THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HAS MADE; LET US REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT!
10 - This is the last day of all of our family birthdays, and we still have a "leftover" day.
9 - Two more days, and we can change the calendar. A quick peek reveals the February photo is a picture of ice formations in Juneau, Alaska. Now, there's an original idea!
8 - The last of the inventory sales helps me prepare for 2008 baby showers. Hopefully that number is the year and not how many showers there will be this year.....though one can never be certain.
7 - Can seed catalogs be far behind?
6 - The United States Postal Service actually answered their phone with a human voice, took copious notes about the lost package, and said they'd get back to me today.
5 - My new dishwasher does all that the manufacturer promised -- quietly.
4 - Wednesdays are always my "marathon day" with a study of Proverbs mid afternoon and a gathering to study "Truth" later.
3 - My children rise up and call me Blessed!
2 - This is the day that we celebrate the birth of our youngest, who has brought us so much joy!
1 - HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GEOFFREY!!
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Shopping Spree
The challenge came in an email as I was heading out the door for a class on Proverbs, so I dashed off this answer. And, after reading it over, I decided I should not waste the opportunity to share with others.
THE CHALLENGE: I'm doing a survey. What's the longest shopping spree you ever had - and you can tell me a few details, if you want.
SHOPPING SPREE
Truthfully, I have not been much of a shopper since high school days. When we lived in Alaska, I had to have all of my shopping done by catalog by the end of October or the catalog item was sold out. The children were not even allowed to hum a Christmas tune until after Thanksgiving. So, playing Santa, I had to be pretty creative to get the kids to ask Santa for what I had already purchased. It did not always work out so great. To this day, we do not even mention Chatty Cathy in Patty’’s presence.
So…now that I think of it – my biggest shopping spree would have to be the Summer of 1976 when our family took about a 6-week vacation to visit folks in California. My parents lived in a single-wide mobile home near Modesto. I hit Mervyn’s with a vengeance for school clothing for the three kids and my hubby.…there is nothing that compares to the adrenalin rush of finding winter jackets on sale in 100+ temperatures, knowing there is no competition while shopping. There were even ads in the newspapers declaring things on sale, unheard of in Juneau.
After we “did” southern California family and theme parks, we returned to my folks for a few days to gather everything for transport via Alaska Airlines back to Juneau. Lo! And behold! If Sears didn’t have a linen sale going! Who could possibly say “no” to towels for $1.99 or sheets and mattress pads for under $10. Why! I was able to get two new blankets for every bed in our house. Then, the truth hit me. I had been stuffing all of my purchases in the storage shed. When I started reducing the bulk of packaging, it only caused my loot to expand. How was I going to get this all home? I had anticipated needing extra luggage for clothing and fresh fruits and vegetables, but the linens alone filled our sleeping quarters. The Stockton red onions and beefsteak tomatoes my father had lovingly grown just for us went as carryons; The clothing stuffed into our limit of luggage, but what to do with the linens?
Mother suggested it was time for her lovely cedar “Hope chest” (better known as the family’s despair barrel) to be passed onto me. My husband built a crate for it, but not before we made sure all of the purchases could be accommodated. It took some muscle to get it all in. Next, we took it to the airport and shipped it air freight. I hate to think what we paid for that means of transportation.
But, at least, John never found the snow plow he had shopped for!
THE CHALLENGE: I'm doing a survey. What's the longest shopping spree you ever had - and you can tell me a few details, if you want.
SHOPPING SPREE
Truthfully, I have not been much of a shopper since high school days. When we lived in Alaska, I had to have all of my shopping done by catalog by the end of October or the catalog item was sold out. The children were not even allowed to hum a Christmas tune until after Thanksgiving. So, playing Santa, I had to be pretty creative to get the kids to ask Santa for what I had already purchased. It did not always work out so great. To this day, we do not even mention Chatty Cathy in Patty’’s presence.
So…now that I think of it – my biggest shopping spree would have to be the Summer of 1976 when our family took about a 6-week vacation to visit folks in California. My parents lived in a single-wide mobile home near Modesto. I hit Mervyn’s with a vengeance for school clothing for the three kids and my hubby.…there is nothing that compares to the adrenalin rush of finding winter jackets on sale in 100+ temperatures, knowing there is no competition while shopping. There were even ads in the newspapers declaring things on sale, unheard of in Juneau.
After we “did” southern California family and theme parks, we returned to my folks for a few days to gather everything for transport via Alaska Airlines back to Juneau. Lo! And behold! If Sears didn’t have a linen sale going! Who could possibly say “no” to towels for $1.99 or sheets and mattress pads for under $10. Why! I was able to get two new blankets for every bed in our house. Then, the truth hit me. I had been stuffing all of my purchases in the storage shed. When I started reducing the bulk of packaging, it only caused my loot to expand. How was I going to get this all home? I had anticipated needing extra luggage for clothing and fresh fruits and vegetables, but the linens alone filled our sleeping quarters. The Stockton red onions and beefsteak tomatoes my father had lovingly grown just for us went as carryons; The clothing stuffed into our limit of luggage, but what to do with the linens?
Mother suggested it was time for her lovely cedar “Hope chest” (better known as the family’s despair barrel) to be passed onto me. My husband built a crate for it, but not before we made sure all of the purchases could be accommodated. It took some muscle to get it all in. Next, we took it to the airport and shipped it air freight. I hate to think what we paid for that means of transportation.
But, at least, John never found the snow plow he had shopped for!
Sunday, January 13, 2008
time continues......
Just an update on my last blog. That watch still reads 1:52. John took it to the store where it was purchased and even took his own set of tiny screwdrivers to open the back to replace the battery. It took a bit longer than anticipated for him to get the back open, but when he did, the clerk pulled out the old battery and found a replacement for it. Only problem was it did not work. Oh, I am told that the light now would illuminate the watch's face, but the time did not change.
This morning when looking through my jewelry for a certain stick pin I came upon five watches, three of which have been bought in the last 20 years. One of those three was absolutely identical to my 1:52 watch. One watch had been my mother's. Without looking, I could tell you the brand name because my parents were real believers in the quality of Bulova watches. When studying this timepiece, I could see it, too, contained a battery. I put it on my wrist and whacked it a couple of times and the second hand took right off as though it had just been stirred from sleep. Mother died in 1990, and that watch had not been worn since her death.
I knew I had her mother's Elgin watch which does not have a wristband so I hunted it down and wound it up and it keeps perfect time now. Mammy (my maternal grandmother) died in 1953. Both of those heirlooms still run. The one engraved to my grandfather in 1939 needs a good cleanng, but I'm thinking it would probably be wiser to clean them both than to purchase another watch made to today's standards.
This morning when looking through my jewelry for a certain stick pin I came upon five watches, three of which have been bought in the last 20 years. One of those three was absolutely identical to my 1:52 watch. One watch had been my mother's. Without looking, I could tell you the brand name because my parents were real believers in the quality of Bulova watches. When studying this timepiece, I could see it, too, contained a battery. I put it on my wrist and whacked it a couple of times and the second hand took right off as though it had just been stirred from sleep. Mother died in 1990, and that watch had not been worn since her death.
I knew I had her mother's Elgin watch which does not have a wristband so I hunted it down and wound it up and it keeps perfect time now. Mammy (my maternal grandmother) died in 1953. Both of those heirlooms still run. The one engraved to my grandfather in 1939 needs a good cleanng, but I'm thinking it would probably be wiser to clean them both than to purchase another watch made to today's standards.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
A TIMELY REMINDER
When I woke up yesterday morning, my watch read 1:52. All of the clocks in the house said it was closer to 5:30, but my watch said 1:52. As a matter of fact, it still reads 1:52.
I have a friend who writes each and every Sunday. He always begins with "I am reminded this week..." and the rest of his email message is always thinking positive and being the Christian you would like to meet -- helping others, not complaining, always positive, etcetera. He always ends with a scripture.. .usually a proverb.
Just over a year ago, he added a paragraph between his message and the quotes; that message began "This week, Jane..." For, you see, his wife faithfully went for her routine annual physical, feeling fine, and because of a "mass" sent a lot of us to our knees in her behalf. It has been a challenging year for many of us as both breasts were removed and her hair fell out. and the chemo made her so ill.
I spent a little time with Jane Saturday evening, and she looked radiant.I thank God.
Today, one of my dearest friends enters a hospital in another city for a "biopsy." She is single, and I pray fervently that God removes any blight that would cause her pain or illness. "Please, God, just make it go away."
Another lady, a widow, enters the hospital tomorrow. Her cancer has returned. And a very close brother in Christ continues to valiantly fight against one pain and another caused by cancer.
At the same time, Geoffrey and Dana will be at the doctor's office having a sonogram, possibly learning the gender of their baby.
Above my computer station is a recently acquired pendulum clock that ticks away the seconds and bongs on the half hour. It is a constant reminder of the passage of time. But my watch says it is 1:52.
Saturday, we will wish our oldest child Happy Birthday, and we will rejoice in remembering his goodness and the pleasure he has been in our life.
My heart is full of prayers for the Love God has placed in my life. I am thankful for the lives with which God has touched my life. Of course, there is a remedy for a watch that says 1:52 all of the time; I will probably get a new battery today. No, life did not stop just because one timepiece failed to function, and it did not speed up just because I asked John three times in two minutes what time it was.
It did, however, make me painfully aware of how much I rely on timepieces and to think about ETERNITY.
I have a friend who writes each and every Sunday. He always begins with "I am reminded this week..." and the rest of his email message is always thinking positive and being the Christian you would like to meet -- helping others, not complaining, always positive, etcetera. He always ends with a scripture.. .usually a proverb.
Just over a year ago, he added a paragraph between his message and the quotes; that message began "This week, Jane..." For, you see, his wife faithfully went for her routine annual physical, feeling fine, and because of a "mass" sent a lot of us to our knees in her behalf. It has been a challenging year for many of us as both breasts were removed and her hair fell out. and the chemo made her so ill.
I spent a little time with Jane Saturday evening, and she looked radiant.I thank God.
Today, one of my dearest friends enters a hospital in another city for a "biopsy." She is single, and I pray fervently that God removes any blight that would cause her pain or illness. "Please, God, just make it go away."
Another lady, a widow, enters the hospital tomorrow. Her cancer has returned. And a very close brother in Christ continues to valiantly fight against one pain and another caused by cancer.
At the same time, Geoffrey and Dana will be at the doctor's office having a sonogram, possibly learning the gender of their baby.
Above my computer station is a recently acquired pendulum clock that ticks away the seconds and bongs on the half hour. It is a constant reminder of the passage of time. But my watch says it is 1:52.
Saturday, we will wish our oldest child Happy Birthday, and we will rejoice in remembering his goodness and the pleasure he has been in our life.
My heart is full of prayers for the Love God has placed in my life. I am thankful for the lives with which God has touched my life. Of course, there is a remedy for a watch that says 1:52 all of the time; I will probably get a new battery today. No, life did not stop just because one timepiece failed to function, and it did not speed up just because I asked John three times in two minutes what time it was.
It did, however, make me painfully aware of how much I rely on timepieces and to think about ETERNITY.
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