A Few on Facebook

I didn't think I had posted much on Facebook during the month of November; but when I copied all these snippets into this post, I realized I had captured more than I thought.  For whatever it's worth, here are bits of randomness from this past month...

Nov. 3 - For fun, I've been reading Our Town (by Thornton Wilder, of course). It's been many years since I've seen a stage production of it, but the next best thing to watching it performed live is reading it. These lines that the Stage Manager says made me laugh when I read them last night: "Mr. Morgan's drug store ain't the same,--it's all citified. Mr. Morgan retired and went out to live in San Diego, California, where his daughter married a real estate man, name of Kerby. Mr. Morgan died there in 1935 and was buried in a lot of palm trees. Kinda lost his religion at the end and took up New Thought or something. They read some new-fangled poetry over him and cre-mated him. The New Hampshire in him sort of broke down in him in that climate, seems like." That last line! How funny! Well, all I can say is that I'm glad that my years in San Diego didn't make the good ol' Virginia in me break down!!

Nov. 3 - Another quote from Our Town... In this case, the Stage Manager is giving a basic run-down of what life was like in that day and age, and he says this, "The domestic set-up was marriage: a binding relation between a male and one female that lasted for life." And all I can think is, "How much things have changed in the 75 years since that was written."

Nov. 4 - To recapture the spirit of wonder, take a very young girl, place her where the sunlight shining through the windows illuminates the dust in the air, then watch her eyes widen and her hands reach out to try to catch the particles floating around. Who knew there is so much stuff dancing through the air all the time? And who knew that such a simple little thing could brighten a whole day with the spirit of wonder?

Nov. 4 - Since we're studying the second half of American history this year (which includes the Civil War, of course), I found these lines in Our Town (are you tired of me quoting from that yet? sorry!) to be quite poignant. The Stage Manager is describing the cemetery, and he says, "Over there are some Civil War veterans too. Iron flags on their graves....New Hampshire boys...had a notion that the Union ought to be kept together, though they'd never seen more than fifty miles of it themselves. All they knew was the name, friends--the United States of America. The United States of America. And they went and died about it." Sometimes I wonder, "Would I have 'gone and died about it'?" I was born and raised in the South and certainly feel loyal to the beautiful state of Virginia...but I also believe firmly that slavery was wrong to its very core and needed to be abolished...but I realize that the Civil War was NOT fought simply because of slavery but involved many other factors as well. Would any of those factors have convinced me, if I had been a young man during those days, to 'go and die about it'? Josiah and David occasionally press me to answer the question, "Which side would you have supported?" I have to say the North, but I realize it was anything but a simple question for those who lived in those days. Thank You, God, that You caused me to be born in 1976, not 1840!

Nov. 5 - I distinctly remember taking all five children with me when I voted last year. I remember the "I Voted Today" sticker that the kind lady gave me for Moriah, and the way it looked on her little pink striped jacket. Those were the days when I was still so astonished that there WAS a pink striped jacket in our family. This year, I again took my five children with me to vote; and again the kind lady (the same one?) put a sticker on Moriah's jacket--this year, a pink one with snowflakes. I might be a little more used to pink jackets by now, but still just as thankful as ever that God put Moriah in our family. And I'm also extremely thankful that we live in a country where we can vote freely and safely!

(Jeff posted the next two pictures on his Facebook...)
Nov. 6 - Moriah in Shav's boots

Nov. 14 - Josiah and David were playing Boggle with Grandma Fisher this morning; and after one particularly disappointing shake of the letters, they exclaimed, "Oh no, it's all vowels!" Shav glanced over from his seat at the table and echoed, "Yeah, it's all vowels!" "Shav," I asked, "what's a vowel?" "I don't know!" was his reply. Well, at least he's honest! 

Nov. 14 - On Wednesdays, Tobin gets to pray before we eat supper; and tonight as we bowed our heads, he began. He thanked God for the food, of course; and then went on to thank Him for "all the wonderful toys we have" and "all the wonderful animals You made." It warms my heart to listen as the boys' prayers branch out from the routine "Thank You, God, for the food" to include things that are important to them. I'm certain God smiles when He hears prayers that truly come from the heart!

Nov. 14 - One of the challenges I've faced as a homeschooling mom is dealing with my children when I *know* they know the answer to a question, but they pretend that they don't. I'll admit that at times, that situation has caused me considerable frustration. This morning, however, it caused me considerable amusement when I asked Tobin what a three-sided shape is called. He paused for a long time (and I thought, "I KNOW you know it's a triangle! You've known that for about 3 years now!!") and then, with a twinkle in his eye, he said, "A half diamond." 

(Jeff posted this on his Facebook...)  :)
Nov. 16 - Out with my girls!

Nov. 17 - I've been reading Jess's blog (The Macs) ever since sweet little Cora got sick and died; and when Jess posted recently about registering to become a potential bone marrow donor, my heart stirred within me. Tonight I registered. Maybe you could do the same?

Nov. 19 - One of the areas in which our modern civilization has done nothing to advance us--and has, in fact, reversed us--is in our knowledge and appreciation of the sky. Think of Viking explorers setting out to sea, using the stars as their primary means of navigation. Think of pioneers traveling into the American West, with little to look at during the long, weary miles but the sky; is it any wonder that if they saw a particular-looking cloud arise, they knew it was likely to bring a storm? Think of those who lived in the Middle East during the time of Jesus, who laid on their flat roofs at night to perhaps catch a cooling breeze and, for entertainment, watched the stars in their courses; maybe they had contests to see who could see the most shooting stars.

My own knowledge of the sky is quite limited. On a good night, I can find the Big Dipper, but that's about it! But I don't have to know the names of the stars to know their Maker. And I don't have to understand their scientific complexities--their distance from earth, what type of star they are, what kind of gasses they are made of, and so forth--to be awed by their beauty. On the nights when I take Jed, our faithful collie, out for one last bathroom break before I go to bed, I look skyward and marvel. Simply marvel. Whether it's clear or cloudy, full moon or no moon, there is always something of interest to see in the sky.

The past few weeks, I've been away from home more than usual (mostly to practice violin with students for two recitals I accompanied); and several days, I've been fortunate enough to be driving home at a magical hour of the evening. As I've driven along the ridge of Cooks Creek Road, the sky has been alive with splendor. On one chilly evening, the atmospheric conditions were just right for numerous airplane trails to be shown in the west, and I was reminded of how many planes are passing overhead all the time, and we are so unaware of that. On that evening, the sunset made each trail in the sky shine brightly--such beautiful zigzags! Another evening, most of the sky was clear with just a few clouds puffing along here and there. The clouds that weren't very close to the sun were mostly purple and pink--lovely in their own right. But a couple of clouds that were, it seemed from my perspective, directly above the setting sun were BRILLIANT. So glowing, they almost looked like they were on fire.

I marvel at a God who so richly lavishes His creativity and beauty on a world that so rarely even pauses to look up and notice. How many wonders of this world are never seen or acknowledged by human eyes! Surely God finds pleasure in the works of His hands. How much more pleasure when His favored creation--us--exclaims, "Good job with that sunset, God!" and "Thanks!"

Nov. 21 - Silly Little Things (that you never want to have happen to you):
#1 - It's 11:30 p.m. on a cold Wednesday night, and you're looking forward to crawling into bed between soft, warm, cozy flannel sheets...when suddenly you realize that those sheets (your only set of flannel ones) are still in the washing machine, where you had placed them earlier that day in a fit of optimism that you would actually have time to wash and dry those sheets AND remake your bed with them before bedtime. Oops.
#2 - One of your sons (that you love more than life) comes to you with a penitent look on his face; and the first words out of his mouth are, "Mom, I'll never chew gum on your bed again." "Ooooo-kkkkkaaaayyyy," you're thinking, "what prompted THAT statement?" He hurries to explain, "I was pretending to be a dog; and when I barked, my gum flew out of my mouth!" When asked where the gum is now, he admits that he has no idea, and he can't find it. As a lengthy search ensues for that elusive piece of gum, your determination grows: "We have GOT to find it! We just have to! There's no choice about it; no matter how long it takes, WE HAVE TO FIND THAT GUM!" At last, after your blanket is spread flat on the floor and your son is walking over it to see if he can find any suspicious bumps with his feet, the gum is found...stuck between the floor and the blanket. (That's better than discovering it in your hair the next morning, right?)


Nov. 23 - My favorite part of the new edition of Thriving Family magazine that just showed up in my mailbox today was this quote from Wess Stafford: "The spirit of a child is a lot like wet cement. It doesn't take much effort to make an imprint. Any time you see your child go skipping by, you're in the presence of a construction zone and ought to ask yourself, 'What is being built here? Is there anything I can do to advance this cause?'" That idea of a construction zone and the question "what is being built here" forces me to pause and think differently about the interactions I had with my children today...and the ones I hope to have with them tomorrow, and the next day, and the next.

Nov. 27 - Raise your hand if you're up late preparing food for Thanksgiving...and loving every minute of it as you anticipate the joy that will come in the celebration tomorrow!!

Nov. 30 - I got to spend a couple hours this morning in the kitchen of my Old Order neighbors, doing something I'd never done before: butchering a deer. Today I'm grateful for the person who gave us the deer, my neighbors for sharing in the work of it and teaching me how to do it, and the yummy meals that we'll be able to make with that meat! I'm also grateful for those whose job is butchering; I have a new respect for people in that profession!