Javadawn Wrestles…Grammar?

Jeff and I attended two different colleges after meeting at our local campus. He attended IU Bloomington, while I remained at the local campus. This put some strain on our new relationship. You see, we started dating in April. In June he told me that we needed to make the most of our summer, because when he went to Bloomington in the fall, he had no intentions of being tied down to anything back home. Whew! Talk about pressure.

Being Picked for a Team!

Growing up, I was always the scrawny wimpy looking thang.  When it came to picking teams for any sports activity, I think I was always chosen last.  (Which, honestly, was really folly – I could insult and tear the other team’s confidence down with my mouth better than any one else.  I SHOULD have been seen for the lethal weapon that I really was.)     

Fluff and stuff

I live in an older neighborhood.  The homes in our area for the most part were all built prior to 1925.  Most of them, in fact, were built prior to 1915.  As best we can figure, our home was built in 1905.  In 1903, the appraised value was set at $500.  In 1907, the appraised value was set at $5000.  It is assumed that the house and carriage house caused the value to rise, but no one is certain.

Blogroll

Ladies, I think there are some of you that are reading here that aren’t on my blog roll.

Do you hear what I hear?

I remember the first time Jeff told me he loved me.  It took my breath away.  I thought that the world was going to tip and I was going to slide off the side.  How could this man feel that way about me?  It just was more than I could imagine.

This morning, I experienced a bit of that same mind boggling, world tilting in my prayer closet.

It’s that time of year …

When the world falls in love and every song you hear seems to say, “Merry Christmas, may your New Year’s dreams come true….and this song of mine…” wait…that’s not the time I was thinking of.

It’s time to share your Christmas breakfast menu.

I know MyDerbe Jenn serves banana splits – what about the rest of you???

We’ve had all kinds of things that we’ve had for Christmas morning, so I can’t offer anything solid or helpful…except our Sunrise juice, which we won’t be having this year. See? I’m basically useless.

Have pity on me and share your ideas, my dears…please?

Favor

Jeff belongs to a classical and jazz music club. He had purchased an album, for our children, that was receiving RAVE reviews. The performers were a family of five siblings who all played piano together. Our children just thoroughly delighted in listening to “The Five Browns” album that we had. SO, when we found out that they would be within 45 minutes of our home, for a concert, how could we NOT go?

Walking on Holy Ground

The weather was perfect. It was snowing and the wind, while strong, wasn’t bitter cold. It was a rich, thick, dark night and the only thing breaking the darkness was the light of the lanterns, and the fires to keep the people warm. Suddenly, the darkness is split as a choir of angels began singing the praises of the Lord. The angels beautiful in their choir robes and standing on a hay wagon, with a donkey standing nearby braying his discontent at being away from his stable mates.

Hey! So goes the way of the Holy Walk, a re-enactment of the night of Christ’s birth.

This re-enactment has been going on for the past 27 years. Several of them with the participation of the Clark family. One year it was a brisk (CHOKE) 15 degrees with a 45 mph breeze (HA) coming straight out of the north. In case you didn’t guess that made for some pretty rough performances from the participants….cocoa or no cocoa!!! Out of all the years we’ve either attended or participated, I don’t remember a more beautiful night than what we had this year, however.

This year – as last year – Jeff and the girls participated. Jeffrey and I remained at home – he to watch Squish, me to work. It went well though and we were all glad to see one another at the end of the night.

Below is my crew, all dressed up ready to be the family of Ohaliab of Gaza, the weaver. Ohaliab was joined by his daughters Marah, Daven, Ruth and Lydia. They are all weavers extraordinaire! (Despite the fact that the sandal maker in the next tent accused Ohaliab of weaving, only because he was too stupid to do man’s work.)

This year, Danica was a guide – Joanna of Hebron – who brought her family to Bethlehem in order to pay their taxes. She had to bring her family, instead of her husband, because, “Ah, the poor man, he was killed in a camel accident. One night, the camel sat upon him and SQUASH, he was as flatbread. But, thankfully, I still have the camel.” (she’s my daughter)

Each guest entering the city must be a part of a “family.” They are told where they are from, how long they have been traveling and they are given their papers. They must keep their papers at all times, for you never know when a soldier may demand them of you. It is recommended that you also adopt a Jewish name. Strongly recommended, in fact.

As each family travels into the city, with the Roman soldiers walking around, they are called ‘Hebrew dogs’, they are put into stocks or behind bars. The soldiers are known to spit at their feet and slap them with their swords. (They only whack the guides!) All the while, the throng is moving through the town, visiting the merchants, eating roast apples, warming themselves by the fires only to end up at the stable where Mary has just given birth.

This weekend, one of the guides who has been around for quite a while was being especially harassed by one of the soldiers. The soldier was inspecting his “family”, prior to sending them in to pay their taxes. The soldier looked about and demanded of the guide – “So dog, where is your wife?” The guide, without flinching said, “Sir, my wife died in childbirth.” The soldier said, “HA! If I had a family your size, I’d have died as well!” “I hope not in childbirth Sir.” was Ted’s quick witted reply. At a time when the family was required to remain silent, the entire tent erupted in hilarity!!! The soldier was beside himself to regain control. (Later, when the guests had all left, the soldier sure gave Ted a hard time.)

All in all, we came out pretty well – a few sore throats, some aching muscles, but everyone knew that this time – this precious time, in a field, under the stars with the snow blowing furiously about – that they were indeed upon holy ground. Even if it was frozen solid.

WWF, again

I’m back at it – actually I’m on lunch -  but my brain is back at it.  (No comments necessary about my brain being out to lunch, thank you very much) 
“And they brought the boy to Him. And when the spirit saw Him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about foaming at the mouth.  And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?”

And he said, “From childhood. And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him.  But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

And Jesus said to him,”If you can!  All things are possible for one who believes.”

Immediately the father of the child cried out, “I believe, help my unbelief!”

Say What?

It was the February I was going to school full time, working full time and in order to keep my theatre scholarship, I needed to work part time on stage.

Because of this insane schedule – I was catching a bus to school at 6 am and coming home on the 9 pm bus OR finding someone to bring me home, if I was at the University later than that – I developed anemia. I would come home on Friday night, grab a bite to eat and go to bed….until Sunday afternoon. Then I would get up, eat everything in sight and do my home work. It was a very exciting existence.