I'll Love You When I Am Dead

Relayed from my sister Mary in this morning's email:

"Bucky [Rebekah] saved her coins and bought a Barbie doll at Walmart last week. Yesterday, as I was sitting doing my Bible reading, I looked up to see that she had set up a wedding (in the absence of a male Barbie, she was using a wooden Indian chief that I had set out for Thanksgiving).



I asked her, "Who is that?" and she informed me it was Sarah and Brenton "Fartenburger."


I pretended to pay no attention, as she said the vows (she had to say both parts and it went like this...


"I'll love you when I am pregnant, I'll love you when I am pregnant. I'll love you when I am dead, I'll love you when I am dead. I'll love you when I am strong, I'll love you when I am strong."


Then she sat back and declared, "You two make a great couple!"


I agree; even if Brenton forgot to wear his Indian head dress to the wedding!!!"
 

The Curse of Money

Last Friday night, I had an opportunity to share about our calling to missions and the mighty work of the Isaiah 55 Deaf Ministries team in Reynosa, Mexico.  I am learning on this journey that so much of surrendering to the call of missions is realizing my secure feelings surrounding money...and my hesitance to give it up. 

Growing up in a household where money was scarce (read: small time farming dad and mom raising 7, count 'em, 7 daughters and one not-so-motivated-to-farm son) and so from little on, I developed a hatred for debt and a strong desire to make sure I would always be financial comfortable. 

15 years and a masters degree later, I had my wish.  Our two income household was comfortable.  Husband and I had just spent a small fortune building our dream house.  We had the requisite two children, two dogs, and one cat. 

Then why did I feel empty?  As I wondered around my new home, and as God, through the work of His Holy Spirit, began whispering to my soul, I realized I had taken on triple the mortgage and triple the work, all in pursuit of what?  Happiness?  The image of success?  To show off on Facebook and at class reunions that I had "arrived"?

God would bring a scene from a movie back to replay in my mind as if someone had set the DVD player to "repeat" and left the room.  (Yes, God speaks even through movies...imagine that)

Let me set the stage:

Oskar Schindler was a German industrialist who set up munitions and enamalware factories in Poland and the Czech Republic during World War II.  Self-serving and opportunistic by nature, he sought to profit from the war but was however, visibly uncomfortable by the treatment of Jews by Hitler's army.  He soon found that by wining, dining, and flattering high-ranking SS officers, he could purchase Jews to work in his factory, thereby saving them from the death camp.  His choice of whom to purchase was based more on the advice of his accountant Itzhak Stern (also a Jew) than by the Jewish person's actual ability to perform the given tasks.  Nearly shut down after the SS finds that he has employed a one-armed factory worker, claiming him to be "essential", Schindler, nonetheless, manages to keep 1,100 Jews from perishing in the Holocaust. 

Below is the scene at the end of the movie where the Nazis have been overcome and the hunters have now become the hunted.  The Jews from Schindler's factory have gathered to say their goodbyes as Schindler plans to flee (since Oskar was officially a member of the Nazi party although his actions clearly said he did not support their platform).  Oskar is presented with a ring from his accountant Stern that in Hebrew reads "He who saves a life saves the world entire"...and the magnitude of Schindler's past decisions hit him square in the chest.  He realizes that he could have saved so many more...that he had wasted so much money. 

He Who Saves One Life Saves the World Entire



Schindler's List
— MOVIECLIPS.com

(Facebook followers can click on this link...video clips don't stream over)
http://movieclips.com/mX2f-schindlers-list-movie-he-who-saves-one-life-saves-the-world-entire/

And so for the past six months, God has been enabling me to see money differently. He has proven that He can outgive me any day of the week.  He has helped me to realize that, had I invested in Isaiah 55 instead of building a house, I could have paid teacher salaries for YEARS to come...which would have resulted in hundreds of students learning to communicate and ultimately learning that God did not make a mistake when creating them and that they had an important voice in this world and that through His Son Jesus Christ, these students, and their families, can be adopted into the family of God forever.

I can't change the past.  But I'll be hanged before I waste any more time or money in the future. 

I Now Pronounce You Darren & Mark!

Last weekend was the first "next generation" wedding in my family as my nephew Brenton and his fiance Sarah were married. 

We have been eagerly awaiting this wedding as the reception included something sadly missing from all the previous weddings in my family...a DANCE!  Seriously, I could never become a full-fledged Baptist because I really love to dance. 

Not that I have any rhythm or talent. After all, my dance experience ranged from junior high dances (stiff-armed embraces while shifting from foot-to-foot, rotating slowly in a circle) to our lackluster show choir choreography (we couldn't really call ourselves "Gleeks" back then...when our choreography was pretty much box steps and jazz hands)

 But I do have next-to-no inhibitions about lookin' like a fool on the floor.  Whenever the music starts, my feet start moving on their own.  Maybe I was born a Pentecostal...who knows?

At any rate, Husband doesn't have the same level of freedom...which was why I was suitably impressed when he told me that if the DJ played a slow song, he would dance with me.  My sister Renee's husband also told her the same thing so Renee and I decided it was time to dedicate a song to the two shy husbands and get them out on the dance floor. 

Renee excitedly raced up to the DJ and asked him to play a slow song and send the dedication out to "Darren and Mark".  The DJ looked a bit puzzled and asked which song and Renee dismissively said, "I don't care.  Just pick one."

Clearly we didn't think this through...as we soon realized when the DJ put on a slow number, then called out "This song goes out to all your married couples...and Darren & Mark".  YIKES!  Looks like he was dedicating the song to a same sex couple named "Darren and Mark"! 

Ah well, the husbands didn't seem to notice and dutifully ambled out to the floor to twirl their spastic wives around.  Then retreated to their chairs to wonder what overcaffeinated drink we had consumed to be able to shake, rattle, and roll until 11 PM. 

Some pix from the night:

Look for me in the background...hollah!

My nephew Abe (Aber Baber) was the (as he called it) "Ring Barrier":

My niece Megan (Maggie Sue) - who looked FABULOUS - and nephew Bennett (Benny) - who thankfully shaved his Amish-looking beard!

The Squirrels and I awaiting the wedding party to exit the church:

My niece Rebekah (Bucky) who decided that she would bring her own tiara and veil (unbeknownst to her mother...my sister Mary):

We felt it necessarily to provide Beth with some protective head gear, given her history of having objects fall on her head (like a bathroom door, a frying pan, a meteorite/satellite...ok, that one just hit her moon roof while she was driving)...and of course, since the helmet was for Beth, it had to be bejeweled!

The Mother/Son Dance

Katybird having the time of her life...

 We are fond of Rachel's (Woo/Rudy/Duke) hair in the lower right of this photo...

 Hattie (Hats), Grace, Rachel, and Eli captured center stage...

 The Haerrs display some "Hairography" (or should I say "Haerr-ography"!)

 Grace and Abigail (Sass) are "Stayin' Alive"!

 The dance award for the night goes to my fantastic niece Lauren (Lorsban, Laursie Pie) in the purple dress.  I can find her in practically every one of my dance photos...guess the "no inhibition" gene runs in families!



Back in Mint Green Again

Last Friday night was the long-awaited premiere of "Courageous".  I went online and bought tickets ahead of time as I remembered the opening night of "Fireproof" was pretty much sold out. 

After the movie, Husband was taking the babysitter home when he felt his heart go out of rhythm.  He came home and extended his wrist to me to double-check.  Sure enough...his heart was in a-fib again.  I remembered all too well the last time he went into a-fib and figured this time, I wouldn't send him to prompt care by himself! 

Luckily, my sister Erin was out our house, having spent the day being honored as the 2011 Outstanding Alum from E College.  We whispered to her that we were going to tuck the kids in bed and then head over to the Big O hospital ER. 

30 minutes later, we pulled into the zoo, I mean, ER and had the privilege of encountering every belligerent drunk in P town.  Several were milling around the ER while the male nurse at the triage desk looked like he could use a stiff cup of coffee and 18 hours of uninterrupted sleep.  There was a lady in a wheel chair right inside the door who was hyperventilating and moaning while her friend fluttered around her asking questions.  The triage desk paid her nary one iota of attention.  She could be in there every Friday night, for all I know.  After all, the hospital is a not-for-profit so they do not turn anyone away. 

But I digress...

One quick pulse check later, Husband was being wheeled down to Room 211 for what looked to be a very long stay.  The last time he went into a-fib, they tried shocking him twice to no avail.  36 hours later, his heart corrected itself.  This time we were in the first 2 hours of a-fib so we hoped for different results. 

After donning yet another fashion-forward mint green hospital gown, getting laden with lots of sticky pads, lines, IVs, monitor beeps, and much consultation by three doctors, the best course of action was determined to be shocking again.  I was told that I would need to leave the room since it was unpleasant to watch and Husband was administered a heavy dose of what the doctors now call the "Michael Jackson" drug...a conscious sedation with amnesiac after-effects (I gotta get me some of that...for me or the Squirrels...either way, a clear winner!)

By this time, it was 1:30 in the morning and I had been playing several Solitaire games on my company iPad and trying to read to stay awake.  A quick prayer of "Lord, please heal him completely.  I'd sure like to go home tonight." later, the doctor poked his head out of the room and told me Husband had converted to normal rhythm after the first jolt.  HALLELUJAH!  Discharge took another 45 minutes and by 3:00 AM, we were both back home and in bed. 

Which was a good thing...because I was about ready to do a flying leap and land an elbow thump to his rib cage if his heart was going to be stubborn.  Evidently date nights with me are dangerous!

Painful Flattery for a Secret Keeper

My sister Renee issued an invitation for the me and the two Squirrels to attend a Secret Keeper slumber party to use up a package Renee had bought at a recent Secret Keeper event with her daughter "Amazing" Grace.  The Squirrels could barely contain their excitement since this particular slumber party involved staying overnight at a hotel with a pool AND would be attended by their red-headed cousins - Abigail, Rachel, and Rebekah (or, as our nickname-laden family calls them, "Sass", "Duke" and "Bucky"...yes, such flattering nicknames). 

We had adjoining rooms at a local Holiday Inn Express and the girls no sooner stepped inside the door then they began devouring mass quantities of sugar and caffeine.  Clothes and flip flops were flying through the air as they dug into their suitcases to unearth their swim suits, then down to the pool for some fun. 

Later on, Renee had activities plan to teach the girls how to keep confidences and treat others with kindness and respect.  The favorite activity involved the girls using fabric markers on white pillowcases to write kind words about each other.  Each girl had a pillowcase with their name on it, then the girls cycled around the different pillowcases and were to write something and draw a picture of something that reminded them of the particular girl whose name was on the pillowcase. 

All was going well until Eli came to Katybird's pillowcase.  My kids are the best of friends and worst of enemies.  Eli is the typical older sister that thinks her younger sister is boring and babyish.  Kate thinks her older sister is bossy and mean.  Eli was taking a while to think and then finally....PAINFULLY...wrote the following:

"Nice sometimes"

Meanwhile, Mary's daughter Abigail wrote this glowing review for her own sister:

Rachel, you are the best thing that ever happened. 

I don't know what I'd do without you.  You fill my day with love!!"

Perhaps my favorite, though, was what Rachel wrote on friend Audrey's pillowcase:

"Satan is mean, his followers are too but totally not you!"

Mmmm...what a warm and fuzzy endorsement to lay your head on at night, Duke!

"Taling" Care of the "Nose"

A couple of Saturdays ago, I spent a marathon day cleaning out the garage and the storage room, the last two bastions of chaos that I had been dreading.  We finally broke down and listed our house with a real estate agent (and chafe against the 6 1/2 % commission somewhat)...who so far has gotten less showings than I did but hey, our realtor knows Ted Nugent and was going to call him to see if he (or his hunting buddies) want a little house in a big woods with lots of deer you can shoot from your front porch before you even finish your morning coffee...

But I digress...

So anyway, I was so exhausted I fell into a chair just to unkink my back muscles.  Little Katybird tiptoes up to me and hands me this note:

For those of you who can't read Katybirdese...it says:

"Dear mom
I noe (know) you are having a hard time taling (taking) care of the nose (house).
from Kate to mom"

Awww...perhaps I will stop ranting about how I work my fingers to the bone and feel like the household maid around here.

"Still"water in Turmoil Upon Exit of K Sisterhood

In mid-August, the sleepy little town of Stillwater, MN was accosted out of a sound slumber by the arrival of 13 female members of the K sisterhood.  Leading the charge was matriarch Ellie followed by 7 daughters and 5 nieces. 

Aurora Staples Inn Bed & Breakfast owners reported that much noise and laughter shook the walls of their 100+ year old home while faint glimpses of heavily robed nieces could be seen stumbling to the breakfast table each morning. 

The downtown area business owners also reported that shopping maven Beth was seen single-handedly reviving the area economy.  "You know, we were heading for an economic bust, ja?  But then this crazy lady came in bought one of everything in every color!" stated Margoot Helglerood, owner of the Fun Sisters Boutique. 

The back of the trolley car was also weighted down by the presence of the Babbling Baker's Dozen (as the town had dubbed them) and their plethora of fudge purchases. 

But perhaps most disturbing were these images captured by hidden camera of the 13 women seen trying valiantly to capture the funniest picture of their lips doing the "bbbbbb" sound.  Or trying to capture a picture of their cheeks stretched to capacity doing a loose-jawed violent head shake. 

Nonetheless, the K Sisterhood left behind a wake of destruction as they exited the town on Sunday morning.  Residents and business owners alike unlocked their doors again and took long naps to recover.  The Governor of Minnesota has officially declared Stillwater a disaster area and FEMA is on its way to spearhead recovery efforts.