"Mom, I'm bored!"

One of the stories on "Today" this morning was about what to do with kids this summer if you can't afford to send them to camp. Chris was the only one of mine to ever go to camp. He went to Boy Scout camp when he was 11. We were creative with our summer/rainy day activities.
The park was always a favorite destination. We would walk the trails, swing, ride the merry-go-round, and slide. Some days, we'd take a picnic lunch. If the kids were really good, we'd get Happy Meals to eat at the park. Basketball and catch were also fun. Catie was every bit as good as the boys, and just as competitive!
Sports were always a part of our summers. We joined the YMCA, and the kids all played ball: softball, T-ball, little league and soccer. Practices and games occupied many evenings and Saturdays. During the week, we would go to the pool several times. Chris was never a strong swimmer, but he enjoyed the water. Elliott was the only one who never had "formal" swimming lessons. His way of learning was to jump in. "I did what you said, Mom, I kept my eyes open and my mouth shut!" was his explanation when I asked where he learned to swim! If only he would follow that advice at other times! Like me, the kids did not like the diving board. Jumping or diving from the side of the pool was OK, but not jumping from anything elevated!
We lived at the end of a dead end street. It was the perfect place for kids to play safely. A lot of the neighborhood kids were the same age as ours. We had a "Little Tykes" stoplight that we put at the corner. It was battery operated and flashed red, green, yellow. All of the kids knew not to go past the stoplight. Bikes, trikes, Big Wheels, skates, doll strollers, anything wheeled was used in that dead end! The moms would stand at the corner and talk while the kids played for hours! Unfortunately, the man who lived directly across the street from us HATED kids! He would stand on his porch, or at the end of his driveway, and simmer! If no parents were around, he would shoot the kids with his garden hose. One afternoon, Catie came in the house crying and sopping wet. Dave told her that our neighbor was not mean, he was keeping the kids from getting too hot and they should thank him every time they got squirted. Of course, he knew that would infuriate our neighbor! Sure enough, after a few sincere "thank you, sir"s, he went inside.
We took lots of day trips. Strawberry picking, Reed's gold mine, Kings Mountain, Chimney Rock, even the animal shelter (just to window shop!) were all summer adventures. One weekend when I was working, Dave loaded the kids into his Honda Civic hatchback and drove to Pittsburgh! They saw lots of trains, rode the trolley from one end of the line to the other, visited museums and just had a good time with Dad. At the time, not many men would dare to take kids aged 3, 6, and 8 on a weekend trip without mom, but Dave has always been a good dad, ready for an adventure! We always went to Ohio to see Dave's parents and West Virginia to see his grandparents. The kids loved to visit. In Ohio, we would go to the Columbus Zoo and spend hours watching the animals. West Virginia was fun, too. Great-Grandma was an excellent cook and never served anything "weird". Great-Grandpa, probably the best fisherman I've ever met, would take the kids fishing. Whatever they caught, they turned loose. There's nothing happier than a kid who is grubby from a day spent enjoying being a kid!
On rainy days, we would bake cookies or cake, make pictures (coloring was a favorite
of Caite's), build models, or "camp in". To camp in, I would take blankets and drape them over the dining room table and chairs. A few pillows and blankets would furnish the inside. This blanket fort could be a castle, a mansion, or a log cabin. Disney videos were a staple on days when outside play wasn't possible. I think Chris could recite Mary Poppins from start to finish by the time he was seven!
We tried to be creative with our summer activities, but that doesn't mean that the kids were always perfectly behaved or that Dave and I never got totally aggravated by them. Any time there is an odd number of kids, there will be that "odd one out". That's when the bickering would start. "He's on my blanket" from the blanket fort. "She won't let me color" from the den. I even heard "He's breathing my air" and "She's looking at me" every now and then! How many days did I put myself in time out?! I really do know why some species eat their young! Even with the bickering, summers were a fun time. We've proved that it is possible to keep the kids busy, active, entertained, and learning without spending a lot of money.

Spring cleaning

I love my family. Really! But today, I had the house to myself. I got some sewing done. I cleaned litter boxes. I did some laundry. I ate when I wanted and what I wanted. I watched whatever I wanted to on TV. No, I didn't take a nap! Tomorrow, I'll do more sewing, more laundry, and maybe clean a bathroom or two. I get way more cleaning done when there's no one under my feet!
A little alone time is not a selfish thing. We all need time to collect our thoughts or reflect on recent events. Alone time can be spent reading, knitting, sewing, or, even cleaning! Without distractions, I can get a lot more done in a shorter period of time. I might even have time for a nap!

Easter

Years ago, when I was in college and a baby Christian, I read an article about the physiology of the crucifixion. The article was written by a physician, so it gave a pretty good description of what happened to Jesus' body during the last 24-36 hours of his life. It made a huge impact on me: how could anyone go through so much for someone like me? Would I be willing to do it for anyone?
Most everyone knows that the Last Supper was composed of bread and wine. Basically, that's a carb fest! Lots of quick energy, but nothing that will support the body for very long. After this meal, Jesus went to the garden to pray. He left his trusted disciples to pray alone. He knew what the next 24 hours would bring. I honestly think he was afraid. He prayed for God to "let this cup pass from me", but submitted Himself to God's will(Matt. 26:39). Scripture says that, as he prayed, his sweat was "as drops of blood"(Luke 22:44). People have questioned whether this is possible. It is. The scalp, including the forehead, is very vascular. In times of severe stress, the capillaries, located just beneath the skin, can break. The blood from the capillaries can seep to the skin surface and mix with sweat. Thus, it is possible to "sweat blood".
The chief priests and elders of the temple arrested Jesus. After he was interrogated by the priests and scribes, he was mocked and beaten with peoples' fists. Scriptures report that, after Jesus was taken to Pilate, he was scourged. Scourging was done with a whip or cat o'nine tails. Several straps of leather were bound onto a short stick that acted as a handle. Each of these straps had small iron balls or sheep bones attached to them. As the prisoner was beaten, the balls would bruise the skin and the bones would bite into the skin ripping away the flesh. Jesus was then taken to Herod. Herod and his soldiers "treated Him with contempt and mocked Him", then returned Him to Pilate where He was condemned to death. The soldiers made a crown out of thorny plants and shoved it on His head. The thorns sunk into His skin and tore it as they were pressed down on His head.
By this time, the carb fest meal had left Jesus' system. He had lost blood due to the beatings. He had walked to the temple, to see Pilate, to Herod, and back to Pilate again. He had not slept in over 24 hours. He was exhausted and dehydrated. Simon of Cyrene carried His cross because Jesus was too weak to carry it himself.
To die by crucifixion is a cruel punishment. Historians believe that the wrists, not the hands are nailed to the cross. The bones and muscles of the hand are not strong enough to support the body. Imagine a railroad spike being hammered through your wrist. With each blow of the hammer, searing pain shoots through your arms. The feet are nailed onto a small platform. As the condemned is hanging on the cross, it becomes more difficult to take a deep breath. In order to take a deep breath, Jesus had to push up with His feet. The wood of the cross was not smoothly finished. Pain shot through His feet and up His legs, His raw back scraped against the rough wood, His arms rotated, pressing His wrists against the spikes. Agony. Death is usually due to suffocation. The body becomes weak and is unable to push up for another breath. Fluid builds up in the lungs because the heart is unable to pump blood through the body causing heart failure. The condemned can hang on a cross for days before death occurs. To hasten death, guards would use a club to break the legs of the condemned. The resulting shock can cause almost immediate death. Jesus died after 3 hours. God is merciful. What about the blood and water that poured from His side(John 19:34)? Think about the cause of death and the fluid that builds up in the lungs. When the sword was inserted into His side, that fluid and blood were given an escape route.
That's the short version of the physiology of the crucifixion. Would I do this for anyone. Honestly, I don't think so. The thought of suffering for hour after hour while a crowd laughs and spits at you would be unbearable. Why did Jesus go through this for me? It's easy to say that it was part of God's plan. When I think about the extent of the suffering that Jesus went through for me, I want to work even harder to obey God and serve Him.

SNOOOOWWWW!

I love snow! I love the way it makes the ground look like it's covered with marshmallow cream. I love the way the trees look like lace against the sky. I love the way it smells, clean and fresh. I love to see little critter footprints making a pattern across the yard. I love the way it makes the world seem a little quieter. I love snow............until April 1.
On April 1, I'm done with snow. I'm ready for spring. I'm ready for warmer temperatures and flowers. I'm ready for baby birds chirping hungrily for food from mombird. I'm ready for shorts and sandals. I'm ready for sunshine.
There's an inch of snow on the ground this morning. Flakes are falling lazily from the sky. The wind is brisk and chilly. Spring, where did you go?