It's just a season!
Ecclesiastes 3:1 "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven..."
Due to the hectic nature of this week, this will probably be the last of my posts until the weekend or as late as Monday. Here's a view into my world these days....
Monday started out normal - early morning devotions, a good run and workout, laundry and winding down on purging Andrew's room/rearranging it for a fresh new look when he returns from boot camp this weekend. I was somewhat prepared for Tuesday, as I knew my brother was having knee surgery and I would be in prayer and constant contact with my mom on his condition. My job that day was to make snickerdoodles, Chris' one request, and a chicken pot pie to take over later. All was fine until I received a phone call from a friend that her husband had a spill on his motorcycle. She needed me to watch her 3 year old little boy and a little girl she was keeping for the day so she could meet the ambulance with her husband at the hospital. So I was on pins and needles all day waiting for updates on not only my brother, but my girlfriends husband, who by the way has some road rash and major bruising on his whole one side, but made it without any serious injuries. I ended up making the chicken pot pie, but not for my brother...I sent it home with Kadi to feed her very medicated and bruised husband.
Today started at 6:30 with a quick one-mile run, shower and drive down to Lake Worth to take my daughter and three friends to the PBCC Youth College classes they're taking this summer. I then had a return at Walmart and a little shopping for more pot pie ingredients, etc. Thankfully my dear friend, Lisa, picked the kids up from classes and kept mine for the day so I could take care of my brother and start getting ready for our trip tomorrow morning to pick up my son at boot camp. Whew!!
So there ya have it! Maybe a little more information than most of the world is interested in and probably less exciting than many of yours, but that's my life this week, and it's not over yet! I guess there's an ebb and flow to our years here on earth, some times we're burning the candle at both ends and other times, we find ouselves in a bit of a restful setting. Whatever state I find myself in I find that God continues to show His great mercy and loving kindness time and again, and I am ever thankful!
Labels: ponderings
Farewell Friends
We had a very sad day yesterday. Our very dear friends, with whom we've spent vacations, homeschool conventions, enjoyed baseball games, homeschooling, birthdays, boating and the beach, have moved to Georgia. We've known for a year now that this was coming, but speaking for myself, I've been in complete denial....until last night. We met the Gregory family (minus their oldest daughter Sarah, whose currently in Bolivia on a mission trip) at Cracker Barrel just off of the highway and had one last meal with them. I had a knot in my stomach the entire time, knowing the inevitable was coming--goodbye.
Few familes are blessed as ours. Friends who share a kindred spirit are not a dime a dozen, yet God has shown us such favor as to surround us with three precious families, the Gregory's being one of them...the one that we have done life with the most up until now. They are leaving a hole in our hearts, that's for sure, but I know that the distance won't weaken the bond we have forged, I am confidant it will only grow stronger as time passes.
So as our cherished friends follow this new path that God has paved for them, we pray their newest adventure will be the best yet and will lead to an even greater assurance that Jeremiah 29:11 stands true -- "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." I can't wait to see that future unfold for Johnny, Debbie, Sarah, Rachel, JohnAllen & James...we love you dear ones!
Labels: ponderings
Mac or PC?
We're in a dilemma as a home school family. I have three children that will be doing all or part of their schooling this fall on our two Mac desktop computers. Add to that my need for computer time and there's potential for a great deal of frustration. Dave and I are currently investigating our options. Presently we are devoted Mac users, but two of the curriculum programs we have for two of our children can only run on Windows. Here's our predicament....do we purchase another Mac notebook or desktop, having Windows installed on it, or do we just go with the cheaper alternative and cave into a PC? I'll be honest, I'm not feeling the PC! But I'm not thrilled about the cost of a Mac. We've recently been given a third option with friends giving us their old E Mac in need of a new motherboard for $400. Reasonably speaking we could have a new motherboard installed and purchase a PC laptop and possibly end up with two computers for the price of one Mac notebook. Do you see the quandry we're in?? Seriously, I'd really like to take the money we'd spend on yet another computer and redecorate my bedroom!
Labels: ponderings
Running shoes
I'm in the market for a new pair of running shoes, as mine are now 5 years old. I know I should change them out more often, but I'm not an every day runner so I've been able to make these last longer than usual, but I do think it's time for my little gray and yellow 640's to retire. I'm a creature of habit so I don't think I'll be able to venture away from New Balance and quite honestly I don't even know if I can move away from the 640 crosstrainer model....until I come upon sheer horror! They don't even make my shoe anymore!! At least not MY 640....the 640 online is a CHEERLEADING shoe!!! Now what to do?? I guess I'll be doing some serious online investigating before I venture out to the stores to compare the butt-load of models, styles and colors available. This could take awhile...
Labels: running
Summer Cooking
I'm in a rut....a cooking rut, that is. Summer is so tough trying to stay on top of grocery shopping and having plenty of options for quick meals when you're on the go. Today I pulled out my Taste of Home and my Kraft Food and Family recipe magazines. Honestly, I like the FREE Kraft one better. It's loaded with easy recipes and ingredients most anyone has on hand. I've made my list of meals for the next week and a half...all of them from my friends at Kraft Foods. You can visit them online at kraftfoods.com/free and sign up for their free quarterly magazine. You won't regret it! Now, it's off to grocery shop at Walmart for me...did I mention the magazine is FREE??
Labels: ponderings
Family Night
Last night was our weekly family night spent at my parents house. Mom always pulls off an amazing meal and no one leaves hungry. Last night was no exception. Here's the run down of our night...
Penny arrived toting her AMAZINGLY delicious apple pie which we devoured after mom filled us up with fresh corn, burgers on the grill and her famous baked rice. I made what I usually make, some kind of salad, and this time it was the ramen salad. I skipped, probably for the first time in a very long time, a favorite of Chris', which didn't go over well...sweet tea. It will never happen again, Chris!
We all had a little angst in our hearts last night for various reasons -- Chris' looming knee surgery, my grandmothers heart catherization today, Mom finding out she has cataracts at age 59, you know, usual life stuff (sense the sarcasm??), which actually could be much worse. While Chris and Penny played Wii with Mollie and Benjamin (Andrew's at boot camp, remember?), Daddy and Dave studied maps and discussed our upcoming annual family vacation to Lake Weir (more on that in future posts). And finally, Mom colored my hair while we sipped on coffee.
So that's a typical family night at the Goeppner's. Nothing crazy, but always a breath of fresh air just to be with the people you love most, sharing in lifes up's and down's. Weeks could go by without any of us seeing eachother, so Monday night's are a non-negotiable for our family. Keeping one another a priority in the midst of our busy lives is what helps us stay close.
Labels: family
Camp Blanding
Our day yesterday started at 5 a.m. as we loaded up the Tahoe and met two of Andrew's Sea Cadet friends at Denny's to carpool up to Camp Blanding Joint Training Center for Florida's National Guard near Starke, Florida. Dave and I volunteered to drive....what were we thinking trying to do it all in one day?? It wasn't that bad, we actually enjoy driving as it's the only time we can talk with no major distractions.
We arrived in Starke around noon time and fed the boys a good lunch at Sonny's Barbeque. Once they were full, they changed into their dress white uniforms as per their orders and we headed over to beautiful Blanding on Kingsley Lake. The trio was so excited, why I don't know, for two weeks of intense boot camp in the middle of a state know for it's heat and humidity. I guess it's a guy thing!
Anyway, we'll be making the trip up again ten days from now for their graduation ceremony. There will be a nice group from their unit going up so it should be fun. Oh yeah, and this time we're spending the night in a hotel!
Labels: family
I'm a Curly Girl!
A few months ago a friend told me about this book she read on how to manage curly hair. The author discusses the fact that almost everyone has some wave or curl. I've always had wavy, thick, coarse hair, but have done everything possible to make it as flat and straight as I can. I've got every straightening product you can think of and the huge round brushes to dry it out as well as my CHI flat iron. I have to say since reading this little book about how to care for your hair and buying the Deva hair products, I LOVE my curly/wavy hair!! Especially in the hot & humid months, which are about nine out of twelve here in West Palm! It has freed me up to excercise more regularly and not worry about having to "do my hair". I don't have to plan an hour in the morning for styling it. It's just made my life so much eaisier!! I do have to say, though, that I haven't turned my back completely on my CHI. I still like variety and end up with straight hair about once every other week. So for any of you out there that are still wrestling with your hair, give this book a quick read and decide for yourself! And let me know what you think:)
Labels: ponderings
Community Service Project
Several months ago our small group family joined in a church wide bible study called "40 Days of Community" created by Rick Warren's, Saddleback Church. Worked into the curriculum was a challenge to small groups to reach out to their community by meeting needs of those less fortunate or facing difficult circumstances.
Through one of our small group members we were introduced to a local family faced with serious health, financial and living circumstances. We were all shocked that our very own neighbors, surrounded by the wealth that Palm Beach County is known for, are forced to live in such appalling conditions while no one even notices. This family of a debilitated, bedridden grandfather, grandmother and three adopted grandchildren ages 15 and up has been dealt their share of hard times. Their home was badly beaten during Hurricanes Wilma and Frances and then they were taken advantage of by the roofers who ran out of town with their money, never even starting the job they were paid to do. Now they have plexiglass screwed into the window openings where the hurricanes blew out the jalousies, and pots and pans placed strategically throughout the house to catch the water leaks dripping through the ceiling when it rains. The kids tried to do what they could, but it's nowhere near sufficient.
In the midst of applying for the proper work permits we've been able to help the family in miscellaneous ways. We took meals and bottled water (their water is contaminated!), did heavy yard work and even made time for a visit to encourage them. It's been a blessing getting to know them all.
After many weeks of waiting to receive the various permits, we are finally able to begin some necessary structural work to prepare for a new roof. Thanks to God and a friend who happens to be a contractor, tomorrow we will be taking down the ceiling in the living room of this 1200 sq. ft. home to replace the main roof beam. Once this job is complete we can begin some electrical work and replace the roof. I'm sure we'll be spending many Saturdays this summer trying to stay ahead of any hurricanes that may blow in our direction.
Through this process it is our prayer that this family will feel loved and cared for not only by the people who have sacrificed their time and resources for them, but by the God of the universe who created them and wants a relationship with them.
Labels: church
White Rabbit Candies
My brother, Chris and his wife, Penny, just enjoyed a quick get a way to EPCOT Center in Orlando. They're always so good about remembering our three kids and never fail to bring back some kind of treat for them. This time was no exception. China was their country of choice where they purchased White Rabbit Creamy Candies and another assorted bag of hard candies. Ever try candy from a different country? The textures are so different as are the flavors. Anyway, we enjoyed trying all the flavors and comparing them with eachother. It was another fun FAMILY NIGHT (more on that topic in future posts) at my parents house, this time, candy was the highlight!
Labels: family
Cadet of the Year
My oldest, Andrew, who is 15 years old, has been participating in our areas local Navy Sea Cadet program over this past school year. His dream is to go to the Naval Academy and by joining the Cadets early on he can hopefully make that a reality. He meets at the Navy Reserve Center every Tuesday night from 6 to 9 p.m. and has been successful in recruiting a couple of friends. They do physical training, quarter deck duty, drills and other various activities throughout the evening. Several times throughout the year they've done off site activities such as going to a shooting range, fishing trips and participated in several parades and memorial services. Community service is a big part of the program and the cadets should come away with a good sense of discipline and respect for authority. I've enjoyed watching him iron his uniform to perfection, beg for haircuts and polish his shoes to a spit shine! What mother wouldn't?
Last night was the last formal meeting of the school year, as they take a brief summer break while a majority of the cadets attend NSC Boot Camp at various sites across the country. Andrew will be going to Camp Blanding in Starke, Florida with a few cadets from his unit. We head up this Sunday at the crack of dawn and they will stay for two weeks.
My husband and I, along with my parents, were encouraged to attend the meeting last night as there were some awards to be given out and the officers thought we should be there. To our surprise, our son was presented a great honor....Cadet of the Year. He obtained this merit by a vote of his fellow cadets, receiving a bar and a Teddy Roosevelt Medal to display on his dress white uniform. Our hearts swelled, as did the tears in our eyes...we couldn't have been more proud! When Andrew reports to Boot Camp on Sunday, in full dress white attire, he will be proudly displaying his recent accolade and we will surely look on with great delight at our first born son as he takes his initial steps toward the dream in his heart.
Labels: family
Staff Wives Small Group
Once a month I get together with a half dozen or so ladies for a small group bible study and potluck breakfast. The women in this group range in age from mid-twenties to early sixties and all are obviously at different life stages. The one thing that we all have in common is that our husbands are on staff at our church. Their positions also vary-- pastoral, administrative, finance, student ministry, worship and so on.
Our purpose is to grow healthy, spiritual lives by balancing the 5 purposes of our church within our small group - Belong, Grow, Serve, Share, Worship. We've adopted our own small group covenant with seven specific areas that we all agree to uphold - Our Purpose, Attendance, Safe Enviroment, Confidentiality, Conflict Resolution, Spiritual Health Accountabilitly and Relationship Building. These help us to maintain a healthy community with one another as we serve the body of believers we fellowship with.
As we wrapped up the year and headed toward a break for the summer, we all met up for a day of shopping at the Sawgrass Mills Outlet Mall in Ft. Lauderdale. We started off at 9 a.m. with coffee in hand and loaded up my Chevy Tahoe with six eager chicks! After a couple of hours of hittlng the stores we enjoyed a delicious lunch at the Grande Lux Cafe. Our fearless leader, Jane, made sure to document our trip with a few quick photos and then we were off for more bargains! It was a great time of cutting up and getting to know eachother outside of "church". I'm sure there's a great possibility for more outings like this!
I've so enjoyed getting to know each of these women over the past year. We have seen heartache and joy, but we've come through it stronger, more commited lovers of Christ and one another. It's certainly been a giant step outside of my comfort zone, but God has taught me so much and I look forward to another year of learning and growing together, doing life and creating community with these amazing women I love so much!
Labels: church
We're in the midst of a series at church called "Brave Heart, Prepare for Battle." It's based on Ephesians 6:10-18. This weekend was the second of three parts. Last week Pastor Tom walked us through knowing our enemy, understanding our enemy's mission, and recognizing our enemy's limitations. This week the outline was recognizing the real enemy, knowing the battleground terrain--the mind, the heart and the body. He was on his way to giving us the tools for taking the offensive and using our weapons, and boy was he fired up in his full camo attire, when the strangest thing happened....the fire alarm went off! For those of you reading this and not familiar with Christ Fellowship, we are a multi-site campus with a live satellite feed. We have three weekend services and Pastor Tom happened to be at our Royal Palm campus live, with the feed going out to the Gardens and City Place campuses, so when the alarm fired off, the connection was lost, sound system cut off, emergency lighting kicked in. All three campuses were literally left in the dark. As there was no fire, it was stunning! Everyone was fully aware of what was happening...we were upsetting the one with whom we were preparing for battle! Many people went forward to make decisions for Christ during the first service and I'm sure the enemy wanted to make sure that didn't happen again! We truly are up against an enemy who will go to any length to keep us from Christ and doing His will. However, I think little schemes like this will only make the church more determined to be prepared and fight well. I can't wait to see how next weeks message makes him squirm!
Labels: church
FPEA Home School Convention '07
Every year on Memorial Day Weekend, Orlando prepares for thousands of home school families to arrive for the annual FPEA Home School Convention. Over the past few years The Gaylord Palms Resort has hosted this event. What an amazing place that is for a family to stay! Great restaurants, fun places to explore, little shops and beautiful pools. We loved it!
This year FPEA moved the convention to a brand new resort, The Rosen Shingle Creek. Not bad. Definitely beautiful, big enough to hold the crowds. The elevators were an issue, though...very confusing with every elevator going to a different group of floors and certainly not enough of them to manage the people using them. The pools were nice and they had a beach volley ball court that our kids and their friends enjoyed. Amazing view overlooking a fabulous golf course. Any golfer's paradise. But this wasn't a golf convention. Our family's opinion...move it back to Gaylord!
Other than our missing the Gaylord, the convention itself with the workshops and vendors, was worth it. The convention floor was spacious, organized and I was in heaven with all of the choices of books, curriculum and manipulatives. I never even made it to a workshop desipite all of my planning and scheduling out the ones I wanted to attend. The vendors work like a magnet and I couldn't get out of their grasp!
I was able to, however, purchase two cd's of the workshops I missed. One was actually for my husband...something about how to help your wife home school. I made sure we listened to it in the car on the way home. The other one, for me, was on how to create your own transcripts. I've yet to listen to that one, as I'm no longer in the mode! Maybe in August!
We also got a little treat this year...we were able to attend the Graduation Ceremony. Two of our friends' daughters graduated. It was a little emotional for me to realized that we will be doing this with our Andrew in just three years! How the time flies!
Anyway, I always head off to the convention ready to quit homeschooling my three children. By the time I leave for home, I'm convinced, once again, that there's no better way to educate my little students. It's worth all the sacrifices and headaches and I'll never regret that I chose to keep them home and instill God's values in their hearts.
Labels: home schooling
Kick Boxing
I got my butt kicked in aerobic kick boxing last night! I have two friends to thank for this, one for the idea, the other for the ride! It was CRAZY! Now, I consider myself to be in decent shape, not a fitness freak, but pretty balanced, running and lifting weights 3-4 days a week. Even so, I could barely breathe, never mind keep up with the choreography! The whole hour and fifteen minutes of the workout I was telling myself, "Once I leave here, I'm never coming back!" There were a few times when I thought my club sandwich from dinner was going to splatter all over the floor, but I kept it together and managed to stay on pace with the instructor.
Once I got home and debriefed my husband on the agony I had endured, I realized something. I was actually proud of myself and started to consider going again next week! What is that all about? Want to know my opinion? It's a chemical reaction. The same one that takes place during and after childbirth. During childbirth, we promise never to get ourselves into that predicament again. Then, one to two years later, we end up in the very same spot with total amnesia of our previous experience! Am I right, or what?
So, you can expect that this won't be my last post on aerobic kick boxing. I'm determined to conquer this hill!
Labels: ponderings
Great Inventions
For those of you who spend any time in the kitchen preparing lunches for your kids, I'm sure you, too, appreicate one of the most time saving kitchen tools ever invented. The apple wedger! It doesn't get any better than this, or does it? Any great inventions you'd like to share?
Labels: gadgets
Globe Trotting
Growing up as a kid in the 70's we didn't have all the neat gadgets kids have today. I know I'm sounding just like my parents when I say we had to invent things to do. I can, however, say that playing with a stick was not one of the things on our list of activities! I can go one better...a globe. My brother and I used to spend many afternoons and evenings making up games with a globe and one of our favorites was to spin it and point your finger to a random place on the globe and pretend you were going there. I remember daydreaming about the many places my finger went and wishing I could actually go there and see those wonderful places in person.
As an adult, I'm not much different in my daydreaming adventures. I just have a bit more technology at my fingertips a la the "World Wide Web"! So now instead of spinning a globe, I surf the web for endless geographic destinations.
This week during one of my virtual trips I discovered three islands I had never heard of... St. Helena, Ascension and Tristan de Cunha. They are not very close to one another, but they are, according to my research, connected economically and, therefore, dependent on one another. St Helena is where Napoleon was exiled and the home he lived and died in still stands. There are only about 4,000 who currently live on this island that is only accessible by the island's own ship. The Royal Mail Ship, St Helena, can be boarded at Cape Town and several days later dock at its namesake. Oddly, there's very little tourism on any of these three bits of land in the middle of nowhere.
There are many more interesting facts and statistics about these three little islands that, as a home school mom, I could bore you with, but will leave it to you to dig if you really want to know how many hotels and restaurants are on St. Helena Island.
What are some little known places you'd like to visit or maybe have visited?
Labels: fun facts
Jumping on the Band Wagon
Here I am jumping on the band wagon with everyone I know in the blogging world. My brother, really, is the one I give credit to for inspiring me to do so. He's been blogging for some time now and I so enjoy staying informed by his blog and those he has listed as favorties. Maybe I can make his list, too??
Since this is my first post, I'll keep it short with telling you all a little about myself. I'm married to the love of my life, Dave, and we have three children, Andrew, age 15, Mollie, age 13 and little Benjamin, age 9. We homeschool and have done so for 7 years now. For those of you who homeschool or know someone who does, you understand that it pretty much consumes our life. In a good way...
Of course, we have a dog...Checkers. He's 8 years old now, but still thinks he's a puppy. The poor thing is constantly being photographed in some sort of costume.
I'm guessing most of my posts will be about my family, homeschooling and church ministry, as those are the things that permeate my life and bring me most joy and frustration. I believe that's how life is for everyone in general...the things you love the most are often the things that frustrate you the most.
Labels: family
