Happy Birthday Jake

Many years ago, I had no clue that March 23 would become a special day in my life. It was on this day that my future husband entered the world and began to become the man he is. I am forever grateful to his parents for raising such a good man. Jake finds a way to make each member of our family, including me, feel loved and special. We are blessed that he is in our lives.
As part of his pre-birthday celebrations and for Spring Break we went camping in Arkansas at Blanchard Springs. It was a lot of fun. We camped two nights and during the day went to the caverns. It would not be a trip for our family without someone getting sick, Will got sick during our last night there. Cleaning him up in a tent and the sleeping bag in the middle of the night with just a flashlight was not idea but we made it.

Time Out for Women

This past weekend was "Time out for Women" and a very uplifting weekend for me, especially since I honestly did not want to go and even thought of reasons to leave early or not go but I am glad I did. Additionally, Jake was out of town for work so child care was going to have to be arranged. I guess I had forgotten how much I enjoyed it a few years ago. It just seems so expensive ($65) for the weekend, plus parking and food, and hotel for those hundreds of women who come from out town; even though my ticket is free because I am captain each time. Honestly, the only person I really cared to see was Michael McLean. However, this year I was asked about three months ago to step into the position of team lead because the lady who usually does it was unable due to sad situations going on in he personal life but a remarkable and kind woman she is. So in addition to captain duties, I took on lead duties as well, which became a lot more work but a huge blessing because I went!  In 48 hours, I was running on three hours of sleep but the Lord blessed me with the energy and strength that pushed me through the weekend. Friday night, I cam home from work and showered and left again because I had to be at the facility at 7, so I slept for 30 minutes in the van. Some of the speakers are now my favorite and I loved the music of Jericho Road as well. I love that each presenter is so approachable as well. There were some speakers that I missed because I was fulfilling my team duties but I look forward to receiving the cd to listen to them, especially Lynn McLean and Brad Wilcox. My favorite of the ones I heard was Laurel Christensen. Here are a few thoughts that I jotted down from her message:
"When disappointment and discouragement strike—and they will—you remember and never forget that if our eyes could be opened we would see horses and chariots of fire as far as the eye can see riding at reckless speed to come to our protection [see 2 Kgs. 6:16–17]. They will always be there, these armies of heaven, in defense of Abraham's seed."

—Jeffrey R. Holland, "For Times of Trouble," Devotional Address, March 18, 1980
Sometimes we use the notion of God's will as a way to abdicate the responsibility to excercise our own. The tragedy is not getting what you want but not wanting it anymore. When you stop praying for what your heart really wants, your heart stops wanting what you weren't willing to pray for. God will not waste a miracle on a doubter. And lastly, Fear gives you a little glimpse of what the future may by if you do not overcome them." Exodus 14:13-14 teaches us that the Lord will fight for us if we allow him, so I need to open up and let the Lord begin to help me fight.
 

As lead, I arrange all the rides, staff, set-up, etc but that also became a huge blessing because some of the presenters come with me to church. After the event Saturday, I asked Brad Wilcox to teach my Sunday school class on the Atonement because that is what his topic was yesterday. The youth had no clue how lucky they were today. Brad Wilcox taught the lesson and invited Michael McLean to join him in class and he sang "one of the ninety and nine". The spirit was incredibly strong and many tears were shed by all. In summary, he taught the Atonement is about death, forgiveness, carrying our burdens, and becoming like God. There is an aspect of the Atonement that makes us a better people and we invite all people to come unto Christ but becoming like Christ is the goal. Jesus is there to help us to become more like Him. The message of the Atonement is to keep going. Brad asked the young men who have passed sacrament, if they have ever had to re-read the prayer or do it again, multiple times and they replied yes, he then explained to the young women that they have no idea how hard it is to read one paragraph. And explained that it doesn't matter how long it takes to get it perfect, we keep trying and says it the same with our life that it doesn't matter how long the perfecting process takes....do not give up!!! Then Michael McLean shared the 14th article of faith that his father taught him and sang one of the ninety and nine. Michael McLean stated this in summary after he explained the youth were faithful for being there: "
I’m not a morning person.  The only 5:30 I’m very familiar with is the one in the afternoon.  I join other non-morning people in proclaiming that if God really meant for us to see the sunrise He’d have scheduled it later in the day.

This is not to say that I haven’t ever seen a sunrise or that I’ve never experienced the other 5:30.  I have.  It’s just that I tend to arrive at dawn by staying up rather than getting up.  That’s why it was so strange the Sunday morning I woke up at five am and couldn’t go back to sleep.  I stumbled into my writing room and picked up a copy of what Mark Twain labeled “chloroform in print” and started to read.

Why is it, I wondered, that the lost souls get so much attention in the scriptures.  If you’re a prodigal son and come home your dad throws a party.  If you’re a world-class persecutor on the road to Damascus you get a light and a voice.  Even if you’re a sheep that strays from the fold the good shepherd leaves the ninety and nine good guy sheep in search of the lost one.

The argument can be made that all of us are lost, and these stories remind us that no matter how far we’ve strayed or how far we’ve fallen, there’s hope and a way back.  These stories are EXACTLY what you need to hear when you’re feeling lost and alone.

But what about the people who aren’t particularly lost, but may feel unnoticed? What about the ones who are carpooling cub scouts, serving in the soup kitchens, taking clothing to good will, donating blood, singing in the choir, volunteering at the hospital, visiting the nursing home, tutoring students, teaching Sunday School, coaching little league and doing the thousand of other activities the regular good guys do...without any spotlights or fanfare, without seeking any credit, without building up themselves up, but rather, wearing out their lives more or less being the kind of people the good shepherd doesn’t have to worry about. What about them?

I was rather surprised at how intensely I asked this question and how quickly I got a musical answer.


I am one of the ninety and nine.
I’m not perfect but basically I’m doing fine. 
I have not lost my way, I have not gone astray.  
I’m just one of the ninety and nine.  

And I’m here in the heart of the fold. 
I’m not mindless but I try to do as I’m told. 
I’m not tempted to run and become a lost one. 
I’m just here in the heart of the fold.

So why is my shepherd coming this way toward me?
He’s holding his arms out and calling my name.
He’s calling my name, but how can this be?

I’m just one of the ninety and nine.
I have stumbled and fallen, but I’ve kept in line..
I’m not one he must seek…I’m not all that unique.
I’m just one of the ninety and nine.

So why is my shepherd treating me like his lost lamb?  He’s searching to
find…me…and he’s holding me now, He’s holding me now, and teaching me
Who I am.
And why am I feeling like I’m the only one here?
It’s like…it’s like I’m his favorite…
And He takes me aside and He sweetly confides
These remarkable words in my ear.  He says:

“You’re one of the ninety and nine.
Have you any idea how brightly you shine?
You are safe in this fold and it’s time you were told that I know where you’ve been,
So I know where you’ll be
Because all of your life you’ve been following me.
You are more than just one of the sands of the sea
Or just one of the ninety and nine…
You are mine…You are mine…You are mine…You are mine.”

Guess I’m one of the ninety and nine.

After writing this song a new paradigm started settling in.  I started seeing certain stories in the Bible revealing Jesus as being less critical than I used to imagine.  For years I thought that Doubting Thomas was a bit of a disappointment to Jesus because he was a fellow who couldn’t just take somebody else’s word for it.   But now, I imagine the exchange between the skeptical apostle and the resurrected Master as being far more understanding and far less critical of the personality that needed to see to believe.  Remember, Thomas wasn’t abandoning ship after Jesus died.  He was just having a hard time putting all the pieces together.

My new, post 90&9 feeling is that if we’re doing the best we can and we need to see to believe, then surely we will see what we need to if that’s what helps us on our journey to follow Him.  And if seeing is not that important to us because we have believing blood, other blessings will be available, as needed. Whatever blessings we need we’ll receive.

I’m feeling that wherever we are on the path, that’s exactly where God will meet us and walk with us and

teach us and encourage us and love us if we’ll let him.  If His burden is easy and His yoke is light, that’s how He makes it so.  He meets us where we are.  In the fold or out, and lets us feel what perfect loves feels like.   Life is hard enough without distancing ourselves from the One who has been willing to do whatever it takes to help us become all we have the potential to become.

I’m not sure how long it will be until I read these scriptural stories and see yet another way of thinking about things that I missed earlier.  But I’m open and waiting."

14th article of Faith: "We believe in meetings, all that have been scheduled, all that are now scheduled, and we believe that there will yet be many great and important meetings scheduled. We have endured many meetings and hope to be able to endure all meetings. Indeed, we may say that if there is a meeting or any excuse for meeting, we seek after these things."

I am a little spoiled but in a good way! Recently, Jake has had the desire to attempt to make new recipes, this began as part of my Valentines extravaganza and it has been yummy and helped to make it more difficult to shed a few pounds. He is truly good to me. However, our little valentines extravaganza was cut shorter than planned because Jake threw his back out playing basketball. Gratefully, Rob (Charity's husband) was there and was able to drive Jake home and give him a blessing. I was not aware of this until I had text when I got off work. When I saw I had a text, I was anticipating a sweet little message about loving my instead it read something like this: I threw my back out at basketball tonight and am not going to work in the morning. Do not cuddle with me, it will hurt too bad.  The next day, I took him to the doctor but Jake from previous experiences knew that it was important for him to keep walking around. Ten days later, it is much better and not near as tender but not 100% quite yet.
The girls have still been selling their suckers to earn money. We are trying to teach them a few small business factors but we also realize that it is important for the girls to see some of their money as well. We bought the supplies to get them started and they are responsible for additional supplies. So to help make it easier for them, we have broken things down in this matter: 40% back into company, 10% tithing (they split equally) and then with the other 50%, each gets half. Of the 25% they individually get, they keep 50% of that and save the other 50%. Maybe this will help them in the future.

John Lucus Rochelle

Mr John has been our neighbor since I was born. My dad started working for his father and later him at young age and has always thought more of Mr. John as a father than a neighbor. For the past several months, he has lived with my parents and they have taken care of him and Saturday, February 2nd he passed away with only him and dad there. My heart aches for the pain that my parents feel and also the impact he has had on the life of my children. The girls have spent numerous hours with him playing the keyboard and singing. He was the neighbor that in college when people came home with us, we took them to visit Mr. John. Each Halloween us kids loved to trick or treat at his house because we got full size candy bars and later when I took my kids by on Halloween, the received the same. Today was his service, dad did a remarkable job but I knew on the inside he was grieving . What an example of love and compassion my parents sat by taking care of him. One of the hospice nurses and close friends of the family, Carri Knox, told me today that he was well taken care of because every time they went he was clean, even down to hair being perfectly combed. There will be a special place in my hear forever for my first date to a piano concert. I loved that man as did my children, even the young ones wept today as good byes were said.

John L. Rochelle

John L. Rochelle, a witness to 90 years of local history, passed away on February 2, 2013.

Now days in Madison County, it's a rare thing for someone to be born, grow-up, and live to a ripe old age before dying on the farm he was raised on. John L. Rochelle was born on the Rochelle farm in December of 1921 to Nelle & Lucas Rochelle. Mrs. Nelle was exhausted after giving birth to her only child, a 13 pound baby boy.

John's life on the farm spanned 91 years, including the two years he served in the Navy during World War II.

Tiny glimpses of the local history that John witnessed during his 91 years include: He saw the dirt road near his house evolve from the Old Stage Rd to the Bolivar Rd, to the Old Bolivar Rd to Riverside Drive Extended, to Riverside Drive. He witnessed the horse & buggy days of transportation being replaced by automobiles; helping his parents separate milk & churn butter to put on the steam engine train in Medon as it headed toward Chicago during the Great Depression in the 1930s; stubborn mules being replaced with tractors, and steam engines being replaced with diesel locomotives; the days of catching the train in Medon for a ride to Jackson ending; herding cattle through downtown Jackson and across the original river channel on Riverside Drive and seeing a small steamboat on the east side of the old river channel's bridge; seeing an old cotton field evolve to what is currently the site of The Jackson Madison County General Hospital.

John's parents were active in helping people in the community. The polite, quiet, John L. followed their example and used his shop to repair neighbors, and/or friends' equipment. Most of the time a thank you was his reward.

John L. decided it was time to have posterity when most men have dropped the notion. At the age of 89, he made up his mind to adopt a son. He giggled a bit and said, "Oh, how people will talk." In April of 2011, he went to the court house and had a 200 pound son, John Eaton Rochelle. With his son came a daughter-in-law; 6 grandchildren; 13 great grandchildren.

On February 2, 2013, he drew his last breath and left the farm, family and friends behind to meet his Savior, The Lord JESUS CHRIST. John is looking forward to seeing many of his old friends and family again. Life is grand! How sweet it is.

Visitation will from 12 noon until 2:30 p.m., Tuesday, February 5, 2013 at Lawrence-Sorensen Funeral Home. Followed by a graveside service at Hollywood Cemetery. Pallbearers: John E. Rochelle, Jacob Farrell, Michael Eaton, Brent Adamson, James Eaton and Robert Dilgard.

Lawrence-Sorensen Funeral Home, 731-424-2424

Published in The Jackson Sun from February 3 to February 4, 2013

A Teacher's Love

This past week was crazy busy for me and it seemed I got no sleep. On a side note, I also backed in to my moms car...go me, right? Well, one evening we decided to go to Jake's school's (Germantown Middle) basket ball game because it was play offs and near our house. The game was coming to an end and one of his students came crashing into the bleachers, Jake was quick to his feet to make sure the kid was okay. My mind reflected back to a couple months ago to the instance in Connecticut where teachers sacrificed their lives to protect their students and I was humbled at the concern my sweetheart had for the kids he taught and more humbled to know that the love he feels for our kids is much greater. 

Our Hulk

Both the boys love to put on these hulk hands and mask. This is a typical day at our house and I love it!

Catch up

I am a terrible blogger or maybe it is that my life is just crazy.  Christmas is my favorite time of year, I love the lights, the decorations, and the entire Christmas spirit. However this Christmas, I found myself a little more easily discouraged and some of that was caused by my own feelings in inadequacy. Jake and the kids seem to lift my spirits when I am down and sometimes just looking at my sweethearts, my heart swells with gratitude and joy. Even in my moments of despair, I know that I am blessed beyond measure. Our Christmas was fun filled. I finished Christmas shopping well before Christmas but the week before Jake wanted to buy Ginny a guitar but I was hesitant because of the price, she has not asked for one, and I can barely get her to practice the piano but we purchased one anyways. Jake reminded me that her time in our home could be over half over before she begins her adult life and he wants to be able to play with her. So I caved in but thought it necessary to purchase Aubree something else as well, so we bought her a kindle fire. After a morning of opening presents here, we ventured to Jackson but did not stay long into the evening because snow was headed our way. I love that we are able to see family on the holidays too. I am always sad when our breaks end, I get very spoiled to be able to enjoy Jake and the kids home together. The weather was nice that we were able to do various things, we spent my birthday at the zoo and it was perfect. There was hardly anyone there and we enjoyed each other.
As for work, I regret that I have not prepared myself for management. Initially when I began at FedEx, I only planned to be there a few year but it has now been over four years. Recently I discovered that managers starting pay is nice and maybe I should have ventured out and prepared for it, since I am still there and plan to be until Christopher goes to school. Sleep seemed more important so that I can be there for my kids.

The new year is here and I have one simple goal and that it to be kinder and see the good in others. One of my favorite memories this year is reading the scriptures the other night and as we read, giggles filled the air. We were loving being together as a family, maybe we were not intently studying the scriptures but we were sure having a good time. Oh, here is another cute thing. Jacob William brought a root beer to his dad and Jake said "yuck, this is gross" (of course, trying to not have to to share) but when Jacob William took a drink his response was "I love this stuff".