Chismville

The air conditioning was not working this morning during the service at New Hope, but that is not what made me fidget restless in my seat. Jenny has been in labor all day and I got a text message about it just before we went inside. I am still restless, eager to hear that Jenny’s and Daniel’s little daughter made her appearance safely and smoothly into the world!Life keeps buzzing along. In the past few weeks Kirstie turned 16, Eden turned 20, and Emily turned 18 yesterday. On Eden’s birthday I took my final final for Chemistry and by God’s sweet grace completed my degree in Political Science through Hillsdale College. It has taken me a little while to settle into this new reality of not having nagging little deadlines always before me. Precalculus and Chemistry weren’t my most relished subjects, and being one of those people usually inclined to eat my brussel sprouts first, it was strange to end my education on such a note. I do love to learn however. I had more lack of purpose and confused restlessness after completing Precalculus than I have had now that I am really done. Now that I have obtained that little piece of paper I sought so diligently, I’ve been snatching up books with alacrity! One for girlish memories and old-times sake, one for theological insight, one for summer reading enrichment, another for family direction and personal insight, and I believe I’ve only just begun to cover all the bases.I don’t intend to neglect my precious charges. I almost regret that Joel will turn four this week! It has been such fun answering peoples questions about my children’s ages with simple counting 3, 2, and 1. Everyone tells me children grow up all too fast. I know it is true. Even little Aria is having her own occasional squabbles with her bigger siblings, realizing a squawk might earn back a toy. I so enjoyed getting to know Mrs. Wold’s fiance, Chris Peeler, while attending his parenting seminar. Sadly, it was while David was gone in Portland, so I had to take extra good notes. The training was excellent. I realized how important it is to keep our children’s hearts while our children are small and to instill in them desires for those things which are truly important. Children are mirrors into our own lives–sometimes magnifying our own sins and personal hypocrisy. David and I cannot talk our children into really loving the Word and the Lord, without being truly excited about Scripture and our Savior ourselves. Chris said several times that good parenting doesn’t cost much, only our lives! I left the seminar wanting to banish the nagging motherly worries for my children’s safety with an excitement about watching our children grow to do eternally significant things for God’s glory. Soon after David’s return from Portland, we enjoyed an early morning Panera’s date full of rich conversation. I am so proud of my husband. He has been advancing his new A David Creation marketing consultant business and working much more from home. Starting up a new business is never easy, especially in this economy, but I feel so at peace because of God’s blessing and David’s diligence and powerful drive to provide for our family.

I typed this up about two weeks ago and never finished it….

Today I happened to glance outside and saw two teeny fawns skipping and racing around our back yard. A few moments later they were gone. It boggles my mind to think of all the natural beauty that no human ever lays eyes on. I can’t believe all the fulfilled longings I have experienced recently. I took my kids, Kirstie and Seth blueberry picking last week. Blueberries are one of the finest foods ever invented! I feel at last, I am enjoying God’s good gifts rather than fearing that the things I enjoy might be rudely snatched from me. There’s such a delicate distinction between fearing God, loving and serving Him, in a rightful sense and being wretchedly overcome with worries and fears of what God might do. God loves to give good gifts to His children. My soul thrills with that reality. Oh how I love my children! Life with a three, two and one-year-old is full. It has been something of a juggling act in recent days to keep everyone fed, clean and clothed, disciplined and dare I say happy, along with a tidy house, up-to-date homework, and on time for the many fun activities that summer days bring. J Some days I think, “It should not be this hard!” However my recent run-in with another driver made me yet again think how much I LOVE my husband and my precious children. If a reckless driver hit me head-on today and I went to Glory, my sweet little ones would not even remember me a few years from now, but they Need me. It is a joy to be needed. The type of service required as a mother of little ones is eternally rewarding. I am so thankful to God for all His good blessings on my life. I love this home we are living in. It is a present from God, complete with all the trimmings my heart could desire. I love seeing the wildlife that happen into the vast sea of greenness to frolic or munch on our mown lawn. I love discovering wild black raspberries around the entire perimeter of our yard.  I love meeting my friend’s and sister’s new babies and marveling at God’s gift of new life.

This weekend’s events of Jenny’s baby shower and Mrs. Wold’s bridal shower sent me into more sentimental reveries. I got to meet Mrs. Rodgers, my soon-to-be neighbor.  I can scarcely believe that my little flock will soon be playing in the same back yard that I spent so many happy hours playing with the Wolds. Mrs. Rodgers had just learned of Mrs. Wold’s engagement and was so happy that special home would still be filled with children after the Wold children move. It is so sweet to me that God would have us fill in that piece of the puzzle as Mrs. Wold begins married life anew and her home holds many special memories for scores of friends and family.

A week and a half has gone by since the a helicopter crashed onto the 70 freeway, near Frederick, Maryland. I was driving home with my family not far from the crash site but did not find out till the next day. It was one of the worst thunderstorm/rain storms I had ever driven in, so I was shocked when I heard that a pilot flew in such weather. I really did not find out if it had stopped raining when the crash took place, but I do know that 15 minutes before the crash, it was awful weather.

A new networking friend of mine called me the following day, Friday, to discuss a marketing project we were working on for Hallco. He then said, “Did you hear about the helicopter crash?” I said that I had not. My friend then said, “Well, do you remember Niall?” I knew at that moment that it must not be good news. Niall Booth, was another man I had recently met at a business networking meeting and was one of the passengers on board the helicopter when it went down. The last time I saw Niall, I had sat next to him and had a wonderful conversation about why he moved to Maryland, where he had been, his new contract with the helicopter company, and much more. We had a lot in common when it came to sales and marketing too, so after he left that day, I realized he was one person I had to stay in touch with in the months/years to come. To hear such tragic news of his death made me so sick inside. I do hope to attend his memorial service coming up and see how his family is doing.

One of the strange things about the crash too was that the guy who told me about the accident was supposed to be on the flight. He was invited to get on the aircraft and backed out because he did not like flying. I then told him that there must be a reason God still has you on this earth. I really meant what I said. It isn’t that God was judging those who died that night. I meant that God was just not finished with this man. He responded with a sarcastic remark of maybe needing to be religious or something “funny” to him. I am not sure what was or is going through his mind, but I do hope he will think more about eternity in the future. God has placed eternity in the hearts of men, and I know this man too must think about it at times: why did God spare him that day? Wow! That would cause chills to go up and down my spin for months! My heart weeps to know that there are those who don’t know Christ, even after a tragic event. They continue to go about their lives thinking that they can live in this World with out His grace and mercy. Lord willing, this will stir in my heart a boldness to speak about the love of Christ to this man an many others.