Feet For The Path

Winter Driving

2012-01-02T12:49:00.000-05:00

I gripped the handlebar tightly, placed my feet on the drag pad, and yelled “Let’s Go!” The four dogs eagerly bounded off as I hung on trying to steer the sled. My feet remained on the drag pad for several minutes, using it as a brake to slow the energetic dogs. I tried to remember all the instructions: lean into the turns, twist my feet on the runners/drag pad, and never let go. I looked up into the wooded landscape and could hardly believe it – I was actually dog sledding and driving my own team. I smiled, filled with excitement for what the next hour would bring.

We went slower at first, my team following behind my guide and her team as we twisted around bends in the trail. About five minutes into the ride I began to think this wasn’t so hard and began imagining what a pro I was. Ha! As we rounded the next curve, I leaned out a little too soon and the sled tipped to the side. As I felt myself falling with the sled, I squeezed the handlebar. I was not going to let go! The dogs stopped as I yelled to the guide, but I quickly righted the sled and we were off again. Besides, even Iditarod mushers have fallen off their sleds, so I figure I’m in good company.

We spent the next hour traversing the woods, moving easily from one trail to another. We went up and down slight hills and several good-sized bumps; my guide, Lyndsie, always warning when a turn or bump was coming up. The dogs often reached for the snow along the side of the trail, grabbing mouthfuls the way runners gulp water during their runs. Remembering to control the sled, I took time to look up and enjoy the beautiful winter scenery surrounding us. Alongside large barren trees grew tender beech saplings, their golden leaves shimmering in the breeze. The snow and grey, cloudy sky accentuated the beautiful leaves and trees. It was truly a winter wonderland.

We stopped about halfway to give the dogs a rest. They rolled around in the snow, their long tongues panting. One even used the opportunity to relieve herself by the side of the trail. (Note: I did find that dogs will poop when they’re running; nope, they never stop!) After hugging and petting the dogs, we took a few photos. And then the dogs were ready to get moving again – with renewed energy after their little break.

I made it past the spot where I had fallen when we started – I leaned into the turn just like a pro! As we neared the kennel, the rest of the dogs howled out their welcome, and I glided the sled to a smooth stop, shouting out a “Whoa!” to my dog team.

~~This was a once in a lifetime experience.~~ I can’t wait to come back and do this again!

Anyone want to do the overnight trip with me?

Here's a video I put together of my experience. Unfortunately, the camcorder didn't work quite the way we wanted, so the video clips don't show up full-screen (the camcorder is now labeled correctly). I highly recommend dog sledding, although I hear it can be addicting.

Christmas 2011

2011-12-31T23:42:00.000-05:00

What a wonderful week this has been! Time spent with family, traveling, and chasing dreams as I enjoyed an extra special Christmas gift from my parents. My gift was a trip to the Upper Peninsula to go dog sledding at Nature’s Kennel near the town of Newberry. The kennel is owned by Ed & Tasha Stielstra; my class has followed Ed for several years as he’s participated in the Iditarod sled dog race. I’ve wanted to go up and visit for a while, but never dreamed I’d be able to go in the winter and dog sled myself!

Monday morning my parents and I took off and drove north to the Upper Peninsula. The weather was perfect for traveling: clear roads and sunny sky. We crossed the bridge around noon, had lunch at one of the few restaurants that were still open, and headed northwest to the Newberry area in search of snow. We finally found a thin covering of snow at the charming inn where we stayed overnight.

We spent the next morning at Nature’s Kennel, in McMillan, where (thankfully) there was a little more snow. I learned how to harness a small dog team, maneuver a dog sled, and then drive my own team of dogs twelve miles through wooded trails (following a guide). It was such an incredible experience – and deserves a complete blog post coming soon – I loved every minute! We also got to hold two-week old puppies.

We took a little detour and stopped at Tahquamenon Falls on our way back to the bridge and then stayed overnight in Mackinaw City. The next morning we made a quick stop to check out the wintery beach near the bridge. This whole area is a lot quieter in the winter than during the busy summer months.

On Wednesday we met my sister and brother-in-law with their kids in Traverse City at the Great Wolf Lodge. They had arrived the previous day, so my niece and nephew showed me all around. The spacious lobby was beautifully decorated for Christmas. We had a great time at the water park going down the water slides, tubing on the lazy river, sitting in the hot tub, and getting splashed when the 1000 gallon bucket tipped over. It was great to spend time relaxing with family.

Thanks, Mom and Dad, for such a special gift! What a great way to end the year!

Bethlehem

2011-12-24T15:10:00.001-05:00

Earlier this month I attended "The Story Tour," a musical journey from Genesis to Revelation. It was a wonderful evening of worship and reflection, as some leading names in Christian contemporary music sang songs written from the viewpoint of various Bible characters (Moses, Job, Esther, Mary, Paul, etc) against amazing visual backdrops. The songs varied in musical style, but the lyrics often provided me a new way of thinking about each character.

One example comes from Mary's song:

"I'll hold you in the beginning, you will hold me in the end. Every moment in the middle, make my heart your Bethlehem. Be born in me."

I love that thought. Later on the song says: "The only thing my heart can offer is a vacancy." That's my prayer this Christmas - to have a heart open to the Savior and His will for my life. Amidst all the hustle and bustle of this time of year, may our hearts be Christ's Bethlehem.

P.S. The video is six minutes long, but the song is well worth it

(even the 1+ minute instrumental opening).

Puppy Love

2011-12-11T15:51:00.000-05:00

Tigerbeat magazine - the lifeblood of teenage girls in the 70s. I’d eagerly scrutinize each issue, clipping pictures and discovering the latest news on all the teen stars. David Cassidy, Andy Gibb, Bobby Sherman, and my favorite – Donny Osmond.

As a young girl, I loved Donny Osmond. He was so cute. When purple was his favorite color, it became my favorite color. I watched the Donny and Marie Show on TV and all their Christmas specials. The Osmond brothers were great, but Donny was my favorite. He was handsome, funny, nice, and an all-around great guy – absolutely perfect in my dream world.

And then I grew up. Dumped the posters, stored the record albums, swapped my favorite color to blue, and moved on to the life of reality. Graduated from college, became a teacher, worked in Pittsburgh, McBain, and Holland. Traveled to several countries and became involved in my church. I’m happy with my life and seldom think about my teenage pop star crush.

But when I saw that Donny and Marie were doing a Christmas show in Chicago, I couldn’t pass it up. It was the perfect way for my sister and I to celebrate our birthdays and bask in nostalgia.

So my sister and I spent a wonderful day in Chicago yesterday. The weather was perfect: cold but sunny. We took the train into the city, enjoyed lunch at the Corner Bakery, and browsed the Christkindlmarket and Macy’s. And then we walked to the Oriental Theatre to see – in person – Donny and Marie!

The auditorium was packed - primarily with people in our age group. Apparently I’m not the only one reliving adolescent memories. The curtain opened and – there he was! Oh my – he’s still handsome. I actually felt a little giddy. My teenaged crush returned – for an afternoon. It was hard to believe that the boy I had spent my teenage years dreaming about was on stage just a few yards away.

Donny and Marie put on a fantastic show – geared especially to those who grew up with them. They mixed in a few of their teenaged hits and old video clips with new songs and Christmas medleys. There were numerous costumes changes and great dance sequences. They even included updated jokes, ala the Donny and Marie show. It was wholesome, lighthearted, and fun. I loved their music; they can still belt out the songs. I might even have to check them out on itunes.

The only downside is my wish to have Donny sing Happy Birthday to me and get a photo with him is still unfulfilled. Although Donny and Marie both came down the aisles and shook hands/hugged those on the end, we were on the wrong end of the aisle. Oh well. I guess you can’t have everything. I had to settle for this photo:

(It’s amazing how lame middle-aged women can be; there was actually a line of women waiting to pose with the cardboard cutout!)

Ah, puppy love!

Thanksgiving List 2011

2011-11-24T09:10:00.001-05:00

I still rate last year’s list as the “Top Ten” things I’m thankful for, but here’s a few additions.

1. Variety in Creation – I love the fact that God created so many different kinds of plants and animals. Large and small, striped and solid colors, wild and tame, vibrant and more restrained. Seeing the diversity in creation reminds me of God’s vast imagination and creativity.

2. Emotions – The joyful sound of laughter as well as the release that tears can bring are gifts from God to help us navigate through the joys and sorrows of life. I’m thankful for a sense of humor that I can share with my students and the times we can just laugh and enjoy life together. But I’m also thankful for the sense of community when I shed tears along with friends and family as we struggle to make sense amid difficult situations.

3. Sun – Besides the fact that the sun is necessary for life here on Earth, I just feel happier on days that I can see the sun shine. I love the feeling of warmth on a sunny spring day and the beauty of snow and ice-covered branches on a sunny winter morning.

4. Books – Reading is probably my favorite free-time activity. I love escaping into worlds of fiction where characters seem so real. I’m also thankful for the way my thinking can be stretched through the thought-provoking questions and differing viewpoints a good book (both fiction and nonfiction) addresses.

5. Time with God – My life, especially during the school year, tends to be so busy, constantly trying to stay one step ahead of each deadline. I’m thankful for times of quiet – both on walks through nature trails and when I’m just sitting quietly on my comfy couch – time spent praying or meditating. I need these times, and I’m thankful for God’s love and presence in my life.

“Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.”

1 Chronicles 29:13

Racing

2011-10-22T20:10:00.000-04:00

I tend to live my life the way my dog takes a walk. One of my goals this fall is to take advantage of the various local county parks each weekend and walk the hiking trails with Tosca. It’s been wonderful to enjoy the autumn colors and simply revel in the beauty of creation. Tosca loves going for a walk and is always eager to get out of the car and set off on the trail.

We went to Hemlock Crossing this afternoon, just north of Holland off US 31. After being cooped up all week because of rainy, windy weather, Tosca was raring to go. She took off on the trail at a run; it’s a good thing I was holding her leash tightly! She’d occasionally stop here and there for a second to sniff and then dash off again, only to be frustrated by my attempts to slow her down to an actual walk. She paid little attention to the beauty surrounding us; she just wanted to go her own way. At times she tried to veer off the path toward her own shortcut before being pulled back to the path by me.

We finally stopped at a clearing overlooking the Pigeon River. At first glance there was nothing to see. But, as I stood watching quietly, I began to observe the life in the meadow surrounding the river. The gently swaying leaves, small birds flitting among the cattails, the river slowly meandering along, and a butterfly dancing in the air all brought a smile to my face. A rustle among the leaves finally revealed a little chipmunk making a leap onto a tree trunk as he explored the woods. A peace filled my soul as I stood watching the river and meadow. I loved the life found here in the stillness.

My dog, however, paced around, anxious to be on her way again. And I realized how often I act like her in my daily life. I’m usually hurrying along, wanting to go off on my own path and moving toward the next thing. I seldom stop and just enjoy the moment, being still and trusting God to steer my path. I’ve purposely tried to relax at school this week and just enjoy the moments with my students instead of stressing out about everything that has to be done. It’s been a good week, and we actually accomplished a lot. I guess that Bible passage about not worrying (Matthew 6) is really true.

Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10

A Time To Remember

2011-10-14T19:23:00.000-04:00

Sometimes we forget. In the busy-ness of life and the efforts to complete all the to-do lists and just getting through each day, we can forget the original purpose for why we do what we do. I’ve been feeling the struggle of this lately. Working with a new writing curriculum, a new literacy management system, more technology tools/integration, extra committee work, as well as trying to find the time to fit in everything I’m supposed to teach has been overwhelming this fall. A lot of good stuff, but all at once. By last Sunday evening I was almost at the breaking point. I couldn’t do one more extra thing. I wondered if this was really where I was supposed to be. What I was supposed to be doing. In the stress of all this “stuff,” I’d begun to forget the why. Why I became a teacher. Why God called me to this profession.

Thankfully God, in His perfect timing, reminded me during these last two days at our Christian Educators Association convention in South Bend, Indiana. I am so thankful I was there to be reminded of the reason I became a teacher: to make a difference in the lives of children. Building relationships with my students, helping them develop a Christian world and life view, living out the difference because of Christ, and showing grace and love – all of these are important life lessons that extend beyond literacy, math, science, and technology. I want my students to learn the academics, but most of all I want to show them Jesus. And when I return to my class next week, although all the extra “stuff” will still be there, it will not overwhelm me. Because I remember again. I remember why I am a teacher. I love my kids.

Breaking an Addiction

2011-09-29T22:33:00.000-04:00

My name is Melanie and I am addicted ...

to a game called Pathwords.

I've played this game on Facebook for a couple of years and justify the ~~many hours~~ time spent each week with the thought that I'm exercising my brain. I absolutely love this game. I begin and end each day with it; just a couple games (10-15 minutes max. - usually). At first it was fun just to see how many words I could find in the 5 minute time limit. But then I saw the scoreboard on the side and my competitive nature kicked in. I wanted to beat my friends in this game. I experimented with getting as many short words as possible (with fewer points per words) vs. searching for the longer (more points) words. The really long words are worth 130 points; get a few of those and you're doing really well. Anyway, ten minutes gradually turned into an hour (or two) and then I caught myself saying "Just one more game and then I'll stop" over and over each night. When I reached first place I was ecstatic! And also fearful that I would lose my top spot to someone else. I finally realized I had a problem but was powerless to stop it. I love my routine. And I need to keep working to remain in first place.

Until now. I'm breaking my addiction tomorrow, but not by my choice. It's a harmless little habit that I really wish I could continue. But, alas, Zynga, the company who developed Pathwords, is shutting it down tomorrow. They sent a very nice note telling about their other games and inviting Pathwords players to join those. They apologized for shutting it down. But my beloved game will no longer be available after September 30.

I'm sad.

I've been playing a lot this last week to try and reach a score of 2200.

But it's over. I'm breaking this addiction, and I'll have to develop a new routine.

Great timing ... I just got an iPad. I'm sure there are some apps that could exercise my mind...

And it's all right as long as I go out still in first place!

Garden Observations

2011-09-18T20:11:00.000-04:00

I often enjoy working in my garden during the summer mornings and evenings. The quietness in the yard gives me time to think and pray and just reflect on life and anything else that comes to mind. There’s a feeling of satisfaction in seeing the colorful flowers surrounded by patches by dark black soil after the weeds are removed. I tend to avoid the warmer afternoons and hot days altogether, preferring to spend that time with a good book (in the air conditioning).

Which brings me to the only explanation I can come up with for my yard this September: there were way too many hot days this past summer. I didn’t realize until I stepped into my narrow side yard how badly overgrown things had become. It’s amazing how quickly weeds can overtake a garden! Well, actually, it wasn’t that quickly – I don’t think I weeded in almost two months. But they can grow tall and thick and it’s only through perseverance and hard work that they were finally removed.

I spent most of Labor Day tackling the front and side yards, and finished the backyard up this afternoon. And as I stood (and sometimes crouched or sat), I was struck by the similarity between weeds and my sins.

Weeds tend to sneak in, at first unnoticed, until they almost look like they belong in the garden. Sin can be the same way, just one tiny little sin at first, but then it gradually feels acceptable and not a sin at all. Pretty soon the weeds take over the garden, choking out the flowers. Sin can also take over my life if I’m not diligent in confession and staying close to Christ.

As I worked to remove the weeds, I realized how different they could be. Some were short and thin and quite easy to remove. Others had thick stalks and towered over the other plants. A few had very deep roots, which required a shovel to totally eradicate. Again, sin can be the same way. Some sins are easy to confess and get rid of while others continue to plague me and definitely require a lot of digging to get out. With all sin, though, as with the weeds in my garden, it’s the steady, consistent persistence in examining my life that will keep me in a right relationship with God.

Along with the weeding comes the pruning. I have a few bushes that look so much better now that I’ve pruned them. That too has spiritual implications (John 15:1-2).

The best part was when the trash guy came and took all the weeds away – they’re gone and my garden looks good. Unfortunately, (just like sin), I know they’ll be back and I’ll have to do it all again. With the garden, though, I have until next spring.

I love how God can use anything – even weeds – to teach me!

Movie Magic

2011-08-21T22:43:00.003-04:00

My niece and nephew celebrated their 10th and 8th birthdays this summer. I took them shopping to pick out their presents and then we made short time-lapse videos using an app on my iphone.

Amanda chose a pottery wheel for her birthday present. It was fun to watch her as she learned how to guide the clay on the wheel; she picked it up quite quickly and remembered a lot from her school art class.

Joey bought a Lego kit - Alien Conquest - which he and I put together. For some reason, the time-lapse video didn't save correctly (at first it ran backwards and ended up only saving part of it). But we had fun, and it actually took less time to put the alien spaceship together than I thought it would.

Joey and I then experimented with the time-lapse feature. Watch carefully - this video is only 6 seconds, but look out for the alien space invasion in the farmyard!

And finally, my parents' gifts to the kids were special outings: Joey went to a NitroJam race at US131 MotorSports Park and Amanda had a horseback riding lesson at Karin's Horse Connection in Grandville, MI. Here's the video highlights of Amanda's horseback riding lesson.

Happy Birthday Amanda and Joey!

Summer Fling

2011-08-18T21:53:00.012-04:00

With school beginning next week (teacher meetings all week; kids begin Aug. 29), my dog, Tosca, and I took off this morning on our second annual 2-day hiking getaway. Last year we went south to Indiana; this year we headed north to Ludington State Park. The day was perfect - blue sky, low humidity, comfortable temperatures in the upper 70s, with a slight breeze at times.

At first I wasn't sure we'd be able to go this summer as my dog has begun to show her 14 years of age. She's often stiff in the morning and we've cut our walks to 4-5 blocks, but she perked up a little during the last couple weeks, so I decided to go and just take it easy.

She was like a different dog when she got on the hiking trail. Bright eyes and prancing feet, she was so excited and couldn't wait to get started! She was always ready to keep going (even when I was ready to rest) and loved splashing in the water. We hiked for over 3 hours and she did great.

We began on the Sable River Trail, walking near the river and watching groups of people float on rafts. It looked like fun. Most of the afternoon was spent on the Island and Ridge Trails, beginning near Hamlin Lake and ending atop wooded dunes.

This is a view of the Big Sable Lighthouse from the Ridge Trail.

I watched a group of ducks swimming while we ate our picnic lunch. Later I saw a pair of swans with their cygnet. I also got a glimpse of a camouflaged toad near a tree. Tosca lunged at something in the bushes, but I pulled her away in time to save whatever it was. And once, when we came around a bend, I saw a mother deer eating in the woods quite near us. She looked at us but wasn't frightened and then went back to eating. I watched for a few minutes and then stepped forward to continue walking - and saw a spotted fawn! We watched each other a few minutes before Tosca and I resumed our walk. (I'm not sure Tosca ever noticed the deer; I think she would have charged if she had.)

After our hike, we checked out the Waterfront Park in downtown Ludington just in time to watch the S.S. Badger (car ferry) come in. That is a big boat! The park has several sculptures showcasing Ludington history in the park - pretty cool.

We also stopped at Stearns Park to see the North Breakwater Lighthouse.

After a busy day, Tosca was ready for bed in our hotel room!

I'm looking forward to a great morning of hiking tomorrow!

Then it's time to go home and think school.

What a great way to end summer vacation!

Painting

2011-08-05T07:40:00.004-04:00

The paintbrush glides smoothly across the wall. Back and forth, the repetitive motion changes the cool ivory color to a welcoming butter cream yellow. Painting, at least for me, takes total concentration to keep even strokes, smooth edges (especially where the wall meets the ceiling), and drips/spills to a minimum. It’s a perfect activity to keep your mind occupied and wandering thoughts elsewhere. I’m very thankful that I had previously made plans to paint a bedroom and bathroom at my parents’ house yesterday. When the news of this case came out Wednesday morning, I needed something else to think about and I needed to be with people instead of at home by myself. I recalled how I felt this past October; the last time it made headlines, when I realized it will never completely go away.

As I glance around at the freshly painted walls, I realize how easy it is to change the tone of a room with just a can of paint. This new color makes the bedroom much more inviting and cheery. The previous shade is completely wiped away, as if it never existed. I wish a simple paintbrush could wipe away unpleasant experiences and memories from our minds. But it’s not that easy. So, for now, I’ll enjoy the beauty of a transformed bedroom and the therapy it provided while God continues to paint my life.

Do Unto The Least ...

2011-08-02T08:26:00.003-04:00

I caught sight of him as I pulled up to the traffic signal. Sitting up on his knees, leaning slightly forward to keep his balance, the young man (maybe early twenties) held his sign as he perched on the side of the busy intersection and watched the line of cars pull up to the red light. His eyes passed from car to car as he lifted a faded, white bandana to wipe away the sweat from his face on this sweltering summer afternoon. His sign was partially obscured by tufts of grassy weeds, but two words written in black bubble letters read travelin and hungry.

As I sat in my air-conditioned car and watched him, my initial thought was how hot he must feel sitting outside in the sun. But that turned almost immediately into a feeling of criticism – why are you sitting on the side of the road looking for a handout instead of looking for a job. Words like lazy and irresponsible went through my mind as I sat in my car and passed judgment on this stranger without knowing anything about him or his life story.

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a young woman coming up the sidewalk, walking toward the young man. She was carrying a small paper take-out bag from a local restaurant in one hand and a large plastic cup with a straw in the other. As she neared the man, he stood up to meet her, and she handed him the bag and drink. I saw him mouth the words thank-you as he gratefully accepted it. As I watched the exchange, I wondered if she was his girlfriend, but as she turned and walked away I realized she didn’t know him at all. I turned my attention back to the young man who was again sitting on the cement; his sign lying next to him on the ground as he slowly began eating French fries one by one.

Immediately I was convicted of my judgmental attitude. Whether this young man was lazy or truly in need was not my place to determine. Out of all the people who passed him by the side of the road, only one lady stopped to give him food. That young woman demonstrated the love of Jesus as I sat in my car and mentally condemned this man.

Although I didn’t voice my opinions aloud, God knew my thoughts. He knew I wasn’t showing love to others as I so often profess: Love God and Love People. God used that brief 30 seconds at a red light to remind me again not to judge others, but to think about how I can truly live out His command – in thought as well as action.

Quiz

2011-07-21T07:27:00.004-04:00

Guess which seatbelt parts go together?

Surprised?

I still love my car.

Summer: The Good, The Bad, and The In-Between

2011-07-03T12:00:00.004-04:00

Ah, summer! I love this little reprieve from the intensity of the school year. Time to rest and relax a bit before beginning a new year. As I sit on my deck looking up at a beautiful light blue sky, trees with various shades of green sway gently in the soft breeze, and I am content to just sit and be. Life is good. Here’s a look at my summer so far.

The Good

- spending an afternoon at a friend’s pool, watching children splash and play with each other

- meeting friends for coffee or lunch

- eating outside

- reading books

- the smell of steak cooking on an outside grill

- corn on the cob and strawberry shortcake

- not having to set the alarm clock

- the news that my tech video was good enough and I get a new laptop from school

- taking walks with my dog

- attending the musical Shrek – twice! (following a great deal for $10 tickets)

- outdoor concerts

The Bad

- the abundance of rain and cooler temperatures this past June

- finding out that my dog who has never been afraid of thunderstorms or loud noises is now (at 14 years of age) utterly terrified by them – clinging to me, shedding, panting, and drooling heavily throughout the entire thunderstorm and afterwards

- difficulty sleeping (I’m getting tired of waking up at 3:00 a.m. and not being able to go back to sleep … does this happen to everyone in their forties?)

The In-Between

- thinking that my checking account was overdrawn … and the relief to discover it only seemed that way because I forgot to record a deposit

- yard work

- two days of class at Grand Valley (good class, but still, it was a class)

- time spent preparing for next school year (curriculum work, tech. exploration, classroom organization)

- chipmunks in my yard (they’re cute, but they also have burrows)

- deeply thankful for my dad’s defibrillator (which worked just the way it’s supposed to yesterday morning)

Blessings

2011-06-25T13:49:00.006-04:00

These past two months have been difficult, with the death of a mom from our school who I consider a friend. As her health quickly declined mid-May, I became acquainted with a new song by Laura Story, titled Blessings. God has used this song during the last six weeks to minister to me and others who loved Kristi. When I heard that Laura Story would be coming to the Big Ticket Festival (a large, outdoor Christian music festival), I knew I had to attend and hear her perform this song in person.

I made it to the festival yesterday, although I was a little nervous after hearing reports of muddy conditions causing cars to get stuck the previous night. Since I was going by myself, I really didn't want to deal with a stuck car (especially a new car). The first blessing of the day was the fact that they moved most of the parking to the local airport lot and provided shuttles to the festival, so my car was fine. I was also blessed by the songs of many Christian artists singing songs I've heard on the radio and some new songs as well. This was a bonus for me because I was there primarily for Laura Story. It's an amazing experience to be in a crowd of thousands of people all singing praise to God together outdoors. But the biggest blessing for me to was to hear Laura Story relate the history of her song and sing it. As she began, tears began to roll down my face along with a whispered reminder that God is in control and has a plan for each one of us. I was further blessed by the opportunity to share with Laura afterwards how her song has ministered to me and others in my school community. (Of course I got teary again, so I'm not looking real great in the photo, but that's real life.)

This song is a good reminder that the difficult times in our lives, when we don't understand what God is doing (or allowing), bring us closer to Him. And whatever it takes to bring us to a deeper dependence on God can become a blessing.

Time Travel

2011-06-18T20:07:00.006-04:00

Do you recognize any of these? They are symbols of my past, my childhood back in the 70s. For all of you youngsters, they're called records. Old-fashioned, large CDs that played on a turntable. Just looking at these album covers brings back memories. I've kept a box of my old records in my basement because, being the sentimental person I am, I can't throw anything away. And, I've secretly hoped I would one day find a way to play them again.

My dad also has a bunch of old records; in fact, he has more than I do. And he's also somewhat sentimental about his things. So, while doing my Christmas shopping online last December, when I discovered this nifty little box that converts old vinyl records to the computer and CDs, I found the perfect Christmas present for my dad (and me too)!

We spent several weekends this past winter and spring sorting through records together, deciding which ones we wanted to add to our iTunes files or make CDs of, and then playing them on his old turntable with the converter box hooked up.

The only negative part is that it takes quite a bit of time. You have to listen to each record and push a button for each new song in order to have each song recorded separately. So someone needs to sit at the computer and listen to the entire record. That was part of my Christmas gift to my dad. I showed him how to work the converter, but his main job was to tell me which records he wanted, and I did the recording part. The bonus for me was that I converted my records in between doing his. It was also fun to hear these old records again and be instantly transported back in time - same feelings, same occasional scratches on the vinyl, now preserved in iTunes!

And when we finished converting, we actually got rid of the old records. Well, almost all of them. That's really hard to do, for savers like us. But my mom was very relieved. (I still have a small pile to work on during the summer.)

It was so much fun spending time with and reminiscing with my dad. We talked about various musical styles and why we liked them, we looked online to see what became of some of the old recording artists, and we recalled how certain songs reminded us of specific times in our life. I enjoyed spending this time with my dad and hearing about his childhood and teen years.

Wrestling

2011-06-11T11:55:00.002-04:00

I’ve been wrestling with God lately. Not literally, of course, but intense just the same. I often pray as I’m walking my dog, and my prayers during the last month have been filled with questions, anger, frustration, and even doubts. They usually end with tears (which can be embarrassing when you’re out for a walk). I just don’t understand. How can it be God’s will that a young mother of three lose her battle with cancer? How can God’s plan be that her consistent testimony of His presence and strength throughout this four-year struggle result in her death? So many people have been encouraged in their family’s journey that I was sure God would heal her. Even as she rested in Hospice House, I prayed for the miraculous healing that I know God was able to provide. I realize many others battle with cancer, but this one hits close to home. I know this family. I’ve had two of their three children in my class at school and have come to love them all dearly. I’ve questioned God’s goodness, His plan, and even His existence at all. My head believes, but my heart finds it hard.

And then I was reminded of God’s promises by the faith writings of my second graders at the end of the year.

“God listens to me. God always keeps his promises. God keeps creating new life. God loves me and cares for me. God helps me through hard times.”
“I believe that God is faithful. And he loves me and answers my prayers. He keeps me safe.”
“I believe that Jesus is everywhere and that he loves me.”
“I believe that Jesus died for me. He always keeps his promises. He helps me up when I fall. He comforts me through hard times. He answers my prayers.”
“Jesus died for me because he forgave my sins. So he was crucified for me. I can’t prove it but I know it’s true. Nothing will make me turn away from God, not even for a million dollars.”

I always love reading these year-end writings of my students. But this year they provide a renewed assurance for me. They remind me of God’s love and faithfulness, even in the difficult and “un-understandable” times of life. I’m glad I teach in a school where I can help instill in my students this trust in God’s love and care. I’m thankful that, even in my adult questions and doubt, God still loves me and provides the reminders that He is real and is always with us. I’m grateful that my heart is slowly coming back in tune with my head knowledge.

Coming To Terms

2011-05-19T17:54:00.005-04:00

The shining sun and chirping birds

display a striking contrast to the heaviness in my heart.

Spring - the season of rebirth and new life -

yet I'm filled with sorrow

and pleadings

and questions

and - finally,

acceptance.

You, O God, are Lord.

You are in control.

You are bigger than the box I want to put you in.

You have a master plan.

Your ways are not our ways, O Lord.

I do not understand.

I do not like it.

I still ask Why?

My heart aches.

But I trust.

I trust you because you are God.

I trust you because you are in control.

I trust you because you are bigger than the box I put you in.

I trust you because of your promises.

Spring - a season of new life,

eternal life

resurrection

reunion

the presence of the Son and all who believe

SHINING TOGETHER FOREVER

Continuing to Pray -

http://briankristi.blogspot.com/

Lessons Learned on a Late Morning Walk

2011-05-02T06:19:00.002-04:00

After a beautiful church service yesterday morning, I decided to take Tosca for a walk at nearby VanRaalte Farm to enjoy the (finally arrived!) spring weather. Sunshine, singing birds, and nature trails beckoned. However, as we ~~strolled~~ slogged through the woods and meadow on the trails, I realized I had forgotten some important facts.

1. Although the weather is nice and sunny, the trails have not necessarily dried from the previous week’s rain.

2. Standing water + dirt = mud. Squishy mud that clings to sandals and paws (and jeans).

3. Wear shoes or hiking boots instead of sandals.

(because the sandals will be ruined)

4. Dogs enjoy traipsing in puddles and mud.

5. Always keep a towel in the car to wipe off dirty paws.

(Yuck - in my NEW car! At least there was a blanket on the back seat.)

6. You can only avoid mud for so long. Then, just enjoy the hike.

(But don't fall down in the mud ...)

Eavesdropping

2011-05-01T13:34:00.010-04:00

Yes, it’s been a month since I last posted. I’ve been busy with my new iPhone – figuring out how everything works, checking out apps, and ~~becoming addicted to~~ playing games. I also bought a new car during spring break, and I’ve spent time becoming familiar with that as well. But now it’s time to get back to blogging!

In case you ever wonder what goes on inside our second grade classroom, here are a few actual discussions that have taken place during the past week.

We had several indoor recess times because of rainy weather, and a group of boys was working together building an elaborate pattern block design. As they worked I heard: “We should make a movie of this and put it on YouTube.” “Yeah, we should make one of those movies that speeds it up and makes everything fast.” (time-lapse – I had previously shown them a time-lapse video of one of the Iditarod mushers getting all his supplies ready) “Yeah, if we put it on YouTube, we could get a lot of money for it.” “Wait, we should enter this in ArtPrize, like the guy who drew all the soldiers with pencils.” The boys had me take a picture of their creation and told me their plans. They asked if we could do a time-lapse video. I found a stop-motion app for my iPhone and figured out how to use it. So, check out YouTube in a couple weeks for some second grade time-lapse videos incorporating our geometry math unit!

The following exchange took place on the bus to swimming lessons with two students sitting next to me: “Ms. Scott, we should get a big house with lots of floors to use for our school. Then we can sleep upstairs and have class downstairs.” “Yeah, like in the Madeline books.” (The second graders have been reading the Madeline books in music class as they learn some French songs.) “Well, who would take care of you after class?” “You would!" "Yeah, all the teachers could take care of the kids!” “But wouldn’t you miss your parents?” “They could visit us on weekends.” “We’d be together all the time!” O.K. - I'll be honest. I haven't pursued this idea like I did the stop-motion video. It's an interesting concept though. :)

Friday morning was the British Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. I had it streaming on our classroom screen when the kids came in at the beginning of the school day, waiting for the couple to appear on the balcony and the military flyover. Reactions from the boys and girls were quite different. “Oh, she’s so beautiful!” was the girls’ reaction. “Oh no, they’re going to kiss! Turn it off!” was heard from most of the boys.

Just a typical week in second grade!

New Phone

2011-04-04T07:30:00.007-04:00

It's here - I finally got an iPhone! What a way to begin spring break.

I'm having fun downloading apps and learning where everything is. It's also much bigger than my old phone, which is nice when calling or reading email, but it's a little large to fit in a pocket. I can text on the iPhone much easier than on the old phone, and you can make the screen bigger or smaller just by sliding your fingers across it. And the camera is much better than the one on my old phone. When I think back to the phones we had while I was growing up, it amazes me to think of the changes that have occurred in the last number of years.

But, as I sat playing with my new phone last Friday morning, I felt kind of sorry for my old phone. After all, it had served me well for over two years. I remember how excited I was when I first got it - it was the first phone I had that gave me internet access and I took it everywhere. Now it was being discarded for something new and better.

And it reminded me of something I'd seen recently ... a story of an old lamp.

Love That Shines

2011-03-26T23:10:00.011-04:00

Dear children,

let's not merely say that we love each other;

let us show the truth by our actions.

1 John 3:18 (New Living Translation)

There is nothing more exciting than to see God’s people come together and share their love. I’ve been blessed with two opportunities to see this in action during the last two days!

The first was yesterday in my second grade classroom. One of my goals as a Christian school teacher, in addition to the academic goals, is to help my students learn how to love God and love other people (Luke 10:27). As a practical way to extend our earth science unit, I invited some guests to share how people in some rural African villages don’t have access to safe, clean water. One of our science experiments involved making a filter to clean the water and, when the children found that they could purchase a real water filter for an African family for $25 and provide them with clean water, they were eager to help. When they found that a village well could be repaired for $250 and provide water for an entire village, they were even more motivated. Many of the children found sponsors (parents, grandparents, neighbors) who pledged money for each minute the children read during our three months winter reading
incentive. When the children brought in their money and we counted it yesterday, we found that they had raised over $700 to provide clean water to people living in some of these rural villages. I was so touched to see that some of the children gave their own money for this cause. They are learning that they can make a difference – they’re making the world a better place and shining their love.

This evening was also a special occasion filled with light. Hundreds of people gathered at our
local high school to share their love for a family that has been shining for four years amidst the trial of cancer. This family has been a living testimony to God’s faithfulness during diagnosis, treatments, and the very real “why” questions that have arisen on their journey. Tonight was a time for friends and family to share our love for them as we raised money to help with their expenses. There were lots of activities for all ages: games and face painting for the kids, a silent auction and raffle, a baked goods sale, and a delicious supper. It was truly a joy-filled evening with everyone having a fun time. It was so exciting to see all the smiling, happy people. This is what being the body of Christ is all about.

Kristi’s motto throughout this journey has been “Courage to Shine.” She continues to live out this motto each day. May we all have the courage to shine for God – showing our love for Him and for others.

Reverse Thinking

2011-03-13T05:39:00.002-04:00

Watch this video all the way to the end to get the complete message.

The Power of Musical Theater

2011-03-06T22:45:00.001-05:00

Music is powerful. A good story can entertain and teach. But when you put them together, you have an experience that can take your breath away.

I’ve loved musical theater since I was a little girl. My dad was involved with several groups (Calvin College’s Alumni Players and the Grand Rapids Opera) while I was growing up, and we’d always attend their yearly productions. The magic of make-believe, the make-up room, and the costumes fascinated me. I also remember watching rehearsals when my dad directed the local high school production of Oliver when I was in fourth grade. I listened so carefully that I had most of the lines memorized by the performance time.

But the real magic began the night I attended my first professional touring show: Guys and Dolls. The glitz and glamour of the set, the colorful costumes, the bigger-than-life characters, and the songs were mesmerizing, and I was in love with musical theater. In the years since, I’ve been fortunate enough to see quite a few musicals and have enjoyed almost all of them. (In fact, there have only been two that I really disliked.)

Just like books, there are a wide variety of themes in musicals. A few are just good-old-fun escapism, like Mamma Mia and The Scarlet Pimpernel. But most musicals have a deeper message and something to teach us. Wicked prompts us to think about good and evil, The Phantom of the Opera questions appearance vs. reality, and Fiddler on the Roof reminds us of tradition and its place in our life. I’ve often said I don’t have just one favorite, because different musicals fit different moods. But tonight I watched a concert version of a musical that I’m ready to say is my favorite.

PBS aired the 25^th anniversary of Les Miserables tonight and it was phenomenal! I’ve seen this on stage at least twice and was struck again tonight by all of the themes this story contains. Ideas of justice and grace, fairness and law, forgiveness and redemption, as well as revolution and democracy are beautifully portrayed both in words and in music. As I watched the students rally to the barricade and possible revolution singing “Do you hear the people sing,” images of recent events from Egypt and Libya came to mind. Watching the story of Jean Valjean’s redemption is always moving, but tonight I was also struck by Javert, the officer of the law, and how he could not change: he couldn’t give or accept grace or second chances. I actually felt sorry for his character. And I wonder how many real-life people have this rigidity toward other people.

As a Christian, there are elements in many musicals that I can’t condone and don’t agree with. But, just as we live in a sinful world, the stories deal with characters in an imperfect society and sometimes these elements serve to advance the plot. This is also true in Les Miz; there are two characters that I dislike for all they stand for. They are intended for comic relief in the story, but they are totally self-absorbed and will do anything to get ahead. Unfortunately, there are people like them in real life as well. The fact that they never repent or are brought to justice is unsettling, but also realistic.

I actually just saw the touring stage version of the musical Grease yesterday afternoon and was planning to write about that. It was a fun show and a great afternoon. But the power of Les Miz – even on a small TV screen – leaves Grease in the dust.

Les Miserables is a powerful show that both entertains and teaches. The story and music work beautifully together to bring the audience into the ~~story~~ experience. I can’t wait to see it again. It’s playing in Detroit at the end of the month.

A Voice in the Darkness

2011-02-21T20:35:00.007-05:00

I love this tree! I walk past it every weekday morning as I enter school. During the winter months it's often been dark as I arrive. Dark and quiet. I (usually) get to school before the students do and the short walk from the parking lot to the side door is quiet. And then I reach this tree - right outside the school door. It looks completely empty. But then I hear a burst of song from the birds nestled among the branches. Sometimes its a lone voice and other times a chorus of birds. But every morning they sing their praise for a new day. I often try to catch a glimpse of these feathered friends, but I never do. They are tucked away, safe from the winter winds, in their apartment-like tree. But I know they're there, praising God in the darkness of the early winter morning. Their song brings a message of hope - daylight will come; everything is all right - God is in control of this day. What a gift to begin my day. I smile as I open the school door, ready to greet my second graders. May I be a voice in the darkness of this world, sharing the hope we have through Christ.

Splashes of Color

2011-02-13T07:42:00.003-05:00

Enough already! About this time of year the grey of winter gets old. The almost constant cloud cover presses down on our corner of Michigan while piles of white snow rise up like mountains at the edges of parking lots. I admit, the blizzard from a couple weeks ago was beautiful, and the sight of freshly fallen snow resting atop tree branches can be breathtaking. And every once in a while we receive the gift of blue skies and a sunny winter day.

But the various shades of grey that constantly ~~smother~~ surround me can be depressing. It reminds me of the old Narnia story by C.S. Lewis (The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe) where it’s always winter and never Christmas, only in this case it’s always winter and never spring.

God created color to liven up our world and right now I need to see some of that color. It’s a reminder that spring is coming. If the dismal grey of winter reminds us of sin, the glorious colors of springtime can remind us of Christ’s resurrection and the hope we have of eternal life with Him.

So here’s a little bit of color – to remind us of the hope and promise – of spring.

Drained

2011-02-05T19:54:00.002-05:00

How quickly a mood can change from positive to negative. What began as a promising Saturday morning turned into an afternoon of frustration and downright crabbiness because of one little bathroom drain.

I awoke this morning to beautiful blue skies, ready to clean the house, catch up on schoolwork, and enjoy an afternoon walk with my dog. Things were going along smoothly for a while: I worked on a slide show/movie for our class’s chapel presentation and started cleaning the house. I vacuumed/dusted the living room, bedroom, and T.V. room.

Then I reached the bathroom. I remembered that the sink drain has been draining slowly for a while, most likely clogged up with hair, and decided to quickly clean the drain before doing the rest of the bathroom. All I have to do is unhook the drain stopper, pull out the hair, and reattach the stopper. It will just take a couple minutes. And that’s when things began to change. I got the stopper out; no problem. Cleaned the stopper and cleared out the hair from the drain; again, easy job. And then I looked down the drain. And saw a big clump of hair (I think) way at the bottom. I couldn’t reach it, even with a piece of wire, so I decided to remove the drain trap underneath to clean it out. However, it was so tight I couldn’t get it off. I couldn’t even get it off with a pipe wrench, although after several tries I noticed the top edge starting to crack, so I finally decided to stop (after hitting it a few times with the side of the wrench and letting out a couple good yells, just to make myself feel better – No, I don’t have a temper problem). Extremely frustrating! It then took a few tries to get the ~~stupid~~ drain stopper back on correctly, but the water did go down much quicker than before, so maybe it will be all right.

Anyway, my decision to take just a few minutes to fix the bathroom sink drain turned into 45 minutes and a total change of attitude about my day. Anger at myself because I couldn’t do something as simple as take apart a drainpipe and anger at the drain itself for being so tight (and clogged in the first place) made me feel useless and unmotivated to do anything else. So my kitchen floor is still un-mopped, next week’s lesson plans are still untouched, we never got out for a walk (the sky turned cloudy anyway), and I am in a bad mood with no idea how to snap out of it.

I guess the moral might be Slow drains are better than trying to fix them yourself or Stick to the day’s original plans. I don’t know. I just wish I could get back to the good mood I had this morning.

Snow Day!

2011-02-02T18:56:00.005-05:00

There are few words that conjure up such delight in the middle of winter as these: Snow Day! The prospect of a "free" day to do whatever you want; a gift from God, if you will (at least that's how I choose to look at it). Because of the forecasted "Blizzard of 2011" on Groundhog Day, I knew last night that I could turn off the alarm and sleep in today. And we definitely got the snow that was predicted - eighteen inches according to the yardstick I propped up in my backyard. It was quite fun watching my dog, Tosca, as she ventured outside this morning to do her business. I don't think she's ever seen this much snow at once; she kept trying to go back in the house until I shoveled a little path down the steps and then she plowed her way through the backyard. She was pretty content to stay inside the rest of the day.

After a leisurely cup of coffee with "Regis and Kelly," it was decision time. How to spend this day? Should I work ahead on schoolwork and lesson plans? Work on my technology class assignment? Spend the day reading a book? Clean the house and catch up on laundry? Pamper myself with a paraffin treatment on my hands and feet? Snowblowing/shoveling the driveway would have to be included sometime.

One of my favorite comics used to be Calvin and Hobbes. There was a great sequence where Calvin (a mischievous little boy) forgot to do his math homework and prayed really hard for a snow day so he could get his homework done. The next morning he awoke to piles of fresh snow and a snow day was declared. But, instead of doing his homework, he spent the day playing in the snow. It wasn't until bedtime that he remembered his unfinished homework, but by then it was too late. He went to school the following day with his math work still undone.

I always think of that comic strip when we have a snow day. Should I be responsible and catch up on all the work I have or should I just enjoy the freedom of the day. Today I decided to do a little of both. Accomplished:

did several loads of laundry
finished the book A Secret Gift by Ted Gup and started Watch Over Me by Christa Parrish
paid a few bills (although they won't be mailed until tomorrow)
wrote a letter to my Compassion International sponsored child
printed out my assignment for the technology class and thought about it
shoveled out the driveway ... this actually took quite a bit of time and three different attempts to totally complete it - did I mention we have a LOT of snow
checked out Facebook and played a few rounds of "Word Drop"
shoveled off 3/4 of the back deck
talked to my sister and parents on the phone
made chicken enchiladas
posted a blog
paraffin wax treatment on hands and feet (actually I haven't done this yet; saving it for tonight)

O.K., now that I look at my list again, I really did no schoolwork (although I did catch up on a few school-related emails). Thankfully, my lesson plans are already set for tomorrow, but I didn't grade the stack of papers I brought home. And I didn't clean the house or sort through all the papers lying around. So, maybe I'm a little more like Calvin than I want to admit. Oh well, it was a great day!

Maybe we'll get one more tomorrow ... then I can work on school stuff... and clean the house ...

Winter Beach Walk

2011-01-16T14:22:00.015-05:00

After a particularly challenging week, I needed to get out of the house and take a break. Find a different perspective and new scenery. But where can you go in the middle of winter? Why, to the beach, of course! So, I loaded up my dog, made a quick stop at Starbucks, and headed over to Holland State Park.

I love the beach in summer. The warm sand squishing between your toes, the waves gently lapping at the shore, and the warm breeze brushing against your back. It’s so calming and peaceful. It reminds me that God is in control and I can relax.

But the beach is also beautiful in the winter. Mounds of snow and ice cover the sand, although occasional swirls of sand meld with the snow, reminding me of a large cup of hot cocoa drizzled with whipped cream.

Waves, frozen in place, mark the boundary between the snowy mounds and the continuously moving water of Lake Michigan.

Ice is all around – covering the rocks, snow, pier, and fence railings. So cold and hard, and yet formed with intricate patterns and designs.

Looking around, I could see God’s creative hand all across the beach in the beauty of winter. The sun even peeked out a bit from the grey January sky. And several birds swam contentedly in the cold water, just as peacefully as if it were July.

Tosca loved running along the snowy beach, stopping to sniff periodically at spots only she recognized.

After an hour’s respite, I returned home, thankful for the beauty of winter and ready for a new week.

"All your works praise you, O Lord." Psalm 145:10a

Pastor Appreciation

2011-01-05T19:37:00.002-05:00

We said goodbye to my pastor this past Sunday. He and his family are moving to Indiana to pastor a church there (actually, it’s my sister’s church – small world). It was hard to say goodbye because he is a wonderful pastor, but the farewell service was beautiful – filled with gratitude and praise to God.

I don’t know why Pastor Mike’s leaving has been so difficult for me. After all, most pastors don’t remain at one church for their entire ministry. And I’ve experienced the departure of other pastors; both in my present church and in previous churches I’ve attended. But God has been doing some great things in our church under Pastor Mike’s leadership during the past 9½ years and it took a good month for me to come to terms with the fact that God was now calling him somewhere new and to realize that God will continue to work in our church under someone else’s leadership.

Part of the reason it’s been so hard to say goodbye is that God has used Pastor Mike to heal our church. When he came, we had just gone through a period of crisis under some of the previous leaders and the church was filled with tension, division, and bitterness. It was a very difficult time, but Pastor Mike brought back trust and a common purpose. He led a series of meetings to bring about a unified vision for our church, and it’s been exciting to see many positive changes coming forth during the last few years. Our church is now healthy and growing. Pastor Mike has been instrumental in planting the seeds and seeing them begin to sprout; it’s exciting to think about how they will continue to grow and whom God has already planned to come and further the blooming process.

But another part of the reason it’s difficult to say goodbye is because Pastor Mike is such a genuine, caring pastor. He truly is a shepherd and a servant leader. It just feels right to see him on Sunday mornings, welcoming people in the sanctuary, reading (and reciting) God’s word, and sharing applications with us to help us grow in our faith. He’s made church feel safe and "homey". He has been very encouraging and affirming. And yet, he has also challenged us, in his gentle way. To go beyond the walls of our church building and build relationships with people who don’t yet know Christ. To memorize scripture. To spend time daily with God. To step out of our comfort zone and take a risk. To develop a church body that more accurately reflects the cultures of our community. To deepen our relationship with God. All good and important biblical ideas.

It’s sad to think that Pastor Mike won’t be welcoming us to church next Sunday morning. But I am so thankful that God brought him to our church. I’m thankful for the years he spent helping us heal and grow. I’m thankful for the things God has taught me through him as well as for the challenges God is still speaking to my heart. I was blessed to have Pastor Mike as my pastor and I pray for God’s continued blessings on him and his family as they move on to this new chapter in their lives and his ministry. Their new church will definitely be blessed by his leadership. Thanks be to God!

Who Else?

2011-01-03T17:11:00.002-05:00

Who else would spend their birthday money on this?

Yes - I can still feed my LOST fever and will be busy reading for awhile ... oh, I'm so happy!

Merry Christmas

2010-12-24T11:54:00.001-05:00

Rejoicing in the birth of our Savior!

Golden

2010-12-16T00:26:00.001-05:00

I’ve been thinking about the word “golden” lately. It conjures up feelings of contentment and happiness in my mind, as well as a brightness in both the color and the idea. When I looked up the word in the dictionary, I loved one of the definitions: “rare and precious.”

That’s the image I have of my parents – precious and content. And today, they are celebrating their Golden Anniversary; something rare indeed in today’s world. I’m so thankful for them and the model of Christian living they have shown me and the rest of our family. And I look forward to our family celebration of their milestone this weekend.

Until then, here’s a look at the past fifty years of our family!

Congratulations and God’s Continued Blessings, Mom and Dad!

A Lesson in Drawing Conclusions

2010-12-05T15:22:00.002-05:00

So, apparently when the floor in the basement is wet underneath where the bathroom toilet is located and when the floor around said toilet is buckling (been going on since at least this summer), this means there is a leak. That needs to be fixed. Now.

Thanks, Mom, for noticing and making the connection that I, an adult with apparently no common sense, never made.

Anyone know of a good plumber in the Holland, MI area?

Thanksgiving List

2010-11-25T16:12:00.003-05:00

On this Thanksgiving Day, I have so much to be thankful for. I often think of the “things” I have, like food, clothes, house, car, etc. and I am thankful for them. I’m so blessed with conveniences here in the U.S. when compared to so many people around the world.

But this year I wanted to go further and think about some of God’s gifts that money can’t buy; things I don’t often think about and often take for granted.

So here’s my Top Ten list of things I’m thankful for.

1. Salvation – Number one on my list is the ultimate gift from God; that He has provided a way for me to be in His family through the atoning death of Jesus. I’m so thankful that Jesus is my savior, I can call God my heavenly father, and that His Spirit lives in me.

2. Hope – I’m also thankful for the gift of hope. When life’s circumstances get discouraging, we live in hope – that things will get better, that circumstances will change, that tomorrow is a new day. And the ultimate hope of eternal life in heaven with God and the reunion with loved ones who have died is an especially comforting gift from God.

3. Music – When I think about the variety of music we can listen to (and play or sing), it amazes me. I love the contemporary Christian music that plays on my radio station (91.3) as it keeps my thoughts Christ-centered throughout the day. But I also love the great classical music and the old hymns of faith. The gift of music with it’s various rhythms, tempos, note combinations, as well as all the instruments that have been created can set or improve my mood, and I’m so thankful that music exists.

4. Love – This is my way of showing thanks for my family and friends, but the fact that we can love other people is another gift from God. I’m grateful for the close relationships God has allowed me to create with both my family and friends, and I’m also thankful for the (different kind of) love for pets.

5. Colors – Every time I venture outside I’m overwhelmed by the broad spectrum of colors in nature. I’m thankful for the many shades of green on trees and plants, the bright blue sky and the shining sun, the brightly colored flower petals, the beauty of a morning sunrise or evening sunset, the various stripes and spots on animals, and the spectacular autumn foliage. I love the fact that God created a colorful world.

6. Communication – I’m also grateful for words and the gift of communication. From the simple “I love you” and “Thanks for being my friend” to the sharing of knowledge through voice, books, computers and internet, the fact that we can communicate with and encourage one another is a blessing.

7. Sight – I’m thankful God has given me the gift of sight. Although not perfect, with my glasses I can see fairly well and I love seeing the smiling faces of people I care about as well as the world around me.

8. Mind – I’m thankful for the ability to think, plan ahead, and make decisions. I’m thankful that I can form ideas, make predictions, deliberate various viewpoints and options, and come to conclusions. I’m thankful for the ability to remember good times and reminisce with friends.

9. Water – After traveling to South Africa and seeing firsthand how the scarcity of clean water affects people’s lives, I’m thankful for my easy access to water. We just finished a science unit in my second grade class dealing with the importance of water on Earth and we talked about how to conserve water. But I’m also thankful for the beauty of a mountain stream, the majesty of a flowing waterfall, and the steady rhythm of Lake Michigan’s waves. And the imagery of Living Water found in the Bible provides an added dimension to God’s gift of water.

10. God’s Plan for Me (Trust) – I’m so thankful for the assurance that God is in control of my life. Although it hasn’t turned out the way I thought it would, I know God is with me and I trust that His plan is best. I’m thankful for the places and people God has brought into my life and the experiences He has led me through. Although I sometimes worry about the future, at the same time I whole-heartedly trust in God’s promise that He will “never leave me or forsake me” and that “all things work together for good for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

For these gifts and so much more, thank you Lord.

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. Psalm 118:1

Relax

2010-11-13T15:16:00.003-05:00

The last two weeks have been very busy with school - first working on report cards and then meeting with parents for parent-teacher conferences. I enjoy meeting with parents as we talk together about their child's strengths and discuss goals for continued growth, but it does make for a very busy week.

And now I can finally relax a bit. It feels good.

My school books sit on the kitchen table, beckoning me to work on next week's lesson plans. And the backyard is again strewn with leaves after I worked so hard earlier this week to finish the yard work (sometimes I think the big, old oak tree just laughs at me as it waits to drop the leaves until after I've finished raking). The laundry (from two weeks) is in piles, waiting to be carried downstairs to the washer. And the vacuum cleaner is still in the front closet.

There's always work to be done. But today I'm relaxing. I'm reading a book. I'm checking out blog sites I haven't visited since summer. I'm playing my favorite Facebook game: Pathwords. I'm making spaghetti for supper. I'm sitting on the sofa with my dog cuddled next to me and reveling in the quiet peacefulness. No immediate pressures. No looming deadlines (at least not this weekend).

There's a time for everything. Today is a time to relax.

Anyone for a cup of hot chocolate?

Guaranteed to Make You Smile

2010-11-02T20:35:00.008-04:00

Blessings

2010-10-22T08:01:00.004-04:00

I love those unexpected “wow” moments that God occasionally brings me. I had an awesome moment like that last night; actually, the entire evening was awesome. After attending a technology workshop all day, I was looking forward to a quiet evening at home. It was a great day of learning, but seven hours of computer workshops is enough to give anyone a headache.

After getting home, I began clearing a pile of papers off the kitchen table and discovered the ad I had torn from a newspaper announcing the Steven Curtis Chapman concert (“A Night of Music and Hope with the Chapmans”) which was…in two hours.

I hadn’t bought a ticket and had no one to go with, but I really wanted to support the Chapmans after praying for their family during the last two years (and I love Steven’s music), so I decided to just go and see if there were any tickets left.

When I arrived, there was a long line and the person I asked thought the line was for buying and picking up tickets, so I went to the end and waited. When I was near the front, I found that there was a different line for purchasing tickets, so I moved to that line. It was much shorter, but there were still four or five people in front of me when I happened to turn around and saw someone asking people behind me if they were buying a single ticket. They weren’t but I caught the lady’s eye and said I was. I thought she had an extra ticket and I could buy it – it had to be a better seat than what I would get at the ticket counter.

Well, she did have an extra ticket, but she handed it to me and said “It’s free. Come and sit with my sister and me.” I couldn’t believe it; she was giving me a ticket! Their seats turned out to be way better than any I could have purchased at the ticket counter – right near the front; in fact, we ended up in the front row! I’m so glad I first waited in the long line or I would have already purchased my ticket before they arrived. Wow – what an unexpected blessing. Thank you God.

I thought I would be sitting by myself in the balcony, but God’s plan was so much better. I met two wonderful women, Jill and Wendy, and enjoyed getting to know them. In fact, Jill used to live in the same Grand Rapids neighborhood that I had grown up in. They were so much fun to be with that I felt kind of like their extra sister. They had purchased an additional ticket for a friend who couldn’t attend the concert and then prayed that God would show them who to give the ticket to. Wow – God chose me to be the recipient of their gift. Thank you God.

The evening was filled with wonderful music by Steven and also by his sons’ band (Caleb), as well as testimony by Steven’s wife, Mary Beth Chapman, about how God has been working in their family’s life, particularly during the past two years since the accidental death of their five-year-old daughter, Maria Sue. The evening ended in worship to God, who is always with us: in our mountains and in our deep valleys.

The Chapmans and their friend, Jeff Moore, also shared how their foundation, Show Hope, which provides orphan care in China and assistance to families adopting children throughout the world, has grown. They shared pictures of “Maria’s Big House of Hope,” a care facility in China for special-needs orphans and challenged those in the audience to respond to Christ’s call to help care for the orphans. Although I already sponsor a child through Compassion International, God was working in my heart and I signed up to sponsor the Show Hope foundation as well. I had not intended to do this when I arrived at the concert, and honestly, I’m not sure I would have if I had purchased my concert ticket. But God’s plans are so much better than mine, and I’m glad I will be able to help out every month. Wow - I was blessed in order to bless others. Thank you God.

I came back home filled with gratitude and blessed by God – through the gifts of Jill and Wendy, the Chapman family, and the presence of God in my life. So much better than a quiet night at home. Thank you God.

Stairs or Escalator?

2010-10-19T18:26:00.006-04:00

It's a busy week, but this is a great (short) video. Would you take the stairs or the escalator?

(And yes, the "Fun Theory" has implications for both education and life.)

Enjoy!

Update Note:

I've been trying for a half hour to adjust the size of the video, so you can see it here completely, but I can't figure it out. What I thought would be a quick, fun post is turning out to be a pain. Maybe I should find a set of stairs to climb ... note, this would only make sense if you can actually watch the video. So - hopefully the link will work. (Otherwise, copy and paste: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lXh2n0aPyw)

It Never Really Goes Away

2010-10-14T18:26:00.001-04:00

The news caught me off guard. Two little sentences in the middle of the 6:00 a.m. radio news update, which wakes me up every Monday through Friday. I heard his name and instantly froze. It was a just a simple announcement that the federal appeals court was hearing arguments in his case today, and then the announcer went on to the next news story. No big deal; life as usual.

Except for me. I was surprised at my reaction. After all, it’s been eight and a half years since the trial. I thought I was over it, that his name wouldn’t affect me so deeply anymore. But as I got out of bed and prepared for school, the memories of the courtroom came flooding vividly back.

I was a member of a federal jury for a murder case in February/March 2002. Although there have been a number of important and defining events in my life, the experience of this trial has probably had the most profound and lasting affect on me. It was more than “just” a simple murder case. For three weeks I saw and felt pure evil in a way I have never experienced before or since. I could sense the spiritual warfare taking place in the courtroom. It took a long time for me to work through and process the entire experience. For several months I had trouble even going for walks outside by myself. I wrestled with spiritual issues of good and evil and free will. Even five years later, I would think about it on March 16, the anniversary of our verdict. But gradually I shelved the memories in the back corner of my mind and moved on with the new and exciting adventures God was taking me on (trips to Russia, Alaska, Israel, and South Africa, precious second graders to teach, time spent with family and friends). In fact, during the last couple of years I hardly thought about the trial at all and could finally enjoy the month of March again.

Which is why my reaction yesterday morning totally shocked me. Because I thought I was over it. I thought I had moved on. But as I began crying uncontrollably in the car on the way to school, I realized it really hadn’t gone away for good. The experience permanently changed who I am, and it will always affect me in some way when I hear a news story about it. I’m very thankful for my parents and friends who prayed for me yesterday morning and for my students who kept my mind occupied throughout the school day. Today was better; more numb than teary, but still images occasionally flitted through my mind. I guess it will take a few days to work through it again. And hopefully I’ll be more prepared when the next story hits the news.

Because I guess it will always be there. It will never completely go away, no matter how much I wish it could.

Autumn Beauty

2010-10-10T17:27:00.007-04:00

What a perfect day for a hike through the woods to see the beauty of God's creation.

Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the universe!

Silly Bands

2010-09-27T21:27:00.003-04:00

This is what happens to confiscated silly bands in second grade!

O.K., not really.

But I've threatened to give them to Tosca if the kids are playing with them during class!

P.S. Thanks to A.B. for letting me borrow her silly bands. :)

Busy, busy, Busy

2010-09-26T20:17:00.002-04:00

The beginning of a new school year is always busy. Getting in the routine again, setting the alarm clock, planning lessons, meeting new students and learning their personalities. Someone recently mentioned that going from August to September for a teacher is like riding up a hill in a roller coaster (August) to suddenly zooming down at breakneck speed (September). That example seems to fit perfectly. But that’s not all that’s been going on this September. I’ve also spent the last month taking an online class dealing with integrating technology into the classroom. It’s been a great class – I’ve learned a lot, but the timing was not the best. The beginning of the school year is not a good time to take a class. It turned out to be much more work than I thought it would be; I’ve spent every weekend and several nights during the week working on it. That, along with regular schoolwork (and a new math series to get used to), has provided very little free time.

But now I can breathe again. I finished up my work for the class last night (at 6:50). I celebrated by opening a novel that’s been sitting on my dresser for the past three weeks, just waiting for me. I read two chapters; it felt so good to read for fun again. And today, I celebrated with my first Sunday since the school year began, truly at rest. I slept in and went to the later church service, had a great walk through the woods and meadows at VanRaalte farm with Tosca this afternoon, made bowtie lasagna, and finally posted a blog entry. What a blessed day.

Monday Moment

2010-09-06T09:00:00.001-04:00

This video is perfect for me at this busy time of year. Maybe it will speak to you also.

Summer's Last Fling

2010-09-03T18:23:00.007-04:00

With the new school year beginning on Aug. 30, I ended my summer vacation with a weekend trip to Chicago with my mom and sister. The weather was glorious – sunny with beautiful blue skies, temperatures in the low 80s – absolutely perfect for our weekend plans.

My mom and I drove to Michigan City and took the South Shore commuter train into Chicago on Thursday afternoon after my school “teacher meetings.” We arrived in time to enjoy supper at an outdoor restaurant in Millenium Park and part of a jazz concert at the park pavilion before walking to our hotel a few blocks away.

We met my sister at the train station the next morning and then took a trolley to Navy Pier. The Festival of Tall Ships was taking place so I was afraid it would be terribly crowded, but it wasn’t and we were able to ride the Ferris wheel right away. We walked along the pier, checking out the tall ships and shopping area. Then we enjoyed a buffet lunch cruise on the lake aboard the Spirit of America ship. It was awesome – the food, the entertaining wait-staff who sang and danced for us, the view of the Chicago skyline and the boats on the lake, the company of my mom and sister – two hours of relaxation.

We took a bus back to Millenium Park later that afternoon and then said goodbye to my sister. On our way back to the hotel, I stopped at the Ford Theatre where the Broadway musical Billy Elliot is playing to see if they had any discounted tickets for the evening’s performance. I was thrilled to get 2 tickets at a little more than half price in the orchestra section! It’s a great show – the choreography is spectacular – about following your dreams. (There is some questionable language, so I wouldn’t recommend it for kids.)

On Saturday my mom and I took a tour from the Chicago Neighborhood Tours focusing on the 1893 World’s Fair and the “White City” of Chicago. We had both read the book The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson about the World’s Fair and wanted to see the places the book described. The tour was great (I highly recommend it); it even included a delicious lunch at a charming Italian restaurant in Old Town. After our tour we collected our luggage from the hotel and made our way to the train station to take the commuter train back to Michigan City. It had been a perfect weekend!

It was the perfect weekend ... until we got to the train station. There we found that the trains would only be going as far as Gary, IN for the entire weekend. The rest of the route was closed for upgrade work. Uh oh! (To be fair, this announcement was posted on their website, but I had gotten the dates wrong and thought the closing wouldn’t happen until the next week). Now what? How would we get home? Thankfully we didn’t panic (much) and found God was still directing our path. We found that there was an Amtrak train leaving at 6:00 that would stop in Michigan City. We made our way to Union Station, got tickets, and boarded the train with just enough time. However, the Amtrak train stop was a few miles away from the commuter train stop. We’d have to find a way to get to the other train station where our car was. God was still directing our path, and He provided us with an unexpected gift when we got off the train in Michigan City. The information I had said that there was no train station, just a platform stop. This is true, but there is also a cute little restaurant called “Swingbellys” right next to the station parking lot. As it was now almost 8:00 at night, we decided to have supper there before calling a cab. The food was delicious and the waitresses were so friendly and helpful. When we found that the taxi wouldn’t be able to come for another hour, one of the waitresses drove us to the train station! After the unexpected stress of the last few hours, these women were definitely an answer to prayer and used by God to reassure us that we were still under His care. We finally got to our car around 9:30 pm (the time we had originally planned to be back home) and had an uneventful drive back to Holland. Whew!

What a way to end summer vacation!

Just a Girl and Her Dog

2010-08-22T15:53:00.005-04:00

In an effort to make up for all the “un-walks” we’ve taken this summer because of the heat, I took my dog hiking for two days last week. Call it “bad dog-mom guilt” or an excuse to get away for a couple days before school begins or just time spent in the woods; we had a great time. We went to Turkey Run, one of Indiana’s state parks, which is known for it’s great hiking trails. There are 11 trails, ranging from easy to moderate to rugged. We hiked some of each and the rugged are definitely challenging. We scrambled over huge boulders, wound our way up and down canyons, hopped stones across several creeks (well, I hopped across the stones; Tosca went straight through the creek), and enjoyed the beautiful scenery surrounding us.

Tosca is 13 years old and I wondered how she’d do on the more rugged trails, but she was eager to go and rarely needed to stop and rest. She must have been tired though, because she slept very soundly at night. We stayed overnight at a little motel about fifteen minutes away and returned for a second day of hiking before heading home late Wednesday afternoon.

It was so nice to spend some time away, just the two of us: enjoying God’s creation, praying as I walked, listening to the birds, thinking about the coming school year, being “still.”

I hope Tosca remembers these two days when the “too-tired-to–take-you-for-a-walk dog-mom” begins school.

And, after my tech training, I’ve put together a little video of our hikes. The song is“The Mountain” by Steven Curtis Chapman from his album “Heaven in the Real World” and I think it perfectly captures my feelings on the hike.

Monday Moment

2010-08-16T23:04:00.005-04:00

Inner Peace:

If you can start the day without caffeine,

If you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,

If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles,

If you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it,

If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time,

If you can take criticism and blame without resentment,

If you can conquer tension without medical help,

If you can relax without liquor,

If you can sleep without the aid of drugs,

…Then You Are Probably The Family Dog!

Technology at School

2010-08-15T15:45:00.004-04:00

As I’m preparing for the new school year, I’ve been thinking about how things have changed since I first began teaching some ? years ago.

Back then we:

made copies of worksheets with ditto machines, which constantly stained your fingers with purple ink
traced letters on construction paper and cut them out by hand for bulletin board titles
used a large opaque projector to enlarge “cutsie” characters and then colored them with markers for bulletin board displays.
handwrote tests and quizzes (which always seemed to slant downward at the end of each line no matter how much I tried to keep my writing straight)
relied primarily on school-purchased textbooks for lessons
utilized filmstrips and movie projectors (and learning how to thread both reels of the projector)

Now we:

use a copy machine, white board, or computer screen for student worksheets or practice
punch letters using an acu-cut machine or a computer-generated sign or banner (and laminate so they can be reused)
sometimes use an overhead projector (much smaller than the opaque) if something needs to be enlarged for display
use the computer to make professional looking tests, quizzes, and booklets
rely on the internet for topic research and lesson enhancements
utilize video clips, student projects, and various interactive websites

As part of a team of teachers from our school who received a year-long technology grant, I spent two full days last week learning more about the ways technology can be used to enhance education, and I’m excited about the possibilities. The students I teach today are growing up in a different world than the students I taught twenty years ago. Today’s students have always known about computers and ipods, the internet and YouTube. This is their world, and I’m excited about the ways I can incorporate these kinds of things to impact their learning.

This school year I’m looking forward to using a new interactive whiteboard with my students as well as creating a classroom wiki, which will showcase their writing, videos, and audio recordings. Further training during the school year with our team as well as attending a technology conference in the spring will provide additional ways to utilize technology in my classroom to benefit my students.

As I reflect on the “good old days” of teaching, I’m thankful for the “good new days” as well and the continued advances in education and technology. My goal is to help my students learn more about God's world and their place in it. And technology can be an asset in our classroom experience.

Monday Moment

2010-08-09T07:40:00.002-04:00

I've seen this several places on the internet and don't know if it's true or not, but I like to think it is. What a sweet story.

The Wallet

As I walked home one freezing day, I stumbled on a wallet someone had lost in the street. I picked it up and looked inside to find some identification so I could call the owner. But the wallet contained only three dollars and a crumpled letter that looked as if it had been in there for years.

The envelope was worn and the only thing that was legible on it was the return address. I started to open the letter, hoping to find some clue. Then I saw the dateline -- 1924. The letter had been written almost sixty years ago.

It was written in a beautiful feminine handwriting on powder blue stationery with a little flower in the left-hand corner. It was a "Dear John" letter that told the recipient, whose name appeared to be Michael, that the writer could not see him any more because her mother forbade it. Even so, she wrote that she would always love him. It was signed, Hannah.

It was a beautiful letter, but there was no way except for the name Michael, that the owner could be identified. Maybe if I called information, the operator could find a phone listing for the address on the envelope.

"Operator," I began, "this is an unusual request. I'm trying to find the owner of a wallet that I found. Is there anyway you can tell me if there is a phone number for an address that was on an envelope in the wallet?" She suggested I speak with her supervisor, who hesitated for a moment then said, "Well, there is a phone listing at that address, but I can't give you the number." She said, as a courtesy, she would call that number, explain my story and would ask them if they wanted her to connect me. I waited a few minutes and then she was back on the line. "I have a party who will speak with you." I asked the woman on the other end of the line if she knew anyone by the name of Hannah. She gasped, "Oh! We bought this house from a family who had a daughter named Hannah. But that was 30 years ago!"

"Would you know where that family could be located now?" I asked.

"I remember that Hannah had to place her mother in a nursing home some years ago," the woman said. "Maybe if you got in touch with them they might be able to track down the daughter." She gave me the name of the nursing home and I called the number. They told me the old lady had passed away some years ago but they did have a phone number for where they thought the daughter might be living. I thanked them and phoned. The woman who answered explained that Hannah herself was now living in a nursing home.

This whole thing was stupid, I thought to myself. Why was I making such a big deal over finding the owner of a wallet that had only three dollars and a letter that was almost 60 years old?

Nevertheless, I called the nursing home in which Hannah was supposed to be living and the man who answered the phone told me, "Yes, Hannah is staying with us. " Even though it was already 10 p.m., I asked if I could come to see her. " Well," he said hesitatingly, "if you want to take a chance, she might be in the day room watching television."

I thanked him and drove over to the nursing home. The night nurse and a guard greeted me at the door. We went up to the third floor of the large building. In the day room, the nurse introduced me to Hannah. She was a sweet, silver-haired old timer with a warm smile and a twinkle in her eye. I told her about finding the wallet and showed her the letter. The second she saw the powder blue envelope with that little flower on the left, she took a deep breath and said, "Young man, this letter was the last contact I ever had with Michael."

She looked away for a moment deep in thought and then said softly, "I loved him very much. But I was only 16 at the time and my mother felt I was too young. Oh, he was so handsome. He looked like Sean Connery, the actor."

"Yes," she continued. "Michael Goldstein was a wonderful person. If you should find him, tell him I think of him often. And," she hesitated for a moment, almost biting her lip, "tell him I still love him. You know," she said smiling as tears began to well up in her eyes, "I never did marry. I guess no one ever matched up to Michael..."

I thanked Hannah and said goodbye. I took the elevator to the first floor and as I stood by the door, the guard there asked, "Was the old lady able to help you?" I told him she had given me a lead. "At least I have a last name. But I think I'll let it go for a while. I spent almost the whole day trying to find the owner of this wallet." I had taken out the wallet, which was a simple brown leather case with red lacing on the side.

When the guard saw it, he said, "Hey, wait a minute! That's Mr. Goldstein's wallet. I'd know it anywhere with that right red lacing. He's always losing that wallet. I must have found it in the halls at least three times."

"Who's Mr. Goldstein?" I asked as my hand began to shake. "He's one of the old timers on the 8th floor. That's Mike Goldstein's wallet for sure. He must have lost it on one of his walks." I thanked the guard and quickly ran back to the nurse's office. I told her what the guard had said. We went back to the elevator and got on. I prayed that Mr. Goldstein would be up. On the eighth floor, the floor nurse said, "I think he's still in the day room. He likes to read at night. He's a darling old man."

We went to the only room that had any lights on and there was a man reading a book. The nurse went over to him and asked if he had lost his wallet. Mr. Goldstein looked up with surprise, put his hand in his back pocket and said, " Oh, it is missing!"

"This kind gentleman found a wallet and we wondered if it could be yours?" I handed Mr. Goldstein the wallet and the second he saw it, he smiled with relief and said, "Yes, that's it! It must have dropped out of my pocket this afternoon. I want to give you a reward." "No, thank you," I said. "But I have to tell you something. I read the letter in the hope of finding out who owned the wallet." The smile on his face suddenly disappeared. "You read that letter?" "Not only did I read it, I think I know where Hannah is." He suddenly grew pale.

"Hannah? You know where she is? How is she? Is she still as pretty as she was? Please, please tell me," he begged. "She's fine...just as pretty as when you knew her." I said softly. The old man smiled with anticipation and asked, "Could you tell me where she is? I want to call her tomorrow." He grabbed my hand and said, "You now something, mister, I was so in love with that girl that when that letter came, my life literally ended. I never married. I guess I've always loved her. "Mr. Goldstein," I said, "Come with me."

We took the elevator down to the third floor. The hallways were darkened and only one or two little night-lights lit our way to the day room where Hannah was sitting alone watching the television. The nurse walked over to her. "Hannah," she said softly, pointing to Michael, who was waiting with me in the doorway. "Do you know this man?" She adjusted her glasses, looked for a moment, but didn't say a word. Michael said softly, almost in a whisper, "Hannah, it's Michail. Do you remember me?" She gasped, "Michael! I don't believe it! Michael! It's you! My Michael!" He walked slowly towards her and they embraced. The nurse and I left with tears streaming down our faces.
"See," I said. "See how the Good Lord works! If it's meant to be, it will be."

About three weeks later I got a call at my office from the nursing home. "Can you break away on Sunday to attend a wedding? Michael and Hannah are going to tie the knot!" It was a beautiful wedding with all the people at the nursing home dressed up to join in the celebration. Hannah wore a light beige dress and looked beautiful. Michael wore a dark blue suit and stood tall. They made me their best man. The hospital gave them their own room and if you ever wanted to see a 76- year-old bride and a 79-year-old groom acting like two teenagers, you had to see this couple.

A perfect ending for a love affair that had lasted nearly 60 years.

Hold Tight!

2010-08-06T10:42:00.001-04:00

The water is (unusually) warm; the waves brisk. My seven year old nephew and nine year old niece (visiting from Indiana) love the water and can't wait to start splashing around. The beach is filled with people on this hot summer day. The water, too, is teeming with people – children near the shore, adults a little farther out, and teenagers out near the buoy markers signaling the end of the swimming area. The sun sparkles on the water as the waves crest and crash. What a beautiful day!

The kids want to walk farther out in the water to catch the deeper waves, but they listen to my instructions to stay closer to shore. At first, they don't like my other condition: we have to hold hands. They want to splash in the waves on their own, jumping and falling in the water. They want me nearby but not too close. They want their independence.

But I know something about Lake Michigan that my niece and nephew don't yet understand. This is a large and powerful lake, with strong undercurrents that can trap even the most capable swimmer. And the swimming flag today is red, which means extra caution needs to be taken when going in the water. So even though my niece is on a swim team at home, I still require her to hold my hand. And we stay in the more shallow area of the beach – deep enough for them to splash and jump, but shallow enough for me to maintain strong footing on the sandy bottom when the waves come. And I hold their hands to keep them safe. We laugh and splash and enjoy the experience together, but I am constantly on guard for the coming waves. And when my nephew pulls away, I grab his hand. I love these children and I hold them fast.

And as I grip their hands in mine, I'm suddenly struck with the imagery – the realization that God holds me in His hand as well. Just as my niece and nephew need to trust that I know what's best in the lake and holding my hand will protect them, I need to trust that God knows what is best for me. I need to stop pulling away, trying to do things on my own, because the undercurrent of life has dangers that I'm not aware of. I need to keep my hand in God's hand and hold tight.

What a beautiful day!

Monday Moment

2010-08-02T07:36:00.002-04:00

What makes someone rich or poor? It all depends on your perspective ...

One day a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people live.

They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.

On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip?"

"It was great, Dad."

"Did you see how poor people live?" the father asked.

"Oh yeah," said the son.

"So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?" asked the father.

The son answered: "I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a Creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon. We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We buy our food, but they grow theirs and eat it fresh. We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them."

The boy's father was speechless as his son added, "Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are."

Isn't perspective a wonderful thing?

Book Reviews

2010-07-30T13:34:00.001-04:00

One of the things I love most about summer is that I have plenty of time to read. Although I make an effort to continue reading during the school year, there's always schoolwork to do. During the summer I can spend an entire day reading a book if I want to. And I've been up reading until 2 am several times during the past month, until my eyes just can't stay open no matter how much my brain tells them to keep reading. I've already finished our local library's summer reading program for adults, but I still have several books on my summer reading list. And with August coming next week, I know my free reading time is quickly coming to an end. (I really need to start planning for school next week…and I still have some items other than reading on my summer "to do" list.)

Anyway, I thought I'd share a few of my favorite summer reads. I love books that stretch me and make me think, that show me different cultures and ways of life, and broaden my horizons.

Cutting For Stone by Abraham Verghese is about twin brothers, born and raised in an Ethiopian mission hospital. The story is narrated by one of the brothers, Marion, and explores themes such as love, family, betrayal, forgiveness, home and country.
The Help by Kathryn Stockett is a novel told from the viewpoints of a young white southern woman who has just graduated from college and is looking to pursue a writing career and two black women who work as maids for white families in Jackson, Mississippi. The three women join together, scared, yet determined to complete a dangerous project in order to make a difference and expose the realities of southern life in the 1960s. This book is beautifully written and the author's note at the end adds to the authenticity.
The Line by Olga Grushin deals with the hopes and dreams of life as well as the everyday realities of life. The setting is 1960's-ish Soviet Union when people stood in long lines daily for everyday items. Telling the story from the viewpoints of several family members - a father, mother, grandmother, and son - the family joins a long line at a kiosk that will be selling tickets to a one-night orchestra concert. The catch is - no one knows for sure if the concert will actually take place. There is no scheduled performance date and the tickets are not on sale yet. A crowd of people wait in line for over a year for the kiosk to open and sell the concert tickets; along the way we see how strangers interact with each other and how standing in the line transforms the members of this family.
La's Orchestra Saves the World by Alexander McCall Smith is a little lighter read, telling the story of a young widow living in the English countryside during World War II and how she and her neighbors work together to get by. It's light and sweet, but is also a testament to the tenacity of women in a time when women were not encouraged to be independent.

Next on my list is House Rules by Jodi Picoult. She is an author who always stretches my thinking. I also plan to read The Space Between Us (Thrity Umrigar), Secrets of Eden (Chris Bohjalian), and Dreams From My Father by Barack Obama. If I can squeeze it in, I'd also like to get to Wally Lamb's She's Come Undone before school begins. So many books; so little time!

Monday Moment

2010-07-26T09:32:00.003-04:00

Faith is a dog that was born in 2002 with severe deformities, including only 1 front leg that later had to be amputated; the local veterinarian advised putting her to sleep, but her new family loved her as she was and helped her learn to walk upright on her two rear legs. Now Faith spends much of her time visiting and encouraging people. She even has her own website: http://faiththedog.info/

Faith is definitely an example of perseverance. You can't help but smile as you watch her enjoy a walk in the park in this video; she's certainly smiling!

Legoland

2010-07-24T10:57:00.008-04:00

My nephew had his 7th birthday this week, and we celebrated by taking him to Legoland on Wednesday. I was amazed at how much they could fit in the building – a simulated factory room, a miniature exhibit of the downtown Chicago area, a 4D movie theatre, a jungle expedition walkway filled with lego creatures, dragon quest and technicycle rides, a café, and the most important area – the store. It was crowded and overpriced, but we had a good time. In Joey’s words, his favorite part of the day was “spending your money!” :)

It’s amazing what can be built from legos – the buildings, animals, characters, etc. – what a tremendous amount of planning must go into the design of each creation.

And, after helping Joey put together his new Toy Story Wild West sheriff’s office and gold mine, I’ve gained a new appreciation for the lego kits that build a specific item. I’ve always liked the concept of the lego tubs: a large container filled with various pieces, which kids could manipulate to build things using their imaginations. I thought the kits which built one specific thing stifled kids’ creative thinking. Now, however, I realize that these kits stimulate a different, and just as important, type of thinking. As we worked throughout the evening, following the instruction booklet, Joey was learning how to read directions (both written and pictorial) and gaining experience with geometric concepts. He also learned about persistence and patience and was rewarded with a completed set that looked just like the picture on the box when we finally finished at 10 p.m. (too late and too tired to take a picture!).

I loved spending this time with my nephew. Although our Legoland trip was probably a one-time birthday outing, I look forward to working on additional lego kits with him in the future. Happy Birthday, Joey! I love you.

Monday Moment

2010-07-19T16:13:00.003-04:00

I’ve always loved the Hallmark commercials; the sweet and touching reunions, the loving sentiments expressed, and the emotional responses. For me it’s not about the cards; it’s about the situation. And yes – sometimes I even tear up a little. I thought it would be fun to have my own version – a “Monday Moment” instead of a Hallmark Moment. So, I’m going to try posting a video clip, photo, or short inspirational story each Monday to begin the workweek on a positive note. They won’t all be sappy however; some might provide a chuckle instead. But hopefully we’ll get our “aawww” fix for the day.

Since it’s summer time and it’s been quite hot (at least in Michigan), I thought I’d begin by sharing a cute video of some characters playing in the sprinklers to cool off. Enjoy!

New Name; New Layout

2010-07-17T22:12:00.006-04:00

Summer is my time to “re-do.” I sit back, take stock of things, and decide what needs a change. So far this summer I’ve painted the patio, stained the deck, and I’m in the process of redecorating my bathroom. So why not refresh my blog as well?

Actually, I’ve now been blogging for two years. What started as an experiment in a summer tech course has turned out to be fun and has (hopefully) helped further develop my writing skills. However, I’ve never been happy with my original blog title. “My Life” seemed boring and unimaginative, but I couldn’t think of anything cute or catchy.

During the past few weeks I’ve been trying to come up with a new title; something short and succinct that will capture what I like to write about. I wanted something that will reflect my faith as well as the everyday events I write about.

This new title comes from several different places.
• Proverbs 3:5-6 has long been one of my favorite Bible verses; it’s even cross-stitched in my bedroom. I am so reassured by the fact that God directs my path and is in control of my life.
• I don’t usually enjoy reading allegories, but I loved the book Hind’s Feet in High Places by Hannah Hurnard. In this allegory of the Christian life, the Shepherd tells Much-Afraid to follow the path he has prepared for her, and she will develop hind’s feet that can leap on the high places. It’s a long and sometimes difficult journey with a joyous transformation at the end. I’m planning on rereading it this summer.
• While in Israel I learned about the sheep paths on the mountains and the importance of staying on the path. This “staying on the path” was reinforced on my backpacking trip to Isle Royale as we carefully picked our way along the muddy path. Anyway, all these thoughts dealing with path converged during the last week, leading to my new blog title: Feet For The Path.

I want to have feet for the path God has chosen for me. I want to follow His will for my life and trust Him to provide what I need each step along the way. Through the daily and sometimes mundane times, in the difficult and challenging circumstances, and amidst the exciting and joyous events I know God is sovereign and with me. And He will continue to help me develop my “feet” for this path of life that He’s leading me on.

So I’ll continue to write about lessons I’ve learned, thoughts about God and life, special places God might bring me, as well as some of the everyday happenings that maybe you can relate to.

You're welcome to join me; I'd love the company.

Mini-Vacation Up North

2010-07-09T12:39:00.023-04:00

My parents, brother and sister-in-law, and I took a three day trip to the upper peninsula earlier this week. The weather was cloudy with just a little rain, but thankfully we missed out on the really humid weather at home.

We drove up to Tahquamenon Falls on Monday, stopping for a picnic lunch at a rest stop along the way. We were able to see both the lower and upper falls - such a beautiful area.

We drove back to St. Ignace Monday evening and spent Tuesday at Mackinac Island. Our ferry ride to the island also brought us under the Mackinac Bridge, which was pretty cool.

We took a 2-hour carriage ride which was fun (it was especially nice being in a covered carriage during the brief rain shower of the day).

After lunch we did some shopping and had old-time photographs taken.

Don't I look like a southern belle?

Mom and Dad will be celebrating their 50th anniversary this December, so they did a wedding portrait.

Yes - there is a Starbucks on Mackinac Island! Mom had her first frappuccino - great on a warm afternoon!

Later in the afternoon I rented a bike and rode some of the bike paths in the state park. I'd love to spend a whole day in the interior of the island - it's just beautiful.

We enjoyed dinner at Millies on Main Street together before taking the ferry back to St. Ignace.

We returned home on Wednesday after a quick stop at "Castle Rock," a tourist trap complete with a Paul Bunyan statue. The view at the top of the rock was worth the long stair climb.

It was great spending time together as a family in "da yooper" country!

Family Photo

2010-07-04T17:09:00.002-04:00

My brother and sister-in-law from Krasnoyarsk, Siberia are here for a two-week visit. This past Wednesday my sister and brother-in-law and their two youngest kids came up and we had a great day together in Holland.

Meditations on a Summer Afternoon

2010-06-26T13:13:00.003-04:00

It’s been several weeks since I’ve updated the blog - weeks filled with finishing things up from the school year and beginning my summer “to do” list. Who said summer was a time for relaxing?

The last two weeks have been spent on outside projects - power washing and staining/painting the deck and patio, weeding and thinning out the garden, planting flowers and laying out mulch. All very physical labor; quite different from my schoolwork. And my body can definitely tell the difference: I think every muscle aches. But I found working outside gave me time to think and reflect on God’s work in my life.

Power Washing

Power washing a deck is slow, tedious work. You need to pay constant attention to the hose, making sure to hold it close enough to spray the dirt off but far enough to keep from damaging the wood. My tendency is to rush through, spraying quite rapidly back and forth. I found, however, that when I rushed I ended up missing quite a bit of the dirt and had to go back over those areas again. And when I moved the hose closer to the deck to get at the dirt, little flecks of wood chipped off. Gradually I learned the best height and angle to hold the hose. As I spent most of the afternoon cleaning the deck (yes, it was quite dirty), I was thrilled to see the dirt slowly disappear and a sparkling clean deck emerge. Later I also power washed the deck furniture. I found a sharper stream of water worked better in this case in order to remove the dust and insects accumulated through the winter. This short blast was much quicker and required less patience but would not have worked on the deck. Power washing reminded me of the way God works in my life, “power washing” away my sinful habits and tendencies. He knows when I need a quick, sharp blast and when the slow but steady pressure and flow will work best to draw me closer to Him and away from sin. Although the pressure can be painful at times, it will cleanse me so I can sparkle for Him. This week I’ve been praying that God will pressure-wash me and make me more like Him.

“Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.” Psalm 51:2

Pruning

I have two rose bushes that thrive in the sunny backyard near the house. Thankfully they bloom year after year without much extra care from me, but I was amazed at how tall and spread out they were this spring. I realized I needed to prune them before they took over the entire garden. As I clipped branches and reshaped the bushes, a Bible verse came to mind:

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunesso that it will be even more fruitful.” John 15:1-2

Although I’ve heard these verses before (and even had my students memorize verse 5), they came alive in a new way as I looked at my freshly pruned rose bushes. Instead of looking wild and sprawling, they now are a highlight of the garden and I can’t wait to see the next group of blooms. And, along with power washing, I want God to continue pruning me, working in my life so I can bloom and bear fruit for Him.

Festival Grand Rapids

2010-06-05T19:24:00.004-04:00

Since I spent most of Memorial Day weekend working on report cards, I decided to take advantage of today’s nice weather and spend a couple hours in Grand Rapids at the annual Festival of the Arts. I’m so glad I did.

Although there was a threat of rain (“liquid sunshine”) all day, the weather was actually beautiful - sunny and warm, but not too hot. It became cloudy later in the afternoon, providing a little relief from the sun. (And it actually rained back in Holland after I was home - hope the rain stayed away from GR.)

Festival is food, music, and art. The various smells of 20+ food booths permeate the air as you walk along the street. Although busy, the lines weren’t terribly long and it was difficult to choose. I love the food at Festival because there are always such a variety of ethnic dishes to sample. I went the Middle East route this time with a Lebanese shawarma and a falafil; both were delicious. I stuck to traditional American for dessert - nothing can beat a waffle cone with Mackinac Island Fudge and Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream. It’s definitely summer time!

There’s a lot to see and do at Festival. I remember attending Festival each year as a child, beginning in either 1974 or 75. I loved the “Paint-In” and “Glue-In” kids’ activities, and I smiled this afternoon as I saw them - still here and filled with kids creating their masterpieces. Hmm, I think all my “masterpieces” must have ended up in the trash.

I also love the variety of music and dance available to see at Festival - all for free. This afternoon I enjoyed a dance performance, an acoustic band, Sam Stryke - jazz pianist, Edye Evans Hyde - a great vocalist, the River City Improv - so good, and the Schubert Male Chorus. Oh, as a bonus, there was also a skateboarding dog - not on the official entertainment schedule, but on the sidewalk near the Art Museum and entertaining people anyway. His owner would set the skateboard on the ground and the dog would run up to it, grab the edge in his teeth, and then hop on and ride down the sidewalk. He even pushed off the ground with one back leg when it slowed down! Maybe I should buy a skateboard for Tosca?

It was also fun to just sit and watch the people. As with the food, art, and entertainment, there are such a variety of people. I think of how different we all are, and yet we can come together in one place and simply enjoy the city and this event. What a fun afternoon.

A Lost Farewell

2010-06-02T20:31:00.003-04:00

It’s now been over a week since the final episode of Lost was broadcast. Although I don’t watch much television, I have definitely become a Lost “fanatic” during the past six years, going as far as re-watching the season episodes during summer breaks and spending hours online reading various discussion boards. It truly was hard to see the show end, although I was very satisfied with the final episode. I felt it provided closure while also including enough of the show’s trademark ambiguity (and plenty of opportunity for tears!).

After spending much of last week watching interviews and reading reviews/discussion about the show (and yes, kind of “mourning” the end), I’m now ready to “let it go” and move on to real life again. But I’ve also tried to determine what it was exactly about Lost that made me enjoy it so much.

The primary reason Lost captured and kept my attention was the character development. The theme of the show revolved around a plane crash on a mysterious island and the lives of the crash survivors. During the first season we learned about the lives of these survivors before the crash (via flashbacks). Each character was featured in an episode, although we also found connections between characters in their lives before the crash (ex. one character owned the company that another character worked at). As each character became more developed, we learned of their flaws and their strengths. During the following seasons we saw these characters’ personal, and sometimes spiritual, growth. This strong character development (and superb writing) made the characters seem real and brought about a certain sympathy toward even some of the villain-type characters.

The other reason I loved Lost so much is because of its thought-provoking nature. The show dealt with broad themes, such as good vs. evil, faith vs. science, destiny vs. free will, redemption, love, and sacrifice. And later seasons even flirted with the idea of time travel, asking whether it’s possible to change the future. These types of deep philosophical questions are certainly not typical T.V. fare, but even more intriguing is the fact that the show didn’t present these issues as simply polar opposites. We were never really quite sure who the “good guys” and “bad guys” were; eventually we could see a little good and evil in everyone. I loved the tension between destiny (fate) versus free will discussions on the show, and I admire the writers for their willingness to speak of religion and faith. In fact, one major character changed from being a man of science at the beginning to become a man of faith by the end. I loved the way the show made me think about what I really believe about God and life and living together in community.

Lost also provided a sense of mystery with new questions to wonder about during each episode. In this sense the show was both entertaining and educational. As we learned more about the mysterious island that had special electromagnetic capabilities, we wondered about the others who lived there, the powerful smoke monster, and the many scientific hatches located on the island. The writers began hiding little clues in the episodes and also incorporated classic literature and names of noted philosophers and scientists. I read several of the books mentioned on the show and also researched some of these real-life people as well as ancient Egyptian life after several episodes.

But all good things eventually come to an end, and Lost has now ended. So I say a final farewell to Jack, Kate, Hurley, Sawyer, Ben, Claire, Rose and Bernard, as well as to Jin and Sun, Sayid, Charlie, Michael and Walt, and John. And a special farewell to good old Vincent, the dog who proved to be man’s best friend at the end.

Any show that features a dog has to be pretty good.

A Spring Sunday Afternoon

2010-05-23T17:43:00.004-04:00

A beautiful light-blue sky with wisps of puffy white clouds ...

the chatter of birds mixed with the buzzing of distant cars ...

a gentle breeze rustling the growing leaves ...

a dog lying contented on the grass, watching for stray squirrels to wander by ...

the sunlight streaming from the sky ...

freshly planted impatiens adding vibrant pinks to the subtle shades of green in the garden ...

a feeling of peace and calm ...

the presence of God.

Blessings

"The Sun Will Always Float"

2010-05-18T20:52:00.006-04:00

The title for this post comes from a poem by Kevin Kammeraad that appears in the children’s book The Tomato Collection. This is a great collection of poems, which my students enjoy reading each year, but my favorite is the poem about the reassurance that the sun will always be in the sky. The poem describes various occasions when we feel worried, sad, or scared, and each verse ends with the reminder that “the sun will always float.” It reminds me - and my students - that God is always in control and with us. You can read Kevin’s poem here.

Last week my second graders wrote their own verses for this poem, which we displayed in our hallway on colorful, sponge-painted “suns.” They did a beautiful job and I’d like to share them with you as a reminder that, no matter what your circumstances are, God is in control.

When I worry about scary movies, I remember, the sun will always float.

When I’m afraid of climbing high in a tree, I remember, the sun will always float.

When I’m sad because people are mean, I remember, the sun will always float.

When I worry about a school test, I remember, the sun will always float.

When I’m afraid of nightmares, I remember, the sun will always float.

When I’m sad because no one wants to play with me, I remember, the sun will always float.

When I worry about being stung by a jellyfish, I remember, the sun will always float.

When I’m afraid of thunder and lightning, I remember, the sun will always float.

When I’m sad because I hurt my friend, I remember, the sun will always float.

When I worry about kids teasing me, I remember, the sun will always float.

When I’m afraid of wars, I remember, the sun will always float.

When I’m sad because my friend goes to the hospital, I remember, the sun will always float.

When I worry about the world ending, I remember, the sun will always float.

When I’m sad because somebody hurts my feelings, I remember, the sun will always float.

When I’m sad because my sisters don’t want to play with me, I remember, the sun will always float.

When I worry about what’s going to happen, I remember, the sun will always float.

When I’m afraid of the dark, I remember, the sun will always float.

When I’m sad because no one wants to play with me, I remember, the sun will always float.

Communion

2010-05-16T13:08:00.004-04:00

Communion is a sweet word. It evokes a sense of shared experience with others and the joy of celebration. When I have communion with someone, I participate in their life; we have an intimate connection with each other. I love the communion I have with my family and friends, but even more special is the communion we can have with God.

At church this morning we celebrated our communion with God by sharing bread and juice during the Lord’s Supper. This is always a special time for me, but occasionally I have the opportunity to serve the elements as a pastoral care elder. Each time I participate in this way I am so blessed.

In our church people come forward to receive the bread and juice. Elders and pastors stand together in pairs at the front of the sanctuary; one carries a platter containing small pieces of pita bread while the other holds a large wooden goblet filled with grape juice. As people come forward, they take a piece of bread and dip it into the juice and then eat it.

As I stood at the front of church this morning and watched the overflowing aisles, I was filled with a sense of joy for God’s love. I don’t know everyone’s name or the circumstances in their lives, but God does and He invited them all to come and participate - to have communion with Him (and each other). It was such a privilege to look directly at each person that came to me, touch his or her arm or shoulder, and give a personal message from God to them: “The blood of Christ was shed for you.” People reacted differently: some saying “Amen” or “Praise God” while others just nodded their affirmation. A few didn’t maintain eye contact and just looked down, and one woman looked like she was about to cry. People of all ages came forward and I wondered how God has worked in each of their lives. I felt a deep connection to each as I smiled at and spoke to them; I felt like a conduit, channeling God’s love to His people. It was a holy experience. Making it even more special was the fact that over 30 middle and high school students professed their faith this morning and enjoyed this special communion service for the first time.

I’m so thankful that God desires to have communion with us. The fact that he sent his son, Jesus, to die and pay the price for our salvation is amazing. That He wants to be intimately involved in our lives is comforting. And the way He uses the service of Communion to further develop communion between himself and other people is oh so sweet.

Random Ramblings

2010-05-02T17:03:00.006-04:00

Some totally random thoughts and observations from the last couple of weeks:

Two weeks in a row with the same sermon topic - stewardship and finances - makes me wonder what God is trying to tell me. (different churches, different scripture passages, same theme)

Four hours of leaning over and across a child's wading pool filled with soil, helping kids plant seeds results in a sore back. (discovered after volunteering for an afternoon at Tulip Time's Kinderplaatz)

Weeds multiply faster than rabbits.

I can be outgoing and talkative with leadership skills when I'm in familiar surroundings, but in an unfamiliar environment I'm very anxious and shy. So I tend to avoid these type of situations because of fear/discomfort and then get mad at myself for avoiding them. It's very frustrating.

I am such a saver that I dutifully add to my pile of Time magazines each Friday when the new one comes in the mail. I know I'll never read them, but I can't throw them away. I'm looking forward to the week when my subscription runs out. Then I'll recycle the whole lot.

My dog is losing her hearing, but she is definitely not losing her sight - as evidenced by her incessant barking every time someone walks past our house.

I'm getting thicker around the middle. Hopefully, I'll soon be motivated enough to stop it.

I think my bike needs new tires. Because, even after putting air in them yesterday, they weren't firm. That makes biking uphill pretty difficult.

After wandering through the Art and Craft Fair, I realized I don't need any more "stuff" and bought absolutely nothing.

I like Thai food. Had it for the first time last night after reading about a local Tulip Time vendor and decided to support her business. I had the special - Pad Thai - which is a stir-fry with thin noodles, chicken, tofu, green onions, bean sprouts, and peanuts. It was delicious!

Watching a group of first graders receive new Bibles is a blessing; hearing one of them read the scripture passage in church is a delight.

I love spring - watching nature come to life again after the cold, dark winter. The trees and flowers are beautiful and remind me of God's ever-present care.

Tough Love

2010-04-25T16:13:00.001-04:00

I see the panic in his face as he walks across the wet floor. His arms are crossed together in front of him as he shivers in the cool air. Cautiously he walks toward the diving board and the deep pool of water. Today is the day his swimming class jumps off the diving board for the first time. I know he is scared and doesn’t want to jump. I know he is afraid of the water. I know this is really hard for him. I want so badly to leave my seat on the bleachers, to open the gate that separates spectators from swimmers, to run and hug him and tell him he doesn’t have to jump. But I stay in my seat, lock my eyes on his 8-year-old body, and offer a silent prayer for him. He climbs on the diving board and walks forward, grasping a large orange swimming noodle around his waist. His teacher follows behind him. As he stands at the edge of the board, the teacher softly encourages him and, holding the edges of the noodle, lifts him off the board and gently drops him into the water. He did it! And he does it again and again. I’m so proud of him. I can't wait to give him a high-five after class.

As I watched my second graders go through their two-week swimming lessons at the Aquatic Center, I saw differences in their personalities and comfort level with swimming. Some loved the water and swam like fish; others were more fearful of the entire experience. My attention was most often focused on the “beginner” group, partly because that’s where I belong (I flunked swimming lessons as a child and now rely primarily on the back float and “doggie paddle”), but also because I know it’s difficult for them. As a teacher who loves them, I wish they didn’t have to do something that’s so hard for them.

I also feel for my students that struggle with some area of schoolwork or the social aspect of school. I love “my” kids. I want them to be happy. I want them to understand things the first time. I want them to have friends. I want life to be easy for them. But that doesn’t always happen. And I hurt when they hurt.

And yet, it’s often in the struggles that we learn the most. There is joy in finally succeeding and overcoming obstacles. Besides, I also want my students to learn perseverance and courage and compassion. These life skills are developed through struggles. So I continue to do my job: guide, teach, and love these children. Praise them for their successes and encourage them amidst their struggles. And pray for them.

Words

2010-04-18T11:56:00.003-04:00

I’ve just spent three delightful days immersed in literature at Calvin College’s Festival of Faith and Writing. Well, actually two of the days were delightful. By Saturday I had developed the typical “brain freeze” that usually accompanies conferences lasting longer than a day, and I walked around in a bit of a fog. But still. What a gift to spend three days listening to stories, poems, and essays by the very people who created them and learn about their creative process and life experiences. And even more, to hear how their faith impacts their writing.

Language is a gift from God. Words themselves are a gift from God. The very idea of communicating - both with God and other people - is such a wonderful and important gift from God. I enjoyed hearing from authors Wally Lamb, Lisa Samson, Peter Manseau, Scott Cairns, Avi, Kate diCamillo, and Sally Lloyd-Jones, as well as others. Although some write for adults and others write primarily for children, a common theme emerged: the interdependence we have with each other. We are relational people, and language - words - reflects that.

Kate diCamillo spoke about the fact that life is both beautiful and difficult and literature (for adults and children) should reflect both these truths. Lisa Samson shared how her novels portray her faith journey as she has learned to marry her belief and faith practices in books like Quaker Summer. Wally Lamb’s books deal with the theme of quest - his characters often search for the meaning of life, turning from some type of chaos to find order. And Peter Manseau and Dara Horn described how we find universal truth, even in books written about a specific culture or time period.

I come away from the conference with a renewed appreciation for the beauty of words, a desire to improve my own writing and the writing of my students, a recognition that published authors are “regular” people, and a challenge of recognizing who my neighbor is and how I impact them.

I also have a new reading list that will definitely last through the summer!

Spring Break

2010-04-14T21:04:00.004-04:00

After a couple of very hectic winter months, it was so nice to relax at home during spring vacation this year. My only definite plans were to get my taxes finished and catch up on some reading. Thankfully, I accomplished both, although completing the taxes with Turbo Tax was looking doubtful for a couple days due to an "older and temperamental" home computer. The first day of vacation was unusually warm and sunny, so I spent most of the day sitting in the sun on the deck with my book - ahh!

In addition to reading and doing taxes, I found time to meet friends for lunch, coffee, and supper on different days. I also saw the musical "The Color Purple;" a great story of personal triumph over the hardships of life. Although I disagree with some of the morals of the show, I love how the main character grows and learns to accept herself and develop a sense of pride in who she is. The music is catchy, featuring gospel, jazz, and ragtime songs. And the overall mood of the musical is uplifting and life-affirming.

On the Tuesday of spring vacation, author Greg Mortinsen ("Three Cups of Tea") spoke at Grand Valley State University about how he is helping build schools in rural Afghanistan and Pakistan villages to educate the boys and girls in these countries. I've read his book and am inspired by the way one person can make a difference in the world. I got there early to make sure I could get in and am glad I was able to see him in person and hear his story first-hand.

After spending a day outside doing yard work, I treated myself to a massage at Design One Day Spa (yes, I can rationalize almost anything). And I spent the last two days of vacation on "spring cleaning" - cleaning the fridge and freezer, vacuuming the fridge coils, washing baseboards, cleaning under the sofa cushions, actually moving the bed to clean underneath, etc. My new goal is to keep the house picked up; it's been four days and things are still looking good.

Sometimes it's nice to just stay home during a vacation.

Easter 2010

2010-04-08T21:49:00.007-04:00

It was a blessing to spend Easter afternoon with my family. After each attending Easter services at our own churches, we gathered at my parents' home for dinner. My sister and brother-in-law drove up with their two younger children and new puppy. What a cutie! After dinner we enjoyed the Frederick Meijer Gardens butterfly exhibit - lots of butterflies flying around on this sunny day. My niece and nephew enjoyed playing in the Children's Garden too. We missed my older nephew who stayed at his college for the weekend and my brother and sister-in-law who live in Siberia. Hopefully we'll all be together this summer.

Miss Daisy

John 3:16

2010-04-03T08:04:00.003-04:00

A colleague shared this at our staff devotions this past week. I'm not sure who originally wrote it but thought it was worth sharing.

A little boy was selling newspapers on the corner, the people were in and out of the cold. The little boy was so cold that he wasn't trying to sell many papers.

He walked up to a policeman and said, "Mister, you wouldn't happen to know where a poor boy could find a warm place to sleep tonight would you? You see, I sleep in a box up around the corner there and down the alley and it's awful cold in there for tonight. Sure would be nice to have a warm place to stay."

The policeman looked down at the little boy and said, "You go down the street to that big white house and you knock on the door. When they come out the door you just say John 3:16, and they will let you in."

So he did. He walked up the steps and knocked on the door, and a lady answered. He looked up and said, "John 3:16." The lady said, "Come on in, Son."

She took him in and she sat him down in a split bottom rocker in front of a great big old fireplace, and she went off. The boy sat there for a while and thought to himself: John 3:16 ...I don't understand it, but it sure makes a cold boy warm.

Later she came back and asked him "Are you hungry?" He said, "Well, just a little. I haven't eaten in a couple of days, and I guess I could stand a little bit of food,"

The lady took him in the kitchen and sat him down to a table full of wonderful food.. He ate and ate until he couldn't eat any more. Then he thought to himself: John 3:16 ...Boy, I sure don't understand it but it sure makes a hungry boy full.

She took him upstairs to a bathroom to a huge bathtub filled with warm water, and he sat there and soaked for a while. As he soaked, he thought to himself: John 3:16 ... I sure don't understand it, but it sure makes a dirty boy clean. You know, I've not had a bath, a real bath, in my whole life. The only bath I ever had was when I stood in front of that big old fire hydrant as they flushed it out.

The lady came in and got him. She took him to a room, tucked him into a big old feather bed, pulled the covers up around his neck, kissed him goodnight and turned out the lights. As he lay in the darkness and looked out the window at the snow coming down on that cold night, he thought to himself: John 3:16 ...I don't understand it but it sure makes a tired boy rested.

The next morning the lady came back up and took him down again to that same big table full of food. After he ate, she took him back to that same big old split bottom rocker in front of the fireplace and picked up a big old Bible.

She sat down in front of him and looked into his young face. "Do you understand John 3:16?" she asked gently. He replied, "No, Ma'am, I don't. The first time I ever heard it was last night when the policeman told me to use it." She opened the Bible to John 3:16 and began to explain to him about Jesus. Right there, in front of that big old fireplace, he gave his heart and life to Jesus. He sat there and thought: John 3:16 -- don't understand it, but it sure makes a lost boy feel safe.

You know, I have to confess I don't understand it either, how God was willing to send His Son to die for me, and how Jesus would agree to do such a thing. I don't understand the agony of the Father and every angel in heaven as they watched Jesus suffer and die. I don't understand the intense love for ME that kept Jesus on the cross till the end. I don't understand it, but it sure does make life worth living.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

That's My King

2010-03-28T11:17:00.003-04:00

(from the late S.M. Lockridge, Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, in California)

A Dogsled Ride

2010-02-25T18:58:00.009-05:00

I spent last weekend up north at the Shanty Creek Resort and Schuss Mountain with some good friends from school. The weather was perfect: lots of snow but very little wind, not too cold, and a beautiful blue sky. We enjoyed the winter weather by tubing, cross country skiing (some went downhill skiing - I just watched), and going on a night-time sleigh ride. We also enjoyed good food and fellowship.

But the highlight, for me, was seeing the sled dogs. I knew from the website that they had dog sled rides available on the weekends. But they were advertised for kids. I LOVE dogs! And I love sled dogs. I went on three excursions during my trip to Alaska that dealt with sled dogs. But I've never gone for a dogsled ride in the snow. So, I called the reservation line on Saturday to see if there were any openings and if they'd allow an adult to sign up. The rides were all booked. Oh well.

At the end of our cross-country skiing trail, we saw the sled dog team racing by. We skied over (well, by then I had taken my skis off); they were just about finished with the rides for the day, so we watched the last two kids go for a ride. I told the lady I was a second grade teacher and explained how my class learns about sled dogs and the Iditarod race each year and .....

They gave me a short dog sled ride for free and then let me stand on the sled (pushing down on the brake because the dogs were ready to run!) so we could get pictures to show my class. It was so exciting to ride - hearing the screech of the sled runners and the breathing of the dogs, feeling the wind and listening to the "haw" turn signal given by the musher, seeing those beautiful dogs do what they love. It was an awesome highlight to a great weekend getaway!

Now, maybe I should learn how to drive the dogsled.

Valentine's Day

2010-02-16T22:36:00.001-05:00

I hate Valentine’s Day. I guess hate is too strong a word, but it’s definitely not my favorite holiday. Being single, it seems as if this is a day to rub in the fact that some of us are alone. All the cards and flowers and advertisements just remind me that I don’t have “that special someone” and I’m envious of all who do.

I didn’t always dislike Valentine’s Day. I remember the excitement of school parties as a child and choosing just the right valentine with the perfect message to give to each classmate. In junior high we girls each designed a heart, which we wore pinned to our shirt on Valentine’s Day. The boys all tried to get us to talk, so they could take our heart. Whoever had the most hearts at the end of the day received a prize.

This Valentine’s Day, however, I wasn’t thinking about myself. My dad was admitted to the hospital the night before because of breathing difficulties, so my mind was on him. The doctors weren’t initially sure if his problem was pneumonia or heart problems (he has congestive heart failure), but after a number of tests they determined it was the heart, so they’ve started him on a new type of medication which hopefully will help his heart rate and his breathing.

I went up to the hospital to visit him after church (on Valentine’s Day). My mom was there too, and at one point she suggested they take a short walk down the hall. As I watched them walk through the door together, my dad in his hospital clothes and walking a bit unsteady because of his condition and my mom dressed in her nice “church” clothes, I thought of their love and commitment to each other. They’ve been married almost 50 years (this coming December) and been through a lot with my dad’s health. They rely on each other and support each other. They love each other - for better or for worse, in difficult times as well as the good times. They are a wonderful example of true commitment and love to me, as well as to my sister and brother.

I’m no longer going to think of Valentine’s Day as a day reminding me of what I’m missing. Instead, I’m going to remember Valentine’s Day as a day to celebrate my parents’ love and commitment to each other. And the picture in my head is of the two of them, holding hands as they walk out the door of my dad’s hospital room for a walk down the hall. It’s a beautiful picture.

I love you Mom and Dad.

Moscow Circus

2010-02-10T19:40:00.006-05:00

I took my mom and dad to the circus a few nights ago. We had fun. But this was not just any ordinary circus. We went to the Moscow Circus. Yes - Moscow. As in Russia. One of my second graders thought we had traveled to Russia and back overnight until I explained that the Moscow Circus is on a tour through the United States and we only had to go to Byron Center.

The circus was very similar to Cirque Du Soleil, but with a smaller cast (about 20). Most performers were dressed in some type of Russian costume and a trio of folk musicians played Russian music throughout the show. The opening number showed photographs of scenery from Moscow including a number of buildings my mom and I had toured on our trip there, so that was fun for us to see.

The performers were all very accomplished and amazed us with their skills. One woman twirled up to 10 hula hoops at one time - all in different places (ankles, one leg raised in the air, each arm, her neck, etc.), and she juggled the hula hoops as well. There was also a trio of jugglers who incorporated acrobatics in step with their juggling. At one point the girl stood on one of the guys’ shoulders while the three continued their juggling back and forth. Other acts included a woman contortionist (ouch!), a couple with an incredible trapeze act, and a hand balancer. There was also a performance by two men called Voltij Acrobatics. I can't find out what the term means, but it involves tremendous physical power and acrobatic precision. One guy stood up high on the other’s hands and then was tossed in the air, landing on the guy’s hands again. The only animal in the circus was a little dog who jumped and hopped all around his trainer - hard to explain but pretty cool. A couple of clowns entertained in between the acrobatic acts.

Since my mom and I never made it to the Moscow Circus when we were actually in Moscow, I’m glad we made it to their Michigan performance. It was a great evening!

Here's their promo video. A few of the acts have changed since the video was made, but the aerial straps, hand balancer, contortionist, team jugglers, and dog act, as well as the clowns are all the same.

Today

2010-02-05T18:05:00.001-05:00

Three sugary birthday treats on a Friday makes a teacher especially thankful when 3:30 finally arrives.

Choices

2010-02-01T21:30:00.013-05:00

When I was little, my dad subscribed to Time magazine. I used to look through it and wonder why anyone would read it. There were so many words, so close together with tiny print, and the articles all sounded extremely boring. The only interesting part to my twelve-year brain was the “Milestones” section, which listed which movie stars had gotten married, divorced, or had died. I much preferred reading my fiction chapter books.

Last summer, in order to keep my (not-so) frequent flyer miles account, I was encouraged by the airline to subscribe to a magazine (using up some of my miles, but keeping my account active). I saw Time magazine listed as one of the magazine choices and, being a responsible adult, decided to subscribe to it. I thought it would look like I really knew what’s going on in the world if Time magazine was sitting on my coffee table.

Imagine my surprise when I glanced through my first copy of Time magazine and one of the articles actually caught my attention. I sat down and started reading. And I enjoyed it! “I really must be a grown up,” was my first thought. I kept the magazine on the nightstand beside my bed and read a little bit before falling to sleep each night. It was wonderful. I read every single article and finished the entire issue by the following Friday, which is when I received the next issue. That’s when the problem began.

Do you know how often a weekly magazine is delivered? Every single week. Just when you’ve (hopefully) finished the previous issue. Which is great if you don’t plan to read anything else. I’ve spent the entire first semester this year trying to “get ahead” with my Time magazine so I can finish it before the next one comes. I need to read a little every night to finish before the next one arrives. Once you’re behind, good luck catching up again. (And I have to read every article or it doesn’t count.)

The problem is, although I feel more knowledgeable about the world, I don’t have time to read any books. And I love reading books. I don’t love reading Time magazine. I read it because it comes in the mail; it’s an obligation.

So my dilemma is, do I continue reading Time? Or do I give it up and go back to reading real books. Here’s a picture of my two choices. Which pile would you pick?

(Here’s my decision: I’m on page 252 of Jodi Piccoult’s book.) And very happy!

Magic

2010-01-23T09:33:00.004-05:00

Do you believe in magic? I do. Not the kind of “Harry Potter” supernatural magic and not the sleight-of-hand tricks from a magician. But magic as a special feeling, or, as my computer dictionary says - “a quality that makes something seem removed from everyday life, especially in a way that gives delight.” For me, Disney World has that magical quality.

I’ve been trying to decide which of the four theme parks I liked the best. I’ve decided, however, that they are all so different it’s impossible to choose.

I was initially most excited to go to Animal Kingdom. I love animals and knew they had an African safari. After being on safari in South Africa I was eager to share this experience with the rest of my family. I found that Disney puts their own take on the safari - it’s basically a jeep ride through the African animals exhibit with an added storyline narration about poachers stealing a baby elephant (very corny). It was nice to see all the animals - elephants, giraffes, cheetahs, hippos, rhinos, and even the tip of a sleeping lion’s head way up on a rock - but I left Animal Kingdom realizing it was just a really expensive zoo. I even found out that all the animals in the safari exhibit are housed in buildings at night. After the park closes, they’re all brought back to their “houses.” The “magic” of Disney - making the safari seem real. I enjoyed the time at Animal Kingdom, but I don’t think I’d go back to Disney just for that park.

Hollywood Studios is all about magic - the magic of movies. I found this park exciting because of all the energy. There were lots of shows - a stunt show, studio back lot tour, American Idol show, High School Musical show, and a number of others that we couldn’t fit in during our single day there. We also enjoyed a parade featuring the characters from Pixar movies. Seeing these larger-than-life make-believe characters added to the magical feeling. I left this park wishing we had another day to spend here.

I didn’t spend enough time at Epcot Center to really experience this park. I was only there for a couple hours one morning when it first opened before I met the rest of my family at another park. It was New Year’s Eve and they were getting ready for the big celebration that evening as well as taking down everything from the Christmas celebration that ended the night before. So I just walked around enjoying the beautiful landscaping and flowers (remember, I had just left snowy Michigan - it was wonderful to see the green!). I did sense a little feeling of magic in the World Showcase area seeing all the pavilions representing the various countries and cultures.

But, for me, walking into the Magic Kingdom was truly magical. We saved this park for last, and I’m so glad we did. Magic Kingdom is so different from the other theme parks - it is truly magical. When I first turned the corner and saw Cinderella’s castle shimmering in the sunlight, I instantly felt like a little girl again with hopes, dreams, and wishes for living “happily ever after.” All throughout the day, whenever we walked past the castle, I just couldn’t stop staring at it. It’s beautiful. It’s magical. It’s filled with possibilities. Maybe it’s because of my nostalgia and growing up with the “Wonderful World of Disney” TV show and fairy tales, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this park. We saw parts of several shows and parades featuring the typical Disney characters - Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella. But while I loved reading about all the princesses when I was growing up, I realized now how boring their lives would actually be if they really spent all their days dancing with the prince in a parade or a show and never actually getting out and living.

I truly enjoyed the “magic” of Disney World - the temporary removal from everyday life for a few days. At the beginning of the week I thought about how nice it would be to just stay there - no real worries or problems, everyone working to make life easier and happy for me. But by the end of the week I was ready to return home to my real life - where I belong and can hopefully make a difference in the lives of others.

Although I still love the picture of Cinderella’s castle.