Eschewing Puccini

The morning after our honored guest sang Puccini's aria, Sketcher was still talking about her magnificent voice. He also couldn't wait to pop Mr. Bean's Holiday into the DVD player and fast-forward to the scene where that song is mimed. No wonder Sketcher was so familiar with the melody.

Today at lunch, Writer and I were discussing something of monumental importance (okay, so I can't remember the topic right now, but I'm sure it was a riveting conversation). I commented, "Well, he eschewed . . . . "

When I got to the end of my thought, Sketcher looked up and said, "Eschewed. Avoided." He then properly used the word in a complex sentence. I tried really hard not to stare in amazement, and casually asked him where he'd learned that word. He grinned and replied, "Veggie Tales."

So, um, how do YOU introduce your children to new vocabulary words and the arts? Blockbuster or Netflix?

Honored Guests

On Saturday evening, we were honored to have the Yasuda family as our dinner guests. Marina (seated on the right) received her diploma from the University of South Alabama earlier that day. We were delighted to meet her parents who flew in from Japan for the occasion.

After dinner, her mother sang Puccini's O Mio Babbino Caro.
A-M-A-Z-I-N-G voice. What a tremendous gift! We were speechless afterwards. Sketcher, especially, was mesmerized by her performance. A night we always will remember.

Kotoko, these peonies from the table are for you . . . Bravo!

No Warranty Rule

For all you men out there who are planning to bless your wives or mothers with a Mother's Day gift, I have a piece of advice for you: Follow the "No Warranty" rule.

When Writer and I decided to get married (and we'll soon celebrate 25 years together), I was able to get past the giddiness of the moment long enough to establish a few guidelines. One of the most important was the "No Warranty" rule. I made sure he understood that in the wide world of gift giving, I didn't want birthday, anniversary, Christmas, Mother's Day, Groundhog Day, or any other celebratory occasion to be marked by a gift with a cord and plug or warranty.

Giving a gift should be about the receiver. So, to open a box on Mother's Day that has a new appliance – no matter how shiny or time-saving – is saying to the receiver, "Here's another way to do some work around here." Is that really the message you want to communicate? I didn't think so.

Before you head to the mall or your favorite online store, my advice is, "Step away from the appliances. Follow the No Warranty rule." This is life-saving advice. You can thank me later.

He Is Risen!

Christ the Lord is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

After the crucifixion, body of Jesus was taken from the cross, wrapped, and placed in a new tomb in a nearby garden. When Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salmone returned to the garden to anoint Jesus' body, they found the tomb open and an angel inside. The angel told them, "He has risen!" (Mark 16)

How sweet of the Lord to bring life and wholeness in a garden. A garden – the very place where sin and death entered – has been redeemed.

If the garden of your life has been trampled by sin and destruction, it too can be redeemed. No matter how many weeds or how overgrown it has become, it can be made new. The Gardener longs to enter the garden of your heart and restore it to the beauty He intended.

It's Friday . . . But Sunday's Comin'

When I think of Good Friday, I think of the despair and disappointment the disciples must have felt. The One they loved and in whom they put their trust was crucified like a common criminal. The earth was dark. Hope seemed far away. Surely, their hearts were heavy.

Some of you may feel that same sense of despair today. The job you thought you had, the person you thought was your friend, the baby you longed for who seems so elusive now. You're discouraged, disappointed. Your heart is heavy.

Oh, my friend, the Lord wants you to hear, "It's Friday, but Sunday's comin'!"

He has heard your cry. You are not forgotten. Today may be your Friday, but your Sunday IS coming!

Your Sunday may come with a single phone call. A check with the right amount of zeroes on it. An encounter with someone new -- or someone with whom you'd lost touch. God can move in any way and at any time.

Be like John, the beloved. Draw near to Jesus today. Go with Him to the cross. Wait with Him. Pray with Him. Weep with Him. Seek a word from Him. Then, wait with joyful hope.

It's Friday, but Sunday's comin'!! Hallelujah!

_____________________________________

After I posted, I found this video:

That's MY King!

For reflection this Holy Week . . .

More Shopping

What a difference a day makes!

After yesterday's fiasco, I had a much better experience today. Thankfully.

Kudos to Amelia at Joann Fabrics and Beverly at Belk's. You ladies know your merchandise and your customers. Even though your stores were crazy busy, you were cheerful and helpful.

The score of the day was a pair of Donald J. Pliner shoes. Original price: $225. Price I paid: $43.75.

Say WHAT?!

This afternoon I received an email from Williams-Sonoma advertising an Easter sale. Saw a couple of cute items I liked and drove over to the local store for a closer look. When the clerk asked if she could help, I told her I had seen some sale items online, but they were still full price in the store. She said they would match the price. I didn't ask -- she offered.

I also was there to buy a wedding gift. Printed out the wedding registration list, worked my way through it. Decided I needed to check with Writer about the gift purchase, so I took the item I'd seen on sale online to the clerk at the register. She turned to Jorg, told him that I'd received an email about the sale. I told them the price. He said he'd have to verify it. Pulled up their website, typed in the item number, said it was sold out so he couldn't sell it at the web sale price. The first clerk wandered away. I tried to talk to him about but he wasn't in a talking mood.

Rather than telling him what I really thought, I thanked him, told him I didn't want them at that price, and left the store. Went home. Checked online. Item still showed on the W-S website at the sale price but showed that it was out of stock.

So, I emailed Williams-Sonoma's customer service. This is my note:

I received an email advertising Easter items for sale. Checked the website, saw the sale items I wanted and drove to the local store to purchase them. Because the items were no longer in stock online, the store clerk said he could not sell them at the sale price! Needless to say, I didn't purchase them at the regular price. I'm shocked. I've never heard of a store advertising an item then refusing to sell it at the advertised price merely because the warehouse no longer has them in stock.

This is their reply:

Hello Joy,

Thank you for contacting Williams-Sonoma.

The Catalog/Internet division and our retail stores typically offer the same merchandise at the same price. However, certain items may be offered at different promotional price points through either our Catalog/Internet Division or our retail stores. This decision is a direct relation between our inventory levels and customer buying trends.

Unfortunately, the Catalog/Internet division does not honor store sale prices at this time. In addition, the retail stores are not required to honor Catalog/Internet sales prices. We encourage you to contact your local Williams-Sonoma store for further assistance. You may locate a store near you online at http://www.Williams-Sonoma.com/cust/storelocator.cfm
for further assistance.

If we may be of any further assistance, please contact us via email. Alternately, you may contact our Customer Service Department directly at 1(800) 541-1262 from 7:00am to 11:00pm (CST), seven days a week.

Kind regards,

Erika Hall
Williams-Sonoma
Customer Service

Umm, Erika, why would I possibly want to contact the local store? I just came from there. I tried to talk to your employee about it and he couldn't be bothered. He decided that he'd rather keep his basket full of bunny kitchen towels than satisfy a customer.

Erika, dear, I think your store policy is ridiculous. The even more ridiculous part is that the original item was only $8.00. The sale price was $5.99. So, for $2.01 (or $4.02 because I was going to buy 2), your guy Jorg made a pretty big gamble that I would return to shop in your store. What do you think the odds are that I'll return for the $529.95 cookware set, the $42 wooden candleholder or even the $2.99 fish spatula from the bride's registry?

Through the Rear View Mirror

Twenty years ago today, at about this same time of the morning, I was in a surgery recovery room. Mourning. Weeping. Hurting.

My twin babies had gone to be with Jesus. The babies I had seen only through the lens of a sonogram. The babies I had nurtured in my womb for four months and in my heart for years.

My physical pain was significant, but my emotional pain was overwhelming. Bereft. Bereaved. Bewildered.

The pain gave way to anger, confusion. I tend to process information internally – as opposed to my husband, Writer, who talks all the time processes information externally. The thoughts in my head were jumbled, messy, condemning.

Why? Why me? What was wrong with my body? Thirteen-year-old girls were able to do this, why couldn't I? Thirteen-year-old girls were disposing of their babies in abortion clinics and dumpsters. I had been a "good girl." Why had God not seen that? Why had He not honored that? Why had He not protected my babies?

No one knew what to say. My mother drove 250 miles through the night to be with me before I went into surgery. Our pastor loved on us and prayed with us. Friends brought food (hey, it's the South. Food is ALWAYS appropriate!!!).

The grief was unbearable. It settled on me. Hovered over me. Never fully lifted. Until.

Until I allowed Jesus to bring healing. Until I allowed Him to speak the truth to my heart. Until I allowed His redemptive work – even in or especially in – the midst of terrible circumstances.

Slowly, and after additional miscarriages, I began to understand that my heart's desire was to be a mother. That my children didn't need to look like me or Writer. Didn't need to have his blue eyes or my brown hair.

No longer was I limited to what we could produce (yes, it's a double entendre). I had the vastness of God's love and His good plan for me – His plan not to harm me, but to give me a hope and a future.

So, this morning I wept for the loss of my precious babies. Then my mourning turned to dancing as I rejoiced over Ballerina and Sketcher. One who hears music like I do and one who walks (and talks) like Writer.

This sustained me:

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the LORD
In the land of the living.
(Psalm 27:13, NKJV)

This is to encourage you today:

Wait and hope for and expect the Lord;
be brave and of good courage
and let your heart be stout and enduring.
Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.
(Psalm 27:14, Amplified)

Seven Minutes of Pure Joy

This weekend, Ballerina performed as a gypsy at the ballet. Seven minutes of pure joy!

Lots of work. Challenging combinations. Hardest performance to date. Loved every second of it.

She takes classes six days a week, rehearses multiple times a week for many, many weeks. All to perform for seven minutes on the stage.

What are you pursuing with equal passion?

P.S. Writer has (at least for now) agreed to let me post photos of Ballerina and Sketcher. I'll try not to overwhelm the system with pics!!

I Need The Savior

My pastor just emailed this to our congregation. I pray that it speaks to your heart like it did to mine. Oh, how I need the Savior.

One of the problems we have as Christians is that we often forget that we have a Savior. Since birth, we have been trying to save ourselves. The child who tells a fib is trying to not get caught. She is convinced that her lie will save her. The adolescent who cheats on a test is trying to save himself from failing. The adult who worries and schemes about how to solve whatever problem is on that day's agenda is trying to save himself or herself.

After Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit, they hid, thinking that they could save themselves from the one person who could actually save them. They made aprons of fig leaves and chose darkness rather than light, thinking that by hiding, they would not be seen. Ever since, we, as fallen men and women, have unsuccessfully tried to make broken situations work. We have tried to save ourselves from unforseen consequences.

Many Christians spend the majority of their time trying to save themselves. We might not do it intentionally, but it happens. Why do we worry? Worry is our attempt to work out a plan to save ourselves.

When we become our own saviors, it never works. When we try to save ourselves, we turn to the darkness to hide us. Darkness, however, always betray us. Darkness will never save us, yet we believe its lie and agree with it by our actions. Look at Judas. Look at Ananias and Sapphira.

One of the most powerful prayers we can ever pray is, "Lord, I cannot save myself. Please come into the problem and solve it for me." That is the prayer of surrender – "I cannot save myself. I need a Savior." It is powerful because we are turning to the Light rather than to the darkness for aid.

Ask the Lord to show you areas in your life today where you are trying to save yourself. When He shows you, rejoice! Declare, "Lord, I cannot save myself!" Then wait for Him to act on your behalf. He is both Savior and Friend.

The Best Lemon Cake — EVER

Sketcher and I recently tried a couple of new cupcake recipes, in anticipation of his birthday and a church event. The Barefoot Contessa Lemon Cupcake recipe, found here, was nothing short of fabulous. More than week later I still can remember the perfection of the taste and texture. I probably won't bake them again during Lent, but they're on the menu for Easter Sunday.

We tried a chocolate recipe, too. The cupcakes were good. Moist. Tender. Even topped them with fresh raspberries. But they just could not compare to the lemon ones.

P.S. The photo is the answer to this question!