Spring Fling

Folks in New Jersey have the best weather in the country! We have the fullness of all four seasons; cold and snowy Winters, wet and blooming Springs, hot and humid Summers, cool and crisp Falls. With each season there is something so delightful. The Winter season brings most folks inside to hearth and home with shortened days and bitter cold nights. The Spring brinks folks outside during the day to sweep away debris of Winter and to plant. The Summer keeps folks outside till late at night because of the cooler temperatures of the evening and the light of the late setting sun. Also, gardening in New Jersey (The Garden State - duh) is a great summer New Jersey pastime. The Fall brings relief of the long hot days and keeps our sights on the red, orange and gold foliage. It's funny to me that so many people feel exactly the same way as I do about the weather in New Jersey, yet all I hear is folks waiting on the next season. It seems everybody is in a rush for the next season to begin. If I hear one more person say, "I can't wait till Spring," I may explode. And, no, that wasn't me outside today whispering, "Grow tulips, grow..."

Abounding!

Philippians 4:11-13 "Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

For me, these verses speak to the heart of Christian living. To listen to the world-view today, the goal in life is to be completely satisfied physically, financially and emotionally. To seek and enjoy many riches. To fill our gluttonous selves to the brim and then just a little bit more. Some of you are nodding in agreement thinking, it's the "just a little bit more" that gets us in trouble. But that's not really the truth behind our dissatisfaction. If we know Christ, we are already abundantly rich! When our circumstances stink, Paul tells us that Christ can and will strengthen us. The knowledge of knowing that, even in bad situations, in times of trouble and need, we have the strength of Christ in us to accomplish all things, is the kind of contentment that every worldly thing is empty of. In other words, what the world has to offer is void of soul satisfying joy. But what Christ has to offer is teeming with unspeakable joys. These verses to me are saying a life adapted to the world is lacking (abased), but a life adapted to Christ is rich (abounding).

Shhhh - It's a Secret

How dumb are we? Wait, don't answer that. I was at the check-out line in the supermarket and started browsing the magazine rack. Each magazine had the word Secret on the front cover. The Secret Live of Celebrities, The Secret To Losing 10 Pounds, The Secret To An Uncluttered Life, The Secret Dual-Life of The Stars, The Design Secret You Need To Know, The Health Secret You Need To Know, The Diet Secret You Need To Know. . . and so on. Don't these magazine editors realize that once they divulge all those secrets, we won't need to buy any more magazines? And really, are these things really secrets? I know all these "secrets" and a few they forgot to mention. Celebrities are messed up; if you eat less you'll lose weight; if you throw stuff away and stop buying new stuff, you'll uncluttered your life; TV personalities live differently than their TV characters; when decorating remember that less is more and (drum roll). . . the big design secret - window treatments (I have to admit I peeked at that one); if you walk more each day you'll be healthier; and if you drink more water while dieting you will lose more weight because you are filling your stomach and flushing out toxins and fat. Hey, maybe I should write a magazine. Would you pay $4.95 for 10 pages of ranting . . . I mean advice?

Empty-Nest

I now know how the term empty-nest really came to be. Empty-nest syndrome is a phrase that was coined by someone to describe the feelings parents feel when their children fly away from the nest, or in other words, leave home. But I have a new understanding of empty-nest. For me, it is an opportunity to empty the nest of all the stuff my kids were holding on to. Heh-heh-heh. No one is here to stop me from throwing out old sneakers and T-shirts and games and toys and empty photo frames with broken glass and old books. My daughter even had a plastic container that was labeled, "Odd game pieces". Guess what folks, I am emptying my nest and it feels pretty good! Good-bye odd game pieces, heck, good-bye odd games. Does anyone really ever play Old Maid? And, not for nothing, but I never liked Candy Land or Shoots and Ladders. Can you say, "boring"? I used to pay the babysitters to play those games with my kids. Now, don't think that I don't miss the little birdies, because Lord knows I do. It's just that it's easier to keep the old nest neat without all the clutter. Less is more. Can I get an Amen? And when the little birds come home, I better not hear a peep out of them over this. . .

The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From The Tree

This is from my daughter's Italy blog. It sounds like something that would happen to me :)

Written by daughter #1:

So let me set the scene for this picture . . . We get dropped off in Verona pretty much right in front of the huge arena (which looks exactly like a smaller version of the Colosseum), where there are multiple characters dressed up in the streets, like angels, pharaohs, and Roman soldiers, who people take pictures with and then are guilted into paying. The boys see the Roman soldiers with their massive pretend swords and armor and recruit me to take pictures for them. They act super dramatic, choking the soldiers and having sword fights and pretending to have their heads chopped off. Then they say to me, "Hey, you go take a picture with them, it will be funny!" and I think, "Why not? I want to have a sword fight too!" But as I walk over I realize that the soldiers do not want to have a sword fight with a young American girl, they want to hug her and kiss her hand and wink at her and make suggestive faces and generally be rude Italian men. And the boys, of course, think that this is hysterical and snap lots of pictures and do nothing to rescue me from the clutches of the lewd Roman soldiers. Hmpf

I Want Details & Hugs

So, my husband took a surprise trip to our son's Military school to see his last home basketball game. I was nervous about how it would go. It seems funny to me that I would be nervous for father and son to see each other considering they have had a wonderful relationship the boy's whole life. But, dads are different than moms. Moms ask questions like, "How do you feel?", "Do you have enough pairs of underwear?", "Is the food good, like mine, I mean, does it taste good?", "Are you getting enough sleep?" Men on the other hand say, "Hello," and basically, that's it. What would they talk about without me? Would my husband find out the important stuff - you know, about the food and the underwear? Would my son offer any information if it weren't asked directly? I debated on giving my husband a list of questions to ask, written on a little white index card. I decided against that. So, when my husband called me 3 hours after he left, at half-time, I asked, anxiously, "How is he? Did he lose any weight? Did he grow? Does he need underwear?" My husband responded in his usual dry manner, "Which question should I answer first?" "Augh, just tell me if he was happy to see you?" "Yes," he said, "he came right over and shook my hand." "Shook your hand!?" I fumed. "Yes, sweetheart, that's what boys in Military school do." And that was about all the details I got. I think I'll go to Wal-Mart tomorrow and get some underwear . . . just in case.

Unexpected Blessings - In The Midst

So, two weeks ago we sent our 16 year old son to Military School. The school is about 3 hours from home. It was (is) a good decision. He has so many opportunities there and this could be the best time of his life. A way for him to cement the future he has always planned for himself. With that being said, it was a very difficult decision and a very sad good-bye. It was never our intention to have our son away from home before college, nor did we expect to be empty-nesters yet. However, the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry (whatever that really means). So, the day after my husband and I were officially empty-nesters, we got a phone call for my husband to teach a class in Florida for two days. Guess what? We were both free. We made reservations, packed, hopped on a plane, arrived to 75 degree weather, had dinner with our sweet daughter (which went by way too fast - miss you honey), walked the beach, sun bathed, drove to Tampa, my husband had paying work, we met Indian Lake Papa and Mama for dinner (which also went by way too fast), a little more work and now we're heading home. I am humbled by the continuous provisions from God . . . the unexpected blessings . . . in the midst of this life - adapted.

Cat Adoption Highlights (is lowlights a word?)

For sure, this cat adoption project has been interesting. I made a commitment and you all know what our mamas taught us about commitments, you follow them through. Can't you just hear your mama's voice? "Well, you shouldn't have said yes if you weren't sure, but since you did, you have to see it through." Augh! yes, mommy. Here are a few highlights from my "commitment."
- I sorely failed at witnessing Christ to 2 people I knew needed it
- I began witnessing to Sylvia, but she and her husband are already believers, in fact, they adopted a cat with a fatal illness because of their Christ like spirit
- I should have witnessed to my co-workers because at least 3 of them took credit for cats that I adopted and thus stole my commission
- I complained because the shelter gave me the ugliest, oldest, fattest cat they had to show at an adoption. This cat, "Beefy," had jaw surgery so his mouth doesn't close, he has a runny eye, he's 15 and he sat in the corner of the crate shaking with fear
- I almost talked this man into adopting Beefy, but then he told me how his wife died, then his dog died and he wasn't sure he was ready yet. They died 15 years ago. I told him he wasn't ready for Beefy.
- I cried with a woman who had just dropped off her son at Basic Training and promised to pray for him, Joe
- I talked to a woman who lost her husband to cancer a few months ago. She has 9 cats and each one has a "unique" story (unique meaning very long), I listened to every story
- And the final insult, I asked my husband to come with me (which he did) and he got a man who wants to meet him at the shelter to look at cats together - go figure!
Mommy, can I quit yet?

Ciao Little Bird

After a very long ordeal, my bird got to her new nest away from home - Italy! She proved herself a strong and able traveler. When one route was closed, she flew another one. She did it all by herself, just like she's been begging to do since she was 2. I can hear her little high pitched, stuttering voice in my head, "M-m-m-mommy, me do!" She's always been determined to do things on her own, in her own way. When she was 5 she didn't like to be watched when she painted. So one morning she got up really early and painted a picture. I got up to find she had dragged a chair to the sink so she could wash the brushes. The first thing I noticed was how precariously she was standing on the chair over the sink, then I noticed the spilled paint, then I noticed she hadn't put on her smock so her clothes were covered in washable (not) paint, then I noticed the paint in her hair. And just before I could speak, I noticed the picture she painted, a girl and her mother picking flowers. Finally, I noticed, above all, was that my little bird was grinning from ear to ear, proud of her accomplishment, awaiting my applause. "Good job, honey," I said, in my best motherese, smiling, resisting the urge to clean up for her, "I'm going back to bed. Wake me up when you're all done." And so, 16 years later when she got delayed and stuck at the airport and she re-routed her flight, I said to her, "Good job, honey. I'm going back to bed. Call me when you're all done." To myself, I said, "Ciao little bird."

Fly Safe

The little birdie is flying away from the nest. She's been doing it for years, but I think one wing was clipped because she couldn't get very far. I hope her wings are strong because they must get her all the way to Italy! Yup, my baby (daughter #1) is going to Italy tomorrow for three months! I couldn't be more proud of her. She's stepping outside of her comfort zone and going to another country to study and evangelize. It's something she's always wanted to do and when this opportunity came up, she grabbed it. For two and a half years at college she has worked hard and made good connections, and that work is paying off. She is one of one going from her school to Italy. She's a pioneer, a trailblazer, a pilgrim, a trendsetter, a pacesetter . . . a little bird flying off. Did I mention I was proud of her? A new and exciting adventure awaits her in the land of her ancestors. And she won't just fly away from the nest . . . she'll soar. This I know because she seeks God in all she does and God promises this:
". . . those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary.
They shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31
God bless you, honey and fly safe.

Cat Adoptions? Part IV

There are one hundred cats at the shelter in need of homes. Our wealthy benefactor wants to see each one adopted. He is paying a fee to each person who adopts out a cat, plus he's giving each new cat owner a 2 month supply of free litter and food. I now see this as a double opportunity. A way to make some money (I almost said extra money but that would imply I had money already) and an opportunity to share Jesus. You know how my first attempt turned out. . . So, I was bound and determined that I would not let my next chance slip away. I was going to share the good news of Jesus with the very next person who wanted to adopt a cat. This very gruff sounding man answered an ad I placed and he agreed to meet me at the shelter. He showed up on his motorcycle (clue #1 he really didn't intend to take a cat home, they don't even make helmets that small) and wanted to see only tiny, black kittens with white paws (clue #2) and wanted the free food and litter before he adopted a cat (clue #3). Even still, I prayed for an opportunity or an opening to say, "Hey, do you want to know about Jesus?" but the skull and cross bones on his T-shirt and his leather jacket and his motorcycle intimidated me. When he left, I prayed he wouldn't crash on the way home. BUT, I said to myself, "Self, be encouraged, there will be more opportunities," and don't you know when I got home, the answering machine was blinking . . .

Conversation With Husband Re: Christmas Decorations

Husband: "What are you doing this afternoon?"
Me: "Taking down the Christmas decorations."
Him: "Oh, don't. I love the Christmas decorations, leave them out for a while longer please."
Me: "If they stay out longer, they'll need to be dusted. I'd rather put them away so I don't have to dust them. Of course, if you really want them out longer, you are free to dust them."
Him: "No, you can put them away."
Me: "Gee, thanks..."

America Resolved

I am fond of New Year's resolutions. I feel that we all have a thing or two we could resolve to do better. I am so fond of resolutions that I often assign resolutions to others. I once asked a friend if she would honor my resolution for her before I told her what the resolution was. She said, "Yes." I said, "Okay. Resolve to work on your marriage." She said, "Grrrrrr." But she did and that was a good thing. I have been thinking that there are few things that our country can improve on. So America, listen up. This is your short list (long list to follow).
1. Resolve to give the children back their childhood. Turn off the electronics and send the kids outside to play. Someone said to me once, "Young kids need to learn how to use electronics so they don't fall behind." I asked, "Fall behind what?" I learned how to use a computer when I was in my twenties and believe it or not, even at that old age, I took to it pretty quickly. I have never thought at the end of a day, "I wish I had spent more time on my computer." However, many times I have thought, "I wish I had gotten outside more."
2. Resolve to censorship. Yes, folks, zip the lip. I am actually censoring myself right now. Censor all unholy language, images, thoughts, music and activities. Train yourself to restrain yourself.
3. Resolve to practice kindness. I'm not talking "random acts of kindness," I'm talking purposeful acts of kindness. Think to yourself, "What kind thing can I do for someone on purpose today?"
4. Resolve to be a good citizen. Wake up America! Why should God Bless America if we're not being good citizens?
And finally, an alliteration,
5. Resolve to practice prayer, patience and peace. Praying for others teaches us to be tender hearted, grateful and humble. Patience teaches us to be. . . well, patient for those we pray for. And peace flows from prayer and patience which makes practicing peace a good practice.

Happy New Year!

Family's Gift OR Where Are The Caches?

Geocaching (pronounced geo-cashing) is finding treasures (or caches) hidden outdoors by using a GPS device. The caches are hidden in public places outdoors and then their location is published on the Internet. You plug in the location on your GPS and then your treasure hunting begins. Some caches are camouflaged, some hung in trees, some buried in brush, some hidden in logs. So far we have found 3 caches. After you find the cache, you write your name and the date on the log in the cache container and if there is a treasure, you may take it, providing you leave behind another treasure in it's place for the next seekers to find. And, NO, you may not leave one of your children behind as a treasure for someone else to find, tempting as that may sound, it just wouldn't be right! . . . right . . .?

Our Gift OR Where Are The Tissues?

Need I say anything more?

Husband's Gift OR Where Are The Bandaids?

Can you guess what I got my husband for Christmas??

Below is a clue. . .

Need I say anything more?

MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL!!

Cat Adoptions? Part III

My daughter asked me once, "Mom, how do you go from talking about peppers to telling people about Jesus?" I laughed because I'm not a good witness. I say stupid things that I wish I hadn't. I think of all the clever things I should have said as I watch the person walk away. I'm not that witty on the spot. But, at a predestined meeting, I was convinced, I would be a fabulous witness! It's just that it is so rare that we have a foreknowledge of being able to share Jesus with someone. After my first conversation with Debbie I knew I wanted to share the good news of Jesus with her. I told my husband and my children, "I just want to share Jesus with her!" I told Debbie over the phone, "I have the perfect cat for you and I can't wait to meet you." She said, "I'm not sure about the cat." I said, "It's okay," but I was thinking, "Who cares about the cat!" I met Debbie at the shelter and she said, "I don't think I'm going to like this cat." I said, "That's fine, but let's go meet her." I had my Jesus speech ready and rehearsed. I introduced Debbie to Buffy and there was an instant, mutual love. From that moment on I may as well have disappeared because to Debbie, only Buffy existed. I managed to say, while I was leaving, that I believed God intended for her, Buffy and I to meet. If she heard me at all I wouldn't know because she said nothing, not even good-bye. Do you think the story will end here?

Cat Adoptions? Part II

. . . the phone rang, it was Debbie. She answered an ad I had placed and was interested in adopting a cat. The local animal shelter has a wealthy benefactor who is paying folks to adopt out "hard to place" cats. Ironically, we just tried to foster a "hard to place" 15 year old boy, but that went terrifically bad. Maybe I thought I would have better results with cats. I placed a clever, quirky ad and I wasn't at all surprised when I received my first call. I was, however, still surprised over my involvement in this project. Yes, there is a financial gain for me, and yes, I love the thought of finding loving homes for hard to place cats, and yes, I love a challenge, but my life is busy and complicated and full - who needs one more thing to do? My first call with Debbie went just about as you would expect. I answered all her questions and I asked a few of my own. She said she would think about it and call me back. And call me back she did . . . 5 times! Each time I spoke to her she revealed a little more about herself and her life. Each time I spoke to her I cared less about the cat and the fee I would get and more about her. My husband said, "Congratulations, it looks like you'll adopt your first cat!" I said, "I don't care if she takes a cat or not, I just want to tell her about Jesus." And there it was . . . the purpose I had been wondering about. Isn't it just like God to use one lonely lady, one stray cat and one unsuspecting soul to work out His purpose? . . . to be continued . . .

Cat Adoptions? Part I

Since I have a history helping cats it was no big surprise for the shelter or some of my old friends to hear I am adopting out shelter cats. But it was a surprise for me. I see myself as more of a people person and not an animal person. My husband and I fostered kittens for over a year when we first moved into our house 24 years ago. The room that is now my 21 year old daughter's room used to be the kitten room. We would take in kittens while they were waiting to be adopted and care for them. The reason we (I) agreed to do it was because the very first two ladies who befriended me when we moved here were animal people and I loved them (I still do). It was their cause and I wanted to support my new friends in their life's work. Not having any causes of my own at that moment and being new to the area and having a new husband who readily agreed to whatever his kooky wife wanted, we gladly took in stray kittens and took care of them. I love all my animal people friends because without them the world would be a very sad place. Ever since we stopped fostering kittens we have spent the rest of the 24 years in our house ministering to people. So, it was kind of a surprise that I agreed to adopt out shelter cats, until, that is, the phone rang... to be continued...

Purrfect!

I have just agreed to help adopt out cats from a local no-kill shelter. I don't personally fully agree with no-kill shelters in all cases. There are some cats that have been in this shelter since 2004. Sadly, they will likely still be there in 2014. Is this humane? I don't know. However, if I can help adopt out some of these cats by the end of this year, I will feel like I have done some good. I went to a meeting to get the details of how I could help. A local pet supply store has agreed to let us bring some cats there. We can set up 6 cages there for 4 hours a day, Friday through Sunday, for the next 3 weeks. Someone was concerned about bad weather and asked what we should plan to do in case of rain or snow. The person organizing the adoption said, "Oh, that wouldn't be humane to be outside for that long!" To which I responded with a hearty, "Thank you!" To which she responded in a slightly haughty manner, "I meant, (long pause) it wouldn't be humane for the cats!" To which I responded, "Heck, they're the ones with the fur!" In spite of that, I am scheduled to work tomorrow and Saturday. Which is purrfectly alright with me.