New Creation Celebration

Good Monday morning!

In answer to some comments I received on Friday's post, "momofboys" is more than welcome to come scrapping with Roxie and my daughters-in-law... and her daughters-in-law are welcome, also. I am not "replacing" you. I am "expanding." Big difference.

Since "bandofbrothers" doesn't like scrapbooking, she should not feel bad she wasn't asked to scrap in the first place. It was not personal. And yes, the grandmother's cruise sounds awesome. (If we cruise to Alaska, I can mark that off my list of 100 Things To Do Before 90. Just a thought.)

And to my friend, TB, who wants me to BUY her RV... I was thinking more on the lines of the RV being given to me (along with a free year's supply of gas). Thank you for your offer. I will keep it on the table if nothing better comes along!

And, last but not least, I want to say thank you to my former friend, Lana, who excitedly told me Sunday she knew where I could zip line... Kid's Camp in July. Unfortunately for her (and thus, the addition of the word "former" in front of the word "friend"), she told me in front of the minister looking for chaperons for Kid's Camp in July. Looks like I'll be zip lining in the very near future. It also looks like Lana will be chaperoning once again. Or else! (Just kidding, Lana! Except about the part where you're going to be chaperoning, too!)

Now that I've gotten all of that off my chest, on with MONDAY!

The Showcase Pic this week is of Austin and Melia in Band Banquet garb. Aren't they pretty? We had a wonderful time at the Banquet. Austin received the Leadership Award and the Drum Major Award, so he was very happy. It was one of those bittersweet moments. He has had a great high school experience, and we are all a little sad to see that part of his life come to an end. But the best is yet to come, isn't it? As scary as the future may be for high school seniors, there is an excitement and anticipation of what is going to happen next, too. I remember feeling that way a million years ago.

The Gallery Pics are more pictures of Austin and friends at the Banquet. I'll try to add a couple of Roxie and Josh as the week progresses, but this was our main "event" this weekend, so Austin gets the spotlight. (Roxie will be thrilled... NOT!)

I made the huge mistake of watching Marley & Me with Roxie Friday night. It is a very good movie. (We had to fast forward through some "older" parts.) It was very, very sad. It made me think of our two beagles.

We always take Sparkle camping with us, and usually people stop and comment on how cute she is or how sweet she is. This past camping trip, I had stopped to let an older couple pet her, and the man looked at her and said, "She's getting some age on her, isn't she?" That offended me. Sparkle will be seven May 1, and we think Copper will be anywhere from five to seven July 1. (He's a rescue dog, so all the particulars are kind of up in the air. We've almost decided he's closer to five than seven because of his excessive energy.) But Sparkle is definitely going to be seven in May (which is 49 in dog years). And I guess the reason it offended me was because there are only two years difference between us. (I'm 47 to her 49.) I wouldn't appreciate someone coming up to me and saying, "You've got some age on you, don't you?"

One of the reasons we picked beagles as pets was the life expectancy was pretty long (12 to 15 years). But seven years have already gone by. It's scary. It's like the kids. When you have a baby, you think 18 years is an eternity away... but it isn't. And although your kids will ALWAYS, ALWAYS be in your life, by 18 they are (in a lot of ways) grown up and growing away (which all the books say is healthy and good). I don't like it. Not one bit.

And at Austin's graduation May 28, I'm going to like it even less. Our family has ten tickets for the graduation ceremony, but I'm pretty sure I'm not going to be able to be in attendance. There's not enough Kleenex in the State of Alabama.

All that from watching a dog movie with Roxie Friday night. I've said it before... I have got to get out more!

California Trip - Part 1 - The Airplane

My friend, Kelley, married in December of 1986. In July of 1987, she invited me (along with friends, Celeste and Alesia), to Sacramento, California for a week to stay with her and her husband. As you can imagine, we jumped at the chance. Plans were made, bags were packed and plane tickets were purchased. (It should be noted this was my first plane trip EVER.) As the day of the trip grew closer, my friends became more and more excited. I, on the other hand, became more and more anxiety-ridden. Millions and millions of people fly every year, I kept telling myself. It's more dangerous to drive to work than to fly somewhere. (Especially for me.)

The day of the trip finally arrived, and we went to the airport with Mike and my sister and parents, Alesia's parents and Celeste's sister and her parents. Even though I have a fair complexion, I think every one noticed the lack of pigment in my face. I had NONE.

Alesia's mom handed me a Dramamine for motion sickness. She also handed me three more doses. (One if I needed it on the trip TO California, and two for the trip BACK from California.) "Now, be careful. These will make you drowsy." Hmmm. Drowsy was good. Passed out was even better. I took two doses.

I then proceeded to kiss everybody I knew good-bye... and then I kissed a few more people I had never met. (Apparently, two doses of Dramamine make you drowsy AND affectionate.) I boarded the airplane with Alesia in front of me and Celeste behind me. They generously offered me the window seat, but I declined. I sat down, buckled my seat belt and waited for take off. It was different than what I had expected. On television, it doesn't really make you think you "feel" anything upon take off... but you do. I did not care for take off.

We leveled off. A few minutes into the flight we hit some air pockets. I did not care for air pockets.

I had been warned my ears would probably stop up, so I had been chewing gum non-stop since my Dramamine overdose. Chewing gum did not work for me. I felt like I was in a glass box, and I could barely hear people outside of the box talking... and I had to yell for them to hear me. The flight attendant came by and asked if we wanted a drink. Now, I have never had an alcoholic beverage my entire life, but on that day (had I not already been hopped up on Dramamine), I would have taken my first drink. I know. I know. I'm a Southern Baptist girl and that's very wrong... but I'm pretty sure I would have succumbed. But the fact is, I didn't. In answer to the flight attendant's question, I screamed, "Yes. I would like a Pepsi, please!"

My friends put their fingers to their lips. The universal sign for, "Just because you can't hear doesn't mean everyone else cannot hear." I did not care for stopped up ears.

Our plane had a layover in Phoenix. We had about an hour to get off the plane and walk around before we had to board again. I was looking forward to the landing part, because I thought I might get some or all of my hearing back. And then we started the descent. I was told we had a smooth landing. I would have hated a rough landing. I did not care for landing.

We got off the plane and made our way to the airport food court. Of all the food to choose from, I decided I wanted an airport hot dog. It hit the spot. On the way back to the plane, I decided I wanted another one to munch on. Big mistake. We sat down in our seats. I had succeeded in getting one ear unstopped, but as soon as we started taking off, it closed up again. I still did not care for take off. Nor, did I care any longer for airport hot dogs. I took my third dose of Dramamine.

The third dose of Dramamine gave me cotton mouth. It is not an unusual side effect of too much Dramamine, but... I did not care for cotton mouth.

When we finally landed at the San Francisco International Airport, I was ecstatic. Well, as ecstatic as someone on too much Dramamine could be. I was on land. And I was going to be on land for seven days before it was time to board another plane back to Sweet Home Alabama. And my plan was to try to talk my two girlfriends into renting a car and going on a long (but exciting) road trip!

They told me they did not care for road trips. It was going to be a long seven days.

New Creation Celebration

Try this party which was "created" for your immediate family. Fun, easy, inexpensive AND it teaches a Biblical truth. You can't beat that.

Bible Concept: When we love Jesus, we become joyous new creations.

Scripture Basis: 2 Corinthians 5:17

Supplies:

Bible
Vinegar
Food Coloring
Crayons
Dull pennies
Basket
Easter Card
Plastic Eggs
Small Bowls
Spoons
Paper Towels
12 Hard-Boiled Eggs
Bow
Cupcakes (see recipe)

Preparation: Make Surprise Cupcakes using the recipe below. Be sure to prepare one cupcake for each person.

Surprise Cupcakes

Prepare a box of cake mix according to the directions on the package -- but do not bake the batter. Fill ice-cream cones half full of cake batter, then add a gumdrop. Continue to fill the cone to one inch from the top. Bake according to the directions or until golden brown. Cool and decorate with icing, shredded green coconut and tiny jelly beans.

This party is a celebration of the newness of spring -- and of our hearts when we love Jesus!

Tell each person they are required to wear something "new" or "different." They can borrow something from another family member, make a new paper hat or wear a shirt backwards.

Be sure the Surprise Cupcakes are prepared. You may wish to decorate a festive party table by covering it with Easter gift wrap and setting the table with colorful paper goods. For an extra touch, fill an Easter basket with fresh flowers and place it in the center of the table. Fresh flowers colorfully accentuate the party theme of "new life."

Gather family members and warmly welcome them to the New Creation Celebration. Say: "I see you all have on something 'new.' Can you guess what each other's new item is?" Encourage family members to tell their guesses about what "new" item each person is wearing. Have each family member explain what is new and different. Then ask:

1. Does wearing something new or different make you a different person? Why or why not?

2. If people can't change themselves by what they wear, how do they change?

3. Who is the only one who can bring us new life so we truly become new creations?

Say: "Jesus is the only one who helps us become truly new creations. How does he do this? Let's see if the Bible has the answer." Choose someone to read aloud 2 Corinthians 5:17. Then ask:

4. How do you think we become changed by loving Jesus?

5. Why is there great joy in being new creations in Christ?

6. What do you think happens to show we're new creations?

Invite family members to each take a dull penny and tell ways we are like dull pennies before we love Jesus. Then drop the pennies in a bowl of vinegar and soak them for several minutes. Play the following games and activities while the pennies soak:

Egg Roll Relay - Hand a plastic egg to each person. On "go," challenge players to roll the eggs to the other end of the room in any way they desire such as with their noses or toes or hands. When they reach the opposite end of the room, players must switch eggs with another person and return to their starting places.

Eggheads - Hand each person a hard-boiled egg and a crayon. Have family members each draw a happy face on their eggs to show the joy they have in loving Jesus. Encourage everyone to use lots of cheerful crayon colors. Hold the eggs in spoons over bowls, drizzle food coloring over the eggs and watch as the crayon wax repels the dye. Set the eggs on paper towels to dry.

While the eggs dry, return to the pennies. Hand each person a paper towel and scoop out a penny. Have everyone rub and polish his or her penny until it shines brilliantly. Then ask:

7. How are these shiny pennies like our lives when we love Jesus?

Say: "When we love Jesus, we become changed like new creations -- just as the dull pennies became like new. We know we're new by the joy we feel inside and by the way we're able to love and accept others. There is no greater joy than the joy we have in being new creations in Christ!"

Have family members gather at the party table and help themselves to a Surprise Cupcake. Before enjoying the special treats, offer a prayer thanking God for Jesus' love and for the way we become changed when we love Him. Then explain that each Surprise Cupcake has a surprise inside to remind everyone about the way we change inside when we love Jesus. When someone discovers the hidden surprise, he or she is to say, "I'm changed inside -- and I love Jesus!"

Let family members keep their shiny pennies to remind them how new and bright their lives are as a result of Jesus' love. Place the decorated eggs in a pretty basket and add a bow and a card on which you have written 2 Corinthians 5:17. Then on Easter morning, secretly place the pretty surprise on an elderly neighbor's doorstep to spread the joy your family feels in loving Christ.

Taken from Affordable Family Fun.

Have a wonderful Monday. Tomorrow I have a recipe for the night before Easter. You will have plenty of time to get the ingredients for this special Easter treat. Wednesday I will have four variations of the traditional egg hunt. Everyone from your youngest to your tween or teen will have a fun time with these "different" egg hunts. Thursday I have a Spring family date... a day trip! And Friday I will have two or three more Easter books to add to your collection. (And remember, if I knock on your door this week, you better be able to show me your Easter book purchases from last week!) It's going to be a busy (but great) week!

I'll talk to you tomorrow.