Random Thoughts for Today

• I almost forgot my sign in and password it has been so long since I posted. Oops! I'll try to do better.
• It is finally officially SPRING!! The weather has been great. But we are supposed to get rain the next several days. What is that they say? April showers bring May flowers.... even when they come in March. I can tell something is growing somewhere because my allergies have been acting up. Can't have everything, I guess.
• I miss my grandkids so much. We're hoping Ryan and his crowd can come during their Spring Break for a few days. Have to make the best of Ryan's lack of job somehow.
• Lent is whizzing by. Easter is only 3 weeks away. Much to do. Much to do.
• I made it my Lenten "Sacrifice" this year to pray every hour on the hour about a certain situation. It has been an amazing experience. I find myself anticipating the "ding" on my phone before it happens. I also find myself adding other situations to pray about "while I'm at it." By now, I can't imagine not being deliberate about praying each hour. Sometimes the prayer is just a quick "flash" prayer. Other times I can spend more intense time. Try it!! You might like it!!
• If you have the opportunity, watch the HBO Movie "Taking Chance." You'll understand why after you see it.
• The other day I was feeling sorry for myself for increasingly bothersome Parkinson's symptoms. God has a wonderful way of reminding us not only that He is with us, still, but that there is always someone who has it worse. Nt niece sent me this video.Check it out. I was brought up short by the fact that even though my limbs don't work the best, I still have two arms and two legs. (get the kleenex ready)

• Check out these answers to questions Andrea asked Carter: (next time I'll post the ones Kylie answered.) They are funny even if you don't know Carter. I'm still laughing.

Carter-4 1/2 years old 1. What is something mom always says to you?I love you

2. What makes mom happy?When I listen

3. What makes mom sad?When I get in trouble

4. How does your mom make you laugh?By tickling me

5. What was your mom like as a child?Fun

6. How old is your mom?48 (she's actually only 28)

7. How tall is your mom?taller than me

8. What is her favorite thing to do?lay down

9. What does your mom do when you are not home?watch tv

10.When mom becomes famous, what will it be for?Carter

11. What is your mom really good at?Wii

12. What is your mom not good at?Mario Baseball

13.what does your mom do for a job?Work, carry chemos (chemotherapy - true)

14.What is your mom's favorite food?Tacos

15.What makes you proud of your mom?Play Wii with me

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?Cailou's mom

17. what do you and your mom do together?Play Wii

18. How are you and your mom the same?We kinda look alike

19. How are you and your mom different?Mom has bigger teeth

20. How do you know your mom loves you?She tells me

21. What does your mom like most about your dad?When he doesn't fart

22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go? Go eat

Blessings to each of you on your week. May we all love like God loves.

Being a Grandparent . . . is one of my favorite things. I really miss being able to see the gkids on a regular basis. So I soak it up when I can. The following are are some grandparent experiences written by others that made me smile. I hope they give you a smile, too. (This is my favorite way to "grandparent.")


She was in the bathroom, putting on her makeup, under the watchful eyes of her young granddaughter, as she'd done many times before. After she applied her lipstick and started to leave, the little one said, 'But Gramma, you forgot to kiss the toilet paper good-bye!' I will probably never put lipstick on again without thinking about kissing the toilet paper good-bye...


My young grandson called the other day to wish me Happy Birthday. He asked me how old I was, and I told him, '62.' He was quiet for a moment, and then he asked, 'Did you start at 1?'
After putting her grandchildren to bed, a grandmother changed into old slacks and a droopy blouse and proceeded to wash her hair. As she heard the children getting more and more rambunctious, her patience grew thin. Finally, she threw a towel around her head and stormed into their room, putting them back to bed with stern warnings. As she left the room, she heard the three-year-old say with a trembling voice, 'Who was THAT?'


A grandmother was telling her little granddaughter what her own childhood was like: 'We used to skate outside on a pond. I had a swing made from a tire; it hung from a tree in our front yard. We rode our pony. We picked wild raspberries in the woods.' The little girl was wide-eyed, taking this all in. At last she said, 'I sure wish I'd gotten to know you sooner!'


My grandson was visiting one day when he asked, 'Grandma, do you know how you and God are alike?' I mentally polished my halo and I said, 'No, how are we alike?'' You're both old,' he replied.


A little girl was diligently pounding away on her grandfather's word processor. She told him she was writing a story. 'What's it about?' he asked. 'I don't know,' she replied. 'I can't read.


I didn't know if my granddaughter had learned her colors yet, so I decided to test her. I would point out something and ask what color it was. She would tell me and was always correct. It was fun for me, so I continued. At last she headed for the door, saying, 'Grandma, I think you should try to figure out some of these yourself!'


When my grandson asked me how old I was, I teasingly replied, 'I'm not sure.' 'Look in your underwear, Grandpa,' he advised. 'Mine says I'm four to six.'


When my grandson Billy and I entered our vacation cabin, we kept the lights off until we were inside to keep from attracting pesky insects. Still, a few fireflies followed us in. Noticing them before I did, Billy whispered, 'It's no use Grandpa. Now the mosquitoes are coming after us with flashlights.'

Do we remember that God loves us?

I was visiting a church member in the Alzeimer's unit today. She was basically unresponsive to much that her husband or I said to her and she kept falling asleep. I was sharing with her husband that folks with Alzheimer's still had a deep memory of their faith and could often sing hymns word for word even though they couldn't talk otherwise. I leaned over to the woman and said, "You know that God loves you, don't you?" She looked at her husband and I said, "Yes, and He loves him too." At that moment, she made eye contact with me and broke into the biggest brightest grin and grabbed my hand. The smile almost lit the room. It certainly made my day - maybe even my week or my month.

Too often we forget that God loves us in the midst of our hectic and painful worlds. If we would just stop and remember, even our darkest days would be brighter.

LENT

Thought #1
Here we are again - it's Lent! As usual, I am finding that in the midst of my pastoral duties, I am deeply affected by the attempts to provide my congregation with a spirtual experience for the next 40 days. I hope it impacts them as much as it has me. For more information about our Lenten program this year, "Bread for the Journey" check out our church website at www.mtmcob.com. Look at the weekly By-Line for devotional ideas and the March By-Line for our worship schedule. If you are unsure what Lent is all about, check out http://www.freedomyou.com/mil/Lent.htm.

Thought #2
I AM SO READY FOR SPRING - the world Lent is actually derived fromthe Anglo-Saxon word Lencten, which means spring. I heard a woodpecker the other day - surely has to mean something. The hints of warm air of late bring promise - just as Lent moves us closer to the promise of the Resurrection!!! Spend some time in reflection each day this Lent - read a Bible verse, say a prayer, be in relationship with the God who was willing to sacrifice his own son for us. How many of us could do that.....?