Birds

As the school year ended I was so looking forward to sitting out on my backyard deck and watching the birds at my bird feeders. Just sitting back, relaxing, and watching the birds - my summertime goal. For a number of reasons I haven't been able to spend as much time as I planned sitting and watching the birds. I spent the first week of vacation finishing up some curriculum work for school and this past week has proved frustrating in dealing with the effects of a water-damaged basement, as well as a dog with a hurt leg (it's getting better), and car trouble.

But I've discovered another reason why I haven't spent a lot of time watching the birds. I've found that birds can be a lot of work! I hadn't thought about how you have to continually clean the feeders. Occasionally the birds actually eat all the food; then I only need to rinse the feeder out and let it dry before refilling it. But often (especially in the expensive, squirrel-proof feeder), they don't finish all the food and the seeds begin to sprout. Then they really won't touch it. I've also noticed how the birds, especially sparrows, peck at the seeds, scattering much of it to the ground instead of eating it all. (That might have to do with the quality of the birdseed I bought, but still, it's kind of rude to toss all that on the ground!) Of course, any seed that falls to the ground ends up growing - as weeds - right in my garden. I've debated about putting plastic under the feeder as my extra layers of landscaping bark haven't stopped the weeds.

But the hummingbirds are the most picky. I have a hummingbird feeder and twice a hummingbird has come up to it, hovering over it, but not stopping to drink. I don't know if they don't like the feeder or the feeding solution, but it doesn't last, so I end up dumping it after a week and making more.

I also enjoy watching the birds drink from the birdbath. But they can't even keep that clean, and after a few days I need to wash that too.

After a couple of weeks of this I began to think "why bother." Let the birds go somewhere else. Forget about feeding them. But then I hear them singing in the trees. And I remember the beauty of the cardinal and goldfinch. And I'm reminded how nothing in this world is easy. I think of the messiness of my life and how God continually cleans me up and takes care of me. He constantly prepares and provides for me, even when I'm picky and hover without stopping. He provides me with "Living Water" that is always clean.

So, I guess I can continue feeding my backyard birds. Once the preparation work is done, I can again sit and watch them eat and drink and take pleasure in their beauty. And thank God that He cares for me more than I care for the birds.

I've got some feeders to clean!

Spring Reading Thing - Wrap Up

I really enjoyed participating in the Spring Reading Thing 2009 set up by Katrina at the Callapidder Days blog (www.callapidderdays.com). I love to read and chose a list of books I thought I could complete in the three month time period. Out of the 12 books on my list, I finished 8 1/2. My favorite was probably "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas." The author used a child's point of view to describe the concentration camps of World War 2. Although the book has a child-like innocence to it and is a quick easy read, it shows the horrors of the holocaust in a new way. I also enjoyed "A Lion Called Christian" and Jodi Picoult's new book, "Handle With Care." Here is my list from March with the dates I finished the books:

1. The Hour I First Believed (Wally Lamb) - Finished 4/3
2. The Translator (Daoud Hari) - Finished 4/6
3. 3:16 The Numbers of Hope (Max Lucado) - Finished 4/14
4. Daughters of the Desert (Claire R. Murphy et. al.) - Finished 4/8
5. Handle With Care (Jodi Picoult) - Finished 4/25; WOW!
6. A Lion Called Christian (John Rendall et. al.) - Finished 5/24
7. The Choice (Nicholas Sparks)
8. The Tale of Edgar Sawtelle (David Wroblewski)
9. Same Kind of Different as Me (Ron Hall & Denver Moore)
10. The Glass Castle (Jeanette Walls)
11. Merle’s Door: Lessons From a Free-thinking Dog (Ted Kerasote) - Finished 6/12
12. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (John Boyne) - Finished 4/14, Excellent Book!!

My 1/2 book is "The Glass Castle." I read half of it and then several other books were ready at the library, so I returned it with plans to finish it later. I still haven't been back to pick it up but hope to this summer. I also plan to read the four books I missed during the summer; in fact, I have "Same Kind of Different As Me" on the counter right now, but I have to finish another book before I start it. The reason I didn't finish all the books on my list is that I kept finding additional books to read. Since I finished 5 additional books not on my list, I figure I did all right. I loved Mary Higgins Clark's new book, "Just Take My Heart" and "Tea Time for the Traditionally Built," the new Number One Ladies Detective Agency book by Alexander McCall Smith.

The difficult part of the challenge for me was feeling okay to deviate from my list. I'm definitely a list person (love to cross off tasks when they're accomplished) and at first I felt guilty for reading a book that wasn't on my list. But then I decided that the list was a starting point and the main point was just to enjoy reading good books. The thing I liked best about the challenge is seeing the books that others are reading and hearing their opinions. I also think it's neat to see how many people participated in the Spring Reading Thing - almost 250 people - that's awesome! I can't wait until next spring!

What To Post??

I could write about the "Holland Flood" we've experienced over the last couple of days. How I finally arrived home late last night after finding all the roads leading to my street closed because of flooding. How I found a large pond in my backyard covering my garden. How I felt when I went in the basement and saw water all over. And how I decided that at 12:30 in the morning I was going to bed and deal with it later. How my wonderful parents came to bring me their carpet cleaner this morning which we turned into a "water picker-upper" in the basement. How the backyard pond dissolved ... evaporated ... drained ... somehow disappeared, leaving a lot of landscape bark all over the lawn. How it's going to take a while to totally get rid of the water in the basement carpet.

I could write about the enjoyable evening I had with some high school friends last night. Four of us still get together twice a year after graduating from Grand Rapids Christian High School 28 years ago (wow, that's a long time!). The nice dinner and conversation we had, playing wii bowling (and beating the others!), and watching the thunderstorm outside. Apparently it was a good thing we didn't meet at my house or they never would have made it home from Holland.

I could write about my trip to Chicago this past Wednesday. A friend and I went to see the musical "Fiddler On The Roof" downtown. The weather was nice enough that we could spend time walking through Millennium Park, enjoying the gardens and sculptures. We even were able to listen to the Grant Park Orchestra's rehearsal which was pretty cool. After a lunch at the Corner Bakery we went to the theater and saw a wonderful performance. It was a great day.

It's been a week of ups and downs; I guess like every other week - like life in general. I'm thankful for friends and family who can share the good and the bad and bring encouragement along the way.

Pigged Out!

Tosca had her yearly visit with the vet this morning. The major difference is that the first question from the doctor was, "So how is Tosca doing for an eleven year old dog?" She also asked about Tosca's hearing and vision, questions we've never had before. I guess I now have a middle-aged dog. Anyway, Tosca got caught up on her shots, was pronounced healthy (although she has to go back for a teeth cleaning next week), and we loaded up on heartworm prevention pills and flea prevention stuff before heading back home. Thank goodness for credit cards!

We spent the afternoon at a pig farm. A friend invited us to come and see the baby pigs. Now Tosca has never been on a farm or seen any farm animals, so I was curious how she would act. She enjoyed sitting outside in the grass and the walk over to the farm. And when we walked near the building where the pigs are kept, she certainly smelled that there was something interesting in there. We sat outside the building and held a couple of the tiny pigs (just born yesterday). They were so cute. One cuddled right up and went to sleep on my arm. Tosca was curious and sniffed the piglets at first, but then she saw the resident dog who was much more interesting to her. After a while I took her inside and we walked past some of the larger pens. The adult pigs were eating but all looked up and watched us as we passed by. It was a little intimidating (they are really big), ad Tosca wasn't really thrilled about walking past all the big pigs. I wonder what she and the pigs were thinking. Anyway, she was really glad to get back outside. I, however, enjoyed seeing the pigs, especially the little ones. I will admit, they are much cuter when they're little.

On our walk back we passed a pasture with several cows and two calves. We went up to the fence and two of the cows started walking toward us. Tosca went up to the fence wagging her tail ... until they got closer. Then she stepped back behind me as if to say, "That's enough. Let's go now." After her busy day, she had a nice long nap when we got home.

P.S. I learned that there is a difference between city dog poop and country dog poop. In the country, you don't need to pick it up with a baggie and dispose of it. It's called fertilizer. Not so in the city.

Three Totally Unrelated Topics

The following are three totally unrelated descriptions, except that all three happened this weekend.

I bought groceries yesterday morning. Just a normal, weekly (well, more like monthly, since I'm only buying for one person) activity. Buying groceries is not an activity I usually look forward to, but yesterday morning was rather gloomy and I had run out of several things, so I actually was kind of enjoying myself in the grocery store. Until I was in the checkout lane. As I glanced over all the items I was purchasing on the conveyor belt, a feeling of guilt came over me. Guilt that I could have all this food when so many people around the world go hungry; guilt that I was free to purchase what I wanted when so many can't. But, interestingly, a second thought almost immediately came to my mind. Instead of feeling guilty, why don't you feel thankful? And instantly my thought process changed. I was struck by the wide variety of foods that lay on the conveyor belt and said a silent thank-you prayer to God. What an amazing God He is to create so many fruits and vegetables, along with giving people the ability to mix ingredients together to come up with new meals. And all this is available to me! So I can savor a loaf of freshly-baked Ukranian bread, enjoy a spinach-artichoke dip with tortilla chips, make spaghetti and meatballs with parmesan cheese, and share a bite of frozen pizza with my dog, Tosca. I know there is a time and place for guilt, but yesterday I decided to feel appreciation for the ability and finances God has provided me to enjoy shopping for groceries. And what do you know? As I was driving home, the sky cleared up and the sun came out!

Since the weather turned nice, I decided to spend Saturday afternoon in Grand Haven. It was a beautiful afternoon for just walking around outside. I first spent some time walking around at the Art Festival downtown. It was fun to watch the kids at some of the activity booths and I enjoyed the different artwork for sale, although I didn't purchase anything. I did notice a number of people walking around with their dogs; I think Grand Haven must be more dog-friendly than Holland is. But Tosca had been left at home (we did go for a walk later, so don't feel sorry for her.) Then I went to see the "Feast of the Strawberry Moon" at Harbor Island. I had read about it before but never taken the time to go; I'm glad I stopped by this year. It's basically a two-day event where people (many of them were families) dress and re-enact life in the 1700's along the lakeshore. There were voyageurs, military, fur traders, and craftspeople, all set up with tents and cooking pots around a large encampment. They also had educational demonstrations as well as entertainment for people to enjoy. This would be a great visit for area families, especially if the kids had recently learned about Michigan history. (It would be a great field trip, if it took place during the school year.) As I walked around, I wondered about the families participating in the experience. I would think this would be a great bonding experience as the family all works together. I saw one family where the father and two older kids were operating a woodworking machine, while a younger boy was carving wood, and the mother was preparing food. In another tented area, a father and two children all dressed in period clothes, were playing a game together. In a way, it reminded me of the camping trips my family took when I was growing up. We had such a good time being together. So, it might be like a camping trip with an emphasis on history for the families who participate in these re-enactments. I also wonder how many of these re-enactments most of the families participate in as it could get costly. For history buffs, it's a great hobby to involve the whole family with.

This afternoon, as I was sitting outside on the deck and reading the newspaper, I suddenly noticed a bird at the birdfeeder. There were two additional birds on the telephone wire near the feeder. One of these birds kept chirping at the bird at the feeder. As I watched, the feeder bird ate and then flew back to the wire and fed the two birds there. I don't know why they didn't all come to the feeder as they could all obviously fly, but there must be a reason. And the "mama" bird kept flying back and forth until both of the other birds were satisfied and then they all flew off.

All right, these three paragraphs had nothing in common except they all happened this weekend. But, on second thought, maybe there is something else they have in common. Something I think God is trying to remind me: Take time to enjoy life and be thankful for the experiences God brings to you.

Graduation ... Second Grade ...Prayer

Two weeks ago I sat in a church balcony and watched my second graders from ten years ago graduate from high school. It was so neat to see the young men and women they’ve become. One of my former students spoke during the ceremony and another played in the praise team. And they all walked across the platform to receive their diploma. I haven’t seen most of them since elementary school, and I wonder what their lives are like. I could see from the program where some will be attending college next fall, and I know of at least one former student who is in Israel right now. She told me that she’s wanted to go to Israel ever since being in my class because of the things I shared from my experience in Israel. I prayed for these young people back when they were in my class, and as I watched them graduate I prayed for them again. I attend our high school graduation ceremony every year because these are still “my kids” and they will always have a place in my heart.

One week ago I said good-bye to the second graders from this past year. I’ve watched them grow in knowledge, faith, and friendships during the past year and I’ve prayed for them as I do each year for my students. I pray that they will know that God loves them and will always be with them, that they will accept Jesus as their personal Savior, and that they will follow God’s will for their lives.

As I reflect on the calling God has given me to educate His children, it is such an awesome responsibility and privilege to impact these lives. I wonder what my present second graders - oops, I mean third graders (for a week now!) will be like in ten years when they graduate from high school. I wonder what God has in store for each of them as they grow, learn, and eventually find their place in His world.

It’s definitely nice to have a little break from teaching during the summer, but as I say good-bye to my present class, I will continue to pray for them. Oh, and I’m already beginning to pray for the students God is placing in my class next school year. I think the most important thing I can do for my students (past, present, and future) is to pray for them.