Big Changes Ahead

On Sunday Dad was ordained as an Pastor in a very nice ceremony at the end of our Church service. It was appropriately serious and special. Three Elders from other churches traveled from out-of-state to be part of the ceremony. There were a few moments during the reading of the charges to Dad and the speaking afterwards that I felt some panic: What are we doing? What have we gotten ourselves into? This is serious! As an Elder in our denomination Dad is considered a Pastor, able to give communion and preach. It was a big step, not just for Dad but for all of us, because as a family unit he's taking us all with him.

Here's a quick run-through of our trip to become an Elder's family:

In the Spring of 2005 our home church of many years dissolved and we started going to DCC

On December 11th of 2005 our family joined DCC

Around September of 2007 Dad decided to begin the test for Eldership at our church

On Aug. 3rd of 2008 Dad was ordained an Elder at DCC, which was at that time a part of the PCA.

In December of 2008 our church at a congregational meeting voted to leave the PCA and join the CPC. Dad had to re-take the Elder test.

At CPC Presbytery May 14th-17th 2009 Dad was questioned for three hours by a panel of six men and did not pass the exam. Our church joined the CPC at that time.

October 26th of 2009 Dad was examined again for two hours by phone and passed.

November 14th of 2009 Dad was examined on counseling and pastoral issues and was approved by unanimous vote for Eldership in the CPC.

Abbreviations: DCC: Dominion Covenant Church. PCA: Presbyterian Church in America (Denomination). CPC: Covenant Presbyterian Church (Denomination)

It seems like the whole process happened so fast, and it wasn't it just last year we started coming to this church? As we look forward to the new year I'm sure that the adjustment to Dad's new responsibilities and our part in them will be foremost in our minds. As we make our traditional list of goals and prayers for 2010, the possibilities stemming from Dad's new position will most likely dominate the page. Pray we will learn with grace our places in this venture!

Here we go!

Meet Calvin

This is not the surprise I mentioned earlier- that surprise is still pending. This is Calvin, the newest member of our family. An eight-week old border collie puppy, Calvin is a very good puppy so far- very quiet and well mannered. I hope it lasts.

I fear phone calls.

Also on my list of fears are leprosy, rabies, and suffocation. Leprosy has actually been on my mind lately, beacuse I just finished this book. It's an excellent story and I highly recommend all the Thoene's A.D. Chronicles.

But about phone calls, I called the number on a help wanted ad this morning. I so hate making phone calls, but my current state of poverty forced me to. Seeing a help wanted ad that is for something besides CNA work, trucking, power hosing hogs, or working with cattle is rare in this area. I haven't had a job for about a year now, and though I've certainly been busy I don't want to be a financial burden to my family. So I called, and found out even though it's a part time job it's still five days a week. Unnerved, I hung up and ate some chocolate to recover. Mom asked if I was sorry I couldn't take the job and work five days a week- not really. I'm too lazy to want to be away from home five days a week. I can't be gone that much anyway, because of our own business and family responsibilities. So here I am sitting in our business(working for room and board), high on chocolate, and no money to spare. But I don't really mind. Maybe it's the temporary effect of the chocolate. All the things I keep busy with, all my interests(Politics, sewing, art, cooking, military ministry), have so far not turned into lucrative avenues. I've been searching for opportunities for several months now, and none of them have worked out. So I'm waiting to see what happens, what God does: It could be life changing. Being a woman, I have speculated on what the reason I'm jobless might be: It may be because of a huge family change in the near future. And I can't tell you what that is, because it's a secret.

A Family Favorite

Layered Mocha Cheesecake with Oreo crumb crust. Perfect for any season.

Our Matriarch Reaches 90

Tuesday was the birthday of the U.S. Marines. It was also my Grandma's ninetieth birthday, and so I spent the day with her at her independent living apartment. We spent the morning cleaning out Grandma's linen closet. Anyone who knows Grandma knows she lives a spartan life, she's always cleaning out and getting rid of something, and her closets are already half empty as it is. So now, after yesterday's cleaning, her closet is pretty bare. But that's the way she likes it.

I ate lunch with Grandma in the dining room there, and sad to say either the food or the warm perfumed air(you know how elderly ladies often wear lots of perfume) gave me a terrible headache and upset stomach. Thankfully, elderly ladies also take naps, so I got to take one too. Nevertheless, I was very sick that night and I can promise you that I will never eat creamed beef chips with biscuits again. Yuck. It makes me feel sick just to type it here.

Grandma is an interesting lady. She grew up as an only child during the depression. She told me on Tuesday that when she was very young, around five or six, her mother would ask her to read to her while she was doing her ironing. I don't know many details about Grandma's life, but after a failed first marriage(which we never speak of), she married my Grandpa at age 28. They had a little girl, my Aunt, and then Grandpa was deployed to Korea during the Korean War. After he returned my Dad and his twin brother were born, and I'm sure they kept Grandma very busy after that. She's a independent, out-spoken lady, and even though she hasn't talked about hard times I know she's had her share. Now with her failing eyesight, we hope someday soon she will be able (and willing- at present she isn't) to move in and live with us. Anyway, I thought that Grandma, having reached the distinguished age of ninety, deserved to be memorialized online for all to see. Happy Birthday, Grandma, and many more!

Reformation Day Faire

It's hard to explain to non-Christian or normal Halloween-celebrating friends what a Reformation Day Faire is. Usually my explanation goes like this: It's celebrating Martin Luther and his 95 thesis, John Calvin and the Protestant Reformation... you know, John Calvin? (confused looks) Instead of celebrating Halloween? (shocked muttering and shaking of heads) Oh, never mind- it's a fall festival. (the light bulb goes on and shocked look disappears)

So Jen and I traveled the eight hours to IL with three other ladies for Providence Church's annual Reformation Day Faire, leaving last Thursday and arriving home Monday evening. We all agreed we had a good time- not quite a great time, but a good time. We stayed with a wonderful host family who showed us the art of good hospitality. We heard speakers on John Calvin both Friday and Saturday morning, very enjoyable when we weren't feeling too sleepy. Saturday afternoon the Scottish games began, followed bythe Boffer war. Since we ladies didn't know anyone in the games, we left after a while. My favorite part of the event was the ball Saturday night(English Country Dancing). We started out with the Virginia Reel, a dance I've actually done before, and I really wanted to dance again. Since I was a stranger there, I thought for sure no guy would ask me to dance, so I was very pleasently surprised and very happy when someone asked me to dance right away! I danced four out of the five dances altogether and had a wonderful time. I also really enjoyed the Church service and spending time with our hosts Sunday evening- we watched "Pendragon" together. A good movie, but the acting made me laugh sometimes.

Monday we traveled home. We specifically stopped at Steak and Shake in Iowa for lunch, because there aren't any in Nebraska that I know of, and had a pleasent meal together. Then a little farther on we got off the interstate to stop at a cemetery I wanted to visit. I got my tombstone pictures and then one of our members got sick, so we ended up waiting about an hour in Williamsburg, Iowa while her prescription got filled. We got a little silly running around the town square taking pictures. Kind of an odd sidenote to our fairly calm trip.

We had a good time and it was nice to get away for a little vacation. If I did it again, though, I think it might be more enjoyable if my family had been there or if I hadn't been the only quiet one in the car.

I spent at least an hour last week searching online for sources on 18th Century clothing, and ended up adding a half dozen blogs to my favorites, such as Diary of a Mantua maker. One website I really enjoyed was the Great Pattern Review, an excellent resource for ideas and pattern recommendations. I especially enjoyed seeing the photos of all the different styles and eras of dress.

I am almost finished with my caraco jacket, which is going as well as it possibly can considering the huge alterations I've made to my pattern. The process has convinced me to go ahead and buy the book, Patterns of Fashion 1. I am trying to be historically accurate and correct in my sewing, but some re-enactors would probably be horrified at my sewing process. It seems that in the future that I will be forced to learn to draft my own patterns, and I'm sure this book will be a great help.

I'm sorry my posts have been all about sewing lately. That's all I've been doing in my free time this week!