11/24/24

 Dear Family,

 

               I am so thankful for the feeling we get when we decide to focus on being thankful.  We don’t have to keep gratitude to ourselves.  When we are thankful for each other we share those good feelings, and it is fun to spread cheer.  I enjoy writing kind notes, giving and receiving smiles, sending verses to people and having responses back! 

               Adriel is so sweet.  Sometimes she just says, “I love you!” When I give her a verse.  How kind of her.  She is gracious, thoughtful and a blessing to me.  When I asked her, “Has anything made you laugh today?”  She answered that my text at 4:30 AM asking that question made her laugh  . . . because she had just woken up.

               Bobby cooked several meals this week and one was so good I wish it wasn’t gone so fast.  Such is life.  I have other food but that beef and noodles dish was amazing.

               Bobby decided to do a Friendsgiving event which made Adriel very jealous.  I believe her favorite food is ice cream and this event featured the youth group providing ice cream.  The students brought toppings and Bobby’s favorite topping was Traeger meat rub.  He proceeded to pour some on his hand and say, “I can eat this by itself.”  That was interesting.  Then, yes, he did put it on ice cream and eat that.  Blegh!

               Middle school group had a bigger turn out than usual because friends invited friends.  They said, “We are multiplying.”  That was fun. At the end of youth group Bobby handed out cards for people to write to someone they are thankful for.  One person asked, “Can I write it for my cat?”  Bobby said, “Only people who know English!” then added, “Or Spanish,” because we know several families are fluent in Spanish.  How fun.  But cat – I guess not.  This reminded me of a report my sister made in grade school, “I love Jesus and my cat does to.”

               The High School group had so many girls (They all came and even invited a friend).  I had to comment, “Ohhh, we have more girls than boys tonight!”  A young man replied, “Well, you know what they say, ‘Quality over quantity.’” We both paused a beat with some eye contact and then I smiled.  “That was awesome!”  I gave him a high five because I like his attitude.  Both genders are fabulous.

               I did have to tell a youth she is too hard to play with on Duolingo.  I was talking with her friend and we were like – it’s not fun when she beats us so bad.  Sigh – I’m not smarter than that High Schooler – that’s for sure.  She really is quite amazing.

               Having a date night sure is fun.  I enjoy spending time with Bobby, eating good food and simply being.  We enjoyed some shopping together and that was fun as well.  Christmas is coming!

               May you enjoy the beauty of our surroundings as Gods is pouring liquid sunshine everywhere.  May your heart be full of His peace and may you be excited about the ability to give.

 

Much love,

 

 

Cristy

PS the picture is one of a weed BUT did you know it has Christmas connotations - it might have been fed to reindeer and then - well - if you want to read the WEIRDEST story ever:

https://www.ffungi.org/blog/the-influence-of-hallucinogenic-mushrooms-on-christmas

               

11/18/24

 Dear family,  

               I appreciate your love, hugs, and responses.  You are the reason I still write.  Right?  Feeling heard is precious, so thank you.

               I must admit, I felt overwhelmed early this week and I am thankful Seth was there to hold me while I cried and Bobby prayed with me when I didn’t feel I had the resources to deal with things that were coming at me.  Sometimes life gets overwhelming!  I am thankful for people who are praying for us and that is you.  Thank you.  Seth also said he would pray and I am thankful for that.  So in light of all those feelings and more, I am now only working one job.  It was fun to think I could do it all, but I don’t have that much energy in me.  Drat, I’m close to 50 years old.  Oh well.

               Tuesday evening, Middle school group was fun.  One person had been asking for a free t-shirt for a while so Bobby brought him back one from camp.  While the young man was holding it Bobby had to mention that the shirt had been on the ground in the bathroom, wet.  This kind of brought an ick feeling in all of us.  The youth asked, “You washed it right?”  I know Bobby isn’t a horrible person so I knew Bobby did but he had to laugh and tease a little before he mentioned that yes.  He washed it.  Bobby did have to mention that Rich picked up the shirt at camp when it was still wet from the bathroom and asked, “Why is this wet?”  When Bobby mentioned its origins Rich was like, “Why am I holding this?”  Humor sometimes has a sick-to-your-gut feeling with it.

               Later in the gym, Bobby had everyone use their left hand to hit wiffle balls.  One person pushed their left arm inside their shirt to use their right.  Bobby had to mention. “If you don’t have a left arm, you aren’t playing the game.”  The cheater immediately grew an arm.  Amazing!

               I am enjoying decorating my desk space and bought a 5 ft teddy bear.  The bear was too big to bring on a bicycle in the rain.  Wednesday, I asked Bobby to bring it for me and he did.  I enjoyed having him see my cubicle and meet my coworkers.  It was fun to show him off.

               High school group also had good times.  I wasn’t fast enough to write them down though.  How sad.  I enjoy laughing and want to share with you but if I don’t write things down immediately, they are gone. 

               I was so glad to rest on Thursday and Friday evening.  I needed time to recuperate from too many feelings and just too much life coming at me.  I feel much better now.  Bobby did cook those nights and I am so blessed that he loves to make yummy food! 

               May you also delight when others put forth effort for you.  May you enjoy God’s love, presence, and beauty that surrounds us.  Hugs,

Cristy

11/11/24

 Dear Family,

 

I am so glad every time I bicycle to work.  Sometimes the view is so stunning I have to stop and take a picture.  I included one 😊.  I am also so glad that the person who won our election won fair and square.  I don’t like it when democracy is in question.  So, yay for that.

Bobby cooked potatoes, onions, and sausage scramble on Monday, and I think he and Seth enjoyed it.  I was more interested in my enchiladas and salads, so I ate them.  Cereal also gives me great joy.  I’m not as much into meat and potatoes. 

Tuesday night youth group was energetic, filled with laughter, amazing people and joy.  Definitely joy.  Bobby’s next at home event for the middle schoolers is a Friendsgiving.  It will include ice cream.  The youth group asked if there would be turkey flavored ice cream.  Bobby said if he could find some, he would bring it.  My internet search came up with only Turkish ice cream.  I wonder if that will count.

The lesson was about being blessed.  We heard about how the worlds’ view of being blessed is happiness.  One example would be having cash. Bobby said, “Let us see your Wallet, Rich, because I know you are blessed.”  A youth chimed in with, “Yea, for totally non-suspicious reasons.”  I love how quick witted our youth are.

Wednesday night I enjoyed so many great conversations.  Our youth have amazing personalities, and I enjoy them.  During the lesson time Bobby mentioned somehow that when we were younger, I wanted a clock for my Birthday.  I also said, if he didn’t get me a clock I would cry.  It was that big of a deal to me.  Bobby on the other hand said if anyone ever got him a clock for his birthday he would cry.  This brought a consensus that people now want to get him a clock for his Birthday (lots of silly smiles abounded).  He was trying to talk about how material blessings don’t last.  One of his favorite gifts was a nice warm coat.  Two days after he bought it (and he uncapped a pen to illustrate) he marked the coat with a sharpie, and it was no longer new (he pretended to mark his shirt).  I had to interject with, “Oh no, you did it again!”  This brought some reaction as Bobby looked at his shirt.  Yay, just kidding, he didn’t mark any clothes.

Thursday Bobby made an amazing broccoli, stuffing, chicken and cheese casserole.  It was so yummy!  I like that he took time to be home and prepare food for us even though he lead a retreat last weekend.  That was very kind!

Adriel and I are planning on spending some time Monday with each other.  We enjoy thrift store shopping and Adriel said, “I’m glad that’s a thing we like doing together.”  I had to mention that we have enjoyed thrift store shopping together even when she was two years old, holding a doll with no head, walking around saying, “Poor baby, poor, poor baby,” as several other shoppers and I giggled. 

I am glad for Seth’s constant presence.  He is available to open the door when repair people come over.  I like that.  He helps me feel safe when we are home together. 

May you also enjoy those you live with.  May you find joy in the life God has given you and the time you still have on this earth.  Much love,

 

 

Cristy

 

11/4/24

 Dear Family,

               I am thankful for warm tea in the morning, great conversations, when my cat crawls into my lap, the Union Gospel Mission Thrift store, God’s protection, rain gear, and Bobby’s amazing cooking.  I enjoyed his chicken and dumplings on Monday.  He also made wings for him and Seth.  They enjoyed those.  He also made salmon bisque on Friday, and it is still amazing!

               I also am so grateful when Bobby is home because then I take time to relax.  Without him I have so many projects I want to do!

Tuesday night’s youth group was so full of fun.  When Bobby asked if people would be willing to help with the candy fest on Halloween night.  One person said, “Will you accept maybes?”  And when Bobby said, “Yes” my problem was that I heard “babies” so I had to interject with, “What?!”  When Bobby figured out what I thought he said he laughed and said, “Yes, we’ll be giving out Babies at the harvest party.  One for you and one for you.”  Along with giving motions that looked a little like Mufasa in the lion King.  Oh dear.

When Bobby was trying to help people be less loud he said . . “But what I do want . . . .“ and there was just enough pause for someone else to say, “is Cristy”.  This made me laugh but I don’t think anyone else heard it so – that was good.

While talking about fear Bobby mentioned one of his scary moments was watching Rich’s van full of youth do a double spin in snowy/icy weather in front of him.  He could only get out, “Oh Rich!”  A youth asked, “Did he die?”  Rich was like, “What?”  Bobby said, “Yes, that’s his ghost – everyone should poke him to see if he’s alive.”  This was met with a Rich, “Noooooo, that’s OK.”

High school group had warm welcomes, light banter and sweet hugs.  Even in the horrible weather it’s worth getting out of the house to be there.  I enjoyed one person’s story of their childhood fear.  They said, “My closet.”  And when we said, “Oh what’s in it?”  Their response was this interesting story.  Their closet was loud and creaky, but they enjoyed playing with it.  A sibling warned them (they were about 8 years old) that the door was going to fight back!  This young person ignored their sibling then had a vivid, horrible dream about the door.  After that dream every time they moved the closet door they said, “Sorry closet.”  I love the honesty, surprise and ingenuity of our fears. 

Someone else mentioned being scared of octopuses when they were little.  This made us joke about one youth who liked to give three armed hugs (adding a leg).  I say liked because that wasn’t appropriate, and we had to explain that’s not how we do hugs as a youth group.  (See the book, “Stuff Christians like” by John Acuff.  The cover has, “Side Hugs,” right on it.)

In the lesson Bobby was talking about yielding to God.  There was a picture of a yield sign with, “Yield to God” inside of it.  When asking our High Schoolers, (some of them drive!) the definition of yield there were mixed results.  One person stated that it’s like a stop sign but not as much.  Bobby came up with, “It’s not a ‘Diet stop sign.’” 

The harvest party was so full!  I enjoyed little people and whole families in such creative costumes.  How fun to see new faces in our church gym.  How exciting to see little ones in such a new situation.  Many toddlers did not know what was going on and that was OK.  It was a celebration, and I enjoyed handing out candy, smiling, pictures and good plain old fun.

Adriel had an incident with a stranger on the street.  She used words, strength, and even a threat with the skateboard in her hand.  She learned something new about herself.  She’s a fighter.  She was left shaken, angry and thankful that nothing serious happened.  Adriel and I are both so glad Angels were protecting her. 

Adriel planned a party for her work, and it went well.  How fun.  I am glad she enjoys her job.  I knew she would do amazing.  She has a heritage of fun in her life, and she made carnivals for the neighborhood kids when she was young.

Seth enjoyed Bobby’s cooking, and this gives Bobby great delight.  Seth looked sad when Bobby told him only one Salmon Bisque a day for leftovers.  Bobby was happy.

I delight in my bicycle rides to work and back.  I am so grateful that my body works!  I revel in the beautiful scenery, and I am super excited when our gas bill is $77 out of the budgeted $200.  Amazing!  I have had to contemplate rain gear and how that all works because coming to work soaked is uncomfortable.  No one else is concerned but I don’t like the feeling. Therefore, I bought two rain boots and two rain jackets at the Union Gospel mission store this weekend for under $16!  Wow!  That is very exciting to me.  I Love a great deal.

May you also enjoy thrifting, the beauty of your surroundings and all the people you encounter.  Much love,

 

Cristy