This is SO Friday....

...and time to answer the Friday Feast questions! Fun!

Appetizer
What does the color pink make you think of?--Pretty things...femininity...baby girls...flowers...springtime...

Soup
Name something you have lost but later found.--Oh, wow. This just happened to me recently...not once, but TWICE in the past couple of months.

First of all, shortly after we visited Texas at Easter, I realized that one of my favorite earrings was missing. The pair were given to me by a dear friend for Christmas last year, and they were the only earrings I have that actually contain real diamonds. Tiny, delicate, lovely earrings. AND ONE WAS MISSING. It made me sick. I never told my friend, hoping it would turn up somewhere.

When I was in Texas recently, I mentioned to my mom, just on the off-chance, "You didn't happen to find a little ear-ring, did you...?" "YES!" Sure enough, it was my missing earring. What a happy feeling!

Not too long ago, I lost a birthstone ring my husband had given me on our anniversary several years ago. I loved that little ring, but I had apparently taken it off before a bath and forgotten that I put it somewhere for safekeeping and promptly forgot about it. Again, the delight when I happened upon it.

Getting the idea that giving me jewelry is NOT a good idea? Well, normally I'm really good about keeping track of things I love. I've just been unusually distracted and scatterbrained lately. Friends who have had parents who were very ill and/or passed away, tell me they went through the same thing. So I'm hoping this brain freeze is just temporary.

Salad
In 3 words, describe this past week.--Insanely stress-inducing BUSY!

Main Course
What are you obsessed with?--I don't really think I'm obsessed with anything. But if I had to give an answer, I would probably have to say (and I'm not proud of this):--affirmation. Maybe it's not an obsession, but it's a very strong need.

Dessert

What kind of perfume or cologne do you like to wear?--I have two main favorites. Although other fragrances float in and out of my life--for instance, I'm really liking the smell of Carolina Herrera right now, and when I'm broke and fragrance-less I just buy Jovan White Musk at Wal-Mart, and usually get compliments on it--I traditionally go with Estee Lauder's Pleasures for spring and summer, and Clinique's Aromatics Elixir for fall and winter. In fact, Doug just bought me Aromatics Elixir for our 26th wedding anniversary. A little goes a long way, and it takes a while to settle in, but I absolutely LOVE it.


Have a wonderful and blessed weekend, everyone!

This is Bad Poetry Day

Who knows who decrees these quirky "holidays," but my co-host on 101QFL, Darren Marlar, tells me that today is "Bad Poetry Day."

Which touched off a discussion between the two of us about what constitutes bad poetry. Neither of us qualify as ardent fans of poetry. (Most people know that when it comes to reading, my drug of choice is fiction.)

I do love many poems, though. One of my personal favorites is Reluctance by Robert Frost, and I really like some of his other poems. I love W.B. Yeats' way with words, even when it's a little obscure. Some of Shakespeare's sonnets, some Annie Johnson Flint (as I blogged about a few days ago), even some Keats and Byron and Browning would make it on my list of favorite poems.

But... I maintain a lot of what people who think they are poets write, is really quite awful...or mediocre at best. Filled with trite cliches, corny sentiments, and forced rhymes. Usually though, everyone "oohs" and "aahs" because this person has managed to put together some words that make sense and rhyme at the same time.

I found this on a webpage
that is actually devoted to the subject of bad poetry: "There is a huge amount of bad poetry in the world. Although new bad poems are being written by the hundreds every day (many of them in university creative writing classes), most bad poetry is simply weak and ineffectual and lacking in interest and (fortunately) is soon forgotten.

"To achieve memorable badness is not so easy. It has to be done innocently, by a poet unaware of his or her defects. The right combination of lofty ambition, humorless self-confidence, and crass incompetence is rare and precious."

Yep, that quote pretty much nails it.

That site maintains that one of the worst poets of all time was one William McGonagall. Here's a brief sample of one of his poems:

"Beautiful Railway Bridge of the Silv'ry Tay!
Alas! I am very sorry to say
That ninety lives have been taken away
On the last Sabbath day of 1879,
Which will be remember'd for a very long time.

'Twas about seven o'clock at night,
And the wind it blew with all its might,
And the rain came pouring down,
And the dark clouds seemed to frown,
And the Demon of the air seem'd to say --
'I'll blow down the Bridge of Tay.'"

OK...you get the idea.

But, how do you spot bad poetry? What is the criteria? Well, my internet search actually turned up a poem that explains how to spot bad poetry. This from someone posting as "Enforced Bliss" on a website for writers:

"How To Spot Bad Poetry

A page despoiled with thee’s and thines
To hide the vacuum of the lines
Cryptic phrase and twisted verse
Trite filagree agrandized dearth

Derivative style and poorly thought
Hackneyed image baneful wrought
Playing obvious slave to insipid rhyme
Like I did in these last four lines


Word stumbles on top of word
Myriad follow the pointless first
Saying nothing new in no new way
Bowed below unearn’ed bay."

Wow, that sums it up pretty well.

Quoteworthy...

Michael Gallaugher (talking about the Bay Area in California, but it could really be about Anywhere, USA): "...one half of the strip mall stores are devoted to making your body fatter by eating, or beautiful by cosmetics or exercise."

Ain't it the truth?

And, Rick defines courage in his blog today: "There are two components that I find missing from the cultural definition of COURAGE today: Fear and Faith. Without Fear, courage is arrogance & cockiness. And without Faith, Courage wastes away to cowardice & indecision. There needs to be real Fear and real Faith, mixed in proportion, for Courage to be courageous."

My wedding anniversary is tomorrow...

Doug and I are both insanely busy right now, so I kind of doubt if we will be able to do any significant celebrating until perhaps the weekend. But I was surprised and pleased to get an e-mail from the Baptist Board informing me of a thread there wishing me a happy anniversary. I don't post there all that often, so it was nice to be remembered.

I remember college food...

Apparently not all college cafeteria food is abysmal anymore. AP reports today that in a new survey by the Princeton Review, Wheaton College--a Christian college, at that!--is number one in the nation when it comes to campus food.

The story quotes Wheaton business manager Steve Mead as saying that food is an important part of any residential campus. He says good food can keep students
from being discouraged.

Hmm...I'm going back in my mind to my caf food experiences at Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri. Oh, it's all different now, of course...but back in the day (mid to late 70's), I don't think anyone was really worrying about whether the food situation was going to discourage us.

Some of the weekday meals were downright strange. There was the obligatory "mystery meat" that no one could ever really figure out, and the meals weighed down with "starches" (that's what we used to call carbs back then), that were guaranteed to pack on the proverbial freshman 15.

No fancy salad bars, pasta islands or soft-serve ice cream machines for us. No sir, we stood in line the traditional way and took what they gave us.

It wasn't all bad. On certain Fridays and Sundays, we actually got steak...and it was actually decent. The fried chicken dinners were pretty good, too. And although I rarely got up in time to taste for myself, I'm told the biscuits-n-gravy breakfasts were really delicious.

Anyway, most of us did head over to the caf when we were hungry, no matter what was on the menu. We weren't allowed to store food in our dorm rooms, and few of us could afford to eat out very often.

When I send my son Justin off to Cedarville University in a few days, I won't have to worry about him starving. I've eaten at the Cedarville cafteria many times, and the food is plentiful, diverse, and quite good.

Still, despite the salad bars and dessert stations and grill-your-own sandwich stops, Justin tells me he still misses my home cooking when he's away. Apparently, despite all the advances in college food services, nothing rivals Mom's own recipes, served up with love.

Awww.... :)

Best Monday Morning grin...

--Catching up on my reading on Scott McClare's blog, I found this.

Ya gotta grin. :)

Where/when would you live?

Michael Gallaugher asks this question on his blog: "If you could pick where and when you could live your life...from Adam and Eve to today, where and when would you enjoy living life?"--Good question. Well, without a doubt, it would be in the United States of America. I totally enjoy the modern conveniences and technological advances we have in this age, but I yearn for a day when America was sweeter, more innocent and more Godfearing. So I guess I wish there was a way to combine the great things about the present, with the kinder and gentler spirit of, say, the turn of the 20th century.



I normally answer the Monday Madness questions on Monay, but found that I was too tired to come up with good answers today! Is that pathetic, or what?!?

Time to answer today's edition of Friday Feasts!


Appetizer
Who is your favorite news anchor/reporter? Why?--Wow...you'd think, news junkie that I am, that I would be able to come up with an answer, just like that. But truthfully, I've never really thought about it till now. I admire Diane Sawyer and Paula Zahn, more for the way they come across than anything else. I like Shepherd Smith on FoxNews. I admire Christiane Amanpour because she can stand virtually in the middle of gunfire and bomb blasts, and still come off as serenely unflappable. I think the woman has guts. (I just realized at this moment that I actually prefer female anchors to male ones. Not surprising, I guess!)

Soup
Name 3 foods that are currently in your freezer.--Hmm...Budget Gourmet meals; boneless skinless chicken breats; Fudgsicles.

Salad
If you were to have the opportunity to name a new town or city, what would you call it?--Reagan.

Main Course
What will most likely be the next book you read?--Most likely "Jubilee," by B.J. Hoff. Also, I haven't read the latest in the Kinsey Millhone series by Sue Grafton. I really want to read that.

Dessert
What's the first thing you notice about the opposite gender?--People always ask stuff like this, and it's never just one thing. You don't really notice the particulars until you're talking one-on-one with a person. Then, I think eyes and smile are the biggies.

Have a wonderful and blessed weekend, everyone!


A walk down Memory Lane...

In the wake of my father's passing, I've been going through old pictures. Thought I'd share a few with you.



This is the earliest picture I have of me with my Dad. It was taken in the fall of 1957, when I was going on one year old, at Doling Park in Springfield, Missouri. My mom says she doesn't know if I was in a grouchy mood, or just teething, but obviously I'm not happy about something. :) My dad would have been about 25 years old here. He looks a lot like my son Jonathan.

*****



I figure I'm two or three years old in this one...already the curly hair that has plagued me throughout my life is prominent. I'm not facing the camera because as a little child, I hated looking into the sun. There are a lot of pictures of me as a small child with my head down like that. I'm not sure where this was taken.

*****



My wedding day, August 19, 1978, at Baptist Temple in Springfield, Missouri. Yup...Doug and I both look a LOT younger. That's because we were mere children. :)
My dad and Doug's dad shared duties in the ceremony. Dad would have been 46 here. Wow...younger than I am now!

Grace Notes...a terrific blog by a terrific writer

One of my very favorite writers is B.J. Hoff . She represents two of my passions: Christian fiction, and Ireland! Here's what I wrote about B.J. on the reading page of my website:

"Given my fascination for all things Irish, it's no wonder I fell in love with B.J. Hoff's 'Emerald Ballad' series. The series follows a family from famine-stricken Ireland to their immigration to the United States. I've also read part of B.J.'s 'Song of Erin' series, and some of her stand-alone novels. A terrific writer who spins very entertaining tales."

Actually, I need to update that paragraph, because soon I hope to read the third in B. J.'s American Anthem series.

Asked why she often writes about Irish immigrants, B. J. replies: "Well, who’s more interesting than the Irish, after all? There’s no danger of ever running out of stories about them!...Seriously, I love writing about the people who built our nation—our ancestors—and there’s really no way to do that without writing about immigrants. And since the Irish immigrants played such a hugely important role in settling America—and since my own family tree is exceedingly 'green—' I chose years ago to focus on Irish characters. However, in Prelude, the first book of my American Anthem series, you’ll meet not only Irish immigrants, but Italian and Scottish as well."



I'm so looking forward to reading "Jubilee." However, I'm happy to announce to those of you who love fiction and perhaps aspire to write it, as I do, that B. J. now has a blog in addition to her excellent website. Grace Notes is described as "BJ Hoff's Meeting Place for Writers and Readers of Christian Fiction."

B.J. has a lot of practical experience and accrued wisdom in the field of Christian fiction writing, and she shares these resources freely in her blog. She tells me she would also like to see it become a place for interaction, so feel free to post comments and questions in her comments section. I know I will be a regular visitor there!

If you haven't had a chance to read the first two in the American Anthem series, click the pictures below to read my reviews.

Aging gracefully?

From USA Today: "This obsession with plastic surgery is an epidemic. It's lunacy! These women have had their faces rebuilt and they look terrible. It's going to backfire at some point; sadly, somebody famous and young is going to have to die on the table." --plastic surgery veteran Jamie Lee Curtis, 45, to More Magazine.

Well, guess what, Jamie? Even that won't stop the lunacy. In a society where what you look like on the outside is of paramount importance, people--especially women--will continue to pursue that image of perfection, whether it be through plastic surgery or extreme diets.

Don't get me wrong; I believe in looking one's best. As an old preacher once said about women wearing make-up: "Even an old barn looks better with some paint." (OK, that's a groaner.) I don't even have a problem with people correcting something that really, truly needs fixing.

But I do believe the plastic surgery craze is getting out of control. It started in Hollywood and it's spreading across the nation, aided and abetted by the plethora of cosmetic surgery reality TV shows. One of the most disturbing trends is young girls hopping on the plastic surgery bandwagon; teen-agers getting breast implants, etc. My daughter picked up a copy of Teen Vogue recently, and it included an article on this disturbing phenomenon.

It might be a good idea to do a follow-up on some of these people and see if altering their appearances was the ultimate antidote they thought it was going to be. Hmm, makes me think of a thought from the Bible: "Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised."

Do Bonnie and Charley sound scary enough?


My 101QFL co-host, Darren Marlar, doesn't think "Bonnie" and "Charley" are scary enough names for the hurricanes headed toward Florida. He opened the phone lines this morning for callers to give us their suggestions for more macho or downright frightening hurricane names.

Some of them were pretty clever, and frightening indeed:

~Hurricane Mother-in-Law
~Hurricane Principal's Office
~Hurricane Stinky Feet
~Hurricane Alien
~Hurricane Ditka ("da Hurricane"? That one was one of my faves because my own hubby called it in
~Hurricane Hannibal (as in "Lecter")
~Hurricane Charlie Manson
~Hurricane Hitler
~Hurricane Attila (as in "the Hun")
...and one of the scariest of all...HURRICANE IRS!!!

Feel free to add your suggestions in my comments section.

Monday Madness

Here are my answers to today's Monday Madness

1. What's "it" all about, anyway?--Wow...I was just asking Alfie that the other day:

"What's it all about, Alfie?
Is it just for the moment we live?
What's it all about when you sort it out, Alfie?
Are we meant to take more than we give
or are we meant to be kind?
And if only fools are kind, Alfie,
then I guess it's wise to be cruel.
And if life belongs only to the strong, Alfie,
what will you lend on an old golden rule?
As sure as I believe there's a heaven above, Alfie,
I know there's something much more,
something even non-believers can believe in.
I believe in love, Alfie.
Without true love we just exist, Alfie.
Until you find the love you've missed you're nothing, Alfie.
When you walk let your heart lead the way
and you'll find love any day, Alfie, Alfie."

2. What radical political ideas do you have, if any?--Well, it depends on who you talk to. I suppose my positions against abortion and gay marriage would be considered "radical" by many.

3. Do you believe that you 'fit' the profile of your astrological star sign?--I have never felt like I was really much like the standard description of a Sagittarian. I'll admit, my August 8th-born sister is a textbook Leo, and my December 30th husband fits Capricorn profiles to a tee. But as a Christian, I honestly don't take much notice of astrology.

4. Will blogging survive 2005 or is it a fad?--Oh, definitely, blogging will survive. I could be wrong, but I don't honestly think it will go away. For everyone who gets burnt out and drops their blog, others will pop up to replace them.

5. Do you Ebay? If so, what and how often? Is it a full-time job, part-time hobby, or just to clear the junk from your house?--I've never done the Ebay thing, although both my sons have. My older son bought his first computer on Ebay. Maybe I should give it a try.

6. True or False: When I vote, I am all for one party.--Nope. Although I would consider myself a conservative Republican, I vote for the best person for the job. Particularly in local and state races, I pay little heed to the person's party affiliation. What does it really matter if my sheriff is a Republican or a Democrat? Is he going to be a terrific sheriff? That's what I want to know.

7. Meat or veggie sauce on your spaghetti?--Depends on my mood...but I really love marinara sauce, meat or no. When it comes to Italian food, it's all about the sauce.

8. Would you ever be on a TV Reality Show?--Well...it depends. Probably not. Most of them are silly, degrading and/or vulgar.

9. What is one thing (or place) that you would like to do (or see) that you have not yet done (or seen?)--I want to go to Ireland. I WANT TO GO TO IRELAND!!!

10. Do you answer memes honestly?--Just did a quick check of my answers. Yes, they're all honest. If a run across a meme that contains a question that I don't want to or can't answer honestly, I usually just don't participate in the meme. Just don't do it at all.

The poetry of Annie Johnson Flint



It's amazing how the writings of a woman who was born in 1866 could have such meaning and relevance in 2004. I first became aware of the poetry of Annie Johnson Flint when reading the wonderful devotional book, Streams in the Desert. I soon found out that Annie wrote the lyrics to the lovely old hymn, "He Giveth More Grace."

Annie knew something about pain and suffering, as she spent much of her life crippled by arthritis. This from "Annie's Own Story" by Rowland V. Bingham: "Although crippled, she did not consider herself helpless and that she could do nothing but bemoan her lot. She believed that God had laid her aside for a purpose, even though that purpose was obscure to her at times, but she also believed that He had work for her to do and she put her very best into the writing of her poems, rendering this ministry unto Him. The result has been that her verses have an unusually deep appeal to human hearts. The simple reason is that she felt what she wrote, and out of the crucible of suffering she was able to administer that comfort to others wherewith she herself had been comforted of God."

In the aftermath of my dad's death, I've been receiving comfort from songs and poems. Here is one that Annie wrote that rings clear and true:

The Blessings that Remain

There are Loved Ones who are missing
From the fireside and feast;
There are faces that have vanished,
There are voices that have ceased;
But we know they passed forever
From our mortal grief and pain,
And we thank Thee, Oh our Father,
For the blessings that remain.

Thanksgiving, oh, thanksgiving,
That their love once blessed us here,
That so long they walked beside us,
Sharing every smile and tear;
For the joy the past has brought us,
But can never take away,
For the sweet and gracious memories
Growing dearer every day,
For the faith that keeps us patient
Looking at the things unseen,
Knowing Spring shall follow Winter
And the earth again be green,
For the hope of that glad meeting
Far from mortal grief and pain -
We thank Thee, Oh our Father,
For the blessings that remain.

by Annie Johnson Flint

Click here for more of the poetry of Annie Johnson Flint.

In loving memory...

My father, Thomas V. "Pepper" Garrett, went home to be with the Lord on Wednesday, July 28th, 2004.

Many of you know that my dad has been dying of cirrhosis of the liver/liver cancer for the past few years. In fact, not too long ago I blogged about my memories of wonderful times spent conversing with my dad.

He was a Baptist pastor and missionary whose entire live was dedicated to ministry. He was a wonderful man--wise, funny, kind, generous, musically talented. He adored his family and was happiest when we were all gathered around him.


I had planned for quite some time to visit my folks July 26th through August 4th. I knew my dad's condition and quality of life had deteriorated greatly, and although I didn't really expect him to die that soon, I wanted to spend some time with them, particularly to give my mom moral support and help in any way I could.

As it happened, the Thurday before the Monday I was to fly to Texas, my parents moved into the Christopher House, a hospice in Austin. An appalling feature of my dad's disease was that he suffered from nocturnal agitation. Although he was extremely weak, he could not stop walking around the house at night, to the point where his feet actually swelled. Besides depriving him of sleep, it did the same thing to my mom, who was his major caregiver.

My dad's hospice nurse had suggested taking him to the Christopher House for a few days so stronger medication could be administered that would give him and my mom some rest.

As it happened, my dad went to sleep on Thursday night and woke up only once--briefly on Friday night--until the following Wednesday.


Beverly, Dad and me July 2003

After ascertaining that my dad would probably be dying at the Christopher House, I was extremely concerned about whether I would be able to see my dad alive one more time. The airline tickets for my daughter and me had been purchased on Hotwire, and couldn't be changed.

Fortunately, I had said everything I wanted to say to my dad in previous visits. I had no regrets on that point. I just wanted to see him alive one more time.

As soon as Elizabeth and I arrived in Austin, my sister took us directly to the Christopher House. My dad was in a deep sleep, but when I told him I was there, he physically responded and even tried to open his eyes.

The next many hours in the Christopher House were extraordinary. My sisters, my mom and I kept watch over my dad, frequently joined by other loved ones. The nurses and doctors had told us that my dad could hear us, so they encouraged us to talk to him and sing to him. Although we often broke down in tears, there were also times of laughter and reminiscing.

When we sang to him, it was amazing to see him respond even while asleep. He would move his mouth and raise his eyebrows as if trying to join in with us. My dad could never hear anyone singing without wanting to join in! He was a beautiful singer and musician, and loved singing for the Lord more than anything.


My dad, mom and sisters before my dad's illness

On Monday night, my mom and my siblings all spent the night in the small room at the Christopher House. My mom and Beverly slept on a small couch that folded out into a small bed. I slept on a recliner. Lisa slept on a mat on the floor; David slept on the bare floor. We had grieved and said what we thought would be our final good-byes to our dad, but he didn't pass away that night. The vigil continued on Tuesday. It was extremely difficult to see my father's labored and ragged breathing, and it continued to worsen.

At 12:30 AM Wednesday morning, Lisa and her husband David and I decided to go to her house and try to get some sleep. My dad's heartbeat was still relatively strong, and it didn't appear he would die in the next several hours. We knew the next day would probably be a rough one, and decided it would be better to face it after having had some rest.

However, shortly before 7 AM on Wednesday morning, my mom called to tell us my dad only had a few minutes. Shortly afterwards she called to tell us that he had indeed passed away, at 7:05 AM.

You often hear stories about Christians seeing a glimpse of heaven as they died. D. L. Moody reportedly said: "Is this dying? Why this is bliss...There is no valley....I have been within the gates...Earth is receding; Heaven is opening; God is calling; I must go. "

My dad never spoke, but my sister and my mom tell me he woke with a start; his eyes came open, clear, bright and aware, and he looked up with an expression of incredible awe and joy on his face. As they talked to him, telling him they loved him, he continued to look upward with that rapturous expression before taking two peaceful breaths (his earlier breathing had been labored and difficult), then he went home to glory.

I wish I had been there. But just hearing my mom and sister describing it...my mom called it a "beautiful" death...renews my faith. Heaven is not just a lovely myth; it is REAL. And I believe my dad caught a glimpse of it before his soul actually departed his body.

The funeral, on Saturday, was more a celebration than anything else. There were tears, but there was laughter as well. There was joy! Beverly, Lisa and I had pre-recorded "Home Where I Belong" and Lisa had pre-recorded "Beulah Land," (we would never have been able to make it through the songs live) and a tape of the song "At The Crossing" was played.

The way the service ended was extremely fitting. My dad loved nothing more than when his close and extended family members would gather around the piano and sing. With my cousin Elaine playing the piano, several of my cousins sang "I'll Fly Away." It was wonderful! My dad would have loved it.

How do people who don't know the Lord make it through the deaths of their loved ones? I'm so glad we don't "sorrow as those who have no hope." We'll miss our dad terribly, but we'll see him again. And he is happier and better off now than he ever was in these "Shadowlands."

I'll close with the poem my mom chose to put in the programme of my father's funeral:

"SERVANT of God! well done,
Rest from thy loved employ;
The battle is fought, the vict'ry won,
Enter thy Master's joy.

The voice at midnight came
He started up to hear
A mortal arrow pierced his frame,
He fell--but felt no fear.

The pains of death are past,
Labor and sorrow cease;
And life's long warfare closed at last,
His soul is found in peace.

Soldier of Christ, well done!-
Begin thy new employ;
And while eternal ages run,
Rest in they Savior's joy."--James Montgomery

P.S.--My heartfelt thanks to the many people--many of whom had never even met my dad--who prayed for him and my mom during the course of his illness. You know who you are. You'll never know how much it means to me and my family.--Cindy

The more things change, the more they stay the same?

Ran across this quote on www.pluggedinonline.com:
 
"Most of what passes for legitimate entertainment is inferior or foolish and only caters to or exploits people's weaknesses. Avoid being one of the mob who indulges in such pastimes. Your life is too short, and you have important things to do. Be discriminating about what images and ideas you let in your mind. If you yourself don't choose what thoughts and images you expose yourself to, someone else will, and their motives may not be the highest. It is the easiest thing in the world to slide imperceptibly into vulgarity. But there's no need for that to happen if you determine not to waste your time and attention on mindless pap." —Roman philosopher Epictetus (AD 55-135), in his work The Art of Living
 
Some Questions for Today...
 
Rick  has these questions on his blog today, and I'll answer them:
 
1) What's the last thing you listened to on the radio?--A song on 101QFL:  "Move or Move Me," by FFH.
 
2) What's the last program you watched on TV?--The "What The...?" Awards on the E! Channel.  Pretty amusing show that pokes fun at celebrities and reality TV.
 
3) What's the last thing you prayed?--"Father, give my mom peace, strength and some rest today..."
 

Someday Heaven

What would you do if you were faced with a tragedy in your life that seems insurmountable?  If the unthinkable happened, would you be prepared to face it?  Would the grace be there, and be sufficient to see you through life when your worst fears are realized?
 
Today I interviewed a couple who, less than a year ago, were thrown into just such a situation.  Paul and Rebecca Bunke  lost two of their six children on August 4, 2003, in a traffic crash caused by a drunk driver. 
 
I've known Paul for quite some time, so my heart grieved for this family as soon as I heard the devastating news almost a year ago.  However, it is nothing short of amazing how God has used this tragedy to touch hearts and reach lives for the kingdom. 
 
Paul told me he doesn't refer to it as an "accident," but rather a crash or a wreck.  That's because he believes nothing is an accident in God's sovereign plan for our lives, and also because of the fact that it had a cause...drunk driving.
 
Amazingly, Paul and Rebecca have forgiveness for the man who caused the accident.  And they've turned devastation into ministry.  You can read the entire story on their website.  Also, if you live in the Rockford area, you can hear the  interview on Sunday, July 18th, at 5:30 AM on 101QFL or at 9 PM on Radio 91.
 
Paul will also be the special guest speaker Sunday night at 6:30 PM at Berean Baptist Church, 5626 Safford Road in Rockford.  
   
 
 
A book of comfort for children and parents alike...
 
I asked Paul and Rebecca about what things were of particular comfort to them in the weeks and months following the loss of their children, Sara and Philip.  They mentioned a book written for children, titled Someday Heaven, by Larry Libby. 
 
Although Paul says someone who has just lost a loved one doesn't need to be inundated with a library of books on grief, the Bunkes say they keep several copies of this book on hand to give to people who are grieving.
 
According to www.amazon.com:  "Explaining the mysteries of Heaven to a child can be a difficult task. But in Someday Heaven, author Larry Libby gives simple, comforting answers to difficult questions that children age 4 to 8 often have concerning heaven. "
 
But according to Paul and Rebecca, the book comforts children and adults alike in its simplicity.
 
While Paul continues his job as an investment broker, and Rebecca her job as a homeschooling mom, they hope to minister to others through their Bunke Family Ministries.   For more information on this outreach and more on the Bunke's story, go to www.bunkefamily.com
 
*************** 
 

 
Here are my answers to today's Friday's Feast...join in if you like!
 
Appetizer Make a sentence using the letters of your favorite color. (Example: BLUE - Bob loves using eggs.) --PINK--Please ignore naughty knights?  (I know, lame....)
 
Soup If you were to be stranded on a deserted island and could only have one CD to listen to, which one would you want it to be?--Nope...I tried, but I just can't do it.  I couldn't get by with just one CD.  There's no way I could decide on just one.
 
 Salad How many people have you kissed in your lifetime?--Actually, not that many.  Definitely fewer than ten, little more than five maybe.
 
Main Course Someone offers to give you $2 million, but says you can only have it if you will give half of it to charity. Which good cause would you donate the $1 million to?--My church, my parents' church, other small and struggling churches,  evangelical foreign missions and agencies that help feed and care for needy and starving children, like Samaritan's Purse.
 
Dessert What would you like to name your next pet?--Good question.  I actually came up with the name for our German Shepherd, Stormy, because we got her during April when lots of storms were going on.  There's a possibility we may get a toy poodle.  Maybe something that would go good with Stormy.  Rainy?  I dunno.  :)  Or maybe a nod to one of my husband's favorite sports teams. 
 

What kind of book person are you?

I first saw this on a Christian blog, but for the life of me I couldn't remember which one...so I did a Google search and found it on a site called Collective Miscellany.

Since I am basically a TOTAL BOOK FREAK, I couldn't resist taking the quiz...I invite you to do so as well.



What Kind of Book Person Are You?

1) What is your favorite type of bookstore?
A. A large chain that is well lit, stuffed full of books, and has a café.--OK, I know that's the prosaic answer, but the truth is, I really do love the comfort and organization of a nice bookstore. I was just in Barnes and Noble with my daughter yesterday, and it was so nice to be able to sit in a comfortable chair and read a book I actually had no intention of buying. Plus, there's a Starbucks in Barnes and Noble.

However, there should be an option D here: any bookstore that isn't pornographic or occultic. I love books so much that even the smell of them gives me comfort and joy.

And I do love Christian bookstores. I know there's a certain amount of "Christian commercialism" that turns some people off, but I enjoy being surrounded by Christian books and music. My favorite local one is Lemstone; it's pleasant and tastefully decorated, and usually seems to have what I'm looking for.

B. A dark, rather dusty, used bookstore full of mysterious and vaguely organized books.
C. A local independent bookstore that has books by local authors and coffee.

2) What would excite you more?
A. A brand new book by your favorite author. I think I would have to go with this one. I get excited about a new book from authors like Francine Rivers, Maeve Binchy and others, because they don't churn them out frequently. I devour a new Kinsey Millhone mystery from Sue Grafton; I've read the entire series so far. I would REALLY get excited if Rosamunde Pilcher wrote a new novel. Her "The Shell Seekers," "September" and "Homecoming" are among my favorite secular novels, but she takes her time in coming out with new ones.

B. Finding a classic you've been wanting to read.--It's relatively easy to find classics. I read "Gone With the Wind" when I was a teenager, and would like to own it and read it again...but it will be easy to find when I decide to do so. I did blog here last fall about finding a treasured childhood book on the internet. That was wonderful!
C. Receiving a free book from a friend in the mail.

3) What's your favorite format?
A. Novel--No doubt about it.
B. Short story
C. Poetry

4) Favorite format, part II.
A. Contemporary fiction.
B. Classic novels.
C. Genre (mystery, espionage, etc.)
I'd have to say all of the above! I honestly don't care that much about the setting or genre...it just has to be the kind of book that I enjoy so much that I'm reluctant to put it down for any reason. That's my real test of a terrific book!

5) Favorite format, part III (none of the above) Fiction or non?
A. Almost entirely fiction. Occasionally, a really good nonfiction book catches my eye...but I'm not big on self-help books. If I'm reading nonfiction, it will probably be a biography or something to do with history.
B. Almost entirely non-fiction.
C. A mix of both.

6) Does the design and condition of the book matter?
A. Yes, I love a well designed book and keep mine in mint condition.
B. No, the words are what matter.
C. Yes and no, I appreciate good design and treat my books with respect but I am not obsessive about it.

7) On average how many books do you read a month?
A. I am lucky to read one.
B. I am dedicated. I read 4 or 5. Although there HAVE been times when I've read 10 or more. Lack of ime alone deters me from reading more. Also, I'm a very fast reader.
C. I am a fiend. I read 10 or more!

8) Do you prefer to own or borrow?
A. There is a particular joy in owning a book. I have a large library. Actually, I'm fortunate...thanks to my job, I'm able to get a lot of free books. However, I go through phases where I read library books like crazy. I prefer not to borrow from a friend, however, because (blush) I'm bad about returning books.
B. Why spend money when you can read it for free? I use the public library.
C. Different tools for different job. I do both.

9) Where do you get (the majority) your book news?
A. Newspapers.
B. Magazines.
C. TV
D. Blogs.
--Again, all of the above, plus I receive catalogs from all the major Christian publishing houses.

10) Are books a professional obsession?
A. Yes, I work in the field (writer, reviewer, publisher, teacher, etc.).
B. No, I do it for fun.
C. Kinda, I write the occasional review but have a regular job outside of books.
--Again, all of the above. As part of my job, I review books and do author interviews, but that's just one aspect of my job. I review books on my website sheerly for fun, and to let my readers know about terrific books.

How about you? :)

Random thoughts on yet another Monday morning....

Just a few of the questions that float through my muddle brain...

--Why is it that so much phone-hold music makes you feel like you're in the middle of one of those goofy late 60's movies, the kind that "Austin Powers" pokes fun at?

--Why is it that when you go out in public looking what you feel is your best, you don't see a single soul you know...but when you're looking like a slob, you'll inevitably see a million people you know?

--Along those same lines, why is it that your house can be clean and shiny and no one will drop by, but when it's a total wreck, you will inevitably have visitors pop in...usually visitors who are the type who are die-hard cleanies?

--When you're running late to work, why do you get all the red lights...but when you're on time or even if you're a little TOO early, you get all the GREEN lights???

Or am I the only one that these things happen to???


Weekend Update

Wow, what a wonderful weekend...and mainly just because it was spent with people I love.

I ended up not doing anything Friday night. Doug and Elizabeth went to the Rockford RiverHawks game...Doug is the team chaplain and Liz works in the concession stand, so they are at every game. But I was really wiped out and just wanted to lay around watching TV Friday night, and that's exactly what I did. Justin works overnight at Wal-Mart, so he left fairly early in the evening.


On Saturday, Doug and I had some good "together" time. We grocery-shopped and ate lunch at my favorite Chinese place. Later that night, we went to the RiverHawks game together. They had been planning fireworks last week, but had gotten rained out, so they did the fireworks Saturday night, and they were really great!

Another thing...can you listen to Ray Charles' version of "America the Beautiful" without getting a tear in your eye? If he hadn't recorded anything but that, his career would have been worthwhile, in my opinion. Sadly, he passed away right after President Reagan did.

Now it's hard to believe it's Monday again already.

"Narcissistic navel-gazing"?


In her lively and interesting blog, Valerie observes her second "blogiversary" by asking some tough questions about the worthwhile-ness (is that a word?) of blogging in general, and continuing her blog in particular: "On this auspicious occasion, I pause to ask, Why? What's the point? Is this just a vehicle for narcissistic navel-gazing, or does it have some value? Is it more glorifying to God or to Valerie? Does it advance His agenda or mine? Does it really serve my neighbor or just myself? Does it exhibit more wisdom or foolishness?"

Well, there are certainly those who think people have blogs just to indulge their frustrated writing desires, and yammer on about things that couldn't possibly be interesting to anyone but themselves.

I admit, I've asked myself these questions, too. Why do I blog? Well, mainly because it's fun and I like it! It's kind of like having my own little column, albeit read by a relatively small amount of people...my own little platform. I love to write. I love the bit of creativity involved. I have a website that remains fairly static, with just occasional updates. This blog is much more immediate and convenient to post on, because it doesn't require things to be converted to HTML.

Then again, I think there's so much awful and downright evil stuff on the Internet, I like the idea of sending even a small ray of light out over the ether. In fact, I commented in response to Valerie's questions:

"I say, blog on, Valerie! I too have wondered if blogging is just, as you so aptly put it, 'narcisstic navel-gazing.' But I believe your blog...and mine...do have real value, if for no other reason than that they are little bits of salt and light in cyberspace. And isn't that what we are commmanded to be?"

And finally...just because...


Happy Monday!

Thank goodness it's FRIDAY!!!!!!

And here are my replies to Friday's Feast. Join me? Add your comments here, or post them on your own blog if you have one.


Appetizer
If you were a color, which color would you be, and why?--Yellow, because I'm chicken? Uh, I really don't know...pink is my favorite color, but I never thought about actually being the color pink.

Soup
When was the last time you went to the doctor, and what was your reason for going?--Oh, goodness. It wasn't that long ago. I was plagued with sinus infections until a couple months ago. I think late April or early May was the last time I actually went to the doctor's office.

Salad
What do you collect?--Well, I collect Coca-Cola stuff, although I'm not a particularly avid collector. I never buy expensive Coca-Cola stuff. Many of the items I have were given to me by friends and family or even radio listeners who've heard me talk about it. One listener gave me an awesome Coca-Cola radio that looks like a cooler. It works great; in fact, it's my kitchen radio.

My long-range goal is to give our basement the feel of a nostalgic diner, and put all my Coke stuff down there. I would absolutely LOVE to have a real, old, working Coke machine...the kind that you used to get glass bottles of icy Coke from. (Those of you that are old enough will remember how it used to taste, coming out of an ice-cold bottle...so cold there were actual little slivers of frosty ice in the drink. You just can't get Cokes that cold anymore!) However...the Coke machine desire is kind of a pipe dream, unless someone just gives me one (wouldn't THAT be awesome!?) With one child still in college and one yet to begin, my budget doesn't exactly include trivial "wants" like that.

Main Course
What were you like in high school? Name one thing you miss and one thing you don't miss about those days. (If you're still there, imagine how you'll remember it in the future.)--I guess I was viewed as kind of an intellectual. There were two kinds of popular at my school--athletic/cheerleader popular, and smart/funny popular. I think I was pretty much in the second group. I miss some of the people I went to high school with, especially a remarkable girl named Mary Durusau. She was the editor of the school newspaper when I was the managing editor. She was brilliant, talented, and so funny that I still quote her to this day.

For example, once we were talking about a local Catholic high school which was noted for male students who were, more often than not, remarkably handsome. Mary once said that one of the questions on the application for Jesuit High School was "Can you be goodlooking?"

I miss the pep rallies and the football games. They were incredibly fun and exciting. I miss some of my teachers. I guess most of all I miss the innocence of youth...and yet I wouldn't want to live it all over again, absolutely not.

Sadly, I've heard that my alma mater--Woodlawn High School in Shreveport, Louisiana--may be closed down soon. I really do have a lot of wonderful memories from my years there.

Dessert
Pretend you're standing in front of your home, with your back towards your home. Describe the view - what can you see? Trees? Cars? A zoo? Wal-Mart?--The house belonging to our neighbor across the street (we live on a double dead-end.) Our neighborhood is very modest, but most of the residents take a fair amount of pride in their homes and yards. Our neighbor is a grouchy old Polish man. It's useless to try to be friendly to him, because there is no way he is going to reciprocate...he seems to be in a perennial bad mood.

However, his brick duplex is trim and neat, his yard immaculate, and he has something that we don't have...some gorgeous leaf-bearing trees in his front yard (we only have two evergreens.) Those trees are an ever-changing painting outside my livingroom's front window, depicting the current season. In summer and autumn, they are breathtaking. I'll sit on my livingroom sofa reading, and a flash of scarlet will catch my eye. It's the male half of a cardinal couple that frequents those trees. Lovely.

Have an awesome weekend, everyone!

Deep enough to dream...

I really, really like Chris Rice, so I'm delighted that Charmel just handed me a copy of his "Best of..." CD, Short Term Memories.

Most of my favorites are here, including "Deep Enough to Dream," which is the song that introduced me to the talented singer/songwriter back in 1997. I was immediately struck by Rice's vocal similarity to one of my all-time favorites, James Taylor. Since then, the Taylor resemblance has diminished somewhat, which is fine. Rice is an able vocalist in his own right, with a pleasant and folksy vibe to his singing.

But my appreciation for Rice has only grown. He has written some of the best (and I believe, most enduring) songs in Christian music in the past several years.

This CD also includes some of my other faves, including "Smellin' Coffee," the lovely "Untitled Hymn (Come to Jesus), "And Your Praise Goes On," and what has become one of my favorite Christmas songs of all time (although it's perfectly appropos at any time of year), "Welcome to Our World."

And of course, no "Best of" Chris Rice CD would be complete without the enormously popular "Cartoons" :

"I was thinking the other day
What if cartoons got saved?
They'd start singing praise
In a whole new way"

Rice then proceeds to ponder on what it would sound like if Fred Flintstone, the Smurfs, Yogi Bear and other cartoon icons started singing praises to God. Of course, this song has to be heard to be appreciated.

My respect for Rice grew when I received a copy of his Living Room Sessions CD...which is simply Rice playing classic hymns on his own living room piano. His playing style is relaxed and pleasant, a bit reminiscent of a Jim Brickman style.

My daughter-in-law Daylyn and son Jonathan used Rice's arrangment of "For the Beauty of the Earth" in their wedding, as the bridesmaids walked down the aisle. Beautiful. Now whenever I hear that version, I think of that happy occasion.

I like Rice's thinking when it comes to preserving those classic hymns. In my opinion, they are a priceless treasure, and nothing stirs my soul musically quite like some of those timeless songs of worship.

Says Rice: ""I have recorded some of my favorite hymns on the piano in my home... I left a few notes in that don't quite belong, and you might even hear the piano bench creak every now and then, but I decided to leave the humanness in, like I found it in my church growing up."

But about "Short Term Memories"...my only disappointment is that the song "Hallelujahs" is not included. It's one of my very favorite Chris Rice songs, and was on his debut "Deep Enough to Dream" CD. Admittedly, more people may recognize it from Kathy Troccoli's version, but I prefer Chris's version. I like this song so much, I hope to buy the sound track and sing it myself.

Strangely, Grassrootsmusic.com lists "Hallelujahs" as track 9 on the CD...but my copy has "Life Means So Much" as Track 9, and "Hallelujahs" is nowhere to be found. Actually I do have the song on another CD, but it would have been nice to have all my Chris Rice favorites in one place.

Here are some of the lyrics of "Hallelujahs":

"O cratered moon and sparrow's wings
O thunder's boom and Saturn's rings
unveil our Father as you sing
and my soul wells up with hallelujahs
The pulse of life within my wrist
A fallen snow, a rising mist
There is no higher praise than this
And my soul wells up with hallelujahs"

Lovely lyrics...in my opinion, worthy to endure.

I am a Wacky Emotional Constructive Follower...

OK, you all know I'm a sucker for personality quizzes. I found this one via Paul Baxter's blog...and whaddaya know, I'm a Wacky Emotional Constructive Follower. Actually, the analysis sounds eerily like me:

"In a relationship, you require lots of attention and support. You often over-contribute and end up feeling depleted and cheated. You may benefit from more time alone than you grant yourself.

"Your driving force is the emotional support of others--especially affection. You can run on empty for miles if you have positive energy behind you. Without it--as it occasionally must run dry--you are depressive, listless, and difficult to motivate.

"You need a lot of affection. Get it any way you can, but never at the cost of your self-respect or well-being."

Wow...I usually don't put a lot of stock in these things, but right now I'm hearing the Twilight Zone theme.

Joni's Larry King appearance apparently rescheduled...

Barb left a comment on my blog, letting me know that Larry King now has Gene Hackman sheduled for tonight. A quick trip to Joni's site informed me that the interview is now set for sometime in August. We're to check back on her site for a specific date apparently to be named later.

Joni Eareckson Tada to be on "Larry King Live"

I just received an e-mail from my friend Melodi informing me that Joni Eareckson Tada will be a guest on
Larry King Live tomorrow, Wednesday, July 7th.

I've been an admirer of Joni since I first read her autobiography back in the late 70's. A diving accident left her paralyzed from the neck down when she was a young woman. But with God's help, she has triumphed over incredible odds to become a voice for the disabled (with her "Joni and Friends" ministry), an artist and a prolific writer of inspiring books.

My own problems and drawbacks seem trivial when you look at what Joni and others like evangelist Tim Lee have had to deal with. Not only have they coped with severe physical limitations; they've reached thousands for Christ and been instruments of encouragement and blessing to many others.

Joni says she and her staff had been praying about the Larry King interview: "...that the Lord's name would be lifted up, that his Gospel would be made clear, and that it all would be done without sounding 'forced.' God answered! The interview went a full hour and Larry King covered such topics as depression, how can a good God allow suffering, stem cell research, my thoughts on Christopher Reeve and his approach to healing, when is it right to die, Wheels for the World, Joni and Friends Family Retreats, my marriage to Ken, and a lot about my art. We left that studio shaking our heads and smiling...

"... I couldn't help but give the Gospel when, for the last question, Larry asked, "What do you think of Mel Gibson's movie, The Passion?"

Check your local listings and try to catch this interview. I've no doubt it will be remarkable.

How was your 4th?

Mine was nice, pleasant and blessedly uneventful (no debilitating storm like the one that happened last year.)

I did have to be in the parade on Sunday night, something the 101QFL and Radio 91 staffs have done for years. This time, I rode in Chris Carmichael's Jeep along with Chris, Rick Hall, and Darren Marlar of 101QFL.

I had never ridden in a Jeep with the top down before, and that was a lot of fun! However, I told Chris I can understand why Marilyn Monroe and those other fifties glam queens always wore headscarves when riding in a convertible...it wreaks havoc to your hair! BTW, did you know that Jeep owners always wave when passing each other on the road? It's kind of an unwritten rule, I guess.

The parade is always fun, because you can tell who the listeners are. They clap and cheer and generally make you feel great! And the little kids are absolutely adorable.

Plus, the weather couldn't have been nicer. Most years we swelter in the heat and humidity. This year it was perfect.

After the parade, when Doug and Liz got out of church, we met up and took Rick Hall with us to view the fireworks. I LOVE Rockford's fireworks...they are spectacular. We ended the evening at Steak n' Shake. All in all, a nice Fourth, made even nicer by the fact that I didn't have to work the next day!

Here's hoping for a wonderful holiday...

...and happy birthday to America, land that I love!

Thanks to Ashley, I discovered a new "meme" called Friday's Feast. Join me in answering the questions if you like...and happy FRIDAY!!!!

Appetizer
Name a board game you enjoy playing (Scrabble? Monopoly? Trivial Pursuit?) What's fun about it? Do you change the rules or go by the book?--I love Trivial Pursuit, but it's been ages since I played it! My husband and I make a killer team, because I handle literature and entertainment, while he handles science and sports. I also enjoy Scrabble, but I'm not as good at it as you might think. It's not really about having a good vocabulary; it's about knowing all kinds of strange words that are worth lots of points! Before my husband's stepmom became ill with Alzheimer's, she was a killer at Scrabble...pretty much unbeatable. When I started beating her at Scrabble, I knew something was wrong.

Soup
How's the weather been in your area lately? Hot and dry? Wet and muggy? Stormy? Beautiful? --"Beautiful" would pretty accurately describe it. Highs no higher than the low 80's, without too much humidity. As I understand it though, we're in for a few days of rain and thunderstorms, even a chance of it on the 4th.

Salad
Do you consider yourself an emotional person? What types of emotions do you experience most often?--Uh....YES. Yes indeedy. I experience pretty much the full gamut of emotions, usually pretty intensely. My Irish heritage, my Mediterranean heritage, or my Latin heritage...or a combination of all three???

Main Course
List 3 songs you've been listening to recently. Are these songs from a different category of music than you usually choose, or are you devoted to a certain type of tunes?--I listen to mostly Christian music, but will venture out of that genre for music that I think is beautiful and worthwhile. Here are a few I've been listening to lately?--

1)Mercy Me's "Here with Me"---here are a few of the lyrics:

"...I can feel your presence here with me
Suddenly I’m lost within your beauty
Caught up in the wonder of your touch
Here in this moment I surrender to your love"

2) My daughter bought "The Late Great PFR" on a sale rack recently, and I really love their "That Kind of Love":

"...where does that kind of love come from? They say that it runs in his blood..."

3) I also enjoy my daughter's Josh Groban CD. Come to think of it, I find myself sneaking her CD's quite a bit!

Dessert
What's on your refrigerator door? Magnets? Your child's drawings? Photos? Calendars?--Magnets...including several CocaCola magnets because I collect CocaCola stuff. Several pics of my children. An old postcard I sent my son from Nashville once, just because I love Nashville and have happy memories of there. Stuff from Chicago, because I love Chicago. A schedule for the Rockford RiverHawks baseball team. A drawing by one of our friends' twin daughters---don't remember if it was Morgan or Raegan. Years ago, you could find lots of my kids' artwork on the fridge. Remember that old Wayne Watson song, "Watercolor Ponies"?

"There are watercolor ponies on my refrigerator door
And the shape of something I don't really recognize;

Brushed with careful little fingers, and put proudly on display
A reminder to us all, of how time flies.

It seems an endless pile of laundry
And a stairway laced with toys
Gives a blow by blow reminder of the war,
That we fight for their well being; for their greater understanding
To impart a holy reverence for the Lord.

(Chorus)
But baby, what will we do when comes back to me and you?
They look a little less like little boys every day.
Oh, the pleasure of watching the children growing
Is mixed with a bitter cup; of knowing the water colour poines...
Will one day.... ride away

And the vision can get so narrow
As you view from your tiny world...
And little victories can go by with no appaluse.
But in the greater evaluation, as they fly from your nest of love;
May they mount up with wings as eages for his His cause.

Still I wonder baby, what will we do.....
When it comes back to me and you.....
They look a little less like little ones every day...
Oh, the pleasure of watching the children growing
Is mixed with a bitter cup; of knowing the Water colour ponies...
Will one day.... , one day..... One day.. ride away."

OK, NOW I'm emotional. Thanks a lot!!! :)

By the way...

My gnews and qnews e-mail seems to be fine now, if anyone needs to e-mail me.

Reminiscing about the great storm of July 2003...

Last year's Fourth of July celebration was followed by a severe storm that uprooted thousands of trees in Rockford, and left our home without electrical power for four days. It just so happened that my son and his girlfriend were visiting, and that was the weekend that he proposed to her. So last year's Fourth was pretty memorable for our family. The following is something I wrote about the whole event, and posted on my website.

July 16, 2003--The Storm, the Ring, and Other Things


Jonathan and Daylyn

The storm
On Friday night, the 4th of July, my husband Doug, daughter Elizabeth, son Jonathan, his girlfriend Daylyn and I sat on a park bench in a factory parking lot in the heart of Rockford, spellbound by the spectacular fireworks display. Doug and Elizabeth had found this particular spot last year, and from this vantage point, it really did seem as if the fireworks were being set off for our personal viewing pleasure. Funny how no matter how old I get, I never tire of a really magnificent fireworks show, and Rockford's really has to be among the best!

Little did we know that the Lord was about to put on his own fireworks display. Around 4:30 the next morning, a powerful storm woke the entire household. Well, I say I woke up...but it was really for just long enough to hear my husband, who was peering out our bedroom windown, say, "Maybe we should all go down to the basement..." I was conscious of the thunder and lightning and the sound of high winds, but that was about it. I mumbled something, rolled over and went back to sleep. Fierce thunderstorms are par for the course in the summertime here, and I thought it was just another storm.

I woke up a few hours later, sweltering. What? No ceiling fan? Ahh...no electricity. The storm had wiped it out for some 80-thousand Com-Ed customers in our area, but that wasn't the extent of the damage. One of the huge old trees in my neighbors front lawn had literally been jerked up by the roots. What a strange site...an enormous tree, leaning over on the front of our neighbor's house, roots literally dangling off the ends.

We got in the car and started driving around the city, (although later we heard the mayor was asking people to stay put as much as possible), and were dumbfounded by what we saw. It was like some kind of green holocaust. Streets so piled up with large tree limbs and branches that they were actually impassable. Huge, venerable old trees toppled over, uprooted, split down the middle or the tops broken off like so many giant matchsticks. Ingersoll Golf Course alone lost over 300 trees to the storm.

Later we found out that the storm had wreaked a wide path of tree and wire damage down the middle of Rockford, whirling its way down the major artery called Auburn Street that's just to the south of our neighborhood. The storm whipped up to over 100 mile an hour winds, and although it lasted barely 15 minutes, it left tree carnage the likes of which I have never seen. Thankfully, trees and power lines were just about the only victims. Not a single human injury or loss of life has been reported. Thank you, God!

The ring
Jonathan and Daylyn headed to downtown Chicago for the day, and when they came back, Daylyn was wearing an engagement ring! We knew this was going to happen, but we were no less thrilled. Doug and I can sense that we are entering a whole new era in our lives. Am I ready to be a mother-in-law? Will I be a good one? I have the examples of my mom and my sister-in-laws to go by. ( I haven't really had the full mother-in-law experience, because Doug's mom died well before we met.)

Jonny did it right. He took Daylyn to the observatory atop the Hancock Center and went down on one knee to pop the question. Now a beautiful diamond in a white-gold setting graces her left hand. Daylyn is a lovely girl, and we already love her! The wedding is set for early January, so the next few months will be exciting as preparations abound.

...and other things
Well...we were without electrical power for almost four full days. I learned one thing: I'm glad I didn't live in the pioneer era. I've been reading a Jane Kirkpatrick series about an Indian woman who helped blaze the trail west in the early 18-hundreds, and my hat's off to those men and women. I found out that I'm truly spoiled. I missed a working refrigerator, being able to blow dry my hair and to read at night (how on earth did Abe Lincoln do it by candlelight?!)...I even, yes, missed watching TV and of course, listening to the radio. Most of all, I missed being able to cool off! Not even a window fan for relief. You just do not realize how dependent you are on electricity until you don't have it!

Speaking of candlelight...I view it in a whole new way now. Candles are great for fragrance and ambience, for evoking a romantic mood, and they certainly are kind to one's appearance--candlelight takes years off your age!--but it's not that great to see by. Ben Franklin and Thomas Alva Edison--guys, I appreciate you as never before!

Well, we survived. And we saw a future daughter-in-law that, as a house guest in a house without electricty, was the epitome of grace under pressure. Daylyn, we can't wait to welcome you into our family!

Still musing about music...

Aunt Sandra, who recently visited my folks in Texas, (she my dad's baby sister), e-mailed me in response to my blogging about songs:

"Your blog about music and songs reminded me that while we were at your mom and dad's, with Beverly,[my sister] whom Billie [my aunt] and I had not seen since the anniversary party for me and maybe our mother's funeral for Billie, Pepper [my dad] and Beverly sang a duet to 'You Are My Sunshine.' It was a vocal and piano duet. I remember our daddy singing that and it being one of his favorite songs of all times because it was written by the former governor of Louisiana, where daddy was born and raised. I think he really admired Jimmie Davis , as a song writer,and, as a governor, and went around the housesinging that song a lot, it being such an easy one to remember.

"Pepper still has a strong voice when he sings. Someone asked me to sing at church that Sunday morning. Then Beverly and I were going to sing a duet and the first thing I knew, it was your daddy, Beverly , Lisa and me in a quartet as the special music for the Sunday morning service. That was really a special song for me , to be able to sing with my brother and nieces, in that beautiful new sanctuary, in that wonderful church."

Thanks, Aunt Sandra! I agree that Daddy still has a beautiful singing voice. It makes me sad, though, that he's lost his ability to play the piano. Daddy had a unique style of playing...it was by ear, and it was kind of his own little unusual technique, but it worked! I have so many memories of him playing and singing...it was one of his very favorite things to do. In fact, when my parents would come up and visit me, he would often be at loose ends because I didn't have a piano.

Now I have a piano, but he won't be visiting me again.

"O Brother Where Art Thou" revisited...


My dear friend Randy e-mailed me about "O Brother Where Art Thou." Joy and Aaron had commented that they loved the soundtrack, but thought it was better than the movie...and I said I thought there were some pretty hilarious moments in the movie, although I couldn't recommend it unreservedly.

Randy begged to differ: "I love the soundtrack because it has a lot of my family history in it. But, as we are all different, the movie, to me anyway, was a stitch. I have always been fond of anything by the Coen brothers... I guess in a satiric sort of way, they do show the foibles of misguided religious thought.

"More than anything I see the movie as first rate lunacy with a laugh a minute. But, then again, I am the same person who absolutely loves 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail.'"

Now there's another one with some hilarious stuff in it!