Busy Mama

That is what my daughter called me - and it's true this week! (and last week too) We have Kindergarten Roundup at my school tomorrow - which means I will have about 70 families coing to register their child for kindergarten next fall. I spent two hours yesterday designng nametags. They look really cute, though! Besides Roundup we have teachers working on class lists for next year so i have to get the materials together for them. We have an art and academics expo coming up next week. I am making the certificates for that. The May newsletter needs to go home with students tomorrow so the copier is running that right now. Then there's my Bible study lesson to do for tomorrow night, and WBR is Thursday, Friday and Saturday. It's fun to be busy- but I have to admit that I do not always pencil in enough time with God. It's so easy to let worldly deadlines run my life.
So tonight I will take time to do my Bible study lesson - to spend time in prayer - and to work on memorizing the verses for this month that our church is memorizing-Titus 2:11-14:

11For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

God's Mighty Acts

"One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts."
Psalm 145:3-4

Are you sharing with your child/grandchild about how God has worked and is working in your life?

There's No Business Like Show Business

Last night was the first dress rehearsal for Wastebasket Revue - a variety show that our school district employess put on every year to rasie money for scholarships. This is my first year in the show. The rehearsal last night was a bit chaotic. I found out that the directors (and most of the cast) pretty much assume that everyone's been in the show before and knows what to do. So I tried to just follow along. The 2 hour performance took 3 1/2 hours last night - with many stops and a couple of "do overs". I love the music and the dancing. Some of the skits weren't funny and i found out that there are quite a few "inside jokes." That is to say that people who don't work for the schools might not understand. I was impressed with our superintendent, Susan Hintz. She has a huge part in the show - many costume changes - and she does a great job. Overall, I think it will be a good show.
I am in the Golden Girls danceline. I kind of wish I had another part in th show - although I can't see myself having a speaking part in a skit. (Maybe next year I will try out for the singing group - the Swinging Eds.) The whole cast is in the opening number and the finale. The Golden Girls do their dance early in the show, so I have a lot of time to wait around. On show nights I will be helping in the concession stand during intermission.
We have another dress rehearsal tonight. I hope it doesn't go quite as long as last night. It wa 11:30 before I got to bed. Then I had trouble falling asleep, and the alarm went off at 6 AM.
It was a short night!

Oh What a Beautiful Morning

I feel like singing that song from the musical, Oklahoma.
Today was such a beautiful day here. Craig made fried potatoes and eggs for breakfast before taking off in his semi. Yes, he is finally back on the road. I talked to him at suppertime and he said the truck is running great. Thank You, God!
I have had a great day today. First I went to church and it was a good time of worship plus a VERY challenging message on pride and how much God hates pride. The Bible says He abhors it. The pastor ended his message by asking us to fast and pray this week, asking God to show us the pride in our own lives so that we can confess it and humble ourselves.
After church I spent a delightful afternoon with my friend, Michelle. We did a little shopping (I found a couple of great deals at Kohls) and then went to Starbucks for some coffee and a bit to eat. We even got to sit outside because it was so nice out.
Tonight when I got home I watered out new white pines and then went for a bike ride. It's been a beautiful day!

Each Day is Priceless

I was reading a novel last night, Firestorm, by Lisa Tawn Bergren. One of the characters in the book, Beth, is a young mother who is dying of cancer. She's talking to her friends and she says,
"Time is no longer endless... it is absolutely priceless. There's no more time to waste in my life. That's why I went ahead and redecorated the dining room; I've always hated it....
When you finally realize that each day is a gift, you live your life differently. You spend your tije on family and friends, giving them every ounce of love possible. You give yourself permission to take care of yourself, to celebrate all that God has graced you with.... Do you guys get it? Can you grasp what I'm saying?" (p. 143) Later on Beth makes a series of videotapes for her 3 year old daughter to watch as she's growing up - advice froma mother to her daughter, since she won't be there to help her. She makes on for every birthday, and for significant milestones in a girl's life. For the 30th birthday tape she says,
"Thirty was an age of discovery for me too. In fact, I've always been thankful for my cancer. If that sound strange, think of it this way. If you were to find that a life-threatening disease was living in you, would you not cherish each day? So many times we plan on our future - 'If I can just earn this amount of money I can get this' or "If I can just accomplish this, I can do that' - you get the picture.......Don't wait Hope (her daughter). Make the most of every single moment God has given you. Life is precious. Celebrate it. I've loved this life. You've made it all the more rich for me, as has your father, my friends. That's what Christ calls us to do. Don't sit back and accept what comes. Go out there and take it. Life really is what you make of it. Don't you want yours to be an incredible adventure? That doesn't mean you have to trek through the Himalayas. You can be a housewife on a remote Montana ranch, rasing a daughter alongside your husband and still be incredibly satisfied. I have been." (pp.165-166)

This book really spoke to me. I don't want to spend my life waiting for the weekends or waiting until we can afford to finish the cabin. Or waiting until we retire. Or waiting until our bills are paid off. Or waiting until the kds are out of college. I am going to enjoy each conversation I have with people at school. I am going to enjoy my job each day. I am going to enjoy and cherish each time I get to be with my children and grandchildren. I am going to enjoy being with Craig when he's home. I am going to look for every opportunity to share my Jesus with the people around me. I am going to plan times to be with friends and family instead of letting days go by somewhat aimlessly.
Thank you, God, for all of the things You have graced my life with. Help me to share Your love and Your light with those around me.

Truck Update

Our 359 Peterbilt is back in our own driveway! Craig and Lonnie spent the week working on it, trying to figure out why it broke down on Monday. Yesterday Lonnie drove it down to a place in Roseville where they put the truck on a dyno machine. This machine tests the engine. Basically, they chain the truck down and then run the engine as if it's pulling a full load up a mountain. If the engine doesn't blow up then it's good to go back on the road. Craig was a little worried about the test. He's usually very careful when he drives the truck. But all the mechanics said, "It's a truck! This is what it's made to do." So they put our Pete on the dyno, chained her down and revved her up. The mechanic running the dyno could not believe what a strong engine she has. The truck came through the truck with flying colors. This was a relief to Craig, who was a little worried about putting her back on the road. Now he can leave without worry.
The mechanics have decided that maybe they got a bad batch of piston packages, one of which caused the breakdown.
Craig will be back to work tomorrow. We are both glad that the truck is fixed, and we hope that she will stay "healthy" for a long, LONG time!

Babysitting Part Two

What a great day!
After Craig and I went out for breakfast he dropped me off for my day of babysitting. I was greated with smiles, hugs and kisses. It was good to see my grandchildren.
Andrew went down for a nap right away, so Jake and Izzy and I had a good time playing together. Then we watched Veggie Tales. After Andrew woke up and I gave him a bottle, we headed out. We stopped at the grocery store to get some food for lunch. I am glad that I don't have to grocery shop with three little ones any more. I had forgotten what it's like - although I did it all the time when my boys were little and Craig was on the road. The kids did really well until we got to the checkout, and then it was hard to watch them so they didn't wander off or touch anything while paying for the groceries at the same time. We made it back to the van and headed for our house. The kids were excited to see Papa. They had fun sitting in Craig's semi. Jake couldn't believe that there was a bed and a TV in it. After that Jake jumped on the tricycle and rode around the garage while Izzy went inside to play with the toys. We ate lunch, and then went to a great park just down the road. It was a nice day outside and the kids loved being at the park. Izzy is fearless. She climbs every ladder, goes down every slide. Jake loves it when Craig tries to get him when he's in the tunnels or up on the equipment. Both of them also love being on the swings and keep asking to go higher and higher. Andrew slept most of the time, which made it easier. We all had such a good time at the park.
Jake and Izzy both fell asleep in the car so I dropped Craig off at home and tok the kids back to their house. Izzy slept for almost two hours. Jake woke up and stayed awake once we got to their house. The rest of the afternoon was spent watching Boz and playing with Andrew, and with Jake and I hitting a balloon back and forth while Izzy slept. Jake and I did a lot of laughing too. Jake, Izzy and Andrew are great kids. They are all very loving.
It was a great day!

Baby-sitting

My son called the other night and asked if I could babysit his 3 kids on Saturday. He needs a babysitter from 9-6. I said that I could do it. But now I wonder - how am I going to make it all day by myself? What can I do with three kids under 4 for 9 hours? How did I do it when I had 4 kids of my own? I just hope the weather is nice and we can go outside. And I hope that my husband might be able to be there for at least part of the day. I love my grandchildren dearly, and I love being with them - but I still worry about being able to keep up with them for a whole day.
Now I know why God gives us kids when we're young!

Nothing Freaks God Out

Here's a great quote from Perry Noble:

"If you are stressed, worried or freaking out about anything then keep this in mind–THE TOMB IS EMPTY, JESUS IS ALIVE…if God can bring the dead back to life then He can handle your problem. The thing that is freaking you out hasn’t freaked Him out at all! "

Take the Good News With the Bad

After work on Tuesday I stopped to pick up our taxes from the accountant. When I walked in the door at home Craig took one look at me and said, "What's wrong?' and I started crying. According to the accountant we owe several thousand dollars in taxes. That was the bad.
So Craig and I sat down and started looking things over. We made a list of questions for the accountant, and Craig planned to call the next morning.
Then Craig said, "Do you want some good news?" (Of course!!!)
He had found out that Lonnie is going to do the repairs without charge. He took the head in to be tested for cracks. The company tested it without charge, and there weren't any cracks. It appears that the damage was minimal. Lonnie thinks the truck might be back inoperation by Friday. Then Craig called Autumn and the trailer he had loaded is still at the truck stop. They were hoping that he would be able to deliver that load. They have been concerned about him. So we won't have to pay to have someone else pick up the trailer. Finally, they offered to give us an advance to help cover the weeks Craig hasn't been working.
God is good - all the time! I just need to take my eyes off the problems and look at Him.

Trucking Disaster

I guess I wrote yesterday's blog too soon. Craig called me this morning with bad news. At first I thought he was kidding. But he wasn't. The truck ran fine last night. He got loaded this morning and the first time the truck had to pull a loaded trailer up a hill it started making a really bad noise. So he limped it to an exit. When he opened the hood there was oil everywhere.
He called Autumn and they're sending another truck to pick up the trailer. He's got to get a wrecker to tow the truck. And then he and Lonnie will start all over taking the engine apart to see what happened.
We would appreciate your prayers!

Truckin' News

Our 1983 Peterbilt 359 is back in business! After two weeks of being in the shop the truck has finally been put back together and is on the road. Craig and Lonnie worked so hard to fix the problems with the cam shaft and other worn parts. They almost lost hope when they had everything back together and had put water in the radiator only to see the water leaking out. They told me that there were about 300 bolts holding the radiator together - and there they were taking it apart again. They found out that there were some pinholes in the aluminum base plate. So they took it to a welder, bought more gaskets and put it back together. This time, before they put it in the truck they pressure tested it - and it still leaked! They took it apart again, and took it to a man who works on boat props. He found a couple of other bad spots, and welded them. Finally, the radiator was fixed. It was time to put it in the truck and hook everything up.

Craig let Lonnie take the truck on her maiden run and he was really pleased with how well the engine was running. He said it's the best engine he's ever worked on.

This afternoon Craig took off for Wisconsin. He's back on the road, back to work. It was SO hard to say goodbye - but God is faithful. He will help us while we are apart.

Happy Easter!

This morning as I was getting ready for church I turned on KTIS radio and heard this story:
Back when Stalin to control in Russia he sent comisars to every town and village to tell the people that there was no God and that they should only believe in Karl Marx. One particular comisar went to a little peasant village. He spoke to the peasants for a long time and when he was finished he was very satisfied with his speech. He was sure that these "peasants" would no longer believe in God. However, an orthodox priest stood up to speak and he said, "I only have one thing to say - He's alive!"
Hallelujah - Jesus is alive! No other religion in the world can make the same claim. Only our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, dead and buried, and rose again. And He suffered and died for me and for you. He rose again, and went to heaven, but sent the Holy Spirit to be our helper, our comforter. And He promised to come back again to take me and you with Him to a place He's preparing. Easter Sunday is truly the best day of the year.

What's Good About Good Friday?

This is what the pastor asked at church tonight. What is good about it? Here's my answer:
God's amazing love for me, a sinner, is what's good. He loved me so much - even though I continue to sin, even though I don't trust Him like I should, even though I don't spend as much time with Him as I should, even though I am afraid and I forget His promises, etc. He still loves me so much that He sent His only Son to die on a cross for my sins. He died once - so that everyone who believes in Him does not have to die eternally. God accepted the sacrifice of His Son as payment for sin once and for all. Amazing love!!
So... how do I live from this day forward to show Him how thankful I am, how much I love Him?

As I examined myself before communion I found that I needed to confess to Him my fears - especially the fear of witnessing because I'm not sure what to say. I forget that He will give me words to speak. He will be there, speaking through me. Therefore, since repentance is more than confession, it's also about change, I am going to try to work through that fear, to trust Him to give me words as I begin conversations with others.

I can't wait to see how He will help me. It will have to be Him, because I can't do it on my own!

I am looking forward to celebrating Christ's resurrection on Sunday morning. Aren't you?

Spring Break

This week I am on vacation for spring break. On Saturday afternoon Craig and I drove up north. I thought we were staying at the cabin until Monday but we didn't come home until today (Thursday.) It was a relaxing time up north. Craig spent a lot of time at his shop -"putsing" around. I had brought up my rubber stamping stuff and I made 31 cards in two days. It was fun, but I got cabin fever by the end of the second day. Part of the reason was because on Tuesday we had a snow storm. I couldn't believe it. It snowed and the wind blew ALL DAY!! We ended up getting somewhere between 7-11 inches of snow.
We watched the opening home games of the MN Twins. It was fun to watch baseball again, and the Twins swept Baltimore. Winning is always more fun to watch.
We had supper at Craig's mom's house Monday night. She made Lloyd's barbeque ribs and some No-Name ribs. We like Lloyd's better. Our great niece and nephew were both there - staying with her. It was fun to be with them for the evening.
On Wednesday we drove over to Esko, MN to talk with a trucking company about a possible job. The roads were kind of icy going over, but it just felt good to be out and about again. By the time we drove back most of the ice/snow on the roads had melted.
Today we drove home. I dropped Craig off at the shop where his truck is being fixed. The motor is back in it - that's a good thing! He should be able to go back to work with it on Monday.
I came home and went through the mail and made phone calls. Then I went up to see my grandchildren. It was so good to be there. Andrew is starting to walk along the furniture already. He is full of smiles. Jake had a new dinosaur to play with, and I helped Izzy put a puzzle together. I got lots of hugs and kisses from all three. It was great!
So tomorrow is my last day of true vacation. What am I going to do? Run errands, visit our tax man, do laundry... lots of fun stuff.
Vacation has been good, but I've realized something. I miss my job. I miss all the people I get to talk with each day. It's too quiet here at home.
Craig and I talked a lot this week about his job. We decided that we need to accept the fact that he has to be gone every week. We can't keep complaining about the company he's working for, or the times he has to wait to get loaded, or the empty miles he drives. Until God brings another job along, we need to be positive and trust Him.
One final thought - I read a book this week by Harold Bell Wright called The Least of These My Brothers. It's about how a city is changed when Christians begin living their beliefs, not just going to church on Sundays or participating in church groups as if they're social clubs. This book really started me thinking. What can I do to show my belief in Jesus Christ? What should I be doing? Is there a ministry somewhere near by that I can becomed involved with that really meets the needs of people and points the way to the cross? I need to do some research and find out where I can begin to serve Christ.