Once again, I apologize for not updating this blog in a timely fashion, but this time I have a really good excuse........Mother Nature. Or Father God, to be more accurate.
I've been thinking about what news to share, and I realized I really only have three newsworthy items to relate:
1.) We have had the weirdest weather here lately. You know how, a few years ago, everyone was blaming El Nino for all the rain we were getting? Ever since September began, we here in western Washington have been subject to a whole range of inclement weather that we don't usually get to experience. (Notice how I put a positive spin on that......"we don't get to"!) In fact, I've begun to wonder if we're in some version of the Twilight Zone and have been secretly transported from Washington State to some other part of the country. We've had lots of lightning and thunderstorms, and we even had a tornado!!! Can you believe that? A tornado right here in Spanaway---well, Frederickson. This kind of severe weather knocked out power in some places and caused us to lose our internet for a few days (told you I had a good excuse!). Plus, the city is doing road work down the street our church sits on; this construction combined with the storming knocked out our internet at church/school. Qwest says they're working on it, but we've been without access for several days now. Who's for moving to Hawai'i? (Wait.....they have hurricanes there. Never mind.)
2.) Chad celebrated his 48th birthday on Saturday. Katie paid him the ultimate compliment when she asked me how old he was. I told her, "He's 48," and she replied, shocked, "He doesn't look 48!" He just grinned when I relayed this to him. He's been working out at our local gym and has lost quite a bit of weight in the past six or seven months. He's quite the hunk now! :-D He gets to reward himself and take a well-earned vacation later this week when he goes hunting. His cousin is planning to join him for a few days; he and Chad grew up together and will enjoy spending some time doing something they both love. Happy hunting!
3.) Our JV/V football teams played at home this past Friday, and we got to watch most of the games. Our boys were victorious! There were some awesome plays made on both sides of the ball. Our guys were catching passes and running for touchdowns, and our defense was chasing down their receivers and pulling flags. Two other teams came to play us and each other, so the field was busy all day. I think our JV won one of their games, and our varsity won both. We had a lot of fun cheering our teams on, and my students took a bit of time to run around before we headed back up the hill toward our classroom to get ready to go home. The weather was actually really great that day---nice and sunny---and the only drawback to the day was the fact that the bees were out en force enjoying the day as well. I don't think anyone got stung though, so that's good.
Don't we have a wonderful God? It is amazing to realize that He loves us and wants to have a personal relationship with us. He isn't waiting for us to become a better person or clean up our lives and anything---He wants to be close to us right now. And we use the stupidest excuses to avoid that close relationship with our Maker. Like "I don't have time right now" or "I don't feel worthy" or "I will when I'm older." We will never have more than 24 hours in each day, so why wait for more time? Will there ever be a time when we feel worthy to approach God......as if we could ever accrue enough good works to impress Him. We should start now, today, and take just a few minutes to read His Word and pray. As I tell my students, "If you never get started, you'll never get it done." God is waiting to hear us say, "Hello, Lord. I'm ready to start."
Hebrews 4: 16 "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."
Monday, October 7, 2013
Monday, September 16, 2013
Busy, busy, busy!
Isn't that how life always is? Too busy to even think sometimes, it seems. We're on this crazy merry-go-round of school and church and teen activities and choir and nursery and bus visitation and upcoming sports events..........AAAAARRRGGHH!!! No wonder that, when we get a day off, we tend to sit around and do absolutely NOTHING! Drives Chad nuts, unfortunately.
Amanda seems to be doing well at college. She calls me nearly every day whenever she has time between classes, homework, and her new job at Chik-Fil-A. She loves that job so much already! This is a good thing since she needs all the hours she has been working in order to pay her own school bill. Some of her classes/teachers she likes; some she is less fond of. }:-( Oh, well---you can't get everything you wish for. Lots of church folks have been asking about her and wishing her well. Her family misses her incredibly much (still can't think too much about it or we cry!).
The kids have taken just enough quizzes and/or tests to be encouraged/depressed about their grades so far. And, of course, no matter how much time we spend at school, it never fails that, as soon as we pull into the driveway, someone remembers some vital book that they forgot in their locker. I've already decided my response for this year: "Call someone to get the notes or try to get it done first thing tomorrow morning at school." This may sound callous, but it sure saves gas money!
Dale has has a hard time physically adjusting to the school schedule. That's the only way I can explain his constant falling of late. He falls at least once a day, usually with his legs jerking or giving out on him. Yesterday Dale fell in the bathroom face-first, reddening the area around one eye and causing his nose to swell. Chad and I were a bit alarmed because Dale's nose seemed slightly off-center. I have no idea how long it's been like that.......maybe even since birth! Either that or he broke his nose at some point and it healed slightly crooked. We decided not to make a big fuss about it either way. He is what he is. ;-) Please do pray for Dale, though, about his falling. He is walking just about the same as usual, just his limbs jerk sometimes and cause him to be unsteady. That, and the dog gets in the way and trips Dale up! One of these days Peanut is going to get kicked and not necessarily by accident. You'd think she would learn.
Chad is already looking forward to some time off next month to go hunting. He's been calling his cousins to see who all is going and planning what he needs to pack. This is his time each fall to get away from work and stress and noisy family and just enjoy himself. He's not bagged a deer yet, but he says the ratio this year is really good. Maybe he'll bring back some venison for us to enjoy. Happy hunting!
It's that time of year again.......time to stock up on candy corn and especially candy pumpkins. For some reason, I love those stupid candy pumpkins. I mean, why? They don't taste like pumpkin or anything. Speaking of, I saw some pumpkin spice-flavored candy corn in the store the other day but I didn't have the courage to actually spend money to try it. You never know with some of those flavors---they might be really good or they might be really horrible. Like those Jelly Belly jelly beans that taste gross on purpose to prank people: ear wax and vomit and dirt. Who wants a jelly bean that tastes like that?! Yuck!! Then again, jelly beans aren't really supposed to taste like buttered popcorn either, are they? To each his own.
I'm going to close this madly rambling post with an admittedly terrible joke: Did you hear about the man who accidentally drank a can of varnish? He died, of course, but he had a lovely finish. (I tried using the word shellac, but my kids had no idea what that was!)
Proverbs 3: 5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy path."
Amanda seems to be doing well at college. She calls me nearly every day whenever she has time between classes, homework, and her new job at Chik-Fil-A. She loves that job so much already! This is a good thing since she needs all the hours she has been working in order to pay her own school bill. Some of her classes/teachers she likes; some she is less fond of. }:-( Oh, well---you can't get everything you wish for. Lots of church folks have been asking about her and wishing her well. Her family misses her incredibly much (still can't think too much about it or we cry!).
The kids have taken just enough quizzes and/or tests to be encouraged/depressed about their grades so far. And, of course, no matter how much time we spend at school, it never fails that, as soon as we pull into the driveway, someone remembers some vital book that they forgot in their locker. I've already decided my response for this year: "Call someone to get the notes or try to get it done first thing tomorrow morning at school." This may sound callous, but it sure saves gas money!
Dale has has a hard time physically adjusting to the school schedule. That's the only way I can explain his constant falling of late. He falls at least once a day, usually with his legs jerking or giving out on him. Yesterday Dale fell in the bathroom face-first, reddening the area around one eye and causing his nose to swell. Chad and I were a bit alarmed because Dale's nose seemed slightly off-center. I have no idea how long it's been like that.......maybe even since birth! Either that or he broke his nose at some point and it healed slightly crooked. We decided not to make a big fuss about it either way. He is what he is. ;-) Please do pray for Dale, though, about his falling. He is walking just about the same as usual, just his limbs jerk sometimes and cause him to be unsteady. That, and the dog gets in the way and trips Dale up! One of these days Peanut is going to get kicked and not necessarily by accident. You'd think she would learn.
Chad is already looking forward to some time off next month to go hunting. He's been calling his cousins to see who all is going and planning what he needs to pack. This is his time each fall to get away from work and stress and noisy family and just enjoy himself. He's not bagged a deer yet, but he says the ratio this year is really good. Maybe he'll bring back some venison for us to enjoy. Happy hunting!
It's that time of year again.......time to stock up on candy corn and especially candy pumpkins. For some reason, I love those stupid candy pumpkins. I mean, why? They don't taste like pumpkin or anything. Speaking of, I saw some pumpkin spice-flavored candy corn in the store the other day but I didn't have the courage to actually spend money to try it. You never know with some of those flavors---they might be really good or they might be really horrible. Like those Jelly Belly jelly beans that taste gross on purpose to prank people: ear wax and vomit and dirt. Who wants a jelly bean that tastes like that?! Yuck!! Then again, jelly beans aren't really supposed to taste like buttered popcorn either, are they? To each his own.
I'm going to close this madly rambling post with an admittedly terrible joke: Did you hear about the man who accidentally drank a can of varnish? He died, of course, but he had a lovely finish. (I tried using the word shellac, but my kids had no idea what that was!)
Proverbs 3: 5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy path."
Monday, September 2, 2013
And then there were six.
At 5:10 this morning, I watched my husband's truck pull out of the driveway, laden with multiple suitcases, boxes, bags stuffed to the brim, a huge basket of goodies, my husband, two giggling high school girls, and one rather terrified but determined college-bound young lady. I've been praying for and dreading this moment for nearly nineteen years! Amanda is ready to turn this page and begin this new chapter in her life---she has prepared well through school; she has worked hard to earn the money needed to walk on campus and pay her first payment; she has given her heart to the Lord and is willing to do whatever He asks. This is her moment of triumph, her destiny (if that phrase isn't too trite), her future. Once she sets foot on the campus of Golden State Baptist College in Santa Clara, CA, receives her dorm assignment, and settles in, she'll do great. Right now though, she is nearly scared stiff!
Amanda is my oldest but not necessarily my most independent child. She is the only one who couldn't go to sleepovers when she was younger without getting so homesick she would throw up and have to be brought home again. She is very independent on the outside but very much a homebody on the inside. It took her a long time to even be willing to make the decision to move away from home; now she's going to be responsible for herself completely. She has to get a job right away in order to work her way through college. She has to plan her class schedule, her work schedule, her shopping schedule, and her ministry schedule.........not to mention finding time to eat! (She seriously thinks she'll starve to death in the first month because she won't have any time or money to eat!!) With each of her concerns, I've tried to alleviate the stress by assuring her it will all work out and God will take care of her, but that is something she will have to discover for herself. I have no doubt God will provide her with a good job, caring roommates, loving friends, and helpful teachers who will guide her through these next few years. She'll get to come home for Christmas and summer (I hope!), and each time we'll see her change more and more into the beautiful young adult God desires her to be. I'm going to miss her so much I literally can't even think about it without crying. God bless my Amanda Rae.
It's a very good thing we have a day off school today! I have the luxury of staying home, sitting on the couch, and crying any time I feel like it. And I've felt like it on average about every four minutes! You'd think no one else in the history of the world has ever had to send their firstborn off to college, right? The ladies at church last night were giving me hugs and assuring me they knew exactly how I felt and that it would be all right eventually. The men were joking about how glad I should be to "get one out of the house", but they too know how Chad and I feel. Chad gets to drive Amanda, along with Katie and their friend Samantha, down to college, but he doesn't get to stick around for a few days and help her settle in. They get to stay for a few hours on Tuesday morning and then begin the 16-hour journey home, stopping somewhere to stay Tuesday night and arriving home on Wednesday in time for Chad to get some sleep before getting up to work a Wednesday night shift! I'm glad Katie got to go with them; she's going to miss her older sister/best friend more than even I know. And Samantha is friends with both of them and will keep everyone laughing on the way down (relieving stress) while comforting Katie on the way home. It's actually best for me not to go; I have to teach anyway on Tuesday (my boss kind of expects me to be there), and I don't know if I could handle moving Mandie into her dorm room and then walking away. I do know that I would be a definite wet blanket the entire way home, tears streaming down my face and breathing through my mouth because my nose would be stopped up and winding up with the mother of all migraines brought on by my own misery. At least at home, I have three other children to distract me and demand my attention. Who knew I'd be thankful for more kids?!
God has proven His ability and desire to care for us in so many ways of late. We, being human, tend to see material gain or financial benefits as the only proof positive of God's loving care, but God knows that about us and sends us such proof occasionally just because He loves us. Amanda has been in near-constant communication with her contact at college, receiving information about dorm life, the job fair, and financial status. We had checked online earlier this summer to see how much she needed to walk on campus and found the amount to be about $950. With the $100/month scholarship she received after graduation, Amanda had just enough saved up. Then, just a week ago, Amanda received an email with her expenses broken down by category; unfortunately the bottom line read about $200 more than she had anticipated. This nearly sent her into a tailspin, worrying that they would turn her away at the door for not having enough money to make that full first payment. (God's hand of providence in three, two, one.......) Last night at church, people gave her hugs and handed her notes of encouragement. Tucked inside the envelopes were twenties and a couple of fifties! This, along with her final paycheck from one of her cleaning jobs, totaled $205. Praise the Lord!!! Once again, He gives just what we need just when we need it. Aaaaaaannnnndd, at church last night we were handed a letter that was addressed to The Ostrander Family but sent to the church address. Inside was a sweet note from someone in the area named Sharon who thanked us for this blog, reminded us we still had prayer partners everywhere, and enclosed a check for $200 to use any way we needed to. Amanda and I just looked at each other and grinned! We have a God in Heaven Who is just itching to bless us, don't we? Thank You, Lord, for Your wonderful hand of blessing on our family. We don't deserve it---we deserve hell---but He chooses to shower us with His love through the kindness of others. We get blessed and they get blessed.........it's a win/win situation!
Thank you for all your prayers, love, encouragement, and help throughout these last two years. It's been amazing to see God's family in action all across the world as you agonized with us, cried with us, shouted with us, and prayed with us. You have encouraged us and strengthened our hearts with your love and prayers and comments, and we hope to have helped you in return. God bless you richly for all you have been to our family. We love you guys!
Philippians 4: 19 "But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
Amanda is my oldest but not necessarily my most independent child. She is the only one who couldn't go to sleepovers when she was younger without getting so homesick she would throw up and have to be brought home again. She is very independent on the outside but very much a homebody on the inside. It took her a long time to even be willing to make the decision to move away from home; now she's going to be responsible for herself completely. She has to get a job right away in order to work her way through college. She has to plan her class schedule, her work schedule, her shopping schedule, and her ministry schedule.........not to mention finding time to eat! (She seriously thinks she'll starve to death in the first month because she won't have any time or money to eat!!) With each of her concerns, I've tried to alleviate the stress by assuring her it will all work out and God will take care of her, but that is something she will have to discover for herself. I have no doubt God will provide her with a good job, caring roommates, loving friends, and helpful teachers who will guide her through these next few years. She'll get to come home for Christmas and summer (I hope!), and each time we'll see her change more and more into the beautiful young adult God desires her to be. I'm going to miss her so much I literally can't even think about it without crying. God bless my Amanda Rae.
It's a very good thing we have a day off school today! I have the luxury of staying home, sitting on the couch, and crying any time I feel like it. And I've felt like it on average about every four minutes! You'd think no one else in the history of the world has ever had to send their firstborn off to college, right? The ladies at church last night were giving me hugs and assuring me they knew exactly how I felt and that it would be all right eventually. The men were joking about how glad I should be to "get one out of the house", but they too know how Chad and I feel. Chad gets to drive Amanda, along with Katie and their friend Samantha, down to college, but he doesn't get to stick around for a few days and help her settle in. They get to stay for a few hours on Tuesday morning and then begin the 16-hour journey home, stopping somewhere to stay Tuesday night and arriving home on Wednesday in time for Chad to get some sleep before getting up to work a Wednesday night shift! I'm glad Katie got to go with them; she's going to miss her older sister/best friend more than even I know. And Samantha is friends with both of them and will keep everyone laughing on the way down (relieving stress) while comforting Katie on the way home. It's actually best for me not to go; I have to teach anyway on Tuesday (my boss kind of expects me to be there), and I don't know if I could handle moving Mandie into her dorm room and then walking away. I do know that I would be a definite wet blanket the entire way home, tears streaming down my face and breathing through my mouth because my nose would be stopped up and winding up with the mother of all migraines brought on by my own misery. At least at home, I have three other children to distract me and demand my attention. Who knew I'd be thankful for more kids?!
God has proven His ability and desire to care for us in so many ways of late. We, being human, tend to see material gain or financial benefits as the only proof positive of God's loving care, but God knows that about us and sends us such proof occasionally just because He loves us. Amanda has been in near-constant communication with her contact at college, receiving information about dorm life, the job fair, and financial status. We had checked online earlier this summer to see how much she needed to walk on campus and found the amount to be about $950. With the $100/month scholarship she received after graduation, Amanda had just enough saved up. Then, just a week ago, Amanda received an email with her expenses broken down by category; unfortunately the bottom line read about $200 more than she had anticipated. This nearly sent her into a tailspin, worrying that they would turn her away at the door for not having enough money to make that full first payment. (God's hand of providence in three, two, one.......) Last night at church, people gave her hugs and handed her notes of encouragement. Tucked inside the envelopes were twenties and a couple of fifties! This, along with her final paycheck from one of her cleaning jobs, totaled $205. Praise the Lord!!! Once again, He gives just what we need just when we need it. Aaaaaaannnnndd, at church last night we were handed a letter that was addressed to The Ostrander Family but sent to the church address. Inside was a sweet note from someone in the area named Sharon who thanked us for this blog, reminded us we still had prayer partners everywhere, and enclosed a check for $200 to use any way we needed to. Amanda and I just looked at each other and grinned! We have a God in Heaven Who is just itching to bless us, don't we? Thank You, Lord, for Your wonderful hand of blessing on our family. We don't deserve it---we deserve hell---but He chooses to shower us with His love through the kindness of others. We get blessed and they get blessed.........it's a win/win situation!
Thank you for all your prayers, love, encouragement, and help throughout these last two years. It's been amazing to see God's family in action all across the world as you agonized with us, cried with us, shouted with us, and prayed with us. You have encouraged us and strengthened our hearts with your love and prayers and comments, and we hope to have helped you in return. God bless you richly for all you have been to our family. We love you guys!
Philippians 4: 19 "But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Back to school we go!
Here we are, gearing up for yet another school year. Remember when we were kids and still in school ourselves and all we could think at the end of August was how fast our summer vacation had flown by? It's no different now that we're adults! We look back over the summer and think how very short those two and a half months were. It seems like just yesterday we were packing up the classroom for summer break, and now this week we are putting all the charts back on the walls and making out lesson plans again. Did I even do anything this summer? Seriously, I think all our family did was sleep in, do cursory chores, and laze about. Hmmmmm.........on second thought, it sounds like we did summer right! :-D
My girls have been helping me get my classroom ready for school, which starts on Tuesday, August 27th. I've been able to clean out a bunch of teacher junk which I tend to hoard "for a rainy day." Well, since we live in Washington---aka RAIN FOREST---my "rainy day" stuff becomes my "every day" stuff, and what I haven't used by now I probably never will. Hence, the need to clear it all out. (I do this at home too, occasionally going through closets and boxes and taking loads of stuff to Goodwill. I've often told my kids not to expect to someday find wonderful antiques in Mom's attic 'cause I will have thrown them all away long beforehand!) Anyway, I've been fretting because I don't have any extra money to spend on special things for my classroom---which, being interpreted, means I can't just go buy anything that suits my fancy!---and decided to dig through my boxes of seasonal decorations to see if there was anything that needed to be tossed. To my surprise and delight, I found a couple of beginning-of-the-year bulletin board themes that someone had donated last year and I had grabbed up and simply filed away for use later. Well, NOW is later!! I was so excited and rather ashamed of my "poor me" attitude when I found them, and Amanda, Katie, Ashley, and I spent some time sticking them to the walls and door. I must say, they look pretty nice! I had to stop and thank God on purpose for providing those decorations just when I needed them........and of course apologize for my bad attitude and lack of faith that He would provide what I needed when I needed it. I know Philippians 4:19 is in the Book, but I forget to abide by it sometimes!
Bro. Minge, our principal, and I hammered out Dale's schedule yesterday. Praise the Lord! Dale is going to have the chance to catch up this year with his studies so that he doesn't lose any more ground academically. He is taking 8th grade math and English, but all other classes are 9th grade level. We hope Dale can work steadily enough at his English PACES to be able to complete the 8th grade course and continue straight into the 9th grade course. He will also be taking Earth Science in PACES, which is a 9th grade level course and counts as a full credit toward his diploma. We've cut out most electives, keeping Dale in 9th grade history (Pacific Northwest History/Geography) and Bible. He will have four study hall periods each day; this should allow him ample time to get his PACE work done as well as any homework and perhaps enable him to work ahead some in his PACES, thus finishing the 8th grade English course and working on into the 9th grade course. I've already sat down with Dale and talked with him about taking responsibility for himself and his grades, telling him that I intend to ride herd on him and make sure he's getting his work done. I also intend to ask Katie if she will keep an eye on him during study halls they may have together, but it is ultimately up to Dale to work hard and study hard. We can set up a good schedule and keep pushing him to stay on task, but Dale has to be the one to want to do it.
Emily is entering 2nd grade; Ashley is going into 7th grade; and Katie will be a junior this year. This is her last big year for academics, and she has at least one hard class (geometry). But she also gets to be my TA (teacher's assistant) for an hour after lunch, and she doesn't intend to join the volleyball team this year so she doesn't have to worry about her grades making her ineligible to play. Next year, as a senior, her class load will be much lighter and she'll be available to TA more. She's scared about some of her classes but looking forward to the year still. And then there's Amanda........our soon-to-be-gone-to-college student. She is so excited about college and scared nearly stiff at the same time. She has almost all of the stuff she needs, just a few odds and ends left to get. Now comes the chore of packing it all up to transport down there! She's attending Golden State Baptist College in Santa Clara, CA. We've known several people who attended there, including church kids and staff. I know she'll have a good time, get a solid education, receive further instruction in how to live her life for God's purpose, and maybe meet someone special! She's poised on the brink of the rest of her life, and I can't wait to see what God has in store for her. She's such a wonderful, caring, sweet, beautiful person, and I'm so proud to call her my daughter. I'm going to miss her so much I can't think about it without crying, but I wouldn't hold her back from this for anything. She's going to be someone greatly used of God, I know.
I don't know where you are in life, whether you are young and just starting out like Mandie or a young married person with a child or two or middle-aged (like I guess I have to call myself!) or nearing the end of God's path for your life; regardless, I want to challenge you to ask God to show you His will........and then do it. Ask God for some great thing, some impossible thing........and then believe He will bring it to pass. Talk to Him and wait for His answer. It will come; we just have to slow down enough to hear it. We get so busy racing around that we can't hear that still, small voice. I think we kind of want God to do some huge, unexplained thing to get our attention so that we have a big story to tell about how God Himself talked to us. We want to see His hand appear and begin writing on our dining room wall exactly what He wants us to do so that we can have visible proof that He has spoken to us. Just talk to Him, and He'll answer. Give Him a chance to get through to you; pay attention when the Spirit touches your heart; read His Word. You'll be amazed to realize that the God of Heaven doesn't just love the world..........He loves you.
Jeremiah 33: 3 "Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not."
My girls have been helping me get my classroom ready for school, which starts on Tuesday, August 27th. I've been able to clean out a bunch of teacher junk which I tend to hoard "for a rainy day." Well, since we live in Washington---aka RAIN FOREST---my "rainy day" stuff becomes my "every day" stuff, and what I haven't used by now I probably never will. Hence, the need to clear it all out. (I do this at home too, occasionally going through closets and boxes and taking loads of stuff to Goodwill. I've often told my kids not to expect to someday find wonderful antiques in Mom's attic 'cause I will have thrown them all away long beforehand!) Anyway, I've been fretting because I don't have any extra money to spend on special things for my classroom---which, being interpreted, means I can't just go buy anything that suits my fancy!---and decided to dig through my boxes of seasonal decorations to see if there was anything that needed to be tossed. To my surprise and delight, I found a couple of beginning-of-the-year bulletin board themes that someone had donated last year and I had grabbed up and simply filed away for use later. Well, NOW is later!! I was so excited and rather ashamed of my "poor me" attitude when I found them, and Amanda, Katie, Ashley, and I spent some time sticking them to the walls and door. I must say, they look pretty nice! I had to stop and thank God on purpose for providing those decorations just when I needed them........and of course apologize for my bad attitude and lack of faith that He would provide what I needed when I needed it. I know Philippians 4:19 is in the Book, but I forget to abide by it sometimes!
Bro. Minge, our principal, and I hammered out Dale's schedule yesterday. Praise the Lord! Dale is going to have the chance to catch up this year with his studies so that he doesn't lose any more ground academically. He is taking 8th grade math and English, but all other classes are 9th grade level. We hope Dale can work steadily enough at his English PACES to be able to complete the 8th grade course and continue straight into the 9th grade course. He will also be taking Earth Science in PACES, which is a 9th grade level course and counts as a full credit toward his diploma. We've cut out most electives, keeping Dale in 9th grade history (Pacific Northwest History/Geography) and Bible. He will have four study hall periods each day; this should allow him ample time to get his PACE work done as well as any homework and perhaps enable him to work ahead some in his PACES, thus finishing the 8th grade English course and working on into the 9th grade course. I've already sat down with Dale and talked with him about taking responsibility for himself and his grades, telling him that I intend to ride herd on him and make sure he's getting his work done. I also intend to ask Katie if she will keep an eye on him during study halls they may have together, but it is ultimately up to Dale to work hard and study hard. We can set up a good schedule and keep pushing him to stay on task, but Dale has to be the one to want to do it.
Emily is entering 2nd grade; Ashley is going into 7th grade; and Katie will be a junior this year. This is her last big year for academics, and she has at least one hard class (geometry). But she also gets to be my TA (teacher's assistant) for an hour after lunch, and she doesn't intend to join the volleyball team this year so she doesn't have to worry about her grades making her ineligible to play. Next year, as a senior, her class load will be much lighter and she'll be available to TA more. She's scared about some of her classes but looking forward to the year still. And then there's Amanda........our soon-to-be-gone-to-college student. She is so excited about college and scared nearly stiff at the same time. She has almost all of the stuff she needs, just a few odds and ends left to get. Now comes the chore of packing it all up to transport down there! She's attending Golden State Baptist College in Santa Clara, CA. We've known several people who attended there, including church kids and staff. I know she'll have a good time, get a solid education, receive further instruction in how to live her life for God's purpose, and maybe meet someone special! She's poised on the brink of the rest of her life, and I can't wait to see what God has in store for her. She's such a wonderful, caring, sweet, beautiful person, and I'm so proud to call her my daughter. I'm going to miss her so much I can't think about it without crying, but I wouldn't hold her back from this for anything. She's going to be someone greatly used of God, I know.
I don't know where you are in life, whether you are young and just starting out like Mandie or a young married person with a child or two or middle-aged (like I guess I have to call myself!) or nearing the end of God's path for your life; regardless, I want to challenge you to ask God to show you His will........and then do it. Ask God for some great thing, some impossible thing........and then believe He will bring it to pass. Talk to Him and wait for His answer. It will come; we just have to slow down enough to hear it. We get so busy racing around that we can't hear that still, small voice. I think we kind of want God to do some huge, unexplained thing to get our attention so that we have a big story to tell about how God Himself talked to us. We want to see His hand appear and begin writing on our dining room wall exactly what He wants us to do so that we can have visible proof that He has spoken to us. Just talk to Him, and He'll answer. Give Him a chance to get through to you; pay attention when the Spirit touches your heart; read His Word. You'll be amazed to realize that the God of Heaven doesn't just love the world..........He loves you.
Jeremiah 33: 3 "Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not."
Monday, August 5, 2013
A life worth living..........
People who aren't saved sometimes look at us and wonder,"Why in the world would anyone choose to be a Christian?" Have you ever had a family member or friend ask you that? "What's so great about church? I mean, isn't Jesus dead?" Even saved people who aren't fully surrendered to living for God don't really know why we are so involved in our church and God's service. They think we're part of some cult, that we're brainwashed into thinking we're happy while some revered official bilks us of all our worldly possessions.
Our pastor just preached about this last night in church. His sermon title was "What Sports Fans Can Teach Us." He reminded us that the word "fan" is a shortened form of "fanatic" and that some sports fans are, indeed, fanatic about their team. They stand by them when the team is losing, cheer for them when they are struggling, spend hundreds of dollars in merchandise or tickets, and have no problem speaking up for their team in the company of strangers. Our pastor challenged us to be just as fanatical about serving Christ. We should not be fair-weather Christians, attending church when we feel like it, putting money in the offering plate only if it doesn't interfere with our purchase of something else we want, and shying away from "too much" involvement in our church's ministries as if we'll be sucked in against our will. We should be more than willing to meet together in God's house as many times as our church holds services because that's our time to hear God's Word preached, be convicted of sins we need to let go of, be stirred to draw closer to our wonderful Lord, and fellowship with other Christians---some more mature, some less mature---in order to encourage each other in our pursuit of His holiness. We should be grateful enough to God for His blessings in our lives that giving Him ten percent or more or our income should be a joy, not a drudge. We should willingly volunteer for different ministries, knowing that Jesus, when He left this earth, commissioned His disciples and all those who follow Him to so do. No, the Bible doesn't specificially mention working in the nursery or driving a Sunday school bus or helping out in the baptistry as part of the Great Commission, but surely we can see that any service that aids our church in getting folks saved, teaching us how God says we should live, and encouraging us all to "press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" is a worthwhile occupation. We shouldn't find it difficult or embarrassing to speak up for Christ in everyday conversation. We should be ready and waiting for any opportunity to share our testimony of what Jesus has done in our lives or a few words pointing someone to Calvary.
But the real reason why we should be so fanatical about our God is simply because of Who He is and what He has done for us. I don't mean daily blessings or answers to prayer; I mean the fact that Jesus came to this earth for no reason other than to die for my sins, for your sins, for the sins of all mankind whether they accept His payment for their sins or not. The God Who created the entire universe just by speaking sent His holy and beloved Son to earth to suffer and die a most excruciating death because He desires a restored fellowship with us and we had no way of restoring that fellowship ourselves. God wants to talk with us; He wants to walk with us; He wants to hear us ask Him for what we need and tell Him about our day. God expects the world---unsaved people---to ignore Him, but the sad truth is, most of us saved people turn our backs on Him and live as if we are the most important being in our lives. We go through the motions of being a good Christian at church on Sunday, but we barely give God the time of day the rest of the week. We make our own decisions without asking His counsel; we choose our mates without seeking His approval; we rear our children without following His guidelines. We follow career paths, invest in retirement plans, spend our leisure time, and draw up our wills all without considering God's will and God's desires. Oh, we give Him a nod every Sunday morning; we may even sing in the choir. But do we involve God in our very lives? Better yet.......do we allow God to involve us in His plans? We shouldn't give God a portion of our time---we should surrender to Him our whole life to do with as He wills. And why? Because He loves us and has given everything for us.
Have you heard the song "But Still He Loved Me"? The first verse describes my actions as I help to crucify Jesus. Literally, as if I were there in Jerusalem that day, nailing His hands to the cross and following His progress as He staggered His way through the streets and up Mount Calvary, standing and watching His lifeblood drain away. Then the chorus: "But still He loved me, in death forgave me. By grace He saved me from all my sins. He now lives in my heart from where He'll ne'er depart, that Christ Who died for me on Calvary." Jesus gave His very life for me so that I might not just go to Heaven when I die, but live right now for Him. I have the opportunity to hold daily fellowship with God Almighty because He has given me this wondrous gift of life. Why wouldn't I serve Him? Why wouldn't any of us? It's not so much to ask to read my Bible each day, to pray and talk to God about everything, to meet Him in His house regularly, to tell others about Him whenever we can.
People may look at our family with pity and some confusion since Dale's accident. It would be so easy to rage at God and ask Him how He could let our son drown (on a church-sponsored trip, no less!). We could be angry with God and question why He hasn't healed Dale fully from his accident. Don't we have enough faith? We could blame the youth leader and the chaperones for not watching the teens well enough to prevent the tragedy from ever happening. We could turn our backs on our church family, on God, on everything we've ever known because of what our family has endured over the last two years and what Dale will probably have to struggle with for the rest of his life. This is exactly what many families who have faced similar tragedies have done; this is what the world expects us to do. But, trusting God means trusting God. It's easy to trust Him when the sun shines brightly and life's road is smooth. But when the dark clouds of sorrow or tragedy cover the sun and we can't see clearly, it's harder to trust God. That is the real meaning of trust---continuing to follow God when we can't see the way, when we can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, when all there is around us is tunnel. Trusting God is the only way to get through this life with our sanity intact. You see, it's as simple as this: as much as I may desire it, I don't have to see the reason behind God's workings. I don't have to see the end result; I just have to see the Saviour. If I keep my eyes on Him, I can keep walking through the storm and the darkness and the fear and the struggles. Keep your eyes on Jesus.
Thank you again to all of you who have been with us on this journey. Your prayers, your tears, and your encouragement have been so wonderfully helpful to our whole family. It's been an incredible two years, hasn't it? May the next two years see our faith and trust in God continue to increase as we let Him have His way in our lives. God bless you as you serve Him.
I Kings 18: 36 - 39 "And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that Thou art God in Israel, and that I am Thy servant, and that I have done all these things at Thy word. Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that Thou art the LORD God, and that Thou hast turned their heart back again. Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, He is the God; the LORD, He is the God."
Our pastor just preached about this last night in church. His sermon title was "What Sports Fans Can Teach Us." He reminded us that the word "fan" is a shortened form of "fanatic" and that some sports fans are, indeed, fanatic about their team. They stand by them when the team is losing, cheer for them when they are struggling, spend hundreds of dollars in merchandise or tickets, and have no problem speaking up for their team in the company of strangers. Our pastor challenged us to be just as fanatical about serving Christ. We should not be fair-weather Christians, attending church when we feel like it, putting money in the offering plate only if it doesn't interfere with our purchase of something else we want, and shying away from "too much" involvement in our church's ministries as if we'll be sucked in against our will. We should be more than willing to meet together in God's house as many times as our church holds services because that's our time to hear God's Word preached, be convicted of sins we need to let go of, be stirred to draw closer to our wonderful Lord, and fellowship with other Christians---some more mature, some less mature---in order to encourage each other in our pursuit of His holiness. We should be grateful enough to God for His blessings in our lives that giving Him ten percent or more or our income should be a joy, not a drudge. We should willingly volunteer for different ministries, knowing that Jesus, when He left this earth, commissioned His disciples and all those who follow Him to so do. No, the Bible doesn't specificially mention working in the nursery or driving a Sunday school bus or helping out in the baptistry as part of the Great Commission, but surely we can see that any service that aids our church in getting folks saved, teaching us how God says we should live, and encouraging us all to "press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" is a worthwhile occupation. We shouldn't find it difficult or embarrassing to speak up for Christ in everyday conversation. We should be ready and waiting for any opportunity to share our testimony of what Jesus has done in our lives or a few words pointing someone to Calvary.
But the real reason why we should be so fanatical about our God is simply because of Who He is and what He has done for us. I don't mean daily blessings or answers to prayer; I mean the fact that Jesus came to this earth for no reason other than to die for my sins, for your sins, for the sins of all mankind whether they accept His payment for their sins or not. The God Who created the entire universe just by speaking sent His holy and beloved Son to earth to suffer and die a most excruciating death because He desires a restored fellowship with us and we had no way of restoring that fellowship ourselves. God wants to talk with us; He wants to walk with us; He wants to hear us ask Him for what we need and tell Him about our day. God expects the world---unsaved people---to ignore Him, but the sad truth is, most of us saved people turn our backs on Him and live as if we are the most important being in our lives. We go through the motions of being a good Christian at church on Sunday, but we barely give God the time of day the rest of the week. We make our own decisions without asking His counsel; we choose our mates without seeking His approval; we rear our children without following His guidelines. We follow career paths, invest in retirement plans, spend our leisure time, and draw up our wills all without considering God's will and God's desires. Oh, we give Him a nod every Sunday morning; we may even sing in the choir. But do we involve God in our very lives? Better yet.......do we allow God to involve us in His plans? We shouldn't give God a portion of our time---we should surrender to Him our whole life to do with as He wills. And why? Because He loves us and has given everything for us.
Have you heard the song "But Still He Loved Me"? The first verse describes my actions as I help to crucify Jesus. Literally, as if I were there in Jerusalem that day, nailing His hands to the cross and following His progress as He staggered His way through the streets and up Mount Calvary, standing and watching His lifeblood drain away. Then the chorus: "But still He loved me, in death forgave me. By grace He saved me from all my sins. He now lives in my heart from where He'll ne'er depart, that Christ Who died for me on Calvary." Jesus gave His very life for me so that I might not just go to Heaven when I die, but live right now for Him. I have the opportunity to hold daily fellowship with God Almighty because He has given me this wondrous gift of life. Why wouldn't I serve Him? Why wouldn't any of us? It's not so much to ask to read my Bible each day, to pray and talk to God about everything, to meet Him in His house regularly, to tell others about Him whenever we can.
People may look at our family with pity and some confusion since Dale's accident. It would be so easy to rage at God and ask Him how He could let our son drown (on a church-sponsored trip, no less!). We could be angry with God and question why He hasn't healed Dale fully from his accident. Don't we have enough faith? We could blame the youth leader and the chaperones for not watching the teens well enough to prevent the tragedy from ever happening. We could turn our backs on our church family, on God, on everything we've ever known because of what our family has endured over the last two years and what Dale will probably have to struggle with for the rest of his life. This is exactly what many families who have faced similar tragedies have done; this is what the world expects us to do. But, trusting God means trusting God. It's easy to trust Him when the sun shines brightly and life's road is smooth. But when the dark clouds of sorrow or tragedy cover the sun and we can't see clearly, it's harder to trust God. That is the real meaning of trust---continuing to follow God when we can't see the way, when we can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, when all there is around us is tunnel. Trusting God is the only way to get through this life with our sanity intact. You see, it's as simple as this: as much as I may desire it, I don't have to see the reason behind God's workings. I don't have to see the end result; I just have to see the Saviour. If I keep my eyes on Him, I can keep walking through the storm and the darkness and the fear and the struggles. Keep your eyes on Jesus.
Thank you again to all of you who have been with us on this journey. Your prayers, your tears, and your encouragement have been so wonderfully helpful to our whole family. It's been an incredible two years, hasn't it? May the next two years see our faith and trust in God continue to increase as we let Him have His way in our lives. God bless you as you serve Him.
I Kings 18: 36 - 39 "And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that Thou art God in Israel, and that I am Thy servant, and that I have done all these things at Thy word. Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that Thou art the LORD God, and that Thou hast turned their heart back again. Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, He is the God; the LORD, He is the God."
Friday, July 26, 2013
Almost two full years of miracles
Please forgive me for taking so long to update this blog! I can't plead a busy work schedule since school's out for the summer, but I still cling to the "I'm a mother of five" excuse for not being more diligent about updating everyone who still follows Dale's progress. Not that that really holds water either since my youngest is seven and all my children are old enough to fend for themselves---to a certain extent! Emily (seven year old) is still too short to reach the upper cabinets in the kitchen or hold the tea jug steady to pour herself a drink, but the rest of them have no excuse! Even Dale, bless his heart, is able to get himself a drink or snack whenever he wants to........and he's had to remind me often that he can do it just fine. I tend to think that, because he needs supervision walking up or down stairs and still needs a hand when walking in a crowded or unfamiliar place, he can't do anything for himself. Then I start smothering him instead of mothering him!
As for Dale's progress, he's doing okay. I don't grade him as great because he still has a ways to go, but he's definitely better than right after his accident. Summertime is always hard for him because it's just too easy to sit on the couch and vegetate! During the school year he has to be up and moving at regular intervals, but on summer break he feels it's his constitutional right to play video games all day. Chad has instituted a mandatory reading time each day to keep his mind active, and we are trying to get Dale exercising each day (simple sit-ups, stretches, and balance work) to keep his brain from forgetting how to move his body. A year ago, when we stopped physical therapy (insurance difficulties), Dale was walking pretty well and only had real struggles with falling. Once he loses his balance, there's no stopping till he hits the ground! Somehow, his brain has no ability to think fast enough to put his arms out to catch himself. Now, though, Dale thinks too much about falling and so precipitates the accidents instead of avoiding them. He literally puts his body in a position to fall instead of straightening up and walking correctly. He has also formed the habit of moseying along like a cowboy---hips forward, long lunges, with the addition of hunched shoulders and stationary arms. When he is reminded, he will pull his shoulders back, pull his hips back, and swing his arms, giving him a much more natural gait. Lots of progress still to be made!
Dale's speech is still slowed, causing no end of frustration on the part of his listeners whenever he wants to say something. He talks as if he's just learned the English language and must phrase each sentence absolutely perfectly or he will be reprimanded. This causes him to start and re-start and re-start a sentence until he gets all the words in place that he desires before finishing the thought that he began a couple of minutes ago! It's kind of like having to wait patiently while a stutterer speaks; you don't want to be rude and hurry them along or finish their sentence for them, but you don't want to be stuck there all day waiting for them to speak their mind. (Any stutterers: I am not talking about you personally, and I am deeply sorry if I have offended you.) However, Dale is able to speak well; he can read well; he understands just fine. It's so easy, isn't it, when you see someone obviously handicapped like Dale, to assume that they can't understand normal speech, right? Folks who don't know Dale very well still talk to him like he's four years old. "Well, Dale, how are you today?" and then look at me and say, "He's doing really well, isn't he?" Dale doesn't help matters either by taking at least five seconds to respond to their simple question. If you're around Dale for any length of time, you soon realize that he isn't retarded, just weird!!!
One major improvement that I'm not sure I've mentioned is that Dale is able to release things from his hands much easier than during his stay at the hospital. He used to have such trouble throwing a ball or rolling dice; his brain wouldn't let his fingers let go of the object. We were playing a board game recently, and Dale was rolling the dice and moving his piece quite easily. When he throws something, his aim might be off but his release is wonderful to see. (I'm not sure how this ability will help him in life unless he becomes a professional baseball player---doubtful---or a professional gambler---over my dead body!)
We're approaching the two-year anniversary of God's wonderful miracle in our boy and the aftermath of God's people praying. If you could have told me two years ago that God was going to use an terrifying accident to lead people across the world to unite in prayer, I would have been rather puzzled. After all, things like that just don't happen nowadays. If you had told me that God would perform such a drastic change in our family, I would have begged it not to be. I'd always prayed for God to use our family, but I never imagined it would be this way. If you had told me then that two years later, people would still be reading this blog and following God's miracle in Dale, I would have been disbelieving. Isn't it a good thing God doesn't act on our unbelief but rather on the infinitesimal belief we do have? Isn't it wonderful that our God's size is not based on our thinking but on His ability? Thank You, Lord, for Your blessings on us, our family, our son, our daughters, our friends, our church, our prayer partners whom we've never met. Our God still lives and works today. If you have any doubts about that, just page back a year or two and read all about it! God bless you.
Romans 8: 28 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."
As for Dale's progress, he's doing okay. I don't grade him as great because he still has a ways to go, but he's definitely better than right after his accident. Summertime is always hard for him because it's just too easy to sit on the couch and vegetate! During the school year he has to be up and moving at regular intervals, but on summer break he feels it's his constitutional right to play video games all day. Chad has instituted a mandatory reading time each day to keep his mind active, and we are trying to get Dale exercising each day (simple sit-ups, stretches, and balance work) to keep his brain from forgetting how to move his body. A year ago, when we stopped physical therapy (insurance difficulties), Dale was walking pretty well and only had real struggles with falling. Once he loses his balance, there's no stopping till he hits the ground! Somehow, his brain has no ability to think fast enough to put his arms out to catch himself. Now, though, Dale thinks too much about falling and so precipitates the accidents instead of avoiding them. He literally puts his body in a position to fall instead of straightening up and walking correctly. He has also formed the habit of moseying along like a cowboy---hips forward, long lunges, with the addition of hunched shoulders and stationary arms. When he is reminded, he will pull his shoulders back, pull his hips back, and swing his arms, giving him a much more natural gait. Lots of progress still to be made!
Dale's speech is still slowed, causing no end of frustration on the part of his listeners whenever he wants to say something. He talks as if he's just learned the English language and must phrase each sentence absolutely perfectly or he will be reprimanded. This causes him to start and re-start and re-start a sentence until he gets all the words in place that he desires before finishing the thought that he began a couple of minutes ago! It's kind of like having to wait patiently while a stutterer speaks; you don't want to be rude and hurry them along or finish their sentence for them, but you don't want to be stuck there all day waiting for them to speak their mind. (Any stutterers: I am not talking about you personally, and I am deeply sorry if I have offended you.) However, Dale is able to speak well; he can read well; he understands just fine. It's so easy, isn't it, when you see someone obviously handicapped like Dale, to assume that they can't understand normal speech, right? Folks who don't know Dale very well still talk to him like he's four years old. "Well, Dale, how are you today?" and then look at me and say, "He's doing really well, isn't he?" Dale doesn't help matters either by taking at least five seconds to respond to their simple question. If you're around Dale for any length of time, you soon realize that he isn't retarded, just weird!!!
One major improvement that I'm not sure I've mentioned is that Dale is able to release things from his hands much easier than during his stay at the hospital. He used to have such trouble throwing a ball or rolling dice; his brain wouldn't let his fingers let go of the object. We were playing a board game recently, and Dale was rolling the dice and moving his piece quite easily. When he throws something, his aim might be off but his release is wonderful to see. (I'm not sure how this ability will help him in life unless he becomes a professional baseball player---doubtful---or a professional gambler---over my dead body!)
We're approaching the two-year anniversary of God's wonderful miracle in our boy and the aftermath of God's people praying. If you could have told me two years ago that God was going to use an terrifying accident to lead people across the world to unite in prayer, I would have been rather puzzled. After all, things like that just don't happen nowadays. If you had told me that God would perform such a drastic change in our family, I would have begged it not to be. I'd always prayed for God to use our family, but I never imagined it would be this way. If you had told me then that two years later, people would still be reading this blog and following God's miracle in Dale, I would have been disbelieving. Isn't it a good thing God doesn't act on our unbelief but rather on the infinitesimal belief we do have? Isn't it wonderful that our God's size is not based on our thinking but on His ability? Thank You, Lord, for Your blessings on us, our family, our son, our daughters, our friends, our church, our prayer partners whom we've never met. Our God still lives and works today. If you have any doubts about that, just page back a year or two and read all about it! God bless you.
Romans 8: 28 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."
Friday, July 12, 2013
Visiting Grandparents!
Our family is all excited and going crazy because we have my folks visiting from Ohio for just over a week. Amanda and I picked them up from Sea-Tac Airport Monday evening and don't have to take them back until next Tuesday morning. Fun-filled days have followed since; we have been to an antique store, Mt. Rainier, the outlet stores in Centralia, church (!), and are now planning a thrift store trip. Ashley and Emily have enjoyed walking down to our neighborhood playground with Grandpa, and I have loved having my mom here. I have no idea what is planned for Saturday, but there is already a Dragon Buffet lunch scheduled after church Sunday. *sigh* I love having my parents come visit!
I am notorious for getting lost super easily. I have no sense of direction and must have detailed instructions in order to arrive anywhere without a complete breakdown. Needless to say, MapQuest has become my closest companion on trips! I made sure to look up directions to the airport and write them down carefully before Mandie and I left so I wouldn't get lost getting there or back. Mandie brought along her laptop in case the airport cell phone parking lot had wifi, and we planned to stop at a McDonald's to get something to drink on the way. In an effort to save gas, we didn't turn on the air conditioner, opting instead to roll down the windows and enjoy the breeze. Not ten minutes down the road, Amanda leaned down the grab a new CD and momentarily took her hand off the directions lying on her lap. You can guess what happened next! Mandie yelped, snatched at the air helplessly, and then sat back, chagrined. It all happened so fast that I didn't catch on for a few seconds. By the time my brain figured out what just occurred, the directions were just a speck of paper tumbling in my rear view mirror. Thankfully, McDonald's has wifi, so Mandie used her laptop to pull up the directions again so we could get to the airport on time!
Dale has been taking things in stride (pun intended) with our activities. He's not been sticking to a strict sleep schedule which affects his stamina and balance. Plus, he's not familiar with these places we've been going so he's hesitant to sally forth and conquer. I mean, at home he walks pretty well; at church and school, he's getting better. Even in Wal-Mart, Dale will eventually relax and walk somewhat normally. But take him to a new place and he automatically thinks there will be problems---which make him slow down, over think his actions, and shake a great deal more. Still, he's enjoyed each place we've been, doing what he can and not fretting over what he can't.........which is more than I can say about myself! We continue to pray for God's full healing and for Dale to listen when we give helpful hints.
I'll close now; we've got a lot to do! Enjoy your weekend!
Psalm 23: 4 "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me."
I am notorious for getting lost super easily. I have no sense of direction and must have detailed instructions in order to arrive anywhere without a complete breakdown. Needless to say, MapQuest has become my closest companion on trips! I made sure to look up directions to the airport and write them down carefully before Mandie and I left so I wouldn't get lost getting there or back. Mandie brought along her laptop in case the airport cell phone parking lot had wifi, and we planned to stop at a McDonald's to get something to drink on the way. In an effort to save gas, we didn't turn on the air conditioner, opting instead to roll down the windows and enjoy the breeze. Not ten minutes down the road, Amanda leaned down the grab a new CD and momentarily took her hand off the directions lying on her lap. You can guess what happened next! Mandie yelped, snatched at the air helplessly, and then sat back, chagrined. It all happened so fast that I didn't catch on for a few seconds. By the time my brain figured out what just occurred, the directions were just a speck of paper tumbling in my rear view mirror. Thankfully, McDonald's has wifi, so Mandie used her laptop to pull up the directions again so we could get to the airport on time!
Dale has been taking things in stride (pun intended) with our activities. He's not been sticking to a strict sleep schedule which affects his stamina and balance. Plus, he's not familiar with these places we've been going so he's hesitant to sally forth and conquer. I mean, at home he walks pretty well; at church and school, he's getting better. Even in Wal-Mart, Dale will eventually relax and walk somewhat normally. But take him to a new place and he automatically thinks there will be problems---which make him slow down, over think his actions, and shake a great deal more. Still, he's enjoyed each place we've been, doing what he can and not fretting over what he can't.........which is more than I can say about myself! We continue to pray for God's full healing and for Dale to listen when we give helpful hints.
I'll close now; we've got a lot to do! Enjoy your weekend!
Psalm 23: 4 "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me."
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