GEARED UP...

"Life is like a ten speed bicycle. Most of us have gears we never use."

Charles M. Schulz

I've never ridden a ten-speed...truthfully I've never been into bike riding; I prefer four wheels! You might classify me as 'non-athletic'...I really am. Couldn't do athletics in school...I am a 'klutz' 100%...all feet, thumbs and trying to catch or throw anything? Yuck, yuck!!! Quite a sight.

I'd be like the picture above ~ a total wipe-out. I prefer simple things...things I can't get tangled in...things I can't mess up! Remember, I'm the one who asked Michael what would happen if I stuck my finger in an empty fuse socket. M said I could try it and see...he never dreamed I'd be so 'stupid'...ha, I fooled him! You betcha'...I stuck my finger in it and got an instant curly hair-do! Live & learn!

I think it's wise to live a simple life...at least for me it is. Why's that?   'Cause, I'm not an organizer nor a planner...just roll merrily along.

Okay, so I did have one wild plan to capture Michael...really wasn't a plan...I'm thinkin' it must've been God's plan since it worked out so well.

M had no time to wonder what I was doing in Odessa...he was on the front lines in Korea, fighting a war! That left him a tad weak and vulnerable (which I took full advantage of) and even though we'd not made concrete decisions to marry...I did something totally insane!

I read this quote the other day by Claire Cook, “If plan A doesn't work, the alphabet has 25 more letters".

Ta-Dah, plan A...set the date, printed the invitations, gown ready, bought his wedding band...! Ready, set...Go? Well, if he had balked, guess I'd zoom thru' the rest of the alphabet...whatever was I thinking? Mmm, not thinking!!!

Regardless of my insanity, Plan A worked beautifully...and we stepped into life armed with...not much, but enough that kept us totally above water. Aah, love is grand...sort of 'rose-colored' our lives. M said he would be satisfied to wind up making $10,000 per year. Hmm, aspirations sometimes change...right?

No insurance, no retirement...four babies in a bit less than five years...2nd surgery for V's leg...but there was always enough. No balance but enough to pay bills...you've probably been there, done that too! Right? Who hasn't, huh?

As I said, we had no plan...but we continually prayed to be used. I used to think, "Please God, don't send me to Africa".

Ha, China never entered my thoughts because who in the world ever went to China but Richard Nixon and George Bush...they were important!

Oh my, what a sense of humor God must have...to choose M and me! I was content and determined to go as M's dependent...he would teach. After all, he has two degrees tacked onto his credentials. Me - zip! Things changed...like? My life!

Martin Luther King, Jr. said:
Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve.

You don't have to have a college degree to serve.

You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve.

You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.

Okay, I'm 'anybody' and I'm serving.

I don't have a college degree...I'm learning.

I definitely do not make my subject & verb agree...I write.

My heart is filling w/grace...my soul is generating love!

Father, I am extremely wishy-washy;

since you know everything, you know me!

I make so many mistakes...

my judgment isn't what it should be!

I live because of You...for You!

You are loving and forgiving...

You never turn Your back on me...or step on me!

Thank You, thank You...and I honestly am trying to be

what You want me to be...and what You know I can be.

In Your Son's Wonderful name, Amen.

P.S. I'm practicing using all my gears!

From my heart...to yours,

Vasca