Saturday, June 26, 2010

Church Camp

BTW, in my last post- I took that picture of the moon out my office window and then, courtesy of Walgreens, tinted it red. It turned out pretty neat, don't you agree?


But this post is about church camp.

Did you go to camp when you were a kid? (Or maybe you are still a kid?) I went to Girl Scout camp and to winter church camp in Michigan growing up and had so much fun. This year, Libby went to camp with our church and had an "amazing time" (her words). She was the only of the three kids whose schedule allowed for it, but next year, they all want to go.

When I pulled into the camp to drop her off.... I suddenly wished I was a camper instead of a parent dropping off a camper. This is not to say I want to chaperone camp. This is to say that I had a longing to be a kid again. To find my cabin and stake out a bunk. To stay up late giggling. To take a shower in a bath house. To sing Kum-by-yah around a campfire. To wonder which boys like which girls. :-) The camp she went to is everything you think a church camp would look like. And it's on a lake with a beautiful view. When I went back to get her on Sunday, she couldn't stop talking about all she had done and how much fun she had. As a bonus, they had a church service for parents and kids in this pavilion:
There's something about "church" outside. It was refreshing. Right up until I felt a sting on the inside of my arm and within five minutes had pain shooting through my arm. I didn't see what bit me and I've never had a reaction to a bug like that, so it scared me a bit. I told the lady next to me and she pointed out a pharmacist who was standing a few feet away, who took me to the camp nurse, who diagnosed it as a bite by one of these:



My first fire ant sting after nearly 16 years in Alabama! She gave me Benadryl and an ice pack. Boy did it hurt. Off and on all day. And then it itched for 3 days. I cannot imagine how these people feel who step in a mound and get stung multiple times. I shutter to think of it.
And that was the point when I remembered that I'm not really an outdoorsy girl- and summer camp was always more scary to me then fun... and I'm happy my child had fun, but content now to be the adult who drops her off and gets to hear her stories.

Thursday, June 24, 2010


I see the moon.......
The moon sees me.....
God bless the moon.......
God bless me.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Father's Day

A tribute to this man.... My dad... who conveniently was born on the 22nd of June, so I can save postage by just mailing a birthday and Father's day gift at the same time....... is.........

Foot rub lover (and provider to Libby)
Army Veteran
Talented (multi)
Hard-headed, I mean hard-working
Enigmatic
Royal Priest (of the Most High God)


RANDOM FACTS AND TIDBITS
My dad....
.... is the 6th of 8 children
.... was a "hoodlum" as a teenager, which is what attracted my sweet mom to him
.... served in the Army during Vietnam, living in Thailand part of that time and then spent many years in the National Guard
.... became a christian in his 20s
.... can fix just about anything
.... once tried to cook a squid in a frying pan and sent us kids running screaming into the street when it started flailing around
.... worked at his job, as if for the Lord... overtime, anytime, all the time... to provide
.... had a pilot's license for many years
.... survived cancer
.... knows Morse Code (from his days in the army)

.... sees nothing wrong with the use of MIs in worship to God
.... will likely burn in hell because of it
.... has a daughter with a cynical and sarcastic wit!
.... knows Sign Language and work(s) with the deaf at church

.... is actively involved in a church ministry that distributes clothes and food to the needy
.... has 3 children and 10 beautiful grandchildren
.... has been married for almost 45 years (to the same woman)
.... loves God

Happy Father's Day and Happy Birthday dad!


Love,

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Touchdown Jesus Burns to the Ground


I took this picture one of the times we drove to Ohio/Michigan with the intention of blogging about it... but never did. (It's not the greatest picture- but consider we were going at least 70 mph). This morning I was stunned to pull up Yahoo and see the first news story was that the thing had been struck by lightning and burned to the ground!
We have driven by this thing on I-75 twice a year since it was built (in 2004, I just learned) in Southern Ohio- somewhere between Dayton and Cincinnati- at The Solid Rock church. It was pretty tacky (my opinion). But since there is nothing much else to look at on that stretch of highway, it was always good for a laugh.
What I had been going to say about it was that one time I stumbled on someone else's blog on the subject (which I cannot find now- it was a couple years ago) that had made me laugh. Apparently the price tag on this thing was $250,000. His blog had read something like this....
From the Bulletin of Solid Rock Church, "The Deacons have had a meeting to discuss what to do with the $250,000 in surplus we have accumulated. It seems that all of the hungry have been fed, all of the lost have heard the gospel message, all of the homeless now have homes, all of the jobless now have jobs, all of the prisoners are free and reformed, all of the widows and orphans are taken care of.... there seems to be nothing left to do with the money except to build a great big tacky statue of Jesus out in front of our building."
Someone probably had good intentions... but I would have to agree (and, again, this is just my opinion).... it seems like a colossal waste of time and money to build such a thing.
I guess God thought so, too! (Or He was tired of his son being laughed at and referred to as "Touchdown Jesus" and "Sinking Jesus" and "Big Butter Jesus").
I'll miss seeing it... I was never laughing at Jesus, just these crazy humans he created.
P.S. Touchdown Jesus has a Facebook page, in case you are interested.


Monday, June 14, 2010

Poetic Thoughts

God in Plain View Places

Michigan
Skis on, trails groomed, kids babysat...
Faltering, falling, hurting, laughing....
Left behind... stopping in my tracks... snow falling.... fields of snow, woods...
Complete silence, God's still small voice.

Years before...
A soul friend and a Chevette...a borrowed tent...
Searching, searching, faltering, laughing (laughing and laughing)....
Stopping to see... cascading creek... cool, misty October rain... earth fragrance....
Standing together, quiet, intoxicating God.


Then.... stop here! Lake Michigan at sunset... a sandy beach....
Her sweet voice singing....
"Have you ever stood at the sunset, with the skies mellowing red? Seen the clouds suspended like feathers? Then I say you've seen... Jesus my Lord". No doubt about it. Jesus in a sunset.

Years later....
Hospital room....
New baby... cuddled up, content...
Joyful hope swaddled in a blanket.
Kiss the dark hair, love, love. God's gift. Life.


Church pews.
Friends. Family.
Laughing. Fellowship. Belonging.
Common bonds....
Growth. Contentment. God.


11:30 pm Saturday night, June 2010....
Awake......
Awake....
Back aching,
Mind racing,
Quiet house...
Lonely aches...
Facebook......
Pictures of family, aunts, uncles, cousins.....miles away.
Friends, friends, friends. From this spot and that in my history.
Friending my best childhood friend... surprised by warm tears, flooded with memories only mine and hers.... longing to spend tomorrow floating in her pool, walking to 7-11 for Red Cream Soda Slurpees.... laughing, laughing.

Awake, awake... searching for sleep......
Searching for something in the pictures and friends and status updates....

......overwhelmed....

Closed eyes.... God rushes in.
Always forgetting I am... God's presence in my aches and empty spots...

Memories....

Melissa found this picture and emailed it to me. I thought I'd share because it made me laugh! Her comment was that "it tells such a story". That's my grandpa (that passed away last year) being silly.... me, pregnant with Libby, making a face at him.. and Sarah mad about something (what's new?) I don't really have any memory of the day, but it would be nice to go back.... it's weird I sort-of miss my screaming little meemie, being pregnant, and of course, my grandpa.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Writing, Reading, Planning

Pictureless Sunday. Updates from the week. Questions I have asked.

1) I spent a couple days this past week selling my jewelry (and Sonja's) at the Prison Ministry Workshop at our church... to raise money for a women's half-way house. Had a good time, met alot of great people, got to hear some of the speakers, many of whom are ex-prisoner, drug users/dealers, etc. It was amazing to see what God has done with people's crap. And to see the hard work that others are willing to do by going into prisons to bring the gospel. He can use anything, anybody, any situation to his glory. Even me?

2) I have intended to read Atlas Shrugged for the past... maybe 17 years... since my friend Greg told me that EVERYONE should read it. Well, you know I don't like to be left out of what EVERYONE is doing. Well, now that my cutie Brad Pitt is going to be in a movie make of it... I am feeling a certain motivation to get it read before I see the movie. Will I make it through such a long, dense book?

3) Each night after the workshop at church and again on Saturday, Sarah played in a soccer tournament. Saturday it was so hot and even though I was under an umbrella for both games, I got badly sunburned on my shoulders, face, neck, legs.... ouch. It hurts. And I haven't felt very good since. I took a long Sunday afternoon nap today. Now I'm going to start working on the house and laundry that I have neglected for the past 4 days. How much will I actually get done?
And when will I remember to put sunscreen on when I'm going to be outside in Alabama from 11:30 to 4:00 in June??

4) The little mutt living in our house (and I don't mean Jacob) thought it would be a good idea to urinate in the vent in the office. We know this because when the A/C comes on, there is a horrible stench. We are familiar with this because when Jacob was 2 or 3, he did the same thing. That time, someone had to crawl under our house and replace the duct work. This time, I *think* I got it cleaned out myself. The question: Why did we get a dog, again?

5) I think that's it. Jacob goes to hockey camp this week. Libby goes to bible camp. And Sarah has another (bigger) soccer tourney at the end of the week and over the weekend. We are staying busy. Will we make it to August 10 in one piece? Check back.

Peace!

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Laughing at my Child

Jacob and his friends had a garage sale today. Along with 8 1/2 x 11 sheets of paper that said, "Garage Sale for Boys" they also made this poster and put it up at the end of the street. I don't know if you can really read it... It says....TOYS, Grage Sale, FOR 75 Harding Dr. BOY. Not necessarily in that order. And that's NOT the name of our street. :-)

They were selling their toys. Thus, it was only for boys. Poor things, no one came and bought anything. :-(

My Awesome Work

While browsing at a thrift store a couple months ago (The Saving Way for people here locally), I found this little table/cabinet for $10 that I thought, with some TLC, could be restored into something cute and useful in my home.




Libby needed a bedside table, so my plan was to sand a little, paint it white (with trim paint I already have) and then trim it out with leftover lime green paint from her bedroom walls. I figured it would take me about a day to get it done. I don't know who painted it before me (and please forgive me if YOU donated this table to The Saving Way....ha ha) but they were either blind, in a hurry or ran out of paint before they finished. The paint job was not good. I actually think they may have painted it with primer and called it good. (It wasn't). I moved it to the back porch for sanding, which took alot longer than I anticipated, but the paint just kept peeling off... either that or I just enjoyed using that electric-powered sander! :-) To prove how much work I did on the sanding, my shoulders hurt for two days afterward!


So far, so good. Then I went to carry it into the house to paint (because it was cold outside) and I DROPPED it before getting it in the house. The door on the cabinet was ajar and it landed on the door, snapping it off!!! :-( I was so mad at myself! I attempted to fix it, but realized soon it was out of my area of expertise, so I had to call in the big guns.... Tim. Unfortunately, it takes the Big Guns a while to get around to my projects.... so it waited, partially painted, in the dining room for a few weeks. I finally glued some of the pieces back together with Mod Podge. Here is a picture of it with a coat of primer and the door is not attached, it is just jammed in there and being held up by a bottle of Mod Podge.

Today..... Tim finally put on the new brackets and I got to work painting. It took the coat of primer plus 3 coats of paint to cover it. And I had very little of the lime green paint left, so I used it sparingly. Then I bought some wall clings to decorate it and Libby and Sarah went crazy with them. (I would have used fewer myself- but that's just me!) I still think it looks super cute. And Libby really likes it. It will be easily re-done if she ever changes her room. It will be moved beside her bed probably tomorrow. Here she is placing the remaining clings onto her walls.
And finally, as a bonus for your viewing pleasure, whilst shopping at yet another thrift store a couple days ago, I found this picture for my bedroom that looks so cute! It really goes well with the new quilt (which I am including again below). The frame will have to be replaced... but I LOVE the picture.



Maybe this will be the last house decorating post for a while! :-)

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Scary

Sinkhole in Guatemala. I'm sorry.... this is one of the scariest things I have ever seen. Where did the stuff go?? And why do I keep having visions that if we lived in Guatemala, Jacob would be running over there to try and look in...