My husband and daughter are both doing NaNoWrMo (National Novel Writing Month) this year. They are each going to attempt to write a 50,000 word novel in November. So I am preparing to be a NaNo widow. I checked out a stack of library books yesterday and am thinking about what I can do by myself on Saturdays. So far, I've decided to get the oil changed and the tires rotated the first Saturday. I'm hoping I can come up with better ideas for the rest of the month!
My daughter wanted me to do NaNoWrMo as well, but I know my limits. I've attempted fiction writing, and it's not something I really enjoy. So now she's trying to get me to do BlogOWrMo, and write an entry on my blog every day in November. I also have a friend who recently started posting an entry on her blog every day, and told me I should do the same. This friend has six kids, so she's not buying the "I'm too busy" line from me. And it is fun to read her blog every day.
So I am giving in to the pressure. Starting next Monday, Nov. 1, I will post something every day. So don't expect any deep thoughts...I can't come up with one of those every 24 hours! And I'm also going to have to figure out how to post photos here. My friend sometimes posts a photo of one of her kids doing something funny or interesting with a caption. That seems like an easy way to get in a daily post. Of course, my photos won't be so good, because the rest of my family will be sitting in front of computers all month...that doesn't make for an interesting picture! But I'll come up with something.
See you in November!
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
Counting the Cost
We moved into our home nine years ago. Nine years of family living can wear out the best of homes, and ours is starting to show "laugh lines". So I decided to paint the entire place. I foolishly thought it would be easy, something I could do in my spare time. My husband, who once had a job painting apartments, warned me that it was more work than it seemed. But I blithely went ahead. I figured I could paint the entryway and kitchen in one morning, then do the bathroom the next morning, and move on from there. Well, two long days later, and I'm still not completely done with the kitchen! What I have finished does look great, and that motivates me to carry on. But I'm a wiser, more humble painter now!
Jesus warned those who wished to follow Him to count the cost first, because He knew it was human nature to to get excited about something, jump in with both feet, and only then begin to realize what the costs are. He wants followers who will go with Him all the way and not fall away when the going gets tough. We need to be wise and humble followers, ones who know what the costs are and still choose to pay them, knowing He is worth everything.
Jesus warned those who wished to follow Him to count the cost first, because He knew it was human nature to to get excited about something, jump in with both feet, and only then begin to realize what the costs are. He wants followers who will go with Him all the way and not fall away when the going gets tough. We need to be wise and humble followers, ones who know what the costs are and still choose to pay them, knowing He is worth everything.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Why I Love to Wash Dishes
Please don't think I'm crazy, but I really enjoy washing dishes. It's one of my favorite chores. I find it relaxing, soaking my hands in warm soapy water. And it's one of those satisfying tasks, where you can see the results of your work right away. Piles of dirty dishes and pans are now clean and stacked back in the cupboards and drawers where they belong.
Dish washing is also a social activity in our house. After supper and a walk around the block, we all gather in the kitchen to clean up. For some reason, when hands are busy with a task that doesn't require deep thought, conversation flows. We have some of our best talks together then.
I think my love for dish washing began in my grandmother's kitchen. At home, we had an automatic dishwasher, so washing dishes by hand was exotic to me. Sort of like gathering eggs, something else I only got to do at grandma's house. I would always volunteer to wash, and my grandma would dry. It was one of the only times I had her attention all to myself.
I have an automatic dishwasher now, but I hardly ever use it. I like the feeling of getting all of the dishes done at once. Dishwashers delay that; you have to remember to unload it later. And somehow, loading and unloading a dishwasher doesn't lend itself to the relaxed conversations we have when we're washing, drying and putting away the dishes together.
Do any of you have a favorite chore, one most people seem to hate? If any of you could convince me of the joy of cleaning toilets, I'd be most grateful!
Dish washing is also a social activity in our house. After supper and a walk around the block, we all gather in the kitchen to clean up. For some reason, when hands are busy with a task that doesn't require deep thought, conversation flows. We have some of our best talks together then.
I think my love for dish washing began in my grandmother's kitchen. At home, we had an automatic dishwasher, so washing dishes by hand was exotic to me. Sort of like gathering eggs, something else I only got to do at grandma's house. I would always volunteer to wash, and my grandma would dry. It was one of the only times I had her attention all to myself.
I have an automatic dishwasher now, but I hardly ever use it. I like the feeling of getting all of the dishes done at once. Dishwashers delay that; you have to remember to unload it later. And somehow, loading and unloading a dishwasher doesn't lend itself to the relaxed conversations we have when we're washing, drying and putting away the dishes together.
Do any of you have a favorite chore, one most people seem to hate? If any of you could convince me of the joy of cleaning toilets, I'd be most grateful!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
The Joys of Camping
Since school started this week, we decided to make the most of the last few days of summer last week and went on a camping trip. I know not everyone enjoys camping, but I love it! We had such a good time that I've been trying to figure out ways to keep the "camping spirit" alive, even though we are back home, sleeping in beds at night and following long to-do lists by day. Here are some of the things I love about camping and my ideas for bringing them home. If you're a camper, please add your own!
Being outdoors. There is no better way to wake up in the morning than to the sun peaking in the tent and the birds singing. It's impossible to sleep in when I'm camping, because I want to get up and see the beautiful day God has made! And going for hikes is the best way to get close to the wonders of nature. There's nothing like going around a bend and suddenly seeing something that takes your breath away, whether it's a distance mountain, the edge of a lake, or a deer standing in your path. Back here at home, my daughter and I take a walk after breakfast. We walk down a dead-end road which goes by a park and some woods. We listen to the birds sing and watch for deer. We once saw a doe and two fawns who stared at us before running off into the woods. As a family, we are planning to make hiking nearby trails a regular weekend activity this fall.
Minimal housework. When you're camping, there are no floors to mop, no lawns to mow, no unfinished projects sitting there making you feel guilty. Cleaning up is as easy as zipping up your sleeping bag. By necessity, meals are simple and use few dishes (since you have to haul with you any dishes you use). Plus they are well-received. Anything tastes good when it's cooked and eaten outside, especially after a day of hiking! Now that we are home, I am trying to plan simpler meals, ones that don't require an hour to make and even more time to clean up.
Campfires! There is something about a campfire. It makes people draw close, relax and tell stories. Here at home, we don't have a fireplace and we can't just start a fire in the middle of our living room. But we can decide to turn off the television and computer in the evenings and spend time sitting together talking. It's amazing what we learn about each other when we have some uninterrupted time to just talk about whatever comes up.
Being outdoors. There is no better way to wake up in the morning than to the sun peaking in the tent and the birds singing. It's impossible to sleep in when I'm camping, because I want to get up and see the beautiful day God has made! And going for hikes is the best way to get close to the wonders of nature. There's nothing like going around a bend and suddenly seeing something that takes your breath away, whether it's a distance mountain, the edge of a lake, or a deer standing in your path. Back here at home, my daughter and I take a walk after breakfast. We walk down a dead-end road which goes by a park and some woods. We listen to the birds sing and watch for deer. We once saw a doe and two fawns who stared at us before running off into the woods. As a family, we are planning to make hiking nearby trails a regular weekend activity this fall.
Minimal housework. When you're camping, there are no floors to mop, no lawns to mow, no unfinished projects sitting there making you feel guilty. Cleaning up is as easy as zipping up your sleeping bag. By necessity, meals are simple and use few dishes (since you have to haul with you any dishes you use). Plus they are well-received. Anything tastes good when it's cooked and eaten outside, especially after a day of hiking! Now that we are home, I am trying to plan simpler meals, ones that don't require an hour to make and even more time to clean up.
Campfires! There is something about a campfire. It makes people draw close, relax and tell stories. Here at home, we don't have a fireplace and we can't just start a fire in the middle of our living room. But we can decide to turn off the television and computer in the evenings and spend time sitting together talking. It's amazing what we learn about each other when we have some uninterrupted time to just talk about whatever comes up.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Lessons from Discount Tire
First, a disclosure: I do not now nor have I ever worked for Discount Tire. I do not own stock in their company. I do not even know anyone who works there. But I am one of their customers, and I've had some excellent experiences there and learned a few lessons from them as well. So, in no particular order, here are a few of those lessons:
Notice people. When I pull into the parking lot at Discount Tire, a worker comes out, meets me at my car, and asks me what I need. Let me tell you, that makes me feel pretty important and reassures me that I will be taken care of. It takes very little time to notice and acknowledge someone, but when you do, you will make a friend for life.
Focus on what you do well. Discount Tire focus on, obviously, tires. They don't do oil changes; they don't repair brakes. As a result, their people really know tires, and they have the equipment and experience do take care of practically any tire problem. My neighbor Jeanette makes absolutely incredible desserts. My friend Daniela is fluent in several languages. I can be envious of them and wish I had their talents. Or I can focus on my own talents and use those to bless the people around me.
Build relationships by helping people. When you buy tires from Discount Tire, the salesman doesn't shake your hand and tell you good-bye. Instead, they provide free tire rotations and repairs for as long as you own those tires. By focusing on what their customers need, they keep them coming back. And when those customers need new tires, or have a friend who needs new tires, where do you think they are going to go? Think about what the people you know need and what you can do to meet those needs. As the old saying goes, if you want to have a friend, then be a friend.
Like I said, I don't work for Discount Tire, and there are plenty of other companies who provide excellent customer service. As a Christian, I am called on to serve others. I can learn a lot from companies like this one.
Notice people. When I pull into the parking lot at Discount Tire, a worker comes out, meets me at my car, and asks me what I need. Let me tell you, that makes me feel pretty important and reassures me that I will be taken care of. It takes very little time to notice and acknowledge someone, but when you do, you will make a friend for life.
Focus on what you do well. Discount Tire focus on, obviously, tires. They don't do oil changes; they don't repair brakes. As a result, their people really know tires, and they have the equipment and experience do take care of practically any tire problem. My neighbor Jeanette makes absolutely incredible desserts. My friend Daniela is fluent in several languages. I can be envious of them and wish I had their talents. Or I can focus on my own talents and use those to bless the people around me.
Build relationships by helping people. When you buy tires from Discount Tire, the salesman doesn't shake your hand and tell you good-bye. Instead, they provide free tire rotations and repairs for as long as you own those tires. By focusing on what their customers need, they keep them coming back. And when those customers need new tires, or have a friend who needs new tires, where do you think they are going to go? Think about what the people you know need and what you can do to meet those needs. As the old saying goes, if you want to have a friend, then be a friend.
Like I said, I don't work for Discount Tire, and there are plenty of other companies who provide excellent customer service. As a Christian, I am called on to serve others. I can learn a lot from companies like this one.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Still Crazy After All These Years
After nearly 25 years of marriage (our anniversary is two weeks from today), my husband still surprises me.
My husband is the kind of man you'd want beside you if you are ever in trouble. He has no fear of confronting the "bad guys" and firmly believes it is his duty to protect the people he loves. But one thing he has always avoided is roller coasters. He says it's because he likes to be in control. He feels the same way about airplanes. The only way he would enjoy flying is if they let him fly the plane.
So imagine my surprise when he told our daughter that yes, he would go on one of the roller coasters during a recent visit to a local amusement park. Then, after achieving that, he went on every roller coaster in the park!
I love it that he is still willing to try new things. And I love him. I'm looking forward to seeing what new adventures will come our way in the next 25 years.
My husband is the kind of man you'd want beside you if you are ever in trouble. He has no fear of confronting the "bad guys" and firmly believes it is his duty to protect the people he loves. But one thing he has always avoided is roller coasters. He says it's because he likes to be in control. He feels the same way about airplanes. The only way he would enjoy flying is if they let him fly the plane.
So imagine my surprise when he told our daughter that yes, he would go on one of the roller coasters during a recent visit to a local amusement park. Then, after achieving that, he went on every roller coaster in the park!
I love it that he is still willing to try new things. And I love him. I'm looking forward to seeing what new adventures will come our way in the next 25 years.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Neither a Leader Nor a Borrower Be...
In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis points out that ancient Greeks, Jews in the Old Testament, and Christians in the Middle Ages all forbid leading money at interest, and that in the modern world, our entire economic system is based on charging and paying interest. If charging interest were outlawed today in America, our economy would collapse.
But is it healthy for us to rely so heavily on something that three quite different past societies found wise to forbid? Would the current chaos our economy is in have been avoided if we also followed this rule? Or would we personally be better off if we tried to follow it in our daily lives? It would mean no credit cards, no mortgages, no investing in the stock market. Certainly some of us would be better off than we are now, but not all of us.
I don't have any answers here, just questions and thoughts. Let me know what you think of this, and what your life would look like if you decided to follow this rule.
But is it healthy for us to rely so heavily on something that three quite different past societies found wise to forbid? Would the current chaos our economy is in have been avoided if we also followed this rule? Or would we personally be better off if we tried to follow it in our daily lives? It would mean no credit cards, no mortgages, no investing in the stock market. Certainly some of us would be better off than we are now, but not all of us.
I don't have any answers here, just questions and thoughts. Let me know what you think of this, and what your life would look like if you decided to follow this rule.
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