Rise and Shine!

Although this is not the year for special birthday posts (last year I posted a message to my husband and each of my four children and eight grandchildren...that was a lot of posting!), I just have to pop in today to say Happy Birthday to my only son Ryan! 

What is a mama to do?  She is a full participant in that day of birth, and then she coordinates birthday celebrations for the next umpteen years...but then they grow up and move away (far too many miles away!)...and they go and have birthdays without you!! 

So today I want to tell you a sweet story about my boy and then give him a special birthday message. 

We have always been ones who have shortened the names of our children.  At home, Kristin was "Kris" and Ryan was "Ry."  We intended to call Kaitlyn "Kati," but she became "Kate" at home.  And Rebekah's chosen nickname is "Bekah" which usually comes out "Bek."  Verbal laziness?  Maybe so, although there is usually is no lack of verbosity around here. 

Does anybody remember Psalty the Singing Songbook?  When my older children were small, we had quite a collection of these Kids' Praise cassette tapes, and the children often listened to them at bedtime. 

As an older child, Ryan confessed that he once believed that one of the Psalty songs was about him.  Mentally going over the myriad of Psalty songs that Ryan could relate to, I could not think of the one that I thought had Ryan's name written all over it.  But when he told me, I could see that it did indeed have Ryan's name "written all over it." 

The song was "Arky, Arky" and the line that Ryan identified with was:

"So rise and shine and give God the glory, glory!"


which he heard as

"Ry's and shine and give God the glory, glory!"

And  I want to say to my Ry on his special day... 

Rise (Ry's) and shine and give God the glory!

(And I know you will!)

From One Generation to Another

As an eight-year-old girl, rifling through the pages of the new Sears and Roebuck Wish Book, I fell in love with a doll.  There she was...the perfect baby doll.  She did not talk or drink or wet.  But she looked (to me) like a real baby, and so loveable. 

When my third grade teacher had us write letters to Santa, I knew just what I would ask for..."Newborn Miss Peep."  (I also asked for "a real guitar for not more than $3.99"—don't ask me how I settled on that price limit—but Newborn Miss Peep was at the top of my list.) 

Peep was under the Christmas tree in December of 1968, and she became my most-loved doll.  It was so easy to pretend that she was my real baby.  She wore a white kimono trimmed and tied with pink rickrack, and was wrapped in a pink blanket.  I would take her out on errands with my mom, and I was convinced that when other shoppers looked at us and smiled, they thought that she was real and were admiring my baby. 

Peep was my treasure all through childhood, even into the days when I knew that I was "too old" to play with dolls and no longer took her on errands, but loved her and played with her in the confines of my own home. 

Then the day came when I had my very own, very real baby, my firstborn, Kristin.  And when Kristin was around eight years old, old enough to take great care of this treasure, I gave Peep to her.  It was right that she, as my oldest daughter, should have this beloved part of my childhood. 

Last week, my sweet granddaughter Maddie celebrated her seventh birthday.  On the night before her big day, her mama gave her a very special gift.  Yes, "Newborn Miss Peep" now belongs to another firstborn daughter, and it warms my heart to think of Maddie being "Mommy" to my "baby."  Kristin told her that she could name her doll anything that she chose, but Maddie said that she thought that "Peep" was a good name.  (I think so too, Maddie.)

There is a greater treasure—greater than a childhood toy, greater than my great-grandmother's tea set, greater than my grandmother's sewing basket, or heirloom silverware—that can be passed along to future generations.  That treasure is the Word of the Lord. 

One generation shall praise thy works to another,

and shall declare thy mighty acts.

The passing on of our faith must be just as deliberate, just as tender, as that of passing on a treasured heirloom. 

I am not speaking of some kind of "spiritual osmosis" here, in which faith is absorbed by the children just because their parents are believers, bypassing the fact that each individual must make his or her own choice.  But I am speaking of taking care to share His eternal truths, to share your love for Him, to making choices that are true to His Word, to live your faith.  It begins with loving the Lord with all of your heart, soul, and strength...and then proactively teaching His truth to your children. 

You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.  (Deuteronomy 6:5-7)

The heritage that we give to our children and to our grandchildren is of eternal importance.   

Run, Don't Walk

If you're a coffee lover, a chocolate lover, and a coconut lover all rolled into one, then RUN to your nearest Starbucks and get a Mocha Coconut Frappuccino before they discontinue this limited time lusciousness!  I know I sound like a commercial, but they are that good.  Really. 

Doesn't she look happy?  She is!  She has been telling me that I needed to get one before summer's end, so yesterday we made some girl time and indulged. 

Yep.  They're that good. 

Questions About Our Homeschool

Just a few of the silly uninformed interesting questions that we have been asked over the years...

• Do you give homework? It's all "home"work.
  
  

• What do you do when they get detention?  
  Hmmmm...let's see.  Just how would I go about having my students stay after school? 
  
  

• Do you do school in your pajamas?  And the popular variation,  Do you do school in your underwear? 
  (The variation was usually posed to my then-teenage son by other teenage males.  Tired of this question, Ryan would sometimes "forget" to tell people that he was homeschooled.)

Although the temptation is there to stand with mouth agape, or even to fall on the floor in a heap of laughter, I usually just smile and answer the question as if it makes perfect sense.  Mostly because, before I was a homeschooler myself, I had a few silly uninformed interesting questions of my own. 

Fellow home educators, have you ever been asked a silly uninformed interesting question?

Herb Garden

If you don't have a green thumb, an herb garden is the garden for you!  Herbs are so friendly and forgiving.  And useful.  I love stepping out of my back door with a pair of kitchen shears, and clipping some rosemary for roasted potatoes or some chives for scrambled eggs or some basil for a Caprese salad. 
 

I also love the pineapple that lives in my herb garden!  It called my name from a back shelf in Target's garden center...the same day that I found the furniture for our new patio...the same furniture that was under budget... which freed up funds so that I could answer the call of the pineapple. 


You gotta love plants that don't mind fending for themselves!

Sunday Snapshots: The Checkup

...using the Fisher Price medical kit that was their mommy's. 

Meeting God In the Moment

Still s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g...

Still trying to keep up with the craziness, the ups and downs, the "to do" lists, the fit-it-all-in-ness...which is not how I like to live.  I crave normalcy, quiet, slowness, calm. 

But instead of letting it all get to me, I am choosing to (as Elisabeth Elliot so often reminded us to do in her radio messages) just "do the next thing," knowing that He is directing my steps, knowing that His path does not always lead through my comfort zone, knowing that where He leads it is good. 

I am choosing to meet God in the moment.  One moment at a time. 

Lord, I need you now, in this moment. 

Help me to please you, here in this moment. 

Help me to be a blessing, here in this moment. 

Teach me what I need to learn, here in this moment. 

Quiet my heart, here in this moment. 

Speak to my heart, here in this moment.

Cause my ears to hear Your voice, here in this moment. 

Enable me to see You, here in this moment. 

Respite

In between the highs and lows of these past few weeks,

we enjoyed some lovely restful moments. 

Is there anything cuter than a baby in a bathing suit? 

Find Us Faithful

I have always loved this song.  It is a challenge to the living...to be faithful to Him, to be mindful of the things that we will leave behind, to walk in such a way that our footprints will lead to Christ. 

We are but pilgrims passing through this weary land, but we can leave a heritage of faithfulness. 

Still Rejoicing and Weeping

When I wrote this post yesterday, I had no idea that by nightfall my father-in-law would be with the Lord.  He is no longer bound by this temporary world and its suffering, but he has met His Maker face to face.   

Rejoicing and Weeping

Rejoice with them that do rejoice,

and weep with them that weep. 

Romans 12:15

We have done a lot of rejoicing these past few days! 


Our son Ryan flew "home" for a visit (although we acknowledge that his real home is with his wife and children).  We rejoiced that he could be with us, even though our time was brief.  We tried to pack in some memory making moments as he went to and fro with wedding-related activities. 

We rejoiced at the marriage of Ryan's close friend Josh to his bride Sarah.  The marriage of two who belong to the Lord is such a blessed event, a life picture of the marriage of Christ to His church, His Bride.  The wedding was beautiful, and the reception was a delightful affair of gorgeous surroundings, chatting with friends old and not-as-old, yummy food, and lovely music.   

We rejoiced at one more graduation celebration for Kati, who wanted to have her family party when her brother was home.  More yummies (including homemade ice cream again!), more hugs, a mini family reunion...and more memory making moments.  Of course, a mama is always thrilled to have all of her children in one place at one time! 

So many blessings to celebrate...so many causes to be grateful...so many reasons to rejoice! 

But even in the midst of our celebrating, even as we rejoice, and "rejoice with them that do rejoice"...

...my heart is also heavy, and I "weep with them that weep." 

I weep with my dear friend whose husband has recently been diagnosed with metatastic malignant melanoma.  I weep for Joanie and Gene and their three adult children, as they contemplate the long- and short-term realities of this news, all the while making the conscious choice to be thankful!

I weep with my father-in-law who just celebrated his eighty-seventh birthday, whose health is failing in so many areas.  I weep as I watch this man who raised eight children and was a strong leader, a strong personality, a physically strong worker, become a man who is suffering and is weak and is dependent. 

I weep with other friends and family members who are dealing with emotional struggles, family issues, financial struggles, terminal illness, the weight of being a caregiver to someone who will not recover. 


The rejoicing and the weeping...both a part of living in this temporary world.  

"For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come."  (Hebrews 13:14)

So as my heart is torn, in the midst of the celebrating and the mourning, I lean upon His mercy, and trust in His grace, and pray for those who are suffering.

"Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."  (Romans 8:26)

Can it be that He will use the rejoicing and the weeping to conform us to His image?  (And isn't that what it's all about anyway?)

Visitors

We have had lots of visitors lately. 

First there was the hawk. 

Yesterday there was this sweet little thing. 

A lady brought this adorable runaway to our back door. She had found him across a well-traveled rural road, bearing a tag with his name and our neighbor's address and phone number. Apparently, our neighbors were not at home, and she wondered if we'd keep him here in the meantime. Of course, the girls said yes, and we supplied him with a bucket of water and a slice of ham (he didn't want cat food), and they totally babied him while I tried to get in touch with his mommy or daddy.

To shorten the story, I reached Bear's mommy at work. She was relieved that her baby had been found, as he had run away a week before after being startled by a visitor to his backyard. (We think that "Bear" was misnamed, because he is neither the size of a bear, nor does he have the ferocity of a bear. In fact, he is on the opposite end of the spectrum in both departments!)  So Bear was returned, and seemed quite happy to be back at home safe and sound.

Last night, Kati discovered another visitor on the back porch.  We had gotten out a doggie/kitty pillow for Bear's comfort during his short stay, but when Kati peered out the back door before going to bed, she was not prepared to see an opossum lying down on it!  Unfortunately, she did not think to photograph it before she opened the door to chase him away.  What was she thinking? 

Tonight, we are waiting for a visitor of an entirely different sort.  This one is most welcome...and he is not feathery, not furry...but our much-loved son Ryan!  He will be here for a few days to join in the wedding festivities of a close friend, and, although he will be in and out a lot, we are so happy to serve as home base and sneak in some precious moments together.  So if you do not see me here, you'll know that I am enjoying some memory-making moments! 

Monday Snapshots

Monday?

Just when I had finally settled on a name for the Sunday Snapshots posts, I up and change it to "Monday Snapshots."  But just for this week.  (Reason #1: Instead of our usual Sunday activities, we went out for lunch and then to a birthday party yesterday, and I forgot my camera...so I have no Sunday snapshots.  Reason #2: Today I took plenty of snapshots.)



My father-in-law and four of his seven siblings

Bekah took this picture from our front porch
as we viewed the fireworks display of a neighboring town!

"Here in America"

I love this song because of the musicality--the smooth melody of the accordian (and I don't usually like accordian music), the clashing cymbals as he sings of the crashing ocean waves, the rolling piano tones at the words about the water falling...

I love this song because there are lines that grab me and speak to my heart. 
"If I were a painter I do not know which I'd paint--the calling of the ancient stars or assembling of the saints."  Deep thought. 
"For I know the thirsty listen and down to the waters come." 

I love this song because it says that, although America is beautiful, what really matters is that I am a citizen of Heaven.  "The Holy King of Israel loves me here in America."  Let those words sink in!

"The Holy King of Israel loves me here in America."

Party Lights

We're still experimenting with landscaping and logistics (where to put food, where to put drinks, how many people can we fit?) for the new patio , but we love the hanging jar candles that we used at our recent party.  We saw this idea ~here~, gathered our supplies, and put these together mere hours before Kati's graduation party.  They were pretty easy to make (especially after Ron supplied us with needle-nosed pliers) and had that farmhouse-y kind of charm I was looking for. 

At the edge of dark, our very own Keeper of the Flame lit the candles...

and we enjoyed some flickering ambience.

Note:  The apparent shortage of party guests is due to the fact that I didn't photograph the lights until after everyone had left! 

Another note:  If you click the link ~here~, scroll down and the video  tutorial is on the right side of the web page.  Martha was using a variety of antique jars (of course), but we used Mason jars that we had on hand.