Jody Meyer

Sweet Kiss...

2012-01-19T05:37:00.000-05:00

May your day reign in the glory and the joy of helping another.

There to us may be a small act,

but to the person on the other side...

it could be the sweet kiss from above that they needed.

Jody L Meyer

Friday the 13....

2012-01-14T07:30:00.000-05:00

I celebrated my birthday!

God gave me s*n*o*w.
He gave me wonderful family and fabulous friends.
He gave me a Savior to open my eyes and realize...
How precious and dear life has truly been.

Counting each blessing... and yes, you truly are,
I thank God for you for the bright light that you are.
My birthday celebration is just an amazing reflection...

Of my life made more abundant because you are in it.

Friday the 13.... Part 2

2012-01-12T12:15:00.001-05:00

I celebrate my birthday. I am pretty excited about it. Birthdays for me, are a celebration, a reflection, an embracing of life. And... this year, I am making it special. I decided that I am going to do little somethings special for myself each day of the week.

Wednesday, January 11 - My little something special was reconnecting: I went to my church's Women's Bible study last night. I had not been there in a little while due to prior commitments. I am so glad I went! All I can say is .... Amazing! Being with friends and sharing heart-felt thoughts and prayers and the lessons and guidance of our Lord Jesus Christ .... Amazing!

Thank you God for fellowship. Through fellowship, I see an out pour of your wondrous love for me!

Life with David...

2012-01-11T08:16:00.002-05:00

Last night, David and I stopped at the car wash to give our Jeep a much needed scrubbing.

As the automated car wash was busy finishing up the last rinse, David puts his pointer finger on the inside of the windshield and wipes down.

"Yup!" he proudly reports, "It's a squeaker!"
~
LOL! Gotta love that son of mine.

On Friday the 13th....

2012-01-11T05:47:00.007-05:00

Monday, January 9th - Beau, my lovable chocolate lab and constant companion, and I went for a 4 mile walk which is pretty normal for us. But... this time, we took time to stop at McDonalds for coffee, water and to sit at the outside table and watch the life around us. We soaked it in. The hum of the cars hustled and bustled by us to their journey's end. The crisp winter air blew the steam from my coffee. People stopped by to say "HI" to Beau as they went inside for something to eat. The bright blue sky and sunshine invited us to sit just a little longer.

I sighed. What a great day to be alive. Thank you God... you have been so good.

Tuesday, January 10th - I love the feeling of doing something special for someone else. That someone else was my son, David. He needed new winter boots and snow pants. I love our local Tractor Supply store. They always treat us special and they give my bestest buddy in the world, Beau, treats every time he comes in whether we buy something or not. They were also having a sale this week. Yeah!

Not only did David get new Carhartt quilted line bib overalls and boots.... he got a burgundy plaid flannel cowboy shirt. David is in love! He wanted to sleep with his new shirt. I convinced him that it would be better to not have to iron it tomorrow morning. :O)

Thank you God for the joy of giving. It fills my heart with such love and happiness. There is no better feeling in the world.

2011 Counting Blessings...

2011-12-30T09:07:00.002-05:00

Today is a day closer to the end of the year of 2011. It makes me think of all the blessings I have in my life.

For 2011, it brought me:

A renewed love for my family & friends.
A new job.
Becoming a Sunday School teacher for 5-7 year olds.
A hunger to learn more.
To take time more.
To just be... more.

Thank you God for thinking I am a good idea. Love to all my family and friends! You have been such an inspiration and a blessing to me. Can hardly wait to see what the new year brings... but for today... I am counting my blessings.

A Christmas Candle…

2011-12-24T12:57:00.000-05:00

A Christmas candle is lit each year

For hope, for remembrance and for cheer.

Of long ago the ancients profess

Of a savior to come in God’s glory ~ they attest.

Of Mary, blessed Mother and Joseph too

~They journey to Bethlehem to a lowly stable afar

…Where few there to witness the birth given brilliance by a star.

The birth of a King, a Wonderful Counselor and a Light,

Your savior and mine remembered

by a Christmas candle bright.

~Jody L Meyer

New Shoes...

2011-11-21T21:51:00.005-05:00

Growing up, my family didn't have a ton of money. My parents were frugal and we never went without but we didn't have extra either.

Late in summer, just before school started, we always made a trek to the mall to get some new things. I never remember buying new clothes. My Mom was a wonderful seamstress and the store clothes never fit as well as hers did. The store clothes also cost a lot more than my young heart wanted my parents to spend. But, I do remember my new shoes.

Buying new shoes is different than buying clothing. No one in my family could make them. I think I also like that someone had to help me find just the right pair. I remember scanning the displays of shoes, looking for that special pair. I loved trying them on and looking at the chosen pair on my feet in the mirror. Some glimmered and some a little more practical. Some had buckles and others needed laces tied. The clerk and my Mom watching me walk up and down the aisle with each pair I tried on.

"Do they pinch or feel too tight?" they would ask.

"No... they are perfect," I sighed.

It was nice to get such undivided attention. I felt like a princess. And when the decision was made, we went to the cash register to ring the prize up and my Mom would pay for them. I could hardly wait to carry the box. I would hug it tight. My face glowed and my spirit soared... I got new shoes!

When we got home that night, my Mom would tuck me into bed. My new shoes were tucked in with me. They smelled new and visions of wearing them the next day danced in my head.

"Thank you Mom, for my new shoes" I hugged her close.

~

As an adult, I still feel the childhood excitement of when I buy new shoes. There is a giddiness and a child-like awe of new shoes for me. I don't tuck my new shoes in bed with me anymore. However, they are beside my bed as I lay my head to sleep thanking my Lord for ... such a special treat.

~

May you find the wonder and awe of childhood memories you hold dear in the little things that pass you by each day of the year.

Guidance: God, You and I Dance... author unknown

2011-11-15T10:37:00.000-05:00

When I meditated on the word Guidance, I kept seeing “dance” at the end of the word. I remember reading that doing God’s will is a lot like dancing.

When two people try to lead, nothing feels right. The movement doesn’t flow with the music, and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky. When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead, both bodies begin to flow with the music. One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back or by pressing lightly in one direction or another. It’s as if two become one body, moving beautifully. The dance takes surrender, willingness, and attentiveness from one person and gentle guidance and skill from the other.

My eyes drew back to the word Guidance. When I saw “G: I thought of God, followed by “u” and “i”. “God, “u” and “i” dance.” God, you, and I dance. As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust that I would get guidance about my life. Once again, I became willing to let God lead.

My prayer for you today is that God’s blessings and mercies be upon you on this day and everyday. May you abide in God as God abides in you. Dance together with God, trusting God to lead and to guide you through each season of your life.

And I Hope You Dance!!!!!!!!

To My Husband With Love...

2011-11-02T07:11:00.001-04:00

A warm smile...
... A little glance
Tells me that you will take nothing to chance
To let me know how special I am
To be your wife and your best friend.

~~~~~~~

It's not the big things... but the little sweet nothings that pass through each day that whisper to me just how much you care.

Jeff... you are the love of my life and I count each day as precious spending it with you.

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

2011-10-23T08:15:00.000-04:00

I love this poem... by Robert Frost.

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there's some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Welcome to Holland

2011-09-17T03:48:00.000-04:00

This was one of the first things I read soon after David was born. I am truly grateful for Emily Perl Kingsley for these beautiful words of light.

~

Parenting a Special Needs Child...By Emily Perl Kingsley

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this:

When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip to Italy. You buy a bunch of guidebooks and make your wonderful plans: the Coliseum, Michelangelo's David, the gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."

"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."

But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guidebooks. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills – and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy ... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say, "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away, because the loss of that dream is a very, very significant loss.

But if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you many never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things about Holland.

Just a Thought...

2011-08-20T11:15:00.000-04:00

I am an assistant coach to a high school varsity volleyball team. Great team! Great young people! But sometimes everyone of us need a little encouragement to push... to the next degree.

At 211 degrees Fahrentheit... you get hot water. But at 212 degrees Fahrenheit... you get boiling water that produces steam than can power a mighty locamotive. Pushing ourselves that one degree more in all that we do... can unlock an amazing potential that is deep within all of us! Going beyond average... to inspiring!

~

There is a book called "212 - The Extra Degree". It's an amazing uplifting and empowering book. You might want to check it out!

New "Windows"...

2011-08-19T12:37:00.002-04:00

Customer says she can't meet with me until after the guy install her new Windows. When she called today, I asked her how was the "new" computer?

She said "What new computer? I got windows... you know, the kind you can see thru... at my house!"

ROFLOL! I this I spend way too much time in front of the computer!

Glimpses

2011-07-24T14:50:00.000-04:00

Glimpses of Heaven in a church's face
In the echoes of laughter and unceasing chatter in congregational expression
Here I sit in a chair drinking it all that surrounds me.

A room filled with heartwarming glances and gentle embraces
There may I linger and breathe it all in
Knowing for a moment that Heaven is nearby me and hemming me in.

A body of Christ with its many facets and multiple parts
All stepping in a march of all marches
Ever forward for one lovely attainable goal...
Because of our Lord Jesus so we go to our Heavenly fold.

Glimpses of glimpses… hearers of the rejoicing… echoes of what awaits us in breathtaking glory.

~

The church is a wonderful place to be for me when I want to feel Heaven's embrace all around me.

LIfe with David...

2011-06-25T22:18:00.000-04:00

Household chores... I like the results but I don't like doing them. Well apparently, neither does David.

This morning during our breakfast, I told David that we had chores to do today. He would dust, clean up his room, and take out the trash while I did the dishes and cleaned the bathrooms. Afterwards, he could play xBox. Well.... all of a sudden, he was tired and in need of a nap! :O}

LOL! Gotta love that son of mine.

One Piece at a Time

2011-05-21T08:47:00.005-04:00

David and I love putting puzzles together. We finished his birthday horse puzzle and moved onto a 100 piece "Ducky" puzzle. We had worked on it diligently for about a week... a moment here and a moment there.. a piece here and a piece there. Most of the time, I would find a piece that looked like it would fit and give it to David to try out.

"It might not fit," I said. "But, try it and see. Never hurts to try."

David gently takes the piece from my hand and quickly tries to make it fit. "Nope!" David said, "Don't work."

"Maybe you should turn it a bit and try again," I would instruct him. "And try using two hands." David would try again on all four sides of the puzzle piece.

"Nope!" David said with a big sigh.

Sometimes it would finally snap in and sometime it would not. Then onto the next puzzle piece we would go. It was rare that David would pick up a piece by himself and try. Well....

I was busy working at my desk when David came home from school. I still had about an hour's worth of work to do. David wanted to play xBox... again. I really didn't want him to play xBox. There are times when he plays too much and becomes grumpy then and a little anti-social. I didn't want that for him. He needed to do something else.

"David, why don't you get something to drink, a pop ... Kool-aid, and then work on your puzzle?" I cheerfully asked him.

"Okay, Mom," he said with a bit of a sigh.

"I'll help you get started," I said. With that, I got up from my desk and helped David settle in on the puzzle.

"Oh... this one might fit," I told him as I handed him the piece. "I think it goes right there!"

David tried the piece and it fit!

"Woo Hoo!" I cheered. David just smiled.

"David, I have to go back to work now. You can do this all by yourself," I hugged him and walked back to my desk around the corner.

David had about 30+ pieces yet to go to finish the puzzle. In the past, he'd just sit and stare at the puzzle and the misplaced pieces. I thought it was worth it to try again. Time would tell.

"Mom!" David's voice broke my concentration. I looked at the clock on my computer's desk top. "Wow, an hour has gone by!" I thought to myself.

"Yes David," I replied. "Do you need help?"

"Mom, look!" came his sweet voice.

As I walked around the corner, David held open his hands towards the finished puzzle.... "What!?... the FINISHED puzzle!?! You finished the puzzle all by yourself?!!"

"That's AWESOME David!!" I cheered for him. "I am so proud of you!" I hugged him! David's face beamed with a proud smile from ear to ear.

"Hey Jeff! Come Look!" I yelled for Jeff.

It was a family celebration!! A task done that had never been done before! "Way to go David! Way to go!" we cheered together in a huge family embrace.

~

Accomplishments... no matter how small... are very precious indeed for one and for all.

The Puzzle...

2011-05-18T21:49:00.001-04:00

Quote by Frank A. Clark "If God simply handed us everything we want, he'd be taking from us our greatest prize - the joy of accomplishment."

David and I have been putting puzzles together since... forever! It's one of those love-hate activity for David. He loves spending time with me but gets so frustrated with the pieces. As we sit together, staring at the pieces, usually I find the piece that fits in a certain spot and tell David where to put it. He would turn and try and turn and try .... but somehow that piece just wouldn't fit together for him. Over the years we have learned to work together so its fun for the both of us. When David gets too frustrated, we would find something else to do and try again another day. Sometimes, I would continue without him so there were less pieces to ponder over the next time.

.... well ... this time it was different ...

David was acting a little strange this morning. He wouldn't look at me. When he did, he would just look at me sort of sideways and squint his right eye.

"David," I asked, "are you upset with me?"

"Yes!" he grumbled.

"What did I do wrong?" I asked him. David didn't say a word.

"Are you upset with me because you don't like your oatmeal?" I asked.

"Nope!" he answered back. He looked at his horse puzzle that he got for his birthday. We had started to put it together the night before. After David had gone to bed, I continued to work on it. Just like all the other times, I figured he wouldn't mind if I worked on it to make it easier for him to finish.

"Are you upset cause I worked on your horse puzzle?" I asked.

"Yes!" he said firmly.

"Wow!" I thought to myself. "and yet good for you David! You are able to tell me that you are upset with me. I liked this. Our relationship had matured enough for you to do that."

"I am sorry David," I apologized. "Would you like me to take it back apart?"

"Yes!" he said in a firm voice.

"Okay," I said and started to take the puzzle back apart.

~

That sense of accomplishment... I should not have started without him. :O)

"If People with Down Syndrome Ruled the World"...

2011-05-11T10:01:00.001-04:00

by Dennis McGuire, PhD
Adult Down Syndrome Center of
Lutheran General Hospital
Park Ridge, Illinois

http://www.nads.org/pages_new/news/ruletheworld.html

I loved this article and I thought I would share. Life with David is very much like this. What a blessing he is indeed! :O)

Tuss and Tuggle...

2011-04-30T07:18:00.000-04:00

I teach Sunday school to 5 through 7 year olds. I absolutely love it. I love spending time with these young ones. They are fun lovely, creative, always looking for adventure people. Within this group, I have two 5 year old boys. I call them Tuss and Tuggle. LOL!

They aren't related. They are all boy.

"Hey! Miss Jody!" I hear a cry across the room, "He stepped on my toes!"

"Hey! Miss Jody! He's pushing me!"

"Hey! Miss Jody! He's ...."

They are like two magnets. They always sit by each other. They draw each other in. They tuggle and tuss... tuss and tuggle but never mean. Their rough and tumble ways are more impish and fun loving. I can see them both thinking with a little smile on their cherub faces.

It's so hard to look and act stern with them when my heart is just smiling on the inside because I see the love they share for each other.

~

As Sunday school goes from week to week... I see Tuss and Tuggle learning to walk a little more slowly, talk a little more quietly and contain themselves a little longer. I so enjoy having them in my room.

Life with David...

2011-04-30T06:55:00.000-04:00

Every school morning David gets a shower. It's a good thing to do. After David's shower, he dries off and then puts on lotion. The lotion helps keep his skin moist. We have been doing this since he was a baby. Over time, David has learned to apply the lotion himself.

Well.... this morning, David calls to me bright and cheery, "Hey Mom!"

I come into the room and burst into laughter! David had made a smiley face with the lotion on his Buddha belly! LOL!

Just gotta love that son of mine!

How High Can You Fly....

2011-04-18T19:59:00.004-04:00

Asked the little red bird to the other.

"I don't know and I am afraid to try!" answered the little bird back to the other. "When I try... I get dizzy and become afraid. What if I fail and come tumbling down... will I get hurt and fall to the ground?"

"You might," came the reply.

"And... what would the others say?" he asked with concern. "They might make fun of me and say it's not worth the while."

"That they could," came the reply with a head nodding in agreement too.

As the little bird pondered its dilemma. To fly was what he thrilled to do. It was how he was made. It was in his heart. He loved to swoop low to the ground and then beat his wings ever harder and faster.... until his breath could not catch up to his beating heart.... and he'd turn and glide lazily back down. Did he reach his height of perfection? Would 'er he know?

As he sat on the branch peering into the sky... he felt his spirit lift as a soft breeze floated by. "I will try again..." and off he went into the clear blue sky.

~

Sometimes... we will never know what is obtainable... until we try.

Goin' to School...

2011-03-27T09:19:00.001-04:00

David and I woke up to a cold spring school morning. Looking out the window, everything glistened from an icy coat old man winter had liberaly applied during the night. I didn't think too much of it. Jeff had already gone to work. The radio announcers had not said much about the weather, so I turned the radio off. David's school has an automated call system that will call me if they close school. So, David and I happily went about the business of getting ready for the day.

It was a good morning. David was in a good mood and he had extra time to feed the cats and Beau our chocolate lab. Now we both sat waiting for the bus. David sat at his post at the bottom of the stairs beside the front door. He peered through the glass door with a great view to see the bus. I sat on the arm of the burgandy high-backed cushioned chair sipping my coffee. My feet were up on the windowsill beside the chair with the curtain pulled to the side. Sammy, our gray tabby, looked out the window as well. He meowed looking at me with his big green eyes as if to ask, "Well, is the bus here yet?" I giggled.

There we sat and stared outside. "David," I said, "You will have to be careful going down the front steps. They are pretty slippery from the ice."

"Okay mom," he said.

It was 8am. That's late for the bus but with the icy conditions, I was expecting it to be late.

"David, I think I'll check the 'Closing Connection' on-line just to make sure school has not been postponed," I told him.

Sure enough, the school district that we live in had closed school for the day. David's bus would not be coming to get him. It's a rule. The buses will not travel into this area. David's school, which is located in another school district is still holding class.

"David," I told him matter-of-factly, "There is no school today. You can go back to bed or listen to music or..."

"No! school?!" David was so disappointed. His shoulders slumped. He looked down at his shoes. "No school...." he repeated again, dropping his tone into a very low mumble.

"Well, technically," I started to explain, "There is school, but the bus isn't coming to pick you..." I stopped in mid-sentence. "David, do you want to go to school?"

"Yes! Please!" he beamed a smile and clapped his hands.

"Okay, I'll call your school first to see what's going on there," I told him. My spirit was so happy that I could do this for David.

"Hi Terry?", I greeted David's teacher on the phone, "It's Jody, David's Mom. How are the roads out there? Our schools are closed here due to the icy conditions."

"They are just fine here," he replied.

"Cool! I'm bringing David to school," I said. "I'll see you in about 40 minutes."

I quickly got ready and we were off. David was smiling from ear to ear that he was going to school!

~

David absolutely LOVES school. His school is located by the Michigan lake shore in Grand Haven. The teacher and para-professionals are wonderful. I am so grateful to them. I am also grateful for a job that allows me the flexiblity to adjust my schedule when the time arrises to meet David's needs.

Just a Thought...

2011-03-18T20:01:00.000-04:00

There is a wonder and an awe to living life.... soak it up!

To Be So Ready....

2011-02-22T05:47:00.004-05:00

David and I love going to church. The first half hour is dedicated to singing praises to God. There is a band with guitars, keyboard, vocals.... and drums leading the way. David just loves to watch the drummer. Where we usually sit, it's hard to see the drums. So, David decided that he would sit on the other side of the church. No problem. I would have moved with him but the Pastor and his family usually sit there and it gets a little crowded.

David is well behaved and he is just mesmerized with the drums and other instruments. I love to look over at him from time to time watching him enjoy the music and his independence.

After the singing, announcements are made and Pastor gets up to speak. There is no real set pattern as to when the offering is taken. But on this particular morning, I had the tithe in my purse. However, David usually gives the tithe to the usher. I looked over at him. He was looking at the Pastor speaking. I smiled. "Good for you David," I thought.

I wasn't sure how I was going to get his attention so I could give him the check. I pondered. In the past, when we needed to be quiet and I needed David's attention without using words, I would snap my fingers. "Would it work again... across the room?" I wondered.

With that thought... I snapped my fingers twice. David's head turned towards me. I showed him the check. He smiled an acknowledgement and he came and got the check.

~

What struck me is this... David's quick acknowledgement of my desire to 'talk' to him. He was very much in tune with me and could hear the snap of my fingers. He was quick to obey with a smile and willing spirit.

David demonstrated what I wish I would be concerning my Lord. I desire to be quick to acknowledge His call for me with a joyful willing spirit.

Well done David. Well done indeed.

~

Thank you, dear Lord, for such a wonderful example I have in my son, David.

I See You...

2011-02-10T08:33:00.000-05:00

I see you... my Lord in so many ways.
In the creation that surrounds me,
In my friends and family,
In the strangers at the grocery store
And in the people walking down the street.
In church and at school,
But... most of all Lord, I desire to see you in me.

Life with David

2011-02-06T12:36:00.000-05:00

David and I were sitting quietly in church. The pastor was passionate about his message. He turned to the congregation and asked "Are you thinking about the Super Bowl?" in a booming voice.

"YES!" David boomed back.

The entire church roared with laughter!

"There's an honest man going to heaven!" responds our pastor with a smile!

~

Well... at least David was listening! LOL! Just gotta love that son of mine!

The Weaver's Hand... author unknown

2011-02-06T08:38:00.000-05:00

My life is but a weaving

Between my Lord and me,

I cannot choose the colors

he worketh steadily.

Ofttimes he weaveth sorrow,

And I in foolish pride

Forget he sees the upper

And I, the underside.

The dark threads are as needful

In the Weaver's skillful hand

As the threads of gold and silver

In the pattern he has planned.

Life with The Fur Crew....

2011-02-03T07:24:00.003-05:00

Just woke up about 15 minutes ago with 8 eyes staring at me and purring loudly. I think the conversation between Sammy, Abby, Tach and Tanner might have gone something like this:

"Do you think she's awake?"
"Oooh! I saw her move."
"Nope, she just turned over."
"Maybe if you sit on her legs?"
...
"Nope... that isn't working!"
"Try sitting on her chest."
...
"See if she's still breathing."
"Oh! She needs to brush her teeth!"
...
"Wait...I saw her one eye open."
....
"PuurrrrRRR?"
...
We HUNGRY!

Life with David

2011-01-31T11:28:00.000-05:00

It was Friday and I was getting ready to leave for the weekend to attend a conference.

David and I quietly ate breakfast. I stared at my warm oatmeal and pushed it around with my spoon.

"David, I will be away this weekend starting today and will be back on Sunday," I said quietly. "I have to go to work all weekend long. You and Jeff will have the whole weekend together to watch TV, eat pizza and burritoes, play xBox and Wii."

I looked him intently. He didn't seem to take much notice. "Okay Mom," he finally responded. "Have fun at work."

We went about our school morning routine. David showered, shaved and went upstairs to make his bed and get dressed. When David came downstairs, he was all dressed wearing his burgundy Southwest Fox Conference t-shirt I had given him a few years back.

"Mom’s Work!" he proudly said as he pointed to his t-shirt. "Miss you Mom."

I started to cry and hugged him as tight as I could!

"I'll miss you too, David," I hugged him closer.

~

David always finds a way to tell me I am important and that he cares. I just love that son of mine!

Let There Be Chocolate...

2011-01-26T06:19:00.000-05:00

With all the cold weather here in western Michigan, I drink a lot more hot beverages to help keep warm. I have found my favorite and it's relatively inexpensive. I put hot chocolate mix and about 20 miniature marshallows into my 20 ounce cup of coffee. It's a wonderful treat and relatively cheap on calories depending on the hot chocolate mix I use. The miniature marshmallows are about 40 calories per 1/4 cup (I counted about 20 miniature marshallows).

For me, it's a nice warm guilt free treat to start my day! Chocolate on! :O)

Just a Thought...

2011-01-21T08:32:00.001-05:00

Did you know that what you do is important. Even the little things... a smile to a stranger walking passed on the sidewalk or saying thank you. You are unique and wonderfully made!

So shine on today! Shine on!

Snow Angel...

2011-01-19T07:50:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, David, Beau and I went out into the winter white wonder land of our backyard. We had fun shoveling snow, throwing the "flying squirrel" toy for Beau and watching him bound in and out of the snow piles left by Jeff's snow blowing. We laughed. We got sweaty from shoveling a path to the mailbox. It was a great hour and a half. Soon it was time to go to stop.

"Time to go inside guys!" I said to my two snowy companions.

Just then, David plopped down into the snow bank... and made a snow angel.... a crowning glow to our wonderful outing.

Just a Thought...

2011-01-19T07:41:00.000-05:00

We can not ponder what we do not know.

January 13th... Today is My Birthday...

2011-01-13T22:27:00.003-05:00

I can tell you ... I had a wonderful 49th birthday! I got tons of well wishes from dear friends from around the world. I hold each and every one... precious. My husband and son... got me a chocolate cake with chocolate ice cream and sang me happy birthday... awesome.

... All I can say is a thank you! Thank you for taking the time out of your very busy day and spending it on me! I am truly blessed.

You are Precious!

2011-01-12T05:04:00.006-05:00

... in God's eyes. A kind and gentle spirit is easy to do with friends and people you like. What about people you don’t like very much? I fail way too often. I try to remember that God loves each and every one of us. In Psalm 139… It says (NIV Bible):

1 You have searched me, LORD,

and you know me.

2 You know when I sit and when I rise;

you perceive my thoughts from afar.

3 You discern my going out and my lying down;

you are familiar with all my ways.

4 Before a word is on my tongue

you, LORD, know it completely.

5 You hem me in behind and before,

and you lay your hand upon me.

…..
~

…..

13 For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.

15 My frame was not hidden from you

when I was made in the secret place,

when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;

all the days ordained for me were written in your book

before one of them came to be.

God finds us precious. God finds the person I am talking with… precious. I am not saying that being angry or upset with someone is wrong but… trying to temper it with seeing them through God’s eyes…. May help me gain a better understanding and a friend in that person … and in myself. :O)

Love you much … but never as much as God! Have a blessed day!

In Control...

2011-01-09T07:03:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I like to think of myself,
Of being in control.
There, by humanly standards, a peaceful orderliness for my soul.

Then comes a long a happening,
Much to my dismay,
For control of my life went out the window that blessed day.

So what did I do? What was all the fuss?
For God had ordained it,
That I might obtain it...

A surrender, A bowed head and a bent knee...
A knowing that He...
Has something far greater in plan here on earth for me.

The Glass Cleaner...

2011-01-05T06:09:00.001-05:00

His job is to clean the panes of glass. There are many and he knows each one. He inspects them for smudges, spots and tiny dust particules. If there is a blemish... "spritz spritz spritz" goes the glass cleaner bottle... and the glass cleaner takes the paper towel and wipes the glass clean.

He carefully inspects his work. "Are all the smudges gone? Do I see a streak?"

Perfect for a moment until time wears on and fingerprints and dust collects once more.

God works on us like panes of glass. He removes the smudges of life and sin. He dusts us off when we come complacent and indifferent. He makes us clearly clean so His Spirit will radiate unhindered to show others of His glory that they might be clean too if only we welcome Him in.

~

Dear Lord,

I want you to leave no smudges... leave no sense of old me. Let me die to You and be wiped clean... so Your radiant glory shines through. Let me be transparent and let no smudges hinder Your shining presence. Let me be Your vessel where no pride and self exists... all for Your glory... all for Your praise.

Amen

A Quote by Philip Hasbro

2011-01-04T08:32:00.000-05:00

I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year, "Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown."

And he replied, "Step out into the darkness, put your hand into the hand of God, and that will be to you better than a light and safer than a known way."

~

I love this quote... it reminds me that my path isn't always known to me but I should step forth... without fear... for He is always with me.

Counting Little Blessings...

2010-12-09T03:51:00.000-05:00

David tried to peel sweet potatoes for the first time ever in his life. When he was finished... the potato looked like a patchwork quilt with a slice here and a slice there taken out of the potato. It was good start.

David was so proud he got to help with making dinner. :O) Me... I loved that we tried something new.... together. :O)

Angel Sent...

2010-12-04T08:11:00.000-05:00

I am reading a book entitle: Angels - Ringing Assurance that We are Not Alone by Billy Graham. Here is a story he tells....

"A celebrated Philadelphia neurologist had gone to bed after an exceptionally tiring day. Suddenly he was awakened by someone knocking on his door. Opening it he found a little girl, poorly dressed and deeply upset. She told him her mother was very sick and asked him if he would please come with her. It was a bitterly cold, snowy night, but though he was bone tired, the doctor dressed and followed the girl.

As the Reader's Digest reports the story, he found the mother desperately ill with pneumonia. After arranging for medical care, he complimented the sick woman on the intelligence and persistence of her little daughter. The woman looked at him strangely and then said, 'My daughter died a month ago.' She added, 'Her shoes and coat are in the clothes closet there.' Amazed and perplexed, the doctor went to the closet and opened the door. There hung the very coat worn by the little girl who had brought him to tend to her mother. It was warm and dry and could not possibly have been out in the wintry night.

Could the doctor have been called in the hour of desperate need by an angel who appeared as this woman's young daughter? Was this the work of God's angels on behalf of the sick woman?"

Snowflake Blessing

2010-12-03T02:12:00.002-05:00

Snowflakes are delicate and uniquely molded up in Heaven’s great azure sky. The chilled air blusters and blows releasing them from their cloudy fold. As each snowflake drifts and floats lazily down, each reaches for another to cling to and share in the journey earthbound.

It was Christmas Eve as the snowflakes drifted in the wintery air. As they looked below and peered up above… they could hear the angels’ sweet voices singing and praising God for the new Savior’s birth of long ago.

“I want to kiss the Savior’s forehead,” a tiny voice arose from the frozen clustered told.

The others murmured and smiled, “but you can’t, for Jesus was born so long ago.”

“Then why do the angels sing?” the little snowflake questioned.

“Because Jesus is precious to all who know him for he is the light of the world. He is the son of God…a gift to mankind.”

As the snowflake cluster floated and danced in the night’s breeze, the tiny snowflake saw, a manger with a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger soft. There around him was his mother and his father. There were shepherds and kings. There were sheep and goats and a cow lowing.

“What is that?” asked the tiny snowflake.

“That is mankind reliving the Lord Jesus’ birth. A little nativity in front of a church,” the rest replied.

“Then, let me go there!” implored the tiny snowflake. “Let me see the baby. I want to bless him with my kiss.”

So, the little snowflake let go of the cluster and floated and drifted with all his might until he lit upon the baby’s forehead with a blessing kiss that precious night.

~

Merry Christmas! May the joy and wonder of the season bless you today and throughout the coming year.

To My Dearest Friend...

2010-11-21T07:47:00.000-05:00

I just want you to know you are important to me. My step is a little quicker, my heart a little lighter and my spirit a little brighter because you have chosen to be a part of my life.

I am so glad that we have found each other. I thank God for such a wonderful blessing I have found in you.

So until we meet again... and see each other face to face... remember:

~ to embrace each day as if it were your last but be mindful of tomorrow
~ your smile will lift a heart
~ you are a great idea and God thought of you first
~ you always matter

Have a wonderful blessed day, my dear friend.
Jody

Life with David...

2010-11-18T07:59:00.000-05:00

This morning is pretty much like every other school morning. It's jammed with things to do and places to go... like school. Today, David has swimming for P.E. class.

David did an awesome job of packing his towel, swim trunks, ear plugs, sandals, brush, lotion, deodorant and eyeglass case. I had to help him stuff, jam and cramp all that into his backpack! In the end, we prevailed.

As he was getting ready to go to the bus, David picked up the backpack, "Auuggffrmmm.... Heavy!"

"Are you okay David?" I asked.

He whips his chest around exposing his Superman t-shirt he was wearing, "Yup! Me Superman!"

LOL! Gotta love that son of mine!

Just a Thought...

2010-11-13T22:54:00.005-05:00

Sometimes,

a friend needs to know...

that they are important enough
for a pause in your life.

Eragon! Me!

2010-10-31T09:16:00.002-04:00

"HAPPY HALLOWEEN!" David tells the nice checkout lady at the grocery store. "I Eragon. Dragon Rider." David takes off his glove and shows her his hand. There on his palm is the Dragon Rider symbol that I drew earlier today. It's a black swirl drawn from the middle of the base of the hand and into a spiral on the fleshy part at the base of the thumb.

David just absolutely loves Halloween. His obsessive passion for the holiday drives me crazy because I get to hear about it each day of the year at least 10 times a day. But, at the same time I love it too. For David, it's a magical time of dress up, trick-or-treating and handing out candy to the neighborhood kids.

This year as David transforms into Eragon, Dragon Rider, he looks at me with deep concerned, "Mom, where's dragon. Saphira?"

Saphira is Eragon's blue magical dragon. I look at David and smile, "David, there are no dragons like Saphira anymore."

David is so disappointed. I hug him close. "No dragon!" he cries.

"You could have Beau as Saphira." I tell him.

"No Beau!" he tells me. "Dragon!" he demands.

I just laugh to myself... "What would the neighbor's think?!?! A blue dragon?!?!? David could probably have all the candy he wants! Or... how about 'Um... Could you please get your dragon off my lawn... she's crushing the bushes'"

Just gotta love that son of mine!

Have a wonderful Happy Halloween!

The Son That Walks Beside Me...

2010-10-27T20:33:00.005-04:00

My son walks beside me each day of his life.
It's a wonderful amazing thought to hold on to so tight.
He has a choice. He has decided...
To walk with me together... hand in hand... heart to heart...
Two spirits united into a life path of one.

What will the day bring? A challenge? A blessing?
How we respond or react...it's our own making.
The journey of two... making one path... so entwined.

As the days mount and the months and years go by...
Each memory... each moment... a precious treasure inside.
I hold them fast. I hold them as dear...
For I never know when the end might be... is it near?

Each day... each moment... each passing... a tick-tock of time...
A blessing so contained if I choose to decide.

Life with David...

2010-10-08T08:11:00.002-04:00

LOL! Today David's school is having "Wear Team Colors Day!" David is wearing his beloved Michigan State Green and White. When the bus arrived at our home to pick David up, the bus driver jumped out of her seat and shook her pompoms for University of Michigan! LOL!

David is surrounded by nutty lovable ... can't do without ... people.

Deciding...

2010-10-07T11:41:00.001-04:00

Here we stand at this moment in time…

Each with a choice… a decision to decide.

For each of us… what we choose… is it the correct one to see?

The correct choice… an individual contemplation...

To ponder the pondering… each in our own way.

Each unique rambling purposeful thought… a drifting to and fro...

What to decide or not to decide...is it not a decision in and of itself?
Chose wisely my friend. Chose wisely indeed.

For the sum of our choices… decides who we are to be.

Just a Thought...

2010-09-22T11:59:00.002-04:00

Let us rejoice here at this moment in time.
Marvel at it's wonder.
Delight in it's existence.

Explore the intricate wanderings of our thoughts.
Examine the inner vibrations of our unique souls.

This simple elegant moment, so as it passes,
We will never be the same again.
Already remembering when...
the moment fades layered upon layered of other glorious unattainable moments...written forever in the fabric of time.

The DailyMile Goal

2010-09-09T21:46:00.001-04:00

This week I started to log my workouts using the DailyMile. It's a social training log for runners, triathletes, and cyclists. To read more about it... please go to the link: http://www.dailymile.com/about. Why did I sign up? I am so glad you asked! Well... to share my experiences and find motivation when I get ... um ... lazy. ;O) I have my friend, Whil Hentzen, to thank for the link.

In the DailyMile, I set a goal for myself: I committed to run, every other day, 5K or 3.1 miles. For me, that is an honorable goal. I use to run more but joint pain and my doctor's advice to run every other day helped me to decide to back off on the miles. Also, I run so I can play volleyball and, hopefully, live a long happy health life. To help me be there for my son, David, and my husband, Jeff. I have chosen a more reasonable goal of "Steady as she goes!"

The start... This week was my first week of logging my progress. Going in, my expectations were high for myself. "I can do this!" was my battle cry.

The reality... It's already Thursday. My left hip is bothering me quite a bit. So, instead of running, I have been walking the 3.1 miles with Beau, my chocolate lab. Then BAM! I can't believe it. Today, I was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection. It's knocked me on my *ss. However, Beau and I managed to walk 1.5 miles with my neighbor walking buddy, Chris.

The take away... this week hasn't been a stellar start. But... I guess what I take away as this week winds down is this... I never gave up! And... I did what I could. I pat myself on the back for trying my best.. and that is all I can ever do.

Here's to a better tomorrow.

Are You There?

2010-08-30T11:24:00.001-04:00

I sometimes wonder how I make people feel. You know... wear their shoes while I am conversing with them. Listening to them. Am I prancing around? Fidgeting? Looking elsewhere? Or am I truly listening, looking at them, concentrating on what they are trying to tell me? Do I feel like I am embracing them for a moment in time... truly walking in their shoes?

If you think about it... that can be a scary place to be if that person is down on their luck, going through a rough time or angry ... How about when that person is angry with you.

Sometimes I forget to listen and am worrying about what to say to them. How can I help? How can I defend? I have to remind myself that ... sometimes ... I don't have to say anything at all ... just be there for them in whatever type of shoes they are in today ... at this moment in time.

Are you there?

What If....

2010-08-24T22:28:00.001-04:00

What if you treated the simple and ordinary as if it was grand and noble... Your life would be a sweet symphony of wonder and awe ... the likes of which no one has ever heard or fathomed before.

Just a Thought...

2010-08-23T09:20:00.000-04:00

Into the fabric of your life .... you weave the experiences of your family, your friends and the choices you have made. They become an integral part of who you are.

May you find within the fabric the gold, the silver and the frankincense of life that clothes you to be more than you have ever hoped to be.

Life with David...

2010-08-09T10:13:00.000-04:00

David is visiting his dad, Paul, for the next two weeks. Paul asked David, "What do you need for school?"

"Motorcycle!" David cheered.

Take Time... author unknown

2010-08-04T19:43:00.001-04:00

Take Time to THINK ...

It is the source of power.

Take Time to PLAY ...

It is the secret of perpetual youth.

Take Time to READ ...

It is the fountain of wisdom.

Take Time to PRAY ...

It is the greatest power on earth.

Take Time to LOVE and BE LOVED ...

It is a God-given privilege.

Take Time to BE FRIENDLY ...

It is the road to happiness.

Take Time to LAUGH ...

It is the music of the soul.

Take Time to GIVE ...

It is too short a day to be selfish.

Take Time to WORK ...

It is the price of success.

Take Time to DO CHARITY ...

It is the key to heaven.

Upstairs Please

2010-08-03T16:00:00.001-04:00

David's job and contribution to the family is to vacuum our home. It's quite a big chore. We have the main level of the house and then the upstairs. I almost never have David do the whole house. So... he usually does the main level and the stairs to the basement one day. Then, later in the week, David will do the upstairs and the staircase up to the upstairs.

Well... the other day... I had David vacuum the whole house. He was very motivated because he would be able to play xBox while Jeff and I played volleyball. He had done a beautiful job with the main level of the house. Now it was time to do the upstairs.

"David, I would like you to do the upstairs, please." I instructed him.

Well, David took it as... "Mom said to do up the stairs!" And that is exactly what he did! He vacuumed up the staircase... and he was done!

"Finished Mom!" he said proudly!

I just had to laugh. :O) Gotta love that son of mine!

David at Work

2010-07-18T05:58:00.000-04:00

David has a volunteer job with his school. He, along with other students, do odd jobs at the school and surrounding community. The other day, David's teacher wrote in David's notebook:

"David had a good day today. He was very happy. We drove the school vans to Pigeon Creek Park and did litter pick up. David was very good at this job except he had to show me each piece of litter he found. :O)"

The Touch of the Master's Hand.... by Myra Brooks Welch

2010-07-13T06:22:00.001-04:00

'Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer

Thought it sacredly worth his while

To waste much time on the old violin,

But held it up with a smile:

"What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,

"Who'll start the bidding for me?"

"A dollar, a dollar"; then "Two!" "Only two?

Two dollars, and who'll make it three?

Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;

Going for three....." But no,

From the back of the room, a gray-haired man

Came forward and picked up the bow;

Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,

And tightening the loose string

He played a melody pure and sweet

As a caroling angel sings.

The music ceased, and the auctioneer,

With a voice that was quiet and low,

Said: "What am I bid for the old violin?"

And he held it up with the bow.

"A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two?

Two thousand! And who'll make it three?

Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice,

And going, and going," said he.

The people cheered, but some of the cried,

We do not quite understand

What changed its worth." Swift came the reply:

"The touch of a master's hand."

And many a man with life out of tune,

And battered and scarred with sin,

Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd,

Much like the old violin.

A "mess of pottage," a glass of wine;

A game--and he travels on.

He is "going once, and "going" twice,

He's "going" and almost "gone."

But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd

Never can quite understand

The worth of a soul and the change that is wrought

By the touch of the Master's hand.

He Didn't Play Dead!

2010-06-29T09:31:00.000-04:00

This morning, as usual, I took David to daycare. He's a teacher's assistant for Mr. Cooke and Mrs. Klon on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It's a volunteer job and David just loves it!

Beau, our chocolate lab, always goes along too. The kids love seeing Beau and Beau loves seeing the kids. I swear Beau is giggling and smiling from ear to ear as the kids swarm giving him all their attention. In return, Beau does his tricks for them. One of the most requested tricks is 'Play Dead!'

"Bang!" I said in a loud commanding voice. I point imaginary finger-gun at Beau! He does a slow dying death routine. He lays down with his head cocked upwards.

"Bang!" I shouted again. He flails his front paws and rolls a little more onto his back. However, his head is still off the ground.

Beau gets up. The kids roar a cheer and I give him his reward for a trick well done.

"He didn't do it!" one little girl exclaimed. "His head was still off the ground!"

"But he did!" I explained. "When Beau dies, he stops breathing!"

"No way!" I heard the wide eyed kids protest.

"Watch. I'll have Beau do it again and this time... listen."

"Bang!" I commanded pointing my gun-finger at Beau. Again, Beau does his slow dying death routine with his head cocked towards me. This time... it was quiet so we could hear Beau stop breathing until I tell him it's okay to get up.

"WOW! That's amazing!" the kids cheered. I laugh and Beau gets his second treat.

Little Bandits...

2010-06-25T12:11:00.003-04:00

The weekend was hectic! My vacuum cleaner broke a few weeks ago. It was limping along… and now it was dead. My girlfriend, Cathy, let me borrow her old one but it couldn’t handle all the pet hair from my dog, Beau, and my four cats we fondly call the "Fur Crew". Soooo… Late Saturday evening, David, Beau and I went to Meijer to pick up a new vacuum cleaner made especially for pets. I could hardly wait to get home to try it out.

We were almost home. As I turned my Jeep into the driveway and I had to stop dead in my tracks! There in the middle of my driveway entrance were two baby raccoons. They huddled together and didn’t move. Their dark eyes shined up at me. I put the flashers on the Jeep. I walked over to them. The feisty one hissed at me and ran up the nearby tree. The other baby was injured somehow. He moved slow. He didn't hiss. I ran back to the Jeep. I grabbed the beach towel out from under Beau and picked up the injured baby. I moved the little guy to the top of our driveway away from the road and cuddled him up into the towel. I quickly put the Jeep away. I grabbed a box and put the injured baby inside the box with the towel. I left the box on it's side at the top of the driveway. The feisty baby was coming to the injured one. I figured I’d let them alone and maybe Mama would come for them.

David and I vacuumed the house for over an hour. It was fun. I vacuumed and David lifted stuff out of the way for me and then put them back. We made a great team. We were upstairs finishing up David's room when David heard their cries.

"Mom!", David yelled over the vacuum cleaner's noise, "Babies!" He was concerned. I was too.

"David, let's go get the babies," I told him. "Where's your flashlight? Can you get it?"

I found my flashlight. David, Beau and I went outside. The babies had only made it about 20 feet to my flowerbed. That was it. I retrieved the towel and box. I put the injured baby inside. I tried to get the feisty one… but he would have no part of that. So… I left him.

David and I tended to the injured one. He softly cried and moaned. We put a warm hot water bottle in the box. We softly wrapped the baby in the towel. He stopped crying and went to sleep.

The feisty baby cried and cried for its sibling but it got no response. David and I listened to him from the window. After a while he stopped crying. We figured he had left the area.

"Mom, babies?" David questioned.

"The babies will be alright," I tried to reassure him. "Let's pray for them okay?"

So tucked snug, safe and sound, in bed, David said his prayers. "And God bless baby raccoons."

"Amen" we said together.

In the morning, I checked the box. Baby was just fine inside. He let me pick him up and touch him. No broken bones and no bleeding. Lots of fleas and ticks. Then Beau started to bark at the side of the house. When I got there, I saw the other baby. I picked him up with another towel. This time he let me. I put him inside the box with his sibling. They both curled up together and slept by the nice warm hot water bottle. In the afternoon, they ate eggs. I called the DNR and left a message. It's illegal in Michigan to keep wild animals. Plus, I didn't want to care for them. Raccoons carry parasites that can harm humans and domesticated animals and I didn't want that for my family. However, I wanted the babies safe and taken care of.

"The DNR should be able to help me," I thought to myself.

Sunday afternoon, I talked to the neighbors. They had seen the babies about the neighborhood since Friday night. So… it was definitely apparent that the mother wasn’t going to return.

Throughtout the day, I checked in on the babies. Kara, my young next door neighbor stopped by to see them.

"Awwww.... they are so cute!!" she squealed.

Kara's mom, Bethany and my other next door neighbor, Jo, visited as well. It was fun to share the babies presence. Beau wanted to see them up closer but I was concerned about the fleas and ticks so I kept him in a sit-stay away from the box.

In the evening, I heated up more water for the hot water bottle. I placed it into the box and wished my little ones good night.

Monday morning I got a call from the DNR. She gave me a name and number for a Licensed Michigan Rehabilitator.

"Wow! that's great!" I said. "I didn't know such a group of people existed. Thank you!"

I hung up the phone with the DNR and called Sue. Sue McDonald was wonderful to talk to over the phone. She lived in Greenville and she cares for babies such as mine. Her home was about an hour away. Beau and I gathered up our baby raccoons and drove the distance. I was so happy I did. Sue was so nice.

"The babies are about 6 weeks old," she said. She checked out the one that was acting injured. "He's probably just weak from all the ticks. I'll take good care of them."

Sue started preparing food her new charges as I was leaving. Cool. However, I will miss my little visitors.

I know in my heart that I did everything I could for them. I gave her money too. I paid her what I would have had to pay an exterminator to come get the babies from my home. The rehabilitators are all volunteers. It just blows my mind away to think that people spend hours and hours and hours caring for these little orphans with probably very few thank yous except from the critters they provide for. Well Sue... Thank you!!!

~

Serious Note: If you come across wild babies... it's best to leave them alone. Usually the mother will return. In my case, the baby raccoons had been wandering for over 24 hours in my neighborhood. More than likely, the mother was killed along the road. Remember, it's illegal to keep wild animals in many states. Thank goodness for rehabilitors and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. They were a huge help to me and my baby visitors. To get a list of Michigan Licensed Rehabilitors, please go to: http://www.michigandnr.com/dlr/

Raspberry 'Chocolate' Truffle Cake

2010-06-23T15:25:00.000-04:00

In our home... Father's Day has been renamed to Jeff's Day! :O) And... it truly is Jeff's day. Jeff gets his favorite food, his favorite thing to do or watch like a movie, afternoon nap. It's a day filled with "if Jeff wants it... he gets it". With that said, Jeff LOVES chocolate. David and I made Jeff a special treat called "Raspberry Truffle Cake". It's a lot of chocolate. We loved it so much that I thought I would share that recipe here. It came from 'Better Homes and Gardens new baking book'. And... yes... the 1 ½ teaspoons of flour is NOT a typo. :O)

This cake is just a wonderful treat and easy to make:
Prep: 25 minutes
Bake: 25 minutes
Cool: 2 hours (we couldn’t wait that long)
Chill: 4 hours
Makes: 12 Servings Oven: 350

Don’t worry if this nearly flourless cake seems soft after baking; it firms up when chilled.

16 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, cut up. (I used semisweet chocolate chips)

½ cup butter (use real butter – it’s worth it! – I used salted butter)

1 tablespoon sugar

1 ½ teaspoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon raspberry liqueur (optional) (I used Raspberry extract. To me it wasn’t an option… it’s a must)

4 eggs, separated

1 12-ounce jar seedless raspberry jam (1 cup) (I used more … we really like the raspberry flavor)

Sweetened whipped cream (optional) (I used heavy whipping cream and added sugar as I mixed the whipping cream with an electric mixer. This was to taste – I guess about ¼ cup)

Fresh Raspberries (optional) (I used frozen and let them thaw. Fresh I think would have been better)

1. Grease an 8-inch springform pan, set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, combine chocolate and butter. Cook & stir over low heat until chocolate melts. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar, flour, and, if desired, liqueur. Using a spoon, beat in egg yolks, 1 at a time, until combined. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl beat egg whites with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold into chocolate mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3. Bake in a 350 degree oven 25 to 30 minutes or until edges puff. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Remove sides of pan; cool thoroughly. Chill, covered for 4 to 24 hours.

4. To serve, allow cake to come to room temperature (about 45 minutes). Heat jam just until melted. Drizzle jam on each dessert plate; top with cake slice. If desired, top with sweetened whipped cream and fresh raspberries.

Nutrition Facts per serving: 358 cal., 22 g. total fat (10 g sat. fat), 81 mg chol., 95 mg sodium, 44 g carbo., 3 g fiber, 5 g pro. Daily values: 10% vit. A, 0% vit. C, 2% calcium, 12% iron.

Lilies of the Field...

2010-06-20T01:40:00.000-04:00

There are lilies hidden in a field of green
Their white soft petaled beauty goes unseen
In a world driven to goals of all sort of means

They wave and they bend in the winds of time
Silently they move and tilt their face skyward in rhyme
Their lives lived out in a world blinded by unjustly minds

Quietly in the midst they are what compels them
For that is their purpose and that is their vision
Not predicated by all that surrounds them

A joy to perceive of a beauty untold
If only we take time to slow down and take hold
Of all that is they are amongst the fold

There in the vast vision of the valley of green
Are beautiful white lilies that dot the scene
Look for them... hidden amongst all that can be seen

Just a Thought...

2010-06-11T12:47:00.000-04:00

I love having the house windows open. I can hear the birds singing. Hearing their sweet songs, cheerful tweets and trills... they lift my spirit on their wings... just making my face smile and my heart sing!

Safe Haven...

2010-06-04T03:41:00.003-04:00

There is a place where my heart goes
A safe haven filled with love and understanding.
No one can follow and no one can lead
For only I go to this hidden cove by the shores of my sea.

I talk to my Savior, my Jesus, my One.
I pour out my earthly worries, my joys and my fears.
I ponder all the wanderings of curious thoughts, dreams and tears.

He's always there to tend with a gentle bright spirit.
He surrounds me with a knowing, a love and a kindness.
He is there to remind me of what binds us.

There is a purpose under heaven that one day to understand
But for now an earthly task is at hand.
So by faith I walk along the shores by the sea,
A safe haven for my Savior and me.

Winnie the Pooh Wisdom....by A. A. Milne

2010-06-02T05:31:00.001-04:00

“If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day so I never have to live without you.”

“Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. Christopher Robin to Pooh”

“Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?”

A Happy Birthday for David...

2010-05-09T02:15:00.002-04:00

Each of us has many sides, levels and depth to what makes us... us. We have many facets that define who we are and there is such beauty there.

And... each of us is a facet within Community. None of us twinkle and glimmer, absorb or reflect light the same. Within Community we add to the brilliance of something that goes beyond ourselves.

~

My family has had to cut back on expenses because I lost my full time job last fall. I work... but only part time. We have managed our loss of income... okay. We have cut back on our heat, electric usage and other extras. We no longer have satellite TV and we put our YMCA membership on hold. We are more careful on our grocery bill too. I walk to the store when I can and when we do drive, we try to make the most of one trip, making multiple stops. I am so grateful and humbled to say that our bills are getting paid. When I want to go to conferences my parents and friends have helped me get there. God is really good.. and many times He shows his brilliance through the many facets of Community.

~

David's birthday was coming. It was his special 21st birthday. Jeff and I were wondering what we could do special for him. We had to watch our budget. We figured pizza, chocolate cake with ice cream and some bowling. All are David's favorites. We also got him a small toy... a cap gun. With the help of money sent by grandparents, our plans would work.

Then along comes Bob Archer... aka: pilotbob on Twitter. You know... I have never met Bob in person. He lives in Florida with his family. That's a long ways from Michigan. I met Bob on Twitter and I see him on Facebook. How did I come to learn about Bob? My twitter friends were following Bob, so I followed him too. We are part of our Twitterville Community. Gosh... it's been a long time now, but I have know Bob for over a year and a half now. We pray for each other and our families. We go through the Internet of life and share ourselves with Community.

Well... I had been twittering and Facebooking about some awesome books David was able to get for Easter because his grandparents had sent money. David was so excited. I was so excited for him.

You see, David just loves looking through picture books. He has a very special book that is from the Smithsonian Institution called "Animal". David looks at it over and over again. He points out the animals to me and tells me what they are. He is just mesmerized by the beauty captured within it's pages and loves to share his excitement and knowledge.

I talked to David about getting another book like the "Animal" book when we received the Easter money. He was very excited about the thought of shopping for a new book. He wanted an "Earth book." That's all he could tell me...."Earth book." I didn't know exactly what that meant to David. Well... to make a long story short, when we got the bookstore, they were having a sidewalk sale. We found four books very similar to the "Animal" book. They were all on sale. He got: "Dinosaurs", "History", "Archaeology".... and "Earth". What's even more amazing was that the bill came out to be only two dollars over what the grandparents had sent. Like I said... God is good.

As I was twittering about this special purchase, Bob twittered back to me, pointing me to the Discovery Channel's "planet earth" 5 DVD set. Bob twittered me the link to the online store. I checked it. Oh my goodness, Bob found exactly what David loves, a picture book of animals and earth on TV. When I saw the price of the set, my heart went into my throat. It was more than what we could afford. I went through our budget to figure out if we could squeeze somewhere else... and we couldn't.

Through Twitter, Bob asked me privately if Jeff and I were going to buy the DVD set. My reply to him... "maybe". I didn't have the heart to tell Bob that we just couldn't afford it.

And... then... omg ... Bob asks me, 'Would you mind if I got them for David?'

I started to cry. I tweeted back, 'That would be awesome if you want to do that!'

Next thing I know, Bob is twittering and Facebooking, asking if anyone wants to help get David that special DVD set for his 21st birthday. Enters: Rick Hodder... aka: rickhodder on Twitter. Rick is from Connecticut. Another one of my twitterville friends.

I started to cry again as I read the posts. omg... They didn't have to do that... but they did. I am so humbled by their generosity. They never met me or David in person... ever. And now, they went out of their way to help make David's day special.

~

David's 21st birthday was a nice celebration. We got to include my best friend's son, Jack, in on the celebration. David got many wonderful cards and gifts. Jack made a very cool art drawing of David's name in blue and framed it. Perfect. The gift from Bob and Rick was a David/family hit. I read all the "HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVID" post from Twitter and Facebook. I showed David Bob's picture and I showed him Rick's picture. I told David about these two special guys sending him the 'planet earth' movies.

David's squealed, "Me? Happy Birthday to David... Me?"

"Yes, David. You," I teared up. "People that have never met you, care for you! They think you are a wonderful, very special young man. They love you." I couldn't hold back the tears any longer. I hugged David tight to me. I hugged him for Bob and for Rick. I hugged him for all those that sent happy birthday wishes. I hugged him because I love him so.

"David, you are a very special person... and I am so glad you are my son. Happy Birthday!"

~

Bob... Rick... you guys are amazing! Thank you with all of my being... thank you! The words cannot express the gratitude, the awe, and the humility I feel when I think about your generous gift to David and to my family.

~

Community... what an amazing brilliantly faceted blessing! Thank you!

Heaven's Very Special Child by Edna Massimilla

2010-05-07T12:09:00.000-04:00

A meeting was held quite far from Earth!

It's time again for another birth.

Said the Angels to the LORD above,

This Special Child will need much love.

His progress may be very slow,

Accomplishments he may not show.

And he'll require extra care

From the folks he meets down there.

He may not run or laugh or play,

His thoughts may seem quite far away,

In many ways he won't adapt,

And he'll be known as handicapped.

So let's be careful where he's sent,

We want his life to be content.

Please LORD, find the parents who

Will do a special job for you.

They will not realize right away

The leading role they're asked to play,

But with this child sent from above

Comes stronger faith and richer love.

And soon they'll know the privilege given

In caring for their gift from Heaven.

Their precious charge, so meek and mild,

Is HEAVEN'S VERY SPECIAL CHILD.

Life with David...

2010-05-04T10:45:00.001-04:00

In the mornings, I help David get his shower started. I turn it on and make sure that the water temperature is juuuuust right!

This morning, after I get the water all adjusted to my satisfaction, I tell David to "get in."

He quickly gets into the spray of the shower and giggles, "Hug?"

LOL! Gotta love that son of mine!!!

David Has a Girlfriend...

2010-05-02T00:41:00.000-04:00

David has found Rica. Rica has found David. They are classmates at school. Terry Goldberg, David's teacher, just had to tell me this story....

In our class, we tell our students that there is no girlfriend/boyfriend affection shown here. We need to respect each other's space and that class time and on the job training is no place for such things. Well... David and Rica are so cute. You just have to smile.

We were on one of our walks for exercise. I was up front. David and Rica were towards the back. When I turned around, there they were holding hands.

"Hey guys! You know the rules," I cheerfully reminded them. It was so hard to do because they looked so cute.

Rica protested, "But, but... the tiny magnets in our hands just keep pulling our hands together!"

David gets his "Michigan Credit Card"

2010-04-18T09:47:00.003-04:00

It's was Friday and David didn't have school. It was a sunny perfect day for a road trip to the Michigan's Secretary of State. You see, I wanted David to have his Michigan ID. He would be turning 21 soon and I thought it would be a nice gift to him. So off we went on that sunny Friday afternoon.

"Where we going?" he asked me.

"We are going on an adventure!" I cheerfully responded. "I want you to get a Michigan ID. You are going to get your picture taken."

"Me?" squealed David. He was so excited.

"Yes you!" I laughed.

We didn't have too far to go. We listened to music along the way. I was grinning from ear to ear. I loved doing special things for David. He gets so excited.

When we got there, the line wasn't too long. David's number was 00. I showed David the number and pointed to the number on the wall. It said 93. I explained to David that when the number on the wall turned 00, it would be his turn to go up to the counter.

As we waited, David said "Hi!" to people as they sat near us. A nice gentleman sitting across from us assured us that people were being helped rather quickly and it wouldn't be long before our number came up.

"00" called the lady behind the counter.

"David! That's you!" I quietly tell him. "Let's go!"

"Hi! I'm David and this is Jody. Mom!" he introduced us.

"Hi David!" she smiled back. "It's so nice to meet you. What can I do for you?"

"Michigan ID" he stated. He then looked at me to explain further.

I looked at her puzzled looking face. She didn't understand what David had said.

"We are here to get David's Michigan ID," I translated. "I went up on the Secretary of State's website. I found the list of required documents. I have them here in my folder."

"Here!" David handed her his student id.

"Very good David," she smiled. "You brought your student id. That's perfect."

I handed her the birth certificate and social security card. I also had some other paperwork.

She had David sign his name to a form. "Sign it right here," she instructed as she pointed to the box with the 'X' in it. She was so cheery, patient and kind to him. It touched my heart so.

"Excellent!" she praised him. She explained that she needed to get the paperwork approved and she would be right back.

"David, I am so proud of you!" I told him. "You are doing a great job!"

David beamed a smile in return.

After a little time, our SoS friend returned. "You are approved!" she smiled. "David we now need to have you sign this form. You need to sign right here." Again she pointed to a box with an 'X' in it.

David quickly signed his name. "Mom! I did it!" he cheered. "Proud of you?"

"Yes, David," I am so proud of you. There were tears welling up in my eyes as I watched how excited he was.

"David, we now need to take your picture. You will need to step over here by the camera," the clerk instructed.

David took his coat off. He grinned at the camera and the clerk took the picture.

"There's a glare on the glasses," she said. "Let's try again."

"Do we need the glasses?" I asked.

"No, he doesn't need to wear his glasses," she said. "David, how would you like to take a picture without your glasses?"

"Sure!" he readily agreed.

I took David's glasses. I looked like a David tree rack with all his stuff: coat, glasses, paperwork, and wallet. I giggled to myself.

The clerk took the picture. "There!" she smiled. "Perfect!" She showed us the grinning picture. It was perfect.

"David, you will get your new Michigan ID in the mail in about 10 days," she informed him. "Here is your temporary one that you can put in your wallet."

"Thanks!" he sang. He walked out of the Secretary of State on cloud nine. I was so grateful for the wonderful patience showered upon my son. My heart sang too. Thank you!

~

When we got home about a half hour later, David hurried to the mailbox. The mailman had been to our home.

"Nope! Not yet!" David said disappointed. His shoulders slumped as he looked into the mailbox.

I laughed out loud, "David! It doesn't work that fast. she said, 10 days! Remember?!?!?"

"Oh yah!" he said as the tone of his voice lowered with disappointment.

~

David checked the mailbox each day with the same disappointed response. "Nope! Not yet!" and his shoulders slumped.

When it finally did come, he was so excited. "Mom! Michigan Credit Card!"

I laughed and smiled at my precious son! "David it's not a credit card. It's your Michigan ID. Put it in your wallet and please don't lose it!"

David slept with his ID by his bedside for many a night. He still glowed from that wonderful day at the Secretary of State office. Me too.

A Classic Devotional from St. Francis of Assisi

2010-04-09T10:49:00.000-04:00

A Prayer for Peace, Growth, and Recovery

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;

To be understood as to understand;

To be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive.

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.

It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Your heart, O Lord, is open to Your children. Help me to be willing to learn from You. Amen.

Just a Thought...

2010-04-09T00:15:00.000-04:00

There is sunshine to be had.... sometimes we just have to look a little harder. It's there... even through the clouds... and the umbrella of friends and family... can help us through the storm.

On My Way to the Vet's....

2010-04-09T00:08:00.001-04:00

We have four cats. We call them collectively, "The Fur Crew." Taking them all at once to the vet's is totally out of the question. So... this morning, I asked my husband not to feed them in the morning so I could catch them two at a time. If they are hungry... they will come.

I first caught Tach and Tanner. "Yowl! Yowl! Yowl! Yowl!" they protested from the carriers. We made it to the vet's on time. Their checkup went well. Yes!

After the first vet visit, I went home to release the first two and catch the next two: Sammy and Abby. Somehow, Tach and Tanner must have used mental-telepathy to tell Sammy and Abby that the situation was not good.

Abby Yowled! as I put her into the canvas cat carrier. She scratched and clawed at the carrier… threw a regular hissy fit… but settled down after a bit.

Sammy, on the other hand, didn’t want anything to do with it. He found a weak spot in the cardboard carrier that I had put him in and broke through. I managed to push him back inside. I furiously started to duct tape the cardboard carrier back together. While I was working on one side of the carrier, Sammy busted through the other side, scratching me and anything else that stood in his way. He bolted up the stairs and into David’s room and under the bed.

I stormed upstairs holding a tissue to my bleeding hand. I shut David’s door behind me. I poked at Sammy with David’s toy sword. Sammy would come out from under the bed but as soon as I would reach for him, back under the bed he went. Auuugghhhh!!! So, I proceeded to lift the mattress and box springs so they lay semi-flat against the wall. Sammy bolted but didn’t have anywhere to go. I caught him by the scruff of the neck. He was not a happy camper and scared. As I carried him back down stairs, he peed on me.

"Gee…. Sammy Thanks!" I said out loud.

I put Sammy in my beach canvas bag and loaded the two cats into the Jeep and made it to the vet’s on time for the next appointment. Phew!

Next time… my husband can take the cats!!!!

Just a Thought...

2010-03-31T07:26:00.000-04:00

There is a capacity within each of us for great love and compassion. The words you speak and the little things that you do can be the start of an amazing ripple affect ... making a positive difference in your life and the life of those around you.

"But the window just came off!"

2010-03-21T03:39:00.003-04:00

Late Saturday night, very early Sunday morning, David and I were driving home from Detroit. All of a sudden, I heard a "Whoosh!" I stopped my Jeep Rubicon on the side of the highway to see what might have happened. There, on the driver-side, the window that was supposed to be permanently attached to the roof was gone! I moved our belongs from the back of the 4-door Jeep to the back seat out of the wind. I then proceeded to slowly back the Jeep down the highway towards the unknown place where the window came off. Lucky for me, there was very little traffic that early morning. As I backed up, I came to a spot in the road where it glittered a lot. There were shards of glass glistening from my headlights. That must have been where the glass hit. There was absolutely nothing for me to pick up. I started back towards home.

As I drove, I started to think... what if? What if someone had been beside me when the window let go? I could only imagine the worst. The glass could have hit their car, broke their window shield, and caused them to swerve.... could have cause... them to die?

Monday, I called the car dealership and made an appointment to have the Jeep looked at. I expected the glass to be fixed for free. It had popped off. Not my fault. Right? Wrong!!

"Hello, Mrs. Meyer?" asked the friend voice on the other side of the phone.

"Yes, this is she," I replied.

"This is Rich from Service," he politely spoke. "The glass is not covered under warranty."

"What?" I was puzzled. "But the window just came off? It wasn't chipped. There was nothing to tell me that there was something wrong."

"I am sorry," Rich apologized. "But that's what the warranty paperwork says."

"Rich, I'll have to get back to you," I told him and hung up the phone.

Immediately, I called Jeff. "The guy in service said that the repairs aren't covered under warranty," I explained to him.

Jeff agreed to come to the dealership with me. We politely argued with Rich again. Then to his boss.

"It's not the glass that failed. It was the fasteners holding the glass in place. They should NEVER fail. The glass window is permanently attached to the roof," Jeff argued.

"Well, all I can do is call my bosses and see what they say," the manager said matter-of-factly. "But, I have never had them overturn one of these before. It'll take about 24 hours."

The next morning, I received a call from Rich.

"Good Morning, Mrs. Meyer?" Rich greeted. "You won't believe this, but you won. They have never done this before. You Jeep will be fixed for free excluding the deductable."

I thanked Rich for the good news and then hung up. But... I felt uneasy.

"What if?" I thought to myself. I just could not let this question go. What if this happened to someone else?

I got online and reported what happened to the window that night on the road. There is a site, ComsumerAffairs.com, where people can report, complain and look for advice on products or services they have received. Here is their response to me:

Thanks for the consumer report you filed with us recently. We appreciate your telling us about the situation you encountered.

Your complaint has been selected for publication on our site and will appear within the next 48 hours.

Even if you are not able to achieve satisfaction individually, you will at least have the comfort of knowing that thousands of consumers will see your complaint, perhaps enabling them to avoid a similar misfortune. Also, our site is visited regularly by law enforcement agencies, local and national media and consumer organizations and we work closely with all of them to help identify consumer concerns.

Thanks again. We appreciate your sharing your experience with us.

ConsumerAffairs.Com
2nd Floor, South Tower
1601 Cloverfield Blvd.
Santa Monica CA 90404

~
I am so grateful that no one was hurt by the window coming off my Jeep. I am grateful that the window was replaced for almost free. I hope the back window never comes off again. I hope that this was a one time thing and that it doesn't happen to someone else. I am hoping that if it does, that my report will help them.

Just a Thought...

2010-03-21T02:58:00.001-04:00

You are uniquely and wonderfully made. And within you, there is a candle that shines... so brilliant, so bright, so beautifully, so uniquely you ... do not be afraid to share the light with others.

Ralking with My Buddy Beau

2010-03-06T06:41:00.013-05:00

I take Beau, my 4 1/2 year old chocolate lab, for ralks, runs /walks, each day. I don't have a leash on him. There are times, especially when we first start our jaunt, he's in a hurry to get to his certain spots that he likes to check out. Then, I have to remind him to heel. For him, I am just not going fast enough.

We also stop at each cross walk. He sits beside me and patiently waits for me to look both ways before I continue across the intersection.

On our ralks, we usually visit the post office. Beau comes in with me and sits beside me while I put the letters into the mail slot. From the people we meet along the way, I get some surprised looks here and there... most of which turn into smiles. We visit Jan, the owner of Daniel's. Jan is my hair stylist and she just loves Beau. She has a chocolate lab herself named Brian. At Daniel's, Jan has a box of treats for her other furry visitors. Beau usually can't wait to see Jan. As soon as we come into her shop, Beau wiggles to a sit. I swear he is grinning from ear to ear.

"Okay Beau," I tell him and I point to Jan. Beau lunges in Jan's direction. He greets her with a whole body wiggle and his tail is going a mile a minute. She scratches his blocky head and coos over him.

"Hi Beau!" she greets him. "Does that scratching feel good? How are you today? Are you out for a run?"

After the lavish greeting, Beau prances and leads Jan to the box of treats. We laugh. Jan sometimes hands me the milk bone treat or she will give Beau the treat herself. I make sure Beau earns the treat by doing a trick or two. If Jan hands Beau the treat, he only has to shake hands or speak. With me... Beau has to run through his entire set of tricks. Beau can:

Speak
Sit
Lay down
Rollover (both ways depending on which way you make the circle with your hand)
Bang! (play dead. He lays on his side. His head never goes to the floor but he stops breathing)
Shake hands (left or right depending on the hand you extend)
High-five
Hold the treat on his nose for 2 seconds. I can't seem to get him to hold it longer. :O)

After getting his treat, Beau and I say our goodbyes to Jan, and off we start again on our run. We make it only about 3/4 of a block before Beau and I wave a "Hi!" to Tyler. Tyler is the local barber.

Beau and I run for about a half mile before we get to the Coopersville Public School campus.

"Go!" I tell Beau. That is Beau's queue that he doesn't have to heel anymore. Off he runs to his favorite tree. As we approach the playground, I call Beau over. We run through the different jungle gym platforms.

"Beau, up!" I command. Beau jumps over the high end of donut shaped object, lands in the middle and then jumps over the other half.

"Come! Beau, up!" I command again pointing to the donut object. Again and again Beau jumps the object.

"Good boy!" I cheer. Then off we go to another platform.

"Beau, up! Stay!" I tell him. Beau jumps up and sits. He patiently waits for me to tell him down. I laugh and hug him. I scratch his head.

"Good boy, Beau" I praise him.

We wiggle through the other obstacles, laughing and smiling the entire way. Then comes the slide.

"Beau, up!" I point to the slide. Beau bounds for the 24 stepped slide. He gingerly walks up the steps. I am right behind him. He goes down first and I follow.

"Woo Hoo!" I cheer. "Let's do that again!"

Around and around we go. What fun! Then... we stop and continue our run around the rest of the campus. Beau heels when I ask him, but most of the time, I can just let him run letting his nose lead him to the next spot of interest. Sometimes, he gets a way in front of me... and sometimes, he lags behind. Sometimes, when he's not looking, I'll hide behind a tree or a hill beside the road. Beau comes charging back to where he last saw me. When he finds me, I laugh and he barks. We are such wonderful friends.

Beau's and my ralks are about an hour long. I don't know exactly how far we go but it really doesn't matter I suppose. I just enjoy my time with my best-est buddy ever.... Beau. I relax. I enjoy the moment. My heart sings as I watch Beau run beside me... there is such a freedom in being who we were meant to be.

Just a Thought...

2010-03-03T06:55:00.004-05:00

to live,

to love,

to smile,

to hope,

to share,

to give,

to work,

to play...

I pray that we live our dash well today.

"Proud of You?"

2010-02-20T08:58:00.005-05:00

That's what David asks when he wants to know if I am proud of him.

"Yes, David," I reply, "I am so very proud of you!" I truly mean that. David does so many things that are... well .... difficult for him. It's the little things and thinks that you and I take for granted: making your bed, buttoning a shirt, zipping up your coat, tying your shoes, making breakfast for yourself, figuring out how to pour a drink without spilling, remembering to rinse out the bathroom sink so there isn't any toothpaste in it or looking both ways before walking across the street. David does each task with a lot of heart, concentration and reminders from me. He takes more time than you and me... but he does get the tasks done. :O)

Today was Special Olympics basketball. David is kind and non-aggressive. He bats at the basketball that his opponent is clutching. It's a half, floppy armed swing and usually the guy has already run past. David then motors as fast as he can to catchup with the other players. When he gets down to where everyone else is... I see his mind going but he's not sure what to do next.

"Where's the ball David?!" I yell with a smile from the side lines.

"Oh!" David mouths and starts looking for the basketball. There is a mass of sweaty bodies under the basket hoop. The ball goes up hard and misses. David's teammate grabs the ball and off everyone runs to the other side of the court. When David gets near the top of the key, he's yelling for the ball. He wants to shoot just like all the other teammates. He gets mad sometimes too. But, such is life as a Special Olympics basketball player. Everyone wants to shoot. It's an advanced skill for David to actually realize he doesn't have a shot and pass the basketball to an open teammate.

Well... today.... David did just that during a play. He was dribbling the ball down the court to his team's basketball hoop. David was running hard and wasn't going to have a shot but Eric was open. David passed the ball to Eric. Woo Hoo!

After the game was over and each team greeted the other with "Good Game!" and high-fives, I walked over to David and embraced him in a huge hug. "Yes David, I am so very proud of you!"

~

Sometimes we forget to tell people that we care about... how proud we are of them and that we love them. David is wise enough to ask me when he needs reassurance. I am not always so wise. I want to hear those words but I don't ask.

So today... even though they don't ask... tell someone that you care about... that you love them and that you are proud of them... even if it's for just the simple fact of them being in your life and sharing themselves with you.

SQUIRREL!!!

2010-02-04T15:10:00.005-05:00

Today... Beau is on squirrel patrol. The squirrels love my bird feeder food. I put out food for the squirrels in a squirrel lunchbox, but they don't share very well. Sooooo, the losers come over to the bird feeder.

Those renegade squirrels have to work at getting to the bird feeder: Some brave jumping from the nearby pine tree and others take a running leap up the pole that is halfway covered with PVC pipe.

Today...I would look up and out from my work and sure enough, there would be three hungry squirrels lined up to munch on bird food.

"SQUIRREL!!!" I yell.

Beau leaps to action! His tail is up. His ears are cocked forward. The hair on his back bristles.

"RrrroulllllllFFF"

His paws claw their way on the linoleum floor as he lunges for the open door. He rockets off the porch and chases those pesky critters up the closest maple tree.

It's great fun to watch! However... I don't think the squirrels think so.

Remedy for the Blues...

2010-02-03T08:25:00.013-05:00

Are you feeling tired?

Are you feeling bored or blue?

Do something nice.
Make someone's day.

A random act of kindness...
That's just the way...
To make your blues flutter away.

86,400...

2010-02-03T06:24:00.004-05:00

That is exactly how many seconds each and everyone of us has in a day. We can't add more. We can't take away. We can't save them. We can't slip them into our back pocket. We can't store them away for a rainy day. They are all ours to use, to squander, to share.... all 86,400 of them. That's all there is each and every day.

Those seconds sure seems like a lot of time... but it's amazing how quickly those seconds tick, tick, tick.... tock away. What are you going to do with your precious 86,400 seconds today?

Life with David...

2010-02-03T06:15:00.006-05:00

We were getting ready to go out for the evening. I had no makeup on. I was in a "lovely" white terry cloth bathrobe and pink fuzzy slippers with red and blue curlers in my hair. I was quite the sight. As I came out of the bathroom, there stood David.

He looked at me and smiled, "Mom! You're beautiful!"

My goodness, I love that kid of mine.

Just a Thought...

2010-01-20T13:45:00.005-05:00

Sometimes the little things in life just sneak up and blow by you before you even know they happened.

For me, I think it is because I am so busy with stuff I wasn't ready to look for them until it was too late. I have to watch that volume control on the white noise of my life. I need to have a more discerning palette of picking and choosing what to listen to, watch, read and do.

A Best Friend...

2010-01-10T02:03:00.007-05:00

People weave in and weave under,
They crossing in and cross over,
Entwining themselves into the fabric of our lives.
Parents, grandparents, sons and daughters... family...
Those pesky brothers and sisters of ours.
Coworkers, local store clerks and the waitress that delivers our meals.
Professors and preachers and Sunday school teachers...
The neighbors across the street.

But then there comes along... a pleasant surprise...
A blessing, an unspoken connection...
A best friend... a deep fathom of understanding.
A volunteer to walk beside me and sometimes help guide me,
A steady as life goes into it's twists and turns.
A soul to share the unknowing, the many facets of a life journey,
A loving light glowing in the mist of marching time.

There is small talk... shared tears, fears, foes and woes,
Shared joys, dances, boisterous laughter...
Celebrating all the good found between unique hearts.
Comfort in silence, a smile that speaks kindness,
A hug, a familiar voice on the other end of the phone.

Of all of life's riches...
Of all of life's wonders...
A best friend is a priceless treasure unbound.

Just a Thought...

2010-01-06T08:40:00.001-05:00

When you look at a person... what you look for... you will find.

Happy New Year 2010!

2009-12-31T12:04:00.004-05:00

This morning, on my run with Beau, I could see deer tracks in the freshly fallen snow. What is really cool, is that I found them on Main Street in Coopersville. Yes, the deer were out and about in downtown Coopersville. Coopersville is a small country town. There are pockets of trees scattered throughout. Also, Coopersville is surrounded by small creeks, farmers' fields and lots of wooded areas. So, it should not be a surprise to me to see the deer tracks in town... but it always does.

This morning, I called Beau over to smell the deer tracks. He was so excited. He followed them here and there, back and forth, so excited to smell a new smell. He bounded towards the park and woods where the deer went and then quickly turn and bound back to me. He would jump and prance and bound back to the woods. I just laughed and smiled. Oh, to have such joy in the little things of life.

This day, I wish for you a new year filled with boundless joy of the little discoveries that are put in your life's path.

God's peace and joy to you always,
Jody

Wintry Magic

2009-12-19T08:42:00.016-05:00

There was magic in the air on that snowy winter's day.

The snowflakes were big and such a bright white

My eyes had to squint to take in the whole sight.

As the snow flakes floated and dipped and came lazily down,

I had visions of a snowman so happy, so round.

He would have great smile and a carrot for a nose

Black buttons for his round chest and

Branches for his arms to strike a nice pose.

A long red scarf and a reindeer hat,

I smiled and giggled at the thought of that.

For a snowman wants to know no heat

Except from the heart of a child's great feat.

A certain wintry magic must fill the chilled air.

The snow can never be too warm and must never be too cold,

For a grand jolly snowman to make and to mold.

And what of the magic that resides in the heart?

To make a jolly snowman, a playful heart must come to stay

And fill the snow with love and care...you know it's much better that way.

It takes loving time to shape and to mold,

Chilled air filled with laughter, the magical incantation to unfold.

The magic of winter and the magic of snow,

The magic of a child's heart to make a snowman so grand and so cheery

That he, in turn, makes winter a warm season to be merry.

He's Our Neighbor...

2009-12-18T10:00:00.000-05:00

"Mom, who's that?" asks David as we drive away in our truck.

"David," I pause. I look at him and smile, "He's our neighbor."

~

A man lost…

My son, David, and I had just finished Christmas shopping at the mall. We were heading to Meijer in Standale to get some groceries and other odds and ends. It was about 4:30pm on that cold wintery Saturday afternoon.

As we drove along on our merry way, singing Christmas carols and laughing, my heart sank. We passed a small frail looking man struggling on a bike to get up a steep icy snow-packed hill on Wilson drive. He had groceries in the front basket. The traffic was zipping along at 55+ mph. The winter air was icy cold and blowing hard.

"It's going to get dark soon David," I thought out loud.

I watched the man struggle in my review mirror. I felt something tug at my heart. There was that small voice inside talking to me, telling me that I should do something... anything.

As quick as I safely could, I turned my truck around at the top of the hill. We passed the man again. He was still heading up the steep hill. I turned my truck into the Johnson Park entrance. I hurried out of the truck and ran as fast as I could up the hill to catch up with the man. I yelled for him to stop. He turned. I have no idea how old he was. He was Asian in feature.

"No English," he says.

"It's cold. Let me help you," I pleaded with him on that icy road. I pointed to my truck, "Let me take you home."

He nodded and turned his bike towards my warm truck. I was so relieved.

Together, we walk down the hill in silence. The traffic buzzing around us. When we got to the truck, I had David move to the bench seat behind the passenger side seat. I put our guest's bike and my packages in the bed of the truck. I loaded his groceries beside David. Finally, we were all inside the warm running vehicle.

"Let me take you home," I looked at the nice man. "Where do you live?"

He spoke but I didn't understand anything he said. He motioned for something to write with.

He wrote down the street address for me on a piece of paper. There was no city on it. I turned my truck north in the same direction he had been going. As I drive along, I tell him to point which way he wants me to go. As I am talking, I point to the left and to the right. He does not seem to know what I am trying to say.

We drive to about 6 miles north to Lake Michigan Drive. As we sit at the intersection. I ask him again, "Which way?" I point straight. I point right. I point left.

He points left. We drive another 3 miles out to Aman Park. I stop there. My weary guest looks concerned. So am I.

"I don't know what to do!" I said to myself. My mind was racing. "I'll call Jeff. What am I going to tell him? Would he be angry with me for picking up a stranger and possibly put myself and David in some danger?"

I looked at the kindly gentleman beside me on the seat. I smiled.

"I'm going to call my husband. He can help, " I told my guest.

Jeff picks up the phone, "Hello."

"Honey, I’ve picked up a nice man and he’s lost. He doesn't speak any English. He wrote down the address. Can you help me help him?’

"Sure," Jeff cheerfully replies.

He got on his GPS. I read off the street address to him. He keyed in the address. We guessed the city was Grandville. The GPS found it. Jeff directed me to go back the way I came. That was 12 miles away! Together, we found the man’s home.

I pulled the truck into the ice packed driveway. I unloaded the bike and groceries. I wished my guest a "Merry Christmas" and I bowed. He smiled and turned towards home.

~

The man lives in an apartment at the top of the steps.

There is so much I want to know about this man. Where does he come from? Does he have family here in the Michigan. I might never know but I know for sure that God used Jeff, David and me to be this man’s angel that late winter afternoon. I was so humbled and shaken. I was also scared. What if I had not listened? What if I had not stopped? Why was he out on a bike in such cold weather? Was he hungry and need to get food?

Everyone has a decision to make at any given moment. The most random of all might be your most important task. So, please. Slow down. Turn off the TV or the radio. Open your heart to all that is good and gentle and kind. Listen to the whispers in your heart. Be bold if you must but act on the good whispers of your heart. God might be asking you to be his angel to someone in need.

The following week: David and I went shopping. We picked up a chicken, fresh vegetables, and rice. We stopped at the nice man’s home. I knocked on the door. ‘Merry Christmas!’ I said to him and his smiling wife and left. I really hope they do.

Just a Thought...

2009-12-18T09:00:00.000-05:00

Surround yourself with good things. Beautiful artwork. Cheery music. Good friends. Wonderful family. Enjoy the priceless treasures of your life.

Hungarian Goulash

2009-12-17T09:31:00.003-05:00

I guess with the cold season here in Michigan, I cook more. It helps keep me warm and makes the house smell wonderful. I get my Hungarian background from my father's side of the family. My Grandma Homoki was a wonderful cook. She passed many dishes onto my mother. I loved the chucks of vegetables and chucks of beef in her soups and stews. Paprika was a favorite spice.

Yesterday, I decided to make some Hungarian Goulash. Here is the recipe I followed:

1 large onion, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1 small green pepper, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
6 cups of water
2.5 pounds of beef stew meat, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
2 tablespoons of paprika
4 teaspoons of salt
1/4 teaspoon of red pepper
1/4 teaspoon of caraway seed
1 16-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
1.5 pounds potatoes, cut into 3/4 inch cubes (I don't peel my potatoes, just wash thoroughly)

1) In large pot, over medium-low heat, in 1 cup of water (now my grandmother would have used lard here) cook onions, green pepper and garlic just until onion is tender, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2) Add paprika, salt, red pepper and caraway seed. Stir until well blended.

3) Add 5 cups water, beef and crushed tomatoes; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 1.5 hours or until meat is fork-tender.

3) Add potatoes; cover and cook 30 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.

4) Ladle into warm soup plates and serve at once.

I serve my goulash with homemade dinner rolls. It is a treat to eat them cut into half with sweet butter on top. David likes dunking his roll into the goulash.

Making this dish brings back warm memories. Enjoy.

Double Chocolate Brownies

2009-12-17T08:28:00.005-05:00

For Christmas this year, like every year, I do a lot of varieties of chocolate cookies. Jeff and David absolutely love chocolate. This year I found a wonderful chocolate brownie recipe and thought I would share. It came from the Hersey's Cocoa container I had in my cupboard. I added chocolate chips to the recipe. Jeff and David love them.

Hershey's Best Brownies:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 eggs
1 cup All-purpose flour (I do 2/3 cups flour and 1/3 cup whole wheat flour)
3/4 cup Hershey's cocoa (or Hershey's Special Dark cocoa)
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup Hershey's semi-sweet chocolate chips (or Hershey's milk chocolate when using the Special Dark)

1) Heat oven to 350 F. Grease 13x9x2-inch baking pan
2) Microwave butter in large bowl until melted. Stir in sugar and vanilla
3) Add eggs, one at a time, beating well with spoon or whisk after each addition
4) Add flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; beat until well blended
5) Stir in chocolate chips
6) Pour into pan
7) Bake brownies 30-35 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan
8) Cool completely

Now... it says it makes 36 brownies. Well that all depends on how big you cut them. :O)

I have also doubled this recipe. Wonderful. However, the bake time was about 70 minutes. I kept a close eye on the baking to make sure it didn't burn. Your time may vary. I used a toothpick to test the center. I waited until the pick came out almost clean. :O) We like chewy brownies.

Enjoy.

A Little Miracle in Pictures

2009-12-03T14:08:00.004-05:00

Life has been good even though I lost my full-time job back in October. We have cut back on the extra things. We keep the house a little cooler. We turned the lights off more readily. We don't make extra trips to the grocery store or bank. We double them up with other errands.

Each fall, David, along with his classmates, gets his school picture taken. Now David loves getting his pictures because he likes to hand them out to his friends. It's a really big day for him to bring home "the package." Well, this year, we decided that we would do without. My heart was very sad to make this decision but it was a good one to make. I figured we could take David's picture here at home, print off a number wallet-sized copies for him to hand out to his friends. I thought that it was a good choice to make for David and the family budget.

Well, yesterday, David came home with his package of school pictures. I was so excited for him and at the same time.... devastated for him too. I thought I would have to tell him that we couldn't keep them. I didn't pay for them.

I called the number on the package cover.

"Good Afternoon, Geskus' photography," came the cheery voice on the other end of the phone.

"Hi! My name is Jody Meyer," I smiled back to her. "My son, David, is a student with the Ottawa Area Center school system. He brought home his school picture package, but I didn't order any pictures. I ordered just the yearbook."

"Hmmm.... that's odd. Let me check," she politely responded. I gave her the number on the side of the package.

"There is no order for pictures here for that number," she puzzled out loud.

I hesitated at the news but asked, "What would you like me to do with these pictures? Would you like me to send them back?"

At the same time, I pondered in my heart, "How am I going to tell David?"

She cheerfully responded, "Oh, you can keep them."

"What? Really?" I responded in disbelief. "Oh my God, thank you! This means so much! You see, I lost my job in October and we had to cut back on expenses. That's why we didn't order any pictures, just the yearbook."

"Well, then it worked out just right!" she smiled back. "Happy holidays!"

"Oh my God, thank you!" I started to cry as I hung up the phone.

I bowed my head on the kitchen counter with the silent phone still in my hand, "Dear Lord God, thank you for this miracle. It might seem little to others but for me, for David... this is huge! Oh my God, thank you!"

"Thank you!"

~

Later that night, David signed the back of his 20 wallet-sized Christmas pictures to give to his friends at school.

I just smiled. What a wonderful gift to me too. I get to see my son rejoice in sharing himself with his friends. Thank you.

Life with David...

2009-11-27T10:09:00.004-05:00

It's the day after Thanksgiving. Today, David has no school. For breakfast, we sit down to leftover turkey dinner. I finish and clean my place. Soon, I am in my office talking to a potential partner in software development. I use my loud speaker so the words echo around and out the room. David comes in with a hope-filled look on his face. He wants to talk too.

I point to the door and whisper, "Go!"

David's head goes down and shuffles to the door and goes out.

One minute later, David is sitting on the extra chair in my office. I am still on the phone.

I point to the door and with a stern face, whisper, "Go!"

David's head goes down and shuffles to the door and goes out.

Deep in conversation, I hear David giggling and Beau barking. I turn my attention to the office door. David goes running past with Beau on his heels. Five seconds later, there goes David again in the opposite direction, running past giggling with Beau taking chase. This goes on back and forth for a few minutes. I can't stand it anymore and burst into a deep belly laugh.

"Um, I am sorry!" I apologize to my colleague on the other end of the phone. "But, David is running back and forth in front of the office door with Beau chasing him. He really wanted to talk to you but I sent him out of the room. This is his way of dealing with the rejection."

"That's okay!" He smiles. "I've read about David in your blog. Great kid. We can learn a lot from him." We both laugh.

I hang up the phone and the first thing I do is give David a huge hug.

Gotta love that son of mine.

Life with David...

2009-11-25T06:54:00.006-05:00

This morning, David walks into the bathroom. Boldly faces the mirror and rips open his fluffy white cotton bathrobe and exposes his royal blue Superman t-shirt hidden beneath.

"Yup! I Clark Kent! I Superman!"

Kindness...

2009-11-24T08:12:00.004-05:00

'I expect to pass through this life but once.

If, therefore, there can be any kindness I can show,

or any good thing I can do to any fellow being,

let me do it now,

for I shall not return this way again.'

~ William Penn

Dirty Dishes

2009-11-23T07:00:00.003-05:00

Thank God for dirty dishes;
They have a tale to tell.
While other folks go hungry,
We're eating pretty well.

With home, and health, and happiness,
We shouldn't want to fuss;
For by this stack of evidence,
God's very good to us.

~author unknown

Just a Thought...

2009-11-18T17:10:00.003-05:00

Life is like going into a candy store with only a dollar. There is so much good stuff to choose from...but you can only choose a few pieces.

Choose wisely. :O)

Grand Rapids Give Camp 2009

2009-11-18T06:29:00.004-05:00

Can you imagine.... 100 developers, designers, database administrators, marketers and non-technical volunteers coming together for 3 days to help 24 local non-profit organizations (http://GRGiveCamp.org/2009/non-profits/selected) revamp websites, create new ones or go from spreadsheets to a database management solutions.

Well rub your eyes, hold back that disbelief, that chuckle, that shaking of the head, it's not a fairytale... it's true. It happened at the downtown YMCA here in Grand Rapids, Michigan from Friday, November 13, starting with registration beginning at 4pm to Sunday, November 15, ending with demonstrations of the finished projects starting at 3pm. How do I know.... I was there.

I was a project manager, content editor, gofer, and taxi driver and "You want what? Sure thing!" person. I got to hover between all the projects but I helped out most with the Living Water Prison Ministries Network and Girl Scouts of Michigan Shore to Shore projects. It was wonderful to spend time with both projects and watch them develop. Both teams were absolutely amazing.

The Girl Scouts wanted an online volunteer form instead of just the hard copy version. The goal was to have a new potential volunteer be able to fill out an online form, ensure that all the required fields were filled in, then press the submit button. An Access database then needed to be updated.

The Living Water Prison Ministries Network wanted a new website. That's right. There wasn't one before the GRGiveCamp started. (http://livingwaterpmn.org/)

It was amazing to watch a desired need become real. Strangers become friends. Tired minds and bodies rejuvenate as each task was accomplished. Some of the team members slept right there at the YMCA.

Chris Woodruff and the GRGiveCamp team did an spectacular job of organizing this massive event. Can you imagine trying to feed all these people? Where were they going to stay if they needed sleep or get cleaned up? How about making sure that the nonprofits had everything they needed to spec out the project and have the technologies in place to start the software development side of the equation. How about matching talents with needs? Can you imagine? All I can say is WOW! and Woo Hoo! and Job Well Done. Thank you! You made it an awesome experience.

Despite the YMCA getting a little cold. Despite sleeping under the tables, in the corners and on the floor. Despite cold food and running out of Red Bull shots. Despite missing out on billable hours. Despite missing out on family time... it was time well spent. I wouldn't miss it for the world.

Maybe next year ... you can experience the power of the human spirit too ... coming together for a short, brief time called GRGiveCamp. All you have to do... is sign up. (http://GrGiveCamp.Org/About/Other)