"Personality is what you are to others..."

Today is my mom's 83rd birthday!  And I want her to know I've not forgotten what she wrote in my autograph book more than 50 years ago:

"Personality is what you are to others, character is what you are."

So often we are judged by our outward appearances...our looks, our style of dress, how much we weigh, how we present ourselves publicly, and so forth.  As a teenager,  one of my close friends told me, "if it wasn't for your hair...you would be...nothing! Really?  I laugh at that memory now.  I know she was trying to compliment me and in an awkward way was saying that I did a pretty good job with my hair style and it was one of my best outward features.  

Sometimes even now friends make comments to me like "you need to get a life" or "you need to get out more often".  When I hear that sort of thing, I just accept that they are making a judgment about an aspect of my personality that they can see outwardly.

My brother Don, who happens to be fighting a very serious form of cancer, updated his blog recently and talks about risking intimacy in relationships. We don't always let the barriers down and allow others to see us up close and personal. Sometimes I hesitate to "show myself" because I don't want to seem like I am trying to draw attention to myself or make it look like I am asking for a pat on the back.  It's often more comfortable just to keep things between me and God.

I also don't like rejection (who DOES?!) and I've lived enough years now to fully know that not everyone will accept me for who I really am, what I have to say, or love me in spite of my best (and often flawed) attempts at communicating.  Still, being misunderstood is painful.

Having said all of the above, I want to share a couple things that gave me a lot of personal joy yesterday.  My hubby and I took a couple of hours to pick up donated casseroles, soups, and cookies from our church and deliver them to an inner city ministry.  We had opportunity to chat with the house mom and a young girl doing some community service as part of her legal obligation.  After that, we stopped at a local restaurant and picked up some food which we delivered to a friend who is staying day and night at the children's hospital with her special needs son who was admitted with breathing problems, and her 2 month old nursing daughter.  Her other two children are with their grandmother.  My friend isn't married and can't work, so finances are very limited and she simply could not afford to buy meals at the hospital.  

I haven't stopped to analyze why yesterday was so meaningful to me personally or why I felt such joy in serving others.  But if I had to guess, I would say it is probably because in spite of our own job uncertainty and my brother's health crisis, and a few other things going on that keep me on my knees, I realized again how very blessed I have been in so many ways.  There's just something about getting close enough to the real life situations of others that makes you realize you don't have it so bad, in spite of frustrating or even agonizing circumstances.  

So I want to say "thank you Mom!" for instilling in me very early on that character development is far more important than any of the things that people see about my personality.  

"...for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." I Samuel 16:7

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?

Letting 50 pictures tell the stories...