Hiding in the Woods

Hoosiers are a different breed. You will never find any more genuine, sincere, give you the shirt off their back people anywhere in the U.S. (that I have lived at least, and that is a lot of places!)Hoosier hospitality is definitely alive and well in Southern Indiana. Until it comes to Morrells.

Now I had never heard of a Morrell until I moved here 13 years ago (not even when I lived in Muncie or West Lafayette, two other IN cities). Apparently they are a to die for mushroom that until you die, no one else can know the exact spot to hunt for these conehead shaped fungi. I made the mistake during a conversation about them by asking, "So where do you find these things?" Dead silence. Astonished look. You would have thought that I had asked their bra size or how much they weighed. Obviously anyone with any kind of mushroom etiquette NEVER asks a person to divulge their sources. Oh my goodness.

I have tasted them. Once. When many years ago, a co-worker lovingly brought them in to share (one per person) for lunch. Delicious. Really good, if you like eating mold spores, which I happen to indulge in. A good friend of mine realized that as she is allergic to mold, she probably shouldn't be ingested it in mass quantities, thus abstaining.

The shocker is that these little suckers sell for something like $18.00 a pound!! When was the last time you ever paid $18 for a pound of anything (other than at a four star restaurant?) Someone else said that there is no way we should be charging other folks for something God gave us for free. That's the Hoosier spirit.

Yesterday I did have a coworker offer to come over and show me how to hunt in the woods on my property. Guess that would be OK as no one else has (or should) stake their claim on it. But there were two guys mysteriously walking in my woods last night, with two dogs and a suspicious looking plastic bag of brown "stuff". I'm not sure that they were cleaning up after their dogs, either. Maybe I need to post a No Hunting sign. Or charge a dollar for each one found.

Ahhh,the joys of being a Hoosier.

Moving On

Spring is the time of year when houses sell, it's a good time to move. Often new jobs dictate when you move, but it seems in coaching that alot of transitions/transactions happen in late winter, early spring, so the "For Sale" signs start to sprout on lawns. Our job changes have come at various times of the year. As we move into the close of the school year, (20 days left- yippee!!)I was thinking about the perfect time to move. It is not, I repeat NOT before the end of the school year. Please don't fall into any of the following myths:

I have to get my child in school so he /she will meet friends before the summer. Trust me. The kids your child may meet in school may not even live in your same neighborhood. As a parent, the worst choice I ever made was moving in May and enrolling my kids 5 weeks before school ended. Come on! As a teacher- what do you do with a student that has the sometimes trauma of moving, and then comes into a classroom where most of the 24+ kids have been together all year? Of course, the student is made to feel welcome, but it is very difficult to come into that type of situation as an adult, let alone a child. Advice? Wait until the fall when EVERYONE is new to their teachers, grade levels, etc. Friendships are formed much quicker that way than trying to fit in at the tail end of a year.

Advice? Get your child in some activity before you move, so when you arrive at the beginning of the summer, they will be able to meet kids their own age (softball, swim, golf, art lessons,etc.)
Throw a neighborhood party for kids- my husband went door to door, stopping parents on the street to find out the ages of their children. Once you meet one family, than the ripple effect begins.

There are also wonderful books written for children for varying age levels addressing the moving issue from the perspective of the child.(I will try to find some and let you know the titles-they escape me right now) The hardest move I had ever made was when my kids were 11, 7, and 4 because it wasn't just me picking up and leaving my friends and life, but the gut wrenching sobs of my children as they left their precious friendships also. The picture is embedded forever in my mind of my two sweet girls hugging and crying with my best friend's two sweet, precious girls on our front lawn the day we left Colorado. I don't know who cried harder or longer, but I do remember my husband asking as we drove through Nebraska and Kansas (on our way to Indiana) when we would ever stop crying. And those are loooonnnnggg states, believe me when you are driving in a van with three kids. I think my sniffles let up around St. Louis.

Anyway, finish out the school year, have a wonderful goodbye party and embrace the time you will share together with your family on this new adventure. NO schedules to follow- you can even pretend you are on vacation for the first few weeks until reality sets in. I firmly believe that each move strengthens your family ties- you have no one else to depend on. I always know my strength comes form the Lord, but never more than when I am in a new environment, totally out of my comfort zone with a family to take care of.

He goes before me, and He will go before you too- Trust Him!

Photo Friday

OK , so I am a few days late. I did take the photo on Friday and have been thinking and talking about it.
In southern Indiana, we have a beautiful tree called Redbud. Now the buds are actually purple, but they are outstanding against the spring green of the trees and bushes that are popping out. You know spring has arrived when you see the Redbuds. This year is the first time in 13 years that I have actually gone up close to a Redbud and looked at the individual flowers that make the beautiful color and backdrop against the rest of the trees. AMAZING!! Each individual "bud" looks like a miniature orchid!! Thousands of them on each tree.It is mind boggling to me to realize that if God m,akes that tiny,tiny bud so beautiful, for such a minuscule amount of time ( they soon, fade and leaves sprout green), how intricately he has woven each of us into this world for His purpose for us. And how incredibly beautiful each and every one of us has been created. So thank you Lord, for the Redbuds. And for each of us in our individuality.

Ugly dates

Had a few bumps in the road lately- not feeling well (chest pains, shoulder blade, can't take a deep breath). After freaking my Dr. out (WHY DIDN'T YOU GO TO THE ER????), all is fine except I still can't breathe very well, and my shoulder still hurts.So more tests this week (my dear Dr. calls from Las Vegas today to see if I got the results on Friday.I talked to her on Friday. Glad to see you can be young and still not remember anything). My self diagnosis is allergies and a strained muscle pull from the weights I carried walking Abbie around the park. We'll see.

In our teacher's lounge at school, there is a table where people put things they want to share (treats, goodies, books, bulletin board leftovers, etc). Friday there was a box that said take. Inside were delicious looking tomatoes and a baggie of some brown looking things. The two other teachers that were with me were pondering the identify of these ...brown looking... things. Being the adventurer that I am, (not!), I opened the bag and drew one out. Mmmm. Smells like a fruit-maybe a date?-as I bite into it, my friend says, maybe its a fig. BIG problem if it is, as I can't have seeds. So I take the remainder and kind of smoosh through it to see if there are any seeds. Nope! Must be a date. Actually kind of good. And on the $50 a week food budget, I am sure I can find something to do with the bag full. No problem. As I am walking back to class with my treasures, a teacher pops out of her office and says, Oh I see you got some tomatoes! I thanked her for them and the dates and she said that she left the bag of dates because to her they looked like....roaches!
Up to this point that thought had not entered my mind, but as I looked down at the bag of brown...looking ...things, I could see the resemblance. Now I have never seen roaches of this magnitude, except in National Geographic pictures, thankfully, but the shape and skin texture could possibly fall into the look alike category. (Have to save that idea for a Fear Factor party!) But I was thrilled to have my little package of dates to take home and create a recipe with.

Sometimes you have to overlook what is on the outside to get to the inside. Which reminds me of Susan Boyle, what an incredible story. But I think the world needs to enjoy her amazing voice and leave her outsides alone. Here is a perfect chance for society to learn a lesson on not judging a book by its cover, and acknowledging the beauty inside of someone, instead of trying to make her over. Enough said for today on that.

To finish my date story.

Enter my college age daughter. I told her I got free tomatoes and dates today at school. She apparently had never had a date and asked what they looked like. Perfect lead in,(right?) but I wanted to see her unbiased opinion. So I showed her and asked- what do you think? "Yuck! They look like roaches, Mom". She is not her mother's daughter.
OK, but they were free. My husband keeps telling me we have to make sacrifices. Wait til he sees what's for dinner.

Answer to prayer

Been trying to figure out a way to afford Jazzercise again.

Last Wednesday night my youngest (sophomore in college ) calls up and says "We're bored". That would be her friend and her. Bored? How can you be bored in college? There are a million things to do, and people to see. She has a car(mine) so she can go wherever. I, on the other hand am captive to sharing a car with my possessive husband. I don't think he trusts me driving his car. (Another post.) Anyway, I suggest a movie (they already missed the starting time),shopping (they don't need anything), the library. "THE LIBRARY?? Mom, I can't believe you just said that!" she shrieks loudly into the phone. I meant for her to get a video- they have a nice selection. Forgive me for suggesting a college student go to the library.
Anyway, they came over and we did a cute little mini-clipboard craft with scrapbook paper and ribbons- really fun. We are sitting on the floor sprawled out in the dining room when suddenly (sounds like a novel , right?) I have this overwhelming tight pressure on my chest, quite unlike anything that has happened before. Then pain in my back left shoulder (I thought I pulled a muscle).
Long story short, went to Dr.(who screamed at me for not going to ER) EKG normal, have to have echo cardiogram, lower my BP, cholesterol good, need to up my exercise.
Best news ever- have to do Jazzercise level intensity 3-5 times a week. I repeatedly asked my Dr.- I HAVE to do Jazzercise, right????? She finally said, "YES!" . So under Drs. orders, I get to renew my membership and attend with my youngest, who has really wanted me to continue with her. The Total Money Makeover did not have room in the budget for this, but, hey, it's Drs. orders. So now I have to figure out how to find $30 a month, but I trust that God will provide that.
Answer to prayer!!

Is this what old people do?

Three cardinals are meandering from treetop to treetop as I look out over my backyard from my perch on the second floor in my dining room turned computer/scrapbook room. I love sitting here as it is so peaceful watching the trees and flowers bloom while the squirrels race from tree to tree chasing their comrades.

My husband was in his jammies at 7:15 last night. I fell asleep on the couch at 7:30.
"Is this what old people do?", my husband continues to ask.

I love it.

For 17+ years I was never allowed the luxury of a nap. Who can nap with babies/infants/toddlers/teenagers (especially teenagers!)??? If I wasn't running someone to practice, or a game, or an appointment, I was cooking. cleaning,(well, not so much),or washing laundry or dishes.

Not that I minded it. In fact when I was in that season of my life, I loved it, couldn't imagine myself doing anything else, and in retrospect, it went waaaay too fast. My nights are my own, I can choose to go to bed at 7:00 or stay up reading until midnight if I want. I am not scheduled by someone else's activities. If I want to stay home, I can stay home. Not like the weeks when I was gone every single night with a different place I had to be for someone else.

So if you are in the midst of I never get a nap, I am always on the run, always in the car, always exhausted mode, take heart and slow down.... It doesn't last forever, you WILL miss it at some point in your life, and you will get through it. Allow yourself the luxury of saying no. Your kids will grow up just fine if they're not on a travel team at age 8, or 10. Make family night a priority.Have family dinners. Make those memories. Kids won't remember how many games you dragged them to, but they will remember the day you had a picnic in the house because it was pouring down rain outside.

I do miss those days, am thankful I survived, and am content in my season right now. "For I have learned to be content..."
And tonight I am looking forward to doing what old people do.

Praise Music

I love music. Often when I am unable to put my feelings into words, or know how to pray, I will listen to praise music and immediately, my spirits are lifted, I can have a cleansing cry, or I am deeply moved by other's music or words. I was recently at a retreat and was given the CD, Arise A New Celebration of Worship, and have been totally blessed by it.

This morning on the way to work (I had the car today!), I listened to this song called I Will Sing by Don Moen. I had never heard of him before and he truly was a gift.Here are the words, copied from the insert in the CD. Lyrics.com does not have the words, but they have an awesome audio that allows you to listen to it-I hope it will bless you when you are in a far country...

I Will Sing
Don Moen

Lord you seem so far away
A million miles or more it feels today
And thought I haven’t lost my faith
I must confess right now
That it’s hard for me to pray
But I don’t know what to say
And I don’t know where to start
But as you give the grace
With all that’s in my heart

I will sing I will praise
Even in my darkest hour
Through the sorrow and the pain
I will sing I will praise
Lift my hands to honor you
Because your word is true
I will sing

Lord it’s hard for me to see
All the thoughts and plans
You have for me
But I will put my trust in you
Knowing that You died to set me free
But I don’t know what to say
And I don’t know where to start
But as you give the grace
With all that’s in my heart

Blessings for the day!

Street Light #15

There is a streetlight right outside my bedroom window. Eighteen steps away to be exact, I just counted. High enough to be even with my window , shining right in. This is OK , it has been for the last 12 3/4 years. I am used to it, kind of like a night light.

There in lies the problem. The last few weeks, it has had a mind of its own. It flickers and goes out, which is fine, except that IT WAKES ME UP!!! Don't ask me how, but when the light goes out (erratically, sporadically throughout the night), my eyes pop open. I am in total darkness. Not that I mind total darkness, but it is not normal. So I wake up. And have a hard time going back to sleep. Hard to explain to someone the next day the reason you are so tired is that a streetlight that wasn't on, kept you up.

Just so you don't think I am crazy (well, at least not in this instance), my neighbor even mentioned it. He said he noticed it was flickering and going on and off, and wondered how we sleep with it shining in our window. Funny you should ask, as it wasn't affecting me until it decided to go out.

So I figure there is a lesson in here somewhere. Do I wake up when my light goes out spiritually? If I am in a dark place, should my eyes be opened to see what is different about the way I am thinking, how I am acting? I've had difficulty praying lately. I know God hasn't moved, I have. I am thankful for this spiritual lesson. Usually when I wake up in the middle of the night, I feel there is someone I need to pray for. So I will use the time I am given to do that. Thank you #15.

And I will call the city utilities people on Monday.

Challenge

I'm always looking/thinking about what to blog about. So this morning I read on someone else's blog (I'm spending waaaay too much time reading others, but it is fun!) to choose the 6th folder from your pictures, and choose the 6th picture in that folder and write a blog about it.So here goes.
It is a picture of my youngest daughter, and her long time friend, now roommate, Maggie on the day of their high school graduation. Maggie's dad is in the background right between their heads. Randy. What a sweet man. I dearly love Maggie (and my daughter of course). It is so fitting that this is a picture of them because they are now roommates in a house close to campus, and they periodically read my blog and have a good laugh. Wait til they see this one!
Anyway, I have fond memories of these two being friends since the 2nd grade when we moved to Bloomington. They have stuck by each other through thick and thin, ups and downs, puberty, and now college life. We all need friends like that. They have so many inside jokes, and I know that I am at the heart of a lot of them. For some reason they find me and my antics funny. Anyway, before I get too sentimental, I will be looking forward to seeing them in the same pose at the same place dressed in red and white for their college graduation in a very short two years.

Everyone needs a Maggie. Who is yours?

So I challenge you to the 3rd folder, 3rd picture. What's in your wallet?

And I am so excited, I figured out how to add a picture!! This will open up a whole new world!!!

Praises!

Taxes are done.(Well, American, still have to finish Canadian)
Neighbor/friend gave me a dress to borrow. And it fits!
She also gave us a great vacuum (sweeper)cleaner, so I don't have to lug one up and down the stairs.

Cardinals

The Cardinals are back.

This morning on the way to work in my “prayer canopy” ( the last stretch before school that is covered with trees where I turn off the radio and pray for the day), I saw a cardinal. This has always been a reassurance from God that He is in control and cares about what happens to me- I thanked him for that sign, and then saw another one right before I left the canopy! God is so amazing- encouraging us daily. Who can I encourage today? Who’s cardinal can I be?

I wrote this sometime last spring-but it continues to happen. Yesterday there were two HUGE cardinals flying back and forth in front of our house. I watched them soar from tree branch to tree top and circle around, and then repeat the pattern. Then walking the dog in the park, I saw more cardinals. They are out in full force. I guess God knows that I need that double, triple reassurance that He is there with me. Us. My husband's job situation and our finances.Our car situation. My kids and their individual needs. My students- oh my. My step-dad's health situation. My friends' burdens. A young widower with two young babies whose wife died in childbirth. I know God has already worked out all the answers to all these life-ings, in His timing, not mine. But my heart becomes heavy at times, particularly for others and their needs.

So I appreciate the cardinals and look for them each day.

Blogdom

Blogging. I haven't been doing this very long, but I do enjoy it. I am branching out and reading others blogs also, and I came to a startling revelation.

I'm old.

Now I don't want to think that I am old, but the truth of the matter is MOST of the blogs I am interested in and visiting are by much younger women. Who have their lives all put together. Have amazing husbands, beautiful children, Martha Stewart homes, and must spend literally hours each day putting stuff on their blogsites. Now I truly enjoy reading all the cool sites that have links to everywhere, and contests, and freebie giveaways, etc, but if I recall correctly when I had three kids at home, and NO computer, I still didn't have two minutes to myself.I want to know their secret.

So I am putting a plea out there for all you over 50 (or close) women that do blog- perhaps I'm in the wrong circle of bloggers...Where are you??? Those that can relate to the weeble wobbles that have appeared where my upper arms used to be, that have "fur" on the side of your face (that came out of nowhere- I didn't realize I had it until my youngest strokes my cheek in Jazzercise class tonight and points it out to me, and everyone else within hearing distance). And the waking up in the middle of the night (not for a crying child, but because somehow in the middle of the night, the heat got turned up.)I'm kind of over the gray hair thing as I started to turn in my teens and am now snow white- I only have to worry about using purple shampoo so my hair doesn't turn green or yellow like you see on old (er) people who DON'T use purple shampoo.

Anyway, all in all today was a good day- Fed and State taxes done, filed, paid (ouch!!) Just have to finish up the Canadian ones. Were you in the red or black this year? Or is it not politically correct to ask? I'm going with my friend's adage, I'm over 50, I can be old and bold. Maybe I'll even find some bloggers that are older than me. You never know.

Going Green

There is so much talk these days about "going green". What's funny is that all the stuff I was use to doing anyway is now in vogue. Go figure. For once I was just ahead of the times I guess.

I've shopped at Goodwill forever.I cut the ends off of toothpaste tubes. I refill water bottles.I recycle. I gladly take my friend's castoffs when they are remodeling, redecorating, etc. In fact, most of my house is other people's stuff! (Thank you dear friends for all your donations). So hopefully my frugleness (sp?)is helping to save the planet, as well as my budget.

So what do you do to be green? I'm always looking for more suggestions. Especially now when green cash is a little tight at our house.I recently read a blog where a family made the commitment to not buy anything new (other than food...) for an entire year. Yes, she has younger kids which may be easier to find used clothes or gifts for, but it is an interesting concept. Perhaps I could try it for a month? There's not much fluff in our envelope system right now, so I haven't been buying much anyway. I can start today.

Anyone have a dress I can borrow for a wedding I have to go to in May?

Procrastination

Who else works best under pressure? I continually find myself with tons of things to do and no time to do it until the zero hour. Then I stress, get crabby and become miserable for all those around me. Taxes are due in two days. Yikles! Where did all the time go? Seems like I have been working on them forever, but here it is with two days to go and they are not done. And they HAVE to be done. I suppose I could take the cowards way out and file an extension, but as we owe, that means we would just owe more. And then I'm mad because we owe. Did you know that Americans are "surtaxed" an additional 48% of the taxes that you owe in Canada? And then you only get to write off one third of what you paid in Canada on your American taxes. NOT FAIR.Enough of my soapbox. At least we had an income to pay taxes on. I have to look at the bright side.

So how do you deal with the tax thing? Take it to an accountant? Had we had to pay ours last year, it would have been over $600.(We got in on a free teacher's week) And I found mistakes in their report.Have you become an expert yourself? What are some tips on how I can get them done sooner? (One hangup was the Canadian T4 didn't come until last week- theirs is not due until April 30th).
I think I'll go eat some chocolate.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter, He is risen!

Pests

I'm doing a bible study called Ridding Yourself of Pests, addressing all the bad habits in your life. I am also trying to rid my house of those little pantry pests, I think that is what they are called. They come in cardboard, love flour, sugar, anything they can find to snack on. I totally cleaned out my pantry- down to nothing, put all new items in sealed containers, and I still have the little buggers. I was down to one or two this winter, and now that spring is upon us- they are out in full force. Where do they hide? What makes them come out? I am baffled. I don't like to use chemicals, so does anyone know a natural way to get rid of these annoying insects in my life?

Trying to relate this to spiritual matters, I know that I harbor many annoying pests inside of me. And they come out when I least expect it. No matter how hard I try to get rid of certain things, they continue to pop up at the least expected times. Just when I think that issue is dead, it takes off in flight. Kind of like these pesky pantry pests. (Say that fast 10 times!)

Take stock of what is in your spiritual pantry. Do you have annoying pests that continue to have life? What is your way of ridding yourself from them? I'll take any suggestions. I'd love to start this spring/time of new birth through Christ's resurrection with a clean pantry. How about you?

Time in a bottle

The James Taylor's song keeps running through my mind. My younger blogger readers may not have ever heard it. (Hi girls!)
Side note- I get a text (wonderful way to keep in touch with my kids- they respond to texts when they can't/won't/don't answer the phone)from my 23 year old that says "you blog I want to barf". Not taking offense, I figure she really doesn't understand the blogging world. About half an hour later I get a call from her and I can't understand a word she is saying. My first thoughts are that something horrible has happened. I can't understand her, she is crying/ not talking, gasping for air.I finally make out the words...your bloooooog!!!!! She is laughing hysterically. Now when she laughs, it is the most wonderful sound in the world. Until it moves into "the cackle", then everyone around her is infectiously affected and then no one can stop laughing.So we had a good cry/laugh at my expense. SO what else is new? Love you guys.

Any way, I started to write about how fast time flies. Seems like yesterday I was having babies, then raising babies, then sending them off to college babies.Days blur into weeks, weeks into months and suddenly I am a year older. I don't like this, but it does beat the alternative. My mom's life was cut short because of breast cancer at age 42, so I know every year after that has been a gift for me.

Oops, talking about time flying. My chauffeur is ready to take me to school, must run, more later. Have a blessed day!

I need to accept the facts

OK. For years now I have been referring to the dog in our house as my daughter's dog. She's the one who begged for it, promised to take care of it, etc. We got the dog when she was a junior (in Dec.) in high school. Year and a half later she goes off to college. For four years, working in Michigan for the summers. So guess who gets to take care of the dog? Her sister, my husband and I. Three years later her sister goes to college in Ohio, my husband takes a job in Canada for eight months, and I am left with the dog. Just me and the dog. And I don't even like dogs.

Somehow , by default, I have become this dog's caretaker. I feed her, walk her and clean the gunk out of her ears. (Triple yucko). She waits for ME to take her out, even when there are now other people in the house. I keep reminding myself that someday, Kelly will get a job and be able to take the dog to live with her. No more black hairs all over the house! No more underwear and socks in the middle of the living room! No more growling when my husband (or anyone) wants to hug me- (she's very protective).

We were discussing this at dinner tonight. I mentioned that I really may have to come to the realization and accept the fact that I now have a dog. Kelly may not want to (or be able to) take her with her, and despite the fact that I'm not really attached to her, the dog's attached to me. It may break her heart to not have the park to run in, the squirrels and birds to chase, the neighbor kids to love on her.
The college grad student that lives with us had the astute awareness to say, " I'd only been here two weeks when I realized that Abbie may be Kelly's dog, but YOU are her human." Great.

So now I am an animal's human. I'm still working on accepting that fact.

Disturbing News

I heard a most disturbing item in the news this morning as I drove to work. There are studies now that show people actually do start looking like their dogs. I had heard that married couples start to look alike, (when does this start to happen, and why- do the foods we eat morf us into clones? Or is it watching the same TV programs? We never do other than 24 ,or is it by osmosis when we are sleeping?) Anyway, I could see that maybe married couples have the same mannerisms or expressions, but my DOG???

So I started to think about it. Actually, since I am prematurely gray,(at what point is it no longer considered premature, I ask?) my black lab's hair color does seem appealing as it is close to my original hair color. And my family has always teased me about my nose, but surely another dog's snout may be more apropos than a Labrador, although I do have an incredible sense of smell. I can tell two blocks away if my husband has been smoking a cigar.(Double yuck.) I have blue eyes, the dog's are brown. She has long floppy ears, I'd like to think if mine are considered long, at least they are not floppy. Not at this age anyway, but did you know that cartilage never stops growing? So your ears and your nose will continue to grow until you die. Sobering thought, that I may be wasting away on my deathbed with huge ears and an even bigger nose. God does shave a sense of humor.

Maybe I'll start looking more like my dog than I thought. I wish someone had told ne that before we got a lab.

So do you resemble your dog? Why did you choose your dog? My walks in the park will never be the same as I say hello to the dog owners I meet there.

Hi ho hi ho, it's off to Chrysalis I go

All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go...oh my, it looks like I am moving to college. Literally the whole half of the living room is piled with my junk for camp.
I am working on a Chrysalis "Flight" , a wonderful, amazing high school/college age retreat for young Christian girls. It starts Thursday night, runs through Sunday , consisting of 15 talks, some by clergy, some by adults, some by youth. It is incredible to see God at work in the transformation in some girls from the time they arrive Friday morning, until they are able to share about their experience on Sunday night. You can see the change in their faces, in the way they walk,hear it in their voices.
They also offer this for boys, as well as the adult version,"Walk to Emmaus". I had a dear friend come home from her walk ( love ya Bets!) and she was on a spiritual high for weeks, maybe months. O remember her commenting on how vivid the colors of God's creation are, pointing it out to everyone she saw! Look at the green grass, look at the trees! Unfortunately not everyone had had that same experience, so she may have gotten some unusual stares. But I loved the awakening that she brought back to everyday life. It was as if God had removed a filter and allowed her to see the world through His technicolor vision.What a joy to be around someone so entusiastic about the world God created.

As I look out my window this morning at the daffodils and budding trees, I pray that the girls' eyes will be opened to all God wants them to see this weekend. With everything our younger generation has to face , let this be a weekend to reconnect with God and see the world through His eyes.

Fly with Christ!

Miracle update

Quick note- God is amazing!(see previous post on You Never Know) Beckie's heart is functioning normally (it may not have been a heart attack) or maybe it was and God totally healed her!! She is responsive - squeezing her husband's hand, smiling at her daughters and turning her head to a friend's voice. She has been upgraded to "guarded" condition. Her kidneys have started functioning and they are continuing doing tests to see how her brain is functioning! This can only be a miracle as on Monday she was on life support with no brain activity, if the reports were correct.
Thanks for prayers- please continue to hold her before the Lord- I'd love to see her at my training on April 18th!!

Girly stuff

I wake up to my husband complaining about all the "girly stuff" on my bathroom counter. I told him I needed it all to get ready in the morning. You can't possibly need all that stuff. OK I get it, guys are different...they need soap,(also used as shampoo-yucko), toothpaste and deoderant,(if they wear it). Boom, out the door.

Not so with women. I once heard we put 30+ chemicals (I think it was higher, but I didn't have time to research)each day on our bodies. So I kept track this morning.
In the shower: Soap, shampoo,face wash, shaving cream (I'm out, so I used body wash),sugar scrub for the heels,done).Now to the sink: toothpaste, 1006 ( skin cleanser, awesome stuff, I've been using it for the last 43 years), eye makeup remover, face lotion, bronzer (now you know my secret, I didn't get to go to Florida for spring break), soap to wash the bronzer off my hands, under eye cover, foundation, blush, eye shadow, mascara.

Now for the hair: gel, before I dry, poufy stuff when dry, spray to set it ( side note- lice are repelled by hair "products" one of my occupational potential hazards, want to be protected!). Last but not least deoderant. Oh, I forgot body lotion, "Say Yes to Carrots" my choice this morning- Amazing stuff my friend gave me for Christmas- rubbing veggies on your skin has got to be good, right?

Wow. That's let's see....21. Have you read the labels on this stuff??? There may be closer to 100 chemicals in all of those products. And I consider myself pretty low maintenance, I can be out the door in 20 minutes if I have to. And have on occasion when my husband and I are sharing a car and the subfinder calls at 6 a.m. and we have to leave by 6:30. The other 10 minutes are walking the dog and grabbing a breakfast and lunch!

So what is your routine? How many chemicals are you exposing yourself to? Is there a better way? I'd love to hear your suggestions.