Reflecting on the Disappointment

I am disappointed that the voters of this country have chosen to listen to what the media says about Barack Obama rather than listening to what he says about himself, both in word and in deed. Yet I am encouraged that this is not the end of the story.

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. - Romans 13:1-3

This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. - Romans 13:6

Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. - Ephesians 6:11-13

For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. - Colossians 1:16

Despite the follies of the voter, God remains firmly in office and in complete control. No Lame Ducks here.

I Learned Something on Facebook Today

I have developed a bit of a routine by now, for visiting my favorite web sites, checking in on Facebook, following a couple of blogs, and checking e-mail. And when I have a few free minutes and want to fritter away a little time I'll linger in Facebook and play a little.

Well, one of the things that I like to do there is work on jigsaw puzzles. There is an application called "puzzlebee" and you can complete puzzles based on a variety of criteria, or you can upload your own picture (which is how most of the puzzles were created) and turn it into a puzzle. I uploaded a picture of Patrick doing his lobster impersonation and made a puzzle out of it. That was fun.

So I have been doing these puzzles for a couple of weeks now (not every day) and it suddenly dawned on me; (light bulb) I like to do puzzles. I really enjoy them.

Now, Katherine, as it turns out, also likes to do puzzles, but most of hers are...(boring) pretty easy. Then, for her birthday this week, she got two puzzles (thank you Oma); one is a floor puzzle of the United States and the other is a smaller "regular" puzzle of a coral reef (when Mama does the shopping, Mama gets to pick). She has owned them for two days and we have completed them somewhere in the neighborhood of eight times each (this may cure me of my puzzle enjoyment).

Seriously though, it's often difficult to find something that both parent and preschooler can enjoy together (case in point; Patrick liked worms and snakes, and other creepy crawlies - and still does - and Mama, not so much) so this is a real coup. Katherine and I can do puzzles together. And you know something else? She's actually pretty good at them. Now, of course, that Katherine and I have found this common interest Patrick has joined in and likes to work on them with us.

Oh well. Some families play cards, others play board games...we (for the moment) do puzzles, and it's all thanks to Facebook (in a weird, long-story kind of way).

Worth a Grin

Today we spent the afternoon winterizing. Joerg winterized the camper while Patrick, Katherine, and I raked up the leaves and then hauled them into the forest. Patrick, who now drives the tractor and can run the leaf rake trailer, lets Katherine sit on the tractor with him and I keep raking until he comes back to the dumping pile to unload the rake.

Eventually we had raked the entire yard and were ready to start moving the leaves into the forest. So we unhooked the leaf rake and drove into the forest to get the wagon. Patrick was content to sit in the trailer with Katherine, but eventually I offered him an opportunity to drive the tractor. We picked up a load of leaves and I drove into the forest (with Patrick and Katherine sitting in the leaves) and then Patrick would drive out of the forest and Katherine and I would sit in the wagon together.

Now, this all sounds fun, I know. What you have to realize is that when we finished building the house we had our excavator come back with some extra rocks to help build a bridge of stones from where our yard ends into the forest. At the point where our yard enters the forest we have an area of soft ground where water can stand. This area is typically quite wet unless we are in drought conditions (which we are not). So, every time the tractor passes that area the ground gets chewed up and the tractor gets muddy. Our hope was that by adding rocks we could create a more solid area that would not sink down into the mud and destroy the yard. The rocks they brought are HUGE (many are larger than my fist) so driving over them with the tractor is like going seriously off-road.

So I turn the tractor over to Patrick so that he can drive us out of the forest, and Katherine and I sit in the wagon. Patrick drives nicely through the forest and then guns it right before he hits the rocks. I'm sure he didn't do it on purpose, but as you can imagine, the ride was quite bumpy. The first time through the rocks I was caught unprepared. The second time through - and every time after that - I wrapped my arms around Katherine, leaned forward (so the trailer sides wouldn't hurt my back) and put my head down with my eyes closed. Each time we would hit the rocks the ride seemed to go on forever. If I didn't know we were 'just' going over rocks I would have thought the end was here...it was SOOOO bumpy.

Anyway, I was struck by the torturous nature of this activity and had to grin; is my little angel driving fast over these rocks ON PURPOSE? Is he *trying* to kill me? Or is he just having fun? I did, after all, tell him he could go as fast as he was able to still control the tractor without hitting anything. He didn't hit anything.

Oh well. Some day this tractor will be traded in for an actual car, but I have seven years to work up my nerve for that. For now I think I'll just bring extra padding for the next ride.

Vote for Erika

I just received this video clip from my fan club (bet you didn't know I had a fan club). Check it out.

Spell Pudding

In an effort to find creative ways to help Patrick learn what he needs to learn, to take some of the drudgery out of homework and spelling practice, to introduce a little tactile learning into his kinesthetic brain, and offer some motivation to complete the tasks I introduced pudding.

Rather than making him write all his spelling words on paper (how boring!) he spells each word in chocolate pudding. For each word he spells correctly he gets to lick his finger. If he spells it incorrectly he doesn't get to lick. It worked rather well. Katherine even got in on it and wrote the letters that she knows..."K - for Katherine".

Patrick liked it so well he BEGS me to do spelling words with him. Hmm. I wonder what we can use for alphabetical ordering.

An Education in Education

When I get up in the morning and get ready for the day I try to do it with as few trips in front of the mirror as possible. I can brush my teeth, brush my hair, shower, and get dressed mostly without a mirror. Once I'm ready I head down the hall to Patrick's room to make sure he is up and getting ready for school, then I head downstairs to begin the process of making breakfast and school lunches.

And then it happens. Breakfast is ready. Lunches are done. And Patrick emerges from his room, comes downstairs and grumps at me. I have spent the entire morning avoiding the reflection in the mirror only to be confronted by my own youthful reflection in the face of my son.

As a parent I have oft recoiled at the tone of my voice and its uncanny similarity to that of my mother's when I was a kid. Yet to look in the face of your child and see yourself looking back at you (especially the ugly parts)...well it's just unnerving.

So there it is. Patrick is me! We both must have the last word in a discussion or argument, he doesn't like to get up in the morning, he doesn't like school, he hates homework, he has an answer for everything, talks non-stop, interrupts, can't sit still, and he's always wiggling and giggling in class. And if there's trouble to be found, he'll find it. He won't be the cause, but he will be just close enough to it to get dirty.

After a really tough first grade year we were hoping second grade would become more routine, settled, and relaxed. Reports from school are that he's doing pretty well. There are some things that he needs to work on, but it is clear to his teacher that Patrick is an out-of-the-box thinker, creative, insightful, bright, and thoughtful. He also has trouble staying connected with what he's supposed to be doing. His mind wanders and often his body will follow.

What is a parent to do? How do we figure out what's going on in his head, what's ruling his heart, and what's driving his body, and lead him to a better understanding of himself that will help him master the challenges of school and life, to make wise choices and be confident in his decisions? So there's the challenge; teach Patrick to do for himself that which I was not able to do myself (until MUCH later).

I wasn't a big fan of school when I was a kid. I guess I'm not a big fan of it now either. Add to that the challenges that are inherent in growing up and being a kid turns out to be pretty tough business. I have the Owner's Manual, but I could really use some Cliff's Notes right about now.

Catching Up

I am usually quite organized and on top of things. I have my plan (a list sorted by due date, priority, and type of task), and I work that plan diligently. Intermingled with mom-tasks, like doing puzzles or learning to tell time with Katherine or helping Patrick with homework, I have small chunks of the day when I work on that task list. I am usually pretty disciplined about this process and often err on the side of task-master. I rely heavily on a little PDA that holds my task list. Frankly, it holds everything; task list, contact list, calendar, and shopping lists. It even holds pictures, my budget, my Bible, and diversionary tools (tech talk for video games).

It's called a Palm Pilot and I think that's a pretty good name because sometimes it IS the pilot...not me. I like to think that I am in control of my day, but there are those days when it is clearly the Pilot flying the plane of my life. It tells me when to get up in the morning. It tells me where I have to be and when, and for whom (for very few things on my calendar are actually just for me). It tells me what I am supposed to get done today, who I'm supposed to call, what I need at the store, and how much money I have left on my budget this month. If this thing had a heartbeat and walked on two legs I would tell it to buzz off because I don't like being told what to do.

Yet here I am sitting at my computer trying to catch up on paperwork, returning calls, preparing a talk, and tying up loose ends. And who's calling the shots? That's right - Palm Pilot. I guess I'm okay with that. It doesn't ask for much, just a charge every couple days. It's small and doesn't take up much space. And it doesn't argue with me (most of the time) or talk back. It's quiet (except at 6:00 AM) and it does a pretty decent job of keeping me organized and out of trouble. I suppose, truth be told, its best quality is located on the top right corner of its casing. This feature allows me to have the last word - something I don't always get in this house - and puts me back in the pilot seat. It's called the Power Button. It gives me the power to turn it off and let life dictate what I should do right now. Maybe that means I get to sit and do this puzzle (again) or just sit on the floor and color.

Sometimes a task is a vital step in accomplishing a worthwhile goal - like coordinating meals for a mom friend. Sometimes a task is just a task and will still be there later.

Time for me to draw this to a close. Mr. Pilot is calling.

When Things Line Up

This morning is a full morning; get Patrick off to school, get two quiches made for MOPS, get Katherine ready for the day, get myself ready for the day...a well-organized, lubricated gears kind of morning.

The bus usually arrives between 7:25 and 7:30 so when it hadn't arrived by 7:35 I figured I would have to take Patrick to school. So I finished my quiches and got them in the oven and then got in the car to take Patrick to school. While I waited for Patrick to get his shoes on and get in the car I started the engine...or tried. Nearly dead, my battery couldn't turn the car over. One of the doors got left open and the dome lights were on all night draining the battery. As I'm picking up the phone to call Joerg to come back home to boost the battery Patrick's bus, now fifteen minutes late, flies by the house (the bus comes down River Cove Road, passes our house, turns around at a turn-about down the street and then picks up Patrick on the way back up River Cove Road - that way he doesn't have to cross the street). I get Patrick on the bus then call Joerg, but now instead of being panicked and rushed I can relax.

With Patrick on his way to school and my quiches in the oven I can work on the other things that I need to do without being in a hurry. I don't have to leave until 8:30 so I have plenty of time. Joerg will be here shortly to take care of the battery and I can go about my business and still be on time for MOPS.

Now consider the alternative. Patrick gets on the bus at 7:30 and I go about my business completely unaware of the battery problem. 8:30 rolls around and Katherine and I are ready to go to MOPS (with a detour to IBM to take Joerg his wallet and cell phone, which he forgot). I start the car which has a dead battery. Now I have to call Joerg to come help me, but *now* I'm going to be late for MOPS and Katherine and I have to sit in the car waiting.

I think the way it worked out is a much better. So minor, but two things occur to me: One - God knows how much I enjoy MOPS and doesn't want me to be late so he devised this elaborate plan to make sure that I could arrive on time. Two - since He could have just as easily juiced my battery when I went to start the car, or prevented the guys from leaving a door open after their bike ride last night thereby draining the battery, I have to believe that He delights in showing off just a little, reminding me that He is watching and intervening - something I sometimes lose sight of. By moving things along the way He did, I get a gentle reminder that He is there making my path straight when it's appropriate to do so.

Had my car just started this morning I would have missed this teachable moment; this reminder of how much God cares about my coming and my going.

A Journey to...connect?

In the past month or so I have journeyed into the world of cyber communication and networking. I have been doing websites for nearly ten years (gee wiz, has it been that long?) but, frankly, I went kicking and screaming into the world of blogging and networking sites.

I got my feet wet when I redesigned our family website and added the blog feature. We had an older blog, but it was limited in features, cumbersome, and was really just designed to fill an informational gap while we were constructing our home and had very limited internet and computer access. When I created the family blog as a possible portal into the newly designed website I realized just how much functionality was really available (update structuring and file hierarchy by date, the ability to add pictures and videos (easily), fun scripts and widgets, a way to track other blogs, add website links, AND people can sign up to receive updates via e-mail), and how fun it could be.

Yet really, it's a public diary on the internet. Who wants to know me *that* well? And why? Besides my immediate family, who cares if we went to Tae Kwon Do last night or if I had an epiphany this morning? Who has enough time in their own life to be reading about the routine and events of mine?

And then there's the whole world of network sites like MySpace, Facebook and countless others with their own unique spin (like the network sites catering to parents, and others like that). I tried MySpace since that seemed to be the most popular (based on what I hear in the media), but it is cumbersome and splashy and loaded with ad ribbons and commercials, and I found it visually unattractive, difficult to use and non-intuitive. So, my MySpace profile has a link that sends you to my Facebook profile.

A little history lesson: Facebook was developed by a kid; a university student (Harvard) named Mark Zuckerberg who wanted to connect his Harvard buddies. This networking platform was later expanded to other colleges in the Ivy League, then all university students, then high school students, and, finally, to anyone aged thirteen and over. At last report, the site had more than 100 million active users worldwide. I read an article about Mr. Zuckerberg in Fast Company after he turned down a multimillion dollar buyout offer (several actually). Imagine being a multimillionaire at the ripe old age of about twenty. Meanwhile, Facebook has met with some controversy over the past few years including being blocked intermittently in several countries and being banned at many places of work to increase productivity.

Now there's something I can understand. If you have never checked out Facebook I would encourage you to do so. In about twelve minutes you realize just how addictive this website can be. It's such a "problem" that Facebook users even poke fun at it. In one of the add-ons that I have called "flair" I found several pieces of flair (like buttons that politians hand out that you stick on your coat) that suggests that they will flunk out of college because of Facebook. I get it. I see how that can happen. And yet Facebook is just...well, it's fun. There, I said it. It's fun.

And therein lies the heart of my curiosity. What is it that makes blogging and networks such an attraction? Why are hundreds of millions of people joining the ranks of MySpace, Facebook, Blogger, WordPress, and others to share their personal lives with friends, family...and strangers?

When I set up my Facebook profile I went searching for friends to "connect" with. In no time at all (and I do mean NO TIME...we're talking less than twenty-four hours) I had connected with about five old high school classmates and my sister-in-law in Germany. Then came the folks from university. It was exciting to see the list of my "friends" grow and grow. The more people I add to my "friends" list the more connections are made because my friends have friends who can become my friends too. It's staggering how quickly my friend list grew. Soon I was getting requests from others asking that I be *their* friend. Now THAT was cool; others seeking connection with me. Somehow this seems to validate me, that indeed I am worth having as a friend.

Again, I ask, why? Why are so many people eager to connect this way? Aren't there enough local social groups, clubs, and pubs in the world to addequately connect people in the "real" world? Do we really need to connect in the virtual world too? Clearly the answer is yes.

As members of the human race we are social creatures. I undestand that. And, yes, tools like Facebook do allow us to connect with people outside of our physical location. I have friends in Vermont, but I also have friends all over the United States, the UK, and Germany; these are connections I would not necessarily make if it weren't for Facebook. But why is this kind of connecting so appealing? Do we not have enough in our lives that we have to go looking for friends in the rest of the world?

I consider myself to be adequately socially connected; I have friends with whom I go out, groups in which I participate, and regular interaction with family and friends. I serve in ministry, have family and household responsibilities, run a business, serve on boards and associations, and have personal interests that require time. Still, I am compelled by something to check my Facebook in the morning between Patrick getting on the bus and Katherine waking up; who is online? do I have any new friendship requests? has anyone "confirmed" me as a friend? do I have any e-mail? Still, I ask the question, Why? Why are we so compelled to connect in this way?

Is it simply because we are social creatures? Are we looking for something (gaps to be filled, knowledge to gain from others, the latest scoop)? Are we just being nosey? I'm sorry if you have read this far expecting that I will answer these questions. I don't really have any answer other than perhaps...it's fun. According to Ben and Jerry's (of Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream), "If it's not fun, why do it?" philosophy, since we keep doing it, it must be fun. So if you'll pardon me, I have to go check my Facebook.

Money Secrets

I just finished reading the book "Dave Barry's Money Secrets". I learned a great many things from this book including how to read a corporate annual report (mainly look at the pictures), that the number one key starting your own business is harnessing the power of human stupidity, and that the reason there is a pyramid with a giant eyeball on it has something to do with a drunk engraver when the dollar bill was printed.

This book has some very funny parts and is an easy read. It was good "bathroom reading"; light, easy to pick-up and put-down, and I could read it in short bits without losing the train of thought. Don't misunderstand me, I really like Dave Barry and the fact that the book was bathroom reading in no way reflects on how much I enjoy his writing.

To see if you need to read this book you can take his simple quiz. Be honest in your answers: If you lie, you’ll only be lying to yourself! The place to lie is on your federal tax return.

What is your annual income?
1. More than $50,000.
2. Less than $50,000.
3. However much I get when I return these empties.

Not counting your mortgage, how much money do you currently owe?
1. Less than $10,000.
2. More than $10,000.
3. Men are threatening to cut off my thumbs.

How would you describe your portfolio?
1. Conservative, mainly bonds and blue-chip equities.
2. Aggressive, mainly options and speculative stocks.
3. My what?

When analyzing an investment, what do you consider to be the most important factor?
1. The amount of return.
2. The degree of risk.
3. The name of the jockey.

How do you plan to finance your retirement?
1. Savings.
2. Social security.
3. Sale of kidneys.
(taken from the Introduction of the book)

If you need to laugh, and you're wondering how to fund your retirement, this might be just the right book for you.

A Journey to Stardom

Last night I led my first training as the Small Group Leader Coordinator for MOPS. My primary responsibility is training, but I will also provide tools and materials to help the Leaders in their role. Having been a Leader myself for the past five years I had a good idea what to expect in terms of turnout so was surprised to see that every single Small Group Leader was there. At a social event at my house a little over a week ago I had a very good turn out as well, but I attributed most of that to curiosity and wanting to see how our new house turned out. (Stories have been circulating about the MOPS mom who burned down her house to build a new one.) Since we met at the church, curiosity was not the driving force. Could it be that they came because of me?

The training went well. The materials were well received, the Leaders were engaged and asked great questions, and the feedback afterward was quite favorable.

After allowing myself a brief moment of basking in the glow of my own greatness I quickly moved on, recognizing the reality of the situation. It is not I who did such a great training. It is not ME who is so brilliant and great. It is not MINE to claim the glory for such a wonderful turnout of Leaders or for the commitment that these women demonstrate. The source of all this greatness can only be linked to one place; God. It is HE who brought these women together to be leaders. It is HIS greatness that filled the room last night and brought all these women together for training. And I honor HIM by offering to MOPS (and any other area where I serve) the gifts that He so freely gives to me.

I am not a MOPS superstar; I am just the recipient of gratuitous blessings and some gifts that I like to share with others.

However, when those moments arise when I want to "feel" like a superstar I can listen to this song by Go Fish. Click here to hear a bit of "Superstar".

Lyrics:

Special edition, one of a kind
Look in the mirror and that's what you'll find
God had a plan when He made you
And now it's time to follow it through

Chorus:
Did you know you're a superstar?
You'll never know how far
You can get from where you are
'Cuz your're a superstar
You don't have to play guitar
Or drive a fancy car
God loves you the way you are
To Him you're a superstar

Verse 2
Distinctly irreplaceable
Nobody else could be like you
Uniquely individual
God loves to watch the things that you do

Verse 3
Ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together
'Cuz guess what? The star is you
The curtain's up. The lights are down
We're all wondering whatcha gonna do?

Do You Ever Need A Good Laugh?

YouTube can be just the place to get a dose of laughter if you're needing a little side-splitting. Through some of my contacts on Facebook I stumbled across some very funny videos there.
This one can be a bit "risque", but funny nonetheless.
This one is very funny, particularly because it didn't happen to me.
This one brings me back to our construction days and wishing we had been a little choosier in our Port-o-Potty choice.
This one just can't help but make you laugh.

Enjoy.

Made To Stick

I just finished reading a very clever book. It's called "Made To Stick" and is written by brothers Chip and Dan Heath, and the premise of the book is that there is a formula to making ideas "stick".

Why do we remember the Wendy's ad "Where's the beef?", but other fast food commercials have past on into advertising oblivion? How do we make our ideas - no matter what the topic or who the audience - stick? Why is it that urban legends are so quick to travel the globe, but many true stories struggle to find an audience? Mark Twain once observed, “ A lie can get halfway around the world before the truth can even get its boots on.”

The formula? SUCCESs. Simple. Unexpected. Concrete. Credible. Emotional. Stories. The stickiest of ideas employ most or all of these six concepts.

It's a concise book with a concept that can be applied to sales and marketing, colleagues and family, in the board room or the play room. If you have trouble getting people to buy in to your ideas without bribery or coercion this might be just the book for you. It's a relatively light read and I really enjoyed it.

Recovery.

If you have checked out our family blog then you know that we spent Friday (last week) through Tuesday (before school started) on a five-day sprint of child fun. Each of the five days was designed to do something fun for the kids, and give us an activity to do together.

On Friday we went to Six Flags Great Escape in New York for a full day of rides, noise, water activities, and sun. On Saturday we went to the Granby Zoo in Granby Quebec for the animals and water park. On Sunday we took the canoe and went to the Green River Reservoir near Morrisville Vermont for a little canoe ride, fishing, and splashing in the water. Monday we spent the morning doing some much-needed yard work and then hit the fairgrounds with friends for the annual State Fair. Tuesday was windy and chilly, but we went to Lake Iroquois in Williston so that Patrick could fish and Katherine could play in the water. It was five days of sensory overload, noise, fun, sun, and activity.

On Wednesday Patrick had his first day of school as a second grader, Joerg went back to work, and I began the recovery process; cleaning, laundry, unpacking the car, catching up on e-mail...the list goes on. Now it's Saturday. Joerg is packing for a brief trip to Germany for the funeral of his uncle Juergen who died earlier this week after a battle with cancer. The kids are playing video games (playhousedisney.com) on their computer and I am STILL working on the laundry. It's been rainy outside so we feel no guilt for not going somewhere or doing something. It's nice to just be home.

My to-do list is long and my motivation is short, but there are many things that need my attention in these next few days. I guess I should stop blogging and start doing.

Who Put That In There?

This morning as I was baking and preparing desserts for a MOPS event at my home, I found myself one cookie sheet short. I know I have three, but where is the third one? After looking around in all the cabinets (in case it just got put away in the wrong place) and in the camper (in case it was used during the boys' camping weekend) I surmised that Jörg must have decided it was too gross and thrown it away. I guess that's okay...two should be enough.

Preheat oven to 375...done. Put the cheesecake in the oven, but wait...what's that? There's a cookie sheet in my oven and there are little black blobs sizzling on that cookie sheet. Slowly it comes back to me...those little blobs are veggie balls that I had warmed up for a dinner one evening (about a week ago), but (clearly) had forgotten to take out of the oven. I thought that dinner seemed incomplete somehow.

Anyway, I cleared away the now overcooked and dried out veggie balls, put my cheesecakes in the oven and things are moving right along.

Speaking of moving right along, I had better get back to work.

A Glimpse into the Future?

I was sitting in the car this morning listening to Patrick and two of his closest friends, old buddies from Montessori School and fellow second graders, plan a big business venture. We were on our way to Audubon camp "Junior Naturalists" where the three of them have spent every day this week.

The business venture that they were planning seems to be something between zoo and novelty restaurant, loosely modeled after the Sharks Underwater Grill at Sea World Orlando. It was quite an intriguing look into the personalities of these three boys. First, they brainstormed the features of the place. Then they started drafting rules (no putting your hands in the piranha tank, no fishing for puffer fish, etc.) when one of the boys - not much of an underwater guy - added the rule 'no diving' (as in SCUBA). As if he had just said that the earth was flat, the other two boys - in unison - said "OF COURSE you can dive!" Not missing a beat he responded that if there was going to be diving in the shark tank then they would have to buy dive gear.

Now, they had already established that this was going to be an expensive venture. They would need at least one tank measuring 30 feet deep, 50 feet long, and about 15 feet wide. They would have to collect fish for this tank and build a coral reef (once they decided that growing a natural reef would take too long), and they would need people to feed the fish and clean the tanks. By their calculations they would need AT LEAST $1,000. They were stuck on how to raise that much money (I later suggested that they get investors) when one of the boys brought the whole thing down to earth suggesting that they all had to go to college first. After a brief pause (clearly contemplating the torturous years it would take to complete college) one boy suggests that maybe they don't have to go to college. This kicked off a new discussion about the pros and cons of going to college (pros included things like gaining knowledge on how to run a business, capture and care for sharks and marine animals, run a restaurant, and manage money, cons included things like the amount of time it would take, the expense - money better used for the venture, and living away from home for four to eight years. One of the boys pointed out that going to college would ensure that they earn "way more money" than if they didn't finish college.

They returned to their venture discussion once they decided that they can still go to college and run the business at the same time. Two of the boys were clearly the "big picture" idea guys. The third one was a details guy. I heard him say - more than once - "if you're going to do [xyz] it will be important to also do [abc]". This serious discussion lasted all the way to the Audubon clubhouse.

From their posture to the words that they used, to the way they talked with their hands, this entire conversation was a glimpse into the future. I could clearly see these three guys, thirty years from now, dressed in Dockers, Polo shirts, and Penny Loafers, sitting around a Starbucks table plotting their next big venture over a latte.

A Journey Out

It didn't occur to me until I was standing in line to buy my ticket that I don't remember the last time I saw a movie in the theater. Perhaps Katherine was a baby? Patrick thought I hung the moon? I don't remember for sure when it was, but I'm reasonably sure it cost less than $8 to get in...now it's almost $9.

Six moms, a chick flick, and a chocolate nightcap; not a bad way to spend a Saturday evening. We saw Mama Mia (I haven't laughed so much in ages) and stopped at Chili's afterwards. It was a nice journey out with the girls.

Journey to the the Depths

Today's journey took me deep into enemy territory. I encountered child ambushes as the kids fought over toys, space, movies, and snacks. I was sniped at by grumpy, sassy monsters who repelled against any form of correction, redirection, or regulation.

Now, if you're thinking that describing my darling little children as enemies is somehow wrong or indecent, let's have a little vocabulary lesson. According to Merriam-Webster an enemy is one that is antagonistic to another, especially seeking to confound or frustrate an opponent, or can be a hostile force. There are other parts of this definition (like military enemy), but this one seems to be quite on point.

Unlike highly trained soldiers who are primed, coached, and prepared for combat, days like this do not bring out the best in me. After hours of hand-to-hand combat and tense negotiations (actually not...I don't negotiate with terrorists) I am exhausted, frustrated, and angry. I was so rattled and unwound that I couldn't even complete a bedtime routine with my daughter. That seems like so little to ask; a story, a little belly rub, and a "big one" (good night kiss blown across the room) from the door. Yet it was more than I could muster.

As Rex (the dinosaur in Toy Story) says, "Oh great! Now I have guilt! I shouldn't have yelled. I shouldn't have said this, done that, or behaved this way. I should have... well, you get the picture.

So I move from one enemy territory directly into another; from the world of misbehaving, disobedient, disrespectful children to the world of self-doubt and regret...just the gap needed by an enemy who can make use of even the smallest weakness or briefest moment of indecision.

Sitting in my chair at the end of the day I feel defeated, consumed, and depleted. "I'm sorry." seems so insufficient to remedy the day, but that's all I have to give my son as we sneak in a short bedtime snuggle.

So what do I do with this day? Is there anything to salvage from the ruins of this experience?

In Paul's second (or third, depending on your view) letter to the Corinthians he confronts them on issues of their actions. This confrontation results in repentance, but not before the Corinthians felt duly miserable for their behavior to which Paul responds, "...yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret..." (2 Corinthians 7:9-10).

Godly sorrow...no regret. Tomorrow is another day.

A To-Do List For Another Day

My to-do list had only five things on it. I accomplished two - one was a directive from a higher power (husband) and the other just needed to be done (pick up camper from shop - our mechanic has a very small parking lot so a camper in the middle of it is a serious obstacle to his work flow).

Despite my desire to stay home and have the kids play in the play room or watch a movie I decided to let my son's desire to visit Church Street win out. Biting my lip I left my to-do list at home (figuratively speaking of course, since my to-do list is in PDA which I take with me everywhere) and took the kids for a fun afternoon on Church Street.

We had drinks together, played by the water fountain, shopped in the book store, watched a one-man-band entertain the tourists, and stopped for ice cream on our way back to the car. It was a fun afternoon, and guess what...

The to-do list is still waiting for me. I guess it will be my to-do list for tomorrow.

Journey to Simplicity

Katherine and I have had a quiet weekend here while the "boys" were gone camping with the Blue Wave Tae Kwon Do Association. We had a quiet Saturday morning at home followed by a relaxed afternoon of shopping, lunching, and playing together. It was reminiscent of the times that Patrick and I used to have when he was little and we would spend time out and about doing things together.

Since then life has become hurried, busy, full. Obligations to be here, go there, work on this, do that, and the desire to just sit still often pull in opposite directions. A life with little stuff, less clutter, and fewer requirements sounds pleasing, yet the convenience of having supplies for crafting, tools for doing house projects, and the space to spread out and play is equally pleasing. Still, a simpler life would probably be good for all of us.

But what, exactly, is a simpler life? What does it mean to be simple? I guess simple can have different meanings depending on who you are and where you are in your life. It probably involves eliminating everything that is not essential, freeing up time from doing an endless list of tasks and spending more time doing what’s important to you; getting rid of the clutter so that what you have left is only that which gives you value, pleasure, joy.

Getting to that point, however, isn't a simple five-step process that gets you to a fixed destination. It's more like a journey; a journey in which you learn to say "yes" to the things that you do want in your life (that add value) and "no" to the things you do not.

When Jesus sent his disciples out his instructions were simple; "Take nothing for the journey except a staff — no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra tunic."

A Page of My Own

After spending so much time designing websites and blogs for our family, groups that I participate in, customers, and friends I decided it was time to create one of my own; something a little girly with a hint of fun and a splash of introspective. I don't yet know what it will look like or how often I will post, but I like that it's out here and when I have a moment (like now while my husband and son are away camping) I can sit down and write. I miss writing. I miss having long periods of uninterrupted time to write or to think, or to...

So where was I? Oh yes, I was remembering the old days when I had time to think and write. Now I have children, a husband, responsibilities, chores, and not so much time as before. But it's a good life. It's a life filled with joys, when I remember to look for them and observe them. It's a life filled with friends and connections. It's a good life; a full life.

Welcome to a page of my own.