69/365

A friendly, mostly friendly that is..., game of Carcassonne.
I don't play. Psheesh! I can't even say it. :-)

list 4

But really?
What is an "average day"?
It seem like there is always something quirky about our days; the exception seems to be the rule.

Yet even with the exceptions, my days tend to be pretty ordinary. My comfort in that is summed up by by GK Chesterton-

“The most extraordinary thing in the world is an ordinary man and an ordinary woman and their ordinary children.”

For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept,
    line upon line, line upon line,
    here a little, there a little.

- Isaiah 28:10 (ESV)

and we press on.

list 3

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV)

68/365

Auntie and the cousins come to visit and we take a ride in her fancy new ride.
Is it a mirror or is it a sunglasses holder or ...?

list 2

When I lose my way,
And I forget my name,
Remind me who I am.
In the mirror all I see,
Is who I don't wanna be,
Remind me who I am.
In the loneliest places,
When I can't remember what grace is.

Tell me once again who I am to You,
Who I am to You.
Tell me lest I forget who I am to You,
That I belong to You.
To You.

When my heart is like a stone,
And I'm running far from home,
Remind me who I am.
When I can't receive Your love,
Afraid I'll never be enough,
Remind me who I am.
If I'm Your beloved,
Can You help me believe it.

from "Remind Me Who I Am," by Jason Gray.

( Jason Gray has a fun website- quotes and reviews and such)

listing

My friend Julie is participating in the 30daysoflists this month- 
a REALLY Fun Idea!

But... alas... I'm cheap. And I didn't really want to pay the $$ to "officially" play along. Basically I'm just following her and lifting the ideas. (hmm.. shameless? I really feel like it doesn't qualify as "stalking" if the person gives you permission, right?)

Julie has a really cute notebook to keep her lists in. I love that! A good excuse to get out my crayon box.

So every once in a while, a list might appear here... (bloggy note to self- add new "lists" label...)

Thanks for the idea, friend!
Check out Msicybird's lists on Instagram too.

67/365

The ladies gathered and chopped and rolled and chatted and laughed and such were the spoils.
That bowl of red? Those are crushed up Hot Cheetos- the uniquely south Texas touch to sushi.

66/365

The project is to make dresses for kids in Ouanaminthe, Haiti. They'll be delivered by a team from HIMM (Heal International Medical Missions) in April. The truth is, I don't sew- as in, barely buttons.But I can't help but catch Pat's enthusiasm. And thankfully, I have some girls that are pretty crafty...

65/365

God, mark us with grace

    and blessing! Smile!
The whole country will see how you work,
    all the godless nations see how you save.
God! Let people thank and enjoy you.
    Let all people thank and enjoy you.
Let all far-flung people become happy
    and shout their happiness because
You judge them fair and square,
    you tend the far-flung peoples.
God! Let people thank and enjoy you.
    Let all people thank and enjoy you.
Earth, display your exuberance!
    You mark us with blessing, O God, our God.
You mark us with blessing, O God.
    Earth’s four corners—honor him!

Psalm 67- The Message 

64/365

Spring Quiet by Christina Rossetti (1847)

Gone were but the Winter,
  Come were but the Spring,
I would go to a covert
  Where the birds sing.

Where in the whitethom
  Singeth a thrush,
And a robin sings
  In the holly-bush.

Full of fresh scents
  Are the budding boughs
Arching high over
  A cool green house:

Full of sweet scents,
  And whispering air
Which sayeth softly:
  “We spread no snare;

“Here dwell in safety,
  Here dwell alone,
With a clear stream
  And a mossy stone.

“Here the sun shineth
  Most shadily;
Here is heard an echo
  Of the far sea,
  Though far off it be.”

63/365

We had a great breakfast, stocked up on our favorite candies, and headed home via a new route. A new, slower, route. With road construction. But hey- what's the hurry, anyway? We turned off the engine, opened the windows and watched the cows in the pasture for a little while.

62/365

Texas Independence Day dinner-
and you can't even see the brisket, ribs, and desserts!

61/365

thanks for having us, Christ Church Katy!

60/365

We talked about Jesus and "go into the world" and Paul and traveling and sharing the Very Good News and loving our neighbors and learning about new cultures...
but it is possible the take away was beat up a donkey and eat candy...
:-)

59/365

Progresso street food-
yes, be jealous.

58/365

We've spent the last nine Wednesday afternoons with these folks, learning more about 1 Corinthians 13 and more on Loving the Way Jesus Loves. I'm absolutely sure that we were more blessed than they were.

57/365

We were over in Reynosa on Tuesday, visiting friends and ministries that we work with. At an intersection, a little boy, maybe 8 years old, approached our van, selling gum. This is exceedingly normal. It's not very good gum, just tiny packages that are 4 sugar coated pieces- sometimes we buy it and sometimes we don't. This day my husband declined.

The boy muttered something mostly under his breath, probably a curse, but looked so sad, almost like he was about to cry. And he was mad. He banged the side of our van with his balled up fist and then went back to the street corner and sat down. We waited out the traffic light and then started to move forward. He pitched a small rock at our van as we left.

The entire incident lasted all of 3 minutes maybe, but it made me so sad. What to do? The kid is probably being extorted by some thug, if he doesn't sell his gum he faces consequences. But then, we keep buying gum and he keeps getting abused.... The boy sits breathing exhaust fumes all day, dodging crazy traffic in a Mexican intersection. He really is the "least of these."

It seems so small to say "next time I'll buy the chicles"...

56/365

That's 20 in all.
Exceedingly abundantly blessed.

55/365

14 people create a lot of dishes,
but they are worth every bit of work.

(and in fair disclosure, really, I didn't wash... thanks Eric!)

54/365

26.2.
We're really proud of this guy.

53/365

We drove up through the desert and then across acres and acres of farm land and then we came to the Gulf shores of Surfside Beach.
Texas really is a big place.

52/365

That's corn, sprouting up in the fields near my house, and that seemed pretty incredible to me, considering the blizzard I heard was going on in the fields up north...

book list 2013

For both of the past two years I have started lists, but never kept them up, and I regret that. I'm trying anew this year, keeping tracks of the books I finish each month and a sentence or two to describe each. I hope to update the list monthly... (I'm including books I read with my girls for school...)

January-
Clementine, Friend of the Week by Sara Pennybacker- my favorite modern little girl series- think Ramona in the year 2010; spunky, clever, with wise parents, and a great ending every time.
Tinkers by Paul Harding- the story of an old man on his death bed, his memories interwoven with the voice of his father long ago, in descriptive and poetic narrative.
Remembering by Wendell Berry- another in the Port William series, this time told by Andy Catlett after an accident on the farm takes his hand away.
George Washington's World by Genevieve Foster- The history of the world during the years of George Washington's life, 1732-1799.
A Live Coal in the Sea by Madeleine L'Engle- the tangled and sometimes ugly story around astronomer Camilia Dickinson's family (L'Engle fans- what other book is Camilia in?), but one that ties up all loose ends with redemption.
The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes- written by 17th century Puritan Sibbes, this work centers around Isaiah 42:3, a comforting reminder of the grace and mercy of Christ to His people.
The Small Rain by Madeleine L'Engle- the coming of age story of a young girl and her struggle to find identity. Not my favorite L'Engle work, but still, I'm looking for the sequel.

February-
The Devil's Highway by Luis Alberto Urrea- a sad and true story about the Wellton 26 (or the Yuma 14, or the Wellton 14, or the Tucson 14, depending on who you ask), a group of immigrants who crossed the Mexican border into the southern Arizona desert.

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett- Dr. Martina Singh, a pharmaceutical researcher from Minnesota, heads into the Amazon jungle on a multifaceted adventure. This story raises questions of medical and social ethics alongside everyday struggles of living in the hot, mosquito filled, and often dangerous rain forest. This would be a great discussion book.

Loving the Way Jesus Loves- Phil Ryken- Our Sunday school class is working through this book, and I used it to lead a Bible study over the last couple months. I enjoyed this book! Ryken's work takes a look at 1 Corinthians 13 from a entirely new angle, using examples from the life and ministry of Jesus as to what love really is.

March - June-
(dang. I kept thinking, "I should write this down," but I didn't. So... I know I'm missing titles. alas.)
Patron Saint of Liars by Ann Patchett
Truth and Beauty by Ann Patchett
South of Broad by Pat Conroy
Future Grace by John Piper
The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert by Rosaria Champagne Butterfield

(photo from blankcanvasdesigns at etsy.com)

51/365

The Bible study I lead at the retirement home was shortened due to the semi-annual "Celebration of Life" service, a memorial in remembrance of those who have died in the last six months. A couple of my very regularly attending ladies were not happy about the conflict, and questioned the activities director about it. "Well we're sure it's not your fault," said one lady, diplomatically. "But it's SOMEONE'S fault," noted the other.

I almost laughed out loud. I guess 80 plus years gives a lady permission to speak her mind. I, however, have about 35 more years of filtering to go...

50/365

its what's for dinner....

Vegetable Curry (from Food Made Fast: Slow Cooker (William Sonoma)

1/4 c. canola oil
2 yellow onions, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 T. fresh ginger, minced
1 1/2 t. ground coriander
1 t. ground turmeric
1 t. cumin seeds
1 lb. boiling potatoes, peeled and cut in chunks (I used white skin potatoes, quartered without peeling)
1 large head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets
3/4 lb. green beans, trimmed and chopped (I used 1 lb. before trimming)
salt
(vegetable broth)
1/4 c. fresh cilantro, chopped

1. Saute the vegetables and spices. In a pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the onions and garlic, and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger, coriander, turmeric, and cumin seeds, and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup hot water and deglaze the pan, stirring to scrape up the browned bits on the pan bottom. When the water comes to a boil, remove the pan from the heat.

2. Cook the curry. Put the potatoes, cauliflower, and green beans in the slow cooker. Pour the contents of the frying pan over them. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 t. salt and stir to combine. (I added another cup and a half of broth for more liquid) Cover and cook on the high-heat setting for 4 hours or the low-heat setting for 8 hours. Add the cilantro and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt, and serve.
(we served it with rice, naan, and cucumber yogurt salad. yum!)
(and, bonus! it tastes even better the next day.)

A double wonder

We need to let it sink in that grace is not only gotten by faith, but glorified by faith. This doubles our blessing in being people who trust in God. On the one hand, we long for the blessings of God's future grace, and they come to us by faith. But on the other hand, we long for God's grace to be glorified in our lives, and this too comes by faith. Faith receives the goodness of future grace, and faith reflects the glory of future grace. It is a double wonder. These two things are not at odds- our receiving the joy and God getting the glory. O, how this should set our hearts on a passionate quest to trust God hour by hour for all we need- for God's sake! Every moment of faith is a tribute to his grace.
- John Piper, Future Grace

49/365

Always double the blessing! Always quadruple the photos.
Happy birthday, twinsies!

48/365

“You were born to be a player. You were meant to be here. This moment is yours.” 
- Herb Brooks, US Olympic Men's Hockey Team Coach, 1980

(that one is handpicked for you, Lid! :-)

ahh yes-

“Worship is the proper response of all moral, sentient beings to God, ascribing all honor and worth to their Creator-God precisely because he is worthy, delightfully so.” 
—D. A. Carson, Worship by the Book

(from Challies.com, "The Essential: Worship," 17February2013)

47/365

The beach on a February Saturday afternoon...
(not to mention 7 neat kids and a fun companion besides!)

Blessed.

46/365

Things that make people who live in a desert climate smile-
seasonal wildflowers, bright purple and yellow, along the side of the road.

45/365

"A hundred hearts would be too few
To carry all my love for you."
- Unknown

44/365

we tease that it is his first weekly gig...

43/365

I have a lot more walls to paint for others before come close to the walls that have been painted for me.

42/365

A lollapalooza of a party for the February girls- streamers, Filipino food, fluffy cake and sparklers that kept popping back to sparkle some more.

41/365

On a day when I read about storms and wind and being snowed in, being outside taking photos of sunflowers seemed pretty charmed, indeed.

40/365

spotted by alert youngest daughter, while driving around, aimlessly yet in route, hopeful, expectant, and confident that "whatever God has promised gets stamped with the Yes of Jesus." (2 Corinthians 1:20, The Message)

the names have been changed...

from Zits by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman, February 10, 2013

39/365

(Mosaic found in Church of the Multiplication in Israel, replica in chapel at Loaves & Fishes)

I helped to serve breakfast at Loaves & Fishes of the Rio Grande Valley, a local ministry to serve the homeless and needy. Loaves & Fishes feeds the hungry, shelters the homeless, facilitates job training and placement, and provides aid, both financial and non-financial, to those in need.

Some facts about the county where I live-
The poverty rate is 34.9 percent, double the rate of the rest of Texas.
The unemployment rate is 9.7 percent.
The illiteracy rate among those over 25 years old is 43 percent.
73 percent speak a language other than English at home.

Loaves and Fishes is doing a good work in our community, a place that needs the Gospel in Word and in deed. It was privilege to come alongside them on Friday.

38/365

My favorite chore.
Which is a good thing, because folding laundry-
not so much.

Paperman

Paperman is among the animated short films nominated for an Academy Award this year. And I love it.

giveaway!

Georgianne is giving away a copy of Notes from the Tilt-A-Whirl by ND Wilson. I've read so many goodgood reviews of this book but somehow, I've missed reading it. And Anne reminds me to put it on my list.
Visit Georgianne to enter, and to be blessed by Anne's writing besides.

37/365

and on a day when absolutely nothing out of the ordinary happened...
go figure.
:-)

36/365

I came clean.
I made sure that I had cash in hand.
I went straight to the desk.
I handed over my card.
I paid the fines in full.

And now I can check out books again.

"Just the knowledge that a good book is waiting one at the end of a long day makes that day happier."
-Kathleen Norris (1880-1966), American Novelist

35/365

"The grace for endurance... is looking forward to the next moment's and next month's arrival of the power of Christ to do for us what we absolutely despair of doing ourselves."
- John Piper, Future Grace

"My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
- 2 Corinthians 12:9

(which has nothing to do with today's picture, but everything to do with how I started the day.)

34/365

what might end up with the chips and dip when little boys come to your Super Bowl gathering...

33/365

The kind of day where a lot happens and enough gets done and you spend time with neat people, both kids and adults and in the US and in Mexico and in English and in Spanish, and you learn something new about your husband and he learns something new about you, and you go to bed ready for worship in the morning...
THAT kind of day.

(and yes, he made the lay-up) :-)

32/365

Sweet Ginger.
Look what happens when two ladies get distracted and the kids with a brand new box of chalk start to color nearly everything in their path...
:-)

31/365

At a tour of the Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol Sector station, I watched a dozen monitors as cameras panned locations across the Valley, river or fence always in view. I forgot to write down how many thousands of tons of illegal drugs were seized, but it was more than I can really conceive. I stood in the weapons room and took aim through the holographic sight of a fully automatic rifle. In the complete dark, I squinted through the lens of a night vision scope and through the viewfinder of thermal imaging goggles. I learned more than 200,000 "undocumented subjects" were apprehended in the 2012 calendar year, that just in our area. Many of those were the same people, counted multiple times.

And then I saw the faces. The real faces of those undocumented people who had been apprehended in our area the last 24 hours or so. Agents bring them in and transport them out around the clock. Those being held are divided into four groups, kept in cinder block rooms with cement benches- women and children, juveniles, men from Mexico, and men from everywhere else. Some of their faces appeared blank, tired and dazed. Some appeared resigned, just waiting for whatever was to come next. A few, mostly young men, looked straight ahead, almost defiant, seemingly unafraid. A older Cuban woman, most likely someone's grandma, sat to be interviewed, her face downcast and worn. She was detained earlier in the day at the airport, her visa expired. Through thick-paned glass, we looked at them, and they looked at us.

Eventually, most likely, most of those faces would be deported. Most everyone deported from our area gets flown to California, and escorted across the border, in an effort to discourage them from returning to the eastern side of the US/Mexico border. But, agents acknowledged that many DO return, some in as few as 3 days.

I respect the job these Border Patrol agents do, working long hours, often under-funded and under-manned, in difficult and frequently dangerous circumstances. I'm thankful for the work that they do to prevent terrorists and weapons and drugs from entering our country. And yet, I left sad. I know that there are no easy answers to immigration issues and I know that significant reform is necessary. But in all that debate, just as it was in the tour, it will be the faces that come to my mind. It will be the faces because I have known the undocumented personally and it is their stories that make the issue more than text of news stories and the rule of law for me.

It is the faces that cause me to remember, as Paul tells us in Ephesians 2, that Jesus "came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father." Because of the Gospel, those trusting in Christ "are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God." That is the story that I want to tell here in my part of the Rio Grande sector.

30/365

Lemonade Girl Scout Cookie.

((happy contented smile and sigh))