Doing Life Together

Addicted to Plastic…by Donna Clark Goodrich

Posted on April 30, 2015 by dgood648

“We live in a society in which the undisciplined endlessly pursue the unnecessary,” says Emily Barnes, author of Survival for Busy Women. “Getting something on easy credit is not much of a challenge.”

Addiction to plastic not only causes tension in marriage, but it creates stress and upheaval in our personal lives. We work long hours, only to see our earnings eaten up in credit card payments and excessive interest.

We say, “I’ll never charge again.” Then a pre-approved letter comes in the mail and all we have to do is sign our name. “This is the last one,” we promise ourselves. “It’s low interest, and I’ll use it only to pay off a higher-interest card. Then I’ll cut it up.” But soon we see something we “just can’t live without,” and out comes the card.

We can give ourselves all kinds of reasons for our plastic spending. But the truth is, we’re addicted to buying the same as a person is addicted to other harmful habits.

If this is your problem, there is good news for you! By using the following seven steps, you can find yourself on the way to freeing yourself of this habit.

Cut up all cards but one to be used only in an emergency. Use of this card should be restricted to such things as unexpected house or car repairs or medical bills, not the annual department store sale.

2. Leave your card at home when you go shopping. This helps you avoid impulse buying. It also makes it easier to follow the next principle:

Give yourself at least a 24-hour waiting period before making a large purchase. In doing this, many times you’ll find that you really don’t need that item after all or your desire for it has disappeared.

Pay cash for everything. It’s easy to hand over a credit card since you can’t see the total adding up on your monthly statement. But when you see $10 and $20 bills leaving your wallet, it hurts.

Save unexpected income for unexpected purchases. It’s amazing how much you can save if you drop all your change into a jar at the end of each day, or keep all your coupon money separate. Then when your child is invited to a birthday party or you see an especially good sale, you can reach for your jar instead of your card.

If you do have to charge, keep a record. One woman I heard of kept a credit card ledger similar to a checking account ledger. She wrote down her purchases, but instead of subtracting as she would a check, she added each purchase in the ledger, in that way keeping an up-to-date balance of her charge card. This way, there were no surprises at the end of the month.

Don’t depend on possessions to bring you happiness. Make a list of the things you enjoy that don’t cost money: a compliment from your husband or child, finishing a job you’ve been putting off, a letter or email from a friend. Concentrate on these pleasures and you’ll soon realize how little you really need that credit card to bring you contentment.

It has been said that it takes 21 days to break a habit. If the task of changing your spending habits seems too overwhelming for you, then just select one of these suggestions and work on it, then go on to the next one. Remember, you didn’t develop this addiction overnight so don’t expect to solve the problem overnight.

What methods have you used to curtail the charging habit?

Posted in Christian Living, Family Life, Money, Uncategorized | Tagged Finances | 4 Comments

10 Ways to Remember What’s-Her-Name…by Donna Clark Goodrich

Posted on April 28, 2015 by dgood648

“Where are you living now?” my mother asked the woman who greeted her in front of the grocery store.

“Same place,” the woman replied.

Then my mother asked, “Where’s your husband working?”

“Still at the factory.”

My mother tried again. “And how are the children.”

“Fine,” came the answer. “They’re all married now.”

As we walked away, I said to my mother, laughing, “You don’t know who she is, do you?” She shook her head.

Shakespeare wrote, “I cannot tell what…his name is.” The bard isn’t the only one who had the problem of remembering names. Most of us have had the experience of meeting someone whose face we recognized, but we couldn’t think of their name. “I simply cannot remember names,” we excuse ourselves.

We all like the sound of our own name. It pleases us when people remember it, especially if they’ve only met us once before. By using the following hints, you too can impress others the next time you see them.

Bestest Friends–Donna and Kathy

1. Pay attention

Someone said, “The true art of memory is the art of retention.” This is especially true in remembering names. Listen closely when people tell you their name.

2. Repeat the name

Ask people to repeat their names if you didn’t understand it clearly the first time. Then use the name during the conversation and when saying good-bye.

3. Use word association

Note some unusual association between the person and her name. For example, Mrs. Pepper may have dark black hair. Or picture Mrs. Green in a green wig or, if she likes gardening, picture her working in a lush green lawn. Someone named Goodrich may have a halo around her head with dollar bills sticking out, while Robert could be pictured robbing a bank. The sillier the association, the easier it is to remember the name. (They don’t have to know the association, however!)

In remembering the names of siblings who are close in age or who look alike, it helps to capitalize on a difference. For example, I knew two sisters named Shirley and Rosemary. Shirley wore glasses. Thus, to me, S stood for Shirley and spectacles. Two of my daughters’ friends were named Evelyn and Elizabeth. Elizabeth had the longest hair and the longest name. With two sisters I knew, one was married and the other single, so M stood for Maxine and married and A for Alice and available. (Later A stood for also married.)

4. Form descriptive words from initials

If a person’s name is Bobby Jones and he works as a chiropractor, think Back Jerker. A veterinarian named Kenny Smith can be Kitty Saver. A gynecologist named Peter Gibson might be remembered by the appropriate initials of “PG”.

5. Spell the name

Upon an introduction, ask people to spell their names, if necessary. In your mind, picture the letters as though appearing on a blackboard or marquee. Often names more difficult to pronounce are easier to remember, perhaps because you asked these folks to repeat and spell their names the first time you met them. One lady asked a person whose name she couldn’t remember, “Tell me your name again. I never can pronounce it.” The acquaintance replied, “Smith.”

Ross Foley tells of a pastor who had great difficulty with names. One Sunday morning a woman came through the line at the door and asked, “You remember me, don’t you?” He didn’t, but thought he’d fake it. So he said, “Oh, yes I do. But tell me, do you spell your name with an ‘e’ or an ‘i’? She replied, “With an ‘i’ and it’s Hill.”

Develop a mental image

After leaving a person you just met, say the name over to yourself, each time visualizing that person in your mind.

7. Use photographs

If you know you will be meeting someone, try to get a photograph ahead of time. Study the picture for an identifying mark to connect with the name. Several months before attending a convention, I studied pictures of association officers I knew would be there. I studied their hair color, facial features, glasses, and so on, and tried to connect these features in some way with their name. For example, a man named “Rust” had reddish hair. They were pleasantly surprised when I greeted each one by name as they came into the press room to register.

8. Write down a description

After you’ve met someone, pretend you’ve been robbed and you have to give the officers a description of the person. What details can you remember about the height, weight, color of hair, eyes, and so on. Did he have a scar? Wear glasses?

Put her into a story

Make this new acquaintance a character in a story or a novel. Describe her personality traits—exuberant, charismatic, pessimistic; how she talked—with an accent, a deep voice, squeaky, and so on. Use her name often in this story.

Write a poem

Use this person’s name in a rhyme describing them: “I think Kathy is a little bit daffy”; “Emma Jean looks like a string bean”; “Jane uses a cane.” Feel free to use a little poetic license to help you associate the person with the rhyme.

Do these methods work for me? They do when I use them. And they can help you too.

What methods do you use to remember names?

Posted in Friendship, Life, Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Smarty Dance . . . by Andrea R Huelsenbeck

Posted on April 24, 2015 by Andrea R Huelsenbeck

When I was a music education major at Duquesne University in the early 1970s, I took a course called Eurythmics, which used rhythmic physical movements to teach musical concepts. One facet of the course was learning folk dances from around the world. Subsequently, folk dancing is one of my most pleasant memories of my college years.

Several years ago I wanted to experience that joy again. A Google search led me to the Phoenix International Folk Dancers, a group of people who meet weekly to dance and promote folk dancing.

When I first joined the group, I found the dances difficult and physically demanding. I couldn’t execute the moves gracefully. I couldn’t keep up with the other dancers. Looking around, I noticed that most of the dancers were my age and older—some well into their 80s and 90s. And it hit me—these were people who had been dancing since they were young, and they were now vibrant, articulate, physically active senior citizens. Coincidence?

A younger woman named JoAnne took me under her wing. She let me get in line next to her, and called out the steps for me. She took me aside and broke down some of the more complicated patterns. JoAnne encouraged me and assured me that if I kept trying, the steps would get easier.

JoAnne was right. I’ve now been folk dancing for seven years, and I can hold my own. I move more confidently, and my balance has improved. I’m even the designated leader for a couple of the dances.

It turns out that dancing, besides being fun, benefits your body and especially your brain. According to the Better Health Channel (http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/), dancing can

Improve the condition of your heart and lungs
Increase your muscle strength and endurance
Help you manage your weight
Strengthen your bones
Improve your coordination, agility, and flexibility
Improve your balance and spatial awareness
Improve your brain function

Brain function is all about neural pathways. You want your brain to develop complex connections among the nerves. Richard Powers, an instructor at Stanford University’s Dance Division, says, “Dancing integrates several brain functions at once—kinesthetic, rational, musical, and emotional— further increasing your neural connectivity.” He suggests, “to (improve) your mental acuity. . . involve yourself in activities which require split-second rapid-fire decision making, as opposed to rote memory.” Think basketball. Playing an instrument. Learning a foreign language. And dancing. But not the same old dancing; constantly adding new dances to your repertoire will keep you expanding your neural network instead of relying on only the existing pathways.

And don’t forget—dancing is fun! Nothing is more joyful than moving about a dance floor gracefully responding to beautiful music, your body completely under your control. What better reason do you need to indulge in dance?

Do you dance? Or did you when you were younger? What prevents you from dancing now? What kind of dancing do you like to do? Please comment below to join the conversation.

Posted in Brain research, Dancing, Folk dance | Tagged Brain research, Dance, Folk dance | 3 Comments

Call 9-1-1 by Betty Mason Arthurs

Posted on April 21, 2015 by Betty Mason Arthurs

Two schools, an elementary and a high school, in northern Arizona were placed on lock-down last week. A man phoned in threats that he was coming to shoot kids. My daughter, a teacher at the elementary school, told me the teachers and students had practiced the lock-down drill and were prepared for this crisis. When they finally heard the voices of the policemen ringing through the hallways and were told all was safe, classroom lights were turned back on and doors unlocked. Precious children finished their school day and teachers thanked the police for their quick response and protection. The caller never showed up.

If you watch the news on TV or read the reports via the internet, it seems we are in danger wherever we live or work. Many of us pray daily for God to protect our families, friends and neighbors all around the world. Not that God is a good luck charm or rabbit’s foot, but scripture tells us to “cast all our care on him; for he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7.

A few years ago I started a part-time job at a Christian bookstore located in the Phoenix area. We had a steady stream of customers all afternoon and now we were getting ready to close on a beautiful fall evening. There were five of us working.

I had just finished my break, walked out of the backroom, glanced up at the front counter when I saw a dark-skinned stranger wearing sunglasses and a black knit cap ushering my boss out of the front supply room.

Shocked, I ducked behind a narrow card kiosk and peeked over the top to see the head of another strange man, also wearing sunglasses and a black cap, with Steven who was at the cash registers. Two female customers stood frozen by the counter. I immediately began to pray. I heard our cash register drawer’s open, gruff voices, footsteps and then silence. I never saw their gun. They made their escape with hundreds of dollars.

What a relief when the police came. They told us these guys had committed a string of robberies and all across our city, so law enforcement were looking for them.

In my sixty-plus years of life, all I’d seen of bad guys was on TV or in the movies. Shaking like a wimpy grandma, my imagination soared out of control in the next weeks. I couldn’t stop wondering if that man behind me at the drug store was going to rob me. At work I scanned every customer wondering if they were a law abiding person. Fear and paranoia took over my life in spite of my trust in God and my prayers.

I finally shared my experience with a young police officer, Matt, who attended my church. His compassion and understanding reached deep into my soul and my “stress disorder” vanished. Wrapped in his hug and teary-eyed, I was able to let go of the traumatic experience and trust God for peace.

For me, this young officer, was called by God to be a burden-bearer and protector. In the Bible in Galatians 6:2 it says, “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”

In a few days Matt joyfully told me, “They caught the bad guys!” The robbers joined the list of stupid crooks by trying to rob a busy pizza place in broad daylight. The employees fought back and in a scene made for a Disney movie, the bad guys lost in spite of firing their gun at someone.

Burden-bearers are all around us when we need them. With grateful heart, I think about those policemen who ran to the schools ready to give their lives to protect the children, teachers and staff.

One and one-half miles down the street from our home is a fire station. On call 24/7, I hear their sirens as they race to emergency calls and they save many lives.

A grocery store in our area has a police sub-station and features photos of our K-9 officers and on occasion I’ve met the magnificent four-legged protectors during fund raising events to buy them protective vests.

Search and rescue teams are also patrolling our hiking trails and mountains, especially the Grand Canyon with its rugged terrain and hundreds of tourists who often slip and fall.

These are just a few of those who serve and give their lives in the line of duty. I want to thank all our protectors, burden-bearers, unsung heroes who have a calling in life to serve us in times of crisis.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for our emergency calling system of 9-1-1. I ask you to protect our burden-bearers and those called to protect and rescue us in any crisis. God of the armies of heaven, our trust and hope is in you when disasters and danger come against us. Thank you for all the times you protected us and we didn’t even know you did. Amen.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 9-1-1, police, protection, protectors | 3 Comments

The Fine Art of Faithfulness…by Linda Carlblom

Posted on April 17, 2015 by Linda Carlblom

I was recently taken aback one Sunday after church when a man in his early thirties said to me, “I’m so proud of you.”

“You are?”

I couldn’t fathom why he’d be proud of me. He was about the age of my own children. Shouldn’t I be saying that to him? I hadn’t seen him for well over a year, and only a handful of times in the last ten years.

“Yeah,” he replied. “I’m so proud of you and this church. You’re always here. It doesn’t matter what happens or how many people come and go, you’re still here.”

We laughed. But it made me think.

How often do we just keep showing up, doing our thing, thinking nobody notices? How many times have I wondered if what I do matters to anyone but me? So often it seems the results are lackluster.

That’s where the fine art of faithfulness shines brightest. When nothing noteworthy seems to be happening, when the status quo lasts much longer than expected, when you keep putting one foot in front of the other, when you keep believing that showing up to do what you do matters–that’s faithfulness. It isn’t shiny or sparkly. It’s ordinary and mundane.

And beautiful.

Everyone is faithful to something or someone. Most of us are faithful to a number of things, like our faith, marriage, or family. Whatever we devote ourselves to shows the deepest part of our hearts. It’s the seat of our passion, our greatest love. It’s the motivation to our faithfulness. We act out of that deep love by showing up time and time again.

Faithfulness is powerful. It cements marriages, garners respect, lays life foundations, sets an example. Surprisingly, it isn’t invisible. People see it and honor those who possess it. So never wonder if your faithfulness matters.

It does. And it’s life changing.

Linda

Posted in Christian Living, Faithfulness, Uncategorized | Tagged devotion, faithfulness, showing up | 8 Comments

The Battle Belongs to the Lord . . . by Andrea R Huelsenbeck

Posted on April 14, 2015 by Andrea R Huelsenbeck

U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Scott Campbell

I’m repulsed by news of terrorist attacks—bloodthirsty zealots torturing, beheading, or blowing up human beings who do not embrace their worldview. Whenever I think of our world’s volatile condition, two verses of Scripture come to my mind: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12 niv) (Note: “rulers,” “authorities,” and “powers” in the above passage refer to ranks of fallen angels.) And: “But this kind [of demon] does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” (Matthew 17:28b amp)

Our enemies in the war against terrorism aren’t the sympathizers of a particular organization—it goes much deeper than that. While the terrorists perpetrate evil, they rationalize that they are doing their god’s will. They call it a holy war, but they are deceived. The inner voice they heed belongs to Satan, disguising himself as a god. He attempts to overthrow God; his strategy is to kill until his own followers dominate the earth. It is not a holy war, but it is spiritual warfare. Our true enemies are Satan and his demons.

Americans differ on how to combat terrorism. Are U.S. bombing missions and advisory personnel sufficient, combined with troops from the affected regions? Or must we have thousands of American boots on the ground?

I don’t know how much money or personnel would be required to eradicate the terrorists, but we won’t win unless we use the appropriate weapons on the correct battlefield. Since this war is also playing out in the spiritual realm, in addition to conventional weapons, we need prayer warriors all over the world.

Throughout history, God has given military victory to His people on the basis of their trust in Him. There are many examples documented in the Bible. I will summarize a few of them.

The parting of the sea. While Moses led the exodus from Egypt (Exodus 14:5-30), Pharaoh reconsidered his release of the Israelites and took his troops to recapture them. Trapped on the shore of the sea, the Israelites panicked and questioned Moses regarding his leadership.

Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (Exodus 14:13-14 niv)

God, through Moses, divided the waters so that the people could cross to the other side on dry land, while the Egyptians followed close behind. Then the wheels fell off the Egyptian chariots, and they had trouble catching up. When all 600,000 Israelites were safely on the opposite shore, God then led Moses to make the waters come together again, and all the pursuing Egyptian troops drowned.

Forty years later, when the Israelites were poised to take possession of the Promised Land, Moses gave them guidelines for conducting warfare (Deuteronomy 20). The first thing he told them was, “When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you.” (Deuteronomy 20:1 niv)

God is with His people in spiritual warfare as well.

The fall of Jericho. For centuries, cities were surrounded by walls that served as the first layer of defense against attacks. Before the battle of Jericho, God gave Joshua some incomprehensible military strategy.

Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horn in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in.” (Joshua 5:2-5 niv)

Imagine the people of Jericho watching the Israelites with amusement from the safety of the wall for the first six days, and how surprised they must have been on the seventh day, when the wall crumbled and the Israelite warriors flooded into the city.

Gideon defeats the Midianites. In the book of Judges, chapters 6 and 7 describe conflict between the Israelites and the Midianites, who for seven years attacked the Israelites, destroying their crops and killing all their livestock. Finally, the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help. The angel of the Lord appeared to a farmer named Gideon. “The Lord turned to him and said, ‘Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?’ ” (Judges 6:14 niv)

To Gideon it seemed far-fetched that he was being commanded to lead the Israelite troops into battle. He went through an elaborate series of measures to confirm his orders.

Finally, Gideon gathered his troops, 32,000 men. “The Lord said to Gideon, ‘You have too many men for me to deliver Midian into their hands.’ ” (Judges 7:2a niv) God whittled down the forces until only 300 men remained. He wanted to make it clear to Israel that they would defeat Midian because He was with them, not because of their own power. And defeat them they did.

In a nutshell, God prompted Gideon to give each man a jar, a torch, and a trumpet. When they reached the edge of the Midianite camp, they blew their trumpets and shouted, “For the Lord and for Gideon.” Then they smashed their jars, blew their trumpets, and shouted again. As they stood and watched, their terrified enemies ran around in a panic, drew their swords, and attacked each other.

David and Goliath. You probably know the story of David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17).

The Philistines were threatening the Israelites. Every day, their fiercest warrior, Goliath, who was over nine feet tall, challenged the Israelites to send over a warrior to battle him, one-on-one. No one volunteered.

On the fortieth day, a shepherd boy named David came to the Israelite camp, bringing food for his brothers. He heard Goliath’s challenge and told King Saul, “I can take him.”

When Saul told him he was too young and inexperienced, David, who he had successfully defended his father’s sheep from a lion and a bear, said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” He refused King Saul’s offer of armor and sword, preferring the simple weapon he was familiar with—his sling. As he approached Goliath,

David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” (1 Samuel 17:45-47 niv)

Then he swung his sling and killed the giant with one stone. The Philistines ran away with the Israelite army pursuing them.

Throughout the Bible there are numerous occasions when commanders inquired of the Lord before going into battle. When the leaders and the people prayed, acted in obedience to God’s leading, and acknowledged that God WAS leading, success followed.

Armageddon. Many people look at the current world situation and wonder if World War III is about to begin, or even the end times. Certainly we are experiencing “wars and rumors of wars” and natural disasters, but those conditions are standard on earth. People have anticipated the last days for 2000 years. Martin Luther was sure Jesus would return during his lifetime (1483-1546). Jesus himself admitted, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Mark 13:32 niv) But it’s hard to look at our world and not wonder if we are seeing the beginning of the end.

In the book of Revelation, Scripture describes the assembling of armed forces at Armageddon (Revelation 16:12-21; 19:11-21). But instead of a battle, what follows is total destruction and judgment—thunder and lightning, the granddaddy of all earthquakes, the sinking of islands and the crumbling of mountains, hundred-pound hailstones, and the Beast and the False Prophet thrown into a Lake of Fire. No need to fight—the spiritual battle was already won by Jesus dying on the cross and rising from the dead.

In light of this scriptural evidence, how can we respond to the threat of terrorism? Our military needs highly skilled warriors and gifted support personnel. Some will serve, but all of us can contribute by praying, because this battle is truly the Lord’s.

How should we pray? Prayer is conversation with God. Imagine yourself at the foot of His throne. Say “Hi.” Acknowlege His sovereignty; ask for forgiveness; thank Him for His blessings. Then make your requests. Here are some suggestions:

Pray that God would draw His people to Himself.
Pray that Satan and his minions would not be able to recruit any more terrorists.
Pray that God would touch the hearts of existing terrorists so that they turn away from violence.
Pray that God would bless our president, his advisors, our legislators, our military leaders, and our allies with supernatural wisdom to follow His leading.
Pray that God would protect our military and lead them to victory.

Repeat daily until you see results.

Posted in Bible, Christian Living, End Times, Faith, History, Military, Prayer, Revelation, Spiritual warfare, Terrorism, War | Tagged Bible, End times, faith, History, Military, Prayer, Spiritual warfare, Terrorism, War | 10 Comments

An Old Man’s Wisdom…by Donna Clark Goodrich

Posted on April 10, 2015 by dgood648

Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me.

—Psalm 71:18

“Time to read the Bible, Clarence,” I said to my 72-year-old stepfather. My mother had recently passed away and he was spending the winter with us. Suffering from dementia, I knew he didn’t understand all I read, but I knew that he enjoyed it.

This morning’s passage was from Romans 8. I looked ahead at all the difficult words: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? …tribulation … distress … persecution … famine … peril … principalities.. height… depth…nor any other creature.”

There’s no way he can understand that, I thought. I’ll just read Romans 8:28. “All things work together for good to them that love God”. That’s familiar to him.” But I sensed God saying, “No, read it all.” So I plunged in and read every verse.

When I finished, Clarence sat with a pleased smile on his face. “Nothing can separate us from God,” he repeated with childlike happiness. “Isn’t that nice?”

I suddenly realized the truth of his words. Nothing—not even his failing faculties—had separated him from his awareness of God’s love for him. “Nobody ever outgrows Scripture,” the noted preacher Charles Spurgeon once said. I thanked God that this was true in my stepfather’s life, and I prayed that it would always be true in mine as well.

Posted in Aging, Faith | Tagged Bible understanding, Elderly, stepparenting | 6 Comments

Eyes to See…by Carol Boley

Posted on April 7, 2015 by Carol Boley

At first I thought it was just a sliver of ice melting on the floor. I wiped up the little puddle and didn’t give it another thought. When I went back to the refrigerator an hour later, the puddle was back. Uh oh. Opening the freezer door, I noticed every package of broccoli, every bag of strawberries, every container of chicken stock was soft and dripping.

Great. We ran through the usual checklist of possibilities and, finding no solutions, decided our best choice was to call the repair company. I could see dollars flying out the door, some winging their way into the service man’s pockets and others crashing into the garbage can in the form of spoiled food. Dang!

Days later the repairman showed up, determined he couldn’t diagnose the problem because the refrigerator’s computer (Really? Even the refrigerator has a computer?) needed to reset. In the meantime, we were “camping out” in the kitchen, using a styrofoam ice chest to cool our milk and prescription eye drops.

When he came back a week later, he consulted refrigerator HQ. They decided it needed a new compressor, which would have to be ordered from out of state and would take another week to ten days to arrive.

In the meantime, we remembered a small dorm-sized refrigerator out in my husband’s “man-cave,” which could only be accessed by going outside. We started using it…better, but it was so inconvenient trudging out to the separate garage every time we wanted a can of pop or first thing in the morning for milk. Still, it beat making an “ice run” everyday, pouring the water from the styrofoam chest and then replacing everything.

And then it hit me. “Let’s bring the little refrigerator inside.” Oh my. The solution was so obvious, I was ashamed I hadn’t thought of it before.

How many other times has the solution to a problem been right before my eyes but I have missed it, usually because my mind starts whirling, going into “search and destroy” mode, trying to come up with an answer before I stop, take a deep breath, and ask my Father what He thinks?

I’ll tell you–too many times. It’s a lesson I keep learning, as I “fix my eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18)

Like the power of our loving Father to make obvious the solution to a problem.

Posted in Christian Living, Faith, Family Life, Family Stories, Finding solutions, Frustrations, Humor, Intuition, Revelation | Tagged 2 Corinthians 4:18, broken appliances, problems, refrigerator, repairmen, solutions, solving problems | 4 Comments

My Favorite Profession…by Linda Carlblom

Posted on March 27, 2015 by Linda Carlblom

I have worked in different jobs over the years, from day care to office work to customer service. During those twenty years in the work force I learned that despite being an introvert, I excelled at listening to people and caring for their needs. I also found out it was extremely stressful trying to balance work and family. Guilt overwhelmed me every time I had to call in because my children were sick. I felt I was always letting someone down, either my kids for putting them in day care, or my job if I stayed home to be with them.

In 1995 I became pregnant with my third child and had just become a stay-at-home mom to my two older kids. There was a looming gap of nine years between my youngest and this new baby on the way. I’d had to work when my son and daughter were young, and did the single parenting thing for five years, being their sole support. But things were different now. I was remarried and had a husband who was just as happy to have me home as I was to be there. I was nervous at first, hoping it would be enough for me. Would I get restless? Irritable? Bored?

Today I was folding laundry and I had a flashback to folding teeny tiny shirts and onesies before my babies were born. Though the clothes were larger now, the feeling was the same. My heart was full, and bursting with purpose and love. It was packed to the brim with memories and stories and laughter.

I realized being a stay-at-home wife and mom was my favorite profession. I’ve experienced so much satisfaction just caring for my family, even though it’s only my husband and me most of the time now. As I folded shirts, pants, and underwear, I acknowledged that this job is the job of my heart, the one I do out of love. It fills me with what I long for and love most—my family.

This housewife job has provided me flexibility to go to parent-teacher conferences, to school programs, to help out in classrooms, and to go on business trips with my husband. I learned organization, time management, people and negotiating skills, budgeting, purchasing, and so much more as I raised my family. I’ve been available to run out on a moment’s notice when I received a frantic phone call to bring a forgotten item from home. I could stay home with sick children without the guilt of calling into work saying I wouldn’t be there.

And while my children grew, my parents aged. My father passed on almost ten years ago and I was able to sit by his bedside and enjoy precious time with him. I’m able to take my mother to doctor appointments now that her vision doesn’t allow her to drive as much, and I was home to care for my father-in-law after he had a stroke and came to live with us for a few months last year.

Having worked for almost two decades, I know the difficulties of juggling the responsibilities of a job and a home. For years I longed to be a stay-at home wife and mom but couldn’t. Now I’m honored to have this blessing in my life, while understanding that there are many who don’t, or aren’t cut out of the same fabric I am. Many women prefer working outside the home and they thrive there, being the best they can be when they return home each day. Kudos to them for caring for their own hearts and families in the way that’s best for them. It’s part of the diverse beauty God created within each of us.

But for me, I love being home to care for my loved ones, whatever their stage of life. I’m thankful for a husband who values my contribution to our family. Hands down, this is the best, most rewarding job I’ve ever had. I wouldn’t trade it for all the paychecks in the world.

What has been your most rewarding job either inside or outside your home? What made it so special? Tell us about it in the comments.

Linda

Posted in Family Life, Life, Life Transitions, Memoir, Nostalgia, Uncategorized | Tagged aging parents, housewife, professions, rewarding work, Stay-at-home mom | 6 Comments

Easters of my Childhood . . . by Andrea R Huelsenbeck

Posted on March 24, 2015 by Andrea R Huelsenbeck

From the time I was five years old until well into my teens, this is how Easter morning went:

First of all, find the basket. This usually happened before my parents even woke up. That was pretty easy, since it was always somewhere in the living room. Not so easy was eating only one or two candies.

Holy Cross Church

Next on the agenda was church. Although we went to church every Sunday, Easter meant something new to wear, either a new coat, or a new dress, or a new hat. I grew up Catholic, and in the mid 1950s through the 60s and into the 70s, Catholic women and girls always had their heads covered in church. The hats were often quite elaborate, and Easter bonnets were the prettiest of all, loaded with silk flowers and bows in pastel colors, maybe accented with some mesh veiling. And when I was a little girl, we also wore gloves. And I usually had white patent leather Mary Jane shoes with white cotton or nylon ankle socks. So elegant! Of course, we were there to worship, but the distractions were so pleasant.

After Mass, we went home for breakfast. Catholics didn’t eat before Mass, because it was disrespectful to take communion after a meal. On Easter we always had colorful boiled eggs, which I loved to decorate but hated to eat. Luckily, there was also something sweet, like Italian Easter bread brought home from the bakery where my father worked. And, of course, some more candy from the basket.

After breakfast, it was time to plead with my Daddy to take us to Asbury Park (NJ), to a wonderful amusement park, a virtual paradise for kids, with a scrambler and a ferris wheel and a carousel and a swan boat, little cars to ride, and little speed boats that went around in a circle. Until I was old enough to date, the only time we went to Asbury Park was Easter Sunday, a tradition that I think my parents were sorry to start. Once the precedent was set, however, I insisted it continue.

By the time my own children were born, we lived too far away to visit Asbury Park (and its unfortunate decline was beginning). Though no longer Catholic, our celebration still included worship (and Sunday school with special activities) and Easter baskets and maybe a new article of clothing, but no Easter bonnets.

Now our children are grown. No more Easter baskets. But the day still begins with church, and our focus is solely our Savior. Hallelujah! He is risen indeed!

What Easter traditions did your family have when you were a child? What Easter traditions do you have today? I welcome you to comment below.