the happy bubbe: May 2006

To aid in Contemplation

Stainless Steel Rose to aid in contemplation. God's Gifts are so Amazing!

The joy in the seeking

the happy bubbe The Joy in the seeking. I think that is what I am seeking, the joy. Mike and I had a "discussion" the other day which led me to looking at real estate "ANYWHERE" . You see, I am a Military wife and if the job is done, I want new orders or if we are blocked from doing the job, I want new orders. I really don't even care about the where; as long as we are doing what we are suppose to be doing, together. I really don't like circling the wilderness wondering when we get to enter into the promise. I love the promise; I have held tightly to the promise for so long that the word sabbatical seems a lie. You know how much you hate being put on hold when you call a tech. company for answers? That is how I feel! Now when they do finally give you the answer and the fix actually works, you are happy. Happy is something I am used to, it is totally experience based. I have great experiences. If the outcome is good the situation deems I be happy about it; if it is bad, so is my reaction. After all I am the HAPPY Bubbe! However Joy is suppose to be a constant under current in my life. No matter the situation, no matter the outcome the result is to be joy. The lessons learned in the wilderness are just as important as the lessons learned at Jericho. Any lesson learned is worth the journey, isn't it? What I have never liked is the wait. The wait is part of the journey, the when, where and how parts always excite me. The “who” we meet along the way always enriches me. But the wait? There I struggle. SO is the joy there? Always! There is Joy in the Lord, always. There is also anticipation, which in His hands is in the least molding my character. Mike is better at waiting for God than I am. I have always been better at scripting how I believe things should come about. He is (yes I am going to say it...) always right and I am always apologizing to him and to God. All this comes down to, if I am seeking the Joy, it is truly the Lord I am seeking. He promises if I seek Him I will be found by Him. Abandonment? Joy in abandonment? Is release and abandonment the same thing? Time to contemplate. Join me?

A Happy Birthday

the happy bubbe I hope to put some pictures here soon as it is my dear daughter-in-laws birthday today. Syrena and Matthew are about to try something new, Trucking! They will begin school next week. God bless them! So what do you send a trucker for her birthday? Scrapbooking supplies and a companion for the road ahead. I had so much fun with Charlie McFroggypants and Berk Lee Thistlefoot that I sent them their own companions. I can't wait to hear their names! And I am so looking forward to a picture of Kayla in her new bathing suit! She spoke so sweetly on the phone last night. She said Thank you and told me she loves it. Kayla also told me she went down the giant (blown up fair size) slide all by herself. How adventurous for a three and a half year old. She gets that from her very daring parents! Happy Birthday Syrena! May your day be filled with Adventure and joy!

The Homeschooling class of 2006

the happy bubbe The NCHE had their convention and graduation this weekend and blogged it! I loved being able to sit in California and see America's future take the stage. Being someone that began Homeschooling Underground because our area deemed it against the law; I rejoice with the amazing strides Home Education has made. Even when it shows up as a laughing matter on the Television, I never imagined a day when it would get any kind of acknowledgement from the media. Congratulations to the Homeschool Class of 2006! Our future is in your hands!
With that I would love to share this quote from the NCHE Convention.

"I liked this: Somerville's wife had dreamed of opening a Christian pottery shop, but she gave that up to homeschool their children. However, he says, she still makes beautiful pottery... It's just that now she works with living clay."

It is the perfect reminder to the graduates of the sacrifices their parents have made for them. And a perfect reminder to the parents that what they think they are giving up, is just being used in a different manner than they imagined.

All my life (since I was 9 years old) I knew I wanted to be a writer and write about Missionaries going to far off places. I never knew I would be a missionary sent out by the church board, but by the military. Nor did I understand nor envision that the book I would write could only come about by laying down the dream and homeschooling our children. God really does understand the dreams in your heart, He puts them there. Sometimes they just take unexpected bends.

To the Homeschooling Class of 2006 May you follow the Bend God has for you and not the twists and turns the world throws at you. The road is narrow, Stick to Jesus' path for your life. Your dreams are bigger than you can imagine. Thank your parents by staying true to the truths they taught you.

Encouragement Along The Way

I discovered that title on a blog this week and decided to check it out. I was so surprised to find it on Somerschool, it has been years since I have talked to Scott and Marcia. Here they are in blog world and I didn't even know it. I was so glad to read how well they and their children are doing. But still, there is that title to contend with! You see it is MINE! It truly does belong to me. It is the Title of my book, Encouragement Along The Way, A devotional and Journal for Homeschooling parents. I love how God uses a simple thing like a book title to lead me to old friends. Heatherly and I had so much fun reading the kids' blogs and gasping at their ages and upcoming weddings. You see, she was their babysitter as a teen-ager. So much of how they were as children is visible in their blogs as adults. Mike is gallant as an knight that ever rode through Camelot and Christina's made me laugh as I read about her name conundrum and recalled her own mother's struggle over Marcie. I still have the hardest time calling her Marcia.
Reading their lives made me miss the everyday adventures of Homeschooling. I still enjoy the moments when the grandchildren are showing me they can read. Baking, sewing and gardening are joys that we all share together, in many ways, I still get to participate. And I really don't miss the tearful days when writing a simple diagram wasn't so simple and ten math problems took two hours to accomplish. But I do miss the conversations and the wonders we shared over those moments. Every time I hear someone say they aren't allowed to talk in class, I think of those moments of self-discovery when algebra becomes discipleship 101. Not talk in class, Heaven forbid! I don't know if Scott will see my comment left on his blog reminding him I own "Encouragement Along the Way", I am just so glad he used it and I could reminisce for an evening.

At 50

the happy bubbe At fifty you would think I would have more answers than questions. At fifty I should be more confident shouldn't I? At fifty shouldn't I be more contemplative and less aggitated? And where is the peace I thought I would have? After all didn't I do everything I knew to do? And didn't I accomplish it with great gusto? I am so grateful that Jesus knows all the answers to all the questions I have even if I don't have the answer right now. I am so thankful that my mind is alert enough to ponder on somethings and clear enough to reason out other things. I reached the goals I set and even reached some I didn't know were there. So why is it the ones that seem still out of reach rattle me so? Is it because I have no control over them, because I can't make it go the way I believe it was suppose to go? Prayer is an amazing gift. It brings release even to things I didn't know I was holding on to so tightly. After all they are better off in Jesus' hands than clutched in my heart. He can do something about the things I can do nothing about at all. So maybe I have learned something in fifty years after all. When fear comes upon me I will put my trust in you Lord. His thoughts are higher than my thoughts and His ways are higher than my ways. His Word WILL NOT return void but go forward and accomplish His purpose. He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it. Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it. These are truths that are engraved in my soul, written there by the hand of God Himself. At 50 I know this, I can take God at His Word and He will not fail me. At 50 I still have a lot to learn. But today at fifty, for right now, the peace has come, for today. And Today is all we are promised.

3 weeks of crutches

the happy bubbe I have been on my crutches for three weeks. The Doctor said two to three weeks and it has been a solid three weeks on Sunday. I am so thankful it wasn't broken, yet I think the sprain has been harder to heal. The bruising is still dark in a few areas and it is very tender. And in all this time the only call we have had was from the insurance company at the hotel. Not one word from the hotel itself, AND that angers me. A little kindness, a little compassion would have been nice.
So, I have the brace off as of yesterday and I am putting some pressure on it today. Hopefully it will heal as it should. But our vacation will never be what it should have been and for that they should apologize.

The Big Surprise!

There is no way to even begin to explain the Surprise these cards were to me. Heatherly really pulled this off and as I opened each card the words spilled out into my heart and you all won! Yes the goal of every birthday is to make Bubbe cry (happy tears). In Eureka Carolyn and Chris won with my Sisters Book. But here at the party You won! My Love Language is absolutely words of affirmation and your words did more than affirm. Thank you so very much. It will be a while before I can go to Lowe's, I have to stay off my knee for two-three weeks. but I will post what becomes of those little plastic cards. Thank you doesn't cover it!

The Birthday Girl

If you ask my grandchildren how old their Bubbe is they will tell you .... I am 5!

My emotional maturity overrides the 0!

My Bubbe wants to join...

My bubbe wants to join the AARP..She wants the discounts from the AARP

Ah to be 50!!!

Charlie's last known step

Here is the last picture we have of our beloved Charlie McFroggypants. It is believed that after rushing across highways, being lost in wild vegetation, racing off on a tractor, being offered up to Big Foot and being smashed in the pocket of my overalls he took a farewell photo at the Lighthouse. The Lighthouse is his last known whereabouts. When our backs were turned, Charlie McFroggypants dove into the Bay and swam off with the fishes. This is not to say "He is Permanately Swimming with the Fishes" as some might have you believe. We are hopeful that we shall hear from him in the near future. Perhaps a postcard from Oregon or a snapshot in front of Mann's Chinese Theatre. We can only hope.

Charlie McFroggypants

It is said a journey of one thousand miles begins with one step.
For Charlie he began his journey at our front porch .Here are some of our steps.

The Saga of Charlie McFroggypants

Our trip began as all trips do with the first step out our front door. Charlie McFroggypants was all set to be our guide. We thought he would make a wonderful addition to our trip so off we went. Charlie loved the lake, but not the run acroos the Highway! Charlie McFroggypants loved navigating the corn fields on the hood of the tractor. Charlie loved lunch at the Big Foot Museum in Willow Creek, but didn't like the thought of being Big Foot's lunch. Charlie Mcfroggypants loved riding in the bib pocket of my overalls but when I fell and sufficated him in my boobs he was not very happy! When he fell off the lighthouse and broke the cap of his hat that was the last straw! Leaning too close to the rail at Humbolt Bay....he took a dive!
Oh How I mourned the loss of our dear friend! Mike, went back to the last known whereabouts of Charlie McFroggypants and searched for him far and wide. Even explaining to the homeless man (We died laughing in the car as Mike gestured that Charlie was six inches high!) But to no avail. He was no where to be found!

On his feet it says... Charlie McFroggypants If you find me take a picture and send me on my way. We hope to hear from our dear friend but until we do....We have the Three Bears!

The Inquisition

Charlie did not come to dinner! Charlie McFroggypants is not at the tall ships! Chalie where are you? Charlie is not here, an inquisition is requested? Is he Murdered? The re-enactment shows he was alive after the fall! Sissy Bear, Loggy Lu and Berk Lee Thistlefoot decide to join the investigation and the vacation! Welcome the Three Bears!

the three bears

I know I love the Redwoods, but seeing them through the eyes of the three bears made this the best trip ever (I do miss Charlie so ): Watching my sisters run around creating memories was the best thing ever! How hard we all laughed! We each have our own bears at home now and I am sure they will be showing up in various pictures in the future.I hope you enjoyed our birthday trip as much as we did! What a Hoot!

the happy bubbe

Wednesday, May 31, 2006

To aid in Contemplation

The joy in the seeking

Sunday, May 28, 2006

A Happy Birthday

The Homeschooling class of 2006

Thursday, May 25, 2006

Encouragement Along The Way

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

At 50

Friday, May 19, 2006

3 weeks of crutches

Friday, May 12, 2006

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

The Big Surprise!

The Birthday Girl

My Bubbe wants to join...

Tuesday, May 09, 2006

Charlie's last known step

Charlie McFroggypants

The Saga of Charlie McFroggypants

The Inquisition

the three bears

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