17/365

yes, I am the mom who paid a daughter five dollars and a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch to fold two overflowing baskets of laundry...

16/365

early mornings lately-
ESV reading plan
A Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes

and a cup of coffee.

15/365

It is silly, I know, because I've been keeping the peat damp and watching the stem grow and lengthen and keeping the lanky spine upright with twine, but still, I am joyfully surprised to come down and find my amaryllis opened to bloom this morning.

14/365

A cool rainy Monday, schoolwork complete, the last week our college girl is home...
and an outing to Uncle Buck's Fish Bowl.
(even writing it makes me laugh out loud!)

It was extreme-
alligator eyeball and mini-globe bowling balls,
sharks floating overhead,
blue glow lights on the alley.

The victor is the guy with the ball raised high.

13/365

We went to church, to Sunday school and then to worship. And then we were home the entire rest of the day, which was as sweet as a piece of cream cheese pie with cherries on top.

12/365

This week my kids painted my kitchen, refinished a desk, ran a few errands for me, baked amazing cookies, cooked delicious Chinese food, and did their own laundry.

Yes, those long days of training are definitely worth it.

11/365

What I love about keeping score-
columns and rows that add up,
x's and slashes and o's,
paying better attention to the game,
a place for everything and everything in its place.

What I hate about keeping score-
when the scoreboard guy doesn't know how to work the clock and forgets about the game while cheering for his daughter...

10/365

One of the highlights of winter in the Rio Grande Valley- citrus, abundant, fresh and cheap.

9/365

"I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be showers of blessing."
Ezekiel 24:26 (ESV)

It seems like it has been raining for a week. Just writing that sort of makes me want to snort; what a lame and completely non-noteworthy statement. We have lived in places where it rains for days and weeks and even months at a time, and I have forgotten how to do that gracefully, I think. I splash in puddles one day and am ready for sunshine to return by the next. This morning, it was raining and pouring and it seemed unusually cruel to make my son ride his bike to classes. I had just dropped him off and stopped at the light when, in an instant, the clouds broke and sunlight busted through. Hope is blue sky peeking through after days of rain.

Showers of blessing!

8/365

La Fonda Tortuga for the kitchen.
... deep breath ...

7/365

"What a heart knows by heart is what a heart really knows."
Dennis Lennon

Oh the things that my mind remembers, that my heart knows.
I can turn on the "oldies" radio (how does '80's music become "oldies"?) and Name That Tune and sing right along.
I know dialogue of random movies and musicals.
I remember conversations and hurtful words of the past long beyond wanting to and I am reminded at moments when I least expect to be.

But this is what I want to really know- His word.
So I'm starting on The Romans Project, memorizing Romans 1, 8, and 12 in the year ahead, a couple verses a week, 87 in all.
Truthfully, I am not sure I can.
I'm going to try anyway.

(confession- I do love that I get a little moleskine notebook besides...)

6/365

Curried Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

(adapted from a reciped from Allrecipes.com)

1 butternut squash

4 tablespoons butter

2 large onions, diced

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 teaspoons minced ginger root

2 tablespoons curry powder

1 teaspoon salt

6 cups chicken broth

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced

1 can coconut milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cut squash in half lenghtwise; discard seeds and membrane. Place squash halves, cut side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Roast in preheated oven until very soft, about 45 minutes- 1 hour. Scoop the pulp from the peel, and reserve.

Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, garlic, ginger, curry powder, and salt. Cook and stir until the onion is very soft, about 10 minutes.

Pour the chicken broth into the pot, and bring to a boil. Stir in the apples and squash, and simmer until the apples are very soft, about 30 minutes.

(at this point the recipe tells you to pour the soup by batches into a blender, and puree until smooth. But I don't have a blender. So I smashed the soup and chunky pieces with a potato masher, and then put in my hand mixer (as in hand-cranked old fashioned mixer) and finished the job a bit more.)

Add can of coconut milk and reheat to serve.

(note- the original recipe called for firm ripe Bartlett pears and a 1/2 cup half and half)

New Year

"New Year" from The Valley of Vision

O Lord,
Length of days does not profit me except the days are passed in thy presence, in thy service, to thy glory

Give me a grace that precedes, follows, guides, sustains, sanctifies, aids every hour,
that I may not be one moment apart from thee,
but may rely on thy Spirit
to supply every thought,
speak in every word,
direct every step,
prosper every work,
build up every mote of faith,
and give me a desire
to show forth thy praise,
testify thy love,
advance thy kingdom

I launch my bark on the unknown waters of this year,
with thee, O Father, as my harbour,
thee, O Son, at my helm,
thee, O Holy Spirit, filling my sails.

Guide me to heaven with my loins girt,
my lamps burning,
my ear open to thy calls,
my heart full of love,
my soul free.

Give me thy grace to sanctify me,
thy comforts to cheer,
thy wisdom to teach,
thy right hand to guide,
thy counsel to instruct,
thy law to judge,
thy presence to stabilize.

May thy fear be my awe,
thy triumphs my joy.

Perhaps one of my most continual pleas in prayer is "more of you, less of me, O Lord." This old Puritan New Year's prayer summarizes that petition so well. I think of three words to strive towards in the year ahead- obedient, content and expectant. Obedient to "rely on thy Spirit," how could I better hear that still small voice of the Comforter, and respond well? Content with His grace and steadfast love, will I put aside the complaints and grumbles that so quickly distract? Expectant of the good work He has yet to bring to completion, might I ever look forward in anticipation and hope?

The truth is, however, I can't do any of that on my own. I can never muster up the cheer, the satisfaction, the optimism, relying on myself. The prophecy from Isaiah, echoed in Luke 3, reminds me all that Christ fulfills, every valley filled, every mountain and hill made low, the crooked becomes straight, the rough places become level, "and all flesh shall see the salvation of God." He is my hope and He is my certainty.

The references to the sea in the ancient New Year's prayer reminds me of a modern song, Pilot Me, a similar request and appeal,

I will arise and follow you over
Savior please, pilot me

Over the waves and through every sorrow
Savior please, pilot me

When I have no more strength left to follow
Fall on my knees, pilot me
May your sun rise and lead me on
Over the sea’s, savior pilot me

O’ Lord

Obedient, content, expectant.
Onward, 2013.

5/365

Thankfully life is more than spinning a wheel (and don't you hate it when the wheel spins off?!) and hoping to collect enough dollars to finish in Millionaire Estates...

4/365

Road trip. Field trip. Aquarium trip.

(and Arby's trip. Half Price Books trip. World Market trip. Gap Outlet trip. We make the most of a day in the city!)

3/365

I am constantly a delinquent library patron. Constantly.
But today I turned in the overdue, paid my fines, regained my privileges, and took home two new reads.

See you in two weeks, library.
Hopefully...

2/365

I found this on our chalkboard this morning. And I smiled.

But even more, it prompted me to think of Paul, who in Ephesians reminds us of the spiritual identity of those trusting in Christ.
The faithful in Christ Jesus are:
blessed with every spiritual blessing (1:3),
chosen in Him (1:4),
holy and blameless before Him (1:4),
adopted as sons (1:5),
redeemed (1:7),
forgiven (1:7),
lavished with the riches of His grace (1:7-8),
sealed with the Holy Spirit (1:13),
alive in Christ (2:5),
saved by grace (2:5),
His workmanship (2:10),
reconciled to God (2:16)...

Indeed, He IS able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think (3:20)! To Him be the glory.

1/365

On the first morning of the new year we needed milk so I went to the grocery store, walked through puddles in the parking lot in my flipflops, and had a conversation in Spanish with a man in the produce aisle about Michigan. A good start, I'd say.

365/365

And then, another year had passed.
Goodbye 2012.

364/365

At the risk of sounding really old, a Sunday night hymn sing might be one of my all time favorite events.