Take me out to the ball game

Growing up, my family benefitted from the Phillies season tickets that my dad’s company held and we enjoyed many games together.

I loved that we would always get hoagies and a soda from a local pizza shop to eat at the game. Both were special treats. I also remember many give-aways and fireworks nights. My brother chose the obvious Mike Schmidt as his favorite player which was fine since I always preferred the underdog. Greg Luzinski was my guy.

I did not enjoy that we were always forced to nap the day of a game and that we had to dress up to attend. I also wasn’t really a fan of the actual game so, always the bookworm never the athlete, I saw the games as just a change of venue for my favorite past time.

Our seats were behind home plate and foul balls were at times an issue. It was one such foul ball that ended my Veteran’s Stadium reading habit as it barreled my direction and hit the empty seat next to me. I cannot remember the last game I attended but I do know it was before the new stadium.

So thank you, Michael, for not wanting a 60th birthday party so we could celebrate your 59 1/2 birthday at the game with you tonight.

And what a fun surprise to find Andrew and a friend were also in attendance and could be smuggled into our party section. And in case you were wondering? I left my book in the car.

Let me introduce you to June Fool's Day

If you know me, you know that I love April Fool's Day and I love me a good, clean, no-one-gets-hurt prank. God gave me the gift of my husband, mostly, I believe, because we not only complement each other in a variety of ways but so that I would have an unsuspecting target for many of these jokes and pranks. The Good Doctor is also a good sport and puts up with these shenanigans, but has never been able to pull one over on me. Until today...

You may have seen a viral video of a group of women who pranked their husbands by having them wear the same shirt to a church Valentine's Day banquet. I saw that and thought, "Oh, that'd be perfect, when should we do it...?" Someone else from church had posted it and I shared it. I took note of fellow McBICers who had liked or commented on those two posts. I contacted them and told them my plan to prank the fathers at McBIC for Father's Day. Then the next question, "Who else is in?" It was unanimous. So, those of us who had posted the video, took it down before too many people could see it and be suspicious later.

Our first problem was that two of the families in that original group were going to be on vacation for Father's Day so we couldn't have the men wear the shirts that day. No problem, we just moved it to the following week, today. There were a myriad of ways to give the gift but one suggestion was to have the kids give the shirt to their dad on Father's Day afternoon so it would hopefully not be worn until the following Sunday. Since we were on vacation last week, and I didn't want the Good Doctor to wear it and risk not getting it washed by today, I told him that I had accidentally left it at home and I gave it to him when we returned yesterday.

The next problem was that as soon as some of us started to order the chosen shirt, we found that one of the sizes had low inventory. So we then started to tell people to choose one of two different green-ish colors, to be sure that there would be enough.

But the joke was on me when the Good Doctor inadvertently foiled my plans. He was asked to preach at another church this morning - and accepted the invitation. So the husband of the mastermind wasn't even at church for the big prank reveal. Whatever. He wore it anyway. I told him it looked good with his eyes and he couldn't resist. And it was still hilarious when the kids and I drove into the parking lot and immediately counted three green shirted men, and then another, and another... And then the Good Doctor returned home and showed me a picture of a lot of green shirted men from McBIC... A good laugh was had by all.

As penance he says he will now wear it to church every Sunday this summer.

And I'm just thankful the sermon wasn't on lying.

But because you said so

Luke 5:5

Simon answered, 

"Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. 

But because you say so, I will let down the nets."

But because you said so...

This Scripture was in the sermon Sunday. This particular verse wasn't highlighted, nor was the phrase, "But because you said so..." However, it's what Holy Spirit spoke to me that day and I can't get it out of my head. 

How many heroes of the Bible could have this phrase included in their story? 

Take my family (tribe) and move to a place you won't disclose until I get there? Okay, because you said so.

Trying to free my people from Pharaoh? Really, God? Me? But because you said so...

Fighting a giant with a sling and a few stones makes no human sense but because you said so...

Disobeying the leader of the land and praying against the law of the land could get me killed but... because you said so...

In that light, just attempting to fish from the other side of the boat seems so easy. Okay, it probably won't do anything but it's not scary or dangerous and won't get me killed so...because you said so...

Only Simon, James, and John had no idea the ramifications of doing something because Jesus said so. Because it was going to cost them everything. 

"But because you said so" has changed would could have been an easy life with a job I loved, doing what I was made to do, with great kids, a nice home, vacations, living the life...

"But because you said so," I've learned to cry, I've learned to love things less and people more. I've changed my definition of success. I've had to figure out my issues and work at healing them. And I've learned true joy. The kind that doesn't come from things or perfect circumstances, but from the joy that can only come when one is on their knees, clinging to the only One who can see the big picture, the One who knows exactly what "but because you said so" obedience is going to cost. The One who prepares a place and welcomes us with, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."

Already not yet

 If Advent is preparation for Christmas, what do you call preparation for Advent? This season of remembering that we live in the limbo of "already, but not yet" has never been more real than in the past few days.

Being allowed to participate in DJ's first birthday party,

enjoying the continuing excitement of the anticipation of another little one,

watching both Mariana and Isaac live out their life's story,

waiting for Andrew and Sarah's move to DC (and a whole lot closer to "home"),

and the heartbreak of witnessing Grandmom's stroke, difficulty in communication, yet clearly articulated desire to see her Heavenly Father. "I want to go home," she says again and again. "Can we sing about it?" I asked. "Yes, please do," was her reply. As we did, each song brought her peace from her agitation and she sang along. When we stopped, the requests began again, "I wanna go home...Father take me home...Just let me come over..." This is the reality of the "already, but not yet" that we live here on earth. Joy and sorrow. Pleasure and pain. All at once. Wanting to go home. Wanting to stay. Wanting loved ones to stay just a little bit longer. Come, Lord Jesus. He has come, but we wait with expectation for His second coming when all sorrow and sickness will be gone. Already, but not yet.

The Messiah has come. He fulfilled all of the Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah. Every December we decorate our homes, we sing carols, and we hear the stories repeated in church. We know He lives in our hearts and He changes our lives. But we also know that He has not yet come the second time as He promised. We eagerly await this second coming. As a member of the "Already Not Yet" Club, am I living in such a way as to represent the One who has come but who has not yet come again? Does my life represent His saving power as the fulfillment of His first coming? Do I live with the urgency of His second coming? May I be a light this coming Advent season, and at all times, to point others to membership in Jesus' Kingdom, the Kingdom of Already, Not Yet.

High school quiz

It's really a FB quiz but why follow the rules (that's what the Good Doctor would say) and I want this one down for posterity. Putting it in my blog means it will go in the end-of-year book so my answers will be known for all time. Or til one of my kids throws all the books away.

Think about your SENIOR year in High School...if you can remember that long ago!! The longer ago it was, the more fun the answers will be! It doesn’t take but 5 minutes, do it!!! . This is kinda fun to learn something about my buddies that I didn't go to school with....

Class of: Ummm, this is social media. Why would I tell you that?

1. Did you know your current love?

No, he was somewhere in the middle of the midwest, playing basketball, watching football, going antiquing for hoosiers, or something like that.

2. Type of car?

I didn't have one. That's why I'm such a great person today; my parents didn't buy me a car in high school. But I drove theirs and it was blue. I know that because as of that point, all of their cars had been blue.

3. What kind of job?

Housekeeping at a retirement community

4. Where did you live?

Again, seriously? I'm not telling you that. Let's just say the suburbs although my best friend called it the boondocks.

5. Were you popular?

What do you call someone who is the exact opposite of popular? That was me.

6. Were you in choir or band?

Does orchestra count? Oh wait, I did play piano in the jazz band once. The real pianist decided the day of the concert that she couldn't attend. I got stuck having to learn all of her music in one day to accompany them that evening.

7. Ever get suspended?

Do I look like someone who would get suspended?

8. If you could, would you go back?

Never in a million years. One of the worst years of my life.

9. Still talk to the person that you went to prom with?

First of all, we didn't have prom. They stimulate the lust of the flesh. And since I wasn't dating anyone at the high school, my best friend and I went stag which is a term that at the time would have been reserved for males but I'm told these days it applies to anyone. My how times change.

10. Did you skip school?

Once. I was on track to receive perfect attendance for all four years of high school. It was so embarrassing to receive the perfect attendance award each of the three years prior that I was in no way going to earn that distinction for four years running. I made sure to be "sick" one day my senior year and to go with friends to an amusement park on senior skip day.

11. Go to all the Football games?

In the same vein that dances stimulate the lust of the flesh, football promotes violence. We didn't believe in either. But you wouldn't have seen me at any of the less violent sports that we did have since I didn't have the hair or style to be allowed in (see questions 17 and 21).

12.Favorite subject?

Since I had so many credits, my senior year was filled with mostly filler classes. I chose anything I thought would be easy so I had an overload of art and home economics (which isn't even a thing anymore thanks to FCS) classes. I probably would have chosen one of the home ec classes as a favorite.

13. Do you still have your yearbook?

Yes. But why?

14. Did you follow your career path?

I did teach for a few years, then I taught my own kids, now I teach adults, so...kind of?

15. Do you still have your high school ring?

Somewhere. Someone please tell my kids what a high school ring even is.

16. Who was your favorite teacher?

My senior year? Probably the home ec. teacher

17. What was your favorite style?

I wasn't popular, remember? I had no style. Still don't. At that time it was at least partly home sewn and even more so from all those home ec classes.

18. Favorite Shoes?

Socks when I got home and could curl up with a good book to escape

19. Favorite food?

Now that's taxing my memory but probably pizza

20. Favorite band?

Okay, let's recap. Dancing stimulates the lust of the flesh, football promotes violence, and bands take folks off the straight and narrow. I probably couldn't have named a band if I had tried. Except the one that the guy who took me to school always played in his cassette player. In fact, he only ever played one song on that cassette, We're Not Gonna Take It. But if I had mentioned Twisted Sister back in those days I surely would have been struck by lightning.

21. High school hairstyle? Imagine taking stick-straight, should-have-been-a-senior-in-the-60s, hippie hair but perming it to look like the 80s

22. What cologne / perfume? Love's Baby Soft, OMG no wonder I wasn't popular

23. How old when you graduated? 17

24. What high school did you attend? One that believed that dances stimulate the lust of the flesh, football promotes violence, and bands take you off the straight and narrow

Grace

"Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus

Oh, for grace to trust Him more!" 

At the beginning of December I was noticing that this refrain was in my head a lot during the events of 2020. Particularly in the middle of the night or in times of stress or grief, as I called on the name, Jesus, these words would then be running through my head.

My life has not been filled with grace but somewhere around 2003-2005, God taught me about His abundant, lavish grace. I could finally see Him as the God of grace who always freely offers that grace to us. I began to give grace to myself and then I was able to more freely give it to others. 

But I know God has more to reveal to me about grace so my word for 2021 is just that - grace. I am intrigued in the connection between grace and trust as the writers of the above hymn chose to place them together in the phrase that repeats again and again in their hymn - "Oh, for grace to trust Him more!" May I be an open and eager listener to the meaning of grace this year.

"'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,

Just to take Him at His Word;

Just to rest upon His promise,

Just to know, "Thus saith the Lord!"

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!

How I've proved Him o'er and o'er;

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!

Oh, for grace to trust Him more!

I'm so glad I learned to trust Him,

Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;

And I know that He is with me,

Will be with me to the end.

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!

How I've proved Him o'er and o'er;

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!

Oh, for grace to trust Him more!

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!

How I've proved Him o'er and o'er;

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!

Oh, for grace to trust Him more!

Oh, for grace to trust Him more!"

-Louisa Stead

All of the children

My children never got to meet my paternal grandfather as he died before any of them were born. However, many of them are here because of him. Yes, he married us, and blessed all who would come through our doors as husband and wife. But more than that he left a legacy of a life lived to bless others. A family with almost a dozen great-grandchildren who are adopted speaks for itself.

My cousins and I have learned that adoption is not easy. There are no guarantees. Trauma is long-lasting and all-encompassing. It pushes away and divides and leaves a trail of chaos behind. But it is also the best picture I know of grace and redemption and an unconditional love that patiently and expectantly waits for the prodigal to decide that a seat at the table is truly better than the scraps of pigs.

How do I know this is my grandfather's legacy? Because he loved unconditionally. He wasn't flashy about it. He didn't draw attention to himself. He chose to love those that were different from him, racially, culturally, and spiritually. He taught with his own life as model.

And, he also taught. It was my dream to have my grandfather as a teacher at Christopher Dock Mennonite High School. Unfortunately, he retired the year before I entered ninth grade. I never had that pleasure. This disappointed me greatly but when I hear stories like I heard today, I realize that claiming him as my grandfather means that I received the best education from his life just as others received from him in the classroom.

For many years, my dad had a train set in his attic. Victor enjoyed playing with that train set but something happened when my parents moved a few years ago and the engine no longer worked. A recent conversation with a contractor who came into their home, who they also knew, led them to a source for a new engine. The young man suggested that they contact his grandfather who probably had an engine they could buy. They made the arrangements and went to see what he had to offer.

My dad was pleased to find that this man did have an engine for sale, just the right scale and perfect for his set. My dad asked how much? He was told $1. My parents were shocked. Then the man added a trolley, and another car - without raising the price. My parents tried to argue. It was all worth so much more than that. Then the man's wife said, "Tell them why you don't want to accept any more money than that."

The man went on to explain that when he and his wife were younger, they had a foster daughter. The situation was tough. She wasn't the typical student to attend the private school where my grandfather taught. They didn't know if they should send her even though they had sent their other children there. In the end, they did decide to enroll her. They explained that it was my grandfather who went out of his way to care. He saw the value in her. The story may have had its own twists and turns, but this man and his wife never forgot the teacher who welcomed every student. They weren't just making a transaction to sell a couple of train cars; they were thanking the family of one who meant so much to theirs.

That's the legacy my grandfather left. That's the reason my family is here. That's the legacy I hope to leave to my children. 

"Let the little children come to me," Jesus said. All of the children. Not just the ones who make good choices. Not just the ones who acknowledge me. Not just the ones who can pay me back. 

All of the children. 

Tale of 2 trees

 You know the story, Tale of Three Trees? It is a beautiful and moving story of sacrifice and salvation. 

Well, we have our own story, Tale of Two Trees. Our story, too, has a moral. Just not quite as spiritual as the more popular one.

Our story started in the spring when we had to put our front tree down. She served us well but she was declining and it was getting painful to look at her.

Then ensued the conversation about what would replace her. The majority of us wanted something that would have beautiful pink buds every spring. The Good Doctor wanted something bright red in the fall. And since each of his votes counts as five votes, and even if we had all four votes, we could never have over-ridden his vote for the red tree. And we didn't have all four votes because we had a dissenter who doesn't like anything pink because it's "for girls."

So, in the spring we got a tree named Scarlet when what we really wanted was a tree named Coral. A few members of the family, who choose to remain anonymous, briefly considered ordering a can of pink spray paint off of Amazon so we could enjoy our pink tree but said family members abstained from such actions.

Well, here we are in the fall. Our tree's cousins at the middle school are a beautiful red color. 

Ours is still green. Plain green. Just green. Nothing but green.

It's a good thing we didn't waste our money on that pink spray paint because now we have to buy a can of red spray paint to help our little tree reach its (supposed) full potential.

So what's wrong with our tree, you ask? This summer, when the topic of the tree came up during Mariana and Jake's wedding shower, Jesse suggested that it was struggling because we were so mean to it.

We thought he was joking.

We forgot that he's a science teacher. He knows these things.

Because it appears as if trees are susceptible to bullying and apparently we were the worst kind. 

We're sorry, Coral. We repent of our sinful ways. Please, please turn pink in the spring. 

Or red in the fall. Fine. Red is fine.

Anything. Just do something. 

Please?

Faces

 The question was posed from friend to friend, "What would people at your church think if a visitor showed up who .............." The answer, without needing to think, was, "Well, we'd say they were being selfish.."

Let that sink in. 

Maybe you think you need more information to have an opinion. What was the offense the friend posited?But the actual offense in the original query shouldn't matter. Not to Christians, anyway. Should it? 

I've been pondering Romans 12:18 a lot recently, "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." The word given to me for today is peaceful. I went back and looked at the context for verse 18. In my NIV translation, it is sectioned off with verses 9-21, entitled "Love".  I found that this admonition to live at peace is just one of twenty guidelines for love including...

Love sincerely

Hate evil

Honor others above yourself

Serve the Lord with zeal

Faithfully pray

Bless those who persecute you

Be willing to associate with people of low position

I don't see anything about judging others for their behavior. Hate what is evil, yes. But love sincerely came right before that. And right after it is, "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love." Next it says to honor others. Can we do all of that when we make assumptions about motive? 

So, what was the original question? Was it, "What would people think if a visitor showed up who was stealing from the offering?" Was it referring to someone who living a lifestyle of wealth without giving to the poor? Was it someone whose personal choices were clearly negatively affecting their spouse or children or neighbors or coworkers? While I would hope that Christians, who say they are following Christ's example, wouldn't judge any of these people, none of these questions represent the original question posed. 

No. The question recently asked, relevant to today was, "What would people at your church think if a visitor showed up who was not wearing a mask." 

Friends, I know I fall short many times but I am making the commitment again today to be the embodiment of Jesus and my job description is found in Romans 12:18. I want to live in such a way that as far as it depends on me, I can be at peace with everyone. I want people to feel like they can "come as they are" around me. I want to remember that we are all struggling in some way, with some thing. We all have external behaviors that cover the internal battles. I want to be so secure in my faith and identity and destiny that I can see every visitor, every issue, every outcast, every struggling soul, as a child of God. It is God's job to judge the heart. My job is to love and honor and live at peace. It is God's job to deal with the sin issues. It is my job to faithfully pray, to bless others, and to welcome all.

Come as you are.

Pour out your heart like water

There are three phrases in Lamentations 2, that are especially relevant right now:

The hearts of the people cry out to the Lord...
...let your tears flow like a river day and night...
...pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord...

Since the start of quarantine, I've been co-leading a weekly time of support and encouragement for families raising "children from hard places". While Zoom is not the most ideal location for the amount of support needed right now, it is something.

These verses from Lamentations were my words of encouragement to the group this past week. In the midst of amped-up behaviors by kids whose bodies already lived in constant fear and stress, with parents home and working and schooling and parenting and interceding, stressed themselves with limited possibilities for self-care and alone time, it's okay to not be okay. But where do we go when we're not okay?

We take it to the Lord. Lamentations teaches us how. We may not be the Israelite nation, exiled in Babylon, experiencing carnage, cannibalism, the slaying of children, and more. But we are exiled in our own way and time. As Eugene Peterson says in his introduction to Lamentations in The Message, "Lamentations is a concentrated and intense biblical witness to suffering. Suffering is a huge, unavoidable element in the human condition. To be human is to suffer. No one gets an exemption. it comes as no surprise then to find that our Holy Scriptures, immersed as they are in the human condition, provide extensive witness to suffering...Lamentations...provides the community of faith with a form and vocabulary for dealing with loss and pain."

It's okay to sit at Jesus' feet and cry out. It's okay to let your tears flow like a river day and night. It's okay to pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord.

Then sit and wait. He will hold you in His hands. He will cover you with His wings. He will bring comfort, healing, peace, grace, and truth that only He can.

"You redeem, You redeem,

You restore what's been stolen from me

You reclaim, You release

You rebuild with the words that you breathe

You redeem...

Miracles will happen

Healing will come

The plans of our enemy ruined undone...

Here in your presence lost in Your love...

Wrecked by Your presence I'm lost in Your love."

-You Redeem, Aaron Shust

Remember, we know the end of the story.

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. 

There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, 

for the old order of things has passed away.

Revelation 21:4

More Corona quizzes

We played the Unpopular Opinion Game, naming 10 things you don't like that everyone else likes.

Victor's List
Meatballs
Peanut Butter Ice Cream
Hearing the same song over and over again (Isaac does that)
The Hallmark Snowman at Christmas (It creeps me out)
The Doorbell
Being Cold
When Dogs Lick
Trying New Things
Strawberries
Those Fake Plants at Church

Molly's List
Sugary Coffee (Black or nothing. Beans and water and that's it.)
Fiction Books
House Plants (Other people can have them but I am not good at keeping them alive.)
Replacing Bread Products with Cauliflower (Why?)
The Sound or Feeling of Walking Through Leaves in the Fall
Online Shopping (I would much rather go to the store.)
Star Wars (...is over-hyped)
(Victor: Oh man, I'm really disappointed.)
Zoom Meetings
The Office (...along the same lines of Star Wars...that's how I feel.)
Acrylic Nails

Cindy's List
Coffee
Chocolate
Shopping
Cell Phones
Movies
Whipped Cream
Star Wars
Dishwashers (I'd much rather wash by hand!)
Parties
Long fingernails

Andrew's List (he must really be bored!)
1. Soup
2. Hot drinks (coffee/tea)
3. Jurassic park
4. Roller coasters 
5. Breakfast food
6. Memes
7. Marvel
8. Space Jam
9. Gaming 
10. Reality tv

The Corona sea parts

Mortals make elaborate plans, but God has the last word.

Humans are satisfied with whatever looks good; God probes for what is good.

Put God in charge of your work, then what you've planned will take place.

Proverbs 16:1-3 (MSG)

One morning in January, as I sat before God in silence, I very clearly heard instruction to pursue something totally out-of-character for me.  I spent the next half hour wrestling and crying, arguing with God that these marching orders couldn't possibly be for me.

I spent the next month talking to prayer partners, professionals, and of course, the Good Doctor. Go for it, they all said. Times with God continue to reinforce the direction.

So I took the next step, and the next, and the next. I was scared to death but after a lifetime of trusting His leading, ready to find my feet on the top of the waters, reminding myself to keep my eyes focused on my only lifeline.

And then I got a job. I was excited about this job - its enjoyable aspects and its flexibility for our family - but the timing seemed a little worrisome, starting the week before this other big leap of faith.

And then I watched in ever-widening circles of faith, as God parted the waters, removing all other distractions, time-consuming activities which I enjoyed but which were going to take precious time from the beginning of this new endeavor - the church was closed so no more interpreting or teaching, the college closed so no tours at the museum, a conference in Texas postponed til the fall... It began to feel, to my overwhelmed soul, what it must have also looked like to the Israelites to stand at the Red Sea and watch it miraculously part.

So this morning, to read, "Put God in charge of your work, then what you've planned will take place," demanded an emphatic, "Yes!" Just watch the sea part.

Overheard at Brothers

Eden and I enjoyed a little mother-daughter time by buying ourselves a few plants to brighten up the home. She had created some clay pots at the pottery studio and wanted to fill them. I, the ultimate non-green thumb, needed to replace some plants that had passed on. Next we headed to the dollar store for rocks and then to Brothers, our favorite pizza shop, for supper.

We arrived and were greeted by Jerry, the best pizza shop owner around. He not only knows our family but he knows each of us individually, usually asking after each one by name. And since his son was born the same day and year as HopeAnne, he always has a special round of questions just for her.

This evening he was on the phone, taking another order, but not before calling us out by name and asking how we were doing. By the end of his phone conversation, the whole restaurant was chuckling.

Jerry: Okay. And then you want a chicken and steak 'boli?...For your dog?...Your dog eats 'boli?...Does your dog like sauce on the side?...How about wine with that?...

Jerry hangs up and says, "I never heard that one before."

Made our night!

Warning...laughter

Over time, we come to recognize our place in this world with ever-increasing clarity and striking vision. For our family, one of those revelations pertains to our role in the neighborhood. Apparently, before we moved in, life was quite dull. All of the homes but ours and a select few, were still inhabited by the original owners and since the homes had been built in the 60s, many of them were enjoying their retirement years in the privacy of a small horseshoe-shaped road hidden from any of the major roads around it. How many times through the years have we heard, "I didn't even know this road existed?"

And then the Kings moved in. They had a lot of kids. They became foster parents. They added more. They adopted. They had Victor. And things started to get interesting.

Our role became that of neighborhood entertainment. When a cop car turns up at the home of a retiree, it is usually accompanied by an ambulance and as we've watched far too often, it is a solemn occasion. When a cop car shows up at the King house, get your binoculars Wilson, it's going to be a fun couple of hours!

But things have calmed down in the last two years. The Kings took a break from fostering and are now being very choosy in placement calls. Older kids have moved on. The neighbors started spending too much time on their phones and electronic devices - nothing to see here, Mabel, go back to sleep.

So while we've had to say no to the last four phone calls for foster children (what part of "no more teenagers" do they not understand?), we did decide to get new windows. Who knew window replacement day would be so entertaining? Caution tape, warning sign on the door...

I only left for an hour and they had

cordoned off the driveway, too!

Thankfully we are only replacing two so that in a few years we can choose two more and do this again. We certainly don't want to be known as slackers in the neighborhood entertainment industry.

But I can still vape and drink in my home, right?

The moral of the story is this, if you, too, have been selected as the neighborhood entertainment, let me suggest fostering or new windows. The latter is much easier but the former wins the fulfilling-yet-not-for-the-weak-of-heart category.

Gloves optional

I'm not a shopper. At least not in the traditional sense. I don't like malls. I don't like salespeople who come up and say, "Hello, welcome to our store. Let me know if I can be of assistance." There's just no polite way to say I won't, ever, ever ask for assistance. I'll leave the store and never, ever buy what I was there for just to avoid salespeople. Or people in general. I do like Amazon and the convenience of shopping from home but I'm not a spender so that's only with a purpose.

However, drive me by a thrift store, and I'll ask you to turn around (I'll even let you do an illegal U-turn) so I can shop.  And my favorite place? The Goodwill Outlet. I go every Wednesday. Religiously.

Now, those not as informed (aka The Good Doctor) will ask silly questions like, "What are you looking for at the outlet today?" Oh, you poor ignorant man. One does not go to a thrift outlet looking for something. No, that would be frustrating and impossible. One goes to the Goodwill Outlet to look among the items until just beyond the Christmas tree still laden with ornaments, amidst a solitary shoe, a green Tupperware container from the 60s that is missing its lid, and a 200 piece puzzle spilling out of its torn box, beneath an 80s Boom Box, you look inside a shoe box and find that perfect treasure. That is how one shops at the outlet.

One never knows what one will find. All for $1.64 a pound. Unless you are buying glassware which has it's on price-per-pound or a pair of shoes which will cost you $2.99 a pair. Or if you are buying books. Those will break the bank at .50 for a hardbound or .25 for a paperback.

One recent shopping trip I came home to empty out my wares to find among them:

A dog blanket 'cause Lucy still chews on hers. Why would I buy them new?

Christmas items 'cause you have to think ahead: Ugly Christmas sweater, Photo Booth items, decorations, gift bags...

A pair of gloves for the menfolk 'cause they seem to go the way of the socks and somehow we keep ending up with lonely gloves.

A vase for the up-coming wedding decorations 'cause why buy new for a one day event? So what if it has 100 years worth of dust on it? I have a sink and I know how to use it.

Cloth napkins 'cause it makes me feel good to save a few dollars every year by not buying paper napkins. And 'cause someone in my family (who shall remain nameless) has this thing for bunching up the cloth napkins and whipping them across the kitchen floor where the dog believes it is her duty to attack and tear apart, taking pride in saving her family from dirty napkins that move across the floor.

Quilt squares already cut out and a few sewn together 'cause I like to make baby and toddler blankets to donate to Backpacks of Hope to be given to children in foster care.

An ice scraper 'cause we lose those as often as glove and sock partners.

An Ocean City, NJ sweatshirt 'cause that's my happy place, the one that even beats out the Goodwill Thrift on my list of most enjoyable places.

And toys for the future grandchildren. 'Cause...grandchildren. Of course.

I have slowly been introducing my children to the joy of discovery that can only be found at the Goodwill Thrift. Before we go, however, I have to win them over with my treasures. It goes something like this:

"Mom, where did you get these great Photo Booth items?"

The Goodwill Outlet. Just $1.64 a pound.

"Mom, the cloth napkins are all in the laundry."

No problem, just pull out a pack of Congratulations, Graduate 2015 napkins that I got at the Goodwill Outlet for $1.64 a pound.

"I like your new bathing suit. Where did you get it?"

Goodwill Outlet, just $1.64 a pound. True story. I couldn't find a bathing suit I liked if I went to a real store and paid real money for a genuine brand new bathing suit but I can pick one up at the Goodwill Outlet, without trying it on (side note: there are no dressing rooms in Good will Outlet). Go figure. And yes, of course I washed it. Well. More than once. Before I wore it.

After they are convinced that one can find practically anything at the Goodwill Outlet, it is almost time to take them. But there is one more very important step before we go - The Rules.

There are some very serious Goodwill Oulet-ers. Yes, even more serious than moi. These people will run you over to be the first in line when the concealing veils are lifted from the new set of bins to get the most coveted soon-to-be-on-ebay items. Sometimes there are even Amish ladies among this group. They are not as dangerous as the ebay sellers but they are only a small step behind. So just stay away from all Outlet vultures. They are vicious, throwing unwanted items here and there to find their precious trinkets. I will say one thing about them, however, they do look out for each other. It's not unusual to hear one Outlet vulture yell to another across the treasure bins, "Hey Golf Club Man..." When you look, sure enough, he has taken a break from his throwing and scavenging to hold up a beautiful specimen of a golf club for, you guessed it, Gold Club Man.

So just pick a row of bins far from the bins covered in shrouds.

Your first order of business is to look for a bag or bin or duffel or suitcase or whatever you want to use to hold your items for the weighing in and the leaving. I'm partial to cloth grocery bags. I may or may not have a collection of these bags large enough to bag up every item in the grocery store but I no longer mind giving things away in bags and not getting them back. There's another one to replace it. Just $1.64 a pound.

Then, sift away. Unless you are an Outlet Vulture and peruse without care for your fellow man, you will want to do this with mindfulness. If no one is standing to your left, then you can remove the items in front of you and move them to the left as you go. The opposite is true if someone is on your left but your right side is free. In very tricky situations where you are hemmed in, you can toss unwanted items into the bin across from you.

Oh, and gloves are optional. The die-hards wear them. I don't. Just a personal preference.

Not surprisingly, I've had mixed reactions from my children. Mariana enjoyed it. She came away with treasures costly less than $10. She makes me proud. Isaac gave it a good effort. He even braved the Outlet Vultures just for the experience. Good for him, I can't do it. But I don't think he'll return for a second trip. After touching all of that junk, he pronounced, "I feel contaminated."

Okay, he's not far from wrong. This is the place where junk goes to die. This is their last chance. If not scooped up here, well, we won't talk about that.

So if you are looking for a real cultural experience, I'll see you there on Wednesday!

Gloves optional.

Psalm 100

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

    Worship the Lord with gladness;

    come before him with joyful songs.

 

Know that the Lord is God.

    It is he who made us, and we are his;

    we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving

    and his courts with praise;

    give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;

    his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Psalm 100 is one of the passages I can remember from my elementary school days of memorizing Scripture. This morning I read it from The Message:

 On your feet now—applaud God!

    Bring a gift of laughter,

    sing yourselves into his presence.

Know this: God is God, and God, God.

    He made us; we didn’t make him.

    We’re his people, his well-tended sheep.

Enter with the password: “Thank you!”

    Make yourselves at home, talking praise.

    Thank him. Worship him.

For God is sheer beauty,

    all-generous in love,

    loyal always and ever.

One phrase jumped out at me: Enter with the password: "Thank you!"

One habit that I picked up during the almost 3 months I was in the NICU with Victor, was to silently breathe, "Thank you" to God as I put my head on my pillow at night. By that time of day I was mentally and emotionally exhausted. I was alone yet I lived in a fishbowl with nurses always around us during my daily watch with Victor. I tried to update the many friends and family and caring strangers who were now following our story. When evening came, I was ready for bed but I knew who deserved the thanks for the day. He had kept Victor alive for one more day. He had given me everything that I needed to survive alone for another twenty-four hours. I knew that He alone had carried me.

This is a practice that I continue to this day and one that I hope I continue until the day I can tell Him face-to-face, "Thank you." Thank you for sustaining me. Thank you for being by my side. Thank you for the many blessings. Thank you for your strength when I couldn't go on alone.

Making myself at home. Talking praise and worshipping Him.

Thank you.