Just Keep It Simple

Got rid of all of that busy background.  I couldn't stand to look at my own blog!  There is something to be said for keeping things simple.

Just like anything I do...I find that if I want time to do anything for myself, I have to keep the rest of my life simple.  Summer is coming and even though I want my yard and gardens to look nice, I do not want to be like my parents and be a slave to my yard.  That is all they do all summer and fall...work on their yard/gardens.  My mother complains about how much work it is...and she doesn't seem to believe in garden fabric or using Preen or anything else that might help.

Last summer we did most of the hard work.  I figure this summer I can add a little tweaking to some of the gardens.  Next summer the same.  But there is NOT going to be the hard labor this summer that there was last year.  I want to enjoy some of the summer with my family...go kayaking, biking, etc.  The kids won't be around much longer...and even if they are, we are all getting older.

Life goes by so very quickly.  I liked the home I grew up in but all I remember is my parents constantly redoing parts, adding on, improving, working in the yard, etc.  Thank goodness for the motorhome or we would have NEVER done anything.  We could count on at least 2 weeks ever other year.

And now, you know what?  I am going to go sit in the family room and read a book.  Troy is gone..the kids are watching some goofy show in the livingroom.  I have taken care of dinner and laundry AND I did 3 miles on my excercise machine.  Perhaps a nice glass of Traminer Reisling would go good with that book.

Resurrection

When I was a small kid, even with all the Sunday School lessons, I was still somewhat confused about Easter.  I thought of Easter as the day the Jesus was crucified.  I thought Good Friday was the day He was captured and brought before Pilate.  I did not see what was GOOD about that. 

Then when I got older, I realized the Easter was the day Jesus rose from the grave. Good Friday was the day Jesus was crucified.  I REALLY didn't understand what was GOOD about that.  With age came understanding...and then I began to understand why it was GOOD Friday.

IS Good Friday.

My son has had a rough go of it since he was in kindergarten.  At least from where I'm standing.  That is when we started to move about.  Each school system he entered, he tried to make friends and fit in.  Mainly what he got was bullied.  It all piled on to his anxiety until his mind and body got together and decided to revolt against going to school.  His father has given him a bad time about it.  I have tried to help him in anyway I can.  I think TJ needed something in between the two of us...and it would have been nice if we could have met halfway and I really would have loved to...but his dad can be unyielding.  Things are SUPPOSED to go a certain way and everyone MUST conform. 

It is not easy dancing between two such anxiety driven ppl.  I have my anxieties but God has helped me hold it together most of the time.  I have my 'collapse' points.  But when I collapse...they ALL do so I try not to do it very often. 

ANYWAY...with all the bad places my son has gotten into...and all the bad, mean spirited people he has had to deal with I have seen a deterioration of his spirit.  I can understand but I did not want Satan to add another one to his 'lost' multitude. 

When TJ was younger...about 9...he used to lead some of the 'lessons' for youth church.  The leader, Kirk, was impressed with all the TJ knew and understood about the Bible and would let him have a part of church to lead every now and then.  Kirk said TJ had a natural talent.  I have heard him speak...and, yes, you would never know that he was shaking like a tree in a hurricane inside.  He is intelligent with a bit of humor added.
I can't help but wonder if my mother might be correct in believing that TJ has a higher purpose.  Perhaps that is why his life has been so rough on him.  Satan doesn't want TJ to do good and help others.

I know...it sounds outlandish to some of you. 

But here's the thing...I have been praying really hard for my son...my son's spirit...his soul.  Today we went to Easter service.  I remember sitting there and thinking, "I am feeling REALLY energized today and exceptionally happy to be here...and TJ doesn't look like he's ready to fall asleep."  The Pastor did a sort of dialogue...he was dressed like an old Roman Soldier...he recounted the capture, torture, trial, crucifixtion and rising of Jesus from the grave.  He really went into detail of how things were at that time in history.  And I remembered how, as a little kid, I thought Pilate was a terrible man.  But now I realize that he really did not want Jesus to be imprisoned or crucified.  He was a man that was not sure where he stood on the matter of Jesus and he was caught between a rock and a hard place.

After Pastor Brad was done with the dialogue, an older man from our congregation stepped up the stairs to the edge of the baptismal pool.  Pastor Brad recounted how this man had prayed with him and questioned him for years about God, Jesus, Christianity, etc. and now was convinced that it was real and something he wanted to be a part of...he asked to be baptised.  So they stepped into the pool, the man's wife prayed over him and Pastor Brad dipped him into the water.  When the man stepped out of the pool into the arms of supporters waiting with towels, Pastor Brad said that he had brought some extra towels incase anyone else just happened to feel that they were ready to be baptised.  For some reason I looked over at my son and to my astonishment he raised his hand.  He and another woman from our congregation were baptised this morning.  When the Pastor asked TJ if he had someone he wanted to pray for him, TJ said, "I would want my mom to but she's losing it so I guess I should ask my dad."  The congregation kind of snickered.  But he was right...I was crying and could not stop. 

TJ has been so very happy today.  He seems like he has some peace back in his life.  But as I told him now he is REALLY going to have to pray and stay close to God because Satan is NOT going to be a happy camper.  Satan will throw whatever he can at TJ trying to trip him up and bring him down.  TJ says he knows and he also knows that he has others praying for him and giving him support. 

My prayer has always been for the guardian angels to surround my family with their wings...to keep the evil from penetrating and harming them.  When I don't ask, there is trouble. 

Ask...and ye SHALL receive.  You just might not receive it in the way YOU had wanted but God knows what is best.

Candy Nylons

Dandelions.  A lot of ppl pronounce it "Dandy Lions".  I don't think they are so dandy.  I spent two afternoons digging them up out of a square garden area in front of the house.  Troy spent time spraying them out of existence around our front lawn and part of the side yard.  I STILL have to spray the rest of the side yard.  While I do like the dots of yellow color that breaks up the green of the lawn, I also feel the slings and arrows being tossed at us from the surrounding neighbors as they hide behind their window treatments muttering curses under their breath.  Oh...the shame of it all!

On a good note...I thought we were going to have to buy all new shutters for the house this year.  One of the shutters in the front was missing a slat.  I did not know how or why...and the color was fading.  I didn't mind that so much cuz I hate the drab brown of them.  THEN whilst digging up those dandy-lions from the front garden I stopped in front of the window and looked at said slat-missing shutter...then looked at the one on the other side of the front window.  I looked back at the broken one and wondered WHY these ppl would have put two different sized shutters on the window.  The broken one was longer than the other one. 

Then my youngest sister called.  While talking to her I got up close and REALLY studied the broken shutter.  I tapped on it with my finger and discovered it was aluminum...not fiberglas like I had always thought.  THEN I noticed it was put together in sections.  Someone flip a switch...the light bulb came on!  I pushed at the bottom of the broken shutter and it slid up to the same length as the other one and pushed the slats together and...there are NO missing slats!  The shutter had just come loose at the bottom. 

I can't believe I was THAT dumb about it!  So unlike me to NOT check something out for myself...especially when it bugs me so much!  I have been yapping at Troy about that shutter for over a year now...and I never checked it out myself.  Well...they are ALL coming down, getting scrubbed and painted another color.  Just like the front door.  yep. 

All becuz of Dandy Lions....and my sister.