Awe

I am reading a book with the kids about living in the awe of God, how every moment is extraordinary not just ordinary because we serve an extraordinary God. It relates scenes from Star Wars with how we should live our lives. Very interesting. One part that we read spoke of how children are always asking grown ups to "do it again" when they find the "awe" in something, and how we as grown ups think that just gets monotonous. The author then poses the thought that maybe God likes the monotonous; maybe he tells the sun every morning, "Do it again," and the moon, "Do it again." All of creation seems to repeat itself every season, every year. Does that seems monotonous? Not to us, because we get to enjoy the benefits. However, if we had to create the same thing over and over, would we consider it monotonous? God loves us so much that he creates flowers that aren't even seen (i.e. on mountaintops, in forests, etc.). That is "awe". Watching the sunrise and sunset. That is "awe". However, when we realize our minuteness compared to His greatness, there should be mixed with the awe a certain sense of fear, a fear of God and his extraordinary power. I want to live there, in awe every day of God.

Shopper's Rage

I find that I'm not a very patient person sometimes. For example, when waiting in lines, I will look around for a shorter line so that I can leave quicker. However, having banking experience, I know that just as soon as I move to a shorter line, there will be a reason that the new line becomes slow, and the line I would have moved from is now checking out the person that was behind me! So, most of the time, I wait. (I hate it when I am the cause of the waiting.)

I also am not patient when I am walking through a store and people decide to stop right in front of me to chat with someone else. If I do that, I always try to move my cart or myself to the very edge of the space so that people can get through. I do not find that everyone else uses this courtesy. People block aisles and don't even try to move out of the way. Or people that are walking slower than I am will not scoot aside, they just keep up a slow pace until I can find an opening to get around them. AARRGH! I really don't know why this bugs me so much, but it does. Maybe God is trying to teach me patience, but I am not allowing it?...Hmm...

Maybe I have "shopper's rage"?

The Breakfast Nazi

I forgot one story about our K.C. trip. We barely made it in time for the continental breakfast offered by the hotel. The five of us grabbed our food and I sat down. The hotel lady came over and asked if I wanted anything else. I thought, "That's strange. If I wanted something else, don't I just get up and get it?" However, I answered her, "No, thanks. I'm fine." She looked a bit confused, and she said, "Because I am about to clean everything up." She said the breakfast ended at 9:00AM. It was 5 after now. I told my family to get everything they wanted as she was shutting it down. 9 o'clock seems awfully early to shut down breakfast, I think, and she was militant about it. She quickly was clearing it away. We counted 6 more people that came down for breakfast after that, and they just grabbed what was left that she hadn't put away yet. We called her the "breakfast nazi". (If you ever saw the "soup nazi" on Seinfeld, you'll understand.) "No breakfast for YOU!" She even had a foreign accent. Maybe she got off work at 9:30? Hmm...doubtful.

Our trip to Kansas City

We had an enjoyable two days in Kansas City. The kids knew that Dad had reserved a hotel room with a POOL, so they were excited already.

We went to the zoo first, and it was a beautiful day for animal watching. We saw a baby chimpanzee, and some other kind of baby monkey which I cannot recall what kind. Watching the chimps was so great, because they were getting fed and would raise their hands and reach out to the zoo keepers as if to say, "Hey, throw one my way!" The baby chimp was being fought over by other chimps. That was funny. We walked until we couldn't walk any more. As we were walking back to the van, Molly asked if we were going to use the "exercise commitment" at the hotel. We had to laugh about that. She meant "exercise equipment".

We checked in to the hotel, saw the pool, and headed out for dinner. Now, if you know Dennis, you know that he likes food and is also looking for the best "deal". The kids and I had decided Waffle House sounded good, but he wanted to try a buffet at a hotel/casino/shopping complex. We found a place to park, and walked into this large building. We finally found the restaurant he had heard about, and they rang us up--$81 for all of us, including only water to drink! I nudged him and we told them we were sorry, but we had changed our minds. We were leaving the complex, but needed to go up an escalator. Molly has a fear of them and needs help getting on and off. When she got off, the look on her face was priceless! She had very wide eyes, and a smile as she exclaimed, "Whew!" Driving away, we decided we should have just went to Waffle House to begin with. :)

After dinner, we went back to the hotel so the kids could SWIM! (Their favorite part) After swimming, we showered and settled into bed. But before we slept, Dennis had mentioned that he didn't see an ice bucket. One of the kids found it, and Shelden said, "There's no ice in it." Again, laughter. We explained that it doesn't COME with ice in it, we just store some in there. As Molly was about to go to bed, she asked, "Where do the people that work in the hotel sleep?" I'm telling you, this trip was priceless just for the comments alone!

We arose this morning in just enough time to have a LARGE continental breakfast, and then we headed out for Crown Center. The kids got to go to a "What do you want to be?" exhibit where they could go into different "rooms" and pretend to be a mechanic, football player, race car driver, astronaut, chef, doctor, vet, bull rider, portrait artist, beautician, teacher, ...I can't remember if that was all, but it was so COOL! Then we looked around at the different shops (more escalators involved), and took them to Kaleidoscope, which is a place where kids can create art. It was fun. We went to J C Penney Outlet, went out for lunch and came home.

Shelden & Sammy have a birthday party tonight, and tomorrow the kids and I are going to Joplin. It has been a busy few days, but very fun and worth spending time like this together.

Leaky Roofs

Yesterday I told about our leaky roof, and I was thinking about it all day. I was thinking about how we all appreciate a roof over our heads, especially one that doesn't leak. We don't want anything from "above" to be able to get inside of the place where we are. I began to think about a spiritual parallel to this. What if we didn't want anything from "above" to get to us? What would we do? We would try to block it. We try to block God out when we know we are not doing well, when we blame Him for circumstances, when we ignore Him and His voice, or when we just become too busy with the world to look to Him. I want a leaky spiritual roof. In fact, I want the roof taken off! I do not want to block Him out. I want His rain to pour on me, saturating my life, making me whole. And not just whole for ME. His purpose is not so that I become an overfull rain droplet, but so that I can pour on someone else, giving them the refreshing water that I have received, as I go back for more of Him. Leaky roofs and leaky people. That is what He desires.

Spring Break

Spring Break is here, and we have been enjoying the time off to be together as a family. Friday night we cleaned up the yard, because we knew rainy weather was on its way, and we wanted to make good use of the nice day. Saturday we hit all 5 yard sales that were in town, and then we came home to hang out and have fun. Sunday was church, and we had the Butlers over for food and games. It was fun. Yesterday the rain began, and it is STILL RAINING! We are hoping that Thursday and Friday will be nice weather as we are going to K.C. for an overnight trip. We really don't want to hang out at the zoo in the rain. (sigh)

Our roof is still leaking, and it is getting worse. It keeps me up at night. I am hoping that we can get someone to fix it next week. Once it is fixed, we can finish up the back of the house!

I love the time off with our kids. Even though we didn't really go anywhere this year, we are still having a great time.

The Last Supper

I had a wonderful time with my class Friday morning. We have been studying the Gospels all year, and we just studied the Last Supper. I decided to make it "come alive" for them. Before they came into the classroom, I lit candles all around the room, and I had baked unleavened bread the night before. I brought grape juice boxes for them, too. Of course, Shelden knew what I was planning, but Christian walked in a bit shocked. I told them we were traveling back in time to see what it must have been like that evening. (I told them I knew there were no juice boxes back then, but I didn't want to pass germs.) I read from Luke 22 to set the scene. We discussed what it must have been like for the disciples, what they must have thought and felt as Jesus spoke to them. I told them we should never take the elements of Communion without making sure that our hearts are right before God. After talking about that for a while, we each prayed. We took the elements together after reading in Luke. We then sang a hymn/chorus just as the disciples sang when they had finished. It was such a special time with my class. I will never forget it.

Doctors

Why must it take so long when a person goes to the doctor? First, you wait in the waiting room, reading old magazines until you tire of that. You look around at everything possible in the room: pictures, plants, posted notices from the doctor, the decor. After the nurse FINALLY calls your name, you end up telling her your issues, get your blood pressure checked and get weighed (possibly). After she leaves the room, you wait...again. You begin the "looking around" process all over again, because, after all, it is a different room. You try to enjoy the music, but really, everything is driving you crazy at this point! Where is that doctor? You think to yourself, "OK, I'll grab one of these magazines just to pass some time." ...You finish it...WHERE IS THE DOCTOR? Finally, the doctor comes in, and now you have forgotten why you were even there. (OK, maybe not)

Shouldn't doctors just schedule patients at the real pace that they generally work instead of piling us up and having us wait so long? AARRGGHH!

And don't get me started on them not calling you back. If you have an issue, you call, leave a message, and they tell you they'll let the doctor know and get back with you. REALLY? Because I never hear back. Someone isn't being honest. Now I'm told I can go on-line and send an e-mail, and he will receive it. I'll have to try that next time I'm in a situation where I need answers.

Sorry, I just went to the doctor yesterday...

Kids say the funniest things

My children cause me to laugh a lot. Their actions and their way of thinking can be quite humorous. For example, one time a few years back our whole family went to eat at a restaurant called "Gauchos" where they feed you a LOT of meat. As we were sitting around the round table enjoying the time together as a family, Molly took a bite of steak. She chewed and chewed and chewed. She finally looked at her Dad with a strange face and said, "Is this meat gum?" Meat gum! We laughed and laughed, and we still will talk about meat gum anytime one of us gets that piece that seems to never go away. (We have all had those, huh?)

Most recently, we were eating together again (good things happen around the table) when Dennis was asking the kids about feelings they have about growing up. He asked Sammy, "What are you looking forward to about turning 18?" Sammy quickly replied, "Entering sweepstakes." Dennis and I erupted in laughter. I can see Sammy watching things on TV that state, "You must be 18 or older to enter...", and him thinking, "OK, when I'm 18, I'm going to enter those sweepstakes." Funny stuff.

When Shelden was about a year or year-and-a-half old, she was looking through some books on our shelves. One of them happened to be a cookbook with a picture of chicken on the front. She called chicken, "Gaga." I looked over at her, and she was licking the front cover of that book. I asked her what she was doing, and she said, "Gaga," and licked it again.

I love my kids' humor.

Great-Grandfathers and Legacy

Dennis and I have connections that go before we were even born.

My Great-grandfather was a "tent-revival" preacher in an area in SE Kansas. He had 10 children, 5 boys and 5 girls. The boys would build a wooden arbor to hold the revival under, and the girls would sing as one of them played the piano. Dennis's Great-grandfather was a pastor of a church in the same area where my Great-grandfather preached, so I am quite certain that they knew of one another, maybe even knew each other well.

My Granny and Dennis's Grandma walked to grade school together, and my dad and his dad graduated from the same school in the same class. Shortly after that graduation, Dennis's dad moved to California, vowing to never come back to Kansas. However, when Dennis's Grandpa died, he felt as though he should come back to be closer to Dennis's Grandma. They lived in a small town not too far from mine, but it wasn't until about 4-5 years later that they moved to my hometown. We went to school together, and the rest, as they say, is history.

I've been pondering the last few years about this fact of our Great-grandfathers being preachers of the Word of God. Although I never knew these men, I can assume they loved God. I can assume they would pray for their children and their children's children, as a lot of parents do. So I picture these men on their knees before God in a way praying for US. Then I picture them gone to be with their Father in the great cloud of witnesses that the bible talks of, cheering us on to go for God, to find God when we didn't really know Him. I find that a beautiful picture. For all practical purposes, Dennis and I should have never known each other. I believe it was the hand of God orchestrating each and every decision that was made. And, I believe the prayers of these men were and are being answered.

New member of the family

We have a new member of the family. It resides on my forehead. I need to name it--I guess Pimple will work. I have had it for two weeks now and it refuses to leave. Growing up, I never really had acne problems. I turn 30, and BAM, it's like my skin thinks I'm an adolescent. (sigh) The joys of growing up. I will keep fighting against this new member as it really is not welcome, but if it wins, I will just call it a beauty mark after coloring it with an eye pencil.

Parent/Teacher conferences

We had Parent/Teacher conferences tonight. It makes me realize how wonderful my children really are. They are all three so different, but all three very good children. Shelden has grown up so much in the last two years. She will be 11 in two months! She is a good friend to her friends, speaks truth in love, and is concerned about doing what is right. Sammy is 9 and is so intelligent and loves to learn. He is always telling us about new things he has learned. He is joyful and smiling most of the time. Molly is 7 and is very creative and loves to sing at all times. They bring us such joy, and we love to see life through their beautiful blue, green and brown eyes. It's times like these that I don't want time to go too quickly. All too soon they will be grown and raising their own children. I often pray that I won't "mess them up", and that I will be helping them stay on the right track in their God purposes. Did I mention that I love my kids?