River Rocks and Moon Pies

Between a rock and a hard place.  An unfortunate place to be?  Not necessarily.

Not this particular time, anyway.

The rocky places our kayaks encountered Saturday - all day - were often met with sweet relief.

Case (or 2) in point:

1. Our rock-encounters allowed us substantial time for much-needed breaks from paddling.
2. Our rock-encounters resulted in plenty of good-for-the-soul belly laughs.

Because of the rocks, we gained a greater respect for mother nature, latched onto a heightened awareness of our surroundings, and endured one mighty tough full-body workout.

Yes, full body. 

Rushing white water has the ridiculously amazing ability to slam you and your kayak full-force, and at tremendous speed, smack-dab into the center of a rock that you had no idea was there, and which suddenly stops you dead-in-your-tracks in the blink of an eye.

Best plan?  Don't blink.

I tell ya', it was an obstacle course out there.

Rocks here, there, and everywhere.  And most were winners at the whole hide-'n-go-seek game. 
Child's play?  Think again!

The entire rock-encounter experience could teach 'Mr. P90X' a thing or two.

Oh, yes!  This particular kayaking ordeal worked every single body muscle known to us.  And, even the ones we had no idea existed ... until now.

Five solid workout hours of paddling, maneuvering, slamming into rocks, and exerting all energies in navigating off said rocks, only to discover that more rocks - alot more - were secretly lurking ahead.
Pretty sure we'll be feeling the effects when we roll (literally, 'roll') out of bed tomorrow morning.

Would I do it again?  In a heartbeat, and after I invest in a blow-up/cushiony seat for my hind end.

What part do the moon pies have in this whole story?  After a workout such as this, every good body deserves a moon pie.

If you have to ask what a moon pie is, you're obviously not from the South.

Its chocolatey-marshmallow-heaven.

A Change of Plans

'Do not boast about tomorrow,

For you do not know what a day may bring.'  - Proverbs 27: 1

'Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow.

What is your life?

You are a mist that appears for a little while, and then vanishes.'  - James 4: 14

You'd think that by now I'd have this whole 'life' thing down pat.

My entire life, my Dad has reminded me:  'It takes a lifetime to learn how to live, Lori.'

Apparently, I've got a bit more to learn.

Fortunately, my m.o. (method of operation) keeps me from getting too awfully shook up about things that might not necessarily go according to plan.

I'm quite alright with changes in plans ...

• When I was a little girl, I dreamed of marrying fairytale Prince Charming.
• When I became a big girl, I fell in love with and married real-life Joe instead.
• When I was a little girl, I thought my parents were clueless.
• When I became a big girl, I realized the cluelessness was all mine.
• When I was a little girl, I was certain I'd be a Veterinarian when I grew up.
• When I became a big girl, I changed my certitude to Pediatric Nursing.
• When I was a little girl, I couldn't imagine being a Gramma.
• When I became a big girl, I couldn't imagine not being a Gramma.

Even as recently as this very week, significant changes have taken place to big plans I'd made.

But, I'm really okay with that. 

I've learned to be at peace with plan-changes, knowing that ultimately God's will will be done - no matter what my own original plan may have been.

Many things about tomorrow

I don't seem to understand.

But I know who holds tomorrow

And I know who holds my hand.

(lyrics and composer - Ira Forest Stanphill)

It takes a lifetime to learn how to live,

How to share, and how to give,

How to face tragedy that comes your way,

How to find courage to face each new day.

How to smile when your heart is sore,

How to go on when you can take no more.

How to laugh when you want to cry,

How to be brave when you say goodbye.

How to still love when your loss is great,

How to forgive when your urge is to hate.

How to be sure God's really there,

How to find Him ... Seek Him in prayer.

- Ruth Moyer Gilmore

Road Trip - Part Two. Packing.

Packing ... Ugh.

I'm draggin' my heels on this one.

That reminds me ... I need to pack a few of those ... heels, that is.

Second thought:  Nope.  No heels.

Comfortable flats trump fashionable heels.  Every time.

The boxes here pretty much mirror the boxes tucked away in my closet - right down to the dog.

Apparently, Scrappy (my loyal, 10 yr. old Yorkie) thinks he's going with me.  Not.

I've got too many must-haves to drag along.  Can't be dragged down by a dog.  Sorry, Scrappy.

Thus, the entirely-too-many, but can't-live-without-'em packing boxes.

Aside from the essentials - underwear, make-up, and every pair of shoes I own - and the not-so-essentials, I've got boxes upon boxes of books.

But, only one title:  Pregnant at 16.  Authored by me.

I'm hoping these boxes are near-empty upon my return to North Carolina.

If you're attending the National Right To Life Convention this month, stop by my exhibit booth and introduce yourself.

Looking forward to making new friends in Jacksonville, Florida.

Road Trip - Part One. Preparations

Are we there yet?

Hey ... Isn't it the 'getting there' that's supposed to be so much fun?

Soon, I'll be hittin' the open road that leads to Jacksonville, Florida. 

On my own. 

Yikes!

My directionally-challenged behaviors are certain to make this lone excursion, at the very least, interesting if not amusing.

Yup, I've got one of those GPS doohickeys close-at-hand.  But, my hearing disability leaves me at a certain disadvantage, potentially causing me to unintentionally ignore the GPS-guy while he politely informs me (over and over again) he's 'recalculating', due to a turn I missed ... 15 miles ago.

Take a map?

Nope. 

I don't do maps. 

If maps were designed with cute little pictures of landmarks, rather than boring street names and highway numbers, that'd be a different story.  That'd be a map I could deal with ... one with a woman's touch.

That'll be my next big project.

But for now, I'm in preparation mode for the National Right To Life Convention, 2011.

Two Kayaks - A Love Story

Spent the day kayaking, yesterday.

Two kayaks.
Two paddles.
Two people.

Two ideas of kayaking fun. 
His:  Fishing and Exploring. 
Mine:  Reading and Relaxing.

He caught fish.
I caught up on my reading.

He explored.
I relaxed.

He loved the sounds of nature.
I loved the sound of silence.

He toted a 'dry bag.'
I didn't need a 'dry bag', since I had no intention of getting wet.

Our common ground?

• We each own a yellow kayak.  His is sit IN.  Mine is sit ON.
• We each love the water.  He, IN it.  Me, ON it.
• We both love maneuvering the rapids.  I fall out.  He rescues me.
• We each appreciate wildlife.  He, up close and personal.  Me, from a significant distance.

We're a team.

• We work together, toward a common goal
• We respect each other's differences.
• We harmonize our contributions to the cause.
• We each contribute to the overall well-being of the team.

Sometimes the teamwork is a breeze.  Other times, we can work up quite a sweat.

We refuse to give up, but will often give in.  Whatever it takes to have a winning team.

I love our team, and our teamwork.

'Many waters cannot quench love.  Neither can the floods drown it.' - Song of Solomon 8:7

'As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.' - Joshua 24:15

Rise Up and Call Her Blessed on Mother's Day, May 8, 2011

My Mom ... My personal 'Proverbs 31' lady.   

• The heart of her husband trusts in her. - Proverbs 31: 11
• She works with willing hands. - Proverbs 31: 13
• She rises while it is yet night, and provides food for her household. - Proverbs 31: 15
• She dresses herself with strength. - Proverbs 31: 17
• Her lamp does not go out at night - Proverbs 31: 18
• She opens her hands to the poor, and reaches out her hands to the needy. - Proverbs 31: 20
• Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders. - Proverbs 31: 23
• Strength and dignity are her clothing. - Proverbs 31: 25
• She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. - Proverbs 31: 26
• Her children rise up and call her blessed. - Proverbs 31: 28

That's her. 

That's my Mom. 

I'm so thankful God made her mine.  And, I'm appreciative of her self-sacrificing example.

Now, Mother's Day is just around the corner.  Must remember to put the card and gift in the mail tomorrow.

Oh, what I'd give to be with my Mom on Mother's Day this year.  But time changes things ...

Physically - 550 miles separate us.

Emotionally - Nothing can separate our Mother/Daughter bond.

It is my honor to call Thais Eileen Kamiske Ghiata, 'Mom.'

Happy Mother's Day, Mom. 

I love you.

Lori (a.k.a. 'Little Papoochnick')

Gethsemane

I'm walking through Gethsemane.  My own personal Gethsemane, that is.

Its likely that you might be questioning, 'What in the world is Lori talking about?'

Here's an abbreviated Biblical history lesson, as well as what one of my favorite television preachers - Charles Stanley - recently brought to my attention.

Gethsemane is a garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, most famous as the place where Jesus prayed the night before His crucifixion.

To quote Charles Stanley:  'At no other time in the gospels do we see the Son of God (Jesus) more brokenhearted than in these last few hours of freedom before He is seized by the Pharisees' men.'

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus struggled regarding his impending crucifixion.  He prayed - three times, no less - that His Father would remove this 'cup', this crucifixion from Him.  But, its important to remember that He also prayed, 'Nevertheless, my my will but thine be done.'

Mr. Stanley also mentioned:  'Matthew's illumination (read Matthew 26: 36-46 in your Bible) of the Lord at Gethsemane teaches us how to respond to sorrow so that our painful experiences are not wasted.'

Wow!  ... 'so that our painful experiences are not wasted.'  I've had to mull over that one for a while.  Quite a while, in fact.  Indeed, my 'mulling' of this statement by Mr. Stanley has consumed me at times.

Painful experiences.  Yeah, I've had my share - perhaps more than my share.  Most of you reading this have probably felt the same way. 

Dealing with the painful experiences is one thing, but 'not wasting' them? 

What?

I'm guessing, that's to say I'm supposed to put some kind of 'good use' to the painful experiences? 

Not a molehill ... not by a long shot.  More of a mountain, I'd say.

Where in Heaven's name am I supposed to start putting pain to good use?

My conclusion, at least for the time-being, regarding my starting points follows:

• Granddaughter, Lindsey, who has Tay Sachs Disease:  Share her story so that others can see our family's love for the Lord, Jesus' love for us, and how our faith in Him keeps us strong and gives us hope.
• My personal history as an unwed, teenage mother:  Share my own story so that others can be eye-witnesses to the Lord having brought me successfully through difficult times, in order to help others dealing with similar situations, to restore hope to unwed mothers, to save the lives of the unborn, and to bring glory to Jesus' name.
• My frustration with pain from Fibromyalgia and Avascular Necrosis of the Femur:  Jesus keeps me going.  He is my strength.

The 'good use' part of the 'pains'? ...

1. They keep me in constant, prayerful contact with Jesus.
2. They keep me praying for those who are hurting or suffering with illness.
3. They allow for opportunities to witness to others about the loving, saving grace of Jesus.
4. They keep reminding me that Jesus is the perfect example of one who has suffered, but He left the final decision / the final 'will' to God, who is all-knowing and whose answers to prayers are perfect.

So, I'm okay with my personal Gethsemane.  Jesus will see me through ... Perfectly.