Life is grand.
My birthday this year is going to be absolutely perfect.
I am not one to make a big hoopla about these yearly occasions, but I decided my quarter-century-mark was worth celebrating. We'll have a relaxed Saturday luncheon with my friends and father and then......*drum roll*.....My mother is coming to Fall River!
Secretly hoping she'll read this entry, I have to make a public broadcast:
YOU MADE MY YEAR, MA!
I'm pretty thrilled that she's finally going to check out my digs and enjoy the mill-town scenery.
Huzzah.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Friday, March 14, 2008
it's been a while
...But I haven't forgotten you.
I've been on a war path lately. That takes time, y'know.
So, I've been in the process of cleaning up shop - Within and without.
I work at our church a couple of times a week and yesterday was one of my shifts. Typically, my dear friend, Lorraine, drops me off one hour prior to the time I have to check in. The greater portion of this hour has been devoted to sitting in the quiet sanctuary with my Bible and a journal. Sometimes I just pace the entire place over and over in a slow circle and sing gently. Other times I sit at the piano and strike out small worship songs. But one thing does remain - I pray.
My heart has been full lately. Every person on the planet has a purpose for which they have been ear-marked. The question is whether or not they come to the ripeness of their existence having fulfilled it. My husband and I moved here to Massachusetts because we were impressed to start a church in the seedless soil of Cape Cod. Our move was 1.5 years ago. We are still worshiping and serving in Tiverton, RI, under our Pastor. We really thought that work would have been started by now.
Enter God.
One of the gentlemen in our church approached us recently and had great words of wisdom.
"Where are you right now?"
Wow. Simple question, huh? Maybe not. Profound, really. In fact, it is the key to everything.
We are here. And when we are there, then we will...quite simply...be there. Opportunities are often missed when we sit dreaming of the mystical, magical, "THERE." So I've decided to learn, love, seek, encourage, and just -do- all that God presents while here.
I glanced out of the window the other day and realized that I did not know the names of the people that live in the home directly across the street from me. So I sat in our office and filled out a greeting card inviting them to our home for dinner and/or coffee. It felt good to initiate. We'll see what becomes of it.
Then something unusual happened.
I picked another card and matching envelope off of the pile and scribbled out a message to a couple I had not spoken to in nearly four years.
Then I jumped online and searched for the names of friends and family I hadn't seen or heard from since childhood. Emails fired off, envelopes stuffed and stamps applied.
The bottom line of it all was, once again, simple - "Are you there? Because I am here."
It might seem silly to some to reach out to people that time and circumstance took away. Not to me. I do not have much family left and the friends of yesteryear have no idea where the path has taken me. So what am I waiting for?
In the last few months my mother gave me a call to let me know that my childhood babysitter/family friend had passed away quietly at home. I was reminded of the many Christmases I spent in her living room hanging delicate, gold ornaments off of green branches. But things changed along the way and our families grew apart. And now the void between us is permanent. So I glance at a card in that pile and realize that it cannot be sent to her attention any longer. She is now there. And I am just here.
I kicked myself. How many people have I allowed to slip through the cracks because of perceived offenses, petty disagreements and the passage of time?
In prayer, the bigger question arose: Why did I ever allow myself to feel justified?
I -am- on that war path. And I am battling myself. And I don't even much care what family or friends think about my attempting to re-establish connections.
I am tired of kicking dirt on the fresh graves of people I buried long ago.
I've been on a war path lately. That takes time, y'know.
So, I've been in the process of cleaning up shop - Within and without.
I work at our church a couple of times a week and yesterday was one of my shifts. Typically, my dear friend, Lorraine, drops me off one hour prior to the time I have to check in. The greater portion of this hour has been devoted to sitting in the quiet sanctuary with my Bible and a journal. Sometimes I just pace the entire place over and over in a slow circle and sing gently. Other times I sit at the piano and strike out small worship songs. But one thing does remain - I pray.
My heart has been full lately. Every person on the planet has a purpose for which they have been ear-marked. The question is whether or not they come to the ripeness of their existence having fulfilled it. My husband and I moved here to Massachusetts because we were impressed to start a church in the seedless soil of Cape Cod. Our move was 1.5 years ago. We are still worshiping and serving in Tiverton, RI, under our Pastor. We really thought that work would have been started by now.
Enter God.
One of the gentlemen in our church approached us recently and had great words of wisdom.
"Where are you right now?"
Wow. Simple question, huh? Maybe not. Profound, really. In fact, it is the key to everything.
We are here. And when we are there, then we will...quite simply...be there. Opportunities are often missed when we sit dreaming of the mystical, magical, "THERE." So I've decided to learn, love, seek, encourage, and just -do- all that God presents while here.
I glanced out of the window the other day and realized that I did not know the names of the people that live in the home directly across the street from me. So I sat in our office and filled out a greeting card inviting them to our home for dinner and/or coffee. It felt good to initiate. We'll see what becomes of it.
Then something unusual happened.
I picked another card and matching envelope off of the pile and scribbled out a message to a couple I had not spoken to in nearly four years.
Then I jumped online and searched for the names of friends and family I hadn't seen or heard from since childhood. Emails fired off, envelopes stuffed and stamps applied.
The bottom line of it all was, once again, simple - "Are you there? Because I am here."
It might seem silly to some to reach out to people that time and circumstance took away. Not to me. I do not have much family left and the friends of yesteryear have no idea where the path has taken me. So what am I waiting for?
In the last few months my mother gave me a call to let me know that my childhood babysitter/family friend had passed away quietly at home. I was reminded of the many Christmases I spent in her living room hanging delicate, gold ornaments off of green branches. But things changed along the way and our families grew apart. And now the void between us is permanent. So I glance at a card in that pile and realize that it cannot be sent to her attention any longer. She is now there. And I am just here.
I kicked myself. How many people have I allowed to slip through the cracks because of perceived offenses, petty disagreements and the passage of time?
In prayer, the bigger question arose: Why did I ever allow myself to feel justified?
I -am- on that war path. And I am battling myself. And I don't even much care what family or friends think about my attempting to re-establish connections.
I am tired of kicking dirt on the fresh graves of people I buried long ago.
Monday, February 11, 2008
my adorable buddy
Since I had a few minutes before heading out, I wanted to share a video of my English Bulldog attempting to eat a treat.
Would you believe that it took her 25 minutes to finally grab and bite into this bone?
Ciao!
don't you just adore random cash?
Woke up to a delightful call from Chris to say that we had some extra smackeroos in the bank. Happy, happy, joy, joy!
We're treating ourselves to a nice dinner tonight and I'll see if I can talk him into tuckering in on the couch for a movie. It feels good to be able to have enough elbow room to enjoy a date. Lately we have had to economize on our usual Thursday nights out, but we finally see a silver lining.
In other news, I should be starting my new job March 3rd. I'm breathing a sigh of relief. It is exactly what I wanted.
Throwing on my not-really-dancing shoes and scampering off!
Over and out.
We're treating ourselves to a nice dinner tonight and I'll see if I can talk him into tuckering in on the couch for a movie. It feels good to be able to have enough elbow room to enjoy a date. Lately we have had to economize on our usual Thursday nights out, but we finally see a silver lining.
In other news, I should be starting my new job March 3rd. I'm breathing a sigh of relief. It is exactly what I wanted.
Throwing on my not-really-dancing shoes and scampering off!
Over and out.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
two in one day? what was she thinking...
It is precisely 3:25 am. What is a Schlepper up to, you ask?
Making bread.
Literally.
I bought a package of Krusteaz Brand Italian Herb bread mix and have kneaded, smacked and packed it away. Now for it to plump up.
Honest to goodness, this is just plain silly. I should have been in bed long ago. My hubby, Chris, and I have church in the morning. Oy!
Suppose I can blame it on the Esh family. Yes, that's right. Pennsylvania Dutch Country's Esh family is the reason why I am going to fight the urge to snore through the sermon tomorrow. Ha! When we last took a trip to Lancaster, I picked up the Esh Family Cook Book. I -adore- Amish cuisine like you wouldn't believe. It inspired me. After whipping up a couple of the recipes, I am getting gutsy enough to buy pre-made bread mix. Woo. ;-)
I'll tell you one thing - Their Apple Crisp recipe is to die for.
Try this out:
8 large apples, peeled/cored/sliced small, placed in the bottom of a greased 9 x 13.
Mix 1 cup brown packed sugar with a teaspoon of cinnamon and sprinkle half over the sliced apples.
Mix 1 cup white sugar, 1 cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1 egg. Crumbly mixture is evenly spread over the apples and patted down lightly.
Sprinkle the remaining brown sugar mix over the batter.
Melt 1 stick of butter and evenly drizzle over the entire pan.
Bake for 45 minutes at 375 degrees!
(NOTE: Tastes -much- better cold.)
Enjoy your kitchen, friends. And don't forget not to rush around. Just schlep. It's a marathon, not a race.
Making bread.
Literally.
I bought a package of Krusteaz Brand Italian Herb bread mix and have kneaded, smacked and packed it away. Now for it to plump up.
Honest to goodness, this is just plain silly. I should have been in bed long ago. My hubby, Chris, and I have church in the morning. Oy!
Suppose I can blame it on the Esh family. Yes, that's right. Pennsylvania Dutch Country's Esh family is the reason why I am going to fight the urge to snore through the sermon tomorrow. Ha! When we last took a trip to Lancaster, I picked up the Esh Family Cook Book. I -adore- Amish cuisine like you wouldn't believe. It inspired me. After whipping up a couple of the recipes, I am getting gutsy enough to buy pre-made bread mix. Woo. ;-)
I'll tell you one thing - Their Apple Crisp recipe is to die for.
Try this out:
8 large apples, peeled/cored/sliced small, placed in the bottom of a greased 9 x 13.
Mix 1 cup brown packed sugar with a teaspoon of cinnamon and sprinkle half over the sliced apples.
Mix 1 cup white sugar, 1 cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1 egg. Crumbly mixture is evenly spread over the apples and patted down lightly.
Sprinkle the remaining brown sugar mix over the batter.
Melt 1 stick of butter and evenly drizzle over the entire pan.
Bake for 45 minutes at 375 degrees!
(NOTE: Tastes -much- better cold.)
Enjoy your kitchen, friends. And don't forget not to rush around. Just schlep. It's a marathon, not a race.
learning to let go
I can't help but wonder how many sets of eyes will spy out this particular blog. It is a fleck of dust in a sea of other online journals! But should your peepers take a gander, I hope they entertain themselves a while.
This one starts with, "Once upon a time..."
And with some blessings?
It'll end with one lil schlepper riding off into the sunset of, "Happily ever after."
This one starts with, "Once upon a time..."
And with some blessings?
It'll end with one lil schlepper riding off into the sunset of, "Happily ever after."
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