Vacation Bible School

Vacation Bible School, I was so excited for the kids to attned.  I remembered going as a child and wanted Jory to experience it to, but I never could find one that was in the evening.  Who are all these parents who are free from 9AM – 12PM during a work week?  But praise God, the church we attend AWANA at was having evening VBS.  It started earlier than AWANA so some things had to be tweaked to make it work.

I had to go into work an hour early which meant everyone had to wake up earlier so we could get out the door and I could be at work by 8AM.  That’s a feat in and of itself.  We got out the door.  I made it to work on time.  I left work at 4:30 to rush to the school to pick them up.  The clock was ticking away.  They piled in and off we went to VBS at a safe, but speedy speed.  We arrived at the church early.  Yippee!!!  But finding a park was difficult since the church’s parking lot, our usual parking place, was turned into registration land for VBS.  We found a park on the side street and we were good to go.

I got the kids’ name tags, got them to their appropriate classes filled with the AWANA friends and some newbies.  I was impressed by Jory’s class.  Not only were their leaders, but there were junior leaders assigned to help the leaders.  That was pretty cool to see the kids too old to attend AWANA still participating and helping out. 

Off to the parents’ house for dinner after seeing Jory safely to his group.  Yes, the church had prepared dinner for the parents.  I was nervous walking over there by myself, until I saw in the kitchen my cooking crew from AWANA.  Yes, people I know.  I sat at the table with them and we caught up with each other and enjoyed the delicious meal.

The pastor spoke to the parents about being a pastor’s kid, himself, and how the church was big into the church ministry because he remembered what a strong influence church activities had on him as a youth.  He talked about how blessed he was for his children to be playing with other children of believers and that if his kids had questions and asked their friends’ parents something, the answer was coming a fellow believing parent.  Pastor Jim is one cool cat.

After dinner and his talk, it was time to go pick up the kids.  I walked outside to see men with flashlights posted around the church to help people to get safely to their cars.  This church rocks!  I had been up since 4AM and I was tired.  I still had to get the kids home, fed, bathed, dressed for bed, and put them to bed.   Yikes!

We got home.  I quickly warmed the dinner I had prepared after returning from church yesterday.  I rushed them through dinner, through bathtime and teethbrushing time, hustled them into their pjs so I could collapse myself.  A week of this?  A whole week?  Yeah, something’s got to give.

Leadership

One of the awesomest parts of our family reunion was God showing me what Godly male leadership looked like.  I saw my uncles, who are now the elders in our family.  That’s scary cause what does that make me - - the next generation after them to step up to the plate?  Not quite, but close.  

My uncles spoke words that were truthful, even if it was painful for some to hear.  I get that some relatives would like Uncle Tom to be more loving and gentle, but he is who he is and that’s a blunt guy who says it like it is.  He and my mom have that in common.  Wonder where they got that from?  They didn’t get it from Grandma.

To be a leader, to speak God’s Word doesn’t mean you’ll be popular, doesn’t mean the masses will love you, some will hate you, some will resent you, some will think you aren’t being sensitive enough or not in touch with the way the world works today, but who cares all you can do is what God calls you to do.  And for some like me to hear the truth, to see Godly men do God’s work was like a cold glass of water on a hot summer day.  I want this for Jory. 

Then I heard my uncle defend his wife.  And my heart stopped.  YES!  I want a husband like 

that.  One who has got my back.  I want Jory to be like this.  I want the girls to be married to men like this. 

Leadership ain’t for the faint of heart, but to see in action in my uncles, in Mort, ahhh, it’s simply breathtaking.

CHEA

CHEA time!  On my way to the Christian homeschooling convention in Pasadena, I called some acquaintances to see who would be attending this year’s CHEA.  The couple I met up with last year decided not to go this year, but they told me they know Jan Miles was going.  I tried her cell and left her a rambling, nervous message.  I really hoped she would return my call, the idea of being at CHEA by myself wasn’t appealing in the least.  I hate and have always hated being places by myself.  And even if I don’t hang out with the person I’m with every second, I like knowing they are there.  If I need them, they are there.  If I’m feeling lonely, I know they are there.  I don’t have to do that awkward banter that comes with being around new people or people I don’t know that well.

I found a cheaper parking place than last year and walked the few blocks.  I looked at my phone, still no calls from Jan.  I tried her again maybe I forgot to say my name on the message and she had no idea who was rambling on her phone.  Or maybe I was just being paranoid.  Crap, what if she had decided not to come and now my call was waking her up.  Doh!  If Jules or Deeds had just sucked it up and come, this wouldn’t be a problem for me.  Why hadn’t I been blessed with good friends willing to go the extra mile for me?

I registered, got everything I needed, then I walked towards the first lecture/talk of the day, by myself.  I sat in the extreme back like I always do when I’m alone.  Jessica Hulcy gave the keynote session, “Homeschool:  Why Stay the Course?”.  She spoke about things I needed to hear.  About the times I do get embarrassed or uncomfortable when I hear the kids say things I’ve taught them.  I’m teaching them what’s right and they are standing up proclaiming that, why is that bad?  It’s not.  Jessica was a very engaging, funny, and interesting speaker.  Her speech encouraged me to press on.

After the first speaker, I walked out to the front of the building and saw no message or missed call from Jan.  I decided to try her again.  Once again, no answer.  I was disappointed, but que sera sear.  I put my phone in my pocket, looked up and saw Jan’s daughter, Emily.  If Emily was at the convention, then Jan was too.  I turned my head to the right and there was Jan.  Oh happy days!  I quickly walked over to them.  She hadn’t gotten my messages.  God is always working.

 We chatted and talked about what speakers we were going to hear.  We walked around for a bit, then went our separate ways to meet up later.   Yiippeee!

For the first time, I felt like I knew kinda what I was doing.  I went to the used curriculum sale.  I went to the second grade section and perused.  I knew the health book I needed for Jory and I found it, I even got one for third grade so I could be covered.  I saw the one I had just purchased online.  A creation science book caught my eye and I grabbed that too.  I tried to find some fiction books for him, but that section was reminding me of trying to shop at TJ Maxx’s or Ross I have to be in the right mood to do that and I didn’t have the time or the inclination to be in that mood.  But I found some videos, Psalty.  What is a child growing up in a Christian home without Psalty?

I walked out with my curriculum, dictionary, videos, and felt proud.  I was really one of these homeschooling moms or something.  As I was carrying my belongings, it really hit me why everyone has the little carry on suitcases with them.  I noticed a woman out of the corner of my eye, she looked familiar.  She was familiar, she asked my name and it clicked for both of us.  God is always working.  Here I worried I would be by myself at CHEA and He not only put Jan in my direct vision, He put this couple in my path also.

I carried my stuff to my car, except I couldn’t find it.  I walked around and around and around trying to remember which lot I parked in exactly.  Happy, happy, joy, joy!  Then I found it, after walking back from where I started.

A nice lunch, trying a fish taco for the first time ever, I was feeling super adventurous.  I talked to a friend on the phone while I ate.  A long distance lunch date- - those rock.  As I was walking to meet up with Jan, I ran into some acquaintances and they invited me to join them for lunch.  So sweet of them, I thanked them and told them I was meeting. someone already.  Then I met up with Jan and her kids, we walked and chatted.  This Jan woman is pretty cool.  We were going  to different seminars, so we parted ways again. 

I went to hear my favorite speaker, Dr. Voddie Baucham.  His seminar was on “Bible Study Basics:  How to Study and Teach the Bible at Home.”  I thought he would be speaking on verses, chapters, books, and how to teach them, apply them to your lives and how to help your children understand them on their level.  Uh, yeah that wasn’t what this lecture was about.  So much was being said, I stopped taking notes five minutes in.  He was talking about things I had never heard before, studying the Bible in ways I’ve never done before.  It was overwhelming.

I decided to follow up one overwhelming experience with another one.  I ventured into the enormous convention hall to brave all the vendors alone.  I remembered being so overwhelmed my first year at CHEA, even with Deeds by my side.  She navigated it like a pro, while I was on sensory overload.  I decided to work a pattern, I started on the outside and decided I would work my way in from there.  I stopped at Math-U-See and got our curriculum.  Stopped by Sonlight to purchase our curriculum after reminding myself as to why I was spending the extra money buying brand new curriculum as opposed to used like I did last year.  It was the more convenient for me lay out.  The things we pay extra money for.

I did some price comparison shopping, kept my budget in mind, then finally I was done and it was time to leave to meet Jan to get hear the always awesome Dr. Voddie Baucham.  He so rocks my world!  If he lived in LA still, I would attend his church.

Voddie gave the final keynote session.  He talked about marriage and husbands and wives’ duties within marriage.  It was informative, interesting, learned some new things, learned to put familiar things in an easier to understand way.  I so do love this man.

All in all, it was a good CHEA.

More back drama

Yep, she’s still in pain, but still refuses to go the doctor.  I can tell the kids got in trouble today.  Later she tells me, why they got in trouble.  I’m sometimes confused by her.  Yes, she’s like no other human I’ve ever met before, but there is some humanity in there.

Sometimes she worries or complains about things the kids say or do, but when I hear these worries and complaints I think they are normal things kids their ages do.  I know she has no memory of what it was like growing up.  That she doesn’t remember what her younger sisters were like when they were growing up though she was eight and ten, when they were born.  Old enough to remember her sisters being little kids, but whatever.

I sometimes try to explain how I think it’s normal.  Sometimes what they say or do isn’t right or they aren’t being obedient by doing it or saying it, but it doesn’t mean they are on the road to being the next Jeffery Dahmer.  Really at the end of the day, TTT are sinners in need of a Savior, like us all.

A new dimension

Back at work, it’s almost like I was never on vacation.  Fall right back into the grind and nothing majored happened while I was gone.  But to keep the vacation feeling going, I decided not to cook dinner for the rest of the week.  That way my mom didn’t have to worry about cooking anything for the kids or taking out pots and pans to warm food.

She is hurting, but she carries on.  I asked if she wanted to go to the ER but again she said no.   

This was a new dimension to our relationship, how far do I push this?  How hard do I push this?  She’s obviously not feeling well.  She’s taking the Advil her sister recommended, I bought the gel form so the medication could hit her blood stream faster.

She’s, thankfully, of sound mind and body, so I can’t force her to do anything or go anywhere, but at the same time why does she like to live in pain?  When I have a headache,  I go through my regiment of treatments before I take drugs.  I take a shower, eat something, try to bury myself under the covers and be in complete darkness with the fluffiest pillows I can find.  If that doesn’t work, then I get the drugs and take them.  No reason for me to live in pain when there are handy solutions.  My mother of course will go half-the morning, into the afternoon, before she finally decides to take an aspirin.  Really?!  Why?  I don’t know.  Not sure what to do, but I know it’s bad because she’s letting Jory fix lunch for the girls.

She likes to think he’s too young to do certain things, like take a butter knife and spread some peanut butter and jelly on two pieces of bread, then slap the bread together.  Yep, she’s hurting.  I wish there was something I could do.  But other than pray, there is nothing I can do until she asks for help.