Just Jabberin'

Hey, People!
Things are settling back to normal now that our company is gone. I miss the Maynards terribly!!! Mom had been wondering if our relationship would sorta fizzle out once they left, but just the opposite has occurred. I feel that we’re more attached now than we were before. We have been spending a lot of time together over Skype, but that has to end and we have to get back to the daily grind. Once you’ve discovered dear friends it’s hard to be apart. The precious time we spent with the Maynards has caused me to realize how truly starved I have been for fellowship. Now that I’ve gotten a taste I’m craving more. Who would’ve thought we would become such good friends in such a short time? It’s really amazing to me! God is so, so very good. My brother and sister and I have been without close friends for years and years, and now suddenly we do have friends--good, godly friends, our own ages, who we can relate to so well--and it almost seems like we’ve known each other for practically all our lives. It’s as though God has opened up the windows of Heaven and showered His love on us for the many years of acute loneliness we have experienced. Imagine 13 years of blessings all poured out in one week of time (and we’re still counting)!!! God is SO good! And that’s an understatement!

Even though I miss the Maynards, I’m sorta glad that life is getting back to usual. It’s hard to live in the past, which is something Dad preached about on Wednesday night. Great message! I really needed that!

One of the ways that it’s been good to get back to normal is my devotions. I did them every day that the Maynards were here like a good girl, but it just wasn’t the same. I didn’t have enough time with the Lord. For the first couple mornings after the Maynards left I would wake up and my first sickening thought was that our friends were gone. It’s strange how emotional sadness can affect one physically--to the point of actually feeling sick. Anyway…God saw the needs of my heart. For the last couple days He has been speaking to me in glorious ways. There is nothing, absolutely NOTHING, like the joy of knowing that God is speaking! One of these days I’ll share some of those thoughts, but for now they are too special.

Since I last wrote, some exciting things have happened. I graduated from high school…finally! (I’m planning to write a separate post about that some other day.) I also voted for the very first time last Thursday. I voted Conservative McCain-Palin, not because I agree with McCain on every issue, but I believe he has what it takes to run our country. Obama is out of the question (what a loser!), and unfortunately a vote for our super conservative brothers running for office doesn’t have much influence…and EVERY VOTE counts in this race!!! With an evil man like Obama on the loose there is no way I could give my vote to anybody but Obama’s running opponent--John McCain. Also, I deeply respect and admire Sarah Palin, the “Esther” of our day.

I’ve been sorta depressed for the last week or so. I guess it was the let down because our friends are gone. I really had to make myself get up and go to church on Sunday, which is unusual for me. I just wanted to stay home and feel sorry for myself. By the time the service was finished I was really glad I went. The spirit was good. It’s great to have Denny and Odia back in church! I was in the nursery with Patricia. It was fun to watch the kids play and also to join in with them. Daniel and Nathan loved it when I played airplanes with them. Nathan is losing his babyish unawareness to what’s going on around him. I’m sure he recognizes me now; that’s so much fun! I was holding a baby the whole time, and whenever she would drop her toy on the ground Nathan would awkwardly stoop to the ground, pick it up, and hand it to me. What a little gentleman! (chuckle) There is something comforting about holding a baby. Ilona is usually a squirmy little thing, but she was surprisingly calm and cuddly. I needed that time, and I guess the Lord knew it. I hope the Lord gives me a family someday. Reading in Psalms, I came across this verse: “He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children.” A joyful mother of children. Isn’t that precious?

On Tuesday I went shopping with my mom--my favorite chore. (Not!) Sometimes you gotta do things you don’t want to, right? Well, grocery shopping is one of those things. Sometimes I catch myself daydreaming about Heaven. It’s sorta hard to picture what it’s like up there, since I’ve never been there. (Duh!) But, sometimes I imagine what it must be like. I doubt they have grocery stores in Heaven, but if they do you will never meet me there. I’ll call in my order. Better yet, if I’m ever hungry, instead of cooking I’m gonna have a touch-screen menu. I just push a button and out comes a steaming plate of…hmm…turkey pot pie, apples sauce, and a green salad! That’s a pretty neat thought! Now you know for certain that I’m weird. Ha, ha! Somehow I doubt food will be a big issue in Heaven. We’ll be feasting on just being in the glorious presence of the Lamb!!! What a thought! Forget food! Speaking of which, I lost weight while the Maynards were here. We were so busy having fun and laughing and fellowshipping that food was the very last thing on our minds. Seeing as how I picture Heaven to be a little like our visit with the Maynards, I doubt food will be thought of AT ALL!

Hey, I was sitting in the living room this afternoon when I noticed Peanut. I swear he thinks he’s a cat. (chuckle) I’m sitting here on the couch watching him huddled on the windowsill and climb up on the couch outside. Somebody needs to introduce that bunny to a mirror and remind him that he’s got two long ears and a fluffy white cotton ball for a tail. (chuckle)

The other day Dad bought Mom a beautiful bouquet of peach roses and baby’s breath; my parents still love each other, praise God!!! How many kids can say that today? The other morning during family devotions Dad was expounding on 2 Timothy 3:1-5. “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” Dad was talking about being thankful. I can be thankful that I have been raised in a godly, Christian home. I can be thankful that my parents are still together. I can’t even imagine the pain children suffer when their parents split up. It was never meant to be so!!! Truly, those of us who have what I do are blessed people!!! Praise God!

We had time change last Saturday. I’ve been having a really hard time getting used to the darkness. Why is it that things are harder to deal with when it’s dark? I didn’t think these last two weeks would be so hard. Goes to show how much I know. I’ve been fighting sickness…again. I’m still coughing from when I was sick in September. This thing is really hanging on. I’m on the verge of getting another cold, but my body is fighting it. This flu thing has been going around. The Kamps are sick too, and a lot of people in our church have had it. That’s one thing I don’t enjoy about winter. Thankfully I have to say that we only usually get sick once or twice during the winter months.

Anyway…we had a nice family night last night. Mom made her delicious burgers on the grill (she makes them big and very flat--just perfect), and we had fresh veggies and chips. (Check out this picture; it’s a fall special! Ha! How would you like a burger this size?) We listened to Rush Limbaugh for a while, and then the guys cleaned up in the kitchen. Mom suggested we take a walk. It was very dark out and certainly coooold! It’s time to unpack my winter coat. It was nice though. We got home and ate popcorn and drank hot chocolate. Then Dad started reading The Road to Unafraid to us, which is the book Russell gave Dad. I know we are going to like this book. We didn’t want Dad to stop reading. Meanwhile I worked on a new cross-stitch--one the Maynards brought in the totes. It says “Home is where the heart is” and there is a ring of hearts around the lettering.
When we go to the States we often have people ask us which country is home for us. That’s a hard question. I’m really not positive how to answer that one. I guess home would be where my family is. As long as we are together it’s home. I’m remembering our furlough in 2006, when we stayed in our practically bare house for 5 months. You wouldn’t have walked in and thought “Oh, what a cozy place!” But, it was home because the people I love lived there. Home is people, not a building or things.
For the remainder of our family time we watched a Daniel Boone movie. Dad and Joe liked it because of the guns. Then we at around and talked about different things, and I played the piano. It was a nice evening.

I’m looking forward to the coming weeks. They’re going to be busy. Next week I’m planning to start school. Just because I graduated doesn’t mean I intend to loaf around. We already ordered a college course for me to start, and I can’t wait to begin! If you know me, then you also know I go stir crazy with nothing to do. I’ve been cooking dinner for Mom and doing more baking recently. I really enjoy that. This winter I’m going to learn how to sew. Mom and I found a beautiful dress pattern, and the Maynards brought us some gorgeous material. I received some books from my friends, which I’ve already begun enjoying, and I have several new cross-stitches to keep me busy over the winter. The next couple months will be busy with birthdays and the holidays. Would you believe we have already been playing Christmas music? Somehow it became a tradition to begin listening to Christmas music (instrumentals) on Thanksgiving Day, but Lydia has had us listening to it “illegally” since August. =)

Well, I guess I’ve jabbered on long enough. God bless you all. Have a great Saturday!!!