Random Lists

tv shows that disturb me:

Groomer Has It

Toddlers & Tiaras

Half Ton Teen

must have's in the refrigerator:

cheddar cheese

tortillas

salsa

limeade

tasks that always take more time than you think they will:
making airline reservations

driving others

baking anything in my oven

states I will visit between May and August:

North Carolina (maybe SC too...)

Texas

Oklahoma

Washington

this weekend:

soccer

baseball

worship

Hannah- A Woman of Prayer

Megan at Half Pint House has posted thoughts and comments on the latest chapter of Through His Eyes: God's Perspective on Women in the Bible. This post on Chapter 10 examines the example of Hannah. And what an example Hannah is!

Come and join the discussion.

(art credit: Hannah Prays to the Lord, etching by Marc Chagall)

Just what the doctor ordered...

"...the exception, dark chocolate. As far as I'm concerned, you can eat dark chocolate every day..."

Dr. Nancy Snyderman, TODAY Show, "Diet Myths Revealed"

love Dr. Nancy...

Pretty Picture

The final "pretty picture" from the Hubble space telescope's longest running optical camera...

Lift up your eyes on high
and see who has created these stars,
the One who leads forth their host by number,
He calls them all by name;
because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power
not one of them is missing.
Isaiah 40:26

(photo credit to HubbleSite News Center)

A Different Sort of Earmark...

A historian is suggesting that perhaps Van Gogh didn't cut off his own ear, but lost it in a fight with Paul Gaugin.

Van Gogh might be one of those characters that I'd invite to that fictional "if you could invite any 5 people to dinner" party. So many questions I could think to ask him...

(art credit: Starry Starry Night by Van Gogh.
story credit: to Catherine Larson at The Point)

On the Road

“I’d buy one, but I have twins.” -Congressman Brian Baird of Washington referring to the two seater electric-hybrid Aptera Tuesday, at the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill.

This photo, and the quote, come from a new site, WORLD on the Road, from James Allen Walker, a photojournalist at WORLD magazine.

The site will include some of the "behind the scenes" and outtake photos of Walker's shoots, as well as his commentary. I'm a fan already. Check it out.

Flu Check

Found this site for those who are wondering if they might have the flu...

(courtesy of The Point, who credits one of my all-time-favorite-funny-guys Dave Barry)

Announcing!

For You formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother's womb.
I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.
Psalm 139:13-14

That cute little guy to the left?
That's our first grandbaby.
A boy!
He was born just after the clock turned to Saturday last week.

All of us, grandparents, aunts and an uncle, rejoice!
Wonderful are His works!

Home Delivered Meals

I'm a day late for Wordful Wednesday. Alas. Some weeks are like that.

But really, that's OK, because today is Thursday, and on the first, third, and if there's a fifth, Thursday of the month, my family delivers meals for the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging. Yep- basically we are meals on wheels.

ENOA is preparing to hold its annual fundraiser, "Sharing the Table," and this photo will be part of their "slide show." (are there really slide shows anymore? isn't everything a "multi-media production"?) This photo is missing my middle daughter, she was at basketball practice that day, but other than that, I love this picture. Even if we are all squinting. Even if you can't see that I have eyes.

My family has been delivering meals for a while now, maybe four or five years. I've lost track. It makes us sound much nicer than we are. Delivering meals is really one of the easiest things we do in a week. It takes about an hour, and I am certain we are more blessed by our clients than we are a blessing to them. And I am certain that most of our clients are more happy to see the kids than they are to see the food.

When we started, all 6 of us would go to every door. We quickly got over that! Now, one or two of the kids deliver each meal. We make about 10 stops, several with multiple meals. No- we do not cook the meals! All we do is pick up the meals, and then deliver them to each client on our list.

We all have favorites. We have clients that are cantankerous and grumpy, but soften right up with the kids. We deliver to those with disabilities and dementia. We delivered to a lady who told us the same story every week for three years. And then one day she added, "...but maybe I've told you that." HA! (uh, yeah, maybe, but we understand...)

We delivered to one lady that we knew was old, but we didn't know HOW old until one day I asked her how she was feeling, and she answered, "Pretty good for a lady that is 102." 102! You should have seen my daughter's eyes pop out!

We deliver to one lady who smokes "like a chimney" says my girls, and has me put out food for the stray cats ("you shouldn't take part in an illegal activity" says my son), and gives my girls Tootsie Roll pops but not my son. She must be able to tell he's against the cats...

We delivered to one lady with hoarding behaviors. Honestly, she could barely make it to the front door, she had so much stuff. Boxes and boxes and racks and racks and stacks and stacks of stuff. She was constantly in trouble with her neighbors for the perpetual yard sale filling her driveway. But oh!- did she delight in seeing my daughter!

We delivered to one man, an old gentle soul, who asked me if I'd like to join his chapter of the Hell's Angels. "You don't have to ride a bike," he told me. Me!? A Hell's Angel!? The only bike I know is my mountain bike that has cobwebs on the spokes right now...

So here's an exhortation to you families: if you are looking for a fun, easy, rewarding way to serve, deliver meals! My only caveat- make sure your kids can buckle their own seat belt first! And then, get ready to be blessed.

You must be there

"I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me... I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."

Matthew 25:36-36, 40 (NIV)

"Andrew was visibly moved as he recited these verses. 'Don't you see,' he told us, 'you cannot give a person something to eat unless you are there. You cannot provide drink or clothes, or visit the sick and imprisoned, unless you are there."

from God's Smuggler, Brother Andrew with John and Elizabeth Sherrill.

That's My Answer...

Wandering through Blogdom while the kids watch Bedtime Stories. (with Adam Sandler, that goofy guy that makes me laugh. My all-time favorite Adam Sandler? The Hanukkah Song. hands down.)

But I digress...

I just found That's My Answer, which is asking REALLY important questions for us to answer. Questions like:

It's 70's-80's Saturday night. Fantasy Island or The Love Boat?

Definitely The Love Boat. To tell the truth, the only time I really liked Fantasy Island was when there were kids on the show. And, sometimes it was spooky. Just my opinion...

Do read the fineprint on your contracts? What about all those agreements online, do you just click AGREE and carry on, or do you actually read it and then decide?

In real life, I read them, uh, well, I skim them. Online? I click agree and move on. I really hope that I don't regret that someday...

You’ve been put in charge of creating a contest that anyone can play. What is your contest? Where will it take place? What is the prize for first place? Do you think I’m going to win?

Too much thinking. Next question...

Today’s high is supposed to be 81 and the low is 58 (F). What is the forecast for your city?

I am SO glad you asked! Today, oh today. Beeee-you-ti-full!

High 89, but with breeze, sometimes wind, so it wasn't hot. And then a storm came through at game time, and cooled things in minutes. Perfect.

Low 59. That's sleeping weather.

Tomorrow- 60/52. We love you, sun. Come back to visit...

and that's my answer.

I'll Never Forget...

It has been a few Thursdays since I joined MamaKat and the Writer's Workshop over at Mama's Losin' It. This week's assignment? I chose number three:
Why won't you forget? List six true sentences that begin with the words 'I'll never forget...' Then use all six of your sentences in a paragraph, poem, or longer descriptive piece.(writingfix.com)

I’ll never forget…
Four years old,
Hiding under the bed,
Piercing sirens wailing,
TV on.
Tornado in the neighborhood.

I’ll never forget…
Elementary school years.
La Cienega picnic grounds.
Marshmallow roasting on a whittled stick,
Slick rocks across a bubbling stream,
Sticky sap of vanilla scented pines.

I’ll never forget…
17 years old and invincible,
Road trip AZ to CO.
Dusty dry Moab camping,
Dire Straits out the window,
Rocky Mountain air in June.

I’ll never forget…
College summer before senior year.
Train ride Juarez to Mexico City.
Glowing smoking wildfires rage outside,
Closed window musty inferno smolders inside,
Babble of language to be learned.

I’ll never forget…
Eight months pregnant in July.
Unfiltered sunshine on the shadeless Kodak Hula Show.
Strumming ukuleles, swirling grass skirts, beating tribal drums.
Frozen lemonade for sale,
Sweet tart icy cold slushy delight.

I’ll never forget…
The comfort of mid-life friendship.
Dawn of early morning Fridays.
Holding a warm mug of strong coffee,
Trusted confidence,
Prayer and tears mingle sweetly together.

I'll never forget...
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget none of His benefits.
Psalm 103:1-2

And you? What will you never forget?

Getaway

Took a little weekend getaway, to get away, to get a way, this last weekend- a road trip up north to Minneapolis. Me and two friends and a new friend. A friendly foursome. A frolicking foursome. A funny foursome!

We stayed here, thanks to a great price on Hotwire divided by 4. It was terrific, except for the absence of a hot tub, which we really would have appreciated after a long day of shopping.

Yes, shopping. As far as shoppers go, I am a rank amateur. I don't have the drive. Stick me in a bookstore, and I'm fine. Surrounded by racks and racks... not so much. I'm cheap. But we were in some prime shopping locales. And my first grandbaby is due any minute. I held my own with the pros.

IKEA. Love IKEA. I showed great restraint and stuck, mostly, to my mental list. Mostly. But how can you pass up 99 cent potholders and the like? Tough.
The Mall of America. 4.2 million square feet of retail acreage. Every store you can think of, and then some.
Factory Outlet Mall. By the time we got there, I lost the edge. The snack samples and truffles at Henry & David helped, however...
And, I found a few new books, besides.

Mostly though, it was just good to get away. Marcelene Cox (who is Marcelene Cox?) said, "The quickest way to know a woman is to go shopping with her." I don't know about that, but I do know that it's not just any ol' girls that I would take a road trip with! Thanks ladies! Fun weekend getaway.

Naomi and Ruth, part 2

Belinda at Upsidedown Bee has posted her comments on Chapter 9 of Through His Eyes: God's Perspective on Women in the Bible by Jerram Barrs.

This chapter, "Naomi and Ruth: A Portrait of Redemption," examines God's Providence, His compassion and how we can be obedient in the same spirit as Boaz today. As in the chapters previous, I commend it!

(art credit: Ruth Gleaning by Marc Chagall, 1960)

back to work

Let there be no pride or vanity in the work. The work is God's work, the poor are God's poor. Put yourself competely under the influence of Jesus, so that he may think his thoughts in your mind, do his work through your hands, for you will be all-powerful with him to strengthen you. - Mother Teresa

Which speaks directly to this post, The Day After Easter, by Stephen Nichols, on the Reformation21 blog-
It was after Christ rose from the dead that the work of the church, of beginning and building the church, began in earnest. The euphoria of the Resurrection moment would abate and the grind of routine would set in. The hard work, the daily commitment to love and care for people, the challenge of a hostile world crushing in, all this and more was what the early church, the New Testament church, had to look forward to.

Day after Easter- back to work...

Indeed!

He is Risen!

(art credit: Easter Morning, He Qi)

Legacy

The old saying goes, "there's a first time for everything." When Hudson Taylor departed the shores of England for Shanghai, China in 1866, he was among the first Christian missionaries to the country, and the first in his own family to minister abroad. Taylor's great-grandson, James Hudson Taylor III, continued the work of his family, finding ways to take the Gospel to inland and rural China despite obstacles. In the commentary "A Legacy All of Grace," WORLD Magazine writer Mindy Belz tells of the faithfulness of this family. Belz writes, "Hudson Taylor once promised God, 'As for me and my household, we shall surely serve the Lord." And, indeed, they have.

There's a first time for everything in my family, also. We are beginning on the journey to serve as missionaries along the US/Mexico border. Although we're certainly not the first to take the Gospel to the border, we're the first in our family, as far as we know, to serve as missionaries. But our prayer is that we're not the last, and a legacy "all of grace" will continue on from our family for generations to come. Our promise is the same, "as for me and my household, we shall serve the Lord."

Miscellaneous thoughts on a Friday

Friday.

It's really rather silly that Friday holds any significance for me as the end of the work week, as my work week never really ends. Nonetheless, I do like getting to Friday. I think part of it is anticipation for work and taking care of tasks on Saturday, in anticipation for worship and rest on Sunday.

Some miscellaneous thoughts on this Friday-

1) Looking back at my week, I think what a wonderful variety of experiences I have had. I took a woman to meet with her probation officer, and we celebrated another week of sobriety. I took another woman to sign a lease on a new apartment, and we rejoiced that she and her son would be moving to an affordable and safe neighborhood. I helped to get supper out in our church kitchen. I was able to sit around a table with a group of home school moms and encourage and exhort one another. I was able to be with my kids and work through the promises and challenges of Ephesians together, examine the events leading up to the Great Depression and ponder many of the same issues we seem to be confronting today. I fell in bed, spent, every night, and woke ready to do it again each morning.

(that's a photo of my oldest and a fellow cook-er, creating a pan of ziti on Wednesday night)

2) Last night our church held a Maundy Thursday service. That service leads us to ponder and meditate on the events of that last day before Jesus' arrest. It reminds us of the humility of a King who would wash his disciples feet. It reminds us the significance of the Lord's Supper, of His body broken, of His blood shed. "You come to the table because you know your hope comes only through His body and through His blood... this is a table for sinners," our pastor reminded us. It reminds us, that like Judas and Peter and the others, we deny Christ, betray Him, daily, and yet, the forgiveness and hope remains. From 1Peter 2:24-25- "and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed."

3)I love Robin Eggs. I love the crunchy outside. I love the milk chocolate underneath. I love the malty core inside. I love that WalMart sells a bag for $1.77...

4) I was blessed by my friends this week. I have friends that challenge me, to consider old ideas in new ways, to dig deep. I have friends that I would serve with any where in the world. I have friends that love me and my family beyond measure. And I have friends that I laugh with, that cause me to smile, just thinking about time we spend together. When I read the account of the ladies going to visit Jesus' tomb on that first Resurrection morning, taking spices to anoint Him, not knowing how on earth they would roll away the stone but knowing it needed to be done, I am reminded of my friends. They are those kind of ladies. When I think about moving, absolutely the most difficult idea is leaving behind the day to day treasure of being with these ladies.

5) And I have friends with terrific and eclectic musical taste (and ability!). One example is my dear buddy, the blog-ista over at Running the Race, who just updated her sidebar with some new selections. Her blog is pretty much the only exception to my rule of "no music when I click onto a blog." Not to mention, she consistently puts up good and thoughtful stuff, so go visit and wave and say hi and that you "wandered" over. (snort!)

Those are the thoughts that I've come up with this morning, between teaching and driving and cooking and folding clothes and shaking my head at the clutter around our home.
Blessings!

The Dusty Ones

He will not always accuse,

nor will he harbor his anger forever..

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

so great is his love for those who fear him;

As far as the east is from the west,

so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

As a father has compassion on his children,

so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;

for he knows how we are formed,

he remembers that we are dust.

(Psalm 103: 9, 11-14)

"Dust, Haipru, "the dusty ones," the old Egyptian slang word for the Hebrews- God remembers that we are dust. As Moses taught so clearly, evil is unpreventable and punishment is inevitable. But we have a God who consciously forgets our sins and consciously remembers our frailty. We have a God who travels by our side, who tabernacles among us through the vast and dreadful wilderness. We have a God of grace, who loves even the dusty ones- especially the dusty ones."

Philip Yancy, The Bible Jesus Read, ch. 3- Deuteronomy: A Taste of Bittersweet

The theme of today must be dust- we read the above quote in our Bible study this morning, and then in our history studies, moved into the soujourning stories of the Depression-era Dust Bowl migration.

I'm a dusty one, too.

I'm thankful for the God of grace.

(photo credit: Dorothea Lange, Migrant Mother, 1936)

Winter destroyed

... There was no trace of the fog now. The sky became bluer and bluer and now there were white clouds hurrying across it from time to time. In the wide glades there were primroses. A light breeze sprang up which scattered drops of moisture from the swaying branches and carried cool, delicious scents against the faces of the travellers. The trees began to come fully alive. The larches and birches were covered with green, the laburnums with gold. Soon the beech trees had put forth their delicate, transparent leaves. As the travellers walked under them the light also became green. A bee buzzed across their path.

"This is no thaw," said the Dwarf, suddenly stopping. "This is spring. What are we to do? Your winter has been destroyed, I tell you! This is Aslan's doing."

from The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, ch. 11

(photo credit: Spring Crocus by Georgio R., on Flickr)

Final Four- Tarred

A PTW tip o' the hat to the winner of the H Family Bracket Challenge-


dad.

He rocked the NCAA bracket this year. He was the only one to pick the champ- UNC (going with logic over loyalty- sorry State!) And he broke a two year run of H girls over boys. Of the over 4.5 million folks that turned played in the ESPN Bracket Challenge, he came in 30,646, which is pretty good.


And if we have a new NCAA Division 1 champion, that also means we have a new One Shining Moment. Love the Moment. My kids roll their collective eyes at me, but I don't care. Love the Moment.

I would love to see a NCAA championship basketball game live and in person- but not in a football stadium!! I'll stick with the College World Series, thanks.

Naomi and Ruth

Continuing through Through His Eyes: God's Perspective on Women in the Bible by Jerram Barrs- today, Chapter 8, Naomi and Ruth.

Barrs opens this chapter with reflection on the faithfulness of God towards His people throughout history. He writes, "we know that God has promised to build his kingdom. God is always active among those who love him, always seeking a people out to draw them to himself, always committed to caring for them, always eager to safeguard them against all their enemies. He is ceaselessly working to establish his reign in his people's lives and, through them, into all the world." (p.121) Barrs reminds us that the Old Testament "is a missionary book" (p. 122), that from the beginning, the Lord charged His people to be a blessing to the nations. Those are good reminders to me. He has been, is, and will continue to be Sovereign and purposeful in all of His ways.

But onto Naomi and Ruth. Many are familiar with the basics facts of this story. It's a women's Bible study and devotional favorite. However, through this chapter, I was able to consider some of the details in a new light.

First, I have not before really considered the historical context of the book of Ruth- that this time, the end of the 12th century BC, was a time "of unbelief and of idolatry among God's people, of disobedience and rebellion against the Lord and against his commandments." (p. 125) Barrs points out that our own times might be described similarly, a time when "everyone is doing what is right in his or her own eyes." (p. 126) The book of Ruth is a story of faithfulness, "of three people who honored and loved God, who were faithful to him, and who obeyed his word despite the pattern of life in the culture around them." (p. 125) Despite the times, are we, as believers today, described in the same manner?

I have not before considered the story of Naomi and Ruth in the context of immigration. We know that Elimelech and his family leave Bethlehem, cross the Jordan, and move to Moab- perhaps due to famine, drought, pestilence or disaster, perhaps due to political unrest. And then in a span of a few verses, the sons marry, the father dies, the sons die, and two of the widows travel back to Bethlehem. In that context, we witness the graciousness of Boaz in recognizing Ruth's faithfulness to Naomi, and that beautiful blessing he asks of the Lord over her,
All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge! (Ruth 2:11-12)

Barr points out that this is the promise, the blessing, to all who are God's people, no matter what nation they come from, "that the Lord will richly reward us and repay us when we commit ourselves to serve Him." (p. 135)

Finally, I have never considered Naomi's response to grief, her self-described bitterness, as a right response. The key must be not self-wallowing, but indeed, crying out to the Lord in times of absolute despair, and looking only to Him for relief and comfort. Jeremiah describes in his prayer, "You know me, O LORD; You see me; And You examine my heart's attitude toward You." The mourning of Lamentations 3:25-26 acknowledges, "The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him. It is good that he waits silently for the salvation of the Lord."

I think it is that faithfulness of Naomi and of Ruth, that we read of in this chapter and will be grown even more in the chapter to follow, which makes the story so sweet. It is my prayer that, as God works through my family, we will be found to hold to and act with the same trust and faithfulness as these two women used so mightily by God.

Don't stop here! The Ch. 9 continues this story to it's beautiful ending. Check in for more from Belinda at Upsidedown Bee soon!

(art credit: The Story of Ruth, by Thomas Matthew Rooke, 1876)

Weather, or not

Two shots of the weather from the Heartland this weekend. On Saturday evening, thunderstorms rolled through, a coldish downpour of rain and wind. We were headed home at dusk, motoring through the storm. I like the blurryness of the lights against the wet windshield and how the lens captures the drama of the clouds much better than our bare eyes did.

The second photo was taken just as the sun was beginning to rise on Sunday, as snow was just beginning to fall. It looks like a winter morning, not a Palm Sunday in early April.

But spring is about hope, right? The forecast for the week ahead? Normal temps. Sunshine. Indeed, it's sunny, though chilly and white, outside today.

Hope.

Deborah

I'm a few days late in updating, but over at Half Pint House, Megan has posted commentary on Deborah, from Through His Eyes: God's Perspective on Women in the Bible.
Coming soon- Naomi and Ruth.

(art credit- unknown. But I found it here...)

Royal Play-list and Such

The Queen definitely got the better deal!

When President and Mrs. Obama took tea and cuke sandwiches with the Queen (& poor, always forgotten, Prince Phillip- look at him cast to the side there...), they exchanged gifts.

The Queen gave the President a photograph in a silver frame, just as she gives every visitor, apparently.
(note: that's not really a bad idea- always give the SAME gift. Although... how many pictures of the family in a silver frame does anyone really want? answer- none!)

The President gave the Queen a silver engraved I-Pod, loaded with "40 popular Broadway show tunes."

The Queen definitely got the better deal!

And on other random thoughts about the visit- apparently it's a faux pas to touch the Queen. What? The Royal Ettiquette is beyond me. NO WONDER I haven't received an invitation to Buckingham Palace yet...

Back to real life...

Google rules

Stinky, smelly, dirty water at the bottom of the dishwasher. Never good. Never ever good.

Confession- upon first glance of that murky pond, my immediate thought was "maybe it is broken, irreparably broken, and we can get a new dishwasher." I didn't REALLY want that. Well, maybe I want the new dishwasher, but I really do not want the bill.

So, we did what any reasonable family would do when confronted with a non-working dishwasher in the middle of the day...
We shut the door tight and waited for dad to get home.
He takes off his dress shirt, opens the door, gets down on the floor, pulls out the tray, and sticks his hand in the water. EWWW. Our hero! He gets out the shop vac and sucks up the water and starts unscrewing and disassembling various plastic pieces.

I start Googling.

Google. What an amazing thing! I type in "dishwasher won't drain" and go here. Dear handyman husband actually heeds my googly advice and checks the drain line, which happens to be very clogged. He clears the line. Reassembles parts. Tries the dishwasher. Miracle upon miracles, it works!!!

Thinking what a great opportunity, I google "clean dishwasher inside" and go here. One cycle of 1 cup of baking soda and 1 1/2 cups of white vinegar later, the dishwasher is sparkly and no longer stinks.

Google rules. But dear handyman husband is a close second.

Simple- March 30

FOR TODAY, Monday, March 23, 2009...

Outside my window... shadows of branches swaying in the wind, the dining room light reflected in the window.

I am thinking... where do I begin today?

I am thankful for... home. my latte. the Word.

From the learning rooms... one quarter left. Finish Walt Whitman. More microscope.

From the kitchen... the dishwasher swishing. Oatmeal for breakfast.

I am wearing... pajama pants and a periwinkle Wisconsin Dells sweatshirt, but barefoot.

I am creating... a plan for the day.

I am going... to hear a couple of my kids play in a master class today to audition a new piano teacher.

I am reading... Through His Eyes, God's Perspective on Women in the Bible by Jerram Barrs. Look for my comments on chapter 8, Naomi and Ruth, later this week.

I am hoping... that warmer temperatures arrive with April, for a ride for my son from baseball practice, for a gentle day.

I am hearing... the wind. the dishwasher. the click of keyboard taps.

Around the house... all is yet still. Give it 30 minutes...

One of my favorite things... having the week's school plan prepared for Monday morning.

A few plans for the rest of the week: ESL, soccer, baseball, finish the Sunday school class on Colossians!

Here is picture thought I am sharing... I found this photo of a blue door in Mexico while looking for pictures for a Power Point presentation. I keep wondering- what is through that door? What is behind those shutters?

For more Simple entries-http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Photo Story Friday- a housefull

Count 'em- 9 kids, and five in the front yard playing whiffleball and football besides!

We only had 9 for most of the day, my five plus four that we happily borrowed while their parents attend a homeschool conference today. And then another joined the crowd after school until her mom got home. And then two brothers came over to play. And then two neighbor boys joined the crowd in the yard. And then, there you are, all of the sudden 14 kids in and on and around the house.

But a good crowd it is.
And that's the story this Friday.

For more Photostory Friday, be sure to visit Cecily and Mama Geek!


Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Photo Riddle Answers

Apparently a few of you have been wondering...

the answers-

1. Pride goes before the fall.
2. Iron sharpens iron.

Wonder no more. :-)

Wordful Wednesday- Spring Storms

We were three days into spring, three not-so-bad-this-might-REALLY-be-the-beginnings-of-spring kind of days, when on Monday, the tornado sirens sounded for the first time this season.

Such is spring in Nebraska.

Inevitably, it starts in the late afternoon. We can look west and see the skies begin to darken. We see the wall of clouds form, ominous in their intent. We begin to think, what today?

My girls retreat to the basement. I turn on the news. Every local station is focused on weather. We get the super duper double Doppler this and that. Honestly, they know where the storm is headed virtually within a block.

And after you have been through a few storms, after you have been through a few dangerous storms, you have a sense of whether it is dangerous or not. But my family has lost a friend in a tornado, and we now know that does happen. We'll probably never hear a storm siren quite the same.

Monday's storm was not dangerous for us, just a nuisance, really. Within an two hours, it had passed and the skies were gloriously sun-filled. We wait for the next spring storm to roll through, or the snow that is forecast for the weekend...

Such is spring in Nebraska.

For more WordfulWednesday stories, visit SevenClownCircus. (and if you're a FoodNetwork fan, like we are, BE SURE to read Lula's post!!)

(photo credit to BZalewski at Flickr)

Photo Riddles

I found this fun idea over at OneCraftyMama, who found it at LifeWithALittleOneandMore, who found it at...
It's picture riddles. Only, I'm trying picture Proverbs.
See if you can guess...

(note! a huge THANK YOU to my buddy Michelle who taught me how to get these photos straight!!)

and...

(answers to follow in a day or so!)

Rahab- Deliverer of the Spies

Belinda at UpsideDownBee posted her thoughts on Ch. 6 of Through His Eyes- God's Perspective on Women in the Bible.

The story of Rahab from Joshua 2:1-24 & 6:15-25 rivals any spy thriller novel of today. The story of Rahab challenges how we look at lies and deception, faith and our motivation for behavior.

Read the story, and then go check out Belinda's comments.

If you are interested in previous chapters, you can find them here:

Introduction
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5

(art credit to Rahab Hides the Spies by Frederick Richard Pickersgill)

As We Forgive

It is so easy to think that our anger is justified. We have been wronged. We have been hurt.

As We Forgive is a compilation of compelling stories of hope that arose following the unspeakable horrors of genocide that killed nearly a million souls during one hundred days of terror in Rwanda. As We Forgive reminds me what suffering and forgiveness and reconciliation really look like. I will never be righteous enough to justify unforgivness, or anger that holds on and on. Never.

A couple of quotes that stand out from As We Forgive-

And now as she sat there, she felt strangely at peace. The pain of the past was still there. It would never be gone completely. But as Joy had given God the shreds of her past, he had begun to weave those dark brown-black shreds of pain into something much bigger. There were large green swatches of growth, deep golden swatches of loving friendship, and bright blue swatches of hope. It was a patchwork quilt that looked something like the beautiful Rwandan countryside that now stretched out in front of her. Joy could feel God's love for her in the warmth of the morning sun, and in the beauty of the tapestry he was weaving from her life.
Catherine Claire Larson

Joy is where the whole being is pointed in one direction, and it is something by its nature a man never hoards but always wants to share... Joy is a mystery because it can happen anywhere, anytime, even under the most unpromising circumstances, even in the midst of suffering. Even nailed to a tree.
Frederick Buechner

Seven Quick Takes- First day of Spring

1. First day of spring!! I found this poster when I did a Google image search for "first day of spring." It makes me smile. Look at the fine print- it's for an accordion trio. The first few moments of listening to that recording might just make me smile too. My S. has an accordion that her best buddy gave her. I think that was because her best buddy's mom wanted to get the accordion out of her house... :-)

2. The scene outside my window does not reflect an idyllic first day of spring scene. It is a blustery and the sky is gray. The trees remain bare. However, I see lilies poking their first spears of green out of the dirt, and with optimism, I am watching the buds on the lilac bush. That is the hope of spring.

3. We are home tonight. Every single member of our family. No practices. No meetings. No place to be- for the first time in a LONG time- maybe three weeks? This is good. Very good!

4. So what will we be doing? Watching basketball, of course. The entire family has filled out their picks and are waiting for the inevitable bracket busting upsets.

5. Spring sports season is in session at our house. Outdoor baseball and soccer practices started this week. That means it should snow again sometime in the next week or so... :-)

6. Daughter K has finished her research paper on the sources and effects of water pollution in the US. I am now affectionately referring to her as "My little GreenieWeenie."

7. My girls are becoming outstanding bakers. Fresh homemade chocolate chip cookies yesterday. Homemade pretzels today. This is a very positive (& tasty) development! I am blessed.

Others have Seven Quick Takes, too. Check them out at Conversion Diary.

Wordful Wednesday- Lemonade Stand

This photo appeared in our local newspaper this morning- on the front page of the Midlands section. That's my S and her two best buddies from down the street. Su, L & S, and those buddies, and their brother, have been entrepreneurs this week. Motivated by sunshine and the promise of spring, it was time to open their lemonade stand, on the corner in front of our house.

I was, admittedly, skeptical. Yes, it was a beautiful day. It was sunny, and after a winter of freezing temps, 70 feels almost hot. But it was the middle of the day. Our street doesn't get a lot of traffic. Who would buy lemonade?

Imagine my surprise when yes, drivers did actually stop. And buy. I watched in amazement as a car passed by, stopped, returned in reverse, and stopped again. Three baggy-shorted teens hopped out and ambled over to the stand, bought three cups of lemonade and returned on their way. The lemonade stand grossed nearly $6 that day. (of course, it's all profit- they have underwriters...) And, they caught the eye of the local photographer looking for "sunny day" pictures for the paper.

They have business sense, these girls. They sell their lemonade for 10 cents a cup.
"10 cents?," I questioned. "That's not very much."
"Oh, we know! People think it's cheap and then give us more!"
Ah-ha!

The money? They are going to keep collecting it, and divide it between the Crisis Pregnancy Center and the Humane Society. And I'll keep providing lemonade and cups for the cause.

More Wordful Wednesday? Get over to SevenClownCircus.

(photo credit to Matt Miller at the Omaha World Herald)

Book Confessions

1. To mark your page you: use a bookmark, bend the page corner, leave the book open face down? I'm a corner bender in most of my personal reading. In my Bible and in most of our school books, I use those little post-it flags. I like the idea of bookmarks, but where do you put them while you are reading...?

2. Do you lend your books? Absolutely. I like sharing my books, especially the books I love! I'm grateful others share their books with me!

3. You find an interesting passage: you write in your book or NO WRITING IN BOOKS! I've grown into writing in books, and now it's habit. Unless I'm borrowing a book- and then I flag the page and write the quote later. And if the book is filled with flags, I buy it.

4. Dust jackets - leave it on or take it off. Off. Dust jackets are a pain.

5. Hard cover, paperback, skip it and get the audio book? My favorite size is quality paperback, but I'll read anything. NO audio books. It's just not the same.

6. Do you shelve your books by subject, author, or size and color of the book spines? I shelve by subject, and then with fiction, alphabetical by author. I tried that size and color thing. Pretty. Not practical. I like being able to find a book. Exception- my cookbooks, mostly because of the place they are shelved.

7. Buy it or borrow it from the library later? Depends- on recommendation, cash on hand, why I'm reading it. I tend to borrow fiction and buy non-fiction.

8. Do you put your name on your books - scribble your name in the cover, fancy bookplate, or stamp? It was last name on the first page until my bibliophile buddy gave me an embosser. I love the embosser.

9. Most of the books you own are rare and out of print books or recent publications? I don't think I own any rare books. I know I own some out of print, but probably the majority of my books are fairly new.

10. Page edges - deckled or straight? Deckled pages are so pretty- but really, I don't care a bit. Would the page edges stop a person from reading?

11. How many books do you read at one time? Several. Right now I have a morning study book, a general reading book, some books for school, and an epic fiction work that's not going so quickly...

12. Be honest, ever tear a page from a book? On purpose?! What?! I don't even tear recipes or hairstyles out of magazines in waiting rooms...

Thanks to Anne at PalmTreePundit for the inspiration. I don't think there's too much to repent of, or do penance for... :-)

(photo: a shelf in our dining room/schoolroom, that generally breaks all my rules for book organizing...)

Tuesday Random

Catching up after a week away- a few random thoughts...

What a good week we had. Sweet fellowship of likeminded believers. Worship every day. Seeing God's vision for His Kingdom and His work around the world. A charge to move forward.

Good teaching at the Mercy Ministry conference. Soul stirring music from the brothers and sisters at New City Chattanooga. A glimpse of the Kingdom in worship Sunday at New City St. Louis.

I'll never achieve the order my mom keeps. She lives by Lord Baden Powell's advice to the Boy Scout's- "Try and leave this world a little better than you found it." What a blessing to come home to an immaculate house and chores caught up!

This morning I discovered I can watch ER online. I've been watching ER all 15 seasons. I've known ER longer than my oldest daughter. I've seen every disaster to hit County General. I missed last week's show, which I don't regret a bit, but wonder of wonders, I didn't! It's right there waiting for me. Hello Doctor Ross!

We're enjoying springlike temps- sidewalk chalk, lemonade stands, outdoor baseball and soccer practices. Being outside reminds me of the last stanza of Jesus I Am Resting, Resting
Ever lift Thy face upon me
As I work and wait for Thee;
Resting ‘neath Thy smile, Lord Jesus,
Earth’s dark shadows flee.
Brightness of my Father’s glory,
Sunshine of my Father’s face,
Keep me ever trusting, resting,
Fill me with Thy grace.

It's good to be back.

(photo credit to Miss Avocado at Etsy. And as always, when wandering around Etsy, remember, Thou Shalt Not Covet.)
:-)

St. Patrick's Breastplate

The following prayer is part of a prayer composed for St. Patrick. It's a striking contrast to how American culture celebrates St. Patrick's Day these days.

(but we are observing the Wearing O' the Green around here today!)

Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ within me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ at my right, Christ at my left,
Christ in the fort,
Christ in the chariot seat,
Christ in the poop [deck],
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

Read the entire prayer at Gina Dalfonzo's post at The Point.

(Art credit: St. Patrick's Breastplate)

Tamar- A Righteous Woman

This week I have the pleasure of joining Megan at HalfPintHouse and B at UpsideDownBee to continue discussion on Through His Eyes- God's Perspective on the Women in the Bible. My task? To look at Chapter 5- Tamar, A Righteous Woman. For those not reading the book and interested in the story of Tamar, go to Genesis 38.

From the start, author Jerram Barr states that the account of Tamar in Genesis is one of the least discussed stories of the Bible. It is a difficult story without much commentary. Certainly stories about betrayal and prostitution aren't among those that are comfy with a sweet ending.

How did Tamar land in the situation of needing to prostitute herself to her father-in-law? The story starts earlier, when Judah, brother of Joseph, leaves his family and takes a Canaanite wife, ignoring God's instruction to marry an Israelite. I so appreciate Barr's comments on that situation, one that is common to many of us today as we know others, or have ourselves, chosen to be married to those that are not believers. "God is always far more kind to us than we deserve. His love and his faithfulness to his covenant with his people endure despite our weakness and sin..." (p.76)
I am ever thankful for that love and faithfulness!

As the story progresses we find that Tamar is not a widow just once, but twice, and has discovered that her father-in-law, Judah, "has no intention of fulfilling his covenant obligation to Tamar." (p. 78) Her future is dismal; she really has little hope or prospect of a future in her Canaanite culture. And so, Tamar decides to catch Judah in a trap. Disguising herself as a prostitute, she demands a pledge for payment. A few months later, Judah is caught, and confronted, and confesses of Tamar, "She is more righteous than I." (Gen 38:26)

Wow! A scheming prostitute described as righteous! How can that be? Barr asks "what is righteousness in this context?" (p. 82)
So do I.

Barr writes, "Tamar's righteousness is her commitment to honor her obligations to God, the covenant she has made before the Lord to her husband." (p. 82) This comment by Barr, particularly stands out to me:
At the heart of righteousness is the commitment to proving oneself true in relationships. Righteousness is not simply obedience to the letter of a body of laws. The text does not tell us that what Tamar did was a good thing or an honest thing, but it should be clear to us that God's Word, Holy Scripture, looks at the intention of her heart in seeking to fulfill her responsibilities to the covenant promises she had made. (p. 83)
Proving oneself true.
The intention of her heart.
Those statements challenge me.

And that is what strikes me as one of the wonders of Scripture, of recounting these stories of His people, long ago, but with circumstance and sin so very common to us today. Barr sums it up so well,
When we read the Bible, when we read the stories of the people whom God loves, the people whom he honors, the people to whom he fulfills his promises, the people for whom he keeps his covenant, the people for whom he does his acts of righteousness- when we read the stories of these people, we discover that the people God loves and honors are not absolutely pure people. They are sinners. They are broken people. They are weak people who sometimes disobey the commandments of God. They are people who come up with plans that it is impossible to commend wholly. But God loves his people despite their failures. (p. 83)
Even me.

Through the study questions, Barr has us look at other passages on righteousness (including Jeremiah 33:14-16 & Psalm 72:1-4), and in doing so, reminds believers that our righteousness is in Christ. We come to God, full of sin, unable to achieve righteousness- virtue or morality or decency, on our own, and yet, He is faithful. God was faithful to Tamar, and He is faithful to His people today. Regarding Tamar, Barr reminds us that "we are not asked by the Word of God to approve her deception, her disguise, her acting the part of prostitute; but we are asked by the Word of God to honor her faithfulness, her readiness to fulfill her obligations, her righteousness." (p. 84) And so, yes, even Tamar, an unlikely hero, remains an example of a righteous woman, even today.

(art credit: Tamar, Judah's Daughter-in-law by Marc Chagall, 1960.)

Road Trip

My husband and I are away from home this week, for training here and here.

After worship in St. Louis yesterday, we drove. And drove. And drove. Through a torrential rainstorm, through heavier rain than we have EVER experienced. Through the greening grass of Kentucky. (and they call it the BLUEgrass state. Hmph! :-) ) Into the budding trees of Tennessee. And right on down into the massive highways of Atlanta.

We're thankful for His provision, for safety, and for a very nice hotel room.
Blessings to you this week!

Through His Eyes

I've been reading Through His Eyes: God's Reflections on Women in the Bible, along with Megan at Half Pint House and Belinda at Upsidedown Bee. Want to join the discussion?

Megan has the links to discussion here.

This book provides a terrific perspective on the women of the Bible, often in a light I have not previously considered, and with pertinent questions to consider issues that apply to daily life in very practical ways. You'll be blessed!

Come were but the Spring...

... the view out our front windows at daybreak on March 1. The thermometer read 1 degree F.

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

19 days until that new season arrives...

A give-a-way

Rebekah at Amoretti is giving away this nifty tea towel, and some cookies and a Skirty besides.

Wouldn't those be fun things to win?