Odds and Ends

I've already been derailed by Gladys sprinkling sugar carefully into my printer, so who knows how the day will proceed (although I'm sure we can all make an educated guess). In light of this fact, I'm scrapping a beautifully written post (constructed blissfully at 5:30 in bed while Gladys tried to strangle me with her milk and mighty little arm--she slept the whole night across my neck, screaming whenever I tried to move her over slightly. Romulus settled himself carefully on my shins and wouldn't be moved either. Isn't this what we always dreamed of as conjugal bliss? Two large children, two cats and a husband? Actually, I only ever dreamed about the husband. The children and cats are a surprise) about the providence and grace of God and the graciousness of his order in our lives in favor of a list.

1. PLEASE pray for my mother who is having a medical procedure done this evening (it'll be Kenya time). She is having to be admitted to the hospital for what is normally an outpatient procedure because of insurance issues. Please pray that everything goes smoothly and we find that she's Perfectly Healthy!!!
Here are the flowers I gave to all the mothers on Mother's day. They're for my mother really but I somehow missed posting on Mother's Day.



2.Here is the 'material' I invented for my 'level 3' Sunday School class. I'm using scare quotes because even though it is in the spirit of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, its my own invention and by no means a sanctioned material.


I'll try to take some better pictures again this Sunday, but basically I wrote prettily on cards, all the resurrection appearances (the references only) and laminated them. I made the cards a reasonable size and then on tiny strips (again laminated) I wrote names, places, times of day, and items of interest. For a quick example of the strips I have: Mary Magdalen, Mary the Mother of James, tomb, stone, spices, Emmaus, two men, two men in shinning apparel, Jesus (although I forgot that card and had to go back and make it, heh), Peter, John, fish, 153 fish, boat, Galilee, Jerusalem, etc. etc. For the actual presentation, you lay the first card down, read the story, (after distributing the strips) and then everyone lays down the strips that they heard. I also printed pretty and famous art and they had to decide which pictures to lay down. Then we read the second account and they moved the strips which applied and added any new ones. As we progressed through the resurrection accounts, you could see, visually, what was the same in each and what was peculiar to each. Its taken us a long time, because we've been repeating, quickly and briefly, each previous story before adding new ones. Every week I think we're going to finish but we never do. The discussion about the details has been instructive and interesting, and amazingly, this whole process seems to be hitting them exactly where they are (9 to 12 on the ages scale). Its been very helpful to have a visual and its interactive. Its been so good that they've asked if we can do the same thing for the 'End Times' or rather 'Parousia' as we say in the atrium. I'm not sure how I would put that together, but I think it could be cool. Anyway, if you're interested and you want a better explanation, email me. For heaven's sake, if you REALLY wanted it, I'd make it again and sell it for a small and reasonable price.

3. Chicken BBQ this Saturday!!! You all better be there. 11-3.
4.Having babies is a huge consolation in times of difficulty. I've noticed, lately, that Matt, who has been under ENORMOUS stress, visibly relaxes while watching Gladys and Romulous. He can just sit and watch them being ridiculous, and they're so cute and basically pleasant (I say that with obvious reservations). I can see his shoulders relax and his brow unfurl. Of course, I recommend having older children as well, but as a pure stress reducer, if you find life especially difficult, gather yourself up a baby. It makes all the difference in the world.




5. And finally (although by this point I'm Practically doing 7 Quick Takes), here is the very nice Tea/Coffee I served to our departing students (those graduating and leaving) in the middle of their week of finals. I was forced to make brownies from scratch, being unable to locate a box, and they were delicious. We will miss the students very much and hope they will visit us periodically. One is on her way to China to do short term work, one to Korea to be in the army before returning to resume his studies, one is on her way to Cornell, and one to grad school in NYC.

And that, as they say, is that.
See you at the BBQ!!