I was so excited to have the opportunity receive a free copy of the new Bethany House couple's devotional book Closer by Jim and Cathy Burns. In the introduction the authors explain that they wrote this book with couples' busy lifestyles in mind, so instead of daily devotions this book is designed to be read together once a week. This format works so much better for us as a couple since we find it difficult to spend enough time together reading devotions daily.
The devotions themselves are each only a few pages long but they cover an incredible array of topics all designed to grow your marriage and make you stronger as a Christian couple. The topics covered are timely and applicable to all marriages and the devotions are written in a way that make them easy to apply to daily life. Although the devotions only take a few minutes to read through they often cause you to begin dialogue with your spouse which can continue for several days. Each devotional includes two features that I especially enjoy, the Faith Conversations and A Step Closer. My single favorite aspect of the devotions is A Step Closer which suggests an action you can each take to strengthen your marriage relationship. For the most part these are easy to incorporate into your daily life, but they cause you to be deliberate in showing love to your spouse.
Overall, this is the best couples' devotional book I have seen.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Book Review - The Lightkeeper's Daughter
This is the first book I have read by author Coleen Coble and I am very impressed. The Lightkeeper's Daughter combines mystery and romance in a historical setting. I enjoy both historical romance and mystery, but this is the first book I have read which combines those two genres, so when I was offered the chance to review this book through Thomas Nelson's book review blogger program I was excited to receive it. The characters were well developed and believable. The story line caught my interest from the beginning and held it through the entire book. The romantic story line proceeded in a fairly predictable fashion, but the mystery had several several surprising twists and turns. One reason I enjoyed this book so much is that it is a "grown up" version of the style of mysteries I enjoyed as an adolescent.
At the end of the book I found myself wanting to learn more about the citizens of Mercy Falls and I look forward to reading the next book in this new series by Colleen Coble.
At the end of the book I found myself wanting to learn more about the citizens of Mercy Falls and I look forward to reading the next book in this new series by Colleen Coble.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Book Review - Let God Talk To You
I received this book from Bethany House publishers in order to read and review it. In this book the author, Becky Tirabassi outlines varied ways God talks to His people. Most Christians, at one time or another, have been in a place where they felt they couldn't hear God talking to them. This book focuses on ways that God communicates with His people, such as through the Bible, prayer, and through other people.
There's nothing surprising or new for most Christians in this book. It doesn't offer some amazing new revelation on how God will talk with you. It focuses on what most of us already know - that if we want to hear from God, we must spend time listening to and for Him by daily Bible reading, prayer time and seeking input from fellow Christians. However, although the information isn't surprising or new, it is something most of us need to be reminded of. God doesn't make a relationship with Him complicated or something that must be achieved through a difficult process. It happens simply by seeking His presence.
This book offers solid, Bible-based information on a subject of great importance. It is well-written and includes many personal anecdotes from the author. Of course the only book you really need to communicate with God is the Bible, but this book will help to focus your attention on communicating with God and make you think about how important your relationship with God is versus how much time you put into that relationship.
There's nothing surprising or new for most Christians in this book. It doesn't offer some amazing new revelation on how God will talk with you. It focuses on what most of us already know - that if we want to hear from God, we must spend time listening to and for Him by daily Bible reading, prayer time and seeking input from fellow Christians. However, although the information isn't surprising or new, it is something most of us need to be reminded of. God doesn't make a relationship with Him complicated or something that must be achieved through a difficult process. It happens simply by seeking His presence.
This book offers solid, Bible-based information on a subject of great importance. It is well-written and includes many personal anecdotes from the author. Of course the only book you really need to communicate with God is the Bible, but this book will help to focus your attention on communicating with God and make you think about how important your relationship with God is versus how much time you put into that relationship.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Book Review - The Silent Gift
The Silent Gift, a historical novel written by Michael Landon, Jr. offers a glimpse into the lives of the unlovely and those who feel unloved - but who are loved deeply by God. The story centers around Jack, a little boy growing up during the Great Depression and who is deaf and mute and around Jack's mother Mary who wants to protect Jack from those who want to either hurt Jack or exploit what appears to be a unique gift from God - the ability to prophesy - but ends up in a seemingly unending series of ever more perilous circumstances.
This book is not what I would call a typical religious historical fiction book because it deals with deeper subject matter than the typical historical fiction. It makes the reader consider what it means to be gifted by God and how those gifts might not appear like gifts to the world. Or perhaps the world would have us use our God-given gifts to benefit ourselves or others and not to serve God. Another subject focused on to a lesser degree is that of how God takes the broken and unloved and makes them whole in Him.
About halfway through The Silent Gift I was almost ready to put it down because I thought the author was going down a road I didn't agree with. But I kept reading and I'm glad I did because in the end he brought out the exact point I thought he was contradicting - that God-given gifts are not to be used for gain and that our faith belongs in God and not in what we can do to provide for ourselves.
Overall, this is an excellent book and might just make you take a second look at society's outcasts and realize that everyone is worthy of love.
This book is not what I would call a typical religious historical fiction book because it deals with deeper subject matter than the typical historical fiction. It makes the reader consider what it means to be gifted by God and how those gifts might not appear like gifts to the world. Or perhaps the world would have us use our God-given gifts to benefit ourselves or others and not to serve God. Another subject focused on to a lesser degree is that of how God takes the broken and unloved and makes them whole in Him.
About halfway through The Silent Gift I was almost ready to put it down because I thought the author was going down a road I didn't agree with. But I kept reading and I'm glad I did because in the end he brought out the exact point I thought he was contradicting - that God-given gifts are not to be used for gain and that our faith belongs in God and not in what we can do to provide for ourselves.
Overall, this is an excellent book and might just make you take a second look at society's outcasts and realize that everyone is worthy of love.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Book Review - Finding Purpose Beyond Our Pain
I received the book Finding Purpose Beyond Our Pain by Drs. Paul Meier and David Henderson from Thomas Nelson Books for the purpose of reading the book and then blogging about my opinion of it. When I first picked up this book I assumed the intended audience was those who are in the midst of intense pain in some form. As I read I learned that, to the contrary, this book is intended for anyone who has ever found themselves in a pain-filled situation - in other words, it's for everyone.
The authors divide the painful events of life into seven categories: injustice, rejection, loneliness, loss, discipline, failure and death. I discovered that, while I have never faced a dramatic instance of pain (such as job loss, death of a close loved one, etc) this book offers practical, Christ-centered advice on how to deal with painful situations of any proportion. Anyone should easily be able to recall instances that fit into most if not all of these seven categories and will realize that when they face similar situations in the future they will be able to look at them from a different standpoint - the standpoint of what does God want to accomplish in your life as you experience this painful event/situation? The book makes it clear that God does not cause these situations but He does want us to learn from them and especially learn to lean more fully on Him as our Source of strength.
Throughout the book the authors use a combination of Scripture and anecdotes from their own experiences to show how God grows us through the painful experiences of our lives - but only if we choose to grow. Everyone suffers pain in this life. It's a part of existence on Earth. But we learn from it and grow through it only by looking to God for the greater purpose the pain serves in our lives.
The authors divide the painful events of life into seven categories: injustice, rejection, loneliness, loss, discipline, failure and death. I discovered that, while I have never faced a dramatic instance of pain (such as job loss, death of a close loved one, etc) this book offers practical, Christ-centered advice on how to deal with painful situations of any proportion. Anyone should easily be able to recall instances that fit into most if not all of these seven categories and will realize that when they face similar situations in the future they will be able to look at them from a different standpoint - the standpoint of what does God want to accomplish in your life as you experience this painful event/situation? The book makes it clear that God does not cause these situations but He does want us to learn from them and especially learn to lean more fully on Him as our Source of strength.
Throughout the book the authors use a combination of Scripture and anecdotes from their own experiences to show how God grows us through the painful experiences of our lives - but only if we choose to grow. Everyone suffers pain in this life. It's a part of existence on Earth. But we learn from it and grow through it only by looking to God for the greater purpose the pain serves in our lives.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Book Review - Take Your Best Shot
This book, which in part tells the story of the beginning of the organization Hoops of Hope, will challenge you even while it shares with you one story of God's amazing power to transform lives. From the first page to the last Take Your Best Shot is a powerful testimony of how God can make a difference in the lives of thousands of people using one willing follower.
Austin Gutwein was only ten years old when he watched a video telling of the suffering of children in Africa. From that video was eventually born an organization which has touched the lives of thousands of people across the world.
A small step in the story of Hoops of Hope is shared in each chapter of the book. But even more important is the background as to how God was working in the lives of many individuals to accomplish much more than any of them could have conceived and how He can and will do the same thing in the lives of all His people who are willing to step out in faith and do what He is calling them to do. This book can be life-changing for everyone who reads it - both teenagers and adults. But it will only change lives if you heed the message Austin clearly communicates throughout the book. You must discover your passion, see a need and look for where they intersect. Trust God and He will lead you step by step. And serving Him doesn't necessarily mean you will create an international aid organization. God uses us in many ways, not all of them visible to those around us or even to ourselves.
Although this book is written to young people it has a message that needs to be heard by teenagers and adults alike. This book is well-written, though-provoking and will challenge you to reevaluate your purpose on this earth. Don't invest all your energy on things that expire. Redirect it where God is calling you - even if it takes a giant step of faith.
Austin Gutwein was only ten years old when he watched a video telling of the suffering of children in Africa. From that video was eventually born an organization which has touched the lives of thousands of people across the world.
A small step in the story of Hoops of Hope is shared in each chapter of the book. But even more important is the background as to how God was working in the lives of many individuals to accomplish much more than any of them could have conceived and how He can and will do the same thing in the lives of all His people who are willing to step out in faith and do what He is calling them to do. This book can be life-changing for everyone who reads it - both teenagers and adults. But it will only change lives if you heed the message Austin clearly communicates throughout the book. You must discover your passion, see a need and look for where they intersect. Trust God and He will lead you step by step. And serving Him doesn't necessarily mean you will create an international aid organization. God uses us in many ways, not all of them visible to those around us or even to ourselves.
Although this book is written to young people it has a message that needs to be heard by teenagers and adults alike. This book is well-written, though-provoking and will challenge you to reevaluate your purpose on this earth. Don't invest all your energy on things that expire. Redirect it where God is calling you - even if it takes a giant step of faith.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Book Review - That Certain Spark
This newest book by Cathy Marie Hake is an entertaining, well-written work of fiction. The main character is a female doctor who faces and overcomes the prejudices common against females in traditionally male-dominated professions in the 19th century.
The author, Cathy Marie Hake, gives us a glimpse into late nineteenth century medicinal practices by including accurate and interesting historical details as the protagonist practices medicine in a Texas frontier town where the overwhelming sentiment is that women are not capable of being physicians. Not only her abilities but the appropriateness of her chosen profession is questioned by the town's citizens
The overarching romantic story is well-developed and believable as the characters learn more about each others beliefs and motivations for making the decisions they do.
As a female who chose to enter a male-dominated profession I appreciate the very real look this fiction book takes at the struggle our female antecedents faced to break through the "glass ceilings" of so many male-dominated professions and the equally valid appeal that being a Christian and pushing the envelope of society's standards are not mutually exclusive activities.
Yes, this book is a Christian historical romance. But it is also much more than that. It touches on topics that were volatile during the period this book was set and reminds us that Christian women play many roles in our society.
The author, Cathy Marie Hake, gives us a glimpse into late nineteenth century medicinal practices by including accurate and interesting historical details as the protagonist practices medicine in a Texas frontier town where the overwhelming sentiment is that women are not capable of being physicians. Not only her abilities but the appropriateness of her chosen profession is questioned by the town's citizens
The overarching romantic story is well-developed and believable as the characters learn more about each others beliefs and motivations for making the decisions they do.
As a female who chose to enter a male-dominated profession I appreciate the very real look this fiction book takes at the struggle our female antecedents faced to break through the "glass ceilings" of so many male-dominated professions and the equally valid appeal that being a Christian and pushing the envelope of society's standards are not mutually exclusive activities.
Yes, this book is a Christian historical romance. But it is also much more than that. It touches on topics that were volatile during the period this book was set and reminds us that Christian women play many roles in our society.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Book Review - Voices of the Faithful Book 2
I was excited to read this new book of devotions written and compiled by missionaries around the world. Even with sources like the Internet, Christians in America are incredibly insulated from the realities of life for Christians in many parts of the world as they share Christ's love. Through these daily devotional readings I have become more aware of the both the joys missionaries experience and the difficulties that are a part of daily life for many of them. It has made me more aware of how I can pray more effectively for missions work as well as giving me the ability to pray for the work of many Christians on an individual basis.
I enjoy the way this devotional book is organized. Each month of devotions is introduced by Kim Davis, who lived for many years in South Asia and each month is grouped by themes. My favorites included Lessons from the Young (September) and From Adversity to Triumph (October). Each devotion consists of a Bible verse corresponding to a short story written by a missionary. Following is a short prayer pertaining to the story as well.
This book is an excellent resource to help make us more aware of the work of Christ followers around the world. It is different from many devotional guides in that it takes the focus off of me (and how I can better myself) and places it on Christ (His work around the world and how we can join that work where we are). And as far as I'm concerned, that's the way it should be.
I enjoy the way this devotional book is organized. Each month of devotions is introduced by Kim Davis, who lived for many years in South Asia and each month is grouped by themes. My favorites included Lessons from the Young (September) and From Adversity to Triumph (October). Each devotion consists of a Bible verse corresponding to a short story written by a missionary. Following is a short prayer pertaining to the story as well.
This book is an excellent resource to help make us more aware of the work of Christ followers around the world. It is different from many devotional guides in that it takes the focus off of me (and how I can better myself) and places it on Christ (His work around the world and how we can join that work where we are). And as far as I'm concerned, that's the way it should be.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Book Review - Fields of Grace
I thoroughly enjoyed the journey of faith embarked on by the main characters of Kim Vogel Sawyer's latest work of fiction, Fields of Grace. In this book Reinhardt and Lillian Vogt as well as Reinhardt's brother Eli journey from the steppes of Russia to a new life in America - a decision made so that they won't have to compromise their Mennonite faith. Along the way, tragedy strikes the family and difficult decisions must be made.
The faith of the family is solidly interwoven into the fabric of their lives, and when a crisis of faith comes for Lillian, the story remains believable and true to the character created. Although this is a work of fiction I learned a bit more about religious and cultural heritage of a segment of immigrants to the midwest. Although the book has a firm conclusion I hope the author is planning a sequel to this story so that we can learn more of son Henrik's journey into adulthood and whether he will choose to remain true to his religious roots.
The faith of the family is solidly interwoven into the fabric of their lives, and when a crisis of faith comes for Lillian, the story remains believable and true to the character created. Although this is a work of fiction I learned a bit more about religious and cultural heritage of a segment of immigrants to the midwest. Although the book has a firm conclusion I hope the author is planning a sequel to this story so that we can learn more of son Henrik's journey into adulthood and whether he will choose to remain true to his religious roots.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Book Review - Love Has a Face
As a strong advocate of missions and missionaries I was excited to begin reading Love Has a Face by Michele Perry. Unfortunately, by the time I was a few chapters into the book I realized how disappointing this book is. This poorly written book has no real direction, jumping from random glimpses of Michele's life in Sudan (which were interesting) to experiences in which she speaks with Christ incarnate in her room (which quite frankly were disturbing to someone who was raised in the Christian faith and who believes that the next time Christ returns to Earth will be at its ending).
Michele Perry truly seems to adhere to a social gospel with all hatred, pain and suffering being eliminated on earth by those who follow His direction to love our neighbor. As Christians we are called to help our brother who is suffering but with the intent of introducing him to One who can remove suffering for eternity if our faith is placed in Him - whether He heals our earthly sickness or not. God never intended His kingdom to be established on Earth except in the hearts of His followers - not as a physical place. This book does not clearly communicate that Michele Perry believes this tenet of Christian faith. She relies heavily on "faith-healing" as a purpose of knowing God - not as a way of being introduced to His power.
To be fair, Michele Perry truly has a heart for the people of Sudan. Overall, though, this book is both poorly written (with no real direction or conclusions) and distinctly disturbing as it seems to confuse and combine mysticism and Christianity. More Christian missionaries are desperately needed in Sudan and around the world to help the suffering in the name of Christ, but don't rely on this book to give you a glimpse into a missionary's life - the information just isn't there.
Michele Perry truly seems to adhere to a social gospel with all hatred, pain and suffering being eliminated on earth by those who follow His direction to love our neighbor. As Christians we are called to help our brother who is suffering but with the intent of introducing him to One who can remove suffering for eternity if our faith is placed in Him - whether He heals our earthly sickness or not. God never intended His kingdom to be established on Earth except in the hearts of His followers - not as a physical place. This book does not clearly communicate that Michele Perry believes this tenet of Christian faith. She relies heavily on "faith-healing" as a purpose of knowing God - not as a way of being introduced to His power.
To be fair, Michele Perry truly has a heart for the people of Sudan. Overall, though, this book is both poorly written (with no real direction or conclusions) and distinctly disturbing as it seems to confuse and combine mysticism and Christianity. More Christian missionaries are desperately needed in Sudan and around the world to help the suffering in the name of Christ, but don't rely on this book to give you a glimpse into a missionary's life - the information just isn't there.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Book Review - Fearless
Max Lucado's latest book is so applicable to Christians today. In today's society where there is a techno-gadget to solve every problem and medical research is extending our lives it is so easy to forget that we serve the all-powerful Creator of the universe. My default reaction to almost any problem is, "What can I do to fix this?" In his book Fearless, Max Lucado gently reminds us that our first reaction to any fear-inducing situation should be to turn to God.
I enjoyed the way Lucado separated the chapters of this book into types of fear. For example, he addresses fear of not protecting your children, fear of worst-case scenarios, and fear of life's final moments. But throughout the book he continues to emphasize - often by quoting Scripture - that while we are not in control God is, and He walks with us.
I was especially moved by the anecdotes Lucado shares from the lives of several Christians including Boris Kornfeld (of whom I'd never heard) and C.S. Lewis. When I am tempted to give in to my fears I hope I remember that nothing God calls us to do is ever wasted, as evidenced by many of the stories in Fearless.
One point I disagree with is Lucado's explanation of why Christ prayed at Gethsemane the night before He was crucified. According to Lucado, He was afraid of what was to come. I've never read the Scripture that way, but instead feel that He prayed because He dreaded or dismayed what was facing Him. Dread and fear are not the same emotion. Despite this portrayal, the book Fearless is overall an excellent reminder that as Christians we have nothing and no one to fear - except God.
I enjoyed the way Lucado separated the chapters of this book into types of fear. For example, he addresses fear of not protecting your children, fear of worst-case scenarios, and fear of life's final moments. But throughout the book he continues to emphasize - often by quoting Scripture - that while we are not in control God is, and He walks with us.
I was especially moved by the anecdotes Lucado shares from the lives of several Christians including Boris Kornfeld (of whom I'd never heard) and C.S. Lewis. When I am tempted to give in to my fears I hope I remember that nothing God calls us to do is ever wasted, as evidenced by many of the stories in Fearless.
One point I disagree with is Lucado's explanation of why Christ prayed at Gethsemane the night before He was crucified. According to Lucado, He was afraid of what was to come. I've never read the Scripture that way, but instead feel that He prayed because He dreaded or dismayed what was facing Him. Dread and fear are not the same emotion. Despite this portrayal, the book Fearless is overall an excellent reminder that as Christians we have nothing and no one to fear - except God.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
First Day of School
Let me start this post by saying I've imagined this day for years - over ten years. And especially for the past oh, five years or so, I've wondered (okay, obsessed) what would it be like to have all my children in school? What will I do with my time? How will I fill it? Should I get a "real job" (since we all know being a stay-at-home-mom isn't really work)? If so, what job? Engineering? Go back to school and pursue a different career track? Nursing? Teaching? I've polled all my friends and acquaintances who are/were SAHMs and everyone seemed to know exactly what choice to make - everyone except me that is. So needless to say, I've given this day some thought - a lot of thought. So much of my identity the past ten years has been wrapped up in being Mom to my children. Will I lose my identity when they're all in school?
Now, with the first week of the school year almost behind me, I can honestly say I believe I have made the right decision on how to fill my time - the right decision for me, that is. In a few weeks I will begin my second year as a math tutor at a local community college. The job takes less than 15 hours a week, doesn't pay well, and is incredibly low stress. In other words, it fills just about as much time as I am willing to give to a job at this stage of my life, allows me to contribute a tiny amount to the family finances, and is the perfect complement to being a mostly-SAHM of school-age kids. I'm always home when they are, work will never take precedence over my children, and I really ENJOY helping college students figure out how to solve math problems (especially Calculus and Statistics).
Even though they don't require my presence as much now, I know my kids need me now as much as they ever have. I want to be available to them for parties, field trips, homework, and just to talk to about whatever is on their minds. So I have finally, after years of soul-searching, discovered the answer to the question, "What will you do when your kids are all in school?" I will work a few hours a week while the kids are in school, but more importantly than that I will remain available to be a mom to my children. And that is the most important job I will ever have.
Now, with the first week of the school year almost behind me, I can honestly say I believe I have made the right decision on how to fill my time - the right decision for me, that is. In a few weeks I will begin my second year as a math tutor at a local community college. The job takes less than 15 hours a week, doesn't pay well, and is incredibly low stress. In other words, it fills just about as much time as I am willing to give to a job at this stage of my life, allows me to contribute a tiny amount to the family finances, and is the perfect complement to being a mostly-SAHM of school-age kids. I'm always home when they are, work will never take precedence over my children, and I really ENJOY helping college students figure out how to solve math problems (especially Calculus and Statistics).
Even though they don't require my presence as much now, I know my kids need me now as much as they ever have. I want to be available to them for parties, field trips, homework, and just to talk to about whatever is on their minds. So I have finally, after years of soul-searching, discovered the answer to the question, "What will you do when your kids are all in school?" I will work a few hours a week while the kids are in school, but more importantly than that I will remain available to be a mom to my children. And that is the most important job I will ever have.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Book Review - Love and Respect
This book offers an excellent perspective on Christian marriage. Clearly speaking to Christians, Dr. Emerson Eggerichs shares insight on Ephesians 5:33 which is the basis for the book.
The first section seemed to move very slowly as Dr. Eggerichs restated over and over that in a fundamental way men and women speak different "languages" - he desires respect and she desires love. Perhaps this section could have been condensed, but it didn't seem to grab my attention like the rest of the book did. I also felt that some of the letter excerpts from couples who had been to his conferences could have been removed and others letters elaborated on. I would have enjoyed more background information from some of the letter writers to know exactly how the information from the book changed their marriages in concrete ways - not just that it did.
The aspect of this book that I struggled with most is that Eggerichs never connects respecting you husband with loving him. Maybe as a woman it still all comes back to love for me, but I believe that when I choose to be respectful to my husband I am really loving him. I enjoyed the second section ("The Energizing Cycle") with its practical suggestions on how men can be more loving and women can be more respectful. Again, though, the suggestions for women on being respectful seemed to me to be ways I can show my husband love by respecting him. Each chapter concludes with a short bulleted list of practical ways to put the chapter's topic into practice. These lists are excellent starting points and made me want to sit down and write my own list of ways I can implement the ideas Eggerichs outlines.
This book continued to get better the further I read. The last section ("The Rewarded Cycle") is aimed directly at Christians and is strongly Bible-based (like the rest of the book). In the back of my mind as I read this book I was wondering, "What about couples who are in extreme situations - perhaps where one spouse doesn't want to change his/her sinful behavior?" This section addresses that concern. To quote from the book, "My response to my spouse is my responsibility". Ultimately when I choose to love or respect my spouse I am loving or reverencing Christ. This section has so much excellent, Bible-based material that it is worth buying the book just for this information - but you should really read the entire book for the full perspective on Love and Respect in your marriage.
This book is excellent for couples at any point in their relationship, from newlyweds to those who feel their marriage is coming to an end to those who want to make their "good" marriage even better. Although the concept flies in the face of popular culture, God truly made men and women differently with unique needs. We complement each other but we don't always know how to speak each others language. This book helps decode our differences and offers ways to strengthen the marriage bond.
The first section seemed to move very slowly as Dr. Eggerichs restated over and over that in a fundamental way men and women speak different "languages" - he desires respect and she desires love. Perhaps this section could have been condensed, but it didn't seem to grab my attention like the rest of the book did. I also felt that some of the letter excerpts from couples who had been to his conferences could have been removed and others letters elaborated on. I would have enjoyed more background information from some of the letter writers to know exactly how the information from the book changed their marriages in concrete ways - not just that it did.
The aspect of this book that I struggled with most is that Eggerichs never connects respecting you husband with loving him. Maybe as a woman it still all comes back to love for me, but I believe that when I choose to be respectful to my husband I am really loving him. I enjoyed the second section ("The Energizing Cycle") with its practical suggestions on how men can be more loving and women can be more respectful. Again, though, the suggestions for women on being respectful seemed to me to be ways I can show my husband love by respecting him. Each chapter concludes with a short bulleted list of practical ways to put the chapter's topic into practice. These lists are excellent starting points and made me want to sit down and write my own list of ways I can implement the ideas Eggerichs outlines.
This book continued to get better the further I read. The last section ("The Rewarded Cycle") is aimed directly at Christians and is strongly Bible-based (like the rest of the book). In the back of my mind as I read this book I was wondering, "What about couples who are in extreme situations - perhaps where one spouse doesn't want to change his/her sinful behavior?" This section addresses that concern. To quote from the book, "My response to my spouse is my responsibility". Ultimately when I choose to love or respect my spouse I am loving or reverencing Christ. This section has so much excellent, Bible-based material that it is worth buying the book just for this information - but you should really read the entire book for the full perspective on Love and Respect in your marriage.
This book is excellent for couples at any point in their relationship, from newlyweds to those who feel their marriage is coming to an end to those who want to make their "good" marriage even better. Although the concept flies in the face of popular culture, God truly made men and women differently with unique needs. We complement each other but we don't always know how to speak each others language. This book helps decode our differences and offers ways to strengthen the marriage bond.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Lego Races
Big Man, like most boys, is competitive - very competitive. He can turn almost any activity he participates in into a race. Want to work a puzzle? Mom has to work one too and it becomes a "puzzle race" to see who can work their puzzle first. Need to take a bath? Well, Big Man can take his bath faster than you can. Want to play Legos? Of course, it has to be a race!
Just how do you race with Legos, you may ask? Big Man gives each participant (himself and Mom) an empty base on which to place Legos. Mom is only allowed to use 2x2 pieces and he only uses 1x1 pieces (which makes it harder to win). The first one to fill their board completely with the correct size pieces wins. And since our Lego container is a huge toy box (Big Man inherited all his dad's Legos as well as receiving many lego sets of his own) this can take awhile.
Another favorite race - and Big Man just now challenged me to yet another one - is a coloring race. In this race we each sit down with a coloring page and box of crayons and the first one to finish their coloring sheet neatly wins. Now this race is a bit subjective, but Big Man NEVER rushes just to win. He colors as neatly as possible. I see this as the OCD coming out, but I'm also very glad he always does his best.
My favorite type of race is our puzzle races. In this race we each work our own puzzle. The puzzles must have the same number of pieces to make things fair. Big Man would never consider himself at a disadvantage because of his age. On the contrary, he knows that he's faster because he's younger. After all, I've told him that very thing countless times after trying to chase him down when he's running away from me. He loves our puzzle races. And at age five he can work a 100 piece puzzle in an amazingly short amount of time. Maybe there's something to this race idea after all. It's certainly more fun for him than having Mom help him. Because he never needs help when working a puzzle. When he was younger he would get furious at me for suggesting he try certain puzzle pieces in certain spots.
Well, I have to go. I've been challenged to a coloring race and I'm currently losing because I'm sitting at my computer instead of coloring my sheet.
Just how do you race with Legos, you may ask? Big Man gives each participant (himself and Mom) an empty base on which to place Legos. Mom is only allowed to use 2x2 pieces and he only uses 1x1 pieces (which makes it harder to win). The first one to fill their board completely with the correct size pieces wins. And since our Lego container is a huge toy box (Big Man inherited all his dad's Legos as well as receiving many lego sets of his own) this can take awhile.
Another favorite race - and Big Man just now challenged me to yet another one - is a coloring race. In this race we each sit down with a coloring page and box of crayons and the first one to finish their coloring sheet neatly wins. Now this race is a bit subjective, but Big Man NEVER rushes just to win. He colors as neatly as possible. I see this as the OCD coming out, but I'm also very glad he always does his best.
My favorite type of race is our puzzle races. In this race we each work our own puzzle. The puzzles must have the same number of pieces to make things fair. Big Man would never consider himself at a disadvantage because of his age. On the contrary, he knows that he's faster because he's younger. After all, I've told him that very thing countless times after trying to chase him down when he's running away from me. He loves our puzzle races. And at age five he can work a 100 piece puzzle in an amazingly short amount of time. Maybe there's something to this race idea after all. It's certainly more fun for him than having Mom help him. Because he never needs help when working a puzzle. When he was younger he would get furious at me for suggesting he try certain puzzle pieces in certain spots.
Well, I have to go. I've been challenged to a coloring race and I'm currently losing because I'm sitting at my computer instead of coloring my sheet.
Book Review - Everyday Greatness
Everyday Greatness by Stephen Covey is really a compilation of short stories, essays and book excerpts by various authors, organized by what Covey calls principles of Everyday Greatness. Each story and quote has at one time appeared in Reader's Digest magazine. Covey ties the stories together and offers commentary and additional insight on what makes each story an example of everyday greatness.
Although over 400 pages in length this book is easy to read. Each outlined principle is accompanied by three examples of individuals who demonstrated that principle in their lives. In reading through these stories I learned more about the background of several famous people - background of which I was previously unaware. I was also introduced to many people who have - other than among a few who keep their names alive - have passed into obscurity but who truly epitomized many of the principles of Everyday Greatness. I plan on following up on the stories of several of these people to learn more about their lives.
Additionally, at the end of chapter there are several pages of short quotes and paragraphs which instill the essence of the principle being studied. This is one of my favorite aspects of this book. Although some of the quotes are a stretch to apply to the given principle most are incredibly accurate and excellent quotes. Many are also funny, which to me was a bonus. For example, when highlighting the principle of quality, this quote by Claude McDonald was listed, " If hard work is the key to success, most people would rather pick the lock."
Also included in each chapter is a page called Reflections with several questions for the reader to ponder. I also very much enjoyed these questions since they made me pause to think about how I can better apply these principles to my life. This is an excellent resource and would also be a great jumping-off point for discussion of the book with a good friend or loved one, although they were written mainly to use for a time of introspection since they ask very pointed questions about your own values and principles.
My overall opinion of this book is very favorable. I enjoy Reader's Digest so it follows that I would enjoy a compilation of works that have previously appeared in that magazine. My main critique as a Christian reading a book published by a Christian publisher is that I would have enjoyed more discussion as to why these principles should be important to me as a Christian and Biblical references which would tie them to my personal walk as a Christian. I understand that Reader's Digest is secular and the stories in this compilation do not represent a religious undertaking, but because of the publisher I perhaps expected at least some reference to Christianity. - Most of these principles - integrity, respect, charity, responsibility, simplicity to name a few - are directly applicable to me in my Christian walk. But when you remove Christ from the equation I am left to wonder why they would be important. And that of course is what each of us must answer for him/herself, and is not the purpose of this book.
Although over 400 pages in length this book is easy to read. Each outlined principle is accompanied by three examples of individuals who demonstrated that principle in their lives. In reading through these stories I learned more about the background of several famous people - background of which I was previously unaware. I was also introduced to many people who have - other than among a few who keep their names alive - have passed into obscurity but who truly epitomized many of the principles of Everyday Greatness. I plan on following up on the stories of several of these people to learn more about their lives.
Additionally, at the end of chapter there are several pages of short quotes and paragraphs which instill the essence of the principle being studied. This is one of my favorite aspects of this book. Although some of the quotes are a stretch to apply to the given principle most are incredibly accurate and excellent quotes. Many are also funny, which to me was a bonus. For example, when highlighting the principle of quality, this quote by Claude McDonald was listed, " If hard work is the key to success, most people would rather pick the lock."
Also included in each chapter is a page called Reflections with several questions for the reader to ponder. I also very much enjoyed these questions since they made me pause to think about how I can better apply these principles to my life. This is an excellent resource and would also be a great jumping-off point for discussion of the book with a good friend or loved one, although they were written mainly to use for a time of introspection since they ask very pointed questions about your own values and principles.
My overall opinion of this book is very favorable. I enjoy Reader's Digest so it follows that I would enjoy a compilation of works that have previously appeared in that magazine. My main critique as a Christian reading a book published by a Christian publisher is that I would have enjoyed more discussion as to why these principles should be important to me as a Christian and Biblical references which would tie them to my personal walk as a Christian. I understand that Reader's Digest is secular and the stories in this compilation do not represent a religious undertaking, but because of the publisher I perhaps expected at least some reference to Christianity. - Most of these principles - integrity, respect, charity, responsibility, simplicity to name a few - are directly applicable to me in my Christian walk. But when you remove Christ from the equation I am left to wonder why they would be important. And that of course is what each of us must answer for him/herself, and is not the purpose of this book.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Garden Camp
Princess accomplished a new "first" in her life this week - she went to a new camp without knowing anyone else in the camp. This was a big deal for her since she has always balked at going to any camp, with or without friends. Just a week before garden camp started she was trying to convince me that she didn't need to go but mean mommy stood firm and insisted she had to try it - and she absolutely loved it!
The first day of camp she didn't cry or use any excuses but I could tell she was unsure of being left with strangers. When I picked her up she had an entire flat of plants to take home and she talked the entire way home about her experience. She learned how to mix dirt, make cuttings and transplant plants. But even better in her opinion was the snack machine. I gave her $1 each day for a snack but she decided to use her own money to buy more snacks most days (I don't have a clue how much she ended up spending). She also made a good friend at camp - Will. She and Will played frisbee in the afternoons and in general enjoyed each other's company. For some reason Princess always takes up with boys and not girls. Perhaps this is a bad sign for the teenage years? But at least she had fun! She was excited to go every day and ended up with lots of plants for the house. And the best part? She wants to go to camp again next year - success!
The first day of camp she didn't cry or use any excuses but I could tell she was unsure of being left with strangers. When I picked her up she had an entire flat of plants to take home and she talked the entire way home about her experience. She learned how to mix dirt, make cuttings and transplant plants. But even better in her opinion was the snack machine. I gave her $1 each day for a snack but she decided to use her own money to buy more snacks most days (I don't have a clue how much she ended up spending). She also made a good friend at camp - Will. She and Will played frisbee in the afternoons and in general enjoyed each other's company. For some reason Princess always takes up with boys and not girls. Perhaps this is a bad sign for the teenage years? But at least she had fun! She was excited to go every day and ended up with lots of plants for the house. And the best part? She wants to go to camp again next year - success!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Book Review - The Hole In Our Gospel
When I first picked up The Hole In Our Gospel by Richard Stearns I thought it would be about Stearns' personal journey to becoming the president of World Vision. What I discovered as I read the book was so much more powerful and potentially life-changing for readers. While Stearns does share parts of his life before and after becoming president of World Vision this book focuses on how Christians can have an enormous impact on the poverty and injustice in our world by actively being the hands and feet of Christ.
This book is directed at Christians, particularly Christians in America. It is human nature to focus on what is in front of us and not to be overly concerned with those things which are far removed from our presence. Christ, however, calls His followers to show compassion toward our neighbors in need (see Luke 10:25-37 and Matthew 25:31-46 ). In America the 21st century Christians have both the financial and physical means to literally reach our neighbors in the remotest parts of the world. This book is a call to all Christians to work together to reach these people for Christ by showing His love in tangible ways - feeding the hungry, providing for orphans, and helping the sick among others.
Stearns does not confuse works with faith. He makes it completely clear that he in no way thinks works replace faith. But in an excerpt from his book, "...God expects our lives - our churches and faith communities too - to be characterized by these authentic signs of our own transformation: compassion, mercy, justice, and love - demonstrated tangibly."
This Biblical principle should be familiar to all Christians. The book of James makes it quite clear that faith without works is dead (see James 2:14-26)
The only part of this book I struggled with is the title. I believe the gospel of Christ is whole in that "..while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8 The gospel of Christ can be demonstrated in the ways Stearns shares in his book, but I don't believe those acts are the gospel - they are ways to share the gospel of salvation through Christ's death on the cross and resurrection. This did not take away from the underlying message that I as a Christian in America have been entrusted with financial blessings over which God made me a steward. I don't believe I was given these blessings just so I could live comfortably or "keep up with the Joneses". I am called to love my neighbor and one way to do that is to share these blessings with those who are, in many parts of the world, starving to death.
After reading this book I believe most Christians will be convicted to reexamine how they are using their time, talents and treasure to share the love of Christ with those in need.
This book is directed at Christians, particularly Christians in America. It is human nature to focus on what is in front of us and not to be overly concerned with those things which are far removed from our presence. Christ, however, calls His followers to show compassion toward our neighbors in need (see Luke 10:25-37 and Matthew 25:31-46 ). In America the 21st century Christians have both the financial and physical means to literally reach our neighbors in the remotest parts of the world. This book is a call to all Christians to work together to reach these people for Christ by showing His love in tangible ways - feeding the hungry, providing for orphans, and helping the sick among others.
Stearns does not confuse works with faith. He makes it completely clear that he in no way thinks works replace faith. But in an excerpt from his book, "...God expects our lives - our churches and faith communities too - to be characterized by these authentic signs of our own transformation: compassion, mercy, justice, and love - demonstrated tangibly."
This Biblical principle should be familiar to all Christians. The book of James makes it quite clear that faith without works is dead (see James 2:14-26)
The only part of this book I struggled with is the title. I believe the gospel of Christ is whole in that "..while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8 The gospel of Christ can be demonstrated in the ways Stearns shares in his book, but I don't believe those acts are the gospel - they are ways to share the gospel of salvation through Christ's death on the cross and resurrection. This did not take away from the underlying message that I as a Christian in America have been entrusted with financial blessings over which God made me a steward. I don't believe I was given these blessings just so I could live comfortably or "keep up with the Joneses". I am called to love my neighbor and one way to do that is to share these blessings with those who are, in many parts of the world, starving to death.
After reading this book I believe most Christians will be convicted to reexamine how they are using their time, talents and treasure to share the love of Christ with those in need.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Camping at Rock Island
Our family loves to camp - in our camper of course. This year with our Disney vacation falling when it did we've only managed to go on two camping trips so far. This past weekend we spent a few nights at Rock Island state park. Since we'd never been there before we weren't sure what to expect. Well, I can honestly say Rock Island is beautiful - and HOT and HUMID in the summer.
The whole family was looking forward to this trip since we hadn't been camping since April - highly unusual for us. After a pleasant trip to the campground we checked in at the front office. There were lots of activities planned for the weekend and the kids wanted to participate in most of them. After setting up the camper we went to the first activity - making animal footprints. Princess made a new friend at the activity. We headed back to our campsite and the kids and T changed into swimsuits while I waited around to sign up for canoeing the next day (limited spots available - signup sheet to be posted in an hour or so). The kids cooled off in some beautiful waterfalls along the side of a hill. They were fairly small falls scattered along the hillside so that you could wade through them and even get underneath a few of them. We ate supper - which no one was very interested in because we were so HOT. Finally signed up for the canoeing - Yeah!.
The next day dawned HOT and HUMID. T was sweating while he cooked breakfast outside. Princess didn't want to go out because she was afraid she would get cold - not this trip sweetheart! Canoe trip was at 10 am. It was lots of fun - saw more waterfalls. Watched one couple tip their canoe twice. Miss Bee ended up with an asthma attack at the end of the trip because she got so hot paddling her canoe. The kids caught minnows in the lake while Miss Bee and T went back to the campsite for her inhaler. We ate an early-ish supper and discovered an idyllic pool of water known locally as "the warm hole" where we swam for an hour or so. We had to get back for the bat show at camp but promised ourselves we would return the next day. The bat show was fun, but there were no bats out since it was so HOT and HUMID. Apparently bats don't like heat either.
By the third day T was tired of sweating while making breakfast, but what could we do? We decided to spend at least part of the day in the water, so we packed a picnic lunch and headed back to the warm hole (I really think they could've come up with a better name for such a beautiful place). We swam, laughed at Miss Bee when she wouldn't get in the water because it had fish and crawldads in it, swam some more and ate lunch. After lunch Miss Bee learned she loved to snorkle in the water where she could watch fish. The warm hole is part of a river but is set apart from the main body of river so that it forms a calm pool of water like a lake (but not gross like lake water). Great for snorkeling. We were at the warm hole for about three hours and for most of that time we had the area all to our selves. So unlike the Smokies where you almost literally trip over people wherever you go. We hiked about half a mile to get to the pool, but it was well worth it.
That evening no one felt like eating supper because it was so HOT and HUMID, so we took off for Dairy Queen about 20 minutes away (thank you gps). On the way back we stopped at a little castle-like structure inside the park. It was an old water reservoir system from CCC days - so cute! We also walked to an overlook where we could see what was on the other side of our idyllic pool that we loved - it was a huge waterfall! We could hear the waterfall from the warm hole, but to get to it required climbing up a steep rock face - and the kids just weren't ready for that. (And as far as I'm concerned they never will be)
By the fourth day we were so tired of the HEAT and HUMIDITY we decided to just pack up and leave. Bottom line - we had a great time but won't return to Rock Island in summer any time soon.
The whole family was looking forward to this trip since we hadn't been camping since April - highly unusual for us. After a pleasant trip to the campground we checked in at the front office. There were lots of activities planned for the weekend and the kids wanted to participate in most of them. After setting up the camper we went to the first activity - making animal footprints. Princess made a new friend at the activity. We headed back to our campsite and the kids and T changed into swimsuits while I waited around to sign up for canoeing the next day (limited spots available - signup sheet to be posted in an hour or so). The kids cooled off in some beautiful waterfalls along the side of a hill. They were fairly small falls scattered along the hillside so that you could wade through them and even get underneath a few of them. We ate supper - which no one was very interested in because we were so HOT. Finally signed up for the canoeing - Yeah!.
The next day dawned HOT and HUMID. T was sweating while he cooked breakfast outside. Princess didn't want to go out because she was afraid she would get cold - not this trip sweetheart! Canoe trip was at 10 am. It was lots of fun - saw more waterfalls. Watched one couple tip their canoe twice. Miss Bee ended up with an asthma attack at the end of the trip because she got so hot paddling her canoe. The kids caught minnows in the lake while Miss Bee and T went back to the campsite for her inhaler. We ate an early-ish supper and discovered an idyllic pool of water known locally as "the warm hole" where we swam for an hour or so. We had to get back for the bat show at camp but promised ourselves we would return the next day. The bat show was fun, but there were no bats out since it was so HOT and HUMID. Apparently bats don't like heat either.
By the third day T was tired of sweating while making breakfast, but what could we do? We decided to spend at least part of the day in the water, so we packed a picnic lunch and headed back to the warm hole (I really think they could've come up with a better name for such a beautiful place). We swam, laughed at Miss Bee when she wouldn't get in the water because it had fish and crawldads in it, swam some more and ate lunch. After lunch Miss Bee learned she loved to snorkle in the water where she could watch fish. The warm hole is part of a river but is set apart from the main body of river so that it forms a calm pool of water like a lake (but not gross like lake water). Great for snorkeling. We were at the warm hole for about three hours and for most of that time we had the area all to our selves. So unlike the Smokies where you almost literally trip over people wherever you go. We hiked about half a mile to get to the pool, but it was well worth it.
That evening no one felt like eating supper because it was so HOT and HUMID, so we took off for Dairy Queen about 20 minutes away (thank you gps). On the way back we stopped at a little castle-like structure inside the park. It was an old water reservoir system from CCC days - so cute! We also walked to an overlook where we could see what was on the other side of our idyllic pool that we loved - it was a huge waterfall! We could hear the waterfall from the warm hole, but to get to it required climbing up a steep rock face - and the kids just weren't ready for that. (And as far as I'm concerned they never will be)
By the fourth day we were so tired of the HEAT and HUMIDITY we decided to just pack up and leave. Bottom line - we had a great time but won't return to Rock Island in summer any time soon.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Dragons on the Stove
Big Man is currently going through a stage where he's fascinated with dinosaurs and dragons. One day he informed me that his dragon lives in the kitchen. Huh? "Yes, Mom! My dragon lives in the stove." Apparently his dragon does indeed live in the stove and comes out when I cook. Especially when I boil water or any other substance that produces lots of steam. I was cooking the other day and Big Man walked into the kitchen. He was sooo excited when he looked at the stove. "The dragon's back, Mom!" He will pull up a stool as close to the stove as I will allow him (which isn't close) and sit and watch his dragon. He loves it when I remove the lid from a pot of boiling water and allow a huge cloud of steam to escape. That's when the dragon is really mad.
The dragon also makes appearances on camping trips. He is the source of all campfires. Big Man loves campfires (what boy doesn't - including Big Man's daddy) and is thrilled when the dragon roasts his marshmallows.
I wonder if he'll be as fascinated with cooking when he gets old enough to help? Maybe if I convince him the dragon is doing all the work. Or maybe not...
The dragon also makes appearances on camping trips. He is the source of all campfires. Big Man loves campfires (what boy doesn't - including Big Man's daddy) and is thrilled when the dragon roasts his marshmallows.
I wonder if he'll be as fascinated with cooking when he gets old enough to help? Maybe if I convince him the dragon is doing all the work. Or maybe not...
Friday, June 12, 2009
Princess and the Play
Since the day she was born my red-headed Princess has kept me on my toes. Among her more notable exploits as a toddler were the potential careers she tried out:
1. Plumber - at age two she took the back off the commode and pulled the hose that fills the tank out of its moorings. When I walked by the bathroom (thankfully only a few minutes later) I saw a jet of water spurting through the air.
2. Cook - Also at age two she decided she wanted a scrambled egg, so she got the eggs out of the fridge, broke one and mixed it in a bowl and poured it into a skillet on the stovetop. Thankfully she didn't know how to turn on the stove.
Now that she's older and more mature Princess uses her overactive imagination and flair for drama to make life more fun for herself and her siblings. In the past week I've observed her as a:
1. Lifeguard - When we hooked up the waterslide in the back yard she decided that instead of sliding she would sit at the top and be the lifeguard. She stopped Miss Bee from going down the slide headfirst and made sure everyone had on their sunscreen
2. Bus Driver - She pulled Big Man in our wagon in the backyard last week. Every so often she would stop to pick up and discharge passengers. Every so often Big Man had to get out for his stop. She also required exact fare for boarding the bus. She did, however, take requests for drop off location.
1. Plumber - at age two she took the back off the commode and pulled the hose that fills the tank out of its moorings. When I walked by the bathroom (thankfully only a few minutes later) I saw a jet of water spurting through the air.
2. Cook - Also at age two she decided she wanted a scrambled egg, so she got the eggs out of the fridge, broke one and mixed it in a bowl and poured it into a skillet on the stovetop. Thankfully she didn't know how to turn on the stove.
Now that she's older and more mature Princess uses her overactive imagination and flair for drama to make life more fun for herself and her siblings. In the past week I've observed her as a:
1. Lifeguard - When we hooked up the waterslide in the back yard she decided that instead of sliding she would sit at the top and be the lifeguard. She stopped Miss Bee from going down the slide headfirst and made sure everyone had on their sunscreen
2. Bus Driver - She pulled Big Man in our wagon in the backyard last week. Every so often she would stop to pick up and discharge passengers. Every so often Big Man had to get out for his stop. She also required exact fare for boarding the bus. She did, however, take requests for drop off location.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Splinters
A small but integral part of any active kid's life is getting - and removing - splinters. Since my children spend as much time as they possible outdoors they get their fair share of splinters. Which brings me to the topic of this post.
Big Man (who is currently five) has had maybe five or six "splinter incidents" that I can recall. And somewhere along the way he decided that water removes splinters. I believe that idea came about because once when he had a small splinter in his foot his Nana told him that if he soaked his foot in the bathtub that it might come out. Thus water removes splinters. Big Man is a brave boy, but when it comes to splinters he is terrified of having one removed with a needle. Now I'll admit most kids aren't crazy about needles but he will not under any circumstances allow me to remove a splinter. "No Mom, water will get the splinter out."
A few days ago he got a rather large splinter in the palm of his hand. By that evening it was starting to look infected. But every time I tried to convince him to let me remove it he insisted it would come out in the water. If you think for a minute about how sensitive the palm of your hand is, you'll realize the predicament I was in. I had to get that splinter out before infection set in. But there was no way he was going to let me take the splinter out. He would barely let me look at his hand - and only if my own hands were behind my back. So I waited until nighttime. Thankfully Big Man is a sound sleeper. So over the course of about 15 minutes I gently worked the splinter out. He never realized what had happened. The next morning he noticed his hand felt better. He came to me so proudly and said, "Look Mom! No more splinter!" When I asked how that happened he said, "The water got it out of course!"
I apologize in advance to his wife who will undoubtedly some day wonder why her otherwise intelligent husband believes water removes splinters.
Big Man (who is currently five) has had maybe five or six "splinter incidents" that I can recall. And somewhere along the way he decided that water removes splinters. I believe that idea came about because once when he had a small splinter in his foot his Nana told him that if he soaked his foot in the bathtub that it might come out. Thus water removes splinters. Big Man is a brave boy, but when it comes to splinters he is terrified of having one removed with a needle. Now I'll admit most kids aren't crazy about needles but he will not under any circumstances allow me to remove a splinter. "No Mom, water will get the splinter out."
A few days ago he got a rather large splinter in the palm of his hand. By that evening it was starting to look infected. But every time I tried to convince him to let me remove it he insisted it would come out in the water. If you think for a minute about how sensitive the palm of your hand is, you'll realize the predicament I was in. I had to get that splinter out before infection set in. But there was no way he was going to let me take the splinter out. He would barely let me look at his hand - and only if my own hands were behind my back. So I waited until nighttime. Thankfully Big Man is a sound sleeper. So over the course of about 15 minutes I gently worked the splinter out. He never realized what had happened. The next morning he noticed his hand felt better. He came to me so proudly and said, "Look Mom! No more splinter!" When I asked how that happened he said, "The water got it out of course!"
I apologize in advance to his wife who will undoubtedly some day wonder why her otherwise intelligent husband believes water removes splinters.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Book Review - The Noticer
I just finished reading Andy Andrews' latest book The Noticer and was impressed with its simple yet powerful message. Andrews is well known for his thought-provoking motivational books and this one is no exception. The focus of this book is perspective and how changing one's perspective of a situation will change how you react to that situation. Throughout the book different characters with a variety of apparently insurmountable problems find themselves talking to Jones who introduces them to a different way of viewing their problems. "It's all a matter of perspective" is the order of the day. And with new perspective insurmountable problems can become the groundwork for an even better future than we can imagine. From marital problems to depression, to business practices a wide variety of issues are addressed.
The "noticer" Jones remained an enigma to me. I could never decide if he was simply a gifted individual or a supernatural being (angel?) sent by God to help guide individuals. I lean toward interpreting him as just a gifted man concerned about those around him, but his character is definitely open to interpretation.
While this book is written from a Christian perspective the theme is not overtly Christian. As a Christian I would have preferred a few more concrete references to how changing your perspective directly applies to the Christian walk. However, the way this book is written even non-Christians could read it and gain a beneficial new perspective on their own lives as well. As stated in the book, "Think, learn, pray, plan, dream. For soon... you will become.
At 156 pages this book is a very quick read with a powerful message. This is one book I plan to keep on my shelf and re-read, as well as give to my children to read when as they enter adulthood.
The "noticer" Jones remained an enigma to me. I could never decide if he was simply a gifted individual or a supernatural being (angel?) sent by God to help guide individuals. I lean toward interpreting him as just a gifted man concerned about those around him, but his character is definitely open to interpretation.
While this book is written from a Christian perspective the theme is not overtly Christian. As a Christian I would have preferred a few more concrete references to how changing your perspective directly applies to the Christian walk. However, the way this book is written even non-Christians could read it and gain a beneficial new perspective on their own lives as well. As stated in the book, "Think, learn, pray, plan, dream. For soon... you will become.
At 156 pages this book is a very quick read with a powerful message. This is one book I plan to keep on my shelf and re-read, as well as give to my children to read when as they enter adulthood.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Getting Ready For Disney
It's vacation morning. In a few minutes I'll be waking up the family so we can leave for Disney. I've always loved vacation morning since I was a kid (who doesn't!) and last night brought back memories of my excitement just before vacation. Miss Bee, who usually has no problems falling asleep on her own, just couldn't get to sleep last night. She read a book for awhile, then around ten o'clock came to me with her "can't get to sleep" problem. I lay down with her for a little while and talked about all the fun we would have at Disney and she finally relaxed enough to go to sleep.
I didn't have any problem falling asleep last night but I am up too early this morning! That's okay, though. In about an hour we'll be on the road and all my obsessive planning will be ended - I'll be On Vacation!
I didn't have any problem falling asleep last night but I am up too early this morning! That's okay, though. In about an hour we'll be on the road and all my obsessive planning will be ended - I'll be On Vacation!
Monday, May 25, 2009
Memorial Day
It's Memorial Day weekend, so on Saturday (after deciding against a trip to D*) we decided to go to Metcalf Bottoms for a picnic. In past years it would've been almost impossible to get a good picnic site at this particular place on a holiday weekend, but for some reason even with the current economy it wasn't a problem at all this year. After enjoying a delicious charcoal-grilled hamburger the kids wanted to go inner-tubing in the river. Keep in mind the temperature was in the mid-70's and this river is always C-O-L-D, even in the middle of August. But they jumped right in and had a great time! Miss Bee couldn't believe that something this fun was free! I guess we haven't taken her tubing nearly enough. It was an integral part of my childhood. While in the river the kids found a total of four snakes. This river is known for its water snakes. You can't visit it without seeing at least a few. For better or worse the kiddos weren't frightened of them. As long as they know to be scared of the poisonous ones, I guess it's okay to be comfortable around the non-poisonous snakes.
After tubing and enjoying some watermelon (another staple of summer picnics in our family) we decided to go on a short hike to an old homestead close by. The hike is a bit over a mile each way and is fairly flat the whole trip, so it's an easy hike and also very pretty this time of year with mountain laurel blooming along parts of the trail. Part of the trail follows a creek and we saw - you guessed it - three more water snakes sunning on a branch over the water. Like I said, the snakes didn't bother the kids in the least, but about halfway up the trail Miss Bee suddenly screams the loudest, girliest scream I've ever heard her scream. If you know Miss Bee you know she just doesn't scream like that - ever. She's the biggest tomboy you'll meet. So instead of panicking and asking her what's wrong I turn to her and laugh. Probably the wrong response, but it was just so funny because she was in the middle of the trail and had scared herself into thinking a bee was stinging her because she brushed her hiking stick against the back of her leg. To add to the humor there was a couple passing us going back down the trail - the first of only two groups we met on the trail - so I'm sure they got a kick out of the city kid who was scared of the outdoor critters. Like I said, Miss Bee just doesn't do things like this, so it really was funny! Not to be outdone, on the way back as we were passing over a creek I looked down and screamed myself. There was a craw-dad (old Appalachian term - not sure what the "technical" name is) sitting at the side of the trail. It startled me because these things are crayfish that can't live out of water (imagine a small lobster). I imagine some other creature had gone fishing and come up with a craw-dad then left it since it heard us coming down the trail. I know for sure that crayfish would never voluntarily be sitting outside water. DH helped it back into the water and we continued down the trail, again saying hi to the water snakes as we passed them. When we were almost at the end of the trail Princess had to sit down to get a rock out of her sandal and what should be crawling on her ankle but a tick. As soon as I pointed it out she screamed. She hated ticks ever since getting bitten by one who's pinchers got stuck in her skin. It took me a long time to dig them out and I know it was painful for her. So she now hates ticks passionately. Thankfully this one was stil crawling and not stuck so we brushed it off.
In all, this was one of the most adventure- and scream-filled trips to Little Greenbriar our family has ever taken. But it was also a relaxing start to the summer.
After tubing and enjoying some watermelon (another staple of summer picnics in our family) we decided to go on a short hike to an old homestead close by. The hike is a bit over a mile each way and is fairly flat the whole trip, so it's an easy hike and also very pretty this time of year with mountain laurel blooming along parts of the trail. Part of the trail follows a creek and we saw - you guessed it - three more water snakes sunning on a branch over the water. Like I said, the snakes didn't bother the kids in the least, but about halfway up the trail Miss Bee suddenly screams the loudest, girliest scream I've ever heard her scream. If you know Miss Bee you know she just doesn't scream like that - ever. She's the biggest tomboy you'll meet. So instead of panicking and asking her what's wrong I turn to her and laugh. Probably the wrong response, but it was just so funny because she was in the middle of the trail and had scared herself into thinking a bee was stinging her because she brushed her hiking stick against the back of her leg. To add to the humor there was a couple passing us going back down the trail - the first of only two groups we met on the trail - so I'm sure they got a kick out of the city kid who was scared of the outdoor critters. Like I said, Miss Bee just doesn't do things like this, so it really was funny! Not to be outdone, on the way back as we were passing over a creek I looked down and screamed myself. There was a craw-dad (old Appalachian term - not sure what the "technical" name is) sitting at the side of the trail. It startled me because these things are crayfish that can't live out of water (imagine a small lobster). I imagine some other creature had gone fishing and come up with a craw-dad then left it since it heard us coming down the trail. I know for sure that crayfish would never voluntarily be sitting outside water. DH helped it back into the water and we continued down the trail, again saying hi to the water snakes as we passed them. When we were almost at the end of the trail Princess had to sit down to get a rock out of her sandal and what should be crawling on her ankle but a tick. As soon as I pointed it out she screamed. She hated ticks ever since getting bitten by one who's pinchers got stuck in her skin. It took me a long time to dig them out and I know it was painful for her. So she now hates ticks passionately. Thankfully this one was stil crawling and not stuck so we brushed it off.
In all, this was one of the most adventure- and scream-filled trips to Little Greenbriar our family has ever taken. But it was also a relaxing start to the summer.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
End of the School Year
It's hard to believe that another school year has already come and gone. For the past several days Princess had been creating new excuses to stay home faster than the pumpkin vine in the garden is producing new blooms. I've been offered the typical "my stomach hurts, my throat hurts, my head hurts" as well as the slightly more creative "my hip hurts, my elbow hurts, my tongue hurts (that one was an infected taste bud)". Honestly, though, I sometimes doubt her a bit too much. A couple of weeks ago she complained of her throat hurting and I decided that rather than take her out of school the next day to go to the dr we would go to the walk-in clinic that evening. I was 100 percent sure it was just allergies - until I saw the positive strep test. So she isn't always just trying to skip school.
I can't say that I blame her efforts, either. It's been so pretty here outside lately. Princess is definitely my nature lover. She tends our small backyard garden with all the love she has. She faithfully waters the garden (even when we've had days of rain) and visits each of the plants, talking to and about them. For example, "She's looking good today, isn't she Mama" (said about one of the tomato plants). Or, "She's the prize winner today" (said about a different tomato plant). Princess can make anything grow. She planted radishes last year and we had fresh radishes all spring. The plants reseeded themselves and we are again enjoying fresh radishes - all from the first time she scattered her seeds in one tiny row. I've helped foster her love of plants by helping her plant several veggies in our garden this year - corn, okra, tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers and cantaloupe.
With all the "graduation" ceremonies, birthday parties, end-of-school year parties, sports parties, and various other activities, I may be coming down with a case of summer fever myself. That way Princess and I can spend a little while in the garden talking to our plants.
I can't say that I blame her efforts, either. It's been so pretty here outside lately. Princess is definitely my nature lover. She tends our small backyard garden with all the love she has. She faithfully waters the garden (even when we've had days of rain) and visits each of the plants, talking to and about them. For example, "She's looking good today, isn't she Mama" (said about one of the tomato plants). Or, "She's the prize winner today" (said about a different tomato plant). Princess can make anything grow. She planted radishes last year and we had fresh radishes all spring. The plants reseeded themselves and we are again enjoying fresh radishes - all from the first time she scattered her seeds in one tiny row. I've helped foster her love of plants by helping her plant several veggies in our garden this year - corn, okra, tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers and cantaloupe.
With all the "graduation" ceremonies, birthday parties, end-of-school year parties, sports parties, and various other activities, I may be coming down with a case of summer fever myself. That way Princess and I can spend a little while in the garden talking to our plants.
Friday, May 15, 2009
The Principle of the Path
I have just completed reading Andy Stanley's new book "The Principle of the Path" and I wanted to share a few of my thoughts on it. When I picked this book up I originally thought it would outline steps I could take to figure out what career path to choose. As I read it I was surprised to discover that this book is much more than that. It does not offer a personality test or set of steps to take to get you to where you want to be. Instead it challenges you to live your life intentionally by focusing your attention on what matters to you.
After I started reading I couldn't help but think of Robert Frost's poem, "The Road Not Taken". We all make choices on a daily basis that determine our direction in every aspect of life - physical, relational, spiritual, financial and so on. Andy Stanley, with humor and anecdotes from his own life as well as Bible times, guides you in choosing the right path on a daily basis.
When we find ourselves at a place in life we never intended to be it is easy to blame someone or something else. "It's not my fault" has become the mantra of our society. This book challenges that notion on every level. The decisions you make today will - not may - affect where you end up. The book contains excellent Biblical examples that clearly highight several components we should consider when deciding direction.
This is an excellent book for all adults, but is especially appropriate for young adults. It will make you reevaluate the choices you make on a daily basis and hopefully make decisions based on long-term goals and priorities. Another excellent aspect of the book is the Study Guide in the back. It it very useful for revisiting the ideas presented in each chapter.
We all choose the paths we take and our direction - not intention - determines our destination. What's more, the things to which we devote our attention determine our direction. So make sure you are giving your attention to the things (people) that matter to you.
After I started reading I couldn't help but think of Robert Frost's poem, "The Road Not Taken". We all make choices on a daily basis that determine our direction in every aspect of life - physical, relational, spiritual, financial and so on. Andy Stanley, with humor and anecdotes from his own life as well as Bible times, guides you in choosing the right path on a daily basis.
When we find ourselves at a place in life we never intended to be it is easy to blame someone or something else. "It's not my fault" has become the mantra of our society. This book challenges that notion on every level. The decisions you make today will - not may - affect where you end up. The book contains excellent Biblical examples that clearly highight several components we should consider when deciding direction.
This is an excellent book for all adults, but is especially appropriate for young adults. It will make you reevaluate the choices you make on a daily basis and hopefully make decisions based on long-term goals and priorities. Another excellent aspect of the book is the Study Guide in the back. It it very useful for revisiting the ideas presented in each chapter.
We all choose the paths we take and our direction - not intention - determines our destination. What's more, the things to which we devote our attention determine our direction. So make sure you are giving your attention to the things (people) that matter to you.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Mother's Day Meal
Every family has its traditions on special days, and Mother's Day is no exception. Our family usually tries to visit all our mothers and grandmothers which means grabbing fast food after church so we can make the one hour plus drive and have as much time as possible in the afternoon for our two to three stops. In other words, we have NEVER fought the Mother's Day lunch crowd. Well, this Mother's Day will be different. We've decided to go to early church service and eat at a local Japanese steak house for lunch. I've even made a reservation. Only problem is, Princess and Big Man do not like Japanese. So I told them we would pick up a fast food meal for them and take into the restaurant (which is not a problem - lots of children do that at this particular place). When I mentioned this to Princess she immediately knew where she wanted her food. "Mom, can we get chicken from that gas station? You know, it comes in a box." I wanted to burst out laughing, but restrained myself. I know exactly the place she's talking about - Popeye's. She's been to the one in the gas station exactly one time and I believe it was last Mother's Day! She definitely has a great memory and wonderful descriptive capabilities. And yes, she will get her "gas station chicken" - for supper, though. It's too far a drive to get it for lunch, so Nana and Pooh will pick it up on their way to visit us for supper.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Saying Goodbye
Last Friday we said goodbye to my grandfather "Pa". He'd had emphysema for 30 odd years, so it wasn't unexpected, but it was still hard. My daughters have now said goodbye to two great-grandparents. As a Mom I never quite know if I'm handling situations like these well or not. Each of my children reacted a bit differently to Pa's death, but in general they initially accepted my explanation with no questions. My oldest Miss Bee told me that "At least Pa won't have to use his wheelchair any more." Each of them came to me later and asked questions and made comments. I'm so thankful that as a Christian I could give them the promise that truly this is just goodbye for now, that we will see Pa again and that his spirit will live eternally and without pain. It has been almost a week since Pa left this earth and the children still make at least one comment about him a day. I know that since we spent at least one Sunday a month at his house they won't soon forget him. I wonder if they should journal/draw some of their memories of Pa so they can look back on those later? Maybe I'll suggest that to them tonight.
As for me, I've realized that I'm Finally maturing a bit when it comes to saying goodbye to loved ones. As I joked with my sister when we were at the hospital, she and I could've made a fortune as professional criers if we'd been born a few hundred years ago. My waterworks just aren't controllable. And yet, for the first time ever I was able to not sob like an idiot every time I turned around last weekend. I was there when he left this earth (and crying - but then the whole room was crying), I went to the funeral home to support my dad as he helped with arrangements (and only broke down in the casket room), listened as the siblings wrote the obituary, watched as my children said their goodbyes to Pa at the funeral home (and would've loved to have sobbed the whole time, but kept it to discreet tears - although I sent DH with them when they had to go back to the casket a second time), and sang with all the grandchildren at the funeral (okay, maybe I didn't make it through the whole song, but at least I sang most of it). And lest you think I did all this with fewer tears because I wasn't as close to Pa let me tell you I've spent almost every other Sunday my whole life at Pa's house. I was honestly closer to him than to any of my other grandparents (mostly because I lost two of them when I was a child). I could turn on the waterworks right now and not stop for an hour, but I won't. Because of my children. While they need to see me grieve, they also need me to be strong so they can grieve in my arms. One of the hardest things I've done as a Mom so far is telling them that Pa died. But death is part of life and they must accept that and understand that we only hurt because we have the capacity to love. And loving another person is worth it.
Some of my favorite memories of Pa and spending time at Pa's house:
* When I was young I read all the time. I would bring a book to Pa's house every Sunday. And every Sunday Pa would tell me "You're gonna ruin your eyes if you keep reading so much." I guess he was right. I had LASIK surgery two years ago!
* Pa loved to draw. When I was a girl he would always have drawings laying around. I loved to look at his drawings, especially the mountain scenes and wildflowers. He often gave me a drawing or two and if they were chalk he would spray them with aerosol hairspray first so they wouldn't get smeared.
* Pa also loved to carve. I have great memories of sitting across the creek from his house watching him turn an ordinary piece of wood into a bird or a toy.
* Before Pa's emphysema got really bad I remember going on one last walk with him on the trail to the cabin on his property. He showed me several plants and told me their names. He loved the mountains and communicated that to his children.
* These last few years Pa always kept candy on the table near the couch where he sat. Big Man is a huge fan of orange slices as was Pa. Pa always offered him orange slices whenever Big Man came through the door on Sunday afternoons.
Pa was a Christian. He was a child of the Appalachian Mountains and he never had much in the way of material possessions. But he left an incredible legacy. His nine children have raised their children to know Christ and to love others just like Pa taught his children. He gave his family a moral compass that is sorely lacking in our society today. Things aren't important - how you live your life is what counts. Thank you Pa.
As for me, I've realized that I'm Finally maturing a bit when it comes to saying goodbye to loved ones. As I joked with my sister when we were at the hospital, she and I could've made a fortune as professional criers if we'd been born a few hundred years ago. My waterworks just aren't controllable. And yet, for the first time ever I was able to not sob like an idiot every time I turned around last weekend. I was there when he left this earth (and crying - but then the whole room was crying), I went to the funeral home to support my dad as he helped with arrangements (and only broke down in the casket room), listened as the siblings wrote the obituary, watched as my children said their goodbyes to Pa at the funeral home (and would've loved to have sobbed the whole time, but kept it to discreet tears - although I sent DH with them when they had to go back to the casket a second time), and sang with all the grandchildren at the funeral (okay, maybe I didn't make it through the whole song, but at least I sang most of it). And lest you think I did all this with fewer tears because I wasn't as close to Pa let me tell you I've spent almost every other Sunday my whole life at Pa's house. I was honestly closer to him than to any of my other grandparents (mostly because I lost two of them when I was a child). I could turn on the waterworks right now and not stop for an hour, but I won't. Because of my children. While they need to see me grieve, they also need me to be strong so they can grieve in my arms. One of the hardest things I've done as a Mom so far is telling them that Pa died. But death is part of life and they must accept that and understand that we only hurt because we have the capacity to love. And loving another person is worth it.
Some of my favorite memories of Pa and spending time at Pa's house:
* When I was young I read all the time. I would bring a book to Pa's house every Sunday. And every Sunday Pa would tell me "You're gonna ruin your eyes if you keep reading so much." I guess he was right. I had LASIK surgery two years ago!
* Pa loved to draw. When I was a girl he would always have drawings laying around. I loved to look at his drawings, especially the mountain scenes and wildflowers. He often gave me a drawing or two and if they were chalk he would spray them with aerosol hairspray first so they wouldn't get smeared.
* Pa also loved to carve. I have great memories of sitting across the creek from his house watching him turn an ordinary piece of wood into a bird or a toy.
* Before Pa's emphysema got really bad I remember going on one last walk with him on the trail to the cabin on his property. He showed me several plants and told me their names. He loved the mountains and communicated that to his children.
* These last few years Pa always kept candy on the table near the couch where he sat. Big Man is a huge fan of orange slices as was Pa. Pa always offered him orange slices whenever Big Man came through the door on Sunday afternoons.
Pa was a Christian. He was a child of the Appalachian Mountains and he never had much in the way of material possessions. But he left an incredible legacy. His nine children have raised their children to know Christ and to love others just like Pa taught his children. He gave his family a moral compass that is sorely lacking in our society today. Things aren't important - how you live your life is what counts. Thank you Pa.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Dinosaur Dilemma at D*
On Sunday afternoon after church I took Princess and Big Man to a nearby theme park for an afternoon of fun. Miss Bee stayed home with Daddy since she had a case of allergies combined with needing to recuperate from her slumber party. We met Nana at the park and rode some of our favorite rides - shooting star, bumper cars, and swings - ate at the pizza parlor (an absolute favorite and must-do every trip) and planned on ending the day with an ice cream cone. Before leaving, though, Big Man decided he needed a "prize". There are children's games with a guaranteed prize of a cheap stuffed animal. Instead of "winning" a prize, I talked him into using some of his Easter money to buy a snake at one of the gift shops. He loves the snakes there and the added bonus is that the smallest snakes cost less than playing a children's game. So we headed to the gift shop where Big Man proceeded to analyze each of the snake bins and compare the snakes one by one. He had to choose between the "tiny" snakes, "medium" snakes and "big" snakes. In addition he had to choose which color snake he wanted. He already had a medium orange snakes and a tiny purple snake, so those choices were eliminated. His favorite color is orange, so he considered the tiny orange and big orange choices. He also considered the lime green tiny snake, the irridescent orange medium snake and the red big snake. As he went from bin to bin looking at the snakes he talked about the pros and cons of each choice. For example, the big orange snake would really scare his friends, but the tiny lime green snake would fit into his backpack so he could take it to school to show his friends or take it to Disneyworld or on trips. Princess tried to talk him into the big orange snake, and one of its pros was that he could use it as a jump rope. Finally after 15 minutes of serious deliberation he chose the tiny orange snake. It won out because 1) it's his favorite color and 2) he could take it with him anywhere he went. It was fascinating to watch him consider and reject choices, then go back to them and reconsider one more time. He took the decision very seriously. If he spends at least that much time choosing a major in college he will be on the right track.
After buying the snake, we all went for ice cream - except Princess got a funnel cake on a whim (which she thoroughly enjoyed). I got to finish off Big Man's ice cream as we rode the trolley (one of the kids' favorite rides) back to our car. All in all it was a great day for creating memories.
After buying the snake, we all went for ice cream - except Princess got a funnel cake on a whim (which she thoroughly enjoyed). I got to finish off Big Man's ice cream as we rode the trolley (one of the kids' favorite rides) back to our car. All in all it was a great day for creating memories.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Hay Day
I was outside with Big Man on this beautiful spring morning and as I walked through the freshly cut grass it occurred to me that we haven't had a "hay day" yet this year. Hay day is a special day created by Princess and is celebrated every time the grass gets cut. It consists of tossing handfuls of cut grass into the air and shouting "hay day!" We've celebrated hay day several times each of the past two summers. As I watch the kiddos get older I know they are gradually becoming more "sophisticated" and "mature" and eventually will be much too old to enjoy activities like hay day. So will this be the summer that hay day ends? Or will it continue to be celebrated in our house? The children still seem so young and yet I know that every day brings us closer to the day we take each of them to college. I'm just not ready to celebrate the last hay day yet. I pray it continues for at least one more summer.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Shot-In-The-Dark Career Predicitons
Since the first time I held each of my babies I wondered what their lives would be like - their likes and dislikes, their friends, their spouses, and of course, what careers they would choose. As they have gotten older I know a lot more about their unique personalities, their likes and dislikes, and I'm using that knowledge to attempt to deduce their future careers. So I figured, for a good laugh later (when they're all settled into their careers of choice), I would commit to print(?) my predictions for each of my kiddos' careers:
Miss Bee, the oldest, is the toughest for me to predict at the moment. She has told me at different times that she would like to be a teacher and a veterinarian. I think I'll go out on a limb, however, and say that with her drive (if we can ever focus it in a single direction) she might possibly choose to be a missionary. Either that or a professional wrestler - after all she gets lots of practice with her brother.
Princess is a true middle child. She's creative, the family peacemaker, and has been completely self-sufficient since she was two. Honestly, at this point she would be thrilled if I let her prepare all her own meals - that way she would always get to eat exactly what she likes. My prediction of her career choice is so easy - she will undoubtedly be a physician. I say this not only because she is a nurturer but also because she is absolutely drawn to all things medical. She loves to watch MASH just for the medical scenes. DH caught her watching a typical (graphic) episode of ER the other day and instead of being repulsed she was fascinated with how they were treating the "patient" on the show. She loves visiting the hospital for any reason. So unless she gets burned out before medical school she will go into the medical field.
Big Man is still somewhat of an enigma for me since he's just five. But he is very particular about keeping things in order and doing things the "correct" way. Because of that character trait it is so easy for me to predict he will follow in his daddy's footsteps and be an engineer. I think I can safely say he will choose a career where things are black and white - where there is a definite right and wrong. Then again, he could also own a confectionery since he is always looking for something sweet to eat. Yeah, on second thought, I could totally see him creating his own sweet confections to sell - that is if he learns how not to eat everything he makes. Right now self-control is not a virtue he possesses. But that will come with maturity.
I've written these predictions down mainly as something to look back on and laugh about. There's no way to predict what your children will choose to do with their lives. However, since they were tiny I've been praying that they will seek God's guidance and direction in choosing their career paths. Because if they do that I know they will find themselves fulfilled and at peace with their choices.
Miss Bee, the oldest, is the toughest for me to predict at the moment. She has told me at different times that she would like to be a teacher and a veterinarian. I think I'll go out on a limb, however, and say that with her drive (if we can ever focus it in a single direction) she might possibly choose to be a missionary. Either that or a professional wrestler - after all she gets lots of practice with her brother.
Princess is a true middle child. She's creative, the family peacemaker, and has been completely self-sufficient since she was two. Honestly, at this point she would be thrilled if I let her prepare all her own meals - that way she would always get to eat exactly what she likes. My prediction of her career choice is so easy - she will undoubtedly be a physician. I say this not only because she is a nurturer but also because she is absolutely drawn to all things medical. She loves to watch MASH just for the medical scenes. DH caught her watching a typical (graphic) episode of ER the other day and instead of being repulsed she was fascinated with how they were treating the "patient" on the show. She loves visiting the hospital for any reason. So unless she gets burned out before medical school she will go into the medical field.
Big Man is still somewhat of an enigma for me since he's just five. But he is very particular about keeping things in order and doing things the "correct" way. Because of that character trait it is so easy for me to predict he will follow in his daddy's footsteps and be an engineer. I think I can safely say he will choose a career where things are black and white - where there is a definite right and wrong. Then again, he could also own a confectionery since he is always looking for something sweet to eat. Yeah, on second thought, I could totally see him creating his own sweet confections to sell - that is if he learns how not to eat everything he makes. Right now self-control is not a virtue he possesses. But that will come with maturity.
I've written these predictions down mainly as something to look back on and laugh about. There's no way to predict what your children will choose to do with their lives. However, since they were tiny I've been praying that they will seek God's guidance and direction in choosing their career paths. Because if they do that I know they will find themselves fulfilled and at peace with their choices.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Ask-A-Nerd
I work as a math tutor at a local community college. Today at work I had my most unusual request to date. Now, as a mom I'm quite familiar with the "Ask-a-Nurse" concept whereby after-hours non-emergency medical questions are fielded to an RN who helps panicked parents and other hypochondriacs. Today, however, was my first foray into the newly emerging field of "Ask-a-Nerd" whereby panicked college students phone math tutors with impossible-to-answer-over-the-phone math questions. Actually, I think I did a pretty fair job answering the questions I received considering I couldn't see the graph of the function I was trying to create the equation for. You know, on second thought maybe this could be the business model for a whole new concept in tutoring. Yeah - I can see it now - "You've just dialed 1-800-math-geek. If we don't know the answer we can make one up. Using our amazing powers of E.S.P. we will visualize your math problem and telepathically send you the answers to your questions." Honestly there are plenty of math questions you can answer over the phone, but I really don't know how this girl thought I could come up with the equation of a function that she had a graph of but that I could not see! Ya know, sometimes it does help to be able to see those pesky graphs. After all, that's what they were printed on the paper for.
I love my job!
I love my job!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Adoption Non-news
Since I was 16 years old and read a magazine article about a family that adopted I have been drawn to adoption. Before DH and I were married we discussed adoption and the place it would have in the creation of our family. Now I find myself 18 years after my initial decision to adopt and I am feeling incredible internal urgings to begin the adoption process NOW. About eight years ago DH and I started the process and had our passports, I-171H, homestudy, and fingerprinting finished. All we had to do was choose our country (Guatemala) and agency (never got that far). Before we received our homestudy paperwork in the mail I got a positive result on a pregnancy test. This was our second child. I still wonder how our lives would have been different if we had continued to pursue that adoption even after discovering I was pregnant. It would have been difficult to adjust to two new children in our house in such a short amount of time (estimate to adoption completion of an infant from Guatemala at the time was 12-18 months). I don't regret not continuing with that adoption since we hadn't reached the point of being matched with a child. I don't think I could've stopped the process, though, if we had already had a match.
Now that our third child is five years old, I realllly want to begin the process to adopt our fourth (and final?) child. Guatemala is currently out of the question, but there are several countries DH and I can agree on, particularly the Philippines and India. DH is onboard to begin again - after we save $10,000 toward the adoption. International adoption appears to have become exponentially more expensive since the first time we started the process. So the problem becomes where to find the $10000 needed plus the $5000 we also need to replace the roof. I know, know, know that when the time comes for us to begin the process God will provide the means. We will not borrow the money, so my current thought is that I (as the keeper of the household books and spender of most of the household money) should start saving as much as I can find out of our household budget. Since I love having financial goals that are attainable within a reasonably short time frame, I am fired up to start working on this one. (Unlike paying off the house which won't happen for years...). It also makes me feel like I'm working toward welcoming our second son into our home. Is this wrong? In leaving the timing for our adoption up to God should I back off and just assume the money will magically appear? I just can't see doing that. For one thing I feel that God expects me to be faithful to the direction He is calling me by being a good steward of the financial resources He has entrusted to us. For another, if He wants us to adopt I don't think He's just going to drop a child to adopt on our doorstep (although He certainly could if He chose to). I believe He expects us to invest some effort in following the plan He has directed us to. And that includes setting aside a portion of our income to go toward the expenses. Does that mean I know exactly how things will turn out? Does that mean He couldn't choose to provide the money in a miraculous way next week or next month? Of course not! But it is my belief that He also expects me to be a good steward of what He has already entrusted to us and that we shouldn't do irresponsible things with our money then say, "If God wants us to adopt He will have to provide the money". Maybe He has already provided the money and we just can't see it because we've chosen to spend it on other things...
This has been a rambling post, but it helps me when I can put my thoughts down on cyberpaper so I can organize and clarify them. And I know it will help years from now after we have completed this adoption to see that God was faithful to provide. I just don't know yet how He will choose to do that!
Now that our third child is five years old, I realllly want to begin the process to adopt our fourth (and final?) child. Guatemala is currently out of the question, but there are several countries DH and I can agree on, particularly the Philippines and India. DH is onboard to begin again - after we save $10,000 toward the adoption. International adoption appears to have become exponentially more expensive since the first time we started the process. So the problem becomes where to find the $10000 needed plus the $5000 we also need to replace the roof. I know, know, know that when the time comes for us to begin the process God will provide the means. We will not borrow the money, so my current thought is that I (as the keeper of the household books and spender of most of the household money) should start saving as much as I can find out of our household budget. Since I love having financial goals that are attainable within a reasonably short time frame, I am fired up to start working on this one. (Unlike paying off the house which won't happen for years...). It also makes me feel like I'm working toward welcoming our second son into our home. Is this wrong? In leaving the timing for our adoption up to God should I back off and just assume the money will magically appear? I just can't see doing that. For one thing I feel that God expects me to be faithful to the direction He is calling me by being a good steward of the financial resources He has entrusted to us. For another, if He wants us to adopt I don't think He's just going to drop a child to adopt on our doorstep (although He certainly could if He chose to). I believe He expects us to invest some effort in following the plan He has directed us to. And that includes setting aside a portion of our income to go toward the expenses. Does that mean I know exactly how things will turn out? Does that mean He couldn't choose to provide the money in a miraculous way next week or next month? Of course not! But it is my belief that He also expects me to be a good steward of what He has already entrusted to us and that we shouldn't do irresponsible things with our money then say, "If God wants us to adopt He will have to provide the money". Maybe He has already provided the money and we just can't see it because we've chosen to spend it on other things...
This has been a rambling post, but it helps me when I can put my thoughts down on cyberpaper so I can organize and clarify them. And I know it will help years from now after we have completed this adoption to see that God was faithful to provide. I just don't know yet how He will choose to do that!
Monday, April 13, 2009
On Becoming a Mom/Birthday Happenings
At about this time on this day 10 years ago I held my first daughter for the very first time. I remember the room was dimly lit (ambiance lighting!) and I'm pretty sure I was in shock as I looked into that perfect little face. I couldn't fathom being responsible for that tiny life for the rest of MY life. Those first days and weeks lasted foreeeever because I was so tired, and at times I didn't think I'd ever have a "real" life again apart from diapers and feedings (but what new Mom doesn't feel that way?)
Fast forward ten years. Where has the time flown? That tiny little creature now has a unique personality that I've become intimately familiar with. She is quite a tomboy, loves roller coasters - the faster and more loops in them the better, plays soccer aggressively and is especially good at goalie ( she hates to let a ball get by her and loves to dive in front of them). She's a typical firstborn in that she orders her siblings around (do this, you aren't allowed to do that...) and is type A about following the rules. She enjoys helping my clean house and cook, especially when there's a commission in it for her and wants to learn all my recipes so she can cook on her own (she's still supervised for now, though). She's a voracious reader and loves mysteries, sci-fi (trying to discourage that one), and biographies. She can tear up a ski slope and is currently the unofficial mascot of our local ski patrol. I have no doubt that in 5 years she will be a full patrol member.
How could I have known all that 10 years ago when I first held her? I couldn't have imagined the new worlds she would introduce me to - asking me the tough questions, forcing me to really think through my beliefs as I answer, at times pushing my patience beyond where I thought it could go, challenging me to become so much less self-centered. Today may be Miss Bee's birthday, but in so many ways it's my birthday too - my birthday as Mom.
On a less introspective note, we spent Miss Bee's birthday at a local(ish) aquarium. It was so much less crowded than last time we went and we got to spend time talking to the volunteers about the fish. After watching the divers in the tank Miss Bee decided that she wanted to learn to scuba dive. No problem, we'll just get Grammy and Papaw to teach you since there's no way on earth I'M going to learn. On second thought, maybe she and Daddy can learn together - hmmm, might be a good birthday present in a few years. For lunch we ate a nearby restaurant and Princess decided she was going to get herself on the kid's hamburger wall of fame by eating a half pound hamburger (Miss Bee did this the last time we ate at the restaurant). I knew there was no way my little 6 year old Princess could eat that much, but we let her try anyway and guess what - she did it! Don't know where she put all that food?! I teased her the rest of the afternoon asking her if she was still hungry and she would just grin and say "Yes!".
All in all this was a great way to spend my 10th birthday as a mom - enjoying our family and making memories (I'll leave out the minor squabbles in the car - kind of like the labor pains, no one really wants to have a permanent record of them).
Fast forward ten years. Where has the time flown? That tiny little creature now has a unique personality that I've become intimately familiar with. She is quite a tomboy, loves roller coasters - the faster and more loops in them the better, plays soccer aggressively and is especially good at goalie ( she hates to let a ball get by her and loves to dive in front of them). She's a typical firstborn in that she orders her siblings around (do this, you aren't allowed to do that...) and is type A about following the rules. She enjoys helping my clean house and cook, especially when there's a commission in it for her and wants to learn all my recipes so she can cook on her own (she's still supervised for now, though). She's a voracious reader and loves mysteries, sci-fi (trying to discourage that one), and biographies. She can tear up a ski slope and is currently the unofficial mascot of our local ski patrol. I have no doubt that in 5 years she will be a full patrol member.
How could I have known all that 10 years ago when I first held her? I couldn't have imagined the new worlds she would introduce me to - asking me the tough questions, forcing me to really think through my beliefs as I answer, at times pushing my patience beyond where I thought it could go, challenging me to become so much less self-centered. Today may be Miss Bee's birthday, but in so many ways it's my birthday too - my birthday as Mom.
On a less introspective note, we spent Miss Bee's birthday at a local(ish) aquarium. It was so much less crowded than last time we went and we got to spend time talking to the volunteers about the fish. After watching the divers in the tank Miss Bee decided that she wanted to learn to scuba dive. No problem, we'll just get Grammy and Papaw to teach you since there's no way on earth I'M going to learn. On second thought, maybe she and Daddy can learn together - hmmm, might be a good birthday present in a few years. For lunch we ate a nearby restaurant and Princess decided she was going to get herself on the kid's hamburger wall of fame by eating a half pound hamburger (Miss Bee did this the last time we ate at the restaurant). I knew there was no way my little 6 year old Princess could eat that much, but we let her try anyway and guess what - she did it! Don't know where she put all that food?! I teased her the rest of the afternoon asking her if she was still hungry and she would just grin and say "Yes!".
All in all this was a great way to spend my 10th birthday as a mom - enjoying our family and making memories (I'll leave out the minor squabbles in the car - kind of like the labor pains, no one really wants to have a permanent record of them).
Saturday, April 11, 2009
First Post!
I've unsuccessfully attempted two times to start blogging, so I'm hoping that the third time's the charm! To my credit, I did keep a blog for the 8 months I was pregnant with my third kiddo, so I know I CAN do this if I just WILL. This blog is mainly for my own personal enjoyment, so it has no real purpose other than being a vehicle by which I can record memories of my children. You know, things you think you'll NEVER forget, but which two weeks later all you can remember is that they said/did something you thought you'd never forget....
A bit about the family to start... For the past 10+ years I have been a SAHM. This past school year I took a part time job as a math tutor at a local college (yes, I'm a math geek! I can't help it - I love numbers). DH and I have three beautiful kiddos Miss Bee(10), Princess(7) and Big Man (5). Big Man will start kindergarten next fall and it has recently occurred to me that my kiddos won't stay kiddos forever. Yes, they'll always be MY BABIES, but reality is that they will some day leave the nest. Thus, this blog. So that one day, too soon, when they enter the teenage years at least I can look back at the cute things they said, the funny stuff they did and remember why I chose to have these kids!
Since today was a pretty typical weekend day in our family's life and nothing noteworthy occurred, I'll make this post brief. Something did happen last weekend, though, that I want to record. Big Man and Princess spent Saturday night with grandparents and on Sunday after church they went to their great-grandfather Pa's house. They played with a cousin and found their way to the creek - not unusual since they seem to have a magnetic attraction to dirt. In the creek they found (f0r the first time? not sure) the small snail-like creatures that live in freshwater streams in the area. As kids we always called them pennywinkles (kinda like periwinkle - don't have a clue where the name originated). Anyway, Big Man misunderstood the name and started calling them teeny winkles. They are very small and he is currently fascinated with all things small, so the name at least makes sense. As much sense, anyway, as penny winkle! I love observing how my kids (and all kids) try to make sense of their world, and when something doesn't quite fit, they alter it to fit in with their sense of order.
A bit about the family to start... For the past 10+ years I have been a SAHM. This past school year I took a part time job as a math tutor at a local college (yes, I'm a math geek! I can't help it - I love numbers). DH and I have three beautiful kiddos Miss Bee(10), Princess(7) and Big Man (5). Big Man will start kindergarten next fall and it has recently occurred to me that my kiddos won't stay kiddos forever. Yes, they'll always be MY BABIES, but reality is that they will some day leave the nest. Thus, this blog. So that one day, too soon, when they enter the teenage years at least I can look back at the cute things they said, the funny stuff they did and remember why I chose to have these kids!
Since today was a pretty typical weekend day in our family's life and nothing noteworthy occurred, I'll make this post brief. Something did happen last weekend, though, that I want to record. Big Man and Princess spent Saturday night with grandparents and on Sunday after church they went to their great-grandfather Pa's house. They played with a cousin and found their way to the creek - not unusual since they seem to have a magnetic attraction to dirt. In the creek they found (f0r the first time? not sure) the small snail-like creatures that live in freshwater streams in the area. As kids we always called them pennywinkles (kinda like periwinkle - don't have a clue where the name originated). Anyway, Big Man misunderstood the name and started calling them teeny winkles. They are very small and he is currently fascinated with all things small, so the name at least makes sense. As much sense, anyway, as penny winkle! I love observing how my kids (and all kids) try to make sense of their world, and when something doesn't quite fit, they alter it to fit in with their sense of order.
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