Hiatus

I've decided to take a hiatus from the blog. A really great blog gets updated daily, or at least several times a week, and I am not quite narcissistic enough to think that the world is waiting breathlessly to know what I've been up to or have been thinking. I also think photos punch it up a notch, and frankly, I'm too lazy to keep it fresh. So, I will be taking a break until I find myself motivated to make meaningful posts.

Made a quick trip back to Iowa last week to help The Iowa Orphan celebrate his birthday. While driving to Iowa City on roads that could be driven unconsciously because of their familiarity, I had the thought, "I know I'm driving North...but in Tennessee I'd be going South." My inner gyroscope or compass or whatever it is, has been permanently ruined. I will be lost to the cardinal directions (or is that ordinal?) forevermore. Sigh!

Have been snubbed by the local pet shelter as a volunteer, and only recently received a reply from the local elementary school in response to my offer to volunteer, so I can only assume that God has something else up His sleeve. Makes me laugh, because pet shelters will generally take anyone who breathes. I figure they lost my paperwork. Regardless, I'm eager to see what's around the corner. God is always leading somewhere. The verses I'm memorizing are from Isaiah 43:18-19, "Do not call to mind the former things or ponder things of the past. Behold, I am doing something new! Now it springs forth. Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert." Good stuff - keeps my heart in the right place.

Reading John Piper's Don't Waste Your Life. Well worth it.
Cheers to all!

God is kind to idiots...

I've read about people who have done this kind of thing, and wondered how in the heck they could make that kind of mistake. And now, I've done it, and I understand.

Saturday I did some hair cutting, and since it had been a long time since I'd used the clippers, I responsibly oiled them up. I left the little bottle of appliance oil on the bathroom counter and failed to put it away with the rest of the equipment when I was finished. Fast forward to last night just before bedtime, when my eyes were feeling a little dry from being in a house with fans running all day. Yep. I did it. Grabbed the appliance oil instead of the bottle of eye drops and plunked a drop in each eye. (Never mind one has a black lid and the other is white.) No burning, but my vision surely got foggy in a hurry.

It took me a moment to realize what I'd done, and then I started flushing my eyes with water. Then, thinking that oil and water don't mix anyway, I began gently wiping the white part of my eyes to remove the oil, which actually was productive. (Don't tell my ophthalmologist, but I put a drop of vegetable oil in each eye to dilute the other oil before I called him. It worked fine.) Anyway, he wasn't too shook up about the whole thing and said it was fortunate that it wasn't an acid or base that would cause burns. Said my eyes would be more swollen because I'd flushed them than because of the oil - take 2 Tylenol before I went to bed.

God is kind. Eyes were fine this morning, and the skin around my eyes was nicely soft and supple. So glad it wasn't SuperGlue. Now that would have been a problem!

Done!

 4 years old with some of my sibs

Yes, it's 9:00 in the morning and I am through with my work in the kitchen for the day...maybe for the week. It's already 90 degrees, so I browned a couple of pounds each of ground beef and ground turkey, boiled eggs, and tried to ignore the visions of Food Channel delicacies that these things will NOT become. I'm shooting for easy. (I still feel kind of guilty because I can hear the marching band behind the house. The heat index will be 105 degrees today, and they will be out there until 9:00 tonight. Amazing! Their show has a dance theme - so far I've identified "Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies", Theme from "American Bandstand", "I Could have Danced All Night" from My Fair Lady, and the "Tennessee Waltz", although I had to hum it for my mom so she could identify the title for me. I knew the melody, but not the name of the song.)

Thought you'd enjoy the pic of my family - I'm back right. Youngest 2 not born yet. Mom had 7 children in 10 years, and as Dad always said, "It's not a record, but it ain't a bad average!"

It's been a week since the washing machine betrayed me by unceremoniously overflowing all over the laundry room floor (and living room, by virtue of proximity). Took 3 hours by shop vac and mopping to pick up most of the 20+ gallons that escaped. Looks like it might have been a plugged hose that fooled the water level sensor. It's operating flawlessly now, but I can't say that I'm planning on starting a load and driving off to run errands any time soon.

I keep a bowl and piece of cardboard in the bedroom in hopes of capturing the little gecko who slipped in somehow. He's just a little guy, maybe 4" long, but little guys grow into big guys - easier to see but harder to catch. Truthfully, I figure I'll either catch him or find him dead when we rearrange furniture some day, having starved to death for lack of insects in the house. He likes our bedroom because it is farthest from the AC unit, and therefore is the warmest room in the house.

My thoughts these days are about what it looks like for me to finish out the last half of life (OK, maybe last third!) in a way that gives God glory and fulfills His purpose and ideas, and thus being deeply joyous and satisfying. I have time to invest now, and I want to use the time well - I have no interest in being "busy" because I don't see Jesus being busy for the sake of activity, though He was always about His Father's work. So I'm trying to listen intentionally, spending time with Him and soaking in this season of sabbatical. I think I'm starting to get a bead on where I might be heading, but not sure yet. I'll keep you posted!

June, oh June!

We are still basking in the joy of Operation Birthday Party, the family plot to surprise the socks off Emily for her 26th birthday. With Pete and Amy settled in Chicago, they had arranged to come down to Lafayette on  Friday night, June 10th, to take Em out for her birthday. What she didn't know was that Bruce and I had a hotel room on the 5th floor of the H.I. City Center and we could see the alley next to the house she lives in. Oh, and that Michael had taken the Megabus to Chicago and arrived at 2:00 AND that friend Dave had arranged for a weekend stopover in Chicago on his Washington D.C. to Houston flight. And that set the stage for a series of surprises that left our daughter breathless.

Pete and Amy picked up MJ from Union Station and Dave from Midway and transported them to our hotel room in Indiana. Bruce and I had spent an hour on the phone with Emily for a "birthday call", chatting away while the others were navigating the racetrack between Chicago & Indy. (Lafayette is about an hour NW of Indy, 1.5 hours south of Chicago.) MJ, Dave and their luggage were dumped at our hotel and Pete & Amy headed over to Em's apartment, about 4 blocks away. They unloaded their luggage and then, from Em's bathroom, Pete texted MJ, "Leaving now." My text went to Pete, "In position."

Pete, Amy and Emily walked the planned route from her apartment to the restaurant. At the corner of 4th and Main, Michael popped out from behind a pillar with Gerber daisies and said, "I thought this ought to be a sibling event!"  Surprise, hugs, joy, celebration. 

A block an a half later, the foursome passed a bench where Bruce and I sat with our backs to them, and we stood up saying, "We thought this should be a family event!"  The girl was speechless, sagging against the brick building, gasping with surprise. Unprecedented! Hugs, joy, celebration. 

And then when we arrived at the restaurant, there was Dave at the table, and Emily was completely undone. It was SO much fun! I am utterly amazed that it was pulled off flawlessly. (Emily's friend saw Bruce & me sitting on the bench and though she has never met us, thought she recognized us from pictures and almost texted Em to ask if we had come up for her birthday. A miss is as good as a mile!) Truly, it was a gift to each of us, a forever cherished memory, and we are grateful to God for His kindness and goodness.

These Kids are Tough

It's almost 5:00 in the afternoon and has cooled down to 92 degrees - I am being serenaded by a high school marching band out practicing on the school soccer field that abuts our back yard. The drum corps has been out almost every day for the last week, and the last 3 days the brass has joined them. Football games will start the first week of August when the temperatures soar into the 100s. Call me an overprotective mom, but I think it's insane. Absolutely nutz.

Friday night, Downtown Franklin. I had to pinch myself because it was almost surreal.  There were 3 jumbo-trons (30ft x 20 ft.); one set up at the west end of Main Street, on 3rd St.N and 4th St. S, screening King Kong, Wizard of Oz, and Swing Time. On the East end of Main Street by the Confederate Memorial there was a stage with a 3-piece jazz ensemble providing the music for a swing dance (the guy sounded like Harry Connick Jr.) and there were thousands of people celebrating...the grand re-opening of the Franklin Theatre (circa 1938). After being mothballed for 4 years and then undergoing an $8.7 million dollar renovation, it is up and open for business again. The tickets for the first movie, Gone with the Wind, sold out within an hour. Bruce and I have tickets for a movie on Wednesday night. Can't wait to see the inside. Mike Wolfe (of American Pickers fame, originally from LeClaire IA, now a resident of Leipers Fork just up the road) found the display board for the lobby. This truly is an amazing place!

Cicadas & Armadillos

Photograph by Medford Taylor

The 13-year cicadas have descended on us - or rather, ascended, since I think they emerged from the ground. There are millions of them, hanging on the trees in our neighborhood and in the rest of Middle Tennessee. After working out in the yard for a while the other day subjected to the relentless, shrill droning, I finally took shelter in the house - it took over 2 hours for the ringing in my ears to stop. Felt as though I'd spent a few hours at a rock concert. Driving can be hazardous, too. Those critters are big, and hitting one is akin to having a wad of cottage cheese lobbed on the windshield. I've noticed young men shaking small trees in the downtown area, scooping up the fallen cicadas and pelting their love interests with them. They definitely know how to woo a girl down here.

Tennessee is the Bug Capital of the U.S., I'm pretty sure. All the bugs of the North live here, as well as the bugs of the South, and Terminix got its start in the state. So besides cicadas, we have termites, roaches, nasty spiders and tons of things that just plain like to bite. My ankles are pretty chewed up, and I've given up trying to be discreet when I weed. I keep my rear end up in the air, because squatting or sitting assuredly results in a bitten up heinie. Not comfortable.

Bruce and I went down to Shiloh, the Civil War site today - what a sobering place. 100,000 men fought, 23,000 died. Awful, awful losses, for both sides. We did enjoy the exhibition of firearms spanning from the Revolutionary War to our current war on terror. Doing away with the need for a ramrod certainly sped up the shooting process.

I am gaining a broader perspective of what the Civil War meant down here.  There isn't a county in Tennessee that didn't have a battle fought on its soil. Iowa was pretty insulated, comparatively speaking, although there are 143 Iowans buried in the cemetery at Shiloh. But to have battles fought, homes commandeered, animals and gardens pillaged - the cost was very high here.

Armadillos rank right up there with possums as far as ugly goes. I counted 5 armadillos lying on their backs, praising the Lord from the sides of the road on the way home from Shiloh today. I'm getting used to the sight of them. There is something prehistoric-looking about that scaled armor.  Like God just swept up all the leftovers from creation and super-glued them together and said, "Gee, that could be something...how 'bout an armadillo?"

Not my goal in life...

Meet the bathtub. 

I've never used it, and can't imagine the circumstances that would warrant my interest in doing so. So for now, I simply keep it dusted and free from the occasional insect that has the misfortune of getting caught in its slippery-sided recesses. It's just not my goal in life to keep it dusted - I think it would be a grand place to put the washer and dryer and use the laundry room for something else. But, in light of the nebulous phrase "resale value" I will continue to do the upkeep.(I'm a woman who keeps a bucket by the shower to catch the cold water that runs until the hot water arrives from the water heater on the other side of the garage - I use the water for the plants & shrubs. Why would I use 50 gallons of water in the tub???)

I am finishing up my project management work and have been dragging my tail about it, having a funeral of sorts. Last week was gray and dreary, and I worked on my final 2 projects. You didn't want to hear from me last week, trust me. I wasn't in a happy place. However, on Friday, I got a swift kick in the seat of the pants in a variety of ways.
1.  Heard a rebuke: "You sound like you're just sitting in the sandbox waiting for someone to come by and rescue you." (Ouch!)
2. Talked to a neighbor who told me (over my thoughts about taking a watercolor class) "You need to take that wishbone and turn it into backbone." (Double-ouch!)
3. Read Psalms 37 and heard, "Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness."
OK, I think I'm getting the message. Time to stop sucking my thumb and get myself out of the sandbox.

Sorry, Iowa

I saw that it's 93 degrees in Muscatine today. Bummer. That's hot for May, and especially since you were probably wearing mittens last week. Hope your lettuce doesnt' bolt on you. We are only at 88 degrees here, and I have finally succumbed to turning on the air conditioning just to keep the humidity out of the house. The tomato on the patio is basking in the sun, soaking up those therms.

My accomplishment for the week has been nailing down a dentist and ophthalmologist and making appointments. Eventually I'll have to find an oncologist and family practice doctor, but I'm half-blind from trolling the insurance provider website and finding online reviews on the physicians. It was much easier finding a person to cut my hair.

Starting a summer book read with a group of women - Sinclair Ferguson's In Christ Alone - Living the Gospel-centered Life.  Looking forward to it, and I'm confident it will beat the last book I read for book club. I've been in the group long enough that I could be honest and say I didn't like it, thought it suffered from anachronisms, trite platitudes, unrealistic events & thought processes, and caricatures instead of well-developed characters. Can you tell I'm not a fan of lazy fiction? I do, however, love a wicked sense of humor and I have several other books on the lamp table begging to be read. Ah, must finish the project list first!

Little by Little

So I wimped out and stuck fake flowers in the planters outside our front door. Actually there are still some pansies there, but they are starting to think it's getting hot out. When they croak completely I'll put more greenery in. I just want the place to look cheerful, but it's a tough spot - a bit dark.

And we (I use that term loosely) tore out the overgrown and poorly shaped privet hedge on the north side of the house, planted some low shrubs and put in stepping stones, thus eliminating the "tunnel of scratch" and mud.  You can see what it used to look like in the bottom photo. The neighbors also have a tangle of overgrown shrubs, so it was not attractive at all. (That's putting it mildly.) Little by little we are gaining on the yard work - and I'm not complaining since Bruce and I have always enjoyed planning and executing landscaping.

My big challenge this week is living intentionally and fruitfully when I don't have a lot going on. My attempts at landing employment have been futile, but I understand that this is not time to be wasted, nor is it necessarily a "bad" time just because it isn't what I wanted. So I'm trying to learn all I can during this period of "waiting." (Man, I hate waiting for anything. Ack!) 

Soggy

Rain, rain go away, come again some other day.

Lush Azalea Shrubs and the Rain Gauge

I forgot to empty the rain gauge last night, so I was lucky it didn't overflow. It had 4" in it (when it was standing up straight) after the rain quit this morning. But we're grateful that the water is running where it's supposed to run and we cleaned out the eaves gutters last week during a dry day. And the grass seed that didn't wash away is producing a fine stand, so that's another good thing. It's downright cold now - in the 40s - but I'm sure we'll be singing a different song in July and August. Tennessee is like Iowa - always an opportunity to complain about the weather!

Name, please

Meet our garage gecko. We're still trying to decide what to name him (we've decided to attribute maleness to him unless given reasons not to - in many species the females don't need males to reproduce so one may be enough to generate more). He lives in the garage, courtesy of a missing piece of rubber strip from the garage door seal, and hides in the downspout when we create too much activity in the garage.

This picture was snapped through the sidelight glass by the front door yesterday (he's prettier in person) when the little guy ventured up the side of the house. I've read that Teflon is the only surface to which a gecko cannot stick. Pretty amazing footwork there. Anyway, we're letting him live in peace - he eats insects, including mosquitoes, so I figure "he who is not against you is for you".

Still here

We didn't blow away.

Lots of rain, wind and sirens, but we're still here. Amazingly, Bruce flew in from California yesterday between the thunderclouds and landed on time and drove home during a tornado warning. Crazy. We have a few sticks in the back yard and that's about it - we're grateful.

So I'm reading in Genesis this week and wondering...
Who told Eve to not eat the fruit?  - doesn't appear she was around when Adam got the command.
Why is it that the Bible says Eve was deceived, whereas Adam sinned?
An interesting author points out that as a result of sin entering the world, man is ruled by the soil (work) from which he was created, and woman is similarly ruled by the man from which she was created (and abusively so, in a large portion of the world). Makes me long for Eden and what God created in the first place.

Can you imagine a world where the genders were seen as full complements of each other, showcasing the image of God - and that we fully delighted in what each brought to the table? An amazing world!

Still Smiling...

1600 miles in 4 days, and SO worth it! 

With MJ's return from National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) intersecting with VEISHEA at ISU, the kids all decided to rendezvous in Ames last weekend. Not to be left out, Bruce and I jumped in the van at 6 a.m. on Friday and made the trek to Iowa. My heart is still full. (OK, my rear end is still feelin' it too.) Had a wonderful time catching up with each other, eating junk food, picnicking in Pete & Amy's apartment in Urbandale and praying for each other for all of our new adventures.

Michael has decided to stay in Iowa instead of coming to TN for the summer. (Amy trimmed up the mountain man so he can job hunt!) We think that's a great plan since most of his network is in Iowa. Down here he would only know us and I'm guessing it would get pretty lonely. Or at least boring.

The house is down to 61 degrees - I'm wearing a coat and have a blanket on my lap. I refuse to turn the furnace back on. I figure I'm storing up the cool for when the weather turns off hot. It's insane - fluctuating from 90 to 46 degrees and everywhere in between, punctuated by thunderstorms and tornadoes. So make up your mind already!

This week...

Spent time in our closet (a.k.a. storm safe place) among the stinky shoes during a tornado warning. Who thought no basements was a good idea?

Ate oatmeal and Cool Whip for dinner (um, yeah, Bruce wasn't home)

Started feeling a friendly little connection vibe in the neighborhood when Shedrick honked at us as he drove by.

Cut down the tree that was planted 4 feet from the house and beat on the shingles. Looks SO much better now.

Am thinking of making friends with the pairs of cardinals who often peer in my window from the patio.

Cleaned out the refrigerator, and found the bag of broccoli crumbs I thought I was going to make soup out of, but obviously forgot.

Wore shorts on Saturday, sweatshirt this morning.

Have been deeply grateful that a good look at Jesus helps me understand who I really am...and more grateful that He loves me anyway.  Oh, another day to be loved by Him!

Every Bloomin' Thing

The guests are all safely home, the sheets are in the laundry and the refrigerator is empty enough that I can find stuff again! God is kind - it was a wonderful time. The snake was spied by Grandpa who dispatched it to ensure Grandma's safety in the sun, and there is peace in the House of Arentson.

We're enjoying the blooms of spring here - the trees are amazing. We have this pink beauty in our back yard - unsure of its variety, but it may be a cherry of some sort. The early bloomers are finished already, the pears and almonds, and now we're admiring dogwoods, tulip magnolias and whatever it is we have in our yard.

These days I am pondering the state of affairs in the world and wondering if we are seeing fresh signs of things coming to a close. The trouble in the Middle East is unprecedented, the Earth groans with earthquakes and other disturbances and the philosophies of the world flourish. Makes me grateful that God knows all about it, and will do all things well. I'm trying to pay attention and be about the things He's called me to, trusting Him, and loving Him and the people He's put on this planet.

The Countdown

One more run to the grocery store should do it.

Tomorrow our home will be full and noisy - all good. My parents, aunt and uncle and 2 sisters (plus another surprise visitor) are coming for a long weekend. The den will be converted to a bedroom, as will the sun room, and our bedroom will host another air mattress user, as well. Yea! I love parties! It will be good, even if it rains. I was listening to the birds chirping and singing and figured if they're outside in the rain and don't mind, I shouldn't be complaining when I'm inside and dry.

I'm in a study about the complementarian role of women, full of questions about how that plays out in real life, in marriage, in the church, in God's economy. Mostly, I just want to be using the gifts God's given me, in the place He has for me, for His glory. I'm not too good at the philosophy stuff that drives it. I'll let you know if I learn anything.

Versatile

Yep, my trusty Pampered Chef mini serving utensil can serve as a putty knife, spackle blade, just about anything, in a pinch. This business of not having a workshop anymore has put a crimp on our organization - many of Bruce's tools are still boxed up in the garage, but we're working our way around the issues. Today I moved Christmas things from a closet to the garage attic and reassigned the extra chairs that had been stored behind our bedroom door to the freed up closet space. We're still learning to live in this differently-appointed space.

I was reading a really great book last week - truly inspirational - until I got to the chapter I refer to as the "dog poop in the brownies"...one of those super-nice people who do wonderful things in the world in the name of Jesus, but thinks Jesus is just another option. The philosophy was fairly camouflaged but the guy showed his cards about halfway through the book. I must say I was sad. I know he grew up in the deep South and was disillusioned by the church - he is a person of tremendous influence, but I'm truly sorry about his theology. I'm sorry he lost confidence in the Way and the Truth and the Life because of lame people, and even sorrier that he's telling people that the Son of God is an "also ran." 

I can only say, "Don't eat the brownies."

Heat Wave

Unseasonably warm this week - the neighbors have their AC on, but we don't. I just shut the furnace off 3 days ago, and there seems to be something really wrong with running both the heat and AC on the same day.  I took the opportunity, though, to sand some outdoor furniture we inherited with the house. It's made of an Australian timber called jarrah, and should look pretty good once I get it sanded down and finished.(I thought it was teak, but I was wrong.)  Anyway, wore my Maui shirt out in the sunshine. I've never been to Hawaii, but I'm a good enough friend that I got the shirt.

Tried out the grill today and I'm restraining myself so I don't run out and start buying plants. Last frost date is April 15 here, and we aren't there for almost a month. Besides, we don't have a landscape plan in place yet. But I did dump some bags of dirt to fill in a low spot in the yard, so it medicated my need to garden.

We visited different churches last weekend and today. I think we're getting a bead on where we may land. I'll keep you posted. It's been an interesting, discussion-filled process, and Bruce and I have not been on the same page too often.

My journal is filled with thoughts, things I'm learning, and things I'm wondering about. I heard in a commercial today that the average person has 3000 thoughts every day. I'm pretty sure I have that many by 10 a.m.  I'm also checking out "Frownies" to see if I can remove the permanent look of scrutiny I have developed. The wrinkles don't go away anymore - PermaCrease has set in. Over 50!

OK, I'm back

Vacation was wonderful.

Got to see another part of this new state of ours - the side with the mountains and plethora of tourist traps devoid of meaningful entertainment (OK, my sister wanted to know what I did to deserve to be sent to "a tourist hell hole"). The wonderful part was hanging out in a mountainside cabin with 3 other couples, eating wonderful food, laughing until we almost had to get out the Depends. These are Bruce's people from the Shelby County 4-H County Council days some 35 years ago. He still has his jacket, as seen at right.  I was not kidding when I said the man never throws anything away. Anyway, it was worth some laughs when he showed up at the airport wearing it. And I am grateful to be grafted into this crazy, funny, thoughtful group.


Our van did well on the steep and curvy mountain roads, even loaded with 8 adults. One group vehicle had a water pump issue, so for a day or so we had the whole group traveling in ours while the other was being repaired. "Community" at its finest. And Bruce and I were feeling pretty smug since we took a lot of trash talk from our offspring last fall for purchasing another minivan. We told them we wanted a people hauler - and I guess we got one!

Yard Work

We've had some lovely days, but as I've said, we were told to not get used to it. But seizing the moments, I've been trying to get at some yard work, and have put considerable effort into cleaning up the "back boundary" of our property which abuts a school yard.  I have collected all manner of trash, bottles, wrappers, discarded planters and yard waste, and a few toys. I also wielded a lopper and cut down vines, branches and volunteer scrub trees. Can't tell you how relieved I was to wake up and not find myself covered in poison ivy blisters.

Also discovered, next to the poured patio, a small hole that I enlarged to make a larger hole (noted at right). I wondered what might be living down there and Bruce thought maybe a ground squirrel.  Made me wish for our cats. But never mind, it was a hole and I let it go, UNTIL the next day when I watched a snake go down the hole. OK, now we have a problem. I am ready to back the cement truck up to the patio and pump concrete down the hole and seal it off permanently. Overkill, you s'pose?

Current musing: my default mode is arrogance against God. What I can't control, I worry about. What I can control, I generally become presumptive about and act on auto-pilot.

Seeking to be yielded, trusting and grateful.

It's Coming!

I'm not daring to think that Spring is here in the southern United States, but the promises are all there. I've been told that I will get lulled into thinking the snow is over and done with and it's time to put on sandals, and then we'll get another round of cold and snow.

But I was out walking today, and even though it's cloudy and there's a north wind, the crocus are undeniable signs - it won't be long until Spring, for real. The pansies are actually carry-overs from fall planting - I had no idea they could survive single digit weather. So, I've learned something. For the record, these plants were found on my walk, not in my yard. The yard is a ...fresh palette, shall we say?

This was a jaw-dropper:  Yesterday I walked downtown and as I passed a house, a woman who had just parked in the driveway jumped out of her car and said, "Joanne!"  Startled, I turned around and she continued, "remember me from Tracy Lane?" OK, my name is Joanne, and I DID live on Tracy Lane in Iowa City 25 years ago. I was wracking (racking?) my brain trying to place her, but truly I couldn't remember anyone who looked like her from Iowa City (she was of African-American descent, which aided the brain search). She continued, seeing my puzzled look, "You know, we used to watch the girls play softball. How is your daughter?" So that was the clincher, because Emily NEVER played softball.

I explained that I had just moved here 3 months ago, and I was really sorry, but I didn't think I was who she thought I was. The woman apologized and said, "You look just like my friend, Joanne." Well, I'm going to have to keep my eyes open for her - I may have a twin here!

I'm Lovin' It!

My apologies for the silence of the past week and a half. The biggest issue is that my laptop refuses to communicate with SD cards, USB plug-ins, DVDs or CDs, so any images I want to post have to be in my files already or I take them on my cell phone and email them to myself. Lame, I know.

The other factor in my failure to post is that we have guests in our home 20 of 28 days in February, (and 9 days in March already slated) and I'm having a ball. Most recent guests have included Bruce's folks and Emily & a friend. More friends arrive tomorrow.

Here you can see my friends (at right) who are getting a real workout these days. Lovin' it!

It is clear: I have to start pacing myself. Meeting new people, hosting friends and family, and exploring new food establishments have created a dangerous environment for me. The biscuits are beginning to lodge in undesirable places. There are two that have taken up residency, suspiciously reminiscent of "love handles". Rats!  Bring out the salad and hold the corn cakes!

New Growth

I'm dreaming of spring.

Even though I have no hope that there is anything interesting planted in our new yard, I figure I can walk the beautiful neighborhoods when things start blooming. (OK, there is snow predicted 3 times in the next week, but as I said, I'm dreaming.)

These sweet jonquils and their rock friends are from our Muscatine yard (I would expect that the flowers will have multiplied over the last year since they were new last spring).  In a way, gardening is a good metaphor for my life these days - I'm taking stock of "soil conditions and amount of sun" and planning toward maximizing what we've been given here both in our yard and in our lives. I love spring and the excitement & beauty of new growth. Same goes for the potential as The Master Gardener does some digging and planting in us.

So Wonderful!

Had a truly amazing weekend during which I was able to connect with most of my siblings, my parents, and Pete, Amy & Emily. All on dry roads and on-time flights. :) The big event was a surprise birthday party for my youngest brother, Jerry, whose head-on-a-stick you see poking out of a fern on my buffet. (Had way too much fun with those!)

The greatest surprise, however, was my discovery that although I dearly love all of these Iowa-based people, I was eager to return "home" to Tennessee and Bruce.  Total shock to me. I didn't expect to wake up Sunday morning with the thrill that I was going home. (Had nothing to do with the fact that I spent Friday night on my brother's couch and Saturday night on my parents' couch.) I'm grateful for the transitioning of my heart.

Looked out the window this morning and discovered several mourning doves, a flicker, a chickadee and a pair of cardinals poking around in the back yard. First time I've seen such an assortment - usually it's just been the undesirable and numerous robins. The chickadee and female cardinal were within four feet of me, both having landed on the teak furniture on the patio. Ah, another gift!

The War is Over...

...but in looking at the shelves at the Williamson County library, one can't be sure.

There are hundreds of books in the stacks on the Civil War, including numerous tomes entitled "Why the South Lost the Civil War" and  "Strategic Blunders by the Confederate Army" and at least 50 books about Gettysburg. I was amazed by the display. (There was a terrible battle in Franklin in which six generals were killed, the most in any single conflict, but those accounts must have been checked out.) I picked up one about the underground railroad and another exploring the roles of Southern women during the Civil War. I also picked up a book on Southern humor because there are some things I just don't "get" yet, including "fishin', grits, and yer mama."

Discovered that my very favorite paint in the world (Pittsburgh Paint's Grand Distinction) is, in fact, a store brand label of Porter Paint. So the good news is that I can get that wonderful quality paint that I used to purchase at Menard's, but the bad news is that it's $20 a gallon more at the Porter Paint Store.  Hmmm...let me know if you're coming this way!

Musings

It just struck me as I typed the title of this post, "Musings" that it indicates the results of "thinking or pondering". So our good English word "amuse" means "without thought or pondering" because the prefix a- means "without." (Latin was one of the more worthwhile classes I took in high school...) Since our culture places such high value on amusement I can only surmise that it is a culture that prefers to avoid thought-full life, devoid of meaningful exchanges. Pity.

But today I am pondering words attributed to Jerry Bridges, that "my best days are not beyond the need of grace, and my worst days are not beyond the reach of grace." That's good news. There is simply nothing I can add to make his words better.

The importance of reminders

I've been amazed by the things I've come across during this move that possess the power to transport me to specific moments in time - photos, mementos, and small gifts from people.

This picture, for example, was taken when we were living in a duplex in Iowa City and Emily was an infant, probably around 6 months of age. (I look amazingly alert, despite the fact that she didn't sleep much the first 6 months of life. I  remember sitting in 985 Pammel Ct. in Ames, surrounded by our boxed up worldly possessions staged for moving, trying to quiet a disconsolate 2-week-old infant while Bruce struggled to help his hired typist understand that the tables in his dissertation were typed incorrectly, and I mused, 'I wonder if this is what they mean by "stress"?')

I've been challenged the past couple of weeks to remind myself daily of that which is truly important because I am forgetful. In the face of distractions I am prone to forgetting that God is kind and present and sufficient. I forget that my purpose is to know and enjoy Him forever and bring Him glory. I forget that His nearness is my good and in His presence is fullness of joy.

My word prompt is "enjoy" - to center my soul for a few moments throughout the day on the One who is truly enjoyable.

Some of my favorite people!

I have to admit, our time together over Christmas was way too short. This foursome ranks as my favorite! They are fun, fun, fun. OK, smart-mouthed, too, and terrible teases.  But absolutely my favs.

Good reasons for frequent flyer miles.

Local Flavor

This morning Bruce and I had a date at Dotson's, an almost 60-year-old, down-by-the-river, hole in the wall, local eatery this morning. The awning wasn't up and we didn't exactly know which door to use, but a kind couple pointed us the right direction.

It was the real deal - grits, biscuits and autographed menus and pictures of country singers. But the highlight of the excursion occurred when Bruce went to pay the tab and a young man close by said, "It isn't often that you'll see a Hawkeye and Iowa State cap in the same place in Franklin."  He had grown up in Lisbon, gone to college at U of I and started work in Franklin 9 years ago. He liked it so much he stayed. We had a nice conversation with his family and then, since the sun was actually shining, we took a little drive to explore the regions south of Franklin.

I have a new geography program employed to help me learn the names of nearby towns and regions. It's called Craigslist.  Looking at posts forces me to look on a map to locate the sellers. So I know that Hendersonville is too far, Smyrna or Lewisburg, maybe, but Cool Springs, Brentwood and the Vanderbilt area can be OK.  Aren't I getting an education? Who knew shopping could be so beneficial?

Disturbances

Making breakfast Christmas morning

Whenever Bruce used to change the water filter at our house in Muscatine, he generally had to flush the line to blow out the sediment and mineral deposits that had been dislodged during the process.  Likewise, throwing a big rock in a still pond will stir up silt and mud that is usually settled at the bottom. This move to Franklin has been like a big rock disturbing my placid life, for which I am appreciative - sort of!

Charles Swindoll said "I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it." Lots of times, over the past 2 months, I haven't posted much simply because I was processing (and reacting to) everything we were experiencing. (Trust me, there is much about my brain you really don't want to know!) I have spent much of my time learning how to respond to new circumstances and the "silt" in my life that got stirred up from the disturbance of my "normal".

It seems to me that, rather quietly, I've turned a corner of sorts this week. In part it's due to time, in part to the return of routine and creative outlets, and in large part to grace and the kind intercession of friends and family.

I have learned things I don't ever want to forget and experienced kindnesses I will always remember. I finally, truly understand why Jesus commends us for showing hospitality to strangers (Mt 25:35). Being a stranger is a "broken place" along with being hungry, thirsty and in need - and in the comfort of community I was oblivious to that. Not anymore.

So I've learned something. And Mom always said if you learned something it was a good day - so I've had lots of good days!

Dumplin's & Fixin'

Yes, I received an impromptu call from a new friend who suggested we have lunch today, so instead of the pork barbecue I was hankering for, I deliberately chose the Noon Special, Chicken 'n Dumplings. I would have taken a picture of them, but have you ever SEEN dumplings?  I suppose they would look worse cold than they do hot, but they aren't much to look at. And I am pretty sure that every one of those big doughy lumps went straight from my stomach to stick on my hinder parts. But I have now been initiated (and hands-down, I'd vote for my mother-in-law's chicken and homemade noodles any day of the week!).

The other night I heard my husband of 27 years say that he was "fixin'" to do something. I turned around and hissed, "fixin'? FIXIN'? You're FIXIN' to do something???" For crying out loud! We've only lived here 60 days! I think he said it on purpose. Really.

Well, we're into Day 4 of snow days. Yep, we had 4" of snow on Sunday night and the chilluns have been playing all week. I've seen the country roads and when they're icy (not to mention they are already narrow, curvy and hilly) the buses just can't go out. Bring on the babysitters and videos, I guess. But for me, my response is to just turn the setting on my heated van seat on High when I'm tooling around town. Love it!

In the Air!

Though Tennessee is suffering from almost total paralysis under the 3-4" of snow we received in the wee hours (and 12" south of us), nonetheless, Michael boarded a plane at O-Dark-Hundred hours this morning and after a bit of a delay, appears to be en route to Tucson via Denver (with every possibility of making the connecting flight) for his NOLS semester. It's finally here! Seven months of getting up at 4 a.m. to head off to a factory job, all for the joy of this opportunity.

Bruce thought it rather fun to drive the sparsely populated, snow/slush-covered four lanes of I-65 by himself at 4:00 this morning. I am betting my allowance that he drove faster than prudence would allow, so I am glad I was home on the computer checking flight status. For sure, he was the first guy at work this morning. Good thing he ate a banana on his way out the door. It's a long time until lunch.

Down and Dirty?

So for a number of years I've thought the general headache I endured upon waking every morning was due to my coffee addiction, although I only drink it in the morning, and usually not more than a mug (OK, a very large mug) or two. Curiously, though, the headache dissipates after a short while after rising, and often before the morning java is consumed.

So, it occurred to me a couple of weeks ago that perhaps, just perhaps, I might have an allergy to feathers.  I've used a feather/down pillow since I was a child, and when I left home at 18, Mom sent along a couple of pillows. Now you have to realize that the pillows were made from the old daybed that my mom slept on as a child, given new ticking every decade or so. OK, maybe every 5 years.

Figuring that my grandparents didn't run out during the Great Depression to purchase a daybed, I have to assume it was in their home when Mom was born in 1929. Doing the math here, I have to figure that the feathers came from ducks/geese that have been dead for at least 80-85 years. There is a distinct possibility that the feathers have irreparably broken down into dust, you think?

So I snagged an "inferior synthetic pillow from the linen closet and have been using it for a week or so. No morning headache. I'm only sad that I can't figure out how to use the data for a science fair experiment.  I'm pretty sure that takes place in March, and I'd be all set to go.

Traffic Jam

Pretty crazy, but true:  we diddled around up in Brentwood after we went to church yesterday and started our trek home shortly after noon.  Franklin Road was stop-and-go traffic for five miles, complete with local law enforcement officers assisting the thousands of local residents who were exiting some of the ginormous churches that populate the corridor.

Truth is, if everyone, everywhere pursued Jesus, we would probably just have neighborhood churches because the traffic would strangle cities every weekend. We likely wouldn't have room or need for the behemoth structures and elaborate organizations born of American consumerism. But, not everyone believes Jesus is who he said he is, so we muddle along.

We had snow, it's true, and good ground coverage on Christmas Day, the first time in 17 years for the Nashville area. This is our backyard (pretty much the whole thing) with our dusting of the white stuff. The back is about 30-40 feet deep, about twice the size as the berm we had on the north side of the screened in porch in Muscatine. Big difference between .66 acre and .16 acre. But it's private, backing up to a middle school, so we aren't complaining. Small, but beautiful, close neighboring houses not withstanding.

Today I find myself is a place of wonder and gratitude - amazed that God isn't surprised by any of our foibles, fears or failures and He loves us anyway. He doesn't love us because of what we offer Him, what we "can do for" Him.
It's so lopsided, it takes my breath away.