Fall is a new season, and that’s when women feel a need to go shopping. It’s important because every year styles change, and women need to keep up.
I realize that such change is manufactured by the fashion industry strictly to make money. Advertising and merchandising drive the change in fashions so shoppers will add to their wardrobe to look modern. If this were not so, we would all wear the same clothes year after year (some of us do anyway).
You have heard people say that fashions will be back again if one keeps them long enough, and it certainly does seem that the 70’s are back with madras plaid and tie dye. The girls in my office love tie dye, but me, not so much. I was there when it went around before.
I notice that many of the clothes for young girls are decorated with the 70’s peace symbol. Again, I was there. I remember it being used to protest nuclear weapons and the Viet Nam war and by rock groups to protest one thing or another (I’m not sure what the young girls are protesting). Even though the symbol has been widely used since the 70’s, the world has known little peace. Still, today it’s the fashion.
I have to chuckle as I think about leisure suits for men coming back into fashion. It could happen, I suppose. After all, the pastel colored shirts have made their re-entry into my husband’s closet. Early in his teaching career, he had several pastel-colored shirts with coordinating ties; but in the years that followed, those gave way to very light or white shirts and then were followed by the “power” steel gray shirts and now back to the pastels. Even worse, however, a man needs regular updates to know how wide ties are supposed to be. I guess it’s possible that ties could be out and leisure suits could re-appear.
I just realized that in speaking of little girls’ fashions, they, too, are now wearing ties with their outfits. I think I need a scorecard to keep track.
I was giving advice to a young man the other day about young ladies and mentioned that beauty on the inside was the important thing. He nodded slightly but then responded, “But I kinda’ like the outside.” Sigh.
One other thought: if you turn a peace symbol upside down, it resembles a person with hands raised in praise to God. Wouldn’t that have a better chance at finding peace?
Monday, August 23, 2010
Friday, August 20, 2010
A Nice Place to Visit, But . . .
This has been an unusual week. We left home about 5:30 Monday morning for Chicago, a 4½ hour trip. I had a job-related workshop that lasted until late Wednesday afternoon when we got back in the car and headed to the other Illinois.
One wouldn’t think that sitting in meetings could make a person tired, but I was worn out. For one thing, the presenters over-taxed my brain with too much information in a short time. I took frantic notes, but remembering what I needed was and is challenging.
I did, however, meet some really great people there. The presenters divided one group of about 100 of us into two main groups—urban and rural. That was a terrific idea. The members of each group then had much more in common. From those two large groups, we formed smaller discussion groups.
The lesson learned was that there is an extreme difference between urban life and rural life and both have strengths and weaknesses. Although our rural group represented various states, the challenges we faced were very similar.
There was a man from south Kansas who reminded me of George Goebel (you’re telling your age if you remember him), as he didn’t laugh or smile much but had such a dry sense of humor that he kept the rest of us in stitches.
There weren’t many of us from Illinois. A really pretty lady from southern Missouri was so sweet, soft spoken, and smart. One lady was from Ohio who said she heard so many words that her head was spinning. A friend of mine from Indiana made the workshop much more enjoyable.
As I write about these people, I realize they were not only “rural” but were all from the midwest. Maybe that was another common bond that drew us together. There were people from almost every state, Washington DC, and Guam. The workshop was held in a huge Chicago hotel, and I needed a map to get to my meeting rooms.
Don’t you wonder if heaven will be like that? Will it be crowded (we do want everyone to go there)? Will there be divisions like rural and urban? Will there be grass and concrete? Will there be a Midwest segment? I don’t have a clue, but I am sure there won’t be a separate Methodist section and a Baptist one, etc. I can’t imagine how heaven is organized, but I am sure I know who is in charge.
Hmmmm. Fields of corn or lanes of traffic?
One wouldn’t think that sitting in meetings could make a person tired, but I was worn out. For one thing, the presenters over-taxed my brain with too much information in a short time. I took frantic notes, but remembering what I needed was and is challenging.
I did, however, meet some really great people there. The presenters divided one group of about 100 of us into two main groups—urban and rural. That was a terrific idea. The members of each group then had much more in common. From those two large groups, we formed smaller discussion groups.
The lesson learned was that there is an extreme difference between urban life and rural life and both have strengths and weaknesses. Although our rural group represented various states, the challenges we faced were very similar.
There was a man from south Kansas who reminded me of George Goebel (you’re telling your age if you remember him), as he didn’t laugh or smile much but had such a dry sense of humor that he kept the rest of us in stitches.
There weren’t many of us from Illinois. A really pretty lady from southern Missouri was so sweet, soft spoken, and smart. One lady was from Ohio who said she heard so many words that her head was spinning. A friend of mine from Indiana made the workshop much more enjoyable.
As I write about these people, I realize they were not only “rural” but were all from the midwest. Maybe that was another common bond that drew us together. There were people from almost every state, Washington DC, and Guam. The workshop was held in a huge Chicago hotel, and I needed a map to get to my meeting rooms.
Don’t you wonder if heaven will be like that? Will it be crowded (we do want everyone to go there)? Will there be divisions like rural and urban? Will there be grass and concrete? Will there be a Midwest segment? I don’t have a clue, but I am sure there won’t be a separate Methodist section and a Baptist one, etc. I can’t imagine how heaven is organized, but I am sure I know who is in charge.
♫ All hail, King Jesus!
All hail, Emmanuel!
King of Kings, Lord of Lords.
Bright Morning Star!
And throughout eternity
I'm going to praise Him
And forevermore
I will reign with Him!"
Hmmmm. Fields of corn or lanes of traffic?
Sunday, August 8, 2010
The King and I
Oh my--life can get hectic! Here it is Sunday afternoon and it’s the first time I’ve had an opportunity to blog. Well, it’s the first time I’ve taken time; I suppose I have chosen to do other things. Sometimes I complain about my lack of time when the issue is really my lack of efficiency.
I have been trying to organize my photographs from our vacation and want to make an official album using the best ones. That album is at the top of my “must do” list. I have several other “must do” things and quite a few “should do” items. Unfortunately, both categories often fall behind my “want to do” activities.
Speaking of “must do” and “must not do” items, the Rock Group has been studying some of both kinds in 2 Samuel with King David. The first 10 chapters tell of the prosperity of David’s reign. The next 2 describe the danger of too much fame or fortune (read current newspapers), and the last 12 illustrate the decline caused by David's bad choices that God calls “sin.” I haven’t thought this through but it occurs to me that while David was struggling to find God’s plan for him and particularly while he, as king, was seeking to actively live that plan, it was a time of prosperity personally, professionally, and nationally. However, when he stopped climbing and began to coast, he lost it.
“In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war,” David sent his army but he stayed home and wandered around out on the patio. Instead of following his “must do” or “should do” activities, he went for the “want to do” when he saw a beautiful woman. Even after learning she was the wife of his loyal bodyguard (a man willing to taking a bullet for him), he knowingly and willingly committed the sins of adultery and murder.
It goes downhill from there. However, David, in one very important way, was a role model for screw-ups (and we all do mess up at times). David ran TOWARD God rather than away from Him. There was one thing David understood, “where else is there to go?” If we believe that God is who He says He is, where else is there?
I once ran away from home when I was young. I went to a friend’s house to play even though I had been told “No.” When I was finished playing, I only had one place to go. I knew I was in trouble, but I had no other home. Not facing my mother was not an option. If God is, there is nowhere to run or hide from Him. I went home, took my punishment, got my hug afterward, and life went on. Lesson learned!
For my sin as a little girl, there was some pain but no collateral damage. For adults, sin has painful and far-reaching consequences often with devastating collateral damage.
Studying for this lesson, I learned that David wrote Psalm 51 at that time. We used to sing part of it.
♫ “Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
And sustain me with a willing spirit.
David understood that those of us who have been forgiven much can turn and help other runaways find their way back home.
“Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners will be converted to You.”
Now, about those "must do" items. . .
I have been trying to organize my photographs from our vacation and want to make an official album using the best ones. That album is at the top of my “must do” list. I have several other “must do” things and quite a few “should do” items. Unfortunately, both categories often fall behind my “want to do” activities.
Speaking of “must do” and “must not do” items, the Rock Group has been studying some of both kinds in 2 Samuel with King David. The first 10 chapters tell of the prosperity of David’s reign. The next 2 describe the danger of too much fame or fortune (read current newspapers), and the last 12 illustrate the decline caused by David's bad choices that God calls “sin.” I haven’t thought this through but it occurs to me that while David was struggling to find God’s plan for him and particularly while he, as king, was seeking to actively live that plan, it was a time of prosperity personally, professionally, and nationally. However, when he stopped climbing and began to coast, he lost it.
“In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war,” David sent his army but he stayed home and wandered around out on the patio. Instead of following his “must do” or “should do” activities, he went for the “want to do” when he saw a beautiful woman. Even after learning she was the wife of his loyal bodyguard (a man willing to taking a bullet for him), he knowingly and willingly committed the sins of adultery and murder.
It goes downhill from there. However, David, in one very important way, was a role model for screw-ups (and we all do mess up at times). David ran TOWARD God rather than away from Him. There was one thing David understood, “where else is there to go?” If we believe that God is who He says He is, where else is there?
I once ran away from home when I was young. I went to a friend’s house to play even though I had been told “No.” When I was finished playing, I only had one place to go. I knew I was in trouble, but I had no other home. Not facing my mother was not an option. If God is, there is nowhere to run or hide from Him. I went home, took my punishment, got my hug afterward, and life went on. Lesson learned!
For my sin as a little girl, there was some pain but no collateral damage. For adults, sin has painful and far-reaching consequences often with devastating collateral damage.
Studying for this lesson, I learned that David wrote Psalm 51 at that time. We used to sing part of it.
♫ “Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
And sustain me with a willing spirit.
David understood that those of us who have been forgiven much can turn and help other runaways find their way back home.
“Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners will be converted to You.”
Now, about those "must do" items. . .
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Some Like it Hot (not me)
Is this hot or what? I don’t think I can remember a summer quite like this. My mother used to tell me about the summer of 1936 when the heat was unbearable for weeks. She said that she and my dad waited until dark and then carried their mattress outside under the trees and slept there because the house would not cool down. Since her stories about that crazy summer, I have noticed on the weather reports that the record highs are frequently from that year. Are we setting any new records?
I do remember the summer of 1983 and the heat and drought we experienced in southeastern Illinois that year. I wasn’t out in the heat much, however, as I spent most of that summer in bed with a sciatic nerve problem. That was a nightmare! For weeks I could not sit or stand without severe pain. Lying down wasn’t that comfortable either, although I learned I could lie down and break green beans.
In August that year, when I could again be mobile, a good friend’s daughter got married. Our family—my husband and kids aged 11, 8, 5, and 2, got all dressed up to attend. Afterwards, since we all looked sooo pretty, we (or I) decided to take a family picture. As we had a camera with a timer on it, the six of us trekked into the back yard, practiced several different poses, and then placed the camera on the patio wall with the timer set to take our fabulous family photo. It was hysterical; my favorite of the shots taken was of my husband’s back running to get into his spot. I think we did get one or two reasonable pictures, but what we remember most as we look at the pictures, is the horrid condition of our lawn. It was totally brown straw looking with hardly a blade of green grass. Our lawn was only a couple of years old at the time, and we had spent time and money on good seed, plenty of fertilizer, and water to make it lush and green. Our lawn was destroyed and we had to replant grass and begin again that fall.
Losing our lawn was not nearly as important as what happened to the local farmers that summer. Some did not have enough grain in the field to even bother trying to harvest it. It was devastating! When I see television reports of farmers losing their crops to rain, drought, or freezing temperatures, I feel so badly for them. That’s not something one recovers from very soon, if ever. I’m not sure we ever really did.
Oh, there have been other years when temperatures have been awful and rainfall not what we needed. A few years ago, there was way too much rain and the levees did not hold; farms and towns were flooded. Some of our neighboring towns were ravaged by flood waters, homes were destroyed, and acres of fields were covered by several feet of sand from the river.
I guess I said all that negative stuff to say that while we are certainly uncomfortable, we can rejoice that times are not as bad as they could be. At times like these, I’m glad to live in a shady rural small town. While there are so many more opportunities in concrete cities, I shudder to think of the heat produced and held by those buildings. However, wherever we find ourselves, we should remember to be good neighbors and check on those who might need extra care.
We should also thank our God for sending us rains through this heat wave. While we are thanking Him, it wouldn’t hurt to ask Him for cooler temperatures, prosperous fields and gardens, and rain as it is needed. I do notice that whenever the weather is threatening, whether storms, excessive winds, floods, droughts, hurricanes, tornadoes, or tsunamis, man’s efforts to take charge are futile. We often think we are so powerful until real power is demonstrated.
“For thine is the kingdom,
and the POWER,
and the glory
Forever. Amen.”
I do remember the summer of 1983 and the heat and drought we experienced in southeastern Illinois that year. I wasn’t out in the heat much, however, as I spent most of that summer in bed with a sciatic nerve problem. That was a nightmare! For weeks I could not sit or stand without severe pain. Lying down wasn’t that comfortable either, although I learned I could lie down and break green beans.
In August that year, when I could again be mobile, a good friend’s daughter got married. Our family—my husband and kids aged 11, 8, 5, and 2, got all dressed up to attend. Afterwards, since we all looked sooo pretty, we (or I) decided to take a family picture. As we had a camera with a timer on it, the six of us trekked into the back yard, practiced several different poses, and then placed the camera on the patio wall with the timer set to take our fabulous family photo. It was hysterical; my favorite of the shots taken was of my husband’s back running to get into his spot. I think we did get one or two reasonable pictures, but what we remember most as we look at the pictures, is the horrid condition of our lawn. It was totally brown straw looking with hardly a blade of green grass. Our lawn was only a couple of years old at the time, and we had spent time and money on good seed, plenty of fertilizer, and water to make it lush and green. Our lawn was destroyed and we had to replant grass and begin again that fall.
Losing our lawn was not nearly as important as what happened to the local farmers that summer. Some did not have enough grain in the field to even bother trying to harvest it. It was devastating! When I see television reports of farmers losing their crops to rain, drought, or freezing temperatures, I feel so badly for them. That’s not something one recovers from very soon, if ever. I’m not sure we ever really did.
Oh, there have been other years when temperatures have been awful and rainfall not what we needed. A few years ago, there was way too much rain and the levees did not hold; farms and towns were flooded. Some of our neighboring towns were ravaged by flood waters, homes were destroyed, and acres of fields were covered by several feet of sand from the river.
I guess I said all that negative stuff to say that while we are certainly uncomfortable, we can rejoice that times are not as bad as they could be. At times like these, I’m glad to live in a shady rural small town. While there are so many more opportunities in concrete cities, I shudder to think of the heat produced and held by those buildings. However, wherever we find ourselves, we should remember to be good neighbors and check on those who might need extra care.
We should also thank our God for sending us rains through this heat wave. While we are thanking Him, it wouldn’t hurt to ask Him for cooler temperatures, prosperous fields and gardens, and rain as it is needed. I do notice that whenever the weather is threatening, whether storms, excessive winds, floods, droughts, hurricanes, tornadoes, or tsunamis, man’s efforts to take charge are futile. We often think we are so powerful until real power is demonstrated.
“For thine is the kingdom,
and the POWER,
and the glory
Forever. Amen.”
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