My favorite color

I was inspired by this post by my friend Anne to write about my favorite color. I never quite thought about why I liked a color, but she inspired me to really think about it and justify my choice.

I am quite partial to the color purple. I think that I have liked it ever since I heard the poem about the old woman in purple (see below). I have always felt old - my childhood shortened by having to grow up and take care of my younger brother and often drunk mother.

Warning


When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I am tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick the flowers in other peoples' gardens
And learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go
Or only bread and pickle for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
And pay our rent and not swear in the street
And set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practice a little now
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.

Jenny Joseph 1932 -

But it is more than that. It suggests to me a desire to be genuine at all times. I want to be true to myself - to wear purple and red together if I want to. I always wanted to be the age where I could say what was on my mind and not worry about what people thought. Older people are like that. They reach a point in their lives when they share without holding back how they really see the world.

It is refreshing and yet so simple. Jesus never wasted words. He was transparent and always spoke the truth into people's lives. I strive to be more and more like that.

That is why I like the color purple.


Thanks for reading

Things that are great about my life

I can become so internalized and so reading encouraging blogs helps put life in perspective. I went to read Especially Heather who is conquering brain cancer. Praise God! She suggested writing down thirty things that are great about your life. I thought this would change my whining to praise, so here is my list:

1. I have a Savior that loves me!

2. My husband and children love me.

3. I have a warm house to go to every night (very much a blessing in MN).

4. I have a job that I enjoy.

5. I get to serve at a dynamic growing church.

6. I have access to good health care when needed.

7. Blessed with an abundance and choice of foods.

8. I had the opportunity to get a college education.

9. I can vote.

10. Blessed with a hard-working husband.

11. Wonderful in-laws that make me feel like family.

12. Daily access to a Bible.

13. Laughter with my children.

14. TWO dirty bathrooms with running water.

15. Wisdom gained from growing up in a single parent home.

16. Generous husband that drives the beater car so that I can have a reliable one.

17. Hugs and kisses from Eli at bedtime

18. Sight - being able to see, even if I need contacts/glasses/corrective surgery.

19. Freedom to listen to worship music of all kinds on public radio.

20. Hope and peace of knowing that I have a place at the table in Heaven

21. Thrill of seeing my daughter achieve her goals in swimming and in school.

22. I can read and have access to free libraries.

23. Good friends

24. Reliable and wonderful daycare provider for Eli before and after school.

25. Change in seasons - the cycle of life before your very eyes.

26. Exercise and movement (sometimes)

27. Respected by my co-workers and family - shown in words and actions.

28. Quiet nights by the fire watching a movie together as a family.

29. Family vacations - need I say more?

30. Freedom to post a list like this.

It took me awhile. I wanted to list those intangible things - because "stuff" just breaks. I hope that you will take some time to think of your list. Let me know if you post anything and I will come and read it.

Blessings

Cool Science - Lunar Eclipse

Okay, so I am a geeky science teacher and get excited about this kind of thing. I should have posted it yesterday, but alas, lately I am a little behind.

The total lunar eclipse occured last night around 9 pm CST. We were on our way home from Wednesday night kids programming at church as the shadow of the earth started to cover the moon. It is a slow process, but looks pretty amazing. My eight year old thought it was the coolest thing ever as the moon turned a red color in the shadow. (I could talk lots of physics here, but I will only bore my family with that useless knowledge).

Yet, my 14 year old looked out the window and said "Okay, I have seen it, I am going to bed".

For more "science" behind this, check out NASA's website which explains the whole process. It still confuses me a little with all the rotating and spinning going on.


Isn't God amazing! He showers us with His glory everyday! Take the time and thank Him for how it all work together.

Thanks for reading!

Update

I now realize that I have not posted in a week. There is always that "to do" list, and much of it has been on there for a long time, so I have gotten quite a bit done lately.

Things that got done:
- Finally did a through cleaning of the bathroom sink and toliet. Charity does a great job on a weekly basis, but I am picky and need to do a deep cleaning every couple of months.

-Weekly chores like bills, laundry, grocery shopping, Wal-mart run, etc.

-Went skiing on Sunday morning. The weather was actually above zero which always makes it much more pleasant. Roger got his new skis and boots. We have been saving money to buy them. Every time we go skiing, we put $40 in saving - equal to ski rental. Now he has his own fancy new shaped skis. He says that they are so much better than the 20 year old skis he had. Now how to dispose of the old one....

- Laughed with my son while skiing. On the hill we ski on there is a dip before you get to the lodge at the bottom of the hill. On your last run, you just pick up speed so that you can make it over the dip and up the small hill. My son is tiny and can't quite get as much speed as his heavier mother can. So, as I went by him I held out my pole to give him a pull up. It would have worked if I had held onto my pole better. It was inertia in motion - I kept moving and Eli was stuck holding my pole. IT was much funnier than I am telling it. Almost cartoon like.

-Watched the SuperBowl of NASCAR on Sunday afternoon - the Daytona 500. Our favorites, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson fell out of the race toward the end. Good race - Ryan Newman won (at least Tony Stewart did not win..:)


-Went to the YMCA - we are trying to go three times a week. It is starting to show on the scale. I am down 8 lbs! I am now 10 lbs away from the weight I want to be. The last few is the hardest. I am actually happy with the 8 lbs - not really planned or expected - just a result of more exercise (even though it feels like I might die somedays...)

- Charity was gone for the long weekend with a friend at a water park in WI. She loved playing in the water (surprise, surprise :). It was quiet though. She only called to give me a hard time about the NASCAR race. At least she was thinking of me once.

I think that is enough. Thanks for reading.

Cyndee

Too much Wii

Okay, I confess. We bought the Wii for the kids, but also for ourselves. It is innovative in the way you play games - some of them require movement - getting you up out of your chair. Yet, the most fun game has been the Mario game that we got our daughter. No movement required. I actually sat down and started my own file on the game. I am sure that my husband is thrilled with the amount of hours I spent playing that game this weekend. Truly not a very good use of time. It is addictive. I had to get my "chores" done first - at least the ones that I felt had to be done. IT is mindless. The girl will be gone over President's weekend, maybe I will get to play some more. I think that I am in trouble...

Thanks for reading

Still participating

I am still trying to participate with the Small Things at Home Sanctuary. Here is the verse for this month. I will try to come back later and comment after I process and think on these words of wisdom.

Blessings.