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We're back in civilization now. The after effects of our camping are lingering. One child has an embedded tick head that we must operate on. My ankle is red and rashy from bug bites. And Caleb's third round of poison ivy is clearing up. I was internally lamenting my woes when an ad came on in the hotel lobby TV, (we have a few days before we get into our rental,) when I received an answer to my woes. Since the "mute" button was on (mankind's greatest invention,) I was left to decipher what the ad was about. It featured well-dressed women looking especially plucky at they admired their thin bodies in a mirror. A few preen appreciatively. The words "Comfort" and "Confidence" floated across the screen. My oh my! What was the product! I want to look at myself in the mirror with such confidence! I wanted comfort! Confidence! Yes, Yes, YES! What is this wonderful product?! A Dale Carnegie course? Weight Watchers? A new coffee shop? Nope, nope and nope. It was for TOILET PAPER. TOILET PAPER! Northern Toilet Paper. When was the last time you looked at toilet paper with such high expectations? But I guess when your selling such a humble product, there's only so much a marketing genius can produce. Either that or someone is having way too much fun in the bathroom. By the way, don't you think "Southern" would be a more appropriate name for this brand? |
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Yep---yet another change to the Lode family. (Hey- what else would our friends do for entertainment if we didn't keep them guessing with our capricious ways?) After a whole lot of soul searching, checkbook balancing and picking ticks off my children we've made a big decision: We are hanging up our RV plans for now. This was a soul wrenching decision and two huge factors. The first is one you likely already now and have felt personally---gas prices. From the time we set to making plans this cost alone has risen 25%. And we've also learned that embarking on a full time RV adventure is not unlike starting a business in that it's going to take twice as long to launch....and cost twice as much as your most generous estimates. Which brings me to the second factor. Jay's CPA business. It is growing and mandates a home base. Organizing life into a 27' camper is one thing. Organizing your business is an exceptionally challenging proposition when your "office" is 2 catalog cases a few Rubbermaid tubs. So our timeline has been changed. Instead of looking for a rental in the fall as we had planned, we're looking for a rental now. (And actually, I think we found one.) We're going to tighten our belts, put our nose to the grindstone and think of other cliches to incorporate into my writing. LOL. Focus, focus....that's our new mantra. Save money, build the business (or was that save business and build money?) Squeeze in travel here and there because we do have hopelessly itchy feet. And of course, for me: WRITE. Well there you have it boys and girls. Send money, red wine and chocolate if you feel so led---dealing with these bugs has been no picnic, either. (Molly is still shaking from the crunchy noise of stepping on a mutant-sized stag beetle.)  |
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I don't know what's more distressing to me as a parent....those moments when you learn your kid has picked up a new foul word or the moment when you realize their spelling skills are a bit on the shaky side. So yesterday I heard Jay, ahem. correcting the boys on some matter. I decided to hide out in the camper; I get tired of conflict resolution, how about you? (And trust me...when you're living in a 27' camper, opportunities abound.) Later I asked Daniel what the brouhaha was all about. He leaned toward me and in a conspiratorial whisper said, "Caleb used the other "h" word." Oh now what. Daniel watched my expression. I puzzled and tried to recall every word from middle school. The first "h" word was easy to figure. So I asked for the mysterious word.. His voice dropped again. "H-O-O-R." I experience once again a split personality moment...something not uncommon on my parenting journey. I wanted to howl with laughter...and reel with disgust over this horrid word....and anger over our polluted society. I asked where this word was used. Caleb heard it at a friend's house. And his buddy's big brother was playing a song that used the word. Isn't that lovely? What oh what is a mother to do? I corrected his spelling, yes, he will unfortunately encounter that word again. And then we talked about the meaning of it and about the living, breathing, human beings that are trapped in a lifestyle of violence and shame. That's quite a lesson to pack right behind a tutorial about silent consonants. |
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There I was in WalMart when I had when I had what my kids would refer to as a “sweet” moment. I was fighting off WalMart psychosis, that fragile mental condition that overtakes me when I step into the store, when I wandered over toward the BBQ stuff. It was right around the corner from and endcap for “Bubba’s Tater Chips.” The Butt Lounger. Not to be confused with the wicked “Ab Lounger” this thing promises that the only six-pack you’ll get is what you pick up from the cooler. The cardstock flier had a softish-looking, dozing mommy on the package. I pulled it off the shelf and found it was entangled in 3 other folding chairs. I took a deep breath and tried to fish it out. The other three chairs jiggled, threatening to fall on top of the Butt Lounger. I’ve got to have this, I murmured under my breath as I wrestled the entangled chairs. I got one side of the armrest free only to see that one of the chairs had shifted and now hung up the leg of the Butt Lounger. I wiped the sweat off my brow and gave it another run, choosing to ignore the mother and her kid that was staring as they walked by. Mommy, what is that lady doing? I could hear the kid inquire. I muttered some more under my breath, gave it a final jerk and with a clatter, extricated it. It was tightly folded up. Oh-oh. This could mean trouble and I knew it was time for extreme measures: I must read the directions. The directions consisted of a diagram of a little red arrow pointing to a thingamabobber underneath the armrest. It looked like a trigger of sorts. So I finagled it, pulling in every which direction. I flip the chair over and managed to unfold it a wee bit. If I were a stick of gum, I could have just slithered onto it and been dozing in minutes. I pushed down the head…..and the feet came up. When I pushed the feet down, yup…you got it. I felt a deep primal urge from within to hoist it over my head and fling it at the Bubba’s chip display. But I resisted, sucked air in through clenched teeth and puzzled some more over the mysterious trigger. There lay the answer. I could feel it in my bones. I pulled firmly and heard a click! I pulled on the other side. Click! Eureka! Enter into the joy of the Lord, faithful servant! The Butt Lounger obediently unfolded and offered itself up for a snooze. I cautiously climbed onto it, afraid its jaws may close up on me. I adjusted the attached pillow. Yeah. That’s more like it. Then I had to get up. Good thing I wasn’t wearing a dress…not that there’s any in my wardrobe anyway. I flung a leg over on either side, pulled up on the armrests and hoisted myself up. A very unlady-like “Umpf!” escaped my lips. For a Butt Lounger, this was talking a heck of amount of work. But I was sold. And I decided it could come in handy out in the parking lot in case I needed to take a rest from looking for the Suburb. Finally, I popped over to the other fizzy drink section; a six-pack has never been this easy before. |
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What a contrast to my post yesterday blasting multi-million dollar gospel shows. Our friend, Wayne Jacobsen, over at www.thegodjourney.com and at www.lifestream.org has made an announcement to this effect: Please don't sent any more money! The meteoric success of The Shack now underwrites these ministries and other than some special needs that come up (God Journey listeners raised thousands of dollars for believers in Africa not too long ago), they no longer want/need any more donations. Utterly amazing stuff. Utterly amazing God. Can I give you another link? We've been enjoying the music of our friend, Kirk Dearman. Check out www.kirkdearman.com. If stress is something you battle, like I do....purchase a copy of "The Calm." The CD is all piano solo and will bring you to a place of.....Calm. Move over Andrea Bouchelli. I've got a new favorite CD. |
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And I thought those automatic political phone calls where bad enough. Well, I discovered something even more infuriating....and they were calling my CELL PHONE. (Even though I placed that number on the "Do not call list.") "Need a miracle, ladies and gentlemen? Here's your opportunity to attend...." I stared at the phone in disbelief and passed it over to Jay. A nefarious grin spread over his face. (He later told me he's was waiting to see if there was an opportunity to refer phone numbers. He was going to give them your phone number, Joe.  )It was an tele-marketing ad for a Benny Hinn rally. God Lord in heaven. Now I just finished writing a feature article on Jared Miller and Sisters of Rwanda. It's an outfit in Rwanda that provides economic opportunity to the desperately poor. I have wept reading some of their stories. And then I get this glitzy (there was snappy music playing in the background) phone call basically telling me of an opportunity to come bribe God. What a contrast. Jared explains life in Rwanda as raw and honest. Not dependent on "stuff." Gratitude for the days they have food to eat. "God is everywhere," he says. So as I was thinking early this morning. I think it is very hard to walk an honest-to-God walk with God here in America. I pondered, when was the last time I was truly grateful for daily bread? No, dammit....I want perfect health, a rich bank account....and I WANT IT NOW! It's my right! It's my right as a believer! It's my right as an American! The expectations aren't that overt....but they're there alright. But back to Benny's phone call. I'm sure the discussions behind the scenes sort of go like this: "Well, you know. It's going to cost 2.3 million to pull this rally off. (What, with Benny's dry cleaning bills and all.) The phone calling alone will cost $250,000. But if one person gets saved....it will be worth it." Oh Puh-leeze. Tell the kids dying in the streets in Rwanda. Or the single mom struggling to pay her light bill. Or the inter-city black men who desperately need mentors. (Did you know that 70% of black children are born out of wedlock?) I'm sorry people, aint' no miracle at a Benny Hinn performance going to address those needs. What a mismanagement of money and time....in the name of God. If we as God's people would simply follow Jesus' mandate to love our neighbors as ourselves...we'd run the Benny Hinns out of business. And our cell phone bills would be less too. |
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Boy, there really are some great things on TV. (We're on a short holiday in KY, staying in a motel.) Last night, we were watching a Discovery channel on the amazing feats of the human body. You've heard the tales. They're of the sort: Petite mother hoists Idaho-sized SUV off her beloved kitten. Or--Man pays attention when listening to his wife after (hmmmm. Come to think of it, this one's hard to imagine.) Well, last night's feat involved a man who embarked on an incredible feat of strength and endurance. Part of his training to perform his amazing action required gaining a few pounds. Caught my attention. "John gained fourteen pounds in preparing..." ME TOO! ME TOO! My heart cried within. It showed John sporting a tidy little pooch midsection. Must say, his 14 pounds and my 14 pounds look just a bit different. I tuned back into the story. John was going to swim the English Channel. And his body needed the extra fat to burn for energy. Something about insulation too. I began whacking Jay's arm. "See! I'm just well-insulated! I missed my calling as a Channel swimmer." Jay wisely remained silent. The narrator went on to explain the beauty of how the body, once it's depleted its glucose, then turns to burning fat as a fuel. I glanced at my soft tummy and sat up straighter. It showed a illustration of the fellow's gut with little arrows showing how the swim was going to burn, baby, burn, that fat right off. His weight gain, all fourteen pounds of it ,was strategic. That's precisely the amount he would need to sustain him on his epic journey. It showed him slipping into the water, his arms cleaning slicing through the water and pictured myself in my speedo right along side of him. I imagine my body emerging on the other side....firm, flat tummy, sharp jaw line, defined arms. Yes, I could get into this! One little measly ole swim and he comes out 14 pounds lighter. I whacked Jay in the arm with renewed vigor. "I JUST NEED TO SWIM THE ENGLISH CHANNEL!" (And double back again a few miles.) My eyes were glued to the TV. I was anxious to see this chump get out of the water and see if his little paunch had melted away but they didn't show it. Harrumpf. Jay quietly pointed out the perils and length of a Channel swim. Oh. What does he know? I'm going swimming today. |
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Finally----I can actually do this today! We're heading up to Mammoth Cave, KY to explore the planet's longest cave. Should be pretty exciting. It will be a good break. I just finished a rather lengthy feature article (just needs final editing,) and Jay finished his CPE. What an intense week this has been. |
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For my praying friends out there.... Would you please pray for our very good friend, Pat? She's been battling a cancer recurrence and today received bad news that her labs were looking pretty bad. And what's worse is she's having more pain. This is really stinky news and would really value any and all prayers. (As would she!) Thanks! |
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Okay--enough, as Jay would say, "Blither blather" about fish and business practices. I'm taking a break from writing an article about Sisters of Rwanda for the magazine. Where's the box of tissues when you need it? As I read about these women and see photos of their precious children I'm struck with all the silliness and frivolity we get caught up in while there is such suffering in the world. Not all of us are called to do what Jared Miller is doing in Rwanda. Or Becca Stevens in Nashville. (www.thistlefarms.org). But there's something EVERYONE can do. Pray. Give. Raise awareness. Mother Teresa said something to the effect that we all can't do great things but we can do little things with great love. The photo gallery on the Sister's myspace will touch your heart. www.myspace.com/sistersofrwanda. |
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My friend Paula told me a little story the other day that I found hilarious. And disturbing all at the same time. It reminded me of a little pet peeve of mine. But I'll let you figure that out in this story. And it was then Mr. Carpet Cleaner...um...came clean. He admitted he didn't do a good job. If you've read my blog before, you undoubtably know my pet peeve here. Christians that use their Christianity as a marketing angle. (Like that fellow's 'confession" was helpful in marketing?) Show me a professional in any field that has a compunction to put a little fish on their business card and I'll show you a person who may need to examine their business acumen and ethics. As a believer, I think it is incumbent for Christian service/business professionals to allow the quality of their work to speak for itself. Let your "testimony" be told by a job well-done. You know the verse---show me your faith without your works and I'll show you my faith BY my works. Now, I'm not saying that Christian folks don't have bad moments or that some clients/customers are unmitigated jerks. That's just life. But between you, me and cyberspace....I want to do business with people that are going to: Answer my phone calls, provide service when and how they say they're going to do it and treat me with respect. In short: Treat me the way they'd like to be treated. Can't get more Christian than that, me thinks. Next time you're ready to declare your faith without works, please remember the words of my sage friend, Paula, "What the *bleep* does that have to do with my carpets?"
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And he cleaned the carpets once more....to Paula's satisfaction.|
I have a bit of Princess syndrome. I LIKE really HOT showers. I like watching a 42" plasma TV. I like freshly washed sheets on a bed that I DIDN'T make. And I like having a little sign that says, "Maid, please make up room" that I can hang out. After living in our camper for the past month....without air conditioning or hot water....I really, I mean REALLY appreciate those little things. I got a screamin' deal on Priceline.com for the room and let me tell you it is very nice. It was especially fun this morning drinking freshly brewed Starbucks and I always find the humanity parade in a hotel lobby always amusing. (Like watching the fellow with the blinking bluetooth hanging from his ear. I think it's only a matter of time before we're seeing more Borg-little creatures in our midst. You know---Resistance is Futile!) And if you're not a Trekkie, you'll never understand that reference. So I ponder important things while I sip my brew. Like...what would that Bluetooth fellow look like with an electronic eye implant? Or a computer hardwired to his brain???? Or---WHAT IS SO BLASTED IMPORTANT THAT HE MUST HAVE HIS PHONE IN HIS EAR?????? I might have Princess Syndrome but at least my ears are unencumbered. So many things to consider... |
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This poem is very apropos lately as we deal with trailer issues and other annoyances....
We're back to Franklin for a few days to conduct business and the kids will be off at sleepovers. :)
KEEP A-GOIN’
Author: by Frank L. Stanton (1857-1927)
If you strike a thorn or rose, Keep a-goin'! If it hails or if it snows, Keep a-goin'! 'Taint no use to sit an' whine When the fish ain't on your line; Bait your hook an' keep a-tryin'-- Keep a-goin'! When the weather kills your crop, Keep a-goin'! Though 'tis work to reach the top, Keep a-goin'! S'pose you're out o' ev'ry dime, Gittin' broke ain't any crime; Tell the world you're feelin' prime-- Keep a-goin'! When it looks like all is up, Keep a-goin'! Drain the sweetness from the cup, Keep a-goin'! See the wild birds on the wing, Hear the bells that sweetly ring, When you feel like singin', sing-- Keep a-goin'! |
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Fast food is a necessary evil sometimes. Like today. Jay and I are at the public library working while the kids are at the pool. Do we spend $8 in gas heading and 30 minutes of drive time to head back to camp to make a lunch or do we hit a dollar menu somewhere instead? (The kids had already eaten.) So we head over to Taco Bell. And there, at the outside table, is a rather large women eating with her rather large daughter and her....her.....are you ready for this.....her dog. Oh....and did I mention....this mongrel was leashed to the TOP OF THE TABLE. It was wandering around the table top. I could hear the "click, click" of its paws. Just thought you'd want to know in case you ever use those outdoor tables.... |
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We're in northern TN, not too far from the Kentucky border. Yesterday afternoon was spent at the Sgt. Alvin C. York historic site. What an amazing man he was. It made me think about what kind of a legacy are we going to leave behind. Here was a man from the hills of TN who was destined to become not only one of the greatest heros of WWI but also to change the lives of so many when he chose to use his hero fame for the betterment of his community. And years later, the choices he made still impact people. (The York institute is a school that is still in operation, to name one thing.) Pretty amazing stuff. The other thing that impacted me was the jaw-dropping beauty of the state of Tennessee. Being a Montana girl...I do not say this lightly. I've been blessed to travel much of the country and this is truly some of the most beautiful scenery I've ever seen. What local treasures are around your neck of the woods that you've yet to explore? |
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This is a fantastic poem written by fellow Escapee, Derek Gore AKA "RV." If you'd like to copy it, you may email him at RV@rvroadie.com for permission.
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I can't believe where I'm at right now. We're on an absolutely breathtaking, gorgeous hill overlooking trees and a creek. There are cows bellowing in the distant and the sound of cicadas is filling the air. What a vast difference from the noises of suburbia from not so long ago. (I thought I was going to go mad with the constant drone of construction noises--pile drivers, earth movers, etc....) This land is outside of LIvingston, TN and is owned by our dear friends, Pat and Amanda. They're waiting for the land to sell and are quite happy to have "Squatters" on it.  There's a mobile home too so hot showers are a walk out our door. We'll be here for the next week or so while Jay finishes his CPE (Continuing Professional Education necessary for the maintenance of his CPA license.) The kids and I will be spending time at the pool---the kids in the water and I, pecking away at the keyboard. (I've got more writing ideas in my head than I know what to do with.) Up to this point, we've had some challenges but that makes days like this all the more sweeter. What a wonderful way to kick off summer! |
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Yep- I'm going to write about stuff again. Can't help it---I'm waiting for Jay as he picks through the storage unit finding some items that will be useful. It's quite the deal figuring out what you really need and what you don't think you'll need...but really do need. These past few weeks have been spent sifting through things. For instance---I didn't bring my griddle, thought it would be too bulky. But- we have pancakes a time or two during the week. (And boy can THAT be a disastrous mess cooked in a cast iron skillet over a gas stove.) Ditto for quesadillas. Other things---like a big bottle of skin cleanser that, while I like it, it takes up precious space in our tiny bathroom. I tossed it. I tossed a small tube of something else. For a frugal gal, this was more difficult than it sounds. I decided that I needed to classify things into two camps: Replaceable and Irreplaceable. Does it pass the WalMart test---Can this be purchased at WalMart? WalMart gets a lot of guff in this day and age but the bottom line is this. WalMart allows one to purchase many things for rock bottom prices. Which means there's a lot of stuff that's pretty darn replaceable. The other side is it's easy to fill your life with stuff. Do I really need an extra soap dish? Or the box of things that I might need one day? Stuff can crowds out the irreplaceable. Instead of spending time with the kids I'm busy organizing stuff...and cleaning stuff...and shopping for more.... Instead of enjoying the Tutfted Titmouse who visits us each morning, and brings a smile to our face and a reminder of our Creator's care we could be off at Lowe's looking for outdoor landscaping. As I was walking past a fellow in the campground, I complimented him on his rig. He sighed, said "Thanks" and told me that tomorrow he'd have to go back to work. I sure hope he didn't finance that fancy rig but my guess....he probably did. And it made me sad because most people continue plodding away at jobs they hate to pay for STUFF. |
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Thats auf Deutsch for "how goes it". And since you asked....Sehr gut, danke. I rediscovered my MP3 player and my German lessons after a month of feeling like my life was in a blender. We're slowly getting ourselves picked up and are moving forward. One area of moving of forward is getting my new blog set up. I'm finding it much more intuitive to work with and it has a the broader audience I'm after since I'm going to give this book vision a run. (Marketing and the business side of writing is not one of my strength!) So. Wanna take a peak at the preliminary stuff? The new web address is: www.therealmotherlode.blogspot.com |
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I've been batting around different "Mission" ideas for our travels. You know- something catchy and memorable. Some folks travel to raise awareness for different charities or health issues. And Lord knows, there's plenty of need out there. But I need something really near and dear to my heart. Something I am intimately acquainted with that I could raise awareness. And then it struck me!  STUFF. Everywhere across this great land, lurking in musty basements and dusty attics are piles of STUFF. And its STUFF that my son, Daniel, would like to collect. It could be the STUFF ACROSS AMERICA TOUR. Since we have moved into our 27' camper, Daniel has collected: A reel to reel tape player, 24 reel to reel tapes (the antique store owner had a rapturous smile on his face and said, "I don't know when I'll have the opportunity to get rid of this again."), a desk top computer system, a stereo, the innards of a soda machine, a rusty wrench (pretty nifty, eh ma?), and then some. This could be my opportunity to turn lemons into lemonade, and in your case dear reader, you opportunity to see floor space in your attic. So get those 8 track players, tube televisions, dead washer motors ready for liberation! Of course this means will have to drop the other kids off somewhere and start driving an18-wheeler. And who knows, depending on the collection process, Jay and Daniel may have to jettison dear old mom somewhere in a Kansas wheat field. Hmmmmmm. That sounds tempting. Do you think they'd notice me missing? |