Retreat

I recently received an invitation to possibly speak at a retreat for teenage girls in my home state of West Virginia. Finally I get a chance to speak to people who talk like I do. (ha ha) It's like going home. My heart broke when I read the email from the youth leader. You can tell that she is really carrying a burden for the young girls and their stuggles. I am praying that everything falls into place. We know that this is something that Satan doesn't want to see happen and will try to discourage those involved.

It seems that it has definately been a theme this week...teenage girls and their struggles. I was encouraged by a conversation I had with a senior high gal this week. She was telling me how her eyes were opened by something that she heard a speaker say about self-image. Her friends and her decided to begin a "no make-up friday." On fridays, they don't wear any make-up and do not use electricity to fix their hair on Fridays. They come to school like this and they encourage each other throughout the day. This may seem trivial to some...but it is a big step to a teenage girl. I am thankful for the model that they are setting for their younger peers. I asked myself if I could do this at my age. Could I show up to teach without make-up. I have to think about that one...could you?

HOW DO YOU MAKE A DECISION

This weekend I had to make a decision and honestly...I wasn't sure what I was going to do. I prayed and prayed, I had each person who was home at the time give me their advice. I still couldn't make a decision. I was teaching Kindergarten the other day and we were talking about how Gideon "threw out his fleece." So...I did something different...I threw out my malti-poo puppy Grady. I sat Grady down and explained to him the nature of the decision. I told Grady if he jumped on the couch my decision would go one way and if he didn't...the decision would go the other way. I put Grady down...we all watched...and Grady JUMPED on the couch. Decision was made. Now...please don't think I was crazy and that we put important decisions in the hands or paws of our dog. I sort of had an idea of what I really wanted to do...Thanks Grady.

KINDERGARTEN MISSIONARIES

I love it when God speaks to me. Today I was driving to VCA to teach kindergarten and a great idea came to me. My mom is a kindergarten teacher in a public school in West Virginia. How cool would it be if my Christian School class called her public school class and sang to them. We could put my cell phone on speaker and she could do the same. I sat my 18 darlings down and we talked about being missionaries. We talked about how a missionary is someone who tells people about Jesus. Many times missionaries have to reach out to places that are far away. We talked about where West Virginia was. I thought it was humorous when one student asked what language they spoke in West Virginia. Our call was scheduled for 10:55. We called and sang Jesus Loves Me to the students at Kanawha City Elementary. They in return sang us the peanut butter song. Oh well...you have to start somewhere.

BLESSED BY A FIVE YEAR OLD

I have gotten into a really bad habit. When I come home from teaching I lay down and take a nap. The other day I was resting and I heard a noise outside. It sounded like someone was shoveling the 3 inches of snow from our driveway. Wally was working from home so I just assumed that it was him. A few minutes later the doorbell rang and it was my five year old neighbor. He said "I shoveled your driveway." I thought he was kidding...HE WASN'T. This little five year boy shoveled over half of our driveway and sidewalk. He did an incredible job. I was speechless. His mom said he just decided on his own to come and do this for us. I was blown away by his servant's heart, by his dedication to finish a job and his ability. He blessed me more then he'll ever know. I am going to do a little something for him. One more thing...this darling little boy was recently diagnosed with mild autism. I think he has a bright future ahead of him.

IF I COULD LIVE ANYWHERE...

If I could live anywhere...I would consider moving to Pennsylvania? Why?Some of the best people I have ever met...live in PA. I had the honor...no the privledge of being a part of two pretreats with some wonderful women from PA. My first visit was in January of 2006. I came to the retreat as their speaker not knowing what to expect. I left there with 40 new girlfriends. What a wonderul surprise it was when they asked me to come back and be their speaker again this year. This time I wasn't going to spend the weekend with women I didn't know. This time it was like coming home. I looked forward to the reunion. It was WONDERFUL.

Many things had changed in those 2 years. Women got married. Babies were born. Bones were broken and my favorite...solos were sung. The last time I was with them I asked the women to talk about their dreams and what God was calling them to do. One lady, Mary, humbly spoke up and said that she always wanted to sing a solo in church. Guess what...Mary sang her solo in church and now Mary sings on a regular basis. That was so cool to hear. She just beamed as she talked about putting aside her fears and serving.

It was a great weekend. We ate alot. We laughed a lot and we talked about God A lot. Our theme was "Living Like There's No Tomorrow." Ashley came with me and did my "tech" for me. It was great spending time with her and seeing how much she enjoyed the women. We are never too young or old to learn from other women. I love that. We both won wonderul gift baskets and enjoyed showing the women the fun and joy of "dance, dance revolution."

One of my favorite women in the whole world was there. Her name is Jo Anne and we connected two years agao. Jo Anne was so faithful to email me consitently over the 2 years. She is one of those women who just make you feel better each you are around her. SHe has more energy then a 20 year old. I love Jo Anne and the others. I hope they invite me back next year.

Reconnected With Friends

Our Christmas card search has paid off and I have heard from another long lost friend. You may remember that Wally and I decided to try and find some military friends that we had lost contact with this year. We searched the internet and found an address and mailed cards and christmas letter. I was so excited when I received an email from my friend Robin. We were neighbors in Colorado. Robin's husband was in the army so we had alot in common. I believe that we had a relationship that is very typical of military wives. We bonded immediately and felt connected as military wives. She is one of the few people who knows what a bx stands for...what it means to receive a pcs and can definately understand the importance of "your sponsor's I.D. Number. We had children similar ages and spent many hours in each other's yards. We took decorating classes together, shopped gap sales together and more importantly volunteered as Young Life leaders together. The last time I saw her was when Alex was just a baby. We visited them when we were on vacation and they were stationed in South Carolina. We have promised each other not to lose contact again. She now lives in Pennsylvania. We are still hoping to here from one more family.

HOLIDAYS CONTINUED

We are finally off the road after traveling to West Virginia and Chicago for the holidays. The food is in the oven , the fire is lit and we are ready to bring in the new year with some special people. My mom and sister are in town from West Virginia and Todd is visiting for a few days from Indiana. It feels good to be home.

I am so grateful that this holiday season was spent connecting and reconnecting with loved ones. I have already heard from one of the families that we tracked down this year with our Christmas Cards. I received an email from a dear friend of mine from Virginia who now lives in Las Vegas. I also had a chance to reconnect with a sister in law and niece that we rarely see in Chicago. It made me realize how important family is and nothing should stand in the way of when it comes to spending time together. The past is the past and it is great to move on.

The highlight of our Christmas in West Virginia. Yes...it's even better than the wii, was spending time with a special gal namd Amanda.

I met Amanda in september when I was a facilitator at an event called challenge day at a high school in West Virginia. Amanda was in my mentoring group. Amanda has Down Syndrome. I love being around her. She is always smiling, always giving hugs and enjoys life to the fullest. She has become very attached to my sister Patty since she works at the school where Amanda attends. Amanda visits with her each day and even considers Patty her angel. We had a ball taking her to the mall. She even put on a spontaneous dance show at American Eagle. Amanda has a spirit that would benefit us all. Here are some pics.

Happy New Year.

CHRISTMAS WRAP UP (GET IT HA HA)

I am using one laptop while Wally is on another and sitting 6 feet from me. He is emailing me his Christmas list so I can use my cell phone to call Ashley on her cell phone while she shops at Target.

Gotta love technology.

Happy to say that the homemade christmas gifts went off with without a hitch. Can't say what they are since this blog is read by family.

I am putting the final touches on my gift for my mom and Wally is downloading some songs for my dad's gift (MP 3 player) I know he doesn't read my blog!!!

Gifts are wrapped and in 4 hours we will be off on our trip. Six people, 2 dogs, gifts, suitcases, and of course a guitar. (tylenol is packed also)



Merry Christmas

Homemade Christmas Gifts

It'a 7:20 pm and the official making the homemade christmas present has begun. I picked a no fail easy craft this year...that's what I said about the fleece gloves and the pillowcase angels. Why do we do this every year? Why do we battle with glue guns, modge podge and boys who believe they should be able to out grow this tradition?

Because when I am a grandmother, I want my tree to be full of homemade ornaments. I want my dresser to be decorated with things that their little hands made and yes...I want my children to experience the fun of picking the craft and carrying on this tradition.

I am enjoying myself here on the computer watching videos like this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9yAkBSrMk0

Merry Christmas

IF YOU'RE HAVING A BAD DAY WATCH THIS VIDEO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OBlgSz8sSM

POWERFUL VIDEO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZWjQUerta8

the annie and grady show!

SLOWING DOWN

So I was forced yesterday to toss the to do list, forget about all that needed to be done and rest. I wish I could say it was because of my sincere realization that I was getting caught up in the busyness of Christmas and losing the true meaning but I can't. As I was leaving to take Ally to the bus stop I fell on the ice and severely sprained my ankle. It suddenly swelled up the size of an orange...okay maybe a tangerine. I was determined not to let this stop me so I continued with my busy plans. This led to an E.R. visit, a small cast and crutches and yes...some pain medication that I am a little afraid to take.

Why didn't I just listen and rest? The crutches hurt worse than the sprain. So I am now depending on my family to pick up the slack and finish the list. Or maybe we should just chuck this list and rest.

Weekend Rewind

I am sitting here sipping a cup of warm coffee, two cute puppies lie at my feet and I am the only one awake in a warm quiet house. Schools are closed today and life is good. We had a semi-relaxing weekend filled with friends and various holiday activities.

Ally and I went to tower city and enjoyed some shopping time together while Wally took the boys to the Cavaliers game. Twinsburg Basketball league takes the teams every year to watch the game and to scrimmage on the court where Lebron does his magic. When they came home Austin said "Mom you won't believe who I had my picture taken with." Of course I knew it was Lebron and asked to see it. It wasn't Lebron...it was the CAVALIER GIRLS! Much to my dismay...Austin has a picture of him smack in the middle of 4 scantly dressed cheerleaders!

WHAT! If anyone knows me they know my passion for teaching young girls the importance of modesty. My girls know our standards and know how selective we are when selecting clothes.
If you want to see the picture...scroll down.



























SHAME ON YOU!!! Did you really think I would show the picture? (ha ha) I told Austin he could hang the picture in his room after I drew some clothes on them. Looks like it's time to get the old Joshua Harris book out and have a talk. I think I need more coffee.

SNOWY SUNDAY

WE ARE HAVING A BLIZZARD!!That didn't stop me from going to a cookie exchange with some great friends. We made over 400 cookies! The ride home was a little scary...but I survived.

MEET MISS ANNIE

WE LOVE MISS ANNIE!!!!!!!!

SOMEBODY CALL GQ

WHIRLWIND TRIP TO INDIANA

Ashley invited us all up to her sports banquet. We left at 12:45 pm, drove 4 hours, had dinner, coffee and dessert and then back in the car for the 4 hour trip home. It was worth it. First of all, we had the chance to meet Todd McLaughlin. Todd is a young man that Ashley has begun dating. We were so pleased to meet someone who was gentle, respectful and most importantly...a man after God's heart. Todd is in the worship band at Bethel College. He is using his talents in many ways to serve the Lord. We were blessed to listen to his music on the way home. This is definately a new chapter in Ashley's life and one that she is approaching with prayer and patience. We are so proud of how she has guarded her heart and followed God's direction in this area. It's not easy to live a lifestyle of purity but it is wonderful to see how the Lord blesses the one who does. It was sad to see one chapter of her life end. This was her final season of cross country.It's also exciting to see a new chapter begin.

CHRISTMAS GIFTS

I wanted to share 2 gift giving ideas that come from the heart.

Last year I took a picture of each child doing an activity that they enjoyed. I had the picture enlarged to 8 1/2 x 11 and framed in a floating frame. At the bottom of the picture I added the caption

"This is my child, whom I love, with him/her (depending on which child)I am well pleased." Matthew 17:5

I think the kids really enjoyed them and they are now handing in our living room.

This year I am going to do something special just from me. I am calling it "I thought of you when I saw this gift." It will be labeled that way.

I am going to pick out a gift for each child just from me. I want to find something that reminded me of them when I was shopping.

Just some thoughts.

Misc.

So much to share....

Retreat - I had the chance to speak at a youth retreat recently. I have to say that it was one of the best retreats that I have ever been a part of. The students were attentive, honest and it was exciting to see the next generation worshiping God with all their hearts. I left encouraged and not excited.

Jiss Briscoe - Jill Briscoe came to speak to Ashley's college recently. Ashley shared what a grear woman of God Jill is and how she inspires you with her knowledge and love of the Word. I can't wait to download the message. She is 72 years young and is such a wonderful example of a life well lived and a life totally surrendered to Christ.


Basketball - both of the boy's teams are off to a winning start. Congrats to Austin for scoring 6 points.

Catalyst - I can't believe how much fun you can have removing drywall and insulation with energetic and enthusiastic college students. Make me want to go back to school....not.

Christmas - It's here and I am trying not to get caught up in the chaos. I'm off to spend the evening making buckeyes with 2 of my most favorite people.

I will share tomorrow some gift giving ideas.

THANKSGIVING CHEF

NEW ORLEANS HAS EMERIL LAGASSE

LOS ANGELES HAS WOLFGANG PUCK

THE SOUTH HAS PAULA DEAN

TWINSBURG HAS ALEX TRACHSEL

Meet Grady

Many of you know by now that we had to put our dog down a few weeks. I won't go into the details...too sad...but just know that Wally sat with him until the end. I am not sure I could have done that...but it says alot about Wally's character that he didn't want Cody to be alone. Cody was very attached to me...so I do miss him. I miss the way he was always excited to see us when we came home. I miss the way he would always lay down with me for our three o'clock rest. I miss him coming up to me and nudging my hand until I rubbes his head.

Cody made us realize how much we loved having a dog around. I went away on a retreat last weekend and I received a call that we had an "appointment" to look at a dog when I returned. The key word is "look". When you have children...you never go and just look...you come home with a dog.

Well...we have adopted an adorable little dog. He is a mix of a maltese and poodle. A malti-poo.

He fits into build a bear clothes...so he has a fabulous wardrobe.

So...meet Grady.

JUST MAKES ME LAUGH

Top 3 laughing baby´s

MORE LAUGHING BABIES...THEY JUST MAKE ME SMILE

Who Am I Casting Crowns

YOU HAVE TO WATCH THIS...IT'S INCREDIBLE. THIS IS ALL DOWN WITH WHITE GLOVES.

laughing baby

A SHOCKING DAY OF TEACHING

On monday, I was teaching 8th grade science. It was a pretty typical day until half way through. There is a young boy that I have had in class many many times in the last 2 years. I always noticed that the other kids never socialized with him and were always saying mean and negative things to him. Monday was no different. The kids were teasing him and he looked at them and said "Maybe I should do what that kid in Cleveland did." The class went silent. The response from the other students quickly turned to their desire to run and report this to the principal. Not for their safety...but for another chance to taunt this kid. I took the boy into the hallway and I didn't see angerand fear in his eyes...I saw sadness and frustration. He apologized and explained to me that he didn't not mean what he said and actually felt remorse for his statement. The mom in me wanted to take this young man and give him a big hug...but I would never do that. I wanted him to know that he was special and loved. We returned to the class and the students began mocking the incident...I had enough...and decided it was time to put down the science work and talk about respect. I asked them when did it become okay to disrespect each other. One student responded by saying..."respect never existed here." How sad. One of the students told the boy who made the cleveland comment "it's like you don't even matter." I made this 8th grade girl apologize to this young man. I felt like I was working with 1st graders. I know she didn't mean it...but I wanted to show him that I cared about him and that he could count on me. So what do we do? We pray. I am committed to praying for this young man. I can't wait to see what God can do in this situation. I did report the incident to the administration.

MY VISION FOR CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO SEE AT CATALYST:

BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD

That scripture keeps going through my mind today. Today I have learned the importance of words. Words can tear you down and words can build you up. I experienced the "tearing down" today. I have the next 2 1/2 hours to myself. I am home alone. No one is asking for a drink, a ride or a snack. I would usually turn on the t.v.'s to keep me company as I clean. For the next 2 1/2 hours...I want to experience stillness and quiet. I want to hear from God. I'll let you know how it goes.

THIS PICTURE THING IS SO MUCH FUN

PICTURES

Today, I officially learned how to transfer pictures from our digital camera to the computer. I am so behind with technology. It cost me $5 (I paid my daughter to teach me) but it was worth it. Here is my first try :

CHALLENGE DAY

I had the opportunity to be part of an event called Challenge Day. Challenge Day is a one day program for High School students. Through various activities and exercises, social barriers are knocked down and teens are able to open up to adults and one another about problems and fears in their lives. I had seen the organization on television and I wanted to see for myself how this was done. I was blown away. I spent 8 hours with them and left the day emotionally drained. I can't believe what some teens are experiencing today. I had a very diverse group of teens in my group. One had downs syndrome, 2 lived in low income housing projects, one was your all american girl next door and the other was raised on a farm. The common thread amongst them all was an attitude of lost and disappointment. All of them had been let down by adults in their lives. One student told me he experiences violence on a daily basis. He hates how he has let this mold him into someone who is always angry, fights with everyone and really has no plans for a future. He has seen families members turn to homosexuality, he has held the dead body of a family member in his arms after a shooting. One student was abandoned by a father and step father. She is now the primary care giver for a sibling while her mom works two jobs. I came out of there more angry then sad. I came out thinking that we have truly let down some of the children of this world. As we closed the session, I gave everyone in my group a hug and told them that "I Loved Them". I wanted to make sure that they heard at least one time that day that they were loved. Pray for these teens. I hope they keep in touch with me. I am considering the possibility of joining the challenge day presenation team. If you would like to learn more about them, go to http://www.challengeday.org/.

Let me introduce to you...Little Rock 3

Yes...that is the name of Austin's garage band. They had their first rehearsal last night and ended the jam session with milkshakes. He was so excited. He was watching the clock until 6:30 when rehearsal began. I am told they can play a mean version of "smoke on the water". I will be their temporary manager so if you would like to book them for reunions, birthday parties, bar mitzfas (spelling ?) they work really cheap....milkshakes. Keep in mind, they only know one song. Rumor has it they could be opening for the VMA awards next year.

On another note, Austin did begin guitar lessons this week. He loves his teacher and let me tell you why. When he first walked in the room, Austin could immediately relate to him. He had on a t-shirt and jeans, long hair, cool hat, he was young and he treated Austin like he was his friend...not his teacher. He was really interested in Austin and even offered Austin 2 ways to learn the guitar. One was the traditional way and one was a non-traditional approach to teaching music. We went for the latter.

It made me think about our church Catalyst. Catalyst is designed to meet people where they are in life...not where the church wants them to be. Catalyst is taking a non-traditional approach to ministry and is being effective. Just like Austin did with his lessons, a person can walk in off the street and immediately feel loved and comfortable at Catalyst. I hope Austin will someday use his guitar to minister to people. The reward would be even better then a milkshake.

GOD IS SO GOOD

Have you ever prayed for something and God went above and beyond what you asked? I hope the answer is yes. I have been praying for my son Austin that he would get involved in a local youth group. We wanted him to be involved with other kids his age. There is a youth group nearby that averages about 150 junior high kids each week. He actually asked me on Monday if he could go. I took him and a friend last night and I was blown away. When they got in the car they were so excited. They want to go on the fall retreat, they want to go to Cedar Point this weekend and get this...they want to try out for the worship band. Austin doesn't even play an instrument!!!!He took guitar lessons (4 lessons) 2 years ago. I said sure...do it! So...we have 2 weeks to prepare him for his audition. I wasn't about to stop his dream!! He said he was going to even tell a friend at school about the youth group and see if he wants to audition. I loved their enthusiasm and their fearless attitude. On another music note...he is getting together with 2 friends Friday to start a garage band. (not my garage)
God is so good and faithful.

Moving ahead on my book

I haven't been called to teach in 2 days so I am trying to use this down time to work on some other projects. One of them is my book. I have finished the writing and the editing so the next step is putting it into the proper format to submit to a publisher. I have to actually put it into a book form and sketch suggestions for illustrations. Every time I go to work on this I actually begin to feel discouraged. I am constantly told how hard it is to get a children's book published. I have to keep reminding myself that I serve a big God and if this is His idea...it will happen. I have also been asked to contribute small devotionals for another book that my friend has written on purity. We have met twice and are moving full swing ahead. I am excited about the creative approach that we are taking for the devotions. It is actually like I am having a conversation with the writer. We are calling them "pop-ups" because they appear in unexpected places within the book. I am also trying to increase my speaking engagements. Lots of exciting things are happening.

IT WAS LIKE THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

Today was my first official Sunday at Catalyst. Today was my first official day to unlock the door and prepare the125 for Sunday morning. Last night reminded me of preparing for the first day of school. I was a little nervous, I laid out my supplies and even decided what to wear. I was so excited about meeting new people and the volunteers at Catalyst.

I have to say that I was blown away!!!I met with the children's staff and I have never experienced such a commitment from volunteers. The fact that they sacrifice 2 weeks of worship and even arrive at church one hour early to serve. They were all on time and ready to go. I love the fact that the standard has been set early for this church plant. The bar has been set high and a great example is in place for future volunteers. You don't know how important this is to a leader to see people who really want to serve!!!!!

I am so excited about what God as in store for Catalyst. I know that He is pleased with the faithfulness of the Catalyst volunteers and He will bless their efforts.

I left today energized and exhausted. My family allowed me to take a 2 hour nap.

Next week will be even better.

I LOVE THE GEEK SQUAD

I have always wanted a laptop computer and the Geek Squad at Best Buy made that happen. Ashley had a laptop her freshman year of college and suddenly it stopped working. We weren't sure what happened but we believe her younger brothers made have played a part in the situation. While it was still under warranty, we returned the computer to Best Buy. They refused to fix the problem. We later hooked the computer up to a monitor and used it that way. Fast forward 2 years....I am mailed some paperwork that tells me the computer is still under warranty for 2 more weeks. I thought...why not try one more time. I took the computer to Best Buy and turned it over to "Agent Layne" of the Geek Squad. They really do dress in black pants, white shirts and black ties. I think I even saw a pocket protector. I explained to them what happened...they sent the computer to "Geek Headquarters". I received a call on Friday that the computer was fixed for free. I LOVE THE GEEK SQUAD. I now have a laptop that I can take to meetings and even take to school while I am teaching.

Hats off to the geeks of the world.

CHANGE IS GOOD!!!

I have never been afraid of change and love a new adventure. I am soooo excited about our newest adventuure. I have taken a position with a new and exciting church plant in Kent, Ohio.
Catalyst is a 10 month old church plant that is full of people who are sold out for Christ and are passionate about reaching out to the lost. This wasn't a hard decision to make because so many things that we are looking for in a church are at Catalyst. First, Catalyst is lead my a strong leader who has a love for the Lord, his family and others. Jonathan has had the chance to work and learn from some wonderful leaders. I love that he has a clear vision of what Catalyst hopes to be. I love that as soon as I took the position, he immediately began investing in me.

Second, people that I truly admire are part of the Catalyst Core Group. I have known several of the families for many years and truly love what they stand for and represent.

Third, Catalyst meets in an old movie theatre and the children meet in a former bank building. I love the non-traditional environment and I love bringing my coffee into church. I love that someone could literally walk of the street and feel comfortable.

My children love the worship band and especially when the "jump off the stage." I know there are some wonderful young men who will be great role models for them.

I am so excited about leading the children's ministry. Ideas are constantly running through my head and I have all of these scraps of paper in my purse with ideas.

I truly feel "alive" again. I love being on a ministry team...especially one that is winning. Catalyst is winning.

Come visit.

My Pentecostal Experience

This past weekend we went to Chicago for Wally's High School reunion. Which reunion? If I tell you then you will know how old we are. Okay...it was his 10th...okay...his 20th...Okay...it was his 25th. Now just know what I married a much older man...so my 25th is...okay...mine was this year too. (Wally is 8 months older).

I knew that there was the potential for me to feel a little bored. I knew absolutely nobody. The social hour was fun and the meal was incredible. At about 10:00 pm I was wanting to go home so bad but I knew Wally was having a good time...so it wasn't about me. I decided to walk around the hotel just to occupy myself. I suddenly heard music, a lot of amens and I had to go check it out. I had stumbled on to an African American Pentecostal "Anointing " conference. I was intrigued so I sat outside and listened for a few minutes. He was enthusiastically preaching from Isaiah. I felt bad leaving the reunion so I returned. A few minutes later I excused myself again and returned to the outside door of the service. It was so interesting. I returned again, reluctantly to the reunion. I later told Wally where I had been. I said "Why don't you go and mingle with everyone and if you don't mind I would like to go and listen to this man preach. Enjoy yourself and I'll be back when the service is over..." I walked back to the service and I was invited in. As I sat down, a woman immediately shared her Bible with me. I was so impressed with her generosity. I thought to myself...do I do this in church when a visitor sits with me? The answer was no. I can't say that I totally felt comfortable in this setting...but I definately felt the love from this lady. I eventually returned to the reunion. I hope this church is there when we return for Wally's 30th.

Exciting Times

I am so excited about changes that are coming my way.

Ashley is about to enter her senior year of college and is laying the groundwork for a possible medical career. It is exciting to walk this journey with her and see how God is going to use her.

Allison will be entering CVCA in the fall. This is a wonderful Christian school and we are excited to see the Lord work in her life at CVCA.

I have been offered an exciting opportunity to join the staff of a wonderful church in the area. (details to come later). Wally and I are praying through this and will make a decision soon. It is just fun to think about the possibilites. I find myself feeling energized and alive. I am a creative person and I need an outlet. The list is beginning to form of all the ideas that the Lord has given to me. I am not afraid to "reinvent" myself. I look forward to this possible new season in life. I will still need to substitute teach so I have decided to possibly sub in the inner city of cleveland.

One more new things...not nearly as exciting...a new home air conditioner. I can't believe how much these cost.

Lastly, I am reading again. My friend asked me to read "Fresh Wind Fresh Fire" by Jim Cymbala. What a great book. The one thing that has stuck with me...there are many...is when he speaks of our relationship with Christ. We desire to spend eternity with Him in heaven...but we don't show that same passion on earth. He mentions that now is the time to nurture that relationship. If you have any doubts of questions about prayer...read this book.

Gotta go....

IT'S VACATION TIME

We're off! Bound for the beach. Looking forward to family, fun, sun, golf cart rides, shopping, seafood and some much needed time to read.

Have you ever felt like you were in a pit? For the last couple of months I have felt like that. It began with a few disapointments and then the death of Wally's dad. I had made a promise to myself that I was going to spend the next months investing in myself and not volunteering for anything. I was looking forward to this little hiatus and then...I went to a party. I spent 3 hours at this party laughing until I thought I was going to wet my pants. At the party someone asked if I would be interested in attending a meeting and joining a drama team. I was hesitant...but I thought "why not." You know what happened next. I spent 2 more hours at the meeting laughing and having a ball.

I realized that time away from people isn't what I needed. It was time with the right people. I am one of those people who is energized by people. I truly feel that I am out of my pit and ready to face whatever God has for me. I am not sure what it is but I know what I would like for it to be. I truly crave, desire, yearn to go back into ministry. I saw the following ad on the internet. This job is in Georgia so it is out of the question, but this is the kind of job I want.

EXPERIENCE: We need someone with experience in creating compelling children's environments while understanding the demands of being mobile. We will pay well for experience and leadership. We take care of our people. We are not overly concerned with degrees or pedigrees. Your work history and heart are more important to us.

LEADERSHIP: You must be a team player. You must know how to recruit and build a team of volunteers.

VISION:You must have a vision for changing lives and reaching the unchurched. If that's you, then what are you waiting for? Come help us reach this region for Jesus Christ!Interested? Please email me and tell me why you're interested in working at Mill Creek. Be sure to attach your resume and current photo.

MY FAVORITE PART:

WARNING: We are getting ready for some huge moves at our church and if we like you then you might be moving within a few weeks. Consider this a lightning opportunity.

That's the kind of job I want.

Where to begin

I had all these things that I wanted to write about and then my blog crashed. Let's see if I can remember:

HATS OFF TO SPECIAL NEEDS TEACHERS

During my last month of teaching, I was placed many times in the special needs class. I have such high respect for those who are called to this profession. I was amazed at the amount of children who require extra help and the extent of their disabilities. I also saw how attached they become to their teachers. Most students become very excited when they have a sub. Not a special needs child. They love their teacher so much that they are truly sad when he or she isn't there. If you know of someone who works with special needs children...give them a high five or a big hug today...they are heroes.

PARENTING IS TOUGH

It seems that lately each one of our children has gone through some type of trial or circumstance. As a parent I have felt so inadequate. So what got me through it? First...prayer. I truly know that He can sustain us through all things and loves our children even more then we do. Second...advice. I have called so many moms lately just to seek their advice and counsel. I am truly blessed to have women in my life who have raised wonderful children and are willing to share with me their mistakes and successes. Third...send them to "Camp Grandma". This special camp is a place where they can get away from it all. They can do whatever they want, whenever they want. They can buy whatever they like and as much as they like. Yes...this even includes eating 5 ice cream cones in one day. Make your reservation now for "Camp Grandma". Space is limisted.

WHO REACHES OUT TO PARIS

This may seem like a crazy topic. Yesterday I was talking to Ashley about this. Who has access to celebrities? Who could share the Gospel with people like Paris Hilton? As her story unfolds it is obvious that this is someone with a void in her life. A void that is God shaped. How do we reach a Paris Hilton?

Long Time...no post

Hey,

My blog is finally working again.


Yeh.


I'll post later.

SEEING GOD IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Today I was teaching 9th grade Science. The class was very small so it allowed an opportunity to sit with the kids and just casually talk. The subject of the Virginia Tech shooting came up and I asked the kids what they thought. One girl started talking about the professor who barricaded the door while students jumped out the window. She went on the explain how he took the bullets in order for the students to jump to their freedom. "He was like Jesus that day" she said. I thought to myself...how cool is that. I said, "you're exactly right!" It was so neat to hear a high school student understand what Jesus did for us and how this man sacrificed his life for his students. I went on to ask them what would they do if a shooter entered this classroom. Would they be sacrificial. Everyone hope that they would but we agreed it would be hard to honestly say what you would do until you're in that situation. Of course...the girls all agreed that they would have to grab their purse first.

In the same class I realized that one of the boys looked very familiar. I finally asked him if I had subbed for one of his classes before. He reminded me that I had taught his math class and that I had kicked him out of the class. Now I remembered. He was in a math class that was completely out of control one day. One of the students threw something at me and I thought it was him so I sent him out. He told me that it wasn't him but he wasn't about to snitch on the student who was guilty. I explained to him that I did feel bad about that day. I questioned my decision later if I had punished the right student. We laughed about the situation and I asked if he would forgive me for my mistake. He said yes. I love that kid now. I even gave him some candy. Yes...I gave a freshman in high school a tootsie roll pop.

WALKING THE WALK/TALKING THE TALK

I have been subbing this week at the high school. I enjoy the high school kids and love to see the look on faces of kids at our church when they walk in and see that I am their sub. I was so proud of one of the teens at Hope when I saw how he "lived out his faith" at school. I know he didn't do this to impress me since he had no idea I would be his teacher for the day. He had a Christian book that he had brought to share with a classmate. She read the book the entire period. Normally I wouldn't allow this...but...we were watching a movie. This boy is a boy who is normally very quiet at youth group but a real leader at the high school. I was so proud of him. It was great to see that he is genuine. I am back at the high school today and then off to kindergarten tomorrow. I love the variety of the different ages. I am also excited about tomorrow. Why? Kindergarteners play a lot and take naps. It's going to be a fun day.

SPRING BREAK

Spring break is coming to an end and we are exhausted. Our trip began with an overnight stay at Kalahari in Sandusky. The kids had a blast. I highly recommend this place for a quick getaway. It also motivated me to get back to running. I did not enjoy putting on a swimsuit. The best part of the stay was the way they took care of its guests. The resort goes above and beyond what is expected. They making staying there enjoyable and easy. There are a lot of places (including churches) that could learn from a place like Kalahari.

The next night we were off to Bethel College to visit Ashley. Here are some highlights:
1) We had a chance to have a wonderful dinner with Ashley and Allison Schuck. It it always great to catch up with Allison and to hear about her plans and possible internship.

2) Our Allison had a chance to stay on campus with Ashley and experience college life. I think she saw some real benefits of attending a Christian College.

3) I had a chance to attend class with Ashley. It was her Bible class with a professor that students stand in line in order to get a spot in this class on registration day. I can see why! Dr. Bob brings the Bible to life with his enthusiasm and relaxed teaching style. He made us feel very welcomed. He had us stand and he even asked Allison to "scope" the class for any boys that she would like to meet. I immediately pulled her down in her seat (ha ha). Allison has grown into a beautiful young lady and no mom wants to rush the dating process. I don't think asking her to wait until she is 30 is too much. ha ha

4) Next stop was Chapel. It was great. They had a guest musician who sang about inner beauty. (my passion)

5) Later that night we fixed dinner for 18 college students. Boy can they eat. We had fun doing this and the best part was spending time with them and hearing about what God is doing in their life. Out of 18...almost all of them having future plans to go into ministry. One guy, who is only 21, will be preaching this Sunday at a church.

All in all, it was a great spring break. We enjoyed spending time with my mom and my sister. Now...laundry, rest ...and back to school.

MISC.

so much has happened since my last post. Here goes....


MY DAUGHTER THE DOCTOR...

Ashley hit a milestone this week. She turned 21. She has grown into such a wonderful young lady who loves the Lord with all her heart and seeks to follow him daily. We are so proud of the way she conducts herself and her heart for the lost and her desire to serve. I believe this attitude is what has prompted her to consider medical school. She is considering this and chose pediatric oncology as a possible speciality. Any family with a sick child would be blessed to have her as their doctor.

WRITING CONFERENCE...
Everyone I have spoken to recommends that aspiring writers attend a writer's conference to have a book published. I am attending a Christian's Writer's conference this weekend. Most of you know that I have written a children's book for little girls about beauty. I have also started 2 more children's books this week. One is called "I asked God Why". It is about a little girl's conversation with God. The other is called "Skipping Through The Bible." It is about a little girls who skips everywhere she goes. She dreams one night that she is "skipping" through the Bible and meets some interesting characters.

THE POWER OF WORDS...
I realized this week how words can make you happy. This week I was teaching at the middle school. I brought candy and even allowed the students to have some "fun" in class. Don't get me wrong...they had to complete their work. One student came up to me afterwards and said "Mrs. T...you're my favorite sub...you understand us." That made me feel so good. Maybe my experience in youth ministry aids me in my subbing. Alex made me laugh the other day with his words. We were on our way home from a doctor's appoinment. I asked him if his foot ever hurts. His reply was "Yes...every billioneth step."

MINISTRY INTERVIEW

My interview yesterday went well. I was a little nervous the entire day.
I was fixing my hair and grabbed the "scrubbing bubbles bathroom cleaner" instead. I then panicked and worried that there was bleach in the bottle. What if my hair suddenly begins to turn odd colors and I have to cancel my interview. What would I say as a reason. Fortunately my hair remained one color!!!

Misc.

So much has happened since the last time I posted...so here it goes.

1) I have the WORLD'S BEST PARENTS!!

I come from a very giving family. My parents have always modeled to us the importance of giving back and helping others. I could tell you numerous stories of how my mom has given money, clothing, etc to people in need. I went home this weekend for a short visit and came home with a new car. That's right...my parents bought me a new van. I love it. It is a 2006 Town and country. It has everything that I have ever wanted and could never afford. It tells me the time, the temperature, the radio station and what artist is singing. It has stow and go and much much more. I hope I can be the kind of parent to my children that helps them out even as adults. THANKS!!!! WE LOVE THE VAN!!!

2) I have an interview this tuesday for a wonderful ministry opportunity.
I am really seeking God's will in this matter.

3) It has been another great week of teaching. I had one little scare at the middle school. When I arrived I found a whole stack of letters that the students had written. They were apology letters to the substitute they had earlier in the week. I was kind of nervous waiting for this class to arrive. They behaved for me!!!

4) This week I was reading an article on prayer. It posed the questions "How do you pray for someone who do not know?" The author suggested that you put yourself in their situation and pray as if you are going through what they are going through. My mom has a friend that is at the Cleveland Clinic. I have never met her...but as I pray for her...I am going to try this.

Great Weekend

WOW!!!

I am still recovering from a wonderful weekend. I had the honor of being the speaker at Riverwood Women's Retreat. It is fun to attend different retreats and see how each one is unique and special.

I was given a wonderful room to myself that included a plush robe to wear as I relaxed. The wonderful committee created a gift basket that only compared to the ones that celebrities receive at the Oscars. It contained many snacks, drinks, jewelrey, and many many wonderful Longaberger items. I felt so special.

We had a wonderul weekdend sharing stories of God's faithfulness. You come to a retreat as a stranger and leave with many new friends. I loved working with the women on the committee. They were genuine and authentic. If I ever look for a new church...I would stop at Riverwood first.

I began a women's care group at my home this past monday. We have 10 women who will attend, but the weather kept many away. Two women came and we decided that we would hold off on the lesson. We decided to just chat for a few moments and pray. Two hours later...we were done.

I want to share with you my next adventure. My friend Sandi and I are always looking for a new adventure and here it is.

We are going to spend the next year interviewing 10 women that we admire in our church. We are going to ask each on of them the same questions:
1) what has made your marriage successful
2) what is the best parenting advice you can give
3) how do you keep your walk with Christ intimate
4) what is the best advice that you would offer women today

There will be many more questions. Here is the criteria for the women that we choose.
1) They must be past the stage of raising children.
2) They must exemplify Christlike qualities in their parenting and marriage(past or present)


We are praying abou the names of the women. I will be compiling the interviews and I am not sure how we will use this. We may keep this for ourselves or make it available to women who are interested.

I am so excited about this. The idea came to me this Sunday as I sat beside a women and she shared with us that she just celebrated her 50th wedding anniversary. She has a wonderful sense of humor and a love for the Lord. I thought to myself "I want to talk to her."

Pray for us.

My Week in a nutshell

This week I had the opportunity to substitute teach 4 times. Tuesday I subbed for the band and chorus teacher. I wasn't sure how I was going to conduct a band...but I was willing to try anything. Fortunately, they have an assistant conductor...so all I had to do was keep kids from talking. The chorus students had a worksheet so all in all it was an easy day. Wednesday I found myself with 5th graders. One student thought it would be funny if he would scare the "sub" by pretending like he passed out. I came into the classroom to find him face down on the floor not moving. I ran to him and called out his name with no response. I told a kid to hurry and get the teacher next door. When he heard this...he suddenly was "healed" and made a quick recovery. I have a feeling the next day he spent some time in detention.

Thursday I taught 8th grade language arts. Another experience came when a student decided it would be cute to hide in a cabinet. Memories from jr. high came rushing back to me. I remember when we coaxed Allison Silverman into letting us lock her in her locker. I was scared when we couldn't get her out. He survived his time in the cabinet and I survived another day.

Today, I taught 9th grade science. What was I thinking? I was thinking that they would probably watch a movie. NO! I had to help them find objects that were either a compound, element, solution, homogenous material etc. Needless to say...I learned alot about science today. I also learned who is dating who, who is breaking up with who and things I wish I hadn't heard. It was a great week. I love it.

FROM THE MOUTH OF A CHILD

QUICK POST:


The other day my 5th grader asked my adult daughter the following question:

"Is is true when you kiss a girl fireworks go off?"

"No Austin" she replied.

"Good" said Austin...I'm afraid of fireworks"

RED HAT LADIES

Yesterday I spoke in Mentor at a luncheon. Several times I started to cancel due to the weather. I was driving on 271 and was scared to death. I hate traveling on highways when it is icy and snowy. I actually found myself getting mad for agreeing to speak. I arrived at the luncheon late and to say my heart wasn't in it ...would be putting it mildly. The Lord grabbed ahold of my heart and reminded me that it wasn't about me...it was about Him. I was able to share the Gospel that day with 60+ women. It turned into a great day. Through this event...I was able to book possibly another 4 speaking engagements. One is with the "Red Hat Ladies" in April. I am excited. It is a mother and daughter event, so there will be women/girls there of all ages.

I also met a lady who wants me to be part of an outreach event for girls and teens. I was moved by her story. She is a one year ovarian cancer survivor and wants to do this. She feels motivated to do this now because of her illness. Pray for her. She is only in her forties and is a mother. I am speaking again tomorrow in mansfield. I can't wait to see what God has in store.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year from the Trachsel family. The first day of 2007 was a day of relaxation and rest. We had a New Year's Eve Party at our house last night. My mom and sister were in town, we had about 11 college students and Austin and Alex had a friend over. I was excited that I actually stayed awake. The kids and I counted down the last 10 seconds, celebrated with sparkling juice and Alex did our traditional "beating of the pans at midnight." We have done this since I was a little girl.

Today I allowed everyone to pick their favorite dinner and we had a smorgasbord. We had everything from pasta to steak. Today our children received a "New Year's Day" present. I took a picture of them participating in their favorite sport and had it enlarged and framed. On the picture I had the following scripture placed on the picture. "This is my son (child) whom I love, with whom I am well pleased."

I think they liked it. I told them this was to remind them of how much they're loved and how well God is with them when they use their gifts.

I hope 2007 brings everyone much joy and happiness.

CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS

It's almost Christmas and I am looking forward to being with friends and family for the next few days. At times I am sad when I think that this is the first Christmas without my grandmother. She loved the homemade gifts that we gave her every year and made a big fuss over the kids. A lady who lives in Peninsula is making something for us that will help keep our grandmother near our hearts all year long. She is designing a charm. One side of the charm she is taking one of her favorite blouses and snipping a small square of fabric and placing it inside the charm. She is mounting a daisy on top of the fabric. My grandmother loved daisies and her nickname was Miss Daisy. On the other side she is scanning my grandmother's signature from a card that I had kept. I can't wait to see the finished product.

As I look back on the month of December, it has been a wonderful time with family and friends. The annual cookie exchange, our buckeye making day with Sherrie and Sandie, the annual Christmas production at Hope, Wally's Christmas party, and a fun night last night with the teens at Hope. The best is yet to come.

This saturday our family will be going with 2 other families at Hope to visit children who are in the hospital and a dear friend in a nursing home. This just isn't any visit...we all dress up in the "nativity" costumes...including a camel, and bring the manger to them. This may sound "cheesy" to some...but we have fun.

I think I have truly felt the true meaning of Christmas this year. It is easy to be busy with the shopping and baking...but the importance of this holiday is sharing the love of Christ with those around us. It's about putting the busyness of the season aside and making time for people.

Stonecroft Ministry

One of the best kept secrets in women's ministry is an organization called Stonecroft. Stonecroft ministries are all over the country. They host monthly luncheons or breakfasts for women to bring their unchurched friends. There is always a secular speaker and a spiritual speaker. About a year ago I started the process to become an approved stonecroft speaker. Several times I wanted to give up. Your talk is critiqued over and over again. I had to swallow my pride many times as I listened to constructive criticism. They pay you to come to their clubs and speak. I have been blessed to have the chance to speak 3 times this week. Monday I was in Warren, Tuesday in sandusky and tomorrow I will be in East Liverpool. The clubs are mainly made up of women who are retired. At first I wasn't sure if I would enjoy this. I was so wrong. For example, today I sat beside a woman who was 92. She was what I would call a "firecracker". I enjoyed talking to her so much and appreciated the wisdom that she had. I also sat with a lady who is a greatgrandmother. You would never know it. She runs a bed and breakfast and invited me to come visit. YEH! Can I also say she was the best dressed lady there. She was so hip and fashionable. The best part is...she is going to send me a box of her hand me downs. YEH! YEH! The grandmothers there today were stylish, funny and more importantly...believers. Monday I met another group of mature women (I won't dare call them older) who blessed me as well. I can't wait until tomorrow to see what God has in store. Maybe I will meet someone who wants to get rid of some jewelrey.. HA HA

I also had the honor of speaking at a ladies event in Auburn. I am in awe of how the Lord continues to bring the opportunities my way.

Random Thoughts

I am about to begin my 8th day of teaching in a row. I have loved every minute of it. I have taught kindergarten to 11th grade in the last 2 weeks. It's ironic that I can't get the kindergarten kids to rest and I can't keep the high school students awake. I am thankful for the chance to work. It is great paying cash for Christmas.

It was great having a classroom with windows today so we could watch the snow. Yes today was kindergarten. It also makes my faithful that we have already booked our summer beach house for July. We loved this house and the irony of it is the owner lives one town away from us so we were able to book directly with her. I am also excited that 15 of the 16 people (my immediate family) will be there. We have never had this many before. It should be fun. I am excited to spend some time with my nephews and nieces that I don't see very often.



Another neat thing that has happened is that we continue to see the legacy of my grandmother live on. She was always a giver. An unexpected insurance policy was discovered and that money has been earmarked to help others. A fund has been set up in her honor. My mom has had the privledge of already helping buy medication and a hot water tank for people in need. This is exactly what my grandmother would have done. I don't think we will ever know the amount of lives that she touched while she was alive. Now her memory and her legacy live on. Way to go Miss Daisy. (her nickname)

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE FAMILY

Another Thanksgiving has come and gone and there is so much to be thankful for. Family, friends, health, laughter just to name a few. We had family come to visit for Thanksgiving and a fun time was had by all. We spent the morning preparing a delicious meal including many southern specials and many of my grandmother's recipes. We tried to re-create her traditional meal. We had a few successes and a few failures. I learned an important lesson. If a recipe calls for egg whites...egg whites are very important. I set a table this year with my china and we sat together as a family. Minutes before eating I assigned Alex the job of praying for our meal. He went on the internet and printed the "Lord's Prayer" all by himself. When it came time to pray...he read this prayer. I have to admit that I was gratefule that my head was bowed. I couldn't help but giggle at his interpretation and pronunciation of some of the more diffifult words. He did a wonderful job and we now have a new tradition. I told Alex that as he grows and turns into a man...this will always be his assignment on Thanksgiving morning. I am going to tuck the copy of the prayer in my calendar for next November.

We did let go of one tradition. We did not wake early enough to shop at 5:00 am the day after Thanksgiving. Oh well...out with the old and in with the new.

The girls are actually putting up the Christmas trees today and I am feeling blessed to be surrounded by family.

I learned a really important lesson this Thanksgiving. It really is about family and the people in our lives. Everything else can be replaced. This week, I have been taking small baby steps to follow God in His calling for me to write and speak. I found myself evaluating my life and if there was anything in my heart that was keeping the Lord from using me. He quickly brought to mind a relationship that I was treating as "disposable". I had been hurt and I had almost written this person out of my life. He showed me that he loves everyone and I should as well. I knew that I needed to mend this relationship and let nothing stand in the way. Not pride...not the desire to be "right"..not even fear. I went that day and mended this relationship. It wasn't easy for both of us...but we both agreed that this needed to be done. I love this person and I am so glad that the Lord orchestrated this healing. He can do that for you too.

IT'S ALMOST CHRISTMAS

That can mean alot of things. Time to shop, decorate, bake cookies. For my family it means one more thing...time for the annual homemade Christmas gift. Yes, for the past 7 years, I have made my children (yes made) make a homemade gift for their grandparents. Every year when I bring up the idea, I am reminded of all the homemade gifts of Christmas past. There was the placemat purse, the pillow case angel, the reindeer ornament, the snowman made out of popsicle sticks. Oh who could forget the fleece blankets and scarves and our all time favorite fleece mittens. I am sure there are others that we have blocked out of our memory. So I open to suggestions. I am looking for something quick, simple and cheap. I need to have money left over to buy another gift after we mess up the homemade one and have to shop for the replacement. This weekend, the sewing maching will be threaded, the glue gun warmed up and the scissors sharpened. Yes...this is the weekend of the homemade gift.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALLISON

We have a new teenager in our house. Today Allison turns 13. I think back to this day 13 years ago. We were stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Wally had been up all night writing a paper but Allison decided this was the time that she wanted to enter the world. Family was on standby just waiting to hear of her arrival so they could come and see this little girl.

Allison has taken us on many adventures with her interest in gymnastics and cheerleading. Her new endeavor is basketball. We appreciate her willingness to try new things and to have fun. I am excited to see what God has planned for her. Her dream is to be an architect and live in a loft in New York City. Dream big Allison...you serve a big GOD.

We love you.

ONE STEP AT A TIME

I am off today so I decided to try something new. I decided to have my time in the Bible today with David Jeremiah. He is on the radio at 8:30 am so I grabbed my Bible, a muffin and a cup of coffee. We studied John chapter 17. Pastor Jeremiah talked about how Jesus was focused on what God was calling him to do. He challenged listeners to find out what God was calling them to do and let nothing get in the way of that purpose. Pastor Jeremiah began his career as a DJ on the radio but later realized that God was calling him to be a pastor and a teacher.

I decided today that I needed to take some baby steps and follow what God is calling me to do in the areas of speaking and writing. So far...I have sent an email to someone regarding speaking and I am offically sending my children's book to Nancy Leigh Demoss's publisher today. I had email her in FEBRUARY and she agreed to read my book. I have wasted 9 months. So...pray for me...I am sending it today. I'll keep you posted.

WOW

I wasn't sure what to call this post...all I could think of is WOW!! That is how I felt after leaving Bethel College this week.

I had an opportunity to speak at their mid-week chapel. I brought along 2 friends and the fun began as soon as we left my driveway. It is amazing how quick a 4 hour trip can be when you are talking and laughing the whole way. Bethel provided a cozy trailer for us to use and it was great having Ashley stay with us as well.


Wednesday morning came and it was an exciting day. The message is actually on their website if you would like to listen. I haven't listened to my talk. To me...it is sort of watching yourself on video. I hate how my accent seems to dominate anything that I say.

The worship was wonderful and my talk began with a wonderful introduction from Ashley. I am so proud of the way she carries herself and she has turned into such a wonderful young lady who loves the Lord.

We later had lunch at the dining hall and I loved the conversations we had with students.

My favorite part of the weekend happened at dinner. We went to a wonderful little restaurant with 4 other students. One girl and 3 boys. They allowed me to pick their brains so I could get an idea of how students at a Christian college think. I asked them if they thought there was only "one" person for them. I also asked them if they could make a list of what they wanted in their future spouse...what would they have on their list. No one mentioned looks. Their list contained character qualities that align with scripture and I was blown away. One statement that stuck with me was when one boy said "I want a wife that when I am around her and when I spend time with her...I love God more." WOW WOW

I rewarded them with a wonderful dessert. I left that dinner encouraged that God is building up leaders for the next generation.

Our "Girls only seminar" began at 9:00pm. We were suppose to send at 9:50 pm. We left at 11:30 pm. Girls began to ask questions and I was blown away by the stuggles that they are experiencing. It was wonderful time. It was exactly what I prayed for. I didn't want the seminar to be what I had to say...I wanted to hear what they had to say.

One girl came up to me after the seminar and just shared how the Lord is working in her life and what he is calling her to do. She feels called to speaking someday and is not sure where to begin. I invited her to accompany me to some speaking engagements. I pray that maybe she will become a "Timothy" in my life.

God is SO GOOD. He is so FAITHFUL.

I FINISHED!!!!

I will try to post some pictures later...but I finished my first 5K. What was my time? Let's just say by the time I finished I am thankful that the finish line was still up. No...it wasn't that bad...just not the time that I hoped for. I have to admit that for the first time...since I have been training...I walked. My coach, Ashley, was very reassuring and not to give up. I was a little overwhelmed at the beginning of the race. We had to walk a little bit before we even made it to the starting line. It was very crowded and hard at times to even find a place to run. I think I went out way to strong just trying to keep of with the mob.

Would I do it again? I am not sure. I enjoyed the training months much more than the race itself. I have to say that coming through the finish line was pretty cool. My family was cheering me on and I think I even passed a few people. In the beginning I tried to bribe a few runners if they would agree to come in behind me. HA HA. Half way through the race I even asked a policeman for directions to a short cut. It was a fun afternoon and I can now cross this off my list of things that I wanted to do in life. What's next? I'm not sure. I am always open so if you have any ideas...pass them on

PRIDE COMES BEFORE THE FALL...AND A GIRDLE

Well I am finally seeing some fruit of all of my running labor. The scale shows that I have lost 11 pounds. I was so excited that I couldn't wait to tell everyone about my weight loss. Yesterday at church, I was sharing how proud I was of the fact that I have stuck with a program and that I had lost some weight.

Later that day, I was at Kohl's and ran into a friend that I had not seen in at least 2 years. She looked at me and pointed to my stomach and I thought for sure she was going to compliment me on my weight lost. She asked "When is your baby due?" I was shocked. At first I was going to play along and make up some due date because I knew she would be so embarassed. I said "I am not pregnant!" She felt terrible and I kind of shook it off and told her not to worry about it. Down deep I was mortified. I wasn't sure what to do as I walked away...so I did what any vain woman with low self image would do... I went to the lingerie department and bought a girdle.

Little bit of advice...unless a woman is wearing a shirt that acually says "baby on board"...don't ask her if she is pregnant.

WHY AM I RUNNING?

That's a question that I ask myself everytime I leave to run. I am training to run a 5K October 14th with my best friend Sandi. Oprah has Gayle...I have Sandi. She asked me to do this with her and I said yes without thinking. When I began...I could barely run 1 minute...now I am up to 24 minutes. Each time I leave to run, I ask God to give me feet with wings because I know there is no way I can do this on my own. Usually, in the middle of my run, I think about quitting. Who would know...I would...and of course God. So why do I do it?

1) I do it first and foremost for God. Everything I do... I need to bring glory to Him. It's a time that I spend in worship as I listen to praise music the entire time. There have even been times that I have ran a short distance with my hands stretched out to him. He energizes me.

2) I do it because it has taught me to be disciplined. I know I have to do this if I want to finish the race. You can't train for one day. Especially if you are as out of shape as I was.

3) I do it for all the women who have been and who will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Each time I think about quitting, I think about each woman, in the midst of her chemo and radiation, who wants to quit. I think of my mom who faced her cancer with grace and with determination. She didn't quit and neither will I. I am excited about running the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer run on October 14th. I am excited to run alongside women who are the most courageous and awesome women you will ever meet. I am excited to run in the midst of pink shirted women who's shirt symbolizes their survival of breast cancer.

I LOVE MONDAYS

After a busy weekend, I look forward to Mondays. This is the day that I can get caught up on cleaning and re-group from the weekend. Also on mondays I try to write down what I hope to accomplish this week. Now that I am working a few days a week, I have to organize me time a little better.

Last Thursday and Friday I taught 8th grade social studies. I loved it. I really enjoy that age. The hightlight was on Friday when a student came and told me how much fun he had and he hoped I came back. Another boy wrote "I love Mrs. Trachsel" on the white board. I think this was because I allowed them to do their homework in groups.

We had another whirlwind weekend. Friday night we went to the football with good friends. Saturday, we drove 6 hours to watch Ashley run 21 minutes. It was worth the trip. We had a chance to visit with Ashley, family and even a dear friend that we hadn't seen in years. SHe was a former youth from our church who has just as goofy as she was 4 years ago.

Austin had a soccer game this weekend as well. An interesting thing happened as we were walking to the game. An older man and his dog pulled up beside us and asked how old the children were playing today. This seemed like an odd question. His car had out of state license plates. After we spoke to him, he pulled over and watched the field for a short time. This made me very uncomfortable. The field is also beside a playground and a busy library. I hated to categorize this man, but everything inside me said I should let someone know about this. At halftime, I went into the library and explained what I saw. I pray that this was just coincidence....but better safe then sorry. It's a shame that the news is full of stories of children being harmed.

MONEY...THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL

I feel compelled today to use my blog to journal what is in my heart. Many of you know that I lost my grandmother in May. What a tragic lost. I miss her so much and I wish she was here now to solve some problems...but I am also thankful to know that she isn't here to see how people are behaving. Growing up...you never wanted to disappoint Nee. I know...she would be so disappointed in the behavior of some people. Especially those she called friend. Why is this going on? MONEY!!!

Today I am speaking in Amish country to a group of women and I will be sharing the Gospel. I wish I could cancel. My anger got the best of me last night...and I can't believe the effect it had on me. I believe my mom summed it up best last night when she said it was like we are seeing death occur again when you begin to see relationships crumble.

I ask that you pray that my family and I come through this in a way that glorifies the Lord. I also ask that each one of you evaluate your relationships. Relationships with family and friends and most importantly God is the most imporant thing in this world. Money will disappear and material possessions will fade away. Friendships and family are important.

Is there someone that you need to say I'm sorry to? Is there someone that you need to call, email, write? Do it today. I am praying for a few of these situations for myself and some friends. I hope healing comes.

I feel so strongly about this. Don't just say "I'll pray about it"..NO!! Do something about it. Truly...what is there to pray about...YOU know God wants you to heal that relationship. Pray that he will open doors and help you do it...but there really is no time to wait. JUST DO IT!!! Friendships are too important to treat as disposable!!! I think this is especially true for those of us who profess to be followers of Christ. He was all about LOVE! Love thy neighbor thing...remember.

I will now step off my soapbox.

JUST CALL ME MRS. T.

Yesterday I received my first call to substitute teach. The call came at 6:30 am for me to report to a 4th grade class at 7:25. I was so excited. I even curled my hair. I felt like it was the first day of school.

I reported to my classroom and found the lesson plan. Yes, they actually expect subs to teach. I had to teach math and social studies twice. I thought...how hard can it be? How many of you remember the difference between a parallelogram, a concave or comvez polygram. Do you know what a trapezoid is? I didn't. I tried to look on the computer, but I didn't know how to log in. I wasn't sure what I should do. Maybe I should be the "cool" sub and blow off any work and just play games.

I decided to frantically search the textbook and I finally found definitions that I could use.

In came my class. Smiles came on their faces as they realized there was a sub. I remember my days in school. We loved the subs. We assumed that they didn't know anything. If they did...why weren't they full time teachers. ha ha

I greeted each child and told them who was in charge. No not really..I told them if they behaved I would give them candy. It worked.

I had a great day. I taught for 2 hours. Hada 2 hour break and taught for 2 more hours. You have to love lunch, recess and art right in a row.

I was exhausted when I got home. Next time...I will wear more comfortable shoes...and bring more candy

MY DAY

Here is a quick snapshot of my afternoon/evening.

4:30 Ally's football game
6:15 Austin's soccer practice
6:30 Alex's cub scout meeting
7:00 Austin's band meeting
7:30 Pick up Austin at practice
8:00 homework
8:30 baths and bedtime

It may look like an exhausting schedule...but I found joy in the midst of chaos. I realized that I am thankful to have healthy children who can participate in activities. Not every evening is like this. We strive to truly find balance in their activities. I'm just glad that gas prices are down.

On a humorous note:

Last night our family left church and got into our car to leave. Thankfully I realized that we were one child short. I went back into the church to find Alex crying. Yes, we had forgot one child. I asked him if he had asked anyone for help. Actually, I was wondering how many people knew that I had left my child.
All is well and Alex benefited from his trauma with a special treat.

WEDDING WEEKEND

Wow!! What a weekend. The highlight being 2 wedding ceremonies that we attended on Saturday. The first was a re-commitment ceremony at our church. This couple had been through a very rough year and chose to renew their vows 17 years to the date that they first married. They came down the aisle as a family and each child participated in the ceremony. I don't cry very easy...but I have to say that tears welled up in my eyes several times. They truly represent what it means to become "one". I admire this couple very much and they way they have walked this journey together.

Our second wedding was at the Western Reseve Historical Museum. It was a Jewish ceremony for a young Russian couple. I loved the tradition of the ceremony. The Bride came down the aisle with her parents to the song "Sunrise Sunset" from Fiddler.
The Bride had to circle her groom 3 times as a symbol of forming protection around him. She looked like Cinderella. Earlier in the day, the Groom had to come to the house of the Bride and "pay" the Father for his daughter. He had to drink a certain drink and then he had to search for his bride. Based on some clues...he finally found where his bride was. A ribbon is placed on the door of where she is waiting. SHe was actually in my neighbor's living room. The groom finds his bride and they go to the wedding together.

The reception was incredible. Our children were invited so they were able to experience this with us. We sat down to a 9 course meal which included lobster and other russian foods we did not recognize. We tried everything and can I say that I love caviar.

The entire reception was in Russian. We left at 11:30 pm and they had yet to even cut the cake. For everyone that stayed...breakfast was served at 1:00 am. There was no chicken dance, hokey pokey, or electric slide, but the all russian band kept the crowd happy as they danced many traditinal russian dances. I forgot to mention one of our courses came to the table with "sparklers" lit. Also, when the bride and groom danced their first dance, miniature fireworks went off on the stage, along with smoke. It was a wonderful experience. For a moment...I wished that I was Russian. They are a very tight community and seem very family oriented. Occasionally someone would come to our English speaking table and translate.

The weekend was topped off with a quick trip to West Virginia.