S-T-R-E-T-C-H (It just makes my head hurt)

It's back-to-school time and our house has been in a frenzy getting ready. I have been in school as a student/teacher/volunteer for all of my life,minus my first 4 years. At this time of year,I'm programmed to buy back-to-school supplies,throw up some bulletin boards, fill out my lesson plan book or school calendar, and learn or teach something!

Besides getting our daughter ready for another session at the Physical Therapy school at KU Med, we got our son ready to study a semester abroad in Brazil. (See Caring for Kids and Others for more details and a big lesson I'm learning!) I also try to get major projects done before school starts(a long-time habit from when I was teaching full-time) Our lives have been full of applying for Visas, packing clothes,making sand hill plum jelly, gardening, freezing peaches, defrosting the freezer, taking off wallpaper and painting the basement, and steam cleaning the carpets. We've also been blessed to attend several weddings--with more to come!(One of our friends called it "the summer of love.")

Whether you're sending students off across the state or world like me, to your local school,or home schooling, we all need to remember how important it is to keep learning!

One of my favorite quotes is from Oliver Wendell Holmes, the former U.S. Supreme Court Justice. He said something like this: A mind stretched to new ideas never returns to its original size.

I find that where learning is concerned, this is so true.

Sometimes all this learning, or stretching of my mind can be painful--it just makes my head hurt. For example, I always wanted to study astonomy in college, but never had time. I bought a book and it literally opened new worlds (or galaxies!)to me--and stretched my mind way out of shape. Did you know that the closest star to earth is Sirius, the "tag" of the constellation called Big Dog? It takes 8.5 light years for the light from this closest star to reach us. Some stars are over 200 times the size of the sun and light can be travleing through God's space for over 600 years to reach us!! Stars can be burned out yet their light is still reaching us!It just hurt my brain to try to comprehend how amazing the universe is that God created!!(Please pass the aspirin.) Talk about a big God!!

What really stretches my mind is reading about God in His word... what He has done for us, and wants to do through us. (when we abide in His Son,Jesus Christ). Talk about mind-blowing! The thing is,it stretches my ideas and hurts to know how far off the mark I am. It also is painful to have to re-adjust my thinking in a lot of ways--that putting self last thing, the call to serve others,the forgiveness and love everyone no matter what deals--ouch!!! The funny thing is, when we can actually wrap our mind around those and manage to practice one or two--the world is amazed and thinks we're out of our minds!!

All the more reason to contemplate Romans 12:2, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will."

No doubt about it, reading God's word will definitely stretch our minds--and hopefully change our minds,hearts and actions.

As a teacher, I'm all about learning and renewing our minds.
I read once that the best thing a mother can do for her family is to keep learning. Learning can keep you young--and your mind young as well. Keep those synapses firing--do and learn things that are completely new to you!

Be an example of learning--try some of these ideas:
-memorize scripture, your family will see your intent to hide God's words in your heart

-learn a new language, or brush up on an old one--I had flash cards in Portugese all over our house for our son to learn key words(baneiros-bathroom)for his trip to Brazil. I also bought a French CD at a thrift store to refresh my memory.(Most of what I remember from Mrs. Teel's high school french class is the picture of the cute guy in front of a chateau--which led to daydreaming instead of serious language study!)(Bonjour,Jean-Claude!)

-read a variety of books--fiction, biographies,historical, how-to,travel,etc. I've learned so many different things from doing this--and its free!! Check out movies and audio books,too. My daughter got me into the audio books--she listens on her commutes. I'm putting my French CD in the car when I'm traveling now.

-Learn a new skill--check out a web site or book--try something new, be it new recipes, fix-it skills, herbs for your windowsill, knitting,crocheting,sewing. Again,I saw a how-to-knit book with some needles and yarn at a thrift store and thought, "why not?" One of these days I'll try knitting something!!

-study a foreign place--pour over maps,learn about the lifestyles, prepare food,learn some of the language. (If I keep boning up on my French cooking terms, I'll go see Julie and Juliet!

So, there's your homework--stretch those brain cells! It's good for you! Class dismissed.

You've Got A Friend

Oi. Como vai? My typing is terrible and this may look like one of my mistakes, but this is "Hello" and "How are you?" in Portuguese. My son is leaving Sunday for a semester of study in Brazil, so I'm making signs all over the house with the Portuguese names to help him learn the language. (Especially"um banheiro"or bathroom!)

We're celebrating one year of Lovely Branches Ministries and friendship this month. Through other Vine Press blogs, I've gotten to know my friends even better. At our Lovely Branches events, I've begun new friendships and have gone deeper with old friends.

Here's the deal--Christian women speak the same language, the language of the heart. Sure, we may disagree about some things, but wherever I go, I feel "at home" with a Christian friend. I am notorious for talking to anyone, anytime--so I've made some great friends at some unusual places--and our common bond has been our faith. Women friends are special--we"get"each other. The Bible tells us, "A friends loves at all times", (Proverbs 17:17). Think what your friends have "loved" you through! Here's part of my list: friends who have prayed me through tough things God has called me to do, friends who have covered for me when I had to leave town to take care of my Mom or son, a friend who came from far away to talk to me after my Dad died, friends here who took care of my family with food and finished my VBS projects during the same time, friends who help with projects in which I'm involved.


Getting together with your women friends, especially Christian women friends, encourages us and keeps us going. Make some time to pray, play, laugh, cry, eat, or do good works with your gal pals!


"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the day approaching."-Hebrews10:24-25


Next week my family is headed to Horn Creek Family Camp in Colorado, where we go each year and I'm looking forward to seeing my friends there. We sometimes communicate throughout the year by e-mail or phone for prayer, or through our powerful "Mom's network", which strikes fear into the hearts of our kids!! You have a neighbor coming to my child's college? Sure, we'll see if they can get acquainted. Josh, my son, is heading to Brazil, the former home of one of our friends--so, I call for travel tips and information.


My Horn Creek friend Diane tells me about a group some of her church friends have started--the Hot Dishes! They get together in their church kitchen once a month and cook casseroles,etc. for families who may need a meal. Stored in the church freezer, they're ready to go. The Hotdishes then go out for coffee. (The ladies, not the casseroles) They pray for each other, especailly for those who are "on the hot plate", experienceing pain/problems. How cool is this?



There are so many ways we can be the "hands and feet" of Jesus, meeting needs all around us. So, keep spurring yourself and your friends on to good works. It's great to have fun with your friends, too. Some of my favorite books are the Sisterchick books by Robin Jones Gunn. She defines a Sisterchick as "a friend who laughs with you till you cry and cries with you till you laugh; a gift from God." These are travel adventures but have some great scriptural truths!


Celebrate your friends this month--see them as the gift from God that they are. For now, I'll just say: "Tchau, ma amigas", or Goodbye, my girl friends!