What happened in August?

 Here it is the middle of September and I am wondering what happened to August!  For sure, the month was HOT and DRY here in Chicago.  That is nothing new.  What was new for our family was on both ends of the grandkids.... Lia went away to college and Jimmy started preschool.  How did that happen?  It really seems impossible to think that I currently have grandkids in Preschool 3's, Second Grade, Fifth Grade, Eighth Grade, Tenth Grade and College Freshmen!  That is quite a spread for sure.  Our last "family" event before Lia left for school was the annual Grayslake Days parade that the girls have marched in for Dance Connection for years..  This year that day marked the first time Lia didn't dance - just Ellie and Anna!  And it was my time to say goodbye to Lia and get that last hug!

The girls did great and it was so fun to sit beside Lia during the parade! 

Here are a couple of "action" shots from the girls dancing!

After the parade they always get treated to Ice Cream from the Freeze!  

And then, just like that, Lia was away at school!  It is about five hours away, which is not so bad.  But for this grandma, it feels like a very long way.  The really silly thing is that I have actually seen Lia on Facetime several times and she has already been home for a visit! More about that in the next blog!

And now onto all the others!

The first day of school always reminds me of my birthday.  Because I was born on Labor Day, the first day of school always happened in my birthday week.  During my life, we never went to school before Labor Day.  I never had a 'kid" birthday party because of this and didn't really know that was a common thing!  I have some mixed memories about the first day of school.  I very much remember going to Kindergarten and NOT wanting to stay.  But after a couple of rough days, I came to really like school.  After we moved just before I started fist grade, I wasn't so sure about school.  Now I was riding a bus to school and it was very different than my first experience at school.  Another memorable first day was my eighth grade year.  Again, just after a move.  I walked into a totally different culture having moved to the Chicago suburbs from Minnesota.  It was 1967 and these 13 year olds I found at my new school were "teenagers" in a way that I was NOT!  But somehow I managed to survive and get through school.  Things are so different for my grandkids.  Gwen's kids have been homeschooled since Lia was in fourth grade and Ellie was in first grade.  Doug' kids - right now just Grace - ride a bus to a nearby school.  She could actually walk to school if the roads/subdivisions were completed.  There is a still a farm field that separates their subdivision from the school.  As the birds fly, its a short distance!  This year Jimmy started at the same preschool that Grace attended for two years.  It is a nature based, lots of outdoor time program that is actually held at Blackberry Farms.  This small amusement sort of park has farm animals (including some horses), a merry go round, a train and does hay rides.  Needless to say, it is a great fit for Jimmy who lives to be outside, running around!  Gwen's kids do not suffer from lack of social contact.  They have many different activities (sports, dance, scouts) and so many church friends.  Everyone is constantly going and doing!  

Turning 70 and having Lia leave for college made this August more reflective than I expected.  But August was a month of thankfulness and also a time of looking ahead for me.  Recently someone told me to make the most out of the next decade.  Isn't that a wonderful thought?  So I have decided to make a list of all the ways that I can do just that.  Make these next ten years count.  Do the things that I have been putting off.  Savor each day, week, month and year.  So that when 80 rolls around (and I am very aware that it will come much faster than I could imagine), I will have a decade of wonderful accomplishments and memories.  So, here is to welcoming 70 and walking out towards 80!

Jesus, thank you for the ways you knit families together.  Holy Spirit remind us that our time with our children and grandchildren is short.  Help us to make the most out of each day.  Keep us walking forward when we feel stuck.  Give us strength and stamina to go on when we are weary.  Thank you for the curiosity and wonder of preschoolers, the energy and excitement of  elementary kids, the boldness and courage of the middle schoolers and high schoolers, and the determination and strength of the college students.  Keep us safe in your care, wherever we go.  Amen

Such a "thankful" week...

This has really been a great week.  Starting off the week with a wonderful dinner at one of my favorite places, that also was Ken's favorite.  Doug and Susie and I had tried to plan this dinner out for a long time, but it's tough to arrange schedules these days!  So, in honor of Ken's birthday (which was in May) we finally got to celebrate at Uncle Bubs.  

It is not exactly close for us, but it is surely worth the drive!  If you live in the Chicago area, or ever visit, a stop at Uncle Bubs is sure to please the Barbeque lovers.  Doug and I were discussing how we found this place, and I am pretty sure it was DOUG that had eaten here and recommended it to us.  Ken and I had eaten there just before the Covid shut down and we never made it back before Ken died.  I came home with enough food for the next few days as well as a bottle of Barbeque Sauce!  

Then, this week marked the first day of school for all the grands!  

I was actually at Gwen and Tim's and experienced their start of homeschool.  Anna is in fourth grade, Zeke is in 7th grade, Ellie is a High School freshman (gasp) and Lia went to her first "in person" class at college on this day (double gasp- although she took college classes on line all last year) Lia is "technically" a Senior this year, most of her time will be spent doing college classes.  Its so amazing to watch the learning and growth happen, often outside of "books".  I love how I have gotten to walk along side of these kids and see them each move into their giftings.  

Grace's first day of First Grade was on Thursday.  I can hardly believe that she is a first grader!  She is pretty sure that she wants to be a teacher when she grows up, which is no surprise to me.  She loves learning, loves reading and loves school!  

So, here it is, actually late summer, but it FEELS like fall.  Even when the temps last week actually hit 100 degrees, fall still seems right around the corner.  That's what happens with back to school.  This weekend was one of those glorious times when the air was cool (70's) and there was a pleasant breeze.  I spent a great deal of time just sitting outside, enjoying the coolness.  When I came back inside to make myself a rather late "brunch" (it was after 10:30am) this happened....

I actually had a "double yoked" egg!  I don't remember the last time that this has happened!  While I have recently been purchasing "free range" eggs, I was still surprised.  My mom always said that a double yoke egg was a sign of goodness and a reminder to be doubly thankful whenever you had the surprise of a double yoke egg.  As I ate my eggs, there was quite a bit of reflection on all my blessings.  My family, my grandchildren, great weather, good food, a comfortable home, ability to go whenever and wherever I choose. great friends, and so much more.  II reflected on the recent blessing of adding family through my DNA discovery. I am so thankful that I am just at the beginning of a new adventure as I learn more about my paternal relatives.  Also, this week, I had the opportunity to gather with several different groups of friends and spend time in fellowship and prayer.  For sure, a week full of "double blessings".  

Today in church there was a challenge to actively be using your gifts in service to the church, your community, and the world.   There were three stirring testimonies that certainly made you consider how the Holy Spirit might be nudging you to step out of your comfort zone into a place of service.  This message, coming after a very thankful week, hit the mark.  I will be considering with much more diligence, in what ways I can be serving and I won't be nearly as likely to use that "comfort zone" as an excuse to say no!   One of the best parts of watching the grandkids begin a new school year is seeing them grow into the destiny that Jesus planned for them before they were born.  While they may think that are preparing for supply chain management, fashion design, builder or engineer, leaders, teachers or truck drivers, there is so much more ahead for them as they walk with Jesus.  Yes, they may end up doing some of those jobs, but they also may not. Whatever their professions end up to be, that master plan of Jesus will find fulfilment.  So, with a challenge excepted, I will be seeking to fulfill my own destiny through serving!   This season is a good time to consider for yourself, ways that you could move our of your comfort zone and follow that gentle nudge of the Spirit into something new.  Let me know what you decide to do!  And I will keep you up to date in future blogs.

Jesus, it is easy to think that we are not needed or we have already done enough.  Help us to understand that we all have things to share and ways that we can serve.  Holy Spirit, remind us to pray and support all the children and parents and teachers as the new school year begins.  Give us gentle reminders of ways that we can show your love to those around us.  Thank you for double blessings and weeks of thanksgiving.  Amen

Celebrating the seasons..

Summer is winding down and fall is almost upon us.  This week the temperature has been really "fall-like".  This morning it was 46 degrees.  That is down right cold for August!  This has been an unusual weather summer.  We only really had one stretch of moderately hot weather.   We are flooded with "back to school" ads and the school supply aisle at the stores are nearly impassable.  For me, back to school means back to work.  While I have enjoyed the summer off, it feels like time to be back at work. 

I have been thinking today about seasons.  I am very grateful that Yahweh planned for us to experience the ever changing weather and seasons.  There is a progression about this that, for me, helps me to know that there is something else coming ahead.  I am  always aware of the fact that my life is a process.  Sometimes this process has seemingly been stalled out (or even seemed to go backwards).  So, when I am living in the change of seasons, it is easier to  hold on to the idea that my personal process is ....... well PROCESSING!  I am so thankful that the Kingdom of Yahweh is always increasing.  And I am so grateful that we are all in the process of going on. The change of seasons reminds me that although I feel stuck and it may seem like nothing is happening, there is a PROCESS going on in my life. 

Last night I had an interesting dream.  There were fields of crops growing all around me.  There were fields of corn, there were fields of beans and fields of grains also.  Everywhere I looked there were just fields and fields.  As I was looking around, I realized that there were no roads, no houses, nothing but fields.  Everything was healthy and green and looked so wonderful.  There was also an aroma of freshness.  And then I heard a voice singing.....   The song was about the coming harvest.  When I woke up, I quickly wrote down the words.............
                    Green and growing, tall and strong
                    small seeds sown in the dark dark ground.
                    Plants sprang up and rain fell down
                    Soft breezes blow, crops all around.

                    Life filled water, flowing from heavenly springs
                    waters all the seeds sown by human hands
                    Sun shine and warmth bring forth great joy
                    Its harvest time all across the lands.

                    Reach out, reach out and find the place
                    Come on and join the race.
                    North or south or look west to east.
                    All around far and near, the harvest is here.

So now I will be looking around for the harvest. And celebrating that Yahweh has great plans for the changing seasons.  This is a reminder that no matter which season we are in, Yahweh is at work.  During the winter he is at work deep in the soil, preparing it to receive the seeds.  He works in the spring time when the seeds are sown.  He works during the summer when the sun and rain water the seeds and he works during the fall, when it is time to harvest. 

Yahweh, thank you for your great creation.  Jesus thank you for working in the seasons and in us!  You are an amazing God that plans everything and then bring revelation to us as we walk through our life.  Help me to see the harvest you are preparing for me and to remember that you are in charge.  Yahweh, please bless everyone preparing for this school year.  Be with the teachers as they are preparing for their classes. And Jesus, thanks for singing to me in my dream!  Amen