A Final Lesson from Teacher John Buriff

John and one of his great-grandchildren

When Brian arrived in Oregon last week to see his dad one final time, he asked him what lesson he asked him to imagine he was back in his High School classroom and teaching one final lesson to his students.  Here is what he had to say.     

Ok class, this is the last lesson that I can offer you. 

First let me say that you are all great students. I have learned over the years that many of you have excelled and applied yourselves and ended up in a good position in life and work. I have fond memories of our time together at Red Bluff High School. I could name so many of you individually who demonstrated an eagerness to learn. It was your eagerness and thirst to learn that made teaching so special for me. 

My final lesson that I can impart is this: The life you live and every day you live it is important. The decisions you made years ago have made a big difference in who you are today. And the decisions you make today will make a big difference in who you are tomorrow. 

Most importantly invest as much energy into your spiritual life and faith in God as you do in matters of this physical life. Life will never be smooth and when things upset and challenge you, learn to find peace and to be forgiving. 

Again I am proud of each of you may students. I can agree with 2 Timothy 4:7-8 that I have fought the fight, I have finished the race and I have kept the faith. And now there is in store for me that crown of righteousness, which the Lord, my righteous Judge, will award me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing. 

--- John Buriff 

John

As I write this, my father-in-law is being transported to a hospice facility.  Brian is in the ambulance with him.  Once he arrives at the facility, family will line the h

all creating a welcoming party for him.  There are no plans for a funeral or memorial service but rather a celebration of life while he is still here with us.  Tonight, family will gather in his room and share memories and laughter, and I'm sure more than a few tears. 

I spoke with him yesterday to say "goodbye".  He was weak but he was very coherent and made it clear that he didn't want a sad goodbye but a celebration that he will be entering his eternal home with his Savior and those who have passed on before and he genuinely hoped that all those he is leaving behind will join him there one day. 

I thanked him for raising an amazing man for me to marry.  He said he was so very proud of all of his kids and grand kids and that he felt he was leaving things in good hands.  He has ten grandsons and almost every one of them has chosen a career path of service.  Some are in ministry.  One made a career of the Military.  Some are firefighters and one served as a police officer.  All of them are men who are leaders and compassionate, responsible individuals.  John had an awful lot to do with that.

I remember when Brian and I were newly married and were visiting his parents home for a while.  John was a high school science teacher and students would show up at the house for him to help them with their studies.  I was impressed.  What teacher does that?   That small act told me much about the man who had raised my husband.    Years later John serviced as a teacher in a mission school in Grand Cayman Island.  Whatever he was doing, he found a way to serve others and the legacy of service and giving continues on through each of his children and grand children.

His is certainly a life worth celebrating, but I do have to say that our hearts are heavy.  He will be missed. and our world will be dimmer in his absence.

Round and Round We Go

How is your new year going?   Ours is .... different... busy.... the same... yet different.  That makes total sense, right? 

This week has been weird.  I had nothing at all on my schedule except an NRA Range Safety Officer Course I'm teaching all day Saturday followed by a Meet the Instructor Event at the range Saturday evening.  And yet, it seems there are not enough hours to catch up on all that needs to be done. 

I'm still working my way through a stack of paperwork.  I still have one video left to record and upload for the ISD program for TWAW Shooting Chapters.  Every day there is something to do for 88 Tactical.  And then there are the normal things of life - errands that  need to be ran, the gym, church, cooking dinner, laundry, and a smattering of marketing stuff to do. 

I have made some changes this year.  I'm choosing to let some things ride a while and focusing more on taking care of me.  I do think that accounts for the less time to do other things and while it seems I'm backed up even with "time off".  Maybe I just had no idea how busy I was before??  My job is one that is unpredictable.  Yes, there are classes that I teach that are scheduled well in advance but at any time my phone may ring and change my day entirely. 

I'm the kind of person that likes to get things taken care of immediately, mainly so that I don't forget to do them.  My boss doesn't expect an immediate action, but I do it to keep stuff off my desk.  That has made it hard to get any sort of routine going.  That has changed this year.  Its important to have a solid foundation in life.  Faith, family, and yes, self-care, all will keep me grounded.

Well, enough about me.  How are you holding up in this wild ride of life?

Two Men

Its the end of the year and I'm just sitting here thinking about the changes that have taken place ... and thinking about all that is in store in the future.  

And that made me start thinking about the Pastors. In particular I was thinking about their uniqueness and how they work together so well.  They are very, very different people with very different gifts, but they are so united in heart and purpose so much so that no one would be able to divide them - even if they tried.

Both Brian and I are beyond thrilled to have Dennis on board!  Let me tell you about Dennis.  I've known him now for 30 some years and you can't know someone for that long and not see them in various situations that reveal character.  Let me tell ya, Dennis is a man of integrity!  He made my short list of people I trust a long, long time ago.  I've seen him stand and do the "right thing" when it cost him great personal pain and loss.  I've seen him handle what could have been explosive situations and bring all the parties to a calm "agree to disagree" place.

Dennis is gifted in his preaching.  In fact, I don't even think of it as "preaching".  Its more like chicken soup for the soul.  Ha!  He will give me grief for that.  He just talks to you from the pulpit and his messages are always something that leave you feeling hopeful, and encouraged, and amaze you with simple truth.  I always leave feeling like I've just had a bowl of good old homemade chicken soup.  Nourished!

Oh, and he's gifted musically.  Did you know he played professionally?  He did.  And he probably still could.  I'm pretty sure the whole music program at our church rides on his shoulders.  And yet, he is never one to draw attention to himself but elevates others and their gifts.

And then there's Brian.  What do I say about the man I've been married to for more than half my life?    Obviously I've known him for a while now and have also seen him in more situations than I can count.  Even after all these years I am amazed at the utter and complete grace and wisdom he displays.  Most of it involves things that no one else will ever know about and are probably blissfully unaware of.  

No one remains an Associate Pastor for 32 years if they have an ego and are bent on serving self.  Brian is one of the most self-less people I know and he has proven that in our family and in the church time and time again for many, many years.

As I've watched him maneuver the transition at our church, all that wisdom has really come into play.  Unknown to most, he has set things in place to make what might have been a very difficult transition much smoother and less traumatic for the congregation.

And he is a gifted teacher.  Again, I don't think of his preaching as "preaching" but more of teaching.  One thing that still baffles me about him is his way of finding little treasures in the most obscure scripture and then weaving them into something profound and meaningful to life.  Or his way of taking a scripture you have heard for years and find something in there that he can mine out and bring new life to.  Brian has always said that the "why" is important.  Its important to know why whatever the message is about is important to everyday life.  I think he does a pretty good job of making scripture - sometimes those we've never given a thought to, apply to the things we all deal with on a daily basis.  

Oh, and both of these guys are goofy!  Ha!  They are both fun because they will jump in and make fun of themselves at the drop of a hat.  And that keeps us all on our toes because ... you just never know what's coming next!

A Buriff "Christmas Vacation"

It wasn't quite a "Griswold" Christmas at our house but it was far from a "Hallmark" one. 

We had celebrated with our family days earlier so we did have some great family time before ... well ....before the chaos..  

Since our family Christmas was over we kept Christmas Day pretty simple.  It was just going to be our youngest son and his wife and their new baby and my mother here.  I decided on a stress-free dinner and asked Brian to pick up some fried chicken from Kroger the day before. Kroger chicken is pretty good and that would prevent me from being in the kitchen slaving over the stove.  Mom was bringing her famous potato salad and her amazing pumpkin pie. Sounds great, right?

But things do not always go as planned.

Christmas morning mom called to tell us that her back went out and she was not going to be able to come. That was disappointing because we never know how many more Christmases we get with our parents but things happen ... oh man, do they ever.  Turns out, that was just the beginning.

Mom sent the food she had prepared with our youngest and we settled in for a quiet, laid back day..
 

Except...

Brian had not gone to Kroger to get the chicken.  He went somewhere else.  That became apparent when we sat down to eat.   It did sort of remind me of the scene in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation movie where they cut into the picture perfect turkey and it immediately turns to ash.  It wasn't as bad as all that, but It was really pretty horrible.  I'm not sure what anybody did to that chicken but man, it was the worst.  Logan kept digging through it to find something that resembled fried chicken.  He was not successful. 

Our daughter-in-law became sick after lunch (probably the chicken)  but found some relief in some over-the-counter medication so we hoped a little indigestion was all it was.  We all blamed the chicken. 


After everyone left, Brian and I visited a couple of people who can't get out and stopped by mom's to check on her.  It was nice to bring a little joy to some folks who see very little of it.  They truly are surprised, which is a big part of the fun, and they appreciate it so much. 

I'm not sure why we were so wiped out after that  but Brian and I crashed on the couch and watched some mindless TV.  To be truthful I can't even remember what we watched.  We were THAT tired. 

At some point Brian's sister called.  Turns out she had pranked us and we weren't even aware of it.  we're quick on the draw like that.  She had sent a package of baked goods for our family at Christmas.  The goodies have been sitting on the counter in the kitchen for the past week or so and we have eaten them here and there throughout the week.  I had intended to write her a thank you note to thank her and tell her that I'm a bit picky about fudge and hers was good.  Last night when she called she asked how we liked it.   We told her it was good and wondered why she was laughing so hard.  Turns out she had made the goodies - all of them, with crickets! 

That's right.  Crickets.  Those nasty little bugs that crawl around in the yard and chirp loudly.  Now it was my turn to feel sick.  Thankfully no harm was done.  Apparently if you are allergic to shellfish and eat crickets, you can have the same allergic reaction.  Our daughter-in-law if HIGHLY allergic to shellfish and the goodies were on the counter throughout Christmas Day.  Thankfully she did not eat any. 

Speaking of my daughter-in-law ... 

About 9:30 p.m. my son called to tells us that he was taking her to the Emergency Room.  At 1:30 a.m. he called to say they had admitted her. 

And as I type this, we are waiting for her to go into surgery.  NOT what she needs with a newborn baby.  

So yes, our Christmas was a memorable one.  Not in the way we had hoped, but memorable. 

We are blessed to have a great family that enjoys each other's company, good or bad.  We are there for each other.  And my sister-in-law had better be watching her back because I'm not afraid to seek revenge for those dang crickets. 

  

Mile Markers

Its been an eventful week around here.  So eventful that it got right past me without my notice until I got a few messages of congratulations that made me go, "oh wow, its been TWO YEARS already?""   Where does time go?   Two years ago I began a new chapter in my life.  It was actually a bit more than two years ago, but it was all "official" two years ago.  That was when I began working for 88 Tactical of Ohio. 

Sometimes I still sit back and wonder how in the world I got there.  I sure didn't plan it. Not by any means.  And it surprised a lot of people, but none more than me! 

When I found out that I would be working at the new range in town (another long story), I told a friend of mine that I would be working there.  He responded, "Oh, you'll be working with Phil Chaney." 

"Who?"

"Phil Chaney."

"Never heard of him."

"Oh he's this big tactical guy."

"Ah, he's probably a jerk." 

We all have met guys like that, right?  They think they are all that.  They are a dime a dozen and I am not impressed with them much at all  Then I went to work at the range and found a copy of Phil's bio laying around.  It mentioned things like "Retired Marine Chief Warrant Officer 3 with over 25 years of specialized training and instruction."   It mentioned that he had been hand selected to train Force Recon Marines.  It stated that he was the Special Missions Close Quarters Battle Instructor for the 1st Special Operations Training Group and the Chief Instructor for the Close Quarters Battle Sections for MCSF.  Somewhere it also mentioned that he had earned the Bronze Star w/ “Valor” device (OEF), Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal w/ “Valor” device (OIF), Meritorious Service Medal (OIF), and Navy /Marine Corps Commendation Medal.  It also talked about how he was the Chief Instructor for the Ohio Tactical Officers Association and was responsible for training SWAT in Ohio. 

And I thought, "Wow, he really is a big tactical guy.  In fact, he's the real deal He's the guy all those other guys want to be." 

The first thing I did was to schedule him as a guest speaker at our TWAW meeting. He agreed!  Then I got a call from the range telling me that he was really sorry but he would not be able to be there because he would be in New York training the NYPD but that he would be there the following month. 

WHAAATT??  He's doing WHAT?  Who does that? 

The next thing I did was to make it my priority to get in to as much training with this guy as possible.  I figured I that someone like him wouldn't be around here too  long so I'd better get some training with him when I could. 

And I found out that not only is he a true American hero (he will kill me if he reads this) and not only is he a phenomenal teacher, but he is a truly nice guy.  In fact, he is surprisingly soft spoken and kind. 

So imagine my utter surprise when he asked if I wanted to work for him at 88 Tactical.  I think I vaguely remember saying , "yeahhhhh... is that a real question??"   That was in late October and in December I received the blue patch as an Apprentice. 

88 Tactical works on a colored patch system, much like martial arts.  Blue is Apprentice.  Green is Instructor.  Tan is Lead Instructor.  And Black is Senior Instructor. 

There are some amazing guys on our team.  Some Special Operations guy, some SWAT guys, one Ninja (he is actually a ninja and goes to Japan to study with the Masters and is a 10th degree Black Belt in whatever martial arts the Ninjas do).  We have an amazing Tac Med guy who wrote the curriculum that SWAT in Ohio uses for Tactical Medicine.  And then there is me - a 56 year old grandma.  Ha! 

The 88 Tactical Leadership Team

To be honest, it took me a good 6 months to get my head around the idea of working with those guys.  It was an honor. It was a blessing. And it was terrifying!   I got some grief from some people who felt like they were more qualified and should have been chosen.  I was told that they would no longer be 88 Tactical, that they would be 87.5 because I would bring them down.  Some were joking, others not so much. 

I can tell you that no one at 88 Tactical treated me as if I didn't belong.  They have been nothing but respectful.  I've learned a lot about leadership from Phil.  He is my boss but he is more than a "boss".  He is a LEADER.  There is a difference and anyone who has ever worked for the two different varieties can tell you there is a world of difference. 

Then last December Phil surprised me at our Christmas party and presented me with a Green Patch. 

Its been a wild ride for sure.  Not only do I teach classes but I help take care of some of the administrative stuff.  Phil will call at any time with something that needs attention and I do my best to get right on it.  I've been accused of never telling him "no".  Well, actually, I have told him "no" a time or two.  But I try to limit how often I do that.  I count it a blessing to be able to work alongside such talented men and to be treated with the utmost respect by them.  They treat me as if I'm valuable and pay me well so its my pleasure to do what I can to help out.  

And THAT is why I missed the two year mark - I"M TOO BUSY!  

A Typical Week

As I said in my earlier post, we seldom have a "typical week" around here.  In ministry, plans can change on a dime so things are always a bit chaotic.  We try to harness that chaos as much as we reasonably can.  Here is what's going on at the moment.

Brian always gets up EARLY (I usually do as well) and spends time in his study.  I spend that time getting my thoughts together and drinking LOTS of coffee, which always me to do that a bit easier. 

Today I'm planning for next week.  The key to our crazy lives is to get ahead as much as we can, and that means planning and organizing.  It typically gets unorganized before its all said and done but I like to think we're a bit ahead of the game if we at least have a plan.

Today I want to go get the grocery shopping done because tomorrow I have a full day of getting rid of the gray in my hair (insert winky face) fixing dinner (biscuits and gravy), and then its the first presentation of the church Christmas musical.  Once I get back from the grocery store I have the remainder of paperwork on my desk to get finished up.  That involves taking the sign-in sheets from our classes and adding that information to the student database and into our email list.  Its time consuming and reading people's writing makes it more so. 

Sunday morning is the Installation Service for the new pastors. I think that's us!    The congregation voted Wednesday evening and frankly I'm still trying to wrap my head around it all.  I fully expected the vote to be in favor of Brian and Dennis, but I did not expect the HUGE number of people who came out to vote.  Driving up the hill to the church I actually had to wait as cars were backed up a bit waiting to turn into the parking lot.  The parking lot of full and there was a Sunday morning crowd there with a line of people waiting to sign in to vote.  That show of support has truly left me in shock and I know both Brian and I are so very appreciative. 

Sunday all of our family will be there.  I wonder if that platform is big enough for all of our crew and all of Dennis and Connie's crew?  That's a lot of people! 

Sunday evening is the second presentation of the Christmas musical at church.  Now it has been our tradition since the boys were little to come home after church and eat frozen pizza.  I think we did that back then because we had two growing (and hungry) boys to feed on a very tight budget.  We would get home and be starving and frozen pizza was both cheap and fast.  After a long day at church, that just seemed to fit the bill.  Today we can afford better but there's just something about it that seems right so we still do frozen pizza on Sunday night.  Come to think of it, that might be the only predictable thing about our weeks.

Normally I go to the grocery store on Monday but this Monday I will be baking 25 dozen cookies.  That's right TWENTY-FIVE DOZEN!  Those will be little take away gifts for the ladies in our TWAW chapter at our party later in the week. 

Tuesday I will probably still be baking cookies and then Wednesday I will go teach an Intro to Handgun class. I'll go in early to do any office work that needs doing before class.  Wednesday will be an "dinner in the truck" night and a "get stuff done" day in the office.

And Thursday there will be about 25 women here for a party!  In December our TWAW chapter does not meet and shoot, we meet and eat, and talk, and hang out with each other.  TWAW is truly a sisterhood and we need that time to chill with each other as much as we need the training and education piece.  Just to make things interesting I also have an appointment with the oral surgeon on Thursday to make sure I'm healing well.  

As I'm typing this I am also on a group text with the guys at work to organize a Meet The Instructor night - and to remind them to get the January/Feb. schedule out. 

I'm also getting emails that will need answering before the day is over.

And I got texts from Brian (he left a few hours ago to do hospital visits and run by the church office).  We have added to our security team at church and have a meeting set up a meeting for the security team to meet and look at some changes that will be coming. 

So that's about it.  Between family, church, work and volunteer activities, we keep running. 

Speaking of which .... I'll see ya later!  

Do You Remember?

Growing up my mom and dad always made the most amazing candy at Christmastime.  There were pecan logs, chocolate fudge with walnuts, peanut butter fudge, divinity, Mexican wedding cakes, and peanut brittle.  It was an event each year that i remember well.  I even remember the pink mixing bowl that she would mix the fudge in and the big spoon with the pink handle that she used to stir the heavenly mixture.  I remember licking the bowl and the spoon as I waited for that first bite.  

It was a tradition carried on when my own kids were growing up.  It just didn't feel like Christmas if we didn't have the homemade candy that had been a part of every Christmas I could remember. 

Its hard for me to pick a favorite.  It would have to be a toss up between the pecan logs and the fudge.  Hey, I bet you could use fudge to make pecan logs!   Now there''s a thought!

Did your family have a favorite Christmas candy tradition?  Do you still carry it on? 

Merry Christmas! 

A Non-Typical Week

I was thinking about posting what a typical week looks like at our house, but then it occurred to me that we don't have too many typical weeks. 

 In fact, this week, is anything but typical.

This morning I woke up around 5:30 and snuggled with the dogs a bit before climbing out from under the covers.  Once up, I showered and let my hair dry as I worked on multiple marketing email campaigns for 88 Tactical, did some Facebook work for the church, for 88 Tactical, and for TWAW.  That took most of the morning, then it was on to doing a bit more decorating for Christmas. 

Next Thursday our TWAW chapter is having a Christmas party at my house so I want it to look like I made an attempt.  Besides, I just LOVE Christmas!  Don't you?   The season just feels ... different.  We're a bit more focused on giving.  We're thinking about family and friends, the folks who are truly important to us.  There is music that brings back memories of days gone by, and then of course, there is food! 

Sorry, I got a little distracted there.  Christmas does that to me.  

Next up today I will go to work and do some office work, check class numbers, print flyers, and then teach an Intro to Handgun class. 

Tomorrow morning I head back to the dentist for the second part of the dental procedure to do an implant.  Earlier this year I was eating a piece of beef jerky and broke my tooth off below the gum-line... so... i now have several months of procedures to get through before I have a tooth again.  I'm actually knida looking forward to laying on the couch for a couple of days and doing nothing at all though..  Is it bad when you look forward to having a piece of metal screwed into your jawbone just so you can chill for a while?  I'm thinking that's probably bad.  

Speaking of different, Wednesday will be truly different.  Brian has served as the Associate Pastor of our church for 32 years.  Wednesday evening the congregation will be voting on whether to accept him as the Senior Pastor and Dennis as the Associate Pastor....or not.  I'm sure it will all go in our favor - I mean if they don't know us and trust us by now then I'm not sure what to think.  It can still be a little bit ... different... when you know people are voting on whether to keep you around or not though.  I've contemplated whether I should start organizing all the stuff around here just in case we have to pack up and move. 


Friday night we have the basketball game of a very special 5 year old to attend.  I can't even tell you how much fun that is, and how impressed I am that these little ones are as good as they are.  Gosh, when I was quite a bit older, in middle school, I attempted to dribble a basketball down the court in gym class. It would have gone well I'm sure except that i stepped on the ball, twisted my knee and looked like a complete dork in front of my classmates. 

Assuming all goes in our favor Wednesday night, there will be an Instillation Service on Sunday morning.  THAT will be really different.  Brian has been in ministry for nearly 40 years, has served in 4 churches as either Associate Pastor or Senior Pastor and we have never had an Instillation Service before.  Now that is definitely different. 

I hope your week is a good one!  

The Good Stuff!

I hope your Thanksgiving was a good one.  I know so many people are struggling this year. Its the first Thanksgiving without someone dear to them at the table and that just always stinks.  We've been there too and I can tell you that you never stop missing them, whatever the reason for their absence.  

Our day was perfect....  Well, almost.  

The food was just okay.  I'm not a great cook.  Most of my cooking is experimental at best but somehow we made it work.  The good stuff though is not about the food at all. Its about who is there to share it with you.

We were blessed to have everyone here and a brand new first Thanksgiving for the newest grandchild.  That makes it perfect.

Here is how our day went.

I was up at 5am to make homemade hot cocoa and monkey bread and to get that turkey all ready to go into the oven.  It wasn't too long after getting the monkey bread out of the oven that I heard the sounds of three kids jumping around in their room upstairs.  Cody, Allison, and the kids had come in the night before and met us at church and then spent the night.

The morning was spent getting food in the oven at the appropriate times, and welcoming Logan, Kati, Emma, Larkin, Kati's mom, and my mom,  navigating kids running through the house and swooning over Larkin.    The poor kid was passed around so much we probably wore her out, and yes, her Papa Brian and I fought over her a time or two.  

Meeting their cousin for the first time

At dinner it was fun to read portions of the family tablecloth.  If you don't know about the family tablecloth, well .... its priceless and you should run right out today and get yourself a white tablecloth and start this tradition next Thanksgiving.  Every year, everyone at the table writes what they are thankful for and dates it.  The little ones trace their hand and have their parents write what they are thankful for.  Its sweet, and hilarious.  We started this tradition the last Thanksgiving my dad was with us and I am SOOO glad we did.  

Larkin getting her hand traced onto the family tablecloth
(She was not happy about it)

This was one of my favorite moments.  Kati wanted their "First Thanksgiving" family picture taken.  Emma was posing with a big smile all ready for the picture, when Larkin spit up all over her from her daddy's arms above.  The photos tell the story of how that went.  And yes, this truly is the good stuff.

From our family to yours!
We love you!

That Face

Don't let that face fool you.  He is pure orneriness! 

Today he ate the generator!  Well, part of it anyway. 

Yesterday it was the rug in my office.

The night before that he kept me up till one in the morning wandering the house looking for trouble. 

And at some point he ate yet another of my socks. 

With all the running to and from places of late, he has been crated too much and now he's paying us back. 

 Goodness I hope life settles down soon for all of our sakes.  

In the meantime, its a good thing he's cute!

Its A Blur

We have an inside joke in our family.  When things get crazy we say, "its a blur".  It is a reference to a family vacation we took when the boys were little.  We boarded a train and went around the country seeing as much of the country as we could.  And yes, it was a blur.  

Our lives have definitely been a blur the past few weeks.  I've lost track of what day it is more than a few times.  There have been sleepless nights and long, long, long days.  

Our Senior Pastor passed away a couple of weeks ago.  To say that is a major blow would be an understatement.  He has been the pastor of the church for 47 years, my pastor for 43, and my husband's work partner for 32 years.  The loss personally and professionally is enormous and has thrown our lives into upheaval. 

The day of his funeral, Brian also attended the wedding of a young couple in our church, then we came home and were eating a late dinner when we got the call that our daughter-in-law was in labor.  For a while there we thought we were going to have a funeral, a wedding, and a birth all in the same day.  But it turned out to be a false alarm - that day.  The next day it was the real deal and our fifth grandchild, Larkin Elizabeth came into this world.  She is absolutely the most beautiful baby I've seen since

our last grandchild was born and we are in love. 

Larkin has gotten off to a rough start.  She is healthy, but she is jaundice, which has meant time in the NICU, getting discharged, and then going back to the NICU again.  As I am writing this, she is home but her levels are back up so tomorrow she may be headed back to the hospital again.  I am sure she will be fine, but I'm not so sure about the rest of us.  

And my best friend's mother passed away rather suddenly in the middle of the night a couple of days ago.  Today we had her funeral.  Her mom was a sweet lady and such a character (like her daughter).  She will be missed. 

I have been so proud of our church family.  They have truly pulled together and supported one another and been their amazing selves.  Not only are they there to provide whatever is needed to our Senior Pastor's family and the family of my friend, but they have been there for each other in ways that can not be counted.  They are like that all the time, but it seems more so lately.  

Life's Like That

Its been a while since I've blogged here.  Life has been, well ... life.  After all the traveling it was time to catch up on work and then, you know, stuff just seems to happen. 

As I sit here and write this I am listening to the news of more sad happenings in our world, more mass murder in a place of worship, more hate, more violence ... and the song of a bird outside of my window who is completely oblivious to the turmoil.   A pot of chicken is simmering on the stove that will eventually become a pot of chicken and noodles that I will drop off to a friend. 

And we are waiting.

We are waiting for a birth, and a death.  Our pastor is at death's door this morning and our daughter-in-law is expecting to give birth to our granddaughter any day now.  

Its a typical day.  While grocery shopping early this morning I got a call from Brian saying that his day just got more complicated.   He is due to have the stitches taken out of his hand, he has two people at the hospitals to check on, and of course, to get back to our pastor's family and be there with them as much as possible .... and now his car is full of smoke.  It broke down this morning so he will have to get it to a shop, get a rental car, and pick up where he left off. 

Life is like that. 

We all take time to address those unpredictable and uncontrollable things that pop up, and then we pick up where we left off and keep moving forward.  And hopefully we try to find some good in the journey.

Tell Me the Story

Have you ever seen the show of the FOX News channel called OBJECTIFIED?   Its pretty interesting.  Its based on the idea that the objects we choose to keep in our homes have not only have some meaning to us but they explain the experiences that have shaped who we are. Of course on the show, celebrities are interviewed, but I’m thinking we all have such objects in our homes.  I know for a fact that I do. 

 Since I’ve recently moved my home office to a different room, I’ve handled each of these objects and thought it would be fun to share them with you.  

Lets start with the objects on my desk (besides the obvious stack of "stuff" that I need to go through and file away. 

"Blue B" is no longer blue, but a well-worn gray, teddy b ear that I had as an infant.  His fabric is worn thin, his eyes have long since fallen out, and he is almost unrecognizable as a "bear" at all.  I've literally had him my whole life.  I'm told that when I was a baby I was really sick and throughout that illness I held tight to that bear.  He has seen me through some bad times and he's still here to see me through whatever the future holds.  

Next to Blue B sits my dad's wallet.  I'm not sure how I ended up with it, but some time after he passed, I acquired it.  Maybe its fitting that a daughter ends up with her dad's wallet since I'm sure he reached into it many, many times to take care of my needs and most of my wants.  Inside the wallet were the things he held most dear - pictures of his great grand-kids.  

Next to that is a piece of wood.  Its not just any piece of wood though.  Its a piece of a swing that used to sit on our patio.  When my husband and I married, we were poor.  Really poor. I mean we lived in an old trailer in a run down trailer park that was inhabited by Gypsies.  Just before our wedding I took Brian to the farm store to show him a beautiful swing that I thought was the coolest swing I had ever seen.  I knew we couldn't afford it, and I wasn't asking for it, but I did want him to see how cool it was.   The night of our rehearsal dinner he surprised me and gave me the swing for a wedding gift.  It lasted almost 26 years and when we had to get rid of it, we kept a portion of it.  There are various teeth prints from several of the dogs we have had over the years.  

Next to that is a small, plastic piggy bank.  That came from a little girl on the Reservation.  For years I led mission teams to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.  Pine Ridge is the poorest place in the U.S.   The median income there is just $3500 a year ... in America.  One year we took up an offering.  I had debated  that and wasn't sure if we should but decided that even the poorest among us can be a blessing to those who are living in even worse circumstances.  One little girl put her entire piggy bank, all of the money she had, into the offering.  I kept the little bank as a reminder to be a good giver and as a testament to the little girl who taught us all about generosity.  

Next to that is a small figurine that an old friend gave to me.  On it is inscribed the passage from Calvin Coolidge "Press On".   "Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent."

On the top of my desk sits several other items.  A sign that read's Be Brave and the scripture Jeremiah 29:11.  Unlike the other items, I have not had this one for long.  I bought it last year to remind myself to be brave and not quit.  After being offered a position with an elite training organization and working alongside some of the most skilled trainers in the country, I struggled.  Oh I was happy. I was thrilled.  I was honored.  And I was terrified!   One of the hardest things I've ever done was to stay there, feeling like an impostor but trying my best to do well and not reflect badly upon them.  

Next to that is a basket.  The basket was hand made for me by a lady in our church in Louisiana.  It has special meaning because of the lady who made it, and because it is beautiful as she was.  

There is also a framed certificate from when I completed the NRA Instructor training.  I had never, ever set out to be a firearms instructor, but God leads in some pretty interesting ways and I've learned to just follow as best as I can.  Its been quite a trip. 

In the corner of my office is a curio cabinet.  A long time ago it was for sale in my aunt and uncle's hardware store in my hometown.  My aunt gave it to me early when I was married for just a short time.  Inside are my wedding bouquet, the pillow the ring bearer carried in our wedding, and the topper that sat on our wedding cake.  There is a pewter cup engraved with our oldest son's name that was given to us when he was born.  There are tea pots too. Some that were given to me by a sweet older lady who

attended our church and has since passed on.  One that I purchased in Romania when I was there on a mission trip, two pieces from a small tea set I had as a child, and one tea pot made by my youngest son when he was in elementary school.  That one may just be my favorite. 

You may see a nativity set in there too. Its there simply because I don't know where else to put it. 

And finally there is my chair and side table. 

The chair we have had for years.  It used to be blue but several years ago I asked my mom and dad to reupholster it.  They did.  I"m pretty sure it was a labor of love because it was not an easy task.  Its held up well ... and both Cooper and Gunner like to think its their chair. 

On the side table (which is really a stool) sits an old phone.  When I was a child my dad owned a men's clothing store in our hometown and we lived in the apartment above it.  The backroom was filled with antiques, among which was this old phone.  

Above the chair are old photos of my dad when he was a little boy and his father.  These are people who survived some tough times yet they never complained.  I like to think they helped to make me who I am.  I like to think that maybe I can learn from their example.

As I write this it strikes me that I have a lot of "stuff" in this small room.  I guess that means I've been around for a while.  I wonder what will happen to all this stuff when I'm gone?  Maybe one of my kids will read this and realize the value of the old stuff in mom's office. 

Love is All You Need

Greater love has no one than this:
 to lay down one’s life for one’s friends

Sometimes people don't get me.  I bet they don't get you either, huh?  

And you know what?  That's okay.  Not everyone will.  In fact, if everyone did understand us, I'd be worried about us. 

It can be a little sad though, when we feel we have something of value to offer and some just do not and will not hear us.

I feel that way a lot.  I think some people see me as different than they are because I am a firearms instructor, when in fact, I'm not all that different.  

And because of my job I've met hundreds of people who just don't fit the image some have in their mind of a 'gun owner". 

The people I have met are people who go to church.  They are involved in non-profit organizations that assist those in need.  
They go out of their way to do kind things for others.   They support charity. They foster unwanted animals. They go on mission trips to impoverished nations.   They foster homeless children.  They do a thousand caring  things for others that no one ever hears about.  They are good people. 

Because what people do not "get" is that we do the "gun thing" because we love others.  We simply could not live with ourselves if the unthinkable occured and we were in a position to do nothing.  You "get" that, right?

" Let all that you do be done with love."

1 Corinthians 16:14 New King James Version (NKJV)

Fear Not

I am sad and troubled today. I am sad because so many seems shocked by the murder of the young lady just a few short miles from where I live. Why would you be shocked? Evil does exist in our world. We know that, right?

I know its easy to ignore the fact that evil really does exist and walks among us, because (thankfully) we encounter it so rarely.

Almost every time something like this occurs we are reminded... and we are alarmed. I begin to see posts advocating the use of pepper spray, or worse, wasp spray. I see post about putting your keys beside your bed so you can hit the panic button and scare away the bad guy. And that makes me sad too beause those folks have no clue what violence looks like or how ill prepared they are to meet it.

I'm sad too because I've had people accuse me of promoting fear because I want people to be truly able to defend themseleves against a violent attacker. They tell me that such things are far to "negative" to dwell on.

What they fail to see is that it is quite the opposite. The more prepared you are to confront a violent attacker, the less afraid you are. You have a confidence that you have a fighting chance because you invested some time and money into doing what you can to prepare yourself to protect those you love.

I've even had people respond to me by being a little bit afraid of me. They don't say so, but I do sense it. And t hat is sad too because I'm the least likely perosn to cause them harm. I am simply a reminder to them that evil exists - and they don't want to think about that.

And I have had peope tell me that they are going to rely on me to protect them because they belive that I will. Honestly, I find that sad too ... and incredibly selfish that they would ask me to put my own life at risk to save them becuase they will not take responsibility for their own safety. What if I am killed trying to protect them. Are they ok with that? Really? What if I am not killed but injuired. I'm going to be out medical bills to recover. Have they considered that? Do they realize that even if I do respond and even if I do prevail that I will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars in court costs? Do they know their attaker can sue me in civil court for my actions even if those actions were found to be completely justified? I may lose my home and all that I own. Why would I do that for someone who will not do what they need to do for themselves?

I'm reminded of C.S. Lewis when he was told that fairy tales are too scary for children because they induce fear. People want to shield children from the reality of evil in the world. But kids know that evil exists. Lewis responded, “Since it is so likely that they will meet cruel enemies, let them at least have heard of brave knights and heroic courage. . . Let there be wicked kings and beheadings, battles and dungeons, giants and dragons, and let villains be soundly killed at the end of the book”

If C.S. Lewis thought children should be equipped to deal with the subject of evil, why would we as adults continue to pretend it does not exist? Why would we not prepare to meet it should it ever visit us? And why on earth would we condemn those who try to help us be prepared?

Things You Should Buy: Vertx Guardian Shirt

Oh yes.  I did it.  I was waiting for the women's line to come out but I just couldn't wait any longer and decided that girls  can wear the Vertx Guardian shirts too!  So I bought one.  

And ... I'm in love.  

These shirts are made for concealed carry but I can think of so many other things they could be used for.  They would be great for those traveling on mission trips.  Let me tell you why.

Some of the key features of the Guardian shirts are that they have the Vapor Core 37.5 Active Particle Technology that helps your body maintain its core temperature and manage the moisture so you can perform at your peak by being comfortable throughout the day.  That's a fancy way of saying they  keep you cool and help you stay dry, and help to control odor.  How is that not nice?  

They would be great for travel because they are wrinkle resistant.  The no roll collar helps maintain a clean consistent look.  And the buttons are actually snaps which makes for easy fast access of any gear you may be carrying.  

For those buying for concealed carry, the shirt has a half-shirt undershirt.  That means that the soft, lightweight undershirt tucks into your pants while the outer shirt rides over your waist.  That keeps the firearm from rubbing uncomfortably against your skin.  And yet, there is no tell-tale sign of an  undershirt at the neckline. 

Is it comfortable?  Oh my, is it ever!  The shirt has a soft, almost silky feel to it that glides easily with you as you move.  Its very lightweight and easy to wear. At no point do you feel the bulk you might assume comes with a shirt with these features.  I find it to be more comfortable than my favorite t-shirt. 


So where do you get one of these and how much does it cost?  You can buy directly online from Vertx or if you are in the Cincinnati area, Premier Shooting and Training Center in West Chester carries them in stock.  They do come in other colors, I just prefer the black one.  Expect to pay about $50 - $60 depending on where you get it.  Its one of those things that are made well and will last a really long time so its worth every penny.

I'm not great at selfie body shots, but here is a  poor one. I hope it gives you an idea of what the shirt looks like.  Please kindly disregard the dirty bathtub. 

By the way, I am not employeed by Vertx or asked to recommend them. I just do it because they are a great local company that makes superior products.  Check out their bags too.  They have some backpacks that blow the competition away.