Old business

We're in Texas now. Lots of sun; lots of pool; lots of family and friends. It's been surprisingly mild - not too hot - nice breeze. So what's with the weather report, you ask? The weather is big news in Texas - especially if it ISN'T burning hot in the summertime. Now that's big news. And it isn't - so I share the news.

There is something about not being in your own house that makes everything more restful. Ah, nice time to blog.

So I shall catch up on old business and show you some pics I took a few weeks ago. Memorial day has come and gone - these were taken of the Memorial Day Picnic in Kokomo, Indiana.

Everyone gathered at a local park to share a relaxing day.













Here's Bill.
















Some of the girls anticipate the day's activities.















Here Trevor and Ben are up to no good, I'm sure.
















I told ya' so! They've loaded the water balloon sling-shot










... and here are their helpless victims!
















Greg fiercely guards the vittles.














Johnny and Brian wait to eat.














These men do some catching up.














Jamie helps at the pool.














Meg grabs a photo opp.

















Hannah and Rachel dry off after a swim.

















These ladies grab some shade.













Lynz joins Daniel, and his dad, Jason, to watch the swimmers.





















Here are some hill-billie golf pros







... and their competitors.














Everyone likes to share babies.












Celia is not a baby, she's armed and ready (get it?) Miriam offers her arm.














Time to chow down.













Loveliness.

End of School Pics

General jubilation ensued.

Long time coming

I suppose that the recent overload of emotion that I've experienced in my life has made me want to avoid blogging about it. Be that as it may, I now come a-blogging.

Saying that I was filled to the brim with emotions last night when I attended a homeschool graduation ceremony would be an understatement. I watched "kids" walk across the stage who attended my church, who were my students, or who were my volleyball players. A fellow volleyball coach who is younger than I suffered a debilitating stroke this year after volleyball season, and I watched her shakily walk to the middle of the stage to hug her graduating son. Yeah, I was pretty choked up.

I've not only recently packed to move overseas, I've also grabbed every opportunity to spend a little extra quality time with my Indiana friends. Very fulfilling but painful too. We seem to hug a little longer, and linger to talk.

We are about to have family devotions, but here's at least a snippet of what's whirling around in my brain.

Fridge thingie follow-up

Based on Candace's description of the stuff pictured below in my refrigerator, I took it out yestermorning, warmed it up in the microwave, and dipped my bran muffin in it for breakfast. It was good.

What is this?

And why is it in my fridge?

Behavior of the exotic peoples of the world

Synonyms for exotic: alien, bizarre, colorful, curious, different, extraordinary, far out, imported, not native, outlandish, peculiar, peregrine, romantic, strange, striking, unfamiliar, unusual, way out, weird

Exotic people pop up. Josh isn't the only one being exposed to life on the exotic side. My camera phone caught a few exotic people surfacing in my week. See for yourself.

Exotic people often -












... frequent coffee shops,
















... hide their wildly painted toenails,

















... sit on a porch in Chicago while shodding their feet.

















... still show their birthday age by a finger display,

















... disregard their trouser seams when opening presents,
















... color coordinate their shoelaces and trousers,
















... visit beautiful, historic RP churches in Chicago to preach and fellowship,














... pretend to be a friendly coffee shop employee,
















... pilfer tip money from a happy face cup,

















... remain manly while sitting in a purple room on a flowered chair,

















... open presents on their 16th birthday,

















... laugh at their sweet sister who gives them a present,

















... stay in touch with youth culture,















... pretent to be six,



















.... claim to own cars that don't really belong to them.

The thoughts of Marius

Marius has had the limelight for an adequate amount of time so I shall now post. As to his fate ... he is considering permanently moving to our next-door-neighbors' house (his second home), but is still tetter-tottering on that decision since two other cats already live there. They might cramp his style. I've been trying to talk Marius into adopting the York family since I heard Celia (the three year old) wants a nice kitty, but he just yawns when I mention it so I don't take that as a good sign. If you hear of other options please let me know and I'll bring them to his attention when he can find the time. I have to catch him between naps.

I only have five more minutes to post and then I need to get ready to teach my Latin classes. School's over after next week.

I've been packing everything. Nuf said.

Thought of the day from my morning devotions:
Exodus 14:13-14. Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only be still."

Ode to Marius

Oh Marius, he is an Indy cat.
Kokomo's where he roams.
He never wanders far away
From his food bowl or his home.

If I could pack him in my bag
And fly him across the sea
I'd take him to the land of the Scots
Where he would live with me.

But alas, alas, he will not go
For he is an Indy cat.
I'll fly away and he will stay
And that's the end of that.

Video footage by Benjamin

It's anybody's guess

The following are the most kooky questions I've ever heard.

As a kid, I was walking down the road one summer day minding my own business and I heard the voice of an old lady call out, "Is that you?"

How are you supposed to answer that? So I didn't.

More recently I was minding my own business cleaning the kitchen and I heard a voice coming from the den. I recognized the voice as belonging to my husband. I thought Rob was just being philosophical when he kept asking, "Who am I? ... Who am I? ... Who am I?"

Then I decided that he must be loosing his mind when he started throwing in, "Are you there? ... Who am I? ... Are you there? ... Who am I?"

When I slowly and reluctantly peeked around the corner, my worst fears were realized. I immediately noticed that his face had taken on an eery blueish color. My son who was sitting next to him was flushed with the same hue. They were swaying back and forth babbling incoherent phrases.

Nintendo has that effect on people.
I turned back to the kitchen.

Olympic gold

Candace won 1st place at the IUK Speech Olympics!


Her speech about suicide was well written and well delivered.
















Way to go, 47th Pea!

24 hours

Like guessing games? Okay, here's one for you.
For what purpose did we gather the following documents?

• letter from our church
• another letter from our church
• yet another letter from our church
• letter from the church in Scotland
• copy of Rob's seminary diploma
• kids' original birth certificates
• copy of our marriage license
• letter from Rob's work
• letter from our Presbytery
• letter from a friend we met in Scotland
• letter from another friend we met in Scotland
• letter from yet another friend we met in Scotland
• separate forms for each member of our family
• other docs with important info
• our passports

Any ideas?

If you guessed: visa application - you're right.

Beth, a good friend in Airdrie, was absolutely right when she advised us to work hard compiling a comprehensive array of support documents to send with our visa application. I mailed all our paperwork via FedEx yesterday and the Lord certainly did bless. Just over 24 hours later (26 to be precise), we received an email from the UK consulate in Chicago saying ...

"Your applications have been approved and the visas have been issued."

Spontaneous celebration broke out at our house. We never dreamed our visas would be approved so quickly.

All praise be to God for another confirmation that He is indeed leading us in this direction. I'm overwhelmed.

Briefly, before I nap

Really tired right now, but must tell you something.

It's confirmed, we're gonna be moving to Scotland in July.
(Deo volente.)

Figgy pudding

It's open window weather! Hurray!

Last night I went on a walk with Miriam. We had night air, brisk strides, and relaxed conversation. My kind of exercise.

Today, my English Lit class listened to about 20 Shakespeare sonnets. The audio CD was hosted by Kathleen Turner, an actress from my time, who gathered some recognizable and not so recognizable actors to read the complete Shakespeare Sonnets. We heard men and women from both Britain and America of various ages and ethnic backgrounds all taking turns reading English sonnets. It's not surprising that first-time high school listeners reacted with comments and chuckles. That's a pretty normal first reaction to new territory. Not only does it take a little getting used to - to comprehend the meaning of the poetry, it also takes a little getting used to thinking that such a wide variety of readers can be so passionate about Shakespeare. It certainly came out as each one lended their personal flare to each sonnet. I like to take my young Padawans to these new horizons. Makes me happy.

Also in English Lit, a discussion arose as we reacted to a comment made by the author of our text book while she matter-of-factly asserted that a certain female character in a play would be happier if she were free from her domestic existence. You often hear this train of thought from feminists whether explicitally or implied that a woman is happier if she has the "freedom" to keep or give away her family like a shirt to be worn or traded in on a new one. She can be happy if she only has the "freedom" to "get out of the house and live her own life" and not to let her family hold her back. We talked about that narrow position. Politically correct, but not very representative of many of the women I know.

I'm so happy. Next week, we are going to start studying Hamlet.
::rubs hands together, grinning in anticipation::

Tomorrowat at Butler University, Canny, as a member of the IUK Honors Society, will read an essay she wrote. The essay is a critical analysis of a short story. She was selected to go to this literature conference and represent IUK. Go Canny! She read it to me this morning and I've asked her to read it to my English Lit class next week.

Amy's enjoying her new job at Big Ben's Coffee Shop. (For you Nac people, Big Ben's is very much like Java Jack's.) The idea that one of my children is becoming a coffee-making expert pleases me. You go, girl!

Ben goes to work with his buddies for this local man who always has a lot of outdoor and indoor projects going. His name is Mr. Anderson. ::said in my best Agent Smith voice::

Let's see. Robert still loves his job at the Men's Rescue Mission, and he's always writing sermons and working on other important paperwork. We still get in our walk most days or at least sit out on the patio before he has to leave.

In closing, we talked about figgy pudding in class today. I think I'll entitle my post "Figgy pudding". That way, you'll read the whole thing wondering how figgy pudding will prove to be relevant.

And you won't understand until now. :0D

Evan did you really tag me?

I just happened to read on Evan's blog (are we allowed to use real names here?) that I was tagged for this. I will hold up my end of the bargain by participating, but as usual, won't tag others.

It goes like this:

"Okay, okay, I'm it."

... then ...

"I quit."



Eight years ago I was: living in the middle of the most beautiful piece of land hanging clothes on the line, and then watering strawberries.

*5 years ago I was: almost home from our private school reading aloud Stonewall Jackson, ready to dote on my lovely chickens.

*1 year ago I was: memorizing Hebrew vocab along with other fast-paced city stuff.

*Yesterday I: was working on visa docs for Scotland.

*5 songs I know all the words to: Bridge over Troubled Water (Simon & Garfunkle), The Brady Bunch Song, Into the West (that's my cell phone song), Be Thou My Vision, and Tura-Lura-Lura (an Irish lullaby)

*5 things I would do with 100 million dollars:
(1) Give to the church
(2) Educate the children
(3) Go wild with charities
(4) Over-achieve
(5) Buy some chickens

*5 things I would never wear:
(1) Black shoes & socks w/shorts
(2) Nylon jumpers
(3) Certain interesting selections at Goodwill (although I do like to shop there)
(4) Errings (except in my ears)
(5) Tatoos

*5 favorite tv shows: Haven't watched TV shows in forever (that means a very long time)

*5 bad habits:
(1) Not being able to think of my bad habits
(2) Being able to readily identify other's bad habits
(3) Barging into rooms without knocking
(4) Taking some very loooooong short-cuts
(5) That's about it

*5 biggest joys:
(1) Living to Christ and dying to self
(2) Thinking of heaven
(3) Living this really great life with my hubby and kids
(4) Connecting with people
(5) Chickens

*5 people I tag to do this: "I quit"

Out of hibernation

Hope your Saturday was sun-shiny, too.

Anticipating that our "heat of the day" walk would be worth photographing, I brought the camera.

You have to understand that Robert and I walk together almost every day although Rob would debate me on that. He likes to point out that I went into hibernation for most of the winter. I guess he's right though I don't like to admit it. I fancy myself to be like all the other hearty Hoosiers around here.

But back to what I was saying. We have three different kinds of walks: the neighborhood walk, the alley walk, and (the best sounding) the WALK OF EXCELLENCE. Our walk today incorporated all three. See thusly for yourself.

1) Here's our den before leaving. Candace accompanied us on today's walk.















2) The WALK OF EXCELLENCE, so dubbed by the City of Kokomo, meanders through a city park by Wildcat Creek.
















3) Duckies swim here. Rob says the ducks never get wet.
















4) Trees lean over the water.
















5) Trash cans lend a quaint outline to our beloved alley walk. Rob didn't appreciate the great artistic beauty that the trash cans added to this picture. But you see it, don't you?
















6) Another alley.
















7) Here's a typical Kokomo sight on our neighborhood walk.
















8) Glaring at a squirrel who's glaring right back. Rob thinks of his gun, but doesn't say anything.
















9) Walnut Street. Almost home.
















10) Wind chimes by the back door. Compare to the photo in my "What gives" post - a couple of posts ago. This is the same view - only it's from outside instead of through the window.















Three walks in one - Praise God for Spring!

Silly rabbits

Sure, you can take tons of photos with a digital camera. The digital camera has brought out the free-clicking maniac in us all – but it comes with a price. Finally, after your computer is loaded with 650 memories of friends, scenery, kittens, and babies, you have to actually DO something with the darn things!

Options:

• Make them all into prints – yeah right. Too expensive.

• Burn them on a CD – sounds good unless your CD burner doesn’t work too good. Like ours.

• Ignore them and let them lie around on your computer – bad idea. Very irresponsible.

• Grow irritated and throw them all away in a huff – not too smart. You’ll be sorry later.

• Take them to the local CVS drugstore and burn them on a take-home CD – now you’re talking.

• Upload them on a photo storage website – sounds like a plan. Still checking on that one.

Do you ever bound into Spring Break with huge plans to tackle that stack of dandy projects you’ve been ignoring?

So did I.

I would personally rather not spend one second of time on considering digital photo options.

::Sigh::

To live in the modern age is to spend a huge amount of time considering options. That’s the stuff that life is made of. And choosing from so many options takes time – lots of it.

I’m torn. I like options just as much as the next person. But options burn me out. I want to choose to the glory of God. Trouble is I sometimes spend too much time tarrying on the options that just gratify … me.

I hope I can strike the balance of being wise by investing time in things worthy of the heavenly kingdom (computer skills among them, I think) and cutting back on the time spent in chasing silly rabbits.

What gives?

I don't get it. Was this the first day of spring, or what?

Amy took these pics yesterday, but you're not going to believe it.













Wish you were here!

For nature lovers

Dawns and sunsets mean a lot to me. My admiration was first inspired by my grandmother. Usually a formal, reserved person, her eyes would suddenly light up and her tone would soften when she stopped to admire a sunset. I never knew her to pass one by. She always paused and shared it with me when we happened upon it. So you can understand my nostalgia when I read in verse 8 of Psalm 65 this morning, "Thou dost make the dawn and sunset shout for joy."

Makes me want to shout right along with them.

BTW: Happy First Day of Spring!

Regarding the last post

Not that I think the last post's questions can be answered favorably by a certain age. They're more motivational than literal, but hopefully the pilgrim who is further down the path does have the graces for living manifested in his life with a more steady stream. Of course, us old folks relapse too. That's where seeking fresh daily grace comes in.

Remeber the old jalopy computer back in the master bedroom by the exercise bike? Yeah, you remember. It's the one Candace and I share because it's so slow nobody else will use it. You remember that I've told you that from time to time, I still like to raise the keyboard by setting it on a trash can and then I jump on the bike and ride like the wind going nowhere. About a week ago I was looking for a good start-up page for the jalopy. I wanted to find a page that would keep the Word of God in front of our eyes when we first get online. The start-up page I finally chose happens to be part of the Bloomington RP Church's website. They display Spurgeon's daily devitionals in his book Morning and Evening. Here's the link.

Anyway, this morning's devotion dealt with different levels of faith in believers, and it blessed me greatly. I hope it blesses you too.

“Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”

Galatians 3:26

The fatherhood of God is common to all his children. Ah! Little-faith, you have often said, “Oh that I had the courage of Great-heart, that I could wield his sword and be as valiant as he! But, alas, I stumble at every straw, and a shadow makes me afraid.” List thee, Little-faith. Great-heart is God’s child, and you are God’s child too; and Great-heart is not one whit more God’s child than you are. Peter and Paul, the highly- favoured apostles, were of the family of the Most High; and so are you also; the weak Christian is as much a child of God as the strong one.

“This cov'nant stands secure, Though earth’s old pillars bow; The strong, the feeble, and the weak, Are one in Jesus now.”

All the names are in the same family register. One may have more grace than another, but God our heavenly Father has the same tender heart towards all. One may do more mighty works, and may bring more glory to his Father, but he whose name is the least in the kingdom of heaven is as much the child of God as he who stands among the King’s mighty men. Let this cheer and comfort us, when we draw near to God and say, “Our Father.”

Yet, while we are comforted by knowing this, let us not rest contented with weak faith, but ask, like the Apostles, to have it increased. However feeble our faith may be, if it be real faith in Christ, we shall reach heaven at last, but we shall not honour our Master much on our pilgrimage, neither shall we abound in joy and peace. If then you would live to Christ’s glory, and be happy in his service, seek to be filled with the spirit of adoption more and more completely, till perfect love shall cast out fear.

How old are you?

Are you old enough to know what you'll be doing the rest of your life?

Are you old enough to cast your life on Christ?

Are you old enough to understand what it means to be loyal?

Are you old enough to appreciate your family?

Are you old enough to admire a sunset?

Are you old enough to appreciate the blessings that you're swimming in?

Are you old enough to care about what happens to others?

Are you old enough to hang with outcasts sometimes?

Are you old enough to look people in the eye?

Are you old enough to care about what God thinks?

Are you old enough to stand against the pressure? Will you give in? Will you crumble?

Are you old enough to do without things?

Are you old enough to give something thats gonna cost ya?

Are you old enough to be quiet?

Are you old enough to just listen?

Are you old enough to be the human being - that you were meant to be?

Shakespeare ambassador

Gotta get ready for classes today, but here's the photo of the week: Canny of the red hat. Read this post to get the scoop. (That's reporter talk.)

Enjoy!












No way! We're not at Starbucks! We're ... uh ... at a freind's house. Yeah, that's it ... a friend's house.

Josh made it to South Korea!

I woke up early this morning with a little uneasiness since I hadn't heard from Josh. But I checked my e-mail and there was a note from him saying that he'd made it okay. Ahh.

At last we found the fusion of your two great passions

This week:

• Josh left for South Korea. (Haven't heard from him yet, but my mother-in-law says, "No news is good news" - and I believe her.)
• Had the week off of school.
• Swiffled all the floors twice.
• Did some extensive visa research on the Internet.
• Rumaged through my school book boxes to find the ones I want to sell.
• Stayed in bed for a few hours one afternoon and evening to pre-view Kenneth Branagh's film version of Hamlet for English Lit class. (I was feeling a little under the weather at the time.)
• Made a special effort to call people on the phone.
• Had a friend over from Marion who'd never been here before.
• Went to Indiana University two times to see one-handers (one man shows). One guy read/acted out a few stories from Ovid's Metamorphosis and another guy read war poems. These gentlemen were from among 5 who were visiting IUK for a week from a London theater (excuse me ... theatre.)
• Went back to IUK one evening to hear a lecture from the world renown Shakespeare expert, Peter Holland.
• Went back to IUK a fourth time to see the actors from the London stage perform The Merchant of Venice.
  
• Got the bestest birthday gifts.

My hubby gave me some nice earings and then there is one gift upon which I want to further comment. The title of this blog, "At last we found the fusion of your two great passions," is what my kids wrote on the inside cover of the little book they gave me. The title of the book is Yoga for Chickens.

Did they grace me with such a gift because I suffer from yogaphobia? Indeed not! They simply know how I miss all 24 of the chickens I used to own back at our farm in Texas. My beautiful chickens! My adorable chickens! They know that my attachment to the chickens went way beyond letting them out of the henhouse in the morning and tenderly tucking them in at night. They remember how I gazed out the window upon my pets with affection and often exclaimed, "There goes Jamie! Do you see how adorable she is? And look whose running right behind her! Why ... it's Jamie!" You see, I named all 24 of my chickens "Jamie."

Now my lovely children (the human ones) have given me a book so that if I ever get chickens again, I can have a chicken yoga class.

The following are a list of poses from the book:

• The object of contemplation - chickens are perfect
• Soar however briefly
• Laughing chicken breath
• I dunno shoulder shrug
• Flying bug/crawling bug
• Worm!
• Sunnyside up
• Funky chicken
• (and my personal favorite) Crouching chicken hidden weasel

What an inspiration!

... Or do you suppose that they gave me the book because I like to exercise with yoga poses and I like chickens, too? ...

Teabag wasteland

Dust mites. I'm agin' 'em. They are the little varmits that have been bothering my Amy. I don't like 'em. I don't like 'em a bit. Ever since we've returned from allergy testing last week, I've waged war against them. I swiffle everything - ceilings, walls, floors, vents. You name it, I swiffle it. We bought a spray that's supposed to eradicate 'em - so I spray and vacumn. Now Amy has a bed cover so the bed bugs don't bite. We'll keep fighting, but I'll wager that there are still a few lying around.

Amy dear is on a yeast-free/sugar-free diet for a while, too. Any of you who know Amy can imagine how hard that is on her. Pat, pat, pat. She is also allergic to our cat, Marius. And moldy things, too. It goes without saying that we have joked quite a bit lately. I had the uncontrolable giggles when I made Amy some special pizza with homemade whole wheat flour and real pulverized tomatoes. Wish I had photographed that. It was hilarious.

Soon wild ideas start to flutter through one's head inventing imaginary moldy, sugery, yeasty beasties everywhere. (Did I just say, "yeasty beasties"?)

Just look at these teabags.














Don't they look exactly like the perfect habitat for mold? And what if a cat happened to walk by. ::involuntary shutter:: Need I say more?

Why do we have such a collection of teabags? you ask. Finals week. Well, that's my excuse. Canny contributed at least half of these bags, and I don't know what her excuse is. Comfort food I suppose.

I even have Rob contributing to the depleted teabags around here. We have a cup together almost every afternoon. He's thinking about switching from Apple-Cranberry herb tea to Green Tea even though green has some caffeine. What do you think he ought to do? I told him, "Heck, I drink Green Tea all evening long and it doesn't bother me."

We're wild and crazy. I know.

A day made just for you

I’m sure preachers are always trying to present familiar topics in a fresh way. Pastor York succeeded in doing just that today. Based on the Bible, he presented the principle that we should observe the Sabbath as a special day unto the Lord. His approach brought together supporting arguments that I hadn’t previously thought about.

We always have an outline on the back of our bulletin that can be used to aid in our understanding and retention. Here’s what I jotted down - for what it’s worth.

Intro. – Story about a credit card commercial shown during the Olympics about identity theft.

We might laugh at an “identity theft” commercial, but not if we are a victim.

One of the greatest lies foisted upon the church that has stolen her identity is that the fourth commandment is abolished.

Receive joyfully what God Himself gave to you!

I. God made the Sabbath so you can cease from your labors.

Man’s life is to be filled with activity. Even in the Garden – they were busy. God ceases from work on the 7^th day and man should too. When God completes His work, He just enjoys looking at what He’s made. We should follow His example and enjoy the goodness of His hand. We should remember that He is the Creator.

A seven-day week is not the result of a natural solar or lunar cycle like a 24-hour day or the seasons. The seven-day week is a gift from God. God has given us carefully defined boundaries, but sometimes if we go outside God’s boundaries and wander into worry or self-seeking pleasure, we begin to lose our identity.

II. God made the Sabbath so you can rest in your Redeemer.

In the Bible, the 10 commandments were given twice in their entirety. The wording of the fourth commandment brought out different applications each time. The first time in Exodus 20 helped the children of Israel remember the created order. The second time in Deuteronomy 5 helped them remember their great redemption from slavery.

As we study the word “Sabbath” in the New Testament, we see that it was a busy day for the Lord Jesus. In the gospel accounts, the Sabbath is the day that Jesus is the busiest. As opportunities present themselves, we can follow His example by spending some of the Sabbath in acts of mercy.

We also see that the very day that Christ was resurrected was the day that God instituted the Christian’s new Sabbath Day > the Lord’s Day. Pentecost also came on a Sunday.

The church is weak because we don’t come together to celebrate the Lord’s resurrection as we should.

III. God made the Sabbath so you can be holy in your conduct.

This day is to be set apart. A paraphrase from BB Warfield goes something like, “We don’t serve God by doing the same thing all the time.” Righteous things done at a wrong time are sinful, i.e. cheering for your kid at a basketball game is good – cheering for your kid at an orchestral performance is bad.

Spend time in worship. Heb. 4:9, “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.”

Conclusion – Hold up both hands.
Rhetorical question:
Which finger do you want to have cut off?
Therefore,
Which of the Ten Commandments do you want to cut out?

Valentine's day

My husband surprised me with a special Valentine dinner! Good thing my trusty cell phone has a camera!

Here's how it all came about. We were scheduled to have a weekly bible study with some friends that evening so I didn't think anything about it when Chili told me that it would be scheduled an hour earlier than usual. I arrived at the Mission and waited with him in his office. I didn't think anything fishy was going on when he kept having to leave to "check on things." As I sat with my back to the door, he kept looking out the door behind me and making affirmative gestures. I sat, clueless, babbling on.

Then he arose and led me down the hall to the conference room where we have the bible study. He opened the door to a dark room, and my eyes were drawn to a couple of candles on a table.



The scene slowly sunk into my brain as I processed what I was looking at. One end of a long table was set with a intimate candlelit dinner. I don't exactly remember how I reacted. I think it was a mixture of jubilant exclamations and hugs.








Here's how it looked for a minute with the lights on.












Aaaah ... life is gooooood ...















A little bubbly? Mmmm, grape sparkling water!














Here's my food brought in from Olive Garden - it was a chicken dish (of course).
















And Chili's was a shrimp dish.














It turned out that Patty Tegeler and her girls did the fetching and decorating, but it was all my dear hubby's idea.

Great husband,

good friends!

A couple of things

Candace has been accepted into the prestigious University of Glasgow. She sent in a long application for an overseas study program indirectly through Indiana University via Butler University. There were no guarantees whether she could get into the highly competitive U. of G., but she did. Now she will receive more specific information. We still have a few issues to work through with the Scottish university. So we're not totally sure where the Lord would have Candace attend college this next year, but we are thrilled that the possibility of attendance at such a famous university remains an option. Way to go, Canny!

Amy and I spent all yesterday morning at an allergy clinic in Indianapolis. The Lord showered us with His great love and care as we got to spend the entire time (3 hours) with a very sweet and knowledgeable allergy specialist. This lady carefully injected Amy with 52 different solutions under her skin and gauged the reactions. As we waited the 15 minutes between each round, we visited with this sweet spirited lady who after finding out that we were about to enter into the ministry in Scotland professed her belief in Christ. Of course, she was very attendant to what she was doing with Amy, and she was extremely knowledgeable about steps we could take to help cut down the external and internal conditions that were causing her allergies. We also talked about our families and about politics. She told me about this website. Check out www.stophernow.com if you want to know about that part of our conversation. :-)

Gotta get ready for school now since Tuesday is my busy day with two Latin classes and a English Grammar/Writing class. I was just thankful to God this morning and wanted to share that with you.

Ben's work

Watch out everyone. Ben drives. Well never without me. The good news for me and anyone who happens to be in his way is that he's pretty good at it. We did the parking lot practice the first two times then he graduated to a quiet street and now he drives me to the bank and library and anywhere else I need to go.

Sometimes if Ben's not driving me around, he rides with Amy as her bodyguard. Like this morning she had to take him with her when she went to pick up some little friends for the annual Walk a Mile in My Shoes event for the Rescue Mission. She has to take him with her when she goes shopping at night, too.

Even Canny has to procure his services when she goes out of town to the Layfayette Fire Side Chats. Although this Sunday night she'll take Amy with her instead. Amy can look really intimidating to bad guys when she wants to (or is that just timidating?)

His dad needs Ben around when he hankers for a game of foosball. He rustles up another rowdy opponent like himself. You couldn't have doubted that a game was going on in our house this very morning.

Last night, Ben had to go with me to the bad part of town where the Yorks live to borrow "Apples to Apples." This shady form of entertainment is a board game that causes those who play it to talk with loud and rapid voices. Just ask my girls and their friends (and Ben of course).

Sounds fishy to me. But that's Ben's work.

The crowning glory

As a memory aid, I want to jot down some points I remember from today's sermon.

Title: Restoring the Masterpiece (Gen. 1:26-31)

Intro - Story of the theft of the valuable painting, "The Mona Lisa" from the Louvre Museum in Paris. (Application: We are created in the Image of God and that image has been shattered as the result of the Fall but not wiped away permenantly.)

I. The Image of God in Man defined: Man is the crowning glory of God's creation. Since we are created in the Image of God, it is our capasity and our duty to serve God and love people.

II. The Image of God in Man shattered: Luther believed erroneously that the Image of God in Man was completely lost in the Fall, but fallen man still retains the Image of God like a shattered mirror. The reflection is distorted.

III. The Image of God in Man has been redeemed: I Cor. 15:49

IV. The Image of God in Man realized: Since we were going to come to the Communion Table, we were reminded that as we partake of the meal, we proclaim the Lord's death until He returns.

Amen.



Nota Bene:

After a wonderful service and a special time around the Lord's Table, we enjoyed a wonderful fellowship lunch with everyone.

I visited with a friend from the Elkhart congregation for a while this evening.

Then I led her over to the Fishers and picked up our kids (including my Amy) who had been away all weekend at a youth conference for juniors and seniors in high school. Amy had a blessed time of which I'm thankful.

We'll see Josh in less than two weeks!

Just wanted to share my Sunday with you. Have a great week!