Do you ever have a day where you wake up and from the get-go, God seems to have a specific message for your day? Like wherever you go- there it is! That doesn't happen a lot for me, but when it does, I can't help but slow down and say..."Ok, God. I'm listening! Teach away."
So...Sunday morning I sat down to my bowl of cereal and my giant cup of coffee and a chapter or two of Genesis, which is what I've been reading in the mornings. I'm pretty familiar with most of the stories in Genesis, but as I was reading Genesis Chapter 48, I found the passage is less familiar than most. It is about how Jacob is blessing Joseph's two sons before he dies. Strangely, he crosses his arms while putting his hands on the heads of the two sons. He puts his right hand on the head of Ephraim, the younger son, and he puts his left hand on the head of Manasseh, the older son. The right hand symbolized the bigger blessing and their dad, Joseph, gets kind of grumpy about it. To paraphrase it, he calls his dad out on the mistake...Um, Dad...you're pretty old...maybe you didn't realize Manasseh is older...and then Jacob simply replies he meant to do it that way. So end of discussion!
Taken out of context this seems like a strange little occurrence, but a little side note in my study Bible caught my eye. It reminded me that the younger brother had a history of getting the blessing in this family. So it wasn't so strange! After all, Jacob elevated Joseph, the second youngest son in his family, to be his favorite. Jacob also tricked his older brother out of his birthright and received a bigger blessing from his father, Isaac. And Isaac was given preference and inheritance over HIS older brother Ishmael. It was a whole long line of the younger brother over the older, totally contrary to the customs of that day, I imagine.
Um...so what?
Well, I would have filed this under interesting but not really relevant to my life(Hey, I'm the oldest!)...until...I was prodded with the concept of humility for the rest of the day. There are certain modern day prophets that exist today, although I think they are pretty rare. I am very fortunate to count Marvin Adams, the director of the Wabash Valley International House of Prayer, as a friend and one of these prophetic and spiritually beautiful people. Shortly after my Bible reading on Sunday, he posted this on facebook (used here with permission!):
"I know of only one kingdom that isn't based on selfish gain, that is built on servanthood and that you enter through a cross. It's power is based in hiddeness and humility where the first are last and the last are first. I long for that kingdom to be fully manifest and restored to its rightful place. I have an ache til that happens."
BOOM! And with that, the dots were connected for me. Abraham and his descendants weren't perfect by any stretch of the imagination. There was a lot of deception and hurt in those generations taking blessings traditionally held by the oldest son. BUT. God had, and continues to have, a large scope of a plan and it was already unfolding. There were principles already being established in book one of the Bible that would mesh with the coming of Jesus hundreds of years later far down the same family line of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. Namely:
The last will be first.
I had to laugh to myself when we arrived at church that evening and I opened up my bulletin to the sermon outline. First point: Humble ourselves. Text: All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God apposes the proud but shows favor to the humble." (1 Peter 5:5)
Of course! A verse from the new testament on humility that quotes a verse from Proverbs in the Old Testament! So, God has intentionally been putting an emphasis and importance on humility in his people for a long time. I get it! But...what's the application here? For me?
Well, Peter was writing to the first century Christians being persecuted and killed for their beliefs. And even though they weren't high on the social ladder, they were instructed to persevere and also serve each other, too. My context is as a white, straight, Christian woman in her thirties living in the Midwest of the U.S.A. with her middle class (what DOES that mean???) family in the first part of the 21st century. By the standards of most of the population of the world and most of the population of my own country, state, and city, I am beyond privileged. I am no where near last in any measurable category. Sometimes I feel pretty far down in the ranks...in health...in patience...in athletic ability...but last? Probably not. (Unless you count the many 3200s I ran in high school track. I was last a lot.)
And if I'm honest, I do desire that other people would have the same opportunities as myself. To have their needs met physically and relationally. To have access to health and education and to pursue a career and family and not be persecuted and treated like someone without value. God made everyone unique and valuable enough for his perfect son to die for specifically THEM. Everyone should not just have equality but an infinite value placed upon their life. But how do I show others everyday that they do indeed hold this value? That they are beyond just equal to myself and that they can go first and I can go last? That is simply hard to live. Extremely hard. We struggle as a country to ensure equal rights for all and define what that even is. So how much more is the struggle to put others AHEAD of ourselves? I'm not trying to get political here. Really. I am just struggling to put into motion the huge challenge of Jesus of living a daily life where I put God first and others before myself.
I don't know about you, but I am guilty of taking the last ice cream treat in the freezer and eating it secretly before my kids find me. I am guilty of not doing a chore on purpose, and hoping my husband does it instead. I can't even put my own flesh and blood first with stupid little things, let alone big important things of spiritual impact! It's hard to get over myself and show others that I think they are valuable because God has made them of great value. So I ask God to change me and continue to work in my heart so that a life of selflessness and humility grows. It becomes natural and causes others to ask...why? It's so backwards to what the world defines as success. You can't help but stand out when you willingly become last.
So, along with this I think I'm going to study the life of Jesus for awhile to find examples of how he puts others first. Which is good, because I'm running out of chapters in Genesis. And I'll ask for examples from my readers. How do you put others first? How do you make yourself last (but not forget God has made you valuable, too! Even Jesus had to take care of himself and rest up!)?
But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first. (Matthew 19:30)
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5)
Friday, July 19, 2013
Friday, July 5, 2013
Mid-Summer Madness
Well, I was talking with friends during the holiday...and I said it out loud. "I have written myself out...for the moment." Not that I don't think about writing or have anything to say...I'm sure inspiration could hit again anytime. But all my ideas are kind of...meh. But, I did semi-promise an update on my big list of things to do to keep the kids from being bored this summer...so I can surely do that! (If you want to check out the list, you can find it here: http://thatsnotmeanymore.blogspot.com/2013/05/im-bored-is-not-allowed-aka-sabelhaus.html .) Plus it gives me an excuse not to trim some weeds that have literally grown into trees around here. (Last summer= death and dryness. This summer= tropical rain forest. Ahhhh...Indiana.)
So. What have we been up to? Here's what we've crossed off the list so far!
1. We've visited the library several times. Annabelle and I tend to run of reading material quickly...and we went to the water show they had which was ok, but we'd seen the same one in Sullivan last year and it wasn't a very water show day.
2. We've made it to the Terre Haute Children's Museum once so far and I'm sure we'll be back before the summer ends.
3. We had a great picnic day at Dobbs park and looked around the Native American Museum, the Nature Center and took a nice walk on the trails.
4. We've ended up swimming at the pond at Fowler Park a few times. Kind of reminds me of Price's pond where I grew up...little beach...some shady trees to throw your stuff under. We like it, although I try to go earlier in the day. It seems more crowded later on, and since it's free...some of the, ahem, patrons, can have some colorful language. But I'm cheap. And I hate chlorine.
7. We did some strawberry picking. Very fun and the kids loved it. Since we were just picking to have some to munch on at home, an hour was plenty to pick and we came away with over five pounds and no sibling quarrels. I'm not sure I would take younger kids, though, as Jay continually wanted to pick berries from rows not assigned to us.
10. We attempted to ride bikes/walk on the Heritage Trail one day with our Parents of Young Kids group. Two out of three kids had bike wrecks and Jay howled for a good 15 minutes about a skinned knee...so...since I haven't been plentiful in the energy department lately...that's been our only attempt! Can't win them all...
12. We did read Bunnicula out loud at bedtime last month. I forgot how funny that book is! Joey and Annabelle loved it. Jay still prefers picture books and made that fact well known. Loudly.
16. We took a trip to the Bouncin' Barn this week. I always feel like I'm on HIGH MOM ALERT at that place, but the kids always have a blast.
18. One of the first things the kids chose to do on the list was make recycling bins for the house. They even printed out pictures of what items go in what bin and put them on the outside of each bin. We have been doing a good job of sorting out our paper, plastics, glass and metal this summer. I, for one, have been surprised about just how much we used to throw out that could be used again. Lesson learned for mom more than kids, I think! We had hoped to take a tour of the recycling center at ISU but their only scheduled tours were during our vacation and on an infusion day for me...so no luck on that so far. But the kids have been extremely helpful in this. I'm proud! :)
20. We did, in fact, see alpacas and nuns at the White Violet Center at Saint Mary of the Woods College. We got a very cool behind the scenes tour from a nun who showed us where they store and work the alpaca fiber into yarn and then into objects we can use. Then we wandered around to see the alpacas in the field, the gardens, and saw some of the pretty views/history markers on campus, too. I got lots of questions about life in the 1800's around Terre Haute and Catholicism, so it was definitely a big learning day!
35. We did get to camp and have s'mores, too! We took a four day/three night vacation to Ohio and camped for a couple nights followed by a spontaneous and more restful night in a hotel with a kid-friendly pool and a water slide. We did some hiking in the park we stayed in, saw the US Air Force Museum in Dayton and the Center of Science and Industry in Columbus. Pretty nice time for not a lot of dinero! And of course, we ate well both on and off the campsite. I tried Five Guys burgers for the first time. Yum!
36. I added this to the list after the blog post, but we made ice cream in a bag! Very fun. And louder than I thought possible with three kids shaking bags of ice violently on the kitchen table.
So...even though it sounds like we've done a lot so far...there's still many things on the list to choose from. And I STILL have to fight the kids from complaining of boredom and fight in myself the urge just to let them play video games all day. I think we're at the point in the summer where we're a little sick of being in each others' faces all the time. But over all...good stuff. I am so thankful that I have a summer with them like this. Carpe diem, baby!
So. What have we been up to? Here's what we've crossed off the list so far!
1. We've visited the library several times. Annabelle and I tend to run of reading material quickly...and we went to the water show they had which was ok, but we'd seen the same one in Sullivan last year and it wasn't a very water show day.
2. We've made it to the Terre Haute Children's Museum once so far and I'm sure we'll be back before the summer ends.
3. We had a great picnic day at Dobbs park and looked around the Native American Museum, the Nature Center and took a nice walk on the trails.
4. We've ended up swimming at the pond at Fowler Park a few times. Kind of reminds me of Price's pond where I grew up...little beach...some shady trees to throw your stuff under. We like it, although I try to go earlier in the day. It seems more crowded later on, and since it's free...some of the, ahem, patrons, can have some colorful language. But I'm cheap. And I hate chlorine.
7. We did some strawberry picking. Very fun and the kids loved it. Since we were just picking to have some to munch on at home, an hour was plenty to pick and we came away with over five pounds and no sibling quarrels. I'm not sure I would take younger kids, though, as Jay continually wanted to pick berries from rows not assigned to us.
10. We attempted to ride bikes/walk on the Heritage Trail one day with our Parents of Young Kids group. Two out of three kids had bike wrecks and Jay howled for a good 15 minutes about a skinned knee...so...since I haven't been plentiful in the energy department lately...that's been our only attempt! Can't win them all...
12. We did read Bunnicula out loud at bedtime last month. I forgot how funny that book is! Joey and Annabelle loved it. Jay still prefers picture books and made that fact well known. Loudly.
16. We took a trip to the Bouncin' Barn this week. I always feel like I'm on HIGH MOM ALERT at that place, but the kids always have a blast.
18. One of the first things the kids chose to do on the list was make recycling bins for the house. They even printed out pictures of what items go in what bin and put them on the outside of each bin. We have been doing a good job of sorting out our paper, plastics, glass and metal this summer. I, for one, have been surprised about just how much we used to throw out that could be used again. Lesson learned for mom more than kids, I think! We had hoped to take a tour of the recycling center at ISU but their only scheduled tours were during our vacation and on an infusion day for me...so no luck on that so far. But the kids have been extremely helpful in this. I'm proud! :)
20. We did, in fact, see alpacas and nuns at the White Violet Center at Saint Mary of the Woods College. We got a very cool behind the scenes tour from a nun who showed us where they store and work the alpaca fiber into yarn and then into objects we can use. Then we wandered around to see the alpacas in the field, the gardens, and saw some of the pretty views/history markers on campus, too. I got lots of questions about life in the 1800's around Terre Haute and Catholicism, so it was definitely a big learning day!
35. We did get to camp and have s'mores, too! We took a four day/three night vacation to Ohio and camped for a couple nights followed by a spontaneous and more restful night in a hotel with a kid-friendly pool and a water slide. We did some hiking in the park we stayed in, saw the US Air Force Museum in Dayton and the Center of Science and Industry in Columbus. Pretty nice time for not a lot of dinero! And of course, we ate well both on and off the campsite. I tried Five Guys burgers for the first time. Yum!
36. I added this to the list after the blog post, but we made ice cream in a bag! Very fun. And louder than I thought possible with three kids shaking bags of ice violently on the kitchen table.
So...even though it sounds like we've done a lot so far...there's still many things on the list to choose from. And I STILL have to fight the kids from complaining of boredom and fight in myself the urge just to let them play video games all day. I think we're at the point in the summer where we're a little sick of being in each others' faces all the time. But over all...good stuff. I am so thankful that I have a summer with them like this. Carpe diem, baby!
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Filters
I was changing the bag on the vacuum cleaner the other day, and a funny thing happened. Even with a sparkling clean new bag, the thing just did not have suction. After poking and prodding and a little grumbling, my smart and more practically minded husband detected the problem. The filter needed to be cleaned. And how. Ewwwww. I will never cease to be amazed at how filthy five people can be. Now this may be a little bit of a mental leap, but take a mind base jump with me. It got me thinking about the filters through which we view life. What they are...and how they can make us effective...or render us pretty useless like my poor vacuum.
You see, I take each new experience, new person I meet, new opportunity, and run it through this kind of filtration system that's accumulated over my thirty something years. What I choose to do with it or what I take away is based on past experiences, the people I already know, and the identity I've accepted about myself. My biggest filters right now, in no particular order, are:
1. My parents, siblings and my childhood
2. My husband
3. The Bible, Christianity, my church
4. My educational and work background
5. The small town Midwest culture in which I grew up
6. Myself as a mom
7. Myself as a friend
8. Myself as a musician and worship leader
9. Myself as a person with a chronic disease
I'm sure I could find more and dig into the nitty gritty, but these are the main things that make up who I am and how I view my world. Some of my filters have been around my whole life. (Hi, Mom!!) And some of them are fairly new. Two years ago, I never filtered things through a disease...weighing whether the activity was worth precious energy, the risk of pain, or the risk of getting sick, since my treatment makes my immune system about as strong as a newborn's or the elderly...but it's a filter I'm slowly adjusting to.
When we meet someone who shares a lot of the same filters, I think there's cool instant connection. (Oh! You pegged your pants in the fourth grade and can sing all the lyrics to 80's and 90's Amy Grant songs! Rad!) But to me it's equally cool when I meet someone whose filters are pretty different from my own. I can learn a whole lot from that person and maybe if we dig a little deeper, we WILL find a few filters in common. Or not! But it's a fun journey all the same. I'm pretty sure I don't want my whole world to be full of Beth Clones. Yikes! Imagine a world that's unable to have clean carpets because it's full of people who can't figure out clogged vacuum filters...
So it occurs to me that good communication comes from an understanding that the person I am interacting with comes to the table with a different set of filters than I do. Thus two people sharing the same conversation remember it very differently sometimes.
He: "I told you about that a week ago."
Me: "Oh, I don't remember talking about that at all."
He: "But you nodded and smiled and said yes."
Me: "Was it after 10 pm?"
Or through my filters, I thought I explained something perfectly clear! Why doesn't that person get it?!? How can they not believe passionately in the same things that I do?!? Yeah...I catch myself being self-centric a whole lot. And while most of my filters come from good, healthy things, the filters can easily start clogging with things like negativity, cynicism, worry, fear, envy...if I don't give them a good regular cleaning. I quickly become ineffective in relationships and ministry, if not destructive.
So what's the cure-all for clogged filters? Simply this: Love. The perfect and pure love of God. Did I just compare God's love to a vacuum filter cleaner? Why yes, yes I did... God in the majestic. And God in the mundane. But God really does reach down and scoop out all the disgusting junk I let accumulate in my life. Because I ask Him, and He loves me.
I can't help but view life through the filters I have. It's what makes me uniquely me. But when those filters are full of love instead of sin, I am much better at reaching out to those around me. I ditch the self-serving attitudes and the judgement. I communicate more effectively. I see people and situations much more clearly. Now...I know there's a fantastic "sucking" joke in here somwhere to end this. But I've been told that word is not very ladylike. How I do love a good metaphor...
And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. (I Peter 4:8-10)
You see, I take each new experience, new person I meet, new opportunity, and run it through this kind of filtration system that's accumulated over my thirty something years. What I choose to do with it or what I take away is based on past experiences, the people I already know, and the identity I've accepted about myself. My biggest filters right now, in no particular order, are:
1. My parents, siblings and my childhood
2. My husband
3. The Bible, Christianity, my church
4. My educational and work background
5. The small town Midwest culture in which I grew up
6. Myself as a mom
7. Myself as a friend
8. Myself as a musician and worship leader
9. Myself as a person with a chronic disease
I'm sure I could find more and dig into the nitty gritty, but these are the main things that make up who I am and how I view my world. Some of my filters have been around my whole life. (Hi, Mom!!) And some of them are fairly new. Two years ago, I never filtered things through a disease...weighing whether the activity was worth precious energy, the risk of pain, or the risk of getting sick, since my treatment makes my immune system about as strong as a newborn's or the elderly...but it's a filter I'm slowly adjusting to.
When we meet someone who shares a lot of the same filters, I think there's cool instant connection. (Oh! You pegged your pants in the fourth grade and can sing all the lyrics to 80's and 90's Amy Grant songs! Rad!) But to me it's equally cool when I meet someone whose filters are pretty different from my own. I can learn a whole lot from that person and maybe if we dig a little deeper, we WILL find a few filters in common. Or not! But it's a fun journey all the same. I'm pretty sure I don't want my whole world to be full of Beth Clones. Yikes! Imagine a world that's unable to have clean carpets because it's full of people who can't figure out clogged vacuum filters...
So it occurs to me that good communication comes from an understanding that the person I am interacting with comes to the table with a different set of filters than I do. Thus two people sharing the same conversation remember it very differently sometimes.
He: "I told you about that a week ago."
Me: "Oh, I don't remember talking about that at all."
He: "But you nodded and smiled and said yes."
Me: "Was it after 10 pm?"
Or through my filters, I thought I explained something perfectly clear! Why doesn't that person get it?!? How can they not believe passionately in the same things that I do?!? Yeah...I catch myself being self-centric a whole lot. And while most of my filters come from good, healthy things, the filters can easily start clogging with things like negativity, cynicism, worry, fear, envy...if I don't give them a good regular cleaning. I quickly become ineffective in relationships and ministry, if not destructive.
So what's the cure-all for clogged filters? Simply this: Love. The perfect and pure love of God. Did I just compare God's love to a vacuum filter cleaner? Why yes, yes I did... God in the majestic. And God in the mundane. But God really does reach down and scoop out all the disgusting junk I let accumulate in my life. Because I ask Him, and He loves me.
I can't help but view life through the filters I have. It's what makes me uniquely me. But when those filters are full of love instead of sin, I am much better at reaching out to those around me. I ditch the self-serving attitudes and the judgement. I communicate more effectively. I see people and situations much more clearly. Now...I know there's a fantastic "sucking" joke in here somwhere to end this. But I've been told that word is not very ladylike. How I do love a good metaphor...
And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. (I Peter 4:8-10)
Friday, June 14, 2013
Dad, Dad, He's our Dad!
As Father's Day approaches, I am reminded of how blessed I am to have my Dad. As my generation grew up, divorce became a lot more common...many of my peers grew up without a dad in their life every day. Maybe they got to see him on weekends. Or in the summer. Or holidays. And I've worked with so many children who had absolutely no father figure in their life. Some children rise up. But so many crumble and carry lifelong scars. So, like my Mom post, here's ten parenting tips I learned from my Dad:
1. Model confidence in excellence. There's no two ways about it. My father is a very smart man. Valedictorian of a large high school class. Finished his undergrad in three years. Is a doctor. Teaches ethics and bio-ethics. He's not arrogant about it. But he doesn't apologize either. He has a kind of quiet confidence that I've always tried to emulate. The world doesn't always value the smart kid in the class. So I try to let my kids know it's ok to be smart and confident in that. (Just don't let it get boastful.) Because with confidence in your God given abilities and lots of hard work, doors can open like scholarships and jobs and leadership opportunities.
2. Teach your kids to seek the truth. Teach them to seek answers to the tough questions. I don't think many kids grew up talking about apologetics at the Sunday dinner table, but I did. I learned a lot about Christianity and why my parents believed what they believed just by listening and asking questions at the dinner table. If my dad wanted to know something, he found out about it and learned about it. And this was before Google. Studying Bible passages...studying church history...taking things back to the Greek or Hebrew...these were not new concepts to me as an adult.
3. Treat your kids like valid human beings. I always felt like Dad listened to us and our points of view like we were an equal and not a goofy kid who didn't know anything. Even though a lot of times, I'm sure we were goofy ignorant kids and it took a LOT of patience! I will say that this is a struggle for me now. I am so glad my kids love to learn new things, but sometimes it's hard to be in the mood to listen about the burrowing habits of the Peruvian horned mouse.
4. Take an interest in their interests. Some of my favorite memories of my Dad are when he would take time out of his day to watch my cross country meets. That meant the world to me. I know that many times it wasn't convenient, but when he came, I was so proud! We would ride home in the car together just him and me and have good talks. And many summers he would take just me to the big sports store and we would take our time picking out the perfect running shoes for the season. I loved that!
5. Demonstrate to them the value of hard work. Family practice doctors work very, very hard. Lots of long hours and paperwork and cranky sick people and nights on call where the phone rings at 3 am. It may mean going in to deliver a baby...or telling Mabel Sue that her itchy toe can wait until tomorrow. I saw it all, and for some reason decided not to go into medicine... However, I did learn that any job that supports a family is going to require work, and a lot of it. Some of it is very rewarding. And some of it...just plain work.
6. Be a leader in your church in front of them. Dad served in lots of capacities at church while I was growing up. He was on the board. He taught a Sunday School class. He helped rewrite the church by-laws. He searched for pastors. But the thing I admire most is that he did it all with integrity and a peacemaking spirit. I think being a peacemaker is a rare and precious gift.
7. Speak wisdom into your children's lives. There are a handful of times when I remember clear and specific pieces of advice my dad has given me. One was that he told me to be sure enjoy my college years and take some classes just for fun. I did, resulting in things like ballet and choir and going to Spain for a semester. But on the more serious side, I remember him coming home from a Promise Keepers conference once (Remember those?) and he said he heard a lot about how racial divisions in the church need to be healed. He knew that he did not always have the opportunity for that kind of ministry, but I happened to be volunteering that week at a camp for inner-city kiddos, and he prayed that I might be the one with that opportunity. I feel like that was almost a prophetic moment. I see many times over my teen and adult life that I have had the privilege to reach across racial lines that seem to keep the American Church so very compartmentalized. I pray those opportunities continue.
8. Take your kids on adventures. Maybe we didn't travel the world in a sail boat (Doesn't everyone know a family like that? I do.), but we learned how to build a fire, pitch a tent, and canoe thanks to Dad. We hiked quite a few miles of state park trails in Indiana and beyond. We saw museums and caves and made lots of cool memories on summer vacations. Even if Dad's long legs had us kids scrambling to keep up most of the time.
9. Never underestimate the fun in a game of keep away. Some of my very earliest memories of my Dad were when he would take a toy, ball, etc. and hold it juuuust out of reach. We would lunge for it...and he would quickly switch hands. Foiled again! Hilarious! Again, Daddy! How loved and secure I felt when Dad was on my level. I love that my husband does the same for our kids, and seemed to have a knack for it the second they were born. Joy...overflowing.
10. Think through something before making a decision. It's no wonder I'm a ponderer by nature. Both my parents are big thinkers, but I think Dad is the greater methodical thinker. No rush. Weigh the facts. Consider the options. It can drive others crazy (Ahem, sorry, Honey). Yes, we heard what you said. We're just thinking about it. And it may take us awhile to choose our words as a response. Deal with it. But it is a trait, especially in parenting, that will save you from some rather bad and hastily made decisions.
So I close with verses that remind me of my Dad. And videos of two of my favorite sitcom dads just for fun. Love you, Daddy! Happiest Father's Day!
Proverbs 14:26 - "Whoever fears the LORD has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge."
Proverbs 17:27 - "The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered."
Joshua 24:15 - "But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."
http://youtu.be/zbo4mNS8fDg
http://youtu.be/nFY0HBkUm8o
Friday, June 7, 2013
And the Winner of the First Book Giveaway Is...
My friend Jessica!
Which is so fitting because:
A. She's a Media Specialist at a school. She has the power to spread the reading love.
B. We drew the name out of a Colt's hat and she's one of the biggest Colts fans I know.
C. She lives here in town and now I don't have to pay shipping! (Okay, maybe that's an advantage for me and not her...but hey...this cheap girl celebrates any dollar saved even though I would have been very happy to send it elsewhere.)
Congrats, I think you'll love the book and thanks to all who entered! Hopefully I will be giving more books away in the near future. Now back to your regularly scheduled blogging program.
Don't forget to pick up a copy of the book! It hits shelves on Tuesday, June 11!
Which is so fitting because:
A. She's a Media Specialist at a school. She has the power to spread the reading love.
B. We drew the name out of a Colt's hat and she's one of the biggest Colts fans I know.
C. She lives here in town and now I don't have to pay shipping! (Okay, maybe that's an advantage for me and not her...but hey...this cheap girl celebrates any dollar saved even though I would have been very happy to send it elsewhere.)
Congrats, I think you'll love the book and thanks to all who entered! Hopefully I will be giving more books away in the near future. Now back to your regularly scheduled blogging program.
Don't forget to pick up a copy of the book! It hits shelves on Tuesday, June 11!
Monday, June 3, 2013
First Ever Book Giveaway!
I am trying my hand at being a literary critic this week. My main qualifications are as follows:
A. I killed my English classes.
B. I am an avid reader.
C. I have opinions about what I read.
So maybe that doesn't qualify me to be a professional critic, but I was fortunate enough to be asked to review a book that has just been released. Which kind of makes me feel like a secret rock star, so of course I said YES! And the best part is, I have an extra book, so one lucky commenter will get a copy gratis...free...no dinero! (Yes, I know two of those are Spanish, but it's the only other language I know.) Don't you want to know more? Here's the skinny....
The book is When Mockingbirds Sing by Billy Coffey. This is his third book, and really, I recommend them all (Snow Day and Paper Angels are his other titles). His website is on my blog roll if you want to go visit.
Here's a summary of the book from the publisher:
Here's my take:
I love Billy's writing because as a small town girl, I relate. I know I see corn fields outside my window instead of the Blue Ridge Mountains, but he describes American small town life with the richness and reality of one who's lived it. I love that, because he knows just how to put to pen what I've experienced for years...that odd combination of wonderful close-knit ties of community, strong values, and then a darker side that's rarely discussed in the name of good manners. I feel like I've met his characters at the store a time or two. I went to church with them. I graduated with them. While I can relate to each character, I seem to find myself fitting in particular characters' shoes pretty well. The opening of the story puts us in the birthday party for a nine year old girl. Guess who's daughter turned nine the day after I began reading the book? I was instantly hooked.
One of my favorite writers growing up was Frank Peretti. I loved that he looked beyond the senses of what we physically know on this earth and brought another spiritual dimension to Christian fiction. I will always appreciate the layers of spiritual depth, imagination and intelligence in his work. Now I'm a bit uncomfortable making comparisons because Mr. Coffey most certainly has his own unique voice as a writer, BUT. This book did for me what I so love about Peretti's books. It opens the door to a God so much bigger and fantastic than what small boxes our human brains have tended to put Him in. Wrapped up in a beautifully told, compelling, and suspenseful story, there is a message that God's ways of working can be far beyond of what we can dream for ourselves. That God still masterfully draws people to Himself. And that heroes can be found in the most unlikely of people. Makes me think of how the Bible is full of similar underdogs that God takes and uses for His glory. So I think you will be rooting for the underdogs just like I did in When Mockingbirds Sing.
(Plus, there's birds that really creeped me out. Just sayin'. Great reading for a stormy summer night under the covers with a flashlight!)
How to win your copy!
So, if you would like your own copy of the book, please leave your name and email address in the comments below. One time only, please. If you are my facebook friend, I'll let you have one additional entry in the contest by sharing a link to this post, but you must let me know you shared! Leave your named and "shared on facebook" in the comments section here or tag me on facebook, please and thank you. Entries must be in by 8pm Eastern on Friday June 7th, and then my nine year old daughter will pick a random winner from a hat, old school style. I will contact the winner by email and snail mail the winner the book. You must be in the U.S. to win, although if any of my out of country relatives or friends want to enter and have an address I can send it to in the states...well...I think that counts! So here goes the first ever giveaway for my blog...Woo hoo! I'm a rock star!
**PLEASE NOTE***
If for some reason your comment does NOT appear, please enter the contest by emailing me your name by Friday at 8p.m. Eastern. It seems Blogger is not a fan of comments by phone. My email address is:
phillipser@hotmail.com .
A. I killed my English classes.
B. I am an avid reader.
C. I have opinions about what I read.
So maybe that doesn't qualify me to be a professional critic, but I was fortunate enough to be asked to review a book that has just been released. Which kind of makes me feel like a secret rock star, so of course I said YES! And the best part is, I have an extra book, so one lucky commenter will get a copy gratis...free...no dinero! (Yes, I know two of those are Spanish, but it's the only other language I know.) Don't you want to know more? Here's the skinny....
The book is When Mockingbirds Sing by Billy Coffey. This is his third book, and really, I recommend them all (Snow Day and Paper Angels are his other titles). His website is on my blog roll if you want to go visit.
Here's a summary of the book from the publisher:
Leah is a child from Away, isolated from her peers because of her stutter. But then she begins painting scenes that are epic in scope, brilliant in detail, and suffused with rich, prophetic imagery. When the event foreshadowed in the first painting dramatically comes true, the town of Mattingly takes notice.
Leah attributes her ability to foretell the future to an invisible friend she calls the Rainbow Man. Some of the townsfolk are enchanted with her. Others fear her. But there is one thing they all agree on—there is no such thing as the Rainbow Man.
Her father, the town psychologist, is falling apart over his inability to heal his daughter or fix his marriage. And the town minister is unraveled by the notion a mere child with no formal training may be hearing from God more clearly than he does.
While the town bickers over what to do with this strange child, the content of Leah’s paintings grows darker. Still, Leah insists that the Rainbow Man’s heart is pure. But then a dramatic and tragic turn of events leaves the town reeling and places everyone’s lives in danger. Now the people of Mattingly face a single choice:
Will they cling to what they know . . . or embrace the things Leah believes in that cannot be seen?
Here's my take:
I love Billy's writing because as a small town girl, I relate. I know I see corn fields outside my window instead of the Blue Ridge Mountains, but he describes American small town life with the richness and reality of one who's lived it. I love that, because he knows just how to put to pen what I've experienced for years...that odd combination of wonderful close-knit ties of community, strong values, and then a darker side that's rarely discussed in the name of good manners. I feel like I've met his characters at the store a time or two. I went to church with them. I graduated with them. While I can relate to each character, I seem to find myself fitting in particular characters' shoes pretty well. The opening of the story puts us in the birthday party for a nine year old girl. Guess who's daughter turned nine the day after I began reading the book? I was instantly hooked.
One of my favorite writers growing up was Frank Peretti. I loved that he looked beyond the senses of what we physically know on this earth and brought another spiritual dimension to Christian fiction. I will always appreciate the layers of spiritual depth, imagination and intelligence in his work. Now I'm a bit uncomfortable making comparisons because Mr. Coffey most certainly has his own unique voice as a writer, BUT. This book did for me what I so love about Peretti's books. It opens the door to a God so much bigger and fantastic than what small boxes our human brains have tended to put Him in. Wrapped up in a beautifully told, compelling, and suspenseful story, there is a message that God's ways of working can be far beyond of what we can dream for ourselves. That God still masterfully draws people to Himself. And that heroes can be found in the most unlikely of people. Makes me think of how the Bible is full of similar underdogs that God takes and uses for His glory. So I think you will be rooting for the underdogs just like I did in When Mockingbirds Sing.
(Plus, there's birds that really creeped me out. Just sayin'. Great reading for a stormy summer night under the covers with a flashlight!)
How to win your copy!
So, if you would like your own copy of the book, please leave your name and email address in the comments below. One time only, please. If you are my facebook friend, I'll let you have one additional entry in the contest by sharing a link to this post, but you must let me know you shared! Leave your named and "shared on facebook" in the comments section here or tag me on facebook, please and thank you. Entries must be in by 8pm Eastern on Friday June 7th, and then my nine year old daughter will pick a random winner from a hat, old school style. I will contact the winner by email and snail mail the winner the book. You must be in the U.S. to win, although if any of my out of country relatives or friends want to enter and have an address I can send it to in the states...well...I think that counts! So here goes the first ever giveaway for my blog...Woo hoo! I'm a rock star!
**PLEASE NOTE***
If for some reason your comment does NOT appear, please enter the contest by emailing me your name by Friday at 8p.m. Eastern. It seems Blogger is not a fan of comments by phone. My email address is:
phillipser@hotmail.com .
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
"I'm Bored" is Not Allowed: AKA the Sabelhaus Summer Project
Summer is weird to me. In theory, it seems like it should be the best season of the year. Warm weather, outdoor fun, a more relaxed schedule...What's not to love? But since entering adulthood, Summer and I have had a love/hate relationship. I don't know what it is, but my mood seems to dive with Memorial Day and doesn't bounce back until after Labor Day. Maybe it's the lack of routine. Or too many daylight hours. Or the fact that I've usually had to work in an office indoors all day while my heart is in the summers of my childhood, where there are endless hours to play outdoors and dream. Whatever the case, I've found that my Summer Blues are much improved when I have something to look forward to.
Enter the Sabelhaus Summer Project!
This summer, a bunch of things have come together to give me a much anticipated summer. First, my children are big enough to make outings about 50 billion times more enjoyable than they were a few years ago. I am unemployed for the moment, making me a full-time at home Momma with very little scheduled this summer. And if we stretch our dollars, we can afford a little bit of extra gas for local trips and treats. So, my brain has been churning away, excited to make this a summer I can enjoy with my kids. I truly want them to experience some new things...learn through fun...pick up some values along the way...and most of all, NOT BE BRAINLESSLY BORED. Believe me, I am so very OK with some daily TV time, game time, and general chill time. But when I don't set up some kind of structure, we seem to digress into endless video games and TV...and well, Facebook for me...
So. Ahem. I made a list of things we can do this summer. Included are some general guidelines to the day that will help them earn their weekly allowance. Most of the activities are cheap, free, or use items we already have. When I share the list with my kids, they will also know how much it costs. If they really, really want to do something that's a little out of the budget that week, I may ask them to chip in. (Right now they have more cash on hand than I do, so I don't think it's a bad deal. Financial literacy and all.) The places mentioned are mostly local to Terre Haute, Indiana, and I've tried to include a website for reference. If you live somewhere else, perhaps they will serve as a starting point if you're looking for some new things to try this summer. I got a few of my items from other people's summer lists, so feel free to borrow! When I started writing them all down, however, I was pleasantly surprised about the number of things there are to do around here with kids. Goooo Haute! These activities are also geared toward kids preschool to mid-elementary school age. I'm guessing my almost five year old probably won't relish every moment at the history museum, and my nine year old might roll her eyes and opt out of story time at the library to read her own big kid stuff...but hey, we're a family, and sometimes you must make compromises to accomplish the goals of the team. I plan to ask my husband and the kids if they have any other ideas and we'll see if we can do some of those, too. Hopefully, I'll have an update or two to share with you as the summer goes along. I don't always do parenting type stuff on here, but this list seemed pretty natural to share. So before I babble on incessantly, I give you....
"I'm Bored" Is Not Allowed:
Week day summer rule- Before you may play computer, Wii, or watch TV, the following must be completed:
1. Straighten your bed.
2. Get dressed and brush hair/teeth.
3. Eat breakfast.
4. Read a book, write, or do something math related for 30 minutes.
5. Complete any other chores Mom assigns you for the day.
6. Like the rest of the year, you are still responsible for having a clean room, taking all dirty laundry to the laundry room by Saturday, feeding pets, and washing the basement bathroom sink.
When chores are done for the day, here are some things we can choose to do this summer! Maybe you can think of some ideas to add! Let's see how many we can mark off the list, and let's not be borrrrrrred.
1. Visit the library. Get books, do the summer reading program,and go to library events. (Story time every Wednesday at 10 am.) http://www.vigo.lib.in.us/yp/summer Cost: FREE!
2. Go to the Terre Haute Children's Museum!
http://thchildrensmuseum.com/ Cost: FREE for members- that's us!
3. Visit the Nature Center and Native American Museum at Dobbs Park.
http://www.terrehaute.in.gov/departments/parks/city-parks/dobbs Cost: FREE!
4. Go swimming! How many places can we swim? We could try...Hawthorn Park, Fowler Park, Sullivan Lake, Shakamak State Park, Lieber State Park, Deming Park...
Cost: FREE to a few bucks/person
5. Make up a Lip Sync Dance. Choose a song. Make up a dance to it and pretend to sing the words. Mom will video tape it so we can giggle later. Cost: FREE!
6. See a movie! Meadows Theater Free Kids' Summer Movies are on Tues, Wed, and Thurs at 10 am Cost: FREE! (Well, maybe we'll get some snacks, too.)
Or, we can convince Daddy to take us to the Drive-in Movie Theater! http://starlitebloomington.com/
Cost: $24 for our family plus the cost of giant pickles or other concession goodies.
7. Pick strawberries or blueberries. Yum! Cost: Depends on price of berries and how long we last...
8. Visit a Farmer's Market and buy some fresh yummy produce. (Saturday mornings)
Cost: Depends on how hungry we get looking at all that food. http://www.downtownterrehautefarmersmarket.com/
9. Go for a hike. But which State Park or Rec Area to choose? There's one less than an hour away in every direction!
Cost: $5/car for an Indiana State Park. Illinois Parks are FREE.
10. Ride our bikes on the Heritage Trail.
http://www.traillink.com/trail/national-road-heritage-trail-(terre-haute)
Cost: You guessed it, FREE! But Mom will have to figure out how to get all the bikes on/in the car...
11. Listen to an outdoor concert in the park! (Usually Saturday evenings)
http://terrehautecommunityband.org/thcb.html Cost: FREE
12. Read a chapter book out loud together before bed. :) Cost: FREE
13. Make something to feed the squirrels and birds.
Cost: Recycle things to make it, plus the cost of bird seed.
14. Plant something and watch it grow. Cost: Soil and seeds.
15. Visit Ryves Youth Center and play with other kids. Maybe we can think of a project or games to bring or join in with their fun stuff?
Cost: FREE! http://www.archindy.org/cc/ryves/
16. Visit the Bouncin' Barn and jump until we're silly!
http://thebouncinbarn.weebly.com/ Cost: $5/kid Mon-Thurs
17. Learn piano or play music games on the computer.
Cost: FREE thanks to Mom and Dad and the joys of the Internet(which is not free)!
18. Set up a recycling bin and visit the recycling center so we can start using our resources more wisely!
http://www.indstate.edu/facilities/recycle/ Cost: FREE
19. Go bowling. Cost: $2.75/kid for shoe rental plus whatever Mom has to pay because let's face it, she'll be bowling like there's no tomorrow!
https://www.kidsbowlfree.com/center.php?alley_id=1421
20. See some alpacas! And probably some nuns!
http://spsmw.org/white-violet-farm-alpacas/ Cost: FREE, I think?
21. See some cool art at the Swope Art Museum.
http://www.swope.org/visit-us/ Cost: FREE!
22. See some cool history at the Vigo County Historical Society.
http://www.vchs.co/ Cost: FREE!
23. Go roller skating.
Cost: Wednesday Family Night, $1.00 entrance and $2.00 skate rentals, so $15 for the family
http://www.skateworldin.com/TerreHaute/
24. Go to Bogey's Family Fun Center.
Cost: Mom and Dad will get you some tokens, but you can bring allowance money to play extra games. http://www.bogeybear.net/
25. Paint a masterpiece or create your own art project. (Let's get out all the craft stuff and make something. I think there's even a leather punch set somewhere...) Cost: FREE
26. Build a fort in the basement. Play the Imagination Game. Cost: FREE
27. Cook dinner for Daddy. You can help me shop and figure out what to make. Cost: Whatever the food costs, but I'm guessing we won't be having lobster.
28. Act out Bible stories. Be sure and put together costumes! Cost: FREE
29. Go to the Dollar Store and find something awesome for a dollar! Cost: $1/kid= $3(plus tax)
30. Make sidewalk chalk paint and paint the sidewalk. Cost: Couple $$ for chalk
31. Invite a friend over to play or do things with our Parents of Young Kids group from church!
Cost: Usually FREE
32. Visit a playground or park we've never been to before. Make up a nature scavenger hunt to do while we're there. Cost: FREE
33. Learn the rules a sport or game we've never played before and try it out. Cost: FREE
34. Three words: water balloon fight. Cost: We'll get the good balloons that cost more than a dollar.
35. Have a camp out in the backyard (or Uncle David's backyard). Make s'mores.
Cost: Our backyard, FREE. S'mores, a few dollars. Travel to Michigan, that may get more pricey.
Enter the Sabelhaus Summer Project!
This summer, a bunch of things have come together to give me a much anticipated summer. First, my children are big enough to make outings about 50 billion times more enjoyable than they were a few years ago. I am unemployed for the moment, making me a full-time at home Momma with very little scheduled this summer. And if we stretch our dollars, we can afford a little bit of extra gas for local trips and treats. So, my brain has been churning away, excited to make this a summer I can enjoy with my kids. I truly want them to experience some new things...learn through fun...pick up some values along the way...and most of all, NOT BE BRAINLESSLY BORED. Believe me, I am so very OK with some daily TV time, game time, and general chill time. But when I don't set up some kind of structure, we seem to digress into endless video games and TV...and well, Facebook for me...
So. Ahem. I made a list of things we can do this summer. Included are some general guidelines to the day that will help them earn their weekly allowance. Most of the activities are cheap, free, or use items we already have. When I share the list with my kids, they will also know how much it costs. If they really, really want to do something that's a little out of the budget that week, I may ask them to chip in. (Right now they have more cash on hand than I do, so I don't think it's a bad deal. Financial literacy and all.) The places mentioned are mostly local to Terre Haute, Indiana, and I've tried to include a website for reference. If you live somewhere else, perhaps they will serve as a starting point if you're looking for some new things to try this summer. I got a few of my items from other people's summer lists, so feel free to borrow! When I started writing them all down, however, I was pleasantly surprised about the number of things there are to do around here with kids. Goooo Haute! These activities are also geared toward kids preschool to mid-elementary school age. I'm guessing my almost five year old probably won't relish every moment at the history museum, and my nine year old might roll her eyes and opt out of story time at the library to read her own big kid stuff...but hey, we're a family, and sometimes you must make compromises to accomplish the goals of the team. I plan to ask my husband and the kids if they have any other ideas and we'll see if we can do some of those, too. Hopefully, I'll have an update or two to share with you as the summer goes along. I don't always do parenting type stuff on here, but this list seemed pretty natural to share. So before I babble on incessantly, I give you....
"I'm Bored" Is Not Allowed:
Week day summer rule- Before you may play computer, Wii, or watch TV, the following must be completed:
1. Straighten your bed.
2. Get dressed and brush hair/teeth.
3. Eat breakfast.
4. Read a book, write, or do something math related for 30 minutes.
5. Complete any other chores Mom assigns you for the day.
6. Like the rest of the year, you are still responsible for having a clean room, taking all dirty laundry to the laundry room by Saturday, feeding pets, and washing the basement bathroom sink.
When chores are done for the day, here are some things we can choose to do this summer! Maybe you can think of some ideas to add! Let's see how many we can mark off the list, and let's not be borrrrrrred.
1. Visit the library. Get books, do the summer reading program,and go to library events. (Story time every Wednesday at 10 am.) http://www.vigo.lib.in.us/yp/summer Cost: FREE!
2. Go to the Terre Haute Children's Museum!
http://thchildrensmuseum.com/ Cost: FREE for members- that's us!
3. Visit the Nature Center and Native American Museum at Dobbs Park.
http://www.terrehaute.in.gov/departments/parks/city-parks/dobbs Cost: FREE!
4. Go swimming! How many places can we swim? We could try...Hawthorn Park, Fowler Park, Sullivan Lake, Shakamak State Park, Lieber State Park, Deming Park...
Cost: FREE to a few bucks/person
5. Make up a Lip Sync Dance. Choose a song. Make up a dance to it and pretend to sing the words. Mom will video tape it so we can giggle later. Cost: FREE!
6. See a movie! Meadows Theater Free Kids' Summer Movies are on Tues, Wed, and Thurs at 10 am Cost: FREE! (Well, maybe we'll get some snacks, too.)
Or, we can convince Daddy to take us to the Drive-in Movie Theater! http://starlitebloomington.com/
Cost: $24 for our family plus the cost of giant pickles or other concession goodies.
7. Pick strawberries or blueberries. Yum! Cost: Depends on price of berries and how long we last...
8. Visit a Farmer's Market and buy some fresh yummy produce. (Saturday mornings)
Cost: Depends on how hungry we get looking at all that food. http://www.downtownterrehautefarmersmarket.com/
9. Go for a hike. But which State Park or Rec Area to choose? There's one less than an hour away in every direction!
Cost: $5/car for an Indiana State Park. Illinois Parks are FREE.
10. Ride our bikes on the Heritage Trail.
http://www.traillink.com/trail/national-road-heritage-trail-(terre-haute)
Cost: You guessed it, FREE! But Mom will have to figure out how to get all the bikes on/in the car...
11. Listen to an outdoor concert in the park! (Usually Saturday evenings)
http://terrehautecommunityband.org/thcb.html Cost: FREE
12. Read a chapter book out loud together before bed. :) Cost: FREE
13. Make something to feed the squirrels and birds.
Cost: Recycle things to make it, plus the cost of bird seed.
14. Plant something and watch it grow. Cost: Soil and seeds.
15. Visit Ryves Youth Center and play with other kids. Maybe we can think of a project or games to bring or join in with their fun stuff?
Cost: FREE! http://www.archindy.org/cc/ryves/
16. Visit the Bouncin' Barn and jump until we're silly!
http://thebouncinbarn.weebly.com/ Cost: $5/kid Mon-Thurs
17. Learn piano or play music games on the computer.
Cost: FREE thanks to Mom and Dad and the joys of the Internet(which is not free)!
18. Set up a recycling bin and visit the recycling center so we can start using our resources more wisely!
http://www.indstate.edu/facilities/recycle/ Cost: FREE
19. Go bowling. Cost: $2.75/kid for shoe rental plus whatever Mom has to pay because let's face it, she'll be bowling like there's no tomorrow!
https://www.kidsbowlfree.com/center.php?alley_id=1421
20. See some alpacas! And probably some nuns!
http://spsmw.org/white-violet-farm-alpacas/ Cost: FREE, I think?
21. See some cool art at the Swope Art Museum.
http://www.swope.org/visit-us/ Cost: FREE!
22. See some cool history at the Vigo County Historical Society.
http://www.vchs.co/ Cost: FREE!
23. Go roller skating.
Cost: Wednesday Family Night, $1.00 entrance and $2.00 skate rentals, so $15 for the family
http://www.skateworldin.com/TerreHaute/
24. Go to Bogey's Family Fun Center.
Cost: Mom and Dad will get you some tokens, but you can bring allowance money to play extra games. http://www.bogeybear.net/
25. Paint a masterpiece or create your own art project. (Let's get out all the craft stuff and make something. I think there's even a leather punch set somewhere...) Cost: FREE
26. Build a fort in the basement. Play the Imagination Game. Cost: FREE
27. Cook dinner for Daddy. You can help me shop and figure out what to make. Cost: Whatever the food costs, but I'm guessing we won't be having lobster.
28. Act out Bible stories. Be sure and put together costumes! Cost: FREE
29. Go to the Dollar Store and find something awesome for a dollar! Cost: $1/kid= $3(plus tax)
30. Make sidewalk chalk paint and paint the sidewalk. Cost: Couple $$ for chalk
31. Invite a friend over to play or do things with our Parents of Young Kids group from church!
Cost: Usually FREE
32. Visit a playground or park we've never been to before. Make up a nature scavenger hunt to do while we're there. Cost: FREE
33. Learn the rules a sport or game we've never played before and try it out. Cost: FREE
34. Three words: water balloon fight. Cost: We'll get the good balloons that cost more than a dollar.
35. Have a camp out in the backyard (or Uncle David's backyard). Make s'mores.
Cost: Our backyard, FREE. S'mores, a few dollars. Travel to Michigan, that may get more pricey.
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