Michael has received official orders to Okinawa; 3 years with his family. Of course the kids and I have to pass a medical screening before we can be allowed to go. I didn't want to share the news until we knew if the kids and I would 'pass'. There are reasons that we may not. If we can not join him then Michael would still have to go but only for one year. We have so many mixed emotions about this. Even he says it would be easier if we stayed behind, but a whole lot more fun if we were with him. He doesn't have to be there until July. I promised myself that I wouldn't get all worked up about this until the kids and I completed the medical screening. It isn't working.
This is what I've heard about getting there. We can only take 4000 pounds of house hold goods. We have to sell both cars and get rid of both dogs. The Military will store our cars for us, but we're having a hard time (mentally) making payments on a car we can't drive for 3 years. Then again to come home to a paid for van, if it survives storage may be a good thing. We have been told that the best thing to do is sell everything and start over in Okinawa. We can leave with what ever we buy, no weight limit. Gabrielle will be 18 when we leave so she MUST be in college or she can't stay with us. Now, as far as I know she has every intention of going to college, but to be told that she has no choice in order to live with me, her mother, just irritates me.
We are all ready for a change of scenery, but leaving every thing we know behind and starting over is SOO hard. Fear of the unknown. Then I listen to Michael. He is so excited. The beaches there are supposedly really nice and he can scuba dive. His dad was in the Air Force and was stationed on Guam when Michael was a ~13. Guam is where Michael learned to dive for the first time. He has always talked about going back there. He wants to dive with all of us. Kevin loved diving when we were in the Caribbeans. I enjoyed it, Gab couldn't do it. But Michael talks about diving and eating soy soaked chicken wings on the beach. I am so glad that he is soo excited about it and talks about it the way he does. It helps me a lot. I want so bad to go and be with my husband and be with my kids in a new place. Yet, I am so scared. Not just because of the material things; I'm mature enough to see that those are just material things. There are other things.
Thanks for letting me spill my guts and my fears. If any of you have any knowledge that will help me prepare and make this transition I would appreciate it! I know there are many families that have gone and have absolutely loved it. I know if we don't go we will be missing out on something wonderful. I'll just have to wait and see if we *pass* the screening. Then if we can't go I won't feel guilty and if we do *pass* then I'll embrace it as the Lord's will for my family.
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Comments
Once again I'm unable to make comments; not even to myself!!
So here we go:
Mishel, I totally agree with you, Quincy is not a Christian. My question is why? No exposure to The Gospel or rejection. There in lies the real question and the only reason we haven't completely closed the door and run the other way. Tricky situation because I'm fully aware that is it my precious daughter's heart that is being slung out in the open here. Thing is it is her heart and I have no control, Lots of influence, but no control. I really appreciate the advise that you and Laurie gave her in the nursery the other day. What really makes my heart sing is that she sought you out for the advise because she KNOWs.
Quincy and Gab went to PJ Changs because Quincy was footing the bill. Michael let him know right away that if that's where they wanted to eat that was great if Quincy was paying. Johnny Rockets is a favorite of Michael's and much more in our budget, esp if it's more than Michael and I eating. :) See if we'd joined them Michael would have felt that he had to pay for us all. However, I will say that is something Quincy is really good about, offering to pay for things. He doesn't expect a free ride. I'm just so praying that God is wooing him! Being good just doesn't get you to heaven, but it sure draws me to him; not to mention Gab. ;) I hope I haven't said too much on this here public blog thingy! I don't want to offend Gab by airing things public. Yet at the same time if I could post a bill board asking for prayer in the area of Quincy's salvation I would!
Julie I'll be in touch via e-mail. Maybe you and Kina can help me figure out why 99% of the time I get "this page can not be displayed" when I try to make comments. You girls keep those pictures coming. Kina that one with you and the poinsettias is just gorgeous. Conner is such a little man.
I better get moving. Things to do places to be.
So here we go:
Mishel, I totally agree with you, Quincy is not a Christian. My question is why? No exposure to The Gospel or rejection. There in lies the real question and the only reason we haven't completely closed the door and run the other way. Tricky situation because I'm fully aware that is it my precious daughter's heart that is being slung out in the open here. Thing is it is her heart and I have no control, Lots of influence, but no control. I really appreciate the advise that you and Laurie gave her in the nursery the other day. What really makes my heart sing is that she sought you out for the advise because she KNOWs.
Quincy and Gab went to PJ Changs because Quincy was footing the bill. Michael let him know right away that if that's where they wanted to eat that was great if Quincy was paying. Johnny Rockets is a favorite of Michael's and much more in our budget, esp if it's more than Michael and I eating. :) See if we'd joined them Michael would have felt that he had to pay for us all. However, I will say that is something Quincy is really good about, offering to pay for things. He doesn't expect a free ride. I'm just so praying that God is wooing him! Being good just doesn't get you to heaven, but it sure draws me to him; not to mention Gab. ;) I hope I haven't said too much on this here public blog thingy! I don't want to offend Gab by airing things public. Yet at the same time if I could post a bill board asking for prayer in the area of Quincy's salvation I would!
Julie I'll be in touch via e-mail. Maybe you and Kina can help me figure out why 99% of the time I get "this page can not be displayed" when I try to make comments. You girls keep those pictures coming. Kina that one with you and the poinsettias is just gorgeous. Conner is such a little man.
I better get moving. Things to do places to be.
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Yesterday was a great day. We all piled into the car and went to The Living Desert. Gabrielle's friend Quincy went with us. He is really a nice young man. We went from there to the mall and then to The River. (another shopping area with a theater) Here Quincy and Gabrielle went to an up scale Chinese Restaurant and Kevin, Michael and I went to Johnny Rocket's. Then all, except Kevin, went to the show. LONG show. Then Michael drove us all home. It was a very nice, long day. It was fun to walk the park. We are a very loud family. We were looking at the Bobcat exhibit. The cat had just gotten up and turned his back to all his observers with quite the attitude. (at least to those of us with an imagination) About the same time a couple walked over and the woman told the man that he was "a bob cat". To which Michael comments, "he prefers to be called Robert". We all cracked up, she didn't get it. Guess you had to be there.
It was a very good day. Like I said Quincy is a really nice kid. Polite and kind. He finally began to relax around us at the park. I'm not sure where he is with salvation though. I'm thinking not. Gab says he loves to talk about God and he attends a Methodist church on an irregular basis with his family. He also believes in evolution. So we are treading carefully and spending as much time as possible with him. There hasn't been a 'natural' opportunity to get to the meat of the matter just yet; at least with out him feeling as though he's been attacked! Gab plans to invite him to church again. I'm real proud of her. It rightfully bothers her that he may not know Christ as Saviour. She knows that if we learn that he is rejecting Christ that he can only be a friend and a limited one at that. We are hoping that he just hasn't been exposed to the true gospel yet and that we will have an opportunity to introduce him. If the Holy Spirit is wooing him...
We would appreciate your prayers.
Today I went to work. Really a good day. Michael met me at work. He was selected last month to pin on MasterSgt. He won't pin it on until Feb or March. Today he got a call from his monitor. There is a move in our future. Not until July 2007. There are too many unknowns for me to share any more. Once I know for sure with out a doubt where then I'll share. Please pray that I can continue to live in the here and now. :)
One of Kevin's friends came over to stay the night. I do not know what I was thinking!! My house looks like someone threw in about 30 grenades! Egad what a mess! The kids thought they had picked it up some for me. I cooked supper (frozen lasagna, cook that I am) and started cleaning. It's still a mess! I did get the fridge cleaned out. Michael is on board with me for a diet change. All that is in my fridge is fruits and veggies. We hope to embark in the lemonade diet for 10 days. It is actually a cleanse not a diet. Then fruits and veggies with an occasional meat. We went ahead and got the fruits and veggies in case the kids couldn't hang with just lemonade. hmm, wonder who will actually cave first. I received a K Tec Champ blender for Christmas.
Yes, Julie teach me to Link! I still can't comment on other blogs consistently.
I suppose I should get back to the house, I can almost see the counter tops again. I'm hoping that when Kevin's guest gets up tomorrow the house will be so nice he'll think he woke in a different house then the one he went to sleep in. Have you ever stopped in to see someone and saw the condition of their house only to leave thinking I hope they don't invite me to dinner any time soon? Even though you have eaten dinner in their home; at the time it was very clean and orderly? Welcome to my home. It didn't bother the kids a bit. Kevin didn't see a thing wrong with it. What does that say about my house cleaning skills or child rearing for that matter. Oh well, time to move on.
I hope you all had a wondeful Christmas! Ours was very nice and quite.
It was a very good day. Like I said Quincy is a really nice kid. Polite and kind. He finally began to relax around us at the park. I'm not sure where he is with salvation though. I'm thinking not. Gab says he loves to talk about God and he attends a Methodist church on an irregular basis with his family. He also believes in evolution. So we are treading carefully and spending as much time as possible with him. There hasn't been a 'natural' opportunity to get to the meat of the matter just yet; at least with out him feeling as though he's been attacked! Gab plans to invite him to church again. I'm real proud of her. It rightfully bothers her that he may not know Christ as Saviour. She knows that if we learn that he is rejecting Christ that he can only be a friend and a limited one at that. We are hoping that he just hasn't been exposed to the true gospel yet and that we will have an opportunity to introduce him. If the Holy Spirit is wooing him...
We would appreciate your prayers.
Today I went to work. Really a good day. Michael met me at work. He was selected last month to pin on MasterSgt. He won't pin it on until Feb or March. Today he got a call from his monitor. There is a move in our future. Not until July 2007. There are too many unknowns for me to share any more. Once I know for sure with out a doubt where then I'll share. Please pray that I can continue to live in the here and now. :)
One of Kevin's friends came over to stay the night. I do not know what I was thinking!! My house looks like someone threw in about 30 grenades! Egad what a mess! The kids thought they had picked it up some for me. I cooked supper (frozen lasagna, cook that I am) and started cleaning. It's still a mess! I did get the fridge cleaned out. Michael is on board with me for a diet change. All that is in my fridge is fruits and veggies. We hope to embark in the lemonade diet for 10 days. It is actually a cleanse not a diet. Then fruits and veggies with an occasional meat. We went ahead and got the fruits and veggies in case the kids couldn't hang with just lemonade. hmm, wonder who will actually cave first. I received a K Tec Champ blender for Christmas.
Yes, Julie teach me to Link! I still can't comment on other blogs consistently.
I suppose I should get back to the house, I can almost see the counter tops again. I'm hoping that when Kevin's guest gets up tomorrow the house will be so nice he'll think he woke in a different house then the one he went to sleep in. Have you ever stopped in to see someone and saw the condition of their house only to leave thinking I hope they don't invite me to dinner any time soon? Even though you have eaten dinner in their home; at the time it was very clean and orderly? Welcome to my home. It didn't bother the kids a bit. Kevin didn't see a thing wrong with it. What does that say about my house cleaning skills or child rearing for that matter. Oh well, time to move on.
I hope you all had a wondeful Christmas! Ours was very nice and quite.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
New Post
Good morning my blogging buddies!
I have yet to resolve my blogging issues! However I have determined that it is most likely operator ignorance! I obviously have figured out how to make a new post, though that had eluded me for several days. I also, was able to read the comments that were made to my posts. The problem is I can't seem to make comments on your blogs. It is incredibly frustrating. I have 2 resources that have been suggested to me, both of which are out of town at the moment so I'm having to sit tight.
Please bear with me as I make a few comments in my actual post. :) Please read the whole post. Don't be put off or feel left out if it has a name in the beginning. I still posted for all to see and read.
Ms. Julie--this is my new post. I am still visiting your blog and web site. I did get your family newsletter. Thank you. What a busy life you lead!! It is so wonderful to get a newsletter that talks about the things that the Lord has done in your life. Conner is so wonderful! I am so jealous of the grandmother loving he gets. That statement sounds really strange, but I can't explain here in public. When will you and Dave be headed to Alaska?
I read your post about why Christians don't change. My question: The person that states they actually believe in Christ and are Christians, but have not really recognized their sinful state, will they be in heaven? Isn't the first step in accepting Christ being able to admit your sinful state and need for a Savior? Course then there is me who I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I will be in heaven and since that date I can track growth and changes in my life. However, there are still days when I struggle mightily with the same pattern of sin. I must admit that though I do not think you wrote the article in reference to my Daddy post I immediately went there. He struggled so horribly with his drinking. Though I could see times when he had an inner strength to turn from the stuff and be dry for a spell. Some people are able to turn cold turkey from the sins that bind them and others of us struggle the rest of our time here on earth with the same thing. Perhaps it is a lack of faith and trust in our Savior? No, I like your explanation better. It is our inability to see ourselves as foolish sinners in need of our Savior. OK, I feel as though I am turning circles here and this is the wrong time to be this incredibly heavy.
Ms. Mishel-- Woo-hoo windows!!! I feel like I should have a marching band standing in your front yard playing as loud as possible! I sure hope you are feeling better. Gab said you wouldn't let her stay in the nursery the other day because she sounded so bad. I think that hers is all sinuses, but now you have a cold after being around her. I'm sure all that cold air swirling around in your house isn't helping! Would you please stop in at Heather's (Just Laugh) and let her know where I am now? I haven't been able to comment at her blog so she can't find me any more.
Ms. Heather--I so enjoyed your Christmas post. Like the rest of you I have struggled with the whole how to celebrate Christmas also. Unlike you guys, I made a decision based on what I felt was right. I didn't go before the Lord nor did I seek Godly counsel. I just decided that there would be no celebration with tree and decorations and pitched it ALL. Yep, all the ornaments that had been given to us through the years, all the Christmas bears with the dates on them that my Grandmother had given to me. Beautiful decorations gone. Let me clarify 2 things. I did talk to my husband and he was in agreement and this occurred many years ago. See Heather I didn't have the wisdom you had. Let's do this for one Christmas and see what happens. Then Michael and I spent years talking about what we could do different and still celebrate Christmas. We usually fell back into the comfortable. What I believe I did was take away something with out any plan to replace it with something else. So the whole point of changing was lost. Not to mention the memories that were pitched in the trash. We did go back to putting up a tree and decorating. I do try to keep Santa low on the totem pole and focus on God made things. Holly evergreens, poinsettias. I thought I was over the whole Christmas delima. Then I started reading all of the different post, seeing the pictures of Christmas trees in Christian homes. Then I read the post where we all struggle with the same thing. How to keep Christ in Christmas, where to draw the line and how to focus. I have to tell you that my heart did back flips. I'm normal!! We all struggle with this issue. Many of you are far more eloquent in your expression of it. But we all celebrate Christmas; with Christ in our hearts and trees in our living room. :) I did get a little jealous of all the little traditions you guys have. That's what knits a family together through the generations. I had that when I lived at home with my parents. I believe I have failed to provide that for my children. But, I still have a few years to change that. :) I look forward to hearing follow up reports on how your experimental Christmas went, Heather.
Now, the missing post. Again I can relate. I struggle with how to balance what to do and what not to do. Only I don't have an excuse. I'm just plain lazy and selfish. Taking care of your family and their needs is your first priority. Seeking the Lords guidance and your husbands wisdom is *all* you need to do. You will not answer to any one but God and you will not live under the same roof with anyone but your husband. What I finally did at my house, and it worked for a whole 3 months, before self took over again. I sat down and looked at all the things we *had* to do. I decide which ones would be done no matter what. This comes from Ms. Julie's advise of doing what's right because it's right no matter what I feel like or what the circumstances are. Of course you aren't going to make a sick child go to church for obvious reasons. Then the other stuff that came up was up for discussion. It is very easy for me to sit here and type suggestions and comments; taking my own advise and following up is another story.
My favorite comment is: I answer to God not anyone else. Well, that's all fine and dandy if Christ is your center. If you are doing devotions, seeking His will, and reading the Bible. I will still answer to God regardless of what my daily walk with Him is. However, if I'm going to be making decisions that others don't agree with and using that as an excuse I'd better make darn sure I'm in the center of His will or all I have is a house of cards that will crumble around my ears--FAST. We are to be God pleasers not man pleasers.
One last request. Please pray for my sister!! She is really having a rough time. Pray also for me that I will recognize that it is her problem not mine. I can't ride in and save the day. 'bout the only productive safe thing I can do is pray. So I'm asking for you guys to join me. Honestly, I'm having a hard time praying coherently at this time. I pray that the scales are removed from her eyes in the Lord's timing so that she can deal with what she sees. I pray that the Lord will surround her with His peace and strength and His people to under gird her for the battle that I believe has to come. Any time there is change even good change it is hard and it hurts. See, pray for me to stay in my place and pray. For both my sister and I to have faith and trust in our God to resolve this issue. She needs strength from Christ.
I must go. I wish to camp on this issue, but I can not. I must respect her privacy. I know she wouldn't mind any and all heart felt prayers that you are willing to offer. Her name is Melissa.
She homeschools her 4 children and is wife to a preacher. She is also a nurse. I think she works mostly with the babies. She has done some work in the neonatal intensive care as well. She delivered 3 of her 4 kids at home with a midwife. She is a wonderful, intelligent young lady. When she was young she had a wonderful sense of humor and quite a mischieious streak to her. It would be a wonderful blessing to see that joy back on her face and to hear it in her voice. Just to give you an idea of mischeiviousness. My daddy used to boil eggs for his lunch and put them in a seperate place in the fridge. One day Missy switched the eggs. When he got to lunch at work that day he cracked a raw egg not a boiled one! Good thing for her, dad had a good sense of humor as well. I'm sure he retaliated in some way, but I can't remember.
Thanks for reading my ramblings! Have a wonderful day!
I have yet to resolve my blogging issues! However I have determined that it is most likely operator ignorance! I obviously have figured out how to make a new post, though that had eluded me for several days. I also, was able to read the comments that were made to my posts. The problem is I can't seem to make comments on your blogs. It is incredibly frustrating. I have 2 resources that have been suggested to me, both of which are out of town at the moment so I'm having to sit tight.
Please bear with me as I make a few comments in my actual post. :) Please read the whole post. Don't be put off or feel left out if it has a name in the beginning. I still posted for all to see and read.
Ms. Julie--this is my new post. I am still visiting your blog and web site. I did get your family newsletter. Thank you. What a busy life you lead!! It is so wonderful to get a newsletter that talks about the things that the Lord has done in your life. Conner is so wonderful! I am so jealous of the grandmother loving he gets. That statement sounds really strange, but I can't explain here in public. When will you and Dave be headed to Alaska?
I read your post about why Christians don't change. My question: The person that states they actually believe in Christ and are Christians, but have not really recognized their sinful state, will they be in heaven? Isn't the first step in accepting Christ being able to admit your sinful state and need for a Savior? Course then there is me who I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I will be in heaven and since that date I can track growth and changes in my life. However, there are still days when I struggle mightily with the same pattern of sin. I must admit that though I do not think you wrote the article in reference to my Daddy post I immediately went there. He struggled so horribly with his drinking. Though I could see times when he had an inner strength to turn from the stuff and be dry for a spell. Some people are able to turn cold turkey from the sins that bind them and others of us struggle the rest of our time here on earth with the same thing. Perhaps it is a lack of faith and trust in our Savior? No, I like your explanation better. It is our inability to see ourselves as foolish sinners in need of our Savior. OK, I feel as though I am turning circles here and this is the wrong time to be this incredibly heavy.
Ms. Mishel-- Woo-hoo windows!!! I feel like I should have a marching band standing in your front yard playing as loud as possible! I sure hope you are feeling better. Gab said you wouldn't let her stay in the nursery the other day because she sounded so bad. I think that hers is all sinuses, but now you have a cold after being around her. I'm sure all that cold air swirling around in your house isn't helping! Would you please stop in at Heather's (Just Laugh) and let her know where I am now? I haven't been able to comment at her blog so she can't find me any more.
Ms. Heather--I so enjoyed your Christmas post. Like the rest of you I have struggled with the whole how to celebrate Christmas also. Unlike you guys, I made a decision based on what I felt was right. I didn't go before the Lord nor did I seek Godly counsel. I just decided that there would be no celebration with tree and decorations and pitched it ALL. Yep, all the ornaments that had been given to us through the years, all the Christmas bears with the dates on them that my Grandmother had given to me. Beautiful decorations gone. Let me clarify 2 things. I did talk to my husband and he was in agreement and this occurred many years ago. See Heather I didn't have the wisdom you had. Let's do this for one Christmas and see what happens. Then Michael and I spent years talking about what we could do different and still celebrate Christmas. We usually fell back into the comfortable. What I believe I did was take away something with out any plan to replace it with something else. So the whole point of changing was lost. Not to mention the memories that were pitched in the trash. We did go back to putting up a tree and decorating. I do try to keep Santa low on the totem pole and focus on God made things. Holly evergreens, poinsettias. I thought I was over the whole Christmas delima. Then I started reading all of the different post, seeing the pictures of Christmas trees in Christian homes. Then I read the post where we all struggle with the same thing. How to keep Christ in Christmas, where to draw the line and how to focus. I have to tell you that my heart did back flips. I'm normal!! We all struggle with this issue. Many of you are far more eloquent in your expression of it. But we all celebrate Christmas; with Christ in our hearts and trees in our living room. :) I did get a little jealous of all the little traditions you guys have. That's what knits a family together through the generations. I had that when I lived at home with my parents. I believe I have failed to provide that for my children. But, I still have a few years to change that. :) I look forward to hearing follow up reports on how your experimental Christmas went, Heather.
Now, the missing post. Again I can relate. I struggle with how to balance what to do and what not to do. Only I don't have an excuse. I'm just plain lazy and selfish. Taking care of your family and their needs is your first priority. Seeking the Lords guidance and your husbands wisdom is *all* you need to do. You will not answer to any one but God and you will not live under the same roof with anyone but your husband. What I finally did at my house, and it worked for a whole 3 months, before self took over again. I sat down and looked at all the things we *had* to do. I decide which ones would be done no matter what. This comes from Ms. Julie's advise of doing what's right because it's right no matter what I feel like or what the circumstances are. Of course you aren't going to make a sick child go to church for obvious reasons. Then the other stuff that came up was up for discussion. It is very easy for me to sit here and type suggestions and comments; taking my own advise and following up is another story.
My favorite comment is: I answer to God not anyone else. Well, that's all fine and dandy if Christ is your center. If you are doing devotions, seeking His will, and reading the Bible. I will still answer to God regardless of what my daily walk with Him is. However, if I'm going to be making decisions that others don't agree with and using that as an excuse I'd better make darn sure I'm in the center of His will or all I have is a house of cards that will crumble around my ears--FAST. We are to be God pleasers not man pleasers.
One last request. Please pray for my sister!! She is really having a rough time. Pray also for me that I will recognize that it is her problem not mine. I can't ride in and save the day. 'bout the only productive safe thing I can do is pray. So I'm asking for you guys to join me. Honestly, I'm having a hard time praying coherently at this time. I pray that the scales are removed from her eyes in the Lord's timing so that she can deal with what she sees. I pray that the Lord will surround her with His peace and strength and His people to under gird her for the battle that I believe has to come. Any time there is change even good change it is hard and it hurts. See, pray for me to stay in my place and pray. For both my sister and I to have faith and trust in our God to resolve this issue. She needs strength from Christ.
I must go. I wish to camp on this issue, but I can not. I must respect her privacy. I know she wouldn't mind any and all heart felt prayers that you are willing to offer. Her name is Melissa.
She homeschools her 4 children and is wife to a preacher. She is also a nurse. I think she works mostly with the babies. She has done some work in the neonatal intensive care as well. She delivered 3 of her 4 kids at home with a midwife. She is a wonderful, intelligent young lady. When she was young she had a wonderful sense of humor and quite a mischieious streak to her. It would be a wonderful blessing to see that joy back on her face and to hear it in her voice. Just to give you an idea of mischeiviousness. My daddy used to boil eggs for his lunch and put them in a seperate place in the fridge. One day Missy switched the eggs. When he got to lunch at work that day he cracked a raw egg not a boiled one! Good thing for her, dad had a good sense of humor as well. I'm sure he retaliated in some way, but I can't remember.
Thanks for reading my ramblings! Have a wonderful day!
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Is there any one out there that can explain to me in English how to make myself a list of blogs I visit? If I were a patient person I'd wait until a couple people got home from Christmas vacation and have them come over and show me. However, I am an impatient person and would like it done now. Actually, I'm just frustrated with myself for not being able to figure it out on my own. There are just too many of you out there that are making blogging links and pictures happen; Why can't I?! Maybe I just like to whine? :(
Friday, December 15, 2006
Daddy
I have wanted to write this post since before Thanksgiving. Then my blog page went nuts. I'm going to try now. This will most likely be very long! Anyone that has lost a loved one knows that there are times when their memories over whelm you. Several post were written with memories of lost parents and the holidays are upon us; that's the only reason I can think of that caused me to want to write about my Daddy.
Where to start?!
I can remember my dad taking me to the bar with him. I would sit out back and drink a Sprite while he played a few games of pool. When I was in the 3rd grade we moved into a house that was accross the street from a ball park. I remember dad loading the furniture onto his car and driving it down the street to our new home. He used to sit in the back yard and watch the games and share a beer with the dog. There were evenings when my sister would sit in his lap and share Jesus with him. We used to plant a garden in the back yard. Carrots, corn and radishes is what I remember. One year we were planting a tree or bush or something. I was all excited and primed to help. I had just spent the afternoon helping plant trees at school with the girl scouts so I knew it all. I didn't hesitate to let my dad know this as he tried to stop me from going elbow deep into the bag of what I thought was soil. He wisely just let me do my thing. When I was done he let me know that the 'soil' I had just dove into was actually manure.
When I was around 9 yrs old I had frequent UTI's. For some reason when I got an infection they always drew my blood. Lucky me my dad was a lab tech. So all I had to do was go to the lab and see my dad. He was great! I used to be able to go to the lab with him and look into the microscopes at the blood cells. He used to have to manually count all the white and red blood cells. Then he got a new job and no longer worked in the lab. I remember being quite old and needing to have my throat swabed or something like that. We went to the lab that my dad used to work in and I cried like a baby because my dad wasn't there to do what needed to be done.
My dad and I could become angry and shout and yell at each other and then 10 minutes later be ok with each other, no harm done. Course now as a mother I wonder about the no harm done part. He was human and I'm sure the things I said and the tone I used hurt. He never let on though. I could always talk to him.
He used to let me drive the car too. He drove a 1964 valiant. It had the push buttons to change into drive and park and the lever for reverse. It was fun. I started out sitting in his lap. I eventually graduated to sitting in the seat by myself. He used to take me to Sunday evening church for youth choir. We would drive around the corner so mom wouldn't see and trade places, I would drive until we got to the next main busy road and then we'd trade back. Then one day I got silly about something and turned the corner wrong. Just about took out a telephone pole, a mail box and stopped just short of the chain link fence. I thought it was great fun until I looked at dad; he was white. I don't remember him being angry, nor do I remember driving to church again until I got my permit.
Dad didn't go to church with us very often, but he did go from time to time. It was grand fun when he went. We always sat on the back row and sang those hymns at the top of our lungs and quite off key. Then we'd see who could get out of their Sunday clothes the fastest. Then one of us got smart. I honestly can't remember who started it, most likely my dad, but we started laying out our clothes and then that escalated to tying knots in each others clothes. Imangine racing in to change only to find the legs of your jeans tied in a knot.
When I was a teenager I got mono and would have terrible headachs! I would wake in the night and roam the house crying. Dad would wake and tuck me back into bed and sit with me with a cool cloth on my face until I could go back to sleep. I also remember him waking with me when my stomach was sick and he'd hold my head while I was sick. Oh, and when I got a chest cold he would spread vicks all over my chest and pin a t-shirt around me. YUCK! ( I was a little girl for the vicks, not a teenager)
One night I had to close McDonald's where I worked. It was always late on the week ends and this particular night a friend and I sat in the parking lot talking. We talked about a little of every thing including his Morman religion. As we talked I looked up and here came my dad's car down the back alley. When I asked my friend he told me it was 2am. As my dad drove by with the window down and his head out the window I hollered that I would be right home. He got home just a little before me. I told him I was so sorry that I had no idea how late it was, he hugged my neck and went to bed.
This next story is funnier when Michael tells it. One night Michael and I decided to go to the movie but we had to hurry to make it on time. So when he gets to my house he just honks the horn. Oh boy! When I got up I was told to sit. The way Michael tells it: this big long hairy arm comes out the door and a finger beckons him inside. Then my 6 foot daddy let my Mr. Wonderful know that NO man ever honks the horn for his little girl. Wow. I stood 6 feet tall as I left to see our movie. My daddy was the one to name Michael Mr. Wonderful. :)
My daddy loved a good thunder storm! When I was little and frigthened he would sit with my sister and I and we would count between the lightening and thunder. If it was a day time thunder storm dad would turn off the AC and all the lights. Then he would open the windows and prop his feet on the front window sill and watch the storm. Daddy taught me to love the thunder storms.
One day as I was beginning my day I dropped my contact lens down the drain. I hurriedly turned off the water and called daddy. "Could it be in the curved pipe? Would you come see for me please?" Daddy came with his tools and actually found my contact lens. Then he told me to stop up the drain next time. Well, in 7 some odd years of wearing lenses I had never plugged the drain. About a week later I did it again!! I called daddy. "Daddy, please don't be angry" Before I could finish explaining he said he'd be over. Once again he arrived with tools and this time a drain stopper and retrieved my lens.
My daddy pinned my nursing pin to me at my graduation and he gave my hand in marriage.
I have to back up a second. When Michael asked dad for my hand in marriage dad ask that Michael not take me to the other side of the tracks. Daddy didn't want to travel a long way to see me. At the time Michael had no idea what his orders would be. So, when he got orders he assured my dad that he was keeping me on the West side of the tracks; in California. Daddy never did come to California, not that I remember. Just too far.
Daddy did make it to Cherry Point several times to see his grand babies. He and mom even came and stayed a week with the kids when Michael came home from Desert Storm.
When taking care of 2 kids and a high maintanince dog became too much my dad gladly took my dog. He had an amazing bond with that dog!
When my sister got married my dad became the center of attention. There was much disscussion about whether on not he was really saved. How could he have a drinking problem and REALLY be saved. Finally after severl years of debate, my husband who had taken the Operation Go classes called my dad. They had a long conversation. When Michael got off the phone he told me that my daddy believed with all his heart that he would be in heaven and Michael stated that he had no reason to doubt it. I know Michael went through all the scripture and turned it all every which way, because that is how my husband went soul winning. So, I am at peace with the fact that my daddy is in heaven.
When my dog, the one daddy adopted from me, passed away, mom said that my daddy just cried and cried. When he buried that dog he looked at my mom and told her that no one had better even think of telling him there would be no dogs in heaven. (apparently this had been a disagreed upon topic at one time)
I'm sure I have left out a million good memories; I intentionally left out the not so good ones, though there were plenty to balance the good.
I like to think of my dad sitting in his lawn chair with his feet kicked up and a dog in his lap watching the thunder storms with Jesus at his side.
Through the years I've heard it said the little girls tend to have the same relationship with Jesus as they did with their dad. I never really understood that, my daddy drank and was kind of absent from time to time. However, in losing my dad and being able to remember the good with the not so good I realize that my relationship with Jesus is just like the one I had with my daddy.
Daddy was always there for me when I sought him out, I could say anything to him, and I NEVER doubted my daddy's love for me! Jesus is that for me, always there and always loving.
Where to start?!
I can remember my dad taking me to the bar with him. I would sit out back and drink a Sprite while he played a few games of pool. When I was in the 3rd grade we moved into a house that was accross the street from a ball park. I remember dad loading the furniture onto his car and driving it down the street to our new home. He used to sit in the back yard and watch the games and share a beer with the dog. There were evenings when my sister would sit in his lap and share Jesus with him. We used to plant a garden in the back yard. Carrots, corn and radishes is what I remember. One year we were planting a tree or bush or something. I was all excited and primed to help. I had just spent the afternoon helping plant trees at school with the girl scouts so I knew it all. I didn't hesitate to let my dad know this as he tried to stop me from going elbow deep into the bag of what I thought was soil. He wisely just let me do my thing. When I was done he let me know that the 'soil' I had just dove into was actually manure.
When I was around 9 yrs old I had frequent UTI's. For some reason when I got an infection they always drew my blood. Lucky me my dad was a lab tech. So all I had to do was go to the lab and see my dad. He was great! I used to be able to go to the lab with him and look into the microscopes at the blood cells. He used to have to manually count all the white and red blood cells. Then he got a new job and no longer worked in the lab. I remember being quite old and needing to have my throat swabed or something like that. We went to the lab that my dad used to work in and I cried like a baby because my dad wasn't there to do what needed to be done.
My dad and I could become angry and shout and yell at each other and then 10 minutes later be ok with each other, no harm done. Course now as a mother I wonder about the no harm done part. He was human and I'm sure the things I said and the tone I used hurt. He never let on though. I could always talk to him.
He used to let me drive the car too. He drove a 1964 valiant. It had the push buttons to change into drive and park and the lever for reverse. It was fun. I started out sitting in his lap. I eventually graduated to sitting in the seat by myself. He used to take me to Sunday evening church for youth choir. We would drive around the corner so mom wouldn't see and trade places, I would drive until we got to the next main busy road and then we'd trade back. Then one day I got silly about something and turned the corner wrong. Just about took out a telephone pole, a mail box and stopped just short of the chain link fence. I thought it was great fun until I looked at dad; he was white. I don't remember him being angry, nor do I remember driving to church again until I got my permit.
Dad didn't go to church with us very often, but he did go from time to time. It was grand fun when he went. We always sat on the back row and sang those hymns at the top of our lungs and quite off key. Then we'd see who could get out of their Sunday clothes the fastest. Then one of us got smart. I honestly can't remember who started it, most likely my dad, but we started laying out our clothes and then that escalated to tying knots in each others clothes. Imangine racing in to change only to find the legs of your jeans tied in a knot.
When I was a teenager I got mono and would have terrible headachs! I would wake in the night and roam the house crying. Dad would wake and tuck me back into bed and sit with me with a cool cloth on my face until I could go back to sleep. I also remember him waking with me when my stomach was sick and he'd hold my head while I was sick. Oh, and when I got a chest cold he would spread vicks all over my chest and pin a t-shirt around me. YUCK! ( I was a little girl for the vicks, not a teenager)
One night I had to close McDonald's where I worked. It was always late on the week ends and this particular night a friend and I sat in the parking lot talking. We talked about a little of every thing including his Morman religion. As we talked I looked up and here came my dad's car down the back alley. When I asked my friend he told me it was 2am. As my dad drove by with the window down and his head out the window I hollered that I would be right home. He got home just a little before me. I told him I was so sorry that I had no idea how late it was, he hugged my neck and went to bed.
This next story is funnier when Michael tells it. One night Michael and I decided to go to the movie but we had to hurry to make it on time. So when he gets to my house he just honks the horn. Oh boy! When I got up I was told to sit. The way Michael tells it: this big long hairy arm comes out the door and a finger beckons him inside. Then my 6 foot daddy let my Mr. Wonderful know that NO man ever honks the horn for his little girl. Wow. I stood 6 feet tall as I left to see our movie. My daddy was the one to name Michael Mr. Wonderful. :)
My daddy loved a good thunder storm! When I was little and frigthened he would sit with my sister and I and we would count between the lightening and thunder. If it was a day time thunder storm dad would turn off the AC and all the lights. Then he would open the windows and prop his feet on the front window sill and watch the storm. Daddy taught me to love the thunder storms.
One day as I was beginning my day I dropped my contact lens down the drain. I hurriedly turned off the water and called daddy. "Could it be in the curved pipe? Would you come see for me please?" Daddy came with his tools and actually found my contact lens. Then he told me to stop up the drain next time. Well, in 7 some odd years of wearing lenses I had never plugged the drain. About a week later I did it again!! I called daddy. "Daddy, please don't be angry" Before I could finish explaining he said he'd be over. Once again he arrived with tools and this time a drain stopper and retrieved my lens.
My daddy pinned my nursing pin to me at my graduation and he gave my hand in marriage.
I have to back up a second. When Michael asked dad for my hand in marriage dad ask that Michael not take me to the other side of the tracks. Daddy didn't want to travel a long way to see me. At the time Michael had no idea what his orders would be. So, when he got orders he assured my dad that he was keeping me on the West side of the tracks; in California. Daddy never did come to California, not that I remember. Just too far.
Daddy did make it to Cherry Point several times to see his grand babies. He and mom even came and stayed a week with the kids when Michael came home from Desert Storm.
When taking care of 2 kids and a high maintanince dog became too much my dad gladly took my dog. He had an amazing bond with that dog!
When my sister got married my dad became the center of attention. There was much disscussion about whether on not he was really saved. How could he have a drinking problem and REALLY be saved. Finally after severl years of debate, my husband who had taken the Operation Go classes called my dad. They had a long conversation. When Michael got off the phone he told me that my daddy believed with all his heart that he would be in heaven and Michael stated that he had no reason to doubt it. I know Michael went through all the scripture and turned it all every which way, because that is how my husband went soul winning. So, I am at peace with the fact that my daddy is in heaven.
When my dog, the one daddy adopted from me, passed away, mom said that my daddy just cried and cried. When he buried that dog he looked at my mom and told her that no one had better even think of telling him there would be no dogs in heaven. (apparently this had been a disagreed upon topic at one time)
I'm sure I have left out a million good memories; I intentionally left out the not so good ones, though there were plenty to balance the good.
I like to think of my dad sitting in his lawn chair with his feet kicked up and a dog in his lap watching the thunder storms with Jesus at his side.
Through the years I've heard it said the little girls tend to have the same relationship with Jesus as they did with their dad. I never really understood that, my daddy drank and was kind of absent from time to time. However, in losing my dad and being able to remember the good with the not so good I realize that my relationship with Jesus is just like the one I had with my daddy.
Daddy was always there for me when I sought him out, I could say anything to him, and I NEVER doubted my daddy's love for me! Jesus is that for me, always there and always loving.
Thursday, December 7, 2006
I'm Back!!
I have a new account and a new name, but it's the same me! Now all I have to do is figure out how to pass the word. Look forward to being back in the loop!
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