Quiz - Are You Countrified?

Photo: Near Kingston, Tennessee.

This was originally a "redneck" quiz, but in my opinion rednecks don't have an entirely good reputation and there's a bit of a prideful thing about being stupid for some of them. Being a country girl or farm girl is more what I'm used to, so I took the liberty to change the name. You don't have to be stupid to be countrified. :-)  Some of the wisest people I've know where country people.

Have you ever...

1. Owned a pellet or BB gun as a kid? Used my brother's as a kid. We have one now, though. It is mostly used for getting peafowl off of the truck and to discourage the peacock from screaming too close to the house from late winter through summer.

2. Owned a real gun? No. My husband does. I've never shot it.

3. Shot a real gun? Yes, I think so.

4. Gone squirrel or rabbit hunting? No.

5. Gone fishing? Yes. The most fun I ever had fishing was on the pier at Pismo Beach, California. We were fishing for baby red snapper and an old timer from out of town had given my dad a tip on how to set up our lines and how to bounce them to catch the most fish. My little brother and I were catching them so fast that my dad didn't have time to fish himself. The locals were not pleased to be out-fished by a couple of kids who didn't know what they were doing. hehe Otherwise fishing seems boring to me. I'd rather be reading a book without the bother of keeping track of a fishing rod. ;-)

6. Owned or used a slingshot? Yes, used one.

7. Plucked a chicken/turkey?  Yes, when we lived in Kenya I helped a Kenyan lady dress a chicken. I think we plucked feathers, among other things.

8. Eaten poke weed? No.

9. Eaten deer meat?  Yes.

10. Eaten frog legs? Yes.

11. Fed a baby farm animal with a bottle? I don't think so.

12. Gathered fresh eggs? Yes, but very little.

13. Driven a stick shift? Yes. My brother tried to teach me to drive his VW Bug. It was not a big success. I never did it enough to really get comfortable with it. That's the kind version of the story. ;-)

14. Started a vehicle using a manual choke? No.

15. Rode in the back of a pick-up truck?  Yes. 

16. Shucked or shelled corn? Yes. I've also eaten field corn when it was still soft enough to cook and eat off the cob.

17. Waded barefoot in a creek? Yes, but I managed to never get a leech attached to me.

18. Caught fireflies in a jar at night? Yes.

19. Tasted wild honeysuckle? Yes.

20. Gathered wild blackberries? Yes. And I had the poison ivy rash to prove it.

21. Used an outhouse?  Yes. In leopard country and once on a very cold and snowy day in Michigan.

22. Rode a horse? Yes.

23. Smelled the scent of cured tobacco hanging in a tobacco barn? No. But my dad uses tobacco to make insecticide for his plants. That stuff has its own "unique" smell. <insert eyeroll here>

24. Taken the ashes out of a wood stove or wood heater? Yes.

25. Carried in firewood? Yes.

26. Walked barefoot down a gravel or dirt road? Yes.

27.  Slept in a tent? Yes.

28. Been attacked by a rooster? No.

29. Eaten raw apple, potato or turnip off the blade of a pocket knife? Not directly into my mouth. It was someone else's knife.

30. Dipped skoal or chewing tobacco or had it applied to a Bee sting? No. We used baking soda mixed with water on bee stings, I think.

31. Eaten homemade snow Ice Cream? Yes.

32. Used a pump to draw water from a well? Yes, but not the old timey type.

33. Been on a hayride? Yes.

34. Jumped into a pile of raked leaves? Yes.

35. Carved your initials into a tree? I don't think so.

36. Sucked on a piece of water hose to siphon gas out of a gas tank? No.

37. Been shocked by an electric fence? I don't think so, but only because I was chicken. ;-) 

38. Split wood with an ax? No.

39. Hung laundry outside on a clothesline? Yes

40. Eaten fried bologna? No. Well, I have eaten cooked Lebanon bologna (and that is not a Middle Eastern thing. It is a Pennsylvanian thing.). Lebanon bologna is another whole thing than the usual type of pre-sliced American stuff.

41. Eaten grits for breakfast? Yes.

42. Eaten wild hog, racoon or opossum? Yes - racoon. It was terrible. And wild hog, which was meh. And I never did cook the second piece that was in the freezer. The dog(s) got it. 

Other things I've done as a country girl:

1. Picked corn and fruit at you-pick farms.

2. Picked up apple drops at an orchard.

3. Made apple cider. Made maple sugar candy from syrup my brother cooked down.

4. Canned and frozen vegetables we grew and fruit from our own tree (as well as purchased produce).

5. Picked wild raspberries and I think strawberries.

6. Found a bird's nest and watched baby birds grow up.

7. Notified the sheriff's department as to who the owners were of the loose pigs they found. (Not us. ;-) )

8. Had stray animals on our property (before we got a fence). White donkeys one time and goats another. Oh, and that miniature bull.

9. Had wild animals living under the place I lived (woodchuck in Michigan, skunks in Tennessee).

10. Had to think about running across wild animals in the dark and take appropriate precautions.

11. Started a kerosene heater.

12. Been broken down on a country road in the winter.

13. Found abandoned apple trees growing wild in the woods.

14. Cultivated a wild rose.

15. Started a fire in a woodstove.

16. Eaten dandelion flowers and greens and dandelion jelly.

17. Eaten daylilies.

18. Eaten bantam chicken, duck, and peafowl eggs. (Not all at once.) I used to feed green grass to the neighbor's bantams trough the fence too - when I was a kid.

19. Laughed at a city slicker. ;-) (I'm sure I've been laughed at by city people too!)

20. Harvested wildflower seeds.

23. Gone to a country church where there was no air conditioning for hot, humid weather. Played the piano for an old fashioned "sing" in one of those too.

22. Picked pussy willow. 
(I don't remember if I picked this bunch, but I picked a bunch the day I took this photo. It was our neighbor's bush/tree in Tennessee. She let me pick some.)

23. Stored an old appliance behind the house or shed. haha Keeping it real, folks. ;-)

Random Acts of Blogging - Life this Fall and Possibly Other Things

It's been about 100 years - give or take a few - since I did one of these, so I thought it was time...

First, though, I want to thank all those who have prayed for my health lately. As those who read the posts of Facebook may know, I've been having some health struggles. It has been an ongoing thing, which is a story for another day, and it is still being worked through at present. But, I just wanted to say thank you to those who have prayed for me. The Lord is helping us through this and giving light for the way, but on His time schedule. There is still a ways to go before we're hopefully through it, so please do continue to pray if you feel so led. It's appreciated muchly. :-)

Lately I have been...

Making: A mess. We are in the process of moving out of our master suite to the guest room at the opposite end of house so that my husband can work on mold clean up and possibly remodeling of the bathroom in the master suite. Also my dad needs us closer to his house at present so that we can get the signal from the call button receiver in case he needs us in the night. (It doesn't reach our present bedroom.) Do you know how much mess it takes to change rooms after you've lived in one for 13 years. Stuff here. Stuff there. Where should this go? Do we really need this? Etc. ad nauseum. 

Cooking: Yes. I have been cooking. We have to eat, after all. :-) (Oh, the sarcasm. It will come out at times.) <grin> Sigh. Mostly, I've been trying to cook quick and easy things that don't take too much time and energy. I've also been trying to eat three meals a day instead of just two and snacks. I think it's better for me. My husband has been working from home most of the time, and the flexibility has been maybe just a little too easy to take advantage of.

Reading: Less intense things because I'm a little fragile right now. It's the time of year for seasonal affected disorder, and I have to be careful what I read, listen to, watch, and even what I talk about and who I interact with.

Wanting: To feel better and have more energy. There has been improvement - thank the Lord! But, there are still things that need work.

Looking: For stuff we need to buy - a new air purifier, a cleaner small space air conditioner, a new automatic blood pressure monitor, etc. I do not enjoy trying to make decisions about things like that.

Playing: That game of trying to relocate a bunch of possessions out of one room (two rooms, really) into the rest of the house and figuring out where to put it all and what can be gotten rid of and what is really needful and has to be easy to access. And...then too, what is there in the rest of the house that isn't needed and can go away in order to make room for the needed displaced stuff. Does that sound like a cheerful, restful game? It isn't. Just so you know. ;-)

Deciding: So many things. It's exhausting. Making decisions is one of the great challenges of my life in many ways because indecision is one of my besetting faults. Ack! Some of the decisions are quite important and potentially life changing, and others are not that important, but I sometimes treat them all with the same level of intensity. Ho hum. Do we every outgrow these things, I wonder?

Wishing: So many things. But most of all that I would just trust the Lord to get us through this time and stop thinking that something terrible is happening every time a new obstacle pops up. Because they often are turning out to be the thing that leads us to the next important piece of the puzzle we're working on.

Enjoying: Gorgeous autumn weather. And over the last few days - that the allergens are finally going down some. We have opened windows a couple days this week already.

Waiting: For my batteries to recharge so that I can get the next thing done. And not always waiting like I should and sometimes getting myself into a bit of a snarl. And I need to use my waiting time better too without adding to my tiredness, if that makes sense.

Liking: Having my husband's help with things that need doing - especially the kitchen chores and the moving rooms project. Having him working on the clean up in our yard from last February's big freeze (we had a number of dead things that need/needed to be cut down and removed and it was recommended to wait till fall so we could know how much was truly dead.)

Wondering: If we should be repairing this house or trying to make other living arrangements - like a small house we can put additions on later, or a portable small house that we could move later if we needed to. Also, wondering if the new highway that is supposed to go through this area is going to go through our property. It looks like it may go through across the street. By how close? And how bothersome? And should we move or stay or what? With all the stuff going on in our situation it's obvious that the Lord is doing something here, but the steps are still only clearing one at a time. How our flesh dislikes that sometimes.
Also wondering how it got dark so soon. 

Loving: Our quiet life here with just the three of us and the cats. Our property is like a park. We have so much to enjoy and be thankful for and our fellowship and friendship among ourselves has been good this year.

Missing: My mom. So very much. Sometimes it feels like it's more than last year this time. October was their anniversary and this year it was just hard to see my dad alone and struggling to be thankful. And this month is Thanksgiving which is our family's main holiday of the year. Grief surprises us sometimes because we think that it's lifting more and then we get to some point and it comes back so strong that we wonder what is wrong with us or "Why now? Why this again?" It's important to remember that it's OK to feel and yearn for connection because that is what God created us for - connection to Him and to each other. And, if our loved ones were God's children also, we have to try to temper our sorrow and missing of them with hope for a future so great we can't even imagine it. Romans 8:17-19 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

(I can't help myself sometimes. I'm a teacher at heart I guess.:-)  )

Pondering: How strange the world has become. How truly nasty people can be. (2 Timothy 3:1-7) How important it is not to let the ugliness around us make us hard and unfeeling just because most people don't respond well to life in general and specifically to the truth from God's word. It's so easy to harden our hearts and emotions because feeling hurts when there is so much wrong around us.

Considering: Donating a lot of fabric and yarn to others so that I have less stuff and also so that these things will be put to good use. I just have too much fabric and stuff in my sewing room and I don't sew all that much any more, so a lot of the fabric could go to someone who will use it and I could keep just what I really love and would likely use. And I hardly have use of yarn any more as I haven't crocheted much in years. I have already started this on a small scale, but I need to pursue it more. It's hard because I love fabric. But, truthfully, I think I love painting and making greeting cards and writing more. So... 

Watching: This and that. Stuff. I really need to work on watching less, and better short videos (like on Facebook). It's a work in progress. Some of the painting videos have been creatively inspiring. Sermons can be really good too and I was blessed with several over the weekend. Research is more likely to be discouraging or take up a lot of head space. But, watching the cats' antics is always a pleasure, especially when they accompany us on our walks (on our property, not the road). Also, it's been a little weird watching our younger cat, Snickerdoodle, pass up his older brother, Java, in size - just all of the sudden he's a big cat! 

Hoping: For improvement and for less migraines. To make progress with inner struggles. To get the move to the other bedroom completed.

Marveling: At God's amazing creation. The beauty of good friendships and how much they improve our lives and make us better. How God brings things to us in groups to underscore a point He's making sometimes - the same basic message from several different directions at one time.

Needing: To get so many things done. To spend less time on Facebook, even when I actually do need to be resting. :-/  To be more diligent at keeping the kitchen cleaned up because I feel better when there isn't a pile of stuff looking at me every time I go in there, and getting in my way when I need to work.

Smelling: Like ginger a lot because I'm using ginger scented grapeseed oil for deodorant. Ok, I know that wasn't what was intended, but it's true, and I like the smell. :-) Unfortunately a bee did today on our walk too - apparently. I ran a little bit for the first time in I-don't-know-how-long. I actually can still run a little. haha! I also have enjoyed the smell of autumn lately. One day someone was burning leaves or wood somewhere around here and it smelled so much like I remember from my youth in Michigan - back when so many people burned leaves in the fall. :-)

Wearing: My feelings on my sleeve too much. It's not a good look on me. Ugh. Also wearing things that are more comfortable around the shoulders because tightness and discomfort there can move into my neck and then my head and create a migraine or at least a headache. Also, I've been able to break out some of my warmer clothes! Yay! I love the more snuggly things. :-) At least for a few months. ;-)

Noticing: That there are others recently who are getting weary of the bad attitudes and general nastiness and contention going on. This is hopeful. If enough people get fed up and step away and warn others back maybe things can settle down a bit. Also, noticing how many, many Christians and churches I know of seem to be under attack from the adversary these last two years. It has been over the top, constant, and not always entirely obvious. It also seems to be escalating. What does it mean? I don't think we know the final answer on that, but it is important! And the spiritual battle has been so palpable. It has felt harder to get to where I want to be spiritually and to just keep on keeping on.

Knowing: That the Lord is in control. And yet too often doubting that, or doubting myself and thinking that all this is my fault somehow. And yet, the Lord keeps showing Himself strong and wise in spite of my weakness and lack of faith. He has given us the leading or piece of information we needed a number of times in ways that I didn't like when it happened, and yet afterwards or part way through I knew it was Him and it was part of His purpose for us. "O, [me] of little faith!"

Thinking: Sometimes I have to try to just stop. It can become overwhelming and make me so stressed out. And, with the headaches and migraines it can actually make the pain worse. But, I have been thinking about a lot, as I think you can already see from this post. Ha. ;-)

Feeling: Gradually better! Praise the Lord! There are still set backs, and worse days, but my stamina has slowly increased some and my energy is better. Also, I have sometimes felt like writing again and done a little, which is good. :-) Sometimes I feel so discouraged with all the stuff we're dealing with at the present, and other times I feel hopeful and excited to be getting some things done - especially where our house is concerned. 

Admiring: Other people's painting. The autumn sun. The flowers my husband bought me for our anniversary! :-)

Buying: Some new art stuff. Yay! Also a lot of necessities. And, on our anniversary, we got to go to Whole Foods (thank the Lord for strength!) and we bought various useful foods we hadn't had for a long time and some treats and we made ourselves a nice meal at home later. We hadn't been to Whole Foods for well over a year because we had reduced our grocery shopping to two stores and online.

Getting: Tired. And getting things done! Yes, despite my slowness, there has been progress. When I stop to consider what has been done instead of looking just at what hasn't yet, I can see that we're making progress, and sometimes it's very encouraging. :-)

Bookmarking: Painting stuff. Card making stuff. Research. Stuff for the blog. Possible housing options. 

Opening: The windows! The blinds and drapes! Because the weather is cool enough to do both more now. Thank the Lord! :-) 

Giggling: At the cats. With my husband - ok, he doesn't giggle a lot, but I giggle with him. :-) We laugh at the cats a lot. I giggle at myself sometimes too. At random silly thoughts or memories.

Psalm 90:12-17 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants. O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil. Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children. And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it. 

Random Acts of Blogging - Photos and Stuff

I haven't been feeling very well this week, but I wanted to schedule a post for today, so I'm just giving you some random pictures to enjoy and a few verses that my sister-in-law in Australia posted this week.. :-)

I think this is stork's bill. These grow on our property.

These are blackfoot daisies, so called for the little "foot" that sticks out at the center of each petal. They have bloomed nicely this year around my dad's driveway.

Part of the vegetable garden in 2017. These are sweet potato starts. My dad's strength is much reduced this year so I don't know how much garden we'll have since he is our chief vegetable gardener on the property. The slats of wood and the PVC pipe frame in the background were to help hold up plastic or old tablecloths and blankets to protect the plants from late frosts. We can get them as late April here.

I think this may be spider wort. This photo was probably taken by my husband when we were on a visit to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

And here I am in the apron my mom gave to me for my birthday in April of 2017. It was the last thing that she sewed for me. I have it in my kitchen still. I have used it some, but I knew even then that it was probably the last, so I haven't worn it as much as I would have under different circumstances. It has musical notes and bluebirds on it. My sister-in-law helped her with the project and also made the quilt behind me (which belongs to my dad.) :-) Every piece in that quilt represents something from my dad's life in some way.

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1 Chronicles 29:10-13 ...Blessed be Thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is Thine; Thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and Thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of Thee, and Thou reignest over all; and in Thine hand is power and might; and in Thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank Thee, and praise Thy glorious name.

Random Acts of Blogging - Questions About Writing

I found these questions somewhere online. I'm sorry I don't remember where, nor do I remember if I added any of my own. :-)

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Do you write better at a specific time of day?

That's hard to say. I'm not sure there's a time I write better, but I do have the unfortunate tendency to start writing too late in the afternoon or evening and then end up writing too late. This isn't good for my health. Sigh.

What is something about yourself that you hope will change, but probably never will?

I struggle with self-doubt about my writing skills quite a bit. I also get discouraged about whether I'm doing anything useful.

How much time do you spend writing?

This year, not as much as I should. I have been gradually getting back to feeling like writing just lately, but I had a rather long spell of not feeling motivated to write much. I realize now that this was probably largely due to the stress we were going through dealing with my mom's dementia and failing health.

What is your favorite type of writing?

At present I have been enjoying the epistolary form of writing - the new category at the web page: "Letters to My Friend".

When did you know you were a writer?

Strange to say, I didn't really know it for a long time. I was at least in my late twenties or thirties, I think, before I thought of myself as a writer. This despite the fact that I loved writing before I even knew how to read! 

How did you first get into writing?

One of my earliest memories is one of my mom writing a letter at our picnic table in Ethiopia with 3 or 4 year-old me sitting next to her making marks on a piece of paper. I was "writing a letter" to Gramma Hoover. I never lost the love or fascination for writing. For years it was focused on letter writing and school work, then the occasional poem, diaries and Bible study journals. Later it moved into writing articles for the web page.

Who was the first person to take note of your writing skill?

My fourth grade teacher, Woody Fridae.

How did you get into writing/editing an online journal?

My dad had started a web page for the purpose of ministry and he suggested that I start a section for women. This is the reason we chose the name "The Home Maker's Corer". It was originally a "corner" of his much larger web site. When I married my husband, Peter, he wanted it to be a separate web page of its own, so we separated it and got my own URL and compiling program.

How did you get into blogging?

After we got married in 2008 my husband suggested a blog as something to along side the web page. Coming up with a name was a bit difficult at the time, but we settled on "The Cotton Apron" because I wore cotton aprons a lot. Still do some. I believe I started it in February of 2009.

What writing skills would you like to add to your skill set?

I would like to write edifying fiction.

What is the most challenging aspect of writing for you?

Starting. Once I really get started, I can usually keep writing. It's the starting that hinders me the most.

What aspect of writing do you enjoy the most?

I think that would be the sense of satisfaction that I was able to get into words something that was on my heart that I wanted to convey to help people, and then to know that it did help someone in the Lord. That is sweet and such a blessing to me personally. 

What motivates you to keep writing?

The desire to help lift others' loads and to teach. To help my sisters in Christ look to God's word for their answers to life's questions. To pass on some of the things that God had taught me. 2 Timothy 2:2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. I have been given so much, and I know the Lord doesn't mean for me to keep it all to myself. Plus, I just have to write. Even if it never makes it into print, I write and have conversations in my head constantly - c-o-n-s-t-a-n-t-l-y!

How has writing made a difference in your life?

It has expanded my view of the world and life. It has forced me to work on my own spiritual needs and life struggles. It has perhaps given me a different view of  scripture sometimes as I read it. It has made me more aware of may issues that women are dealing with in the world and church today.

When you are in ministry to others often times the Lord will let you experience a lot of things so that you can help others, or perhaps you just become more aware of how your life experiences can help others. This can give you a sense of the importance of not letting things go to waste, so to speak. Sometimes it is an attainable goal, and sometimes it is not. Some things are too hard to write about yet, but when you have a desire to help others, you will often times find that at some point the Lord will require you to write about things you never wanted to write about. This is hard. It strips away a lot of pretense. It can be quite painful at times, but it can also be cathartic. 

Another, though less interesting, difference that writing makes in my life is that when I get to writing sometimes chores that needed to be done get delayed or missed. Sigh. Tonight the dishwasher did not get run as it should have.

Do you have any professional help with writing?

No. I have watched some YouTube videos by writers and editors that have been helpful to me, but so far I haven't sought out professional help. My husband proofreads for me often, but we both miss things, as you may notice. 

Have you taken any courses on writing?

I took a creative writing course at the college level right after high school (maybe I did secretly know I was a writer? but I didn't have a real goal in that other than wanting to). It was really more basic English, in my opinion. I wasn't overly impressed, but I did learn stuff from it. 

Is writing your profession or hobby or...?

For me it is an unpaid ministry at present. It is one of the main ways that I serve the Lord outside my home (and yet at home at the same time). Unfortunately, writing does not seem to be very much looked for as a ministry within the body of Christ on the local church level any more. I'm not sure how that could be changed.

Random Questions - How Well Do You Know Your Dad?

My dad loved to play with his kids on the floor when we were little.
My two younger brothers and my sister are with him here.

How well do you know your dad? 

He is sitting in front of the TV, what is he watching? Probably a documentary, something about trains or something about another country.

Usually, what dressing does he eat on his salad? Something he concocted himself with pickle brine and herbs.

Name something he hates? Traffic

You go out to eat, what does he order to Drink? Decaf coffee, sweet tea or water.

Favorite music to listen to? Old hymns, YouTube videos of churches that use the Red Backed Hymn Book.

What is his nickname for you? When I was very little - Mary Sunshine.

When he's being sentimental it's about? My mom or something from his past.

What is something he likes to collect? Heirloom seeds and seed catalogs, true accounts of explorers from history.

What would he NEVER wear? A muscle shirt, anything effeminate.

What is his favorite sports team? Rocky and Bullwinkle.

You bake him a cake for his birthday, what flavor is it? Pineapple Upside-down Cake.

What is his favorite animal? I'm not sure there's one that qualifies, but probably something from East Africa.

What could he spend all day doing? Working in his garden, writing, doing stuff on the computer, reading.

Random List - May 2019

Matthew 6:33-34 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. 


Lately I have been…

Making: messes. I can't seem to stop leaving stuff lying around and then I have to backtrack later to tidy it all up.

Cooking: less variety due to my very limited diet for SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth) combine with my food intolerances. It's a frustration sometimes.

Reading: Just finished a novella by Chautona Havig yesterday. Various and sundry other things. Proverbs.

Wanting: to get our master suite more thoroughly cleaned.

Looking: for athletic shoes that are in my size, not ugly, and feel comfortable for daily wear.

Playing: a word game on my phone. A little with paper crafting stuff.

Learning: the challenges of helping aging parents with the complications of health problems and life.

Deciding: some hard things.

Wishing: I could eat some things that I used to be able to eat without any trouble. Ho hum. Also that I would get more done some days.

Enjoying: time out and about with my husband.

Laughing: at our silly cat and my husband's ridiculous humor. :-)

Waiting: for my digestive issues to improve?

Liking: photographing wildflowers.

Wondering: when life will calm down a little, and how bad the next set of thunderstorms will be.

Loving: hot showers, my husband's helpfulness, the extra green spring we're having, our cats being social.

Pondering: whether it's time to transition into a somewhat different ministry phase - at least for the time being.

Watching: my parents struggle with the limitations of aging. (Very sad.)

Hoping: we can do more in the way of hospitality; that some things become more clear soon.

Marveling: at the variety of wildflowers we've had this spring. It has been a delight from the Lord.

Needing: to take on new challenges, to allow things to be out of control when there's nothing I can do about it, and to rest in the knowledge that the Lord knows all about it.

Smelling: mold. We've had a lot of rain this spring.

Considering: what "wishful projects" I could let go of to stream line my hobbies and art into a more productive direction, and whether a better organizing system would make me more productive too.

Wearing: loose fitting t-shirt dresses that are cooler and more comfortable.

Buying: shoes that don't fit. Argh. Did you know that women are punished in America for having wide feet? Look at the very limited choices in shoe stores. It's discouraging. Maybe it's just where we live?

Noticing: that I'm struggling to keep up with the online writing and ministry.

Knowing: (or trying to know) that the Lord is growing me in ways that may not be entirely apparent or understood at the present, and that He is already in the future that feels so uncertain to me and knows exactly what I will need when I get there.

Thinking: out story plots for books I'll probably never write. Sigh.

Feeling: like life is out of control, and I'm not keeping up.

Admiring: My husband's persistence. My dad's care for my mom. My mom's determination to remain cheerful in the midst of her health struggles. My mom's beautiful red rose bush.

Random Questions - Relationships with Others

Here is a short list of questions from my collection.

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Do you prefer that people shoot straight with you or temper their words?

I think that something in between is the most useful. In Ephesians 4:14-15 we read,  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: Some people will speak the truth without love. This is destructive and can cause serious damage. Some people try to speak in love, but they don't pay enough attention to truth. This is unhelpful and can be destructive in a different way. A combination of both is necessary for true usefulness and this is what I like to find in others. It is what I want to do myself.

What are three qualities that draw you to someone new?

This is hard to answer. At the Lord's prompting, I have been trying over the last few years to broaden my friendships and include people who might not have been too high on my list of "perfect friends" in the past. So, I actually try not to allow myself to be overly influenced by my personal preferences. Obviously, I want to be drawn to people who are born again and have a sincere love for the Lord. I also want to appreciate the things God has placed in His children for the help of other Christians, including me.

I do find myself not enjoying interactions with people who are overbearing or always pushing for answers or trying to make you a more spiritual person. Asking hard questions is a useful thing when it is done appropriately, but it is exhausting when someone does it almost constantly. It makes it hard to relax in that person's presence. The first thing that attracted me to my husband was that I realized I was comfortable talking with him and didn't feel tense around him. I don't do well with high tension. :-)

When do you immediately click with someone you just met?

I occasionally find a connection with someone because they "speak my language." This means to me that I don't have to stop and explain every other idea (or comment) that I bring out and I can see that they are grasping my thoughts with understanding even as I speak them. This doesn't apparently have to do with background or geographic location as one might think. I have experienced this with ladies from very different places and also upbringings. It doesn't happen very often, though.

Are you close with anyone now that you really disliked at first?

I would say yes, but "really disliked" is too strongly put. I do have a few what I would call close friends whom I didn't appreciate much at all when I first got to know them. However, for one reason or another we've grown in our friendships, either from necessity or for other reasons, and we've been able to be of mutual service to each other in the Lord.

There are also people whom I thought I liked when I first got to know them, some even contributed some truly useful things to my life, but then later I found them to be problematic or even really unbiblical in their attitudes or behavior. I suppose this is more common than the other in some ways.

How difficult is it for you to forgive someone who refuses to apologize?

It depends on the offense, doesn't it? Some things are much harder to let go of than others. But, I have learned that forgiveness is not the same as reconciliation, and in that there is a certain amount of freedom. This was a realization that transformed my thinking.

We can forgive someone, but if the offense is so great or such an affront to righteousness that an apology is necessary for any relationship to exist, then we cannot reconcile with them until they see their offense for what it really is. This is true of those whom Jesus asked the Father to forgive when He was on the cross. Luke 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. God might forgive them that particular sin, but He could not have a relationship with them until they wanted reconciliation and were repentant (saying the saying the same thing about their sin that God says).

Who is the person who has been the most supportive in your life?

My husband.

There have been many others over the years too, both family and friends. I am very thankful for the supportive people God has placed in my life.

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Painting by Edmund Charles Tarbell

Four Things List - About Me

Here I am writing on my iPad in our living room. My husband bought it and a keyboard for me to help
make writing more comfortable. It has been a very useful tool in several ways.

Four names people call me other than my real name.

May-may - A nickname given to me by my brother who is 3 years younger than I am and couldn't say my name properly at first. He still sometimes calls me that affectionately.

Mary Ellen - My brother sometimes calls, "Good night, Mary Ellen," when we are parting at night - in reference to the Walton T.V. show which we watched sometimes as children. I usually answer, "Good night, John-boy." :-)

My husband has a nickname for me, but he seemed like he would prefer to keep it our own private treasure, so I've decided not to share it here. :-)

Occasionally someone will call me Elizabeth, which is my middle name but, since it is my mother's first name, I don't think of it in relation to myself and it feels odd. :-)

Four jobs I've had.

Of course, the earliest paying job I had was baby sitting, as was the case for many girls in my generation.

I taught piano lessons to a hand full of students when my family lived in Arizona. I also was a church pianist for quite a few years, although that was strictly volunteer.

I helped my parents with their online business off and on for a number of years.

Being a home maker has always been the main one ever since I was in my teens and started really helping my mom.

Four movies I've watched more than once.

Well, there are a number I can pick from, but here are four:
Dr. Jack (Harold Lloyd and Mildred Davis)
The Wrong Trousers (Wallace and Gromit)
Lions of Etosha (actually a documentary)
Captive Faith (based on Georgi Vins' real life experiences while in prison for his faith under the USSR)

Four books I recommend.

In the Arena by Isobel Kuhn
The Jungle Doctor books by Paul White
Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick
Strawberry Acres by Grace S. Richmond

Four places I have lived.

Ethiopia
Kenya
The Mojave Desert in southern California
Western Michigan

Four places I have visited.

Niagra Falls, Canada.
Amboseli National Park, Kenya.
Amsterdam, Netherlands.
The Glasshouse Mts. in Queensland, Australia.

Four places I would rather be right now.

I'm a home body for the most part. The only other place I'd like to be right now is heaven, but I believe my family and friends would like to keep me around awhile longer! :-)
I would like to be taking a nice hot bath at the time I'm writing this. However, the accommodations of our house in that regard aren't too great. Ho hum.

Four odd things that have happened to me.

I lost my purse in Volendam, Netherlands when I was six years old.
When I was in my later twenties a reader from Canada sent email through The Home Maker's Corner and commended me for being a "wise aged woman." (I never answered it as far as I recall. I didn't know what to say. LOL)
I was with my grandparents at Disneyland when my grandma accidentally threw the ice from her pineapple drink in the ticket receptacle instead of the trash can. (Complicated story. LOL) My grandpa rushed us away before anyone noticed.
I was with my parents when they had to evacuate from Ethiopia because of the Communist coup. I don't actually remember this, but it was a pivotal point in our lives.

Four things I don't eat.

Only four? Most of my food issues are with intolerances and allergies.
Raw carrots
Sweet Peppers
MSG (monosodium glutemate) (Do you know how much food has MSG and closely related ingredients?!)
Corn in any form. (Do you realize how much food has corn in it?!)

Four of my favorite foods.

Cookies
Chocolate
Chicken
Hummus
Ethiopian food (I'll throw that in free of charge.) ;-)

Four of my favorite flowers.

Roses
Violets
Lily-of-the-valley
Dianthus

Four of my favorite colors.

Pink
Red
Purple
Aqua/turquoise

Four things I'm always saying.

Good grief.
For crying out loud!
Thank you.
I love you.
(My husband would probably add - "What did you say?" He's a very patient man being married to a writer! LOL)

Four of my favorite things to watch.

Our cats.
Sunsets.
People I love having a good time visiting together.
Tree leaves blowing in a gentle wind.

Four animal or bug experiences I have had.

I was with my family in a guest hut at Amboseli National Park when the elephants came to raid the trash cans (or try to) and also when the zebras came to graze in the yard.
In Ethiopia I was in an out house with my mom one night when a leopard coughed outside. (My mom decided we would use a can in the house at night until Daddy came home!)
I remember my parents using a coffee can to trap a spider - not the biggest size can, but still a spider of impressive proportions.
My brother and I owned pet ground squirrels for awhile when our family lived in the Mojave Desert of California.

Various Things I Want to Mention

Here are a few things that I wanted to let you, my readers, know about.

First, the email from Blogger is not working at present. If you are subscribed to receive my updates in email you are probably not receiving them at this time. Because of that if you want to know what I've posted you'll have to come here to look. Blogger is supposedly fixing the problem, but considering how long it is taking I'm not sure what is going on with that.

We have considered moving this blog to another service, so perhaps this may be the time to make that move. I'm also thinking of making some other changes such as possibly opening a Facebook page specifically for the blog and web site. It seems like a lot of work, so I hesitate over that. On the other hand, I might drop the link ups I've been doing weekly if that brought more readers to this page more effectively. Trying to get the word out while not overworking myself on this is a bit of a challenge. It's about finding the right balance.

Another thing I wanted to mention is that I am planning to take a bit of a break from blogging. I have pre-scheduled posts already and plan to add some more, so hopefully it won't look too terribly different on your end. However, the Sunday posts will likely be shorter. I also may skip the link ups for awhile.

I have other projects I need work on and company coming later this month, Lord willing. Also, there are some things relating to the blog and the web page that could use some attention and I may take some time to work on those. I may even spend some time writing articles ahead if I can get myself motivated for that! :-)

Thank you for your support and interest in this blog. I do appreciate you. :-)

Isaiah 28:12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.

Random Acts of Blogging - What Was the Last...?

This was the last photo I took on my cell phone -

the Dutch iris that was blooming in front of my parents' house.

Just for fun and a change, let's do this tonight. If you want to copy the list of questions and put in your own answers on your own blog or in the comments, please join in! :-) These are not my original idea. I gleaned them from other sites, and edited them and maybe added a few.


What was the last furry thing you touched?
Java Kitty, our black cat.

What was the last thing you said?
Something about Java. He is such a nice and friendly cat.

What was the last song you listened to?
Something playing in the background of some video I guess, and there's a good chance I turned the volume down so I couldn't hear it. I don't listen to music a whole lot.

Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone?
My mom.

What was the last movie/video you watched?
A video about a new medical device for removing blood clots from veins.

What was the last thing you did before this?
Let Java out to the breezeway. His food and litter box are in the garage.

What was the last song you sang?
The chorus of "Blessed Homeland" by Fanny Crosby.

What was the last thing you ate and drank?
Chocolate and water.

What was the last store you were in?
Whole Foods 365 over a week ago. We went in to explore it on a date afternoon. :-)

Where was the last place you went to away from home?
The chiropractor this afternoon.

What was the last chapter of scripture you read?
Proverbs 30.

What was the last book you were reading?
I think it was Dorothy Dixon Solves the Conway Case - a vintage girls' adventure story. It is rather lame. (add eye roll here)

What was the last thing you bought?
A natural allergy remedy specifically for Texas allergens.

Who was the last person you spoke to in person?
My husband.

What was the last spontaneous thing you did?
Watercolor painting. I painted a couple cards earlier today, and after dinner I just decided to do another one because I could. :-)

Who was the last person you went out to eat with and where?
My husband and I ate at CR Surf'n'Turf.

Who was the last person you texted?
My Texas sister-in-law.

Thoughts and Memories In A New Year

Our new year started in a somewhat different way. I had been sick for most or all of the last three weeks of December. My husband was sick one of those weeks as we shared the flu together. My cough, though still with me to some degree, turned the corner on the evening of the 31st - which was a very cold night for central Texas, by the way. During this time I also developed a vision distortion that needed to be checked and which, if it does not clear up, will need to be addressed by a specialist. So, for us, and for me in particular, the beginning of the new year was about catching up and getting back to some semblance of "normal" - whatever that elusive thing is.

But I didn't get some of the things done that I had thought of doing, including, among many other things, some blog posts. So, here is a collection of things and thoughts, some I intended to share before and some that came to me later.

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The end of the writing challenges.

I finished the last writing challenges of the year - November and December. November was writing every day and I think I missed only five days that month. December was to read one book for the purpose of improving one's writing or for recreation. I ended up reading solely for recreation due to being so sick and tired most of the month! I read several Nancy Drew mysteries - very juvenile, but so easy to read, even when sick, and it distracted me from my discomforts when I could read. And, truthfully, there were at least two days in which I didn't even feel like reading I was so ill.

I wrote a variety of things in November. As I mentioned before, I didn't write any poetry. I also didn't write any humor that I can recall. I wrote rough drafts for some articles which may make their way to the Home Maker's Corner eventurally.

There were some days when I did my 100 words as a necessity simply to make the effort, these mostly ended up being journal type entries. Here are a few for you to read. I hesitate to say enjoy. :-)
They have been edited a little.

Sunday, Nov. 7

Writing at the end of the day when you are tired and sleepy is probably not the best plan. Once your brain begins to coast along in “whatever” land, it’s hard to focus on anything worthwhile. Furthermore, there is nothing like a blank computer “page” to really kill any ideas that might be lurking just under the surface. This is why one might resort to writing something like this in a desperate effort to achieve one hundred words before going to bed. I recommend trying to get your writing in earlier in the day, personally. Now, if I can just make myself follow my own advice!

Monday, Nov. 6

Today at our house an interesting assortment of food was eaten. Among other things, there was pasta made in Italy, tortas from Spain, chocolate from Belgium, mango chips from Thailand, and ginger beer (non-alcoholic like ginger ale) from Australia. We could have also had some cheese from England, but it isn’t open yet, and we try not to have too many things open at one time that need to be finished within a specific time limit.

Somehow it seems pleasant to realize that our eating is so international - not just in the type, but in the fact that these things were actually made in those countries. Curiously enough, the pasta made in Italy is actually better for me from a nutritional standpoint because it is not made with enriched flour, which may be one thing that irritates my somewhat fragile system.

Tuesday, November 28

Well, the writing challenge is almost over now and I have written almost every day so far. I think I missed 3 or 4 days. Most of the days I missed, I thought of it at some point but didn’t get it done for whatever reason. One day I did completely forget, never thinking of it once all day.

There was more than one hard part to me.

Remembering to write every day was challenging. If I put it on my list or not didn’t seem to make a lot of difference. Just remembering to put it on the list was pretty much the same as remembering to do it and often enough it didn’t make it to the list until after I had written.

Making myself do it was also something to contend with. I would think of it several times some days and keep putting it off. When I wrote probably didn’t have a large affect on the quality of what I wrote unless I put it off till I was really tired. Then it did. But, I have to say that it felt the best when I got it done earlier in the day. Once or twice I put it off too long and either I was too tired or was already in bed and didn’t feel like making the effort to write at that point.

Thinking of things to write about was only a minor problem. I tend to think of things to write about a lot, so if I just made myself sit down and write out a rough idea or even most of an article or something, it usually wasn’t that hard. Some days I counted longer text message conversations or comments made on other blogs. I also wrote at least one email during the month as my daily writing. Curiously, I think I only wrote down one idea for a fiction story that I can remember.

While I do write by hand sometimes, I think that almost all of my writing has been done on my iPad or computer this month. The one time I do remember writing by hand was when I made some notes on my appointment card while I was waiting for my mom in our chiropractor’s office. I heard something on the Christian radio station they had going that started me thinking and so I wrote down some notes that I transcribed to the computer later and elaborated upon.

Although it didn’t have anything to do with the challenge directly, I also watched quite a few instructional videos on YouTube about writing - particularly novels. This was informative and helpful to me in some ways, if I can just remember what I learned.

Interestingly, in some ways I feel like writing more has tended to increase my inspiration in my art as well, especially towards the end. This may be partly due to the fact that I’ve grown a little bored with the coloring I was doing. Although it is helps control stress, it isn’t useful like card and bookmark making for me. And also it’s more inspiring to create my own designs, whether with stamps or as my own original designs. I love being able to send and give away my own creations to others. I think, as people made in the image of God, that should be “normal.”

Altogether, I think it has been a good experience. I would really like to keep it up as some people say that is absolutely what you have to do if you want to be a serious author. However, I am not sure I can maintain the momentum indefinitely, so I may set shorter goals for myself, and intersperse those periods with time spent on art, sewing, and card making. One does accomplish a good deal more by doing something every day. :-)

I hope that someone else tried this challenge, or that perhaps you will another moth. It has certainly been beneficial to me!

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Something New

I started a watercolor/art journal or "sketchbook" in November or December. It started as a place to try out techniques and just do a little practice. An online friend asked if I was painting my moods or things I saw from daily life and, liking the latter idea very well, I decided to start including some things that I see and want to paint. It proved to be interesting and also useful for practice, and some day it will be a sort of diary for me to look at and not only see my progress in this art, but also see some things that interested me or that were part of our lives at the time.

It is a mixed media book that I am using so I may add some other art forms as well. Whether or not I share any of this work on the blog remains to be seen.

The picture at the top of this post is a card I painted. I scanned it before I added the stamped greeting so that I could use it for other purposes. The verse on this image was added on the computer. :-)

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It is strange we go on living our everyday lives
So carelessly, stumbling, dully we plod
Our commonplace paths, and forget that we walk
Every day, every hour, in the presence of God.

- Martha Snell Nicholson

Well, that is plenty for one ramble. I hope that all of you have started the new year well, but most importantly that you seek to walk every day with the Lord. Great goals and long plans may serve some people's uses, but it's the daily walk that gets us there in the end. If we focus on Christ all the other things will fall into the places He wants them to be.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Just to Let You Know...Internet Problems

I wanted to let you know that we have been having some trouble with our Internet connection. It has been going completely off, or becoming so slow that it is impossible to post things here. This was the cause for my delay in getting last Sunday's post up. It was ready Saturday night, but connection was too lousy to get the whole job done. It posted fine to the Home Maker's Corner in the late afternoon, but by evening when I was setting up the post here it was too slow.

So, if I fail to get a post up at a usual time, it may be that my internet is just too slow or completely off. I did miss one post in October due to health, but for the most part it is a problem of connectivity.

I do have some posts pre-scheduled through the beginning of January, so, Lord willing those at least will go up without interference, although there’s still no guarantee. :-) 

We do have another option that might be somewhat more reliable, but it is a significant increase in price, so we haven’t made the decision to switch yet. We have called our present provider more than once and they "pretend" to make repairs, but we've come to the conclusion that they need to replace a major piece of line and they don't want to do it, so... We live on a country road with low population compared to the larger housing developments being built in our general area, so we are very low priority out here!

Thanks for you patience in this.

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P.S. I realized I should add a thought. One thing I need to do is to make sure to do my internet chores when it's actually working. We tend to get used to things being a certain way and grow to depend upon it always being that way. I know people in other countries and situations sometimes don't have power or water all of the time, so they learn to do the chores and stuff that require those things when they do have it. I just need to make sure I do my blogging and web page work when I can. :-)

Birthday Greetings to You!

Today is my birthday so, as a greeting to you, my valued readers, I thought I'd share a very few favorites with you.

My favorite book: The King James Version of the Bible.

My favorite poet: Annie Johnson Flint.

One of my favorite poems:

Show Us Thy Grace

Show us our need, O Lord; how lost, how hopeless,
How poor, how sunk in sin our carnal hearts;
Show us how vain to change our sad condition,
Our best endeavor and our utmost arts;
Show us how weak we are, and how dependent,
How multiplied defeats our pride abase;
And then -- O Lord, lest we despair too wholly --

Show us Thy grace!

Show us Thy grace, the great, the all-sufficient,
Infinite riches for our poverty,
Mercy of God for uttermost salvation,
Weapon that turns defeat to victory;
Gladness unspeakable and full of glory,
Beyond our needs, a vast unmeasured space.
Lord, as we never yet have seen or known it,

Show us Thy grace!

- Annie Johnson Flint

One of my (many) favorite quotes:

There are many of us that are willing to do great things for the Lord, but few of us are willing to do little things. -- Dwight L. Moody

One of my favorite hymns, sung by the John Marshall Family who were my favorite Christian singing group. Words by Frances Ridley Havergal.



One of my favorite verses - one among many:

Retrospect and Prospect

For years now I have been remarking about how fast time flies. As every year would draw to its close I would wonder where it went and how it got by so quickly. This past year has not been like that. For the first time in too long to remember I feel like the year was incredibly long. Sadly, it wasn't long in that happy-kid-on-summer-vacation way. It was more along the lines of "Wow, has it only been six...nine...eleven months since January? It feels more like three years! So much has happened!" Some years have been such that I've been glad when they came to a close because I was hopeful that the next year would be better. This past year has been so hard, and has so many unresolved issues that I'm sorry to say I don't have the hopefulness that I should.

Early in the year we were under a lot of stress due to a difficult situation over which we had no control. We were in the end stages of the situation and were waiting to see if it would conclude in a peaceful manner. Then there was the passing of my husband's grandmother, which proved to be a lingering one. We are thankful to know that she is safe in the arms of Jesus, but it was a sad situation. Our pastor retired this year. He had been at the church for many years, so it was bound to be a big change. (The church did call a new pastor who is supposed to come in January.) Some family moved away, as I mentioned in an earlier post, and there were some deep emotions involved with that. We had a flea outbreak that involved a lot of active effort to control it. We've had some health difficulties. In particular, I've had a considerable amount of stomach trouble and worsening food intolerance, as well as other health issues.

After my optometrist discovered my optic nerve is swollen in a routine eye examine in February, and after a couple tests, I was diagnosed with Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension - elevated pressure in the spinal fluid which is also in the brain and so causes symptoms that mimic a brain tumor. Because I have a swollen optic nerve, avoiding treatment was not an option because there is a risk of losing or permanently damaging my sight. Not a happy thought. The medication I'm taking that is supposed to help reduce the pressure has caused difficult side-effects which have been very disruptive to normal living at times. We're still trying to find a balance where my body will tolerate the medication and the symptoms of IIH will continue to reduce - because, thank the LORD! - the optometrist said during a recent exam that there is improvement in the swelling!

But thanks to this condition and pre-menopause, I've added some new experiences to my list. One is seeing a neurologist (for the IIH). Then there were four significant tests I had that were new to me - two of which were an MRI and a lumbar puncture (the latter included complications from the sedation they gave me that were quite unpleasant.) Some people would think this was not a big deal, but when you have to manage an anxiety disorder and you have claustrophobia, it gets a little more intense. The Lord was so kind. Some of the people who have helped me have been great. In one situation we had some much needed comic relief which unfortunately I can't share with you here. ahem. Suffice to say it was one of those laugh or cry situations where you choose to laugh so you don't cry!

Then there was a complication of buying a new-to-us vehicle this year, and the place we chose to buy from was a good hour's ride away. You know, right when I was having increased difficulties in getting out to do even simple things. But, thank the Lord again, we found a vehicle that works for us in what was actually a short time. It just felt long. We wanted a car but ended up with a large pick-up truck (Ford F150) because I needed comfortable seats for traveling any distance and the truck had the best seats of the things we looked at. We like the truck very well, but it has a strange smell in the air conditioner/heater. It started out smelling like cow manure (maybe from a ranch?) but has gotten worse and now smells more like a mix of tobacco and mold. (I'll leave to do your own thinking on that progression.) Cow manure smells I'm used to, there's a ranch across the street from us; but tobacco and mold are kind of - blech. One thing that's worse is perfume, and we had to turn down more than one vehicle because of that!

My mom also had knee replacement surgery this year. The surgery and the physical recovery went remarkably well (Thank God!), but she suffered from hallucinations and delirium for a couple days which was quite unsettling. She has had some other challenges this year as well.

My brother and sister-in-law have had their house up for sale for months, and after a long drawn out effort on the part of one family, they still didn't sell it. So, that one is still hanging.

We've had friends go through some really, really hard experiences this year. I mean the kind of things that just make you feel sick for them. You pray and you wonder and you hope, and in one case it just never seems to end. One lady's grandfather died at the end of the year on top of everything else they've been through. And, among other things, my husband's grandmother passed away this year after a long downward turn; and two valued friends from my family's past also passed away.

Then there were some situations where people chose life paths that are hard to believe and you pray and you (try to) hope, and wait to see how it turns out. And, you wonder what you can do and you feel helpless and sometimes afraid.

I tried my hand at a new writing direction this year which was exciting in ways, but is still very daunting and I'm not at all sure I'll go on with it. Maybe it was that, maybe it was something else, but I've struggled sometimes this year with writing, and with feeling productive both in that and many other areas of life. This is a bit odd when I look back and consider how much I actually got done in the way of writing (and other things). But, there it is. (Aspiring writers, you are not the only ones who feel this! I have been writing for around 20 years now and I still feel it pretty badly at times.)

There are other things. The orbiting smaller dramas that always accompany larger ones and make the stress worse. A HORRIBLE election cycle which is still bothersome and which we won't discuss. A stomach bug that took weeks to recover from. And then there are things I can't even remember now because there was so much; plus all the usual scum of life and the struggles to keep up with things and to keep moving in the right direction and to not give up. Ah!

Sometimes things are pruned away that we feel like we can't live without, and it's hard. Really hard. And it hurts. A lot sometimes. But we survived. By the grace of God.

And, then there's God. The wonderful, compassionate, almighty God who spoke all creation into existence and upholds all things by the word of His power. The God who is interested in each of our lives at a personal and daily level. The God who controls all the powers of this world.

Isaiah 45:18  For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.

Isaiah 45:22-24  Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.

Hebrews 1:1-3  God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

And there are the lessons. The things the Lord uses to change how we live and think. The understanding that we get from those experiences that we would not have chosen. The new tools we gain for our work for Him, things to carry with us through life and use again and again. Important things to remember.

2 Corinthians 1:3-6  Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.

2 Peter 1:5-8  And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And there are the new things and people that God brings along to help us over some hurdle just when we really needed it. And, when one person goes or changes or stops, He often sends someone else along who will bring something into our lives that we really needed, who will show us something new or expand our thinking in ways we didn't know were necessary.

2 Corinthians 7:6-7  Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus; And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more.

And there's the blessings and encouragements and the little every day miracles by which He says, "I love you, and I'm still here, and I know what's going on - even when you don't." The balancing of burdens and blessings to keep us from getting lopsided.

Psalms 86:17  Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, LORD, hast holpen me, and comforted me.

James 1:17  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

And there's the scripture which gives us a strong foundation and something by which to measure ourselves, other's experiences and choices, and the issues of life. There is that safe haven of knowing that this isn't about us, which somehow makes it so much better!

James 1:23-25  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Psalms 19:7-11  The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.  The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.  More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.  Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

And then there IS hope. Not the empty, silly hope in a man or woman, or politics, or activism, or churchiosity, or any of the the things of this earth. But, the anchor of hope in Jesus Christ who is both steadfast and sure. The hope of better things to come - especially the hope of seeing the Lord Himself one day. And the hope and peace of knowing that God's mercies and compassions are new every morning and His faithfulness is great.

Hebrews 6:17-20  Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:  That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

1 John 3:2-3  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

Lamentations 3:22-23  It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

New Every Morning

Yea, "new every morning," though we may awake,
Our hearts with old sorrow beginning to ache;
With old work unfinished when night stayed our hand,
With new duties waiting, unknown and unplanned;
With old care still pressing, to fret and to vex,
With new problems rising, ours minds to perplex;
In ways long familiar, in paths yet untrod,
Oh, new every morning the mercies of God!

His faithfulness fails not; it meets each new day
With guidance for every new step of the way;
New grace for new trials, new trust for old fears,
New patience for bearing the wrongs of the years,
New strength for new burdens, new courage for old,
New faith for whatever the day may unfold;
As fresh for each need as the dew on the sod;
Oh, new every morning the mercies of God!

By Annie Johnson Flint

Just for Fun - My Senior Year of High School - A Few Questions

I borrowed this questionaire from Facebook where it was making the rounds - probably still is. Since I was homeschooled, some of my answers are more unconventional, but I thought it would be interesting to answer it and maybe not just stick to the typical one-word answers. ;-)

This picture was not from my senior year, but it's the closest I could find on my computer at the moment. Hopefully I'll get some others scanned in someday. This one was 1985 or 1986, definitely still the big hair era. Big glasses too.
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It's your SENIOR year of high school! The longer ago it was, the more fun the answers will be.

The year was: 1988 - You know big hair, "punks", and Lionel Richie (not that I listened to him - much).

1. Did you know your spouse? No, and since he is six years younger than I am, even if I had known him there would have been ZERO interest. He was twelve at the time! ACK! :-)
2. Did you car pool to school? No need. My desk was in my brother's room right down the hall. Of course, we went downstairs for breakfast before we started school.
3. What kind of car did you drive? Occasionally an Omni which belonged to my parents and was my dad's work car most of the time.
4. What kind of car do you have now? Ford F150 (Pick up truck) and a tired KIA Spectra 5
5. It's Friday night... where are you? At home reading or doing something with my family, or teaching the girl's Hobby Club.
6. What kind of job did you have in high school? I babysat once in awhile.
7. What kind of job do you have now? Housewife, writer, opener of the door for one gray cat.
8. Were you a party animal? No. Unless by party you mean having snacks and lively conversation with some of the church folks after Sunday evening service and occasionally after prayer meeting on Wednesday.
9. Were you a cheerleader? More like a bossy oldest sister.
10. Were you considered a jock? Never.
11. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir? I played the piano for our church services quite often and sometimes for special music.
12. Were you a nerd? Undoubtedly, but in a homeschool no one really notices. :-) Most of us were, in our own particular way.
14. Can you sing the fight song? We had plenty of fights, but I don't recall any song connected to them. ;-)  Too bad we didn't think of a "fight song"; that would have made things more interesting and probably would have appealed to our weird sense of humor too! By senior year, though, I'd begun to learn that one of the surest ways of spoiling my next-youngest-brother's fun was not to engage, so we didn't fight nearly as much as we had when we were younger. :-)
15. Who was/were your favorite high school teacher? My mom and dad. Ha! :-)
16. Where did you sit for lunch? At our dining room table. Maybe occasionally in my room. In the winter we had a bird feeder right outside the dining room window and it was always enjoyable to watch the birds eating while we ate.
17. What was your school's full name? Our Homeschool. That's actually what was written on my diploma. We were, however, connected to "Freedom Farm Academy" which was an umbrella group for homeschoolers run by some good friends of ours.
18. What was your school mascot? At first it would have been my baby sister. She was a little sweety. Later, probably a hamster. Those were the only pets we had then and my brothers went into them in a big way! haha
19. If you could go back and do it again? No thanks. There are better things ahead. Wouldn't want to be back there. (Philippians 3:13)
20. Did you have fun at prom? We didn't have one. No disappointment there, either.
21. Do you still talk to the person you went to prom with? There wasn't one.
22. Are you planning on going to your next reunion? That would be a family reunion for us, and since my youngest brother immigrated to another continent, that isn't likely to happen, though we would love it if it could!
23. Are you still in contact with people from high school? Yes. My next-oldest-sibling, my brother Mike, lives on our property.
24. What are/were your school's colors? My class colors on my class ring are white and purple, since I got to choose whatever I wanted. I think they are the same colors of my parents' graduating class from missionary boarding school in the 1960s. :-)

Well, there you have it. Pretty random and totally useless information, I guess. But, hey, maybe someone was interested. :-)

On a more serious note: Class rings were a big deal when and where I graduated from high school. My parents very generously decided to buy me one at a local jewelers. I don't remember if it was my junior or senior year, but it meant a lot to me. I know they must of scraped and pinched to be able to buy it and it was a sacrifice on their part. Considering the short amount of time I wore it (and they probably knew that would happen), I don't think it was a good investment from a monetary point of view. However, it was something that impressed me with their love at the time. In thinking about that I can't help pondering all the things that the Lord gives to us at various times - things we don't need and that He knows will not have a seriously lasting presence in our lives, but that He does just because He wants to show us His love.

I can't even remember if I had a verse picked out in relation to my graduation. Too bad. :-/

I do remember that I bought a package of paper desert plates with a Ziggy theme and actually wrote messages on them, wrote the names and addresses of various friends in other places who were graduating that year on the backs, stamped, and mailed them! I got some notes in reply, but I don't think anyone mentioned what condition theirs was in when it arrived. I've often wondered! Imgaine mailing paper plates! hehehe