Category Archives: Uncategorized

Greg Got a Job and Other Little Updates

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Most of you know we moved to Wisconsin taking one step of faith after another … and another and another over the past year. Our house sold so quickly that we literally packed it up and drove north, with only a few details figured out, such as unpacking the U-haul in Jim & Debbie’s garage and Jerry & Melissa’s basement!

But the puzzle pieces are coming together!

Two weeks after arriving, as Greg continued to reach out and make connections, he signed on with Textron Aviation, located EXACTLY where I’ve been praying we’d land.

And, on another note, you all know I LOVED my palm trees and how they could withstand the strong winds that frequented our Florida summers. This Psalm I underlined at church on Sunday perfectly emphasizes God’s promises to this season.

The word flourish means “to grow, thrive, and prosper, especially as the result of a particularly favorable environment.” That’s our hope and encouragement as we now look towards settling into our own home later this summer or fall.

Recounting What God Did on Wednesday Nights!

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Last September, we weren’t sure how we could ever pull together another Awana year after 18 months off and the pandemic still going strong. We felt unsure and insufficient, starting out in masks and trying to social distance while also ministering one-on-one with the kids.

Because, as most of you know, that’s what Awana is – teaching God’s Word by personal interaction, and being an example of how to follow Jesus.

We began so very small in September, knowing that nothing of our previous “big Awana” would look the same. But week after week, Wednesday after Wednesday, God gave our Awana team purpose and strength.

And He did so much more than help us merely “pull it together”!

Last night we all celebrated…and Greg and I drove home tired and thankful, realizing God showed us once again how to trust and follow Him when the path at first seemed so unclear.

The picture shows it best. To God be the glory – and so many thanks to all who work alongside us each Wednesday night!

Life News About the Big Move (finally!)

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In case we haven’t had a chance to tell you our news…

We’re spending this spring wrapping up 32 incredible years in Florida and getting ready for our move back “home” to the Midwest!

Now, if you think this is because of our beautiful granddaughters, Alayna & Ruby, you are correct! And if you think it’s because of our daughters, Melissa & Jenna, you’re correct again. And yes, of course, our sons-in-law, Greg’s parents, our sisters & brothers, and a plethora of the best nieces & nephews ever!

When we came here in 1991, Melissa was almost four and Jenna just six weeks. Then we blinked, and here we are, reflecting on 32 years of memories …

Our girls grew up and married the best husbands imaginable! Along the way, we experienced the joys of my parents & sisters living down here and doing ministry as a family. Together, we saw our own children and our Awana kids learn to know, love, and serve God.

We won’t ever forget the year-round gardening, SO many backyard mangoes and avocados, Greg’s four fish tanks, and our unexpected tortoise-raising.

We are thankful for God’s graciousness during high-level hurricanes and my cancer (and praise God, my recovery!) … and the many, many friends that loved us and walked through life together with us.

For so many years, Melissa and Jenna have been not-so-subtly suggesting (and even shamelessly begging) for us to join them and all the family up North for good!

We have absolutely loved our life in Florida, and it was never time to seriously think about leaving, until this past year … and now it’s time! All our thanks to God who is doing immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine as we prepare to move!

Four Arms and Four Legs (lesson from a 6-year-old)

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Two days later, and I’m still mulling over the depth of this conversation with a very wise 6-year-old (my granddaughter). We had just spent the weekend with family in Chicago and were waiting to meet up with her parents for lunch.

Me: Alayna, I want to thank you again for being so helpful while my leg heals from surgery.

Her: Of course, Grandma. You know, IT DOES take 4 arms and 4 legs for someone to recover.

Me: Wait, what? What do you mean…?

Her: OK, well. First, there’s the 2 arms and 2 legs of the person who needs to get stronger…and then there’s the 2 arms and 2 legs of the person who is helping her do things. That makes 4 arms and 4 legs. That’s how a person recovers!

My thanks to Jerry & Melissa (her parents) for teaching her such compassion and love. Although Alayna says she just “thought up” the 4-hands-and-4-feet recovery idea, I know the role-modeling came from them.

Eavesdropping at the Coffee Shop

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I was hiding out in the far corner of my favorite place to get some work done when a group came in…got their coffee, and began a study in the book of Romans about all God has done for us.

The leader shared & explained God’s Word loudly and with passion…for over an hour.

At first I was irritated at the “disruption” to my quiet, but then I settled back to listen from my corner…and be inspired. I’ve heard the familiar words he spoke a thousand times, it seems. but this morning, in this setting, they spoke volumes to my soul.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.” – Romans 1:16

Resting, Healing, and Planting Zinnias

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One of the very first flowers I planted when the pandemic hit is still hanging on. Barely. The plant itself is leaning over and surrounded by weeds. Most of its lovely neighbors are long gone.

Sometimes I make big parallels to life from what I see in my garden. Today I have no corresponding lesson, except that I duly noted it’s time to plant my “winter” flowers, and it’s definitely time for a new season.

I begin this season, this month of gratitude, with thanksgiving to God. Last Thursday afternoon coming home from work, I was in a head-on collision with a young driver who came straight on into my lane. I find words completely insufficient to express my gratitude for God’s protection and care. Full-body scans showed no fractures from an accident that we cannot fathom didn’t bring about such injuries.

I’m thankful.

I’m thankful for the incredible kindness of a young African American man who stopped and stood by my car window in support until help arrived, and without reservation, called Greg while I stayed on the line with 911. I was blessed to experience such significant goodness in a world of unrest.

I’m thankful for the strong front-end on my SUV that shielded a great deal of the impact from me. I’m thankful for paramedics, a 75-degree morning, flower seedlings on the patio table, and my family.

Last, I’m thankful for some quiet days at home this week to rest, begin to heal, and reflect on what God has in store for all of us in this brand new season (hopefully Zinnia planting included).

Six things I’ve learned this spring…

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I’ve always loved the month of May, because, well, for starters my birthday falls in this month. When Greg and I sat down to choose a wedding date, I immediately wanted to get married in May. At the risk of being cheesy, I think the word *May* alone sounds so happy, so full of springtime, hope, the beginning of summer…

Add Mother’s Day to those celebrations, and it all adds up to a pretty good month for me.

In the past couple years, this month has also become a time of reflection for me. After I hit 50 and began realizing how  quickly the years go by, I didn’t want to miss out on those moments, those lessons, the growth God has for me.

So today, as I look forward to all three of my May celebrations coming up, I realize there are six things I’ve been learning this spring.

1. I’m so much like my mother it’s almost scary.
2. There’s good therapy in sitting still and watching a tortoise (or whatever creature God places within your vision).
3. You don’t have to feel well (or *normal*) to have a good day.
4. Short conversations with those you love trump waiting and waiting until you have time for a long one.
5. When I eat real, unprocessed food, I feel like a new person.
6. Pockets of time without my phone or social media are good for the soul. Notice I said “pockets” of time. Some of you are better about this than me, but I love staying connected, and social media is a big part of my work, so it’s easy to keep my phone in my back pocket or sitting next to me 24/7. I’m learning to walk away from it.

The Little Lost Student…and Sparrows

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I looked down the crowded hallway, smiling as I surveyed the lay of the land. The hubbub of morning activity was in full force: boys and girls opening lockers, taking folders from backpacks, and of course, the usual number of distracted students “playing” with their friends.

Amidst the commotion, one thing caught my eye, and in an instant, I headed towards a tiny blond girl. Only a few days into the new school year, it seemed she had either lost her way or become so overwhelmed that she couldn’t navigate through the pack of other students.

Tears had formed in her eyes, and her face had turned red. She stood paralyzed, except for her head which she quickly turned back and forth in search of her new teacher. She held her solid stance as other kids hurried around her.

But this girl’s teacher reached her before me. She touched the student’s arm, and, in turn, the child turned towards her. Relief flooded the little face, and tears quickly dried. She beamed, looking up at the teacher whom she had come to trust in only a few short days of school.

I couldn’t stop thinking about this all day! I’m sharing it because if you’re feeling like this first grade student right now, lost and alone in the hectic hallways of life, you can wipe your tears and look up, too. The God of the universe sees you, cares about you, and is ready to help you find your way.

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“What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.” – Matthew 10:29-31

A conversation about the beauty of Kale…and whether or not I ever really lived in Haiti…

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So there I was, standing in the grocery store express line with some chicken and produce. I mean, I figured that my husband shouldn’t have to fix EVERY. SINGLE. MEAL during my month-long run with the flu and bronchitis.

The cashier worked quickly through my groceries, but when she got to the kale, she stopped. “This is very good stuff,” she exclaimed, gazing upon its beauty.
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As I fished in my wallet for my debit card, I agreed with her by nodding. Oddly, though, when I looked up, she was still holding onto the kale.

“This is very good stuff,” she repeated, “especially when you cook it with meat…”

I laughed and confessed to my new cashier-friend that I really had no idea how to cook kale, and I only bought it for green juicing.

But oblivious to my passion for juicing, she continued. “Have you ever tried Haitian food? I think you’d like my kale.”

Wait, now we’re talking about Haitian food? A bit puzzled, but going with the flow, I told her, “I’ve eaten a lot of Haitian food, just not with kale.” She looked up and starting listing a myriad of other ingredients she adds to her evidently delicious kale recipe.

I was aware of the long line behind me and wanted to kick myself for adding to the conversation. I tried to end things there by holding up my debit card and shifting over to the payment machine, but the end of our chit-chat was nowhere in sight. The teenage boy waiting to bag my groceries chimed in, “YOU’VE eaten Haitian food?” He challenged me, as if this was an impossibility.  “YOU, really?”

Not sure why this seemed so odd, I laughed as I inserted my debit card. “Yes, I lived in Haiti for a couple of years.”

Oh, my. Now the line was never going to move. The kale forgotten, he looked me straight in the eyes, “No you didn’t.”

And then here’s how it went:

“Yes, I did.”

“You did not.”

“Yes, we lived in Port-au-Prince.”

“You did not.”

“Well, yes.” Now I was trying to keep the conversation friendly. “We lived there when my husband was a pilot…”

“You did not.”

He almost had me believing I had never lived there. He almost had me convinced I had never eaten a Haitian dish. And all this happening while the line grew longer behind us and my few groceries piled up waiting to be bagged.

Amused and bewildered, I tried again to hurry up the process, but stunned bagger-boy was grinning from ear to ear as he stuck out his hand to shake mine.

Well, okay, I thought, no problem. I’ll shake your hand…

He laughed. I smiled.

I think it was a truce of sorts, but I’m pretty sure neither he nor the kale-loving cashier believed a single word I had said.

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Not really sure what had just happened, I headed home to make some dinner…and some kale-enriched green juice.

 

 

Selfies, Parenting & Walking on Water

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Last Christmas, the only family picture we ended up with was a selfie with, as you can see, heads cut off, my grandbaby not looking, and my husband half hiding behind my hair. But the photo made me happy, and I wished my Facebook friends a Merry Christmas with it anyways! Sometimes the best photos are simply that candid look of unplanned moments—when someone reaches out their hand to take a picture and captures happiness.

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I once heard that it takes about 12 pictures to get a good one, so it’s still totally legitimate to take a couple dozen and keep the one that works! I do this all the time with photos of my garden, my family, and especially that little beauty on the bottom right of the photo above. I’m constantly deleting pictures on my phone to free up space for the next unexpected opportunity.

I used to be a “school parent.” I homeschooled my daughters Melissa and Jenna for several years and then enrolled them in a Christian school where I drove every school morning for eight years until they each graduated. For many of you reading this, that’s where you are today. You get it…how when we’re parenting kids, there are so many of those “save-able” moments, the ones we absolutely want to keep!

But then those other times. Those times when, looking back, we wish it were possible to hit a little button and permanently delete. I imagine you know exactly what I’m talking about. Yelling when we’re running late to school, exasperation when homework remains unfinished and it should be bedtime, impatience which really stems from our own lack of sleep rather than what our kids are doing. (And, Jenna says I can tell you about all our fights over the little rubber bands for her braces…but I almost don’t want to.)

I had PLENTY of those moments when my kids were growing up. (I still do.) So I’m thankful that although we might not get actual, complete “do-overs” in parenting, we definitely get re-starts—possibilities to begin again, to reach out a hand with another opportunity to know our kids better, love them, and be the best we can be for them.

It’s hard. Yes, it’s hard. I recently read a Facebook update about a parent facing unexpected pre-Christmas surgery for her daughter. I know more than one parent going through an illness of their own. Moms and dads wondering where to find the money for just a little Christmas shopping. Parents who are hurting deeply because their children are hurting.

To me, that was pretty much the worst.

I have these words hanging in my office: You call me out upon the waters. Maybe you know the song Oceans by Hillsong which tells the story from Matthew 14 of Peter being called by Jesus to get out of his boat and walk on the water towards Him.

Wow. What would you have done?

I wonder, would I step out of a boat and try to walk towards Jesus on top of deep water? What kind of faith does this take? Where does that courage come from? I’m still learning that it means looking only to Him to do what, humanly speaking, would not be possible. Peter did step out of the boat, but when he temporarily lost faith and started to sink, he desperately looked up to Jesus to rescue him.

I’ve been thinking this season that maybe God calls us to step out of the boat and into the water more often than we think—and the only stipulation for success is to keep our eyes on Him. Moms and dads, if you feel like you’re failing (sinking!) more than you’re succeeding, if you’re needing do-overs more than savoring picture-perfect moments, let me tell you that God’s grace abounds in the deepest waters!

Even if you’re familiar with this song, consider listening to it again with your role as a parent in mind. Let God speak to you about looking above the waves and finding Him in the mysteries and challenges of parenting—and of life. Then why not think about doing something fabulous with your kids this holiday season, completely unrelated to giving them a tangible gift? Something unexpected, where you listen, you laugh, you do what they want, eat what they want, but mostly where you’re all there and all in…for them.

You might not end up with all picture-perfect selfie moments with your family this Christmas, in fact there might be some you just want to throw away and forget. But step out in faith anyway. Keep your eyes above the waves. Walk on the water to Jesus—and then let your kids see your own real faith and love for Him.