Children Taking Over- Love It!

The renovation of Lynn and Lynne undertaken by the children of Lynn and Lynne is happening as I write. The drone of the sander on the “Viewing Room” floor (ok, televison room! But I hate the sound of that) is the best sound ever. Kathryn our third child has had it and is taking things under control. Enough is enough she feels.

Unfortunately, Lynn and I are able to live with half done projects, stellar, aye? I remember well visiting a certain relative whose house was NEVER finished. My parents would comment on the drive home. I can only imagine the talking all the way back to Rhode Island after a visit with their daughter.

Our daughters pulled together a 25th celebration asking for Lowe's gift cards with this day in mind. What a wonderful gift! Kathryn is the project manager with advisers to her left and to her right. Her Christmas break has been breaking her back for her family. It is the gift of a lifetime.

Here are some pictures showing the process. The young man on the piano is Tyler Patchel who helped with removing stubborn kitchen tile. The young woman is Katie Schwartz who gave some significant hours to the project. Christopher, our son is working on cutting down shelves for the new spot in the Viewing Room ( I do like the sound of that)!

My biggest fear is that I will wake up!

Hopes, Dreams and Wants for 2012

This has to be one of my favorite times of the year, the week between Christmas and New Years. It is for me contemplative, reflective, full of promise and is the sunlight not exquisite?

During this week, every year, I think back over the past year and think about what I want to do different this year. I will give you a peek into my hopes ,dreams and wants for the year 2012.

I want, hope and dream that:
-every day is appreciated for the privilege of living it. (this shows up in every single journal I have ever written-I am a broken record)
-I will actually harvest all that I grow and not think that gardening is just planting.
-I will be more active physically (I find myself more sedantary of late)
-I will read through the Bible again with the Halley method (Week one-Gen, Week Two-Matthew, Week three- Exodus, Week Four-Mark etc.)
-I will surround myself with more diversity than less.
-I will continue to break out of the ordinary
-I will run through the paper dragons in my life.
-I will be better with Thank you notes (oh,this really can get me down)
-I will put myself out on more limbs than not.
-I will not rest content with fake contentment.
-I will watch more movies.
-I will do the perfect picnic this year in the perfect place at the perfect time.
-I will listen better to God's direction
-I will follow closer to God's lead
-The body of Christ will experience unity in the area in which I live
-my children hear God's voice clearer.
-I will depend on God for everything, everything
-I will have nothing to do with idolatry
-I will have eternity on my mind at all times.
-I will keep my house clutter free.
-I do the spontaneous with my children consistently
-I make more festivals for our family
-Valentine's Day is celebrated with more alacrity than ever in our family.
-that Lynn and I can have time just for ourselves (this is so hard because we LOVE being with all of our children, but I do want to get to Italy to see
Erin and Peter and Henry and Sadie)
- that all our children understand the significance of small events and time spent with dear ones
-our children see church as it really is
-God continues to connect me with people who vision big
-I can focus and not be distracted by distractions
-our five businesses flourish so that others may benefit greatly
-all our bills are paid and house paid off to give God the glory.
-that those we are surrounded by understand the need to glorify God in unity.
-that I see more and more of Him
-that I can organize my thoughts to write at least one book.
- I have more mercy for others than not
-that I desire to stand corrected and not get defensive
-that I teach my children well.

Hey, when you think, of it would you pray for me and my family. We would appreciate that! May your year be filled with unexpected moments where you simply relish His presence and His amazing ability to love you despite you!

If You Don't Know Me Yet- You Might Want To Keep it That Way-Might Be Safer For You!

If you do not know me, now is probably not the time to get to know me. I am in a bad way. It is not that I am changing, it is that I am feeling freer to share my true feelings. I have always been opionated but of late it is as if I am urged, pushed, persuaded to share freely and openly. However, there is really nothing new going on in my brain but rather a more firm resolve.

In fact I marvel at the consistency of my thoughts that have traveled with me, cognitively, for over forty years. Some of you may be chuckling if you know me. “Lynne, consistent? Ha! That will be the day.” I get this backlash from sharing my stream of consciousness. I would not suggest this modus operandi which I have operated in during my entire life.

Babies do this well, the stream of consciousness. They scream, cry, coo for exactly that moment, knowing exactly what they want. Others might be confused but babies are not confused just misunderstood. My husband pointed out to me this tendency of mine, my inordinate amount of words and spilling of my feelings on the spot. This helped me to understand the source of all the ammo coming at me from acquaintances, friends and family. It all spirals back to me, me, me! Sometimes I want to yell, “DO YOU NOT CHANGE????? OR ARE YOU JUST TOO SCARED TO GIVE ME YOUR CONSTANT CHANGING THOUGHTS???? WHY DON'T YOU GIVE IT A TRY AND WATCH ME ALLOW YOU TO CHANGE YOUR MIND!”

As a little girl I could not understand the lack of honesty from adults. I watched adults pretend and was puzzled by this. Why pretend? Are we not all in this together? Why the need to make others think differently about your situation, your background, or you? Guess what? I still do not get it! Again, my husband has navigated me through this quandry and has helped me tremendously with understanding decorum, the good kind. Though I do want to yell, “WHAT IS THE POINT OF YOUR SECRET? DO YOU THINK I WILL LIKE YOU LESS? I WILL ALWAYS LIKE YOU MORE WHEN YOU TELL ME THE TRUTH!!!!”

And why are we so secretive about our incomes? As a child I never understood that. What was the pressing need behind this? Again, are we not all in this together? Well, though we are all in this together (especially the Body of Christ) apparently that reality is not necessarily recognized. I tell people all the time we are financially hand to mouth. This is definitely, by some, not received without a tense, constipated pity face. I want to scream, “I AM NOT THE SOURCE OF THE INCOME, YOU ARE NOT THE SOURCE OF YOUR INCOME. WE ARE TO GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE. THIS IS NOT MY SOURCE OF SECURITY!!!!!” Thank goodness my income is not a source of my security, I would be sunk.

Well, I better stop. I am just working myself up into a blithering, blubbering Critical-Clara-Chick, and who likes them type of folks? My life has been one of restraint. I do think on my toes and this gets me into tons of trouble and most of what I do is try keep in all the thoughts. You are incredulous with that last statement, for those who know me,. “Lynne, keeps in thoughts? Really?!” Now that ticks me off and makes me howl, “YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I HOLD IN. BUT WHY DON'T YOU START SHARING HONESTLY WITH ME AND WE CAN GET IT ALL WORKED OUT !

So, these days, of late, are just bare, raw, sharp, and sometimes downright dangerous for you to be around me. That is if you like pretense, facades, the psuedo christian life, seminars, church programs, maintaining “the look,” and not asking God to lead you.
Otherwise, I am game for hanging with you and even debating issues. Nearing fifty has given me a sense of boldness, what the heck, it should. I have lived half a century, it is time!

UnFinished Projects- Back Off!

It has been too long since I have posted on this blog site. Who started this site anyway? There are so many things in my life that I have started and clearly not finished. Some of the unfinished projects are exactly as they should be, for instance, my life.

My life started on May 8, 1962 and I am not near completing it. In fact I have a goal of 120 years,though I am not in control of the timing and one never knows. However,it is amazing to think that almost fifty of those years have been completed. But my life is not mine to complete. There is an author and a finisher of my life/faith and I am not it.

There are some other projects that are still in the works- my children.

All of my children are still in process. All six of them are uncompleted projects. Their life mysteriously was not started with me and mysteriously will not be finished by me. The urge to finish a project needs to be rejected when it comes to people. I can assist in the project but I am not the project manager, the finisher.

Do we think about this enough? Do we shudder at the thought of our urge to finish “people projects?” Do we respect even our own children knowing that they are managed by a project manager more concerned with their finished result than we would be? We are to pray for their development, to assist the manager, to respect their project, to be side-liners with a sense of awe.

I need to back off from the unfinished projects surrounding my life.