After washing his disciples' dirty feet, Jesus said in John 13:15-17 that "I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."
So what are you busy doing today? Whose feet are you washing? I've been MIA for over two months, writing no more postings, because I've been washing others' feet (and sometimes getting mine washed by them). That is the pull from Father: to offer my heart and life in service to many He brings my way. I may not literally wash their feet but my heart gets to lay down its life and preferences in order to do the will of the One who first loved me and gave His life for me and for you.
So that brings me to the next year at OU and the rest of my service at Ohio University from 1994-1996. Remember, we had just finished renovating a 150 year old house on the top of a ridge in Athens. Isaac just drew this picture of his mom, our daughter Jenny, working in the attic with electric cords and lights. There was no rug in the attic but there were mice! The final outcome was a beautiful home in which we spent 12 more great years living!
After the year of the house, and settling in to my new job at OU, so many great things happened. All were people God brought into our lives, including family. So first, an update on Bill, Jonathan, and Jenny, and me, and US really. Without Bill, none of this would have happened.
Bill continued his graduate studies at OSU, beginning work on a research project, commuting to Columbus, 160 miles round trip, three times a week, and being the best husband a woman could ask for. I am blessed beyond measure.
Jonathan completed his BA in education, then moved into to a masters program in French including a minor in German with three months in Salzburg, Austria, taking immersion courses in German AND maintaining a 4.0 GPA. AND managing to surprise me for my birthday by coming dressed as a very sick lady. I never recognized him until the end!
Jenny had finished the summer and returned for work in Brussels Belgium, and found she really loved European life. She has the international gene. Shan became a trusted friend. Of course we had to visit her in Belgium, along with seeing friends Paul and Rebecca.
Jenny was not about to be outdone by Jonathan so she dressed up as a man to surprise him. Jonathan didn't recognize her dressed with a beard and long hair. Finally after about an hour he heard Jenny's voice under the beard and was so surprised! The photos are before, during, and after the recognition. The last photo includes college friend Amy Huber Smith.
OK, I wish I knew how to condense all this, but these years were full of so many amazing times and peoples. I want to remember how peopled my life with the incredible and perfect comrades one could ask for. So here go my memories, not in any particular order.
Tim and Jenny Adie became real friends in life and worship times together. Tim is a gifted musician who plays for the Lord. We watched them both give their whole heart to the Lord. They almost immediately got married and were baptized out at Dow Lake on the same day! The following year Abigail Adie was born. We became honorary grandparents, though parents Doug and Dolores Adie were close friends too.
During these years, Bill's dad came for visits and we went to Santa Ana to visit him. By now he was in his 90's and slowing down a bit! In California we also got to visit friends Martin and Deidre Bobgan, staunch comrades for our journey in the Lord.
Here's a photo of my friend Linda Montgomery Bishop along with Bear and me on our front porch. Linda also happened to also be my book editor at Pearson when we were working on the textbook Exceptional Lives. No one could ask for a better editor. We shared much on that journey, and still get to see each other now that we're back in Ohio. Marilyn Shank, another co-author, continued to be a good friend as well. We've shared much on the book writing journey that we never anticipated. How faithful God was, and is.
We also loved visiting my sister and family in Lexington, Kentucky, and our dog Shalom who took a liking to Orv when we left Mobile and moved in with them!
A huge highlight during this time was being asked to be the plenary speaker at England's Christian school conference. What a joy it was to meet up there with dear friend from Nepal, Ann Lycett. I felt humbled to speak of His heart for children among so many hundred teachers. I also spent time with David and Rosie Freeman and family, other teacher friends, and again explored C.S. Lewis' home around the corner from them.
Old friends were not forgotten. In my travels for presentations around the country, I got to spend time with Dianne Lawler and Sherry Rannells, and others from the Covenant Church gang, including Stephen and Susanne Simpson and daughter Gracie, as well as David Freeman again who was visiting from England to spend time with Dow.
Ledge Edge has been part of our history for over 20 years now. Here are some early pictures of our time there. It is our true home away from home. How thankful we are to Kathy and Brian Emmet for making this possible. Its refreshment keeps us going year after year.
OK, I can't leave out what we came to call the "Norman gang," those who were originally part of Dow's home group and church, all scattered now around different states. But we still got together often as we could and have fun as well as listening to Dow teach us from the Word. Here are a few of the photos I could find of Mary Fleming, Claire Sawyer, Nancy Kennedy, and LiPi Su and husband Rong Yang.
Wow, what an amazing few years. Meanwhile I continued to love my students and classes. I also became more deeply involved in the schools, helping Lancaster schools to develop literacy assessment tools that the kids could use too. I traveled around the country to give presentations, including another one with my young friend Michael (the prodigy who graduated High School at age 11). In between all that I continued writing more books, chapters in books, and articles on reading and children's literature and special education.
One of my favorite grant-funded research projects was to examine how eight character qualities I found in Exodus 34:5-6--compassion, respect, discipline, courage, loyalty, responsibility, forgiveness, and justice--are modeled in all the award-winning Newbery children's books. Several classes of children around the country also participated in the study. AND it provided funds for Dr. Dow Robinson to come to Athens to teach my team and me how to recognize these qualities. Several publications came out of this study too. Anytime you want to read some of the articles I mention from time to time in this blog, let me know and I'll email them to you.
And, with two years' credit that OU gave me for teaching and research in Alabama, I took on the project of going up early for tenure and promotion to Associate Professor. That is one huge project where you have to gather all the evidence you can in research, teaching and service. With the help of husband (see "amazing husband", above), we turned it all in and waited, and then gratefully received the news that it flew through. Tenure means your job is secure and you are encouraged to branch out and do even more. So the years ahead were busy ones, and good. I found many more good friends at OU, as you will read in future postings.
So what are you busy doing today? Whose feet are you washing? I've been MIA for over two months, writing no more postings, because I've been washing others' feet (and sometimes getting mine washed by them). That is the pull from Father: to offer my heart and life in service to many He brings my way. I may not literally wash their feet but my heart gets to lay down its life and preferences in order to do the will of the One who first loved me and gave His life for me and for you.
So that brings me to the next year at OU and the rest of my service at Ohio University from 1994-1996. Remember, we had just finished renovating a 150 year old house on the top of a ridge in Athens. Isaac just drew this picture of his mom, our daughter Jenny, working in the attic with electric cords and lights. There was no rug in the attic but there were mice! The final outcome was a beautiful home in which we spent 12 more great years living!
After the year of the house, and settling in to my new job at OU, so many great things happened. All were people God brought into our lives, including family. So first, an update on Bill, Jonathan, and Jenny, and me, and US really. Without Bill, none of this would have happened.
Bill continued his graduate studies at OSU, beginning work on a research project, commuting to Columbus, 160 miles round trip, three times a week, and being the best husband a woman could ask for. I am blessed beyond measure.
Jonathan completed his BA in education, then moved into to a masters program in French including a minor in German with three months in Salzburg, Austria, taking immersion courses in German AND maintaining a 4.0 GPA. AND managing to surprise me for my birthday by coming dressed as a very sick lady. I never recognized him until the end!
Jenny was not about to be outdone by Jonathan so she dressed up as a man to surprise him. Jonathan didn't recognize her dressed with a beard and long hair. Finally after about an hour he heard Jenny's voice under the beard and was so surprised! The photos are before, during, and after the recognition. The last photo includes college friend Amy Huber Smith.
OK, I wish I knew how to condense all this, but these years were full of so many amazing times and peoples. I want to remember how peopled my life with the incredible and perfect comrades one could ask for. So here go my memories, not in any particular order.
Tim and Jenny Adie became real friends in life and worship times together. Tim is a gifted musician who plays for the Lord. We watched them both give their whole heart to the Lord. They almost immediately got married and were baptized out at Dow Lake on the same day! The following year Abigail Adie was born. We became honorary grandparents, though parents Doug and Dolores Adie were close friends too.
During these years, Bill's dad came for visits and we went to Santa Ana to visit him. By now he was in his 90's and slowing down a bit! In California we also got to visit friends Martin and Deidre Bobgan, staunch comrades for our journey in the Lord.
A huge highlight during this time was being asked to be the plenary speaker at England's Christian school conference. What a joy it was to meet up there with dear friend from Nepal, Ann Lycett. I felt humbled to speak of His heart for children among so many hundred teachers. I also spent time with David and Rosie Freeman and family, other teacher friends, and again explored C.S. Lewis' home around the corner from them.
Ledge Edge has been part of our history for over 20 years now. Here are some early pictures of our time there. It is our true home away from home. How thankful we are to Kathy and Brian Emmet for making this possible. Its refreshment keeps us going year after year.
OK, I can't leave out what we came to call the "Norman gang," those who were originally part of Dow's home group and church, all scattered now around different states. But we still got together often as we could and have fun as well as listening to Dow teach us from the Word. Here are a few of the photos I could find of Mary Fleming, Claire Sawyer, Nancy Kennedy, and LiPi Su and husband Rong Yang.
Wow, what an amazing few years. Meanwhile I continued to love my students and classes. I also became more deeply involved in the schools, helping Lancaster schools to develop literacy assessment tools that the kids could use too. I traveled around the country to give presentations, including another one with my young friend Michael (the prodigy who graduated High School at age 11). In between all that I continued writing more books, chapters in books, and articles on reading and children's literature and special education.
One of my favorite grant-funded research projects was to examine how eight character qualities I found in Exodus 34:5-6--compassion, respect, discipline, courage, loyalty, responsibility, forgiveness, and justice--are modeled in all the award-winning Newbery children's books. Several classes of children around the country also participated in the study. AND it provided funds for Dr. Dow Robinson to come to Athens to teach my team and me how to recognize these qualities. Several publications came out of this study too. Anytime you want to read some of the articles I mention from time to time in this blog, let me know and I'll email them to you.
And, with two years' credit that OU gave me for teaching and research in Alabama, I took on the project of going up early for tenure and promotion to Associate Professor. That is one huge project where you have to gather all the evidence you can in research, teaching and service. With the help of husband (see "amazing husband", above), we turned it all in and waited, and then gratefully received the news that it flew through. Tenure means your job is secure and you are encouraged to branch out and do even more. So the years ahead were busy ones, and good. I found many more good friends at OU, as you will read in future postings.
