Turner, MT and the Wall Street Journal

I grew up a bit like a gypsy child, moving a lot.  Mike,  however, grew up living in the same house.  In fact, after we were married, we lived for about 4 years in that same house.  That house was on a farm about 7 miles away from Turner, MT, very close to the Canadian Border.  I moved to Turner when I was 15, attending 3 years of high school there.  When someone asks me where I am from, I usually just say Turner.  However, among my former classmates, I am likely still known as the "new girl".

The first time our family pulled into Turner I saw a vision that still sticks with me today.  The last several miles into Turner weren't yet paved and all streets in town were gravel only.  It was a windy summer day and tumbleweeds were blowing down main street.  I was instantly charmed!  Looking back I am kind of surprised that I loved it so easily.  I'm guessing most 15 year old girls would have thought they were being punished to have to move there, but I was very excited, not sure why.

My first day of high school I found that I made #13 for our class.  There were only 3 other girls and they all lived about 30 miles from Turner so I usually only saw them at school or school functions.  The boys had known those 3 girls probably their entire lives so I got more attention than I deserved.  Those girls could have hated me but they were nothing but sweet and welcoming to me.  I still think of them quite fondly.

There are some serious advantages to attending a small high school.  In Turner I was able to play basketball.  My first year there was their first year to have a girl's basketball team and there were only 7 girls on the team.  I did not make the starting 5.  I really didn't have a full understanding of basketball and I also had very little natural ability.  Nevertheless, I was welcome to play and I came to really enjoy it.  We didn't win a single game that year but we had a blast!  I do want to tell you that the girls' basketball team did end up having some very good athletes and some very good years.

I was also a cheerleader for 2 years.  Although some of the cheerleaders were truly athletic, I couldn't even do a cartwheel!  I got to run in track and I'm not a runner by anyone's standards.  One the way to one track meet I remember the coach saying he had no one entered in the long jump.  I volunteered.  Then, I asked him to tell me how to do it.  No, I didn't do it well but I did indeed do it!  What do you know?  Sometimes sports can be about fun, even for those who aren't particularly talented.  What a concept!

When Turner held a prom, everyone from junior high age on up would come.  Yes, kids went to prom with their parents and grandparents.  That was the only way to be able to afford a band!  I don't think that was necessarily a bad thing and I imagine to this day it is still open to all.   Like everything else, the whole community is involved.  I've never lived anywhere that knew how to develop a sense of community like Turner, MT.

When Mike & I were ready to be married, my Dad had been unemployed for a time and my parents had struggled financially.  That was no problem.  One kind lady, Bella Sanguins,  made our wedding cake as a gift.

  I think anyone would agree that it was absolutely beautiful!  She even incorporated some of the little silk flowers I'd made for the wedding party bouquets and boutonnieres.

Another lady, Darlene Erickson, volunteered to play for our wedding without charge.  The church ladies put on the rest of our reception in the church basement.  Money doesn't matter so much when you've got a whole community helping you put on a wedding.  Weddings out there are a big social event and everyone comes; funerals are the same.  You see, in a small community, every person is important, valued and known.

To put into perspective a bit of how isolated we were in Turner, we had to drive about 80 miles to get to the nearest McDonalds.  It was about that far to deliver our first baby, Maria.  I will tell you that it is not a fun drive when in labor, but I made it to the hospital.  Not all mothers have been so lucky.

The weather up in Turner can be pretty brutal.  The first year I lived there I remember high school graduation was postponed for a week because a big blizzard had knocked out the power.  That was when I learned how to melt snow to put water in the toilet tank.  Another year, after we were married, Mike & I were snowed in for quite a few days in June!  I guess that is why Turner produces such sturdy people; they grow up learning how to handle tough situations.

Everyone from Turner has stories of people helping each other out there.  My favorite from Mike's family is the story of his Mom driving a bunch of kids to Vacation Bible School or something and having a flat tire.  I may have mentioned that before but it is worth a re-mention.  A local farmer, flying overhead in his small plane, spotted her.  He landed to help her change her tire!  Although the community has built a nice little airport, people out there also land on the roads or homemade runways alongside fields of wheat when needed.

Recently we learned that Turner was given some national attention as it was discovered to be the town in the contiguous US furthest from a major league baseball team.  What a funny thing to discover!  Apparently author Craig Robinson published a baseball trivia book called Flip Flop Fly Ball.  I don't really understand why but sports bloggers then started making some less-than-flattering remarks about Turner and the Turner Community spoke up about that.  I guess all that internet action is what led to the Wall Street Journal's interest in Turner.  It looks like they even sent a reporter out to get info and shoot this video.   The video itself made me a bit homesick, but I also realize it makes Turner look a bit bleak.  The things is, though, in the winter much of the character of the town takes place indoors and wouldn't be seen from this video.

I'd have never guessed that Turner, MT would end up as the lead story for the Wall Street Journal but here it is.  What a weird claim to fame, huh?

Now, having learned all that about Turner, MT, isn't it strange to know that particular town produced this particular fan?  You can read more about him here.

Xx

OK, let's get back to it so we can finish up the ABC's of Bible Memorization.  Is it possible that anyone is actually memorizing them?  Not to worry.  Even if you aren't memorizing them, they are all great verses to at least read.

This week we are on the letter, ummmm, wait a minute.....OK.  Sorry, I had to go back a few weeks to remind myself where we left off before Holy Week.

So, we are on the letter "X".  When Mike made up this list he had to stretch it a bit to make it work but here it is...


2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves 


to see whether you are living in the faith…

Mike's Birthday in our Rear View Mirror

We had a BUSY Friday but I think we got Mike pretty well celebrated.  He was treated to cake/cupcakes on 3 different occasions by different folks.  That was fun and he was very sweeeeeet by the end of the day!

First, some kind ladies brought cake and strawberries to a morning coffee at church.  Maria, Cordy and I joined in.  While there, Mike and Cordy got in a quick game of golf.  Yes, Mike is golfing in his office using a Shepherd's Staff.  That doesn't seem right, does it?  The worrisome thing is, he looked like he'd done it before.  Hmmmm.... well, a lot of people wonder what pastors do all week.

Mike had a lunch committee meeting and there he was treated to a birthday cake as well.  He's sure spoiled!

Late afternoon we had visitors to our house.  Cordy had been planning Mike's cupcakes for awhile.  She was disappointed to learn her Momma wasn't going to let her make them pink, but she managed to get into the fun even if they were blue.  She told us she helped make them and I believe her, even though Maria claims Cordy's "help" was to lick things.  No matter what, they were YUMMY vegan cupcakes!

I just noticed that Eric and Cordelia both folded their hands while we sang "Happy Birthday".  Interesting...

We enjoyed a lovely dinner at a Chinese Restaurant and later went to listen to music at a local coffee shop.   It was especially fun because the band that night, The Blots, features Eric (son-in-law) on the drums as well as vocals.  It was fun watching him!  He's very, very good and we all enjoyed ourselves.  Cordy did some fun head-bobbing and a little dancing.  She was pretty proud of her Daddy.  She doesn't say he's a "member of the band".  She says he's a "bander".  That makes sense to me.

Did anybody else do anything fun Friday night?

I Chose Mike

The best gift I ever chose for my children, and now grandchildren, was a gift I picked out years in advance.  I chose Mike.  Coincidentally, it was also the best choice I ever made for myself.

Mike is a man of integrity, a quality I greatly admire.  People are naturally drawn to him because he is honest and real and kindhearted.  Over and over I have seen him put the needs of others above his own needs.  In fact, his life's work is based on that premise.  He put aside his own dreams when he felt he was being called to be a pastor.  He worked hard for many years, studying through college and seminary, in order to be well-prepared for that calling.

Most people who know Mike do not realize that he doesn't think of himself as a people-person.  That's an odd thing for a pastor, I suppose.  Mike is seriously an introvert, probably also not common for a pastor.  One explanation I read comparing introverts and extroverts said that extroverts get their energy amped up by being around others, whereas introverts are refueled by their time alone.  Yes, Mike is definitely an introvert.  That makes it all the more impressive to me that he spends his days giving of himself to others!

People who get a chance to know Mike quickly learn that he's funny.  He generates a good time like nobody's business!  Our children learned this very early.  Last night Maria, Eric and Cordy were at our house.  It was after 8:00 pm and Mike had been on the go, away from home, since 6:45 in the morning.  I'm certain he was tired.  When he walked in the door Cordelia no longer cared about anything or anyone else; she wanted Grandpa!  She was not to be disappointed.  Grandpa fell right into a game of "chase" and Cordy's squeals of delight made us all smile.  Maria commented that she remembered Dad coming home from work and playing with her like that.  All children should have such memories!

Mike is a man more comfortable in his jeans than anything else.  Recently a friend from church saw him in jeans helping clean our church building.  She chuckled and said how strange it seemed to see him in jeans.  It really brought home to me how differently others see him.  She didn't realize how quickly he puts on his jeans when he's not at work!  Mike at his most Mike-ness wears jeans and holds a guitar.

People from church likely don't think of Mike as an introvert either.  They see a guy who freely and easily preaches to them in a manner more like a friend talking with you.  They see the man teaching them with authority.  They see the man called by God.  They aren't wrong, but there are more sides to Mike than people can see from the church pew.

As a husband, Mike is very supportive.  One of the best examples I can think of to help explain what he is to me is to tell you about the day Sara died.  Sara was my patient when I was an oncology nurse, but she'd also become my friend.  She was a fellow nurse and she was fun and good and kind.  I'd given her chemo off and on for years, from her very first diagnosis, through her relapse.  I'd been part of her palliative care as she slipped toward her death.  I cared about her and her family.  Her husband told me mine was the only non-family photo on her fridge.  The day she died I called Mike to tell him.  Of course she wasn't the first patient I'd had to say good-bye to, and certainly not the last.  Mike knew I had a deep connection with Sara, though. I'd obviously known it was coming and I was relieved for Sara, but it still hurt so much.  When I got home that night, Mike met me at the door.  He didn't say a word but just opened his arms to me and held me while I sobbed for Sara and for all the patients we couldn't save.

Now, before you think our marriage is all about hugs and sweetness, I should tell you how mean he is as well.  You see, today is Mike's birthday.  It is also a very happy day for me.  The thing is, I am 8 weeks older than Mike.  He makes sure those 8 weeks are grueling, often bringing up our age difference.  Today, he turned 54, the same age I've enjoyed for 8 weeks.  He didn't miss a beat, though.  This morning he already pointed out that next year I will be able to order off the senior menus for a full 8 weeks before he will qualify to do so.  See?  That wasn't a very gentlemanly comment now was it?

Nevertheless, I wish a happy birthday to my husband, the jean-wearing, funny, charming, supportive, goofy, honest, kind and sometimes mean introvert!  I love you.  I still choose you.

My First Linky and Blog Hop

First of all, yes, this is my second post today but it is really for tomorrow.    I want to try something new so just ignore this post until tomorrow.  I've been working on this while I should have been finishing up our taxes but tomorrow I ABSOLUTELY will finish up our taxes...maybe.  I've reverted to my old style of posts for the next week.  That is because, after hours of trying, I discovered that the style with the flipcards for some reason will not work with a blog hop/linky set up.  I did not know that.

OK, So I really DO NOT KNOW WHAT I AM DOING but I want to try a Linky.  The problem is, I am not sure what a Linky really is or how it works.  That is not going to stop me from trying, though!

(Yes, that is a photo from an old post and yes, I just wanted to 

use it again because my hair doesn't usually look that good.)

I went to several sites for instruction. They used words like "meme" and "technorati tag".  Huh?  I was about to give up when I found the Linky Tools Site.  I still don't know quite what I am doing but again, that isn't going to stop me.  I have seen blog hops on other people's blogs but I didn't really know what that meant.  Well, the Linky Tools Site shared this explanation...

blog hop is a linky list that is SHARED ON MULTIPLE BLOGS. When several blogs put the same linky list code on their blog, the exact same list appears on each blog. Blog visitors can submit their entries on any blog that contains the list. The entries will appear on each blog where the list resides. Blog readers see the same list on each blog, and can "HOP" from blog to blog seeing the same list of links to follow: BLOG HOP! By designating your linky list as a BLOG HOP, a link will appear below your linky list where your blog readers can get the blog hop code for your linky. If you want to do a 'PRIVATE' blog hop, then do NOT check the blog hop checkbox, and simply share the code PRIVATELY with the other blog owners. Brent Riggs & Linky Tools create the concept of the "blog hop" as it is used on so many blogs today.

OK, so then I had to think of a purpose for this blog hop.  Some people share a "photo of the week" and every blogger that wishes to "link up" to share their photo.  Some blogs have great questions that every blogger that links up answers.  All the bloggers posts show their own answers and the links to the other bloggers posts just show up on all the linked blogs...at least that's what I think.  Those look kind of fun and maybe I will try that in the future.  

For now, I decided maybe I'd ask bloggers to share one of their most thought-provoking posts.  Will that work?  I am just saying "one of" instead of your very favorite thought-provoking post.  That way you won't have to spend too much time deciding which you prefer.  Maybe down the road I'll go for funniest post, most embarrassing post, etc.  Today, though, I am asking for one of your most thought-provoking posts.
Here's one of mine.

For my followers who do not blog, maybe you could leave a thought-provoking comment or quote?  For those who are still having trouble leaving comments, send me a thought-provoking e-mail at onlythemanager@yahoo.com.  OR, I read that you can copy the linky and put it on your Facebook site as well.  I'm not sure but be brave and give it a try!

Remember Who's You Are

Mike went to seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota.  His third year of seminary was his internship year.  After a lot of years of schooling it was exciting to think of where we'd be sent for internship year.  We knew we'd be back at seminary for another year after internship but to experience a year in the real world, away from academia seemed like a big deal at the time.

I admit is was not convenient to uproot our little kids again for that year to move away.  Maria was just a first grader and Ben was only three years old, but things worked out well.   "Away" turned out to be to Wyoming, to the very town where my Mom and most of her side of the family lived.  My brother and his family were there as well as one of my sisters, my Grandma Rose and quite a few of my aunts, uncles and cousins.  I was thrilled!

The congregation to which Mike was assigned was vibrant, to say the least.  It was absolutely FULL of young families and soooo much fun for us.  Mike worked HARD, though.  He was paid very little and put in very, very long hours but the pastor who was his leader, Pastor Hillman, was a great teacher for him.    Our kids loved him.

Maria named him Pastor "He-Man"!

One of the things that Pastor Hillman taught us was actually a parenting phrase.  I remember he and his wife saying that when their teenagers would leave the house to go with friends, they'd say to them, "Remember WHO's you are!"  I loved that.  I remembered that!  Our kids were just little, in fact Sam wasn't even born yet, but I saved that little nugget and used it when they were older, so did Mike.

To me, it could be taken two ways.  It could be a simple reminder that they are part of our family.  They are loved by us and we wanted them to make good choices.  However, our kids knew that we meant more than that.  We wanted them to remember that they were Children of God.  As such, they were loved completely.  Of course, I wanted them to also remember what was expected of them as they made choices of how they wanted to lead their lives.

I don't know if we were just being manipulative parents or if we were on to something truly inspiring...or both.  When you are watching a piece of your heart walk out the front door, though, I think you will try whatever you can to cloak them with your love.  Did our kids make teenage mistakes like everyone else's?  Well, they did make some mistakes and like all teens, they were a "work in progress", but all three developed character strong with integrity.

I still love those words.  I see now that they are words for all of us, not just teenagers.  Every day I know that I face times when my first instinct is to act regrettably.  Maybe I want to snap a snotty comment at the person or tell a less-than-flattering tale about a person so that I will look better by comparison.  I fight those types of urges daily.  I don't always win but I want to try harder to remember Who's I am.

Here's a current song that kind of touches on this subject.  I hope you like it.

Special Orders Don't Upset Me

Do you remember that advertising song that went...

"hold the pickles 

hold the lettuce 

special orders 

don't upset us..."

I could clearly remember the song but wasn't sure who's commercial it was.  It used to be that when you were trying to remember something like that, you had to ask around until someone else remembered.  Often you were just left frustrated.  It's not so anymore.  If you want to know something, just Google it (or Yahoo hit, Bing hit, whatever...).  I typed in those words and this is what I found.  It is so nice that I didn't have to be frustrated wondering, "Was that McDonald's, Hardee's or Burger King's commercial?"

Anyway, I think that song was going through my head because I've been working on some special orders a lot lately.  Sometimes people ask me or Maria to make something special for them.  I love it!  I especially like it when I'm told to do it however I'd like.  Recently my friend, Kim, asked for a girl's baby blanket.  After several false starts I finally realized I really wanted to do some old-fashioned granny squares with some updated colors.  I took a quick photo before delivering it to her.  I made it like a prayer shawl, that is I prayed for the baby who would be using it as I crocheted.  Well, that is not to say that I was praying the WHOLE time I crocheted.  As a matter of fact, I watched several episodes of LOST on Netflix as well.

Apparently Kim knows lots of people having babies.  Now I am working on a blue baby blanket for her.  I chose Tunisian Crochet for that one.  Have any of you ever done that?  It is sort of a cross between crocheting and knitting I'd say.  I'm not sure if I'm supposed to call the tool a hook or a needle.  It has a hook on one end but a stopper like a knitting needle on the other end.  I also have one that has kind of like a soft tail for the back end but I'm not sure where I put it.  Maybe I will do a Tunisian Crochet Tutorial someday...because I'm so good at tutorials. 

Anyway, all I know is I feel kind of cool when I am doing that kind of crochet.  It's kind of a smallish sized hook/needle so this one is taking me some time.  I like the way the stitches look, don't you?

I'm so lucky to have Bode to supervise me.

Actually, he is just watching, hoping I will forget and leave it unattended so that he can chew it up.  I won't!

Simultaneously I've been working on a special order poncho as well. 

 I kind of like having more than one project going at once.  I am never bored!

Do you do things that way... multiple projects at once?

Sunrise Service, a Twirly Dress and Artificial Deviled Eggs

Yesterday was just delightful.  We started out VERY early, leaving for church at 5:30ish in the morning.  The Worship Team was to meet at 6:00 a.m. to wake our voices up for the 6:30 service.  After that early service we were treated to a pancake breakfast put on by our youth.  The Worship Team stays for the second service as well.  I don't mind at all.  I love singing Easter songs...and I have a crush on the pastor. (OK, if you are new to this blog, don't be creeped out.  I am also married to the pastor.)

After church we went to Maria & Eric's for an Easter meal.  While Maria put on the finishing touches, Cordy entertained us with her twirly dress.

Sam talked on the non-functioning decorative phone, which kind of concerned Cordy.  She kept telling him, "There's nobody there Sam, there's nobody there."

Maria prepared a yummy vegan meal for us, including Tofurkey (a soy product that tastes a lot like turkey), asparagus, and the best couscous I've ever eaten.  Note the deviled eggs.  They aren't really eggs at all!  I couldn't believe she made them out of agar powder, soy milk and such!  They were tasty.  I ate waaaaay too much, like I always do at a holiday meal.

After our pie we watched as Cordy checked out her Easter basket.  When she saw the paints she said, "I absolutely love to paint!"  She's just two and I wasn't expecting to hear "absolutely" from her little mouth but it was cute.

Then, it was out to the backyard for the Easter Egg Hunt.  

I invite you to go on over to Petra's blog.  You won't be sorry.  Petra writes beautiful poetry, something that is becoming more and more rare.  She has an especially thoughtful Easter poem posted.

I hope your Easter was as lovely as our's.

I Have Seen the Lord!

John 20:11-18     Holy Bible - English Standard Version

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb.  And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet.   They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?"  She said to them, "They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him."  


Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?  Whom are you seeking?"  Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away."  


Jesus said to her, "Mary."  She turned and said to him in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).  Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"  Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, 

"I have seen the Lord..." 

Happy Easter!

Obituary for Mr. Microwave

Obituary: 

Mr. Microwave died this week.  He was preceded in death by Mrs. Dishwasher.  Survivors include a refrigerator, two crockpots, a Hamilton Beach grill, a coffee maker, an electric can opener and his constant companion, Ms. Stove.  He was a good microwave, useful and appreciated by many.  He never met a left-over he wouldn't heat up.  Although he had been ill for several years, he battled on courageously, never complaining.  He will be greatly missed.  

Funeral services are pending.  

In lieu of flowers condolences may be left in the comments.

Burial will take place at our local landfill.

Into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit

It's Good Friday.  Today I am thinking about a friend I met and worked with years ago.  Her name was Laurie and she was Jewish.  We were friends for a couple of years when we lived in the Seattle, WA area.  We lost track of one another after a few moves but for a time, we were close friends.  Laurie and her husband were hoping to one day live in Israel.  I wonder if they ever made that move?

Laurie taught me some things.  One day she was telling me how hard it was to be a little Jewish girl with little Christian playmates.  I was horrified when she told me that one year, around Easter, the other kids were angry at her and accused her of killing Jesus.  She said she was so upset; she didn't even know Jesus!  How could they think she killed anyone?  My heart hurt for the sweet little girl that faced those angry accusers.

Laurie's little friends were a bit confused, likely because their parents were confused.  At the very base of the Christian Faith is the belief that we are ALL responsible for Jesus' death.  We have ALL sinned.  We ALL needed to be redeemed.  Jesus and only Jesus was pure and because of this, he was the one who could manage to take on all our sin and take the punishment for it.  For that sacrifice, I am grateful.

(photo from Google Images and lakecitybaptist.net)

As Jesus died he said he was committing his spirit to God's hands.  What a perfect thing to say at the time of one's death.  I want to think I will say that as well.  Having a job where I attend deaths, though, I am aware that I may not be awake enough or strong enough to speak those last words at the time of my own death.  So, I'm saying it now.  God, please keep my spirit safe in your hands.

Maundy Thursday

Holy Week continued...

Today is called Maundy Thursday.  I did not grow up in a church that used that term and it took me awhile to figure out that people weren't saying, "Monday Thursday", which sounded ridiculous.  I learned that it was  a name for the day when we commemorated Jesus' last meal with his disciples.  You've likely all seen artwork of Jesus at a big banquet table with them all seated on the same side of the table just as if they were on a sit-com.  When I went to Bing Images and Google Images I found a LOT of paintings of the Last Supper.  This one is by Da Vinci and likely the most famous...

The Last Supper, 1498 (post-restoration)

Leonardo da Vinci (Italian, 1452–1519)
Scala/Art Resource, NY
Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan

As I continued browsing through the images I found a lot of renditions of Da Vinci's painting.  Some had the apostles as dogs, I'm not sure why.  Another was an impressive recreation by Laura Bell.  What's so impressive about it was that she did it with laundry lint!  Now that's an art form I'd not considered before!

  (by Laura Bell...made with laundry lint)

At that Last Supper, Jesus taught his apostles about communion.  He taught them to eat the bread and drink the wine together when he was gone, remembering him, taking him into themselves.  This was a big deal.  The apostles don't seem to quite get it yet, then.  They weren't catching on that Jesus was soon to die.  Jesus knew, though.  Jesus loved these followers and he knew they would soon be hurting.  He wanted them to know that he would always be with them.  I think much of what began that night was not understood until after his death.  I don't know, maybe we still don't quite understand it as well as we should.  What I understand, though, is that when I take communion, Jesus is with me.  What more could I ask?

What I learned from Wikipedia about the word, Maundy, kind of surprised me.  I expected it to have something to do with communion.  Nope.  It refers to washing, specifically Jesus' washing the feet of the disciples.  Well, what do you know?  We had yet more to learn from that night.

Yes, Jesus washed the disciples feet.  These weren't feet that had already soaked in a tub.  These were feet that had probably been walking dusty roads for miles in sandals.  This was not a pretty job.  Washing someone else's feet is a pretty humbling thing to do.  It is a true act of service.  

Jesus demonstrated humility as he showed his apostles how much he cared for them.  Humility is not something we talk about much these days.  I think we should.  I don't think being humble means we should have a low self-esteem.   As a Christian, I think it means we need to recognize that any goodness within ourselves comes from God.  Knowing that makes us want to share that goodness by serving others. It seems simple but humility is often a challenge to accomplish.  

Other names for this day include Holy Thursday, Covenant Thursday, Sheer Thursday and Thursday of Mysteries.  Not every Christian Church even names this day but they all talk about the lessons Jesus was teaching.  The first lesson that stands out to me is that we need to commune with one another as we take Jesus into our own beings.  The second lesson is that we need to be people of humility.  There are more lessons here, such as the lesson of obedience, as Jesus was obediently following God's plan for him.  What else?  What do you take from all this?  Do you do anything special on this day? 

A Tiny Rockstar

Sunday Cordelia went to Sunday School with me.  I may have mentioned before that I help teach the class for 3-5 yr olds.  Cordelia is only 2 but I figured she could hold her own there and she does.

The last 15 minutes of Sunday School all the classes get together to sing songs, celebrate birthdays, etc.  Last Sunday the group was making plans to do some special music at an upcoming church service.  The leader asked if any of the children wanted to play their instruments at the service.  Cordelia quickly volunteered to play guitar!  The lady was pretty surprised to have a 2 yr. old make such an offer.  OK, I was pretty surprised as well!  Cordy was adamant and said it many, many times. 

Later, Maria told me that Cordy was still talking about the "music show" and informed them she was going to play guitar.  Cordy went on to say that Grandpa would dance, Maria would play tambourine and I would play "bass or something".  OK, then!

Well, yesterday Maria decided maybe she should get Cordelia a guitar as she was still talking about it.  She found a cute little animal-shaped guitar at Target.  It has strings but it also has buttons that she can push to make some rhythm sounds and such.  It really sounded rather pretty!  She was so delighted; she started playing right away!

She just kept playing as we walked through Target.

She started getting her own style.  I liked it best when she was nodding her head with the beat.

She was still playing when we were at Bath and Body Works.

This little rockstar made a lot of people smile at the mall today!

Wyoming Rose - 10 Commandment Bracelet

Maria and I not only create original items for our Wyoming Rose Shop, we also offer vintage items that we think are cool.  We have a lot of fun hunting for these delights from the past, spending time at garage sales and thrift stores.  We look through a lot of  "stuff" and often leave with nothing but every now and then we happen upon some things that really strike our fancy.  This Vintage 10 Commandment Bracelet was one of my favorites.  It is simply sweet!  I like the feel of it, the look of it and what a lovely way to be reminded of God's desire for us to be of strong character!

They Have a Story to Tell

Something I was thinking about this morning was the simple idea of how we can live in a community of people without ever really knowing each other.  I live in an ordinary town in Wyoming and it is easy for me to think that we have all lived similar lives.  That notion would be so very wrong!

What brought that up this morning was an article in a Wyoming paper about a long-time local resident.  I looked at the photo of her and thought it possible that I'd seen her before, maybe passed her in an aisle of a grocery story or something.  She looks like an ordinary older woman to me.  Her story, though, is not ordinary.  Well, unfortunately it is not that uncommon, actually, but it is not an ordinary story for a Wyoming woman.

This woman, Inge Kutchins, was the youngest daughter of a Jewish widow.  They lived in Germany and she says she was about the same age as Anne Frank.  In her story Inge downplays anything she suffered as it is not comparable to those who were sent to the camps.  She doesn't seem to think of herself as a Holocaust Survivor, at least not in the way of others who were still in Germany during the worst of it.  However, she was sent from her family at age 8.  She was first sent to Switzerland to live with a Catholic family that was harboring Jews.  Later she was sent to the U.S. to live with a Methodist foster family.  She was just growing back her hair after having it shorn for de-lousing, she couldn't speak English and she arrived just in time to celebrate Easter, a holiday totally foreign to her.  She was just a little girl!

As I read the article I was amazed that she wanted to focus her story on those who helped her.  She didn't seem to want to discuss any cruelties she'd experienced, but rather wanted to discuss her gratitude toward all those who made her story have a different ending than so many other German Jewish children her age.  You see what I mean?  This is not an ordinary Wyoming life story.

I also came to know a little Japanese lady who ended up living out her life in Wyoming.  She had quite a story herself.  She told me of being in Hiroshima as a child the day the bomb was dropped!  Can you imagine?  She was pretty little but couldn't forget the fear.  She said her family had nowhere to go.  Ironically, she eventually married an American soldier.  Who would have thought a Hiroshima bomb survivor was living her life, raising her children, in small town Wyoming?

When living in Montana I once met the father of one of my friends when he was visiting.  He was a nice guy, an artist, but I am sorry to admit I didn't spend any time trying to learn about his life.  Later, I did get to know him more, but not personally.  I learned of a book that told his story.  That book,  Tears in the Darkness by Michael and Elizabeth M. Norman, is an eye-opener.

This gentle, elderly man named Ben Steele, lived through that Bataan Death March.  Although I'd heard of that, I'd never studied the horrors of it.  What he lived through is pretty much unfathomable to me.  He had a story to tell that I never even imagined.

So, you are wondering, what is the point of this post?  I don't know.  I wasn't planning this post at all.  I guess I just think I need to pay more attention to individuals.  It is so easy to overlook people.  Have any of you been surprised when you learned a story behind a person's life?

Show Some Respect

If you just had a short time to live, what would be the most important thing you'd want to say to those you loved?  No, this isn't a post about my hospice work.  I was thinking about Jesus entering Jerusalem, knowing he just had a few days left to teach.  Since it is Holy Week, I thought I'd explore some of those last teachings.

One of the things he did was to try to clean up the temple.  He went there and found people using it as a place of shady business.  He was upset and said to them, "It is written,, My house shall be called a house of prayer; but you are making it a den of robbers."  He was so angry he overturned their tables and chairs!

All my life I've been told that the people are what is important at church, not the building.  I believe that.  I've even had some strong opinions about all the money that goes into a fancy church building that could've been used toward mission work such as feeding the hungry.  However, from this passage I also have come to believe that it is important to have such a space as a church or temple, set aside as a sacred place of prayer and worship.  Out of respect to God, that place is to be set apart and used to his glory.  By honoring the place, we are honoring our God.

Since Jesus used some of his precious last days of teaching to make this point, I think we are probably supposed to take notice.  What do you think about this?  

Cloak Sunday

What?  You never heard of Cloak Sunday?  Well, it is actually my own spin on an old idea.  I'm thinking it is really going to catch on quickly.  What do you think?  Here, to understand what I am talking about, read a prophecy from the Old Testament, written 500+ years before Jesus' birth.  Then, read about the fulfillment of that prophecy as written in the New Testament.

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Zechariah 9:9

Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! 

Shout aloud, O daughter

Jerusalem!

Lo, your king comes to you;

triumphant and victorious is he,

humble and riding on a donkey,

on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 

Matthew 21:6-9

The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them.  A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.  The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting,

"Hosanna to the Son of David! 

Blessed is the one who comes in

the name of the Lord!

Hosanna in the highest heaven!" 

(Biblical passages from the New Revised Standard Version)

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Today is the beginning of Holy Week for Christians.  Holy Week starts out beautifully as we remember Jesus returning to Jerusalem, being welcomed like a celebrity.  This is referred to as Palm Sunday because of the reference to people cutting branches from trees and spreading them on the road before Jesus.  They also put their cloaks down so I am thinking you could call it Cloak Sunday if you wished.  Don't you agree?  Many churches, like our's, order palm branches and we hold them up and sing, "Hosanna in the highest!"  It is kind of majestic and parade-like.  I wonder, if I hold up my coat (cloak) and wave it, will others join me?  I probably won't try it.  It could turn out like the year I heard that in Ireland on St. Patrick's Day the Catholics wore green and the Protestants wore orange.  I am a Protestant so....   well, let's just say that was a painful March 17 for me!

Seriously though, by next Sunday we will be celebrating Easter, which is my all-time favorite holiday.  Between now and then, however, we are travelling through the stories of Jesus' last days.  Most of the stories are really quite horrible and dramatic.  Without them, though, Easter means nothing.  For today, Cloak Sunday, we get to be jubilant.  We are welcoming the King!

(Yes, after seeing me haul coats out to our driveway, throw them down and try to snap a photo while the Wyoming wind tossed them about, our neighbors do indeed believe I am crazy.)

I will finish posting the ABC's of Bible Memorization after Holy Week.  Remember, I will make a prize for any of you who tell me you memorized them all!

First Communion Class

I know, I'm posting kind of late today.  I woke up kind of late this morning, 7:45.  I'm more of a 6:00 a.m. kind of gal so I was pretty startled to see the time.  It's even weirder because I slept much of yesterday, having worked the night shift Thursday night.  I think I slept 16 hours out of 24!  Anyway, I was teaching a class this morning so I had to get myself cleaned up quickly and out the door.

The class I was teaching was preparation for children about to have their first communion.  The students were grade school age and their parents came along as well.  Two years ago I worked up 4 lessons about communion and put them in worksheet form.  The parents work with their own children at home to do the first 3 lessons.  Today was the final lesson so we went through what they'd already done and did a craft as well.  Mike (aka Pastor Mike) then worked with the children, helping them know what to expect and explained some of the procedural things.

I loved this class!  We discussed how God watched over them and helped free them.  When Jesus first taught his disciples about communion it was when they were having the Passover meal, which is why it was important for the children to know what that was.  So, we discussed how the Jewish People were held as slaves and how God freed them.  All that happened before Jesus' earthly life so it was fun to see the children realize how it related to what Jesus was then teaching so many years later.

As we discussed Jesus as sacrifice for us, forgiveness of sins, God's love and the community of Saints these children had some great insights to share.  They and their parents made the discussion lively and thought-provoking.  I love it when that happens!  We tackled questions such as, "Do you think we are meant to have communion alone or as a group?" or "Is it ok to be joyful when taking communion or must we all be solemn?"  If anyone wants copies of the lesson plan, just leave a comment here or e-mail me at onlythemanager@yahoo.com.  I can send it to you via e-mail.

Their craft was a picture frame.  I asked them to paint it with symbols or words that represented something they'd learned about communion.  I received permission from parents so that I could show some of their work. Enjoy!

The children will then put a photo of themselves in the frame, reminding them they are also chosen by God.