Everyday life...

Little drops of water,

Little grains of sand,

Make the mighty ocean

And the pleasant land.

So the little moments,

Humble though they be,

Make the mighty ages

Of Eternity.

So the little errors

Lead the soul away

From the paths of virtue

Far in sin to stray.

Little deeds of kindness,

Little words of love,

Help to make earth happy,

Like the Heaven above.

In 1845, Julia Fletcher Carney wrote this poem, titled "Little Things".  It ended up in the McGuffey Reader and probably was learned by millions of American school children in the early classrooms.  My mom wrote it out for me from her memory when I was about 11 or 12 years old, and I've never forgotten it either.

Sometimes this is how I feel about my own life.  I think just about everyone has a need to feel like they are part of a bigger picture and are a piece of a puzzle that comes together to be something beautiful and meaningful.  And just like we don't "see" an entire ocean when we look at a single raindrop, we understand the principle that eventually enough raindrops do form an ocean.

When one gets to the age where they realize they have already lived more years than they have yet to live, there is often some evaluating and reassessing that goes on.  Things that used to mean so much no longer drive or control us.  I can remember a time back in high school days that I kept on my calendar a record of every outfit I wore so I would not wear the same exact thing twice in a month's time.  Looking back, I have no idea how I pulled that off because as the oldest of 7 children, it's not like I had that many clothes.  I must have done a lot of "borrowing" from my three sisters!  Now I have what I call a couple of "uniforms" ~ a few outfits that pretty much work for me and I wear them over and over and I'm happy with that.

In looking over my calendar for the past week, it does seem like the essence of my life has been made up of a lot of "little" things.  I've had opportunity to reach out to a pregnant mom who has her plate more than full, and passed on some used baby equipment.  I did some cooking for a local inner city ministry that helps women come out of a life of drugs and prostitution, and I organized a small group of women at my church who did the same thing.  My daughter-in-law fractured and sprained her foot recently, and so I've been doing a little extra cooking, cleaning, babysitting, and taxiing for her.  Yesterday while at the grocery store, an 83 year old lady stopped me to ask my opinion about a product, and we ended up having a pleasant chat for five or six minutes.  I sorted and distributed bags of used baby clothing to 5 different young moms, three of whom were total strangers.  And I baked dozens of cookies for the funeral lunch of a local firefighter, also a stranger.

I'm not saying any of this because I keep track of my good deeds or because I am patting myself on the back. Because to be honest with you, I have often been told by well-meaning friends that I don't "have a life"! When people say that, I understand that they mean I'm doing so many things for other people that I don't have time to do whatever it is they think I should be doing with my time.  I prefer to say "this IS my life!"  

 I do take note of that third verse of the poem, however.  In spite of all my good intentions, I'm still a sinner saved by grace, and believe me, I have my share of little errors that seek to lead me away from the paths of virtue and Godly living.  Funny how she stuck that right into the rest of the poem, which is all about the humble little things we do with our lives that have positive eternal consequences.  Food for thought.

What about you? What are the little drops of water and little grains of sand in your life that make a mighty ocean and a pleasant land?  What little deeds of kindness or little words of love have you done or spoken lately to make someone else's life a little more pleasant?

"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."  Galatians 6:2

Please meet my friend Hilary!

I've been meaning to feature Hilary Bernstein and her blog, Accidentally Green, for some time now.  Hilary is one of the young women I am so blessed to have in my life.  She and her hubby were friends with my son and daughter-in-law first and before too long,  they became our friends as well! 

Hilary has written a book with the same title as her blog, and is patiently waiting for the right publisher to discover her.  I know it will be a huge success when that happens, and I'm right there in her cheering section!

A gifted writer and an avid researcher of cleaning products, personal care products, and just about anything that affects the health and safety of her family, Hilary seeks to honor God by making wise choices in her everyday living.  In the process she has discovered that many of these choices are not only personally healthful, but are kind to the environment as well.  

Hilary and I have a lot in common despite our age difference.  First and foremost, we are sisters in Christ.  We both love a good bargain at the store, and we are both committed to the well-being of our families.  We take seriously our roles as keepers of the home front.  Hilary has joyfully accepted her calling to be a wife and mother, and  she uses her researching and writing talents passionately to help others.

I heartily recommend following Hilary's blog as well as Accidentally Green's Facebook page, where you can scour for topics that would interest you.  She frequently has give-aways too.  I was the winner of  these fantastic personal care products not too long ago.  

In fact, Hilary has a giveaway going on right now. Leave a comment and tell her I sent you!  Check it out! www.accidentallygreen.org.

"...let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God."

2 Corinthians 7:1

Life is good between the buns...

One of my sweet friends commented recently about my being on-the-go a lot lately.  It's true that life has been busy.  I'm still on my "grand-maternity leave" before I start babysitting again near the end of June.  So while I've been busy catching up with friends and family, organizing around the house, shopping, and doing some ministry-related things, I've had a little more "down time" than usual as well.  Mission accomplished!  My next goal is to find a regular time to read and write.  I may have to leave my house to do this...it seems there is always something to distract me from these things when I'm at home.  Anyone have a suggestion for me here?

In the meantime, let me share what I've been up to.  Our church recently changed it's name from Hudson Community Chapel to Christ Community Chapel.  The reason for this is because we now have four campuses in  four different cities within two adjoining counties. Our new name reflects our unity as one church in several locations.  Our newest campus is in the Highland Square area of Akron, OH and it has been up and running for about a month now.  Hubby and I have been showing our support by attending there, and trying to discern if it is where we should be for a season.  It's a very exciting time in the life of our church, to plant a campus in the middle of an ethnically and socially diverse area of the city.  There is much work to be done and much to learn, so if we end up there, it definitely will not be for the purpose of warming a pew.  Prayers for direction would be appreciated!

My hubby and I maintain a blog for our church's local outreach ministries, and we are part of the Local Outreach team as well.  So we get opportunities to hear, see, and do local ministry related things and we are learning all the time about folks who are serving and those being served.  One of the things I've done recently is help organize a team of ladies who are willing to make casseroles, soups, and cookies that are delivered once a month to Rahab Ministries in Akron. Currently our church supports eight local faith-based ministries, and we hope to expand that number in the future as God opens doors and opportunities.

Something I've been doing on my "grand maternity leave" is trying to get a little one-on-one time with the Ohio grands.  Ethan is almost 2 1/2, and we recently spent a day together.  He is a precious and smart little boy, strong and full of energy too! 

My time with baby Eva, now 5 1/2 weeks old, has been necessarily limited so far, but I've had little spurts of time with her now and then while her mommy runs a few errands.  She is adorable and growing so fast I can hardly stand it.

Eva's first Easter

Last weekend I was blessed by a friend to receive two tickets to the Ohio Ballet.  So it was a date for Elylah and me.  She loves the theater and we had a great time enjoying The Wizard of Oz!

Here is my friend, Kim, and her daughter Sarah, who played multiple roles in this performance.

 I can't forget to tell you I got to attend the ROYAL WEDDING!!!

OK, so it was from the comfort of my family room...I invited my mom and two friends, Rachel and Jennifer, and we enjoyed a little tea party while we watched!

Yesterday my mom and I and three of my aunts went out to lunch at a special Italian restaurant, Papa Joe's.  We basically were honoring my dad's sister, Aunt Angie, who will turn 92 next week.  Doesn't she look great?

Another of dad's sisters, Aunt Mary Ann, who turns 80 this year, and my mom, 82

me with an aunt-by-choice, Helen, 91, who is Aunt Angie's sister-in-law

I have to tell you that these mature ladies inspire me.  They are full of life, and always look put together.  Aunt Mary Ann still has her hubby, Uncle Ed, who has some health challenges.  The other three are widows and each still live in their own homes.  Mom doesn't drive at all anymore; Aunt Angie drives minimally.  Both of them suffer from macular degeneration but otherwise are quite healthy. Aunt Helen has such great vision that she doesn't even need reading glasses!

For the Mother's Day weekend kick-off, I went to a lovely tea today with my mother-in-law.  It was held at her church.

Olena Stager, 85

For entertainment, this group, The Stairwell Singers, sang a medley of sacred music.  They were accompanied by piano, flute, and cello. Now that was a real treat!

Life is good between the buns...the only thing that could make it better is for my South Carolina family to be visiting, which we are hoping will happen soon.  With their 3rd little boy just 5 1/2 weeks old, Ellie's bow tie business, and Andy just starting a new one year venture, being mentored by a church planter, I need to be  patient.  I know many of you are away from parts of your family too.  It doesn't get easier, does it?

Stop doubting and believe!

Did you ever have one of those experiences where you were going to just burst unless you told someone some good news? Well, that's me today.

Early this morning a friend was so upset and crying so hard that she couldn't even think straight. It all started yesterday when she was doing a good deed and baking cookies with a teenager who needed some extra tlc...When it was all over she could not find her set of engagement/wedding rings or her 40th anniversary diamond ring. She remembered taking the rings off so like any good Italian cook, she could use her hands to mix the cookie dough. She called the teenager to see if she had seen where she might have put the rings. My friend thought she had put them in the pocket of the top she was wearing, only to be devastated to look and find the pocket had a hole in it.

I told her I would pray. I got on my knees and had my talk with Jesus. I reminded Him that I knew how much he cared for people and their feelings. I visualized the little children climbing up onto His lap. I saw Him weeping with his friends over the death of Lazarus. I told Him how my friend was doing this good deed in His name, and how He had made us with the emotions that we have, and how much those rings meant to her because they were gifts from her husband of over 40 years. And I asked Him to let the rings be found QUICKLY.

She looked everywhere. She finally had to tell her husband, and he looked as well. She remembered that on the way back from taking the teenager home, she stopped at Subway to pick up sandwiches, so she called the store this morning to ask if by any chance the rings had turned up there. NOTHING.

But I KNEW the rings would be found. After an hour or so I even told my husband that I couldn't believe that my friend hadn't called me yet to tell me. It was one of those times when I just knew the prayer would be answered and while I thought about it, I wasn't wringing my hands or doubting at all.

Now, I need to tell you it has been snowing here last night and today. Probably two inches worth. Quite enough to cover up a couple of diamond rings that had fallen from a pocket with a hole in it into a parking lot of a Subway store. But my friend had an overwhelming urge to get in her car, drive a couple miles, and go look. A car was parked in the same spot where she had parked last night. She got out of her car and went and looked. There were the rings, about 8 inches apart, right where they had fallen and they had not been run over or touched.

Really, she shouldn't have gone by herself! She ran into the store, eyes swollen from crying and clutching her rings. To the kids who were working, she said, "I'm the lady who called you and asked about my rings!" Then she opened up her hands and showed them. One of the kids said something like "wow, those are worth something! where did you find them?" and she told them. As she was leaving, she turned around and said, "I just wanted you to know there IS a God, and He told me to come here, and I found my rings!"

Then she called me. As soon as I saw her name in the caller ID I knew she found the rings. I told her I had no doubt she would find them and was waiting for her call! Now that alone is a gift from God. Faith is a gift...not something we can muster up on our own.

God gave me the gift of faith to believe, and once again I am humbled to remember that He is FOR us. Why do we ever doubt?

This isn't about rings. My friend would even tell you that. This is about the everlasting love that a Father has for His children. For whatever reason, sometimes we just need to be reminded in a vivid way that He is THERE, and that He cares deeply for us. My faith has just been enlarged. Has yours? Oh friend, rejoice with me today!

♪ Hurrah for Thanksgiving Day ♫

Our Thanksgiving was as traditional as we could make it in the party room at my mom's condo. Mom and I set the tables for 30 the night before, complete with centerpieces--all from stuff I found in my basement! We also had an appetizer table which later on was converted into a dessert table, and we also had a separate beverage table. A long bar style counter top served as our buffet table.

Our menu was also traditional as they come: turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, cranberry relish, corn, squash casserole, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, jello salad, home made bread, pumpkin pie and other miscellaneous desserts.

There were extra tables where we had activities for the children set up such as card games, board games, and coloring papers.

Hubby made a turkey poster for the children and each told something they were thankful for to be written on it's feathers.

Other special events of the day included the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving DVD...

... a birthday celebration for Ethan, who turned two the week before...

...and Wii games for the kids.

The adults were serenaded by Andy and Ellie...

...and we also played a hilarious group game called "I have never..." You start by holding up your ten fingers and you go around the circle, each person taking a turn saying something like "I have never been skydiving". If anyone HAS been skydiving, they have to put a finger down. So the last person who has any fingers still up wins. It was so much fun and had everyone in stitches. We kept it clean and with no personal attacks!

Some of the family members who had their dinner elsewhere came later for dessert with us. Altogether, four generations were represented. It really was a very happy day and of course no one went home hungry! Another great holiday with family and some friends too...another chance to thank the Lord for all of His blessings, and another chance to teach the youngest among us that being together, loving each other, and building happy memories are important family values that we cherish.

Standing out among our blessings was my smiling nephew, Rick, who finished his second tour in Afghanistan with the Marines this year, and also the healing of some relationships within the family.

To God be the Glory, great things He has done!!

Fall Wrap-Up...

As many of you know, I entered the Fall season kicking and screaming. It's not that I dislike Autumn...but rather that I love Summer so much and it is such a short season here in NE Ohio. However, with just a few really cold or rainy days, we have had a most beautiful and moderate Fall this year, and I have enjoyed "living in the moment" rather than wishing I was back in Summer.

But I have to warn you...There is only one week of Fall left, because the Christmas season starts the day after Thanksgiving! And I am chomping at the bit...

But before I get ahead of myself, I thought I'd post a few random photos ...

Here's a wreath I made for my friend, Jennifer...

Her hubby Ken lost his job this Fall, and she has been doing some temporary work from home to help hold things together...

So one day recently, another friend and I decided to kidnap Jennifer for an afternoon (with Ken's foreknowledge and blessing of course) and we showed up at her door to surprise her...

Rachel had kept Ken's and Jen's 4 year old all morning to give them a quiet house to get some work done...and she thought Rachel was just returning him home. But instead, I showed up too, with their supper of home made chicken noodle soup, bread, salad, and coffee cake.

That way, we could spend a guilt-free afternoon eating at one of our favorite Middle East restaurants, Aladdins...

ending with dessert and lattes at Caribou Coffee! Good times, good friends...and I'm happy to say that Ken will start a new job the first of next month! Thank you Lord!

Here's the large wreath I've used on my door this Fall. I found it at the flea market for only $6!

Until about 2 years ago, my kitchen was green and pink. So I always had trouble with the Fall decorations in there. Now it is yellow, barn red, and navy. I've been collecting these amber colored glass pieces from thrift stores, and I've enjoyed being able to use these and things with the other Fall colors now...

I truly am going to miss these days...

My granddaughter and the little boy next door, playing in the leaves before we raked them last weekend...those leaves that were still on the tree a few days ago are pretty much down now...

The costumes are put away...and so is the candy...!

And I just have one more week to look forward to while enjoying the last of the season...as my SC family will be driving up to spend Thanksgiving with us!

So many blessings we have enjoyed this past year...and so many more to look forward to. Before I get overwhelmed with Christmas, I wanted to be sure you knew OUR news!!! This coming March we are expecting grandbaby #5, another baby boy to join two big brothers, Deacon and Owen in SC...and grandbaby #6, a girl to bless big sister Elylah and big brother Ethan here in Ohio.

I might be in the "Autumn" of my life, but it is a GOOD season, and I am determined to count each day as a gift from God. How are you feeling about whatever season of life you are in?