2009 thoughts

I usually don’t make resolutions because they seem to be traps by which to measure failure. It’s not that I think they are a bad idea, but my personality doesn’t exactly shine in the consistency and long-term goal area. The only resolution I thought I had ever kept was one to not make any resolutions, but alas, in making that resolution I had already failed by making it!! AUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!! This year I’m making intentions. Somehow the word seems less binding than resolutions therefore my free spirit still has room to wiggle, soar, and chase the occasional chicken! Here are my intentions for 2009:

Spiritually – to seek God the Father, Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit in a more intimate relationship. I want to explore spirituality and come to understand if there is a difference between it and Christianity. How are they different, how are they similar? Are they one in the same? I want to be very intentional about spiritual relationships. I want to have spiritual conversations and relationships that go deeper than usual conversations of friendships. I want to “live in the moment” of every moment with God close at my side.

Personally – I want to achieve some semblance of a healthy lifestyle. Hitting the amazing 50 this last year really got my attention. I celebrate my age and am very happy to have made it this far! I want to honor the temple God gave me by physically, emotionally, and mentally taking better care of it.

Now for just the fun ones:
I want to try one new recipe each week. I get so tired of the same ole’ things for dinner all the time!
I want to work on a different room of the house each month. I intend to clean, purge, organize and decorate! While it’s not all that consistent with my personality, I love to organize stuff! Those clear containers for storage are almost as good as diamonds to me! Good news for Van!

That’s it. I’m really a very basic and simple person. My goals are realistic and as random as the rest of me! I'll let you know how it goes! I'll try to post my recipe of the week and occasional other insights as the year goes along.

the Pledge of Allegiance

This is worth your time to watch. Red Skelton is one of the first comedians I remember from my childhood. I love what he had to say about our nation and our pledge.

http://mpinkeyes.wordpress.com/2007/11/18/video-red-skeltons-pledge-of-allegiance/

Love, love, love, love (feel free to hum along)

The theme of love keeps coming up all around me. That is just sooooo like God. It's that time of year when I begin "full steam ahead" into school planning. I had decided at the end of last year that our first Bible lessons this year would be about love. In my classroom, in a private Christian school, I have the privilege to explore with children how God meant for us to love one another. You see we are not just an assortment of people there to learn reading, writing, and arithmetic; we are a community of believers there to love and support each other while we learn reading, writing, and arithmetic! We are there as a community of believers to draw closer to God and each other. I just love that about teaching in a Christian school. I’ve taught this way for so many years now that I’m not sure I could do it any other way. I have the blessing of not only being able to talk about God openly, but He's part of the curriculum!

For all the Christian teachers out there teaching in the public school systems, you have my admiration and thanks for teaching God’s values and love to your students without violating school board policies and politically correct requirements. You are true missionaries and heroes in the Kingdom and greatly appreciated!

For our study, I don’t want us just to study how much God loves us – that alone is an amazing study! I really want to dig in with my students and begin to develop an understanding of how He requires us to love each other. As I was getting ready today this quote came through in an email from Real Simple magazine's quote of the day:

“Love is not blind–it sees more not less. But because it sees more, it is willing to see
less.” Rabbi Julius Gordon

I love that! Here’s how God said it:

Proverbs 10:12
Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs.

Proverbs 17:9
He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.

1 Peter 4:8
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

May we learn to love each other the way the Father loves us!

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
1 John 4:7

Why do we do that to each other???????

Have you ever caught yourself saying or at least thinking, “I would never …” ? I think when looking at the lives of other people, rather than our own (Matt. 7:3), we often are tempted by satan to think these thoughts. I know I am.

A post by Shane http://shanecoffman.blogspot.com/ (God works powerfully through him) brought these thoughts to my mind fresh again today. How often when I see someone in a struggle with a particular sin, a fight for their child, their marriage, their occupation, or even their life do I immediately conclude, “Well, if they just would have …” or “Well, if they just wouldn’t have …”. Satan tempts us to pass judgment on others constantly.

Surely this is why scriptures speaks so much to Christians about not judging one another (Matt. 7:1-2) and yet admonishes us to “carry each others’ burdens”(Gal. 6:2), “cover a multitude of sins with love”(1 Peter 4:8), die to ourselves and serve EVERYONE !! What would our world be like if our love was so great for each other that it literally suffocated and choked out the sins of others? What would our churches by like if that was how we treated our brothers and sisters in Christ? Please God, help me to learn to love more perfectly!!!

Matthew 7
(1)"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. (2) For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (3) "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?

Galatians 6
(1) Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. (2) Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (3) If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. (4) Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, (5) for each one should carry his own load.

1 Peter 4
(8) Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. (9) Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. (10) Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. (11) If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Awwwwwww, summer!

Well, I’ve been absent from the blog world for awhile! Since I lasted posted in April, my knee has gotten better and I’m doing fine most of the time with it. I also have turned 50 and don’t think I said much about that. Funny, but just today I came across a quote that describes the significance of being 50 yrs. old.

“The years teach much which the days never knew.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

I love that quote and I value every year. Yes, 50 is indeed fabulous!!!

In other news, school was finally out the end of May. This year I had taken the job of After Care coordinator as well as worker. I did so to pad the wedding budget which was good, but it really did add a lot to the stress and strain of the year. I’m glad it’s over, I glad I experienced it, and I’m glad I’m not doing it again next year! I’m looking forward to being able to concentrate my attention on just my classes. For now, I'm enjoying summer and finally getting to do some reading and studying that I've looked forward to. I'll share more on that later.

Still, in other news, our daughter, last child at home, our only girl and baby of the family – does that clue you in on how big a deal this was – got married on June 14th. I have to say it was one of the most wonderful, beautiful, and yet intense moments of my life!! She was absolutely beautiful and radiant, he was designed by God just for her, and the wedding was wonderful! She later thanked us for making all her hopes and dreams come true! I’d call that a successful wedding! I treasured each moment, but as with so many things in life, I’m glad it is behind us now.

Now, for the latest breaking news, WE ARE EMPTY NESTERS!!!! It is now just the two of us again. We are a couple again. Don’t get me wrong, your life is still blessed with your children and still very connected with theirs, but the dynamics do change. It is fun to suddenly be just the two of us. I just hope I can figure out how to cook for two again. Really, with our schedule from the last year, I just hope I can figure out how to cook again – period! We are enjoying more quiet moments even though our lives are still very busy and we talk to our kids quite often, being a couple again is amazing!

Ouch!!!!! Is it suppose to feel this way???????????

Good news came today in the fact that I do not need knee replacement surgery! My cartilage depth looked good, but there is considerable grinding, popping, and crunching going on. The doctor actually chuckled when he moved my knee around and said, "Yeah, you've got a lot of noise going on in there!" He said the problem is my cartilage is actually very "roughed up" and there were two ways to treat it. Option 1 was an injection today of Kenalog into the knee joint to buy a little time and help relieve some of the pain. Option 2 is surgery to go in and smooth off the rough places and clean out my knee. My knee is in need of some spring cleaning! I asked if I chose Option 1 would I be able to avoid surgery. He lauged and said we would leave that option on the table for now, but he recommended going with Option 1 for now, especially since we have a major event coming up in our family soon!

The interesting thing for me was that I've had these type of injections several times before (elbow twice, left thumb joint, right toe joint, and both heals) and relief wasn't immediate but pretty quickly. I got the injeciton at 9:15 A.M. and it now hurts soooooooooooooooooooooooo much worse than it did before the injection!!!!! What's up with that???????

Can anyone shed any light on that for me?

What punctuation mark are you?

Being an English teacher, this was one personality quiz I couldn't resist! Thanks to Brenda and Theresa for finding this one. I'm not very internet savy so I've linked you there the only way I know how! http://www.blogthings.com/whatpunctuationmarkareyouquiz/

Enjoy, and let me know what punctuation mark you are! Here's mine:

You Are a Comma

You are open minded and extremely optimistic.
You enjoy almost all facets of life.
You can find the good in almost anything.
You keep yourself busy with tons of friends, activities, and interests.
You find it hard to turn down an opportunity, even if you are pressed for time.
Your friends find you fascinating, charming, and easy to talk to.(But with so many competing interests, your friends do feel like you hardly have time for them.)
You excel in: Inspiring people
You get along best with: The Question Mark

From pigtails to wedding veils

Where did the time go?????? Eight weeks from today my baby girl will promise the rest of her life to the love of her life. At times I’m giddy with excitement for her, and at times I’m overwhelmed with memories of a little girl who loved to pick flowers, play kitchen, and dolls. If I had searched the whole world over, I couldn't have found a better man to become my daughter's husband. He loves her way more than he loves himself and just a little less than he loves his Lord. As I said, he is perfect for her. They are such a fun couple! It is an interesting phase of life when your daughter moves from being your child to one of your best friends. It’s the greatest feeling ever! I’ve been a very blessed Mom; my children have all married (or are about to marry) amazing people! It's so like God to fulfill our heart's desires in ways that we never dreamed! Van claims that when we met, one of the first things I told him about myself was that I wanted six children! Well, my health only held out for three, but as of June 14th, I will have all six of my children - three girls and three boys! Isn't God amazing! We are in the midst of wedding mania and having a ball! I find myself, as Mary did, treasuring each moment in my heart.

Pets!

We have a cat named Annie. She is sweet, cute, and cuddly, but sometimes she absolutely drives me crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!! As winter gives way to spring, she LOVES to be outside. You see she is somewhat of an indoor/outdoor cat. She prefers to go out at night under the cover of darkness. If the weather is nice, she will drive us crazy meowing at the door once twilight arrives and will usually stay out for quite a while. We’re not sure where she goes, but the neighbors’ backyard security light goes on and off a lot while she is out. Now, you would think that most indoor/outdoor cats wouldn’t still need a litter box, but not our cat!!!!!!! One night this week she meowed nonstop to get to go outside. We let her out and she had been exploring for a while when we heard her at the back door meowing to come back in. When we let her in, she ran straight to her litter box, took care of business and then straight back to the door and started meowing to go back outside!!!! What’s wrong with that cat?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?! What crazy things do your pets do??????

Four Days Late

This song has been around a while, but has just recently caught my attention. While I am not a big Southern Gospel music fan, the lyrics to this song bring me to tears everytime I hear it.

Four Days Late

The news came to Jesus please come fast.
Lazarus is sick and without Your help he will not last.
Mary and Martha watched their brother die
They waited for Jesus- He didn't come.
They wondered why.
The death watch was over; buried four days.
Somebody said He'll soon be here
The Lord's on His way.
Martha ran to Him and then she cried
"Lord if You had been here- You could have healed him. He'd still be alive.
But You're four days late; and all hope is gone.
Lord we don't understand why You've waited so long."
But His way is God's way.
It's not yours or mine
But isn't it great when He's four days late- He's still on time!
Jesus said, "Martha, show Me the grave."
But she said, "Lord You don't understand- he's been there four days!""
The grave stone was rolled back.
Then Jesus cried, "Lazarus! Come forth!"
Then somebody said, "He's ALIVE! He's ALIVE!"
Right know you may be fighting a battle of fear
You've cried to the Lord "I need You now!" But He has not appeared.
My friend don't be discouraged
Cause He's still the same.
He'll be right here and He'll roll back your stone and He'll call out your name!
When He's four days late and all hope is gone
Lord we don't understand why You've waited so long.
But His way is God's way it's not yours or mine
But isn't it great when He's four days late- He's still on time!
Oh my God it's great when He's four days late- He's still on time!!!

Blessed beyond Measure

Tonight was one of those nights you imagine in movies. I never thought I would ever get to sit outside my life and peak in on it and just study how incredibly blessed I am. I found myself sitting a little ways off from “the action” and able to just soak it all in.

Our kids planned a family evening of food and fellowship at a local restaurant where our oldest son is a waiter. Of course the plan was to get a big table in his serving area and all be together. Well, as things sometimes go, they had just seated a party of twenty in his area shortly before our arrival. They could split us up and put some at a booth and some at a table. We had them seat all our kids together and we sat at a table close by. Instead of being disappointing, it was amazing! We were just far enough away that they had their own conversations and interactions, but close enough that we were a part of the group. There was an awning over the area where we were eating and their booth was brightly lit so it had the feeling of looking into a window from the shadows outside. I know they caught me starring at them occasionally as they laughed, talked, and enjoyed each other’s company. I just couldn’t take my eyes off that sight! My blessings all in front of me; my children, my daughter-in-love and soon to be son in-love (I hate the "in-law" thing - it was love that brought these precious people to our family not law!), and my precious granddaughters! Van and I sat for a while in the shadows talking and giggling in our own world and then just soaking it in!! I am incredibly blessed!

Mother’s Day came early this year. That snapshot in my mind and in my heart that brings such deep and penetrating joy is priceless!! Thank you God for my family! I am blessed beyond measure!

A Child-like faith

I haven't been on here in a very long time. It's been a very difficult school year and it doesn't look like it is going to get any easier anytime soon. My daughter and a dear friend have double tagged me so I will answer that soon; however, there is another post that must come first. When I got on my blog for the first time since this fall, I couldn't believe that my last post was about a student's death. That is what brings me here again. One of our precious 1st graders died one week ago of complications with asthma. It has been so hard to believe. We were just beginning to see daylight again since Ashley's death. We had just made it through homecoming on Saturday when she, as the reigning Homecoming queen, should have crowned the new Homecoming queen. Instead, her jerseys were retired and she was remembered and the tears flowed once again. Then during the night on Sunday, a precious little 6 year old boy gasped his final breath. J.J. had an enthusiasm for life that you couldn't help but catch. He found such joy in every moment of life. Despite his own hardship, he made everyone who came in contact with him feel like life was the greatest thing ever! His death has been such a shock. On Tuesday his parents and grandparents came to school to attend chapel with all his classmates, friends, teachers, and staff. It was a wonderful time of healing worship, and community. As the classes were dismissed from chapel, each class waited their turn to give his parents and grandparents a hug from every child and teacher. We all felt better by having the opportunity to love them. Later when the teachers were talking about the children and how it had gone, one of the teachers told what J.J.'s best friend had said when he found out. His words were profound, heart wrenching, and faith building all at the same time. He simply said, "Well, I guess it's all right if he's in Heaven and he doesn't have asthma anymore." Oh to have the faith of a child that it's all alright!! Those words of wisdom came from a best friend who shared a similar disability with his friend. He has cystic fibrosis and understands all too well how his friend felt and what his words mean. I want to have that kind of faith!

Life Is Hard - God Is Good

I haven't been on here in a really long time so I'm not sure anyone still reads this little blog of mine. I've been making an effort to listen more and talk/type less. My heart can't hold the pain of today so I have to write it and let it out.

Life isn't fair. We all learned that early on in life on the elementary school playground. It’s funny how we still want life to be fair, at least when it comes to bad things not happening to good people. On her way home from church last night, Ashley Au (graduating class of 2007), a former student of mine, was killed in a car accident last night. You may have heard the news reports of the terrible accident on Highway 169 Sunday night. A car was merging onto the highway and clipped her back bumper which spun her into the path of an SUV which t-boned her car. She died around 11 pm last night. She was such a great person! She loved life and lived it so well. Even more than she loved life though, she loved her Lord, Jesus Christ. She was a tiny little spunky thing, but a mighty force athletically and spiritually. Her smile and laughter were that infectious kind and it didn’t matter whether you knew what was so funny or not, you couldn’t help but laugh along. She had a heart bigger than this world could contain.

Today students, faculty, staff, and graduates have held each other while we cried, remembered, smiled, laughed, and tried to just make it through the day. We’re holding strong to the fact that Ashley is now in Heaven and she’s getting the praise party started and waiting for us all to join her someday.

Peace has come today from Psalm 84 and the following song:

1 How lovely is your dwelling place, LORD Almighty! 2 My soul yearns, even faints,for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. … 5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. 6 As they pass through the Valley of Tears, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. 7 They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion. … 10 Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. 11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. 12 LORD Almighty, blessed are those who trust in you.


Life Is Hard (God Is Good)
by Pam Thum

You turn the key
Then close the door behind you
Drop your bags on the floor
You reach for the light
But there's darkness deep inside
And you can't take it anymore

'Cause sometimes living takes the life out of you
And sometimes living is all you can do

Life is hard, the world is cold
We're barely young and then we're old
But every falling tear is always understood
Yes, life is hard, but God is good

You start to cry
'Cause you've been strong for so long
And that's not how you feel
You try to pray
But there's nothing left to say
So you just quietly kneel

In the silence of all that you face
God will give you His mercy and grace

Jesus never said
It was an easy road to travel
He only said that you would never be alone
So when your last thread of hope
Begins to come unraveled
Don't give up, He walks beside you
On this journey home and He knows

Life is hard, the world is cold
We're barely young and then we're old
But every falling tear is always understood
Yes, life is hard, but God is good

Report from the front lines

Spiritual battle! It can be so intense sometimes. Satan is so crafty in his attack plans. He can take something that blesses me and draws me into a more intimate presence with God and twist and distort it until it becomes something that completely shifts my focus from being about God to being about me.

I grew up thinking I needed to be really good at everything I did. My parents didn’t place that burden on me that I remember, I just simply volunteered for it! Satan uses that against me to limit what I’m willing to do in the Kingdom and make my pride become more important to me than allowing my weaknesses to be seen. It can be so hard to allow others to see my weaknesses. It’s funny, most people (especially those closest to me) see my weaknesses with pretty good clarity, but I think as long as I don’t acknowledge that no one can really see them! Another line of deceit from the Deceiver! That’s why I love the apostle Paul. I’m so glad God put his story in the Bible. It let’s me know it’s okay to be human (that was God’s design for me), but long to be spiritual (that is God’s desire for me), and that Paul struggled between the two also! (Rom. 7:19 - For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.)

Do you ever struggle with doing something for God that you don’t have any confidence in your own ability to do? That’s where my struggle is; allowing my confidence in God to override my lack of self-confidence in order to serve Him.
In the midst of this struggle, the Spirit has led me to 2 Corinthians. Paul talks about everything they (he and Timothy) have gone through in order to spread the gospel. He makes the statement that all this has “…happened that we might not rely on ourselves but On God, …). So for today, I’ve picked back up my battle shield, fallen in line behind my Protector, and I’m willing to let Him do what I can’t do myself.

2 Corinthians 12: 9-10 (New International Version)
9 … "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (The Message)
My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness. Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.

Great news and a game of blog tag

The latest news on the family front is that Abijah is at home now!!!! After 9 ½ days in the NICU at Southcrest Hospital, she is at home and doing fine! The rest of us are doing GREAT!! I got to hold her Sunday night and of course I think she is beautiful. I’ve never really been able to look at a baby and tell who they look like, but word is she looks more like her Mommy’s family than Ethne did. I think that’s great since I had three children and they all looked like Van, I’m glad Ashlee may have one that looks more like her side of the family!

Now I’ll catch up on a little blog business. I have been tagged by Dana.Here are the rules:
1. I have to post these rules before I give you the facts.
2. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

So here goes my randomness…..

I had partial cornea transplants on my eyes when I was 4 and 5 yrs. old. (they did only one eye at a time) Thanks to those organ donors, I am able to see today. The prognosis would have been blindness without their gift of sight.

While in the hospital in Dallas during for one of my transplant surgeries, John F. Kennedy was shot and brought to the hospital I was at before they took him to the trauma hospital.

While attending a magic show of Henry Blackstone, Jr.
(http://www.amdest.com/stars/harryb.html) with my parents as a young adolescent, I was chosen from the audience to help the magician with “the Vanishing Birdcage” trick. When he made it vanish right out of my hands, it startled me and I quickly pulled my hands away backhanding him across the face – right there on stage in front of everyone!!

I lived on my grandparents’ farm every summer from 1st-9th grade. I lived the “Little House on the Prairie” lifestyle complete with washboards, outhouses, chicken coops where it was my job to gather the eggs, cattle round-ups, etc… I got to ride horses, chase the barn cats, plant gardens, pluck chickens, slop hogs, climb trees, grow watermelons, etc… It was a great life except for the days when we would brand the cattle, prepare chickens for frying, and I wasn’t crazy about the outhouse experience. They didn’t have indoor plumbing until I was in Junior High so we took baths the old fashioned way, just like on the old Western movies! Of course it was usually one tub bath a week (Sat. night), the rest of the time it was a sponge bath with a wash basin!

I’m terrified of birds. I got pecked by too many hens and chased by too many mean roosters. I’m not kidding, I’m really terrified. Once while looking at used cars at a lot, someone’s trained pigeon was loose and tried to land on my shoulder. I went into hysterics and it continued to try to land on my shoulder! To escape, I finally hid under a car!! The movie, The Birds, may just be a movie to you; to me, it’s my worst nightmare!!!!!

I swam on a synchronized swim team in Junior High. That’s what peer pressure will do for you! I hate to be in the water and to this day I hold me nose if I have to go underwater. I don’t know how I ever survived that experience!!!

I was the Drum Major of my high school marching band my senior year. I was told it was the first time a girl had been the one and only Drum Major. No, I didn’t wear a skirt; I wore the same uniform the guys did. I was tall and very skinny and you couldn’t tell I was a girl (I know that doesn’t say much for my figure at the time!) until we got in the stands and I took the big tall hat off and all my long hair would come falling down my back. It took quite a few people by surprise. I did the kick strut across the field and everything!

While on a date with my now husband in college at Pizza Planet in Edmond, I accidentally got locked in the restroom when the lock broke off the door. No matter how hard I pounded on the wooden door and yelled, no one could hear me. When our pizza arrived and I still hadn’t returned from the restroom, Van sent a friend of mine to check on me. I explained the situation to her, she told Van, the manager came and at the top of his lungs yelled, “Stand back M’am we’re going to kick the door in!” Let’s just say it was more than a little embarrassing to walk out after that, but hey, Van married me anyway!!!!!!!

Since almost everyone I know has already been tagged, my tagging will be limited to Betty (jettybetty) and John Cope!

The Days of Abijah!

When a precious couple from our church faced life threatening complications during their son's birth, I was always touched by how he would allow himself to see the humor in some of the things that occur during this time. Let's face it - if you've never seen a baby in the NICU, you've missed some interesting equipment. So, as our little Abijah continues to grow stronger and anticipate her escape from the NICU, I give you some of the lighter moments of life in the NICU!

On the day of her birth, Abijah was immediately admitted into the Future Astronauts of America Training Program.

As the days went by, she didn't want to miss out on her opportunity to sport a tan when she left the hospital. Here she is catching some rays under the bili-light. Some women pay big bucks for tans like this!!!

And finally here is a musical tribute to a precious baby girl who can't wait to get home to her Mommy, Daddy, and big sister! If you know the song "The Days of Elijah" then hum along!!

The Days of Abijah


These are the days of Abijah,
Declaring to the world she is here

And these are the days of wires & monitors
respiration being restored

And though these are days of great trials
of oxygen and feeding tubes

Still there is a voice in the NICU crying
Prepare cause I’m coming home soon!

Behold she’s here! Such a precious one!
Stealing our hearts, with her tiny cries

So lift your voice & celebrate with me!
Baby Abijah is finally here!

There’s no God like Jehovah!
There’s no God like Jehovah!
There’s no God like Jehovah!
There’s no God like Jehovah!
(Repeat 3 times)

So lift your voice & celebrate with me!
Baby Abijah is finally here!

Life can sure come at you fast sometimes. We are so thankful to God for watching over our sweet new granddaughter and her Mommy. Abijah (A-bi-jah, think Elijah with an “Ab” instead of an “El”) Linn Priest was born Thursday at 1:47 pm, weighing in at 6 lbs. 11 oz. and stretching 19 ½ “ long. Her name is found in several places in the Bible and can be a male or female name. Abijah was the daughter of Zechariah and the mother of Hezekiah. Her name means “My father is Jehovah”. She is, of course, beautiful!! Her mommy has had a really rough time the last several weeks. Two weeks before her birth, Ashlee began having contractions and continued to have them the whole time. Four different times they became so hard and so regular that the doctor had them go to the hospital to be monitored and receive medication to stop the contractions so the baby could grow and develop a little more. There has been some uncertainty about her due date, but the doctor had concluded July 8th from her ultra-sound. The contractions never stopped. By last Thursday, June 28th, there was no delaying any longer! We were all so happy for Ashlee because it had been a very rough and painful two weeks leading up to this moment. At the hospital, they gave her a spinal block and began preparing her for her C-section. After a little while they discovered the spinal had not taken so they gave her another one, waited for a few moments and then headed for the delivery room. At first, everything appeared fine so they were ready to proceed, but that is when the problems began. Ashlee felt some discomfort with the first incision but wasn’t sure what was happening. It wasn’t until they made the second deeper incision and she screamed that they realized the second spinal had not worked either and she was feeling everything!!!! At that point they put medicine into her IV to knock her out and hurried Michael out of the delivery room. During the delivery, Abijah swallowed some amniotic fluid so she has been in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit ever since. One nurse referred to Abijah’s problems as “wet lung” syndrome which is apparently a common problem for C-section babies and something I read said even more so if the mother had been in labor before the C-section. Two weeks of labor prior to the C-section probably made this unavoidable. It was a good thing that they had taken Abijah this week. She was bruised across the top of her forehead and under one eye, and all down her back from the constant contractions Ashlee had been having. I can’t imagine how much more she would have been bruised if they had waited another week. Ashlee is recovering at home now, but without her sweet baby in her arms as Abijah remains in NICU on oxygen, a feeding tube, and under the light for jaundice. Please pray for our sweet Abijah to grow stronger quickly. Please pray for our precious daughter-in-law, Ashlee, as she struggles with aching empty arms that long to snuggle and cuddle her precious daughter. Please pray for our precious son Michael as he also longs to hold and cuddle his precious daughter and watches his wife’s pain and disappointment through something he can’t fix. Please pray for big sister, Ethne, who even though she is only 17 months old, knows that something really big is going on!

Discovery

Earlier I mentioned the book I’m reading this summer, The Cross Examination of Jesus Christ by Randy Singer.

WARNING: DO NOT READ THIS BOOK IF:

* YOU WANT TO REMAIN CONTENT JUST GOING TO CHURCH!!!!!!!!!!!
* IF YOU ARE AFRAID TO TAKE A REALLY CLOSE LOOK AT NOT ONLY YOURSELF BUT ALSO YOUR RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION

ENCOURAGEMENT: DO READ THIS BOOK IF:

* YOU WANT A CLOSER LOOK AT THE SAVIOR
* YOU’VE ALWAYS LONGED FOR RELATIONSHIP OVER RELIGON
* YOU’VE ALWAYS KNOWN THERE WAS SOMETHING MORE TO BEING CHRIST THAN JUST GOING TO CHURCH

The author points out how the Law mattered most of all to the Pharisees. It didn’t begin that way. In the beginning, their motives were purely to love the Lord their God who brought them out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. (see Ex. 20:2) But somewhere along the way they traded their faith in God for their faith in the Law. It was originally based on the Law of God; however, being the humans that we are, they sought to improve on God’s plan and in the process made a mess of things!

The author makes this statement:
“… apparently all these religious leaders, who take such great pride in following every jot and tittle of the law, let their hatred of Jesus overpower their love for the law.”

He provides a detailed explanation of the trial rules for the Sanhedrin that were most likely in effect at that time of the trial of Jesus. He does make a point of saying that

“There is some uncertainty about trial rules in first-century Jerusalem. Later records describe these Jewish trial procedures, and it is probable that substantially the same rules were in place when Christ was tried.”

He further explains that most of the procedural safeguards for capital offenses (meant to assure a fair trial) were violated in the trial of Jesus.

It has served me well to step back from “religion” and examine exactly how much I too have added to the commands of God in order to protect my system of religion.
I have discovered some truths so important that Jesus was willing to die for me to set me free. Here’s a little bit of what I’ve discovered.

What really matters:

The Messiah, not the method,
Jesus, not the judgmental.
The Savior, not the system,
Christ, not the critics.
The Prince of Peace, not the pattern,
The Forever Faithful, not the five acts or steps of anything!

Row, row, row your car???????????????????????

A funny thing happened on our way to New Mexico, well, actually it's funny now but it wasn't very funny at the time! Van and I went to New Mexico to visit his Mom and just relax for a few days last week. We planned to leave bright and early Friday morning and be merrily on our way! It didn't quite happen that way! On Thursday, I spent the day helping our oldest son, Jon, and his wife, Amanda, finish moving from Stillwater to Tulsa. It was a fun and beautiful summer day and I really enjoyed it. On the way home, I had the sunroof open just enjoying the sunshine and the day. When I got home, I parked Van's car out on the curb so I would have more room to clean out the car and get it ready for the trip. I then helped Van with the yard, packed, and got everything ready for the trip. While I finished laundry and packing, Van went to Papa Murphy’s and picked us up a pizza for a late dinner. Friday morning we woke up to heavy, heavy thunderstorms and Van commented that it had rained very heavily overnight. We wondered if we would have to drive in rain for the next several hours. Little did we know that we would be traveling in rain alright!!!!!!!! As we were getting ready, a sudden panic dawned on me. I asked Van if he closed the sunroof on my car when he went to pick up the pizza. His reply struck terror in my heart!! He hadn't taken my car to get the pizza; he took his car in order to put it back in the driveway!!! I went racing out to my car and my worse fears came true! According to the cup holders, it had indeed rained very hard that night. There was 3" of rain standing in each cup holder! The front seats, carpets, and console were drenched!! I called my dad who brought over his wet vac (first I closed the sunroof) and we vacuumed out as much as we could. An hour later we lined the seats with towels and set out on the road. It did rain off and on along the way, but as we finally approached the drier climate of New Mexico, we were able to roll down the windows and reduce the humidity level in the car. We could hardly stand to run the air conditioner on the way because we were so damp it just made you freeze!!!!!!!! When we pulled into his mom's driveway, we breathed a sigh of relief that we would be able to park the car under the carport, leave the windows down, and let things dry out in that wonderful drier climate. Much to our dismay, apparently we upset the humidity balance in New Mexico and it proceeded to rain every day we were there! Fortunately for us, there was just enough dry air that everything dried out just fine. We weren't even left with any foul odors in the carpet, and my carpet sure is clean!!!!

A summer journey

Summer break has officially begun so maybe now I’ll have time to blog again! I’m currently reading, The Cross Examination of Jesus Christ. This book has challenged me in so many areas. Right off the bat, in the introduction, the challenge began! The author, Randy Singer, makes this statement.

“A strange and uncomfortable thing happened as I began writing this book. The more I studied Christ’s confrontations with the Pharisees, the more I recognized myself in some of these questions. I discovered that some of the folks really loved God but tried to show it with activity rather than relationship. A holy busyness – that felt familiar… I found religious leaders who didn’t spend much time with those outside their own circle of friends, who never dined with tax collectors and sinners. … That’s when I discovered this mind-bending truth: if I want to be like Jesus, I must first realize how much I am already like the Pharisees. In God’s paradoxical way, that humbling realization is the first step toward becoming less like the Pharisees we loathe and more like the Savior we love. All of our mental gymnastics and convoluted questions can’t make it any other way.”

Well, that was a lot to think about! I have spent much of my spiritual walk trying to put as much distance between me and the Pharisees as possible, and here this author is suggesting that in order to become like Jesus, I must first come to terms with how much I am like them! It was more than I could comprehend so I put the book down for several weeks. Well, I’ve picked it up again and it continues to challenge me around every corner! I’ve come to recognize some of my Pharisaical ways and it’s really shaking up my world. I have come to grips with requirements I had attached to the teachings of Jesus. The “right (and only) ways” I had decided or accepted from my heritage of how to relate, worship, and commune with God that Jesus never said anything about in all his teaching about God. It’s going to be a summer of discovery. I’ll share as I go, but please be patient. I can only digest this book in small meals. It’s that kind of life-changing, mind-challenging, heart-reviving book.