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I don't do New Years Resolutions. I try to live by my quote on the left there, which is taken from Longfellow's Psalm of Life. Here it is in its entirety:
Tell me not, in mournful numbers,
"Life is but an empty dream!"
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.
Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
"Dust thou art, to dust returnest,"
Was not spoken of the soul.
Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act that each to-morrow
Finds us farther than to-day.
Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.
In the world's broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!
Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant!
Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act,--act in the living Present!
Heart within, and God o'erhead!
Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time;
Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.
Let us, then, be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing
Learn to labor and to wait.
There are also some good thoughts to that effect on her blog. It's not that I don't see need for improvement. The difference is that self-improvement is something I reflect upon and work on daily. Yes, literally, daily. Every day I work on making myself a better person. Perhaps things have happened in the past, perhaps I have hurt some here inadvertently, but please keep in mind that I will not ever stop striving to do better. Thank you for your patience with me, and thank you to those of you who urge me to keep running with endurance (Heb. 12:1). |
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*shrugs* Life changes with kids, that's for sure.
So I'm spending my New Years Eve eating chocolate and shopping for watches online while Jack sleeps upstairs. I wanted to indulge by snitching a can of Heidi's Dr. Pepper stash, but the caffeine wouldn't be good for Jack or myself this late at night. Am I BO-RING or what? :P At least I've got my chocolate.
AND, I found the most beautiful watch online!!! I LOVE it! I got my second watch (first was a Minnie Mouse one when I was five) about 21 years ago and it was a Flik Flak watch. Found out by doing some investigating that I got one the first year they were in production! Wish I'd saved it, it might be a collectible. Isn't that always the story? Anyway, I rediscovered Flik Flak watches years later when I spotted one in an FAO Schwartz and I was smitten! I was overcome with nostalgia, so I got one. When that one broke, my sister got me another a few years later, and that is the one I've been wearing day and night (yes, I sleep with it, it is quite comfortable) for about four years now if I've got my math right. The other day, it broke - the plastic piece holding the strap in place snapped off. I was so sad. So tonight I found the new watch of my dreams. Since these are Swiss made and difficult to find in the US now, it costs more than I expected. There's a chance I could snoop around New York City and find it, but I don't know if I'd get a better price than online. Hmmmmm... maybe since I decided I didn't need that new pair of shoes afterall, it will make up for the cost of the watch. I'll have to consult my husband when he gets home. I know that it is pretty strange that I wear watches designed to teach pre-school children how to tell time, but I have small wrists and I LOVE them! It's just a quirky thing that is another part of who I am. I don't like having expensive quirks, but if I can get four years out of a watch like this, perhaps I can justify it.
I really wanted to post pictures of our recent excursions and tell all about our adventures, but I can't find the connector for the camera. Something else that will have to wait until my husband comes home.
Heidi is coming "home" tomorrow! I look forward to having her around again and hearing all about her trip. I SHOULD be cleaning the dishes, putting away all of the stuff from our trips, getting the study ready for Heidi, and balancing the checkbook... Instead, I'm shopping online and eating chocolate. Ok, maybe I'll give my self a good kick and at least balance the checkbook. :) Have a happy new year everyone! |
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Seven years ago, he asked...
I said YES! :) That is one of my happiest holiday memories!
We'll be heading home from NYC late Friday night after Daniel preaches in the East Orange gospel meeting. I'll have to post some pictures this weekend.
I'm missing my Minnesota family. :( I wish I could be two places at once! |
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Preface: Several holidays fall on Thursdays this year, which makes for some difficulty for those traveling. This year is one of those where it is more challenging than most to plan a way to juggle worship services and Bible study with holiday plans, work and school schedules. I write these thoughts to ENCOURAGE, and want to make it perfectly clear that it is my sole purpose in writing. I do not say these things to proclaim my own piety or judge others, so please do not read what I have to say in that light. THANKS! :)
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Growing up, my Dad used to say, "We don't take a vacation from God." We planned all of our trips, big and small, around where we would worship. He made it a priority to be sure we had a plan to attend worship services, Sunday morning, evening, and a midweek service, no matter where we went. Daniel was raised the same way, and we ourselves have adopted this policy for our family.
It is not an easy thing to do. It always meant planning ahead and learning meeting times, addresses, and directions. Sometimes it meant shortening or lengthening our trip by a day just so we didn't have to travel on a Sunday or Wednesday night and miss a worship service. Sometimes it meant driving quite a bit out of our way to meet with the local saints, and it always meant a longer trip, because taking time out to find the building, worship with the saints and visit after adds on at the least a couple of hours. We had to take extra care planning clothing so we were appropriately dressed, yet comfortable, and sometimes things didn't quite pan out. Unexpected things can happen while traveling that foil even the best laid plans, but those times were rare.
Every single time in my memory, it meant that even though we were travel weary, we took time out of our trip, and instead of it being a sacrifice, it became a tremendous blessing! Even when we were grumpy from being in the car too long, finding local brethren and joining them in song, prayer and Bible study always lifted our spirits. It seems like every single place we ever visited, we found connections with someone we knew. Often these surprises helped us to feel like we were instant friends, cemented by our bond in Christ. I always remember piling back in the car after our meeting with the saints feeling tremendously uplifted, and knowing that the folks we had just met were feeling the same way as we went on our way rejoicing.
Some particularly memorable moments -
One of the best was when we were on tour with the FC band. We made plans to stop in Lake City, FL where Daniel's grandparents worshiped for Sunday p.m. services. Daniel's grandparents knew we were coming, but didn't tell the other members just in case we were unexpectedly delayed. They were a very small congregation and they didn't want to chance a disappointment. It turns out we were slightly delayed, and we arrived as they sang the first song. Daniel and I were the first in the building and we went and sat by his grandparents. We could see puzzled faces from the members as fifty more people filed in! With each phrase, the strength of the singing grew, and those puzzled faces turned into big smiles. What a delight!
I was young this time, so forgive me if I mix up the details, but this is the way I remember this story... We made plans to worship but found ourselves unexpectedly delayed by bad traffic. We weren't going to be able to make it to our planned worship destination, so we found the next big city, stopped at a Wal-mart and looked for "Church of Christ" in the phone book. We looked at maps and got directions and found a tiny congregation. I don't even remember the city, but I believe it was an all black congregation. I especially remember the exciting feelings of encouragement on that trip.
Other favorites include times when we got to see long lost friends on a trip. We recently got to see Daniel Ginn in Atlanta, and that was a real joy. Again, I say all of this to encourage you to make plans to worship with the saints during your travels. I assure you, there are many unexpected blessings to be had when we go out of our way to worship God.
I'd love to hear any stories you have about worshiping while you travel. Feel free to share. |
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I know I just put up pictures, but Jack was being extra-cute this morning and we have to indulge the grandparents as much as possible, you know! :) Daniel cut a "window" and a "door" in his car seat box, and VOILA! Best present ever!!
  
Honestly, it doesn't take much to entertain a kid! Kitchen stuff, boxes, anything with wheels on it, those are the best toys!
Here's Jack eating some blueberries. He LOVES them, but he must have gotten a sour one! You can also see his new tooth.
  
I'm in a sweater quandry. I need button or zip up sweaters, and it is almost impossible to find a reasonably priced (i.e. - less than $25) sweater these days that is made of natural fibers. Almost every sweater I see is acrylic and I can't stand the stuff! One of my favorite wool zip-up sweaters shrunk in the wash, even though I washed it in cold water, on gentle, and laid it flat to dry. :( Sad, sad. I think I'm going to have to look more earnestly in consignment shops. It's so hard to find just the right thing.
And, just to get me motivated, here is what I need to do in the next three and a half days:
- make yogurt
- make biscotti and deliver to the neighbors
- wrap gifts
- make a grocery list and shop
- make Jack's "woolies"
(I'm designing some wool pants with feet on them to pull over whatever he is wearing for when we take him out and about in the mei tai. He needs something to keep his legs and feet extra warm, especially for all of the tromping around NYC we are planning to do next week. Maybe I can use my shrunken sweater... hmmmm...)
Better get to work! |
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