Weather Man Adventures

Sometimes being the "Weather Man" is fun!  Sometimes it's a bit interesting and adventuresome, especially around Halloween.

Yesterday was an awesome night!  I went to Trunks and Treats at my church.

I was able to hang out with lots of people and my favorite stuffed animal Jenny Spider and share the 5 day forecast.  Everyone was asking me questions about tomorrow's weather.

Jenny and I had a great time!

Someone even made a balloon spider for me!  Very cool!  I guess by now you realize.....  I LIKE spiders.

I even got to meet Bob the Tomato and a bunch of pirates that don't do anything!  Whew! Must be nice! I work a lot!  It's hard work checking the Doppler Radar and predicting weather patterns, but someone in this family has to do it!  I love my job!

Yesterday was awesome.  Tonight, Halloween, didn't start out so well.

 I agreed to go do some research this evening.  Halloween weather research.  In order to check the weather, I had to go with this dude trick or treating.  I was a bit nervous standing next to a ninja, but I tried not to show it. 

Then things got worse.....

The scariest Darth Vader I've ever seen in person came up behind me. The ninja asked me what the weather forecast was going to be tomorrow.  I showed him.  He said if I was wrong he'd eat all of my Halloween candy.

This is NOT GOOD!

Being a weather guy is tough on Halloween.  I'll be glad when this one is over.  I don't like all of these scary dudes.  Mommy told me these guys are really my brother and my Daddy.  Come on now!  Dude!  Any guy who can predict the weather knows his own family members when he sees them!!

All I wanted to do was do a little research and get some free candy along the way!

By the way to all of you nice people out there, tomorrow will be sunny with clear skies!  Highs in the low 60's.  Zero percent chance of rain.  Low tonight 34. 

This is PJ your friendly meteorologist signing out. 

We Have the Victory

" But thanks be to God!  He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."    1 Corinthians 15:57


Victory Sports flag football season ended tonight.  

It has been a fast eight weeks.  I can't believe it is over.  We have gone from a beautiful warm fall week, to quite a chilly night for a last game.  We were shivering on the side lines.  

The rain held off, until right after Coach P. had our last devotion and the coaches handed out trophies.  My son's prayers were answered from this morning!!  He really wanted everyone to be able to play in their season final game.

Victory Sports is like a family.  If you are ever part of this sports league, you are part of the Victory Family.  We support and pray for each other.  Families care about each other.  Kids make great friendships and learn a little about sports along the way.  

The most important part about this league is sharing 

the Gospel of Christ. 

 It is why Victory even began.  Read about who Victory Sports are on their website here.

You can even sign up for upcoming sports on their website.  Registration is open for winter basketball, cheer leading, and special needs leagues at this time. 

Mama Mia and Coach P.  (aka Greg and Mia)

Greg and Mia have huge hearts.  It shows each week in what they do.  We love being a part of such a ministry as this. 

A few favorite pics from this season.....  

Flag football has cultivated a love of being on a team in our oldest son, Joseph.  

He loves coming to practice each week to see his friends and to play the game.  We've seen his self confidence grow tremendously through playing flag football and the positive environment of Victory Sports.

A couple of weeks ago during a game, Joseph and another player from the opposite team collided.  Joseph tripped and fell down.  He hurt his ankle.  However, he got up off the field with the help of his team mate and hobbled a little bit off to the side.  He was fine a few minutes later.  He was so excited he said to be "injured on the field" and be able to say he got up and kept going.  It was a memorable moment to him.  It was like his own little victory. 

He's had a lot of little victories over past seasons.  Tonight was no exception.  Two touch downs.  One was a short pass from Coach Jeff followed by a long run.  The second was a  long pass from Coach P. himself then just a short run to the end zone!  The coaches of the team surprised Coach P. tonight, by asking him to do the honors of being their quarterback for the last part of the game.  How awesome is that!!  What a night!! Joseph catching  a pass from the biggest heart on the field.   More victory moments! 

Love you Coach P. and Mama Mia!  Thank you for providing these opportunities for our children and for God to shine each time we're on the field.

I'm sad to see the season end, BUT spring is just around the corner...... We'll keep practicing I guarantee you and another little boy might be jumping on the football band wagon for the 1st/2nd grade team. 

Gee I wonder who that might be??

His brother can teach him a lot.  He already is.

Thanking God for our victories each day!  All of us are going through family issues, financial issues, job issues, medical issues with family or ourselves and more.  It is life.  But thanks be to God that He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, that we always have HIM to depend on as we walk through life together.

Wedding Day

It was the most beautiful October day in 1992.  Temperatures in the 70's, a gentle breeze in the air, lots of sunshine, hardly a cloud in the sky.  It was gorgeous in Myers Park.  It was Mike's and my wedding day.

I wore Mom's dress.  She made it for her wedding in 1953.  She had been storing it in her cedar chest all of these years.  She let me peek at it growing up from time to time.  Whenever she opened the chest, which was rare, a strong aroma of cedar would fill my nose and I would  marvel at what was tucked inside.  Baby items of my brother and I, some things from when she and Dad lived in Hawaii, little antique plastic cars, and then there was "the dress".

It was made of heavy peau de soie, ivory satin, with long lace sleeves, and lace over the bodice, draping down past the waist with tiny, hand sewn pearls throughout. It had a long train on it and required someone to help you when you turned around.   It was a beautiful gown.  And Mom looked more beautiful in it.....

She was so talented with a needle and thread.  I still do not know to this day how she managed to just see a similar dress in the Montaldo's department store window, and copy it herself without a formal pattern.  She must have made up the pattern as she went along.  It was a stunning piece of art to me.

When I became engaged, Mom got the gown out of the cedar chest and asked me if I'd like to wear it for my wedding.  Would I like to try it on?  "Would I like to try it on??  Of course I would!"  That was something I'd dreamed about as a little girl.  More than that, asking me if I'd like to wear it for my own wedding..... that was so special.

So I tried it on and it was not the perfect fit.  Mom had an 18 inch waist when she was 23 and she and I are very similar in size and stature, but I do not have her tiny waist.

Dad's smile and giggle was quite memorable the night  I tried the dress on and was looking at myself in the full length mirror in my room.  After I had the dress on, I asked him, "What do you think?"  Then the smile and giggle ensued and  I knew this was THE dress for my wedding.

This decision meant a lot of hours for my mom in a "labor of love" she said, in order to alter the dress so I could actually wear it.  She had to expand the bodice and waist and she sewed new pearls on where the old ones had turned to brownish tan.  She spent hours and hours on renovating the dress for me.  Many late nights I'd hear the humming of her sewing machine, or find her hand sewing parts of it.

All of those hand sewn pearls..... like little fingerprints of her love being held in each one.  I think she wanted me to wear the dress as much as I did.  I'm so glad that was the case.

The finished product was beautiful.  It was an honor to wear her dress.

Photo by Raymond Hahn

And walking down the aisle in this dress, with my daddy was something I won't forget.  We chatted a bit as we were walking.  We were both a bit nervous.  He asked me, "Is this a good pace?"  He didn't want to walk too fast.  He was always thinking of me and not himself.  I looked at him and replied, "I think this is just right."  Many people asked us what we were saying as we walked down the aisle together.  They thought Dad might have been sharing last bits of fatherly wisdom with his daughter, or perhaps a sweet sentiment.  He had already done all of those things prior to that day.  Today he just wanted to make sure it was perfect for me. This is the tune we walked to.....Trumpet Tune by Henry Purcell

Photo by Raymond Hahn

 And it was perfect in every way.....  There was a sparkle in Michael's eyes that day up by the altar that I will remember always.  I've never seen lights dance in someone's eyes and shine like they did that day he professed his vows to me.  It was magical! 

I was marrying my best friend since we were 20.  Here we were 25 years old.  We had been engaged for two years so I could finish my grad school classes first.  The time had finally come.  I was marrying my best friend for good.

And everything was beautiful that day..... having my family there to celebrate with me and dear friends.

The minister who married us was the senior minister at Myers Park Methodist Church in the 1960's.  Mom was his secretary.  He baptized me in this very sanctuary and now he was a part of our marriage ceremony.  My favorite words he said to us that day were when he addressed us "my dear children" and gave us his blessing.  I did call him "Uncle Clay" because he was such a close family friend.  Another honor to have him there with us that day.

At the end of the ceremony I must add this, I had to turn around with that long satin train and then walk down some steps.  My best girlfriend and maid of honor helped me with that task.  I was so afraid I was going to trip going down those steps that I almost forgot to kiss my sweet Michael!  We both made it down the steps with no falls to the sound of the pipe organ playing Handel's "Water Music".  Walter the organist at Myers Park was the BEST.  Another dear family friend that had known me since a baby.
Listen to the Handel piece here.

And here we are 19 years later.... I wouldn't trade any of these years for the world.  The Lord has blessed us so much through some very good and hard times.  I would marry Michael all over again in half a heart beat.  He is still my very best friend after all of these years.  I love him with all of my heart.

I can't wait for what God has in store for us..... as long as He's by our side I know we will continue to thrive in love, joy and peace.  Growing old with my best friend is one of God's most precious gifts to me.
Ending today's post and happy memories of one of my very favorite days with my mom's favorite hymn and one of mine as well.....  Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring by Johann Sebastian Bach

Be blessed!
Judith

An Autumn Day at the Greenway

Fall activities are all around us.  It is October and time for hay rides, pumpkin patches, corn mazes, and more.  Anne Springs Greenway in Fort Mill, SC was having some autumn festivities today and we ventured out this morning with our neighbors for some fun.

Enjoy some of our photos....

The pumpkin patch

The boys and our friends  I just love the wave and smile!

They found some pumpkins to take home.

The Corn Maze

Wow, what can I say about this intricate corn maze?  It was large and even with a map, we got very lost twice.  Being in a place where you get  lost and all you see around you is corn almost twice as tall as yourself, was a bit intimidating.  However, with our trusty map and help from a friendly dad passing by us, we got back on track the first time we got lost.  I vowed to go slower for the next part of the maze. I had to physically keep turning the map in the direction we were walking to stay on track and stopped at most turns.  I am so bad with directions!

Going slower this time, we made it 3/4 of the way through.  Then.... yes, I got confused again.  No saavy strangers around this time to help us out.  Where were we exactly?  I really don't like being lost....even in a friendly corn maze.

I did get to admire the sunny October Carolina blue skies for moments though while we were considering the map.  It is a beautiful day!! 

Thank the good Lord above for sons, yes even 10 year old sons with good senses of direction.  Joseph was able to locate a landmark of sorts he remembered from just minutes before, and then we were able to pin point where we were on the map once more.  I love this boy!!!

Philip and I alone in the maze would have been wandering around in circles for a bit.... ok longer than a bit, I heartily admit that!

Philip enjoyed the corn maze too.  It was like a stroll through the corn for him.  

He was great at keeping up.

Well we made it out! 34 minutes! Whew!  Joseph timed us.  I was ready to exit the maze at the halfway point where that is an option, but little boys wanted to continue.  You only do these kinds of things once a year, so I was willing to continue.  And this was our first corn maze ever! I guess you are never too old for a good one.

Yes the length of the maze is that long.  The tiny buildings in the background mark the starting point.

When we got on the main path, I phoned my husband on the cell, he was waiting for us.  I told him without Joseph's help I would have never figured my way out without great frustration.  He laughed.  I teased him saying he probably wouldn't have needed a map.  I don't know though....  this one was pretty tricky to say the least.  I can't compare it to other mazes, but for a first one it was pretty fun.

Next time Mike will come in with us, and I may just follow along and let him navigate. Ohhh I'm so glad for the males in this house that have good senses of direction! 

The Mountain Majesty of Ecuador

The mountains of Ecuador are forever changing.  For a week I watched these mountains surrounding Quito, and they never looked the same each day.  It was one of the most striking things I will always remember about this area of Quito and within 2 hours from Quito.

Just when you are seeing the sun shine on one side of a crystal green mountain, a cloud will float by, casting small shadows of olive, light brown, or deep forest green across its sides.  I could just stand there forever and watch how the mountains would change with the sunlight and cloud cover of the day.  It was completely beautiful, especially the view of the volcanoes like the one above and below.  We soaked it all in....

Sometimes the clouds would cast larger shadows, leaving only high peaks of sunlit mountain, then only to open up for a moment to reveal tidbits of vivid blue sky above.  This massive expanse of ever changing cloud cover and sunlight never painted its images the same way twice on its mountain canvas below. 

 

Our last full day in Ecuador we fellow shipped with our guides, translators, and their friends on a mountain side surrounding Quito.  It was not just a mountain side either.  It was mountains from as far as the eye could see from one side of the sky to the other.  It was a massive panoramic view like none I've ever seen.  My pictures cannot begin to show you this.  It was simply too vast for my camera.  We watched the mountains change once again as the sun crept closer to its slumber behind those peaks.

It's an afternoon and evening I won't ever forget.

Sunlight pouring through the clouds....

Saying goodbye to the day, as the clouds change over Quito.

 

And knowing the next day we would say our goodbyes to this place.  I was thinking and pondering the events of the week.  Who we saw, who touched our lives, and thanking the Lord for the opportunity to take a peek inside the beautiful country of Ecuador. It was hard to believe I had traveled so far.  I certainly didn't feel like I was a continent away from my home.  

I guess God draws us all closer to each other if we just say "yes" to venturing out to the other parts of the world that are His also.    He has given me another perspective to consider and written new messages on my heart, because I went to Ecuador.

One statement one of our team members says is that "she's thankful that God sees the world all at the same time."

I love that statement.  God knows our needs and the needs in places we've never been before.  I know now some of the needs in Ecuador.  And now that I know, I can at least pray until the day the Lord brings me back to this place in His timing.  He may bring me to a new place next time I go on missions, or he may just show me other things right where I am planted, across town, in my neighborhood, at the retirement community where my folks live or some place here I've never been to before.  I see Him already doing that.  So many opportunities are right in our own backyards.  By going to Ecuador I see so much more clearly that what matters most is that I'm living out my faith and not keeping it to myself.  I'm just so thankful to have seen and experienced what I did those few short days. 

And those ever changing Ecuadorian mountains..... will be ingrained in me for quite some time.  Most importantly, the faces of those I met in and around those mountains I'll carry with me.

A drawing by John, Cynthia, Mendy, Lizzie and Judith

 About the cross.....

Our team building project on this day we were fellow shipping by this panoramic view of the mountains, was to draw, paint, create (however we felt led to), a picture of what the children of Ecuador meant to us after being on this missions trip.

Our group came up with the cross as the back bone of the entire picture.  Jesus is the center of why we are in Ecuador to begin with.  It's about sharing His love with orphans, using our talents, abilities and anything else He has given us.  Also, it's about giving Him the glory for everything on our trip.
 
The rainbow  was for an actual rainbow we saw in the sky over the mountain one day on the tour bus!  Very cool!  

The mountains we all agreed had to be a part of the picture, because we were all so taken with the mountains which we saw each day on route to see the orphans.  

A heart at the center because of Christ's love for the children and us.  

Hand prints made by our 9 year old team member symbolizing children's hands painted in white to symbolize purity.  The hand prints are inside the heart, because Jesus loves children so much.

Then at the bottom I drew an Ecuadorian boy and girl with crowns, because one of the crafts we did with the children was to make crowns and decorate them.  

We read a Bible story and showed them that they are children of God, in essence because we believe in Christ, we are heirs to the King himself, Jesus Christ, and thereby they are "prince and princesses" of the King.  

The little boy I drew was a child that touched my life on this trip.  He wears red glasses and I'll never forget him.  

So many precious boys and girls.....  the orphans of Ecuador will forever be in our hearts and prayers.

  Sharing what the trip meant to us through these drawings and paintings and hearing the testimonies of the team members on this mountain with the panoramic view behind us, with the sun starting to go down was especially meaningful to everyone.

Thank you Lord for everything.