It was a wonderful weekend.  The Vale family, our friends and neighbors, arrived Friday night at our cottage.  It was their first visit here, as their summer has been most busy, between vacations, 4-H week (in which we participated together with our children), camp, and Vacation Bible School.

 We had planned to have grilled hamburgers for dinner, but after showing them around the cottage and the lake, it had gotten dark.  Hubby didn’t feel like grilling in the dark and fighting mosquitoes at the same time, so he came up with an excellent suggestion.  Go out for pizza.  We went to a restaurant in town that we’d not been to before, but it had plenty of seating and we decided to take our chances.  We ordered pizza, breadsticks, pop, and for dessert we got ice cream on a warm chocolate chip cookie.  The parents sat at one table, the 4 boys at another, and the 4 girls at their own table, too.  It seemed as everyone had an enjoyable time visiting with one another.

When we got back to the cottage we stayed up a while talking, and then went to bed at around 10:00 p.m.  Everyone got up early Saturday morning.    I made bacon, hash browns, English muffins, and scrambled eggs.  All twelve of us tightly fit around the dining room table and enjoyed our breakfast.  It was a nice way to start the day.

We went out on a boat ride and when we came home, we ate again.  This time, we grilled the hamburgers that were supposed to be last night’s dinner.  For dessert, we had Margie’s delicious homemade Apple Crisp that she had made from apples on our ranch. 

The rest of the afternoon was spent swimming and on jet skis.  We concluded the day with one more boat ride before the sun was to set.  This time the kids got pulled on tubes through the water.  When we got back to the cottage, we had supper.  I had a roast cooking in the crock pot all day (and potatoes).  Dinner was informal and everyone ate and talked together.  We discussed politics, the financial crisis facing the U.S., church, and the best topic of all - building a temporary stable for our growing ranch.  Mike says he has extra material left over from the building of his own barn. He and my hubby drew a barn on a napkin, discussed which pasture it would be built in, and how long it would take.  Mike says we could have it done rather quickly - perhaps in four weeks. 

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The season for the cottage is coming to an end, as the weekends are getting cooler.  It will soon be but a memory.   Our first year here on this lake I am filled with pleasant memories of my entire family, my married children and their spouse and children, my brother David and his two children, filling a tiny little cottage with people wall to wall.  There was only one teeny bathroom, and not even close to the amount of beds needed (people slept on couches, chairs, and sleeping bags on the floor – it was literally wall to wall people!)  I have many good memories from our summers spent like this.

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Last summer, I am filled with many precious memories of having my in-laws join us here at the lake.  We were able to spend more time with them what we are usually afforded.  We had a lot of good times and shared many laughs.  I am thankful for that season of fellowship with them.

This summer, our church families joined us here.  This added a new dimension of fellowship – not just a Sunday morning, but a weekend adventure!  We had church service Saturday night before going to bed, and then church on Sunday morning after breakfast.  It was as a Weekend Retreat.  

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We’ve made new friends this summer.  A family we didn’t know all too well spent Labor Day weekend with us, from Friday night to Monday morning.  This is one way to quickly get to know someone – by spending three nights and two full days together! 

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And this past weekend – we added one more picture page to our memory book for the summer of 2008. 

It was a blessed weekend.  We left for the cottage Friday evening after having dinner with Matt and Kristi.  We often arrive late, as we did this night, but instead of going to bed right away, we almost always stay up and play a while. 

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In our school time, we are reading a historical novel called, Beric the Briton, by G.A. Henty. On this late night, Rachel asked if we could read a chapter with Dad, and so we did.  Were someone to have been walking  on the sidewalk in front of our cottage this late evening, they would  have seen through our front door a happy family playing and reading together late into the evenings. After reading one chapter with dad from this novel, being the history lover that he is, we read chapter after chapter together, even on the trip home.  Just before going to bed last night, all the kids climbed on our bed, and we read more pages before going to sleep.

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The highlight of the weekend was visiting with my husband’s parents Sunday evening.  It has been some time since we have seen them last, and it was wonderful to fellowship with them.

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Looking ahead at this week, it is a busy one.  There are several business events I am to participate in ; a doctor’s appointment in a city some distance away; music lessons for the children; a dinner with business associates; and another evening  planned with my husband’s parents.

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I am looking forward to school this week.  The first week was a little rough; the second week was a bit smoother; and now, coming in to the third week, I am looking forwards to an excellent week.  I am starting with a clean and organized home – that in itself sets the foundation and backdrop for a good school setting.  I am going to plan our dinners more thoroughly this week, in light of the time that I have (or don’t have). 

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Peripheral activities that I wish to do this week – go horseback riding (hopefully today), and visit my daughter Becky and grandbabies.

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This upcoming weekend we have friends invited to the cottage.  Rachel and I are looking forward to this and planning the meals. 

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It looks like a very busy, but fulfilling, week ahead of me!

Through my reading this past weekend, in preparation for this coming school week, I’ve been reminded that our school time is not just about the Three R’s.  It’s about training the whole child.   Even the children’s squabbles are to be viewed as opportunities to deal with the issues of the heart and to learn to respond to one another in spiritual wisdom and love.

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Today, I got to practice my skill at handling squabbles.  In days gone by, it was my practice to dismiss their arguments – to instruct them to handle it between their selves.  I had too much to do, too much on my plate to slow down, to handle immature, aggravating, childish squabbles.  A few years ago, I read the book,  Saying Goodbye to Whining, Complaining, and Bad Attitudes...in you and your kids! ( by Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller.)  and since then, I have attempted to slow down, pay attention, and attempt to use these squabbles as platforms in which to train my children in better relations with one another.  With that said, though, it is still easy to slip back into my old ways.

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This afternoon, Ruthie and Joshua came running up to me, all excited and in a fuss about a pair of water goggles.  Our guest for the weekend, Micah, had the other pair and needed them because of his contacts.  This left only one pair for in which two children would have to share, and it was Ruthie’s.

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Ruthie didn’t think she should have to share. The boys hadn’t been nice to her; Joshua never shares with her; and she had been looking forward to looking for shells with her goggles.  Both children had raised voices.  I stood there, not really wanting to deal with this totally childish argument.  The easiest thing would be to demand that Ruthie share with Joshua.  But, I decided to practice what I’d been reminded of this weekend, and to give their squabble the attention they were demanding.  I sent up a prayer for wisdom, for whatever way I would choose, I was sure to make someone unhappy.

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I brought them both into a room and sat down on the floor with them.  I explained to them that I understood that they both felt it was their right to this pair of goggles. I told them that I wanted Ruthie to go first, to explain why she felt she should not share this pair of goggles.  With tears in her eyes, she explained how mean the boys had been to her, and how they didn’t deserve her pair of goggles after that.

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On Joshua’s side, he wasn’t asking for a whole lot.  He thought they should share it equally, with equal time (he had given his up for our guest).  He went on to explain that the only reason he really wanted them was so that when they went to the floating dock and began to play their games, he could see under water to give him the advantage.

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I repeated to Joshua and Ruthie what I had just heard them both say, and they agreed that I heard them correctly. I acknowledged Ruthie’s feelings of feeling dumped on, and being treated unfairly by the boys.  But, I told her, that I thought Joshua’s request was not unreasonable.  Who bought this pair of goggles in the first place? (Mom and dad)

Would Jesus demand his right to this pair of goggles?  Or would he share it?  Ruthie conceded that Jesus would not fight over this and that He would not demand His way.

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I then turned to Joshua and corrected him on his treatment of Ruthie.  In the end, they were both happy.  Ruthie realized Joshua just wanted her goggles for a short period of time, and she felt vindicated that he had been corrected for his wrong behavior towards her.   Joshua was happy that he got his fair share with the goggles.

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I really couldn’t believe how happy they both ran off together.  I thought, I need to review what just happened there, so that I can repeat it!

• I listened to both their stories, giving equal time.
• After listening, I repeated back to them what their gripe was, as accurately as possible.
• They both acknowledged that I heard their side of the story correctly.
• I then sought to help them look at this with spiritual eyes, what is the right way to handle this situation.

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I am committed this year to teaching my children to learn to get along, to build loving relationships with one another.  May the Lord grant me abundant wisdom!

What a wonderful Sabbath it has been today.  I got up early, made my coffee, and then went to an empty room at the back of the house in which to pray.  I always begin my prayer in acknowledgement of Who He is – our Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer, and our Hope.  By Him were all things created; for His glory were they all created; and by Him are they sustained.    I thanked Him for His provisions and blessings, and then brought to Him my petitions and concerns of the heart.

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I have spent this day almost entirely outside, sitting by the beach.  I’ve been reading books by Marilyn Howshall (Lifestyle of Learning) and the book, Heart of Wisdom, by Robin Samson.  These are books that one can continually re-read and be reminded of the important things in educating our children.

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From Marilyn, I was reminded that the key to educating our children is through their heart.  This takes time in building relationships, and taking the time to handle all matters of the heart with diligence.  All matters of character and attitudes are to be dealt with, no matter how much time it may intrude into our day.  If the house work doesn’t get done, so be it.  If math and reading get skipped, so be it.  To pass over matters of the heart, acts of disobedience, displays of ill-temper, selfishness with one another; would be to miss the real opportunities and responsibility of educating our children at home.

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We can teach our children character values as we go through our day - with our chores, and the mundane daily responsibilities of keeping our home.  I can remember many years after bringing my children home that I focused only on the academics, considering everything else to be an obstacle of reaching my goals.  I no longer think like that. 

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From Robin, I am reminded that the most important thing to teach my children is God’s Word and His Law.  I know this even without her telling me, yet, it helps to have it re-affirmed within my heart. 

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 It is late Friday night, just a few minutes before midnight.  And as our custom is in our family, Friday night is Stay-Up-Late night, for all of us.  Rachel and Joshua are sitting at the computer together, with their arms on each other’s shoulders, playing a pc strategy game.  I hear laughter and teasing, and I am happy to see them interacting so sweetly together.    Jacob and Ruthie are also playing together – they are sitting on the floor a few feet from me, playing with a stack of cards, making up their own rules for “Go Fish”.     Dad is sprawled out on the couch, a baseball cap on his head, reading the news on Rachel’s laptop.

I am sitting on the couch having just finished writing to friends.  I can feel the cool breeze coming off the lake and through our windows, and I can hear the waves bouncing on the beach.  I want to call it a night, but at the same time, I felt a compelling to just write a bit before getting the kids all to bed.

 We start school next week.  I have so thoroughly enjoyed our summer.  It is everything I could have wanted, and more.  I find myself relaxing more and not always on a mission for every single moment of my life.  I think it is an improvement for me.

Before starting school, I spend quite a bit of time reading books on homeschool, reading the Bible, and praying about what it is HE would have me to teach.  I think (and pray) about this all throughout the summer, but intensely so the weeks prior.  Today, I was reviewing a booklet  by Marilyn Howshall, Lifestyle of Learning.  I love her books and her philosophy.  Her writings were an answer to prayer for me at a crucial time in my life.

She reminded me today of several things.  First of all, although it is contrary to our culture, the most important thing in my school is not academics.  The most important thing is the training of my children, in all areas of their life; their relationships to me, their father, to each other, and to God; their attitudes; and the issues of the heart.  I am training their whole being, not just filling their minds with knowledge. 

She has given me much to ponder and to mull on for this weekend.  Maybe I will find time to share some of these thoughts this weekend with you.

Well, Rachel and Joshua have ended their sweet time together with a tease that has escalated to annoyance (and raised voices).   It’s time to call it a night.

It’s been an eventful past few days.  No time for blogging or even checking email.  When I finally turned on my pc just a few minutes ago, it was heart-warming to see that I’d had many friends visit me while I was gone!

We had company this weekend.  Arriving Friday night was a family of six. There were children all about the same ages as ours.  My oldest son, Matt, grilled hamburgers and hot dogs for us Friday night.  On Saturday, he made all of us scrambled eggs, hash brown potatoes, bacon, and toast.  And Sunday evening, he grilled filet mignons, made gourmet mashed potatoes, and veggies grilled on a skewer.  What a blessing to have such a helpful son.    (And gifted with a talent for cooking!)

I didn’t really know our weekend company all that well before Friday night.  I wasn’t sure just what to expect, or how it was all going to go.  I was a little bit nervous!!  Having company for dinner and then everyone goes home at the end of the evening, is one thing; but to have company stay for the entire weekend until Monday afternoon is a completely different event!

The kids all played well together and we got to know our company a whole lot better.  But the best part of the three day weekend was the amount of time I got to spend with my new grandbaby, Kayleen.  I had oodles and oodles of snuggle time with my sweet, one-month-old g/b.  Family time, friends, boating,  good food, andlots of  relaxing time to hold the baby – the weekend was everything I could have hoped for!

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Wednesday evening, we had a most wonderful arrival on our ranch.  I hope to share pictures this coming Friday for Mary’s Show and Tell, so I’m not going to say another word here about that.  Well, maybe I’ll say one thing – we also had some wonderful guests at our ranch, as well as fellowship over dinner (tune in next Friday!).

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Thursday is our cleaning day for our summer schedule, but that didn’t happen.  I worked a bit on my back closet (one of my summer goals that is almost done); enjoyed time with Rachel in the morning visiting with our horses and our new special arrival; and a delightful time in the late afternoon riding horses.   No, the house didn’t get its weekly cleaning, but I sure did have fun!

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Thursday evening my son, his wife, and their precious new baby, Kayla, came over for a cook-out.  Matthew has turned into quite the gourmet chef!  He is always creating new recipes and serving them to his bride.  I often chide and tease the two of them that had I known that he had this incredible cooking ability that he is now displaying, I’d never had let him date, let alone get married!     But really, I had new clue when he lived at home that he had this ability.

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He made these hamburgers on the grill that were out-of-this-world.  And you would never believe what some of his secret ingredients were to his marinade (cocoa, butter, and coffee!)  He grilled, and I pulled a cheese potato salad from the freezer and warmed it up.  We all sat outside at our new, large picnic table and enjoyed the food and company immensely.  Long after the food had been devoured, we were still enjoying chatting. It wasn’t until the darkness and the mosquitoes came that we decided to call it an evening.

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Matt, Kristi, and Kayla joined us at Bob Evans for breakfast the following Friday morning.  This has become our custom this summer before leaving town to go to the lake.  I sometimes get bored with the food, but I always enjoy the company.  We lingered at the table long after our food had been cleared from the table.  Why leave town when the ones you love and enjoy are presently sitting with you?  We did finally make our way to the parking lot, but only to move onto Starbucks for a coffee-to-go.  

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This weekend has been most relaxing.  I spent most of Saturday floating around in the lake with the kids.  A sweet ice tea sitting in my float in which to sip from, a book I’m enjoying, and the presence of my children made it the perfect Saturday afternoon.

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I haven't figured out why yet, but I enjoy cooking here at the cottage way more than at home!  Maybe because it's the relaxed rhythm here, but no matter the reason, I get a lot more creative and try new recipes consistently.

Try this fun "pizza" recipe - I made this last night. It's easy, good for you, and fun!

• Step One -   1 pkg of crescent rolls - bake it (just follow the directions on the package)  ((try to find a pkg of crescent rolls without partially hydrogenated oil in it's ingredients))
• Step Two - After it's been baked and cooled a bit, layer it with a spread of a pkg of Philadelphia Cream Cheese .  I think the whipped varieties are the easiest in which to do this.  I used cream cheese that had pineapple in it - delicious!  (But only if you like pineapple )
• Step Three -Cut up veggies - broccoli, cauliflower, carrots - very small pieces. Layer on top of the cream cheese all of these chopped up veggies. I like love cilantro, so I added that, too. Any veggies would be good - we've used cucumbers in the past.  (The picture at the top of the post is from the beginnng of the summer when my neice, Jennifer, was here.  She taught us how to make this and she used multi-colored peppers - red, green, orange, and yello.)

• This "pizza" is attractive when it's all done with all it's variety of color.

Try this, too -

• Take a jar of Marshmallow Fluff and mix it with a jar of whipped cream cheese.  This makes an awesome fruit dip.  We used sliced peaches last night because we had a bag of them we'd bought from the farmers market.  It was really, really good!

  You can make a "pizza" out of this, too.  Just bake another crescent roll pkg (according to pacakge - spread out on a pizza sheet); top with the above (marshmallow fluff and cream cheese) and spread with your choice of fruit.  (The picture at the top: Jennifer used pineapple and banannas)

For those that won't touch cream cheese with a ten foot pole (my husband and boys) I made a super simple pizza -

• Bake one pkg of pizza crust (this is found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store where the crescent rolls are) according to the directions.  We like ours well done and crispy.
• When it's done, spread pizza sauce on it (store bought or your own homemade kind); layer with cheese.
• Put it back in the oven until the cheese is melted (about 10 minutes).

I call this our Pizza Fun Night. It's fun because the children help me in the kitchen making it, and it just looks like a fun meal when it's done!

It's been a busy month.  We hadn't made it to the lake the entire month of July (with the exception of the 4th).  I found my flowers close to death .  Although we arrived at the cottage around midnight, I spent the next hour, in the dark,  watering my hydrangaes trying to revive them.

I love coming here.  Right now, as I write to you, I am sitting outside with my laptop, and feeling one awesome breeze.  The weather is "just right" today.  If I feel like getting a lot of sun, I can go sit on the dock, but for the most part, I am enjoying the shade of the big oak trees that I am sitting beneath.  I did spend a good portion of this day pruning and watering my flowers.  I think there is hope for them.

There are some huge waves, today.  After not being here for this amount of time, I found myself enjoying everything.  The great breeze, the sound of the waves,  the smell of suntan lotion, and the distinct scent of the lake. 

This was an awesome week.  Highlights:

* A family dinner on Tuesday night.  My entire family was with me, even my children that are married and my grandbabies. And even better, yet, I didn't cook.  My 16 year old daughter, Rachel, made everything!  (I hope to have a post with more details and pictures soon)

* This week was not rushed.  Spent time cleaning, decluttering, and just getting things back in order. 

*And the GRAND FINALE of my week:

My 4th grandbaby was born Friday afternoon.  Kayla (a Hebrew name meaning 'pure') Marie was 7.5 lbs, thick black hair, big lips, and basically, gorgeous.

This is my second son, Matt (25), first baby.  He and his wife are very excited! (As we are!) 

What could make a week more exciting than that?

I don’t think I’ve ever had a nicer July 4^th holiday, or at least that I can remember.

We came to the lake cottage late Thursday night (a little before midnight), and just the arrival of being here sets the rhythm of being “on vacation.”  My bedroom window overlooks the lake, and when my head hits the pillow, I love to feel the lake breeze and listen to any waves softly coming up on the beach.

I had everyone with me on the 4^th (except for Rachel – camp).  A highlight of the day was holding Baby Grace (8 months) on the boat ride.  She was so peaceful, observant, and pleasant. Enjoying the weather, the company of my oldest daughter, Becky, and the boat trip all together at the same time, was something that will linger within me for a very long time.

Rachel was back with us on the 5^th, and this is the evening that Lake Wawasee has its sensational firework display.  Although I am sure we could have seen every bit of the fireworks from our dock, we love to take our boat into the middle of the lake where all the other boaters congregate for the annual firework display. 

We all sat on top of the boat, together, even the two dogs, Logan and Jack, watching the beautiful fireworks and listening to the patriot music that had been provided.  I loved sitting with Jacob snuggled in my lap, and Rachel laying on one side of me, Joshua on the other.  What a wonderful family evening.  This, too, will linger within my soul some very wonderful memories for a very long time.

When it was all over, we climbed under deck and hung out while the boating congestion cleared.  Some played  games, others went to sleep (the kids and I).  When we finally arrived back at dock, it was around midnight. 

Family memories – this is what the holiday’s celebrate for me.

 It was a beautiful weekend.  Friday evening, our entire family (married ones/grandchildren) went out to dinner together before leaving for the lake.  It is always nice to enjoy the company of all my family.  Even my nephew, Jonathon, came with us.

We had a nice time at the cottage. There is fast-speed internet there (on the farm I have dial-up, s-l-o-w) and I was able to download a lot of pictures and work with photobucket very quickly.  I had a sense of accomplishment when I was done because everything goes so fast with wireless.

We had a most relaxing boat ride.  The weather was spectacular. Not cold or hot, but rather extremely pleasant with a soft breeze.  It was sunny.  We cruised along the lake enjoying the Indian summer day.  The trees along the shores are just beginning to change their color.  We spent about 4 hours on the lake, just enjoying the beauty of the weather, the water, the homes and trees on the shoreline, and the company of each other.

We are at the cottage this weekend.  As much as I love my farm and the rolling hills,  I also love this cottage on the lake.  It's like a different world. 

The atmosphere of "lake life"  is outside the ordinary.  It's as if you don't need a watch, a clock, or even the concept of time.  Our cottage is very old, and this morning while resting on our couch with my little Jacob snuggling in my lap, I was thinking of how this house reminds me of being at my Grandma's house when I was a young girl.  When I was at my Grandma's house in the mountains of New York,  time just felt so slow.  There was nothing  to do but relax and enjoy the people I was with.  And it is the same here.

On the farm, I love to get up early and sit on my porch with my cup of coffee.  On the lake, I want to stay in bed and feel the lake breeze coming in through the windows and hear the sound of the waves.  I feel almost as if I could stay in bed all morning.

Yet, when I come downstairs and sit in our living room, the windows are open and I can still feel the breeze and hear the sound of the waves.  It's so soothing.  Our front door is just steps away from the shore of the lake. The entire living room is encased in windows, almost from the floor to the ceiling.  There is light beaming in from every direction.

My in-laws are here this weekend.  They could not make it last weekend as we had planned, so this is the first time they've been here.  They are staying in the cottage that we lived in last summer, as they can not climb stairs and all the bedrooms in this house are on the second floor.  I had prayed that they would like the cottage (it's so very simple).  My prayer seems to have been answered because they seem to be so thoughougly enjoying themselves.  I had prayed that they would sleep well at night, as sleeping in another place can be quite disturbing.  I was so pleased when I was told that they slept like a rock their first night here.

My in-laws have spent an entire year almost completely house-bound, with the exception of regular visits to the doctors.  This is their first "vacation" in several years.  I am so happy that they were able to come and get out of the house.  My father-in-law, which I totally adore, has always loved water and boating.  He especially seems to be enjoying himself.  The cottage where they are staying is perched on a high hill.  They can drink their coffee in the morning outside, overlooking a wide expanse of the lake.  There is a lot of privacy at that cottage (unlike where our cottage is) and I know they will appreciate that, as they live in the city and often complain of the busy-ness.  My prayer is that they will enjoy themselves so much that they will come and stay the rest of the summer here.  I think it would be so good for them.

It’s been a nice few days at the cottage.  There is a rental bungalow that is right next to us.  Since living here we have seen two different families come and go.  As each one leaves, we have wished that they would buy the place (it’s for sale) so that we could have nice neighbors. 

The first family, their two youngest children were so sweet and played so nicely with our three youngest.  The dad, Mike,  was the extroverted friendly type of guy, like my husband. He’d come over to our dock often and chat.  They were all fun to get to know.

The second family was from Chicago, Illinois  and I love Chicago people.  There’s something about the culture there, since that is where  I was born and raised, that I totally love.  They had two teenage girls that were Rachel’s age and they were really, really nice girls.  Rachel enjoyed talking to them and hanging out when she finally got to know them.  They had a little five year old girl that was missing her front teeth and was the spitting image of her mother in miniature size. She was so cute when she talked.  She loved our kittie and walked around with it all day long.  The little  ten year old boy was so simple and sweet.  He wasn’t the “cool” type and that’s probably what I liked about him so much. 

The last day that they were here all the kids just hung out inside our cottage. In the living room, upstairs in the bedrooms, they had become very comfortable.  We loved having them with us.

The mom’s, (there were several families in this small rental), Denise and Jenna, really seemed nice too.  It’s not that I felt that I had a ton in common with  them, it’s just that they were nice and would chat and smile.  I felt comfortable around them. 

The dad’s, they loved their six-packs. They reminded me of guys I’d see at the Cubs or Sox games.  They were nice, too.  The few times I was in their presence, if I said anything at all, they’d find great humor in it and laugh and laugh and laugh.  I wasn’t trying to be funny, but I liked their easy-going way and fun loving natures. 

When their vacation ended, they came by and said goodbye before taking off.  I really felt bad that they were leaving.  I told them I wished they were buying the cottage and then they’d be back.  They said they wished they were buying it, too, and then laughed and laughed. I really missed all of them when they left.

That very night, new renters arrived. There are three families this time.  It’s sweet to see the families arrive for their vacation and the excitement that is so apparent.  The kids are excited about the cute bungalow with the loft, everyone is excited about the lake and the dock.  It’s enjoyable watching everyone getting set to just enjoy.  

It has been a wonderful morning.  Prayer time was sweet as I really needed to spend time with Him.  I take all my worries, cares, frustrations, and fears to Him on a daily/morning basis.  I lay them all at His feet.  I pray about everything. I pray about my family, my husband, my children, my extended family.  I pray for friends. I pray for my blogger friends that I have gotten to know.  Jesus Christ is my  Personal Savior, my Redeemer, but He is also my Best Friend.  I take everything to Him. I have no secrets. He knows everything,   even without me telling Him, but I tell Him anyways.  I ask Him to help me with my multiple faults, and I name them one by one.  I confess my sins, my shortcomings, my failures, my faults.  I ask Him to help me, to strengthen me in those weak areas.  I ask Him to bridge across those failures in my past. Help me to forget the many stupid things I’ve done. 

We went for a midnight boat trip last night.  It was a bit on the crazy side, but that’s typical for our family.  All day long when the boats were out on the lake, the kids played in the sand by the hour.  I sat and watched them play with the other children and got a good suntan.  All of their meals I made and brought out to them so they wouldn’t have to take a long break from play.

 In the evening my husband suggested we go out for a boat ride.  I was tired from being in the sun all day and didn’t jump at the idea.  But he kept bringing the idea up and I could tell that he wasn’t going to be satisfied until we took our boat ride.  So after everyone on the lake had quit boating, gone inside, and was getting ready for bed, we went out on our boat for a midnight ride.  We played the Shrek CD and listened to music, floating around on the lake with only a few other midnight cruisers out there too.  The reflection on the lake of the lights that still twinkled was pretty to look at.  I snuggled with my little six year old, Jacob, until Rachel stole him from me.  Then Ruthie, my eight year old, took his place.  It was a sweet, if not unusual,  family time.

This morning as I write, I am sitting on a swinging bench, overlooking Lake Wawasee. I woke up early this morning and have been enjoying the quietness and peacefulness of the lake.  I spent some time in prayer, and then desired ever so strongly to soak in the Word of God, but I could not find my Bible, and decided against ransacking the cabin and waking up everyone.  So, I have sat in quietness, overlooking the lake,  thinking a hundred thoughts, while I sip on my coffee.

It hasn’t been a spectacular weekend.  The weather was really cruddy for starters. Cold, overcast, and rainy.  Add to that a cabin full of restless children (my nieces joined us this weekend).  It’s not as comfortable here as it is at home. There’s no washer or dryer, and the clothes we packed, including the sweaters and jackets we’ve all been wearing, are soiled.  There is no water softener in the cabin, the water supply is a well, so therefore, the water has a distinct, not so pleasant, odor.  

I am listening to the birds in every direction of me chirping. I can hear the soft waves of the water. The sun is coming up and I am beginning to feel it rest upon my head and warming me.  One of the things that I particularly enjoy about this lake is that we are close to the Amish and the old fashioned Mennonite community.  It is common to see boats full of people dressed in their simple clothes and head coverings, and multiple children filling the boat.  I like this.  I like seeing the  large families enjoying their time on the lake. I like seeing the simplicity of these families. I often think of how unusual this is for a lake, as most lakes are filled with predominately our present-day-culture.  

If you are not sure of what the difference between an Amish and a Mennonite, that’s o.k., I think most people don’t know the difference.  I know I didn’t, until I made friends with a Mennonite woman  in Pennsylvania that  seemed highly offended when I mistakenly thought she was Amish.  I am sure there are many differences, but the ones most obvious to me are this:  The Amish drive only horse and buggies, have no electricity, and don’t believe in modern technology.  The Amish also don’t wear any colors, so therefore they only wear black and white.   The Mennonites, on the other hand, drive a car, and use modern technology.  They dress similar to the Amish (it seems so to me), but they wear a lot of color, and don’t do the black and white fashion statement.  There are more modern Mennonites that you can’t tell the difference from you or myself, but these on the lake are of the old fashioned Mennonite variety.

Often when I pass a boat filled with children and parents dressed in all of their simple, hand-made clothing and head coverings, I think about how God has a purpose and is using them in a unique way.
Just by living their life out in their convictions, they are a light onto the world.  They have not lost their simplicity. I think that God uses them in some way to say something, without words, to the rest of us in this world.  Sometimes that verse in the Bible comes to me as I pass a boat. It is that verse that poses the question, if we have lost our “saltiness”, what good are we in this world?  Salt is a preserver.  The Amish and the Mennonites have preserved their traditions, their culture, their modesty, and their simple way of living.

The lake is beginning to stir. I can hear people talking and the motor of a nearby boat starting up, getting ready to pull a skier.  It looks like it will be a sunny, cloudless day. 

It was the weekend to clear out our stuff from the cabin so it could be winterized (turn off water, electricity, etc..)  Matt and Kristi came up Sunday to help us get the boats and jet skis out of the water because they are taking the docks out of the water this week.  Went on a wonderful boat ride and then went out to eat at a place where you pull up your boat to the dock, tie off, and go into the restaurant to eat. 

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Went for breakfast at Rosa's in the morning.  Packed all our stuff up and put some in Matt's truck, some of it in ours, and some of it in Becky and Adams, who had joined us this Monday. 

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We went out to eat with them at one of my favorite restaurants, an Amish one that is in an original barn from the 1800's.  The food is like eating at great-grandma's. It's served family style and it's the old fashioned type of cooking.  Turkey, dressing, homemade bread,  beef and homemade noodles, homemade pickles, coleslaw, bean soup (served out of a kettle with a ladle), mashed potatoes and gravy, and green beans.  It's all served in pretty bowls and when you run out of a dish, they'll refill it for you. We were all really hungry so the food was extra delicious as well as wonderful atmosphere. .

Got home Monday night and put all our "stuff" from the cabin on the living room floor to deal with later. Big job ahead of me to figure out where everything needs to go.

The weekend at the cottage was great.  We left Friday morning and stopped at Bob Evans for breakfast.  When we arrived at the cottage I took the kids swimming for a while.  The people that are renting this cottage to us are just so sweet.  From the very first time we met them, Judy, seemed as if she was happy we were there, as if, maybe it was more about getting a nice neighbor and friends, then it was the cottage being rented out.  I wasn't really sure, but it just seemed that way to me. This past weekend, that feeling hasn't left me.  She and her husband offered their pole barn to us to keep our jet skis in (no extra charge).  She's just fine with us moving the furniture all over the place to make it more accomodating for us. She has a pleasantness about her that is just totally refreshing. 

Last weekend, she mentioned to us that they would like to take us on a boat trip around the lake on their platoon boat.  It didn't work out, but this Friday night, they mentioned it again.  As the sun was going down, our family went for a most relaxing boat ride.  We went around just a quarter of Lake Wawasee, and it took about an hour and a half.  It was dark outside for most of the trip, and you could see the homes around the lake with their lights on inside their home.  It was very serene and peaceful.  I found it to be so unusually sweet of this couple to spend their time and their money (gas) to take us for this nice boat ride.

In the morning, we went to a local restaurant, Rosa's Pancake House.  It was  less then 10 minutes to get there, and we drove through country roads to get there.  The restaurant was recommended to us by Judy and her husband. It didn't look neccessarily like anything special from the outside, but the food was fabulous.  Freshly squeezed orange juice!!! A huge glass of it for $2.00.  I don't know about you, but I didn't even know that you could get freshly squeezed orange juice unless you did it yourself at home!  The menu was 5 pages, and it was the hardest thing to figure out what to order.  Way too many good choices.  If you ordered one egg, they gave you two, the second one free of charge.  If you ordered 3 eggs, they gave you 4, the fourth one free of charge, etc...  I had an egg florentine with fresh spinach leaves and an awesome hollandaise sauce on it.  I also had  a potatoe pancake that was one of the best I've ever had.  Joshua's strawberry waffle came with about 2 dozen huge strawberries on top.  We had a ton of food and ate for less (and WAY better) than we had at Bob Evans the morning before.   To top it off, they made a mistake of bringing my husband pecan pancakes instead of a pecan waffle.  They corrected this, but then took 40% off our bill for this one mistake....6 people ate for $25.00! 

When we got back to the cottage, we got in our swimming suits. I jumped in the water wtih the kids and they thought that was the coolest thing.  I played with them in the water for maybe 4 to 5 hours straight.  I don't think I've had so much fun since I was 10 years old!!!

We started our journey home around 8 p.m. and stopped at D.Q on the way.  Got home about 10:30 p.m., just in time for church the next morning, which was to be at our house.