Remember

Today is September 11.

Remember those who lost their lives seven years ago today. Fly your flags with pride in our country, and for those whose lives were/are given to protect this country.

Let's show a little pride and forget the political lines. Let's all agree. Even if it is only for one day!

Fall is in the air

Wow, it is really COLD outside this morning! Brrrr. It certainly seems that fall has arrived. Of course, the Fair is next week so what did I expect?

I have pulled out the boxes of fall decorations from the basement, and the barn loft, so I am nearly done with my "harvest" decorating. we do not celebrate Halloween, but I most certainly do celebrate the harvest!

I do live on a farm you know!

Here is my dining room table, I have so many fall tablecloths, I have to try to use them all before I get my Christmas stuff out. It is a challenge, but one I feel I must accomplish, see I told you I am sick!

Here is part of my 'collection" of fall serving dishes. I have to coordinate, everything goes together just like my clothes! UGH, I am sick! I have a few more in the refrigerator with food on them(for the party). Sometimes when I think about my penchant for coordinating I just shake my head! Well Mary my friend, you do refer to me as your disgustingly coordinated friend. I'm afraid it only gets worse!

I so love the colors. I have so many things to put out, that it would look pretty junky if I put them all out, so I have chosen some of my favorites.

Take notice of the pictures above the fireplace. Yep those are my "babies". They are kinda hard to see, but just know that there are three good-looking guys in those pictures! Here are the ages: the one on the left, Micah will be 24 on the 20th. of this month, the one in the middle, Christopher is 19 1/2, and Jordan just turned 21. Sooooo.... I had to make this picture a bit larger than the rest so you could see a few details... (ha!)

This is my entertainment center complete with my Mr and Mrs Scarecrow on the right.

I was having a party on Monday night, but it got cancelled at the last minute because my hostess' husband was in the ER. I hope he is doing better! That is why I hurried my decorating, so I would be fully coordinated for the party.

Note the rust colored pillows on the couch/sofa whatever you want to call it. Our dog Buzz LOVES them. He gets up and burrows under the pillows, or plops on top of them. Oh is he spoiled! I tried to get him to pose, or at least prove I am not fibbing, but he wouldn't get out of the recliner!

And you thought I was kidding?

I think I will be starting a new writing project, well actually I have started. I am writing a series of children's books. Guess who the "star" will be? Jeff gave me the idea about a week ago, and it really clicked! We'll see if this gets faster responses than the other book I wrote. Yep, I am STILL waiting to hear from the publisher. SEVEN WEEKS, yes, 7 and still no word. I have e-mailed them twice, but have received NO response to the e-mails.

No wonder some authors are kinda weird, eccentric. The publishers have done it to them. They were completely normal when they started writing!

GriefShare began last week. This is the 7th. cycle that I have facilitated. I am so touched when people share with me how this support group has helped them through grief. Last night one of the attendees said she wished that we would have GriefShare every night. It is really ministering to her! Hallelujah! I am attempting to incorporate new ideas for each cycle, so that if we have attendees repeating the sessions they won't get bored. This group has really opened up and shared their hearts from the very first meeting. That is wonderful, and tough to accomplish sometimes. Nevertheless, what a blessing it is to me to be able to facilitate! I grow more each time!

I have so much to do today. I have been busy arranging for my dad to get home health care that I have not gotten several things done. My dad arrived home from the nursing home on Monday afternoon. All three of us are trying to get things done for him, even though he didn't do much for us while we were growing up.... but that is another loooooong story. I won't go there now. The tomatoes and peppers are screaming at me from the garden, so I need to run!

Another new look

It's still me, just a new look!

Is it really September?

I simply cannot believe that summer is over. This past Friday we took Christopher to school. Actually he drove too, but we had to take my van to take the furniture he and Jordan wanted since futons and recliners do not fit in very full Jetta's!

I cannot believe that we are "empty nester's" again. It was pretty nice having Jordan and Chris home for the summer, and Micah will be here late Thursday night. He has a wedding that he is singing in over this upcoming weekend.

Jeff and I went to the lake again on Saturday morning. We took Buzz with us again. Buzz seems to have adjusted pretty well to "life on a houseboat", but I am still suffering with vertigo. I seem to be fine while I am on the boat, it's the days after I am off that I am totally messed up. Anybody have any suggestions? I tried Dramamine... NOPE, it didn't work! I just feel kinda loopy.

I am gearing up for the new cycle of GriefShare that will begin tonight.It will be at NewPointe Community Church, at 7PM to 8:30-9 depending on how many people are there and if our discussion lasts a while longer. I am not sure how many will be attending, but it never fails to be just the right people that God wants there. It's tough sometimes because I get so involved with these folks, they feel like family. It's hard when they no longer need to come to the sessions as they are able to move on. I miss them all terribly! I am excited to see God move in the lives of those that will be there. I am excited about each time we have a new cycle. God gives me new ideas about special things to do to help people understand what is happening. There are so many different layers to grief, and just when you think you are "through", something else happens and you suddenly feel that you have made no strides to getting past the first struggle.

I think the thing I love the most is when you see a person or people start to really participate, and then after a few sessions, you are able to see and hear that they are growing in grace, and that the healing process is once again moving ahead. Sometimes we feel like we get stuck, and we'll never get any better, then God takes us by surprise and our spirit begins to soar. It is like watching a butterfly emerge from it's cocoon. It is a slow process, and you cannot rush it. Only when the butterfly has had sufficient time to emerge, shake out it's wings, let them dry, and then it can fly. NOT BEFORE! If you touch a butterfly's wings before it flies it will NEVER be able to! The oils from our hands, and the removal of the protective coating that God puts on the wings will be destroyed. I want to be the the branch it rests on as it grows stronger, and then launches from.

Well since it is September, I suppose I should accept the fact that Fall is soon to arrive. I love the colors of Fall. I am planning to get my Fall decorations out this week, I have a ton of plain pumpkins, and colorful leaves and arrangements. I get my mums and a scarecrow or two. The only thing I don't like about Fall is that Winter is soon to follow! UGH!!!!!!!!!

My projects are mounting, but I'll get the guest room started soon, and then the hallway. I have many Christmas projects I need to work on. I am having a Silpada Jewelry party next Monday night. If you'd like to come let me know! You're welcome.

I am preparing to help with the 1st Wednesday dinner preparation at church tomorrow. I'm not sure what Jean has in mind to serve, but trust me when I say it'll be really good. Jean has quite a talent and flair when it comes to these things. We will be having Married Life Live in less than two weeks, and she really goes to town then! Ummm yummy stuff. It is a lot of work for her, and for everyone that helps, but it has been a "raving success" each and every time. If you are interested go to www.newpointe.org for details.

I have so much to do today, so I need to cut this short. Sorry it's been a while since I updated, just to busy with college prep, canning and life in general. More soon.

Aging gracefully?

I don't know how graceful I am at doing it, but I am most assuredly aging! Know how I know? Besides looking in the mirror and looking at my drivers license...

I just came in from weeding all of my flower beds (except for one that I forgot) see senility is there too! I am now nursing every aching muscle I have, that could be affected by bending over, stooping down, pulling out, lifting up and carting away. Owwww! Not to mention that my Fibro is going bonkers in my shoulders and elbows. I think I am falling apart.

Another thing that let's me know how old I am is that my middle son, Jordan, is 21 today! Shoot, now he's a full fledged adult! That kinda stinks if you know what I mean? I cannot believe how fast they grow up. I am trying desperately to let them grow up, and to let go. Matter of fact I am kinda paranoid about that. I don't want to over-do motherhood!

I am not a control freak, I am not (as my brother so kindly pointed out on Saturday) a neat freak. I do like to see ducks in a row, but there seems to be weeds growing around them. (That is the flower bed I missed) If I was a control freak I would want everything done (well I want it done, but it doesn't get there) I would want to control everything, but I find I am seriously lacking in having anything under control!

I have also decided that I am excellent at multi-tasking. I figured that out by doing my daily activities, start one thing and end up doing 15 other things as I go from room to room... Anyone else like that? My sister and I claim to have ADD. I changed it from ADD to ADOS (Attention Deficit...Oooooh Shiny) ever since I saw the little "Pieces of Flair" on Facebook. Yes, I have a Facebook page! And a Myspace page too!

See I can't stick to just one thing!

My hands are an absolute mess! No long nails, grass stained, hangnails, and dirt under what little nails I do have, Ohhhh I hate that. I say that because I am looking at my poor hands as I type. One thing I do like, is to have my hands look nice... well, I am seriously lacking on that at the moment. I don't want to take the time or spend the money to get my nails done, as I usually do. I have other things I'd like to spend the money on...

Ewwww, even my hands look old!

Like buying stuff for the guest room! That means SHOPPING! I am itching to get started in that room, but Jeff thinks I need to wait until both boys are back to school. Jordan left yesterday, and Chris is waiting until the 30th to go. So that means I have to wait! Ugh! I hate waiting. I am still waiting to hear from the publisher, and I am not doing that very well.

Complain, complain. complain...whine, whine, whine...One of my favorite things to do (I have many favorites)

Let me see where was I? Oh, I remember, I think... I was shopping yesterday and found a few things. I also purchased material to make a quilted dresser scarf, and table scarf for the quest room. The colors are so pretty! Here are pictures I have to many things I want to do so I don't know how much I will actually get done.

The ones on the left are for the guest room, the ones on the right are for my living room, or somewhere... I loved the colors.

As I was copying my pictures from my camera to post the pictures above, I ran across these of Jeff. He apparently took them of himself when we visited Micah in Virginia in May. I thought you might get a kick out of them. I'm sure he never imagined I'd post them on here when he took them! Ha! Now you see what I have to put up with... a goofy but lovable husband!

I should quit playing around here and get back to work. I still have a lot to do today, if my creaky achy body will let me!

It's Monday

Why is it the weeks go by so fast? Seems you blink, and they are gone. I did have a good weekend though. Jeff and I borrowed my brother's houseboat on Saturday, and spent the night out on the lake. It was nice. I truthfully didn't want to go, because it needed a lot of work as no one had used it yet this year, so I envisioned WORK. Jeff and my brother Doug had made sure everything was working (necessities) and cleaned it a bit. So, it wasn't nearly as bad as I had anticipated. I did do some cleaning on Sunday. And no we didn't go to church. I know we felt a bit odd because we love our church! However, I am sure Dwight would understand, and excuse us. Jeff desperately needed some time away that was relaxing, that didn't involve driving for nearly 20 hours. We both felt rested, so much so that we could hardly keep our eyes open later in the afternoon, so... we napped! It was a beautiful day, I got some sun, actually I got sunburned. And Jeff got to do what his heart desired, he idled around Atwood Lake.

I have canning to do today. I have tomatoes ready to do another batch of salsa, I have red beets ready, and I have beans (the LAST of the season) and I have a boat load of zucchini. I made 3 batches of zucchini bread on Friday, ummm yummy! So as you can see I have a busy day ahead of me.

Jordan will be returning home from Virginia today. He went to visit Micah. He will come home, play golf with NewPointe's golfing league, pack his car and leave for Indiana tomorrow. I cannot believe this kid, running, running, running. He leaves for California on Thursday, and his 21st Birthday is this Wednesday. I'd like to know how I got so stinkin inkin old? My kids don't seem to realize that I get older just as they do, so I think I'd like to slow that progress down a bit. Micah will be 24 next month, I have one teenager left... until March, then Chris will be 20! Whew! Move over for granny...

I am still waiting to hear about the manuscript. Bummer. I received an e-mail from the people I sent the short story to for the Gary Chapman/Jim Bell book, just saying that she received it and looked forward to reading it. I won't know about that one until November... I have to finish/polish the one for the other Jim Bell book. It is due by the 24 of August.

I began shopping around for ideas for what I should wear to the Moravian Women's Conference. I know it's a long time away, but I am one of those goofy people that likes to PLAN. I saw Lisa Troyer at the mall and told her why I was there. She will be there too (at the conference). She didn't come out and say it, but I think she though it was a bit early to plan that. Ha! I have to make sure everything matches... remember? That could take a while. I am sure I have something in one of my totes downstairs that I could wear since I have clothes in size ranges of 5/6 to 16. I am in the 10-12 range at the moment, hoping to be a 10 by the middle of October... we'll see.

I don't have a lot of exciting stuff for this post. Sorry. I guess I should take that as a sign that I need to get busy around here. Start adding water to my canners, wash jars, chop veggies, yippee...

Fear

Why are we so familiar with this emotion? I wake up everyday, knowing that I have an entirely new day ahead. I don't have the intention to become fearful, but for some reason it slips into my day, somehow, somewhere. Recently it has been fear of failure (again). I am still waiting to hear from the publisher about my manuscript. I think it's going to be another rejection... I seem to be searching out places to hide not physically, but emotionally. I'll get busy doing things that truly need to be done, but I am hiding from the inevitable. I mentioned in an earlier post about writing that is due by weeks end. I am working on it, but I am fearful they won't like what I have written. I am having trouble coming up with a "story" for one of them, and then I second guess what I already have written.


I then revert back to something familiar, like canning vegetables, or doing laundry, or cooking. Something I know I am capable of doing, and am easily able to accomplish. I was supposed to go to a writer's class Monday, and because of a phone call, I allowed myself to cancel going because of something else. I found out a short time after I cancelled that it wasn't really necessary, but I let that stupid fear of man, and intimidation take over. UGH. Sorry Sally!


I am reading a book that I purchased two years ago called For Women Only by Shaunti Feldhahn. It is a book explaining the male, and his way of thinking. I think this is something that I really need to understand. I am finding out just how fragile the male ego truly is. I thought I was a mess and very weak in certain areas, but I never really thought about how Jeff may be feeling in a similar situation. So, hopefully I will read it and it will help me understand, and put a few things into action. I think that maybe I need to get Jeff the book For Men Only, by Jeff Feldhahn. Maybe he'll be able to figure out some of my "problems".

Oh, how truly fragile we human beings are.

It is now Sunday and I began this blog on Tuesday. I kept adding bits and pieces to it but each time it said that the site was down, so I used that excuse to not finish.

I did accomplish a lot since I began this post. I finished the last devotional, they are due today, but I got permission to send it out tomorrow once I receive the edited ones back. I also added to the story for the Gary Chapman/James Stuart Bell book, and I sent it out this afternoon. I received another invitation to write for James Stuart Bell for his book: A Cup of Comfort Book of Bible Promises: Stories of How God Faithfully Keeps His Word in Our Lives.

I will probably send in another story for this one. As soon as I get it written. I have a very short amount of time to get this one written. Only about a week and a half. I may use one I already have written, but get it edited for this one.

I found out that another friend of mine will also be at the Moravian Women's Conference in October. Lisa Troyer and the Circle Of Friends worship team will be doing worship at this conference where I will be sharing on Saturday morning. I mention it on the side bar of this blog! It will be a blessing to be a part of that, but also to work at the same place as the COF worship team.

This week is Jordan's last week at the nursing home. He will be done on Wednesday. He is then going to visit Micah in Virginia.He will be home for a whole day before he leaves to head to Indiana, then on to California to visit a friend from IWU. They will drive back to school from CA. Jordan will also celebrate his 21st Birthday next week. WOW I can hardly believe it! I feel old when I think about that.

We will then send Chris off to IWU that last week of August. The summer has flown by. The boys are really anxious to get back to school and their friends. They have been pretty bored here in Dover over the summer. Not much to do. I will miss them a lot, but I do have to admit it is nice to have the extra time alone. Jeff and I got into the habit of not having to worry about the boys, when they will be home, if they will be here to eat, and so on. We got on our own schedule...

I will be doing my counseling classes again after the guys are gone. It's just been to hard to keep up with studies and write, and take care of ALL the laundry, all the dishes, all the gardening/canning. I love doing all of those things, but whew... I'm pooped.

I still have not heard from the publisher. It will be four weeks on Tuesday. I did e-mail them, but I think that because of the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference, that was this weekend that may have had something to do with the delay. We'll see.

My, I have such random thoughts. I apologize for all of the different directions I have taken. It has been well over a week since I posted. I will try to do better in the near future.

Oh, yes another rabbit trail here... I made contact with an old aquaintance from college this week. We were pretty good friends and had kept in touch for many years, but over the past seven or eight years have completely lost touch. It was nice hearing form Laurie again. I actually found her on Facebook, sort of by accident. I was just typing in names and thought hmmmm, I wonder if Laurie might have a Facebook page. Sure enough! Then I tried several other names but came up empty handed on those. So far since January, I have been in contact with four people from my old college days. Fun!

Well, I think I have confused or amused all of you enough. I'm sleepy, and have another migraine... more later-I promise.