An Eddy Adventure

2024 was an amazing year! [The following blog post was simply written for me] After making it through the longest stretch of the school year: aka Q3, we enjoyed a trip to the East Coast to see our eldest prince and his family over Spring Break. Always such a wonderful time being with them and seeing what life is like for them there. While we were there, we went into "the city" a couple of times to enjoy some tourist attractions. We ate at some of our favorite restaurants. And, we walked the boardwalk along the Long Island Sound. Our first adventure took us to the American Museum of Natural History. It was pouring down the rain that day. The line was super long. Everyone handled the weather like champs and we eventually made our way inside to explore more than 40 halls full of interesting exhibits on four floors. The museum was built in 1869 and contains exhibits for science, nature, and history. And, if I am being honest, many areas felt like we were still in 1869 -- and that...

Happy New Year! It has been exactly 2 whole years since I last wrote a blog post. My last entry was January 3, 2021. I am surprised about that. 2020 was a difficult year on so many levels. 2021 turned out to be an even harder year. 2022 I journaled instead of blogging. 2023 ... I have decided is going to be a different year. I love it when a new year begins. It's a metaphorical clean slate. God gives us those each day, but on New Year's Day, I can see it more clearly. This year, we attended a midnight worship service because New Year's Day fell on a Sunday. It won't happen again for another 11 years.  I loved it. It was special. The songs were beautiful. The group of people was joyful. The messages were heartfelt and important. Be Determined. Follow Jesus. Later, that same day, we attended a mid-morning worship service. I loved it, as well. It was also special. The songs were beautiful. The group of people was larger, but still joyful. The message was heartfelt. Be Pass...

Now that we are well underway into 2021, I have been reviewing the goals I had set for myself for 2020. So hindsight is, literally and figuratively, 2020.  My word for 2020 was FOCUS! As I look back over those goals, I realize the overarching theme of focus affected each of them. 2020 was hard. It was hard for everyone on many different levels and in many different ways. However, I was blessed in more ways than I could ever possibly imagine.  Life is very different now but life is still very good.  I will work on the "possible" and leave the "impossible" to God. He knows me by name.  I was reminded of this quote: "When difficulties arise, remember not all storms come to disrupt your life, some arrive to just clear your path for something better." So for 2021, the word I have chosen is "Thankful." God has been gracious and I am thankful. My goals for 2021 are only slightly different from last year but I am beyond thankful for the opportunity to e...

2020 has been a difficult year for everyone on many levels. I realize those words don't even begin to describe things. Just when you think you have reached a sense of normalcy, another problem arises. Some problems are bigger than others.  However, when Satan rears his ugly head in your own world, the problem is huge. For others, it may seem like a simple bump in the road. Stress in life is inevitable. Some carry stress better than others. Sometimes the stress we allow to weigh us down isn't even ours to carry. However, I have been reminded, in order to manage stress, we need support. We were put on this earth to help others. During stressful times, we quickly learn who we can count on for support. Unfortunately, we also learn who we cannot count on for support. When someone comes to you with a concern, listen to them. Don't dismiss someone's concerns because you don't deem them valid. When someone comes to you in despair, offer hope. Don't let someone walk away...

Definition: something which is unexpected, surprising, or disruptive I love baseball! I love everything about it: stolen bases, 7th inning stretch, bunts, concessions, dugouts, running the bases, outfield, 9 innings, strike outs, home plate, umpires, home runs, bullpen, intentional walking, uniforms, rally caps, pennants, bubble gum, infield, World Series, peanuts, popcorn, cracker jacks, New York Mets, etc. etc. etc. Baseball is probably one of the things I miss most during this quarantine. Pitchers in baseball are talented and powerful. Their ability to throw several different types of pitches on command is amazing. The curve ball is always an interesting sight. Some batters are just more adept at managing their response to a curve ball. A curve ball in life is an interesting sight, as well. However, they are usually not as exciting to respond to or as enjoyable to receive. Not all of us are adept at managing our response - at least on a consistent basis. I know we all have received ...