by jphilo | May 5, 2015 | Top Ten Tuesday
10. The frost boil on our little gravel road has healed, and city workers removed the “road closed” barricades.
9. My allergy elimination diet has moved from bark, twigs, and leaves meat, veggies, and nuts to meat, veggies, nuts, rice, and oatmeal.
8. At the library, I scored the audio version of Amy Poehler’s memoir Yes, Please.
7. I also scored The Book Thief movie DVD and watched it with Hiram. Geoffrey Rush’s portrayal of the father? Perfect.
6. The post about Beginnings and Endings led many former Bryant school faculty, staff, and students to share memories on Facebook about the years they spent there.
5. Every Child Welcome, the book Katie Wetherbee and I co-authored was Amazon’s #1 new release in the Children’s Ministry division and #2 of ALL their children’s ministry books, new and old.
4. The lilacs are blooming.
3. Saturday night, the Man of Steel and I went out to supper with Mom, my sis, and my bro. In honor of Dad, we saved our straws.
2. Facetime with my son and grandson on Saturday.
1. Conversation with a writer I was coaching led to the realization that her parents and grandparents knew my dad when he was an extension agent in southwest Iowa. Her grandpa was on the 4-H board and got home very late one night because Dad wouldn’t stop talking. I love hearing those stories about Dad before my memories of him kicked in.
What are you smiling about this week? Leave a comment!
by jphilo | Mar 24, 2015 | Out and About, Top Ten Tuesday
Last week’s top ten list was all about what drives me crazy about air travel. But now that I’m home after a wonderful trip, here are then things I love about traveling.
10. When your top-heavy suitcase tips over and bends the handle so badly it won’t slide into place anymore, nice strangers might do what’s necessary to force the handle into it’s slot.
9. The nice strangers might also say that under no circumstances should you try to pull the handle out again. Which means someone has a good reason to get new luggage!
8. When you travel to a conference, chances are good you’ll meet walking buddies willing to get up early for a tromp by the ocean to watch a magnificent sunrise.
7. Discovering that for some mysterious reason, you’ve been TSA approved for the entire trip. No long lines. No taking out the zipper bag of liquids and gels. No removing shoes. No strip search.
6. Which means there’s plenty of time to get some really good coffee, sit down, and enjoy it.
5. Discovering that for some mysterious reason, you get to board in Zone 1 or Zone 2 for the entire trip. (I wonder if the stink made after last springs highly unsatisfactory USA Airways experience landed me on their don’t-mess-with-her-she’s-crazy-so-give-her-preferential-treatment list.)
4. Boarding the plane and finding that, for some mysterious reason, (See #6 for possible explanation) your seat is right behind first class, which means you get extra leg room even though you didn’t play extra for it.
3. Feeling smug sitting right behind first class, because even though you only get to smell the food served to first class customers, you realize your closest exit is the one in front, which means that if there’s an emergency you’ll get to crash the first class party. Free. Of. Charge.
2. Seeing an inch or two of new snow on the ground in Philadelphia during a lay over and not having to go outside.
1. Discovering that for some mysterious reason (see #6 for possible explanation), though the flight crew said the plane was completely full, the only empty seat on the plane is next to you. Right behind first class. With extra leg room already. With N-A-P written all over the entire 3 hour trip. Ahhh!
What makes you love to travel? Leave your comment in the box.
by jphilo | Jan 6, 2015 | Top Ten Tuesday
10. A white, unbroken blanket of snow is so lovely.
9. Life feels cozy when it’s snowing outside, the dishwasher and washing machine are running, and I’m sitting in a chair writing.
8. This year’s first big snowstorm didn’t hit until January, which means this winter won’t be as long as it could be.
7. A snowstorm means evening activities are cancelled, so there’s nothing to do but to download and watch the Downton Abbey Season 5 premiere.
6. After a month of Camp Dorothy, which just ended Sunday evening, it’s nice to have a guilt-free reason to stay home this Tuesday instead of going to visit Mom.
5. I can imagine trying to teach children, tired from Christmas break and excited about the snow, instead of teaching them.
4. This snowstorm affirms our decision to by an all-wheel drive Subaru in November instead of waiting until spring as originally planned.
3. This snowstorm granted the Man of Steel’s wish to test the Subaru on winter roads…and he was delighted with the way it handled.
2. Our daughter and son-in-law beat the storm and arrived at their home in Madison, Wisconsin safely.
1. On a day when our daughter-in-law was in labor, our daughter and her husband raced home ahead of the weather so they could pack and move, the sibs and I were going a little crazy attending to details related to Mom’s upcoming move, and the page proofs for Every Child Welcome arrived, a snowstorm seemed like a fitting metaphor for our family’s life. And when the storm ended, God used it to remind me that our stormy day would pass, too, replaced by beauty. In this case, the beauty of a brand new granddaughter, born just after midnight this morning.
by jphilo | Dec 30, 2014 | Top Ten Tuesday
2014 is almost over, so now’s the time to reflect on the year just past. Here are the top 10 events along the gravel road over the past 12 months.
10. The Man of Steel and I bought a new car with electric seat warmers. A little bit of heaven on earth.
9. In the process of residing the garage, the Man of Steel uncovered some local history that resonated with readers and makes us feel very connected to past owners of our old farmhouse and outbuildings.
8. Jolene completed 3 book manuscripts, sent them to the publishers early, and completed about 3/4 of the mystery novel she’s dreamed of writing for years.
7. To celebrate the 2nd anniversary of his back surgery, he Man of Steel ran in Dam to Dam, a half-marathon held in Des Moines each June.
6. As part of the November release of her book The Caregiver’s Notebook, Jolene met some amazing caregiving bloggers who are spreading news of the book far and wide. They are amazing, loving, and giving people!
5. Though she’s still not sure where the years went, Jolene had a wonderful time reconnecting with high school classmates at their 40th class reunion.
4. Along the same vein, the response to a tribute to her high school drama coach confirmed the magical nature of Jolene’s high school years.
3. The Man of Steel and Jolene enjoyed dancing at a family wedding. What greater earthly joy does God grant than to celebrate with relatives of all ages?
2. Jolene loved creating a book called My Papoo Makes Guitars for her grandson’s birthday. The Man of Steel loved crafting a ukulele for the same grandson’s Christmas. Even more, they loved watching him open those gifts.
1. The best news of 2014 was learning that 2 new grandchildren are on the way in 2015. The first will arrive sometime in January and the second in April. Papoo and Grammy Jo are ready and waiting to fulfill their grandparenting duties!
by jphilo | Dec 11, 2014 | Uncategorized
- The mark of a gifted teacher: Upon hearing of his death 40 years after last seeing him, you spend days mourning his passing and thanking God for using one man to impact your life in profound and positive ways.
- The pleasure of sleeping in your own bed can not be too highly rated.
- Louise Penny’s latest novel, The Long Way Home, is absolutely delicious. How long can I make the reading of it last?
What are you reading these days? Leave a comment.
