18. My first and second graders learning the Baptist Catechism
Click the link to find what my friend Sandy posted about them, as well as watch the video clip of my precious little flock reciting the first 10 questions before the Berean class. I will always look back at that group of kids as so dear to my heart!
19. One summer before I went back to MBBC, Misty and I had a last minute fling together, but she had been working on her house and was wearing daisy dukes, so we went through the drive through at Fazolis (it was new then), and picked out a movie to rent. Lo and behold, for a mere 50 cents, we rented a New Kids on the Block music video (do not be confused, I am not that old. NKOTB was super over at this point). There was no grace for that sort of foolishness at our colleges, so that was our big wild fling before school began!
20. Fantastic and inexpensive trips to visit my cousin Rachel and her husband Scott in Orlando. Reading and running on the beach, shopping and eating out at the Japanese steak house -- so fun!
21. My cousin Sarah had the world's biggest wedding 2 summers ago, at which all of my aunts and uncles (there are 9) were in attendance, and we had a huge family reunion on the occasion of my Grandma and Grandpa's 65th anniversary. The beauty of that weekend was the common bond all of us shared in Christ. It warmed us to one another immediately and continues to be our tie that binds.
22. In high school my sister Anna and I were serenaded by the quartet in "The Music Man" after a local high school performance. We were walking on air that night!
23. Reading stacks of books at the pool last summer with my sisters. Every Monday we'd go to Rantoul and I'd read in the shallow end while they dived, slided and swam (and read).
24. With Emily, Misty and Shea playing "If you were a Mermaid . . . " which is a game I invented to be played only i
n just the right setting. I'd be happy to describe my mermaid to you, if you'd like.25. The whole fantastic 10 days at Word of Life camp last summer. What a gorgeous vacation, and a precious blessing to be with our beloved teens and members of the church body!
26. A million quiet snowy days of homeschool in Wisconsin, listening to my mom read aloud to us in a sun-washed cozy front room -- this is what brought to life my love of read-aloud.
27. My girl party hosted by Steph, Jill and Misty right before I got married. The spread of veggie fare still holds a record in my heart as does the girly fellowship!
28. Both times I received correspondence from Elisabeth Elliot, I cried. 1st time: autographed book, personal letter and her favorite reading list. 2nd time: her husband wrote that they had read my blog!
29. One day at the Maranatha salad bar line, Dr. Corrick (of G-Knee's blog fame) told me that Mr. Licht, my favorite teacher of all time had referred to me as "his best student".
30. The day the Lord purged me of my horrid pride and showed me via a landmark sermon (at least in my life) by Pastor Joe about David's sin in numbering the people, and how our pride is "touching God's glory".
31. All the P.E. track meets with my darling homeschool P.E. classes! I miss those gooder-than-gold children and their appreciative and encouraging mothers, too! Another wonderful P.E. day that stands out was the day that only 8 kids came, and we ran and ran on the track (I was trying to see how far they could go) and those darlings just gave it their all, and Augusta (age 6) ran 2 whole miles straight!
32. Going boating with Josh's family that first summer we were dating. It was such a good trip where I bonded with his siblings and parents.
33. The last night in Illinois, Janet carried down a basket
of clean laundry for us, and in the basket was Schmader-cakes!34. Mandy's idea to trick and drench the teen workers at Camp OUTT (I just knew I couldn't get through this list without another Camp OUTT memory!). That was the best ever, all the kids helped us trip them, and then chase them down and get them good! I love those guys!
The final 16 are still to come. . . hope I can narrow it down!
I would like to hear more about the elizabeth elliot story. how did it come about that she read your blog?? that is pretty amazing and exciting.
ReplyDeleteMeg, well, after I wrote about getting the autographed book and everything right before my birthday (the post you can read by clicking on the link), I wrote her back again and enclosed a copy of that blog post. So they looked it up, I guess! Yeah, I was pretty amazed! Her husband wrote me back, actually (Lars Gren), and told me that they had read my blog and liked it. I'll have to dig out the letter and quote it directly, I guess.
ReplyDeleteThanks for asking!
Gret,
ReplyDeleteIt's so much fun to read your list. We're enjoying it.
gretchen - or should I say "Ms. Benzing" - after all these years, for some reason your name popped into my head at complete random today and out of curiousity i googled you and here you are! amazing! since i actually found this i just HAD to say hello! these are dark times for the party but we will be back!! -"Dusty" from Fort Atkinson High School (dustin@thesociusgroup.net if you care to drop a line, always love to hear from a fellow "CC" aka christian conservative!!)
ReplyDelete