tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90101272601924024452024-03-05T03:31:56.927-08:00Tucker's TalesAre you into the very latest things? Great, cuz we'll probably be late in getting things up here, but will TRY to keep you posted. Sometimes it'll be our battle to kick our finances into gear, other times a new recipe we've found, and still others it might be a piece of fictional writing. Welcome aboard for some crazy and sporadic and even some crazily sporadic times!CoraEThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00432845492194823577noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010127260192402445.post-19318809608264520922017-05-03T09:44:00.001-07:002017-05-03T09:44:38.066-07:00Once-A-Month Cooking - Tucker Style<h3>
<b>A Brief Pre-Requisite Update on the Tuckers - which most of you already know...</b></h3>
Duane is back to work, driving locally, and home every night. He's gone to Hermiston, Prineville, Springfield, and equivalent lengths North, and West. But most of his runs are around Portland, or down to Albany/Eugene. He starts at 7am (just 5 minutes away from home), and gets home around 7:30pm (though sometimes he surprises me by getting home as soon as 5). The key fact though, is that he's home every night. Yay!!! When offered jobs that would take him away for a couple nights a week, he declined, saying that his marriage was more important to him than his job. Major husband points, right there! Somehow we survived for three years with him doing over-the-road trucking, but I just couldn't go back "there" again. He provides so much stability for me, and I just love having him around. I'm glad we get to be a team!<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, I'm back to work full-time (30 hours/week) with Child Evangelism Fellowship as Office Manager and Director of Training. I'm also taking full-time online courses through the Degree Completion Program at Multnomah University. I'm majoring in Business Management, as a number of those classes line up with what I am doing at CEF. I attend class one night a week, and have 15 or so hours of homework in preparation for each class.<br />
<br />
Currently Duane's weekend is Sunday and Monday each week, and I'm able to juggle mine to Saturday-Monday, so I have Saturday to study before I join him in spending our weekend together. Romeo and Jada don't exactly appreciate the long days by themselves, but we try to minimize that as much as possible.<br />
<br />
I've also been going to bed at around 8pm, when Duane does, so I can join him in rising early, as I can. He gets up at 4am, and I get up as early as my still-recovering-body allows. Sometimes that means I'm up at 4:30, sometimes that means I barely stir to receive his good-bye kiss and sleep until 8. Some of you will laugh to hear me say that I found out it's actually kinda fun to get so much done before 8 in the morning! I'm just glad for the days my body cooperates!<br />
<br />
<h3>
Food for the Tuckers</h3>
<div>
All of that was to say: we're busy!!! Since Duane has been our main chef for so long, it's an adjustment to try and sort out the cooking when he's gone so much. On top of that, most of you know, I've never had any desire to be THE COOK. But now that I'm home more than he is, I'm trying to figure out ways to make this survivable by both of us.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The goals: </div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Food for Duane to cook when he wants to cook (since he enjoys it so much)</li>
<li>Food that we will both enjoy </li>
<li>Food that's safe for me to eat (ie Gluten-free, no/very-low sugar, limited dairy)</li>
<li>Healthy food that will nourish our bodies</li>
<li>Maintain a predictable budget </li>
<li>Require limited time for food prep and cooking: I need something with about 2 minutes of prep when I get home exhausted after work and the last thing I want to do is cook. Also, Duane often gets home at 7:30, and goes to bed at 8, so not much room for waiting on food!</li>
</ul>
<div>
The Ideas: </div>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>We tried the <a href="https://www.homechef.com/" target="_blank">Home Chef </a>program (they box up your prepared food supplies and send it to you, ready to cook)</li>
<ul>
<li>Lovely idea</li>
<li>Too expensive</li>
<li>No leftovers</li>
<li>Not enough "safe" meals</li>
<li>Still some prep time involved</li>
<li>Duane likes the food, but doesn't get to maintain his flexibility to cook ("recipes are great for YOU, Cora...")<br />NOTE: I also looked into Blue Apron, as you can get gift cards at Costco, so that it's basically 20% off, but they don't have gluten-free meals yet. </li>
</ul>
<li>Growing up, Mom Johnson tried the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Once-Month-Cooking-Family-Favorites/dp/0312534043/ref=la_B000APA6CC_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1493827772&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Once-A-Month Cooking</a> plan talked about on Focus on The Family: Prepare and freeze your meals ahead, then pull it out and cook it.</li>
<ul>
<li>Loved it growing up</li>
<li>Great meals!</li>
<li>Low-Cost</li>
<li>Not enough "safe" meals</li>
</ul>
<li><a href="http://emeals.com/?gclid=CjwKEAjw_6XIBRCisIGIrJeQ93oSJAA2cNtM0KJPzMFUmsVgeZo_yBNst3drTXBEnxE8dZJDLLCL3xoCvrXw_wcB" target="_blank">E-Meals</a> (a menu-planning service to help keep cost down and simplify the planning)</li>
<ul>
<li>Once a week shopping</li>
<li>Too much food for us in a week</li>
<li>Still too much organization, since I had to cut down the menu AND do the shopping (see above)</li>
<li>Great food and variety! Many of the foods on our "favorite" list came from them.</li>
<li>Challenged us with new and usually tasty foods!</li>
<li>Simple prep and instructions</li>
<li>Still requires time preparing and cooking</li>
<li>Could work for our budget, but not ideal</li>
<li>Again, doesn't give Duane flexibility to cook what he wants to cook</li>
</ul>
<li>Dining out regularly (funny how this isn't the top of the list!).</li>
<ul>
<li>Too expensive (duh).</li>
</ul>
<li>This Project: Once-A-Month cooking, Tucker-style</li>
<ul>
<li>Minimal food prep time</li>
<li>Predictable budget (yet to find out: is it IN our budget?)</li>
<li>Flexibility so Duane can cook</li>
<li>Most of the meals are already favorites (a favorite meal EVERY NIGHT!?!?! Yay!)</li>
<li>All the meals are safe. </li>
</ul>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
So here's the cute little cover for my notebook that I adapted from <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Editable-Binder-Covers-FREE-Beautify-Your-Binders-With-Aqua-and-Polka-Dots-1383654" target="_blank">a gal online</a>: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSMdiqLfkSBUpRbvBAos4_JDp3FG7Ty2Fc5jJ5fPr2D0OR9LN1AkjDRNlBfjZ5Kgua8xxLPk5ZtkwZFHxqYKr6vZ2rSve3arW6ZicqhH-zsdpDvOpYM-PbJpPN1QkUd54Oa9XAdOGUo5A/s1600/20170503_074411.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSMdiqLfkSBUpRbvBAos4_JDp3FG7Ty2Fc5jJ5fPr2D0OR9LN1AkjDRNlBfjZ5Kgua8xxLPk5ZtkwZFHxqYKr6vZ2rSve3arW6ZicqhH-zsdpDvOpYM-PbJpPN1QkUd54Oa9XAdOGUo5A/s320/20170503_074411.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div>
The main plan is this: </div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>I have the same set of meals every month (eventually I can do an "A" month and a "B" month, so we won't have the same meal for two months)</li>
<li>I do all the shopping from my pre-planned grocery list (no thinking!) once a month. </li>
<li>I take one day and put everything into packages by meal for the month, ready to freeze (or in some cases refrigerate). If I time this right, I'll rope Duane into helping, and it should only take a couple hours. </li>
<li>Each night, I'll pull out whichever package I want to use for dinner the next night, and put it in the fridge. I chose not to try to plan particular main dishes to go with certain sides, or to establish a monthly "menu". If you're more by-the-book, or have other reasons this would be helpful, I say "go for it!", but I've learned about us Tuckers that life doesn't revolve around a chart. I'd just get frustrated that I wasn't doing it "like I planned", so this plan lets us stay flexible, yet prepared! Depending on the week, I might sit down when I'm planning my week's schedule and sketch in some basic plans, which will help me know what to pick up for the fresh-veggie side dishes, but it's also not a "requirement."</li>
<li>When I get home from work, I can get to cooking, and not require any prep. Some meals are crock-pot friendly, so I can get them going in the morning before I leave... like on Thursdays when I barely have time to get home before class time... much less eat...</li>
<li>Bonus: I build into the budget $20 once a week, so Duane can go out and pick up the stuff for something else he's in the mood to make, just in case it's not something already on our list. Anyone who's had one of his meals, knows that there are usually leftovers, so really that's a 2+ meal budget! :)</li>
</ul>
<div>
So each week, I plan to: </div>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Pick 3 fresh veggies to buy and serve </li>
<li>1 meal Chef’s choice ($20)</li>
<li>Pick 6 main dishes from freezer</li>
<li>Pick 4 veggie dishes from freezer</li>
</ul>
<div>
My suspicion is that we'll still have too much food, so this is, quite possibly, the "Tucker 1.5 Month Plan". Which would make the budget even more likely to work for us. Some of the recipes are really big enough that we'll have two or more meals from each one. Which is handy, because that takes care of our lunches, as well. </div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
<b>So here's what I did: </b></h3>
<div>
<ol>
<li>I found our favorite recipes, new and old. There are plenty of favorites left, but I selected some that would have similar ingredients (not as expensive getting a bunch of DIFFERENT stuff). </li>
<li>I entered these into the free online-and-android app called <a href="http://www.bigoven.com/" target="_blank">BigOven</a> (also available in the Apple store for <strike>you weirdos</strike> those of you who have apple products). This app allowed me to enter and store my recipes from my computer, make and edit a grocery list from the meals I selected, and also have my grocery list with me at the store on my android device. It also has a menu planning feature, but I think that works mostly with the paid version, and I didn't need it for this plan anyway. </li>
<li>I went through by recipe, and decided how things would be packaged (These ingredients go in bag 1, these other ingredients go in bag 2, a couple items just need to stay in the fridge, etc.). This also helped me figure out what I will need to do on Prep day for each recipe (slice the veggies, cut the meat, etc.). I was pleased to find that most of them don't require much prep: it's mostly just tossing it in my freezer-ready packaging. </li>
<li>I assembled my handy-dandy notebook with the following sections</li>
<ol>
<li>Prep: </li>
<ul>
<li>My list of meals (both main dishes and side dishes)<br />NOTE: You'll see that each meal is used twice, but I can serve them with weeks in between, or use them together when company comes!</li>
<li>The shopping list</li>
<li>Instructions for Prep Day</li>
</ul>
<li>Frozen Meals - Recipes for the frozen meals<br />NOTE: these were easily printed off the BigOven app, with the added bonus that I can re-print them later if I need to do any editing, or add some personal notes.</li>
<li>Fresh Meals - the side dishes that I'll need the recipes for, but won't purchase until the week-of</li>
</ol>
</ol>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtj8e5hJ3K9wRKeqFvu3iaK8x5LC2HhPoDaNz2H0MUOqBZl0JT3xPigje5nLUGiRQ1C-qTpiEmB_nibgr5QrO3M3lNpQMsf9OHxMqF424PnB0mKMB4rnlIAqtLzdnbRth4Gy6iQ0kDxM/s1600/20170503_074426.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtj8e5hJ3K9wRKeqFvu3iaK8x5LC2HhPoDaNz2H0MUOqBZl0JT3xPigje5nLUGiRQ1C-qTpiEmB_nibgr5QrO3M3lNpQMsf9OHxMqF424PnB0mKMB4rnlIAqtLzdnbRth4Gy6iQ0kDxM/s320/20170503_074426.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>My Meal List</b><br />Each meal is offered twice, and<br />I can check off each meal as I serve it,<br />so I know what's left to choose from.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilAD8ONQwfGfA3FRf8Ic4qmT_wO9zoNQGGayF6HyO0KAxfQv9yf5C0go5PeGjgYWtnLDOzKDExszqcO-vVMNwslgFG1GSGvuWolU8laktr9uyIzg6Wrhl1nU6hT_rOfK3cX1c_jYTEgi4/s1600/20170503_074442.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilAD8ONQwfGfA3FRf8Ic4qmT_wO9zoNQGGayF6HyO0KAxfQv9yf5C0go5PeGjgYWtnLDOzKDExszqcO-vVMNwslgFG1GSGvuWolU8laktr9uyIzg6Wrhl1nU6hT_rOfK3cX1c_jYTEgi4/s320/20170503_074442.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>My Grocery List </b>I also have this on my BigOven App<br /><b>Prep Day Instructions </b>A summary of steps required on "Prep Day"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So you're joining me for the progress. I plan to start this program when I return from a conference next week, so watch for another post after I actually do the shopping and prep day, and probably another after I actually survive the month. I'm sure there will be changes and "tweaks" to the plan. And then again, it may end up as another idea on my list with bullet points of pros and cons as I look for another option. If it DOES survive as our new routine, I'll share my recipes and documents so you can easily make it your own, but until I've had a chance to test it, I'll try not to confuse you with any faulty methods. :)</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Now... I'd better go remind Duane to try to use the stuff from the freezer while I'm gone, so there's room for a month's-worth of meals!</div>
Cora Tuckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01695197446529859043noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010127260192402445.post-70319871523905562422014-12-09T15:26:00.001-08:002014-12-09T15:37:45.616-08:00Time with Family and Friends<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The last couple weeks have been a great time of visiting different family and friends!</span><br />
<h4>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Thanksgiving</span></h4>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We celebrated the first Thanksgiving with Grandpa and Aunt Janet in their new house. Though not every one made it, we had a substantial turn-out. It was so reminiscent of the Thanksgivings as we grandkids were growing up: the table(s) piled with food, the table for the "kids" in the living room, playing games of Skip-bo, and the family time together. Now many of the grandkids have kids of their own, and we've had the joy of sharing with them our family traditions. </span><br />
<h4>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">From Out of Town</span></h4>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Last week we had impromptu visits with friends from Sprague River (Klamath Falls area), here in Portland. One couple was here in Portland for medical procedure, and another was on their way home from Seattle, where there had been another appointment. What fun to get together for lunch here in Portland, and catch up with our friends!</span><br />
<h4>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Immediate Family and Friends</span></h4>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We enjoyed a visit to Elmira this last weekend with my parents, a brother and my sister. Mom was hosting a table at the ladies Christmas tea at their church, and I had some fun china and flatware to share. We had such a grand time! </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Duane and I had the privilege of attending Olivet Baptist Church in Veneta on Sunday, (where I had attended for a number of years before being called down to Klamath Falls in 2006). It had been such a long time since our last visit - we were glad to make those connections!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1OttDUBa4tqvyYv5niwHKxEbweleg0yHYLNQu1KhWD0N-FnQDAqQwF5pluiVH_oy-hTqqeBr3USL6v071Oi0ihkbfrP2dtq0pDNQ57WlPSR7jhjVYnUJ0xUDnu06WbQcybgEJR1xwGvEu/s1600/1206141443.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1OttDUBa4tqvyYv5niwHKxEbweleg0yHYLNQu1KhWD0N-FnQDAqQwF5pluiVH_oy-hTqqeBr3USL6v071Oi0ihkbfrP2dtq0pDNQ57WlPSR7jhjVYnUJ0xUDnu06WbQcybgEJR1xwGvEu/s1600/1206141443.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h4>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Still Working on Gathering Addresses...</span></h4>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Until you've done it, it seems like such an easy-breezy job: gathering addresses for a mailing. But I'm in the middle of a third week of gathering those addresses, and still have a ways to go. It seems kinda silly, but could you pray for this process to go smoothly and quickly, so I can get back to the other parts of ministry? Thank you! </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Oh, and if you're reading this and would like to receive a newsletter, could you make sure I have your mailing address and/or email address? I'd like to snail mail a prayer card to you this time, but it would save money down the road for other mailings if I could send correspondence to your email. My CEF email address is cora.tucker.cef@gmail.com </span></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Pray for me to get the addresses gathered quickly and the newsletter mailed</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Praise God for so many friends and family you share my joy in ministry!</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Blessings on you!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Cora Tuckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01695197446529859043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010127260192402445.post-78473872881302284282014-11-25T16:28:00.002-08:002014-11-25T16:28:47.069-08:00Ministry Musings November 25, 2014<h2>
<b>The Lord is My Shepherd...</b></h2>
At the CEF Staff Retreat a few weeks ago, we were given a great little book by Robert Morgan, called "The Lord is My Shepherd". I'm still not sure how some people I know have been able to slam through that book, because there is SO MUCH on every page that makes such an impact. I'll give them one thing though... I DON'T want to put it down!<br />
One thing that grabbed my heart is his statement that "The Lord is my shepherd" is NOT a promise. It's a fact. It's not that he SOMEDAY will shepherd me, or that he has been a shepherd to others, but instead, the Lord IS my shepherd. That's just the way it is. What a great comfort!<br />
<br />
<h2>
Helping to start a Good News Club...</h2>
I had the privilege of joining a team as they prepare for their first Good News Club in the school. This team is part of a larger church that has a vision to reach the children in the community, so has already been working hard to develop relationships with the schools. It is fun to watch this team - each individual experienced in various children's ministries, coming together in a fun club! It's also great to see our newest Staff-member, Mary Hunter, stepping up to lead this team. Her creativity makes the learning process so much more fun for the teams she's working with.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Pray for her to adapt quickly to being part of the CEF team, and to learn the things she needs to know. </li>
<li>Please pray for the school and school district to quickly give permission to meet and to distribute the fliers for the club. </li>
</ul>
<h2>
Raising Support...</h2>
<div>
I've finally had a little bit of time to work on developing my support team for CEF! I have my newsletter just about ready to send out, and my letter ready to go. Now I just have to get a fresh picture for our prayer card, finish and have those printed, and then just gather almost 200 addresses into a format that I can use to print address labels, and of course fold, stamp, and mail all of those. No biggie. Ha ha!</div>
<div>
It has been several years since I've done much in the support-raising department, and I really feel bad. Indeed, it's hardest to spend time to raise support when you're busiest in the ministry, but that doesn't change the fact that that results in neglected, ill-informed supporters, who eventually give up. Ouch. So now I get to basically start from scratch, needing to raise 90% of my financial support, not to mention the prayer support that is so vital to this ministry. </div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Pray for me to know who to contact about partnering financially, and for supporters to be distinctly called by God to be involved.</li>
</ul>
<h2>
Thanksgiving...</h2>
</div>
<div>
Duane and I spent an early Thanksgiving in Klamath Falls last week, when we were able to visit with Duane's parents and brother and sister-in-law, as well as retrieve several items from our house in Midland. This week, we look forward to celebrating at the new home of my Grandfather and Aunt, and being joined by parts of my family, as well. How are you going to celebrate? Add a comment below!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
May you be blessed greatly as you set aside time to thank our Creator for his abundant blessings!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Cora for the Tucker's</div>
Cora Tuckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01695197446529859043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010127260192402445.post-60556119136895129602013-12-05T10:42:00.000-08:002013-12-05T10:42:18.347-08:00<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">“</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Edwardian Script ITC"; font-size: 36.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">F</span></b><span style="font-size: 15.0pt;">aith is taking the <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">first step</span> even when you don't see the whole staircase.”—</span>Martin
Luther</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 15.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
It has been awhile
since I have written.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There have been
several false starts for me as I look at my ‘drafts’ file for this blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a result, I shall endeavor to inform you
of the current ‘seasonal changes’ in our life.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Waiting on the Lord</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">“Wait for the
LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Psalms 27:14</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">A Brief History</span></div>
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In May 2011, Cora
and I journeyed to North Carolina to the <a href="http://www.cefonline.com/">International
CEF</a> conference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I told the story
in my <a href="http://tuckersandtheirtales.blogspot.com/2011/10/wow-i-am-overwhelmed.html">previous
blogs</a>, I believed I was to “go and listen” and in His timing, God would
show me what was next.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That ended up
being the word “surrender.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I needed to
learn what that meant, not only for me, but also for both of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cora and I began to pray for me to get out of
the truck so I would be more available for Gods leading.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Life Lessons</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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During this ‘season’,
we worked on our finances with Dave Ramsey’s <a href="http://www.daveramsey.com/store/financial-peace-university/financial_peace_university_lifetime_membership/prod614.html?ictid=c13.drhome.prod1">Financial
Peace University</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were doing ok,
but we saw where we needed more some discipline in areas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God was working in our hearts and teaching us
multiple lessons, showing us areas that we (mostly me) needed to work on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please bear in mind that the majority of
these lessons have been a major paradigm shift for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have to think more now about my wife and
how decisions affect us, rather than me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I never had to think that way for 48 years. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet, the more we prayed, the more restless I
became.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew that God was preparing me
for something but I was not sure what it would be, when, and for how long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My attitude began to be “God will let us know
when we are ready, even if we do not think we are.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was right. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were not ready for Him.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Attitude</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">"The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger,
and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for
thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin … Exo 34:6b-7a</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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Being a child of
God is not so easy in this world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of
course, if I look at being His child in America, I might think otherwise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, I have it soooo tough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Uh God, I really want this other thing …
could you work it so it would work out to my/our advantage so (insert your
situation here)?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, there are people
dying all around us because they want a Bible, want to go to church, have a
desire for more than food for the body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They hunger for the Word of God and the fellowship of other
believers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What have I been doing …
other than whining to God that things are not going according to the way I
planned them?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do not like it this way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will just call on God to change these
things, that way I do not have to deal with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is in God’s hands now; I prayed about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘Nuff said/’nuff done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah … right.</div>
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I see so many
Christians today (please note, I am talking about me) that really are a bunch
of spoiled, stubborn and stiff-necked people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It reminds me of another bunch of similar people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s see … who were those folks?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Um … oh, I remember now … they were God’s
chosen people, the nation of Israel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How
could I forget that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most times, I am in
so much deep and hot water with God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Given the nature of man (me) and the fallen state of man (me), I am
surprised that God has not turned this particular man into an unobtrusive
grease spot, at some remote location in the universe.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Worship the LORD with reverence and rejoice with
trembling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Psalms 2:11</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
A couple of months
ago I read a book by Joseph S. Carroll called <a href="http://www.gbibooks.com/Details.aspx?ID=080243424X">How to Worship Jesus
Christ</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is from Moody Press.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is only 90 pages, but it took me a couple
of days to go through it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am going to start
it again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I will re-read another
book called <a href="http://www.gbibooks.com/Details.aspx?ID=0875087108">Humility</a>
by Andrew Murray.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A very special friend
of ours, a lady of great wisdom from CEF headquarters, gave this book to Cora
and me as a gift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is one hundred ten
pages of short, succinct, and amazing steps to humility in and with a relationship
with the God and Savior of this universe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I have come to understand my relationship with the Sovereign God should
be the attitude of Job, after God finished talking to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I am a worm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Who am I to give God counsel on how to run the universe?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Job 40:4; 42:3</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">For
my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the
LORD.<span style="color: teal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>Isa
55:8</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
I like listening
to podcasts of <a href="http://www.ligonier.org/">R.C. Sproul</a>, <a href="http://www.gty.org/">John McArthur</a>, <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/">John Piper</a> and others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are just a few of my “Hero’s of the
Faith” in this generation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In one of
R.C.’s lectures, he explains how he is usually very tactful and sensitive to
the needs of those in pastoral counseling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, in this one particular session an angry man was shaking his
fist at R.C. and complaining about how his (R.C.’s) God was not a Merciful God.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The angry man had just lost his child to
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudden_infant_death_syndrome">SIDS</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>R.C. explained in his lecture that he usually
did not take the particular tack that he did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>R.C. bluntly asked the man why God did not strike the man down where he
stood because of the blasphemous words coming out of his mouth at that moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Consider in that lesson that the spiritual
2x4 had been applied right between the eyes, at full force.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It affected me in the same manner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The reasons why God does things are not ours
to contemplate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are God’s to know
the reasons why.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need to learn how to
accept them with the gratitude of a sinful slave that has been redeemed by the
Master.</div>
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As a result, I
have had to do some evaluation on some of the things in my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A ‘re-setting’ of values and priorities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Obviously, this is NOT an overnight
process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nor is it completed in a season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a constant re-adjustment from the
things of man to the things of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Questions I have been asking myself are, “Do I NEED this?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Is this necessary?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Will this honor God … or man?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Who benefits if I do/don’t do such and
such?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Is my heart in it for God … or
elsewhere?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are just some of the
questions that I am continually asking myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Other questions can and/or should be asked … for each of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The process is called sanctification. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is something that all Christians must go
through, never being completed until we stand before God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This process of sanctification is a very
humbling one and I am very grateful to God for helping me to comprehend, apply,
and accomplish it daily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I must mention
that I do spend a lot of time getting up from where I fell down in this
process.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">"Be still, and know that I am God. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will be exalted among the nations; I will be
exalted in the earth!"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Psalms 46:10</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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In mid-August of
this year, my driving position at the trucking company was abruptly
terminated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After several weeks of
thrashing about in anger, frustration, and selfishness—disguised as the “poor
me” syndrome, I began to pray and pray more earnestly about what God would have
us do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this current economy, not too
many people are willing to hire a grumpy, old, used and abused, worn-out truck
driver … especially trucking companies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I did manage to find a temporary job running a “spud truck” for the
potato harvest in October to carry us through the transition period.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now that spud truck job was a unique
experience and I will not go into much detail about it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
When I was in high
school, I was in the Future Farmers of America.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I learned enough about the field part of the harvest to know that it was
not something to be taken lightly, but I never went into any depth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With this temporary job, I learned what a
harvest operation entails. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a result,
I have been using the knowledge learned to apply in my own life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could fill the pages here with metaphors …
but I will spare you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re
welcome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once that job ended, I needed
to see what was next.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was not sure
what God had in mind for us.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Trust in the LORD with all your
heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pro 3:5</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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Cora and I had
been praying for “the next step” in this evolution of trusting God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What would the next job be for me and how
would it affect my relationship with God, Cora, and family, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All I could do was wait on Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I began thinking over the things that God had
put me through and what some of those lessons meant to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also wondered what He might be preparing me
to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before I married Cora, I had a
quiet hunger to attend some sort of Bible College.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mostly blew it off as a ‘pipe dream’ ...
too old, too busy, too broke, too … whatever excuse I could use. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had attended a local community college in
2003 and found that I had a hunger for knowledge I did not know I had. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now with me being married, I needed to focus
on securing the things that made us “comfortable” so we could lead that quiet
life of following Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See 1Th 4:11
and 2Th 3:12 for further explanations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
was thinking college is not a viable option; there must be something else on
the horizon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God knows what we need and
His next step was for us to re-evaluate our priorities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because of that re-evaluation, the old desire
for Bible College came back, quite vigorously I might add.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">Faith</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“And whatever you ask in prayer, you will
receive, if you have faith."<b> </b><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mat 21:22</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
I kept thinking, “Bible
College …at my age?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We started looking
in earnest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted to make sure this
was not a ‘panic button’ decision, mid-life crisis, or some such.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Prayer was our first step, seeking peace in
and for the future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was followed by
trying to find a ‘college’ to see if this was what we were to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We looked at <a href="http://www.moody.edu/">Moody
Bible College</a>, both campuses:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the
main one in Chicago, IL and the satellite campus in <a href="http://www.moody.edu/spokane/">Spokane, WA</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our preference was the Spokane campus because
it is in the Pacific Northwest and closer to family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We looked at <a href="http://www.georgefox.edu/">George Fox U</a>., <a href="http://www.corban.edu/">Corban U.,</a> <a href="http://www.newhope.edu/">New
Hope Bible College</a>, <a href="http://www.nwcu.edu/">Northwest Christian U</a>.,
and <a href="http://www.multnomah.edu/">Multnomah U</a>., and several other
schools.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It boiled down to ‘the most
bang for the buck’ in a school that would equip us to go wherever God wanted us
to go when we finished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That turned out
to be Multnomah University in Portland, OR.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They require a dual degree: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>one
degree in Bible and Theology, a passion of mine, the other, a major or minor in
your degree of choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was impressed
with their “New Testament Greek.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because
of this choice, I believe I need to invent a rapid hair growth tonic so I can
pull out my hair in frustration as I learn ‘Koine Greek’.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
I have since
started the application process to Multnomah University or MU if you
prefer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is still no guarantee that
I will be accepted into the programs I want, but I have placed that worry in
the Lords hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For me, I have a peace
about the direction that my life is about to take.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cannot answer for Cora.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know that she does have concerns, as she
has voiced them to me and we have talked them over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is very good at helping me to evaluate
options that I did not think of, did not think to look at, or refused to look
at.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am VERY grateful for her
input.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This decision process would not
have been very easy without her help and support.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am praying that God will clear the way to
see the goal He has for us, albeit one day at a time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe that it is at MU, studying Theology
and New Testament Greek and that is what I am praying will happen.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take
joy in the God of my salvation.”<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hab 3:18</span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
So this is what we
are aiming for:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This step of faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are trusting that
God will lead us through this season of transition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Faith that God knows what we need, that He
will provide it when we need it and He will not give it to us until His time is
right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We just have to be willing to
wait on the Lord, trusting that He is Sovereign and that we are His children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Will you pray with us, please?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
For His glory only,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe Script","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: DilleniaUPC; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Duane</span></b>
</div>
Cora Tuckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01695197446529859043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010127260192402445.post-16047951882360906612013-12-03T20:24:00.000-08:002013-12-03T20:28:38.384-08:00Cora’s Perspective…<div class="MsoNormal">
So we’ve been quiet on here for a while. Not because there
hasn’t been anything happening, but because there just aren’t always the right
words to tell the world about the craziness God has seen fit to walk us
through. We still aren’t out of the craziness – not by a long shot, but it just
seems like time to finally try to verbalize these adventures.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For me, it started around the first of August. I knew that
I’ve struggled with stress and worry, and not handling it right. I usually don’t
really stew on stuff for very long, but my body knows I’m in a stressful
situation, and obliges with sufficient adrenaline to knock my health for a
loop. Soooo… I picked up a book that I’d been meaning to read for quite a
while: “Anxious For Nothing” by John MacArthur. As I read it, I could never
read much more than a page or two, as God was just slamming me with its truths.
I’d read a little, then think and journal about it, then come back for more.
After two weeks, I had gotten so much out of it, and had changed so much that I
thought “Hey! Now that God’s taught me so much, there’s gotta be a reason for
it – maybe to teach others or something!” Yeah. Uh huh. It was that same day
that we found out that things were about to get very stressful. Duane had lost
his job. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now, we had prayed for quite a while for him to be able to
get out of the truck. While Duane had had visions of owning his own truck, we
really just wanted him to be able to be home every night. Or even MOST nights.
There had been many times that a sticky situation or a cranky boss could have
put an end to the job. And we’d had the sense to “fear” that. Instead, God had
seen fit to protect that job through it all. And NOW, He had seen fit to drop
the floor out from under us. As Duane had planned to clean out his truck for a
week-long vacation, his boss told him to just clean out the truck for good, and
not come back. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ouch. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Each of us had our own reaction, but neither of us liked it.
Duane was hurt and angered by the situation. I was freaking out that my
“security” had evaporated. And we both scrambled to figure out what in the
world just happened. We may never know what caused the boss to “snap” that day,
but we’ve at least figured out now, as Joseph once said to his brothers: “What
you meant for evil, God meant for good.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But that process sure hasn’t been overnight. Daily we would
take turns freaking out – thankfully, most of the time God allowed the other of
us to be strong for the weak one. Duane will tell you about surrender. I’ll
tell you about patient trust. And we’ll both tell you we’re still learning
these things. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Since August I’ve wanted to know – “what’s next!?” I wanted
to know how God would provide for our mortgage and other bills. I wanted to
know what the next job for Duane would be. I wanted to know how God would
provide for our food and gas and basics. And most of the time, I haven’t known
any of those. Yet God has provided for every need. Every day. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So far it’s been pretty tight on the mortgage, but God has
provided what we needed when we needed it. We have never gone hungry. Not for
ONE meal. Not even close. And when we needed it most, Duane had a temporary job
driving a potato truck. Unemployment finally even kicked in after three months
without a job (another story for another time!).God has proven himself faithful
through some crazy, crazy times. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So now… the main question is: “What comes next?” While only
God KNOWS the future, we finally have a plan for the next steps. Duane has
wanted to attend Bible College for quite a while now, and that’s only
intensified over the last years. After his potato truck job, we finally had
enough gas money to make a visit to his top prospect for a Bible College,
Multnomah University in Portland, OR. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We had checked out a number of schools over the phone and
internet, finding some great schools in the northwest, but none had quite what
Duane was looking for in majors, etc. When we investigated Multnomah, we found
that they had the majors we are looking for, has the reputation of a solid
Biblical education, and is near enough to family. The only major draw-back in
my view is that it’s in Portland. Ya know how you’re always told “Don’t ever
say ‘Never’ to God”? Yeah, I was totally okay with Africa, but Portland?
Please, God! DON’T send me to *cue super whiny voice* Poooortland! Yet by the
time we were heading home from our campus visit, we knew: yep, Multnomah is the
one. Duane plans to double major in Bible/Theology and New Testament Greek.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For the past couple weeks I’ve been alternately weepy and
excited about the possibilities as we begin to tell our family and friends
about the plans. We know that God can tweak and/or earthquake OUR plans at any
time, and I can’t say that it’ll even surprise me, but for right now, it seems
that attending Multnomah is in our future. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As it sits right now, the plan is for Duane to attend
Multnomah starting in January for the Spring Semester, while I stay home and
wrap things up with CEF and the house. Then the thinking is that I’ll move up
there with him starting in May, between his terms. We THINK he’ll attend
classes over the summer, which starts at the end of May, so it’s a pretty short
window of time. I’ll probably still need to work up there part time, and we’re
praying about the possibilities – there are definitely possibilities there, but
we don’t have any announce-able plans yet. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For right now, we’re getting him ready for school, and then
we’ll start getting the house ready to sell or rent. To our Klamath Falls
friends, please pass the word that we’re looking for someone to rent, lease (w/
option to buy), or buy our 3-bedroom home in Midland. For our friends in the
Portland area, do you know of someone that would have at least an inexpensive
room to rent for January through May, and/or a one-to-two bedroom home
available starting in either January or May? For January to May we won’t have
the three dogs with us, as they’ll still be in Midland with me, but after that,
we need a place that is pet-friendly. It is possible that Duane will be able to
stay on campus during the Spring term, since we won’t have the dogs up there,
but since there’s a no pet policy, we’ll need to figure out something different
for May. Confused yet? Join the club! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For those of you in the CEF family, you need to know that the ministry in Klamath Falls WILL GO ON!!! As we discovered over my year-long sabbatical, the committee did a FABULOUS job of keeping things going - the ministry even GREW while I was gone. The leadership is still in the process of organizing the "what's next" specifics, and will let you know as soon as possible more details. Please be patient with them! I'd rather have waited to tell you until that point, so I could reassure you in the same breath that even though I was leaving, we have plans A, B, and C in motion. However, too much was happening too fast, and word was getting out to some people and not to others, leading to hurt feelings and the potential for not-fun rumors. I wanted to make sure that YOU would know as much as I can tell as soon as I can. From here, please just be patient, and know that GOD has a plan for his ministry, and as He shows US what that is, we'll be glad to share that with you!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was telling a friend this weekend about how much I’ve
learned about just waiting on God’s timing. Living in the moment that God has
given me, instead of stressing about what the future holds. And later that
night I was once again freaking out about where in the world we’ll be living in
the next few months, and how miserable it’ll be to be apart from Duane for so
long, and, and, and… And again I remind myself “Be still and know that I am
God.” Translated into Cora’s heart-language, it probably sounds more like
“Okay, Cora, it’s time to just sit down and shut up… I said SHUT UP… and
remember that I’m in charge, not you… Did I mention to shut up? No buts about
it! I AM in charge! Oh, and by the way, Cora? You DO know that I love you! A lot.” Believe me, I know that God wouldn’t be that crude, but it
usually takes Him being that pointed with me. I’m so thankful for his patience
with me!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As you think of us, would you please pray for us? Pray for
continued peace, pray for clear direction, and pray for me to figure out the
right balance of busyness and relaxing (i.e. not to become overwhelmed by all
there is to do and just shut down!). Pray for my dear old curmudgeon, er uh,
hubby as he prepares for school and the challenges that will bring. Also please
pray that we’ll be able to get a computer for him to take with him to school.
We have a laptop, but if he took it, then I wouldn’t have one here to be able
to Skype with him – a key part of our plan to survive the months apart. Also,
please pray for the house situation – pray for favor with the board that
decides whether we get housing assistance from the state of Oregon (would pay
our mortgage for a year), and for the house to have new occupants, and for us
to have the right place(s) to move to at the right time. While you’re praying,
I’d be remiss not to ask you to join me in thanking Him for His great provision
for us thus far: thank Him for abundant food, clothing, home, time together,
growth closer to Him and each other, friends, peace, and relief from a major
chunk of the debt!</div>
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Thanks for taking the time to read this. We are ever
grateful for your partnership in this journey!</div>
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Cora, </div>
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for the Tucker Tribe<br />
Oh, and Duane's Perspective is just around the corner! </div>
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Cora Tuckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01695197446529859043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010127260192402445.post-77861808897048103812013-08-02T22:23:00.001-07:002013-08-02T22:30:22.975-07:00Checking InHowdy!<br />
Well, I figured it was time to check in with y'all again!<br />
We've both been keeping busy lately, but thankfully not TOO much in the "can't come up for air" kind of way. Duane's been driving each week, Sunday through Friday. He DID finally get to be home for church a couple weeks ago, and I think he will again this week, but we're still hoping for the time when he'll be able to be faithfully home for church each week.<br />
We've been busy working around the yard, putting in flower beds, keeping it watered, and generally trying to keep it mowed. When I get up in the morning, I love to take my breakfast out on the back deck and have my Bible study outside while the dogs wander around or soak up the sun.<br />
I also get to putz around in the garden frequently, weeding, and now finally starting to pick some of the produce! Our lettuce is going like gang busters, and I think we're going to be able to start picking peas any day now. I got some strawberries early this summer, and in addition to struggling to survive Romeo's digging expedition, they've had to fight heat with sometimes irregular watering (like when I was gone for a week). As a result, I was super pleased to notice that I have one larger strawberry almost ready to pick, and a bunch more coming on. So much fun!<br />
We're also getting ready for the Klamath County Fair, which starts next week, and CEF will be there to tell Bible stories to the kids. We had the fair training last night, and the awesome team of volunteers put together a great meeting! It was soooo nice to just show up and do my part, instead of feeling like I was carrying the whole load. I thought the team did awesome BEFORE my sabbatical, but this time, I was so hugely blessed by their involvement and ownership in this meeting.<br />
I've still been struggling with my health, as regards to Adrenal Fatigue. I have times where I'm doing awesome, and times where I'm sleeping a lot. Lately, it's been more of the sleeping a lot, which frustrates me when I want to be doing so much more around the house. I'm still working on it though, and trying to figure out what I need to do different/better. I'm so grateful for Duane's patience in this process!<br />
So those are the basics from our end. We'd love to hear how things are going for you!<br />
<br />Cora Tuckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01695197446529859043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010127260192402445.post-29986021735082819812013-06-10T17:32:00.001-07:002013-06-10T17:32:58.282-07:00The Big Razz<p>Duane has a new girl in his life now... And she is DEFINITELY new! Duane's boss bought a brand new (2013) Kenworth T660 for the company, and Duane gets to drive it! Combining the truck's color, and D's personality, it is known as the Big Raspberry.<br>
He spent most of the weekends getting stuff from the old truck arranged in the new truck exactly how he wanted it. I ask riding with him now as I type, for its first full day of work, from Klamath Falls to Clackamas, to Noti (yay for the visit to the hometown!), and back to Klamath. It is so much fun, with all it's gadgets and gizmos. Maybe I'll get Duane to tell you all about it. :)</p>
<div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFd06StQlKmHrdi92bEmZKyBkbxbOEppfrrfxhG6_qC1TGCqgEZ1v8zkJu-FB_Id8w6RrAdPazesob_IVSRnMRVJB3MLUSVQNdKrHfxCBYUiSwVpmuB_XsRSk0qd6E71ziVqrNYGf3lwTM/s1600/2013-06-09%25252018.24.51.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFd06StQlKmHrdi92bEmZKyBkbxbOEppfrrfxhG6_qC1TGCqgEZ1v8zkJu-FB_Id8w6RrAdPazesob_IVSRnMRVJB3MLUSVQNdKrHfxCBYUiSwVpmuB_XsRSk0qd6E71ziVqrNYGf3lwTM/s640/2013-06-09%25252018.24.51.jpg' /> </a> </div><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBkQ31xyB-vbtttdfVil4jPHMHiStXkusCHqkaanvk3bu6Au1FJ1S2EPRQaazQ65sku558-2EaRf12T_Lax2vvR7H76_7eNu7DeK3r6VVJV7I83IrSEKkFI-os6k1_il-A6uH3xDJd9V95/s1600/2013-06-09%25252019.39.32.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBkQ31xyB-vbtttdfVil4jPHMHiStXkusCHqkaanvk3bu6Au1FJ1S2EPRQaazQ65sku558-2EaRf12T_Lax2vvR7H76_7eNu7DeK3r6VVJV7I83IrSEKkFI-os6k1_il-A6uH3xDJd9V95/s640/2013-06-09%25252019.39.32.jpg' /> </a> </div>Cora Tuckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01695197446529859043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010127260192402445.post-63854483278581283242013-06-07T10:37:00.000-07:002013-06-07T10:37:05.737-07:00Thanks, Romeo<span style="color: blue;">The first "major" catastrophe in gardening this year has arrived. And the culprit was Romeo. I arrived home one afternoon to find that the dogs (Romeo was the one who was cowering and running away) had dug to the bottom of my strawberry pot on some adventure.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s85udj7KJDw/UbIZdR8zACI/AAAAAAAAAHk/TIcdfThhAnU/s1600/2013-06-05+16.55.01" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: blue;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s85udj7KJDw/UbIZdR8zACI/AAAAAAAAAHk/TIcdfThhAnU/s320/2013-06-05+16.55.01" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: blue;">I was very much bummed to find how much he had destroyed. I'm hoping they survive the experience after I got them replanted.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">By the way, the starry tablecloth was what I was using to cover the plants a couple nights ago to keep them from freezing. The high yesterday was 89. Welcome to Midland weather!</span><br />
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Cora Tuckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01695197446529859043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010127260192402445.post-51005939256661118312013-06-04T20:29:00.003-07:002013-06-04T20:29:58.271-07:00Catching Up With a Few Pictures from this Spring<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6E44Ws1M7Am0GFYmExX-DZANoQp9LasSSZbrwLHusXUEjcItNDUDFUiihbwH8SQpvYw_mZZh57kR2yptrPHMunQ0HGj573sd6uO14VS5m-FHMMzOiVifxkkJ4zVMOTpOuJvDf8nWpZGx_/s1600/2013-05-11+13.03.46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6E44Ws1M7Am0GFYmExX-DZANoQp9LasSSZbrwLHusXUEjcItNDUDFUiihbwH8SQpvYw_mZZh57kR2yptrPHMunQ0HGj573sd6uO14VS5m-FHMMzOiVifxkkJ4zVMOTpOuJvDf8nWpZGx_/s320/2013-05-11+13.03.46.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">On Loon Lake for Mother's Day</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZ4Ma_ZKXhZW6BtAhBS-3O5n0bL5ONn8JYYm14ErZvUCg0SVgjpOjZeYoBfyuMhb_egZob8aM3iaBSChhXYvPHyiI3XE88sXnKJSunLHOks40yhDvOmavpA4x4OADNtjYdt7QvircEgrf/s1600/2013-03-22+21.13.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></a><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtWOYF78atsArksWraLbZztftDPR5bEgQOierVu6AuJSxtaZaTlabreOl0fdEb_4mSvYRuhzgEDH8rKchslJ5BOtac9rCszOuCOKt-WVF1cfsuNwCPrza6EsYyoEWv56sganHvFuWXb1KY/s1600/2013-05-11+18.17.32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtWOYF78atsArksWraLbZztftDPR5bEgQOierVu6AuJSxtaZaTlabreOl0fdEb_4mSvYRuhzgEDH8rKchslJ5BOtac9rCszOuCOKt-WVF1cfsuNwCPrza6EsYyoEWv56sganHvFuWXb1KY/s320/2013-05-11+18.17.32.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandpa brought a birthday cake to Loon Lake to celebrate <br />Grandma's birthday for the first time since she went to heaven.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzQG2UoHwcKUm9NrHeNofZXSzo2H8YR5clJDWRgt353q1auITol_cphfNY7gIi6iG7EsX5LjUrsiSwu3FiqJ6ZBmFnEgAMK4gy9q6mELm4aIAQtFsTcc0s1iqgwB8Q-yHsijAgRbAMNrTH/s1600/2013-05-21+09.00.28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzQG2UoHwcKUm9NrHeNofZXSzo2H8YR5clJDWRgt353q1auITol_cphfNY7gIi6iG7EsX5LjUrsiSwu3FiqJ6ZBmFnEgAMK4gy9q6mELm4aIAQtFsTcc0s1iqgwB8Q-yHsijAgRbAMNrTH/s320/2013-05-21+09.00.28.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In May I needed to bundle up to enjoy my coffee and <br />Bible reading on the deck. Now it's 60+ in the mornings.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguLA5qm-BDq09lgVb_dRp33HjD6VZYNerBqQXwwRbfdIf6ppl18LGs979Vu5mO1FkccBCGEcDTlafplIil5Pcr0ofyI0PM1twmAr7Qe82grXavCvhj1hP4n3zkQ4pxrL5HvmVTIF3t1Wv7/s1600/2013-04-16+18.17.36" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguLA5qm-BDq09lgVb_dRp33HjD6VZYNerBqQXwwRbfdIf6ppl18LGs979Vu5mO1FkccBCGEcDTlafplIil5Pcr0ofyI0PM1twmAr7Qe82grXavCvhj1hP4n3zkQ4pxrL5HvmVTIF3t1Wv7/s320/2013-04-16+18.17.36" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying out a recipe for a nacho bake. Mmmmm!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvlbbWyPJLjliGwSQiyEFqpHC4HlZKK_vP11pJejUMLBsfVmEN0QhpnxWeGHa62EmjwkwNDe_ZT6NKEkrHva27-Do_gBQ9ajk1d6cYMGeKkkK6oTtr0V8Uylj0IOO2W_hJUNKnvx1p9dZ6/s1600/2013-06-01+07.07.31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvlbbWyPJLjliGwSQiyEFqpHC4HlZKK_vP11pJejUMLBsfVmEN0QhpnxWeGHa62EmjwkwNDe_ZT6NKEkrHva27-Do_gBQ9ajk1d6cYMGeKkkK6oTtr0V8Uylj0IOO2W_hJUNKnvx1p9dZ6/s320/2013-06-01+07.07.31.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anna spoiled me with an "almond decaf mexi latte breve"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZ4Ma_ZKXhZW6BtAhBS-3O5n0bL5ONn8JYYm14ErZvUCg0SVgjpOjZeYoBfyuMhb_egZob8aM3iaBSChhXYvPHyiI3XE88sXnKJSunLHOks40yhDvOmavpA4x4OADNtjYdt7QvircEgrf/s1600/2013-03-22+21.13.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZ4Ma_ZKXhZW6BtAhBS-3O5n0bL5ONn8JYYm14ErZvUCg0SVgjpOjZeYoBfyuMhb_egZob8aM3iaBSChhXYvPHyiI3XE88sXnKJSunLHOks40yhDvOmavpA4x4OADNtjYdt7QvircEgrf/s320/2013-03-22+21.13.35.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An effort this spring to make bleu cheese stuffed pears</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisRJ7URPOoXjNb3VRxfy8Q-CEVPcR33qBbhyphenhyphenRWcUs7uRCJIfeVErj2T2JLN58PMq84Oo0gEu70ed2-n2hNGqCq6v8FnN5lP6SbcZ8yK5oU2Zz_1UyNrIDsV9yphPmGBJAFRQR56N4K_4W9/s1600/2013-03-27+12.28.05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisRJ7URPOoXjNb3VRxfy8Q-CEVPcR33qBbhyphenhyphenRWcUs7uRCJIfeVErj2T2JLN58PMq84Oo0gEu70ed2-n2hNGqCq6v8FnN5lP6SbcZ8yK5oU2Zz_1UyNrIDsV9yphPmGBJAFRQR56N4K_4W9/s320/2013-03-27+12.28.05.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anna came for Spring Break and helped me on the yard work, <br />as we tried to wake up the yard from winter.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkee5g_LMRQcdgeW13KbZZlrSdLb5tY3ElH875YfNxQWwAEOAKY8qHbhg-PG7Txtr2XdwFyY9poGbPt6GiXl0jFCEKuNVexdO54Qd6PDr_c8WsgCXOCgERerAvHmjiED4EHqOtzbxDH2Z0/s1600/2013-03-31+09.16.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkee5g_LMRQcdgeW13KbZZlrSdLb5tY3ElH875YfNxQWwAEOAKY8qHbhg-PG7Txtr2XdwFyY9poGbPt6GiXl0jFCEKuNVexdO54Qd6PDr_c8WsgCXOCgERerAvHmjiED4EHqOtzbxDH2Z0/s320/2013-03-31+09.16.17.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Duane make several fruit platters for the Easter <br />breakfast at church. What a feast for the eyes!</td></tr>
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Cora Tuckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01695197446529859043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010127260192402445.post-31831010762095089472013-06-04T17:46:00.004-07:002013-06-04T17:46:54.395-07:00Our First GardenIt's been a work in progress, but we finally planted our first full garden. When we first moved in, we were blessed with some produce to harvest from Chris and Linda's garden when they moved out, but this is OURS! yay! Duane worked hard to prepare the ground for it, tilling in peat moss and steer manure, then using a heavy sled to drag a bunch of dirt from the bottom of the slope up to the top. I helped some, but Duane got the heavy work.<br />
Today Mom Tucker and I got to plant everything. We took a break, but we still got done in just a few hours. I was really glad to have the help, wisdom, and experience of Mom T in the process.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqgtBXTAXpji-PENazNL-k0gw4-GROF7U1ZnjKzThKOexFCvOk2gC2hXR3J2BzHGHHnn8RlSXgkSsxLSiySmFAguzoC4mpfKE4lCpg7SmKug6afrHlqJbtxl8clvnPdavaUUIz9gTIXVY/s1600/2013-06-04_10.44.19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqgtBXTAXpji-PENazNL-k0gw4-GROF7U1ZnjKzThKOexFCvOk2gC2hXR3J2BzHGHHnn8RlSXgkSsxLSiySmFAguzoC4mpfKE4lCpg7SmKug6afrHlqJbtxl8clvnPdavaUUIz9gTIXVY/s320/2013-06-04_10.44.19.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dogs love "Grandma time"!</td></tr>
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At the end of the day, here's our freshly planted and watered garden! Yay!<br />
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Now to see if it survives the summer! It'll be a bonus if we get yumminess in the process.CoraEThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00432845492194823577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010127260192402445.post-31022250083856418852013-01-23T21:58:00.001-08:002013-01-23T21:58:47.487-08:00General Post about the TuckersHowdy!<br />
I'm kinda surprised that I've found the time to post so quickly after that last post - several weeks ago - but here I am! :)<br />
This last weekend, Duane came home on Thursday and left on Saturday, which was a little different from our routine of Friday PM through Sunday afternoon. By the time Saturday night came, I couldn't tell whether it was Thursday, Saturday, or Sunday... All kinds of Crazy!<br />
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On Friday, we traveled to Medford (1.5 hrs from home) to run a few errands. Mom Tucker wanted to get out of the house too, so we took her, and left the dogs with Grandpa (Dad Tucker) for the day. We enjoyed the errands, and they enjoyed the spoiling. When we got back, they all piled on Grandma's lap! Romeo in particular loves to give kisses and tell us all about his day!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizcrDbKSmKFABE6PQykSKO5-r0FH1_9o2_0FWsj518MV6xhku56g6eLip1V1FGBzllhB2zE3nuU2xmag4UXqjuyrCZkwKsO-gydrnoQGDWOulcYsjd8P4Ql9eTmufj5M-N0FLFP6WcwKc/s1600/2013-01-20+20.19.53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizcrDbKSmKFABE6PQykSKO5-r0FH1_9o2_0FWsj518MV6xhku56g6eLip1V1FGBzllhB2zE3nuU2xmag4UXqjuyrCZkwKsO-gydrnoQGDWOulcYsjd8P4Ql9eTmufj5M-N0FLFP6WcwKc/s320/2013-01-20+20.19.53.jpg" width="320" /></a>Over the last few days, Jada has provided the entertainment here at home. She loves to watch "TV", however she can. Last night, she was trying to watch the malamute puppies I pulled up on Youtube for her. Meanwhile, I had a friend I was messaging on Facebook, so I'd keep switching screens on her. Whenever I was on the messaging page instead of her TV, she would nudge my hand, push my arm, or otherwise get in the way until I switched back. Another night, she decided that the clothes dryer would be her entertainment, and pushed up on the step-stool so she could watch the clothes go round and round! When she got tired of that, she would watch in the reflection on the stove, where she could see herself and me. Tonight I finally pulled out an 18"X30" mirror and set it out on the floor for her. She started to charge by, then did a double-take, and can't stay away from it now. The poor girl!!!<br />
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A bonus for me this week was finding a yummy, mostly "legal" (for my health-required diet) dessert.<br />
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I was pretty stoked! Meanwhile, last time Duane was home, we fixed an oh-so-delicious dinner of Steak with roquefort and mushroom topping, apple-cottage cheese salad, and fried cabbage with oil and balsamic vinegar. My friend, Mindy, and I also made a yummy chicken salad using mojito-lime marinated chicken, cilantro, apple, oil and vinegar dressing (I can't have many of the other dressings, so I'm learning to really like the oil and vinegar!), cheese, and mushrooms. Sooooooo yummy for the tastebuds! It takes time to prepare the foods that I can have, but I'm gradually adjusting and really liking it. Duane even joined me in the new year in most of the diet, with a few variations. It's great to be on the same team!<br />
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So news-blurbs for this week:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Duane left Saturday for Phoenix, delivered his load of lumber in Phoenix on Monday, then picked up a load of soil additive in Phoenix. He delivered that on Tuesday AM in southern CA to the Links at Spanish Head in Pebble Beach, CA (he was glad to rub that in for my golfer Dad - not a good way to score points with the father-in-law, though! lol). He picked up another load in Monterey, I think (seems like there might have been another pick-up/drop-off in there). He then dropped those spas off at the fairgrounds in Sonoma County this morning, and picked up another load in Red Bluff today (OCC - or cardboard to recycle), and is currently on his way to Springfield, OR. At this moment, the word is that he'll pick up a load of lumber for Phoenix again in Eugene when he's done with that. </li>
<li>I had to go to the dentist today for an emergency appointment to deal with an ever-increasing toothache. I got relief from that one, but found out I might have to get an upper wisdom tooth pulled. I'm just grateful Duane has offered to take the day off to watch over me if/when that happens. He's mostly just excited to find out what it's like when I pass out, as I did LAST time I had my wisdom teeth pulled (the bottom ones that time). </li>
<li>I've got a "business trip" coming up, so have spent most of this week getting ready for that. Traveling and presentations tend to "take it out of me", so I'm not excited about that part. Just hoping I can have time to recuperate when I get home, before the next round comes up, and that Duane and I will be home at the same time! We've gotten used to only seeing each other on the weekends, but it's a whole 'nother ball-game when we have to go any longer than that!</li>
<li>I've been involved in counseling three different ladies one-on-one, mostly through weekly Bible studies, while attending a small group ladies bible study, in addition to facilitating a bible-based study on leadership for our leadership team in CEF each week. God has a sense of humor as he answers my prayers for helping me to stay in the Word and prayer every day!</li>
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Blessings on your day! Hope you've enjoyed this window into our lives this week!</div>
CoraEThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00432845492194823577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010127260192402445.post-39914000297199880672012-12-09T17:35:00.001-08:002012-12-09T17:35:47.295-08:00Adventures<h2>
<span style="color: #134f5c;">(warning: I'm here to catch you up on almost 7 months of Tucker's Tales, so it might take you a few minutes to read, but I think you'll find it worth the read!)</span></h2>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;">Diagnosis X 2 </span></h2>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;">There's good reason for it taking so long to post another blog. The first few months after the May post, life was so wonderfully boring that I remember wondering what was interesting about our life that I could even post. Duane was still driving truck, and I was still on sabbatical from CEF, enjoying every moment. I had hoped to have one more trip with Duane before returning to work, and gradually add a responsibility here or there, trying to get back into the "groove" with the CEF ministry. Alas, it was not to be. Instead, God had some crazy adventures for us. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;">It started in the middle of August, when I followed up on a recommendation from a friend to visit with her Naturopath in Bend, OR. Having watched me struggle with my health for as long as he had known me, Duane had been on my case to find a naturopath that could help me find out what healthy was like. That Monday I nervously made my way to Bend and brought all my paperwork to Dr. Michelle Jackson. Having been to a naturopath in my youth, and with Heidi's recommendation, I wasn't too worried, but I wanted to know how Dr. Jackson would handle things. As I visited with her, I was assured that if/when her ability to help me ran out, she would have no problem directing me to someone who could (you'll see in a moment why this was so personal to me). With that assurance, I began to share all the crazy symptoms I have. I shared about my fatigue, how I would "crash" frequently and stress easily, had heart and blood-pressure issues, had been tested for sleep apnia, my frequent sinus infections (2-3 times a year), weight issues, intestinal issues, PMS issues, and headaches. With such a laundry list, I figured it would take quite a few visits to even scratch the surface, so when she diagnosed me almost immediately with "Adrenal Fatigue", I thought the next visits would start to look at the issues other than fatigue. I would only realize later that Adrenal Fatigue actually is either causal or symptomatic of EVERY ONE of those symptoms I had brought to her. She told me to get the book called "Adrenal Fatigue" by Dr. James Wilson, and started me on a series of blood, urine and saliva tests meant to give her a more specific diagnosis of which supplements my body needed. With this news, I was a little overwhelmed, but relieved to have at least one symptom diagnosed definitively. I was told to eat regularly, eat healthy, and to </span><span style="color: #134f5c;">back off on stress. Yeah, what a brilliant idea. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;">That afternoon, I continued my journey around Oregon, planning to visit my Grandparents in Portland, where Grandma was in the hospital, and then spend Tuesday night with my parents in Elmira (near Eugene), then finish the trip on Wednesday with a return home. Plans are great. But they don't always match up with what God has in mind. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;">We knew that something was definitely wrong for Grandma to be in the hospital. We knew she had serious intestinal issues, as it was the middle of August and she hadn't been able to eat, much less "keep down" a full meal since July 4th. She had been trying to handle things on her own for months, using all the healthy vitamins and supplements she could get her hands on, but she'd finally succumbed to meeting with a doctor. But only if it was a naturopathic doctor. Getting an appointment took another week or two, and when she made the visit to the Salem doctor, he immediately sent her with a note and an urgent demand to check in at Oregon Health Sciences University ASAP. That had been the previous Thursday, and they still didn't have a diagnosis, but they had performed procedures to open up her blocked kidney, as well as to do some of their many tests. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;">By the time I got to visit Grandma in the hospital, we realized that we really WERE talking serious stuff. We were afraid to say the word cancer, but it was on everyone's mind. By that Friday, I was present when the doctors came into Grandma's very cramped room to tell the bad news. We knew it was coming, but I'll never forget the team of doctors telling Grandma that she had cancer, that it was very fast growing, that there was nothing we could have done, and that, short of a miracle, it was now a matter of weeks that she had on earth. She chose to spend those remaining weeks at home with family. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;">For the next month and a half, insanity reigned. Every week or two, I was traveling to Portland or points in between to help out. After a week or so, I would return home to collapse and rest and try to recuperate, utterly exhausted from the physical and emotional drain on my system. Meanwhile I was trying to learn more about this adrenal fatigue. What a time to try to start eating healthy, eating regularly, and back off on stress! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;">After nearly a two week-stint of helping out at Grandpa and Grandma's house, I returned to my parents' house on Wednesday the 26th of September, as I was scheduled to speak at the training camp for the local CEF chapter on Thursday. As I finished that last leg of the journey on the 27th, I received the dreaded call. My Grandmother was in heaven. Though I had known it was coming, was prepared mentally and emotionally, my body couldn't handle this final news. I spent that entire weekend in a sleepy mental coma, only doing what I had to do to survive, definitely not participating in the training camp. Everyone thought that I was just taking Grandma's death hard, and yes, I was grieving. But how could I explain to myself, much less family members, that after helping at Grandma's death-bed for several weeks, I couldn't even think about participating in the memorial, much less helping with preparations?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;">I was scheduled to go back to work for the first time after my sabbatical that next Monday, but instead drove to Portland again, where I met Duane at his truck, and attended Grandma's memorial on Tuesday. Without him being there, I know I would not have even made the trip, much less made it through the service. </span><span style="color: #134f5c;">I actually didn't go to her graveside service the next day for that very reason. </span><span style="color: #134f5c;">I am SO grateful Duane's boss was able to get him to the right spot at the right time (thank You, God!). </span></div>
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<h2>
<span style="color: #134f5c;">Learning More </span></h2>
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<h2>
<span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">In between all this craziness, I'd been learning much about this condition called Adrenal Fatigue. For a great summary, you can check out <a href="http://www.adrenalfatigue.org/">www.adrenalfatigue.org</a>. I started taking a few supplements, and as each test result came back, Dr. Jackson would add one or two more to my list. Thankfully I was able to do all pursuant appointments over the phone, saving me from the extra stress that travel causes. </span></span></span></h2>
<h2>
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">For me, I began digging into the book Dr. Jackson had recommended. I felt like someone had sat down and wrote a book all about me. I learned that Adrenal Fatigue is the result of the adrenal gland being overworked too hard, for too long, until it doesn't know which end is up, and over-produces the cortisol I need to handle stress. I also learned that stress doesn't always mean mental stress. The adrenal gland is meant to handle anything that causes fight-or-flight situations. Basically, when I went to Bible college in 2001-2002, I lived and breathed adrenaline. I was taking 18 credits, pulling honor-roll, in student leadership and choir, and working four part-time jobs at a time, and loved doing it. However, I would get to Sunday night and be exhausted and depressed facing another week of minute-to-minute adrenaline rushes of tests, projects, responsibilities, friends, and excitement. </span><span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Once I "got" Adrenal Fatigue (or AF), I couldn't get rid of it without giving my body a chance to heal, which of course, I wouldn't do anyway!</span><span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"> </span></h2>
<h2>
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">AF causes me to have a much lower tolerance for stress in the first place. People thought I was crazy when I would get stressed about a situation and say "I'm not stressed in my head, but my body won't believe me!". I really could rationally tell you that God was in control of a situation, and know and believe it whole-heartedly, not meditate on it or consciously worry. But I would be exhausted and get sick. I would get so frustrated as a staff member for the week-long (Saturday to Friday) training for teens every June. I was one of the youngest staff members for a number of years, yet the load would kill me by the middle of the week, long before the senior staff-members, and I would get sick before I ever left. I began to learn that my defense system would be weakened as a result of AF, and the mucosal linings (nasal and intestinal) were so thin that it was an open invitation to all sickness, disease, and infection. Thus, my frequent illness. Even from my Bible college year, I had been sick every holiday or vacation. </span></span></h2>
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I also found out that part of AF is being borderline hypoglycemic. I'd had blood-work done by my family practice doctor looking for stuff like that, but hadn't been diagnosed. But basically I deal with blood-sugar issues. I don't do blood tests, pricking my finger or anything, but I do have to be conscious to make sure I keep my blood sugar pretty even-keeled. </span></span></div>
<h2>
<span style="color: #134f5c;">Learning to Cope</span></h2>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;">So how do I deal with AF? Very carefully. I'm not even all the way through this amazing book on Adrenal Fatigue, but I've learned so much (and still have much to learn). </span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;">I've learned that sleeping on a regular schedule is important. I need to be in bed by 10:30, and ideally I need to sleep until I wake up. I always functioned SO much better when I had a chance just to wake up naturally, but along with everyone else, I thought I was lazy. Come to find out, </span><span style="color: #134f5c;">a key time for my body to get the best rest is between 7 and 9 in the morning. Who knew? </span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;">I also need to eat frequently and on a schedule. I now have Breakfast #1 anytime before 10am. I have Breakfast #2 at 11am, and Lunch at 2pm, Dinner at 5pm, and a before-bed snack to top things off. This regular schedule is designed to give my body the chance to digest everything at a regulated pace. But in order to do this, </span><span style="color: #134f5c;">every meal has to have at least these three basics in balanced proportions: fatty acids, starchy carbs, and protein. These each digest at a different rate, so things stay pretty even keel. However, this gets tricky to have all of these AND eat healthily. A burger from McDonalds may have all of those, but will only harm my health. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;">SOOOO... Any food that will either raise or lower my blood-sugar rapidly is a no-no. Dr. Pepper and fu-fu coffee was the first to go, as no caffeine is allowed. "But", you say, "you can get DECAF fu-fu coffee, can't you?" Ah but that would be too easy. Alas, I can't have sugar either (insert gummy worms here!). I'm still a little fuzzy on the sugar substitutes that I can or can't have but at least some of them give me instant intestinal issues anyway, so I don't go exploring much. Also, white flour is a no-no, as it turns into sugar so fast. Whole grains are okay though, so I've found a few breads I can have. The natural sugar in fruit is so high, that I can only have a little bit, and that only in the afternoon or evening. Even the lactose in milk turns to sugar too fast, so I've discovered rice milk as a solid alternative when I need it. I've actually discovered some great recipes and alternatives that I can have, it just takes time and preparation. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;"><br /></span></div>
<h2>
<span style="color: #134f5c;">Progress</span></h2>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;">A week after my scheduled start-date, I started back to work on October 8. Knowing then what I was dealing with in regards to my health and the Adrenal Fatigue, the CEF committee (board) was very gracious to me. They assured me that they would continue to carry the load they had carried during the year I was gone, allowing me to fill in the gaps doing the "directorly duties". I was scheduled to work about half-time each week, all day on Monday, but Tuesday through Thursday I work in the afternoons (ie I get to sleep in!), and I have Fridays off. My duties are light, but there are plenty of them, as my To-Do list grows daily. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #134f5c;">Coming back to work I had decided that I wouldn't make any drastic changes for the first several months, giving everyone a chance to "ease" into our new normal. God musta laughed. I had been back for about two or three weeks when we were "evicted" from our upstairs, corner office in the IYS building. They had very graciously allowed us the space for 6 years on a temporary basis, until they needed the space for someone else. Well, now they needed the space, as they were expanding and adding another program to their organization. Before I had a chance to even stress about this though, they also offered us a different location. They had a small duplex office building that had come with another property they wanted, but they didn't have a use for it. Instead, WE could use it for the cost of utilities. Praise God!!! I won't elaborate here on the amazing blessings of this, as that could be a whole other blog entry, but suffice for now to say that God has blessed us like crazy! In my first two months back to work, there's been very little "easing" into anything, and yet God has had us ready for every step of the way. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #134f5c;">I have learned that Adrenal Fatigue is treatable, but it isn't easy, and it isn't fast. Basically I'm told that it'll take at least 6 months to two years to recover. I'm hoping that the year off on sabbatical will significantly reduce that time for me, but I'm willing to go the long-haul. I've already begun to discover what health looks like, and it's amazing. I've begun to have energy again. Our house is starting to be at least tidy on a regular basis, if not down-right clean. I've started to like people again (when I started my sabbatical, I REALLY didn't). And I'm not falling asleep during the day nearly as often. Symptoms are not nearly as pronounced, though I can definitely tell the difference when I forget to take supplements or get out of balance on my eating. Really it's just been amazing to find a whole new life, one day at a time. Enjoying time with Duane when he's home, being more relaxed, learning my boundaries, and enjoying ministry again. Despite the stress of it all, God has blessed us SO much, and we're SO grateful. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;">I'll close with the lyrics of a song we recently discovered that summarizes the last several months for the both of us. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
<span style="color: #134f5c;"><b>"Through"</b></span><span style="color: #134f5c;">Gaither Vocal Band</span></h3>
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<pre style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;"><span id="SL_MainBody_formViewLyrics_labelLyrics">When I saw what lay before me, Lord, I cried what will you do?
I thought He would just remove it. But He gently led me through
Without fire there's no refining, without pain no relief,
Without flood there's no rescue, without testing no belief.
Through the fire, through the flood, through the water, through the blood
Through the dry and barren places, through life's dense and maddening mazes
Through the pain and through the Glory through it all
we'll tell the story of the God whose power and mercy
will not fail to take us through </span></pre>
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CoraEThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00432845492194823577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010127260192402445.post-9120823227427942502012-05-23T07:47:00.001-07:002012-07-04T15:04:25.462-07:00Pictures from the "right side"<div>
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<div>
I've been traveling with Duane on the truck for the last several weeks, and thought I'd share some of the beauty we saw along the journey. I was usually only able to take pictures out of the passenger window - thus, the "right side" -and the windshield when the bugs weren't succeeding at blocking my view. <br />
You'll enjoy pictures from Oregon, California, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Montana, Idaho, Nevada, and Washington. <br />
One weekend we were parked in Sparks, NV. We called up the CEF director from the area for recommendations of a church. By the end of Sunday, we had gone to church, lunch, and Tahoe with her (my first time there). What a great time to relax, fellowship, and worship the Creator!<br />
Enjoy the pictures at https://picasaweb.google.com/coramolly2/TuckerSTales <br />
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</div>CoraEThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00432845492194823577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010127260192402445.post-46896594549057772372012-04-23T14:05:00.000-07:002012-04-23T14:05:06.956-07:00DistractionsI gave up Facebook. <br />
<br />
Pick your jaw up off the floor. <br />
<br />
I'll give you a minute... Still waiting. <br />
<br />
If you know me very well, you'll know that giving up Facebook is a big deal for me, and not an easy change - at least I didn't think it would be. I had plenty of arguments for the social media naysayers, reminding them how it's a great tool to stay in touch, useful for ministry, and for getting the word out about stuff or finding out what's going on with my friends. And I pretty much still think that it's very useful for those things. So lest you think I'm giving in on those arguments, allow me to clarify. It's not Facebook that is the issue, but only that I have allowed Facebook to become a harmful distraction in my life. <br />
<br />
I've been doing some thinking - and yes it's painful. And I'm still in process on that thinking. But I thought I'd share that process with you. <br />
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I'm an addict... not to alcoholic beverages or nicotine, but to anything that will distract me from real life. And usually my drug of choice has been Facebook and its associated games and activities. I was picky. I refused to accept just any old game request, for fear I'd become addicted to that... but I still got sucked in. <br />
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Finally, two weeks, one day, 20 hours, and 19 minutes ago, I quit. Cold turkey. "Hi, my name is Cora, and I'm a Facebook addict." But if you pin me down on what brought me to the point that I knew I needed to quit (and even if you DON'T pin me down, I'm about to tell you anyway)... <br />
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I began to realize how much of life I'd been missing out on because of that time-sucker. The chance to listen to a sermon, clean our house, work in the yard, pray for friends or family, read, write letters, talk on the phone... but most of all, I feel like I'd missed out on the chance to sit at Jesus' feet, and listen to the Holy Spirit in his moment-by-moment leading. I can't tell you how often I would sit down to work on our budget (which I like to do on the computer), and would look up three hours later, realizing that I had opened maybe one file that I needed, but had spent 2.75 of those hours on social media. Or I got up in the morning, checked my email, intending to get right into the kitchen table to spend time reading God's Word, and would be alerted hours later that I had 15 minutes to get to my next appointment, so would scramble to shut down Facebook and get to my destination. I had missed out on another opportunity to hear the richness of God's voice through the discipline of reading His Word. Or I knew that I needed to make an effort to connect with my neighbors on His behalf, but the window of opportunity was gone by the time I was done "connecting" with my "friends". Seemingly all efforts at self-discipline had failed.<br />
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If you're not getting this, this isn't a rant on Facebook. It's a rant on my favorite distraction from what God has for me RIGHT NOW. Most obviously that's been Facebook lately, but that's not the only tool I have for ignoring God's voice... or my housework. I can just as easily plug in to TV. Or sudoku. Or Bubble Blaster. Or organizing my week but not actually DOING anything about it. Or... <br />
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Really the list is endless of the things I can find to distract me from the conviction of the Holy Spirit. And when it comes down to it, it's a matter of self-discipline - one of the fruits of the Spirit - fruit that hasn't been harvested nearly enough in my life lately. I always admire the self-discipline of some of the mature Christians I know. But I also know that it didn't just happen. It's a continual process, seeking to put one more "department" of my life in the control of the Holy Spirit, not my flesh (Romans 8). <br />
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So, I ask myself now... "What is God telling me to do that I'm not doing right now?" James reminds me in the Holy Spirit's power and conviction: "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin..." (James 4:17) Facebook isn't a sin. Sudoku isn't a sin. But not doing the things I know I need to be doing IS sin. <br />
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As I look at the lengthy list of stuff that would be good to do, and know I want to do them, I sometimes get overwhelmed. For me, it's usually at that point that I go find a game to play, or visit with friends on Facebook, avoiding it all. I have to temper my frustration at not getting it ALL done right now, as I can only do what God gives me strength, time, and conviction to do. But I can't hide from it all in Facebook, avoiding doing ANYTHING, because He HAS "...given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness," (2 Peter 1:3). <br />
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Something that really stuck with me the other day (though I regretfully can't remember the source) is this: He has given me all the time I need to do the things that HE has for me to do. Which leads to the next question to ask myself. Is my to-do list filled with the things that <em>I </em>want to do, or does my to-do list match up with HIS to-do list FOR me? How does YOUR to-do list match up? <br />
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As my pastors have always told me, "you only do what you WANT to do". At first that caught me off guard ("What about that verse where Paul says that what he wants to do, he DOESN'T do?") But the reality of it is, that my sin nature is usually governing my "Want TO" list. One evidence of true and deep love is to WANT to do what the other person (in this case, the GOD of the Universe) wants to do."If you love me, you will keep my commands." (John 14:15). The more I think of the sacrifice Jesus made, in dying a gruesome death to pay the price of my sins, the more I love Him. And the more I love Him, the more I want what HE wants.<br />
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How do I KNOW what His to-do list is for me? It starts by making sure that the VERY top of my list is to actually spend time with Him, learning His nature, talking to Him, listening to Him, getting to know Him. I marvel at how my husband knows me so well. The more time I spend with Duane, the more we can finish each other's sentences, or know each other's likes or dislikes. How much more do I want to spend time with my King so I can formulate my own to-do list according to what I know of HIS to-do list!<br />
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If you've made it THIS far in reading, I'm grateful! But I would be even more grateful if you would pause right now and pray for me as I seek to fight the fight on a daily basis. As I listened to a John Piper <a href="http://marshill.com/media/guests/be-killing-sin-or-sin-will-be-killing-you" target="_blank">sermon </a>the other day, I was challenged yet again with the vital fight for victory over sin, lest it overcome me. There are no days off in THIS war. And there is no room for distractions - Facebook or otherwise. <br />
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I may occasionally appear on Facebook again, as it indeed has its benefits (I'll probably even go on long enough to post a link to this blog on my page!). But prayerfully, it will not be a distraction from serving the King of Kings, under the moment-by-moment guidance and conviction of the Holy Spirit. <br />
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<em>What is your first step TODAY in the fight to be governed by the Spirit's leading?</em><br />CoraEThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00432845492194823577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010127260192402445.post-84356871915532177892012-02-21T21:17:00.000-08:002012-02-22T15:56:10.692-08:00SeasonsSo Soaps and Bon Bons went bye-bye, and seasons have replaced them. Seasons of insanity, Seasons of calm, Seasons of togetherness, Seasons of adventure, and Seasons of routine. <br />
For the first several weeks of my sabbatical, I was frantically trying to cram a year's-worth of resting, visiting, busyness, and study into a short amount of time. <br />
In November, I finally was able to go on the road with Duane in the "Dream Chaser" - the semi that he drives all over the place. Since the age of 12 or 13, I had dreamed of going cross-country in a semi with a sleeper cab. For the first couple weeks, we stayed in Oregon, California, and Nevada, just doing "local" runs. During one week, I sat on the deck of his flatbed trailer in sunny So. Cal with my sudoku and my almonds while we waited for our next load. Later that week I had helped Duane chain up, and was sweeping snow off the deck so we could load some molding on it. By the next week, we were on our way to Virginia. We stopped in Grand Junction,CO, spent Thanksgiving in Columbia, MO at a Cracker Barrel (amazing meal for an amazing deal), the weekend near CEF headquarters (we got to visit our friends Dottie Whitney and Laura Hayes), and got within two miles of the Atlantic Ocean in Newport News, VA. Then we started our journey back to Wyoming with parts of a BIG dump truck bound for a coal mine. On the way west, though, we ended up both getting sick. We both lost our voices big time! At one point, all I could do was squeak! Some times I would even be sitting next to Duane but have to write messages or use sign language for him, since I couldn't talk loud enough to be over the noise of the truck. I made sure he knew the sign for "bathroom"! We were grateful to spend that weekend in Rapid City, SD, where we got Duane to a walk-in clinic. The Dr. prescribed the same anti-biotics that I had on hand from my doctor for frequent sinus infections, and it worked perfect (though he still took a while to get back to health!). We unloaded in Wyoming in -1 degree weather (not counting the major wind-chill factor!), then woke up the next morning at a lumber mill with a view of Devil's Tower. I was soooooooo grateful that the scale-house there had a beautiful bathroom, AND fresh coffee!!!! I felt very spoiled! Anyway, we closed out week number 3 by arriving home. I had 2 weeks to be ready for Christmas, but I was ready to be home for a while. That trip did wonders for me. Since I get car sick, I couldn't spend my time reading or doing paperwork, or anything else really, except sit there, talk with Duane, listen to audio books or music, and enjoy the scenery. How therapeutic was THAT!?!?! I finally realized that the clock had no power over me, and came home more relaxed and de-stressed than I ever remember feeling. Oh, and the bonus? After 5 weeks in the same cramped space with my husband, we didn't kill each other! :)<br />
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Next came the season of hosting. We had "Christmas" at our house this year, with most of the Tucker clan, plus guests. Then my parents came during the week between Christmas and New Years. <br />
I had some time to relax after that, and began to visit with local friends, but it didn't take long for things to pick up again. The last week of January, I went to visit my folks for a week in Elmira, getting to enjoy a leisurely visit with them all. During that week, though, I also spent the weekend in Bremerton, visiting my brother, Seth, and his fiance. It was SOOOOOO much fun! We spent a day in Seattle doing the touristy thing. Note: no offense to any Seattle-lovers, but I really <strike>hate </strike>don't like Seattle usually. However, we were on foot, so I didn't have to drive, I was with fun family (including my oh-so-buff brother to protect us in the middle of otherwise claustrophia-inducing populations!), and the sky was SO AMAZINGLY CLEAR! So I really did have fun that day. On the way back from there, I was even able to visit my Grandma, Duane's son, Corey, and CEF's state director Rod, and his wife, Betty Franz. <br />
Then I scrambled home in time for Mom Tucker's hip surgery. She recovered really really fast. Within 48 hours of her hip-replacement, she was back home, and getting around the house (when her pain meds weren't putting her to sleep!). In no time, she's scooting around the house, fixing small meals, and watching over the cats and dog! <br />
Last week, I was able to escort Melanie to a training for her work that "just happened" to be in Springfield (near my folks'), and "just happened" to be across the street from KORE, the Christian Radio station. Since we knew the manager and staff around there pretty well from all our frequent winning of prizes as kids, I decided to stop in. I was amazed that they all recognized me before I even got in the door, and we caught up with each other for quite a while. <br />
So NOW.... I get to mostly stay home, focus more on studying, participate in a ladies Bible Study, do stuff around the house, and tackle more projects. Of course we also have a couple weddings to attend - Seth's getting married in March, and Paul's getting married in April. After those are over, I look forward to getting out on the road with Duane again. <br />
In the middle of all this, I'm grateful for my friends who keep me accountable, pray for me, and challenge me to a closer walk with Him. God is gracious in not cramming a bunch of lessons in at once but He is definitely persistent in hitting me up-side the head with different things I've needed to hear. Please pray for me to be a good student, and for Duane to have continued patience as I deal with these things. I am so very grateful for his listening ear, no matter the topic or my stage of development on a topic. Being part of a team going through this is SO different than going through so many things on my own in my past "single" years, and I'm thankful that God saw fit to provide us with each other. <br />
So there you have it.... the seasons so far in this sabbatical. Thanks to everyone who keeps checking in despite the lack of posts in past months. Don't worry - we're still here! :)CoraEThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00432845492194823577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010127260192402445.post-8714157389927829662011-10-13T21:41:00.000-07:002011-10-13T21:41:14.354-07:00“Wow, I Am Overwhelmed!”<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="WordSection1"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 31.5pt;">It has been just over a year … and she has not killed me (yet.) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stand amazed at the gift God gave me in Cora and allowed her to be convinced to marry me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For a man of 49 years old, at the time, I was flabbergasted when she said yes to my proposal of marriage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had pretty much resigned myself to permanent curmudgeonhood … er … bachelorhood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a result, it has been a major upheaval in my life, both in mental and spiritual practicalities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All good, mind you, but still an uphill struggle to wrap my little truck-driver brain around all of this change going on in my life.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 31.5pt;">Before Cora, I had come to the point in my life that I knew I was going to be single until I died.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had fought God tooth-and-toenail, about ‘being single’, telling Him that I did not want to be single.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had convinced myself that I was finally ‘okay’ with it, but in my deepest heart, I had not yielded that part of my life to Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I refused to surrender it to God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I finally faced the issue of singleness for the rest of my life and told God that it was no longer my choice but His, He agreed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I got over not liking His answer and said, “Okay God, I surrender to your Sovereignty,” He graciously waited for me to get used to the idea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I did, finally get used to it, He placed Cora in my vision and said, “This is why I wanted you to wait as long as you did; she is the jewel in the crown I want to give you.”<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><sup>1</sup></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All I could, did, and do say is “wow, I am overwhelmed!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is so precious and amazing to me.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 31.5pt;">Please do not get me wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She can tick me off big time … usually at the wrong times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then she has the audacity to look at me and say, “What?” in that innocent-bat-her-eyes kind of way (even when she does not bat her eyes).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She surprises me with her intellectual prowess on topics I did not think she even knew about, much less cared to comment on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She has astounded me with her naivete on issues that ‘today’s woman’ would be rabid about; but because she believes that it does not honor God, she chooses to walk away from it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She has overwhelmed me with her passion for her God, her husband, her family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I see the excitement she has for the children that she shares the Gospel with and the heart for all of the teachers she teaches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of this … in just over a year of marriage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still, at times, all I can say is, “Wow, I am overwhelmed!”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 31.5pt;">How do I explain ‘wow’?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well … how do you tell anyone about a person that moves you to tears because you love them so much?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do you explain to anyone that the joy in your life is magnified a hundred fold, so much so that you find it hard to contain you own exuberance when you are in the presence this person?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do you tell anyone how much it physically hurts to separate for any length of time from one another?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess you tell them that you are so in love with your “<u><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 150%;">insert your spouse’s name here</span></span>”</u> that … ‘yadda-yadda-yadda’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like you have never heard this stuff before and I am not the first person that has ever said it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know-I know, stop re-inventing the wheel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, I can be sappy, foolish, or overly sentimental.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What can I say other than, “I love this lady that I married and that married me!”?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wow, I am overwhelmed!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 31.5pt;">In this year-plus of marriage, I have found out how to bribe her with ‘protein’, (Gummy Bears and/or Sour Gummy Worms), flowers (she likes roses, but likes any kind of arrangement as well), or a home cooked meal (it helps to have cream cheese in it somewhere).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have found out that if I offer her tomatoes, hot dogs, or salmon as food that I must sleep on the couch or leave on truck for at least one week (and cream cheese will NOT help at all!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have also learned that she has an annoying habit of laying something down, not where it belongs, then forgetting where it is located.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then she gets VERY frustrated when she cannot find it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The worst part is she then wants to take it out on me … her frustrations, anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I have broad shoulders and take this abuse with kindness, gentleness, and loving patience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(By the way, I have some land in Florida and a bridge in Brooklyn that I would like to sell … if you are interested.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have also learned that I am not as forgiving as I thought I was and that the ‘O.C.D.’ that she bugs me about, has a tendency to drive my lovely bride BONKERS at times [insert large snicker here].<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sooooooo … I try to be more patient, loving, contemplative, and less critical of things going on in ‘our’ lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A word of warning here:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I drive a big rig for a living.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stay off the road when I have had a rough weekend at home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><u>Some</u> of my driving skills deteriorate when I am so aggravated I cannot see straight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Without airing our dirty laundry, I will try to give you ample warning when I am heading out to work after said type of weekend.)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 31.5pt;">So, what have I learned that I would not have living as a curm … er … bachelor?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Several things truly have amazed me by actually coming out of my mouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These items seem rather benign, but they truly are amazing because I have heard them before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They came from the mouths of other married men that I used to laugh at thinking that marriage had somehow affected their brain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have been proven correct in my hypotheses (that marriage messes with a man’s brain).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are (in no particular order):</div></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: auto;" /> </span> <div class="WordSection2" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 67.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">Ø<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>Yes dear.</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 67.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">Ø<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>Anything you say dear.</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 67.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">Ø<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>I am sorry dear.</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 67.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">Ø<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>I did that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Usually followed by the previous statement.)</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 67.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">Ø<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>Right away dear.</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 67.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">Ø<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>May I carry that for you dear?</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 67.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">Ø<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>You want it done when dear?</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 67.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">Ø<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>Yes, you can go SHOOOOPPPING dear.</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 67.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">Ø<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>Here is my ATM/credit card dear.</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 67.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">Ø<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>Here is my checkbook dear.</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 67.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">Ø<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>No, I do not have hidden assets dear.</div></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"></span><br clear="all" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; page-break-before: auto;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span> <div class="WordSection3"><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 67.5pt; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">Ø<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>Of course, the life insurance policy is current, why do you ask dear?</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div></div><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: auto;" /> </span> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">Yes, this is all tongue-in-cheek fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, now that I think about it, I actually have said these things to my lovely bride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wonder if I should be concerned?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 31.5pt;">A couple of weeks ago she started a new adventure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This adventure is one that she has never had the opportunity nor thought she would be able to have at this time in her life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This new adventure is to become an ordinary stay at home wife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Please be advised:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is NOTHING ordinary about being a ‘housewife/homemaker’; however you care to call it.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This lovely lady has finally agreed with me that she needs some time off from work to relax, refocus, and to recharge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So she is taking a sabbatical from her mission field as the director of the <a href="http://www.klamathlakecef.com/">local chapter</a> of <a href="http://www.cefonline.com/">C.E.F.</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to her, she is going to sit at home, watch soaps and eat bon-bons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah … right!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>[Big guffaw!]<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first day off without having to go to work, she sat down to watch a soap ‘As the Stomach Churns’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That terminated within 5.3 milliseconds at the first crocodile tear she saw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So much for the soap operas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, she is going to try to work on getting her house, health, and relationships in better order.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She plans to go out on the truck with me for a couple of weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wants to learn to drive truck, not to make a living, but to know what it means to do my job, and maybe help a little bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wants to work on some Bible studies for her own personal growth and to help others grow in their walk with the Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wants to focus on her family, both sides, and to honor our parents.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 31.5pt;">My folks will celebrate their 60<sup>th</sup> wedding anniversary on November 25 this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her folks just celebrated their 31<sup>st</sup> anniversary in August.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a wonderful legacy they have given us by their enduring love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a powerful example of a true covenant with God and to each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know in this era of ‘disposable everything’ (including marriages) this looks/sounds like an anomaly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is just one more example that I have to put in front of me about life, love, and my commitments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once again … wow, I am overwhelmed!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 31.5pt;">Well, I guess I have prattled on enough about my gushy love for my wife, how much I admire her and our plans for the next year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you for taking the time to read my little essay about my wife and myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I realize that you did not have to and that you might have got a chuckle or two out of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you anyway, because you too amaze me with your interest in a middle-aged man, his lovely and gracious wife, and their ramblings about ‘stuff’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wow, I am overwhelmed!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; 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</style> <![endif]--> </div><div class="MsoFooter"><sup>1</sup>By the way, I know I have been putting words into Gods mouth with this essay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, I did not audibly hear the words that I have written as His response.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt these words in my heart because of my bull-headedness and unwillingness to surrender to God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, when I did surrender, they are the words I have imagined He would have said to me, if He were not as gracious and forgiving as He is.</div>CoraEThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00432845492194823577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010127260192402445.post-78416038484962562882011-09-29T20:35:00.000-07:002011-09-29T20:35:28.848-07:00Soaps and Bon BonsWell, it's official, and I'm still trying to wrap my brain around it, but Cora Tucker is soon to join the ranks of housewives everywhere - for a while anyway!<br />
<br />
I have applied for, and been granted a sabbatical from ministry with the local chapter of CEF. And please don't be hurt if you're finding out about it here, and not from me directly: It takes a while to get the word out to all the important people, so sometimes its just easier to post it, then gladly answer questions as they arise. <br />
<br />
Starting October 1, I will begin a lengthy sabbatical from the ministry with CEF (though I'll still be partnering in prayer!). It will last 6 months to one year, as far as we know, but Lord-willing, I'll be back after I get a chance to rest and recharge.<br />
<br />
Basically, I've hit burnout and am finally ready to just take a break. And no, it's not cuz I'm pregnant - cuz I'm not (Everyone keeps asking that!). :-P October 1st marks 5 years as Director here in Klamath Falls, and before that, fulltime work in the Eugene area for 4 years, and before that, I've taught Good News Clubs and 5-Day clubs year-round since I was 16. Many have gone before me that have done so much more than that and survived the experience, so I know that this is mainly my fault for getting to this place, in not handling things right. In my thought-life I've learned to deal with stress a lot better than I used to, but I still struggle with the stressful situations. <br />
<br />
So... here are the main things that I hope a sabbatical will help me accomplish: 1. Develop my relationship with God to a deeper level, 2. Develop my relationship with Duane to a deeper level, (including spending more time with him!) 3. To rest. 4. to pursue study and/or growth in dealing with the stress of leadership, and with certain character flaws of my own, 5. Spend more time around the home, tackling projects, being a home-maker, and watching for opportunities to develop relationships with our neighbors, 6. Renew the love for people and opportunities in the ministry, as well as vision for the growth and development of the local chapter. 7. Any other things God sends my way (I'm looking forward to seeing the benefits of the lower stress level on my health!).<br />
<br />
We're not sure yet who will be stepping up in my place, but for the forseeable future, it seems that God has provided the local volunteers with the gifts and time to step up and help keep things going. The office should be manned (womanned) Monday through Thursday with staff that will be more than happy to help deal with things as they come up, in addition to maintaining the current ministry, all while continuing to grow as God provides!<br />
<br />
As the sabbatical begins, PLEASE pray for me: for rest, for diligence, and for progress on the above goals, as well as His provision for the financial end of all this. I've already seen his answers to the latter, as well as for the challenging decisions that have been made, and in smoothing this transition into new leadership (keep praying for these!). Praise God! <br />
<br />
For those of you who are financial supporters, you'll be interested to know that CEF will still depend on your support as the ministry continues, and as they pay me during this sabbatical. I'm under orders not to allow "work" to distract me from the rest and recharging that I need, so they are helping to make sure I don't carry that financial burden. Thank you VERY much!!!<br />
<br />
So there you have it: Cora Tucker will soon join the ranks of the SFABBOA - Soap Fans and Bon-Bon Eaters Of America. Yeah right! lol Rest or no rest, I don't see THAT happening! Please do keep us in prayer as we walk through this process, and that it be for the glory of God.CoraEThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00432845492194823577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010127260192402445.post-14229351495073864912011-08-06T15:35:00.000-07:002011-08-06T15:35:52.475-07:00An Ode to the Missing Man*Sappy alert* :)<br />
Okay, so it's Saturday. I have most of a day off. Duane's somewhere in Texas or New Mexico sleeping in the back of a moving truck. And it's my turn to write an ode to my missing man. <br />
Except that to be an ode, I think it would involve some type of rythm or poetic stuff... so... I'll just tell you I'm writing about the missing man. Well, actually, it's just that I really miss my man.<br />
Funny thing how instead of doing something that I know will make him happy when he gets home (like cleaning the house or doing yard work), I just sit here and mope instead. Makes sense. <br />
So... at least if I'm going to escape chores and feel guilty about it, I'll tell you some of the things I like about my favorite man - the one that only I get to call "my Husband". :)<br />
1. Duane is very patient with me. <br />
2. Duane spoils me. <br />
3. Duane works hard to provide for us.<br />
4. Duane hold high standards in doing things right. ... which may also make it on my list of things I DON'T like about my man - especially when it comes to ME having to keep that standard in cleaning, or anything else I don't like to do!!! <br />
5. Duane's eyes are a-ma-zing :)<br />
6. Duane's always watching out for me, whether he's home or not.<br />
7. Duane likes to talk - talking about big stuff or little stuff or deep stuff....<br />
8. Duane makes me talk... which also may make that list of "unlike" stuff. <br />
9. Duane's gentle: with me, with the pets, with family and friends.<br />
10. Duane watches crime shows with me. <br />
11. Duane doesn't make fun of me when I cry at sappy movies.<br />
12. Duane likes to go shopping with me. (Which can also be bad when we're both in a spending mood, but our wallet isn't! lol)<br />
13. Duane is very fun to work with on projects around the house (including building shelves and cleaning out the garage!)<br />
14. Duane likes to cook superbly. - SOOOOOOO yummy!<br />
15. Duane trusts me.<br />
16. Duane is always up for an adventure.<br />
17. Duane is willing to say "I'm sorry" and "I love you" (the latter quite often!)<br />
18. Duane loves God, and it shows in all that he is and does. <br />
19. Duane loves me. <br />
and for the record... I love Duane. And now I'm gonna go show him by cleaning the kitchen and doing *gasp* the laundry!CoraEThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00432845492194823577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010127260192402445.post-6019885508833144592011-07-24T14:06:00.000-07:002011-07-24T14:06:49.535-07:00Mood: Contemplative, Heart: Grateful I just waved goodbye to my favorite man, for once a passenger in "Dream Chaser", the semi that usually has HIM as a driver. He's set off for a new venture, this time team-driving, which also means much longer trips and not seeing him as often. <br />
What an amazing guy though. Knowing I was having a tough time with it all, he stepped up to the plate to help make sure I had a good weekend. He was very much unselfish, and just spoiled me all around. Friday night he took me to the Gem's baseball game. It's their inaugural season, so it was my first time to a game here (really missed going to Em's games in Eugene!), and Duane's first time to a game at all. From the game, we got an offer of a free store-brand bracelet, which turned into paying only $15 for an upgrade to a Pandora bracelet. Of course they want you to buy the charms to go on them, but I think most of the charms are ugly anyway, so I won't have any problem with just the pretty jingles! :) Then my husband found me a BIG bag of gummy worms - big time points for that one - and this morning he fixed me breakfast and cut flowers from the garden for the table. The whole time though, he was helping me deal with stuff, and was sensitive. <br />
On top of that, we had great (sweaty) fun cleaning out the truck yesterday. One of the things that annoys me the most, but that I also admire the most about him is that he is such a clean freak. That guy made sure we vacuumed every nook and cranny, "pledged" the walls and fixtures, vacuumed, scrubbed, and vacuumed again the floor, washed the windows, repacked everything so there'd be room for Tim's stuff, cleaned the upholstery, and a bunch of other stuff. By the time we were done, that truck fairly sparkled, inside and out. It was a great time just working on something together. <br />
In between things, I got to fix him some yummy food, too. He really liked the meatloaf, and the mac and cheese that I made from scratch. PLUS I finally got the chance to make my pumpkin cheesecake that I'd been itching to try my hand at. It was the first time I got to make one from scratch, the kind that you bake, using a springform pan. I was purty excited! :) <br />
I am so grateful for a man that loves me, that can be sensitive one minute and the mans man the next. Working hard to provide for me, striving for godliness, and generous to a fault. Thank you, God, for Duane.CoraEThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00432845492194823577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010127260192402445.post-74109797634291384292011-07-10T16:51:00.000-07:002011-07-10T16:51:48.277-07:00An Update of No Fixed ThemeAfter realizing how longs its been since we updated the blog, I figured I'd better at least post SOMETHING, or no one would ever check this anymore! lol<br />
I know Duane has a more thought out blog that he's working on, I thought I'd take a few minutes and at least update you on the happenings around here. <br />
Duane's still driving the truck (at the moment, he's on is way to Kent, WA), and working hard at it. In the last couple weeks, the truck had to be fixed twice (for different things), which called for some unplanned downtime. One of those unplanned down-times was at home, though, thankfully, so he got a day to just "chill". <br />
I've still been busy at work, though God has provided amazingly in the way of more help. Mindy is now helping with driving the teams to 5-Day Clubs (like mini Vacation Bible Schools), doing a little teaching, and coaching the young teachers each day. Usually I would be doing this every day of the week, but after only a little training, Mindy had it all under control so I could have my customary Friday off! Meanwhile, since Terry attended Christian Youth In Action with me in June (the training for the young teachers), she is on fire, and an enthusiastic aid in many areas, including the 5-Day Clubs and fairs. Thank you, God, for such an amazing team!!!<br />
I love to have Fridays off so I can get caught up on stuff around the house, trying to have the place a little more presentable when Duane gets home, and just not rushing here there and everywhere.<br />
Usually when Duane is home we try to stay AT home if possible, so we get more done. Over Independence Day Weekend, we got a LOT done. We built a bunch of shelves to cover most of the walls in our 10X12 shed, then moved a bunch of stuff from the garage into the shed in an ORGANIZED fashion! Once we did THAT, we were able to finish tidying the garage enough to be able to park the car IN the garage! Woohoo!!! There's even room to spare, so this weekend, we got some of Duane's stuff out of storage so that HE could actually move in! :) We still get surprised every day though, that we go out to the garage, and there's a CAR there! lol. <br />
One major breakthrough in the last couple weeks, was that I got sick. Not that my getting sick is ever news anymore - and that's the problem. I've gotten so sick of being sick, I just haven't known what to do. While I think that there's a lot that goes into my different symptoms, one of the main ones has finally been pinpointed: I have allergies. It's really one of those "Coulda had a v8" kind of moments, though. I had allergies when I lived in the valley in and around Eugene, but they were much more obvious, so these symptoms I didn't put with the allergy factors. Instead, these allergies had been contributing to my frequent sinus infections (thanks to narrow nasal passages), and general feelings of miserableness. And yes, I made up that word. :) Now that we know more of what I'm dealing with, we're hoping that we can address the root of the problem and at least greatly diminish the symptoms. THANK YOU GOD for an answer!<br />
One other cool thing is that my friends and I have started getting together for a Frugal Club twice a month. We're doing everything from oil-changes to laundry-soap-making, to couponing, and much more. Just the fellowship as we look for ways to be good stewards together is pretty sweet! <br />
So there's my newsy update. Now you have hope and can once again become a regular checker of the Tucker's Tales blog! :) Thanks for joining us!<br />
CoraCoraEThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00432845492194823577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010127260192402445.post-37870666865517093302011-05-28T18:12:00.000-07:002011-05-28T18:12:18.247-07:00What A Diffrence A Week Can Make<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">What a difference a week can make in a person’s life!<span> </span>A couple of weeks ago Cora and I decided to attend the International Child Evangelism Fellowship conference in Asheville, North Carolina.<span> </span>Unwilling to go into debt to attend, we figured if God wanted us to attend, He would supply us with enough money to go and return with enough to sustain us until I got back to work again.<span> </span>He did and has.</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b>A Brief History</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">For several years, I have had the conviction that I needed to be in ‘the Ministry’, but had no idea what to do. <span> </span>Preaching?<span> </span>Surely, you jest!<span> </span>I have the gift of gab but that is just too serious a position with eternal consequences, just to stand in front of a congregation (read I & II Timothy and Titus).<span> </span>I do not have the schooling for a solid theological background, though that can be corrected with time.<span> </span>Yet I believe I had a season in my life that disqualified me from becoming a pastor.<span> </span>Yes, all sin is forgiven for believers except that of rejecting Christ as Lord and Saviour.<span> </span>(That is a non-believer and therefore they are condemned already.) <span> </span>However, sin in a confessing believer will always-Always-ALWAYS, have consequences, even after the sin is confronted, confessed, and corrected.<span> </span>As a result, I felt I was/am disqualified for that type of eldership.<span> </span>That does not mean my thinking is off at this point, it just means that until proven otherwise, this is what I believe.<span> </span>So I continued to look for ways to serve, staying in the background, and helping who and/or where I could.</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b>Milestones</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">In every life, there are markers that help a person identify how they are doing as they grow up both physically and spiritually.<span> </span>Some known physical examples are; marks on the doorjamb measuring height over the years, first day at school, graduation, job, etc.<span> </span>For me, songs with a Biblical basis, making an emotional connection to the “season” of my life have always been my milestone markers.<span> </span>Whether I was depressed, excited, moved by something inspirational, or I felt the Lord confirming a truth I had read in the Bible, I always marked them with music.<span> </span>Music has a deep emotional connection that the Lord uses for some people.<span> </span>An example, for me, would be just after Job received all of the devastating news about his family and holdings.<span> </span>The only thing he had left was his wife and the servants that reported the tragedies.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: teal; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;"> Job 1:20-22</span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;"><span> </span><span style="color: #006600;">Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped.<span> </span>He said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall return there.<span> </span>The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away.<span> </span>Blessed be the name of the LORD."<span> </span><u>Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God</u>.</span><span> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 150%;">NASB</span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">.</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The song connection for me is from Matt Redman, “<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaLXQubmUmE">Blessed Be Your Name</a>”.<span> </span>I was going through some convicting times and was learning what the word ‘<a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/surrender">surrender</a>’ meant in context with being a slave to a sovereign God and being obedient to Him regardless of the cost.<span> </span>(I recommend John McArthur’s book ‘<a href="http://www.gty.org/Shop/Books/451170_Slave-The-Hidden-Truth-About-Your-Identity-in-Christ-Hardcover">Slave</a>’ or his <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d94tbcidq74">YouTube</a> messages, for further exploration on this topic.)<span> </span>Milestones like this have the effect of changing the course of one’s life … forever.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">This is when it finally clicked for me; I needed to go with Cora to the I.C.E.F. conference.<span> </span>Always trying to be responsible and earn an income to support my family, I knew that this choice could cost me my job.<span> </span>Having taken a couple of weeks off earlier due to health issues, I really did not want to push for the time off.<span> </span>Asking God for direction, I had a peace about leaving the job to attend, knowing that God would support us if I lost my job.<span> </span>It was that important to Him, and so it was to me.<span> </span>Yet, I could not figure out what God had in store for us.<span> </span>All I could hear was <u>go</u> and then <u>listen</u>.<span> </span>About Thursday, I had the realization what step three was … <u>surrender</u>.<span> </span>To surrender to whatever the Lord wanted of me; be it to preach, teach, serve local, serve regionally, or serve overseas.<span> </span>The main thing was to surrender to Him and be the submissive servant that He required of me as a child of God.<span> </span>Only then would He direct my path for His glory and honour.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Throughout the entire conference, I kept meeting people that would tell me things that confirmed what I already knew. One lady that I talked with told of having one of those ‘never-never’ moments with God and how God dealt with her.<span> </span>She had heard Gods call but stomped her foot and said I am ‘never-never’ going to serve there God, it is just too ___.<span> </span>She then confirmed what I expected.<span> </span>Never challenge God by saying ‘never’.<span> </span>(There is a paradox in this statement, but I won’t go there.)<span> </span>Through various means, God worked on her heart until she finally surrendered.<span> </span>She and her husband went to that ‘never-never’ place.<span> </span>Several years later, another move was indicated to a different location. <span> </span>This time it was to a place more dangerous.<span> </span>Once again, she said ‘never-never’.<span> </span>Through prayer, she realized how useless it was to say ‘never-never’.<span> </span>She told me that she looked at her husband and asked, “Why are we even talking about this when we already know that it is God’s will to go?”<span> </span>They submitted and now are going to where they said they ‘never-never’ would once more, accepting God’s sovereign will with joy.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The amazing thing for me, I think, was that I had already surrendered just by going to the conference.<span> </span>Look at my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php#%21/permalink.php?story_fbid=130207380388537&id=100000953210224">FB status</a> about going off to the ‘Great Adventure!’<span> </span>Deep in my heart, I think I already knew what was going to happen.<span> </span>(My accountability partner would be most willing to confirm this and not with a chuckle or smile, but a hearty round of laughter and an “I told you so!” thrown in for good measure.)<span> </span>I just had to go through the process of grieving a rebellious nature to God, to reach that acceptance of His Sovereign will.<span> </span>For those who have gone through this process, you know what I mean and how sometimes it is VERY hard … on you and those around you.</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b>Plans, Praise, and Prayer Request</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">So now what do we do?<span> </span>Well, Cora will continue as director with the <a href="http://www.klamathlakecef.com/">Klamath-Lake chapter of C.E.F. </a><span> </span>I will return to the truck for now, working to clear what is left of our debt and saving as much as possible (please note:<span> </span>I make it, Cora manages it.<span> </span>Quite well, I might add.)<span> </span>This year or next, I will apply to <a href="http://www.cefonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=21&Itemid=100087">C.M.I.</a> for formal training for C.E.F.<span> </span>After that … I am not sure.<span> </span>I say this with the caveat that … all is carved in water and subject to change to how the Lord will move in our lives.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I am so grateful to family and friends that have been praying for me all of my life.<span> </span>I am also grateful to family and friends that pray for Cora.<span> </span>She has needed a lot more since marrying me!<span> </span>I will praise His name for His continued grace and tender mercies on both of us.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I ask you to pray for us daily for:<span> </span>spiritual growth, wisdom, discernment, humility, and boldness for work in His kingdom.<span> </span>Those of you, who know us, know how much of a leap this is for both of us.<span> </span>However, we want to do this right and cannot without LOTS of prayer, especially from those who believe that this is truly our calling.<span> </span>It helps if you know and love us as well!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">So now, it is time to sign off.<span> </span>Thank you for taking the time to read this small milestone in our lives.<span> </span>I trust the Lord will bless us with many more that I will try to share with you as we grow and go.<span> </span>Thank you for your prayers as well.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">His glory, our goal!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Your brother-in-Christ,</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Lucida Handwriting";">Duane</span></div>CoraEThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00432845492194823577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010127260192402445.post-69906974699430484072011-05-24T15:58:00.000-07:002011-05-24T15:58:16.272-07:00Three Weeks of Insanity<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Duane started an attempt at a blog before he had to get ready to get back on the truck: He called it “What a difference a week can make”. Pretty good title, if you ask me, but I’m figuring there’s been enough going on in the last THREE weeks to make a decent sized book. I’ll spare you THAT length, but I’ll let you share a bit of the ride. </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Backing up just a bit, you need to know that we’ve been praying about the possibility of Duane being in full-time ministry in general, but really didn’t know if/where/what/when. Well there’s a lot of that that we STILL don’t know, but God’s been busy. About three weeks ago, I was telling Duane about some of the ministry needs going on in the global picture of CEF (did you realize that at least in the US, we have about 75%ish of our workers entering retirement age in the next 10-15 years?). Something clicked in Duane’s head right about that time and what had been months of God hammering away at his/our heart, turned into action. Duane asked me what it would take to get the two of us to CEF’s International Conference, where I had told him it would be the best opportunity to see CEF in its “big picture”. After doing the figuring, we realized that God had used our careful budgeting of His finances, and that we had about $50 to spare after all anticipated costs. So, we made the commitment. I’d love to give you details, but I promised not to write a book. Just in those<br />
10 days we saw miracles of God’s provision of favor with Duane’s boss, care for our three “kids” AND house, help to prepare for upcoming CEF events, perfect timing on the flights, and so much more. By the time we got there, we were blessed by an upgrade of our rental car from the cheapest, smallest car to a 2011 Dodge Charger (sweet ride btw!), the ability to visit my friends Tiffany and Andrew and their baby, Isaac, time together, blessing on our relationship with God and each other, meeting new friends and reacquainting with old ones. Just amazing times. And that was just the beginning. Before we left for the conference, Duane had acknowledged the two steps that we KNEW to take: first of all, just to GO to the conference, but secondly to LISTEN to God. We both did that, and were challenged on a daily basis on so many levels. Our walk with God in general was impacted, but specifically our prayer life, and in worship, and hunger for the Word. By Friday of the conference though, we knew that we were in the middle of God doing something bigger. God had broken through the hurdles we had each placed before our willingness to surrender. For me, it was a fear of both the unknown, and concern for how God would provide. I’ve lived as a<br />
missionary for most of my adult life, so it wasn’t anything new to depend on God for EVERYTHING, but there had been comfort in my husband having a “real” job on which to depend (Never mind the fact that we had to trust God for THAT too!). I’m not sure what all Duane was dealing with, other than just not being sure what he was committing to. It was funny though, through our time there, we were constantly hearing God answer our questions through people we’d meet that had no idea of the struggle we were having. One person talked about how they handled the “never never lands” – saying yes to God when He asked you to go where you thought you’d “Never never” go. Another family talked about how they<br />
balanced family life and ministry. So often it was sooo obvious that God’s sense of humor and sovereignty had created these divine appointments to address our human, fragile needs. He doesn’t HAVE to do that, but in his tender compassion, he blessed us the entire week in answer to so many prayers of our friends. Nightly we would compare notes on what God had been challenging each of us with. On Friday we just looked at each other, at peace, knowing that we were embarking on an adventure. We knew that step three was to SURRENDER to His plan, and we were ready to do that. So: we believe God is calling Duane into ministry with CEF. We THINK that means we need to pay off all debt (continuing the process we’ve been careful to work on already!), then save enough to pay the bills while he attends CEF’s three-month training in Missouri next year. However you cut it, I am soooo grateful to share the ministry with my husband, and look forward to seeing what God does with us together. </span></div><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Would you please commit to praying for us both? Pray daily for our walk with Him and each other. Pray for clear direction. Pray for strength in the battle, and confidence in His calling. Pray for those who are walking through this process with us to have God’s wisdom, and pray for more workers to join us. May Jesus Christ be honored and glorified in and through us!</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Watch for Duane’s perspective, coming soon. </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Tahoma; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></div>CoraEThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00432845492194823577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010127260192402445.post-71557234729285835962011-05-02T00:00:00.000-07:002011-05-02T00:00:36.344-07:00Money Saving TipsI decided this time to just make this two separate posts instead of merging them, since they're so vastly different in topic. :)<br />
Last week at the Dave Ramsey course, we had opportunity to bounce ideas around for ways to find bargains, and I was able to share some of the ideas I've found, as well as glean from others. <br />
So here are a few resources I've found that may be of some help for you, too. Most of these could be entire blog posts in and of themselves, so I'll limit these just to the links and my comments on them. <br />
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<strong>To save money in the food department:</strong><br />
<a href="http://e-mealz.com/">E-Mealz</a> - E-Mealz is a great program and only $5.00/month. It provides a new menu each week with simple dishes for each dinner. Recipes are simple and varied (including some crockpot meals, others involve assembling prepared foods, and others involve simple food-prep). They offer plans for 2-person menus, family menus, menus for shopping at Walmart, or different stores, or for different diets (portion control, gluten free, low-carb, low-fat, vegetarian). I used the "2-person at Walmart" menu, and subscribed for a year. Most of that time I was a single, so would use left-overs for lunches, but still didn't go through the menus fast enough. So after a year I quit my subscription, and just go back to last years menus to get ideas for this year. <br />
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<a href="http://organizedhome.com/sites/default/files/printable/notebook_food_menu_planner_weekly_list.pdf">Menu Planning</a> - Nothing takes the place of actually planning your menu. I use a weekly menu, which also has space for the grocery list on the side. Taking the menu AND the list with me helps me make any on-the-fly changes at the grocery store with ease.<br />
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<a href="http://organizedhome.com/sites/default/files/printable/notebook_food_price_book.pdf">Price Comparison List</a> - At LEAST take good MENTAL note of which stores have better prices on the things you regularly buy. I find it easier to keep them written down, and even have a file on my PDA that I can carry with me in the store for quick reference. I started with the printable resources in the organizer notebook (click <a href="http://organizedhome.com/household-notebook/whats-household-notebook">here</a> for another AWESOME resource on a notebook to centrally organize much of your household). Eventually I made my own Excel file on which to compare several stores conveniently. If you would like me to email that to you, let me know. This can be handy even to refer to when you get the coupons out of the Sunday paper. I saw today that Fred Meyers and Albertsons had fliers. If I'm wondering if their sales would make it worth it to shop there for even a few things, I can compare their sales prices to the regular prices at <a href="http://www.shermsmarkets.com/tbird2ad.htm">Sherms</a> and <a href="http://www.walmart.com/cp/grocery/976759">Walmart</a> where I usually shop before I ever walk out the door. <br />
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Grocery List - #1 Make a list. #2 stick to it. If you are prone to giving in to adding a bunch of stuff to your cart, here are some tips. #1. Give yourself permission to add only ONE item to the cart that isn't on your list (for me Gummy Worms often fall in this category unless I have the foresight to add Gummy Worms to my list!). #2. Don't go shopping when you're hungry. #3 If you really only have a few things on your list, carry a basket, instead of pushing a cart (your arm gets tired faster this way, and you make your way to checkout much faster!). #4 Know that stores have carefully planned what goes on the end-caps: If you see a good deal, find that item in the aisle where it's usually located to see if you find the variety that you like better, and compare to any store-brand supplies that might be cheaper still. #5 Keep your list handy through the week, so you can easily add to it as you think of things, or as you develop your menus to avoid unnecessary return trips to the store. <br />
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<strong>Household Stuff:</strong><br />
Coupons - Use the Sunday paper for a resource (see notes above). Use websites that <a href="http://www.thecouponclippers.com/">sell</a> coupons for just pennies, or even let you print <a href="http://moneysavingmom.com/print-coupons">coupons</a> for free. If you're ordering something online, do a quick search for the item's name and the word "coupon code" or "special offer", and see what comes up. Often there will be some kind of referral code or special offer that may be applied. Be careful though: I've seen some offers come up that I couldn't use in good Christian conscience as it would involve saying/assuming that I had gotten the code with a purchase, when I hadn't, even though they wouldn't know the difference. I also know that in some areas, groupon.com is a great resource, but we don't have one in Klamath Falls, so I can't recommend it from any personal experience. One IMPORTANT tip when using coupons: ONLY use coupons on items you were going to buy anyway. You don't need to spend $4 more than you were going to spend anyway, just because the item is $2 off! The exception to this (in MY mind) would be if it's something you were WANTING to buy/try ANYWAY, but didn't want to spend the regular price. For example, I've been interested in trying some tooth whitening stuff, but wasn't gonna spend $40 for the kit. I found a $10 coupon in the paper that I'm considering using. The things I'm asking myself include: Would I actually use it (Duane reminded me that I have some clearance rack special toothpaste stuff that I still haven't used in the 4 or 5 months that I've had it, so would I REALLY use it?)? and even with the coupon, is it actually a reasonable price now (ie, is this stuff really WORTH $30 to me anyway - with or withOUT the coupon!?).<br />
Money-Saving Mom - Don't let the name fool you. I'm definitely not a mom, but I've found some GREAT deals on here that helped me be a wiser steward of the supplies God's given me. This gal sends out a daily email with links to deals, as well as blogs from her and others who have ideas for saving money. Using an offer she linked to, I made Duane's Christmas present - a photo book - and had it printed and shipped for the cost of shipping ($8) instead of $24 + shippping. Another time, I scored a coupon for a buy-one-get-one-free at Baskin Robbins, so Duane and I could afford a cheap date. I've also seen deals on movie tickets, all kinds of household supplies, and SO MUCH more. Also, they have plenty more money-saving ideas, coupon resources and codes, as well as heads-up on Facebook pages from companies that are giving things away. <br />
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<strong>Resources for selling/buying stuff:</strong><br />
One more way to save money is to MAKE money by selling things. I've started a list of good quality items that are worthy of being sold (everything from the air conditioner to my wedding dress - still deciding on that one!), and then I'm working my plan. I have made a chart with columns for the item, "asking price", store/site, date of listing the item, and a checkbox for when it's sold. There are a number of ways to actually sell it, so here we go. <br />
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<a href="http://klamath.craigslist.org/">craigslist.org</a> - This is a great place to find things in your own community (this link is to the one for Klamath Falls, but you can find other areas). There are a lot of free things here, and it's a great place to buy/sell everything from appliances to antiques, to game systems, to cars. This is like a free classifieds listing. The other day I sold a mattress set and the washer and dryer set in less than 24 hours. The key here: don't try to get back what you paid for it: offer it for a price that people can't pass up. Other washer and dryer sets were going for $200 and up, but I marked mine for $75. They were used, but they worked. However they were taking up space, and I was willing to part with them for $75 as long as I could part with them quickly! On that one, we actually made an extra $25 by delivering them. <br />
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<a href="http://www.ebay.com/">ebay</a> - this works as an online auction, so before you try to buy or sell, check out a <a href="http://pages.ebay.com/help/account/gettingstarted.html">tutorial</a> on how it works. As with Craigslist and Amazon, you need to be aware of ways people might scam you, but common sense should prevent you from any problems. Don't let the horror stories rob you of some great opportunities!<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/ref=gno_logo">Amazon</a> - if I have items in newer condition (books, electronics, etc) to sell, this is where I'll go. A lot of the items are already listed on the site, I just look for the item, click "Sell yours here", and follow the steps. There's a higher competition on this site though: make sure you price it low enough to sell, or be willing to sit on it for a while. <br />
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I haven't mentioned <a href="http://organizedhome.com/printable/household-notebook/yard-sale-checklist">yard sales</a> yet, but here's my theory. First, I want to sell as much as I can online. Yes, it's gonna be a pain to describe each item online, and then ship it, but shipping is paid for by the customer, and I'm much more likely to find someone willing to pay a higher price for an item (helps pay for the time to list it online!). Online, usually someone is specifically looking for the item you have, where in a yard sale, it's mostly browsers, or those just out to get a good deal on SOMETHING (it's a bonus to them if it's useful). So after I'm done online, here are a couple other options: <br />
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Yard sales - Pick a good weekend, advertise well, and maybe go in with someone else so you have lots to choose from (just don't go buying all your friend's stuff! lol). <br />
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Consignment stores (clothing, tools, etc), auctions, scrap metal yards, etc.<br />
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When you're done with your sales, and you still have stuff left over, don't let it just filter back into your other belongings. If you made it this long without using it, you probably don't need it that bad, and it's just adding to the clutter. Unless it's really worth something, and you're pretty sure it'll sell at a different time (and no, waiting 15 years til it's an antique doesn't count!), GIVE it away! The mission, Salvation Army, Goodwill, ReSale, etc. If it's really trash though, don't try to pawn it off on someone else. Do EVERYONE a favor, and recycle or throw it away! Don't waste anymore time or space on the items!<br />
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Okay, so this oughta be plenty to help get the creative juices flowing. Would you add your comments below, so others can glean from your experience and ideas too? Thanks so much!!! <br />
Oh and does anyone want to buy an air conditioner? lolCoraEThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00432845492194823577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010127260192402445.post-89791503722530939552011-05-01T22:11:00.000-07:002011-05-01T22:11:01.807-07:00Half-Way to 100!Not too long ago, when I turned 25 (I won't tell you HOW long ago), The Tuckers gave me a birthday card proclaiming "Wow! You're half-way to 50!" Well, I was glad to remind Duane this weekend that he is now half-way to 100! <br />
Anyone who knows Duane knows that he doesn't celebrate birthdays, and he's got decent reaons, but this year I put my foot down. Maybe it's cuz I'm his "new bride". Maybe it's cuz I batted my eyes at the right moment. MAYBE it's cuz he was reminded of one of the reasons he married me: "she fights back!" and he knew I wouldn't back down til he gave in, so give in he did. I told my dear husband that he WOULD have a birthday party, and he WOULD have at least 10 people at his party. What he wanted to do for the party was up to him. He must have been feeling like royalty, cuz he decided that just like the queen, the only presents he wanted anyone to bring was their own "Presence". He ended up convincing 15 people to show up! Of course several people had fun bringing appropriate presents anyway, including the card from Dennis and Melanie that acknowledged his royalty. They encouraged him that being king for a day was a great idea, as long as he didn't spend the whole day on the "throne" (cue flushing sounds as the card is opened). I just gave him a sympathy card, offering my condolences on the passing of his 40s. Duane was a great sport about it all, and ended up having a fantasticly fun day. He cooked dinner for us all in true Tucker fashion: Tri-tip, chicken, green beans and bacon, fruit, veggies, salad, and way more than we could actually eat. Mom Tucker made a great German Chocolate cake (MMMMMMM!!!!), which we topped with all 50 candles. Everyone was duly impressed that my husband so expertly and efficiently blew out every one of those candles (insert snide remark here, including words like "blow hard" and "wind bag")!<br />
I must add a note of great gratitude to both of Duane's parents who showed up hours early to help us get the house ready. I was on Day 5 of a cold/sinus infection, and just generally wiped out. Thank you SO MUCH to them for putting in a long day to make it such a blessing of a party. Oh and Christina and Mona popped up to do the dishes afterward, which was such a relief. We were able to rest that evening, grateful for such wonderful friends! Thanks to everyone who was there! <br />
There's still time to add birthday greetings for Duane in a comment below, as his actual birthday isn't until tomorrow.CoraEThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00432845492194823577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010127260192402445.post-59003704035455189202011-04-16T13:27:00.000-07:002011-04-16T13:29:26.267-07:00Being Blessed<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">My wife loves to blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myself … not so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a generational thing I think, or something related to the latest in technology in the bits &bytes industry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I have had occasion (once before) to write.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time it was a … feeling … impulse … or mandate?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not sure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I had to write and respond about my loving and gracious brides blog posted yesterday.</span><br />
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Being Blessed<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Dictionary.com defines </span><a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/being"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Tahoma;">being</span></a><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"> as: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the <span id="hotword" name="hotword" onclick="this.style.backgroundColor='#b5d5ff';return hotWord(this);" onmouseout="this.style.backgroundColor='transparent'" onmouseover="this.style.cursor='default'" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default;">fact</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" onclick="this.style.backgroundColor='#b5d5ff';return hotWord(this);" onmouseout="this.style.backgroundColor='transparent'" onmouseover="this.style.cursor='default'" style="cursor: default;">of</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" onclick="this.style.backgroundColor='#b5d5ff';return hotWord(this);" onmouseout="this.style.backgroundColor='transparent'" onmouseover="this.style.cursor='default'" style="cursor: default;">existing</span>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It defines </span><a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/blessed"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Tahoma;">blessed</span></a> <span style="font-family: Tahoma;">as:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>divinely <span id="hotword" name="hotword" onclick="this.style.backgroundColor='#b5d5ff';return hotWord(this);" onmouseout="this.style.backgroundColor='transparent'" onmouseover="this.style.cursor='default'" style="cursor: default;">or</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" onclick="this.style.backgroundColor='#b5d5ff';return hotWord(this);" onmouseout="this.style.backgroundColor='transparent'" onmouseover="this.style.cursor='default'" style="cursor: default;">supremely</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" onclick="this.style.backgroundColor='#b5d5ff';return hotWord(this);" onmouseout="this.style.backgroundColor='transparent'" onmouseover="this.style.cursor='default'" style="cursor: default;">favored</span>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, in essence, Cora and I are in the act of existing in the divinely or supremely favored.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wow … what a concept!</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Let me try to explain where I am coming from.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Three weeks ago, my back went out on me in what my chiropractor called a “</span><a href="http://www.physioroom.com/injuries/back/facet_syndrome_full.php"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Tahoma;">facet syndrome</span></a><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Extremely painful, cured by lots of ice and bed rest. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During this unscheduled hiatus, I managed to relieve some of the pressure on my wife that she must deal with through the week while I am working.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It also allowed me to bond with the new dogs, our kids, as they got out of the vet for major health issues needing attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time also allowed me time to indulge one of my passions … spoiling my wife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dinner, flowers, cleaning the house, doing laundry, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Hey, I have been a bachelor for over 48 years, I can do a lot of things around the house better than my wife can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s called experience.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She, in turn has been freed up to indulge in one of her passions, that of getting the family finances into order, so we can see what we what we need to do to live debt free and how soon it will take us to get there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you </span><a href="http://www.daveramsey.com/store/financial-peace-university/cFPU-p1.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Tahoma;">Dave Ramsey</span></a><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">!</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">In the mean time, with our taxes paid and the returns deposited, we pay off bills, debts, buy supplies, budget for projects, upgrade things needing upgrading, remove that which needs removing, etcetera-etcetera-etcetera.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, when all is quiet, an overwhelming wave of gratitude washes over me for the things that I have in my life. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It completely amazes me.</span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">The winter of 2009 was probably one of my darkest in quite awhile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing bad, just the basic struggles of an old bachelor trying to get used to the same old idea of curmudgeon-hood, and not liking its prospects. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then Cora takes me up on my offer of exploring a relationship. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Needless to say, by September ‘10 we are married and in full throttle living by the winter of 2010.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then a touch of reality sets in with my back.</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">So why do I consider myself blessed?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, when I was five years old at a </span><a href="http://www.cefonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=13&Itemid=100049/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Tahoma;">Good News Club</span></a><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">, God grabbed a hold of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He will never let me go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Second, I was given a young lady of grace and beauty by my God, to love me in spite of my flaws and foibles that she saw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was given a house in which to live and stay warm in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was given a job to financially support all that has been given to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have a family that loves me (at least they claim too!) and chooses to hang out with me when they can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have friends and a church family that care about me.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Why all of these?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe it is because God has blessed Cora and myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so grateful for all of God’s tender mercies and His loving grace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it any wonder why I have been obsessing on the song that Cora posted:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Matt Redman’s “<u>Blessed Be Your Name</u>”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know what I have is because God gave it to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did not earn it, I did not deserve it, and I did not even know I could have it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet God chose to bless me with these things.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">What if God should choose to take all of these things from me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of these were given to me by a loving and gracious God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are His to begin with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are His to take back as He sees fit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am reminded how Job responded when God allowed Satan to have control of everything in his life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Job had lost everything but his wife.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Job 1:21-He said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall return there. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blessed be the name of the LORD."<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Would I, could I be like Job and bless the Lord should this happen to me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t answer that with certainty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can tell you what I want my answer to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My only request is that I be true to the loving God who has granted to me this life of grace, mercy, and loving kindness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That in my response His name will be glorified, honored, and praised.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">I hope you have understood what I wanted to say. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you for taking the time to read this short commentary on my many blessings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And Cora … you are my greatest gift from God, except my salvation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love you my beloved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To the rest of you, may His peace and mercy be with you as you go about the rest of your week. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Lucida Handwriting";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Lucida Handwriting";">Duane</span></div><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"></span>CoraEThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00432845492194823577noreply@blogger.com1