In all honesty, I didn't expect the activity to be for my benefit (I'm an introvert, remember. I prefer to do the reflecting alone...) but I absolutely loved it. So much so that I'm going to share my answers here with you. And even encourage you to answer them yourselves!

What was your favorite memory in 2013?
Without question, my favorite memory came from last March when I got to sing with Kathy Troccoli at the Among Friends conference which was hosted by my church.
If you didn't have the chance to watch the video when it first happened, here's the link. *grin*

What was the single best thing that happened in 2013?
Another no-brainer for me. The marriage retreat Brian and I attended in October was the best thing that happened this past year. Perhaps the best thing for our marriage in the entire two decades we've been husband and wife.
Which reminds me, Go the Distance is having another marriage retreat March 21-23. If you're the married type, and you live in Michigan, I would emphatically encourage you to check the information at this link.

What was the best lesson you learned over the past year?
Wait patiently. For both the situations around me which I'd like to rush in and "fix", and the situations in my own life which I need God to orchestrate.
God has shown me over and over in 2013 how important it is for me to wait on HIS timing. And I have learned I can wait without worry because HE is perfectly faithful. Every time.

How did you grow personally?
I'm not going to name names *ahem* but God gave me many "opportunities" to deal with difficult people last year. My personal insecurities and battle with depression make it that much more difficult for me to interact with people who I perceive as critical of me, so these "opportunities" are never pleasant.
However, by the grace of God, I am able to look at those interactions as areas of personal growth. I am growing in confidence in who I am in Christ (so "their" evaluation of me doesn't hurt as much) and I am growing in my ability to think and hear realistically. That is, I am getting better at discerning what matters and what I can let roll off my back. Thank You, JESUS!

What was your greatest challenge in 2013?
Dealing with teenage angst. I'll leave it at that. *wink*

What was one unexpected joy you experienced in 2013?
Ahhhhh. Definitely it was an unexpected joy to see Joshua take an interest in his grades at school. Homework and "caring" about school have been a long-standing struggle with him. But starting this past fall, Joshua really seems to care. He checks his grades regularly and is proud of his achievements.
After so much nagging prodding on my part, it is a relief and a joy to have him "owning it".

What is one hope you have for 2014?
Well...this is the year Elizabeth graduates from high school and goes to college. So much of life in front of her! My biggest hope for this year is that my precious girl will continue to thrive as she begins to leave the nest. That her heart will remain steadfast and true to the God she loves, and that HE will remain faithful to her as HE has promised.
And I love that my "hope" is a "given" because God always keeps His promises. *peaceful sigh*

OK. Now it's your turn. How would you answer these questions?

Lessons From the Edge

HE came to restore.

Christmas is just five days away!
Are you ready for it? *wink*

At Christmas time, I love to reflect on God's grace and mercy toward us - in that He sent His Son to earth, to live a perfect life so He could serve as a perfect sacrifice that we might be forgiven and reconciled to God. That amount of heavenly love astounds me.
However, this week at Edgewood I had several occasions to pause and give thanks for the fact that He didn't come simply to save.
Let me explain...
*I was talking with one woman about my grandmother and she said to me, "Your grandmother is so easy to love!" And I thought, Why, yes. She is. I smiled at the memories of the many ways she has blessed my life. But then I wondered, Why is it that my dad has such a rocky relationship with her? Why are they so troubled with each other?
*There is a man who lives just down the hall from the Activity Room and since we are in such close proximity, I see him often. We usually enjoy brief, but enjoyable, conversations. However, he has recently begun declining. And our conversations this week have been difficult because his mind is getting so confused. In fact, sometimes this otherwise delightful man has been rather hostile.
*One evening this week I stepped in to support a co-worker who was trying to calm an upset woman. Usually I can get this particular woman to smile and sing with me, but not on this occasion. She was not herself. Rather, she was hostile and unreasonable. And it made me so sad to see her that way.
I thought about the brokenness represented in each of these scenarios. Broken relationships, broken minds, broken hearts. And it mad me so sad. I wondered, Why, LORD? Why the brokenness and pain? Can't You fix it?
That is when God reminded me Christmas isn't simply about Him coming to save our souls from eternal damnation. No. HE sent Jesus to bring restoration and hope for eternity.

The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to (Jesus). Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

Luke 4:17-21

So I pray for the restoring power of Christ to flood my father and grandmother's relationship.
I pray for C and H, and trust the restoring power of Christ will make them whole for all of eternity.
I am forever grateful that Jesus left the glory of heaven so we could be reconciled to God through His blood.
And I find peace in the hope I have because in His complete work, HE came to restore.

***I am going to be taking a blog-break until after the New Year. May you enjoy the next couple of weeks with family and friends in the goodness of our LORD!

Disclaimer: The ideas and opinions expressed in this post are my own, and may not necessarily reflect those of Vista Springs Living Centers.

'Tis the Season

...to be jolly!

And that's one of the things I love about this season. Most of the time, everyone seems to be a little bit happier. A little more gracious. More willing to think of 'the other guy' first.
Note: I don't do Black Friday. It would totally kill my perception of this season. *wink*

Just Sunday night, I saw some of this seasonal kindness in action.
We'd gotten home from a weekend at Brian's mom's house, and had lots of snow to shovel in the driveway. Brian and Matthew worked on it, but Josh had other things on his agenda and wasn't able to put in his time until later. (I offered to do the shoveling instead of making the menu/grocery list and going to the store. But my family said they'd rather eat this week. Go figure!)
Anyway, Sunday evening Josh went out to do his part of the shoveling. He was out there quite a long time. At one point, Brian suggested we form a search party and go check on him but, alas, we stayed inside where it was warm. And in a little while, the door opened and Josh came inside with rosy cheeks and snowy feet.
When we asked what took so long, Josh explained that he'd gone across the street to shovel our neighbor's driveway, too. Our neighbor is a "single" mom (She's married, but her husband lives in Korea. Long story.) and both of her children have graduated and no longer live at home. It used to be that her son dutifully shoveled the drive all winter long, but now it's up to her to get it done. Josh saw the need, and decided to meet it.
I was immediately delighted by Josh's kind-hearted action. But then I thought, Wait a minute! You did what??? My son - who regularly complains about chores, who argues about doing extra things just because I need a little more help, who often seems to think the world should revolve around himself - just helped our neighbor? Without being told to do so? How did that happen?

I asked him about it later, and told him how pleased I was to see him reaching out and serving someone else. Turns out, Josh just wanted to do a nice thing for our neighbor. He didn't want to be recognized for it, or rewarded. He just wanted to help.
I don't know if 'tis the season which has gotten into him, or if Josh is maturing and learning to see beyond himself, but I'll take it.
And I'll cherish this memory in my heart. *happy face*

It's JOY Week!

Did you know the third week of advent is Joy?

The sermon I heard on Sunday was all about joy.
And it was good!

As one who battles depression, two quotes which were shared during the sermon were particularly meaningful to me.
What do you think of these words?

The evil one is pleased with sadness and melancholy because he himself is sad and melancholy and will be so for all of eternity; hence he desires that everyone should be like himself. ~St. Francis

Joy is natural in the presence of God. Joy is a pervasive sense of well-being that is deeper and broader than any pleasure. It is a basic element of inner transformation into Christlikeness and the outer life that flows from it. ~Dallas Willard

On the one hand, it makes me mad to think of the evil one being pleased when I am in one of my down moods. I don't want him to be pleased with anything in my life.
And, on the other hand, it inspires me all the more to lean in to God and fix my eyes on HIM. I have learned - and continue to learn! - that I must focus on God, and tell myself the Truth in order to find joy in the midst of motherhood, and all other aspects of life.

If you're like me and you sometimes struggle with feeling down, will you join me this week in pursuing joy? Let us take our eyes off our circumstances and fix them on the One who loved us enough to give us His Son.

In your presence there is fullness of joy.

Psalm 16:11 (ESV)

Early Morning Pep-talk

I am generally not a "morning person", in that I would much rather stay in bed and sleep, sleep, sleep. But, alas, the rule-follower in me always wins out, and I get up at the sounding of my alarm.
So, I found it rather ironic a few days ago when, in my sleepy stupor, I was able to give a pep-talk.

My habit is to get up and take a shower before the boys are up to get ready for school.
After I'm out of the shower I listen for Josh. When I hear his bathroom door open and the fan gets turned on, I know he's up and all is well. So I dry my hair and then I walk out to peek at Matthew's bedroom door.
If it's open, he's out of bed and I know everything is good.
If it's closed, I need to wake him up.
And, a few days ago, it was closed.

Matthew's alarm was going off when I opened the door, so I turned his light on and added my own wake-up call to the mix. I walked over to his bed and shook him a little, reminding him it was time to get up. Matthew mumbled, "I'm hungry." So I said, "Hey! I have an idea! Why don't you get out of bed and go have breakfast?" I paused, Matthew moaned, and I said, "I'm brilliant! C'mon! Get up and have breakfast. Then you won't be hungry anymore."
At that point, I reached down and pulled his covers off, exposing his left arm pit. As soon as I squealed, Matthew put his arm to his side - knowing my next move would have been tickling. With that option removed, I simply grabbed his legs and swung them over the side of his bed so I could "help" him stand up. It took effort, but we got Matthew to his feet. He literally stumbled out of his room and fell against the wall in the hallway. (He's a bit dramatic. Don't know where he gets it!) And I said, "There you go! You're out of bed and can get some breakfast. I'm such a good mom!"

I'm not sure who the pep-talk was really for: Matthew - to get him out of bed, or, me - to not feel like a meanie for waking him up. Either way, it was effective!

How do you face mornings?

HE Remembered Us

Lessons From the Edge

Even "parenting" goes full circle.

I'm in the thick of parenting right now, as I know many of you are, also.
I've made it past the early years of feeding and bathing and training (Yeah. Like I'll EVER be finished with that!) and buckling and so many other monotonous duties. But I'm still in the middle of nurturing and guiding and shaping and instructing. Sometimes my children listen and I am delighted that they've heard me, and other times? Not so much. But I know they're learning - whether it's by following my instruction, or by experiencing the consequences of their own actions.
And, while I love being a mom and am thankful to God for my children, some days it wears me down and the drudgery feels like it will never end. Know what I mean?

Well, this week at Edgewood I got a peek at the other side. I was on the phone with the son of a woman who lives at Edgewood, and we were making "plans" for her. This man and his siblings had been talking about what they thought their mother should be doing, and he was enlisting my help to get her down to exercise class two days a week. He also suggested I could drop his name if necessary to get her to come. You know, "Your son wants you to do this..."
And the thing is? It worked! Although her first response was, "Oh, I don't know. I'm a little tired this morning." When I mentioned her son's name and reminded her that her children wanted her to come to exercise class, she agreed right away. And I realized, this dear woman is now being "parented" by her children. Her mind doesn't work as well as it used to, such that now - her children know what's best for her more than she does. So they are parenting her - nurturing, guiding, shaping and instructing. It's a beautiful thing.
This whole realization motivates me even more to pour love into my own children. Because there will likely come a day when they will be parenting me.

Even "parenting" goes full circle.

Disclaimer: The ideas and opinions expressed in this post are my own, and may not necessarily reflect those of Vista Springs Living Centers.

Nothing Significant, Yet Very Worthwhile

Recently, we sat down to dinner as *almost* a whole family. Elizabeth was gone, so it was just Brian and I and the boys. As we prayed before dinner, I asked God to bless our time at the table. I was imagining significant conversations and sharing about deep things.
Often times, as soon as everyone is finished eating someone wants to jump up from the table and move on to other activities. But on this particular night, lingering around with each other seemed to be the desire of all parties.
Ahh, here it comes, I thought. And I was ready for the profound discussions to begin.

Brian and the boys have been watching episodes from The Walking Dead, so they were engrossed in a conversation about how to survive a zombie apocalypse. (My guys are going to be soooooo ready if this happens, I tell ya. *wink*) We talked about ice fishing and listened to Josh's explanation of the best weather conditions for ideal ice. Stories were told of what it's like to sleep with our dog, and I'm sure a few jokes were thrown around about poop or farting.
As we decided to clear the table and move on with the evening's activities, I realized our after-dinner discussion hadn't touched on even one significant topic. Not one!
And, yet, I was delighted with the time we'd spent together. Unhurried, just enjoying being with one another. The conversations may not have been significant, but the time together was very worthwhile.

What is one of your favorite family memories?
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Lest you get the wrong impression about our family, and begin to think we're in the running for "Family of the Year", let me assure you: Not all dinners are like the one illustrated here.
I could tell you about the one from earlier this week during which we spent quite a bit of time arguing about respectful behavior, and which resulted in one of our kids being grounded.
But, I won't. *wink*

HE Must Have Been Smiling

...when I wrote this statement for last Friday's post:
"Can you even fathom the immensity of your reach? From the cashier at the grocery store..."

I wrote that statement Thursday afternoon, choosing rather "randomly" examples of people with whom we might come into contact every day. But even as I sat at my kitchen table tapping on my computer, God saw me Friday afternoon at the grocery store.
And that's why I'm sure HE must have been smiling when I wrote about the cashier.

Friday afternoon I was shopping and, as I stood in the check-out lane, I overheard part of the conversation happening between the cashier and the woman who was in line in front of me. I heard him say, "I'm having a very bad day and I don't feel like talking to anyone." He went on to mention that he'd dropped out of school, was quitting his job, and didn't know what he was going to do with his life. Then I heard the woman say something about God, and the cashier responded that he didn't believe in God.

Next.

When it was my turn, the cashier said, "Hi. How are you today?" I responded by saying, "I think I'm doing better than you are..." And our conversation continued along these lines:
Me: Sorry to hear about your bad day.
Him: Yeah.
What were you studying in school?
I didn't have a major. I never had any interests growing up. So I didn't know what I wanted to do. (He had been in college for five years. Never thought he'd use an education, but went because his parents made him.)
Hey, I'll give you a dollar off on your groceries if you can give me tips on being happy.
Wellllll, I heard you tell the customer before me that you don't believe in God. And that would be my main tip. HE changed my life when I was in college.
Mmmmm.
Maybe you should consider Him.
Well, maybe I don't really NOT believe, but...
So, what do you like to do?
I don't have any interests.
OK. What do you do when you aren't here?
I sit at home and watch my roommates do stuff.
I think what you should do is visit a church and meet some new people, and maybe you would find things with them which would interest you.
I can't remember the last time I met a new person.
See? You should give it a try.
Do you have suggestions?
Suggestions?
For a church. I don't know where to go.

So, I told him about the church where I am a member, and about a new service for 20-somethings which I thought he should check out. And he indicated that maybe he would.
By this time, he had finished with my groceries and he said, "I gave you the dollar off on your groceries as I promised." Then I dug through my wallet to find my card. I gave it to him and said, "My email address is on here. If you visit that service at my church, I want you to email me and tell me about it. AND, I'm making you a promise. I promise I'm going to pray for you."

Yes. When I wrote that line, I know God could already see me talking with "C" the next day, and I'm sure HE must have been smiling. Now I'm smiling, as I pray for C and anticipate his Father drawing him close.
I'd love it if you would pray with me!

I Have NEVER Fixed the Brakes

My bed gets made *almost* every day.
"My" bed, in which my husband also sleeps.
And often times that makes sense to me, because he gets up before I do - to go work out. I'm the last one out of bed, so I make it.
But that isn't always the case. Sometimes I'm up and out of the house before Brian, and when I get home the bed looks just like it did when I left.
Minus my husband's hunk of studly body, that is. *wink*
And so I confess, there has been more than one occasion when I have been making the bed after a long day of work (OK, I know - at that point there are only hours until it will be time for me to go to bed again and mess it all up. But I like a made bed. Don't judge.) and I have grumbled in my heart something like, Really? Why can't Brian ever make the bed? Is it written somewhere that bed-making is MY job? He sleeps in it, too, after all.
Typically, my grumbling gives in to a self-righteous mental rant of all the things I always do around the house and for the family. *cue the woe-is-me music*

As HE so often does, God gave me pause during one of those grumbling episodes for a brief perspective check. I'm not sure how it happened. (It certainly wasn't anything of MY doing, so I can only attribute it to the power of the Holy Spirit.) All I know is suddenly I was thinking about all the things Brian does do around here.
We just got new windows, and Brian took care of coordinating, ordering, and paying for that whole ordeal. He put up the Christmas lights outside. Whenever we have issues with the car or van, he always takes care of it. He's also my go-to guy whenever I'm having computer problems. These are not "every day" things like making the bed is, but they're bigger things - and I simply don't want to deal with them.
In as much time as it took for me to list off the things Brian does - which I DON'T do - God stopped my grumbling and changed my heart. HE gave me the ability to be thankful for all the things Brian does, rather than to focus on the things he doesn't.
And then, the funniest thing happened.
Last Friday I noticed the brakes on the van making a terrible noise. (I usually drive with music on, so I have no idea how long I'd been missing whatever was happening with the brakes.) I told Brian there was a problem and left the van home on Saturday so he could "look at it".
And Saturday afternoon he told me, "I fixed the brakes."
Just like that.
It was that easy!
All I had to do was mention the problem, and it was fixed.

Sunday morning as I was making the bed again, instead of grumbling I thought about how thankful I am for my husband. He does so much for me!

Being thankful is a much better place to be than grumbling. What are the things you have to be thankful for today?

You are Not a Bother

Lessons From the Edge

Make the most of every opportunity.

Colossians says it this way: Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (4:5-6)

A couple of years ago, I had several stories in this Lessons From the Edge series which had to do with a man I referred to as "D". He moved into Edgewood shortly after I began working there, and lived almost across the hall from the Activity Room. I saw him frequently by virtue of our proximity, and he came to lots of activities, too. It didn't take long for him to win my heart. He was a delightful man and I was blessed to be part of his life.
D and I spoke often about Jesus, and even prayed together for D's salvation. He struggled with accepting God's love, but over and over I reminded him of that Truth.
In time, D was in need of more care than was available at Edgewood, so he moved. And not too long after that, he moved again. To live with his daughter in another state. I was privileged to see him last Christmas when he came back to Michigan. (One of his daughters lives near to me, so I went to her house for a visit.)
But that was my final opportunity.
This week I received an email from one of his daughters telling me he had passed away that morning.

So, I've been thinking a lot this week about the brief opportunities I have to be part of a person's life. At Edgewood, and otherwise. Can you even fathom the immensity of your reach? From the cashier at the grocery store, to your next-door neighbor, to your great-aunt and your cousin "Louey", and the colleague down the hall at work. We come into contact with so many people. It may be for a moment, for a season, or for a lifetime. But whatever the length of the interaction, we can be used by God to make some eternal differences.
If we watch for the opportunity and obey His promptings.

Who are the people you're seeing today?

Make the most of every opportunity.

Disclaimer: The ideas and opinions expressed in this post are my own, and may not necessarily reflect those of Vista Springs Living Centers.

Drum Roll, Please

And the winners of the Kathy Troccoli Christmas CDs are...

Jennifer and Tamrah!

Are you ready for this?
I asked my kids to help by drawing the names. Elizabeth picked Jennifer's paper, then Josh drew one out and - put it in his mouth. He chewed on it and acted like he was eating the paper.
Ha, ha. Funny guy.
But before I knew what had happened, he opened his mouth and - the paper was gone.
"Did you seriously EAT that?" I shrieked.
Josh just smiled.
And said, "Now we'll need to wait until tomorrow to see who won!" You know, when he uses the bathroom. *ahem*
But, have no fear! I figured a way to get around his trickery. I just looked at the remaining names and deduced the winner was the one whose name was missing. I'm brilliant.
And that's how I knew Tamrah was the other winner.

Came to that conclusion through a process of elimination. *wink*

Free Saeed

Have you heard of Saeed Abedini and his plight for freedom from an Iranian prison?

I have been praying for Saeed for quite some time, anticipating a movement from God on his behalf. At times it has seemed the leaders of our country have been on his side, making efforts to secure his freedom. But recently, they missed what should have been a "certain" opportunity. And it broke my heart.
Well, today is a day during which many people are banding together to give Saeed a voice. I'm joining the movement. And I want to invite you to watch this video and join with me. Let's post and speak and tweet. Let's make our voices heard, that our leaders may take notice.
And, above that, let us continue to pray!

Thanks. I Needed That!

I had a rotten, horrible, no-good day yesterday.

I'll spare you the details.
It's enough to know my afternoon involved a lot of tears.

And then I had a prince come to my rescue.
Josh - my 15 year old son, who often wears me out with his teenage angst.
First, he offered to finish making dinner for me. (So I could go be alone or "whatever", he said.)
I told Josh I was OK to finish making the meal, but I readily accepted his help with the process. We finished quickly, then I went into my bedroom. I turned on my Kathy Troccoli worship CD, got down on my knees and poured my heart out to my Father. I shed many more tears, and I received the love HE was willing to pour over me. Then I got up, sang "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", and decided it was time to face the world again.
When I turned to walk into the kitchen, there was my prince again. Several inches taller than me, standing in the doorway with open arms. He bent down, hugged me, and said, "I love you."

I had tears again, but this time I welcomed them.

************************************************************************************
Just in case you missed it, my post yesterday involves a giveaway. You *might* want to check it out.

Christmas Music Giveaway

I'll do the drawing Wednesday when I get home from work. Probably about 4:00.
Feel free to tell your friends (who need their spirits lifted!) about this giveaway.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I pray you enjoy this day with family, friends, and good food.
See you back here Monday!

I'm Too Young for This, or, I *Might* be Living in Denial

I won't be doing a Lessons From the Edge post this week. (Thanksgiving Break, you know.)
But if I was, I'm sure it would have something to do with what happened at work yesterday afternoon.
We had our monthly birthday party and while we were getting the dining room set up, I was chatting with my volunteers about my family's recent deer "adventures". To bring you up to speed, Josh got a deer Sunday afternoon. He and Brian decided they want to process it themselves, so it is presently hanging in my garage. About 12 inches from my vehicle. *Eeewww!* AND, Sunday evening "someone" put the deer's heart directly on the kitchen counter. As in, muscle to formica. No plate, no wax paper, no nothin'! I was not pleased with that decision and turned to Facebook to, uh, vent.
Also in the dining room at that time was our piano player for the party. He and I are Facebook friends and he'd seen my status update Sunday. So he joined in on the conversation, too. It was fun to laugh together about it all.

Then it happened.

The piano player said, with a large grin on his face, "You're so funny! You remind me of my mom. She would be reacting to this the same way you are."
On the one hand, I thought, Oh, that's sweet. I remind him of his mom.
And then I thought, Wait a minute. I know he's only in his early twenties, but I'm pretty sure he's got older siblings. How old is his mom? How old does he think I am???
Suddenly, I was feeling older than I want to. And I wasn't sure I wanted to remind this young man of his mother anymore. Because I'm too young to feel old. *ahem*

Any idea what lesson there might be for me in this circumstance? Cuz I'm not seeing it! *wink*

Not My Normal Monday

What started off as a "typical" Monday afternoon quickly became an "atypical" Monday afternoon.

I walked into the house after work to find Matthew playing one of his favorite X-box games. And after I said, "Hello," I asked him if all of his homework was completed. Matthew said, "Yes," so I continued on to my room to change my clothes. Passing through the living room, I saw a basket of laundry which needed folding so I turned around to continue my typical Monday afternoon routine.
Peeking my head around the corner, I asked Matthew, "Have you folded your laundry today?" And I was fully expecting to enter into our usual dialog.
Matthew: Oh, yeah!
Me: Pause the game and take care of the laundry.
Matthew: I can't. I'm in the middle of something important.
Me: Pause the game, Matthew.
Matthew: Just a minute. I'll do the folding, I promise!
Me: OK. But when I come back out here after I change my clothes, you need to be folding that laundry.
Matthew: I KNOW. I will!
...Several minutes pass. I return to the scene. Matthew still sits in front of the TV. The laundry has NOT been folded.
Me: (bordering on angry) Matthew, pause the game right now and go fold that laundry.
Matthew: (clearly annoyed) But, Mom! I can't!
Me: Then turn it OFF and take care of your job.
Matthew: But
Me: Do it!
Matthew: (huffs, gets up and goes to fold one measly basket of laundry)

So, that's what I was expecting to happen after I asked my usual Monday afternoon question.
Instead, this is what happened:

Matthew: Yes. I almost turned on the TV and then I remembered the laundry. And I knew you would make me stop playing and I would get annoyed. So I folded it before I started playing.

My son is brilliant! *grin*

Wait Patiently

Lessons From the Edge

Sometimes, you've just gotta say it like it is.

We often joke during our lunch break about how easy it would be to produce a sitcom by reproducing the things we see and hear each day. I'm quite certain this scene would be in one of the episodes.
Honestly, I am NOT making this up. I truly participated in the following conversation this week at Edgewood.

I was in the atrium welcoming a musical guest and helping community members find seats when I saw V approaching. I walked over to her and asked if I could help her find a place to sit. She said, "No. I'm just trying to get away from him." And she gestured toward the other side of the atrium. "He's after my body."
My decision to not follow her gesture with my eyes was intentional, as I really did not want to know to whom she was referring. *wink* So I looked right at V and said, "Oh, my. I guess you can say something like, 'No, thanks.'"
V has got to be in her late 70s or early 80s. She has always seemed rather reserved to me, bordering on prudish. (Yes, even to ultra-conservative me. Haha.) So I fully expected the conversation to end there. But, no. She had more to say.
"Oh, I don't know. He's after my body. And I don't understand. There are so many younger women here." (I wasn't sure if she was referring to the mid-70s crowd, or what. I smiled and continued listening.) "I don't know why he wouldn't go for a younger woman. Unless..."
And this is when a certain sparkle shown in her eyes, "...he just wants someone with more experience!"
V looked pretty proud of herself at that thought, and took a seat to enjoy the music.

Sometimes, you've just gotta say it like it is.

***Just to be clear, I am not advocating for this stuff to be going on with the folks at Edgewood. Well, except the married ones. It just struck me as terribly funny when V got that air about her and made that statement. Reminds me of something I might have seen on the Golden Girls.

Disclaimer: The ideas and opinions expressed in this post are my own, and may not necessarily reflect those of Vista Springs Living Centers.

All Work and No Play...

...doesn't often happen around here.

Last weekend we got busy raking and bagging leaves. BUT before we got to bagging, Josh and Matthew wanted to take a break from work to enjoy jumping.

What fun do you have while you're working?

Positive Self-Talk, a la Psalm 42

Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savoir and my God.

~Psalm 42:5

I am presently memorizing and meditating on this verse.
And I'm lovin' it!
I picture the psalmist, discouraged by his circumstance, and giving his soul a pep talk.
Telling himself the Truth.

I don't know if the writer struggled with clinical depression. I doubt if they had any such understanding in his day. But - as one who does struggle with it - I am inspired by his way of dealing with the down times. I can almost hear myself echoing his words, Why are you troubled, Karen? Why the long face and heavy heart? Don't waste any more time feeling depressed. Get your focus back on your Father! HE is your hope and salvation. HE will redeem you. Even in this.

Oh, what the Truth does for my spirit!

Matthew, the Deer Slayer

Opening day. His first deer, ever.
Matthew was so excited. And I was, too. So happy for him!