Meandering Moments by Elsi

It sounds weird, but I think it’s grammatically correct: If I overdid myself today, then I’m overdone. Right?

I don’t have pneumonia, by the way. “Your chest X-ray is clear,” the nurse said cheerfully. “So all you have to do is take it easy and drink lots of fluids, and you’ll feel fine in about three weeks!” oh, goodie …

Joe Wheeler was in Conifer today, and I hate to miss a chance to see him! He’s the compiler of the wonderful Christmas in My Heart books, and a delightful guy! So I drove to Conifer and happily bought Christmas presents. His website is www.joewheelerbooks.com/—I don’t know how to make that a hot link; sorry!

Then I zipped back to Boulder (hey, it’s only an hour, one way) in time to collect my youth group and head for the Lamb’s Lunch. We had LeHao, Haimei, Karen, Cody, and Chris—and they worked their tails off! They served the meal, and cleaned the kitchen and the fellowship room afterward. I mostly stood around and supervised, and I’m absolutely wiped out this evening.

But, as LeHao said a couple of years ago, when we first took the youth group to the Lamb’s Lunch outreach to the homeless, “It just feels good to be really helping people.”

Amen to that, brother!

Lady had the perfect touch when I was sick. She lay next to me, on sofa or bed, pressed against my side, oozing comfort and compassion. She was perfectly content to snuggle and offer love.

Sallie, on the other hand, barks compulsively at all the prey out the window: squirrels, rabbits, dogs, bikers, joggers, strollers, students, skateboarders … her list is endless. And I don’t have enough voice to tell her to LEAVE IT! (Which occasionally actually works!)

Dolphin would be willing to drop by my sickbed occasionally and snuggle, but when he does, there’s Sallie, barking and chasing him away.

Whimper.

However, when I get up in the night (and have to grab a snack because my blood sugar’s tanked), I go back to my bed shivering from the night and my fever and stress. And when I crawl into bed … there’s a warm beagle to snuggle against. Very nice indeed!

BTW, I have either pneumonia (waiting on X-ray results) or bronchitis. And I’m miserable. And yes, Lord, I have many blessings for which I’m thankful!

I drove down to Truth Christian Academy this morning and played “visiting author” for the 2nd through 5th graders. We went outside and played in a pile of leaves, then came in and wrote. “Use words that go with your senses,” I told them, “and make a heart connection.” Here’s my piece:

Fallen leaves:
ragged, twisted,
shades of faded glory,
musty, dry,
fallen and windblown—
the seasons are changing.
Now we come,
tossing them skyward,
laughing and scuffling,
with leaves in our hair
and joy in our hearts.

My father would say that about ditzy women he crossed paths with. Not a particularly friendly comment.

I woke up this morning (well, about 11:30 last night, actually) with vertigo. This has happened before, with no cause we can put a finger on. Sometimes it’s totally debilitating, and I can’t turn my head or move quickly without triggering the dizziness and consequent nausea. This was, comparatively, quite mild. I couldn’t lie down, not even at an angle. But otherwise I was okay.

So I slept propped vertical on pillows (which meant my CPAP machine leaked). And woke in the morning sick and weak and tired. And dizzy. Called in sick to the school I volunteer at, and went back to bed.

And this afternoon, my chiropractor (Melissa Groelz) adjusted my neck. We discovered I can lie on my side or my stomach without triggering the vertigo, which means it’s probably not a virus, nor is it inner ear. Which is wonderful! I’m still a bit shaky from lack of good sleep, but I’m grateful that we can deal with the neck and get me back functioning again!

At a trial this evening, Jesus, known as the Christ, was judged not guilty of being a lawbreaker (6 to 3) by a jury of nine participants in the BCBC youth group.

The judge polled the jury after the arguments were presented. Those claiming Jesus was guilty stated that He clearly broke the Sabbath laws and several others, thus breaking the laws of God and man. The majority, voting not guilty, stated that Jesus is Lord and God, and therefore is above the law and knew what He was doing.

At least two who voted guilty said later they intended to vote for no penalty for law-breaking, as the accused is indeed the Lord God.

We added a new command at obedience school this evening: come! Morgan (my trainer/teacher/coach) wants it to be the strongest command, so I can call my dog and she’ll always come. So she gets rewarded no matter how slowly she arrives, or how much coaching she needs along the way.

And we teach it as a game! Morgan got out several bags of doggie treats, and gave Sallie one of each. She politely and hungrily accepted them all, but one she was passionate about. So that’s the come reward.

Then we left the fenced in circle, and Morgan took Sallie about 10 feet away from me. “Call her!” she told me. And I put all my love and energy and excitement into my voice and called, “Sallie, come!” And she came bounding along, ears flapping, tail wagging, hind-end swaying. I gave her a treat and told her she was wonderful!

Then Morgan backed up a bit and called. We repeated the process, backing up each time, until Sallie was running the entire length of PetsMart. She occasionally veered to the side when another shopper was there, but came back with a firm uh-uh or good girl! She even came when she spotted another dog down the side aisle!

Now, if I could just get her name right when I’m excited …

I generally have some song in my head—not necessarily an ear worm (those horrible ditties that get stuck in your mind and will not leave, no matter what you try), but just a song. I’ve learned to notice what I wake up singing, as that can predict what mood I’m in and how I’ll start my day.

This morning I’m singing, “Jesus, He can move the mountains! Our God is mighty to save … mighty to save!” True, and encouraging, and one of the songs we’ll be singing in the Christmas choir December 7.

My church doesn’t have a regular choir, but we generally put one together for Christmas and again for Easter. Our worship team does a wonderful job of leading Sunday mornings, but being part of a choir, helping to lead the people in worshiping, focusing on learning parts and words and all … that’s a joy for me. (Might have something to do with my having joined my first choir when I was in kindergarten—I’m now 61.)

And the title of this post? I typed it, confident it’s in Psalms. Which it is: Psalm 77:6—I remembered my songs in the night. And also Psalm 42:8—By day the Lord directs His love; at night His song is with me. And it’s also from Job 35:10—No one says, “Where is God my Maker, Who gives songs in the night?”

My mind will be filled with wonderful songs in the night this choir season. HalleluJah!

I’ve been volunteering a couple mornings a week at the Family Learning Center in north Boulder, a community center with a small charter school (HopeOnline). Today I took the four kindergartners to the playground for half an hour before lunch.

I learned one thing: pushing four little people on the swings for 30 minutes is not good for sore shoulders, arthritic hips, and limited energy!

Was this just a recess time for them? Not a chance! Here are a few of the things they learned in that half hour:
—”Push me, please.”
—”Thank you for pushing me!”
—stimulation of the vestibular and propriocentric portions of the brain
—”back and forth, back and forth”
—”up and down”
—”higher, please!”
—the body parts seat, tummy, knee, foot, leg
—the verbs swing, kneel, stand, sit, lie, pump
—empathy (when they had to wait for me to catch my breath between pushes)
—compassion (Annie offered me gravel on a leaf: “Here’s some food so you’ll feel better”)
—taking turns (”Me next!”)
—number words, sequencing, ordinals (”Push me first!” “I’m next!”)

Pretty impressive for 30 minutes of free play, don’t you think? But this is how kids learn best!

“Do you want to buy some cookies or brownies? Or give a donation to help hungry children?”

My youth group and I spent about four hours Saturday presenting variations of that to shoppers at our local King Soopers grocery store. The boys referred to the girls’ approach as Bambi eyes gone bad—because the gals would look pathetic and sincere as they spoke to people. “This is a chance to save starving children!”

Many people bought, and many donated without buying. It’s the ones who refused who fascinate me …

Many just walked by, not making eye contact. More polite ones said, “No, thanks.” Some offered, “Not today, thanks” (as if we were always there?). And we met a lot of people who apparently go shopping without any cash!

Then there were some standout, prize-winning lines: A woman who handed the girls $7 and asked me, “They’re legit, aren’t they? They’re not just going to buy candy?” A man who said brusquely, “I don’t want to get involved!” Another who asked, “Does any of this money go to John McCain’s campaign?” (Hey, buddy, we’re a bunch of teenagers with a table of cookies; do we look as if we’re campaigning for president?)

The most bizarre, however, was a man who said, “If children are starving, it’s their parents’ fault!” The kids responded politely, “But they’re in third world countries.” Said he, “If they’re living in third world countries, they shouldn’t have kids. They should use birth control!”

It makes me think of how I turn down what the Lord asks of me. “Elsi, here’s a way to help others and enlarge your spirit.” “Oh, not today, thanks, Lord!” Huh? Or even, “But that’s probably not the best way for me to spend my money.” Wait a minute—I’m telling God what’s best? Give me a break!

“Yes, Abba. Thanks for giving me the opportunity. I’ll act on Your word immediately.” That’s where I need to be.

I have been this cold before—winter bus duty, for example (though then I was bundled up for the weather, so only my knees and nose were chilled).

Let me explain: Haimei and Karen were reading about global warming, and were concerned that the polar bears were turning cannibal. They thought the youth group should do something about it, like plant trees. The youth group agreed they should become involved, but were more interested in helping starving people in third-world countries. So we planned a car wash to raise money to send to World Vision (where they give seeds, or fruit trees, or breeding animals, thus giving the families a way to continue to feed themselves).

However, this is Boulder, Colorado, and it is fall. The forecast for today was rainy and cold, and next week is high school homecoming, and then it’s going to be really cold … So we postponed the car wash till spring, and had a bake sale instead.

Cookies, muffins, brownies, Chinese food … four hours outside King Soopers (30th and Arapahoe), under an overhang which at least fended off the rain. And we made over $575, which is enough to buy two oxen and a plow!

Praise the Lord! For large-hearted teens, generous people, kind store managers, and the opportunity to make a difference in our world!