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A few things
here...
subscription messages
for women
Blogs
in no particular order
no particular agenda
some thoughts might surprise the reader,
some might astonish;
but
all inform.
♥
House Church ♥
Mommy Life
Political:
These are a few of the
places we regularly
visit on the Net!
A few sites...
(I have more to add
when time allows)
Washington Weather
Someday my children will
read "mama's blog" and catch
a
glimpse of some
of what was "important" each
day, "snap-shots" of the
day, what was going on in
the world
and what really stirred up
some of my thoughts.
Whatever is
"documented"
here will pale in comparison
to the importance of their
lives to me:
my husband, my
children——they are my
story——they are my legacy.
So...
I'm a believer, a follower of Jesus
Christ, my LORD and because of Him, I'm
a help-meet for my husband, the mother
of eleven children and grandmother to
three. I share slices of life
because of what God is doing and has
done and to hope to be an encouragement
to others to press on toward the mark
(Philippians 3.14)
Some
days I find it difficult to escape to
the quiet area to write. But, it
is on those days I am most likely
perfecting domestic skills or the craft
of being a keeper at home.
But that's one of my life goals after
all... that of being a quintessential
keeper at home and all it connotes
Would that it be said of me in my home
and of you in yours:
Proverbs 31.28-30 "Her children
arise up, and call her blessed; her
husband also, and he praiseth her.
Many daughters have done virtuously, but
thou excellest them all. Favour is
deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a
woman that feareth the LORD, she shall
be praised."
I've not "arrived," but in the course of
following and serving the LORD Jesus,
and being a help meet for my husband,
that's where I'm headed.
Titus 2.3-5
The aged women likewise, that they be in
behaviour as becometh holiness, not
false accusers, not given to much wine,
teachers of good things; That they may
teach the young women to be sober, to
love their husbands, to love their
children,
To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home,
good, obedient to their own husbands,
that the word of God be not blasphemed.
oikourov
oikouros, oy-koo-ros'
from 3624 and ouros
(a guard; be "ware");
a stayer at home, i.e. domestically
inclined
(a "good housekeeper"):
--a keeper at home.
Hence this blog:
Views and slices of life;
and thoughts
between sips of coffee of a
quintessential keeper at home
quintessential
SYLLABICATION:
quin·tes·sen·tial
ADJECTIVE: Of,
relating to, or having the nature of a
quintessence; being the most typical.
keeper
SYLLABICATION:
keep·er
NOUN: 1.
One that keeps, especially: a. An
attendant, a guard, or a warden. b.
One that has the charge or care of
something: a lion keeper; the keeper
of the budget. c. Sports
A goalkeeper. 2. Football
A play made by the quarterback who keeps
the ball after it is snapped and then
runs with it. 3. Informal
One that is worth keeping, especially a
fish large enough to be legally caught.
home
NOUN:
1. A place where one lives; a
residence. 2. The physical
structure within which one lives, such
as a house or apartment. 3. A
dwelling place together with the family
or social unit that occupies it; a
household. 4a. An environment
offering security and happiness. b.
A valued place regarded as a refuge or
place of origin. 5. The place,
such as a country or town, where one was
born or has lived for a long period.
6. The native habitat, as of a plant
or animal. 7. The place where
something is discovered, founded,
developed, or promoted; a source. 8.
A headquarters; a home base.
The
American Heritage®
Dictionary of the English Language:
Fourth Edition. 2000.
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The Welcome Home
blog
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Views and slices of life;
and thoughts of a
quintessential keeper at home between sips of coffee in April 2005 |
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April
29, 2005 This week could
sort of be described as "the one that
got away." Speaking of got
away---or getting away, I have the great
opportunity to go away to a ladies
retreat this weekend---not as a guest
speaker, but as an observer or
participant. It's more than a joy
to me as it will be a wonderful
blessing; the retreat speaker is a
friend who lives half way across the
country, one I've not seen for many
years. This woman is
remarkable---I owe a debt of gratitude
to her and to the LORD for His work in
and through her as a mentor of sorts---a
precious pearl to me. I've
always referred to her that way as
that's the meaning of her name and God
has worked mightily in and through her
to teach women. She's quite an
outstanding "Titus2 woman."
I'll have much to share next week, I'm
sure.
April
27, 2005 So... no
time for blogging, but time for
thinking. There's nothing like a
pile of weeds to churn out lots of
thoughts, lots of solutions to problems,
and lots of contemplating whatever's
just been going on. So, I'm weeding
in the garden and mulling over the
weekend just past. I marvel
now at some of the things the speaker
shared. It was a great weekend
filled with good, rich teaching---It was the sort of
"O, Wow" teaching you don't hear very
often. It was the sort of teaching
that I'm continuing to mull over and
over and over. It was the sort of teaching
that made me all the more thankful for
good Bible teaching, for students of the
Word and for boldness to "preach it."
Plus, all the more grateful for the precious
Word of God and for freedom to worship
the LORD. We met in the local
grange Friday evening and Saturday for
five "sessions" of teaching on the
traditions of the elders and early
church fathers. And then we had
the privilege to spend a bit more time
in fellowship on Sunday afternoon and
evening.
As with most seminars, much of what was
shared over the weekend was not
altogether new, nor did it necessarily
stir up new thoughts. However,
some of the points shared over the
weekend were what contributed to my "O,
wow" thinking and thus remain today in
my thoughts. One of the resulting
thoughts is, if "leaders" in the
Christian community were to hear
this/these talk(s), they'd be saying, O,
wow, too. And... after hearing the
talks, they'd necessarily have a
decision to make. They'd
have to examine so much and perhaps give
up so much that it would be too much and
yet in the back of their mind, they
might be thinking: why am I doing
what I am doing in the way I am doing
it? Is what I am doing
clearly biblical---or is what I am doing
actually, against what the Bible says. Sort of that
method of "evangelism" which uses a
system of questions designed to draw a
person to making a conclusion about
their faith or lack of faith---one of
the questions being: concerning
faith or beliefs, if what you believe is
wrong, would you want to know?
Well, so it is with the teaching of the
elders and early church fathers and the
teachings up to the present time.
The premise being, that what the
Pharisees were doing was not following
the laws of Moses, but, in reality, they
were following laws of their own
fabrication which actually superseded
the Mosaic law. So here's the "O,
wow" part... see, Jesus knew them and
the thoughts and intents of their
hearts. He knew their customs,
their hypocrisy---the traditions of the
elders---so that every one of
His miracles were purposely done---directly breaking
their laws---their religious system.
He healed on the Sabbath, He walked
through the field---thus breaking
four of their laws simultaneously
(threshing, reaping, winnowing,
stalling) on the Sabbath.
When He healed the man born blind, He
did so in the way that He did---not for
the blind man, but for the Pharisees--the
priests and the elders.
He didn't need the blind man to have to
go through all that mud and washing so
that he could see for the first time in
his life---no---he needed to go through
all that so that proof could be
thoroughly provided that He was truly
Messiah---because that was how *they*
would know because it was predetermined
in *their* law that the only one who
could possibly heal a man born blind
would be the Messiah. Jesus
performed definite messianic
miracles---that's my O, wow stuff---and
there were more descriptions and more
illustrations given during the talks
that only further added to my O, wow
thoughts. Mans teaching usurped
God's teaching--God's perfect law, thus
man's laws were superior to God's.
O.... (wow) there was much more
shared... you'll just have to visit the
House Church site --- look over the
menu at the top of the page and select
"Tape Studies" and then in the list of
studies, select the Traditions series,
second on the list---then... well, order
it.
April 22, 2005 It was messy then.
It is messy now. It will be messy
tomorrow: the governor's
election in the state of Washington.
It remains a quagmire of questions and
ballots and inconsistencies---depending
on who's doing the reporting.
RevoteWa.com
Life gives lots of material for
monologues and political cartoons---and
the latter prove that pictures are,
indeed, worth a thousand words. In
looking up a cartoon by
Sam Ryskind, I recognize that
political cartoons encapsulate current
events---and ultimately reveals the side
of the fence the artist's easel is
situated.
This... I think, makes a huge
statement.
Thinking on political expedience or
pragmatism, I'm mindful that a lot of
what's going on in "politics" is moral
expedience or moral pragmatism.
When leaders will espouse "all"
religions or seem to stand in support of
all religions, it would seem to me that
there're a couple opposing perceptions
in that stand. One would be in
ignorance and the other, arrogance.
One of the hardest or most challenging
things I had to resolve early on was the
teaching that every thing is relative.
That theory stands in opposition to God
and to His absolute Truth. When
everything's relative and there are no
absolutes and when there are no
absolutes, then everything is arbitrary
or random or subjective depending on
personal perception rather than absolute
truth.
What was hard for me as a new believer
was that God is absolute---absolutely
faithful, absolutely infallible,
absolutely truthful, absolutely in
control and absolutely loving. I
had never known anything or anyone to be
any or all of those. Like most
everyone, I suppose (and this is no
condemnation of my family), decisions,
behavior and thinking was based on a
changing paradigm. A decision or
behaviour was based on what
circumstances dictated and those also
were often changing. So, like most
of us, I emerged wondering what is true.
What is Truth. Who is
genuine---and what is that, anyway?
When my first born was a young boy, I
recall asking him to tell me the truth.
He replied with all the innocence of
youth and said, "mama, what is truth?"
That was a turning point---for him and
me---he began to understand truth as
what was going on based on what he
perceived. So it was for all of
our children---for all of us, actually:
truth is whatever we perceive it to be.
That's what people use to form
foundations for their thoughts,
convictions, beliefs... religions.
That's common---that's universal, and
since there are 6 billion people on this
earth, the variables are seemingly
infinite. They're relative.
But God is not "relative," He is
absolute. His Truth is not
"relative," it is absolute. His
love is not relative and His mercy is
not relative, His grace is not relative.
For this we say, amen! God is absolute
and therefore everything He is and does
is independent and absolutely infallible
--- this from mulling over Ephesians,
chapter one.
What's got me thinking on this is all
the media attention given to the world's
religions. The power assumed by
mere men---the power ascribed to men
with subjective thinking and personal
agendas. Religious institutions
and traditions. I marvel.
If all are true, then none are true.
If God is god in many religions, then
all religions are equal---if all are
equal and yet are opposing, then not one
can be true. They can only be
traditions of men and then, in reality,
have no power---no lasting power, no
Absolute power, no power to save.
One day every knew will bow, and every
tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is
LORD. Not Jesus and _______.
Just Jesus... The fullness of Him
that fills all in all.
We were considering several portions of
Scripture in Bible study last evening...
and as frequently happens, there were
many passages of Scripture referenced
and we began to see a common thread
throughout. This morning I was thinking
on the Sovereignty of God and
considering Jesus: the author and
finisher of our faith---and I was
considering all the ways people seek to
avoid Jesus---that it's common for
people to talk about "god" ---they know
God exists, but to be fully yielded or
obedient to Him is another matter.
And to acknowledge Jesus is wholly
another question. Jesus has to be
avoided because *He* is not relative.
Say Jesus and you're committed to a
specific---say god and you're
universally accepted. Jesus is the
central figure in all of History.
Jesus is central to all mankind---from
the foundation to the salvation of the
world.
Hebrews 4.12-14 For the word of God
is quick, and powerful, and sharper
than any two-edged sword, piercing
even to the dividing asunder of soul
and spirit, and of the joints and
marrow, and is a discerner of the
thoughts and intents of the heart.
Neither is there any creature that
is not manifest in his sight: but
all things are naked and opened unto
the eyes of him with whom we have to
do. Seeing then that we have a
great high priest, that is passed
into the heavens, Jesus the Son of
God, let us hold fast our
profession.
Look what God has done for us---Look at
His majesty and power. In
Ephesians, we read:
Ephesians - One
Grace be to you, and peace, from God
our Father, and from the Lord Jesus
Christ. Blessed be the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who hath blessed us with all
spiritual blessings in heavenly
places in Christ: According as
he hath chosen us in him before the
foundation of the world, that we
should be holy and without blame
before him in love: Having
predestinated us unto the adoption
of children by Jesus Christ to
himself, according to the good
pleasure of his will, To the
praise of the glory of his grace,
wherein he hath made us accepted in
the beloved. In whom we have
redemption through his blood, the
forgiveness of sins, according to
the riches of his grace;
Wherein he hath abounded toward us
in all wisdom and prudence;
Having made known unto us the
mystery of his will, according to
his good pleasure which he hath
purposed in himself: That in
the dispensation of the fullness of
times he might gather together in
one all things in Christ, both which
are in heaven, and which are on
earth; even in him: In whom
also we have obtained an
inheritance, being predestinated
according to the purpose of him who
worketh all things after the counsel
of his own will: That we
should be to the praise of his
glory, who first trusted in Christ.
In whom ye also trusted, after that
ye heard the word of truth, the
gospel of your salvation: in whom
also after that ye believed, ye were
sealed with that holy Spirit of
promise, Which is the earnest
of our inheritance until the
redemption of the purchased
possession, unto the praise of his
glory. Wherefore I also, after
I heard of your faith in the Lord
Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
Cease not to give thanks for you,
making mention of you in my prayers;
That the God of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Father of glory, may
give unto you the spirit of wisdom
and revelation in the knowledge of
him: The eyes of your
understanding being enlightened;
that ye may know what is the hope of
his calling, and what the riches of
the glory of his inheritance in the
saints, And what is the exceeding
greatness of his power to us-ward
who believe, according to the
working of his mighty power,
Which he wrought in Christ, when he
raised him from the dead, and set
him at his own right hand in the
heavenly places, Far above all
principality, and power, and might,
and dominion, and every name that is
named, not only in this world, but
also in that which is to come:
And hath put all things under his
feet, and gave him to be the head
over all things to the church,
Which is his body, the fulness of
him that filleth all in all.
It's not politically correct or morally
expedient to take a stand---but I have
nothing to lose in doing so. I
stand where I do based on faith in Jesus
Christ the LORD and as I live and He
gives me breath, I will proclaim His
name and the truth of His Word.
I take this unpopular stand---and know I
am not alone---but in the end, I will be
standing alone before my LORD and it
will be His blood alone that has set me
free from the law of sin and death.
Earlier this week, I shared a link to
the work of Charles
Chiniquy
and I'd like to share another: the
testimony of salvation by God's grace
and mercy through faith in by
Richard Bennett
a former Roman Catholic Priest.
Sometimes I receive links that I find
interesting... and sometimes I share
them. Here's a link to a blogger's
post concerning John Wesley:
10 Things
You'd Hate about John Wesley (and 10
Things He'd Hate About You!)
I
guess the title was intriguing and I
smiled and then read it.
April
21, 2005
While
listening to my husband read aloud to
our family, I am both instructed and
comforted. It has been this way
for many years---his voice is soothing
to me and his ability to read with
enthusiasm or passion or with bold or
wistful, or meditative inflection or
tone, only enhances the experience for
me---for each of us here. But last
night... while all of the above
occurred, another thought came to me and
that one was both inspiring and
condemning at once---we've not been
diligent to read and memorize as we used
to, and our singing has been sporadic.
It was a book that Wes was reading that
prompted these thoughts. The book,
we're borrowing from our friends,
Ten P's in a Pod, was written by
Arnold Pent III some forty-five years
ago. We're enjoying Mr. Pent's
delightful writing style as through the
book he recounted, in great detail,
activities, Scripture memory and tales
of their family's traveling adventures.
We're just amazed at the accounts of
God's provision, and His work in and
through their family as they traveled to
churches, meetings and schools to share
the gospel, recite scripture and sing of
the mercies of the LORD and His
faithfulness. He shares that his
father led the family in a wonderful
life of ministry, and tells of
memorizing large portions of the Bible
as the family traveled over a million
miles through the years.
What happened as Wes read this book to
our family was nothing short of
conviction from the LORD that it's past
time for me/us to "re-group" and hasten
to the task we know the LORD's called us
to. O, how we allow the tyranny of
the urgent to distract and dissuade us.
I feel as though we've become almost
careless at times in recent
years---wasting the time we've been
given and not using the gifts He's so
graciously given us---and so it is with
new resolve or old resolve renewed,
really, that we seek to set about
building on the firm foundation of
faith. Scripture memory was (is)
surely significant in the Pent family
and must be a higher priority once again
in ours.
Tom
DeLay's comment was "inartful" and so we
accept that politicians need to be more
artful when communicating---especially
when it comes to conveying thoughts
concerning federal Judges.
That really means that while a
politician might have a strong command
of the English language, he/she may
simply have less command of conduct or
etiquette. Or, simply might have a
stronger case of foot-in-mouth disease.
But now... shouldn't it be assumed---no,
required, that a politician actually
have a strong command and grasp of the
English language *before* assuming an
office with such great influence, power
and authority? Ah... apparently
not, as California's governor excused
his ill-advised comment (that the
Mexican border be closed) saying he
needed to go back to school and study a
bit and further expressed his
regret over his comment and stated
that he actually believes the border
should be, not closed, but secured.
Perhaps Tom Delay would share some
advice and say, no, no, no... Arnold,
you didn't totally screw up with the
comment you made, you were simply
inartful.
April
20, 2005 I marvel at the
swift passage of time... ten years have
passed since the Oklahoma City
bombing---nine since our son, who was
going to school in Oklahoma City,
attended a one year anniversary memorial
service at the site of the bombing.
He told us of the solemnity of the
occasion and of the long moments of
silence as each name was read.
Following the story of Mae Magouirk,
I can't help but want to proclaim God's
mercy in her life and condemn the
behaviour of those who sought the
hastening of the end of her life.
Though starved for two weeks, she
remained strong enough to endure the
torture and apparently is desirous of
foods and more: life!
News about US Air caught my eye...
apparently a
merger is in the works to create a
larger low-cost airline. It
was interesting to fly US Air on our
trip to Indiana a few weeks ago.
It surprised me how few amenities the
airline offered, and yet how progressive
it was at the same time.
Streamlined, really. Anyway... I
recalled at one point thinking that I
was glad we'd eaten before we left as
there are no meals served during the
flight unless a "box-meal" is
purchased---and even then, it was
announced they had a limited supply of
the meals. Headphones could be
purchased for five dollars---which we
did purchase on the first flight so that
we could listen to music or watch the
in-flight movie. We ended up not
watching the movie, but had a peaceful
rest and retained the headphones for the
return flight. We watched a movie
that had been edited for "general
audiences" and thought it pretty
good----something called Spanglish.
I think it's interesting to see things
from time to time as we live ---on
purpose--- pretty separated from the
world----though aware through media
what's going on. During the
flight, we were surrounded by students
on their way from Pennsylvania to
Seattle---it was endearing hearing their
obvious delight with the sights below...
the mountains, the lakes and then the
lights of Seattle---the buildings and
then the famed Space Needle.
Though we didn't want to be leaving
mother and Bill, and delighted in all
that we were able to do while we were
away, I was smiling, never more happy to
see those city lights... they meant we
were very close to home and very close
to being back with our children.
We received pics from friends... all the
pics taken during our lodge trip were
consolidated onto one CD and and copied
onto our computer. It was fun to
see all the different shots taken from
different cameras---different
perspectives, as it were, throughout the
weekend.
So, all that happened.
The
church of Rome has a new pope...
What a name. What a time in
history; His-story. My first
thought upon hearing the news that the
decision had been made: gentlemen, start
your engines: let the conspiracies
begin. But---They already have.
Interesting... The headline:
German Doctrinal Overseer Ratzinger
Elected Pope. 'Guess he's
chosen to be called Benedict XVI.
I suppose if one is to choose a name,
make it flashy---ride on coattails---go
for the glory. Given what little
I've just read of the last pope
Benedict, this one perhaps will seek a
political role---thus proving some
conspiracy theorists right and setting
the stage for the next pope. One
thing popes don't have on their side is
an inordinate amount of time. But
maybe just enough time to earn a statue.
This man, apparently known for his
"orthodoxy" will, it seems, likely draw
a clearer line between orthodox and
ecumenical practices in "the church."
And another look from
Worldnet Daily . I consider
the Reformation. I consider the
words of
Charles
Chiniquy---and then I
wonder how many catholics know what "the
church" teaches---really, and how many
really are adherent, devout Catholics or
how many are just adhering to tradition
of the family and don't really know
Christ and by faith accept the gift of
salvation by grace through faith in
Jesus Christ. Not Jesus and.
Just Jesus. Christ alone.
There is no wisdom nor understanding
nor counsel against the LORD.
Proverbs 21.30
Where
no counsel is, the people fall:
but in the multitude of counsellors
there is safety.
Proverbs 11.14
John Foxe's Book of Martyrs---and in
particular, thoughts on the papacy and
the Catholic church. His work
denounces what Catholics attribute to
Peter and many other things.
Interesting,
this site
dedicated to those writings.
More...
April
19, 2005 Staking
a place... I was straightening out
bedroom when I noticed a little pair of
shoes beside a notably larger pair: my
husband's shoes. The little pair
belonged to his little princess who had
taken a large quilt and put it on the
bed and had turned back the duvet and
was nestled down under it and was
comfortably resting on two plump feather
pillows. I smiled as I recalled
the many months that our bed was shared
with her, the many months she was small
enough to carry. The softness of
the moment was rivaled only by the sweet
softness of her little face peeking out
from the covers. Wes came in
to see the pretty sight and then
promptly went to find his camera and
attempt to capture the moment.
Whatever's on 'film' will only serve as
a reminder---for her place is forever
staked and indelibly imprinted on our
hearts.
My
husband has been sharing with us about a
man who was, for fifty years, a priest
in the Catholic church and was converted
late in life and had a glorious
testimony of God's work in his life.
Charles
Chiniquy:
The LORD's Faithful Witness to the
Harlotry of Rome. His
recounting of his former walk of life
and the traditions of the Catholic
church is not for the faint hearted.
It is sobering and grievous, to say the
least, how many millions of people have
been or are being deceived by the
teachings/leadings of the RCC.
This,
from the article and the account of his
conversion: "Rome ultimately
excommunicated Chiniquy, but not before
he gave his resignation. The bishop
"answered angrily: 'Mr. Chiniquy, I am
your superior, I do not want to argue
with you. You are inferior: your
business is to obey me. Give me at once
an act of submission, in which you will
simply say that you and your people will
submit yourselves to my authority, and
promise to do anything I will bid you.'
I calmly answered: 'What you ask me is
not an act of submission, it is an act
of adoration. I do absolutely refuse to
give it.' 'If it be so, sir,' he
answered, 'you can no longer be a Roman
Catholic priest.' I raised my hands to
heaven, and cried with a loud voice:
'May God Almighty be for ever blessed'"
(excerpt from Chiniquy's "Fifty Years in
the Church of Rome"). "So then it is not
of him that willeth, nor of him that
runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy"
(Romans 9:16)."
Powerful.
Very powerful.
I
wonder what he'd think of the black
smoke/white smoke screen/scene that's
going on today. Additionally, I
wonder what he have to say to them were
they to give him an audience.
Apparently,
still no decision as to who will be
the next pope. As are many, I'm
thinking that this 'election' will have
profound implications around the
world---that many future decisions are
predicated on who is 'installed' as
pope. My strong confidence is that
nothing escapes the gaze of the LORD and
nothing is out of His sovereign
control... that no matter what man does,
thinks or what his mind conceives, or
what traditions he adheres or follows.
God is the blessed Controller of all
things. A verse that's been
continually on my mind of late is:
The LORD will perfect that which
concerneth me: thy mercy, O
LORD, endureth for ever: forsake
not the works of thine own
hands.
Psalm
138.8
April
18, 2005
Unless
you are left handed, you don't know just
how right this world really is.
Right-handed, that is. I
continually have to revise things
because they are right (handed) and
wrong to me. This wireless mouse,
for example... I use it with my left
hand but I so wish the shape were
different. I'm told that I can
switch the 'buttons' for left and right
clicking. *that's* *not* my
problem or "need." I simply need for the
thing to be shaped properly.
There're lots of things that aren't
shaped properly... irons, hair dryers,
serving spoons, and more. I did
learn to 'cut' right handed when I was
in grade school bcz I was too
embarrassed to raise my hand when the
scissors were being passed out... and
then the teacher would enquire: Who's a
lefty? I thought it equivalent to
being asked "Who's a leper?" So,
consequently, I determined to learn and
did master right-hand cutting... it
helped me a great deal, actually, bcz I
can do several things right handed... I
can't write right but I can read right
and since I lean right, I guess that's a
good thing. I do prefer to read
magazines backwards... makes stories
*very* interesting. So...
leper stuff---I mean,
lefty stuff.
Though
not a regular reader of
WomensWallStreet.com,
I receive updates from time to time that
I find very interesting. Some time
ago I wrote about "terror in the Skies"
which actually became a series of
articles written by Annie Jacobsen the
woman who experienced the ordeal of
suspicious passengers -- or, rather,
suspicious activities aboard a flight
from Detroit to LA. She's written
another piece concerning that event and
(perhaps)
related incident.
I delight in the great surprises that
come in little packages and in boxes
imprinted with CBD or Amazon on the
sides! Such was the case today
when our letter-carrier brought the
Amazon box with a book I'd been wanting
but had sort of lost in the recesses of
my mind. Wes remembered---and I
guess that's truly all that matters.
I'd been wanting a copy of the book "A
Patriot's History of the United States."
(and then,
Amazon's listing) I will be
reading it aloud to the
children---whenever I read to all the
children, it helps each of them (AND
me!) in whatever study---this time of US
history!
Many interesting tidbits
I read each day I get from different
sites and one, in particular, my friend
(I take this honour and liberty to call
her my
friend though we've never yet met),
Barbara's. She's written inspiring
books with her wonderful, witty style
and has an incredible ability to
communicate in a way that readers from
all walks of life can relate and
personally glean from her experiences
and sort of seamlessly apply her
recommendations. I say
"seamlessly" bcz it seems to me that she
conveys through her writings that you
can start where you're at with what
you've got and trust the LORD for the
outcome. Well... so reading
her blog this morning (and this has
nothing to do with her writing by the
way---it's just that she finds some
pretty interesting stuff in her
"information travels" each day) after
her great account of the dirt roads and
tranquility of the area in which she
lives, she posted an article regarding
Global Warming:
World Jump Day.
The thinking or
rationale is that if millions of people
jump at an appointed day and time, the
simultaneous jumping would force a
change in planetary position and produce
lengthened daytime hours, stop global
warming, and create a "more homogenous
climate." Well...
it's an interesting
article---preposterous, but interesting.
You know what really boggles my mind is
that (it seems )the same people who are
fanatically concerned with global
warming are the same ones who believe
the theory of evolution, and that the
earth is billions of years old... abort
babies---but save whales... blah, blah,
blah, blah, blah. You know... I
marvel at this----I marvel that God, in
His magnificent wisdom has created this
universe so perfectly and so precisely.
Imagine for just a moment "mere man"
taking the reins... imagine the instant,
massive cataclysmic disaster.
It doesn't take a physicist to imagine
the insignificant effect of millions of
people jumping and the preposterous
assertion of sending the earth into a
new orbit. Think of the disastrous
effect of an homogenous climate.
More in the weird and hard to believe
stuff... I wondered what in the world
was happening to
Mae McGouirk so I googled around
until I located a more recent account.
It's interesting that so little is
reported on this one.
Or on this one: This
is an "old story" but is apparently
getting some new attention when the
hospital's practices were questioned.
Okay... so what do you say to this?
"The patient died after the surgery but
that was due to heart failure and not
the fire." So why'd the man
experience heart failure? Do you
suppose his catching on fire had a
smidge to do with his heart failure?
Seattle
O, my.
April
17, 2005 Another of my most
favourite days in history... April 17th.
I'll never forget the astonishment, the
sheer joy and delight that swept over me
as the doc announced: "It's a girl!"
I think it was more like, "It's a
giiiiiiirrrrrrllllll!!!!!!!" And
to me it was a bit of heaven on earth!
I knew that day that the LORD had
showered us with a great blessing, but I
had no idea how great a blessing---the
depth of His love for us, His merciful
kindness and unfathomable greatness.
I had no idea then, what I am only
coming to understand in recent years,
the inestimable value of the precious
gift He gave us on that day. I
know this, I'm unworthy of such a
daughter---such a remarkable person,
Kathryn Grace: my love, my joy, my
friend.
We celebrated... and continue to
celebrate the gift of her life today!
April
15, 2005 so, I couldn't type
A-p-r-i-l-1-5
without saying something about
A-p-r-i-l-1-5-t-h.
April 15 is a fairly significant day in
history...on
this day in 1912, the Titanic sank in
the North Atlantic. It had struck an
iceberg the night before, just five days
after departing from England on its
maiden voyage. More than 1500 aboard
lost their lives. President
Abraham Lincoln died on April 15 in
1865. So... folks who live in
dread of the day perhaps have good
reason.
Well, amazingly, to none of our friends is
this a momentous day of the year---in
fact, to most of them, it's simply
another day----though they might
consider it to be somewhere around the
time they start pocketing money for
themselves/their families instead of
working solely for the maintenance of US
government. Whatever the case,
what I find humorous is that our friends
still track with us though we have little in
common with them---well,
business/financially speaking, anyway---but
*much* in other ways.
So the 15th of April is here. Sort
of anticlimactic to finish the taxes
early this year and not anticipate
flowing with a stream of cars to the
Main post office at 11:30 +/- a half
hour tonight. No... this is just
another day. Just another day.
People who count these things, say that
Americans spend over 6 and a 1/2 billion
hours preparing their taxes. I
know Wes felt like he was spending an
inordinate amount of time in front of
his computer---files surrounding him and
inundated with little receipts like
confetti on his desk.
It's good he does the taxes. It's
good he does the bookkeeping. And it's
good he keeps all the records for the
family. They're always in the same
place---always orderly---always.
He is systematic and orderly---though to
the untrained eye, it might not seem so.
Bookshelves line his office, files and
filing cabinets line his office---along
with many-many things others want him to
save for them. He has every receipt,
every document, every contract, every
order/statement, every piece of
correspondence, every everything from
this point back to before we were
married. Now, I, on the other hand
have books and bookshelves, files and
filing cabinets---gazillions of papers,
notes, journal entries, seminar/sermon
notes, manuals, and more... and they're
all here. I'm totally
surrounded by them... They're all
here---somewhere... I think.
With all these marvelous publications,
how to's,
organize-your-life-your-family-and-everything-else
books I have you'd think I'd be VERY
systematic. No... I just love
books and the people who write them.
I just received a newsletter I've just
begun receiving,
From a Mother’s Heart…Enjoying the
Journey
By Cindy Rushton. I so appreciate
women writing --- especially when the
topics so match the things
on my heart. She really speaks
from the heart... thus, a fitting title.
Lots of news today... Good news... in
the Word, good news from
My
Utmost For His Highest
and I'm sure there's good news coming
right around the corner... yep! Here're
my little ones!
O, there's so much tawdry (yes, I
know... cheap and tawdry) news on the
wires today. Biz losses,
Corporate losses, Political scandals, A
man killed an unborn child and
was arrested... a teen charged with biting
off a classmate's ear, a teen
steals a head from a grave, a sicko
trial gets more graphic, mass graves
thought to hold Saddam's victims---who
needs to read more? Yep, it's sure
getting more cheap and tawdry as the
days go by.
Beautiful piano music floods my
senses... thank you, Kathryn.
April 14, 2005 Well, the
taxes are done---signed, sealed,
delivered: I'm yours---oops, got carried
away, there. Every year we do this
(perhaps it's this way at your house,
too): April rolls around (like a
steamroller) and Wes sometimes
smaller and less fierce. But, no
matter what, up until the cheque is
written, the dragon is fierce.
Somehow though, after the cheque is
written, there's this euphoric sense of
accomplishment and sense of empowerment
that the taxes are done and the enemy
has been captured and conquered: Our
team wins! Then---the euphoria
gives way to reality and it is this: IRS
wins again. I think Wes slept well
after such a grueling day duking it out
with his TurboTax buddy, after sealing
the envelope, kissing goodnight and
blessing all the sweet little dependents
and then tucked in for a long
Springtime's nap, while visions of
sugarplums numbers and
lines 37 and 74 pop into his mind and
thoughts of sweet little deductions
danced through his head. Then up
from his bed he sprang with a clatter
and peered out the window to see what
was the matter: It was only the
garbage man carting away a toter of
tax-worksheets. Phew... the whirling
wasn't confetti of tiny receipts
swirling around the yard... that
would've been a nightmare.
The next time one of our children makes
an apology or seeks to correct a wrong,
I'm not so sure I'd buy it were they to
admit to saying something in an inartful
way. I just don't think inartful
really conveys sorrow over sin or regret
over an offence. However...
the next time I catch Samuel up on the
fridge I think I might try something
like: "Wow, Sam... that's artful!"
Or, perhaps the next time I come to the
computer and see a clever screensaver,
I'll say something like----O, Kathryn,
that's so artful. But to excuse a
blunder and say it was inartful---I
don't think so. Perhaps inartful
Tom Delay will come up with
something better than that.
Politicians often say things (as do we
all) after which they'd probably
rather die than have to face media over!
I'm thinking of when (following the
Reagan assassination attempt)
Secretary of State, Alexander Haig, told
the press
"I'm
in control here..." However, I'll
always think Elizabeth Chaney's:
"What a cheap and tawdry political
trick"
comment
was classic.
Actually...for the number of times I put
my foot in my mouth... I probably better
start a short file of proper apologies
and requests for forgiveness.
Inartful... that'll be for "O, are you
expecting?" to 5-months-post-partum
women. Yeeouch.
Ah-yes, I'm in control here.
So we're plotting and planning our
"online shoppe" and home biz. We
pray the LORD will guide and provide for
this venture---adventure.
Over the years, we've had several ideas
that never really got off the ground and
so we're in the process of getting
things going. Locating suppliers,
time, money, payment options and all...
it's pretty thrilling. I hope
we'll be artful as we proceed.
comments:
pamelaATachristianhome.org
replace the AT with
@
In case you haven't yet drug out the
file boxes and have no idea where to
begin... may I say you haven't got a
prayer. No... I'm sorry, you
actually have loads of time.
You're not alone as you consider that
many people across the country have
taken the day off to scrounge for
receipts and to assemble all the
children running around the yard to take
a tally to see which ones can be
honestly counted as deductions.
Need
a 1040 or
Schedule C? The only time you
pray for losses! ;-) By the way...
if you're scrolling down looking for the
1996 Schedule C form, forget it... you
don't have enough weeks in your
lifetime.
later
today.... At the
different airports we strolled last
week, I noticed some handbags and carry-on's
that were so beautiful... all the while,
thinking that I could make them myself,
I decided to look up the site and get a
better idea of what I'd like to make and
how I'd piece and quilt the fabric.
The bags are lovely... and if I actually
make a pattern and sew the bag, I'll
post it here on the site. For now...
Vera Bradley... beautiful bags for
any carrying/traveling need.
After
taking a walk around the yard, sort of
scoping out what needs attention and how
things are coming along, I decided that
it's probably time to put a couple of
plants and bushes into the ground.
So, I was taking a look at some
gardening websites (O, were it as easy
as it appears in pictures) and made note
of some suggestions as to where to plant
a couple of bushes. I have two
Viburnum plicatum, or Snowball
trees, to plant. There are so many
helpful sites and so much information
available (like for
gardening zones) that it was time to
put on a pot of coffeine. [That's
coffee with the description of personal
need built into the word] So, I
discovered that I need to replant
things, too. So happy that all the
different
perennials are coming along so well
and that all the rose bushes are all
making a dash for summer after the deep
pruning they received several weeks ago!
People like to send me cat stuff---knowing of my
particular aversion to the animals. I think some
people think I secretly love the little rodents, but I
assure you, I do not love the rodents. I am not a
cat lover by any means... however---in a peculiar way,
because of the cat lover's love for cats and my
love for the cat lovers, I tolerate cats. In
pictures. I saw a cat bed at a store yesterday and
a cat dish on a mat and just shook my head. The
cad bed should have been a box------------outside.
Behind the barn. A mile from home. Not my
home. Instead I returned home yesterday to overly
concerned cries that another cat had fallen apart but
the kittens could not be found. Poor dears.
I mean the kids, not the cats. Well, I told
them... nature has its ways of taking care of the little
kittens---O how I prayed!---and that everything would be
alright. So... you know, while I was walking
around the yard, I noticed a tiny trail from the walkway
down from the front porch... and it just hit me right
now... that is a *cat* trail. A tiny trail through
the grass to the end of the picket fence---between the
hedge and the fence; *that* is a *cat trail!*
Ohmygoodness, now I see it's not just the cats *coming*
the porch to eat the morsels of food Wes dutifully gives
them each night, nor for the cats who come to nap on
*my* wicker chair (bleck!). That trail is the
trail of carousing... and I just figured it out.
Those girl cats are making too many trips off the porch
and across that trail to carouse with wild boys.
Sigh. Perhaps it's time to have small game hunters
come to visit. And to think that the
Dane County Humane Society actually took the
time/energy/resources to catch six hundred cats out
of the wild---brought them in to have them spayed or
neutered and then took the time (I do not know why!) to
release them back into the wild. The neutering of
the male species... sounds like that is going on all
over the world, but I digress. Apparently the
humane society is concerned about all the
cat-kills---things the cats are killing. They
apparently don't receive
Food Chain Today. Amidst concerns that the
cats not have access to the wildlife habitat, it's
proposed that the cats be fenced. The Humane
Society doesn't believe that killing the cats should be
allowed but that they should not be able to procreate. I
guess disabling procreation is a kinder gentler killing
of a species. Well... there are some cats here
that apparently got taken care of before they could be
taken care of. One could hope.
I
read this news headline
last night:
Thousands flee in
panic as Indonesian volcano
spews into life
and then,
this one this morning. Truly it's amazing
what's going on!
Luke 21:7
And they asked him, saying,
Master, but when shall these
things be? and what sign will
there be when these things shall
come to pass? 8 And he said, Take heed that ye
be not deceived: for many shall
come in my name, saying, I am
Christ; and the time draweth
near: go ye not therefore after
them. 9 But when ye shall hear of wars
and commotions, be not
terrified: for these things must
first come to pass; but the end
is not by and by. 10 Then said he unto them,
Nation shall rise against
nation, and kingdom against
kingdom: 11 And great earthquakes shall
be in divers places, and
famines, and pestilences; and
fearful sights and great signs
shall there be from heaven. 12 But before all these, they
shall lay their hands on you,
and persecute you, delivering
you up to the synagogues, and
into prisons, being brought
before kings and rulers for my
name's sake. 13 And it shall turn to you for
a testimony. 14 Settle it therefore in your
hearts, not to meditate before
what ye shall answer: 15 For I will give you a mouth
and wisdom, which all your
adversaries shall not be able to
gainsay nor resist.
April
13, 2005 Samuel
and I had a wonderful time walking and
poking around the shops and antique
stores in town yesterday. I had
taken him on the outing so that we could
just hang out together and I could have
some more opportunities to stand back
and see what he was drawn to and what
piqued his interest. He seemed to
enjoy his day... from the early morning
breakfast out with Wes to the mocha from
Starbucks in town all through the
afternoon and all the stores... down to
the
Sammie Jo's Confections and
Snohomish Valley Ice Cream.
I bought him some different candies
(which he immediately shared with all
the littles when we returned home!) and
we shared a waffle cone ice cream.
I think I ended up eating most of it!
;-( He loved sharing the
things with the children---and they
loved that, too! I didn't succumb
to the temptation to buy
three-year-old Amelia a piece of
fudge... I knew the others would really
razz me for "playing favourites" with
that one. She really loves fudge!
I didn't realize how much she did until
I heard that she requested it while we
were back east.
As has happened a number of times,
Barbara,
"Megamommy,"
has shared a great baby-name site for
moms---families, really, to help with
the decision of name selection for the
next baby. Name selection...
mulling over baby names... it struck me
that that's just another pastime whose
time has passed. Decades of
planning ahead for the next baby...
saving clothes for the next season of
hand-me-down's, moving a child out of a
crib to go into the baby bed just
vacated by the toddler who jumped up to
a bigger bed so that the baby could be
moved out of the cradle to sleep in the
crib because the newborn needed the
cradle. That's how things have
been in our home. That was normal
to us for years. Now, it seems, a
new normal. No baby bed, no crib, no
cradle, no swing, no sling, no receiving
blankets, no maternity clothes, no
pre-natal vits, no pregnancy test kits
and very little wondering about it all
anymore... that's why I call this phase
the long good-bye to the last baby.
That's what's led to my "mid-wife
crisis" last year and my
long-goodbye-to-the-last-baby crisis
this year. Some women---some men
have a mid-life crisis or crises (did
you know that's the
plural of crisis?), or series of
crises, I guess I'm having the latter.
A crisis giving way to the next crisis,
then the next and so on. One thing
I am noticing is that men are looking
better through the crises than women
are. That's what I seeing
lately... what a shame to spend years
trying to get to the thirties where
thoughts and opinions seem to be
validated only to get there and wonder
if you've arrived and are too busy to
care if you have or not and then the
thirties pass and you realize you were
there and you had it together and now
you're not---and you don't. But!
What you have is worth all the time it
took to get it---even if you didn't
realize it at the time. I know, I
know... clear as mud. That's part
of this crisis---I'm discovering.
O... the name site? Here you go:
The baby name wizard it's
pretty cool! Just type the name
you desire and it will show you a
ranking of that name.
pamelaATAChristianHome.org
replace the AT with
@
April
12, 2005 Today's one
of my sweet baby's birthday.
This sweet little dear is now taller
than me and far more charming than is
good for him! ;-) I celebrate this
tremendous gift today and recall his
birth, his sweet infancy and the
wonderful years of his life... as we all
do here in our home, the blessing of
Samuel, fifteen today.
April
11, 2005 I've always
liked Steve Camp---perhaps it is because one
of his songs was instrumental (no pun
intended) in the drawing of my husband to a
more relevant walk with the LORD or perhaps
it's because during a concert we once
attended, he was totally calm and not
dissuaded by the power outage that totally
darkened the arena and left him to play the
piano in the dark while giving a totally
improved concert. Whatever the case, I
have appreciated his outspoken nature---as
it resonates well within me. I just
came across
an article he wrote concerning Catholicism
and works-based faith. I
know it's rather a departure for me to
recommend CCM (contemporary Christian music)
as a good deal of it is practically
nauseating to me at times. I
know---that's harsh and narrow. I'd
just rather listen to a true love song--yes,
gasp, secular love songs, than to listen to
depressing, dissonant, defeated,
distracting---truly that's what some of the
music is/sounds like [to me].
But that's just a personal opinion from a
homekeeper, and this is just a blog she
owns. Steve Camp's been an outspoken
critic of the music and musicians of
today... take a look at his
107 Thesis when time allows. To
say it's powerful would be an
understatement. I can't resist just
one more link... since the news is slow on
this side... James White had a little
something to say in light of recent national
embrace of Catholicism. And.. just sos
ya know... this is not a bash-the-Catholics
rant. BUT! Truly-----I will
defend the Scriptures, only scripture, for
the glory of God alone, only Christ, only
faith, only grace. To embrace all
faiths is to toss out saving faith in Christ
alone. To pray for people, for God's
mercy, to pray for their salvation and be
concerned for the lost is love. There
is salvation in none other than Jesus ---the
Jesus of the Bible. It often crosses
my mind that many Catholics perhaps don't
really know what the church (the catholic
church) teaches. Consider the
Declaration of the Council of Trent compared
with the Authority of Scripture. A
portion from the Audience One site
concerning the Council of Trent:
"TWENTY-SECOND
SESSION, CANONS ON THE SACRIFICE OF
THE MASS:
"If anyone says that it is a
deception to celebrate masses in
honor of the saints and in order to
obtain their intercession with God,
as the Church intends, LET HIM BE
ANATHEMA" (Canons on the Sacrifice
of the Mass, Canon 5).
Scripture says:
"and He who searches the hearts
knows what the mind of the Spirit
is, because He intercedes for the
saints according to the will of God"
-Romans 8:27
"Therefore He is able also to save
forever those who draw near to God
through Him, since He always lives
to make intercession for them"
-Hebrews 7:25
Explanatory Note: (Only One
intercedes for us: Jesus Christ the
Righteous. It is not Mary, the
Saints, the Pope, or the Church.
Why? It takes a perfect High Priest
in heaven to intercede for us.
Christ alone is worthy makes that
intercession for He alone is sitted
at the right hand of the throne of
God--the place of rule and
authority.) "
The recent ecumenical embracing of the
C. church (perhaps ignorantly) has been
surprising. I was surprised to
hear a preacher (I occasionally listen
to on Sunday mornings) say: We mourn the
death of JP---our holy father... and
many other notes of honour and
accolades. I know of
those who believe that improving and
creating a "moral" society is a worthy
goal and practically set aside the Truth
of the Gospel. Improve society?
When do you tell them the truth?
When they're all washed and cleaned up
and think they have need of nothing?
Just improve sinners and allow polite
sinners to walk more pristinely to hell?
Sure, there have been wonderful things
attributed to JP2, tremendous
improvements in many sectors,
encouragement to live obedient to the
Cross. But if it's good to just
improve living conditions, be a more
polite in families and communities, and
not kill babies or old people, and rack
up good works and still *hope* to go to
heaven, then why Jesus? Why'd He
have to come and die---if good works'll
do ya just fine? Truth is, good
works is a lie and so to not take a
stand against that teaching is
to---maybe---endorse it?
I know there are likely *many* catholics
who didn't worship the man, the pope,
who do know/believe/live the Truth and
truly do know Jesus as LORD-------I pray
that this latest occurrence will be the
impetus for believers to proclaim the
Truth.
So
last week during one of my numerous
calls home (just checking on them---not
homesick, dontchaknow), I asked about
each of the children and was informed
after a slow, deliberate pause, that one
was jumping off the garden shed roof and
that a couple of others were jumping off
the fence with umbrellas in an attempt
to "catch wind" and get a little air
time. I was, at the moment,
traveling down I65 obviously totally
unable to immediately reach them in an
emergency. So, after saying
something inane to Kathryn---something
like: O, that's nice, dear... I sat back
in my seat and sort of shook my head---I
knew then, as I've thought many times,
that the LORD would have to watch
"between thee and me" till we returned
home again. And He did.
I wondered how the situation with
Mae Magouirk ( the 81 year old
grandmother with heart trouble who
recently had her feeding tube removed).
It's unconscionable to me what's going
on... ironic, really, in light of the
recent murder/death of Terri Schiavo,
the death of the pope and the
speculation that something like this
would happen... and it is: happening.
When a feeding tube is removed because a
person is old, has a heart condition,
and glaucoma, we are, as a society, in
serious trouble. Couple that with
the fact that the woman had a living
will and was
neither terminally ill, nor
comatose nor in a "vegetative state,"
(which now is quite arbitrary, it seems
to me), we're in grave trouble, seems to
me. So, another view from a
blogger---I do not know the blogger, nor
the blog and so do not endorse it
blanketly, I just read the story
originally on Worldnet Daily and a bit
more of the story there and at the
Daily Pundit.
I've long thought that everything this
country needs is *here* in this country.
Now... that doesn't mean that the States
should exist, operate or conduct itself
autonomously---rather, to be sure, the
US could effectively be self-sufficient.
But with so many assets simply on paper
and so many not actually working, our
economy is shaky and probably much more
than a boon in oil production is needed
for the economy to rebound or gain sure
footing. We do like our something
for nothing lifestyle and our projection
of opulence without a huge amount of
physical exertion. So... a
tremendous boon to the economy in the
west... a blessing and a curse,
perhaps: Oil... it always has been a bit
of both! And to think that some
people think nothing's going on in
Wyoming!
Liquid gold is sure changing that
part of the country and they'll reap the
consequences, good and bad, of the huge
windfall. Whatever the case,
it sure would be encouraging to the
economy of the US to have local
resources instead of depending on
foreign oil. It's plaguing
President Bush that the price of fuel is
so high---and yet, the
Saudi's and local suppliers seem to
have plenty of oil. Crown Prince
Abdullah of Saudi Arabia looks (in
the article pic) like one of
our children was busy with a Sharpie.
"But be not ye called Rabbi: for one
is your Master, even Christ;
and all ye are brethren. And call no
man your father upon the earth: for
one is your Father, which is in
heaven. Neither be ye called
masters: for one is your Master,
even Christ. But he that is greatest
among you shall be your servant.
Matthew 23.8-11
April
9, 2005 So, I need to go on
a diet. Sweet memories and
thoughts of wonderful times we had in
Indiana are not the only things I
brought home. My horizons were
enlarged.... but my clothes weren't.
I believe the luggage compartment of the
plane somehow had a reducing component
or something---the bags were just as
heavy when they came off the baggage
claim conveyor---but I tell you, they
are smaller clothes! So...
I am sort of dreaming of the chocolates
at
Shipshewana...
the chocolate milkshakes from Steak and
Shake and the maple syrup and biscuits
at
Cracker Barrel---not
to mention an inordinate number of
mocha's from Starbucks. See... my
husband had the wireless in the computer
and so in order to check mail, he used
the wi-fi at Starbucks... well,
sometimes his work on the computer was a
little lengthy and so he'd treat me to a
mocha while we were waiting.
Needless to say, his trips to check mail
weren't always free. And none of
it was calorie free---obviously.
Ugh.
I just received two magazines
Home School Digest
and
An Encouraging
Word
--- what a blessing both are to me!
They sort of remind me of a "dressed up"
Gentle Spirit magazine. Gentle
Spirit magazines used to be delivered to
our home and each month from the moment
I discovered them in the mailbox I'd
begin reading... sitting on our front
porch or at our kitchen table, I'd
absorb all that was written from the
cover and then from the first to the
last page. I loved that magazine,
the things I learned and the
confirmation I received in the articles
month to month. It was truly an
iron sharpening iron sort of
publication---a gentle sharpening.
Time passed, things changed and I no
longer received that magazine. I
still treasure the copies I kept over
the years and read them still from time
to time. Things change and people
change---or experience change and things
that were once foremost take on another
dimension. Life and family
experiences brought an end to that
publication... but the things I learned
or had 'reinforced' in my life, I've
never forgotten. The mag "An
Encouraging Word"
sort of reminds me of another favourite:
Crowned with Silver. I'm sort of
adopting that title "crowned with
silver" myself---though I often don't
feel my silver is a crown! Going
from very dark hair to white hair is
bizarre---really. What a change it
is. So... as time passes, things
change and we (I guess) must learn to
change with them. While speaking
of both the earlier mention magazines,
Wisdom's Gate (website)
has some good publications to offer.
So, back to sharing about the trip to
Indiana... I've been mulling over the
things was saw and did. I sure
miss it there. I miss the friends
(some we saw face to face for the first
time ever after being email friends
for years!!) and our family. I
miss the wide open beauty---but while
there, I missed the mountains of home!
Strange, isn't it... the line from that
Joni Mitchell song comes to mind: "don't
it always seem to go, that you don't
know what you've got till it's gone..."
and I tried so hard to keep that in mind
as we saw the different sights and
highlights or "tourist attractions."
I tried my best to live in the moment
and love where I was at---so many times,
when we've gone away (from our children)
I missed them so much that I really
didn't enjoy a moment of being away from
them. This time---I had tremendous
comfort that Kathryn was home with the
children---that they were totally cared
for and that everything was going well,
that for the first time ever, I loved
where I was at and what we were doing.
I suppose it helped that Mother and Bill
made our time extra special and we were
seeing marvelous sites and historical
locations---but it was also the blessed
assurance that the LORD was totally in
control and that He was working all
things together for good... I really
didn't fret or miss out on what was
going on at the moment as I have so
often in times past. It was a
blessing from the LORD.
It was unusual that we were around
television and yet it allowed us to
loosely follow the coverage of "current
events" of late. For several days
I've distantly followed along with the
media coverage of the death
murder of Terri Schiavo and the death of
Pope John Paul---the man and the
terrific number of people who were drawn
to both locations---and why! I've
thought it's probably best to be
intentionally reserved for now on both
of the matters---except to say, it's an
incredible time to be alive in the
history of the world, and it will be
interesting what develops in light of
both of these individuals. I
will say it sure amazes me the
contradictions we see in the Christian
church concerning them both... Amazing
that it's suddenly it's so "right" to be
ecumenical... Or, so it seems.
We live in a crazy age... or in an age
of crazy thinking. I don't say
this because I am a believer---for, I
actually believe that everyone who
believes in something would/should/could
say this. Were I (God-forbid) to
be a Buddhist or some other religious
orgainzation/cult, and I were to see all
the big-tent philosophies running amuck,
I'd say: this is all crazy. If all
are good, none are good. The
thought/teaching that many roads lead to
heaven is a lie. Truly, it's a
lie. Jesus, the prophesied Messiah
said, "...I am the way, the truth, and
the life: no man cometh unto the Father,
but by me." John 14.6
But, it's not PC to take a
stand---certainly this week, to be sure!
I mean, what would happen to the one who
might dare say to a prominent leader,
the "papacy" is Scripturally
wrong---yes, I believe there were
many(!) good, even great things
done/said/thought by JP2, but truly, he
was a man---A mere man in the highest
office of a religious organization.
He did not/does not have the power to
save; and surely, Mary saves no one, and
he is not a capitol "S" saint.
It's hardly a popular view.
Especially today.
April
7, 2005 Okay...
so all that happened.
Decompressing. We just returned
from a delightful trip back east.
Between "night owl" tendencies, jet lag,
and assimilation back into the family,
we're just starting to absorb what's
needing to be done here, what's been
going on for the last eight days both
here and where we were visiting.
We flew to Indianapolis very early last
Wednesday morning and returned to
Seattle late last night. With
pictures of experiences of a lifetime
swirling around the theater of our
minds, we're adjusting to being home
again. I'll likely be sharing
experiences of the last week in the days
ahead. I missed being here at
home---missed the children, missed the
dailies, missed the chatter and
laughter---the hugs and kisses and the
busyness of each day here. I
missed writing and the daily perusal of
the news feeds. And now... home
again, I miss being there. I miss
Mother and Bill and the wonderful time
we had together. I'll never forget
the wonderful times we had together and
all we saw.
Ohmygoodness; to this "Washingtonianized-Californian,"
Indiana is FLAT! It was
astonishing to me how flat flat is.
Having never traveled east and having
lived practically at the base of and
seeing mountains my whole life, I was
simple amazed at the terrain surrounding
us in Indiana. I loved that the
weather changed so often and that it
was, for lack of a better word, so
spacious there. The roadways were
wide open and without mountains, it
seemed to me that everything was very
spread out. Flat. Amazing.
From the historic places we visited, to
the sightseeing and a day at
Amish Acres and
Shipshewana to a delicious dinner
and theater at
Beef and Boards,
to visit the World Headquarters for the
Free Methodist Church and to their
church, the John Wesley Free Methodist
Church in Indianapolis. In
addition, we also went to the boyhood
home of President Abraham Lincoln, the
historic homes of James Whitcomb Riley
and President
Benjamin Harrison. All were so
educational and interesting to us.
Obviously, there is much to share about
each place, and there are other very
special highlights I'd like to mention
in the days ahead.
What a time to be away from the
computer. It's probably
providential that I was not here to read
the daily "play-by-play" reports on
Terri Schiavo and Pope John Paul (before
he became 'the great') and all that
transpired in the last eight days.
What a time it has been! More
later.
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