Love is making beef stew for your family, even though you don't eat meat.
My husband does not eat meat, although he does eat fish and seafood. This weekend he made beef stew for all of us and it was delicious!
Years ago, when he did eat meat, he made this same recipe several times each winter. The recipe calls for celery and turnips (not big family favorites) in addition to potatoes, carrots, onions, green bell pepper, and beef. Our kids still talk about the disappointment of eating a chunk of what they thought was a potato, only to find out that it really was a turnip. Personally, I like cooked turnips all by themselves with just a little bit of butter and a dash of pepper, but my children don't share my fondness for them.
This time around he substituted more potatoes and omitted the turnip. He also added some red bell pepper along with the green bell pepper. Everyone approved of the tweaks to the original recipe and we enjoyed the chance to revisit a special meal from the past.
Thank you to my husband for caring for us enough to spend over three hours preparing a meal that he didn't even eat himself. We appreciate the delicious way he shows us that he love us! : )
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Thankful Thursday
My post from yesterday could easily have been today's Thankful Thursday post. As I was writing it, I considered saving it for today, but I decided that I wanted to write while the events were still fresh in my mind and publish it that same day.
But there were some details about my misadventure at Chick-fil-A that I didn't include in that post. So as Paul Harvey would say, here's "the rest of the story."
A cold, gray, blustery day in February is definitely not a good time to be without a coat. Had the accident happened the week before, I probably wouldn't have even been wearing my winter coat, since we had experienced a few blissful days of unseasonal warmth. But timing is everything and the Diet Coke mishap occurred on a breezy day when the temperature was barely in the mid twenties. : /
To compound the problem, I have just one winter coat. My only coat was unwearable and I didn't have another one to use in its place.
As luck would have it, the dry cleaner I use is very close to Chick-fil-A. I hoped that if I dropped my coat off right away, they would be able to have it ready for me late the next day. Thankfully the woman at the cleaner assured me that my coat would be waiting for me any time after 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Yay!
Now if I could just stay in my semi-warm house until I could convince my husband to drive to the dry cleaners, everything would be great.
Except that it was Wednesday . . . Bible study night. I couldn't justify missing Bible study because I didn't have a winter coat, could I? The rooms where we have large group teaching and small group time are freezing year-round -- most of the time I never even take my coat off and sometimes I wear my gloves too. I was going to be really cold.
And then I thought of another complication. I was supposed to go downtown with my husband the next day. There was no way I could walk around Chicago with only a zip-up hoodie for a coat -- I would freeze!
I was beginning to feel overwhelmed, when all of a sudden, a thought came into my mind -- "call Diane and ask her if you can borrow a coat."
Diane and I have been friends for more than twenty years. We've watched our children grow up and marry; we've supported one another during illness and loss; we've studied the Bible and taken ministry training together; and buoyed by pots of coffee and creme brulee, we've laughed and cried through every season of life. As an added bonus, we're basically the same size! If Diane was willing to loan me a coat, it would fit. : )
I called her and poured out my tale of woe. When I asked if I could borrow a coat for a day or two, her answer was immediate and exactly what I knew she would say -- of course I could borrow a coat from her. She had two that she thought would be the right size and I was welcome to whichever one I wanted.
What a generous friend! We decided that I would stop by on my way home from Bible study and check out her coat closet.
So today when I was out and about in the city, not only was I warm and stylish in Diane's plum-colored coat, I was also filled with thankfulness for my dear friend's willingness to meet my need.
Thank you Diane for being such a kind and loving friend!
But there were some details about my misadventure at Chick-fil-A that I didn't include in that post. So as Paul Harvey would say, here's "the rest of the story."
A cold, gray, blustery day in February is definitely not a good time to be without a coat. Had the accident happened the week before, I probably wouldn't have even been wearing my winter coat, since we had experienced a few blissful days of unseasonal warmth. But timing is everything and the Diet Coke mishap occurred on a breezy day when the temperature was barely in the mid twenties. : /
To compound the problem, I have just one winter coat. My only coat was unwearable and I didn't have another one to use in its place.
As luck would have it, the dry cleaner I use is very close to Chick-fil-A. I hoped that if I dropped my coat off right away, they would be able to have it ready for me late the next day. Thankfully the woman at the cleaner assured me that my coat would be waiting for me any time after 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Yay!
Now if I could just stay in my semi-warm house until I could convince my husband to drive to the dry cleaners, everything would be great.
Except that it was Wednesday . . . Bible study night. I couldn't justify missing Bible study because I didn't have a winter coat, could I? The rooms where we have large group teaching and small group time are freezing year-round -- most of the time I never even take my coat off and sometimes I wear my gloves too. I was going to be really cold.
And then I thought of another complication. I was supposed to go downtown with my husband the next day. There was no way I could walk around Chicago with only a zip-up hoodie for a coat -- I would freeze!
I was beginning to feel overwhelmed, when all of a sudden, a thought came into my mind -- "call Diane and ask her if you can borrow a coat."
Diane and I have been friends for more than twenty years. We've watched our children grow up and marry; we've supported one another during illness and loss; we've studied the Bible and taken ministry training together; and buoyed by pots of coffee and creme brulee, we've laughed and cried through every season of life. As an added bonus, we're basically the same size! If Diane was willing to loan me a coat, it would fit. : )
I called her and poured out my tale of woe. When I asked if I could borrow a coat for a day or two, her answer was immediate and exactly what I knew she would say -- of course I could borrow a coat from her. She had two that she thought would be the right size and I was welcome to whichever one I wanted.
What a generous friend! We decided that I would stop by on my way home from Bible study and check out her coat closet.
So today when I was out and about in the city, not only was I warm and stylish in Diane's plum-colored coat, I was also filled with thankfulness for my dear friend's willingness to meet my need.
Thank you Diane for being such a kind and loving friend!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Grace to bite my tongue
I had lunch with one of my children today. She had a morning appointment in a nearby suburb and she asked if I would like to meet her for lunch before she headed back to the city.
I readily agreed, especially when she said she would like to have lunch at one of my favorite fast food restaurants, Chick-fil-A. : )
When I arrived at the restaurant, a few minutes late as usual, my daughter was patiently waiting for me. We entered the front door and discovered that the lunch rush was in full swing. As we stood in line at the counter, a helpful employee offered to find a table for us. She asked for one of our coats to use to save our place and I gladly gave her mine.
A few minutes later we placed our order and the cashier handed us our drinks. We decided to take the drinks to our table and avoid the crowd of people gathered around the counter waiting for their food.
It was a great plan . . . until my daughter set her drink down near the edge of the table. I'm not sure exactly what happened, but the next thing I knew Diet Coke and ice cubes were spreading across the top of the table and cascading down onto the tile floor, the vinyl seat of the chair, and the hood and upper half of my winter coat that the helpful employee had draped across the back of that same chair.
It was one of those moments that every parent has experienced. It doesn't matter if your child is three or twenty-three -- accidents happen. And that's exactly what this was, an accident.
In some ways it felt like time stood still. My daughter and I were frozen in place and I was faced with a decision. Would I react in anger or respond with grace?
Thankfully God gave me the grace to bite my tongue. The angry remark that at one time in my life might have easily burst from my mouth was nowhere to be heard. Amazingly, no angry remark even came to mind.
My daughter said she was sorry as she rushed to grab a handful of napkins to mop up the mess. I accepted her apology and assured her that I knew it was an accident. We dried off the table and wiped up the floor (where was that helpful employee when we really needed her?) and proceeded to enjoy a delicious lunch. What could have been an awkward and tense time together ended up being a fun and relaxed hour of conversation and fellowship.
I am so grateful for the grace that the Lord extended to me. It is only because of His love and abundant grace to me that I was able to respond with love and grace to my daughter.
I know that God doesn't want me to hoard the blessing of His love and grace. He has abundantly blessed me so that I will glorify Him by sharing His love and grace with others. Thanks be to God, He enabled me to do just that today!
I readily agreed, especially when she said she would like to have lunch at one of my favorite fast food restaurants, Chick-fil-A. : )
When I arrived at the restaurant, a few minutes late as usual, my daughter was patiently waiting for me. We entered the front door and discovered that the lunch rush was in full swing. As we stood in line at the counter, a helpful employee offered to find a table for us. She asked for one of our coats to use to save our place and I gladly gave her mine.
A few minutes later we placed our order and the cashier handed us our drinks. We decided to take the drinks to our table and avoid the crowd of people gathered around the counter waiting for their food.
It was a great plan . . . until my daughter set her drink down near the edge of the table. I'm not sure exactly what happened, but the next thing I knew Diet Coke and ice cubes were spreading across the top of the table and cascading down onto the tile floor, the vinyl seat of the chair, and the hood and upper half of my winter coat that the helpful employee had draped across the back of that same chair.
It was one of those moments that every parent has experienced. It doesn't matter if your child is three or twenty-three -- accidents happen. And that's exactly what this was, an accident.
In some ways it felt like time stood still. My daughter and I were frozen in place and I was faced with a decision. Would I react in anger or respond with grace?
Thankfully God gave me the grace to bite my tongue. The angry remark that at one time in my life might have easily burst from my mouth was nowhere to be heard. Amazingly, no angry remark even came to mind.
My daughter said she was sorry as she rushed to grab a handful of napkins to mop up the mess. I accepted her apology and assured her that I knew it was an accident. We dried off the table and wiped up the floor (where was that helpful employee when we really needed her?) and proceeded to enjoy a delicious lunch. What could have been an awkward and tense time together ended up being a fun and relaxed hour of conversation and fellowship.
I am so grateful for the grace that the Lord extended to me. It is only because of His love and abundant grace to me that I was able to respond with love and grace to my daughter.
I know that God doesn't want me to hoard the blessing of His love and grace. He has abundantly blessed me so that I will glorify Him by sharing His love and grace with others. Thanks be to God, He enabled me to do just that today!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Just do it!
I struggle with motivation. I know what I need to do -- I just have a hard time making myself do it.
When I started this blog, I set a goal. So far I've been able to meet it. I wish I had as much discipline in other areas. Specifically I wish I was more disciplined in my spiritual life.
My Bible study group meets on Wednesday evenings. The studies we use are broken down into five parts. Ideally I would begin each study on Thursday and have plenty of time, with even a day off, to complete the entire lesson by the following Wednesday. In reality, I begin the study Tuesday evening, sometimes even Wednesday morning. The result? I end up rushing to finish the lesson.
Inevitably as I work through the lesson I find myself wishing that I had more time to spend on a specific question. Consequently I feel aggravated with myself because I know that if I hadn't waited until the last minute, I would have had more than enough time to explore the questions in depth instead of hurriedly writing down an answer that barely scratches the surface.
Why is it so easy for me to settle in at the computer and spend two hours (minimum) checking out facebook and blogs but so hard for me to set aside an hour (or less) each day to work through a passage of scripture? Why do I give the transitory things of this world first place while I relegate the eternal Word of God to an afterthought?
There have been several times when I didn't want to work on a blog post, but then I thought about my goal and I made myself post. I need to take that same attitude and apply it to Bible study.
If I wait until I feel like doing the lesson, I will always find something else that I feel like doing more. I need to set my desires aside -- I need to set me aside -- and choose to make God and the things of God first.
So I'm putting it out here for everyone to see -- I will not leave my Bible study to the last minute; I will not wait until I feel like opening my Bible and the lesson book. Instead I will strive to work through the five days of the lesson on five separate days and I will consciously set aside time daily to read and study the scripture passage.
So, I know what I need to do . . . now all that's left is to take a tip from Nike and "Just do it."
When I started this blog, I set a goal. So far I've been able to meet it. I wish I had as much discipline in other areas. Specifically I wish I was more disciplined in my spiritual life.
My Bible study group meets on Wednesday evenings. The studies we use are broken down into five parts. Ideally I would begin each study on Thursday and have plenty of time, with even a day off, to complete the entire lesson by the following Wednesday. In reality, I begin the study Tuesday evening, sometimes even Wednesday morning. The result? I end up rushing to finish the lesson.
Inevitably as I work through the lesson I find myself wishing that I had more time to spend on a specific question. Consequently I feel aggravated with myself because I know that if I hadn't waited until the last minute, I would have had more than enough time to explore the questions in depth instead of hurriedly writing down an answer that barely scratches the surface.
Why is it so easy for me to settle in at the computer and spend two hours (minimum) checking out facebook and blogs but so hard for me to set aside an hour (or less) each day to work through a passage of scripture? Why do I give the transitory things of this world first place while I relegate the eternal Word of God to an afterthought?
There have been several times when I didn't want to work on a blog post, but then I thought about my goal and I made myself post. I need to take that same attitude and apply it to Bible study.
If I wait until I feel like doing the lesson, I will always find something else that I feel like doing more. I need to set my desires aside -- I need to set me aside -- and choose to make God and the things of God first.
So I'm putting it out here for everyone to see -- I will not leave my Bible study to the last minute; I will not wait until I feel like opening my Bible and the lesson book. Instead I will strive to work through the five days of the lesson on five separate days and I will consciously set aside time daily to read and study the scripture passage.
So, I know what I need to do . . . now all that's left is to take a tip from Nike and "Just do it."
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Thankful Thursday
February is a short month, but for our family it is jam-packed. Valentine's Day, three birthdays, and three wedding anniversaries ensure that something is always happening.
On this Thankful Thursday, February 17, it is especially fitting that the person for whom I am so very thankful is celebrating her 72nd birthday. Today and every day of the week, I am thankful for my mom.
I am thoroughly convinced that I have the best mom in the world. No doubt other people could make a good case for their own mothers as the world's best mom, but I will pit my mom against any of them, and she will come out the winner!
On this Thankful Thursday, February 17, it is especially fitting that the person for whom I am so very thankful is celebrating her 72nd birthday. Today and every day of the week, I am thankful for my mom.
I am thoroughly convinced that I have the best mom in the world. No doubt other people could make a good case for their own mothers as the world's best mom, but I will pit my mom against any of them, and she will come out the winner!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
What's love got to do with it?
Yesterday was Valentine's Day . . . or as I sometimes call it, the Day of Disappointment.
I think part of my problem with Valentine's Day is that I am a frustrated romantic. I would love to receive a beautiful card, decadent dark chocolates, a floral bouquet (no red roses please, too funereal) or maybe a bottle of Riesling. Any one of those typical Valentine's gifts would be great. But my husband doesn't roll that way.
He remembered that it was Valentine's Day; he wished me a Happy Valentine's Day, and when I suggested that maybe we could have take-out from Chipotle for dinner, he agreed. So at least the day wasn't just a run-of-the-mill Monday. But it also wasn't a special, once a year lovers' holiday -- at least not the kind that I envision in my dreams.
Some dreams die hard, but it could be worse.
Today I read this.
I think part of my problem with Valentine's Day is that I am a frustrated romantic. I would love to receive a beautiful card, decadent dark chocolates, a floral bouquet (no red roses please, too funereal) or maybe a bottle of Riesling. Any one of those typical Valentine's gifts would be great. But my husband doesn't roll that way.
He remembered that it was Valentine's Day; he wished me a Happy Valentine's Day, and when I suggested that maybe we could have take-out from Chipotle for dinner, he agreed. So at least the day wasn't just a run-of-the-mill Monday. But it also wasn't a special, once a year lovers' holiday -- at least not the kind that I envision in my dreams.
Some dreams die hard, but it could be worse.
Today I read this.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
I love it, I love it, I love it!
Last night my husband and I went to a fun performance at our church. I had never heard this song before, but I immediately fell in love with it. When we got home I had to see if I could find a video of someone singing it. I was thrilled when I found this:
The woman at church who sang "Taylor the Latte Boy" has an amazing voice, as polished and professional as Kristin Chenoweth's. A little later in the show a guy sang Taylor's hilarious response. It was especially fun that the lyrics were tweaked for both songs so they included references to some of the towns and establishments in our little corner of the world.
I've never met Taylor at Starbucks, but I think I'll be singing about him for awhile. : )
The woman at church who sang "Taylor the Latte Boy" has an amazing voice, as polished and professional as Kristin Chenoweth's. A little later in the show a guy sang Taylor's hilarious response. It was especially fun that the lyrics were tweaked for both songs so they included references to some of the towns and establishments in our little corner of the world.
I've never met Taylor at Starbucks, but I think I'll be singing about him for awhile. : )
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Cleanliness: the key to successful blogging
I'm new to blogging -- an infant in comparison to some of the bloggers I follow who've been at this for years. This is my 15th post (woo hoo!) and sometimes I wonder if I'll make it to post number 20, let alone 200 or 2000. How do these titans of the blogosphere crank out post after post after post without running out of ideas or hitting the wall?
I don't know about other bloggers, but for me cleanliness is the key to successful blogging. It sounds weird, but I'm totally serious. Some of my best ideas for blog topics come to me when I'm in the shower. Maybe it's the lack of distraction -- no conversation (except the one going on in my head), no music, no television -- that helps me come up with ideas.
Unfortunately there are a few problems with this approach:
1.) I can only justify taking one shower a day, maybe two if I've been really active or it's an incredibly hot day.
2.) Sooner or later the hot water runs out. Icy cold water tends to shut down my creativity.
3.) Sometimes I can't remember my great idea in the time it takes me to finish my shower and find a pen and paper to write it down. This is especially problematic if inspiration strikes at the very beginning of the shower (now you know that I'm not one of those 2-minute shower people).
To combat my aging memory, I've started keeping a list of blog ideas. Since I don't blog every day, I should be able to gradually build up a stockpile that I can consult if the shower is occupied.
So far the only glitch I've encountered with this plan is my lack of specificity. The notation I made for this blog post was "shower inspirations." When I consulted my list a few weeks later, I was totally confused as to why I would need to come up with ideas for a bridal or baby shower!
Maybe by the time I reach post number 200 I'll have it all figured out. But for now I'll just keep my daily appointment with the shower -- my blog and my family will thank me. : )
I don't know about other bloggers, but for me cleanliness is the key to successful blogging. It sounds weird, but I'm totally serious. Some of my best ideas for blog topics come to me when I'm in the shower. Maybe it's the lack of distraction -- no conversation (except the one going on in my head), no music, no television -- that helps me come up with ideas.
Unfortunately there are a few problems with this approach:
1.) I can only justify taking one shower a day, maybe two if I've been really active or it's an incredibly hot day.
2.) Sooner or later the hot water runs out. Icy cold water tends to shut down my creativity.
3.) Sometimes I can't remember my great idea in the time it takes me to finish my shower and find a pen and paper to write it down. This is especially problematic if inspiration strikes at the very beginning of the shower (now you know that I'm not one of those 2-minute shower people).
To combat my aging memory, I've started keeping a list of blog ideas. Since I don't blog every day, I should be able to gradually build up a stockpile that I can consult if the shower is occupied.
So far the only glitch I've encountered with this plan is my lack of specificity. The notation I made for this blog post was "shower inspirations." When I consulted my list a few weeks later, I was totally confused as to why I would need to come up with ideas for a bridal or baby shower!
Maybe by the time I reach post number 200 I'll have it all figured out. But for now I'll just keep my daily appointment with the shower -- my blog and my family will thank me. : )
Friday, February 11, 2011
Crazy life
My life has been a little crazy lately -- blizzard, dead cell phone, sick kids, health issues, car repairs (again!) and the ever-present financial challenges. I am so ready to go back to my non-crazy life, but I can't remember where I left it.
There must have been a time when my life wasn't filled to the brim with stress and insanity. When was that?
Was it a few years ago when two of my kids were in high school and one was in college? No. Then my husband and I were running around like crazy people, trying to get to practices and competitions for two sports that often conflicted. Paying for those sports was almost a budget breaker, especially on top of the cost of tuition at a private college.
Was life easier when my kids were in grade school, middle school, and high school? Absolutely not. Trying to keep track of three kids in three different schools was exhausting. Different daily schedules, multiple fundraisers, band concerts, choir, theatre, parent-teacher conferences -- I'm tired just thinking about how busy my life was. Even then our kids were involved in competitive sports at the school and club level as well as activities at church. And to up the crazy to a new level, I was working evenings and weekends during these years. Some days I probably saw my children for a grand total of three hours. : /
There must have been a time when life was more laid back, but I don't think it was during the preschool and grade school years or the infant and toddler phase. Was it the third child that pushed me over the edge or was it the second or the first?
If I'm honest, was life less stressful during the five years I worked full-time before my husband and I became parents? Probably not. Those first years of marriage presented numerous challenges that were comparable to the some of the demands we faced as we adjusted from life as a couple to life as parents.
I guess my life has always been at least a little crazy. I'm trying to not look too far into the future because I'm not ready to acknowledge the changes and heartache that lay ahead as my husband and I and our parents grow older.
As I look back I realize that, for as long as I can remember, there has always been an element of craziness in my life. But there have also been many moments of contentment, happiness, laughter, beauty, and inexpressible joy. When my crazy life threatens to overwhelm me, it's those memories, those moments, and the hope of more to come that help to keep me sane.
There must have been a time when my life wasn't filled to the brim with stress and insanity. When was that?
Was it a few years ago when two of my kids were in high school and one was in college? No. Then my husband and I were running around like crazy people, trying to get to practices and competitions for two sports that often conflicted. Paying for those sports was almost a budget breaker, especially on top of the cost of tuition at a private college.
Was life easier when my kids were in grade school, middle school, and high school? Absolutely not. Trying to keep track of three kids in three different schools was exhausting. Different daily schedules, multiple fundraisers, band concerts, choir, theatre, parent-teacher conferences -- I'm tired just thinking about how busy my life was. Even then our kids were involved in competitive sports at the school and club level as well as activities at church. And to up the crazy to a new level, I was working evenings and weekends during these years. Some days I probably saw my children for a grand total of three hours. : /
There must have been a time when life was more laid back, but I don't think it was during the preschool and grade school years or the infant and toddler phase. Was it the third child that pushed me over the edge or was it the second or the first?
If I'm honest, was life less stressful during the five years I worked full-time before my husband and I became parents? Probably not. Those first years of marriage presented numerous challenges that were comparable to the some of the demands we faced as we adjusted from life as a couple to life as parents.
I guess my life has always been at least a little crazy. I'm trying to not look too far into the future because I'm not ready to acknowledge the changes and heartache that lay ahead as my husband and I and our parents grow older.
As I look back I realize that, for as long as I can remember, there has always been an element of craziness in my life. But there have also been many moments of contentment, happiness, laughter, beauty, and inexpressible joy. When my crazy life threatens to overwhelm me, it's those memories, those moments, and the hope of more to come that help to keep me sane.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Thankful Thursday
Thursday already? Time flies when you're freezing to death. Fortunately the forecast is for gradually warmer temps over the next few days. Eventually the thermometer will creep up from negative digits into numbers that are actually above freezing and the mountains of snow will begin to melt away. Yippee!
Even though I am very thankful that, at least for now, the bitter cold is ending, this week I am most thankful for the women in my small group at Women's Bible Study.
I truly enjoy our time together on Wednesday evenings. My small group leaders are always well prepared. Not only do they work on the study during the week, but on Wednesday night they come to church early to go over the study with the other group leaders and the large group teacher before they lead our small group study. Both N and S are godly women with a shepherd's heart for each woman in the group. I feel blessed to be in their group for a second year.
The women in the group are a wonderfully diverse illustration of Christian sisterhood. Some are single, some married; there are moms, grandmas and devoted aunts. Most of the women work outside of the home, but a few are stay-at-home moms or full-time homemakers. The group is composed of lifetime followers of Christ and relatively new believers. Each woman brings a unique perspective to the study that enriches all of us.
While I appreciate the insights and scholarship these women contribute to our discussions of the scripture passages, I am most thankful for the time that we spend in prayer. Several of the women are dealing with significant medical issues; others are attempting to provide long-distance care for aging parents. Three women are struggling with extremely challenging work environments. In spite of the heavy burdens that some group members are carrying, each prayer request, no matter how "small," is treated with the same degree of concern as the ones that appear to be "big."
I have felt comfortable sharing my prayer requests and I have no doubt that they will be kept in confidence. At times I have been moved to tears by the heartfelt intercession eloquently offered on my behalf as we pray out loud as a group. But I am most comforted by the knowledge that these women will continue to pray for me throughout the week. Again and again when we gather together before our small group time, someone will approach me and ask, "How did that situation work out?" or "Is your child feeling better?" I know that in the course of the week, the Lord has brought me and my concern to the mind of my sister in Christ and she has been faithful to lift me up before the throne of grace. What an incredible blessing!
Thank you dear sisters in Christ and thank you Lord Jesus for blessing my life with these dedicated prayer warriors!
Even though I am very thankful that, at least for now, the bitter cold is ending, this week I am most thankful for the women in my small group at Women's Bible Study.
I truly enjoy our time together on Wednesday evenings. My small group leaders are always well prepared. Not only do they work on the study during the week, but on Wednesday night they come to church early to go over the study with the other group leaders and the large group teacher before they lead our small group study. Both N and S are godly women with a shepherd's heart for each woman in the group. I feel blessed to be in their group for a second year.
The women in the group are a wonderfully diverse illustration of Christian sisterhood. Some are single, some married; there are moms, grandmas and devoted aunts. Most of the women work outside of the home, but a few are stay-at-home moms or full-time homemakers. The group is composed of lifetime followers of Christ and relatively new believers. Each woman brings a unique perspective to the study that enriches all of us.
While I appreciate the insights and scholarship these women contribute to our discussions of the scripture passages, I am most thankful for the time that we spend in prayer. Several of the women are dealing with significant medical issues; others are attempting to provide long-distance care for aging parents. Three women are struggling with extremely challenging work environments. In spite of the heavy burdens that some group members are carrying, each prayer request, no matter how "small," is treated with the same degree of concern as the ones that appear to be "big."
I have felt comfortable sharing my prayer requests and I have no doubt that they will be kept in confidence. At times I have been moved to tears by the heartfelt intercession eloquently offered on my behalf as we pray out loud as a group. But I am most comforted by the knowledge that these women will continue to pray for me throughout the week. Again and again when we gather together before our small group time, someone will approach me and ask, "How did that situation work out?" or "Is your child feeling better?" I know that in the course of the week, the Lord has brought me and my concern to the mind of my sister in Christ and she has been faithful to lift me up before the throne of grace. What an incredible blessing!
Thank you dear sisters in Christ and thank you Lord Jesus for blessing my life with these dedicated prayer warriors!
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Struggling with silence
I'm familiar with, but have never read, the book Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus. I think if I had written that book I might have titled it Men are from Mars, Women are from a Planet that Values Interpersonal Communication.
Counting back to when we first met, my husband and I have had 34 years to work out the kinks in our communication. But judging by what happened yesterday, I would say we haven't made much progress.
Due to the blizzard, I had been housebound since Monday evening. Though there had been several phone calls to my husband (in Florida), my kids, and my parents, I hadn't had a face-to-face conversation with anyone since Saturday. I was really looking forward to hearing about my husband's experience at the conference and then regaling him with all the details about the storm. My husband had other plans.
Looking back, I should have realized that my husband would be "talked out" after a week of interacting with his coworkers. Additionally he was a co-presenter at one of the breakout sessions -- even more talking and huge pressure to make a good showing. The last thing he wanted to do when he finally got home was talk.
But I wanted to talk. I wanted to hear the news about people that my husband only sees once a year -- people that I've never met, but feel like I know from the many times I've heard their voices on conference calls or perused their family pictures in Christmas cards. While my husband had been awash in a sea of faces and words, I had been stranded on a deserted island without even a "Wilson" for company.
It was hard to realize that after a week away my husband didn't feel the same deep need for conversation that I did. The brief phone calls and text messages we exchanged while he was gone had been enough for him. Three hours after he walked through the front door, he left to volunteer at an activity night at our church and I was surrounded by silence again.
Today has been better. Although he was gone most of the day, when he was home, my husband has been a little more willing to talk and share a bit about his week. This afternoon one of our children stopped by and talking with her helped me feel more connected.
In the first half of next week I have a few get-togethers with friends, followed by small group Bible study on Wednesday. Friday my husband and I are attending an event at which he will be at ease and talkative and I will definitely need to step out of my comfort zone.
It's quite likely that by this time next week I will be the one who is "talked out" and ready to embrace silence. Hopefully my husband will offer me the same grace and space that I've been able to extend to him.
Counting back to when we first met, my husband and I have had 34 years to work out the kinks in our communication. But judging by what happened yesterday, I would say we haven't made much progress.
Due to the blizzard, I had been housebound since Monday evening. Though there had been several phone calls to my husband (in Florida), my kids, and my parents, I hadn't had a face-to-face conversation with anyone since Saturday. I was really looking forward to hearing about my husband's experience at the conference and then regaling him with all the details about the storm. My husband had other plans.
Looking back, I should have realized that my husband would be "talked out" after a week of interacting with his coworkers. Additionally he was a co-presenter at one of the breakout sessions -- even more talking and huge pressure to make a good showing. The last thing he wanted to do when he finally got home was talk.
But I wanted to talk. I wanted to hear the news about people that my husband only sees once a year -- people that I've never met, but feel like I know from the many times I've heard their voices on conference calls or perused their family pictures in Christmas cards. While my husband had been awash in a sea of faces and words, I had been stranded on a deserted island without even a "Wilson" for company.
It was hard to realize that after a week away my husband didn't feel the same deep need for conversation that I did. The brief phone calls and text messages we exchanged while he was gone had been enough for him. Three hours after he walked through the front door, he left to volunteer at an activity night at our church and I was surrounded by silence again.
Today has been better. Although he was gone most of the day, when he was home, my husband has been a little more willing to talk and share a bit about his week. This afternoon one of our children stopped by and talking with her helped me feel more connected.
In the first half of next week I have a few get-togethers with friends, followed by small group Bible study on Wednesday. Friday my husband and I are attending an event at which he will be at ease and talkative and I will definitely need to step out of my comfort zone.
It's quite likely that by this time next week I will be the one who is "talked out" and ready to embrace silence. Hopefully my husband will offer me the same grace and space that I've been able to extend to him.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Addiction
Hello, my name is ab and I am an internet addict.
If, before this week, I was unsure if I was an internet addict, the events of the past few days have confirmed my fears. I most assuredly have a hardcore internet addiction. : /
Starting around 8:00 p.m. Tuesday and continuing to approximately 11:00 p.m. Thursday, I did not have internet access at my home. That's more than 48 hours without the ability to check e-mail, read the numerous blogs I follow, or post on facebook. To make matters worse, I was unable to keep up-to-date on the hard news, forecasts, photos, and human interest stories surrounding the blizzard that had all but paralyzed the Chicago area and most of the upper midwest.
Yes, I did have cable television, but it wasn't the same. For awhile the local broadcasts were all blizzard, all the time. But eventually the non-stop news reports gave way to regular programming with only an occasional news report. (Just a piece of advice TV station people -- timing is everything. There really was no need to interrupt the entire Double Jeopardy round for the lame news conference where some poor City of Chicago Director of Yet Another Patronage-ridden Department fell on his sword so no snow would stick to the great Teflon-coated Mayor Daley, especially when the regular four o'clock news broadcast was scheduled to start in a mere ten minutes!)
But I digress. Even though I was internet-less, I really wasn't that out of the loop, but I still felt lost and at loose ends. I would gladly have traded cable television for internet access, even though it would have meant missing new episodes of NCIS, The Good Wife, and The Mentalist.
While I was compulsively rebooting the computer and unplugging and replugging the cable modem and wireless router, my husband was "working" in warm and sunny Orlando, basking in an abundance of internet riches at a technology and consulting conference. He might have been fortunate enough to miss the drama of the blizzard, but he didn't escape the rantings of an internet junkie desperate for a fix. After reading untold pathetic texts and listening to me whine endlessly on the phone, he called Comcast and was able to talk with a customer service rep/technician.
Heaven only knows what the problem was. Initially it was probably storm-related, but somehow while computers all over my neighborhood came back online and were surfing the net with ease, my computer couldn't connect. Thankfully the Comcast employee was able to remotely reset the cable modem and, voila, I was back online in time to write the Thankful Thursday post!
If, before this week, I was unsure if I was an internet addict, the events of the past few days have confirmed my fears. I most assuredly have a hardcore internet addiction. : /
Starting around 8:00 p.m. Tuesday and continuing to approximately 11:00 p.m. Thursday, I did not have internet access at my home. That's more than 48 hours without the ability to check e-mail, read the numerous blogs I follow, or post on facebook. To make matters worse, I was unable to keep up-to-date on the hard news, forecasts, photos, and human interest stories surrounding the blizzard that had all but paralyzed the Chicago area and most of the upper midwest.
Yes, I did have cable television, but it wasn't the same. For awhile the local broadcasts were all blizzard, all the time. But eventually the non-stop news reports gave way to regular programming with only an occasional news report. (Just a piece of advice TV station people -- timing is everything. There really was no need to interrupt the entire Double Jeopardy round for the lame news conference where some poor City of Chicago Director of Yet Another Patronage-ridden Department fell on his sword so no snow would stick to the great Teflon-coated Mayor Daley, especially when the regular four o'clock news broadcast was scheduled to start in a mere ten minutes!)
But I digress. Even though I was internet-less, I really wasn't that out of the loop, but I still felt lost and at loose ends. I would gladly have traded cable television for internet access, even though it would have meant missing new episodes of NCIS, The Good Wife, and The Mentalist.
While I was compulsively rebooting the computer and unplugging and replugging the cable modem and wireless router, my husband was "working" in warm and sunny Orlando, basking in an abundance of internet riches at a technology and consulting conference. He might have been fortunate enough to miss the drama of the blizzard, but he didn't escape the rantings of an internet junkie desperate for a fix. After reading untold pathetic texts and listening to me whine endlessly on the phone, he called Comcast and was able to talk with a customer service rep/technician.
Heaven only knows what the problem was. Initially it was probably storm-related, but somehow while computers all over my neighborhood came back online and were surfing the net with ease, my computer couldn't connect. Thankfully the Comcast employee was able to remotely reset the cable modem and, voila, I was back online in time to write the Thankful Thursday post!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Thankful Thursday
This has been quite a week, and it's not over yet!
For quite some time the weather forecasters had been predicting a blizzard, a monster storm that could rival the mother of all storms -- the Great Blizzard of 1967. There were quite a few skeptics who refused to believe the dire warnings and ominous forecast. After all, this is the upper Midwest; those of us who've lived here for any length of time know that our weathermen and weatherwomen are wrong at least 50% of the time. Surely this would be one of those times when the actual event failed to live up to the hype.
WRONG! Oh so very wrong!
Tuesday afternoon, just a little bit ahead of schedule, the snow began to fall and the wind began to howl. As afternoon turned to evening, the snow intensified and the wind grew even stronger. Even people who planned ahead and left work early were caught in traffic that barely crept along as the snow piled up faster than any plow could clear it away. Hundreds of cars were stranded on a three mile stretch of northbound Lake Shore Drive. Hours later, as their cars ran out of gas, drivers and their passengers were forced to abandon their vehicles and seek shelter from the frigid 45 mph winds that whipped the shoreline of Lake Michigan. As the night wore on, people all across Chicago and the surrounding suburbs waged war with the elements, fighting a losing battle to stay ahead of the snow.
Fortunately I was reasonably warm in the safety of my home. Periodically I peaked out the window to observe the growing drifts on the porch and the cars in the driveway that were disappearing under a thick blanket of snow. Once when I looked out, the sky lit up in a flash of light and a low rumble rattled the windows in their frames. Thunder snow! The snow fell so thickly I couldn't see the houses across the street.
The forecasters had predicted 12-18 inches of snow, then adjusted their prediction upward to as much as 24 inches. Judging by the amount of snow on the ground when I finally went to bed Tuesday night, 24 inches looked like a definite possibility.
When I woke up Wednesday, it was still snowing steadily. Shortly after noon, the flakes were few and far between. The Blizzard of 2011, at least the actual actively snowing part of it, appeared to be over.
Even though I don't like winter or snow, I had to admit that the sparkly white drifts did look pretty. Unfortunately all of those massive sparkly white drifts needed to be shoveled off the porch, the walkway, and the looong driveway. It was a daunting task I was not looking forward to tackling. Overwhelmed by the thought of 1.) all of that snow, 2.) dropping temperatures, 3.) a killer headache, and 4.) the fear that I might drop dead while shoveling, I decided to take a nap. The snow would still be there when I woke up.
For quite some time the weather forecasters had been predicting a blizzard, a monster storm that could rival the mother of all storms -- the Great Blizzard of 1967. There were quite a few skeptics who refused to believe the dire warnings and ominous forecast. After all, this is the upper Midwest; those of us who've lived here for any length of time know that our weathermen and weatherwomen are wrong at least 50% of the time. Surely this would be one of those times when the actual event failed to live up to the hype.
WRONG! Oh so very wrong!
Tuesday afternoon, just a little bit ahead of schedule, the snow began to fall and the wind began to howl. As afternoon turned to evening, the snow intensified and the wind grew even stronger. Even people who planned ahead and left work early were caught in traffic that barely crept along as the snow piled up faster than any plow could clear it away. Hundreds of cars were stranded on a three mile stretch of northbound Lake Shore Drive. Hours later, as their cars ran out of gas, drivers and their passengers were forced to abandon their vehicles and seek shelter from the frigid 45 mph winds that whipped the shoreline of Lake Michigan. As the night wore on, people all across Chicago and the surrounding suburbs waged war with the elements, fighting a losing battle to stay ahead of the snow.
Fortunately I was reasonably warm in the safety of my home. Periodically I peaked out the window to observe the growing drifts on the porch and the cars in the driveway that were disappearing under a thick blanket of snow. Once when I looked out, the sky lit up in a flash of light and a low rumble rattled the windows in their frames. Thunder snow! The snow fell so thickly I couldn't see the houses across the street.
The forecasters had predicted 12-18 inches of snow, then adjusted their prediction upward to as much as 24 inches. Judging by the amount of snow on the ground when I finally went to bed Tuesday night, 24 inches looked like a definite possibility.
When I woke up Wednesday, it was still snowing steadily. Shortly after noon, the flakes were few and far between. The Blizzard of 2011, at least the actual actively snowing part of it, appeared to be over.
Even though I don't like winter or snow, I had to admit that the sparkly white drifts did look pretty. Unfortunately all of those massive sparkly white drifts needed to be shoveled off the porch, the walkway, and the looong driveway. It was a daunting task I was not looking forward to tackling. Overwhelmed by the thought of 1.) all of that snow, 2.) dropping temperatures, 3.) a killer headache, and 4.) the fear that I might drop dead while shoveling, I decided to take a nap. The snow would still be there when I woke up.
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