Thursday, August 23, 2007

Senior Year


Our first thing to do as parents of a senior --have our photo made with Josh in his varsity uniform. Later that morning all the moms of senior players got to put on their son's jersey and have pictures made. So, here Johnny and I are with Josh -- this photo was taken by our friend, Hector. I can hardly believe senior year is here. I can remember like yesterday when I saw that boy for the very first time. My first glimpse at that little baby -- the nurses in the hospital said his hair looked like it was "frosted" because the tips were a lighter color than the roots. It's so odd, how he went from 6 lbs. 12 ounces to now, playing varsity football his senior year. It really seems like enough time should not have passed yet.
I am sure there will be lots of updates on the senior year...bear with me, it's my first time. For now, here we are last Saturday -- football picture day.
Serving the King,
Jeanette

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Girls

Yesterday was the big day for Jess to go back-to-school shopping. Not with me, of course, but she did need a ride. So, I drove to the mall, handed out the dough, and she and her friend headed out. I called once to see if I could meet up with them but she said no so I checked out the clearance racks at my favorite stores. I did make a couple of purchases but really was not in the mood for shopping AND I had blisters on my feet. (My friend and I walked/jogged for an hour and a half that morning and I had on old shoes.) When it was close to the meeting time I found a bench in front of Libby Lu's where I could listen to some tunes -- Hillary Duff, Hannah Montana, High School Musical. The store is for elementary age girls to go in and have their hair and make-up done and buy girlie girl accessories. I went by there once and they were having a style show. Jess never went there but, apparently, it's a birthday party kind of thing to do for young girls. I watched a girl and her mom in the store. (not in a weird, stalking kindof way but just a curious, people-watching kindof way) She was getting fixed up with what looked like a Hannah Montana wig. Not that I have anything against Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus -- in fact, I think she is a much better role model for girls that some of the other young women in the media. Here's the whole interesting thing: the girl and her mom were done and were walking out of the store. In the store you could tell the girl was having fun and was happy about her new look. No doubt, dress up is fun when you are in elementary school. About that time, however, two cute high school age girls were walking by. The Hannah Montana-wig girl put her hand on top of her head, self-consciously, and ducked behind her mom. I've been thinking about that. What does that actually mean about the way girls perceive themselves and the way they think they are perceived by other girls? What does that say about the critical nature of girls? BTW, the high school girls didn't even seem to notice the younger girl...it was just the younger girl's idea of what they would think -- maybe?

I guess the second issue is how important appearance is to girls and the culture's indoctrination for girls to place such an importance on the way they look. It's a struggle. And, girls can be mean, even vicious, to each other. Guys aren't generally like that. Girls can be so judgmental of each other. Is that already such a reality to an elementary-age girl that she would feel self-conscious coming out of a store with a long, blonde wig on? Interesting...

It is vital for us as moms to teach our daughters not to be influenced by every whim of culture but it's also so important to teach them to not be judgmental of other girls that are not like them. Especially as Christian young women, our daughters are to be lights in a dark world, a reflection of Jesus. I know He would never laugh at someone for what she wore to school one day...

Serving the King,

Jeanette

Friday, August 10, 2007

Back to School Shopping

I took Jess today to the new Walgreens by our house and bought her a spiral notebook and some pens. She tells me she is going clothes shopping with her friends. Josh went with his girlfriend to the mall today for back-to-school shopping. It's so odd...I guess no one will need a new lunchbox or the long list of scissors, markers, crayons, etc., that we have spent countless days buying in past years. Will anyone even need me to go shopping with them this year??? Am I being put out to pasture already??

Perhaps I am over-reacting. It won't be the first time...

It's not like I don't have 5,000 other things I could be and should be doing. They still want me to do their laundry, cook their meals. I am still in the pursuit of that master's degree. I still want to be a great wife to Johnny and be a part of ministry with him. I JUST HATE THAT SOMETHING THAT I HAVE SPENT ALMOST 2 DECADES DOING IS COMING TO AN END!

Ok, glad to have that off my chest...

Have a great weekend!

Serving the King,

Jeanette

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

The End is Near

The end of summer break, that is. It's flown by, just like every other summer since our kids have been big. Tomorrow Jess has her 1st day for trainers. Next week is football two-a-days. I start back to class 2 weeks (wait, can it be 2 weeks...yikes!!) from tomorrow and the kids go back the week after that. I had such big plans for the summer but it seems like this (right this very minute) is the first quiet moment without any expectations put on it of the whole summer. There has always been something to do, something to plan, something to get ready for. Oh yeah, we do have a big event for women's ministry next week (which I am more than excited about!!) but it seems like all has been taken care of by the ministry team while I was away. Oh, and that directed study that I was doing for seminary this summer. I guess I should get to work on that...

This morning, however, has been completely quiet in my house. I was able to spend some time on my personal study of the book of Matthew. I have been studying for months and am just on chapter 5. It is such a great book. Matthew's perspective is Jesus as King. In chapter 5, the King sits down on a mountainside surrounded by a crowd of people. Jesus desires to meet us where we are. They followed Him there why? Some were looking for physical healing, some were looking for answers to life's questions, some were curious -- I don't know all the reasons. I imagine He had a very charismatic personality and people were drawn to Him. As He spoke, it was dynamic and people wanted to listen.

"Blessed are those..." What we call the Beatitudes, verses 3 - 12. Blessed means "fully satisfied." It's not happiness dependent on circumstances, but an inner quality given by God alone. It is a result with a relationship with God through His Son Jesus. It is satisfaction found not on things of this world, but the eternal.

Matthew 5:6 - "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied."

Not a one-time, acceptance of God's gift of salvation, but a continual search and filling for God, to conformity to His standard. And we will not just be full (satisfied) but overflowing. One meaning of the Greek word here is "to gorge." My mental picture is Thanksgiving when I gorge myself with yummy fried turkey and dressing and other delicious side dishes. The past few years we have been camping with my family so I am full from eating and surrounded by family and the great outdoors. That is satisfaction in my book. When there's not one more thing I could eat (literally) or any place I would rather be. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will need not look for filling in anything else...they will not need one other thing... there's no other place they would rather be...

Despite the hectic pace we will experience in our house in just a few days...back to school shopping, registration and schedule pick-up, football physicals and season ticket purchase...making sure every detail is covered so we can all start back ready to roll, I am fully satisfied. It's been a great summer but more than that I am leaning, am dependent, on what it means to really be fully satisfied...

Serving the King,

Jeanette

Monday, August 6, 2007

The Great Adventure - is over

We are home. Two weeks, 3204 miles, and absolutely as many things packed in as possible. If you have not visited our nation's capital you should really consider taking the trip. Wow! We called our senator after we arrived and got to tour the capital with one of her aides. We got on this little subway train in the basement that goes from one building to another. Johnny and the boys got on a train with John Kerry. Jessica, our two guides, and I got bumped for John Kerry. When we caught up with them Johnny said he flashed John Kerry the "W" -- you know, for George W -- but he was kidding!! The closest we got to the President was standing on the street as he went by. We didn't get the White House tour. So, one day we were downtown eating at the ESPN Zone and walked over to Hard Rock Cafe to buy Jess a t-shirt. It's right across the street from the FBI building. The President was there...there were tons of police parked outside. (we asked someone when we saw the police and they told us what was going on) Later, we were down on Pennsylvania Avenue and you could hear the whistles blowing. We knew what that meant because we had seen a smaller motorcade earlier in the week. The police blow their whistles and stop all traffic. It was the President's motorcade and we waved and I took pictures -- I am such the tourist!! One of the last vehicles in the long motorcade (after the van with the Secret Service hanging their rifles out of the window) was an ambulance. Interesting...I guess it's a sign of where we are.

We saw the original Constitution and Declaration of Independence. Amazing! There was also a document where notes had been written before the final draft was complete. We went to Arlington Cemetery and walked about 3 miles. We chose not to take the tour trolley and it's one mile from the entrance to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The changing of the guard was impressive. We also walked to the Arlington House, or the Lee House, and found out the history of how the cemetery was started. Fascinating! Did you know that Lee, the Confederate General, was related to George Washington? I don't think I knew that -- Lee married into Washington's family and the Lee House was originally in the Washington family!! Wow!

We took a night tour of all the famous monuments. Imagine...standing at the Lincoln Memorial, looking back at the Washington monument reflecting on the water with an almost full moon in the background. We also went to the holocaust museum but I didn't think it was as good as the one in Jerusalem. It's a reminder, none the less, of what we haven't seemed to learn -- just referring to current world conflict. I was quite impressed with one of the Smithsonian museums and not so much with another.

I'm glad to be home. Really glad...it was great to have the 2 weeks away...great to have the kids all to ourselves (except for the constant texting to friends on the metro and other places) Now, however, there is laundry to be done, tons of it...oh well, life goes on...and on and on and on...

holdin' on to the feeling,

Jeanette

Ok, I just had to add this note to the above blog that I published this morning. This afternoon I was catching up on some blogs that I like to read and was on Vicki Courtney's. She's an author and speaker published by LifeWay. The end of my blog was a very vague reference to a song that all five of us were singing loudly in the car driving through Nashville, TN, Saturday night. Vicki has the YouTube video of the song on her blog...I laughed and laughed...check it out at www.virtuealert.com -- go to her post dated 7/29/07 -- if you can't figure it out!