"We are all pencils in the hand of God." -M.T.

I haven't posted on this blog for a while. To be honest, I'm not sure I want to keep this blog going. Sometimes the blogging world seems to suck me in and take me away from things that are more important - things that I know I should be doing and that make me feel good. But, I do feel good about sharing messages that have changed me for the better. And I share them in hopes that they might, just by a hair, improve someone elses life as well.

I've wondered, is life more about serving each other or teaching each other "lessons"? I've come to the conclusion that it's all about serving each other which, in turn, allows us to learn life's lessons through such service. How? Because you teach about selfless love. And love is fundamentally what our eternal journey is all about. It's what we're here to learn and understand, it's what brings us joy, it's what makes up Gods power.

I've been sick for nearly 3 weeks. Yes, three weeks! I caught a nasty virus that lasts for two weeks. About one and a half weeks through it I felt better for almost one day when suddenly fatigue, body aches, chills, etc. etc. came upon me again and lasted up until well, yesterday. I went to the doctor who gave me a prescription for a sinus infection and I'm on my way to good health again.

I've come to understand, in these last few weeks, how humans naturally yearn for someone to care about them while they suffer. When someone cares about you it feeds the soul, brings physical strength, and buoys the desire to live. I've realized how important it is to physically serve one another - touching, healing, and giving to one another to help ease each others burdens, sorrows, and sufferings.

Mother Teresa knew what she was doing beyond what we understand. As she nursed those suffering on the streets of Calcutta she nursed them knowing the chances of survival were slim. But, most importantly, she nursed them knowing they were given some love by a caring hand before they left their experience here on this earth.

Even though not all of us are sick or dying we all suffer in some way. Which gives us a perfect opportunity to go out and serve anyone, anytime, anywhere. We need to feed souls, bring physical strength, and buoy the desire to live to those around us as we care for one another. We need to pray to have our usual way of living and seeing things be opened up so we may be led to those whom we can serve and so we may be made aware of how we can serve them. Then we need to pray for courage to go forth and serve in ways that, more than likely, aren't deemed as being "normal".

Mother Teresa knew her calling - to be a nun living in the slums - was something which had never been requested or done before but she knew this calling was from God and after some patient waiting she was granted permission to leave her monastery of 20 years. Her face went pale when she was told she could go but promptly asked, "May I go right now?"

She began her work in the slums by lifting a dying woman in her small arms and carrying her from hospital to hospital - none of which accepted the diseased woman who, in this act of love, died in the small caring arms of Mother Teresa. This first experience of serving the suffering people in her city didn't stop her from doing what she felt called to do - a calling which has helped those who suffer (and those who are willing to serve) throughout the world.

This world is in need of caring hands, an open mind, and a willing spirit to set a new standard of service toward one another.

In the words of Mother Teresa-

"Give yourself fully to God. He will use you to accomplish great things on the condition that you believe much more in His love than in your own weakness."

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Favorite Gift

One of my favorite gifts to give this year was my most recent oil painting. It was of my sister in laws three children. I used each child's favorite color to be their background color. All three were painted on a 12X24 canvas.


Madison's was my favorite. I love the expression on her face and I love the lighting on her face as well, not to mention, she has beautiful facial features.

I did this same type of portrait painting of my own children before I attempted this piece but, seeing as how it was my first portrait painting ever, and especially after having these work out much better, I think I'll dump my progress on that one and start over. I used too much brown in theirs.

I realized that children naturally have a lot of beautiful pink colors highlighting their faces....it's the adults which lack that pink luster.

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St Nikolaus Tag

Tomorrow it St Nikolaus Tag. It's a German tradition where, before children go to bed, they set out their boots in front of their bedroom door (originally it was in front of their house) and leave a paper within the opening of one of the boots with a list of what they'd like for Christmas.
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In the morning when they awake, and if they've been good, they find nuts, an orange, maybe an apple, christmas chocolates, and a candy cane in place of their special list. If they've been bad, well, then they recieve a lump of coal. Fortunately, we haven't had any of that in our home yet.


All this was explained because, below you will see that Ethan is quite prepared for this event.


Apparantly, he derived such a list making idea from an article from the Friend magazine where a boy, earlier in the story, told about how his list was "as long as his arm". (Later on he is taught that giving is better than getting.)

We realized this when we heard Ethan say, "My list is longer than my arms!"

Hmmmmm. I think we've got some workin' to do.
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Venting...

It would have been nice to receive that phone call, my sister and I both urged our parents to make, letting us know our daughter's made it safely to their destination....even if it is 2am.

I awoke at 2am thinking, "they should be calling shortly." At about 2:30 I began to worriedly drift off to sleep. I awoke on the hour at 3:30, 4:30, 5:30 and didn't get much sleep after that. "Why hadn't they called?" I saw visions of a plane plummeting into the dark ocean, I saw Tyra homesick and wanting to call me, but, for whatever reason couldn't, and I saw my parents comfortably talking away (and laughing) with family while I lie in my bed wondering if my daughter still lives...

I called my dad's shop at 8:30 and asked my sister, who answered the phone, if she'd heard from my parents. She had in fact and everything was "just fine." Well, suffice it to say, it wasn't "just fine" in my book! Apparently Tyra and her cousin Alyssa completely conked out after the plane ride and are in a deep sleep. . . that doesn't mean my parents couldn't call though and at least let us worried mother's know that all is well!

I was ready to give them a lecture...until I found out that the reason my sister had talked to them so early this morning is to let them know that "someone" had crashed my mom's car this morning.

Well, maybe that wouldn't have happened if they would have been faithful to their duties and called me last night. :)

I think I'll spare them the lecture.

(Call me ... pathetic, but I left Tyra's breakfast plates, just the way she left it before she left, all day yesterday.)

Glenn Beck Article, Tyra Leaves

As I traveled to one of Glenn Beck's speeches, 6 months or so ago, saying, "Glenn who?", I was hesitant about going and, fighting through traffic, I heavily considered turning around and going back home. But the experience I had by being there, the feeling that was there, the words that were spoken, the songs that were sung, and the spirit that was there made it an experience I'll always remember. It was an awakening.

Although Glenn has his own talk show on the radio I tend to only read his talks every now and then. I decided I'm going to start sharing the one's that I feel necessary to share with others through this blog.

So, here's one I feel all should read.

This isn't going to be a place to argue whether we believe him or not. One can believe whatever they want to and choose to be offended or not. . . so, take it for what it's worth.

Tyra has left to Germany.

Tyra left to Germany at four this morning. As I write she's flying over the US. (yikes!)

We'll really miss her but hope she'll remember forever, and look back upon with fond feelings, the experiences she'll have.
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