What was the Revolution?

I had a disturbing conversation with a teenage student today. She had mentioned having roots in the confederacy, and I said I was a Daughter of the Revolution, meaning my ancestors fought in it, I suppose. Then she said something like, "Now what was the Revolution...? That's not the war between the states, right? When was it?" O help me, Lord. She was pretty sure George Washington was in the picture, and when I explained it happened in the 1700s and was a fight for independence from Britain, there was some recognition. But this girl is a senior in high school! Not an honor roll kid by any means, but shouldn't this sort of thing be general knowledge with any kid by 18?? My 6 year-old nephew knows what the Revolutionary War was! I thought Chad would appreciate this story; at least he's doing his part to enlighten this generation!

Did anybody happen to hear Josh McDowell's message on Focus on the Family today? It was phenomenal. He quoted all sorts of staggering statistics which I can't remember, but I do remember that he said a huge percentage of teenagers (including Christians) don't believe in absolute truth, and the percentage is quickly rising. He presented this question: "What engenders belief of truth in children?" And then he proceeded to boil it all down to relationships. A child or teenager in a loving, nurturing home is highly likely to receive and believe the truths his parents teach him. That would also go for a student/teacher relationship, too. Here's a good quote I remember: "Rules without relationship bring rebellion." He brought out the highly important role fathers play in a child's stability and happiness. Good fathers are so desparately needed! He told the story of how when Michael Jackson was a 5 year-old, his father wouldn't let him refer to him as daddy. He was his manager. Recently, when Michael was addressing some college group, he broke down and wept, saying his father never told him he loved him. He ached with the desire for that fatherly affection. Is it any wonder he's so messed up now? I've heard that poor father/son relationships are a key factor in young men turning to homosexuality.

This was my summary of the message: Relationships engender belief, and belief determines behavior. Parents, one of the most important things you can do to impact your child's beliefs and conduct is to love them and be there for them. I reflected on my own experience -- why did I accept my parent's beliefs and respond to truth? Because I knew they loved me, I felt secure, and I trusted them. So anyway, I thought the message was really good, and I wanted to write down what I remembered.

Winter Storm

We've had the craziest weather this month, from major rain to record snowfall. On Saturday I'd gone up to BC, just over the border, and then stopped for dinner with some friends in Bellingham, just this side of the border. There was a little snow on the ground, and I knew a lot was predicted for the night. I left around 7:00 and snow was already falling so hard I could barely see the road. Fortunately, when I went farther south it stopped. Bellingham ended up getting over 10 inches, so I'm glad I left when I did! Other places around Washington have gotten a lot of snow and ice, but we didn't get any until last night. It was only about 3 or 4 inches, but it was pretty!

The snow actually started falling last night during the Seahawk's game with the Packers in Seattle (we won!). The snow, wet roads, super cold temperatures, and basically non-existent DOT help (salt, sand, plows) created a mess that's lasted through today. The roads are terrible. Vehicles have been wrecked or abandoned all over the place. News stations advised people to stay home, which we heeded. I didn't have to go anywhere anyway, so I revelled in looking at the beautiful scene in our neighborhood and taking a walk this morning with my dad. We stayed cozy and busy inside. The sun did come out, making the snow sparkle and melt a little. But it's still cold, so we'll probably have more icy conditions tomorrow.

Why do we never get snow on Christmas Eve, like in the movies??

Thanksgiving Report

I just uploaded my pictures, so I thought I'd report on the day. The three older kids came over the night before. Zoe had a touch of the flu, but she felt better by Thursday. Zach was pretty bored most of the time because he had a little cold and it was too yucky to go outside -- torture for a 12 year-old nature boy! But we occupied the morning happily. Lori, Chris, and Will came over in the early afternoon and brought the attractive and tasty appetizers you see above. I think the kids ate maybe a wee bit too much because they hardly ate any dinner!

It was Will's 4th birthday as well, so he opened some presents, including the remote controlled truck from me. Silly thing cost me about $7 from Fred Meyer's, but he played with that thing all day long! He's definitely a boy -- loves things with wheels.

Well, we sat down to the meal into which so much effort had been put, and as usual, polished it off way too quickly. It was all yummy! I was stuffed, but we didn't wait long to start in on the six pies and coffee. Everyone was feeling pretty mellow, except for the kids, who seemed to unmellow as the evening went on!

'Twas a good day, though we miss some of the family members who would have completed the circle. :-( But we have much to be thankful for.

I Couldn't Wait!

So...I said we were waiting till Friday to decorate, but I just bought this village and accessories and couldn't wait to see how it all looked! I love it. It's on the music table in my music room, which is one of the front rooms of the house. The five buildings are all lit by one string and the little lamposts are all lit by one battery-operated string. The little town makes me think of Mitford or Bedford Falls!The picture over the table is of sunny Tuscany, so I'm trying to decide if it's too incongruous to leave it over this snowy scene!

My mom's already made a couple pies this morning, I'll make a couple soon, and I think she's making another one later. Lori's kids are coming over this afternoon. I'm sure we'll have a merry time. I got the new Ice Age movie to watch tonight, hoping it's as funny as it looks. In the morning I might go down to Krispy Kreme with a kid or two and get some donuts. Then we'll read the Thanksgiving story from Barbara Rainey's wonderful book, followed by a time of recounting our blessings. We usually have snacks for lunch and then eat the grand feast at 3:00. We'll eat way too quickly (all that work!), clean up, sit around like stuffed pigs, maybe work on a Wysocki puzzle (the best!), eat pie and drink coffee, talk and laugh, and maybe watch a Christmas movie.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!!

My Dress

As requested, here is a picture of my new dress and shoes. Ignore the lousy end-of-the-day hair and makeup!

I played at this little fine-dining restaurant Saturday night, where, because of a big football game (we presumed), there were only 11 customers all evening! But it worked out okay for me -- I got fed dinner, was given a $50 tip by one customer, was given some left-over prime rib to take home, and got to go home earlier than I was supposed to! My back has really been bothering me, so I was just as glad not to spend another hour at the harp.

Yesterday was another long day, but not in a bad way. We went to church in the morning, I practiced with the choir, then we spent the afternoon at our pastor's house prior to going back to church in the evening for a potluck and meeting. It was the annual soup supper where families bring soups, breads, and desserts. Some people will sample a multitude of soups, but I was very blah and ate only one! I did have several breads and desserts, though.

So now we're re-grouping and preparing for Thanksgiving! Wednesday is pie making day, Thursday is the big day, and Friday is decorating for Christmas day. :-) Should be a good week!

The Mall Hunter

Nope, I didn't float away in the flood. In fact, we're experiencing a bit of cold sunshine, which is refreshing. This week has been rather busy.

Have you ever had a clothing item in mind that you had to find and were desparate enough to travel mall to mall and store to store until you found it?? Well, it began with a dress search. I think the dress styles right now should go on record as the ugliest ever. Pretty much all short, low, ugly fabric, ugly styles. A harpist needs a long, flowing, pretty dress, and for winter, long sleeves are good. Such a creature did not exist, so I decided to bite the bullet and make one. Usually my mom would do it, but she encouraged me to practice my sewing skills. So I found this pretty shimmery brown floral fabric and began. I remembered I don't like sewing. The fabric was slippery, making things worse. Sewing takes a finicky patience which I seem to be in want of. I wanted it done for a harp job tonight, so my mom did do the buttons and buttonholes, bless her heart. Those scared me to death, and I sure she went about three times faster than I would have. But the dress turned out okay, amazingly.

Well, my mom declared I needed some brown shoes to go with the dress. No, I did not make them. But I did hunt for days for the "perfect shoe" that did not seem to exist. Boots are really in right now, as well as really high heels or ballet flats. I don't mind up to 2 inches, but beyond that, I don't need the boost! Store after store revealed the wrong heel, the wrong color, the wrong price -- aaaagh! I didn't want to cry until Thursday night at Macy's when I thought I'd found The Shoe, but they didn't have my size. Friday morning I went to mall #3 and at store #3 found the right shoe. Hallelujah! The heel's a little over 2 inches, but not too terrible, and the color is a shimmery bronze. Mission accomplished!

Wouldn't it be easier to be a nun?

Preparations are under way for a shower here today for my friend Rachel. I think we'll have around 30 people. Should be a fun time. That means I should get off here to get some breakfast and get cracking!

Where's the Ark?

Washington has been hit by a torrential downpour of rain the past few days. Experts say it's the worst we've seen in a decade. Many residents have been forced to evacuate their homes due to floodwaters. We're okay, but this morning I shot some pictures and a video of the raging river a half mile from our house. Fortunately the rain is supposed to subside soon, or we would be a little more worried about our safety. Meanwhile, it's nice to be inside where it's dry and warm.

Here are some pictures. I couldn't upload the video clip for some reason. These stills barely capture the churning speed and volume of the river.

Count Your Blessings

About a month ago, on a beautiful autumn day, I was in the great city of Tacoma with a little extra time between lessons. I decided to do something spontaneous and fun. So I got a lovely latte from Starbucks and headed to the waterfront (where Jill and Evan got engaged, I believe). Anyway, I parked my car, crossed the street and perched on a large stone overlooking the beach and bay. The trees near me were crimson and amber, the water and sky were bright blue, the air smelled salty, the gulls were crying, the sun was warming me through my leather jacket, my hands were warmly wrapped around my Starbucks cup, and it was just one of those moments you want to last a long time.

I smiled and heaved a sigh of contentment and it suddenly hit me: I probably wouldn't be doing this if I were married and had kids. And once again, perhaps more readily this time than at others, I thanked the Lord for the blessed gift of singleness! Being single means I can do spontaneous things by myself without consulting someone or leaving someone behind. It means quietude and meditation is fairly easy. It means I can make the decision to spend my money on frivolous things like a latte (on occasion, okay!). It means I can sleep through the night without a crying child waking me. It means I can quickly hop in the car and run to the store if I want to. It means I can travel across the country or across the globe if I want to! It means I can worry primarily about what the Lord thinks of me, not what my husband thinks.

I am in no way trying to knock marriage or family, as they are both wonderful institutions with tremendous joys and blessings that I have yet to experience. Nor am I saying that singleness doesn't have its definite down side. BUT, I decided I can't wait till it's gone to appreciate what I have. Remember, no matter what state of life you're in, there's always something to rejoice about! So give thanks, for this is the will of God for you!