tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85593677497628240372024-02-19T04:49:37.094-06:00jennifer layne's cornerJenniferLaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744123525762682347noreply@blogger.comBlogger187125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8559367749762824037.post-30871636685082753822020-10-18T09:27:00.001-05:002020-10-18T09:27:23.654-05:00Real Live PeopleI learn a lot of things from being married to Mr. Wood, many of them things about myself that need refined...but that’s a subject for a different blog post. One of the things I have learned in the last ten years from him is that there is always a real live person behind a heated situation, a controversy, an issue, or what have you. The nature of Mr. Wood’s job is such that, every single day,JenniferLaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744123525762682347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8559367749762824037.post-87173129992852907982020-08-31T10:55:00.003-05:002020-08-31T10:58:05.634-05:00He Will Hold Me FastIt isn't always me holding on to Jesus. In fact, it's usually him holding on to me. This love he pursues me with is steadfast and sure.Anything in me that is good is because of this love. Certainly, I have lived through seasons of peace and joy, and, man, am I grateful for those. I have also lived through hard seasons, filled with doubt and sadness and all of the things. IJenniferLaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744123525762682347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8559367749762824037.post-90885339310657346372020-08-15T12:15:00.008-05:002020-08-15T12:28:50.265-05:00Dear Twenty-Year-Old Jen,Oh sweet girl, I know you’re having so much fun, falling in love whether you’re admitting it right now or not. I just want you to know that your life becomes a bonafide adventure. Here are some things I wish I could tell you....Be open, be humble, be kind, be confident. There are things you think you know about living...boldly go with them. At the same time, learn from ALL of the people in JenniferLaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744123525762682347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8559367749762824037.post-37778504935184170012020-08-04T12:03:00.002-05:002020-08-04T12:03:19.160-05:00If you just decide to be happy, you can be... The year was 2013, and Ezra was 8 years old. Nothing monumental was happening when he blurted out "if you just decide to be happy, you can be". Wait, stop...can you repeat that, Buddy, so I can write it down? I'm going to need that later.I want to be careful to point out that there are life circumstances and mental health crises and emotional difficulties thatJenniferLaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744123525762682347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8559367749762824037.post-7073159840832953382019-05-22T18:24:00.001-05:002019-05-22T18:24:41.099-05:00On disappointment....
I do not enjoy being disappointed...by people, by situations, by decisions that affect me. Does anyone? Even more than that, though, the thing I absolutely want none of is watching my boys deal with disappointment.
Oh sure, I know all of the right answers...the ones we say to them when they are disappointed...that this will build their character, that there is something better out there JenniferLaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744123525762682347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8559367749762824037.post-26495251044702224562019-01-18T11:15:00.002-06:002019-01-18T11:25:03.426-06:00Old Friends...
Music makes me think, it paints a picture in my head that sticks around for awhile. Sometimes this sticking inspires me to change my behavior or thinking; other times it makes me remember earlier times with vivid clarity.
This song makes me remember, and the remembering causes me to be grateful. The friends I have made in the last 30 years have brought joy and growth to my life inJenniferLaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744123525762682347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8559367749762824037.post-68854290821630310132018-12-30T09:59:00.000-06:002018-12-30T10:01:37.080-06:00Keep doing the thing...Have you ever grown tired of doing the thing you perceive to be the right thing? I sure have. Over my forty four years, I can recall moments and even seasons of wondering why I don’t just throw it all to hell and do whatever I want because it would seem to get more positive results in this life.
And yet, something binds my wandering heart to what I have come to believe is the best way to live.JenniferLaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744123525762682347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8559367749762824037.post-70750605922489740852018-05-13T00:28:00.000-05:002018-05-13T06:10:44.563-05:00On Momming...
The house is dark and quiet, as everyone is in bed except me...well, and Dexter, our dog. With Mother’s Day arriving at the stroke of midnight, the profile pictures on Facebook are all migrating to mom pictures and it’s churning up my thoughts on being a mom.
I had no idea how to be a mom. I remember making a little journal to keep track of Isaac’s feedings, pees, and poops, and IJenniferLaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744123525762682347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8559367749762824037.post-18937458792977039252018-02-01T07:59:00.003-06:002018-10-02T20:18:40.212-05:00The Weight...
Perhaps you thought you were clicking on a weight loss themed blog post or maybe an update in my journey to #justshowup. My apologies if you feel misled. Rather, this blog post, having brewed and percolated in my mind and heart for months, is a partial chronicle...for you wouldn't want to know the full chronicle...of our family's journey through the world of sports.
More than onceJenniferLaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744123525762682347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8559367749762824037.post-25580232147339992652017-10-02T15:22:00.002-05:002017-10-02T15:25:53.622-05:00Things that are Important
At our house, we put important things on the insides of cabinets with washi tape...do you do that? On this particular cabinet, you will find Mr. Wood's recipe for Long Island Iced Tea (very important) and this recipe for Hot Cocoa Mix (also very important) that we start making in October and keep making all fall and winter. We keep it in a canister with a scoop and folks can make JenniferLaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744123525762682347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8559367749762824037.post-26214895021755273572017-08-27T15:48:00.001-05:002017-08-27T15:48:32.661-05:00CheerleadingI'm not speaking about the skirt wearing, cheer yelling, ponytail sporting (it makes me smile to think of how the style of the ponytail changes from era to era) girls whom I love, although I would be happy to write a cheery little blog about them. I'm speaking of being a cheerleader for the folks in our lives.
I want to cheerlead, every time and every place. I want people to know JenniferLaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744123525762682347noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8559367749762824037.post-51015775701609633362017-04-06T08:54:00.000-05:002017-04-06T13:10:48.418-05:00On Letting Go...
The big boy leaves for Europe tomorrow...without us. It's a strange feeling, this letting go. I remember the first time I felt it. He was 3 years old, and Bill's Bus came to our Plum Street house to pick him up for preschool. I wrote in his baby book (yeah..he's the only one of our kids who has one of these) that day that I was worried he would get drunk and high and JenniferLaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744123525762682347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8559367749762824037.post-4838704291599466792016-11-03T12:30:00.000-05:002016-11-03T12:30:22.659-05:00On Education, Getting Off Track and the Next Right Thing...We've had one of those "headline" weeks here in our neck of the woods...you know, the weeks where I'm checking the news sites every half hour to see what has developed and Mr. Wood has no idea what is happening until I fill him in at dinner. Those weeks are kind of thrilling for me, in a sense, which makes me wonder what kind of person I am...that someone else's heartache becomes excitementJenniferLaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744123525762682347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8559367749762824037.post-36361518863703263552016-02-26T09:48:00.000-06:002016-02-26T11:29:04.934-06:00love, kindness, grace......three things sorely lacking in so many facebook posts or discussions regarding political leaders or aspiring political leaders.
For those of us who claim to know Jesus as our Savior and Lord, these things must be present in our posts and discussions. Who would want to be part of a family of believers who speak so cruelly and hatefully about people simply because they disagree with them?JenniferLaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744123525762682347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8559367749762824037.post-36298383540701736122016-02-10T23:30:00.001-06:002016-02-10T23:30:14.906-06:00Some stuff I like...The Wood family is saving for a common goal. All five of us are making sacrifices. I think it's ironic that I can always find things I would love to have when I am in a season of not spending, but when I have a wad of birthday money in my purse, I can't really find anything I'd like to buy. So, I'm creating this blog of "some stuff I like" so that, the next time I have a wad of JenniferLaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744123525762682347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8559367749762824037.post-71852891033680349892016-01-28T10:13:00.002-06:002016-01-28T10:13:17.631-06:00...on being a MamaI always knew I would be a Mama someday. I had a million baby dolls, and I cared for them like it was my job. My cabbage patch kid was better cared for than our own flesh and blood babies, I think. Even so, when the pregnancy test turned out positive in our little bathroom on Miami Street in Park Forest, I cried. I'm slightly embarrassed to admit they were not tears of joyJenniferLaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744123525762682347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8559367749762824037.post-33288850499444991592015-12-24T12:04:00.000-06:002015-12-24T12:04:07.803-06:00The baby comes no matter what I do...As we were leaving for the hospital in January 2001, I remember telling Tim with genuine fear, "But I don't know HOW to have a baby". His reply was, "Jenn, people who aren't as smart as you have babies all the time. You'll be fine". I giggled, and we got in the car and left.
Lo and behold, that baby came out, and it really had nothing to do with my skill or knowledge or JenniferLaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744123525762682347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8559367749762824037.post-89075295527480194132015-12-11T17:28:00.001-06:002015-12-11T17:28:32.019-06:00For the Love...“It is no wonder humanity has long preferred legalism, which involves much cleaner territory. Give me a rule any day. Give me a clear “in” and “out” because boundaries make me feel safe. If I can clearly mark the borders, then I am assured of my insider status—the position I feel compelled to defend, the one thing I can be sure of. I want to stand before God having gotten it right.”
― Jen JenniferLaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744123525762682347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8559367749762824037.post-22717151228793412902015-11-22T12:56:00.001-06:002015-11-22T12:59:12.332-06:00Advent...Gettin' Ready for JesusA couple of days ago, the cousins and Auntie and Uncle Dave came to visit overnight. We don't do a thorough house cleaning or anything..we love 'em too much to try to impress 'em...but there ARE some things we do to get ready for their arrival. We make sure the nerf darts are stocked. We make sure we have just the right beverages and snacks. We have board games and card JenniferLaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744123525762682347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8559367749762824037.post-818398267842700522015-10-27T16:02:00.000-05:002015-10-27T16:02:29.193-05:00Love Does StuffSometimes, Mr. Wood says really smart things. I like that. He's hot when he's smart. We go on a lunch date every Tuesday. It might be the only time all week that we actually say full sentences to each other without interruption. I look forward to Tuesdays because of our lunch date (well, and because my class has Art at 2:00 until the end of the day...bless you, Mr. JenniferLaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744123525762682347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8559367749762824037.post-8857580498592429612015-08-26T21:00:00.001-05:002016-08-26T11:14:32.449-05:00When all of the things make sense...There are moments when life just REALLY makes sense, moments of clarity when I am not looking as though through a fog, but instead, seeing with clear eyes. Tim and I have referred to those moments for years as Psalm 73 moments...having entered the sanctuary, things finally make sense...circumstances and people don't change, but my view of everything shifts in an incredible way.
I'm JenniferLaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744123525762682347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8559367749762824037.post-36122111155775336702015-06-03T16:14:00.000-05:002015-06-03T16:22:57.587-05:00Being
This is the first day of summer break that I haven't had at least one place to be at some point during the day. Tim and the boys have come and gone and will do so again this evening, but I am still at home in my 1988 Space Camp t-shirt and leggings, my hair pulled up and pinned out of my eyes with a bobby pin.
Oh, I've put some clothes away (trying to chip away at the Mt. Everest that JenniferLaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744123525762682347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8559367749762824037.post-28685156600314157712015-04-28T22:00:00.000-05:002015-04-28T22:00:17.333-05:00Alas, it is not all rainbows and unicorns...You know we like to keep it real over here at the Woodshed. I posted some cutesie pictures today of Simon, 7th year. He is a doozie, always making us laugh and shake our heads. We celebrated him tonight and this morning and last night and we will again this week-end. However, the celebration couldn't hide the scringy parts of the night...when boys were ugly to each other JenniferLaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744123525762682347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8559367749762824037.post-34611980658369125802015-03-10T21:01:00.002-05:002015-03-10T21:01:37.461-05:00And then this happens...There are those days (weeks? months?) when I forget what it's all about, when I start to drown in the clutter, when I can't breathe from the weight of being and doing and remembering and going. And then this happens, on a Tuesday night in the dining room, and I suddenly remember. The shift is effortless...I am suddenly very aware that this is the why of it all...that pointing the way JenniferLaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744123525762682347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8559367749762824037.post-14719912420079053342015-02-15T11:50:00.002-06:002015-02-15T11:59:16.631-06:00This is love...The real love--the difficult, daily grind love--comes after the Valentiney stuff is over. This is real love for me today. I sent these random statements/questions to Tim this morning. He talks me down from the ledges. He brings stability when I have none. This is the love, people...
**Below is a real email conversation between Mr. Wood and me. Blue words are JenniferLaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744123525762682347noreply@blogger.com0