Preacher Man

In 1980 as a young mom I needed a full time job. In October I landed a wonderful full time job, evening hours, thus only needing day care a couple of hours. I started at 3:00 - 11:00 - making it early enough to get home do a couple loads of laundry and get enough sleep to get up in the morning rested. The hours changed through out the years as I gave up a day here and picked one up there... but I stayed at this wonderful place for 26 years! It helped that I absolutely loved my job. It was working in a group home with mentally challenged adults (many my age). I have many great memories of this group home - I hope to share a few through out the year. This one I write today is about a young man who became one of my best friends, how I loved him, he is gone to be with Jesus now... so I write this today in his memory.
...One of my first memories of Marvin was his love of music. In the younger years he and his friends had "instruments" and they would come down into the dining room and play and sing. If anyone came to play the piano - they would play right along. Marvin was given a red, white and blue guitar for Christmas from his parents that first year and you have never seen anyone happier. Always willing to share a "tune".
......do any of you remember the singer "Tiny Tim" (he named his one and only daughter Tulip, if that helps your memory!)? Marvin would sit at the piano on the bench - hands to the keys (not really playing just pretending) and belt out a good melody of "Tip Toe through the Tulips with me"... he got the vibrato exactly right, the high voice...and any time some new girl would start he would serenade them with this song (adding a few words of his own and the girls name). I believe whenever I hear that song in my heart I will fondly think of Marvin.
...He loved to dress up and act things out. Always doing it for his own pleasure but hoping that someone was enjoying his show. It was a beautiful November and one of our staff had a tee pee that they brought and set up out in the front lawn for Thanks-giving. Marvin had an Indian head dress that he had gotten also as a gift.
......have any of you ever seen an actual Indian sitting in a tee pee? Marvin was not to be found one day and I'll be if he wasn't sitting out in that tee pee with his head dress on singing an Indian chant just loud enough for us to enjoy!
...Marvin loved church and he loved Jesus. He was given a bible from the church he attended, probably around 1985 or so. Every Sunday that Bible went to church with him and many times he would get it out during the week. Down in the basement he set up his own church, where he had his Bible stored, crosses on the wall, chairs for the congregation, a pulpit for him, and an old tea set that he used for Communion.
......have any of you ever been to a church service given by someone with Down Syndrome, that can not read but his Bible is worn out from reading it, that has Communion with his Lord without real bread and wine, that prayed in a language only he and God understood?
...What a gift I was given!
...tears of joy fill me as I remember my friend the "Preacher Man". I remember many nights praying with him, his words that I could not understand but I knew were being sent straight to Heaven, his praises to the Lord that were not in tune here on earth, but I knew Heaven was hearing a masterpiece. I remember the peace I would feel inside when I would get a glimpse of him giving a church service, handing out communion to himself, lifting his hands in praise to his God. Most of all I remember the times he would be on his knees, crying and letting me comfort him in prayer.
......I know in my heart that this wonderful man is with Jesus now.
......I know in my heart that Jesus met him where he was at and said "WELL DONE GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT"
......I know in my heart that when I see Marvin again, he will take my hand and ask me to pray with him, then we will sing together as he plays a golden harp - given to him as a gift by Jesus.

(Names,places and dates have been changed, these stories are true only in my mind)

Two Friends and a baby

This picture reminds me of 30 years ago. I was a young mom and I had two of the best friends in all of the world... and they were there for me and my baby - and now...
... each one of my friends had a daughter the same time I did (1987)
... my two best friends are still the best in all the world...
... and they have given a part of themselves to my family.
And I am so Thank-ful that the Lord has given me time here on earth to see how Blessed I have been through my life to have two special friends, that had two babies, that grew to be two special friends to my baby who is now the mother to Nola Jean!

Prayer

Tonight I went to let Chloe out before I went to bed. It was late and I had just spent time talking with Emily who is pregnant with high blood pressure, talking to my mom on the phone who is taking a new medication that makes her feel dizzy and tired, talking with my friend Missy about her situation and the sadness involved on all sides, talking to my Dr. about my knee which suddenly turned red on the scar and I have a temp of 99.4, praying for a friend who has cancer,writing a prayer on facebook from the Message bible about bringing light into the darkness and letting others see JESUS in our eyes...
...I am tired and walking out the door with Chloe
...behind me to my right I hear "nighty night" - in this eerie sounding whisper
...it scared me so bad and I looked back thinking I would see Curt who probably couldn't sleep either - and he wouldn't know how bad I was shaking and how his voice scared me in this tired state...
...and Curt wasn't there... no one was there...
...trembling I realized it was the devil trying to steal my sleep - trying to scare me with all this stuff...
...and now it is 1:38am, I am so tired...
so, I will take this moment to pray
......Lord Jesus, You have heard my voice tonight, if fear has set in over any of these things that I have mentioned above I ask for forgiveness from You, I lay it all at you feet
...Jesus, please take Emily and heal her in every single place she needs healing, please hold my mother during this time of uncertainty of new medications and soreness from her fall, give Missy and her family peace of mind that all is well, you are in control and you see their pain, take my knee and wrap it in your healing power, rain down your love and healing on those with cancer and their families, and most of all Lord - anyone who doesn't know You as their Savior, that they will meet you before the grave, that they would know of Your word, Your peace, love and joy - I know you love them - we are all Your children, made in Your image. I take my worry and offer it to you in this prayer and I thank-You that You have already won the victory! Amen

Good night everyone! I am tired and going to spend some time in His rest!

Come little Donkey come...

and so...
...we write back and forth on a little block on the bottom right of the screen
.....my friend and I
........and we are laughing so hard - we're not even sure what we are laughing about
.............we are talking about green XL swimsuits that we wore in school
..................we are talking about white speedo swimsuits that should be outlawed
...we miss a few letters, forget to put in spaces between words
......and all of a sudden it gets even funnier
...............I type the words orwill he shave?
....she understands I am calling him - orwill... thus we have a new word
..................making us laugh uncontrollably
.........and we know no one else will understand our craziness
.............that we can have this much fun
...talking about Orwill, speedo's and green swimsuits...
..................and our hope is that everyone will think we are as funny as we think we are!
......as we sing a song of TINGALAYOH...
and try to figure out how to say Spanish words using the French language!

Favorite toys!

Our newest little member of the Schmidt family... Nola Jean! Nola is now 3 months old. She has continued to swim in life's pool and learn and grow as the books say she should. I like to tease her momma that she is "making cream for our Nola jean"... growth is obvious every time you see her! They have now made their first home up in Mpls., Mn. It is a very nice apartment indeed. It is the 3rd floor of the old Sears building which has been reconstructed into apartments and the "Global Market". The last time Nola was home Lacey was reading that she should be having a "favorite toy" by now... Nola's interest in toys up to this point was pretty much zero. I told Lacey she should write a new page that says "my baby does not have a favorite toy yet, however, her favorite color is red and she is learning to spell it." But, sure enough the next day I got a TXT from lacey saying "Nola has been batting the toys hanging on her swing all morning... a new favorite toy?" Isn't it funny how yes, most kids do things around the same time... but not always and that is okay too. I love the song to Jesus about
..."In His time, in His time, He makes all things beautiful in His time"
...our little Nola will do things in His time - and that is okay with us!! Even if she really can't spell red yet! We will wait patiently and love totally as she grows into the life that God has planned for her.
...and I almost forgot... Nola is waiting for a new little girl cousin to be born in January,2011.
...and maybe by then she will be ready to "borrow out" her favorite toy!!

Grandparents

..................."The history of our grandparents is remembered not by rose petals but by the laughter and tears of their children and their chilren's children."

ooohhh la la!!

This is another picture from Miranda's wedding. Lindsey and Owen are dancing... he was quite smitten by her and spent much of the night dancing, talking and looking at her. Before this picture was taken... Owen came to our table and stood by Lindsey and said "I want you to know that you put the ooohhh in ohhhlala" and winked at her! Well one thing I must say is this young man sure knows how to find a dance partner! May God continue to Bless Owen in his life... and when it is time for him to attend his own wedding I pray that his life's dance partner puts the "ooohhh" in "ooohhh la la!"