Can't Beat it! The Passing of Time...

What do I do when I have a Saturday night all to myself. Do I sit and stare? Do I work on a project, I have none. Do I try to write, I'm doing that now. Do I call a friend, that is what I have done many times. What should I do? Read my bible, that would be a good endeavor.


Next week is a week that will take extreme planning and organization. I will do well next week. I will make lists, I will organize, I will execute, I will even eat well. The week after will be a different story. It will be the crash zone.


Tonight is a gift I did not know about. Lynn and I might have been able to plan accordingly had I known. But who I am fooling? Lynn and I are not good planners. Besides which we are not creative enough to know what to do with five bucks (the kids have the other five) between us. Ok, let me rephrase that, we are too lazy.


You can tell what I decided to do. I can tell what Lynn decided to do by the sound coming from the garage. He is roasting coffee.He puts me to shame. It is only nine forty six and I might even have time to make some lists, pick up another book and read that till page ten to follow suit with all the other half read books floating around the house.


The next week will be the downer. If it was just myself that is one thing but I have children asking me for food. It really can bring a girl down, so many people in this house dependent on me for their sustenance.

I have never been the stellar time manager. Any time I have listened to a time management seminar my insomnia ends with a blink of an eye that stays blinked. Who are these people who are organized and manage seconds as if handling a bomb? Where do they come from? There has to be a space ship out in some deserted field that beams them back up to their organized planets. They really don't seem human or even interested in sharing the dynamic human experience.

So tonight I have many options before me; long overdue thank you notes, emails, phone calls, coffee work, bible study, reading etc.

But where are you???? Why don't you come over!

Wheeling and Dealing

We are searching for a, relatively speaking, new car. Currently you might see us driving an old olds. Or you might see us in the Jackin's van, the one with purple flames near the headlights. (Brian has asked me to respect those flames-I shall say no more). Perhaps you might see us in a baby blue van with one of the sides looking rather dented. I see it in your eyes though when you wave to me. Actually I hear you, “what is she driving NOW?”

We were in pursuit on Tuesday. We headed up to Lansdale to look at an Honda Civic. Lynn,with eyes on the road, says to me, “You know how you experience insecurities when you take on sewing projects?” I connect immediately. I never take on sewing projects because of the sweats. I am wondering where he is going with this, actually kinda scared.

“I am terrified of buying a car. I think of your Dad and your brother and their nice cars and I just don't know how to navigate this process.” My insides are in a puddle and all of a sudden I know this is an “Ishmael” drive. We are not going to find our “Issac” car.

The car lot was behind an old dilapidated building down a subdued alley. As we pulled in I said, “No,” “Don't you want to at least get out and look?” “Frankly, no. I don't.” I did get out and look only to point to the hood where the white didn't match the white and to each spot I uttered, “No, no, no, and no.”

The next day we were driving to rendezvous with a woman and a Grand Caravan. It sat pretty in Walmart's parking lot late Tuesday evening with a For Sale sign on the back. As we were driving to see this car we spiritualized our experience a bit. Oh,we pontificated, we just needed to rest. We traveled an hour to see a dud and here we were only a spit away from the car that we “sense” is the right one. The Lord is good.

The Grand Caravan was not so grand. How could we spiritualize this? We didn't attempt.

The Lord is still good. Thank goodness.

Birthday wish for a friend turning fifty! How did I get here?

As you embark on your next fifty years, just a bit daunting, may you feel the significance of each moment, may it not be wasted on frustrations of the past or expectations of the future. May you increase in your gratitude of the simple things of life. May you spend time with your growing children and never see it as a waste. May you deal with honesty in your reflections of yourself. May you strive for the TRUTH and seek it out as you would gold or silver not resting content until true treasure is found. May you not rest with the thoughts that hound but figure out why the hounding and then rest. May you see your husband as he should be seen and may you love him more than you did the day you married him. May you watch the changing of the seasons as child plays with a new enchanted toy. May you say yes to tea with a friend though your schedule says no. May you not waste time on idle friendships where the talk is focused on self gratification. May you see the evil and run to the GOOD.

May you know what cause should require your all. May you see the green, the blues, the purples, the reds in creation and marvel with a marvel that leaves you pondering depth.

Expectations are so disappointing!

This morning I was inspired to start the morning off with a breakfast together, read the missionary autiobiography we are working on, memorize scripture, maybe sing some songs, share prayer requests. The morning would fortify us better than any cereal could do.

It didn't happen, again.

My kids literally roll their eyes, remark how this kinda thing doesn't fly with us (please don't say that out in public children, we want them to think it does) and they encourage me with “But it's ok mom.”

ARGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!

Remember, this is my second set of children. The first set said the very same thing. So rude!

I begin to wonder if I have any clout around here?

Can you imagine a school teacher listening to this kind of talk? Go to the principal.

As you can see by the picture I provided, this is how the table looked. We did manage to eek out something but it had nothing to do with my expectations-Again.

One Never Knows

Community HomeSchool Learning Group Singing at the Christmas program led by Bridget Griffith

Robyn, my daughter who works at the Daily Local in West Chester, called and asked me to find a homeschool mom with a title to be a panelist. The Daily Local was sponsoring a panel discussion on the State of Education in Pennsylvania and the facilitator wanted a representative from the home school community. It was not going to be me. I don't have a title and furthermore I disdain titles. This is not necessarily because of humility, sometimes just because I am plain lazy and sometimes because I am rift with fear.

Some of those I asked were unavailable, some were uninterested, and some were nervous. It was going to be me, the title less one. So,I spent a bit of time researching, inquired about talking points from the Home School Legal Defense, received amazing statistics the day before from College@Home (how did they know?) and attended the discussion on a Thursday evening.

They put me at the end of the table in front of a cardboard teepee titled Home School Parent Lynne Burkholder. The other seven men in suits filled the other chairs along the row of tables. Their cardboard teepees were way more impressive. There was a man on the school board at Coatesville, a state representative lobbying for Charter Schools, a President of a local cyber school and other assorted individuals invovled with education.

State Funding was the topic of the evening with many members of the audience asking pertinent questions. Eric, the educational correspondent from the Daily Lcoal who was faciltating the discussion felt the need to pull me into the discussion. Though during the break I tried to assure him I was fine and I had no need to talk. Can you believe that?

“Lynne, does state funding affect homeschooling?”

This was my moment, it was the one chance to share some home schooling insights. I pushed myself to the front of my chair, leaned forward into the mike and gave my insights, “No, not at all.” I pushed myself back into my chair and scanned the crowd. And I am one to pride myself with thinking on my feet. That's the best I could do! My lack of words spoke volumes.

That night and my famous phrase gave me a clear perspective on home schooling that will give me the strength to continue with this upstream swim. We, as homeschoolers, are not a burden on any school district. We are not even affected by mandates or state funding. Rather we are part of a movement over 2,000,000 million strong. Our educational background, our income, our money alloted to homeschool curriculum does not affect the higher test scores our children receive.

One of the panelists was late, Senator Dinnimon. He is a smiling politician, a favorite of West Chester and as he entered the room he was apologizing making his way to the front. He sat two seats down from me and during the intermission introduced himself. He wondered what I did. “I am a home school mom.”

He lit up, he loves homeschooling. “Don't you think that the school districts should make available their curriculum to homeschoolers?” His interest was curious to me and something in me woke. Yes, yes, all the school districts' resources should be available to the taxpayers who homeschool. Next thing I know he is asking me to trade business cards. Thankfully I had mine.

One never knows in life where you will be led. On April 26th, Senator Dinninmon's secretary has scheduled an appointment for us to talk. Interesting.

Will you please keep me in your prayers?

Jeane Miller and Erin Robbins: Quite the Combo!

There are two women I would enjoy having you meet. Though retreats are not one of my favorite past times I would orchestrate one in which Jeane Miller and Erin Robbins were the guest speakers. I know it would be hard for me to convince them.

They are renegade women who have so much to offer and have no desire to package themselves for a weekend. They crave the slice of life that is rarely sought after; authenticity. Doing retreats just ain't their thing and for this I love them.

These two women live amazing lives, strive for extreme honesty, are two of the seven women (the others being Robyn, Kathryn, Nicky Sue, Rachel and Melissa) in my life who make me howl with laughter (not pain) and love Jesus with a passion hard to find.

Jeane Miller came out of nowhere and we became fast friends who never get together. Erin Robbins, I knew her since infancy and to this day there is a bond that pulls us tighter yet I never see her either.

Jeane and Erin do not know each other from Adam (what does that phrase mean?). When they meet they might be too much alike to get along. Oh, but the two of them together would make me very happy and sometimes that is all that matters!

Erin does not do facebook, would not consider facebook, probably abhors blogging but would make our lives richer as a blogger and a facebook friend. Jeane Miller is back on facebook having left it for a while and we are the much better for her return. Who needs reruns of Lucille Ball with Jeane's facebook and blogging!

I can direct you to Jeane's blog:http://thecoffeecottage.blogspot.com/2012/04/heart-lifting-mirth.html

I can also give you a taste of what you will find on her Facebook page:

"It's been about three weeks since we sent the third born's beloved Nuk up into the wild blue yonder. It's been three weeks of subversive looks and finding the twin's Nuks under her pillow or beneath her blanket during quiet time. However, today she took her obsession with the forbidden to a whole new level. As I was helping her adjust her leggings from behind, I noticed a strange protrusion in the lower "seat" of her pants. Sure enough, wedged in her little crack was Johnny's pacifier. All I can say is "Good Luck Future TSA Workers!!!!"

You might come away from Jeane's blog with more info than you bargained for but you will come away with a bargain. Erin needs encouragement to start a blog and enter the world of facebook. This probably is not going to happen...truly our loss.

You will be the first to know about the Erin/Jeane Retreat. I have yet to decide the theme, probably will not be a theme, can not imagine restricting these two. Not sure about the date, Erin now lives in Italy and a weekend away for Jeane with five children, under the age of five, probably is too optimistic.

But do keep posted! This would kick retreats into a new category! You would not want to miss Jeane and Erin's Retreat!

They are gonna kill me!