Make a Vow

There's a Paul McCartney song that speaks to me:

"Too Much Rain"

Laugh, when your eyes are burning
Smile, when your heart is filled with pain

Sigh, as you brush away your sorrow
Make a vow, that's it's not going to happen again

It's not right, in one life
Too much rain

You, know the wheels keep turning
Why, do the tears run down your face

We, use to hide away our feelings
But for now, tell yourself it won't happen again

It's not right, in one life
Too much rain

It's too much for anyone, Too hard for anyone
Who wants a happy and peaceful life
You've gotta learn to laugh

 Smile, when your spinning round and round
Sigh, as you think about tomorrow
Make a vow, that your gonna be happy again

It's all right, in your life
No more rain

It's too much for anyone, Too hard for anyone
Who wants a happy and peaceful life

 

 

The reason this song speaks to me is because even when I was very small I made vows. Vows to heaven and earth. As I was treading water in an ocean of sadness, hurt, pain, rejection I vowed that I would not always live in it.

 

I vowed that one day, when I was an adult,  I would open the windows and let the air and light in.

 

I vowed that one day when I was able to escape that I would make joy and laughter the order of the day instead of sadness and criticism.

 

I knew from a small girl that I was made for sunny days, for happy days.

 

I was made to have a great story as Jack Nicholson's character in "Something's Got to Give" says:

 

"Some of us have great stories, pretty stories that take place at lakes with boats and friends and noodle salad. Just no one in this car. But, a lot of people, that's their story. Good times, noodle salad."

 

I was made for a great story, good times and noodle salad.

 

I'm living what I vowed and I'm not going to apologize for it or be embarrassed by it.



Love & Truth Quote

Throw Back Thursday: On Christian Pirates

 

 

I was reading back through some old Xanga posts from 2005 last night. I didn't realize that I had been blogging off and on for over 10 years!

 

One of the posts made me laugh out loud. It was from when my son Joel was in high school. In honor of "Throw Back Thursday" here it is:  

Have you ever heard something so funny that if you laughed hard enough to express how funny it is you'd break something? You just have to stop and say, "That is really funny" and then bust out laughing at inappropriate times throughout the day when you think about it. And when people say, "What's so funny?" you just have to wave them off and say, "nothing."

This probably won't be as funny to you as it was to me. But I've been able to laugh about it for a day or so and that's good. Thanks Clint and Joel for the laughter.

Clint said that he and Joel were talking about how they wish there were "Christian Pirates." Just that thought cracks me up. What would they do? They'd have to do just the opposite of real pirates because from what I've heard real pirates are definitely not sanctified and I really doubt they're saved at all because of all the pillaging and stealing and general wrecking of small seaside villages.

Would they commandeer ships and then witness to the crew as they bring food, water and other provisions on board instead of stealing it? Would they pass out Christian literature? Perhaps they'd bring aboard more modest clothing for the lady passengers? "Walking the plank" would probably mean a baptism. The parrot on the shoulder would probably say, "Amen" or "Preach it!" They'd probably gather for worship in some hidden cove of a Caribbean Island.

What was really funny was when Clint told me that Joel asked for prayer in class for "me crew." That IS how a pirate would give a prayer request. His praise report would probably sound like this, "Arrg! I'd like to tank me Heavenly Fadder for all his many blessin's. I got doubloons coming out me ears and me crew of me great ship, "The Pearl of Great Price" has been about witnessin' and we've taken many souls captive for our great Captain, Jesus Christ after we told those scurvy bilge rats to avast ye sinnin' ways!"

Thanks Clint and Joel for a laugh 10 years later!

Let's Put "It Is What It Is" To Rest, Shall We?

I'm getting pretty tired of the catch phrase, "It is what it is." It's really fatalistic and drains all the hope out of life.

It's a statement to end a conversation. It signals that there's no hope, it will always be this way, let's quit trying, leave and go home.

When the Christ follower uses that phrase we're declaring that God has no power to change the situation or the people involved.

Do we know the hearts and minds of the people involved and God's mind on the subject?

Do you really, Jonah?

"It is what it is" declares that WE'VE decided that there's no hope. But has God? Are we leaving room for Him to move? Or for people to change?

The Christ follower lives in hope! We believe that with God nothing is impossible!

In our history with God we know there are moments when God rescued, delivered, stopped the sun, parted the sea, tore down walls, opened blind eyes, raised the dead!

In a moment it all changed!

He did the impossible!

It wasn't what it was!

It was healed, it was mended, it was better, it was healthy, it was great, it was lovely, it was alive again.

Let's put that phrase to rest and quit thinking we know better than God.

Let's have a little hope.

Let's pray for change.

Let's have a little faith in an Almighty God.

The Man Who Swam Out Too Far

 

I just got back from a few days at the beach. I love the beach. Beach = freedom to me. Free from the usual clothes that weigh you down. Free from furniture. You can lay flat on the sand and it's not weird. Free from the ground. You can float - suspended in the water. Free from the normal sounds you hear everyday. You can even go underwater and hear nothing but the turning of the earth. Free to breathe. Free from "have-to." I can walk or sit or float for hours. Free from buildings and trees and anything that gets in the way of looking as far as you want to. You can actually see where the earth curves. Isn't that fabulous?! I think a lot of people love the beach like I do.

 

One afternoon, I sat on the sand in a groovy peaceful quiet state of mind and body. I watched as a man and his son began to swim out. They were talking and laughing and going under the water like ducks in a giant pond. They swam and bobbed, their heads becoming smaller and smaller dots on the surface of the water. After a while I realized that I didn't think I had ever seen anyone swim that far out in the ocean. Of course, I had nothing to compare their little dot heads to, no reference to gain perspective. At times, their dot heads would disappear completely and I would frantically search the horizon. I mean, this is an impressive shark attack summer after all. Then I saw their dot heads again.

 

After a while, a leathery tanned couple walked by and asked "Are those people out there?"  pointing to the horizon in the direction of the 2 dot heads.

I told them, "Yes."

"They're too far out!" The woman declared emphatically.

"They sure are!" The man agreed and took out his cell phone and called the Beach Patrol as he paced nervously waving his arms in disbelief at this man's unabashed behavior.

 

In a short, information-filled conversation I discovered that the tan couple had just moved to the island from the city and I'm sure they were not going to let anyone drown or get shark-bit on their island, not on their watch! So they started the commotion.

 

They found the man's pre-teen daughter, the boy's sister, and worked her into a frenzy so much so that she was going to swim out and save her father until the tanned man stopped her and saved her life to the tune of , "Oh, no, you're not little missy!" She was in tears reaching out to the little dot heads.

 

A group of round, half-naked, sunburned city dwellers gathered pointing and wagging their heads disappointed that one of their kind would do such a thing. A couple of women comforted the pre-teen girl. The small children sang and danced excited by the commotion that the tan man created who now stood tall and proud like a ringmaster in a circus.

 

Eventually, the man and his son got back to shore and they didn't look very tired or afraid. They seemed a bit confused as to why they were being reprimanded by the uniformed beach patrol. The onlookers showed their disappointment by their frowns and comments. The pre-teen girl dried her tears.

 

Now, some of you will think the tanned couple did a heroic thing, saving the man and his son from their foolish behavior. Others will be angry that someone dared to step in and pass judgment and hinder them from their adventure.  There are a lot of factors here: the man taking his young son so far out, the rules (which I didn't see posted) and just common sense that of course come into play. But I'm not trying to determine right and wrong here, I just think it's interesting that there are those reactions to the man who swam too far out.

 

When anyone gets "too far out" people react the same. They will panic and rush to save the person from their foolish ways. Others will just watch to see what happens and still others will cheer them on and get angry with the people who stop the adventure.

 

Think about artists and pioneers and inventors and mystics and lovers and haters. When they get too far out, people react. It's dangerous to go too far out, you might get hurt or die or you might change the world. When is it worth the risk? When should someone step in and stop the madness? When do we step aside and let them take the risk?

 

It makes me think about when Jesus taught about counting the cost of following Him. He said, "those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples." He was calling us to go "too far." When we decide to take a chance and take a risk we have people who try to save us from our madness. They tell us we're "too Christian" or cry and worry that we will endanger ourselves and others. Then there are those who just hang back and watch and see but don't commit on the same level we do. Then there are our brothers and sisters who cheer us on in the adventure. They're good cheerleaders but you can't be really close because you're still a bit too dangerous for them.

 

Finally, there are our "sons," those rare few who think just like us, who swim out into the deep beside us. They're partners in the adventure! They will have seen the dolphins, too. They will have experienced the height of the waves, too. They will have experienced the vastness of the ocean and the tininess of themselves, too.

 

Keep those people close. They are very rare and precious.

 

Skandalon

I was reminded of Jesus, the skandalon, the stumbling block, the trigger of the trap. It was one of those moments when you know something, but then hear it again and know it applies to your life right now. You know it intimately. 

I am just very aware at this moment that Jesus really is the trigger. We can talk generally about love and goodness and God and compassion and faith and forgiveness and prayer and meditation with everyone. Even God is seen as a beneficial addition to our lives when we hear that belief in a higher power is helpful in healing and dealing with stress. 

But when we bring up Jesus, there's a problem. He's the One that divides us. He's the One who of His own admission says He "did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law - a man's enemies will be the members of his own household." ~Matthew 10:35-36

Jesus is so difficult! When I read of how He lived His life, I love how He pulled ALL people to Himself. He didn't show favoritism, He didn't exclude people from His love and compassion. But then He goes off and says something like, "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you." ~John 6:53 

People run away as fast as they can. Jesus even asks those guys closest to Him, "You do not want to leave, too, do you?" 

I imagine the disciples wished at that moment that Jesus wouldn't be so controversial, so divisive - He's forcing them to make a decision, take sides.  

Why do we hate to be forced to choose? In love and war we decide, we choose. Why is it so hard when it comes to God? 

For people in love and war, it is not a hard decision. There is only what their hearts know to be true: "I can't not love." " I can't not fight." 

For those of us who have met Jesus, had an experience like John, only in the spiritual: "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched - this we proclaim concerning the Word of life." ~1 John 1:1  We admit, like Peter, that there's no decision, there's only what we know in our hearts and our spirits and our souls and our minds: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." ~John 6:68 

Only those who do not know Jesus this way have a choice. For the rest of us, we love the Skandalon. 

Jesus calls us to love the difficult in Him - the mystery, the unknown, to be satisfied with being unsatisfied, to have Him now but not totally, take the risk that's not a risk, the tension of being in this world but not of it. 

It's not easy, but we can't not love, can't not follow.  

My Thoughts About The Christian Introvert

I’m writing this for a few people I know and then I thought I would just put it out there for the unknown others who may appreciate my words which I hope will be affirming, encouraging and helpful. Please understand that I am writing this from my own, limited experience and from my perspective of being a Christian. I am sharing what I have come to understand in myself and have witnessed in others. I am not interested in a debate. Take it or leave it.

        

            I almost don’t want to bring up the topic of introversion vs. extroversion because it often seems to bring out strong emotions from people. Some introverts don’t want to talk about it because it brings too much attention to them and other introverts begin to rally together to force the world to apologize for labeling them as “weird.” Still others are just happy that they now have a clinical diagnosis and an excuse to live as a hermit buried in their books and avoid the people who get on their nerves. Extroverts seem to just laugh at us, shake their heads and say, “they just need to buck up.”

            I am a self-diagnosed introvert meaning after reading several books and numerous articles, I think I fit the definition. I’m also a Christian, meaning that I acknowledge my strengths and weaknesses, read Scripture, pray and submit to the Holy Spirit’s leading to make choices and lean on Him to help me change to be more like Jesus. So, I have discovered that even though I fit a psychological definition of an introvert, I have a higher spiritual obligation to conform to a biblical definition of a follower of Christ. That means that even though my natural response to a situation may be one of an introvert, there will be times when the Holy Spirit will require me to respond in a way that may be more difficult or uncomfortable for me but more necessary for the Kingdom.

             In Christianity sacrifice is a highly respected idea. This idea has been woven and infused into what a Christian is and what a Christian does. A Christian is expected to be a person who gives until they die and one who will sacrifice all they are and all they have for the Kingdom. This is true and good when the Holy Spirit leads, but I believe that these ideas are often abused. For example, a pastor is often expected to sacrifice time with his family to be at the beck and call of his flock. If he is led by the Holy Spirit, it will be fine. However, if he allows people to tell him when to jump and how high, his family will suffer. Another example is that many professional ministers are expected to work long hours with little or no pay. If the minister protests he is considered selfish and is reminded that he should be willing to sacrifice for the ministry. I bring this up in the context of introversion and extroversion because I believe what people think constitutes sacrifice is skewed in favor of the extrovert and misunderstood in the introvert. The basic difference between the two is a matter of energy: what drains a person and what recharges a person and how that is interpreted in Christianity.

            Christian ministry is all about people and being with people and how it affects an introvert or extrovert is the crux of the problem. Since Christianity is all about people, when an introvert needs to get away from people to recharge this can be interpreted negatively. They are often viewed as selfish or weak or as having a lack of caring or a lack of Christian dedication. An extrovert very rarely needs time away from people, in fact, when an extrovert is exhausted it is time with friends and family that energizes them. An extrovert thrives in a typical, active church because there are activities and meetings to keep them from being bored and lots of social interaction to keep them energized. For example, a minister or a dedicated member’s week could look like this: Monday, building committee meeting. Tuesday, small group home bible study or visitation. Wednesday, teaching a class at church. Thursday, music practice. Friday, youth bowling outing. Saturday, breakfast meeting and church building maintenance. Sunday, morning and evening service with eating meals with others after each service. To an extrovert, this is an exciting week. An introvert dreads this kind of week. They stress out trying to decide which event they can skip without getting the inevitable push back from fellow Christians. They dread the accusations that they don’t care or aren’t dedicated. They hate the stress of trying to find valid excuses just so they can get some time to recharge. Not having understanding or support many of the introverts in our churches are being stressed and are burning out and even more often being unfairly judged as anti-social, aloof or uncaring.  

             I have come to believe that extroverts and others who haven’t really thought about it or taken time to do any self-reflection don’t believe that introversion is real. They really think it is an excuse to be lazy or selfish. (Let me say that there are some people who can be that way, but a dedicated follower of Christ will have self-control and will be willing to give of themselves.) I want to encourage Christians to recognize the reality of introversion and begin to view it differently. Instead of seeing themselves negatively I want introverts to appreciate the gifts they bring to the Body. I want them to understand the way they were designed and understand how to care and protect how God has created them. Introverts often say things such as: I get exhausted being around people, I just want to be by myself, and I don’t have a lot of friends. Instead of these being such negative things, perhaps we can see them as just a matter of fact and not so foreign from the way Christ Himself was when He was on earth.

            The reason Christian introverts get exhausted being around people is because when they enter a room they will have immediately noticed the temperature of the room, the arrangement of the furniture and will be aware of any strong odors or uncomfortable lighting. They will also notice how all this affects the people in the room. They will quickly evaluate everyone’s mood and will quickly pick up on any anger or hostility. They will easily notice if someone is troubled and intuitively know how to encourage them. An introvert will often be overwhelmed with the flood of all this information and will shut down to a degree and zero in on one person or a small group of people with whom they are familiar until they’ve had time to process the information. This is when they are usually called “shy” or “socially awkward.” That’s not true, rather when they do talk to someone, that person has the introvert’s 100% attention. This is draining for the introvert especially if they are required to socialize with a lot of people. The introvert is usually ready to leave before anyone else because in the short amount of time they’ve been there they’ve given it their all. Why is this a problem?? I believe this is a gift. Some of the greatest moments we read about in Christ’s life is when He had one-on-one time with individuals. Jesus Himself was sensitive to the needs of those around Him. He was even aware when a woman touched the hem of His garment when He was in a large crowd. When an introvert is led by the Holy Spirit they will be powerful encouragers, amazing ministers and people will be blessed by their singular attention.

            Christian introverts need time to be alone. Since introverts take in all the details of their environment, familiar, comfortable, less stimulating surroundings is needed for rest and recharging. Alone time is absolutely necessary for a Christian introvert to continue to minister and give out. Often after Jesus ministered to the large crowds he went away alone to pray. Time alone is not such a weird idea. If an introvert doesn’t get alone time they will become irritable, ineffective and run the risk of burning out. It’s not such a strange idea for a minister to eat and sleep to keep his body in good condition and to give it strength. Why is it such a foreign idea for a minister to give their mind and spirit rest and sustenance to keep going? Maybe because we don’t believe it’s really necessary or because the way it is achieved is different from extroverts.  An extrovert can find rest in the midst of friends and activity. Introverts often need solitude and very little stimulation. Why do people find that so strange?

            Christian introverts have only a few close friends. This can be a problem in a church setting because Christians often believe they must be close to every Christian they know. Introverts give so much to the ones close to them that they cannot possibly give that much to everyone they know. Often those people close to them are their family members because their family understands them and often are like them. And to be honest, it’s just exhausting trying to be friends with people who don’t understand you and are constantly trying to “help” you out of what they feel is a problem - which is actually the way you were designed by God - and become more like them. When Jesus was on the earth was He close to everyone He met? No, to the Twelve.

            In Christianity, introverts are often the encouragers, the wisdom-givers, the prophets, the intuitive, those who care for the wounded and the young. They need to be appreciated for what they bring to the Body. I really wish we could stop insulting and belittling the introverts for needing their time and space. We need to allow them to function how they were designed.  I wish introverts didn’t have to apologize for needing time alone away from the crowds. I wish true introverts would look carefully at how God made them and stop giving introverts a bad name by being lazy and afraid to push past their comfort zone when the Holy Spirit leads and for abusing their God-given design by using it as an excuse to avoid conflict and discomfort. We need to realize that sacrifice is not a “one size fits all.” I don’t believe that people realize just how much personal comfort and peace introverts sacrifice to conform to Christian expectations. It’s time we appreciated our differences and welcomed the various gifts God gives to men. We need to allow people to live in the healthiest way possible – the way Christ showed us.     

Hopegivers 2014

I was honored to be asked to speak at Bethel Church's Hopegivers Seminar this past weekend. I love that church and it was great to be able to give back just a little of what they've given me.

I decided to share about stories. How stories are important. How OUR stories are important and how in the telling of our stories we give each other HOPE!

 

I shared a little "Mrs. Libby-ology" in that I think that there might be books in heaven, books about our lives. A little scary and a little exciting if you think about it.

 

 

 

"All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." ~Psalm 139

 

 

If we view our lives as a story, especially a life story with God, then we can be assured of a happy ending! I think Jesus and Jane Austen are in agreement in that they want everyone to have a happy ending.

 

 

Our past is already written, but we can collaborate with God on our future, on the next hour, on the next minute and we can write a GREAT story with our lives!

 

If we are the main character, then we can choose to be the hero or a victim or a villain, it's our choice.

 

There is one thing we must remember about heroes:

 

 

In order to be a hero, he/she must fight a battle, overcome a great obstacle, survive a dangerous journey, or slay the dragon. A hero is not a hero without conflict!

 



Perhaps we should view our conflicts as opportunities to be a hero. Maybe it would give us confidence and strength to view our troubles as a chance to overcome, to win, to be victorious - to be the hero of our story. Maybe we wouldn't give up or give in so quickly. Maybe we would be encouraged to "do the right thing" instead of the selfish thing.  - Just a thought.

 

If we view our lives as stories, then perhaps we would see the people around us as characters in our stories and decide if they are helping move our story along to its happy ending or if they are a constant distraction or temptation to the hero (you) then perhaps you need to write them out of your story. Maybe you need to look for that loyal, supportive character to travel with you through your story.

 

We quite possibly need to decide if our setting is helping or hindering our hero. We might need a change of scenery.

 

What about the theme of our story? Have you ever met someone and they are just negative and critical and depressing? You know the theme of their story! Many people say they can't help being negative, that's the way they were raised or they blame events in their lives. I say "hogwash!" People can change the way they see life! If you look for the bad, that's all you'll see but if you look for the good you'll find it! What's the theme of your story? What do people say about you? Do they say, "she's always kind" or "she's always hateful"? You can decide what the theme of your story will be.

 

You can turn the page, end this chapter and begin a new one TODAY! I know old habits die hard, but if you keep working at it you can be the HERO of your story! The theme of your story can be LOVE and HOPE and PEACE!

 

Remember these verses:

 

2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

 

Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

 

Isaiah 43:18-19 “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."

 

Don't waste your time re-reading the old chapters you've written. God forgives. God heals. God restores. God reconciles!

 

Start writing your new chapter today!

 

Peace to you,

Jill

 

 

 

 







Hopegivers 2014 Music That Makes Me Happy Playlist

I came up with a playlist of music for the Hopegivers seminar and I wanted to share it in case anyone would like some suggestions for making a playlist of Music That Makes Me Happy!

Enjoy!

"Blessed" by Brett Dennen
"Singing in the Rain" by Gene Kelly
"Everybody" by Ingrid Michaelson
"Sunny Side of the Street" has been done by many but I like Billie Holliday's version
"Sound of Sunshine" by Michael Franti
"Follow Me" by Paul McCartney
"Laughing Song" by George Younce
"Mr. Blue Sky" by the Electric Light Orchestra
"Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by IZ
"That's Amore" by Dean Martin
"What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong
"Something Beautiful" by NeedtoBreathe
"Shower the People" by James Taylor
"He Gives Us All His Love" by Randy Newman
"Foux Du Fafa" by Flight of the Conchords
"Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company D" by the Andrew Sisters
"Make Someone Happy" by Jimmy Durante
"Accentuate the Positive" by Bing Crosby
"It's a Good Day" by Perry Como
"Beautiful Morning" by the Rascals
"Home" by Phillip Phillips
"If I Knew You Were Coming Ida Baked a Cake" by Eileen Barton
"On the Rebound" by Floyd Cramer
"One Mint Julep" by Ray Charles
"Soul Bossanova" by Quincy Jones

Some of these didn't make my final cut for the Hopegivers playlist, but they're fun anyway.

Fighting With Laughter

I'm not even going to acknowledge how long it's been since I last posted. I'm not going to tell you about any New Year's resolutions about blogging. So, I'll just post. I really want to apologize and offer excuses and qualify, but I'm going to shut it and type.

I've had an invitation to speak at a women's seminar called Hopegivers next week. I've been thinking a lot about what I will share and I've been thinking a lot about comedy since that's a part of what I'll be talking about.

I just watched a biography about Rodney Dangerfield this morning and while his humor was never my cup of tea, I have to respect him as a comedian. In the bio they addressed and were fascinated with the same thing they are fascinated with in every comedian's life: how humor can come from such sadness and struggle and pain.

I'm sure there are thousands of theories explaining this phenomenon and I'll add three more.

One theory I have is that I think comedians are fighters. Depression, sadness, pain, abuse and all those other negative, horrible things pull humans down and threaten to suffocate them and kill them. Comedians fight that. They don't stand for it, they combat it with humor and laughter. They may have had a life or have a life that is dark and suffocating and they decide that they want to let light and air in and so they make it happen. They experiment with faces and actions and words until they find the right combination to unlock the cage they're in. The beauty is while they're ripping open the doors for themselves, they give such happiness to others.

Another theory I have is that comedians are generous. Because of the difficult lives or childhoods or painful experiences they understand loss and lack. They know what it's like to live in the dark drowning in sadness or neglect or pain and they decide that they will give to others what they wished they had. So, they bring to people the happiness and pleasure that they never had. And many, many comedians still don't have it even as they are bringing it to others. Because of all the pain that's why, I believe, many comedians are alcoholics, drug abuser and many have committed suicide.

My last theory is that some comedians use their comedy to express their anger and the pain and hurt and injustice they've experienced. This is the group that I don't really care to listen to because I feel used. I should be paid to hear them complain about their problems and anger. They use their comedy for venting. They appeal to those who wish they could say what the comedians say and get away with it. They insult, criticize, use a lot of vulgarity I've noticed and they're just generally mad at the world. They have their audience and their audience can have them. I personally wish they'd get a therapist and then come back to the stage and let's see if they can make me laugh.

I've heard comedians describe their work as a calling, a passion, they couldn't live without it, and I believe it's all true. Some people are just made to be funny and they can't NOT do it. It's how they've learned to survive and cope.

I tip my hat to all the comedians out there. Keep fighting!

The Bird Bath Master

I was instrumental in getting an Environmental Education Grant for my school. We wanted the money to help us set up 10 wildlife/pollinator observation/data collecting stations. Each station would include a nesting box, native attractants, feeders, baths and benches so students could observe and collect data on native wildlife.

In order to save as much money as possible so we could apply the cash to some electronic equipment, I prevailed upon my crafty friends to make the nesting boxes. I also prevailed upon my husband to make cement bird baths. Little did I know that he would take the simple idea to a new level. He's having fun and I'm loving his creativity.

So, here's a little photo journey through the process of Steave making a cement bird bath.

First, he created a mold out of scrap wood. He decided on an octagonal design and simply screwed the walls together so he could easily remove the sides when needed.

Second, he mixed a bag of cement with water.

 

Then Steave picked out the leaves that he wanted to use to create a design.

 

Then he placed the leaves carefully on the bowl (of which I will tell you more about later) which is inside the mold that he created.  

 

Next, he troweled the cement on to the bowl over the leaves in the mold. 

 

 

 

 

He smushed (do you like that technical term?) the cement around the edges making sure it filled in fully. 

 

 

Once he felt it was filled in (and he's much more careful than I would have been) he smoothed the bottom out.

 



 

 

Finally, he gently shook the whole form to help everything settle and to make the bubbles rise to the top. (or bottom, depending on how you look at it) Then he left it over night to dry.

 



 

 

The next morning, Steave put the whole form up on a couple of bricks to make removing the mold easier.

 

 



He loosened the screws on one corner of the mold and took it away from the outside edges.

Then he removed the bowl. Here's what I forgot to tell you. It is a plastic drainage dish from a flower pot I had. He attached a cabinet door knob to aid in removing the bowl once it was dry. Plastic is good because it's flexible and makes the removal easier. Each time he makes a bath, he makes sure that the bowl is centered carefully inside the mold.

Then comes the fun part of removing the leaves and seeing what the design looks like.

This one looks very pretty. Steave says to tell you to put it up on a stump of wood, but I like it on the ground near a shrub.

And here is the happy Bird Bath Master with several of his creations. (He's showing you to put it up on a stump. One of those baths is now on the stand that you see in the background. The original bowl was blown up during the filming of a WWII school video project. Not mentioning any names, Joel.

 

 

I've put in my next order of a Lizard Bath complete with sunning stone!