Talking on ICHAT

Tonight I did a fun thing. I talked with my brother, Bob and his wife, Gail, and my sister, Shirley, on the webcam. This is the second time that I have gone on ICHAT and done this. Gail has been learning how to use the camera on her computer and last week she helped me get on line and we chatted for about 45 minutes face to face.

Shirley is visiting my brother in Oklahoma City and we talked on the phone earlier today to set up the time to do this tonight. We've been in Canada almost 40 years and have missed being with our families and this is a great new way to feel like you are more a part of their lives. Of course, now I have to worry about how I look before I call them. But I guess they feel the same way.

Shirley has a cat named Bootsie that she takes with her to Bob's, so she had to get her in the eye of the camera so I could say hi. We laughed a lot as Bob kept trying to do things with the computer. He was trying to set up a threeway ICHAT with Gail's computer. Each week we learn new things.

I just can't get over how many blessings the Lord continues to bring into my life. My brother and sisters are so dear to me and now I can see them as I talk with them. Hopefully Alysa and Lenn will be doing this soon.

Maddie's Decorating

While I was talking with Alysa this afternoon, she was waiting for Maddie to finish her creation out in their backyard. Maddie likes to decorate things. It reminded me of when she, Alysa and Jackson were here during spring break.

We were planning supper and Maddie decided she wanted to set the table and decorate it for us - as a surprise. That's when Alysa and i should have clued in, but we didn't. She wanted to use my good plates, so I got them out of the buffet and put them on the table, but didn't set one for Jackson (he is only 2 and isn't ready for good china yet).

We were told we could wait in the basement, so off we went with Jackson. I think I asked Alysa if we should be doing that, but she didn't seem too concerned.

Finally we went upstairs. When we looked at the table we were quite surpised. The first thing I noticed were my bone china teacups from the buffet (that are 40 years old). She had gotten them out of the buffet. Then next to them at each place (not Jackson's thankfully) were my good white mugs (also out of the buffet-it has glass doors, so you can see all these things in it). As I looked at the mugs, they were filled to the brim literally with water. Not another drop could you have gotten in them. I noticed Maddie adding water to the last mug(she had gotten the water from the bathroom). I know bathroom water is alright, but the thought of drinking it at supper was not too appealing.

There is a scarf that I keep on the buffet, and I set my good teapot on it, that she put on Jack's chair and another crocheted scarf she put on my chair. I had baked some chocolate chip cookies and had them in a large rubbermaid container and she had set that on the table and had put 2 and 1/2 cookies on each person's plate. Jackson immediately got up on his chair and ate his cookies- before we could stop him. She had also set a bowl of artificial fruit on the table. I'm sure there were several other things that she had done, but I can't remember them.

She was so sweet and so proud of herself and had been so careful with everything. We did praise her for the nice job she had done. The only other thing I could bring myself to say to her was to ask her if I could take a little water out of the teacup and mug so we wouldn't spill it when we lifted it to drink from them.

I just talked with Alysa and she told me what Maddie did outside. She had spread out a blanket with pillows on it, so they could lay on their backs and watch the sky and clouds. On the edge of the blanket she had put rocks so the blanket would stay down. She also had brought out some water for them (filled to the brim) to drink. Then there were three chairs together that they could used for a table for the craft that they would be doing. What a wonderful little creative 5 year old granddaughter I have. She lights up our lives and brings us great joy.

Blessed by my Son

Today I'm blessed because my Son has once again helped me get an airline ticket online. All I have to do is ask him to see if he can find a good price and "Presto", he is on the internet searching for me. Once again he has had success. This ticket will get me to Dallas to see him and his family at a very good price. I can hardly wait. He has three energetic little boys that are so fun to be with and a wonderful wife who loves her mother-in-law.

I've gone online before "by mself" and gotten a ticket, but it does take me a while to figure it all out and then find the right airline. All the while I'm a little nervous about it. I think it is "the age factor". I have to keep telling myself that it is no big deal and keep plugging away at working at the computer. I think I'm getting over the fear factor of clicking on something and everything going blank on the screen.

Isn't it great to have children that are always encouraging you to try new things and are there to help you with them. I know my body is growing old (sometimes at a rapid pace) but I don't want to be "old". So, I'll keep learning from both my children and be so thankful the Lord has given them to me.

Piano Practicing

Since I have written an incident about Alysa, I thought it would be good to write something about Lenn.

When he was 8 he started taking piano lessons. He was pretty good about practicing. Of course when you are first starting out you don't have to spend too many minutes each day at the piano and are excited about learning to play. I'm not sure how long he had been taking piano lessons when this incident happened.

Jack's parents had come up to Thessalon for a visit. Jack and his Dad had gone somewhere, leaving his Mom, Lenn and me at home. I'm not sure where Alysa was. Anyhow, it was time for Lenn to practice the piano, so I got him started at it and went upstairs to do some work. I could hear him playing and when I finished my work and came downstairs I told him he had done a great job.

I thought nothing of this until a year or two later when we were visiting Jack's Mom and Dad in Tennessee. His Mom and I were talking and she started to laugh. She reminded me of Lenn practicing the piano when they were up in Thessalon. She told me that he actually was practicing, not with his hands, but with his feet. She was sitting in the living room with him as he was playing the piano with his feet. Yes, I do have a talented son.

It's Spring When...

After 5 months of snow, blizzards, rain, ice, etc. we are experiencing spring. It lifts my spirits just to think about spring being here. Tonight I went for a walk (for a whole hour). It was about 65, just the right temperature.

Here are some of the things that I have seen the past couple of days. My neighbor out raking her lawn. There is always a scum over the yard once the snow goes, plus numberous things that have blown in your yard. The next block up there were some boys out playing street hockey. One of them had the whole goalie outfit on. They use small balls to knock around instead of a puck when they are outside. Can you imagine the damage a puck would do outside if it was used. Even though they play indoor hockey all winter, they still love it enough to play it the rest of the year outdoors.

Then there was a girl out on roller blades, two children out riding in their motorized little cars, a mother riding her bicycle with three of her children, couples out walking together, men washing their cars and the list goes on.

I had been waiting to see the first of our crocusus and tonight I saw some next to the houses. There were purple, yellow and white ones. I have also finally seen robins. Now I know that spring really is here. Also I could see tulips and daffodils coming up through the ground.

The city has even started sweeping the streets of all the sand that has been put on the road due to the snow. Everybody gets in on the action. Pretty soon the BBQ's will used and we'll sit out on our patios in the evening visiting with friends.

With Spring comes new life and that's how I feel inside when I am able to get outside and go for walks in the sunshine. As a child, I was always outdoors in the sunshine, playing with friends, roaming the woods. I seem to feel the presence of the Lord more when I'm outside (not that He isn't in the house with me). His creation is so beautiful. Psalm 19 says "The heavens declare the glory of God , the firmament showeth His handiwork..."

A Blessed Sunday

Just a note to say what a blessed Sunday this has been. We went to Exeter Bible Chapel today where Jack speaks about twice a month on Sunday mornings. We have grown to love the people that attend there. Today there was a pot luck after church. This past Friday night there was a banquet held at the Chapel for Key Bible Clubs and there was a lot of food left over, so we all got to enjoy the leftovers. The fellowship is always better around food, especially when you don't have to prepare it. You also make all kinds of excuses for a fuller than normal plate of food, going up for seconds, trying more than one dessert.

I have made some wonderful friends and do enjoy working with them in the kitchen, laughing over the everyday things that come into our lives. It always seems to be easier and more fun to work in the kitchen at church with the other women than it is to work in my own kitchen, alone. Two of the women have grand daughters the same age as our Maddie (5 1/2) and we share the fun things they do and say. It seems these little girls are more mature now than we were at that age, more aware of what they will or won't wear, etc. What a delight they are to us. Isn't it amazing that as many friends as we each have, there is always room for another friend or two.

Two years ago this month we left Guelph. I had always been involved in the music aspect at church and loved it so much. I was begining to think that part of my life was over. Age and circumstances do change things. But I've been asked to play the piano for the morning service several times and this morning was one of the times. The Lord is good to us.

Tonight we went to the other Church we work with. It is in Stratford, Cornerstone Bible Fellowship. They had two of their men give a report on their trip to Africa. This church encourages their members to get actively involved in going and helping out on the mission field whenever they can. Since the first of the year 2 of their women have gone to Equador and 1 other woman has gone to Africa on mission trips. We truely are blessed to work with two churches that are growing and showing their love for the Lord in their lives.

After Humility comes Piety

Yesterday I wrote about gaining a little humility. Tonight I thought I would write some thoughts on piety. One definition of piety is "devout fulfillment of religious obliations". Everyone knows that we christians should have piety in our lives. Of course, just when you think you have gotten this piety is when you are in danger of loosing it.

From 1976 to 1985 we lived in Thessalon. We were working with Thessalon Bible Chapel. Alysa was 7 and Lenn was 2 1/2 when we moved to Thessalon. It was a very good move for us and we loved it there. It was a great place to raise chidlren.

The "piety" incident happened one Sunday morning. We usually sat on the right hand side of the church on the back row. Alysa must have been around 9. She was on my right. Instead of pews we had metal chairs. We stood up and sang the first song and then the chairman had prayer (we were still standing). You know how you try to block out the things of the world so you will be ready for the message. I was trying to do this. At the end of the prayer, just as I was opening my eyes, getting ready to sit down, I felt a slap across my face by Alysa. She had started to sit down and missed the chair and her arm went up and caught me across the face.

Can you imagine my first reaction at being hit across the face by my daughter! It wasn't one of piety. All Mothers will know what I was feeling and what I wantied to do to my child. Thankfully this only lasted a few seconds, until I realized what had actually happened. Then I wanted to laugh, but couldn't because my piety would certainly be gone for good.