Mother's Brag Page

A friend of Andrew's asked to take his picture playing his guitar for a project he had to do for an advertising class. I think these shots are beautiful!

A purposeful life

At the dentist last week, the hygenist who was taking care of my teeth told me about her father-in-law, a local minister who was known in this area for many years. He has not spoken in two years due to illness and advanced age. In his room, he does not respond much to either family or the nurses. However, one of them told my hygenist friend that when the prayer program on the local Christian radio station comes on, they make sure it is on in his room. His eyes always brighten and it is obvious that he is listening. Who knows what he is praying for in that quiet room and in that mind which is locked to external communication. He still has a purpose in this world.

Snow!

Our youth pastor did not have to come up with any activities last night. The noise coming from behind the gym--on the soccer field--was fun to hear. Seventy five teenagers and a half inch of snow on the ground, in a place where snow is a seldom-seen phenomenon, made for much mayhem and delight.

We had a delayed opening this morning but did not get the day off school. We were the only school in Anderson County that had to go. Our administrator is a great guy but he's not one to miss school because everybody else is. And truth be known--the roads were fine. It was still a disappointment to be in class today!

Mary Lee and her friend Keren were two of the many having a great time.

Christmas party

I've come to the conclusion that you can take a group of teenagers, give them a place to hang out for awhile, sling some food at them, and provide a few simple things to do, and they will be happy.

Today we had about 20 juniors and seniors from school over--just invited any who wanted to come after school was out at noon. It was an interesting mixture of kids, not at all a typical group who hangs out together at school. I asked with trepidation if any of them wanted to paint ornaments, figuring they would think it was "uncool" to do so. The girls immediately said yes, and after awhile even some of the boys decided to paint ornaments too! Meanwhile, some of the others played Scattergories and then Guesstures while an older movie played in the background, and after awhile went out and shot baskets. They grazed on chips and rice krispie bars, with a little fudge thrown in after awhile. They came and went all afternoon, for about five hours.

And they all seemed to have a great time.

Year of Jubilee

Today I start my "year of jubilee."

I asked Mike if he was going to trade me in on two 25-year-olds. He said we're both too old for that.

I wonder if being in a "year of jubilee" means that I can lie fallow for a year?

The Final Product

I don't think I ever posted the final photos of the new porch.










We will enjoy some nice times out there when the weather is warmer! And with the record setting temps. of this December, we ate out there last night--all four of us, around the card table. No furniture yet!

Orion and the beauty in the heavens

This year I have a group of students who are very interested at learning the constellations and their positions in the sky. (Some years there is more interest than others.) It's always exciting to have young people come in to class in the mornings and say "I saw it last night!" One night I got a phone call from a student--I had told him it was OK to call--and he said "I'm outside, and I can't find the Great Square--can you show me where it is?" So I went outside and guided him to find it in the overhead sky. They're really getting the picture and seeing the beauty of how the pattern works throughout the night and throughout the seasons.

I always love the first time I see Orion each year. It's like an old friend returning. Of course, when it first comes up in late November and December, it's lying on its "back," as if the picture above was turned 90 degrees counterclockwise. That picture is an overexposure of Orion in the night sky; it's easy to see how Betelgeuse (upper left corner) is a red star, and the Great Nebula of Orion is easily visible in the sword. Those wouldn't be as visible to the naked eye.

Each time I see Orion for the first time in the evening autumn sky, I am reminded of the great and majestic testimony of our universe--how our great God planned and put all this in order, and set the earth spinning and revolving in perfect harmony so that life could thrive. It is an annual and beautiful reminder to me that underneath me are His everlasting arms.

My Friend Jean

During this time of the year, I always remember with great fondness my friend Jean. She passed away very suddenly and unexpectedly on the day after Thanksgiving in 2001. Not long ago I found this article, written that year. Her daughter had asked for contributions for a memory book about her mom.
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Jean was very dear to me. Many times my phone would ring and it would be Jean on the other line: "Ann, what do you think we should do about. . ." or "Ann, do you think this would be a good idea?" Or, I would call Jean and Jim's house, hear her answer "Trimble residence," and reply teasingly, "Hello, Trimble residence, is Jean there?"

Jean personified the Bible verse, "She hath done what she could." Many things were elaborated at her funeral, but there are many more that I know of, and many more beyond that. I remember when a girl from the mission field visited Oakwood, separated from her family and short of funds. The next week Jean was arranging to get her the things she needed and inviting her to come to their home for the weekend. Jean filed the missions letters diligently, after reading them carefully and catching things that needed to be taken care of. She saw to it that a back got built on missions closet shelves when things were falling off. The list of her good deeds goes on and on.

Just a few weeks before her death, Jim and Jean went on an extended tour of the western U.S., and we were the beneficiaries of postcards from along their route. When they returned, they brought beautiful Mt. Rushmore T-shirts for our children. When Mary Lee got the Terrific Kid award at school, she received $5 in the mail and a congratulatory note from "Grandpa Jim and Grandma Jean." Always, the children's birthdays were remembered. They kept our children in their home on a number of occasions. She just never missed an opportunity to be an encouragement to our family and to me. I know that was the case with many others, too.

Our friendship superseded the years that separated us. Each Sunday service, during the welcome time, Jean would lean over the pew, give me a hug, and say "I love you, Ann." I'd return the hug and tell her I loved her, too. Jean was someone I could turn to for advice in several areas of my life. I miss her terribly since she has gone home to be with the Lord. When I see her again on the other side, I will visit her, this time in her golden "Trimble residence," and I am eager for that day.

Free household help

Our friends got home from church last Sunday night and immediately noticed that the porch light, which they had left on, was off, and the inside lights, which they had left off, were on.

When they went in the house, the wife noticed that her dishwasher was running. As they checked around, they looked into the den and saw the gray head of an older lady who was sitting on their couch, watching TV. The husband approached her and she said "You must be Marshall. The key you sent me didn't work, so I walked around to the back and let myself in through the back door." (The husband's name is not Marshall. Their son had forgotten to lock the back door before they left for church.)

Turns out she was there to celebrate Thanksgiving--with their neighbors. The husband walked her next door, carrying her luggage, to make sure she got there OK.

She had gathered their dirty clothes and put them in the laundry room, and she had straightened up the house.

I am not making this up.

Aftermath

Everybody loves to watch a play. Only the director has to. . .

. . .get the PE boys to lug the flats back to the bus barn.
. . .figure out to whom the dirty socks, curling iron, bag of clothes, leftover makeup pads, etc., belong to.
. . .find out who put the computer engineer's "stuff" on the floor where it ended up with gum on it.
. . .unbend the bent, borrowed curtain rods (won't bother to try to find out who bent them in the first place) and return them to the owner.
. . .dispose of the leftover paint and brushes.
. . .re-box and store all the miscellaneous that gets used from year to year, such as the night lights that are used backstage so that people can see where they're walking.
. . .get all the costumes back (hopefully washed) from the actors, packed, labeled, and stored in the basement in the play closet.
. . .see that the stage is completely clean, swept, and bits of stray paint scraped up from the floor.

But that's OK. It's part of the deal. Tomorrow is Wednesday. . .no homework. . .I'll put some kids to work during study hall.