The Origin of Valentine's Day

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For those who say Valentine's Day is simply a Hallmark Marketing Strategy:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Saint Valentine's Day (commonly simply Valentine's Day)is an annual holiday held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The holiday is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Valentine and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496 AD. It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as "valentines"). The holiday first became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. Ahhhh! doesn't that sound nice?

(All except the martyr part - that doesn't sounds very good at all!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hallmark was founded in 1910!!! :)

Where has the time gone?

Eleanor Roosevelt - “One of the blessings of age is to learn not to part on a note of sharpness, to treasure the moments spent with those we love, and to make them whenever possible good to remember, for time is short.”

OK - So I picked an Eleanor Roosevelt quote that makes me sound like I'm 90!! I'm not. In fact, I'm not old at all! Just ask me. And even if I was 90, I wouldn't be old~~~I would be vintage!!! ANYWAY...........

As I look back on this photo of Beth at her wedding last Fall, I can appreciate the words spoken by Eleanor Roosevelt. How many little spats, or sometimes big spats, do we have with our children. There are times to correct, but in all times there must be love.

There have been so many treasures to be thankful for and so many new treasurers waiting to be discovered. I'm so grateful that one of those spats didn't lead to a distance that seems insurmountable.

There have been wonderful and inspiring times. Many more good times than there were turbulent times. It's great to look back at photos or talk about specific events. Isn't it refreshing when we do that? We never talk about the unhappy times. We always talk about the times when we were so silly that we couldn't stop laughing, or the crazy photos we took of each other. When Beth and I were pretending to be Dumb Blonde's at Disney World and smacked our heads together on accident. (Yes, we really did this!) We have a photo of every member of our family while they are sleeping! Believe me, none of us look very good when we're sleeping! Hmm! that reminds me, we haven't got a picture of our new son-in-law sleeping yet!!!

We've taken some crazy trips, where we had no idea where we were going. It was all about the journey and the fact that we were on the journey together. We've had a cooking and baking frenzies together. Paul and Beth have great times sitting in the tree deer hunting together. I'm so grateful that the list of good times is too long to list! Time is short for us to be here on the earth and sometimes the world will drag us away from what's most important in our lives. I think I need to get ready for some new adventures with those I love the most!

Motorcycle Mama!

Well, I've taken a new step in my life. I have progressed from a motorcycle rider (safely tucked behind Paul while he drives) to a motorcycle driver. That's right, you can just call me a Motorcycle Mama! Actually, please don't call me that ~~ I am far from a smooth driving, low waving Cool Rider.

It was easy to say, "Sure, Honey, I would love to have my own motorcycle" when I don't have one. It became a little bit scarey when I actually got one. Paul always knows how to get a deal and this was no exception. Actually, he traded something he had to get me the motorcycle. What a guy!

I have to admit it is one of the items on my "Bucket List". (I'll write more on that later) For those of you who don't know me very well, I am afraid of a lot of things. I over analyze things and can talk myself out of doing things easily. Paul is my Risk Factor, as well as my Soul Mate. We complete each other. When I'm afraid, he encourages me that I can do it. When he's doing something completely crazy, I talk him down from it. I'm convinced he is the reason my life is so exciting and I am the reason he's lived as long as he has!!

We have only riden a few times and each time I get a little bit better. (The gear thing still gives me fits.) I have my own Pink Camoflouge Doo Rag! I'm definitely moving up in the world! I may have to get some of those temporary tatoos!! I'm not going totally crazy! I want to be able to scrub it off!

I guess this is God's way of reinforcing that all of our life is to be an adventure. I've got a long way to go until I'm comfortable on the motorcycle, but with continued riding and the patience and encouragement of my husband, one day I'll get there.

The Other Side of Deja Vu

As of last May 14 Paul and I have been married 26 years! Wow! That seems like forever, and yet, it seems like not that long ago! I guess that's the thought process we have as we get older.

A couple of weeks ago, our 19 year old daughter came home and told us that she was getting married! We were stunned and confused and not very happy about it. We like Ian, but she's so young and quite frankly doesn't seem to have it all together most of the time. What were we going to do?

As Paul and I talked about it, our discussion went back 27 years to a couple that was very young. She was 19 and he was 24. They didn't really have it all together. They were clueless and in love. Their parents could not even imagine how this young couple could think about getting married. How would their survive?? It just didn't make sense.

Paul and I were that couple. Obviously a God we really didn't know at the time had a special plan for our lives. So~~ that is our prayer for Beth and Ian. That this love they have will grow and blossom into something very special. That love will be enough, even when they are searching for change on the floor to make ends meet, eating Rammen Noodles for the 4th time that week, when they haven't got a clue what comes next, or when a curve ball is thrown their way. It is also our prayer that Ian will truly fall in love with Jesus and that Beth will fall in love with Him more deeply. That they will allow Him to be their guide through this journey. That they will have Faith, Hope and Love and know that the greatest of these is Love!

How weird it is to be on this side of the situation. How thankful we are that we can remember that we were those same clueless kids over 25 years ago, so that we can enjoy the moment rather than begrudge them their happiness! God always has such amazing plans for us , even when we don't realize what He's doing!

The Woods Is Calling

So many people have no idea that there is such beauty right outside of West Terre Haute, IN. It's a small burg called St. Mary-of-the-Woods, IN. It even has it's own zip code! This beautiful place has always been close to home for me, but I didn't come her much when I was little. My mom took a sewing class from one of the sisters. She was wonderful and gave the best hugs. I came to the campus with her a couple of times and felt like I had been transported to a Land Far Away. After that, I rarely came through the gates, unless it was to go to brunch (which is great!).

When I went back to school, one of my instructors at Ivy Tech talked to me about continuing my education at SMWC (St. Mary-f-the-Woods College). His wife worked out here. I couldn't even dream that it was a possibility. But here I am 7 years later on the other side of graduating from The Woods. It was truly Providence.

The Woods is a place that gets into your blood and becomes a part of who you are! Or should I say, who you have become. I am blessed to be a new member of the staff at the college. I'm excited to have the opportunity to watch other women, and now men, realize who they have been created to be through this experience.

The grounds are like no other. As soon as you drive through the gate, you get a feeling or peace. You also know that all things are possible. It is Holy Ground!

Take time to walk on the grounds, pray the labyrinth, look at the art, light a candle at the Grotto, visit the tomb of St. Theodora Guerin. You will be blessed!

Happy 80th Birthday, Dad!

Who is this handsome man that looks like a movie star from 1950?? That would be my dad - Joseph Andrew Anderson! Dad turns 80 on April 20th! He's pretty special!!

He has the best garden around and his yard is always looking great! He always make sure that all of us kids, and the group from the Sr Swim Club, have plenty of fresh vegetables on our table every summer!

I have been blessed more than I could ever say because of my dad! He was always there and he was one of our biggest fans while we were growing up (and he still is today)! He was at every event in my life and I could always hear him cheering me on (or correcting me) when I was playing ball. (My dad was a great basketball player!) he would be at my ball games even if he had to go back to work when it was over. His work ethic was unparalleled!

I could go on and on with stories of my dad! He's got a great sense of humor and plays some pretty funny practical jokes. He's an inspiration when it comes to frugality and his favorite food is a hot dog! (I need to be more like that!!)

Happy Birthday, Dad! And many, many more!

The Meal Is Prepared

This weekend starts our first Great Banquet weekends for the Elohim Community. This has been an interesting experience. It has been filled with highs and lows. It has been challenging to change our identity of an Emmaus Community to a Great Banquet Community. There was so much paperwork to go through to make this happen. Now here we are on the other side of the paperwork, on the other side of the team meetings, and on the other side of the state line ready to be active participants in Gods work!

It's an exciting time for the people who will be our guests this weekend. I'm sure they are nervous too. I know I was when I went on my weekend. It's a great time for the team who have worked so hard to be a part of God's plan through their many efforts.

It's funny - I wrote that last September and filed it in the drafts! I guess sometimes we need to clean out the drafts and finish what we started! As of this post, we have finished with our second set of weekends as a Great Banquet Community! God is so Faithful! God was Glorified - The Holy Spirit was running the show and lives were changed for the Kingdom! How humble it is to be in the midst of The Workings of the Kingdom!

De Colores!

There's something about Fall!

Don't you just love Fall!!??  The colors, the sounds, the cool breeze.  I could go on and on.  Strangely enough, Fall is a time of renewal for me.  Maybe it has something to do with school starting.  Maybe it's just because I like to wear sweaters.  Whatever the reason,it's rejuvenating!

As I learn to adjust with Beth away at school, there is a longing in my heart.  A longing to learn.  I have no idea what or where, but I'm ready to learn something new.  I don't mean the learning takes place by reading a book.  That's great stuff, but I'm talking about focused learning.  Taking classes.  Walking across campus with my backpack. I'm talking about an adventure!

I firmly believe that the day we stop learning is the day that we start dying.  There is so much to learn and so many choices.  I think that's always been my problem.  I struggle when I'm presented with too many choices.  It excites me, but it overwhelms me.

Maybe I'll learn how to take beautiful photos, or learn about various forms of art.  Maybe I'll learn about Theatre or maybe how to write a book.  Maybe I'll explore the world of poetry or architecture.  The possibilities are endless!

We are all beautifully and wonderfully made by the Creator of the Universe.  Isn't it incredible that God has blessed us to feel and express our selves so passionately.  The world is full of so many beautiful colors, so much beautiful music, and wonders beyond our wildest imagination.  They are just waiting to be discovered. God is waiting to share his Masterpiece with all he has created.

The Adventure Begins!

Today marks the first week that our daughter, Beth has not lived under our roof!  How crazy is that, and who came up with the idea that kids should move out??!!  Paul will forever refer to it as the day our daughter ran away.

It's funny how we are accustomed to our kids being in the house.  I cooked dinner for all 3 of us last night.  I even got out 3 plates.  Paul got up and started tip-toeing around the house yesterday morning so he wouldn't wake Beth up.  I wake up at about 12:00 each night and have to remind myself that she isn't going to be in her bed asleep when I go check on her.  Each of those things brings a little bit of a tug at our hearts.

The good news is that we both hear from her every day.  Most of the time more than once.  She's always so excited to tell us what's going on in her life.  What happened at class. The ups and the downs.   How her roommates had a blast getting her ready to go out on a date.  It's so funny.  I'm so thankful for cell phones!

So Beth is on a new adventure, and our hope and prayer is that she makes wise choices, works hard, makes tons of friends, and has a successful experience.  That she always remembers to thank God for the gifts and blessings in her life and to call on Him daily - in the good and the bad.

But Beth is not the only one on an adventure - Paul and I are starting an adventure of our own. It's taking a while to build up the excitement, it's strange trying to acclimate ourselves to the adventure - But we are Empty Nesters.  Hmm.  What exactly does that mean? 

In the next few weeks, we'll keep you posted on the "Boyer Chronicles".  It's a new blogcom that outlines the madcap adventures of two physically middle-aged adults (who have the emotional and maturity levels of 12 year olds).  These two people, we'll call them Paul and Sara, are searching for ???  Well - they have no idea what they are searching for!!!???!!! Lord - Please help us - this could get crazy!! 

A Daughter, A Parent and A Promise

Today our daughter Beth found out who her roommate is for next year.  They were exchanging email after email.  There were giggles and shrills of excitement.  The emails contained valuable information like who has a fridge, who has a t.v., who has a game system - the list goes on.  They talked about their favorite books, t.v. shows, favorite music, what they like to do - the list goes on.  The time has come for us to pack her bags and all of the other stuff.  I'm teary eyed just thinking about it!

As a parent, I'm concerned for her.  What if she has an emergency. Will she be taken care of?

As a parent, I'm excited.  She's going to meet so many people, have so much fun and learn great stuff!

As a parent, I'm going to be stretching my pennies.  College is expensive!

As a parent, my heart is broken.  

I will miss her being in our house every day!  Did our parents really go through this?? How could they have felt this way, while I had no idea?  I guess it's the excitement of that time in your life.  I can see the excitement in Beth's face every time she talks about school.  It's my hope and prayer that the excitement spills over into her classes, activities and new friends.  It's my hope and prayer that she will meet some awesome Christian friends to share in her life.

I stand on God's promise for her life, "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." Proverbs 22:6

I also stand on God's promise for our life while she's away, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:27

God is so Good!!!

VW Microbus

Ok. Maybe it's a midlife crisis coming at me Way Early or maybe it's just one of those things that has laid dormant in the back of my mind since I way really little. I have this goofy dream of owning a VW Microbus! I know - it's just goofy, but there's more. Of course, I want an older model and I would love for it to be white over lime green. I love green!

But more than the dream of owning the vehicle itself, I want the dream of the adventure!

Anyway, here are a few reasons this is becoming my dream. I want the bus in top notch shape for when we retire or even on some weekends before we retire. It gets good gas mileage, obviously that's important. It is easy to fix when it breaks. It's just an incredibly nostalgic vehicle. But most importantly, the Microbus doesn't go very fast. A max of 68 mph. That means it would be best for us to stay off of the major highways. I love the State Roads and two lane highways! That's where you get to see America! You get to meet people and find out what their life is like. You get to buy fruit from the farmers stands. You get to eat at the little restaurants where everyone knows everyone else. They all want to talk to you and see why in the world you stopped into their little town that is a total of two blocks long. I want to ride in something where the windows are down so people can see my face. I want to wake up at a little bed and breakfast and go to church in their town on a Sunday Morning. It's a wonderful fantasy! It's so easy to see the beauty of God's creation in nature (I'm excited to see more of that too), but how often do we stop to see/meet His greatest creation - His Children!

Sailing Take Me Away!

I love this photo of Paul! It allows me to "escape" from the world I'm in and view the world I would like to be in right now!

Our Miss Beth!

 The photo collage was taken as part of her Senior Portrait package.  He did such a great job, but of course, he had a beautiful young lady to work with.

We are all three getting ready to enter a new phase of our lives.  Like every parent and child, we are struggling with it.  There are days when she's so grown up, and there are days when we snuggle with each other and watch a movie!  Who knew it would be this hard?? Oh, yeah, our parents knew it would be this hard!  They survived and I know the three of us will too.  God is in control - sometimes that is such a difficult statement.

Just Learning

I'm trying to figure out how to post photos and video's to my blog.  The next few posts will simply be photos of the family.

Paul and I are at Glacier National Park in Montana. We went out there on a Mission trip to Pine Haven.  If you ever get the chance to work out there it's incredible.  We were so blessed!

Now Entering the Blogging Zone!!

Greetings!  This is a huge step for me!  I've finally figured out how to set up a blog!  I'm anxious to see how it turns out.  I love reading other people's blogs and getting caught up with their thoughts and happenings.  Hopefully, I will be able to do the same on this one.

Right now, I'm using the blog as a confessional.  We have bible study at FCC this evening and I'm in this great bible study class lead by Paula Sprigg.  I don't want to go!! :(  The reason I don't want to go is that I haven't done my bible study this week.  Not one single day of it!  I really didn't even get up to pray before I went to work  this week.    Why is it that we don't do what we should do?  I think I've heard that same question asked before.  When I don't begin my day like I should, things go wrong!  They can go wrong even when I do start my day like I'm supposed to, but I handle things very differently.  Could it be that we are truly two different people?  I don't think so.  But I do think we're a person who has equipped ourselves with the full armor of God when we begin our day in His word and communicating with Him.

I'm going to work on getting back on track starting tomorrow morning!  How about you?  Are you track right now?