Last night I was blessed to be able to sing & dance in "An Evening In December", a holiday musical in it's 16th year. This was my first full return to the production after many years away due to health and energy limitations. I was so very blessed, and honored to stand side by side with a cast of over 200 sharing the message of Christmas.
My youngest son danced, lifted his partner in the air and moved about on stage as a young man able, agile and strong. My oldest daughter belted out a song in the finale with confidence and quality along with a full belly of baby Georgie (due next month). My husband stood in for the first year as a choir member able to hit the highest tenor notes with ease.
We have 2 full weekends of productions, sure to be taxing, but what a tremendous blessing to share this time with family and friends as we proclaim the message of Christmas.
www.aneveningindecember.com
Have more news to share, will get new posts going soon....
Friday, November 30, 2007
Thursday, June 14, 2007
...all creatures
"All creatures great and small the Lord God created them all"... even snakes!!!
I realize all creatures have a purpose in this world and create balance when they are able to live and thrive in their environment. And that we as human creation often upset this balance by merely moving into their habitat by way of a subdivision. I am not an animal rights advocate, however I do respect how very important all living things are.
Some I love to cuddle or play with like a puppy or allow to land on me gracefully like butterfly. But you would not see me cuddling a skunk or standing under a wasp nest either! Respect and wisdom most certainly is wise. And so yesterday I was afforded 2 opportunities with creatures that 'crossed my path'.
In my garage I discovered an object moving about like a snake, and yet had what appe
ared to be a geometric appearance. Upon closer, but not too close examination was a rectangular sticky rodent trap with a snake wrapped around it! Naturally I returned to the house first to google the snakes markings before I got any closer. A Garter snake, yes they bite, but their venom does not harm humans. Right! I'd keep my distance.
As I read further it became evident that this snake is on a registered endangered species list and it's natural habitat is within miles of our home. Great! Now I couldn't just put it out of it's misery, albeit mine too! Further research led me to discovering that by pouring vegetable oil over a sticky trap a snake will get free! Many snake 'trappers' use this method and return snakes to the wild.
So with canola oil
in hand from a safe distance I poured it on the snake. And then waited,... long enough to take several pictures. It was fascinating to witness the snake free itself and slither off up the sidewalk. But then it got stuck again... as a huge glob of the sticky stuff had remained stuck on him/her. And so I carefully and strategically placed a stick on the glob as the snake fought and struggled, bit at the stick and then finally freed itself of the goo once and for all.
Away the snake went, oh no! right back into my garage! At once I was quickly moving rodent traps from the snakes path... after all I would rather the snake rid the rodents. He did retreat elsewhere by evening.
The other encounter was later that evening at my daughteres home. She is pregnant, hubby out of town and it was left to me to step in, literally! A mouse had gotten trapped and was still alive. I hate this part of the trap! I had just learned how oil can free a snake, but wasn't prepared to free a rodent. Sadly the rodent population has gotten out of control in human occupied areas as we provide shelter, water, food and they are not as easy prey for other animals. And yes this does help justify the reason we have no problem catching and destroying them. Not too mention they carry harmful disease while destroying our homes. And so I had to end the mouses misery, suffice it to say, quickly under the cover of cardboard. I would never simply toss the trap with a live mouse into the trash.
Save a snake~Kill a mouse... what a day indeed!
I realize all creatures have a purpose in this world and create balance when they are able to live and thrive in their environment. And that we as human creation often upset this balance by merely moving into their habitat by way of a subdivision. I am not an animal rights advocate, however I do respect how very important all living things are.
Some I love to cuddle or play with like a puppy or allow to land on me gracefully like butterfly. But you would not see me cuddling a skunk or standing under a wasp nest either! Respect and wisdom most certainly is wise. And so yesterday I was afforded 2 opportunities with creatures that 'crossed my path'.
In my garage I discovered an object moving about like a snake, and yet had what appe
ared to be a geometric appearance. Upon closer, but not too close examination was a rectangular sticky rodent trap with a snake wrapped around it! Naturally I returned to the house first to google the snakes markings before I got any closer. A Garter snake, yes they bite, but their venom does not harm humans. Right! I'd keep my distance.As I read further it became evident that this snake is on a registered endangered species list and it's natural habitat is within miles of our home. Great! Now I couldn't just put it out of it's misery, albeit mine too! Further research led me to discovering that by pouring vegetable oil over a sticky trap a snake will get free! Many snake 'trappers' use this method and return snakes to the wild.
So with canola oil
in hand from a safe distance I poured it on the snake. And then waited,... long enough to take several pictures. It was fascinating to witness the snake free itself and slither off up the sidewalk. But then it got stuck again... as a huge glob of the sticky stuff had remained stuck on him/her. And so I carefully and strategically placed a stick on the glob as the snake fought and struggled, bit at the stick and then finally freed itself of the goo once and for all.Away the snake went, oh no! right back into my garage! At once I was quickly moving rodent traps from the snakes path... after all I would rather the snake rid the rodents. He did retreat elsewhere by evening.
The other encounter was later that evening at my daughteres home. She is pregnant, hubby out of town and it was left to me to step in, literally! A mouse had gotten trapped and was still alive. I hate this part of the trap! I had just learned how oil can free a snake, but wasn't prepared to free a rodent. Sadly the rodent population has gotten out of control in human occupied areas as we provide shelter, water, food and they are not as easy prey for other animals. And yes this does help justify the reason we have no problem catching and destroying them. Not too mention they carry harmful disease while destroying our homes. And so I had to end the mouses misery, suffice it to say, quickly under the cover of cardboard. I would never simply toss the trap with a live mouse into the trash.
Save a snake~Kill a mouse... what a day indeed!
Thursday, June 7, 2007
...for Renewal
Today I was able to go to our community club house with my 2 younger children; Christine 18 & Steven 16. Riding a stationary bike, using some strengthening machines, and then walking around the pools and grounds I was reminded of the renewal I have been blessed to recieve. And to share this time with my children was a double blessing indeed.
(if you want to take a peek at the club house; http://www.anatolialiving.com/rendering.html)
Nearly 5 months ago my body crashed following 2 blood transfusions and a medical emergency. It seemed like I was living in a very dark cave amidst the hormonal and neurological imbalances, drug reactions, and my body atrophying in the process. I have been down a similar road years before during my CFIDS/Fibro(Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome/Fibromyalgia)crisis, but this time was made more difficult with the recovery of surgery as well.
I am so very blessed and thankful that today I could walk, exercise and experience the renewal that has taken place in my body. It is a continuing process no doubt. But I wanted to share today that I am living proof of a 'light at the end of the tunnel' or difficult journey in my case.
And so today I am Gr8ful2Him for creating our bodies to repair, rebuild and renew after trauma and decline. Our human bodies are truly an amazing miracle to behold.
3John2
Dear Friend I pray that all may go will with you and that you will enjoy good health...
(if you want to take a peek at the club house; http://www.anatolialiving.com/rendering.html)
Nearly 5 months ago my body crashed following 2 blood transfusions and a medical emergency. It seemed like I was living in a very dark cave amidst the hormonal and neurological imbalances, drug reactions, and my body atrophying in the process. I have been down a similar road years before during my CFIDS/Fibro(Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome/Fibromyalgia)crisis, but this time was made more difficult with the recovery of surgery as well.
I am so very blessed and thankful that today I could walk, exercise and experience the renewal that has taken place in my body. It is a continuing process no doubt. But I wanted to share today that I am living proof of a 'light at the end of the tunnel' or difficult journey in my case.
And so today I am Gr8ful2Him for creating our bodies to repair, rebuild and renew after trauma and decline. Our human bodies are truly an amazing miracle to behold.
3John2
Dear Friend I pray that all may go will with you and that you will enjoy good health...
Saturday, June 2, 2007
...New Begnnings
... our youngest child graduated from High School. A chapter in my life as a home-school teacher/mother has ended in a formal sense. He is beginning a new journey; preparing for college in the fall, looking for a summer job, looking forward to what lies ahead. At only 16 he has made me proud and encouraged by his accomplishments.
A brand new beginning also presented itself this week; Our oldest daughter is expecting her 4th child in January 08. We are thrilled and so very blessed. And thankful to live just around the corner! Her children are David 1 end of June, Sam nearly 2 1/2, Rory 4 in August. She will no doubt need some extra help from Grandma, who is very willing to answer the call!
a new beginning; for Steven as he graduates, for me as I end my 'career' as a home-school mom, and Jeni as she carries a new life inside of her. So much to be thankful for...
and Gr8ful2Him
Monday, April 23, 2007
Saturday, April 21, 2007
...of seedlings and Grandchildren;
What a wonder it is to plant a seed, and watch it grow. From a non descript tiny seed emerges a living plant. No matter how many times I have planted a seed I am still thrilled to witness the new growth that emerges.
Yesterday I was blessed to share some planting memories with my 3 1/2 yr old Granddaughter. She watched and then carefully placed each delicate plant into it's place, pushed the soil around the roots and packed the dirt in. Soon I heard her talking to these plantings, "you grow good" and " Isn't that better", "give you a drink"... she had been not only watching, but listening too.
Her tiny little shoes could easily walk around each little flower planting, and she would jump to the stepping stones to protect her 'baby plants'. As I looked at her tiny feet I was taken back to nearly 30 yrs ago when her mommies feet were that small and how she would help me in the strawberry bed.
I am so very grateful to God for the precious mooments I have to plant and watch seedlings grow and even more thankful and blessed to share special memories with my Grandchildren as they grow.
For now all my seedlings/children are adults or nearing that age of independence and the need to care for and work on their own garden of life. The years of caring for these seedlings from conception, birth, childhood and into adulthood has been the most wonderful and meaningful time of my life. I have been literally shaped into the person I am through the transformation that God led me through in being a mother. I am eternally Gr8ful2Him!!!
...of seedlings and Grandchildren;
What a wonder it is to plant a seed, and watch it grow. From a non descript tiny seed emerges a living plant. No matter how many times I have planted a seed I am still thrilled to witness the new growth that emerges.
Yesterday I was blessed to share some planting memories with my 3 1/2 yr old Granddaughter. She watched and then carefully placed each delicate plant into it's place, pushed the soil around the roots and packed the dirt in. Soon I heard her talking to these plantings, "you grow good" and " Isn't that better", "give you a drink"... she had been not only watching, but listening too.
Her tiny little shoes could easily walk around each little flower planting, and she would jump to the stepping stones to protect her 'baby plants'. As I looked at her tiny feet I was taken back to nearly 30 yrs ago when her mommies feet were that small and how she would help me in the strawberry bed.
I am so very grateful to God for the precious mooments I have to plant and watch seedlings grow and even more thankful and blessed to share special memories with my Grandchildren as they grow.
For now all my seedlings/children are adults or nearing that age of independence and the need to care for and work on their own garden of life. The years of caring for these seedlings from conception, birth, childhood and into adulthood has been the most wonderful and meaningful time of my life. I have been literally shaped into the person I am through the transformation that God led me through in being a mother. I am eternally Gr8ful2Him!!!
Monday, April 16, 2007
Gr8ful2Him for....
Gr8ful2Him (Grateful to Him), my creator God for who he is. ..
This title reminds me to consider who God is and to be grateful for the many things that I often overlook or take for granted.
I started out this blog sight not really knowing what I would include or write about. I am not one short on dialogue or words. But to simply have another notebook or journal to write in didn't seem to make sense to me. Hence the reason for only 2 posts since launching the site.
And so it would seem that at least for now I have a purpose in journaling/blogging on Gr8ful2Him. That being to define the very title of the blog in my own writing and journal. My life reads like a bad soap opera or an unbelievable screen play. Within the pages are details and dialogue that would weigh down the most seasoned speakers. But within each page is a reason to be grateful to God. And so I will attempt to share some of this on my blog sight, as well as new ideas and events that are revealed with each new day.
and so today ...
I am Gr8ful2Him for the gift of communication, for words and language that enables us, his creation to share our ideas, thoughts, stories and his truth with others...May he empower and guide us in the effective use of the communication skills he has blessed us with.
May I invite anyone reading this blog to share your own Gr8ful2Him comment with me and others?
"Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, In His holy mountain." Psalm 48:1
This title reminds me to consider who God is and to be grateful for the many things that I often overlook or take for granted.
I started out this blog sight not really knowing what I would include or write about. I am not one short on dialogue or words. But to simply have another notebook or journal to write in didn't seem to make sense to me. Hence the reason for only 2 posts since launching the site.
And so it would seem that at least for now I have a purpose in journaling/blogging on Gr8ful2Him. That being to define the very title of the blog in my own writing and journal. My life reads like a bad soap opera or an unbelievable screen play. Within the pages are details and dialogue that would weigh down the most seasoned speakers. But within each page is a reason to be grateful to God. And so I will attempt to share some of this on my blog sight, as well as new ideas and events that are revealed with each new day.
and so today ...
I am Gr8ful2Him for the gift of communication, for words and language that enables us, his creation to share our ideas, thoughts, stories and his truth with others...May he empower and guide us in the effective use of the communication skills he has blessed us with.
May I invite anyone reading this blog to share your own Gr8ful2Him comment with me and others?
"Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, In His holy mountain." Psalm 48:1
Monday, March 19, 2007
The Carpets always cleaner on the other side of....
The Carpet.'s always cleaner on the other side of the street...hmmm, you've heard of the grass is always greener, but what about the carpet being cleaner?
How quick we can assume that someone elses carpet just stays cleaner, just what does go on behind those closed doors when no one is looking... after the muddy shoes, animal paws, overflowing beverages, and blown in debri leaves their mark, after the door is closed and all is quiet... little elves appear from where they have been resting, ready to clean, and restore the carpet to near new condition..... whoa, you're right sounds like a fairy tale or nightmare!
But wait you say, I want, will, must have my carpet cleaner and so I must move to the other side of the street! But move you may and without the tiny and not so tiny feet that trodded, silent are the mewings and ruff ruffing of your furry companions, and no longer is there need to make beverages or carry them to the back yard to enjoy with others, because you are on the other side of the street, where the carpet is always cleaner, because no one lives there!!!
yikes what kind of story am I telling? Well today I was blessed to experience that the carpet is not always cleaner on the other side of the street, and when mistakes do happen, solutions and more can present themselves to come to our aid even better than tiny little elves from a tale.
I was blessed today to visit with LulasHardt and enjoy an unplanned adventure and exercise session. :-) Even in the midst of a suddenly dirt trodden carpet we witnessed how quickly teenagers react to the revelation that someone tracked dirt in, looking at their own shoes, seeing no evidence but each one sorry for the mess.
And poof! this prepared homemaker moves with lightening speed and re-appears with (fanfare please) 'Folex' the amazing and truly remarkable carpet restoration in a bottle! (no I don't sell it!) She sprays over the offense, and at once I seize the opportunity to join in the fun! Each of us down on our knees rubbing the solution in with our fingers (it's non toxic), she once again zips out and returns with clean white terry towels. Now comes the amazing part, as the towel is blotted and pushed into the moist carpet it removes the offending spot and transfers it to the clean towel... wow some of the teens seem to be witnessing a miracle!
How fun it was to clean up these tell tale signs of a wandering pair of dirt laden sneakers. In a few minutes this friend and I also experienced a surprise in the way of an exercise session for our total body! Bending, kneeling, 1,2 and twisting and turning 3,4 breathing, okay panting, 5,6 stretching and pushing 7,8 crawling and standing 9,10 and finally a deep cleansnig breath as we gazed upon the carpet that is cleaner on the other side of 'a teenagers sneaker'....
This fun little diversion today also reminded me that no matter how much dirt that may get tracked into our lives, in the way of words said, mistakes made, forgotten duties, that no spot or stain is too big for our Lord Jesus Christ to remove! and he doesn't even need 'Folex'!
May God encourage and bless you in your journey this day;
Pati
I must warn you this is a random and not completely edited post,
in a hurry but wanted to share it with you.
How quick we can assume that someone elses carpet just stays cleaner, just what does go on behind those closed doors when no one is looking... after the muddy shoes, animal paws, overflowing beverages, and blown in debri leaves their mark, after the door is closed and all is quiet... little elves appear from where they have been resting, ready to clean, and restore the carpet to near new condition..... whoa, you're right sounds like a fairy tale or nightmare!
But wait you say, I want, will, must have my carpet cleaner and so I must move to the other side of the street! But move you may and without the tiny and not so tiny feet that trodded, silent are the mewings and ruff ruffing of your furry companions, and no longer is there need to make beverages or carry them to the back yard to enjoy with others, because you are on the other side of the street, where the carpet is always cleaner, because no one lives there!!!
yikes what kind of story am I telling? Well today I was blessed to experience that the carpet is not always cleaner on the other side of the street, and when mistakes do happen, solutions and more can present themselves to come to our aid even better than tiny little elves from a tale.
I was blessed today to visit with LulasHardt and enjoy an unplanned adventure and exercise session. :-) Even in the midst of a suddenly dirt trodden carpet we witnessed how quickly teenagers react to the revelation that someone tracked dirt in, looking at their own shoes, seeing no evidence but each one sorry for the mess.
And poof! this prepared homemaker moves with lightening speed and re-appears with (fanfare please) 'Folex' the amazing and truly remarkable carpet restoration in a bottle! (no I don't sell it!) She sprays over the offense, and at once I seize the opportunity to join in the fun! Each of us down on our knees rubbing the solution in with our fingers (it's non toxic), she once again zips out and returns with clean white terry towels. Now comes the amazing part, as the towel is blotted and pushed into the moist carpet it removes the offending spot and transfers it to the clean towel... wow some of the teens seem to be witnessing a miracle!
How fun it was to clean up these tell tale signs of a wandering pair of dirt laden sneakers. In a few minutes this friend and I also experienced a surprise in the way of an exercise session for our total body! Bending, kneeling, 1,2 and twisting and turning 3,4 breathing, okay panting, 5,6 stretching and pushing 7,8 crawling and standing 9,10 and finally a deep cleansnig breath as we gazed upon the carpet that is cleaner on the other side of 'a teenagers sneaker'....
This fun little diversion today also reminded me that no matter how much dirt that may get tracked into our lives, in the way of words said, mistakes made, forgotten duties, that no spot or stain is too big for our Lord Jesus Christ to remove! and he doesn't even need 'Folex'!
May God encourage and bless you in your journey this day;
Pati
"The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy."
Paslm 126:3
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Well here I go!
Having visited a blog sight for the first time just a few weeks ago, I have decided to take the plunge myself. It has taken me many hours just to learn how to follow the 'simple' instructions.
At that first blog sight I visited, I was greeted warmly, welcomed in for genuine fellowship and encouraged to consider my thoughts on life through the wisdom of truth in God's word. She carried me away to her castle with her vivid re-telling of the events surrounding her life. Sprinkled with humor, embelished with beautiful pictures and embraced through scripture, it is clear that her life lived out is penned/typed on her blog as well.
The author of that blog sight is a friend who encouraged me to put up a blog myself. And so dear Lula, here I go. Just what did you start? hee hee hee Thank you!!!
Having visited a blog sight for the first time just a few weeks ago, I have decided to take the plunge myself. It has taken me many hours just to learn how to follow the 'simple' instructions.
At that first blog sight I visited, I was greeted warmly, welcomed in for genuine fellowship and encouraged to consider my thoughts on life through the wisdom of truth in God's word. She carried me away to her castle with her vivid re-telling of the events surrounding her life. Sprinkled with humor, embelished with beautiful pictures and embraced through scripture, it is clear that her life lived out is penned/typed on her blog as well.
The author of that blog sight is a friend who encouraged me to put up a blog myself. And so dear Lula, here I go. Just what did you start? hee hee hee Thank you!!!
"Dear Friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health
and that all may go well with you,
even as your soul is getting along well."
3John2
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