It was a Little House on the Prairie night at the Coates house yesterday.
The storm's arrival was greeted by Floyd and Anne sitting on the porch LOVING the wind and rain and lightning...generally enjoying the show God was putting on for us.
Shortly into the performance, we realized the electricity had gone out...not too unusual for our area in a storm. No problem, right? Wrong.
Floyd called the power company to tell them we were powerless and learned that it would all be fixed by 9 pm. Great, since, thanks to wonderful Daylight Saving Time (in Indiana only the Gov and I like it!) it's light long after 9.
But when he called again for an update, the recording said it would be 5 AM before all was fixed. Oops.
This news left us scurrying about finding candles, matches (where are those easy lighters?) and the never-used oil lamps that are so stinky. What about flashlights? Do we have any batteries? It's getting dark fast here...
My most strategic move was to latch the gate that blocks the stairs to the basement...usually used to corral all the babies but quite useful to prevent a painful journey in the dark.
Floyd can not sleep without a fan blowing in his face, period. (Remind me to get a big ol' battery fan...one that uses about 12 D batteries.) Anyway the solution to this dilemma will amaze you.
My genius husband went to the bathtub to think. (Friends and family have the picture here...) He did these inscrutable calculations in his head about how much power the fan uses in an hour, how much power needed til 5 am, how much power in his car battery...you're getting the picture....and then connected a loooong extension cord from his car in the garage allll the way across the house to our bedroom and the fan he needed. His calculations had showed him that the car battery would power the fan until the electricity came on again so this was a good solution. This man planned for the fact that his car battery would probably be dead by morning but it was worth it to have the fan running.
4 a.m. came with me awake AGAIN realizing I was chilly. Wait! What's that noise? Oh, it's the air conditioner! What's that light....hooray! The power is on! We survived our Little House on the Prairie night. Still don't know whether the car will start though.
I rested in the darkness of the bedroom thinking about how nice it would be when the sun came up and we could see again without help from Duke Energy. I knew I could depend on that ol' sun to show up at the right time. No doubt about that. I thought about the watchman of old who waited for the morning light...
My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. (Psalm 130:6, NIV)
I was that watchman for a few moments, waiting for the light.
But does my soul wait for the Lord more than the watchman waits for morning? One grand similarity here: the Lord will come, as sure as the sunrise. I wait for Him, daily, to come and live His life in me.
7.21.2008
IICS-Kansas City
What a weekend! We've just returned from the annual IICS Vision Conference in Kansas City and it's like the day after Christmas.
The professors and their spouses whose commitment to Christ makes them gladly leave home, comfort, family, status and tenure to teach in some foreign university are amazing. Some of the universities they go to don't even post class assignments until the day before class begins...but these people go willingly, hungry to share Jesus with the students.
They go to reasonably comfortable posts and they go to spots that have very little electricity and miserable weather. All this is without complaint.
These people are my heroes; their determination to serve Christ in this way is awesome.
Take a look at IICS at www.iics.com
The professors and their spouses whose commitment to Christ makes them gladly leave home, comfort, family, status and tenure to teach in some foreign university are amazing. Some of the universities they go to don't even post class assignments until the day before class begins...but these people go willingly, hungry to share Jesus with the students.
They go to reasonably comfortable posts and they go to spots that have very little electricity and miserable weather. All this is without complaint.
These people are my heroes; their determination to serve Christ in this way is awesome.
Take a look at IICS at www.iics.com
7.13.2008
Rest
I think about rest a lot but rarely rest. Kinda silly when you think about the fact that even God rested. He worked hard for six days, then rested. God even has a plan for the dirt to rest. I think need to rest.
Rest is more than sleep, I think. I listened to a doctor talk about rest from work, rest from stress, rest from noise, rest from too many sensory inputs (like I'm on the phone, emailing, and "watching" the news on TV.
Psalm 116:7 says, "Return to your rest, O my soul, For the LORD has dealt bountifully with you." Apparently the Psalmist was speaking to a soul like mine that had drifted from rest.
Isaiah 14:7 says, "The whole earth is at rest and is quiet;" Rarely is that true in our chaotic world.
Isaiah 63:14 says, "The Spirit of the LORD gave them rest." This is my prayer that He would do the same for me.
Best of all, Jesus himself says, "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest."
He has invited me to come to Him so He can give me rest.
I hear ya', Lord. I'm coming.
Rest is more than sleep, I think. I listened to a doctor talk about rest from work, rest from stress, rest from noise, rest from too many sensory inputs (like I'm on the phone, emailing, and "watching" the news on TV.
Psalm 116:7 says, "Return to your rest, O my soul, For the LORD has dealt bountifully with you." Apparently the Psalmist was speaking to a soul like mine that had drifted from rest.
Isaiah 14:7 says, "The whole earth is at rest and is quiet;" Rarely is that true in our chaotic world.
Isaiah 63:14 says, "The Spirit of the LORD gave them rest." This is my prayer that He would do the same for me.
Best of all, Jesus himself says, "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest."
He has invited me to come to Him so He can give me rest.
I hear ya', Lord. I'm coming.
7.07.2008
Elephants
I've never been on safari in Africa to see elephants. I don't even want to go. I've seen a few elephants in zoos in my live. They are big, gray, funny-looking, and they stink. The most notable fact about elephants is that they are big. Really big.
If you had an elephant in your living room you would know he was there. You wouldn't be able to see the door, windows, TV or much else. I have a big living room, but even in mine, the elephant's presence would be obvious and un-ignorable. And then there's the odor. Even a blind man would know something was wrong in the living room!
Savanas, zoos, and living rooms (at least hypothetically) can have elephants in them. But there is one other place an elephant can try to hide: in relationships.
The elephant in a relationship is the one issue that is obvious to both parties but is never hinted, mentioned, acknowledged, or discussed. The elephant stands there, blocking the view of other good parts of the relationship, stinking up the room, and generally being a nuisance, but nobody does anything to evict him.
Sometimes we're afraid of elephants. Maybe trying to push the guy out of the "room" would cause him to make a bigger stink. (Maybe he learned something from his skunk cousins?) Maybe we've just gotten so used to having him there we're not sure how life would look without him. We've learned so many "work-arounds" to deal with his presence we would hardly know how to behave if he left. (I mean, what if you could actually get from the kitchen to the bedroom without always crawling over the back of the sofa?)
The metaphor is maxed out here, so on to the point. In personal relationships, quit ignoring the elephants! Pray, wait for the right time, and then talk about them.
Don't just keep tiptoeing around a land-mine issue. Gently, prayerfully, talk. Open the subject, talk, love and work through it.
Getting a real elephant out of your house might take a little time. He probably came in as a small baby elephant and now he's grown into a many-ton smelly problem. You might have to remove doors or windows or walls or even the ceiling to get him out. (Maybe Someone from above could help?) But it would be worth it. Getting an elephant totally out of a relationship may take time too, but the time and effort would be worth it.
Just think, after the project is completed, you can see each other across the room again, not crawl over the back of the sofa, and not live with a clamp on your nose to keep out the smell.
What's your elephant's name? Don't be afraid of him. Name him. Name him to the other person in the relationship. Discuss him. Plan what has to be done for the final eviction. Then do it.
Here's to spacious, comfortable, warm, easy relationships...with fresh breezes blowing through them.
If you had an elephant in your living room you would know he was there. You wouldn't be able to see the door, windows, TV or much else. I have a big living room, but even in mine, the elephant's presence would be obvious and un-ignorable. And then there's the odor. Even a blind man would know something was wrong in the living room!
Savanas, zoos, and living rooms (at least hypothetically) can have elephants in them. But there is one other place an elephant can try to hide: in relationships.
The elephant in a relationship is the one issue that is obvious to both parties but is never hinted, mentioned, acknowledged, or discussed. The elephant stands there, blocking the view of other good parts of the relationship, stinking up the room, and generally being a nuisance, but nobody does anything to evict him.
Sometimes we're afraid of elephants. Maybe trying to push the guy out of the "room" would cause him to make a bigger stink. (Maybe he learned something from his skunk cousins?) Maybe we've just gotten so used to having him there we're not sure how life would look without him. We've learned so many "work-arounds" to deal with his presence we would hardly know how to behave if he left. (I mean, what if you could actually get from the kitchen to the bedroom without always crawling over the back of the sofa?)
The metaphor is maxed out here, so on to the point. In personal relationships, quit ignoring the elephants! Pray, wait for the right time, and then talk about them.
Don't just keep tiptoeing around a land-mine issue. Gently, prayerfully, talk. Open the subject, talk, love and work through it.
Getting a real elephant out of your house might take a little time. He probably came in as a small baby elephant and now he's grown into a many-ton smelly problem. You might have to remove doors or windows or walls or even the ceiling to get him out. (Maybe Someone from above could help?) But it would be worth it. Getting an elephant totally out of a relationship may take time too, but the time and effort would be worth it.
Just think, after the project is completed, you can see each other across the room again, not crawl over the back of the sofa, and not live with a clamp on your nose to keep out the smell.
What's your elephant's name? Don't be afraid of him. Name him. Name him to the other person in the relationship. Discuss him. Plan what has to be done for the final eviction. Then do it.
Here's to spacious, comfortable, warm, easy relationships...with fresh breezes blowing through them.
7.04.2008
Junaluska Morning
Lake Junaluska, North Carolina is one of my favorite places on earth. My grandparents bought a small house there when I was a baby. That was quite a few years ago! I love that place! Everything about the creaky floors, old furniture, weird parking arrangements, wacky shower curtain, metal kitchen cabinets is wonderful.
The best thing of all is the view of the lake from the back porch and the squeaky rocking chairs that must be five pounds heavier than when they were made because of all the paint that's been put on them over all these years.
Looking across the lake to the mountains beyond, usually with the Smoky Mountain haze present, is an oasis for me. I'm reminded of the strength of the mountains and how they are part of God's creative works.
I have so many memories of this very porch and this exact view.
Across the lake is a train track; about once a day a train actually goes by and you can hear the whistle in the distance.
In the evening, the double-decker pontoon boat full of happy tourists rides around the lake. We always went on the boat at least once in our childhood visits. My grandmother never went along; instead she stayed at the house and waved a bright tablecloth so we could see the house on the side of the mountain.
Mornings found my grandfather working in his rose bushes right outside our basement bedroom windows. He loved those roses! He usually had tomatoes growing too...red and yellow. He liked the yellow ones best.
On rainy days...that's what got me started on this today...we stayed in the house and played Gin Rummy and Shanghai. I think he let me win too much!
Rainy days are always Junaluska Days for me. This morning we had gentle, steady rain for a few hours. No wind, just rain. I sat on the porch remembering all the Junaluska mornings and pretending I was actually there.
I pretended there was morning fog just beyond my trees. I was sure I could see the mountains peeking over the top of my little hill. I pretended I heard the screen door slam announcing my parents were coming up for breakfast. I pretended I heard my grandmother banging around in the kitchen. She really was noisy in there.
Funny thing, while I pretended, I also enjoyed my trees, my porch, and the rain right here in Indiana. I am blessed to have these, blessed to have the rain, and blessed to know the one who made the mountains and the rain, wherever I am.
The best thing of all is the view of the lake from the back porch and the squeaky rocking chairs that must be five pounds heavier than when they were made because of all the paint that's been put on them over all these years.
Looking across the lake to the mountains beyond, usually with the Smoky Mountain haze present, is an oasis for me. I'm reminded of the strength of the mountains and how they are part of God's creative works.
I have so many memories of this very porch and this exact view.
Across the lake is a train track; about once a day a train actually goes by and you can hear the whistle in the distance.
In the evening, the double-decker pontoon boat full of happy tourists rides around the lake. We always went on the boat at least once in our childhood visits. My grandmother never went along; instead she stayed at the house and waved a bright tablecloth so we could see the house on the side of the mountain.
Mornings found my grandfather working in his rose bushes right outside our basement bedroom windows. He loved those roses! He usually had tomatoes growing too...red and yellow. He liked the yellow ones best.
On rainy days...that's what got me started on this today...we stayed in the house and played Gin Rummy and Shanghai. I think he let me win too much!
Rainy days are always Junaluska Days for me. This morning we had gentle, steady rain for a few hours. No wind, just rain. I sat on the porch remembering all the Junaluska mornings and pretending I was actually there.
I pretended there was morning fog just beyond my trees. I was sure I could see the mountains peeking over the top of my little hill. I pretended I heard the screen door slam announcing my parents were coming up for breakfast. I pretended I heard my grandmother banging around in the kitchen. She really was noisy in there.
Funny thing, while I pretended, I also enjoyed my trees, my porch, and the rain right here in Indiana. I am blessed to have these, blessed to have the rain, and blessed to know the one who made the mountains and the rain, wherever I am.
7.03.2008
My Hero!
I have an interesting relationship with my hero. Some things that make him my hero also drive me crazy.
What brought this up? My husband is running for State Representative...again.
We've done this before, you see. Because our district is heavily the OTHER party, he has never been elected...yet. This could be the year, though!
He's my hero because he is willing to continue doing a worthwhile thing long after anyone else would have thrown in the towel because he knows there is progress to be made and influence to be used whether he wins or not.
It's a funny thing about being a candidate: you just put your name on the little paper at the courthouse and suddenly everyone wants you to say a few words at their fish fry, bean supper, chili supper, ice cream social....you name it. And my husband has things to say about our country's direction that everyone needs to hear and heed.
So, his willingness to do this again makes him my hero. He is an awesome guy!
But all those meetings do drive me crazy along the way!
What brought this up? My husband is running for State Representative...again.
We've done this before, you see. Because our district is heavily the OTHER party, he has never been elected...yet. This could be the year, though!
He's my hero because he is willing to continue doing a worthwhile thing long after anyone else would have thrown in the towel because he knows there is progress to be made and influence to be used whether he wins or not.
It's a funny thing about being a candidate: you just put your name on the little paper at the courthouse and suddenly everyone wants you to say a few words at their fish fry, bean supper, chili supper, ice cream social....you name it. And my husband has things to say about our country's direction that everyone needs to hear and heed.
So, his willingness to do this again makes him my hero. He is an awesome guy!
But all those meetings do drive me crazy along the way!
7.02.2008
Still Young!
Well, I have ignored this blog for about exactly one year. But in that one year I have held closely to my determination to not get old. I'm still not able to figure out how a grandmother is supposed to act and still waiting for helpful instructions from my friends.
Actually, several of my grandchildren (12 of them...HOW did this happen??) tell me regularly that I'm crazy or call me "Silly Grandmother!" I'm not sure if this is because I talk to them about driving my car into their house and getting their ideas about whether it would work or not.
Maybe it's when they called me a nut and I asked what kind. "Am I a sneeze nut?"
So now you have a glimpse of how far I have to go before I can be old.
Any ideas on what to do?
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