Woman of the Week ~ Mom

My Mom would have turned 79 today.  In honor of her birthday, I thought I would write her in as my first Woman of the Week for 2019.

Verses: 
Obviously, there aren't any verses in the Bible with her story, but oh how her Bible has blessed me!  I have blogged from it and about it for over ten years.  It is my dearest earthly treasure.

Background
She was born on January 1, 1940 to Hogan and Luella Pearson.  She was the first baby born in Tulare county that year.  She was the second of four children - she had an older brother, Dean, a younger sister, Joyce, and a younger brother, Don.
She married Robert Fultz on October 3, 1958.  They produced four offspring - Kim, Rick, Rod and Kathy.  They celebrated their 40th anniversary one week before she passed away.

What is she most known for? Victories? Defeats? How can I be like her? How can I avoid being like her? 
Oh my!  There are so many things I can list, here are a few:

Baking - Mom was not a great cook, she would have told you that.  She was rather picky and didn't enjoy trying new foods.  But when it came to baked goods, especially chocolate, she couldn't be beat!  She definitely passed that gift on to me.  What I didn't get was her decorating ability.  She was a master at beautiful cakes, but she could also make beautiful cookies.  I remember her using a paintbrush to get food coloring on turkey cookies before they were baked.  They came out with a glaze of beautiful feathers.  I also knew that Les had received her silent approval when I told her how much he liked brownies and the next time he came for a visit that is what she made!

Kids - Mom loved kids.  She was able to stay home with all of us because she babysat little ones in our home.  For years she preferred newborns, then she seemed to switch and really enjoy the two to four year old age range.  She taught Sunday school for decades and Pre-K at the Christian school for several years.  She loved her own four kids and was ecstatic when she became Grandma!

Nursing - Mom didn't have a nursing degree, but with Rod's health issues she became a pro in her own right.  Rod broke his femur two different times in less than 12 months.  Because of his hemophilia the healing process was a little more complicated.  He spent about 6 weeks in the hospital in traction so the bones could start mending.  He then came home in a body cast.  Mom tended to his needs daily.  Mom and Dad both knew how to mix Rod's medicine and give him injections.  Her experiences allowed her to become the youth camp nurse for many years.  She loved going to camp and taking care of all the kids there.

Animals - We nicknamed our home "Fultz's Funny Farm" for a reason!  Mom loved every type of animal and our home was never without at least one dog. I wrote about it in detail in this post, but there is one story I have to share here.  Just as she did with children, Mom nourished and nurtured every animal that came her way. Dad was very patient, but every once in a while he put his foot down. One peaceful Saturday afternoon, we kids were playing at home, Dad was trying to relax, maybe even take a nap on the couch, when Mom came home:

Mom (rushing in the house): Bob, I need a box
Dad: Huh? A box? What for?
Mom: There's a little animal I need to rescue.
Dad: Where?
Mom: Around the corner.
Dad (knowing it is now useless to argue): I'll go with you, let me get my shoes on.
Mom: Well hurry!
Dad (when they get to the animal): It's a mole! We're not taking that thing home!

Friends - Mom had some very close friends in our church family.  Friends that she could talk to for hours!  She loved talking on the phone as much as any teenager.  I know there was laughter, but I also know she shared tears and prayers with these dear friends of hers.

Did she reach a place when she needed to reset?  If so, did she?  For good or evil?
I'm sure there were many times Mom needed to reset, but the most significant happened when she was about 20 years old.  She was raised going to church, but after Kim was born our family moved away from Visalia.  I believed they lived in Selma for a time, then they moved to Fresno.  Some time after their move, Irene Wilkinson asked Mom if they could pick her up for church.  Kenneth and Irene took Mom to church for many years (she didn't get her driver's license until she was 23 or 24.)

By the time I was born, Mom was firmly planted in Truth Tabernacle.  It was her church home for about 38 years.  I can never remember a time when Mom chose to stay home from church if she was not sick.  I know there were times that she was tired, but going to church was not optional.  She loved God and His Word.  I flipped through her Bible and found so many quotes.  I tried to find a couple to use, but there were just too many.  I finally settled on this one, written in large all caps letters:

HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT

That is the key that she found to go through whatever joys or sorrows life brought.  Trials and victories, hurts and hopes, Mom knew that HIS grace was sufficient.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Women of the Word ~ Take Two

I finished reading the Bible this morning.  I wish I knew how many times I've read it cover to cover.  It was a good year for me in that regard - I stayed on track almost the entire year.  I only got behind by a couple of days one time.  I didn't rush, trying to finish in August, but here it is the final day of 2018 and I read the final chapter of Revelation and Nehemiah and Psalm 150.

As the finals days of this year were approaching, I was trying to decide what direction to take for 2019.  I kept going back to 2015 and the amazing year I had studying women of the Bible.  I tried to study one woman a week, but only ended up studying 33.  It was still the most enlightening study I have ever done.  I have gone back and reread many of those posts, many times.  So 2019 will be another year of Women of the Word.  I found a book that names 100 women of the Bible, so I won't run out of material!

I will follow the same format, which I broke into four points:

1. Verses (where her story is found in the Bible)
2. Background – parents, husband, children, siblings
3. What is she most known for? Victories? Defeats? How can I be like her? How can I avoid being like her?
4. Did she reach a place when she needed to reset?  If so, did she?  For good or evil?

I hope you'll join me in this journey.  I'm kicking it off tomorrow with a very special lady.

This is a list of all the women I studied in 2015, click on the name and it will take you directly to the post.  There is also a page with all the names and links, it can be found here.

Eve
Hagar
Sarah
Rebekah
Rachel
Leah
Dinah
Samaritan Woman at the Well
The Woman with the Issue of Blood
Martha
Mary of Bethany
Mary, the Mother of Jesus
Mary Magdalene
Jezebel 
Naomi
Jael
Hannah
Miriam
Lot's Wife
Samson's Mother
Delilah
Vashti
Esther
Michal
Ahinoam
Abigail
Tamar (Daughter of King David)
The Shunammite Woman
Elisabeth
Tamar (Lineage of Christ)
Rahab (Lineage of Christ)
Ruth (Lineage of Christ)
Bathsheba (Lineage of Christ) 

Repost: My Hero

I have been meaning to update this post for some time.  I originally posted it on September 22, 2008.  I used a slide show editor for my pictures that no longer works and I wanted to put these shots in the post.

Rodney coaxes her, she is practically his shadow. These two are really close, in every way."
- From My Baby book

The last few days I've been thinking of how we react to unexpected tragedies or difficulties. Whether it be the Metrolink crash or Hurricane Ike, the same response occurs. After the initial shock, the media starts reporting on how it could have been avoided or who was at fault. We humans have a hard time accepting that bad things happen, even to good people.

Going on a school field trip in a wheelchair

As I was thinking through a post on this subject, I kept thinking of Rod.

Valley Children's Hospital in Fresno some times felt like our second home.

Rodney Dean Fultz was born on March 5, 1963, just 13 months before I came along. Within the first year of his life, it was discovered that Rod was a hemophiliac or a "bleeder" as he was commonly called. In spite of many, many difficulties and hospitalizations, Rod was an overcomer. I think God gave him an extra dose of grit in place of the clotting factor found in most humans!

What a brother he was! He had an incredible wit. You never got the last word with Rod. He had a comeback for anything you threw his way. I know, because this was the source of many fights between the two of us! As we got older, he knew when he was about to push me over the edge and would say something that would just crack me up.

Kindergarten class picture with a black eye!

Hearing him sing was a powerful experience. The second verse of "I'm Just Warming Up" with the words "all my pain and sorrow, up there I will forget", could not have been sung with more power or passion by anyone else.

If anyone had the "right" to question his circumstances or try to find someone to blame, it was Rod. But I can still hear him, not many months before his death, as we spoke about all he had been through in his life. He said, "Kathy, whenever I'm tempted to question or feel sorry for myself, I just read the book of Job. I can't complain."

One of many Easter dramas he performed in.

One definition of shadow is an inseparable companion or follower. Rod's example of facing life's difficulties is one I want to follow. I knew even as a baby, he was someone I wanted to "shadow".

To my friends who knew Rod, I hope you enjoy this photo walk down memory lane as much as I did! And whenever I hear "Jingle Bell Rock" I remember the Christmas when Rod and I entertained the family, he with his "crutch guitar" and me with some fancy moves!!

So much love and laughter in this shot!

God gave him music so he could pray without words.

December on the North Shore

Saturday was our last full day on Oahu for 2018.  (It will be six years next month since Les started at his current job - it's been quite a ride!)  We decided to take advantage of the sunshine.

I headed out early for a run, while Les hopped on his bike.  He met up with the cycling club and pedaled to the North Shore.  After my run, I quickly did laundry (we had to pack up to fly home the next day) then drove to the North Shore.  We arrived at the Hale'iwa Beach Park within minutes of each other. 

By the time Les got cleaned up and out of his cycling gear we were ready for lunch!  We have two favorites when we are on that side of the island - Kahuku shrimp trucks (the best jumbo shrimp anywhere!) or Cholo's Mexican Restaurant (yes, it's really called Cholo's!)  Les rode his bike through Kahuku and due to the large December waves, it was really crowded.  So our choice was made for us - Cholo's it was!

Once our stomachs were happy, we headed just past the Dillingham Air Field for a mega dose of Vitamin D!

There were about eight kite surfers out and we enjoyed watching them.

This guy landed just feet from us.

Wind blown, sand between our toes, sun on our faces - two happy kids!

Friday Foto Dump

We have spent the past two weeks in Hawaii.  It's been a rainy December so far but I have been able to catch a few good shots.  We had our traditional first breakfast at Cinnamon's.

Hawaiian coffee with...

Gingerbread pancakes, eggs and a side of Spam!

Diamond Head as seen from Ala Moana Park while I'm out running never gets old!

I ran the 10 mile Tantalus loop Saturday morning.  It poured the entire time!  I was drenched from head to toe.  Another shot of Diamond Head from Tantalus.

I was rewarded with this rainbow when I got back to the condo!

Last Sunday was the Honolulu Marathon, with fireworks kicking it off

Les rode with the Bike Escort team.

The team provided safety escort to the wheelchair racers.  Les' group stayed with this year's winner, Masazumi Soejima.  This is Les' sixth year to participate and Masazumi has won each of those years.  After a little digging, Les found that Masazumi is a Paralympian athlete from Japan.  He was the men's wheelchair winner of the 2011 New York Marathon and the 2011 Boston Marathon. He has competed in the marathon in both the 2004 and 2008 Summer Paralympics, 10000m in 2004, 5000m and 1500m in 2008 but it was as part of the Japanese 4 × 400 m relay in 2004 that he won his only medal, a bronze.  He finished this year's race in 1:39:12.  He's quite the champion!

I watched the men's winner come across.  This year's winner was Titus Eriku of Kenya with a finishing time of 2:09:01, missing the course record by less than a minute!

This morning's sunrise was just peaking around the buildings when I finished my walk.

We fly home on Sunday.  It won't be a white Christmas, but we will be home!

Speak Face to Face

My Bible reading last week included the third book of John.  3 John 13-14 says, "I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee: But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face."  There is so much wisdom in these few words.  

It is so easy to send a text or email, to tweet or post on social media.  But those words can come back to haunt us.  Whether they are written in seriousness or jest, in anger or sarcasm, they are out there.  Last weekend's Heisman trophy winner spent part of his celebration time apologizing for something he tweeted as a teen.

Writing with pen and ink cannot compare to speaking face to face.  Body language, voice inflection, and so much more is lost on paper or screen.  The "conversation" is one way, with no way to respond, defend or diffuse.

I remember getting an anonymous comment several years ago.  It was rather lengthy and I felt so hurt and attacked.  I didn't know how to interpret all that was written.  I had no context.  Who was this person who seemed to be so angry with me?  I only knew it was a woman because of some of the things she wrote.  Was my blog that offensive to her?  Those are questions I will never have answers to.

I also remember something that happened during choir practice a few years ago.  Someone a few people away from me thought they heard me say something.  They came directly to me after practice, very upset.  I explained what I actually had said and we were able to talk face to face and get it resolved.  I appreciate the courage it took for them to come directly to me.

It's easy to send a text message, but not so easy to clean up the mess that may follow.  It's easy to hide behind a keyboard, but the wise Apostle John knew that speaking face to face was the higher road.

Repost: Crying Over Jingle Bell Rock

I have reposted this before, but Jingle Bell Rock will always hold a special place in my heart...


I believe it was Christmas 1989 when Rod and I first "performed" our version of "Jingle Bell Rock." Our version included a crutch guitar and me as an elf or something. Ryan, Krysten, and Lauren were all 2 1/2 and Christmas was a crazy, delightful time!

Fast forward to Christmas 1994. Just a few months earlier we had said goodbye to Rod, this would be our first Christmas without him. It was a Saturday and I was in one of the many malls in the San Fernando Valley. Hundreds of shoppers rushed in and out of stores. Parents and kids waited for their chance to have a picture taken with Santa.

I wasn't really thinking about Rod until "Jingle Bell Rock" started playing over the mall sound system. An overwhelming feeling of loss immediately came over me and I just started crying! Now if you know me well, you know I don't cry at the drop of a hat. Tears don't always come easy - but they flowed in the mall that day. I quickly left the mall to get away from all the Christmas cheer, shopping was done for that day.

I can look back on that day now and smile. "Jingle Bell Rock" makes me laugh again. But I know there are people who will experience that same feeling this Christmas. The loss of a loved one - grandparent, parent, spouse, sibling, child, or friend - leaves a hole that does not quickly heal.

You can find dozens of articles on dealing with grief during the holidays. A Google search brought up 2,610,000 links (I did this search again in 2018 and the number of posts is over 40 million!) My personal experience has been that the pain comes when I'm not expecting it. In years past, I've prepared myself for specific days, but it's the unexpected - a song, a smell, a change in the weather - that brings my loss to mind.

If you're experiencing a "first Christmas" this year, I pray that you will find memories that warm your heart, a special recipe or decoration to bring a smile, and the comfort of friends and family who hold you dear.

Repost: Bah! Humbug!

Continuing my Christmas reposts, I originally posted this on December 3, 2009. 
 
Have you ever wondered about the origination of the phrase "Bah! Humbug!" ? I knew it was from Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," but the full exchange in the story is quite interesting:

"A merry Christmas, uncle! God save you!'' cried a cheerful voice. It was the voice of Scrooge's nephew, who came upon him so quickly that this was the first intimation he had of his approach.

"Bah!'' said Scrooge, "Humbug!''

He had so heated himself with rapid walking in the fog and frost, this nephew of Scrooge's, that he was all in a glow; his face was ruddy and handsome; his eyes sparkled, and his breath smoked again.

"Christmas a humbug, uncle!'' said Scrooge's nephew. "You don't mean that, I am sure.''

"I do,'' said Scrooge. "Merry Christmas! What right have you to be merry? what reason have you to be merry? You're poor enough.''

"Come, then,'' returned the nephew gaily. "What right have you to be dismal? what reason have you to be morose? You're rich enough.''

Scrooge having no better answer ready on the spur of the moment, said, "Bah!'' again; and followed it up with "Humbug.''

I love the response of Scrooge's nephew! When I Googled "What is the name of Scrooge's nephew?" I found this: "His name is Fred and, although he's a pauper, he's eager to become friends with his uncle (his mother's brother). He's cheerful and happy and hospitable."

Have you had to cut back in your Christmas shopping this year? Are you finding it difficult to get into the Christmas spirit? Take a page from Fred, be cheerful and happy and hospitable in spite of your situation. Give the gift of your time. Be a friend, even that grumpy uncle of yours needs a friend!

Merry Christmas! If you know the Christ of Christmas, you have every right to be merry, you're rich indeed!

Repost: Don't Save It All For Christmas Day

Originally posted December 17, 2009.

A sad thought hit me last night. I can't remember anything special about Christmas 1997. That was Mom's last Christmas. She'd been fighting cancer since 1990 and some years she even seemed to be winning. I remember the sadness of Christmas 1998, but I am sure Mom made Christmas 1997 very special. I just didn't take the time to cherish it at the time.

If you knew this was your last Christmas with a family member, would you treat them differently? Would you be kinder and gentler? Would you be extravagant with your gifts, but more importantly with your love?

Since we rarely know these things, how about making this the year that you DO love extravagantly? Say the things that are in your heart. Write a card to those you won't be with. Actually, don't wait until Christmas - show your love year round!

"Don't Save It All For Christmas Day"

Don't get so busy that you miss
Giving just a little kiss
To the ones you love
Don't even wait a little while
To give them a little smile
A little is enough

How many people are crying
People are dying...
How many people are asking for love


Don't save it all for Christmas Day
Find a way
To give a little love everyday
Don't save it all for Christmas Day
Find a way
Cause holidays have come and gone
But love lives on
If you give on
Love...


How could you wait another minute
A hug is warmer when you're in it
And Baby that's a fact
And saying "I love you's" always better
Seasons, reasons, they don't matter
So don't hold back

How many people in this world
So needful in this world
How many people are praying for love


Don't save it all for Christmas Day
Find a way
To give a little love everyday
Don't save it all for Christmas Day
Find a way
Cause holidays have come and gone
But love lives on
If you give on
Love...


Let all the children know
Everywhere that they go
Their whole life long
Let them know love

Don't save it all for Christmas Day
Find a way
To give a little love everyday
Don't save it all for Christmas Day
Find a way
Cause holidays have come and gone
But love lives on
If you give on
Love...
Love...

The Santa Series

I've posted these pictures of my siblings before, but they are just too funny to not show again.

Christmas 1959, Kim is about 8 months

December 1960


1961, add Rick who is about 11 months


December 1962

1963, Rod joins the mix at about 9 months


I was born in 1964 and there are no more photos with Santa! I'm guessing 3 unhappy kids was the limit for Mom. I'm sure I would have cried ~ that is one scary looking Santa.

Do you have pictures with Santa? Have you, or will you this year, be taking your kids to sit on his lap?