If I could be . . .

Just one superhero at the Y, I would be . . .

(Insert picture of Mrs. Incredible - the computer won't let me!)

I have the most amazing swimming classes at the Y on Friday!  

My first class includes my crying best swimmer along with my crying worst swimmer and my "I don't need to hold on the to wall" child  and my "I'm going to try, but I can't do it" child.  What I wouldn't have given for those stretchy arms as I worked with them - hold one child on the wall, comfort a crying child, work with another child.  They would have been awesome!  Finish class.  Breathe in.  Breathe out.  

It's time for class number two.  It's a brother sister team and they make the previous class look easy.  I finally told the lifeguards who strategically moved right beside me - "If they let go of the wall, they sit on the wall."  I was even overheard telling one of the lifeguards, "Let her go under.  Maybe she will learn."  Finish class.  Breathe in.  Breathe out.

One class to go - only two students show up.  Smile.  Teach them their back crawl.  Breathe in.  Breathe out.  Go home.    

Come back on Saturday to teach CPR-PR to a class of just six - one with a job coach, two who knew what they were doing, two who had never had CPR before, two who's first language was not English.  I wanted those incredible arms!  Grab R. - "that's two breaths after thirty compressions".  M. - "did you breath twice?  You need to."  M. - "tilt the head back."  M. - "put your hands here when you do compressions."  I think one of the students said it best when she said, "_______ (we protect the guilty), if you ever try to save me at the Y, I'm going to come to and ask for someone else to help me out!"       

Breathe in.  Breathe out.  Go home!

Thankful Thursday!

I just got out of the shower at the Y today, and my friend, Mary, came up to me and said, "I've been looking for you!  Do you remember when I put lotion on your back a couple of weeks ago?  Today is my turn!"

Tell you what - dry skin is the number one locker room complaint at the Y and having Mary put lotion on my back two weeks was absolutely wonderful!  We're not sure if it's the chlorine or the weather or a combination of both.  So I put lotion on her back and she put lotion on my back and then she turned to the eighty-something year old lady who was standing between us and said, "Can I put lotion on your back?"  The smile and just happy "yes!"  made it all worth it.

So today I am thankful for friends who put lotion on my back so that my first words to my daughter and husband when they get home are NOT, "Will you scratch my back?"

NLM Ukraine 2017 Explanation

Finally, after experiencing internet service difficulties, computer repairs and life, we FINALLY finished a youtube of our time in Ukraine.  When you have five minutes, check it out and rejoice with me for the healing that took place in my body while we served there!

NLM Ukraine 2017

David

The Wildest Ocean

We sang this last night during worship and one of the lines drew me in, "Your love is like the wildest ocean, nothing else compares."  

And I thought, "Wow, how can that be?"  Have they never been on a ship, preferably the Africa Mercy, during a storm, where you rock and roll and toss the cookies, then rock and roll some more?  Where walking down the hallway is a near impossibility?  And eating lunch a challenge?  It's downright frightening and scary!  Maybe that's how God's love is to those who don't know Him.  It is frightening and scary.  To those who do, it's beyond comprehension, overwhelming, overflowing, never-ending . . . rather like a sail on the good ship Mercy!  

I also thought of how I love the wildest ocean when I am safely sheltered on the beach - to see the waves roll and crash, hear the rumbles, see the splash!  Maybe that's it - I am sheltered by the love of the Most High while in the wildest ocean!   

Thankful Thursday!

While walking Annie this morning in -10*F temps (with wind chills of -26*F), I realized I hadn't posted "Thankful Thursday" yet.  As I pondered what to write, it came to me.  I am thankful that I live in the climate I live in:

• After all, it is only temporary - these bone numbing temps do not last forever!
• I can dress for success and stay warm no matter how low the thermometer goes!  
• In Africa, I honestly couldn't take everything off to stay cool, but here I can put on even more to stay warm - and look like a technicolor rotund snowman! 
• I am challenged by driving in the snow, the ice, the sleet - and I think (hope!) it makes me a better driver!
• The snow is beautiful.  I can't say I like to scoop it, but it sure is pretty when it blankets every thing in a clean covering of white!

So as you're out and about over the next few days, be thankful for the weather.  It makes it much easier to enjoy!