Joy

joy

joi/

noun

noun: joy

1. 1.

   a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.

   "tears of joy"

   synonyms:

   delight, great pleasure, joyfulness, jubilation, triumph, exultation, rejoicing, happiness, gladness, glee, exhilaration, exuberance, elation, euphoria, bliss, ecstasy, rapture;

 

Here are some things that bring me JOY!!!

 

 

JOY! JOY! JOY!

Vacation at Home:Health and Wellness Trail at Shoshone Medical Center

There is a trail right above our local hospital that takes you up the side of the hill, and only after minutes of being on the trail it is hard to believe you are close to a town.  Soon, all you see are trees and all you hear are birds.

This trail is easily accessible from the Shoshone Medical Center parking lot.  You park on the east side and go up the stairs.  You cross over the "trail" as we used to call it in high school, and start following the well marked trail up the side of the hill.

 

Here are some of the views along the way.

 

 

 

There is a bench about half way if you need to take a break.

 

And a sign tells you what kind of pine trees to look for along the trail.

 

 

When you get to the top, there is a sign that explains about Kellogg's Second Chance, and the success of the tree planting that started when I was in high school. 

These signs were created by the Kellogg High School Art Students.

 

 

And finally, at the top, a beautiful view of my hometown, Kellogg, Idaho.

 

 

Again, another beautiful walk only about a five minute drive or bike ride from my front door.  So much beauty in my part of the world, and I am so glad I am taking the time this summer to experience some of the trails close to my home.

Gratitude

My heart is full of gratitude.

Over these past few days, I have reflected on my life.....birthdays tend to do that to a person, and my heart is overflowing with gratitude of the many blessings in my life.

My birthday was filled spending time with many friends who mean a lot to me.  I walked, had coffee, had tea and visited, and then walked some more.  I spent time with my immediate family who bring me joy beyond measure.

The birthday celebration continued on Friday with a parade, reading, writing, and preparing my birthday meal for family and friends.  The meal was delicious, (BBQ'd Salmon, grilled veggies and potatoes, melon salad, bread and peach pie (that I could eat because it was made with Stevia in the Raw).

Then off to watch fireworks here in Kellogg, and the back to our house to do our own fireworks.  Then building a fire in the backyard and having some time visiting with our dear friends the Lees.

As I turn 51, I am in such a good place.  I have a wonderful family.  I have wonderful friends.  I have a beautiful yard to spend peaceful moments, and moments with family and friends.

I have a wonderful church family.

I have a wonderful extended family that lives in other parts of the state and country.

I am surrounded by love.  I am sharing love with others. 

And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.  I John 4:16

I feel like breaking out in The Beatles tune "All You Need Is Love". 

I love my life.  I love my family.  I love my friends.  I love God who created all of this in the first place, and created the love we experience every day.

......love is all you need........

Patriotic

Happy 4th of July!!

Here in Kellogg, that means being in the parade, and then going watching fireworks later, and shooting off some of our own.

For our country, the Fourth of July also means celebrating our independence from England and becoming our own country.

For others, it is a time to honor those who have served and are currently serving our country in the United States Military so we can continue to be a free nation, a nation that started back in 1776.

And these men and women sacrifice every single day to protect our freedom.  As well as their families.  And I can read about it, and sympathize in some way, but I do not truly understand or could put myself in their shoes to understand this sacrifice.

One of my best friends has a son who is currently serving over in Afghanistan.  I have known this young man since before his mother gave birth to him.  His dad and Paul were best friends growing up.  His wife recently gave birth to their beautiful baby daughter, and he had to experience the birth through Skype.  Within the past few weeks, a member of his unit was killed.

I can experience the sadness.  But I cannot imagine what my friend Mary is going through as his mother.  His sister posted this on Facebook this morning, and I thought it was very beautiful:

Our freedom is precious because of men like Thomas, who died two weeks ago. He was in my brother's unit and with my brother being a corpsman he was the first one to get to his friend. Please remember and pray for the family, friends, and fellow marines Thomas leaves behind. We're the home of the free because of the brave.

Thank you Jordan Lowe, and thank you Mary Lowe, for your sacrifice.

I visited with another friend this week whose son was stationed over in the Middle East for many years, and now he is home and retired, but she watches how his time in the military has affected him, and his family, and I spent many times praying with her and for her son while he was overseas.  A mother knows the danger, something I will never understand.

My Grandma Woolum lost her oldest son in World War II.  My Uncle Bill served in the Navy on a ship in the Pacific, and the ship was bombed by the Japanese.  I don't think my grandma ever got over the loss.  She has very hard feeling towards the Japanese the rest of her life.  She was a Gold Star Mother.  Losing her son in the war was probably one of the biggest defining moments of her life.

And once your son or daughter commits to serving their country in the military, I believe there is a bond with the other mothers that no one can understand. 

Recently our good friend Jon Evans enlisted in the Army.  You know his mother is proud, but you know her heart is being torn each and every day.  The same with my friend Lori, whose son Kintauna is also serving.  And Lori does such a great job encouraging those other mothers, because she knows exactly what they are going through, and how hard it is to have your child serving their country, but there is also pride as well. 

Thank you  Jon Evans and Kintauna Miles, and thank you Heather Martin and Lori Hendrix, for your sacrifice.

And Linda's son Donovan who is serving in the Marines.  And I always love that she always knows the names of the men Donovan serves with, and remembers them as well.  Here is what she posted on Facebook today:

On this 4th of July I want to thank those men and women who serve, sacrifice for us. To my son Donovan, Matt, Ryan, Luis, James, Andrew Cody, Estaben and many more, our family loves you, prays for you and honor you not this day but everyday! Love you all and GOD BE WITH YOU ALWAYS!

Thank you Donovan Newell, and thank you Linda Sepa Newell, for your sacrifice.

We can all have our opinion on the military, and how bad war is, and whether we agree with the current foreign policy or not, but please don't ever look down on or belittle those men and women who are serving our country. 

And keep their families in your prays as well.  There are a lot of people across our nation who sacrifice each and every day for our freedom. 

And we never want to take that for granted.

Mary, Carolyn, Heather, Lori, Linda, and any other Military Mom who may be reading this right now.  I pray for you and honor you as you sacrifice for our country as well.

 

I Give my Son to you:

I held him as an infant;
I hugged him as a boy.
And through the years he has become
My greatest pride and joy.


I love him more than I can say,
His life more precious than my own.
But gone are the whims and notions
Of the little boy that I have known.


For the years have passed so quickly
Since the time it all began,
And now he stands before me
With the convictions of a man.


He wants to serve his country
He states aloud with pride,
As I try to sort out the emotions
That I'm feeling deep inside.


A union of the uncertain fear,
Which I cannot control,
And the allegiance that lies deep within
My patriotic soul.


I trust that my years of guidance
Will serve as a strong foundation
As he perfoms the duties requested
From his beloved nation.


God, please guide him as he travels
To the places our Soldiers have bled,
And walk with him through pathways
where those heroes' feet have tread.


Oh, Sweet Land of Liberty,
Humbly I give you my son,
Praying you'll return him safely home
When his work for you is done.

Author Unknown

Cataldo Mission

Happy Birthday to me!!

Today was quite a full day filled with friends, family and fun. 

I started off at 6 a.m. this morning walking with Nikki, and we stopped at Jolt n Bolt and Nikki treated me to a coffee.  Since I am not having sugar, I don't get my usual German Chocolate Cake for my birthday dessert.  Instead I ordered a sugar free German Chocolate Cake Latte.  It was pretty good!  (Since it was 6 in the morning, we decided to go with a shot from behind.  Not quite ready for a coffee selfie that early in the morning!!)

Then my friend Carolyn arrived at 8 a.m. for Tea, Oven Pancake and fresh peaches.  Yum!  We had a wonderful visit, and she brought me a bouquet of birthday flowers.  I also gave her a tour of the backyard gardens.  It was a really nice visit.

Then I went to pick up April #1 for our birthday "Artist Date". If you don't remember, here is a definition of an artist date:

Artist Dates are assigned play.
The Artist Date is a once-weekly, festive, solo expedition to explore
something that interests you. The Artist Date need not be overtly
“artistic” — think mischief more than mastery. Artist Dates fire up the
imagination. They spark whimsy. They encourage play. Since art is about the
play of ideas, they feed our creative work by replenishing our inner well
of images and inspiration. When choosing an Artist Date, it is good to ask
yourself, “what sounds fun?” — and then allow yourself to try it.

Yes, it says artist dates should be a solo expedition, but we have decided to join one another every so often and combine our artist dates.  Today, our date involved walking along part of the "Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes" between the Cataldo Trailhead and Latour Creek Wayside, and then visiting the Cataldo Mission.

 Here is where we started.

 April is off on our 4 1/2 mile walk!

 If you look really close you can see two moose in this picture.

 Some of the beautiful scenery.

 Ended at the Latour Creek Wayside before we turned back.

 Here is the Birthday Girl!!

 The Cataldo Mission, the oldest standing building in Idaho.

 

Selfie in the Cataldo Mission, getting Photo Bombed by Jesus!!

The Parish House

 

Again, it is back to experiencing the beauty in your own backyard...the beauty that is so close to where you live.  That was abundant today on our adventure.

Then I headed to Wallace to drive our car in the Idaho Statehood parade for the Sixth Street Melodrama.  But before the parade, my friend Angie stopped by the theater with some of her family, and sang me the Marilyn Monroe version of "Happy Birthday".  I was quite impressed.

Jan and I in the parade.

Then it was back home, and Molly bought me some delicious dinner from Wah Hing, and I spent some time on Facebook reading all my birthday wishes, and thanking everyone for what they said.

It was a wonderful, wonderful day.

And the festivities continue on tomorrow!!

Mission

Today is the last day I am 50-years-old.

I thought I would take some time to reflect over the past year.  (Yes, this post is going to be a bit lengthy!!)

When I turned 50, I was on a mission.  I was in New York City, staying in Harlem, helping out at the Salvation Army in whatever way was needed.

The actual day I turned 50, I got to give out food at the New York City Pantry, and gather food for City Harvest.  Then pizza in Manhattan!!

What a glorious way to arrive in my 50's.  There is nothing like spending a week just being open and willing to serve the Lord however you are asked, and to help people in need for a whole week.  I can't thank God enough for allowing our family and friends to have this opportunity.

When we returned home, we got right into rehearsals for the August Melodrama that I wrote, "Madness at the Mill, or...A Big Bang for Bunker Hill".  Paul and I directed it, and was in the show with daughters Zoe and Molly.  Coco did the lights.  It was a fun show to all be a part of last August.

Paul and I were also "ghosts" once again at the Ghost Town Trolley in Wallace.  I was Lucy Wallace.  He was Charlie Siringo.

I also got to take a sibling outing with Bill and Christy to Canada last summer.  That was a fun trip exploring Nelson, British Columbia.

During August it was tough saying goodbye to one of my best friends, Stephanie, who moved half way across the country to Oklahoma.  Fortunately I have seen her a few times since her move, but about this time of year I usually have her over for tea in my backyard so we can get caught up with one another.  No tea time this summer.  But it sounds like she may be back in September, so hopefully we can catch up then.

Then back to work in August.  This school year I split my time between Kellogg Middle School and Kellogg High School.  It actually went pretty well, being two days one place, and two days another place.....then usually I had Fridays off!!

Soccer began in August, and had us traveling around watching Coco play soccer.  Paul and I also volunteered as score keepers at the home matches, and sang the National Anthem.

September brought the saddest time of my year.  In September we had to say goodbye to our beloved dog Peaches.  Peaches was such a wonderful pet, and we loved her so much.  But she got sick, and we knew it was time to say goodbye.  But it was very, very hard.

September also brought rehearsals for the Fall Melodrama production, "It's For The Birds".    We also shared some music at a Susan G. Komen fund-raiser at the melodrama, and the following week, did more music for a Sixth Street fund-raiser.

At the end of September I flew to Portland for my fall Gear Up conference and meeting.  After the meetings were over, my brother came and got me and I spent a few days in Eugene with Bill and Debbie, and also saw Kent and Robin, who came over from Blue River to take me to lunch.  I'm so glad I was able to spend one last time in Eugene with Bill and Debbie at their home, as they no longer live there anymore, and are moving back east to the Washington D.C. area.

In September we also resumed our Bible Study we had been having last year, with the hopes of finishing it up by Christmas.  One of the greatest blessings I know is to have people in my home talking about Jesus Christ. 

When I returned home from Oregon, it was one busy week with Homecoming at KHS, with Coco as a Homecoming Princess, and the North Idaho Gear Up STEM Expo that week as well in CDA.  Zoe came home later in the month for her fall break, and then the show opened at the theater.

Come November, Paul and I had the opportunity to  fly to Denver, Colorado to attend the Simply Jesus Gathering.  We spend two and a half days soaking up God's Word and teachings from some fabulous speakers that really challenged us and made us think.  One was one of our favorite authors, N.T. Wright.  His being at this conference was a major reason we attended.

Well, one theater show down, and rehearsal begins for the Christmas show.

Soccer has ended, and I'm no longer a "Soccer Mom".  Now I become a "Basketball Mom".

We were hoping to travel again to Meridian for Thanksgiving, but basketball made it otherwise.  So we stayed at home, and had Thanksgiving in Kellogg.  Saturday we went to Coco's basketball game in Coeur d'Alene and met my friend Tina. Another highlight of the day was getting "photo-bombed" by Jesus.

Sometime during the fall, my friend April and her family sold their house in Western Washington and are currently living in Kellogg in their home they have owned here for quite a few years.  One day we got together and started talking about vision boards, and visions, and being creative, and helping others be creative, and before you knew it, we had decided to form a group of our friends from high school to see if they would meet together once a month to do some of this stuff together.  We call ourselves the Creative Masterminds.  It has been quite an incredible thing that has happened in this group, between our friends, and between April and I.  The creative sparks have really started flying for us since January.  It has been INCREDIBLE!!!!

On my vision board I created, I chose the word "Purposeful" as my word for 2014.  And I made a goal to write each day on my blog.  So far so good!!  To help me meet this goal, I sat down before the end of the year and wrote out 365 topics to write about in the coming year.  Now that I am past the half way point, I can tell you the topics have really helped.  Each night I dump out all the little pieces of paper with the topics written on them, and go through until I find a topic that works.

The Christmas season arrived, my favorite time of year.  We had our annual caroling party, and celebrated a Scottish Christmas on Christmas Eve. I love spending time with friends and family, making delicious meals, and celebrating the birth of Jesus during the Christmas season.

Happy New Year!!  January continues to be filled with basketball games, and more basketball games. 

February started with us traveling to St. Maries for the "Brawl for the Ball" competition that about put my youngest daughter over the edge....but she survived!!  Since Coco is a senior, many things have been coming to an end this year.  Soccer Senior night....Basketball Senior night.....Band Senior night.......yes, it was a little emotional!!

February also was the beginning of helping Paul direct the KHS Musical "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown".  What a delight to work with the students in this production!!

The end of February I traveled to Boise for my spring Gear Up meeting.  The rest of my family joined me for the weekend to celebrate my sister-in-law Laurie's 50th birthday party....or should I say parties...in Meridian that weekend.  What a blessing to be able to be there with so many family and friends to help celebrate the birthday of a very special person in my life.  She isn't just my sister-in-law....she is a very good friend as well.

March was a busy, busy month, ending with Vandal Friday.  It was so fun to take Coco to get registered at the U of I, and reunite with some friends I went to college with at U of I.  I am so excited Coco is attending U of I, and that I get to be a Vandal Mom!!

Spring break was pretty nice, with not a whole lot going on.  A little breather before resuming for the rest of the school year.

I missed a Tri-Delt sorority reunion at U of I the last weekend in April so I could take one last band trip with Coco to Seattle.  It was a fun weekend filled with lots of great things.  The highlight was seeing our cousin Nicole, and going to the Experience Music Project museum at the Seattle Center.

May began with opening night of "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown".  The cast did a great job.  I was so proud of them each and every performance.

Then the school year is starting to wind down.  Senior projects complete.  Scholarship applications all turned in.  Coco getting recognized in various ways for many achievements, all well deserving.

Then graduation day....and my baby is done with high school.

And my life makes a major shift.

And as my life makes this major shift, things begin to happen.  I decide not to work this summer, which is a bit of a risk, because I don't get paid in the summer.  But it is worth it to commit my time to more important things, and to take a step of Faith, and see what God has in store this summer.  I know we won't starve.  We will have a roof over our head.  Our needs will be met.  Sometimes it is good to have to rely a little more on the Heavenly Father....because He does provide.  And often in way we are least expecting. 

Instead, I am devoting more time to creative pursuits in various forms, such as walking, writing, reading, retreating, artist dates, sharing deep thoughts with my precious Creative Masterminds, and taking some time to figure out a little about me.

June was a good beginning to get me started on this major life shift.

I watch my garden grow.

Instead of being involved performing on stage this summer, I am trying another way of performing...film.  I am acting in a short film called, "Across Bank Street---The Last Witch".  It has been a very interesting experience, learning to be more subtle...not at loud and over the top as stage sometimes requires you to be.

I meet weekly with April #1 to be accountable to one another on our creative pursuits, sparking and encouraging one another to dream BIG!!  Often to the point of dreaming so much we can't focus!!

Taking April #2 to my sisters for a weekend retreat, to do some more creative thinking and planning and dreaming.  And connecting with a friend I don't get to see near enough!!

I am also connecting to my hometown.  I am finding the beauty of this place right outside my front door.

And July could not have started any better than with my first Ceramics Class to learn how to make Pottery....a dream of mine since I started collecting pottery in about 1985.

I am letting God work on me, and change me. Since last night's class, I can't stop thinking about the image of God being the potter, and I am the clay.  God is all about creativity.  He is the original Creator, after all.  He loves beauty, and wants us to be creative people.  I am also looking at Jesus and what He says in the Bible a lot differently these days.  I will continue to allow this process in my life to let God mold me and make me into the person He created me to be.

Tomorrow I turn 51.  I can't wait to see what this year brings.  I believe I am in store for some incredible things ahead. 

I'll keep sharing about them.  Because I have 184 posts to go!!

Doing Dishes

Doing the dishes is not a favorite chore of mine.

But today I had enough with the sink full of dishes, and the counters covered and the stove covered.  Time to get to work!!  But it isn't one of my most favorite things to do.

But tonight, I had a chance to "do dishes" another way.

I started my Ceramics class tonight.

Class number one was about learning about the clay, some terms, and pinch pots.

Our instructor Rachael gave us some notes about the process the class will go through to make a finished product. 

Tonight we took a lump of clay and created something.

I found it a bit confusing at first, trying to figure out how to pinch the clay.

But I got better.  I found it to be very relaxing, working with the clay.  As I began the process, it wasn't working right, so I had to start over.  But the next try was better.

I think I have always wanted to learn to work with clay and create pottery, because it is such an ancient craft.  The Bible has quite a few references to clay and the potter, such as Jeremiah 18,

“Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” ³ So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. ⁴ But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.
⁵ Then the word of the Lord came to me. ⁶ He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel.

Isaiah 29:6 says:

You turn things upside down,
    as if the potter were thought to be like the clay!
Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it,
    “You did not make me”?
Can the pot say to the potter,    “You know nothing”?

And Isaiah 64:8:

Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.

And in the New Testament, in Romans 9, it says:

One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?” ²⁰ But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’”^{[h] 21} Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?"

Many of the verses refer to God as the potter, and we are the clay.  As I learn to work with the clay this summer, I hope to more fully understand the meaning of these verses.

Tonight I made one pinch pot, and started another. 


Here is my first attempt, before it is dried, fired and glazed.  It is a little pot that could be used to hold a candle or maybe a little plant.  There are holes on either side of the top so I could put a string or piece of wire through the holes to hang it up somewhere. 

We were told to add some texture to the pot, so I poked some holes in the back.

 

On the front I added the word "Peace".

 

I also added some lines around the top rim.

 

We were then given our big 25 pound block of clay, and cut some off the block, and were told to start another pinch pot.  This one must have texture, and something affixed to it, such as legs, or a handle or other embellishments.

As I started working with this piece of clay, it began to turn into a tub.  My goal is to make a clawfoot tub soapdish.  I will add some "feet", and fixtures, and decals inside the tub that the soap will set up on.

Here is what it looks like from the top.

 

 

As we progress through out six weeks of class, we will make slab vases, and learn to throw pots on the wheel.  As our instructor kept saying tonight, "I have a lot I want you to learn, so I am going to keep you busy."

 

Next week we can come in two hours before class and work on our project.

 

I can't wait to see what fun and creative things I will be making this summer.

 

But I can tell you one thing...only after one class, I can tell I love it already.

 

This way of "doing dishes" is much more preferable to washing dirty ones.