91 days of summer- 12

I think I found how to do my part...

(a restaurant ad in the NY subway)

91 days of summer- 11

new york city,

from Rockefeller Center

91 days of summer- 10

Buster the Bull,

Cows and Cones,
Gales Ferry, CT

I will lift up my eyes...

I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;

from whence shall my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord,

who made heaven and earth.

He will not allow your foot to slip;

He who keeps you will not slumber.

Behold, He who keeps Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper;
The Lord is your shade on your right hand.

The sun will not smite you by day,

nor the moon by night.

The Lord will protect you from all evil;

He will keep your soul.

The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in

from this time forth and forever.

Psalm 120 (NASB)

(photo taken near the Delaware Water Gap in New Jersey)

91 days of summer- 9

George Washington bridge,

New York, New York

91 Days of Summer- 8

Snowball the Chicken
Ellwood City, PA

91 days of summer- 7

the day after the beach

91 days of summer- 6

downtown Grand Haven, Michigan

91 days of summer- 5

I scream,
you scream...

Charley's Ice Cream,
Gowen, Michigan

on the lake

Life at the lake takes on a slower pace...

Hot black coffee in hand,
eggs cooked on the grill.
The view from that kitchen far exceeds the ordinary.
Geese swim by, birds soar lazily over the water.

The park begins to stir.
Golf carts zip by.  (when did people stop walking?)
Ladies wipe the morning dew off of picnic tables and benches. 
Men uncover boats, ready to head out of the docks.

The skies clear, the breeze gentle.
Another day at the lake. 

91 days of summer- 4

lilies on the lake

91 days of summer- 3

catch in the yard.

91 days of summer- 2

Bananagrams on the deck

91 Days of Summer- 1

First day of summer- travel
Duffles lined up and ready to be loaded.

on Psalm 40:1

as L.B. Cowman puts it in Streams in the Desert:
“. . . God is ever seeking to teach us the way of faith, and in our training in the faith life, there must be room for the trial of faith, the discipline of faith, the patience of faith, the courage of faith, and often many stages are passed before we really realize what is the end of faith, namely, the victory of faith.”

Andree Seu is beginning a new series on Psalm 40.  Today her words on faith and patience and prayer resound mightily with me.  A good read- go check it out for yourself.

Midsummer Night

How dost one tell this tale anew?

To make it fresh as morning dew?

Save pouring Oberon’s juice of the purple flower?

Tell it Midsummer Night, in a forest, for hearts to devour.

Midsummer Night’s Dream

We had the pleasure of taking in a performance of Midsummer Night’s Dream, a production of the Words Players in Rochester, Minnesota, this week. The Words Players are a troupe of youth thespians, and they did a terrific job of interpreting Shakespeare for a young crowd.

The casting for this production captured the essence of the Midsummer characters. Puck and the band of faeries flitted around while conducting their naughty mischief on the star-crossed lovers. The “Polite Mechanicals” interpreted the scene ahead with hilarious irreverence. And all of the cast cleverly used both the outdoor venue of the park, and the audience itself, to play on the hilarity of Shakespeare’s words.

For many years, we’ve been part of the audience at Omaha’s Shakespeare on the Green. It was fun to take in Shakespeare in a new setting this summer. Bravo, Words Players!

Loved well

We are moving.
Today we drove east, away from that place we have called home for the longest, and that is hard.
The hardest part of leaving is leaving.

But oh! The sweetness of being loved well.
My family has been loved well for a long while, but especially so in the last few weeks.

We have received gifts.
Little tokens of love.
Meals bought.
Items of necessity when we needed them most.

We have heard words of affirmation and kindness.
Calls and texts when least expected.
Notes and cards left in secret.
Prayers uttered at every turn.

We have been served selflessly.
Dirty jobs complete.
Errands run.
Children cared for generously.

And even in the busyness of leaving, we have enjoyed quality fellowship.
Feasts prepared.
Hospitality offered
Laughter and tears intermingled effortlessly.

At the Last Supper, Jesus told His disciples, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you love one another.” I’m thankful for all those, friends dear, who have loved us well.

Day Lilies

Day lilies and fireflies- a sure sign of June in Nebraska...

New header credit to
Day Lilies by wormink on Etsy

Living in Grace

We spent the last week in the beautiful mountains of western North Carolina, at Ridge Haven, the PCA camp and retreat center, attending Living in Grace. What a wonderful week, on so many levels...

We spent the week with others preparing to go out into all the world as missionaries with MTW. What a delight and a blessing, to share such sweet fellowship with those with a heart for the nations, those with a vision and call for His service. What an encouragement, to hear of God’s plan to use these folks! We shared the week with those headed to Ukraine and Spain, Colombia and Chile and Peru, Cambodia and several sensitive locations in eastern Asia and West Africa. We shared the week with singles and couples, young married folk with young kids, and others with teens like us. We shared the week with pastors and counselors and doctors and nurses and teachers and servants. We shared praises and concerns, prayers and petition, a lot of laughs and some tears too.

We sat under teaching that challenged us to look at our hearts, never an especially easy or pretty thing to do.

I realized that there is yet so much that I don’t really understand-

the enormity of God’s love for us.

Or my part in repentance.

How much I have been forgiven.

How much I need to forgive.

How small my faith is, so very often.

I mourn over those things, but I know I do not mourn nearly enough.

I consider and ask myself, how do I stray from the truth of the Gospel so quickly- the Truth of Christ’s death on the cross, the glory of His resurrection?

I can justify so much, until the scales fall and I see that Truth once again-

sinner saved by grace.

Will I ever fully comprehend the glory of the cross?

Of Christ’s work for me?

Of grace, and of hope?

And in the context of working through all that, we rested. A rocking chair waited in front of our door, and I did a goodly amount of sitting. Be still and know He is God- that sort of sitting. One morning I woke up and realized that I was rested.

Just in time to head back.

And finish the packing.

And the leaving.

And the next thing.

Flannery O’Connor pens my thoughts well,

In my stumbling attempt at being a Christian, I have discovered that the scope of the gospel is far larger than I had ever given it credit for. The gospel changes everything. In other words, we can find hope in the discovery that our world is more broken and more in need of a redeemer than we originally thought.

That I am more broken and more in need of a redeemer than I originally thought.

That is a hopeful place to be-
Pressing on.

Cast your cares...

If on a Sunday morning after worship,
A service full of praise and song and teaching and the beauty of His church,
You have stopped for a cup of coffee before starting the last leg of a trip.
And you get back into the car and turn on the I-pod for some tunes through the car speakers,
And on the last verse of All Creatures of Our God and King, you have to sing the Alleluias by yourself because the I-pod stops working.

And then you exit the interstate to a state road,
And then the lights on the dashboard start blinking randomly,

And then the car shuts down,

And then you can’t even start it, not even turn the engine over.

And you realize that this car is not going even one rotation of the wheels farther.

And you take a deep breath and pull out your AAA card,

And you utter a prayer of thanksgiving that, supernaturally and beyond logic, you were prompted to renew that membership last month,

And you call and try and figure out enough to describe where in this state you are.

And you stand by the side of the road and wait for a tow truck,

And say “no thanks, help is on the way” to the nice young couple that stopped to ask.

And you pray again for His good provision and sovereignty and timing to work all this out.

And you believe that He will, but you sure can’t see what that will look like.

And you watch your car pulled up on a flatbed tow truck,

And you climb up in the front seat of the rig and smell diesel and wonder “how much is this going to cost,”

And “Man, are we even going to make it there?”

And you pull into the Sears shop where they think they can fix it and get you back on the road,

And you get the estimate of how much it will cost,

And how long it will take.

And you wander around the nearly empty mall.

And you wander across the parking lot for a burger and shake,
And you wait.
And you phone family,

And you wait.

And you phone friends,

And you wait.

And the part that is supposed to be the fix breaks,

And you wait.

And they finally finish,

And you pay the bill and get back on the road in a downpour.

If all that happens, six hours later, you stop and pray again,

And thank God for His good provision and sovereignty and timing to work it all out.

And you make it to where you need to be,
Tired, hungry, and late, but you do arrive where you need to be.
If all that happens,

Then you can be thankful for the sermon message of that worship service, in what seemed like days but really was only hours before-

Cast all your cares upon Him, because He cares for you…

And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.

To Him be dominion forever and ever.
Amen.
1 Peter 5:7, 10-11

catching up

Well.

I didn’t intend for it to be a blog-cation.

But, a girl blinks, and then suddenly it has been two weeks, or more?, since the last post.

In that couple of weeks, we…

Packed a household and moved it into storage.

Drove halfway across the country.

Broke down and were repaired.

Rested.

Experienced sweet fellowship and challenging teaching.

Ate well.

Were loved much.

There might be a couple of blog worthy subjects in there.

We’ll see what might get pulled out…

among the nations...

Sing to the Lord a new song;
Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, bless His name;
Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day.
Tell of His glory among the nations,
His wonderful deeds among all the peoples,
For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised...
Psalm 96:1-4

views of the final ESL party, May 2010
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised!

Jones Bros Cupcakes

With 4 of 5 kids away last night, the remaining three of us lived it up.  Shhhh... don't tell the girls.  We had steak for dinner.  And we went here for dessert...

Jones Bros. cupcakes is a brand new spot in Aksarben Village.  And it is a cool lookin' place.  We walked in at 9:01.  They close at 9, but the young ladies at the counter were very hospitable nonetheless.  We walked out with one Red Velvet cupcake, one Coconut cupcake, and one Lemon cupcake.  Tasty.  Oh the lemon!  Tasty.

It is difficult for me to get my head around paying $2.95 for a cupcake.  Or $33 for a dozen cupcakes.  Little normal sized cupcakes that  you would make at home.  Truthfully, I'm partial to ice cream.  Jones Bros. is a treat, not a family spot.  But if you are hankerin' for some amazing buttercream frosting and dense flavorful cake, you won't go wrong at Jones Bros.

Multitudes (273- 295)

Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise. 
Give thanks to Him; bless His name. 
For the Lord is good; 
His lovingkindness is everlasting, and His faithfulness to all generations.
Psalm 100:4-5

273.  all day soaking rain
274.  "Those that sow in tears shall reap in joy."  Matthew Henry
275.  good pizza and excellent company
276.  no rain, despite the forecast
277.  watching all the stuff walk down the driveway
278.  a sweet family back from service in Nepal
279.  the encouragement of strangers
280.  dear Marge
281.  a perfect night for lacrosse
282.  a perfect assist for a goal
283.  a win
284.  ice cream and fellowship
285.  cold shower and soft bed
286.  "the messenger cannot be more important than the Message."
287.  piano pieces long practiced and well performed
288.  a phone call while on the backyard swing in the cool of evening
289.  free moving boxes
290.  and mulch
291.  faithful servants
292.  Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples...  Psalm 96:3
293.  mango lassi
294.  and conversation and prayer on her front porch
295.  plans coming together

piano recital

a zoom lens is so fun.

yard sale

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;

for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Matthew 6:19-21

and so, in one sense, it was easy to have a yard sale.  I'm tired of storing up- that attic has been much too full!  It was easy to go through my house and purge.  It was easy to set it all out on tables in a driveway and let others have at it.  (uh, well, easy to set out except for this that somehow got into the pile.  No sir, not that, not yet...)  I'm more than ready to travel light, well, lighter.  (does a family of 7 ever travel light?)

but in other ways, having a yard sale is oh-so-hard.  All that STUFF, spread over my house- that makes me GRUMPY!  That we ever accumulated so much stuff- that makes me grumpy.  That I'm asking people to buy my stuff- that makes me grumpy.  And that people ask for a fraction of the pittance price- that makes me grumpy too. 

confession- by the end of the day Saturday, I was grumpy. 

confession- I am sure my family would tell you I was grumpy long before that. 

But back to the good news...

less moth and rust.

faithful Lord.

hard working family

dear friends.

money for travel while we are sojourning this summer.

(and my radio remains in my possession.)

where my treasure is, there my heart will also be.

wise words

and one more from Kevin DeYoung's blog that follows that idea of daily obedience and faithfulness over the long haul...
the quoted section are thoughts from a young lady who spent the last few years working as a missionary with Food for the Hungry in the Philippines. The last paragraph are DeYoung's comments. 

"I didn’t change the world. I didn’t start a revival. I didn’t eradicate poverty. I didn’t cure whole villages of malaria. I didn’t open a school or hospital. I didn’t single handedly share the gospel with an entire temple of Buddhist monks and have them all become believers in Jesus Christ. I didn’t translate the Bible into an obscure language. I didn’t get thrown into jail for my faith and then have an entire nation repent due to my witness. I didn’t bring a physically poor community into self-sufficient prosperity. I didn’t find every single street child a home with a loving family.


I did strive to build relationships. I did walk alongside people as they struggled to live each day. I did value and love those that I worked with and those that I worked for. I did have part of my heart forever planted here. I did constantly learn and grasped that the more you know about a people, the more you understand that you haven’t even begun to figure it out. I did share about Jesus Christ to people who had never heard. I did change from wanting to help “the poor” to acknowledging that we are all poor in one way or another and that we are all walking together. I did allow God to strip away idols and distractions from my life (which is a scary process by the way) to reveal my true heart. I did know more fully that God’s grace is truly sufficient."

Wise words, Katie. God asks for faithfulness, humility, and love. The rest of the work is up to him.

plodders

What we need are fewer revolutionaries and a few more plodding visionaries. That’s my dream for the church — a multitude of faithful, risktaking plodders. The best churches are full of gospel-saturated people holding tenaciously to a vision of godly obedience and God’s glory, and pursuing that godliness and glory with relentless, often unnoticed, plodding consistency.

- Kevin DeYoung, The Glory of Plodding at Ligonier.org

(art credit:  Plod from andymatthewsphotography.com at flickr)

COME IN! THANK YOU!! PUT IT OVER THERE!!!

For over six years now, if the calendar told us it was the first, third or fifth Thursday in the month, 11:00 am would find us on our Home Delivered Meals route.   Today we delivered for the last time.

Delivering meals has been the easiest project that we’ve ever done as a family. I guess that’s why we managed to stick it out all these years. Oh sure, there have been days, and weeks, when we felt akin to the mailman, delivering in rain, sleet, snow and wind, bitter cold and sticky sweaty heat. (and, I might add, food doesn’t smell so great when it’s hot out. And please, don’t forget the extra milks in the back of the van…) But the people we met, the stories- they will stick with us for a very long time.

Delivering meals, my family met all kinds of folks. We have delivered meals to the elderly and the home-bound and the infirm. We have delivered meals to people of different race and religions. We have delivered meals to incredibly stately old homes and plain ol’ houses and apartments and trailer parks. We have delivered meals to people as kind as you could ever hope to meet, and some real grumps. After a while of delivering, even the grumps usually softened up.

In the beginning, all five of my kids would deliver every meal to every door. That took a while! So then we started doing one or two kids per home. My kids quickly grew to love their favorites. And I am pretty sure that the majority of folks enjoyed seeing us more than they liked getting their food. But I’m also pretty sure that at least a few of the folks that we have brought meals to wouldn’t eat that day if we had not.

We met one lady that was so old her teeth looked like they might fall out of her mouth at any moment. I asked her how she was doing one day. “Pretty good for a lady that’s 103,” she told me. 103 years old! Did my daughter’s eyes pop out when she heard that!

We met one lady that was a hoarder. She had an on-going battle with her neighbors about the perpetual yard sale in her front yard. Yes, it was quite a sight, but I always wondered if they ever tried to help her. She could barely get to the front door to answer it, so thick were the many things in her house.

We met a dear wheelchair bound lady who, really, smoked like a chimney. She gave the kids tootsie roll pops every week. Tootsie roll pops that tasted like… smoke. I made my kids say thanks and take them anyway.

We met a lady who was blind but adored my son. She tried to kiss him and offered him a $20 dollar bill. I did not let him take the money. (We did take a Christmas gift of McDonald’s gift certificates one year, however…) We have also delivered to several folks who were incredibly hard of hearing, and would shout at us in a virtual scream, “COME IN!! THANK YOU!! PUT IT OVER THERE!!!” That makes us giggle all the way out the door.

We loved delivering to the kind man who was a huge Royals fan, who wore a different ball cap every week, and who teased my son mercilessly about being a Mariners fan. And to the dear man who collected model cars, and very seriously told my kids about how he ended up with a tracheotomy and the dangers of smoking. And to the precious couple that still had their mentally disabled son living with them, and cried when they told us that they had to move to assisted living but he had to move somewhere else.

This last winter, we are pretty sure that our delivery helped to save a lady. She didn’t answer the door that day, and prescription delivery from the previous day was outside her door. But her screen door was locked from the inside, so I felt certain she was inside. We alerted the Office on Aging folks who promised to make contact with her. The next week, she was temporarily off our list because she was in the hospital.

Several times folks have heard we deliver meals and commented what a blessing that must be to the people we deliver to. And indeed, we hope it is. But without hesitation, I will tell you, we were the ones who were blessed.

Multitudes (254- 272)

O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
For the Lord is a great God,
And a great King above all gods.
Psalm 95:1-3

254.  6:30 breakfast at Lisa's
255.  laughing with friends
256. corporate prayer
257.  a great save in goal
258. friends saying goodbye, and parents knowing how precious that is.
259. dinner guests
260.  Is your heart right?  2Kings 10:15
261.  celebrating new babies
262.  clean dishes and clean glasses and clean silverware
263.  skittles and friends on the bleachers
264.  the belly laugh of a 2 year old
265.  worship
266.  new members
267.  friends who tell you
268.  international friends
269.  a handwritten card that says exactly what that little girl is thinking
270.  so many that you love in one place at one time
271. If the lord had not bee m help, my soul would have dwelt in the abode of silence.  If I should say, "My foot has slipped," Thy lovingkindness, O Lord, will hold me up.  Psalm 94:17-18
272.  baseball game and a wedding magazine and fold up chairs

Party

We decided to have a party.
What a party indeed.
I didn't take a single photo, but scenes of the gathering are indelibly printed on my memory...

One by one and couple by couple and group by group, people we know and love came through our doors. 
It was the very best kind of party to have.

Our neighbors came. 
My kids have run through their yards, and have ridden across their sidewalks, and have sold cookies and candy and raffle tickets and such to these people, for 6 years now.  They were the customers at the lemonade stands.  My kids have mowed their lawns and shoveled their sidewalks and house-sat their dogs.  We knew them by their dogs, as Gus and Alice and Duke and Teddy's people, before we knew their names.  We have watched their kids and grandkids grow, and they have watched ours.  We have wonderful neighbors.

Our sports friends came.
My kids have played with their kids, season after season.  Through wins and losses.  Through the heat of summer and the cold of fall and the rain and wind of spring.  In gyms and on fields all over town, and all over the state, and all over the region.  We've driven together and ate together.  We've cheered together, and we've groaned together.  We've gone through those hard years, when it didn't look much like a sport.  And we've made it to these recent years, when skills develop, and we see improvement game by game, and they really start to know what's going on.  We like those kids a lot.  We like those parents a lot too.

My husband's co-workers came.
The folks he sees everyday, those that for many years spent more daylight time with him than his family did.  Those guys that answer the phone when I call; the ones I hope I'm not bothering.  It was fun to put names with faces, and show them a glimpse of what that guy does when he's not at work.  I think that they must have wondered what they were walking into when they entered our busy house! 

My ESL staff and students came.
Bernard from Haiti, with new haircut and in spiffy clothes.
Andina from Nepal, who took a break from studying for medical school exams.
Armando and Benjamin from Mexico, who brought their guitar and accordion and played for us, both in Spanish and a set of the Beatles in English.
My life is exceedingly more rich because of knowing those folks!

Kids came.
Babes in arm and car seats and strollers.
Toddlers who peered in wonder at my little dog.
The school-aged kids that were in and out, and in and out, and probably ate much more candy and cake than their moms had a clue about.
The "big boys" who played football in the yard.
The teenage girls who gathered on the porch.

Our friends came.
Those that we have served alongside, and worshipped with, and fellowshiped with, week after week, and month after month, and year after year.  Those that know us, and laugh with us, and pray for us, and love us so very well.  Those who are really family to us.  Those who know my kids and who my kids know.  They kept coming, and we were excited to see every one, right down to the last couple to wander in when we didn't think one more person would arrive. 
 
And these folks brought smiles and greetings and food and even gifts!  Candy for me and the kids.  A gift card to Subway!  (Could there be a more thoughtful gift for a family in the midst of moving?)  International mementos.  Cards and notes.  Completely unexpected and very much appreciated.

We decided to have a party.
What a party indeed.
We are blessed.

May Blue Skies

New header art credit-
May Blue Skies, an original watercolor ACEO by bluedogrose at etsy.com.

warning

You shall have no other gods before Me.

Exodus 20:3

New dishwasher.

Beautiful floor.

I'm working on forsaking all idols...

Multitudes(239-253)

It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
And to sing praises to Thy name, O Most High,
To declare thy lovingkindness in the morning,
And Thy faithfulness by night...
For Thou, O Lord, hast made me glad by what Thou hast done.
I will sing for joy at the works of Thy hands.
Psalm 92:1-2, 4

239.  His lovingkindness and faithfulness in Psalm 89, 15 times over
240.  a little girl excited for the day ahead
241.  silliness with the hose and bucket
242.  bird poop off of the car
243.  friends who pray with me, and for me
244.  patience
245.  If the Lord is God, follow Him- 1Kings 18:21
246.  "If Jesus be the only Savior, let us cleave to Him alone for every thing."  Matthew Henry
247.  worship
248.  community
249.  handmade cards
250.  surprise phone calls
251.  cake and coffee and conversation and laughing
252.  pork loin on sale
253.  He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress; My God in whom I trust!"  Psalm 91:1-2

(art credit: Morning Song by janmyrickdesigns on Etsy)

The Amazing Race

Dear Jet and Cord,

Good gravy!

If it were up to a family vote, you would have won. 

We think Dan and Jordan are cheaters and whiners, though we do appreciate how loyal they are to one another.   And even though we sort of grew to really like Caite, we still think that Brent is a doof.

Now that Amazing Race is over, I guess it's back to Sunday night at the Food Network...

Blessings,
The H Family

Outside looking in

or inside, looking out...

When I have to leave my house...

... I choose the library.

whispers.
taps on the keyboard.
a baby chattering.
pages turning.
musty.
skylights.
magazines.

of course, when you go to the library and forget the keyring of the family library cards...
well, that is akin to torture, and you may have to beg forgiveness of your children many times over.

please, old house, do not give us any surprises today.

(ps- I just noticed that there is paint on my foot.  and on my hands...)

Double Dog Dare

It's easy-peasey!  Much easier than sticking your tongue to a frozen post!

Border's summer reading challenge for kids 12 and under, the Double-Dog Dare, offers a free book when  you read 10.

I wish they had summer reading challenges for adults...
(as long as it didn't involve War & Peace, ahem...)

Go here for more info!

(photo credit- A Christmas Story, of course!)

Multitudes (199- 238)

I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.  G.K. Chesterton

199.  friends who share lettuce

200.  chairs side by side, cheers that make no sense

201.  hustle

202.  little boys playing ball
203.  sisters cheering for their brother
204.  confession
205.  forgiveness
206.  reconciliation
207.  silly text messages
208.  cooking together
209.  106 pitches and a home run
210.  "We have an offer."
211.  Rejoicing with those that rejoice, and
212.  weeping with those that weep.
213.  fresh paint

214.  everything ahead on graduation day

215.  the choir singing Fairest Lord Jesus

216.  knowing these young men and ladies

217.  getting to the ball first

218.  playing hard

219.  the vivid greens of spring

220.  $1 large unsweet ice tea

221.  dinner with friends

222.  kids who love to have their picture taken

223.  Pinky swinging, "more!  more!"

224.  the magic of helium balloons
225.  birthday cake and ice cream
226.  celebrations!
227.  being welcomed
228.  vision for the future becoming more clear

229.  "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Let's pray..." and the sleeping baby barely stirs

230.  spring rain

231.  knowing where everything in the kitchen should be

232.  "let me tell you about my day..."

233.  "Good gravy!"

234.  sunset after the thunderstorm, wisps of pink and orange and lavender clouds streak across the sky

235.  "They are always welcome with us."

236.  when they notice you are not there, and call, and leave a message, and text

237.  a husband that can fix it, no matter what it is

238.  at all times pray, and do not lose heart...  Luke 18:1

(photo credit- me, but for the record, not one of those kids are mine!)

May Day

no alarm to wake by this morning, a rare occurence. 
latte delivered.
move slow.
very slow.

laundry, a constant.
scrape peeling paint off window sills.
it is much more pleasant to scrape peeling paint with the knowledge that little children will one day set their chins on those sills to peer out the windows.

off to graduation.
fairest lord jesus sung sweet and clear.
I am thankful that my children make beautiful music and enjoy sweet fellowship. 
I am thankful to be part of that community.
I don't cry a tear. 
until later.

soccer in the sun.
girls that run like gazelles,
that don't back off,
that play with intensity on their faces,
that shake off the loss and tell each other "goodbye!  have a good weekend!"

a 50th birthday party.
kids everywhere, eager and excited.
laughs aplenty.
dear friends.
time becomes even more precious.

home as the sun goes down.
may day complete.

(art credit:  Come What May by dazeychic on Etsy)

vote now!

if you have a minute, would you go vote for my traveling buddies?
Once you click the link, then click the box that says "Vote Now," and then click the link for photos from April 23-29, and then click vacation location Sequim, WA.

four clicks.
many happy people, if they show up in our paper!

blessings!

O! Trader Joe's!

YesterdayTrader Joe's announced they will soon be opening a store in O!  Much rejoicing! 

(cartoon from Jeff Koterba at the Omaha World Herald, 30April2010)

ROYGBIV Tuesday

Red daisies
Orange sunset
Yellow pansies
Green leaves
Blue skies
Lavendar lilacs
ROYGBIV Tuesday