I consider myself to be an evangelical and a political conservative, but I am troubled by some of the people who, therefore, end up in the same pigeon hole with me.
We live in a country that allows us free speech, including criticism of our government and our leaders. I appreciate this freedom. However, I think we need to be careful about how we exercise it. Periodically, I receive emails or links with content that makes me very ill at ease. I am appalled by some of the mean-spirited and outright nasty pieces that are circulated about our current president. Yes, I know the liberals served up the same kind of distasteful mess when Bush was president. That does not mean that I, as a believer in Jesus, have a right to reciprocate.
I do not agree with all of the policies of our current elected officials. I may not respect their opinions. But, I believe I am obligated by scriptural mandate to respect their authority. I believe that God moves in human history and that leaders come into power to bring about God's purposes. Since we cannot see into the future, we are pretty much ignorant of those purposes. What seems like a huge mistake to us may be a piece in God's puzzle.
Carrying a little bit of truth to it's most extreme interpretation happens routinely by the left in criticizing the right. Those on the right may also enjoy doing it to the left, but it should not be my game as a Christian. The truth should not be perverted to suit my purposes no matter how noble those purposes seem to me.
Of course, in this age of too much information, getting a handle on truth is increasingly difficult. The multiplication of the number of people who are purporting to have the "facts" means we are less likely to get a grip on truth. People may end up completely at odds with one another, although both have drawn logical conclusions, because they started with different sources for their "facts."
Today I am praying for our nation, for our leaders, for all of us who cast ballots in voting booths. May God grant us wisdom, and may "His kingdom come...His will be done."
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Saturday, September 4, 2010
The End of the Wallpaper Saga...I hope
The replacement wallpaper finally arrived late yesterday. I asked for 5 rolls, although I only needed two, because after all that has happened, I figured the odds were good of something being wrong with one or more of the replacements. They only sent two....claimed that's all they had to send.
The red, blue, gold and background beige in the paper matched just fine. The green? Oh, my. The green does not match the green in the original rolls which are already on the walls. I pondered this sad fact overnight. Finally, I decided to go ahead and use the paper even though the match isn't great.
The original paper had gone around the entire dining area of the kitchen. On one side the seam where the change occurs will be along the side of the frig and hidden from view. On the other side, I'm hoping that between an air conditioner, intercom box and adjacent curtains, there will be enough to look at in that area, that guests won't notice the lack of color match. Also, there is no area where the green on one sheet butts up against the green on another. Plus, the border kind of unifies the whole thing.
So I spent the day up and down the ladder over and over finishing the job, including the border. It really does look lovely. A few minor mistakes will probably be noticed only by me. I know where I cut corners and cheated a bit. The border covers some of my mistakes.
It's not perfect, but it is done. I do like perfection, but I have come to recognize how rarely it is achieved in this world.
The red, blue, gold and background beige in the paper matched just fine. The green? Oh, my. The green does not match the green in the original rolls which are already on the walls. I pondered this sad fact overnight. Finally, I decided to go ahead and use the paper even though the match isn't great.
The original paper had gone around the entire dining area of the kitchen. On one side the seam where the change occurs will be along the side of the frig and hidden from view. On the other side, I'm hoping that between an air conditioner, intercom box and adjacent curtains, there will be enough to look at in that area, that guests won't notice the lack of color match. Also, there is no area where the green on one sheet butts up against the green on another. Plus, the border kind of unifies the whole thing.
So I spent the day up and down the ladder over and over finishing the job, including the border. It really does look lovely. A few minor mistakes will probably be noticed only by me. I know where I cut corners and cheated a bit. The border covers some of my mistakes.
It's not perfect, but it is done. I do like perfection, but I have come to recognize how rarely it is achieved in this world.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
The Wallpaper Saga-Part 3
I refer you to the previous posts regarding my wallpaper woes.
When I posted Part 2, I anticipated the paper being sent by the fastest possible means. Monday I called and was told by the local store that it should arrive Monday or possibly Tuesday, i.e. today. But, today I was informed that they do have a tracking number, and it will arrive.....Friday.
Oh, joy and delight....Friday is the day we are scheduled to move.
I guess we will move everything but the kitchen and the bedroom. We will eat and sleep in our present house until I can get the paper on the walls of the new kitchen. Then we will finish the move. Good thing we are only moving about 2 miles away.
I guess I am supposed to be thrilled that they are planning to give me a $34 credit as compensation for all my trouble over this paper.
I wish they had spent that $34 on the cost of overnight shipment!
No, wait, that would have actually made sense.
What was I thinking!
When I posted Part 2, I anticipated the paper being sent by the fastest possible means. Monday I called and was told by the local store that it should arrive Monday or possibly Tuesday, i.e. today. But, today I was informed that they do have a tracking number, and it will arrive.....Friday.
Oh, joy and delight....Friday is the day we are scheduled to move.
I guess we will move everything but the kitchen and the bedroom. We will eat and sleep in our present house until I can get the paper on the walls of the new kitchen. Then we will finish the move. Good thing we are only moving about 2 miles away.
I guess I am supposed to be thrilled that they are planning to give me a $34 credit as compensation for all my trouble over this paper.
I wish they had spent that $34 on the cost of overnight shipment!
No, wait, that would have actually made sense.
What was I thinking!
Sunday, August 29, 2010
A Little Slip
When I dressed for church this morning, I decided that since the day was supposed to be warm, I would only wear a half slip under my denim dress. My first choice slips turned out to be just a bit too long for the dress. That narrowed the options down to a black half slip with a lovely lace border at the bottom, but some beginning-to-lose-its-snap elastic at the waist. I thought that shouldn't really matter as there was a bit of stretch still left, and there would be enough friction between the dress and my panty-hose to keep the slip in place.
All was well until after church. My friend was getting things set up for the beginning of the new children's church season next Sunday. She needed to move a table downstairs. There were only a couple of men around, and they were occupied discussing whether they needed to get more paint to spruce up the handicap ramp. We decided we could carry the table downstairs ourselves. It took some effort and awkward positioning to make the turn into the stairwell. Apparently this was too much for the slip.
As we set the table down in the basement, I thought I felt something strange in the vicinity of my ankles. Uh-huh. My lovely lacy black slip encircled my feet on the floor.
I dissolved into a fit of giggles which, of course, drew my friend's attention to the situation. No one else was around, so it wasn't really embarrassing. I'm just glad it didn't happen when I was standing up front doing the children's sermon, and that it didn't trip me up going down the stairs.
Life is just full of interesting little slips.
All was well until after church. My friend was getting things set up for the beginning of the new children's church season next Sunday. She needed to move a table downstairs. There were only a couple of men around, and they were occupied discussing whether they needed to get more paint to spruce up the handicap ramp. We decided we could carry the table downstairs ourselves. It took some effort and awkward positioning to make the turn into the stairwell. Apparently this was too much for the slip.
As we set the table down in the basement, I thought I felt something strange in the vicinity of my ankles. Uh-huh. My lovely lacy black slip encircled my feet on the floor.
I dissolved into a fit of giggles which, of course, drew my friend's attention to the situation. No one else was around, so it wasn't really embarrassing. I'm just glad it didn't happen when I was standing up front doing the children's sermon, and that it didn't trip me up going down the stairs.
Life is just full of interesting little slips.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
The Wallpaper Saga-Part 2
I am not by nature a patient and gracious individual. Today I have been stretched to the absolute limits of my endurance. I can't begin to explain how badly I wanted to scream and throw things.
A quick review of the previous "Wallpaper Saga:"
*paper was ordered in June
*all but 6 rolls came in 7-10 days
*6 rolls were back-ordered...unfortunately, this is the kitchen wallpaper...the kitchen being the one room in a house that you really don't want to have in an unfinished state when you move in.
*oh, gee....the paper is not actually printed yet
*the wallpaper is printed but the company re-sends the border instead of the paper
*paper to be shipped on a Monday, still not shipped on Thursday
*paper is in Florida...why?????
*paper shipped, but arrives after I leave for Chicago
I came back from Chicago on Monday, but the young lady who is working with me wasn't available to help until today (Thursday). This morning I dressed in my "grubbies" and went to the new house expecting to jump right into the papering. It turns out that the person who was supposed to clean all the old yellow paste off the walls had not done so, and the person who was to have filled nail holes, etc. had done a lousy job. By the time these issues were taken care of it was afternoon. Still in good spirits, I began the task. Things were humming along nicely. I had two double rolls of paper up and looking great. Then I opened the third double roll.
Oh, NO! The colors on the third roll were decidedly different than the colors on the first two rolls. I opened all six rolls. Although all had the same run number, two of the rolls were different than the other four. The difference was way too obvious to ignore. All of the color tones were lighter on two of the rolls and some of the leaves were yellow instead of green.
I took the two "off" rolls and one of the others for comparison back to the store from which they were ordered. When the clerk saw me and the look on my face, he said, "Oh, NO!" My sentiments exactly.
So I have pleaded for delivery by the most rapid means possible....I think they owe me that.
I did not swear.
I did not yell.
I did not belittle anyone.
I did not threaten anything.
I did not cry.
I think I will now go upstairs and throw pillows at the wall.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
45 years later
I recently returned from an amazing weekend in the Chicago area. Forty-five years ago I graduated from the diploma program at West Suburban Hospital School of Nursing. Our class had not gotten together in a very long time, so this past weekend we gathered at a hotel in the area. Sixty-one graduated in 1965. Six are deceased. Of the remaining fifty-five, thirty-one attended, plus one classmate who started with us but left part way through the program. Eight husbands also came to the reunion.
The incredible thing about the reunion was that the bond forged through our common experiences and faith was still totally intact. Each person had the chance to share with the group an outline of her life's journey. The direction of many of those journeys was unanticipated at the outset. Professional and personal lives went in directions that could not have been foreseen. Amazing opportunities mixed with heartbreaking challenges.
The group included OR nurses, ER nurses, school nurses, OB nurses, medical-surgical nurses, a hospital administrator, several who work as resource nurses available by phone, and a few who have spent the majority of their lives as stay-at-home mothers. Some have spent many years in foreign countries. Others have repeatedly gone on short term missions projects. Classmates have been all over the world using their skills to help hurting people.
But, classmates have also been deeply hurt themselves by divorces, miscarriages, the death of a spouse, the death of a child, physical and mental illness in the family, and personal health issues. Three of the classmates who attended have had breast cancer. One who was unable to attend is currently going through chemotherapy for lymphoma. Some have mobility issues and were unable to attend. One came in a wheelchair with the help of her husband.
As each person shared, the love and support of the group was obvious. Anything and everything could be poured out with no fear of anyone being judgmental. We all have been battered by life and survived. There was no reason for pretense.
Words are inadequate to describe the spirit that pervaded our time together. As we sang our class song, I think most of us were amazed at how relevant it was to our lives, having been written before we stepped out into the world as nurses. Our big sister class had chosen a verse for us on which we were to base our class song.
Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee.
During my nursing days, I pray,
Give me thy perfect peace each day.
Show thy love, thy strength through me.
May I always trust in thee.
When trials come and I'm afraid,
Lord, may my mind on thee be stayed.
Often hard my way will be.
Keep me trusting, trusting thee.
When blessing come, may I recall,
That thou, O Lord, art over all.
May my heart be humble still.
Keep me centered in thy will.
Then perfect peace, my heart shall know.
Then shall my lips, with praise o'er flow.
Where ere I am, others will see,
Jesus alone living in me.
The incredible thing about the reunion was that the bond forged through our common experiences and faith was still totally intact. Each person had the chance to share with the group an outline of her life's journey. The direction of many of those journeys was unanticipated at the outset. Professional and personal lives went in directions that could not have been foreseen. Amazing opportunities mixed with heartbreaking challenges.
The group included OR nurses, ER nurses, school nurses, OB nurses, medical-surgical nurses, a hospital administrator, several who work as resource nurses available by phone, and a few who have spent the majority of their lives as stay-at-home mothers. Some have spent many years in foreign countries. Others have repeatedly gone on short term missions projects. Classmates have been all over the world using their skills to help hurting people.
But, classmates have also been deeply hurt themselves by divorces, miscarriages, the death of a spouse, the death of a child, physical and mental illness in the family, and personal health issues. Three of the classmates who attended have had breast cancer. One who was unable to attend is currently going through chemotherapy for lymphoma. Some have mobility issues and were unable to attend. One came in a wheelchair with the help of her husband.
As each person shared, the love and support of the group was obvious. Anything and everything could be poured out with no fear of anyone being judgmental. We all have been battered by life and survived. There was no reason for pretense.
Words are inadequate to describe the spirit that pervaded our time together. As we sang our class song, I think most of us were amazed at how relevant it was to our lives, having been written before we stepped out into the world as nurses. Our big sister class had chosen a verse for us on which we were to base our class song.
Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee.
During my nursing days, I pray,
Give me thy perfect peace each day.
Show thy love, thy strength through me.
May I always trust in thee.
When trials come and I'm afraid,
Lord, may my mind on thee be stayed.
Often hard my way will be.
Keep me trusting, trusting thee.
When blessing come, may I recall,
That thou, O Lord, art over all.
May my heart be humble still.
Keep me centered in thy will.
Then perfect peace, my heart shall know.
Then shall my lips, with praise o'er flow.
Where ere I am, others will see,
Jesus alone living in me.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
The Strutter
She has been circling our block over and over again for the past couple of weeks. Sometimes she is accompanied by two young children....perhaps younger siblings. I have also seen her with another girl about her age and with a couple of boys close to her age. She is probably about 13.
It's a free country, and she can walk around the block on the sidewalk as much as she pleases. But, she concerns me, because she isn't just walking. She is strutting her stuff..."her stuff" being those newly acquired curves that a girl her age often has.
I have seen this type of activity in a girl her age before, and I know it can lead to trouble. Although we live on a lovely street with good neighbors, I have over the years been aware of unsavory characters on both cross streets for our block. I don't know if she is trying to attract the attention of someone specific and would be smart enough to run from the advances of men of inappropriate age, or not.
Additionally, she has not confined herself to the sidewalks. Our neighbor caught her in his yard taking apples off the trees. I saw her in our back yard by the tomato plants. It appeared that she was picking green tomatoes. I banged on the window, and she ran away. Yesterday my husband, who was sitting in the living room with the front door open, heard her outside our house bragging to some companions that she had messed around in our tomatoes.
So...what to do?
Ignore her? But then I would feel guilty of something happened to her.
Speak to her? She will just think I am a foolish and clueless old woman. Girls her age know everything, or at least, think they do.
Talk to her mother? I have no idea who her mother is. If she allows her daughter to "strut" maybe she doesn't care...or maybe she isn't home and the girl is supposed to be babysitting the young children who circle the block with her.
So I am pondering: if I see her in the tomatoes again, what if I follow her home....don't speak to her...just walk around the block about 20 feet behind her, until she goes into a house or apartment? Then I follow her in, knock on the door, and see if an adult is there and willing to talk to me. Too confrontational? Might just end in trouble?
Sigh....I know I can pray for her, but sometimes action is required. What to do?
It's a free country, and she can walk around the block on the sidewalk as much as she pleases. But, she concerns me, because she isn't just walking. She is strutting her stuff..."her stuff" being those newly acquired curves that a girl her age often has.
I have seen this type of activity in a girl her age before, and I know it can lead to trouble. Although we live on a lovely street with good neighbors, I have over the years been aware of unsavory characters on both cross streets for our block. I don't know if she is trying to attract the attention of someone specific and would be smart enough to run from the advances of men of inappropriate age, or not.
Additionally, she has not confined herself to the sidewalks. Our neighbor caught her in his yard taking apples off the trees. I saw her in our back yard by the tomato plants. It appeared that she was picking green tomatoes. I banged on the window, and she ran away. Yesterday my husband, who was sitting in the living room with the front door open, heard her outside our house bragging to some companions that she had messed around in our tomatoes.
So...what to do?
Ignore her? But then I would feel guilty of something happened to her.
Speak to her? She will just think I am a foolish and clueless old woman. Girls her age know everything, or at least, think they do.
Talk to her mother? I have no idea who her mother is. If she allows her daughter to "strut" maybe she doesn't care...or maybe she isn't home and the girl is supposed to be babysitting the young children who circle the block with her.
So I am pondering: if I see her in the tomatoes again, what if I follow her home....don't speak to her...just walk around the block about 20 feet behind her, until she goes into a house or apartment? Then I follow her in, knock on the door, and see if an adult is there and willing to talk to me. Too confrontational? Might just end in trouble?
Sigh....I know I can pray for her, but sometimes action is required. What to do?
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