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| It's been a long time since I've posted so I'll jump back in. My husband & I have started reading books aloud to each other. We just finished a Puritan book on Conflict & Triumph, let's just say they were not a people of few words. Last night we started our next book, Sacred Marriage. I thought this book would be good to read since George & I will be spending a lot of time together this summer. Also, we know of 4 couples getting married this summer. (We also recently attended a 30th anniversary party.) So weddings & marriage are definitely on my mind. The author starts out by saying something like marriage is not to make us happy but holy. What? Do I have a lot to learn, I'll keep you posted. | | |
| Nancy & Seth treated us to dinner Saturday night at one of their favorite restaurtants in Philly. They wanted to use our truck to pickup some furniture that didn't fit in their car. We met them at their house and drove into the City of Brotherly Love. It's interesting that we've lived in south jersey for almost 9 years and haven't really gone into Philly. But then again we lived 15 minutes from the Big Apple for over 40 years & never went there. Before going to the restaurant Seth first had to go to his favorite bakery, Isgro Bakery. Even though I told him please don't buy me anything, "I'm reading the book "Eating for Excellence." Seth insisted on buying me my favorite dessert, cannoli. When I wouldn't tell me what kind I wanted he bought 3 different kinds for me. We then strolled down the streets of the Italian Market. I love the smell of the cheeses in the Italian stores. Next we went to http://www.ralphsrestaurant.com. Four generations of the same family have operated this restaurant since 1900. It was the best Italian food ever. The building was really cool, it was a converted 3-story row home. The kitchen was in the basement so the waiters had to run up & down the stairs to serve the patrons on 3 floors! After dinner, it was off to another place I hadn't been IKEA, the Swedish furniture store. They also sell food like pickled herring. It was great to spend time with Nancy & Seth. Seth always manages to make me laugh. Check out Nancy's blog for one story http://sethandnancy.blogspot.com/. I just re-read this blog, I think it sounds like a 6th grader wrote a report about her field trip to the city. I'm sounding like a country hick. Maybe I need to get out more. I lead a sheltered life. | | |
| I read Nancy's blog this morning and it reminded me of my last visit with Seth & his mom, Beverly. For the past 6 years (can it be that long?) I've heard Seth call his mom "Beaver Meadow". Knowing that Seth has a great sense of humor I figured he made it up. Maybe it was some funny thing that happened i.e. hunting beavers, flowers in a meadow, beaver in the basement... So I asked and Seth responded "that's the meaning of Beverly". Knowing how much Seth loves nicknames (he calls our grandbaby "Lil Gherkin" because of her skinny tongue), I thought I better find out what my names means. "Barbara" is Greek for "strange & foreign", the adjective was originally applied to anyone who did not speak Greek; it has the same root as "barbarian". It is of Latin origin, and its meaning is "foreign woman". Saint Barbara is invoked as a protector against fire & lightning; patron saint of architects and stonemasons. Many people may associate the name with the popular doll Barbie, the pet name is Babs and the short form is Barb. Good thing Seth doesn't have time to read blogs, he'd have plenty of ammuniction for nicknames for me. I can hear him now "Hey, Strange Barbarian, St. Barbara, (he's already tried Babs)... I guess "Mom" is too much to ask since he calls his mom, "Beaver Meadow". So our family looks like this: "George" is A Tiller Of The Soil married to "Barbara" that strange & foreign woman. "Nancy" is gracious" married to "Seth" who is "placed and appointed" (in Philly?) " Denise" is "Wild and Frenzied, a follower Of Dionysus (The God Of Wine)" (I wish I would have looked that meaning up 27 yrs. ago) married to "Timothy" who is "honored by God" with their daughter which means "daughter" or a "little Ewe". Some fun, huh. | | |
| Due to my husband's ethnicity he's a huge hugger. When he started his job over 3 years ago as a school cop in grammar school I explained to him that he MUST not touch the kids. The kids could tell their parents/guardians, he could get sued, it could be misinterpreted, yatta, yatta, yatta..... Well... it didn't take long before he was coming home with his stories of how so many little ones were running to him for their daily hugs. (Sadly, many don't get their hugs at home.) This morning I got this e-mail... "Hey, Barbara I thought that you would get a kick out of this!! I have this boy, L___, Kindergarden (& he was the 6th Grade Spelling Bee Champ) boy who every morning comes to me and gives me a big hug and we talk. Well today he comes in with his head completely shaved. I asked him why he shaved his head and he told me that when he got home yesteresday his uncle, a barber, was over his house and L___ told his uncle that he wanted to look just like "Officer George"!!! Now tell me that I'm not making an impact in the kids lives!! That REALLY made my day !!! Love ya!! me" What do I know? What do I fear? Our God reigns! Go George show the love of Christ to the world. | | |
| I don't think I'm alone in the area of worry so I thought I'd share the following which I've copied from Lydia Brownback's blog: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. —Proverbs 3:5
Many of us are what-if women. What-if women spend a good deal of energy and time worrying not only about what they say and do, but also about what others think about what they say and do. “What if I lose my job in the upcoming round of layoffs?” “What if I can’t conceive?” “What if that mole is cancerous?” “I just can’t get to the party next week. What if Sally never invites me again?” Such worry about what may happen is fruitless. Think about it—just because we hover over a situation doesn’t mean we can prevent the thing we are worried about!
For some of us, the what-ifs begin the moment we wake up and often last right on through the day. But God doesn’t want us to be what-if women. It not only zaps our energy, but it also indicates a lack of trust in God’s wise and loving control over our affairs. He who cares to number every hair on our heads—something not even the vainest among us bothers to do—cares much more about our home life, our health, our mobility, and our relationships with other people. Since he not only cares about these things but is also able to do something about them, he wants us to leave the ordering to him.
When we trust God to run our lives, we are free to enjoy him and other people—free to live and love—because he is taking care of things. We are designed to glorify God and enjoy him, not to spend our energies worrying about getting what we need or fearing the pain of major crises. God will always supply everything we need in every circumstance we face. | | |
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