Congratulations!

Congratulations!

II Peter 3:18 --- Isaiah 43:7

A squalling cry...soft and silky skin, touch of velvet hair, teeny tiny little finger nails, eyes squinting in the light of this new world, a unique fragrance...ahh...the overwhelming joy of holding a newborn baby in my warm arms!

As I proudly held the small bundle that God created and entrusted to our daughter and son-in-law, I watched his eyes search this new world that he had burst into.  His arms stretched, his long slender fingers poking himself in the eye.  Sometimes a finger accidentally popped in his mouth.  As he lays on his Daddy's chest, he is so relaxed as he sleeps, secure in his Daddy's love and dependent on his protection.  My thoughts have been challenged by a spiritual analogy.

Consider a newborn Christian.  the Heavenly Father is just as well pleased with His "newborn child".  As a newborn baby desires milk, so a new Christian desires the nourishment of the Word of God. As a newborn baby requires the closeness of his parents' bodies, so a newborn Christian requires the Holy Spirit's abiding closeness in his heart.  As a newborn baby is dependent upon his Daddy to ensure his security, so a newborn Christian is dependent on Jesus Christ for eternal security.  As a newborn baby recognizes his Daddy's loving voice, so a newborn Christian recognizes the tender voice of the Savior.

However, babies do grow up, becoming independent, mature adults (hopefully!).  And so should "spiritual" newborns grow up, becoming nurturing, mature Christians, sharing God's truth, wisdom and love.   Are we still newborns?  Have we "grown up"??  Perhaps we need to meditate on the newness of life we experienced as a newborn believer, rekindling that energy and passion for our Creator.

Three's Company

Three's Company

Genesis 6-9 --- II Kings 5 ---  Judges 4

Who do you keep company with?  Those who uplift and encourage you?  Do you reciprocate in kind?

Consider this "company" of three women --- sharing their lives --- sharing their values.

Noah's wife -- The Extreme Organizer...supports Noah unconditionally...faithfully follows Noah's leadership...trusting God's promises.  Enter the unrelenting rain.  Noah's wife...organizing.wife...organizing...cheerful...patient.  Did she not have a part in encouraging everyone for this long journey?  She shared her passion for obedience to God.

Naaman's wife's servant girl -- The Personal Assistant...adjusting quickly to her new home..serving her new mistress...searching for other ways to serve.  Enter the dreaded leprosy.  Servant girl...thoughtful...loving...brave.  Did she not uplift her master when she spoke of a cure for leprosy?  She shared her belief in God's healing.

Deborah -- The Facilitator...comfortable in her role...imparts God's plan to protect her people...bravely goes to the battle field.  Enter the enemy warriors.  Deborah...wise...discerning...fearless.  Did she not provide confidence to the small army?  She shared her faith in God's omnipotence.

What values will you share with your company when you meet again?  Will you communicate God's gift of salvation freely given and His powerful work in your life?  Will you be gladly welcomed because you uplift and encourage everyone?

"For the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ, Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."
                                                           Ephesians 4:12, 13

Three's a Crowd

Three's a Crowd
Genesis 3 - Esther 5 - Judges 16

What type of "crowd" do you associate with?  Do they bear any influence on you?  What do you contribute to the "crowd"?

Consider this "crowd" of three influential women --- three lives --- three legacies.

Eve - The Power Broker...perfectly created...no weight loss program to follow...no financial worries...no aging issues...perfect husband...a perfect life!  Enter the serpent with his wily ways.  Eve...disobedient...covetous...power hungry.  Eve's actions greatly influenced Adam as he too disobeyed his Creator.  The legacy of sin was laid on the shoulders of the world.

Zeresh - The Mastermind...wife of Haman...enjoying life in royal circles...wealth and prestige...basking in her husband's promotion.  Enter sinful desires.  Zeresh...jealous...conniving...hateful.  Zeresh instigated murder for Mordacai but her husband died instead.  The legacy of hate and violence is now written in history.

Delilah - The Deceiver...attractive...soothing confidant...patient...loved by the strongest man.  Enter the sin of greed.  Delilah...deceitful...nagging...demanding.  Samson capitulated to Delilah's constant whining, ultimately killing thousands and himself.  The legacy of deceit and greed never forgotten.

What legacy will you leave with your "crowd"?  Will yours be noted as a godly, righteous legacy, someone who shared Jesus and lived Jesus?  Or will yours be an ungodly, unrighteous legacy, someone who shared the world and lived for self?

"And whatever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father of him."  Colossians 3:17

Cash and Change

 
October was a crazy, busy month -- too much going on to concentrate and write anything that made sense!!!

You see, we became grandparents again!!!!  Once again jetting to San Diego!  Long day as usual but I survived!

October 12th at 12:52 pm Justin and Abigail Tanner became the proud parents of Cash Ryan Tanner, weighing in at 7 lbs. 5 oz. and 20 1/2 inches (I think that is the right length!).  Abigail required a C section because of a placenta previa, a concern for all of us.  But everything went smoothly, Abigail did great with the surgery and afterwards, praise the Lord!  Little Cash took such a deep breath at his birth that two air pockets formed, one near his heart and one near a lung that poked a small hole in his lung.  He spent the first 24 hours in NICU but then was perfectly fine.

Now that there is Cash, change begins!!  JT and Abigail are adjusting to life with an infant!!  They both want to hold this little peanut all the time!!!!  I enjoyed being there to do laundry, shop, fix some meals and whatever else I needed to do to insure that Abigail did not over do it.  Cash has already changed so much  and I miss him!!!

Being in San Diego for 5 weeks was a long time!  But it went quickly and I was able to spend time with our daughter, Amanda, have some meals with our son, Jason.  And babysit Amber's little guy, Xander.  He is almost one year old!  And so much fun!!!!  Grandma was so delighted that he took his first steps before I left and Cash smiled!  I so love being a Grandma!!!!

Out of the Mouth of Babes Part II

Out of the Mouth of Babes Part II
II Corinthians 5:20

Back to the hotel, luggage back in storage, and another two days until the next plane to Africa.  Due to illness and jet lag, we had not seen any of Paris our first two days.  Unfortunately, we still could not tour Paris because our plan did not include another two day stay with all that entailed. Add to that lack of accurate information for regulations and fees on excess baggage, we needed a few of those cattle that God owns on His thousand hills!

Dale had to return to the airport to arrange shipping for all our foot lockers.  As we discussed our options, or lack thereof, for this expensive endeavor, 4 1/2 year old Justin piped up and said, "Maybe the people will help you if you tell them your are a missionary and act like one."  Nothing like your child reminding you of your responsibility as a missionary!

Another lesson to learn!  We are God's ambassadors -- representing our King.  An ambassador is one who is an accredited diplomat sent as an official representative to a foreign land.  We received our "accreditation" when we accepted Christ as our Savior.  Our "diplomatic" mission is to share God's plan of salvation and represent our Lord, keeping in mind that we are foreigners here on earth.  Do we represent Him with Christ-like character?  At all times?  No matter the circumstances?  Our lives are fairly ordinary, mundane, and repetitive most days. We need to remember that we are not ordinary people -- we are a part of God's royal family.  As such, we need to stand tall, unashamed of our God, exemplifying His godly character in words and actions.

Out of the Mouth of Babes Part I

Devotional time again!  I must say, writing these really is a challenge for the brain cells!  But I do love sharing things the Lord has impressed on my heart.

Out of the Mouth of Babes Part I
II Corinthians 5:20

Any traveling with our family requires patience, a sense of humor, and a touch of insanity!  Our first term as missionaries to Africa with four children was a huge undertaking as we began our trip -- our own personal luggage plus many foot lockers accompanied the six of us.

Excitement (and terror on my part - I had to be confined in a metal tube for 15 hours 30,000 feet above the ground!)  was palatable as we settled in our seats.  Our plan was to spend two days sightseeing in Paris.  However, we only saw the inside of our hotel room in Paris, watching crazy British game shows on TV at 3 a.m.!  The time came to pack up for the ride to the airport and complete this chapter of our adventure!

Arriving in a taxi, we all climbed out, grabbed a suitcase, turned around, and Dale had disappeared! We had stored the foot lockers at the airport so I assumed that was where he had gone. The kids and I found our way to the gate and patiently waited for Dale to return.  I knew he couldn't depart without us because I had all the tickets!  We watched with baited breath and frustration as the minutes ticked by.  We missed our plane due to a missing husband!

Brand new missionaries in a foreign country with four children and little money had now missed a flight!  All body and mind stressors were vying to lead the pack!  God's Word ministered to our hearts; relieving us of anxiety...He is faithful!  When He has a task for us, He provides everything to accomplish that task.  Now God's plan will prevail!  How will He extricate us from this bumbling, crazy mess we find ourselves in?

Serendipity Summer

When school ended after 5th grade, another move was imminent. Fortunately for Brian and I, we were able to spend some of our summer with Granny and Gramps. What fun we had digging a hole, scrounging up some boards to put a roof on our cave.  Playing football with the neighbor boys...I liked to "hike" the ball!  There was a little neighborhood store on the street corner where we made some new friends. Their parents owned the store.  Joan and Bud were our age so we did many things together. Granny would drop us off at the city pool for the afternoon and then pick us up 3 hours later. Great fun but I still remember how my lungs ached when I took a deep breath after swimming in the chlorinated water and breathing in the smog.  Quite a potent combination.

Another favorite place to be "dumped" for hours...the roller skating rink.   Round and round we would skate for 3 or 4 hours!

Then there was all the delicious food that Granny fixed.  I remember being able to eat real butter - all Iwanted!  My great grandfather lived with my grandparents.  Great Granddad always loved his pinto beans, raw onions and cornbread!  And he had not teeth!  Television was also a very special treat for us at Granny & Gramps. Does that ever date me??  Mickey Mouse Club, Fred Astaire/Ginger Roger, Shirley Temple movies...those were the days!

Granny and Gramps loved to camp and go fishing.  It was a great adventure to take the boat to the ocean and fish.  Worms, anyone??  Sure, I love to put them on the hook!  That is...I like doing it, not my brother, Brian!!!  It was a wonderful time in the sun, relaxing on the boat and hoping to catch something.  I believe I did catch a fish but I probably should check that out with Brian!  He no doubt has a different memory of what I caught or didn't catch!!!

The most important lasting impression from all our summers with Granny wash ow much she loved the Lord and the close relationship she had with Him.  Every night, I would fall asleep with her kneeling by our bed (actually, an old fashioned hide a bed) praying diligently for everyone.  At age 7, I had attended church with Granny...she taught a children's class.  It was in her class that I accepted Christ as my Savior and she began telling me that maybe some day I would be a missionary in Africa!!!  I always shouted "NO!" in my head.  What mysterious ways the Lord works in our lives!

Baby Kim

Being the first grand children, Brian and I were spoiled whenever we visited my mother's parents.  Not necessarily in material things but in the special things we were able to participate in.

After our very brief stay in Nevada, our next move took us next door to these grandparents. I remember  how convenient it was to have a gate from our backyard to theirs.  I don't think we ever played in our own yard!  Baby brother, Kim, was just 6 months old and I was allowed to babysit him.  I am sure that was because Granny was right next door!

My favorite stories about little Kim are the number of times he would mess his diaper while he was supposed to be taking a nap.  When I checked on him, he had taken off his diaper and "painted" himself and the crib with the deposit he had made in said diaper!!!  Now, most kids would be throwing the baby out the window and burning the bed, sheets and clothes!  Well, what clothes were left on him!  But I thought it was fun to plop him in the bathroom sink and scrub him from head to toe!  He smelled so clean and sweet afterwards!  And I loved combing his hair and dressing him up!!!  Looking back, as a mother, I would never have left my almost 10 year old alone with a baby knowing that this 10 year old would have to do this!  Even if Granny was close by!  For some reason, this did not ever change my mind about how many babies I wanted later in life!

Now enters Kim into the life of a student. School now was part of his daily routine.  His imagination worked over time apparently all during the day as he was stimulated by everything in the world around him.  This caused him to have nightmares.  What better place to run when you awake with these dreaded dreams?  Big sister's bed!!!  One recall on the nightmare odyssey occurred when I was in 9th grade.  We lived in a ranch house in Hemet (California) and it was the house that Jack built...it had continually been added on to.  My bedroom actually had an outside door as well as the regular bedroom door.  One night I was awakened by a thump on that outside door.  Talk about adrenaline rush!!  I screamed and bolted straight up in bed, ready for flight.  False alarm!  It was just little brother needing refuge from a nightmare!!!  There was an incident a few years later in another house, another location.  Only at that time, my little sister and I were sharing a double bed.  Coming out of a deep sleep, I realized I was sleeping on the very edge of the bed and felt so crowded.  Heather must have really kicked and moved during  the night.  I look over and no wonder!  Kim had joined us during the night!!!  This active imagination has never left him but I don't think he is having nightmares any more!

Another new school for 5th grade. The only things I remember from this school...earthquake drills (get under your desk!)...writing in class many, many times..."I will not talk in class when someone else is talking."  It was usually 50 times a pop! I went through a lot of paper!!!  For our physical education...square dancing in the classroom.  I loved it!

This was February of 5th grade.  I was a flower girl in my mother's cousin's wedding.  It was a Catholic wedding and took forever it seemed to a little girl!!

Life Continues....

How is it that when you don't work outside the home and there are no longer children to care for, you have more things to do and time really, really flies by???  Yes, this is what I have been experiencing!

Today I am going to try to get back to posting again -- hopefully there will not be any major interruptions!!!

Memories of the 4 1/2 years spent in a small desert community (First Grade through Fourth Grade school years) are a little vague, yet highlighted with certain experiences still remembered.

The Mojave Desert, in particular Lucerne Valley, will forever be present in my DNA make-up!  To this day, I can literally smell the desert and feel the dry heat bake my skin as I played and grew during these 4 1/2 years.

The kaleidoscope of memories circles through my memory...

...sleeping outside in the open air at my best friend's house...a new experience both being away from home and sleeping outside without any shelter...in the spring, going to school barefoot...my first crush on Bobby Dilperdang...winning 3rd place in an art contest...the excitement of my first circus...banished to the house with chickenpox...getting a malt at the local Malt Shop...Sugar Daddy candy suckers that would last all day...Bazooka Bubble gum...black licorice...all my favorite special treats given sparingly...everybody knew who you were in our small little town...our own "Mayberry"!!

Piano recital in 4th grade in Hesperia...I had to play 2 numbers and one was about an owl.  I do remember being a little nervous but not like I would be today!!!!  Anybody remember these piano books???

When I began 4th grade here in Lucerne Valley, we were in a new school which had just been completed except for the fencing.  One day while the teacher was teaching English, I was watching my father out in the yard digging post holes for the fence.  The teacher called on me, knowing I was not paying attention!  His words, "Lynda, I bet I could get that man you are watching to come into the classroom and answer this grammar question!"  I knew I should have been listening to the teacher but...I had to stifle a laugh because I knew that was my Daddy and there was no way he could answer the grammar question!  He did not like English and it was not his best subject!!!  Math was my Daddy's field of expertise!!!

I remember Daddy trying to teach me how to do long division.  He had made big blackboards for my brother and I that were in our bedrooms.  I could not get the concept with long division, even with it all written on the board.  Which meant, Daddy would go back to the end of time and start teaching me that 1 + 1 = 2!!!!  These lessons were long and painful for me!!!!  Daddy's patience was long too and I finally got it in my head and moved on to other difficult things.

Fourth Grade came to an end and we began to pack to move to Fallon, Nevada to another ranch.  Fifth Grade would begin in a whole new environment with new friends, new teachers, new bus route, new home and a new baby brother who had been born  5 months before we moved.

I only remember one day of school, riding horses one afternoon with the ranch owner's daughter, one ride on the school bus ( I was so scared I would get on the wrong bus!) and then we packed up and moved again!!!! Such is the life with the Elmore Gypsies!!!!  (Below:  Yours truly in 4th grade)

Extraneous Blather

I love shopping at IKEA as I am sure a majority of you do...except my husband!  He only the likes the $.50 hot dogs!!!  Of course it is about 1 mile from my house which is probably too convenient!

I feel so pampered sleeping on IKEA sheets -- so soft and silky.  I also have a duvet cover complete with their comforter for the duvet. So nice!  Cozy and warm for those cold nights.   However, I have been frustrated because the comforter slips and slides down to the bottom of the duvet cover and bunches up.

I began to cogitate on how to fix it.  We shall see if my solution really works!  If you want to try it, this is all I did.

For queen size bed, I bought 3 yards of velcro (there was some left over).
I stitched one side to the duvet cover ( just below the button facing on the inside).
The other side of the velcro I stitched to the top of the comforter.
I then put the comforter inside the duvet cover, trying my best to get it flat and even.
Press the velcro sides together, duvet cover and comforter.
Viola!  Now we shall see if that comforter stays in place or decides to drive me crazy even in my sleep!

Silence

Silence
Psalm 46:10

Silence can be empty - when is the last time we filled the silence with the nurture of His Word?  Thoughtfully read the Word in the meditative silene.

Silence can be receptive - have we rendered ourselves absolutely quiet so His voice is heard above all the other clamorings of the world?  Listen with willing ears and an obedient heart.

Silence can be worship - is it not amazing to stop and soak up the warmth of His love in all we see, hear and feel, giving Him secret praise for everything?  Absorb the merciful benefits He has bestowed.

Silence can be communication - how often do we talk when we should listen?  Lovingly and wisely contemplate the spoken words without engaging the tongue.

Silence can be lonely - do we have regrets of lost opportunities to nurture relationships?  Embrace life with vivacious abandon and seize each moment God opens the door to nurture friendships.

Silence can be comforting - do you feel God's breath on your tear stained cheek as He wraps His arms around you in this time of sorrow and pain?  Curl up in His soft, loving arms as His silent love ministers to you.

Silence - an opportunity to hear His sweet whisperings from His heart to ours in the midst of the bedlam, stress, and anxiety that we encounter each day.

Are we brave enough to ask the Lord to provide more silence in our lives so that He may be magnified through our maturity in Him?

Miracle in the Air Part II

"For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy way."
                                                        Psalms 91:11

Prayers of God's people, promises of God and protection by God...all used to glorify His name as the defining moment approaches.  Only one mission station had installed an Automatic Direction Finder, a navigation instrument. Dale had installed the receiver for the ADF in his cockpit as an emergency option.  He radioed the mission station requesting them to activate the beacon. Static on the radio made it difficult to hear but he thought they responded.  He proceeded to turn on his receiver.  Immediately, it responded!  Testing it briefly by changing directions, Dale had confidence it would lead him to the mission station and the airstrip.  Pilots must trust their instruments and that trust was rewarded. The ADF directed Dale exactly to the mission station and then to the airstrip!  Unloading his one passenger, cargo and mail, everyone asked why he was late!  Too numb to reply, Dale hopped in a vehicle for the ride to the station  He thanked the missionary for turning on the beacon.  His response -- they had not turned it on!!!! When Dale had informed them of his ETA, they immediately departed for the 20 minute ride to the airstrip. The beacon was locked up and NO ONE but a missionary had a key to unlock the building and activate it.  They were all at the airstrip!!!  Who turned on that beacon?????  Only...God!!!!!  Thank you, Lord!!!

Miracle in the Air Part I

"He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust..."
                                               Psalms 91:4

Flying the remote African skies can be likened to driving a winding mountain road in the dark with no car or street lights, cell phone, or maps!

Loading cargo and passengers, Dale began his early morning flight later than desired. The constant threat of thunder storms was always an unconscious concern of every small aircraft pilot  Two stops to off load cargo and passengers and that concern came to the fore front. Clouds were building up as the wind blew strongly.  Dale was aware of the wind shear but not its strength. Twenty minutes out from the final landing of the day, he radioed the mission station to meet him at the airstrip. Twenty minutes passed. Dale did not see the airstrip and began to realize that things did not look familiar.  Only one thing to do --- fly ten minute grids to see if he would recognize where he was and be ale to find the
airstrip.  That did not give him any idea where he was.  He wasn't even sure if he was still in the right country as he had been flying near the border of Congo. Time was critical as the sun would set abruptly, fuel would be gone, resulting in a blind landing  --  in a tree, river or wherever! There was one more option to try.  It depended on the Lord who was now Captain of this flight!

Side Tracked

I have been AWOL for awhile!!!  My, how time flies!  My excuse...I have been consumed with a huge home improvement project.  No energy or brain power to post on my blog.  That's what happens when you are a Baby Boomer trying to accomplish these things by yourself!!  The project was re-painting our kitchen cupboards - doors and all.  My body just does not twist into pretzel shape to paint the inside of  those bottom cupboards any more nor like being up and down on the chair to reach the higher cupboards!  Oh, but the satisfaction of a job well done and completed!!!  New lights make it a new looking space!

I have also been side tracked with slides, home movies and old VHS tapes.  The time is now to have these put on DVD's or CDs.  So I spent a whole day organizing the slides so we can begin that process --- I hope with the little machine I bought that scans slides and photos to digital. Still trying to figure that all out!!!

All this nostalgia sent me on other rabbit trails!  Therefore, I am sharing a couple pictures that are from the ancient times!!!  These were my first reading books in First Grade!  Very simple, aren't they?

Our oldest daughter, Amanda, asked one day about the cookbook that she remembered I always used.  She is our gourmet chef of the family therefore cookbooks are a keen interest of hers.  Of course I still have that cookbook!  Complete with sugar, cinnamon, flour and who knows what else spilled on it. That makes it a real treasure, right?  :)

Cookbooks have to be utilized in order to really have success when cooking or baking!  Too bad I didn't pay attention to Mama's cooking or think to use the cookbook!  Let me share an incident that my brother, Brian, and I haven't forgotten!!

Another move we made in late spring of my 7th grade year was to a ranch in Hinkley, California.  (Remember the movie regarding the exposing of the chemical dumping, starring Julia Roberts?  This is the same town!)  Hinkley wasn't much of a town back in 1958-59 but we loved our life on the ranch.

My mother was required to travel to Los Angeles and assist in the care of our great grandfather for about a week.  Brian and I were left behind with our Daddy.  I was given instructions on making spaghetti and gravy for some dish.  That all went well but then Brain and I decided we needed dessert.  Making a cake was no problem.  However, the frosting was a bit of a challenge!  After we added the sugar it just didn't look right. So we added food coloring, more sugar, more food coloring, etc.  It looked disgusting!  No way was this going on the cake!!!!  So...we fed it to our dog, Lady!!  Shortly after Lady's sweet treat was consumed, we wandered out to the dry creek that ran through the ranch -- Daddy was out in the field working and who knows what trouble we could have gotten into!  Anyway, as we walked along the creek, suddenly the dog started vomiting!!!  Guess she had way too much sugar! When Mama returned home, I learned something new!!  You use POWDERED sugar for frosting!!  Lesson learned and fortunately the dog did not die from a diabetic coma!!

Therapeutic Paper

Therapeutic Paper...so named back in the 1800s... to us T P is...toilet paper!!  I just have to share my love affair with those soft, squishy rolls that have endured heat, water, bleach, pressing, gluing and cutting!!

I like to buy the big packs of T P so we don't run out at the most inappropriate times, especially if company is here!  All three bathrooms are stocked with at least 4 rolls at all times.  And within easy reach from the commode!

It is a simple proces to remove the empty toilet paper roll and install the new roll.  Need I have a special class to teach this technique??  Also, don't forget to throw away the empty roll in the trash can, please!  Anyone with two hands can do it!  Takes less than a minute.

Can I get paid to be a Toilet Paper Replacement Consultant???  Why is that everywhere I go, I end up being the one who has to change the roll??  Is there a T P invisible ghost who sneaks in with me when I arrive at someone's home? He sneaks in the bathroom and tears off squares of paper, leaving just enough to give me some security.  Invariably, I have to change the roll!  Even in my own house with 3 bathrooms and 2 adults living here!  Granted, my husband will remove the empty roll but leaves it on the floor and nothing gets put on the toilet paper holder!!!

I promise you, I am not a prolific user of said T P when nature calls.  After all, I do want to conserve our resources!  But this is crazy!

I am thankful for this soft, recycled paper, though.  You should have the experience of trying the toilet paper available in Africa!!!  More like crepe paper, only harsher. That is why we took our own toilet paper to Africa.  Now, just think how fun it was to figure out how many rolls we would need for 6 people for 3 years!!!!  Unfortunately, I can't remember how many rolls we took but we did have some left over when we completed our 3 years!

As you ponder on the potty, think about all that recycled paper (notebook paper, McDonald burger wrapper, napkins, greasy paper bags from Five Guys fries, etc.).  How far we have come from corn cobs, leaves and Sears catalogs!  I do appreciate the velvety softness that is available to us in the 21st century!  But next time you find an empty T P holder, think of me and replace the roll before you leave the room!  You never know, that invisible ghost may decide to play some interesting pranks on you!

*Go to You Tube, request How Toilet Paper is Made and watch the whole process!!  Enlightening to say the least!!

Butterfly

Butterfly... makes you think of a delicate, beautiful, multi-colored insect, doesn't it?  But I have something else in mind at the moment.  Actually, a moment of memory as I return to Africa!

Abigail always calls me when she is in her car and running errands -- I love our chats whenever and wherever they originate!

Today she was leaving the grocery store so naturally we talked about food!  It's on her mind a lot these days as she is eating for two!  Somehow, we began talking about butter which led to me sharing our story about butter in Africa.  So...I will share it with you all!

We lived out in the bush and our main shopping was done in the capital city, 300 miles away.  Whoever made a trip to the capital always had a list of shopping to do for every missionary whose path they would cross on that trip.  Once the airplane began to make these trips, guess who got to do all this shopping??  My poor hubby who hates to shop!!!

One take off was executed... he was off to Bangui to shop!  I kept in radio contact with him on all his flights and would remind him to get us butter every trip down.  Now, there was a canned margarine that most missionaries used daily.  It had the most disgusting taste!  I never could get used to, even when we used it to do baking.  We felt butter was a healthier choice, even if it was more expensive --- especially on freshly baked home made bread!!!  Fellow missionaries began to make so many comments about the Reimers and their butter!  The airplane was then  referred to as the "Butter Fly"!!!!  Missionaries could make fun of us all they wanted, we enjoyed our butter!  Never could figure out why they carried more weight than us when they ate margarine instead!  It would have been interesting to keep track of how much butter we purchased during those 3 years!!!!!

Worry Wart

Worry Wart
Philippians 4:6

Worrying is a sin, I know.  But oh so hard to remember when you are a mother!  It doesn't matter if they are 5 years old or 40 years old --- I can worry about safety on the road, job security, decision making, spiritual fitness, health, etc. - name it, it has been a blip on the worry radar!  Can I just call it "concern", not worry?!

Thoughts began to meander through my head -- does our Heavenly Father "worry" about us?  Does He cringe when He sees us stepping in a puddle of sin, splashing those we love with hurt and anxiety?  As we shrug off the Spirit's whispered reminder to pray, does the sadness in His eyes pierce through the wall of silence?  Does He smile as we hungrily devour His Word? When fear stalks us in the dark, lonely night, does He gently tuck us in with His bold protection?  Do tears roll down His cheeks while His heart heaves like a mighty earthquake when His name is tarnished by us submitting to our sin nature?

And now God must be laughing at these thoughts of mine!  We know that He is perfect!  This "Worry Wart" is looking to the great Physician to eradicate this particular "wart".  Soothing, all powerful love of my Heavenly Father will heal this irritating sin. Add to this healing process, gratitude, surrender, obedience and I have accessed the magnificence and mercy of my Lord!  Great "cure" but it must be applied daily!

New Life

This devotional is dedicated to my brother-in-law, Bill Reimer, who entered the gates of heaven on May 4th.  I thought of his painful struggle as I wrote these thoughts to share with others.

New Life
Psalms 55:4-6

"Weaning Day" arrived for the four little birds whose mother had built a nest in between the storm window and screen.  The mother bird began the ascent up and out of the window, her babies flapping furiously to follow her.  Two struggled but to no avail...they could not reach the freedom awaiting them outside the window.  Persistence continued, with mother bird flying in to encourage them and bringing them sustenance as she deemed prudent.  Finally, another one soared to freedom.  And now there was one...exhausted, discouraged and terrified of the future.  It was time to set this one free with some gentle help.

How like our struggle when we reach the end of our earthly life.  Departure for some is an abrupt and gentle conflict.  Other departures are fraught with pain and suffering as bodies fight death's battle.  Our Heavenly Father desires us to vacate our "nest" here on earth and soar to Jesus.  As the mother bird encouraged and fed her babies to leave the security of their nest, our Father does likewise during this "weaning time".  Through His Word, compassionate family, encouraging friends, and the comfort of the Holy Spirit, He reminds us that Jesus Christ already won this battle!  He knows that this "nest" does not compare with the beauty of the new home He has prepared for us.  And so with His gentle help, He sets us free to fly away to rest eternally with Jesus!

Decision or Choice?

Decision or Choice?
Philippians 4:8

Have you noticed how easily society adjusts to new fads, new values, new language?  It seems that the sensitivity towards all things pure, true, and noble have been siphoned from the soul.  Consider how often one hears that one must make a choice -- not a decision, but a choice.  Have we not changed the meaning of these words?

Choice is -- do I have chocolate or vanilla ice cream?  Do I wear the blue dress or the red dress?  Do I have bubble gum or candy?  None of these choices will have enduring consequences.

Decision is -- do I lie to my boss?  Do I commit myself to serve the Lord full time?  Do I keep this baby or abort it?  These decisions have long term, life altering consequences.

Yet, today we throw around the word "choice" for many parts of life that should be considered "decisions".  Simply stated, a decision requires thoughtful, serious meditation on the consequences of that decision. Whereas a "choice" is simply that, selecting one thing over another resulting in no long term consequences.  Would women be aborting babies if it was referred to as a "decision", rather than a "choice"?  Woud same-sex marriage be on our ballots throughout the nation if people made decisions, not choices, regarding this life style?

The challenge today is to meditate on these things, committing wholeheartedly to living and professing the absolute truth of God's Word at work in our lives.  No more "sanitizing" our language!

I Am Back!!

I have been remiss in posting!  Good reasons (notice I said "reasons", not excuses!) as I had 4 devotionals to write, then a trip to Pennsylvania to help with the 3 grand kids there while their mother visited her sister out West.  And I also have been working on Bible lessons for our Vacation Bible School that begins on June 10th.  I have the 3rd grade boys and I need to be 5 steps ahead of them if we are going to maintain control of the classroom!!!

For now, here are my devotionals for the month of June.  I trust they will be a blessing and encouragement to whoever reads them.

Participant or Audience?
I Thessalonians 5:24

God nudges us through His Holy Spirit to be an active participant in His game plan for our lives.  Do we boldly and willingly join with Him as He endeavors to enlist us?  The audience is a comfortable place, we reason.  And the excuses begin. Complete surrender to Him?  Hm..m..m  - no!?

As brand new appointees with BMM, we were looking to Alaska as our field of service. God spoke through veteran missionaries to Dale one night and he informed me -- we were going to Africa instead!

The next day, the Lord and I began our debate:  Alaska vs. Africa

Me:  Lord, I am not smart enough to learn another language.
Lord:  May I remind you that you just received a high score on your language aptitude test?
Me:  There are too many deadly, venomous snakes in Africa.
Lord:  In 65 years, none of my missionaries have been bitten.
Me:  Malaria, hepatitis, and many other critical diseases abound in Africa.
Lord:  Lynda, what did I just do for you?  Your husband and mother were planning your funeral because you were so seriously ill with meningitis.
Me:  But, Lord, I will have to leave my family and friends!
Lord:  Dear daughter, my Son left all the glory of heaven for YOU...can you not leave your family for Me?

How could I not respond with all my heart when He gave everything for me??  Never fear to be a participant in God's plan for your life!  Joy abounds in His will!

**Some side notes to this as I only had 250 words so I could not give all the background!!

My maternal grandmother was the family prayer warrior.  When we spent vacation time with her, I always fell asleep with Granny on her knees beside my bed praying for all of us.  We attended church with her and it was under her teaching that I accepted Christ as my Savior.

From that time on, Granny would drop this little tidbit...."Some day you may be a missionary in Africa."  Now, the picture in my head was of a deep, dark green jungle with snakes abounding!  No way was I going there!  Missionaries do not help this misconception because they love telling their snake stories -- with some embellishments!  Therefore, when Dale said we were going to Africa, I was not a happy camper!  The veteran missionaries he had talked to after I had returned to our dorm were from the Central African Republic.  That country had recently decided to allow private aircraft to operate within their borders.  And here was a pilot ready to begin that ministry!

Surrendering to God's will amazed me...I had a God-given joy from then on to serve in Africa, excited about this new chapter in our lives.  More posts will be forth coming on these chapters!

Quarantined!!!

Growing up, I was enamored of my Uncle Tom, my mother's brother.  He was handsome and was patient with an awe-struck little girl.  (By the way, he also had some really great male friends too!)  He came to live with us for a period of time when I was somewhere around 7 or 8 years old.  Uncle Tom helped on the ranch with various chores.

One particular day after we had eaten lunch, Uncle Tom asked my mother where his comb was.  This was highly unusual because it was always in the exact same place.  Something was just not right.  A trip to Los Angeles was in order to see a doctor.  End result... he had an abscess in his brain as a result of a sore in his mouth.  However, this was not immediately diagnosed.  Because of the symptoms, there was a great concern that this might be something contagious.  We were all quarantined at my grandparents' home until the diagnosis was made.  I can remember staying inside the house and groceries were delivered right to the front door for us!!!  Now, wouldn't that be great!!!  My uncle recovered completely from this episode.  My brother and I always loved our times at our grandparents' house, no matter the circumstances.

The Animal House

Now it is time to address the menagerie we acquired while living in the Mojave Desert.

Jigaboo was the name given to our first dog -- a mixed black and white collie-haired dog.  It was not us that named this dog!  It was either my grandfather or great grandfather who named her.  She was acquired when I was just a baby and was my personal protector.  Jigaboo adjusted quickly to her new life in the country.

Then comes the chickens!!!  One of my chores  -- feeding them and gathering the eggs.  This was not a favorite past time for me!  Ever walked barefoot in a chicken coop with chicken poop squishing between your toes?  (Wearing shoes was just out of the question!  Too confining!)  Once the chicken feed was served, then began the battle of the water can!  The water can consisted of a tall metal canister which was filled with water.  A lid was fit onto the canister, then you flipped it over very, very quickly.  A small trough was then available to the chickens and the water replenished itself as they drank.  The only problem with this method...if the lid was not on tight, it would end up with the whole thing coming apart with water gushing out.  Back to filling it up again!!!  So frustrating!

Dear old Billy goat!!!  Yes, we were goat owners for awhile.  The biggest problem with them was just feeding them!  If I turned my back, look out!!!  They jumped on my back!!!  And they were big trouble makers!  Every opportunity that presented itself, they would escape...favorite place to go...jumping on top of our car!!!

One summer, donkeys and little burros were residing in our fields as a courtesy to the Boy Scout troop.  Fortunately,  this was not a chore for me!  However, it was entertainment for my brother, Brian, as he tried to ride one of the burros.  Only problem, no saddle, no bridle and he would slide right off the back end of the animal!

And then there were 24...cats!  Babies having babies all the time!  Don't worry...they did not live in the house!  They caught mice and other little critters.  When we would get attached to one specific cat, then something would happen.  Some of them liked to crawl up in the warm engine of the car after it had been driven.  If we forgot to check the engine and started the car, Daddy was digging a hole in Cat Cemetary.

Another mode of demise for the cats was the mower.  They loved to hunt in the tall alfalfa but were not smart enough to skedaddle out of the field when Daddy came through with the mower.  The mower consisted of a long blade with triangular cutting teeth.  It was lowered flat on the ground to cut the alfalfa.    Another dip in the cat population!! Rabbits also fell victim to the mower.

Desert tortoises would visit us occasionally and sit on our front porch.  I recall one day when I was on the front porch and Mama inquired about the tortoises.  I replied that I had no idea where they were, not realizing that I was sitting right beside one with my arm propped on its back!!!!  Obviously, I was day dreaming!

Horny toad lizards were sometimes our little pets for a few days whenever we found them in the dirt.  We would put them in a shoebox and feed them for a few days and then let them go.

Parakeets added to the chore list as well and that was another tedious job...take out the bottom pan, put new paper in, give them water and food.  And hope they did not get out and fly around, pooping all over the house!

Last but not least, the desert snakes!!!!!  Sometimes we would see a black king snake.  These were a good thing to have around as they kept the rattlesnakes away.  I recall one rattlesnake found on the ranch on the side of my grandparents apartment.  Hearing stories or seeing one (dead usually!), gave me nightmares!  We quickly learned to watch where we were going and listen for the rattle.  This stood me in good stead many years later when we lived in Africa.  Except...the deadly snakes there do not have rattles!!!  I was forever telling myself to remember they didn't rattle and be very, very observant.

Racing .... to win?  

No, not to win!  To stay alive!!!  I was 8 1/2 years old, approximately, during the summer when we were able to spend the most time with Daddy.  There was a Model A Ford that Daddy drove around the ranch sometimes to check on the fields.  (This picture is not the actual car.)  

One late afternoon, Brian and I were riding along, Brian squashed between Daddy and I.  We had driven on the paved road in front of the house, turning onto the dirt side road by our house.  As we turned the corner, going about 25 mph or so, the passenger door flew open....and me with it!!!!  Since we are a wacky, crazy family, of course, I did not just fall out and stay put!  I fell out on both feet, running as fast as the car! A few feet later, my legs could not keep up the speed and then I fell to the ground!  Fortunately, I wasn't hurt, just a skinned knee, I believe.  Something else for us to laugh about!  And to remember to latch the door!!!!

Two Paths

Another devotional ... which had to be edited somewhat for the publication!

Two Paths
Ephesians 4:30-32

Death of a friendship begins with a hasty response, a cutting word, an accusation, anger boiling up, imagined hurts, imagined slights.  Then a slow awakening -- a decision must be made.  The wounded spirit has a choice to make -- forgive or not to forgive?  Practice unconditional love or nurture the wounded spirit?

Walk willingly away from that one person who was your best friend, your confidant, yet in their humanness made a mistake that caused you hurt and walk willingly down a new path?  The path of forgiveness given, although not requested, with no regrets, peace resting securely in His example.  Or a path fraught with the quicksilver of the unforgiving spirit?  A place where bitterness and anger slosh in and out of the heart day after day, flooding your emotions at the most unexpected moments, niggling whispers of the turmoil hidden in your soul.  Which path to follow --- forgiveness or bitterness?

Wise, godly counsel for all believers who are struggling with making this decision is found in our Scripture reference.  How can one NOT forgive the hurts and anguish someone has inflicted?  Did not the one and only Son of God endure the torture, agony and humiliation of the cross for each and everyone, more specifically, YOU?  He bore the wrath of His righteous, sinless Father...through which everyone can receive the gift of salvation.  We are forgiven and made righteous in His eyes!  How then, can we do any less than to forgive those who hurt or offend us?  Stop for a moment and consider the importance of this hurt weighed along side the supreme sacrifice offered on the cross at Golgotha.  Determine to allow the Savior's abundant, passionate love to fill your heart and overflow as you choose the path of forgiveness.

Teachers

I was asked to write for a monthly devotional booklet that our church distributes so I will share those with you all.  This sure has stretched my brain!  It's fun but being brief with 250 words is so hard for me!!!!

Teachers
I Timothy 4:12

Everyone realizes the importance of having a teacher who teaches with passion, enthusiasm and love.  Have you ever considered the effect your teachers had on you, whether positive or negative?  Teaching is a responsibility with long term impact on all the lives that come in contact with you.

I will never forget my 4th grade teacher who taught me by example what prejudice means.  I certainly did not have that word in my vocabulary nor did I comprehend the definition of said word.  There were twin black boys in my class who the teacher was constantly harassing and humiliating.  His mode of discipline consisted of a 36 inch yard stick which he would turn on the edge and whack them on the head.  I myself had gotten whacked once because I was talking in class.  But these boys did not deserve to be singled out and disciplined so harshly on a daily basis.  I watched and learned prejudice is hurtful and impacts lives.

Your job description may not include that of a teacher.  However, each and everyone of us daily are teaching someone, somewhere, something.  Your children, your family, your friends, your co-workers -- even the cashier, the waitress ---all who look on your face, listen to your voice and follow your actions -- they are learning from you whether it be good or bad.

May we strive to be like Jesus, the Master Teacher, as we interact within our circle of influence, every moment an eternal lesson.

Fences

In the decade of the 50's, we were allowed to go Trick or Treating, accompanied by our parents.  This was a little difficult when we lived in the desert in a very, very small community.  Neighbors were not next door or just down the block.  But I had parents who drove us 2 hours over the El Cajon pass to the Los Angeles basin where our grandparents lived.  Their neighborhood was quite profitable for my brother and I when it came to knocking on doors and getting our treats!

One particular Halloween stands out above all others and makes me laugh even to this day!  I always liked to be a princess or something requiring a pretty dress.  This night my brother was a ghost with a sheet over him with slits cut for his eyes.  In the spooky darkness, we left our parents at street side as we sauntered up to the door.  Of course, as the girl and the oldest, I got my candy first and ran back to my parents.  Brian grabs his candy, hops off the porch and hollers, "Wait for me!"  A six year old does not always consider the consequences of deviating from the path.  Brian did not use the sidewalk and driveway to return to the street where we were waiting.  He ran as fast as his little legs could with his sheet flapping and slipping, straight across the yard.  He abruptly collided with a chicken-wire fence across the front of the yard!  He literally bounced off the chicken-wire and fell prone on the ground!  Apparently the slits for his eyes moved and he could not see where he was going!  Of course, we laughed hysterically as he lays crying!  I am laughing even now as I write this!  (Don't worry - he was not hurt!)

This story I have used for a devotional for our church monthly devotional so I will add my thoughts here as well.

Think about the different paths that have meandered into your life.  Some were God directed paths, some were tantalizingly appealing but meant only for self-pleasure and some were ordinary paths, all of which were not God's path for you.  We all have no doubt taken the path we desired, not considering the consequences if it wasn't God's path.  Watch out!  God has His own "chicken-wire fence" that you will hit head on and you will be picking yourself up off the ground. God gives us a free will but He is still in control.  His deep eternal love desires our obedience to His life path and therefore, He sometimes allows abrupt stops to pop up.  We need to pick ourselves up, change direction and choose His joyful, enduring path.

Psalms 25:4  "Show me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths."
Proverbs 3:5,6  "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct they paths."

Silver Fang

9th Grade

Third grade


Now for one of my first traumatic incidents...

Another source of  irrigation on the Elmore ranch was big, long sprinkler pipes that were hand carried from row to row, connected to another pipe, then repeated  all over again until the sprinkler pipes reached the end of the row. These were big round aluminum pipes with sprinkler heads -- very bulky and awkward to handle and haul. We had a special conveyance to load them on which is too complicated to try and describe!  Except to say, it was pulled by a tractor but was basically a big round pipe with a rack on each end. The irrigation pipes were laid length-wise on the racks and transported to the field.

This red trailer was another tool in our arsenal of fun.  We thought we were in the circus and instead of walking the tight rope above ground, we attempted to walk the big pipe when all the sprinklers were in the field.  This worked great until I decided to put my slick sandals on and try to walk the pipe.  One step, two, three steps and bang!  I slipped and straddled the pipe whacking my mouth on it.  I chipped one of my front teeth.  And ran screaming into the house!!!

The next day, anything hot or cold touching that tooth was extremely painful.  (Of course, the nerve was exposed!!!)  Living in a small desert community, my parents opted to travel to my grandparents to consult with a dentist in the Los Angeles area.  The end result --- a solid silver cap was fitted over the chipped tooth and for the next 10 years, I blinded photographers with my smile!!.  And was called "Silver Fang" by some of my classmates!!!  The above picture of me in third grade shows my two front teeth before and the other picture you can see the silver tooth after!

I am amazed as I look back on this incident and wonder why I did not develop some complex with such a blatant, shining object attached to my front tooth!!  I never kept my mouth closed (as evidenced by the many times I had to write "I will not talk in class when someone else is talking" which hasn't changed any to this day!)    And it wasn't because everyone became familiar with it.  I attended 13 different schools from Kindergarten to 12th grade so I had new friends all the time!  I just did not dwell on it or actually even think about it.  I remember that some of my classmates thought my family was rich because I had a silver tooth!

After graduation from high school, my grandparents made it possible for me to have a normal white crown to replace the silver.  And of course, I never again attempted to be a circus tightrope (pipe!) walker again!!

Butcher Shop

Growing up in the country provides the opportunity for many interesting and educational activities. I don't think jumping off haystacks or eating the calves's grain pellets falls in the educational category, but it was interesting!

We raised some cattle and had milk cows (thank goodness I never had to do the milking!). One poor cow was chosen to contribute to our big freezer and provide sustenance for our family. My father got out the rifle again and quickly put down the animal. The throat was slit and bled and then the fun began. With help from friends, Daddy began to cut the meat, after which the best pieces would go to a butcher to be cut into steaks, ground into hamburger and carved into roasts. The intestines, liver and etc. would not be used..so...Daddy let me set up some plywood on some barrels and I could play "butcher shop" with the "spare parts". I thought this was definitely interesting but my brother absolutely did not and would not play with me! It was great to have our own beef to enjoy...we grew the feed, cared for the animals and then worked together to put it on the table! Well, most of us worked together! ")

A Star is Born

Third grade...I am moving up the food chain! I am no longer just a little bitty kid! Even though I am always the youngest in my class because of my January birthday!

This was the year for new experiences. Our class presented a play, "Jack in the Beanstalk". I was Jack's mother.. I only remember one thing from that play! I made a mistake during one of my scenes! I had a purse but set it behind the flat we were using as the house. I forgot I was supposed to go to the door with my purse in my hand so I had to reach back to pick it up. Isn't it funny what stays in your memory? I do know that i enjoyed the drama experience but obviously I was disappointed in myself because I didn't give a perfect performance.

Pick Two...

Another memory plucked from the little brown grab bag...

Using our creative juices together as a team, my brother, Brian and I climbed onto the back of the road grader. Daddy was getting ready to grade the dirt roads surrounding the ranch. Deep breath...mm..mm..mm..the fresh, moist smell of dirt that has just been turned over by the road grader blade...the smooth softness of the dirt... all are great canvases for little bare feet to "foot brush" squiggles and curves as the grader slowly moves. Needless to say, these pieces of "art" are not able to be displayed on the wall or preserved with other memorabilia!!

The blazing sun has set, the rejuvenating coolness has touched our skin. We are ready for more fun! Daddy is ready to roll in the Jeep, 22 rifle by his side. And we are two eager passengers. We are hunting jack rabbits!!! I know, they are such cute things with those long ears! However, they devour the alfalfa, our future fodder for the hay-eating animals. Once a jack rabbit is spotted, the bright, blinding spotlight lights up his world, the Jeep rolls to a stop and BLAM!!! Daddy reduces the jack population by one! No, we did not get to shoot. Later on, I did get to do some target practice with the 22 rifle but no hunting.

Instant Communication

I must divert for a minute from my "memoirs"! Here is something to consider --

Today we are able to communicate around the world, in all time zones, at the touch of a button or screen. No longer do you breathlessly wait for the mailman to receive the recent happenings in your family's life via the old fashioned handwritten letter. The silence of the vintage phone no longer causes anxiety as you wait for the report from the doctor.

Now 24/7 we are connected - by hip, hand, or ear - to our circle of family and friends through the internet technology available on tablets, readers, phones, and laptops. Just pluck that tech gadget out of your pocket, push a button and you have instant communication no matter where you are.

I will admit to being one of those who likes her "gadgets", although I do still love to write the old fashioned way. But what about our communication with the Lord? Do we need wi-fi to contact Him? Do we need to search our contact list for His number? Or is it easier to "text" Him so there is no personal contact? Did He put His communication on vibrate or did we?

Fortunately, His answer is no! he is always there to hear our cry, rejoice in our joy, whisper His counsel, wipe sorrow's tears, encourage us in despair as we stumble through this imperfect life. We have an instant open "internet" to God's heart and God's ears. Communication, as we know, works both ways. I only need to speak and He hears. He speaks and I listen. Such a simple but powerful communication!!!

May we keep the lines of communication intact minute by minute as we invite the Lord to "iChat" with us as we deepen our relationship with Him.

"But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works." Psalms 73:28

Grab Bag

Once upon a time...could mean any time: My memories do not have any sequence to them. Why didn't I keep a diary??? :) It would have been a very lengthy, laborious job as a preschooler ---even in elementary school!!! Now I will pull out some memories from my "Grab Bag".

Living in the wide open Mojave desert meant freedom to experience so many fun things that city kids could not do. One of our favorites during the hot, dry summers was to sit in the bubbling water that poured from the irrigation valves in our alfalfa fields. The fields were made into rows and the irrigation valves were opened to pour forth down the row to nourish the growing plants. Great way for us to cool off!! We also had a "reservoir" which we enjoyed using -- under the supervision of a parent, of course!

Speaking of alfalfa, once it reached its maturity, my father would get out the tractor and the mower (this is not like a lawn mower but being as I am not mechanically competent, I will not attempt to explain this piece of farm equipment!). The alfalfa would lay cut in the field until it was dry. Another piece of farm equipment was then utilized to rake up the dry alfalfa into rows. The baler would then travel down each row, making bales. These bales were heavy!!! My father would use hay hooks and load them on a trailer so they could be added to the haystack. The animals would have a source of food to last them for awhile and we had more entrainment jumping off the haystacks! Our fields now were just stubbles of dried alfalfa plants.

Which brings me to another incident. My mother and i were up at our reservoir enjoying some cooling off time. Others were there as well, I assume, as we rarely did things without a group to add to the fun. Something caught our attention and we looked down on the ranch. Smoke was pouring from one of the buildings - one of the residences!!!! I took off running while my mother got in the car. Now have you ever run barefoot over alfalfa stubble? Those short dry stems sticking up are a bit prickly but they did not slow me down!!! It was the back porch of one of the homes an employee lived in. The house had to be rebuilt and we eventually lived in the new home. The cause of the fire was probably a glass jar sitting in the sun on the porch. At any rate, I was a fire/police/ambulance chaser at an early age!!!! I always want to know what is going on and what everyone's story is!

iGod

In our world today, it seems we, at some point in time, will use something with the little "i" at the beginning...iPhone, iPad, iPod, iCloud and etc. When iGod was utilized for a series of Biblical sermons, being of sound but ancient mind, I was a bit offended at the use of "iGod". It seemed almost disrespectful to our Lord.

As i mulled it over, I realized that there was a message for my heart in just that simple expression, "iGod". I should always live selflessly, desiring to let God shine through me. It is not all about me!! Rather, it is all about God - bringing glory to Him. This is not an easy task to practice on a daily, hourly basis. How often the big "I" rears its head!!!

However, "...with God all things are possible", therefore I humbly acknowledge my weak, sinful self and desire His Holy Spirit to remind me diligently to let the "little i" remain in the background while the big "G" is visible to all. May Jesus shine through me, inspite of me!

"That ye may be blameless and harmless, children of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world." Philippians 2:15

Baby Brothers

Once upon a time...there was a little brown-eyed male species who came to live with us for an undetermined time period. This small but energetic creature was a curious active being, testing all boundaries placed in his little world. These lines of structure were in place to protect him...from himself!!!

I had the special privilege of being his older playmate but I was smart enough not to follow him everywhere he chose to wander. Especially if it required climbing any higher than 3 feet off the ground! During this creature's second or third year, he embarked on an exploration to high places all on his own. At the time, we were liiving in a small one room with a partition and bathroom which shared a wall with a work shop on one side and on the other side, an apartment for my grandparents when they visited.

My mother and I were in the kitchen area one day when we heard footsteps above our head. My mother looked up at the ceiling and then hollered, "Brian, you get down here right now!!! He had decided to explore the workshop next door but had climbed up in the ceiling!!! Well, you know he wanted to obey his Mama immediately, therefore, he just came right through the ceiling, landing at my mother's feet!!!! It is amazing that he did not land on his head!

You guessed it! This was my baby brother, Brian, who is 2 1/2 years younger than I. So glad that I was smart enough not to follow him on this exploration!

Scrambled Random Thoughts

Crash and Burn...or Object Lesson?

I was so elated to have finally completed the huge task of cleaning and purging the attic. Seventeen years of tossing things up there (literally at times! :)) and generally just putting things out of sight instead of seriously considering their worth. It was a national disaster above our heads!!

My To Do list has always included the attic but definitely pushed to the bottom of the list every single time. Well, NOW was the time -- Attic Attack is commencing!!! A little over 3 weeks later, mission accomplished!!! Ninety-five percent that is now back resting in the attic does not belong to us...it belongs to two daughters who left home with light suitcases a few years ago!!!

Task is completed and it is time to clean up from all the bits and pieces that accumulated on the carpet. Our shop vac was much more powerful to do this major job. I was giddy with excitement to have this hard job finished so I was not focused on the task at hand. Moving a couple things out of the way so I could vacuum an area, I stepped over the short power cord to the vacuum and the long hose with attachment. I turned around to pick up the hose and continue vacuuming but next thing I know, I trip and find myself on the floor! I still cannot figure out how my foot got stuck in something on the vacuum, bent 3 toes up to meet my ankle, falling completely on my knee and side as my glasses flew off my face! And there was no way I could stop my fall! I was thinking as it was happening, "This is not going to be good!" Surely I have broken one of these toes! Of course I was also chuckling too as I puzzled over how in the world I managed to trip over the cord and hose. America's Funniest Home Videos would have liked a video of this in slow motion! No broken toe, just very sore! And the carpet is clean!

This sparked some random thoughts as I continued to chuckle over this mishap. Isn't this how sin trips us up? We begin to clean up our act - so to speak - confessing our sins, promising the Lord we will forsake those sins (little, big or whatever - all are sin). Aren't we pleased with ourselves when we make this sincere effort? The reality is that we must guard our hearts as those sins creep up to tempt us again and "trip" us up. We begin to wonder how we arrived back on the path of defeat and discouragement where we had stumbled along before prior to the "clean up". We forgot to focus -- and listen to the quiet authoritative voice of the Holy Spirit. Daily we need to rely on the Holy Spirit to "plug in the power" and keep us from "tripping".

Ephesians 6:10 "Finally my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

First Grade...First Love

First Grade...what picture is Image 1 in my memory card? It is in color - red, white and blue, approximately 5 inches x 7 inches, just the right size for an almost 6 year old to hold in an eager little hand. The first "primer" for reading!!!! The title: Bill and Susan. This was before "Dick and Jane"! To this day, my "first love" is to have a book in hand, turning pages with anticipation as to what is coming next in the story, the smell of that book, the feel of the book is just part of the reading experience.

I found learning to read an easy lesson. Although many years later while homeschooling my own kids and learning phonetics, I am amazed that I did learn to read so quickly. At that time, you had to just memorize words...guess I was good at that!! My teacher, Mrs. Barnett was a sweet older woman who I am sure had her hands full in our class. There was one student who I imagine we all have not forgotten - although his name does elude me. Poor little thing would have a puddle under his chair every so often. Even at this age, I felt embarrassed for him, knowing intuitively that this separated him in some way from us. Yet I do not recall any remarks made by students and that no doubt was because of how Mrs. Barnett handled the situation.

I am so grateful that my first exposure to reading was positive and exciting, prepping me for all of my school years ahead. A love of reading is such a gift that keeps on giving. My love of books is quite obvious here in our house! There are 11 bookcases in this house and I have a very hard time parting with any of my "friends"!!!

Retreat Reflections: Chaos and Caring!!

Coats on!  Here are your group flags....Vangie, this is your group...no, don't poke people with the flag...line up....Eli, you lead your group....straight line, please....stay with your flag leader....upstairs....carefully walk....find a chair and sit down....no, those boxes are not for you....music is beginning....you will all get an instrument to play....sit in your seat....you want a different instrument?  ....we will bring it to you...seat in your seat.....don't bother your neighbor.... all eyes up front....no talking....raise your hand if you have a question....don't talk or whisper to your neighbor....don't shout out an answer to a question....you need to use the bathroom? .... yes, that is the story I am going to tell.... you can share something later.... all eyes up front.... do the experiment again?.... review game....do not shout out the answer....your team's turn next....do not shout out the answer....to the gym for games....parachute....don't whip it too hard....watch the flying balls....relay races....this team needs help....did anyone escape?  Back upstairs....craft time...you don't want to do a craft?....you want another color crayon?....you want a different craft?.... no snacks tonight....time to put on coats....where is your coat? ....you weren't wearing a coat?....it is cold outside!....walk carefully downstairs....no, do not stop in the gym....keep a straight line....no running....stay with the group! 


Whew!  Chaotic but Caring!  We did it!!! Didn't lose one child during the retreat as we walked them across the street every day and night!  And I actually think they had fun!  I sure did and loved the hugs!


Reflections.....


January 5-8, eighty-four people from far and near traveled by various means to attend the 10th Elisha Foundation Retreat.  Cannon Beach, Oregon once again provided a majestic setting as families gathered in uncertain anticipation.  Some were excited at what God would do in this fast paced three day event.  Others were optimistically reserved.  However, volunteers and leaders were passionately awaiting this opportunity to provide encouragement and love to each and everyone.

As I reflect back to June 18, 1997, I am reminded of Psalms 136:13-16 that God gave me that day...the day Elisha Alexander was born into our family, our very first grand child.  He was and is God's masterpiece, known to the Heavenly Father before he was created in his mother's womb.  God's purpose has been slowly unfolding since that special little boy was born and we are seeing a small glimpse of what God is orchestrating as His plan unfolds.  Now, here we are in 2012,  and I humbly thank the Lord for the opportunity to be a part of this ministry.


Reflection of His Purpose --
These 3 day retreats provided for families with children of special news are bathed in diligent prayer, planned meticulously, anticipated excitedly, so that the Gospel of Christ is presented as the focus of daily life - 24/7. The worship leader serves joyfully with music that prepares hearts through gentle but powerful songs. God's Word is proclaimed by His servant who humbly shares his own struggles and what God has done and will do.  God's purpose was fulfilled as 12 families soaked up His Word.


Reflection of  His Power --
With all these families attending which included 39 children and 29 volunteers, we totaled 84 people!  Our highest number thus far for any retreat. As volunteers met their families, preparations were completed  for the children's program as well as the adult program, and now we all were relying on the Holy Spirit to give us the strength and power to minister to these dear new friends.  I for one know that He gave me the energy and excitement to pack in so many things in these intense days.  I think all my wonderful volunteers would tell you the same. Some had never worked with special needs kids prior to retreat.  Yet God did wonderful things through each volunteer.


Reflections of  His Love --
I have always been very passionate about children. Working with children in our church for many, many years has been one of my greatest joys.  So it was only natural for me to want to help our son, Justin and his wife, Tamara, with the Elisha retreats.  I have only missed two!  There are many challenges when you have a large age span to engage throughout the program...and hold their attention more than 5 minutes!  Add to that those who do have special considerations and it can be chaotic.  Just makes it more interesting and fun!  When  I reflect on how much God loves me, there is no earthly way that I can ever love Him enough in return.  So...my feeble attempt to show Him is to give Him myself wholeheartedly with no thought of my desires.  His unfathomable love can then flow through me and overflow to others.  Especially the little ones that come my way.  Everyone who worked tirelessly for this brief week-end gave Christ's overflowing love to all the children and their parents.  Awesome!


Reflection of His Patience --
When there are so many people from all different backgrounds, different personalities, different likes and dislikes, different life experiences, things could prove to be interesting!  Especially when you are going to see each other from morning till night for 3 days and work together! Some even rooming together in what some referred to as "the closet"!  Trying to juggle the parents' schedule and their needs, the children's program and all our little emergencies that came up, free time to be used wisely by all and let's not forget to be sure everyone is fed well!!!!  God gave us all the patience needed to continue joyfully serving and ministering to our guests.  I cannot express how in awe I am of these special parents who exemplify God's patience as they work with not only their special needs child, but the needs of their other children as well.  (By the way, the siblings are the most loving, caring children, no matter their age as they love on their special needs brother or sister.  It is the normal thing to see these sibs kissing and loving on their sibling.)  What a privilege to give these parents a small window of time to be alone together to be refreshed and encouraged.


Did each and everyone one of us volunteers reflect the dear Savior's holy attributes during our time together?  I trust eyes that were watching us were blinded to some of our weaknesses and will remember instead the passion we all shared to embrace our families with His Word lived out through us.


Now to look forward to the Lord providing for the next retreat wherever He leads in 2012!  I am already looking at curriculum and thinking of more creative things to do!