Inspired by a little-known picture book from the pen of Bethany Tudor, this is a diary, of sorts, where I document some of my thoughts, activities, and ideas as I explore the challenges met by the characters in the story: hard work, the care and nurture of others, housekeeping skills, life changes, charity, community, and cooperation, among others. Like Samuel and Samantha, the ducks in the tale, I struggle and succeed, cope and celebrate, work and play, handling the tasks that come my way. I invite you to join me on my journey.

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Family Heritage Night

October 31st: Halloween, All Hallows Eve, Reformation Day. One night, so many names. At our house, we call it Family Heritage Night, an evening set aside for the recounting of family genealogies, the sharing of family stories, and the sampling of foods from our ancestral countries.

We began celebrating this “holiday” more than ten years ago when we decided to scale back our observance of Halloween. Our neighborhood has few, if any, children who trick-or-treat locally so the pressure to keep a traditional Halloween is very low; so low, in fact, that last night at 6:00 pm when I ventured outside with the trash, I was greeted by a street where the only visible “home fire” that was burning was mine. The other houses were dark: no porch lights illuminating doors, no jack-o-lanterns glowing on steps, nothing. Pitch black. The two homes with young children were empty, presumably vacated in favor of Halloween parties elsewhere.

Learning more about the history of the holiday also lowered the pressure to keep a traditional Halloween. My family and I found that we weren’t really enamored by the “spooky fun” of the day after knowing, for example, that in ancient times Samhain, the Celtic festival of fire (and a distant cousin to our modern-day Halloween), was a day to practice divination, allegedly involving gruesome sacrifices. The legend behind the jack-o-lantern wasn’t too appealing either. You know the one: Jack was a miser rejected by both God and Satan, doomed to walk the earth with his own bit of hellfire to keep him company. And then there was the whole idea that, on Samhain, the barrier between the natural and supernatural worlds was temporarily suspended so that divine beings and the spirits of the dead could travel freely amongst humans, interfering in the affairs of men, sometimes violently. Granted, modern-day Halloween has been redefined as an evening for frolic and fun, as opposed to an evening for communion with the dead. Still, as Christians, the holiday just wasn’t working for us anymore.

That said, we didn’t want to completely abandon the idea of a fall celebration. The traditional harvest festival was an option, but the idea of recognizing the bounty of the earth in October seemed a bit misplaced since that was the point of Thanksgiving in November. In the end, we took a cue from the liturgical church year and centered our “holiday” on the idea of remembering our departed loved ones (ala All Saints Day), a good fit for my family given our interest in genealogy.

So, what did we do on Family Heritage Night? We started with dinner featuring a selection of foods from some of our ancestral countries. This year that meant:

Poland: Kielbasa
Poland: Pierogies
England: Spiced Pomegranate Cider
Scotland: Barley Mushroom Casserole
Scotland: Scottish Shortbread

The Polish food actually served two purposes: honoring the background of my father’s family and that of our guests, JLZ and his mother, DC. The English food recognized my husband’s heritage, while the Scottish food hearkened back to my mother’s maternal line. A treat this year: my daughter prepared the casserole and the shortbread. Both were delicious!

During dinner and after, we shared stories from our family history and listened while our friends shared some from theirs. We also indulged in two activities that paid homage to the “fun and frolic” of the day --- carving a pumpkin and watching the 1993 Disney film Hocus Pocus. The pumpkin was our table centerpiece, cut earlier in the day with the outline of a thistle, the Scottish national flower. The movie was just for laughs.

Halloween, All Hallows Eve, Reformation Day, or Family Heritage Night. One night, so many names. Whichever you observed, I hope you had an enjoyable celebration.

Astonished by a Comment

A few days ago, I wrote a blog entry about getting organized for Christmas (see Get Organized Week) in which I listed several tasks that I hoped to accomplish by the end of last week. My list included some routine activities like shopping for Christmas cards, making sure I have the gift-wrapping supplies I need, and firming up my holiday calendar, but it also included some new items, like taking a peek at a home spruce-up checklist and examining a Christmas preparation Bible study. When I composed the list, I thought of it as both a goal and a brainstorming exercise, but definitely more of the latter. Unfortunately, it seems the brainstorming idea did not come across in the post. I became aware of this when I received the following comment from none other than the owner of OrganizedChristmas.com, Cynthia Townley Ewer.
Oh, darlin’…I AM one of the “owners of those websites,” and I will tell you: we aspire, and that is all we can do. Seriously, this is CEO from OrganizedChristmas.Com. Sometimes, I’m so distressed that the hope and help we offer is viewed as MUST DO and SHOULD DO and EVERYBODY BUT YOU IS DOING statements. Instead, look at this question as a continuum. For folks who haven’t had the approach of the holidays blaze their brains, “get organized” week is a revelation. Those of us who end up in the “O” biz (not Oprah and sure as heck not the bad-word-O biz) are doing our best to help everybody over the turnstile. We’re not cracking the whip and setting the hurdle here. If all you do is just THINK about the question, “How can I have a happy, fulfilling holiday season?” this week, you are a success.

So speaks the “owner.”

Cynthia Ewer, Editor
OrganizedChristmas.Com
Receipt of this comment surprised me for two reasons. First, I am usually amazed when I receive comments from people outside my immediate circle of friends. The idea that anyone else even reads Gooseberry Lane astonishes me. I am just an ordinary person who started blogging as a way to hold myself accountable. Giving my friends and family a glimpse into my life challenges keeps me honest and gives them the opportunity to lift me up in prayer. Admittedly, a totally selfish motivation.

Second, I know how much time it takes to maintain a presence in cyberspace, being the owner of a blog and the administrator of a homeschool website. That Ms. Ewer had the time, took the time, and/or made the time to respond to someone as insignificant as me left me speechless. She seemed genuinely concerned, at least to me, that I had misinterpreted her website (which I love) as a hard-and-fast to-do list, rather than an inspiration. Rest assured, Ms. Ewer, I am not locked into a cycle of expectation and disappointment. Anyone who has ever seen my home knows this, just ask my husband or Koalagirl15. :-) On the contrary, OrganizedChristmas.com has helped to end that cycle and refocus the holiday on what is important --- Christ. Finishing my holiday preparations early has allowed me (and my family) to relax and enjoy December instead of wondering where it went because my nose was put to a grindstone. Spreading the work out over the course of two months, instead of the 24 days of Advent, has also made preparation much less stressful. I would recommend the OrganizedChristmas.com method to anyone.

Thank you for your correspondence, Ms. Ewer. It was a pleasure hearing from you.

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Greeting Cards Purchased

This afternoon, my daughter and I spent some time looking for Christmas cards. Thanks to a note at the bottom of my card list, presumably written by me at the end of last year, we started searching at our local Christian bookstore two days ago while on another errand, finding some good possibilities, but ultimately deciding to wait awhile before making any final choices. Today, we checked Walmart and Borders, but found nothing that compared to our previous discoveries. So as not to prolong the Christmas card shopping task, we returned to Cornerstone and purchased our initial choices. Fortunately, the cards were on sale: buy 2, get 1 free. I just love it when Christmas items are on sale so early in the season.

Other tasks completed today:
- worked on Christmas card list
- started master gift list
- briefly discussed holiday calendar with husband

Get Organized Week

According to the two websites that I habitually consult for holiday preparations, this week (October 22-28, 2006) should be devoted to “getting organized.“ Hah! If I were truly organized, I wouldn’t be looking for help. I would be the owner of one of those websites, but I digress…

While FLYLady and OrganizedChristmas.com both recommend that I spend fifteen minutes per day engaged in holiday preparations, their suggestions differ a bit. I try to land somewhere in the middle (that elusive location of balance) and choose suggestions from each website.

Goals for this week
- prepare Holiday Planner notebook for the 2006 holiday season
- solidify holiday calendar
- start master gift list
- review & update Christmas card list
- inventory Christmas cards
- purchase Christmas cards
- purchase holiday stamps
- inventory gift wrapping supplies
- purchase gift wrapping supplies
- begin holiday budget
- plan holiday decorations
- make an appointment for family photos
- read articles on FLYLady and OrganizedChristmas.com

I added some new tasks this year, mostly because they caught my eye, but also because they seemed to focus on personal examination and on keeping Christmas centered in the correct place --- on Christ. Also, because my house is in a state of perpetual construction, I added a peek at a home spruce-up checklist. We’ll see how far that task goes. :-)

New Tasks
- Christmas preparation Bible study
- family holiday values worksheet
- home spruce-up checklist

So with all these activities to choose from, today I managed to review my Christmas card list to get an idea of how many greeting cards I need. I also inventoried my Christmas cards to determine how many I need to purchase (~50). I very briefly shopped for greeting cards, too, while doing some other errands. Nothing purchased as of yet.

Seeing as the list for “get organized” week is long and today is already Thursday, I should be very busy on Friday and Saturday! Then again, maybe I should follow my mother’s rule: make a dream list, remove half of the items, and remove half of the items again. The final list should be close to what can actually be accomplished. Since my mother is 75 years old and consistently finishes more tasks than I do, maybe I should listen to the wisdom of my elder and whittle down my list. We’ll see.

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

61 Days and Counting...

Not much progress to report today in the way of Christmas preparations. Wednesday is officially “crazy day” at our house with volunteer work, piano lessons, music composition class, and handbell rehearsal, all scheduled between the hours of 9:30 AM and 6:30 PM. Of course, we also have to get school, lunch, and dinner squeezed in there as well. Like I said, Wednesday is a crazy day.

That said, I did manage to solidify most of our November and December 2006 calendars, as well as two events in January 2007. Suffice it to say, my family is going to be very busy this holiday season! Here is just a sample of our planned activities:

10/31/06 Family Heritage Night
11/4/06 Samaritan Purse Shoebox shopping
11/6/06 Samaritan Purse Shoebox drop off
11/16/06 Support Meeting: Homeschooling Through the Holidays
11/23/06 THANKSGIVING
11/24/06 Tag Christmas tree & attend a holiday movie
12/1/06 Deadline: Online gift ordering & greeting card preparations
12/3/06 FIRST SUNDAY in ADVENT: Church & wreath lighting*
12/3/06 Art Exhibit: The Magic of Christmas
12/3/06 Service of Lessons & Carols
12/4/06 Deadline: Gift shipping
12/4/06 Homeschool Meeting: Christmas Speech Night
12/8/06 Festival of Lights
12/9/06 Pick up Christmas tree
12/9/06 Play: A Christmas Carol
12/10/06 SECOND SUNDAY in ADVENT: Church
12/10/06 Shoreline Ringers Handbell Concert**
12/11/06 Decorate Christmas tree***
12/12/06 Deadline: Mail greeting cards
12/15/06 Shoreline Ringers Handbell Concert
12/16/06 Shoreline Ringers Handbell Concert
12/17/06 THIRD SUNDAY in ADVENT: Church
12/17/06 Community Carol Sing
12/24/06 FOURTH SUNDAY in ADVENT: Church
12/24/06 CHRISTMAS EVE: Church, hang stockings, etc.
12/25/06 CHRISTMAS DAY: Breakfast, open gifts, dinner, etc.
12/26/06 BOXING DAY: Clothing donations to charitable organizations
12/31/06 NEW YEAR’S DAY: Annual New Year’s Eve party!!!
1/5/07 Take down Christmas tree
1/5/07 Shoreline Ringers Handbell Concert
1/6/07 EPIPHANY
1/12/07 Play: A Celebration of Twelfth Night

* Wreath lighting occurs daily after this date.
** My daughter is a member of the Shoreline Ringers Handbell Choir.
*** Tree decorating takes place over the course of 2-3 days.

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Let the Christmas Preparations Begin!

Every year, around the middle of October, FLYLady begins her Christmas preparation countdown, known to all FLYBabies as the Holiday Cruise. This year the cruise began while I was on a field trip to Virginia. That doesn’t mean I missed the boat, though. It just means I need to jump aboard whenever I can. FLYLady believes in jumping in where you are, not worrying about catching up, a philosophy that reminds me so much of Christ. He meets us where we are, too. Maybe that is why I like the FLYLady home management system so much.

Anyway, today marks 62 days until Christmas. Am I ready? No way! I will get there, though, with a little prodding from my FLYLady Holiday Cruise reminders. Today’s accomplishments:

- placed holiday events on calendar
- discussed additional holiday events with my daughter
- researched additional holiday events
- worked on Christmas card list
- shopped for Christmas cards online
- selected Christmas stamps

According to FLYLady, I should spend no more than 15 minutes per day on these Christmas preparation tasks. I guess I’m slow because the above list occupied more than 60 minutes of my evening. Maybe I will work more efficiently tomorrow.

Dinner and a Drive

Last Wednesday (10/18/2006), my daughter and I went to the Historic Triangle of Virginia --- Jamestown, Yorktown, and Colonial Williamsburg --- for a homeschool field trip, planned to coincide with a Colonial Williamsburg Electronic Field Trip (EFT) offered to our homeschool support group. The EFT was actually scheduled for Thursday (10/19/2006), but we decided to arrive in Virginia a day early.

The drive there took nine hours, thankfully driven by my husband who took the train to Connecticut from Norfolk, Virginia, just especially to act as the family chauffeur. He is an expert at navigating the heavy traffic encountered on the I-95 corridor between New England and Virginia, having driven it almost weekly for over two years while stationed aboard the USS Emory S. Land at Naval Station Norfolk.

The day began at 6:00 am with a visit to the Amtrak station to collect my husband. He was home just long enough to shower, vacuum the Subaru, and perform the all-important pre-travel checklist known to all husband mechanics. You know the one: oil level, windshield wiper fluid, properly inflated tires, etc. After a quick stop at the gas station for fuel, coffee, and bagels with cream cheese, we hit the road at around 9:30 am.

Much to my astonishment, traffic was fast and relatively clear, causing my husband to choose a route that carried us directly over the George Washington Bridge in New York City and down the New Jersey Turnpike. I never take this route because I hate the combination of high speed (~70 mph) and tight traffic. I opt for the longer route through western Connecticut, over the Newburgh Bridge, and up into Pennsylvania, thereby avoiding any semblance of traffic that could be described as “heavy,” much less barely congested. Having grown up on the flatlands of southern Minnesota, I much prefer the wide-open road where my only companion is the scenery and some road noise.

Our route continued over the Delaware Memorial Bridge and down the Delmarva Peninsula, crossing the eastern shore areas of Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. If I wanted to see flatlands, I certainly got my fill on US Route 13. I was amazed to see such level plowed fields, much like those found in southwestern Minnesota or northern Illinois. Even my family commented on the uniformly horizontal topography. Actually, I think the word my daughter used was “boring.”

Her stagnant state of mind was eventually assuaged by our arrival at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. She had been over this bridge years ago, as a very young child, but apparently remembered nothing about it, so it was important to create a new memory that would definitely be retained now that she is fully sixteen years old. We pulled into the first overlook around sunset (hence, the lovely photograph taken by my husband) before heading over the bridge proper. A bit of fog was hanging near the shoreline, making it difficult to see the other side, a detail that only made the view more captivating. It was definitely serene, just what we all needed at the end of a long drive and before arriving in Chesapeake for dinner with our friends.

Dinner, by the way, was BLT sandwiches, Jell-o salad, and macaroni and cheese, with chocolate crème pie for dessert. Added to the fellowship of good friends, it was a great way to end the day.

Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart. --- Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 NASB

Monday, October 23, 2006

I Am Not the Statistical Average

I watched a video clip of “Fox & Friends” this afternoon that had the co-anchors reporting on how Americans spend their money. Onscreen during the news article were the following statistics from Time magazine. Apparently, as a nation, we purchase these items daily:

35,079,448 cans of Bud Light
50,051,507 cans of Pepsi
153,424 pounds of Starbucks coffee
1,900,000 original glazed Krispy Kreme donuts

I can honestly say that I do not purchase any of these items on even a periodic basis. In fact, I have only eaten Krispy Kreme donuts twice in my entire life. I gave up coffee for tea years ago (although I may indulge in a sip now and again from my husband’s cup). I never drink Pepsi or Coke because the carbonation bothers my throat. As for the beer, the only one worth drinking is Guinness Stout (on tap).

Once again, the numbers have demonstrated that I am not an average consumer. Shocking! :-)

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Bible Quiz Removed

Much to my dismay, I am unable to continue the Bible Quiz postings at this time. If you would like to continue taking the Scripture knowledge tests on your own, I recommend purchasing the book, Bible I.Q.: 1000 Questions to Rate Your Scriptural Savvy by Rayburn Ray, from Amazon.com or Barbour Publishing. Sorry for any inconvenience.

Monday, October 09, 2006

Unfortunate Changes to Accountability Update

Much to my chagrin, I must report that my September 2006 restaurant expenditures were exactly $1000.00 (don’t ask me how that happened), not the previously reported $991.09. The reason for this adjustment: some previously unreported restaurant visits made by my husband. Granted, it is only a difference of about $9.00, but it put me at that four-digit figure that I was so hoping to avoid. This after he thanked me for keeping costs in the three-digit range! Humpf.

Our restaurant addiction totals, thus far, for October are ~$240.00, putting us on a trajectory to spend $829.00 for the month, the exact amount predicted by my friend in Florida (I really hate it when she’s right). My October projection was $650.00. Looks like some behavior modification is in order. The question is: can I modify my husband’s behavior, too? We shall see.

Sunday, October 08, 2006

Exploring My MacKenzie Roots

This afternoon, my daughter and I attended our first Scottish Highland Festival, complete with bagpipe bands, harp circles, and haggis, although I must admit I wasn’t brave enough to try this uniquely Scottish delicacy (actually, I just wasn’t hungry but no one would ever believe that story). The sweet sounds of bagpipe music wafting through the air and the sparkling lilt of harp tunes coming from the barn were inspiring, to say the least; yet, the best part of the day was our visit to the Clan MacKenzie booth in the Clan Village.

There, to my surprise, I found a woman from the shoreline of Connecticut who lives not 15 minutes from my home. Why this astonished me, I cannot say. I guess it always surprises me when I meet people with whom I share a common heritage. The idea that we have all arrived at such different destinations in our present lives through the long-forgotten lives of relatives who probably knew each other, or at least knew of each other, centuries ago never ceases to amaze me.

In my case, these relatives can be traced through my mother’s family in Mechanicsville, Iowa. There, Lydia McKenzie married a gentleman named George Conner. They had eight children: Elizabeth, Ida, Ella, Edward, James, Pearl, Mary, and Jennie. Their daughter, Mary, married a man named Charles Studer. They had my grandmother, Leone, who married a wonderful gentleman by the name of Edward Henkel. Leone and Ed had my mother, who then had me.

Not much is known about Lydia McKenzie before she married George Connor so many years ago. However, thanks to the genealogical research of my daughter, I do know this:

1. Her father, John McKenzie, was born in Vermont. Her mother, Elizabeth, was born in Ohio. They both died around 1880.

2. In 1850, John & Elizabeth McKenzie lived with their four children (Nancy, Lydia, Isaac, and Martin) in Lorain County, Ohio. Their fifth child, Mary, was yet unborn.

3. By 1860, John & Elizabeth had moved with their children to Pioneer Township in Cedar County, Iowa (near the present-day city of Cedar Rapids).

4. In 1880, John & Elizabeth lived with their daughter Lydia and her husband, George Conner, in eastern Iowa.

5. The parents of John McKenzie, Lydia’s father, were Isaac & Nancy McKenzie from Addison County, Vermont.

Now, I realize that not everyone who attends these Highland Festivals is interested in learning the specific genealogy of how they became Scottish. Yet, if any other McKenzies who are genealogy fans ever find their way to this blog, and to this particular posting, please feel free to comment with any information you may have about these historical folks. Maybe we are connected by more than just a familiar clan name. In the meantime,

May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
The rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

--- Celtic blessing

Friday, October 06, 2006

How Do Men Cope with Tragedy?

In 1986, not even a year after I got married, my first brother-in-law died in his sleep, the result of a grand mal seizure. He was only 26 years old. In 1987, my sister remarried and had a daughter, followed three years later by a son. In 1989, when Little Freddy was about eight weeks old, he died in his sleep, a victim of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. His death date was almost three years to the day after the death of my first brother-in-law. The same ambulance crew responded to the emergency.

Living in New England when my nephew died, I was distant from these events, attending only the funeral. I remember very little about the service except the tiny white casket, and my mother comforting my sister who was, I believe, still in shock. I have no recollection of how my brother-in-law reacted to this event. In fact, all these years later, I barely recall his face with much accuracy. You see, he and my sister eventually divorced, due in part to his inability to, once again, embrace life after the death of his son.

The shootings this week at the Amish school in Nickel Mines, PA brought these memories to light as the news coverage reported that the perpetrator, Charles Carl Roberts IV, had suffered the loss of a child, a daughter of premature birth who died after only twenty minutes of life. These news articles also stated that Mr. Roberts felt an overwhelming sense of personal guilt and anger at God whenever he would experience joy and happiness with his three surviving children, knowing that his deceased child would never know such feelings.

I cannot even imagine the pain that this man, or my brother-in-law, must have experienced at the loss of their children, as I have never personally walked that path. My mother lost several children during pregnancy, the last one when I was in second grade. My best friend also records the loss of no fewer than four children over the last ten years, including a stillborn twin that was carried to term inutero alongside her surviving sister. Yet, these are women, women who have done a remarkable job of putting their profound losses in perspective and, somehow, carried on.

What is it about these men, Mr. Roberts and my former brother-in-law, that made it so difficult for them to move forward after such tragedy? We all know that Mr. Roberts descended into some dark place where violence against others seemed the only way out. My brother-in-law, too, descended to this place, holding up alone in a local motel while preparing to kill my parents and my sister. Thankfully, his mother reached him before he could act and convinced him to seek professional help. Yet, even after that immediate care, and with the years of care that followed, he was never the same.

So, my question is this, asked out of a sincere desire to understand because, as a woman, I think differently than a man, and as a parent who has never lost a child, I cannot possibly grasp the profound sense of loss that I am certain continues throughout every milestone that lost child would have reached: how do men cope with the loss of a child that differs from how women cope with the same tragedy? Is it more difficult for men to deal with their feelings of loss, or do they deal with them in a different way?

Just trying to understand something that is beyond my experience. Thanks for your help.

Thursday, October 05, 2006

The Great Blue

My daughter and I went to Friendly’s for breakfast this morning and returned home via River Road. This time I had my camera in the car and was able to capture this photo of a Great Blue heron in the salt marsh near St. Patrick’s Cemetery. No matter how many times I see this bird, I marvel at how stately it looks. God’s creation truly is amazing!

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Badminton at the Speed of …?

One morning back in August, shortly after I started this blog, I saw a demonstration of this new sport called speedminton on Fox and Friends. I thought the game was cool and innovative, but didn’t hear much more about it. It appears to be a hybrid of badminton and racquetball, but you don’t need a court to play. You need only a racquet, a special “speed” shuttlecock (that can reach velocities of 175 mph), and two people. To learn more about it, check out the Speedminton USA website.

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Mom’s Mantra

Everyone has a song or two that describes their life or their attitudes. For me, one such tune comes from an album called Scarecrow by John Mellencamp. My daughter says that the last two lines of the chorus of this song are my mantra (see the bold type below). If so, I got it from my parents, children of the Depression and young adults during World War II, both part of the Greatest Generation.

I like this song for several reasons. First, it respects the wisdom of age as the old man in the song, through his conversation, eventually brings the young man to a place where he recognizes that he has paid a high price for not listening to his elders. Second, it sends a message to the younger generation that hard work is the only option if they want to make their dreams come true, cope with life, or reach their potential. Third, it places family and friends where they should be --- as the best things in life.

Minutes to Memories
On a Greyhound thirty miles beyond Jamestown,
He saw the sun set on the Tennessee line.
He looked at the young man who was riding beside him.
He said, "I’m old, kind of worn out inside.
I worked my whole life in the steel mills of Gary
And my father before me, I helped build this land.
Now I’m seventy-seven and with God as my witness,
I earned every dollar that passed through my hands.
My family and friends are the best thing I’ve known.
Through the eye of the needle, I’ll carry them home."

Chorus:
Days turn to minutes,
And minutes to memories.
Life sweeps away the dreams
That we have planned.
You are young and you are the future,
So suck it up and tough it out
And be the best you can.


The rain hit the old dog in the twilight’s last gleaming.
He said, “Son, it sounds like rattling old bones.
This highway is long, but I know some that are longer.
By sunup tomorrow, I guess I’ll be home."
Through the hills of Kentucky ‘cross the Ohio River
The old man kept talking ‘bout his life and his times.
He fell asleep with his head against the window.
He said, "An honest man’s pillow is his peace of mind."
This world offers riches and riches will grow wings.
I don’t take stock in those uncertain things.

Chorus

The old man had a vision but it was hard for me to follow.
I do things my way and I pay a high price.
When I think back on the old man and the bus ride,
Now that I’m older, I can see he was right.
Another hot one out on highway eleven.
This is my life; its what I’ve chosen to do.
There are no free rides; no one said it’d be easy.
The old man told me this; my son, I’m telling it to you.

Chorus

… And So Begins the Homeschooling Year

I recently wrote this short blurb for the September issue of The Courier, the CHOOSE CT homeschooling newsletter.
Every September for the past several years, some challenge or another has interfered with the start of our homeschooling year. I first took note of this on 9/11. Kate and I were finishing a spelling test when the planes began hitting the World Trade Center. In 2002, it was my husband’s job search. 2003 brought the death of our beloved cat T.C. 2004 saw my father hospitalized with a major stroke, and in 2005 we prepared for his passing after a second stroke. As we approached the first day of school this year, nothing seemed imminent. My mother was healthy, the pets were doing fine, all was in order…until our cat escaped from the house.

Why this threw us off for more than a week, I can’t quite make out, especially since it wasn’t as life altering as the events from previous years. I suppose the whole episode tapped into the emotional exhaustion from a year of loss with the death of my father. I really didn’t want to mourn the loss of a pet, nor did I want to watch my daughter go through that experience again. I imagine that is why I agreed to the purchase of a kitten, hoping it would soften the blow if the wayward kitty perished during his venture outdoors (thankfully, he is home safe).

No, this year I was determined to stay on track. Even though I had prayed for direction in other years, this year was different. I specifically asked for non-interference and protection, and I asked my pastor to pray the same. So far, this prayer has been answered, and I know that it will continue to be so because God is faithful.

Commit your works to the Lord and your plans will be established. --- Proverbs 16:3 NASB

I Found My Stamps!

At 8:00 am yesterday morning, I went to the post office, once again in search of a 2¢ stamp (and a way to avoid the really long line that seems to form there later in the day). For all of you who were waiting with bated breath to see if I would actually locate the elusive postage, I am happy to report success. I was one of only two customers in the lobby at that hour and my favorite mailman, Wayne, was the only employee at the counter. I purchased twenty 2¢ stamps so I will have enough to finish off that dozen-pack of 37¢ ones at home without having to make yet another pilgrimage to the postage Mecca. Of course, since I purchased my stamps “in bulk,” I will miss having another congenial conversation with Wayne, but sacrifices are often required in life. Wayne and I can catch up on the latest news when I mail my Christmas packages in December (or maybe November so I can avoid the line). Happy mailing!

Monday, October 02, 2006

More Giggles

Ok, personal confession: I love the funny pages. When I was a kid my mother would read them aloud to me and we would have some great laughs together. Sometimes we would laugh so hard we would cry. Since I don’t have my mother close by to share laughs with on a daily basis, creating my own “funny pages” to share with friends is the next best thing. The newest additions to the Gooseberry Giggle Garden, then, are Baby Blues and the Family Circus. Brief descriptions follow. Happy reading!

Baby Blues
First appearing in 1990, this comic strip chronicles the trials of the MacPhersons, first-time parents facing the typical challenges of parenthood: temper tantrums, dirty diapers, teething pains and more. Written by parents Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott, the strip won “Best Comic Strip of the Year” in 1995.

Family Circus
The most widely syndicated comic strip in the world, each cartoon is drawn within a circle to illustrate the intimacy of the family members. Drawn by Bill Keane, the children in the strip are based on his own offspring. In fact, the character of Billy is modeled after Keane’s son, Glen, who is now a prominent animator for the Walt Disney Company. To reach the daily cartoon on the Family Circle website, click first on “FILES” and then on “Daily Cartoon.” Sorry for the maze, but the website address doesn’t link specific pages externally.

Just a note: These comics abide by the King Features archive rules, meaning only those panels that are 2-4 weeks old are available online. For the latest strips, it is still necessary to consult an actual newspaper.

Accountability Update SEPTEMBER 2006

I can’t believe a month has passed already since my last accountability update. Let’s see how I did this time. Remember, the assessment scale looks like this:

1: Failed miserably. No progress whatsoever.
2: Tried, but couldn’t do it. No significant progress.
3: Making progress. Halfway there.
4: Came close. More effort needed.
5: Did it! All goals met.

HOME ORGANIZATION
Overall rating: 2

My plan for September was to focus on decluttering only one area of the house: the kitchen table. The implementation of this plan was to include clearing the table and establishing a routine to keep it clear. I was also supposed to refinish the chalkboard.

Wow, either I was incredibly ambitious in setting my goal or incredibly bad at time management because I didn’t even come close to that mark! I cleared about half the kitchen table at the beginning of September, but managed to fill it back up with “stuff” because I didn’t follow through with developing a plan to keep it clear. Mostly, I need to be more consistent with periodic pickup, both during the day and before bed. I also need to get other household members onboard with this effort.

As for refinishing the chalkboard, I found the leftover chalkboard paint in the basement, but it was too old to use. I never did get around to purchasing replacement paint as my husband and I began discussing whether to use standard brush-on paint or the spray-on variety that he found at Home Depot. I’m really not too keen on the idea of spray-painting anything inside the house for fear of the overspray disaster that (I’m convinced) would surely follow. I need to visit Home Depot for myself to examine this alternative chalkboard paint and make my own assessment.

Given that an attempt was made to complete the September plan, but little or no progress was seen, I (once again) earned a low rating in this department. Due to this lack of progress, the October plan remains unchanged: kitchen table, maintenance plan, and chalkboard.

RESTAURANT EXPENDITURES
Overall rating: 3

The amount of money that found it’s way to our local restaurants during September totaled $991.09, still a ridiculously high number, but less than the individual monthly totals for the last three months, and a $314.17 reduction over August. Of the September total, my daughter and I spent $834.68 and my husband spent $156.41. Not perfect, but indicative of some progress. Our plan --- to create menu plans and a restaurant visitation schedule --- was not implemented; therefore, it will remain the same for October, with the addition of a monthly target total: $650.00. Let’s hope we can hit the mark.

Commit your works to the Lord and your plans will be established. --- Proverbs 16:3 NASB

Sunday, October 01, 2006

All I Want for Christmas is a 2¢ Stamp

Last holiday season (2005), in an attempt to be organized, I wrote a greeting card list and ordered Christmas stamps. I’m not exactly certain what happened after that, if I miscounted the number of stamps I needed or if the post office sent too many, but Christmas came and Christmas went and I still had A LOT of holiday stamps.

Now, here we are, ten months later, and I am still using these stamps on monthly bills. The only problem is that they are 37¢ stamps. So every time I use one of them, I need to purchase a 2¢ stamp to make the correct first class postage. Trouble is, no one (not even the post office vending machine) carries 2¢ stamps anymore. I am certain that if I went to the customer service window at the post office, I could get one with no hassle (at least I hope that is true). I just don’t want to stand in line. The lines there are always so long. Yet, as of today, I have 12 stamps left. Looks like I’ll be visiting the post office, at least for a while. See you in the queue.

Weekly Table Talk with Martin Luther

The Table Talk reading for this week is taken from the section of Luther’s writing entitled Of Free Will. All quotes are from an early 20th century edition, translated by William Hazlitt, Esquire. The original was written in 1566.

CCLIX

The very name, Free-will, was odious to all the Fathers.* I, for my part, admit that God gave to mankind a free will, but the question is, whether this same freedom be in our power and strength, or no? We may very fitly call it a subverted, perverse, fickle, and wavering will, for it is only God that works in us, and we must suffer and be subject to his pleasure. Even as a potter out of his clay makes a pot or vessel, as he wills, so it is for our free will, to suffer and not to work. It stands not in our strength; for we are not able to do anything that is good in divine matters.

CCLXI

…Hence, we conclude in general, That man, without the Holy Ghost and God’s grace, can do nothing but sin; he proceeds therein without intermission, and from one sin falls into another. Now, if man will not suffer wholesome doctrine, but contemns the all-saving Word, and resists the Holy Ghost, then through the effects and strength of his free-will he becomes God’s enemy; he blasphemes the Holy Ghost, and follows the lusts and desires of his own heart, as examples in all times clearly show.

CCLXII

I confess that mankind has a free-will, but it is to milk kine [cows], to build houses, etc., and no further; for so long as a man is at ease and in safety, and is in no want, so long he thinks he has a free-will, which is able to do something; but when want and need appear, so that there is neither meat, drink, nor money, where is then free-will? It is utterly lost, and cannot stand when it comes to the pinch. Faith only stands fast and sure, and seeks Christ. Therefore faith is far another thing than free-will; nay, free-will is nothing at all, but faith is all in all. Art thou bold and stout, and canst thou carry it lustily with thy free-will when plague, wars, and times of dearth and famine are at hand? No: in time of plague, thou knowest not what to do for fear; thou wishest thyself a hundred miles off. In time of dearth thou thinkest; Where shall I find to eat; Thy will cannot so much as give thy heart the smallest comfort in these times of need, but the longer thou strivest, the more it makes thy heart faint and feeble, insomuch that it is affrighted even at the rushing and shaking of a leaf. These are the valiant acts our free-will can achieve.

*Church Fathers such as Augustine, etc.