MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The fire is blazing and everyone is busy with their gifts. John is doing the "advanced" Oxycise video, Christy is learning to juggle, Ana is reading "Finding Your Own North Star", Nicole is reading "The Giver", Nathan is playing his new gameboy game and here I am. :-)

I decided that for today....
I will live today as if it is my last day
I will rejoice in where I am today
I will rejoice in who I am with today
I will rejoice in the gifts God has given today

"THIS IS THE DAY WHICH THE LORD HAS MADE,
I WILL REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT!!!"

What a glorious day it is, the birth of Jesus and the celebration of His love that endures forever! May our love for Him and each other endure through the ups and downs of each day!

Merry Christmas!
Susan

LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW!

Possibility for a "wintry mix" tommorrow, so the weather forecast tells us. WOOHOO! If any sort of frozen white stuff is flying about, I will be outside with my tongue stuck out trying to catch it. You have to take what you can get in Texas!

I know there is a God because of the infinite number of snowflakes(and some other things too) but snowflakes are on the brain because of the "wintry mix" forecast. :-) Those gorgeous flakes didn't just evolve. Here is a fun site, where you can make your own snowflake:
http://www.popularfront.com/snowdays/index.html?id=1533792

I leave you with a lovely poem about snowflakes, of course!

"A snowflake falls out of the sky.
A piece of God's handicraft.
Lovely and chaste and full of His light.
It lingers like others in one vast white sky.
Yet, stands separate, apart with its own soul it flies.
Yes, it is one poem, in one page of time.
Yet, it be one piece of His planned design."
Linda A. Copp

Susan

THANKFUL THURSDAY

Today I am thankful for

Falling leaves!
Birds singing
The freedom of homeschooling
The smell of soup bubbling on the stove
My husbands good job
My good husband
Children that are learning new things
Friends with Blogs
The mercy of Christ....new every morning!
Taking the road less traveled
Friends!
The carpet under my feet

How about you? Have a THANKFUL THURSDAY!

Susan

Life!

Haven't been here in a while! Time for an update.

****Nicole and Ana went off to college...we IM and phone A LOT!

****Nathan, Christy & I started our homeschooling year...HIP HIP HOORAY!

**** Hurricane Katrina & Rita...watched non-stop coverage and John helped by flying some displaced New Orleans teens to Texas.

****Homeschool Co-op: I'm assisting in Drawing(learning to draw), Co-teaching a Healthy Cooking Class(yum!) and assisting in Music Theory(lalala)

****Christy and I have been exploring Georgetown, Texas while Nathan is in an Algebra class . We are having a ball at the park, in the cute shops, eating out. Good mother/daughter time!

****Time to retire a few WELL WORN pieces of furniture and spruce up the homeplace a bit. I've been looking at lots of decorating books, moving furniture around, moving furniture around, moving furniture around, it is looking nice BUT there is no denying, I will need to buy a few pieces and slap on some paint before the "look" in my mind becomes reality.

****Tonight I'll hold my breath and watch the Astros! Hope they win!

Tons more has happened but that's in a nutshell. Life is always moving us along and that's a good thing.

Susan

50 YEARS OF WEDDED BLISS

In a few days, I am throwing a small "50th Wedding Anniversary" party for my parents. What an achievement, to live and work together for fifty years and still be in love. :-) I wrote a silly poem to honor them. Here it is.


ODE TO DELMA & TOM

They met in a place that was sandy and hot,
the beautiful Arkansas hills it was not!
Florida couldn't compare to Nebraska's great plains,
but these two love birds, didn't notice the terrain!

Ya know, the way to a man's heart is straight through his tummy
When Delma made her potatoe salad, Tom's heart beat out "Yummy"!
Little did she know how many salads she would make
In the next 50 years...it would have made her head ache!

So the tow-haired young man with the very brown tan
Married the dark-haired beauty, who was his greatest fan!
They traveled to Texas to stake out their claim
They added a young 'un..Susan Marie was her name!

Before you could blink, Donetta May joined the crew
Delma kept real busy taking care of those two!
Meanwhile "Tom Cat" stayed busy at DOW, U.S.A.
Working hard through the night and sleeping all day!

Fifty years have gone by, filled with work and with play
There's been lots of fun times--enjoyed the old-fashioned way!
From cook outs to camp outs to traveling the land
Delma and Tom...a match made in Heaven...let's give them a hand!

*** HAPPY 50th ANNIVERSARY!! ***

GRADUATION DAY!!!

WARNING: Proud Mother ranting follows.


Nicole,our second child, graduated Saturday night and it was so special! My parents came in Saturday morning and we all went up to the church for them to look at the graduate tables in quiet. Each of the graduates had a table in the reception hall, that they decorated as a reflection of what they love. Nicole had a large trifold with pictures of herself, family & friends from birth up to graduation. She also put her acceptance letter from ACU on there.The trifold was set to the back of the 6 foot table and it was surrounded by things she loves; tennis racket, favorite books(Lord of the Rings, Gone With the Wind, The Book of Virtues), candles, teapot & tea, movies(Ever After, Remember The Titans & Little Women), Zelda game, cards, 3 bright Gerber daises in little coke bottles, piano music & trophy, songs she has written, her guitar, artwork(she will major in art next year), scarfs that she knitted and the Bible opened to Psalm 23. She also had several decorated pages, that will fit in her scrapbook, for guest to sign with comments. It was so much fun looking at all the graduate tables. Later that afternoon, John's parents arrived at our house and then a little later my sister showed up. We all left for the church at 6:30. Mel, Angela & Yank were able to attend also! It was so wonderful having family there.

Back to the ceremony. At 6:45 a string quartet; 3 violins and a cello began playing beautiful classic tunes. These were all homeschoolers and good friends of the graduates. They are extremely talented and the music was lovely. At 7, the processional began. We had an excellent pianist that played as the four young ladies and one gentleman walked to the front of the church. They were all gorgeous but Nicole, our daughter, was super gorgeous. She wore a floor length white, with black polka dot dress. With her dark black hair she was stunning(and we got many compliments about how the dress fit her perfectly) and she was smiling and so grown up! *tears*

After the processional we sang the hymn "How Firm A Foundation". We have a friend who has been the speaker/moderator of our graduation for years. He is a pastor, singer, funny guy and does a great job.He introduced each of the graduates and shared about them in a way that gave an awesome glimpse into who they were. He started Nicole's intro by saying she was an adventurer and went on to bring me to tears. Nicole gracefully ascended to the podium and thanked everyone for coming. She was so at ease until she looked at John and I. She had just finished saying what a blessing it was to be homeschooled and how she wanted to homeschool her children. When she looked at us, she said "Mama and Daddy, I love you so very much. I thought and thought about the things I admire in you and I couldn't think of anything negative to say. You are just perfect parents for me." And then she started crying. She managed some funny comments but she went from there to share things she lovedabout her siblings and how she loved God. There was lots of sniffling. So many people came up to me afterward and said how touched they were by Nicole's speech as it really showed her heart and how close our family is. Then John and I went up and I said a few words and started crying. Nicole says "See where I get my crying from." John shared some thoughts about Nicole's strengths and we gave her the diploma.

Each student had a short speech and a couple of them played music or sang a song. Very entertaining. We had three graduates speak, then sang the praise song "All In All" and then had the final two graduates speak. Everything flowed so smoothly and the 1 hour, 10 minute service flew by. After the speeches, the parents & graduates stood at the front of the church and a blessing prayer was said. The four young ladies sang "The Lord Bless You and Keep You" to the congregation and then a trumpet rang forth, as the graduates left the church.

Afterward everyone met in the reception hall. We had round tables covered in white tablecloths. In the center was a mirrored tile, with 4 tiny candles on the corners, a glass vase with 12 gorgeous roses and rose petals scattered around. We had homemade food galore, homemade cake and cheesecakes and yummy punch. The reception started about 8;15 and everyone seemed to have a great time. People visited, ate, looked at the tables and ate some more.Most of the guests had left by about 10:30. I took my parents and the two younger children home, then went back to the church to help with clean up. The graduates and some friends went to Starbucks afterward and stayed till around 1:00. They had a fun time. The parents stayed at the church and cleaned up...we had fun too, though our feet were killing us! We closed up the church around ll:25 and went home to collapse on the couches and reflect on a precious evening!

The next day Nicole shared the rest of the speech...she could not continue without tears, so she cut the part she going to say about John and I short. Anyway, she said something about how John and I had grown as she had grown. That we were different parents now than we were five years ago. She admired the fact that we were willing to grow and adapt to the different stages of life. So sweet and generous....I'm glad she remembers it that way. :-)

I feel ready for the next step...Nicole going off to college in the Fall. John and I WILL grow and adapt to that too, one day at a time. One of the graduation gifts John's parents gave Nicole is the Dr. Seuss book, "Oh The Places You'll Go!" It is so appropo for graduates but equally so for each of us, at any age and any stage of life. If you haven't read this book, do so right away. I'll leave you with the last few lines:

"So...
be your nam Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea,
you're off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So...get on your way!

Onward!
Susan

TIME FLIES WHEN YOU ARE HAVING FUN!

There is so much happening this month. Ana came home from college...she ended her freshman year with a bang! WOW. Where did the time go?

Nicole graduates from high school in 7 days! In 3 months she will be going off to college. WOW. Where did the time go?

Nathan is taller than me, by several inches. We went shopping for graduation clothes the other day and he looks all grown up in them. WOW. Where did the time go?

Christy, my baby, turned 10 last month! WOW. Where did the time go?

My dashing husband and his devoted wife(that's me) are 48! WOW. Where did the time go?

"They" say time waits for no one and Time marches on. Are we at the mercy of time? I like to think that there is time enough for everything that truly needs doing. Maybe that's why I've always loved how the words in Ecclesiastes 3:1 seem to assure us that there is time enough.

"To every thing there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1

Susan

SINGING IN THE RAIN

April showers haven't been happening around here and it's almost May! My poor tomatoe plants are longing for some real water....forget that stuff from the faucet.
Here are some pictures to inspire you until the real April Showers show up.











Here's to SINGING IN THE RAIN!
Susan

Provocative words from Ralph....

THE SUN SHINES AND WARMS AND LIGHTS US AND WE HAVE NO CURIOUSITY TO KNOW WHY THIS IS SO;
BUT WE ASK THE REASON OF ALL EVIL, OF PAIN, AND HUNGER, AND MOSQUITOES AND SILLY PEOPLE."

Ralph Waldo Emmerson


Lately, I've been focusing on the fact that the sun IS shining even in the midst of the pain. Also been reading Ecclesiastes with the kids. Life is a mixture of sunshine, rain, laughter and sorrow. Let us be as curious and thankful for the joy as we are curious and sorrowful for the pain.

Susan

LOVE THAT SAM!

He is my favorite hero from "Lord of the Rings". We have something important in common- a love of POTATOES! Check this out and remember to eat your potatoes. Is that spelled with an e? Never can remember!

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/taters.php

Susan

BOOKS, BOOKS, and more BOOKS!

I finally cleaned and reorganized the bookshelves in the den. We have an entire wall of bookshelves and believe me, they hold a lot of books. I took them all down and dusted...white powdery stuff was flying everywhere. YUCK! You know how books get tucked here and there, stacked and sliding and just randomly stuffed; my lovely fiction mixed in with John's airplane manuals and maps, the children's books mixed in with the decorating books. It happens slowly over time. The messiness was bugging me! I am not obsessive because it's been bugging me for about a year and I'm just now getting around to organizing. hehe I'm sneezing now from all the dust.

I am going to take a few books to the consignment shop or library. This is really difficult because books are like old friends, don't you know? My youngest daughter, Christy, shockingly said "Mama, there is a book in the garbage can!" I said "I know...I put it there." She said "That's sad!" Well, it was sad but it's a theological book someone gave me that has stuff in it I don't believe. If I take it to the library then someone might be snookered by it. Then Christy made up an elaborate story about what if all the houses on the street exploded and everyone had to live with us and they needed some books to read and they wanted the ones I was giving away!?! I told her we would go to the library and get them. That seemed to satisfy her.

I organized the shelves by fiction, non-fiction , Christian, flying manual & maps, encyclopedias and reference books, kids books, Shakespere and other classics,decorating & cookbooks, classics, and then a couple of table top type big books. AWWW...orderly books, one of life's simple pleasures!

Now it's time to grab a cup of tea, settle down in my comfy arm chair and read a good book! Perhaps I'll start on "Green Dolphin Street". Why don't you read something that makes you smile today?

I'll close with a few good quotes about books. :-)

"Any kid who has two parents who are interested in him
and a houseful of books isn't poor."
Sam Levenson

"When I get a little money I buy books; and if any is left, I buy food and clothes." Desiderius Erasmus

"Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counsellors, and the most patient of teachers." Charles W. Eliot

Susan

A LITTLE SOMETHING TO MAKE YOU SMILE!

This is way too cute! An animated song/dance routine to the tune "Don't Worry, Be Happy" by Bobby McFerrin.

http://www.superlaugh.com/1/behappy.htm

Toss those worries and be happy!

Susan

How long has it been?

since....

you went sock sliding across a slick floor

made paper bookmarks and sold them to your parents for 50 CENTS each

watched "The Never Ending Story?"

went to sleep at 2am and set your alarm for 7am because you wanted to

ate cold cereal instead of scrambled eggs because you liked it better

played football in the misty morning

had a tea party, complete with hats and long dresses

well, these are a few things that have taken place around here in the last 24 hours.
Our two younger kids(9 and 13) had friends spend the night and these are a few of their favorite things! What are some of yours? Hope you do at least one of them today!!

God Bless,
Susan

What do you think?

"It may be, then, that form serves us best when it works as an obstruction to baffle us and deflect our intended course. It may be that when we no longer know what to do we have come to our real work, and, that when we no longer know which way to go we have begun our real journey. The mind that is not baffled is not employed. The impeded stream is the one that sings."

Wendall Berry, Poetry and Marriage: The Use of Older Forms,

May you have light in your soul!

If there is light in the soul,
There will be beauty in the person.
If there is beauty in the person,
There will be harmony in the house.
If there is harmony in the house,
There will be order in the nation.
If there is order in the nation,
There will be peace in the world.

--Chinese Proverb

Nelson Mandela on our Deepest Fears!

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.

There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine, as children do.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.

It is not just in some of us; it is in all of us, in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

NELSON MANDELA

Hip Hip Hooray for John!

In honor of my husband's 48th birthday, I wrote a haiku!*

today hope anew
another year to dream dreams-
make wishes come true

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHN!!

If you want to write a haiku(they are fun!) here is some information to get you started:
http://www.toyomasu.com/haiku/#time

John Wesley said,

"Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you ever can."

IF WE REALLY LIVED THIS WAY, what would the world look like? What would our homes look like? What would we look like?

Susan

French Women Don't Get Fat

Have you heard of the book? The commonsense approach combined with good humor( a bit of a poke at the American way of eating and obsession with weight loss/gain) has me rethinking my eating habits. In America, is it really possible to eat the way French women do? I'd like to think so. I want to try. Ideally, I would need a months stay in a Paris apartment to really absorb the ways of French women. That's not going to happen, so I think I'll reread the book.

My first step towards thinking "French" was to visit a whole foods market and buy organic produce and a chicken. HUH? Yes, it is very important to THINK about what you are going to eat before you ever pull out a pan. So, I slowly savored the sights and sounds of the market. French women like to try new foods so I bought leeks!

Second step is to have fun cooking. I had fun preparing my organic roast chicken and veggies(tried not to reflect on the cost of said meal) and took note of the glorious smells emanating from my kitchen; roast chicken, lemon, thyme, a whole head of garlic, onions. YUM!

Third step is to only eat till satisfied and drink a glass of wine with your meal.
I did fairly well on this one, though I think I went past satisifed because it was so good. Need to reread the chapter on eating small. I had Llano Blush wine. It would have probably been more "French" to have white but everything in small steps, right? That's the French way.

Fourth step is to make exercise an easily incorporated part of your life. Have I mentioned how much I detest going to a gym? It depresses me worse than going to the mall. I much prefer walking outside. Give me sunshine, blue skies and birds singing. This morning I headed out for a walk around the neighborhood, enjoying the sights and sounds. Wouldn't it be lovely to walk to the market and walk to work like they do in some of the European towns? I digress. hehe

Fifth step is to reprioritize my day so I have time to have 2 hour meals. There is lots of conversation that goes on during those 2 hours, as well as several small courses. Well, maybe I'll shoot for 30 minute meals.

If you haven't read "French Women Don't Get Fat" by Mireille Guiliano, I highly recommend it!

Bon Appetit!

Susan

STRESS REDUCERS

Today was our first day back to school(homeschool, that is) after the holidays! I received this list of "Stress Reducers" today and thought it timely. Perhaps something in here will encourage you and lower your stress level!

36 WAYS TO REDUCE STRESS


"Never borrow from the future. If you worry about
what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain.
Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice."


1. Pray
2. Go to bed on time.
3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.
4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or
that will compromise your mental health.
5. Delegate tasks to capable others.
6. Simplify and unclutter your life.
7 Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often
too many).
8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.
9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects
over time; don't lump the hard things all together.
10. Take one day at a time.
11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern,
find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety. If you can't
do anything about a situation, forget it.
12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary
purchases.
13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house
key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.
14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can
prevent an enormous amount of trouble.
15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.
16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line.
17. Get enough rest.
18. Eat right.
19. Get organized so everything has its place.
20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your
quality of life.
21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.
22. Every day, find time to be alone.
23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small
problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray!.
24. Make friends with Godly people.
25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.
26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is
often a good "Thank you Jesus."
27. Laugh.
28. Laugh some more!
29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.
30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best
they can).
32. Sit on your ego.
33. Talk less; listen more.
34. Slow down.
35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the
universe
36 . Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for
that you've never been grateful for before. GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING
THINGS AROUND FOR YOU. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans
8:31)

Here's to a stress-free day, month, and year!!

Susan

I WISH YOU ENOUGH!

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.

Living in the "Land of Plenty" most of us have enough material items to satisfy our wants and needs. This poem reminds me of those things that aren't material but are vital to our spirit!

Wishing you enough,
Susan

JANUARY 1, 2005

Last night my husband and our two youngest children rang in the New Year with tamborines, drums, accordians, bells, little popper firecracker thingies and lots of cheering! Then we toasted the New Year with some bubbly grape juice, blew bubbles outside in the dark(I blew wishes with each bubble)and talked on the back porch till 1 am! I called our two older daughters, that were celebrating with good friends in another town, to wish them a "Happy New Year"! It was a lovely way to start the New Year! Our youngest said, "New Year's Eve is sooooo much fun because you get to stay up late, make lots of noise and eat good food." What more could you want?

Now, onward on this journey of life. What will 2005 hold? I suspect it will be filled with joy and sorrow, as is common to man. I can choose how I react to the events in my life. The words below inspire me regarding my choices today and tommorrow.

~ I Choose ~

It's quiet. It's early. My coffee is hot.
The sky is still black. The world is still asleep.
The day is coming. In a few moments the day will arrive.
It will roar down the track with the rising of the sun.
The stillness of the dawn will be exchanged for the noise of the day. The calm of the solitude will be replaced by the pounding pace of the human race. The refuge of the early morning will be invaded by decisions to be made and deadlines to be met. For the next twelve hours I will be exposed to the day's demands. It is now that I must make a choice. Because of Calvary, I'm free to choose. And so I choose.

I choose love...
No occasion justifies hatred;
no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose
love. Today I will love God and what God loves.

I choose joy...
I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical... the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.

I choose peace...
I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live.

I choose patience...
I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I will invite him to do so. Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clenching my fists at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.

I choose kindness...
I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. I will be kind to the
rich for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind for that is how God has treated me.

I choose goodness...
I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be
overlooked before I boast. I will confess before I accuse. I choose goodness.

I choose faithfulness...
Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will
not regret their trust. My associates will not question my word. My wife will not question my love. And my children will never fear that their father will not come home.
(addition (husband) for us females :-)

I choose gentleness...
Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice may it be only in praise. If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.

I choose self-control...
I am a spiritual being. After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal. I choose self-control. I will be drunk only by joy. I will be impassioned only by my faith. I will be influenced only by God. I will be taught only by Christ. I choose self-control.

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self-control. To these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek His grace. And then, when this day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest


~ Author Unknown ~