Size 5? No problem...

When Jimmy and I decided to get married the first thing I did was go to the shoe store and order my wedding shoes. I had long since learned that finding size 5 shoes was not only difficult but sometimes impossible. The last thing I wanted was for this to be a glitch in our special day. Just as I had thought the store didn't have the wedding pump in my size, so they ordered it and handed me my prize two weeks later. Fast forward twenty some years and things haven't changed a bit, in fact they've gotten worse. Now, the smallest shoe major department stores carry is size 6, which is terribly frustrating.

A couple of years ago Jimmy and I were in Toronto, Canada and I stumbled across the cutest tangerine Clarks I'd ever seen. It was love at first site. Oh, if only I could have a pair of those lovely sandals. What I wouldn't give to take those babies home. Well aware the odds were slim, I asked with pessimism, "You don't have these in 5's do you?" Of course they didn't and if they had I'd have dropped dead on foreign soil. This not so unusual rejection, however, served to spur me on to new heights. I can't explain it but something inside me snapped and a full blown search was underway. With a fury for foot fashion brewing as never before, I went home and began surfing the net for my little orange beauties. It was then I found Zappos.com. and oh the bliss of being able to find my size from the comfort of home. The cost for delivery, including returns, is free. And get this...you have 365 days to return them! No joke. As long as you have not worn them outside the home, you have one year to return them for a full refund.

I've been looking for winter shoes and ordered these four beauties. I'm sad to say none of them will work for one reason or another, but no despair, I'll simply print off a return label and send them back. I have two more pairs arriving today, so all is not lost. Oh, and did I tell you they deliver within 24-48 hours. Oh...wait a sec...I hear the door bell. Yes! It's my shoes. Ta ta.

Retro Monday

Last February I blogged on "Memories" from the past. It was so fun I'm doing it again. Jimmy enjoyed walking down memory lane with me and added a few himself. So, hop on board and let's reminisce about things of the past.

I remember...

• Rotary dial phones. Loved the phone numbers that were full of 9's and 0's.
• Jaw breakers the size of baseballs. I'd take my oversized treat, place it in a kitchen towel, grab a hammer, and smash it into bite sized bits. I'd be gone by dusk.
• Lushy chocolate malts.
• Manual typewriters in high school and layers of carbon paper.
• Ditto machines that printed in lavender and had a weird indescribable smell when fresh off the roller.
• When children were the remote control.
• How movies like Frankenstein, Mummy, and Wolf man were extra spooking in black and white.
• Replacing T.V. tubes.
• Dialing "O" for the operator to make a long distance phone call.
• Cars without A/C, power steering, power windows, or power brakes. Driving to the store was a workout.
• Crawling in the engine compartment to work on a car. This is Jimmy's. I only crawled under cars to retrieve a ball or frisbee.
• AM radio only. You knew a storm was coming when it got all staticy.
• When gas was 29 cents/gallon.
• When filling station pump dials only went up to 99 cents. As gas prices exceeded 99 cents/gallon, the price had to be cut in half and when it was time to pay, the price was doubled. Now that was confusing.
• 8-track tapes. Never like them.
• 45 records and their colorful adaptors.

• Defrosting the ice box with pans of boiling water. Once defrosted we'd use every towel the kitchen had to offer soaking up the wet mess.
• Cold aluminum ice trays that stuck to your hand when you pulled the lever to release the ice.

• Full meals were served on airplanes.
• When there was no Tylenol, only Aspirin.
• The first home hair dryer that consisted of a plastic cap with a vacuum-type hose leading to the machine. There were also hard fold down dryers like in the beauty shops.

• When the first hand held hair dryer came out to replace the plastic cap. Mine was light blue, I got it for Christmas, and it was handier than a pocket on a shirt.
• When hot rollers replaced pink sponge rollers.

• Stamps were 5 cents.
• When cheese slices were peeled apart not individually wrapped.
• Wax lips.
• Penny candy.
• Sea monkeys.
• When JFK was shot. I was four years old and it seemed as if the world stood still.
• When Elvis Presley died. My family was on vacation on Padre Island. I was sitting on the hotel deck looking out at the ocean when my dad came out and told me the news.

What are some of your childhood memories? Where were you when you heard the news of JFK and Elvis? I'd love to hear what lies in the cobwebs of your mind.

God's Invisible Qualities

"For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities —

his eternal power and divine nature —

have been clearly seen,

being understood from what has been made,

so that men are without excuse."

Romans 1:20

We went to visit my sister the other day. She lives on several acres of land, so we brought our dogs to play with her pup, Pilgrim. Standing amidst a swirling tornado of canine chaos, she pointed to the back end of the clearing to her swing. She said she moved it to that location because it is so shady and peaceful near the woods. Looking at the swing off in the distance, I could see what she meant and chimed, "Isn't it funny how much more peaceful it is to sit out in God's creation than inside, even in your most comfortable chair? Somehow anywhere else just isn't the same." She agreed and we both stood amazed at the beauty of God's creation that surrounded us on all sides.

As we soaked in the moment the Lord reminded me of the ultimate purpose of creation. While designed to bless us with awe and wonder, its primary purpose is to point all men to Him! Yes, His handiwork is captivating, but it's ultimately an invitation to meet and grow near to our eternal Creator.

According to Romans 1:20 the world's beauty and all that is in it is evidence of God's invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature. Perfect and powerful, each work of His hand carries His unmistakeable fingerprint. This is how He makes Himself known and why no man can say he has never seen God. We all have seen the work of His hand and make a choice what to do with what we've seen.

Look for God today in the sun rise or as it sets, in the fall leaves, puffy clouds, birds of the air, or wild creature that crosses your path. Marvel at His gift of creation but don't stop there. Praise the Holy one who created them all!

Odd Ads

I received an envelop in the mail from our son Drew, the one who sent me the Disney tiara a few months back. I couldn't imagine what he was sending and for some silly reason thought it might be bad news.

Eager but pensive, I opened it with caution and was pleasantly surprised. Up to his old tricks he sent an ad for "TV Ears" from Newsweek magazine. Apparently while doing his laundry he was perusing through the magazine and saw this, prompting him to think of good ole ma and pa. He writes, "I couldn't quite get over how excited the woman looks. I seriously wondered what they were doing to get such an extreme reaction." He was further amazed it claimed to save a marriage.

Leaning against the counter of our kitchen, I howled out loud reading the ad and accompanying letter. Then, I wanted to kick myself for not mailing him an ad I'd seen the week before. Searching through the trash I clipped a few gaudy goodies and mailed them to him with glee. I shall not be out done!

What are some of your favorite ads that make you laugh?

Wigged Out

Now, first off you have to know that when our son Drew was a little boy he didn't like the feel of grass. We'd lower him on to the lawn when he was 12 months old or so and he'd hike his legs up refusing to stand. He out grew the aversion, but when Dani came along we started all over again.

With her full-blow Autism she had many dislikes. She didn't like to be held, refused to hold her bottle, hated animal fur, and to this day despises the fringe on rugs or blankets.

With this in mind you can imagine our shock when she allowed a wig to be placed on her head at work. Jimmy went to pick her up and was so amazed he took this picture with his phone. Why... for crying out loud she won't even touch her own hair much less allow another kind of hair touch her. For some odd reason this day was different and for that we are proud of her. Good job Doodle Bug!

By the way does she remind you of anyone in particular? Broadway's Annie perhaps?

Memory Lane

The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated in 1882. In 1884 the event of honoring working men and women was made official and the rest is history.

Labor Day also marks the last holiday of the summer, an unofficial end to summer, and the traditional queue to pack away the white shoes, slacks, and jackets.

This celebration of hard working American's got me thinking back on all the jobs I've had over the years. It gave me a chuckle, so I thought I'd share them with you in hopes you'll share too.

1) My first income came from my mom who paid me $10 a week to iron dad's hankies. Hankies are those delicate little square pieces of cloth that men and women used before Kleenex arrived on the scene. I'd go into the basement each week and transform freshly washed wrinkled rags into crisp folded and presentable hankies in no time at all. It was an easy ten bucks.

2)The next form of income came through babysitting. I remember taking care of cute little Blake, our neighbor on the south side of our home, and Kelly and Casey who lived on our north side. More than once or twice I've wondered what these darling children are up to today. They must be in their 30's by now. Heavenly Father I pray you bless them this day!

3)My third job was official as it payed taxes and social security. I don't recall my hourly wage, I only know it taught me I never want to work with food or retail. It was a dairy store called Zarda Dairy. We sold milk, eggs, egg nog, sundaes, banana slits, pop, and a few other sundries. I took the job because I wanted to make some money but I hated everything about it. If I ran the cash register I had to learn all the sales for the week. People actually cared if I didn't charge them the sale price for their milk and they'd say something about it. I, on the other hand, couldn't figure out what the big deal was. After all, what's ten measly cents? The truth was I was too lazy to memorize the forever changing adds. If it had been up to me I'd have set the prices permanently to make it easier on everyone.

Then...there was the ice cream. Would you believe that at 16 years of age, though I had heard of a banana split, I didn't know how one was made. I'd never had one. When the manager showed me how it was made, I stood wide eyed and slack jawed wondering why in the world anyone would want such a conglomerate of food mixed into one bowl. I was never able to make one with passion because I couldn't get past the disgusting mixture of food. (If you love banana splits I apologize) Between not caring whether folks saved a few cents and slapping food together that was fattening, unhealthy, and disjointed, the dairy store served well to avert me from sales.

4)After the frigid dairy store, I got a job working as an orderly (yes girls can be orderlies) in the Recovery Room of a hospital. This job solidified my love for medicine and it was there I eventually became a student nurse.

5) As a new graduate I worked one year on the orthopedic unit. I worked the 3-11 shift and carried a ball bat in my car in case my late night drive home became more eventful than planned in the not so good part of town.

6) I always had a passion for critical care so after orthopedics I moved to the Intensive Care Unit. To this day my favorite area is that of cardiac intensive care.

7) After seven years in ICU, I took a job as House (hospital) Supervisor in order to get off nights. Now, talk about an interesting job. The nursing supervisor was the one who took over for all the department managers after hours. I took calls and problems from every department of the hospital. I'll never forget the night I was so busy I thought my legs were going to fall off. My pager was buzzing off my belt and I was hungry as a horse. I grabbed a sandwich but didn't have time to take much of a break. Being near the ER I ducked into the Out Patient Department, which was closed, turned on a few lights and sat down at the desk to eat and review the staffing schedule. I'd taken three bites of my sandwich when something felt funny. Looking up I peered through the glass window into the dusky dim patient care area ahead. Squinting to see into the darkness, I was not so pleasantly surprised to see a dead body perched on an ER cart waiting for a funeral home pick up. I was so disappointed I couldn't even eat alone.

8) After many years working in the hospital, I went to work as the nurse at a school for children with communicative disorders. Having Dani made caring for these children somewhat natural, but believe it or not this job proved to be one of the most stressful jobs I've ever had.

9) For the next ten years, I home schooled Dani. As her mama, teacher, and caregiver this time of focus was by far the most touching jobs I've ever dedicated myself to.

10)At the present I am back into the hospital setting working in the Quality Department. Relying on all my past years of experience we monitor and help maintain the highest standards possible for safe and efficient health care. It's good to be back in the hospital setting. Sure beats making banana splits!

Ok. Now it's your turn. What are the jobs you've had through the years? Which ones did you like most and which ones were you most happy to leave?

Rotten Fruit

"Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved,

clothe yourselves with compassion,

kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."

Colossians 3:12

I stood at the counter waiting for my hamburger and tater tots to be cooked. It took a few minutes because they're made fresh. As a result they are delicious as can be. I watched as the chef and his assistant took orders, gathered the ingredients, and prepared the plates for each customer. Suddenly, like a couple of dusty tornatos, two older ladies approached the counter. (If they knew I was writing this they'd kill me.)

Abruptly approaching the counter the first lady blurted, "I had your Phillie sandwich yesterday and it was awful. It was the worst thing I've ever eaten!" The chef stood stunned for a moment then quickly gathered his wits and told her she could contact the manger down the hall. His restrain was remarkable.

Seemingly content to have unloaded her grievance, the woman commenced ordering a steak sandwich, but made it very clear it needed to be rare. Amazingly enough, she and the chef picked out a steak that fit the bill and he commenced preparing her sandwich. He put the steak on the grill to heat it up, to which she brashly scolded him because she wanted it to remain as rare as possible. Her mouth no sooner cooled from the first reprimand when she scolded him again for cutting it into slices in order to put on a hoggie bun, as per normal preparation. "I want it whole on a regular hamburger bun! Not sliced on a hoggie" she spit across the counter.

With the patience of Job the chef prepared her and her friend's order, as well as mine and a host of others waiting for lunch that day. My hamburger and tots were delicious, but my heart was heavy. I felt for the poor chef and his assistant because no matter how hard they try there will be people who will never be pleased and are happy to tell them about it. My heart was also burdened for those two ladies. The Lord used their example as a sober reminder of the importance of making a conscious effort to nurture His fruit of the spirit in my heart lest I slowly but surely drop rotten fruit wherever I go. Foul and distasteful fruit such as bitterness, anger, unkindness, impatience, selfishness, and rudeness. What a frightful thought.

I made sure to thank the cook's assistant for my food and give him a big smile. I wanted to somehow compensate for the ladies' rude behavior, but most likely it didn't. I can't reverse what they did. The only thing I can do is make a point to drop fragrant fruit wherever I go and pray for those bearing a rotten crop. After all, they are the most miserable and in need of help.

How is your produce basket? Is it appealing and attractive to those around you or does an accidental bad fruit fall from your tree every now and then? We are all sour once in a while, but making a conscious effort to plant God's word in our hearts and live it out every day of our lives is a sure way to nurture healthy growth. Like a farmer weeding his garden, we must search out any rotten fruit, remove it, and replace it with things that are good and godly.

"Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it." 1 Peter 3:8-11

A Glimmer of Hope

I was listening to James Dobson's Focus on the Family yesterday. Lucy Swindoll was on for the second day as guest speaker talking about how we are really called to do only one thing, reflect Christ in all we do. No matter how small we may be in the eyes of the world, if we shine a glimmer of Him to those around us, it can have a tremendous impact. She shared about her family, her mother, father, brother Orval, and other brother Chuck, the pastor and Bible teacher who I've listened to and admired for many years.

She described her brother Chuck as an eternal optimist saying he simply refused to dwell on the negative, something that perked my ears because I tend to be a "half cup empty" kind of gal. She said one year in seminary he walked into Hebrew class to find the chalk board filled corner to corner in Hebrew. It was the test they were about to take. Later she asked him if he failed the exam and in his calm optimist fashion he replied, "Yeah I failed, but I won't always fail." He later became president of that seminary.

His response to a very stressful and intimidating experience brought tears to my eyes because it is so easy to feel like a failure. The moment I take my eyes off God and fail to see what He has done for me, my self-esteem plummets. The instant I forget to listen to His still small voice lead, guide, and lift me, the enemy's lies begin to overtake, as I sink deeper and deeper into the pit of despair.

What a comfort to know that though we may fail, we won't always fail because Christ has lifted us up. He has bridged the gap from our frailties and faults to His healing and holiness, and when we apply this to the trials of life, we have great hope that drowns out any despair. For instance, our little Dani may be disabled, but she won't always be disabled because in heaven she will be healed. My biggest trial, heartache, and life-long challenge is only temporary because my happiness does not hinge on whether she is disabled or not, it stems from the hope I have in God and His Son Jesus who loves me enough to die on the cross for my sins and the sins of the world.

Think for a moment. What failure or disappointment has overcome you this day? Have your eyes drifted from God or your ears grown dull to His sustaining whisper? If so, choose now to abandon the lies that condemn and focus on the truth that through Christ you have victory and hope! Remember God's love that gave it's all so that you can walk through life with a joy that shines His light for all to see and receive.

How Deep The Father's Love For Us

by Stuart Townend

How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocing voice,
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that helf Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I knoww that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast inJesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

Blogger's Testimony

I recently had the opportunity to hear a young man, Zach Bieghler, speak about his experience with blogging. He travels around the country sharing his testimony and with his permission I share it with you. His is a sobering story with many lessons to be learned and much as our Lord does through scripture, Zach uses his experience as an example of what we should never do.

BLOGGING? A GOOD IDEA?

My name is Zach Bieghler and I’m a paramedic in the State of Kansas. I have served with various EMS agencies in South Central Kansas as well as for an educational institution. I’ve been a paramedic since September of 2005 and in EMS since 2002. I’ve spent the last six years of my life dedicated to EMS, working as much as I could, between multiple EMS jobs to gain knowledge and experience. Life was good. I had recently become established enough to buy my first home in the town of which I served. I was taking various EMS courses to be a better instructor for my students of which I taught. Life as it seemed was on the right track I hoped and dreamed for. Unfortunately, that dream came to a sudden stop, which came by no one else’s fault but my own.

In April of 2007 my EMS partner and I were called out for an inter-facility transfer. The patient had several medical complications, in addition to being severely obese. Several hours after the call and when the report was finished, I sat down at the computer, while on the clock mind you, and entered Myspace.com. There I started a “blog” which I wrote about the call I had just ran hours before. Out of respect for my previous employer, I’m not going to discuss what I had written in the blog, but to say ashamedly, it was vulgar and offensive and related to the patient’s level of obesity.

I had written the blog for my friends to see only, most of which are in the EMS profession. I later discovered that I did not have settings adequate on Myspace.com to prevent the general public from viewing. I wrote the blog to share my experiences and to make them laugh. As a healthcare provider, we all must be empathetic and sympathetic towards all patients regardless of the situation. As I wrote this blog, my empathy for this patient was absent. I didn’t think about the anger, humility, and mistrust that could have manifested by the patient towards me, my agency or my profession. Not to mention a legal preceding that could have been initiated by the patient that could have damaged my agencies trust and reputation. This will present a tough, but extremely important lesson to learn as time goes by.

After I had written the blog, time went by as usual. As months went by I had actually forgot that I had written the blog. I had actually cared for this patient two more times since the blog for various reasons. As I continued caring for him I grew to like the patient. I remember one time as I entered his residence he greeted me by first name with a smile. You have developed a special bond with a patient when they remember you by name and you remember them. At this point, I would have deleted the blog from my site, but as I said, I had forgotten all about it.

In September of 2007, a co-worker reported the blog to my employer. This initiated a meeting between my Director, hospital Vice President and my agencies attorney. While participating in a mass casualty drill I was pulled away and escorted to the Vice President’s office. I knew it had to be a significant matter to pull me away from such a training exercise. Completely oblivious as to what was going on, I found myself in the office with the Vice President of Operations and the Director of EMS. I was immediately confronted with the blog that I had written. I had a rush of emotions, the most powering being sorrow for what I had done. I was instructed not to talk about it, delete all work related blogs immediately and was given a 30 day unpaid suspension. My Director also told me that he would more than likely be reporting the incident to the Kansas Board of EMS.

In a state of complete devastation I arrived home and immediately logged onto Myspace.com and deleted every blog I had ever written. I found out that evening that two of my co-workers had also been suspended 30 days without pay because of my personal blog and their return comments. I’m the author and they got suspended as well! I had never lived with such guilt in my life as I felt then. So guilt ridden in fact, that I lost 10 lbs over the next few days.

I continued to work for the educational institution during time I was suspended. After a week of my suspension, the Dean of Instruction at the educational institution received a letter accompanied by a copy of my blog. Now, this blog not only caused my problems at my EMS service, but my secondary job as well. This resulted in a very stern meeting between me and the EMS Program Director. The Program Director is my mentor and I had really let him down. Not only did I let him down, I let down the entire staff and students at the educational institution. The guilt and disappointment in me was starting to become unbearable. Serving a thirty day suspension from my career and my primary source of income took its toll. I had to completely drain all of my savings to stay afloat. All of this resulted because of my poor choice of judgment. I soon found that things were just starting.

I returned to work after my suspension and found myself working with those extremely disappointed in me. After a couple of days and a few talks with co-workers, things only improved by a little. I will never get that full respect back that I had prior to the incident and I wouldn’t ask for it either. What I did was wrong and hard for anyone to forgive. Still guilt-ridden and disappointed beyond words, I found myself having difficulty coping with what I had done and fell into a deep depression.

February of 2008 rolled around; I was enrolled in an Instructor Coordinator class to further my education and passion to teach. I found that my Director did in fact report the incident to the Kansas Board of EMS. The Board’s Investigations Committee was meeting in just days. I had contacted the Board and confirmed the news and was told that a decision would be made at the meeting later that week. The week passed slowly by as I waited in horror. Friday came and I contacted the Board office. I found that a decision had been made to revoke my Paramedic certification. My world was soon spiraling out of control.

As one could imagine, the process to revoke a license is not a quick and painless process. The process took months. Not knowing when my license would be revoked and trying to concentrate on my career was painstaking. One of the hardest things to complete was my Instructor Coordinator class, uncertain of my careers future path.

I had finally started to build my savings back up and was advised to seek an attorney. This was another financial hit from my original mistake. I hired an attorney to help me through the revocation process. A total of nine months passed since my original suspension. Nine months of guilt, anguish, disappointment and depression, I finally received a consent agreement. Given the options and willing to accept my mistake and consequences of my action, I signed the consent agreement. This agreement listed several things, to summarize, I was being revoked for no less than 90 days for professional misconduct emphasizing on a possible violation of patient confidentiality.

Consequently, I resigned as a paramedic for the service I worked for and had to quit teaching, which is something I’m very passionate about. I had to take a job as a vendor merchandiser, stocking shelves in grocery stores. Working alone everyday gave me a lot of time to think about what I had really done and who I had disappointed. Having resigned from the EMS agency and not being able to teach, I roughly took a 60% pay cut. Once again, the financial burden, for my moment of poor judgment, continually hung over my head. During this time I relied very heavily on my family, friends and mentors. As I relied on them, they too suffered, feeling the ups and downs of the process. Also during this time I sought counseling for my actions from a mental health hospital. Having completed the counseling I learned more about empathy and it’s importance. It instilled in me the importance of patient confidentiality as I found myself as a patient in a mental health hospital.

After barely struggling though my 90-day period it was time to try and get reinstated. I knew that it was possible that the Board could extend my revocation or worst yet revoke my MICT indefinitely. I soon found myself sitting in front of the Investigations Committee in Topeka, in a small room, crowded with people I didn’t know. I felt alone as I really only knew three individuals there, two of which testified on my behalf. As I stood out in the hallway with the panel during deliberation, I felt sick with emotions. “What if they say no?” was all I could think of. I thought about how much effort and time (6 years) I had put into my career. For what? All for the chance to blog on Myspace.com?

The large group in the hallway filed back into the conference room as I took a seat back at the table in which I had testified at. The decision was made to reinstate my MICT! This was all I could ask for. There were two conditions that followed: 1) Write an article for the KEMSA Chronicle, which would also be published on the KSBEMS website, and 2) make myself available to any EMS agency across the State of Kansas to speak about what I had done and the consequences that followed.

Having listed the conditions stated, I want to emphasize that I’m not writing this article because I have to. I am writing this article to educate other EMS professionals. What I did was wrong and should never happen to anyone. I want people to learn from my mistake. I have heard several of my colleagues talk about calls that they had ran, some even in the same format as what I had wrote. We in EMS all have to know that “blogging” has consequences. Each and every bit of electronic postings must edify the profession, other technicians, ourselves and the patients we serve. I want my colleagues to think twice before saying or writing anything about the patients they care for. We have to be empathetic, put yourself in their shoes. Or as the hospital Vice President asked me in her office, “What if that patient was your mother, father, son or daughter”? As to the second condition listed, I would be more than happy to discuss my experience with your employees, co-workers or students. This is free of charge as required. You can schedule this by contacting me by email at emsmedic712@gmail.com.

I would like to thank the Kansas Board of EMS for giving me the privilege and opportunity to share my experience with others. I would also like to thank KEMSA for publishing this article. Also thanks to all my family, friends, colleagues and my counselor who has supported me through this trying experience.

Thank you Zach. May the Lord restore you fully and completely.

"Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up." Psalm 71:20

I Was Right!

I just love being right because I am so often wrong. I don't know how many times I've approached Jimmy like a little girl handing her daddy a broken doll and asked him to fix my laptop. With the patience of Job he listens to my story, takes it, fixes it, and hands it back to me good as new. When I ask what was wrong he often chalks it up to user error; a nice way of saying it was me.

Recently, however, I relished in correctness. Dani woke up cranky and in need of her velcro pressure vest. Jimmy knew it would help turn her day around and began hunting for it high and low. Unable to find it, he called me and asked where it might be. "It's either in her dresser, on her bookshelf, or in her closet" I said, knowing without a doubt it was indeed in her room. In spite of my instructions he was unable to find it and ended up taking her to work a bit frustrated at the futility of it all.

The next day, while he was on a photo shoot, I went into her room and resumed the search. Tracing the same steps, I promptly found the vest on her closet floor. It was a bit hidden in the shadows, but there nonetheless. Alas! It was time for a little fun.

Grabbling the vest off the floor I hung it in the bathroom with a friendly little note attached.

"Once I was lost...

Now I am found.

Daddy was blind...

But now he sees me!"

It felt good to be right, even though it'll probably be a while before it happens again.

A Gift for You

Gifts are just as much fun to give as they are to receive, so imagine the joy of the Holy Spirit when He presented you with your spiritual gifts! Like Christmas, every time a child is born, lavish gifts are bestowed with the divine intent and desire they be used for the glory of God.

While the fruit of the spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) help us grow more into the image of Christ, spiritual gift are special abilities given to us by the Holy Spirit for the purpose of ministry. These gifts are supernatural abilities that may spring from a a person’s natural ability, but ultimately go above and beyond natural talent. While we are born with talents we are born again with spiritual gifts.

So, what gifts has the Spirit given you? Though no one receives every gift, God give all His children at least one and most likely two or three. Look at the gifts below and see what fits. What attracts you like a magnet and comes most natural?

1. Administration – Goal and objective oriented individuals coordinate resources to accomplish tasks quickly.

2. Evangelism – Strong desire to share the gospel with nonbelievers in every situation and by all possible means.

3. Exhortation – Special ability to encourage others in the body of Christ by giving them words of comfort. Eager to help others grow spiritually by sharing past personal failures.

4. Giving – Love to give material or financial goods so that the needs of the Lord’s work are met. Often good in money management.

5. Helps – Desire to further the church’s ministry by meeting the needs of others, especially those in leadership positions.

6. Hospitality – Ability to make guest feel comfortable and at home. They have a desire to promote a warm welcome to guests in any setting.

7. Leadership – Ability to lead others toward spiritual growth and communicate effectively to large groups of people.

8. Mercy – Have immediate compassion for those who are suffering physically, spiritually, or emotionally. Attracted to people in distress.

9. Prophecy – Able to proclaim God’s truth without compromise. Need to express themselves verbally, especially about right and wrong.

10. Service – The ability to perform any task with joy that benefits others and meet practical needs. Has a tendency to disregard own comfort and personal health to serve others.

11. Shepherding – Unique ability to take responsibility for long-term spiritual growth of a group of believers. They see guiding, feeding, and protecting a flock of Christ’s followers as their responsibility.

12. Teaching – Ability to explain God’s truth so that others can understand and apply it in their lives. Desire and ability to research and present truth in an organized and systematic fashion.

Now let's share. What are your top three gifts?

Romans 12:3-8

“For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”

The Grand Opening

We have a new Macy's close to our home and I was eager to attend the grand opening. I was pleasantly surprised to see and smell a Starbuck's as soon as I walked in the door. It was in the store mind you. How handy is that? It was a good start right off the bat.

Since it was my first time in the building, I decided to follow the tile path that went around the store, kind of like a yellow brick road of sorts. I had no doubt it would give me a good tour of the new facility. Walking past pots, pans, pillows, curtains, and comforters, I entered the lingerie department where the cutest top and pant set caught my eye. The top was a soft delicate pink with matching pants covered with black polka dots. They were cute as a bug's ear. "If they look half as good on me as they do on the hanger I am taking them home today!"

Hastily finding my size, I took a bee-line straight to the fitting room eager to see how I'd look in the nightwear. Everything smelled so fresh and new, making it a double joy to be a part of this grand opening. Closing the rich wood-slatted door, I commenced trying on the pant and top set. About mid try-on, I heard two employees talking in the background. I wasn't paying attention to their conversation until I heard a third employee pop in saying, "Could you please give her some help?" The girls promptly went to the assistance of someone whom I assumed was a customer, at which time I couldn't help but listen to a rather perplexing conversation.

"Ok, I need you to help me get this on so it doesn't knock my head off" said the supposed customer. One of the employees responded with a professional "ok" as apparent adjustments were underway. At this point I couldn't help but wonder what they could be doing for this woman. As hard as I tried I couldn't fathom how the girls where helping this woman keep her head on and what could possibly threaten it coming off. The suspense was killing me but I was nearly dressed and ready to leave. Most likely I would never know what they were talking about and the mystery would forever go unanswered.

By the time I left the dressing room things were quiet. The two employees and customer were gone, or so I thought. Heading back to place the night clothes on the rack, I glanced down the tile walkway all to see the answer to the mysterious conversation. With puzzle pieces falling into place at the speed of light, it was all I could do to keep from bursting into laughter because walking down the isle was a doll mascot with the biggest head you could ever imagine. She looked like a giant Cabbage Patch doll with long rope for hair that was sure to be the major contributor to her heavy head. No wonder she needed help in the dressing room. She could have never gotten that noggin on all by herself. No way no how.

You should have seen the employee as she gingerly guided the poor over-sized doll to the grand opening ceremony. Honestly, an anemic snail could have traveled faster than the pair, which is what made it so hilarious. Snickering and smiling ear to ear, I did the only thing I could do at that moment. I made my way to a display bed, sat down, and texted the scene to my son Drew.

I walked out of the grand opening empty handed. The pant set looked better on the hanger than it did on me, but I did walk away with something money can't buy, a silly smile and a mystery solved.

Any grand openings in your area?

Rockin' Crocs

I swore I'd never buy them. Not because there is anything wrong with them, but because everyone and their dog has them...Crocs. For years I've seen them in grocery stores, malls, and hospitals. The garden center here in town has a wall of Crocs just waiting to crawl out into the world and join the crowd. If only I had invented these little critters!

Well, never say no. I bought my first pair this week. With winter coming and my favorite New Balance slip on tennis shoes chewed up and no longer in production, I turned on my heals and jump on board. They didn't have size 5 so I took a gamble and ordered 6, hoping the fuzzy lining would take up some room. They landed on my porch this afternoon and lo and behold they fit! Now I'm ready for winter (I am always thinking ahead) and can move past the grief of losing my favorite sneakers.

Do you own some Crocs? If so, what color and how many?

Chocolate Basket Delight!

A friend at work had a little surgery so we decided to get her a "Get Well" present. Figuring it would be more personalized if we assembled it ourselves, I offered to put a basket of chocolates together, which meant I got the delicious job of shopping for cocoa candies, cookies, and coffee. By the end of my spree this is what we ended up giving her.



This is the most delicious craft I've ever done.

If you are a chocolate lover, what is your favorite kind?

Puppy Reunion

This weekend Cocoa reunited with two of his siblings, Molly and Ki. It was a small gathering, but feisty, furry, and fun just the same. We let the dogs run in the field before lunch so they could get to know each other again and then watched them swim for hours on end. It was a dog-on good time!

Cocoa and Ecclesi (front)

Ki (heading up the rear)

Cocoa (left) and Ki (right)

Ecclesi (left)

Cocoa and Ki (middle)

Little Miss Molly

(far right looking like a character in Dr. Seuss)

Cocoa on Molly's tail

Ki and Cocoa

It was fun to compare notes. All the pups love people and are as gentle as lambs. Ki did a beautiful thing when he arrived. Even though it's been six months and 80 lbs since he was last here, the first thing he did when he walked in the front door was head straight toward the bedroom he was born. Following his nose, he found his way back to the very beginning of his tenure here on this earth. It was stunning and truly amazing.

Then there's little Miss Molly who seemed to know Ecclesi was not her brother and therefore had a crush on him. All she did during her visit was bark in his ear while he retrieved one toy after another. The less attention he gave her the louder she barked and the more she barked the less attention she got. It was a viscous circle that reminded me a bit of high school.

All the pups have wonderful homes and though it would have been great to get them all together I am not sure we could have handled so many rambunctious pups. Suffice it to say God has faithfully answered the prayers I prayed over each pup by placing them in safe, good, and loving homes. Thank you God!

"Just for Fun" Quiz Results

Monday I shared with you the war between my more delicate clothing and Jimmy's multi-velcro-pocketed cargo shorts. At the end of each wash cycle I'd open the machine to the horrifying scene of my nylon underwear clinging to dear life amidst a good choking by his Velcro vipers. Something had to be done, so now my delicates bathe alone in peace and then hang dry in the cool gentle breeze of a fan on low.

Quiz Answer: On behalf of mental exercise, I posed the question asking which side of the clothes line you thought my skirt was hung on to create this particular angle. It bends the mind to think it does make a difference. Believe it or not the long end was on the upslope of the line as it hung on the left side of the clothesline. I would have guessed the short end would have been on the upslope.

I discovered another surprise when washing the skirt a second time to get it back in shape. Rewetting it didn't work. It still came out crooked as an old walking stick. It took me repeating this process a third time to realize that all I had to do was hang it on a "straight" line and manually pull it back into shape. Three washes and two blogs later I have my skirt back.

If you want to hear a true horror story read Cheryl Barkers comment on Monday's blog about her daughter's wedding dress when they hung it on a line two weeks before the wedding. My trial pales in comparison.

Who'd Have Thought?

I have a short laundry line in the basement where I hang certain clothes to dry. Things that are delicate that I don't want harassed by the aggressive apparel that live under this roof, things like Jimmy's cargo shorts. With enumerable velcro strips on a bazillion different pockets, they invariably spring open up in the dryer unleashing a gang of rough and tumble bullies who love to pick on innocent defenseless victims like my silk underwear or favorite top. As any good principal would do, I've assessed the situation, addressed the issue, and made adjustments to protect the more fragile and frail victims of laundry care, hence the clothesline.

Fragile and frail...yeah...to say the least. Even with the greatest of care I've discovered I must be cautious even when suspending these sensitive items. Who would have thought that hanging this skirt on the upper slope of the line would make it dry crooked? Golly, how easily altered can you be? And I thought I got bent out of shape easily. Shoot fire I've stood on a hill for a while and not walked away with a limp, so it is possible.

Needless to say this skirt is back in the wash "alone" and will be hung "properly" so as not to upset its delicate nature.

Just for fun: By looking at the angle of this skirt, which side of the clothes line do you think it was hung, the right or the left?

Speechless...no more

Last week we celebrated Dani's 21st birthday. Forget cars, college, and the latest fashion, all she ever wants for her special occasion is candy, kids shampoo, and early reader books. Her simplicity is amazing and I've learned not fight but enjoy each passing year. Other than baking 35 king-sized cup cakes this year, her birthday came and went without much hoopla. Today, however, brought great cause to celebrate as Jimmy went to pick Dani up from work and her teacher tearfully told him Dani had spoken three words, "mom" "home" and "giraffe."

Knowing Dani had never spoken before, her teacher was as moved as if Dani where her own. Jimmy hadn't left the premises before he called me in tears, leaving me speechless and crying at the heart-warming news. As his words began to sink into my heart, the Lord reminded me what I said to Dani before leaving for work this morning, "Have a good day Sissy, remember God is with you."

Thank you God for showing your power today and for never leaving our little girl. If Dani never speaks again I thank you for allowing her first word to be "mom." May she fulfill the plan you have for her here on this earth and may you receive all the glory, honor, and praise.

Nullified

Nullify (transitive verb) means to make of no value or consequence.

Synonyms: nullify, negate, annul, abrogate, and invalidate.

Yesterday was a day of nullification. I didn't realize it until the end of the day, but like a old-time weight scale most everything I did nullified something or another allowing me to end the day well balanced. For instance, I slept unusually late in order to counteract the exceptionally busy week. I went to bed the night before utterly exhausted, so sleeping late affectively annulled my fatigue.

After enjoying a lovely read on the deck in the beautiful weather, we went to the mall to get the clasp on my ankle bracelet repaired. While at the jeweler I saw the silver twin of my favorite watch. I have five other watches and I love them all, but my shiny gold light-weight elegant time piece is my fave because it's like wearing nothing at all. At work I mouse with my right hand and write with my left and this watch is forever faithful to let me write in complete freedom. My silver baby wasn't cheap, so we went to Wal Mart and used seven coupons to save $10. A definite "A" for effort.

Then, considering the cool non-humid air of Kansas City wasn't going to last forever, I took the dogs out for a run. All three of us jogged the neighborhood with great gusto and though I don't know how the dogs felt about the outing, I returned home pretty sure I'd burned off a portion of the McDonald's lunch we ate before going to the mall. (I might have tipped the scales in the wrong direction when I ate a bowl of M&M's while watching Wipeout, but let's not count that since it ruins my point.)

Clearly nullification works best when anointed with a bit of rationalization.

A Delightful Day

Dani had a great day celebrating her birthday at work (Day Hab.) She shared her 4" king size cupcakes with everyone and Jimmy said they were a hit. Praise God too because baking them wasn't a breeze and not a total success. My friend, whom I borrowed the fancy cupcake pans from, guessed it would require three boxes of cake mix to make 35 treats. As I mixed up the last box it became clear I was going to come up short a dozen, maybe even a baker's dozen. Thankfully my sweet cupcake, Jimmy, ran to the grocery store to buy two more cake mixes. It took a total of five boxed to complete the order.

When all was said and done we had 35 fancy cakes, but a few weren't cooked fully even though they baked along side ones that came out a success. I picked the best of the batch for her to take to work, sending a tidy few that were a bit "soft." I felt horrible but there was nothing else I could do, so I prayed over the fragile treats. "Lord, this is all I have and I hate to send even one soft cake to disabled adults who deserve so much more. Please make is so the good ones are handed out first and if someone gets a soft cake, prompt it to strike them as the yummiest thing they've ever had. If you want to fix the softies overnight you can do that too." (If Jesus can feed a multitude with a few fish and loaves of bread, I knew He could make these treats a delight.)

Thankfully word has it everyone loved Dani's cupcakes. A miracle no doubt.

Here's Dani with 32 handmade

birthday cards given to her today

by her co-workers.

(Could it be three people didn't show up

and a few softies were never served?

That's one way God may have

answered my prayer.)

She also came home with wonderful birthday presents:

lotion, hair ties, and head bands.

All her favorite things.

Happy 21st Birthday Doodle Bug!