Ending at the end

We're back home in Kokomo from the weeklong trip to our homeland, Texas. Perhaps another day I will post some pics from that trip.

Friends and family streamed through my mother-in-law's house to see us off. They knew that we won't be back for a while since we are about to move across the sea to Scotland. This last week in Kokomo will no doubt be filled with similar scenes ...

so humor me, I must philosophize.

Life is full of inevitable endings, but most of the time we rock along in the middle. I admit, the middle suits me. The middle is not filled with great ceremonial speeches to friends where you summerize your true feelings. The middle doesn't make you examine yourself as much to see if you have really changed anything for the better. The middle doesn't expect you to look around and appreciate every moment. The middle doesn't highten your senses as much. It doesn't make you want to reach out as much. It doesn't make you want to listen a little closer. It doesn't prompt you to go out of your way to reach somebody. Endings do this.

No, the middle is much more conservative. It doesn't require as much effort. It's comfortable.

But lately I've been thinking about how Christ handled endings. Endings were precious opportunities that life brought His way (respectfully speaking). He made use of them to communicate love and appreciation to people. He used them to say something meaningful. He made the most of them. He embraced them.

What an inspiration!

Oh Lord, help me not to hold back now. Help me not to hide in the middle when I arrive at an ending. And help me to remember that that middles and endings ultimately take place in a Kingdom that has no end.

Other remembrances

Still catching you up on photos from yesterdays.

These here photos (that's how it's phrased in Texas) were taken of the homeschool graduation in Kokomo, Indiana a couple of weeks ago.

Here John Christenson directs the homeschool orchestra.















The proud Fisher family honors Beth's graduation.















Candace and Miriam have a laugh.















The proud Yorks parents honor Jamey.















Amy proudly honors her brother, Ben, while Beth and Lindsay stand in awe.















Brenna grows sleepy during the long ceremony.

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!