JPEG of the Week

~The Soccer Fields Lay Fallow~

Designs on Heaven Giveaway

I am absolutely delighted to let you all in on a little gem of a website (pardon the pun), a fantastic jewelry ministry created by my amazing friend Thea. How can a jewelry designer make a ministry out of her craft, you wonder?

I'm glad you asked.



Thea designs and creates incredible pieces of jewelry art, and then takes all the proceeds from the sales of those pieces and contributes them to Christian organizations that are dedicated to spreading the gospel, feeling the hungry and helping the needy. Many of her pieces have biblical application and she has generously allowed me to give away one of those pieces to one of you.







This is her design known as 'The Gemstones of the Bible', representing the 12 stones listed in Revelation and their associated symbolism for the Apostles, with the mother of pearl cross representing Christ, the gate into heaven. I have this piece myself and have given it to several friends, so appreciating the reminder.



So here's the deal for the Designs on Heaven Giveaway. Head over to Thea's, take a look at all her amazing creations, do a little Christmas shopping if you like, tell me your favorite and check back on Wednesday to see if you've won!


Best of luck!

You'll Find Me...

....guest posting today over at Rocks In My Dryer for her great Thursday column called What I'd Like For You To Know. So do me a solid and come on by to see what I have to say. And be sure and check here tomorrow for a new giveaway you're going to love!!

Delightedly Guest Posting,

Sweet Friendship...and the Giveaway Winner!

1 of 8 has been blessed to have had a life-long best friend. These two girls have known each other since birth and decided they were the ultimate buddies when they were seven years old.





And now they are eighteen.





Their friendship has not only endured but flourished over the years and even though we moved away from our shared hometown 4 1/2 years ago, the girls have continued on, cell phones and Facebook and texting over the miles, giggling and being silly and sharing secrets and giving support.





They recently got to celebrate their birthdays together and, as always, it was simply a joy to see them talk, see them finish each other's sentences, see them hug and giggle and discuss.


And I was so touched to watch them, to think of the precious moments of shared childhood they have had. I am so grateful to reflect on the foundation of friendship they have provided each other through their teenagehoods.


And it is incredible to see them become young women.





Silly, giggly, adorable young women.


Young women, nonetheless.


*****************************************************************************


Now, it seems I promised you a little something last week...hmmm, what was that? Oh, yes! A giveaway! It is my pleasure to announce that the winner of the Homeschool Boutique Giveaway is.....(drumroll, please...)

Mamajil at M is for Mommy

Congratulations!  Be sure and email me for the info about contacting Tracy at

Homeschool Boutique!

But not to worry, Gentle, Wishful Readers.  I have an another amazing giveaway coming up this Friday, one that is a thing of beauty and helps others to boot!  Be sure to come check it out!

Buying Friends One Giveaway at a Time,

The Rebuttal

I was flush with the success of the Lego Cast Shim design utilized last week post surgery on 4 of 8 when I received this little thesis nailed to the virtual door of my email....






At first I thought it was a copy of the chore lists I enjoyed as a child. Then I realized it was a rebuttal to the design of my medical device featured here last week on the blog. It seems the Rocket Scientist, aka the Octamom Paternal Unit, had decided to critique the structural application which had effectively relieved the pressure swelling of his granddaughter's cast.


I glanced carefully read over his concerns and formulas and end notes and blew off considered his implied statement of structural failure. After all, one of the first hallmarks of the scientific mind is to consider new possibilities and options.


Realizing that the codified language of the above document was possibly designed as a psychosomatic stunning agent, used to render a novice Lego Medical Device Designer feeling a little dizzy and out of her league, I chose to do what any good blogger would do...I searched my virtual friends database and found gold...Problem Solvin' Mom.


Problem Solvin' Mom is also an engineer. For real. She actually holds down an engineering day job in addition to the parenting and cooking and wife-ing and blogging. She gets math. She develops formulas. I asked her to review my Lego design and then to read the Rocket Scientist dossier and to let me know her findings. I received this email in response:

"The Problem Solvin Mom is impressed by the ingenuity and resourcefulness of Octamom! The materials and design, while perhaps not ideal for long term use, appear adequate for providing pressure relief for the duration of the program."

I then contacted the Lego Corporation with the information about my design. And here is what they had to say:

"Thank you for your interest in LEGO® brand toys. We are always delighted to hear from a loyal LEGO enthusiast.

How amazing! We hear from so many avid LEGO builders who take time to contact us. LEGO Products are used in so many different ways. We see architects using them for primary models, doctors and psychologists for play therapy, teachers for school curriculum - you name it! Here is just another example! Our fans continue to confirm the fact that we, as a Company, are succeeding in providing a high-quality product that you value and enjoy.

Once again, thank you for your letter and your positive comments. We wish your family many creative hours of building fun with LEGO brand construction toys.

Dawn
LEGO Direct Consumer Services"

And then was the true litmus test...our follow-up visit to the orthopedic surgeon who performed 4 of 8's surgery.  We went to his office late last week to have 4's cast wrapped in fiber glass and to have x-rays done to check on the progress of her healing.  Her surgeon is a rather quiet man, unassuming, calm.  As we unwrapped the bandages covering her primary cast, I explained to him that he was going to witness a little invention on my part, a little Lego leverage for pressure relief from swelling.


The bandages fell away.


Dr. Orthopedic Surgeon beheld my design.


And words like "awesome" and "genius" were used.


And then he went and got his camera.


And he took pictures.


And he used the words "awesome" and "genius" again.


And I suspect he has a little crush on me now.


So, in conclusion, I believe I have gathered enough field evidence to defend the Lego Shim Splint.  While I realize the materials and design are anomalous to traditional modalities, experientially we can show that the Lego Shim Splint has received endorsement from professionals in the engineering, materials, and medical fields.


I guess that's why they're not called Rocket Surgeons, Dad.

Monday Musings...Sir Winston

*Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.

*It is a mistake to try to look too far ahead. The chain of destiny can only be grasped one link at a time.

*When the eagles are silent, the parrots begin to jabber.

*We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. 

Sir Winston Churchill

He fascinated my husband first, really. M is a political history buff and the courage, leadership, flaws and fancies of this enigmatic man held M's interest through many a documentary and book. I would nod in semi-interest when M would recount aspects of British history, the brilliance of the orations in Parliament, the interesting styles of the various prime ministers, Margaret Thatcher, Lloyd George and of course, the Lion.


Sir Winston Churchill.



I hadn't planned on developing such a fascination myself for him. I purchased William Manchester's enormous anthology on Churchill titled The Last Lion for M for a birthday gift and began picking up the huge volumes myself, poring over the incredible lineage, education, military career, marriage and fearless leadership of this man.  He weathered political success and political defeat. He wrote, painted, spoke and entertained.  His writings and  treasury of quotes still speak into the challenges of today, the wisdom of military and political leadership still ringing from those words. 


It is inspiring to read of Churchill's military campaigns that protected Britain in time of war.  It is disturbing to read of his bigotry toward India and his derisive comments about Ghandi.  It is compelling to learn of his first term as Prime Minister, the way he united his country-and then was ousted at the conclusion of World War II, all to come back into the office six years later.  His adoration of his wife, his love of his children, his humor, his odd work habits, his uncanny timing for one-liners all reveal a man of many layers and levels. 


And in the end, to look back on the ninety years of Churchill's life, to see a life that was lived fearlessly, boldly, full of successes and failures, strengths and flaws, gives a portrait of a life fully lived, a life in which every ounce was squeezed out in service of country and people.  While his accomplishments garner my admiration, it is the volume and breadth of his life that captures my full attention. 


Sir Winston.


A portrait of a life lived full-out.




Who is it for you?  You may have several, those historic figures whose times spent here have shaped and honed your perspective, your understanding, your goals.  Pick one and tell me why, give me the skinny on who's biography is on your bedside table, whose wisdom and walk speak to you.  Feel free to leave your pick in the comment section or write your own post on this topic and place your name and the url of your post in the Mister Linky's box below.  Dust off those history books!

Sunday Selah

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Col. 4:6 

 

Growing up, I learned a collection of verses through a little incentive program through church.  We memorized and recited and repeated and practiced, running down the list in preparation for the big evening that we would perform this store of Scripture.

It's amazing to me, lo this many years later, to find that these verses still ring in the ears of my heart.  It amazes me further the deeper treasures I continue to find as these words roll through my soul.  I always understood the above verse, that portion about conversation being 'full of grace', as a reminder to talk like a lady, to speak gently, to articulate in modest tones, never too loud, never too harsh.  In my mind, the picture next to this verse was Ma Ingalls...well, specifically, Karen Grassle's depiction of the matriarch of Little House on the Prairie.  Her calm, soothing elocution seemed to me the perfect depiction of conversation full of grace.

 

Too bad I'm a rather loud, very emotive, expressive, gesturing communicator.   

So I have for years felt that I pretty much fail the 'full of grace' conversationalist goal.


But I see now another definition.  And I might have a shot at this one.


What if, just maybe, it's not about vocal tone and demeanor and soothing cadence?  What if it is communication born of the thrill of being a recipient of God's grace?  And if I really treasure that lavish grace, that extravagance that saves my soul and gives me access to the Father and makes me a co-heir to His blessings, shouldn't that gratitude find voice in the way I speak to others?


What if that is what my conversation is to be full of, the representation of our Father's love and favor?  How would that change the way I would speak to the clerk who is taking too long?  How would it change the way I speak about the challenges of others?  Could it be that I should speak to others with the same measure of grace I would like to receive?  What if that is true grace, beyond form and style, grace that resists judgment, grace that conveys compassion, grace that covers and forgives and renews?


I know the grace I hope to hear the Father use when He speaks to me.  I hope to hear acceptance, understanding, love, kindness, patience.  And if I want to hear that from Him, I suspect He would like to me talk to His other kids the same way. 

Selah.