ISRAEL'S MAP

I LOVE ISRAEL! 

I love the land, the history, the food, the people, the landmarks, and the absolute CRITICAL CONCEPT that Israel as a nation must exist!

There are huge movements on this planet right now whose goal it is to bring that country to nothing!  In the past I have dismissed this concept as just a few very loud and radical voices spouting their venom. Surely, NO ONE would take seriously the threats of a lunatic neighbor.  He has publically declared MANY times his goal is to remove Israel from the face of the earth.  Israel could end his ranting and raving at any given moment with just a nod to go ahead and push the nuclear button. Missiles are cocked and ready, pointing in all directions.

It seems like the button may just be pushed any day now.

Just a few short years ago we visited that Biblical land and talked  at length with a retired military man.  He shared stories of Israel being at war with Egypt and how Egypt was expected to win battle after battle yet miraculously when forces met the Egyptians unexpectedly just turned and ran away.  No explanation!  He guided us to the hills of the Golan Heights and explained the battles that occurred there.    He explained the 1967 war. We purchased a video to review these facts again and again once we got home.

When we asked this very articulate and brave man what he believed to be the solution  to the conflict over the land  he replied, "It's the map! Whenever the boundaries are reached there will be peace."  He then pulled a rough drawing from his pocket.

His map of the future land called Israel would encompass all land from the Euphrates and Tigris rivers to the sea!  It was the Biblical description of the territory given to the Jewish people during the time of Abraham.  This description was repeated again and again to Abraham's descendants. We checked his claims.  He's got facts to stand on.

This morning I was driving home from a little volunteering position and the announcer came on the radio with the excited news, "BREAKING NEWS!"  President Obama had just finished a speech in which he declared that the United States wants the borders of Israel to return to the 1967 line.

WHAT???   With all due respect,  he wasn't speaking for ME, or others like me.  I think we're called Christian Zionists, those who believe the book, those who believe that the existence of the nation of Israel is an idea straight from the heavenlies.

The  radio announcer called the Presidents statement a "bombshell."  Very poor choice of words!  Because it may just come to that!

Oh, my,  I never thought I'd live to see the day that the US would denounce the only country in that part of the world that treats it's citizens with dignity, that is flourishing in a million ways, that contributes to the welfare of the whole world, that governs by the rule of law, that holds women in high esteem and is light years ahead of all their neighbors scientifically.

Will Jerusalem be divided?  Will the holy sights that we now are free to visit be open to all, or will they be shut up tight as is the Dome of the Rock. (That particular sight was built on tourists dollars and is now a mosque that only Muslims can enter.) Will the garden tomb be destroyed like the desert Buddhas? Will women be required to wear those god-awful burkas?  Will women be refused the right to drive a car, own a business or go to school?  What happens to the rest of us when Jews are targeted for death?  Didn't we already experience that and swore to ourselves, "never again?"

Honeybuns just gave his input.  "Forget 1967. Why don't we honor the border that was drawn over there  about 2000 BC."
(HHHHmmmmnnnn, more thoughts of Abraham.)

This news has far reaching effects.  We can only imagine where we're going from here.

LOOK OUT TEXAS!  You might be next!

ADDICTED? ME?

Sometimes it takes a "straw to break a camel's back."  Or, "you have to admit you have a problem before you can solve it."

Well, MAYBE I've come to that point!  I'm thinking about it, not admitting anything just yet!!

 I AM ready to admit that I LOVE today's technology.  I'm never far from my iphone, computer, or other such gadget.  I embrace Facebook and I know how to Twitter! Checking e-mail several times a day is a given. I was one of the first in my neighborhood to have one of those tiny telephones hanging off my ear so I could TALK and do housework, drive, eat, etc. at the same time.  (My youngest son now forbids me to wear that!)  Needless to say,  I'm  proudly CONNECTED!

For a while now, I've tried to put this connectedness into  context.  You see,  I am from the generation that ALWAYS answers the phone when it rings, goes to my mailbox EVERY day for the mail and then reads it, ANSWERS the doorbell when it rings, SPEAKS to the neighbors when they walk by, TELEPHONES my sister and sister-in-law regularly because we simply enjoy each other and engages EVERYONE in a conversation everywhere I go.  Yep, I'm connected to PEOPLE!  This new technology just aids my ability to converse!

I'd rather talk than eat.  "Come sit by me and let's visit a while" is my mantra!  And I'm totally baffled when people refuse the offer.  They think they have something more important to do, whatever could THAT be?

SO, all that love of community FITS with today's gadgets. That's my story!

Until last night!  After cuddling up in our big king size bed, watching the ten o'clock news, kissing goodnight and turning off the light, I remembered that I had not checked my iphone to see if I'd received that last text message of the night from our daughter-in-law in Dallas.(She has a  new baby girl and  I wondered how she'd made it through the evening alone with the four little ones.)  I reached for it, clicked it on and it glowed!   I started pecking away at the little alphabet.

Honeybuns raised up in bed and said, and I quote,  "We've come a long way, baby!  It used to be flannel pajamas but now you've brought your iphone to bed with you!"

Do I need an intervention?

No time today, I'm headed out to check out the newest ipad!  Surely I NEED  one of those, too!

NEW ARRIVAL #9

THERE SHE IS!  She's as cute as a bug in a rug!  Elizabeth "Betsy" Leigh is about a week old in this picture.

She's tiny and she's perfect in every way.  (EVERY baby is perfect, because they are so fresh from God!)

I cannot wait to get my hands on her and look into those black snappy eyes and introduce myself.  She's eating, sleeping and growing into life with her two older sisters and one big brother.

She's number NINE for us and she couldn't be more loved.  God designed our hearts to love each child individually and unconditionally!  The more children in this family the merrier, our hearts just expand to meet the numbers. Who knew that was possible?

NINE different personalites, interest, talents and quirks.  I love it!   Grandchildren are God's best idea!!  It's all fun with little responsibility!

Betsy's world will be large.  It will be filled with adventures, laughter, and sites that will thrill those huge and very alert eyes. We're going to have some terrific times together!

Welcome to the  world sweet baby girl.  You're going to love it!!

HAUNTED BY THE GIRL WITH THE TATTOO

This is a familiar sight.  It's a bar within a neighborhood grill, no big deal.  But this is the place that now haunts me!

A few months ago while it was still cold here in OK, a best friend and I went to lunch at one of these neighborhood bar/grills.  The food is good and relatively inexpensive and we settled in the booth near the bar for lunch and a very long chat.

In the middle of our lunch date we both noticed a girl sitting at the bar very much alone.  She had on a sundress, very unusual for that chilly day, and a huge tattoo was the only thing covering her shoulders.  Her hair needed to be washed and combed.  She was petite, thin and seemed very young.  We kept an eye on her but no friend came to meet her. It was impossible to see her face, her back faced our table.  She sat very still, drinking something, but no food arrived that we could tell.

We wondered and we worried!  But did NOTHING!

Because we both had recently been "trained" in the awful subject of  HUMAN TRAFFICKING we worried some more.  What was she doing there?  Why was she alone?  Who was coming to meet her?  Was she in distress? Were there bruises?

We sat there!   And did NOTHING!

We convinced ourselves that we were over reacting and continued with our conversation.  The young girl sat on the bar stool with head bowed down.  As we left I glanced back and she was still there.

Well, I can't get her out of my mind.  Every time we go out to eat now I scan the room looking for her or others like her.  My mind races, wondering what became of the girl with the tattoo on her shoulder.

I will  never see her again.  I want to believe that she's o.k.,  that a family member or a best friend met her that day and they had a wonderful time.

BUT....if I see another young girl in that situation I now have a plan.

I WILL quietly and gently slip onto the bar stool next to her.  I WILL say hello softly.   I WILL look at her face  and into her eyes.
And then I will ask her if she's having a good day.  (I'll be praying that she says YES!)

 I will ever so patiently wait and try to engage in a conversation. 

If she has bruises, tears, no money, or fear, I will ask more questions and get more details.   And I will offer her any help that she might need. I WILL call the authorities and the professionals to intervene.

Precious little girls don't dream of growing up to become castaways, throwaways, or runaways.  Big girls don't thrive while being employed in the worlds oldest profession, 98% say they want out and want out immediately. 

HUMAN TRAFFICKING is real and it's all around us.  Maybe it's at the neighborhood bar and grill.

ART APPRECIATION

Sedona, AZ is FILLED with art!  This fellow here is just one of many that stand guard over nearly every sidewalk and street.   Touring that beautiful city is an education on many levels. Why all those artsy folks gathered to live and work in this place is understandable!  The whole town is surrounded by the most magnificent natural "art" found anywhere in the world.   Soaring red mountains all around give you the sense of breathing within a cathedral. The scenery changes color with the position of the sun and the clouds overhead.

You can pick out one of those artists at a glance.  They "dance to a different drummer" and the result is visible.  We watched them move about the town with  freedom to dress  quirky, live on the time table directed by the sun and it's shadows,  and care less what people think about their work.

This guy  represents a shaman.  A  shaman (shay'man) is a hocus pocus kind of fellow that supposedly talks to dead ancestors.  It is believed that only he can heal folks, receive direction, curses, etc. from the spiritual world. Magic is his game and deceit is  his name! Looking into those dark holes for eyes gives me the willies!  Perhaps his magical talent is the ability to scare the germs right out of  sick folks! I'd certainly abandon ship if I were a virus and saw this coming at me!

Truly, ART is in the eye of the BEHOLDER!  Although I doubt I will ever buy anything like this, I really DO appreciate the talent it took to fashion this fella out of scrap metal.  Now just who would think of such a thing and then actually DO it?

TALENT ON STEROIDS!  That's our explanation! 

DRY CLEANING CONVERSATION - TRUE STORY!

I did not expect my trip to the  drive-by dry cleaners to be so enlightening!  

I pulled up to the window and watched the employee saunter my way.  He was a young man, probably in his mid 20's.  He looked liked he was pretty tired, maybe he'd been up all night the previous 24.  He had a three day stubble growing on his face, bloodshot eyes, tattoos and piercings in odd places.

He dutifully placed my husbands shirts on the hook  in the back seat and I handed him a check, $9.75.   As we made the little transaction there at my drivers side window I noticed that a week ago I'd also written at check to that establishment but had forgotten to record the amount in my checkbook.  (THAT is a cardinal sin at our house!)  So I asked him if he would check his computer on that particular day and tell me the amount!

He looked up lazily."Just put $9.00, I'm sure it was for $9.00, no big deal!  Just enter $9.00."

Me,  "$9.00??  How do you know that?"

Him,  "Just write down $9.00, it'll be o.k.  It doesn't matter, just enter $9.00"

Me,  "Well, how do you know how much laundry/dry cleaning I picked up that day?"

After a few seconds he turned around, took two steps back into the building and tapped on his computer.

He looked back,  "$15.75!  Your check that day was for $15.75."

I wrote down the amount, thanked him and drove off laughing!

I pondered that exchange.  Just put down...X. ???  It doesn't matter??  Just enter any amount???  Who cares anyway???

I'm thinking I just witnessed the HUGE gap between generations that we're always hearing about.  I'm sure he thought he'd just spoken to a  female dinosaur.

I hope that young man is never in charge of bridge building, open heart surgery, or becomes the president of my bank.

On second thought, I doubt I need  to worry about such things, you think?

ONE EXTRAORDINARY MOM

THIS is a picture of an amazing MOM!  At first glance you may think this is just another typical SUV with SIX bicycles hanging off the back, but you would be wrong.

This vehicle depicts the heart of the woman that drives it. She also has FIVE children ages twelve to four riding along with her!

She is fearless and strong but most importantly she is  FUN! 

This past weekend our daughter-in-law Jamie packed up the children, the video games, the books, lots of snacks and drinks AND SIX bicycles.  Yep, this is her mode of transpo. She then drove 6 hours (one way) through CO and AZ so her brood could have some biking time with UNBELIEVABLE SCENERY.

They spent hours riding the bike paths around the south rim of the Grand Canyon before we got there.   When we finally located them  they were red faced, a little sore in the legs and pretty tired. 

We scooped them up, checked into a hotel, took them to the IMAX to cool off and rest a little.   Next came pizza and bedtime for the little ones and mommy while we took the big kids to see Jack Hanna and his animals at the Canyon.  Talk about a jam-packed day!

It's SO FUN watching this active brood having SO MUCH FUN!  It'll be years before these children realize that they have experienced more in their childhood than all other kids combined.  I'm positive that as adults they will compare their childhood experiences with their friends and feel sympathy for their grown buddies.  (Hopefully they will also be very thankful  for the architect of all those escapades!)

They have travelled the world from Hong Kong to Rwanda.  They have kayaked in the Philippines and splashed around with dolphins in Cabo.  They just returned from a Disney Cruise because they needed to see Princess Aurora and Chip n' Dale!  The list of adventures is long! (Getting them all through the security line at the airport is a feat in inself!)

Just thinking about their life makes me tired, but also makes me SMILE!  I am so thankful that Jamie has the drive and health and energy and focus to enjoy her kiddos and make sure  they enjoy life.  They live life to the MAX!

What a treat  it was to spend Mothers Day with them this year!  If I'd had an award I'd have given it to HER!

I can picture the golden statue of an SUV with SIX bikes attached.  The words across the bottom would read "The World's Most- Passionate- for -Life  Mom."

She has,  "Energy that boils over and runs down the side of the pot."  We love it and we love HER!

STINKY!

It started out in my closet!  It was terrible!  An overwhelming, take your breath away odor was coming from SOMEWHERE!

I sprayed, lit a candle, hung an envelope of potpourri and still it persisted.  I was sure an animal was dead and decaying right there alongside my hanging jeans and collection of Crocs!

Finally, after checking the higher-than-me shelves, the clothing hung in the back corners that I never wear, the shelves of purses, sweatshirts and sweaters I made my way down to the floor.  The get-down-on-all-fours snift test did the trick!  The mystery was solved!

That foul odor was coming from a brand new never-been-worn before shoes!  The manufacturer is Me Too, they are pewter and cute as can be. (Flats, silver, comfy, a perky little bow on top!)

The silver composite material on the outside of the shoe had evidently come from a SKUNK!  I took them outside to air!

Thinking that I must surely be out of my mind, I went online to investigate.  Sure enough, right there on the MeToo website was a list of reviews for this very product.  Alongside the  thirty or so very positive comments were six entries describing this awful smell that came with the very cute pewter colored flats. Skunk odor was mentioned, strong onions, horse dung, dead camel, and other such adjectives were used.  Yippee, I was NOT crazy or imagining this ordeal.

After a couple of days of airing them outside and about a week of de-toxing in the garage I was sure the problem was solved.

(Honeybuns INSISTS that they are stored in the garage.  I'm  a little fearful that the smell will ignite the gasoline can used for the lawn mower and sooner or later we'll all go KA-BLUEY, as Barney Fife would say!)

Last weekend I was sitting in the SMU auditorium in Dallas, waiting for the grandgirls ballet recital to start when their father sitting next to me finally got up the nerve to lean over and say, "Mom, what is that awful smell coming from your direction?"  I stuck my right foot up into the air right under his nose.  "Is this it?"   "YES, what is going on with those shoes?"

I explained the situation. 

He couldn't believe it.  "Why are you wearing those?!?!" He quietly moved over two seats.

Only one rational answer that women understand,  "Because they're SO cute!"

Now you cannot not only SEE me coming but SMELL me as well!  Don't forget to look down, my feet DO LOOK CUTE!

TAKE A WALK THROUGH MY GARDEN

 Come take a walk through my garden with me!  This is just a sample of what is going on out there!

 These little beauties are braving the cold weather and doing just fine.  Hybird Iris from Oregon do very well in OK! They're standing at attention in every corner and bed available.

These are nothing like the old fashioned Iris that I knew as a child.  I loved them too.  These are the super duper Iris on steroids brand.  Of all the flora and fauna, THESE are the lovliest!

 They come in all different colors and shades and prove each spring that there really is a GOD!    How else could something so beautiful spring up from a dry old looking root? There is no other explanation!!

My backyard is shouting GLORY!!

AN HISTORICAL DAY

The news is overwhelming!  Osama bin Laden is dead!  The details are something right out of a political thriller and yet this time it's no  work of fiction.  He was hunted down, finally found and shot in the left eye!  The Mastermind of thousands of atrocities across the globe has met his end. 

Thousands of lives have been lost because of this one evil man.  Religion or nationality made no difference to this guy.  Muslims, Jews, Americans, Christians, Buddhists, all suffered worldwide.  The number of terrorists attacks he inspired will be revealed only as history is investigated and written in days ahead.  There will surely be a movie version as well.

It's a day of mixed emotions.  The joy in the streets of America contrasts with the silence in the streets of Pakistan. 

There are emotions doing battle in the hearts of Christian, as well, myself included.  Justice was served, no doubt.  Evil took a hit!  Perhaps millions of lives have been spared because future attacks have been thwarted.  God DOES use people, nations and even governments for His purposes as He so chooses.  The Bible proves that over and over again.  Yet,  HE is always on the side of peace, life and dignity.

Did/does God love OSB?  Yes.  Did Jesus die for the sins of this man?  Yes. Did Jesus command us to love our enemies and pray for them?  Yes.

Yet, OSB was determined to spend his life killing innocents, all in the name of his twisted version of religion. It seems his face personified evil.  Still, there was hope for him until he took his last breath.  But he breathes no more.  Yesterday he met his maker and we can only speculate as to how that went!

A wasted life.  He will forever be known as the enemy of mankind.

I'm convinced that if he'd been allowed to live another 20-30 years there would have been no change in his vision or purposes.

It is a complex world and a complex situation.  Wrath and love,  predestination and free will,  life and death,  joy and sorrow,  man's decision and God's sovereignty, all co-existing.  There are no simple explanations.
We all have a secret place in the center of our being that demands justice.  And it seems that justice has rained down, but justice is always accompanied by a hollow sadness.  Justice does not bring back the dead, but it is necessary.  That's Biblical!

ROYAL WEDDING WATCHERS

My tiara is all shined up!  I pulled it out of the bottom of the toy box.  (Four little grandaughters love that cheap plastic crown!)

The countdown is on and it'll be just a couple of days before all of England and half of America witnesses Kate and Will tie the knot! I plan to place that familiy heriloom of a crown on my head, cuddle up in my jammies and watch the whole thing on  TV this Friday am. Perhaps a champagne toast will be appropriate as well.  (Can I toast the TV?)

Talk about hype.  The whole affair is receiving world wide attention, yet there are a few men I know that look upon this whole business with disgust.  Can you believe it?

It's the wedding of the century!!!   EVERY woman wants to see the DRESS.  And we're waiting with nervous anticipation for the walk down the aisle, the children serving as attendants, and the guests arriving with those god-awful hats. We'll hold our breath and strain our eyes to get a glimpse of Will as he gets his first glimpse of his bride. We'll sniffle during the music and break into a wail IF we see the new couple kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. We'll remember his mother and be sad that she isn't in the family pictures.  We'll watch Harry watch the available young women attending! We'll try to ignore Charles and Camilla and laugh at the Queen's ever present purse! Yes, those royals ARE entertaining!

EVERY woman loves a wedding AND a fairy tale wedding is the icing on the fancy cake. This fairy tale seems to be the one that actually might have a happy ending.  BUT, then again, I thought that as I watched Diana navigate that 25 foot train down the aisle of Westminster Abbey so many years ago.  (I'll never understand the attraction of being married in a tomb!)

Honeybuns will sleep through the ceremony, he could  care less. He's perturbed that the wedding is receiving any attention from the media at all.  There's so many more important problems to consider and solve.

I on the other hand will not miss a minute of the festivities. A future king just doesn't marry the future queen just every day!

A royal wedding is a break, a relief, an escape from reality. Grab the Kleenexes, let's have a good cry over something happy for a change.

EASTER SUNDAY 2011

Easter Sunday is the High Holy Day for the Christian community.  I've loved it as the best holiday of the year for many years!

The eggs and the bunny are fun, the flowers blooming after a hard winter are very welcome, and the promise of spring brings hope to the heart and mind.

BUT, it is the Risen Savior that takes center stage and HE makes this holiday supreme.  I feel it should be celebrated in a way unequal to any other party!

This past Sunday was no disappointment.  We went to church with our youngest son and his family at Park Cities Presbyterian in Dallas.  It's a wonderful old building  and it was filled to capacity with Moms and Grandmoms, Dad's and Papa's, and beautiful children of every size imaginable.  It was standing room only in that cavernous marble place.

The altar was full of choir members in their red robes, the orchestra and organ delighting everyone  present with heavenly music.  The prayers, the sermon, the offertory were divine. Those Presbyterian ministers looked like they'd just stepped out of the history books, their robes flowing as they walked. The formality and liturgy were fitting the occasion.

"He is Risen! " " He is Risen Indeed," replied the congregation in unison. Ancient hymns declaring sound solid theology soared above our heads and floated about the tall ceiling.  Hundreds of people stood as the Hallelujah chorus was performed flawlessly.

Celebrating the resurrection cannot be taken lightly!  It is THE most critical message of the Christian faith.  Without the resurrection of Jesus there is NO reason to believe anything else the Bible proclaims.  He was who He said He was (GOD) or He was a lunatic.  Those are the only two options to consider. 

Christmas is wonderful but it is the prerequisite for Easter.  The God-Baby came to this earth FOR Easter Sunday, the fulfillment of the festival of First Fruits to the Hebrew people,  Jesus being the First Fruit of the gound with millions of others to follow.

Easter ended the  ancient sacrificial system established eons before to demonstrate the seriousness of sin and the blood requirement for justice to be served. No more bulls or goats ever need to fear the day of Atonement again.

In fact, the reason Christians go to church on Sunday rather than Saturday is because the early church met on the first day of the week to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus.  It was early on the first day of the week that the women found the tomb empty.
I think I'll follow their example and start celebrating Easter EVERY SUNDAY!  What a novel idea! We could call it RESURRECTION DAY!

 HE IS RISEN, HE IS RISEN INDEED!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GABBY!

This little cutie just turned FOUR!   Has it been four years since we first met? 

Most grandmothers meet their new grand babies in a hospital nursery or a sweet home setting.  I met Gabby at the Tulsa airport.  She'd just arrived from her native home of Rwanda.  She was small with over sized brown eyes looking up at me from her stroller.  Her new American mommy had spent days jumping through all the crazy hoops that government had established to get her to that airport.  It was a relief and a joyous celebration to have her on Oklahoma soil.

She'd come a long way!  Her birth mother deposited her at the gate of an African orphanage where she spent a cold and lonely night before being discovered by the guard.  Her first few months were spent at that orphanage until word got out that she was available for adoption. Through a series of unplanned events, phone calls and visits from American friends Jamie learned of her existence.  And as they say, the rest is history.

When we first met she was a sweet little helpless baby.  It was impossible NOT to love her immediately.

Now here we are four years later with many wonderful memories.  She is absolutely delightful!  She is happy, funny and a powerhouse of energy.  Her smile would melt an iron heart.  She loves her family and all of life.  She bounces rather than walks through her day.  She is polite and kind yet never lets her  three big brothers get away with anything! (Her mommy calls that "squawking.")

I've seen her race down a hill on her trike, ski down a mountain, and jump fearlessly into a huge pool.  She runs and jumps into her Daddy's arms and says "thank you" over the phone like an adult.  Her little body is nothing but muscle and her skinny legs still look like toothpicks and are hard to fit.  She loves frilly skirts and hi-heeled shoes, even if they belong to mommy.

Gabby is a gift to enjoy!  I can't imagine life without her!!!   HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET BABY GIRL!

MOM'S PANEL

Later this morning I'm joining several unbelievably fabulous mothers for a "brain storming" session as we assembly our Mom's Panel.

The idea was not mine and it's not a new concept, but it's a good one, I love it.  Six of us that have had the wonderful experience of raising children are coming together to form a panel of "expertise."  (The word "expert" is used loosely in this case.)

Each of us has formed a list titled, "The Top Ten Things I Have Learned or Am Learning'" about specific areas of child rearing.  One delightful young woman will share what she has learned about parenting her 4 yr. old son, Jack.  Another will share experiences of elementary age children, another the teen years and another college lessons.  My task is to discuss the years of being a mom to married children with children of their own.  A very lovely woman will share how her life as a widow affected her children and their relationship.

We plan to have a Q&A  session following the presentation in order to encourage women  that there is indeed hope and help.
We're discovering that parenting is often the most lonely career choice a woman can undertake.

We plan to be available for women's groups where such a panel might be appropriate. 

I am stunned at the maturity and wisdom of the women I've met that comprise this panel.  They are strong and weak, humble and proud,  brave and fearful, all at the same moment. They are confident and insecure, vocal and yet silent, filled with joy and at the same time marked with a tinge of sadness. These women are full of faith and at the same time very prayerful for their children's futures.

No doubt there is much wisdom in all the "how to" books on the shelves. But to look into a mother's eyes as she honestly relates her experiences is powerful.  We've already laughed, fussed, and cried together, marveling at the depth of love we have for our children regardless of their age or stage of life.

There will be 60 important lessons shared.  What a vast resource of encouragement! 

I hope this little panel will become just one tool of bringing young moms and older moms together for some interesting dialogue.  After all is said and done we're in this  scary and most- rewarding  business of parenting together!  Who knows, maybe some precious kiddos will benefit as well.

HOLY WEEK

Today is the official beginning, but I think we began observing Holy Week last night.  We attended a concert and Guy Penrod nearly brought down the house by singing the grand finale, a new arrangement of  "The Cross."  It was incredible! 

This morning, Palm Sunday, the choir of our church nearly brought down the back wall as they sang  triumphantly those eloquent praises found in "high church" music!  Trumpets and palm leaves added to the joyous service. 

After the incredible music there was a baby dedication!  How very appropriate!  There in front of God and everyone a precious little boy was prayed over as his parents vowed to raise him in the shelter and love of the church. His new little life was on display!

It's a great start, but we have seven more days to go. And this week must NOT go by as just another period of time where hours and days run together.  THIS week is the holiest of all for the Christian community everywhere. The culmination of THIS week gives us the reason for Christmas = EASTER!

This week, 2000 year ago, time was forever divided.  We live on the cross side of time called  GRACE,  after the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.  Everything before the cross was simply preparation as to what was to happen that very first holy week.

During those  seven days prophecies were fulfilled and God's calendar found in Leviticus chapter 23 came alive before the people of that time. Minute detail of God's plan became visible.

Most went about their every day chores and duties ignorant that of the facts. God Himself was on stage and nothing would ever be the same after that!!  Some  folks DID slow down long enough to realize what was happening:  Peter, Simon of Cyrene, Mary,  the soldiers, John, and my favorite, the Centurion.  They were all eyewitnesses to that defining moment in history.

I have a plan.  I'll read "No Wonder They Called Him the Savior" by Max Lucado,  perhaps watch the movie "The Passion of Christ," marvel at the resurrection of the life of my Iris's and Roses, and dig out the appropriate sections of Handel's "Messiah."  I think I'll look through the scrapbook I made of our trip to Israel and weep.  I always weep as I remember the Garden of Gethsemane and the powerful stillness and peace that is there.  I'll play "The Holy City" on the piano and sing those words describing Jerusalem but only when there is no one around to listen.

This week must NOT go by and in reflection be described as just another seven ordinary days, just another week of living my normal schedule. This is a week of  personal preparation for next Sunday,  EASTER SUNDAY, the day that divided TIME!

TAKE A SNIFF OF THIS!

This is the view outside my bedroom window.  The smell is intoxicating.  We planted this old fashioned lilac three years ago and have now learned that it takes about three years for any plant to get established! 

I think this is just the beginning of what is about to happen in my backyard!  The Hybrid Iris are growing FAST. I can almost watch the leaves and stems getting taller by the minute.  They will break out into pure joy in a few weeks. (I'll post pictures of that, too, I'm sure.)

The spirea  bush is loaded with buds and will look like a bridal gown when it blooms.  (It's doing a terrific job of hiding some "very important" metal thingy sticking up about 3 feet out of the ground!)

Along the fence the lilies are returning and I spotted an Easter lily popping up in the flower bed.
Yep, spring is busting out all over!  Maybe that awful cold snap didn't kill everything after all.

And  just WHEN was it I became a horticulturalist? And WHEN was it I began to tolerate and actually  appreciate that 'funeral home smell' that permeates everything as I bring all those cut flowers into the house?

SPRING IN OKLAHOMA IS WONDERFUL!

HE'S BACK

I'm sure it's the same one. We first met last spring, I could pick him out in a police line-up.  He made his first  appearance this year just a few days ago.   He showed up at my bedroom window and later in the morning again at the living room window.  I was hoping that was a fluke, a one time visit. But alas, this morning he appeared again.

After being up awake in the predawn hours with an allergy attack,  I was back in dreamland sleeping just FINE until about 7:30.  I heard the familiar and rapid, "peck, peck, peck" on the bedroom window.  Honeybuns heard it as well.   His words were next, "we need a bee bee gun!"

Mr. Robin waited then  jumped from one high window ledge to another, pecking and staring in at us until he was absolutely sure all four eyes were open and fixed on him!  He is one determined narcissistic creature.

Honeybuns gave up on sleep and started his day.  I tried to ignore Robin and buried my head in the pillows.  There was blessed silence for about thirty minutes.

He returned.  Evidently he was not satisfied that just one of us had surrendered in the battle of the sheets. This time he chose the window nearest my head and gain started his drumming, jumping and staring.  I stared back, but to no avail.  He is NOT intimidated by my courage, anger, or size!

My familiar-with-bird-activity friend reminded me that a couple of years ago  a bird nest  was wedged onto that window ledge and  perhaps this bird was just coming home. (Think Salmon!)  OR it could be he is just admiring his own reflection in the glass. 

Well, I can go with either theory IF he were just celebrating a reunion or primping in the bedroom windows alone.  BUT, he follows me, appearing at the windows of the room I am in throughout the day.  He's a STALKER BIRD!  Are there laws against this?

He's a PEEPING TOM bird, or perhaps a SERIAL KILLER bird.  Soon he'll be the HE DROVE HER CRAZY bird!

That's what they'll put on my tombstone,  Here lies....(me).....driven insane,  she lost the BATTLE OF THE BIRDS.

I'm putting it in writing on this day.  IF anything happens to me,  ARREST the bird!

JUST DREAMIN'

My friend and I have a dream!  We enter into each other's dream and move about freely.  (Think of the movie: INCEPTION!)
She  often sends me pictures via facebook and invites me to join her for a while.  It's always a great time.  I/we can spend hours in this dream state.

We both DREAM of owing one of these.  They're called VINTAGE travel trailers and we've longed for this for YEARS.   If necessary we could own one JOINTLY, as in shared custody.  She might need to take it out for a spin in her Florida neighborhood or I could travel over to Grand Lakes for a sunny weekend to watch the fish swim by.  We might just park it in her backyard and  sit on  folding "web - style" lawn chairs and just enjoy the view.  Or we could roll over the interstate to visit a grandchild or two.  

We have plans to purchase our dream, probably off the Internet. We've each been doing research.  (Our husbands know nothing of this, it's going to be a surprise!! We'll invite them on trips only if they prove they are NOT claustrophobic! )  There ARE places where these little babies are stored, restored and then sold for a tidy sum.

We are not proud, we might just buy a "fixer-upper."  There is no doubt that we would quickly come to an agreement as to the style of the interior.  The "50's" look would suit both of us just fine. Husbands would be enlisted to do the dirty work while we went shopping for just the right curtains and Formica topped tiny table, red probably!  I can smell the OLD design even as I write this. Nope, none of that modern, sleek, slick stuff for us! All linens, fabrics, carpet, etc. will need to be washed out and sporting a few holes.

A/C, electricity and a bathroom are top priorities.  Other than that we're flexible.  I could do without a kitchen, but she'll need a coffee pot!

We'll need some outfits to match our little cutie, perhaps  colorful striped "pedal pushers" with  outrageous floral shirts.  Straw hats and flip flops are critical.   We'll need a couple of plastic pink flamingos to keep watch.  Green "astro-terf" will be rolled out to tickle our tootsies.  Cheap ugly plastic flowers will fill pots to brighten the "patio."

There will be a need for a matching car to pull us down the road IF we should happen to feel the need for a road trip.  There will be no plans, no map, no final destination spot.  All we'll need is a sunny day and some gas, at $.25 a gallon.

YAWN!  I think I'll stay  here for a while.  It's SO pleasant!

BEER CAN CHICKEN

There is it!  A chicken sitting on a can!  Can you see it?  It's that piece of white metal just between the place where the feet SHOULD be. This recipe came to me via a new cookbook I was just sure I needed.  (I added it to the 100+ already on my pantry shelf.)  The magical trick for this delectable edible is what's IN the can.   Stuck right into that chicken's rear is a can of beer!!! 

Yes, I know it seems odd, but as the book stated, if we followed the directions exactly we would be dining on the most delicious chicken known to mankind.

I searched the grocery store over for just the right brand of beer.   Now...just what is the right brand for this occasion?  Is it the Milwaukee, St. Louis or German kind?  Since I know nothing about beer, it was a challenge.  (Personally I think beer tastes like rotten apples, but over 2/3 of America disagrees so who am I to say?)

Also, much to my dismay, you can't buy just ONE can of beer to flavor a chicken, it only comes in 6-packs.  So....I chose the can that seemed a little bit  more  "artistic"  than the others and loaded it into my grocery buggy. I had plans of making this recipe at least SIX times!

When Honeybuns opened the fridge last Sat. he was sure I'd taken up drinking and I let him think that for a while!  It's good to shake him up every so often.

After cleaning the chicken the night before and dropping it into a bowl of  24 oz.  of COCA-COLA for the night, that fowl was ready for the can and the grill.  I propped him/her (?) up on that can and set the grill ablaze.  1 1/2 hours later dinner was ready.

Getting the "chicken with can" OFF the grill was another challenge.  That process alone was another candidate for the Funniest Home Video contest.  We were both armed with tongs, pans, & oven gloves and finally got the thing into the house without dropping it on the concrete patio first.  I'm really sad that the neighbors did not witness that ordeal, it was priceless!  There was much yelling, tossing and a few burned fingers, but we were convinced beyond all doubt that our taste buds would appreciate the effort!

The directions said to let it "rest" for 15 minutes. What's that about?  Has this chicken been working???? Why does it now need a rest??

Getting  it OFF the can was another trick but not quite as traumatic. 

FINALLY, the moment had arrived.  The pre-dinner taste test!  WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT!  It tasted  like......

CHICKEN!

Normal old chicken, nothing extraordinary....just chicken.

Well, that's just great!  Now I have a choice.  I can make FIVE more recipes of this mediocre chicken, or DRINK FIVE cans of beer!

I had no idea that being a gourmet chef would involve so many decisions! It could drive one to drink!

SENIOR CITIZEN DISCOUNT ANYONE??

This past Saturday we went to lunch in Tulsa.  No big deal.  When we're out and about around lunchtime on Sat. it's the normal thing to do. This week was different.

As Honeybuns paid the cashier at our favorite buffet, that woman took one look and in a loud voice asked, "Anyone over 60?"

I turned around to see what elderly couple must have been standing behind us.  Getting ready to offer a polite hello to the aged,  I quickly realized there was NO ONE standing behind me.  She was asking ME if I was over 60!! She was offering ME the senior citizen discount!

Honeybuns saw the look of anger, confusion, horror, and disbelief on my face and began laughing out loud!!  Yes, that young twit had the audacity to suggest that one of us, ME, MIGHT be 60 or above. 

I wondered why she would think such a thing!  The view I have of myself certainly wouldn't prompt such a question.  In my mind's eye, I have the taunt olive skin and healthy shiny hair of a 35 year old cutie.  In my imagination I'm still a size 8!  (Yes, I try to stay away from mirrors!) I felt a little pity for the gal, she obviously needed to visit Pearl Vision Center.

After a resounding NO, I recovered from the whole degrading situation and sat down to enjoy lunch.

The waitress  immediately came by to introduce herself and remarked that my outfit reminded her of her MOTHER!  She smiled and declared that her mother often wore polka dots, but that her poor mom had been GONE now several years.  I was speechless.
How does one recover from that?

Honeybuns was having way too much fun with all this senseless chatter!  I'd been insulted twice  and he was having the time of his life.

Since HE'S the one that refuses to dye his gray hair, I often refer to myself  as his trophy wife!  He always gets a good laugh out of that one, too!

Well, for now, that will be the last time we go to that restuarant UNTIL we are truly seniors.  Oh!.....that would be JULY!!