Sunday, November 11, 2012

When God Clears His Throat

My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, oh my soul!
~"It is Well with My Soul," Horatio G. Spafford, 1873

There's nothing quite like parenting to teach you about God's love, His correction, and His perspective toward us who are His children.  So many times when I am talking to my children, I hear God "clear His throat" as if to say, "Hello?  Are you hearing yourself?  This is what I have been trying to teach you."

Cases in point:

"Obey first, then ask questions."  Hmm.

"Sometimes you just have to go with the flow, even if you don't understand where we're going."  Sigh.

"Could you just trust me, please?"  Ouch.

Being Nathan's teacher allows me to know him in ways that I might not have noticed otherwise.  One thing is that it really bothers him to get a question wrong.  He can't stand it.  Usually, he just wasn't paying attention or got in a hurry, but sometimes it really is something new that he needs to learn.

Now, it's not that I want him to become flippant about mistakes.  He does need to put forth his best effort.  I just don't want him to become paralyzed by a fear of failure.

I continually explain to him that learning involves going beyond what you already know, and that it's OK to not know everything.  I've told him that, if he already knew everything in the 1st grade book, we would skip ahead to the 2nd grade book.  As his teacher and parent, my job is to challenge him - not to break him (I don't give him things to do that are ridiculously above his level) but to enable him to grow and learn.  If we just keep going over the same things that he already knows, he may feel super-smart, but he won't really be learning anything, and then later when the big challenges come, he won't know how to deal with them.  (I know this from personal experience.)

I find myself saying to him, "Nathan, I love you.  I'm you're Mama - the person who loves you more than anybody else on the planet (or at least tied with Daddy).  I'm not angry that you missed that question.  I will never be angry at you for making a mistake as long as you are trying your best.  I'm here to help you learn."

And today, God cleared His throat again.

I don't have to earn Jesus' love and approval.  He's not going to throw me out of the classroom for making a mistake.  He does expect me to obey and follow Him, and He is going to challenge and stretch me, but He's here with me, helping me to learn.  It's OK for me to not know everything.

He's not marking my permanent record with a big, red pen.  My permanent record has already been marked with a blood-stained cross.  It is finished.

When I make a mistake, I may have failed temporarily, but not permanently.  With His love, teaching, and guidance, I can learn from that mistake - "Go, and sin no more."

Ironically, it often seems easier to accept His eternal love and approval than to accept His daily, here-and-now love and approval.  Nathan trusts me as his Mama for the big things.  Trusting me in his phonics lesson on Monday morning is a different story.

I trust God for the big things.  Trusting Him to guide me during that same Monday morning phonics lesson is sometimes a different story.

May we both learn from our mistakes, not stay buried there, and move on in His power and grace.  May we both grow to trust Him in the big things and the small things.  May I not become flippant about sin but also not become sidelined by feelings of current failure or fears of future failures.

Oh, for grace to trust Him more!




 This post is linked up to one or more of the following blog parties.  Check them out! Monday: Menu Plan Monday on I'm an Organizing Junkie Wednesday: Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family Friday: 5 Minute Friday at The Gypsy Mama, Company Girl Coffee at Home Sanctuary, Pieces of Amy Other days: A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

Saturday, November 3, 2012

The Big Reveal: Part 7 (The Decision!)


Wow, if you have read all of these, you deserve some sort of award!  I hereby declare you to be the Bloomin' Reader of the Year!!  :)

If, on the other hand, you've missed a few installments along the way, don't tell me.  Just click 123, 4, 5, or 6.

The long-awaited Official Offer Letter from Kentucky finally arrived!  Hurray!

But right before that happened, I started doing some more calculations thanks to this website that determines your take-home pay based on a number of factors, most importantly State of Residence.  (You might be amazed how different the tax rates are from one state to the next.)  Short answer: after paying more for insurance and changes in tax rates, a pretty good raise amounted to very little extra in the actual paycheck.  On top of that, we were going to get no moving assistance, we were looking at having to borrow money to be able to sell our house, etc.  And would you believe that houses in Paducah, KY cost quite a bit more than in Fort Smith, AR?  (I expected them to be about the same.)

So here's where we were:
1.  We had a job offer in hand.
2.  David's boss had told him back in June that he was going to close the Fort Smith office if business didn't improve.  Things were just the same.
3.  We didn't really want to leave Fort Smith.
4.  We really wanted to know and follow God's plan for us in this decision.

We had been praying all along for God to please show us where He wanted us to be.  We had genuinely been trying to not push open doors that the Lord had closed.  We really weren't sure what the answer was.

So with the assurance of a job waiting in Paducah if everything fell apart, David called his boss to talk about the State of the Office.  If Gary was about to close the office in the near future, David would put in his notice.  If Gary was not planning to close the office, and if he was willing to help David in making some much-needed changes to the office and supportive of David's efforts to build the business back up (which he had been working on for the last couple of months), we would stay here.

They had a long and honest talk.  Gary assured David that he did not plan to close the office right now, that he wanted it to stay open, that he was on board with David's requests, and that - if all else fails and it still falls apart - he could work in Little Rock until he found another job.  So we're staying in Fort Smith.  David called Paducah to say "thanks, but no thanks" and we pulled the For Sale sign out of our yard.

Now, before you throw virtual tomatoes at your computer screen and comment in all caps about how I led you on for a whole week, I'd like to share some of the lessons that I learned from this Summer.

1.  God is faithful to lead.  It's my willingness to follow that sometimes falters.  I am a problem-solver by nature, so learning to wait on the Lord has been a great, but sometimes painful, lesson.

2.  David and I have grown in our understanding of spiritual leadership and Godly submission.  The marriage conference we attended was awesome!  But this process has been real on-the-job training.  (All of that probably needs a post all its own.)  Our marriage is even stronger now than it was 6 months ago.

3.  I have a wonderful husband!  I already knew that, but I've seen him grow in amazing ways.  This process began because he is determined to do what is best for our family, and it has ultimately ended in Fort Smith because he believes this is the best place for our family right now.

4.  David and I now have a shared vision of where we want our family to go.  (I'm always hesitant to say "God gave him a vision" because I don't know for certain that it came from God, but I do believe it is a God-honoring vision, and it is up to God entirely whether this ever comes to fruition.)  We came to Fort Smith 3 years ago because the plan was for David to buy this office in a few years.  That is still what we would like to see happen.  The goal/vision is for the business to grow to the point where we have the freedom - financial and otherwise - to go on longer-term mission trips overseas where David could do prosthetics.  Several times this past year, David has seen opportunities like this come up where people are wanted for a month up to a year.  We would love to be able to do something like that as a family.  Working for someone else, that is virtually impossible.

Will that all ever come to pass?  Only God knows.  But we are doing all that we can do, and we are asking God to do all that He is willing to do, to make it happen.

Believe me, we are shocked to not be moving after all that has happened, especially in light of our history of moving so many times.  Only one other time have we had a genuine opportunity to move and turned it down.  (Ironically, it was a job in Chattanooga many years ago.)  But David believes, and I agree, that God's will is for us to stay in Fort Smith for now, and we will be here until He moves us on - whenever and wherever that may be.

So we're not moving.  And we've never been happier about it!




 This post is linked up to one or more of the following blog parties.  Check them out! Monday: Menu Plan Monday on I'm an Organizing Junkie Wednesday: Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family Friday: 5 Minute Friday at The Gypsy Mama, Company Girl Coffee at Home Sanctuary, Pieces of Amy Other days: A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

Friday, November 2, 2012

The Big Reveal: Part 6

Just joining in?  Here are parts 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.

It has now been 8 days since David was in Paducah, and this is the first post I'm writing in "real time" - not in retrospect.  We still haven't received the formal offer letter, although once again it is supposed to arrive today, October 16th.

I really thought the decision would be easy at this point.  I mean, haven't we been working, traveling, praying, searching to find another job for David - one that is more secure and not on the brink of ending at a moment's notice?

For me, the choice is clear: it's time to move on.  A little over 4 years ago, an office where David was working was shut down with absolutely no advance notice.  One morning he had a job, that afternoon he didn't.  Six months ago, David's boss warned that he couldn't keep this office open in its current state, financially.  In spite of David's efforts to get new business, nothing has changed.  He has gotten exactly 2 new patients since January.

But David is still wavering.

He's not wavering about the job.  The one in Paducah is clearly better than the job here - in virtually every possible way.  He doesn't want to leave our church and the friends and spiritual growth that come with it.  I do understand that.  I certainly don't want his spiritual growth to stop, either!

But let's be honest: if this job was in Alabama, Tennessee, north Georgia, or north Mississippi, he would have already reserved the U-Haul and started packing boxes.  Neither of us really wants to move to Paducah.  It's small; it's flat; it doesn't have a single thing that makes it seem exciting.  (Of course, Fort Smith isn't exactly exciting, either.  But when we came here, the choice was much clearer.)

But should this decision really be based on location?  After all, it's not like we are contemplating a move to Outer Mongolia (although that would at least have the exotic factor working in its favor).

We both honestly want to be where God wants us to be.  But how can we discern His will in this kind of decision?  Is this job offer God's answer?  Would we be leaving too soon, right before God has something better for us here?  Does God have a specific will in this situation, or is He more concerned with how we live our lives regardless of what zip code we write on our return address?

When my parents married, my Dad wanted to open a veterinary practice in either Australia or Hartselle, Alabama.  If they had moved to Australia, my life certainly would have been different.  But would it have been better?  Or worse?  Or just different?

If you read most marriage books, there are usually several chapters devoted to how women tend to be more emotional and men tend to be more factual in decision-making.  While there are certain situations in which that is true for us, oftentimes I'm the more practical and David is the more emotional.  I'm the number-cruncher.  And the numbers are clear: we need to move.  On the other hand, David hasn't gotten a clear sign, gut-feeling, etc. on which way to go.

Confession: this drives me nuts.

So we're praying for a clear sign.  When the offer letter finally arrives (why, oh why do other people take forever in getting things done?!?), David is planning to call his boss to find out The Plan for the office in Fort Smith (assuming there actually is a plan).  If The Plan is to close the office at the end of the year, the answer is clear.  If The Plan is to keep the office open, then some things will have to change to make the office profitable.  The choice then is back to fuzzy because many promises of help have been made over the years and not kept.  Do we believe him this time?  If The Plan is to keep the office open along with concrete, immediate, significant steps taken to make positive changes, then I think the For Sale sign will be taken out of our yard.

I truly want to submit to both God and my husband.  But this does not come naturally for me, especially the husband part.  Right now, there's no decision to submit myself under.  So, I guess I'm submitting to wait.

Lord, please lead David in the way we should go.

To be continued...



 This post is linked up to one or more of the following blog parties.  Check them out! Monday: Menu Plan Monday on I'm an Organizing Junkie Wednesday: Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family Friday: 5 Minute Friday at The Gypsy Mama, Company Girl Coffee at Home Sanctuary, Pieces of Amy Other days: A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

Thursday, November 1, 2012

The Big Reveal: Part 5

Here is Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4.

Are you beginning to wonder if the story is finally over?  Yep, so were we.

It wasn't.

On Tuesday, September 4th, we were expecting a formal offer on the job in Birmingham with the vascular surgeon.  No phone call, no e-mail, nothing.  After a couple more days, David called to find out Dr. D. was on another overseas trip but was assured that everything was still a "go" when he got back.

He came back.  Nothing.  He went on another trip.  He came back.  Still nothing.  It was now the end of September.

In the meantime, that random resume sent to Paducah was getting a lot of interest.  David was called by someone in HR.  Then he was called by the area manager.  Then the HR person again.  And then an official phone interview by a senior manager.

And then, they offered him a job.  Over the phone.  With no face-to-face interview.

But, wait.  Weren't we moving to Birmingham?  It's the perfect job, remember?

Finally, on October 3rd, we found out that Dr. D. had hired someone else - a few weeks earlier.  You would think someone would have called David, right??  Sigh.

So, Paducah.  Not somewhere we had been dreaming of going, but we have a job offer from there.  Time to check it out!

Suffice it to say that going on all of these trips/interviews wasn't cheap, so we decided it would be best for David to go alone to Paducah.  He was there this past Monday (October 8th).  In a sense, he was interviewing them, since he had already been offered the job.  He spent most of the day at the office, getting to know the people who would be his coworkers, and then drove around town for a bit.  It all seems like it would be a really good fit: big, stable company; doing prosthetics almost exclusively (another story - but that's important); increase in salary; retirement plan.

Here's the irony: over the course of these last six months, as we've been traipsing all over the Southeast on The Great Job Hunt, David has really grown attached to Fort Smith, Arkansas (where we currently live).  (I put down roots here much sooner, but it has taken David a while.)  Mostly, we really love our church - we're making good friends, we've got a new pastor we're very excited about, we've grown so much through the marriage conference, etc.  Six months ago, the decision would have been very easy (at least for David).  But now - do we stay, or do we go?

To be continued...



This post is linked up to one or more of the following blog parties.  Check them out! Monday: Menu Plan Monday on I'm an Organizing Junkie Wednesday: Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family Friday: 5 Minute Friday at The Gypsy Mama, Company Girl Coffee at Home Sanctuary, Pieces of Amy Other days: A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

The Big Reveal: Part 4

Here is Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

So are you tired of reading about this yet?  Imagine living all of this!

So where were we?  Oh yes, we were moving to Chattanooga but checking out Birmingham just in case.  (Birmingham, AL, is less than 2 hours from each set of our kids' grandparents and about the same distance from our beloved Auburn.)

David had been trying to get in touch with a guy named Adam down in Birmingham for a week or so with no luck.  In a way that only God could orchestrate (because it came as a direct result of David obeying God on another issue), David learned that Adam was looking to hire a practitioner in Alabaster, where we had lived a few years ago.  This time, he finally was able to speak with Adam, and they arranged a meeting for the next day, July 27th.

The meeting went very well, but there were some details to be worked out.  This would soon become a recurrent theme in the process.

We picked up the kids at my parents' house, headed back to Arkansas, and waited.  And waited.  And waited some more.  Sadly, no one from Chattanooga called.  No one from North Carolina called, either (although that was just fine with us).  And details were still being worked out in Birmingham.

While waiting and still searching for jobs online, we came across a job in Paducah, Kentucky.  Since that's still a lot closer to our family than we are here in Outer Mongolia, Arkansas, we sent in a resume.

David stayed in touch with the person who had told him about the (unadvertised) job with Adam and learned of an opening in a vascular surgeon's office also in Birmingham.  David sent a resume and heard back very quickly.  Because the doctor would be out of town for much of September, they needed to meet very soon.  Again, God arranged some details to make that possible, so off he went.

The interview went extremely well.  The job was an amazing fit for our family.  Dr. D. said he would have an offer for David as soon as he got back from his first trip.  Yippee!  Looks like we're moving back to Alabama!!

To be continued...



This post is linked up to one or more of the following blog parties.  Check them out! Monday: Menu Plan Monday on I'm an Organizing Junkie Wednesday: Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family Friday: 5 Minute Friday at The Gypsy Mama, Company Girl Coffee at Home Sanctuary, Pieces of Amy Other days: A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

The Big Reveal: Part 3

To get caught up, here is Part 1 and Part 2.

After the Kentucky job didn't pan out and the Texas job began to look unlikely, I went online again and discovered job postings for 2 jobs in Chattanooga.

David and I have wanted to live in Chattanooga for years and years.  It really is our dream location.  We much prefer mountains to beaches, it's just the right distance from our parents, lots to do there, etc.  So we both nearly had fits when I made this discovery.  Needless to say, we applied for both jobs that night.  (This also involved a God moment.  It would be pretty convoluted to explain, but suffice it to say that He was watching over us.  As always.)

The next morning, David got an e-mail response from one of the jobs.  The man indicated that some key people were on vacation but that there would be "a great deal of interest" in David.  So I began to learn the words to Chattanooga Choo Choo (What?  You think I'm kidding??) and mentally moved there.

One humbling realization from this Summer: other people really aren't in a big hurry to make hiring decisions.  Nevertheless, eventually a lunch meeting was scheduled.

For my kids, the 4th week of July was Cousins Camp.  For us it was The Week of Many Miles and Many Interviews.  We dropped the kids off in north Alabama on Sunday night, and Monday made our way to Chattanooga in time for the lunch appointment.  It went very well.  We were convinced that finally (after literally driving through Chattanooga during two moves) we were going to get to move there.  But just in case, we continued on.

David had an interview in North Carolina on Wednesday, so we drove and drove and drove.  That interview was disappointing for a number of reasons, but that was OK because we were moving to Chattanooga.

But just in case, David called a guy in Birmingham whom he had heard was hiring.

Wait a minute - Birmingham?  How did that get on the list of possible jobs?

To be continued...



This post may be linked up to one or more of the following blog parties.  Check them out! Monday: Menu Plan Monday on I'm an Organizing Junkie Wednesday: Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family Friday: 5 Minute Friday at The Gypsy Mama, Company Girl Coffee at Home Sanctuary, Pieces of Amy Other days: A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

The Big Reveal: Part 2


If you're just joining in, you may want to read this first to get caught up.

We continued to talk about and consider moving to Alaska for a couple of weeks.  The main issue standing in our way was the cost of living.  It's MUCH higher than Fort Smith, Arkansas.  In researching houses (to buy or to rent) and talking to a cousin who grew up in Alaska, we had a pretty good ballpark figure in mind of how much David's income would need to be to at least be comparable to our current (comfortable but not extravagant) lifestyle.  Problem: it became clear that the job in Alaska was not going to pay anywhere close to that amount.

Moving far away for a new adventure: exciting.

Moving far away and having to pinch every penny leaving no money for actually enjoying the benefits of living in Alaska: no fun at all.

We were disappointed by this turn of events, but we recovered.  All along, we had been asking for God to make His will apparent to us.  For us, the salary issue was the answer we were seeking.

Although we were still more than willing to stay in Fort Smith, the business continued to decline and various signs seemed to be pointing in the direction of us needing to move on, at least within the next year.  So one night we sent David's resume in response to 8 different job postings.  Within a couple of days, David had been contacted by 5 companies in Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina, Kentucky, and Florida.  Of those, the three that seemed to be the most realistic were the ones in Texas, North Carolina, and Kentucky.

The potential employer in Kentucky spoke with great urgency of wanting to fill a management position in Elizabethtown and gave every indication of wanting to hire David as soon as possible.  So the last week of June, we found ourselves in Elizabethtown for David's interview.  He spent the day at the office, and I spent the day looking at houses.

While there, David found out that another person was also being interviewed later that week, but he felt positive about the interview.  So we waited and prayed.

And waited.  And prayed.  And waited some more.

A few weeks later, they finally decided to hire someone else.  Again, we were disappointed but not bewildered.  If God didn't want us in Kentucky, then we didn't want to go to Kentucky.  After all, there were still "irons in the fire" in Texas and North Carolina.

To be continued....





 This post may be linked up to one or more of the following blog parties.  Check them out! Monday: Menu Plan Monday on I'm an Organizing Junkie Wednesday: Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family Friday: 5 Minute Friday at The Gypsy Mama, Company Girl Coffee at Home Sanctuary, Pieces of Amy Other days: A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

Monday, October 29, 2012

The Big Reveal: Part 1

We've been in Fort Smith now for just over 3 years.  In fact, we set a new David-and-Laura record last month in our current house: longest time living at a single address (25 months).  For most of that time, David has wanted to move.  He has felt disconnected from anywhere he considered "home" and has had a hard time making friends.  While I didn't just love it here at first, I began to make friends pretty early on, and several of those friendships have continued this whole time.  I have "put down roots" here and feel quite at home.

Over the Spring, David finally began to feel at home here, too.  He started making some friends and just generally became more content here.  Although the business at his office was diminishing, he was hopeful and confident that, with God's intervention and direction, the business could thrive again.  We were making plans for how to market the office and looking forward to buying the office here in a couple of years.

At the end of May, David and I traveled to Tampa for him to take part of a certification test in orthotics.  Driving back up I-95, he said something quite unexpected: "I think I should apply for that job in Alaska."

Umm, what?

This job in Anchorage had been posted in the orthotics and prosthetics trade magazines for quite a while, and several times I had (half-joking, half-not) suggested that we consider it, but David always just looked at me incredulously and laughed.  After all, if Arkansas was "too far away," then why on earth would we move to Alaska?

It took me a few minutes to get over the initial shock, but then I was all over the idea.  You see, contrary to my rather plain exterior, I have quite a thirst for adventure (not the jumping out of airplanes type but the living in a different part of the country or different part of the world type).  So in true David-and-Laura style, we spent most of the trip back to north Alabama (to pick up the kids) talking about this next adventure, how crazy it was, and how we were sure we could make it work.

Within a couple of days of getting back home, we had sent a resume, David had a very positive phone interview, and things were moving along.  I even had a new blog name picked out for chronicling the adventure: The Frozen Magnolia!

To be continued....



This post may be linked up to one or more of the following blog parties.  Check them out! Monday: Menu Plan Monday on I'm an Organizing Junkie Wednesday: Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family Friday: 5 Minute Friday at The Gypsy Mama, Company Girl Coffee at Home Sanctuary, Pieces of Amy Other days: A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

Friday, October 12, 2012

October 12, 1996: The Day That Changed Everything

16 years ago today, a friend of mine named David came to Atlanta, and we spent the day at Six Flags.

16 years ago tonight, he headed back to Auburn, but he didn't get very far.

16 years ago tonight, a helicopter landed on the interstate to rescue my friend.

16 years ago, my friend became my hero.  7 months later, my friend became my fiance.  14 1/2 months later, my friend became my husband.

16 years later, he's still my hero, my husband, and my friend.



This post may be linked up to one or more of the following blog parties.  Check them out! Monday: Menu Plan Monday on I'm an Organizing Junkie Wednesday: Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family Friday: 5 Minute Friday at The Gypsy Mama, Company Girl Coffee at Home Sanctuary, Pieces of Amy Other days: A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

Monday, October 1, 2012

Happy Birthday, Megan!


Dear Megan Rose,

How is it possible that you are now 4 years old?  It seems like yesterday I was seeing your face for the first time.  (Yes, I know everyone says that, but it's true!  Time really does speed up as you get older!)

I am so blessed to be your Mama.  You have changed me and taught me things about myself in ways that I never expected.  You make me laugh, cry, beam with pride, and crumble with exhaustion - all within a single day!


Although you clearly look up to your brother and watch him for guidance, you've never been one to stay in his shadow.  No, you are your own person and have made those differences known from the beginning.  You are unique!

In many ways, I feel like I am just now getting to know you.  I love seeing and hearing you laugh.  It's a privilege to also be your teacher, watching you learn and grow.  I think it's great that you're not afraid to stand up for yourself with your brother (although the screaming does get to be too much!).


Perhaps what I admire most of all is your "all in" approach to life.  Whether you are happy, sad, or mad, you experience it completely.  I will never forget watching you jump off the diving board so many times this Summer.  A friend described you as "fearless," and she was right.  Oh yes, you will sometimes observe for a while before participating, but then?  GO!  While a certain degree of cautiousness and care is necessary in life, I hope you never lose the ability to throw yourself into something with wholehearted abandon.


There are so many things I want to teach you - about being a woman, a wife, a sister, a friend, a child of God.  But if I had to choose one thing right now, it's this: you don't have to perform to be loved.  Whether you obey or disobey, whether you succeed or fail, whether you're quiet or loud, whether you are academically or musically gifted or not, whether you're a girly-girl or a tom-boy, your Daddy and I love you totally and completely.  Always.  I want you to know that deep down in your soul.  Because then you may begin to comprehend how much God loves you.  Always.  Completely.  Totally.  Not based on your performance.


And another thing I want you to know?  You're beautiful.  God picked out those blue-green eyes, and that brown hair, and that cute nose, and those lips, ears, hands, feet.  He put you together just in the right way to fill a spot in His story that only you can fill.  I pray He will allow me to continue in my front-row seat, watching your plot line develop.

I love you, Megan Rose!

Love,
Mama



This post may be linked up to one or more of the following blog parties.  Check them out! Monday: Menu Plan Monday on I'm an Organizing Junkie Wednesday: Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family Friday: 5 Minute Friday at The Gypsy Mama, Company Girl Coffee at Home Sanctuary, Pieces of Amy Other days: A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

Friday, September 21, 2012

Titus 2.5: A Guest Post about Submission (please don't run away screaming!)

A few weeks ago (OK, more like a month ago), I wrote about how I felt like I was stuck in the middle of Titus 2 - not really a "younger woman" but not really an "older woman."  Well, along those lines, God has really been teaching me about what it means to be a Godly wife.  And yes, that includes submission to my husband.

I do NOT claim to have this figured out.

Today, I'm guest posting on my friend's blog, Rethinking My Thinking.  Angela Mackey is the "real deal" - a woman of God and a wonderful writer.  I hope you'll check out my post and then take a look around her blog.  It's always full of words of encouragement.

I hope you have a wonderful day!



 This post may be linked up to one or more of the following blog parties.  Check them out! Monday: Menu Plan Monday on I'm an Organizing Junkie Wednesday: Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family Friday: 5 Minute Friday at The Gypsy Mama, Company Girl Coffee at Home Sanctuary, Pieces of Amy Other days: A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

Friday, August 17, 2012

Stuck in the Middle of Titus 2

Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine.  They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.  ~Titus 2: 3 - 5
I feel like I've entered a somewhat strange season of life.

On one hand, I have two young children (oldest is 6), I'm still essentially brand new to homeschooling, and most of the time I don't feel like I have a clue when it comes to being a Mom.  Or a wife.  Or a daughter, aunt, neighbor, friend.

On the other hand, I'm not a newlywed (we just celebrated our 14th anniversary), we've lived lots of different places, I've worked full-time outside the home and as a full-time homemaker plus combinations in-between, and we've dealt with life together for a while now - the good, the bad, and the ugly.  I can now cook more than just Hamburger Helper and Hungry Jack Casserole.

So does this make me one of the "older women" or one of the "younger women" in the passage above?

I think our Sunday school class is to blame (or should take the credit) for my confusion.  I am learning so much from our teachers. (Kathy, Debbie, and Susan, I would never call you "older women," but you are certainly training me in all the ways mentioned in that Scripture.)  At the same time, though, many fellow classmates are significantly younger than me - as in, 80s music is to them what the Beach Boys are to me.  I nearly fell out of my chair when I realized that at least one of them was born in 1990.  1990!?!

Instead of getting all depressed about this, eating too much, and shopping for wrinkle cream, I'm going to try to embrace it.  No promises, but I'm considering a (somewhat) regular blog section related to topics that are either (a) things I so wish someone had bothered to tell me years ago, or (b) things I so wish someone would explain to me now.  I think I'll call it Titus 2.5 (the halfway point of Titus 2).

So without further ado, here's the first installment (and no, I don't intend for all of this to be about homemaking, but that's what's on my mind tonight):

My burning question: How can I get my hardwood floors to shine?  I have tried various products.  I have tried using my Shark Steam Mop (which, by the way, I LOVE for my tile floors).  Some people say diluted vinegar, others say avoid all liquids at all costs.  For one glorious month, I had professionals come to clean my house bi-weekly.  Whatever they did worked wonders, but in spite of my pleading in a note left for them, I still don't know what they did.  Help!!

My burning answer: I used to avoid all recipes that included cooked chicken as one of the ingredients.  I didn't want to have to completely cook one thing before I could even start cooking our actual meal.  As a result, most of our meals involved ground beef or ground turkey except when I broke down and bought the canned, cooked chicken.  Enter my new very best friend: my crockpot.  Now when I need a couple of uncooked chicken breasts for a meal, I buy the big package of chicken, put the rest into the crockpot with a bit of water, and let it cook on low all day (or all night).  Then I just shred it up, put it into lots of zip-loc bags, and toss them in the freezer so I'm all ready to go when it's time to make something like Chicken Spaghetti.  Why, oh why, did I not know this for the first 12 years of our marriage??

So, dear readers (if there's anyone still out there!), do you think of yourself as an "older woman" or a "younger woman?"  Any burning questions to ask?  Any burning answers to share?



 This post is linked up to one or more of the following blog parties.  Check them out! Monday: Menu Plan Monday on I'm an Organizing Junkie Wednesday: Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family Friday: 5 Minute Friday at The Gypsy Mama, Company Girl Coffee at Home Sanctuary, Pieces of Amy Other days: A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

So Excited!!

When I first started seriously considering homeschooling, my sister (already a homeschooling veteran of a few years) gave me a copy of The Old Schoolhouse magazine.  If you've been a part of the homeschooling world for any length of time, you've probably heard of it.  It's always full of helpful and interesting articles from the "movers and shakers" of the homeschool movement.

This past January, the magazine switched from 4 issues per year (print and digital) to 12 digital-only issues per year.  An e-mail was sent out asking for writing proposals on a variety of topics to be covered during 2012.  I decided to give it a shot and was shocked when they accepted my proposal!

Now, I'm certainly not a "mover and shaker", especially in the homeschool world.  In fact, I'm still brand new.  But one of the topics to be covered in the magazine was online learning, and I do know a bit about that.

Today, the May 2012 issue was released.  See if you recognize anyone on page 98.  ;-)

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, May 2012

It is such an honor to be included in this publication.  Oh, how I hope they'll let me do it again sometime!



This post may be linked up to one or more of the following blog parties.  Check them out! Monday: Menu Plan Monday on I'm an Organizing Junkie Wednesday: Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family Friday: 5 Minute Friday at The Gypsy Mama, Company Girl Coffee at Home Sanctuary, Pieces of Amy Other days: A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

Monday, April 30, 2012

Homeschooling: Lessons from the First Year



Have I mentioned that I homeschool?  Funny, I talk about it all the time on Facebook, but I haven't mentioned it much on this blog.  Hmm.

Hi, my name is Laura, and I'm a homeschool Mom.

As the title indicates, I'm still a "newbie."  Since we are (for the time being) doing school year-round and I started last June, we're about to wrap up our first full year.  Being still so new at this, I'm hardly an expert on anything ... except starting.  I guess I'm now an expert on getting started and surviving the first year.

 Here are some things I've learned so far:

1.  There are so many choices!

It's overwhelming, really.  First, I felt pressured (inward, not outward) to define my style: traditional, Charlotte Mason, unit study, Montessori, eclectic, unschooling, and so on.  Then for each style, for each subject, there are so many curriculum choices.  Yes, this is a good problem to have, but for a chronic undecider like me, it can be a struggle.  (This almost certainly puts me in the "eclectic" camp.)

Thankfully, so much can be gleaned from the Internet from the comfort of home.  I found some wonderful bloggers with equally wonderful materials that got me off to a good start.  I especially liked when they would post what curriculum they were using because it opened my eyes to some materials I didn't know existed.

2.  I'm a lot less structured than I thought I'd be - and it's OK.

When we first started, I had elaborate lesson plans worked out.  I had activities my children and I would all do together, some things just for Nathan, and some things just for Megan, with a careful plan for how to alternate spending individual instruction time with each child.

That lasted a couple of weeks.

First, I figured out pretty quickly that Megan just wasn't ready for much structured learning.  Then, I realized that Nathan was ready for more advanced topics than I had originally prepared.  So we adapted.  We're all much more relaxed, and it's better.

3.  I'm more comfortable one-on-one with each child than when they are together.

We still do some things all together, but most of Nathan's work is done with just me, and I plan to do the same with Megan this coming year.  This is kind of surprising to me because, as a college math teacher in the classroom, I'm much more comfortable lecturing in front of the class than tutoring an individual student.

4.  Everyone has an opinion!

When you tell someone that you're a homeschooler, people automatically make assumptions.  (I think most people immediately picture Michelle Duggar.  I admire many things about her, but she and I are quite different.)  Relatives are the ones most likely to express opinions.  Fellow homeschoolers, ironically, are the least likely to express them.

Nevertheless, here are my opinions on my least favorite parts of homeschooling:
  • The rest of the day.  The actual time spent "doing school" is the easiest part of my day.  But not only am I the teacher, I'm also the lunchroom lady, janitor, hall monitor, school nurse, secretary, and bus driver.  (However, I get to date the principal, so that's a nice perk.  ;) )
  • Trying to balance homemaking, homeschooling, and working from home.
  • I hate crafts.  There - I said it.
Here's what I love about it:
  • Getting to weave the Lord and the Bible into everything we do.
  • Watching my children learn.
  • Seeing my children continue the strong bond they have with each other.
  • Hearing my children pray for the nations of the world.  (I LOVE that one of Nathan's first questions when we learn a new country is, "Do the people there know about Jesus?  Do they have the freedom to go to church?")
  • Knowing my children on a new level.  For Nathan in particular, I have a much greater understanding for how he learns, how he responds to challenges, and the topics that excite him.  I'm looking forward to knowing these same things about Megan.
It has been a challenging first year, but I'm so glad we made this choice.

Do you homeschool?  If so, what have you learned this past year?



This post may be linked up to one or more of the following blog parties.  Check them out! Monday: Menu Plan Monday on I'm an Organizing Junkie Wednesday: Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family Friday: 5 Minute Friday at The Gypsy Mama, Company Girl Coffee at Home Sanctuary, Pieces of Amy Other days: A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

God's Answer to My Prayer for Wisdom

My baby boy just turned 6.


Sigh.


How did that happen?  I'm afraid to blink or sleep because I know I'm going to wake up and he will be 12 ... and then 18 ... and then out of the house.

Sigh.

I love him more than I thought it was possible to love someone.  I have a love tank that belongs to him alone.  And when it leaks, he fills it right back up with his great hugs.

A couple of days ago I wrote a post expressing my frustration at not knowing how to parent my children's hearts instead of just their behavior.  At the end, I wrote a heartfelt prayer for wisdom.  God began answering that prayer just a couple of hours later.

Later the same day (after I wrote the other post), I had two conversations with Nathan.  They weren't unusual conversations, but somehow (I believe it was God's answer to my prayer) I saw him more clearly than I ever had before.  The Lord pinpointed some specific heart issues that I needed to address, and I began the very next day.  (This will be an ongoing process.)  These are issues that I also struggle with personally, so it was an important reminder for me as well.

Now obviously God is the only one Who can truly change either of our hearts, but I do believe I play a role in that as his mother.  I pray that God will continue to show me how to reach Nathan's heart (and his sister, Megan's, as well) and that I will respond accordingly.

Thank You, Lord, for answering my prayer!

Has the Lord shown you specific heart issues in your own children (or in yourself), and how have you responded?






 This post may be linked up to one or more of the following blog parties.  Check them out! Monday: Menu Plan Monday on I'm an Organizing Junkie Wednesday: Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family Friday: 5 Minute Friday at The Gypsy Mama, Company Girl Coffee at Home Sanctuary, Pieces of Amy Other days: A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Yes, but HOW??

???

My high school English teacher once described me as a romantic pragmatist.

What on earth does that mean?  It means that I have lofty ambitions and dreams, but I'm also intensely practical.  Not surprisingly, this leads to all sorts of inner conflict.

For example, I want very much to be a Proverbs 31 kind of woman.  (romantic)  You know the one - rises while it is still dark but doesn't let her lamp go out at night, always does her husband good, doesn't eat the bread of idleness, clothes her family in purple, surveys a field and buys it, and so forth.  And somehow while doing all of this her husband becomes well-known and successful, and her kids think she's the greatest thing since sliced bread.

But how is that supposed to look in 2012?  In America?  In Fort Smith, AR?  At my house?  Somebody please tell me how to actually make this happen! (pragmatist)  Yes, I've heard the theory that she didn't do all those things in the same season of life, but I'm not sure I agree with that.  I just don't see that in the passage.

Source of conflict: my aspiration and my actual life are light years apart.

I'm planning to do a Bible study on this very topic this Summer.  I'll let you know how it turns out.


Here's another huge one: parenting.  It seems everywhere I turn these days, someone is talking about parenting from the perspective of reaching the heart of a child rather than focusing on behavior modification.  That focusing only on behavior will result in producing little Pharisees.  Or worse.

I wholeheartedly agree.  But I have no idea how to do that.

I definitely was raised with my behavior in mind.  How my siblings and I acted - particularly in public - was of paramount importance!  (I'm not getting down on my parents here.  This is how they were raised.  And yes, behavior IS very important.  I don't think anyone ever said, "Oh no, here come those Pearson kids again.")  But here's the truth: even when my behavior was impeccable, my heart was totally rebellious.  And I think that the only reason that inner rebellion didn't come to more outward fruition was because I was (am) a classic firstborn: I fear(ed) disappointing people (especially my parents) above all else.

I'm almost certain that I'm parenting in this same way.  So what do I need to do differently?  What does this look like in the real world?  Generally, my kids behave very well in public.  Does this mean I've scarred them for life??

So I don't have all the answers.  Many days, I feel like I don't have any of the answers!  But I know The One who does.  And I will continue to seek Him.

I'm pretty sure that the reason this isn't all spelled out more clearly is so we will turn to Him.

"But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him."  ~James 1:5

Lord, I'm asking for wisdom.  I need it desperately.  And I believe You will answer.



 This post is linked up to one or more of the following blog parties.  Check them out! Monday: Menu Plan Monday on I'm an Organizing Junkie Wednesday: Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family Friday: 5 Minute Friday at The Gypsy Mama, Company Girl Coffee at Home Sanctuary Other days: A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Dear 22-Year-Old Me

Sorry that I left you hanging ... and just when it was getting good!  (If you're new to this little series of letters to my younger self, you can get caught up here.)

1996 will be a huge year for you.  (And yes, I just told the world your age.  Oh well.)  You'll graduate from Auburn (War Eagle!), do a little substitute teaching (confirming once again that you aren't designed to be a middle school teacher), and get a fun job at a travel agency.

Remember the heartache I warned you about with the reappearance of this guy?  Yes, that will be this Summer.  You initiated the reunion (re-reading old love letters will tend to have that effect on a girl) and had such high hopes.  But it's just not meant to be.  It will be excruciatingly painful to see how much this person has changed, but thankfully it won't be a long process to find this out.

Going to grad school at Georgia Tech is the right decision, but you're about to enter one of the most challenging times of your life.  Moving to Atlanta all by yourself is exciting, but also terrifying.  When The One calls to ask if you want to go to Six Flags the first Saturday you're there, you'll be quietly amazed at how excited you are about him coming.  After all, going out with him has never been particularly exhilarating before.

A fun day at Six Flags will turn into supper at The Varsity and a late night.  With nothing more than a "see you later," The One will head back home to Auburn.  When you watch him get into his car from your window, take a good look at his right leg.  It's the last time you'll see it in one piece.  Everything is about to change ... for him and for you.

There's something about realizing how close you came to losing someone that will make you never want to lose them again.  Watching The One bravely deal with his injuries and later making the brave choice for amputation will create feelings of love that were never there before.  (And catching a glimpse of his cute bottom in that hospital gown won't hurt either!)

Nevertheless, such a life-changing event doesn't leave a man immediately ready to make a lifelong commitment.

While The One is trying to figure out how to move forward in his new circumstances, you'll briefly date a guy from down the hall.  He's an aerospace engineer from Michigan.  Nice guy, but definitely not The One.

But don't despair.  The adventure of a lifetime is about to begin....



This post is linked up to one or more of the following blog parties.  Check them out! Monday: Menu Plan Monday on I'm an Organizing Junkie Wednesday: Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family Friday: 5 Minute Friday at The Gypsy Mama, Company Girl Coffee at Home Sanctuary Other days: A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Bloomin' Monday: Final Thoughts

Hi friends,

I have enjoyed this little series on Making the Most of Moving to a New Town, and I hope you have, too. 

If you've moved even one time, it's likely that you've experienced a letdown after getting the boxes unpacked.  There are many reasons for this, but the main one for me tends to be unmet expectations.  Before moving, I always (well, at least usually) have these visions of how much better things will be in the next place.  I'll be more organized.  The kids will play more nicely together.  I'll finally get motivated to lose these last 15 pounds.  I'll invite more people over.  I'll know my neighbors better.  You get the idea.

So why don't those things happen?

I figured out the answer.  Are you ready?



Wherever you go, there you are.



Did you get that?  Let me try again.

Wherever you go, there YOU are.

All 12 addresses we have shared since getting married 13 years ago have one thing in common: we have lived there.  Moving won't make me suddenly more organized.  I won't suddenly turn into The Hostess with the Mostest.  The kids won't suddenly stop bickering just because the location has changed.

Now, this can be a real downer.  I mean, you've got all these plans and dreams for how things will be "when we get there."  And yes, sometimes moving can make a big difference.  If you move from a cramped apartment with half your stuff in a storage building into a house double the size of your apartment, things can get a lot better (except when you realize that all the stuff formerly in storage is now taking up that extra room).  But don't expect a move to solve all of your problems.

On the upside, there is freedom in this.  It also means that you don't have to wait for a move or other major life event to make changes.  Want to be more organized?  Start decluttering a few minutes each day.  Want to lose 15 pounds?  Make better choices at each individual meal.  Want to invite people over more often?  Then just do it.  Want the kids to stop bickering?  (I've got nothing to offer here.  Anyone??)

Not long ago, David and I were in a "U-Haul mood" and found a house online that would be just wonderful.  I caught myself thinking those "what if" and "if only" thoughts.  But I soon remembered that no house or situation is perfect.  Sure there might be some things that are better, but there will also be things that are not as good.

It all comes down to contentment.

I wish I could tell you that I have mastered this.  I haven't.  In fact, one of the reasons I haven't written on this blog in a while is because I have been struggling with discontent.  Most of it relates to the expectations I place on myself.  Maybe I'll write more about that later.  Maybe not.

But as this relates to moving, go ahead and make big plans.  Enjoy the process!  (I know that seems impossible at times.)  Make the changes that you can make.  But just realize that you will still be you after your address changes.  Your husband will still be your husband, and your kids will still be your kids (Lord willing).  And those are wonderfully good things.



This post is linked up to one or more of the following blog parties.  Check them out! Monday: Menu Plan Monday on I'm an Organizing Junkie Wednesday: Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family Friday: 5 Minute Friday at The Gypsy Mama, Company Girl Coffee at Home Sanctuary Other days: A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

Monday, March 19, 2012

Bloomin' Monday - What NOT To Do

I hope you have enjoyed this little series on how to Bloom Where You're Planted - dealing with moving to a new town.  Everything I have written about has focused on how to get to know people, get involved, and put down roots.  So to wrap up, here's the one thing NOT to do: stay isolated.

It's amazing how easy it can be to just stay in your own little cocoon after moving to a new town, especially if you're an introvert like me.  Even if you're working outside the home, it's easy to get into a routine involving a few different places, get to know just a couple of people, and stay closed off to the rest of the world.

If you move frequently, this can become even more challenging.  "Why bother getting to know people when we'll probably just be moving again soon?"  "I won't be here long enough to even make friends so why even try."  "It hurt so badly the last time we had to leave good friends.  I don't want to go through that again."

It's a good thing for a move to be painful.

Let me say that again.  It's a GOOD thing for a move to be painful.  That means that you have invested your life into people, put down roots.  It's not good to leave and have no one even realize that you've left.

I know this from personal experience.  I really enjoyed living in Seattle.  I had a job that I loved (highly motivated students, wonderful fellow faculty, supportive leadership, etc.).  I would have gladly continued to work there for many years to come.  Seattle is a beautiful city, so different from where I had grown up.  I loved telling people back home that I lived in Seattle.  There was always this look of admiration in their eyes.

When David graduated from the University of Washington, he got a job in Jacksonville, Florida.  Thankfully, I also found a job right away, teaching math at a community college just as I had been doing in Seattle.  But it wasn't the same at all.  The students had abysmal math skills and very little motivation.  The faculty and staff were nice but not super-friendly.  We joined a Sunday school at a huge church but just never felt connected to the class.  To say that David was my only friend at the time would not have been an understatement.

This all combined with a number of other factors to put me into quite a tailspin, emotionally.  While much of it I feel was inevitable, I do think that the effect was magnified because I felt so isolated.  I had no family nearby (my parents were living in Ecuador at the time), I had just turned 30 (which set off all sorts of unexpected feelings in me), and I had no one I felt I could really talk to (besides my husband who, by the way, was awesome during this time).  It was a really rough year.  In fact, sometimes I still get very emotional thinking about it.

Thankfully, the Lord provided a way for us to move to Knoxville.  I was still not in great shape but making a lot of improvement.  I started praying for a fun friend, and He provided Rose.  You can read about her here.  From there I met another neighbor.  Then we got involved in our church, went on a mission trip, and eventually had lots of friends - many of whom we are still in contact with, thanks to Facebook.

I taught math again in Knoxville.  The students there also had abysmal math skills and little motivation.  I actually had even fewer friends at work because I was just teaching part-time.  But that didn't matter at all because I had lots of other people in my life.

Making friends is NOT an instant thing - at least not for me.  As I've said before, it has been my experience that it usually takes a full year (at least) before you will feel like you are a part of your community.  But it CAN happen.  Even for complete wallflowers like me.

So what are you waiting for?  If you haven't moved yet, try to make some contacts before you even get there.  Buy some brownies on your very first grocery trip and bake some for your new neighbors.  Join groups of people in your same stage of life.  Get involved in your church.  And then, once you've gotten yourself established (or even before!), be on the lookout for other people in need of friends.  I promise you, it's worth the effort!



This post may be linked up to one or more of the following blog parties.  Check them out! Monday: Menu Plan Monday on I'm an Organizing Junkie, Wednesday: Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family, Friday: 5 Minute Friday at The Gypsy Mama, Company Girl Coffee at Home Sanctuary

Monday, March 12, 2012

Bloomin' Monday: Moving Overseas, Part 3

Hi again!

Sorry I haven't written much lately.  With it being the end of the term at the school where I teach online and about a million other things going on, I just haven't really had much of a chance - or desire, to be honest.  :)  Hopefully that will change soon.

In the meantime, here's "the rest of the story" from my Mom.  (If you're just joining this series on How to Make the Most of Moving to a New Town, you can read the earlier posts here.)  I hope you'll also take a few minutes to visit my Mom's blog here.

Once I dealt with the basics of surviving in Ecuador and could finally prepare a decent meal using foreign ingredients, non-North American-made appliances, and factoring in an altitude of 8500-9000 ft. (we were in the Andes Mountains, not on the coast or in the rainforest), THEN I felt as though I could finally “bloom where I’d been planted.”  Because, after all, when I could extend hospitality – a fancy word for “having folks over to the house” – then friendships could be developed and warmth and love could be extended, Connie-style.
                Many people came through our front door, representing a wide gamut of economic levels and social backgrounds.  We hosted numerous missionaries and volunteer teams from the States, but some of our most memorable times came when Ecuadorian and Quichua people were in our home.  (Quichua are the indigenous people of Ecuador, the poorest on the economic ladder). 
                Three young Quichua men came every Thursday night for supper and for training in church planting.  At first, I was pretty nervous about what I would serve them, but that only lasted through the first meal.  Those guys ate everything I put in front of them, without questions, and without any indication that they “didn’t like it.”  I tried a few Southern dishes, but mostly I stuck to soups (very common in the Andes since it gets cold when the sun goes down), chicken, rice, salad, and bread.  There were never any leftovers because whatever they didn’t finish at the table they happily took home for later.  These young men earnestly prayed for daily work in order to provide “daily bread” for themselves and their families.  For them, food was survival.  It was not a matter of taste preferences. What was given to them to eat was accepted and eaten.  Period.  I must admit that it’s now a little harder for me to be tolerant of picky eaters.
                Ecuador is one of the world’s biggest exporters of bananas, yet I was never able to find a single box of Nilla Wafers for sale there.  I couldn’t imagine these folks not experiencing the delight of banana pudding.  Once when a volunteer team was coming in, I asked them to bring me some Nilla Wafers and could hardly wait for the next time we had Ecuadorian guests.  I watched eagerly for the reaction to my yummy dessert.  What a disappointment!  They took a couple of polite bites and then all of a sudden were “too full for anything else.” (These were Ecuadorians, you understand, not Quichua).  Then, it dawned on me.  They weren’t used to so much sugar.  To their tastes it was probably so sweet it made their teeth hurt.  Oh well.  From then on, I saved my Nilla Wafers and banana pudding for visiting Gringos (a.k.a. missionaries starved for tastes from home). 
                We got a further lesson in Latin American culture when another Ecuadorian family came for dinner.  As we finished the main course, I started clearing the table for dessert, and Steve jumped up to help me.  The Ecuadorian husband – who was a product of a highly-macho upbringing -- was very disturbed by Steve’s actions.  Some rapid words of Spanish were exchanged, and his wife and daughters quickly began to help me.  In his mind, that was NOT a job for a man, and I’m reasonably sure he didn’t plan to start such a practice at his own supper table.  Evidently, we were forgiven, because we enjoyed many more meals with this family, but Steve kept his seat when this man was present.  “When in Rome . . . .”
                The longer we stayed in that beautiful country, the easier it was to “bloom.”  After all, the country itself has spectacular natural beauty, and the lush vegetation provided a continuous palette of brilliant color.  Poinsettias grew as big as trees.  Calla lilies, so expensive here, were very common, and the roses, oh, the roses.  I was able to buy a dozen beautiful long- stemmed ones in any color at any time for less than $1.50. 
                I could write for days about the blessings we received as a result of our time in Ecuador.  If you ever get a similar opportunity, I hope you’ll grab it, and I hope you’ll find your own ways to bloom while you’re there.
Next week, I'll be back for Bloomin' Monday.  Just a couple more posts in this little series.  I hope you've found it to be helpful.  How are you bloomin' these days?




This post is linked up to one or more of the following blog parties.  Check them out! Monday: Menu Plan Monday on I'm an Organizing Junkie Wednesday: Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family Friday: 5 Minute Friday at The Gypsy Mama, Company Girl Coffee at Home Sanctuary Other days: A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Blog Widget by LinkWithin