Raining on New Years's Eve

The weather is always a safe topic in Minnesota - as it was in Colorado. I seem to have picked two states that believe that if you don't like the weather, what an hour. Well, that has not been the case this winter. I feel like I am living in Seattle. We rejoiced over the one inch of snow that we got the Saturday before Christmas - this is very unusual to have to wait this long for snow. I was wishing that I was stuck in the storms in Denver. We haven't seen a good old fashioned blizzard in Denver in many years. Here in MN, we were just wishing for snow instead of rain. We watched the storm with quiet envy - especially the snow mobilers. We had hoped to go snowskiing today - isn't going to happen since the temp is 40 degrees and rain. It just doesn't seem right to ski in the rain? I am praying for my family in Denver.


Thanks for reading.

Cyndee

Christmas 2006

I have truly enjoyed being the parent at Christmas time. The kids don't get everything that they want - only three gifts! It is a different philosophy, but we figure that Jesus only got three gifts, so why should they get more? It really makes us think about the best gift based on our budget. As they get older, they get more expensive. We have decided that even though babies have expenses - it is nothing like having a teenager - phones, computers, clothes, etc. The baby is happy with a bottle and a clean diaper. How life changes so quickly! The big gifts this year were all electronic. Charity got the cellphone she has been begging us for and we got Eli a gameboy advance sp. He had a gameboy already, but the screen did not light up.

I got the corner curio that I had looked at at IKEA. It is a simple design. We did have one delimma. For those of you that have purchased from IKEA, the furniture needs to be assembled. The directions have not words - only pictures. The picture forgot to mention one minor issue - that the predrilled holes for the door had to be placed on a particular side. Most of the time the directions are great - not this time. Roger and I had a choice - go back to step 4 from step 20 or move the magnets and predrill a couple of holes. We choose the seconde option. The door is now on the opposite side then the picture in the catalog shows. I guess that things in our life are not always picture perfect.

Roger got his coffee maker 1200 DCC brewmaster. He has been needing (?) a different coffee maker for awhile. He is sort of a coffee snob and the old standby Mr. Coffee just wasn't cutting it. So, now he has a timer with different settings. Much more complicated than our VCR settings.

I hope that you all had a great Christmas with family and friends.

God Bless

Cyndee

Lense implants

I am basically blind without contacts or glasses. Many people that I work with have taken the huge jump and commitment and gotten lasix. I went in before school started in September to see if this was a possiblitlity for me. It really isn't. Apparently, my cornea isn't deep enough to cut anything off of. I was greatly disappointed after finally getting the nerve up to call about the procedure. I really don't mind wearing glasses or contacts. I have dry eyes caused by the climate I live in as well as being on thyroid medication. Wearing the contacts just makes the whole thing worse. I can wear them for about 10 hours before I get an eye headache - you know that kind where you just want to dig your eyeballs out of your head. So, I have been exploring other options.

My eye doctor is part of this lense study. They are trying to get this particular type of lense approved by the FDA. The lense is implanted inside the eye, behind the cornea. This requires surgery where they make a tiny incision and place the lense. This lense has been used in Europe very successfully for the past ten years. There are always side effects anytime you have surgery - especially elective surgery. I just can't imagine waking up seeing... I could get an infection - in fact, this is the most likely cause of problems. Sense this is still experimental - the cost would be almost free instead of 3-4 thousand for each eye. I am thinking of pursuing it. I have a introductory appointment Jan 4th. They will run some more tests to see if I fit the qualifications for the experiment. After all this worrying, I may not even qualify anyway.

So, if you are into praying, say a quick one that I make the best choice.

I will write more after Christmas.

Cyndee

Wanting a surprise for Christmas.

I love my husband and all the wonderful things that he does. I appreciate that he kisses me with bad breathe and doesn't complain that I am wearing those sweat pants again! He is my opposite - concerned about housecleaning items that I didn't even know needed cleaning - like behind the refridgerator or the stove. He is much more into exercise while I prefer sitting (I do that very well!)

So, because he loves me, he tries to get me gifts that I want for Christmas. I try my best not to guess what it is. I like to be surprised. It is hard since we share all bank accounts - he must wait until after the December Visa bill comes to shop. I think that I know what I am getting - exactly what I asked for. It will be a great gift. The kids are doing a great job not telling me that they went to IKEA when I had conferences. It is hidden is several boxes throughout the house, and I have been advised not to snoop. I don't mean to snoop, I just pick up toys and have to go under the bed for stray matchbox cars. I really don't want to know!

I am actually thankful for whatever it is. He is a practical man, wanting the gifts to be used and not just sit on a shelf. I guess that in that way we are very much alike.

I hope that you get all that you want this Christmas.

God Bless,

Cyndee

The story of Riezzee

Many might be wondering where the "riezzee" for my blog came from. My family is quite familiar with the story - and I am sometimes embarrassed and flattered by it all at the same time. I have always had a nickname - but it has usually been negative - not really something that I would want to be called or share with someone.

I am a high school chemistry teacher. I teach 10-12th graders - intermingled by grade. Sometimes this makes for interesting combinations of students. Well, last year I ended up with lots of boys that were devoted to the sport they played. For the first semester, I pretty much had the entire varsity basketball team - not in the same class, but spread out fairly equally. In the spring, I ended up with a couple of wrestlers and one of the senior pitchers. It turns out that throughout the past few years I knew most of the baseball team as well. So, I finally used one of my fringe benefits of teaching and attended some of the games for free - Eli accompanied me. He isn't so much into the sports as he is into running around the gym/ballfield and getting snacks during the game.

Anyway, somehow-throughout the term-they coined the name Riezzee from my last name. My husband wasn't sure about the respect issue-finding that our youth is lacking that. To me it was still respectful-and I have been called many disrespectful things. It was borderline. I warmed up to it and that is who I am to this group of boys. I never really want to be liked as an equal with my students, but it is a hard line to walk. How do you impact them without getting to know what is most important to them?

Most of them are seniors this year - and so goes the name. I have always wanted personalized license plates, but never quite found a phase that fit. So, with the renewing of my plates, they now say "Riezzee". It only took me ten years of teaching to find my stride - so for me this is a shining moment.

Thanks for reading

Cyndee

Visiting friends in Faribault

We spent the day in Faribault with some friends of Roger's from college. It seems that he used to skip chapel at Northwestern College and go hang out at Starbuck's down the road with his fellow Education Majors. And these are the people that are teaching our children? I say that totally jokingly.

This is the first time that I have met them face to face. We have received their Christmas cards for years, so the faces are familiar. They are a great group of people. We were invited down to see a church play that one of his friends were in. We had dessert and watched.

We are definately spoiled by our professional productions at our church. Yet, we had to step back and realize that this was a small country church in Faribault. Was this reaching the people in their community? Was it a growing church? We were being slightly judgemental and comparing so many things. We are all a part of the body of Christ, with different purposes - all working together to bring people to Christ.

As churches around the country present the gospel to thousands this Christmas, in different ways, hearts will be changed! Praise God that he made us so different and never stops to reach us where we are.

God Bless,
Cyndee

Sonshine

I blog mostly for myself. It is the best way to process all that happens in my life. Thanks for reading and participating in the ups and downs of life.

Notice the date on this blog. Tickets for the summer music festival called Sonshine went on sale two days ago. This Christian music event of the year is held in Wilmar, MN during the month of July. It is an outdoor festival with four different stages of music playing from 10 am until 10 pm. We went last year as a family and had the best time. The temperature was fairly unbearable, so we are hoping for a cooler three days of music this next summer. We are actually hoping to invite some friends of ours to join us. It is a worshipful party - with the typical teenagers and concession stands galore. Last year a powerful thunderstorm arrived when the Newsboys were suppose to play. It was actually cancelled. Eli was so heartbroken. He just loves their music. He sings with it loudly in the car.

So, the tentative list for Sonshine next year is listed on the website Sonshinefestival.com - the Newsboys are scheduled to be there once again. So, come July 12-14th, you can find us in Wilmar, MN rain or shine, enjoying music being played for Jesus.

Cyndee

Why?

Our church has sermons in a series fashion. The most recent series title is "Why?". You can listen and even view some of the most recent messages at www.eaglebrookchurch.com
. The most recent one touched on the topic of fear. It is interesting that in my ABC's of me that I listed fear of failure as my fear - this is the example that Pastor Bob used in his message! This is the same fear that he has, so I listened especially hard.

Roger said that this message hit a little too close to home. The world causes us to fear so many things, from germs and bacteria that cause death to fear about real things like terrorism. Our fear is a natural response that protects us in truly dangerous situations. On the chemical side - people like to go see scary movies because it produces natural hormones that give you a sort of a high.

The verse Pastor Bob emphasizes is the "Perfect love drives out fear". The bible says "perfect love", not conditional love that we receive from friends and even family sometime, but love without limits or conditions - the kind of love only our Lord Jesus could give you. If you read through the bible when angels appear to humans, they start by saying "Do not be afraid", yet we are fearful. The sight of God is going to be an amazing and fearful sight.

I keep working on accepting that unconditional love of Christ and realize the I am "Fearfully and wonderfully made" and the I am "created in His image". I have worked and worked on trying new things - like selling Creative Memeories for a couple of years. I really wasn't very good at it, but I learned so much through the process. I learned that I can share about something I love without being rejected. I am trying to apply this to sharing about my relationship with Christ. By trusting God, I can take risks and realized that I am loved regardless of the outcome.

Thanks for reading.

Cyndee