In the bus everyone was restless and wanting to move around, as was I. The thing was that we were all driving to Jordan; stopping only a few times for the bathroom. It was a beautiful place and I wanted to live there forever, maybe as a cave woman or something like that.
El Dan, Jordan. First things first. We went to the hotel to drop off our luggage. Then we went to one of the trails called El Dan. As we walked to the trail, I was mesmerized by all the different things there were that would make great pics.
The trail was wonderful! It was full of life, and not one stone was man made or put there on purpose. The trees were very large and squiggly; some went in loopty loops all the way up. The bushes were also beautiful; overflowing with flowers and colorful leaves.
As we passed the beginning of the trail, we needed to cross a bridge. Under the bridge, there was a glorious waterfall. It was not a large one, but still just as beautiful. Almost everyone wanted a snapshot. We moved on and to our right there was a small river called the River Dan, which later joins the River Jordan.
The further we moved into the forest the more I wanted to live there. (My grandma probably got annoyed because I kept telling her I wanted to convert into a tree dweller for the rest of my life.) In our group, some people were walking faster than others and some slower. Grandma and I were in the middle. It seemed that we were all alone, because we couldn’t see any one in front of us or behind.
Since the guide was in the front of the group, we couldn’t get any info as we walked. But, what I do know is that the trail passes within ½ a mile of Lebanon, (the country above Jordan.) We could see the small villages across the border.
We moved on and finally got to the ruins of a village. I wanted to keep moving but the guide had to give a speech; telling us where the villagers came from and how they built the houses, etc. Then we were able to move on to the end. I really wanted to go back and do it again but we had other things to do. I think one of these days I’m going to go back and stay there for as long as I can.
As we drove to the next part of our tour, I was getting a little drained from the days of touring and moving around all the time. Looking at the schedule I saw there was a day coming up that we were going to be able to rest from lunch on. I couldn’t wait till that day came.
The Siq and Petra.. We were walking through the Siq (another common tour place) when near the end there were some ruins (Petra). I turned to our guide and asked what they were. He told me to wait and he would explain that to us all. After a little bit of waiting, he told us the story of the Castle Bent.
Once upon a time there was a king, and his daughter. The princess was very beautiful and it seemed that every man in the kingdom wanted her for a bride. One day, a wealthy prince came to ask for the princess’ hand in marriage. The king was enraged!
Yelling at the Prince, the King told him “ All you men want is my wonderful kingdom, and not the love of my daughter. Be gone with you, and never come back!”
The prince was heartbroken. Instead of marrying the woman who was his true love and whom the Prince had seen only once, he was sent home with nothing.
The king was so frustrated with all the men coming around asking to marry his only daughter that he took all his best craftsmen and built her a castle. The castle was not a large one but of good size and strength. The Princess was locked in the castle with all of her servants. Guards were appointed to watch over her day and night. Only the king was allowed in and out.
The King died without giving his daughter in marriage. The new Queen (his daughter) tried to rule, but only failed in the attempt. Soon, the whole kingdom was overruled and destroyed. The Queen was captured and held until her death; not a painful death but one of natural causes.
In the end, the King had lost everything that he had attempted to keep.
After the story, I was spellbound. The only thing on my mind was that I wished my dad would build me a castle. Then we took a few pics and went off to a lunch nearby.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Holy Land Trip by Deanna
Destination 1. Egypt
I’m going to begin my story at Kairo, Egypt, where I got to see one of the great wonders of the world . . .
As we stepped off the plane, I began to think about how long ago my grandmother and I thought about this trip, and how long we had waited to get here. I also remembered my family and friends telling me that if I didn’t take pictures they would strangle me and hang me by my toes in the town square. Of course, they are all Christian people so I doubt they would carry that out.
Kairo, Egypt. We were walking out of the small airport with our luggage in hand when we saw them, blending together beautifully with the darkness, the lights of the city Kairo. We found our guide and the bus, loaded our luggage, then set off for the hotel.
The traffic was horrible! Everywhere you looked people were jammed together and not even using the lines on the road. It took us 45 minutes to get to our hotel, which was only 20 miles away. At first glance, you might think these people don’t care. Actually, it seemed like they never have to worry about murders, thieves or traffic accidents like we do all the time. This might be because there is a grave consequence for each crime…like losing a hand for theft or a head for murder. Anyway, we finally got to our hotel and settled down for a good night’s sleep.
The Pyramids. The following morning we were heading out to see the pyramids of an official and his wives. When we got there many tourists were gathered around to see the tomb and the Sphinx. The moment I saw both of these great wonders, I felt all the excitement was about to burst out of me all at once. I was hardly listening to the guide until he said we might be able to go inside one of them for a look at the actual tomb. I couldn’t believe my ears!
When my grandma asked if I wanted to go inside, I couldn’t control myself. I flung my arms around her neck. With a big hug, I said yes over and over just to let out my excitement (somewhat). Half the fun was that I would be able to brag about it when I got home.
After we got our tickets, we headed for the line of people near the tunnel entrance. We were in the front of the line before you could say “pyramids”. The ticket master ripped our tickets in half and gave them back. I stuck my two halves into my pocket, took a deep breath, then entered the shaft toward the tomb.
Inside it looked like a coal mine. On the ground there were boards with notches in them for grip. The air was so stale you could hardly breathe, and the deeper you went the worse it got. The shaft was so small that we had to crouch, to move through it at all. We went up, then down, then up again. The walk took only 5 minutes but it seemed like forever.
Finally, we walked into a larger room at least 20 times bigger than the shaft. On one side of the room there was a large tomb with the top taken off and leaning on the wall. I went over to look in side, with grandma following behind me.
When I got over there, trying to lighten up the mood, I pretended to die and fall into the stone box. One of the people from our group told me not to touch the tomb.
When I asked why he said that one of their myths was that if you touched the tomb, then you would be the next to die. I took my gaze from the stone to look at his face. As I suspected he had a very large grin about 2 feet wide. In the dim light, I felt uneasy. He looked scary without his hat on. He probably took it off because he is sweating. We all are. I thought as I looked away.
After a few moments of silence, I urged everyone in our group toward the exit. It was getting really hard to breathe. When we were walking back, I kept hitting my head on the ceiling. I guess it was because I was anxious to get fresh air. When we got out, the first thing you could hear was everyone breathing deeply. The second was the people shouting, laughing, and screaming.
The Sphinx. We all made our way back to the bus to see the Sphinx just around the bend. We didn’t have time to stop. So, the guide told the driver to slow down so that we could take pictures.
It was beautiful, even if it was old. My grandma gave me the camera because it was on my side of the bus. The sun was going down, blinding my sight, so I was shooting blind. (Later the photos turned out to be pretty good.) After everyone found his or her seats again, we headed off to the hotel. The rest of the night would be ours to do as we please.
Mt. Sinai. The next night at dinner the guide told those of us who wanted to go to Mt. Sinai that we had to get up at midnight and be at the bus stop. He also said that we would need to put on every scrap of clothing that we could. It would be cold. That night Grandma and I decided to go to bed early so we could get some rest before we had to get up again.
I woke up to the phone ringing off the hook. Of course, it was the wake up call. Grandma answered it and then hung up. As I started to wake up completely, I realized that Grandma was already up and mostly dressed. Fighting drowsiness and sleep, I yanked myself out of the warm covers and started to pull on some clothes. Scarves, hats, gloves - everything went on.
After we were done dressing, we walked over to the bus stop. No one was there - not even the bus. Thinking we were early Grandma checked the time. We were, by about 10 minutes. So, we decided to sit on the curb and wait for the others.
Finally, the bus and the others came and we loaded up. When we all got to the entrance of trail going up the mountain, it was very crowded with people who had come to see the sunrise from the top. We made our way to the line and began our waiting to enter the trail. When we got to the front of the line, there was a security metal detector and 3 guards. We had to go through one by one.
After we regrouped, we headed for the trail up Mt. Sinai. We had walked ½ a mile when we passed the monastery of St. Catharine. We had walked another ½ mile when we reached the stables for the camels. We paid for the rides, and got on the camels. We were all separated the whole ride up but we all knew where to meet.
Riding the camels was quite an experience. They are not the same as horses. But, they made our trip to the top of the mountain much easier. We could only go so far with the camels and then we had to leave them and walk the rest of the way. We weren’t going to ride them down because we had been told that it was much harder riding down than up.
After maybe 10 minutes of waiting, we headed to the top as a group. In the black darkness of early morning, we climbed with nothing more than a flashlight to guide our way. A few steep steps, a couple turns and we were at the top. Everyone split up to find a spot in the crowd to watch the sunrise.
It seemed like forever before it even seemed to get brighter. I was looking beyond the horizon wondering if this would be like all the other sunrises I’ve seen. Soon my question was answered. I kept looking beyond the mountains where I expected to see the rising sun. The sun was coming and we could tell as the sky got redder.
Just at the moment I least expected it, the sun came into view. It was not where I thought it would be. It seemed to come up in between the mountains; not on the other side. Everyone was trying to get pics as the sun rose within seconds.
In the end, everyone was satisfied. Our group met up at one of the shops and the guide brought all of us some cocoa or some coffee. I need to tell you the cocoa probably tasted just like the stuff at home but at the time it was the most delicious cocoa in the whole world!
We decided we would meet at the monastery at the bottom of the large mountain. Grandma and I tried to set off at a jog but the line of people seemed not to move at all. As soon as the road got bigger and had more traction, Grandma and I were passing everyone. When we met up at the bottom and loaded the bus, all of us let out a sigh of relief. It had been a long and exhausting morning.
(To be continued.)
I’m going to begin my story at Kairo, Egypt, where I got to see one of the great wonders of the world . . .
As we stepped off the plane, I began to think about how long ago my grandmother and I thought about this trip, and how long we had waited to get here. I also remembered my family and friends telling me that if I didn’t take pictures they would strangle me and hang me by my toes in the town square. Of course, they are all Christian people so I doubt they would carry that out.
Kairo, Egypt. We were walking out of the small airport with our luggage in hand when we saw them, blending together beautifully with the darkness, the lights of the city Kairo. We found our guide and the bus, loaded our luggage, then set off for the hotel.
The traffic was horrible! Everywhere you looked people were jammed together and not even using the lines on the road. It took us 45 minutes to get to our hotel, which was only 20 miles away. At first glance, you might think these people don’t care. Actually, it seemed like they never have to worry about murders, thieves or traffic accidents like we do all the time. This might be because there is a grave consequence for each crime…like losing a hand for theft or a head for murder. Anyway, we finally got to our hotel and settled down for a good night’s sleep.
The Pyramids. The following morning we were heading out to see the pyramids of an official and his wives. When we got there many tourists were gathered around to see the tomb and the Sphinx. The moment I saw both of these great wonders, I felt all the excitement was about to burst out of me all at once. I was hardly listening to the guide until he said we might be able to go inside one of them for a look at the actual tomb. I couldn’t believe my ears!
When my grandma asked if I wanted to go inside, I couldn’t control myself. I flung my arms around her neck. With a big hug, I said yes over and over just to let out my excitement (somewhat). Half the fun was that I would be able to brag about it when I got home.
After we got our tickets, we headed for the line of people near the tunnel entrance. We were in the front of the line before you could say “pyramids”. The ticket master ripped our tickets in half and gave them back. I stuck my two halves into my pocket, took a deep breath, then entered the shaft toward the tomb.
Inside it looked like a coal mine. On the ground there were boards with notches in them for grip. The air was so stale you could hardly breathe, and the deeper you went the worse it got. The shaft was so small that we had to crouch, to move through it at all. We went up, then down, then up again. The walk took only 5 minutes but it seemed like forever.
Finally, we walked into a larger room at least 20 times bigger than the shaft. On one side of the room there was a large tomb with the top taken off and leaning on the wall. I went over to look in side, with grandma following behind me.
When I got over there, trying to lighten up the mood, I pretended to die and fall into the stone box. One of the people from our group told me not to touch the tomb.
When I asked why he said that one of their myths was that if you touched the tomb, then you would be the next to die. I took my gaze from the stone to look at his face. As I suspected he had a very large grin about 2 feet wide. In the dim light, I felt uneasy. He looked scary without his hat on. He probably took it off because he is sweating. We all are. I thought as I looked away.
After a few moments of silence, I urged everyone in our group toward the exit. It was getting really hard to breathe. When we were walking back, I kept hitting my head on the ceiling. I guess it was because I was anxious to get fresh air. When we got out, the first thing you could hear was everyone breathing deeply. The second was the people shouting, laughing, and screaming.
The Sphinx. We all made our way back to the bus to see the Sphinx just around the bend. We didn’t have time to stop. So, the guide told the driver to slow down so that we could take pictures.
It was beautiful, even if it was old. My grandma gave me the camera because it was on my side of the bus. The sun was going down, blinding my sight, so I was shooting blind. (Later the photos turned out to be pretty good.) After everyone found his or her seats again, we headed off to the hotel. The rest of the night would be ours to do as we please.
Mt. Sinai. The next night at dinner the guide told those of us who wanted to go to Mt. Sinai that we had to get up at midnight and be at the bus stop. He also said that we would need to put on every scrap of clothing that we could. It would be cold. That night Grandma and I decided to go to bed early so we could get some rest before we had to get up again.
I woke up to the phone ringing off the hook. Of course, it was the wake up call. Grandma answered it and then hung up. As I started to wake up completely, I realized that Grandma was already up and mostly dressed. Fighting drowsiness and sleep, I yanked myself out of the warm covers and started to pull on some clothes. Scarves, hats, gloves - everything went on.
After we were done dressing, we walked over to the bus stop. No one was there - not even the bus. Thinking we were early Grandma checked the time. We were, by about 10 minutes. So, we decided to sit on the curb and wait for the others.
Finally, the bus and the others came and we loaded up. When we all got to the entrance of trail going up the mountain, it was very crowded with people who had come to see the sunrise from the top. We made our way to the line and began our waiting to enter the trail. When we got to the front of the line, there was a security metal detector and 3 guards. We had to go through one by one.
After we regrouped, we headed for the trail up Mt. Sinai. We had walked ½ a mile when we passed the monastery of St. Catharine. We had walked another ½ mile when we reached the stables for the camels. We paid for the rides, and got on the camels. We were all separated the whole ride up but we all knew where to meet.
Riding the camels was quite an experience. They are not the same as horses. But, they made our trip to the top of the mountain much easier. We could only go so far with the camels and then we had to leave them and walk the rest of the way. We weren’t going to ride them down because we had been told that it was much harder riding down than up.
After maybe 10 minutes of waiting, we headed to the top as a group. In the black darkness of early morning, we climbed with nothing more than a flashlight to guide our way. A few steep steps, a couple turns and we were at the top. Everyone split up to find a spot in the crowd to watch the sunrise.
It seemed like forever before it even seemed to get brighter. I was looking beyond the horizon wondering if this would be like all the other sunrises I’ve seen. Soon my question was answered. I kept looking beyond the mountains where I expected to see the rising sun. The sun was coming and we could tell as the sky got redder.
Just at the moment I least expected it, the sun came into view. It was not where I thought it would be. It seemed to come up in between the mountains; not on the other side. Everyone was trying to get pics as the sun rose within seconds.
In the end, everyone was satisfied. Our group met up at one of the shops and the guide brought all of us some cocoa or some coffee. I need to tell you the cocoa probably tasted just like the stuff at home but at the time it was the most delicious cocoa in the whole world!
We decided we would meet at the monastery at the bottom of the large mountain. Grandma and I tried to set off at a jog but the line of people seemed not to move at all. As soon as the road got bigger and had more traction, Grandma and I were passing everyone. When we met up at the bottom and loaded the bus, all of us let out a sigh of relief. It had been a long and exhausting morning.
(To be continued.)
Friday, December 15, 2006
Revolution or Resolution? No, Revelation!
I’m not sure that I want to make any New Year’s Resolutions this year. I know it is a good time to rethink how our lives are going and how we are doing in reaching our dreams and goals, but I think it may be a good idea to skip it. On the other hand, maybe I could do like so many of us and Revolutionize my life in one “easy” week! I could make my list and check it twice and include all of those things that I would like to do and be that have been heretofore impossible. That’s what I need!! A Revolution!!
Reality check!! How many resolutions have I made that I have actually kept throughout the year? How many have I even remembered for a whole year? Maybe writing them down would help me to remember, but then I’d have to follow them.
Well, okay. Here it goes:
1. I’d like to revolutionize my appearance by losing 30 lbs. this year.
Instead, I’ll resolve to do some kind of exercise that I enjoy at least 3 times per week.
2. I’d like to revolutionize my spiritual life by reading through the Bible in a year.
Instead, I’ll resolve to read at least a chapter in God’s word every day of the workweek.
3. I’d like to revolutionize my health by eating a pure diet with no processed food or fat.
Instead, I’ll resolve to eat some raw fruit and a big green salad every day.
4. I’d like to revolutionize my home by organizing every nook and cranny of my living space.
Instead, I’ll resolve to try to organize one little space at a time and find a place right away for any new things I acquire.
5. I’d like to revolutionize my marriage by never fighting with my husband again.
Instead, I’ll resolve to fight less and try to listen more each time we have a disagreement.
6. I’d like to revolutionize my relationship with Adrian by never arguing with him again.
Instead, I’ll resolve to try to have a heart of humility and admit when I am wrong without continuing the argument.
7. I’d like to revolutionize my relationships with everyone around me by loving at all times.
Instead, I’ll resolve to trust in God more and hide a little less as I walk each day toward more authentic relationships with those around me.
8. I’d like to revolutionize my relationship with God by trusting Him completely – at all times.
Instead, I’ll resolve to try to trust Him more and pray when I don’t so that He can give me the trust that I need.
9. I’d like to revolutionize my finances by making sure I know what happens to every penny.
Instead, I’ll resolve to spend my money more wisely and try to learn ways to be a better steward.
10. I’d like to revolutionize my intellect by getting a degree in Constitutional Law.
Instead, I’ll resolve to try to learn something new every day and look into enrolling in some college classes online.
11. I’d like to revolutionize my world by doing and saying all the right things at the right times.
Instead, I’ll resolve to ask God each day to help me put on the mind of Christ and let Him revolutionize the world.
I have come to realize over the last few years, that revolutionizing my life is fruitless. It is somewhat like the Hare and the Turtle. The Hare begins fast and poops out before he reaches his goal; whereas, the Turtle plods along slowly but steadily and eventually reaches his goal.
In my efforts to revolutionize my health, family, spirituality, etc., I have come out of the chute with a bang and fallen face first half way around the track. This was mostly because I was relying upon my own efforts and my own performance. We all know that our own efforts, strength, performance and fortitude fall far short of where God wants take us, so what do we do?
A Revelation.
My conclusion is this: God must do the revolutionizing and I must do the resolving. I must resolve to look to Him daily. I must resolve to obey Him in the little everyday things of life. I must resolve to plod steadily along the path toward the cross even if I see no destination and feel no progress. I must resolve to trust Him to do His work in me His way.
Although, I will try to do the things I’ve listed above, I will also try to let go and let God revolutionize my life for His purpose. I probably won’t even realize it’s going on. But, someday, when I stand before His throne, I want to hear “Thank you for keeping your eyes on Me. Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Pro 3:5 - 8 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
May we learn to allow Him to do what He will with our lives. May we learn to leave the revolution to Him as we resolve to trust and obey.
Reality check!! How many resolutions have I made that I have actually kept throughout the year? How many have I even remembered for a whole year? Maybe writing them down would help me to remember, but then I’d have to follow them.
Well, okay. Here it goes:
1. I’d like to revolutionize my appearance by losing 30 lbs. this year.
Instead, I’ll resolve to do some kind of exercise that I enjoy at least 3 times per week.
2. I’d like to revolutionize my spiritual life by reading through the Bible in a year.
Instead, I’ll resolve to read at least a chapter in God’s word every day of the workweek.
3. I’d like to revolutionize my health by eating a pure diet with no processed food or fat.
Instead, I’ll resolve to eat some raw fruit and a big green salad every day.
4. I’d like to revolutionize my home by organizing every nook and cranny of my living space.
Instead, I’ll resolve to try to organize one little space at a time and find a place right away for any new things I acquire.
5. I’d like to revolutionize my marriage by never fighting with my husband again.
Instead, I’ll resolve to fight less and try to listen more each time we have a disagreement.
6. I’d like to revolutionize my relationship with Adrian by never arguing with him again.
Instead, I’ll resolve to try to have a heart of humility and admit when I am wrong without continuing the argument.
7. I’d like to revolutionize my relationships with everyone around me by loving at all times.
Instead, I’ll resolve to trust in God more and hide a little less as I walk each day toward more authentic relationships with those around me.
8. I’d like to revolutionize my relationship with God by trusting Him completely – at all times.
Instead, I’ll resolve to try to trust Him more and pray when I don’t so that He can give me the trust that I need.
9. I’d like to revolutionize my finances by making sure I know what happens to every penny.
Instead, I’ll resolve to spend my money more wisely and try to learn ways to be a better steward.
10. I’d like to revolutionize my intellect by getting a degree in Constitutional Law.
Instead, I’ll resolve to try to learn something new every day and look into enrolling in some college classes online.
11. I’d like to revolutionize my world by doing and saying all the right things at the right times.
Instead, I’ll resolve to ask God each day to help me put on the mind of Christ and let Him revolutionize the world.
I have come to realize over the last few years, that revolutionizing my life is fruitless. It is somewhat like the Hare and the Turtle. The Hare begins fast and poops out before he reaches his goal; whereas, the Turtle plods along slowly but steadily and eventually reaches his goal.
In my efforts to revolutionize my health, family, spirituality, etc., I have come out of the chute with a bang and fallen face first half way around the track. This was mostly because I was relying upon my own efforts and my own performance. We all know that our own efforts, strength, performance and fortitude fall far short of where God wants take us, so what do we do?
A Revelation.
My conclusion is this: God must do the revolutionizing and I must do the resolving. I must resolve to look to Him daily. I must resolve to obey Him in the little everyday things of life. I must resolve to plod steadily along the path toward the cross even if I see no destination and feel no progress. I must resolve to trust Him to do His work in me His way.
Although, I will try to do the things I’ve listed above, I will also try to let go and let God revolutionize my life for His purpose. I probably won’t even realize it’s going on. But, someday, when I stand before His throne, I want to hear “Thank you for keeping your eyes on Me. Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Pro 3:5 - 8 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
May we learn to allow Him to do what He will with our lives. May we learn to leave the revolution to Him as we resolve to trust and obey.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Christmas Gifts
A few weeks before our Christmas Cantata, our director, Julie, held auditions for the child soloist part in the production. Leilani, Mikayla and I came at the appointed time and she had each of the girls sing for the volunteer judges (two of the other choir members). Mikayla didn’t even want to audition and gave me trouble all of the way to church. Leilani was okay with it and just did what I asked.
I questioned my decision to “make” them audition, but then realized that these are just children and it wasn’t going to hurt them any to go through the experience. It wasn’t like I was one of those die hard stage moms taking the kids to every audition possible. This was a little Christmas Cantata and they had both been given a gift of singing by the Master. I decided that it was part of my parental responsibility to help them develop their gifts just as it was my responsibility to teach them math.
So, they auditioned. I stood out in the foyer listening as they each sang Away In a Manger and thought that they both had angelic voices. They each sang for the judges separately and I’m sure that the formality of it, thanks to Julie, was sufficiently professional and probably a little intimidating. I was proud of them for doing such a good job.
When Mikayla was done, she came and joined me in the foyer. “Mom,” she said seriously, “I don’t want to do the solo even if they choose me.”
“Why not?” my question was rather patronizing, I’ll admit.
“I don’t know. I just don’t.” was her answer.
Well, I wasn’t going to make her sing in the Cantata if her heart was not in it.
When Leilani was done, she and Julie joined us in the foyer. She told me that she would let me know later who got the part. She wasn’t sure that anyone else was going to audition, but wanted to be sure that everyone who wanted to got a chance.
That evening at our Cantata rehearsal she pulled me aside. “We decided that Mikayla should have the part.” She told me.
“What if she doesn’t want to sing the solo?” I asked remembering what Mikayla had told me that afternoon.
“Then Leilani will get the part. But whatever she decides, there is no changing her mind later.” Julie was adamant on this point and I admired her for it. Even though she has no children of her own, she seems to know just what these little minds wrap themselves around sometimes.
“Absolutely!” I agreed.
That evening when I informed the girls of Julie’s decision, their reactions were predictable. Mikayla was relieved that I was not going to make her do it and Leilani was quiet and matter-of-fact about singing the solo.
Sometimes I’m just like that proverbial Absent-minded Professor, and I didn’t really work with Leilani on her part. I played the CD a couple of times so that she could hear it and we practiced it along with our Children’s Choir part with the rest of our All Girls Choir, but I can’t say that I really helped her with it. The next thing I knew, she’d memorized it all and was ready to practice with the adults. Wow! I thought. She’s pretty serious about this.
The first time she sang for us in rehearsal, several of us had tears in our eyes. She looked so angelic and her voice was so sweet - just perfect for the song. I was beaming.
After that rehearsal, she came to me with doubt written all over her freckled face. “Mom. When I sing in front of everyone, I get so scared! Do I have to do it?”
I couldn’t believe it. She had seemed so ready and so capable. But, you know, I remembered being that age and singing in front of people and I remembered how nervous I was, too.
“Sweetie, if you weren’t a little scared, I’d be worried.” I reassured her. “I’ll be right there with you and you don’t have to worry. But you’ve committed to doing this and we have to follow through. I know you can do it.”
I could tell she wasn’t so sure. Meanwhile, Mikayla had come to me earlier that day. She had regret written all over her face.
“Mom. I wish I’d said I would sing the part.” She told me. I knew exactly how she felt, too. But, there was no “wishy-washyness” allowed.
“There will be other parts and other times that you will be able to sing. Right now, it is really great that your sister gets to do this. You can help her by encouraging her and telling her what a good job she’s doing.” I didn’t want her to envy Leilani’s spotlight.
The big night came. We all combed hair, put on costumes (Leilani was an angel in the Nativity), put on our best dresses, fixed our faces and went to church.
Leilani was nervous, Mikayla was excited, Deanna and Terence (who had no part in the production) were a little bored and Dad was energetically setting up the Proud Parent Recording Studio (a video camera off to the side). I was greeting everyone and trying to keep the All Girls Choir calm enough to listen to instructions. Thank goodness I had help in that area.
We sang through the first part of the Cantata and then the Children came onto the stage. The Girls Choir sang their part beautifully and I almost held my breath as the introduction to Leilani’s solo could be heard through the monitors. She came in right on cue. Every word was clearly pronounced and her voice was just perfect! She sang every note and finished with aplomb.
The rest of the Cantata was a bit of a blur. I know it sounded great, but I was still thinking of my beautiful daughter and her first solo in front of an audience. I could see that Ralph was thrilled with her as well.
Afterwards, Leilani got many congratulations, which she graciously received with sweet “Thank yous” to those who gave them. When I gave her a hug, she looked at me and said, “I was so scared! I was almost shaking!”
“You were very brave and did very well. I’m so proud that you sang in spite of being scared.” I told her. “You have a beautiful voice that God is going to use. You have just overcome the first obstacle in learning to use your gift.”
She smiled then and ran off to get some treats with her friends and sisters. I know that she felt a great sense of accomplishment.
How many of us are afraid to use what God has given us? I am sometimes. How many times have we had to overcome our fear of judgment in order to do His will? I’m thinking of some unpleasant moments in front of crowds. Have we given in to our fears at times? I know I have. But thinking of this little child, who was “so scared” but who did it anyway, gives me courage. If God can be with her when she sings her little solo, I know He will be with me whenever He calls me to use my gifts for Him.
Rom 12:5 – 6a So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us,
1Co 14:12 In the same way, since you're so desirous of spiritual gifts, you must keep on desiring them for the upbuilding of the church.
Joh 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
May we fear not. May we remember that God is with us whenever He calls us. May we continue to use our gifts for His kingdom and encourage our children to do the same.
I questioned my decision to “make” them audition, but then realized that these are just children and it wasn’t going to hurt them any to go through the experience. It wasn’t like I was one of those die hard stage moms taking the kids to every audition possible. This was a little Christmas Cantata and they had both been given a gift of singing by the Master. I decided that it was part of my parental responsibility to help them develop their gifts just as it was my responsibility to teach them math.
So, they auditioned. I stood out in the foyer listening as they each sang Away In a Manger and thought that they both had angelic voices. They each sang for the judges separately and I’m sure that the formality of it, thanks to Julie, was sufficiently professional and probably a little intimidating. I was proud of them for doing such a good job.
When Mikayla was done, she came and joined me in the foyer. “Mom,” she said seriously, “I don’t want to do the solo even if they choose me.”
“Why not?” my question was rather patronizing, I’ll admit.
“I don’t know. I just don’t.” was her answer.
Well, I wasn’t going to make her sing in the Cantata if her heart was not in it.
When Leilani was done, she and Julie joined us in the foyer. She told me that she would let me know later who got the part. She wasn’t sure that anyone else was going to audition, but wanted to be sure that everyone who wanted to got a chance.
That evening at our Cantata rehearsal she pulled me aside. “We decided that Mikayla should have the part.” She told me.
“What if she doesn’t want to sing the solo?” I asked remembering what Mikayla had told me that afternoon.
“Then Leilani will get the part. But whatever she decides, there is no changing her mind later.” Julie was adamant on this point and I admired her for it. Even though she has no children of her own, she seems to know just what these little minds wrap themselves around sometimes.
“Absolutely!” I agreed.
That evening when I informed the girls of Julie’s decision, their reactions were predictable. Mikayla was relieved that I was not going to make her do it and Leilani was quiet and matter-of-fact about singing the solo.
Sometimes I’m just like that proverbial Absent-minded Professor, and I didn’t really work with Leilani on her part. I played the CD a couple of times so that she could hear it and we practiced it along with our Children’s Choir part with the rest of our All Girls Choir, but I can’t say that I really helped her with it. The next thing I knew, she’d memorized it all and was ready to practice with the adults. Wow! I thought. She’s pretty serious about this.
The first time she sang for us in rehearsal, several of us had tears in our eyes. She looked so angelic and her voice was so sweet - just perfect for the song. I was beaming.
After that rehearsal, she came to me with doubt written all over her freckled face. “Mom. When I sing in front of everyone, I get so scared! Do I have to do it?”
I couldn’t believe it. She had seemed so ready and so capable. But, you know, I remembered being that age and singing in front of people and I remembered how nervous I was, too.
“Sweetie, if you weren’t a little scared, I’d be worried.” I reassured her. “I’ll be right there with you and you don’t have to worry. But you’ve committed to doing this and we have to follow through. I know you can do it.”
I could tell she wasn’t so sure. Meanwhile, Mikayla had come to me earlier that day. She had regret written all over her face.
“Mom. I wish I’d said I would sing the part.” She told me. I knew exactly how she felt, too. But, there was no “wishy-washyness” allowed.
“There will be other parts and other times that you will be able to sing. Right now, it is really great that your sister gets to do this. You can help her by encouraging her and telling her what a good job she’s doing.” I didn’t want her to envy Leilani’s spotlight.
The big night came. We all combed hair, put on costumes (Leilani was an angel in the Nativity), put on our best dresses, fixed our faces and went to church.
Leilani was nervous, Mikayla was excited, Deanna and Terence (who had no part in the production) were a little bored and Dad was energetically setting up the Proud Parent Recording Studio (a video camera off to the side). I was greeting everyone and trying to keep the All Girls Choir calm enough to listen to instructions. Thank goodness I had help in that area.
We sang through the first part of the Cantata and then the Children came onto the stage. The Girls Choir sang their part beautifully and I almost held my breath as the introduction to Leilani’s solo could be heard through the monitors. She came in right on cue. Every word was clearly pronounced and her voice was just perfect! She sang every note and finished with aplomb.
The rest of the Cantata was a bit of a blur. I know it sounded great, but I was still thinking of my beautiful daughter and her first solo in front of an audience. I could see that Ralph was thrilled with her as well.
Afterwards, Leilani got many congratulations, which she graciously received with sweet “Thank yous” to those who gave them. When I gave her a hug, she looked at me and said, “I was so scared! I was almost shaking!”
“You were very brave and did very well. I’m so proud that you sang in spite of being scared.” I told her. “You have a beautiful voice that God is going to use. You have just overcome the first obstacle in learning to use your gift.”
She smiled then and ran off to get some treats with her friends and sisters. I know that she felt a great sense of accomplishment.
How many of us are afraid to use what God has given us? I am sometimes. How many times have we had to overcome our fear of judgment in order to do His will? I’m thinking of some unpleasant moments in front of crowds. Have we given in to our fears at times? I know I have. But thinking of this little child, who was “so scared” but who did it anyway, gives me courage. If God can be with her when she sings her little solo, I know He will be with me whenever He calls me to use my gifts for Him.
Rom 12:5 – 6a So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us,
1Co 14:12 In the same way, since you're so desirous of spiritual gifts, you must keep on desiring them for the upbuilding of the church.
Joh 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
May we fear not. May we remember that God is with us whenever He calls us. May we continue to use our gifts for His kingdom and encourage our children to do the same.
Sunday, December 3, 2006
Catching the Christmas Spirit
Memories of Christmas Past haunt my musings lately as we launch ourselves into the Christmas season. One of my favorite memories is of me, my sister and my dad going out into woods near our house and finding a little Christmas tree. My dad would cut it down and we would all help (as much as a 6 year old and a 4 year old can help) to drag it back to the house. We would set it up on a table (we had a dog and a cat) and decorate it with colored lights, decorations and tinsel.
After we moved to El Paso, our Christmases changed. There was no longer the white Christmas to look forward to and we began putting up a plastic tree at Christmas time.
It was many years before we had an opportunity to get a live Christmas tree again. When we bought our first home in Spring Valley, CA (just outside of San Diego) we decided that we would get the biggest, live Christmas tree we could find. It was 10 feet tall when we got it set up and I decorated it with poinsettias, white lights, gold ribbon and loads of ornaments we’d bought at Sam’s Club. Ralph even had a Christmas Train that we’d put under (or even IN) the tree.
It was even better when we moved to Maine. We’d all pile in the van and head off to the Christmas Tree Farm (one of several near our home) and walk around till we found one that was taller than Dad. He would cut it down and the owner of the farm would wrap it in net and help us tie it onto the top of our van so we could get it home. We’d set it up in the big, bay, picture window of the living room next to the corn stove so it could be seen from the street. Our Victorian Christmas town would also go into the window next to the tree. It was full of lights, detail and a working model train. Our window was one of the prettiest in the neighborhood. I remember one Christmas we had 4 decorated trees throughout the house.
This year, however, was unique. I don’t think that there is a Christmas Tree Farm anywhere within 200 miles and if we wanted a live tree we would have to drive to New Mexico. We don’t have a bay window to set it in and not enough room to get out our Holiday Town. I was beginning to get depressed! How can we get into the Christmas spirit without a tree!
I cried on Ralph’s shoulder one night and he gave me a few ideas. We decided to get out the decorations and see what we could do about decorating the house.
The next day the girls and I went to the Dollar General store in town. It is the most disorganized, cluttered store I’ve ever seen. Unfortunately, it’s all we have here unless I want to go to El Paso. We looked at their selection of fake trees. Ralph met us there during a break in his busy schedule and we picked out a tree: a white, 3’, plastic thing. At least it would fit in one of the windows.
It took us 2 days to figure out what to do with it, but once we got out the ornaments and started hanging them on, it started feeling like Christmas. I realized suddenly that it was not the tree that was making the difference, but the memories. The ornaments we’d made each year had great stories attached and the girls were excited about making new ones this year.
Mikayla pulled out the Nativity and set it up on a table next to the little tree and decorated it with white lights. We couldn’t find the stable, so we’ve just set up the figurines so that they can be seen from outside. Now, when we drive into our driveway, we see a little white tree in one window and the Nativity in the other. It’s pretty.
After everything had been cleaned up and the boxes of unused ornaments were put away, we talked together about what other things we could do this year. We made plans for a Christmas Club, a Christmas Newsletter, a Christmas Angel (who gives gifts secretly), and some Christmas gifts for Aaron in Korea.
Our first Christmas Club meeting was this Saturday. The girls and I invited some friends and we made chocolate chip cookies, drank tea and invented some new ornaments for this year’s tree. It was an all day affair and we had such fun.
The Christmas Spirit is here in our home even though we don’t have a big, live tree and lots of decorations. We have each other and hearts full of the joy of giving. Christ would be pleased. His birth wasn’t about the decorations, but about family and making us a part of His. This year we’ve been forced to put away the distractions of the decorations and focus on the reason for the season. I know it’s going to be one of the best Christmases we’ve had.
Rom 5:15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
2Co 9:15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
May we be filled with hearts of giving, remembering the greatest gift of all: Our Lord Jesus Christ.
After we moved to El Paso, our Christmases changed. There was no longer the white Christmas to look forward to and we began putting up a plastic tree at Christmas time.
It was many years before we had an opportunity to get a live Christmas tree again. When we bought our first home in Spring Valley, CA (just outside of San Diego) we decided that we would get the biggest, live Christmas tree we could find. It was 10 feet tall when we got it set up and I decorated it with poinsettias, white lights, gold ribbon and loads of ornaments we’d bought at Sam’s Club. Ralph even had a Christmas Train that we’d put under (or even IN) the tree.
It was even better when we moved to Maine. We’d all pile in the van and head off to the Christmas Tree Farm (one of several near our home) and walk around till we found one that was taller than Dad. He would cut it down and the owner of the farm would wrap it in net and help us tie it onto the top of our van so we could get it home. We’d set it up in the big, bay, picture window of the living room next to the corn stove so it could be seen from the street. Our Victorian Christmas town would also go into the window next to the tree. It was full of lights, detail and a working model train. Our window was one of the prettiest in the neighborhood. I remember one Christmas we had 4 decorated trees throughout the house.
This year, however, was unique. I don’t think that there is a Christmas Tree Farm anywhere within 200 miles and if we wanted a live tree we would have to drive to New Mexico. We don’t have a bay window to set it in and not enough room to get out our Holiday Town. I was beginning to get depressed! How can we get into the Christmas spirit without a tree!
I cried on Ralph’s shoulder one night and he gave me a few ideas. We decided to get out the decorations and see what we could do about decorating the house.
The next day the girls and I went to the Dollar General store in town. It is the most disorganized, cluttered store I’ve ever seen. Unfortunately, it’s all we have here unless I want to go to El Paso. We looked at their selection of fake trees. Ralph met us there during a break in his busy schedule and we picked out a tree: a white, 3’, plastic thing. At least it would fit in one of the windows.
It took us 2 days to figure out what to do with it, but once we got out the ornaments and started hanging them on, it started feeling like Christmas. I realized suddenly that it was not the tree that was making the difference, but the memories. The ornaments we’d made each year had great stories attached and the girls were excited about making new ones this year.
Mikayla pulled out the Nativity and set it up on a table next to the little tree and decorated it with white lights. We couldn’t find the stable, so we’ve just set up the figurines so that they can be seen from outside. Now, when we drive into our driveway, we see a little white tree in one window and the Nativity in the other. It’s pretty.
After everything had been cleaned up and the boxes of unused ornaments were put away, we talked together about what other things we could do this year. We made plans for a Christmas Club, a Christmas Newsletter, a Christmas Angel (who gives gifts secretly), and some Christmas gifts for Aaron in Korea.
Our first Christmas Club meeting was this Saturday. The girls and I invited some friends and we made chocolate chip cookies, drank tea and invented some new ornaments for this year’s tree. It was an all day affair and we had such fun.
The Christmas Spirit is here in our home even though we don’t have a big, live tree and lots of decorations. We have each other and hearts full of the joy of giving. Christ would be pleased. His birth wasn’t about the decorations, but about family and making us a part of His. This year we’ve been forced to put away the distractions of the decorations and focus on the reason for the season. I know it’s going to be one of the best Christmases we’ve had.
Rom 5:15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
2Co 9:15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
May we be filled with hearts of giving, remembering the greatest gift of all: Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Thanksgiving Lemons
Lemonade out of Thanksgiving Lemons
We spent the Thanksgiving holiday with my mother this year. It is the first year that we haven’t had Thanksgiving in our home with a bunch of guests. I love cooking for the Thanksgiving meal, but this year we decided not to cook at all and just enjoy fellowship together before mom and Deanna left for their “Exodus” trip.
Mom ordered Thanksgiving dinner from Wal-Mart. It was advertised as an “Oven-Roasted Turkey Dinner”. Sounded delicious. She would pick it up Wednesday at about 11 a.m. for dinner at 1 p.m. We had to have our dinner a day early because mom and Deanna were leaving for Cairo on Thanksgiving Day at about 9:45 a.m.
We drove to El Paso on Monday morning. I’d scheduled Dentist appointments for all of us that afternoon so that we could kill 2 birds with one stone. What a miserable day! We were crowded driving down because the truck (unlike our huge van we used to have) really seated only 6 and we were 7. Adrian drove so that he could get some practice in and when we got to El Paso, I was so stressed out with him at the wheel that Ralph and Terence both had to tell me to “chill”.
We spent 5 hours at the Dentist’s office getting our teeth cleaned and checked. It went fairly well. Adrian had 1 cavity, Terence had 3, Deanna (for the first time ever) had none, Leilani had 4 and I needed to schedule a root canal. Just what I needed!!! A root canal!! I guess we would be back in about two weeks anyway to pick up Deanna, so I scheduled our mouth work then.
Ralph and Adrian drove back home and the rest of us stayed at Mom’s house. Ralph had to be at work on Tuesday and Wednesday because it was going to be some of the busiest days for the store. Adrian volunteered to take care of the dogs while we were gone and try to keep them in the yard. They would be back late Wednesday night so that they could see Deanna off at the airport.
Tuesday Mom (Grandma) put us to work around her house. She remodeled her bedroom and had a new roof put on. We packed up several boxes of books, dusted shelves, moved some furniture, etc. She also had 15 tons of rock and dirt delivered. It was going to be the foundation for a new shed she would put up after she got home. Our job was to move it and spread it evenly over the area where the shed would sit. I think we got 5 tons moved before we gave up, exhausted. I suggested that she rent a bobcat to move the rest.
Wednesday morning we helped Mom put all of the furniture back into her bedroom and hang up the curtains. The room looked 100% better than I’ve ever seen it.
At 11 a.m. we went to Wal-Mart to pick up the dinner we had ordered. The deli associate took our name and went into the back to get the stuff. He brought out a box. Our mouths were watering in anticipation of a fully prepared, ready-to-eat dinner. Imagine our surprise when we opened the box he brought to us and saw a FROZEN turkey and side dishes! Totally not what we expected! We didn’t have time to thaw and heat the turkey before nightfall. None of the advertisements on the counter specified that it would b frozen and not ready-to-eat. We decided not to take the dinner. Our complaint tot the manager got us a gift card, but not more time to prepare a meal.
We did the best we could with an alternative: rotisserie chicken from the deli, boxed stuffing, boxed potatoes, canned cranberry sauce, deli broccoli salad and a homemade cherry pie (that I would make). We bought the items we needed, checked out and when back to the house to prepare the same.
The stuffing turned out great; the kids like the boxed potatoes, rotisserie chicken was not turkey, but alright; broccoli salad was not popular, but I thought it was delicious; and overall the dinner was pretty good.
I set about making the cherry pie. We had frozen cherries left over from our cherry picking trip to Cloudcroft. They were just right so I didn’t add too much sugar. I cooked them over microwave heat (my mom never used the stovetop except for a catchall) and then added some cornstarch to thicken the juices and heated it again. I poured it into the prepared pie crust and put it into the oven to cook for about 20 minutes.
When the timer went off, we could tell that the pie was ready because of the wonderful smell. I reached into the oven with my oven-mitted hands and pulled out the pie plate. It tilted a little and the pie started to slide…I grabbed for it and the pie plate slipped…AHHHHH! The pie slid out of the plate and the plate slid out of my hands. There it went – upside down onto the dirty kitchen floor.
I just looked at it. It would have been a perfect pie!! We’d gotten ice cream to go with it and everything! I looked up at my mom. She started laughing…and laughing… and laughing. Tears started running down her face! There was no help for it. I started laughing, too. The only ones that were going to get a taste of this pie were Ginger and Berkley (the dogs) who were eagerly waiting for it to cool enough to eat up off of the floor.
When everything was cleaned up, we served the ice cream; pie a la mode without the pie. We enjoyed every mouthful, punctuated by the occasional burst of laughter when any of us thought about the pie. At least we could say that it was a perfect pie and that it would have been delicious. You know, like “the fish that got away”. (I began to wonder if God knew it wasn’t going to be so good and had saved us the trouble of trying to pretend. Maybe I should be thankful that we didn’t have to eat it.)
When Ralph arrived later that night, at about 11 p.m. and hungry as a horse, I told him about the “pie incident.” This time the tears couldn’t be stopped. I really was disappointed about the “pie that got away” and the Thanksgiving dinner that wasn’t really (in my mind) a real Thanksgiving dinner. I was thinking about past Thanksgivings with our decorated table, fine china, cooking with other family or friends all day, a big table with every place filled, several deserts and appetizers, a gourmet meal, etc.
In spite of all this, we had a lot for which to be thankful. We were all together as a family. We had all really enjoyed each other’s company. We had made some really hard-to-forget memories. We had all be able to hug and kiss Deanna good-bye before her trip and my Mom had received the help around the house that she had needed. I am thankful for these blessings.
I suppose that after all had been said and done, it had been what God had wanted it to be: a sacrifice. I had wanted Thanksgiving to be what I had imagined it to be – what would make me feel good. He had wanted it to be an act of giving. He had wanted me to give up my expectations and my ideas of the perfect Thanksgiving and make is something that would be a blessing – not to myself but to my mother and Deanna. I guess that’s what makes Him God: He sees beyond our plan and beyond our needs and orchestrates something for Himself.
Can I be okay with that? Can I be thankful for the blessings that He gave even if they weren’t what I wanted or expected? Can I be satisfied that I was a part of His blessing and not the center of it? Yes. I guess I’m okay with that.
Rom 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
Psa 10:5 His ways prosper at all times; your judgments are on high, out of his sight; as for all his foes, he puffs at them.
Psa 50:23 The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!"
Phi 4:6 - 7 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
May we all remember that God must be glorified. May we be okay with His plans in our lives. May God continue to bless us by including us in His plans even if they aren’t what we expected.
Reflections from The Little House in the Tumbleweeds.
We spent the Thanksgiving holiday with my mother this year. It is the first year that we haven’t had Thanksgiving in our home with a bunch of guests. I love cooking for the Thanksgiving meal, but this year we decided not to cook at all and just enjoy fellowship together before mom and Deanna left for their “Exodus” trip.
Mom ordered Thanksgiving dinner from Wal-Mart. It was advertised as an “Oven-Roasted Turkey Dinner”. Sounded delicious. She would pick it up Wednesday at about 11 a.m. for dinner at 1 p.m. We had to have our dinner a day early because mom and Deanna were leaving for Cairo on Thanksgiving Day at about 9:45 a.m.
We drove to El Paso on Monday morning. I’d scheduled Dentist appointments for all of us that afternoon so that we could kill 2 birds with one stone. What a miserable day! We were crowded driving down because the truck (unlike our huge van we used to have) really seated only 6 and we were 7. Adrian drove so that he could get some practice in and when we got to El Paso, I was so stressed out with him at the wheel that Ralph and Terence both had to tell me to “chill”.
We spent 5 hours at the Dentist’s office getting our teeth cleaned and checked. It went fairly well. Adrian had 1 cavity, Terence had 3, Deanna (for the first time ever) had none, Leilani had 4 and I needed to schedule a root canal. Just what I needed!!! A root canal!! I guess we would be back in about two weeks anyway to pick up Deanna, so I scheduled our mouth work then.
Ralph and Adrian drove back home and the rest of us stayed at Mom’s house. Ralph had to be at work on Tuesday and Wednesday because it was going to be some of the busiest days for the store. Adrian volunteered to take care of the dogs while we were gone and try to keep them in the yard. They would be back late Wednesday night so that they could see Deanna off at the airport.
Tuesday Mom (Grandma) put us to work around her house. She remodeled her bedroom and had a new roof put on. We packed up several boxes of books, dusted shelves, moved some furniture, etc. She also had 15 tons of rock and dirt delivered. It was going to be the foundation for a new shed she would put up after she got home. Our job was to move it and spread it evenly over the area where the shed would sit. I think we got 5 tons moved before we gave up, exhausted. I suggested that she rent a bobcat to move the rest.
Wednesday morning we helped Mom put all of the furniture back into her bedroom and hang up the curtains. The room looked 100% better than I’ve ever seen it.
At 11 a.m. we went to Wal-Mart to pick up the dinner we had ordered. The deli associate took our name and went into the back to get the stuff. He brought out a box. Our mouths were watering in anticipation of a fully prepared, ready-to-eat dinner. Imagine our surprise when we opened the box he brought to us and saw a FROZEN turkey and side dishes! Totally not what we expected! We didn’t have time to thaw and heat the turkey before nightfall. None of the advertisements on the counter specified that it would b frozen and not ready-to-eat. We decided not to take the dinner. Our complaint tot the manager got us a gift card, but not more time to prepare a meal.
We did the best we could with an alternative: rotisserie chicken from the deli, boxed stuffing, boxed potatoes, canned cranberry sauce, deli broccoli salad and a homemade cherry pie (that I would make). We bought the items we needed, checked out and when back to the house to prepare the same.
The stuffing turned out great; the kids like the boxed potatoes, rotisserie chicken was not turkey, but alright; broccoli salad was not popular, but I thought it was delicious; and overall the dinner was pretty good.
I set about making the cherry pie. We had frozen cherries left over from our cherry picking trip to Cloudcroft. They were just right so I didn’t add too much sugar. I cooked them over microwave heat (my mom never used the stovetop except for a catchall) and then added some cornstarch to thicken the juices and heated it again. I poured it into the prepared pie crust and put it into the oven to cook for about 20 minutes.
When the timer went off, we could tell that the pie was ready because of the wonderful smell. I reached into the oven with my oven-mitted hands and pulled out the pie plate. It tilted a little and the pie started to slide…I grabbed for it and the pie plate slipped…AHHHHH! The pie slid out of the plate and the plate slid out of my hands. There it went – upside down onto the dirty kitchen floor.
I just looked at it. It would have been a perfect pie!! We’d gotten ice cream to go with it and everything! I looked up at my mom. She started laughing…and laughing… and laughing. Tears started running down her face! There was no help for it. I started laughing, too. The only ones that were going to get a taste of this pie were Ginger and Berkley (the dogs) who were eagerly waiting for it to cool enough to eat up off of the floor.
When everything was cleaned up, we served the ice cream; pie a la mode without the pie. We enjoyed every mouthful, punctuated by the occasional burst of laughter when any of us thought about the pie. At least we could say that it was a perfect pie and that it would have been delicious. You know, like “the fish that got away”. (I began to wonder if God knew it wasn’t going to be so good and had saved us the trouble of trying to pretend. Maybe I should be thankful that we didn’t have to eat it.)
When Ralph arrived later that night, at about 11 p.m. and hungry as a horse, I told him about the “pie incident.” This time the tears couldn’t be stopped. I really was disappointed about the “pie that got away” and the Thanksgiving dinner that wasn’t really (in my mind) a real Thanksgiving dinner. I was thinking about past Thanksgivings with our decorated table, fine china, cooking with other family or friends all day, a big table with every place filled, several deserts and appetizers, a gourmet meal, etc.
In spite of all this, we had a lot for which to be thankful. We were all together as a family. We had all really enjoyed each other’s company. We had made some really hard-to-forget memories. We had all be able to hug and kiss Deanna good-bye before her trip and my Mom had received the help around the house that she had needed. I am thankful for these blessings.
I suppose that after all had been said and done, it had been what God had wanted it to be: a sacrifice. I had wanted Thanksgiving to be what I had imagined it to be – what would make me feel good. He had wanted it to be an act of giving. He had wanted me to give up my expectations and my ideas of the perfect Thanksgiving and make is something that would be a blessing – not to myself but to my mother and Deanna. I guess that’s what makes Him God: He sees beyond our plan and beyond our needs and orchestrates something for Himself.
Can I be okay with that? Can I be thankful for the blessings that He gave even if they weren’t what I wanted or expected? Can I be satisfied that I was a part of His blessing and not the center of it? Yes. I guess I’m okay with that.
Rom 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
Psa 10:5 His ways prosper at all times; your judgments are on high, out of his sight; as for all his foes, he puffs at them.
Psa 50:23 The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!"
Phi 4:6 - 7 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
May we all remember that God must be glorified. May we be okay with His plans in our lives. May God continue to bless us by including us in His plans even if they aren’t what we expected.
Reflections from The Little House in the Tumbleweeds.
Saturday, November 25, 2006
The Material World
The Material World
The mall is a great place. A place I don’t belong. I walk into JC Penney’s and catch my breath at all the beautiful colors and styles. I see the SALE signs above the racks and somehow I expect the price tag to reflect my idea of a sale. It never works out that way. In stead, the sign says “priced as marked” and when I look at the marked prices, I get sick. I don’t know who told The Boss that $9.99 for a flimsy t-shirt was a sale, but whoever they are, they need some serious reprogramming!!
Deanna was thrilled when I gave her her money. She had been planning meticulously how to spend it for the last couple of weeks.
“Mom, can I buy some clothes here?” she asked, unsure of exactly what to do.
We had driven into El Paso because the boys needed some school project items. They had wanted to go to the mall before we went home. So, that’s where we were – standing in the mall watching thousands of people buzzing around us and trying not to get dizzy.
“We can look. You might find a few things on sale.” I tried to be positive.
We went to Dillard’s. I looked at the “Clearance” racks and she looked in the Teen section. I found nothing, but she found a cute shirt that didn’t have a derogatory sentence on it. We hung on to it while we browsed the rest of the racks. There seemed to be a lot of black and several of the shirts had skulls on them. Most things looked like something a hooker would wear and others looked like something from “Night of the Living Dead”. The longer we looked, the more uncomfortable I became.
The shirt she had picked out had not tag and she took it up to the counter. Seconds later she was back.
“I’m not paying $21.00 for a t-shirt! They’re crazy! Let’s go to Wal-Mart,” she said as we headed out of Dillard’s.
As we walked through the wide corridors, I paid a little closer attention to the stores on each side. I was also aware of all of the teens milling about. Many of the girls looked like they could be one of the models I saw in the poster plastered along one of the walls. I wish I could say that that was a compliment , but I don’t really mean it that way. I mean that the teens flowing non-stop on either side were trying to live up to the image that the advertisers were pushing on them: bare bellies, too much cleavage, low cut jeans, skin tight pants across the rear, body piercings, colored hair, heavy make-up, etc.
Suddenly, I was aware of being bombarded with the expectations of this materials oriented world. Stuff displayed everywhere and “pushers” everywhere selling their wares: treasures designed to satisfy that world. Everyone seemed to be caught up in this river of materialism and was being swept along with the current, which was driven by advertisers praying upon the flesh of their victims. Not that I’m bashing free enterprise here, but I was beginning to feel like fodder for the vultures.
Flipping open my cell phone (I guess I’m not immune), I dialed Terence’s number. “Hey, guys! We’ll meet you at the truck in 10 minutes. Are you about done?” I couldn’t wait to get out of there.
At Wal-Mart, Deanna and I didn’t have any better luck. We both decided that this was a bad day to shop for clothes and agreed to put if off for another day. The mall experience had spoiled it for both of us.
In a town without a mall or even a Wal-Mart, it had been easy to forget that we live in an extremely carnal world. So many of us (collectively) are searching for those tangible things that will make us happy or acceptable. We are inundated with Big Businesses telling us what we should look like and what needs we have that only their product will fulfill. There is so much of it that we fall into the River and get swept away; buying this and that to satisfy our flesh while tumbling to our destruction of the rocks of Disappointment and Emptiness.
As Christians, we are not immune to their wiles and deceptions. But, as Christians, we have Truth and Hope with which to combat their hypnosis. We have Christ, the Author and Finisher of our faith, the Water for our souls, the Treasure that is from Above. Thank God that I don’t have to search this world for the things that will fill my emptinesses; I have only to call upon Him and He reminds me of my place beside Him in the Upper Heavenlies with the Treasures that He has laid up for me. In comparison, the World’s temptations and materials seem so much less satisfying.
1Jo 2:15 - 17 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world--the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions--is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
May we seek His Kingdom above the World’s temptations. May we have the wisdom to know when we are being tempted.
Reflections from the Little House in the Tumbleweeds.
The mall is a great place. A place I don’t belong. I walk into JC Penney’s and catch my breath at all the beautiful colors and styles. I see the SALE signs above the racks and somehow I expect the price tag to reflect my idea of a sale. It never works out that way. In stead, the sign says “priced as marked” and when I look at the marked prices, I get sick. I don’t know who told The Boss that $9.99 for a flimsy t-shirt was a sale, but whoever they are, they need some serious reprogramming!!
Deanna was thrilled when I gave her her money. She had been planning meticulously how to spend it for the last couple of weeks.
“Mom, can I buy some clothes here?” she asked, unsure of exactly what to do.
We had driven into El Paso because the boys needed some school project items. They had wanted to go to the mall before we went home. So, that’s where we were – standing in the mall watching thousands of people buzzing around us and trying not to get dizzy.
“We can look. You might find a few things on sale.” I tried to be positive.
We went to Dillard’s. I looked at the “Clearance” racks and she looked in the Teen section. I found nothing, but she found a cute shirt that didn’t have a derogatory sentence on it. We hung on to it while we browsed the rest of the racks. There seemed to be a lot of black and several of the shirts had skulls on them. Most things looked like something a hooker would wear and others looked like something from “Night of the Living Dead”. The longer we looked, the more uncomfortable I became.
The shirt she had picked out had not tag and she took it up to the counter. Seconds later she was back.
“I’m not paying $21.00 for a t-shirt! They’re crazy! Let’s go to Wal-Mart,” she said as we headed out of Dillard’s.
As we walked through the wide corridors, I paid a little closer attention to the stores on each side. I was also aware of all of the teens milling about. Many of the girls looked like they could be one of the models I saw in the poster plastered along one of the walls. I wish I could say that that was a compliment , but I don’t really mean it that way. I mean that the teens flowing non-stop on either side were trying to live up to the image that the advertisers were pushing on them: bare bellies, too much cleavage, low cut jeans, skin tight pants across the rear, body piercings, colored hair, heavy make-up, etc.
Suddenly, I was aware of being bombarded with the expectations of this materials oriented world. Stuff displayed everywhere and “pushers” everywhere selling their wares: treasures designed to satisfy that world. Everyone seemed to be caught up in this river of materialism and was being swept along with the current, which was driven by advertisers praying upon the flesh of their victims. Not that I’m bashing free enterprise here, but I was beginning to feel like fodder for the vultures.
Flipping open my cell phone (I guess I’m not immune), I dialed Terence’s number. “Hey, guys! We’ll meet you at the truck in 10 minutes. Are you about done?” I couldn’t wait to get out of there.
At Wal-Mart, Deanna and I didn’t have any better luck. We both decided that this was a bad day to shop for clothes and agreed to put if off for another day. The mall experience had spoiled it for both of us.
In a town without a mall or even a Wal-Mart, it had been easy to forget that we live in an extremely carnal world. So many of us (collectively) are searching for those tangible things that will make us happy or acceptable. We are inundated with Big Businesses telling us what we should look like and what needs we have that only their product will fulfill. There is so much of it that we fall into the River and get swept away; buying this and that to satisfy our flesh while tumbling to our destruction of the rocks of Disappointment and Emptiness.
As Christians, we are not immune to their wiles and deceptions. But, as Christians, we have Truth and Hope with which to combat their hypnosis. We have Christ, the Author and Finisher of our faith, the Water for our souls, the Treasure that is from Above. Thank God that I don’t have to search this world for the things that will fill my emptinesses; I have only to call upon Him and He reminds me of my place beside Him in the Upper Heavenlies with the Treasures that He has laid up for me. In comparison, the World’s temptations and materials seem so much less satisfying.
1Jo 2:15 - 17 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world--the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions--is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
May we seek His Kingdom above the World’s temptations. May we have the wisdom to know when we are being tempted.
Reflections from the Little House in the Tumbleweeds.
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