Good Ideas Go Awry

I came to work an hour early today to blog. Instead I tidied, and sorted, and put things on bulletin boards and then...before I knew it...I was getting late for work. It's just like home. I really, really intend to write... but stuff distracts me. Focus, Betsy, focus!

Yesterday was Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. A federal holiday in honor of a man who led our country giant steps forward in civil rights matters. My friend put this quote on her blog.I don't think she'll mind if I borrow it  because this message is the heart and soul of our Christian faith. The heart and soul of every God-fearing, God-honoring, God-loving faith.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
-- Martin Luther King, Jr.
Strength to Love, 1963

A Frosty Morning

We made a trip to the airport this morning before church. Nathan is flying back to California...should be there soon...which means he had a really long travel day. Here's a view from the car as we drove on the interstate.

It was a beautiful morning, but so very freezing cold!  Someone said to me, "Yep, it's beautiful, but I hate it." She laughed, but I think she meant it. It's a shame to hate something so beautiful. I love it, but check back with me in March.

Earlier this week our cute little dog made herself a path around the backyard. Nathan caught these cute shots.

Snow Days

The local schools took a snow day, but Tom's school only had a 2 hour delay. Which unfortunately means he goes to work 2 hours early. I made a valiant effort to go to work. Believe it or not I got out of this snow drift at home, but I couldn't get in the parking lot at church. It was plowed shut double time, once by the road plow and once by the sidewalk plow. I parked along the street, put my 4-way lights on and assessed the situation. Then I waded through thigh high snow and got a snow shovel. I made a little dent in the driveway entrance before my back reminded me that this wasn't a good idea. So I trudged back to return the shovel, brushed myself off and drove home. On the way home I thought of all the things I could accomplish on my snow day. But it boiled down to this. I shoveled a little of our drive so the mail person could access the mailbox. Then...the neighbor boy came on his snowmobile and made me a ski trail around the field behind the barn...so... I couldn't let his generous effort go to waste. I strapped on my skis and played in the snow. What fun!

Tomorrow I'm going to work. I'll do housework, write thank you notes, go to the church office, and then I'll type up some restaurant descriptions for my other job. That's what I'm going to do...tomorrow.  Promise!

"God thunders wondrously with his voice; He does great things which we cannot comprehend. For to the snow He says, fall on the earth..." (Job 37:5-6)

 

Happy (day 3 of the) New Year

A puffy, fluffy winter wonderland here. It's pushing 3 feet of snow. We managed to get to church this morning. Tom plowed this afternoon, but you can't really tell. Now it's time to fret about whether it's safe (or possible) to get kids to school tomorrow. We've heard the buses are pretty much snowed in; just getting them out of the lot will be a huge project. So, who knows, we might be taking a snow day tomorrow. If there's no school, I don't have to go to work at the church do I?

It's a beautiful pure white, clean slate, start to a new year, a new decade. We're looking for better days, or at least if not better, may our troubles in the new year be as short-lived as our resolutions. (Typed with a wink and a smile and thanks to Curtis, from whom I stole that line.) Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas from our house to yours!

It's cold outside, it's toasty warm inside. A bit more wrapping, and hey, I'm ready enough!

We're looking for all of our kids to arrive on the 24th and 25th.

I haven't sent Christmas cards in hopes that I'll soon have a family picture to include in New Year's greetings. I have so enjoyed hearing from many of you. The pictures of families, new babies, adorable little and big children, warm my heart. Thank you to all of you who have sent cards. It's so nice to be remembered! (And to all of you who, like me, haven't sent cards...I understand!!!)

May God bless us all this year with joy, peace and love.

"This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."

I John 4:10

Count down to Christmas

One week! How does it sneak up on us like that? No matter, I'm ready enough. First we put up the outside tree -- clear lights only, but they didn't photograph very well.

Then we put up the happy tree -- colored lights and homemade pine cone ornaments (Thank you Laura Shaffer Rausch -- what's it been 10 years ago?!? They still look lovely.) Wooden toys and cloth angels and silver bells (actually they're gold, but...) make this a bright fun tree. Under the tree is a nativity set that little ones can play with. It's all child friendly.

This year we have a third tree (maybe we did last year too) and it's all white and gold, snow flakes and icicles and glass bulbs and sparkly garland. Bulbs and the Angel came from Nathan's Christmas stash. Beautiful Hallmark bulbs from Adam and Alicia last year. The tree skirt made by my very dear friend Deenie several years ago. All I need to complete this trip down nostalgia lane is a picture of the stockings made by my mom. They're hung by the chimney with care. I'll save that pic for the next blog -- stockings and a look at the beautiful fluffy snow we've got. Here's dreaming of a white Christmas.

Shopping

Is it unreasonable to think I could do all of my Christmas shopping in one trip to the mall? That's the challenge of the week. We'll see. I'll let you know how it turns out for me!

I wrote this on the 14th and we (Tom and I) did a super job. Then we went again on the 15th and pretty much almost finished up. Then we went on the 18th to take care of a few exchanges and last minute things.

So the answer is yes, it's unreasonable to think you can do all your shopping in one trip to the mall. But we nailed it in 3 short trips. The stamina for shopping wanes as the years pile on.

Hurry, Hurry, Rush, Rush

I decided to  hurry up and slow down. Quick before it's too late. Is that oxymoronic or what? I've missed some pretty important things -- birthdays, thank you notes, bills, nah, just kidding about the bills, but I'm scared to death of that one. So I set up some of my payments on-line. But I forgot. Then the bill came and I paid it. No sooner was it in the mail than it posted on-line, and bing, it was paid twice. It's okay, they credit you the next month around ;-)

Last week I had my computer reformatted and spent a day reconfiguring, reloading, pulling my hair. The cyber gods were tormenting me. But it pretty much all worked out...I think...I hope.

Here's a recap of our Thanksgiving week. Tom and I enjoyed turkey dinner with our friend, Aunt Ronnie, at her house.

It was a pleasant day, with a lovely lady. On Saturday 1/2 of our children arrived and we did Thanksgiving again. I call them the "A" kids: Adam & Alicia, Aaron & Amy (and of course, the little guy too who doesn't have an "A" name.)

The kids all got Christmas trees to take home. We put up the outside tree on the porch on Saturday, got lights on it the next Saturday. I had help on Friday to put some decorations around the house. And my little helper decorated herself while she was at it.

We've been selling trees like crazy. I've been trying to keep up with work at the church and my writing job. Decorating, baking, shopping, doing holiday things...yeah, right, I'm not getting very far. But you know, it always gets done. We had an interesting Sunday School class today on living in and appreciating the moments. That theme was sort of continued in a wonderful message during church from Romans 8. The lead up to that well known and oft quoted verse Rom. 8:28 "All things work together for good to those who love God..." But don't miss the context. "Yet what we suffer now..." Yes, we do suffer. And the pastor assured us that we will suffer in the new year. It's part of life, part of the groaning of creation. It groans and we groan as we wait for His glory to be revealed, when all of God's children will be free from sin, death, and decay. As we wait patiently (or not) we have the Holy Spirit to help us. Meanwhile, trials produce steadfastness and maturity. And God's grace is sufficient. "For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory."

How awesome is that? So if you're going to hurry up and do anything...hurry up and get hold of that right standing with God. He's giving it away. Go get it. It's truly awesome.

Happy Thanksgiving

Two more days and the holidays are upon us! This is a busy time of year. Turkey day is the official start of the Christmas tree selling season. We've already sold a half dozen trees and there are another dozen tagged. The fields actually look rather picked over...we're considering not putting up our "Trees for Sale" sign. We'll just sell to the people who already know about us. We'll see. A 12+ foot tree left the property today in this big truck...

Yep, that's our boy Adam the Army man...he got a dandy big tree for his unit to enjoy.

We went to see Davey Boy in Connecticut this past weekend. He and Mel (our daughter-in-law to be) and Tom and I took a spin an hour or so north to visit Lake Benedict where Dave proposed to Mel in August.

It was a great weekend. And now it's a short week and I'm behind the eight ball. Getting ready for Thanksgiving on Thursday, and Thanksgiving again on Saturday, and trees to sell, and hunters to get ready for, and my two part time jobs. Man, is this the abundant life or what?!?

Be Free

That continual feast I wrote about last Tuesday...well if I heard the message right in church this week we are encouraged to enjoy the feast with abandon. If the Savior has set you free, then you are free indeed. What he sets us free from is sin. Goodbye millstone of guilt, hello peace that passes understanding and unspeakable joy. (Okay, enough of the cliches already?) I didn't hear anything I didn't already know, but sometimes truth is shared in such a way it makes your heart sing. (Couldn't help myself, last one, I promise.) All that to say, it's a good start to a new week!

Last week in review. Nathan is off to California. After careful planning, printing directions and a map, loading as many of his worldly possessions into his car as possible he set out on his cross country trek. He's kept us abreast of his travels by phone, making good time, not tired, no car problems to speak of. (?) It's all good.

I'm off my crutches...not necessarily because I should be, but, well, that was all I could take. I do not get an "A" for patience. With Nathan gone I had the little girls on my one day a week babysitting stint all by myself. We got along just fine according to me. It might be another story if you ask the 3-year-old. She so wanted an underduck push on the swings.