suddenly, i'm in a bad mood

I'm on vacation. 

Spending all my time at home. I have not ventured far from my home since this past Monday night. I've actually left the house on two separate occasions, but only for a few hours both times and it is just how I want it. I love being at home. I'm one of those souls who is more comfortable at home than any place else on the planet. I'm never bored. Those creative souls reading this probably relate. 

Whilst panning through the channels yesterday checking out what there is to watch during the daytime I came across Jerry Springer. At first I paused and said loudly to myself, "Jerry Springer is still on the air?" The proof was right there on the TV screen. Jerry Springer IS still on the air. Nobody had to answer me. 

The story went something like this. Mom, and two daughters and one of the daughter's boyfriend were all on stage plus Mr. Springer and some bouncer type of personnel. They were discussing arguing the fact that the youngest daughter of the mom on stage wanted the boyfriend of her sister to take her virginity. I laugh as I type because you can't make this stuff up! I mean, I have an imagination a mile long, but this is for real TV! Somehow this thought made sense to the "boyfriend" of the other sister. And the mom was livid....I mean, she was LIV-ID! And the sister? She still loves him after five years of loving togetherness.

I can't imagine. 

Oh, and we wonder what is wrong with our country???? After about 5 and a half minutes of that insanity I had to stop watching because, well, who can watch THAT???? My goodness, there was a time when a girl was pregnant and it was hush hush to all the world, let alone ever talking to anyone about losing your virginity. I remember growing up as an Amish child and if a married lady was pregnant she was in the "family way" and little kids were not told. I was oblivious to so much growing up because things were not discussed, much less argued about! 

But in today's world kids are allowed to proclaim to the world and make an "ass" out of themselves by doing so, that they want so and so to take their virginity. 

How crass, how crude, how crazy! 

That a mother would consent to go on a show like Jerry Springer and be a part of this dysfunction!?! Are there no adults left in this world? Makes you wonder what percentage of our population in America has an adult mind and thinks like an adult? Where lies the responsibility and with whom? Do the viewers of such insanity  have any kind of responsibility? I would think.

I am NOT  a fan of Dr. Phil, however, periodically I do tape some of the shows I'm not a fan of to skim through and see what is going on out there in the world whilst I'm at work. I was watching one such show this morning and the issue at hand was an 11 year old girl got pregnant by a 13 year old boy. They were 12 and 14 respectively when their baby was born 11 weeks prematurely. 

Can I have a moment of silence here? 

The parents of both these kids left a lot to be desired.

I mean a lot. 

There is no wonder these kids ended up doing what they did. 

And Dr. Phil? Gah! He leaves a lot to be desired as well. He is out for ratings and you can tell. If you place yourself in the position to help someone, do you have to be condescending and mocking? I just had to shake my head. No good solutions came out of that show. A kid was led kicking and screaming against her will to some institute that was supposedly going to help her. I shudder to think of the damage that young girl will be living with the rest of her life. All for ratings, all for some air time, all for whatever everyone's intent was for being on the show. I don't want to sit in judgment of anyone, but I can see some really big problems with this kind of show. It shows exactly how immature our adults continue to be and how ratings-crazed the television industry is. Does anyone really think these shows are out to help anyone? I hope not.

Suddenly, I'm in a bad mood. I have so much I want to add, I've deleted so much from this post already. I find it very hard to contain myself, but I will refrain from saying what I really want to add. Except to make this one point. We, the people, are responsible for what we watch and are a part of. We have to grow up and be adult in nature, not just physically be adult, but in nature too. We have to do adult things, make adult decisions, be responsible for our children, and if our children make bad decisions we have to help them think things through or find help for them outside the spotlight of television. In this day and age it seems like everything has an answer, you go on television to make a point, to get help, to get famous and rich. But at the end of the day, the only folks benefiting are the folks lining their bank accounts as the ratings for their shows grow more popular. 

Just thinkin' it through! 

PS....I did want to say, I was NOT looking to write a post about this, so I wasn't out to "find" a couple of sensational topics to run with on this post. It is literally what I "found" when I was panning through the TV and also which Dr. Phil show had aired yesterday and I watched today. After the fact is when I just had to "say it" to someone. 

Lucky you!

December 26, 2013

Have your recovered? 

My last day of work for the year was on Monday. It was a two-fold strategy, work is slow this time of year, and each year I am more resolved that the Christmas season will not cause me stress or to get sick. I've had too many years of being stressed, exhausted and sick. Today, I took some time to "recover" from our celebrations. I slept way in. I won't tell you what time I actually finally crawled out of bed. Then after lunch I took another two hour nap. I woke up with a headache though. Snarl. I stretched for awhile and that seemed to help it some, but there is a twinge still lingering. Maybe I need another nap?? 

So, in-between the cheese balls, the dips, the chocolates, the actual Christmas dinner, the games, the movies and the naps, did we remember why the season was being celebrated? My husband did a good job during prayer time to take us there and helped us be thankful for the season. He read narrated quickly the Christmas story to our two year old grandson on Sunday night. Our "little guy" doesn't sit for too long, so the story went by pretty quickly, but they did stop to observe the various pop-up scenes in the book and my daughter reported that on Christmas morning they got him to say, "happy birthday Jesus" and they also read the Christmas story as a family with "little guy". He is going to grow up knowing who Jesus is. Our responsibility feels no greater than helping the younger generation understand why we exist and what life is really about. The world would have us think it is about us..about our wants, whims and wishes...but we all know, it really isn't. I did read an interesting commentary about Christmas yesterday...and they were saying..."Christmas IS about us"...the point was being made, "God loved us so much, he sent his son so that we could all live". So, in a sense, it is about us, if you look at it that way, but our job is to recognize why Jesus was born and to have a relationship with him and teach it to the younger ones. 

Can I get an amen? 

I took a bunch of pictures of our festivities. We celebrated Christmas with our children-only on this past Sunday night, then on Christmas Eve we told various family members and friends they could come over. Most of my family was here, and our new friends, Betsy and Allen. Then on Christmas day my family, and Betsy and Allen came back to our house for a more traditional Christmas dinner, we met at 4 and since most had to work today they left earlier than they did on Christmas Eve. Following will be pictures from the various celebrations. Nothing fancy, we have a very small house and with almost 20 people squeezing into our little cottage there wasn't much room to be fancy, but we had love and fun, so who cares about the fancy shmancy anyway?

Enjoy!

My parents serving themselves some food on Christmas Eve. 

Our son and son in law in deep discussion while waiting their turns in the food line. Our daughter is serving herself some delicious fruit kabobs. 

My dad, my great aunt, my daughter in law and son, we were unwrapping white elephant gifts. 

My beautiful niece, husband and mom.

The pile of white elephant gifts to choose from.

We didn't all fit on chairs, my beautiful sister was sitting on the floor and she is holding up her gift.

Betsy and Allen, our new friends...whom we have been enjoying so much. He has a fascinating business, he has chicken houses and sells eggs...like thousands of eggs per day. I wanna go see his operation sometime soon. 

Daughter in law, son, nephew (who shot a 12 point buck this season!), niece, and my husband. 

My mom making her selection. 

Our little guy getting some help from his father, unwrapping "another" gift. He received a ton of gifts this year. 

My lovely great aunt unwrapping her gift. She loves to be part of the commotion and we enjoy having her. She is slowing way down. It is sad to watch her life begin to "fade". She is 97 years old and she has told me on a number of occasions, "Oh, I hope I can just die in my sleep. I hope one morning I just won't wake up." She has been a widow for quite a number of years and her immediate family won't take care of her, so my parents have been providing a home for her the past couple of years. It is the Amish way not to let one of their own become homeless. It has been a challenge for my parents and sister to have her living with them, but they feel someone needs to be responsible and so they have taken her care upon their shoulders. My great aunt's church district also helps out some, especially with funds and also providing assistance to my parents as my parents request help.

Grandpa and grandson collaborating about some toy "little guy" just received. :)

My mom provided us all with a little treat for Christmas Day dinner. Little chocolate mice. They were cute as a button and the talk of the table for awhile, some of the tails were going one way or the other so we were discussing what moods the mice might be in. A conversation piece for sure. 

I was having issues yesterday with my pictures, so I am actually posting this a day later with less pictures than I had intended on sharing with you all. You get the gist, we had plenty of food and fellowship with family and friends over this Christmas season. 

I hope you did as well. 

Lue

what if we treated our country like a television show?

Yup, I had to chime in. 

Why not? 

Everybody else seems to be having their say. 

I'm not a fan of Duck Dynasty. I'm just not a fan of duck calls, how they are made, or men called Uncle Si. I find the cast of Duck Dynasty a little bit immature and crass when I've watched the show. As with all reality shows, you can sense where things have been staged. It becomes non-reality for me at that point. I KNOW they pray, they are good folks, that seems to be the reason why folks like them so much, oh and Uncle Si. 

To my utter dismay my husband even has a Duck Dynasty tee shirt. My heart sank when I saw him come home with one of those shirts. 

double ugh! 

My husband is a fan and watches the show. I get it second-hand, like smoke. So, I believe I can have an opinion on the show, as I just shared. 

But, having said all that, I stand by Mr. Duck Dynasty on the grounds of free speech, just like millions of other red-blooded Americans did this week. I found myself "liking" pages on Facebook and "liking and sharing" comments and posts of others. I did so because I support free speech. 

I didn't particularly like how Mr. Duck Dynasty chose to say it, he was crass and that was probably a little bit offensive, but that is who they are. If I don't like them, then I don't have to watch them. But to come out and punish him for exercising his free speech rights, and to purposefully misinterpret what he did say. Hmmm? Sounds more like an agenda to me than anything else. 

Where I take heart is reading all the articles today, of how things are changing for the show, it seems like Mr. Duck Dynasty is un-fired. Seems like Cracker Barrel all-of-a-sudden had a big change of heart and the voice of America seems to have been heard. Now, this is where I think we should ALL take hope. It seems like our voices were heard! We, the people rose up and "roared" our opinion and disdain for what had happened and we learned something from it. We learned if we stand for something together, we can move mountains. We stood for what was right and just and what maintains freedom, and it looks like the good prevailed over the bad. 

This time. 

But seriously. What about when it is time to go vote. Why are we not voting? Why are we not doing more to campaign for the good guys? Why are we not running for office? We, the people, the good guys...not the career politicians, but we, the people...Let's take this fire in our bellies from the Duck Dynasty fiasco and let's let it motivate us out of our inertia and let's do something. I think with this much common sense in America...my goodness! What we could do with that? 

Maybe we should all pretend our great country was a TV show being run into the ground by a television network and then we would start Facebook pages and write dialog fitting to change things and impact folk's thinking and we could take it all the way to the highest office and get this country back on it's feet. 

For me it is interesting to see how much folks rallied around the demise of a TV show, but when it comes to our country so many of those voices are too busy watching television and don't care about their country, their family, their relationship with God or much else. At least their actions wouldn't show they cared from the outside looking in.  

I come from the Amish, and the Amish don't vote, unless it has direct implications on their way of life. Most will tell you they don't vote for the presidency, etc. Mostly just for laws regarding farming, and local tax levies, and etc. I was not a voter, but then one day it was announced in the church there was some law to be passed regarding farming. (I have no clue what it was) and so we were encouraged to go vote. I registered and stood in line with my husband and hundreds of other Amish and voted for one thing, against the new law they were pushing. But years later when I left the Amish and started to learn more I began to understand how if I am a citizen of this country and I want to be "free" I have to let my voice be heard by voting. I have to put the work in and do research. I have to form an opinion and I have to vote. 

In a sense that is what America did this week, we let our voices be heard and things seem to be changing. May I be so bold and I suggest we all put the remote control down and become a voice for America, let's understand what is going on in the country, let's keep that fire in our belly for what is 'good and just' and let's take back America. Let our country be free again and let the folks who live here be free before it is too late. Let's do the hard work, let's find a way to get our country out of debt, and let neighbor be for neighbor and let the folks with a good head on their shoulders stand up and say, "elect me", and let the folks who are good with campaigning on social media, start the campaigning, and let's treat the country we live in with as much passion as we do some television show we love to watch.

May God be with us! 

Go America! 

Lue

new year's resolution

(sometimes i have to just "say it" to myself, this is one of those posts.) 

I realize it isn't "even" Christmas yet and here I am already pushing the New Year with a subject of resolutions. I must be just a little bit off, huh? Let me explain why I think not. 

Probably a dozen years ago I started to set goals for my life, and it seemed that it always began sometime around the middle of December. I am the kind of person who likes Monday morning because it somehow symbolizes a new start for me. I get to start the week over and try to get it better in the new week, learn more, see more, do more, live more, than I did in the week prior.

December seems like the fitting time to sit down and write out goals, as I examine my life, evaluate the past year and kind of look into my life and see where I would like to make changes and live the next year differently. Some years I am more specific with those life resolutions than other years. Some years I've been more vague, and less stringent about setting real goals for my life. I think those are the years when I've been more settled, happier and feeling more full filled in whatever roll my life was playing out on this planet we call Earth. I had less of a reason to feel like I needed to change much because of what was going on in my life those years. 

As I have been gaining birthdays and having deeper conversations with my friends and having a deeper relationship with my Savior, I feel the need to really examine my life this year. Really, really examine. Honestly, I don't have to do much, my heart is already telling me so much, it is like pushing me to "move on and grow". It is a matter of the heart and soul for me. I long for growth, I long to be utilized using my strengths and abilities, and for awhile now I've been living unchallenged and very stagnant it feels like. 

I wonder, does anyone out there wrestle with this subject?

Or, is it just me? 

I really wonder? 

A couple years ago one of my friends told me she picks out one Bible verse each year to live by. She actually took a mix of verses and made her own little life verse and it was simply, "To be in the world, but not of the world." Since then she has lived it fiercely. I can tell how resolved she is with each conversation we have. She will describe a situation she was in and then she will tell me how she responded because of her life verse and will quote, "You know Lue," she says, "I am in the world, but NOT of it." It is her conviction and it is what keeps her grounded, balanced and accountable. 

Isn't that awesome? 

I think it is.

vision statements

I know, I'm not in business, but as successful businesses go, they have a vision statement.  You know where there are going and how they are going to get there. I remember years ago when my husband's company was still small, the spouses were invited to more seminars and parties and such than we are today. At one such function we got to attend the CEO of the company was speaking and wanted to know if any of the spouses knew what the company's vision statement was and by golly, we knew. Why? Because they involved their employees and even the spouses in various activities of the company. We were all on board. So, thinking about that, the excitement I felt being a small part of my husband's company, feeling included and all, I learned so much from them about, not only, business, but also, personally. (This post is NOT about business or running a business, I wouldn't know the first thing about it, it is only how I am trying to make a point here.) 

Seems to me if a company needs a clear vision of where they are going and how they are going to get there, then it makes sense to come up with a personal vision statement and a clear plan for my life and then share it with those around you. Like my friend would share her, "To be in the world, but not of the world" verse with me many times in each conversation we had over that year's time. In fact, I think it still carries into some of our conversations today. Why? Because she planned it well, she made it her vision for her life and it really impacted her life on many levels. I could tell each time we spoke she was more resolved to not live like the world, but to be set apart. And what did her vision statement do for me because she shared it with me so often? I started to get it, I started to think about that and it has truly impacted my life, just because she shared it with me so often. I also have been very careful around her, not to cause her to stumble in areas where I know she doesn't want to go. I was not always so sensitive to my friend, but once I knew her vision for her life, I became more sensitive of her convictions.  

The Bible says in Proverbs 29:18, Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. KJV

I am convinced that we need a vision for our lives, individually, and also in the church and the family, and, at the end of the day, wherever there are human beings, there needs to be a vision or we become stagnant and just live in the "daily grind of life" with never a thought of anything beyond our normal routine and survival. 

normal routine and survival?

How incredibly boring is that? When you really think about it. Why not live with a heart of adventure and not be so afraid of what comes next? Of course, we have to be responsible, but do we have to be so responsible that there is no room at all for growth and God's will in our lives? In my life????? 

To tell you the truth, I have not "ironed all of this out" in my soul. I don't have it all nice and neat in a box, but I do know that I want to work on a vision statement for my life in the next few days and I hope to find a way to map out some of my life goals and what I believe is God's will for my life and work toward those goals. I want to be specific, not vague with my intentions, and I want to ask God for His will in my life. I want that front and center because it just feels so much better that way. 

God's will in my life front and center.

It feels good that way. 

Will I be able to come up with such a vision statement that will inspire others as I have been inspired both by my friend and my husband's company's technique of including all in the vision? I don't know, but I think it is worth a try. And, it is living life with a heart of adventure and responsibility all in the same breath. 

So, like I mentioned when I began this post, I don't think it is too early to be thinking about my resolutions or life vision statements, or whatever you want to call it. I believe I need to seek God's will in this matter through prayer and I believe I need to not be flippant about it, but think it through, be precise and then live it. 

love and blessings,

lue

i want to be like her

"I am the Lord's servant, may your word to me be fulfilled." Words spoken by Jesus' mother, Mary. 

Luke 1:38  

Tis' the season to celebrate the birth of our Savior. As I read over that Bible verse this morning I began to reflect more on Mary, the conviction she must have felt to be able to utter those words must have been deeply rooted. When I think back over what I know of Mary's life, she was one of the most selfless mothers known to man. If you think about her being a witness at her son's crucifixion, the strength and resolve it would have had to take to remain there and witness the event. But, knowing that as a young girl she was already resolved to do God's will, (per Luke 1:38) allows one to grasp how she might have been able to witness the crucifixion, because she knew and trusted that the God she served had a plan. 

Do I trust God like Mary did with all the things I hold dear? My family, my reputation, my dreams, my goals? 

Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, any servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. John 12:26


Mary Did You Know?

Lue

my heart....my conviction...my reminder

"Too often we watch in self-righteous judgment as others writhe in pain before the trials of life, forgetting that God will hold us partially responsible because we did not offer encouragement when we could have." 

That quote comes from a Bible study I'm a part of at our church. It was written and is led by a gentlemen, namely, Ken Stoltzfus. What an amazingly inspiring and convicting study, More Like Jesus. 

My eyes have been opened to other folks pain and suffering in a whole other way, plus, I have gained insight of myself, in such a manner as is life-changing, through this Bible study. It has caused me to go back and kind of "feel" for a moment where I was emotionally a few short years ago when I battled depression and felt like I had nobody who understood me or cared enough to try and understand. I am sure, if you are reading this, you have either experienced this or know someone who has. I remembered a night in my deepest depression when I was lying in bed in the dead of the night, looking out the window at the moon and the stars and silently pleading with God, "please dear God if ever I get out of this depression, I promise to always be ears to others. I promise to always be there for others if I know they have a need. Please God, just help me out of this pain." 

How quickly I moved away from that thought and got on with "my life". Reflecting on the quote at the top of the post and what I had prayed that one dark night, I am deeply ashamed to say so often I have not encouraged others as I should have. I've not stopped to ask someone if they might need an ear. You look around and you know someone near you is a statistic, somehow.

I can't change the past, but I can change my future and it is my new conviction that I want to be more sensitive to those around me who might have needs or hurts buried deep inside of themselves. This Bible study has brought back the resolve I had some years back to never let folks wallow in their pain by themselves. God has certainly used it as a reminder and all I can do is move forward now and put actions to my conviction.

This song means a lot to me. I hope it means something to you too. 

Resurrection

Because I needed to remind myself is why I wrote out these thoughts.

Lue

little amish kids stopping their summer fun to pose for me

One weekend this summer my husband's family got together to camp out and fellowship together near a creek and at a campsite. I was taking a time out to be by myself with camera in hand when I came upon the little great nieces and nephews having some real summer fun. When they saw me and my camera the little girl in the fuchsia collared dress asked me if I wanted to take their pictures. I looked around, wondering what their parents might say...but since they were willing and I was able, I snapped a bunch of photos and I was giggling on the inside the whole time. They would pose, then I would snap, then they would come to me to see the photo on the camera. It was some of the best fun I had all summer. I have a better camera now, and if I get the chance, it is going along to next years gathering, because these pictures could be a lot better had I had a better camera. Nonetheless, please enjoy these pictures of some of our youngest blessings in the family. 

If you click on a photo, I think they should come up as a gallery so you can see the details better. 

I hope you enjoyed a little bit of summer in the dead of winter. 

Lue