Given my military background it's not suprising that I spend a little time at different military blogs. This story http://www.military.com/blog/blackfive concerning SPC J.R. Salzman especially touched me for some reason though. Maybe it's because he's such a good looking kid; maybe it's because I was a speciallist too and he makes me reminice; maybe it's because when I look at his picture I see that same cocky self assurance and good humor that I see in my second oldest and I can't help but think that in a few years I could be in the same place his mother is in now. I don't know what it is for sure but I find myself praying for him often.
He's in the hospital having surgery daily now to repair the damage. He has a difficult road ahead and will need our prayers, but he seems to be a young man of great courage. Read the above site, then read his own at http://www.jrsalzman.com/weblog/ and see if you don't agree. Maybe you too will find the Lord impressing you to pray for him.
Friday, December 29, 2006
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Sometimes My Children Suprise Me
I have four boys ages 20, 18, 13, and 6. Their whole life we have used an Advent Wreath to help keep them focused on the real meaning of Christmas. It gives us 4 weeks or more to concentrate not on gifts and glitz but rather the gift God has given us in Christ. I love the time we spend; it's my favorite part of Christmas. On the other hand as we were getting to the end of Advent I got to thinking that maybe the older boys were getting too old to want to participate anymore. I could see how after so many years it might get boring. That thought saddened me, but I had decided that my youngest enjoyed it and need the lessons he could learn through the process. So, even though we only had a couple nights left, I packed up our wreath to take with us to my mothers house to continue to use on last two nights before Christmas.
The first night we were there my youngest fell asleep early and I thought that I wouldn't bother the older ones with lighting the candles since he was asleep. That was my plan. Imagine my suprise when my 18 year old calls me to come light the candles. I got into the my mothers breakfast room to find my 13 year old had carried the wreath in and was setting it up on the table. My mother joined us and I was a little embarrased that we were so loosely organized. Not that it was any different than any other night; I just would rather she thought I had things a little more together. It really bothers her sometimes that I'm not more structured, but that's who I am and that's how things go in a house with three teenage boys.
I asked who would like to light the candles, then after they were lit I read the nights verses. Next I asked who would like to pick the song, who would like to pray, and who wanted to blow out the candles. It's rather disorganized but we have lots of laughing and real worship. Everyone who's around is pulled in to participates, even my mother; she picked the song. It can't have been too bad though because she made sure to be there the next night and Christmas morning.
It really suprised me that the boys, as old as they are, still wanted to have the Advent Wreath be part of their Christmas. I don't know why I felt they didn't. I had never asked one way or the other. I just assumed. Bad mistake. It was a lesson I really needed.
The other thing the Lord taught me this Christmas was that perfect cookies are not important. My youngest wanted to help me with the cookies this year and I nearly told him no because I wanted them to look pretty and he was only six and wouldn't do them as well as I wanted. Thankfully the Lord grabbed me up short right away and hit me with the thought "What's more important, perfect cookies or perfect memories?" The Lord doesn't care if we have magazine cover homes with perfect cookies, perfect decorations and perfect tables. He's more interested that our children and the people we come in contact with are taught love. He doesn't want our children to think of this as a time of year containing nothing but stress as we try to impress everyone we come across. He wants them to see love in action, he wants them to hear about the depth of his love for us.
I sometimes think that if the early Christians saw all the hoops we jump through at this time of year they would stand and shake their heads sadly. They would be much more impressed with children that run to bring in a wreath and set it up so that they can hear again the story of God's love for them. It would make them smile that they want to worship Him for the proof His word gives down through the ages of that love in action. I know one thing for sure, God is certainly more impressed.
The first night we were there my youngest fell asleep early and I thought that I wouldn't bother the older ones with lighting the candles since he was asleep. That was my plan. Imagine my suprise when my 18 year old calls me to come light the candles. I got into the my mothers breakfast room to find my 13 year old had carried the wreath in and was setting it up on the table. My mother joined us and I was a little embarrased that we were so loosely organized. Not that it was any different than any other night; I just would rather she thought I had things a little more together. It really bothers her sometimes that I'm not more structured, but that's who I am and that's how things go in a house with three teenage boys.
I asked who would like to light the candles, then after they were lit I read the nights verses. Next I asked who would like to pick the song, who would like to pray, and who wanted to blow out the candles. It's rather disorganized but we have lots of laughing and real worship. Everyone who's around is pulled in to participates, even my mother; she picked the song. It can't have been too bad though because she made sure to be there the next night and Christmas morning.
It really suprised me that the boys, as old as they are, still wanted to have the Advent Wreath be part of their Christmas. I don't know why I felt they didn't. I had never asked one way or the other. I just assumed. Bad mistake. It was a lesson I really needed.
The other thing the Lord taught me this Christmas was that perfect cookies are not important. My youngest wanted to help me with the cookies this year and I nearly told him no because I wanted them to look pretty and he was only six and wouldn't do them as well as I wanted. Thankfully the Lord grabbed me up short right away and hit me with the thought "What's more important, perfect cookies or perfect memories?" The Lord doesn't care if we have magazine cover homes with perfect cookies, perfect decorations and perfect tables. He's more interested that our children and the people we come in contact with are taught love. He doesn't want our children to think of this as a time of year containing nothing but stress as we try to impress everyone we come across. He wants them to see love in action, he wants them to hear about the depth of his love for us.
I sometimes think that if the early Christians saw all the hoops we jump through at this time of year they would stand and shake their heads sadly. They would be much more impressed with children that run to bring in a wreath and set it up so that they can hear again the story of God's love for them. It would make them smile that they want to worship Him for the proof His word gives down through the ages of that love in action. I know one thing for sure, God is certainly more impressed.
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
I'm Home Again
We went to my mother's for Christmas. We weren't supposed to. We had spent Thanksgiving at my parents house and were supposed to spend Christmas here. But my mother knows me well and when she starts the "I guess there's no reason for me to bake" and "We probably wont even put up the tree" stuff, she has me and she knows it. It was a nice Christmas though and she did promise to spend both Thanksgiving and Christmas at our house next year.
Really, it would be better for them to come here in a way. I know it's a two hour drive and they are getting older, but mom really doesn't cook much any more and it wears her out to do the big meals. I ended up cooking most of the Thanksgiving dinner. I guess she felt guilty about it because she didn't let me help as much for Christmas. We did it together. I don't know, I'm not sure what the right thing to do is. I'll just have to pray about it.
My husband and I bought gifts for the boys and my parents but not for each other this year. We had, had to spend $300 on insureance for our sons car, $200 for new tires, and we still have to replace a fuel pump on one of the vehicles which will cost around $150. We also need to purchase some propane this week. That will come to around $150 - $200. So we said that we would wait until after the New Year.
I couldn't stand to see my husband not have a present though, so I made him a lap quilt. He caught me at the end. I was cutting apart an old pair of work pants of his to use in the boarder. He looked at me and asked "What you doing?" and I replied "oh nothing." He just smiled. Later he caught me ironing the pieces after I had cut them into 4 inch strips and again he asked "What cha doing?" and again I replied "Oh nothing." He stood there a minute smiling and then said "It doesn't look like nothing." I looked over at the pile of dark blue 4 inch strips of ironed cloth that I had turned his pants into and thought hard for something to say that wouldn't give it away. I opened my mouth to speak and out tumbled "Your pants seem to have some holes in them." He looked at me with a wide eyed, my wife has gone mad look for a seconded. At that point I said "It's okay, I can fix them. We have the technology." He looked at me for a second more and then doubled over in laughter. I said "No really I can." He walked out of the room shaking his head and laughing all the way to the living room.
I stayed up after he had gone to bed all night Saturday and a fair part of Sunday night tying the knots to hold the top and back together. I placed it in a shoe box, wrapped it up and put it under the tree. I got to bed around 2:00 in the morning and was up again at 6:00 so the boys could open their presents. Needless to say I was tired but I was also nervous because I really wanted him to like his gift. When my husband opened his present from me I didn't know what to think. He didn't say a whole lot. He pulled it out of the box, unfolded it, and then just sat there smoothing the the cloth with his hand while he looked at it. He didn't say a word. He still hasn't but when we were watching TV today, he sat down beside me and wrapped us both up in it. When he went to bed he took it with him. He has carried it around the house kind of like Linus does his.
It really wasn't much of a present. It's not very fancy. Just a bunch of scrap fabric I had on hand, sewn in a pretty simple pattern because I didn't have much time; but I think he likes it. I hope he likes it. I just wanted him to know how special I think he is. I just wanted him to have a present.
Really, it would be better for them to come here in a way. I know it's a two hour drive and they are getting older, but mom really doesn't cook much any more and it wears her out to do the big meals. I ended up cooking most of the Thanksgiving dinner. I guess she felt guilty about it because she didn't let me help as much for Christmas. We did it together. I don't know, I'm not sure what the right thing to do is. I'll just have to pray about it.
My husband and I bought gifts for the boys and my parents but not for each other this year. We had, had to spend $300 on insureance for our sons car, $200 for new tires, and we still have to replace a fuel pump on one of the vehicles which will cost around $150. We also need to purchase some propane this week. That will come to around $150 - $200. So we said that we would wait until after the New Year.
I couldn't stand to see my husband not have a present though, so I made him a lap quilt. He caught me at the end. I was cutting apart an old pair of work pants of his to use in the boarder. He looked at me and asked "What you doing?" and I replied "oh nothing." He just smiled. Later he caught me ironing the pieces after I had cut them into 4 inch strips and again he asked "What cha doing?" and again I replied "Oh nothing." He stood there a minute smiling and then said "It doesn't look like nothing." I looked over at the pile of dark blue 4 inch strips of ironed cloth that I had turned his pants into and thought hard for something to say that wouldn't give it away. I opened my mouth to speak and out tumbled "Your pants seem to have some holes in them." He looked at me with a wide eyed, my wife has gone mad look for a seconded. At that point I said "It's okay, I can fix them. We have the technology." He looked at me for a second more and then doubled over in laughter. I said "No really I can." He walked out of the room shaking his head and laughing all the way to the living room.
I stayed up after he had gone to bed all night Saturday and a fair part of Sunday night tying the knots to hold the top and back together. I placed it in a shoe box, wrapped it up and put it under the tree. I got to bed around 2:00 in the morning and was up again at 6:00 so the boys could open their presents. Needless to say I was tired but I was also nervous because I really wanted him to like his gift. When my husband opened his present from me I didn't know what to think. He didn't say a whole lot. He pulled it out of the box, unfolded it, and then just sat there smoothing the the cloth with his hand while he looked at it. He didn't say a word. He still hasn't but when we were watching TV today, he sat down beside me and wrapped us both up in it. When he went to bed he took it with him. He has carried it around the house kind of like Linus does his.
It really wasn't much of a present. It's not very fancy. Just a bunch of scrap fabric I had on hand, sewn in a pretty simple pattern because I didn't have much time; but I think he likes it. I hope he likes it. I just wanted him to know how special I think he is. I just wanted him to have a present.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
My Cookie Exchange Contribution
This is not a diet friendly cookie so if that is what you are looking for then you need to move on. On the other hand if you are looking for a fairly easy cookie to prepare that will have your family, friends and neighbors calling you blesses and asking for more then this is it. It is the absolute favorite of every one I know and I'm the only one they know who can make it so I get lots of requests. Oh, one more thing, you will need to purchase a pizzely iron if you don't have one already.
Pizzelle
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup margarine (melted)
2 Tbsp extract (I like traditional anise and almond best, but use what your favorite.)
3 1/2 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
water (optional, use if the batter is too thick)
Spray your pizzelle iron with Pam and allow it to preheat.
Beat the eggs and sugar together until light and smooth. Add margarine and the chosen extract. Sift flour and baking powder together and slowly add to the egg mixture, mixing the batter until smooth.
Place a Tbsp full in the middle of each pizzelle outline on the pizzelle iron. Allow to cook according to your irons instructions. I use a fork to remove each pizzelle from the top of the iron and then let them cool on a rack. After they are cool store them in an air tight container, That is provided you can stay ahead of the hungry mouths.
Now for the tricky part. You have to be sure that you have let the first one cook long enough. If its not ready then the iron will not open easily, at least mine wont. If you force it open you will have a mess from the pizzelle sticking to the top and bottom of the iron. Clean it up and try again letting it cook longer this time. If you let it cook too long it will burn (duh!) Don't give up. Count it as a lesson and continue on.
All that said, often the first one will stick at least until you have used it enough years to get it seasoned well. (Mine didn't stick at all this year.) Just clean up the mess the first one makes and continue on. Spray it with Pam again if you need to. It shouldn't stick any more and you shouldn't have to spray it again.
Pizzelle
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup margarine (melted)
2 Tbsp extract (I like traditional anise and almond best, but use what your favorite.)
3 1/2 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
water (optional, use if the batter is too thick)
Spray your pizzelle iron with Pam and allow it to preheat.
Beat the eggs and sugar together until light and smooth. Add margarine and the chosen extract. Sift flour and baking powder together and slowly add to the egg mixture, mixing the batter until smooth.
Place a Tbsp full in the middle of each pizzelle outline on the pizzelle iron. Allow to cook according to your irons instructions. I use a fork to remove each pizzelle from the top of the iron and then let them cool on a rack. After they are cool store them in an air tight container, That is provided you can stay ahead of the hungry mouths.
Now for the tricky part. You have to be sure that you have let the first one cook long enough. If its not ready then the iron will not open easily, at least mine wont. If you force it open you will have a mess from the pizzelle sticking to the top and bottom of the iron. Clean it up and try again letting it cook longer this time. If you let it cook too long it will burn (duh!) Don't give up. Count it as a lesson and continue on.
All that said, often the first one will stick at least until you have used it enough years to get it seasoned well. (Mine didn't stick at all this year.) Just clean up the mess the first one makes and continue on. Spray it with Pam again if you need to. It shouldn't stick any more and you shouldn't have to spray it again.
Wreaths Across America
Tomorrow all across the United States Worcester Wreath Company, who has in previous years supplied the wreaths for Arlington National Cemetery at Christmas, will be supplying wreaths for 230 state and national cemeteries, and veteran monuments. They will be working in concert with the Civil Air Patrol which is where my son comes in. He is on the honor guard of his CAP unit and will be serving as part of the honor guard for our local service at Fayetteville.
As a veteran and the wife and daughter of veterans, I am honored that the Worcester Wreath Company would do this. It is a great gift and I'm sure that it is a costly one as well. I am greatful to a company that would give so much to honor veterans. I am also honored that my son would be invited to participate. Thank you Worcester Wreaths.
I would encourage anyone having a service in their area to go and participate. I think you will be moved. More information about what is happening, as well as a rather moving vidio about it can be found at: http://www.wreathsacrossamerica.com/
As a veteran and the wife and daughter of veterans, I am honored that the Worcester Wreath Company would do this. It is a great gift and I'm sure that it is a costly one as well. I am greatful to a company that would give so much to honor veterans. I am also honored that my son would be invited to participate. Thank you Worcester Wreaths.
I would encourage anyone having a service in their area to go and participate. I think you will be moved. More information about what is happening, as well as a rather moving vidio about it can be found at: http://www.wreathsacrossamerica.com/
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Today Is a Cookie Day
As is tomarrow and the next and the next and the next. Lunch and dinner will be hard to come by but my children wont care and will even rise up and call me blessed. We will start with Sesame Seed, 3 batches of Pizzelies and, if I get that far today, Rasberry Ribbon.
First things first though. We start with a large, hearty bowl of Oatmeal and then I do the dishes. Maybe I can get my guys to help me take picture and upload them here. No guarantee though. I am not very computer savy so I'm not sure how to do it.
Well it's 9:00 so I'd better get started.
First things first though. We start with a large, hearty bowl of Oatmeal and then I do the dishes. Maybe I can get my guys to help me take picture and upload them here. No guarantee though. I am not very computer savy so I'm not sure how to do it.
Well it's 9:00 so I'd better get started.
Saturday, December 9, 2006
The Weather has Warmed Up . . .
But believe it or not we still have a little snow on the ground around the stone blocks we have stacked up for the porch we will be putting in come spring. I've lived in places where that wouldn't be unusual but this isn't one of them. At this time of year if it snows at all it's gone by the next day. I've never seen it stay for a week or more. I can't help wondering how that fits in with the idea of global warming.
I've been having a hard time this year with Christmas. Except for the year that my son died this has always been my favorite time of year. Around the end of October I get into full rev and am decorating and cooking. This year for some reason I haven't been able to get real excited until today. Today I needed to make cinnamon bread for the baskets our church is making for shut ins. Suddenly as I cooked I found myself getting excited. I guess I just needed to get off my duff and get to work. Isn't it funny how that works.
I had a long talk with a friend of mine after church. She was talking to me about her daughter with whom I am especially close. She said that she knew that her daughter and I talked about things, so she felt it would be OK to talk with me so that I would be able to pray for her a little more effectively. A lot of the stuff I already knew, some of it I suspected, a couple were worse than I suspected.
I think that one of her problems is simply growing up in a small town where everyone has lived their whole life and everyone knows everyone. Because I was in the military, and so was my husband and father, I have been able to do some traveling. This area was my fathers home when he was growing up. We moved back after he retired from the Air Force so I'm accepted. But because I've traveled away and come back people think I have a special knowledge some how. Strange. Anyway all that to say this. When you live in one place all your life with people who have lived in that place all their lives, sometimes it's hard to be allowed to grow up. It's like your parents; they have know you from day one and they always think of you as little Tommy or little Becky.
My Friend is almost as old as I was when we first moved back here. She is married and has two daughters of her own; yet people look at her as that young girl who was still in school. She is trying hard to take her place as an adult in our church and yet a number of the older women wont listen to some of the things she has to say because they see her as just a girl. It's hard for her. It's especially hard when the position you are trying to tackle and make changes to is one that was handled by a woman in her fifties who did the job for 20 years before she turned it over to my friend. Any changes she makes are taken personally and "can't possably work" because "we've nevery done it that way before". And anyway if "the way it was, worked well enough" why should we change. It's hard and my friend is getting very discouraged.
There are other things going on that I don't feel free to talk about but pray for her, she could really use it.
I've been having a hard time this year with Christmas. Except for the year that my son died this has always been my favorite time of year. Around the end of October I get into full rev and am decorating and cooking. This year for some reason I haven't been able to get real excited until today. Today I needed to make cinnamon bread for the baskets our church is making for shut ins. Suddenly as I cooked I found myself getting excited. I guess I just needed to get off my duff and get to work. Isn't it funny how that works.
I had a long talk with a friend of mine after church. She was talking to me about her daughter with whom I am especially close. She said that she knew that her daughter and I talked about things, so she felt it would be OK to talk with me so that I would be able to pray for her a little more effectively. A lot of the stuff I already knew, some of it I suspected, a couple were worse than I suspected.
I think that one of her problems is simply growing up in a small town where everyone has lived their whole life and everyone knows everyone. Because I was in the military, and so was my husband and father, I have been able to do some traveling. This area was my fathers home when he was growing up. We moved back after he retired from the Air Force so I'm accepted. But because I've traveled away and come back people think I have a special knowledge some how. Strange. Anyway all that to say this. When you live in one place all your life with people who have lived in that place all their lives, sometimes it's hard to be allowed to grow up. It's like your parents; they have know you from day one and they always think of you as little Tommy or little Becky.
My Friend is almost as old as I was when we first moved back here. She is married and has two daughters of her own; yet people look at her as that young girl who was still in school. She is trying hard to take her place as an adult in our church and yet a number of the older women wont listen to some of the things she has to say because they see her as just a girl. It's hard for her. It's especially hard when the position you are trying to tackle and make changes to is one that was handled by a woman in her fifties who did the job for 20 years before she turned it over to my friend. Any changes she makes are taken personally and "can't possably work" because "we've nevery done it that way before". And anyway if "the way it was, worked well enough" why should we change. It's hard and my friend is getting very discouraged.
There are other things going on that I don't feel free to talk about but pray for her, she could really use it.
Wednesday, December 6, 2006
Just Checking Things Out
Hmmm? I'm definitely not in Kansas any more. I wonder what this place is like? It's not quite home, but almost. Kind of like a PCS.
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