Merry Christmas........ and happy travels

So, I haven't posted in a while, so I figured it was time. What a Christmas we had!! It wasn't the "usual" Christmas for us. We took off in the family sleigh (it's red, so there's some truth to it) the last day of school for Mark and Jonathan. It was crazy! We drove until we were too tired to drive anymore. We stopped in Roanoke, VA then the next day drove to Lenox, MA spending the Sunday before Christmas at Hope Church. It was very nice seeing some of Morgan's friends and all the folks we have known a long time! We also got to see Jen (we were the first!) just as she arrived in Lenox from Honduras!! It was great seeing her! We then set off for ME and that's when we hit a bit of a snag. I have been driving since I was 17. I am now 41. That's what, 24 years, right? Well, in all 24 years I have gotten a couple of speeding tickets, only had a couple of accidents (that were my fault, the rest were other people's). I hit the mother load this time. In my hurry to get to ME, I was waiting, and waiting, and waiting in line at the toll booth from I 90 to I 495. I saw two lanes on the far left. One was really fast and one was slowwwww. Since they both looked exactly the same I jumped out of line and the kids and Mark were screaming at me........NOOOOO!! It's the E-Z Pass Lane!!!!! OHHH NOOO!! Well, I tried to get back into the other lane, the cars behind me were honking loudly, so I went up to the toll booth and the toll taker in the next lane wouldn't take my toll. I was in the far left lane, so I tried to get over to the right and park, but would have caused an accident. I had to keep going. To say I was in a panic is an understatement. I RAN A TOLL BOOTH!! Oh my goodness. I expected to see a Mass State Patrol coming after me!! I called MA Highway Patrol. I think the guy was laughing at me, and he gave me the number for E-Z Pass. I called and left a message. I am still mortified. Of course, every toll booth we went through the kids and Mark harassed me NON STOP!! "Don't go to the E-Z Pass lane!!!" Well, I guess if you can't laugh at yourself what can you do? So, as it stands now, I still owe the State of Massachusetts $2.10. I hope it doesn't break them. I'm still waiting for my ticket! Well, after all that excitement, off to ME. We had a wonderful time with my mother in law and Mark's family. Morgan and I went to the Christmas Eve service at Blessed Hope in Waterville. We were supposed to go to the Sunday service but as it always goes with visiting folks you haven't seen in a long time, we only had so much time and so many people to see. Sunday morning was occupied. We saw my brother Cliff and his wife Sylvia and their children: Sabrina, Charlie and Samantha. Sabrina also has a little girl Drea. It was great to see them, but as these things always goes, I didn't have enough time to visit everyone I wanted to, but was grateful for the time we spent with family and friends. As far as the New Year celebration, there was only radio shows on our agenda. Mark, Jonathan and I drove from ME-GA on New Year's Eve and Day to get home in time for school to begin. Whew. I am tired just trying to recant all that. I miss being in New England, but I don't miss the weather! I miss the people. I love the hard working ethic that New Englanders are known for. I miss my friends and family. I have to say though, my new friends down here and being able to go out in short sleeves as soon as Feb is pretty fabulous too! : )

Merry Ch..............wait it's not even Thanksgiving yet!!!

Ok, if you're like me you love Christmas. Everything about it. The music, the weather is colder, there's an excitement in the air! But, I can't talk about that until I talk about the most overlooked holiday: THANKSGIVING!! I love Thanksgiving. It's a great time for family/friends to get together not just for a meal, but to catch up, have fun and just be together. I think it's what is missing in a lot of families today. When do we just get together to hang out? To spend time together and talk? Catch up with each other's lives? Not nearly often enough. We are so busy with daily life we forget to slow down enough to just spend time together! I am excited about this Thanksgiving. We're having our usual suspects over for dinner: Mom, Dad, Esther, David, the kids. Along with Aunt Marion and Uncle Hartley this year! It should prove to be a lot of fun! And just in case you don't love Thanksgiving as much as I do, here's some visual images to help.......... and just for the record, I'm a huge Norman Rockwell fan! : )

VETERANS DAY!

It's Veterans Day today. I haven't had anyone in my immediate family who's every served in the military. My uncle was in the Navy, so was my first cousin Steve, and my Great Uncle Tom served in WWII. I don't know what it's like to be in hostile territory 24/7, not knowing if I am going to make it back ok. I don't know what it's like to have a husband/wife serving overseas not being able to see them or sometimes talk to them for days on end. It cannot be easy. What a sacrifice. It reminds me of a passage of scripture. John 15:12-13 "This is my commandment, that ye love one another as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." I cannot relate to what many families feel on Veterans Day. I can't because I've never sacrificed in that way. I can, however, pray for those who have and those who continue to sacrifice. Thank you to all who are Veterans and active duty military!

Bye bye band........for now.

Well, it's official. Marching band season is over. I was never in marching band. I was in middle school band in Northern Maine. When we moved away I joined chorus and found my niche. I loved chorus and even made Allstate 2 years. My daughter followed in my footsteps and was in chorus all 4 years. Jonathan has been in the band. He can sing but doesn't like anyone to know about it for fear he might have to actually sing. He has excelled at band though and has been playing the trumpet for the last 6 years. This last year he has been playing the baritone. He also taught himself to play the guitar and some chords on the piano as well. Anyhow, with some sadness I have to admit I'm going to miss it. He had marching practice Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday after school until 5 and then had a game on Friday and sometimes competitions on Saturday. It's been a busy season and no one has had a life, as it were. However, it's pretty amazing what 150 kids can do with some music, creativity and lots of practice. Our kids came in 2nd in the Georgia Marching Band Series. This is the second year of this competition (we were the "Grand Champions" last year, but they changed the rules a bit this year). I'm proud of them. All of them, even though they aren't my kids I feel like they are. I think that's why I wanted to be one of the chaperone coordinators. I wanted to be there to see every performance. They are very cool when they march into the stadium every Friday night! I'm so proud of them! Thankfully we have a few more things: Veterans Day Concert, Christmas Parade, Christmas Concert, and Spring Band Trip (I might be missing something). Anyhow, I love the chaos and busyness and will miss the marching band until next year!!

Last Youth Group Pic

Last youth group with Pastor John.

Pastor John

For those who have known Pastor John, you have had the rare opportunity to meet a great man of God. He is completely humble and a true servant of the Lord. He has been our pastor for the last 5 years. It's really hard to believe it's been that long, but it has. He came to us at a time when we had been without a pastor for quite a few months. Our church was in a different place than it is now. John came in not trying to be an agent of change, but rather a pointer of direction, the direction of the Lord. He came to cast no shadow and certainly did not do that. He wanted God to be glorified and He has been during his time here. He also came in explaining his commitment to the Lord's work through summer camps and a variety of other ministries, wanting us to know that was part of his ministry. He served all those plus the duties as our pastor, sent out as a representative of our small church and I can truly say I am proud to call him my friend. He has been to Thanksgiving, Birthday celebrations, concerts, games, visited in the hospital and quietly escorted himself out. He was there when Dad was diagnosed with Cancer, when I have had several surgeries, Mom had surgeries and Morgan was so sick. He is getting married a week from Saturday to a wonderful girl named Lisa Richard. She is one lucky woman and he's a lucky man! Then after marriage and a short stay in California they are heading to BICS in Lenox, MA to start a new ministry. John will be perfectly suited for that work. I guess I just wish everyone could know him (although truth be told he'd be a bit embarrassed by this blog post) because he's more than just our Pastor; he's been our friend. We will miss him and wish him the best of luck in his 2 moves, marriage and new job!! God Bless You Pastor John and Lisa!!!

You make me sick, wait........what I meant was I make you sick........

I'm encouraged but am a bit heartsick. Have you ever been heartsick? Have you ever felt like your heart literally aching from being heartsick? Why am I heartsick you ask? Well, a few reasons. Not what people traditionally think of being heartsick over. Not because of a relationship. Not because of selfish reasons to be sure. I am heartsick for my church. I feel like they aren't understanding what kind of blessings that He has waiting for us, but aren't either interested or care about what's going on. I think apathy would be the greatest of reasons why we are in the predicament we are. Maybe I'm wrong. But, this thing I do know.

Our priorities are out of whack!!

Have you experienced that? Feel like you're always chasing your tail, like you are never accomplishing anything and just pacing in a circle?? That's what I feel like is happening in our church. We're questioning why we should do something or not with the wrong checklist. See, the Lord wants to know our willingness to do something and provides for that thing to be accomplished according to His will. Not, do we have the money? resources? people? time? ok, then I guess we can do it.

WRONG!!!!!!!!

God doesn't care about our resources, HE OWNS IT ALL ANYWAYS! He doesn't care about money, IT'S ALL HIS TO BEGIN WITH!!! He doesn't care if you're willing, if you're not, HE'LL COMPEL SOMEONE ELSE TO DO IT!! See, we have it backwards. All He wants is us, totally sold out and willing to do His will. Without question. Then and only then He'll use us.

So why, you ask, are you heartsick?? Well, I'm heartsick because I feel like the Lord has given us blessings at our church. Blessings of money, people, resources, time and we squander it on figuring out if we can "afford" something. Not being cheerful in our giving (when we give). Robbing those who could be blessed and ourselves of the blessings that could be ours for doing His will.

I don't want to do that. I want to be sold out, completely and wholly for what God has for my life. I pray I don't squander opportunities provided. I pray I can be used. Period. In spite of my imperfection (trust me I have the imperfection thing down, cold).

Here's the thing..................................

If I'm heartsick for my church....................how much is God heartsick for me????

How many times have I disappointed Him, got my priorities out of whack and caused the creator of the universe to put his head in His hands in shame? Wow. I'm terrible. But that's it. We're all terrible. But He loves us. We all have our priorities out of whack and He still uses us for His work and will.

So, here's my conclusion...............

God uses us in spite of us. Thank God He does!!