WHAT HAPPENED?????

We KNOW next week will be busy, but this week  took us completely by surprise. Michael and I found ourselves exhausted this evening and wondering WHY the week was so busy, why were we so tired. "What happened?" ::snort:: 


Michael did go in at 5:30 - 6:00 a.m. all week - but that isn't totally out of the realm of norm. 


Monday we welcomed a new Chaplain  and his wife to Misawa (Chris and Jenn). It was a joy to be able to run them from office to office and by the end of the first day Chris was checked in, they had an apartment, were looking at a car, had a hair cut and had signed up for phone service. They must have been EXHAUSTED - none of it was planned - but it all worked well. ::snort::  Michael had a PT test - which he passed. He ran home and picked up the kids and brought the older 3 in for youth group. The younger 2, Mike and I, Jenn and Chris and our wing chaplain and his wife went out for dinner. Always fun. 


"My" little car blew a muffler or something on the way to the airport on Monday. We delivered it to be fixed on Tuesday - leaving us with one car for the rest of the week.

Tuesday was a PAC meeting....I ended up missing the PWOC lake day as the time conflicted and I was shopping and preparing lunch for PAC.  I spent a lot of time on the road this week as we were down to one car.

Wednesday has NOTHING on the calendar but I know we were crazy busy. I remember school. I remember several leisurely skypes with Regional board members. I remember working on various PWOC Regional conference forms and plans.  Wednesday night was a chapel town hall meeting on Missions Outreach.

Thursday we had a Chapel staff picnic at the lake to welcome Chris and Jenn. It was a great time to reconnect as a staff.

Jenn is 3rd from left and I never got a photo of she and Chris

Friday I visited a friend who just welcomed a new baby to her family. I worked on chapel slide shows. I drove kids here and there and we picked up my little car. I also had another leisurely and beneficial skype with a regional board member.  Our kids, Michael and the new neighborhood kids played a rousing game of capture the flag.

 Universal taunting man expression? 

 Jared taunting the "old man"

Strategizing.....

Today? I'm not sure what we are going to do. I slept in until 6:00 a.m. and still haven't worked out for the day; Michael isn't up yet - we're taking it easy. LOL

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Divine Rabbit Trails - Hospitality

In the absence of an in-depth women's Bible study during the summer, I've been enjoying digging deep into my daily readings of Scripture. I was innocently reading through Hebrews when I arrived in  Hebrews 13 and took a rabbit trail.

I've planned to study hospitality for years. There have been times when we've burned ourselves out with hospitality - robbing family time and neglecting self-care. There have been times when we've had it balanced fairly well.  I went to a workshop on hospitality at the PWOCI Conference in Dallas. It was a great workshop, but focused mostly on "how tos" - tips like quick meals and ideas....as I said - it was GREAT - but I knew God had more for me.  I was sad to miss Mary's workshop on hospitality here in Misawa due to traveling. Beyond the workshops....I know God ALWAYS takes me deeply into His word and then provides other's teachings in the forms of sermons, books, and more when He is going to show me something personally "big".  I knew the time for personal in-depth study was coming.... THIS seemed the time - a divine rabbit trail (it doesn't get much better for someone who loves to study the Word).


I have spent the last couple of weeks searching the Word on the topic of hospitality. I've done word studies, cross references, looked at every verse where the word is mentioned (there really isn't that many) and have begun to make a list examples of hospitality in Scripture. I realized this a.m.  I've been developing a personal "Biblical Theology of Hospitality".


I feel I'm firmly planted in the Word and have dug deep into the topic....I'm about to begin reading what others have to say and actively seeking out others teachings. I may be a geek, but I know how God moves in my life...and He's moving. I'm wondering what's next...So much to share from my study.


I'll start with just this.....Check out the CONTEXT of the New Testament verses on hospitality. Hospitality is a basic virtue of the Christian life (Rm 12:13 and surrounding). Hospitality is a qualification of church leaders (listed before teaching) and older women (I Tim 3:2, Titus 1:8).  Hospitality is a practice we are to cultivate as we prepare for the end times (I Peter 4:9). Answering  the question of WHY it's a basic of  Christian life, a  leadership qualification and  preparation for the end times leads to the formation of a Biblical Theology of Hospitality.


I may share more later - so many notes in my little life journal. LOL


Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Very Bad Run

Debated if I should take another day between runs or go today.....wanted to do it. It was raining at 4:30 and 5:30 and 6:00.... grabbed my old workout pants and decided I'd do the elliptical....didn't want to wake up family so had a lovely tryst with God first.....then.....

It wasn't raining. I couldn't find my trusty shoes.......but I DID have a new pair of Asics running shoes "the runners" talked me into buying in May. They felt I should trade out shoes more than once a decade.

I've been using the Asics for the elliptical to break them in. I've only run in the Saucony. My knees have been fine. My shins and ankles haven't hurt....I was doing good and dreaming of running like a 20 yo in 2 months.......

Today was

A Very Bad Run!

The humidity and heat are both higher at 0800 than they are at 0430. 

There are real PEOPLE out in the rice paddies and fields at 0800. I don't like audiences. 

Within the first 5 minutes my SHINS and ankles were burning. Really hurting. I did about 1/2 the run and decided this was not a good thing. I simply MUST find the old Saucony shoes and possibly order a new pair online. 

THEN.....well....I'd noticed my workout pants weren't as snug as they used to be. Go ME! But they continuously FELL DOWN as I ran....try running with your pants drifting down to your knees. 

At 15 min I turned for home and decided I'd finish my time on the elliptical - which I did. 

My knees feel fine...my shin and ankles still burn...can a shoe make that much difference? Here I thought I was more in shape and thus able to run again but it could have simply been that the Saucony was better for me to run in than the New Balance which I had in my earlier attempts. 

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Cars and Fireworks

Chapel.....I was in the nursery today and got my baby fix....saw a few friends after service....good. 


Lunch. 


RUSH to theater for Cars 2. I must confess I fell asleep after Tokyo and woke up for a quick bit in Paris and then London......but what I saw was cute. They did a great job with the Japan scenes....Mater in the bathroom - priceless....and Tokyo...Narita Airport... Very cool to watch it in Japan. 

I have the wasabi experience of not knowing what it was and taking a big bite. LOL 

After the movie I met Annette for a fun surprise we were planning.

I got home and was SOOOO tired. Michael told me to take an hour nap.....the kids were playing with new neighborhood kids. I was proud that they went and knocked on their door (they moved in yesterday) and asked them if they'd like to come play.

We headed to the beach - our old beach with the new access. We had our OWN fireworks display. It was fun. Gorgeous to sit on the beach, warm and content, moon reflecting on the waves and set off our fireworks. Not being able to read what type of firework you are about to unleash certainly adds to the fun! ::snort::

She nearly blinded several of us with these "night vision spy glasses". ::snort:: 

We had so much fun we are planning to do Friday Family night at the beach this week.....I can envision a bon fire, s'mores...just need to figure out some real food....


Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Staciaism

Stacia's observation of the day: "Bre Goecker was born first and I am NOT jealous of her. I will not be jealous of birth things."  A wise stance to take, m'dear.

Bre has told Stacia she is "my bookend"...not sure Stacia grasps that quite yet.....

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Ode to the Arachnids of Misawa

Photos by Michael, I appreciate his efforts at documenting our Epic Battle. 

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Fireworks...or NOT!

The children and I went to Kosuimaturi (Towada Fireworks Festival) last year. Michael was deployed. He LOVES fireworks.  We looked forward to going with him this year.  It was fantastic last year (these are not my photos).

As we prepared to leave town for the festival, we realized Mike is DUTY CHAPLAIN. What are the chances? (Well, really pretty good with our low manning ::snort::).

Mike went in to the chapel to get a bit of  work done. The kids and I lazed around home.

We decided to go down to the ocean and set off our own fireworks in the evening. As we drove to the beach the fog got so THICK we literally could NOT SEE. We came home.

Michael and I went out for a nice walk - alone - in the dark and foggy rice paddies. It worked. We'll try fireworks tonight.

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...