Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Donde esta decoraciĆ³n?


Can you help me? The Hesterhome is the first stop for a 7th and 8th grade Progressive Dinner on August 16th and the theme is Mexican. I would love to decorate for the occasion, but alas, I have nothing...I mean nada Mexican. Is there anyone out in local Blogdom that can help me out? I could try Oriental Trader, but I thought I might check with you all first.

Muchas gracias,
The Hesterwoman

WV Trip Day 5- Going Home

WV Trip-Friday Morning-7/25/08

I have such mixed feelings about leaving Northfork. I have missed my girls terribly and there is so much I am looking forward to sharing with them. I know they will never fully understand all we have known here until they experience it themselves (something I am already looking forward to doing with them). I have learned many valuable things....some I cannot put into words yet, and I pray they never leave me. The Mustard Seeds people have challenged us to take what we have learned back to our communities and take part in local missions. They have warned us how easy it will be to go back to "life as usual." I take this all in, and know this will be an incredible temptation for me. It's not that I don't want to be changed...don't want to be permanently affected by what I have experienced. But I can see how intentional I will need to be in allowing God to use me in this capacity. There are plenty of distractions...plenty of "good things" that fill my calendar already. What will it take to make this a priority in my life, and in my family's life? I know I deeply want it, but will I be taken in by the entrapment of my own schedule...my own "to-do" list?

"Team Blowout" says goodbye to Bev

As we pack up the vans to go home, I sense I am not the only one experiencing a dichotomy of emotions. I would like to pick my teammates' brains...sneak a peek into their hearts, but I think we are all too spent. Level 5 conversations* must be avoided right now. I know the trouble I am having defining what I am taking away with me from Northfork...from Bev...from Judy...from Mr. Karmak, not to mention the newly formed bond I feel with my teammates. To experience something of this magnitude for me....my first mission trip...has been such a blessing from my Father. I can imagine His thoughts throughout the week...smiling, even laughing at times along with me. "Amy, you talked with Me so much about your fears in going...your fears in saying goodbye to the girls... now look at you. Your finger nails are filthy, your legs have bruises all over them, your wrist aches from pulling out hundreds of nails, your "cute boots" aren't so cute anymore, your hair needs a decent washing....not to mention that you couldn't eat another turkey sandwich if you tried. But you wouldn't have missed this for anything, would you?" And tearfully I reply, "Father, You are so right. You are always so right. Thank you so very much for allowing me the incredible pleasure of being here this week. How I can't wait to go back again. Please make permanent in my heart the things that I have learned here this week. I am so grateful to you."

NewLife WV Team says goodbye...for now.

Monday, July 28, 2008

WV Trip Day 4- Raining "buckets"

WV Trip-Thursday Morning-7/24/08 6:15 am

Today is our last day with Bev and I must say how much I am going to miss her. With each day, we have had the pleasure of spending time with her, listening to her stories, wrapping up her sentences with "Lord, have mercy." It is hard to imagine our time with her and our week in WV is nearly over. While her new roof has made some progress this week, we will not finish it unfortunately. The bigger burden I feel for her, however, is leaving her today without confirmation she knows Christ as her personal Savior. I pray for the opportunity to share with her today. It is so very important.

Eric Kitchen and my Man making great strides with the roof

From a task standpoint we worked as hard as we could yesterday, but the rain got in the way. I was in the house with Bev when the rain came rushing down, and we frantically gathered pots, pans, and buckets to capture the water that was leaking into her bedroom from holes in the roof. As we laid newspapers down for absorption, I wanted that new roof for her more than ever, I told her how badly I felt about the water coming through. She said, "Honey, you don't worry about that....this happens time and time again." I couldn't imagine dealing with this every time it rained. I would panic each time I'd see the clouds rolling in.

Mustard Seeds Intern Ryan and Team Mate Melissa Foley get a little afternoon R&R. This photo was staged. Very rarely did they ever rest.

We went back into "civilization" last night and ate dinner together as a team at the Texas Roadhouse about 45 minutes from Northfork. I used my cell phone again, I put on "normal" clothes again, and I applied makeup to my face again. As I looking in the mirror, I felt I was recognizing a person I knew before WV, and I wondered if I wanted her back in my life again.


Team Mate Chris Snyder and the teens hanging out together at the Roadhouse. These guys worked incredibly hard this week and I was so proud of them!

Team Mate Rachel and the Hesterwoman waiting eagerly for our steaks

Team Mates Lauren and Eric Kitchen look a little scared with Cheryl Hilliard's knife and fork exposed. She's ready to eat!

WV Trip Day 3- Snags and Challenges

WV Trip-Wednesday morning-7/23/08 6am

Team mate Lauren and Mustard Seed's Intern Ryan make many trips up and down the ladder. Steady progress is key at finishing Bev's roof.

We ran into some major snags (no pun intended-Team Blowout!) yesterday with the roof. Many of the boards underneath are rotted through and it makes it tricky to know where to step now that most of the layers have been pulled away. The rotted boards set our team back and replacing them becomes a challenge. My level of expertise surrounding roofs is becoming evident and how I can help my team is limited. At times, the burden of the roof falls solely to Gregg and Eric due to the complexity of the task and I feel badly about that.

Our connection with Bev is solidifying some. She is feeling more comfortable around us. My desire to meet her needs is also changing as I begin to develop a love for her soul. She is becoming more than just a random person to me...more than an "assignment." With every shingle I pull off, I think of how wonderful it will be for her to have the peace of mind of a new roof. My only question is does she have the peace of mind of her Savior?

Spending time with Bev

In terms of energy, I am still very tired and feel much anxiety when I don't sleep well. I know the amount of energy that will be required of me the next day... and in the middle of the night, I am concerned about not having it....letting my team down...appearing lazy. I also hope my interactions with people don't become short because of my need for sleep. I don't want to offend anybody with a crabby spirit.

Eyes are starting to look like my husband's. They say the longer you are married, the more you look alike.

I have had the blessed opportunity to visit with some neighbors near the "Big House" we are all staying in. The allure of the cats pulls me to Judy's porch. She is a full of personality 60 yr. old who has lived much of her life here in Northfork. She could be labeled as the resident historian as she revealed fact after fact about the decline of the area. I appreciated her transparency with the information she shared. As we volleyed back and forth between question and answer, I imagined myself as a "60Minutes" reporter doing a much needed story on the "ifs and the whys" of this rundown town. Judy is quick-witted and many times I marvelled at the amount of history and reason she had within her. With cats running in between and through her gait, she ran inside her home for a moment and brought out a black binder full of historical pictures of the area. As I turned page after page, I saw proof that this town used to "be something" and my heart ached for what it had become. With the current median age in Northfork being 50 yrs. old, Judy shared that their population of children was extremely small. She feared what would happen to Northfork in the future, with the strong potential of it dying with its people. As she talks on, I look out at the beautiful mountain ranges that can be seen so ideally from her porch. I grieve for this town that has placed its building blocks on one form of income....the coal mines, and I wonder how many other American towns could be wiped out if they only survived on one industry.

Storm rolls in as I talk with Judy. The rain unfortunately ends our conversation.

Saturday, July 26, 2008

WV Trip Day 2- "Team Blowout" is born

WV Trip- Tuesday morning- 7/22/08 5:50 am

Exhaustion is already setting in which concerns me some. I have never worked as hard as I did yesterday in my life, and of course, I feel guilty about that when it is all said and done. My body aches from pulling muscles I didn't know I had, but I think of Jesus' sacrificial heart and try to focus on His ability to love deeply without reciprocation.

Getting ready to start our new adventure. Notice how clean we are at this point. Gregg helps by lacing up the boots. I did this myself from then on. :)

Yesterday, we had the pleasure of meeting our family/person we would be serving for the week. We drove just a little ways from our Mustard Seeds House, through the back hills of WV. After a steep embankment and sharp turns, we arrived at Beverly Reid's house, otherwise known as "Bev." Bev is a 72 yrs. old short African American woman in a small 3 bedroom home with a beautiful mountain view. The problem is her roof leaks terribly when it rains and we are coming to give her a new one. Unbeknowst to the group, Bev's roof has 6 layers of roofing on it and some of the boards beneath it have rotted through. Before assessing our task for the day, we have the pleasure of meeting Bev ourselves and she welcomes us right in. We walk through the breezeway which includes her washer and dryer and a few plants. The floor unexpectedly slants as we pass through her kitchen into her living room where we gather for our first initial conversation with her. She carried the conversation well, though I sense some nervousness with us being there. This is perfectly understandable and I think I would feel exactly the same way. We listen to her describe her life a little...Grandmother of 2 boys (talks about them first, pictures of her family everywhere in the LR), mother of 3 (daughter and twin boys), widow of James Reid who died three years ago of lung cancer and black lung (from working in the coal mines). Her grandson lives with her at times and one seems to be sleeping in the back room when we get there. As the rest of the team goes out of the house to get things started, team member Lauren and I stay back to visit with Bev a little longer. This conversation of 2 on 1 is much more relaxed than the first, and I can't help but travel back in time as I listen to Bev reminisce. I am marked by the depth of how little she has...how little she always has had, yet she doesn't seem to lack a thing. God provides always....and of course I reflect on the provision that Gregg and I have and feel unworthy.

The manual labor begins on the roof and I am initially lost as to how I can contribute. I would much rather go back in and talk with Bev, but my team needs me to step up to the plate and go outside my comfort zone. I go up the rungs of the ladder with fear and trepidation as I have never walked upon a roof before. I dispell any fear of heights I might have by literally crawling on my hands and knees in some spots, just to get my bearings. Labor has already begun on removing the shingles off the roof and it feels like peeling skin from a bad sunburn...layer after layer. Melissa Foley, a team member, works with diligence and determination and I wish I could be "tough" like her. She is so confident in what she is doing, and I am afraid of falling off the roof. I wonder why my gift set seems so limited as if I just have the ability to only connect with people....not roofing shingles.

The humor of the afternoon sets in when a team mate of mine discreetly informs me that I have torn a large hole in my jeans in the seat, and discovers it while I am going down the ladder. I never felt the breeze once. (Mom always said to wear clean panties.) This provides hours upon hours of laughter for my team as I walk around with blue duct tape on my biscuits. I am comforted by the fact that my husband is there to apply my first round of tape (there will be more holes by the end of the day) and I make a mental note to add this to my arsenal of embarrassing stories that happen to me and only me.

No explanation required here. Dirty and Duck taped.

As the hours continue, we painstakingly peel and peel some more. At the end of the day, we have accomplished about 1/2 of the roof....one side. I have never been so dirty and smelly...but I feel like I have accomplished something great....for me and for God.

Note number of layers of roofing

**After this day, our team was hearby officially named "Team Blowout." I am not sure why....

Friday, July 25, 2008

WV Trip Day 1-The Great Adventure

West Virginia Trip- Monday Morning 7/21/08 5:10 am

I am awake before anyone in my group which is not surprising. I have slept pretty well, all things considered. I have seen so much already....although my preconceived visions have not matched Northfork's reality. It is difficult to put the town's landscape into words. We have been told it was one of the richest communities of WV at one time, but it is hard to recognize even a glimpse of its former affluence. It almost seems like a tourist council's ploy to get you to come check it out yourself. We have been told not to take pictures but I can't help myself. I am such a visual person. I am afraid I won't remember exactly what my eyes have seen.

Mustard Seeds and Mountains House we are staying in

I have already had two interesting conversations with the townspeople. Within an hour of arriving here, I meet Mark, a 25-30 year old male who was smoking a cigarette and looking for $10 to put in his gas tank. He has lived here all his life despite a few trips to North Carolina. He is thinking about going back to work in the coal mines and prefers the night shift. He isn't much for small talk, even with all the information he had just shared. He cuts to the chase asking again for the money. Of course, Gregg and I have no cash on us and our conversation ends with him because of that.

View from our porch of Northfork, WV All but one house is abandoned here

As the evening progresses, I feel the need to walk around the town a little more. Gregg is not interested in doing this as he is having fun visiting with our team on the front porch of the "Big House." I connect with a few team members as they are headed for a walk and ask if I can join them. As we walk up the hill of the street, I am both perplexed and frightened by the condition of the homes. There are a few people sitting on their porches, and I greet them very warmly as I walk by. I am aching for an opportunity to go beyond "hello," but I don't know how open the townspeople are to my presence. Do they know I am here "on a mission?" Is it obvious I am not from around here?

Abandoned buildings and shops in Downtown Northfork

One of the most comforting things to me thus far is the presence of all the cats I see. How I want to grab one and cuddle with it, but I am cautious about what it might be carrying. Walking past house after house, I see very little evidence of past wealth. Because of my constant fear of the unknown and the unfamiliar, I am comforted by the company of the guys I am walking with. As we venture further up the hill, I see a precious little boy playing with a soccer ball near the street. My mother heart strings pull tightly as I am already missing my girls terribly after just 2 days. He is an African-American boy with loosely curled black hair. An older man is sitting nearby on the front porch. His countenance seems friendly after I test it with a warm smile and hello. He tells me about the little boy, Devon, who is two years old and the last of his 11 grandchildren (the oldest being 44). He is raising the boy while his mother has been in Las Vegas since the boy was 5 months old. She has come home once or twice to see Devon, but he is unclear as to who his mother is. He plays with the guys and kicks the ball to them as I continue on with my conversation. Mr. Karmak shares that he hasn't lived in Northfolk forever. He has seen colorful parts of our country. He grew up in Cleveland and spent many years in Los Angeles, pursuing a music career. Because of my gift of useless trivia, I connect with Mr. Karmak as he rattles off different names of the 50's and 60's....Sam Cooke, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Sammy Davis Jr. I know my time with him is limited and I am concerned about my team mates getting bored with my chattering. Just before we say goodbye, I witness Mr. Karmak's neighbor, a white man in his 30's, approach him with some cucumbers in his hands. He says it will be helpful for Mr. Karmak's arthritis. I take note of the relationship these men have with one another and rejoice that prejudism isn't as prevalent as one might think.....at least the people of Northfork have conquered it.**

More abandoned buildings from our porch view

We get back to the "Big House," where I receive some innocent ribbing of my conversation skills. It is the only true skill I bring with me and it comforts me to have already used it. Team Member Eric Kitchen tells me I am going to love it here. I wonder at this early morning hour sitting by a window, writing by porch light, what conversations God will allow me to have as we anticipate meeting the family we will be serving today.

**Later we learn that Mr. Karmak's house is on the list for assistance through Mustard Seeds and Mountains. Unfortunately, the other church "missioning" here gets that assignment.

The View from West Virginia

Announcement: This blog has been silent for the last week due to time spent in West Virginia. We may resume our regular scheduled programing promptly...or due to exhaustion, we might not. In the meantime, please stay with us for the following announcement from the Hestermomma:

I hesitate to put into words my first mission trip ever, because honestly, I know it won't be that interesting to many of you. And I don't fault you for that at all. I have seen friends come back from mission trips before, anxious to share their experiences with the people around them, only to meet eyes glazed over from boredom. I don't want to put you through that. But I am amazed at the things that I saw, the people that I met, and the burden to make this trip more than just an event in my life. Please bear with me as I paint a picture of my experience with mere words. I have tried to be completely honest in my writings, to give you the entire package....not just the labor that we endured, but the changes in the heart as well. My reason for doing this is to encourage those of you that might have fears about mission trips like I did. Read if you like....skip around if you must....or avoid it all together. But, may God spark something in us all, through this experience.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

To Idaho we go


It's funny how things work out sometimes. My friend Brenda and I had hoped to get together this summer, once a week, to go through a Bible Study or read a book. Wouldn't you know it.. it is now nearing the end of July and we haven't been able to get together once for a study...let alone have enough time just to hang out with one another. But that was before our mutual friend Brandilyn Collins came into the picture. You see, Ms. Collins had invited both of us to the town of Kanner Lake, Idaho, about two weeks ago and we have been hanging out with her ever since. Kanner Lake has been through a lot the last few months....murder...missing people, etc. It has been fun to get to know her townspeople, drink some coffee with them at the town coffee shop "Java Joint," witness relationships budding....but our hearts ache for what they have endured as a community. It's been really rough.

Sadly, we probably only have a few more days left in Idaho. You see, we have been racing through Brandilyn's books the last two weeks and are nearing completion of Book #4, the final book in the Kanner Lake series. I think we will go through serious Idaho withdrawal after it is all said and done. It has been SO FUN to read these books with Brenda.....emailing back and forth as we complete the book. There's only one problem. Every since finishing Book #1 in record speed, she has been trouncing me in the rapid reader department....I cannot keep up. And you know how competitive I can be. It's pretty scary when that nature comes out in reading as well. Brenda has already started Book #4 and I haven't cracked the cover. But that only means she will have to leave Idaho before I do. I will get to hang out with our best bud Brandilyn just a little bit longer. She always liked me better anyway. :)

**My friends Kim and Sara happen to be in Kanner Lake right now as well. But they haven't been part of this neck and neck reading race of mine.(Come to think of it, neither has Brenda. She has no idea I have been trying to race her. Or does she?) Kim and Sara are enjoying a nice leisurely stroll through the town. At least I think they are strolling. Maybe they will beat me through Book #4 as well. I cannot allow defeat!

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

At the Corner of Critical St. and Ridicule Rd.


I don't mean to keep bringing this "Whispers of Hope"/Beth Moore thing up, but I am continually amazed at how the scripture I am reading a particular day speaks to a current situation I am facing. I know this is how God works, and it gets me so spiritually charged. Today, I was reading in a book of the Bible I rarely get in to...Nehemiah. It's unfortunate that some of the lesser known books don't get much "face time" (i.e. Joel, Hosea, Amos, 1st and 2nd Hesitations :) ).

I must share with you some of the things I learned today. I do this because I can just about bet (although "Lord, I wasn't born a gambling-man"...think Allman Bros.)that some of you may be battling with this very thing right now. And I KNOW the depth of the battle. I am excited about these freeing facts and I want you to be freed too:

Here is a sampling of Nehemiah 4:1-6. Keep in mind the whole "joy" of criticism as you read:

1 -2When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall he exploded in anger, vilifying the Jews. In the company of his Samaritan cronies and military he let loose: "What are these miserable Jews doing? Do they think they can get everything back to normal overnight? Make building stones out of make-believe?"

3 At his side, Tobiah the Ammonite jumped in and said, "That's right! What do they think they're building? Why, if a fox climbed that wall, it would fall to pieces under his weight."

4 -5 Nehemiah prayed, "Oh listen to us, dear God. We're so despised: Boomerang their ridicule on their heads; have their enemies cart them off as war trophies to a land of no return; don't forgive their iniquity, don't wipe away their sin—they've insulted the builders!"

6 We kept at it, repairing and rebuilding the wall. The whole wall was soon joined together and halfway to its intended height because the people had a heart for the work.
**I took this from the Message because I sometimes "dig" the lingo.

If you are having trouble receiving criticism in your life or maybe you have a monumental task set before you, where you are receiving much negative feedback, consider this:

The Enemy will do virtually anything to steal our focus as we serve Christ.

In his attempts, the enemy often sends criticism, and he never lacks a willing vessel.

At the first sign of success in Nehemiah, the criticism came in the form of ridicule.
The enemy preyed on their hidden fears that the tasks might be too much for them.

If we successfully accomplish our God-given tasks, we must learn to deal with criticism.

Nehemiah didn't direct his statements to his critics. He shared his feelings with God. He poured out his heart until he felt better.

The enemy's attempt to steal our focus is actually an attempt to remove our heart from our God-given tasks. If we're focused on criticism and the subsequent feelings of bitterness and inferiority, our hearts will give up the task.

Is all criticism from Satan? No. How can we know whether a criticism is from the enemy? Satan is the father of lies. His criticism will be untrue. If the criticism fits, DON'T QUIT! Just readjust. You may be laying out the right bricks, but at the wrong angle.



Today, I asked God's forgiveness for the MANY things I have given up too soon, because I was criticized. Are you about to give up on something because of something that has been said or done? Check where the source of the criticism is coming from. You may be surprised in how often the enemy uses this war tactic in our lives. I know my eyes have been opened.....critically speaking.


**If you are looking for a prayer journal/devotional to challenge your walk with God, and to give you some spiritual "meat" to your mornings, I would highly recommend this book. I did this very same one about 8 years ago, and I am getting completely different "stuff" out of it this time. Don't you just love that about God?

Sunday, July 13, 2008

A Hesterbrain Sampling

I wanted to write my usual dissertation today, but my brain is too full of random reflections. Here are a few things that have been bouncing around in the Hesterbrain today. This sampling will just reinforce some of the speculations you have had of me so far....like "Man, I thought she was weird, but I wasn't sure if it was just me. Now I know.":

I love the blue mini-carts at Meijer.
Wondering how I could use them more often...maybe shop more/buy less. I dream of only being at Meijer for just a 1/2 hour instead of the usual 2-3 hour shopping spree.


Why would Esau give his birthright away for a simple bowl of stew? Seems a little hasty to me. Wondering if I would do the same if I was that hungry. Nah...first borns are usually territorial with their stuff....even their birthrights. Wondering what in the world Esau was thinking.


My friends sold their house in two weeks time. Amazing! I am so excited for them. Wondering where God might have them live now...


My daughter's safety while mowing the lawn. Gregg says she is old enough to use the rider....I am not so sure. Wondering if I should play the "worried mother" card, or save it for another day....because YOU KNOW there will be one.


The death of Tony Snow. Seemed like a great guy. My favorite White House Press Secretary by far. I admired his character and his strength during his battle with cancer. My heart goes out to his family. Wondering how they are doing at this very moment.


Getting ready for the West Virginia Mission Trip. Work boots are required. How does a woman who only wears strappy shoes in the summer fare with work boots? Wondering if this pair of feet will even know how to walk in them. Better learn quickly!


The quirky nature of my second born. Walking into her bedroom takes your breath away, and not for a good reason. Dresser drawers open with clothes hanging out, used kleenex on the floor, two recently lost baby teeth on the nightstand (where is the tooth fairy when you need her), half-read book lying on the bed, and a chewed up coffee stirrer next to the lamp. This is NOT the environment I have modeled for her through the rest of our house. Wondering if this is a battle worth fighting.


Three-fourths of the way through Coral Moon...the second in the Kanner Lake Series by Brandilyn Collins. Wondering how in the world this thing is going to end and if my friend Brenda is going to finish reading it before I do. Must finish first!



What is it about my personality that makes me the dunking target amongst teenagers on a canoe trip? Wondering why I didn't have the strength to dunk them first.


The DVR is such a wonderful tool for tired TV watchers. What control you can have when it comes to only watching "what you want to...when you want to." No more sitting through commercials either. Wondering if I will ever get to watch half of what I have programmed. Wings...WKRP in Cincinnati...Family Ties..."someday we'll be together" (sung like Diana Ross)


Well, there you have it....Tomorrow, we will go back to our originally scheduled programming. Until then, this is the Hesterwoman saying, "Good night and have a pleasant tomorrow."

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Would you like "Grouchy" or non?


Are you familiar with the stereotype of a "woman over 40?" For years, I have used this term to describe any woman who was grouchy, short in response, smileless, crabby, never satisfied, an all around general complainer... and someone who just happened to be over the age of 40. My first experience with this age phenomonon was during my stint as a waitress in college. (I think everyone should wait tables once in their life. Incredible learning experience!) Every time I would "get a new table," I would scan the environment before I approached the table. If it was a table with women in their 30s, I was still in the clear. They would generally be friendly....engage in conversation with me...even polite. But if the table happened to be full of women over 40(cue JAWS theme please), I would gulp and do my best to win them over. They were just so hard to please and downright demeaning at times. 40 seemed sooooo far away then. I never considered how my own stereotype might come to haunt me.

This really isn't an age issue with me as much as it is a heart issue. I do not want to become my own stereotype. What poetic injustice that would be??!!! However,recently I find myself with very weak muscles of "verbal restraint" ....and the look and the sound of it, isn't pretty. It is becoming a pattern and it is catchy. It is so contagious, there are times I can get my husband to do it along with me....and he just doesn't even know he's doing it. (Sorry honey, I can be so "Eve-like" sometimes. I hate that about myself.) It must stop. But I have become so flabby...so out of shape...it is going to take some intentionality to tone these babies...because these muscles have withered to nothing. People attempt to fight aging all the time... with workouts, botox, and red convertibles. But how often are we really intentional at fighting the age of our disposition, and all the "yuck" that goes along with it?

So...now hear this. I am so serious about not allowing myself to become a "woman over 40" and am offering you this "money back guarantee." IF you hear me complaining about something or someone, CALL ME ON IT! For crying out loud, save me from myself!!!! Allow God to use YOUR still sane mind and firm "verbal restraint" muscles, and beat me up if you need to. PLEASE....I am begging you...don't let me become whom I served at those restaurant tables so many years ago. Or...if you feel the battle is just too great, I can change my stereotype to a "woman over 50." That will buy me 10 more years. But that will be just 10 more years of becoming even more proficient at my complaining craft. Save me please...girgle, gurgle, gargle...I might be drowning.

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Book Nook


As stated many times before, you know that I have "book issues." I don't even want to get help for it. I am comfortable in my psychosis. When I find a good author, I get so excited....as if I have discovered gold, or a cure for adult acne. So for those of you who are looking for a great book to devour this summer while you are on vacation, I have an excellent suggestion for you. Try Brandilyn Collin's Violet Dawn. This is a page turner...the kind of book you want to read and do nothing else. The kind of book that allows the laundry to remain undone, the cat to remain unfed, and your family reintroducing themselves when you finally close the back cover. I am looking for ways to sneak away from my responsibilities just to see how this thing ends. It is so suspenseful, and surprisingly, it is written by a Christian author. What I am most thrilled about is that Violet Dawn is Book 1 in the Kanner Lake Series. That means there are 3 more books awaiting me when I finish this one!! Oh glorious day!!!!!

Friday, July 4, 2008

Kiss and Tell

Have you ever followed the trail to one of your thought destinations? This morning, I was thinking about the 4th of July,

which led me to thinking about Uncle Sam,

which led me to the slogan of "I WANT YOU,"

which led me to serving our country,

which led me to WW2,

which reminded me of my favorite picture capturing a glorious moment in our history, V-J Day.

I have always liked this picture. Being a former "Navy Wife," it tugged at my romantic heart strings.

Strange how the mind works, isn't it? Or maybe it is just how my mind works.

Surely you are familiar with this picture:




But what you may not know is the story behind it:

In the crowd that day, Aug. 15, 1945, was a photographer for Life magazine. Alfred Eisenstaedt, one of the pioneers of the candid photo, was looking for the perfect shot to reflect the euphoria of the moment.

“I saw a sailor grabbing every woman in sight,” he recalled. “So I ran ahead of him. He was in dark blue, so I waited until he grabbed someone in white.”

The photo that appeared in Life – the nurse in a white uniform being dipped and kissed by the sailor – is the most reproduced picture in the history of the magazine. Only decades later did Shain write to Life and say she believed she was the nurse in the photo.

Shain, 87, a retired Los Angeles school district teacher, is certain she’s the nurse in the photo, and she wrote to the magazine in 1980 to stake her claim. And at least in the mind of the photographer, Shain was the one, and he said so when they met years later.

“I wouldn’t say it’s changed my life so much as enriched it,” she said while sitting in the living room of her small but comfortable home off Olympic Boulevard in West Los Angeles.

She has three children and has gone through three marriages during her lifetime, most of which was spent teaching in Los Angeles public schools.


There have been charges that the photo was posed and that it didn’t happen on V-J Day, but few dispute that this was one of those great moments in the history of photography.

Shain was a 27-year-old native New Yorker, still married to her first husband but separated and working as a nurse at Doctors Hospital in Manhattan.


“You can imagine how people felt. They were just elated,” she said. “Someone grabbed me and kissed me, and I let him because he fought for his country. I closed my eyes when I kissed him. I never saw him.”


After she kissed the sailor, Shain turned away, only to be met by an Army man who wanted a smooch as well. She and the friend who’d gone with her decided to leave Times Square before things got out of hand. She never even mentioned the picture to her parents.

A few years later, Shain moved to Los Angeles, intent on continuing her nursing career. But she switched to teaching, the profession she followed until her retirement in 1985.

As the years went on, she kept seeing pictures of The Kiss and finally decided that she wanted a copy. She wrote to Life and said she was the nurse in the picture. Eisenstaedt, then in his 80s but still a working photographer, flew to Los Angeles to see if she was the real person.

“Now that I was of a certain age, I wasn’t embarrassed about it any more,” she said. “He looked at my legs and said I was the one.”


The identity of the sailor has never been positively established, though not for lack of trying. In 1980, Life ran an article in which it listed 10 men who claimed to be the sailor.

They included a refrigeration mechanic at Harvard University and a New Jersey history teacher.


And there is one other tidbit to the story you might not be aware of. One massive tidbit.



This statue, named “Unconditional Surrender,” is a 25-foot, 6,000 pound structure by world-renowned artist J. Seward Johnson commemorating the famous World War II photo. It is currently located in San Diego, but has also been on display in NYC, and Sarasota, Florida. Gives me the creeps a little. Not sure why. But I think I would rather look at the picture.


Happy 4th of July!!!!

**Information above taken from an LA Times Article and an article at navy.mil.

Thursday, July 3, 2008

Bobbing back and forth


I love the trivial conversations I have with my sister. They aren't all trivial.... but with my sister, it is ok for me to have minutes, sometimes hours of "talk" with her where we don't solve the world's problems, and we don't debate whether I am "pre-trib" or "post-trib." Some of it is just light-hearted nothing, and I really appreciate that. For instance, I usually talk with her before I get my haircut....as if to get "clearance" from her before I do it. I wait for a haircut until I can't take it any longer, and sometimes my roots can be seen just tickling the tops of my ears. (Maybe not that bad, but who doesn't enjoy a little exaggeration.) You see, my sister is younger than me, (I know, it's hard to believe....I look so young), and I value what she has to say. She is hipper...trendier than myself. I have been counting on this service from her for years....since the first time she taught me to tease my bangs and shellac them with hairspray. And she doesn't charge me a cent for her guidance. (Although when she reads this, she might.)

I just saw my sister last week, which is always treasured time for me. We were driving around looking for garage sales (it is a huge mutual interest of ours), when I told her how much I needed a haircut (as if she hadn't noticed). I mentioned how I was considering getting one of those "bob" cuts. You know, the ones that look so cute on everyone that has them. And that is the problem. Everyone has them. So, my sister gave me strict instructions not to get one. "You can't get something that so many women already have." So, I tried to heed her warning. I knew she meant business.

Fast forward to yesterday, I am sitting impatiently waiting for my hair transformation, when my beloved hairdresser, beautician, coiffeuse, and wonderful friseur comes out to greet me. She apparently had just had a recent transformation herself.... TO THE BOB!!! And it looked adorable on her. Frantic thoughts ran through my head. "Will she try to convince me to get it too?" "What will she think of me when I tell her that my sister (a second born who should not be telling me how to do anything) told me I couldn't do it?" "Will she take it personally and think I don't like the haircut on her?" "Out of spite, will she cut my hair into a bob anyway, just to make a point?"

As she weaved me back to her station, she "cut" right to the chase. "What were you thinking for your hair today? Want something different? Need a change?" Gulping deeply, I said, "I am tired of my hair. You know I always am by the time I get in here to see you." She sighed, "Yes...I know how long you stretch the time between your haircuts. But never fear, I have a great idea....let's try this."


Sorry....must end here. Gotta be a mom again. Toodles!

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Multiplying like Rabbits

Yesterday, I received an unexpected call from Jackie, the "Friends for Life" lady who graciously took Emma from us a few weeks ago. The minute our conversation started, my heart began to beat rapidly. I couldn't understand why she would be calling me. I was afraid she would want us to take the rabbit back. Maybe Emma had already worn out her welcome. Maybe Emma was really a male and couldn't be mixed with Jackie's other rabbit. But the real reason Jackie called was to inform me that Emma is now a mother!!!!! She gave birth to 3 bunnies this week. SHOCKING!! No wonder she was gobbling up the carrots and the lettuce while she was here!!

My girls are so cute. When told about Emma and her bunnies, Hopie said to Faith, "Emma must have met her husband in the cemetery. Now she can't even see him anymore." Digesting that deeply, Faith's only response was a slow sounding, "Yeah."

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

F-A-I-T-H


I utter the word many times a day without even thinking about it. Sometimes I even yell it. Having a daughter with the name of "Faith" should make me an expert at "being sure of what I hope for and certain of what I do not see." But I am not an expert....I don't remotely have it mastered. I struggle with it more now, than I ever did. And let me be sure to clarify. It is not the belief in God that I struggle with. I believe with all my being in my God....my Father...my Provider...my Adonai. But what I am coming to realize through spending some time in Hebrews 11, through my "Whispers of Hope" devotional by Beth Moore (yes, still doing that...see February archives for more info), is the following revelation:

I am placing my "faith" in what God does, rather than who He is.

What does this mean? It is simply this: I base how I feel about God (or the intensity of my relationship with Him)on what I see, rather than on what I know about Him and who He is. I feel close to God when I am able to see things that He is doing, recognizing His hand in them. But when I think He should be acting upon something and I don't see it for myself, my "faith" takes a beating. I allow this to happen. My "faith" in the situation plummets...it plunges. I become cynical. I become removed...detached. I feel as if I am going through the motions of my walk with God. I become the poster child of "works without faith" as opposed to "faith without works." Which one is worse, I am honestly unsure of.

I have been particularly plagued by a certain situation for almost two years now, which fits this pattern of behavior in me to a "T." Before this situation occurred, I don't think I saw this "faith deprivation" so apparent...so real within me. But "they" say, "identifying the problem is half the battle." Now I will need God to fight the rest of the battle for me. Here is what I have found insightful so far.:

*If we place our faith in what God is doing, we should brace ourselves for a life-long roller coaster ride. Our faith will be high and mighty one day and free-falling the next.

*Our faith disintegrates because it is based on what God appears to be doing.

*Faith founded on God's apparent actions is not faith at all.

*Our faith must rest on God's identity, not His activity.

*Victorious faith walks evolve from seeking Him.

*When you don't know what God is doing, you can find stability in Who He is.

Maybe you aren't able to identify with any of the above. If not, I am sincerely happy for you...and if we are being completely authentic, I am also jealous of you. (But we can save that sin for another day.) As much as I pray for deliverance of my many fears, I also long to be freed from this sticky web as well. I am grateful to God for bringing it to my attention. I am grateful of the ability to see it within myself, and to fight against it. For all He was, He is, and is to come, He deserves the very most of that from me. And the next time I say my daughter's name, it will have a new significance within me. "Faith, clean your room." Faith, did you brush your teeth?" "Faith, can you set the table?" "Faith, come cuddle with me." "Faith, I love you."