Saturday, April 9, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
Completion
It has taken me most of the winter (which isn't actually over yet) to complete a knitting project. This is probably one of the largest projects I have done to-date. I have felted bags and backpacks, made baby blankets and scarves, and even a couple of hats, but this is the first piece of clothing that I have finished...that I can actually wear. Sure, the ends around the arm holes and buttons curl (I haven't figured out how to solve that problem yet), but it's done, it fits, and it's symmetrical. The arm holes are the right size, the length is good, and the color worked out really well. Not bad considering I had to take a pattern written for S-M-L-XL and "guess" my way through adding more stitches here and there to get the right size for my shape. As a novice knitter, this is a victory.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Silence
I realize that 'silence' isn't really an exciting topic, but I am experiencing it for the first time in quite a while tonight, so that makes it special right now. I have been camping with the kids in Quechee Vermont for the past week. We arrived on Sunday so that I could get Patrick to his Raptor Camp first thing on Monday morning, and every morning this week.
For the entire week I have been "on" with the kids - all day, all night, every day, every night. We have had some fun times here, but it takes an amazing amount of mental and physical energy to keep up with them, direct, correct, and protect them, and make sure that they get what they need and some of what they want.
As I think about our week, I find that it's actually been easier to do these things away from home - no distractions. No laundry to worry about (until I get home and the reality of camping laundry comes crashing down around me), no toys to pick up (making the kids play outside keeps the mess down), and little space to clean (although my entire house will be ready for a shake-down when the kids go back to school). I have been free to just *be* here; Be here to play with Katherine while Patrick is off learning about birds of prey. Be here to read a book while Katherine goes on an adventure in the forest behind the camper and Patrick goes fishing. Be here to watch the kids roast marshmallows, burn sparklers, and enjoy the thrills and frills of camping.
For the past few days we have even done these things with friends. But today those friends left for the next leg of a week's journey and now it is...silent.
Silence...I'm not talking about the total lack of audible sounds. I am actually surrounded by sounds; crickets, frogs, grasshoppers, and highway noise, other campers, and the relaxing sound of a campfire cracking. Perhaps what I'm thinking of isn't silence at all, rather a state of stillness. The kids are sleeping peacefully. All the campers around me have gone to bed. All that is left is me and the final flickering flames of my campfire, and the thoughts that tumble around in my head and occasionally spill out on this page.
From the stillness of this evening and the silence that seldom shows its face, I leave you with this:
"He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire. 'Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.' The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah" ~ Psalm 46:9-11
For the entire week I have been "on" with the kids - all day, all night, every day, every night. We have had some fun times here, but it takes an amazing amount of mental and physical energy to keep up with them, direct, correct, and protect them, and make sure that they get what they need and some of what they want.
As I think about our week, I find that it's actually been easier to do these things away from home - no distractions. No laundry to worry about (until I get home and the reality of camping laundry comes crashing down around me), no toys to pick up (making the kids play outside keeps the mess down), and little space to clean (although my entire house will be ready for a shake-down when the kids go back to school). I have been free to just *be* here; Be here to play with Katherine while Patrick is off learning about birds of prey. Be here to read a book while Katherine goes on an adventure in the forest behind the camper and Patrick goes fishing. Be here to watch the kids roast marshmallows, burn sparklers, and enjoy the thrills and frills of camping.
For the past few days we have even done these things with friends. But today those friends left for the next leg of a week's journey and now it is...silent.
Silence...I'm not talking about the total lack of audible sounds. I am actually surrounded by sounds; crickets, frogs, grasshoppers, and highway noise, other campers, and the relaxing sound of a campfire cracking. Perhaps what I'm thinking of isn't silence at all, rather a state of stillness. The kids are sleeping peacefully. All the campers around me have gone to bed. All that is left is me and the final flickering flames of my campfire, and the thoughts that tumble around in my head and occasionally spill out on this page.
From the stillness of this evening and the silence that seldom shows its face, I leave you with this:
"He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire. 'Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.' The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah" ~ Psalm 46:9-11
Friday, April 2, 2010
Refining Silver
There was a group of women in a Bible study on the book of Malachi. As they were studying Chapter Three, they came across verse three which says "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."
This verse puzzled the women and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out about the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible study.
That week this woman called up a silver smith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest in silver beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.
As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.
The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot - then she thought again about the verse, that he sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.
She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left even a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.
The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, how do you know when the silver is fully refined? He answered: "Oh, that's easy - It's finished when I can see my image in it."
Author unknown
(I received this story in an e-mail many years ago. Recently, while recovering files from a computer crash, I rediscovered it and thought I would share it.)
This verse puzzled the women and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out about the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible study.
That week this woman called up a silver smith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest in silver beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.
As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.
The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot - then she thought again about the verse, that he sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.
She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left even a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.
The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, how do you know when the silver is fully refined? He answered: "Oh, that's easy - It's finished when I can see my image in it."
Author unknown
(I received this story in an e-mail many years ago. Recently, while recovering files from a computer crash, I rediscovered it and thought I would share it.)
Friday, August 28, 2009
Priority Adjustment
I'm a little bit sad this morning.
I woke up feeling chipper and motivated; ready for a fresh new day. Driven by the momentum created in yesterday's productivity I was ready to take on this day with equal amounts of determination to check off still more long-ignored tasks on my to-do list.
Then it hit me; the dramatic, negative end to my day with Katherine and the non-dramatic, uninvolved end to my day with Patrick. The details are unimportant, but I fear that my response this morning as I got ready for this day is telling and it saddens me.
Why is it that as I woke this morning and thought about this day my mind turned toward tasks and objectives? Why not a sad recollection of how yesterday ended with my kids and a resolution to not let this day end the same way? Why am I driven by the tasks of the day rather than the relationships of my life.
I am, once again, reminded of something we often talk about in MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers); the tasks will always be there, but these small children will not. Be present while they are.
I think I'm going to go join my kids playing video games.
I woke up feeling chipper and motivated; ready for a fresh new day. Driven by the momentum created in yesterday's productivity I was ready to take on this day with equal amounts of determination to check off still more long-ignored tasks on my to-do list.
Then it hit me; the dramatic, negative end to my day with Katherine and the non-dramatic, uninvolved end to my day with Patrick. The details are unimportant, but I fear that my response this morning as I got ready for this day is telling and it saddens me.
Why is it that as I woke this morning and thought about this day my mind turned toward tasks and objectives? Why not a sad recollection of how yesterday ended with my kids and a resolution to not let this day end the same way? Why am I driven by the tasks of the day rather than the relationships of my life.
I am, once again, reminded of something we often talk about in MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers); the tasks will always be there, but these small children will not. Be present while they are.
I think I'm going to go join my kids playing video games.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Thought for Today
I have been away from home for three weeks, beginning at the early part of July. Home for less than a week now I have been tackling pesky little projects (scrub the stove, clean out the refrigerator, clean out the freezers, sort through paperwork) all in the aim to avoid laundry. Alas, according to my socks and underwear drawer, I will *have* to do some laundry eventually, but since it is late and the noise would wake sleeping members of the household I will stick to my office work.
One of the things I found as I have been digging through this daunting pile of papers, receipts, and scrap is a Bible verse that has been given to me as “my” verse for the MOPS year. As I plow through yet more paper, weeks of mail held by the post office while we were gone, and a growing list of things I’d like to do (not to mention the things I *need* to do), I leave you with this thought for today:
“Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free.” ~ Ephesians 6:7-8
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Looking Back, Planning Ahead
I can’t believe May is already over. Summer is rapidly approaching and between now and then we have school programs, dance recitals, several “lasts”, probably some “firsts”, and lots of planning. But one cannot look forward into June without first looking back at May, especially this particular May for this particular blogger.
You see, this May represented forty years of life. Forty years of ups, downs, forward strides, and missteps. Forty years of learning, teaching, correcting, and being molded. Forty years of joy, heartache, struggle, and laughter. Forty years…forty years…
Turning forty wasn't so bad. My teeth didn't fall out (that started a couple of months ago when I cracked a tooth and had to get a crown – hopefully my last), my shapely body didn't suddenly turn to mush (that has happened gradually over time), and my children didn't suddenly rise up and call me blessed (okay, so we're still working on that one). The sky didn't fall, the sun didn't explode, and Alpha Centauri didn't go supernova. Creation is fine. The sun is fine. The solar system is fine. And life goes on.
Turning forty does bring to mind many thoughts and reflections; what have I done with my life? What do I want to do in the future? It is a great time to evaluate successes and consider the real impact I hope my life has on others. When my service here is done, what will people remember me for? What do I want to be remembered for? Do I want to be remembered for having a clean house, spotless children, and pretty clothes? Do I want people to say, “Oh, that Erika, she knew how to throw a party.”? Or do I want people to say, “Erika loved God, and I know it because…”, or “My mom prayed for me every day…even when I did something she didn’t like.”?
As time passes by so quickly there is an increasing sense of urgency to achieve the things that are really important. Jumping out of an airplane by the time I turned thirty (missed that one) or scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef (still on the Bucket List) are great adventures to think about, plan, and do. But an adventurous life is only part of the legacy that I hope to leave behind. Only now, at forty, I fully understand all those admonitions received in my youth (share your faith, take care of your body, etc.) and urgency with which they were shared with me. NOW I get it. But telling a fifteen year old that their days are numbered is like telling a shark that he might lose his teeth if he bites that surfer…”So what?”
When I was fourteen I put a lot of power in the opinions of others. Now…not so much. I still care…I like to be liked, needed, appreciated…but now I understand that there is a price for my silence. I don’t want my children to pay that price, or anyone I love. So where do I go from here? What do I want my legacy to be? I guess you’ll have to keep reading.
You see, this May represented forty years of life. Forty years of ups, downs, forward strides, and missteps. Forty years of learning, teaching, correcting, and being molded. Forty years of joy, heartache, struggle, and laughter. Forty years…forty years…
Turning forty wasn't so bad. My teeth didn't fall out (that started a couple of months ago when I cracked a tooth and had to get a crown – hopefully my last), my shapely body didn't suddenly turn to mush (that has happened gradually over time), and my children didn't suddenly rise up and call me blessed (okay, so we're still working on that one). The sky didn't fall, the sun didn't explode, and Alpha Centauri didn't go supernova. Creation is fine. The sun is fine. The solar system is fine. And life goes on.
Turning forty does bring to mind many thoughts and reflections; what have I done with my life? What do I want to do in the future? It is a great time to evaluate successes and consider the real impact I hope my life has on others. When my service here is done, what will people remember me for? What do I want to be remembered for? Do I want to be remembered for having a clean house, spotless children, and pretty clothes? Do I want people to say, “Oh, that Erika, she knew how to throw a party.”? Or do I want people to say, “Erika loved God, and I know it because…”, or “My mom prayed for me every day…even when I did something she didn’t like.”?
As time passes by so quickly there is an increasing sense of urgency to achieve the things that are really important. Jumping out of an airplane by the time I turned thirty (missed that one) or scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef (still on the Bucket List) are great adventures to think about, plan, and do. But an adventurous life is only part of the legacy that I hope to leave behind. Only now, at forty, I fully understand all those admonitions received in my youth (share your faith, take care of your body, etc.) and urgency with which they were shared with me. NOW I get it. But telling a fifteen year old that their days are numbered is like telling a shark that he might lose his teeth if he bites that surfer…”So what?”
When I was fourteen I put a lot of power in the opinions of others. Now…not so much. I still care…I like to be liked, needed, appreciated…but now I understand that there is a price for my silence. I don’t want my children to pay that price, or anyone I love. So where do I go from here? What do I want my legacy to be? I guess you’ll have to keep reading.
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