Friday was so beautiful with the clear, cool weather we decided to go to Stillwater for lunch and shopping. "Where shall we eat?" I asked my husband as we drove along, to which he answered, "Well, I have a coupon for a free chicken sandwich at Chick Fil A, we could eat there."
Normally, that is one of my favorite places, but I said, "Why not Olive Garden? We could make it an early Mother's Day lunch, since everything will be crowded on Sunday." Howard was agreeable, and soon we were looking over lunch selections on the menu, deciding on the soup, salad and bread sticks we always enjoy.
The waitress brought our order promptly, and I was all set to relish the savory soup. I was immediately disappointed when I tasted that the soup wasn't hot. In fact, it was barely warmer than lukewarm. Howard said his wasn't hot, either. We were hungry, so we began to eat it anyway. Later, when the waitress came by and asked how we were doing, I told her about the soup.
"Would you like me to bring you another bowl?" she offered, and we both said yes. After a while, it seemed none was forthcoming, and pretty soon a manager came by and apologized, saying we would have some fresh soup right away. Then another manager-type appeared and was very solicitous, promising to heat the soup and bring us a new bowl. This she did, accompanied this time by the other manager, still profusely apologizing.
"You will not have to pay for this lunch," the lady in charge informed us. And in fact," she said, "here is a gift-card for another meal later on."
"Well," I said, "this was for Mother's Day, so I guess the next one can be for Father's Day!" She laughed and said, "Yes, Mother's Day and Father's Day is on us!"
When we got home and checked the mail, I saw an envelope that looked like a Mother's Day card. Sure enough, it was from our oldest son, Mark, who had included a gift-card from Cracker Barrel, good for a meal or shopping!
This morning, I got a call from daughter Amy, who said she was sending me a Mother's Day gift-card on line, and wondered if I liked Olive Garden or Cracker Barrel best. She laughed when I told her I already had one from both places, so I made a selection from another restaurant.
I was blessed with many thoughtful remembrances for Mother's Day. I loved the phone calls, cards, gifts, and flowers. I think our town may have to add more eating places, though, to accommodate my business!
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Friday, May 9, 2014
Jesus Loves the Little Children
"As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he," the radio preacher quoted. Howard and I were in the car half listening as we ran errands. "Just slap him across the face and you will find what is in his heart," the speaker emphasized, catching my attention.
"You know they used to do that in WWII," my husband informed me. "When someone approached looking like a U.S. soldier on the battlefield, they would kick him in the shin. Whatever expletive came out of his mouth would be in his native tongue, and they would know whether or not he was an enemy."
Wow! That reminded me of what happened the night before when we were having Kids' Church. I was assisting a child in a teaching game where the player tossed a marker on a floor poster, landing on any one of short prayer segments he was to finish, such as "God please help me _____," or "God I need you when____," etc. I was leaning in to see the words, when he abruptly tossed his marker, popped up like a spring and slammed his head into my nose! Thankfully, all that came out of my mouth was a yelp of pain!
Our lesson was "Do not doubt Jesus," dealing with Jesus walking on the water and Peter doing the impossible by also walking on water, however briefly. This segment where we stuck masking tape to the floor in the shape of a "boat" went well, with the "disciples" rocking in the boat while the others were "wind" and "waves," with fluttering sheets of paper. The other applications, not so much.
Teaching them to focus on Jesus, we made memory cards out of sheets of paper on which they drew matching pictures for the game. They had to focus on the cards to remember where they were when they had been mixed up, then try to match them as they turned them over. The problem was, the pictures they drew with markers were slightly visible through the copy paper to their sharp eyes, so they finished that game in record time.
The lesson suggested making a masking tape "balance beam" on the floor, having the children walk the ten-foot length without looking down, only focusing on the leader (Jesus) at the other end, who would direct their steps. With their expert balance and young agility, they each sailed down the beam in record time with no missteps!
An illustration of doing the impossible was when we had them cut a piece of paper into a shape that they could walk through. I was surprised at their ingenuity when they simply sliced the paper in two, laying the pieces side-by-side, indicating they could walk through it! A more complicated way was when we showed them how to fold and cut the paper in such a way that when they opened it up, it formed a large circle that a child could actually step through.
They had done the impossible. And so had we!. With the Lord's help, we had another successful session, implanting truth and faith to the youngest among us, and, coming out relatively unscathed, probably learning as much from them as they learned from us!
"You know they used to do that in WWII," my husband informed me. "When someone approached looking like a U.S. soldier on the battlefield, they would kick him in the shin. Whatever expletive came out of his mouth would be in his native tongue, and they would know whether or not he was an enemy."
Wow! That reminded me of what happened the night before when we were having Kids' Church. I was assisting a child in a teaching game where the player tossed a marker on a floor poster, landing on any one of short prayer segments he was to finish, such as "God please help me _____," or "God I need you when____," etc. I was leaning in to see the words, when he abruptly tossed his marker, popped up like a spring and slammed his head into my nose! Thankfully, all that came out of my mouth was a yelp of pain!
Our lesson was "Do not doubt Jesus," dealing with Jesus walking on the water and Peter doing the impossible by also walking on water, however briefly. This segment where we stuck masking tape to the floor in the shape of a "boat" went well, with the "disciples" rocking in the boat while the others were "wind" and "waves," with fluttering sheets of paper. The other applications, not so much.
Teaching them to focus on Jesus, we made memory cards out of sheets of paper on which they drew matching pictures for the game. They had to focus on the cards to remember where they were when they had been mixed up, then try to match them as they turned them over. The problem was, the pictures they drew with markers were slightly visible through the copy paper to their sharp eyes, so they finished that game in record time.
The lesson suggested making a masking tape "balance beam" on the floor, having the children walk the ten-foot length without looking down, only focusing on the leader (Jesus) at the other end, who would direct their steps. With their expert balance and young agility, they each sailed down the beam in record time with no missteps!
An illustration of doing the impossible was when we had them cut a piece of paper into a shape that they could walk through. I was surprised at their ingenuity when they simply sliced the paper in two, laying the pieces side-by-side, indicating they could walk through it! A more complicated way was when we showed them how to fold and cut the paper in such a way that when they opened it up, it formed a large circle that a child could actually step through.
They had done the impossible. And so had we!. With the Lord's help, we had another successful session, implanting truth and faith to the youngest among us, and, coming out relatively unscathed, probably learning as much from them as they learned from us!
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
World without End, Amen!
The picture was of my mom and dad, heads together and smiling, his arm around her shoulder, standing in front of their rose-covered porch trellis. It is a precious picture from a time when they were younger and in good health. My niece had posted it on our family page, and although I've seen it many times, I'm always moved by it. "Love it," I wrote back, "Now they are together where the roses never fade."
A few seconds later I read her comment, "I was just going to write that!" Someone else wrote that it sounded like a song, and I shared that it was an old song that my husband's dad used to sing, although I didn't remember the words. Not long after, the title, Where the Roses Never Fade, appeared on the screen, along with a video of the song being sung by a talented artist. My niece said she Googled it. What instant communication and information at our finger tips!
This morning, our rose bush, which only a few days ago had its first blossoms, was bursting with beautiful flowers. I just had to take a phone picture of it and send it to my daughter in Georgia. Earlier, I had clipped a bouquet to fill my two tall vases on the dining room table. My phone beeped with Amy's text reply: "Beautiful!" Then I sent her a shot of the ones on the table, and instantly she texted, "Mom, I picked some from my rose bushes this morning and took them in the house, too!" Then she wrote, LOL, and I laughed, too, that mother and daughter were on the same wavelength.
Yesterday my husband let me out in front of Walmart to get out of the wind while he parked the car. Killing time to wait for him and noticing the racks of Mother's Day cards displayed prominently near the entrance, I began to browse through them. One in particular caught my eye. It was very large and attractive with trees, flowers and birds on the front. When I opened it, I was surprised by a pop-up scene of a cottage, trees, flowers and a rainbow. The distinctive music of What a Wonderful World with the voice of Louis Armstrong pealed out, singing of seeing trees of green, and red roses, too.
The song had become familiar and dear to me when Amy's family had it as the background for a dvd they made for us one Christmas. A montage of photos of their children at different ages melted my heart and forever embedded that tune in my mind. Yes, it's a wonderful world, but how much more wonderful will it be in heaven, where the roses never fade, communication will be instant, and we will know as we are known?
A few seconds later I read her comment, "I was just going to write that!" Someone else wrote that it sounded like a song, and I shared that it was an old song that my husband's dad used to sing, although I didn't remember the words. Not long after, the title, Where the Roses Never Fade, appeared on the screen, along with a video of the song being sung by a talented artist. My niece said she Googled it. What instant communication and information at our finger tips!
This morning, our rose bush, which only a few days ago had its first blossoms, was bursting with beautiful flowers. I just had to take a phone picture of it and send it to my daughter in Georgia. Earlier, I had clipped a bouquet to fill my two tall vases on the dining room table. My phone beeped with Amy's text reply: "Beautiful!" Then I sent her a shot of the ones on the table, and instantly she texted, "Mom, I picked some from my rose bushes this morning and took them in the house, too!" Then she wrote, LOL, and I laughed, too, that mother and daughter were on the same wavelength.
Yesterday my husband let me out in front of Walmart to get out of the wind while he parked the car. Killing time to wait for him and noticing the racks of Mother's Day cards displayed prominently near the entrance, I began to browse through them. One in particular caught my eye. It was very large and attractive with trees, flowers and birds on the front. When I opened it, I was surprised by a pop-up scene of a cottage, trees, flowers and a rainbow. The distinctive music of What a Wonderful World with the voice of Louis Armstrong pealed out, singing of seeing trees of green, and red roses, too.
The song had become familiar and dear to me when Amy's family had it as the background for a dvd they made for us one Christmas. A montage of photos of their children at different ages melted my heart and forever embedded that tune in my mind. Yes, it's a wonderful world, but how much more wonderful will it be in heaven, where the roses never fade, communication will be instant, and we will know as we are known?
Monday, May 5, 2014
The Handiwork of God
I had been saving a ham bone to cook with beans. It was quite large and I was waiting for my husband to cut it in two so I could use half of it. Since he was busy, I decided to do it myself, separating the bone at the joint. It actually popped out pretty easily, and all I had to do was cut through the fibrous thingy holding it together.
I was amazed as I looked down at the glistening ball and socket joint of the shank ham. Such a beautiful piece of God's creation! Perfectly designed and looking like a work of art chiseled in marble. One of the Creator's masterpieces that had never seen the light of day!
God has so many marvels that are there for us to see and enjoy, and many that we may never see, but that have been recorded in pictures or films by others. I think of the Blue Planet series of television presentations that document the awe-inspiring happenings in our oceans. Dramatic, beautiful marine life goes on outside the realm of our land environment.
It's a whole 'nother world down there! Gorgeous colors, infinitely compelling scenarios of survival, and evidence of divine intelligence are present, especially in the clever defense mechanisms of fish and other creatures. The movie, Finding Nemo, portrayed with amazing accuracy the species and habits of fish and other aquatic creatures.
In Job 38:16, God asks Job, "Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth?" Then in Job 41:1, He asks, "Canst thou draw out Leviathan with an hook, or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?" Verse 11(b) reminds him, "Everything under the whole heaven is mine."
Today I was in my backyard hanging sheets to dry on the clothesline. I hadn't been out there in a while, and I was impressed at the accidental beauty of it. Small purple flowers peeked out from the glossy leaves of ground cover that was trailing along the fence line. Garden statuary, one a verdant green, stood watch over our neglected fish pond encircled by the flat stones we had laid a few years ago. Perhaps this will be the year we re-stock it and again spend mesmerizing summer hours watching the ripple of goldfish, and koi playing hide-and-seek in the waving moss of our own little piece of God's creation!
I was amazed as I looked down at the glistening ball and socket joint of the shank ham. Such a beautiful piece of God's creation! Perfectly designed and looking like a work of art chiseled in marble. One of the Creator's masterpieces that had never seen the light of day!
God has so many marvels that are there for us to see and enjoy, and many that we may never see, but that have been recorded in pictures or films by others. I think of the Blue Planet series of television presentations that document the awe-inspiring happenings in our oceans. Dramatic, beautiful marine life goes on outside the realm of our land environment.
It's a whole 'nother world down there! Gorgeous colors, infinitely compelling scenarios of survival, and evidence of divine intelligence are present, especially in the clever defense mechanisms of fish and other creatures. The movie, Finding Nemo, portrayed with amazing accuracy the species and habits of fish and other aquatic creatures.
In Job 38:16, God asks Job, "Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth?" Then in Job 41:1, He asks, "Canst thou draw out Leviathan with an hook, or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?" Verse 11(b) reminds him, "Everything under the whole heaven is mine."
Today I was in my backyard hanging sheets to dry on the clothesline. I hadn't been out there in a while, and I was impressed at the accidental beauty of it. Small purple flowers peeked out from the glossy leaves of ground cover that was trailing along the fence line. Garden statuary, one a verdant green, stood watch over our neglected fish pond encircled by the flat stones we had laid a few years ago. Perhaps this will be the year we re-stock it and again spend mesmerizing summer hours watching the ripple of goldfish, and koi playing hide-and-seek in the waving moss of our own little piece of God's creation!
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Our Father's World
"Look at that!" Howard exclaimed on our way to church this morning. We were taking our favorite route, wending our way through the curves of Standing Bear Parkway when I turned to see something right out of the Make Way for Ducklings children's book. Crossing the bricked parkway in front of us was a mother goose followed single file by about a dozen adorable goslings! How incredibly cute! Their downy yellow-and-grey bodies waddling along so importantly awakened the child in me that wanted to scoop one up and cuddle the ball of fluff. They must have been hatched at the pond in Standing Bear Park and were headed to a grassy expanse and arena where the annual Indian Pow-wow is held.
In Sunday School, after prayer requests were prayed over, the teacher asked if anyone had any good experiences to share, and I told about the pleasure of seeing this little vignette of nature. Then Howard surprised me by telling about the baby pigs we have in the country. He told how they had scooted under the fence and ran to him when he drove up to feed them the other morning. Revealing a tenderness for animals I didn't know he had, and despite the inconvenience of getting them back inside, he said, "They were hungry, and just so cute and innocent, looking up at me for feed."
My husband went on, "It made me think of people in the world who are spiritually starving and searching for something to satisfy them," to which I injected, "And all they get is slop!"
"They are hungry for the gospel!" he emphasized, saying that when he hands out the scripture cards he has printed, people willingly receive them. "I give them to servers at the drive-through windows at McDonald's, and to clerks in stores." It's true, I've never seen anyone refuse them.
His analogy made me reflect that so many try to feed their inner craving, which is really a spiritual one, with pig-slop. All kinds of garbage is consumed in the forms of entertainment or other diversions and excesses, which only leave one empty and feeling degraded.
This morning our church had as guest speaker a young aspiring minister who was preaching his first sermon. We had been forewarned that he might be nervous and the sermon short, but we were pleasantly surprised. The incredibly young-looking preacher was a good speaker, giving a character study on the apostle Peter. He said he identified with Peter's many failures and being a "mess up," but he ended with Jesus giving Peter the charge to "Feed my lambs," and "Feed my sheep."
Young lambs and adult sheep need to be fed, just as Howard feeds our young pigs and their mother. (The other day I asked him how the pigs were, and he replied, "They were sweet.") Of course, Jesus was talking about people, my husband's concern, too. Although no longer a pastor, Howard has two preaching engagements coming up, and we work on Wednesdays with the children of the church. Feeding His lambs, and feeding His sheep. Sweet!
In Sunday School, after prayer requests were prayed over, the teacher asked if anyone had any good experiences to share, and I told about the pleasure of seeing this little vignette of nature. Then Howard surprised me by telling about the baby pigs we have in the country. He told how they had scooted under the fence and ran to him when he drove up to feed them the other morning. Revealing a tenderness for animals I didn't know he had, and despite the inconvenience of getting them back inside, he said, "They were hungry, and just so cute and innocent, looking up at me for feed."
My husband went on, "It made me think of people in the world who are spiritually starving and searching for something to satisfy them," to which I injected, "And all they get is slop!"
"They are hungry for the gospel!" he emphasized, saying that when he hands out the scripture cards he has printed, people willingly receive them. "I give them to servers at the drive-through windows at McDonald's, and to clerks in stores." It's true, I've never seen anyone refuse them.
His analogy made me reflect that so many try to feed their inner craving, which is really a spiritual one, with pig-slop. All kinds of garbage is consumed in the forms of entertainment or other diversions and excesses, which only leave one empty and feeling degraded.
This morning our church had as guest speaker a young aspiring minister who was preaching his first sermon. We had been forewarned that he might be nervous and the sermon short, but we were pleasantly surprised. The incredibly young-looking preacher was a good speaker, giving a character study on the apostle Peter. He said he identified with Peter's many failures and being a "mess up," but he ended with Jesus giving Peter the charge to "Feed my lambs," and "Feed my sheep."
Young lambs and adult sheep need to be fed, just as Howard feeds our young pigs and their mother. (The other day I asked him how the pigs were, and he replied, "They were sweet.") Of course, Jesus was talking about people, my husband's concern, too. Although no longer a pastor, Howard has two preaching engagements coming up, and we work on Wednesdays with the children of the church. Feeding His lambs, and feeding His sheep. Sweet!
Friday, May 2, 2014
May Days
May! How I love the month of May! Even the name sounds as if we are given permission to enjoy! When I was in school, the coming of May heralded freedom at month's end. In our country school, we wound the Maypole on May 1st. I'll never forget the long, crepe paper strips fastened to the top of the flagpole (it must not have been that high). Our teacher coached us on weaving the turquoise lengths with white ones to become an interwoven design as we danced singing around the Maypole.
For one May program, our mothers stitched crepe paper dresses for the 5th grade girls, made with tiers of gathered ruffles for the skirts (again, turquoise--they must have had a lot of that on hand!). We sang a song about blowing bubbles, wafting our wands like princesses to create iridescent spheres floating magically over the heads of our parents.
My husband says when he was a kid they made May baskets and hung them on neighbors' doors. He told me May Day was something his mother always looked forward to. Even yesterday he said brightly, "This is May Day!"
On one long, sweltering May afternoon at our country school, the teacher noticed the sweaty boys languishing over their desks after playing ball during our noon recess. Their energy was miraculously restored when they heard her say, "Boys, you can leave early and go swimming at the creek." Those were the days!
May seems synonymous for Mother's Day, as June is for Father's Day. I miss buying Mother's Day cards, for our mothers have been gone several years now. Of course, I do enjoy getting them from my kids, along with the phone calls, special meals and other tokens of love and appreciation they are so thoughtful in remembering.
On a stormy May Monday in 1962, our second child and first daughter, Julie, was born. It was a couple of days before the Decoration Day holiday, observed then on May 30, now known as Memorial Day, the last Monday in May. Although it is a patriotic day to remember our veterans and fallen war heroes, many enjoy the day off for outdoor activities and early summer fun. We do, too, but nothing compares to our joy and excitement of a new baby girl all those years ago. When possible, we like to take a trip to Tennessee for her birthday. Another reason to love May!
For one May program, our mothers stitched crepe paper dresses for the 5th grade girls, made with tiers of gathered ruffles for the skirts (again, turquoise--they must have had a lot of that on hand!). We sang a song about blowing bubbles, wafting our wands like princesses to create iridescent spheres floating magically over the heads of our parents.
My husband says when he was a kid they made May baskets and hung them on neighbors' doors. He told me May Day was something his mother always looked forward to. Even yesterday he said brightly, "This is May Day!"
On one long, sweltering May afternoon at our country school, the teacher noticed the sweaty boys languishing over their desks after playing ball during our noon recess. Their energy was miraculously restored when they heard her say, "Boys, you can leave early and go swimming at the creek." Those were the days!
May seems synonymous for Mother's Day, as June is for Father's Day. I miss buying Mother's Day cards, for our mothers have been gone several years now. Of course, I do enjoy getting them from my kids, along with the phone calls, special meals and other tokens of love and appreciation they are so thoughtful in remembering.
On a stormy May Monday in 1962, our second child and first daughter, Julie, was born. It was a couple of days before the Decoration Day holiday, observed then on May 30, now known as Memorial Day, the last Monday in May. Although it is a patriotic day to remember our veterans and fallen war heroes, many enjoy the day off for outdoor activities and early summer fun. We do, too, but nothing compares to our joy and excitement of a new baby girl all those years ago. When possible, we like to take a trip to Tennessee for her birthday. Another reason to love May!
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Birds 'n' Blooms
I love seeing the stunning photos of birds and the gorgeous shots of flowers in a magazine we take with the same name as my story title. But today, I saw a beautiful bird for myself--a bluebird! I love bluebirds! They are my favorite bird, maybe partly because I hardly ever see one. I was at the farm, and I glanced up to see a brilliant flash of blue on a utility wire. When the bird turned to re-position itself, I saw the reddish-brown breast, confirming the species for me. I actually felt a warm glow of happiness at the sight!
I felt the same way yesterday when I glanced out and spied a bright red spot on the rosebush. The first rose! I couldn't believe how it cheered me. Today there were several more spots of color against the green leaves, and even some pink buds that look ready to open on another bush. With our late spring, these encouraging signs of warmer weather are so welcome! Not that it's so warm today--we actually covered our plants last night--but higher temperatures are in the forecast. I have the heat on today, but it will likely be the air conditioner tomorrow.
Petunias, pansies and marigolds are filling my planters out front, the yellow and purple of the pansies echoing the colors of the petunias and marigolds. I was a little worried that I had waited too late to plant pansies, a cool weather flower, when I put them in several weeks ago. But the weather has been perfect for them; they are thriving and happy in the chilly air. I wonder what will happen to them next week, when predictions are for 90-100 degrees!
Actually, the feathers of bluebirds contain no blue pigment! It's just that their feathers are made by their Creator to absorb all wave lengths of color except blue! Only the blue wave length is reflected and scattered to appear blue to our eyes! The wonders of nature are so fascinating! God has made the world to be endlessly intriguing for us! No wonder scientists, botanists, and other specialists find their work so rewarding and all absorbing!
Solomon, the wisest man who had ever lived up until his time, gave much of his time to studying his environment. I Kings 4:32-33 tells of his areas of expertise, with verse 33 reading, "And he spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop even that springeth out of the wall: he spake of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes."
Thank you, God, for making such a beautiful world. We can only imagine what you have in store for us in heaven. According to the child in Heaven is for Real, heaven is much like here, only better! And I'm sure there will be plenty of birds and blooms!
I felt the same way yesterday when I glanced out and spied a bright red spot on the rosebush. The first rose! I couldn't believe how it cheered me. Today there were several more spots of color against the green leaves, and even some pink buds that look ready to open on another bush. With our late spring, these encouraging signs of warmer weather are so welcome! Not that it's so warm today--we actually covered our plants last night--but higher temperatures are in the forecast. I have the heat on today, but it will likely be the air conditioner tomorrow.
Petunias, pansies and marigolds are filling my planters out front, the yellow and purple of the pansies echoing the colors of the petunias and marigolds. I was a little worried that I had waited too late to plant pansies, a cool weather flower, when I put them in several weeks ago. But the weather has been perfect for them; they are thriving and happy in the chilly air. I wonder what will happen to them next week, when predictions are for 90-100 degrees!
Actually, the feathers of bluebirds contain no blue pigment! It's just that their feathers are made by their Creator to absorb all wave lengths of color except blue! Only the blue wave length is reflected and scattered to appear blue to our eyes! The wonders of nature are so fascinating! God has made the world to be endlessly intriguing for us! No wonder scientists, botanists, and other specialists find their work so rewarding and all absorbing!
Solomon, the wisest man who had ever lived up until his time, gave much of his time to studying his environment. I Kings 4:32-33 tells of his areas of expertise, with verse 33 reading, "And he spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop even that springeth out of the wall: he spake of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes."
Thank you, God, for making such a beautiful world. We can only imagine what you have in store for us in heaven. According to the child in Heaven is for Real, heaven is much like here, only better! And I'm sure there will be plenty of birds and blooms!
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