June 27, 2003
Hello! You guys are being left out of the main article but hey, you can read it anyway. Maybe it will give all of us a greater appreciation of...
MOTHERHOOD
A woman named Emily renewing her driver's license at the Clerk's office was asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation.
She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.
"What I mean is," explained the recorder, "do you have a job, or are you just a ...?"
"Of course I have a job," snapped Emily. "I'm a mother."
"We don't list 'mother' as an occupation... 'housewife' covers it," said the recorder emphatically.
I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our own Town Hall. The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, efficient, and possessed of a high sounding title like, "Official Interrogator" or "Town Registrar."
"What is your occupation?" she probed.
What made me say it, I do not know... The words simply popped out.
"I'm a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations."
The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in midair,
and looked up as though she had not heard right.
I repeated the title slowly, emphasizing the most significant words.
Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.
"Might I ask," said the clerk with new interest, "just what you do in your field?"
Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself reply, "I have a continuing program of research, (what mother doesn't), in the laboratory and in the field, (normally I would have said indoors and out). I'm working for my Masters, (the whole darned family), and already have four credits, (all daughters). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities, (any mother care to disagree?) and I often work 14 hours a day, (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money."
There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she completed the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to the door.
As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants - ages 13, 7, and 3. Upstairs I could hear our new experiment, (a 6 month old baby), in the child-development program, testing out a new vocal pattern.
I felt triumphant! I had scored a beat on bureaucracy! And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than "just another mother."
Motherhood.....What a glorious career!
Especially when there's a title on the door.
Does this make grandmothers "Senior Research Associates in the field of Child Development and Human Relations"
And great grandmothers, Executive Senior Research Associates"? I think so!!! I also think it makes Aunts "Associate Research Assistants".
~submitted by Deborah Epp
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Teardrops in God’s Bottle
God, who saw your yesterdays,
Sees all of your tomorrows.
He sees your pain and heartache,
And keeps track of all your sorrows.
God knows each hurting, lonely child,
He sees the soul that weeps.
The righteous tears He gathers,
God, in His bottle, keeps.
Not one will be forgotten,
Not one is overlooked.
The teardrops God has gathered
Are recorded in His book.
Each footstep is remembered
On the winding path we trod.
Each precious tear is treasured,
For they touch the heart of God.
-Unknown
~submitted by Deborah Epp
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Prayer & Praise Haven't gotten anything lately, but I do want to thank God for always being there in spite of me. Also want to thank Him for keeping our house and the neighbor's safe when their car started a 24-acre grass fire. Also, thanks to the "Friend" that sent me a postcard a few months ago. Thank God for you.
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Word Study
By AprilRose Pilgrim
Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at they right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psalm 16:11
Fulness of Joy:
Fulness.....
Containing all that is wanted, needed or possible
Joy...
A state of happiness/ Delight/ a source or cause or delight
Path of Life
Path....
A way of life, conduct or thought/ Course/ Route
Life...
Alive/ Living
suggestions? verses, phrases, words? applerp@yahoo.com
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Selected Sayings
1. The church faces a generation which is trying to drink its way to prosperity, war its way to peace, spend its way to wealth, and enjoy its way to heaven.
2. A friend is someone who loves you,
Not because of what you have,
Not because of what you've done,
But because of who you are.
3. Fear God, and you will have nothing else to fear. -Jeb Stuart
4. If any man ask for greatness, let him forget greatness and ask for truth, and he will find both. -Horace Mann
Smiley
A little girl walked to and from school daily. Though the weather that morning was questionable and clouds were forming, she made her daily trek to the elementary school.
As the afternoon progressed, the winds whipped up, along with thunder and lightning. The mother of the little girl felt concerned that her daughter would be frightened as she walked home from school and she herself feared that the electrical storm might harm her child. Following the roar of thunder, lightning, like a flaming sword, would cut through the sky.
Full of concern, the mother quickly got into her car and drove along the route to her child's school. As she did so, she saw her little girl walking along, but at each flash of lightning, the child would stop, look up and SMILE.
Another and another were to follow quickly and with each the little girl would look at the streak of light and SMILE. When the mother's car drew up beside the child she lowered the window and called to her, "What are you doing? Why do you keep stopping?"
The child answered, "I am trying to look pretty. God keeps taking my picture.
~ author unknown ~ submitted by Anna Troyer~
Well, thanks for reading! Again, the email address is ready4anything_2003@yahoo.com and the website is www.oocities.org/ready4anything_2003. God bless your day!
Staff: Editor-in-Chief: Jesus Christ
Assistant Editors: Jamie Scharf & April Pilgrim
Contributers: April Pilgrim
Deborah Epp
Anna Troyer