April in January

Hello September!

2010-09-09T04:14:00.000-07:00

Can you believe that fall is almost here? The nights are getting cooler and leaves are on the cusp of change - autumn here we come!

I am currently studying Bible Hermeneutics (the art and science of interpreting the Bible). It is fascinating stuff. We just finished lessons on the history of the Bible. Did you know how many people gave their lives so that we could have access to a Bible that we could easily read? It really makes me appreciate that my Bible is not simply another book - it is my lifeline. I think that I will detail that information here later, it is definitely worth sharing.

Our Mini-Vacation

2010-08-29T17:41:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago, my family went on a trip with some friends from church. Our first destination was the Living Word Outdoor Drama in Cambridge, Ohio. The picture below is the set used to tell the story of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount to His crucifixion and resurrection. The entire experience was superb! All of the actors, with the exception of the man portraying Jesus, were volunteers, and the acting was exceptional.

After a night spent at a Holiday Inn Express (just a quick plug for these hotels, I've stayed in three separate hotels in this chain - all of them were high quality!), we set out for Petersburg, Kentucky home of the Creation Museum. The museum and the surrounding grounds contain, of course, the museum, a planetarium, a petting zoo and botanical garden.
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Before we toured the inside of the museum, we walked through the beautiful gardens, across tricky rope bridges all the way to the petting zoo. The animals were super friendly, and tolerated my many attempts at close-up photography.

Once we went inside, our first order of business was to go directly to the 4D theater to watch the film "Men in White". The movie was entertaining, but the real fun was the movement of the seats and the splashes of water that accompanied it. As we started through the many exhibits, this sign caught my eye:

Absolutely amazing to see this posted prominently in a museum!

My daughter posing with the animals in the Garden of Eden

My son enjoying the dinosaurs

I've entitled this photo,"Mr. Clean in the Grand Canyon"

The entire experience was great, but the high point was the planetarium. The star gazer theater show was spectacular. I completely lost myself in the show. Emerging from the theater, I was completely blown away by just how big our God is!

In other news, I have completed my first college course and tomorrow, I begin the second - Bible Hermeneutics I!

Sorry

2010-08-23T04:08:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the unannounced blog break. I had the best of intentions, yet time just kept slipping away this week. The last bit of summer vacation is upon us and my family has been squeezing it for every bit of summer fun we can.

A week ago, we visited the Creation Museum in Kentucky and The Living Word drama in Ohio. I'll be posting pictures from those locations soon!

My first college class is nearly finished, just need to finish the final project. Next class starts on 8/30. Loving these classes, but scheduling homework is a challenge.

School clothes shopping is 50% finished! Still can't believe it is that time of year already. Where did the summer go?

Bye for now!

Alice

2010-08-07T18:11:00.000-07:00

Today, we said goodbye to a dear friend. Alice's 95th birthday was Tuesday, and in the very early morning of that day, nearly the hour of her birth, God took her home to be with Him for eternity. It was her deepest wish to be with her Lord, and to go on her birthday must have brought her great joy.

Alice was a diminutive, white haired woman with a huge smile and sparkling eyes. She may have appeared small and a bit frail, but spiritually she was a giant. Whoever coined the term "prayer warrior" must have known her, because the name fit her perfectly. If the church doors were open, she was there. She lived and loved to serve. Her funeral service today was bittersweet. All of us who loved her will miss her, but anyone who spent more than 30 seconds with her knew where her hope and treasure were, and we rejoiced for her because of it.

Many happy memories were shared today of a woman who completed her race in such a way that she set an example for her many friends.

Happy Birthday, Alice!

Food that Flopped - and how we laughed about it later

2010-08-02T04:20:00.000-07:00

I have not always been a good cook. I flinch writing that just now, but it is unfortunately true. I've always liked to cook, I just wasn't as skilled as I should have been starting out.

There were many kitchen mishaps in the beginning. Strawberry jam that somehow missed the jell stage and went straight for a crystallized mass melded with the bottom of the pan. Endless meals involving hot dogs (cringe) and packaged macaroni and cheese (blech). But I would have to say that Thanksgiving 1996 was my not so finest moment.

My ambition has never overshot my ability as much as it did that day.

It was my first turkey. The instructions seemed easy enough. Never mind the fact that I had never even cooked a whole chicken let alone it's much larger counterpart - details were unimportant. I followed all of the instructions, save those that admonished that the turkey should be well thawed. The bird had been in the refrigerator for 2 whole days, and being a Thanksgiving novice, I though that would be enough.

At the appointed time, I pulled the pasty poultry from the oven, a bit perplexed that it did not have the same healthy glow as the turkeys did in the advertisements. All the same, I shrugged and put the platter on the table. To this day, I'm surprised the bird didn't hop right off the table and make a run for it when my husband valiantly tried to carve it.

There have been many other Thanksgiving turkeys since that fateful day in November. But that is the one that everyone remembers.

Stories from Atlanta

2010-07-29T04:04:00.000-07:00

Finally got all of my school work caught up from last week! That was a challenge!
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So much happened in Atlanta last week, it was an amazing experience. As I shared before, Monday was spent in the city, working with the homeless. Coming from a rural area, homelessness like we saw in Atlanta is completely outside of our realm of experience. I was so impressed with the members of our youth group, who gladly chatted with the men and shared the Good News with them.

Two of our days were spent at an apartment complex outside of the city. Nestled in a suburban area, back a little road, and you were deposited into an entirely different world. You see, this complex is entirely populated by refugees from 19 different countries - the most war torn areas of the world. The children mobbed us! Some of the kids did not speak English, but all of them knew the language of play. Our job was to spend time playing with the children and getting to know them. What a joy that was! It was completely impossible to tire those kids out, and a few of them actually climbed on the bus with us. When we lovingly removed them from the bus, they stood on the back bumper determined that they were not going to lose us. It was heart wrenching leaving that place as the kids ran alongside us, waving and asking us to come back. I'll not easily forget the time we spent there.

The apartments and their occupants are served by a wonderful man of God, Mr. Bennett. Mr. Bennett is a missionary from Nigeria. His deepest desire is to see souls won for Christ. Talking to him was absolutely amazing! He had such insight into the plight of these refugees and had such love for these kids and their parents.

More to follow tomorrow.

Mission Atlanta 2010

2010-07-26T05:02:00.000-07:00

Well, we made it home to Pennsylvania yesterday! I had no Internet access (other than the few hours I camped out at Starbucks), so I have lots of stories from Atlanta ready to go for this week. I'll post them throughout the week. God blessed our youth group abundantly! The whole week was amazing.

To start off the week, I thought I would post a quick slideshow with some of the pictures from our mission trip.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Now for a story from Monday:

We navigated the treacherous seven lane highway into Atlanta and reached SafeHouse, a kind of drop in center for the homeless. There, we prepared and served a free pancake and coffee brunch and spent time getting to know our guests. The men that came for the meal were very friendly and loved getting to visit with the teens. After the meal and clean up were complete, we walked to a park in the city to eat our lunch. The kids and leaders were eager to share their lunches with the homeless in the park, but were dismayed to find that there was a fine for doing so. As we talked with the people we met, we shared our hope in Jesus Christ with them. It was so exciting to see some of our kids share their faith for the very first time!

A Smorgasbord of Thoughts

2010-07-17T18:16:00.000-07:00

Greetings from South Carolina!
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Smorgasbord of thoughts sounds much better than "A Jumble of Things Rattling Around in My Head", doesn't it?
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Today started early and involved a lot of traveling. Around 10 hours on the road and two or so distributed between meals and pit stops.
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Since I have the apparently rare ability to read in a moving vehicle, I put my travel time to good use. I started and finished the book "To Save A Life", which was adapted from the movie soon to be released on DVD. I cannot say enough good things about this book. It's absolutely excellent and here is a trailer for the movie:

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I also am halfway through The Life You Always Wanted by John Ortberg and I am loving it. If only I had not misread the syllabus and started the incorrect book. Unfortunately, Mr. Ortberg's fine book will be laid aside while I catch up on this week's book, Ordering Your Private Life. Rats. Reading instructions was never my strong suit. Oh well, we still have at least two hours driving time tomorrow.

Excitement is abounding for this week! I just cannot wait to see what God has in store for our gang! We have an awesome God, so I'm expecting an awesome week!

Please keep us in your prayers as we prepare to share the Word!

Countdown

2010-07-13T04:14:00.000-07:00

This week is going to fly by. I just know it.
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In four days, my girl and I will be leaving for Atlanta, Georgia where we will be serving on a mission trip with our youth group. This week will be full of packing and planning and tying up loose ends.

Also, in six days I officially begin online classes at Lancaster Bible College! My books are all received, I am ready to go!

Busy, Busy, Busy!

Have a blessed day, everyone!

As the deer. . .

2010-07-08T18:40:00.000-07:00

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.

Psalm 42:1 NIV

This verse was on my mind as we waded along the creek bed this weekend. It's been hot. Really, really hot. And dry. The creek we enjoyed has been known to spectacularly flood during especially rainy times, but for now, it is very shallow - barely ankle deep in spots. During drier spells, when water sources on higher ground become undependable, creatures draw near to life giving water ways that do not easily give out. Deer are especially beautiful, and are often seen in the evenings as they venture into fields to graze and to streams to drink. Their red brown coats gleam in the setting summer sun as they gracefully weave in and out of the tree line.

A deer does not need a weather report to tell it that the weather is miserably hot. It probably doesn't read the newspaper either, so it didn't see the headlines bemoaning the low level of our water ways. It knows simply that it needs hydration to live and where to go to find nourishment. Psalm 42:1 describes our very souls panting for God as a deer pants for water. Our souls need God, in fact they were created to be connected to Him. When we neglect to spend time with our Creator, our souls cry out for Him. I'm so thankful that, like the deer, we can go to the Lord and He will meet our needs and give us life!

Free Smiles!

2010-07-06T18:29:00.000-07:00

Anyone else like to smile?
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Here are some suggestions sure to make you grin:

Go for a creek walk (make sure you pronounce it correctly - crick walk). Scream like a little girl when a lobster size* crayfish bumps your toe. Giggle like an idiot when you reach the bank and notice your audience laughing their heads off.
Watch your husband do the same (minus the screaming) when he sees a water snake.
Dance with a baby. Make sure you spin and dip!
Hang a toddler upside down and tickle his belly. If those chuckles don't make you smile - check your pulse!
Watch a crowd of children squeal when the fireworks put on a show.
Paint a room your favorite color (GREEN!)
Beat the heat by cuddling in the air conditioning with a sweet pup.

Needless to say, it was a very happy weekend!

*This may be a slight exaggeration.

It's A Bird, It's A Plane . . .

2010-06-29T18:31:00.000-07:00

For the past month or two, eye-catching signs have been popping up all over the place advertising a brand new business.

Zip Lines.

Located out of town, near our huge lake, brand new zip lines have been installed and my kids could not wait to try them out. They had to wait a few weeks, but after church we followed the signs and there it was - just what my daredevil children had been anticipating.

The pictures aren't perfect, but they were moving FAST! On the last ride, my girl decided to hang upside down. My heart didn't start beating again until her feet were on solid ground.

My son decided that riding the line in an upright fashion was much more to his liking.

Zip lines were definitely a hit with these two and they are already planning more trips this summer. Mom and Dad were content with zip lining as a spectator sport.

Lazy Hazy Days of Summer

2010-06-26T19:19:00.001-07:00

Family hike tonight! Getting rid of cable was the best decision we ever made :)

I Fought the Shot and the Shot Won

2010-06-24T18:20:00.000-07:00

I've been a bit remiss in posting this week. I was out of commission, taken down by a tetanus shot. Not one of my finer moments. My grandma would have called me a prim rose. Being a prim rose is not a good thing in these parts. My tale of woe started on Monday afternoon while on a visit to my doctor (who is quite possibly the coolest doctor on the planet). Due to my upcoming mission trip (less than a month away), it was necessary for me to get my immunizations updated. That meant a combination tetanus/pertussis vaccine. Didn't hurt much at all - until the next morning that is. Throbbing arm and a low grade fever caused much grumbling and whining at my house. I have it on good authority that I might be a wimp. I'm not proud of it, but those are the facts.

Fascinating, thus far, isn't it?

After a day of feeling much better and with a exponentially better attitude, we resumed our evening walks. Tonight we hiked a trail through the woods, sadly littered with broken beer bottles. Suddenly, that tetanus shot didn't seem like such a bad idea. There were several trees down across the path, requiring us to climb over or under nature's obstacle course. As an aside, my husband would have you believe that I intentionally maimed him by pushing a dead tree onto his leg. That was NOT my intention. I did yell move - he just didn't react quickly enough. Poor man sustained three scratches down the back of his calf. I thought we were going to have to amputate. Just kidding, hon. You know I love you!

The trail opened up at the peak of the town graveyard, so we headed home on the meandering path back down the cemetery hill. As we looked at the old gravestones, the number of young people in the older section was sad. I wondered how many of them died of illnesses completely preventable today. Again, the tetanus shot was looking better and better. How fortunate we are!

So, I will end with the word that has been on my mind all evening - Thankful.

I will bow down toward your holy temple
and will praise your name
for your love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word.

Psalm 138:2 NIV

Reflecting on a Wonderful Weekend

2010-06-21T03:58:00.000-07:00

Our weekend officially started with a walk to the Farmer's Market on Thursday, enjoying fresh strawberries and blueberries on the return walk. Whoopie pies, too!

Then came our annual family trip to the rodeo. We love the rodeo, we really do. It's a great family outing, and this particular one is also a fundraiser for a small Catholic school in a nearby town. So, it's a win-win situation.

I tried to get pictures of the bronco and bull riding, but everything just happened so fast once they were out of the shoot.
I am sorry I didn't catch this cowboy's name. The back of his vest read, "Rodeo With Jesus" and his chaps were emblazoned with crosses. I was impressed with his bold faith - he knelt in prayer behind the bull pen before climbing into the pen with his bull. He was thrown rather quickly, got up and dashed out of the bull's path, and knelt again in the corner of the arena before standing and accepting his applause.

We spent a lazy Saturday hiding out from the worst of the heat watching movies together in the AC, but emerged and took an evening walk together before the storms set in. Father's Day was a great day spent with family as well. I live for weekends like this!

Long live lazy summer weekends!

An Evening Ramble

2010-06-17T18:29:00.000-07:00

My hubby and I have been enjoying our evening walks immensely. For the past week, we have been choosing increasingly challenging treks. Tonight, was the best of all.

First, lets take a look at this beauty blooming on the front porch!

We hiked all the way up to the highest point in town. It was steep. It was the hardest walk thus far, but oh, my. It was so, so worth it!

Remember this post? I loved taking in this view of the mountains and valleys stretching off into the distance.

And finally, a picture of me, triumphantly enjoying the splendor of God's creation!

The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills. To the Chief Musician. With my stringed instruments.

Habakkuk 3:19

Favorite Quotes

2010-06-15T04:05:00.000-07:00

Miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see.
C. S. Lewis

One can give without loving, but cannot love without giving.
Amy Carmichael

When I get to heaven, the first face that shall ever gladden my sight will be that of my Savior.
Fanny Crosby

We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won't need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don't fire cannons to call attention to their shining- they just shine.
D. L. Moody

Whirlwind Week

2010-06-11T04:19:00.000-07:00

What a week this has been!
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Just as my children celebrated their last day of school, my daughter's last day of middle school *sniffle*, I received my book list for my first college course at Lancaster Bible College. In a little over a month, I will officially begin classes. So, while my kids kick back and relax, mom will be hitting the books.

I'm sorry I didn't keep up with blogging about this week by week, but this was our final week of the Becoming More Than A Good Bible Study Girl by Lysa TerKeurst. Those six weeks flew by! I highly recommend this study, each lesson was better than the last and the messages were challenging, faith strengthening and went straight to the heart. I hope that she writes many, many more Bible studies. We used the DVD that went with the book as well, and each lesson was like visiting with a dear friend.

On the home front, we are shifting from school schedules to summer schedules and the more relaxed pace is like manna from Heaven. Evenings spent walking through our neighborhood or reading on the front porch while enjoying a breeze, are divine. The garden is planted (on a much more modest scale than last year) and the plum trees are laden with fruit.

Summer here we come!

Honeymoon Memories

2010-06-07T04:06:00.000-07:00

Sixteen years ago next month, my brand new husband and I set off on our honeymoon with a beat up Oldsmobile and limited funds. Our destination was Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, where we would be staying at a beautiful lodge in the woods. In what would be a preview into future family trips, we ran into massive road construction, the car overheated, we got lost and we laughed like maniacs at the entire fiasco! Upon entering the park, we paid for our entrance fee and made our way on Skyline Drive to the lodge. Our accommodations were gorgeous, and well worth the trials it took to get there.

We spent hours driving around enjoying the wildlife, hiking to see various waterfalls and rock formations and visiting historical spots around the park. The two of us had so much fun simply being together!

The honeymoon memories we keep coming back to, however, is the food. You see, when we paid our entrance fee, we naively paid for a one-way ticket, not a one week pass, which would have allowed us to come and go from the park as we pleased. We were stuck. The lodge had a restaurant, but after the first morning, the stark realization that our coffers would not hold out long against $15.00 blueberry pancakes, caused a bit of consternation. There were precious few other options. Fortunately, we found a small campground store and stocked up on snack foods to make the money stretch - and we laughed like maniacs about $15.00 blueberry pancakes.

Such very good memories of our first trip together. And just like all of the trips that have followed, none have been perfect, but all have been memorable!

Sometimes, God Speaks Greyhound

2010-06-02T18:06:00.000-07:00

I want to be very honest here - I am NOT a big fan of change. I like to be in control. Experiencing a panic attack was terrifying - I was definitely not in control. It required change, again not a fan. My response to this happening was completely mature and rational. I pouted. And pouted. And pouted. Also, I whined. And cried. I didn't want this. I didn't understand where God was in this. I prayed (but mostly I just whined at God and called it praying).

One night recently, I was laying on our couch, trying to nap, but mostly just complaining to God, that I just didn't feel very close to Him. It was quite the pity party. No sooner did I pray that, I felt one of the dogs climbing up beside me. I braced myself for Runner's boneless 70 pounds of deadweight to flop down on top of me. When that didn't come, I looked over to see Midnite, ever so gently curling up beside my legs. Just to explain, Midnite does not cuddle. She is affectionate, but she wants at least half the couch or nothing, and you must not touch her or she huffs in exasperation and gets up. But, right there for the first time ever, Midnite voluntarily snuggled down with me.

Four years ago, we decided to adopt a greyhound. We had visited with some of the already adopted dogs and promptly submitted an application. Shortly thereafter, we were matched with a small female recently retired from racing in Florida. The kids were so excited to go pick up our dog. We went through the fenced in yard and were greeted eagerly by three other dogs, while Midnite slunk in the background. Despite our best efforts, she hid behind the other dogs and spurned our attempts at getting acquainted. There were reservations because of her spookiness and a household with kids, but we decided to go ahead with a two week trial period. During that test run, we discovered to Midnite was terrified of everything and everyone. We walked her with a harness and a collar lest she panic and slip out of one or the other. When she wasn't scared out of her mind, she was depressed, lying in a far corner, curled up in a tiny ball, pretending we didn't exist. She almost didn't stay. Somewhere along the line, she decided that she trusted us. Midnite became the sweetest, quirkiest, smartest dog we could have ever imagined. I had forgotten the skinny, shy, scaredy hound we brought home.

When Midnite curled up with me as I was grousing at God for seeming far away, I was reminded that not long ago, the pup curled up at my feet was a lot like me. The only difference was, she trusted us. Did I trust Him?

Yes.

Getting Warmer

2010-05-31T18:23:00.000-07:00

Eight years ago, when we first moved into our house, I bought two, cheap plastic pots at a "dollar" store for four dollars each. They were the typical terracotta color. This year, I considered buying some new planters, but instead opted to give the spraypaint made for plastic a try. Pretty nifty, huh? Like brand new!

Red pots are pretty, but they needed filling, so off to the greenhouse we went! Gerbera daisies are my favorites, so my containers are very simple - gerbera daisies and sweet potato vine (gotta get that splash of lime green in there somewhere!) They look a little pathetic now, but they'll fill out in no time. A white daisy ready for it's close up.
Not the best picture, but isn't this color outstanding?!
As long as we had the hose out, it seemed a good time for two pups to get a bath. Neither were impressed, but a good shampoo and brushing had to feel good. Midnite thought getting us wet was the best part of the whole thing. Shaky dog shower!
The calendar may not agree, but I think summer is officially here!

Keep Moving Forward!

2010-05-28T07:20:00.000-07:00

Since the theme seems very appropriate for this week, I thought I'd share this video of my daughter's indoor percussion team's 2010 show. Enjoy!

Did Anyone Get That License Plate Number?

2010-05-26T04:08:00.000-07:00

Can I just say that right now, I am not happy.

I'm in a bit of a snit actually.

I feel like I've been broadsided by a big ole truck that I didn't see coming and I'm struggling to peel myself off of the pavement. For some reason, my world became a very scary place overnight. I went from being in the driver's seat to clinging for dear life to the back bumper. I know that soon, I will gradually crawl back up over the car and regain control of the wheel (preferably Chuck Norris style).

Everything around me carries on as normal. I'm doing my best and praying that God will take care of the rest. I'm so thankful that even when I cry out to Him and don't have the right words to say, He already knows what is going on and He is right here beside me.

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Matthew 10:29-31 NIV

Score - Life 157 Me 0

2010-05-23T15:11:00.000-07:00

So, this week didn't go so well.
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At all, really.
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Felt ill, went to doctor, got some medicine, slept a lot, felt ill, went to emergency room, got lots of tests, got new medicine and now I feel a bit better. It's going to be something I'll be dealing with for awhile and its no fun, so prayers would be much appreciated. Who knew panic attacks have very little to do with actually being nervous about anything? It's like someone flipped the override switch on the adrenaline factory which is scary and exhausting - like a being roller coaster that you can't get off.

In the middle of all of the drama and pharmaceuticals, I got to go see Chonda Pierce!!!! At long last!!! I've been waiting since February! She is so much fun and very, very real about her struggles with depression and an extremely difficult childhood. As my mom said, "She makes you laugh and cry all at once." We had a group of about 30 women attending the concert, which made it even more fun. It was an excellent girl's night out and much needed.

Hope everyone had a better weekend than I did! God is bigger than anything any of us are facing and I know He's got this under control!

A Very Disjointed Post

2010-05-18T18:27:00.000-07:00

May I introduce you to a new dear friend? I am a big fan of the color lime green (I like green in any shade, but lime is my favorite). I also like painting my nails (too cheap for a full on manicure). Imagine my delight at finding my favorite nail polish available in my favorite color! I don't even care how strange lime green fingernails look, they make me smile. The color is called Grass Slipper and the brand is Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure. I also have a bottle of Fairy Teal, which is, of course, teal. Simple pleasures.

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Also, because I stubbornly persist in the hope that summer is coming, despite weather that causes me to doubt it, I went shoe shopping for some summer sandals. And I dragged my poor husband along. Poor guy. I really could have used a girlfriend for footwear consultation. Men are just not equipped for the vast array of styles and colors in the women's section of a shoe store. Our conversation went something like this:

Me: Do you think I should get something flat or something with a heel?

Him: Whatever you want. I don't know.

Me: How about these?

Him: They look the same as the other three pairs you tried on.

Me: (exasperated) No. That pair is black. That pair is tan. This pair is brown. They do not in any way, shape or form look alike.

Him: Which pair is the cheapest?

Me: (rolling eyes,then distracted by another pair of shoes)Ooooooh. This pair is lime green!!

Him: (rolling eyes) The brown ones. I like the brown ones. You should definitely buy the brown ones.

Me: Done. I'll get the brown ones.

Riveting stuff, I know. It has been a crazy five or six weeks. Good, but crazy. Crazy, but good. So many big projects tackled over the past month, I kind of just feel like staring at a wall for awhile, or just laughing with friends.

Speaking of laughing with friends - guess what this weekend is?

Chonda Pierce, of course! No snow is going to interfere this time (even though it feels almost that cold!)

A Piece of Cake

2010-05-15T18:38:00.000-07:00

I can't say it was honestly a piece of cake, but here is the the fruit of my labors for the week:
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Back in November, I was asked if I would possibly consider doing a wedding cake. I do not do wedding cakes. I have a deep and abiding admiration for those who do, but other than a few birthday cakes I'm not a great cake decorator. This posed a challenge, and I hesitated, but agreed to make the cake.
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Several weeks of planning, several days of baking and several hours of decorating have now passed. The cake has been assembled and dismembered today. I'm pleased with the results, and learned some useful lessons along the way, but do not think I will be going into the cake making business anytime soon!
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Have a great weekend!

Bible Study - Week 2

2010-05-13T05:26:00.000-07:00

As I posted last week, we are currently studying Becoming More Than A Good Bible Study Girl by Lysa TerKeurst. Yes, that was a lot of links for one sentence.

Just like last week, we had a terrific time getting into the Word together. The second session of Becoming More discussed methods for delving deeper into scripture. We also explored the story of King David's anointing in 1 Samuel 16:1-13.

The LORD said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king." But Samuel said, "How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me." The LORD said, "Take a heifer with you and say, 'I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.' Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate." Samuel did what the LORD said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, "Do you come in peace?" Samuel replied, "Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me." Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, "Surely the LORD's anointed stands here before the LORD." But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, "The LORD has not chosen this one either." Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, "Nor has the LORD chosen this one." Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, "The LORD has not chosen these." So he asked Jesse, "Are these all the sons you have?" "There is still the youngest," Jesse answered, "but he is tending the sheep." Samuel said, "Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives." So he sent and had him brought in. He was ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the LORD said, "Rise and anoint him; he is the one." So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came upon David in power. Samuel then went to Ramah.

1 Samuel 16:13 NIV

One thing that the book pointed out, that I found absolutely fascinating, was this. Why, if Jesse had been told the next king was going to be one of his sons, did Jesse exclude David from the line up? Was David normally overlooked in his family? Did Jesse just assume that Samuel would pick one of his elder sons? It was quite an interesting discussion. Another point of interest was the fact that after David was anointed as king, he went right back out to his sheep. Not to a palace. Not to a school. Not to a battlefield. Back to being little David, the shepherd boy. Life as usual. Mundane. How would that feel? To our limited human eyes, it seems to make no sense. What kind of preparation is shepherding for ruling a country? The perfect kind of preparation as it would turn out. Just through the everyday task of protecting his sheep, David received all the training he would need to become a Godly ruler.

We can learn so much from King David. He was called - and then he had to wait. As King, he sought after God, but still messed up. Sometimes he messed up BIG! Still, God called David a man after His own heart. What an amazing God we serve!

Edited to add -

I wanted to share a blog that I read often. This family lives in the same town as my family. Last year, they set out on a long journey to adopt 13 year old Chloe. During the adoption proceedings, they discovered that when Chloe left with them for a new life in the United States, she would be leaving her two brothers behind. Here is the post from last year.

Guess where they are right now? See for yourself!

Overdrawn at the Sleep Bank

2010-05-11T04:09:00.000-07:00

So tired. So very, very tired.
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Turns out, it was too much to expect to just bounce back from two days of late nights and early mornings. When I was a teenager, this was not a problem - now, however, my body is telling me in no uncertain terms that I am no longer a teenager. Rest is a good thing and I sorely need some.

Acquire the Fire was very good this year. The drama, Surrounded, was amazing. I was so glad to have the opportunity to watch the youth touched by God, and especially moved as we watched 700 young people respond to an alter call. Well worth the exhaustion.

Now that I'm home, my focus is shifting to my big project for this week. Months ago, I agreed to make a wedding cake for a friend this weekend. I do not make wedding cakes, I like to bake, but this is a major undertaking. And yes, I plan on blogging about it as I complete each step. Please bear with me!

Memo to Self

2010-05-07T08:06:00.000-07:00

Memo to Self:

RE: Weekend

URGENT!

I am lead to understand that you are going to accompany the youth on an overnight trip to Acquire the Fire. I felt I should remind you of a few things before you leave.

First of all, you will have a three hour van ride. Please go before you leave if you don't want a repeat of last year's mad dash to a McDonald's rest room. (Also, don't drink a bottle of water on the way there.)

Second, it will be LOUD. Numb eardrums are just the price you pay for extra enthusiastic worship music. Accept the fact that Sara Groves is probably not going to be on the worship schedule. It's going to be alright.

Third, a 1:00 a.m. bedtime is going to hurt. Something with caffeine in it is going to be necessary for breakfast. Lots of caffeine.

Fourth, it is going to be awesome! Enjoy!

Yours sincerely,

Bible Study Begins

2010-05-05T17:57:00.000-07:00

Tonight was the beginning of our Ladies' Bible Study. This year we are using the book and DVD entitled Becoming More Than A Good Bible Study Girl, a six week Bible study by Lysa TerKeurst of Proverbs 31 Ministries. While I was looking at book options, this particular book kept popping up as I searched - and for very good reason! Once I received a copy of the book and began to read, it was exactly what I had felt God had been speaking to me about.

As always, I enjoy gathering together with such a tremendous group of ladies to delve into God's word together. This evening we discussed Becoming More Than A Good Bible Study Girl - In My Heart. This evening's discussion centered on false idols in our lives and what the Bible has to say about our insecurities and failures. Good stuff, all of it! As we explored the false idols in our lives, we studied one of my favorite scenes from the Old Testament. Proof that sarcasm is not a modern invention (not that anyone ever said it was).

Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire." So they took the bull given them and prepared it. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. "O Baal, answer us!" they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.
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At noon Elijah began to taunt them. "Shout louder!" he said. "Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened." So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.
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1 Kings 18:25-39 NIV

Isn't that the same result we get when we seek fulfillment from things rather than God? And yet we all do it over and over and over again. We are so fortunate though, that He promises us:

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For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
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Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV

What more could we possibly ask?

What I Learned from the Song of Solomon

2010-05-02T18:37:00.000-07:00

For this month's Marriage Monday, I'm selecting the topic "Talking Turkey When You’re Feeling Like a Chicken". Because a chicken is exactly what I felt like when I started writing this post!

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—
for your love is more delightful than wine.

Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes;
your name is like perfume poured out.
No wonder the maidens love you!

Take me away with you—let us hurry!
Let the king bring me into his chambers.

Song of Solomon 1:2-4

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I was completely unaware of the existence of the Book of the Song of Solomon until was in my 20's. In all honesty, even after I knew it existed, I had no idea what it was about, until one day, we had a guest speaker in our Sunday School class. This guest speaker was the wife of one of my high school teachers. She was probably around my mother's age, I graduated with her eldest son. Even though at this point, I was an adult, married and the mother of two, albeit young, children, I began to blush when she began to teach from the Song of Solomon, especially what it has to say about sex within marriage.
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Now, up to this point, I will admit, most of what I had heard about sex in church was DO NOT HAVE SEX. EVER. UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. EVER. Granted,that was in youth group and completely appropriate advice for that stage in my life.
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Going back to that Sunday School class, until that day, I guess I kind of thought that the Bible taught a "just lie back and think of England" (supposedly Queen Victoria's marriage night advice to one of her daughters) outlook on marital relations. Was I ever surprised to learn the opposite! Not for a moment that I ever felt Queen Victoria-ish or subscribed to that philosophy, but I had the overall assumption that was what God wanted us to feel. Even while I was uncomfortable sitting in a room full of people discussing the subject, I eagerly went home and searched through the pages myself. What a gift God intended us to be to each other!
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Awake, north wind,
and come, south wind!
Blow on my garden,
that its fragrance may spread abroad.
Let my lover come into his garden
and taste its choice fruits.

Song of Solomon 4:16

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An Announcement

2010-04-30T17:59:00.000-07:00

Remember this post? And this one?
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Earlier this month, I visited Lancaster Bible College in Lancaster, PA. I took some pictures, watched teenagers explore the campus, ate in the dining hall and laughed more than I have in months! I did something else while I was there. I applied.
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This week, I received my acceptance letter. And class schedule. And predicted graduation date.

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I'm a college student, can you believe it? I can't.
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After high school, I completed my Associate Degree, then got married and had kids. I have always wanted to go back and get my Bachelors, but had no idea when I would get another chance.
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I'm enrolled in LBC's Degree Completion Program which will allow me to complete my degree online, and at the end, I will have earned a Bachelor of Science in Bible and Theology.
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I'm excited (and nervous)! My classes will begin in July.

Chiaroscuro

2010-04-27T16:50:00.000-07:00

My word of the day is:

Chiaroscuro - Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -ros
Etymology: Italian, from chiaro clear, light + oscuro obscure, dark
Date: 1686
1 : pictorial representation in terms of light and shade without regard to color 2 a : the arrangement or treatment of light and dark parts in a pictorial work of art b : the interplay or contrast of dissimilar qualities (as of mood or character) 3 : a 16th century woodcut technique involving the use of several blocks to print different tones of the same color; also : a print made by this technique 4 : the interplay of light and shadow on or as if on a surface 5 : the quality of being veiled or partly in shadow

I'm most certainly not an artist, I picked this word up at an drumline competition last year, where one of the bands used this as the theme of their presentation. Chiaroscuro, as they portrayed it, was the stark contrast between light and darkness.

This week, that word took on new meaning for me. Darkness and Light are intertwining themes throughout scripture.

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:14-16 NIV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

John 1:1-5 NIV

When we accept Jesus, we become lanterns in a world engulfed in darkness. The flame isn't ours, it's borrowed, but it reflects brightly when we actively seek out the source of our light. Recently, I learned an important lesson. Darkness isn't passive. Spiritual darkness is insidious, it creeps into unlit corners and leaps to take advantage of any given opportunity. Christians are charged with being the light of the world, and that doesn't happen if we let ourselves become apathetic in our faith. A dim lamp leaves a lot of room for shadows. For instance, have you ever spent time reading at the end of the day when the sun is setting? At first, you have plenty of light. Then, engrossed in your book, you become oblivious to the fact that you are squinting at the page. Finally, you look up from the page and wonder when it became so dark. Kind of like what happens when we become distracted in our Christian walk? Everything is going fine, then we get wrapped up in other facets of living and soon we wonder when all of the junk crept into our lives.

Remember Chiaroscuro. The contrast between light and dark. Keep your light shining bright!
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On a side note, E-mom generously invited me to write a guest post, so if you visit Chrysalis, you can read my review of the book One Million Arrows by Julie Ferwerda.

What God Requires

2010-04-25T17:32:00.000-07:00

He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
Micah 6:8

Today, I am thinking a bit about my favorite Bible verse. In our Sunday school class we are studying William Wilberforce and what it means to be a world changer. The class is inspiring and I do believe that God can use us all to be world changers if we submit to His will. World changing sounds like hard work to me. It seems overwhelming if you think about it. But you know what, Micah 6:8 brings me much peace. God requires us to be just, love mercy and walk humbly by His side.

You know what?

Done diligently, it just might change the world!

Isn't God awesome?

Recipe for Insanity

2010-04-23T04:11:00.000-07:00

Last evening would have been the perfect evening for that whole human cloning thing to have worked out.

I'm not pro-cloning, mind you, but last night it seemed like a good idea.

Meetings, sewing projects, cake baking and food boothing do not, and should not mix. Mix in a son who needs his hunting pants hemmed NOW and a daughter who needs picked up from babysitting and it becomes a recipe for insanity.

Fortunately for me, my husband took on the baseball food booth and the daughter pick up. Leaving me with, well, the rest.

The meeting was easy breezy, the cake mixed up in a jiff, which left the sewing project. What should have been an easy little project turned into a frustrating mess. I purchased a pattern and the fabric to make it with, but apparently this pattern was from the new sewing line Vague (get it? Like Vogue, but, well, vague). The detailed instructions were lost on me, causing me to deviate from the step by step pictures and just make it up as I went along. Fun. Lots of fun. My heart ceased to be in it when the clock struck 11:00.

My son would like me to point out that his hunting pants are still not hemmed. Apparently there is a gobbler out there who has a date with destiny tomorrow morning. Also, I was informed that hunting is impossible with rolled up pants. Methinks the boy needs to learn to sew.

So, as I sit here the next morning, the required cake is in the refrigerator, the sewing project is all but completed, my kitchen looks like it has been bombed, and I am bone tired. It's Friday, though and that has to count for something!

Happy Friday, everyone!

My Bangs Look Good and Other Lies I Tell Myself

2010-04-21T19:14:00.000-07:00

I was on a book buying hiatus. I really was. I have at least four books in my "to read" pile and was planning on finishing them before I even set foot in a book store. Ah, Barnes and Noble, alas, I find you irresistible.

I found the Confessions of a Tired Supergirl blog several weeks ago, and just loved Susanna Aughtmon's sense of humor. When I read the description of her new book, it went on my "to read" list. When I found the book at Barnes and Noble, it went with me to the check out.

My Bangs Look Good and Other Lies I Tell Myself is a book containing some very powerful Biblical truths disputing some very rotten lies we tend to believe about our relationship with God, such as God is Disappointed in Me, I Am Stuck in My Present Circumstances, I Need To Be Good So God Will Love Me, and many more. Each of these lies are dispelled with gentle humor, like a conversation with a girlfriend who just "gets it". The author weaves stories from everyday life with scripture and it packs a powerful punch.

I really did love this book - it's a keeper!

As a sidenote, my husband has pointed out to me that I love all of the books I have reviewed on my blog, which in his opinion seems unrealistic. So I want to clarify, I do NOT love every book I read. In fact, recently, there was one particular book on the subject of lies that I wanted very much to like, but just could not. So I made a decision at that point that I would much rather spend time recommending books that I truly enjoyed rather than just reviewing everything I read. Books are sometimes a matter of taste, and what appeals to one person may not appeal to another.

Happy Reading!

A Day at the Symphony

2010-04-19T04:22:00.000-07:00

I have a confession to make . . . . .
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sometimes, I am *gulp* . . . . .
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WRONG!
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Hard to believe, right?
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Please tell me it's hard to believe. I need to hear that sometimes.
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Five years ago, my daughter came home from school filled with excitement due to an assembly all of the fourth graders took part in. At this assembly, the elementary band director regaled the youngsters with the wonders of playing an instrument, in a very similar manner, I imagine, as Professor Harold Hill would have.

Or maybe not. I wasn't there. I prefer to imagine it that way, though.
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The result of this sales pitch was an extremely enthusiastic nine year old who would expire on the spot if she was not promised band membership in the immediate future. I was skeptical. I had a very brief and mediocre music career in middle school. My parents purchased the instrument, I practiced it wholeheartedly for about, oh, let's say a month, before merely going through the motions for a couple of years. I tried to negotiate with my daughter. Maybe she could stick with choir. No go. Soccer is good, how about you just keep playing soccer. She insistently pressed the "how to lease an instrument from an over-priced place of business for nearly the same price as a semester at college" pamphlet into my hands. With a deep sigh, I asked, "What do you want to play, if we decide to let you join the band? And I'm not saying that you are going to join the band." The answer to that question was a filibuster on the amazing innumerable qualities of the clarinet. My husband and I held her off for 24 hours with a solid "we'll see".

At church that Sunday, my husband consulted with a retired band director. When we got into the car and pulled out of the parking lot, he mysteriously turned in the wrong direction. "I have a stop to make.", was his only explanation. In very short order, my daughter was clutching a refurbished b flat clarinet, lovingly restored by that retired band director. Two years later, excelling at the b flat clarinet, my daughter was introduced to the bass clarinet at school. They hit it off splendidly and she now plays bass during concerts and b flat during marching band.

In fact, she and the bass clarinet make such beautiful music together, that after months of practice, they played in a college symphony yesterday afternoon. My daughter was invited to play as a community member. The music was breathtaking. We were so proud. And I was so glad that five years ago, I was wrong about her playing an instrument.

Spring All Over the Place

2010-04-14T18:11:00.000-07:00

Remember this post from a few weeks ago? Cheerfulness is a Choice
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It was a glorious spring weekend and I really enjoyed my road trip to Lancaster Bible College. One of the stops on our tour was this mural. The funny thing was, it was so beautiful outside that the campus looked exactly like this painting!

While on the tour, this tree begged to have its picture taken and I obliged. Especially since it got all dressed up for the occasion.

My final confirmation that spring has arrived is this:

Little League has officially begun their season. Check out the handsome lad carrying the flag!

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While I am waxing rhapsodic about the season, I thought I should share this verse:

See! The winter is past;
the rains are over and gone.

Flowers appear on the earth;
the season of singing has come,
the cooing of doves
is heard in our land.

The fig tree forms its early fruit;
the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.
Arise, come, my darling;
my beautiful one, come with me."

Song of Solomon 2:11-13

Nicely sums it up, doesn't it?

In Need of Organization 101

2010-04-13T18:20:00.000-07:00

Or, to be more accurate - Remedial Organization.
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In the next month, I need to re-plan the Chonda Pierce trip, finish planning ladie's Bible study, fundraise for a summer mission trip to Atlanta, survive the end of band season and make a wedding cake.

I think I need a personal assistant, but at this point, I think the best I could do would be to hope that one of the dogs learns to type or make phone calls soon.

I am officially declaring tomorrow the day I get organized!

I'll let you know how it goes.

Road Trip

2010-04-09T04:19:00.001-07:00

I'm on a short road trip today. Got my sunshine and rainbows today with a side of shoo fly pie!

Prescription for a Bad Day

2010-04-06T18:55:00.000-07:00

(simply because this picture makes me smile!)

Today knocked me down, kicked me a few times and stole my lunch money. That’s how it felt anyway. The day began dramatically with a clap of thunder and a bit of lightening, but I pulled myself out of bed and got ready for work and had hope that today would be filled with sunshine and rainbows.

That, my friends, did not happen.

Today was filled with uncertainty, irritation and stress. Lots of stress. Not sure- did I mention the stress? By the end of the day I was a mess, just wrung out and used up. Once dinner was in the oven, I had a bit of time to reflect on my somewhat disastrous day (okay, so disastrous might be a tad too dramatic). I tried to figure out where I went wrong today. Where could I have spoke or acted differently that would have changed the today’s course? Was there anything I could have done? Maybe, maybe not. Some days are just those kind of days.

It’s funny, though, as I sit here this evening writing this post, dreading what might be round two tomorrow, an old Sunday school song has lodged itself between my ears. Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say Rejoice, which is, of course, taken from Philippians 4:4. Having this particular song stuck on repeat prompted me to take a closer look at this particular verse, and the verses surrounding it.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:4-7 NIV

Wow. As it turns out, the early Christians were apparently pretty familiar with bad days. I’m sure that their opinion of a bad day and my opinion of a bad day were vastly different. I’ve been known to pitch a fit if I put a hole in my nylons. They were risking persecution, imprisonment and even death. Paul was very familiar with those dangers. He spent time before his conversion being the persecutor and after, being the persecuted. Yet, as he closes his letter to his brothers and sisters in Christ, he gives them some very solid advice. Rejoice. God has your back. God is big. Huge. Immense. Unfathomable. And He has it all under control. Rejoice.

My Knight in Shining Armor

2010-04-05T03:49:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite picture of my husband. It was taken a few years ago, while we were on vacation in Williamsburg, Virginia. He loves old ships and had such a good time looking around the docks at Jamestown. When I look at this picture, it makes me think of how fortunate I am to have so many good memories with him.
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We played together on the playground in elementary school. I was the only guest (his age, anyway) at his 6th birthday party. Sometimes we were placed in the same classroom, sometimes we were not. It was probably easier for the teacher when we were not together.
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In high school, we ate lunch together nearly every day. We stood together before school every morning, too. Our senior year, we even had the same gym class, and that's where the memory I wanted to share with you comes from.
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Now, just so you know, our gym classes were rarely co-ed. Boys met on one side of the gym and girls on the other. A barrier was pulled across so that we were not distracted by the other class. But, one day in late spring, for some unknown reason, our gym teachers decided to merge the classes. I should probably state for the record as well, I hate running. I am unable to chew gum and walk at the same time, and running and breathing simultaneously is a skill I just do not have. Normally, our school required all of us to run 1 mile every year. This was usually scheduled in the fall or early spring when the weather was cool. I dreaded the mile run every single year I was in school. Somehow, though, I managed to get through it. That day in late spring however, the weather was unseasonably warm, the sun was blazing down, and I had last period gym class. I was completely unprepared for the phys. ed teachers to announce that we had a special guest (an army recruiter) and that we would be joining with the boys on a mile run that afternoon. I panicked. I tried hard to negotiate. Nothing worked and I soon found myself jogging at the back of the pack of slender and athletic teenagers. For a chubby chick in high school this was maximum humiliation. It was no surprise when the teachers began yelling at me halfway through to try harder. It was no surprise that I was so miserable I was trying desperately not to cry. What was a surprise was watching one of the guys turn around and run back towards me. My best friend slowed to a walk and put his arm around me and asked if I was okay. His teacher began to yell at him to run. The yelling was ignored. He linked his arm with mine and began to walk with me back to the gym, all the while telling me it was okay, not to worry about it and that I was probably not going to be recruited into the military any time soon. It was the first and only time I ever left a class without permission, his too.
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I know that it might seem strange, but of all our shared high school memories, that is my favorite. He rescued me. Plain and simple. He saw that I was struggling. He saw that I was miserable. He saw that I was not doing well. But that's not why he led me off that field that day. He knew I was crumbling beneath the snickers and the snide comments of a few of the other teens. He knew that I wanted to be disappear. He knew I did not know how to get out of that situation, so he did it for me.
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All these years later, he is still as just as awesome as he was that day.
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I am so blessed!

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Consider the Cross

2010-04-02T18:24:00.001-07:00

Tonight I took part in a Good Friday service which was a joint venture between three area churches.
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Our church features a wooden cross hung on the wall directly behind the pulpit. On Ash Wednesday, the cross was draped with purple, today it was changed to black and Sunday it will be covered in victorious white. I imagine our church is not uncommon in this observation.
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As we prepared to go to this evening's service, I thought about the cross. A lot. Growing up, I always felt confused about Easter. Christmas was easy to revel in. Babies are blessings. Baby Jesus brought such joy to the world, God sent His son to save us from our sins! Rejoicing at Christmas seemed natural. Easter, for me at least, was harder. I remember, as a child, sitting in a service at Easter, and hearing the crucifixion account described very graphically. I was horrified. Somehow, up until that point, I had managed to trick myself into believing that Jesus, being the Son of God, was somehow exempt from feeling pain and suffering. That delusion ended dramatically that day.
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For a very long time after that particular service, I alternated between feeling overwhelming guilt and shame when I thought about the cross or trying very hard to avoid dwelling on the subject altogether. I'm not proud of the way I felt, but I'm just being real. The guilt was terrible. I felt so ashamed of the fact my Savior had to go through such a horrible death for little, insignificant me, who despite all He did for me, still couldn't get her act together. Completely missing the fact, by the way, that there was nothing I could ever do to earn what Jesus did for me that day on Calvary. I got that He loved me, I was just missing the fact that He LOVES me!
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It took time for me to grasp the fact that what He did for us was a gift. Gifts aren't earned - they are given. This gift wasn't given begrudgingly, or with strings attached. This gift was given with great love and unmeasurable grace.
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Think of it this way. If I scraped together every available resource I had to buy someone I love a gift, would I want them to feel guilty every time they looked at it? No. Would I want them to feel unworthy? No. Would I want them to avoid the gift every time they thought about it? NO!
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I would want them to take joy it that gift. I would want them cling to that gift. I would want them to think of my love for them every time they saw it, thought about it or used it. And if I, flawed as I am, feel that way, how much more so must Jesus feel that way about us?
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I hope, as Easter quickly approaches, you take some time to consider His gift to us that day long ago on the cross.

Digital Camera Dilema

2010-03-31T18:06:00.000-07:00

My camera has been dying a slow death ever since Christmas. The shutter speed gradually slowed to the point that unless I was talking pictures of still life bowls of fruit, it was basically useless. Last weekend, it refused to turn on at all and I was forced to admit that my trusty Vivitar Vivicam (with a whopping 5.1 mega pixels!) is not coming back to me.

So, as I do with any large (read:minuscule) decision, I obsess. I've been poring over endless reviews, window shopping online (or would that be windows shopping?) narrowing down the options, and trying to decide what features I really want. So far, I've decided that I want a camera that will make all of my photographs look like Ansel Adams, The Pioneer Woman and Anne Geddes rolled into one. Perfectly reasonable, no?

Here are the contenders thus far:

Nikon Coolpix - Good reviews. In my price range. Lots of bells and whistles.

Canon Powershot - Slightly better reviews than the Nikon. In my price range (but some models hover on the edge). Again, lots of bells and whistles.

Casio Exilim - Good reviews. In my price range (but the high speed one is not). Lots of different models with various options.

Hopefully, I'll have a decision made by Friday and I can wow everyone with my professional grade photos (I could barely even type that with a straight face) by this weekend!

Of Teenagers and Locusts

2010-03-29T06:19:00.000-07:00

This morning it was a struggle to get out of bed.
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Dark and rainy and chilly. Good sleeping weather. Really bad Monday morning weather.

For the record, the perfect weather for a Monday morning would look like something out of an early Disney feature film. Sun streaming through gracefully floating fluffy white clouds, gentle flute music wafting over green meadows full of technicolor wild flowers punctuated by the perpetually cheerful chirps of bluebirds sitting on my windowsill.

Not too much to ask for, right?

I didn't think so.

This morning was definitely a stereotypical Monday morning. I hit snooze A LOT. Stumbled out of bed and drowsily picked out clothes for the day. I went downstairs to find that my kids were ready for school and had prepared the "sign this" gauntlet for me. I often wonder what their teachers think of those signatures, most times I sign them without even turning the light on. The bus comes early, so after talking with them a bit, they got their things together (we are considering renting my daughter a pack mule for Monday mornings.) The bus came, goodbyes were bid, and I headed for the kitchen to get something for breakfast.

This verse came to mind as I surveyed the damage:

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And the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over Egypt so that locusts will swarm over the land and devour everything growing in the fields, everything left by the hail."

Exodus 10:12 NIV

I'm kidding. Kind of.

I think there may have been one wee surviving Oat O (yes, we buy store brands) in the bottom of the box. I think maybe the grocery store has been bumped up a bit in my list of priorities.

Have a Happy Monday!

Free to Be TV Free

2010-03-24T18:44:00.001-07:00

As of this evening, our family is undergoing an experiment for spring and summer. Our television is now a free agent - no cables or dishes attached.

This was a decision that we had considered on and off for the past year. Two other friends took the plunge before us and had nothing but good things to say about the decision, so we consulted the kids and took a few days to consider it. Surprisingly, we were all in agreement.

I have to admit, I've been a bit nervous about the whole thing. While I'm definitely not a TV junkie, I've become quite accustomed to the constant chatter and passive entertainment and even if we were not watching anything in particular, the television was usually on in the background.

We are all hoping to accomplish more reading and spend more time outdoors, and just generally have less "junk" in our lives. I will try to keep you posted as the experiment goes on.

Here's hoping for a successful withdrawal from the television!

Oh, the Wonders of the Internet

2010-03-23T18:42:00.000-07:00

While doing a bit of family tree research a few years ago, I managed to find some poetry written years ago by my great aunt. I thought that perhaps I would share one of her poems here. Enjoy!

On Trusting
How small, this heart of mine
How little does it trust
My God has said He made us all
And cares for us each day

My eyes can only see the ashes
Of all my golden dreams
My God can see beyond all his
For He has planned my way

And when my foolish tears are dry
And my soul again will look
I'll see my Loving Lord has been
building what He planned for me

And Oh! My heart leaps high with joy
For far more wonderful it is
Than any earth-bound dream I had
or even hoped to see

by Arlene Hearn Price

Outstanding Opportunity

2010-03-21T17:25:00.000-07:00

You all know I've been dreaming big lately.
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Looking forward to what God has in store for my life.
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Exploring promises He has for me and all of His children.
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This weekend, an opportunity have appeared on the horizon that I'm really excited about. There is simply nothing as exciting as possibilities. And everything is possible with God!

A few months ago, while searching for a new ladies' Bible study, I found Proverbs 31 Ministries. As I perused the wonderful resources on their website and subscribed to their daily devotional, I continued to click around on the site and discovered the She Speaks Conference quite by accident. This event is specifically for women in writing, speaking or leadership ministries - and it sounded thrilling. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think anything like this existed. My attending this conference will hinge on my ability to obtain a scholarship, however, as it is a few states away and would strain the family resources. It would be a tremendous opportunity to explore the Lord's plan for me and learn more about women's' writing and speaking ministries. That said, as I wrote earlier this weekend, I am working hard and being content to wait on God. While I certainly hope that I might be able to receive a scholarship, if I don't I will accept that it was simply not a part of the plan.

All in all, God's waiting room is a pretty awesome place to be, I think!

Happy Birthday!

2010-03-20T06:54:00.000-07:00

Fourteen years ago today, at the ripe old age of 22, my husband and I welcomed our daughter into the world. A full week and a half overdue, she gave us several clues to her personality even before she was born. We found out that we were expecting a girl a month before she was born. Excitedly, we gave her the name we had picked out and our doctor and his staff were pleased to use it during tests and exams. Following her unofficial naming, our precious daughter commenced a prenatal noncompliance campaign - leading one ultrasound technician to comment that perhaps she did not like her name. A few more similar incidents led my husband and I back to the baby name book. She kicked so hard when we came to her name that we knew we had the right one.

She protested her surroundings loudly and with gusto from the moment she was born. She slept little and screamed much. Our baby was an intimidating little mite, but fortunately we were young enough to survive the sleep deprivation and assault on our hearing.

Fourteen years have flown by. I cannot believe that the precious little bundle that was handed to me then, now has her own income from babysitting, flew across the country by herself and has a terrific talent for music. Apparently all of that screaming as an infant made for a powerful set of lungs.

Happy birthday! (And good luck at your band competition today!)

Success vs. Failure

2010-03-18T18:45:00.000-07:00

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Please hit play and then read this post.

Bossy, aren't I?

I continue to consider and dream about what God's plans might be for the future, and one nagging thought continues to bother me. What if I fail? What if I go out on faith and end up flat on my face? What if I? Hold on a second, just who is this about anyway? Not me, that's for sure! It's about Him, not about me. If I write to glorify Him and not a single soul reads it, that's not failure. If I'm never asked to speak publicly, but am willing to share my faith to even a few, that's a success!

God's definition of success and failure is different than our definition of success and failure. We want to succeed because it makes us feel good. We avoid failure because it feels bad. Success equals greater and failure equals less. God sees it much differently.

"What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost. Matthew 18:12-14 NIV

A human shepherd would probably march home with 99 sheep and look at it as a successful grazing trip. Sure, he lost one, but he brought home 99, because his focus is on his personal success. I'm so thankful that our Heavenly Father doesn't gauge success and failure in the same way we do.

Anything we do wholeheartedly for the Lord is a success, even if the results seem modest to our eyes, the trick is we need to make sure that our focus is clearly on Him and not on us!

Dreaming

2010-03-15T18:18:00.000-07:00

This morning, I came across this post on Lysa TerKeurst's blog at Proverbs 31 Ministries. It hit home in a big way. This is a subject I've been praying about for awhile now.

I have big dreams. I have held them close for a long time, only recently beginning to put words to them and dare to hope that my dreams might be more than just flights of fancy.

Ever since I was in elementary school, I have dreamed about writing a book. As I grew up, that dream changed a bit from wanting to write the great American novel and become famous and fabulously wealthy, to wanting to write to glorify God. Last year, my dream expanded to wanting to speak and encourage women in the church.

For many months, I've prayed about my dreams, trying to discern whether this desire comes from a selfish ego or a true desire to serve the Lord. I'm still praying and hoping that God will send opportunities so that the way will be clear. Waiting is hard, though. I try hard to remember:

But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

and

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

Awesome promises from an awesome God! I'm going to continue to seek His will for me and my dreams. I pray that you dream big dreams to serve Him, too!

Chock Full o' Links

2010-03-14T09:25:00.000-07:00

This very rainy weekend was perfect for getting some cooking done.
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On Friday, my daughter's math class celebrated Pi Day by eating pie. I should have explained earlier, but Pi Day is actually today, March 14. The peanut butter pie recipe that went to school with my daughter was this recipe from The Pioneer Woman's fabulous cooking site. It has been a great go-to recipe for when I need something in a hurry.
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Yesterday evening, our church had a terrific soup social followed by a bluegrass concert from a great group of men. The dinner consisted of many different types of soups, sandwiches and appetizers. I decided to go with an appetizer, so I made these bacon wrapped jalapeno thingies also from The Pioneer Woman. The best part is that is their actual name.
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Today, it is wet, rainy and flooding, and I am trying to console myself after managing to wreak havoc in my kitchen. So far, I have broken a glass, a mug and a plate - not even all at the same time. For lunch, we are having home-made macaroni and cheese. Guess where that recipe came from? Yep. The Pioneer Woman.
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I think tomorrow night's dinner is going to have to be something along the lines of a nice, healthy salad. Wonder if The Pioneer Woman has a recipe for that? Just kidding!

In Honor of Pi Day

2010-03-11T18:05:00.000-08:00

This has been a wild and wacky week. Parts of it have had me tearing my hair out, others have had me laughing so hard I cry.

My husband, who has been dealing with a minor knee injury for a few months, thought it would be wise to slip on the basement stairs and take it up a notch. His new nickname is Tiny Tim. He's not a big fan of crutches, as it turns out.

My daughter, busy with band competitions, had informed me (several times) that she needed a pie for school tomorrow. I somehow managed to procrastinate so well that it completely slipped my mind. This evening, she asked how her pie was coming along. I asked her where she got her sarcastic sense of humor. She answered, "From my mother." That sounds about right.

My son, hopped up on sunshine, reached new heights of creative hyperactivity this evening. He treated us to a two minute reenactment of Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief followed by a serenade of his original musical arrangement about chicken soup. It was riveting. And energetic. Really. I asked him where he learned to be so crazy. That apparently is from me as well.

I did ask them where all the normal stuff they do comes from. That, they said, they got from their dad. They're probably completely right.

For the record, there is a peanut butter pie ready to go for tomorrow for the observance of Pi Day.

Happy Pi Day!!!

Spring Preview

2010-03-09T18:16:00.000-08:00

I feel the need to relate a strange phenomenon happening in this part of the country. On Saturday morning, my family awoke to light streaming in our windows. Curious, we peered outside and to our surprise, the light was emanating from an odd glowing orb in the sky. My husband insisted that this orb did seem somewhat familiar to him, but he just could not place where he had seen it before.

Yes, I'm exaggerating. But this weekend was lovely, and today was more lovely still. The sunshine and warmth are melting the snow pack we've hosted since before Christmas. The crocuses are making their debut. A photo of the first robins of the year graced the front page of the local newspaper. These are all sure signs that spring is on it's way after all!

There is not much point to this post, I'm afraid. Just joy. And sunshine.

Book Review - Forgotten God

2010-03-05T14:19:00.000-08:00

I wanted to read this book as soon as I read the review this past fall, but I was afraid to read it. Why would I be afraid of reading this book? Because it is about the Holy Spirit.

I'm guessing that statement probably needs some explaining, right?

As I mentioned earlier this week, the church I grew up in was one of a kind in our area at the time. Services were sometimes frenzied, which was often frightening to me as a child. The name of the Holy Spirit was mentioned frequently, but never adequately explained. There were a few occasions where the name of the Holy Spirit was used to intimidate.

Suffice it to say, I developed a bit of an issue where the subject of the Holy Spirit was concerned. Convinced that I did not know enough and that what I did know was most likely incomplete at best, I decided that this was an area best left to theologians. Nice cop out, isn't it?

After many months of feeling increasingly convicted that I was shirking my responsibility as a Christian to learn as much as possible about my faith, I found a review of the book Forgotten God by Francis Chan. I finally picked up a copy and hesitantly began to read. Pastor Chan's friendly conversational tone immediately put my mind at ease. This is not a hefty theological tome circling the stratosphere above my head, he successfully brings the subject matter to a level the reader can relate to - yet he makes no effort to simplify it. The book portrays a picture of the average church in the United States and contrasts it sharply with the flourishing newborn church we see in the book of Acts.

Pastor Chan also discusses the difference between operating under your own power and letting the Holy Spirit work through you. Christians sometimes forget that God often chooses to work through our weaknesses (think Gideon!) and need to depend on Him instead of always trying to do everything ourselves.

I have in no way done this book justice, but I highly recommend reading it! This book did make me feel much less anxious about my apprehension on the subject of the Holy Spirit, and I finished the book in deep gratitude for comforting presence of the Spirit in my life.

The Best Laid Plans

2010-03-03T15:18:00.001-08:00

Remember that Chonda Pierce concert I was looking forward to?
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The one that was supposed to be last Saturday evening?
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The one that I had 47 women signed up to go to?
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Yeah, that one.
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Turns out a wicked winter storm can thwart the best of plans. On the good side, the concert has been postponed to May. And Chonda is worth waiting for.
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Its funny how plans get changed. Once the show was moved, my focus slid to the Ladies Bible study I was planning for this summer. Just like last year, one study in particular kept coming to my attention - Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl by Lysa TerKeurst. I'll post more about the upcoming Bible study very soon - once I feel a bit more organized.

Among the plans for this year is a ladies' retreat scheduled for November 12-14, right now the preparation seems immense, but I know who is really in charge and He's big enough to handle it. The theme for the retreat is Leaving the Masquerade: Getting Real and Living an Authentic Life for Christ. There will be more on that to come, too.

I'm afraid this post has been a bit all over the place. There is a matter that I would like to ask for prayer about. Last February I had an opportunity to speak at a Ladies prayer breakfast. In that moment, I felt certain that speaking is something that God would have me to do. I have been praying since then, and asking for His direction and asking that if this is not His will that the desire to speak leave me. It has not left. I have no idea how to, or whether to, proceed. Your prayer would be very much appreciated.

Perfecting Prayer Time

2010-02-28T18:07:00.000-08:00

Want this button?

How I wish this months topic were an easy one! This one is downright hard.
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I'd love to tell you that my husband and I spend effortless time in prayer together regularly. I'd love to tell you that we spend hours in deep spiritual conversation. But I'd rather be very real with you.

My husband and I both grew up in the church. Both of us grew up going to church with our mothers while our fathers stayed home. His church was very conservative and straight-laced. My church was charismatic and loud. Neither of us grew up with family devotions or organized prayer time.

In the beginning of our marriage, we were quite frankly immature and did not spend a great deal of time thinking about our faith. We were in our early 20s and independent for the first time in our lives. Neither of us were comfortable in the other's church, and the church we were married in was so very different from what we were used to that we sorely neglected our church attendance.

Once we had children, however, the full measure of that responsibility settled in. We prayed as newlyweds, but as parents, we realized that we were going to need to walk the walk and not just talk the talk.

My husband and I do pray, but, other than pre-meal blessings, not together. I have a deeper interest in formal Bible study than he does and he is more apt to casually pick up his Bible than I am. He much prefers to pray silently and I am comfortable with praying aloud. My wish is that we can find more ways in which to spend time in prayer as a couple and more time studying God's word together. We are striving toward that goal, but we have by no means arrived.

Prayer is so very important to our relationship with the Lord. A pastor once used the illustration of a triangle to demonstrate how a couple, both earnestly growing closer to God will grow closer to each other in the process (picture a diagram with God at the top point of the triangle and the man and woman as the lower points. The closer the lower points are to the top point, the closer the lower points are to each other).

So, basically to sum this up, prayer time, as a couple, is an area my husband and I would have to classify as being "under construction".

Cheerfulness is a Choice

2010-02-26T06:04:00.000-08:00

The weather here has been dismal.
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Grey has been the prevelent color for weeks. The snow is mottled grey, the trees are dark grey, the mountains are blue-grey, the sky is pale grey and the streets are always grey. Our moods tend to turn a bit grey as well.

Such drab surroundings make it hard to see the beauty in ordinary things. At this point in winter, people tend to forget that in just a month we will be seeing robins, new green sprigs of grass, crocus and maybe even some blossoms on trees. We will be hearing bird song and that great metallic ping as aspiring little league players dust off their bats and begin to practice. And, oh, that terrific spring smell carried in on a warm breeze. The sun will shine again and coax us out into its warm embrace.

This time of year the novelty of winter has passed. Most people (myself included) are irritable and unhappy from looking at the same landscape day in and day out. We crave a change. We dream of taking off to warmer climes. We hope for the day when we look out our door and see bright blue skies. We put off our happiness until a day comes that makes us happy.

Cheerfulness is a choice. Joy is best when it comes from within. Happiness is only temporary if we wait for something to come along and make us happy. We need to claim it for ourselves and hold on to it with both hands - no matter what is going on around us.

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

Rejoice! It can cover up the grey!

Have a blessed day, everyone!

Embarrassing Moments (Rerun)

2010-02-23T09:30:00.000-08:00

I originally posted this story in May 2009, but as I found myself telling this story again recently, I thought that maybe I would repost it just for fun.

We all have moments like these. I've worn inside out shirts to church. Sleep deprived, I wore a crepe-y thin skirt to work (with a slip) only to find that through the miracle of static cling - the slip had migrated so far north as to become completely useless.

These however pale in comparison to what I'm about to share.

The year after we purchased our house, we came to the extremely unpleasant realization that our roof had reached the age of retirement. Small leaks had alerted us that the roof needed a check up, but one night, around 2 a.m., my husband and I awoke to a very unwanted shower. There was a torrential downpour going out outside, we're talking ark weather people. Water was leaking through our bedroom ceiling, hitting the blades of the ceiling fan and flinging cold rainwater directly onto our heads. It was lovely - really. Suddenly awake, hubby and I rushed upstairs to the attic, fully expecting to see nothing but sky judging from the river rushing into our bed. Luckily, we were quickly able to isolate the leak, which wasn't very big, but still letting in a lot of water. I'm sorry to say that neither my husband or myself are very personable people in the wee hours of the morning. Our conversation mainly consisted of snarling and whining and failed attempts at rigging something to stop the water from reaching the wiring running across the attic ceiling. For probably the twentieth time, my husband said, "This isn't working. Don't we have anything else?" In desperation, I ran downstairs to search the kitchen and bathroom and stumbled across an idea, a rather inspired idea, I thought. Rushing back to the attic, where the poor man was standing holding a soaking wet towel against the ceiling, I proudly held out my hands and displayed my emergency roof repair solution. Recoiling, he exclaimed that there must be some other way. Any other way. Being the perfectly submissive wife that I am, I told him if he had any better ideas - use them. Surprisingly, my epiphany worked. The ceiling was temporarily patched and we quickly went back to sleep. I called the roofer the next morning and scheduled an estimate later that week. Fortunately, it did not rain during that time and we temporarily forgot about our ordeal. Until, that is, the roofer and my hubby went up to the attic to check out the ceiling and found three maxi pads duct taped over the leak. The two men descended the stairs red faced and returned to the attic with some, um, more appropriate leak-patching materials.

Happy Birthday!

2010-02-20T13:08:00.000-08:00

12 years ago, my husband and I were 24 years old and expecting baby number two. In my 18th week of pregnancy, a blood test (now known for many false positives) indicated that our baby may have Down's Syndrome. This lead to further testing at a much bigger hospital than our little town had to offer. We were naive and hoped to have the test done quickly and be on our way home knowing what to prepare for. We had no idea we were in for a grueling visit with a rather cold genetic counselor followed up by a two week wait for test results. At the meeting with the genetic counselor we were given our options, have the test done and if the test was positive for DS, terminate or just terminate the pregnancy and try again. We were so shocked by her matter of fact presentation of our "options" as she saw them. Of course we were not going to harm our precious baby! Our concern was for his heart, that was all we needed to know about. We were offended and we told her so in no uncertain terms. The test was done, and to our delight, the specialist was forced to wait for our baby to cooperate. Every time the doctor tried to aim the needle for the pocket of fluid he was aiming for, a foot was trust directly into the target area. To add insult to injury, we watched as toes wiggled on the ultrasound screen.

Two weeks went by and we received a post card in the mail informing us that we were going to be the parents of a baby boy - who did not have Down's Syndrome. The remainder of my pregnancy was uneventful and early in the morning of February 20, we set out for a hospital 45 minutes away. En route to the hospital, it occurred to my husband and I that this labor seemed to be progressing much faster than before. By the time we reached the admission desk, I was in dire need of a room. Two hours later, I was presented with a beautiful (and HUNGRY) baby boy.

Oh, the memories. Sigh.

That baby boy is now a 12 year old middle schooler. Funny, smart, athletic and handsome. But, I guess I'm a bit biased. It's my prerogative as his mother. How quickly the time has flown by. Soon, I'm sure, he'll be as tall as I am. Soon after, he'll be taller. But, he will alway be my baby.

Tonight we will be enjoying lime jello cake, lime sherbert and cherry limeade. Birthday boys and girls get to pick their treats at our house, and the boy likes lime, what can I say?

Book Review with a Side of Lunch

2010-02-18T09:13:00.000-08:00

This is a first for me. First blog post, posted from a table at a cozy lunch spot.

I recently joined an online group PaperbackSwap.Com. This, as you may have guessed from the self-explanatory name, is a website which allows members from all over the U.S. to swap books. This is the book club of my dreams - cheap, easy and I get books in the mail (I love getting things in the mail!). Due to this stroke on literary good fortune, I have been able to get many of the books that have been on my library wish list.

One of my "wish list" books was Laughing in the Dark by Chonda Pierce. If you are not familiar with this fabulously funny lady, get ready to get acquainted. Chonda is notorious for her sharp and witty Christian comedy, as well as her very honest take on her struggles with clinical depression. Laughing in the Dark is funny, poignant and frank look at life seen through the murky veil of depression. The best part of the book is, that not only does she explain what life in "the pit" is like, and explores a painful past, she lays out a path to recovery.

While I've never experienced everything that Chonda Pierce went through in her turmoil, but I've had my share of time in the dark. Honestly, I think we all have. I found this book so very helpful, and I think that it was an extremely worthwhile read.
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As excited as I was to read her book, I'm even more excited to go see her perform next week!

God Sings!

2010-02-16T09:52:00.000-08:00

Zephaniah 3:17 (New King James Version)
The LORD your God in your midst,

The Mighty One, will save;

He will rejoice over you with gladness,

He will quiet you with His love,

He will rejoice over you with singing.”

This verse is on my mind today, so I thought that I would share it. What a wonderful feeling to know that the One who created the universe and all that is within it, the One who breathes stars into being, the One who construced Mount Everest and the amoeba, rejoices over us with gladness and singing!

Have a terrific day!

White Out

2010-02-06T10:18:00.000-08:00

In case you haven't heard, Pennsylvania got a wee bit of snow today.
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Just 18 inches, that's all. No big deal.
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I'm so funny, right?
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Fortunately, we went to the grocery store before the weather got too treacherous. It has been a lovely, lazy day, full of favorite DVDs, books, and snacks - oh, and there has been some shoveling going on, too!

One of our snacks was an old favorite - snow ice cream. It is simple to make and something fun to do with freshly fallen snow. First, get a big mixing bowl of clean snow. In a separate bowl, mix 2 cups of whole milk, 1 cup of sugar and 1 T of vanilla. Pour the milk mixture into the bowl of snow and stir. Serve immediately.

I must go now and shovel again. Signing off from the great white Keystone state!

A Jonah Day

2010-02-03T17:38:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite series of books is Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery. Anne's personality just leaps off of the pages, so much so that I've absorbed some of her vocabulary into my own. Anne has a special name for a day in which nothing goes right - a Jonah Day.

Today was most definitely a Jonah Day.

Yesterday, I was informed by a friend that a very nasty stomach bug is circulating throughout our local school district. Last night, I was given irrefutable evidence collaborating that information. My daughter had a very looooooong night and so did I. Running on empty, I went to work, knowing she was in good hands, but feeling guilty anyway. I spent my day in a sleep deprived fog, which was very counterproductive to the tasks at hand.

It was one of those days where you keep trying to do the right thing, but the wrong thing prevails. It was most assuredly a Jonah Day.

Valentines Day - Every Day

2010-02-01T03:51:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day has never been my favorite holiday. The premise is wonderful, a holiday celebrating romantic love - what could be better?

Hallmark beckons to us. Florists flaunt their wares. Candy shops fill their store windows with red, heart shaped chocolate boxes. Love is not only in the air, it's everywhere.

Please don't think I'm jaded, I'm not. I love beautiful cards, flowers and chocolate as much as the next girl. I'm just saying that just as we should not isolate our celebration of love to just one day, we need to look for love in ordinary days, too.

When my husband cooks supper because I've had a long day at work - that's love!

When he volunteers to pick up our daughter from a late night band competition - that's love!

When he gives me a kiss in the middle of the grocery store - that's love!

When he lends and understanding ear - that's love!

I'm sure we will be exchanging cards and celebrating Valentines Day on a small scale this year, but we will be celebrating love every day! I think I'll end by sharing what the Bible has to say on the subject:

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1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Love
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Music

2010-01-28T04:08:00.000-08:00

I have a confession to make.
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It's really hard for me to say this.
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I have a hard time getting into music.
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Don't get me wrong, I LIKE music. I just don't generally fall head over heals in love with any particular genre. I've never quite been able to say that either country, Christian contemporary, soft rock, hard rock, jazz, classical or pan flute is my favorite. I'll listen to just about everything but nothing ever lept out to me as "my kind of music".

But then, a few weeks ago, Sara Groves popped up on my Pandora account. I searched out more. Her music is, for lack of a better word, very real. Some of her songs could be classified as worship music, but others are, I think, best described as an introspective look at the Christian walk.

Allow me to share one of my favorites.

Guilty of Attempted Poetry

2010-01-27T03:54:00.000-08:00

I am from misty blue mountains, from Frozen Run Black Bear Birch Beer and bare feet.

I am from the lightning bugs hovering above the cornfield on a purple evening.

I am from the deep green woods, the stoney creek.

I am from bedtime stories and brown eyes, from Hannah and Lois and Blanche.

I am from the laughter and singing loudly.

From "If you've never made a mistake, you haven't done much." and "You're an old soul."

I am from tent meetings, youth group and loud worship music. From puppet ministry, Vacation Bible School and wishing for a mission trip.

I'm from Appalachia and Scots-Irish and German, ham pot-pie and whoopie pies.

From the green, worn path that led at gram' s white farm house everyday, the bobtail cats, and pap's still in his backyard shed.

I am from shoeboxes, picture frames and photo albums. Black and white pictures, sepia pictures, and faded 70's pictures filled with laugh crinkled eyes, crooked grins, ornery faces and grubby paws.

Template borrowed from Chrysallis

On this day many (but not that many) years ago . . .

2010-01-25T15:18:00.000-08:00

I was born!
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I share a birthday with:
Robert Burns, Scottish poet
Virginia Woolf, English writer
Alicia Keys, American singer
and many other wonderful people I don't know.
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In honor of my birthday (and just for fun), I thought I share some of my favorites:
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Favorite Color: Lime Green
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Favorite Cuisine: Mexican
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Favorite Clothing: Jeans, T-Shirt and Sneakers
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Favorite Time of Day: Evening
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Favorite Flower: Black eyed Susans
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Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Sticky Toffee Pudding (and I don't think they make it anymore)
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Favorite Book: Too many to count, but probably Bridge to Terebithia or Anne of Green Gables (series)
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(humming, and these are a few of my favorite things)
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Off to have birthday cake now!

Reaching the Oasis

2010-01-17T18:10:00.000-08:00

Sorry I've been a bit remiss is my posting lately.
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This weekend, we held our annual winter youth retreat. I love time spent with our youth - they are, quite simply, awesome kids. It had been a busy week, but busy weeks are pretty common for us, so I was not sure I had the energy for late nights, hard beds and a packed schedule. Ready or not, I left work on Friday and joined the group bound for winter camp.

Chapel was inspiring, worship was beautiful and game time was a hoot! There is so much more I could say about each one of these, and I'm not doing justice to those activities or to the work that went into them, but I so want to tell you about something else that happened this weekend.

Something that made me want to build a monument by the Jordan River (see Joshua 4), so that I would never forget the precious time that God supplied me with this weekend.

Saturday's activity was sledding. Unfortunately (or fortunately as the case may be), the deep freeze that has gripped Pennsylvania lifted this weekend and our snow has melted for the most part, and the plans had to be re-routed. The kids went tubing at a local ski resort instead. I like snow, but I hate being cold, so I, and another leader, stayed behind at the camp. Several folks from our church came to camp to cook for our crew, and I figured I could read a book and relax a little. Shortly after the kids set out on their adventure, the remaining adults gathered in the common room and began an impromptu Bible study which led to the best discussion I have had in years. YEARS! There I sat, in a room full of fellow Christians, all of them deep-rooted in their faith. The fellowship was so sweet, I didn't want it to end.

It occurred to me that sometimes our Christian life feels a bit like a long journey through a desert. We live our lives in an environment that is hostile to our beliefs. We go to church, read our Bibles and pray, and that keeps enough water in our canteens to get us through. Yesterday was like reaching an oasis. I came away full and overflowing.

He is so good!

My Mission Trip

2010-01-11T04:13:00.000-08:00

Hi everybody! It's me, Rachel. My mom wanted me to write about my mission trip to Dallas. Well, here it goes.

As some of you might know, this was my first time flying. I found it was just like riding in a car... only 3,200 feet in the air.

Because of some of the flight delays, we didn't do much the first day. So I'll just skip to Day 2. We started making posters and working on skits for the VBS we were going to do on Days 3 and 4. In the afternoon, we went out and racked a couple widows lawns. However, my MIG (that was my mission group) went out and picked up trash along the curb. Then we went back to the white house (that was where we stayed) and had dinner and a church session.

Day 3 was the first day of VBS. WE got somewhere between 15-20 kids the first day. Some of the leaders where expecting a few more than that. You see, this church has so many outreaches, some thought it was a church with a couple thousand people in it. It turns out the maximum occupancy is 216 and the 60 people from our group took up about a third of the congregation that Sunday. But the kids that were there seemed to have a lot of fun. After the three hour program, we went back to the white house and had lunch. We went and cleaned up some yards again and then got showers.

I'm going to take a quick break and tell you about the house we stayed at. There were two bathrooms for 60 people. We had 20-30 minutes to get ready for bed. That did not work so well, but we managed. For showers we went to the "Clothing Closet" which had about 20 showers in it. They hadn't opened it to the public, but the purpose of it was for the homeless. They could get a shower then get a new set of clothes. We were the first people to use it. OK, back to the trip itself.

On Day 4, we continued with our VBS. We had a couple more kids that day. In the afternoon, we did more service projects. We cleaned up a yard that had a ton of leaves in it. As Day 4 was New Years Eve, we stayed up and went to Parks Manor. This is a local nursing home. we went and visited with the residents there. We then went back to the white house and had a little party.

On the fifth day of the trip, we met a woman named Judy. She had once owned the most popular club in that part of Dallas. There would be hundreds of people on her corner. Some where prostitutes, drug dealers, and others that were up to no good. In January of 2009, she became a Christian and she shut down her club. Well, when she had some money, she paid someone to paint her house blue and green. It was at that point pitch black. Long story short, the man ran away with her money. So that is what I did for Day 5 and Day 6.

Day 7 was our last day so we all said our goodbyes. We went to the airport in two shifts. The first shift was, if you left before 1 pm, you left for the airport at 2:30 am. The second shift was the one I went with. It had everyone that was left. We had to be at the airport at 6:00 am. So sitting in an airport for about eleven hours is a fairly long time.

Anyway, just a little side note before I finish up, everyday we had PB&J sandwiches. I have to say, I don't think I will have another for the next couple months. I hope everyone enjoyed this post. If you have any questions about anything we did down there or just the trip in general, you can leave it as a comment and I can answer it. Bye!

Mission Trip to Dallas Texas at OneTrueMedia.com

2010-01-09T17:44:00.001-08:00

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

2009, I hardly knew ye.

2010-01-02T14:43:00.000-08:00

Wow. 2009 is over - already! Where did the time go? I've been blogging for an entire year!

Last year I wrote a contemplative post, listing the highlights from the past year as well as things I wished I had done better. I'm not going to do that this year. 2009, was, in many ways a very difficult year for me. I struggled through some trying times, but if I had to do it over again, I would not have done it differently. I grew a lot this year, I learned a lot this year and God is still working on me!

So, instead of looking back, I want to look forward to 2010. My goal for this year is simple - deepen my relationship with God and get on board with His plans for me. Part of that plan will be, I believe, coordinating women's ministry opportunities at our church. A retreat is in the works for November 2010, and hopefully another women's Bible study. For some time now, I have been feeling a strong desire to speak to women about God's abiding love for us and our need to support and encourage one another within the church (Titus 2). That will continue to be a matter of prayer for me as I seek the Lord's direction.

Welcome to April in January 2010!

Leaving on a jet plane

2009-12-28T17:45:00.000-08:00

This morning was a first for my family. We left our rural surroundings, drove to the big city, went to an airport and put our daughter on a plane. This probably seems like small potatoes for most people, but given the fact that neither my husband nor I had ever set foot in an airport before, let alone an airplane, this was a huge leap of faith for us.

Our daughter and two friends are presently on a holiday mission trip with Global Expeditions. The three girls arrived at their destination safely, very excited for the week to come. Next week, I intend to turn this blog over to my daughter so that she can share her experiences (and hopefully pictures, too) here.

As a side note, I need to tell a story that happened when she was about four years old. We were celebrating a family birthday party in our dining room. At some point when we were eating cake and ice cream together, she climbed halfway up the stairs in order to address us. "People!", she shouted, "I'm here to tell you about the GOOD NEWS!" She proceeded to give us a mini sermon telling us about the love of Jesus Christ.
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We should have known then that we would one day be putting her on a plane for this very purpose.

Kitchen Disasters - Christmas Edition

2009-12-27T13:00:00.000-08:00

Every Christmas morning, I try to make something nice for breakfast. Something nice, that is, that doesn't require a lot of time to cook in the morning.
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Two years ago, I made a sausage strata. I don't care for eggs, but my family seemed to like it. Last year, we went traditional and had pancakes and bacon. This year, I wanted something easier - preferably sweet.

My mother heard about a recipe for monkey bread that seemed easy enough. Frozen dinner rolls served as it's base and needed to be prepared the evening before so that it could thaw and rise overnight. I looked for such a recipe on the internet and was thrilled when I found one. The instructions called for one package of frozen dinner rolls - how simple!
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I assembled my monkey bread on Christmas eve before bed. Momentarily, I wondered exactly how many rolls the recipe called for. My package of dinner rolls seemed a bit large for my bundt pan. Shaking away the nagging voice of reason, I continued on my merry monkey bread making way.
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Christmas morning arrived, and after the gifts were unwrapped and marveled over, I set out to the kitchen to pre-heat the oven. My husband beat me to the counter and hesitantly asked if perhaps I had not read the recipe correctly. Admittedly, the bread DID puff a bit more over the edge of the pan than I would have liked, but I put it in the oven anyway and set the timer. What follows may well have made Christmas history in our house.

This is what greeted me when I took a quick peak to check on breakfast's progress. Oh my!

The timer went off and it was time to survey the damages. By the way, that sound you hear is my bundt pan screaming for help.

Outside of the oven, it looks like some odd sea creature bent on taking over the world, one kitchen at a time.

Mercifully, I did use the jaws of life to free my poor misused bundt pan from it's yeasty captor. Somehow the monkey bread looked even worse at that point.

I was able to salvage the mess by trimming away the bottom part of the bread and mixing up a bit more "sticky" for the rolls. As it turns out, the package of dinner rolls called for in the recipe contained 12-14 rolls, not, as luck would have it, the 30 roll package that I used.
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I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!

The Reality of the Nativity

2009-12-21T18:11:00.000-08:00

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about the circumstances in which our Lord and Savior came to this earth. Appropriate for the season, sure, but I have to admit that this year it has more to do with being the mother of a 13 year old daughter. As a child, I pictured Mary as a woman grown. As a teenager, she still seemed inexplicably older and wiser than I. This is the first year, I can honestly say that reality hit and hit hard. Mary was very likely the same age, or a bit older than my own daughter. Wow. It is so hard to imagine that one so young carried such a burden, and carried it with such trust in God. She heard the impossible and listened. She was asked the impossible and obeyed. She was given a task unimaginable and she saw it through with grace. She put her very life at stake - adultery was punishable by stoning.
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Every year, around this time, I love to read Two from Galilee. This year, I read A Lineage of Grace as well. Two from Galilee was a favorite of mine from the time I first read it when I was 12 years old. A Lineage of Grace is a compilation of a five series set written by Francine Rivers. The book covers five women in the lineage of Jesus Christ, with Mary, of course being the final story told. Both of these authors do an excellent job of reinforcing the fact that the events that unfolded in that stable were very real. Mary and Joseph were actual people, seeking to obey God, not knowing how their story would end. The journey from Nazareth was long and dusty. The city of Bethlehem was crowded and frenzied. Mary was young, pregnant and in labor. Joseph was in desperate need of shelter for his wife and coming son. The stable was dirty and smelly, far from an ideal place to give birth. I'm sure that their trust in God remained strong - but they were human, too. Do you think they wondered, "Where is God in this?" "This isn't what we thought would happen." If they did, can you imagine the joy they felt when the shepherds came with glorious confirmation that God was, indeed, working wonders and standing firm on His promises.
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Think about it. Won't you?

Snowed In

2009-12-19T18:18:00.000-08:00

Last evening, our church hosted a Live Nativity- complete with goats, donkeys and sheep. It was such a wonderful experience. Guests were assisted in parking and were given flashlights and sheet music to carry with them as they made their way around the circuit with the assistance of our narrator. Together, each group listened to the story of Christ's birth, sang Christmas carols and watched portrayals of the crowd in Bethlehem, the innkeeper's house, the stable, angels appearing to the shepherds and finally, the wise men bearing gifts. The entire experience was just outstanding!
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A second showing was scheduled for this evening, but alas, a massive winter storm had other ideas. We awoke this morning to a world blanketed in a thick coating of white, beautiful, but requiring some changes in plan. There were big plans for today - Christmas baking, matinee movie for my husband and I, and the Live Nativity this evening. Well, since we don't make it to the movies very often, we did decide to go ahead and walk to the movie theater - and it looked like a few other people had the same idea. The walk was a bit slippery, but made us very thankful for our small town. Since the grocery store required a drive, and that did not seem to be a good idea, Christmas baking had to be limited to what I had ingredients for on hand (Molasses Crinkles, by the way).
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The snow is still falling and we are up to about 8 -9 inches so far. Hopefully, it lets up so we can go to church tomorrow morning!

I'd love to tell you these are outtakes . . .

2009-12-16T04:36:00.000-08:00

After the choir and band concert last evening, we went over to a local coffee shop to get something to drink before going home. While we were waiting for our order, I thought I'd try to capture some photographs for posterity.
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If she ever becomes famous, she will make the paparazzi cry. I guarantee.

Unlike his sister, this one actually WANTED to be photographed. He just has a little trouble holding a pose and my camera has a slow shutter speed. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!
Someday their grandkids will get a good laugh, anyway.

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas!

2009-12-13T11:30:00.001-08:00

I've been busily crafting away this week - so many good ideas - so little time! I can't show them all, but here are a few of my recent projects.

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First of all, I love to visit Bakerella's website - she has so many great ideas! When I found these Cowboy Cookies on her blog, I just couldn't wait to make them.

And then, I discovered what just might be my favorite craft EVER! And I love to make stuff. Lots and lots of stuff. Freezer paper stencilling is just so cool! My pictures of the process didn't turn out very well, but you can find tutorials here, or here

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I'm really pleased with how this t-shirt turned out!

My photo didn't turn out for this, but the actual project did work out quite nicely. Puking Pastilles has a easy tutorial to make a reversible cape for your favorite superhero!
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There is now quite a stack of presents underneath our rather crooked, but absolutely adorable Christmas tree and I think now I will spend some time basking in it's multi-colored glow.

A "Wow" Book

2009-12-08T04:10:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, I found myself looking for something to read (again). This is a chronic problem for me - I really am a book junkie. Sometimes, I'm just after a fluffy, entertaining read to pass some time, and others, I really want something satisfying that will make me think. This time I was looking for something stimulating, that I could spend some time thinking about after the read was over.
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A friend recommended (and lent) a book to me, The Debt: The Story of a Past Redeemed, by Angela Hunt. The story is fictional, but the message within it hit very close to home. The main character, Emma Rose, is the wife of a nationally recognized televangelist and together they have spent 20 years building a mega-ministry. All of their hard work is threatened when something from her past resurfaces and forces her to face the fact that she may not have things as together as she previously imagined. Through Emma Rose's eyes, we are encouraged to take a closer look at our own Christian walks and challenged to step out of our comfort zones. I felt my toes being stepped on a bit as I read, and that was a good thing!
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The Debt reminded me of a story I once heard a pastor read, and I was lucky enough to find it again on the internet:

Once upon a time, a group of people built a lighthouse to save people from the dangerous ocean. Everyone who joined the group knew their commitment was to go out and rescue people in peril. But, after a while, they decided there was no reason for all of them to risk their lives. Some of them should staff the lighthouse. After another passage of time, they decided they all should stay home and keep the light bright so people in danger could find their own way. After another while, the group was not quite sure they even wanted bedraggled people dripping all over the carpet, so they dimmed the light a little. And after another while, they decided they needed a new carpet and maybe an elevator. When the light went out, no one noticed. And after another while, someone quietly changed the sign outside from "Lighthouse" to "Clubhouse."
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Now, I really need to get some more Christmas stuff finished! More on that later!

The Circle of Life

2009-12-02T17:53:00.000-08:00

Couldn't resist The Lion King quote - it seemed appropriate! For those of you, who may be alarmed or upset at the picture, or the content of this post, I do apologize. I will add, though, that I, while I do not hunt, come from a very, very long line of avid hunters and deer hunting is deeply ingrained in my neck of the woods (no pun intended).
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This picture makes me so happy - for so many reasons. Years ago, my father visited the gun shop owned by one of our neighbors, purchased a rifle, and put it away for the day that his grandson would go hunting with him. When my son was three or four years old, he was given a book called, When Pappy Goes Hunting. It was his favorite picture book, and at one time he had parts of the story memorized. He anxiously awaited the time when he would go off into the woods with his grandfather to go hunting. This was his year. This summer he prepared by taking his hunter safety course, even though as a mentored hunter he didn't need to take it until next year, but he wanted to be a prepared as possible. By the time he left for the camp on Sunday, he had talked of little else for many days. Monday afternoon, I received a call from an extremely excited young man and an equally excited and PROUD grandfather!
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Plans have been made for jerky and meat will be going into the freezer soon, but this picture will be cherished for years and years to come.

Marriage Monday

2009-11-29T17:50:00.000-08:00

Want this button?

This month's Marriage Monday Theme is "He Speaks: A Revealing Interview With My Husband." So here goes:

Q. What is your favorite holiday and why?
A. Christmas. I've always liked Christmas, it's always been a special holiday with lots of family time. My favorite quote happens to be about Christmas, "One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas Day, don't clean it up too quickly." Andy Rooney

Q. What is your favorite Christmas memory?
A. I don't know, I've had so many of them. Most recently, I really enjoyed going shopping on Black Friday with our daughter (note - they got up at 3:30 a.m. to go to Wal-mart). But growing up, I loved our special Christmas eve tradition of visiting with my Aunt Delores and my grandmother over pizza.

Q. What would your ideal Christmas look like?
A. I would love to have an old fashioned Christmas, kind of like the meals and parlor games they had in A Christmas Carol, or a special family Christmas at a cabin in the woods. Snow would be optional, but family and fun would be the most important.

Q. I know you enjoy shopping for gifts, who do you most enjoy buying for and why?
A. The kids, because I get to play with some of the stuff they get. Just kidding. I have so much fun watching them open their gifts on Christmas morning.

Q. What are your favorite ways to keep the true meaning of Christmas at the center of the season?
A. We have always made sure that the kids have known that Christ's birth is the real reason we celebrate Christmas. In addition to participating in our church's Christmas activities, we light Advent candles, our Nativity set is the center piece of our decorating and I love reading the Christmas story from the book of Luke every Christmas eve.

Q. So, what are you going to get me for Christmas? I know the Black Friday shopping trip was supposed to be a covert operation, were you shopping for me?
A. Nice try.

For anyone who does not know my husband, let me fill you all in. My husband is Mr. Christmas. He starts listening to Christmas music on November 1 and is plotting how to decorate the house months ahead of time. Tree hunting is serious business, we spend a lot of time hiking around the tree farm looking for the perfect Christmas tree - and it has to be big! He has amassed quite a collection of nutcrackers, too. Christmas with him is an adventure!

Count Your Blessings

2009-11-24T04:16:00.000-08:00

1. I am thankful for my husband, who is pure awesomeness in human form.

2. I am thankful for my daughter, who is growing up so quickly.

3. I am thankful for my son, who makes me laugh so often.

4. I am thankful for my parents, who gave me a loving home to grow up in.

5. I am thankful for my church, for its demonstration of Christian love.

6. I am thankful for my quirky pets, they keep us entertained.

7. I am thankful for my country, and the freedoms we too often take for granted.

8. I am thankful even for the everyday chores that I gripe about sometimes.

9. I am thankful for my house, it was an answer to prayer.

10. I am thankful for each and every person who reads my blog!

Most of all, I am thankful to God for providing everything on the list above and so much more!

Big Brave Dogs

2009-11-19T17:27:00.000-08:00

Brace yourself, folks! Here is a terror filled tale of bedtime gone horribly wrong.
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It starts out innocently enough. Every evening, the routine is the same.
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Bedtime, pups!

(glowing green laser eyes optional with every greyhound adoption!)

Runner, why did you stop? Why are you trying to run back downstairs?

Midnite, why do you look so scared? Is there something up there?

Beware! What is lurking at the top of the steps is not for the faint of heart. Please move small children away from your monitor before scrolling down the page.
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***SCREAM***
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Two dogs, one weighing in at 53 pounds and the other weighing in at 70 pounds, terrified of the cat they have co-habitated with for three years. She lies in wait for them every night, reveling in their terror. Hey- its a hobby.
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They do eventually run the gauntlet and get to their bed, but it is a nightly challenge.

How to Shred a Paycheck

2009-11-16T13:17:00.000-08:00

Ten years ago, I was the very tired mother of a darling, rambunctious one year old boy and a beautiful three year old spitfire. I was working full time in a chaotic, county funded mental health clinic. 'Nuff said.

One bright sunny September day, all was right with the world. Birds were singing, the sky was clear, it was payday and my husband and I were going to be leaving for a child free weekend at a bed and breakfast - oh the joy! Alas, as soon as I stepped over the office threshold that day, everything went awry. The appointments ran late, patients were perturbed, the payroll did not come when expected, the computers revolted and calamity was waiting around every corner. The paychecks were finally delivered by late afternoon - much to everyone's relief. Especially mine. Soon, blessedly, it was the end of the day. Now, just to be clear, part of my job was to collect every bit of paper with any of our clients' personal information - however small- and shred it before leaving the office. It. Was. Mandatory. Absolutely. Mandatory. So, I scurried frantically, gathering up anything I could find for the daily shredding. Mission accomplished, I went back to my desk to straighten it up. My pay check was not on my desk where I had left it. I looked under the desk. I looked under the calendar on my desk. I looked in my trash can. I looked in my purse. I looked under my keyboard. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. When it finally dawned on me what might have happened - I thought I might be sick. Sure enough, rummaging through the paper strips in the shredder revealed some short pink strips and tell-tale clear plastic from the window on the envelope. I sat with them in my hands and cried. I felt so very stupid. I did call the payroll office and pled my case. Once the HR representative stopped laughing, she came up with a solution to replace my check. It seemed downright tragic at the time, but laughable now.

That weekend away turned out to be wonderful, even with it's less than fun beginning! I resolved to be more careful in the future - a resolution I've broken many times in the past decade (as recently as last evening, as a matter of fact).

(I accidentally wore my shirt inside out and backwards to youth group last evening. But it was under a cardigan - if that makes it any better)

Of Ax Heads and Work Stress

2009-11-12T04:10:00.000-08:00

I try to leave work completely out of this blog. I prefer to make this a place of faith, family and laughter - a sanctuary, if you will. But realistically, I spend 40 hours a week there, and it is bound to creep in here and there. Sometimes the stress becomes overwhelming and clings to me no matter where I go or who I am with.
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So, I wanted to share an account from the Bible, that has meant a lot to me over the past several weeks. I first heard this story as a young teenager, and I have to admit, I didn't see what the big deal was at the time.
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2 Kings 6

1 And the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “See now, the place where we dwell with you is too small for us.
² Please, let us go to the Jordan, and let every man take a beam from there, and let us make there a place where we may dwell.”
So he answered, “Go.”
³ Then one said, “Please consent to go with your servants.”
And he answered, “I will go.”
⁴ So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees.
⁵ But as one was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, “Alas, master! For it was borrowed.”
⁶ So the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” And he showed him the place. So he cut off a stick, and threw it in there; and he made the iron float.
⁷ Therefore he said, “Pick it up for yourself.” So he reached out his hand and took it.

Here, we have some men, working at a menial task - pretty much every day stuff. They needed to expand their living quarters, and with Elisha's blessing they set out to cut down some trees. Everything was fine until an ax head fell into the water - and sunk along with the heart of the man who borrowed it. We hear him cry, "Alas, master! For it was borrowed." How many times have you felt just like that? A deadline gets missed. The car gets into a fender bender. A check gets accidentally put through the shredder ( a story for another day, perhaps). Our hearts cry, "Nooooooooo. Please noooooooo." or "Please don't let this be happening." That awful feeling of panic sets in.
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What do we see happening next? Elisha scolding the man for being irresponsible? Elisha shrugging his shoulders and saying "Deal with it."? No. He asks, "Where did it fall?" He cared. God cared. God cared about that man's anguish over the lost ax head. He caused it to float so that it could be retrieved easily. Problem solved. God cares about us when the deadline gets missed, the car gets a dent and when we do something careless like shred our paycheck. We have a great big God, big enough to care about the minute details of our lives.
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And aren't we lucky that He does?

Fall Photos

2009-11-10T19:07:00.000-08:00

To give credit where credit is due, all of these photographs were taken by my 13 year old daughter, as was the one that appears behind the title of my blog.

Lock-In Time (and Links, too)

2009-11-08T10:19:00.000-08:00

Ever wonder why kids think sleep deprivation is fun? If you suggest staying up until 2 a.m. to the average adult, the response is probably going to be phrased in whimpers and whining. Make the same suggestion to a room full of pre-teens and teenagers and the enthusiasm will be deafening - so get ready, get set, get some sleep - its lock-in time!
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This weekend was our youth group's girls' lock-in, and this year we invited moms, too. So much fun! Friday evening kicked off with games and a tea party, followed by devotional time and t-shirt design. Karaoke was a blast, and I'm sure everyone can see who my daughter inherited her musical gifts from. And it was most assuredly not me. Hey, the Bible says we should make a joyful noise, not necessarily a melodic one. Our devotional time was based on the book Lies Young Women Believe, and we so enjoyed our precious time with each other as we studied the word.
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The evening finished out with a viewing of One Night With The King, which is a terrific telling of the story of Esther. I definitely recommend picking this one up if you haven't seen it yet - it is well worth it!
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We did sleep a little.
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Just a bit.
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And when it was over, I went home and took a nap.
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But it was so, so, so worth it. I am truly blessed to get to spend time with such awesome kids!

A Love Letter to Scott

2009-11-02T04:04:00.000-08:00

Want this button?

Dear Scott,

When I first met you, I knew we would be married one day. I loved your curly blond hair and your big blue eyes. I especially loved the fact that you shared your scissors with me during craft time. Granted, it was kindergarten, but you were a gentleman through and through even then. We spent so many happy hours together playing on the playground, riding the bus and going to each others' houses that the teacher had to separate us so that we would pay attention (and not kiss and hug). You were my constant friend. I was so sad when we were separated in middle school. I missed you. When high school came and we were able to spend time together again, I rejoiced that we were able to pick up our friendship just as if it had never been interrupted. How many times did we laugh until we cried around the lunch table or on the long bus ride home? How many times did we commiserate about tests, teen angst and teachers? Posing for pictures with you at graduation was so bittersweet. I thought that was the end. A new beginning, but the end of our friendship as I knew it. Good thing for me that God's planning is so much better than my own.
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One conversation changed everything for me. When that friend spilled the beans that I liked you, I don't think she ever had a clue about the chain of events she set into motion. First one date, then ten, each one better than the last. Before we knew it, we were married. It wasn't always easy. It wasn't always fun. But you were there and that was enough. I will never, ever, ever forget you holding our daughter in your arms for the longest time, even while the nurse was waiting to take her to the nursery, talking to her, telling her over and over again that you were her daddy and that you loved her. You then took the time to write me the most beautiful thank you card ever. When our son was born, you did it all over again.
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I love you so much, both the man you've become and the friend you've remained. Thank you for your loving and giving nature, your patience (with me, especially) and your wonderful sense of humor. Thank you for still being able make me laugh until I can't breath. I love you!

Love,

April

Festivals and Fall

2009-10-29T17:06:00.000-07:00

It is my absolute favorite time of the year! Fall!
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I took these pictures a few weeks ago, and I've been remiss in forgetting to post them. Hartslog Day is an annual festival held in October (something about a man named Hart, owning a log - I don't know exactly). What I do know is that it is pretty much everything a fun fall festival (alliteration is a gift, folks) should be.
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Here is the street scene at 7:30 in the morning. We beat the crowds. We found a parking space. We hit the ground shopping. Kind of like Veni, Vidi, Vici but lots of women with big purses and tote bags instead of Roman soldiers with swords.

It wouldn't be Hartlog Day without a stop at the traditional pumpkin totem pole, created by students at the local elementary school.

I think this one was my favorite. Moooooo. Or is it a dalmatian? I love the face whatever it is.

Or maybe the scuba diver? With a strawberry on his head? Laying a Steelers egg?

Now, time for the parade. With a marching band, fire princesses, classic cars, boy scouts and . . .
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Shriners. I love the costumes. Especially the shoes.

After some serious socializing, shopping and Shriners (again with the alliteration), it was time to wander through the food vendors. The smells, oh the smells.
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This was my selection. Hot sausage with peppers and onions. It was sooooo good. It was also 9:30 in the morning. Sausage is a breakfast food, right?

This was my mom and my daughter's choice. I had a few bites, too. Funnel cake is a fair and festival staple.

Happy Fall!

Mountains and Valleys

2009-10-27T17:35:00.000-07:00

The mountain and valley analogy is used often in the Christian walk. I've come to believe there is a very real reason for that, just because it is so very apt. I wonder who first came up with it.
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I live in a mountain and valley landscape. Ridges run parallel to one another, with broad valleys coming to narrow ends between them. Some mountains have narrow grades, subtly taking you up and up. More often though, they spring up, wall-like from the ground, creating a sharp contrast in the terrain.
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Spiritual mountain tops seem to be where we want to be as Christians. Time spent on the peak is time spent in tune with God, doing His will and getting ever so small glimpses into His plan. The top feels great. The top is, well, the top.
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Spiritual valleys are not our goal. God sometimes seems farther away when we're there. We wonder what He is planning. We gaze at the mountain tops and yearn to go back. Sometimes we grow frustrated and try to climb up out of the valley under our own power. Worse, we resign ourselves to the valley as if we are being punished somehow.
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The mountain tops where I live have spectacular views. In some places, it seems like you can see God's creation spread before you for miles.
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The valleys have a lot to offer, though. Rich farmland support crops and livestock. Rain runs down from mountains to feed streams, creeks and rivers. Occasionally, fog envelops the lowland, blocking out the sun making it hard to see where you are going.
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The spiritual valleys have a lot in common with the real thing. Valleys in our faith are a place to rest and recharge. God will provide us with what we need as we journey through. We just need to remember to trust in Him as we navigate through the inevitable fog that rolls in, confusing us and making us believe that God is so very far away.
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I'm trying to reshape my thinking. Time spent in the spiritual valley is not wasted. It is not punishment. Valleys serve a purpose. Moses, Davis and Elijah all spent time high up on the mountain top as well as down in the valley.
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Just my thought for the day.

Fanny Crosby - Christian Heritage

2009-10-26T03:52:00.000-07:00

I'm quickly realizing that I'm running out of month, and I just couldn't forget about Fanny!

Truth in Labeling

2009-10-22T04:09:00.000-07:00

Has anyone ever tried to tell you what you are? Ever feel labeled? I have, and I'm certain I'm in good company.
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Sometimes labels are for categorization. Like stay at home mother, working mother (and I mean working outside the home, ALL mothers are working mothers) or single mother. These labels describe, but don't really define. Wife, mother, daughter, grand-daughter, niece and sister are all descriptions I accept gladly.
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During my childhood and teenage years, labels were stuck on me that I hated, like fat, loser, stupid and ugly. Labels like those burn when applied and if you accept them, they are incredibly difficult to remove by yourself.
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Two of my high school teachers however, knew the secret to scraping those labels off. One was a substitute English teacher, only there for a short time. In the free time at the end of the class, party invitations were given out by one of the "popular" girls. Over half of the class received invitations, and obviously, I did not. As the bell rang, the teacher asked me to see her after class. After everyone was gone, she told me that I was a true lady and that she was impressed with how I carried myself. Me? In ripped jeans, t-shirt and old sneakers? A lady? Some of those hated labels fell off right there and then as I accepted a shiny new badge that proclaimed that I was a lady.
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The second teacher was my high school French teacher. She told me I was beautiful when I felt so far from it. She was generous with her encouragement and her compliments.
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I doubt these two ladies even remember these incidents, but I do! And I am determined to do for others what they did for me. Will you join me? There are a lot of mis-labeled people out there!

Germaphobia. It's not just a hobby anymore!

2009-10-20T04:05:00.000-07:00

Last week, my son got spectacularly sick. High fever, vomiting, headache, general misery, he had all of the bases covered. The illness went on for four days, while I worried myself silly. Thus the Faith vs. Worry post. I was so thankful when he felt better and went back to school on Friday, and spent the weekend feeling great. Yesterday, in the afternoon, I got a call from the school notifying me that he was sick - again. As I type this, he is still sick, just as sick as he was last week. And I am again worrying myself silly. Why is that?
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Apart from doing my part to give the hand sanitizer companies the best financial year ever, I've got to admit I'm having a really hard time with this. I spent the weekend breathing a sigh of relief that no one else in the family had gotten sick and had hoped that we were in the clear. Reality hit with a vengeance when the second wave took hold.
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I'll try to get back here soon!

Stepping Heavenward

2009-10-16T03:55:00.000-07:00

I just finished the book Stepping Heavenward, and I can well imagine picking it up again and re-reading it. It is definitely a keeper. This book was written in 1869 by Elizabeth Prentiss, who must have been an absolute giant in faith.
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The story is told through the journal of Katy Mortimer, beginning on the occasion of her sixteenth birthday. Teenage Katy tells us of her exasperation with her mother, frustration with her friends and confusion with religion. Some bumps on the road of life lead her to her family pastor, who assures her of Christ's love and sets her feet on a quest to grow closer to God. Throughout the book, Katy often laments that the path to righteousness is uphill and it is so easy to lose you footing and slide back down. I cannot tell you how much that description hit home with me.
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On the whole, I would have to say that while the book is not an easy read, it is not a hard one either. The writing is conversational, maybe a bit old-timey, but not so much as other books from that time period. For instance, much as I love Jane Austen, I struggle with some of her wording and miss out on some of the subtle humor in her books. Ditto for Louisa May Alcott. This book was different. Even though it was written in a completely different time period, a time that we tend to think life was simpler, many of her struggles are the same ones we deal with today. I most highly recommend this book!

This Time Its Personal

2009-10-14T19:05:00.000-07:00

The title of this post is definitely meant to be tongue-in-cheek.
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First thing this morning, I came upon this blog post at Stuff Christians Like
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Then, even though I felt convicted by what I read before going to work, I allowed myself to fall into the same pervasive attitude problem I've been struggling with for over a week now. Thoroughly disgusted with myself, I took my lunch break at a local cafe with a good book for company. Stepping Heavenward is a work of fiction, loosely based on the life of the author. It is a story told in journal format following a girl into womanhood as she strives to live a more Godly life. Hmmmm. I picked it up, assuming it would be an edifying read of perfect people living perfect lives, enjoyable, but not real. This is most definitely not the case. The heroine, Katy, is far from perfect. She is confused about her feelings about God, confused about her relationship with her mother and confused about life in general. But gradually, she learns to seek Him. I'm not even halfway through the book, and there have already been several "Wow" moments, the kind that send shivers down your spine because it hit you where you live. The clincher - this book was written in 1869. Amazing.
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Today, whether I knew it at the time or not, God chose the reading list. And I am so glad!
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I'll finish my "review" of Stepping Heavenward once I finish the book. The Screwtape Letters is in the mail as well, so that one may very well follow. This one mentioned on Chrysalis sounds good as well. I'm looking for more reading material for the winter season, so please leave suggestions for me in the comments.

Faith vs. Worry

2009-10-13T11:21:00.000-07:00

Faith and Worry are like Fire and Water.

A lot of Worry can overwhelm your Faith,

just like a lot of Water can put out your Fire.

Enough Faith, though, can eliminate the Worry,

like a strong Fire can evaporate the Water.

It is just as difficult for Fire and Water to coexist

as it is Faith and Worry.

Hymn History - It Is Well With My Soul

2009-10-11T16:27:00.001-07:00

It is Well With My Soul by Horatio Spafford
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
Chorus:
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part, but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life,
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

But Lord, 'tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Horatio Spafford was the man who had everything. He was a prominent Chicago attorney who was active in real estate as well. He had wealth, a beautiful wife named Anna, five lovely children and a deep faith in God. However, their blissful life was to be short-lived.
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In 1870, the couple lost their only son to scarlet fever at the age of four. The devastating Great Chicago Fire of 1871 wiped out the majority of the Spafford's real estate investments and greatly injured the family's finances. Determined, they continued their charitable work - much needed in a city with 90,000 people made homeless. They were simply grateful that their home and their family had been spared in the fire.
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At the invitation of longtime friend and evangelist, Dwight L. Moody, the family was invited to visit England, where Moody was setting off a revival. Anna was still reeling from the recent loss of her son and the exhaustion that followed the great fire. It was decided that the family would accept their friend's invitation and set sail for a holiday in Europe and then assist Moody in England. Horatio was detained by business at the last moment, but decided to send Anna and the girls, Annie, age 11; Maggie, age 9; Bessie, age 5 and Tanetta, age 2 off as planned, intending to join them in Europe soon. It was not to be.
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On November 22, 1873, their ship, the Ville du Havre collided with another ship and sunk, killing 226 people - including all four of the Spafford children. Only Anna survived. She very famously sent a telegram to her husband, "Saved Alone - What shall I do?". Horatio set out for Wales, where Anna was waiting. As the ship he was traveling on passed over the spot where the Ville du Havre went down, he began to write the now famous hymn, It is Well With My Soul.

Christian Heritage - Isaac Watts

2009-10-08T17:34:00.000-07:00

I have to confess, I love hymns. I love choruses as well, but hymns will always have a very special place in my heart.

I found this short video fascinating in it's narrative about Isaac Watts, and I hope that you enjoy it too!

Marriage Monday

2009-10-04T17:34:00.000-07:00

The year 2000 found my family living in a run-down, single-wide trailer. My job at the time had left me depressed and depleted, leaving little energy at the end of the day to spare for my husband and children, who were only one and three at the time. The stress had gotten so bad at work that my hair was falling out. In desperation, I turned in my two week notice and frantically began looking for other work. It was mid-January, the weather was frigid and money was in short supply. To say we were struggling would not be an exaggeration. My husband startled me awake one morning after he noticed that our home was so cold that we could see our breath. Panicked, we rushed to the children's' room to check on them. They were fine, if a bit confused as to why mom and dad were waking them up so abruptly. The furnace had shut off sometime during the night, and since our oil tank was perpetually low, we assumed that the oil had run out. While my husband called for an emergency delivery, I bundled my daughter and my son up in the car and headed for my parents' house nearby. More oil did not fix the problem. The furnace was irreparably broken and it was decided that the trailer was too old to warrant replacing it with a new one (we did not own the trailer). Within two hours, we were left without a place of our own to live and I sat crying on the floor in my mother's kitchen, in complete disbelief that this had happened to us.

We moved temporarily to my parents' house, while we looked for a job for me, a place to live and some reassurance that God had not forgotten about us. I'm sure that, in anger, I lashed out at my husband. He, on the other hand, was regretting our decision for me to leave my job without having a new one in place. Both of us felt powerless and hopeless.

And then God made it obvious that he had been there all along.

You see, in talking with a co-worker while I was still employed, I had discussed the dismal condition of our home and how much I wished that we could make things better for our family. The co-worker had just moved into a new house and out of the house his family had rented. He very kindly wrote down the phone number of his former landlord for me and I promptly deposited it into the depths of my purse - TWO MONTHS BEFORE THE FURNACE DIED. During that time, I never once thought about that little scrap of paper. I spent hours scouring the newspaper, looking for apartments and jobs. Nothing worked out. Two apartment visits were disastrous. While looking for a pen, I came across that phone number and, even though we were positive we could not afford it, I called the landlord. Turns out, he was my father's former supervisor and was only too happy to show us the house. House! It was beautiful, and perfect for us. The kind landlord waived the security deposit and arranged it so we could move in immediately. We lived there for two years until we bought a home of our own.

Oh, and the job? God had that covered, too. I received a call for an interview while we were in the midst of moving. I was hired on the spot and I've been there ever since.

So sorry about the long post, but since the theme this month was about rough patches in marriage, this was what came to mind. As for suggestions to get through it - apply prayer directly to the problem. Repeat as needed!

Christian Heritage - Amy Carmichael

2009-10-02T16:44:00.000-07:00

"You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving."

Amy Beatrice Carmichael

Amy Beatrice Carmichael was born to a North Ireland family living in a small village called Millisle in 1867. Her family was rather wealthy due to the many flour mills, which filled the small village. Amy lost her father when she was eighteen years old, and the family suffered financial troubles after his death and were forced to move to the city of Belfast. However, God touched Amy's life in her new home and she began serving in city missions. Inspired after hearing Hudson Taylor speak and in spite of suffering health problems due to neuralgia, she began her missionary life in earnest. In 1883, she set out for Japan with the support of the Keswick Convention.

Her initial introduction to missionary life was a disappointment. She was frustrated by the fact that the missionaries, in her opinion, were no different from other men and women of her acquaintance. "..we are here just what we are at home- not one bit better - and the devil is awfully busy . . There are missionary shipwrecks of once fair vessels." Her desire to live a pure life before God and to bring that light to the world separated her from her fellow missionaries in Japan. She left for Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) without notifying a single person from the Keswick Convention. Then, she returned home, shortly after arriving in Ceylon, to care for a sick family friend.

She had such a heart for God, though, that she did not stay home for long. Less than a year after returning home, she returned to the mission field. She felt led to go to India. She found her life's work in serving the children, especially in her work with the temple children. Amy was instrumental in saving these children from becoming temple prostitutes. She went to such great lengths to save these children that she was even known to disguise herself as Indian - making her thankful that God had NOT answered a childhood prayer to change her eye color from brown to blue, her brown eyes made her disguise more believable - so that she could steal the children away and take them to safety. After twelve years of finding these children, she had one hundred thirty children in her care. She named her organization the Dohnavur Fellowship. The Dohnavur Fellowship was unique in the fact that everyone wore Indian dress and the children were given Indian names - unusual for missions of that time period. Amy Carmichael cared for the spiritual and physical needs of God's children and claimed, "...One cannot save and then pitchfork souls into Heaven . . . Souls are more or less securely fashioned to a body . . and as you cannot get souls out and deal with them separately, you have to take them both together."

She lived the rest of her life in India, serving fifty-five years in the mission field without a furlough. Amy passed away in 1951 at Dohnavur at the age of eighty-three and was known to thousands as "Amma" or Mother.