He SERIOUSLY is. (wk 4) August 17, 2008

Last one, I promise.  Then back to the foolish & mundane…

We may see “LORD” more often than “JAH” in the Bible, but we see “JAH” more than we think:

Hallelujah = Hallel (Praise)-u-Jah (LORD)

Let’s review: 

week 1 = Isaiah 26:4  Trust in the LORD forever, for Jah, the LORD, is the rock eternal.

week 2 = Psalm 118:5  I called upon JAH in distress:  Jah answered me, and set me in a large place.

week 3 = Psalm 68:4  Sing unto God, sing praises to his Name:  extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.

Another name with JAH in it is ELIJAH = “My God is LORD” or “God, I AM”

James 5:17  Elijah was a man just like us, but he craved the fame of God.

He got into a contest with idol worshippers where they both built an altar and whichever one fire came down on, everyone would know that was the real God. 

1 Kings 18:37  …Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.

Elijah believed so strongly, that he dumped 7 buckets of water 7 times on the wood, stones & soil, all over the altar, believing that it would still catch fire from heaven.  Seriously!

1 Kings 18:38  Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil and also licked up the water in the trench.  When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The LORD-he is God!  The LORD–he is God!” 

EliJAH!  EliJAH!  Every time they said his name, they announced “My God is the LORD!  My God is I AM!” 

 We want to become people whose life testimony says continually “My God is I AM” so that it is obvious to everyone that God is alive and working in us today.

Am I calling on the God of Daniel?  Moses?  Apostle John?  He IS the same yesterday, today and forever.

And here’s a news flash about The Fastest Man:

1 Kings 18:45-46  Meanwhile the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain came on (anybody else humming “Out on Thunder Island?”) and Ahab rode off to Jezreel.  The power of the LORD came upon Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.

He outran a chariot!!  What a rush! But wait…there’s more:

1 Kings 19:1-18  Elijah gets fame for God, and immediately after that, a death threat.  This new threat from an unexpected place after a huge victory over a long hard battle sent him into a tailspin.  “I have had enough, LORD,”  he said.  “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.”  After being taken care of physically and mentally…the word of the LORD came to him;  “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

God knows the answer, but poses the questions to get us to dialogue and think things through.

Elijah whines a bit, feeling so very alone.  God asks again “What are you doing here, Elijah?”  Elijah answers in the same exact way.  God assures Elijah, by names, that he is not alone.

Satan wants us to think we are on a roll–whether we are “wallerin” in defeat or celebrating victory.

Nothing about our last victory guarantees our next, (waah waaahh waaaaahhhhh)

and nothing about our last defeat guarantees the next. (WOO HOO!)

The big problem is that Elijah had developed an addiction to the spectacular.  God is not just fire from heaven.  He is the still small voice.  THAT WE HEAR HIS WORD and understand it through the power of his Holy Spirit is the most “spectacular” thing!

Am I looking for the “god of the most high” or the MOST HIGH GOD?

Elijah had begun to think of himself as the “only one.”  (pride)

God, in his kindness & love whispers “You’re not the most important thing in the world”  (but you ARE important because you HEARD it!  That’s proof of your importance!)

We need not feel isolated in a time of tidal wave temptation.  Reach out, get good Godly counsel, talk to friends.  The enemy is hoping you will stay isolated in it. 

I Corinthians 10:13  No tempation has seized you except what is common to man.

1 Peter 5:9  …because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

Hebrews 12:1  Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

The flesh doesn’t ever improve or get better.  The flesh will always be the flesh.  Without the Spirit’s control, we will still go back to old ways of defeat because the flesh doesn’t learn.

Do you ever feel like God is “just not that into you?”  God sent Jesus who died and sent His Spirit to dwell in us.  God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit IS SO INTO YOU it’s not even funny!

~to make Himself conspicuous to others

~to gain FAME through our life

“It is to your Father’s glory that you bear much fruit.” 

Make us faithful.

 

He SO Is. (Wk 3) August 16, 2008

Buckle up your seatbelts, ’cause after a smooth start in Psalms, this one goes to an Ezekiel prophecy!  What a timely recap during the exhiliration of the Olympics.  Eat our bubbles, France & Brazil!

Jehovah = I am that I am                                Jah = I AM

Psalm 68:4  Sing unto God, sing praises to his name; extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.

God is on his blinged out sapphire throne, riding across the heavens, but he’s gettin’ ready to GET UP.

Ezekiel 1:26-27  Above the expanse over their heads was what looked like a throne of sapphire, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man.  27 I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him.

KJV v 27  And I saw as the color of amber…

Amber was (muuuuuuch later) found to be the mineral conductor of electricity.  So before the Bible-writers knew what electricity was…they were struggling in their attempt to explain power with electric properties and attribute that to God’s very presence.  Seated.

Wowza.

So are you ready for this bit of earth shattering goodness?  In his power:

JAH tends to our soul’s need for exhiliration! 

We are legitimately wired with a soul-need for an occasional high, which…if it is not met in God, can get us into a whole lot of trouble.

Psalm 68:3  …let them be in high spirits and glory before God

Glad in Hebrew is samach (not to be confused with “sammich” which when made correctly quite possibly grilled, can also make one glad) It means to brighten up, cheer up.  Can I get a WOO HOO! 

The word for rejoice is alats which means to jump for joy, exalt, triumph (like the dancers on America’s Got Talanet or Michael Phelps looking at his times).

We are not intended, as culture suggests, for non-stop exhiliration.  The art of meditation is important as well.  We need a balance.  So think about how we can brighten up our lives…

Psalm 68:5  A father to the fatherless…

JAH also tends to our soul-need to be fathered.  We often need to engage I AM in this role.

I miss my dad terribly.  He was killed in April 2000 in a ridiculous low-speed car accident.  More than my provider and my family’s leader, he was the epitome of unconditional love to me and to others.  He was friendly, engaging, humble, intelligent and always complimentary and encouraging.  I miss him so much that most of the time it is easier not to think about all I am missing from him.  Even as I type this nutshell, though, I am seeing that all those attributes I love about my dad came from God in rich supply.  So HE IS my Abba Daddy Father. 

Galatians 4:6-7  Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”  So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

Psalm 68:5  …a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.

JAH tends to our soul-need for a champion.  Not just in an observational way, but like a warrior fighting for me.  An absolute defender.  Can I act like HE IS my champion?  How can I pray like HE IS my absolute defender?

There are many circumstances in which we need a champion, absolute defender.  We don’t have to be alone to feel alone.  There are many ways to be a “widow”. 

Are we (am I) emotionally disconnected from God?  Even if not spiritually?  Am I allowing God to minister to my emotions?  Lonely can be effective…Jesus went on purpose to lonely places to seek God. 

Luke 5:16  But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

God doesn’t want us to be lonely people, but we all need lonely places…where He is the one we intensely cry out for.  Small talk with God is good too.  Is God so real that I chit-chat with Him?

We have a need for other people also, for fellowship AND refinement.  Bumping into each other often enough to smooth the rough edges off of ourselves.

If we control our environment enough to pull ourselves away from everyone we find aggravating, then THEIR PURPOSE in our life is not served.

We can let God do the “setting” of us in relationships.  Satan is also attempting to “set” but his “setting is invariably a SET UP!

There’s a difference between lonliness (for others) and longing (for God). 

May our eyes spring open to any relational SET UP that’s a toxic concoction, then fully invest where God sets.

He Sure Is! (wk 2) August 15, 2008

OK, so now I know a few people, I learned some things last week and had no other Wednesday night commitments yet when week 2 rolled around.  We were still unpacking boxes and at the time it still felt like we’re on an extended vacation.  This is my frame of mind when I arrived at the week 2 “HE IS” study. 

Hebrews 11:6  And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.  NIV

KJV…for he that cometh to God must believe that HE IS, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

The name Jehovah means “I AM THAT I AM.”

The name Jah is the contracted form of that phrase meaning:  “I AM.”

All throughout the whole entire Bible, the all caps written name LORD sometimes means “Jah” but not every time.  There’s a distiction.   Psalm 118  uses LORD 19 times, but meaning “I AM” only 6 times.  ‘Why is this important?’  you may be asking yourself.  Well, Beth and I will tell you.  You like treasure, don’t you?

There’s a song we (BSF children’s leaders, not me & Beth, just so you know) teach to preschoolers.  It goes:

The Bible is a treasure book of stories that are true,

It tells of people long ago, of folks like me and you. 

 You need to know and/or believe that the Bible REALLY IS chock FULL of treasure personally for you.  And one of the treasures to be found in those pages is real meaning for today.  Beth is awesome to mine out and explain meanings for scriptures that are heavily memorized and favored in the already Bible reading community.  (Which is the toughest crowd out there!) 

So Psalm 118 is part of the Egyptian Hallel.  This prayer was recited by heart at every Passover meal with Psalm 113 and 114 recited before the meal (when you read Ps 114 & 115, can’t you just imagine little children listening and learning from those who recited with intention and expression?  The skipping!  The running!  The trembling!  The senses & the shouting!  I may have to reinstate this practice at my dinner table). 

Psalm 115-116 were recited during dinner, and Psalm 117-118 was always recited after the meal…

 

Did you get that??? 

 

…Jesus himself, along with the disciples, if they were experiencing that Last Supper Passover in the traditional way, would have been saying these chapters and verses together just hours before his trial and death on the cross. 

A. Mazing. 

Psalm 118:5
From my distress I called upon Jah, (I AM) and Jah answered by setting me free.

So the word for “setting me free” is Merhab  which means ”spaciousness, wideness.”  Then she goes on to say,

“How many of us are still convinced, even if our mouth/life/thoughts/actions/doubts suggest different that God’s ways constrict us, but it is worth it because we want to go to heaven and have rewards.  But actually, for this time period, if we’re going to do the right thing, then we have to live pretty bound up, pretty constricted for all our earthly lives. 

That belief is a toxic lie from the enemy. 

WOAH!

Psalm 119:32  I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.

She then told a hilarious but poignant story about her daughter & some friends.  The friends came over for dinner quite often and decided that each time they left, they would sneak something away and take it home with them.  A picture, a knick knack, anything.  Eventually, since no one was noticing, they got sassy enough to take a dining room chair!  Finally, when they couldn’t stand it anymore, they invited the “victims” over and had all that stuff sitting around! 

The poignant part of that story is that THIS IS WHAT THE ENEMY IS DOING TO US ALL THE TIME.

It is Satan’s job to do everything he can to take every bit of spiritual ground and God-given property out from under our feet.  It is the enemy that is doing everything he can to constrict you. 

Whereas, the “YES” -es in life are all the promises of God.  (I will provide, I will protect, I will comfort, I will sustain, I will heal, I will carry, I will love you like a mother, I will save you from punishment, on & on)

Nothing testifies that “He Is” more effectively than a bound man set free.

(Unfortunately our free “talk” is drastically exceeding our free “walk.”)

We have to be willing to be seen as less in other people’s eyes, but at least it’s real.    God said NO sin shall have dominion over you.  (But our strongholds often are our comfort and/or motivation). 

Did God call us to “at least” living? 

“At least” I’m saved. 

Are we practicing “stronghold management?”

God is singing over us songs of deliverance.

Psalm 118:5  In my anguish…  KJV= distress 

Hebrew=”metser” meaning something tight, like trouble, distress, pain, dire straights.

This quest for freedom is not a one-time event, but a process for all our days.  Like with Jabez in the Old Testament:

1 Chronicles 4:9-10  Jabez was more honorable than his brothers.  His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.”  10  Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my territory!  Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.”  And God granted his request.

Jabez asked to be free from the pain of evil.  The enemy wants us crushed, speechless, where we can not proclaim the Word or the promises of God, or cry out to Jah, & ask for what we need.

When feeling crushed, SAY the Words of God…or even the NAME of God with CONFINDENCE.  Not just in your thoughts.  How had God seen you through before?  How has He been evident in the life of someone you know?  As it says in 118:5 CRY OUT TO JAH!  Not randomly, but be specific!  Who’s on you?  What is your problem about?  He already knows, but we need to make the connection between our own unsolvability and the knowledge that He can handle it.  Because He can. 

118:14  Jah is my strength and my song; Jah has become my salvation.

(Shannon’s turn)  In the months before my mom died, I was living 500 miles away from her, juggling a husband, 4 small children, and 2 homes–hers in TN and mine in MI.  When I look back, I have no idea how God put me where I needed to be in both of those places, over the time span of Aug 2002-Oct 2003 or how He provided in my absence in both places.  I just know He did.  I really didn’t cry out to him in a way that I remember today, but my soul was needy and He was there.  I did nothing but trust.  He did everything else.  I not only received strength for each day and for the long term, but He was also my song because He showed me He was doing it and I wasn’t.  This gave me a joy that doesn’t make sense in that kind of circumstance.  And as for the salvation, well, there’s the eternal kind of salvation, and there’s also the constant rescue, like when my husband moves the oven mitt off the burner I just turned on, or moves a glass away from the edge of the table.  The big kind of eternal salvation is essential, but there are thousands of ways I am ’saved from making a mess’ physically and emotionally each day. 

118:18  Jah has chastened me sore…

God chastises the ones he loves.  Yasir (Hebrew):  To chastise, reprove, discipline, instruct, give a warning.

The purpose of God’s disciple is changed behavior.  Not just for the new believer, but all of us constantly need behavior modification (and sometimes behavior removal).

…but Jah has not given me over to death.

(Shannon’s turn)  When I think of death in this sense, it is not the physical “end of life” death, but the darkness inside that comes from those oh-so-many “uh oh” moments.  Some of them, in my case,  are big ones like rebellious attitudes and actions, and some are little and constant.  But when we call out to Jah, like a superhero, I AM rescues us from death of purpose, death of ministry, death of usefulness, death of priorities, death of partially-built dreams.

I will look in triumph over my enemies  (Micah something)

Instead of having stuff from your home taken away, piece by piece, God promises Psalm 23:5  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.  You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Psalm 118:24  This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

The Hebrew word for rejoice is “guwl” which means spin around with joy!  Now that takes some room, doesn’t it?  Spinning around with joy is the total opposite of constricted and bound up in sin.

We can never go too far or do so much that God will not welcome us home.  Which brings us full circle in this Psalm because it starts with…

Psalm 118:1  Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;  His lovingkindness is everlasting.

He loves you!  Right now!  Today!  Because He’s good like that.

Welcome Home!

He Really Is. (Wk 1) August 14, 2008

Right after moving here, I received the most wonderful gift.  (Even better than the green sandals)!  It was the most perfectly timed, 4 week, no homework Beth Moore study.  For those of you who are not familiar with her, she is a spunky, loud, southern, borderline obnoxious, from a rough background, thoroughly studied, hilarious student and teacher of the Bible.  Now I consider myself to be somewhat spunky, but compared to Beth, I am downright Droopy.  Like the cartoon dog.  In a bad all-cotton wardrobe.

I fully intended back in June & July to process this teaching further by blogging out each week’s learning but neglected to do so, due to our family’s other adventures…so the time is now.  I will now attempt to amaze you by condensing my favorite parts into bite-sized, read-while-you-act-like-you’re-working posts.  I promise you will learn something cool, so read on.

Hebrews 11:6  And without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. 

So is it enough to believe that God “exists?”  That He Is and that’s all there is to it?  Well, uh, NO.  The name God gave to Moses referring to himself is the cryptic “I am that I am.”  Here’s where God says that to a trembling by the burning bush, uncertain, and hypothetically-questioning obedience Moses.

Exodus 3:13-14  Moses says to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ 

(Because they thought the name of God was so sacred, they wouldn’t even say it outloud or write it fully.  Now THAT’S respect!  Plus, also, Moses didn’t really want to go so he was stalling.)  Moses continues:

‘Then what shall I tell them?”  14  God said to Moses, “I am who I am.  This is what you are to say to the Israelites:  I AM  has sent me to you.’ 

Oh.  Okay.  That clears THAT up.  The definition of the phrasing God gave Moses and us means not just “to exist” but “to be, to become, to come to pass, to be done, to happen, to be finished.”  Beth said, “God does not wear out.  What an attribute!”  GOD IS whatever we need Him to be wherever we are.  God is everything for us right now, today that he ever showed himself to be.  Creator, Storm Stopper, Water Mover, Wilderness Provider, Too Bright to Look At, User of Normal People to do Awesome Things. Kinda reminds me of that red dot “I’m there” commercial for insurance.  We state where we are, call out to Him and He’s there, sufficient for what we need, ready to make us better–physically, spiritually, emotionally, whatever.  Especially if it’s a bad place red dot and we are humble enough to want/need/ask for help.

We need a first person revelation of God saying “I am…” to us.  (I am your provider.  I am your Maker and Tweaker.  I am protecting you.  I am forgiving you.  I am ready for you to do something for me.)

We need a second person unshakable knowledge (without sight) and sincere praise conversation with God where we say and KNOW “You are…” to Him.  (You are loving.  You are patient.  You are successful.  You are strong enough to help me through this.  You are aware of my limitations and have a plan better than mine.)

We need a third person witness to others where we say “He is…” to others.  (Dude!  Have you seen what I do well?  Where I live?  Where I work?  That last vacation?  How I got through that impossible challenge?  GOD DID THAT for me!  HE IS way better than I deserve!)

Isaiah 26:3  You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.

We can have perfect peace in our present, no matter what is happening around us, when we sit with God, “prop, lean upon, rest” what is “formed in our mind” on the knees of the Maker of that precious little head.  **Here, Beth had someone sit in front of her, one step down (’cause you KNOW those Texas churches have the major honkin’ steps up to the platform)  and just put that girl’s head down on her knees while she kept on speaking.  Beth had her hands just sweetly on the sides of that volunteer’s head.  What a picture.  This picture has stayed with me OFTEN over the last weeks.**

God forms how we think about what we think. 

 Man am I relying on THAT new bit of information when temptation comes.  I can rest my brain, even in the middle of temptation, on the God who knows the thoughts HE thinks towards ME.  Even when I have no thoughts of him anywhere to be found.

KJV  Jeremiah 29:11  For I know the thoughts I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

And what are we to do once we’re turned around and waiting and waiting and waiting for that expected end?

Isaiah 26:8  Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you;  your name and renown are the desire of our hearts.

“Wait for” in Hebrew is “qawah” meaning to bind together by twisting  and “to expect.”  We are to keep walking while waiting, holding tight to God’s leg like a child sitting on Dad’s shoe, wrapped around his leg, holding on tight.

*whew*

And THAT was just week 1!  There’s three more weeks of this gold.  I will pray that we will all know and apply the knowledge that HE IS and find ways to realize that God knows our “now” situation and wants to do a “now” work.  All the live-long day.

Opening Ceremonies, Shmopening Fleremonies August 13, 2008

While 599 billion and some odd earth dwellers around the globe were attending, watching, or otherwise participating in the 8-8-8 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremonies, the other eight or nine hundred of us were, of course, at the National Galax Fiddler’s Convention. 

It was a site to behold.  All manner of fiddlers, bass players, and other pickin’ folk were doing their thing, one right after another for DAYS on end.  HOURS on days on end.  And we somehow found ourselves honored guests, due to our affiliation with Grand & Gdaddy, who gave the opening prayer on Mundee niight.  We were blessed with preferred parking as well as a row of 8 saved lawn chairs put out early in the day with a very great view. 

Now…these were talented and fun-loving folk, to be sure.  I could actually see how this would be an enjoyable way for folks to come from miles around, camp and spend the ENtire 2^nd week of August each year.  Every song seemed to have the tempo and instrument ensemble from the Beverly Hillbilly’s theme.  (You got it in mind?  Are you humming it yet?  I’ll wait….)  Also every song fit the lyrics to “There ain’t no bugs on me, on me” you know, that flea collar commercial, which was delightfully fun for all!  Not one person was not a-bobbin’ their head or a-tappin’ their knee. 

There were wooden platforms down front near the stage for all manner of flat foot dancin’ and the occasional air-banjo.  You could pick out right away the kids who were born & partial-raised “up north” since all four of them somehow found a way to do Will Smith’s Fresh Prince “Apache: Jump on It” dance instead of the clogging style moves that were way more prevalent, not to mention appropriate at this particular function. 

They stuck out, some might say, “like a sore thumb with the nail plumb tore off.”

 

 

 

After a few numbers entitled Boil the Cabbage Down and Drunk Ol’ Hen, we went wander’n-roun’ to hear the various non-staged people pickin’ and a-grinnin’ outside their various RVs.  We saw a guy with a waxed and curled mustachio.  We saw all manner of bolero ties and cowboy boots.  I saw a shirt that said:

 

I’ve been a bad cowboy…

Send me to your room.

 

 

Bless his heart.  I could write for days describing more of the sweet and interesting folks there in downtown Galax making a night of the Fiddler’s Festival.  Suffice it to say, there was a lot to see besides the fiddlin’ but never have I ever been in such a well-mannered and quiet crowd.  Truly!  There was very little talking…only in hushed whispers so that everyone could enjoy the music.  Huhm.  SOooo not your average Music in the Park. 

When our tummies got to rumblin’, We got the most ginormous 20 oz. cup of sweet tea, a bloomin’ onion, and hot dogs all around.  Mine ended up with some not-ordered but appreciated nonetheless onions which were enjoyed by me, not so much by those nearby my breath, though shortly afterwards we warshed it down with a funnel cake, happily sharing and sprinkling powdered sugar all down our fronts. 

There’ll be another Olympics in 2012.  And there’s constant highlights on NBC, CNBC, ESPN and YouTube.  But there’s only one Fiddler’s Festival with Grammaws & and Grampaws, adults and chilluns’, the buzzed and the sober and a host of others all enjoying the same old time mountain music with campers and RVs as far as the eye can see.  That was our chosen ceremony and we loved ever’ minnit uvit.

 

Same time this year August 12, 2008

Hubby has been straining his brain at work all summer, getting glimpses of sunshine as it rises on his way in, and sets on his way home.  He missed the last trip to GrandView as he was covering for everyone else at work so we decided to go again, this time WITH him.  Which is SOOOOO much better!

This weekend, we were all about the Water Sports.  To be exact, TUBING of the fast and slow variety.

Saturday was the slooooooow motion kind of tubing.  So very quiet and relaxing just floating down the river wherever the current decides.  (So very “Automatic 7″ wouldn’t you say?)  I said to Hubby (who needed dramamine on our honeymoon from all the boating, floating, and snorkeling we did).  “This is your kind of snorkeling, isn’t it?”  He just laughed.  He responds like that sometimes.

We could see the shimmery rocks below, as well as tiny fish, some sort of strange moss covered River Weeds, and the occasional pair of lost sunglasses.  So much fun, so little work, soooo relaxing!

It took Some of Us longer than others to get used to the temperature of the mountain water. 

Now, I don’t know whose bright idea it was to hook the lunch cooler tube to the Teenager for safekeeping.  Probably his, because there was a sad shortage of Pringles and Oreos when we finally stopped for lunch on a rock in the middle of the New River.  Fortunately there were still plenty of grapes.  Teen BigBro dropped his sammich baggie in the water and it took right off on it’s own little joy ride down the river.  We thought one of the beer drinkers ahead of us might Come to Jesus when a sammich floated right up to him in the middle of the day, half way down the New River, but my fast-paddling Hubby high-tailed it that way and made a daring but successful rescue.  It didn’t even get wet!

  It was about a 3.5 hour tour which we thoroughly enjoyed.  Our tushies were only numb a little bit!  I mean…it was low 70s all day, which is perfect for walking or hiking, but sadly does NOT warm up the water.  Even by 4:00 p.m.

Unfortunately for the daring sandwich lifeguard, the cold mountain water kept him on his back the entire day, and his neglectful, beach-tanned wife neglected to pack, buy, or borrow sunscreen.  (Though to her credit, she did lovingly encourage him to man up, “grow a pair,” submerge them and turn over already to pink up the back side.  He declined that wise and thoughtful suggestion and therefore was summarily sidelined from Sunday’s Fast Tubing festivities). 

OUCH!  It hurt me to even click on this picture…but look at that smile.  What a trooper! 

Sunday found us tubing the VA section of the same River…about an hour north.  This time, with speed!

Dr. David, Mrs. Charlotte and their daughter Agape from First Baptist Church Galax, VA took us Out of Town for some additional tubing fun.  We set up camp beside the boat ramp and had a great time tubing.  Here, Charlotte is asking, “You want it Slow & Tame or Fast & Wild?”  They compromised with “Fast but Tame.”

Lil’ Sis and Mom tried to ski repeatedly with no success but Lil’ Bro made it up.

(Just take my word for it.  He really did!)  But most of the day was spent on the Tube:

It was a gorgeous day and a breathtaking weekend in NC/VA!  Among the sites were Saturday’s sunrise:

And Sunday’s sunrise…

….but unfortunately we also saw “the moon” on Sunday afternoon:

  Can I just say…I was seated and DID NOT MOVE OR ZOOM IN to take this picture.  It was there in front of me and my little pink camera, unadulterated and underadjusted for a full 10 minutes with nary a tug, or hint of a breeze.  Hubby was trying valiently not to laugh ’cause it hurt his redbelly so much.  I’m baffled and don’t really want to know why this sight is so funny to those who are Dudes.  Or why they feel the constant need to adjust so much up front while so very often neglecting the backside area.  I believe we might need to clease the eye palate after that one, so here’s another lovely:

water sparkles

  Besides the burn and the “bum,” a spectacular summer weekend!   Wait till you hear about Friday’ night’s Galax Fiddler’s Convention!  That one gets it’s very own separate post.

Same time last year August 8, 2008

I was recently scrolling through mounds of pictures and found one of our adventures from Aug 2007.  My oldest friend, VolKitty and her family invited us to visit them in KY.  Much to their surprise, we came.

  Here we are at our 20th HS reunion.  Wouldn’t it be cool if I had a picture of us as little girls?  They didn’t have computers or memory sticks back then.  Or cameras.  But we were SOOOO cute.  Here’s a little bit what we looked like:

Those are mine on the left in each kid picture and hers on the right.  We really did look a lot like that–especially the oldest-s!

Well, Mr. Vol-K is an avid boater, even going so far as to play the “Redneck Yacht Club” song in preparation for what we would experience on Saturday at Lake Somerset.  It was a blast!

  The getting in of the boat is the majority of the day.  But once we got aquatized, the fun REAAALLY began!

Here are the girls & their first time tubing.  I wish you could hear the giggles!

  Then it was time to ski.  Here I am teaching GirlKid.  She got up in 2 tries!

Next came LilSis:

And you know Dad’s gotta show off:

The boys were not as fortunate.  BigBro got up…but no one took his picture (woh..woh..woooooaaaaah) and BabyKid, well, he was just too darn light!  He practically skiied while the boat was in idle…but any bit of gas just flew him out of his skiis!

After all that, we got sandwiches, broke open geodes, and went to church. 

And what trip would be complete without 4 tickets to the “Gun Show”

(make that 5 tickets…see WeeKitty in the background?  I just noticed that!) 

It’s good to have friends.

Random Typical Day August 6, 2008

Well, it sure has been a marathon day for me.  Beginning with car-to-inspection station errand which concluded with me walking home to wait for the call back.  We were all ready for an ALL A/C ALL DAY day, so we decided it was time for a trip to the mall.

But before we could go to the mall, I had to go to the BANK.  I received a whopping $80.00 refund from Comcast Cable, so that was a usable little stash.  Let’s see how far it goes…

And WHILE we were at the bank, I realized that I left the orthodontist documentation at the Deli where we stopped for lunch yesterday.  So we returned to fetch the written evidence of THAT depressing financial decision.

THEN on the way to the mall, BoyKid reminded me the skatepark was nearby so we detoured there for about 40 minutes.  The girls & I opted for Monster Slushies then retreated to the bleachers of Mount Trashmore.

THEN when the gang was sufficiently jacked up on slushie syrup and the A/C cranked to 11, we patiently sat in left lane traffic on the WAY to the mall.  For quite a while.  Meanwhile in the RIGHT lane, all manner of zooming by grown up hooligans were not heeding the “right lane ends” sign.  I’m not whining, I’m just sayin’…

Finally we made it to Lynnhaven Mall.  A land of hope and joy and joyness.  Of course it was lunchtime and everyone was STAAAAARVING.  Three of us got DQ hotdogs and Thin Mint Blizzards.  BigSis had a practically WHOLE thin mint in hers.  I recommend them highly.  Two of us got Chick-Fil-A and waffle fries.  One of us, the one who DROVE, got a brownie in addition.  YUM!

We had enough left over scrilla for a few treasures from the dollar store.  (GOTTA love a mall with a dollar store IN IT!  And right by the food court–BONUS!!!)  NeighborKid got a Jesus Hearts Me lanyard.  GirlKid got a Smiley Face lanyard.  I got flip flops for my flip-flop wreath (idea stalked & stolen from neighbor) and BabyKid got a rubber bow and arrow set.  Obviously, I was deep in my creative crafty zone, mentally constructing my flip-flop wreath and failed to think like a rational Mother.  I didn’t even snap out of it when one of the Observant Fair-Police Sistas repeatedly asked, “You’re letting him get a bow and arrow?”  Crafty brain does come at a cost.  Often the victims are those we love most.

 Next door at Dave and Barry’s, where everything is $8.98, BigSis got a shirt. 

 Next door to THAT, I got the last beach towel of summer from Old Navy for $6.00.

The highlight of the day was finding a double decker carousel off in a whole ‘nother section of the mall we didn’t even know was there.  How could I say no?  Pretty soon they won’t beg me anymore to ride the horsies…and you gotta love that they’re big enough to go by themselves.  BONUS for the madre!

Good times, good times.  (Behold the proud owners of the lanyards!)  After the joy ride, we hauled it home to check on the sleeping in TeenBoy.  After not long, it was time to bundle up for football (BoyKid) and soccer (BigBro & NeighborKid Dude).  I drove him here, turned around & drove them there, and found myself thankful for time alone in the car, drove him back and drove them back and now find myself home & ready for PJs. 

Oh yeah. 

Dinner. 

Sounds like EMFH night.  (That stands for “Evah Man Fo Hisself” in my Mimi’s SC dialect).  You can call it “EvahMan” for short like we do.  It is a VERY useful strategy on days like today, and, like the Thin Mint Blizzard, recommended highly.

I hope you have had a fine Wednesday!

BOOYA! August 5, 2008

Lookie what greeted DaughterKid and I this afternoon upon our return from the orthodontist:

I think I know what’s in there!!!!

See…I even wore the green outfit just in case Today was the Day…

  Oh, so cute & darling!  The JOY!

Love MY neighbor as yourself…it won’t be difficult August 4, 2008

Three houses ago, the thing I loved the most about our house was the neighborhood and the neighbors.  One neighbor in particular…let’s call her….Mary…is STILL being particularly neighborly…even as she moves this week several states away from the house I remember her moving into!  Behold the awesome neighborliness from the flurry of July emails copied & pasted below:

Hi, Dear Friend!

 

I read your comment about walking around Plymouth and I have SUCH a favor to ask of you.  The week before we moved, I went into a store downtown that I had never been in before when I immediately fell head over heels in love with some ruffly sandals I saw in the window.  They didn’t have those sandals in my size (L) but I bought another adorable completely different pair.  I canNOT stop thinking about those ruffly sandals that came in the kickiest array of colors!  I would even be content if you went and just BOUGHT YOURSELF a pair, LOVED them, and BRAGGED to me all about them! 

 

Here’s the trouble…I can’t remember the store name or exact location, so it will be a bit of a Mocha-sipping kidless downtown Plymouth mini-spree if you are so willing.  (That doesn’t sound so bad, does it?)  The places coming to mind when I try and mentally locate that store are…

 

1) the store across from Charter One that keeps changing hands, near the haircut place (I’m pretty sure that’s not the right place)

 

2) the store down from Starbucks that usually has Native American stuff in the window (getting warmer…not sure)

 

3) the store on Ann Arbor Trail (?) that used to have mostly beds & bedding in it…still may…sandals in the back and DEFINITELY in the window.  The lady told me she sold them like hotcakes all winter long, so I’m pretty sure she’ll still have them.  I would like ANY color.  Seriously!  And I’ll BUY YOU A PAIR if you go get me some and send them to me!  You can even pack them up and send them from South Bend whenever you get around to opening that particular box way in your brilliant future.  I don’t care if I’m in the Red Hat society by then.  I will still love them and wear them daily no matter what.  And so will you.  If you, by the grace of God find them, put them on hold (both pair) and I will overnight you a check!  And if God loves me SO much that they are on SALE–even 1%–get me two pair!

 

Love,

Me

TADA!!!!!  One pair of L, green, ruffle-y slippers is yours =0)!!!
 
As it happened, I was cooling my heels waiting for JKid and his friend at Zap Zone in Canton when I got your message.  So when they finished and I dropped DFriend off at his house, we zoomed over to downtown Plymouth.  A spot opened up right in front of the store and I saw the slippers!!! A choir of angels started singing….the rest is history!
 
I told the gal behind the counter I was on mission, read a bit of your message so she would know the magnitude of this mission.  She laughed and said she had been waiting 4 months for these to come in. 
I got a pair, too, just to feel connected to you and be as styling as you!
 
Then the gal then said she remembered you when I described you as as all bubbly, always wearing some cute, signature piece of jewelry.  “ I know her!”, and I said, “Yeah.  She’s my friend =0)”  And I was happy.
 
The kids and I went to Starbucks after (because it is that bed store just a few shops away) and I bought an extra drink for P-Dude, who had been at home all day.  M-Boy said, “Is that for Mrs. Automatic7?” 
 
Gotta dash…someone wants to come look at the house tonight!
 
xoxoxoxoxoxox

(then from me again)

ARE THEY NOT THE CUTEST EVER?!?!?!?!

I am soo so so so SOOOOOOOOOOO happy!

And ever so impressed that you GOT that message and so immediately and excellently completed your mission with such intense focus and speed!  As I said, just to know that they are HAD is almost quite enough for me.  To imagine them on the way to me is icing AND sprinkles on the chocolate chip marble cake, and to see them in person will be almost more than I can bear in this lifetime.  I can SO picture your darling tootsies in them!  What shade of pedicure…hmmm…rose perhaps?  With a sparkle?  Maybe a french pedi?  Oooh la la!  We will have to coordinate toenails, nay, entire OUTFITS and PURSES to complete the ensemble, no?

Thank you eternally for doing this for me while packing, showing your home and toting various and sundry children to and fro.  And thanks to M-Boy for knowing you would potentially do such a thing as ADD a Starbucks TO that lovely errand for Mrs. Auto7.  That warms my heart to NO end!

Oh, how you ROCK!!!!

Love,

Frister Me

I do believe this is a blogworthy story…don’t you? 

AND HERE THEY ARE!!!!  See how happy they are to be loved  They are even cuter than I remembered!

 

I can hardly wait for them to get here!!!

“Mary” and her adorable tootsies! What a woman!